The Empty Mirror is a self-described “Nightmaricana†act, and have been blowing away live audiences since 2005. This previously Ohio-based act has moved up to Washington state, and have released “Overwhelm†after countless nights spent tweaking this album into what listeners will undoubtedly call their “magnum opusâ€. The disc is broken down into three segments of five tracks, which each track and section establishing a little more of a story.…
The first track on “Swimming Without Webbed Toes†is “Crashâ€, and it comes forth with a very grave and atmospheric feel that link together new wave acts like Enya and Enigma with hints of goth and “Ray of “Lightâ€-era Madonna. The resulting track is something that will stick with listeners throughout their “Swimming Without Webbed Toes†experience, feeding in well to “Am Iâ€. “Am I†is the longest track on…
Lisa Coppola is a singer-songwriter that has flirted with fame for years, whether it be backing up Billy Joel on one of his Saturday Night Live performances or playing a number of NYC’s world-renowned clubs and venues (The Bitter End and Brownie’s, to name a few). “Wisdom From The Pain†benefits from the touch of John Waite (“Missing Youâ€) and Anthony Krizan (Spin Doctors), but it is Coppola’s own skill…
While “Hope For Harmony” may be officially the debut for pianist Kathryn Toyama, the eighteen compositions that are present on this disc showcase a talent that far surpasses any other debuting act. “Hope For Harmony” leads off with “Hope”, a track that needs nothing more than a woman playing a piano to bring forth a narrative that will last throughout the whole of “Hope For Harmony”. From the light, airy…
“Drop Of Love†is the initial track on “Water Meâ€, and this track has a humanity to it that a number of major-label releases are seemingly unable to have. The vocals on “Drop Of Love†are approachable to a degree that is simply not heard in most current music, and the resulting Marie Black track is something that draws heavily on the vocal history established by individuals like Janis Joplin,…
Regardless of whether individuals are familiar with the work of Gee Davey, the one thing that can be said is that the band is dedicated. Over the course of the last five years, Gee Davey has came to the plate four times – 2003’s “Dear Theoâ€, 2005’s “Sparticle†EP, 2006’s “Sparticle†LP, and “She Sells Smilesâ€, the latest effort of the band. “Say Another Prayer†leads off this EP, and…
John Paul has had his fair share of accolades over the years. Whether it was a nine-week reign at the top of the Portland Phoenix local-artist sales charts in his old band, Stillview or another of his old acts (The Posters) getting the Got Milk-campaign’s stamp of approval in 2004, Paul has captured the attention of anyone that has had the chance to listen in. “Belmont Boulevard†marks the second…
We here at NeuFutur had the chance to review Hills Rolling’s last album, “Sweet Teaâ€, and we were very impressed with the rock stylings of the band at that point. “Something Delicious†is the latest disc by Hills Rolling, and it showcases 9 impressive tracks that build upon the solid foundation that was created by “Sweet Teaâ€. “Something Delicious†begins with “I Wake Upâ€, a unique track that defies convention…
Wilkins – consisting of Mark Wilkins (bass, guitars, and vocals), Julian Wilkins (piano/synths), and Jan Wilkins (acoustic guitars, vocals) – are a family that has been creating music together since 2000. “No Expiry Date†is an album that shows that, even with Julian’s hiatus from the act, that Wilkins is a musical tour de force in the folk music sphere. “Easy†is the first track on “No Expiry Dateâ€, and…
Man, “Future Luver†is an interesting track. The song itself links together rock and funk, while Statan’s output on the track shows influences from artists as different as Lenny Kravitz, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Gavin Degraw. While it would be easy for Statan to go off into absurdity, as acts like Chromeo (“Needy Girlâ€) and the Bloodhound Gang have done, Statan makes for a track that is compelling,…
“Cactus Lizard†is the initial track on “Bobby Barbadosâ€, and it showcases a very interesting musical style. Von Davis creates a folky, singer-songwriter type of music but creates a narrative style that is not typically present in this style of music. “Cactus Lizard†discusses the quandary of being a lizard where everyone else is a cactus, allowing Von Davis to add a little bit of Mexican influence to the track.…
“Jamie†is one of the stand-out tracks on The Bridge and the Prophet’s self-titled release. The track builds off of a seventies pop approach (think Rob Stewart and Cat Stevens), with instrumentation that provides the support for John’s vocals to truly soar. “Heavenly Candle†is a track that will immediately gain the attention of listeners, owing much to the intricate guitar work that is present. The guitar work has a…
If you catch only one show this fall, catch CW Stoneking “Across almost 40 minutes Stoneking doesn’t put a finger or phrase wrong, moving magically from one perfectly crafted pastiche piece to another with a charm that’s more celebration than imitation†Rolling Stone 4 stars
Nachtmystium will join the first half of the upcoming North American Opeth / High on Fire tour, opening the first half of the tour’s shows (with Baroness opening the second half of the tour) beginning in September.
Stereogum Debuts New Track Today, “Dishwasher,” Via Their ‘Gum Drop’ Newsletter Sophomore LP “Lightbulbs†To Be Released September 16th On Deaf, Dumb + Blind Recordings F&M have also kept up their interest in some of life’s finer things: motorik pulses, retro-futurist electronics, fake Japanese accents. And, OK, this Lightbulbs track doesn’t always keep its things in the dark: “Vanilla, strawberry, knickerbocker, glory,” Best sings, as the instruments make like metronomes.…
The Dandy Warhols’ sixth LP, Earth To The Dandy Warhols, is set for release on August 19, 2008, via their label, Beat The World Records. This month the Dandys are playing four shows in the Pacific Northwest, with European festival dates to follow in July, and a fall North American tour to kick off in September. For the June dates, Beat The World artists the Upsidedown and Monstrous are the…
66 Thousands Miles Per Hour #0 / :14 / 36M / $5.50 / PO Box 974, New Brunswick, NJ 08903 / http://www.66thousandmilesperhour.com /Â Very professionally done comic, almost at the level of production say of Gloomcookie or some of the Marvel titles. The style is bordering on cartoon rather than the graphic comic style of say The Dark Knight Returns or Sandman. Looking at times like something that would come…
Bum Kon (named after Korean mass murderer Woo Bum Kon) was one of the best punk rock bands in the early ’80s, even if few outside of its Denver home knew it. To those who were familiar – Fanatic’s own Dave Clifford for example, who witnessed the band during his very impressionable pre-teen years — Bum Kon was the coolest, most intimidating band on the planet, gliding from a blisteringly…
George Jones, Country Music Hall of Fame member, lends a hand to support HopeHouse International, a non-profit organization that exists so that orphans in Ukraine can become adopted by Christian couples within their country.
The Acacia Strain’s hometown of Springfield, where the band will have their set filmed for an upcoming DVD. The band bring the brutality overseas for a European tour with Annotations of an Autopsy and Knights of the Abyss.