Out of the same fire and brimstone that once gave birth to music’s most spirited performers and composers comes Apogee, a rock album that deserves to be listened to by anyone who considers themselves to be a pop aficionado or just a fan of bold music in general. Vinyl Floor, the band behind Apogee, have been making noise in the European underground for a number of years now, but in…
I don’t think that culture changes just because of a single artist or any record they might release, but the buzz surrounding the eponymous new album by Leland and the Silver Wells definitely has the potential to move the needle of at least one element of the music world in a direction significantly different than anything we’ve witnessed before. Normally I’m hesitant to get on these kinds of bandwagons, but…
SPiN’s “What’s It Gonna Take” is a bouncy, hopeful rock track in the tradition of All-American Rejects or early Maroon 5. A blend of pop, rock, and even a little bit of funk ensures that SPiN’s latest is something that will bury its way deep into the minds of anyone listening in. A robust production makes it easy for the band to make a cogent statement with their latest effort.…
The Silver Snails’s “Dancing With The Stars” is an effort that boldly crafts an entirely new style. There are nods to classic rock, pop, new wave, and indie rock during thie five-plus minute composition, but the children’s chorus and haunting lead vocals allow The Silver Snails to make a track that will stick with listeners long after the release ceases to play. With a distinct visual palette for the single’s…
SadGirl’s “Breakfast For 2″ is a dreamy track that draws from early 1960s pop. The whole experience feels drawn from a teen romance movie from the era. Sedate, touching lyrics lay leisurely on classic guitar riffs and on-point percussion. The most delicious part of this track has to be the guitar solo laid down a bit before the two-minute mark. There is a certain fresh sound to Breakfast For 2…
The Death Valley Girls have released a new track, “Disaster (Is What We’re After)”. The effort is a stripped-down, dirty sort of rock in the veins of The Runaways or early Ramones. There is a bit of industrial fuzz and ska that is interspersed here to keep things interesting. The completeness of the instrumentation is such that one will need to play Disaster multiple times before hearing each and every…
Tancred’s “Something Else” ties together the pop-punk of The Donnas with the fuzz and distortion of Hole during their new single, Something Else. The vocals bounce back and forth from being coy and shy and being bold and brash. Rising and falling from prim alt-rock to raw rock, Tancred is able to keep listeners’ feet tapping through every point of their new single. A brief instrumental interlude immediately precedes the…
NYA’s Southland EP begins with Shallow. The vocal-heavy track calls back to the jazz tradition of the 1920s and 1930s, with a bass and a bit of guitars filling in the gaps for NYA. Hints of Angie Stone and Corinne Bailey Rae can be heard here. Hollywood Hills is an ambient / EDM-tinged track that adds a good amount of distortion to blur the distinction between vocals and instrumentation. The…
Kurt Vile’s “Loading Zone” starts off with a wistful alt-rock sound that allows the guitar, bass, and drums to shine. When Kurt’s vocals begin, listeners will love the slinky, retro/1970s approach that he takes. The clear delivery of vocals ensures that listeners can enjoy the narrative that Kurt intersperses through his latest tracks. All sides are able to shine here, with the vox and instrumentation each getting time during this…
Dulcie Taylor’s “Halfway To Jesus” is touching. The effort looks back to 1990s country artists like Reba McEntire and The Judds. An assertive set of vocals is matched perfectly with strong vocals and punctual drumming. A strong environmental message is weaved throughout Halfway to Jesus. We’re particularly fond of the additional vocals that push Taylor’s voice to a higher plateau. Additional elements – the absolutely amazing scene setting of the…
Emmy Law’s “Fairyland” is a modern pop / alternative track that builds upon the framework of performers like Natalie Cole, Paramore, and Natalia Imbruglia. Law’s vocals pull double duty in that their breathy vocals weave a rich narrative while the overall harmonies laid down by the vox work perfectly with the larger instrumental complex. By adding her own unique style into the mid-1990s approach that is taken here, Emmy Law…
Water District’s “Dream With Your Eyes Open” is an engrossing emo / rock effort that builds off of Alkaline Trio, Taking Back Sundae, and Brookside. Wistful, hopeful, and absolutely beautiful in its execution, Dream With Your Eyes Open is able to showcase the technical side of the guitars, bass, and drums.
David Haerle’s “Do You Know Surrender?” is an effort that immediately adopts interesting time signatures and additional instruments beyond the traditional guitar/drum dynamics. A waltz-like set of strings immediately varies things, while Haerle’s vocals brings up hints of prog-rock. There is considerable charisma to each lyric in Do you Know Surrender?, while the middle bridge is perhaps the song’s high-water mark. The dynamic between both guitars, bass, drums, and strings is…
Brandon Tory’s “Seriously” is a soulful composition. Dreamy vocals and echoing production make for a thoughtful track that exists at the nexus between R&B, rap, and EDM. Tory is able to exude raw sex with his vocals, while the booming synths and drums do a tremendous job as simultaneously mimicking a heartbeat and raw passion. Seriously is a track that fits in perfectly on modern radio; this is not the…
Rhys Tranter’s Sometimes is a slower, more pensive effort that ties together Morrissey with Mick Jagger.
My Silent Bravery’s “Everyday Is The Weekend” is an effort that ties together the rock of Bon Jovi with hints of surf rock and a bit of alternative. A sunny sound, ample bass riffs, and a charismatic set of vocals work together to make for a single that will stick with listeners long after the effort has ceased to play. We like the wide array of styles that are broached…
Markus Schulz’s “Upon My Shoulders”is an effort that builds upon the synth pop of the 1980s while having an assertive beat that is interlaid amongst the effort. Together with Sebu (from Capital Cities), Schulz is able to make a track that will keep listeners focused in until the final note. Masterful synth work flutters at the top of the track, acting as a perfect counterpoint for the booming percussive elements.…
Beartooth’s “Disease” immediately starts in high gear with insane guitars, intricate drum fills, and a catchiness that callas back to the tradition of Trapt, Nine Inch Nails, and Hawthorne Heights. Never fitting into one specific genre or sound, Beartooth is able to make in Disease an effort that is wholly unique while ready for rock radio rotation. A stellar production allows each of the elements – guitar, vox, bass, and…
The Get Up Kids are back with I’m Sorry, an infectious pop-punk track that immediately draws listeners in with taut bass lines and the inimitable vocals that have marked the band’s output these last twenty years. Timeless while adding enough in the way of contemplative guitar work, I’m Sorry is one of those sunny tracks that will have listeners singing along long after the single has ceased to play. A…
I’ve had the chance to listen to some pretty awesome music this year, not just as a member of the indie music media but as a fan in general. Of course there’s plenty of trash that we have to wade through to discover the real studs amongst the duds, but overall I feel like 2018 has been a winner in terms of productivity and increased exposure for the new, up…