The Choppy Bumpy Peaches’ Darjeeling is a rich alternative rock track that looks back to the days of psychedelic rock and even hints at 1960s folk. A contemplative instrumentation will hold up to repeat plays, while the guitar/drum dynamic is simply fantastic. The atmospheric vocals on Darjeeling set the stage for the jangly, haunting instrumentation. While each part of the band is working on its own contribution, I feel that…
Hatebreed destroyed everything in their wake with their performance at the State Theater. The tour was billed as “20 Years of Desire & 15 Years of Perseverance”, paying homage to their first and second studio albums, so it was with great anticipation in the days and weeks leading up to the show knowing the set list would favor heavily from those two kick ass releases.
Onr.’s 5 Years Time is a haunting track that succeeds due to its spontaneity. The ability of Onr. to pull out some epic sound sections will draw listeners in. The track skillfully bridges the gap between EDM and rock, with strong drum hits, an emphatic synth line, and vocals that will club fans over the heads. The energy of 5 Years Time will keep fans running, lifting, or doing whatever…
RIVVRS’ “Don’t Give Up On Me” is so emotionally intense. The vocal-dominating effort tells a story that anyone that has slipped and fallen during a relationship will understand. There is litle more to this plea than the aforementioned vocals, a hint of synthesizers and a whole lot of remorse.
No No Yeah Okay’s “That Ain’t You” is a soulful track that works in hints of 1980s synthpop. The two sections make for a unique sound – No No Yeah Okay call forth hints of MGMT, The Cure, Depeche Mode, Chromeo and Owl City all in the space of three minutes. The inimitable vocals here are matched masterfully with a complex and deep bass line, while the drums punctuate all…
Parker Matthews’ “Lost With You” is a track that deftly crossover between EDM and pop styles. The hopeful sound of synth backdrop pushes Matthew’s vocals in a good way. Lost With You is a bold example of less doing more; while there is little more to the synth, drums, and Parker’s vocals to be heard here, the complex interactions that each have with each other make for a surprisingly deep…
Tim Myers’ The Bright Side is a bouncy, fun sort of holiday track that will have listeners singing along after a listener’s first experience. Sleigh bells and a hooky chorus are enough to make anyone’s day sunnier. THe production of The Bright Side makes every part – Tim’s vocals, the splashy drums, and a thick and ropy bass line, work well alone or as a contributor to something greater. Myers’…
King Keon’s “Picture Me” is a rough and raw track that showcases a tremendous vocal flow and a complex, bass heavy backing beat. King Keon’s flow builds off of the work of timeless performers like Ludacris, The Game, and I-20, with a hint of Jay-Z sprinkled in. The lyrical content is pure braggadocio, something that is supported through smart bars and a visual element (featured below) that has to be seen…
Valerie Ghent “New York City Streets” is a funky effort that pulls from the 1970s in terms of its suave sound and impressive musicianship. There are hints of smooth jazz, soul, and a bit of Detroit funk. The instrumentation is vibrant and colorful, adding a bit of additional spice to an already fulfilling sort of dish. Ghent’s vocals are timeless, pushed to an entirely higher plateau through the horns, a…
V. Contreras “Like It’s Yesterday” is an emotionally intense effort that will perfectly affect listeners. The rising and falling action of Contreras’ vocals is reminiscent of performers like Adele and Christina Aguilera. The sheer range that is reached during this single will have fans sitting on the edges fo their seat. Little more is needed during Like It’s Yesterday beyond strings and a piano. As the instrumentation threatens to overtake…
Broke Royals’ “As Long As I Can See” is an incredibly passionate and softly-stated track. The honest and richly emotive sound of Broke Royals’ latest will invite listeners in. There is an retro sort of synth-pop sound that is fostered during this single which firmly establishes the unique quality of the band. With taut instrumentation and a blending of current rock (fun., Sleeping With Sirens) and 1980s radio standards like…
KNITWIT has made a tremendously catchy track with his new single, LookOut, one of our favorite rap cuts this month. Hard-hitting flows match well with a dirty beat that will have cars shaking from all of the bass.
Calamity the Kid’s “American Muscle” is a track that is influenced by the Brit-pop of the mid 1990s and the pop punk of the late 1990s. This means that there are nods to acts like blur, SR-71, Wakefield, and Mest. The bit of synth that is inserted during this single is a diametrically opposed arrangement to the punk vocals. Calamity the Kid craft a wholly new style that is polished…
Coopertheband’s “Rebels” will impressive listeners from the onset of the single. The strength of the vocals are unmatched as the band build off of the style engineered by bands like Of Mice and Men and Mumford and Son. The pomp and epic sound of Rebels is fleshed out through rich vocals and a dreamy synth line. The hooky guitar line is reminiscent of Joshua Tree-era U2, while the drums and…
Queens of the Stone Age’s new single “The Way You Used To Do” has all the swagger of 1960s surf rock or the down and dirty sound of Detroit rock. A sharply angular sound, a blending of guitars and drums, and Josh’s inimitable vocals make this into one hell of a track. More introspective and completative segments provide further replay value for this single. The Way You Used To Do’s clap track…
Blu Collar Glomeration’s Boxcar Ride is an upbeat track that ties together folk, 1970s and 1980s rock with a hint of country and western. The linkage of these styles makes for a familiar sound that is bolstered with smart instrumentation and charismatic vocals.
Ian Bouras’ initial renown on the indie music scene came via his tenure as guitarist and among the main songwriters for New York City reggae rock band AñaVañA, but he’s since branched out into performing highly idiosyncratic originals as a solo artist beginning with the 2007 release of his first solo album with SDMP Records. Bouras has also, during his time on the scene, acquired a much deserved reputation as…
It’s a pretty ballsy move to put out a live album of the record you just released, but that’s what Iron Maiden has done with Book of Souls: Live Chapter. And they manage to pull the feat off impressively well.
Today, we are speaking with Frank Babic from the Mississauga project High Park Society. Can you give us a little background information about yourself? How did you get into music? High Park Society is my music project that was driven by a love of classic rock and alt-80s. It was started as a side project around 2015 out of another outfit I perform with in Toronto (Poor Man’s High) with…
Ten years ago, Alabama punks Vulture Whale turned in a fantastic debut that, well, sadly not many people outside of their scene ever heard. But, the self-titled debut is getting a second chance in the form of a 180-gram vinyl release.