Doesn't really invoke Against Me! I've heard a lot of other bands pull off a more desperate sound, which is what the singer seems to be going for by yelling at the top of his lungs.

This was probably my favourite album of '05.... and then I heard their Workers Union ep. It's even better. AMAZING band.

This is not bad, I found the production to be kinda eh though.

A Wilhelm Scream is better.

1)

"but overall this band seems to be off timing in a lot of their songs, especially song 4."

You, sir, are an idiot. Those are quarter-note triplets, and they are very much in time. And there is certainly not anything out of key in this album, although it may be true to their first EP. Maybe before you criticise music in this degree you should have even the slightest musical ability.

2)
"I have a Jericho RVA shirt from their last show as Jericho RVA."

Want a medal? Remember when they were just "Jericho", without the "RVA"? What about Their REAL first EP, the classic "When the Battery Dies"?

My overall point is pretty much that this album is great. It's not yet a classic like Battery but it definitely holds its own.

Really good album. Better than most stuff put out by Fat these days, with the obvious exception of Against Me!

i listened to this record four or five times and i just couldn't get into it.
the mixture of all the state of the art punk bands just sounds generic to me and except for two or three songs, this cd did nothing for me.

Oh that's right, there is a committee at the label and they sit down and decide what the future of Punk will be and then figuire out how mass brainwashing will help them sell more records - JESUS- Their timing is off- they sound like this or that? Aren't the real questions more like does it sound good loud? Does it make me want to throw a chair through a window when I listen to it on a crappy boom box? The answer is yes. So, the question I have for all you punk o' files is - Where do I get my degree? That's so punk rock isn't it. The Jerico EP ripped and this album does too. If you are a real "PUNK" come kick my teeth out if you disagree.

smoke or fire is touring this year with planes mistaken for stars. thats going to be amazing.

""These newer so called punk bands like Modest Mouse, the Used, Coheed and Cambria, the Hives, the Killers, Thursday, Taking back Sunday etc.....are just horrible in my opinion. "

Modest Mouse is very new. considering they've only been around for about a decade."

yeah but you know what the person meant, that they are newly popular, and they are horrible too.
what the fuck is up with people defending modest mouse, like its respectable to like them, no matter how long youve known about them youre real cool but it still sucks. its just as bad as any of that shit dude mentioned, in fact i would take the hives, thursday, the used, any of those bands over modest mouse.

I find it sounds alot like Samiam at times.

Great disc overall.

My girlfriend really likes this cd
Is that an insult? You tell me
Its nothing like against me
its like strike anywhere.
and how the hell could Jericho RVA suck so bad when this cd is pretty good
riddle me that
Fat wreck isn't really keeping the faith, but i guess they're keeping up.

"These newer so called punk bands like Modest Mouse, the Used, Coheed and Cambria, the Hives, the Killers, Thursday, Taking back Sunday etc.....are just horrible in my opinion. "

Modest Mouse is very new. considering they've only been around for about a decade.

I still really enjoy the Fat Wreck/Epitaph sound. To me that is the type of music I look for. These newer so called punk bands like Modest Mouse, the Used, Coheed and Cambria, the Hives, the Killers, Thursday, Taking back Sunday etc.....are just horrible in my opinion.

whoops

I have a Jericho RVA shirt from their last show as Jericho RVA.

Score is for me.

Holy shit, I just listened to the mp at the Fat Wreck page...I need this CD NOW.

Agree 100%. That's what I was saying or meant to say earlier. I still like Epitaph/Fat Wreck styled punk but I definately don't listen to it as much knowing as my tastes have changed (Trail of Dead, At the Drive-In). That style of music is great however I usually listen to it knowing that it's something I know I won't dislike. I 'm a Millencolin fan but their new CD Kingwood didn't do the same for me that their other CDs did. It was the same of their old and it's good but I can play Millencolin knowing what to expect. There are a lot of other types of good music out and I enjoy hearing about other bands that aren't necessarily "punk" on this site. There are many people who criticize the reviewers for not reviewing something that is not "punk". But I think it's great that I can hear about bands from different styles of music from people that might have the same tastes as I do. Just because you don't like it doesn't mean you should shun it. In the punk genre there is so much out there - dance punk, ska-punk, emo-punk, pop-punk, art-punk just about everything is given a punk term nowadays. What is punk anymore?

its not an insult to fat wreck to say what was fairly common knowledge. Most of the original fat roster were specifically Southern California influenced punk rock bands.

AKA Bad religion melodic punk.

I mean, its pretty straightforward, Good riddance and strung out are all within the realm of NOFX/Bad religion power pop. Lagwagon may like metal all they want, and sure, they each have their own flavor, and over the years developed a bit, but I got into epitaph back in the day because all the bands were similar.

I'm not ashamed, I knew what i liked, and I wanted more of it.
I just don't listen to as much of it these days. Its still a comfort genre. Good ole fashioned melodic punk. I get fairly annoyed when bands get popular doing a bad job of it (good charlotte, newfound glory).

If you really want to split hairs, than fat records is the most diverse label on the planet, I wont dare label them. But grow up, everybody rides on everybody elses influences. Aint a biggie.

Fat mike knows what he likes, and hes aware of the vein fat records usually mines.

wyzo

http://www.burningangel.com/archives/music_reviews/smoke_or_fire _top_notch_with_above_the_city.php

whores liked it

Anything out of key or off timing is bad.

"but overall this band seems to be off timing in a lot of their songs, especially song 4."

I was just listening to that song again after reading your comment. You know what? I'm sure the off timing sounds just the way it was meant to be. That's what makes the song so good, dammit.

Upon first listen I don't think this cd is all that great. I thought it would be a bit more catchy ala Wilhelm Scream. There are some good fast songs like song 6 and 12 but overall this band seems to be off timing in a lot of their songs, especially song 4.

The guy's voice reminds me of Justin Sane. Usually not a good thing, but the music on "California's Burning" was pretty good so I'll give this a shot.

In reference to the comment below, when I say "the bands I listed", I was talking about Dillinger Four, None More Black, The Lawrence Arms, and some other newer bands.

I said this in the Chixdiggit thread, but it's just as relevant here:

Eh, don't get me wrong; I love Fat's older stuff. It got me into punk and it's what I've grown up listening to. Hell, this morning I was listening to Good Riddance's A Comprehensive Guide to Modern Rebellion, and some old Strung Out before that. It's just that the bands I listed have been impressing me more than any of the others on the label lately. Strung Out is doing their "dark" thing which really isn't doing much for me. Good Riddance is as good as dead with Dave in PIB and NMB, Russ in Only Crime, etc. Propagandhi's last album didn't really impress me too much. The Swingin' Utters and Lagwagon are still going strong, though. You get the idea. I don't go by time period; I go with what's good.

I agree with the reviewer here. Very good album overall and it sort of came out of nowhere. Let's see if they can keep it up.

Oh yeah, old FAT wreck is good but I think new FAT wreck is better in all honesty just because they seem to be much more diverse than they used to be. I mean Good Riddance and Strung Out are two of my favorite bands but they have both evolved into better bands. Both of their first albums along with Propagandhi where almost like NOFX clones. I know I'm going to get crap fror this but they are much much better now than they were earlier. To me New FAT doesn't have the problem where every band sounds a like even for a while. I'm not saying all the old FAT bands sound alike but in my opinion they used to.

You're fucking retarded.

I seriously wanna slap any idiot that says old fat wreck all sounds the same, because old fat wreck bands sound much more different from eachother than these new bands, because honestly how many more bands do we need that are doing this midwestern I'm a nhilist-drunk-sound? Dillinger Four does it best, although their best work was before they got on Fat(not to say that their fat stuff is bad). Out of this "new Fat sound" the only one that's rather unique is None More Black. But in all honesty let's test what you said...

Avail sounds just like Good Riddance right?

And Sick Of It All and Lagwagon are twins correct?

Umm, Avail and Sick of it All are not old fat bands. They are new fat bands. They might be old bands.

Hey Brizzle you sound upset. Maybe you've just realized that people can have other opinions and not be "fucking retards". I'm soooo sorry that I am not as musically intellectual as you. It was an opinion and if you're going to go Jack Nicholson on me then I feel sorry for you. There are other things to worry about in this world than some small insignificant post on some punk website. Poor Brizzle. You need a life. :(

Not my fault your opinion was horribley wrong and moronic.

"The character of Johnny Appleseed was based on Bill Brasky - except for the apple tree planting and not raping men."

Hey Brizzle you sound upset. Maybe you've just realized that people can have other opinions and not be "fucking retards". I'm soooo sorry that I am not as musically intellectual as you. It was an opinion and if you're going to go Jack Nicholson on me then I feel sorry for you. There are other things to worry about in this world than some small insignificant post on some punk website. Poor Brizzle. You need a life. :(

Caps lock? Oh snap, shit has just hit the fan.

i thought their years as JERICHO RVA were much better

They're a lot older than I thought they were, like they were releasing shit back in the 80s.

Yeah, Chris Dodge was in NUFAN... They were actually good before they signed with Fat, and their first Fat album is allright.

-BSD

arguing about futile issues = punk

You're an idiot brizzle and you might want to actually read my comments. I said that their earlier stuf sounded the same. Early Propagandhi/NOFX/No Use for a Name/early Good Riddance/early Strung Out. I said they progressed a lot and they sound much different now. Or did you forget to read that?

YOU'RE THE FUCKING DUMBASS!

Lagwagon has NEVER sounded like NOFX, anyone who thinks that is a dumbass, same goes for Strung Out.

AND EARLY GOOD RIDDANCE, HAVE YOU EVER HEARD THEIR EARLY SHIT!?

It was straight up hardcore, the newer shit sounds more like NOFX than the old shit.

I'm not a big NUFAN fan, although I recentley heard that the dude from Spazz was in it at one point.

OK, fine, Rise Against is an exception, AND YES I WAS FULL AWARE WHEN I WAS WRITING THAT THAT D4 had one Fat release, but it doesn't even stack up to Midwestern Songs Of The Americas or Versus God(it's good, but not as good).

But Against Me! and Lawrence Arms and Dillinger Four all sound much more alike than any of the old early Fat Wreck stuff. And to an extent None More Black can be lumped in to that group.

Brizzle, D4 only has 1 Fat album.

Oh yeah toss Lagwagon in their. But I guess you're right Brizzle, I mean Rise Against DOES sound like Lawrence Arms and they DO sound like Against Me. You might want to get your ears checked.

You're an idiot brizzle and you might want to actually read my comments. I said that their earlier stuf sounded the same. Early Propagandhi/NOFX/No Use for a Name/early Good Riddance/early Strung Out. I said they progressed a lot and they sound much different now. Or did you forget to read that?

Oh yeah, old FAT wreck is good but I think new FAT wreck is better in all honesty just because they seem to be much more diverse than they used to be. I mean Good Riddance and Strung Out are two of my favorite bands but they have both evolved into better bands. Both of their first albums along with Propagandhi where almost like NOFX clones. I know I'm going to get crap fror this but they are much much better now than they were earlier. To me New FAT doesn't have the problem where every band sounds a like even for a while. I'm not saying all the old FAT bands sound alike but in my opinion they used to.

You're fucking retarded.

I seriously wanna slap any idiot that says old fat wreck all sounds the same, because old fat wreck bands sound much more different from eachother than these new bands, because honestly how many more bands do we need that are doing this midwestern I'm a nhilist-drunk-sound? Dillinger Four does it best, although their best work was before they got on Fat(not to say that their fat stuff is bad). Out of this "new Fat sound" the only one that's rather unique is None More Black. But in all honesty let's test what you said...

Avail sounds just like Good Riddance right?

And Sick Of It All and Lagwagon are twins correct?

Let's not forget that Strung Out progressed shit loads, and hell even their old stuff was still faster and musically much better than most of the other Fat bands.

Only band that ever sounded sorta like NOFX was early Propagandhi stuff, and now they're one of the hardest and fastest bands on the label.

I thought with Bad religion writing "Los Angeles is burning" and so many other " ___ is burning" song titles lately (to me it seems), that the one mp3 on fat's site for California's burning was going to annoy me. I thought it would jinx me ever giving them a fair shot.

But its a not a bad song. Go figure. I like love me destroyer, and wilhelm scream, so this will be a nice even record.

wyzo

would getting off my ass pay well?

maybe you should get off your ass and buy it.

where can i download this? i can't find it on punktorrents or torrentspy

who the fuck is Bill Brasky and why was there a 5 minute film done about him here in town? When the fuck will Bigwig give us another god damn update? Also, why the fuck is everyone still bitching about this band's name?

I wrote this on some thread somewhere else

No. I want to like it but looking at the lyrics, it looks like a joke. Just read "Cops and Drugs." Musically they are very derivative. I wouldn't mind them if they didn't sound so much like Hot Water Music, Avail or Wilhelm Scream. Wilhelm Scream is also derivative but at least it was refreshing. This just sounds like another Wilhelm Scream rehash. But much potential is there.

Oh yeah, old FAT wreck is good but I think new FAT wreck is better in all honesty just because they seem to be much more diverse than they used to be. I mean Good Riddance and Strung Out are two of my favorite bands but they have both evolved into better bands. Both of their first albums along with Propagandhi where almost like NOFX clones. I know I'm going to get crap fror this but they are much much better now than they were earlier. To me New FAT doesn't have the problem where every band sounds a like even for a while. I'm not saying all the old FAT bands sound alike but in my opinion they used to.

I'm not going to buy this, but I have to commend the band for keeping their songs short. Too many bands nowadays are coming out with bloated 45-minute albums.

Haha, and you guys need to read the Amazon.com reviews for the new Comeback Kid album. Some Victory Records groupie gave it a low score because "it's only 26 minutes long!!"

-Chinatown

I hope I can get this easily in BC, I'm keen to hear it.

*meanwhile, in a smoke filled car*

Queens of The Stone Age - Lullabies to Paralyze is a fucking sick album. Back to front, pretty solid, only 2 or 3 songs are average; the rest are amazing. A variety of trippy, punk-tinged, and harder rocking numbers. Cheap too. Buy it.

It kind of reminds me of Love Me Destroyer (probably not a coincidence).

I like. Reminds me of pinhead circus.

I'm really excited to pick this up from all the bands it's being compared to. WIth the comparisons that this band has drawn, it's totally fine by me that they're not exactly original. Music doesn't always have to be innovative to be awesome. Hopefully this'll support that point.

holy lord. i bought this one today, and the last time i was excited enough about a record to buy it on its release date was Mute Print about a year ago. Ive been pumping the two songs off the jericho site for over a month or so and those two songs alone made me a bit wet for this to come out. it definatley does not dissapoint. i actually bought this and the Voice in The Wire cd at the same time and this one destroys that cd. the songs are catchy, well-written, and very passionate. the only gripe i think i have with it is that some songs are just too friggen short! if they would have added an extra chorus to the end of "Filter" for instance, it would prob be on my top 10 list of punk songs ever. but hey, its still fucking solid and very well-done throughtout. its funny that you mentioned "saves the day" as being in there Brian because at one point he sounds EXACTLY like that dude. During the acoustic song he also happens to sounds EXACTLY like the dude from lucero. but overall, id have to say its a solid mix between Against me, loved ones, and D4. pick it up.

Bill Brasky is the father of everyone on this message board.

To Bill Brasky!

this is great early year album that shouldnt be forgotten when it comes to albums of the year. pretty good and dang catchy. awesome

You know brasky? Let me buy you a round!

Bill Brasky is a son of a bitch.

I can't wait till Fat 7. What's everyone's favorite comp? Mine's 5 for sure.

I can't believe someone mentioned Buck-o-nine.

Wow.

Saying Smoke or Fire outclasses Hot Water Music is like saying Buck o Nine outclasses Operation Ivy.

Check Your Head.

The comment below is just ignorant. What is punk without the message?

OC

"Why are there so many songs about California burning or falling into the ocean or whatever?"
because most of california fucking sucks....
oh and oc, are you seriously bitching about a band NOT BEING SERIOUS ENOUGH TO JUSTIFY AN ARTISTIC STATEMENT? fuck right off man, even YOU dont know what you're talking.
"Oh my god, I have taken like 2 quarters away at college, now I can use archaic terms of academia and talk about a band as having an 'artistic statement'."
i dont even want to hear what you have to say.

i don't understand why everyone thinks this is such a bad name. i mean it's not great but it's not horrible.

all the leaves are brown (all the leaves are brown) and the sky is grey (and the sky is grey) I got down on my kneeeeeeeeees and began to pray

Score is for California Dreaming.

"New Fat is good but I really can't stand people who only listen to new Fat bands...

I'd take Good Riddance, Avail, Sick Of It All, Strung Out, and Lagwagon any day over the newer Fat stuff."

oh don't get me wrong, i'm a big fan of old fat wreck bands also. Strung out, NUFAN, nofx, lagwagon are all some of my fav's...especially lagwagon. mad caddies too.

paul

to the OC: This band actually did name themselves, Jericho. They were Jericho for 6 years before they were going to get sued over the name. The new name is weak, granted, but I'm sure it wasn't easy just dropping their only identity for the whole life of the band and have to come up with a new name in 1 week. Regardless, if you don't think they can write, read the song lyrics even if you don't listen to the CD and I bet you'll reconsider. And the record is fucking amazing by the way... They'll only get better. Plus they are a joy to see live.

If you put the needle of a record player on Brasky's nipple, it'll play the Beach Boys "Pet Sounds."

To Bill Brasky!

i like this band. now can we start a pog thread like the one on the Emanuel - Soundtrack To A Headrush [2] review?

after against me, larry arms, d4 and none more black, hell, even rise against, i feel i can pretty much trust fat mike that this band kicks ass. every description i've read has thrown in a hot water music comparison also, so this can only be good. i will def. be getting this

paul

New Fat is good but I really can't stand people who only listen to new Fat bands...

I'd take Good Riddance, Avail, Sick Of It All, Strung Out, and Lagwagon any day over the newer Fat stuff.

Sounds like this'll be good. Fuck the naysayers; Fat's a great label.

""A band that couldn't even name itself... how the heck am I supposed to respect their song writing?"

By listening to the songs? Silly thought, I know."

-- Listening and respecting are very different things. It's hard to respect someone's word's as art or as a statement of emotion if they're not based on something meaningful to begin with. I have a hard time believing that a band which couldn't even manage to name itself has much more to offer than the Spice Girls or any other outfit constructed for the sole purpose of commercial success.

Based on this review, as well as what I've heard by SoF, I'm left really wondering. Yes, they're competent musicians but, and there is always a place for music that's just fun to listen to, but when there are so many "fun" bands out there who really do have something to say, I can't justify purchasing something like this. Just my take on the situation.

OC

i like the song on the fat page.

is there a torrent of this anywhere?

Good album, but they are FAR from outclassing HWM.

"A band that couldn't even name itself... how the heck am I supposed to respect their song writing?"

By listening to the songs? Silly thought, I know.

A band that couldn't even name itself... how the heck am I supposed to respect their song writing?

OC

Mist or Water.... ???

They seriously have a really bad name.

after against me, larry arms, d4 and none more black, hell, even rise against, i feel i can pretty much trust fat mike that this band kicks ass. every description i've read has thrown in a hot water music comparison also, so this can only be good. i will def. be getting this

paul

This is one of the best records i've heard in years.

Who gives a FUCK about the bands name?!

Good god that is a ridiculous train of thought!

This band are awesome. Not quite as good as Only Crime though.

Joe

I can't wait to get this tomorrow. Sounds like I'm going to love it. The generic Fat Wreck sound is what I love.

The Mommas and the Papas?

Why are there so many songs about California burning or falling into the ocean or whatever? Props to the first band who has a positive song about California.

Oh SNAP!

I just saw that he did refer to Avail, but it was only a small reference so it can be overlooked.

fatwreck should be working on a new lawrence arms disc instead. 4.5 stars my left foot.

I think that's more up to The Lawrence Arms and not Fat Wreck...

Pretty good. I've heard some songs, nothing insanely special, but quality punk rock.

bad band name? maybe. bad album art? looks to be from here.

good cd? fuck yeah.

fatwreck should be working on a new lawrence arms disc instead. 4.5 stars my left foot.

I like this name. The mp3 that Fat put on their website blew me away, much better than the stuff they did while they were Jericho, I wanna see them alive.

Also hats off to Hein for not using a single Avail reference!

sorry, but their name is just too shitty to justify a listen.

Hahah, alright. It just seemed like a weird way to start a review to me. Oh well.

OneTrueBill: Nope. See for yourself.

Is there supposed to be another paragraph at the top?

This really is like a vast profile of modern punk. I can hear everything from early Saves The Day and latter-day Anti-Flag to Dillinger Four and A Wilhelm Scream in this, so while it ain't crazily original, they're at least not ripping off one band in particular.

Still a crappy name.