Month: October 2009

Posted on: October 21, 2009 Posted by: Jay NeuFutur Comments: 0

Ni Hao, Kai-Lan – Kai-Lan Carnival (DVD)

Ni Hao, Kai-Lan is, for those who have not watched the show, a Nickelodeon effort that It finally seems as if some children’s companies are getting the fact that parents do not want to go out and spend $20 for the equivalent of two episodes. This DVD contains four episodes – the titular one, Lulu Day, Roller Rintoo, and Wait, Hoho, Wait. To top that, there are a few bonus…

Posted on: October 21, 2009 Posted by: anfnewsacct Comments: 1

Existi-Thoughts Conceived among Decaying Dreams (CD)

8 song tape of Death Metal/HC from Glendale, AZ. Throaty vocals mix perfectly with extremely speedy guitar and drum beats. The recording on this tape is a little muted, but the pure aggression that this band is capable of is definitely noticeable. Existi has times where the guitar riffs find a little harmony, moving into the Goth/Black Metal subgenre. The bass is very pronounced on this album, playing around during…

Posted on: October 21, 2009 Posted by: Jay NeuFutur Comments: 2

St. James Winery – 2008 Chambourcin (Wine)

The St. James represents our first foray into Chambourcin, and we could not have gotten a more solid introduction to the varietal. From when we first brought it out of its shipping crate, the presentation of the ’08 Chambourcin is classy, with labeling that calls forth the seventies and early eighties while maintaining a current sort of flair. This red wine can be enjoyed on a number of levels, be…

Posted on: October 21, 2009 Posted by: anfnewsacct Comments: 0

Exene Cervenka and the Original Sinners – Sev7en (CD)

It is so nice to see that a relic of the punk rock days has not eschewed the style that made eir a legend and went into something exponentially more boring (I’m looking at you, Lydia Lunch). Exene Cervenka and the Original Sinners come up with a bouncy, fresh punk track that really does not have any specific dating to it . “It Ain’t Supposed To Be” has a punk…

Posted on: October 21, 2009 Posted by: John B. Moore Comments: 0

Sherwood – Qu (CD)

It’s a bit surprising Different Light, the 2007 sophomore release from Sherwood didn’t help make the California band a household name. With their Pet Sounds-era harmonies and a sound the evoked everyone from the Beatles to ELO, the album was pretty damn close pop rock perfection. Their latest, Qu is almost as good. It’s a bit cliché to talk about a maturing sound in record reviews, but it’s true with…

Posted on: October 20, 2009 Posted by: Jay NeuFutur Comments: 0

Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days (Nintendo DS)

Kingdom Hearts 358/2 is the latest in the Kingdom Hearts series and focuses in on Roxas, giving players the opportunity to take on different RPG elements through both single and multi-player modes. The panel system is the most interesting element here, in that players are given the ability to customize different item sets, magic, and weaponry. Adding more to the customization that one can have, the multiplayer mode allows the…

Posted on: October 20, 2009 Posted by: anfnewsacct Comments: 0

Excitebike – 2000 demo (CD)

Okay, I’m thoroughly surprised with what I hear on this disc. I was expecting very tepid, warmed-over pop-punk, bu I get this really well done indierock. I always whine about how I don’t review CDs in a timely matter, but I’ve had this CD for about a year and a half. I’m horrible. The band really seems to switch styles between a Osceola/At the Drive-In sound and something near what…

Posted on: October 20, 2009 Posted by: anfnewsacct Comments: 0

Excepter – Alternation (CD)

The tracks on “Alternation” fittingly alternate in style and length, with some tracks being over six and seven minutes while some struggle to get to the two minute mark. At every point during “Alternation”, there is a very different sound that Excepter is trying to cultivate. There are hints of sixties pop, alternative, surf, and about fifty other styles that all blend together to create a sound that is specifically…

Posted on: October 19, 2009 Posted by: anfnewsacct Comments: 1

Evolve – Happy Hour In The Gene Pool (CD)

Evolve plays a very atmospheric brand of music that takes quite a few minutes to fully appreciate. “August Moon” is the first track on the disc, and before the beat goes into something approximating “From Your Mouth”-era God Lives Underwater, little can be felt about the band. Slow, Evolve finally comes into a storytelling type of music when the instrumentation settles down. No vocals are needed during the opening of…

Posted on: October 19, 2009 Posted by: anfnewsacct Comments: 0

Every Time I Die – Gutter Phenomenon (CD)

Every Time I Die Gutter Phenomenon Ferret Records Killing the music…in the best way possible! I have two questions for each and everyone of you reading this. Question 1: Are you pissed at the world at this present moment? Question 2: Do you like to dance? If you answered yes to either one of these questions you are a perfect candidate to go out and purchase the new cd from…