Punk Rock Fails Sometimes

So check this out, I have a dumb crush on Lauren Denitzio, formerly of The Measure (SA). I mean, that’s weird and I admit that’s weird. I’ve never met her, I only “know” her through her art work and music, both of which I respond to very positively. It’s not some kind of lusty, sexual, active type of crush. But I’m a dude that likes ladies. I don’t actually often respond with silly crushes to women in rock. I actually actively keep those feelings in check, because music and love do not mix for me. I am the kind of guy that if you go to a show with me, I am probably going to ignore you the whole time. I am very purpose driven at the rock and roll concert. I judge people on the type of music they listen to, unfairly, and as such, could never date a lady that was too geeky and OCD about music. That’s kind of dumb, but the last thing I want to do is be such an asshole that I break up with someone because they say something negative about Lifetime. That’s just not cool, but that’s the kind of dumbass guy I am.

Laura wrote this a while ago about sexism in punk rock. Punknews reposted it on their site here. A lot of dumbass boys got offended. Okay, I should come clean and say, I didn’t read many of the comments. I just see a comment thread of 419 posts and I know that there are some dumbass boys so volatile and hostile to any challenge to their violent, sexist status quo, that they all anonymously go apeshit on a message board on the internet.

So what do I think? This is my blog anyway, right? I think Laura is right on in every point she makes. Her essay is pretty positive and congratulatory to the punk rock scene. Of all the essays I’ve read scribed by ladies, this one had less of a negative bight. And yet, even with the sugarcoating (I beleive out of diplomacy more than anything) these little boys can’t take any criticism to heart. The true problem is, like religion, sexism is bashed into people’s heads before they are cognizant and able to comprehend and challenge the ideas. Then, when these boys reach an age where they have actually face their actions, they don’t have the tools to self evaluate and reject what is now inherit in them. This isn’t an excuse, so much as an attempt at an explanation. Each individual is responsible for their actions and the evaluation of those actions. It’s a shame this isn’t really taught, just left for everyone to figure out on their own. Most people never do.

Punk rock is nothing more than a microcosm of regular society. As much as it helps me personally to have a bunch of other weirdos to commiserate about depression and loneliness and alienation, it does no good as a culture to continually alienate others. Further, I am tired of the burden of criticism always falling on the responsibility of the few women and non-whites to call the white boys out on their bullshit. Sure, I’ve met plenty of men/boys who are the exact opposite of the punk rock status quo, trying to create and help facilitate spaces that are inviting and safe to all types of people. But the exception is far outweighed by the rule. There is little in the music or the message that is intended to be off putting to curious people, but the culture, like almost all cultures in western society, has a serious degree of bullshit to deal with. It’s time us boys start dealing with it.

It’s a Sad Day Today

Yesterday I learned that New Jersey Pop Punk outfit The Measure SA called it a day. According to a punknews.org article Laura Measure stated:

After a number of lineup changes, the Measure increasingly became Fid and I finding ways to continue making music together. For a while, that was working, but this Fall I made the decision that I can’t continue with the band. There were a lot of personal reasons behind that and I realized that my heart just wasn’t in the project anymore. It’s not fair to anyone to try to keep going after that, especially when you’re expected to tour and write music and play shows and look like you’re having a good time. As far as parting ways goes, it’s a fairly amicable event and I’m glad that we’re ending the band on good terms and as friends.

We started the band when I was 20, and if you had told me then that I would get to travel around the country, put out over 18 records and play with some of my favorite bands because of it, I’d think you were out of your mind. It’s been a great privilege and I hope those experiences don’t end here. Fid and I will certainly be putting out music in other bands soon, so stay tuned.

The Measure (SA) felt to me like one of those honest, modest, hard-working bands that had a creative aesthetic to their presentation that made them unique from the heard of pop punk bands, especially those from New Jersey. Not all their songs were great, but most of them were pretty gosh darn good. They always sounded great and usually out did any band they shared a split with.

I found this even more upsetting after coming across Nervous Energies which currently features five home-made videos of Against Me! playing through 5 songs from their full length discography. That the world is absent of The Measure (SA) and somehow allows Against Me! to still exist, just doesn’t feel right to me. I know, the Against Me! bashing is so old and ridiculous and unbecoming of a 33-year-old single dude that actually still cares about punk rock. But it’s not the major label-ness of Against Me! that ever irked my nerves. It was that it clearly coincided with a lack of energy and creativity in their music. The performances found at Nervous Energies of their songs from Reinventing Axel Rose and The Eternal Cowboy show a very rusty band. It’s clear from these videos that these songs, “I Still Love You Julie” and “T.S.R.” are underperformed by the band.

I am one of those assholes who saw Against Me back in the day. Not quite the basement days, but certainly the church hall days, when they were popular enough to draw 150 kids or so and everyone had a good time. They were an incredible band to see. When they signed to Fat and The Eternal Cowboy came out I was stoked. That record was pretty fucking awesome. But even before Sire, that band lost the spark, lost the magic, lost the meaning. It got to the point where Tom Gabel even renounced his political fever of his youth. I once compared this band to The Clash, and I wish now that I could take that back. The Clash were always on a major label and were a force to be reckoned with. They did immeasurable awesome shit, including a 12 night stand at The Bond in down town Manhattan. I have a recording of one of those shows. It’s mind-blowing. Their set at Shea Stadium opening for the Who is  unreal. I thought this was the course for Against Me; that they would be bigger than the bullshit and still rock.

Searching For A Former Clarity was a telling title, because that album was in search of a band that would no longer be. It had some good moments, but suddenly it seemed like the poetry got lost in Gabel’s head. More than the music, the lyrics on that album were really disappointing, the reflection of a writer with writer’s block. It was just an okay album, a misstep perhaps. But by the time New Wave came out, I was convinced this band was done. I had hoped for a raging release of furry and ire, instead it was a mid-range rock album, more akin to Tom Petty.

Seeing these video’s yesterday was really painful. I don’t believe that Against Me turned their backs on their roots or fans intentionally. In fact their supporters did a good damn job of doing that, to a degree that is despicable. I think the band took that personally and somehow, that transformed their energy. I don’t know what happened exactly. But honestly, after hearing the bad news about The Measure (SA) breaking up, I wish it was Against Me! That sounds so mean to say, it’s a really stupid thing for a supposed rock critic to suggest really. Why should one bands demise reflect on the continued existence of another. But I want passionate art. I want art that is made with craft and care and that comes from an unbridled energy. Against Me! used to tap into this beautiful rage, and now they just wallow in dissatisfaction. Their own regard for their old material is the evidence of this. It’s not something I want to see out of any band, whether I like them or not. Any musician’s career, big or small should be an upward trajectory, where the raw excitement of the beginnings feeds into a creative understanding of the complexities and art that follows. It should be linear, and somewhere, for Against Me, that line broke up.

Soundtrack to the March to Keep Fear Alive

Tomorrow,  thousands will descend on Washington DC for the March to Keep Fear Alive. For all of you unemployed idiots out there like me, you might need a soundtrack to keep you shuddering in your boots. KYS has got you covered here with ten great songs about fear. If you ask nice, I might make you a CD.

1. The Years, The Fears, The Sleep – Defiance Ohio
2. You Are Right To Be Afraid – Beauty Pill
3. Fear is a Man’s Best Friend – J. Robbins
4. Too Scared – Del Cielo
5. The Fear – Lilly Allen
6. The Fear is Back in Town – Milemarker
7. I’m Afraid of Everything – Braid
8. Fear of Commitment – The Measure (SA)
9. When I Was Afraid – The Thermals
10. Let’s Get Terrified – Dead Mechanical

If I had my shit together and all my music was on one hard drive I’d have mediafired this for you, but well, I am not that well organized. Suck it.

Notes by The Measure (SA)

The Measure (SA)
Notes
No Idea Records

I try not be a fan boy about ladies in punk rock. I do a pretty good job of that actually. While I am certainly not immune to a lady that catches my fancy, generally I take ladies in punk rock at face value, a person who likes the same music as I do. But sometimes I get unrequited crushes. Much like about 100 other  old fart, 33 year old punk geeks, I now have a crush on Laura Measure. It is not because she plays in a really good pop punk band, or does really great art work utilizing old dictionaries as her canvas. Those things certainly don’t hurt. But it’s pretty much because she played my beloved des_ark on Razorcake Podcast #127 (which you can find here). There was something about that moment when she started talking about des_ark that I was just all like “awwwww”. I mean, I get excited about a lot of bands, but I get REALLY FUCKING EXCITED about des_ark and I get really excited when people know who they are. So yes, that’s kind of a way to induce an unrequited crush. Luckily, I am pretty lazy and  such emotions don’t overcome me with any inkling to any type of  action. Mostly I just go “awwwww, she likes des_ark, that’s so cool” when I encounter anything doing with The Measure (SA).

So what did those following 230 words have to do with this new album, Notes by the Measure (SA)? Well, said podcast and said love for des_ark led directly to me purchasing said album from iTunes on the fine evening when this post was crafted. So yea, if you were taking notes (zing, thank you folks, I’ll be here all night, take your wife please, no really, hahahaha) you’d realize I’ve written about The Measure (SA) in the past. They’ve done a few splits on some rad labels lately that ran across my computer/ipod and into my ears. You would think that would be enough though right. I mean, I said nice things about them in the past. But seriously, my cash flow is kinda gonna be limited real soon (like today when you read this, I will be unemployed) and buying albums is gonna be a thing of the past until I get another job (so seriously, gift me some fucking iTunes, send me records in the mail, hook me up). So, this is probably the last album I will be buying for a long time. Seriously.

With all that said, it’s pretty awesome. I mean, it’s a pop punk band from New Jersey. Ergs drummer Mikey Yannich played the skins on it (though he’s not in the band anymore). It was recorded on reel to real (hahahaha) tape and sounds like it. I mean, it’s such a crisp and wonderful recording. You kind of actually realize hearing it how shitty everything else sounds when the main source is digital. It’s true. I don’t consider myself a purist. But fucking tape is the only way to go if you’re putting your music down. In a sea of endless punk bands, part of what is endearing about The Measure (SA), aside from their infectious, complex, sweat pop punk music, is the absolute warmth as the headphones vibrate against your ears. There is a bit of Discount in the music, but it’s actually more pronounced because both bands laid down their magic on magnetic tape.

Having said all this, the album could use a few less songs. 14 is just a lot of songs to digest, even in a half an hour. In fact, that’s kind of too much. Granted the Assholeparade 7″ I got this weekend is 14 songs, but it’s only like ten minutes. There is a happy medium. And Notes doesn’t quite get it. There isn’t enough diversity in the song writing to sustain this kind of a presentation and some of the nuances get lost. The other thing is that with such a large output, Laura Measure is only now beginning to really display her emotional range as a singer. In fact, if I wasn’t on my third consecutive listen to this album, closing track “Timburkulosis” probably would have passed without notice. But damn, the beginning part is a really strong vocal performance, unlike anything I’ve heard yet. Fans love productivity from bands, and I get that this record was done so long ago that the band really wanted to get it out to the public and tour. But I’d rather have 11 or 12 shining moments then 14 songs. I want to be able to hear some distinction and range. No band can sustain cohesion and detail over 14 songs at a time. I don’t care who they are. The Measure (SA) has a sound unique to them, but it’s only got so much a range right now.

Never mind though, Notes is still yards beyond a lot of other bands in the race to get that shit out in front of the kids. The Measure (SA) is really establishing themselves as the next generation of solid, awesome pop punk bands. Quick vocal delivery, crisp guitars, plodding and thumping drums. They sound cute, but not without substance. If you’re feeling like dancing in your underwear in your bedroom alone on a Tuesday night, Notes will give you the needed soundtrack so you don’t look like a crazy person.

You can read some great interviews with Laura Measure at punknews.org and Amp. Laura Measure’s art work can be seen at Black and Red Eye. It’s really cool.

More Slow Economy Music

Dan Padilla
As the Ox Plows
Paper+Plastick

Here at the korrupt yrself fbloggesphere we like to pride ourselves on giving our readers a little something extra. A little slap and tickle if you will (go watch Beer Fest right now). And so, as I know times are tough, the kids are cranky, pooping in the tub during bath time, husband wankin’ it to internet porn in the basement after he said he was “ironing”, and the in-laws are on their way up north 95 for a weekend visit while it’s hot, humid and stinky, I, your wonderful guide to the internet musics, am hooking you up once again with some raging, drunk punk rock.

There are a lot of bands like Dan Padilla. I mean, sometimes playing in a band is just about getting with yr bros or lady bros, playing CGE or some variant of that progression and singing about what bums you out. And then, cuz it’s awesome to get in a van and play for other drunken, bummed out, smelly dudes (a note here, dude, as far as I am concerned is a non-gender descriptive word for any person that you would want to hang out with, drink a beer or soda with, talk about comics,  skateboarding, video games, politics, music and unemployment, so lady readers, please include your self in this) you load yr shitty equipment in a van, drive a few hours, pouring water in the radiator just to make it to a cramped basement, where like ten people came and only three paid to see you because seven of them live in the house yr playing at.  That’s what Dan Padilla is for me. Just a band of dudes that I could probably hang out with that play songs I can tap my feet to and if drunk but still lucid enough would sing the one or two lyrics I kinda know loudly with the other drunk, sweaty people in the room.

As the Ox Plows is a perfect description of this album. It’s a hardworking, strong backed collection of songs, that doesn’t quit no matter the odds. It’s not flashy, there aren’t crazy riffs going on, the singer’s not some pavaratti of punk rock or anything and the recording is passable, but not sonically face punching. But none of that shit matters. It’s solid, fun song writing with enough subtle changes and songs that aren’t overbearingly long or complicated to not get boring.

Look, life sucks for a lot of Americans these days. Our government is totally out of control, doing idiotic, senseless things (lets bomb Pakistan instead of helping the flood victims, because in no way will that piss off even more disenfranchised youths who are being lured by radical assholes who are providing them food and shelter FOR FREE, yea, that shit will work. And I voted for you? Seriously? I am a moron), no one can find jobs in the cities they live in, families are torn apart because of this, houses aren’t worth shit, because lets face it the market is more important that having a homestead and hey, those poor banks need more money cuz those CEO’s got mouths to feed and hookers pay and bodies to get rid of. You need Dan Padilla in your life. They know you need them in your life, and like so many of their peers, they are giving away free music. You should check it out, just slap that spoiled child who is urinating on your leg. See, you didn’t even notice that a small human was peeing on you. Yr that preoccupied with the hardships and hard times. Let the punk rock ease yr mind.

New Bruises/The Measure [SA]
Split Release
Kiss of Death

Kiss of Death records is slowly becoming one of my favorite labels. Not only are they working to post ALL of their releases for free on the internet, they are putting out some sick fucking music. They totally fed my wanting desire for more music by No Friends (which incidentally you can also get for free right here) and for that I love then very dearly.

One of the other releases they offered up recently was the New Bruises/The Measure [SA] split release. I got into The Measure [SA] because I bought the double split 7″s they did with The Ergs on No Idea (my favorite record label). I honestly think they are perhaps a bit overhyped. When they cook, they are awesome, but for a punk band they have a tendency to make me very anxious. Now, having said that I am still looking forward to their new LP. On four songs, they get pretty crazy, even slapping out a shout out to Black Flag on “Ruby is A Punk” where they reapporpriate ”Rise Above”.  It’s slick, fast paced, and moving music. I actually like the songs on this split more than the stuff on the Ergs. For a four song side, it’s a pretty concise whole. Splits have a tendency to just be a bunch of weird songs that were bashed out for the sole purpose of putting out a record with your bros and lady bros. This is not the case with The Measure [SA] side.

New Bruises, for their part are growing on me. I kind of feel like if I went into this split with an unbiased leaning towards either band I would have a higher interest in them. They certainly make for a good pairing. They are bit more aggressive and boy yelly, which you know, isn’t a bad thing. They just don’t give me a full on rager like the Measure [SA] side. They do exclaim that “you are the Metal in Metallica” on “More Metal (MCFNJ)”, so you know it can’t also be that bad. They also give a nod to Bomb The Music Industry, who gives away more free music than McDonald’s sells hamburgers (if only the world were that awesome) so you know, I would probably bro down with these dudes, take a couple photos at the shows, maybe check out another release. I’m not making any commitments here, but the initial make out session was nice, and I’m open-minded to further engagements.