I Hate Myself's 10 Songs

This album. This album, dear readers, Is truly amazing. Sure, the whole band was ironic. They were today's hipsters musically before their time. But that doesn't take away from the amazing, depressing, powerful aurora of this album. Jim Maurburger has that nasally, on the verge of crying voice that makes you feel the "pain". Someone once said Rites Of Spring was better than Fugazi because Guy actually sounded hurt and wounded on it. I don't recall whom it was, but you get that feeling from this album. There's no overabundance of screaming, its not ridiculously hardcore, it's just a great emo/screamo album.
Tons of emotion, tons of power, hell. It got me into the genre.
Steal this album, everyone, you won't be disappointed.
http://www.mediafire.com/?dr0yy5wjllc

Double Post

Sorry 'bout that shit yo.
 Mozilla crashed on me so I wrote two reviews for the ACOG album.
Oh, yeah. Not exactly screamo but a great band  just found none the less. 
http://bleakrussiansoundscape.bandcamp.com/album/the-pylon

A Case Of Grenada "Hell Is Actually All Around"

FUCK! Just when I finished typing this, Mozilla crashed. Ballsacks, dude. Shit sucked. Anyways, this album.


This. Fucking. Album.
Way to break the boundaries, you guys. This album instrumentally fits more into the Dinosaur Jr. category than Screamo. No crescendo's, no powerful drumming. Nothing. Dude, like. I swear to god I'm trying to pin a comparison to this, but I can't. It is not like anything in the screamo genre. Its not particularly unique either, if that makes sense. CTTS? La Dispute? No, none of them. ACOG sound like them. Not a screamo band, they sound like them. The lyrics are even whimsical and the word play is queer in the vein of Syd Barret.
It's a very instrumentally driven album. The drumming is subtle and technical, the bass is groovy and big on the mix, there's a lot of memorable bass lines on here. And the guitar work really pushes the album along welly.
I can't pinpoint this, but I can say downfuckingload it now.
http://www.mediafire.com/?mythmwdztum

Album art, yo.

A Case Of Grenada "Hell Is Actually All Around"

Normally, I know where to start with bands. A comparison, description, but I can't. ACOG sounds like nothing in the screamo genre, there's no crescendo's, no overly powerful drumming, no muffled bass and no thrashy, crust guitar. It sounds very familiar though, just not to anything I've ever heard in this genre. I guess, Circle Takes The Square? La Dispute? Not even those bands, its very unique. Guitar driven, easy going.  But the bass plays a key role in this album, very memorable basslines.  Honest to god, It shares no similarities to any screamo band I've listened to, christ. Outside of its ridiculous, whimsical word play and lyricism, nothing. Closer to old indie pr alternative bands if anything. Just, go download it now and see for yourself.
http://www.mediafire.com/?mythmwdztum

One Eyed God Prophecy

For those of you into tracing your favorite bands back to every influence they had, you'll know about this band. For the average listener? Maybe not. OEGP was a Canadian Hardcore/Screamo band that greatly influenced Orchid. Hell, the first track screams Orchid all over it. Its jam-packed with crescendos and powerful drumming, yes. But one unique thing I liked about this band was how sludgy their riffs are, and how bass heavy it is compared to most bands in the vein of them. The drumming is powerful, there's samples of french in it, god knows what though, probably a philosopher. All in all this band is a very good find, powerful guitars, hard drumming, slower, acoustic parts and kooky synth passages.

Go ahead and give it a download, yo.

http://www.mediafire.com/?zy5ozonwuyr

La FUCKING Dispute

If you know about this band, than waste no time reading this review. La Dispute are easily one of the most powerful post-hardcore/screamo bands around. Raw emotion, poetry. Fucking poetry; sheer energy and power comparable to Rites Of Spring, and technical, proggy parts. Christ all mighty batman. I can not tell where you to begin with them, but I will recommend Somewhere At The Bottom Of The River Between Vega and Altair and their poetry, self released EP's  Here, Hear. Both of those albums are great starting places for a 10/10 band. Download. Now.

http://andtothegloriouspast.wordpress.com/

American Football

Well here's another essential in the emo department, American Football. Mike Kinsella, of Cap'n Jazz fame got this band together in 1997 and played with them until 2000. A stark contrast to the faster, more abrasive Cap'n, Mike's barley above whisper vocals tell a very straightforward story. He's hurt, your hurt, it hurts. Its time to move on, but what if she doesn't want to? Oh god, I can't do this. Typical teenage love story, no? Mr. Kinsella whispers and whines over some rather technical, mathy guitar work, jazzy drumming and simplistic, complementing bass lines. Picture this of the album, the soundtrack of a teenage summer love. It's relaxing, calming, emotional, and perfect for those late nights out under the stars by the water. A mood is really set listening to this, I'd even go so far as to call it "Dreamo". This album keeps you into it through and through, after hundreds of listens. Never Meant opens up with soft guitar technicality, and fades nicely into the relaxing, soothing Summer Ends. Honestly has this big bassline to start off the song, and is just that for the first minute or so of the song. After it fades into this shogaze-esque guitar and drum work, lulling you down calmly. For sure continues the calmness and softness of the album, leading into the instrumental You Know I Should Be Leaving Soon. But The Regrets Are Killing Me has a bit of build up if you ask me, its like its getting you prepared for the next and "final" track, and all the energy built up in that track leads into the powerful I'll See You When We're Both Not So Emotional. After the explosion of the little but of power in the album, you reach Stay Home. It opens with a droning, guitar riff, carrying on through most the song. Into a "lead" over it and perpetual ride cymbal, the first half builds you up for the ending perfectly. Mike sings about a loss of hope, how there's no point in even trying anything, and how ultimately staying home and leaving his lost love alone, and vice versa is the only way to go. Now you can interpret it any way as you want, I think that's what makes it the most emotional track on there.And then there's The One With The Wurlitzer, but that's like, an extra. Don't get me wrong, its a great track, but Stay Home is the true end of the album.

Fortunately Mike went on to form Owen, a pretty much acoustic American Football.  This album is easily, a good 7/10. I love it, maybe Mike's vocals might not be for you , nor is lyrics. They are for me though.