Behind Punk is a D.I.Y. punk blog/fanzine/record label based out of Moscow


We need to focus on positive change in the world, and it starts with our scene and the people within it. More hugs, less shrugs!


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Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Best Albums, Ep's, Split's of 2011

Weekend. Weather sucks and I decided to stay home to create my shitty top of the year. Here ya go! 

EP's/Splits

10
Dividers/Ten Speed Bicycle - Split

Dividers are a great punk band out of Swansea, UK. Their sound are very Get Bent/Yo Man Go influenced, though they maintain a degree of originality to their sound.
Ten Speed Bicycle are a loud, fast, midwest emo punk band. Residing in London, and i'm completely in love with this band. I hat e to use the comparison every time but if you like Algernon Cadwallader, Grown Ups and Cap n Jazz then you will love Ten Speed Bicycle.
I highly recommend you check out this shit!


9
Laugh It Off - Demo.Summer.2011

"Laugh It Off was formed from the ashes of Yo Man, Go! mixed with the burning embers of Charlie's newest project Bearhug and the sprinkled eternal flame of Armalite. You can make some awesome smores with this fire, but make sure you make some vegan ones too."
If You Make It

They are a band out of Philly. They sound a lot like Get Bent/Yo Man Go! As implied, they're not doing anything you haven't heard before, but if you love cool pop punk, then you're sure to love this. Really great stuff.


8
Empire! Empire! (I Was a Lonely Estate) - ...On the Shoulders of Those You Love the Most
Empire! Empire! (I Was A Lonely Estate) - Home After Three Months Away

Well, two awesome EP's, one band, one place. This band is easily one of the best and most passionate bands making music today. I’ve never been dissapointed, not even slightly, by anything this band releases.  Empire! Empire! consistently make the most sorrowful, remorse-ridden and fucking gnarly music i’ve ever heard, and these EP's is no exception.



7
NONA - RELOADED

NONA are fucking awesome, people and as a band. Female fronted and her voice is really cool. If you haven't already heard of/listened to them, you're fucking up. it sounds so good. It kind of reminds me of Superchunk/Big Eyes and old Green Day. 

WEST CHESTER ROCK CITY


6
Very Okay - Small Loud

"If a band featuring members of some of the finest bands in Brooklyn (Cheeky, Zombie Dogs, Potboiler, Thousandaires, Little Lungs, Each Others' Mothers, Get Bent, and on and on and on...) seems like it'd probably be pretty great, well that's because it is! This is their first EP and it's full of awesome, fast, pop-punk! YES YES YES!!!"
Quote Unquote Records

Well, that feeling when you find a sweet band, but they have recently broken up. You are about to experience it. Simplistic,catchy pop-punk. Hey, what's this about back together?


5
Old Gray - Do I Dare Disturb the Universe

These dudes did such an awesome job with this whole EP. Love it. This thing is amazing. All four songs are absolutely flawless. Give them a listen!


4
Iron Chic - Split N' Shit

IRON CHIC! Just love these guys!


3
Rvivr - Belebend

Well, the new RVIVR 7' specially for their european tour. Just PERFECT release and the best band right now. That's all I can say.



2





album name

The World is a Beautiful Place & I am No Longer Afraid To Die/Deer Leap - Are Here to Help You (Split)

The World Is A Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid To Die means more to me than just about any other emo band right now and they have done so brilliantly on this split, the four songs of which are easily the most impressive that they have released thus far. Deer Leap also kills; employing more vocals than their demo while still retaining the nice post-rock tangents.


1
How Do We Jump This High? - Funny/Not Funny

4 new songs of members of the short lived Get Bent (I'm so fucking miss these dudes!) and Frame,  that play some amazing punk rock music. It ain’t nothing complicated but it is so full of energy and emotion and sick with personal revelations.
Although Deep Stationary was pretty great, after listening to this more than a few times I think is their best release yet.
I wish they never broke up. No matter how long I go without listening to How Do This Jump High, I can always come back to it and love every second.
It's Funny/Not Funny record. It is all about being disappointed in oneself....
“I’m indicted for everything I gave up on”


If you liked the Get Bent or RVIVR/Iron Chic, you'll probably love this. Give it a shot.  It isn't stale.

Download
Buy


Honourable mentions:


Park Jefferson - Weekdays


Gates - The Sun Will Rise And Lead Me Home


Crow Bait - Three Tickle Guys


Sundials - Little Lights


The Decay/Wayfarer split


Dowsing - All I Could Find Was You


A Great Big Pile of Leaves - Boom!


Johnny Foreigner - Certain Songs Are Cursed


Captain, We're Sinking - With Joe Riley


Direct Hit/Jetty Boys - Split



Carol Singers from Treat on Vimeo.



Albums


10
By Surprise - Mountain Smashers

 It's music perfect for this time of year. 11 songs that everyone gets to enjoy. Check it out.

Download
Buy



9
Los Campesinos - Hello Sadness


Well, it's not punk/emo/etc record, just another great album from indie pop band called Los Campesinos! Here is a band that makes no mistakes, has a strong head for songwriting (if not innovation). Hello Sadness is a fucking great pop song: the guitars are a bit fuzzy, keeping the ambience and the riffs will make you want to pick a guitar up. The word “Sadness” is even present in the title but instead of boring us with hackneyed sentimental bullshit, the pains say things like “I christen all the ships that sail on your little kisses' saliva trails. Goodbye courage, hello sadness again.” 




Love sucks? I don't think so.

Download



8
Rain Over Battle - These Rocks In Our Bodies

Rain Over Battle is a Virginia Beach, VA (USA) based band whose time is on the rise. This band of guys is quickly becoming a force to be reckoned with. Rain Over Battle has made their debut LP for free download. They play a great punk rock, sort of like The Riot Before, but with more Against Me/The Gaslight Anthem. I'm really proud of the work they have done. They're on another level; this release is only more proof.
Just check these guys out, pretty good shit.

Download/Donate


7
The Copyrights - North Sentinel Island


It's a pretty sad record; all these songs are great for rainy days and lazy afternoons. and I love it.  They do their thing and they do it well.
“I’m not homesick, I’m sick of home... I hate it with a smile, I miss it with a sneer”


Download
Buy



6
Algernon Cadwallader - Parrot Files


Parrot Files is the newest release from Algernon Cadwallader. This 11 song masterpiece, is equally as good as Some Kind of Cadwallader, possibly better. If you enjoyed the previous records, you'll love this, no doubt about it. 


Download
Buy


5
Timeshares - Bearable

"For description...oh man where to begin? What I love about Timeshares is that they're all friends first. Hanging out with them is sorta like being thrown into a sitcom from the 90's. Like Family Matters. Or Full House. There's hi-jinks, laughs and every once in awhile a good lesson to be learned. And it translates to their music too. I've never met a more genuine band full of such genuine people.

Plus, this record is pretty tight." - Lisa Garelick of Kind of Like Records.


Timeshares are a punk band from New York and they are totaly awesome. Songs like "Sarah, Send Your Driver" and "Too Many ELO Days" will not soon leave your mind. Seriously, pick up this record immediately




4
Death Is Not Glamorous - Spring Forward

This album is basically a lesson in how to write amazing punk. Support cool bands. Support Death Is Not Glamorous!

Download
Buy

3
Pianos Become The Teeth - The Lack Long After

Everything about this record is perfect, everything. Perfect vocals, perfect production, perfect length, perfect lyrics!! This is sooooo good.
 Getting all epic. They do it well.

Download
Buy

2
Bridge and Tunnel - Rebuilding Year

Bridge and Tunnel is a punk band from Long Island. You probably know them by now, they've been working the scene for the past couple of years. It's been three years since Bridge and Tunnel released their debut full-length, East/West. If you liked their previous stuff chances are you'll like this as well. 
Interesting band, cool ideas, great song writing and all-in-all just a fantastic release. Get into it.

Download
Buy

1
Spraynard - Funtitled

This was by far my favourite release of the year and one of the best release in a really long time. I can't say enough good things about this band. Amazing guys, incredible songs, awesome lyrics. Great people writing great music. 
They're going to take over the world.


Download
Buy


Honourable mentions:


Family Might - Floor Connection


Direct Hit - Domesplitter


Junior Battles - Idle Ages


Punch - Nothing Lasts


The Max Levine Ensemble - Mr. Gikokovich 2000​-​2005: a Retrospective


The Front Bottoms - S/T


Sundials - Never Settle


Red City Radio - The Dangers of Standing Still


Fucked Up - David Comes To Life


Bâton Rouge - Fragments D’eux Mêmes



Christmas Trees from Treat on Vimeo.



Bonus


I'm so happy that three of my favorite bands of all time come together this year! 


Archers Of Loaf - Icky Mettle (Deluxe Edition)
Download


Plow United - Sleepwalk: A Retrospective
Download



""Our Better Halves" is the last song written by Latterman before they broke up back in 2007. It was to be released on their following album, but the band had split before working further on any material. It was recorded at Phil's house in May 2007 on Long Island. On this recording Pat played drums, Matt played bass and sang, Phil played guitar and sang and "maybe" Crozier played, but they don't remember. Gary played baritone and Matt played trumpet."


Download


We welcome all the noise. It draws out all the heartache. When our ears break. We will scream out cheers to our better halves that next night won’t be the same. I’m still searching for an answer that never came. It feels like nothing’s changing. If nothing’s changing- can everything please be alright tonight? I hope there’s more before my heart stops beating. I’m sorry for all the things we fucked up, cross my fingers and cross my heart. So for now I’ll accept the haze, the laughs, and the heartbreak. I’ll welcome all my earaches. They resonate within the past years. Without them there is no one. There is nothing. but for a second I felt something then it was gone. It feels like nothing’s changing and I’m sick. Of feeling nothing. Yet I’m fucking proud of the things we held up. Cross my fingers and cross my heart.

1 comment:

  1. There are so many great records in here I missed this year, thanks very much for sharing! -Andrew

    ReplyDelete