First off, how is there not another band so far named The Kicks? Secondly, the latest full length from The Kicks is unabashed melodic rock just begging for a stadium. The Nashville band cites everyone from Queen and Aerosmith, Springsteen and the Foo Fighters as influences, but in addition they also sound a bit like (and this in no way is intended as a slam or to be ironic)…
I was just about ready to discount Spitfire as one of many of the hardcore bands on the scene until the band really got into their own groove. In fact, Spitfire is a furious ac that really takes part in some of the noise that their website alludes to; the scintillating rhythms of the band during tracks like “Dear John” and the spontaneity of their sound really makes the…
Spitalfield seems to have a lot more coherent effort with this album that they didn’t have the ability to have with their last album. The whole band works together to provide a solid, cogent sound that is at all times radio friendly and poppy, but the question remains whether it is good. Beginning “Stop Doing Bad Things” with the Rush-influenced (at least in terms of bass) “So I Heard…
The disc starts off with what I can only presume is a homeless person rattling on and on about religion. Sure, there is a light form of instrumentation, but this vocal track is a focus of Sparrows Swarm and Sing during the early part of this three-part EP, which clocks in at less than thirty minutes. I can see where the song may be very experimental, but the vocals…
Ska with pseudo boy band vocals. What I mean by boy band vocals is the fact that they are so clean and clear. The Spanish Word For Danger is very talented in keeping all parts of their band from making interference, and at one time the trombone, drums, guitars, bass and vocals are all playing, creating a very interesting song. The brand of ska put out by TSWFD is such…
The band is more based towards the ska style than Common Rider, but the two bands seem to share a lot of similarities. Both bands successfully integrate a number of different musical genres to create an entirely new style. Nevertheless, the Spitvalves are one of the very few bands that actually have not made the move over to making purely emo music, as so many of their stylistic family have…
The Spinto Band really feel as if they have just been transported by a time machine to the current period from the middle-nineties. “Did I Tell You” is a powerful piece of indie-pop, with definite influences touching the band through both Weezer and They Might Be Giants. Each track on “Nice And Nicely Done” is created with the utmost care, the style of music that indie-chic Velma would do…
The first track on “Seamless” is the title track; while it seems like a smart idea to start off the disc with a bold statement of one’s sound, the back and forth nature of the backing instrumentation really seems cold and impersonal, lacking in its duty to really uplift Spicer’s Cranberries meets Stevie Nicks type of vocals. There is an audible change in the style of instrumentation present on…
The beginning of Speed of Life’s “Mainstay” is admittedly slow; it is only during their second track on the disc, “Long Range Motion” that the band even begins to shine with a luster fitting of them. The music, a progressive-rock blend, really begins to excite when the band moves away from the traditional song structures and styles that ironically hold “Break Free” back.. The entirety of “Long Range Motion”…
There is a great pandering to the high end of things during “The Near Death Experience”. In fact, there is a fuzz present during tracks like “Violent Stink of Twitching Terror” that provides annoyance. I understand the need to properly allow the vocals on a metal band to shine, but not at the expense of listeners’ ears. This crackling and electronic sound does not leave during the follow-up track…
Released in 1987, Document was the first in a series of Scott Lilt-produced album by Athens’s favorite sons that took them from the heroes of college radio to the one of the biggest rock bands in the world. Their relationship with Litt would continue for the next five records. Thanks to the folks at EMI, who now own the IRS Records’ catalogue, Document is getting the anniversary treatment. Though…
So, everyone remembers the Spin Doctors for their “Two Princes” song. Fast forward about a decade, and a track like “Nice Talking To Me” has the perfect amount of classic rock crunch, putting the Spin Doctors alongside acts like Lenny Kravitz without much effort. At some points, especially during tracks like “Sugar”, the perfection achieved by the Doctors is almost too much; there is little humanity strewn amongst the…
The Specifics have played live during my shows a number of times, but most the time, have had extra-band incidents sully their sound. For example, we had to rush their set during an early-summer set, and towards the end of the summer the acoustics in one of our venues didn’t work too well with the band. Here is the band, mixed and mastered by themselves, sounding as amazing as…
The style of music that Speakers For The Dead start out their “Finally” is the same style that a number of nu rock bands have started their disc. There are the same styles, ropey guitars, and smooth vocals that have littered many a 10 Years, Slipknot, Disturbed, and Godsmack track. The one strength that individuals can immediately hear is that Speakers For The Dead have spared no expense getting…
In what comes forth as Spinal Tap meets Queen, the opening track to “Hello Young Lovers” is an interesting opening, especially to those listeners that have not had the luck to hear Sparks in the past. In a sense (as someone that was not even alive when Sparks started their career), I would have to say that Sparks must have had a great influence on They Might Be Giants.…
I first was turned onto The Soviettes when their track “Paranoia! Cha-Cha-Cha” was featured on April’s Rock Against Bush compilation. Finally, we are given more than a taste from the Minneapolis act, and they do not disappoint in the least. Mixing the earliest strains of British punk with the straight-forward rock strains started in America, The Soviettes make radio-friendly tracks that are nearly impossible to ignore. Whether it is the…
The British band Roxy Music never really achieved mass success in the U.S., but like The Velvet Underground and Captain Beefheart, they have become one of those bands indie art rockers need to name check in ticking off influences lest they be shamed as musical poseurs. But listening back on their catalogue, you can’t help but be impressed by the bands creativity. Fronted by Bryan Ferry and at one time…
Moondancing is a tremendously emotive track that is able to weave a narrative that is richer than those created by even the most vocal-heavy acts. Beyond the Turning possesses a more cohesive sound due to this; listeners will easily be able to find common elements to My Peace Piece to The Long Way Home, Passage 1 and Adungu Inspiration. The sheer amount of tools available to Breyer is astounding. Listeners…
There is little more to Birds in Trees (or the solid ground) than Nico’s vocals and guitar work. There is a tremendous amount of work placed into this seemingly-simple track; Rivers’ rich narrative provides this track with some serious legs. To The Bone continues to gain momentum with the EP’s second track, Molotovs & Medicine. The inclusion of a harmonica to Rivers’ repertoire adds a further intensity to the…
O.N.E. opens up Royal Flush, and the track will immediately find its home with any listeners that find themselves digging alternative or traditional rock styles. Hints of Jet, AC/DC, and Cornershop can all be heard during this introductory salvo. The Jack strips things down, allowing the act to craft a blend of blues, surf, and psychedelic rock. This track opens with an extended instrumental introduction, ensuring that the vocals…