The Seattle-based four-piece punk band The Drowns manage to somehow sound both assuredly nostalgic and contemporary at the same time. On their latest LP, Under Tension, the band brings to mind everyone from The Street Dogs and the first few Dropkick Murphys albums (sans bagpipes) to Swingin’ Utters. The fact that Ted Hutt, one of the best punk producers to come around in decades, oversaw this latest probably didn’t hurt. But…
Echoing into the ethers for what feels like an eternity, the opening chords of the aptly-titled “Notational Witchery” might not seem like the most elaborate of any you’ll hear on the new record from Darren Michael Boyd, the instrumental Lifting the Curse,” but they turn out one of the more captivating melodies on this incredible LP just the same. In Lifting the Curse, Boyd pushes the limits of rock n’ roll guitar…
Welcome! I would love to talk about all things songwriting! But first – I would love to hear from each of you something that most people would be surprised to learn about you. Marie B, vocals: Hello! Okay, most people would be surprised to learn about me that my first field of study is printing and publishing. I grew up working the family business, collating books and craft patterns, and…
With a scooped EQ and overdrive as heavy as a pile of cinderblocks, Terry Ohms lays into the opening riff of “King of The Mountain,” the first sounds we’ll hear in his new album Cold Cold Shoulder, and while this deluge of distortion and evocative noise is about as stirring a first few bars as any indie rock fan could ask to hear in a new record this February, they’re only…
Two of the biggest bands in heavy metal – Megadeth and LAMB OF GOD – will be joining forces on a co-headline tour across North America this year, presented by SiriusXM. And to add to the firepower of this already formidable tour, Trivium and In Flames are joining, making this THE must-see heavy music package of the year. Tickets will go on general sale Friday, February 14 from Livenation. Megadeth, fueled by…
Meridian begins with hints of wheat and toasted malt on its nose, with a fair amount of tannish head and considerable lacing as one starts into their first sip. The toastiness of this malt expands as one takes that first quaff, with subsequent pulls bringing a bit more bitterness into the mix. There is a rich body and a thicker mouthfeel to Meridian than other similar dry / irish stouts…
Health care is one of the forever burning issues in our modern American life and, despite the efforts of many intelligent and talented men and women, the strides that have been made are often under assault and many are still pining away for effective care. Meghan FitzGerald has been on the front lines of that battle in her service as a nurse, but she continues to fight for a better…
If you are looking for a book about life that’s different from the usual account and non-fiction, I think you can scarcely do better than Rebekah Bastian’s Blaze Your Own Trail: An Interactive Guide to Navigating Life with Confidence, Solidarity, and Compassion. I think the word solidarity in the title is unquestionably important. She tailors this book to speak to women’s experience in modern life, particularly American life, though the book reaches…
In a gust of a verse that will set the tone for all of the kaleidoscopic harmonies soon to follow, Chris Mardini begins our journey into his heart amidst the opening bars of “Sleepless,” his third single currently out everywhere that quality independent pop is sold and streamed. There’s a bit of melancholy in his voice, but it’s nowhere near as strong as the optimism that drives the words cascading…
California-based Dustbowl Revival have always been a little hard to pin down musically. There is definitely an Americana vibe to their music, but there are also hefty elements of jazz, swing and pop. Their latest, Is It You, Is It Me does little to dispel that confusion. Across a baker’s dozen of new songs, the band relies just as heavily on their horn section as they do their acoustic guitars…
Simple Minds may best be remembered in this country for the outro song that gets played during the final shot of The Breakfast Club – a track that has almost become shorthand for Generation X rebellion, played at school reunions to this day. But as many in Europe and elsewhere outside of the U.S. realized decades ago, the Scottish band has an exhaustively large cannon of music that pre-and post-dates that…
On Hollywood, Olya K is able to create a robust dance track with an infectious beat. The song does well in refreshing dance music from the 1970s onwards. The bit of pop that bubbles through with Olya K’s vocals ensures that the single can garner replay value. Synths and insistent percussion will draw listeners out to the dance floor, while the song’s chorus will reside in one’s brains for months,…
During Tune Me In, AM Clouds are able to refresh the alternative rock sounds of acts like Soul Asylum and the Goo Goo Dolls into a vibrant and taut experience. The band is able to link together fuzzy guitars, thick bass, and charismatic vocals into a song that will stick with fans long after the song ceases to play. Particular kudos have to be given to the extended instrumental section…
Welcome! We are excited to get to chat with you! We saw that you posted recently after your show in New York and you said that it was the best stage you have played. What made it so amazing? Red: There’s nothing really quite like New York, so we were super excited to be a part of the nightlife in that city. But all things considered, it was definitely all…
Critics have been getting excited about rockers Kings County since the 2019 release of their eponymous debut, and for good reason – riddled with strong-armed, rhythmic hard rock elements that their peers have mostly abandoned, the group’s sound follows the beat of its own drum both literally and figuratively, frequently bringing to mind some of the greatest entities in the history of the genre. Their guitar parts are studded with…
Woebetide, the new effort from Ready, Steady, Die! is glorious in how it captures listeners’ attention. Beautiful vocals play at the front of the track while the instrumentation gradually reaches a creschendo. Breaking over the song like a weave, the synths and guitars push the aforementioned vocals into a higher plateau. Working towards the same goals, these distinct elements combine into a perfectly-polished piece of drama. The track’s final minute…
On Half Of It, Lila Blue is able to call back to the days of performers like Joni Mitchell and Carole King. Strong vocals are matched through confident pianos. While there is a passing nod to the pop of the 1960s and 1970s, a look forward to the work of Fiona Apple and Ani DiFranco will draw fans in by the barrelful. Fans will be on the edges of their…
On Radical Change, A Permanent Shadow is able to blend together new wave and 1980s ska styles into something bold and refreshing. Assertive vocals hand off the reins to Flock of Seagulls-inspired guitar work and luxurious synths. Most stunning of this composition has to be the masterful use of tempo; the slower section in the song’s middle allows for A Permanent Shadow to gradually build things back up into a…
Pouring with a orange-brown to mahogany coloration, Seedstock (Denver)’s Fredersdorker immediately yields hints of grain and wheat in its initial bouquet. The Fredersdorfer style is a call back to the first half of the 19th century; this German style links together sweetness (from molasses) with a bit of a spicy, peppery hop bite. Hitting at a 7.5% ABV, this brew will keep one warm during the last vestiges of winter…
Gusty grooves adorn the string balladry of “Never Apart.” Discordant minor-key harmonies make merry with a happy-go-lucky swing beat in “Never Miss.” Ruark seduce us with a glowing melody in “Naturally,” the staggering “Sick of It,” “Time Wouldn’t Waste Away” and the title track of their new album When You Coming Home with as much ease as they do when provoking thoughts unique to every listener in a contemplative “Sweet Senseless World,”…