A diamond in the rough.... From my vinyl vault: Night birds, "Maimed For the masses" EP + "Born To Die In Suburbia" LP

Night Birds, "Born To Die In Subrubia".

Night Birds aren't a generic copycat punk band, they are an original outfit blending elements of hardcore with surf and added just the right sprinkle of pop into the mixture. Recently signing to Fat Wreck Chords, they've rerecorded some material for their debut Fat Wreck Chords seven-inch record, "Maimed For The Masses" (which is named after the song on the A side and will be on the upcoming debut LP for Fat, and was also on the previous Grave Mistake Records LP), and their latest full-length album via Grave Mistakes Records, "Born To Die In Suburbia" is the best breathe of fresh air for this style of music in a while.

I first heard them a while back when browsing what was new at the time on the Grave Mistakes Records site and stumbled on them. I often set up my i-Pod with all albums I've never heard before, so that when I'm in the van with the Fighting Jamesons or on my long 4 hour commute from Alexandria to Norfolk for our practices so I can use that as an ideal time to check out new music. I had downloaded, "Born To Die In Suburbia"-- and I was in the van with the band at the time, and I remember specifically that wonderful light-bulb moment you get when a record really connects with you, and thinking to myself, "man, these guys really hit it out the park with this album". I instantly became obsessed with this album, and it became a must-own from that very moment. Later I picked it up on my down to Norfolk from home at Richmond's, Vinyl Conflict record shop.

 

"Maimed For the Masses" EP cover.

With the, "Maimed For The Masses" EP  sporting its flashy intriguingly blood-drenched cover as  the first recording under Fat Wreck Chords; the band features a nice re-recorded version of the infectious, "Maimed For The Masses" EP on the A-side of the record. The B-side then picks up the intensity with the barbaric, "Barred Out" before its intentionally train-wrecked into the tom-rolling introduction of,"Last Gasp"; a fist pumping rager that then leads into the snare rolling of, "Boat Trash" with the surf guitar-lead instrumental bringing this 45 to a close.

back of, "Maimed For The Masses" EP.

With, "Born To Die In Suburbia"-- Night Birds have pulled off what a lot of bands intend to do, yet fail to actually do. They've taken their influences, some of them even rather obviously, and instead of simply just emulating them- have harnessed them into there own sound, while still coming across as original. The group presents a sound linking them stylistically in some ways to the likes of the Adolescents, Gang Green, the Ramones, A.O.D. (Adrenalin Overdose), the Ventures, and others.

The record starts off with an intriguing tremolo-picked short and sweet surf-rock instrumental number, before exploding into its incredible high energy-packed title-track anthem, "Born To Die In Suburbia". All the right dashes of catchiness happen with choruses like that of, "Modern Morons" and, "Nazi Gold" or the hooks in, "Pretty Poison" or ,"Maimed For the Masses".

"Maimed For The Masses" insert.

Night Birds have cranked the volume all the way and captured their adrenalin fueled spirit, and are so incredibly dialed-in-- the speed and fury is executed with sheer perfection, and more importantly-- isn't overdone either. The melodic elements of the songs take shape without the songs ever losing momentum, ranging from everything from the duel guitar lines to the vocal delivery. Every detail on this record is surprisingly spick and span and yet in a manner not intrusive to their ferocious music (even the reverb level on this album is goldie locks!)  Everything about this record is so precise and well written-- its kind've shocking that for a punk album-- yeah punk, a genre so notorious for being such a so-called "sloppy" area of rock 'n rolls domain-- could be so um perfect.

back of, "Born To Die In Suburbia".

With the excitement of their recent switch to Fat Wreck Chords, it will be really exciting to see what kind of record they will crank out next with that kind of label support behind them. As band that has already made such an impressively balanced record, it will be truly special to see what they manage to come up with next as their story continues to unfold.

They signed to Fat back in July, and it will be worth keeping our eyes peeled to see the full-length arriving fairly soon!