“Simplify†is the titular track on Matthew Curran’s latest release, and it will immediately hit listeners with a strong guitar and driving beat that gradually opens up and provides listeners with a wide swath of different styles, sounds and approaches. At all points during this track, however, Curran’s vocals impress. This is because he takes on equal parts Kurt Cobain, Ben Folds, and Chris Cornell, crafting a unique style that…
Before watching Strip Club King, I had not ever heard of Joe Redner. This film, the latest release from Passion River, looks to explain exactly whom ey is and why ey is important. Essentially, Redner is the owner of The Mons Venus, a strip-club that stands at the head of the accomplishments that ey has created over the course of eir life. The story told by Strip Club King is…
“Ocean Boulevard†needs nothing more than a guitar to fully set the mood of the rest of the track. When Summer’s Gone immediately lurches forth with a blend of styles that uses bits of hard rock, emo, metal, and even hardcore to create something hard-edged while still possessing of a heart. Where the overall track is one that could easily make it onto rock rotation radio, I feel that some…
“Thanks for the Gametes†is a vocal-heavy track, with instruments entering into the equation during all the right places; while little more is present here than a guitar and light percussion, the resulting track is substantive and compelling. The band gives the instrumental side of things a little more time in the sun with “Far As Sky Can Tellâ€, a track that is one great example of the band’s dynamic…
“Unsure†seems to exist in a weird space between the eighties New Romantic movement and the current backing instrumentation that signers like Britney Spears and Lady Gaga. Mirana’s vocals further establish Theory of Tides as a truly special act, one that can use the widest possible swath of approaches to create the music heard here. “Karaoke†is Theory of Tides’ first bone fide hit, with cohesion abounds between the instrumental…
Shaky DeVille has a refreshing sound that uses styles that have been beaten down in the previous few decades (Irish punk, Rockabilly) and has tied them together in a new and fun arrangement. Nowhere is better to hear than during “M.V.T.â€, a splashy, fast-paced track that still finds enough time to throw in a sizzling bit of guitar work. The act may seem a bit discombobulated at points, but there…
“The Good Man†has an uptempo enough drum beat opening the track, while the guitar that enters into the equation soon after sets the stage for an odd little bit of alternative music, comparable to Cake, Devo, and Pere Ubu. There is a richness to “The Good Man†that is simply not present in any of the aforementioned acts; in that sense, it feels almost as if Audio-OK had taken…
Tornado Outbreak has players tapped to create through destruction; in that sense, the title seems to take a little from Katamari Damacy more than anything. The story line present in the title has players step into the shoes of Zephyr, an understudy to the wind god Nimbus, who gains abilities and finds items through creating mass destruction. In order to take down the massive objects and skyscrapers that dot the…
Ni Hao, Kai-Lan is, for those who have not watched the show, a Nickelodeon effort that It finally seems as if some children’s companies are getting the fact that parents do not want to go out and spend $20 for the equivalent of two episodes. This DVD contains four episodes – the titular one, Lulu Day, Roller Rintoo, and Wait, Hoho, Wait. To top that, there are a few bonus…
The St. James represents our first foray into Chambourcin, and we could not have gotten a more solid introduction to the varietal. From when we first brought it out of its shipping crate, the presentation of the ’08 Chambourcin is classy, with labeling that calls forth the seventies and early eighties while maintaining a current sort of flair. This red wine can be enjoyed on a number of levels, be…
Kingdom Hearts 358/2 is the latest in the Kingdom Hearts series and focuses in on Roxas, giving players the opportunity to take on different RPG elements through both single and multi-player modes. The panel system is the most interesting element here, in that players are given the ability to customize different item sets, magic, and weaponry. Adding more to the customization that one can have, the multiplayer mode allows the…
Where most of our experiences with Absolut have been with traditional types of flavors (Save for last year’s Absolut Los Angeles) Absolut Boston is truly something to come from left field. One need only look at the blend of different elements that comproise the vodka, which take elderflower (imbibers might be familar with elderflower as the basis of St. Germain) and link it together with black tea. When individuals get…
“Cain Station†starts out with some nice multi-part harmonies that seem to take use of Pennywise, Against Me, and even This Bike Is A Pipe Bomb, ensuring that listeners will sing along after a listen or two. “Drink Myself Into Oblivion†straddles the line between country, punk, and bar-rock. Fans of acts as wide as Mojo Nixon, Rehab, and even Hank the IIIrd will find something to caterwaul on about…
“Love Story†is a catchy bit of Latina pop that takes on equal parts of Shakira and Gloria Estefan; that is to say, both older and newer representations of the style are included. Rather than limiting herself to a smaller subset of fans, the overtures that are made here on this introductory track will ensure that anyone lucky enough to happen onto the album will be sticking with it for…
“Better Days†is the first track on Amanda Morra’s album, and it immediately strikes listeners with a sound that is familiar, but looks to take the pop genre in bold, new ways. The coy vocals of Morra’s are allowed to shine alongside a set of instrumental arrangements that properly highlight’s Morra’s vocals at all the right times. After this initial salvo, “Strike One†comes forth in a much more sultry…
“Save The Yuppie Breeding Grounds†is the first track off of “Manifest Densityâ€, and it shows that Moraine expects more out of their listeners than most bands. Where the average CD will gradually pick up steam as the tracks roll on, “Manifest Density†immediately showcases intricate arrangements and complex emotions that will require a listener’s full attention. Moraine’s overall approach during this track is hard to decipher, but one can…
It has been over a year since the last time that we had the chance to review The Empty Mirror. Their last release, “Overwhelmâ€, was an impressive piece of work. Their latest album, “Abstracted Catholicâ€, builds upon some of the trends first heard during “Overwhelm†while further evolving their sound. The first track on “Abstracted Catholic†is “Stainglassâ€, and it sets the tone for the rest of the album. This…
With a very approachable price (one can purchase this for well under $15 at most online retailers), the 2006 Ghost Pines Chardonnay (enjoying a blend of grapes from Sonoma, Monterey, and Napa counties) represents another piece of evidence to back up the claim that wine does not have to be pricey to be eminently enjoyable. While there are bits and pieces of a more woodsy flavor (represented in a vanilla…
Each of the twelve cuts on “Whatcha Gonna Do†is an additional piece of the beautiful puzzle that represents Lynch’s own unique skill set. Those that are in the know would be familiar with Lynch’s prior work, beginning with eir work in the underrated Front Porch String Band. Listeners are given a microcosm of what is to follow with the disc’s first track, “Great Day in the Mornin’â€. “Great Day 
Black Mold is the electronic side of Chad VanGaalen, a Canadian artist that has rapidly becoming a force up north. This 19-track album may seem to some to be similar to what Conor Oberst attempted to do with “Digital Ash in a Digital Urnâ€, but I feel that there has been much more work done in crafting this effort by VanGaalen. The disc itself starts out with “Metal Spider Websâ€,…