Snobbin: Beautiful Trash in the Pop Culture Gutter

I've been a fan of Cory Branan since I stumbled on to him during a Revival Tour (an acoustic, mostly ex-punk review) date a few years ago with Chuck Ragan of Hot Water Music and Tom Gabel of Against Me; I was blown away. Ragan has always put on an awesome show, and to be truthful his set was the best. I've never been much of an Against Me fan, and although they have a few good songs here and there, they've never done all that much for me. Gabel's solo set was fine, but not explosive, even though our group quickly realized that much of the crowd was there for him. He wasn't able to make me a believer in his punk retread as acoustic act though. Overall, the set was quite impressive.  Branan was the unknown variable, and we found ourselves transfixed beyond expectation. He had heartfelt lyrics, drunken amiability, and a penchant for damn good storytelling, complete with a catchy rhythm style that got us dancing. He was all over the map, and drunkenness was o...

Chuck Ragan has come a long way from his days fronting Gainesville, Florida's post-hardcore stalwarts Hot Water Music. He has reinvented himself as a “boss-obsessed” singer-songwriter with a subtle, yet substantial, collection of songs to match. His always hoarse vocals have mellowed and he has introduced more melody to his ramshackle songs, and his band has started stretching out and showing their abilities. Till Midnight is his fourth proper album for SideOne Dummy records following Feast or Famine, Gold Country, Covering Ground, and numerous other EPs and split projects with other punks turned Americana artists. With each release, Ragan becomes more self-assured in the style, honestly telling stories of the road and covering the trials and tribulations of daily life. Many of the songs on Till Midnight are brimming with infectious energy that puts many of his compatriots to shame; he makes them all look like they are going through the motions. Ragan is having tons of fun s...

Austin Lucas' "Splinters" is one of those songs that sends chills up my spine. Lucas' knowing vocals and his well-chosen lyrics anchor a song of uncompromising beauty and pain. The picking alone at the beginning is enough to nominate it for one of my favorite songs of last year. If I would have paid more attention to the record, it would have certainly made my top ten. I first encountered Lucas on the record that he did with Chuck Ragan, Bristle Ridge, a few years back. I lost track of him until romeosidvicious posted a review of his new record, Stay Reckless on one of my favorite blogs, Nine Bullets, which seems to be all too infrequently updated these days; it's a shame because they always turn me on to great records. Lucas comes on like a bluegrass southern-fried version of Damien Jurado, crafting personal character studies in his songs. "Splinters" speaks to faith, romantic relationships, and the self-doubt that comes with living in this world....

Hot Water Music's Exister has been a long time coming. Their last proper record, The New What Nex t was released in 2004 to mixed reactions. Longtime fans were unimpressed with the polished productions and songs that verged on indie rock. They missed the charging stop-start anthems that peppered earlier records, most significantly all-time fan favorite, Fuel for the Hate Game. On Exister the band attempts what some might term a return to form, while incorporating the lessons they have learned since 2004. While not necessarily a comeback record, Exister should please longtime fans, while bringing a few new ones into the fold, especially if they catch the band's incendiary live show in 2012. Eight years is an eternity in our direct to internet world. Many bands that took inspiration from the band, formed, released several records, and quietly disbanded. During that time, the principle members of HWM tried their hand at other ventures, while playing occasional shows. Wh...

Listening to new records is sometimes a thankless job. For everything that rewards repeat listens, there is tons of dross to sift through. Yet every once in awhile, there are records that stick with you. Sometimes they are ignored after first listen; they sit on the shelf for years until you revisit them, blaming yourself for not finding their merits on early listens. Yet certain phrases stick in our ears for years. I remember the lyrics from records on cue, sometimes even after ten years. As I write, I am listening to the Joey Cape / Tony Sly split, Acoustic, Volume Two. I was a big fan of Sly's No Use for a Name in high school. They were one of those bands that spoke volumes to my teenage self. Songs dealing with alienation and frustration, poppy punk or melodicore bands attracted many of us, pulling us into more "authentic" punk lifestyles. While seemingly candy-coated, these bands had enough authenticity for small town rebels and freethinkers. It was only later tha...

Top ten records of 2011 1.  Ha Ha Tonka – Death of the Decade 2.  Eilen Jewell – Queen of the Minor Key 3. Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit – Here We Rest 4. Dirt Daubers – Wake Up, Sinners 5. Wild Flag – Wild Flag 6. Fucked Up – David Comes to Life 7. Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears – Scandalous 8. Chuck Ragan – Covering Ground 9. CunninLynguists – Oneirology 10. Wolves in the Throne Room – Celestial Lineage