Category: Music Reviews

Posted on: October 24, 2016 Posted by: Sargeant Comments: 0

Cooper Phillip – Party By Myself

Cooper Phillip creates a catchy pop / EDM track in “Party By Myself” that builds upon the rich vocals of performers like Echosmith and MØ with a stellar backing instrumentation. Vocal and musical elements are weaved into a confident and hooky composition.

Posted on: October 22, 2016 Posted by: Sargeant Comments: 0

Checking in with Rampancy at Midnight

Hello, guys. What’s happening musically in Lexington this October? M: Honestly, I have no clue! I’m all over Kentucky and out of state doing a lot of things, but a couple of months ago, I met and talked with Andy Cubbage of the Lexington band, Dad Shorts. He’s an overall swell guy, and they released some music this year; I recommend giving them a listen on their bandcamp!

Posted on: October 21, 2016 Posted by: Sargeant Comments: 0

F.Low – Take The Good With The Bad

Warmin’ Up is the first track off of Take The Good With The Bad, the current mixtape by Richmond, Virginia’s F.Low. Take The Good With The Bad (featuring Lady Starr) has a retro sound that permeates the track, while F.low adds to the narrative and overall harmonies achieved here. Lady Starr’s lines add a considerably different feel to the single, giving F.Low’s next bars a nice highlighting.

Posted on: October 20, 2016 Posted by: Sargeant Comments: 0

Big City Cowgirl – Game of Love

Big City Cowgirl’s Game of Love begins with a strong set of vocals and emotive strings. The back and forth of the instrumentation and BCG’s voice weaves a deep and detailed narrative that touches upon a number of decades and styles in country music.

Posted on: October 18, 2016 Posted by: Sargeant Comments: 0

Thomas Charlie Pedersen – Second Hand War

Twinkling guitar work opens up the titular effort from Thomas Charlie Pedersen’s latest album, Second Hand War. While a great many of the songs on this album have a vocal component, one cannot help but listen to the confident arrangements that comprise the backbone of the title.

Posted on: October 18, 2016 Posted by: Sargeant Comments: 0

WhenTheClockStrikes – Glowing in the Dark EP

WhenTheClockStrikes create an energetic pop-punk that builds off of the framework of Unwritten Law and early Good Charlotte. The frenetic energy that the band includes on Contact will ensure that fans are firmly glued to the edges of their seats. The tautness of the band makes for a musically intricate and catchy arrangement; Contact stands up to repeat listens as there are so many things occurring every second. Whether it…

Posted on: October 16, 2016 Posted by: David Rangel Comments: 0

Pavo Pavo – Young Narrator In The Breakers

The latest effort from Pavo Pavo (slated for a November 11th release) kicks off with “Ran Ran Run,” an ethereal, mood-inducing number that recalls clearer, less-awash-in-effects sounding Cocteau Twins. The track sets the stage for a record that seems to pulsate with life and feeling, channeling the changing of the seasons as the earth practically breathes.

Posted on: October 13, 2016 Posted by: Sargeant Comments: 0

Milow the Girl Featuring Sylvia G – Dreams

Electrified is a wonderful example of a crossover pop track that takes on equal amounts of EDM, alternative rock, and pop to make something that is tremendously infectious and catchy. The backing instrumentation keeps things interesting, while Sylvia G’s passion and charisma bubbles up at all of the right times. I Walk Alone has a retro, late-nineties vibe that is refreshed with a robust snap/clap sound to the backing beat. Fans…

Posted on: October 13, 2016 Posted by: Sargeant Comments: 0

Overlord Gruff – Lord Have Mercy CD Review

Lord Have Mercy is a hard-hitting rap track that effortlessly blends together smart wordplay and a backing beat that highlights Overlord Gruff’s vocals at all the right points. Tha Baddest One is a crossover track, a banger that pulls some of the slinky California beats of late-1990s Snoop Dogg with the polished sound of a 50 Cent of The Game. The production is on point, allowing each syllable to be…

Posted on: October 13, 2016 Posted by: Sargeant Comments: 0

Magnetic Ghost – Loss Molecules LP

Magnetic Ghost create a powerful form of indie / noise / drone rock with Vanish / Vanishing, the first effort off of their November album “Loss Molecules”. The track builds up a disturbing and haunting fuzz that is further bolstered through smart use of repetition and haunting, ethereal vocals. Fuzz is used to provide further ambiance to the opening track; by the time that Vanish / Vanishing completes, listeners will…

Posted on: October 13, 2016 Posted by: Sargeant Comments: 0

One Way Ride – Put Me On

Devil Eyes is the first track from the new EP “Put Me On” by Colorado band One Way Ride. This type of blues-rock blends together hints of KONGOS and Alabama 3. The dynamic between the male and female vocal pushes each to a higher plateau, while the drums and guitars make for a dense instrumentation. 

Posted on: October 13, 2016 Posted by: Sargeant Comments: 0

Float Like A Buffalo – “Enjoy The Ride”

Denver’s Float Like A Buffalo has released a new EP, Enjoy The Ride. The release begins with Whiskey Dreams, a track which calls forth comparisons to acts like The White Stripes and the Drive-By Truckers. Brooding bass lines blend with punchy drums and sizzling guitar work to tell more with the opening minute of instrumental arrangements than many artists could do in the course of an album.  Tremendous charisma bubbles through during Enjoy the…

Posted on: October 12, 2016 Posted by: Sargeant Comments: 0

Sukha – Rise CD Review

What Sukha does on their current album Rise is create a unique style of music that ties together folk-rock, rock, and alternative styles together with a singer-songwriter feel. There is a powerful one-two punch that begins the album; Ong Namo has vocals contributing to the overall melodies achieved by the band, while there is an approach taken during Wah Yantee that seamlessly links together Sarah McLachlan and Natalie Cole with Neil…

Posted on: October 12, 2016 Posted by: Sargeant Comments: 0

The Slang – Night and Day EP

Ballad Of Everything is a confident, polished indie-pop song that gradually opens up into something that is instrumentally complex. The swirling eddies of guitars, splashy drums, and richly emotive bass lines that confront listeners during this introduction to the Night and Day EP will capture fans’ hearts and minds. Breakthrough is a tremendously catchy effort. The dusty vocals of The Killers  and the Goo Goo Dolls can be heard here,…

Posted on: October 12, 2016 Posted by: Sargeant Comments: 0

von Konow – Cosmic

von Konow’s tremendous emotional depth is showcased from the onset of his new single, Cosmic. The shift that the track takes from a vocal-dominated one into something that deftly blends together new wave, goth, and indie-pop styles is shocking, but the sheer talent of von Konow is such that the resulting effort is coherent. Synths are weaved in with authoritative drums on Cosmic; nods to artists as diverse as Of Mice…

Posted on: October 10, 2016 Posted by: Sargeant Comments: 0

Famous October – One Day Baby

Famous October begin their latest album One Day Baby with a slow, deliberate multi-part harmony. When strings enter into the equation, the initial effort here is given depth. The Frost exists at the juncture between sultry alt-rock, classic country & western, and more contemplative folk.

Posted on: October 10, 2016 Posted by: Sargeant Comments: 0

Javier Martinez – Courtesan

Javier Martinez’s new single, the lively Courtesan, touches upon the singer-songwriter style of Dylan with a bit of folk-punk. A solid narrative is weaved through the single, while Javier’s vocals shine brilliantly on the top of the track. The guitar/drum dynamic imbues the track with greater complexity. 

Posted on: October 8, 2016 Posted by: Sargeant Comments: 0

Electra Day “Quiet Hours”

Big Sky is a powerful track in the vein of Joni Mitchell or Sarah McLachlan. There is little more to this introductory effort than Electra’s vocals and guitar work. Taken together, these two elements make for a track that will resound loudly in the hearts of anyone fortunate enough to listen in.

Posted on: October 8, 2016 Posted by: Sargeant Comments: 0

Yung Thes – Singles

Red Oak, Texas’ Yung Thes released On the Weekend earlier this month; the track shines due to electronic-infused backing beat and a slightly laid-back vocal approach. The repetition of the titular phrase hammers home the effort that much harder. When it falls is one of our favorite Yung Thes tracks; the production is very retro and feels pulled from an 1980s movie soundtrack. This beat highlights the flow perfectly, which comes…

Posted on: October 8, 2016 Posted by: Sargeant Comments: 0

THE BEVIS FROND/Fraudband – Split LP

Fraudband is a band from Melbourne, Australia; the act has released an album in September of last year with two EPs released before that. A split EP with Bevis Frond has just been released on Kasumuen Records.