David J Caron has just released his latest video, Illusion. The track blends together 80s metal and progressive rock with emotive vocals and intense instrumentation. The track runs a hair over five minutes, but Caron’s skill ensures that there are more than enough twists and turns present here to keep listeners focused on in.
The Innerspace EP is the latest release from In Orbit, and it contains five tracks from this Perth (Australia) band. Cure is a great introductory track for In Orbit, placing the band firmly in the NWOBHM style of Venom, Mercyful Fate, and early Twisted Sister. The band gets into a groove that would make Suicidal Tendencies and Anthrax proud; In Orbit is able to infuse these traditionally-styled cuts with something…
The tropic feel of this track is bolstered through a lively sound that is infectious enough to keep bouncing around listeners’ heads for months after the initial listen, allowing listeners to have a sunny disposition whenever the track pops up on their iTunes or mp3 player. The production is stellar, ensuring that the cut is ready for pop rotation. Everything is perfectly in place for the first half of the…
Jared Wesley has just released the second release in his The Reinvention of “The Cool” title and has provided listeners wit a number of memorable cuts. Happy Belated is a track that links together intricate flows with a J Dilla meets Outkast-style production. The hard-nosed vocal style continues into Rippin N’ Rollin, a track that shows the Twista-fast vocals of Wesley.
Sarah is a soulful track that has an intelligent array of instruments and soulful singing that is in the vein of John Maher or Jason Mraz. Blue Light Bandits (BLB)’s vocals pull double duty in that they progress the narrative side of things while further bolstering the instrumental backdrop present during tracks like So Mine. The same sunny disposition first heard in Sarah and SO Mine is marked through the…
Traces is a soulful effort that focuses on Henriksson’s vocals, bolstering them through the inclusion of a folk-infused instrumentation. The instrumental arrangement that is built through this introductory track expands to create something intense and will resound loudly with listeners long after the title has ceased. Fly slows things down and imbues a more introspective and atmospheric sound to Henriksson’s vocals. The tender piano that plays at the bottom of…
Night Wing is a track that touches upon electronic music in a fashion that blends together equal amounts Kraftwerk, Can, Klaus Schulze and Herbie Hancock. The track contains a substantial narrative component that shines through in its instrumental state. The effort reaches out over a seven minute period, allowing Harlequins Enigma ample opportunity to showcase their skills in arrangement and musical ability.
Velocirapper is an intense bit of rock that is reminiscent of Sepultura, Deftones, and Papa Roach. There is a heaviness to this introductory composition that will keep listeners on the edges of their seats, while a melodic drop showcases the sheer talent of the band. Rock Bottom keeps the same high energy as it draws listeners into a blend of Suicidal Tendencies and Hatebreed. The confidence that is exuded by…
She Keeps Me (Rockin’) is the second single from Canada’s Tommy Roumanas, and it presents listeners with some of the most intricate and intimate thoughts ever committed to tape. The track is raw and visceral, all while still having a very radio friendly approach. The production of the track allows the vocals, guitars, and drums equal opportunities to shine. Roumanas’ vocals builds off of the work of Buckcherry and Dexter…
For a duo, Eureka California make a hell of a lot of noise. The Athens indie rockers, comprised of drummer Marie Uhler and singer/guitarist Jake Ward, have just turned in their second full length in 18 months and far from sounding like a rushed out also ran, Crunch is a remarkably satisfying slice of unpretentious college rock.
Goodbye Birdcage is a fun and hopeful album that will be eagerly devoured by any fan of rock, whether it be The Beach Boys or They Might Be Giants. Pretty Girls has a sun-drenched and slightly jazzy sound that highlights a set of lyrics which will tattoo themselves upon listeners’ minds and hearts. Learn to Swim looks further back to the nascent days of rock music; this 1940s and 1950s…
Age of Progress is Chains of Logic’s new album, and the 12 cuts on the album provide fans with a considerable amount of genres, styles, and looks into his soul. I Love You creates a dark and emotionally intense atmosphere that is punctuated through the rapid stylistic shifts that occur. As the track continues to gain speed, listeners will begin to pay attention – Chains of Logic is able to…
Sounding like very few bands around today, on The Bastards of Fate’s sophomore record (Vampires Are Real And Palpable), they offer up a perfect example of how refreshingly creative a group can be if they simply don’t give a fuck about pleasing anyone but themselves. Over the course of just 10 songs, the Roanoke-based band pull apart pop, psychedelic and college rock and then twist and force it into their…
Earth & The Next Society are currently preparing their latest effort, The 100th Monkey. Cheap Hustle has a soulful and funky groove that builds off of eighties rock into something vibrant and current. Confident bass, drums, and vocals elicit comparisons to Hall and Oates and later Eagles, while the bold and front-forward vocals ensure that listeners will be on the edges of their seats.
Three dudes and six songs can still add up to a lot of noise. On their latest 12” EP, Guilt, this Minneapolis trio conjure up an aggressive, eclectic mix of atonal music. Whether or not the result is impressive all hinges on how much you can take of the barrage of sounds. I gave up after just two go rounds with the record.
Whiskey & Wine is the new EP from Dyanne Harvey, and it contains five new compositions that, taken together, paints a good picture of where Harvey has been and wants to go with her career. The titular track Whiskey & Wine is catchy, with both the instrumental arrangements and Harvey’s vocals tattooing themselves upon listeners’ minds and hearts. The track is destined for radio (and online) rotation and represents a…
Together has a blend of pop rock and mid-seventies styling; there is a current and contemporary feel to this effort that is provided further depth through the sheer eclecticism of the styles that McMorris has included here. The track Lo & Behold expands upon McMorris’ repertoire with slightly hard rock styling; the track comes forth as a blend of Matchbox 20 and John Maher while still having a bit of…
Long before they became catnip for modern hippies and jam band devotees, the Dave Matthews Band was just another group trying to find their niche in an alternative rock music world. Remember Two Things, featuring mainly live tracks, was released on the band’s own label in 1993, when radio stations were liberally defining modern rock as something between Liz Phair and Pearl Jam. It was pretty adventurous then for a…
Kiran Murti begins Namasté Yoga with a timeless sort of composition that provides listeners with an authentic feeling; by the end of the track, listeners will be able to tackle the nearly ten-minute Guru Charanam by Sacred Earth. The track has an atmospheric feel that approximates the winds and cold chill that a late-Spring outdoor gathering would have. The momentum ebbs and flows in a fashion that ensures that listeners…
There is a very intricate and dense tack taken during Soul Searching by the Calgary alt-rock band 36?. The track has a tremendous vocal harmony that is further highlighted through the turbulent and tempestuous arrangement. The act is able to further establish their own unique styling with Beauty/Strong, a trip-hop inspired track in the vein of Massive Attack or early-oughts Bjork. There is a warmth to this composition that keeps…