Wendy Magazine #7 / $1 / 24M / :25 / http://www.wendymagazine.com / I guess that I take too long reviewing zines sometimes. Or, I tend to grab zines from the free table that individuals have hoarded for a year or so before moving on to another set of zines. Anyways, this issue of Wendy still has the same quirky humor that was present in the last issue reviewed. This time,…
“Chicago’s Sleeper Car bends alt-country expectations on its second album, Love & Anxiety. The fiddles and pedal steel add twang, but the band’s real forte is its commitment to a folk-rock tradition that stretches all the way back to the ’60s. All five guys, plant roots in a songbook that nods to Dylan, the Byrds, and, by extension, Woody Guthrie. That’s not to say they sound anything at all like…
Annuals – Frelen Mas / 2007 Ace Fu / http://www.myspace.com/annuals / http://www.acefu.com / The last time we heard the Annuals, they were on the “This Is Indie Rock: Volume Three†compilation put out by Deep Elm in 2005. In the mean time, they signed to Ace Fu Records, released their debut full length “Be He Meâ€, and have played or been played on shows like Late Night With Conan O’Brien…
The Whigs are proud to announce the release of their ATO Records debut album, MISSION CONTROL. Set for a January 22, 2008 release, this confident collection of songs follows up the band’s self-released / self-financed album, GIVE ‘EM ALL A BIG FAT LIP, which caught the attention of many, including Rolling Stone Magazine who declared the Athens GA three-piece “the best unsigned band in America.” The Whigs spent most of…
Art Effects: Decade Performance Era & ABC No Rio / $? / 28M / :30 / I believe that this is the last issue that I have concerning the history of ABC No Rio. This piece reads a little more formally at points than other issues, but don’t let an image of academic papers cloud one’s judgment. There is an extended dialogue between the deities Dionysus and Kali, that frame…
“Days after Far-Less entered the studio in April to record ‘A Toast To Bad Taste,’ their hometown of Blacksburg, Virginia, became the setting of the mortifying Virginia Tech shootings. Whether consciously or not, this young sextet deliver an effort that reflects bravery in both a musical and very personal way.â€â€“ Alternative Press, 4 and 1/2 out of 5 stars
Pitbull – Boatlift / 2007 TVT / 18 Tracks / http://www.pitbullmusic.com / http://www.tvtrecords.com / Many introductions to rap CDs suck. They suck horribly. However, “Boatliftâ€â€™s introduction is massively impression. This “Little Story†is an acapella opening to the disc, and it shows exactly how talented Pitbull is. The entirety of this track is a minute, and it does much to provide a specific style to the entirety of the disc.…
Khann – Tofutopia / 2007 Metal Blade / 19 Tracks / http://www.myspace.com/khannn / http://www.blackmarketactivities.com / Khann blasts through a great deal of the tracks on “Tofutopia†with barely minute long salvos. Individuals may think that the band is operating under a normal tempo and runtime when it comes to the introductory track “Meteorâ€, but are thrown into a tizzy with the grind heavy sound of “Himalayan Greenâ€. There is little…
Exchange Catalog Man on a Mission: Ziggy Marley – Realizing His Father’s Dream Independent-Label Release Pairs Tuff Gong Worldwide with Ryko Distribution Ziggy Marley announces the re-release of his Grammy-winning album Love Is My Religion, including three bonus tracks as well as an independent distribution deal. In a bold move, Marley is eschewing the traditional record industry formula and big name labels, instead penning a distribution deal between Tuff Gong…
This album is from 1986 and it was on Miss Anne Thrope Records. This album has to be the oddest music I have ever listened to. The songs are mostly vocals along with accompanying music. There are 12 songs on this album. This album and all of Zoogz Rift albums remind me of Frank Zappa’s work. This is a tape that you really have to listen to to get all…
Angelic Irish Supergroup Follow Up Must-Have Holiday Album of 2006 with Brand-New Companion DVD, Recorded Live in Dublin New PBS TV Special Airs in December While most people are dreaming of a white Christmas, Irish supergroup Celtic Woman make an arresting case for keeping things “Green the Whole Year Round” with their release ‘A Christmas Celebration Live From Dublin,’ a DVD featuring mesmerizing performances of some of the most beloved…
Larry the Cable Guy – Christmastime in Larryland / 2007 WB Nashville / http://www.larrythecableguy.com / http://www.wbrnashville.com / As one can likely glean from the album title, “Christmastime in Larryland†is Larry the Cable Guy’s latest album. More so than just being Larry the Cable Guy’s latest album, this album has a decidedly Christmas feel to it. For those individuals that cannot wait, there is also a trailer for Larry the…
Citay – Little Kingdom / 2007 Dead Ocean / 8 Tracks / http://www.deadoceans.com / Citay provides a twinkling atmosphere during the opening to their “Little Kingdomâ€, the emotive and instrumentally intricate “First Fantasyâ€. During “First Fantasyâ€, the clearness and natural sound of the instrumental compositions make me confident that Citay could conceivably make an entirety instrumental album and succeed. Of course, vocals do kick in after a certain point, but…
On Tuesday, November 20, The Militia Group released Dressed Up & In Line, a collection of rare and previously unreleased material from Florida indie darlings, Copeland. After a year filled with uncertainty and change for Copeland, it seemed an ideal time to pause for reflection. A retrospective of the band’s stellar seven-year history (2000 – 2007), this 14-song gem is loaded with music that all fans will consider must-haves while…
This album was released in 1995 on Vermiform Records with 17 songs.The sound on this disc is pretty crappy, but the Young Pioneers are good, with melodic punk songs that don’t conform to punk standards.The songs are very short by this 3 piece band, which includes an amazing guitar player. The odd thing about the Young Pioneers is that they rely on the harmonica in addition to all of the…
Metal Hammer says, “October File burn with all the fiery, punk-spirited menace of Black Flag and the fervent apocalyptic brimstone of Killing Joke, but with a sound that’s all their own.†With this, their proper introduction to US audiences, October File look to bring their sonic decadence to new and eager ears waiting for music with substance. Kerrang! say, “there’s a simultaneous elegance and urgency here that puts it ahead…
Steel Train – Trampoline / 2007 Drive-Thru / 12 Tracks / http://www.steeltrainmusic.com / http://www.drivethrurecords.com / It has been well over two years since we had the chance to last review Steel Train, and while their last CD was nothing really that impressive, the band has gotten their shit together for “I Feel Weirdâ€, the first track on “Trampolineâ€. Unlike many of the Drive-Thru bands, there is not that much of…
ME FIRST AND THE GIMME GIMMES CASH 7†OUT NOW The second of five limited edition releases from the â€Square Dance Series†country 7†collection by your favorite all-star, punk cover band is now available. On this installment the Man in Black, Johnny Cash, reminds us that there is nothing lonelier than the Sunday after an amphetamine rage. Side B, “I Still Miss Someone†is an unreleased song from the…
The CD has 4 songs, it is self released, and even contains a cover of “Deuce”, by KISS. The xMODELs are 80s hair metal with a 90s feel. The vocals are great to listen to, the guitars are scorching, and the bass is plodding through the tracks. Compare these guys to Warrant, Kiss, and Kix. These are only bands they vaugely sound like, since they have a unique sound. Their…
Dropkick Murphys – The Meanest of Times / 2007 Born & Bred / 15 Tracks / http://www.dropkickmurphys.com / The star that the Dropkick Murphys are riding on is only reaching higher and higher altitudes. Their last album, “The Warrior’s Codeâ€, sold around 20,000 copies. This time, “The Meanest of Times†has blown past that number and have firmly ensconced the Dropkick Murphys as perhaps the best known “Irishâ€-themed band, behind…