“Ancient Sky†is a track that benefits from its Neal Peart-styled basslines and infusion of rock to the jazz backdrop of the track. The extended synthesizer solo doubles the bass to perfection, and adds a bridge with the same quality of Emily’s voice to fill out the track. Ending “Ancient Sky†with ever more chaotic drums, Amun Ra really makes a mini-movement in just the five minutes of space that…
2000, self released, 23 songs, 52 minutes. 4 Piece Florida political punk band. It took me a minute to gain my bearings on this CD, as Dustin Prosthesis’ voice is a little hard to understand at times, but it does get easier to understand. The Amputees are pure, abrasive political punk rock that definitely aren’t afraid to let people know their beliefs. The recording is rough, but it actually works…
Wow, it has been a long time since I’ve gotten to review an Ampline disc. I wish it hadn’t been so long, as the band starts out with the very intense “Your Tongue or Your Lifeâ€. This song has all of the emotional intensity of a Fugazi or a Desert City Soundtrack, tying the best parts of both bands up into something complete. While there are segments of an Ampline…
Amerijah start off their “Project Won†with a track in “Dove Wing Rhythm†that has a lot of energy, but does not do anything with it in the nearly four minutes that the track has. If there was some more experimentation or a voice to break up the music during this track, the chance is that the band would come out as something more than more bouncy elevator music.
Those expecting Wilco keyboardist Mikael Jorgensen’s side project to play the same alt-country indie rock his full time group is known for may be in for a disappointment. Rather the Jorgensen-fronted Pronto sticks to a brilliant combination of classic AM radio pop with a healthy dose of lyrical cynicism. All is Golden, 13 tracks of truly imaginative rock music, was actually recorded in 2006 with members of Iron & Wine…
“Tarots and Arrows†is a hooky type of track that is influenced both by the British and American pop of the sixties. What individuals will immediately hear bits and pieces of in this introductory salvo by Little Man is Fountains of Wayne; while not from the time period described above, the application of current musical approaches and styles to the earlier musical style is similar in both bands. “Don’t Pray…
â€Melodia†has a number of styles immediately present, linking together African tribal sounds with Indian and Middle Eastern flavors, all while the vocals straddle the line between rock and New Wave. What results during a song like “Melodia†and the entirety of Manko Eponymous’ “Kaihealoha†is a truly special album that touches upon all lands and influences by the time that the final track grinds to a close. “Battlecry†is…
Another zine randomly received somehow, OHNO!THEROBOT is the brainchild of Chrix Morix. This Canadian showcases the fact that, beyond the kilometer/mile difference, that there is little distinguishing Americans from Canadians. This zine showcases Chris’ life, without assuming that an individual has had any familiarity with OHNO!THEROBOT before receiving this issue. Hitchhiking, moustaches, and relationships are what Chris focuses on most heavily during this issue. Despite the fact that the issue…
Remy Martin has been the stuff of rap songs and fine cognac connoisseurs for quite some time now. I had not been able to try Remy Martin due to the price point (as you can tell, I try to fly extremely cheap), but after picking up a bottle of the special, limited-edition David La Chapelle version of the V.S.O.P., I would have to say that I am a convert.
Starting out “Watch Out!†with a fairly amelodic set of guitar riffs, Alexisonfire gets their fans on board with an all-encompassing whoa-oh-oh chorus and a chugging bass line. The bridge on the first track, “Accidents†stretches out for a little too long, and the echoed vocals of Dallas only weakly hold the power that the whoaed-out chorus may have. The assault by Alexisonfire is stuck right in the middle of…
Even before I reviewed this disc, The F-Ups were the subject of some of the most inquiry to me. “Hey, is that the pop band with mohawks?†was a question fielded to me a bunch of times. Sure, they are, and their style of pop-punk mixes older Green Day and SR-71, and suffice it to say, the band sounds destined for one-hit wonder status. Not saying anything about their musical…
When I saw that the band was called the F-Units, I was expecting some hard punk stuff in the verins of F-Minus or the F-Ups. This is not what is present on “Reject on Impactâ€, as the F-Units play a brand of rock that is lightly tinged by punk rock. This does not mean that what the F-Units plays is not interesting, but individuals should understand that this style of…
With Led Zepplin-esque guitars and a Corrosion of Conformity/Alice in Chains feel to their first track, “Written in Stoneâ€, Fu Manchu starts off with all the balls in their court. Continuing the aural assault with Bob’s sizzling guitar solo layered off of Scott’s rhythmic lines, Fu Manchu never let off in their relentless search for rock. Infusing their music with seventy down-and-dirty rock, “Start the Machine†is full of tracks…
It has been a while since I have had the chance to review a comic zine, but Noah Van Sciver was gracious enough to go forth and send over a copy of Blammo #2 for review in NeuFutur. The style of the comic bounces back and forth between life stories, interviews with comic creators and band members, with all pieces linked together with the same neurotic, funny style.
A long time ago, I bought Against All Authority’s All Fall Down for a few bucks from a place at a flea market. I never listened to it much, but I guess now, after selling it, maybe I should have. This is not the ska I was imagining from the band, but rather a pop-influenced brand of rock. Nods are given to bands like Screeching Weasel and The Clash, albeit…
Against All Authority show that they have not lost a step in the few years between this album and the last; the title track ties together Rancid, Rise Against, and the Bouncing Souls to create something that is mired in the older punk styles but still is extremely salient. Tracks are not long and the message that Against All Authority provides is crystal clear. When the band goes into the…
Aerosmith has had a number of “greatest hits†collection. I am a moderate fan of the band, and I can recall two; “Big Hits†and “Young Lustâ€. Apparently, there was also “O, Yeahâ€, “Aerosmith’s Greatest Hitsâ€, and “Gemsâ€. So, the question is why should anyone pick up this album if they have any of the albums described previously? Well, the first reason is that tracks from Aerosmith’s entire career are…
Bell X1‘s US debut Flock earned the band incredible reviews earlier this year and the Irish trio are now primed to take on America with their most ambitious album to date. Landing somewhere a “little bit electronic, a little bit Bacharach and a little bit New Orleans Funeral March”, Blue Lights On The Runway, is a coherent and intriguing record from start to finish. Recalling Eno-era Talking Heads, Sigur Ros, and…
* In Support of Somewhere At The Bottom Of The River Between Vega And Altair * Debut Full-Length out now on No Sleep Records ——————————————————- Beginning on Friday, LA DISPUTE (Grand Rapids, M.I.) will embark on a seven-week trek across the U.S. in support of its debut full-length, Somewhere At The Bottom Of The River Between Vega And Altair. The album was released by No Sleep Records on November 11th,…
“Teaching quirky ‘80s new wave pop hooks how to stomp glitter-rock-style, I Am The Messer just might pack as many eccentric but indelible melodic and rhythmic twists into its 10 songs as any rock record this year†– Chuck Eddy (Village Voice, Billboard Magazine)