| CD REVIEW Broadway Calls |
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Band : Broadway Calls Having played Hardcore music for about a decade, former Countdown To Life members Ty Vaughn (lead vocals & guitar) and Josh Baird (drums) decided to turn a new leaf and, recruiting guitarist Robert Baird and bassist/ backing vocalist Matt Koening to form Broadway Calls in the winter of 2005-6. Based in Rainier, Oregon, the band played just one hometown show before heading out on tour with Daggermouth (signed to New Age Records, former label of CTL). That tour was só succesful that BC immediatelly made a name for themselves in the Hardcore community, in spite of their slightly differing musical approach. Late in 2005, the band released its debut EP Call The Medic on the State Of Mind label. Expanding their distribution potential by signing to Smallman Records for Canada, the band released its Willie Samuels produced debut full-length Oregon in July 2007, and promoted the album by doing a US tour, playing with the likes of Crime In Stereo, I Am The Avalanche, The Smoking popes, The Draft, Avail, This Is Hell, Set It Straight, Ruiner, Dead Hearts, Counting The Days, and Final Fight…or, in other words, they immediatelly got quite some exposurre! Samuels being part of Green Day’s production team probably also led to the band’s signing to Adeline Records (whose owners include Green Day frontman Billy Joe Armstrong), and the ensuing re-issue of the debut album in late March 2008. Halfway through a US tour with Ruiner at the very beginning of 2008, Robbie Baird was kicked out of the band due to “things not working out”. Followed a tour in February with West 44 and Shook Ones in the Western part of the US. Several gigs followed (one with Bad Religion), and an appearance at the SxSW and Bamboozle Left festivals. May 2008 saw the band play its first gigs in Europe, starting with the UK’s Give It A Name Festival (where they performed as first band of that dayy in front of a 5,000+ audience). Prior to jumping on the Warped Tour bandwagon in June, the guys also played 3 shows with Alkaline Trio, and during the tour a split 7-inch with Teenage Bottlerocket was released on Adeline Records. After the tour the band took a short break, during which they shot the video for their 2nd single Back To Oregon off the album. They returned to the live front in September playing some shows with The Flatliners, followed by another tour (this one involving Polar Bear Club, Crime In Stereo, The Sweellers, and Smartbomb). The year was roundeed off by a show supporting The Gaslight Anthem and Alkaline Trio in LA. (above info taken from the band’s page at Wikipedia). The band then went back home too write and record demos for their sophomore album, but were already back on a European tour with Alkaline Trio, starting January 22nd. Shortly before that, they announced having signed to Side One Dummy. They entered the Blasting Room studio with producer Bill Stevenson (drummer with Descendents and Only Crime, who’s produced albums for A Wilhelm Scream, NoFX, Lagwagon, Good Riddance, Rise Against, Comeback Kid, Black Flag, and many others, not forgetting Decendents) in March, armed with almost 20 songs, which were then slimmed down to the 11 on the album! As a result, the band’s Pop Punk is well-balanced without becoming sour-sweet, thanks to the fact that the guys mix a bit of Indie Rock feel in the mix (in stead of the pure Pop feel one’s so used to in the Pop Punk genre). All songs have a nice singalong factor which is never too exagerrated. In spite of the fact that this will probably been looked at as the ideal summer disc, I personally get numbed after only a few turns of the record! Good thing the lyrics at least have some countenance worthy of listening to, or I would’ve grown bored far too quickly. Well, musical tastes differing, some people prefering the kind of music they can get into quite quickly, you might wanna check out what’s posted at myspace.com/broadwaycalls. During the summer, the boys again jumped onto the Warped Tour madness, and they’re booked to support Bouncing Souls on their 20th Anniversary tour of the US, come late October/ early November! Meanwhile the track “Be All You Can’t Be” was released as a single, including a video!As long as it’s just to have some temporary fun with, it’s alright, but…nah, this consumer-friendly stuff ain’t anything I can listen to for too long. Well-done though! 80/100 Tony. |