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Street Dogs - State of Grace

Everywhere you look these days there's another band trying to defy genres, or be the most original band ever, or the most technical band ever. Well, Fight Like A Brave is nothing like those bands. They play fast, thrash-inspired, old school hardcore/punk rock.

The songs on Not Our Style are probably not like many others you've heard...recently. Fight Like A Brave sounds like something out of the past. Definitely hardcore, definitely punk rock and just a tad thrash, Not Our Style grabs your attention when the first song hits and keeps it throughout the disc's length (not that it's particularly long; 9 tracks in 11 minutes).

I like every song on Not Our Style. They're all good, short, and to-the-point, and as sarcastic as they come. The lyrical themes on Not Our Style include youth angst (real angst), youth pride, hometown pride, cop hatred and friendship. I love all the lyrics. They're simple, yet well-spoken. There're few to no metaphors, similes or poetic elements in these words. They're concise and, luckily, not about ex-girlfriends. For example, in "Fuck The Atkins Diet, I'm Bulimic," singer Keith says, "Tell me, what's your diet? Vegan, vegetarian? No, I throw up, you should try it."

The songs follow a pretty standard formula of being fast, pissed off, around a minute in length and without much flashiness. There are quite a few bass fills, which are well played and very interesting. The one guitar solo is only a couple of notes, but is one of the most interesting, fun solos I've heard in a while. Every now and then Fight Like A Brave will throw in a slow guitar riff with a tom roll on the drums, but they generally keep the tempos pretty speedy.

My favorite song on Not Our Style is definitely "Keep It Out." The lyrics touch on being positive despite negative occurrences of the past and realizing that things do get better. The ending chant is "No room for negativity. Keep that shit out of Hate City!" I love it. That's the closing track, and a strong way to close an already great EP.



People who liked this also liked:
Various - Release DVDVarious - Hopelessly Devoted To You Vol. 4Showbread - Human Beings Are Too Shallow To Fall In LoveDead Poetic - Four Wall BlackmailBeloved - Failure OnShe Walks In Beauty - Trample The Weak And Hurdle The Dead



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    Posted by punkcorekid on 2004-12-10 17:18:24
    My Score:

    o yea. by the way. the 1 is for your life. do us a favor and end it now. we would all sleep easier. if you don't like the review, don't read it. or here's a thought, trying doing some of your own.

    Posted by punkcorekid on 2004-12-10 17:17:37
    My Score:

    no, dickass, i did not trash bands who try something new. i trashed bands who claim they're "the most original band ever" or "too crazy for genres" or "post screamo death core x emo". that's i trashed. i'm all for bands doing something new, i'll bet i even like a few of those bands that claim they're the most original or too crazy for genres. crazy huh? read it before you trash it. ass.

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, December 10, 2004 at 1:20 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    did you honestly, in the first sentence of this review, trash bands who try and do something different? heaven forbid a band might try and create something new. cause pushing boundaries certainly wouldn't be punk rock... let's keep an open mind here kids. you're starting to sound like my grandma... your thrash to her elvis. by the way, the 1 is for the review. but i did like the part about the tom fills.

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, December 10, 2004 at 12:09 AM (EST)
    My Score:

    will oldham is bonnie prince billie dude

    Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, December 9, 2004 at 4:09 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    I'm not commenting on the band, never heard them before. This is a comment for the guy talking about the song "I see a Darkness".
    If the chorus of that song goes: "And than I see a darkness, and than I see a darkness. Did you know how much I love you, here's a hope that some how you can save me from this darkness.", it's a cover.
    The song was written by a man named Will Oldham. Johnny Cash also covered the song on 'Solitary Man.'

    Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, December 9, 2004 at 12:39 AM (EST)
    My Score:

    if you want real alt country listen to Bonny "Prince" Billie's "I see a darkness"

    Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, December 8, 2004 at 8:42 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    "That appears to be your review, and your statement. But correct me if I'm wrong, if you're not actually BSD"

    Yeah, it is. Early grind isn't as speed/chop based.

    If you'd actually heard the album in question, and not ENT's shitty later output, you'd know that they were the most hardcore punk influenced grind band of the day, with exclusively socio-political lyrics.

    So eat it, fatman.

    -Jake and the BSD

    Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, December 8, 2004 at 7:58 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    If you mixed together a band like pig destroyer and say Coalesce or Human remains you got yourself some Dillinger.

    randomdipshit

    Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, December 8, 2004 at 7:55 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    As I stated it is technical hardcore influenced but it is still grind. Sorry.

    Posted by Anchors on 2004-12-08 18:55:01
    My Score:

    "For fans of heavy political hardcore, this is an essential. If you like "grind", you'll also like this. It's all pretty much the same... "

    http://www.punknews.org/reviews.php?op=albumreview&id=2748

    That appears to be your review, and your statement. But correct me if I'm wrong, if you're not actually BSD.

    Lastly, Dillinger does not play grind. Napalm Death, Pig Destroyer, Carcass, and Bolt Thrower do. If you think DEP sounds like those bands, you've obviously never heard DEP, or never heard any of those bands.

    Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, December 8, 2004 at 6:09 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    Spazz rules. Alexisonfire is sappy watered down bullshit. Dillinger does play grind but are definately not the roots of grind. Maybe of more techincal hardcore influenced grind but I would point out that Exit 13 was doing alot of similar stuff to Dillinger years before. Extreme Noise Terror is damn good. Alexisonfire doesnt even play screamo the plat post hardcore with badly screamed/badly sung vocals. 12 Hour Turn plays screamo. Enjoy.

    randomdipshit

    Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, December 8, 2004 at 6:06 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    You two are supposed to be fighting like Braves, not bitches.

    Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, December 8, 2004 at 4:54 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    When did I say that crust and grind were the exact same genre? Oh wait, I didn't, either... Now who's making shit up?

    Did mommy start hiding her jeans from you, is that why you're so angry?

    -BSD

    Posted by Anchors on 2004-12-08 16:43:35
    My Score:

    Yeah, because I claimed Dillinger to be grind. When exactly was this again?

    Making random shit up does not help your arguement in any way.

    Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, December 8, 2004 at 3:38 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    Children, do you want me to tell your father about this? No? Then go to your room... Both of you!

    -Love, Mom

    Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, December 8, 2004 at 3:17 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    You obviously know nothing, read: absolutely NOTHING, about grind or hardcore. I'll give you screamo, but, eh...

    One day you'll learn that grind didn't start with the Dillinger Escape Plan.

    -BSD

    Posted by Anchors on 2004-12-08 15:03:34
    My Score:

    Wow, you really know absolutely nothing about hardcore or screamo. Nothing.

    I'm not even going to bother carrying this arguement further, especially not with somebody who thinks Extreme Noise Terror made a perfect album, let alone the fact that you think "heavy political hardcore" and grind are the same thing.

    Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, December 8, 2004 at 1:58 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    "You know us, with our hoodies (hoods up, always), bandanas, and conversations about breakdown sizes."

    That actually is closer to screamo fans than hardcore kids... But you forgot "metrosexual haircuts", "our sister's jeans", and "false sense of musical elitism".

    And I like how you try to put "screamo" above being called "punk". Sorry, kid.

    Maybe you just weren't ready for actual music. Maybe a few more months at AP.net would do you some good...

    -BSD

    Posted by Anchors on 2004-12-08 01:04:34
    My Score:

    Oh gotcha, because kids that like screamo are all about projecting a tough guy image.

    You know us, with our hoodies (hoods up, always), bandanas, and conversations about breakdown sizes.

    Also, I like how all you "have against me" is that I like Alexisonfire. Get off their nuts, honestly. You look 12 in every arguement where no matter what, you have to bring them up. And let's be honest here, at least Alexisonfire can construct songs longer than 45 seconds.

    Go review some more shitty punk cd's and give them 10's, at least it'll keep you from making inane and meaningless comments.

    Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, December 8, 2004 at 12:29 AM (EST)
    My Score:

    "You can go listen to the Sex Pistols, and I'll stay with You And I and Saetia, thanks"

    Wow, I suppose you think that makes you a badass.

    How about, I'll stick with my Spazz, and you can eat your Alexisonfire.

    -BSD

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, December 7, 2004 at 10:59 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    Why do all of these old school revival bands have such awful lyrics?

    -Chinatown

    Posted by punkcorekid on 2004-12-07 22:50:42
    My Score:

    I like You and I.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, December 7, 2004 at 10:50 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    I think Fight Like A Brave is a cool name, and I don't really see how it's racially insensitive unless you think Braves don't fight like bad asses. Now if it was something like I Hate Indians that might get my attention.

    Posted by Anchors on 2004-12-07 22:40:31
    My Score:

    Minus one of those a's.

    Posted by Anchors on 2004-12-07 22:38:02
    My Score:

    BSD, your subtle use of sarcasm is so underappreciated.

    You're a truly a clever kid.

    You can go listen to the Sex Pistols, and I'll stay with You And I and Saetia, thanks.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, December 7, 2004 at 10:27 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    Never heard this band, but I'll second that the wrangler brutes album is the album of the year. Also the funniest band I saw all year.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, December 7, 2004 at 8:23 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    "This sounds atrocious."

    I know, man. Fuck this hardcore shit, serve me up some SCREAMO!

    -BSD

    Posted by punkcorekid on 2004-12-07 16:43:21
    My Score:

    To the dude a couple below....they like the Atlanta Braves...(they are from Atlanta). Check the interview on www.geekburger.com

    Posted by Bowen on 2004-12-07 15:39:34
    My Score:

    Why are they named after a RHCP song?

    Posted by Anchors on 2004-12-07 15:36:08
    My Score:

    This sounds atrocious.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, December 7, 2004 at 2:20 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    Fight Like a Brave are damn good, but the new Wrangler Brutes cd might just be the best release this year...absolutely amazing.

    Posted by SilentStorms on 2004-12-07 13:55:31
    My Score:

    What about the Atlanta Braves?

    Posted by Jesse on 2004-12-07 13:43:47
    My Score:

    Way to have a racially sensitive band name...

    Posted by gladimnotemo on 2004-12-07 13:26:07
    My Score:

    This sounds really good.

    Speaking of old school bands, has anyone heard Wrangler Brute? AP loved their CD, and I wanted to get a second opinion before purchasing....?