TrainWreckOnline

Hi There.
Thanks for stopping by TrainWreckOnline. My name is Steve and I run this site. My main endeavour with this resource is to avoid provide updates on creative mediums that stem from an independant background. Obviously this isn't totally achieveable as there is such a strong blend between the mainstream and independant creative industries these days. Basically, I try to focus on quality work regardless of popularity or stigma.
I try to feature a healthy cross section of local and international music news and reviews ranging from unsigned local acts with no real fanbase, all the way through to well established local and international bands. Also, I provide weekly features on local bands, artists and blogs. There is also up to date information on the current tours happening around the country as well as the latest AIR charts. Feel free to peruse the site and leave any form of feedback.
If you play in a band, send a message via this page about any news you want me to include in the daily blogs. Sometimes I forget to include it so if you send me something and it doesn't seem to be included, just send me a reminder. Also, if you would like your latest releases reviewed, please send them through to my postal address. You can find that at the bottom of the reviews section.
The readership of TrainWreckOnline has now hit it's highest point with around 1000 blog views per week and more people then ever leaving feedback.
LATEST ALBUM REVIEWS As Cities Burn - Hell or High Water. Added on April 27, 2009.
Brief History.
As Cities Burn formed in 2002 and soon signed to Tooth and Nail Records in 2004. They released their first album Son, I Loved You at Your Darkest in 2005. A year later, the band decided to split but after an outpouring from fans, stayed together and released their second album, Come Now, Sleep in mid 2007. It was a departure from their former sing/scream based sound and alienated fans. The band continued to tour and support the album until late 2008. They began work on their third and latest album Hell or High Water which was released last week.
Sound Like?
Imagine Jonezetta have intimate sex with the softer side of Underoath with a bit of gritty guitar twang thrown in and you kind of get the idea. That won't happen of course, as both of those bands are Christian and homosexuality is an abomination in the eyes of their God.
Album Details.
Hell or High Water was recorded by band member Cody Bonette and friend Tyler Orr in their respective home studios. The album was produced by the band and was released on Tooth and Nail Records, not their former label, Solid State, a sub-label of Tooth and Nail.
Album Summary.
With this release, As Cities Burn have taken the sound they started with on Come Now, Sleep further. Nearly to perfection. A refined, focused yet still bombastic sound is what they have now.
84' Sheepdog twists and writhes musically as well as lyrically. Not many bands can match the musical mood with the lyrical theme. Former As Cities Burn singer T.J. Bonette screams "They fixed your brain when you were young" with enough desperation, sincerity and conviction to convince you of the theme of conformity this songs portrays.
With the rock out of their collective system/s As Cities Burn slow things down a notch or four with Errand Rum, Into the Sea and Made too Pretty. Although each song has a similar tempo and all are in the same key, each song still manages to achieve their own vibe and maintain a sense of uniqueness. I can't quite put my finger on how they do this but my best guess is lyrically and vocally. Whilst speaking of lyrics, the simple line of "go, throw yourself into the sea" is delivered with such believability that it stands out as the most poignant lyric of the record.
Following on from the refrained beauty of songs two, three and four, is definitely a hard task. As Cities Burn somehow do it though. They do it with strength.The six-minute Lady Blue sludges and drudges along with a lonely guitar riff and group vocals. At first, I thought the band had rocked as hard as they would on this album with 84' Sheepdog but then the song Petty resets the mood of the opener. Interestingly, the chorus features the words of Shakespeare. To me, that just demonstrates the mindset of the lyricist during the composition of this particular track. Maybe he couldn't think of the words to portray his feelings but instead borrowed the words of a great writer to put it across. Whatever the song is about, the feelings were obviously strong.
The only weak point of the album is the closer Capo. It features the most Jonezettary moment of the album with it's uptempo dancy vibe. Gladly though, it's the albums last track. If it were in the middle, it would ruin the flow and feel of the album and therefore make my opinion of the effort a lot less. Although not a bad track in itself, in the context of the album, it's certainly not welcome.
As Cities Burn have apparently broken up. If this is their last hurrah, then fuck me, what a fine one it is (was?).
Final Score - 8.5/10
Recommended if You Like - Mutemath, Jimmy Eat World, Underoath when they are not heavy.The Appleseed Cast - Sagarmatha. Added on April 15, 2009.
Brief History.
The Appleseed Cast is an indie rock band based in Lawrence, Kansas and currently comprises singer/guitarist Christopher Crisci, guitarist Aaron Pillar, bassist Nathan Whitman and drummer John Momberg. Since forming in 1997 the band have released 7 full length albums in their career on influential labels such as Deep Elm Records and Tigerstyle Records.
Sound Like?
Early in the band's career their sound was predominantly guitar-based music which evolved from intense, heavy emo indebted to such acts as Mineral and Sunny Day Real Estate to a unique "post-rock" sound hinging on inventive, intricate drumming, subtle guitar arpeggios and impassioned vocals.
Album Details.
Sagarmatha was recorded in the band's hometown of Lawrence, Kansas and released via Vagrant Records | The Militia Group on February 17 this year. It is the follow up to their 2006 album, Peregrine.
Album Summary.
Since releasing their magnum opus Low Level Owl Volumes I and II in 2001, the band has never matched the genius, innovation and sheer striking beauty of said album. 2003's Two Conversations saw the band reverting back to their guitar driven, rock sound and the follow up, Peregrine found a nice balance between ethereal experimentation and their roots. This begs the question: witch path hath been trodden on their latest, Sagamatha?
At first, you think you are being taken back to the glory days of Low Level Owl with the heavily instrumental and repetitive opening track As the Little Things Go, until the vocals come in at the 6 and a half minute mark. The small build up at the end of the track sets the tone of the album nicely. Restrained intensity, a focus on the rhythm section and eerie instrumentation / vocals.
Sagarmatha as a whole seems to carry a slightly more melancholy vibe when compared to their two previous efforts. You cannot convince me that the entire spance of The Road West won't conjure up some sort of hurt within if you hear it. Same goes for South Col, which actually reminded me of a shoegazer version of Soundgarden, if that can be imagined.
The predominant return to the drum / bass / eerie guitar line driven sound of their earlier work has definitely been influenced by the return of producer Ed Rose who worked with the band on their seminal Low Level Owl release. The most noticeable trait being the mixing of the vocals within the music, rather than above the music as was on their previous two efforts.Although the album recycles a lot of previous ideas in a fresh sounding wayThe Appleseed Cast have kept things interesting with the inclusion of the song Like a Locus. With it's simple drum machine beat underlying a few layers of feedback and sporadic flourishes of orchestral noise, you would think you were listening to a b-side from Japanese producer Cornelius.
Whilst The Appleseed Cast have not matched the greatness of Low Level Owl, they have made an admirable attempt. They have crafted an album with enough shoegazer moments to keep some fans happy and yet have not completely rehashed a sound they have previously mastered by throwing some surprises into their melting pot of...well, everything.
To sum up, Sagarmatha is a nice mix of old and older with some fresh herbs thrown in to keep it smelling nice and tasting tasty.
Final Score - 7.0/10
Recommended if You Like - Mogwai, Sigur Ros, Stars of the Lid.A Day to Remember - Homesick Added on April 1, 2009.
Brief History.
Forming in 2003, A Day to Remember quickly amassed a large fan base through constant touring off their own coin and the release of their debut album ...And Their Name Was Treason. This gained the attention of Victory Records who signed the band and have so far released For Those Who Have Heart in 2007 and this, their latest album Homesick in February this year.
Sound Like?
A mixture of generic metalcore and passable pop-punk. Imagine Parkway Drive playing New Found Glory with the addition of really dumb breakdowns and you kind of get the picture.
Album Details.
Homesick was produced by Chad Gilbert of New Found Glory and mixed by Adam Dutkiewicz. Also, the sound of the instruments are almost identical to Parkway Drive's latest, Horizons tonally.
Album Summary.
Overall, I respect the band for trying to mix two genres and in some ways they do it well. Most of the transitions between heavy and poppy are quite smooth and don't seem too awkward. Also, there is good balance vocally between singer Jeremy McKinnon's clean and not so clean vocals.
Despite this, the album comes up short in many ways. Most of the songs are literally in the same key and have too similar structures, resulting in a lack of identity between tunes. The lyrics also leave a lot to be desired. The best example is the final track If It Means a Lot to You. While I salute the band for writing a half-decent teen acoustic ballad, it sounds like it was written by a heart-broken 14 year old, not a grown man 3 albums into his musical career. All of the breakdowns are dumb and so recycled, even Bury Your Dead would be offended. Production wise, the album is so slick instrumentally and vocally that you swear androids, not humans (who make mistakes you see?) are performing.
This album should be nothing more than a guilty pleasure for times when you feel a little inebriated or just want to be a harmless moron with your friends. In terms of listening to the album based on artistic merit or respect, I couldn't, as it warrants none.
Final Score - 3.5/10
Recommended if You Like - Parkway Drive, Four Year Strong, Blink 182.Want Your CD's reviewed? Send them to the following address.
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*PLEASE NOTE - ALL OLD REVIEWS ARE ON A SEPERATE PROFILE. IT IS NUMBER TWO IN THE TOP FRIENDS. FEATURE BAND updated on March 25, 2009.AS CITIES BURN
When As Cities Burn formed in 2005, they played a generic style of sing/scream music similar to popular bands at the time. Emery and Thursday come to mind. After breaking up and re-forming the following year, the band decided to adopt a new sound. One that found it's foundations in guitar based indie rock. Mutemath and latter day Jimmy Eat World come to mind.
The band have delved further into their modern sound with their latest release, Hell or High Water. Dealing with personal struggles with faith, family and life in general, lyricist and singer Cody Bonette croons his way through 9 tracks of raw, stripped back rock.
The tracklisting for Hell or High Water is below.
1. 84' Sheepdog
2. Errand Rum
3. Into the Sea
4. Made too Pretty
5. Lady Blue
6. Petty
7. Daughter
8. Pirate Blues
9. Capo
You can listen to four of the nine album tracks right here . Better yet, you can purchase the album right here . FEATURE LABEL updated on March 25, 2009. EPITAPH RECORDS
Who the hell doesn't know the history of this label? Epitaph Records was started in 1980 by Bad Religion guitarist Brett Gurewitz to release his band's material. Throughout the 1980's and mid 1990's the label continually released material from punk bands. One of these bands was The Offspring. In 1994, they released their benchmark album Smash. It went on to sell 11 million copies worldwide, taking the band and Epitaph with them into the stratosphere.
Following this unexpected success, the label expanded steadily and has now become one the biggest independent labels in the world. It is now home to Pennywise, Motion City Soundtrack, Atmosphere, Converge, Parkway Drive, The Bouncing Souls and most recently, Bring Me the Horizon, Every Time I Die, New Found Glory and Set Your Goals.
Check out the labels website right here . FEATURE VIDEO updated on March 25, 2009.Mere Theory - Defeating This Feeling video.
Adelaide band Mere Theory have released the video for their new single Defeating This Feeling from their debut album Catalan Atlas. FEATURE ARTIST updated on March 12, 2009.ANISH KAPOOR.
This magnificent work is a fine example of Anish Kapoor’s practice as one of the most significant sculptors of our time. Kapoor’s work draws on metaphysical theory and ideas of the sublime, while his use of colour emphasises the sensory in his sculpture. His spectacular and extraordinary works engage the viewer both physically and psychologically with their large scale and saturated colours.
Anish currently has a large piece at the Gallery of Modern Art in Brisbane. It will be finished on May 31 so if you get a chance, pop in and have a look. It's quite good. FEATURE BLOG updated on March 12, 2009.
Although the band Senses Fail are well below ordinary, one of their members Heath Saraceno (formerly of Midown) has started a food blog. It documents and discusses the food he eats whilst on tour. I love food more than life itself so I found it rather amusing and midly interesting.
Check it out right here .