Shook Ones

Shook Ones: Slaughter of the Insole [7 inch]Slaughter of the Insole [7 inch] (2006)
Revelation Records

Reviewer Rating: 3.5

User Rating:

Contributed by: InaGreendaseBrian
(others by this writer | submit your own)
Published on February 7th 2006Both 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,.

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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Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not respon sible for them in any way. Seriously.

xote (February 12, 2006)

goog goog

Cos (February 10, 2006)

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

david_arquette (February 10, 2006)

This score is for Mike Ness.

bikesinbloom (February 9, 2006)

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..........

Anonymous (February 9, 2006)

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

Anonymous (February 9, 2006)

This score is for Mike Ness

Scruffy (February 9, 2006)

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.

Anonymous (February 9, 2006)

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

-kliph

darkstarm (February 8, 2006)

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.

Anonymous (February 8, 2006)

whoops wrong topic... how EMBARRASSING

-kliph

Anonymous (February 8, 2006)

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

Anonymous (February 7, 2006)

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

Anonymous (February 7, 2006)

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

Anonymous (February 7, 2006)

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

boba_fett (February 7, 2006)

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

Anonymous (February 7, 2006)

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

inagreendase (February 7, 2006)

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.

BizzleBrizzle (February 7, 2006)

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.

Anonymous (February 7, 2006)

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

LosPeptobismol (February 7, 2006)

There ain't no such thing as halfway crooks.

givemeamuseumandillfillit (February 7, 2006)

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

RondoMondo (February 7, 2006)

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

Anonymous (February 7, 2006)

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

etwiels88 (February 7, 2006)

Love this band. Sixteen is awesome.

druhol (February 7, 2006)

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