I got this tasty piece of vinyl in the mail a few days ago; a thoroughly solid 7-inch split by two fantastic bands, Benard and Worn In Red. Both bands succeed at being pure unadulterated fury in musical form. It’s spastic, frantic, raw, and for lack of a better term, very “old school.” Revelation and Dischord Records comparisons come to mind, but that comparison doesn’t do this split justice. The two songs by Atlanta, Georgia’s Benard are just fast, hard and hella aggro, while Virginia’s Worn In Red’s one contribution is somewhat epic, but without sacrificing any sort of immediate energy. The split is available through Alaska Records and No Brakes Distro, and you can get it here.

I’ll admit, I’m a little taken aback. Paper The Operator’s little slice of poppy and melodic pop rock is definitely better than I expected. The band’s Solemn Boyz EP definitely doesn’t beat around the bush when it comes to indie pop conventions. They are content with their music being just a great rock ‘n roll that isn’t afraid to mix heartache and cynicism, with just a touch of lightheartedness. It’s not punk, it’s not pop, it’s not indie, but it’s definitely good.

Four Songs by Stay Sharp could have been a really, really, good hardcore record.  Instead, it’s just pretty ok.  I don’t know what it is, because on the surface, they have everything it takes to be a great band.  They’re loud, fast and from Philly, where almost all my favorite bands are from.  Most of these songs could have been a long lost Kid Dynamite recording but there’s just something about it that doesn’t click.  Even after listening to it a few times, Four Songs just didn’t move me at all.  I’m not saying it’s bad, because it’s not.  I’m sure these guys slay shit on stage, but the album just doesn’t really have that spark I was looking for.

Check out the Cheap Girls review after the jump.

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The self-released White Flags And Silver Spoons Have To Sleep In Separate Rooms, by Fort Lauderdale’s Alexander is the complete package. Meaning, they have combined all the best parts of various indie rock bands I’ve heard over the years. Even with all those influences together, they create music that still sounds unique. I’d definitely put this as one of the best indie rock records I’ve heard in a long time.

The boys of Static Radio have finally unleashed their debut longplayer, An Evening Of Bad Decisions, on Black Numbers records. I’m gonna admit that this band took a bit to grow on me initially. After a few listens though, the band’s brand of Kid Dynamite-influenced hardcore punk stuck with me. Since their first EP, One For The Good Guys, they’ve refined their sound a bit, letting melody infuse, even sometimes replace, the straight-up thrash found on the EP. Bad Decisions is not a mind shattering record, but it is filled with good, straight-up punk rock. Static Radio are not concerned with others’ expectations of what punk and hardcore should sound like. They know want they want to do with it and that’s clear on this album.