Thrice

Band Of The Week: Drug Church

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Remember the days of reading the liner notes and seeing the list of bands that are thanked and then checking out the ones you didn’t know? It’s always a pleasure and fun to come across bands that people in other bands you dig like. Not too long ago, I saw a posting on Instagram from Riley of Thrice talking about the band Drug Church. So, I did what I do, and checked them out. Needless to say, I enjoyed what I heard. Drug Church is a post-hardcore band hailing from upstate New York. Their sound is a mix of hardcore punk, alternative rock and a tinge of grunge. Think of it like this, if Black Flag (Rollins era), The Jesus Lizard and In Utero era Nirvana all somehow made music together, you’d get a pretty close resemblance to what Drug Church sounds like. The band was started by Self Defense Family singer Patrick Kindlon. Since their inception, they have released three full length studio albums, and a handful of EP’s and singles. Their most recent album, Cheer, is one of the coolest albums I’ve heard in a long time. It’s a very focused and powerful album as well as experimental. Cheer is the type of album that will leave you wanting to go right back to the first song after its over. The lyrics that accompany the music are smart and and thought provoking with enough of a sarcastic approach to make them really stand out. From the live videos I’ve seen of the band, they are one of the more exciting bands to see live. A band like Drug Church is a much needed breathe of air in a musical climate of today that is dominated by so much manufactured crap. So, do yourself a favor and take a listen to this great band!

Drug Church- Cheer:

 
Drug Church on Audiotree:

 

 

Title Tracks: Thrice

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Thrice is one of those bands that has never played it safe. They’ve always had a vision and direction that they wanted to go and they went for it. No matter what, they stayed true to themselves and delivered the goods time after time. Throughout their 20 plus year career, Thrice has made some very profound albums that have shaped many peoples musical stories. I still remember hearing Illusion Of Safety way back when, and how that left an impact on me and started to change up what I was listening to at the time.

 

Identity Crisis:

 

 
The Artist In The Ambulance:

 

 

Beggars:

 

Live Review: Thrice at The Wiltern

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One of the best feelings in the world, at least to me, is seeing a band live that you haven’t seen in a long time and they absolutely kill. Last night at The Wiltern in Los Angeles, Thrice wrapped up their tour and they without a doubt surpassed any expectations I had and got rid of any lingering thoughts I had about the band. Touring in support of their new (and 10th) album Palms, Thrice ripped through their 100 minute set with a real sense of vigor and power that I haven’t seen from them since I saw them on The Artist and The Ambulance cycle.

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Before I get into how commanding and in the zone Thrice was, I’d like to talk about the direct support, The Bronx. For many years I was a huge fan of the band but, over the last few years I had slowly given up on them. They really lost me with all the Mariachi El Bronx stuff they did and their “punk rock” side became a bit watered down (that’s just my opinion). This night though, my mind was changed a bit. The Bronx went off last night and it reminded me of what drew me into them in the first place. Singer Matt Caughthran was a man on a mission last night. His presence alone was captivating. Their set was chock full of old gems and new songs. Certain songs like “Knifeman,” “Heart Attack American,” and “History’s Stranglers” killed. Their set this evening gave me a renewed sense of enjoying the band. Matt even got in the crowd for a few songs to get the crowd pumped and into it.  The one kicker I still have is the rest of the band besides Matt, seem very stagnate. Matt can’t be the only one that gets really into it. All in all though, The Bronx seemed to be finding their “punk rock” side again. I hope that energy carries over to their next record.
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Now the main event. Thrice took the stage a little after 9:00pm and for the next hour and forty minutes, they absolutely owned The Wiltern. Starting their set with “Only Us” was perfect and set the tone for what was to come. As their set raged on with songs like “The Artist in The Ambulance,” “Hurricane,” “Red Sky,” “Black Honey,” and “Anthology,” you could feel the bands energy radiate through the crowd. The roars of sing alongs at times almost was louder than Dustin on stage. Songs from their new album like “The Grey,” “The Dark,” “A Branch In The River,” “Hold Up A Light” and “Beyond The Pines” sounded superb and better live than they do on the record. A few other highlights of their set were  “Firebreather,” “Beggars,” “In Exile,” and “Paper Tigers,” the latter of which really go the crowd in a frenzy. Before playing the song, Dustin Kensrue told the crowd to be careful with this one. Their encore, though only a couple songs, went way back to The Illusion of Safety as they blasted through old classics “Deadbolt,” and To Awake and Avenge The Dead.” I have to give praise to each memeber of the band. Riley Breckinridge looked and sounded so damn comfortable playing his drums. It seemed like it was second nature. Bassist Ed Breckinridge was right in the pocket and totally in the zone as he thrashed around getting more and more into the set as the night went on. Teppei Teranishi has always had this calm demeanor when on stage but, this evening, even he was letting loose a bit more and leaving it all out there. And finally Dustin Kensrue, who also celebrated his birthday this evening, was unstoppable. Even with a raspy voice, which you would have had no idea until he mentioned it, was on fire. His command of the stage and crowd was astounding. I haven’t seen all four of them this good in a long time. I will even go as far as saying that this might just be the best show I’ve ever seen them do.

The four guys that make up Thrice each play a distinct role in not just creating the sound and if it were anyone else playing with them, it sure wouldn’t sound right. Every song picked for their set was perfect and impressionable. They managed to cover all their basis of picking gems from each of their albums. As a fan of the band dating back to The Illusion of Safety, it’s been really interesting to listen and watch the bands growth. They’ve always been true to themselves and what they want to create. Sure they lost me for a bit but, since they returned with To Be Everywhere Is To Be Nowhere, I’ve been back and it’s been amazing to be a fan of the band again. I can’t wait to see where the go next and their next tour.

Thrice Set List:
01) Only Us
02) Image Of The Invincible
03) The Artist in the Ambulance
04) Hurricane
05) A Branch In The River
06) Red Sky
07) Black Honey
08) Daedalus
09) The Grey
10) Anthology
11) Firebreather
12) The Dark
13) In Exile
14) Beggars
15) Hold Up A Light
16) Stare At The Sun
17) Paper Tigers
18) The Long Defeat
19) Beyond The Pines
Encore:
20) Deadbolt
21) To Awake and Avenge The Dead

Photos By: Alisa Lacy

Album Review: Thrice- Palms

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Thrice has never been a band to repeat what they did on their last album. They’ve always pushed forward and tried new things. Sometimes those experiments worked (Vheissu) and others not so much (Beggars). Now on their tenth studio album, Thrice have returned with Palms, a record that picks up where To Be Everywhere Is To Be Nowhere left off. Palms is chock full of those signature Thrice moments from the riffs, lyrics, melodies and rhythms that makes Thrice a special band.

There is no doubt that when Thrice writes a “heavy” song, you know that it’s going to be a favorite. Rather than go all out heavy on the first track, “Only Us” starts it off with a very subtle mid tempo track that is heavy but full of melody. Then on track two with “The Grey,” they step it up a bit more to really push the album further. “The Dark” then takes it back to the melodic with it’s dark brooding body. Dustin Kensrue, really shines on this song. “Just Breathe” which features guest vocals from Emma Ruth Rundle, is another stellar track that shows a bit of a different side of the band. As the album continues on with songs like “Everything Belongs” and “My Soul,” Thrice explores a bit of their ballad side, then they bring it back up tempo with the distortion heavy “Hold Up A Light.” Closing out the album is “Beyond The Pines” a very stark and haunting track that continues on the bands experimental path but doesn’t stray from the overall sense of the album.
Overall, Palms is very much a Thrice album. They aren’t trying to sound like anyone else but themselves. The experimentation works for these songs. Since the band returned with To Be Everywhere, you get the sense that Dustin, Teppei, Ed, and Riley are feeling inspired again and have something more to say. The playing and performances on this album are top notch and hark back to their early days, when making music was fun and full of life. The only complaint I have about Palms, is that the mix on this album is pretty weak. Often times, the drums are buried, the bass just becomes a rumble, the crisp/bright guitars are often lost amongst the distortion, and the vocals at times seem to be too compressed. But if you look past these things, Palms is a very enjoyable and full album. Thrice have really pushed themselves to not repeat the past and on Palms, they achieve that and show their collective maturity.

Overall Rating 8.5/10

 

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New Release: Thrice- The Dark

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Thrice’s new album Palms comes out this Friday (September 14 via Epitaph Records). They’ve already premiered 2 stellar songs from the album, “The Grey” and “Only Us.” Now, they’ve unleashed “The Dark” on us all. This song has an interesting history. Thrice asked fans to be a part of the song by sending in audio and video of them singing a specific part, and they would be included in the final version of the track. This song definitely has a “vibe” to it that’s very Thrice.

 

Thrice- The Dark:

 

Thrice- The Grey:

 

Thrice- Only Us:

New Release: Thrice- Only Us

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Thrice has released a new track, “Only Us” from their upcoming album Palms (out September 14 via Epitaph Records).  “Only Us” is Thrice experimenting a bit but not losing sight of what they do best. The song is full of lush melodies and emotion. “Only Us” is the type of song that when played live will be a beast. Check it out!!!

 

Thrice- Only Us:

 

Thrice- The Grey:

 

New Release: Thrice- The Grey

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Thrice have released a new song called “The Grey.” The band announced today (after months of rumors) that they have signed with Epitaph Records and are going to be releasing a new album later this year along with a full scale headline tour which starts September 21 in San Diego and ends in Los Angeles November 18. Joining Thrice on tour will be The Bronx.

“The Grey” sounds like Thrice. It sort of picks up where they left off on To Be Everywhere Is To Be Nowhere with a bit of the Major/Minor sound.

 

Thrice- The Grey:

 

 

Thrice Tour Dates:
09/21 San Diego, CA – House of Blues
09/22 Tempe, AZ – Marquee Theatre
09/24 Austin, TX – Emo’s
09/25 Houston, TX – House of Blues
09/27 Fort Lauderdale, FL – Revolution Live
09/28 Orlando, FL – House of Blues
09/29 Atlanta, GA – The Buckhead Theatre
09/30 Charleston, SC – The Music Farm
10/02 Raleigh, NC – The Ritz
10/03 Richmond, VA – The National
10/04 Silver Spring, MD – The Fillmore
10/06 Philadelphia, PA – Electric Factory
10/07 Boston, MA – House of Blues
10/09 Detroit, MI – St. Andrew’s Hall
10/10 Cleveland, OH – House of Blues
10/12 Chicago, IL – House of Blues
10/13 St. Louis, MO – The Pageant
10/14 Nashville, TN – Marathon Music Works
11/02 San Francisco, CA – The Regency Ballroom
11/03 Portland, OR – Roseland Theater
11/04 Seattle, WA – Showbox SoDo
11/06 Salt Lake City, UT – The Complex
11/07 Denver, CO – TBD
11/09 Milwaukee, WI – The Rave
11/10 Cincinnati, OH – Bogart’s
11/11 Lawrence, KS – The Granda
11/13 Dallas, TX – House of Blues
11/14 Albuquerque, NM – El Rey Theater
11/16 Las Vegas, NV – House of Blues
11/17 Anaheim, CA – House of Blues
11/18 Los Angeles, CA – The Wiltern

Great B Sides- Thrice

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Thrice are one of the most influential bands in the post hardcore genre. For almost 20 years, the guys in Thrice have done it their way and left their mark. The 9 albums they have released are all unique in their own way and full of many memorable songs. Looking back at their catalog, they don’t seem to have too many songs left over as b sides, but the ones they do have are quite awesome all on their own. Check these out!

Eclipse:

 

Lullaby:

 

That Hideous Strength (Live):

 

Flags Of Dawn:

 

Weight Of Glory:

 

Answered:

 

Red Telephone:

 

Sea Change:

 

 

Top Ten Bands A to Z: T

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The A to Z  list continues to find the top ten bands/artists in the alphabet. T is upon us and needs help to complete the list.

As usual your suggestions are wanted in completing this list.

These are in no particular order as well.

 

01) Type O Negative
02) Thrice
03) T Rex
04) Tool
05) Thin Lizzy
06) Traveling Wilburys
07) Temple Of The Dog
08)
09)
10)

 

 

Album Review: Less Art- Strangled Light

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There is something to be said for taking the time away from a main project and really letting yourself get fully immersed in something new. The members of Less Art have done just that and have made an album that stands out among all the other work they’ve done and then some. Their debut album Strangled Light is a fully inspired and influenced album. Riley and Ed Breckinridge of Thrice, Jon Howell and Ian Miller of Kowloon Walled City and on vocals Mike Minnick of Curl Up and Die have paid their respects to their influences but, taken that and turned it into something all their own.

Throughout the 9 song album, Less Art lay the foundation for heaviness and maturity. Each song feels like they spent the time to really hone in on a vibe and feeling. With each listen, you tend to pick up on a different emotion that puts you in a different headspace, in a good way. The moment the first song “Optimism As Survival” begins, the shivers begin up your spine. There is also a brutality to the album that is carried over from their main bands. When you listen to songs like “Diana The Huntress,” “Mood 7 Mind Destroyer: Guilt,” Pessimism As Denial,” and “Crushed Out” you can really hear their hardcore roots show through. Then there are songs like “Wandering Ghost,” “Shapeshifter,” What Is In It Man?,” and the closer “Strangled Light” that really show who Less Art really are. Their sheer knack to remain heavy but, at the same time vulnerable is what makes them special.

Something really intriguing about Less Art is, Ed Breckinridge is playing guitar rather than bass (as he does in Thrice) on the album. This move has really allowed him to shine as a player and writer. And with him and guitarist Jon Howell, they play off each other in a way that fits the feel of the song. The rhythm section of Riley Breckinridge and Ian Miller builds on the mold of great post-hardcore duo’s. Vocally, the emotion, pain, thoughts and ideas of Mike Minnick are beyond stellar.

Less Art’s Strangled Light, is an album that is very much needed. There is a sense of hope to these songs that when you grab a hold of, you won’t let go.

 

Overall Rating: A

 

Less Art- Strangled Light: