Ache;Emelie

Oh my. Ache;Emelie is(was) a post-hardcore band often tagged as "screamo." The "screamo" tag is a bit inaccurate, as the music wasn't as hardcore as those bands typically are. The band hails from the hardcore megalopolis that is Lafeyette Indiana, and according to their PVF space, they have not broken up, but are looking to get enough member back together to release new material and tour again. Here's hoping that happens. Hell, if I lived close enough, I would have already kicked down doors to join them.
They are supposedly working on an acoustic release which should be fantastic.
Screeching vocals, tremendously powerful heartfelt lyrics, distorted guitars, and of course, a violin. They only have a single s/t Ep out, and I found a single elsewhere not on the EP. Not easy to find, as their repertoire of released material is small, but so well worth the find.
Tracks to pay special attention to: "Green Like Looking Good" and "I am Sisyphus."
Members of Ache;Emelie are part of the "Body of Wasps" outfit as far as I can tell.

Track Listing:
1. An Apparition towards Compassionate Living
2. I am Sysiphus
3. Bonaparte's Lung
4. Green Like Looking Good
5. She's Gone Gilligan, and She Took the Professor With Her

Ache;Emelie EP

Ache;Emelie on MySpace
See them play acoustic

Casket Lottery

Casket Lottery were a somewhat low-key band from Kansas City, MO. Started in the late 90's as a side project of KC hardcore band Coalesce, the three-piece band played fantastic Indie-Emo rock. Dynamic noisy-quiet levels, Clean-to-distorted soaring guitar, subdued but very skilled bass guitar work, syncopated drums, and calling-answering vocals added tremendously to the quality. Guitarist Nathan's voice took me a minute to get used to, being thin and boyish at times, but it certainly grew on me. He's a really nice guy, and their shows were great. Numerous tours and new projects have pulled the band members away from the Casket Lottery project in recent years, notably with members of now-defunct Small Brown Bike to form Able Baker Fox.

I have had the pleasure of seeing these boys play in Columbus Ohio a few years back with pals Small Brown Bike, and then later in Chicago (merged with SBB as Able Baker Fox) opening up for scene favorites Hot Water Music.
As Casket Lottery, they released many great recordings, notably this one, "Choose Bronze." Why the two pictures above? The album was released originally with the blue heavy-card stock cover with cut-outs revealing the words "choose bronze," then re-released with the foofy cover later on. One can guess price was a factor in changing the cover.
The title taken from a line in a Shakespeare play, the CD is fantastic. It is an older release of theirs, dating from 1999, released on Second Nature Records. This record label also put out the Able Baker Fox release "Voices."
Tracks to pay special attention to are "Ocean," "Softie," and "Ever Since Sulfur"

Track Listing:
1. Midway
2. Deepset and Longlashed
3. Trust Nolan
4. Softie
5. Ocean
6. Ever Since Sulfur
7. One Trick Pony
8. Everyone Here is Wrong
9. The Matter
10. For When I'm Missing
11.  Home Is...


Choose Bronze

Buy it from InterPunk
But it from Second Nature
Buy it from Artist Direct

7 Seconds: Live: One Plus One

No one should really need an introduction to 7 Seconds. In case you've been hiding under a rock for the last 20+ years and have never heard of them, well,
shame on you.

7 Seconds started in the 1980s in Reno, Nevada as a hardcore band. Many releases and relentless touring made 7 Seconds a staple in the hardcore music scene. The music is political, relentless, powerful and was in many ways a blueprint for American hardcore music of the 1980s. Never one to miss a chance to talk to the kids (see: preach), Kevin Seconds always has something positive to say to the crowd about respecting. In this way, Ian MacAye from Fugazi is very similar to Kevin Seconds- they both want the scene to grow, mature, improve, and get past petty bickering and elitism.
It is both ironic and disappointing that so many straightedge kids latched on to 7 Seconds in their hey day. Don't get me wrong, I spent quite a few years as a straightedge vegan and never did anything stupid like the infamous sXe'rs got attention for- so I know that not everyone was like that. It was just sooo disappointing that enough people were that those who decided not to do drugs etc became so "tough-guy." Wasn't that part of the point of punk to avoid shitty attitudes and tough guys? sigh.
Ah, anyway- I digress.

Live: One Plus One is a live recording (duh) released in 1987. 12 awesome tracks, accurately capturing the energy 7 Seconds puts into every show. I've had the distinct pleasure of seeing 7 Seconds live many times, and somehow the shows never get old, slow, or boring. The live version of "99 Red Balloons" is their cover of the English version of Nena's hit from the 1980s, with snippets from 2 other songs thrown into the mix by the end of the song (bonus points for anyone knowing the non-obvious second song borrowed from at the end). The album will leave you worn out, sweating, and calling out to the band to play one more. The next time they come anywhere near you, do yourself the favor and see them. Any punk veterans will likely have owned this at one point already, but the cassette and vinyl have gotten scratchy with age.

Re-up your music, punx.

Track Lisiting:
1. You Live and Die for Freedom
2. Siren
3. Catching
4. Praise
5. Somebody Help Me Scream
6. Opinion of Feeling
7. Trust
8. Calendar
9. Regress, No Way
10. The Save Ourselves
11. Walk Together, Rock Together
12. 99 Red Balloons

Live:One Plus One

Buy it from Amazon
Buy it from NetSoundMusic

Buy it from the punks at Round Flat Records