Painted Wolves - Unholy EP (2012)

Genre: Hardcore
Website: Facebook
For Fans Of: Music
Track List:
-  Poisoned Words
-  Self-Appointed Prophets
-  In The Circle of Lies
-  In Urine

Description:
If I had to pick one word to describe this band it would be pummeling. My neck is sore from headbanging in my bedroom and I love it. Dudes are from Sweden and will be touring Europe with Dangers and Comadre, so be on the lookout Europeans.

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Big Cartel

Genre: Punk
Website: Facebook
For Fans Of:  Early Modest Mouse, My Sexual Dad
Track List:
-  The End (fin)
-  Nevada Test Site
-  Singlemothernature
-  Too Fly
-  Plastic Bag Factory
-  Guerrilla Gorilla
-  Bubba's Rubbage Yard
-  Ugrno
-  A Boy & His Dog
-  Astronaut
-  Corner of The World
-  You Can't Hid From The Lord
-  Stranger
-  Cotton
-  Football Song/2:07 Nick <3 font="font" nbsp="nbsp">

Description:
I really like sloppy, dirty music. I also really like bands that sound like early-era Modest Mouse. Stinky Smelly checks both of those boxes, so naturally I really like this band. This record rips hard, and "Plastic Bag Factory" has to be one of the cooler songs I've heard in a while.

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Caspian - Waking Season (2012)

Genre: Post Rock, Instrumental
Website: Caspian
For Fans Of: This Will Destroy You, Gifts of Enloa, If These Trees Could Talk
Track List:
-Waking Season
-Porcellous
-Gone in Bloom and Bough
-Halls of the Summer
-Akiko
-High Lonesome
-Hickory 54
-Long the Desert Mile
-Collider in Blue
-Fire Made Flesh
Description:
Like I'm sure a lot of you used to, thanks to Sigur Ros and Explosions in the Sky, I used to listen to A LOT of instrumental post-rock. It was something new to the grand scheme of music at that time, and there were a lot of good bands doing it at said time. Now, like most great genres that blow up, it's over run with watered down, half assed music of the like. This record came out last year and I overlooked for those very reason.

I read all the hype and thought it was just people that were still caught up in all that. Not there this is anything with still listening to that style of music, I just honestly pictured myself "over it." Yesterday, I played videogames and sat in my room for the better half of six hours and finally jammed this record out of boredom and I'm beyond mad at myself for sleeping on it for so long.

This record is ten tracks of some of the most powerful music I've heard in a long time. The swells, the build ups and crashes, the break downs and all the quiet parts in between are some of the most moving, emotionally crushing and downright beautiful songs I've heard in recent memory. The track "Gone in Bloom and Bough" is one of the most moving songs I've heard this year. I can see myself listening to this on long drives home, long bike rides and reflective moments in my life. If you are a fan of this kind of music, these guys are currently the cream of the crop. I know I slept on it, and if you have I recommend you not.

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No Tongue - / / / (2012)

Genre: Post-Hardcore
Website: Bandcamp
For Fans Of:  Calculator, Cloud Mouth
Track List:
-  verknallt
-  dwayne
-  mr. dr.
-  the russian man

Description:
This band has some dude/dudes from Calculator and they are rad as hell. Kind of sounds like Cloud Mouth and Calculator mixed together.
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Pile - Dripping (2012)

Genre:Punk/Grunge
Website:Bandcamp
For Fans Of: Pavement, 90's alt rock, Control era Pedro the Lion
Track List:
-Baby Boy
-So Hard
-The Browns
-Grunt Like a Pig
-Prom Song
-Bump A Grape
-Sun Poisnoning
-Bubblegum
-Steve's Mouth
-The Jones

Description:
I guess I should start this with the smallest of introductions. My name is Kyle. I live in Birmingham, Alabama and I used to write for Heavy Boots Music. As that blog has gone the way of the buffalo, I approached Goose about writing reviews for this blog to which he obliged. I'm glad to be writing about music for people again and stoked everyone at Circling The Drain was cool with it, but enough about me.

Talk about records that came out of no where to reign supreme on my Best Of list this year. Holy shit. Boston's Pile play a hybrid of well written and angst(not the high school kind) ridden indie rock spliced with the best indie of the 90's a la Pavement and a grungier Modest Mouse at times. At times, Rick Maguire's vocals even flirt with a David Bazan quality.

This record is flawless from the solid and hard hitting opening track "Baby Boy" all the way to the incredibly poppy yet intelligently written closer "The Jones." My two stand out tracks are "Bump A Grape" and "Prom Song." Out of the two, it's hard to pick a favorite. "Bump A Grape's" main chorus line has an old folk/gospel feel to it while "Prom Song" houses one of the best riffs on the entire record, even if it slow and simple.

If you haven't compiled a Best of 2012 list yet (or even if you have) I highly suggest you at least check out this bands newest offering. Tied with Hop Along as my record of the year, you will not be disappointed. Also, just give them the $4 they ask for to download it if you can spare it. They deserve it.

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Rational Animals - Cross Eyed Delights b/w Way After Midnight 7" (2012)

Genre: Punk
Website: Facebook
For Fans Of:  Aloke, Shipping News, Wiccans
Track List:
-   Cross Eyed Delights
-   Way After Midnight

Description:
If you like your punk rock to sound like it has been drinking whiskey and rolling around in mud, then you will probably like Rational Animals. They are on the awesome label, Katorga Works, who have a ton of great indie and hardcore bands, and offer a decent amount of their discography for free download. Check out their shit and support.

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II - Ноздри / Nostrils (2012)

Genre: Punk
Website: Bandcamp
For Fans Of: Summer Vacation, Dinosaur Jr.
Track List:
- Устал
- В Пыль
- Враги/Друзья
- Плохой Рассвет
- Давно
- Как Раб
- Сам
- Удивляйся Чудесам!
- Беречь Карму
- Не Видеть Снов

Description:
This stuff is awesome. I have no idea what they are saying, because I don't speak Ukrainian(?), but that doesn't stop me from loving this. Nostrils is really able to achieve that thrashy/fun sound, and layers it with a ton of guitar fuzz/nonsense that kind of reminds me of Dinosaur Jr. It really is able to achieve a pretty experimental feel through that, but is still able to hold on to the upbeat energy that makes this album great. The whole album was recorded by a singular dude too, so that is pretty impressive. Props to that dude.


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Chalk Talk - Bad Influences (2012)

Genre:  Emo
Website: Facebook
For Fans Of: Sirs, Ape Up!
Track List:
-  Outro
-  You're In
-  Orchard Torture
-  Bad Influences
-  Babe Paralysis
-  Memo_Sploof

Description:
Chalk Talk isn't a band I would normally listen to during the winter, because their sound oozes summer time fun and bike rides, but fuck it this is awesome. If you aren't familiar with Chalk Talk. they play some jangly punk with a emphasis on humor and fun. Listen to it, download it, buy it.

TOAST YR BRAIN CUZ TOAST TASTE GOOD!

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Old Gray - Everything I Let Go & The Things I Refuse EP (2012)

Genre: Screamo
Website: Facebook
For Fans Of: Merchant Ships, William Bonney, The Exploration
Track List:
-  359 Pine
-  Resonance
-  Winter '11
-  Six Years

Description:
Alright, I'm sure most of you know who this band is by now. All of their stuff has been put on the blog in the past, so what can I say that hasn't already been said (much more eloquently by Mimmers)? 4 songs, spoken word intro, awesome stuff. Get on the pre-order, it's only 5$ and it comes in different colors.

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Loud? - Connections (2012)

Genre: Emo
Website: Facebook
For Fans Of: The Promise Ring, Texas is The Reason, Driveway
Track List:
-  Gus Caldwell
-  Knock Knock. Whos there? Vodka!
-  Jon He Does it
-  Matches Malone

Description:
Guys, I realize the blog sucks ass now, I'm sorry. Why am I so lazy? Why am I so drunk? Why? WHY?

But I digress. Loud? is always a band that will motivate me to log on and post. They are always just able to hit that spot for me. I can't really explain it, other they are fucking awesome and you need to check out their discography (which is all on the blog). Do it now.


(Also in the progress of making the blog spam free. Anyone know how to add a chatbox that requires identification?)

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The Smith Street Band - Sunshine & Technology (2012)

Genre: Punk
Website: Facebook
For Fans Of: Frank Turner, Fake Problems
Track List:
-  Sunshine & Technology
-  I Can't Feel My Face
-  I Want Friends
-  Why I Can't Draw
-  Stay Young
-  What's Changed
-  Tom Busby
-  Young Drunk
-  When I Said Us I Meant Them
-  Don't Mention The War

Description:
One of the bands I was most stoked to see at Fest 11 was The Smith Street Band. I was able to catch them at the Holiday Inn Pool Party and it was an incredible way to start out the best weekend ever. I was perplexed when I didn't know half of the songs they played though. Low and behold, they actually have a new record (that came out in August) out that I had been completely oblivious to. I ran into the band Sunday night before I headed back home and was able to pick up "Sunshine & Technology". I probably listened to the CD front and back at least 8 times on the ride home and I must say it is amazing. They managed to pump out 10 more songs that are all insanely catchy and fun. Check it out now.

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Hard Girls - Isn't It Worse

Genre: Punk
Website: Facebook
For Fans Of: Bomb The Music Industry!, Shinobu, Summer Vacation
Track List:
-  Focus on the Tedium
-  Hot for Halo
-  My Buddy Valentine
-  Second Glimmer
-  Fed by the Eater
-  Swamp with Potential
-  Mary Anne
-  San Fransisco
-  Major Payne


Description:
I've been waiting for this album to drop for free download to the public for a while now. I put forth some money for their donation after hearing the song "Major Payne" because I knew this album was going to be hot stuff after hearing that song. I WAS NOT DISAPPOINTED!!! Hard Girls really builds on their sound and tops their previous album "Hello" (which is also available for free on the website below). If you like having fun and being cool, download and listen to this, then go and buy it.

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Foxing - Old Songs (2012)

Genre: 'Mo
Website: Bandcamp
For Fans Of: Family Might, Leaf Routines, Castevet
Track List:
-Friendly Homes
-Sunspotting
-Gold Cobra

Description:
I know this has been posted on a few other blogs, but it's too damn good not to be on here. These guys remind me of Leaf Routines, a band with members of Prawn and more yelling. These three songs are 5 minutes each, however they don't drag along and nothing is wasted. They have also managed to create a pretty unique sound in a fantastic way. Get into it.
I think I've gotta find my sea legs!
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Olive Drab - Girl EP (2012)

Genre: Fuzzy Punk
Website: Bandcamp
For Fans Of: Glocca Morra, Flashlight, Teenage Cool Kids
Track List:
-Slugger
-Cranberry
-Hugs
-Sorry, I'm a Coyote

Description:
From Hightide Hotel's facebook "members of hightide, pirouette, snowing, and reid and the maynards. get drabbed."

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Empire! Empire! (I Was A Lonely Estate) & Arrows - Split (2012)

Genre: Emo // Indie
Website: eeiwale // Arrows
For Fans Of: Joie de Vivre, The Defeat, Blueline Medic
Track List:
Arrows:
- All Passwords Are Brisbane
eeiwale:
- Turbo Stasis
- We Did Not Need to Open It to Know It Was There

Description:
Here is another split from Empire! Empire! that most of you should already have, as all three tracks are absolutely stellar.  Reaching across the Pacific to the killer emo band you've never heard of, Arrows, this split showcases two new tunes from Empire! Empire! that easily rank among my favorites in their canon, and a new Arrows track that finishes with a phenomenal flourish.  Yeah that ending, and everything before it, seriously reminds me of some of the great emo-rock stuff that's been going on in the UK for the last five or six years.  I realize it may just be the accent, and that the accent isn't really the same, but forgotten bands like The Defeat and Soria seem to have a fair amount in common with Arrows, and I love it.  As for those empire tracks...  A music expert was quoted as saying "If anyone could write a song about not feeling 20 anymore, leave it to Keith Latinen to take the cake."  And that's pretty much what Keith does with "Turbo Stasis", a song that, even without a rhythm section, manages to level you with its humble power.  It's something I love about the lyrics of Empire songs: although the musings may be personal to Keith and the stories his own, they still allow the listener to explore their own past and make sense of the words as they relate themselves.  Not sure if that makes sense, but please do yourself a favor and buy this record.  It's going to go out of print, and you don't want to be left looking like a square, do you?

Buy this from CYLS
Buy this from Hobbledehoy (AUS)
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