Hardware Youth- Miami Style EP review

Hardware Youth- Miami Style EP review

I’m somewhat surprised there hasn’t been a fest called Sausage Fest yet; at the very least, it would generate some discussion and therefore, some promotion.  Speaking of sausage fests, hardcore is a GIANT sausage fest, more so than punk, ska, hip-hop, or metal.  The women involved in hardcore are few and far between, and such gender isolation is a tragedy.  I won’t go into any lengthy discussion on how or why this is, and instead stick to supporting current and future female involvement in hardcore.
Side note:  Shout-outs to Anna Atanassova, Ramona Shureb, Stefania Ramirez, Michelle of H.LA.L. Booking, Jill Bishop, Alejandra from the Trumbullplex, Christine McCollum, Madison from Cloud Rat, and anyone else I forgot.

This is classic 2-step youth crew-style hardcore, save for one thing:  There’s a female singer, a rarity for this style of music.  However, singer Nicole does not lack in vocal power or emotion; the only noticeable difference is that her voice is a bit less deep than is usual for the genre, hardly a surprise or an issue to worry about.  These tunes are catchy as hell, especially the initial song “Word to the Wise”, managing to retain a level of speed satisfactory to punk and an amount of mosh brought satisfactory to hardcore brethren.  Also a first for a hardcore band, they have a song about surfing; fuckin’ cool!  Most bands sing about skateboarding or bike riding (Canadians even have snowboarding), so this is a first.  That being said, this is also the first Miami punk or hardcore band I’ve heard of (I’m certain there are more, but this is the first I’ve heard from Miami); most hardcore and punk from Florida is from the northern part of the state- Jacksonville, Tallahassee, Gainesville, etc.  There’s a bit of something new and something used here- regardless of any of this, a pretty damn good EP.  Also, this is a fucking awesome band name (our generation is getting dangerously plugged into this interconnected consumer information hardware system).  Check this shit, you won’t regret it.

-Aunty Social