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Epitaph Records -- Millencolin

Names For Graves are the type of hardcore band that'll elicit all sorts of fun clichés when describing their style, but for all the right reasons: stripped down, no-frills, straightforward, short, pissed, fast, loud, etc. al. Worst Kid Ever matches the raw speed of Minor Threat with Comeback Kid's energy and attitude, and an occasional hint of melody for good measure.

The album sounds like the band went into the studio and wrote and recorded every song on the spot -- and that's not an alibi for Worst Kid Ever, it's a plus. The rawly-produced disc plays out like a live show, flying by in under 20 minutes with little cohesion. Standouts include the gang vocal assistance in the chorus of "The Movement" ("SO WHAT THE FUCK! / is keeping us back, from taking the power lies? / SO WHAT THE FUCK! / is holding us back, from looking out behind closed eyes?"), "Phil Spector" hinting at its better live power with its mid-tempo segue midway through, and opener "A New Use For An Anchor" with its immediate declaration "we'll only see this sunrise so many more times," letting you know precisely what you're in for.

The aforementioned stability, however, is perhaps the worst quality about Worst Kid Ever. Putting the "Intro" track as the second song is sequentially sly and subsequently refreshing, but there are major issues with the middle-to-late section, with too many moments here where one track really doesn't follow another well. A full 5-10 seconds must follow "Bookends" before a slow fade into the opening chants of "we'll live forever! We'll never forget!" (etc.) in "There's Beauty In The Breakdown" comes through; it's a seriously intermissive feel that disrupts flow badly, and both are followed by a fairly out-of-place instrumental track in "Bear Market." If this was a compilation of splits and 7 inches and its ilk, or even an old series of singles tacked onto the end, it would be completely understandable, as that's exactly what it sounds like, but being a full-length I expect a bit more cohesion and Worst Kid Ever suffers from serious attention deficit in that sense.

Regardless, Names For Graves proves with their debut that you can express anger in still somewhat articulate ways, all the whilst having fun doing it.

MP3s
The Movement (Searching For Ray Cappo)
Phil Spector
This City Needs Saints






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    Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, July 31, 2005 at 12:43 AM (EDT)
    My Score:

    that tyler dude is a tool.

    Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, July 30, 2005 at 8:54 PM (EDT)

    "So does this actually sound like Comeback Kid or are people who haven't heard much hardcore saying that just because it isn't metallic?

    -BSD"

    Kids that haven't heard much hardcore are referencing the only thing they know that is "melodic." Here is what I thought: http://www.scenepointblank.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=Review s&file=index&req=showcontent&id=510

    P.S. I am that "moron" below.

    Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, July 30, 2005 at 5:53 PM (EDT)

    So does this actually sound like Comeback Kid or are people who haven't heard much hardcore saying that just because it isn't metallic?

    -BSD

    Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, July 30, 2005 at 4:37 PM (EDT)

    this kids comment below me is that of a complete moron.....go score scene points elsewhere....stop acting like comeback kid is this band that cant be matched.....they do what they do well but this band sounds very similar....not nearly as clean as comeback kids newest album but vocals and style are close to identical....if names for graves was a comeback kid cover band i bet no one would notice even a slight difference in the music

    Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, July 30, 2005 at 2:57 PM (EDT)

    Quit saying they sound like Comeback Kid - you people are fucking dolts.

    Posted by etwiels88 on 2005-07-30 00:39:54

    Band name is pretty cool.

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, July 29, 2005 at 9:16 PM (EDT)

    go stefano. . .

    triple attack keeping it real.

    www.myspace.com/polarbearclub

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, July 29, 2005 at 7:37 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    sweet band.. Internal Affairs is a great HC band if u dont mind really short songs

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, July 29, 2005 at 6:21 PM (EDT)

    because you're a tool

    Posted by tylerdurden8136 on 2005-07-29 16:26:18
    My Score:

    goddamnit, why don't we have an edit button yet?

    Posted by tylerdurden8136 on 2005-07-29 16:25:41
    My Score:

    not a bad album (reminds me of comeback kid alot), but why did every song but two have to be under two minutes?

    Posted by TheOneTrueBill on 2005-07-29 15:24:42

    Once again, not into the vocals. Why is that such a recurring problem? Can't anyone shout anymore?

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, July 29, 2005 at 3:17 PM (EDT)

    good album name

    Posted by bizzlebrizzle on 2005-07-29 10:59:04

    definately some CBK influence in this. not terrible, but not mindblowing either.

    they say "fuck" wayyy too much. quite silly.

    AHAHAHHAHAHA @ what you said about CBK influence.

    Posted by crazytoledo on 2005-07-29 10:55:50

    Nothing wrong with the word fuck.

    Posted by recordings on 2005-07-29 03:56:37

    definately some CBK influence in this. not terrible, but not mindblowing either.

    they say "fuck" wayyy too much. quite silly.

    Posted by bizzlebrizzle on 2005-07-29 01:31:30

    I wanted to see them with Bones Brigade but I saw Hank Jones instead.

    Posted by stevejonestherealbones on 2005-07-29 01:02:45

    hey guys, remember when i turned the mp3 of the week for this band into a jones the bones only posting party?

    that was so rad

    - jones the bones

    - stevejones8770@yahoo.com

    Posted by inagreendase on 2005-07-29 00:46:06
    My Score:

    Ehhh, I kind of figured that, but found no proof anywhere. The label's site even says "debut full-length."

    Posted by maverick on 2005-07-29 00:44:37
    My Score:

    It actually is a compilation -- it's the band's new 7-inch with their old demo at the end of it. Hence the disruptions you mention.

    By the way, this band rules.

    -Scott

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