Author: Jay NeuFutur

Posted on: December 28, 2008 Posted by: Jay NeuFutur Comments: 0

Captain Morgan 100 Proof Spiced Rum (100 Proof)

We have received for review a disproportionate share of rums during the year and a half that we have had our alcohol review section active. However, this is the first time that we have been fortunate enough to review a Spiced Rum. Before receiving the Captain Morgan 100 Proof Spiced Rum, my only experience with that variety of rum came in the Lady Bligh that a number of friends swore…

Posted on: December 28, 2008 Posted by: Jay NeuFutur Comments: 0

Agent Sparks – Not So Merry (CD)

Wow, Agent Sparks really wants individuals to focus on them instead of their previous act. This honest demeanor really means a lot, considering one could easily float on the success of an act like Audiovent, or even somewhat on the fact that the act has siblings of members from Incubus. However, “It’s Not My Time” succeeds even though Agent Sparks has all these outs to become lazy. The style is…

Posted on: December 27, 2008 Posted by: Jay NeuFutur Comments: 0

The Agency – Turn (CD)

This album has been on the review shelves for NeuFutur for a few months, but finally it is getting some love. After the opening strains of “Walking Disaster” tickle the reviewer’s ears, I wonder why it sat here the last few months collecting dust.

Posted on: December 27, 2008 Posted by: Jay NeuFutur Comments: 0

Agalloch – Ashes Against The Grain

The rock that Agalloch plays is something that is not too far away from the emotive rock that took such a major role during the earliest parts of the 1990s. The first part of the opening track on the disc is instrumental, and this track (“Limbs”) allows listeners to be assaulted continually by different arrangements of the acts. Where some of the earlier sections of the track may sound closer…

Posted on: December 14, 2008 Posted by: Jay NeuFutur Comments: 2

Daniel Park – These Illusions (CD)

“Anthropology” is the first hit to be had on Daniel Park’s “These Illusions”. Hints of David Archuleta present themselves immediately, along with individuals like Shawn Mullins, and Jack Johnston. The slightly gritty vocals of Park work perfect with the smooth arrangements that operate as a backdrop for the track. There is no reason that “Anthropology” should not be the next big track in the vein of Jars of Clay’s “Art…

Posted on: December 11, 2008 Posted by: Jay NeuFutur Comments: 0

Seven Mile Ride – S/T

The first track on this EP is “Face in the Crowd”, and the song itself is a perfect introduction to the music tour de force that is Seven Mile Ride. This is due to the fact that the band is hitting on all cylinders, creating a brand of rock that is unique will still playing on some of the genre’s best known acts. The strong vocals present during this introductory…

Posted on: December 11, 2008 Posted by: Jay NeuFutur Comments: 0

Adolfo Lazo – On Tape (CD)

“Rey de Espana” has a throaty, bass introduction to “On Tape” that showcases the ability of Raza to create a dense track that will open up to reveal something new each time that listeners place “On Tape” in their players. The driven, bouncy beat of “Leti” meshes well with the long, strung-out approach given the track by the guitars. With the vocals adding the final piece to the puzzle, what…

Posted on: December 11, 2008 Posted by: Jay NeuFutur Comments: 0

Dave Lykins – Blurry White Guy (CD)

The country rock of Dave Lykins has never been done this well by any other artist. This means that the disc’s first track, “Houston”, has a decidedly Warren Zevon influence placed alongside a decidedly strong set of country influences. This unique pairing gives listeners what they need to continue listening to the disc, ensuring that “Greetings From The Riviera” has a similar spark. The track brings a little more country…

Posted on: December 11, 2008 Posted by: Jay NeuFutur Comments: 1

Daniel Lenz – Stuck in a Dream (CD)

“Stuck in a Dream” is Daniel Lenz’ debut album. From the first few seconds of the intro track, “I Do It Again”, I find that incredibly hard to believe. The sound of the song is too crisp, the compositions too intense, for this to be the first solo effort from this artist. This is Josh Wink, this is the Chemical Brothers, but with compositions that are fresh and new and…

Posted on: December 11, 2008 Posted by: Jay NeuFutur Comments: 0

Resin – Truth Be Told (CD)

“Song F” begins “Truth Be Told”; this track immediately blasts listeners with a wall of sound before settling in that is aggressive and furious, using a set of vocals that draw on artists and acts like Mike Ness and Sponge. The band works well in the hard rock category, but the gritty, swirling sound approached during this track will make this track and subsequent tracks on “Truth Be Told” readymade…

Posted on: December 8, 2008 Posted by: Jay NeuFutur Comments: 1

Sobieski Vodka (80 Proof)

Danica: I’m a huge fan of vodka, I love all types and flavors. So, when I had the chance to review this vodka, I made sure that I was having a craving for a good mixed drink. Before consumption I chilled the bottle in the freezer to make sure it was at a perfectly cold temperature. After the vodka was chilled I opened the bottle and poured out my first…

Posted on: December 3, 2008 Posted by: Jay NeuFutur Comments: 0

Knob Creek (100 Proof)

I still recall my first experience with Knob Creek. I was with one of my friends at DePauw University and ordered a whiskey sour using Knob Creek. I was a big fan of the spirit in that concoction, but this was with limited experience in the field (only being exposed to Ten High, Evan Williams, and Jack Daniels previously) and with the sample being blended in with a mixer. Luckily…

Posted on: November 24, 2008 Posted by: Jay NeuFutur Comments: 0

Cardamis Interview

(1)What acts would you say are your greatest influences, and how do they factor into your sound as a performer? It´s hard to say, even if look in my CD collection I get confused who I like. It really depends on what phase I was going through in my life. The last couple of years I´ve been strongly influenced by the French band Air. They speak to my soul. It´s…

Posted on: November 23, 2008 Posted by: Jay NeuFutur Comments: 0

Blue Island Tribe – The 5 Hits of Ecstasy (CD)

The Blue Island Tribe link together a chunky bass line, sizzling horns, and a funky outlook in the creation of a ska rock hybrid that is established as an entirely new entity. This means that the Blue Island Tribe are trying to craft their own sounds rather than merely to gain success through the aping of successful bands’ sounds. This also means that tracks like “Ecstasy” are freaking amazing. No…

Posted on: November 23, 2008 Posted by: Jay NeuFutur Comments: 0

Rhett May – Calcutta Boy (CD)

Rhett May begins his latest EP, “Calcutta Boy” with “Little White Powder Under Your Nose”, a track that sets the tone for the rest of the release. The tone of “Little White Powder Under Your Nose” will immediately elicit comparisons to seventies rock performers, whether it be Jackson Browne or Warren Zevon. The tight instrumentation that is present during this track has an equal in the early releases of Rush,…

Posted on: November 23, 2008 Posted by: Jay NeuFutur Comments: 0

Faces of March – Confessions (CD)

Listeners will likely first be exposed to Faces of March when the first track on “Confessions”, “Who’s To Blame”, kicks in. That is a good thing, because this track will immediately establish the act as one of the premiere rock acts of 2008. “Who’s To Blame” has the same emotional intensity of a Skillet or Evanescence, while the female vocals that will immediately hit listeners go beyond those artists, even…

Posted on: November 23, 2008 Posted by: Jay NeuFutur Comments: 1

Fiona Joy Hawkins – Blue Dreams (CD)

“Freedom” is the first track on Fiona Joy Hawkins’ latest album, “Blue Dreams”. The emotive piano work of Hawkins is immediately sown during “Freedom”, a track that dovetails nicely into “Feeling Sunshine”. “Feeling Sunshine” has a quicker tempo that will get listeners’ hearts beating as Hawkins attempts to emote through her piano. However, the strongest track on the early reaches of “Blue Dreams” has to be “From The Outside”. The…