DJ-Kicks is making a solid bid for 2012 as one of the strongest years of the series so far. Following much-loved entries from Photek & Maya Jane Coles, the first DJ-Kicks of the summer comes from none other than Digitalism. Featuring a generous serving of exclusive tracks (eight in total), the mix is sure to have fans dancing all summer long. The brand new exclusive track “A New Drug” is…
The type of punk rock that the CONVALESCENTS play is insane; the energy brought to listeners with the opening strains of Scratch Scratch is reminiscent of 1039-era Green Day and Bad Religion. The tightness of the band is made more visible through a solid overall production. This production ensures that each part of the band is able to shine, be it vocals, drums, or guitars. The band is able…
The emotive guitar work that begins The Landing draws listeners in; there is a narration that is present throughout the entirety of the opening effort, Dogs in Paradise. There need not be any vocals in this track just as long as Hill’s playing is present. The sheer amount of different styles and sounds that can issue forth from Hill’s guitar is amazing; one will be shocked to learn that…
The Elwood James Band begin their self-titled EP with Rain, a vocal-focused track that possesses a delightful set of harmonies. These vocals harmonies work perfectly in tandem with the ropey bass lines and on-point drum lines. After providing listeners this introductory track, The Elwood James Band are able to expand their sound with Nobody Rolls. This track begins in a slower, more deliberate fashion. The guitars will draw listeners…
Ottoman Palace starts out Mediterranean, and the track allows Amberfern to create a bold sounding title. The track kicks into high gear at about the 50 second mark, providing listeners with a brief glimpse of the hustle and bustle of a marketplace. Moving from that, there is still a quick tempo and motivated feel to this introductory track. Moving into Es Grau, Amberfern shifts the album’s paradigm considerably; the song…
Rajendra Teredesai’s Divine Dimension begins with Antar Naad (Call Within), a track that sets the stage for the different approaches and styles that are presented during the album’s runtime. Teredesai plays the bansuri (a type of bamboo flute), and creates compositions that provide listeners with a considerable amount of instrumental narration. Each of the compositions stretches out over a six-plus minute runtime, allowing Teredesai ample opportunity to expand on arrangements…
The Dandy Warhols have been around since 1994. Despite closing in on their twentieth year as a band, I feel that the band has been able to continually innovate. The 11 tracks on This Machine allow the band to continue with the sound that has been such a hallmark, but adds considerably to the overall paintbrush that the band can use. Sad vacation opens up the title, providing listeners…
The importance that Ernie Kovacs had on modern comedy is incredible. While eir early death made it harder to understand eir true role in current come, I feel that the variety of specials that are captured here should showcase the sheer impact that ey had on the art form. Shout Factory has found some solid versions of these specials, which do not possess the same graininess or audio problems…
Songwriter C.R. Ecker came to country music from a news background in New York and L.A. Not a usual musical career route. “I knew to write with clarity and feeling about my own experiences, match melodies that listeners would remember, make every word count and sung as pronounced, and not waste a note –all advice from my songwriting coach Sam Brown, who also mentored a very young Michael Jackson. You’ll…
Stars and Satellites is the latest release by Trampled by Turtles, and it showcases a band that can unite a variety of disparate elements into a cohesive release. The transformative aspect of this album cannot be overstated; it provides listeners with a blueprint with how to make a tremendous album. Stars and Satellites begins with Midnight on the Interstate, hitting listeners with a very polished and catchy set of…
The fact that fIREHOSE was even a band, let alone one with a strong enough catalog to justify a two-disc special re-release treatment, is surprising. When D. Boon accidentally died in the mid-80’s abruptly ending punk heroes The Minutemen, the last thing bassist Mike Watt wanted to do was start another band, still morning his band mate and one of his closest friends. As fIREHOSE legend has it, Ed Crawford,…
The Jamie McLean Band is one of the acts that are tight enough to make a live recording sound as good as a recorded one. The band, tying together McLean (guitar / vocals), Brian Griffin (drums / vocals) , and Ben Mars (bass / vocals), releases their Live At Gibson in May. This album takes ten tracks and two guests (Jason Crosby and Taylor Hicks) and will convert anyone lucky…
Good Old War has continually innovated and evolved their sound since their 2008 debut, Only Way To Be Alone. Come Back as Rain is their third full-length, and showcases an act that is incredibly comfortable in their overall dynamic as a band. The album starts off with Over and Over, a track that builds off of the repletion alluded to by the title and subtly shifts the arrangement, until what…
Anais Mitchell is one of the most exciting performers currently active in America. This is because ey fully takes up a role with Young Man in America, and does not drop the façade until after the disc’s final track, Ships, closes up. This theme album is able to succeed in any fashion, whether listeners are just able to pick up a single track, can listen on repeat, or even see…
The Lumineers gained much critical acclaim upon the release of their debut EP in 2011. This 2012 release looks to expand upon the styles, approaches, and genres originally broached during this title and expand upon a variety of different sounds. Flowers in Your Hair is the first track on this LP, and provides listeners with the first hint of the band’s inimitable new-folk leaning. Throughout the tracks on this LP,…
New York City has always been a hot spot for music, but its’ allure has faded ever so slightly with the prominence of other cities and countries in the last decade. Ravens & Chimes look to restore that luster to the Big Apple with their new title, Holiday Life. Holiday Life begins with Division Street, a track that captures the different tacks taken by the band throughout each of the…
Few bands truly break free of genre conventions. Acts that have been tagged as doing so, such as the Refused or the Arcade Fire merely expand on what is acceptable in a genre. Extra Life, from the initial No Dreams Tonight to the final cut Ten Year Teardrop, look to establish a completely new method of creating music. Extra Life is a spin-off act from Zs / Dirty Projectors member…
Ash Gray and the Girls creates a sixties, Hippie type of sound with Purple and Gold, the first track on Born In The Summer. In the four minutes that the track occupies, hints of The Turtles, Strawberry Alarm Clock, and the Mamas and the Papas can all be heard. All the Good Girls starts softly and gathers considerable steam before the vocals even start. Whether it be a Sonny…
Oberhofer is a band that is tremendously capable at what they do. They are able to take on a variety of different musical styles and genres, creating a cohesive entity with their Time Capsules II. Whether touching on new wave, punk, surf (Beach Boys meets Turtles), or straight rock, Oberhofer are able to speak directly to their listeners. Oberhofer plays to the wide expanses; with arrangements that look to the…
What Bad Weather California do on Sunkissed is create a new form of music that takes on various genres, whether it be desert-rock, punk, or even jam-band styles. The 11 tracks on Sunkissed cover a wide variety of tempos, influences, and styles, but Bad Weather California is a band that is talented enough to make it all work. The band is signed to the new Akron/Family label Family Tree, and…