Cardboard Boxer
Waste My Time
This San Diego based punk quartet has been tearing up the scene for almost five years, doing exactly what punk bands should do…. playing everything from small clubs and coffee houses to backyard parties and college shows. They’re in good company, the San Diego area is well known for creating some killer punk bands (i.e. Hot Snakes, For the Win and Clikitat Ikatowi, to name a few). “Waste My Time” is the latest single off a 10 song record called “Current Youth,” adding to their impressive collection of teeth grinding, mosh pit bumping, high energy tracks. Crank up your speakers, here’s our review:
The intro riff is more heavy metal than punk with it’s single and dual note feel, and then the feel takes on a RATM vibe with the extra high tones that come in when the band drops, but you know you’re smack in the middle of a punk pit as soon as the vocals start. The feel is anxious, aggressive and heavy. Melody is strong and contagious. Mix is spot on (hats off to Alex Jacobelli) and the band does a great job of pulling the main melody from the verse chorus to use as a lead line after the first chorus. Half-way through, the drums absolutely stand out. Evan has some great fills up his sleeve and chooses his patterns wisely. Great feel. With all due respect to all the great punk guitarists out there, I think you’ll agree that you can’t be a punk band without a kick ass drummer.
Heading into the second verse the intensity slightly builds as the layers pile on, and they give a nice breakdown before the second chorus to give us a chance to catch our breathe. The lyrics are really resonating - and solidly punk - a big, “I don’t care, I’m just gonna kill another brain cell” attitude. Love the break downs and syncopated hits. This shows the band is actively concerned about making the song as interesting as it is hard hitting. At the final chorus, we’re definitely in the midst of an arena like anthem and the feel is contagious.
Solid punk songs are all about the energy, the mix, and the story. It’s more important to have the proper energy of the song conveyed, than it is for any one member of the band show off how great they are on their instrument. That’s not the point. They pull it off here in spades, as well as the other tracks on the record. This would be a great band to see live - from the stage, of course - we’d love to have a bird’s eye view of the pit!
Band line up: Shea Villetet (guitar/vocals), Tommy Achenbach (guitar/vocals), Evan De Silva (drums), and Cameron Jackson (bass/vocals).
Check it out now!