PropertyOfZack

POZ Track-By-Track: Misser - Distancing EP

Fri, 24 May 2013 16:30:11 -0400

PropertyOfZack’s Artist Of The Week, Misser, streamed their Distancing EP on the site earlier this week, and we’re happy to bring the band back for a Track-By-Track feature on the EP as well. Distancing will be out on May 28th via Rise Records so make sure to pre-order the release (iTunes, MerchNOW) and to check out the Track-By-Track below!

Goddamn, Salad Days
Tim sent me this song with the chorus melody. Shortly after I opened up garage band and recorded an idea for the verse. It took me from that moment till about 3 days prior to actually tracking the song to finish the other verse. Why? Who knows. I over think everything and am never 100% confident with certain ideas I bring to the table. I also want the meaning behind the lyrical content to make sense to me and sometimes it doesn’t. I can get too weird for my own good. That’s where the beautiful garage band comes in handy. Tim and I can send things back and forth and keep each other in check if an idea is good or not.

Infrared
The day before I was scheduled to fly out to the Bay to start recording the Distancing EP with Misser, I started to do what I do best- overthink the whole thing. We had plenty of song ideas, but I couldn’t get the “are they good enough?”s out of my head. I was up at Maximum Sound studios with Gary, and I mentioned my worries, as he could see the stress on my face. “Go in the other room and write another one.” So, I did. Thirty something minutes later, “Infrared” was a demo.

When you spend some vulnerable years of life playing music on the road, it’s pretty easy to develop some defect in charter. Dropping out of school to partake in such an emotional roller coaster of a profession left me in a very insecure place. “Infrared” is about what happens when those two parts of my brain collide. It’s tough to stay sane when nothing around you is ever stable. P.S. There’s also parts in the song about a dream I had that aligned a recent tour with the story line of “Django Unchained.” Strange things.

Burn Out
When I showed Brad and Mikey the acoustic demo of this song, they told me they were excited to have a more mellow song on the EP. Boy, did we see it differently. It’s tough to portray the way you envision something with just an acoustic guitar and GarageBand. The song found its energy in some liquored up, late night writing sessions. Torre, Mike and Brad really helped bring this one to life. We all just really clicked when everyone was in the room jamming it. Brad started tracking vocals for this one first and 4 AM one night, after a night out with the whole team. It was amazing.
I’d rather not explain the real meaning behind these words. Reclusion is a strange thing.

Alone, Die.
The melody just kind of found its way into my head one morning. I thought I hated it, but Brad convinced me otherwise. It’s funny, it’s probably the most uplifting song on the record musically, but undeniably the most bitter, lyrically. We wanted to keep it very simple and straightforward on this track- I think that mindset let the whole song breathe well.

This one’s pretty much about how if someone you care about gives you an about face and a cold shoulder, then they’ll get it right back. Maybe with some pretty little details laced in there…

Slow It Down/Write It Out
We were only supposed to record three songs. Then we were like, “fuck it let’s do four.” Then we all had a hard time paring with “Slow It Down…” so we decided to keep it around. Personally, I always get super attached to all the songs I partake in writing. I hate cutting tracks. This song was the one that changed the most from the original idea, and I love it for that. Everyone played a part in bringing this song to life. Sam made me layer the guitar track in the bridge like 87 times. It’s so heavy- I fucking love it.
“Slow It Down…” is about staying who and what you are, and dong what you do because it’s what you do. Sometimes you get wrapped up in things, and you’ve got to catch yourself and make sure you’re still going down the path you believe in.

Tallhart Announce New Album 'We Are The Same'

Fri, 24 May 2013 15:46:01 -0400

Tallhart are releasing We Are The Same on July 16th via Equal Vision Records. Check out the artwork and track listing below after the jump.

1. Our Bodies
2. High Speed
3. Fighter
4. A Ring a Reason
5. See God Again
6. Holy Coast
7. The Fire
8. Mexico
9. Wandering Kind
10. We Are the Same

Friday Discussion: The Best 2012 Albums Of 2013

Fri, 24 May 2013 15:31:17 -0400

Sometimes the best records are the ones you never hear, but should have, and hopefully eventually do. We’re halfway through 2013, but we bet you’re enjoying some records right now that came out in 2012 that you only found recently. PropertyOfZack thought it’d be a great idea to make a new Friday Discussion post of The Best 2012 Albums Of 2013 so our readers can find out about records that they may have missed and so we could find out about some records we might have missed as well. Check out the feature below and make sure to reblog to let us know what great records we missed from last year as well!

Basement - Colourmeinkindness
Like many others familiar with the Run for Cover family, I’d heard plenty about Basement before, during, and after they announced they were calling it quits. I had seen them once at Asbury Lanes on one very intoxicated summer evening and was impressed, but never followed up save for a few songs from 2011’s I Wish I Could Stay Here. Early this year, I put Colourmeinkindness into rotation on a whim, and very quickly regretted not making this band a priority listen in the past. There’s nothing I could say about them and their sound that hasn’t already been said (from my notes: “grungier Balance and Composure;” “reprisal of 90’s alternative”…can we get a rousing DUH?), but the way that “Comfort” bleeds into final track “Wish” creates one of my favorite closing sequences that I’ve heard in years. Unfortunately, sleeping on this band was one of negative consequence, considering they no longer are one - but I’m predicting other kids might go the same route in back-cataloguing adventures and Basement just might have quite a splash to make in the reunion circuit down the road. - Adrienne Fisher

Macklemore & Ryan Lewis - The Heist
Has any commercially successful pop artist had a bigger breakthrough in 2013 than Macklemore and Ryan Lewis? The answer is an emphatic no, thanks to the unexpected success of the duo’s quirky hit “Thrift Shop,” which became the first song by an independent hip-hop artist to reach the number one spot on the Billboard Top 100 Singles chart.

The duo’s 15 minutes of fame have recently been renewed thanks to second single “Can’t Hold Us” also reaching the number one spot on the Billboard Singles Chart, which may prove that the Seattle underdogs are here to stay. With songs like “Same Love,” “Cowboy Boots,” and “Thin Line” combining Macklemore’s unique style and charisma and Lewis’s slick, old-school production, this may only be the beginning of the rise of The Heist, which was released last October. The slow-building success of “Thrift Shop” is clearly the cause for this album picking up steam in 2013, and given the creativity and personality that exudes from that track and so many others on The Heist, we should all be very thankful that the breakthrough of Macklemore and Ryan Lewis happened.

Representing an independent, DIY attitude that is taking the music industry by storm, Macklemore and Ryan Lewis are doing things that simply haven’t been done before, and in today’s industry, whether you’re a fan or not, that deserves your attention. - Donald Wagenblast

Dads - American Radass (This is important)
I didn’t get around to checking these guys out until I realized they were one of the bands on the site that got a lot of attention that I wasn’t very familiar with. And then they won our March Sadness poll and I knew I really couldn’t sleep on giving them a chance any longer. I mean, who ever beats Brand new for anything?

Apparently these guys, and it’s definitely deserved. American Radass (This is important) exemplifies being sad down to the core. “A permanent bee sting/In my throat/I can’t ever catch my breath/ It’s not fair to tell me to cheer up.” That line from the song “Get To the Beach!” is just one small paradigm of how these new contenders show that they can fight in any heavyweight match. This album is drenched in painful nostalgia, heart-wrenching one-liners, and cynical vocals. It’s been on repeat on my iPod for the past few weeks, and everyone should give it a chance (really, you would be dumb not to). – Brittany Oblak (@brittanyoblak)

Cloud Nothings - Attack On Memory
I wasn’t expecting to like Cloud Nothings. I admittedly know absolutely nothing about them, but had always assumed that they were some weirdo Pitchfork band galumphing along on obscure indie hype, or I got them mixed up with Cloud Mouth, a now-defunct hardcore band from Chicago that my friends were into that fell on deaf ears for me. Regardless, I gave them a listen after doing a sweep of 2012 AOTY lists at the start of this year, and was blown away, both with how much I liked it and how surprised I was at how much I liked it. If we’re talking failsafes,

I like my choruses as big as they come and my bridges as melodic as they go, but Attack on Memory is a step outside my comfort zone. It’s a record that joins a little lo-fi buzz with wiry, terse guitars and tense rhythms, but with enough melody to keep it from descending into the realms of noise-rock. Every song sounds different, but tightly wound, and the vocalist has got just a tinge of a Billy Corgan sneer in him. Basically, it’s an amalgamation of a bunch of different shit that never hits the buzzer for my music tastes, but this particular compendium? Total hit, no miss. I’m definitely setting an alarm for the release of their next record. - Adrienne Fisher

The Offspring - Days Go By
There’s no way to sugarcoat it; The Offspring are a band in the twilight of their career. In 2012, the veteran Huntington Beach quartet released Days Go By, an album met with seemingly unanimous disapproval. When listeners heard the title track, many were up in arms bastardizing the longtime punks for a blatant Foo Fighters rip-off. When the second single hit, things got even uglier. True, “Days Go By” reeks of a page borrowed from the book of Grohl, and “California Cruisin’ (Bumpin’ In My Trunk)” is good for little but a laugh, but the bulk of Days Go By should not be given the cold shoulder. It’s classic Offspring in every sense of the word, drawing influences from everything pre-Americana right up until 2008’s Rise And Fall, Rage And Grace. It’s jam-packed with big hooks, its customary “whoa-ohs,” and Dexter Holland’s trademark brattiness. It might not be the best record the band’s ever released, but it’s undoubtedly worthy of its place in their discography. - Brandon Allin

The Tower And The Fool - How Long
The first time The Tower and the Fool, I thought it was one of a million pseudo-intellectual (look how deep we are!) -core band names, so I wrote them off. I couldn’t have been further off the mark. And a year later, I’m still kicking myself over this one.

As a big fan of late ’80s and ’90s rock — Counting Crows and Semisonic and so on — the mid-tempo Americana of The Tower and The Fool felt perfectly at home on my iPod. How Long is an extraordinary debut that sits somewhere between Tom Petty’s wistful side and Counting Crows’ bluesy one. Lead singer Chris Rosenquest shows off remarkable singer-songwriter chops, delving into heartbreak and tidal waves of sadness without sounding cliche or derivative. Their name might fool you (it sure got me), but The Tower and the Fool’s simple earnestness and plaintive heartland rock won’t. - Erik van Rheenen

The Menzingers - On The Impossible Past
In January 2011 I saw the Menzingers play to a packed audience at the First Unitarian Church in Philadelphia, a show I consider to this day one of the best shows I’ve ever seen. Exactly two years later I suffered my first real breakup and their album, On the Impossible Past, proved to be the perfect post breakup album to heal my wounds.

My friend had been beating me over the head for most of 2012 to listen to it, but I kept putting it off even after seeing them once more touring on that very record. That seems a bit odd for it to be a breakup cure, but somehow I connected instantly from the moment Greg Barnett sings, “I’ve been having a horrible time/pulling myself together” at the beginning of “Good Things.” It was as if all the anguish and personal turmoil I felt inside could be conveyed through the rough vocals and skin cutting guitar riffs that these guys from Scranton utilize so well. Whatever lonely memories and picture perfect imagery these guys spoke of I got and it allowed me to overcome any heartbreak I was experiencing quicker than any other possible cure. - Jason Stives

Goldfinger Release New Song "Am I Deaf"

Fri, 24 May 2013 15:10:25 -0400

Goldfinger have released a new song called “Am I Deaf.” Stream it below after the jump.

Tim Lambesis Changes Lawyers For Attempted Hit Man Hire Case

Fri, 24 May 2013 15:00:22 -0400

A report has come in that Tim Lambesis has changed lawyers in his law case for attempting to hire a hit man to murder his wife. Check out new details below after the jump.

Lambesis’ next court date is currently scheduled for June 10th. At the bail hearing last week, Lambesis was accompanied by a new laywer, Thomas Warwick after originally being represented by Anthony Salerno. No word on why Salerno was let go, as he initially saved Lambesis from a potential life sentence. Salerno, in an interview alleged Lambesis was being set up as Lambesis’ brother-in-law is a sheriff deputy. Lambesis new lawyer, Warwick claimed at last week’s bail hearing that steroid use clouded Lambesis’ judgement.

Converge Release Entombed's "Wolverine Blues" Cover EP

Fri, 24 May 2013 14:34:20 -0400

Converge have released a cover EP of Entombed’s “Wolverine Blues.” Stream it below after the jump.

&lt;a href=”http://convergecult.bandcamp.com/album/pound-for-pound-the-wolverine-blues-sessions” data-mce-href=”http://convergecult.bandcamp.com/album/pound-for-pound-the-wolverine-blues-sessions”&gt;Pound For Pound: The Wolverine Blues Sessions by Converge&lt;/a&gt;

“Pound For Pound: The Wolverine Blues Sessions” Digital EP from Converge features our rendition of “Wolverine Blues” originally written and performed by Entombed, presented as five different tracks.

Each vocalist recorded a full version of the song which we used to compile into the final version included on the Converge and Napalm Death Split 7”EP. This Digital EP is the complete mixes of each guest vocalist who contributed to the final track, presented as five unique versions of the song.

POZ Video Premiere: The Goodnight - "When I Was Your Man (Bruno Mars Cover)"

Fri, 24 May 2013 14:10:21 -0400

PropertyOfZack is happy to be premiering a new cover video of The Goodnight taking on Bruno Mars’ “When I Was Your Man.” Watch and listen to the cover below after the jump!

Sleeping With Sirens Release New Song "Best There Ever Was" Ft. Fronz

Fri, 24 May 2013 14:02:25 -0400

Sleeping With Sirens have released a surprise new song called “Best There Ever Was” that features Fronz on vocals. Stream it below after the jump.

Emery To Release New Album In Fall Or Winter

Fri, 24 May 2013 13:30:19 -0400

Emery are aiming to release their next record in the fall or winter. Check out a comment from the band below after the jump.

Ok so people are asking, “when is the new album coming?”
Answer: for sure this the Fall or Winter.

Bled Fest 2013 Set Times Revealed

Fri, 24 May 2013 13:10:49 -0400

Bled Fest is finally here tomorrow, and PropertyOfZack is very stoked to be in attendance. Check out the set times for the festival below after the jump.

POZ Review: Wild Nothing - Empty Estate

Fri, 24 May 2013 13:00:21 -0400

*This review was composed by Sydney Gore and edited by Erik van Rheenen

When Wild Nothing released its newest single, “A Dancing Shell”, critics everywhere raved about the hot track. With so much excitement built up on this EP, Jack Tatum was expected to step up his musical game. So he ventured all the way to Brooklyn to record the EP, where a new setting certainly awakened another side of the artistic genius within him. All 7 songs on Empty Estate flow smoothly along a musical current that leads to a waterfall of wonderful sound.

Empty Estate is the type of EP that can’t be interrupted— it deserves to be played all the way through, from beginning to end. “The Body In Rainfall” opens the floodgates of sound with grooving guitars and killer keyboards to create the dreamiest of dream pop. “Ocean Repeating (Big-Eyed Girl)” follows the wave as Tatum describes a mystical woman whose features are emphasized with piercing synthesizers. “I’m not trying to catch her or to carry her weight. I only wanted to chase her through the empty estate,” Tatum sings.

With sensational single “A Dancing Shell” aside, other standout tracks are definitely “Ride” and “Data World.” The duo has multiple layers to them, packed with pop, rock and electronic influences that all reek of that sweet 80’s funk.

The same can be said about “On Guyot,” which has a hypnotic quality about it. No vocals are necessary as floating synthesizers gently carry us somewhere more serene than we’ve ever been. The EP closes with “Hachiko,” an instrumental outro that sounds more like an array of chimes blowing in the ocean’s breeze in some distant paradise.

Wild Nothing doesn’t leave us empty. Instead, Jack Tatum fills the listener with pure delight as they absorb his magnificently mixed melodies. Empty Estate will be a go-to album for anyone who is compiling his or her own summer soundtrack, and personally, I am truly, madly, deeply, head-over-heels in love with this EP.

Park Confirm Reunion Lineup; Album Based Off Book Ladd Is Writing

Fri, 24 May 2013 12:30:19 -0400

Park are back and will be returning to fans with a new album based off a novel that Ladd Mitchell has been writing. Check out details of their reunion lineup and new album below after the jump.

Related Stories:
Park Confirm Reunion; Recording New Album

Hello Park Fans,
As you may have heard by now, we formally announced that Park will be reuniting as a fully functioning band and have begun demoing songs for a new album. The line up for the new album is as follows:
Aaron Bickel - guitar
Miles Parkhill - drums
Alex Haycraft - bass
Ladd Mitchell - vocals/guitar
We will be playing in Springfield, Illinois on June 8th at the SOHO Festival @ 10 PM. There will also be a show celebrating the 10 year anniversary of our release, “It Won’t Snow Where You’re Going”, where we will perform the album in its entirety. This show will be held at the FUBAR in St. Louis, Missouri on August 17th (Ladd’s Birthday!). Tickets can be purchased at ticketfly.com for $12 in advance and $17 at the door.
The album that we are currently writing revolves around a novel Ladd has been working on over the last few years. Each song represents a chapter in the book and is more of a musical than a conceptual album. More details on the story will be coming in the following months.
Thanks everyone for your support and encouragement throughout the last few years!
Sincerely,
Park

Less Than Jake, Hostage Calm, Pentimento Tour Sampler

Fri, 24 May 2013 12:00:19 -0400

Less Than Jake have released a tour sampler for their upcoming summer run. Check out details below after the jump.

Less Than Jake // Hostage Calm // Pentimento
Tour Sampler
Free Download

1. Less Than Jake - “A Return To Headphones”
2. Hostage Calm - “Don’t Die On Me Now”
3. Pentimento - “Unless”

Casual Friday Release 57-Song Winter Sampler

Fri, 24 May 2013 11:45:18 -0400

Our friends at Casual Friday have released a 57-song digital sampler. Listen to and download it below after the jump!

&amp;lt;a href=”http://casual-friday.bandcamp.com/album/casual-friday-spring-sampler” data-mce-href=”http://casual-friday.bandcamp.com/album/casual-friday-spring-sampler”&amp;gt;Casual Friday Spring Sampler by Casual Friday&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;

Portugal. The Man Release "Atomic Man" Music Video

Fri, 24 May 2013 11:28:53 -0400

Portugal. The Man have released a new music video for “Atomic Man.” Watch it below after the jump.

Morning Recap: Eisley Finally Address Kickstarter Woes

Fri, 24 May 2013 11:00:17 -0400

Eisley Release Statement On Kickstarter Failure

Eisley will not be breaking up and they will not be canceling any tours. The band will however be borrowing money from their family and label to ensure healthy and safe touring abilities with their babies.

letlive. Album Title, Release Date?

You’ve been waiting, and your hopes may be coming true this July.

More Details On Tim Lambesis Arrest Revealed

Tim Lambesis is apparently worth around 14 million dollars. More details regarding exactly where and how Lambesis were arrested have been revealed from an eye witness.

Man Overboard Announce ‘Heart Attack’ In-Store Shows

Man Overboard will be playing several Heart Attack in-store sessions to promote their release before hopping on Warped Tour. Make sure to check out the dates.

Flag’s Bill Stevenson Addresses Black Flag Drama

There has been continual bashing from Black Flag to Flag on both of their reunions, and Flag drummer Bill Stevenson addressed the drama in a recent interview.

The Swellers Sign To No Sleep Records

Fri, 24 May 2013 10:04:01 -0400

Our friends in The Swellers have signed to No Sleep Records, and it’s not an April Fool’s Day joke this time! Watch a video on the news below after the jump.

blink-182 Release Merch To Benefit Oklahoma Victims

Fri, 24 May 2013 10:02:15 -0400

blink-182 have released a few specialized merch items to benefit victims of those affected by the tornadoes in Oklahoma. Check out their store here and pictures of the merch below after the jump.

Related Stories:
blink-182 Recording New Music

The Maine 'Behind Forever Halloween' Documentary

Fri, 24 May 2013 09:54:34 -0400

The Maine have released a new documentary called Behind Forever Halloween. Watch it below after the jump.

fun. "Why Am I The One" Behind The Scenes Video

Fri, 24 May 2013 08:00:16 -0400

fun. have released behind the scenes video for the “Why Am I The One” music video. Watch it below after the jump.