SOiL’s Gimme Some Lovin’ is a fun rock track that mixes up current hard rock with the sludgy bar rock of Thin Lizzy and early AC/DC. A strong, assertive set of vocals is matched with an equally-pointed female set of vocals. The back and forth dynamic pushes the guitar/drum sound to an entirely higher plateau. A chugging guitar line and splashy drums ride the track to its conclusion. SoiL is…
Kevin Tiah’s “Beneath The Sea” is a powerful rock track that ties together hints of Yellowcard and metalcore together into a ferocious effort that is replete with sizzling guitars, growled out vocals, and enough musicianship to keep listeners focused in until the single’s final notes.
Antherius has released a Christmas-themed album that looks to provide listeners with an idea of how Antherius perceives the holiday. Over the course of 14 tracks, Antherius is able to craft a number of distant compositions that create a overall cohesive, cogent, and compelling sound.
Battlecall starts with a strong, impassioned set of vocals. While the instrumentation takes a back seat during the first thirty seconds or so of Battlecall, when the beat drops, one is left with a powerful pop track that deftly ties together indie, rock, and alternative styles into a wholly engrossing sound. The vocals and production unite to make a track that will take listeners on a journey, all while the…
Adam Prince King’s “Witches” is one of the most interesting efforts that we have heard so far this year. A thick bass line, an utterly unique set of vocals, and a blending of styles as unlikely as R&B, 1980s new wave, and reggae ensure that fans’ attentions will be solely on Witches. The unlikely combination of genres works perfectly here, establishing Adam Prince King. The powerful vocals laid down on…
The Ramona Flowers’ “Strangers” is a track that utilizes a slower tempo quite well. The band continues to refresh the 1980s / slinky new wave dance styles of early Depeche Mode and INXS into something thatt is bright, vibrant, and will get fans out on the dance floor. Synths, smart usage of silence, and a thick, hooky bass line are enough to tattoo the melodies of Strangers deep into the…
On Viva La Revolucion (again), The Howlin’ Souls are able to call back to the rock of the sixties and seventies, touching upon early Rolling Stones, The Stranglers, and the MC5. An absolutely insane guitar line and on-point percussion represent the touchstones of this single, while the hooky, slinky sound draws back on the blues-rock of the fifties and sixties. With hints of psychedelic rock bleeding through at the edges, The…
Famous is a strong effort that showcases the inimitable charisma of Tai Lawanson. The track blends together R&B with a rap flow tyhat takes up the standard of performers like Chiddy Bang and Wiz Khalifa. The bit of horns that provide the highlighting to Tai’s flow adds a bit of energy to the track, making this into a good track to be added to college or pop radio stations. Lift You…
Kingston, New York’s Galanos have just released a new album, Deceiver Receiver. The first track on this release, Loneliest of Men, is a raw and stripped-down rock track that builds off of the sound of late-nineties Smashing Pumpkins or early-oughts Muse. There is a dark, brooding sound to this opening effort that will have listeners firmly on the edges of their seats. A smart instrumentation makes good use of each…
Over the last few years, we have been fortunate enough to review a few of Bernward Koch’s albums, including Remembering, Silent Star, and Day of Life . Filled With Light is his latest release, and I feel that Bernward has been able to make his strongest and most cohesive statement yet. Filled With Light begins with Summer Anthem, a softly-stated track that uses repeated statements laid down by a twinkling…
The Haiku Project’s latest project Nebula begins with a titular effort that sets the stage for all of the twists and turns that are to follow. Strong sweeping synths have an air of gravitas. There is a strong narrative element that is weaved through this introductory track which makes its 5:30 run time seem much shorter. Breeze has hints of a vocal element that play at the upper registers while…
The music world is cluttered with tragically underrated bands. Groups that didn’t get their due until long after they’d broken up, despite their influence heard on a raft of more successful bands. Before R.E.M. there was Big Star, before Cheap Trick there was The Raspberries and before bands like Devo and The B-52’s, there was Captain Beefheart. So, North Carolina/Athens, GA’s Flat Duo Jets are in good company. In their…
In the first of three planned EPs scheduled to come out over the next four months, Silverplanes lay out an impressive, if brief collection of seemingly timeless guitar-heavy, atmospheric pop.
As any fan of The Replacements is likely to tell you their live shows were either brilliant examples of inspired Midwest punk rock at its finest or a drunken mess of bellowed obscenities, fistfights and thrown instruments. This surprise live recording of The Replacements, recorded in Hoboken during their Tim tour, is thankfully the former. This 29-song set marks the first official live set by the world’s most-underrated band (trademark…
Corbin Reiff must have known what he was setting himself up for when he decided to tackle a list of the best concerts, year by year. No matter how spot on his picks are – and with a couple of nitpicks here and there they are – there are bound to be people who have a problem with his selections. The only thing music nerds like more than talking about…
Indie pop musician Brad Peterson had already put out several well-received albums going back a decade, shared stages with a slew of greats from Jeff Buckley to Radiohead and then a spinal injury left him partially paralyzed. Through years of therapy he was finally able to hold a guitar again, and eventually built up a collection of songs that lead to the powerful “ellipses record”.
Judging by The Len Price 3’s latest you’d think the late ‘70s never ended. Steeped in some of the best influences The Who, The Clash and The Kinks have to offer, this UK-based trio have turned in one solid garage/punk pop album after another and “Kentish Longtails” is more of the same…. And that is far from being a bad thing. One of the appeals of the band is that…
Arable Desert is able to make a trippy look back to the psychedelic rock of the 1960s. A ton of fuzz and a slinky sound imbue this effort with hints of Lou Reed and Mott the Hoople. There is a bit of 1990s alternative that calls forth acts like Stabbing Westward and The Stone Roses). With a hooky guitar line that will tattoo itself deep into the minds and hearts…
The Singing Earth is hardly your standard rock star memoir. Despite playing drums for a slew of bands in Seattle at the height of Grunge’s moment (including Screaming Trees, Mad Season and Skin Yard), Barrett Martin takes a thoughtful, original take on the traditional musician’s bio with his book.
Chris Roach’s Ronkokomo is one of those rare parodies that keeps the same sound and spirit of the original. Roach’s switch-up of the Beach Boys’ Kokomo adds a bit of local color into the mix while keeping the humor focused into a specific geographical region. The smart wordplay of this single ensures that anyone listening in will be able to enjoy this parody. Chris Roach’s ability to hammer home humor in…