CD Review: Nothington - "All In"

Nothington - "All In"
(BYO Records, 2/13/2007)

Honestly, Nothington's "All In" was the first record in a long while about which I was actually excited. Thankfully, I was not disappointed in the least. Hailing from the East Bay, Nothington features Jay Northington and Gabe Lindeman, formerly of Tsunami Bomb, along with Chris Matulich (Enemy You) and Mike Hicks (Time Spent Driving). After the disbanding of Tsunami Bomb, Northington and Lindeman decided to get back to their southern roots, and Nothington was born. They recorded a demo that practically exploded through the underground scene after its online release, and were quickly signed by BYO Records. Their debut, "All In," follows a 7" from indie label Left Off the Dial.

Nothington is all about raw energy, and has managed with this full-length to create a collection of some great punk rock anthems. Nothington's songs bleed sincerity and frustration, and the melodies drag you through each song and leave you feeling emotionally drained. Their lyrics express typical punk rock subjects: broken hearts, sleepless nights, disillusionment, wasted time and missed opportunities. The vocals are gravelly, reminiscent of the rasp of Frankie Stubbs (Leatherface) and Chuck Ragan (Hot Water Music), and The Action Design's Emily Whitehurst (also a Tsunami Bomb alum) also lends her amazing voice for background vocals on two tracks. These elements combine to create music that is as intensely emotional as anything the emo community has to offer, but without all that whining.

"All In" will appeal to fans of Hot Water Music, Leatherface and Automatic 7; and anyone who enjoys a touch of country and rockabilly in their punk rock. Fans of the earlier, more punk-influenced Social Distortion records will definitely want to give this a listen, as well.

Rating: 4.5/5

Nothington (official site) • Nothington on MySpace