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The Blackout Pact

Hello Sailor (2005)
Astro Magnetics

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Contributed by: Brian
(others by this writer | submit your own)

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

E-CARD

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ABedForLiars (September 2, 2006)

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

IDontKnowWhatToSay (September 1, 2006)

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

Ven89 (July 13, 2006)

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.

Anonymous (March 23, 2006)

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

Anonymous (March 2, 2006)

Denver baby!!!!1

Anonymous (March 2, 2006)

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

Anonymous (February 7, 2006)

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

Anonymous (November 10, 2005)

I just heard "We Drink..."

Fucking brilliant shit.

tristan (October 11, 2005)

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

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

Anonymous (October 10, 2005)

whats the track listings?????

Anonymous (October 6, 2005)

damm you for having such a catching tune. :)

Anonymous (October 3, 2005)

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

Russe11 (September 30, 2005)

Dude, Superdude, I love you.

Anonymous (September 29, 2005)

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.

Anonymous (September 29, 2005)

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

TheMarc (September 29, 2005)

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

TheOneTrueBill (September 28, 2005)

I entered a contest for this on Interpunk.

maverick (September 27, 2005)

This record rocks really fuckin' hard. Thumbs up.

-Scott

Inspection12e (September 27, 2005)

I'll be buying this tomorrow.

Anonymous (September 27, 2005)

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.

Anonymous (September 27, 2005)

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

superdude (September 27, 2005)

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

Anonymous (September 27, 2005)

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...

Anonymous (September 27, 2005)

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