Nocturnal Aves and Cinema

Night Birds
Midnight Movies EP
No Way Records, released October 2010

This quick, low fi EP represents everything that makes a great four track punk record. The snotty, obnoxious vocals are loud and fast, and at times border on out of control. Though the guitar warbles like Dick Dale's, Night Birds neatly avoid the surf rock cliches that seem to be rising in popularity. (And declining in quality; let's face it, whenever a specific sub-genre becomes popular, there are only ever a handful of bands that do it well, just look at Celtic/Irish punk.)

On Midnight Movies, these young men from New Jersey/New York blend a very capable rhythm section with lyrics that are an overt homage to classic B-movie culture. The super bouncy bass and active drumming are the flawless back drop for tunes about chopping up bodies, blood and gore, and sci-fi daydreams. Night Birds manage to employ a nice variety in song structure. Even though there is a semblance of verse-chorus-verse, lyrically they keep things varied. Considering all four songs total less than six minutes, who wants to hear the chorus twice anyway? Like many bands of their ilk, Night Birds' smarter-than-your average-bear lyrics are hidden behind postured idiocy. Well done. For fans of Descendents, the Vandals, Showcase Showdown.

Two chances to see these guys in the near future, but Squeamies from Philly will have to take a trip over to the Asbury Lanes in Jersey to catch the madness. Saturday, October 23rd and Thursday, November 18th. Check out their facebook page for a little more details about the shows and the soon to be released Midnight Movies EP. Do yourself a favor--pick up this record and prepare to get infected.

Night Birds (facebook, for info and tourdates)
Night Birds (myspace, to listen to some of their older tracks)
No Way Records
Asbury Lanes