Dananananaykroyd - There Is A Way

> CORE ALBUM OF THE WEEK, 13/12/11

I know what you're probably thinking... "indie pop/post-hardcore" sounds like a bizarre, and possibly disastrous combination. But believe me when I say that Dananananaykroyd (RIP) played sincere, down to earth, but most of all fun and enjoyable music, and there aren't really any other terms that can do their unique style justice.

I was hesitant at first to list them as my core album this week. Though often just put down as indie rock, there's an edge to their music rare to the genre. Labeling themselves with the unconventional terms "posi-core/fight-pop" seems more along the lines of a good way to describe their music, even if silly and probably tongue-in-cheek. Citing indie rock as an influence, they certainly replicate its fun, swagger and danceability. There's plenty of catchy hooks and softer melodies, but they also regularly let themselves loose; spastically screaming and thrashing away, showcasing this vague post-hardcore element, and the punk influences they also claim.

The Scottish band unfortunately called it quits a couple months ago, which is certainly a loss after the improvement they showed with the progression from their previous album to There Is A Way... and the promise of greater things to come it entailed.

There Is A Way
Released: 2011
Country: UK
Genre: Indie Pop/Post-Hardcore
"Muscle Memory" music video
"Seven Days Late"

FFO: Johnny Foreigner, Tubelord, Pulled Apart By Horses

AUN - Black Pyramid

> NOT-CORE ALBUM OF THE WEEK, 09/12/11

I figured after basically a month of solid metal, it was probably time to move into something else... but that doesn't mean the tone is any less sombre or sinister. Drone is an area of music where if you've heard one artist, you've heard many. There's not much room for innovation in a genre that revolves around minimalism and repetition, so it's not often I test the waters and try something new from it.

As far as drone goes, AUN are really quite good. Multi-layered and relatively complex; the songs hum, fuzz, grind and twinkle in unnerving, dissonant waves. They're one of the more entrancing drone acts I've heard and do an incredible job of immersing you in a dark, dreamy state - aided by some of the most fitting, effective and ominous cover art I've seen in a long time, it makes for an impressively rich atmosphere.

Black Pyramid
Released: 2010
Country: Canada
Genre: Drone/Dark Ambient
"Phoenix"
"Taurus Ten"

Counterparts - The Current Will Carry Us

> CORE ALBUM OF THE WEEK, 05/12/11

2011 has just been one incredible release after another, and this week's album is no exception. The Current Will Carry Us is a gem of '11 that, although having been out some months, I put off listening to because I'd been swamped with music; and being a huge fan of the Counterparts' previous album Prophets, I wanted to give the album the breathing space and mulling time it deserved for the first listen.

You'd have thought Counterparts were pushing it a bit, churning out an album a mere year after their debut. I was both excited and skeptical upon hearing the news of its release. Having dedicated some time to it, I can say my excitement was well-placed... and my skepticism (even though it was kinda justified) was WAY off.

Prophets was a bit hit-and-miss. Some songs were so emotional and awe-inspiring that they almost made others seem like bland "filler-tracks", the quality dipping and diving all over the place. This album on the other hand is pure non-stop melodic hardcore quality, start to finish - fast, furious, emotive, and surprisingly diverse & varied.

Problem is, it lacks the same instant "wow" moments that made their debut so good... hold on, this is starting to sound familiar... yep, Counterparts seem to have followed in the footsteps of peers Hundredth and It Prevails with THEIR 2011 albums; that is, though they've all clearly matured and refined their sounds, the albums are missing the stand-out anthems that made previous releases so memorable. Though these three albums are undoubtedly my favorites from each of them, and are epic in their own rights, my favorite SONGS by each of the bands are still from earlier material.

A more balanced approach to writing albums is by no means a bad thing though. And at the end of it all, Counterparts have seriously out-done themselves this time around and shown the most vast improvement: The Current Will Carry Us has definitely fought its way to my core highlight of the year so far. Just hints that there may very well be some truth to my theory: that Americans simply make fun of Canadians because they know Canadians can do what they do, but better.

The Current Will Carry Us
Released: 2011
Country: Canada
Genre: Melodic Hardcore/Metalcore
"Jumping Ship" music video
"MMVII"

FFO: With Life In Mind, Hundredth, Misery Signals