AVAIL
FRONT PORCH STORIES
FAT WRECK CHORDS
LINKS:
availavail.com
fatwreck.com
      If you’re not too staunchly picky about which part of the spectrum your music comes from—be it classic punk or hardcore or emo or metal—then you’ll be happy to hear that Avail have done their particularly unique brand of cuisinart magic again on their sixth studio release, Front Porch Stories.  Never having been a part of the highly fragmented and defined type of scene that exists in places like NYC, they’ve been influenced by whatever came down the pike through the DC/Richmond area they inhabit.
It’s a phenomenon not that strange to kids outside of urban areas, and it’s a good thing, because it makes for some damn good music.  The track “The Fall” and tunes like “Black and Red”, although stylistically miles apart, still have the glue of great musicianship to hold them together on the same disc.  Vocalist Tim Barry jumps tones so smoothly it’s dizzying. Guitarist Joe Banks, bassist Gwomper, and drummer Ed Trask split and splice styles so well that to attempt a description at all is futile.  (And don’t let me forget the illustrious band cheerleader Beau Beau—an integral part of any Avail show.)  Produced by Brian Paulson (Beck, Husker Du, Wilco, Slint, The Replacements, Dinosaur, Jr.) for those who are curious.

----Christine Natanael