Some may recognize the name Travis Shettel from the Massachusetts based Piebald, a band Shettel fronted for 14 years. Since the group’s breakup in 2008, Shettel has moved on to new projects. Most recently, Shettel has been at work on TS and The Past Haunts, with the Past Haunts being comprised of the husband and wife duo Ben and Heather Heywood.

Throughout TS & The Past Haunts’ debut full length, entitled Gone and Goner, the trio show off a brand off psychedelic tinged indie rock. “East Jesus” begins the record with twangy guitars until they form a riff, followed by Shettel’s unique voice. “East Jesus” is the most accurate representation of Gone and Goner, so anyone not enjoying the opening track had best look back now.

Gone and Goner’s biggest downfall is that the record blends together to the point where it becomes difficult to differentiate songs without the help of a tracklisting, especially once the first three tracks pass by. “Let’s Be Lazy” is the choice cut from the record, as it has the most straightforward musicianship, and the catchiest chorus, on Gone and Goner.

The biggest thing that Gone and Goner has going for it is the bass guitar performance. The bass lines stand out through the entirety of Gone and Goner, especially on two minute “Unknown,” a track which is carried by the instrument. The bass guitar is not the only noticeable piece of musicianship, as there is much experimentation throughout Gone and Goner. “Citrus Mistress” uses a synth-like sound to enhance the psychedelic elements in TS and The Past Haunts’ music.

Gone and Goner most certainly doesn’t fit in the same realm as Piebald, or many of their No Sleep labelmates, but there is no doubt that Shettel and his Past Haunts will find their place somewhere. Gone and Goner is an admirable debut effort, but ultimately falls short in the end, whether it is due the short running time, or the bleeding together of songs. That aside, it’s easy to admire Shettel for keeping it up, and trying something new.

Tracklist:

1. East Jesus
2. Janice Haynes
3. Let’s Be Lazy
4. Circumstance
5. The 33
6. Unknown
7. Heaven in Your Hair
8. All I Can Tell You
9. Patience is Just Waiting
10. Citrus Mistress

Rating: 6/10

Chances are very high that you have never heard a band that sounds exactly like Chicago’s So Many Ways. Upon first listen, they may just sound like another hardcore/pop-punk cross over band in the same vein as Such Gold or early Four Year Strong. But if one were to listen to the group’s latest, self-titled EP, they would notice something all those bands don’t do. So Many Ways can shred like a metal band.

The release starts with a 38 second demonstration of So Many Ways’ metal influence. The first full track, “I’ve Made A Huge Mistake”, starts off sounding like a Such Gold track, but ends with a raging guitar solo, rarely ever seen in pop-punk. “Sleep Mask” runs a little lengthy for a song of the genre and due to this becomes boring halfway through the track. The band shows off their hardcore influence in “Murf’s Little Hints”. Coming in at under 2 minutes, the track is sure to get the crowd’s blood pumping and open up the pits. At points, the track even becomes reminiscent of label mates Bayonet.

“37 Chambers” does nothing to stand out on the album, but still remains an enjoyable track, mostly due to the band’s metal influence. Coming to its end, the EP’s strongest track “Oak Island” shows what this band is about. The vocals are strong, whether they are clean or gruff. The guitar work is impressive for a band of this genre, and being backed by the pounding drums just enhances the sound. All in all, this song best sums up So Many Ways. All their influences shine brightly, while not overpowering each other. The EP closes with “Dirtfoot”, another under 2 minute track that shows off their hardcore influence.

So Many Ways have really made something interesting with their self-titled EP. It’s both equally aggressive and catchy, while demonstrating influences that are not often present in either pop-punk or hardcore. There is a mass amount of appeal to So Many Ways, for many of different crowds. It would be no surprise if this group blows up in the near future.

So Many Ways is available now via Mightier Than Sword Records.

Tracklist:

1. Take It To the Limit

2. I’ve Made A Huge Mistake

3. Sleep Mask

4. Murf’s Little Hints

5. 37 Chambers

6. Oak Island

7. Dirtfoot

For Fans Of: Kid Liberty, Such Gold, Four Year Strong

Rating: 7.5/10

Their latest release through Victory Records titled “The Said A Storm Was Coming” has definitely caught me off guard. Within the first minute of “The Mapmaker” I immediately started scorning myself for not taking the time to listen to these guys earlier.

Their new vocalist Aaron Pauley immediately impressed the hell out of me. While most Screamo/Rock bands are lacking a polished and unique voice Pauley dominates and immediately separates Jamie’s Elsewhere from many of their peers. The band overall is just plain solid, with every member of this six piece monster pulling their weight. I’m extremely impressed with the use an implementation of the keyboards. A lot of bands that I come across that have keys either sound forced or just to overbearing, but JE has found a great balance with the keys that highlight and add to their songwriting instead of taking away.

Overall I really dug “The Said A Storm Was Coming”, while it isn’t anything groundbreaking it does enough that it sets itself from other records by similar sounding bands. If anything this record shows you just how far you can push music in extremes. One minute you will be getting your face pummeled in with unrelentless double bass, blood curdling and crushing guitars, then the next second you wont be able to help but sing along to the incredible harmonies and voice of Aaron Pauley.

If your into Saosin, A Skylit Drive, Devil Wears Prada definitely take a second to check these guys out.
4/5

www.myspace.com/jamieselsewhere

Motion City Soundtrack’s

Mark Hoppus of Blink-182 fame produced this wondrous fourth album from MCS, and I know that fans were highly anticipating its release. His influence can definitely be heard throughout the album, especially in the songs ‘Delirium’ and ‘Pulp Fiction’ .

I have seen MCS perform live many times, most recently this past December; as soon as they played a few new songs during their set I was hooked once again. My computer was preoccupied with their MySpace
page for the next couple of days as I absorbed the new tracks in.

My Dinosaur Life starts off with the upbeat ‘Worker Bee’ and then transitions into ‘A Lifeless Ordinary (I Need A Little Help)’, which is one of my favorite tracks on the album. It’s very poppy, catchy and addictive. Their sound has definitely evolved and grown since I Am the Movie was released in 2002/2003, but don’t get me wrong, I do see more similarities between My Dinosaur Life and I Am the Movie than I see differences. Tracks like ‘History Lesson’ and ‘Stand Too Close’ slows the pace of the album down slightly, they are a little softer than the others, but things pick right back up with ‘Pulp Fiction’.

The majority of the album is fast paced though with tracks like ‘Disappear’ leading the pack as another one of my favorites on the album. It is nothing but classic MCS. The whole thing from start to finish is very clean and catchy; I could honestly listen to it on repeat all day long. I highly recommend checking out My Dinosaur Life.
The whole album is available now on Motion City Soundtrack’s MySpace page for your listening pleasure; which is nice if you don’t have the cash right now to shell out for it (even though it is well worth it!).

I also recommend that if you get the chance to see these guys perform live, GO! You will not be disappointed! Motion City Soundtrack is currently on tour in the U.S. now, and will soon be playing in Australia, Japan and Europe this spring.

5/5

My Dinosaur Life Track Listing:

1. Worker Bee
2. A Lifeless Ordinary (Need a Little Help)
3. Her Words Destroyed My Planet
4. Disappear
5. Delirium
6. History Lesson
7. Stand Too Close
8. Pulp Fiction
9. @!#?@!
10. Hysteria
11. Skin and Bones
12. The Weakends

www.motioncitysoundtrack.com
www.myspace.com/motioncitysoundtrack

All throughout math class today I kept asking myself how I’d start this review, how I’d describe the interest I had for this album, and how I would sum up all the millions of words I could use to express my love for it. ”To Plant a Seed” is We Came as Romans debut full-length album, dropping today (11/03) from Equal Vision Records.

Stepping outside of 2 previous EPs in to a full album takes a lot of time and effort, and I wouldn’t really say that this album is a significant change in sound from their previous EPs, but it simply amplifies what exactly WCAR is capable of: making great hardcore music. Just when I thought we were starting to hit a musical median in the hardcore genre, “To Plant a Seed” managed to throw it all out of proportion, do us one better, then slap an almost theatrical synth melody throughout. This album, in my personal opinion, is — simply put — amazing, and is probably one of my favourite albums of 2009.

Artistically, it’s been done before; screamo, synth, high-pitched voice. Big woop. Instrumentally, mechanically, it’s brilliant. The way they’ve crafted and intertwined the china symbols, dual vocal types, drum thuds, and the orchestral harmony is definitely something to envy, in my books at least. The debut album offers quite a bit of diversity of sound, but it’s quite randomly scattered about; “I Will Not Reap Destruction” can be seen as somewhat as a movie in the head, whereas “Dreams” beginning gives off more of a longing feeling — a love song, if you will.

But in the end it’s all screamo, it’s all metal.

No, no, We Came as Romans most definitely isn’t about about to flat line along with every other typical hardcore band, but they’re tunnelling their own route to the mainstream metal scene.