Month: January 2011

Posted on: January 12, 2011 Posted by: James McQuiston Comments: 0

People Chasing People – The Dayglow Light of Sleep (CD)

Its some of the hardest-hitting emo music that I’ve heard since the new My Chemical Romance or Coheed and Cambria’s new CDs came out. However, what makes this disc so different from the two previously mentioned is the intensity in which it (through “You Are Loved”) holds. This mixture of masterful arrangement, solid musicianship, and an ear for pop-perfection is what makes People Chasing People such an impressive band. The…

Posted on: January 12, 2011 Posted by: James McQuiston Comments: 0

The Penny Royals – There Is No Revolution! (CD)

A harder-edged punk band than most of the pop-punk that is coming out currently, The Pennyroyals seem more in tune with bands like Three Days Grace than Good Charlotte. In fact, the first track on “There Is No Revolution!”, “Better Than Me” is led by a harsh guitar attack and the perfect vocals of Mike. Skillfully mixing in synthesizer lines to their tried-and-true brand of rock , The Pennyroyals seemed…

Posted on: January 12, 2011 Posted by: James McQuiston Comments: 3

Steve Steele – The Expat (CD)

“Revelation on the Radio” is an absolute epic track in the vein of Styx or Queens of the Stone Age. While rooted firmly in the rock genre, listeners can hear equal amounts of metal (Fear Factory) and even punk (Jello Biafra) present in Steele’s first cut. “Via Satellite” provides listeners with a tremendous amount of energy, as Steele’s vocals drive into listeners with all of the allure of a Tubronegro…

Posted on: January 12, 2011 Posted by: James McQuiston Comments: 0

PepperDome – Chaos Point (CD)

“Flesh” reminds me of a Devo track. The same sort of angular post-punk rock is present in both the classic Akron band as well as PepperDome, but there are noticeable differences between the former and the latter. Key of these would have to be an appreciation of all the music to come out after the former – hints of Gogol Bordello, Reel Big Fish, and even Against Me! can all…

Posted on: January 12, 2011 Posted by: James McQuiston Comments: 0

The Sunrise – Spread The Word (CD)

“Old & Faded” is the first track on The Sunrise’s “Spread The Word”, providing listeners with a sampling of their own style of rock. This style touches upon seventies rock, gospel, R&B, soul, and does so while providing a message. “The Way To Live” provides this message of uplift and righteous living alongside guitar work that is simply fantastic. The overall sound of “The Way To Live” will garner fans…

Posted on: January 12, 2011 Posted by: James McQuiston Comments: 0

Daniel Park – Search and Rescue (CD)

The strings, guitars, and other ambient noises that begin “Search and Rescue” will immediately catch the attention of anyone in the room. The intensity of this introduction dovetails well into the meat of the disc’s first track, “Be Right Here”. Fans of a wide swath of artists, be it Hellogoodbye, Fall Out Boy, T-Pain, or even Matt and Kim will be able to dig this eclectic opening. The linking of…

Posted on: January 12, 2011 Posted by: James McQuiston Comments: 0

Katey Laurel – From Here (CD)

“From Here”, Katey Laurel’s new album starts in a very controlled and measured fashion. The foundation laid down by the instrumentation on the disc’s first track, “Begin Again”, gradually gains steam as the track rolls on. When Laurel gets to the chorus, listeners will immediately sit up and take notice – there is a catchiness present that will ensure that the track sticks with all that listen in.

Posted on: January 12, 2011 Posted by: James McQuiston Comments: 0

Pedro The Lion – Achilles’ Heel (CD)

“Achilles’ Heel” starts out with “Bands With Managers”, a slow, deliberately plodding track that skillfully mixes the human nature of the vocals with the detached, machine-like nature of the drums and synthesizers. Looking back to late nineties alternative rock for the inspiration for the vast majority of the CD, Pedro the Lion elicits comparisons to Placebo, Sloan, and Geggy Tah. Perhaps the most enticing matter with Pedro the Lion would…

Posted on: January 11, 2011 Posted by: James McQuiston Comments: 0

David Pavia – Songs For Soft Machines (CD)

The introductory vocals during “Here We Go Again” are interesting, and to be honest, take a few minutes to fully get into. This is due to the fact that Pavia has a very innovative and new style of vocals, and this newness will take individuals a short while to get used to. Couple that with the fact that the vocals are practically all that are present during the opening of…

Posted on: January 11, 2011 Posted by: James McQuiston Comments: 0

Paulson – Variations (CD)

Starting out with “Diaryland”, a track that is as scary as any ambient track from a Halloween-themed CD, Paulson creates a brooding atmosphere that only gets more intense as the track builds up. Finally breaking into some semblance of vocals two minutes into the track, Logan’s vocals still act in an instrumental way. Reminiscent of Incubus’ oddly-arranged style of drumming, “A Great pretending” uses that same brooding nature to make…