Category: Music Reviews

Posted on: June 5, 2013 Posted by: James McQuiston Comments: 0

The Subjects With The Ease Grace Precision and Cleverness of Human Beings CD Review

  The Subjects start off their “With The Ease” with “Speaking Parts”. The falsetto voice that marks the beginning of the track is a little pointed at times, which does not mesh perfectly with the more shoegazer sound of the instrumentation of the band. Still, the track is a solid entry into the minds of most listeners, who have not had a chance to listen to the band up to…

Posted on: June 5, 2013 Posted by: James McQuiston Comments: 0

Styrofume Legplant CD Review

Simply put, this is a ton of noise put out by another artist on Breaking World Records. I cannot really say that I would have this CD on heavy rotation in my portable cd player, but I try to look at it as more of an artistic piece, as Penderecki is to classical music. One tries to see the beauty inherent in a CD like this, and tries to figure…

Posted on: June 5, 2013 Posted by: James McQuiston Comments: 0

Stutterfly And We Are Bled of Color CD Review

  This is the perfect middle-ground between pop-rock and emo, with the same Linkin Park-esque guitars (especially in tracks like “Gun In Hand”) and Hawthorne Heights-esque double-vocals. While a number of the earliest tracks on “Bled of Color” really don’t rise above their constituent parts, the first real exciting track comes soon after in “Bury Me (The Scarlet Path).” “Bury Me” has guitars that in their virtuosity pull up the…

Posted on: June 4, 2013 Posted by: James McQuiston Comments: 2

AxelJordan Release You Single Review

  The high energy of the opening of Release You will invite listeners into the track, which is helmed with AxelJordan’s stellar vocals. This means that Release You has a Jason Derulo meets Chris Brown feel, all while having the electronic crunch that EDM fans will eagerly devour. Release You is a stellar dance track that has the chops to make it on pop rotation; where there seems to be…

Posted on: June 3, 2013 Posted by: James McQuiston Comments: 2

The Jinxes Send Me A Sign EP Review

Send Me A Sign is a fun track that soars not only because of the two-part harmonies that are present, but also because of the fuzzy, warm backing that the Hammond establishes. The track could easily make it onto rock rotation, and entices listeners to continue with the titular EP. If You Want (the buh bah song) allows the vocals to take double duty. Where there is a decidedly narrative…

Posted on: June 3, 2013 Posted by: James McQuiston Comments: 0

The Water Village Feature

The Water Village has just released a self-titled album, which can be purchased at a variety of online retailers (which include Spotify, iTunes, and Amazon). The first single released off of “The Water Village”, The Potato Song, showcases the instrumental and vocal sides of The Water Village. This soft bit of pop music looks to break a number of the assumptions about what music is and what it can do.…

Posted on: June 3, 2013 Posted by: James McQuiston Comments: 0

Devour the Day Time & Pressure CD Review

  Egypt Central begat Devour the Day. I feel that the tracks that comprise Time & Pressure showcase an act that is mature enough to make thoughtful music but still possesses the ability to kick ass and take names.  The album begins with Respect, a punk-infused track that ratchets up the work of Avenged Sevenfold and The Offspring into something much more toothy and in your face. Good Man does…

Posted on: May 31, 2013 Posted by: John B. Moore Comments: 0

Ben Folds Five Live CD Review

It’s been two years since Ben Folds got the band (the Five)back together and they’ve been making up for lost time, hitting the studio for last year’s The Sound of the Life of the Mind then doing a lap around the globe on their reunion tour. It appears Ben and the boys were kind enough to record those shows, so that they could give us Ben Folds Five Live (clever…

Posted on: May 28, 2013 Posted by: John B. Moore Comments: 0

Yes Magnification 2 LP Vinyl Review

Yes’ Magnification, originally released in 2001 warranted a few footnotes in the bands decades-long history. It was the last studio album to feature longtime vocalist Jon Anderson, only the second record to feature a full orchestra and it is the only album to not feature a keyboardist (and this from a band who is known for their keyboards!). The album, one of the band’s strongest in the past 10 years,…

Posted on: May 27, 2013 Posted by: James McQuiston Comments: 0

Hierophant Great Mother: Holy Monster CD Review

Son of the Tongue’s Prison has a diffuse opening, while gradually bringing listeners into something that melds fury with technical virtuosity. Masters of loudness, Hierophant is able to create something that looks to redefine what metal can do. Cutting off at the three minute mark, Son of the Tongue’s Prison is an early hit for the band. Son of the Carcinoma is the album’s shortest effort, but Hierophant is able…