Sallie Ford Slap Back CD Review
If you were a fan of Sallie Ford & The Sound Outside, don’t assume you know what her new album is going to sound like.
Category: Music Reviews
RxGF Any Other Way CD Review
The titular beginning to Any Other Way is a track that ties together Garbage, Atari Teenage Riot, and an earlier, late seventies / early eighties goth sound (Siouxsie and the Banshees, 45 Grave) into something that is instrumentally intense while having a very approachable sound. Flesh and Bone further varies up RxGF’s sound in its inclusion of dual harmonies; the shuffling sound of the synths and drums create an effort…
The Great Escape S/T CD Review
All I Think About starts with an energetic clap and stomp sound that sets the stage for the various paths that The Great Escape will take on their eponymous album. This first track introduces listeners to Amie Miriello, whom is able to craft her own distinct musical path while taking up the standard previously carried by Lorde and Adele. The hard, seventies-infused rock that hits hard during this first track…
Dimestore Prophets Be Yourself CD Review
This three-piece act has an energetic rock style that will keep listeners locked in from the beginning to the end of their latest release, Be Yourself. The introductory track on Be Yourself (Be Yourself in Time) shines on honest vocals, intricate guitars, and splashy drums that resound loudly. Hey Darlin’ is soulful, a hint funky, and is completed with a ropey and thick bass line. The production makes the finished…
Caleb Hawley – Side 2
Can’t get behind Robin Thicke’s white guy soul act (be it because there is too much modern pop and not enough soul in the mix… or maybe just because he’s an asshat)? There are plenty of others who can fill that funk void, from the brilliant Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings to the under-the-radar jams of someone like Caleb Hawley.
Coheed and Cambria – In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3
Released at a point when emo, screamo and pop punk were having an inexplicable revival in the early aughts, upstate New York’s Coheed and Cambria managed to sneak into the party when no one was watching the door, playing an impressive mix of prog rock and metal with a subtle inclusion of pop.
Skylar Gudasz – Car Song/Dream Lover 7” (Vinyl)
In just seven brief minutes, spread out over two songs, Durham, NC’s Skylar Gudasz has offered a glimpse at quite possibly the most starkly beautiful vocals to come along since The Cowboy Junkies’ Margo Timmins turned in her Trinity Sessions performance.
Tru vs. BMSN – The Mixtape
Fake Soldier, Fallen Soldier has a very street savvy sound to the effort, with some absolute fire that is spat by Tru; there is a quickness and natural feeling to this track that ensures that listeners will be able to keep focused on the rest of the album.
Kool Stuff Katie – Self-Titled
With just 10 songs, the duo Kool Stuff Katie has managed to sneak in the best debut of the year. Unfortunate band name aside, Portland-based musicians Shane Blem and Saren Oliver have crammed together garage rock, new wave, punk and a liberal mix of hooky pop music for an instantly-infectious sound that brings to mind everyone from The Cars and The Kinks to The Breeders and The Ramones.
Titan Slayer – Desolated Heroes Single Review
Titan Slayer has just released their latest single Desolated Heroes on Venator Music. There is a nice load-up period that starts things off, drawing listeners in as the arrangements gradually begin to pick up steam. The epic stylings of this single mean that listeners will be absolutely engrossed in the composition by the time that the last minute finishes and will be on the edges of their seats by the…
Thierry David Hypnosis CD Review
Freedom’s Alluring Call is a trance-infused instrumental composition that deftly links together natural and artificial elements into something that is brooding, expressive, and carries a narrative richer than any vocal effort.
Liquid Mind: Relaxing Rain & Ocean Mixes CD Review
The Joy of Quiet Rain Mix is an absolutely epic effort, with a number of different movements that elicit different emotions and mindstates. There are a number of environmental sounds that are interspersed during this effort (rain following, thunder) that approximate a storm that washes everything away. One can meditate and create a positive state in this nearly ten-minute offering The Soft Focus Ocean Mix does a stellar job in…
Horse Feathers – So It Is With Us
Much like their first four efforts, Horse Feathers’ latest, So It Is With Us, is a collection of quiet, indie music that straddles the line between folk and Americana. And that is far from being a bad thing.
Bad Luck – Cold Bones
When people dismissively ask “You still listen to punk music?,” they are actually thinking of bands like the four-piece Bad Luck. This group from Long Island and Daytona Beach, represent all that made the genre such a muddled mess of mediocrity in the early aughts. Pop music and seventh grade poetry masquerading as “Emo” all got mislabeled with the Punk tag, perverting a genre that was doing just fine without…
The Turtles – 45 RPM Singles Collection
Hipsters and Baby Boomers rejoice! The latest, vinyl-only singles collection from The Turtles is a brilliant throw back and hopefully the start of a new trend.
Funeral Kab S/T EP
The sheer energy that Funeral Kab possess on this self-titled Ep calls back to the early days of Anthrax and Suicidal Tendencies, with hints of Deliverance-era Corrosion of Conformity and bits of Rites of Spring / Fugazi. Taken all together, this no frills rock / punk / hardcore blend is something that is loud, raucous, and has a take no prisoners approach that keeps the energy high from beginning to…
Cole Washburn Traveler’s Moon EP Review
Traveler’s Moon is a tremendously introspective and heartfelt release that is crafted with the utmost care. Anastasia is a soft and sedate track that links together indie rock and country traditions. The instrumentation that is utilized in this track is as rich as the dual part harmony is presented. The specific array of styles and approaches that are presented listeners on Beautiful to Me showcases the depth and breadth of…
Ostrich Run Acoustified CD Review
Boundaries is a track that feels like a blend of Taking Back Sunday and +44, with a small amount of The Anniversary mixed in. The production is able to create a close and cozy sound for the vocals, drums, and guitars in a fashion that makes it seem as Ostrich Run is in your living room, while being clean enough to allow listeners to hear the constituent elements of the…
Smoke Season Hot Coals Cold Souls EP Review
Smoke Season starts off their Hot Coals Cold Souls with Badlands, a chaotic and tempestuous effort that possesses the perfect blend of intensity and sly, sultry music. The presence of dual harmonies during this introductory effort establishes Smoke Season as an act that has a number of tools in their repertoire. The Jack White-esque guitar lines present on this introductory salvo and haunting melodies crafted by this two-part vocal assault…
WydeFrame DFWY (Don’t Fuck with Ya’ll) Single Review
DFWY is WydeFrame’s strongest banger, and it immediately hits listeners over their head. The soaring hook is matched perfectly by a gritty and intricate flow that maintains a solid harmony each time it occurs. The production of DFWY is equal to any of the cuts currently garnering radio airplay, while there is enough variation that is present in WydeFrame’s overall sound that the track really does have considerable replay value.…