The Mandates: In the Back of Your Heart (Album Review)

The Mandates are back with another killer endeavor in their latest album, In the Back of Your Heart. If you have not had a chance to give the album a listen, you can do so here.

In listening to the album, I found myself feeling reminiscent of times past when I was younger sitting in the back of my fathers Valiant cruising down the highway listening to classic rock tunes. The Mandates have infused their own raw form of punk rock and blended it with an in your face rock and roll sound that is sure to keep you tapping your feet to the rhythm.

An energetic start to the album, "Something Wrong" and "Messing Around" are great songs to introduce In the Back of Your Heart. Here, we have fast, clean and warm tunes to set the stage for the rest of the record. I love the way the vocals sound on this album. The doubling up on these songs makes it feel like you are listening to AM radio with a way more polished feel to it. 

"Saturday Night" is a fantastic song, packed with great lyrical content and excellent instrumental work from the boys. That is something that cannot be overlooked. The Mandates deliver on a tight set together on this album. The guitar, bass and drums are always working together and are consistently complimenting each other as the album plays on. A great example of this is on the track "Lookin' Up" which I highly recommend. 

Nowhere on this album do you feel like you are getting any less than the best from the boys from The Mandates. To close out the record, we have "Not My Problem" and "I Got Eyes" which are nothing short of excellent. Really, if you are looking for an album that you can play over and over and have fun doing so, then In the Back of Your Heart is for you. Steady, catchy tunes, The Mandates are the choice to make if you are looking for true, honest rock music to listen to. 

Check in with Calgary Punk Shows and your local listings for when they might be playing near you.

-Jay Caption

Reminder: Of All The Things You Are (EP Review)

Canadian rock group Reminder have released a new EP entitled Of All the Things You Are. Having come from different backgrounds in the alternative rock scene from the Greater Toronto Area, the boys have developed their own sound and begun to make waves in the Canadian music scene.  

Of All The Things You Are takes a different approach to a few different genres of the alternative rock scene and blends it together. At times leaning a little more towards the melodic punk rock side, the songs also touch on elements of ska, emo, and at times hardcore. 

Reminder does not hold back from delving into different sounds even within the same song. While many bands have successfully bridged the gap between different punk sub genres within their music (Propagandhi comes to mind), Of All the Things You Are does come up short at times trying to pack in too much for one song, even sounding vaguely familiar to Jared Leto from Thirty Seconds to Mars, which you can hear on the track Head over Heels. 

However, where Reminder does excel on this EP is the harmonies and the melody. The guitars compliment each other quite well, and songs like Think Back is a great example of their utilization of vocal range and instrumental harmony. Other tracks, like Honest Things give us a dose of fast raw punk rock chords delivered powerfully. You can listen to the EP on bandcamp here.

With this latest release, Reminder has plans to continue performing live and being out on the road. Check your local listings for wherever Reminder is playing a show near you.

-Jay Caption