Out this week are two highly anticipated new full-lengths in the pop-punk world (and I’m not talking about the new BLINK 182…). It’s MAN OVERBOARD’s first full-length for Rise Records, and THIS TIME NEXT YEAR’s second effort for Equal Vision. Both bands will like be only the road for the next 18 months…

- MAN OVERBOARD – S/T

- THIS TIME NEXT YEAR – Drop Out of Life

From the inbox:

Tiny Engines (Tigers Jaw, CSTVT, Look Mexico, Restorations) is excited to welcome Cleveland, OH’s SIGNALS MIDWEST to its growing roster. The label will release the band’s sophomore full-length, Latitudes And Longitudes, on 12″ vinyl in November.

Pre-orders for the Latitudes And Longitudes vinyl will begin late October/early November with an official release date set for late November. The album is available digitally now. For a limited time you can download Latitudes And Longitudes for $6 at the Tiny Engines’ Bandcamp. You can also download via iTunes.

Rarely do you come across a young band that startles you with such inherent quality. While Cleveland, Ohio’s Signals Midwest might be rooted in the ethos of punk rock the band quickly transcends the tag both musically and lyrically on their sophomore album, Latitudes And Longitudes. Paying tribute to the continual growth of legends like SMALL BROWN BIKE and FAIRWEATHER while echoing modern bands such as BALANCE AND COMPOSURE and THE MENZINGERS, Signals Midwest provide a unique perspective that resides firmly outside the punk-by-the-numbers formula.

Signals Midwest formed in late 2008 as a trio and issued their first full-length album in 2009. In 2010 the band expanded to a quartet with the addition of a second guitar player. That would be a pivotal move in the band’s collaborative development. Experimenting with and expanding their sound, Signals Midwest quickly outgrew the standard pop/punk pace. With 2011’s Latitudes And Longitudes there is a fleshed out maturity that shines through. Recorded mostly live, the album bristles with the kind of energy and purpose that emanates from a band confidently growing comfortable in their own skin.

- Liking this a whole lot. Hadn’t heard of these guys before. An excellent Monday recommendation.

From Animal Style:

We’re pleased to be working with MIXTAPES once again for the release of Maps & Companions. In true fashion with Mixtapes things are always a little different, Maps & Companions features the 10 original songs from [their previously released full-length] Maps plus the newly recorded EP, Companions. Companions will include 2 brand new songs along with newly recorded full band versions of “And If We Both Fail?”, “OrangeYellow”, and “Soups Whatever”.

Ryan had this to say about the release, “Maps never came out on vinyl so it’s time it did. This will be our first 12 inch so we are really excited! Side A is Maps in it’s entirety and side B is Companions. On the reworked songs, some of them we didn’t want to be only acoustic. This record is the first time in the past year we had enough time to do everything we wanted so we made them sound how we wanted them to. I think it brought new life and a whole new feel to them so we are stoked. There’s also 2 new songs which we couldn’t be happier with. We should be making a video for I accept that the first week of December, followed by 3 if not all 4 of us eating dinner.”

Along with new artwork by Cassie Podish we’ll be issuing this beauty as a 12″ LP limited to 500 copies on 3 different colors. For those going to Fest 10 you may get a head start to pick up the record. More news on that along with ordering information soon!

Colors and track listing after the jump…

- Impressive youth crew style straight-edge hardcore, from Halifax, Canada. The seven song EP is available as a free download as well from the band’s Bandcamp page.

- Entertaining stuff for what’s essentially a commercial for the upcoming BAYSIDE, SAVES THE DAY, I AM THE AVALANCHE, and TRANSIT tour.  A line-up like that should sell itself!

Transit ‘Cutting Corners’ by Littlest Group

- Posted originally by Kerrang magazine. If it’s supposed to be an exclusive Kerrang, you might want to disable that embed feature, eh? TRANSIT’s Listen & Forgive comes out October 4th on Rise Records.

BANQUETS – Top Button, Bottom Shelf (Black Numbers): Fast n’ furious melodic punk rock with a great feeling for texture. The band’s GASLIGHT ANTHEM influence isn’t a surprise since the group features a former member of LET ME RUN, but it’s just an influence and not the whole story. Well sung vocals are interwoven into every song, and the band is more than capable of busting out an anthem or two. “Forever Bender” is an ultimate toe-tapper, and some of the guitar hooks on here bring a lot of heat. At 25 minutes in length, Top Button, Bottom Shelf, is a short, but very satisfying meal.

ENABLER – Year One (Creator Destructor): Subsequent to the release of Year One, ENABLER’s rhythm section splintered and FALL OUT BOY drummer Andy Hurley entered into the picture. If you’re asking yourself “why?”, you’re probably not alone. Year One is about as one-dimensional a full-length as I’ve heard in a long, long time, despite the fact that’s actually a remastered collection of the band’s two prior EPs. I imagine the inspiration for ENABLER was, “FROM ASHES RISE broke up. Fuck. Let’s start a band and sound just like them“. Year One stretches on for only half an hour, but I feel like I’m caught in a never-ending loop of crustycore that’s hitting of all its expected spots, but missing a beating heart. (Note of eternal optimist: the CD packaging is pretty awesome).

Various Artists: “Mixed Signals – A Run For Cover Records Compilation” (RFC): The unchecked ambition of Run For Cover Records is something to marvel over. Fifty releases in a just a few years. A fearless approach to signing up-and-coming, live-tested bands, and building buzz in every crevice. “Mixed Signals” celebrates release number 50 with a collection of new, exclusive and unreleased recordings from some very promising and popular bands. POLAR BEAR CLUB’s “Killin’ It” is an extremely appropriate opener, while BALANCE AND COMPOSURE’s follow-up “Seahorses” is a perfect compliment. HOSTAGE CALM, THE MENZINGERS, TIGERS JAW, DAYTRADER, and especially MAKE DO AND MEND all add their own flavor to this release, which comes with a 28 page detailed booklet in its CD version, and 32 page for the vinyl. It’s the original “Punk O Rama” compilation (cheaply priced, many exclusive songs) for a whole new generation with entirely different tastes, and every song is a winner.

Newly streaming is a seven song EP from New Zealand punk rockers THE OUTSIDERS. The EP is out on Underground Communique, and more material is expected from the band soon on Anchorless Records.

- A perfect fit for UCR… band fits in the general Chicago punk/hardcore sound, with a little bit of COBRA SKULLS mixed in for good measure.