I wouldn’t be a bit surprised if Lincoln Barr’s record collection stopped sometime in the late 70’s after the first couple of Elvis Costello albums came out and Big Star’s Sister Lover hit the racks… and there ain’t anything wrong with that. With his laid back vocal delivery over strong power pop melodies Barr and the rest of the crew in Red Jacket Mine (no idea where that name…
Archeus begins Ride The Void, and it immediately calls forth the collective voices of symphonic metal (Scorpions, Queensryche); this brief moment of clarity immediately is shattered at the onset of Bestia Triumphans. During this track, Holy Grail is able to tie together Avenged Sevenfold with power metal and eighties heaviness alike. The production of Ride The Vooid is absolutely stellar, adding much-needed warmth to the release. The vocals of…
To call experimental rocker Pere Ubu an acquired taste is an understatement. For more than four decades now music writers have struggled to properly classify the Cleveland musician, tossing out terms like Post Punk, New Wave, Art Punk and taking on every imaginable prefix and suffix to the term rock in a futile effort to find a shorthand for the group’s sound. Lady From Shanghai, the band’s 15th album…
Do what you want is the introductory track to Exile, and it builds off the work of Queensryche and The Scorpion. There is an eye to current music, with the vocals achieving Maroon 5 levels of allure. A.S. provides listeners with a track that will immediately draw them in; the eponymous track follows and spins the act into a new romantic (Psychedelic Furs, The Smiths) meets emotive rock (Fuel, Soundgarden)…
So There begins with Impressions, a track that captures in a hair less than three minutes the different styles and influences that Lyle draws on during So There’s runtime. The momentum achieved by this initial track is bolstered considerably with Let It Out. The array of guitar-heavy rock and blues will draw listeners in and keep them through the next few tracks. What separates Lyle from similar musicians is that…
Don’t Ever Tell Her No is a track that will resonate loudly with anyone that has been in a relationship. Don’t Ever Tell Her No ties together college rock, rockabilly, and even sprinkles in hints of They Might Be Giants and B-52. The bouncy beat of the track is tied together with a story-telling nature, hearkening back to the blues tradition. Thru Lovin’ You continues the trend of high-energy…
Matthew Patrick looks to change what listeners expect from country music. Blue Sun is his latest effort, and the tracks presented her marry together a traditional down-home sound with hints of the islands. Patrick is able to weave a cogent narrative through Blue Sun’s 11 tracks while establishing an instrumentally-intricate effort. Blue Sun begins with Dog, a track that will immediately snare fans. This track soars on dual vocals and…
Rockin’ On the Inside opens up So Much More, and immediately provides listeners with Gentry’s stellar vocals and intelligent instrumental arrangements. Blending equal amounts pop, rock, and country proves to be a success for Gentry, as the momentum that she builds up over the first trio of songs (Rockin’ On the Inside, You Know You Should, and Justin Timberlake Show). Hold Me starts out slowly but shines on the…
Catch a Cold is a track that allows the widest possible swath of listeners to appreciate 2 The Nines’ inimitable style. While there is a catchiness to the song that would easily make it onto rock radio rotation, Hic Up is a darkly emotive track that sets the stage for subsequent efforts; the track has a bounciness that is bold and distinctive. These introductory efforts stand at opposite…
Hunter is looking to make himself a household name in the vein of Chris Brown, Ne*yo, or Justin Timberlake. Pressure is Hunter’s debut album, and its 12 tracks provide listeners with an intimate look into Hunter’s soul. The titular track to Pressure will tattoo its catchy harmonies into the minds and hearts of listeners, while Dancin’ Man seems to be the track that will provide Hunter with a considerable boost.…
Over the past year, the label 429 has been building a reputation as a safe haven for 90’s musicians exiled too soon from the majors (Lisa Loeb, Camper Van Beethoven, Soul Asylum, etc.), but if their latest signing, the Scottish indie rockers The View is an indication, they have a hell of a knack for picking the next big thing as well. Cheeky For a Reason, actually the band’s…
Somewhere between Big Star and Urge Overkill records, you’ll find Count it In, the first full length from Thorcraft Cobra. Comprised of Billy Zimmer and Tammy Glover, each a refugee from other bands, and a handful of guests including Steve McDonald of Redd Kross, Thorcraft Cobra is a pop/rock band stripped of pretentions, crammed with a myriad of influences, and amazingly satisfying. There is not a weak track out the…
Though not as top-of-mind to most as peers like Bryan Ferry and Kate Bush, Scottish ambient/soft rockers The Blue Nile built up a tight cult following thanks to an impressive collection of songs in the 80’s spread out over two solid albums: A Walk Across the Rooftops and it’s follow up Hats. They had a comeback album of sorts in the mid 90s and again 10 years after that, but…
Culprit continue their winter scouting tour of Europe in search of young producers on the brink of creative greatness. For their 32nd EP release, the label makes a stop in Barcelona, recruiting the emerging talent of Argentian-born Nicolas Abalos aka Shall Ocin to join the cause. Ocin’s ‘Crash Into My Love’ EP is part of an exciting first wave of accomplished music arriving from the artist and expands the label’s…
Illusion begins The EP, and it provides listeners with a brief look into the twists, turns, and stylistic variation that they will experience on the remainder of the title. The beauty of tracks like Illusion comes in their uniting of disparate genres of music; the track touches upon the past, the present, and the future over the course of three and a half minutes. While each of the tracks on…
Man, if you were/are a fan of the90’s Brit pop band Blur, 2012 was your year. They started it off by getting the Outstanding Contribution to Music award from the Brit Awards, headlined a show at Hyde Park for the 2012 Olympics, re-released every single one of their studio albums with a ton of extras, and entered the studio to start recording new music. They ultimate scrap ped plans for…
American Travels is the initial track on Heading West, and it provides listeners with an insight into the new direction taken by Mike Howe. Howe establishes a very specific atmosphere for Heading West that is bolstered by Old Wooden House. There is a pristine and untouched feel to the compositions on this CD that will stick with listeners long after the title closes up. Hope is a very deliberate and…
Few bands are able to establish their sound in the space of a few tracks, but My Secret Island are able to show a considerable amount of their facets on this release. Their new maxi single contains four tracks – three versions of their latest single, I Miss The Day, and a cover of the classic Sheila. I Miss The Day is a radio-worthy track that links together the…
I Know You boosts the momentum of Shine on Crazy considerably, changing the overall style and feel originally introduced in Is This Your World. This time out, DNAC links together Madonna and Beyonce into a funky, chill effort. I Know You provides listeners with a retro feel that still feel at home in the most cutting-edge dance clubs. It’s Like That ties together the rap of the eighties into…
We Wish You A Merry Christmas is the star of the North Mississippi Christmas EP, as it deftly blends what listeners would expect from the track with a very down-home and comforting set of vocals. While the effort may spin to a close before the four minute mark, fans will be singing along long after it has ended. Deck The Halls is a solid inclusion for this EP, as Olga…