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The Blackout Pact

Hello Sailor
2005
Astro Magnetics

The Blackout Pact - Hello Sailor (Cover Artwork)

Review by: Brian
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The Blackout Pact @ Astro Magnetics (link)

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Published on September 27th 2005

Like Pittsburgh's Voice in the Wire or Long Island, NY's Latterman (both tourmate matches made in heaven) Boulder, CO's the Blackout Pact are further proof of Hot Water Music's musical punk rock influence extending well beyond the swamps of Gainesville, Florida in 2005. Per their peers mentioned here, it's more an influence as opposed to total style replication, but still rather visible with one look at their proverbial sleeves. It's gritty, melodic, mid-tempo, emotional punk/indie rock that's helping quickly further the diversity of a young label to which is owned by Geoff Rickly (Thursday), and producing repertoire while we're at it (My Chemical Romance's first full-length is his sole other credit).

Hello Sailor, the band's debut full-length, is surely a great offering of uplifting, mid-to-fast-paced punk and just enough of an angularity to distance it a bit from their peers. Opener "We Drink So You Don't Have To" must be the best example to be found on the half-hour disc of this; it's got great, abrupt time changes, rambled, high-charged lead vocals, a signature hook in "breathing lights has gotten easier somehow," and invigorating gang shouts of "LET'S BEGIN / BEGIN AGAIN!" towards its finish. It's here we also hear initial similarities to fellow HWM followers Bear vs. Shark. While the light snare taps, quietly uttered singing, and full gang chorus of down-tempo closer "Lapis Lazuli" resembles most any one of the slower-paced jams off Terrorhawk (BvS's "Baraga Embankment" notably), the opener certainly bounces along with a funky guitar tone and that similar BvS vigor as well. "If You Dress Up Like Halloween, Ghouls Will Try and Get in Your Pants" has a jumpy guitar lead and builds well to its climaxing end. "You Punch Me, I Punch You" squeals with guitar tones highly reminiscent of the aforementioned VitW, specifically that band's song "Ash Black."

There's not much else to say. Geoff Rickly does a nice job with production, too, as there's just enough of a raw overfinish to compliment the Blackout Pact's sound, never making them sound overpolished or sickly slick, which simply makes sense for an album like Hello Sailor. It's a solid debut, but I'm more looking forward to what TBP have to offer next, as the band's strident, indie rock-fueled, emotional punk is assuredly hinting at something much greater.

MP3s
We Drink So You Don't Have To
Welcome to the Refreshments Room
I Punch You, You Punch Me

STREAM
Luxlo Flaming Deluxlo

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Posted by ABedForLiars on 2006-09-02 16:50:26
My Score:

I love this band and this album is amazing. Not bad at all.

Posted by IDontKnowWhatToSay on 2006-09-01 11:51:57
My Score:

This album is crazy good. I can't stop listening to it. They're the best thing to come out of Colorado!

Posted by Ven89 on 2006-07-13 23:10:34

Wow, I just heard We Drink So You Don't Have To for the first time, now I'm torn as to whether or not I should buy this or Dead To Me tomorrow.

Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, March 23, 2006 at 11:37 AM (EST)

the albums amazing....its all i listen too

Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, March 2, 2006 at 11:25 AM (EST)
My Score:

Denver baby!!!!1

Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, March 2, 2006 at 11:24 AM (EST)
My Score:

not only a great album, but also great live!!!!!

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, February 7, 2006 at 8:16 PM (EST)
My Score:

fukn amazing album young'uns...cant wait to see them live in ABQ NM

Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, November 10, 2005 at 12:44 AM (EST)

I just heard "We Drink..."

Fucking brilliant shit.

Posted by tristan on 2005-10-11 23:08:42
My Score:

"You Punch Me, I Punch You" is a really good song.

Unrelated topic -- Mike, why isn't Zach in the band anymore?

Posted by Anonymous on Monday, October 10, 2005 at 9:58 PM (EDT)

whats the track listings?????

Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, October 6, 2005 at 9:07 PM (EDT)
My Score:

damm you for having such a catching tune. :)

Posted by Anonymous on Monday, October 3, 2005 at 1:43 AM (EDT)

great stuff- and i would love to tour with these fine gentlemen....someone find us a new singer!
xoxo
Mike
Voice In The Wire

Posted by Russe11 on 2005-09-30 20:31:17

Dude, Superdude, I love you.

Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, September 29, 2005 at 9:01 PM (EDT)
My Score:

not a big fan of emo or whatever label you would give to most of the bands named throughout this post session, but i will say this, i like this band. surprisingly not bad.

Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, September 29, 2005 at 6:25 PM (EDT)

i don't know about the bear vs. shark comparisons, this isn't nearly as expirimental

i'm surprised murder city devils weren't mentioned in the review

Posted by TheMarc on 2005-09-29 17:52:12
My Score:

This score's for Superdude. Good to have you back!

Posted by TheOneTrueBill on 2005-09-28 21:31:56

I entered a contest for this on Interpunk.

Posted by maverick on 2005-09-27 18:52:54
My Score:

This record rocks really fuckin' hard. Thumbs up.

-Scott

Posted by Inspection12e on 2005-09-27 15:02:18

I'll be buying this tomorrow.

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, September 27, 2005 at 11:21 AM (EDT)

yo, guy a few below..you're straight trippin. This shit sounds like HWM. Vocal delivery, timbre, trade offs, guitar production, guitar lines, dynamics...even the emotional vibe is the same. Not bad, not original by any means, I'll say again...You're trippin.

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, September 27, 2005 at 9:32 AM (EDT)

these guys aren't from denver, they're from boulder, but they're definetly a good band

as far as the HWM thing, I think it would be apropriate to call them a radio-friendly version of hwm, only drunker

Posted by superdude on 2005-09-27 08:47:24

Dear Blackout Pact,

If you have a fan club are you going to mame it the Blackot Pact Pact? And if all of your memebrs get a free pack of goodies when they sign up, is it going to be called the Blackout Pact Pact Pack?

If those packs come with backpacks inside of them are they going to be called the Blackout Pact Pact Pack Backpack?

Sign me up!

Wait, is there membership dues? When does membership expire? Also, is just anyone going to be eligable for membership? I suppose it would ve hard to have an entrance exam.

Bet it's possible though.

I just realized that we may be rushing into things.

Don't go anywhere,
Superdude

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, September 27, 2005 at 4:55 AM (EDT)

Wow... another terrible review of an album... big fucking suprise from the punknews.org staff... here's an idea... when you want to pump out a review as fast a possible and with as little effort as possible just compare it to something that sounds vaugely like it... I'll be honost, besides a gravely voice there are NO similarities to HWM in this album... learn to fucking write and review... this is not only for you but for all the other terrible reviews on this site...

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, September 27, 2005 at 1:41 AM (EDT)
My Score:

good stuff i think, maybe im wrong, but first.

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