I’ve always been a little troubled that little was made of the fact that Rage Against the Machine, a rock band that was known for scathingly anti-corporate lyrics (even heading down to Wall Street for their, well anti-Wall Street rant “Bulls on Parade” video), chose not to turn to an established independent label to release their music, or even take the Ani Di Franco/Fugazi route and start their own label,…
Though the UK ska band Madness may always be trapped in 1982 for many of their U.S. fans, thanks to the wildly popular “Our House,” the two-tone group has continued to build up their resume since reuniting in the early 90’s. Though the success has mainly been limited to Europe (they were tapped to play the closing ceremonies of the 2012 London Olympics along with a number of festivals), the…
Stereotyperider plays an interesting brand of emo/indie-rock. Their first track on “Prolonging The Inevitable”, moves between rejoicing in odd arrangements at one point to rocking out in true emo-rock style throughout much of “Down As”. Immediately impressive are the guitar solos found on the aforementioned track, which move from sizzling guitar tracks that are slightly sloppy to some of the most impressive angular-technical that the genre has ever seen.…
The band Stella Maris plays a brand of pop-indie rock that will recall The Fray just as much as it should tie the band to older acts in that style like Fuel and early Goo Goo Dolls. The style is not emo but rather attempts to create a sound in-between rock and indie that has links to both styles. “Faces on Screens” is the break out track of the…
Sudden Victory is the latest effort from Baltimore’s The Perfects, and each of the cuts presented here provide considerable insight for listeners. The album begins with a titular opener; the new wave styling of The Perfects seems vital and current with each subsequent note. The track acts as a microcosm of the styles, genres, and approaches taken during the whole of Sudden Victory. Control is a sub-three minute effort…
Steel Train is a band that seems to be a more electrified version of Vetiver, looking back to the entirety of the American music tradition, with tracks like “Road Song” looking back to both the average Country and Western band and The Beach Boys, all while infusing their own sound to the mixture. The entirety of “Prairies of the Sun” works underneath a very leisurely pace; this is not…
With a strong dose of John Melloncamp and the raspiness of a Bob Dylan, the Steel Pier Sinners bash through this extended EP almost too quickly to affect their audience. “Essex Road” shows the ebb and flow of the band, in that the twinkling of the high hats provided by Tony flow in perfectly to Ryan’s bass and Meagan’s guitar. Not immediately able to be categorized, Steel Pier Sinners would…
I always thought that Stavesacre was a much harder band than what is found on “How To Live With A Curse”. The style is something that is a blend of Deftones and P.O.D.; Stavesacre open up this album with a radio-friendly track that echoes throughout whatever room individuals are playing the CD in. The guitar work that is present during the opening minutes of the track hides behind the…
There was no escaping Peter Gabriel’s seventh album in the mid-80’s. Released in May of 1986, you could not turn on Top 40 Radio, and for some songs college radio as well, any given day without hearing “Sledgehammer,” “Red Rain,” “Big Time,” “Don’t Give Up” or “Mercy Street”. And MTV? The phenomenally creative videos for “Sledgehammer” and “Big Time” were like porn for the channel that at one time actually…
Michael Zapruder has created in eir latest work, Pink Thunder, a truly multimedia experience. The album is meant to be enjoyed alongside photos and poems. The myriad of different influences and styles that are broached during the 22 tracks on the disc unite to showcase the intricacies of a stellar musician. Zapruder is helped along the way by the efforts of 36 musicians (this list includes Tom Griesser, Ava Mendoza,…
Come On Let’s Go is a perfect introduction to Crazy Mary and their latest album, Dreaming in Brilliant Color. The band has been around for nearly fifteen years, and Come On Let’s Go touches upon the different styles and influences that are approached during the remainder of the title. This track serves as an easy way for listeners to meet the band. I feel that the different elements of Crazy…
Never Try to Change You 2 is a catchy bit of pop-country that touches upon Shania Twain, Stevie Nicks, Sheryl Crow, and Natalie Cole before ending. The rapid-fire delivery of Longo’s vocals keeps the tempo high, ensuring that listeners will continue to stick with the disc. The momentum achieved by Never Try to Change You 2 is bolstered through Tangled Up. This effort succeeds because it stands out from…
High Tonight is an incredibly high energy track, and it shows that each member of Engloria throws their heart and soul into the track. The guitar, drums, bass, and vocals unite to make a stellar track. The titular track adds a little bit of psychedelic folk and pop into the mix, recalling the halcyon days of Oasis and Blur. Engloria is talented enough to update this Britpop-styled sound; there…
(Two Miserable) Blackbirds is a rock track that could easily be heard at any point of time, on any type of radio station. There are hints of The Wallflowers, Spin Doctors, and even Dishwalla. The rich instrumentation of (Two Miserable) Blackbirds will immediately draw listeners in, as the band glitters and bounces along until the end. Fly Away keeps with the same introspective arrangements and allows the vocals to…
I believe that the most difficult task that a musician can take is committing oneself to the creation of a ten minute-plus track. The difficulty of this effort is so high due to the sheer amount of work one has to put in. It is simply not enough to merely repeat different arrangements (albeit with minor variations) for the bulk of the composition. Opening Sound dives headlong into this enterprise…
It is rare to hear such a narrative-heavy album. Hints of Donovan, Phil Ochs, and Simon & Garfunkel can all be heard in Blood and Thunder’s first track, Mister D. The instrumentation on the track has a similar gravity to it. Strum takes an interesting tack during this album; rather than having the instrumental arrangements continually red-line a listener’s speakers, there is a careful consideration for how each part…
The guitar work is what will immediately bring listeners in to FlyPaper’s self-titled release. The titular track is the perfect introduction to the band, as this guitar is found alongside a rich and emotive set of vocals and utterly on point drum work. Taken together, what listeners will find is something unique, while still touching upon blues and rock. Is It Just Me slows things down, and allows FlyPaper…
All Out War is the initial track on Showdown, and it captures in 150 seconds the sheer magnitude of where the band will take listeners through the album. Happy is given an additional minute over this beginning cut, and it is this additional time that allows the instrumental side of Royal guard to shine vis-à-vis the inimitable vocals. Yesterday immediately follows the band’s introduction and is vital in establishing…
/ 2012 Self / 10 Tracks / http://www.garyleewingard.com Seems To Be Raining is a complex and dense track that soars on the interaction between instrumental and vocal sides. There are hints of rock, country, and even John Denver-esque pop that is present during this track. Wingard is able to establish a very contemporary type of sound that is imbued with a wide array of influences and styles. I Really Love…
It is amazing that “Start A War” starts off without any introduction; to use the metaphor, this is as if the U.S. just started bombing a country without any provocation (hrmmm….). “I’m The One” steps back from that precipice to have a more brutal (instead of breakneck-fast) sound; the spastic drums that are present during the track are perhaps the high point of what is a fairly chaotic track.…