The Summer we Went West

The Summer we Went West was an emo/folk band from College park, MD that i believed lasted from 2005 to 2006. Over the past few months after finding this cd, The Summer we Went West has quickly become one of my favorite and most-listened-to cds that I own. A truly original band, their only 'official' release 'Following the Holy Moon Gods' Includes Mineral-style emo, some breed of emo-folk with acoustic guitars, poetry reading with guitars and two slightly glitchy electronic tracks (think boards of canada with poetry and an emo-twist?) As weird as this sounds, it is incredible. How this one band manages to do each style so perfectly and put them together so well into such a fluid cd is beyond me. The vocals are raw and overflowing with emotion, the lyrics can be somewhat corny (See: Jackson hole,Wy) but intense nonetheless and the electronic tracks are extremely unique and actually enjoyable (The first few times I listened to the cd i kind of skipped through them, but that was a bad mistake on my part)

I also had the chance to party with the vocalist who is a super great, hilarious guy. He is currently involved in an electronic side project called Boat Water
www.myspace.com/boatwatersunkin

And I also recently saw one of the guitarists' new emo band called Monument that is absolutely incredible be sure to check them out as well www.myspace.com/monumentisaband



Just download this album, if there is any part of you that likes Emo you will love it. (If you don't like the intro just skip it jackson hole, wy was the first track i heard and i suggest starting with it)

Following the Holy Moon Goddess

Damezumari

This is one of my favorites. Damezumari is a very original, distinctive emotive-hardcore band. This band has some very talented musicianship with some awesomely noodly guitar and bass work, at times almost sounding like a jazz band gone emo. The vocals are very distinctive, kind of halfway between singing and yelling, but eventually the odd vocals became one of my favorite parts of this band. I dont know much besides this band besides that they kick ass so just give them a listen.

Start off with Angelus Novus, they are all incredible albums but thats a good one to start with.

Damezumari Angelus Novus
Damezumari The Politics of Lonely
Damezumari No Hugging, No Learning
Damezumari/Steeples/Someplace to hide
Damezumari/Fire Team Charlie

Make me

One of my recent discoveries, make me is an incredible and unique band. Make me started in NJ and lasted from 2004-2006. After the breakup members of this band formed Storm the Bastille, Boy Problems, and Street Smart Cyclist, three of my absolutely favorite bands. It is extremely odd to me that more people do not know about this band, I had previously thought that Boy Problems was the first band to do the whole clean-guitar/cap'n jazz with screaming thing but now I think that the members from Make Me where just trying to continue that idea with Boy Problems. Not that its an exact clone, Make Me has a lot more soley instrumental parts, and a little bit more of a 'dirty' sound at times than boy problems, as well as a little bit of singing in most of the songs. The split with black juju is the best by far, even though there are only two songs. The earlier 7inch sounds a lot more immature, with some incredible noodly jazzy parts but also some very cliche corny 'chug chug' breakdowns which are kind of lame but a little fun anyways.

Make Me Black Juju split

Make me 7inch

Touche Amore

One of my favorite releases of the last year. Touche Amore, a relatively young band from LA, combines melodic hardcore and screamo for a very unique, heavy sound. One of those albums where you can just feel the energy. The vocals are raw, the drums simple but solid and powerful. And besides, who can hate a band with a song called WeHateFredPhelps.com ? My favorite is definitly Honest sleep which starts off very intense with some hard hitting drums and effective pauses that leads into a very well put together melodic section and the ending is well..just listen. Broken records is my second favorite

Touche Amore 2008 7"