Shed/In Blank

Shed - Title Fight (Side One Dummy, 2011)

Thanks be to Bravender for introducing me to these Kingston, Pennsylvania purveyors of nostalgic emo and hardcore infused pop punk. Remember the late 1990s and early 2000s, when emo, punk and hardcore were united by record labels like Equal Vision, Initial, Jade Tree, Revelation and even Fueled by Ramen and Vagrant? Well, that's what Title Fight sound like on Shed, and it rules. It's not even close to may favorite record of 2011 or anything, it's just really nice to hear bands doing this kind of music again. I feel like I'm in high school again when I listen to this, and I love it.

In Blank - Title Tracks (Ernest Jenning, 2011)

In Blank is the sophomore full length from Title Tracks, the latest project from musician extraordinaire John Davis, who is most relevant to me as the drummer for defunct DC melodic art-punk band Q and Not U. I will admit, it is nothing special, but man, is it fun! All 11 tracks consist of the same jangly guitars, bouncy rhythms and excellent melodies, which can totally get old and/or forgettable, but is permissible due to how well Davis pulls everything off (assuming he played every instrument on the record like on Title Tracks' debut). The power pop of In Blank is an obvious nod to Elvis Costello and even The New Pornographers in places, and that is a-ok to me.