Yup, a band that goes by the name Sugar Candy Mountain is just as odd and trippy as you’d expect. But that’s part of the appeal of these Bay Area neo hippies. On their latest, Mystic Hits, they churn out a baker’s dozen of swirly guitars, vocal feedback and layers and layers of keyboards that sound like a mix between The Beatles in their LSD years and Tame Impala.
The past couple for years have been a virtual nirvana for fans of the brilliant, yet short-live ‘90s Power Pop band Jellyfish. Despite only having only released two proper studio albums, Omnivore Records has been slowly putting out a slew of gems from the California band. It started by releasing both Bellybutton and Spilt Milk on vinyl, followed by a trio of never before released records: Live at Bogart’s, Stack-A-Tracks…
Despite a fairly generic moniker, the full length for the UK-based The Fireworks, Switch Me On, manages to blow away any preconceived notions about this being just another run-of-the-mill indie pop band.
Walk The Line is a powerful rock track that pushes forth equal amounts of vocals and instrumental elements. The taut arrangements that are present during this track is reminiscent of an early Billy Bragg or Jello Biafra. No Way Out begins with a strong drum beat and raucous guitar line that is punctual while still having that spontaneity needed to keep things interesting from beginning to end. There are hints…
Winds of Change is effecting, melodically solid, and possesses a dynamism that will tattoo the song’s melodies deep into the psyche of listeners. The extended guitar / drum dynamic tells more of a story than ten pop tracks, while the added presence of Kesson’s vocals here creates considerable depth. The titular effort on Drinking With The Angels is a very traditional country effort that would sound perfect in the late…
The first thing that listeners will hear when they begin to spin When The Lights Go Off Single is the tremendous production, allowing the beat to swell up and immediately command attention. When the flow begins, fans will have pay full attention to hear everything that has been placed into the track. There is a complex and intricate style that is fostered through When The Lights Go Off by Kent.…
All is Fake is a high energy track that ties together hard rock, emotive music, and just enough hardcore chops to make for a track that will resound loudly with listeners long after the cut has stopped. With this goodwill, EB 11 is able to move into System Breakdown. The drum work and sizzling guitar lines that are commonplace during this sound further build on the overall sound of the…
Gianni Bredice has released Triptronic, an effort that is labyrinthine in terms of the twists and turns that Bredice has placed here. At any one second during the albums, listeners may find themselves up against eighties synth-pop, chillwave, techno, or harder Miami styles. Solar Storm is a perfect microcosm of the distinct approaches that Bredice takes on the 9 efforts on Triptronic, tying together a driving beat with more introspective…
Vocals are reminiscent of Tim McIlrath, with an overall heaviness that allows City Light Vigil the ability to hang well on alternative, rock, and college stations alike. The “everything to everyone” aspect of the band is executed well, with specific nods given to a wide variety of genres. This eclectic nature allows City Light Vigil the ability to connect with the largest amount of listeners.
Change the Song is a track that links together The Killers and Franz Ferdinand with a rich eighties style that is reminiscent of The Psychedelic Furs or Talking Heads. The rich production of this introductory track will immediately draw listeners in to the second cut, Shift. Shift is a track that has Vinyl Floor strip down their style to adopt a much more front-forward and Detroit rock-esque sound. The quicker…
Devout metal band DARKNESS DIVIDED have partnered with Decibel Magazine to release the latest video for ‘Eternal Thirst’, from their heralded debut album Written In Blood. The release from the San Antonio quartet pushed the experimental envelope and gave the world of heavy music a much needed stir, with a sound so vicious you’d think it was sent from a less-than-heavenly place.
There was a special concert that catapulted a great many R&B and pop singers into the mainstream; that show was blah. However much the show was vital to the creation of some of the most well beloved musical stars of the last 50 years the sheer fact is that it is difficult if not virtually impossible to find copies of the performances that are presented on the show, a feat…
Look At Me is the first track on Paul Maged’s latest album, Diamonds & Demons and will capture the attention of listeners through vocals that possess hints of Billy Bragg and Tim Armstrong. Maged’s main contribution to music is having a hard-nosed set of vocals that elicit comparisons to punk and the protest tradition while having absurdly catchy heavy rock arrangements. Taken together, these disparate units make for an album…
The flow of Joey Fattz ties together Fat Joe and Royce Da 5’9 while having a certain warmth to his voice that resounds loudly through this DJ Statik Selektah, making this track primed and ready for rap rotation. A soulful sample comprised the meat of the backing beat, with a funky guitar line and horns that keep things dynamic and compelling. The lyrical intensity of Joey Fattz’ flow is something…
The overall emotiveness of the vocals here are what will keep listeners focused in from beginning to end. The instrumentation does a tremendous job in providing highlighting for these vocals in all of the right places, meaning that listeners are hooked before the track hits the half-minute mark. Shivers is a track that will work equally well in pop / crossover styles, emotive rock, and EDM approaches – the dense…
My Skin On Your Skin is the latest track from EsQuille, and features guest vocals from Jane Badler. The track is a welcome addition to the corpus of EDM, as it is able to tie together the house and dance of the nineties with a much more current and contemporary sound. The track is a high energy effort and its driving beat will get listeners out on the dance floor.…
The Apple Years 1968-75 is a huge box set that contains a set of 6 George Harrison albums that have been reissued this year that very desperately needed a new lease on life, and is pegged at around $200. The titles – Wonderwall Music, Electronic Sound, All Things Must Pass, Living in the Material World, Dark Horse, and Extra Texture – are all given the star treatment meaning that the…
Memory is a tremendous track, which will immediately draw listeners in through a lush instrumentation. Dmitry is able to create a narrative with the instrumental side of thing; in the short time before his vocals start on Memory, the arrangement is able to come forth and provide listeners with a fully-variated story. After the vocals are present, listeners will be impressed at how well polished and radio-ready the effort ultimately…
There are numerous worries that a parent will have when their child is not directly under their care. While a lot of situations are made less worrisome through the presence of a shop around there are still times when a child may get lost or well otherwise be separated from their parents. Audiovox has created a child separation alarm that ensures that no matter what activity or location that one…
Scarlet & The Harlots is one of the most interesting acts that we have had the chance to hear. There Once Was A Girl is the first track on the band’s current EP, We Can’t Seem To Get Enough. The strong vocals of Scarlet are part torch song, part coffee shop, and are absolutely intense. The band has the musical chops to keep up with her, with a walking bass…