Driven Far Off

The latest on the indie, alternative, and rock music scene including news, music, contest, interviews, and more. Best described as your favorite place to find new bands.

Staff Recommendations November 11th, 2007

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Bryce Jacobson
I’m feeling the downturn of music releases this week, and it will continue for the rest of the year the way it looks. So lets look at what else is out there. With the Writers Guild on strike, new episodes of your favorite TV shows will be coming to a halt shortly if not totally for the season. So this leaves mainly the gaming market in full force.

This Fall has been a great times for games. With the release of Halo 3 and a string of other new games coming out what will you be playing this winter? Check out a list of some new games below. Let us know which games you’ll be mashing the buttons to this season!

Guitar Hero 3
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
Super Mario Galaxy (Nov, 12th)
Assassin’s Creed (Nov, 13th)
Crysis (Nov, 14th)
Unreal Tournament 3 (Nov, 19th)
Rock Band (Nov, 20th)

First Bamboozle 2008 Bands Announced

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The first round of bands for the 2008 Bamboozle festival have been announced. The event will take place on May 3rd and 4th at the Meadowlands Sports Complex in East Rutherford, NJ. Check out the bands announced so far below and head over to www.ducatking.com on November 23rd at noon for the pre-sale.

Chiodos
Finch
Forever The Sickest Kids
I Am The Avalanche
Jack’s Mannequin
Less Than Jake
Mindless Self Indulgence
Scary Kids Scaring Kids
The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus
The Starting Line
Senses Fail
Motion City Soundtrack

Sullivan Call It A Day

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Just yesterday Sullivan announced that they would no longer be playing on their current headlining tour. A message from the band today states that they have decided to call it a day. Read the message from the band below.

I suppose the time has come to address sullivans situation. Some of you may know we have recently dropped off the “Cover Your Eyes Tour”, which is funny I know since its our headlining tour.  As far as I know the tour is still happening with the other bands involved so please go out and support them.

After many years and a couple of records we have decided that the best course of action for our members is to disband. We didn’t want things to come to this, no one really wants to abandon something they’ve worked so hard on, but we have found ourselves all wanting different things in our lives. Some of the members will continue playing music. We are going to try and set up a “last show” in our hometown, we will post info on that when we get it worked out. Everyone of us leaves the band still great friends and there’s no bad blood between any of us. Theres no need for a long explanation here so I guess I will leave it at that.

A huge thank you to everyone who supported sullivan over the years!

Sullivan

TBS help fight cancer

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Taking Back Sunday are helping raise money for cancer research by offering a $3 donation to the same cancer charities for each merchandise item purchased from their online store that has the fight cancer logo on it. Help TBS raise money till the end 2007 and help fight cancer.

Message from TBS about cancer research donations
“Well Hello!

Halloween has come and gone so that means it must be time to put up the holiday decorations, right?

As you know we started a series of holiday cards in the past few years to send some holiday cheer and donate funds to one of the most important causes that has personally affected us; cancer research. This year we decided to save some paper by not printing the cards. Instead we are offering a $3 donation to the same cancer charities for each merchandise item purchased from our store that has the fight cancer logo (pictured at the top) on it. Until the end of 2007 you can purchase gifts for your friends and family and join us in the never ending fight against cancer. Head to our ONLINE STORE to check out the items. A lot of items included in this offer are also on sale for only $9.99. We can’t thank you enough in advance for the support.

Remember to also check our ACTION page to find out about organizations that mean a lot to us. We always donate in honor of family members Hinda Rubano, Roberta O’Connell, Elizabeth Reyes and anyone and everyone that has suffered from cancer.

Take care,

Taking Back Sunday”

Chiodos announce more tour dates

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Chiodos announce new tour dates including a special show on the Queen Mary with MXPX and The Dear & Departed.

SPECIAL CHIODOS HEADLINING SHOW!
12/08 – Long Beach, CA @ The Queen Mary (yes,the ship) w/ MXPX, The Dear & Departed, plus TBA

Chiodos touring Australia
02/23 – Brisbane @ Riverstage & Parklands (Soundwave Festival) w/Incubus, The Offspring, etc.
02/24 – Sydney, Australia @ Sydney Park (Soundwave Festival) w/Incubus, The Offspring, etc.
02/29 – Melbourne @ Melbourne Showgrounds (Soundwave Festival) w/Incubus, The Offspring, etc.
03/01 – Adelaide @ Bonython Park (Soundwave Festival) w/Incubus, The Offspring, etc.
03/03 – Perth @ Steel Blue Oval, Old Perth Rd, Bassendean (Soundwave Festival) w/Incubus, The Offspring, etc.

Chiodos playing Bamboozle
05/03 – East Rutherford, NJ­ @ Meadowlands Sports Complex

Reel Big Fish – Monkeys for Nothin’ and the Chimps for Free

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Reel Big Fish

Artist: Reel Big Fish
Album: Monkeys for Nothin’ and the Chimps for Free
Label: Rock Ridge Music
Purchase: Smart Punk
Release Date: July 10, 2007

Overall: 7.5
Music: 8.0
Lyrics: 7.0
Production: 7.5

Reel Big Fish delivered their first studio full-length since leaving Mojo/Jive Records in July. They’ve still got their spunky pop-rock ska style, but the boys, having shed the chains of a major label, have opted for some angrier and edgier lyrics, such as in their “Another F.U. Song.” The anger is perhaps most directed at their old label: “So try to hold me if you want, try to control me if you want, but you won’t keep down, I’m not your clown, I’ve got to find my own way now” sings Aaron in “Live Your Dream” which is coupled with less-rock-infused a ska riff in the instrumental sections of the song. This more traditional ska style, also found in songs like “Slow Down” and “Will the Revolution Come,” is rumored to have been discouraged by Jive in order to increase the likelihood of mainstream radio play of RBF’s earlier albums.

Obviously if you’re a big Reel Big Fish fan, you’ll already have this album in your collection. If you’re not familiar with the band, I’d still recommend Cheer Up! over this album because popping it into your CD player is like popping open a bottle of fun. Monkeys for Nothin’ and the Chimps for Free, on the other hand, is a more eclectic mix of styles given their new freedom to explore different sounds. So if variety is your gig, have a listen and enjoy punkier songs like “Why Do All Girls Think They’re Fat?” to poppier songs like “Til I Hit the Ground” along with the more traditional ska beats mentioned above. In the end, though, the best thing about RBF (and generally ska in general) is how playful it can be: “Everybody’s Drunk” and “Please Don’t Tell Her I Have a Girlfriend” display this trait beautifully with their to-the-point, hilarious lyrics.

Track Listing (a lot for your money/monkey!):
1. Party Down
2. Another F.U. Song
3. Live Your Dream
4. My Imaginary Friend
5. Slow Down
6. The New Version Of You
7. Will The Revolution Come
8. Another Day In Paradise
9. Everybody’s Drunk
10. Please Don”t Tell Her I Have A Girlfriend
11. Way Back
12. Hate You
13. Call You
14. Why Do All Girls Think They’re Fat
15. I’m Her Man
16. Til I Hit The Ground
17. Cannibal

All Time Low – So Wrong, It’s Right

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All Time Low

Artist: All Time Low
Album: So Wrong, It’s Right
Label: Hopeless Records
Purchase: Smart Punk
Release Date: September 25, 2007

Overall: 7.5
Music: 7.0
Lyrics: 7.5
Production: 8.5

Over the past few years, a handful of justifiable pop/rock bands have emerged from the scene with smoothed out melodies and rehashed musical crescendos. Although the Maryland quartet All Time Low may fall under this class, they simply do it better. So Wrong, It’s Right, the group’s highly-anticipated follow up to their Put Up Or Shup Up EP, is a collection of twelve infectious, foot-tapping anthems. Regardless of the fact that no one will confuse this album as something innovative, All Time Low does cash in on a scene that has continued to modernize pop music.

The album begins with a fast paced track entitled “This Is How We Do” which easily sets the pace for their Hopeless Records debut. “Let It Roll”, a potential future single, follows with contagious melodies and amounts to a luster of teen attitude, which also plays favorite to the group’s single “Six Feet Under The Stars”. “Six Feet” can be acclaimed as one of the strongest put-together songs on the album; the lyrics are well written and the chorus is strongly versed by frontman Alex Gaskarth. Other standout tracks on the album include: “Holly (Would You Turn Me On?)”, “Dear Maria, Count Me In”, and “Stay Awake (Dreams Only Last For A Night)”.

All in all, So Wrong, It’s Right is a vigorous batch of pop/rock songs produced by the household name Matt Squire (also accredited, Paul Leavitt). I’m sure that this album will denote some criticism for its generic sound, and it does lose some value because of this, but this is the album All Time Low was content in making. I think it’s safe to say, however, that these lovable goofballs have a bright future ahead of themselves, and I’m buying in.

Track Listing:
1. This Is How We Do
2. Let It Roll
3. Six Feet Under The Stars
4. Holly (Would You Turn Me On?)
5. The Beach
6. Dear Maria, Count Me In
7. Shameless
8. Remembering Sunday
9. Vegas
10. Stay Awake (Dreams Only Last For A Night)
11. Come One, Come All
12. Poppin’ Champagne