F.O.D. "Home Lobotomy Kit" 2010

At the show Friday night I bought a few cd's and had a very specific plan on the order I was going to listen to them and do write ups for them. Then today I had to run some errands, and decided I would bring F.O.D.'s "Home Lobotomy Kit" with me because it was the only full length I bought, and the extended time in the car would give me an opportunity to listen to most of it. I failed to take into account that it's F.O.D. and even though it was 15 tracks, it was going to go by in a flash.

I've listened to it at least 6 times from start to finish today, which is why it's jumped to the front of the line. It's a great cd. It holds to the formula of other F.O.D. albums I've listened to. A majority of the songs are fast and ferocious musically. The lyrics are well written. F.O.D. may be getting up there in age, but they can still write songs that angst filled teens can relate to. "Slice of South of Heaven" come in the middle of the disc, and breaks it up nicely. The first six songs (and the last eight) with Jim McMonagle's vocals are great, but when bassist Dave Rochon's vocals kick in on track 7, it's a nice change of pace. It also marks the spot where the already great cd kicks it into high gear, with the last 9 tracks ("Slice of South of Heaven" is included in this) being the best on the album. "Racist Boyfriend" is definitely my favorite track. It has a very old school punk sound and stuck out to me immediately when I heard it. The album ends with "Mrs. P.", a song that anyone who has ever wondered what it would be like to be someone else, even for a little while. Start to finish this is an album that highly fucking recommend. IF you get to a show that they are playing, do yourself a favor and pick it up. If you can't get to a show, go to their bigcartel page and buy it, you won't regret it.

8/13/10 Show at the Burner's

As usual, the show last night at The Burner's kicked ass. However, I made the mistake of drinking a large Dunkin Donut's Iced Latte with an extra shot of espresso in it during the show, and I've been up all night. That's not really that important, so lets get on to the good stuff. Since there were six bands that played last night, I'm going to try and keep it short and sweet (Plus I'm exhausted, running on cigs and coffee).

Ever since this show was booked (even before F.O.D. was confirmed), Walt was excited about it, and kept telling me how good Rough on Rats was. As usual, he wasn't fucking around. These guys were really good. Quick, fast, aggressive old school punk. They're definitely a great band, and I'm definitely planning on seeing them again. Check out their Myspace, and I took a couple pictures of them and they are here, on my Facebook.

When Mark Rooster and I got to the show, one of the first things Walt said to us was that Straphangers got caught in traffic and didn't leave the Holland Tunnel in Jersey until almost 7:30 pm. After Rough on Rats finished their set, no one else went on until Straphangers arrived. I'll admit, I got a bit impatient, but it was worth it. They kicked ass. I don't know what else to say. Everything about them was awesome. The female lead vocals fit perfectly and the music was tight and aggressive. I picked up their CD (and a t-shirt), so there will be a review of it coming at some point. Here's their Myspace and the pics I took are here. They have a show today at Sinix Rock Bar in Essex, MD tonight, and then several shows in NYC in September. If you have a chance to go to any of these, I highly recommend it.This is the second time that I've seen Bad American. I went into this with high hopes and expectations, and these guys didn't disappoint. Their energy level is intense and you can see that in the pics I took. Their set was tight and aggressive, the way a hardcore/punk set should be. I talked to Ray a bit before they played, and he's agreed to do an interview, so look for that in the coming days. In the mean time, if you haven't listened to them, go over to their Myspace and check them out (because you seriously need to hear these guys). Make sure you check these guys out at the 2010 Lehigh Valley Punk Rock Picnic on the 28th

Before seeing McRad, I listened to 1984's "Dominant Force" once. I basically had as much knowledge of McRad as I did Rough on Rats and Straphangers. To say I was blown away would be a bit of an understatement. Chuck Treese's musicianship is amazing. It's not hard to understand why McRad is considered a Philly Skatepunk legend. There were a lot of people at the show that were psyched to see them. I can understand that, but honestly, in my opinion, I think some of the instrumentals went on a little too long. It's not that I didn't enjoy it, it just wasn't what I was in the mood for at that point. I definitely plan on listening to more of McRad's stuff. Check 'em out on Myspace, and here are the pics.

It's becoming a trend that every time I see Ambergris play when I'm not broke, I spend a bunch of money on their merch. This time was no different, I ended up leaving with a t-shirt and their EP, This Blows (the re-recordings of their album "A Whale's Tale"). Their set was killer. If you haven't heard of them, well then you're missing out. Head over to their Myspace and to the pics and check them out. They are playing today in Newark, NJ at a benefit for Red Bull New York's Joe Vide. If you're in the area between 12 and 5 today, stop by and support the cause. They're also playing playing a pig roast next on the 21st, and also at the 2010 Lehigh Valley Punk Rock Picnic on the 28th.

When Walt told me F.O.D. was playing this show, I couldn't help but get excited. I was so impressed with them when I saw them with D.O.A. (first show I wrote about here), and I couldn't wait to see them again. They didn't disappoint. Everything I said about them 2 months ago, still holds true. They are truly intense. They play furiously, and never relent. The speed of all of their songs just completely boggles my mind. I picked up their new cd, Home Lobotomy Kit, and I can't wait to listen to it. Do yourself a favor and check out their Myspace. There are pics of them too.

I know this one wasn't as detailed as some of the others, hopefully no one minds. This show gave me a lot of stuff to do. I have 3 cd's that I'm looking forward to reviewing, and I have to get started on my interview with Ray from Bad American, so I'm done with this. Peace.