Despite only having two members, the folk-inspired indie pop duo Smile Smile – comprised of Ryan Hamilton and Jencey Hirunrusme – manage to make some fairly expansive songs on their debut. Blue Roses, originally released in 2006 and re-released this summer, is remarkable in its simplicity.
On first blush, it would appear that the architect of the new Love and Rockets tribute album was just pulling random names out of hat. How else do you explain one hit wonders Better Than Ezra, alongside more indie-minded artists like The Dandy Warhol’s, Frances Black and up-and-comers War Tapes?
As sometime guitarist for Dayton’s favorite sons Guided By Voices and Robert Pollard’s post-break-up solo work, Doug Gillard delivered album after album of satisfying jangly lo-fi pop. On Call From Restricted, his own latest solo effort, Gillard delivers more the of that familiar jangly guitar pop, but with impressively accessible vocals.
A live album by a band that’s been missing from radio for a good two decades is usually a bad sign. A gimmicky half acoustic, half plugged in record is even more ominous. But Philadelphia’s once-favorite sons have managed to pull of the difficult, putting out a nostalgia record that is just as good, if not better than anything they have done before. The first disc was recorded live in…
The only really disappointing thing about Let Go, The Silent Year’s latest EP is the length. At six songs, the band’s latest is an appropriate follow up to last year’s decent full length The Globe, managing to eclipse those songs both musically and lyrically. The group delivers unpretentious indie pop in the vein of What Made Milwaukee Famous and Vampire Weekend (without the goofy prep school kid attitude). The album…
“So Much Better†is a song that ties together rock and alternative music in a way that touches upon the work of Edwyn McCain, The Eagles, and even early (“A Boy Named Gooâ€-era Goo Goo Dolls). The production of “So Much Better†is important due to the openness that it allows. Each instrument is able to shine, while there is a warmth to the compositions here that will make it…
“Thank You†is a track that really has some common ground in Ugly Kid Joe’s “I Hate Everything About Youâ€, in terms of the sheer sarcasm that is present. In regards to the musical side of the track, what Sexstone does here is skillfully tie together punk, alt-country, and even grunge to create something that is fresh and uniquely theirs. “Where†follows up “Thank Youâ€, and is a sea change…
There’s something about acoustic guitars that draws former punk rockers like moths to a flame. Frank Turner, former member of Million Dead, unplugged after his band dissolved about three years ago and decided to go the route of Billy Bragg, writing lyrically smart, occasionally politically-tinged folk rock songs. On Love Ire & Song, his second full length (he’s also released a couple of EPs and a new LP is just…
I know that before receiving “Ride Onâ€, I was knowledgeable about some of Bo Diddley’s work but had no clue exactly how detailed and expansive the set of eir works truly was during this period. To put this in perspective, Hip-O Select is already on the third volume of their Diddley releases, and they are only three years out from Diddley’s debut release (1958’s eponymous album). Considering that Diddley was…
With just seven songs, the Black Whales manage to make a damn fine introduction to the world. With influences that are as varied as The Clash, The Beach Boys, Talking Heads and The Kinks, Origins manages to incorporate a myriad of influences while still sounding starkly original.
As someone that was born a number of years after Skyriders was released, I had to do a little bit in the way of research before I could pop in the score. The film itself is well over the top, using a well-trodden plot device (the lead character’s family is kidnapped by baddies) and resolving the conflict by nothing less than hanggliding to save the day. It seems to me…
Though not exactly prolific, Australia’s Sick Puppies know how to pace themselves. Though the band has been around since 1997, Tri-Polar marks only their second full length. With a dozen songs, the band makes the most out of the time they are given in the studio. Reminiscent of mid-to-late 90’s alternative rock – mixing everything from metal to pop rock – the band sounds like a blend of Silverchair and…
“One For Katie†is the first track on “We’re Gonna Have A Parade!â€. Immediately, what comes forth is a band that is confident and technically skilled; the act’s overall sound here touches upon The Ataris, MxPx, and even NoFX. Pop-punk, rock, and even mid-nineties emo are all here, and “We’re Gonna Have A Parade!†has just started. With each subsequent track, Alert the Press adds something new to their toolbox.
“Estranger†is a track that could easily be played on any hair metal station, but Vangough really makes the track germane for today’s listeners through a perfect balance of theatric metal with a power and fury that cannot be denied. One has to also look at the length of the compositions that are on “Manikin Paradeâ€; many of the tracks are in the five to nine minute realm, showcasing one…
“Indestructible†showcases Play The Angel as an act that can shoot between rock, emo, punk, and hard rock in the course of just a few seconds. The act has a sound that is similar to what other bands have placed on the radio in the last few years, but Play The Angel look to increase the odds significantly. After listeners take in just one of the five cuts on the…
“Let Me In†is the first track that listeners should focus in on when they want to educate themselves about Gaby V. The touching guitar work that opens up the track acts as the perfect entry into the Paul Simon-like allure of his vocals. There is a vibrant sound here that will ensure that listeners remember this track, no matter how long it has been since listeners would have put…
It’s been six long years since their last release, but Reno Divorce has made the wait more than worth it. On Tears Before Breakfast, their third record, the Denver-based foursome plays blistering punk rock better than most of their contemporaries.
There are a number of things you can criticize about Arthur Kane’s posthumous memoir, but being frank is not one of them. In his decades in the making book, Kane, the bassist and co-founding member of the New York Dolls, is certainly not shy about opening up and telling off those he feels have slighted him in the past, from New Your Doll’s front man David Johansen (aka Buster Poindexter)…
Toronto-based musician Steve Singh has taken the DIY ethos to heart. On his latest, Heavy Metal Sunset, the singer/songwriter wrote, performed, mixed and produced all 10 songs. Mining a stellar list of influences as varied as Stevie Wonder and Glenn Tillbrook, Singh makes pop music like no one else performing today.
Just seconds into Cool Device’s self-titled debut, through the blistering gnash of distorted chords, its clear front man/guitarist Jason Frederick has some demons to exercise. You can’t blame the guy; the whole reason he started Cool Devices was a reaction to news that his old Columbus, OH-based group The Means were getting back together without him. Now based in Chicago, Frederick’ new band Cool Devices manages to rip through seven…