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…
Esperanza Spalding is an astonishing performer, and puts forth eir all in creating a stellar album in Radio Music Society. It may be only two years since 2010’s Chamber Music Society, but I feel that there has been considerable evolution in terms of the types and styles of music that issue forth here. Radio Song is a straight flip of what one would expect; I believe that what Spalding is…
Robert Nix cannot be pigeonholed; his work on Walk Down The Street simply defies genre convention. This is the reason that this release is so compelling. The album begins with the titular track, a ball of frenetic energy that firmly plants listeners in their seats. The momentum garnered by this opening is used to great effect in Should You Should I. This early-disc masterpiece pushes Nix’s vocals to the fore;…
The Chorderoys create an EP that speaks more to listeners than many bands do on a full-length album. The Train is the initial salvo on No Man’s Land, and it will immediately snare fans through a blending of intelligent arrangements and utterly soulful singing. The confidence exuded by the band will endear The Chorderoys to their listeners. Keeping things strong, the band is able to move to The Train. The…
In Cages are an incredibly eclectic rock act that looks to challenge the stuffiness of the genre. Their unique style ensures that listeners will take note, while their attention to detail and sheer musical ability will make a fan out of anyone. Dirty Water blends catchy arrangements with a down and dirty style; putting the guitars at front and center ensures that listeners stick around for the long haul. In…
The Good Lovelies is an act that looks to create a wholly unique sound with their Let the Rain Fall. This is done through the inclusion of multi-part vocal harmonies and a bright feel to each of the tracks presented on Let the Rain Fall. The act has been around since 2006, and this title showcases the sheer maturity of their compositions. Listeners will be impressed from the introductory…
What’s His Name is the first track on RoGizz vs. Black Blago, and the track immediately will draw listeners’ attention to the disc. RoGizz’s flow is utterly unique as it touches upon the new New York City (French Montana, Red Cafe) rappers just as much as Atlanta (T.I., Shawty Lo). The production of this cut takes on past and present. The track moves through the work of Mannie Fresh and…
Ahmad Jamal is still creating tremendous music in eir eighth decade on this earth. I feel that the tracks on Blue Moon allow Jamal to come back to eir roots. In doing so, I believe that the recordings are much more polished than these initial efforts, and represent a considerable evolution from all other stages in eir career. Autumn Rain immediately throws listeners into the fray, the seven minute runtime…
Loreena McKennitt has found a great groove with eir latest album, Troubadours on the Rhine. I believe that this title does tons for expanding the celtic genre, and does so in a way that will appease fans and newbies alike. This is largely due to McKennitt’s inimitable vocals, but the supporting instrumentation that is present deserves ink. I believe that the arrangements on a track like The Wind That Shakes…
Born out of friendship between Drivin’ N’ Cryin’s Kevn Kinney and The Golden Palomino’s drummer Anton Fier (also with the Feelies, Bob Mould Band, etc.), A Good Country Mile takes the best influences from both and a slew of 60’s and 70’s rockers resulting in an unforgettable slab of Blues-soaked Americana, punctuated beautifully with plenty of harmonica and Hammond organ. The record includes some new material, some inspired covers…