There is little more to Birds in Trees (or the solid ground) than Nico’s vocals and guitar work. There is a tremendous amount of work placed into this seemingly-simple track; Rivers’ rich narrative provides this track with some serious legs. To The Bone continues to gain momentum with the EP’s second track, Molotovs & Medicine. The inclusion of a harmonica to Rivers’ repertoire adds a further intensity to the…
Daughter of Morpheus is arranged beautifully, with These Curious Thoughts threating a ropy line through the track. The same dry humor that brought such great fame to Weezer is present here, while there is a fun feel that never goes away. This honest and earnest effort allows These Curious Thoughts the ability to shine, as the band is unafraid to adopt diametrically opposed styles. A track on the What…
O.N.E. opens up Royal Flush, and the track will immediately find its home with any listeners that find themselves digging alternative or traditional rock styles. Hints of Jet, AC/DC, and Cornershop can all be heard during this introductory salvo. The Jack strips things down, allowing the act to craft a blend of blues, surf, and psychedelic rock. This track opens with an extended instrumental introduction, ensuring that the vocals…
Miles Jones has created in The Jones Act (Part III) an album that showcases an eclectic and impressive effort. Catch Me in the Rye will immediately draw listeners in through the challenging time signatures employed by the backing instrumentation. Jones’ vocals gradually gain momentum until the chorus. Hints of Kid Cudi and Consequence can be heard during this trippy effort. All; Lies is one of the hottest tracks on…
Girl in Need of a Lullaby is a darkly emotive track that is reminscient of the work of a Paramore or a Coheed and Cambria. Mouthful of Daisy is able to insert a chugging instrumentation to the tracks of Twice Renewed. Lost Love gives the drums and guitars time to sparkle. When the vocals kick in, Mouthful of Daisy builds an enveloping track that will keep listeners sitting on…
You Don’t Know A Thing About Love is a solid introduction to Roxie Randle’s inimitable style. This introductory track takes equal parts pop, singer-songwriter, and country genres and ties them into a cohesive entity. Heading up this track is Randle’s vocals, which set the stage for the rest of the album. Few artists would be able to create such an emotionally-charged presence with their vocals, but Randle is able…
Chris Riffle’s music on Another Dream showcases a performer that is mature while still evolving. The album begins with All That We Hold, a coy track that will immediately have listeners take attention. I feel that the progression that is presented here is tremendously affecting, to the degree that the track will stick with listeners long after this effort (and album) finishes. And I Love Him has a…
nown as the world’s signature anorak, the iconic K-Way has officially hit the U.S. with the launch of its first state-side store in the heart of Soho, New York City. The brand’s stand alone store opened its doors last week at 424 West Broadway (between Spring Street and Prince) with 1,300 square feet and a clean, simple aesthetic to resemble its flagship store in Torino, Italy. Three pronged stripes line the…
It’s taken a few years, but I am finally able to accept that “World Punk” is a legitimate genre. Thanks to bands like World Inferno/Friendship Society, Gogol Bordello, and most importantly Firewater, I realize this is far more than a novelty, but a full on movement, building on what punk bands like The Clash were evolving to in the late 70’s and early 80’s. Firewater’s latest, International Orange, is a…
Rockapalooza 2012 was a tremendously interesting concert. The fairgrounds themselves were large and spacious, while the different stages were all placed in very close quarters. This means that there was a more cohesive flow to the concert, but that there was some serious sound pollution if individuals were not standing straight-on to the stage. There were a set of different scenes that were present here, culminating in a rock…
