Category: Music Reviews

Posted on: June 22, 2013 Posted by: James McQuiston Comments: 0

Sucka Brown Extra Medium CD Review

  Sucka Brown plays a style of dance-punk that recalls the supersonic vocals of many emo bands while the music contained on “Extra Medium” really drives near to both dancemo bands like Head Automatic and indie-cred dance like Fischerspooner and The Postal Service. The incorporation of reggae influence on tracks like “Public Transportation” seems to be a little out of context; while it bookends the dance elements, it becomes prevalent…

Posted on: June 21, 2013 Posted by: James McQuiston Comments: 0

Sucka Brown Demo EP CD Review

Its almost like Scott Stapp has came and started playing with the rest of 311 – at least, that’s what the first track, “Save the Fool” sounds most similar to. The interesting drum arrangements on “Save the Fool” look back to the long list of genre-bending bands like Janes Addiction and Crazy Town for inspiration, and while the track is fairly versed in the mainstream, it enjoys much greater agency…

Posted on: June 20, 2013 Posted by: James McQuiston Comments: 0

Babble Bread and Circuses CD Review

Tied To The Machine is a funky bit of electronic-infused rock, ensuring to please fans of acts as disparate as Nine Inch Nails and Siouxsie and the Banshees. There is a certain tribal element that further fleshes out this effort; Babble creates a track that crosses easily across thirty years of gothic-tinged music. Yeah Sure No Problem allows the tribal element to become dominant, allowing for a world music flair…

Posted on: June 20, 2013 Posted by: James McQuiston Comments: 0

The Submarines Declare A New State CD Review

  “Peace and Hate” is the perfect opening for The Submarines, as it shows their ability to create a catchy indie-rock track that continues pushing on listeners even though the tempo is slower than many comparable songs. The inclusion of airy guitars during the track will make individuals remember acts like The Red Hot Valentines, while the blend of vocals scream The Anniversary. While the second set of vocals drops…

Posted on: June 13, 2013 Posted by: John B. Moore Comments: 0

The Lonely H Self-Titled CD Review

The guys in Lonely H started out as a garage band in Washington State, but over the years and albums, they have gravitated towards more of an alternative country sound. They can still rock, but there’s a bit more of a worn in, dust-crusted on the boots swagger with their songs now. And decamping to Nashville before working on this record has made the evolution that much more stark.  …

Posted on: June 11, 2013 Posted by: James McQuiston Comments: 0

Lisa Lim S/T CD Review

Superstitious Mind deftly blends country and hard rock, providing listeners a perfect introduction to Lim’s rich set of tracks. My Perfect World looks back to the days of Joan Jett and even Joni Mitchell / Joan Baez. The hooky style of My Perfect World will resound loudly in listeners’ minds after the disc concludes. Broken Promise Blues is a stand-out track on this album, as it shows listeners a considerably…

Posted on: June 11, 2013 Posted by: James McQuiston Comments: 0

bree All American Girl Review

  Religious narrow-mindedness, like conservative politicians, has always been a boon for the music world. So when musician bree (no last name necessary) – raised in a religious cult led by her pops where secular music was a no-no  – and was cast out at 17, she naturally she turned to the Devil’s music. And to wildly paraphrase Dusty Springfield, no one rocks as hard as the child of a…

Posted on: June 11, 2013 Posted by: James McQuiston Comments: 0

hooyoosay Feature

Don’t you lie to me / Yooplaaa! is the band’s latest EP, and it showcases a certain eclecticism to hooyoosay. It is this certain undefinable quality that will bring listeners in by waves. Hints of They Might Be Giants, XTC, and Devo can all be heard in this introductory track. The funky electronic-infused style of the band during this effort will burrow deeply into listeners’ psyches, while there are enough…

Posted on: June 10, 2013 Posted by: John B. Moore Comments: 0

Highness Hold CD Review

The biggest and most welcoming surprise about Hold, the debut from Highness, is that it sounds very little like what you would expect, given the resume of its band members. Collectively, the group members have put in time with Darkest Hour, Christie Front Drive and City of Caterpillar, among others. And while Highness does take elements from all – emo, metal, post-hardcore, the sound is not an obvious carbon copy…

Posted on: June 7, 2013 Posted by: John B. Moore Comments: 0

This Is Thunder 10″ EP Review

Though it may not have the cool back-and-forth mail delivery lore of The Postal Service’s one and only record, This is Thunder is still a testament to putting up with geographical barriers to cobble together a great record. And while The Postal Service juggled different time zones for an entire full length, for This is Thunder it was just a four-song EP and not a full album yet, but the…