ITT: I review demo tapes I have sitting around

[rob]

I guess some of these aren't demo tapes, they're just cassettes bands did as legit releases, but whatever.
I'm mostly doing this because I'm getting around to listening to stuff i got over the last year from bands traveling through or on tour.

Timber "2007 + 2008"
This band ruleddddd live and if you're into dc hardcore, they'll make you happy, but only if you can move past early 80's dc and into revolution summer.
the 2007 demo just isn't very good. It's the b-side of the tape, but i tried to listen in chronological order, which was a mistake. it's recorded poorly, no matter how much i messed with my receiver, it still sounded muddy.
the 2008 demo side is actually the 7inch, i'm pretty sure. this thing is fucking amazing. the song "youth wasted on young" is really great hardcore with INTERESTING GUITAR which seems to be disappearing more and more from hardcore. if you like early 90's stuff kind of like sleepy time trio, or you were way into a less sassy nation of ulysse, this thing will make you happy. ambrose put their 7inch out, and he's the man, so pick that up.
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[rob]

Friendly Fire/Bound to Bolt "split tape"

I'll never understand why bands think that putting a big ass lyric sheet in a tape is a good idea. the case is always a bitch to open, and they're always so folded that they're a bitch to read, so yeah, this tape did that, and pissed me off. the art is just horrible, but kind of in a good way, as in, i think i've drawn this exactly thing before, and i think i was in 9th grade english class.
friendly fire is really good, and were energetic as hell live, but they might fall into the "those are good guys" area of music, where i might enjoy them more because i genuinely like them as people. the tape is really poorly recorded, which i guess i should be used to, since i'm listening to tapes. but the songs could be so good recorded better. i guess i got my hopes up too much because of how cool they were live
bound to bolt isn't very good, and honestly, i couldn't tell if it was a girl or guy singer after the first song (it's actually two girls). the songs are rudimentary, but not in the way you hope for. though, after two listens, i think this band might be starting to grow on me. it's like if a super straight forward pop punk band happened to have two girl singers, but then played through telecasters that sounded really thin.

edit: links
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so i just listened to bound to bolt on myspace and it's actually pretty good. oops

[rob]

vivian girls-"45"

this is the first vivian girls lp and the two 7inches, so i guess it's kind of stupid to review since the lp is finally going to be back in print, and the two 7inches are out of print, but whatever.
this band is great, lo fi girl "punk" except you know, not abrasive in the least. my girlfriend likes this band, and i do too. its that kind of band, though not shitty unlike most "i guess they're ok, i mean, my girl is into it". I'm sure tons of people into blow will be hyping this band soon enough, or maybe it's already happening, but that doesn't make them any worse, because they rule.
www.myspace.com/viviangirlsnyc

[John]

I listened to all 4 bands you had posted, and was into each one of them. My favorite was Timber. Appropriate faith is a great song, and I would definitely buy their 7". I wasn't into Friendly Fire as much as Timber, but they were still good. Wasn't feeling the vocals too much at first, but they started to grow on me. Bound to Bolt I thought was really catchy. This could also be due to the fact that I am into bands like that though. As for the Vivian Girls, I agree with you, they do rule.

[gutfuck]

i just ordered the timber 7", im glad its gonna be good

[jaded old guy]

Vivian Girls just sounds like 90s Slumberland bands like Black Tambourine. It's good, but i don't understand the hype.