Coup De Grace is straight-forward bludgeoning metal, with bold vocals, sizzling guitars, and a tremendous momentum that punctuates all points of the track. Lemmy’s vocals are as vibrant and on-point as they always have been, while the track provides listeners with the kick in the ass that they need to stick with the rest of the album. Lost Woman Blues showcases Motorhead at their artistic finest. While the band can…
There are always a few albums that I receive that are cut by a band that had their meteoric rise and later fall to and from stardom years before I seriously got into music. Spin Doctors was the first this mouth, Super Deluxe was the second. Without saying I know anything about Super Deluxe beyond the history on the promo sheet, I would have to say that the disc’s…
The high-energy of Supercreep is something that works well with the lavish production present throughout the disc. Different sections of the disc really show Jody’s diverse array of influences, something that makes the average tone of this disc – essentially a Weezer with instrumental intelligence – resonate throughout. Something that Supercreep has that most other acts in which one person is the main influence is this diversity, creating another…
Sunshine has been around for a decade, and the sound really is cultivated to the point that one knows that this band has been around for an eternity in band years. Taking equal parts Nine Inch Nails and The Strokes, the opening to “Moonshower and Razorblade”, “What You’rve Got” is an immediate hit for the band, using a distinctive set of vocals to confidently stride forward into new territory.…
One person bands usually suffer because of their lack of discussion – this is not the case witrh Spencer Krug’s Sunset Rubdown. A key member of Wolf Parade, this iteration of Spencer’s music really looks back to seventies-era David Bowie for inspiration. The experimental nature of tracks like “Hope You Don’t Stoop To Dirty Words II” show someone that really does not care for the conventions of time signatures…
I know I have said this before, but can Spencer sound more like David Bowie? I mean, seriously, it is a good thing but when I look up I am expecting a creature with red hair and what I’ll probably see at a Sunset Rubdown concert is some hyper-emotive person in a sweater and dark pants. Everything on “Shut Up I Am Dreaming” is ultimately radio-friendly while still challenging that…
There is an organic sound to Sunset Rubdown that really gives the entirety of this EP a sound that can not be pinned down to any specific period of time. Further tracks, such as “Jason Believes Me…” seems to take equal apart from 60s pop-rock and “Major Tom”-era David Bowie. The activist drums present on this track do not allow the song to be that easily categorized, and really…
One thing that the material on this disc is clear to say is that this is not a split album in any way. This is a combination of Sunn0))) and Boris creating all of the music on this album. None of the tracks on “Altar” are short in the least, so the minds behind two of the most off the cuff “heavy” music bands are able to ramble and…
Reaching the height of cheesiness with the opening sound of a typewriter, Sunday Driver only really starts gaining my admiration on “Saboteur”, a track that mixes driving hair-band guitars with Stabbing Westward vocals. The only comment about this opening track is the teasing that Sunday Driver does with the drums, putting them out so that all can hear, but not allowing the drummer to do the Black Sabbath drum…
It might just be the worst descriptor of any band that I’ve ever seen when Amazon says that The Sun is “neo-punk”. To give this Columbus act that label is to pigeonhole them into a wholly uninteresting genre and really denigrates their revolutionary accomplishments during “Blame It On The Youth”. This is not a plain album, nor is it a lightly-veiled advertisement masquerading as a movie (The Wall); it is…
The piano that opens up “8 AM” is very emotional, and works perfectly in highlighting the vocals that ultimately take off after. The Summer Obsession have a single after thirty seconds in “8 AM”, and while the band is not coming forth with something that is cutting-edge and revolutionary, they still come out with a style that individuals can get behind. The multiple layers of vocals during “8 AM”…
Coming through with much of the same metal-infused punk riffs that have made Sum 41 such a successful crossover band, these selections from “Chuck” are really par for the course from these Canadians. Much more ballsy and full of sound than their nearest competitors in their fellow nationals Simple Plan, Sum 41 still make tracks that are acceptable for the soccer moms all through the world. The punk sound…
“Power World” is a strong opening for Terry Sullivan. I must say that before this album I had little clue who Terry Sullivan was, but I feel bad now because I had no previous knowledge of eir. The opening track here blends together a classic Tom Petty type of sound with a snarky early nineties alternative sound to create something that individuals will be singing along with for a…
The titular effort on Shut Off Your Mind (“Shut Off Your Mind”) will ensure that listeners are on the edges of their seats. During this song, sizzling guitar lines unite with on-point drums and sultry, slinky vocals to create something special. This introductory track feeds into Only Heaven knows, which has a very strong momentum that allows listeners to be sent along the way with intense rock, rockstar-confident vocals,…
Be Here Now is a tremendously emotional track that links together instrumental and vocal elements to create something that is tremendously effecting. McLean’s vocals are able to draw listeners in and keep them while the deftly arranged instrumentation provides the perfect backdrop. Give Me One Reason has a bouncy sound and allows McLean to take up both jazz and funk styles, ensuring that this Tracy Chapman track is provided…
Australia has brought a number of impressive musical forces to our shores the last few decades. Get Out, Meliya’s latest single, showcases a new force that looks to take America by storm. The sonic assault that is present at the opening of Get Out will immediately draw attention, while the unique interaction between vocals and instrumentation ensure that those listeners stick around. The track exists at the juncture of…
The track comes forward in a very strong and confident way, with a stripped and straight forward rock approach. The guitars, drums, and vocals unite to make something that is melodic, hard-hitting, and is ultimately something that will be kicking around the minds and heards of anyone that has listened in. The specific strain of rock that Morley utilizes during Mad Men is a blend of seventies rock like AC/DC…
“I Believe You Can Survive” has become a bit of an obsession lately. Lebanon Hanover is a minimal wave project comprised of power couple Larissa Iceglass from Germany and William Maybelline of England. This song is lyrically endearing while never giving up on the somber aesthetic that makes them what they are, the king and queen of post-punk revival. It’s hard to make music that idealizes the past while looking…
Refill is Umbrella Bed’s new EP, and it showcases a mature and polished act. The EP begins with Wish That It Would Stop, a sonic assault that recalls the hazy alternative of the early nineties before the band shifts gears and takes a Less Than Jake meets Reel Big Fish approach to ska. There is a heavier end to this track that provides listeners with a wholly unique experience. The…
Bottom of the Ocean is a high-energy track that has the proper blend of punk, rock, and pop. This means that fans of Avril Lavighne, The Distillers, Pink, and Kelly Clarkson will be able to appreciate what Scalies is doing here. For those listeners that appreciate the instrumental side of things, the overall production allows an impressive arrangement to push the track to the next level. Small Talk Friends…