The Skinny: The Bands You DON’T Want to Miss! – Volume #10

what’s The Skinny? Welcome 2010! This is the first Skinny of the year, fuck, the century… so we jammed it full of SICK bands. You don’t want to start the year out as a loser, so listen to these bands and listen now! Here’s the deal. There are SO many sick bands out there that just don’t get enough love. Well, with The Skinny, that’s all going to change. We have taken it upon ourselves to get together and bust out a list once a month where we tell you about a handful of sick-ass bands that we feel NEED to be heard. Signed or unsigned, new or old, these are just bands that deserve some additional attention. We challenge you to take the time to check each one out; they are amazing, they are loved, and now they have been Skinned.

01. The Special Goodness (Rock, Alternative, Punk) [ skinned by: Will Lyon ]
the skinny: Producing songs since 1996, The Special Goodness are an intermittent hobby of the highly successful, Patrick Wilson. You may be struggling to put a face to that name but you would probably have a better chance if I told you that he is the man behind the drums for the multi-platinum selling sensation, Weezer. The Special Goodness however, brings Wilson out from behind the sticks and instead we hear him taking control of vocal and guitar duties. He makes a fine job of them too. Although the band haven’t released any material since Land Air Sea in 2004, they are a little gem of a band that any rock fan should check out. It’s melodic and loud, just the way rock music should be.
links: MySpace | Home | Last.FM

02. The Elite (Metal) [ skinned by: Jenny Hopkins ]
the skinny: Made up of Rob Arnold of Chimaira, Austin D’Amond of Bleed the Sky, vocalist TJ Frost and bass player Mike Drury “The Elite” are giving metal fans something to talk about. I heard about these guys through Rob Arnold himself, and by reading the announcement of the “side project” on Chimaira’s MySpace page. If you are a fan of either Chimaira, Bleed the Sky or both, listen up, you are in for some ear candy. While the influence of both bands are present, Frost’s vocals and Drury’s bass give this “super group” an extra kick in the ear drums. No albums have been released yet, but here’s hoping for one in 2010.
links: MySpace | Last.FM

03. Revocation (Death Metal, Thrash, Metal) [ skinned by: Eric Burnet ]
the skinny: I tend to ignore buzz bands because they usually suck. The more ads I see about a band, the less I’m interested. This was the feeling I had towards Revocation as articles and banner adds kept popping up about them everywhere. Then I had a chance to share the stage with them while performing with my own band, and I really kicked myself for having avoided their new album, Existence is Futile. Essentially what we’re dealing with here is progressive minded old school thrash mixed with technical death metal and a frantic, unrelenting aesthetic. Fans of any era of metal will enjoy these guys and a lot of current “scene” bands could learn a lot from them about presenting classic ideas in a fresh way.
links: MySpace | Last.FM

06. Chevelle (Hard Rock, Alternative, Rock) [ skinned by: Aaron Willschick ]
the skinny: A very talented melodic rock band that you’ve probably heard and heard of but don’t know much about. Originally comprised of three brothers, Chevelle formed in Grayslake, Illinois in 1995. The band initially became famous upon the release of its second album Wonder What’s Next in 2002 which featured the hit single “The Red.” Now three albums later, the group is still going strong although minus one brother Joe Loeffler who left in 2005 and was replaced by brother in law Dean Bernardini. Chevelle’s fifth studio record Sci-Fi Crimes was released at the end of this past summer and has so far been the trio’s most commercially successful album to date. Look for the band on tour in the U.S. midwest through the end of the Winter.
links: MySpace | Home | Last.FM

07. Comeback Kid (Hardcore, Punk, Rock) [ skinned by: Andrew King ]
the skinny: I said I’d pick something heavy this time. Comeback Kid aren’t heavy in the detuned guitar/throaty growl sense, but instead in the pummeling intensity with which they deliver their trademarked brand of sing-for-your-supper hardcore. While their latest release, Broadcasting…, has been on the shelf for a little while, it’s still as ripping a listen as it was upon being released. Those new to the band need only check out “Wake The Dead” from the album of the same name for a taste of why these guys are considered one of modern hardcore’s finest.
links: MySpace | Home | Last.FM

08. Mumm-Ra (Indie, Pop, Rock) [ skinned by: Joey Slater ]
the skinny: I always feel so out of touch when I discover a band I like, and then realise they broke up two years ago. My most recent experience of this was with Mumm-Ra, a British indie rock band who disbanded in 2008 after eight years of making music together. So why am I still recommending them? Well, they’re just that good. While perhaps not so relevant to the indie music scene anymore, their songs are incredibly catchy, and pleasant to listen to. Their first (and only) full length album, These Things Move In Threes was released in May 2007 and is probably one of the best debut albums from a young band that the UK has ever seen. After supporting the likes of The Killers and Kaiser Chiefs, it was looking likely that these guys would go on to great things, until they announced their untimely split (which speculation suggests may have been due to record company pressure from their label Columbia/Sony BMG). If you’re a fan of cheerful-sounding indie rock like The Shins, The Killers and Franz Ferdinand, then Mumm-Ra are definitely one to cast a retrospective glance over.
links: MySpace | Home | Last.FM

09. The Flatliners (Punk, Reggae, Grime) [ skinned by: Amanda Symynuk ]
the skinny: The fabulous Flatliners have been bringing awesome punk rock/reggae/grime music to the punk music junkie’s ears for many years. Their musical talent is demonstrated in their newest album, Cynics, which is packed full of great guitars riffs and beats that make you wanna jump up and down. The Flatliners are worth a listen and might become your new favourite punk band.
links: MySpace | Home | Last.FM

10. Phantom Communique (Rock, Metal, Alternative) [ skinned by: Marina DiBattisa ]
the skinny: I saw two fourths of this outfit in Bleed the Dream and thought they were pretty rad, since then they have parted ways and volcalist Brandon Thomas and drummer Aaron Cohen have rounded up the final lineup. Part progressive, part metal, and part alternative is what this industrial like band sounds like, they are heavy, yet still have hooks give them a listen for sure and keep hitting the site up for an interview and review coming soon!
links: MySpace | Last.FM

we want YOUR input! so do you think we suck at skinning bands? Do you have a group that you want to see posted here? Well then take two minutes and send us an email to mail[at]puregrainaudio.com with your thoughts. We’ll take each letter seriously and with any luck you’ll see your nomination live in one of our future installments of The Skinny!