The sixth installment from the Fat compilation is a collection of 18 tracks, 7 already released and 11 are totally previously unreleased. The new comp is a good way to find out more about the latest release from the label ( as Avail, Sick Of It All, No Use For A Name, Dillinger Four ) and to get to hear new songs that some bands will put on their upcoming albums ( Lagwagon, Rise Against, and more ). The album is opened by The Lawrence Arms, with a new kick ass song entitled “Presenting: The Dancing Machine ( Il Robot Con La Testa Di Scimmia)”, and the subtitle is in Italian. Wow I’m proud to be Italian now. The song is short but I’d say it’s one of the best of the album. Coming next there are Propagandhi, with the old song “Back To The Motor League”, which I know by heart, and the Mad Caddies, with the new song “Leavin’”, which sounds more like the “Duck Cover” stuff. The new tracks come from Lagwagon ( “Never Stop” is the classic LW sound ), Strung Out, whose new song “Your Worst Mistake” sounds a lot like their newer stuff, Rise Against, with “Generation Lost”, always good hardcore punk. In the meantime there are also some already released tunes as “Friends Of the Enemy” by Nufan, “File Under Adult Urban Contemporary” by Dillinger Four, “Blue Times Two” by Avail, “Faction” by Less Than Jake and “Built To Last” from the live record of Sick Of It All. The unreleased tracks are not finished yet - we’ll get to hear the new song from NOFX “Mattersville”, the new from Anti Flag “Federation” and the funny “Cocksucker” by aussie Frenzal Rhomb.The latest 2 tracks are “Yesterday’s Headlines” by Good Riddance and the new tune from Me First And The Gimme Gimmes, covering “Nothing Compares 2 U” by Celine Dion or some other famous artist - yo bro, this comp is what you need if you like Fat. Yo bro. | carlo@staff.truepunk.com

When you hear the word “emo”, you either think to Dashboard Confessional and The Get Up Kids style. Well I think to The Lyndsay Diaries. This is not a proper band, but a solo artist, whose name is Scott Windsor, who plays some of the finest rock emo influenced music I heard this year. Produced by the brilliant Sean O’Donnel (Dogwood, Reeve Oliver), “The Tops Of Trees Are On Fire” give the listener 10 tracks of soothing melodies and heartfelt lyrics: slow music with sad love lyrics that will break your heart if you’ve just been left behind by someone, all with some very few instrumentations: an acoustic guitar,some drums, a bass, harmonica and keyboards. How it is simple to create good music! The best tracks are not easy to find, as the whole record is a collection of very enjoyable songs, but I could name “Cowboy”, “Mixtapes And Memories”, “Paper Airplane Dream” and “The 20th Year” and “Illustrations Of Melbourne” - these will make the day for fans of Elliott Smith, Bright Eyes, & Dashboard Confessional. If I had to pick an emo album for 2002, that would be “The Tops Of Trees Are On Fire” by The Lyndsay Diaries. | carlo@staff.truepunk.com

After the 2000’s “The Hammering Process”, Arkansas’ Living Sacrifice is back with a new full length album that I would define the most aggressive and powerful album by this band. The production is perfect, the mix of Andy Sneap is amazing and most important, the songs are metal. If you enjoy yourself with the noise of metal and hardcore music, “Conceived In Fire” is a record that will feel all of your needs: such songs as “Send Your Regrets”, “Imminent War”, “Ignite” and “Black Seeds” are some of the best the band ever wrote, and also on the instrumental “Into Again” and “Reach For the Sky” it’s easy to hear the ability of this band to play metal: slow heavy guitar riffs alternate to fast hardcore stuff, all filled with screams and raw vocals. I suggest to any metal fan to listen to this, Living Sacrifice is one of my favorite band and this album is awesome. | carlo@staff.truepunk.com

Digger is one of those bands I can’t understand: they have good catchy songs, I like listening to them a lot, but I was never able to put them in the right place. Rock? Pop Punk? Melodic hardcore?…emo?!? Nothing of these I guess, just Digger. The new album “Keystone”, the latest from this hard working band, is a mix of various influences, from slow rock ala Weezer to fast catchy pop punk stuff ala Mxpx/Limp style. Songs like “Someone Save Me” and “Gemini” will stick in your ear the first time you’ll get to listen to them, and so the other tracks like “Tattoo Broken Hearts” and “Tired Of Kissing”. The prodution of the record is supreme, and it was done with Dana Fehr, of Weston fame, and the package has a very nice bootleg with some drawings that reminds me of Hot Water Music bootlegs: it’s not all white as the cover, don’t worry. Talking of lyrics, Digger have some kind of double face: their songs deal with love and broken hearts but at the same time they deal with indipendence and will tobe free as “Try And Catch Me”. I think “Keystone” is one of the finest release from Hopeless Records, and if you’re looking for a good half an hour of rock music, this is for you. | carlo@staff.truepunk.com

After releasing a couple of albums on Hellcat Records, The Pietasters put out - without a lot of notice in general - a brand new record on a brand new label, Fueled By Ramen. To tell the truth, I did not even know this band had left Hellcat, and I totally had no idea they had to release a new record. So this was quite a surprise for me, as I have always enjoyed this band, since the day I heard some songs on some samplers. “Turbo”, the new album, is quite different from their previous Hellcat era: the new stuff is less “ska-punk” and more reggae, rocksteady and soul: there are more slow songs, and not all deal with the classic ska clichè “be happy, have fun”. The eight dudes in this band know very well how to write songs: every track is quite different, and I think that the ones of their fans that liked “Willis” and “Awesome Mix Tape #6″ will still enjoy the Pietasters, even tough “Turbo” is a different thing. | carlo@staff.truepunk.com

The seventh album from this Florida band is possibly their most difficult and the one that will probably sell the most. See the contraddiction? The album is solid, emotional and with a very good amount of great songs, I must say that any song on “Caution” sounds like this had to be here. Songs like “Trusty Chords”, the opening “Remedy” and the punkorama track “Wayfarer” are all different and show the ability that How Water Music has to play good tunes. Post hardcore? Post rock ? Post Punk? Post whatever, but “Caution” is a rock album. “It’s All Related”, “Not For Anyone” and “We’ll Say Anything We Want” put the record one step above almost anyone in the “scene” today, as this band does not only have a great and strong capacity of making the listener feel some kind of emotion, these dudes know how to play damn good music. I truly think that “Caution” is the best release Epitaph has put out in the latest 5 years. Must buy if you love rock music. | carlo@staff.truepunk.com

Pop punk is always boring if played in a certain way by certain bands. Luckily there are also those bands that make you happy while you’re listenin to a pop punk record: Ultimate Fakebook is one of these lucky few. They have this rock attitude mixed with some good punk rock approach and this enable them to release an album on Initial full of great catchy rock songs: “When I’m With You I’m Ok” might be the best example: simple mellow lyrics, easy listening music, it’s very radio friendly, and some very good production by Ed Rose. Not to mention, such songs like “Wrestling Leap year”, “Forever, Forever”, “Goddamn Dance Craze” remind me of that music you listen on Mtv as background to some shows, not to mention, it’s clear to find some influences as Weezer, the latest Green Day and the emo of Saves The Day. Big ups to Initial for releasing such good music. | carlo@staff.truepunk.com

The English kings of pop punk rock are back with their new album and this time they’re not on Fat Wreck anymore. “Disposable Income” gives us back Snuff right where we left them with “Tweet Tweet My Lovely”, and the previous “Demmabussabebonk”. The new record features 15 songs in the classic Snuff style, especially of those two albums I mentioned. Songs like “7 Days (Solomons Boring Week)”, “Angels 1-5″, “To Disappoint”, “Boatnick (So It Goes)” and “The Other Half Of You” are some of the finest these english boys ever wrote. Of course on this cd you will not miss classic weird songs as “Pages 42-43″, and “Heads You Win Tails You Lose”, or the chaotic “Wearenowhere”, with even some techno parts. Finally Snuff are back with their rock influenced by pop, rock, punk, reggae and soul. I am happy. | carlo@staff.truepunk.com

Are you tired of the same old crap that is on your Mtv? Are you tired of those crappy pop punk bands that sing about dumping girl and humping moms? Are you looking for some pure and honest rock’n'roll energy? Then you’re ready for the Donots! This fieve piece from Germany can be rightly considered by myself not only the best and the most entertaining live band, but they know how to write and sing hell-a-catchy damn good songs. Their previous album “Pocketrock” was a success: it was filled with hit single that gained a lot of popularity over Europe, plus, “Pocketrock” was filled with amazing songs. As if this was not enough, the band is putting out their new album “Amplify the Good Times”, and let me tell you, this is their best album EVER. Not only because it has the best rockin tunes the Donots ever wrote, but you can hear the rock in the blood of these dudes. Every tune is different, every song has something new to show, and every chords and chorus is put in the right place, right there where you would like to hear it. This does not mean this is a simple record or it has something we hear every day, on the contrary, “Amplify the Good Times” is what I’d call the best collection of rock’n'roll tracks you’ll get to hear this year. Why? Go listen to “Saccharine Smile”, “Big Mouth”, “Lady Luck”, the awesome “Rollecoaster” - my favorite, and then “Up Song”, with backing vocals from Midtown, or again, “Oh Yeah Oh Yeah” and “Private Angel” and you’ll hear how this band is rocking: on stage they provide the best performances with Guido and Ingo jumping all aorund and some good passion for rock. Do they sound like pop punk? Who cares? They are rock and they rock. Not only fast and catchy stuff, but also slow songs as “That’s Armageddon”, “Friends ( Fucked )”, “Hours Away” and the list goes on with “Someone to blame” and “Worst Friend/Best Enemy”. If you then are as lucky as me, you’ll get the limited edition version with two bonus tracks “Pills & Kisses” and “Worlds Collide”, not to mention, the alternative version of “Private Angel” and some good packaging. If you are looking for some fresh and young blood that sacrifice in the name of rock’n'roll, get to know the Donots. They are and will be getting bigger and bigger. | carlo@staff.truepunk.

All my friends watch Jackass on MTV, I never watched it. It’s dumb. I don’t think I will ever go see the movie. I hate going to the movies, and if they’re dumb, you gotta give me a good reason. Is it fun? Ok, Jackass is fun. The soundtrack is quite tight, even tough quite mainstream: Andrew WK’s new hit “We Want Fun”, The Misfits’ “Hybrid Moments”, The Ramones’ “California Sun” are the songs from the most famous punk artists. Talking of “We Want Fun”, it is a hell-a-melodic song, especially as it’s very similar to “Party Hard” and “She Is Beautiful” and all of the other Andrew WK’s songs. I mean, I like them, they sound ok, but, is it too hard to try something jackass new? Other enjoyable jackass stuff comes from Minutemen, CKY, Smut Peddlers’ song “Let’s Get Fucked Up” is funny, but I don’t think Slayer can really make it to be on this compilation for a good reason, maybe it’s because “Angel Of Death” is their anthem.This Jackass sountrack is quite good, it has a lot of good mainstream and underground music and I think it’s very enjoyable while seeing some dumb jackass retards running down the street in a shopping cart.
And remember, “If you’re gonna be dumb, you better be tough.” | carlo@staff.truepunk.com