We're only two weeks into 2011 and I already have my first rock 'n' roll casualty: New Jersey's seven-inch enthusiasts The Measure [SA] are breaking up. They promise a few farewell shows sporadically throughout the year, including The Fest X in October, as well as a final seven-inch anthology, but other than that, the band is done.
I first heard of The Measure through O Pioneers!!!, a folk-punk act from Texas with line-up issues like whoa. OP!!! frontman Eric Solomon is the kind of dude who doesn't just push his band, he represents all of his friends' bands too, and he actually talked me into picking up Historical Fiction, The Measure's full-length debut. While I dabble in a lot of genres, pop-punk is my lifeblood, so I was enticed by the album's passion and hooks. Lauren Measure quickly became one of my favorite songwriters with tunes like "Union Pool," "Hello Bastards," and "Letters." I started snatching up the group's copious collection of seven-inches.
Songs About People... and Fruit 'N Shit was the EP that really made me fall in love with the band. It was just a perfect collection of songs that seemed to improbably get better with each track. After that, though, The Measure took a creative slide. They released a few more seven-inches, but their next full-length, Notes, just seemed really monotonous and dull. Less than a year later, the band called it quits.
A whole batch of New Jersey punk bands have come and gone. The Ergs! broke up. Static Radio NJ faded away. The Gaslight Anthem turned into a classic rock tribute band. Now The Measure joins them. Well, at least The Bouncing Souls are still together.
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