On The Kings House, The Gulps are able to make a high-energy track that incorporates the best in surf-punk, 1980s prog-rock (Subdivision-era RUSH, anyones), and 2000s angular rock in the vein of Franz Ferdinand and Wolfmother. With the vox, guitars, drums, and bass hitting on all cylinders, it’ll take everything one has to not get up and rage. The bit of fuzz that is draped over The Kings House ties…
The Irrepressibles are able to create a wholly engrossing electronic track in their latest single International that resounds loudly with listeners long after the song ceases to play. Bold synths and intricate compositions whip in hints of goth and synth-pop as the track continues to play. There is considerable depth showcased during International; one should strap on their headphones to hear the depths of the backing instrumentation. This is our…
Soap Bubble Dreams is the new album from indie/alternative rockers Para Lia from Germany. This new release should go up fast on the radar if it gets heard by the right people in the right places, because it contains everything that is no longer being done, and everything that’s still being done without all the proverbial bells and whistles. It features German musicians René Methner and Cindy Methner, each of…
Philly has a long and storied musical past, from Blue Eyed Soul (Hall & Oates) and legit Soul (Gamble and Huff) to Hair Metal, lost and lots of Hair Metal (Cinderella, Britny Fox, Tangier, Poison…). But Bluegrass is not one of the genres that usually come to mind when you think of Philadelphia. The complicatedly-named Who? What? When? Why? & Werewolves? could possibly change that. On their 7-song debut, Greatest…
Axdy’s Stardom begins with booming bass and a delicate set of vocals playing well off of each other. With the vocals pulling double duty in both telling a story and adding to the overall harmonies of Stardom, it’s no surprise that the finished effort is impressive. There is a bit of brooding, a bit of intensity, and a whole heap of unique sound that issues forth shortly after. With nods…
Haunted is a track that tackles a number of genres to make for some of the most hard-hitting and emotionally intense music we’ve heard. With a supersonic set of vocals reaching their highest plateau during Haunted’s chorus, DIAMANTE is able to indelibly impress herself upon the minds and hearts of anyone listening in. With hints of Linkin Park, Evanescence, and Skillet that can be picked up here, Haunted is one…
On Dar.Ra’s new track, Diamonds N The Shadows, a funky, intense rock groove that is as much White Zombie as Stacey Q, listeners will be ferried through a number of distinct musical styles. There are booming drums, 1980s synths, and some funky fresh new wave / rap mashups that just work. The composition continually shifts styles and sounds to keep listeners on the edges of their seats. With some of…
Hero, the latest effort by Los Angeles’s Malea, is a fantastic addition to her corpus. The track begins with little more than Malea’s vocals and guitars. As the track continues to incorporate additional elements (such as a bass and keys), the resulting shifts in momentum ensures that Hero is proceeding at a quick pace. When things move into the two-minute mark, Malea puts a bit of brakes on the composition.…
Don’t Deny Me is Fellow Robot’s expansive rock track that looks to the days of Brit-pop and surf rock for influence. An airy set of vocals lightly floats on top of a thrushy, intense unity of guitars, bass, and drums. The four-minute run time of Don’t Deny Me allows for the track to focus on a number of distinct sections. The talent and passionate arrangements are able to establish a…
The Waters is a wonderful blend of pop, EDM, and 1990s R&B in a bold fashion. With an organic / electronic dichotomy between Breen’s vox and a carefully curated synth track, the effort is able to immediately draw listeners in. The rising and falling action of Patrick’s vocals recede a bit at the 2:30 mark to allow for the instruments to establish a new normal. The more traditional pop-rock style…
Heart on the Run is a tremendously touching effort that has Currin weave a tale that will impact anyone that has ever been in love. A dense, detailed instrumentation creates a sound that will resound loudly long after the song has ceased to play. The dynamics between the strings, guitars, and Currin’s vocals make for a cohesive, coherent statement. The guitar work stands out on Heart on the Run; linking…
Seattle Twee Pop pioneers Tullycraft (and, I’m sure they cringe at every reference to that genre name) may have taken six years between albums, but they are still in top form on this, their seventh album. The Railway Prince Hotel, like their earlier efforts, still brims over with sticky sweet melodies, trading off male/female vocals and Sean Tollefson’s endearing habit of writing too many lyrics and rushing to get them…
“Vibrations,” the new single from acclaimed rapper NoTrace (and featuring vocalist Glenn Travis), isn’t a political song in nature, but its intellectual lyricism and intrepidly stylized narrative can’t help but evoke some pretty strong imagery and thoughts about our society as it stands today. In the track, NoTrace raps about the difficulties of life, keeping his head above the water one day at a time, never allowing too much of…
A generation removed from a number of brilliant Western Mass bands that mixed pop melodies and occasional hooks with a strong punk rock foundation (think Dinosaur Jr and the Pixies), Potty Mouth have managed to resurrect much of that same loud, fast smart indie rock spirit on their sophomore LP, Snafu. Following up 2015’s EP and their 2013 debut, the band (now a trio), spent much of their time away…
The absolutely epic sound of Hold Your Breath begins with an assertive, R&B-infused set of vocals that are matched to a tee with sweeping synths. Hybrid adds together varied arrangements that draws upon 1990s dance and pop. The electricity that flows through Hold Your Breath will have listeners firmly on the edges of their seats. The accompanying video for Hold Your Breath further hammers home the distinct style that is…
Damn The Consequences, the latest song from Sam Densmore, refreshes the 1990s alt-rock sound. Smoothed-out guitars and wistful lyrics in a similar vein to 1990s-era Tom Petty ensures that there is a very inviting sound to the cut. The instrumental and vocal elements on Damn The Consequences combine to make something special; a memorable chorus and taut arrangements push this to the next higher plateau. Sam Densmore is able to…
On Lost Yo Mind, Houston’s Imaní Scott is able to draw upon a rich R&B tradition that traces its way through TLC, Destiny’s Child, and Ciara. The track shines due to the sheer range that Scott is able to achieve here. With a strong message of female empowerment expressed through Lost Yo Mind, Imaní is able to contribute to politics as well as the playlists of dance clubs throughout the…
Breathe Me In includes the vocals of Anna Yvette. The track draws a bit of instrumentation from Gary Jules and the thick, omnipresent beats of mid/late-1980s synth pop. The dark and emotive production here provides a secondary vocal element. This means that Anna’s vox and ash.ØK’s arrangements combine to make something special. With a tempo that rises and falls at all the right points, Breathe Me In is an unfettered…
Let’s Dream Tonight is an effort that builds upon the basis of 1980s performers like Elvis Costello, Robert Smith, and The Cure. With guitars, bass, and drums uniting to make for a tightly-knit backing beat, Sonic Rade is able to hang with hard-rock luminaries like Dire Straits and XTC. Modern production ensures that each element of Sonic Rade are able to shine alone and as a contributor to a cohesive…
On Mine, Steff Neff is able to immediately draw listeners in with a booming set of vocals. Little more is present during this early section of Mine than a piano, drums, and Steff’s vocals; this tri-partite arrangement gradually moves into a more supportive role to allow Neff to lay down vox in the fashion of Adele and Corinne Bailey Rae. The traditional (drum) and electronic (synthesizer) that are laid out…