The West Coast Feed’s “August Peach” is one of those tracks that moves through distinct styles and approaches with incredible ease. There are hints of jam bands, blues, and even hints of Bob Segar and mid-1990s college rock that one can discern during this track. The vocals are a bit Hootie, a bit Cat Stevens, and it is through these impassioned lyrics that fans will be converted. The rest of…
VIKINGO!’s Set It On Fire is a powerful track that builds upon the pop-emo sound of acts like early Panic! at the Disco, My Chemical Romance, and Fall Out Boy. Assertive vocals, a chugging bass line, and angular guitars unite to make for a song that will tattoo itself deep into the minds and hearts of fans. The guitar / vox dynamic on Set It On Fire keeps the energy…
The country rock tradition remains one of the more satisfying vehicles for me to hear thanks to its abiding quality for speaking to the listener in straight-forward, yet often affecting language. It is usually music full of universal experiences, wears its influences on its sleeve, and makes the form its own. The young Canadian country rock band Wave 21 has a rich musical lineage; Longtime member of Men Without Hats…
Anja Kotar’s “Theory of Relativity” is a powerful pop track that immediately showcases the power of the performer. The instrumentation and vox are able to push one another to a higher plateau. Theory of Relativity is an effort that brings in hints of pop, EDM, and R&B in a very timeless fashion. The bit of new age sound that is presented during the single calls back to an earlier musical…
Czarina’s “Blaze” is a wonderful piece of synth-pop that weaves in hints of goth and darkwave. There’s an equally intense instrumentation that plays along nicely with the booming percussion and synth line. I like that Czarina is able to build upon the tradition of modern revivalists of synth-pop like La Roux and Chromeo in creating something retro but impressive with modern sensibilities. Czarina’s vocals are supersonic here with a back…
Las Vegas is typically a place that is full of glitz and glamour, dotted with massive works and lacking perhaps a bit of the human side of things. It was surprising when we first learned about Isolated Ave, a four-piece rock act that showcases musicianship and soulful song-writing in their music. One need online listen to Monotony, the first song on their Contact EP, to understand. Brooding guitar work gradually…
On Can’t Go Back, Payson Lewis is able to make an emotionally intense appeal to the past. The brooding, intricate instrumentation of the single provides a perfect counter-point for Lewis’ voice. With just a tinge of distortion dripping off of Payson’s vox, the resulting effort is cohesive as all get out. Can’t Go Back has so much going on during its run time that listeners will have to play the…
For a guy who’s better known as the drummer behind less-than-mellow folks like Ben Folds and War Against Drugs, Darren Jessee can certainly lay down a mellow vibe.
21 Taras begin their new album Change with Change Is Gonna Come , an introductory effort which immediately showcases the band’s technical ability. The dynamic established by the bass, guitar, and drums during the first half-minute ensures that the vocals have a tremendous bit of momentum as they enter into the equation. The driving dynamic between the vocals and guitars call back to the heavy rock of Thin Lizzy and…
The Bar Stool Preachers latest, “Grazie Governo” (“Thank You Government”), just so happens to be the punk rock album we need at this fucked up moment in time.
Out of the same fire and brimstone that once gave birth to music’s most spirited performers and composers comes Apogee, a rock album that deserves to be listened to by anyone who considers themselves to be a pop aficionado or just a fan of bold music in general. Vinyl Floor, the band behind Apogee, have been making noise in the European underground for a number of years now, but in…
I don’t think that culture changes just because of a single artist or any record they might release, but the buzz surrounding the eponymous new album by Leland and the Silver Wells definitely has the potential to move the needle of at least one element of the music world in a direction significantly different than anything we’ve witnessed before. Normally I’m hesitant to get on these kinds of bandwagons, but…
SPiN’s “What’s It Gonna Take” is a bouncy, hopeful rock track in the tradition of All-American Rejects or early Maroon 5. A blend of pop, rock, and even a little bit of funk ensures that SPiN’s latest is something that will bury its way deep into the minds of anyone listening in. A robust production makes it easy for the band to make a cogent statement with their latest effort.…
The Silver Snails’s “Dancing With The Stars” is an effort that boldly crafts an entirely new style. There are nods to classic rock, pop, new wave, and indie rock during thie five-plus minute composition, but the children’s chorus and haunting lead vocals allow The Silver Snails to make a track that will stick with listeners long after the release ceases to play. With a distinct visual palette for the single’s…
SadGirl’s “Breakfast For 2″ is a dreamy track that draws from early 1960s pop. The whole experience feels drawn from a teen romance movie from the era. Sedate, touching lyrics lay leisurely on classic guitar riffs and on-point percussion. The most delicious part of this track has to be the guitar solo laid down a bit before the two-minute mark. There is a certain fresh sound to Breakfast For 2…
The Death Valley Girls have released a new track, “Disaster (Is What We’re After)”. The effort is a stripped-down, dirty sort of rock in the veins of The Runaways or early Ramones. There is a bit of industrial fuzz and ska that is interspersed here to keep things interesting. The completeness of the instrumentation is such that one will need to play Disaster multiple times before hearing each and every…
Tancred’s “Something Else” ties together the pop-punk of The Donnas with the fuzz and distortion of Hole during their new single, Something Else. The vocals bounce back and forth from being coy and shy and being bold and brash. Rising and falling from prim alt-rock to raw rock, Tancred is able to keep listeners’ feet tapping through every point of their new single. A brief instrumental interlude immediately precedes the…
NYA’s Southland EP begins with Shallow. The vocal-heavy track calls back to the jazz tradition of the 1920s and 1930s, with a bass and a bit of guitars filling in the gaps for NYA. Hints of Angie Stone and Corinne Bailey Rae can be heard here. Hollywood Hills is an ambient / EDM-tinged track that adds a good amount of distortion to blur the distinction between vocals and instrumentation. The…
Kurt Vile’s “Loading Zone” starts off with a wistful alt-rock sound that allows the guitar, bass, and drums to shine. When Kurt’s vocals begin, listeners will love the slinky, retro/1970s approach that he takes. The clear delivery of vocals ensures that listeners can enjoy the narrative that Kurt intersperses through his latest tracks. All sides are able to shine here, with the vox and instrumentation each getting time during this…
Dulcie Taylor’s “Halfway To Jesus” is touching. The effort looks back to 1990s country artists like Reba McEntire and The Judds. An assertive set of vocals is matched perfectly with strong vocals and punctual drumming. A strong environmental message is weaved throughout Halfway to Jesus. We’re particularly fond of the additional vocals that push Taylor’s voice to a higher plateau. Additional elements – the absolutely amazing scene setting of the…