Venus Theory begin their Nightwalker EP with Fire, a song that ties together EDM styles with dub step and trip-hop (e.g. Portishead, Massive Attack). This first track does a great job in tying together the natural and electronic elements of life; one can hear a more organic sound alongside the sequenced percussion and wobble. Afraid to Let Go is another hit for Venus Theory. The female vocals have a perfect…
Marker 7-58 opens up Brendan McMahon’s EP, Universalist. The touching and careful arrangements during this first track will stoke listeners’ attention. The gradual coming in of an engrossing instrumentation keeps things interesting as McMahon moves through the track. Atmospheric guitars, emotive vocals, and a twinkling instrumentation make for an introductory effort that is nothing less than fantastic.
Voice Of Addiction’s “The Lost Art Of Empathy” EP is a furious album that continues to kick listeners’ asses from the beginning salvo Rustbelt all the way to the final effort Are We Even Human Anymore. Along the way, the band is able to distinguish themselves from the other punk acts currently kicking. Rustbelt is a track that builds off of the Unwritten Law and Bad Religion playbook. The band goes all in…
Jason Gisser has created his own style of music with his latest release, The River EP. The lush production showcases Gisser’s own inimitable style coupled with talented instrumentation contributed by the rest of the band. The titular effort on The River is a rock track that touches upon artists as diverse as the Black Crowes, Blues Traveler, and Credence Clearwater Revival. Particular high notes during this effort have to be…
There’s something amazing about the cyclical nature of influences. A solid two decades after many thought they had head the end of shoegaze, with the mid-to-late ‘90s break ups of some of the genre greats from My Bloody Valentine to the Jesus And Mary Chain, a new generation of indie bands are rediscovering the music and layering on the fuzz and distortion with a new sense of purpose. Among the…
Allelujah’s “Chariots On Fire” is a fully engrossing effort that deftly ties together hints of alternative and indie rock. During this effort, the act is able to touch upon Weezer, Cake, the Apple Records sound of the 1970s and Bright Eyes. The passion and charisma that issues forth during this single is considerable; while the vocals are able to tell a story, the glorious instrumentation will keep fans focused in…
The Winter Sounds’ “Heartbeats” is an atmospheric piece of indie rock that shines with soaring arrangements, rich vocals, and a desire to change up tempo on a dime. What the band does with Heartbeats is craft something that will bury itself deep into the hearts of listeners. There are hints of emo, Killers-esque rock, and ska that can all be discerned here. A rapid tempo punctuates this single, getting fans…
Clay Melton’s Secrets is an assertive rock track that has enough of the way of pop influence to keep fans focused on in. There are hints of Jet and The White Stripes here, but the raw roar of Melton here calls back to an earlier Detroit tradition. A smart production allows the sizzling guitar work and thick, ropy bass lines ample chance to shine. Secrets is a catchy track that…
Nalani & Sarina’s TED Talk is a nice insight about the nuances of the music business. Where a great many performers have little to no idea concerning the dark side of the music business, this pair of twins are able to blend music and information in an easy to digest format.
Jace The Great’s “Celebration” is a positively sunny effort, one the blends together a street-smart blend of rap music with a lush production and attention to Jace’s craft. The beat is infectious to the degree that it will tattoo itself deep into a listener’s psyche, while Sonyae Elise’s feature provides further variation to the single. The straight-forward aspect of Jace The Great’s flow will appease fans of a number of…
Pat Scarlett’s “You Make It Alright” is a track that ties together 1980s performers like Suzanne Vega and Siouxsie and the Banshees. A thick bass line and sequenced drum line build the environment for You Make It Alright, upon which a smokier set of vocals reside. A bit of industrial / goth fuzz-laden guitars and drums wash over the track at points, boosting the overall momentum before Pat moves back…
Brett Gleason’s “Alive” is a tremendously engrossing effort. The raw passion and emotion of Gleason’s vocals are matched perfectly with a tempestuous guitar line. While outwardly simple (a guitar and a vocalist), Alive’s overall sound is deep and detailed – there is such a rich dynamic that is crafted through the song’s run time that fans will continue to focus in throughout the track. “Expiration Date” is a slower track…
Natalise + the Sunset Run’s Love Unconditional builds up into something fantastic from a soft and sedate sound. The rising and ebbing of the single will have listeners firmly on the edges of their seat. A touching set of strings and orchestral instrumentation make for a fully-formed thought; this is one of the headiest and most fulfilling efforts we’ve heard. The ability of Natalise + the Sunset Run to deftly…
You can’t claim Roger Miret, one of the New York’s hardcore scenes founding fathers, held anything back in his new memoir, My Riot.
This Alice Cooper DVD set – including the 1976 “Welcome To My Nightmare” concert film as well as a TV special (“Alice Cooper: The Nightmare”) from the year before – manages to do the seemingly impossible, being both nostalgically dated and simultaneously timeless.
Amazing Gracie is the first track off of Remember the Alamo, by Free Willy. The track draws heavily on the bluegrass and Americana genres, benefited through a modern approach to recording. The rich guitar and banjo that boost up the vocals will immediately draw listeners in to the album. Get in the Car slows things up as Free Willy inhabits the space between modern country and folk music. A hooky chorus…
Over the course of the last two years, we’ve been fortunate to check out a few tracks from Soles of Passion. We feel that the band’s latest release Land of the Big Blue Sun is an effort that not only builds off of the sounds and styles initially broached in singles like Say I Will and in their Escape from Jurisdiction B album. The EP begins with Turned It All Around,…
C.K. Flach starts off his album “Empty Mansions” with Lazarus, an emphatic effort that showcases a unique vocal style and an instrumental backdrop that unites influences in the alternative rock and singer-songwriter tradition. The richness of this introductory track ensures that listeners will have to play the song multiple times before hearing the entirety of inclusions. Particular strengths here have to be C.K.’s vocals and the extended guitar section, both…
Uniting a couple from around the world (Sydney, Australia and Chicago), Peasant Moon make a style of music with their latest EP Our Timing Was Wrong that will draw listeners in and keep them there until the release concludes. Back in Time, the first track on this EP, is a glorious blending of alternative and indie rock music that has enough time to include nods to Americana and 1970s country &…
Moe Green’s Eye begin their Fast Radio Burst Live EP with Fixed, a powerful pop/rock track that touches upon a wide swath of influences. During this first salvo, there are hints of Fuel, Modern English, and just a bit of the jam-band scene. The instrumentation during Fixed is top-notch, with each guitar line, bass arrangement, and spot-on drum adding to the full-sounding composition. The dynamic between each of these elements stands…