I still remember when Dr. Katz was first on. I guess I was young enough at this point to not really have the appreciation for the show that I now do, but I found the stand-up comedians on the show to be unfunny and the show overall underwhelming. However, in the years that have followed, I have paid attention to the careers of a number of those individuals that were…
For some reasons, the amount of whiskey (and whisky) that we have received seems to be well beyond that of any other type of spirit. There have been a number of great whiskeys that have crossed this reviewer’s table in the year or so since we first opened the alcohol reviews section, then, and Pendleton is one of the best that we’ve ever had the chance to lay lips on.…
A very sedate style of music that mixes together Radiohead, Neil Young, and David Bowie, Akron/Family begins their self-titled CD with a track that almost seems dated in its delivery. “Before and Again†is much more before than again, an anachronism that is fixed with “Suchnessâ€. The flittering flutes of “Suchness†afford the track some atmospheric relevancy – it honestly feels as if one is outside when listening to the…
With The Day The Earth Stood Still doing well in box offices, it only made sense for Fox to come forth and re-release the original in the Blu-Ray format. Most individuals that would be reading this review would already know what the film is about: a spaceship lands, saying they come in peace, while it seems up to only two individuals to save the world after the emissary seems to…
I did not have the chance to watch the first movie in the Chronicles of Narnia story arc, but I was lucky enough to see the film in theatres. Saying that, the Blu-Ray transfer that Disney has created is simply stunning. The audio is as crisp and as clear as anyone could experience in the theater, while the video is rich and vibrant, showing the otherworldly allure created by the…
The approach taken by Akron/Family during their “Meek Warrior†is interesting, to say the least. There still seems to be a down-home type of rock, but the title track is much more bouncy. The distinct vocals that come forth on this track are bolstered by the on-again off-again guitar track. This is not the most polished production that one can hear, but the cozy way that Akron/Family is recorded on…
Akercocke has a sound that no one can deny is hard, but there seems to be some caressing of the listeners on songs like “Verdelet†that really makes the argument of this disc into a bifurcated one. While there is definitely a thrashy, Slayer-like sound to the band, there is (and may actually be more present) a Paradise Lost meets Blind Guardian like sound to Akercocke’s style on “Wordsâ€.The band…
When I saw this CD I was expecting nothing but overbearing indie rock that would have me wanting to kill myself between the fifth and sixth track. I was wrong, as Mike Ness says, as tracks like “Ocean Close†show a nice mixture of the Doors, R.E.M. and the B-52s, all packaged together with a fairly convincing mastering. The overall tone of the disc is solidified with “Duke The Deadman…
Now, Air Supply has to be behind the 8 ball when it comes to “The Singer and the Songâ€. First off is the fact that the band has not charted in a meaningful way for about 20 years, and secondly, that this is an acoustic album. Acoustic albums usually only get picked up by fans of the group, of which there quite a few still around (175,000 attendance at a…
The electronic sound of “Bonus Jack†is not necessarily influenced by Devo, but it really comes out of a more current techno / electronic vein . The bass line of “Hectrometre†really casts Airport 81 into a different vein, Each of the tracks on “Put Your Squares Together†has a completely different set of influences; a song like “Low Speed Impact Test†really seems to be pushed forward by a…
I was amazed by Ahleuchatistas when I first was lucky enough to see them at AMC 2004, but their album goes just as far showcasing their Primus-like spurning of traditional chord and time structures. Allowing for a high amount of continuity between “Cracked Teeth†and “Ecstasy Combat Bootsâ€, Ahleuchatistas are impressive any way one sees the band, whether it be the Neil Peart like bass lines of Derek or the…
Very few artists come out of Iceland. However, those that are able to break it big internationally are able to achieve some modicum of success. This is the case with Agust, as there are very interesting compositions that mark tracks like “If You Leave Me Nowâ€. Know that this is not the Chicago track, but rather a track that blends together classical compositions with Agust’s love for acts like Jethro…
Wow, what can people say about Agoraphobic Nosebleed. In the time that it took me to write these words up, five or six songs have blasted by. This is beyond thrash, this is light-speed metal and don’t let anyone tell the band otherwise. Individuals would have to be on speed just to begin to comprehend the urgency in which Agoraphobic Nosebleed creates all of their music. It is serious as…
The style of music that The Aggrolites play is a classic brand of reggae and ska. The music is not the blend of ska and punk that Tim would have in Rancid, but rather something (that during tracks like “Thunder Fistâ€) recall the sixties more than anything else. The tracks are newer but each of the songs feel as if they should be a reggae classic. The production of this…
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…
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…
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.
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 (“Limbsâ€) allows listeners to be assaulted continually by different arrangements of the acts. Where some of the earlier sections of the track may sound closer…
The All-American Rejects and neufutur.com are celebrating the release of their new album “When The World Comes Down” by hooking up one lucky grand prize winner with a Nintendo Wii prize pack that includes the game system and Mario Kart Wii. Five runners-up will receive a signed copy of the new album.
“Anthropology†is the first hit to be had on Daniel Park’s “These Illusionsâ€. 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…