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Epitaph Records -- Millencolin

The kids will always have their say. And they will always have their fun. For every snarling, braying, acerbic and biting Black Flag, you have smiling, sunny, bouncy and funny Descendents. The early `80s saw the inception of loads of pissed off punk bands. But it also saw many of those pissed off punks lace their anger with potent humor. Many bands have come along since to mete out the meanness with spoonfuls of laughs.

The Steinways are not in this to fight. They don’t want to smash the state or smash your face. They’re just looking to have a good time and sing about the trivial headaches, heartaches and stomachaches that haunt their daily lives. That might seem trite but it’s human, o so human. It clicks best when anyone can relate.

For two reasons (not musical) I give this band props: They recorded with Chris Pierce in my old hood of New Brunswick, NJ. And the lyrics to “Warped Tour” go as follows: “One million bands / One million hours / Too bad all of it sucked.” Why are so few bands willing to slay the sacred cows of “punk” rock, especially when those bovine creatures stomp upon the mainstream musical landscape with unfettered hubris? It’s refreshing to hear voices unafraid of offending the aristocrats of current pop music.

What we have otherwise is 20 songs of 4/4 high-octane pop-punk -- raspy-voiced bopping bubblegum punk. That’s 20 songs with a total running time of 21:31. They deserve adulation for that feat, in a time when more and more bands strive to cram as much music as possible onto a CD. Amidst the normal punk barrage, the band offer quieter passages, funkier asides, all of it passed off with a grin and a humorous air.

This sounds like music created by teenagers, for teenagers. They come from nice suburban homes and I’m sure they put on a fun show. Someone probably dresses up in a funny outfit and maybe gets naked. Despite the frivolity on display, there are keen social observations at work here. “Onlyundiesclub.com” addresses the phenomenon of online flirting: “They’re all girls from hardcore shows / Only now they’re not wearing any hooded sweatshirts.” Otherwise, the lyrics pertain to our protagonist’s lack of love. Isn’t that always the story with singers of rock'n'roll bands?



People who liked this also liked:
The Falcon - UnicornographyThe Loved Ones - Keep Your HeartOperation Ivy - Operation IvyMinor Threat - Complete DiscographyThe Lawrence Arms - Oh! Calcutta!Defiance, Ohio - The Great DepressionBomb the Music Industry! - To Leave or Die in Long IslandGreen Day - InsomniacThe Unlovables - HeartsickleTeenage Bottlerocket - Warning Device



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    Posted by Anonymous on Monday, December 11, 2006 at 1:21 AM (EST)

    poor man's liilingtons? no sankee.

    sven the pen

    Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, December 10, 2006 at 6:49 PM (EST)

    feeeding, you fucking dolt, most crust sounds the same, too. OH NOES I INSULTED CRUST, WHAT ABOUT MY SCENE CRED???? PPL WILL THINK IM A POSER BECAUSE I DONT LIKE THE TRUE UNDERGROUND STUFF.

    Don't bash pop-punk, especially when it was inspired by the great SW.

    Otherwise, your little rant was beyond inane. (And this is coming from someone is sorta sick of NN2S himself)

    Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, December 10, 2006 at 6:09 PM (EST)

    i don't know who the crap Mitch Clem is, but someone really ought to up the p0nx.

    Posted by dev on 2006-12-10 17:03:42

    This question is for feeding5000
    Umm, what?

    Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, December 10, 2006 at 3:18 PM (EST)

    Oh, please. Quit your bitching about Mitch Clem. Taking credit for Against Me! and the Epoxies popularity? Hardly. All I recall him saying is how Fat Wreck seems to pick up bands he comics about, and that it wasn't that farfetched of an idea considering Fat Wreck has used his comics in their catalogue without his permission.

    Everyone who is bashing NN2S clearly has NO idea what its about. Clem is MOCKING the stereotypical punk scene, the "tru punx." Dillinger Four, Against Me!, the Epoxies are far from the "tru punx" sound, yet are some of his favorite bands.

    You guys seem to forget he drew the Steinways cover album that everyone so graciously loves.

    And SARC? A lot of nerve you pricks have bashing on that. Its a comic blog. ONOES! ALERT THE PRESS! MITCH IS COMICKING ABOUT (GASP!) HIMSELF. Heaven forbid it resembles blogs and comics!

    All in all, quit your bitching, grow up, and if you don't like Mitch, don't read his shit.

    Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, December 10, 2006 at 12:13 PM (EST)

    blah blah mitch clem blah blah. blah blah blah blah stienways blah blah?

    Posted by feeeding5000 on 2006-12-10 10:30:56

    I think Mitch Clem should stop cartooning. Honestly, SARC is just like every other autobiographical web/indie comic. There is nothing to differentiate it, except for the fact that it has the Husker Du logo more often than any other web comic. NN2S essentially devolved into him talking about how great every band that sounds exactly like SW is...even though they ALL SOUND THE SAME. And, he's so cruel to those of us who believe that "when you bathe the system's won". (Nobody take that from me, I think those have to be song lyrics. By the way, who here wants to start a fake crust band?) Anyway, he went from jokes about Aus Rotten and MDC to making references to the Lillingtons and going, "See? It's funny! HAHAHA!"

    Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, December 9, 2006 at 8:40 PM (EST)

    remember when Mitch Clem was taking all the credit for Against me and Epoxies popularity? Thems were the days. See kids, cartooning can tax the mind.

    Just heard the steinways on myspace. not bad but i'll take the lillingtons any day.

    Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, December 9, 2006 at 2:37 AM (EST)

    "read much?"

    Sure. It's not my reading skills that need help. I would suggest that, instead, we take a look at your critical thinking skills. For reasons, please read previous posts.

    My band's CD will be distributed by a label that organized a show featuring the Ergs. Please discount any future opinions I have regarding their work based on this irrelevant information.

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, December 8, 2006 at 11:47 PM (EST)

    I used to live right by the Steinway street subway station. By the Kaufman-Astoria Studios. Astoria REPRESENT!!!!

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, December 8, 2006 at 11:13 PM (EST)

    this is a pretty terrible review

    "you have smiling, sunny, bouncy and funny Descendents."

    i wouldnt exactly say that...

    the whole third paragraph is meaningless

    "This sounds like music created by teenagers, for teenagers. They come from nice suburban homes and I’m sure they put on a fun show. Someone probably dresses up in a funny outfit and maybe gets naked."

    if you'd seen the steinways, you would realize that that makes no sense.

    this cd's awesome, but not for any of the reasons most of the commentors or reviewer has said

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, December 8, 2006 at 6:07 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    checked out their songs. they're......OK.

    Not exactly teens either, but that's cool.

    Posted by el_matt on 2006-12-08 17:45:21

    Great and fun CD. It won't change your life, but you'll goddamn enjoy it.

    Posted by coldwaffles on 2006-12-08 17:36:56

    xmitchxclemxcorex

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, December 8, 2006 at 5:32 PM (EST)

    So recording in the same place as the reviewer once lived is now considered as the band having ties to the reviewer?

    Yeah. It's a big conspiracy. I'm sure these guys chose that studio specifically because they knew that the reviewer once lived near there, and that he would then give them a glowing review on punknews.org because of it, and that would launch them to international superstardom.

    The Steinways also shot down Amelia Ernhardt and stole the Nazi gold.

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, December 8, 2006 at 5:32 PM (EST)

    Oh so by "ties" he meant more in a Kevin Bacon way? Like as in, no ties at all? Gotcha.

    Posted by hanny on 2006-12-08 17:24:40
    My Score:

    my name is brian steinway, and i am a little brother of the steinways. i would like to say this album rules. up the p0nx, brother!

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, December 8, 2006 at 4:26 PM (EST)

    read much? the reviewer writes,

    "For two reasons (not musical) I give this band props: They recorded with Chris Pierce in my old hood of New Brunswick, NJ."

    do the steinways have a ton of little brothers that are online all day? i like the band, but their fans are fucking ridiculous.

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, December 8, 2006 at 4:14 PM (EST)

    "good review considering the reviewer has ties to the band."

    I think you should probably explain that. Or just make statements without backing them up. Your choice, I guess.

    "LOL, for a band that is in every ones top ten, their rank on interpunks top sellers in 550. More like they made the top 1000."

    First of all, LOL? What are you, 12?
    Second of all, what do you think the odds are that someone whose favorite band is AFI or Panic at the Disco are going to be responding to this review? I, for one, am shocked that people who love this album make up a good chunk of those who are responding. SHOCKED, I SAY!

    Slag away, up the p0nx, Oi! Oi! or whatever it is you kids do these days to "fight the system".

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, December 8, 2006 at 4:01 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    Hey anonymous...B. &. O. Boring and overrated.
    suicide is a good way to handle things like your taste in music.
    best things going on? wow.

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, December 8, 2006 at 3:59 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    It's in MY top FIVE for the year, so I win. Definitely one of the best pop punk bands in the country right now.

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, December 8, 2006 at 3:01 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    6 out of 10 is fair. good review considering the reviewer has ties to the band.

    LOL, for a band that is in every ones top ten, their rank on interpunks top sellers in 550. More like they made the top 1000.

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, December 8, 2006 at 2:50 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    Absolutely in my top ten this year!

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, December 8, 2006 at 2:39 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    I think that guys was saying that propagandi has already done a song that was AGAINST the warp tour.

    and who ever thinks bottle rocket sucks is crazy. BO? don't get your inside grudge, I actually think the band has potetntial, cool cover too!!...........

    Posted by killdefenses on 2006-12-08 14:30:51

    he said they've made fun of it, not played it.

    Posted by MrStabone on 2006-12-08 14:16:19

    hey dude three below.

    when did propaghandi play warped?

    we played with this band. they were good. the bass player totally was trying to fuck. or maybe it was the drummer. i can't remember.

    Posted by baseball on 2006-12-08 11:58:06
    My Score:

    catchy and fun

    artwork is ridiculous, but in a good way

    Posted by musical-monkey on 2006-12-08 11:38:02
    My Score:

    score is for the artwork

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, December 8, 2006 at 10:39 AM (EST)

    Its hardly original to bash the Warped Tour. Lawrence Arms, Propagandhi, and others have done it, and its not exactly an unheard of criticism, particularly since this band sounds as cookiecutter as any band that's played Warped.

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, December 8, 2006 at 10:02 AM (EST)
    My Score:

    5/5

    One of the new vangaurds of Pop-Punk!

    Fucking brilliant

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, December 8, 2006 at 9:41 AM (EST)

    I agree with just about everyone. This album is EASILY top 10 material for 2006!

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, December 8, 2006 at 9:18 AM (EST)

    thank god it's no bottle rocket. That band is completely B & O. you hear me? B. and. O.

    This is a killer cd. if they sounded like TBR they would be garbage. unfunny. and from self-importantsville in the middle of nowehere.

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, December 8, 2006 at 8:58 AM (EST)

    i have not heard this cd, but they do have really cute bass player and a middle eastern guy in the band

    the drummer is a total stud as well

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, December 8, 2006 at 8:47 AM (EST)
    My Score:

    mmm... cheeseburger viking...

    Posted by TahoeJeff on 2006-12-08 06:39:05
    My Score:

    This is a great album. Definitely in my top 10 this year.

    Posted by pinkerton on 2006-12-08 03:45:03
    My Score:

    score is for new brunswick. the 666 house just closed a few months ago.

    plus i just hated it there in general.

    steinways are sick, though.

    Posted by Rastid on 2006-12-08 03:31:50
    My Score:

    best pop-punk/buzz-pop/whatever the kids are calling it album since the unlovables. if you're into that, it's easily a top 10 album of the year.

    Posted by Larry33 on 2006-12-08 01:53:33

    I am pretty sure this band has a video on Youtube covering Lillington High. I was looking for some Lillingtons, but their version wasn't too bad at all. Might be worth checking out.

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, December 8, 2006 at 1:31 AM (EST)

    i have heard this cd is okay but after hearing a song it's definitely no Bottlerocket or Weasel.

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, December 8, 2006 at 12:45 AM (EST)

    Cover art by Mitch Clem, don't forget that.

    Posted by ryanrockwell on 2006-12-08 00:15:01

    I think that this album is great!