THE SUMMER JAM 4: Jump The Shark – Brett Boland of Astronoid

Another one! I really hope these articles have you digging the summer heat already, or at least gave you some fresh tunes to spin. Today’s selection comes courtesy of Brett Boland, vocalist/guitarist of American ‘dream thrash’/blackgaze outfit Astronoid.

I am a very seasonal music listener. The time of year has a direct effect on what im listening to at the time. I have fond memories of driving to get an iced coffee, heading to the record store, and blasting whatever I bought with the windows down. When we were younger, Casey and I used to talk about how awesome it would be to go for drives and listen to records when we finally get a car. Most of my favorite music is associated with the summer in some way. Here are a few of my favorite summer records to blast in the summertime!

This record is one of my all time favorites. NOFX is one of my all time favorite bands. Their use of melody and harmony is really unique for a punk band. I love how much of a mess they are. I love the mel yell. I love everything about this band. Songs like “Desperations Gone”, “Kids of the K Hole”, and probably my favorite NOFX song, “Falling In Love” just set the perfect mood for a summer drive in a van or at home outside drinking a cold one. NOFX? More like no talent.

Bad Religion is the other band that comes to mind when I think of summer. I picked up the 20-year vinyl collection one summer, and that’s pretty much all I listen to. It’s hard to pick one album but I have to go with The Empire Strikes First. This is Brooks Wackerman’s second album with the band, and Brett Gurewitz second album back with the band. I may be in the minority, but I think the newest era of Bad Religion’s music is their best. The first three songs of the record are just absolute bangers and the record never slows down. I love the production, the lyrics, and flow of the record. Definitely one of my all time favorites.

This is on here because of a particular story Alan, our merchandising specialist, had to offer. At a 4th of July party at a friends house, we threw this record on and managed to throw back a ‘few’ cold ones. Casey ended up going down the water slide with his clothes on, and everyone was doing the Andrew WK “punch dance”. If you don’t know what I mean, watch any video of Andrew WK playing “Party Hard”. We listen to this record all the time. I remember getting it when it came out.

Also, “Party Hard” was the first song I ever downloaded on Napster. One summer Casey and I went to Warped Tour just to see him. There was a circle pit of high fives. It’s one of my favorite concert memories.

This has been a go to summer record for a long time, but this year its on a heavier rotation. I went to their last show in Massachusetts a couple weeks ago and I just cant stop listening to them. They are one of the most influential bands for me. I learned how to play guitar learning Slayer and Metallica songs. One summer I went into a Newbury Comics in Burlington, MA. I must have been eleven years old. I told the dude at the counter that I liked Metallica and I wanted something in that same vein. So he brought me over to the ‘S’ section and handed me Reign In Blood. I bought it without question. My undeveloped brain wasn’t ready for the speed that was about to be unleashed on my ears. It became one of my favorite records of all time. I’ll never forget picking this record up and learning every song on it.

I’ve always had a soft spot for Yellowcard. I think they get a bad rep, and the only album anyone has listened to is Ocean Avenue. They are fantastic song writers and Longineu W. Parsons III is an absolute beast of a drummer. This is also his last album with the band. This album came out the day after my birthday in August 2012. I listened to it pretty much every day all summer. Ryan Key’s lyrics really paint a picture and put you in a calm state of mind. It’s absolutely one of my top ‘feel good’ records. For a ‘pop punk band’, these dudes can certainly rip.

I was interning at a studio in Westford, MA called Zing Studios at the time. I would drive about three hours to get there every day, so I would have a long time to listen to some records. I was really into Rush at the time and was talking about it with John, the studio owner. We got talking about Deep Purple and how I had never really dove into them.

The next day he shows up with Machine Head and Made In Japan. The records took over my life. I knew Deep Purple’s importance in modern rock and metal, but had never understood the extent. I am forever grateful for those albums, and they started me down a path of 70’s music I still haven’t left.

Thanks to Brett for providing his list for today’s episode of The Summer Jam 4: Jump The Shark! Astronoid released a new album via Blood Music back in February; check it out here if you haven’t yet, and don’t forget to follow the band on Facebook.