Punk bands are bound to endure oppression. It’s the nature of the gig. Like gangsta rappers, punks are expected to undergo some hardships or at least stumbling blocks. Smoke Or Fire has hit such potholes over its 12-year existence, but the band is back and still firing on all cylinders with The Speakeasy. Having undergone lineup changes throughout its history, Smoke Or Fire currently consists of founding member Joe McMahon on vocals and guitar, guitarist Jeremy Cochran, bassist Justin “Gwomper” Burdick from Avail, and drummer Ryan Parrish from Darkest Hour. McMahon and Cochran invited Burdick and Parrish to join when the two seasoned Smoke Or Fire members decided to get the band rolling again, only to discover it was missing an arm and a leg.

The Speakeasy is Smoke Or Fire’s third full-length album released on Fat Wreck Chords, the esteemed punk label based out of California. Originally from the East Coast — Boston then Richmond — Smoke Or Fire smacked some faces in the punk community with its 2003 EP Worker’s Union, which earned respect from established west coast acts. After much touring, trials, and moves, Smoke Or Fire continue to push its sound, trying to maintain the raw grit of the early days while pursuing more complex approaches to the cockroach known as punk rock. And though some punk critics may deem The Speakeasy as anthem-heavy, the album strikes a safe middle ground between backbone and broader appeal.

“Monsters Among Us” is an instant classic anthem, introspectively delving into the loss of humanity in a culture built on money and self-preservation. This song sounds like a slightly reeled-in version of Rise Against during its The Sufferer & The Witness period. By “slightly reeled-in,” I mean McMahon does not break into the screamo fits that Tim McIlrath is so well known for. “I’m searching for the words/ I’m looking for a way to renew my faith in humanity/ Are people born bad?/ Are people born good?/ Or passive and controlled way too easily?” McMahon questions. “Neon Light” is Smoke Or Fire’s most obvious attempt at broadening its punk range on The Speakeasy. Unfortunately, the song lacks any monumental creativity and comes off sounding like a cut from Green Day’s more current work. The chorus on “Neon Light” is unapologetically commercial: “So I’m walking on a Sunday night/ I’m looking for a New York light/ To carry me home/ I’ve no place to go/ I’ve no sight to see.” Nonetheless, Parrish’s brutal drumming and McMahon’s manly tone keep the song from crossing over the border into pansy land, AKA “Boulevard Of Broken Dreams” territory.

As a whole, The Speakeasy is an interesting mix of standard and new punk, which will appeal to the mildly pissed-off listener unwilling to get in a fistfight, but still ready to dress different and dance weird. By Alex Lemonde-Gray

Download “Neon Light” or “Monsters Among Us” for free at www.fatwreck.com/record/detail/735

For some reason, sadness makes good music. Despite the genre, the most prolific work tends to stem from deep personal pain. Sure, everyone loves a great punk anthem, a dancey upbeat fist-pumper, or just a cruisy, happy jam, but the songs that last the test of time lean toward sad-sack balladry. San Francisco’s Girls hone in on the jangle and twang of country-sounding lo-fi indie as a platform to launch a jam-packed EP full of melancholy that will most undoubtedly last.

While Girls are touted as an indie band, the truth is they really sound more like a run-of-the-mill roots-rock band — maybe even alt-country at first listen. But when you dig in to the way each song is composed and the way the chords progress in unlikely time, Girls make for a unique approach to an older sound. The somber crooning and lyricism of Christopher Owens, whose past as a runaway, world traveler, and street punk clearly influences the mood, paired with the bass lines and production of fellow street urchin and punk JR White form an unlikely collaboration responsible for a honky-tonk aesthetic. Serving as the group’s second formal release, Broken Dreams Club is incredibly more matured and focused than 2009’s Album. Here, the scattered, wild, and loose raucousness is traded in for an ethereal and calculated album full of unrelenting musicianship and songwriting.

Demonstrating Girls’ ability to transcend generations, Real Estate, Deerhunter, Ariel Pink, and Beach House fans will find Broken Dreams Club a welcome addition to their collection of sappy hipster rock, while those kids’ parents will probably go buy the CD after hearing the band profiled on NPR during their drive home from work. By Peter Viele

Download “Heartbreaker” for free at www.matadorrecords.com/matablog/2010/10/25/girls-broken-dreams-club-ep-mp3/

“Polymath: a person whose expertise spans a significant number of different subject areas.”

Judging by that definition, PolyMath is a pretty damn appropriate title for Chicago rapper Cap D’s fourth solo album. Co-founder of iconic Chicago hip-hop collective All Natural, marketing man for label All Natural, Inc., associate editor of Third World Press, community activist, author, cartoonist, university lecturer, transactional attorney for the Chicago Bulls, Chicago White Sox, and Oakland Athletics, and damn fine MC at that, Cap D is clearly not your average rap star.

That’s quickly evidenced by Cap D’s trial-by-fire tale on “King Of The Mountain,” which features a superb cameo from Minneapolis standout Brother Ali. But “Champion Anthem” features a much rawer beat, hearkening back to the grimy, drum-heavy streets of early ‘90s hip-hop, while “I Got U” and “Addiction” get a little more reminiscent and introspective over quirky percussive samples. Meanwhile, “Who What When Where Why” flashes warm and organic, meshing well with the OG All Natural ethos — stripped-down production, everyman lyrics, and a conversational, easygoing feel. But then “Crush” goes a little west coast, with a funky, distorted guitar riff, deep bass beats, and rapid-fire rhymes. And “Chicago Five-O” gets downright jazzy while relating a horror story about police brutality, before “Think” reverts back to lighter fare and hits playfully unusual notes.

Tragedy Khadafi lends a bit of gangsta street cred to Cap D’s efforts on “Life Is A Hustle,” but my favorite song on the album was “All I Want,” a softly beautiful soul-influenced ballad that equally called to mind Geto Boys, Fresh Prince, and fellow Chicago kingpin Common. In fact, the back end of the album delves into intensely personal territory, especially on album closer “Live My Life.” Overall, even given a few slow moments, PolyMath is a splendid mission statement from one of hip-hop’s most underrated renaissance men. It might not make waves in the mainstream world — but with insubstantial garbage like Willow Smith, Waka Flocka Flame, and Trey Songz clogging up the charts, that’s not exactly a dig at Cap D. By Nick McGregor

Terry Ohms believes one thing: music should be fun. And What Do You Mean, What Do I Mean?, his first full-length release, is just that. Of course, Terry Ohms is a moniker for Wes McDonald, frontman of Vulture Whale. McDonald uses his alter ego to release musical ideas building in his fuzzy head that he deems unsuitable for Vulture Whale’s more run-of-the-mill indie rock a la Blur and The Stone Roses. Ohms delves into the ravine of creative “goof” rock, even picking his nom de guerre from an early band, The Ohms, in which each member had a moniker with the same surname (how very The Ramones of them).

Opening track “I’m Not High Or Nuthin” sets the pace for What Do You Mean, What Do I Mean? with its soft, quirky vocals, sloppy electric guitar-driven melody, and steady tempo. The distorted guitar comes and goes, releasing dirty droning tones that draw comparison to Oasis. Yet the lyrics reveal that “I’m Not High Or Nuthin” doesn’t attempt to touch the poetic seriousness that often plagued Oasis’ better tunes: “I’m not high or nuthin’/ I’m not housed/ Stereo typos fools them every time.” The otherwise refrained guitar does crank out an unexpected heavy riff about halfway through the song, adding texture to an otherwise mellow ride.

“My Girlfriend Is Crazy” is the fun dance-tastic song on What Do You Mean, What Do I Mean? Taking the duel roles in live performances of drumming and singing, McDonald surprisingly makes full use of his vocal abilities, smacking his lips with a Flight Of The Concords tone and touching on Cee-Lo’s smooth soul during the chorus. Yet the lyrics are pretty repetitive; McDonald reminds listeners that his girlfriend is crazy, but still manages to squeeze in some lines for diversity: “She’s full of the moves/ She’s batting her eyes/ She’s freaking me out.” Despite the image you’ll inevitably develop of this woman, it’s impossible to do anything but not care and just dance.

The creativity and worriless fun that oozes from What Do You Mean, What Do I Mean? suggests that McDonald should consider focusing on his side project. Terry Ohms offers a carefree approach to music that easily trumps the same old indie rock of his main gig with Vulture Whale. What’s even better is that Terry Ohms sticks it to the man by giving his music away for free. So download What Do You Mean, What Do I Mean? for free and just have fun. By Alex Lemonde-Gray

Download What Do You Mean, What Do I Mean? for free at www.terryohms.com