Chives | Thrones

Family Average: 5/7

Ch-ch-ch-Chives (sung like David Bowie’s Changes). Ah here we are now. Another day another stupendous example of musical creativity. Who would have thought a band would form that performs only using a popular breakfast vegetable. That is not true but the boys do sure cary tune! Does the family like post-punk revival?

Listen to some of their jams on bandcamp and read on to find out:

Erratic, unrelenting, and screwy. With the very first track, I was zig-zagging; pushed and pulled in seven directions. It was exhausting but entirely enjoyable. With palpable energy, Chives undoubtedly pays homage to some of the late and great punk bands.

However, these guys spew a bit of life into a genre that keeps getting rehashed, creating a mishmash of sounds with a sense of play and exhilaration. They’ve managed to embody and maintain that sort of DIY, organic, and raw quality of punk music, and simultaneously develop their own unique sound. They’ve also done it in a way that makes it palatable for the non-punk aficionado, bringing in different instruments and layers to give it all a distinct but unpredictable texture. The vocals are ricocheting against the patchwork of noise. I loved the irregularity of it all. Overall, it’s a really strong and compelling piece of work that had me bouncing against the walls with the rest of ‘em.

5/7

Wow, although this is high energy, hard driving Punk Rock, it is well mixed. The vocals are of exceptionally good quality and the instruments are masterfully layered within the tracks, everything is well balanced, so it works well. The second song, “Return to Estelle” had a early “Chilly Pepper” vibe to it. This little ditty would work well as a soundtrack in a “Guy Ritchie” movie, it would have to be the scene where they are getting rid of the dead bodies and moving the drugs, diamonds, and money into the duffel bags. “Thrones” was fun but it didn't need to go on for five minutes, two and a half would have been fine.  “Pistol” and “Porcelain” were fun tunes, well done and catchy. I really liked “Green Lady” it had a “No Doubt” Ska mix quality to it.

My only criticism is that they could have eliminated a few tracks, some of the songs sounds like the same old same old Chives. Nevertheless I like this band, and i believe that they have commercial appeal. The singer is talented and the musicians have a unique style, blending funk, punk, ska and rock into one big happy sound.

5/7

I love a good punk album and this my friends was a good punk album! Lots of raw edgy energy met with excellent focus on the end product. All too often bands think there stuff is “good enough” and don’t push themselves to make their music the best it can be. I feel this band is a group of professionals with a specific goal and on this album they really reach it.

The instrumentals were so strong and paired excellently with the vocals. I also liked that it wasn’t just another punk album. They mixed in some other influences to give it their own special vibe. I feel like some ska or even metal could be found mixed in with the strong punk tone.

The only problem I may have had with the album is that some of the songs went on to long.  I also feel that maybe having a few less tracks on the album itself would have left us wanting for more. It started to get like that book or movie you thought was ending and then it went on for another 20 minutes. They obviously love what they are doing so I guess it’s hard to make that call. I really enjoyed this and look forward to more from this group.

5/7

Fellas fellas fellas what in the world is going on? It seems we are in a very special kind of time for punk music people. Say that five times fast. I dare you, really take a second and do it. Out loud so everybody can hear you say those words.

Ah yeah, kind of a weird time. It should not be news to anyone that is swinging back on to the scene in a big way. Thankfully in music when old stuff come back, it's not the same old stuff. Cool people tend to tweak it to make it new and interesting.

Chives are one of those cool bands I was talking about before. The ones that add stuff to their sound to zest up an old genre.

Their sound just contorts every piece of my face into some kind of David Cronenberg smile. It is fast, tight, and ever-changing. The drums are off-kilter in the best way. They lay down a crazy foundation for the rest of the song to build on. The vocals have this incredible symmetry with the lead guitar. They are constantly throwing themselves into perfect little moments together.

Lyrics come off as a smorgasbord of joy, nonsense, and aggression.

The boys just bring home the bacon on this one.

5/7