Phoenix, AZ’s leading sons of manic-styled, acoustic punk-rock, Andrew Jackson Jihad, stopped by Philadelphia’s First Unitarian Church last week as part of their first ever US tour run. Known for their tongue-in-cheek lyrical contexts combined with a developed acoustic-rock underbelly, like many of their punk-rooted peers, the group creates an aura of amusement, admiration and misunderstanding. With catch phrases like, “I hate whiny fucking songs like this, but I can’t afford a therapist, sorry guys, here’s a solo” in song “Distances” and “If I see a penny on the ground, I leave it alone or fucking flip it- I’m a straight white male in America, I got all the luck I need,” in the appropriately titled “American Tune”.. this is a band that pushes boundaries. Both tracks are featured on the band’s latest album, Knife Man, which was released last Fall by Asian Man Records and has seen mostly positive critical and fan responses. Andrew Jackson Jihad continues to hone their eclectic musicianship,which features the use of brass, mandolins, organs, and traditional rock elements for a surprisingly cohesive and often intricate sound. The band had no lack of enthusiastic supporters last week, as a solid gathering of Philly’s finest turned out for the show and kept the energy levels high on the floor.
Co-headliners,Joyce Manor are coming off of a whirlwind year in 2011 as their debut, self-titled LP on 6131 Records quickly sent a buzz through the indie scene, taking in scores of positive reviews from some of the largest music outlets around. Joyce Manor are currently touring in support of their most recent recorded effort Of All Things I Will Soon Grow Tired, which hit streets April 17th via Asian Man Records. We caught up with Joyce Manor for a feature interview just as they completed their self-titled LP in the winter 2010. The band has continued to hone their infectious blend of punk and indie-rock on this latest effort and saw a hearty response from this raucous Philly crowd. Joyce Manor is a another band to keep an eye on throughout 2012.
Chicago rock outfit and opening act, Treasure Fleet got things moving with their reverb-induced blend of catchy rock and psychedelic offerings, as the band is currently supporting The April 24th release of their latest full-length on Recess Records entitled, Cocamotion.
We included links and music streams of all of the guilty parties, so be sure to investigate further.
The talented Anne Spina of Anne Spina Photography was on hand to capture the show in photos for your viewing pleasure.
Words by Joshua T. Cohen
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