Leverage Models came out of nowhere. Leverage Models came out of everywhere. When our friend Shannon Fields sent us a few new songs last year, we scrambled to our speakers and hit play. The embers of Stars Like Fleas, Shannon’s decade-long project centered in New York City, had been glowing since our release of 2008’sThe Ken Burns Effect. They’d set alight a new flame, Family Dynamics, and we’d been watching…
It’s pretty much impossible for any band to pull of a support slot for bands as diverse as Scissor Sisters, Passion Pit and Ke$ha successfully… unless you’re New Zealand’s KIDS OF 88. Not only did they pull it off, they did it without compromising, at least not consciously. “I can’t say we set out to become people pleasers, although we are both Aquarians, so it is part of our nature,”…
The front cover of this disc does not give individuals much an idea what Quartet of Happiness will play. Individuals may get an idea if they look at the back, as there is a crude cartoon with two members playing brass, an upright bass, and a drummer. However, even that will not give individuals the best idea of what Quartet of Happiness ultimately sounds like. After putting the disc on,…
Continuing on from his success with “Get Choze” and “Real Heavy” in 2010, both of which are singles from Labor Of Love, Mr Brady starts this year with another laid back and relaxed track “Catch” featuring fellow west coaster Aloe Blacc. Mr. Brady eschews rhyming on Labor Of Love, instead handling production duties for the entire album. “Catch” is another perfect example of Brady’s ability to produce sonically pleasing beats…
Genre giants AUGUST BURNS RED have solidified plans to enter the studio February 14th to record their currently untitled fourth album. The band will re-team with metal mastermind Jason Suecof at his Audio Hammer Studios outside of Orlando, FL. Suecof is no stranger to ABR’s highly influential brand of metalcore, as he was the man behind the board for Constellations, the band’s 2009 breakout hit that made waves when it…
Nu-metal ties itself in with the more-hardcore emo and a myriad of different genres to provide QuarterLife Crisis with their motivation. With an ear for melody and a mind for the greatest possible impact, QLC places “What You Will” with its catchy choruses as the first track, and places the Strike Anywhere/A Wilhelm Scream-like track with fierce vocals and tribal drums, right after. Morphing in quickly with the end of…
As HENRY ROLLINS approaches the half-century mark, the everyman-of-all-trades gears up for a new talking tour simply titled 50. National tour dates kick off March 17 at the Whitaker Center in Harrisburg, PA, and continue through mid-April. HENRY will be hitting intimate venues to share stories from and reflections on his first 50 years – and the chaos that has surrounded him. Tickets go on sale January 28, with a…
The recording on this demo is a little rough, but when it is compared to the average recording from Greencastle, it is actually fairly professional. For those who don’t know, Pvrenchymv is a progressive-rock band that is incredibly hard to pigeonhole. The first track, “Une” has a myriad of influences pushing through all facets of the track: Korn, Dream Theatre, even Creed all come through. The distortion on the guitars…
March 3rd @ Crystal Ballrom – Portland, OR March 4th @ WOW Hall – Eugene, OR March 8th @ Ogden Theatre – Denver, CO March 9th @ Granada – Lawrence, KS March 10th @ First Avenue – Minneapolis, MN March 11th @ Riviera Theatre – Chicago, IL March 12th @ The Rave – Milwaukee, WI March 15th @ Blue Note – Columbia, MO March 16th @ Newport Music Hall –…
Conceptualized around the letters of the acronymic band moniker, W.A.I.L. (Wisdom through Agony into Illumination and Lunacy), the debut album of this Finnish band delves through a five-part journey of murky and crushing soundscapes. On this first part of self-titled full-lengths, W.A.I.L. explains its meaning from a wholly personal perspective. The exceptional name accompanies exceptional music and therefore W.A.I.L. gives a mouth to something that absorbs conventions of black, death,…
Atlantic Records newcomer Ty Stone can captivate a room with his undeniably smooth soulful country sound. Now the Detroit native will be captivating arenas all across the country with his distinct vocals as he embarks on Kid Rock’s “BORN FREE” tour this month. His debut single, “American Style” off his forthcoming album (executive produced by Kid Rock) is available at all digital retailers and encompasses Stone’s strong southern rock vocal…
The Purrs occupy an interesting spot in popular music. First off, their opening track to this album is “She’s Gone”, and the song is odd for the fact that the added vocals sound quite like girl groups from the early sixties, while the rest of the song sound like something that The Doors would cut to vinyl. The result is something odd and completely different from the rest of music…
Roach Gigz released his new mixtape, Roachy Balboa 2, earlier this month and already the project, which serves as the follow up to Gigz’ first Roachy Balboa mixtape released last May, is being met with strong feedback and positive reviews. With a number of videos planned to drop over the coming months, including a forthcoming video for the previously released single “Syrup Thighs,” Roach continues to release new singles from…
2/3 – Paradise – Boston, MA @ 2/4 – Music Hall – Brooklyn, NY @ 2/5 – Johnny Brenda’s – Philadelphia, PA @ 2/7 – Rock and Roll Hotel – Washington, DC @ 2/8 – Jefferson Theater – Charlottesville, VA @ 2/9 – Grey Eagle – Asheville, NC @ 2/10 – Cat’s Cradle – Carrboro, NC @ 2/11 – The Earl – Atlanta, GA @ 2/12 – Mercy Lounge –…
Widely renowned as one of the best rock live acts in the touring circuit, Atlanta’s supreme purveyors of psych-tinged garage-pop Black Lips are set to bring their raucous and jubilant stage antics across the US this summer. Fresh out of the studio with top 40 studio wizard Mark Ronson (Amy Winehouse, Busta Rhymes, etc), the band will be debuting a smattering of new material from their upcoming new full length…
Despite having such a nice live performance recorded this year on MIG Music, I must admit I was not too familiar with Lopez’ stuff. Where ey has done some solo albums as well as a stint in Band of Trouble, I feel that ey work here surpasses anything previous captured on disc. This DVD captures Lopez along with Al PahanishJr (drums) and Toni Valdez (bass) for eir Rockpalast date in…
I should have realized that Public Access was going to have some semblance of ska in their general formula after seeing that there were two saxophonists in the band, but I expected something different given the Thought Riot meets Strike Anywhere vocals of the band to start off “Hit Single”. The ska breakdowns are interesting to say the least, and tremendous kudos needs to be given to Public Access in…
Brooklyn-based artist Blair has announced new tour dates in support of Say Hi this February and March. The lengthy jaunt will launch February 18th at Neurolux in Boise, ID and wrap up March 30th at The Media Club in Vancouver, BC. The tour includes a hometown show on March 7th at the Bowery Ballroom in New York, as well as two dates during this year’s SXSW festival. Blair’s debut full-length…
The Power of Love – http://www.jbtvonline.com/songs/i-fight-dragons-power-love Welcome To The Breakdown – http://www.jbtvonline.com/songs/i-fight-dragons-welcome-breakdown Heads Up, Hearts Down – http://www.jbtvonline.com/songs/i-fight-dragons-heads-hearts-down Not I – http://www.jbtvonline.com/songs/i-fight-dragons-not-i She’s Got Sorcery – http://www.jbtvonline.com/songs/i-fight-dragons-shes-got-sorcery No Kontrol – http://www.jbtvonline.com/songs/i-fight-dragons-no-kontrol Just Decide – http://www.jbtvonline.com/songs/i-fight-dragons-just-decide On their new EP, Welcome To The Breakdown (Photo Finish/Atlantic Records), Chicago rockers I Fight Dragons wrap warm harmonies in sounds generated directly from vintage Nintendo soundcards. Set to be released digitally later this month,…
”Robot Crazy” is a good start for “First Human Beings”, as it establishes The Psycho Nubs as fans of Fugazi, Husker Du, and The Pixies. The driving beat of the track has punk influences, but is something that is much more moderated than most of the punk acts out on the market. After this quick introduction, something quicker hits listeners during “Promenade”. This track is something that follows all the…