Bio

It was surprising to virtually no one – save for Dikembe itself – that the band’s debut EP, Chicago Bowls, in all its anthemic, adrenalized indie-cum-emo / punk greatness, took the underground by storm in 2011. After all, the ironic, pun-laden ode to weed and arguably (and less ironically) the greatest championship squad in NBA history was a breath of fresh air … playful, charismatic and downright infectious without emitting an ounce of pretension.
 
A few weeks after the digital-only release, the Gainesville quartet, which features member of Wavelets, Senders and The Young Hookers, found itself buried under heaps of praise and viral buzz from fans and critics alike. Of course, Chicago Bowls was more than deserving of the adoration, serving up four revelatory cuts of undeniable, high energy DIY rock ‘n’ roll, equally impressive for its sublime instrumental interplay and inventive structures as it was for the insightful, slightly acerbic lyrical content. Cajoling the listener to laugh along with song titles such as “Scottie Spliffen” and “Michael Jordank,” there was no doubt that Dikembe’s playful nature was an integral part of its singular sound.
 
The band of course followed up Chicago Bowls with the highly acclaimed debut full-length, Broad Shoulders, in 2012. While the band has hunkered down to write and record their sophomore full-length, Tiny Engines will give Chicago Bowls a proper vinyl release for the first time. The label will release a remastered version of the 4-song EP on 7″ vinyl (rolling papers not included) in the Spring of 2013. Get spliffed!

Bio

Part of the appeal of Hoffman Manor, State Lines’ 2011 debut, was its raw vulnerability; the ten songs that comprised the record each resonated with pop-like simplicity, but were speckled with a coarse and unique character. The band’s Self-Titled four-song follow-up displayed the same ragged edges, revealing a band that recognized how an organic recording can underscore the honest emotion already seeping from their songs.

Perhaps it is no surprise, then, that For The Boats, State Lines’ sophomore full-length, is presented in the same natural frame. Yet, something separates this most recent set of songs from their previous releases; it is not only evident in the songs’ varying tempos—some stroll to better observe the scenery, though others, exhibiting Hoffman Manor’s immediacy, seem performed with a new sort of stamina—but also in the record’s overall softer, rounder sound. Essentially, For The Boats displays a band more deliberate, more dynamic, more patient—and certainly more mature.

No song better epitomizes this evolution than “The Same Mistake”, the record’s second track, two-thirds of which consists largely of singer Jonathan Dimitri’s unadorned growl, backed by the gentle thump of his palm-muted guitar. Though the song does not build dynamically, it becomes more tense, tightens until it breaks, then bursts with distorted and disoriented guitars; here, the drumbeat steps heavily and unhurried, stomps in time with Johnny Wims’ humming bass for twenty seconds until its suddenly snuffed out. Similarly, “Shit for Brains” begins amid chaos before slamming on the brakes and advancing in fuzzy, furious strokes; this angular, dissonant song pushes State Lines to the band’s slowest and stormiest extremes.

Other songs, though, reveal that State Lines really has not strayed far from the mercurial energy exhibited on their Self-Titled EP. Though “Garages” trots steadily, the song’s grumbling guitars and Dimitri’s restrained croon create a menacing mood. Following a frantic transition, the song snaps and tumbles into a surging refrain. “I’m losing all credibility / and my humility / in these garages,” Dimitri snarls during this chorus, his guitar whining beside Tom Werring’s groaning chords.

Though State Lines has matured since their last release, For The Boats shows that they have not lost their emotional intensity. Instead, the energy, once generated by explosive tempos, is reserved for the record’s most touching moments; likewise the charm that made Hoffman Manor so memorable has been swapped by dynamics and momentum. In fact, one might argue that For The Boats is more restless, more intense, rawer, and certainly more real.

Bio

Harkening back to 90′s hardcore/noise rock, Grand Rapids, MI based Jowls are a breath of fresh air on their debut as a trio. Originally formed as a duo from the ashes of Victor Fix The Sun the band recorded a demo and split 7″ with fellow Michigan rockers, The Reptilian. In late 2011 the duo officially expanded with the addition of bassist John Harmon who played in Chicago noise rock band, Cloud Mouth. With that sprung the Cursed recordings which show a tremendous refinement in sound and scope. Jowls’ brand of hardcore is unabashedly aggressive but also flexes a keen sense of dynamics and dare I say, even melody. Cursed is the sound of controlled chaos, of confidence exploding in measured amounts of brain and brawn. This is not aggression without purpose, every note here serves the whole. Every scream and every instrumental explosion serves as a lifeforce, as musical bread for a starved feeding. Jowls is absolutely vital.

Bio

Known for its tireless work ethic and resolute DIY attitude, Run, Forever has spent much of the last two years on the road, playing to enthusiastic fans in tiny clubs, sweaty basements and crowded house shows around the country. From fist-pumping, sing-along punk anthems to swinging folk rockers to more intimate acoustic numbers, the outfit’s songs touch on issues such as the corruption of organized religion, politics and – on its debut – the struggle to overcome the tragic loss of former band mate. Run, Forever never fails to impress with its ability to write driving, gritty tunes without sacrificing melody or falling into predictability, and its music is one of those rare specimens that resonates profoundly in both our ears and our hearts.

Bio

When Restorations released their Self-Titled full-length in April of 2011, conversation about the Philadelphian band seemed fixated on one thing: finding some box in which to fit them.

Though some come close, almost every attempt to define Restorations has fallen short. Sure, something about the vitality expressed in these songs seems “punk,” and, yes, there’s something about singer Jon Loudon’s smoky howl that, combined with the warm warble of their guitars, feels folksy, if only fiercely so. These, though, don’t consider the droning—the reckless beams of feedback; the cavernous, buzzing bass; Ben Pierce’s trilling, billowing organs; the endless layers of echo and delay—which blends each instrument into some roaring, reeling watercolor of melody. It’s not that this first full-length is indescribable; it’s simply indefinable.

On A/B, a two-song seven-inch released by Tiny Engines in the summer of 2012, Restorations refines this sound further, but, to the dismay of rock critics around the world, they steer no closer to easy categorization. Recorded by Jon Low at Miner Street Studios, the single exhibits the band at their most massive, but also their most dynamic. The guitars glimmer and glint off of drummer Carlin Brown’s stuttering cadence during the verses and choruses of “A”, over which Loudon’s husky cries seem to climb and cascade. “Hey kid, in time they’ll forgive you,” he sings, “Just do what you gotta do.” Just then, the song comes to a sudden halt, and a guitar flickers softly, like a lit wick, before exploding into a forceful cloud of chords, scalding cymbals, and staggering rhythm.

Somehow, “B” builds on the a-side’s dynamic power. The song starts with Dan Zimmerman’s bass bucking anxiously behind Brown’s steady beat; here Loudon’s Telecaster seems to taunt Dave Klyman’s fidgety, fizzy lead. Following a vicious second verse, the song recedes into a sudden, distant shimmer. In this twilight, Loudon is met with his band mates and, slowly, their dim “woahs” swell into a four-part symphony of voices, a harmonious orchestra that bursts into a dramatic, driving groove. The way “B” rises and reels, slips and swoops and dives, makes it one of the band’s most hypnotic, intense tracks.

Of course, if this roller coaster ride of melodies and moods makes A/B difficult to define, it also makes it a compelling pair of songs. Maybe this is why people seem so desperate to pin down Restorations; after all, it’s fun to describe that, which captures our interest, piques our curiosity, and stretches our expectations. For now though, we will have to allow Restorations to mysteriously exist in their own spacious territory. The only question is where will they go next?

Bio

It was surprising to virtually no one – save for Dikembe itself – that the band’s debut EP, Chicago Bowls, in all its anthemic, adrenalized indie-cum-emo / punk greatness, took the underground by storm last year. After all, the ironic, pun-laden ode to weed and arguably (and less ironically) the greatest championship squad in NBA history was a breath of fresh air … playful, charismatic and downright infectious without emitting an ounce of pretension.
 
A few weeks after the digital-only release, the Gainesville quartet, which features member of Wavelets, Senders and The Young Hookers, found itself buried under heaps of praise and viral buzz from fans and critics alike. Of course, Chicago Bowls was more than deserving of the adoration, serving up four revelatory cuts of undeniable, high energy DIY rock ‘n’ roll, equally impressive for its sublime instrumental interplay and inventive structures as it was for the insightful, slightly acerbic lyrical content. Cajoling the listener to laugh along with song titles such as “Scottie Spliffen” and “Michael Jordank,” there was no doubt that Dikembe’s playful nature was a integral part of its singular sound, and perhaps one of the biggest reasons why we couldn’t wait to hear what the outfit conjured up next.
 
Accordingly, it would have been easy for Dikembe to rush its full-length debut, but the band wisely spent an appropriate amount of time self-recording and mixing the ten amazing songs that would eventually make up the long-awaited Broad Shoulders.
 
From the first long-awaited note of opener “Nothing. Stuff,” it’s clear that there’s something truly unique manifesting itself within these tracks. Dikembe’s signature sound – powerhouse rhythms, the acrobatic back-and-forth between the guitars, and front man Steven Gray’s confident-yet-completely raw and exposed delivery – is all still present, and it’s imparted with even more vigor and conviction than ever before. However, album highlights such as “I Watch A Lot Of Jackie Chan Movies” and “Not Today, Angel” are thoughtful, nuanced and occasionally even haunting. They help to paint a picture of an evolving band and a record that is not only imaginative and memorable, but one that is fully realized and worthy of all the hype.
 
Still, there’s a good chance that Dikembe will once again be taken aback by the adoration that will surely follow Broad Shoulders’ official release, but that’s what makes the quartet so endearing. What you see and hear is what you get with Dikembe: no fronts or phoniness, and certainly no airs of self-importance. Maybe that’s why we love them so much. They’re four friends making great music and having a total blast in the process. Lucky for us, they’ve welcomed the listener with open arms and invited everyone along for the ride.

Bio

Three years in the making, Red Collar’s Welcome Home fulfills the promise of the band’s acclaimed debut full-length, 2009′s Pilgrim. Welcome Home continues the tradition of heart pounding indie punk & roll from the Durham, NC quartet but expands the palette with dynamic results. Red Collar combines the jagged rhythms of DC punk along with the soulful, working class spirit and lyrical bend of bands like The Hold Steady and The Gaslight Anthem. Never shying away from their influences, the band proudly displays the earnestness of Springsteen, the boldness of The Replacements and the swagger of The Clash firmly on their sleeves.
 
Welcome Home is packed to the gills with tales, odes, and paeans of day-to-day American life, with the Norman Rockwell gloss completely removed. We’re not talking about fresh-faced kids singing about parties and idealized struggles of the proletariat in an attempt to be the next reincarnation of Kerouac. We’re talking about kids, jobs, families, mortgages, and more – the responsibilities of grown-ups who have to think in the long-term.
 
Call it a hearty dose of the street-wise sensibilities possessed by The Gaslight Anthem mixed with the fervor of Titus Andronicus and the sincerity conveyed by The Boss in his current elder statesman role. More importantly, despite the easy sonic touchstones I’ve mentioned, the band most assuredly possesses its own voice and personality, and this can be heard most plainly in the matter-of-fact delivery and no-frills production aesthetic. “Orphanage” set a fine stage for the album, while standout cuts like “American Me,” “The Old Piano Roll,” and “This House,” are powerful, energetic, and hopeful, despite the harsh realities of life. And “Welcome Home” brings the record to a rousing conclusion that reminds us all that you can go home again, and that there are probably people who love you waiting for your return.
 
The plaintive, pretentious, and petulant among you are encouraged to sack up, set aside your laptop recording devices, and listen to a bunch of men talk about the actual consequences of being responsible for your actions. Welcome Home is a vintage, fist-in-the-air guitar rock record created by a bunch of truth-telling street preachers who manage to pen a stirring ballad or three without the over-the-top bombast fashioned by the Arcade Fires of the world. In short, Red Collar works as a fitting metaphor for this group on many levels – working-class music by the working-class from a red state who aren’t afraid to bleed a little bit for the things that are most important to them.
 
And that’s the overarching strength of Red Collar – these thirty-somethings set aside their steady-paying jobs in North Carolina and committed themselves to making music that actually has a purpose. All that you know and love about Red Collar remains but Welcome Home opens up into hauntingly beautiful songwriting territory that touches on the timelessness of Americana roots. Red Collar is back and they are better than ever. Welcome Home indeed!

Bio

No matter where punk veers off course thank god there will always be bands like Providence, RI’s Best Practices that can firmly right the ship. Featuring current/former members of Light The Fuse And Run, Wow, Owls!, Weak Teeth and Jesuscentric, Best Practices is a return to the fundamentals of punk rock. On the band’s Tiny Engines debut, The EP LP, the quartet lets loose a whirlwind of (garage power pop) punk fury. Recorded with Will Killingsworth (Orchid, Ampere) at Dead Air Studios, Best Practices pummel their way through 9 songs in 12 glorious minutes. The band comes close to careening off the edge at points but never seem to overtake themselves. Chock full of razor sharp hooks Best Practices lays down a furious gauntlet that is as catchy as it is exhausting. All your left with as The EP LP fires towards the finish line is the feeling that you just want to do it all over again.
 
Formed in 2010, Best Practices is a return to the fundamentals of punk rock. When vocalist/guitarist Jeff Byers (Light The Fuse And Run and Wow, Owls!) moved to Providence in 2009 he had a batch of songs written before meeting up with drummer Paul Dechichio (Jesuscentric) in 2010. The duo worked over those original songs and added a few others to the mix. Eventually, the pair wrangled a second guitarist and bassist, Neil King and Jon Pagano of Weak Teeth, to fill out Best Practices and the band started to play shows in April 2011. Once that happened more songs organically came together as a 4-piece and King contributed a few songs of his own as well. And the end product is an amazing batch of songs that while not necessarily written as a cohesive whole, work flawlessly as an album.
 
Bands like Best Practices remind us why we came to know punk in the first place. It wasn’t about fashion or style or trends. It was simply about letting go. Punk rock was supposed to be uninhibited. Check your bullshit at the door. But, inevitably, somewhere along the way, it got too complicated. The message seemed to get lost in translation. In 12 minutes Best Practices tear it down and bring it back to its vital core. And for that we should all be grateful.
 
Recorded July 2011 by Will Killingsworth at Dead Air Studios in Massachusetts. Additional vocals recorded by Dan Sawyer at The Parlour in Rhode Island.
 
Artwork by Adam Juresko.

Bio

Some bands seem to take years to find their sound. These bands navigate frustratingly from album to album searching for some kind of true identity. After releasing records that hop from pop simplicity to experimental complexity (or vice versa), the band lands on a sound that, for them, is sophisticated and perfect—songs they wish they could have written from the start. This process, though sometimes exciting, often leaves listeners unsatisfied with the eventual outcome, which can lack the sulfuric spark that drew them to the band in the first place.

Perhaps this is what makes Long Island, NY’s State Lines so remarkably refreshing and exciting. State Lines began in October 2010 when lead singer/songwriter Jonathan (JD) Dimitri recorded a six-song demo on an 8-track recorder in his basement. Soon accompanied by Tom Werring (guitar, vocals) and Johnny Wims (bass) the band recorded what would become their official debut in May of 2011. Shortly after, Teddy Sahr (drums) completed the quartet and Hoffman Manor was released.

Creating a steady word-of-mouth Hoffman Manor garnered some impressive praise for the young band and it is easy to see why. With State Lines you have got a dynamic vocalist and lyricist in Dimitri and a band that seems comfortable at any tempo truly letting the songs flow on a natural course. Blurring the line between melancholy and optimism, Hoffman Manor mirrored the confusion of youth and frustration of growing up. In some ways, the band fits seamlessly into this archetype; Hoffman Manor is youthful and raw, full of murmuring, muscular chords accented by both glimmering guitars and the crisp snap of a snare drum. Johnathan Dimitri’s voice cracks as he veers from note to note, his lyrics ranging from heart-wrenching (“Cancer”) to inspiring (“My Friends”). Despite the deceivingly lo-fi recording, State Lines’ debut should be shelved alongside other head-turning and urgent debuts by East Coast pop-punk bands, like Saves The Day’s Can’t Slow Down or Brand New’s Your New Favorite Weapon.

On Hoffman Manor you knew State Lines was close. With the band’s new Self-Titled EP, released by Tiny Engines in April of 2012, the band has arrived. Recorded this winter with Sainthood Reps’ Bradley Cordaro, these four songs brim with confidence and overflow with punk energy while playfully pulling at those pop heartstrings we all possess. But while State Lines have plenty of youthful spirit left over they bite deeper with lyrical depth. On songs like “Win Free”, Dimitri’s voice is coarser, but more assured, and balanced by Tom Werring’s aching harmonies. The way in which Dimitri and Werring’s guitars effortlessly intertwine on this song demonstrates something more than a musical maturity. Likewise, the solidarity between Teddy Sahr’s tense, tight drumming and Johnny Wims’ rumbling bass on the potent opener “5′s On The Elephant” reveals something more than mere musicality: It seems that State Lines has truly found its sound.

Though their pop-punk forefathers are irrefutably influential, they have inspired a generation of bands that seem to steal the wrong cues and follow them towards the same predictable ends. State Lines isn’t one of these bands; they’ve identified the spark and spirit that made their predecessors feel so initially fresh and have bottled it, choosing to express this explosive essence without following their winding, wandering path. While it is doubtful that State Lines has finished growing yet, it is refreshing they seem to know exactly where they are going.

Bio

Written over the span of close to a year, Desolate Peaks, is the debut full-length from State Faults. The band delivers on the album title imagery with an intense emotional landscape rarely traveled. Drawing upon elements of 90′s emo and post-hardcore, State Faults is explosive but not to the extent where it overpowers the nuances of the band’s songwriting. These songs are always able to breathe to their full potential. The band is adventurous and always pushing forward but never choose to wallow in grandiosity. On Desolate Peaks State Faults is able to find a perfect balance between craft and composition.

Formed in early 2010, State Faults consists of four soulmates with a DIY ethic trying to make honest and emotionally charged music. Huddled together in the California heat, the band created a tightly knit sound which gave birth to an impressive self-released debut EP, Head In The Clouds. Released in late 2010, the EP quickly spread through word of mouth and the band began to cultivate a devoted following. In what can only be described as an advancement of the sound created on Head In The Clouds, the band’s Tiny Engines debut, Desolate Peaks, takes State Faults to new uncharted levels.

Bio

Rarely do you come across a young band that startles you with such inherent quality. While Cleveland, Ohio’s Signals Midwest might be rooted in the ethos of punk rock the band quickly transcends the tag both musically and lyrically on their sophomore album, Latitudes & Longitudes. Paying tribute to the continual growth of legends like Small Brown Bike and Fairweather while echoing modern bands such as Balance And Composure and The Menzingers, Signals Midwest provide a unique perspective that resides firmly outside the punk-by-the-numbers formula.

Signals Midwest formed in late 2008 as a trio and issued their first full-length album in 2009. In 2010 the band expanded to a quartet with the addition of a second guitar player. That would be a pivotal move in the band’s collaborative development. Experimenting with and expanding their sound, Signals Midwest quickly outgrew the standard pop/punk pace. With 2011’s Latitudes & Longitudes there is a fleshed out maturity that shines through. Recorded mostly live, the album bristles with the kind of energy and purpose that emanates from a band confidently growing comfortable in their own skin.

Latitudes & Longitudes is a powerful album full of depth and intelligence. It is an album that hits as deep and as personal as a singer/songwriter record but encompasses so much more. It is about the distance between the living and the dead, between loved ones in different parts of the world, the distance between how people spend their days vs. what they truly want to be doing and the distance between what we say and what we mean. As Thoreau said, “Nothing makes the earth seem so spacious as to have friends at a distance; they make the latitudes and longitudes.” Signals Midwest provides the musical journey that covers the distance and space between us all.

Bio

Beginning with the wonderfully charming debut EP, Now That We’re Alive, and continuing with the acclaimed 2009 full-length, Each And Everyone, the past three years have found Annabel carving out an exceptionally noteworthy existence for itself within the underground scene. Cranking out richly textured indie-pop tunes, skewed by punk’s rough-around-the-edges urgency and tightened by the DIY community within which the band operates, the Kent, OH quartet has been winning over fans, peers and critics alike with heartfelt songs that are straightforward and immediate enough to be considered catchy yet complex and nuanced enough to warrant careful repeat listens.

Continuing that trend, but ratcheting up the the immediacy quotient tenfold and tapping into an even more aggressive punk spirit, Annabel’s newest five-song offering provides a seemingly endless supply of exclamation point moments. While it’s unclear where where time will rank Here We Are Tomorrow amongst the band’s catalog, it unquestionably establishes itself as the juncture when we stopped putting Annabel into the “consistently great” category and promoted it to the “frequently amazing” subset.

“The Forgetting Of Names And Faces” kicks off proceedings with a scratchy, upbeat riff and and some of Annabel’s most infectious melodies to date. The song is propelled by a driving, almost-bouncy rhythm section and signature moments such as a chorus of joyous backing vocals and dynamic guitar lines retain a strong presence the mix. Without missing a beat, “Repetition, Etc.” and “We Came As Today” – crashing dynamics, soaring harmonies and “whoa oh oh’s” abound – tear through the middle part of Here We Are Tomorrow while closer “Summer Health” makes a strong case for being the band’s most complete offering to date. It’s a mix of Annabel’s most sweetly innate qualities and the formidable talents they’ve developed along the way: engrossing melodies, a kinetic, pulse and an underlying warmth and honesty that simply can’t be faked.

It’s clear that Annabel has blossomed into a singular songwriting force and fully intends on making a definitive statement with Here We Are Tomorrow … and that statement resonates longer and more emphatically than ever before with these magnetic tracks.

credits
released 14 December 2010
Annabel is Andy Hendricks (drums / vocals), Ben Hendricks (vocals / guitar / keys), Scotty Moses (thunder bass), Corey Willis (guitar / keys).

Here We Are Tomorrow was produced, recorded and mixed by Ben Hendricks at Cerulean Studios in Kent, OH and was mastered by Tim Gerak at The Mammoth Cave Studio in Akron, OH. Tiny Engines will release the 7″ on December 14, 2010 in both vinyl and digital formats.

Bio

Remember when indie music was wild and unpredictable? Remember when bands were hard to pigeonhole into neat little sub-genres? Well, Cattle Drums will remind you if you have forgotten. Hailing from upstate NY, you might shrug your shoulders at a band named Cattle Drums but you would be remiss by doing so. Mixing post-punk, emo/hardcore, shards of math rock and even traces of dark Americana, Cattle Drums distinguish themselves as purveyors of a sound not yet recognizable to our pampered, innocent ears. Lyrically ambiguous and instrumentally ambitious with harsh, aggressive tones, Cattle Drums truly are a wild awakening for the senses.
 
The Boy Kisser Sessions + 3 is an eight song collection that puts together the original debut of the band with 3 newer tracks that were recorded near the end of 2010. These songs truly defy classification and open the listener up to create their own unique interpretation of the Cattle Drums sound. Originality roars out of every pore as the band has a staggering sense of urgency and the innate ability to completely change course from song to song yet still sound remarkably cohesive throughout.
 
Album opener, “New Furniture and Wigs” showcases that diversity from the very beginning as it opens with an ominous blues guitar lick straight out of the Deep South. “Who Punched Pat Moore’s Face” is perhaps the most conventional song here, that is if you excuse the cryptic lyrical imagery. “Sluts And Coconuts” is the band’s most fully realized and accessible song as it swings and sways before exploding at the seams. “Two Pigeons” shows the versatility of Cattle Drums with xylophone and crisp banjo plucking underneath all the lyrical madness. The three new songs added continue Cattle Drums’ consistency and the five minute acoustic closer reaffirms the band’s creative reach.
 
Need a shock to the system to break you from the mundane of the daily grind? Delve into the madness of the Cattle Drums experience and witness a band operating only by their keen sense of artistic expression. Eccentric and chaotic yet always melodic and intoxicating, Cattle Drums are kicking up dust and noise unlike anybody else right now. Just imagine what is yet to come.
 
The Boy Kisser Sessions + 3 was recorded and mixed by Mike Natoli at Dickbutt Studio in Suffern, N.Y. and mastered by Steve Sopchak at the Square Studio in Marcellus, N.Y. Tiny Engines will digitally release the record on February 22, 2011 on iTunes and Bandcamp.

Bio

Restorations’ new album, LP2, is the band’s debut release on SideOneDummy Records.
 
At a time when the music world is saturated with more bands than ever, Restorations are a refreshing change of pace: An act who undeniably embody the DIY spirit but also bring along a real breadth of musical knowledge and an unlikely set of influences that somehow manage to work perfectly together. Equal parts punk rock and polemics, Restorations is a unique group of musicians that’s difficult to categorize and even harder to get out of your head
 
Formed out of the ashes of the long-running Philadelphia rock act Jena Berlin, Restorations—vocalist/guitarists Jon Loudon, Dave Klyman and Ben Pierce joining forces with drummer Carlin Brown and bassist Dan Zimmerman— have crafted an album, LP2, that transcends punk rock and picks up where they’re extremely well-received self-titled LP left off.