Across the sea # 6: Love American EP

Love American EP
By Aiko Ilagan

Best things come out in a box of coagulated new musical experiments. Love American is a post-hardcore/screamo band that hails from the valleys of Southern California. Their music reminds me of music tempos of old school Jawbox thrown to the mixture of post-hardcore which then meets Converge meets Pianos Become the Teeth with the frayed keen vocals. 

Love American’s self-titled EP proves the clarity of ardent, passionate vocals, the notable powerful guitar dynamics and fluid song writing. Their opening song, Where’s My Cash, Johnny, displays the spectacular consistency of remorseless, ragged and roaring vocals of Javier Ramirez, which will be more relentless and powerful as you go along the album. “Then/Than”, Ramirez sung to a cease to share vocals with Natalie Diaz of Modern American Theatre, pops a little surprise of female vocals added on track. More prominent in album are the guitar riffs which are indeed genius work. 

I myself like this EP because of its eagerness to display a burst of potential and all I can do is to excite myself. My praises for the great vocals and authentic guitar work. The unbound potentiality is worthy of an LP in the band’s years to come. I somehow anticipate one in the future.

Love American EP and song lyrics is free for all to download at this site by entering any amount or 0.00:
www.loveamerican.bandcamp.com 


Check their Facebook page as well at http://www.facebook.com/loveamerican.gov
ENJOY! :)

Some Old Records For Sharing: Village Idiots "Needles to Say"

 Download

I used to have this CD back then, and I can't remember who borrowed or took this from my rack, One of my fave local pop punk band back in the days together with the likes of Richard Collier and Batangas' One Sweet Day and Settle Down. Thanks to Jade of Walk Me Home for sharing this to us.

Here's a little bio from their old Myspace page, probably outdated as well;

Started out doing Descendents and Greenday covers during their high school years around ‘95, Village Idiots became San Pablo’s premier punk band until their breakup last year 2003. Jade (main chief songwriter), RJ (bass), Delfin (guitars) and Alex (drums) spent countless weekend mornings in basement to write their early pop punk songs about school, teenage love and mainly about growing up. Their main influence during that time includes Descendents, Greenday, Goo Goo Dolls, Bad Religion and The Lemonheads. But after graduation from highschool (March ’96), three fourth of the band went separate ways and Jade is the only member left to continue the band. Now Jade’s first move is to find replacements. Luckily, he recruited Ebong from hardcore band Balance on guitars, Topet another highschool mate on bass and Jhay from post-hardcore outfit Thinline on drums. After completing the band line up once again, Village Idiots became much better, tighter and gaining more attention from the local San Pablo scene. And eventually from neighboring towns and cities sharing stages with Strap On Seven Inch, Goo, Mindrape from Manila, Feud, Hollywood from Cavite, Aunt Audrey, S.A.W., On A Day Like Today from Laguna and One Against All, Settled Down from Batangas are among their contemporaries. Year 2001, they released their parent’s produced demo cassette tape entitled “1-800-DIETSODA” which includes early songs like “cram”, “diet soda”, “hotshot”. 2 years later with more budget, they went inside Sound Creation to record their first and only full length cd entitled “Needles To Say” with Shinji Tanaka behind the glass. Before launching “Needles To Say” some of the songs was initially released on “Split Ends”, a cd split with Batangas’ punk friends Settled Down. The band played their final show in their hometown San Pablo City last 2003 in the Earth Decay show against US President Bush. Currently: -Jade is writing for his zine Coffeemug and playing bass for an indie rock band Walk Me Home. Also a proud father. -Ebong is proud father too and taking care of his pregnant wife for their second baby. -Jhay is a proud father too and also plays drums for Walk Me Home. -Topet is pursuing a career as a computer hacker.

Enjoy!

* We will post some old record as well from  San Pablo's Indie/ Power Pop outfit Mellow Del Prado next time, so watch out for that.

4.16.11 ZineCon @ Kalye Art Gallery

4.16.11 ZineCon @ Kalye Art Gallery

If Zines Could Talk... (DIY Pinoy HC/Punk Zine Convention/Punk Bazaar/Vegetarian Mini Feast) with Guerra Mundial, Monochrome, Ginseng, The Diary of An Old Mango Tree and Shirley Steinberg... DO NOT DARE MISS THIS LAST INSTALLEMENT!!!!!

TOPICS:

- WHEN DID YOU START MAKING YOUR OWN ZINE?

- WHAT COMPELLED YOU TO DO THIS? WHAT IS YOUR USUAL ZINE CONTENT?

- HOW DO YOU DECIDE ON THE TOPIC?

- CHALLENGES IN PUBLISHING ISSUES?

- TIPS ON HOW TO MINIMIZE COST [WHILE MAXIMIZING CONTENT]

Across the sea: #5 The Kingsford Run MMXI Demo

1. Clubbing seals

2. Arrows

3. Dead dogs for quarter

Download

The Kingsford Run is a harcore/metal band from Simi Valley in California and they have a demo called MMXI available for free download. 

The opening track Clubbing Seals is song is full of energy, for sure to wake you up in a dizzy Monday morning. The second song Arrows continues with the same energy and passion, while Dead Dogs for Quarter is a slower compare to the previous songs but this is my personal favorite. Compliment to the guitar works and vocal parts. This is great demo, I am really stoked when I heard this. Can't wait for their full length to be released. 

You should check this guys out, just click on the download button at the top. Add them as well in Facebook. Lyrics is available as well on their website at http://kingsfordsux.blogspot.com/. 

*If you want your demos and albums to be featured or reviewed here just drop us an email at batangashcpunk@gmail.com.

2nd Installment of This is Not a Punk Show

Second installment of a four week event at Kalye Art Gallery, featuring the local talents that we have on the local punk scene. On this leg there will be a film showing like The Edge, a perspective on a drug free culture and straight edge,Ian MacKaye (Minor Threat, Fugazi), Ray Cappo (Youth of Today, Shelter) and Karl Buechner (Earth Crisis, Freya) give witness to their perception of the history of Straight Edge, why it was so important to them and what it changed in their personal and professional careers. But they also address problems like violence, sexism and intolerance that emerged within Straight Edge, and how it changed the ‘scene’ as well as its public image.

Furthermore, EDGE explores the lives of 9 individuals, that identify as Straight Edge. Their reasons range from negative experiences with drugs to maintaining a healthy lifestyle to political reasons. Through a very close and personal look into their daily lives, we see how their decision to live ‘poison free’ has changed the world for them.

Another film that would be shown is Inside Outside, this is about artists who works on the street. The artist featured on this film face some kind of dilemma with restrictions and norms of the society they live in, the forces fo the commercial art world and the advertising industry who are looking for the next big thing and want to have their bite of the energy and coolness that the street art is brimming with. 

There will be some discussion about the films and some performances from our local hardcore punk bands (check flier for listing). For more info visit diypinoyhcpunk. 

You can also visit http://www.theedgeprojectmovie.com/ to learn more about this film.

Lakefest Sampler Vol.3

click on the image.

As promised from our previous post. Here it is the Lakefest III Sampler. Available for free download, thanks to our friends from San Pablo and to Jade of Walk Me Home and Coffeemug for making this compilation available free for all of us. This feature bands that are billed to play on this event. Also there three bands from Batangas like Settle Down from Bauan, Strenght from Within from Lipa City and The Morning After from Batangas City. 

This event is brought to you by Down for Life Clothing, Coffeemugazine and Seven Lake Hardcore. You can also download previous Lakefest compilation on the links below.

Free Download Links

Lakefest Vol. 3

Lakefest Vol.2

Lakefest Vol. 1