The new Streetlight Manifesto is great but their label situation is not

Everyone knows about third wave ska, right? As a genre it’s a bit like a whirlwind teenage summer romance. We look at it with an odd mixture of embarrassment and pride, knowing it was fun at the time, but really, let’s be serious, we’re like totally better and more mature than that.

The sun will come out (maybe) and we will again feel the irresistible magnetic pull towards music with upbeat tempos and a brass section. If only there was a ska band that didn’t veer into gimmicky territory. A band where the brass section is more than an afterthought. A band who don’t sully good songs about selling out with hideous cringe-inducing songs about being dateless losers. Oh, such a band would be a wonderful thing.

And so, let me introduce Streetlight Manifesto and their album The Hands That Thieve. A more talented group of individual musicians you will be hard-pressed to find, let alone find them playing ska of all genres.

This is the album cover.

Now, before I go any further, there is a large, black and white checkered elephant in the room. After several disputes, their label refuses to send the band copies of their own CD, meaning they cannot sell them/send them to fans who have pre-ordered. You can still buy the album off the label (which isn’t going to help the band) or some people suggest that as the band isn’t profiting from the material they have produced, that it is not unethical to download it… The band are understandably very close to being burnt out because of this and all the other day to day issues of being a band on the road, and they will be stepping back from touring soon. Ok, now that the unpleasantness has been dealt with…

Under the dictatorship leadership of guitarist/singer Tomas Kalnoky, the band are responsible for bringing credibility to ska, each excelling on his instrument on each of the songs, which often reach five minutes plus.
To say the album starts as it means to go on is a disservice to the diversity SM can achieve. The Three Of Us is an ideal song for first time listeners of the band.

Instantly drawing you in with a hook, they then diverge into a taster of their musical prowess before sliding back into a beautifully crafted ska song. The song has gentle twists and curves, that are mild surprises compared to the output of other bands in the genre, yet the song writing is of a standard that it all flows together and feels instantly familiar. That is until the riff straight from the System of a Down handbook comes out of nowhere, with a playful reminder that genre is a mere guideline and not a, well, not a manifesto. (Sorry.)

The second song starts out like something from the soundtrack of a borderline racist Disney film before throwing a punk rock grenade into the mix and sending the song legging it in a different direction. As if they are aware of the distraction their musical dexterity can pose, the chorus is stripped down at one point, to remind the listener that there is a heart to the music.



This, I feel, is an important point to remember. Streetlight aren’t just streets ahead (sorry) of most other ska bands in the music department, their lyrics have a substance that goes beyond the themes of teenage awkwardness or ham-fisted politics. Some might feel the lyrics are a bit heavy for ska, but considering the trials the band have been through over the past few years, it is unsurprising that themes of loyalty and betrayal, friends and enemies, right and wrong, and of course thievery, are constantly simmering under the surface. The most relevant metaphor is that of David and Goliath, referenced in the song Toe to Toe.

The juxtaposition of emotions evoked by upbeat ska and upset lyrics is odd, and that might be responsible for a slight leaning away from outright ska as the album progresses and touches on folk, reggae and even salsa. The title track in particular is poignant.  It seems to boil down to a protest song that speaks of standing your ground when it’s time to fight, but it seems to be tinged with a sadness that a protest is needed in the first place.

This feeling of hurt and defiance lingers in the second half of the album, as the band toy with genres with their usual gusto, while using the lyrics to vent their frustrations.

It is sad to see that a genuinely talented group of musicians, who have tried to do everything with dignity, is forced to choose between touring and being happy.   There are some positives however, like the fact that the band are still in love with making music regardless of what happens. The biggest positive is that The Hands That Thieve is a cracking album; filled with more heart and defiant spirit than a ska band should be able to muster. Here’s hoping that at the very least, David can survive the skirmish with Goliath to fight another day.

Images/Music from Streetlight Manifesto. Support the band at the Risc Store.

Japan has a screamo band called Fear, and Loathing in Las Vegas

Ah, Japan. What a baffling land of head-melting goodness it is. It reminds me of the artistic guy in your class who would be pretty cool if he just stuck to what he was good at and didn't try to pass himself off as the rebellious trouble-maker. Instead of drawing on his own background and skills, he copies another culture down to the last detail and basically becomes a parody of himself.
And so it can be the case with Japan and the U S of A. Don't get me wrong, Japan is scarily far ahead in terms of technology and karate and all that stuff. There's also some great bands like Engrave and some funny bands that are ok like Brain Failure. (No idea if either are from Japan or China or wherever but same difference, am i right?!)

Enter Fear, and Loathing in Las Vegas, a trancecore/screamo band from Japan and OMGoth where do I start?

I don't even..I can't...what?!

I tried to make some order to this but they are an assault on the senses! Alright first off - the name. Firstly it is lol just by simply existing as a band name. If I have to explain this then you need to pay more attention to post hardcore/anything-core bands. That's before I talk about DAT COMMA. Did they intentionally say 'fuck you grammar' when they chose it, or was it a ridiculous attempt to distance themselves from crazy ol' Hunter S?

Then there's their sound and videos...

I actually like the first 20 seconds or so of the song. I mean, they are jumping around like overgrown androgynous kids dancing in front of a mirror but it's upbeat, it's fun, I can dig it...and then....

DAT AUTOTUNE

W...T....F.... I'm guessing they set it to 11?! Holy shit. Talk about taking an idea and going with the 'make it more make it better' formula! Why not just have a robot, that would be x10000 times cooler and just as natural sounding. Though I will say when the screams come in I think it works a bit better aaaand they can write/programme a catchy chorus! 1.25 brings some of the best 'get the fuck up!' nu metal style bounce riffing I've heard in a long time and that guy/girl really can scream! Also the little breakdown with the guitar lead over it is kinda sweet.

But let's get back to the comedy!

• Has anyone else noticed that the screamer moves a lot like a certain magician in Arrested Development?

•  I thought 'party by the pool' music videos were meant to have, you know, people? Friends..fans..guilt-tripped girlfriends..

• Flip flops...

• Dat keyboard playing at 2.01 looks familiar...
   
  
  
  (SRSLY PLAY THE SONG IN THE BACKGROUND AND WATCH THESE TWO GIFS)
  
  
  ...and this is only the tip of the iceberg...they have loads of videos ..!

I would non-ironically lose my effin' mind to the first half of this song if I was in a club. I think I got a nose bleed about 2.30 though.

Now, I'm sure you're all saying 'this is A grade stuff, but they won't be my new favourite band until I connect with the lyrics.' I hear you! Here is a lyric video.

I'm going to go on record and say I would actually be super into this band if it wasn't for the autotuned lad. The intro is sweet and the heavy bits are nailed down MOSH. But, back to the lyrics. Some highlights include.

• Travelling all four point wherever wind blows
• Do not hold any bag courage is all you need
• There are no choice for you but to go forward
• Things you've never met exist in the world. It's will surely make your journey worthy.

But fie on all my jokes, dat breakdown 2.00. Hooooooly.

I'm actually going to check out some more, but I might need a lie down first. As their last.fm biography says:

"The audacious and unique fusion of heavy music and various electronic sounds produced by the keyboard has facinated many audiences."

 CONSIDER ME FACINATED. 

The Moral Majority Movie Guide is my film bible

The Moral Majority, for the unenlightened, are a Christian, right wing, conservative group who are very concerned about family values and morals.

In their bid to rid the world of EVIL these do-gooders have created a site (www.movieguide.org) dedicated to promoting nice little films that are clean and happy and safe for kids! They also detail the sordid elements of movies and rating them, from a ‘concerned parent’ type of view.

Now, anyone who has read this blog knows my taste in films, and might be wondering what could possibly interest me here. Do I really want to see films such as The Nativity Story or The Ten Commandments? Hell no!

But not only does Movieguide rate good-intentioned, family-friendly films, it also give minus stars for the most SHOCKING, BLASHPEMOUS and IMMORAL movies! It just so happens that some of us like these despicable creations.

Machete

First off, I can't believe I haven't written about this for Dodgy Film Club, something I will rectify asap. The moral majority have listed the following adjectives in relation to the film all about the mustachioed Mexican: 

“Evil, rotten, disgusting, humanist, nihilistic, Communist”

Not only that, but it also contains “68 obscenities and 17 profanities.” This, I remind you, is all before a summary of the film itself is actually touched upon. These are merely red flags of disgust, to spark the beginnings of a righteous, moral fire. Red Flags of Awesomeness more like!

I’ve just realised that I’m assuming everyone knows what Machete is about, or at least can have a stab at the gist of it from the poster. Apologies, let me have the good people at MovieGuide.org explain: 

“MACHETE is an ultra violent, extremely lewd and bloody exploitation movie about a Mexican immigrant who, working with left-wing revolutionaries, violently stops a conspiracy involving a corrupt white businessman secretly in cahoots with a Mexican drug lord who’s manipulating white vigilantes killing illegal immigrants. MACHETE is one of the worst movies ever – an ultra violent, bloody mess with extremely lewd content and a hateful, offensive, racist, Anti-American worldview.”

 I don't know what they could possibly find offensive about this.

Sounds amazing, right?! I think so. But perhaps it’s not for you. I mean, exploitation films are kind of a niche.

How about a film that is a true celebration of being alive? A film in which a man, who suffered terrible punishment and died, came back to life! That sounds like something Christians could get on board with!

Crank High Voltage

 

“CRANK HIGH VOLTAGE is a repulsive action movie about a former hitman who must find the Asian gang leader who replaced his heart with a mechanical one that needs constant electrical stimulation to keep working.”

Okay, they don’t like it, but it can’t be the worst action film they’ve ever seen?

“CRANK HIGH VOLTAGE may be the worst, most abhorrent and evil action movie ever made.”

 Ah. Moving on then…

Tell me there's nothing angelic about this scene!

Piranha 3DD

Next up is GDAC Dodgy Film Club favourite, Piranha 3DD! A tale about man struggling to find his place in the ecosystem. Initial signs are good with this review, as the MovieGuide tag line says ‘This movie really bites’. That’s right folks, that’s a pun! A real, live pun!

I’m not sure they’re thinking this reviewing craic through, because if the lines: “more than 120 obscenities and profanities; extreme bloody, gruesome violence includes piranha comes out of woman’s body and attaches to man’s private parts" makes me want to (re)watch this as a 26 year old, think of what impact it would have on teenage boys.

There’s also a very odd segue, when the reviewer talks about 'anti-smoking Nazis’. Are we SURE this isn’t a parody site? Does the reviewer really detest films with swear words and nudity because they harm children, yet he is pro-smoking? Lololol.
 
(I don't want to spoil any of this by adding gifs. Plus, I can't find any vaguely religious themed gif.)

I’m sure the list contains any number of entertaining/evil films I have yet to see. MovieGuide.org has gained a new fan, albeit for all the wrong reasons.

Ridiculous Metal of the Month: The Book of Heavy Metal by Dream Evil

There are some examples of metal that are just so over the top, so ballsy, so joyous, that they go full circle, passing ironytown on the way, and become songs that I actually enjoy (after a few drinks).

The Book of Heavy Metal by Dream Evil is one such example. My relationship with this song started like many others of this genre; found on a compilation CD from Metal Hammer, funny to listen to a few times, then pretty much forgotten about.



Soon however, I unearthed the accompanying music video, which came to receive heavy rotation on the ‘you have to see this video, lololol’ type of nights my friends and I partake in every so often. There is so much going on, from the outfits, to the CGI, the power stances, the drummer (in general)…not to mention the delight in having someone discover  the ‘to be or not to be’ line for the first time.

Things the singer doesn’t want:

• A flashy house
• A car
• An ugly wife

Things the singer does want:

• What his parents don’t
• To be in the book of heavy metal

Whether they are being serious or not, I can’t help but sort of admire them. From a distance, of course. 

Can't Bear This Party interview: "We won't ever turn troo pop punk"

Almost exactly a year ago I wrote a post pondering what Can’t Bear This Party would do next. Would they continue writing ‘progressive easycore’ (aka fast melodic skate punk with extras), or would they go down the dreaded hipster route.

It seemed like disaster had struck when the band broke up earlier this year but the good news is that not only are CBTP! back, but they are still as zany as ever! After I posted about their new song Lil Bowotomi, guitarist Quentin aka Sushi, was cool enough to answer some of my many questions over the weekend. I’ve cleaned up some of the ‘Frenglish’ (his word not mine) here and there. My questions are in bold. – Alanso.

GDAC - So to start, a lot has happened with CBTP! in the last few months. For a time it looked like we would never hear from you again. Can you tell us anything about the last few months, and how are things in the CBTP! camp now?

Quentin - Yes we were done, our guitarist Lino left France for Boston so we were a bit demotivated. After 6 months, we all really missed the band so decide to revive it! Lino won't play live with us but is still implicate in composition at this time. We already have friends to can replace him on tour.
We are about to record our upcoming album and will tour in Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Japan and Russia this winter. We hope to reach UK and USA in 2014.

The new song, Lil Bowotomi, has really grown on me since I first posted about it. The lyrics seem batshit crazy, what the hell is it actually about?

It’s a long story dude…it talks about a booking agency from France who gets pretty famous American bands play here! We played for them with title fight and transit. These guys are really bitchy with local bands. We were not paid but we’re okay with that. But we expected to be treated with respect, we’ve never felt uncomfortable like this in any other show before! It’s a shame that foreign bands think French shows are all shitty like this, every single DIY promoter does a way better job. The song talks about the owner (of the agency).

What I love about your band is that you aren't afraid to mix up the genres and add different instruments. I often call you 'progressive easycore'. Did this happen naturally over the years or was it something the band always wanted to do?

I don’t know! It came naturally, it offers a lot of new ways to compose. I don’t think we use too much stuff, basically, it's still pop punk (but) in a different way.

And what is the songwriting process within the band? I've found it hard to get a band of 3 people to agree on things, how does it work with six French dudes who add xylophones and phone tones?!

I usually compose the songs then the others arrange their parts the way they like. But on our last song, it's our singer jean who composed the song. At first it was only 8 bit but I added pop punk part and beats! The singers write the melodies. We don't take CBTP too seriously, the goal is to have fun and play catchy and energetic music!

You guys do still seem to be having fun with the genre, I hope there aren't any plans to start writing boring indie-influenced songs to show how you are 'real' musicians who want to be taken seriously?

I know what you mean! We won't ever turn troo pop punk, even though I love some of those bands I think it’s just being close minded. You can show you are a real musician and play fun music.

I'm from Ireland, so I can understand how you guys could have grown up listening to lots of different genres without knowing that some people think you have to be one or the other. It's pretty mind blowing to me that there seems to be a great scene in France right now. I thought everyone there just played accordions and drank wine. How did you get into 'heavy' music and what is the French scene like now? What are some other good French bands?

Haha don't believe your cliché! I imagine you drunk, with red hair and wearing a kilt dude! (Chillingly close to the bone – Alanso)  I think every country has a stereotype of others!
There are more and more cool little bands in France. There has been ‘heavy’ music in France for a long time. Some (bands) are getting really famous like chunk! or BTM (Betraying The Martyrs) and I think it's really awesome!

So, I posted on skatepunkers.net that I'd be asking you some questions and there are some questions from the forum users there, so I'll pitch some at you. 

“Where did the name come from and what does it mean?”

I don't know dude! I don’t even have a good fake explanation for this!

“How old are they?”

We’re all 24 or 25 but Remi, he is 17!

"Are they ever going to visit their Spanish neighbors?”

I don't know yet but we would love to! It’s really not far from us…same for Ireland.

"Do they sing with that accent on purpose or did they just have bad English teachers?"

Our singer jean has a terrible accent even when he speaks in French! One day we’ll get accent auto-tune and your question will be obsolete!