Sell Out Records - A Music Review Blog

  In a scene that's teeming with bands that rise and fall like the fleeting notes of a punk rock song, Alkaline Trio has consistently held the torch high, casting an eerie glow with their distinct brand of music. Their latest offering, "Blood, Hair, and Eyeballs," isn't just another album; it's a compendium of stories, a fusion of raw emotion and musical prowess. It's a journey through time, a dive into the depths of the human psyche, and a candid reflection on life's darker shades. "Hot for Preacher" – A Fiery Sermon in Song Kicking off the album is "Hot for Preacher," a track that sets the tone for the entire record. It’s a song that grabs you by the collar and demands attention. The trio's signature blend of fast-paced riffs and dark, evocative lyrics are on full display here, creating a whirlwind of emotions. The track is a testament to the band's ability to blend the gritty essence of punk with lyrical depth that goes b...

  When you talk about punk rock landmarks, NOFX's "Punk in Drublic" is a record that doesn't just play in the background; it grabs you by the collar and demands your attention. Released in 1994, this album didn't just define an era; it became the soundtrack for a generation of punk rock enthusiasts who were looking for something raw, real, and relatable. "Punk in Drublic" wasn't just another album drop in the ocean of punk rock; it was a tidal wave that reshaped the landscape. Upon its release, it achieved immediate acclaim, meshing catchy riffs with satirical and often introspective lyrics. Unlike its predecessors, this album wasn't just noise and rebellion; it was a crafty narrative wrapped in a blanket of hardcore punk melodies. From the raw edges of "Linoleum" to the rhythmic pulses of "The Brews," each track offers a unique window into the ethos of 90s punk culture. Diving into "Punk in Drublic," each track...

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The Hippos 2003 Release (Buy It here) If you were living in Southern California, like I was, in the mid-2000s then you loved ska. You had to. Ok, maybe not, but I was growing up in a religious community near Santa Monica, California and we loved our ska. I wanted to be a rude boy so bad. If you rewind to 1997 I saw my first concert, and it was MXPX, The Hippos, and Less Than Jake. The band put on a showcase of ska fused music that I just couldn’t get enough of. They toured the country with the other two bands and they even made it to MTV and radio airplay. Then things started to change. The band went from ska punk to synthpop and completely disenfranchised their fans. I didn’t like the synth heavy record that came out in 2003, but hey, that’s just what happens. The band didn’t even put this out initially, they waited 3 years to get it out after fans wanted to hear it. That being said, this is not the traditional ska music that you knew from The Hippos. This time around the band...

The year is ending, and that means that we once again will unlock the vault and pick out 10 of the best records of 2015. A ton of music was released this year, and a lot of it I covered, and a lot of it I didn’t. There was so much that you may find yourself wondering what was the best. Then again, you may not even know that I exist, and that’s fine too. Whatever the case is, here are the top 10 records in no particular order of 2015. These are chosen by popularity, frequency of play, and my criteria of randomness. Murs “Have a Nice Life” The first major record I recommend as the best, is none other than this one from Murs. Murs signed to Strange Music and dropped what very well may be the best hip hop record that Murs has put out in a long time. Every track on this one is a banger, and the music videos are absolutely grand. If you have yet to listen, go for it, it’s an incredible record with a lot of attention to lyricism, unique beats, and high quality production. Order it her...

Jars of Clay "Chrismas Songs" LP In 2007, Jars of Clay put out a very cool Christmas record out. I actually was able to pick this up for free because I sent in a letter to a televangelist. Anyways, this is quite possibly one of the more traditional “alternative” Christmas records. I say that because Jars of Clay’s sound lends itself very well to the traditional sounds of Christmas. That’s not to say that this is a record that is full of boring music. That’s actually not the case at all. There are some great moments on this record. The arrangements of the songs are well structured, acoustic, full of instrumentation and absolutely grand. What you’re going to find with some of these songs is that they stick with you. There’s a certain reverence that is paid to these songs. Jars of Clay finds a way to amaze, and create elemental music that is just amazing. Some of my favorite songs on this record include, “The Gift of St. Cecilia”, “Wonderful Christmastime”, “Winter Skin”, ...

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In 1998 The Dingees released what would become one of my favorite ska-punk records of the decade. You see, I was only listening to what was termed “Christian” music at the time. I didn’t branch out into the many secular bands until about a year later, when I got my hands on an Epitaph Records catalog and bought one of every cassette, vinyl, and CD I could get my grubby hands on. The Dingees put out “Armageddon Massive” and I was immediately amazed at the mix of anti-establishment punk rock, and jazz fused with reggae. At the time, The Supertones were experiencing a huge push, and The Dingees as a result got tagged into the same framework. With this release, the band flowed through 11 songs of punk-ska in the same lines as Less Than Jake, Reel Big Fish, and Operation Ivy. You hear these influences from the starting line of “Ghetto Box Smash”, “Chaos Control”, “Bulletproof”, “Rebel Youth”, and more. This very well could be the best debut record for a ska-punk act ever. That’s pretty bol...

Released in 1965, this is one of the most talked about jazz recordings for Christmas. You’re most likely going to see it in every store in a special tin. I prefer the initial December 1965 release that came out on Vinyl, but that’s just me. The remastered version takes out some of the ambiance, and white noise that you may hear on the recording. This was the soundtrack to the CBS special, and was done by the Vince Guaraldi Trio. This is one of the bestselling jazz records of all time, and has been touted as being triple platinum at press time. Every December more people pick up this record and are amazed by the jazz tones found. Recorded at Whitney Studio in Glendale California, the Vince Guaraldi Trio put on a showcase of jazz that really does encompass the showcase that aired. As the holidays are approaching, I found myself listening to this in the morning, and wanted to review it again here, before I forget. My favorite tracks here include “Linus and Lucy”, “Christmas Time Is Here”,...

Big Bad Voodoo Daddy first came into my radio in the late 1990s when the rest of the swing revival happened on rock radio. I immediately latched onto the swing sounds and the band really hooked me. I have been following the band’s career for some time, and one of my favorite records that they put out was definitely “How Big Can You Get”. This is a record that takes on a tribute. The band pulls through a best of Cab Calloway and his big band music. They do covers in the style of Big Bad Voodoo Daddy however. It’s really well done, excellent in recording, and worth your time on a lot of levels. You are going to get the classic tracks that the famed jazz and big band leader put out. Some of my favorites include “Calloway Boogie”, “Minnie The Moocher”, “The Jumpin’ Jive”, “The Ghost of Smokey Joe”, and of course the whole record. In 11 songs, the band puts on 44 minutes of swing music that you would swear was part of the 1950s and 1960s. It’s fresh, it’s hip, it’s Big Bad Voodoo Daddy doi...

I write a lot. People don't understand how much I write. I write so much that I start blogs and just run them into the ground with the amount of text that I throw at them. Some of them get popular, others die slow deaths. I was listening to a song by Thursday, and it begins with the title of this post. So I decided to name a blog, and start writing reviews about the music that I want. I already have a review site called Sell Out Records (http://selloutrecords.blogspot.com), but that's for long form reviews. I also post random thoughts on Sold Out Records via Tumblr. However, I wanted an outlet where I wasn't confined to long forms, so here is this idea. In this blog, you will see reviews of music from all over the map. I will write about things in a very concise, and simple manner. No long form reviews will be posted on here, unless I want to rant. The reviews will be 250 words each and edited by James Himsa. The editing and writing will be to give you a break down of some ...

The So So Glos performed live for KEXP and here's the video of it, listen up idiots. Look, if you have a few bucks, why not pick up The So So Glos record HERE?

The So So Glos come at you fast. They are the type of band that has so many records, they get thrown into the punk rock discount bin. That’s not bad. I found some incredible 7” vinyl in these clearance bins. Funny thing, that’s where I first discovered Blink 182’s “Cheshire Cat”. With the 2014 release of “Blowout” This band of misfits, assuming they aren’t PHD students, put down 11 tracks of punk rock iconography that is going to get your feet tapping. If the band is pursuing a PHD, maybe they aren't misfits. Or maybe they are, what do I know? I'm just a dude trying to review a record. All kidding aside, “Blowout” is a garage punk recording that features a lot of that DIY spirit. You can hear it from the fuzz and noise that comes through the recording. It is not polished and it’s not a million dollar recording, but it doesn’t have to be. It shouldn’t be. The band goes through the songs in such a manner that you get the full passion of what they are doing. From the heavy ba...

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As vinyl records keep getting pushed into the mainstream, you are going to no doubt want to pick up a player. However, if you’re not really going to commit to buying a hi fi option, you’re going to need to look into the entry level options. There’s a lot to look into, and so here’s the start of a series of reviews for those that want to pick up a low cost record player. We’re starting with the Jensen JTA-230 3 Speed Stereo Record Player . This is an option that is listed at around $80, but you can get it for at least half of that if you look. Amazon, for instance has it for $45 at press time. The Cost Break Down For the highest fidelity, you won’t want to pick this up. However, if you aren’t going to spend a lot of money, or you want something to get you started, this works well. For the price, you will get a fully working machine, with plug in and play features. It also converts your records to MP3 if you want to do that, and it has a lot of control over tone and pitch. You can...

It’s time for a new series of posts, and one that I have been kicking around for a while now. Today I open up the vaults for you humanoids out there that have given up on finding new and old music alike. We are going back to 2003! In 2003, The Huntingtons and Retarded put out a split record with 12 songs and about 30 minutes of punk rock glory. If you don’t know either band, shame on you! If you do know these bands, then you’re probably Jeremy Allison from Santa Monica, California. But in case you’re not, I’m here to discuss in brief two tracks off of this otherwise forgotten record. If you’re serious about collecting records, however, you can find this CD on Amazon for $63 HERE . I wouldn’t pay that much, but that’s simply because I had the CD in my collection and sold it in 2009 to fund my trip home from Moscow, Idaho aka HELL. Getting to the tracks at hand, you’ll denote the The Huntingtons put on quite the Ramones-esque punk rock element, but Retarded follows suit. The sec...

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I’m slow to the grind sometimes. There are moments in my life in which I don’t want to write any longer. Then inspiration strikes and I jump at the chance to speak up. Music is that way for me, there are so many tracks, so many albums that I love, and while I listen to a LOT of music, I tend to forget to review it all. That’s what happened with the latest from Fit For A King. They released “Slave To Nothing” in 2014 , and I haven’t reviewed it for this site yet. So here is my take on this incredible mix of hardcore, metal, and melody. From the beginning of the album, you are messed with. The band doesn’t hit you with the chugging riffs and hardcore elements that made some of their previous songs so heavy. Instead, they pull you throw an emotional connection not too unlike the openings that made Poison The Well industry darlings long ago. “Kill The Pain” does just that, it brings you into the mix of soft, heavy, and break downs that make the genre of heavy music so eclectic. If you’...

It’s not often that you get a debut with such power. March To May has put together a set of songs that are nothing short of beautiful. The balance between instruments and vocals does a lot to create the mood for each track. As you listen, you will be ushered slowly into the presence of an acoustic, folk, pop record that draws you in slowly. The combination of sounds illustrate an emphasis on art, more than just getting through the songs. Sometimes, with debut records you have a feeling that the artist is trying too hard to flow through songs. That’s not the case here. You will find that there is a passion that signs off on each track. Every track is an emotionally complex ride. Listen to the words, close your eyes, and feel the impact of the music here. The creation of musical components really stands out on the tracks, and you truly get a feel for what March To May is capable of. The best Ep’s are able to give you a taste of what artists do best, without giving you too much, and t...