OFF! - 1st EP

There is no excuse not to listen to the unforgiving power that is OFF!'s first EP. At just over four minutes, it gives listeners a quick, concise sonic ass kicking. This punk supergroup features ex. Circle Jerks (and at one time, Black Flag) frontman Kieth Morris delivering vocals in the exact same style the band delivers its music. Simply titled, "1st EP", their debut release already stands as the best of the year in its format.

Due to the short run time, it is easy to miss the subtle brilliance of the in-your-face songwriting on this record. Each song places Morris' classic vocals over an instrumentation that tells you to fuck yourself and spits in your face, at the same time managing to be captivating and unquestionably "badass". In fact, "badass" seems to be the crass, juvenile adjective that sums up this record. It's loud, chaotic, angry, and fun to listen to.

10/10

PS I Love You - Meet Me At The Muster Station

Don't be put off by the name. Though they had come up with it long before the creation of the awful chick-flick of the same name, it comes across as rather fitting on the band's debut LP "Meet Me at the Muster Station. Paul Saulnier, the duo's vocalist, writes lyrics that are often drowned out by his hyper-distorted wall of guitar. When they are discernible, they are hopelessly romantic, almost corny, though in the context of Saulnier's yelping vocal style, they feel right at home. The album begins with this theme on the opening title track, before taking on a more pensive mood on the next two tracks, "Breadends" and "2012". The latter is actually a standout on the record, flowing nicely between a catchy, angular guitar riff and a deep verse soaked in distortion.

The record loses some momentum in the middle section. With the exception of the lumbering "Butterflies and Boners", the four tracks making up the core of the album are pretty forgettable. This is all rectified on "Facelove", the band's first single. The corny lyrical themes take centre-stage again, as Saulnier crafts a catchy vocal melody for the song's first half before digressing into fuzz-laden guitar heroics to rival the legendary J Mascis for the rest of the track. This ends up being the album's high point, though the closing tracks ease the listener out of one of the year's strongest Canadian releases.

8/10

Godspeed You! Black Emperor

I've been lucky enough to procure tickets to see Canadian post-rock legends Godspeed You! Black Emperor. They have created some of the most original, creative, and beautiful work I have ever heard so the 20-dollar ticket price was almost as shocking as the fact that the band reunited after a 7-year hiatus. Unfortunately, the show sold out quickly and since it would take more than money to get me to hand mine over you'll have to hit up Craigslist or eBay for a chance to catch one of their three back-to-back shows at Lee's Place next April.

Charles the Osprey - Consider

Math-rock is not dead. Certainly not to Michigan-based duo "Charles the Osprey" at least. They manage to ride the fine line between creativity and accessibility throughout most of their 12 song debut LP. This is possibly the most defining skill for an instrumental band to master, as it allows for appeal to musicians and music fans alike. Are there moments of discordant musical wankage? Of course. This is an instrumental band, after all, but these moments are few and brief (not to mention that the musical wankage holds great appeal with the musician crowd anyway). CtO make sure to balance these moments with enough melodic hooks to draw the attention of your average invested music fan. In fact, the duo's most impressive songwriting tactic is their integration of hooks with technical chaos, allowing the lister to begin to appreciate the technical aspects even if they are put-off at first.

The album's true weakness, in this reviewer's humble opinion, is its lack of diversity. At just over 43 minutes, this album is by no means short. While it has its highs and lows like any album, its 12 tracks seem to meld into one long song as the album progresses. This effect is common with instrumental bands. A truly cohesive instrumental album is one that manages to create a uniqueness to every track and define key moments on the first listen. This, unfortunately, is where Charles the Osprey fall short. This is an easily forgiven drawback to a debut release that otherwise stands as one of the most compelling instrumental releases of the year.

7/10

Revival?

After a long, sloth-induced hiatus, I have decided to revive Music From the Hammer (though you can't really "revive" something that was never really alive to begin with now can you?). Expect ludicrously irregular and whimsical posts in the future. They will most likely contain pretentious drivel about bands you don't give a shit about and self-degrading comments that really aren't funny, ironic, or cool.

Pirate's Blend

Reggae/soul rockers Bedouin Soundclash have announced the launch of their new label, Pirate's Blend. The first release on the label will be frontman Jay Malinowski's anticipated solo debut "Bright Lights and Bruises". The album features a collection of acoustic songs Malinowski wrote while the future of Bedouin Soundclash was uncertain. As it stands now, the album will drop on February 16th and Malinowski has scheduled a cross-Canada tour in support of it.

Despite being busy with the creation of Pirate's Blend and "Bright Lights and Bruises", Malinowski plans to continue his work with Bedouin Soundclash. The band is bringing in drummer Sekou Lumumba for their upcoming Canadian dates:

February 12th, 2010 – Vancouver, BC – Ontario Pavillion
February 13th, 2010 – Richmond, BC – Richmond O’zone
February 14th, 2010 – Whistler, BC – Whistler Live
March 12th, 2010 – Toronto, ON – CMW with Charlie Winston & Micky Green
@ The Mod Club Theatre

If you are a fellow Hamiltonian, you can catch Jay Malinowski at the Casbah on March 10th.

Pirate's Blend Website: http://www.piratesblend.com/

Best Albums of 2009

10. O Pioneers!!! - Neon Creeps

This band sums up everything I love about folk-punk: the growled vocals that still manage to get stuck in your head, the frantic drumming, and the relentless guitar work. Neon Creeps is full of catchy, anthem-like choruses and is easy to get into. From the first listen, it's clear why this is probably the strongest folk-punk release of '09.

9. NOFX - Coaster

To be quite honest, I love NOFX to the point where they could release a compilation of Nickelback cover songs and I'd still fork over 20 bucks for a hard copy, but Coaster was a surprisingly solid release from a band that's been around for about 20 years now. Complimented with the Cokie the Clown EP later in November, 2009 was a pretty successful year for one of the best punk bands around today.

8. Wolfmother - Cosmic Egg

After the lineup changes Wolfmother went through over the past year or so, Cosmic Egg makes it clear that frontman Andrew Stockdale was the band's creative mind. Most of the songs on this album wouldn't be out of place on their 2005 self-titled release. The only difference on this album is the slightly more upbeat feel that Stockdale's songwriting has taken on. The addition of a second guitar player has really filled out the band's sound and the new lineup seems to be more musically competent than the previous one.

7. Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!

Nick Cave can write like few other people around today. From the lyrics on Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!! to his second novel, the Death of Bunny Munro, Cave has more than proved his poetic prowess this year. His lyrics are a perfect fit for the band's unique songwriting and this album manages to stay entertaining for every one of its 53 minutes.

6. Wax Mannequin - Saxon

While it may not be as heavy or rock-driven as some of his previous albums, Saxon feels more introspective and lyrically conscious. These lyrics are complemented by some fantastic guitar playing and while most of the album is acoustic, the guitar lines are very pronounced. Wax is backed by Black Blood for his tour in support of the album and the album doesn't do a live show justice, although it's still more than worth picking up.


5. Dinosuar Jr. - Farm

Dinosaur Jr.'s post-reunion releases just keep getting better and better. I don't think anyone had high expectations for 2007's Beyond, but they've proved that it wasn't a fluke with the release of what is easily the catchiest album I've heard all year. J Mascis is a genius when it comes to songwriting and this album features well-crafted melodies juxtaposed with gritty guitar and Mascis' trademark vocals. His soaring solos feel natural and the album holds attention extremely well. Whatever the state of the band relationship happens to be, I wouldn't change a thing if it meant another album of this quality.

4. Pissed Jeans - King of Jeans

"I could put on a tight black shirt, but I don't bother!" This line sets the tone for Pissed Jeans' best album to date. Self-loathing, tongue-in-cheek lyrics about seemingly pointless topics are screamed with so much conviction that you can't help empathizing with singer Matt Korvette over his hair loss or laziness. Full of piercing feedback and walls of distortion, this album was one of my favourite LPs of the year.


3. A Place To Bury Strangers

I absolutely loved APTBS' self-titled, D.I.Y.-style debut release, so I was looking forward to hearing their cacophonous noise assault recorded in a proper studio and polished up a bit. Exploding Head may be more accessible than the first album, but songwriter Oliver Ackermann sacrifices none of his ear-shattering shoegaze style. The songs on this album are more thought-out and structured, but are still drowned in Ackermann's Death By Audio guitar effect pedals. It's a brilliant album and a welcome revival of noise rock. Now to catch a live show...

2. Alexisonfire - Old Crows/Young Cardinals

I didn't expect a record like this from Alexisonfire. After their most commercial, polished-sounding album yet with Crisis, AOF seemed poised to become another post-harcore band pandering to a MuchMusic-watching audience (okay, that's a bit harsh, but I was a bit concerned). While the first single "Young Cardinals" may have began to confirm those fears, they were quickly put to rest when the full album was released. Rather than playing to their fan base, AOF risks alienating them with what could easily be described as a punk album. George Petits' trademark screams have become a refined growl and although still well-written, the guitar parts have been stripped down and have a beautiful raw feel. Old Crows/Young Cardinals is the most mature release from this band yet and I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised.

1. Propagandhi - Supporting Caste

Every album this band puts out manages to top the last and Supporting Caste is definitely no exception. They've moved farther from their punk roots with this album, but haven't lost any of their no-bullshit punk ethic. Every song is unforgiving and the band's musicianship has continued to progress. The witty, politically-charged lyrics the band has become known for are belted by a confident Chris Hannah, whose vocals are stronger than ever. Since I picked it up in May I've been listening to this album nonstop and I hope Propagandhi gain the kind of attention they deserve, seeing as they've had very limited radio play in the past. In what is being called the worst musical decade in history, albums like these renew my faith in contemporary music.