Yung Poppa Fights Title Fight

There's isn't very much going on currently at Vanguard today that i feel like we haven't covered yet. So in that case, posting an album review doesn't seem like an all too horrible idea.

Lately, people have been asking me what I'm listening to these days. I can say with great confidence that a majority of my time has been spent listening to one single band, none other than Kingston, Pennsylvania's favorite sons; Title Fight.

For those unaware, Title Fight is a four-piece hardcore band that came together in 2003 with Jamie Rhoden on guitar and vocals, and brothers Ben and Ned Russin on drums and bass/vocals. They added guitarist Shane Moran to the line-up in 2005 and very early on did they build a dedicated local following. Since their formation, they've been on a steady incline thanks to a passionate work ethic, hefty tour schedule, and phenomenal musicianship. Title Fight meshes many different aspects from various genres and brings them all together in a wonderful and cohesive combo while still paying homage to many great 90's bands.

Title Fight 2012. Left to right: Jamie Rhoden, Ben Russin, Ned Russin, and Shane Moran.

What started off as a straight forward pop-punk band filled with the utmost angst and catchiest hooks, Title Fight signed with Run For Cover records in 2008. In 2009 they released The Last Thing You Forget, a compilation of all their EP's with the addition of three new songs, the album was filled with some of the most memorable melodies and vehement compositions of sound.

From 2009 to 2010 they kept busy with their touring cycles and in early 2011 announced they had signed with SideOneDummy Records. It was in the spring of 2011 that Title Fight released their first full-length album entitled Shed. From then everyone noticed a change in their sound, they had flourished into what many people considered a melodic-hardcore band. Shed took the passionate intensity and furious delivery Title Fight had before and took it to another level, while still maintaining the beautiful melodies fans adored them for. At this point, the world witnessed a more matured and focused Title Fight and since then they have just continued to blow up without even coming close of hinting to slow down anytime soon.

Fast forward to 2012, after a summer run with the Van's Warped Tour, Title Fight released their sophomore LP Floral Green on September 18th. I have been listening to it non-stop since and with complete conviction I can say it is probably my favorite Title Fight release to date, my favorite album released this year, and one of my favorite albums released ever.

Ben holding it down at a Warped Tour 2012 date.

The album takes everything we've come to love about the band and completely refines it to a verge of excellence. Title Fight takes us on an intense 33-minute emotional roller coaster, filled with lush soundscapes, beautiful guitar work, and a passion and drive unmatched with any other band right now. They bring their punk roots together with the abrasiveness and calm melancholy of 90's grunge and emo. The concoction forms a wonderful flavor that carries a bit of a sting but leaves a fantastic aftertaste.

From the start the album sets in with a punk-like ferocious onslaught of sound with fantastic melodic undertones. Midway the album takes a drastic turn and this is where we really begin to get a glimpse of the progression that Title Fight has gone through. The album ends with some of the most unexpected music we've ever heard from them, think of it as the smooth come down from the fervid ride they have taken us on. The album is filled with some of the most heartfelt and real music to come across in a long time. Tracks like "Numb But I Still Feel It" and "Make You Cry" really showcase the emotion Title Fight are really known for displaying, while "Head In The Ceiling Fan" and "Lefty" show us a side to Title Fight we all knew was always there but never really got the chance to experience until now. In a nutshell, Floral Green sounds like Nirvana and Dinosaur Jr's lovechild met Weezer and Sonic Youth's lovechild, then they had a kid of their own who listened to Blink-182 and Sunny Day Real Estate, then that kid started a melodic-hardcore band and recorded this album.

But, let's talk about the guys responsible for writing this great record.

Ned returns with that same gravelly and harsh voice fans know him for but this time around he has really reached a point where he's not really screaming at times but singing with a very grungy rasp, take "Calloused" for example. He is still the most abrasive from the two vocalists but like everything Title Fight does, he keeps a strong sense of melody under all that roughness. Ned hasn't toned it down in the least bit, he's just toned it differently and I really like it. Then there's his bass parts, they're the grooviest they've probably ever been and there are absolutely no standard punk bass-lines here. He provides a strong and tasty foundation for each song. His bass provides the essential undertones that this album would be nothing without, he really brings everything into place to where it needs to be. He might not have as many stand-out parts as he could have had in the past, but his bass still shows a very strong and overall satisfying presence.

Ned Russin

Jamie on the other hand still remains the "prettiest" out of the two, but over the years he has probably changed the most vocally. Gone are the days of the youthful pop-punk vocals we first were introduced to and like a 7th-grade kid finally hitting puberty, Jamie's voice became fuller over time. On Floral Green he not only has his voice become a bit harsher but it alternates even more than ever, he has the ability to go from a very calm and deep melancholic croon to a very emotional wail.

Jamie Rhoden

Jamie also plays guitar, and Shane plays guitar too and holy crap do they play guitar well. I can say that this album by far holds the best guitar work Title Fight has ever written. The thunderous waves of resonance they create alongside the fantastic chords and post-rock like cries makes for some of the most versatile and beautifully crafted compositions in hardcore. They create a sense of atmosphere and vehemence unheard in past releases. It's almost as if the guitar tracks have feelings of there own because of the abundant amount of elation, despondence, and rage they're able to produce. Jamie and Shane are able to flawlessly incorporate so much emotion and passion in their playing and it is by far my favorite attribute this album has to offer.

Shane Moran

And then there's Ben, he plays drums. He probably is the one member that has shown the most drastic change in sound. Long gone are the classic "gallops" he often used previously and in there place is mid-tempo beats that stand as the hardware in the Title Fight machine. Ben slows down the pace but in no way does he sacrifice intensity or quality. He has amazing flow and glides behind everyone throughout the album. He is still a powerhouse and he is one of the tightest and most exciting drummers in the hardcore scene. Ben is the muscle behind Title Fight and he clearly gets that point across with every strike but don't let that fool you, he still has the ability to gently make his way through the lighter parts. He maintains groove, fury, and precision. Ben re-invents himself here and it's a reinvigorating breath of life into the band's sound.

Ben Russin

At the end we see a Title Fight that has honed their craft, a group of ambitious young men that has surely done some growing up the past couple years, a modern band with an old soul, and I really hope they continue to progress and dish out more and more amazing music.

I loved this album from start to end. Solid 4 out of 5.

Recommended tracks: In-Between, Like A Ritual, Make You Cry.

By: Eli Martinez