Calamity Records - When Lightning Strikes, Various Artists
Releasing a compilation as the first record of your new label is hard going. I should know, because I did it. Despite the advice of far more experienced label owners, myself and Mark @PT decided to release ‘Un-Scene’ as Punktastic Recordings’ first release because we felt it would be the best way to establish ourselves as a label, test the water and, most importantly, put something back into the ‘scene’ that we have been a part of for three years now. It all seemed so easy on paper, and thanks to the backing of Sorepoint we managed to accumulate a decent amount of funds to get good distro, a decent advertising budget and a big leg-up, so to speak, on other new labels. Except it’s insanely hard to make people buy records nowadays, way harder then you can imagine. When I started university in 1998, to access new music and new bands I would buy label samplers and compilations as the MP3 and the internet didn’t exist as it did today. The Fat and Epitaph samplers were my staple punk diet at first, and having been brought up on a compilation diet, I’m still a fan now. But as new generations of e-music fans develop, the need for cheap compilation CDs has certainly decreased. Some labels offer them at £1 or £2, while others make them available for free download.
Calamity Records opted for the same line of attack as we did at PT Recs, except they have opted to focus on US emo/post-hardcore bands, rather than the UK acts that we did. A hell of a lot of hard work and a lot of love and attention has gone into this record, and that is to be commended. But I think Calamity are finding out, just like we did, how hard it is to shift records nowadays. This disc contains 17 songs of up-and-coming US acts, some of whom you may have heard of and some you probably won’t. Like any compilation you have to sift the wheat from the chaff, but there are certainly more plus points than negative ones.
On the good side, tracks by Halifax, Anadivine, Sherwood and Waking Ashland are poppy numbers that will have you singing along. None of them will change the world, but they are solid efforts by bright young bands. Several bands actually excel; Over It will be signed to a major this time next year and ‘Siren on the 101’ is exclusive to this compilation. Over It are a strong melodic poppy skate punk band that demand your attention, so getting a brand new track for this record deserves the thumbs up. Cavil At Rest also impress with their Coheed and Cambria meets something far more accessible sound. ‘The Flower of Rhodes’ certainly suggests a bright future.
There are some negatives mind you. On the whole this CD is very focused towards one aspect of music, and if you’re not a fan of the alternative emo sound, then you probably won’t like this record. I like my compilations to be varied, and there’s not enough variation here for me. Sure, bands like Over It differ from Lances Hero, but I’d liked to have seen a broader range of what is bubbling under in the US scene. Some of the bands also sound uncannily alike too, while bands like All Rights Reserved are just abysmal.
If you like poppy emo bands of the US variety, you will really like this record, it’s as simple as that. If that doesn’t sound like your cup of tea, then you probably won’t. For me it’s a good starting point for this type of music, but the genre selection is maybe a little too narrow and some variation in sound would have bumped the rating up a little. However, at less than a fiver it is cheap and would make a lovely stocking filler.
www.calamityrecords.net
Paul
