Stick Around - When We Ran cd/ The Irish Title Fight?

Stick Around is a band from Ireland. Basically it's a poppunk band done by hardcore kids, or that's what I think. You know the type: Polar Bear Club, Hot Water Music and Title Fight are best known examples.

Recordopener 'Belgium Sideburn' is a very great musical intro. But also points out the big weakness of the band. This song is good because there are no vocals on it. The other 7 songs on 'When We Ran' are full of some of the most off key vocals I've heard in a while.

I shouldn't sing about people singing off key, I'm no great vocalist myself, yet when you try and compete in the poppunk genre good vocals are more important factor than let's say if you're doing a band like Infest.

Maybe the band should find a new singer or decided on another musical style to play cause 'When We Ran' isn't the kind of record that will make a lot of listeners happy.

Check the songs out for yourself overhere.

Arms Aloft - Comfort At Any Cost 7"

I confess. Besides youth crew hardcore I'm a dead sucker for up tempo poppunk with gruffy vocals. Hot Water Music, Dillinger 4, Kid Dynamite you know the deal. Lately The Loved Ones have been rocking my world as well as Dutchband Tenement Kids.

All these bands are widely known to a large part of the punk and hardcore scene. A band that deserves to be in the same spotlight is Wisconsins' Arms Aloft. Since the debut of The Loved Ones I haven't been as excited by a band in this genre.

Arms Aloft has it all a: great singer, good tunes, sincere lyrics and the right amount of catchyness. Hell they're so good I'm surprised Side One Dummy or Fat Wreck hasn't picked up this band yet. Someone is sleeping!!!

Go and get this record from Deadformat. You won't be dissapointed!

Myspace: Arms Aloft