Weekly Nostalgia: Much the Same
 

With a name like Much the Same, it's no coincidence. The young melodic punk quartet were not creating anything new - just keeping a then-fossilized genre alive & well, tending to it like a beautiful war nurse to a wounded veteran. This group of Chicago kids only released three records in 8 years, but found a very loyal and steady following, even well after their demise in 2007. Their 2006 full-length Survive is on par with any solid effort from A Wilhelm Scream or Rise Against, and helped pave the way for modern up-and-comers, such as the Swellers and Transit. Their impact might seem, in retrospect, rather infantile - but it's hard to argue with the measure felt by their aftershocks. Survive was released three years after their full-length debut Quitters Never Win, and one of the seminal releases of that year. Where Quitters was raw, guttural melodic hardcore, Survive was as brash as anything they'd ever written with a new-found sense of optimism and levelheadedness. Nitro Records had a phenomenal year in 2006, seeing the releases of Much the Same, No Trigger and Crime in Stereo - and as a testament to the influence of that label's best (and last?) year, Much the Same still remains a hot commodity, with many punk fans declaring it one of the last decade's seminal punk records. For a nitpicky crowd, that's true definition. After frontman Chris "Gunner" McGrath left the band in the spring of 2007, it was evident the band was better off calling it quits. Sure, Much the Same never got the chance to make a truly enormous impact to more than a core group of people, but the fact still remains that despite breaking up as their star was rising (they were featured on MTV2 a bit), the band were starting something none of us really ever saw coming. 2006 was the rebirth of melodic punk rock music, and Much the Same will forever be tied to revitalizing the genre and having their legacy benefit from the continued buzz of exuberant punk fans everywhere. They were never the Movielife nor were they ever Refused - but listen to any of their albums now and it's like they never went away.

Excellent choice. I think "Survive" is better than anything Rise Against has put out.

I miss these guys.

The Greatest Betrayal is such a good song. Remember seeing these dudes in AMP magazine a few years ago.

So glad they are finally featured in the category, "Survive" is one of my favorite records in this genre, so so so good. But I thought they only released two albums?

These guys were awesome.

good band

These guys were really really good ... in a much overcrowded genre with lot of generic output they really stuck out!

Great pick! Nitro Records was easily the defining record label when I think about my senior year of college - between A Wilhelm Scream's Ruiner in 2005, and the three-way combo of No Trigger, Crime in Stereo, and Much The Same, that label was on a roll.

I remember these guys, sure I found them on PureVolume or the old mp3.com.

I worked with these guys a few times. Looking back on it, I feel very lucky to have been a part of their short but influential run.

Reminds me of the days when melodic punk ruled my life. Great band.

Great Band- missed the boat on these guys completely. But I love them none the less.

I have my fingers crossed hoping for a reunion show eventually.

Survive is one of my favorite punk albums of all time. I wish these guys were still around.

I saw them probably 5 times. Playing shows from 50 people to 1,200 people. They were always solid dudes regardless of the situation.

i love this band so much. I got into them with Quitters Never Win and it was one of the first albums I listened to front to back in a long time, over and over again. Their stuff will never get old. Gunner has a great voice and Franky has some of my favorite bass lines ever. Amazing band

Much the Same kicked the fuck out of punk rock.

One of my favorite bands I still listen to all the time. I wore my "Quitters Never Win" shirt on Sunday actually. Wish I could have seen them live

Great band. Survive is such a good album. Honestly, one of the few great punk albums released in the past 5 years or so.

Band ruled so much. Love 'em.

I wouldn't say their albums are on par with most stuff from Rise Against. Rise Against haven't been good in almost 7 years while Much The Same put out consistent albums I still listen to today.

I think I need to check this out. Haha, I dig Rise Against, but in some ways I think they are lacking. =|

This might fill the spot.

For real! My old band played a show with them when I was in middle school, talking to them that night made me decide I wanted to be a touring musician when I grew up.

Last.fm keeps recommending that I check them out. Time to get on that!

If anyone out there has their EP, I'd love to buy it from you. Been on the hunt for it for years.

hell yes

Chicago represent. Loved these dudes in High School.

Survive is still one of the best albums I've ever heard. A great listen from start to finish

these guys have been on my "to download" list for years haha. finally downloading survive, i'm certain i'll love it.

saw these dudes in the basement of an old church in front of about 40 people in 2003. they were fantastic.

Weird, this might be the first Weekly Nostalgia band that I have flat out never heard of.

Two full-lengths and an EP.

listen to this band daily.

so good.

I saw them play on accident for probably less than 20 people and it was one of the most incredible, heartfelt performances I can remember. They gave it their absolute all on a shitty stage, at a shittier show, in the shittiest part of Cleveland. My roommate and I still rock our Quitters Never Win shirts.

Some comments:

The Swellers -- I see them mentioned here.. not sure they really fit this mold. They execute live like a band worthwhile of a mention next to Rise Against or A Wilhelm Scream, but their CDs are so lifeless. I've never seen a band sound so good live but so bland on record. The immediate thought is "the band is being sugarcoated to appeal to a wide audience".

Transit -- RIYL? Active/touring? Best CD?

The Movielife -- no business being mentioned with Refused.. one band is essential and released one of the best albums of the 90s, and one band is good at what they do but not entirely important.

I wish I knew of any good melodic punk bands that Chicago still had. Rise Against started losing their touch after Siren Songs. Much the Same's bassist was amazing too.

Wow, holy nostalgia! I used to do booking and merch for an area band and I remember doing several shows with them when they came through Wisconsin. Great guys, as far as I can remember. Definitely going to have to give them another listen since it has been so long.

Survive was a masterpiece, really wish there was a follow up

such a good band...

Great Band, I kind of wish I saw more records by them because Survive was definitely the blueprint for what was to come from them.

Weren't they originally called "Don't Look Down" and they changed it because of DLD in Philly?

Hey!
 

Gunner from MTS here, thanks to everyone for all the kind words, especially since you didn't know I'd see them. =)

To those looking for the (admittedly mediocre) Caught Off Guard EP can download it for free here:

http://muchthesame.bandcamp.com/albu...-free-download

There's also a couple Survive bonus tracks that you may or may not already have on that page as well.

Enjoy!

the name much the same is unique ,like the name, i think singer should like those guys . they only release 3 albums in 8 years . singers should not let their fans down.they should only release something that is valueable.
www.intheshipping.com

my definition of "punk rock"

i LOOOOOOOOOOOVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVEEEEEEEE EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE Survive sooooooo much its not even funny. every single fucking song was good.

everyone should check out Unit91 the side project of some of the Much The Same guys...

http://www.myspace.com/unit91

LONG LIVE MTS!!!!!!!

I can back up that last comment about Unit91! Their EP is as good as anything MTS ever did.

hell ye. yersinia is such a good song.

hey gunner, any new projects/songs/demos on the horizon we can look forward to?

The only songs I'm writing these days are ones to get my 6 week old son to sleep at night. =)

Easily.

Boo haha. If you do any kind of project I'll definitely pick it up.

wow i gotta check these dudes out now. even though they're nahh more the tunes are still there