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Shook Ones

Slaughter of the Insole [7 inch]
2006
Revelation

Shook Ones - Slaughter of the Insole [7 inch] (Cover Artwork)

Review by: Brian
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Published on February 7th 2006

Both Bellingham, WA's Shook Ones and their new label, Revelation Records, will tell you that the band plays pop-punk, but that's being generous. Sure, the band is fun and emotional, sometimes simultaneously, but they're also endearing; this isn't to mention partially raw, intense and always driving, all of which happen to be qualities of the mid-to-late-`90s East coast melodic hardcore scene, which is more where Shook Ones' sound lies. If you didn't get that impression from last year's solid Sixteen, hopefully this, the Slaughter of the Insole 7" single that precedes a new full-length due in the summer, conveys that.

Opening things up is the title track, which is straight up Shook Ones (read: any of the faster songs on Sixteen). It starts off with a panic alarm-style bass riff, a quick "1-2!" and then launches into a lightning quick tempo with sloppy but chunky and pounding guitars and drums and Scott's indecipherable vocal rambling atop; a mid-tempo outro slowly fades us out.

However, the real highlight is what follows "Slaughter." "So Grown Up" is, hands down, the best song the band has written in their short tenure. Granted, you can stil hear the Kid Dynamite and Lifetime influences easy, but it's quite obvious the band has been quickly developing their songwriting and musical prowess. All this adds up to a song showing more of a unique flavor than any past material put under their name. Additionally, not only does it contain the strong emotional quality of earlier tracks like "I Try" and "Attitude Is the Agent," but it subtly picks up its pace as it progresses for a short while, eventually letting up for a rousing and forceful, gang vocal-laden emotional breakdown. It's void of chorus yet still both instantly memorable and likeable. A purely fantastic 3:26 of emotional, melodic punk rock. Did I mention it was emotional?

Closing up shop is a super poppy and catchy cover of Leatherface's "Not a Day Goes By." It's a solid version to carry us out.

Slaughter of the Insole is a great little teaser to get fans pumped about the new record. It's hard to say which of the first two tracks the sound will lean towards, but it's most certainly a given the surprise will be worth the wait despite the level of excitement surely invested in the album.

MP3
So Grown Up

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Posted by xote on 2006-02-12 06:42:25
My Score:

goog goog

Posted by Cos on 2006-02-10 02:49:04
My Score:

Holy shit, they cover "Not A Day", Leatherface's BEST song??? Oh memories of singing along to that song in a small bar that LF played in SF... The score is for "Mush"

I'm listening to those 2 mp3s Adam/Aubin posted awhile back of these guys. AND they like Leatherface. Good job lads. Does this come on CD by any chance?

--Cos

Posted by david_arquette on 2006-02-10 01:28:22
My Score:

This score is for Mike Ness.

Posted by bikesinbloom on 2006-02-09 20:43:02

really good album and really nice guys....The only other band that reminds me of Shook Ones is D.B.S from Vancouver B.C.
and that band was fucking awesome (as well as underrated). Check them out and you'll see what i mean. As for Shook Ones- it's great to hear a band like them (once again)! I'll be seeing them at chain reaction soon..........

Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, February 9, 2006 at 3:27 AM (EST)
My Score:

score is for the bassline in "plebs" by leatherface.

Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, February 9, 2006 at 1:40 AM (EST)
My Score:

This score is for Mike Ness

Posted by Scruffy on 2006-02-09 01:00:36

Your mom was calling me something last night, but it wasn't "smart".

In fact, ALL of your moms were calling me something last night.

Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, February 9, 2006 at 12:49 AM (EST)

FINALLY... someone else besides my mom is calling me smart

-kliph

Posted by darkstarm on 2006-02-08 13:08:42

How ironic that you accidentially post that under a review of a band that is obviously heavily influenced by Lifetime. You are a smart one.

Good stuff, gonna pick this up.

Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, February 8, 2006 at 12:39 AM (EST)

whoops wrong topic... how EMBARRASSING

-kliph

Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, February 8, 2006 at 12:25 AM (EST)

I always hear about how influential this band is....
Who are these bands?

The only one I can think of right now is, Saves The Day.

Other than that, I can't think of another band who was so influenced by this "sound".

-kliph

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, February 7, 2006 at 11:13 PM (EST)

i want to like this band. sixteen was good for trying to be a kid dynamite released. i see potential but they haven't done too much for me yet

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, February 7, 2006 at 9:16 PM (EST)

... scared to death, scared to look... they shook.

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, February 7, 2006 at 8:36 PM (EST)

I think 'sixteen' is good but could have been great, however I like this band a lot and think they have a lot of potential...can't wait for their revelation release

Posted by boba_fett on 2006-02-07 16:40:31
My Score:

if their next album is like 'so grown up' then it'll be killer. i love my vocals to be indecipherable.

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, February 7, 2006 at 12:50 PM (EST)
My Score:

i'm hearing ALOT of lifetime in this. it wasn't too bad.

Posted by inagreendase on 2006-02-07 11:55:37

Well, the first track sounds like it could be off Sixteen, and the last song is a faithful -- not amazing -- cover. Not bad tracks by any means, but "So Grown Up" blows away everything they've done. I think they can make up the half-to-1.5 stars for the LP, though.

Posted by BizzleBrizzle on 2006-02-07 11:35:21
My Score:

Didn't read the review but this should definitely be a nine, not a 7, this 7" is way better than the stuff they did on Sixteen and I believe that the new full-length is gonna be amazing.

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, February 7, 2006 at 9:49 AM (EST)
My Score:

Haven't listened to the album yet but the score is for the Mobb Deep song of the same name (part 2).

Of all the Basic Applied Economic Principles of Capitalism in the Post-Industrial Era Seminars in the world, you had to walk into mine.

~ Alex P. Keaton

Posted by LosPeptobismol on 2006-02-07 08:13:22

There ain't no such thing as halfway crooks.

Posted by givemeamuseumandillfillit on 2006-02-07 04:27:07

I've been spinning this for 3 days straight. It's a winner.

Posted by RondoMondo on 2006-02-07 03:18:18
My Score:

The breakdown is phenomenal. I get chills hearing or thinking about it.

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, February 7, 2006 at 2:19 AM (EST)

I love this band. especially my main hommies Bo and Zach. Rock on guys!!

Posted by etwiels88 on 2006-02-07 00:48:24
My Score:

Love this band. Sixteen is awesome.

Posted by druhol on 2006-02-07 00:32:24

That is the single best album title ever, especially coming right after the In Flames review.

Posted by bobbett on 2006-02-07 00:26:55

can't wait to hear the other songs on this. "so grown up" is really fucking good.