Sell Out Records - A Music Review Blog

 Rank 5 out of 5  It’s hard to define the pace of Alkaline Trio, the 3 person band has found a way to sound like something so much more with their records. With the release of “This Addiction” the trio really puts their best foot forward with some amazing tracks, and even a trumpet here and there. The band really puts on a showcase of pop punk that you can’t deny. Alkaline Trio, comes swinging with “This Addiction” then continues forward with sing-a-long songs that are punk rock and emo at the same time. The sound design on the record is solid, moving forward with more than just the standard three chords and progressing with lyrical onslaught that just moves you. There are moments of dread on the record with Matt Skiba pushing his heart, and then there are moments where he seems to let a bit of bliss come through, but it’s really an emo record if you ask me. There are more moments of sadness than there are of joy, and that’s not a bad thing. The record comes together with so...

Rating: 3 out of 5 Hardcore music is definitely an acquire taste. If you’re not a fan, then you’re not a fan. But if you are a fan, then you are a diehard fan of the type of music that hits hard. With the release of “Refresh Renew” Point of Recognition stepped into a new arena, without their second singer, they put on a simplified version of the hardcore sound that will drill you in the head. The sound is heavy, with a lot of break downs, and focus on the hardcore sound that you would come to expect from the Inland Empire’s hardcore scene. “Refresh Renew” is not a long album, and it features a great deal of sing-a-long vocals that are aimed to be amazing in live performances. The frenetic pace is good, the sound quality is grand, and you get a sense of belonging if you’re a hardcore fan. The band really plays on the notion of hardcore, and it doesn’t hold back. That may be something that you may not enjoy, as it can be repetitive, but if you’re a fan of the genre, you’ll understand...

Rating: 5 out of 5 From the beginning of the record, “Against the Grain” brings about a premium of punk rock ethos. “Modern Man” encapsulates the general idea of Bad Religion in such a good way, that you’ll immediately latch on to what they are doing on the track, as well as what is to come throughout the record itself. This was the seventh record to be put out by the band, and it was a continuation of their punk rock tuneage. The tracks are blistering, and the lyrics are poignant, without losing a pop influence here and there. Even though I say that, it doesn’t mean that they are lacking in anyway, it just means that there are moments where you can sing along, and are obviously not just straight forward rockets to the end. The album features 17 tracks, and a lot of the band’s hits come off of t his record, including “Modern Man”, “Anesthesia”, “Flat Earth Society”, “Faith Alone”, “Against The Grain”, “21 st Century (Digital Boy), and “Walk Away”, all of which are featured on vari...

Rating: 4 out 5 I grew up in a religious home and part of my journey involved not listening to a lot of secular music for a time. While I never really followed that, it meant that I was always digging through the proverbial crates looking for anything Christian alternative. That’s where I found Slick Shoes’ first EP with just a few songs they had me hooked. They would then release “Rusty” and blow me away with pop punk glory. The band would go on to put out some quality records, and continue to grow into a pop punk mega power, even though they seemed to lack that next level success that you’d get from bands like MXPX or New Found Glory. Regardless of all that, they still managed to put a staple on the pop punk world, crossing over from Christian music into the mainstream at times. With the 2019 release of “Broadcasting”, the band put together 21 tracks of live music, and it features something from every iteration of the band’s storied career. There is no wasted moment on the record...

Rating 4 out of 5 Live from Chain Reaction in Anaheim California, the band New Found Glory put on some great performances. The recording took place in 2013, and was released as a live record and wow, it’s a stellar example of how fun going to a NFG show truly is. The album features 17 tracks that were performed live, and 3 studio tracks that were brand new at the time of release. Overall, this album is stellar, with high production value for a live record and the all out onslaught of punk rock ethos and hardcore musical elements that come together for New Found Glory. From the opening lines of “Understatement”, to “My Friends Over You”, you get a good sense of what went down on the nights that the band played these tracks. Of all the live records that you can get your grubby hands on, you’re going to want to get yourself a taste of New Found Glory, and that’s what you get with “Kill It Live”. It’s by far one of the better live records that has been put out by a punk rock band, an...