Big Rock Finish… reviews of independent music

Name: Amongst Anger
Album: Seeing Red
Released: 2007
Members:
Jeremiah Kelly – lead vocals/guitar/synth
Bob Legros – guitar/vocals
Whayne Wharton – drums/vocals
Ryan Shular – bass/vocals

Website: myspace.com/amongstanger
Favourite Song: Track 3 [Edit: Bullet on the Inside]

Alright, so when I was starting out this site, I wanted to be a bit silly and slightly obnoxious by listing my favourite song only by it’s tracking number. Then one of my many guitarist/song-writer/band-member friends told me to never do that, as that would be considered a major insult to the musicians I’d be reviewing, if anything because musicians spend much time writing their songs, and a part of which is naming the songs they write. So I include the track numbers, but I do also list the song by it’s proper name. Well, Amongst Anger is being a jerk to me right back, seeing as how the album I received does not comupte with my iTunes, and their album art does not tell me what any of the song names are! And for you guys, you’ll know what song I’m talking about when I say Track 3 is my favourite, but no one else will.

[Edit]: Upon removing the disk from my CD-Rom on my computer, I’ve found the entire track listing to the Seeing Red Album. Kudos to you! Way to make me look like a goof

They’re rock. They’re alternative. They’re metal. Amongst Anger is a lot of hard rock and hard hitting music. Really into the guitars and the drums. Quite loud, even on my small teeny headphones. Honestly, for the fact that I’ve only ever heard of British Columbia being a laid back very mellow province due to their exceedingly (compared to other provinces anyways) lax laws on marijuana, Amongst Anger is definitely not a laid back and mellow band.

Okay, so I’m not a metal person. I’m hardly alternative, although my boss would beg to differ because I enjoy wearing running shoes and cargo pants to work, and I’m the most non-rock person you can find that still has ear piercings you can stick your little finger through. But as I’m typing I’m sort of almost head banging while sitting at my desk typing out this review. I worry that my neighbours think I’m crazy for boppin’ my head to the music… but it’s music. You move and groove to it, yes? Amongst Anger’s songs are songs I can… groove to. If that’s allowed in Metal.

I want to see these guys live. There’s no doubt about that. I remember jumping around when I was younger, and even though I complain about aches and pains like everyone I know who’s getting older, I think a set of earplugs, and some anti-inflammitories will do me right by seeing Amongst Anger play live. I don’t know when their next show is, but it seems they play not only the west coast of Canada, but the USA as well. So anyone who’s three hours behind me, go check them out!

This is a bit of an odd repost, but I really liked Fuscia. Currently I know Mikey S, who was the bassist at the time I knew the band, is playing bass for Nathan Down . And Shawn started a new band called If Looks could Kill. I don’t have any real updates on the other former members of Fuscia, but check out those two links, and try and I’ll see you later!

Oh, you have to see their live show. I didn’t really get to see Fuscia at Warped tour but I did get to see them May 5th at the Rim Rock in Ajax, Ontario. For a stage the size of my futon mattress, 4 band members, and 3 camera guys doing nothing but tripping all over the band members, these guys have an awesome live show.

They play with each other on stage. Not in *that* way you sick perverts. But there’s lots of movement, there’s lots of involvement, and of all the bands I’ve seen, it’s the first time I’ve heard Mikey sing. But it’s great to see bands where the members sort of say hi to each other while performing, instead of being super rigid and set in their little 2 foot square of personal invisible bubble.

Name: bellevue
Album: the road to recovery
Released: 2008
Members:
Dan Snyder – bass, harmony vox, percussion
Jordan Bruce – drums, percussion, harmony vox
David Cyr – guitar, harmony vox, percussion
Brent Hough – guitar, vocals, keys

Website: www.bellevuemusic.ca
Record Label: Music Maul Industries
Favourite Song: Track 1 – I’ve Been Meaning to get Therapy

So this is a first for me, a band that I had no prior knowledge of sent me an album to review. That’s not the new part, the new part is this is the first time a band whom I still have very little knowledge of, sends me their second album to review. Bellevue has been here from pretty much the beginning. No autographs this time, they sent me a signed disk last time, but whatever, it’s only so many autographs I can keep track of!

Myspace, and therefore, the band, classify Bellevue as a rock, indie and alternative band. When I play The Road to Recovery and then listen to Lost in Space, I’m pretty surprised it’s the same band in some aspects. There are obvious similarities considering it is the same band, and at the same time I feel like Lost in Space was written years and years ago, when it really was released quite recently in the grand scheme of things. I think this album is more upbeat in general, faster tempo and a happier, funner (?) album.

I think I will stick by what was likely my original verdict on Bellevue, have a house party and throw them into the mix. Not litterally of course, unless they’re into some sort of ultimate fighting. Alright, so previously I wanted to do the laundry while listening to Bellevue, no longer the case. Some songs are a chill out with a beer on the back patio type of song, and some songs are the drunken “let’s try to sing along to songs we don’t know the words of” type of songs. Now I’m envisioning Bellevue Karaokee night!

Sadly I missed the CD Release party that was on June 7th at Buddhas, but make sure you go see Bellevue at the Drake Hotel on July 5th 2008! I’m going to try to clear my calandar, but I think I already have a photo gig. Boo-urns.

Sneaky Dee’s on March 3, 2007. Like anal without lube, Señor Kasio started their set unexpectedly and without warning. As far as I know, their first show ever with the current line-up, you would expect a tall bald gay rockin’ cowboy for someone who claims to be “The gay-electro Garth Brooks of the north.” Well, he delivered.

For consisting of a bald guitarist, a bald drummer, and a bald singer with a cowboy hat, there’s a lot of energy on that stage. The songs are f*cking hilarious. I’ll say it about the show and I’ll say it about the EP. The crowd helped a lot, I haven’t seen that many people actually dancing on a dance floor in a good long while. But go to a show. you’ll soon find it’s impossible to not dance. Even if you are on fire, you will dance. (Trust me, I was attempting movement that can be described as dancing with a dSLR camera, a camera bag, and a messenger bag strapped around my neck/shoulder in 3 different directions)

Steve’s voice cut out early which was a bit of a downer, but as a true showman, the show went on. Even when a female show-goer jumped the stage and started stripping the singer. The bar was kind enough to provide a glass of hot water and lemon. The songs worked well with a voice that was cracking under pressure, not sure how well it worked with his throat though. I think everyone was having too much fun to attempt to critique what everything sounded like. I haven’t had this much fun since… discovering gay cowboy electronic rock music.

Name: The Fed Pennies
Album: Fast Cars and Dead Bodies
Released: 2006
Members:
Jake Smith – guitar & vocals
Aaron Farr – drums
John Matthews – Bass
Tom Spence – Drums

Website: www.thefedpennies.com
Record Label: Manic in Music Records
Favourite Song: Track 3. (Again, I have no idea what the song names are)

I don’t really have any inside information on this band, except for the fact that I ended up with a DVD that has a name to it, and a CD that doesn’t. I have a feeling I named the DVD as the album name, while the CD is likely a self-titled effort. Fed Pennies, if you’re reading this, please correct me required!

Rock. Garage. Punk. I wouldn’t let my boyfriend see the “Garage” title because I think it has a different connitation in North America then in Europe. But then again maybe it’s all the same by now. All I know is, my boyfriend is a snob to electronic music, and this doesn’t sound very electronic. Is Garage supposed to be “what is played in a garage” or something else? Anyways, I can’t argue with the band, they say themselves they are not tied down to a style of music in their liner notes, and considering I haven’t seen them live, like they insist, I’ll leave it up to the listeners.

I’m listening to the first track on the CD right now and I’m thinking it’s not what I expected. I’m not sure what I expected to be honest, but the first song kind of… swings. For a few seconds I thought I was hearing a keyboard, finally deducted that I was listening to a guitar really not sound like a guitar. Impressive.

Eating lobster. Really, what did you expect me to say with a band hailing from Halifax, Nova Scotia? If you plan on eating lobster while checking out The Fed Pennies, definitely do it during one of their many summer dates. There’s a Halifax Waterfront Music Festival Friday June the 13th, a Biker FEst June 14th, A Lobster Carnival on American’s Birthday (July 4th), something called Mud Creek Days July 24th and Sam Slick Festival on August 2nd. And what looks like a normal “show” (Rather than a festival or carnival) at the Seahorse on August 15th. A summer of Fed Pennies. What more could the east coast ask for?

I had gone to Lee’s Palace to see Harlot, who was headlining this particular show that night. And arrived just early enough to catch the last half of The Weather Underground (www.theweatherunderground.ca). Having missed half their show, this will likely be a short review.

I didn’t know any of the songs they played, except one sounded oddly familiar. Everyone’s convinced it was a cover, while I am not contesting it, I feel that I’ve watched them play at other shows before, which is why I recognized the song. (Not that I know what it is) Either way, the band sounded really good, really loud, and much the rock band that one would expect.

Most of my experiences with the band stemmed after the set. I went up to the lead singer to ask about buying a CD. I was two dollars short but he let me buy it anyways. I asked to have it signed, with a sharpie, and he searched high and low for a sharpie to autograph my cd with. Then searched high and low for the rest of his bandmates to also sign the CD for me. I even had the bass player autograph the cd “To eBay” for me.

I also met the artist who “designed” the artwork, he’s a painter who’s art they used for their coverart, and he got to see the CD for the first time and we talked about his art & where it’s displayed etc. I ended up leaving my CD with him while Harlot was starting.

Came back to find my CD had gone off with the artist’s girlfriend upstairs to Dance Cave so she could show all their friends his art, and I waited around to get it back.

The band is definitely filled with nice guys who are jokers, drinkers, and general musicians. While leaving and walking past the band as they were loading gear into their car we got to talk even more. I’ll definitely try to check them out again.