Back to the Blog

Back to the Blog

     Two and a half years since the last blog post and I’m bringing it back. I’ve been up, down, in, out, and every which way but loose. I’ve been a zine, podcast, and website but I’m brining it back to the good ol’ blogspot where it all started in 2011.

     In the early 2010’s I was more often than not between apartments, between cities, between girlfriends, and/or between jobs . Somehow that made me feel like my life was worth documenting. I was probably reading too much Al Burian at the time, adapting to the under-motivated lifestyle Burian wrote about while bouncing between punk shows, temporary jobs, and failing relationships in various cities. During the early days of The Throw Away Days blog the only consistent things in my life were skateboarding, rap shows, and the steady stream of new people I met and experiences I had thanks to the two aforementioned.

     I ended up planting my flag in Pittsburgh for years. I hosted every small scale indie rap show I could convince to tour through and skated (aka drank beer) with every skateboarder irresponsible enough to go to Lava Lounge/Dee’s Cafe/Rugger’s Pub/Remedy/Belvedere’s Ultra Dive/Rock Room literally any night of the week with me. But after time my roots turned more into an anchor. Instead of feeling like I was seeded and sprouting in the area I felt more like my roots were growing backwards and the gravity of the city was bringing me down head first any chance it got. My career got old, my girlfriend dumped me, my dog died, my shows became stagnant, my skateboarding plateaued, my lease ended… my life began to suck.

     Until eventually I find myself where I am now. Philadelphia. In a new city eager to get my feet wet in the rap scene, digging to find new skate spots where I can do the same old tricks, having no luck finding decent paying jobs, having too much luck on Tinder, and writing about my under-whelming experiences in an over-analyzed sort of way.

     This blog is to help me more than it is to help the reader or my friends who I convince to be my muse. The victims of my interviews may look at our discussions as some free press for their new album/tour/product/etc, but for me it’s my way of getting my friends to give me some free advice on what to do or not to do, a free therapy lesson, a good laugh at their experience, or whatever combination of literally anything in the world. All the while publicly documenting it so it’s easily accessible for me to look back on years down the line.

    So a preemptive shout out to all my future subjects who I will try to dig up embarrassing stories of and turn to gold because here at The Throw Away Days one mans trash is another mans treasure. Thanks for allowing yourselves to become vulnerable with me.

     -Cody

original art by Jayne Allison. Let you inner stalker out and follow her on IG. @jayneyouignorantslut

while you're at it follow The Throw Away Days w/ your spam account on IG. @ttadpress

PT Burnem - Pink Lazers

Indie rapper vagabond mainstay, PT Burnem puts out his new release, Pink Lazers. Burnem is coining the phase "subconscious rap" to help describe this 13 track release. The album has features that serve as land marks in Burnem's touring and living history over the last few years including Swordplay, Ceschi, Eyenine, Paulie Think, Drew Scott, MCNEye, and more

Stream it here

HW - Wall Papered Exit Wounds

HW – Wall Papered Exit Wounds

                Here it is, another day at this lame temp job and another sorry excuse for a review…

 Wall Papered Exit Wounds, released by HW (aka Josh, formerly known as Hazardous Waste, but not the punk band) of Boston in July 2012 is produced by MobRobb with cuts by DJ Emoh Bettah is a release that will stand of the test of time and be relevant to people (and not just ‘rap fan people’ everyone can find something in the release) because each of the song topics are something that all listeners are able to relate to regardless what age or social status they’re living in. From relationship troubles, to feeling like everywhere else on earth is better than where you are (This Old Town), to dealing with your own internal struggles, and more all of which are mentioned during the duration of this coming to age 8 track album by HW.

1.)    Memories of Linwood

The album starts off with an overtly personal song over a cool calm beat with a flow so smooth and subtle you almost don’t notice how depressing the track is. And even more depressing than the song topic is beating able to relate to it, from the breakup at the beginning of the track to being 25 and still feeling lost.

2.)    Blueprints to Your Inner Workings

Track two elaborates on the (presumably) breakup that was mentioned in the first track. From what I grasp the female the song is about is jaded, but HW refuses to let her give up on all the potential beauty in the world, and thinks that she can find again in the love they use to have. What a nice guy, I’d never do that, I’ll never be happy for any of my ex’s without me.

(I have no idea what I used this photo. Not that it isn't him, but it's a pretty bad representation of what he normally looks like)

3.)    Brutally Beautiful

Brutally Beautiful is a little me of the “emo-rap” that fans have grown to expect from HW. But as usual it’s done way to good (should I have used ‘well’ here?) to be slumped into that category. Josh is such a better lyricist than most other emcees that get labeled as “emo” it’s an insult to even put him in the same sub-genre as them, he’s more so a great story tell (even though the stories aren’t always true) than a winey heartbroken mc.

4.)    Hello Stranger

This is another incredibly personal story by HW. Even to the point where he mentions his muse, Mellissa by name. Perhaps Mellissa is to HW what Lucy Ford is to Atmosphere, only except I don’t think Lucy Ford is “her” real name, but I’m willing to bet Mellissa is. HW must have balls of steel to not only write this “emo-song” and not only share it with the person it’s written about, but everyone who listens to his cd! There are more awesome cuts on this track by Emoh.

5.)    Moving On feat. Sarah Lynn Bowler

The only feature on this rap cd isn’t by a rapper. This is another reason HW is appealing to more than just rap fans. Sarah Lynn Bowler sings the hook in ‘Moving On’ over a soft jazzy beat with relaxing bass lines, piano, and horns scattered here and there.

6.)    Faded Memories

If you’ve seen HW live chances are you’ve seen him perform this song.  Also, it’s funny to hear him make reference to “surviving on lunch meat” in this song now he’s a vegetarian. Supposedly this cd was done almost a year before it was released.

7.)    Insecurities

Not every rapper can do a song about not being promiscuous. In fact most cats rap about the exact opposite, boasting about humping out girls with no sentimental attachment at all. So hearing HW do a track like this is a total breathe of fresh air.

8.)    This Old Town

‘This Old Town’ is an ode to boring hometowns. In the song Josh realizes the importance in in recognizing your roots, and pays homage to Fall River in this track even though he resides in Boston (well Cambridge, but whatever) now.

 

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FREEEEEEEEE DOWNLOADDDDDDDDDD

Then buy it with the poster, and shirt.

Wow, I’m terrible at writing reviews.