Nothington - Roads, Bridges, & Ruins

So here we are again with Nothington. Jay Northington, ex-Tsunami Bomb, leads his new band through a new album, and let me tell you right now, it’s a winner. If you liked All In, you should already have this album and have played it many, many times. And if you didn’t like All In, don’t fret; there’s a lot here that’s improved from its already excellent predecessor.

There’s no sophomore slump here; the band rips it up, and steps up the game from All In in an immediately noticeable way. Clocking in at 33 minutes, the band uses every second of that running time to its benefit, making these 10 songs all distinct, yet cohesive, and of course, catchy as all get out.

First of all, Jay’s voice is a bit smoother. It’s still his trademark grumble, but some of the edge has been worn down. Not a bad thing at all, really. The first song, “A Mistake,” explodes out of the gate, and is probably one of my favorite songs to come out this year. It’s catchy, musically aggressive, and just about anyone can relate to these lyrics. The songs that follow further showcase the band’s sense of melody, as shown on their previous album, but strengthened here; clearly, the band has honed their craft in the interim.

As much as I love Jay’s singing, especially on this album, it’s great when he switches off with Chris, especially on “Not Looking Down.” A really great, almost pop-punk song, the vocals ever so slightly resemble Billie Joe Armstrong at the end of a few lines. One might wish that Green Day was capable of music like this nowadays, but that’s a different review. (one word: sucks)

They slow it down on “Stop Screaming,” but that just allows for a more dramatic, tense song that’s very effective, and highlights the power of Jay’s voice. And then to snap you back to attention, they bust out “The Ocean,” which features some great back-and-forth vocals in the middle section. Chris jumps back on the lead vocals for “Meant to Lose,” one of the strongest songs on an all-over solid album. And finally, to close it out, they slow it down again for “Sleep Tight,” providing an optimistic message that should resonate with just about anyone.

This album is top 10 material for sure. It’s confident and powerful. And, of course, gets in your head and never leaves. I’ve been listening to this album non-stop since I got it, and I don’t think that will change for a while.

Nothington - All In

OK, so I somehow missed out on this band until just recently. I’m not really sure how, honestly. Last.fm has been recommending them to be for a long time now, and I keep seeing their music come up on Punknews. At any rate, I finally got around to checking out their debut album, released in 2007 on BYO.

And despite the fact that none of my friends would listen to anything like this, I am disappointed in them, because they did not tell me about Nothington.

The album doesn’t make sense to me on BYO. I admit I don’t have a clear idea of the kind of music they put out, but this sounds like a No Idea release. Gruff, throaty vocals? Check. Punk rock blended with southern rock? You got it. Catchy as all hell? But of course!

Jay Northington’s got one of those voices that only a mother- or rather, a seasoned punk fan- could love. His rumbling bellow is harsh yet tuneful. I can’t really hear him doing whoa-ohs, but that’s what the rest of the band is for. The contrast between his distinct voice and their more traditional voices backing him up is great, and really adds some flavor to the music. Then, of course, Chris Matulich comes in on lead vocals on the 5th song, singing cleanly with just a hint of scratchiness. It’s like the Neil/Brendan contrast on a Lawrence Arms record. Helps break up the proceedings just by giving us a different vocal perspective to hear things from.

The music is fast and tight; the southern rock influences definitely show through. This record will have your foot tapping along in no time. Comparisons to Social Distortion are inevitable, especially on “Sell Out.” It has that country twang that calls to mind songs like “Ball and Chain” and “Story of My Life.” This is no bad thing, unless for some reason you hate Social D. And even if you do, keep reminding yourself that Mike Ness has nothing to do with this.

All in all, if you- like me- missed this gem from ’07, do yourself a favor and check it out. Especially since Nothington has a new album coming out in October, there’s no better time to become acquainted with their catalog.