While Fragments of Unbecoming have a distinctly sedate style, this is quickly matched by a powerful metal side that will get individuals rocking as hard as they were listening to the previous section of the act. The band a tremendous album to top in “Skywards: A Sylphe’s Ascenionâ€, but I can say that this album matches the previous album blow by blow, and in some case even surpasses the work…
Short on attention span but long in ultra-creative, psychedelic rhymes, Oakland trio iLL-Literacy has some ambitious plans for the next few months. iLL-Lit is aiming to reshape not only the way that music is made but the way it’s distributed. Emcees Drizzleton, Dahlak, and N.I.C. are proud to release the first part of three “chapters” for their new album iB4the1 (pronounced I Before The 1). Confused? Don’t be. It’s just…
“Callypso†is the first track on Jimmy Bletcher’s current project, Project DNA. The rock that issues forth from this introductory track has a definite pop edge, but one that is moderated by the inclusion of sizzling horns, splashy drums, and a production that is easily on par with any music that can be heard on radio. “Love Me Tonight†is a track that touches upon a number of different genres…
“Twisted Up†is a quaint little bit of laid-back rock. The track contains tidy guitars, funky bass lines, and utterly smooth vocals. While there are bits and pieces of eighties trappings present, the solo that is present here is definitely out of the Santana playbook. “Yesterday’s Coffee†has more of an electronic edge to it than “Twisted Upâ€, calling forth Hot Butter (“Popcornâ€), New Order, and a little bit of…
A crew of only five people over the course of five days, traveled hundreds of miles from Sequoia National Park, to Yosemite, to Death Valley and everywhere in between, filming this hybrid music video-action/adventure film with only a few, limited resources. Shooting mostly guerrilla style and capturing elements at the spur of the moment along the whole route, Garneau was outfitted with home-made rigging and equipment to create the specific…
Foxy Shazam! Plays a brand of music that I in no way expected from their white-heavy, washed-out cover. This is a brand of punk mixed with the double-bass of a band much heavier (French Passion of Animality Opera). Tracks begin and end before a listener can blink, and the rapid-change style of the band is reminiscent of acts like System of a Down, Voltaire and Temper Temper. The SOAD comparison…
Led by Daniel Collás and Sean Marquand, (producers/musicians/pals/DJs), The Phenomenal Handclap Band has been touring behind their self-titled album, out now on Friendly Fire Recordings. The album features contributions from their friends in TV on the Radio, Antibalas, The Dap Kings, The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, L’Trimm, Calla, The Mooney Suzuki, Sà Se, and Honeycut among others. Live they are an 8-piece band, with a variety of special guests. The…
Led by Daniel Collás and Sean Marquand, (producers/musicians/pals/DJs), The Phenomenal Handclap Band has been touring behind their self-titled album, out now on Friendly Fire Recordings. The album features contributions from their friends in TV on the Radio, Antibalas, The Dap Kings, The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, L’Trimm, Calla, The Mooney Suzuki, Sà Se, and Honeycut among others. Live they are an 8-piece band, with a variety of special guests. The…
Can someone take a break during a 46 Short album? It seems like, especially given the opening of the disc (“Nothing Leftâ€) that individuals will keel over from a lack of oxygen. Luckily for them, the album is less than thirty-five minutes. “Nothing Left†is a track that shows 46 Short as a band that brings together The Casualties and Rancid, but in their own way. This is not a…
“You’ve still got the big choruses and raw energy The Cribs are known for, but now with the flourishes and panache the onetime Smith is known for. I’d even say Ignore the Ignorant finds Johnny Marr sounding like Johhny Marr for the first time since his days in The The. It’s a really strong record.” – Brooklyn Vegan “If you’re looking for some serious headrush 1-2-3 punch combos of addictive…
Formed in 2007 with the intention of honoring England’s proud ancestral heritage and rich national culture, WINTERFYLLETH (comprised of members culled from the UK’s most devastating doom contingent Atavist) set a solidified mission statement to bring awareness to England’s historical stories, folklore, landscapes and ancestral past through their folk-influenced vitriolic black metal. Coining the term English Heritage Black Metal (EHBM), WINTERFYLLETH — which translates to “Winter Full Moon” from the…
Jay-Z and Will & Jada Pinkett Smith have enthusiastically joined the producing team of Fela!, the new Broadway musical based on the life and music of African composer and performer Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, marking the first Broadway production that these entertainment icons have presented. The critically acclaimed musical, which played to sold-out crowds dancing in the aisles during its world premiere off-Broadway last summer, arrived on Broadway at the Eugene O’Neill…
With a really hit or miss style of creating songs, The 4-Squares really seem if they are almost 2 bands. With either tracks that will blow one away or force people to turn of the disc, one almost wishes that the band was a little more consistent. Too many of these songs really blast through too quickly, and have almost nothing in substance, leaving a bad taste in one’s mouth.…
Wildbirds & Peacedrums are pleased to announce a support tour with St. Vincent early next year, in addition to the release of the “My Heart†single on January 19, 2010 via The Control Group. “My Heart†is Wildbirds & Peacedrums’ first ever US single release, and will be available as a digital EP and limited edition 7†single. “My Heart†is a wonderfully uplifting pop track that blossoms into a…
Despite their un-Googleable name, Portland, Oregon’s Church have amassed a sizable and dedicated following along the West Coast over the last three years–partially through their intense touring ethic and consistent presence in the Portland house show scene, but mostly because when you see them, your mind gets blown. Brothers Brandon and Richard Laws grew up listening to disparate things like Kraftwerk and The Beach Boys (I am not inferring that’s…
hirty Seconds To Mars Scores The Top 2 Songs On Twitter’s Music Monday Chart With “Kings & Queens” and “This Is War” “Kings & Queens” Holds Strong At #3 On Alternative Radio Airplay Chart While “The Kill” Named #1 Alternative Song Of The Decade By AOL Radio Thirty Seconds To Mars Named “Best Band” in the Kerrang! 2009 Readers Poll “This Is War… shines as an artistic triumph for 30…
I’ve never really been inculcated into the cult of Fountains of Wayne, but this compilation is a good view into the band (even if none of these tracks have been on one of their proper releases). The band has really maintained a coherent and distinctive sound over the last decade, as the only thing that really divides tracks from the beginning of their career (such as Janice’s Party) with the…
Dynamic production duo, J-Radical and Kool Kojak-AKA Urban Legend-is back on the scene with Tropical Techniques-the follow-up to their critically-acclaimed debut, Tranqulidad Cubana-the aftermath of a dizzying trip to Havana, and numerous red-eyed recording sessions lasting until the break of dawn. The debut EP earned 4 CMJ Top 5 hits with countless spins on tastemaker radio, including KCRW and KPFK. But who the f*** is Urban Legend? THE GENESIS OF…
Cruel Hand is excited to announce a three week long East Coast tour with Trapped Under Ice and Forfeit. The tour kicks off in Syracuse on New Years Day, and takes the band down the coast and back until the middle of January, serving as a perfect start to 2010. Cruel Hand’s sophomore full-length, Prying Eyes, was released in October 2008, and grabbed the attention of the press with Punknews…
It is a little hard to get into the type of music that For Those Lost start off “This is Our Fight†with. The first track is “I Smile At Your Terrorâ€, and it blends a very straight forward type of hardcore music with a set of guitar that would work better with either a sludge metal or a seventies metal band. The type of music that ultimately issues forth…