Album Review: Sports - Modern Baseball

           Last week, the almighty contemporary punk genre known as pop-punk was introduced. Now, after you've perhaps read that article and listened to Citizen's Youth, you are ready for what comes next. The next wonderful subgenre you'll be introduced to is known as emo.
     Now I know what you're thinking. The word emo doesn't really have the best wrap. It may mean one thing to you now based on what you know, but in music it's a completely different thing. As defined by Wikipedia, emo music is:

     A style of rock music characterized by expressive, often confessional, lyrics.

An artist you are probably familiar, Weezer, has actually
delved into the emo genre. This record, Pinkterton, was initially a
considered a commercial failure. But, now it is considered an influential
record  in emo. Odds are, you are probably familiar with other emo acts as well.

     So, promise me whenever the word emo is used in this blog post not to associate it with sad, angsty teenagers in black skinny jeans and the music they tend to listen to. Instead, perhaps interpret it as the word emotional because that is what it stands for. If you can get passed this unfortunate title to a great genre, then read on and listen to the artist that is being reviewed, and hopefully, you won't regret it.
     The record that will be reviewed this week is that of Modern Baseball's Sports. Modern Baseball is an American EMO band formed in 2011 when frontmen Brendan Lukens and Jake Ewald started an acoustic duo as high school friends. Then, they began to pursue music more intimately after they met drummer Sean Huber and bassist Ian Farmer in college. After recording and releasing various EPs, Modern Baseball released their debut LP, Sports, in 2012 on Lame-O Records. 

All four members of Modern Baseball. From left to right,
Sean Huber, Jake Ewald, Ian Farmer, and Brendan Lukens

     Sports opens bluntly and appropriately, its beginning lyrics being, "I wanna start from the top." These words lead into a barebones melody accompanied by a subtle bass guitar and drum track. After about 20 seconds, Brendan, one of the lead singers, jumps right into a faster pace and more involved instrumentals. This track offers an energetic and pounding chorus, easily getting stuck in your head and leaving you wanting more. 
     Now, before I continue, I want to address this band's rather unique set of vocals. At first, I couldn't appreciate them, and I thought of them as rather annoying as well. But, with more listening, I've come to love the vocals. To me, there are no better vocals to accompany the music of Modern Baseball. The vocals simply are Modern Baseball, and while Brendan and Jake aren't necessarily the most talented vocalists, they use their vocals to their advantage through their instrumentals and catchy rhythms. Hopefully, the vocals catch your attention and they will grow onto you as well. But hey, we're all entitled to our own opinions.

Sports album artwork. (I'll be
recieving this record on
vinyl by next week. Stoked!

     Now, let's address some themes this record implements in its lyrics and music. Despite being labled an emo band, Modern Baseball is also very poppy, and, could most definitely be considered indie-pop. For instance, songs like Tears Over Beers and The Weekend offer addictive basslines and group vocals that you'd imagine the (in a musical sense) pop-punk-est person to chant while they shower. The lyrics are, as previously explained, expressive and confessional. Modern Baseball does an excellent job relating to their listeners through very direct lyrics. From telling stories of high school stories and how their friends are stuck in the past to passive-aggressive IPhone usage, Modern Baseball makes sure they're relating to your past, or maybe even your present. This is an aspect I've come to love about this band. While their lyrics aren't that of legendary poets, there is a certain intimacy between me and this band. 
    Instrumentally, this band doesn't follow a certain outline per song. There is a lot of variation between songs in terms of instrumentation. This keeps the whole record fresh. There is a perfect mixture of acoustic and electric songs in this record, so you're never bored (that is, if you like them to begin with). The drum tracks aren't as clean as they should be, but I feel like that adds to the warm feel of the album. Overall, the album is mixed excellently and presents its themes and ideas effectively.
    Some aspects of this record I consider on the negative side are its simple lyrics. While they add to the relatability of the whole record, there is more to be desired. Also, the vocals DO in fact take time to grow on you, so don't expect to come into this band with perfect vocals. They are different.
    Now, I must admit going into this review there is some bias on my part. I am absolutely in love with this record, and my goal is to through the process of expressing my opinion of various records and artists to show the audience something they aren't as familiar with. Personally, I give this record a solid 9/10. I find myself always willing to turn to it, no matter my mood. It is excellent, and I hope to have informed you of a wonderful genre of music as well as a wonderful band. 
    Hey! I'm always down for discussion too, so feel free to comment, regardless of obligation. What did you think of the record and my interpretation of it? Post your opinions of certain songs or the record in general below. I have attached a video at just below this paragraph leading to a stream of the record. Thanks for reading!

Album Review: Youth, by Citizen

                  Do you hate your hometown, and do you excessively love pizza? Do you own a longboard or wear flannel shirts/skate shoes? Would you bet your life on your friends and your vinyl records?  If you answered yes to a majority of these questions, then chances are you listen to the one of the mighty contemporary subgenres of punk or rock in general:

 

Pop-punk

 

 

 

        You may or may not be familiar with this genre, so I'm going to go ahead and list a few notorious pop-punk bands. You may have heard of: Fallout Boy, Green Day, Jimmy Eat World, or Blink-182. If you have heard of or listen to these bands, awesome! If you haven't, then you're welcome to do a little listening or research as you read this review.

        Here recently, there has been a definite explosion of sorts in terms of pop-punk music. With artists such as Real Friends and The Wonder Years, the pop-punk industry has been exceptionally growing more so than ever. With this growth, we are introduced to the band known as Citizen.

                   Citizen was formed in 2009 by frontman Mat Kerekes, and their original sound was very pop-punk. However, as the band matured, they developed a more mature sound gearing towards punk and indie rock(I know, genres are confusing and in some cases irrelevant, but they're there so they're worth mentioning). This leads us to their debut full-length record, Youth.

Youth's Album Cover

        Youth, was released in 2013 on Run for Cover Records, a record label focused on alternative rock and indie rock. It features

10 tracks, and runs for approximately 30 minutes, an average length for the typical LP.

        The record opens with Roam the Room, erupting with guitar-driven chaos. It leads into a well organized song, caught in between screeching melodies begging to be released and a commanding drum track. As the opener, this track does a wonderful job of catching

 

attention. The song itself speaks of desperation through the lyrics, "It's hard to watch you roam the room, to watch you from the wall, when it's all you've got to think about." Immediately, with attention being paid plentifully, there are emotional ties made.

       The album also explores themes of loneliness, abandonment, and contemplation over past experiences. Songs like Figure You Out and The Summer demonstrate these themes very effectively through catchy instrumentals. Figure You Out utilizes a mellow drum track and melodic guitar riffage, employing lyrics such as, "I never thought the words you cast would hurt so much. For that, I won't look back."

       In my opinion, the prime hard-hitting track on this record is The Night I Drove Alone. Opening with bare-bones instrumentals and Mat's vocals seemingly pleading for forgiveness, the track is essentially an emotional rollercoaster. It explores ideas of regret and, as stated previously, contemplation of the past. With lyrics such as, "I ran away from you, and now something's killing me. You hang me up as as souvenir of what I couldn't be," this track is sure to leave you heartbroken.

    After this track, the record leads into a more pop-punk oriented vibe, with songs like Your Head Got Misplaced and the closer Drawn Out. Both of these songs feature hook-like melodies that catch you and reel you in. The perfect tonage on the guitar and the excellent tracking of the drums makes up for the repetitive aspects of this record.

    Even though this record does many things right in my opinion, there are some critiques to be made. I think my main problem with pop-punk is the lack of variation, and I am trying to be lenient in Citizen's case, for they aren't traditional pop-punk. They simply implement characteristics of pop-punk into their music (this is another reason as to why I dislike who particular people are with genres and subgenres. Music is music, man). This is apparent in their music. While their music is a different take on the cliche and is fresh in that manner, after listening through the record a few times it gets old. Because of this, I hope their sound matures with future releases and they experiment with their sound. However, the instrumentation is very complex and refreshing. The lyrics intrigue deep emotional thought, bringing up the past and touching upon intimate relationships.

Frontman Mat Kerekes

     Overall, I feel this record recieves a score of 8 to 8.5 on a scale of 10. Citizen really out did themselves with instrumentals and lyrics. The instrumentals are very, very, very in-depth and well though out, as well as the lyrics, which I'm willing to say with confidence is the strongest aspect of this record. So, if you are willing and are somewhat familiar with the genre, or perhaps you just want to listen to something new, give Citizen's Youth a try, and maybe after listening, you could respond with your opinion of the record. Or, if you don't have the time to listen to the full 30 minutes, perhaps give Figure You Out or The Night I Drove Alone a listen, and comment what you think the strong points were. Thanks for reading, and give suggestions as to what you may want me to review in the future.

 

Full Album Stream Available

 

An Introduction to 33 & 1/3

            Before we get into the nitty gritty details of what I intend this blog on being and what is actually is, perhaps you can consider the situation you've perhaps found yourself in. You've stumbled across this blog one way or another (one particular way a good 98% more likely than any of the others). Regardless of however you've found yourself here, I think you have the right to know what’s going on and how it will proceed to go on.

            Thirty-three and a Third will be centered around music. There will be a weekly album review and possibly some other content involving the discussion of music; maybe even news. However, this post will be the one exception. For this week, I've decided to do a track review as opposed to a complete album review for the sake of time. Call me lazy, but I’d rather do this than dive right into a post of significant length and involvement. I’d like this to be an easy, but critical read, as I would for my future reviews. But, keep in mind after this full album reviews will commence. If anyone would like me to review a record in particular, leave a comment letting me know and I will consider.

           

          Now, onto the track review. The track I’ll be taking the pleasure in reviewing is going to bring us back to the early 90's alternative rock scene, plunging us into a grungy cavern lined with power chords and raspy vocals. This particular track is Nirvana's Love Buzz, one of two singles released on their debut record, Bleach. Bleach was released in 1989 near the beginning of Nirvana's professional career. Love Buzz is a cover of the original song by the band known as Shocking Blue.

                                                                 Album art for Nirvana's debut record, Bleach.

           Love Buzz, the 5th track on the record, opens with a poppy bass riff that is sure to get stuck in your head after listening. Then, as the track progresses, the drum's cymbal initially cracks, the fill eventually leading into Kurt Cobain's rigid and messy guitar. As the verse begins, the lead guitar fades and the bass continues plucking away. Kurt joins in with his gravelly vocals. After spitting out the lyrics, "Would you believe me when I tell you, you're the queen of my heart," and, "Please don't deceive me when I hurt you. Just ain't the way it seems," the lead guitar finds it way back into the music, providing a driving rehash of the guitar riff chugging along at the beginning.

           After the typical verse-chorus-verse song structure, the solo comes along. One particular thing Kurt Cobain seemed to be excessively talented at was strangling his guitar. This provides the seemingly trademarked Nirvana-y chaos you'd expect from them, the sporadic notes and off-beat chugs of the guitar plunging its way to the end of the song.

                                           Nirvana's lead vocalist and guitarist, Kurt Cobain, destroying a guitar on set.

          Overall, there are many different things I believe this track does well, and there are many different things I think this track doesn't do very well. First of all, for one of two singles on a debut record, this thing is pretty solid. The catchy bass line grabs and hold onto you tight while guiding you through Kurt's disorderly, yet effective performance. The track also implements a series of more or less quiet verses, only to explode into the guitar-driven choruses. This adds to the hook of the song; the quiet verses allow for easy sing-along and gradual build-up to the choruses, and when the choruses hit the listener can go all out. Punch a wall or two, smash a guitar over a drum set, because the powerful chorus is a good excuse to do so. On the other side of the spectrum, however, there are some aspects of this track that could be better. For example, while the guitar-strangling is engaging in the solo section, it can be somewhat overbearing. The lyrics are simple, and because of this they carry a vague meaning. However, I believe lyrics should be interpreted by the listener. What do you think the lyrics mean? Feel free to comment and shed some light onto the situation. Keep in mind, however, that this is a cover song and the lyrics are not written by Nirvana.

        Nirvana's Love Buzz is a pretty solid track. If you're into grunge and 90's alternative rock, then I would definitely recommend this for you. While it may not be as common audience friendly as some of their other tracks, such as Come As You Are or Lithium, it is still a wonderful and somewhat overlooked release by them. If you wish to listen to this song, click the video link below, and perhaps after listening let me know what you think in the comments.