The Centre of the Universe

Book II (Owned & Operated)
by Tim Den

Now known more for putting out angular, Chicago-meets-DC styled post-hardcore/indie rock than the powerpop they produce, ALL’s label is giving the Blink-182 fans of the world a big middle finger. In a time when fluffy hooks are all the rage, Owned & Operated is dishing out old school garage (Janis Figure), quirky punk (Pavers, Wretch Like Me), alt-country punk (Armchair Martian), and barbed wire heaviness (Shiner, Season To Risk, and Tanger). Add to that the mellow melancholy of Bad Astronaut and the frenzied, twisted Quicksand-meets-Cave In stomp of Someday I, and you’ve got a roster that might fly under the radar, but will eventually survive the ages (much like Descendents’ legacy). Cuz if there’s one thing these guys understand, it’s that integrity and truly solid music will outlive any trend. Ten years from now, when everybody and their mothers claim O&O bands as influence, the Blink fans of today will claim to have “been there” all along. And O&O will be sitting back, ignoring all the come-latelies, planning the next decade’s revolution.
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