rival schools is one band name you're sure to soon become quite tired of in the coming months. y'see, the band is comprised of alumni of various new york hardcore bands of the 80s and 90s, most notably gorilla biscuits, youth of today and my personal favorite, quicksand. in fact it's the lead singer from quicksand, walter schreifels, who transplants his role as angst-filled truthbringer in quicksand to ennui-filled relationship counselor in rival schools. but i'll get back to that later. the reason your ears and eyes will become so fatigued with the band's name is because they're on a major label (island, specifically). which means that just like at the drive-in, modest mouse and the dismemberment plan before them (the ice of boston ep was on interscope, remember?), the wheels of the hype machine will start a predictably rube-goldbergian chain reaction amongst indie diehards.

see, i know how y'all think. by now, of course, you've learned that a major-label contract doesn't inevitably equal watered-down tripe for the masses (cf. modest mouse, jawbox, radiohead). it took about 15 years for the scene to learn that, but whatever: that's not the main issue here. what is is rival schools' obvious concessions to the average "hard"-music listerers of the world. the first thing you'll likely notice are those crisp, reverby, spit-shine production values. you know what i'm talking about, the type of shit like that'll make any scenester worth her salt cringe within the first couple seconds. so that's the first hurdle to overcome: the next is the overreliance on pure power chords. i'll give 'em this though, because they know how to use them effectively, unlike most of today's soulless radio puppets. by now, without even having heard them, you may be prepared to dismiss rival schools as sellouts or whatnot, but ya can't really do that without taking into account schreifels' unique and insightful vocals. they're probably the most recognizable holdover from his quicksand days, and if anything, he's improved as a lyricist. now he sings about such conciliatory fare as "travel(ing) by telephone" and how "everything has its point." also, it feels a little weird to hear mr. "i trust new friends just like i can throw them" talking about how "good things are coming our way," but that's maturity for you i suppose.

i like rival schools. despite the polished-to-a-fault production, most of the songs on united by fate stir that deep, pre-sdre emo chord within me. the lyrics are great, the guitars are well-wielded, and i must say that although this record is obviously aimed at the radio, i seriously doubt it'll ever get there. because the music industry is as conservative as your average southern baptist in prosperous times, and almost no one gets on the radio unless they sound like someone else who's already there (with the possible exception of filter, but they're not exactly radio mainstays). and rival schools don't sound like anyone else currently on commercial rock radio. they've paid their dues writing and performing some of the most enduring hardcore of the 80s and 90s, so if they want to dive for the brass ring now, why shit on 'em?

and don't bother blowing your cash on rival schools/onelinedrawing; that record's sub-par (esp. the production). what happened, people?

whoo. . . i'm bored. once again, things have quieted down around here. my brother's off at the beach for the week, which leaves just my father and i as the sole occupants of the residence. i'm sorta working on this paper for my research job, but that's hardly a full-time gig, as my dad pointed out earlier this evening. so he asked me if i wanted to get a full-time job. as you might expect, my reply was emphatically negative. i have about a month left in north carolina, and i'll probably spend it writing music, spending time with my family and generally getting my torpor on. those cds i mentioned came in this week, but i think i'll yak about 'em later. i am, however, currently rocking out to bad brains' "re-ignition," the main hook of which hive appropriated for his track "ultrasonic sound." but of course you all knew that.

well i'm writing music more furiously than ever now. perhaps my muse was annoyed at the pallid slab of generica i labeled "emerald sky" and is attempting to compensate with a flurry of new ideas. i dunno, but i've started three new songs in the past 5 days and rejuvenated one that i started several months ago. so perhaps there'll be some more new stuff up soon. it all depends on how long it takes till the inspiration needle hits e.

i've been listening to a lot of smart went crazy recently. both of their full-lengths have been in heavy rotation in my car, and since i've been making at least one durham/chapel hill round trip per day for the past month, i've absorbed an unhealthy amount of swc. i think it goes without saying that they're an excellent band; as many indie-pundits have already noted, they manage to seamlessly integrate the cello element into their dc-on-valium sound. this particular sonic accoutrement no doubt inspired bands such as cursive to integrate strings into their permanent lineup, but i digress. listening to the band's lush sonic tapestries, you probably wouldn't lump them in with the usual dischord suspects (jawbox, fugazi, q and not u). swc prefers to inject its uniquely satisfying formula slowly instead of clocking the listener over the head with it.

of course, all of the above would be pretty obvious to any casual listener of either now we're even or con art. but: repeated exposure to these albums is subtly changing my perspective on life in general and human relationships in particular. i don't know the extent of chad clark's emotional damage, but he certainly does bite back with a virulent misanthropy. his lyrics are as caustic as a xenomorph's blood. i mean, the guy makes steve albini look like a Panglossian advocate for basic human decency. here's a sample line from "funny as in funny ha-ha" off con art: "a raw deal for your sweet complicit paramour/someday she'll thank you, of course/that is what deathbeds are for." ow. remind me never to piss this guy off. his lyrics present character sketches of average people, and the unilateral verdict is: average people are terrible. so we're all finks who show off our original sin by screwing each other over, lying to each other, and pathetically attempting to conceal our monumental stupidity and incompetence. wow. with a worldview like that, it seems a bit odd that swc didn't go further in its brief lifetime.

more summer rock for ya: i completed another song. . . listen! the title is "emerald sky/war on yesterday," doubly named because it features two movements. isn't that pretentious of me? the song is about my dear friend mary whom i just met and who is about to return to her native state of florida. i dunno whether she's ever been immortalized in song yet, but if not, i certainly hope this is the best song that's been written about her. anyway, y'all decide.

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