Steve Adamyk Band - Paradise

When you think of powerpop/punk in the 2010s, the Steve Adamyk Band ought to be one of the first bands that comes to mind. Adamyk was there at the beginning of the decade, and he's still here at the end. Out on Dirtnap Records, Paradise is now the sixth SAB album (and first in three years). It's the first to feature the band's most recent three-piece lineup with Pat Johnson of The Acorn and Johnny O of Uranium Comeback backing singer/guitarist Adamyk. Spoiler alert: it rocks!

First things first: Paradise sounds like a Steve Adamyk Band record! No one's going to hear this album and be like, "Whoa! They really changed their sound!". And thank God for that. I'm not saying that Steve Adamyk invented powerpop/punk, but he was one of the individuals most responsible for defining what that genre would become in the present decade. A Steve Adamyk Band record that deviated from the basic formula of power pop influenced punk rock would just seem...wrong! Certain SAB albums have leaned more "pop" or "garage", but the band has never wavered from its general musical style. Paradise, for the lack of a better term, is quite possibly the "punkest" of the band's six albums. Recorded by Mike Bond and mixed by Jesse Gander, this is a huge-sounding album that really punches up the guitars and vocal harmonies. Locked in tight with his latest rhythm section, Adamyk just sounds like a guy who's super inspired to play some fast and tuneful punk rock! There's a palpable Ramones influence propelling "In Death" and the ripping title track. The band has never sounded more powerful or purposeful as it does on "Waiting To Die Part 2". "No Help", in the vernacular of the modern-day punk rock reviewer, is positively crackling! But don't go thinking that Adamyk has come to the table without some goodies for you pop people as well. "Take It To The Top" is powerpop/punk played right down the middle: the sort of song that Adamyk should never stop writing since he's just so damn good at it! "When I Was Gone" and a fine cover of The Kidda Band's "Get Off The Telephone" swing all the way to the power pop side and are total crowd pleasers. "Left In Pieces", which manages to mash the Beach Boys and new wave pop into the band's core sound, is one of this record's true gems.

There are few better than Steve Adamyk at turning out high quality poppy punk tunes. And my takeaway from Paradise is that his passion for creating this type of music has never been stronger. It goes without saying that anyone who has bought all of the band's previous albums will love Paradise as well. But I'll take it a step further: if the sixth Steve Adamyk Band album is somehow your first, it will make you want to own the other five!



-L.R.

https://dirtnaprecords.bandcamp.com/album/steve-adamyk-band-paradise 
https://steveadamykband.com/ 
https://steveadamykband.bandcamp.com/ 
https://www.facebook.com/steveadamykband/ 

Cheap Whine - self titled

So when a Canadian powerpop/punk/garage supergroup makes a full-length debut on one of the best labels going, you can be sure I'm going to take notice! Cheap Whine features that veritable force of nature Steve Adamyk along with Eric French from Feral Trash and Jordy Bell from Crusades. The band's self-titled album, out on the U.K.'s Drunken Sailor Records, is a must-hear for all of you who dig garage punk by way of '70s punk and power pop. Of course this is totally my cup of tea. But what I appreciate about Cheap Whine is that it's not just the Steve Adamyk Band with a different name. Yeah, you're still getting fast & furious tempos, punchy guitars, and a truckload of catchy melodies. But overall, there's a much darker feel seeping into these songs. And there are some different things going on, like the cathartic raging vocals on "Unnoticed", the psychedelic thrashing of "Cut It Out", and the almost Weezer-ish appeal of "Withdrawl". This is really one of those albums that has something for everyone. The terrific "Kasumi" is powerpop/punk by the book, which is something that Adamyk does better than just about anyone. "Where Are You Now" and "All The While" might very well set your hair on fire, while the band's pure pop side comes out on the anthemic "Best Times" and the rousing closer "Letter To J".

I don't think Cheap Whine's debut album could be any more satisfying. It has the energy and the hooks that you would demand from any decent power pop/garage-punk hybrid, but the creative input from all three band members turns this into something a little different from all of these guys' other groups. When I first got the email from Drunken Sailor alerting me to this album's existence, I had a really good feeling off the bat. And I must say that Cheap Whine did not let me down. This album is an inspired effort and a splendid example of why I so thoroughly enjoy modern-day powerpop/punk. Canada does it again!



-L.R.

https://drunkensailorrecords.bandcamp.com/album/cheap-whine-st 
https://www.facebook.com/cheapwhine/ 

New Steve Adamyk Band album!

When it comes to singers and songwriters in the present-day punk world, Steve Adamyk has to be considered one of the most underappreciated talents out there. He's such a consistent creator of top-notch powerpop/punk that a lot of people take it for granted when he turns out yet another fantastic album. Fair or not, there's a perception that Adamyk essentially makes the same (great) record over and over. He finally seems poised to shed that rep with Graceland - his fifth album fronting the Steve Adamyk Band (out now on Dirtnap Records). Much to my delight, he accomplishes this without dramatically altering his approach to songwriting.

If you like catchy & ultra-energetic tunes that blur the line between punk rock and power pop, Graceland won't leave you wanting. Opening cut "Though My Fingers" can only be described as "classic" Steve Adamyk Band, and longtime fans will delight in heavily caffeinated racers like "If I Wanted To" and "Lose Control". But while Adamyk certainly would have been capable of delivering another first-rate album without leaving his lane, Graceland finds him majorly benefiting from some subtle changes in approach. "Give It Away" is similar to so many of Adamyk's top songs of the past - but with a less frenzied tempo and more breathing room for the hooks. "Carry On" and "Broken Arms" are pretty much pure power pop - and they're absolutely great! The entire back half of the album in particular hints at something close to a "new" sound for the band - with sprinklings of keyboards and inventive guitar/bass work infusing Adamyk's signature melodic punk style with a modern, new wave influenced feel. "High Mile", with its many layers and darker tone, is unlike anything we've ever heard from the Steve Adamyk Band. Yet it totally works - bringing to mind classic punk bands like the Buzzcocks that managed to indulge their experimental cravings without fully losing the plot. And the super-poppy, synth-infused "She's On My Mind" is a perfect example of why this is such a successful record. Rather than completely reinvent himself as a musician, Adamyk has chosen to add new dimensions that serve to complement what he already does so well. While never in doubt, his skills as a songwriter are really shining in a new light.

This is already my fourth time reviewing a Steve Adamyk Band album, and it has me hoping I'll get to review a whole lot more! If the distinction between previous albums largely came down to feel (e.g. Third was Adamyk's "punk" album; Dial Tone was his "garage" album), Graceland comes off as genuinely different from its predecessors. It still sounds like a Steve Adamyk record - just not one that you've heard before. Perhaps it's because I'm such a pop guy, but I consider this Adamyk's best work since Forever Won't Wait. Seriously: listen to "Carry On". If you're not digging it, I'm not sure we can remain friends.



-L.R.

https://dirtnaprecords.bandcamp.com/album/steve-adamyk-band-graceland-lp
https://steveadamykband.com/
https://www.facebook.com/steveadamykband/

Dial Tone!

So prolific and consistently good that he's sometimes taken for granted, Steve Adamyk seems to be a victim of his own excellence. Maybe if he only managed one album every five years, the arrival of a new one would be cause for mass celebration and perhaps even a national holiday in Canada. But Dial Tone, out now on Dirtnap Records, is the fourth Steve Adamyk Band album in five years. Perhaps it's just my perception, but it seems like these last couple of albums have not been fully appreciated. The things Adamyk sometimes gets criticized for (e.g. too many songs sound the same, he's "only good at one thing") are exactly the things I like about him! If you feel the same way, you'll be happy to discover that Dial Tone is very much in the same vein as all previous albums from the Steve Adamyk Band. But if you think that Steve Adamyk just keeps making the same record over and over, you're not paying very close attention.

Granted, Steve Adamyk's "thing" is that he writes catchy power pop punk songs and plays them really fast. But I like that each album takes a little bit of a different angle. 2011's Forever Won't Wait went in more of a pop direction, while last year's Third was racing punk rock adrenaline. And now with Dial Tone, Steve and the gang offer a record that should go over great with today's garage crowd. The album was recorded by Matthew Melton (Warm Soda/Bare Wires), who definitely put his own stamp on it. If Warm Soda often comes off a little too laid back for my tastes and the Steve Adamyk Band could sometimes afford to give its hooks a little more room to breathe, then it goes to figure that this collaboration would strike the perfect balance. And it does! Dial Tone is a classic Steve Adamyk Band album with the muffled fidelity of a Warm Soda record. There are a few tracks (like "Suicide" and "Mirror Ball") that actually start off sounding like they might be Warm Soda songs - but then the vocals come in and you know exactly which band you're listening to! The light speed tempos maintained throughout Third have been dialed back just a little - resulting in an album that's not quite as dizzying but still snappy and energetic. Adamyk is a master at crafting punchy, hook-laden pop tunes - and front to back this is as good of a collection of songs as he's ever delivered. "Careless", "Last In Town", and "Empty Cause" are the kinds of songs Steve Adamyk has been turning out for years - and will hopefully continue to turn out for years to come. And perhaps because there aren't as many super fast songs on this record, breakneck numbers like "Waiting For the Top" and "Anne" really crackle.

Even with its top shelf material and Melton's nifty production touches (a handclap here, a sprinkle of synth there), Dial Tone would not be the record it is without such a tremendous performance by the band as a whole. The revamped four piece lineup that energized the band's sound on Third has found another gear on Dial Tone - tearing into these tunes with confidence and purpose. On the heels of great albums from Sonic Avenues and Mother's Children, Dial Tone reaffirms what a huge difference a killer rhythm section can make with this kind of music. This album essentially combines the best aspects of the previous two with additional hints of things to come (a couple songs nearly hit the three-minute mark!). I think it's by far the band's best album to date. There may be a time when Adamyk abandons the Buzzcocks/Ramones/Dickies songwriting template and stuns his fans with something completely different. But I'm in no hurry for that to happen. If you play this kind of music yourself, you know how hard it can be to write really simple songs. Adamyk seems to do it effortlessly - and his gift should be celebrated.



-L.R.

http://dirtnaprecords.bandcamp.com/album/steve-adamyk-band-dial-tone
https://www.facebook.com/steveadamykband
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dirtnap-Records-Official/167234489965225

Third, but not least!

So the third Steve Adamyk Band album sounds quite a bit like the second, and I couldn't be happier about that! There's often a Catch-22 type situation with all these punk/powerpop/garage bands. If you stick to the formula, you get slagged for making the same record over and over. If you change your sound, people will say that they liked your old stuff way better. What's a band to do? I think Steve Adamyk has done a damn good job of "evolving" his music without switching up the recipe. New album Third holds proudly to the '70s pop/punk playbook, but there's no way I can deny that it's an even better record than last year's terrific Forever Won't Wait. Perhaps this time it's a little more punk and a little less powerpop, but the difference is very subtle. If you're this good at what you do, why mess with a winning formula?

Even with a re-vamped rhythm section, Steve and the gang continue their tight execution of dizzying and utterly infectious poppy punk rock. Seven of 12 songs fail to cross the two-minute barrier, and the frenetic pace by no means obscures all those ultra-catchy melodies. For me, what pushes this record slightly ahead of the last two is that it sounds both a little edgier and better produced. And the guitar hooks, such a staple of this style of music, are absolutely hot! If you're not bobbin' your head and tappin' your feet within the first 15 seconds of "Not A Witness", you may be clinically dead.

Given the great number of truly excellent bands currently doing this style of music, it would be very easy to take Third for granted. But that would be a huge mistake. I cannot emphasize enough what a tremendous record this is. It very much deserves a place on your album shelf alongside your Dickies and Buzzcocks titles. In my book, it can't possibly be a bad thing that my favorite sub-genre of music is flourishing. This is a really great time to be a fan of the punk/powerpop stuff. It's not just that a lot of bands are doing this type of music, but also that they're all doing it so well. And is it just me, or does Ottawa totally have it going on right now? White Wires, Mother's Children, Steve Adamyk Band? And how about those Sens?! Looks like they're playoff bound! Put another one into the win column for Dirtnap.



-L.R.

http://www.facebook.com/steveadamykband
http://dirtnaprecords.bandcamp.com/album/steve-adamyk-band-third

Forever Won't Wait

For the second time in the year 2012, I'm posting about an album that should have made my top ten for 2011. Forever Won't Wait, the second album from Ottawa's Steve Adamyk Band, is easily one of the best things Dirtnap Records has ever put out! And I know what formidable company that puts it in, because I'm working on that very list right now!

When it comes to poppy '77 punk rock, there's no doubt I'm cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs. And within that Dickies/Buzzcocks/Pointed Sticks niche of punk music, The Steve Adamyk Band is in the A+ top tier! Forever Won't Wait comes on like it was launched out of a rocket, and it never lets up the rest of the way. Just when you think you've heard "the hit", along comes another song that's just as good or even better! Everything about this album is top-notch, from the songwriting to the production to the vocals to the musicianship. I've heard of bands with stacked debut LPs due to large stockpiles of songs, but S.A.B. are on album #2 and still bringing all-killer, no-filler! That's talent. If you like super-peppy poppy punk with cool guitar leads and more hooks than a pirate fleet, you're gonna flip for the likes of "Take It Back", "I Run Wild", "Forever Won't Wait", and "Only Wanted You To Know"! The whole album is energizing and infectious, and the key is that this is a band that's fully embracing the pop side of the pop/punk equation. I'm still waiting for the announcement that these guys will be performing at the NHL All-Star Game next weekend, but it seems they'll be unfathomably snubbed just like my boy Scott Hartnell. I may have to send a strongly worded letter to league offices voicing my double displeasure. In the meantime, to regain my good spirits, I'll listen to Forever Won't Wait a few times. You should as well. Fans of Marked Men, High Tension Wires, and Stiletto Boys: this album is calling your name!



-L.R.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Steve-Adamyk-BAND/120306191339785
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Dirtnap-Records-Official/167234489965225
http://www.dirtnaprecs.com/