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Sakes Alive!!

'Presents' (2007)
self-released

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

Published on January 11th 2008

It's really not fair anymore. How does Western New York birth every great new band these days? Specifically, Rochester. Marathon (now defunct), Polar Bear Club, Achilles, and even Lemuria is from nearby Buffalo. What's the deal?

Don't even bother trying to figure it out, because just when you think you have the answer, another band comes out of the woodwork. This time, it's Sakes Alive!!.

From note one, Sakes Alive!! drum up memories of D.C. bands of past, recalling the harsh vocals and society-under-a-microscope lyrical matter. To be honest, this isn't anything too different than what anyone's heard in the past 10 years...but that's kind of what makes it so good.

Chris Vandeviver and company take the standard formula of bands like Jade Tree's Challenger and pump it up a bit with a bit more passion and urgency. Knowing damn well this isn't the first band these guys have played in, listening to their three-song EP tricks you into thinking every note and shouted word might be coming from somewhere new within the four of them -- every shouted word sounds so honest and real you can't believe they were, most likely, written on paper and sang back into a mic at least a few times over.

I don't know what it is about Western New York, but New Jersey's days are numbered when it comes to breeding this sort of stuff. Fans of Challenger, Kid Dynamite, and Hüsker Dü -- take notice.

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dugan (January 14, 2008)

and to add it sounds so much better off that shitty myspace streamer.

dugan (January 14, 2008)

i haven't logged in in a long time, but i had to for this.

this is fucking awesome.

jonok (January 14, 2008)

I like it a lot. Reminds me of how this little known Aussie band called mary jane Kelly released an amazing demo last year…
http://www.myspace.com/maryjanekellyhc

drunkenriot (January 12, 2008)

these guys should charge money, cause they would get it from me

chickswithdicks (January 12, 2008)

thanks dude, sending email now

chokingvictim (January 12, 2008)

this rules

Chrisdude (January 11, 2008)

Mr. or Mrs 'Chickswithdicks', this is Chris from Sakes Alive!!. Thanks for the super kind words. If you'd like a demo, email me your address at xchrisx_@hotmail.com. Thanks!

chickswithdicks (January 11, 2008)

this is fucking awesome. i don't have myspace though, anyone by any chance have an email address for these dudes so i can get the actual demo?

BJR (January 11, 2008)

Upstate NY is the best place for music today. NO question. This band is awesome.

mattbyrne (January 11, 2008)

super awesome guys and put on a solid live show.

mpc (January 11, 2008)

The songs on the Myspace page are really, really good.

onegirlarmy (January 11, 2008)

This band contacted me about a month ago for airplay on Generic Insight and seriously, rarely ever am I blown away with a new band with just a demo release. Sakes Alive!! is one of the best new bands I've heard in a long fucking time. Their sound reminds me of Glass and Ashes and a heavier D4, though I can see the review comparisons for sure. I highly recommend everyone checking this band out, I know this review will get few comments and probably few views because it's a band nobody has heard of before, but seriously... if you read it, do it.

inagreendase (January 11, 2008)

Checked the songs out after reading the review a few days ago and it fucking rules. Can't wait to receive the physical demo itself.