Dead To Me - Wait For It

I have always been on the fence about Dead To Me. Like a lot of bands today (Lawrence Arms, Smoke Or Fire) they get lots of love from the kids but to this old bastard they always seemed just ok. While I'm sure the lack of JS-NYC affirmation is troubling, they have rebounded, adding Sam from VRGNS/New Mexican Disaster Squad and Ken from Western Addiction. I'm unsure as to whether this means that Dead To Me are relocating to Gainesville (or vice-versa), but the influx of FL into the franchise has prompted more enthusiasm than usual for DTM.

Wait For It, Wait For It was put together for the recent Dead To Me European tour and comes via Dutch label Shield Recordings. It's got three songs with big old hooky choruses that remind me a lot of Avail or D4. I don't remember correlating the two previously, but it works on this little slab of delight. I'd pick it up. Those that are more patient might decide to wait for the full-length coming on Brick Gun Records that reprises these three tracks and assumably adds a bunch more. I guess this means the Fat era is over? Wait and see, but check out Wait For It, Wait For It in the interim.

R

Swingin Utters - Hatest Grits: b-sides and bullshit

Swingin' Utters have been around since the late 80s and represent for the Bay Area. If you like the street punk and have been around more than a week or so, chances are you're already a fan. For the uninitiated, the street punk is more British-based, but the Utters have been around long enough that all sorts of influences have crept in, from the Pogues to Social Distortion. Since their inception, they have gone through some member changes and formed side bands like the Re-Volts and Filthy Thieving Bastards. Jack Dalrymple of yesterday's Dead To Me fame also currently tenures in their ranks. They also have a shit-ton of b-sides, like thirty-one to be specific, all compiled for your pleasure on the imaginatively titled Hatest Grits: b-sides and bullshit. There are both included, although the former more than outweighs the latter. I hear there are a bunch of pictures and annotations, but I got a bogus download card rather than the actual cd, so no art for me. Or review for you. Most of the material on Hatest Grits is a keeper, but I wouldn't make this my first purchase. If you're a fan (and I am) it's a nice addition to almost 2o years of punk.

Buy the record here and check out the web to hear some albums tracks here. There's an older site here if you want to bask in the nostalgia. I'm tired.

R

Dead To Me - Little Brother

So a couple days ago, the good folk of Dead To Me dropped a new EP called Little Brother and cancelled their appearance at The Fest. Lots of people felt strongly about both eventualities, but I can't say I was one of them.  Don't get me wrong, Dead To Me are an ok band, but nothing that really caught fire with me. Plus, it's important to point out that they cancelled The Fest appearance because Jack and his wife are expecting a baby, so all the best to the new family.

Dead To Me was founded by Jack Dalrymple and Brandon Pollock after the demise of One Man Army. They recruited Chicken from Fat Wreck softball team/mascot band Western Addiction who brought his cousin on drums and eventually guitarist Nathan Grice when Pollack moved on. The four play East Bay/Fat Wreck approved punk rock with Jack and Brandon sharing vocals. They all appear to ride bikes, which may very well sway me a little more down the line, but save for that I have Rancid and Social Distortion records I don't have the time to listen to, so I think I'll leave Little Brother and their Fat Wreck spin on it to the younger set. Don't let this asshole stop you from checking them out, though. 

The boys were out with The Draft for a bit before the Hot Water Music shows, but I assume are up on blocks until Jack's new arrival settles in. You can get the Little Brother here. Check out the Fat Wreck page for more info and their social networking interface here for up to the minute info on what's coming next for Dead To Me.