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Latterman

No Matter Where We Go..!
2005
Deep Elm

Latterman - No Matter Where We Go..! (Cover Artwork)

Review by: Matt Whelihan
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Published on August 9th 2005

The first time I heard Latterman was in a Long Island basement with Against Me! The ceilings were low and literally dripping with sweat; it was hard to move, the volume was at a brutal high, and I loved every minute of it. The show was a DIY event run for the kids by the kids. There was a sense of community and an actual attempt at sharing ideas. Latterman talked between songs about everything from homophobia and consumerism to being positive and how amazing it is to create something as beautiful and fulfilling as a DIY community.

I bought Latterman’s first album, Turn Up the Punk, We’ll Be Singing shortly after. It was an intense but catchy mix of pop-punk, with lyrics that left you with a lot to think about. The only problem was that the second half of the album was kind of a letdown, with songs that sounded too similar to their predecessors.

Fast forward a couple years and Latterman have returned with their Deep Elm debut, No Matter Where We Go..! Despite their label move the band is still rooted in the DIY community they hold so dearly. The album was recorded in guitarist Phil Douglas’s bedroom, the cover art was done by the drummer’s brother, and the band still books all of their shows. Essentially their sound is also still the same (gruff and shouted vocals similar to Hot Water Music and Small Brown Bike over top of extremely tight pop-punk complete with detailed bass lines and a second guitarist that actually plays lead), but the band has managed to add some much needed diversity to their songs.

“Doom! Doom! Doom!” offers a slower tempo that allows the band to really explore their surprisingly melodic songwriting skills. “Yo, Get Into It,” uses a groove-heavy chorus and a dissonant, almost noise rock bridge that both recall Fugazi. “Videos Games And Fantasy Novels Are Fucking Awesome!” borders on being a punk ballad with its plodding delivery and lyrics about growing up. “My Bedroom Is Like For Artists” covers everything from a Blink-182 bass line with soft guitars to a full throttle shouted punk anthem, a calm trumpet-assisted section, and a shoutalong outro, while “This Project Is Stagnant (Get It Out Of My Face)” is a speedy punk number with a drumbeat similar to Bad Religion’s “Atomic Garden,” racing octave chords, and a palm-muted breakdown with muffled vocals.

There is one common thread shared by all the songs on the album (or at least the ones with vocals) and that is their penchant for making you want to sing along. The choruses are huge and fun and the melodies are dangerously contagious. You’ll find songs like “Fear And Loathing On Long Island” and “My Bedroom Is Like For Artists” stuck in your head after only one listen.

While Latterman is still obviously a very socially conscious band (see the “about” section on their myspace page) the lyrics on No Matter Where We Go..! often seem to be more ambiguous than insightful. Yes, songs like “We’re Done For” and “My Bedroom Is Like For Artists” do offer serious criticisms of patriarchy, misogyny, and white privilege, but many others simply fire off lines like “We need to get out of these boxes,” “So move out, move on,” and “it will all come together, fall apart, document, break and build, let it go, grab a hold, move, set it free and believe,” that leave you wondering just what the band are referring to. Perhaps to make up for this they throw an almost essay-like statement in their liner notes regarding the prevalent sexism found in punk rock and other communities.

What is also a little disappointing about this album is that of the twelve tracks, two are simply short segments of noise with note picking, and one is an instrumental track, leaving you with only nine actual songs. Those nine are fantastic; it would have just been nice to hear a few more.

I saw Latterman again recently in Allentown. It was another DIY performance complete with singalongs, dancing, and of course an abrasively humid basement. They may have made the move up to a bigger label, but in that basement there was no doubt that they still know what punk rock is all about.

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Posted by poonk on 2008-02-12 15:15:14
My Score:

This is good... it's just too bad they're not able to write songs you can actually really discernate from others

Posted by spuddee on 2007-02-09 06:48:00
My Score:

Narrowly beat the second Evens record as my favorite release of 2006. I love everything about this band, it's pop-punk but it's as punk as anything else around this year. This is probably my favorite release from them (although I'm yet to hear the whole 3rd album so that may change). This band has so much potential and I'd love to see them get as popular as similar bands like Kid Dynamite, The Lawrence Arms and Dillinger Four have gotten.

Posted by wearestillalive on 2006-10-26 11:57:25
My Score:

probably the best thing to happen to punk in a long time. YEAH I SAID IT.

Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, June 14, 2006 at 3:50 AM (EDT)
My Score:

my score

Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, June 14, 2006 at 3:50 AM (EDT)

I cannot get into this band.

Well, I can to an extent, I just don't understand the hype on this site over them. Maybe they're an amazing live band? I have the most recent full length and it's pretty forgettable in my opinion. The songs all have a real fun, energetic vibe to them but I can get that from many, many punk bands. Most with more cohesive albums than Latterman's.

And like someone mentioned above, I cannot stand when bands just throw random noise tracks on albums. Two "songs" out of 12 aren't even songs, despite one having a message/lyrics...yet all we get is a track of fucking background noises. Great. Not annoying and pointless one bit!

This band has potential and I really their positive stance on topics like sexism, racism, homophobia, although that's nothing new to the punk music community either. In the end these guys don't sound any different that any other group of friends across america in a band and making fun punk rock songs. Overrated? YES.

Posted by tapemarks_and_brakelights on 2006-05-29 00:23:16
My Score:

i never thought i'd find an album that totally said everything that i attempted to say, but always came up short.

one of the most positive, upbeat and sing-a-long records i've ever heard.

Posted by TIGHT on 2006-05-27 14:32:03
My Score:

this cd is amazing. right from the get go things that set it apart from other albums released this year are simply the earnestness and passion of these dudes. they all deserve a hug and a handshake

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, April 4, 2006 at 9:00 PM (EDT)
My Score:

4 stars? Please. My score is way more realistic.

Posted by randomhero323 on 2006-02-14 13:16:46
My Score:

sick

Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, December 22, 2005 at 11:32 PM (EST)
My Score:

definetaly one of the best, the most fun, and the most important albums of the year. these guys have heart, and i really miss seeing them play live (the last time i saw them was when they played their album release show at the LI freespace back in june)
turn up the punk was a very good cd, but this cd is put together a lot better.

Posted by hushearthling on 2005-10-19 15:00:23
My Score:

Fucking Biking Latterman are "Sweet".

Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, October 9, 2005 at 10:21 AM (EDT)
My Score:

Second best album I've heard all year (after Propagandh).

Posted by Bosco on 2005-10-07 11:29:38
My Score:

Oh yeah, I give it a ten.

Posted by Bosco on 2005-10-07 11:27:42

Since i forgot to log in with my last comment, allow me to clarify my position on latterman's latest:

holy shit. This album is goddamn spectacular. It's so fucking good that i actually shit every pair of pants i own simultaneously the first time i heard it, and i wasn't even wearing pants at the time. This album rocks so hard that it actually caused my roommate's heart to stop and now i get straight a's for a whole semester. Thanks, latterman! everytime i listen to this cd, i become so aroused that people around me have orgasms that bring them to tears. If you attempt to put any other cd near latterman's, it instantly reduces itself to molten plastic and flings itself in your eyes in protest. Latterman's new cd saved my marriage. This cd is so good that it makes everything hot water music ever did look like a steaming pile of fecal material, and i love hot water music so much that i once carved chris wollard's name into my chest, then hid in his bushes and furiously masturbated until i realized that it wasn't actually chris wollard's house; but in reality was the decaying carcass of a beached whale. It may have been a sperm whale, i don't know. The moral of the story is that if you don't like this cd, i will track you down and skin you alive, then use your skin to make new underwear which i will surely ruin the next time i listen to this cd. Thank you.... Ahem.

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, October 7, 2005 at 8:54 AM (EDT)

Possibly the best album I've heard all year. Unbelieveable.

Posted by Anonymous on Monday, September 26, 2005 at 10:45 PM (EDT)
My Score:

I'm very proud to have contributed a "Sweet" to this record. My finest vocal solo yet.

Posted by hein on 2005-09-06 17:52:53
My Score:

This is indeed a lovely album. For once you don't get those nicely polished vocals, but oh man... how I sing along to these shouts. I don't understand though why everyone is referring to HWM... because I never really liked that band so much. I think this is far more energetic than everything I heard from HWM. I rather thought it was somewhere near Despistado's sound or maybe At The Drive-in or something, maybe even with some Fugazi influences. One of my favorites in recent months for sure.

Posted by pacer on 2005-08-13 18:56:51
My Score:

Absolutely incredible CD

Posted by skanknsmile on 2005-08-12 15:44:47

i love the songs i got, im just waiting for the day to come where i get my little package. mmmhmmm

Posted by lol_omg_wtf_nambla on 2005-08-11 22:22:54

I just listened to these guys on the Deep Elm site. Holy mother of shit these guys kick ass! Ordering this mohterfucker...now.

Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, August 11, 2005 at 11:41 AM (EDT)

amazing fucking cd! didnt evne know about them till a couple days ago and bought the cd! awesome

Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, August 10, 2005 at 10:57 PM (EDT)

your an idiot..i didn't realize that songs without vocals aren't "actual songs". those are the best tracks on the records, hands down.

Posted by Icapped2pac on 2005-08-10 19:32:14
My Score:

Haven't read the review yet, but I'm sure I'll pretty much agree with it. This album is fucking awesome, not a dull moment. I haven't shouted songs out loud every time I hear them this often since I discovered Strike Anywhere (which isn't as long ago as it should be). I can't wait to get a chance to catch these guys live.

Posted by tylerdurden8136 on 2005-08-10 18:59:27
My Score:

this album is amazing.

Posted by crossfiyaaa on 2005-08-10 13:40:07

The title, and moreso, the cover art, reminds me of the Against Me! dvd.

Posted by karasu on 2005-08-10 12:50:15

This is good music.

Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, August 10, 2005 at 7:39 AM (EDT)

Seriously, i just fucking love this band right now. I describe it to people as a mix between hot water music and the first taking back sunday cd. You can go on talking about bouncing souls and against me (???) while describing this cd, and while i can see them totally enjoy those two bands (and the singer probably likes bouncing souls alot), but you have to admit that there's tons of modern poppunk/emo-touches over this band.

Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, August 10, 2005 at 12:40 AM (EDT)

man oh man how much good music can come out this yr and how much more shitty. But overall, with all the things that have happened this is going to go down as an unreal yr. Never heard of this band before the mp3. Now I am counting down the days before this comes in the mail. Judging by the five songs ive listened to, this is a shoe in the top 10. Thanks for giving us some punk rock back this year and what this website is all about.

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, August 9, 2005 at 9:49 PM (EDT)
My Score:

you did pay some due homage to latterman in this review, and for that i commend you... but who are you to make grievance about lyrics that don't spell every little thing out or a record with less than 10 songs? take this shit for what it is- sweet punk rock. nothing wrong with criticism, but those are just ridiculous points to make it on.

Posted by SkolarX on 2005-08-09 17:22:58

thank you jones, amazing comment. possibly your best

Posted by stevejonestherealbones on 2005-08-09 16:52:13

"That cover art pisses me of for some reason."

i think its cause it depicts a couple of sallys playing eXtreme paddycake in midair

- jones the bones

- stevejones8770@yahoo.com

Posted by ghostmonkey on 2005-08-09 12:46:01

deep elm have all their back catalogue and new stuff on emusic.

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, August 9, 2005 at 10:37 AM (EDT)

I liked the MP3 of the week... I'll keep my eyes open for this. Just out of curiousity has anyone else noticed that Deep Elm releases are suddenly really hard to find in stores?

OC

Posted by sickboi on 2005-08-09 09:34:14

That cover art pisses me of for some reason.

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, August 9, 2005 at 9:01 AM (EDT)
My Score:

My thought is that I don't think it's the greatest record everyone makes it out to be. But it is pretty good effort and finally there's a band in Deep Elm's roster I actually like.

Ramo

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, August 9, 2005 at 4:58 AM (EDT)

the title should be call clap your hand and say yeah according to the cover.

Posted by AlmostPunkEnough on 2005-08-09 03:46:30
My Score:

awesome fucking cd, i didn't really like it at first, probably because my friend loves it and i hate to admit he has good taste. but goddamn, this shit is just so good, it gets stuck in your head for days... in the good way.

and the Souls comparison is a good one, they don't really sound like them per se, but there's a definite Souls-y vibe to the whole thing.

Posted by psychoos231 on 2005-08-09 02:04:40

Is this the band who had that one mp3 posted yesterday? Good review i might have to check it oot.

Posted by Inspection12e on 2005-08-09 01:14:31

Next up: Turn up the punk we'll be singing.

Posted by inagreendase on 2005-08-09 01:02:30
My Score:

Speaking of another good HWM-influenced record...(though Aubin was right about the Bouncing Souls comparison too, I'd say).

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