CRITERIA

Band: CRITERIA

Genres: Punk / Rock / Garage / Indie / Alternative / Emo
Related artists: Cursive, The White Octave, Smashmouth, Lullabye For The Working Class,
                        The Mogis Brothers and Slowdown Virginia.
Country: Omaha, USA
Years Active: 2003-2005
Song: "The Coincidence"
Album: "En Garde"
Year: 2003
Label(s): Saddle Creek Records / Initial Records
This post's artist is from the March 2014 Mix. This is track #15.
You can download the March 2014 Mix#2 right here.
For fans of: Stephen Brodsky, Foo Fighters, Cursive, Weezer, Nada Surf, The Mark Inside,
                  Andrew WK, Cursive, Mansions, Cave In, Death From Above 1979, No Knife,
                  Recover, Manchester Orchestra, Kid Kilowatt, (mid) Standstill, (later)
                  Hopesfall, John Vanderslice, Riddle Of Steel and Harvey Danger.

If college rock, 90s emo and Steve Brodsky did some kind of existential collaboration it would probably sound like CRITERIA. This band is the brainchild of Stephen, the former Cursive guitarist. He has a strong, booming voice which is coupled with very solid instrumental backing that dabbles in Cursive/No Knife palm muting and noodling territory, while the vocal stylings have a strong resemblance to Stephen Brodsky and Rivers from Weezer. My wife and I also feel that CRITERIA shares similar song structures and broader, more obscure lyrics with bands such as Mansions.

CRITERIA has a thick rock sound, and should have been much more popular. There's nothing groundbreaking here, but if you're looking for a solid, anthemic rock album - here are 2. Download the discography and decide for yourself.

________________________________________________________________________

DISCOGRAPHY

Click )==>here<==( to download the band's complete discography in mp3 form.

2003 - En Garde cd/LP

2005 - When We Break cd/12"LP
2005 - Prevent The World cd/7" single
2005 - Lagniappe Comp (contributed "Bookeeta")
________________________________________________________________________

(2003) CRITERIA - "The Coincidence" (from 'En Garde')

(2003) CRITERIA - "It Happens" (from 'En Garde')

(2005) CRITERIA - "Draped In Blood" (from 'When We Break')

(2005) CRITERIA - "Run Together" (from 'When We Break')

(2005) CRITERIA - "Self Help (G-Force Remix" (from 'Prevent The World' single)

________________________________________________________________________

CRITERIA out-of-print discography mp3 download

(download here)

________________________________________________________________________

MUSTAPHAMOND

Band: MUSTAPHAMOND
Genres: Punk / Math Rock / Emo / Emo-violence / Post-Hardcore / Screamo
Related artists: N/A.
Country: I dunno, USA
Years Active: 2002-2003
Song: "Flammable Dreams for a Culture of Nightmares"
Album: "Mustaphamond"
Year: 2003
Label(s): Grey Sky Records
This post's artist is from the March 2014 Mix. This is track #2.
You can download the March 2014 Mix#2 right here.
For fans of: Leer, D'Amore, Kodan Armada, Off Minor, Deers!, Matsuri, Birthday Boyz, 
                 Saetia, Caught In The Fall, Greyscale, Raein, Funeral Diner, Itto, Kidcrash, 
                 Bravo Fucking Bravo, Eyes Of Verotika, MNWA, For Want Of, Evylock, 
                 Spirit Of Versailles, Neil Perry, Storm The Bastille, Van Johnson, Kaospilot,
                 Yaphet Kotto and Bright Calm Blue aka PROPER Screamo.

Looky here! MUSTAPHAMOND is definitely a hidden gem!!! Check it, son!

For those who love chaotic yet dreamy Saetia and D'Amore influenced screamo, look no further than the ridiculous 7" put out about a decade ago by MUSTAPHAMOND. This band is obscure as all hell, but do yourself a massive favour and check out the songs embedded below and then download the 7", you won't be disappointed. I think they had one other demo cdr release but have yet to get my hairy-palmed hands on it. They played a great soft/hard dynamic of screamy, jangly, noodley and discordant hardcore with amazing technical precision, especially the guitars and drums. Even though the songs have parts that descend chaos, the music is generally very catchy and melodic. Think Leer, Off Minor and Greyscale. The vocalist (occasionally of which there are 2) is warbly and alternates between talking/yelling (Saetia) and high-pitched screaming (Spirit Of Versailles). The bass rounds this band out with very bouncy and rhythmic riffage, much like Serotonin and Riddle Of Steel. Enough reading, just listen/download already.

________________________________________________________________________

DISCOGRAPHY

Click )==>here<==( to download the band's 7" in mp3 form.

2003 - Mustaphamond 7" (download here)

________________________________________________________________________

(2003) MUSTAPHAMOND - "Flammable Dreams For A Culture Of Nightmares" (from 'Mustaphamond' 7")

(2003) MUSTAPHAMOND - "It's Opposite Day I Love You" (from 'Mustaphamond' 7")

________________________________________________________________________

MUSTAPHAMOND out-of-print discography mp3 download

7" (download here)

________________________________________________________________________

CYRUS GOLD

Band: CYRUS GOLD

Genres: Punk / Rock / Post-Hardcore / Stoner
Related artists: N/A.
Country: Pittsburgh, USA
Years Active: 2013-present
Song: "Bones"
Album: "Demo"
Year: 2013
Label(s): N/A
This post's artist is from the March 2014 Mix. This is track #5.
You can download the March 2014 Mix#2 right here.
For fans of: Rye Coalition, These Arms Are Snakes, Every Time I Die, Ladder Devils,
                  Big Dick, Maximum RnR, Arbogast, Gaff, Whores and Motorhead.

Justin from CYRUS GOLD sent me their stuff 2 months ago and I've been jamming "Bones" weekly ever since. I have an in-depth review coming out in the Funeral Sounds zine sometime soon, so I'll leave all my explaining there. The band has 3 songs on bandcamp and will soon record 3 more tunes and a cover that will hopefully be released shortly. If you like your rock sassy, bass-heavy, oozing with sludge and mixed with post-hardcore take a gander below. Rye Coalition and Whores meets These Arms Are Snakes. At the 1:18 mark of "Bones", try not to rock out. It's possible, but requires some effort. So good for a demo.

________________________________________________________________________

DISCOGRAPHY

2013 - Demo digitalEP (stream/download here)

________________________________________________________________________

(2013) CYRUS GOLD - "Big Poison Little Poison" (from 'Demo')

(2013) CYRUS GOLD - "Your Party" (from 'Demo')

________________________________________________________________________

CYRUS GOLD additional links

Bandcamp

Facebook

EP (download here)

________________________________________________________________________