All Get Out

Following the light and feathery rock of Valise was All Get Out, an equally talented group of indie/punksters. Their sound was very dense, and heavier in general than what I first expected, but regardless it was solid and intricate. Singer/guitarist Nathan Hussey had a very Andy Hull (Manchester Orchestra) twang/yell to his approach, but in the same sense the energy that expelled from him was ten-fold more than I had seen so far. It wasn’t just he who had that radiating power, it was every member. They kept things moving as they coasted through a good portion of their new album The Season. One particular part of their set worth noting was the transition from one song to another. The drummer played a consistent beat on his bass and snare drums while both the guitarist and the bassist tuned their instruments to entirely different tunings in the span of a minute or so, then seamlessly began the next song. I was extremely impressed. Their set was as intense as indie rock could be in my opinion, with many parts containing an almost Brand New vibe to them (Deja Entendu-era). Toward the end, they just went crazy with passion, and that rough edginess this type of show needed was there. The transitions were great, and their set was incredibly enjoyable. - http://mindequalsblown.net

All Get Out:The Season
[Favorite Gentlemen; 2011]
Rating: 7.5/10
By Hannah Cook
September 22, 2011


Key Tracks: “The Season,” “Let Me Go,” “Come and Gone”

It takes a truly golden soul to seize the qualms of life, as dusty and futile as they are, and turn them into gems; to take things like death, doubt and lonesomeness and create honest energy and hope in the form of song. South Carolina’s All Get Out is a band of this manner, and this shines through and through in The Season.

The songs from The Season have been in the works for quite some time now, going through different versions, each one more polished than the last. The final product, recorded through Favorite Gentlemen Records (Manchester Orchestra, Kevin Devine), was a leap of faith, and All Get Out landed perfectly still on both feet. The songs are wiser, as they implement lyrical and musical prowess much stronger than their 2008 self-titled album. There’s angst and beauty, working with and against each other so that the dynamics are nearly flawless.

Songs like “My Friends” and “Subject to Change” are All Get Out at their roughest. In the former, singer/guitarist Nathan Hussey belts the realities of relationships with people in his life, which may lack truthfulness at times. “My friends don’t cry / they tuck it in and then they drink at night / My friends won’t die / They walk it off until it’s all alright.” Meanwhile, the snarky guitar riffs and distortion are what most obviously set aside “Subject to Change” as wild.

On the contrary, “Let Me Go” and “Come and Gone” are as emotionally exhausting as they come. “Let Me Go” begins with Hussey’s desperate voice singing over organ-esque synths. Eventually, the song picks up into robust drumming and Hussey singing with every ounce of his might. When it becomes quiet again, he sings sad, sad words over meager guitar and bass plucks. “This isn’t the end of your life. It’s more like a pause and soon there’s a start / You’ll be back on your feet again in no time / If you’re not with me then, the hell, I’m not fine.”

The song flows right into “Come and Gone,” the closing track. After Hussey harmonizes versus with a distant version of himself, a gut-wrenching build-up begins. Each drumbeat and guitar strum is yearning for something to follow, for something to end it once and for all. That finale happens unexpectedly on the final note, as the vibrations of violins ring out and, if you listen ever so carefully, you can hear Hussey’s heavy breathing, his emotional exhaustion. Eventually, it’s easy to see the entire song was meant to be climactic.

Being away from home makes one realize just how necessary it is. Its infinite comfort and warmth means that much more when one takes to life on the road. Concrete beds and monetary dearth. Temporarily motherless, brotherless, fatherless and dogless, so it seems. And yet there’s a reason why All Get Out are doing it. They’ve got words of wisdom to offer to the world and it’s about time we listen up. - ACRN.com

Lydia with Valise, All Get Out, and Look Mexico – The Loft in Dallas, TX on October 9, 2011

Arriving at the venue, I knew All Get Out were opening for Lydia, which excited me as I’d been casually listening to their debut record, The Season. However, I had not yet heard the other two opening acts: Valise and Look Mexico.

I’d heard part of Valise’s sound check, which made me incredibly interested in their set, as they definitely had vibes of Circa Survive. Sure enough, the guys were rather unforgettable – especially for just an opening band. With their stunning vocals and solid instrumentation, Valise definitely turned heads throughout the venue. The highlight track was the ethereal “Monster,” as the vocalist absolutely dominated the closer. For fans of Circa or Tides of Man, I highly recommend checking out Valise’s EP, Dreamcatcher.

Up next was All Get Out. Having only casually given The Season a few spins prior to the show, I can honestly say I was floored by their set. Full of raw, rapid energy, the guys cranked up the music to full speed and played their hearts out. Channeling shades of Andy Hull, vocalist Nathan Hussey was a powerhouse on the stage. It was all fast and all fun, with All Get Out easily being the most energetic group of the night. That is not to say it wasn’t poignant and intimate at times, as “Let Me Go” was stunning. Better than they are on the record even, this was a band that really knew what they were doing – let alone how to amp up the crowd.

Look Mexico was the last of the three openers. With a sound similar to All Get Out, these guys were enjoyable, although not nearly as memorable as the other two bands. Matt Agrella could definitely hold his ground live, as the show was generally entertaining. However, at this point, the hype for Lydia was built to a max; the crowd was amped and ready to be amazed.

My Lydia fandom is hardly a secret around here, so it’s safe to say I couldn’t wait for their set – not to mention it was my first time seeing them live. It was everything I’d hoped for and more, with the intimate setting, lighting, and rain beating down on the windows creating a truly perfect atmosphere for their set. The crowd fit perfectly with the setting, singing along to every song of the night. Antelman stood alone while he played a stunning cover of “Stand By Me,” which in itself was a wonderful surprise. They played a splendid mixture of all of their material, even playing old fan favorite December cuts such as “December” and “It’s In Your Blood.” Still, for most of us, it was the striking beauty of the Illuminate choices, namely “Hospital” into “Stay Awake,” that were just…dazzling. The intimacy of the set and venue added such texture and atmosphere to Lydia’s set, making the show more than I could have hoped for.

When the show ended, Craig and Leighton stuck around to chat with fans and do signings, making the night all the more personal. From the great discovery of Valise through the final moments of “Smile, You’ve Won,” the night was absolutely spectacular. It’s hard to believe Lydia had been away for a year, as they played to perfection. All in all, it was everything I could have hoped for in a Lydia show and more. I cannot recommend catching this tour more if it comes to a location near you. - absolutepunk.net

Hailing from Charleston, South Carolina, the guys of All Get Out are somewhat of an anomaly--the band has been around since 2008, toured with bands like Manchester Orchestra and Kevin Devine, and are signed to Favorite Gentlemen Records.

Until now, they have gained all that recognition with only an EP and a few demos recorded. Promoting their latest full-length, The Season, All Get Out began the first leg of their tour in Ohio, making a pit stop in the lobster cave to field some questions about Athens, touring and, of course, their new release.

ACRN: How did All Get Out form?

Nathan Hussey: It was June 6, 2007. That’s my birthday. We mark it that way because that was the first show with the band as is. It was just kind of a little fun thing we did to get free drinks downtown. There were other members, and no one was set.

Mel Washington: They weren’t even members, they were more like players for that night or whatever.

Nathan: I guess there was a lot of motivation to do it. I quit the band I was playing in called The Explorers Club. Everybody quit [the bands they were in to join All Get Out], and it all worked out.

ACRN: Bring us up to your Favorite Gentlemen days.

MW: We signed and then we put out the self-titled EP and basically when that record released we did a tour with two Favorite Gentlemen artists; Manchester Orchestra and Kevin Devine, and then our friends in Dead Confederate were on that tour as well. We always had fun touring with O’Brother, who have been a part of our family for a few years and recently signed to Triple Crown Records.

It was a cool thing for us to be a part of, that family, and it has been for the past couple of years. It’s always fun to play shows with other folks on our label. We did two album release shows last weekend in two different cities, and both nights we were able to have Favorite Gentlemen bands on. Junior Astronomers, who we recently brought on board as a part of our family and Death on Two Wheels were a part of our CD release. That was really cool, those guys are really great. A lot of bands have come and gone since we’ve been a part of the family, but they’re all still really, really, really great bands that we’re honored to have toured with many times and played shows with.

ACRN: How are you enjoying Athens?

NH: It’s pretty. I guess Charleston, South Carolina, where we’re from, is kind of the same but older so it’s a little more chaotic. A lot more bicycle-to-car accident ratios. We didn’t really get to go out, but the time we spent down here was great.

ACRN: You guys played Ohio University's Baker Front Room last night. Where are you guys headed next on your tour?

NH: Akron, Ohio. [It’s] one of our favorite places. We’ve just been treated very well [there] over the years. Lots of fun. So we’re very, very excited to be playing there.

ACRN: Who else are you touring with?

MW: Tonight, we start with a really cool band called Now, Now. We’re with them for a few days and then when we get out to Oklahoma City we start a run with a band called Lydia and do most of the Southeast with them through Texas, Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas.

ACRN: And this is in promotion of your latest album?

MW: Yeah, we just released the record a little over a week ago. It’s called The Season and we’re really excited about it. Folks can buy it on iTunes, Amazon mp3 and it’s streaming online in a few other places as well.

ACRN: What themes are coming out on the album?

MW: One of the lyrics is “Every drive, every marker that I’ve seen;” you think about the thousands of miles that we’ve toured and the people that have been super supportive--I think of one of the students here, Hannah, who when we were broken down for a couple of days in Cincinnati because something was wrong with our trailer, she housed us, fed us, you know, things like that. Those kinds of people are what make this record even make sense for us and even possible to do and a real reason that we want to keep making music and keep touring is to somehow say thank you for believing in us enough for that many years before a full length ever even came out.

There’s a really awesome level of commitment from our fans. So, while we put the record out in hopes to gain new fans, it was also looking back and saying, “Yeah, you’re a part of this.”

NH: Getting this record started was a lot of work and then getting it done was the fun part. It’s kind of a “woo-hoo” for all of our friends and fans that stuck around and came out to see us live, because that’s all we had was an old EP that didn’t sound like us and then Daytrotter. Our fans are very dedicated and this is kind of their payback. It doesn’t really pay them back enough but it’s what we got.

ACRN: What’s the story behind the first track off The Season, “My Friends”?

NH: That song dates back to ’08. Right before we signed to Favorite Gentlemen we did some demos for a potential record that turned into a re-release of the previous EP and that was our opening anthem for many tours. It’s fun, lots of horns, lots of cocky-rock stuff. Not cock-rock, just cocky.

MW: That track got rearranged a little bit from the time we demoed it to the time it went to the record, but it was really cool to track. When we went to make this record, we wanted it to have some pop elements, so that particular arrangement of it is a bit more poppy than the original, but I think it ended up coming out pretty cool.

ACRN: Tell us about the song “Son Of Mine” and the trilogy of concepts on the album.

MW: This song is one in a series of three. They’re not actually in order on the record, per se, but it’s just kind of a character speaking about a family situation.

NH: “Son of Mine” was another one from 2008. It was accidentally the first part to a trilogy; it’s kind of an ongoing story with sometimes the same characters, if that makes sense. I like to leave it up to interpretation, not that it’s the deepest and most well written thing.

The song “Let Me Go;” that’s got some very unique responses over the years and some of them have been mind-blowing. These people tell me what they thought it meant and how it applied directly to them and I didn’t want to tell them, “That’s not at all what it meant.” But, it was eye opening.

I remember what songs did for me that I never really knew what they meant. I mean, I thought they meant something. But that’s the beauty of a song, and that helped me write the rest of the record because it taught me to be broad and to [not] make something apply to one thing, because there’s no way to tackle everybody’s one subject. “Son of Mine” was the first part and then “Come and Gone” was the third part.

ACRN: You recorded with Matt Malpass? How was it working with him?

NH: He’s weird, man. Nah, he’s great, only as weird as us. He lives in his basement, up for 15 hours a day or more year-round. He’s a hard, hard worker, and he’s got great vision. You’d only learn that [when] you’re done with him. When you get to the end of the record, and these things that you would’ve never thought of as far as the overall record and continuity--making sure you’re not overusing little gimmicks and stuff like that.

We never really recorded a full-length on that scale before. We all have done other things, but he had this amazing ability to watch out for that. He’s stubborn and that’s good. We want to scream the whole time and want to sound like a bunch of rednecks--except for Mel--and he let us do that but in places. When you listen to the record as a whole--when I do--I feel very proud of it. It’s 40 minutes of all the parts of us spread out. Very happy it’s his work.

ACRN: Any last words?

Mel: It’s flocka-Friday; go hard in the paint. - http://acrn.com

With how many social media markets there are today, it’s easy to get overwhelmed with opinions from people who you agree with or disagree with; people who you trust or distrust. For us, that means music recommendations. With so many tastemakers in all different corners of the web, a simple scan of your Twitter timeline on any given weekday will likely result in a hodgepodge of recommendations. Some of these people – whether they are members of the media, friends or family, bands, other industry people or whoever – are trustworthy, while others aren’t. With some people, you are more likely to check out what they recommend.

It’s for this reason that I will probably listen to every single band from which Favorite Gentlemen Recordings ever releases music. It’s virtually guaranteed that a Favorite Gentlemen band will not only have pure raw talent, but a sound that is focused and knows where it is going. Such is the case with Charlestown, S.C.’s All Get Out. Their debut full-length, The Season, is, according to vocalist guitarist Nathan Hussey, “a book on the history of our band.”

That story is a complex one, surely – but it’s one that is efficiently translated to the tune of 10 tracks and almost 40 minutes. All Get Out isn’t a young band, per se. Being on the road since 2007, youth is something this band missed out on. They spent it reading highway signs and playing shows to whoever showed up. The Season is, remarkably, the output of a band that knows exactly what it’s doing, and a band that knows every single release counts. They know this is the next step, and they take that step with resounding force.

Musically, The Season strays to and fro across realms of indie rock and poppier stylings. We witness very Manchester Orchestra-like moments, as in the two closing tracks “Let Me Go” and “Come and Gone,” but there is certainly an arena-rock tint to songs like the standout “Lucky Bastard” and the opening “My Friends.” Hussey channels shades of Andy Hull without the similarities being distracting, but the strength of the group lies in their astounding chemistry and tightness. No seconds are wasted here – every note, every progression is arranged to the point of no return, and The Season proves to be 40 minutes that couldn’t go by any faster.

The tides all collapse on each other on tracks like “Girl, Gun,” where Hussey throws reckless abandon to the winds when he’s yelping in the bridge, only to have the entire soundscape retracted and condensed by strings. It’s hard to say when All Get Out are at their most impressive – whether it’s in the calm before the storm moments of “Let Me Go” or the unabridged rockers like “Subject To Change.” One thing is for sure: for a debut full-length, The Season bleeds with the attitude of a time-proven veteran band. It’s this feel, and it’s where the group’s fresh newness manages to peek out, that makes the album such a special listen.

Comparisons to a younger Manchester Orchestra are inevitable. The Season might be the record that I’m Like A Virgin Losing A Child would have been if Man Orch had a poppier mindset. That can probably be partially credited to producer Matt Malpass (Lydia, Copeland), whose production never seems out of place or dominant – an essential quality of this style. If anything, a single listen to “Let Me Go” will always bring back shades of Man Orch, but All Get Out definitely isn’t the type of band to stay static for very long. Similar to many of their labelmates, All Get Out will surely pave a lengthy, consistent road before them. It’s going to be quite the ride to watch All Get Out grow up even more than they have, and it’s safe to say that on the back of The Season, they’ll have plenty of people with them to count the milemarkers from now on. - http://www.absolutepunk.net