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| VariousTake Action! Volume 042004 Sub City 
  Review by: Brian See others by this writer ![[staff]](/images/icons/staffsticker.gif){kind=icon}
SubCity Records (link) Only registered users can post comments 
 
Published on October 5th 2004
When Scott lamented having to avoid bashing a charity-driven compilation out of sheer logic and morals, he was thankfully put in an easy position because the two-disc album happened to contain multiple rare or unreleased tracks, and he was able to give it relative but sincere praise after all. This is where I'm forced to let guilt settle in. While this year's version of SubCity's Take Action! compilation series (Volume 4 for those keeping score at home) is virtually a who's who of the hottest punk / indie / post-hardcore / metal / punk-pop / "emo" / hardcore / etc. bands today, too many of the tracks are already available on the respective band's pureVOLUME site or the like (roughly a third). A small handful even represent the singles from their respective albums, having already been made into a video and loved (Dillinger Escape Plan - "Panasonic Youth") or hated (Boys Night Out - "I Got Punched...," Hawthorne Heights - "Ohio Is For Lovers," Underoath - "Reinventing Your Exit," Mae - "Embers and Envelopes") by most of you already. The only real unreleased tracks (besides the demo version here and alternate take there) are from Andrew W.K., NoFx, Brazil, and Brandston. AWK's strong yet inspiring words that open the compilation should be more than enough to prevent any soul from doing the unspeakable (seriously), and NoFx's following contribution, "Concerns of a GOP Neo-Phyte (Wrong Version)," is a surprise throwback that'll have you scanning the track listing on your copy of Heavy Petting Zoo to make sure this song was actually recorded within the last four years. "And So It Goes" from Brazil is disjointed and dragging, containing a really awkward flow with questionable inclusion of piano and wailing trumpet. Brandston's "Little Birds And Sparrows" is a more up tempo number from the band that still bores me. As far as the rest of Disc 1 goes, The Break affirms my premonitions of mediocrity, Ever We Fall spews nothing but clichés in every chord, and the hardcore/metal block of Shadows Fall/Mastodon/Terror doesn't do a ton for me, but its following one-two punk rock punch of New Mexican Disaster Squad and A Wilhelm Scream works well. However, the liner notes claim that NMDS's "You're Incorrect" comes from an album of the same name, when it's really from the self-titled...I won't bother touching the obvious joke here. And of course, Hawthorne Heights still makes me laugh. And cry. And then laugh again. Disc 2 has Roses Are Red and Hidden In Plain View worsening my already miserable cold, Despistado affirming every At The Drive-In comparison they received, and The Lot Six (who are quite the catch live, I might add) providing some dirty, fast rock 'n' roll. The harder-to-find tracks are basically hit or miss. Murder By Death's "Canyon Inn, Room 16," which originally appeared on a split last year with Volta Do Mar, is a soft, piano-driven number vividly uncharacteristic of their last full-length, and could very well disappoint a few people relying on the band for making this comp their money's worth. Against Me!'s "You Look Like I Need A Drink" (originally on the Cavalier Eternal 7") is great for those who still haven't gotten a hold of the colored vinyl. The enhanced portions are noteworthy additions. Not only does it include Paul Quinnett's, Ph.D., Suicide: The Forever Decision...For Those Thinking About Suicide And For Those Who Know, Love, Or Counsel Them - which normally retails for $17.95, but a depression screening tool, information on suicide prevention training programs, web-based resources, volunteer opportunities, and petitions to sign, all of which really help reinforce the anti-suicide message the compilation sets out to achieve. A portion of the proceeds will be donated towards The National Hopeline Network, a service of the Kristin Brooks Hope Center. The artists and songs featured here may not prove to be the greatest ends of compiling efforts possible, but the effort in passing along a positive message and hope for truly depressed teens for a fourth time is achieved admirably. Please login or register to post comments. What are the benefits of having a Punknews.org account?
I have the Against Me 7" and both the songs sound almost exactly the same as on the full album. But mine is a nice see through green color. Anyhow, they're still good songs, just not much different. "and mike park is a great guy, dude isnt vagrant records. he can't make a total charity cd cuz he doesnt have the get up kids, saves the day and alk3 filling his coffers." I'll let you all in on a secret - I reviewed last year's edition of this comp without even listening to it. That's how easy and unchallenging this CD series has become. So where is the review of the new Dwarves album? " dont' know but its a good comp. lawrence arms 'quincetuple your money' thrice 'to what end' some old afi song and alk3 'standard break from life'. thats what i can remember from it. oh yea cave in 'jupiter' was on there." even donating 5% will still raise 10,000 for the cause when its all said and done. and the bands all get a cut of the prophets of this record, so blame against me! for taking their cut. and mike park is a great guy, dude isnt vagrant records. he can't make a total charity cd cuz he doesnt have the get up kids, saves the day and alk3 filling his coffers. Wow. This compilation is so fucking terrible. "Does anybody know if the first Plea For Peace compilation is out of print or what? I haven't been able to find it. Ever." that twins yankees game was fucking sick Against Me! = Best band ev-ar. There are two versions. The electric is on "Eternal Cowboy", the acoustic was released on 7" by No Idea. Although it may be available on Cd on other comps. Against Me!'s "You Look Like I Need A Drink" "Does anybody know if the first Plea For Peace compilation is out of print or what? I haven't been able to find it. Ever." The cause gets a two, but that Against Me! track gets an eight or a nine. Does anybody know if the first Plea For Peace compilation is out of print or what? I haven't been able to find it. Ever. "I'll go ahead and say it. The new social D is their best work. I'm serious. " I don't know about the new Social D.... only 5% goes to the charity, ithink. might as well fucking just send them your 5 bucks insted you douche buckets I'll go ahead and say it. The new social D is their best work. I'm serious. I have to wait til November 3rd "uh so where is the Social D review?" That's an album you shouldn't wait to get a promo copy for. It's worth buying on the release date. Social D has their own friggin' logo for news on this site for fucks sake. Also I can assume you did'nt get an advance copy of the new Leftover Crack to review, but that's okay because it's nowhere near as good as the new Social D album." "uh so where is the Social D review?" That's an album you shouldn't wait to get a promo copy for. It's worth buying on the release date. Social D has their own friggin' logo for news on this site for fucks sake. Also I can assume you did'nt get an advance copy of the new Leftover Crack to review, but that's okay because it's nowhere near as good as the new Social D album. The first volume was definately the best: fifteen, falling sickness, scared of chaka, fyp, KD, D4, all subsequent volumes have lacked substance and been filled with metal and whiny power pop in order to attract a larger audience. The 7" version of "You Look Like I Need A Drink" is enough reason for me to buy this comp. thanks adam, no biggie. this girl I know says the new social D is reallly good. I will buy this if only because it's all for a great cause. I want AWK and NOFX. that is all. why the hell is this being reviewd, and not the new leftover crack? "uh, so, where's the social distortion review?..." Much love for the NMDS track... They are terribly underrated, and everytime I see them they get better and better. Expect big things from those kids. uh, so, where's the social distortion review? i rely on these reviews when im unsure of buying an album or not. this seems unfair for a band like sxdx, when their is no review for an album that's been out since the 28th you dont have to rate it a 5 just because its a charity album...enough kids will pick this up at hot topic, i dont feel bad about saying- this album sucks. Let's here it for The Lot Six! Woo! Depistado really doesn't sound like ATDI. |
