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Author: David Robison

  • Bri Earned the Power of Self Respect by Brianna Carmel

    Bri Earned the Power of Self Respect by Brianna Carmel

    Album: Bri Earned the Power of Self Respect

    Artist: Brianna Carmel

    Released: May 24, 2024; Self Release

    Brianna Carmel is one of the hardest working people in DIY that you might not have heard of.  I think that is a shame. Their roots lay deep in the Sacramento DIY scene and they are a member of the bands “Blooming Heads” and “Little Tiny Knife” as well as having their own solo project. So with the release of their new EP I hope you take a moment to get acquainted with their work.

    This EP is pure Ukulele driven indie rock with a little bit of chiptune and a punk attitude sprinkled in as a treat. It’s a fun listen even if the lyrics get a little heavy at times. The name “Bri Earned the Power of Self-Respect” is a reference to Scott Pilgrim vs the World and it is very fitting for the namesake song as well as the album as a whole. In honor of this, and if y’all will indulge me, I am now going to review every song in this EP as if it were the chapter of a Manga because aside from giving off Scott Pilgrim vibes, the EP tells a story that lends itself well to this style of review.

    Chapter 1- My True Self (Stupid, A Mess, Etc.)

    The story begins and we find our hero full of self doubt, fear and worry. They worry that they might not have what it takes to truly thrive. Things are starting out pretty low for our hero

    Chapter 2- Fool Me Once

    I am not going to sugar coat this one folks, things are looking pretty bleak for our hero. They just ran into a pair of absolute villains who I’ll call the 2 evil dudes and it did not go well. Despite this, our hero did learn some things about themself that will likely come in handy later.

    Chapter 3- Bri Earned the Power of Self Respect.

    This is definitely our hero’s plus ultra moment. They have finally leveled up got the power they need to get control of their life and become the person they always wanted to be.

    Epilogue- One Year Later/Born Again

    Turns out even with a superpower, life is still hard, but now our hero has the confidence and tools they need to work through that struggle. They know that eventually everything is going to be okay. Someday.

    Oh, if you were wondering, my favorite song is the title track. Turns out my praise can be bought with a chiptune, engaging vocal performance, and an empowering message. Honorable mention also goes to “One Year Later/Born Again”. I think it is all too easy and very common especially for the sake of telling a complete and finished story to fall into the trap of pretending that all anyone needs is that one moment of standing up for themselves. After that everything automagically fixes itself. This song manages to avoid that trap by clearly stating the reality that working towards your best life will always be hard. Yet it still ends beautifully on an extremely hopeful note.

    Everything about this EP is top notch! The emotionally raw storytelling of this EP really makes it stand out. It is definitely one of those EPs that you must listen to from beginning to end to really soak it in completely. It is very self reflective and sometimes brutally honest. Definitely the sincerest EP I’ve listened to so far this year.

    This review was originally posted on May 30, 2024 on the former LFDH substack.

    If you like the album I reviewed here and want to support the artist as well as this blog please consider picking up the album via this affiliate link—> Purchase Bri Earned the Power of Self-respect by Brianna Carmel digitally via Amazon Music

  • Talk Is Killing Me by Half Past Two

    Talk Is Killing Me by Half Past Two

    Album: Talk Is Killing Me

    Artist: Half Past Two

    Release: April 19, 2024; Bad Time Records

                    When it comes to ska southern California was a powerhouse in the third wave, producing many iconic bands of the era. Hailing from Orange County and joining Bad Times Records for their recent release “Talk is Killing me”, Half Past Two proves that they are locked in and prepared to carry on the tradition into the New Tone Era. 

                    This album has a little something for every type of music lover. “In My Head” is a poppy rock jam. “I Don’t Dream Anymore” has a really amazing classic ska vibe that I dig. By far the most stand out song on the album for me is “Barrier For Entry”. It is everything that I would expect from a New Tone Band. It’s upbeat and catchy. The lyrics are politically meaningful in a very approachable way. The majority of the song sets up the premise that the world is constructed in a way that isn’t working for most people. It informs listeners that strength can be found within their communities. Then, with about a minute left in the song, the horns come in hard, and you just know they are building up to something important. That is when Tara Hahn drops the line “When something can’t be fixed, the question is: What do we build instead?” Let me tell you friends, that is the kind of call to action that a political song like this really needs. It leaves listeners feeling empowered and optimistic enough to make change. If it isn’t clear by now, this is my favorite song on the album. “Our Playlist” is another stand out song that really hits me in the feels. It’s an acoustic duet between Tara Hahn and Scott Klopfenstein. It has got a lot of sorrow and loss packed into Tara’s vocal performance. Scott’s feature here is also really good and if I am being honest, really makes me rethink my general dislike of Reel Big Fish. There is also an instrument that plays throughout the background of the song. A person that is musically smarter than me, with a better ear, has told me that it is probably slide guitar with a heavy delay and reverb, but it is hard to say for sure. Regardless of what it is, it is very cool, and the song would be lesser without it. I feel like the chances are high that most post pandemic albums will have at least one pandemic song. Is “Isolated Days” that song for this album? I can’t say for sure, but I’d put money on it if I was the betting type. It is a cool take on a pandemic song because its short and upbeat; basically, everything the pandemic wasn’t while it was happening. The song is also chaotic, a little frantic, and definitely shorter than you think it should have been. Which also happens to be everything that the pandemic feels like now in retrospect.

    The verdict is in. “Talk is Killing Me” definitely kills it in every way that matters.  The album offers songs that run the gamut of life’s ups and downs. It’s well composed and performed and everything I hope for in a Ska album. A fantastic addition to the New Tone song book.  

    This review was originally posted on April 26, 2024 on the former LFDH substack.

    If you like the album I reviewed here and want to support the artist as well as this blog please consider picking up the album via this affiliate link—> Purchase Talk is Killing Me by Half Past Two digitally via Amazon Music