Here we go with a new feature on Scene Not Heard: “What’s on Winamp?”

First off, I’m a big Winamp fan. In fact, I’m pretty sure I’ve used it since the advent of mp3s (around 1996, right?). Everyone else is big on iTunes, but why do I need all that extra crap of about 80 MB’s when I just want to hear some music? Y’know? Cover art, be damned!

Anyways, what we got here is me turning on Winamp, hitting “Shuffle” and “Play” and seeing what comes up, then commenting on it. Here we go:

Song 1) Samiam – “Believer” (from Whatever’s Got You Down): Really great album, although this song is kind of a filler song for me. Better than 99% of what other bands write, but just a little too off-center to be anywhere near a “classic” Samiam song. The guitar bits kinda remind me of Casey from Hot Rod Circuit.

Song 2) Clairmel – “Three On The Tree” (from Fair Weather Fan): They don’t write music like this anymore. 90′s No Idea-core (?) emoish punk.

Song 3) Rolling Stones – “Gimme Shelter” (from Hot Rocks): Mick Jagger and what sounds like a large-woman gospel singer preaching “War, children… it’s just a shot away!” At 28, I’m way too young to appreciate this. The Rolling Stones rule, though.

Song 4) Billy Paul – “Me and Mrs. Jones” (from 360 Degrees of Billy Paul): Grammy-winning single from 1972. Everyone loves this song. Or at least they should. Who knew homewrecking sounded so good? When Billy hits that last chorus, it sends chills down my spine.

Song 5) Cracker – “Teen Angst (What the World Needs Now)” (from Cracker): I’m pretty sure I was in about 8th grade when this album came out. Cracker wrote/write some of the best country-tinged rock songs ever. Songs that allowed 96 Wave to carry me through adolescence, I salute you!

Link to:
Fight against the iTunes invasion! Get Winamp!

I’m still not changing my scorecard; USC will often have “the big win” for a season (last year it was at Clemson) but rarely do they ever have 2. In fact, the 2005 season with wins over UT and Florida is the only time I can remember USC having two big wins since I enrolled at Carolina in 1997. So I’m not being a hater, I’m just sticking with history. Great win last Saturday, but this now just means we’ll probably go 0-4 the last four games this year.

Still, I’m crossing my fingers.

Seriously, did no one see this coming?

Granted, I did say a little about how disappointing this album would probably be for Against Me! fans, but I really don’t think they were prepared for the schlock that is New Wave.

First, I have to admit I am not a fan of this band. Nor have I ever been, so don’t confuse me with the throngs of people who have since Tuesday been saying “yeah well, I was with them up until Clarity“. No, I just flat out don’t care for them.

And here’s where it gets good for me.

The main reason I didn’t like them was that it seemed to me like the whole “harsh vocals with barely distorted guitar and repetitive drums wannabe Clash-ish and we all wear black t-shirts” thing was just a cover up for a band that would otherwise be writing dance-pop-punk drivel.

Just like they “Reinvented Axl Rose”, AM! has reinvented themselves into the EXACT thing that I thought they were before: a boring band with a bad cover-up… except THIS time they’ve dropped the charade and shown the world that they ARE a sub-par dance-pop-punk drivel-writing group! This album is even more boring than their previous efforts, if that’s at all possible in my world. No song is even remotely memorable, and most are downright awful.

I’m pretty sure this is streaming somewhere online, but I don’t feel like anyone should be subjected to such a disservice as having to listen to it, so no “link to”. Someone at Sire is going to get fired for this.

Seriously, how hard is it not to put something into your body?

Neifi Perez, a former Gold Glove winner now bench warmer for the Detriot Tigers, just got suspended for 25 games for using a “banned stimulant”.

Let’s see, today I had a multivitamin, glass of OJ, yogurt, and just went and ate chicken wings for lunch. I doubt any of that had a “stimulant” in it (well, maybe the chicken wings).

So if someone like me, who is spending most of his day at a table studying law, can manage to avoid putting a substance into my body that is forbidden by a major league sport, how hard is it for someone who has the assistance of team doctors, nutritionists, trainers… and even a PRINTED LIST of the banned substances?

Few bands have their final album become their pinnacle (Braid, Refused, D. Plan, aforementioned Knapsack) and even fewer can release 13 songs that cause such an uproar that it basically becomes the reason for the band’s demise.

Although I didn’t get to see it first-hand, apparently fans were enraged that Jawbreaker could release such a “pop” album after belting out scratchy-voiced, overdriven, loosely played 2:30 punk songs beforehand. But 12 years later, Dear You is probably one of the most beloved and appreciated albums by any person who listens to indie or punk music.

To associate it to another first-misconstrued album, I’d say Dear You is Jawbreaker’s Pinkerton. Going with that, I also believe Jawbreaker had just as much responsibility in changing music/punk rock’s landscape in the 90′s as did bands like Nirvana and Green Day.

Ironically, I used to also hate this album, pretty much because of Blake’s voice.

Now it is easily the most-played of my collection.

Link to:
Jawbreaker on Myspace

Eponymous I think culminates the best reflection of what REM was before everyone got bulldozed by “Losing My Religion”. You want some old school poppy stuff? How about “Radio Free Europe” or “Don’t Go Back To Rockville”! Sad eerie songs? “Driver 8″ or “The One I Love” should suffice! Of course you have one of their best in “So. Central Rain” and then the overlooked “Talk About The Passion”. The low points of the album with “Gardening At Night” and “Finest Worksong” are even good listens.

REM’s releases have been spotty the last few years, especially Around The Sun which I couldn’t get into at all. Regardless, these guys have one hell of a legacy and if you even remotely dug “What’s The Frequency, Kenneth?” you should do yourself a service and check out their back catalog, Eponymous a great place to start.

Anyways, I have always appreciated musicians and bands that can write an entire album without what we call “throwaway” or “filler” songs in the industry. I’ll pepper in an album here and there when I think of one, so today I’ll get things rolling with a classic that I heard the other night over beers:

Knapsack – “This Conversation Is Ending Starting Right Now”

Knapsack’s swan song would be undoubtedly their greatest achievement as a band, and perhaps Blair’s apex as a songwriter. Ten amazing songs that flow from one to another without so much as an afterthought. Each track is intricately and meticulously played, showing why it takes someone like Blair so damn long to release an album. The man is most likely suffering from obsessive-compulsive anal-retentiveness, but sometimes that just works out fine. I can put this album on at any time and never grow tired of it.

(In other words, don’t expect a post between now and mid-May unless I go crazy or become easily distracted. The latter is more likely.)

Anyways, to further prove that the uber-hype surrounding this upcoming release is sure sign of a future disappointment (not only for me but) for everyone, Punknews.org has a dang post just to let everyone know the tracklisting has been decided! Woohoo! Now I know exactly what order the songs that I will never listen to will be in! No more confusion! Seriously, was this necessary? This album better be good or kids will be PISSED! Wait, I just said it’s not going to be good… hmm…

Link to:
Punknews article
Against Me!

Funny that I had a draft post for this band and someone mentioned them on VLV earlier… anyway, The Swellers are a melodic-punk band from Michigan that completely cater to the Fat Wreck crowd. I’m talking straight up, mid-90′s sounding No Use For A Name-meets-Strung Out. Horse gallop beat, layered harmonic vocals, solos… they got it all. I mean, the kid in the picture is even wearing a Strung Out shirt. They’ve got no shame, and shouldn’t. Hey, if you’re going to take a sound that’s been done a thousand times over by a thousand bands, at least do it really well when it’s your turn on the stage. And The Swellers do it really well.

“Beginning Of The End Again” came out in 2005:

and they have a new album out in May titled “My Everest”. Ought to be good!

Link to:
The Swellers
Myspace page