Artist: Matt Wertz
Album: Today & Tomorrow EP
Label: None
Purchase: Aware Store
Release Date: 2005

Overall: 9.6
Music: 9.5
Lyrics: 9.7
Production: 9.6

Matt Wertz is very much a native of the solo-songwriter scene. Touring the nation countless times with friend and producer Dave Barnes, recording two previous full-lengths, and about working on his third record, Matt took five songs written over the last five years and recorded them, in one day. The recording process was lightly explained in the liner notes of the record. Very relaxed and sometimes multiple musicians ‘crowded around one mic’, a very back-to-the-basics approach was taken. I read these notes before listening to the record, and expected a something less in quality than his last two CDs. Fortunately, I was completely off with my predisposition.

Artist: Quietdrive
Album: When All That’s Left Is You
Label: Epic Records
Purchase: Smart Punk
Release Date: May 30, 2006

Overall: 9.2
Music: 9.5
Lyrics: 8.5
Production: 9.5

Every now and then a CD will come along that turns in to the soundtrack to a significant part of your life. To the summer of 2006, you have found your soundtrack. Quietdrive is a band I was first turned on to by catching my friends Daphne Loves Derby in concert. As the opening band, their catchy pop-driven melodic rock caught my attention with the first song, and held it now a month after the last song. My mailbox greeted me on the first day of my summer with the debut full length, When All That’s Left Is You.

This interview with The Acacia Strain was originally done at their show at Alley Katz. Due to my recorder running out of batteries in the middle of the interview, I wasn’t able to get the answers from the interview. Therefore I sent the same questions via e-mail to lead vocalist Vincent. These are those answers.

- State your name and position the band.

My name is Vincent Bennett, I am the lead vocalist.

- Give a brief history of the band and the origin of the name.

Artist: Saves The Day
Album: Sound The Alarm
Label: Vagrant
Purchase: Smart Punk
Release Date: April 11, 2006

Overall: 9.2
Music: 9.0
Lyrics: 9.4
Production: 9.3

After the horrible response from fans about 2003’s “In Reverie,” being labeless, and touring off of their old material, Saves the Day have returned with a more focused album on “Sound the Alarm.” Finding refuge in old friends Vagrant Records, the band that influenced so many of today’s artists have had to draw on influence from none other than themselves, returning to the frantic “emocore” that made them popular. They’ve also got a few new tricks up their sleeve this time around.

Artist: Forgive Durden
Album: Wonderland
Label: Fueled By Ramen
Purchase: Smart Punk
Release Date: May 9, 2006

Overall: 8.4
Music: 8.7
Lyrics: 8.2
Production: 8.5

Seattle’s Forgive Durden were one of two “mystery signings” by the ever growing Fueled By Ramen this past year. They are also one of the most unique bands on the label’s roster. “Wonderland” is a concept album touching on several different social issues that are problems in the world today. The result is an album that’s not your typical pop-punk that the label has been delivering as of late.

Artist: Transition
Album: Get There
Label: Floodgate Records
Purchase: Smart Punk
Release Date: September 12, 2006

Overall: 7.4
Music: 7.5
Lyrics: 7.3
Production: 8.0

This band’s singer, Daniel Smyers, sound just like Scott Sellers of Rufio. For the first few seconds of listening to this band, I thought I was listening to Rufio. Take the metal influences away from Rufio and you have Transition.

“Excusable” is another anthem for working class teenagers with dreams of living a more exciting life. It’s pretty catchy, too. For some reason though, I just can’t get into the rest of this album.

Artist: Halifax
Album: The Inevitability of a Strange World
Label: Drive-Thru Records
Purchase: Smart Punk
Release Date: May 23, 2006

Overall: 8.6
Music: 9.5
Lyrics: 7.9
Production: 8.9

It’s been a long time coming, and when I say a long time coming, I mean basically a year. “The Inevitability of a Strange World” is Halifax’s debut LP for Drive Thru Records. This album is great. It’s not awesome, it’s not bad, but it’s great. It’ll make for good summer-driving music..or party music, depending on how you look at it. It’s no surprise the content of this album is more concentrated on being a big time rock band as the groups penchant for partying has been made public by several appearances on MTV’s “The Real World.”

Artist: Sherwood
Album: The Summer EP
Label: Maverick
Purchase: Flipside
Release Date: September 12, 2006

Overall: 8.9
Music: 9.0
Lyrics: 8.8
Production: 8.6

Sherwood have come quite a ways since their self released, self-tited EP which they put out in January of 2004. The guys came through on tour and I caught up with them in the summer of 04′ where they were eating peanut butter and crackers for supper and playing for crowds of 20-100 people night after night. I knew instantly that the guys were very hard working and deserved every little bit of exposure they could get. You can check out the interview I conducted with Dan from June 30th 2004 here. Since then Sherwood signed a one record deal with SideCho and Released Sing, But Keep Going about a year ago on May 31st 2005. The Summer EP is a continuation of Sherwood’s fun energetic music which is filled with catchy guitars, organ backgrounds, and sing along lyrics.