The Chorus Music Club Society • Page 281

When I had these albums recommended to me, I ended up loving them both. I did have a ton of ADTR flashes with Sink the Ship, your Homesick comparison hit the nail on the head.

 

@ryanfears and I have traded.

He gave me:

All Time Low - Last Young Renegade

I have given him:

Hawthorne Heights- Bad Frequencies


(Funny thing is I tried to avoid giving the album this week. We’ve pretty much apparently heard the same albums as each other)

 

I highly recommend Speak Low if You Speak Love - his (their?) new album is fantastic. Right, @Nate_Johnson ?

If it fits in your schedule - go for it!

 

Absolutely. I don’t know how much he tours so it’s a great chance to check him out.

 

Hawthorne Heights - If You Were Lonely



I was recommended a my third Hawthorne Heights album by @Bad Frequencies, which was their heaviest out of the ones I had heard, Hurt and Bad Frequencies,and it showed with the first track This is Who We Are. The song starts with some awesome riffs and drums before the lead kicked in, I didn’t expect this instrumentally by them which was a nice surprise. I recognized their single Saying Sorry which I had no idea was them. I can see why they picked it as a single with that catchy chorus. This album seemed to blend in their catchiness I heard in their other albums but have a more rock/heavier tone in the instrumentals (riffs and leads) and placing screaming in when needed, which kept everything fresh for me as someone who leans more towards heavy.

Dead in the Water Is probably my favorite track of the bunch and features the best of what they can do in one song with some great guitar and bass throughout all leading to a heavy screaming bridge. If you had played this song for me and had me guess who it was, I don’t think I ever would have landed on these guys. For me this song is where the album really picks up and is the best stretch on the album to Where Can I Stab Myself in the Ears. I don’t know where to place this in the review, so I’ll just say I’m on Your Side has a nice little musical piece at the end that leads well into Breathing Sequence which I thought was really cool.

Overall I really enjoyed this and being surprised is always a good thing. These guys are officially no longer the emo “Cut my wrists and black my eyes” band I always joked they were!

Highlights – Dead in the Water, This is Who We Are, Cross Me Off Your List

 

Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness




The 2nd rec from @Bad Frequencies from last week was this gem. I’m going to be really bad at this one and its going to be another one of my “I love this album but finding it hard to say why” reviews.

I had never heard of this artist before so I had zero expectations (I had heard of Jacks Mannequin but never listened to them as for some reason I roped them in with Panic at the Disco and that’s not for me). I was totally taken in from this style I hardly listen to and his songs are so well written. I’m not sure if Andrew does all the music/song writing himself or if it’s a group project, but man is it good and my hat’s off to him/them. It’s very poppy and happy, in the best way possible. Even though the music seems to be electronic and synth, it doesn’t rely on simple beats and all songs have a lot going on to make the songs sound full and filled with energy. Everything going on here just works from the second you hear it, a true artist. As the late one to the party on this, I know I don’t need to tell anyone haha. This will be repeat listen for sure I and I love getting a non metal album since I have a wife who hates heavy and little tots, this is something we can jam in the car together (anything to not listen to Moana and Lion King soundtrack again!)

Highlights - High Drive, Rainy Girl, All Our Lives

 

@ugman_2000 this week has been hell and all my free time has been wiped for the next few weeks. I caught up on my last weeks and will get to yours next my dude!

 

Awesome, I'll be seeing them there too and I'm looking forward to it!

Clashes with TBS but I dont want to see them three times so one day I may go check a number of sub headliners out, I'll out him on a list of potential acts to check out then!

This is far and away my favourite HH record. I love this one a lot!

 

I loved reading these. You did an excellent job writing these; and they both showed you the merits of a legit band that gets a bad name and one of the most talented musicians out there (imo) who is out of your comfort zone. Nice work!

 

SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO it's the big one.



20StoriesFalling - Existence

20StoriesFalling are a four piece band from Utah, containing two of this websites very own members, singer and guitarist Colton and lead guitarist Brad. They’ve apparently been around for over ten years, but disbanded for a number of years before coming back to record and release their debut full length towards the end of last year.

Named Existence, the album has a two minute ambient intro before we reach the first proper song, 'Yeah, You’re Right'. It’s a strong and punchy start and one of my favourite tracks on the record. It’s a mid-tempo number powered by a riff reminiscent of The Dangerous Summer’s early work, with lyrics about loneliness and isolation and perhaps religious uncertainty, as singer Colton Swapp sings “Is anybody out there?” The song ends on another longer ambient passage which for me seemed an odd choice for the second track and first proper song but it was a promising start regardless.

Third track 'Skeletons' is one of the more aggressive and faster tracks on the record, and is where the bands influences really become apparent, with Hawthorne Heights immediately coming to mind. It’s a really well written song though and definitely a highlight for me.

Fifth song 'The Other Side To This' was an interesting song. Early on it’s mostly picked guitar and vocals, reminding me musically of some of the quieter material Real Friends have put out, only with better vocals. As the song progresses it naturally evolves, and I found the middle section to sound a little like Knuckle Puck’s “In Your Crosshairs”. It feels like a more hopeful song than either of those however, and I found it to have one of my favourite melodic moments on the record, as Colton sings “We’re gonna get out on the other side of this, we’re gonna grab a drink and try to reminisce. We’re gonna find our way out of this darkness. We’re gonna call our friends and apologise for this, we’re gonna let go of all our bitterness.”

The next track, 'Existence', feels like the most straight up song on the record and so was a good choice for a single. It’s a really strong song that sounds like Hawthorne Heights or Matchbook Romance at their absolute peak. The drumming on this song really stood out to me and I think he should be let loose more for sure.

The seventh song is named 'Co Co' and at eight minutes in length including ambient passages, it’s definitely meant to be the central and most dramatic song on the record. It clearly deals with death and the passing of ones we love, with the second half featuring some ethereal vocals further back in the mix, that give the song a real sense of mourning.

'Amends' appears to be about someone changing and going down a dark path, with some nice visuals about things such as shedding reptile skin that give the song a lyrical edge. The outro was particularly great, with some amazing drumming and a guitar solo that allows Brad to show off his chops.

'Closing Remarks' is the final song, and speaks about death in grander terms, of people but also perhaps the band. It’s a quieter piece, which is common amongst the genre, and ends with some nice electronic effects that reminded me a little of Motion City Soundtrack’s Hold Me down and bookended the album nicely.

Overall I like the album. It's not of a style that I really keep up with anymore, however I used to be a big fan of this kind of music and so I can appreciate it for it's lyrical content and ability to throw new elements into an older mix. The musicianship throughout remains hugely tight, and is varied enough to keep things interested. Meanwhile the lyrics and vocals absolutely shine, with Colton Swapp possessing a great scream that he perfectly utilises. I would not say it is a perfect album, but it's very strong for a debut record, and their ambition on songs such as 'Co co' or 'Amends' should be applauded.

8/10

RIYL: Heavy feelings, Hawthorne Heights, that early/mid 2000's emo sound

Recommended tracks: 'Yeah, You're Right', 'The Other Side To This', 'Co Co', 'Amends'

Cheers to @Bad Frequencies for the daunting but interesting rec, and thanks to the band for not only being members of our community but making a really interesting album, and one that now I know what a lot of the songs are really about, has a lot of depth and interesting ideas.

 

Another very late review for one @iCarly Rae Jepsen gave me:

Jakob Dylan - Women and Country

This is light on standout songs for me, but as a full album and a mood-setter it's really strong. The arrangements are loose and have a light touch (in particular, upright bass is deployed perfectly). The production is warm. The female backing vocals are sprinkled in just enough that you never focus on his admittedly limited range. I think the melodies might emerge more for me on repeat listens, but at first blush it's perfect warm weather relaxation music.

 

Glad that you enjoyed it and nice write up. I personally love this album and its currently in my top 10 of 2018 so far.

The first time I ever heard Shakey Graves was seeing him live opening for City and Colour in June 2016. His set was about 60% with a full backing band and 40% him, an acoustic guitar, kick drum and vocals. He had a lot of really interesting and fun banter between songs. He sounded fantastic and it was a great live show, I would recommend it.

 

CMCS Anniversary Essay

What I like about the CMCS is seeing the community come together week after week with the mutual goal of discovering new music through recommendations, reading reviews and subsequent discussions and sharing music they love and enjoy with others. It’s wonderful to see people connecting over music and see them discover new bands they enjoy and giving acts they may not have always been interested in another chance.

My favorite part has really been reading the reviews and discussions. Even weeks that I sat out I would read a bunch to end off my day and I’ve checked out a lot of new bands/albums because of it. There is a lot of really great writers in this club and people are constantly improving in their reviews. Another one of my favorite things about the CMCS was coming up with the idea with @Bad Frequencies and subsequently seeing the club grow and expand so fast.

My two favorite recommendations I was given to review were Toy Cars-Paint Brain by @Colin Your Enthusiasm , I still spin this regularly and it’s just an awesome album. My second would probably be PUP-The Dream Is Over recommended by @Dumblecore this is just a super fun pop punk record and has helped me a lot this year as a pick me up. Both of these albums acted this way and have a special place in my heart.

My two favorite reviews of albums I recommended were both for 2018 releases from artists whose albums I was incredibly excited for and really love. Most recently was @Larry David 's write-up for Shakey Graves-Can’t Wake Up. My second was @bachna84 's write-up of Brian Fallon- Sleepwalkers. I love both of these artists/albums and it was awesome reading how much they also enjoyed them.

I have enjoyed every addition to the club that has been added over its course, however my favourite is the release day reviews. It’s so much fun reading them having the excitement/anticipation for the album still so fresh when the review is being written. I feel this gives them an extra something special. I have really enjoyed the concert reviews that have been posted.

 

CMCS Essay

When this group/thread first began I wasn't sure what to expect. I wasn't sure how many people would join, or how committed those who joined would be. It exceeded all of my expectations.

The first reason I enjoy it is because it gets you a chance to be introduced to members on the site you may not have known before or interacted with previously. There are so many great users on this site and this place gives us the opportunity to meet a new one each week.

The second reason I enjoy it is that I have found so many great artists and records through this thread. I've listened to albums I have never heard of, and some that I've been meaning to check out and I finally have a reason to listen to.

The third reason I enjoy it is because it gives me the opportunity to post things I feel have a legitimate purpose. I love knowing that the person I'm paired with probably can't wait to read the review once they're notified it's been posted. I know I get very excited to read the ones my partners recommend.

I think my favorite part of the group is that it gives me the avenue to share records I'm in love with. We all have artists and records we'd like to get more attention and this is the perfect way to accomplish that!

 

No worries mate it happens, don't worry about it just post it whenever you have time. I think I’ll have yours up sometime Sunday.

 

I’ve traded with @skurt next week they’ve given me The Penske File’s album Salvation and Heavy Hearts album Bliss.

I’ve given them Samiam’s album You’re Freaking Me Out and DZ Deathray’s album Bloody Lovely.

 

Essay time

What I most enjoy about CMCS is the sense of community. Despite being a reader and member since about 2008, I never really ventured past the news posts and into the forums on AbsolutePunk much, as they always seemed a little hostile from the outside looking in.

This meant when the switch to Chorus was made, and there were no more comments on news post, I was a little worried. It also meant that I felt a little like I didn't know anyone, and felt like a bit of an outsider on the forums (although this helped as I changed my name and didn't need to announce it).

I’ve found various little bits of community on these forums, such as the soccer thread, but this is the first place where I feel like a valued part of the community. I obviously joined late, and only clicked on the thread out of random boredom and curiosity one night, but I’m really glad I did and it’s been my favourite part of Chorus so far as a whole.

My favourite part of the experience so far follows on from that, and it’s the good vibes and atmosphere in this forum. With everything going on within the scene at the moment, the forum can seem like a very hostile place, and it’s not often you see genuine positivity.

Within a few weeks of joining this mini community, it felt like I was a real part of this group, and that’s partially down to the very positive feeling within this thread. Everyone speaks about what they like rather than moaning, and even when people don’t like something, the discussion is had in a polite and civil manner. I think that’s something we could all use on this website and when things are happening such as the 30 Seconds to Mars thread blow-up, it’s important to remember why we all joined this site: A love of music and a passion for discussing and sharing it.

My favourite recommendations so far have been @bachna84 recommending me Spanish Love Songs – Schmaltz. This one is based purely on it being a perfect recommendation. My favourite bands over the last two or three years have definitely been The Menzingers and Turnover. So to get a band that so clearly take influence from one of them, and for it to be of such a high quality, makes it the perfect recommendation. It’s an album I had ridiculous fun digging into, and is currently my top album this year. It’s recently been heavily featured on a podcast I listen to, but I felt genuinely ahead of the curve thanks to this community and it’s something I've always appreciated about this website.

My other favourite was @Bad Frequencies back when they went under different name recommending me Jack’s Mannequin. This was an act I had heard of but never checked out, and was actually my first recommendation on CMCS full stop. I listened to it on a really sunny Friday afternoon, the first sunny spring day of the year, and driving around listening to it is a truly memorable experience for me. It’s an album I wasn't sure what to expect with, but I got a piece of well-crafted pop rock that I've often had a craving to return to. It’s a really happy summery album and is something I never would have checked out unless someone had told me to on here. It’s actually an album that continues to grow on me to this day.

One of my favourite reviews that I have received was also by @Bad Frequencies , for Seaway’s ‘Colourblind’. This was an album I was unsure about recommending, as I wasn't yet sure on people’s preferences, so to get such an overwhelmingly positive review back was a big deal in my first week. My other favourite was Nate’s review of Turnstile. Again, it was a relative stab in the dark, but another hugely positive review. It was very well written and I feel like they got a really good grasp on the album in a short period of time, and I like that I introduced them to a new band that they clearly had not heard before.

As for my favourite addition, I've really enjoyed the one or two live reviews I have seen. So much that I myself am planning to get involved myself within the next week and will be posting reviews on three days of Slam Dunk Festival and Turnover headlining Koko in London.

Overall, regardless of the outcome of this competition, it’s been a hugely rewarding experience to be a part of this thread, and the outpouring of other people in this thread who feel similarly is great to see.

Here's to enjoying this for a lot longer!

 

Another excellent essay. We are happy to have you here, and thank you for appreciating the community.


Also I should clarify my monikers as I see some people are confused (not your post you just reminded me). The names I have gone by are:

BTDandFeelingThis
WolvesAreCircling182
JediMasterKevo182

And now this one

 

I didn't even realise you had changed at one point haha. I remember you as BTD, then as Jedi, but I definitely missed the change and thought you were two different people for like a week haha.

 

When you changed your name most recently Kev I was like who’s the new person posting in here. Then I kept seeing you talking about Hawthorne Heights new album and soon realised it was you lol.

 

Apparently you guys weren’t the only ones haha

 

There should be an official name change thread haha.

 

Talking of change, time for a new avatar I think...

 

Ill change my title to I USED TO BE BTDANDFEELINGTHIS

 

Wow! Thank you so much for taking the time to write this and (most importantly) listening to our album! So happy and relieved that you enjoyed it. Really, we appreciate it very much. I'll pass it on to the other guys. Thanks again!

and thanks to Kevo for waving our flag