Disobey is the third album from the Seattle band The Refusers and solidifies their position as one of the more politically active rock bands in recent history. They’ve garnered considerable renown as a band opposed to vaccinations, distrustful of virtual any organized institution in American life, and clearly of the opinion that we are getting the collective shaft as a nation. They bring us into their world from the first…
The Austrian punk trio Deecracks have been slogging it out in basement parties and clubs for 15 years now, all the while adhering to a strong DIY ethos that saw them self-releasing most of their records, when they weren’t booking their own shows across the globe. Indie Street Punk/Oi stalwart Pirate Press jumped in and offered to release the band’s latest, Sonic Delusions, giving the band a better shot at…
The Swedes in LLNN understand abuse, they understand depression, anxiety, fear, nausea, and pain. On Deads they have given voice to everything we lose, and every time we hurt, carving out a landscape with the listeners’ fingernails.
Andy Moor has just crafted a single in Wild Dream that features the atmospheric vocals of Adina Butar. The intense synths that punctuate “Wild Dream” are matched well with a dreamy, otherworldly set of vocals. The 2:30 mark of Wild Dream is where fans will get locked in, as a straight-forward section hurtles fans towards the conclusion of an all too short effort. Moor knows precisely what he wants Wild…
Radiator King’s “So Long (Charlie)” is tremendously effecting. The song draws upon the folksy, singer-songwriter style of the latter half of the 20th century. With a sorrowful harmonica that effortlessly bridges both Dylan and late 1960s/early 1970s country and western, Radiator King’s gritty approach resounds loudly in an era of plastic people. So Long (Charlie) is a single that is honest, earnest, and will speak to the widest array of…
Scarlet Sails’ “Hideaway” is a beautiful track. The vocals call back to a tradition that can be traced back from Natalie Cole to Stevie Nicks and even Carole King. Set up front and center, these vocals are able to shine against a backdrop of on-point drumming and a bass that is weaved masterfully through the single. The two minute mark of Hideaway is a must-listen as it showcases the technical…
Punchline’s “Friend From The Future” is a skillful blend of alternative pop, emo-rock, and angular indie in the vein of At The Drive-In. A charismatic set of vocals stretch out over the track as a thick, ropy bass line and splashy drums unite to make a fulfilling backdrop. The guitar riffs are doing double duty here as they both add to the overall arrangement and give the vocals a secondary/backing…
Wyclef Jean’s “Sak Kap Fet” features Kofi Black and Moira Mack and calls back to Jean’s “Perfect Gentleman” era. Intense and heavy emotional content is tattooed into the fabric of the single. Kofi Black’s blazing quick lyrical delivery is a solid match for Jean’s slower flow. Moira Mack, the newcomer on the single is able to spin the track in a third dimension. This trio makes for an effort that is…
HEIZMAN’s “Mai Tai” is a dreamy, trippy rap track that links together T-Pain, Lil Wayne and I-20 into a street-meets-club flow. A bit of trap production sets the stage for HEIZMAN’s flow. Rather than only adding to the story told on Mai Tai, the flow also provides further depth to the backing beat. This is a cohesive effort that stands out from the rest of the tracks entering rotation today.…
Faith Evans Ruch’s “I’m Yours” is an effort that builds off of the tradition of pop singers from the 1960s and country and western performers of the 1970s. The ability of Ruch to bring such warmth to modern music is fantastic. Current fans will be able to appreciate how Ruch is able to bring in hints of performers like Meghan Trainor and Pink. The instrumentation is top-notch as well; a…
Trevor Drury’s “Jealousy” is an orchestral masterpiece. With deep and fulfilling guitars and drums, Trevor’s vocals are able to impress listeners with raw passion and energy. It’s surprising exactly how much range Drury showcases on this single. A shuffling beat leads the track onward before the synth, drums, and guitars wash over Jealousy. Instrumental and vocal sides are used to great impact here, and listeners would do well to focus…
Your Persona creates a catchy track in “Hate Is A Strong Word” that whips up a furious sound drawing on Coheed and Cambria and Brand New. With a charismatic set of vocals, splashy drums, and a taut instrumentation that withstands multiple plays, Hate Is A Strong Word is a tremendous track.
No Small Children begin their new album What Do The Kids Say? with Radio, a bouncy track that calls back both to The Runaways and Avril Lavigne. The guitars have a retro, A Flock of Seagulls-ish sound, making for a track that fans of all ages can appreciate.
The Ramona Flowers begin their new album Strangers with an effort that immediately calls back to the synth-pop of the 1980s. There is so much charisma that comes forth during this introductory track that fans will be hooked. The high momentum continues with Out of Focus, a more dreamy and alluring effort that shines due to tremendous vocals, on-point percussion, and sweeping arrangements. Come Alive has a very contemporary sort…
James Kevin O’Connor’s titular opening to Gratitude is an inspirational, narrative-heavy effort that rises and falls well. Hints of Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, and Steven Curtis Chapman can all be discerned in this first effort, but there is a unique style that is purely O’Connor’s on his release.
Soar is the first effort on Banjo Nickaru & Western Scooches’s Get Us Out of Fearland, immediately bringing listeners in to a modern take on bluegrass with confident vocals, careful instrumentation, and a bouncy melody that will stick with listeners long after the effort ceases to play.
“One, The World Over” has a video that showcases the wide variety of experiences that one can have through the world. One tends to see the world within four walls of an office or an apartment, but what the World Void Web does is showcasse that there are a million (if not more) distinct paths that one can take each and every day. The orchestration of One, The World Over is…
Intend is the first track on The Good Night, the new EP from Minneapolis’s own TRITA. The amount of raw passion and fury that begins this album is unmatched. Furious guitar work combines with splashy drums to make for an intensity and a brooding sound that brings together Machine Head, Fear Factory, and even a bit of early Korn. The tempestuous sound of this first salvo will continue to yield…
Walkin’ In the Sunshine is a bouncy, fun track that immediately showcases the talent and pleasant attitude of In-A-Chord. A strong production allows the act to come forth and shine effortlessly. The retro is made new with this act, as there are hints of Carole King and The Carpenters here in the male/female dichotomy here. With nods to both classic Christian music as well as the easy-listening rock of the…
On Right Love, Wrong Time, Erin Bloomer’s debut track, listeners are provided with a timeless instrumentation that builds off of the work of the 1990s and 2000s. Erin’s vocals stretch out over the track, working well within the singer-songwriter tradition. The ability of Erin to both tell a story with her voice and to provide further depth to the composition is unparalleled with current performers. The rapid shifts through sounds…