Audacity - Hyper Vessels LP - Green Vinyl (/500)

Suicide Squeeze (2016)

Audacity's last album from 2013, Butter Knife, was one of those perfect storm records for me.  I had dug the band's prior album, but was totally blown away by Butter Knife and it was easily one of my favorite records of that year.  Fast forward through an excruciating three year wait and Audacity finally delivers the follow up, Hyper Vessels.

In some ways, this record is a bit of a disappointment for me.  I was hoping for more breezy pop perfection like the band was showing on Butter Knife.  Instead, this is much more similar to Audacity's 2012 album, Mellow Cruisers.  It's heavier on the garage sneer than it is on the big hooks.  That's certainly not to say there aren't catchy songs on this album.  Opening track "Counting The Days" will immediately dispel that notion, but in general things are a little faster and the vocals are a little snottier.

If anything, this kind of sounds like it would have been the perfect follow up to Mellow Cruisers.  If Hyper Vessels had been released right after Mellow Cruisers and then Butter Knife came after, it would seem like a logical progression.  Instead, Audacity feels like they're taking a slight step backwards.  Again, not that this isn't a good record, in fact it's a really good record, I'm just a little surprised with the direction Audacity took.

Audacity - Hyper Vessels:

https://audacityca.bandcamp.com/album/hyper-vessels

Audacity - Counting The Days 7"

Suicide Squeeze (2014)

This was an extra 7" that I received when I pre-ordered the new Audactiy full length.  I've only had the full length play once in the background, so I can't really say much about that just yet, but I'll take a crack at this 7".  It's a little odd, the A-side is also the lead track of the new Audacity full length, but it looks like this 7" was released all the way back in 2014.  That raises two questions: 1. Why did it take so long for the full length to come out? And 2. How did I not know this 7" had been released?

I guess at the end of the day it doesn't matter.  "Counting The Days" is a great song, even if it is something of a departure from the band's last album Butter Knife.  This song is definitely more of a raucous endeavor with strained vocals and bags of fuzz heaped on the guitars.  It also has all of the hooks and catchiness you'd want out of an Audacity song.  Even the crazy guitar solo in the middle fits in nicely, and as you may know, I'm not usually big on solos.

The B-side "Mind Your Own Business" doesn't grab me quite the same way.  It's a cover song that was originally done by Delta 5.  I'll admit to not being particularly familiar with the Delta 5 version, but I fired it up on YouTube before writing this review.  Can't say I really I'm a big fan.  The Audacity version is definitely a fuller song with quite a bit more muscle behind it.  At the end of the day I just don't dig this song, but again, it's a cover song and a B-side, so it's really just a bonus more than anything else.  Especially since it was free.

Audacity - Counting The Days 7":

https://audacityca.bandcamp.com/album/counting-the-days

Audacity - Cold Rush 7" - Red Vinyl

Recess (2014)

One of the best discoveries I've made over the past few years has been Audacity.  They've been putting out some pretty flawless records and their summertime power pop is just a joy to listen to.  It's even more appropriate than ever since the spring is finally starting to pry the temperatures around here out of the twenties and thirties and into something that's you can actually live in.

Audacity is the definition of windows down, tunes up rock and roll.  You've got the jangly guitar and the slightly (slightly, not annoyingly so) fuzzy vocals crammed into these little nuggets of pop rock. This Japan tour 7" contains a different version of "Cold Rush" from their last album.  Honestly, while I can tell it is different, I wouldn't say it's a huge change from the album version.  Also on the 7" is "Dentist Appt." This one is a little slower, but still hangs with anything from Audacity's past catalog.

Finally, you get a download for a third song called "Fun Spot."  This one is back to being upbeat, though I don't know why they didn't just put this song on the 7" and leave the alternate version of an already released song to the digital download realm.  That's just me.  Still, it's a cool little 7" to pick up.  Audacity pretty much can do know wrong and I hope they're huddled together in a studio somewhere recording a new album and continuing to do no wrong.

Audacity - Cold Rush 7":

http://recessrecords.bandcamp.com/album/japan-ep

The Absolute Best Records Of 2013

The Absolute Best Records Of 2013, a photo by Tim PopKid on Flickr.

I cannot even remember the last time there was a year in music as good as 2013. You'd probably have to go back to the 90's to find a year that had so many truly fantastic records come out. From the second January started right up until the waning days of December, I feel that all I did this year was listen to great music.

The top 5 records this year were so strong, it really could have been a coin toss to select who got number 1. In the end I gave it to the Night Marchers. As I've been listening to John Reis bands for over 20 years now, it just feels the most like home if that makes any sense.

However, I want to make a special case for some records on this list that really deserve a little extra attention as the bands aren't quite as well known as some of their peers. The Dead Mechanical record could have been a number 1 record in almost any other year. It's just flawless and I really encourage people to check it out if they haven't heard it. Chestnut Road brought me back to my favorite scene of the 90's and they felt like the second coming of Broccoli, Hooton 3 Car or Leatherface, If you like fast guitar pop like The Marked Men, you're a fool if you don't give the Tight Bros record a listen. And finally, that Hooper record I reviewed a few days ago is just incredible. It may have ended up higher on this list had it come out a bit earlier so I could have spent even more time with it.

All of the records on this list are amazing in my humble opinion. I couldn't have asked for a better year in music. Sure, I spent an awful lot of money on records this year (I tracked all of my purchases in 2013, my advice is don't do that, it's depressing), but it was worth it. It's crazy that there's even more records from this year I wasn't able to pick up.  I'd like to grab the new Young Leaves record and I'm pretty sure I would like that Sweatshop Boys LP, but as you may have noticed, as it is I buy way to many records. Maybe next year.

Thanks again to everyone who reads this website and an extra special thanks to the folks that have emailed, tweeted to me or sent me records to review. Here's to more good rocking in 2014.

01 - The Night Marchers - Allez Allez - Swami
02 - Dead Mechanical - OK Night - Toxic Pop
03 - Radioactivity - Radioactivity - Dirtnap
04 - The Steve Adamyk Band - Third - Dirtnap
05 - Chestnut Road - Chestnut Road - Brassneck / Speedowax
06 - Warm Soda - Someone For You - Castle Face
07 - Tight Bros - Tight Bros - Rad Girlfriend
08 - The Blind Shake - Key To A False Door - Castle Face
09 - Obits - Bed & Bugs - Sub Pop
10 - Audacity - Butter Knife - Suicide Squeeze

11 - Mrs. Magician - B Sides - Thrill Me
12 - Hooper - How To Become A Ghost - Snappy Little Numbers
13 - Rumspringer - Stay Afloat - Dirtcult
14 - Dirtbombs - Ooey Gooey Chewy Ka-Blooey - In The Red
15 - Superchunk - I Hate Music - Merge
16 - Boat - Pretend To Be Brave - Magic Marker
17 - Low Culture - Screens - Dirtnap
18 - Plow United - Marching Band - Jump Start
19 - Sundowners - The Larger Half Of Wisdom - Dirtcult
20 - Crusaders - Perhaps You Deliver This Judgment... - No Idea

21 - Iron Chic - The Constant One - Bridge Nine
22 - Humanoids - Humanoids - Throwing Things
23 - Murmurs - Fly With The Unkindness - Dead Broke / Drunken Sailor
24 - The Resonars - Crummy Desert Sound - Burger
25 - Deltron 3030 - Event II - Bulk
26 - The Thermals - Desperate Ground - Saddle Creek
27 - RVIVR - The Beauty Between - Rumbletowne
28 - Shy Mirrors - Negative Collector - Big School
29 - Off With Their Heads - Home - Epitaph
30 - Wrong Words - Everything Is Free - Trouble In Mind

Other records I bought & enjoyed this year:
A Giant Dog - Bone - Tic Tac Totally
Autistic Youth - Nonage - Dirtnap
Bad Sports - Bra - Dirtnap
The Dagger Eyes - The Dagger Eyes - Ptrash
Dumpster Babies - Dumpster Babies - Tall Pat
Heavy Times - Fix It Alone - HoZac
Leatherface - More Mush - Bootleg
The Men - New Moon - Sacred Bones
Mind Spiders - Inhumanistic - Dirtnap
Paper Dragons - Die To Please - Toxic Pop
Southport - Southern Soul - Yo Yo
Space Wolves - IV - UT
Terry Malts - Nobody Realizes This Is Nowhere - Slumberland
The Visitors - Yeti - It's Alive
Wavves - Afraid Of Heights - Mom + Pop
Your Pest Band - In My Doom - Snuffy Smiles
Yuck - Glow & Behold - Fat Possum
Zebrassieres - I Am Human - Ptrash

Previously:
2012
2011
2010
2009

Audacity - Butter Knife LP - Yellow Vinyl

Audacity - Butter Knife LP - Yellow Vinyl, a photo by Tim PopKid on Flickr.

Suicide Squeeze (2013)

Audacity's newest album snuck up on me. I had no idea the band had moved over to a new label at Suicide Squeeze. I didn't know they were working on anything new, I was just sort of basking in the afterglow of their last LP, Mellow Cruisers. Suddenly I was going through a new releases list on some website and there it was. Hopped over to the Suicide Squeeze website and got in my pre-order, though at that point I think I only waited a week or so for it to actually come out. I was glad they still had the limited colored vinyl left, but when said limited vinyl is out of 1000 copies, my guess is they're not going to go flying out the door for anyone buy the absolute biggest of bands.

But let me tell you that after spending some time with Butter Knife, I firmly believe that Audacity should be one of these biggest bands. This record is flat out amazing. It's such a leap forward from their already pretty great last LP and I'm honestly pretty floored. The band throws around hooks with such effortlessness, piling vocal melodies over bouncy, yet scruffy guitar. There's a good mix of garage influenced faster pop songs as well as some songs that mellow things out a little bit, adding in some flourishes like piano to the party.

This is one of the most perfectly crafted summertime pop records I've heard in an awful long time. Sure it's the winter and the outdoors pretty much suck right now, but all I need to do is pop this record on the turntable and it's summer vacation all over again. Highly recommended.

Audacity - Butter Knife:
soundcloud.com/suicide-squeeze-records/sets/audacity-butt...

Audacity - Mellow Cruisers LP - Purple Vinyl

Audacity - Mellow Cruisers LP - Purple Vinyl, a photo by Tim PopKid on Flickr.

Recess / Burger (2012)

Audacity is a band that's been getting a lot of buzz in the circle of music folks that I pal around with. I've seen lots of gushing praise and space taken up on top 10 of the year lists, so I figured I had to give it a shot. The result is kind of a mixed bag for me.

The record is good and at times very good. Audacity play a bouncy and fuzzy kind of borderline pop punk. Stylistically, it's the sort of thing that I like. But, the one this I will say is that I feel like there's nothing on the record that REALLY stands out and holds my attention, I tend to start zoning out about half way through the album. Also, it's a bit too rough around the edges, I think. Though I'm certainly not a person that likes super glossy, sterile recordings, I think Audacity is a band that could benefit from slightly cleaner production.

I think the big problem here is I went into this record with unrealistic expectations. It's a good record, one that's worth picking up and very fun to listen too. I was just expecting something truly outstanding.

Audacity - Mellow Cruisers:
soundcloud.com/user3105090/sets/audacity-mellow-crooners-lp