NEIN!

hahaha!

Summer came to pass, all I ask is - where you were?

The Inevitable And I is the debut full length by post hardcore band Harvard. You'd best educate yourselves (every time I make a terrible pun a part of me dies) on their take on melodic post hardcore - akin to Circa Survive. What impresses me the most about Harvard is how every song on their debut sees a stylistic shift to their post hardcore/indie sound. Opener On With Disease, with its infectious chorus (I'm dying here) starts off kickin' like a straight up balls to the walls rock and roll tune, until its seamless metamorphosis into almost progressive territory - the guitar work bobs and weaves, straying from by the book (horcruxing it up over here) instrumentation. The instrument work over the record stays fresh throughout - keyboards take their cues, and even a trumpet raises its hand and participates on the memorable track French Girls. Memory Police is another highlight nearing the middle of the album, with a thumping bass line and interlocked guitar line sure to get those dozing and passing notes to pay attention - a lesson in tight song writing no doubt (might as well run with it).

Check it ---> Harvard's Myspace

All The Empires Of The World

Post rock/metal, made available by the band for free? Yes please! Blessings is the bands debut full length, after putting out 4 previous EP's. As always, the band delivers. Solid

Get it here ---> Blessings

UFC 107 - YES!

Eluvium

Matthew Cooper creates beautiful music - using gorgeous and lush string arrangements as well as tasteful integration of piano, his blend of shoe gaze/post rock makes listeners absorb every note played, transported to another world that exists between the gentle embrace of one's headphones.

(Copia - a stunningly gorgeous release by Matt Cooper under the Eluvium moniker)

Now he's added another element to his sweeping repertoire - his baritone voice, as well as sparse percussion. If the track 'The Motion Makes Me Last' is any indication of how successful these new additions are to his brand of instrumental music, I can't wait for his new record Similes, set to be released February 23, 2010.

Eluvium - The Motion Makes Me Last

(right click and save as to download from pitchfork.com)

Hopesfall

I heard that Hopesfall may be putting out a new EP in 2010, but you wouldn't be alone if you asked the question who and what is exactly Hopesfall these days? And you know what, I couldn't answer - their lineup has undergone so many changes that the Hopesfall jamspace must've literally been a revolving door of musicians. I do know, however, that in their heyday they released some amazingly underrated post hardcore records. Albums like A-Types and Satellite Years showcased never leave your head choruses, complex guitar structures and songs that produced beautiful ambient sections that juxtaposed the harsh and harrowing impassioned screams they preceded.

(a criminally underrated release)

In other words, Hopesfall ruled hard. 2007's Magnetic North may have been a Frankenstein line-up, with bits and pieces of the original band stretched out in tatters throughout the album, but it still retained that magic Hopesfall seems to conjure from release to release. Here's hoping the new Hopesfall material is solid, in whatever incarnation it comes in.

I looked for a video of my favorite track off A-Types, and couldn't find one that could do the track justice - the audio on the recorded track on youtube was so tinny I wanted to pop my ear drums. Here's a live video that I hope you all can dig.

ps - If anyone out there knows how to get a hand on some Hopesfall t-shirts, without Trustkill getting a cent of the proceeds, let me know! I can't believe how they wronged these guys. Truly sucks.

*Breathe From Coma - Hopesfall

Therefore I Am

Here's a band I discovered this year, and was quite impressed on first listen, but totally forgot about them with the incredible output artists have had this year. Why am I posting it now? Because they have a new video and video's look impressive on this blog, like I know what I'm doing. It also goes without saying their album The Sound of Human Lives has a very, very veeeheheheheheeeery (a la Dr. Cox) good chance of appearing on my year end best of 09 music list. Very prestigious, I know. I'm weird like that - will pick something up after countless days of neglect and be like "holy crap! this is the bees knees!". Kinda like what people are doing with aviators sunglasses, or how they think the 80's was and is somehow fashionable again...?

'I Am Only An Island' - Therefore I Am