Evil is a poppy track that blends together a bouncy guitar with haunting guitar work. With a bit of electronic echo included into the track before a trap / reggae style comes forth later, Evil is a track that a wide swath of fans can appreciate. A strong message about the amount of danger in the world is interspersed throughout Kelley’s latest. The chorus of Evil has a number of…
In the rush to pander to the twin gods of Gen X Nostalgia and the booming Vinyl Resurgence, re-release mania has led to some truly questionable offerings over the past few years. 311, Godsmack, The Space Jam soundtrack… But, occasionally, inside the record label vaults, on a long-overlooked shelf, the beauty of a long forgotten album is found. Such is the case with First Band on the Moon, the third…
Luther Russell has drifted under the radar of many for the past few decades, but his 2018 double album anthology, Selective Memories helped clue in the uninitiated to his brilliant knack for writing Power Pop and Rock songs that brim with substance. His latest, Medium Cool, continues that streak, shunning trendy musical fades for a timeless set of guitar-driven, strong narrative songs that could have come out at any time…
Benedict Sinister’s Ne Dramatise Pas has a retro-futuristic sound that links together dance with lounge. Whipping in current EDM and electro-funk genres to this track, Benedict Sinister is able to ensure that everyone has something to appreciate. Ne Dramatise Pas’s numerous style shifts makes the track continually interesting. A dusty set of vocals ties everything up with a nice bow. The two minute mark pushes things into a more rapid…
John Tracy has just released his Love True Just For You. This hopeful soft rock track has the same epic sound of Lullaby or pre-country Bon Jovi. The dynamic of the vocals and guitars here is delightful, while the bass/drum arrangements add a fullness to the track that will resound loudly with listeners long after Love True Just For You ceases. Tracy’s progression over the course of the last few…
T-Pain has been a continual force in rap and pop for over a decade now. On his latest effort Getcha Roll On, he’s able to build upon the Big Tymerz classic while lighting the effort up with some intense bars. The track also features Tory Lanez coming back to rare form. Together, the two are able to make something that could easily slot into radio rotation while throwing out some…
We’d recommend checking out Strangetown USA in two distinct formats. First, listen to this retro-infused sound and pick up every nod to 1960s surf music, 1970s indie (e.g. Velvet Underground), and 1990s alternative. Secondly, watch the absolutely insane video that links together the original movie version of The Producers, Fear and Loathing in Los Vegas, and Shock Treatment. The song’s melodies will bury themselves deep into listeners’ minds just as…
On Major Moment’s cover of Linkin Park’s Leave Out All The Rest, there is a tremendously touching sentiment that is weaved within a careful instrumentation. The twinkling sound of the track will impress the gravitas of the song upon listeners. The bit of heavier sound that punctuates these softer and more sedate sections really highlights the tremendous emotional content of this performance. A pair of vocals really hammers home the…
We’re absolutely in love with Populuxe’s Garage Sale. The challenging arrangements will require that listeners place their enitre focus on the composition. The band is able to effortlessly move through numerous genres, be it 1960s Brit-pop, 1980s alternative, or a modern take on college rock (e.g. OK Go). The shuffling style and technically insane guitar / drum dynamic during the the 2:30 mark of Populuxe’s latest represents a high-water mark…
Social Gravy call back to the halcyon days of 1970s rock with their new track, Let It Out. Charismatic vocals work nicely with a chunky bass line, assertive guitar lines, and splashy drums. The presence of a second, supporting set of vocals reminds me of Jane’s Addiction or The Black Crowes. The act hits on all cylinders with Let It Out – with each taut arrangement or robust section, there…
Quiet is beautiful from the onset. Haunting strings and guitars are bolstered further through contemplative vocals. The track’s contemplative sound ensures that listeners will continue to find nuance even five or ten plays in. We love the shift that Quiet takes at around the one-minute mark. With a boost to the tempo gradually giving way to soaring strings, the track is able to continue subverting listeners’ expectations. Historian’s vocals tie…
Stonecutter is the latest work by Boy Breaking Glass. The nearly six-minute run time of this track allows the act to build a heady composition that will remain resonant in listeners’ ears long after the song ceases to play. There are hints of The Tea Party, Iggy Pop, and The Smiths that can be discerned here. Smart instrumentation bolsters rich vocals to keep interest high. Boy Breaking Glass’s guitar /…
Shattering the silence with the hustle and bustle of a gorgeous piano melody, the rhythm of “Lovers Lament” pulls us ever so closely so that singer Julia King can season the music with her erotic crooning. King is no stranger to gracious grooves of this nature, but in this latest single she takes the jazzy timbre of her vocal to an entirely new level, pushing us into the core of…
Front Line Assembly is working with Jimmy Urine during their cover of the Falco classic, Rock Me Amadeus. The track is given additional complexity over the original with booming synth lines, a robust production that ramps both vocals and instrumentation to 10, and instrumental section that showcases precisely how deep this composition runs. The 3:25 mark is a nice switch in sound with a set of vocals adding a higher…
Crucified is an effort that has supersonic vocals that work in hints of Sebastian Bach and Voltaire alongside an unrepentantly intense hard rock sound. SHIM’s latest is impressive because of the sheer vocal range that is presented here. Paralleling these vocals are assertive, heavy guitar lines, haunting synths, and a thick, bassy section that will bury its melodies deep into fans’ minds. Shaking up what is expected from rock music…
Quietest Friend is a fuzzy, guitar-driven track that contains some heady stuff. The dynamic established between the emotive guitars, splashy drum line, and worldly vocals make Quietest Friend catchy as all get out. The shift in Quietest Friend’s instrumentation occurs at the two-minute mark. With the band slowing things down for a minute, the vocals are able to reinvigorate fans. The gradual chaos of the guitars and drums ebbs and…
Texas has a remarkably diverse musical heritage that spans from Outlaw Country and Rock to Tejano – making it arguable one of the most brilliantly disparate musical landscapes this country has to offer. And it seems all six members of the Dallas-based Vandoliers have soaked up every bit of those influences over the years. Their latest release, and first for Bloodshot Records, Forever, is essentially a love letter to every…
Hunt Sales Memorial have released a pair of videos. One Day is a track that has HSM come forth with tremendously touching lyrical content. A lone guitar provides the trappings for the first section of the track, mirroring the narrative that is established perfectly. Angel of Darkness has a more upbeat feel to it. Hunt Sales Memorial ties together reggae and traditional rock styles. Of particular note has to be…
Stand Tall has Kim Kline dig deep into the Italo dance of the mid-1990s while hitting the same narrative style of Kelly Clarkson or Christina Aguilera with her latest. The positive message of Stand Tall will impact anyone that has had to go through bullying. The intense piano interacts with twinkling electronic arrangements, especially prevalent when fans get to the 2:40 mark of the track. The wide-open approach of Kline…
On Diethanasia, Aftermath is able to refine the thrash metal style of M.O.D. and early Metallica into an art form. Every part of the recording – insistent drums, sizzling guitars, and a Ministry-infused set of vocals – contribute to something great. The production of Diethanasia solves a number of the issues from the first generation of thrash metal; everything is audible and is separate enough to allow for listeners to…