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 WE ARE THE OCEAN – Cutting Our Teeth
(Hassle/Shock)
Who Goes There?: We Are The Ocean are a post-hardcore quintet hailing from ye olde London.
How Goes It?: It seems that the British have been brewing up a secret batch of post-hardcore bands that are only now coming out of the woodwork. We Are The Ocean are definitely one of the forerunners of this generation and in Cutting Our Teeth have produced a record that stands on its own two feet in the international scene. With a mix of slick production, catchy hooks and riffs that shimmer and pummel in equal parts, it can only get better with age.
Sounds Like: Hopesfall / Funeral For A Friend / Amity Affliction
***˝
STORY OF THE YEAR – The Constant
(Epitaph)
Who Goes There?: Straight outta St Louis, Story Of The Year play post-hardcore with a dash of pop-punk.
How Goes It?: To be brutally honest, The Constant should have been named The Consistent, and while consistency is usually positive, it also has a negative side. Story Of The Year are consummate professionals when delivering post-hardcore tracks horrendously full of energy and bounce, and in this consistent approach lies the only bad side to this record – predictability. That said, the choruses are huge, the guitar work crisp and on the whole it’s a simple no-brainer for fans of the genre.
Sounds Like: The Used / old Thrice / Vanna
***
 HAYSEED DIXIE – Killer Grass
(Cooking Vinyl/Shock)
Who Goes There?: Four dudes, banjoes, booze and a butt-load of buds equals the reinvention/destruction of some old favorites.
How Goes It?: You either love cover songs or you hate them and if you talk about cross-genre covers, the waters become even more muddied. On Killer Grass, Hayseed Dixie play bluegrass versions of some of the most popular tracks of all time, including Bohemian Rhapsody, Sabbath Bloody Sabbath and Mozart’s Eine Kleine Trinkmusik amongst others – and either absolutely annihilate or refresh the songs, depending on your point of few.
Sounds Like: Queen / Black Sabbath / The Prodigy
***˝
 THE RUM JACKS – Sound As A Pound
(Independent)
Who Goes There?: The Rumjacks are five young Sydney men born in both the wrong country and the wrong time.
How Goes it?; There are only a few good folk-punk bands plying their trade along the eastern seaboard, however The Rumjacks have joined this illustrious club with ease. Sound As A Pound, with its obvious Irish influence mixed with some convict Australiana and a gypsy twist, is sure to turn a few heads and incite some serious pint drinking. There really just isn’t enough tin whistle in music today…
Sounds Like: Mutiny / The Go Set / Frank Turner
****
 ALL TIME LOW – MTV Unplugged
(Hopeless/MTV)
Who Goes There?: All Time Low are the cream of the latest crop of pop-punk out of the states … if you believe the hype.
How Goes It?: In an attempt to keep this discussion constructive, it can be said that MTV Unplugged has brought the world a great deal of good music. Unfortunately in this case, the removal of amps and effects has exposed All Time Low’s weaknesses, which apparently are many. Apart from the closer Dear Maria Count Me In, each song comes across as weak, desperate and positively cloying – thus condemning this release straight to the discount bin.
Sounds Like: nothing good.
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PATRICK PERRIER
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