Tom Gabel

Acoustic/Punk –

Tom Gabel is one of the most unique, brave and profound artists of this generation. His deep-rooted history in punk with his critically and commercially successful band (that he is the front-man for) Against Me! To his more folk-style, acoustic and painfully honest and revealing tracks from his solo project Heart Burns.

Tom has relatively recently become famous from his gender transition from a hardcore, unapologetic punk rock man, to the exact same adjectives but applied to a woman. Laura Jane Grace may not look exactly like Tom Gabel, but her attitude and heart is the exact same.

Though his gender identity may have changed, nothing else about him has.

Heart Burns is one of the most honest, personal agenda-driven albums of the past several years. But it being a self-serving piece of art that Tom clearly wrote for himself doesn’t give it, or him as an artist any less merit. Every track has a sense that Tom is not, in any way, making his music (on this record) for an audience. Only an audience of one. Himself. Heart Burns is a personal diary of sorts, one which Tom was kind enough to display for the world to see.

Tom is through and through a punk, so he’s almost forced to throw in at least one politically driven protest. Anna is a Stool Pigeon, if you find the song, is about Eric McDavid. Eric was convicted on conspiring to use explosives on government property. It has been thought by some that he was unjustly prosecuted due to entrapment. Tom shares this view. Whether or not you know of Eric or not or even have any political affiliations at all is irrelevant. One of Tom’s gifts is that he brings you into his world and, whether the lyrics (which are beautiful) jive with you or not, Tom plays and sings with such conviction that he gives you no choice but to listen. And listen intently.

When punk singers or any singers of a band for that matter make a solo album, the singer can sometimes be almost unidentifiable. Their style, attitude, even voice can be almost completely different on their solo ventures as they are in a band setting. But not Tom Gabel. Tom’s energy and need to get things off his chest by way of song is no different when he’s heading Against Me! or doing his own solo tracks. His raspy, yelling/stinging voice, though very unconventional, completely drags you into his songs and his life.

Tom is an absolutely amazing artist and even through his gender transition, Tom’s punk, “I-don’t-give-a-damn” attitude and his rock star spirit have not changed one bit.

The most powerful song on the album is Harsh Realms. Tom painfully describes the loss of someone in his life. Though he, I’m sure, personalized it for a specific person in his life, Tom’s creative, all-encompassing spirit made it ambiguous enough to apply to almost anyone in a similar situation. The loss of a family member, a friend, a break-up with a girlfriend/boyfriend. This world is a harsh place. I need you. And I need you now. Don’t abandon me.

Songs to listen to: Harsh Realms, Anna is a Stool Pigeon, Because of the Shame.

Against Me!: Pints of Guinness Make You Strong, Reinventing Axl Rose, Cliché Guevara.

- Justin

Snak the Ripper

Rap/Hip-Hop -

Snak is the definition of an up and coming star. He may not have his much sought after credit yet, but it won’t be long. As rap has been evolving from gangster rap, criminal rap, and flat out disrespectful rap, it has as of late gien a more mature breed of performers and listeners to the forefront, dragging them out of the woodwork. Snak is just such a great artist.

Being a humble, white Canadian from British Columbia, Snak may not have the ability to talk about selling drugs in Compton, running with gangs or pimping out girls. But his even, steady flow combined with his raspy, almost straining voice makes him not only sound honest, true and confident but also like he’s excited and eager to tell you what’s on his mind.

Not every one of Snak’s songs is profound, meaningful and mature, though. After all, it IS hip-hop. He has a couple of songs displaying his “screw you” attitude. Declaring himself untouchable in a very accessible market, and making it obvious that he is tough and an all-out bad ass. With tracks like What I Do and Snot Rocket, Snak explains that if “You got a problem and I hear you talkin’ s---/I’mma smack you like a b----“ and lots of talks of drug use and alcohol. However these are simply living up to the conventions that hip-hop has created. Conventions that almost any artist worthwhile has had to adhere to at one time or another.

Snak mixes old-school, East coast beats complete with record scratches, with new school ambient tones and club beats. Snak seamlessly pulls these two completely opposing styles together to offer up a sound that’s not only confident, dangerous and experimental, but also achieves a level of mastery behind it. Snak doesn’t leave his artistic integrity up to chance. Although his harsh, old school songs contrast his new school, radio pleasing songs, Snak knew the transition would be undetectable and, after having heard it, would seem natural to his style.

Style isn’t Snak’s only triumph in his field. He also has a diverse spectrum when it comes to subject matter that he is able to deliver matter-of-factly. As was discussed, Snak’s “F--- you” attitude is only evident in a handful of songs. However his tender, sentimental biography on broken individuals, I Betcha, is not only personal, it’s almost uncomfortable how vivid the pictures he paints are. Snak describes something, a situation that almost every listener will have dealt with or have known someone who has.

Snak’s vocal, stylistic and sensitive experiments are all coming together as a beautiful, new wave type of hip-hop. He’s ambitious, confident and eager to progress to become the rap icon he deserves to be.

Songs to listen to: I Betcha, Zero Tolerance, Dead Gone.

- Justin

Dave Hause

Pop Punk/Rock -

The first song I stumbled upon by Dave Hause was the acoustic version of his own song, We Could Be Kings. I can’t remember how I stumbled across it but it was a video of Dave on a couch singing his heart out.

Even at first glance I knew I’d love this artist. At the time I hadn’t heard of The Loved Ones (Dave Hause’s original band before he went solo) so Dave was a completely new concept to me. A concept I quickly came to love.

I listened to We Could Be Kings acoustic on repeat for days, so wrapped up in the artistry and subtle nuances and vocal inflections Dave threw into that two or three minutes that I didn’t even bother to look at his other stuff or to even look into where this tattooed songbird came from. First, I found his album Devour and, as the name suggests, I consumed it. This album being the album that the original (non-acoustic) We Could Be Kings came off of.

Next was my journey to The Loved Ones which, after listening to his acoustic cover and Devour, I couldn’t wait for more.

Although The Loved Ones is a little bit more classic punk, Dave’s presence of voice and also his presence of mind are very evident on the tracks. He has an instinct ingrained into him that allows him to understand not only what makes a good song, but why it does as well. He evokes feelings seemingly effortlessly while at the same time making it obvious that he doesn’t have a non-musical bone in his body. He tries without making it look like he’s trying too hard.

Dave is a master of multitasking. Combining brilliant song writing with relevant chord progressions and off beat lyrics, which all come together like a gift to the ears and the spirit.

His ability to leave himself out on the table, making his work available to criticism is astonishing, bold and downright cool.

Dave Hause is one of punk’s best kept secrets and though he deserves praise, he makes it clear that he doesn’t seek it.

Listen to Dave Hause.

Songs to listen to: We Could Be Kings, Autism Vaccine Blues, Father’s Son.

The Loved Ones: Pretty Good Year, The Bridge, Player Hater Anthem.

- Justin

Audra Mae and the Almighty Sound

Folky/Acoustic/Upbeat Bluegrass -

She’s a rough, tough, rockin’ chick and doesn’t care what you think.

Audra’s vocal mix of gravely, down and dirty, coyote ugly and classic highs and lows and in-betweens is the perfect combination for literally any taste.

She has a wonderful crossover with lounge and folk and garage rock-type sounds in songs like Ne’er Do Wells. And though her sound differs drastically on almost every single track, nothing seems out of place. The tracks all seem to meld together as some sort of multicolored jigsaw puzzle. It looks mismatched and sloppy, but all seems to be part of this crazy, talented artist’s plan.

The entire time listening to the self-titled album I felt incredibly uncomfortable. I wasn’t sure whether to dance, chill out, cry, or what. And that’s what made it great and innovative and important. It’s what gave it its claws.

The only evil Audra did isn’t her mismatched, opposing styles, it’s that the album isn’t longer.

On tracks like Climb she mixes driving rock drums, honky-tonk jazz piano and sharp, punctuated and staccato vocals to paint a beautiful and bold song that leaves the listener with a clear sense that this is a girl not to be messed with. She knows what and who she is. And she tells you.

The amazing thing about Audra is that she can go from a punchy, in-your-face song like Climb, to a blues/folk ballad like Two Melodies and not even break stride. It all flows so perfectly and almost naturally.

Even though Audra’s pace can be deeply uncomfortable and disjointed to the listener, her easy, calm and soft manner of delivering her music is so much so that in her songs she not only adds music, lyrics, feeling, etc… But she also adds an element of trust in her listeners.

No matter how uncomfortable you may feel through a listen of her album, don’t fret listeners. Audra’s got it.

Songs to listen to: Little Red Wagon, Two Melodies, Climb.

- Justin