Giant Squid may just be the most approachable band out of all the acts currently on The End Records. This is not saying much, as the style of music that Giant Squid plays is a very progressive meets System of a Down type rock. The use of two, three, and sometimes more vocals on their “Metridium Fields†will immediately garner them fan support, as the number of artists they draw…
“Kevin Is Gay†is a very weak step for Giant Drag. First off, the track relies on the presence of a much-too-repeated guitar riff for its main focus, and the meowing that ends the track just seems out of place compared to tracks like the follow-up “Cordial Invitationâ€. “Cordial Invitation†is the first in a long string of indie-rock tracks that Giant Drag allow their “Hearts And Unicorns†to be…
This album is not for the faint of heart, as the average track here breaks the six-minute mark. Ghorar Deem Express plays a brand of free jazz that has much more in common with jam-bands than with the (more-often) classically trained brand of jazz players. The infusion of rap-like flows during tracks like “Mucoid Plaque†really changes the context of the music, especially when one considers that Nader’s vocals are…
One doesn’t make it on the radio when they are doing music that would be the background for the Weather Channel. The first track “LFO†is just that and every single thing that they could do wrong in trying to go and put this on the radio is there – it is instrumental, there is absolutely no driving force to the music, and everything just sounds synthesized. The second track,…
Starting off shakily on “Makin’ History†with a set of vocals mixed well above the level they should, “Me in your bag†has vocals reminiscent of Dolores O’Rierdan (Cranberries) and Andrea Corr (The Corrs). Continuing the inoffensive acoustic-led rock during eir second track, “Universeâ€, the belting out of vocals by Getz seems to find an analogue in the country of the late 70s and early 80s. Getz’s veteran move of…
Get Hustle – Rollin’ In The Ruins / 2005 Three One G / 5 Tracks / http://www.gethustle.com / http//www.threeoneg.com / Reviewed 29 November 2005 This is a much slower, more nuanced version of noise than practically anything else put out by Three One G. Even though tracks like “Black Stallion Medallion†are still well under three minutes, the psychedelic-infused brand of noise that Get Hustle have spent over a decade…
Gertie Fox – An Imaginary Meeting In The Woods / 2006 Self / 12 Tracks / http://www.gertiefox.com / Reviewed 25 May 2007 The style of music that starts off Gertie Fox’s “An Imaginary Meeting In The Woods†is something that reminds me of an earlier, nineties sound of alternative rock. The guitars really give me that impression, and the slightly-tinny production values of tracks like “Modern Love†just firm up…
Lisa Germano – In The Maybe World / 2006 Young God / 12 Tracks / http://www.lisagermano.com / http://www.younggodrecords.com / Reviewed 06 June 2006 There is little to grab onto when Lisa Germano starts eir album “In The Maybe Worldâ€. The first track, “The Dayâ€, contains a set of vocals and some incidental instruments. What the track quickly does, however, is make something much more compelling and full out of the…
Where it seems like SXSW brings in the hip and happening to the Austin music scene, Tribella is poised to showcase that Austin has a vital musical landscape. “Deal Breaker†begins this release, establishing Tribella as an act that can showcase contemporary and classic influences alike. “WTKN†continues to add momentum to the early reaches of “Thirteenâ€, with the track establishing Tribella as an act that can link together the…
“You Should Be Dancing†is the first single off of the newest album by My Glorious, and it firmly establishes the act as one that is confident and sure of their abilities. There are hints of Nine Inch Nails, Oasis, and even U2 at the periphery. The driving beat established by the splashy drums allows a proper foundation for the spot-on vocals to truly shine, giving the act the proper…
The guitar line that begins “Game Night†will immediately gain the attention of anyone that may be casually listening in, allowing for the more soft-spoken and slinky vocals to properly be appreciated. What results during this first track (“Find Your Wayâ€) is something that links together female performers (Kelly Clarkson, Pink) with a driving rock beat. Corrin Campbell & The Election are able to create a full sound with just…
“You Won’t Know Me†starts off “Suenos De Los Muertosâ€, and listeners will immediately hear bits of Cat Stevens, Elvis Costello, and even James Taylor in his delivery. The guitars enter into a Jackson Browne sound for the track, giving Brebner a hit off the bat. Where listeners will be bouncing along to this introductory track, “Tired and True†represents a shift in a bold new direction that marries together…
Gerina – S/T / 2006 Aim High / 14 Tracks / http://www.gerinamusic.com / Reviewed 31 August 2006 Hey, I guessed that Gerina would sound like the other singers on the market, probably a lot like Pink and Kelly Clarkson. I was right, as “Blind†mixes the two singers with the same middle of the road adult contemporary rock that is played throughout all cubicles in the United States. There are…
Noah Georgeson – Find Shelter / 2006 Plain / 12 Tracks / http://www.myspace.com/findshelter / http://www.plainrecordings.com / Reviewed 15 April 2007 The opening to “Find Shelter†is a track that feels almost as if Georgeson copped the music from a early sixties cowboy movie. In a sense, there are hints of Ennio Morricone tied to “The Sound of Musicâ€, which creates something that is brooding yet hopeful all at the same…
George Lesiw Band – Anuta Was Here / 2003 Self / 9 Tracks / http://www.georgelesiwband.com / glesiw@earthlink.net/ Reviewed 13 February 2006 This is music that is made specifically for elevators. Now, I’m not saying that to be flippant or in any way untoward with George Lesiw, but the music is near the same style that one would hear in elevators all around the United States. Chalk that up to the…
Genghis Tron – Dead Mountain Mouth / 2006 Crucial Blast / 10 Tracks / http://www.genghistron.com / http://www.crucialblast.net / Reviewed 05 June 2006 To say that Genghis Tron is intense is to give them the short end of the stick. The band may take a few seconds to start off “Dead Mountain Mouthâ€, but after they do start, there is a blind fury that fuels all of the tracks on the…
The Generators – Excess Betrayal….and our Dearly Departed / 2005 Fiend Records / 14 Tracks / http://www.the-generators.com / http://www.fiendmusic.com / Reviewed 07 March 2005 I first played The Generators on my radio show, and I was so blown away by “Roll Out The Red Carpet†that I had to go and review the disc. Immediately impressive about The Generators is that even two years after this album came out, the…
The Gemz – Blue is For Girls / 2006 StreetBeat / 13 Tracks / http://www.gemz.com / http://www.streetbeatrecords.com / Reviewed 24 July 2006 I’m still not sure exactly why this album was sent over for review. Sure, I can say that I tolerate acts like Hilary Duff, but the vast majority of individuals in that pop genre are just not very impressive. This includes Paris Hilton, Brooke Hogan, and Ashlee Simpson;…
The style of music that Geisha Girls start their album with is something that looks back to the first days of punk rock for influence. Of course, the band adds much more to their sound than being a copy of The Dead Boys, but one can hear 1977 in hints of tracks like “Traced Linesâ€. The shrill guitar work present on that track is a perfect example, and shows the…
Very few people that have not “made it big†decide to create a 2-disc set. Well, Tom Gavornik is not big yet (a google search only brings up 2,350 hits), but “Acceleration†is a 2-disc set. The music that ey plays on tracks like “Requiem For A Broken Swing†is a little bit of Americana and a whole lot of jazz music. What results is something like a toothless Frank…