The O'Daddy Factor

review of Awake by Trash Talk

Sun, 29 Jan 2012 21:25:17 -0600

review of Awake by Trash Talk

Trash Talk’s Awake review coming tonight. Here’s a...

Sun, 29 Jan 2012 20:28:54 -0600

Trash Talk’s Awake review coming tonight. Here’s a blooper!

Review of Wildlife by La Dispute

Sun, 15 Jan 2012 18:53:00 -0600

Review of Wildlife by La Dispute

new video comin' atcha! stay sharp, lil mommas.

Sun, 15 Jan 2012 18:43:58 -0600

Clipse - Hell Hath No Fury “I philosophize about glocks and...

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 23:11:43 -0600

Clipse - Hell Hath No Fury

“I philosophize about glocks and Ki’s ni**as call me young back Socrates” spits Pusha T on the second track of Hell Hath no Fury by Clipse. This statement comes early defining an album that loves to live in it’s, funded by cocaine, darkness. Cocaine has affected the performing arts in a negative way since artists started using it as fuel through those long nights even killing artists such as members of the Who, famous comedians like Mitch Hedburg, and Chris Farley, and even other rappers like Ol’ Dirty Bastard, but to these Virginian brothers, Malice and Pusha T, cocaine is just product to sell to anyone looking to buy. They have desensitized their minds to the point where they have lost all empathy for the addicts whose lives they are ruining, the difference between peers like Young Jeezy and Rick Ross is that they hate themselves for it.

Sure they have usual bravado and in your face spending as rap album tend to have with tracks like the lead single “Mr. Me Too” and “Dirty Money” but they sound like day dreams of hope that maybe one day they can free themselves from the drug dealing they are forced to do after they were shelved by labels after their first album. These day dreams make songs like “Keys Open Doors” more emotional to a listener for after hearing a bit of positivity you are thrown into a dark reality of coke sales. The Neptunes produced the entire album, and they arguably the 12 greatest tracks Pharell Williams and Chad Hugo have ever made. Take the track Trill which lurches back in forth in its bass they created a song that sounds different from almost any rap song ever produced. When Pharell comes to do the chorus on trill he sounds like he has been buying free base from the brothers for years prior, further leading to darkness in Hell Hath No Fury.

Most of the time they only hint at violence, or tell young drug dealers to work together for profit, but when they finally come flying at you as physical and intimidating as coked up linebacker coming at you on “Chinese New Year” you feel the fury the Thornton brothers have hinted at the whole record. Pusha comes at you with such intensity the first time one hears it a demon possesses you into a world you don’t even want to think about living in.

Pusha and Malice have been pissed for a long time and when that monotone voice comes through your speakers it is the perfect medium to channel all the rage. Malice the whole album is stuck in his self-loathing for the selling and distribution of coke. He hates the lifestyle and the only thing he wants is some sort of home to come to where he doesn’t have to worry about drug addicted bitches turning him into the police, doesn’t have to worry about his younger brother converting to life style he is in, a life of joy and peace. That younger brother, Pusha, on the other hand is pissed off at the record companies not letting him get the success he feels he deserves. He has gotten to the point where he has lost all empathy for others claiming he is “Fuckin’ with college bitches with innocent looks like Mya
Corrupt they mind, turn ‘me to liars” while a serpentine beat slivers into your mind in “Ride around shining”.

On the final ballad of the album, Bilal appears to sing a haunting chorus channeling the brother’s paranoia into a simple chant of “I’m having nightmares”. This final piece of Hell Hath No Fury you get a direct channel of the brother’s sorrows and fears from being in the drug business. One will identify with them even if they have never sold coke or fired a weapon at another person. It ends with an introspective note leaving you knowing the brothers have lost hope for ever achieving those dreams of theirs

9.5/10 - done by Jake Richardson

Hey, wanna get us more followers? That’d be pretty...

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 17:08:52 -0600

Hey, wanna get us more followers? That’d be pretty tight-butthole.

www.theodaddyfactor.tumblr.com

compliments of @manifestdestination

Sun, 08 Jan 2012 19:18:03 -0600

compliments of @manifestdestination

S/T by Centralia FFO: Maybeshewill, The Appleseed Cast, This...

Sun, 08 Jan 2012 03:12:49 -0600

S/T by Centralia

FFO: Maybeshewill, The Appleseed Cast, This Will Destroy You

Centralia is piano driven post-rock/indie band from central Illinois. This is the kind of album that is best enjoyed while laying in your bed in the dark or long drives down an empty road at night. This album has some quality to it that really makes you think about everything while thinking about nothing at the same time.

This album starts off with the instrumental track “In Principio Pt. 1” which is an all instrumental song that sets the mood fairly well. This album is calming. It is full of strong instrumentation without anything being overbearing or necessarily taking over center stage. The next track continues this intro as “In Principio Pt. 2” where piano player T.J. Syndram first begins to sing. The vocals are unique and not completely polished, but still easy to get into and enjoy. However, I’m not much of a singer (and it may just be a matter of Syndram being that solid of a singer) but it never really feels like he’s challenging his vocal ability apart from a couple spots throughout. However, what he’s doing fits the album perfectly. The lyrical content is heavily inspired by biblical subject matter, but it never feels like an album by a Christian band. It’s well thought out words that take inspiration but are made their own.

The music and instrumentation in Centralia is the real strong suit. This band can just as well play the loud, driving melodies as they can for the softer and slower parts. The first “wow moment” occurs about three quarters through the second track where a calm piano melody is supplemented by clean guitar chords until it changes on a dime into distorted progressions and a much more distinct, more intensely played piano line with “whoa-oh-oh-oh’s” and my favorite Syndram vocals throughout the whole album.

The album continues to impress with tempo and dynamic changes as well as unique musical melodies. Just when you think you are beginning to have this band figured out, you reach the end of “Of Creation” when out of nowhere come heavy downbeats with shouted vocals over the top, creating a very intense but enjoyable effect. Only to segue into another bouncy piano line leading off the next track, “The Sound Of One Hand Clapping”.

Centralia does a lot right with this EP, and there are very few things to complain about. It really is a shame that this band recently called it quits (or decided to take an extended hiatus, whatever it happens to be) because this release is really something special. There isn’t necessarily a large scene or following around this style of music that Centralia can latch onto, but fuck, this self-titled rules.

9/10

reviewed by matt.

Recollections by Strangers Now FFO: Ruiner, American Nightmare...

Sun, 08 Jan 2012 02:32:00 -0600

Recollections by Strangers Now

FFO: Ruiner, American Nightmare (Give Up The Ghost), Modern Life Is War

Strangers Now is an emotional, melodic hardcore band from St. Louis, MO. With hardcore nowadays becoming less raw emotion and more hardstyle breakdowns, it’s always refreshing to hear stuff like Strangers Now (with the name garnered from a Jawbreaker song as an added bonus).

Recollections is fast and raw to say the least. This band is at its best when vocalist Ben Teter’s voice becomes more and more desperate and powerful. The first moment that this is really showcased is in the second track, “How Joan Of Arc Felt”, when everything starts to slow down and you can’t help but nod your head as he is screaming out “I hate where I am; I fucking hate where I am; So please excuse my absense; I wasn’t truly being myself”. It’s moments like these when the band can come together and give you chills where Recollections is at its absolute finest.

However, there are weaker parts throughout this EP. The overall sound of these songs don’t differentiate too much, as many are fast songs that usually gradually slow down towards the end and it all becomes much too predictable for the listener. The overall quality of instrumentation is high, but it just feels lacking at points because of this predictability. Additionally, Strangers Now wants you to know when the big emotional parts are happening by putting in buildups or half times. This definitely can add to that effect, but once again, it becomes the same feel over and over in each song.

As a fan of this band’s prior release, Dementia, I can’t help but compare the two. Strangers Now have certainly become more matured musically between the two releases, but that may just be because it is apparent they have found their sound which they have settled into. The most striking difference to me however is the lyrical content between the two. Teter has always put together very personal and depressing words into his songs, but they make a much bigger impact throughout Recollections. Where Dementia seemed to moreso focus on the world around him, Recollections is much more based on the personal struggle he faces. That tends to make the most powerful songs.

Strangers Now have done nothing but improved over their last release, due in part to gaining more experience together and understanding what they want to be playing. However, there is still much more room to grow, beginning with structuring their songs and finding a way to bring in a more unique feel to their next release. The lyrical content is great, and the vocal delivery is usually solid but it tends to get away at certain points. Overall, this band continues to be one of my favorites in the hardcore genre.

7/10

reviewed by matt.

Another Summer Lost by Tomahawk Chop FFO: The Story So Far,...

Sun, 08 Jan 2012 02:00:00 -0600

Another Summer Lost by Tomahawk Chop

FFO: The Story So Far, Living With Lions, Such Gold

This seems as if it has become a couple Midwest kids running a music review blog made up of mostly Long Island bands. However, there must be something in the water. I have yet to be really disappointed by anything I’ve heard out of there, and it’s a scene that’s revitalizing my love for pop-punk. However, with this EP, Tomahawk Chop may be my least favorite of what I’ve heard so far.

Another Summer Lost is the kind of EP that a band can make a whole tour around, kids will sing along, kids will have fun, kids will go home and maybe listen to it some more. However, after my first couple listens I’ve found that it’s lacking a lot of intensity or replay value. Track 1: Golden Days of Youth (Spent Under The Summer Sun) is a real jam though. I just feel like after this track it stays pretty solid, but feels a little bland. HOWEVER. I’m sure this is a band I would have a blast watching live. And this is absolutely a release that tons of kids will love and a band that could easily get a foothold in national touring based off of their abilities.

This is a release that I feel like I could get into if I listened to enough, but a release that doesn’t really give me enough to really keep coming back. There are definite high points in this album, my personal favorite being the two-step, heavy downbeat part in “Warsaw, Polaroid”, but overall it has too many forgetful tracks that don’t necessarily feel like fillers, but just don’t match the energy some of the other songs do. This is an EP that I feel like a lot of people love, and I want to love it. I know that I don’t hate it. But I’m not too crazy over it.

6/10

reviewed by matt

Only Revolutions by ApartFFO : Life Long Tragedy, Modern...

Sat, 07 Jan 2012 17:00:00 -0600

Only Revolutions by Apart

FFO : Life Long Tragedy, Modern Life is War, Pianos Become the Teeth, Ruiner

Apart is a band from South Carolina that produces an excellent melodic and emotional breed of hardcore. Their album Only Revolutions is a great 5 song EP, that was recorded with Michael York, of Pianos Become the Teeth. The EP is a quick listen, but you definitely will not feel sold short, because this album really hits you hard. I sense a lot of older screamo influence. Nothing’s too spastic or chaotic, but still is very emotional, in your face, and powerful.

What I really like about Only Revolutions, is all the contrast of a really heavy (tone and emotionally) sound, to thinning down the distortion or cutting out drums and bass. There aren’t a million cheesy floor tom buildups that lead into breakdowns that other bands use to try and create a “powerful” sound. Instead, they calm things down, and hit that channel switch and throw in a little reverb or delay and then punch you in the face …which for heavy bands, I’m a sucker for. Every time they use this element, you can tell its really thought out, and just really adds to the emotion behind the music this band puts out.

The lyrics seem very thought out and poetic, but a little hard to fully grasp their intention or message - it’s clearly not a happy one though. I can pick up on words like mother, father, and son ..so I can sense there’s a message about family. Other themes I have sort of picked up on are ones possibly about regret, loss of a loved one, a harsh dislike toward a certain individual, and moving on from shitty past events. However, I could be completely wrong and I really don’t want to miss what this band was aiming for. So when you take a listen, have your own conclusion on what Apart is trying to tell you.

Only Revolutions is a perfect record for anyone who’s a fan of screamo influenced hardcore. It’s a nice breath of fresh air, from all this “hardstyle” nonsense that every band is putting out in the hardcore scene lately.

I, Benjamin Teter, give Apart’s - Only Revolutions a 8/10.

check it out here: http://apartsc.bandcamp.com/album/only-revolutions

reviewed by ben.

Radical by OFWGKTA FFO : If you already like anything done...

Fri, 06 Jan 2012 01:32:00 -0600

Radical by OFWGKTA

FFO : If you already like anything done by Odd Future and Ignorant rap

Radical is the second mixtape by the infamous LA hip hop collective, Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All, which are also known as Odd Future, OFWGKTA, Golf Wang, Gnaw Flog, etc etc. This mixtape, released features all the fine OF acts that we all know about like Tyler, The Creator, Earl Sweatshirt, Hodgy Beats, Left Brain, Mike G, Jasper Dolphin, and Taco Bennett, all rapper over their hand picked favorite beats. You can hear instrumentals on this tape from such names like Wiz Khalifa, Mos Def, Rick Ross, Rich Boy, 9th Wonder, and even Gucci Mane.

I had no idea, in the beginning, that Radical was the type of mixtape where the artist’s just rap over other beats. When I found this out, I couldn’t help but find it hilarious. I highly doubt OF contacted each artist and asked to use their beats, especially since upon the release of Radical, OF was still pretty underground. Which is probably why this album was (and still is) available for free. I know that other bigger artists like Lil Wayne have been known for doing this type of mixtape, but Odd Future’s approach was much better.

Its now 2012, and anyone who has the internet knows who Odd Future is, or at least has heard the name Tyler, The Creator. That being said, most people have already made their mind up about OF. You either love or hate it (but liked it when it first came out and lie to everyone saying you never liked it…I’m on to you). But, not a lot of people, if you love OF or hate them, have given this tape a listen. Its not as highly advertised as other Odd Future releases, such as Tyler’s album Goblin or MellowHype’s Blackendwhite. And I’ll have to say, this is a shame. Which brings me to my review.

This mixtape is a must listen to any hip hop aficionado or even just someone that likes clever music. And if you are one of those kids who has only listened to Goblin and say you love OFWGKTA, you need to open up to the rest of the Wolf Gang and check this tape out.

I’d like to start out by saying Earl Sweatshirt takes the lot on having the best tracks on this mixtape. He has 4 tracks on the album, and they are all awesome. The best one being Orange Juice which is actually under the name EarlWolf, which, clearly, is done with Tyler. I love all the word play, the clever references to pop culture, and the shit talk toward their arch enemies 2DopeBoyz (go online and read all the lyrics, you’ll get a laugh). Earl was successful in staying consistent with adding all those elements to his other tracks on Radical, which is precisely why I’d say he has the best tracks on the whole tape.

Most the tracks on Radical are short, not drawn out, catchy, and prove a point for what Odd Future is all about. This mixtape serves as the appetizer to the rest Odd Future menu, excluding The Internet and Frank Ocean. Now, all the artists on this tape since, have really improved. But this tape, really set the bar for for this group, even following Tyler’s Bastard . I catch my self singing (well attempting to rap) along with almost every song on the tape - few songs are kind of sleepers, but are in no means bad. The only “shippable” are one of Domo’s tracks, because he sounds like a 15 year old, and there’s a few interludes that I skip too.

To end this tape, is the funniest and most ignorant Odd Future songs ever made, Swag Me Out. This song features the whole Wolf Gang crew, is 7 minutes long, is ignorant as fuck, and hilarious. Its on the same level as Tyler’s Tina and Bitch Suck Dick, where its hilarious, makes no sense, and just totally ridiculous.

Give this tape a listen. If you hate Odd Future because of what bitchy Tumblr kids are saying about how Tyler talks about rape and murder, start to think for yourself, because you’re honestly missing out. This tape is a really solid hip hop release, its very clever, and you can tell the had a lot of fun making it. I give Radical an 8/10.

reviewed by ben.

Control EP by School Jerks FFO: Slobs, Male Nurses, Early Black...

Thu, 05 Jan 2012 15:08:00 -0600

Control EP by School Jerks

FFO: Slobs, Male Nurses, Early Black Flag stuff

School Jerks have released your prototypical “give-no-shit-punk” album. Loud, fast, sloppy, and lo-fi. Every song on this record is short and fast and in your face. It doesn’t really offer much diversity and the lacking clarity makes it difficult to distinguish songs until you’ve listened through the album a handful of times. However, as a punk album, song-by-song this album is pretty solid. Each song is a great song, and they’re fast and catchy and heavy (but in a completely different sense of how most people imagine heavy).

The best tracks on this album are probably the last two, Moral Addiction and 4-F, with 4-F being the longest song at a whopping 1 minute and 37 seconds. The bottom line is, this EP is great for a fan of punk rock. Not the most appealing to many other people. It isn’t breaking new ground, and it isn’t really a “gateway record”. The songs are good, but they don’t feel cohesive yet separate enough to give it a great album feel.

6/10

reviewed by matt.

update.

Thu, 05 Jan 2012 01:38:33 -0600

big influx of followers today. that rules. keep telling your friends about us!

Ben and I (Matt) will be together on Friday and doing video reviews (will probably make text version too) for the following albums

Take Care, Take Care, Take Care by Explosions In The Sky
Camp by Childish Gambino
Another Summer Lost by Tomahawk Chop
The new Nghbrs release

Apart from that, I’ll be working on

The new Tiger! Tiger! full length
The new Nghbrs release (if Ben and I don’t do it together)
The new School Jerks EP
S/T by Riverside

Ben will be working on

New Again by Taking Back Sunday
Radicals by OFWGKTA
whatever else he’s doing

My band played a show tonight, will be playing one tomorrow, and both Ben and I are playing a show on Saturday. Don’t worry, these reviews will come out. We’re just a little backed up and busy now.

thanks. tell your friends. and leave us some more albums you’d like to see reviews of!

http://theodaddyfactor.tumblr.com/ask

Trevi Fountain by Kwyjibo FFO: Basement, Daggermouth, Title...

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 12:46:00 -0600

Trevi Fountain by Kwyjibo

FFO: Basement, Daggermouth, Title Fight

Kwyjibo is a pop-punk band from Long Island, in the vein of the more punk bands of the genre. I would like to start things off by saying I really appreciate the Simpsons reference in the band name, one that may fly over a lot of people’s heads. Also, on their band camp they have the “Merrick EP” where the cover is a pretty blatant ripoff of Title Fight’s “Kingston EP”. But fuck it, that’s funny.

Anyways. For anyone who followed my top albums list from last year found out that I’ve grown to hate most the pop punk genre, but this style is the kind that I still love. Kwyjibo has put out an album that can fit side by side with most solid releases of the genre (Turf Wars, Under Soil And Dirt, I Wish I Could Stay Here). The album is ten tracks long, and not once did it feel like it was dragging on. In fact, my first real issue was that I was left wanting more. I suppose that’s a good thing though. However, there is something that just feels like it’s missing here. Their heart is in the right place, with apparent influence from bands like Lifetime and Jawbreaker and all the modern bands as well. Maybe that’s the issue. Maybe this record is TOO influenced by others. It certainly doesn’t recreate anything in the genre, but it’s hard to hate on this album because it’s still pretty darn good.

All in all, if you like pop-punk of any kind, you should support this band and give them a listen. This is the kind of music that I wish more pop-punk was leaning towards, and it’s a great album from front to back. I definitely see potential in the touring circuit for this band, because this is definitely one of the more popular styles going on. It’d just be cool to see them find a way to distance themselves and set themselves apart. Kind of like The Simpsons have done. It’d be cool if this band could play for 23 seasons.

check it out here: http://kwyjibo.bandcamp.com/album/trevi-fountain

7/10

reviewed by matt.

Coming soon...

Tue, 03 Jan 2012 13:06:46 -0600

a review of Explosions in the Sky’s 2011 LP.. Take Care, Take Care, Take, Care

so, stay tuned, stay tuned, stay tuned

asked for by @cantseecalifornia Janus Bifrons by Analecta FFO:...

Tue, 03 Jan 2012 02:23:00 -0600

asked for by @cantseecalifornia

Janus Bifrons by Analecta

FFO: Caspian, Explosions In The Sky, Listener

Analecta is a post-rock/spoken word band from South Bend, Indiana. The best thing in my opinion about this album is that it has the same impact and progressive feel as most post-rock artists while not having all their songs be 8+ minutes long. Most the tracks on this album sit average around 4 minutes in length, but every track is still necessary and serves a purpose on the album. While this band is terrific at expressing emotion through their music, a key in the post-rock genre, the real tracks that I feel set them apart are the ones that feature spoken word vocals. The vocals are always calm and poetic, and the lyrics to each respective song are truly incredible.

The best song on the album is the second to last song entitled “it could have been the greatest escape”. This is your classic instrumental “jam”, full of buildups and soaring guitar parts. In the last quarter of the song a particularly long and powerful buildup is capped by a chorus yelling “i will keep on!”, really giving a strong and hopeful feel to the listener.

All in all, Analecta has released an incredible album in the post-rock genre that adds in the twist of spoken word vocals, but does it subtly. In terms of music, it doesn’t necessarily break any new ground, but that is a tough thing to do for this style. While they aren’t reinventing the wheel, they’re certainly doing their part to making the ride much more smoother. If you like post-rock, you will more than likely enjoy this album. If you don’t really listen to the genre much, give this a shot. It’s very easy to jump right into and appreciate.

check it out here: http://honestempirerecords.com/album/janus-bifrons

7.5/10

reviewed by matt.

tell us what to review.

Mon, 02 Jan 2012 22:45:34 -0600

http://theodaddyfactor.tumblr.com/ask

Make us a logo

Mon, 02 Jan 2012 18:23:49 -0600

Make us a logo

asked for by @ericmcarrillo Real Talk by Man Overboard FFO:...

Mon, 02 Jan 2012 17:20:05 -0600

asked for by @ericmcarrillo

Real Talk by Man Overboard

FFO: Handguns, Transit, This Time Next Year

This album is a little older (released in 2008), and it hasn’t necessarily aged well. But it wasn’t necessarily great in the first place. With the release of this record Man Overboard really started gaining popularity and became synonymous with their “DEFEND POP PUNK” logo. However, pop rock would be much more suiting for this album. You are in love with a girl and she may or may not have broken your heart. We get it. 12 tracks later, we still get it. I understand it’s easy and common to write songs about girls and heartbreak, but it gets old real fast with Real Talk. Sure, there are some catchy parts in some songs, but overall the weak and cheesy subject material can become too overbearing at times.

Of course, if you’re a fan of the poppier side of the pop punk genre you will more than likely enjoy this album. If you are a guy who “isn’t sad anymore” or is excited for basically every band at the Vans Warped Tour, this album is probably for you. If you are a girl that likes to buy band merch booty shorts and label yourself as “quirky and random”, you’ll probably like this too. This may seem harsh, but it’s time that bands like this just accept that they are a pop band. It’s time to listen to Jersey’s Best Dancers.

2.5/10