The Swellers - Good For Me

The Swellers - Good For Me

Pop punk, punk rock, or whatever you want to call it, are certainly waters much travelled these days, and in the last few years there has been an upsurge of melodic punk bands coming out of the woodwork. The Swellers are no exception, but they are definitely masters of their craft.

"Good For Me" is the bands 5th album, and they  had a tough act to follow with the superb "Ups and Downsizing" in 2009, but they have definitely had a pretty excellent stab at it.

Bursting into life with the track "Runaway" sounding like the bastard sons of Bayside and the Bouncing Souls, it starts off 35 minutes of melodic punk goodness. Catchy hooks, pounding drums, and anthemic chorus's are very much on the menu throughout this record and is one that should be played at a great volume in the summer.

Stand out tracks are lead single "Best I Ever Had" which is a perfect pop punk romance and "On the Line" which wouldnt have sounded out of place on an American Pie Movie soundtrack.

"Good For Me" isnt going to be something that you havent heard before, and by no means does this record re-invent the wheel, but to be honest, the wheel is fine as it is, so why should they re-invent it.

The Swellers make good, honest melodic punk rock that it is almost impossible not to love, so go and check them out. Below ive added a video of  "Best I Ever Had" so check it out, then go get the record!

Where to hear them


The Swellers on Facebook

For Fans of


Transit, Bouncing Souls, Bayside, Alkaline Trio, Descendants

Glen xo

Title Fight - Shed

Title Fight - Shed

There's a lot of bands that get hyped up big time in the days of the internet, and social networking and such, some bands that people like just to gain cool points, some bands that get recognised just because someone cool in another band wear their t shirts, and a lot of the time they don't live up to the hype.

None of the above applies to Pennsylvania's Title Fight, the band have received a tremendous amount of hype, and have lived up to everything that has been said of them.

Shed is Title Fights first proper full length and have delivered an absolute belter. It plays firmly on the sound that the band have spent the last 6 years developing, paying homage to the punk rock greats such as Lifetime, Kid Dynamite, and Descendants, with emotionally charged lyrics in the vein of Saves the Day and Jawbreaker.

Across the 13 tracks here you will find a band that wear their influences on their sleeves, but do so in a way without being a carbon copy of their peers. Tracks like "Flood of 72" and "You Cant Say Kingston Doesn't Love You" blast from the speakers with such an energy and speed you will be knocked for six.

The band are from hardcore stock, and came from the same Wilkes-Barre scene that spawned the legendary Cold World and you can tell that ethic is firmly instilled in their music. The record is also produced by Walter Schriefels (Gorilla Biscuits, Quicksand, Rival Schools) and he has really bought out the aggression and angst in their sound.

This is definitely a record that needs to be in your collection, so go out and get a copy of it almost instantly!

Where to hear them


Title Fight on Facebook

The band are also touring the UK in July, and are playing the fantastic Hevy Festival at Port Lympne Wild Animal Park in August

If you like this then try the following


Jawbreaker, Saves the Day, Seaweed, Lifetime, Kid Dynamite

Glen xo

Determined to bring this back to life...

Hello!

So, im not sure if anyone actually reads this blog, and to be honest as of late i wouldnt blame you, it has after all been left to rot since february. Its hard to find the time to write on here when you work 6 days a week, and are constantly tired, but i am determined to change all that

I have in the last few weeks been thinking i should use this blog more, use it too talk music, and maybe actually get people reading it, and hopefully share some thoughts on music!

There have been some incredible releases to talk about over the last month so im gonna cram hard and write about all of them if i get the time!

So please stay tuned, please tell your friends about this blog, and please keep starting bands, keeping enjoying music, keep putting on shows, keep buying records, or downloading them, or whatever it is you do to access your music, because music is the one thing that will always be there no matter what.

Glen xo

A Rough Guide: Lights

I should probably get myself a late card, because from what i understand Lights has been around for a little while, but only recently have i discovered her. She was first bought to my attention on the latest Bring Me the Horizon Album where she provides some back up vocals, straight away i thought she had an amazing voice, so i decided it was time to do some further investigating!

At this point its important to remind you that Lights is indeed her real name, before which she was known as Valerie Anne Poxleitner, but legally changed her name to Lights, which is pretty cool! She won a Juno in 2009 for Best Newcomer, the Juno awards are basically the Canadian equivalent of the Brit Awards.
The music that Lights makes is perfect dream pop music, with cutesy sounding beats and a note perfect voice that makes you feel warm inside.
Truth be told i don't know too much else about her, only from what i've gathered from her Facebook page and various findings on the internet, but ill give you a little something about a few of her releases and why everyone needs Lights in their life!


The Listening

The listening starts with the upbeat opener "Saviour" which bops along like a track that Mae would have done if they wasn't a full band, all big choruses and auto-tuned vocals and has you hooked straight away. Tracks like "Drive My Soul" and "February Air" pay a homage to the Postal Service and will have you tapping your feet along like the first time you listened to "Give Up". Lead track and single from the album was "Ice" which has a more commercial edge and sounds like something Ellie Goulding should have released.
The album is something that makes you want to put some candles on, crank your headphones up and slip away into another world, and you probably wont want it to end as its over all to quickly.
It would be easy for any detractors to write this album off as just another twee One Tree Hill soundtrack, but its alot more than that, and yes you could say there are obvious references to The Postal Service and Owl City here, but everyone who makes music has an influence from somewhere! Its a simple pop album that will make for nice listening in the summer.


Acoustic EP

This little acoustic EP shows more diversity to Lights, and that she isnt just a cute girl with a programmer and a keyboard composing songs on Garage Band (which there would be no harm in anyone doing!).
The acoustic versions of  "River", "February Air" and "Saviour" sound gorgeous as they are stripped back to just Lights and her guitar, giving her a sound that is reminiscent of fellow Canadians Tegan and Sara. Other songs "Romance Is..." is a beautiful melodic offering with her voice echoing through your speakers and does have an Ellie Goulding sound to it. 
Suprise track on here is a cover of punk legends Rancid's "Fall Back Down" which on paper shouldn't work, but it really does, taking an upbeat ska punk song and making it sound her own is no easy task, but she pulls it off on this EP.
Definitely one worth getting your hands on, and i would love to hear more acoustic numbers from Lights.


Other Releases

• Lights EP - 4 out of the 6 track appear on The Listening, but other tracks "White" and "I Owe You One" need to be heard!

Where to Hear Them

Lights on Facebook

Lights on Myspace

Further Listening

If you enjoy lights, then you should probably listen to, or already be listening too the following.

• The Postal Service
• Mae
• Tegan and Sara
• Ellie Goulding
• Nedry

I hope you enjoyed this little guide to Lights! she has a new album due this year, and already released one single from it, so stay tuned!

Glen xo

Destroy Rebuild Until God Shows - D.R.U.G.S new album

Destroy Rebuild Until God Shows - D.R.U.G.S

So today, Craig Owens finally unleashed his latest musical offering upon us in the form of Destroy Rebuild Until God Shows (or D.R.U.G.S for short - see what they did there?).
It would be easy to write this record off without hearing it, because sometimes Craig Owens related product is like marmite, you either love his work, or you hate it. I personally love it, so regardless of what this record ended up sounding like i would probably have loved it anyway, but it is genuinely a great a record.
Do not approach this record and think you are going to get Chiodos mark II, it is much more than that, and it is so much more than just another lame screamo record which would be easy to think as the line up consists of members of From First to Last, and Story of the Year (again, both great bands in my opinion).
The album kicks off with "If You Think This Song is About You, It Probably Is" which was the first single, and is up and down, and disjointed as you can imagine, flitting between melodic electro tinged bars to distorted guitairs over Owens trademark screams. The oddly titled "Mr Owl Ate My Metal Worm" is the kind of catchy screamo tune which makes you remember when you started to like the genre, despite probably never admitting it, and "Im Here to Take The Sky" is almost a pop punk song with beautiful laced keyboards and big chorus's.
Lyrically the Owens has not been as ambiguous as in previous releases, some of the songs here are purely strewn with hateful lyrics, where as others are slightly more positive. Either way, Craig Owens does come across as someone who wears their heart on their sleeve, and is not afraid to show it.
The album will of course draw comparisons to some of the band members pasts, and it does have the obvious Chiodos elements, probably down to Owens distictive voice, and of course Matt Good (Guitar, From First to Last) is a master of his craft when it come to hammering out a Screamo/Post Hardcore tune.
All in all, the album is good from start to finish, the songs flow nicely into one another, and are simply infectious! Buy this record and get hooked on  D.R.U.G.S! (that was an awful pun, even by my standards! i wont put it in my stand up routine)

Further Listening

• Chiodos - Craig Owens was the vocalist for this band from the start and left before they recorded their most recent album. "Alls Well That Ends Well" was a great Screamo Record!
• Cinematic Sunrise - Released one EP on Equal Vision and was the brainchild of Craig Owens, and Bradley Bell of Chiodos. Summery piano led pop rock :)
• Isles and Glaciers - Supergroup comprising of Craig Owens, Jonny Craig, and members of Pierce the Veil and Emarosa amongst others, released one album of disjointed and melodic Screamo, only played one show too, which can be viewed on YouTube! watch it, its unreal!

Where to Hear Them


Destroy Rebuild Until God Shows on Facebook

As you can probably tell, im a big fan of Craig Owens and all his work, so this little write up was massively biased, get the record and make of it what you will, but i assure you that you will not be dissapointed!

Glen xo

Top 5 Bands from New Jersey

New Jersey, is small state that is bordered by New York, Pennsylvania, and Delaware. This little state has produced some of the greatest music in recent memory. Of course knows the big ones, Bon Jovi, Bruce Springsteen, and of course Frank Sinatra, but i wanna talk about some of the smaller acts.

The Jersey punk and hardcore scene was born out of small bar shows, and basement shows in New Brunswick, and some of the bands went on to be world renowned, some maintained a hardworking punk rock ethic, and some unfortunately faded away. So this is my "Top 5 Bands From New Jersey" (in no particular order)

Lifetime

Try to pick a sub genre of punk to pigeonhole Lifetime into and its nearly impossible. Punk Rock, Pop Punk, Hardcore Punk, Emo Punk.... the list goes on. The bottom line is, that Lifetime were a working class punk band with DIY ethics, and sang about things that everyone goes through everyday. They sang about hanging out with your friends, the nervousness when trying to talk to girls, going to shows, listening to music, having your heart broken, breaking a girls heart, and all the other things you go through when you are young, dumb, and have no worries apart from every day life. 

A stark contrast to the dark and often negative lyrics of alot of hardcore punk bands

They formed in New Brunswick, New Jersey in 1990 with Vocalist Ari Katz, and guitarist Dan Yemin, and released their debut album "Background" 1993. Over and above their hometown and playing now famous "New Brunswick Basement Shows" (literally what it says, kids would put shows on in their parents basements) Lifetime were relatively unknown.

Things Kicked up a notch when the band released "Hello Bastards" in 1995 on the Jade Tree label, and complete more tours outside of their hometown. Next came the high influential "Jerseys Best Dancers" in 1997, again on Jade Tree. The album is regarded as a New Jersey classic and with its 12 songs in less than 24 minutes it knocks you for six before you even noticed it began with punk classics "Cut The Tension", "The Boys No Good", and "Theme Song for a New Brunswick Basement Show". Unfortunately after this the band toured once more and then broke up.

Fast Forward 8 Years later to 2005 and Lifetime were booked to play the ever popular Hellfest in Philadelphia. The festival was cancelled and the band played 3 shows in this weekend instead.

After a number of scattered shows and a three date tour of the UK for the first time (which i went to all dates!!) the band signed to Pete Wentz from Fall Out Boys label Decaydence. They Released their fourth album "Lifetime" in 2007, and despite being on a bigger label with more exposure the band didn't sacrifice their sound, and released another punk rock record in the same vein as their classic sound! The band has apparently left the label now, and are again working on various other projects, but Lifetime is apparently still a big part of all the members lives.

Further Listening

• Kid Dynamite - Guitarist Dan Yemin's band after lifetime, again punk rock at its best
• Paint it Black - Dan Yemin's other band after Kid Dynamite, imagine an even faster Kid Dynamite!

Where to hear them

Lifetime on Myspace

Saves the Day

In the vast scenes of Hardcore, Punk, and dare i use the word "Emo", its not often a band comes through and can be classed as revolutionary. Its fair to say that Saves The Day are as close to revolutionary as any band from those genres comes. 

Saves the day formed in 1994 and in 1998 signed to hardcore label Equal Vision. The Band released their debut album "Cant Slow Down" and expanded on the sound that their contemporaries Lifetime had laid the foundations for with upbeat melodic punk rock, catchy hooks and choruses, and lyrics dealing with the struggles of growning up.

In 1999 the band released "Through Being Cool", a record that even now, 12 years later is timeless and always mentioned when alot of pop punk bands talk about albums that influenced them. The band toned down the punk to an extent, and expanded on melody. Songs are still hard hitting like "You Vandal" and "Do You Know What I Love the Most", and bring out the catchiest of melodies on "Shoulder to the Wheel" and "Holly Hox, Forget Me Nots".

The band changed labels in 2001 to vagrant, and with this saw a somewhat bigger shift in musical direction, with album "Stay What You Are". It saw saves the day drop the punk sound and edge into big time pop rock, with the massive single "At Your Funeral", and slow emo number "Freakish". Alot of the bands hardcore fans started to lose faith in the band, but personally, it still stands out as a great record, and definitely and emo classic.

After some line up changes the band signed to major label Dreamworks and released "In Reverie" in 2003, and this saw almost a new Saves The Day. The album was an even further cry from their punk rock days, and sounded like a pop punk band trying to cover the Beatles. The album was strong in places but was panned by critics and fans alike.

The band was quiet for a couple of years, after being dropped by Dreamworks in a label merger, and filling a contractual obligation to Vagrant with a B sides and Rarities album "Ups and Downs".

In 2006 Saves the Day returned, this time the original member of the band was Chris Connelly

Saves the Day are still widely respected in the punk rock scene, and still to this day do not neglect their older material in their live shows, often using the internet to give fans a chance to choose their set lists.

Despite a few glitches in their discography Saves the Day will remain one of the greats and will definitely always be one of my favorite bands.

Further Listening

• The Bug Sessions - A Set of three acoustic albums the band released originally at shows but are now available through itunes 
• I'm Sorry I'm Leaving- An acoustic EP released before "Through Being Cool" which is a solo Chris Connelly EP, the original version contained a cover version of  "I Melt With You" by Modern English

Where to hear them

Saves the Day on Myspace

Thursday

The sub genre of hardcore debate is something that can be said for Thursday. Once again a band who are hard to classify, but if i had to pigeon hole them, then i guess they would be Post-Hardcore, or "Screamo". 

The Band formed in 1997 and can started to make a name for themselves in the New Brunswick Basement show scene. Rumour has it that their first official show was in front man Geoff Ricklys basement with Midtown, Saves The Day, and Poison the Well... thats a show i would have given my right arm to attend! Around this time the band released their debut album "Waiting" on the NJ based label Eyeball.

Thursday were then picked up by Victory Records and released their benchmark classic album "Full Collapse" in 2001. It saw the band grow in popularity with singles "Understanding in a Car Crash" and "Cross  Out the Eyes". The band toured extensively but had issues with Victory and internal conflicts, which almost led to the break up of the band.

After leaving Victory Records the band signed with  major label Island, for third full length "War All the Time". It was critically acclaimed but did not seem to grab the bands hardcore fan base as much, but was a solid record, with singles "Signals Over the Air" and "War All the Time" which had a controversial video which would be banned by MTV. The band then went on and indefinite hiatus in 2004 citing Legal issues, fatigue, and creative differences as the reasons.

In 2005 some demos were leaked on to the internet for what would become Thursdays returning album "A City By The Light Divided"which was released in 2006 and had a harder edge sound to it much like "Full Collapse"

The band stayed quiet until the release of demos and b side collection "Kill the House Lights" on former label Victory, and then  in 2008 the band signed with Epitaph, and released the album "Common Existence" in 2009, which was very well received and it seemed to see Thursday shed any sort of "screamo" cliches they may have been labelled with by doubters of the band.
Its always good when a band over come so many obstacles like Thursday did, and with the planned release of a new record in 2011, its good to know they are still going strong.

Further Listening

• United Nations - A band that never revealed the names of its members but is rumoured to feature Geoff Rickly, Daryl Palumbo (Glassjaw), and Ben Koller (Converge). It is clearly Geoffs vocals on the record, and is definitely something that everyone needs to own!!

Where to Hear Them

Thursday on Facebook

The Bouncing Souls

With a career that stretches as far back as 1987, its hard to know where to start with The Bouncing Souls. They are without a doubt one of the greatest US punk bands of all time, with their uplifting lyrics, and fast paced hardcore punk.
The band maintained a very DIY Ethos in there early years, and were a huge part of the underground New Brunswick scene, playing shows where ever and when ever they could.
The band released their early material either themselves or on local labels and it wasnt until 1994 when they garnered the attention of Epitaph Records and released their self titled album, which featured one of the live favorites "East Coast, Fuck You" and "Kate is Great".
In 1999 the band released "Hopeless Romantic" which added more of the fast paced punk rock element, but shortly after this album original drummer Shal Khichi left the band.
With a re jig of the line up, the band released the classic "How i Spent My Summer Vacation" which is heralded by many as their defining album, and its certainly my favorite of theres. The up beat tempos, and positive lyrics really should be the soundtrack to every summer ever!
The band have continued to release albums on Epitaph, and their own label, Chunksaah, including "Anchors Aweigh" and "Gold Record" and have never changed their morals or ethics. They stay true to their punk rock roots, and seem to be a band that will never quit! 


Further Listening

• Every Bouncing Souls record ever.... they truly are a timeless punk band!!

Where to Hear Them

Bouncing Souls on Facebook

Gaslight Anthem

Now, this may sound like a bold statement, but The Gaslight Anthem are not just one of the best bands to come out of New Jersey, bu infact, one of the the greatest bands of all time. Fact. 

To someone who has never heard the band, the best way of describing them, would be if the Ramones where Bruces Springsteens  backing band. They maintain a punk rock sound, while also paying homage the greats that came from the Jersey Shore, and they wear their Springsteen influence on their sleeve, and they certainly wear it well.

The bands first album was released in 2007, and "Sink or Swim" was only a patch on the things to come. the album is largely a punk rock record, with songs like "Drive" and "\I'd a Called You Woody, Joe" blast from the speakers and knock you for six! the follow up to this was a 4 song EP "Senor and the Queen" which was released in early 2008 and had the same feel but this time the band added a more soulful element, which gave the songs a sound you could imagine being played in dancehalls and women in polka dot dresses dancing to them.

It was in August 2008 that the bands defining moment arrived. The band signed to established punk label Side One Dummy, and Released The 59 sound, an album that warmed the heart, an album that touched on every one of your senses. Brian Fallon sounds like a young Bruce Springsteen, even name checking "No Surrender" and "Bobby Jean" in the songs.an it was this album that saw them reffered to as "The Punk E street band", and its a pretty fitting title. This album made them a household name, even getting support slots with their hero Springsteen, even to the point of him joining them on stage at the Glastonbury Festival for a blast through the song "The 59 Sound".

After relentless world tours, the band released third full length "American Slang" in June 2010, which again expanded on their soul punk foot tapping sound, and even featured guest vocals from Jesse Malin on a track.

The Gaslight Anthem, are a truly inspirational band, with a working class ethic which makes them incredibly relatable, and singing about the every day struggles of the working man, and bittersweet stories about love lost. Unfortunately one day Bruce Springsteen will have to retire, but at least he can sleep easy when he does that The Gaslight Anthem are the rightful heirs to his crown.

Further Listening

• Brian Fallon - if you trawl the internet in some legal, and illegal places (i didnt say that) you can track down a large number of Brians Solo tracks, including covers and acoustic interpretations of Gaslight songs. He did release a Split 7inch with Hot Water Music frontman Chuck Ragan, which is also fantastic!

Where to Hear Them

The Gaslight Anthem on Facebook

I could have gone on longer about the fantastic number of bands that come from New Jersey, but unfortunately once i get started on this great scene its hard for me to stop! There are still plenty of other great bands from New Jersey, and the 5 ive listed are my personal top 5, not including Springsteen... they dont call him the boss for nothing, and he will always be king of the Jersey Shore, but if you like what you heard here, check out the following :

• Midtown
• Senses Fail
• Hidden in Plain View
• The Number Twelve Looks Like You
• Dillinger Escape Plan
• Early November
• Floorpunch
• 108
• Turning Point
• Dog Eat Dog
• The Misfits (how could i forget!!!)

I hope you have found this forthright and incisive... if you do wish to know anymore about the bands ive talked about, or want some more recommendations of where to start with anything i write about here, feel free to drop me an email at allnightdrivesxo@hotmail.co.uk

Glen xo

William Fitzsimmons at the Jazz Cafe

William Fitzimmons - Jazz Cafe, London 10/02/11

If any of you read my post on here last week about William Fitzsimmons, you probably already know that i am a massive fan, so getting to see him last night was nothing but an honour!
William was the support act for classical pianist James Rhodes tonight, and the event was a HMV branded "Next Big Thing" show, and if the record buying public of the United Kingdom have any sense then William Fitzsimmons will be the next big thing!
My girlfriend and i got to the venue rather early, but it was good, it meant time for a post show drink and time to take in the atmosphere of the venue, which was pretty amazing, and it was my first time at the venue! The line up of the two artists tonight was quite a diverse show, and it was obvious that Williams fanbase were all there just for him, and James Rhodes audience were hanging in the bar with some white wine.
So at about 8:30 we are greeted onstage by a compere who instructs us that the artists have requested silence during their performances tonight and we are to switch off our mobile phones, which is rightfully so because from the moment Fitzsimmons comes onstage you are instantly drawn in.
Opening the show with a new track from forthcoming album "Gold in the Shadow" you cant tell straight away that William pours every ounce of his heart into his songs, then following that straight up with "I Dont Feel it Anymore" from 2008's "The Sparrow and the Crow" and new single "Winter from Her Leaving".
Inbetween songs, Fitzsimmons is one of the most personable artists i have ever had witness too. He jokes with the crowd about his cat allergy, about how "wank" apparently means something different over here, and that he challenges anyone to have a better beard than him! not the kind of inbetween song banter you expect from a folk singer who sings about divorce and sorrow.
"Everything has Changed" and "Passion Play" sound note perfect and are just as beautiful live as they are on record, and when William decides for finale "After Afterall" he is going to come off stage and sing in the middle of the crowd it was a perfect moment with everyone in the crowd singing every word, and even now i can still here 100 voices singing the words "please dont leave me" echoing around the Jazz Cafe.
It is clear that although Fitzsimmons jokes with the crowd and seems like just a regular guy playing songs, he is genuinely grateful for everyone who is there to hear him, and that pays attention to his deeply personal songs. As he was just the support tonight the set was over before it had even begun, but he has promised to return twice before the year is out, so i will be waiting with baited breath :)

Setlist

• New Song
• I Dont Feel it Anymore
• Winter From Her Leaving
• Everything Has Changed
• New Song (First time it is played live)
• Find Me to Forgive
• Passion Play
• Golden Shadow
• After Afterall

Glen xo

• 
  

Dashboard Confessional Tours Swiss Army Romance

So to those of you lucky enough to live in the USA, Dashboard Confessional have confirmed they will be touring and playing their first full length "Swiss Army Romance" In its Entirety! 


March 24, 2011 @ The Marquee Tempe, AZ
March 25, 2011 @ Emo's Austin, TX
March 27, 2011 @ The Palladium Ballroom Dallas, TX
March 29, 2011 @ Newport Music Hall Columbus, OH
March 30, 2011 @ Bogart's Cincinnati, OH
March 31, 2011 @ Cannery Ballroom Nashville, TN
April 01, 2011 @ Amos' Southend Music Hall Charlotte, NC
April 03, 2011 @ The Masquerade Atlanta, GA


I am really holding out hop that Chris Carraba decides to bring this tour to the UK at some point, still cant believe its been 10 years since this record first came out!


I saw him do a solo show a couple of years ago in a tiny venue and he didnt play much of this record, so i can only imagine it would be amazing!


Couple that with the Further Seems Forever reunion, this year is going to be a good year for Dashboard/Chris Carraba fans!


Glen xo

A Rough Guide: Death From Above 1979

Last month the fantastic news broke that Death From Above 1979 where reforming to play the Coachella Music and Arts festival in America. So, in honour of this, i decided to give you a rough guide to this incredible band! Enjoy!

Death From Above 1979 is Jesse Keeler and Sebastian Granger. The duo are from Canada and were signed to Vice recordings in America and the credible 679 recordings in the UK. The thing about DFA1979 that set them apart from alot of bands was that their raucous sound was created by just Bass (Jesse) and Drums (Sebastian). Jesse also handled synth duties on a number of tracks and the vocals are shared by both members.

Death From Above 1979 were originally just called Death From Above, but due to legal action from label DFA records the band added "1979" to the end of their name, if im honest with you, i don't know why!

The band broke up in 2006 after releasing just one album (see below) and a number of singles and EP's, citing that they just wanted to spend more time with families and a number of creative differences on many levels.

The band first came to my attention when i was at a My Chemical Romance Gig in 2004 (yes, i did just say MCR, im not ashamed, that band released 2 solid records in their day!) and i was hooked from then on. They were something complete different, a wall of solid, abrasive, yet somewhat melodic punk rock and roll that really made you want to put your dancing shoes on! and the fact that there was just two members making such a racket with only a bass guitar and a drumkit was unreal! Unfortunately i only got to see them the once, but fingers crossed they come to the UK again, as ive heard the reunion isn't just a one off! fingers crossed!

So... what do you need to listen too? the following:

You're a Woman, Im a Machine (2004)

This album is an album that literally everyone should own. I wont lie, it isn't the easiest record to get into straight away, but the more you listen to it, the more it sucks you in. Opener "Turn it Out" blasts out of your speakers with a bass line that could shake the ground, and the wailing drums will make you grit your teeth at first but then have you nodding your head approvingly. The when lead single "Romantic Rights" hits you are hooked in, with the Queens of the Stone Age style groove, and witty lyrics. "Blood on our Hands" has all the swagger of a Rolling Stones song and by this point you are still wondering how on earth are they making this incredible sound with just two instruments at their disposal!
The album has all the elements of a great rock and roll record, it is dark, sleazy, and is over far too quick and leaves you begging to hear more!
In the UK the album was released with bonus disc of remix tracks including mixes by German dance duo Justice, and Mstrkrft, as well as a great "mash up" of "Blood on our Hands" and the Futureheads "Hounds of Love" which is fittingly renamed "Blood on our Hounds" (picked this up on a nice white label 12" some time ago)

Other Releases

• Romance Bloody Romance: B sides and Remixes - was only availible in America, i would love to get my hands on a copy!
• Heads Up! - their first EP which is long out of print and extremely hard to get hold of a physical copy, originally released in 2002, and reissued in 2005... now out of Print Again!

Further Listening

• MSTRKRFT - Jesse Keelers electronic moniker, released "The Look" in 2006 which has a very disco electro sound, similar to that of Justice, and Chromeo. Second record "Fist of God" saw a new direction with guest vocals from a number of rappers including Noreaga, and Ghostface Killah, but was still full to the brim with dancefloor fillers
• Bad Tits - Sebastien Grainger's band with Joshua Reichmann, formerly of Jewish Legend and Tangiers. The duo began playing shows in early 2010, with Grainger on drums and samplers, Reichmann on guitar and keyboards, and both singing. They released a debut vinyl 7” and digital EP titled "Garbage Night" on the label Hand Drawn Dracula.
• Sebastien Grainger and The Mountains -  released an EP with The Mountains titled American Names and later a self-titled LP, in 2008. The band toured for a year and a half, opening for such bands as Metric, Albert Hammond Jr & Bloc Party in North America and Europe. They were signed with Saddle Creek Records in the USA, Outside Music in Canada and JVC in Japan

Where to Here Them

• Death From Above 1979 on Myspace
• Official Website

So there you go, all you need to know about getting into Death From Above 1979. They really are a band you need in your life! Normally i would put a little section to say who they might sound like, but they really are that original that they don't sound like anybody! When i get round to compiling my "Top 100 albums you need to hear before you die" , their "You're a Woman, Im a Machine" will be featured high up that's for sure!

Glen xo

All Night Drives is now on Twitter!!

So i decided that i should a make a Twitter for this blog, because i actually want people to read this page, and to be somewhere that people wanna add to their favorites, and come back and see what i have to say.

You could say im thinking too big, but everyone starts somewhere!

anyway, if you dont have a blogger account (which truth be told i dont know many people who do) then you can follow All Night Drives on twitter!

Follow All Night Drives on Twitter

Every time i post on here i will link it to Twitter so you can keep up to date with whatever nonsense i have to say!

Glen xo

Band of Horses in Brixton

Band of Horses, Mojave 3, Goldheart Assembely  - Brixton Academy, 03/02/11

Tonight me and my girlfriend ventured to London on what seemed like the coldest day ever to see Band of Horses, and here's the lowdown on a quality evening.

As we arrive at the venue Goldheart Assembly are already onstage, they seem quite good, yet not really blowing my mind. The have some good ideas though and could probably go somewhere, mixing elements of americana, folk, and even a nod towards a touch of shoegaze... i doubt this will be the last time we hear of this band.

after a wait of what seems like ever Mojave 3 take to the stage. To clear it up from the start, their name is pronounced MO-HA-VAY, not MO-JAV as i thought it was. Mojave 3 don't try to re invent the wheel with their indie folk sounds, and i must admit i had never head of them before tonight, but i shall be investing the time to hear more. There is obviously a big influence from the headliners of tonight's show in their sound, and even had Band of Horses frontman Ben Bridwell join them onstage for a number.

By 9 o'clock the floor of the academy becomes wall to wall rammed and people are anxious for Band of Horses to arrive, and when they do it was worth the weight. At first its just Ben Bridewell and Tyler Ramsey onstage and they give a beautiful rendition of "Evening Kitchen", then launching straight into "The Great Salt Lake"

From then on there is not much banter between songs, just a working class band doing what they do best, all lush melodies, dual harmonies, and a back drop of photography and even some personal moments from the band.

Any song you could want to hear them play was aired from "Is There a Ghost", "Compliments", and "Laredo".

Without question the highlight of the night, and it was pretty much a given, was the gorgeous "No Ones Gonna Love You" which produced a mass sing a long, and was as every bit as good as the first time it blew my mind on "Cease to Begin"

All in all a fantastic night, and was definitely a great Christmas present from my girlfriend! if i had to pick out any flaws in the show, was that i was hoping to snag a copy of the Band of Horses/Cee Lo Green split 7-inch... but alas, there was none on sale.... eBay it is then!

Glen xo

Promise Me Tomorrow head out on the road

My friends Promise Me Tomorrow are heading out on their first ever tour this month! Be sure to go check them out, and they will probably need places to stay and bread and water etc... so help them out!

17th - Man on the Moon, Cambridge

18th - The Marquee, Norwich

19th - Club Wired - Manchester

22nd - Go Club - Birmingham

23rd - Wycombe Academy, High Wycombe

24th - Walkabout, Wolverhampton

25th - Corporation, Sheffield

26th - Audio, Brighton (w/Paige)

if you havent already, go hear them and download their EP for FREE!! 

Promise Me Tomorrow on Facebook

Glen xo

A Rough Guide: William Fitzsimmons

Ok, its the back of 2am, and in a hearty attempt to get the ball rolling with this blog, and knowing full well i wont be able to sleep if i don't do something productive, i have decided to introduce the first of many "A Rough Guide" posts. Some will be artists you have heard a million times before, but theres always room for improvement, and some you may never have heard of before, so what better way to start it, than the great, and somewhat "underground" William Fitzsimmons!

So to give you a little background about William Fitzsimmons. He is a Pennsylvanian singer-songwriter signed to the Mercer Street label, both his parents are said to have been blind, giving a young William a house that was filled with alot of sound and was learning various instruments from a young age. Fitzsimmons has a masters degree in counselling, and has worked a therapist to the mentally ill. His Music touches on very personal matters, and the soft picked guitars, light electronic beats (sometimes) combined with his whispering vocals create a beautiful sound which could give warmth to even the coldest of hearts!

The Sparrow and The Crow (2008)

This was the last studio album Fitzsimmons Released, and the place any new listeners need to start. I was told about it by a friend and as soon as i heard it, it blew my mind. The Album was created in the year following his divorce, and with every word, and every syllable you can hear this is the catharsis a broken man needed.
The Opening line of the first song "After Afterall" is the simple sentiment of "I Still Love You"... and from the get go you will want to know why William still loves this woman, what happened, why are they apart, and anyone who has experienced any kind of heartache can find hope in this record knowing that they are not alone.
Lead single from this record was a mid tempo folk number "If you would come back home" where Fitzsimmons croons about his lost lady love, and there is a slight degree of hope to the track "Just Not Each Other" where you can almost feel him finding the strength to tell himself that it will be ok and he will not be lonely forever. This Album is a must have for anyones collection who enjoys their music real, and to the point. There are no metaphors here, and no gimmicks, just a man who has a story to tell and some demons to exorcise.

Goodnight (2008)


Goodnight is William Fitzimmons second album. The most notable difference between his debut (2005's Until We Both are Ghosts) and The Sparrow and the Crow,  is the use of electronic beats. No, i don't mean Dubstep or Fidget House, but more subtle in a Postal Service kinda way.
The soft guitars are still the prominent part of the music, but the light beats  accentuate the guitars and compliment Fitzsimmons whispers perfectly. This record is believed to be about the divorce of his parents, and the beginning of a breakdown in his own relationship (although i have no confirmation of this, its what i have taken from the record)
It is heartfelt, and very moving. songs like "Its Not True" and "Please Don't Go" will bring a tear to your eye and if you have a girlfriend, you will definitely be calling her up reminding her that you love her. The Stand out track on a personal level is "Everything has Changed" which is directly about the loss of his father, and you really believe William when he is telling this story of his parents separation and fathers passing. It is probably not as hard hitting as The Sparrow and the Crow but is still a tough listen yet very accessible. Definitely a record you should not be missing.

Other Releases


Until We Both Our Ghosts (2005): Debut album, very folk, very beautiful. Lead single "Passion Play" was also used on Greys Anatomy

Derivatives (2010): A remix album of sorts. New interpretations of 8 of Fitzsimmons songs and a sweet cover of Katy Perrys "I Kissed a Girl"

Where to Find Him


William Fitzsimmons on Myspace
William Fitzsimmons on Facebook

Further Listening


If you Like what you hear here, you should maybe check out the following

• Peter Bradley Adams
• Cary Brothers
• Iron and Wine
• Joshua James
• Rosi Golan

So there you have it, a brief guide to getting into the next big thing in folk. A true genius, and judging by his rise in popularity through the Internet and his forthcoming new record (Gold in the Shadow drops in march!!) he will be talked about alot more this year! I am going to see him at the Jazz Cafe next week, so expect a heavy blog about it!!

Glen xo

A New Year, a New Start, a Massive Blog Post!

Hello to anyone who may be viewing this!

so about 6 months ago i came up with a totally unoriginal idea of starting a blog to write my own reviews and thoughts on music, because in the days of the internet and social networking and such, no one has ever done that! The driving force behind it was to review my friends band Promise Me Tomorrow and to give them a little bit of exposure to a few people who may not know about them (see previous post). I then wrote about 4 other blogs and decided to never log back in and do anything else on here, but as Bob Dylan said "the times they are a changing"

So with that thought in mind, i scrapped any other posts i wrote, as it was basically me wittering on about a nothing of any interest, and decided on a drive i took this evening i am going to get behind this blog and give people some views on all things musical (by this i mean music, not broadway productions)

I am going to be approaching it from a different angle this time, i will not be reviewing albums like a cookie cutter magazine or website, it will be more the sharing of some thoughts, and opinions.
I wont just talk about hardcore or metal or whatever the trends are these days with the scenesters, but everything and anything that decides to take me fancy. If i want to tell you how great a grindcore record is... i will... if i want to gush about how rad i think the cast of Glee are... then i will... if you choose not to like it that day, then dont read it, but i can garuntee that you will stumble across some musical rantings you will find forthright and incisive.

You may or may not care, a few notes about me, so you get an idea of the kinda music nerd you are dealing with here and you can brace yourself for the nonsense i will be speaking.

Im 28 years old and been a music fan since i got given my first cassette tape and player for my 8th birthday way back in 1990. Id love to tell you it was something cool like Bleach by Nirvana, or maybe The White Album by The Beatles... however it was the soundtrack to the first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Film (and yes i probably could still sing every word to T.U.R.T.L.E power!) But even so, it opened my eyes to music, and i was hungry for more, albiet cheesy late eightes early ninties pop music, and a fine selection of motown and soul such as Diana Ross, Marvin Gaye, and Luther Vandross that my mum used to play in the house alot!

I first realized music could have a voice and anger at the age of 10 when a friend at primary school bought in a cassette tape he had got from his older brother, none other than N.W.A's Straight Out Of Compton...
I borrowed it and made a copy of it, and my little Sony walkman probably got sick of hearing it. I had no idea about the struggle in South Central Los Angeles, and i certainly didnt care for "guns and bitches" all i knew was these guys were pissed off and wanted everyone to know about it (not until many years later did i actually do my homework about what N.W.A were all about)

So for a few years hip hop dominated my listening pleasures until about 1993 when i heard Nirvana, and everything changed. Yes i was a late bloomer to grunge and punk rock, but form the moment i heard Lithium for the first time i knew then music for me was never going to be the same, and not just something i put on and listened to the beat.

I wont bore you to details with moments of musical history in my life such as the first time i heard The Smiths and thought it was the worst thing ever then end up having Morrissey as the biggest inspiration in my life and seeing Morrissey live 5 times and crying my eyes out like a little girl whos pigtails had bee ripped out.

but you get the idea!

Ive worked in record shops pretty much for 10 years now, independents and chains stores, ive seen the downloading industry cripple singles charts, and pretty rule sales of music, and the way we listen to and access our music change completely... so if anyones says i dont know what im talking about when it comes to music, they are wrong... big headed as that may sound, its true.

So with that said... i welcome you to this blog, and i hope it finds you well, and you find it interesting.

please feel free to send me love or hatemail, or if you are an aspiring artist or band and want me to give you a mention on here and talk about your music, then drop me an email at: allnightdrivesxo@hotmail.co.uk

i will leave you with a fitting epitaph from the excellent book "High Fidelity"

"Do i listen to pop music because im unhappy, or am i unhappy because i listen to pop music?"

Glen xo