While I had heard of Tindersticks in the past, I did not realize the act had been around for nearing on twenty years. It is thus no surprise that their latest effort, “The Hungry Sawâ€, showcases a maturity and deftness with each composition that will stick with listeners long after the band packs up shop. While there may be a few members gone (and the resulting Tindersticks turned into a…
This debut recording, from the introduction that Wild Beasts give listeners with their “Vigil For a Fuddy Duddyâ€, is one of the best ways to get to know a band that I have ever heard. Where it seems that a number of bands start off slowly and gradually introduce potential fans to the band’s mystique, the Wild Beasts lay everything out on the table from the get-go. What the band…
Let’s face it: with the exception of a few acts and a few labels, modern R&B is in a dire state. Most artists that have been in the game for a few years find it impossible to reinvent themselves, and acts that are first coming out are not exploring much in the way of new territory. For fans of R&B, there is one singular hope: Brutha. On their self-titled introduction,…
It’s always nice to see a musician enjoy success from Ohio, and Marianne Kesler has just done that with her “Pear In The Pink Thingâ€. What she has done with this album has, while touching on some common threads, really defined what it is to be a woman and a musician in the current music scene. Whether it is during the disc’s first track “Mysteryâ€, or even the last (“The…
Desillusion is an act that is attempting to bring a shine and luster back to the industrial movement. The EP’s first track, “Discontinued†links a dark ambience with a simply intense brand of metal, calling forth a sound that, while unique, touches upon the works of Marilyn Manson, NIN, and KMFDM. Where most industrial bands do not throw themselves into the presentation side of their music, Desillusion ensures that the…
R00K creates one of music’s most interesting tracks with “Seraâ€. While I must admit that I did not know what to expect when I first got this release to review, the quirky nature of R00K comes through with an expansive track in which the only harmony comes through in the vocals. Repeated listens are necessary to get the true brilliance of “Seraâ€, as the simplicity of the track belies a…
“My Heart’s Desire†showcases Reymundo’s love of jazz, tying the track’s fortunes to a tradition that leads forward from Billie Holiday all the way out to Macy Gray. The track expertly teeters between solid musicianship and catchy vocals, virtually ensuring that listeners will stick with Reymundo for the long haul . “Tell Me†has a little more of a tropical feel, as the vocals come forth from a much older…
For awhile there it looked like U2 were finally back on track. Starting in 2000, when the band atoned for their past sins and, in Bono’s words “Reapplied for the job… of the best band in the world†with the fantastic All That You Can’t Leave Behind, followed by 2004’s almost as stellar How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb, the Irish stadium rockers had nearly made up for past experimental…
There has been a lot of chatter about The Asteroids Galaxy Tour, but I must admit, I had not had a chance to listen to a lick of their music before I was sent a copy of their new album, “Fruitâ€. “Fruit†begins with “Lady Jesusâ€, a track that blends together sixties pop with a cool, slinky alternative type of approach. Where the track itself will not likely take the…
Watchmen is one of the biggest films to be released to this point in 2009. Director Zack Snyder has been praised for sticking closely to the original graphic novel, and I would have to say that composer Tyler Bates has kept pretty close to the original mode and feelings created by the title. The 21 compositions on this soundtrack taker on a variety of different sounds and approaches, putting forth…
So, let’s get down to business, All the While by Frances is one of those catchy Indie-Pop discs that everyone seems to have two or three of laying around for their hipper crowd of friends to enjoy. It’s a disc you can pop in the car and drive too, have a conversation with and sometimes even get out on the dance floor and shake your ass to. With some really…
New Found Glory has always been a band that has not gotten the respect that they deserve. When they first came out, I felt that a lot of individuals ignored them for acts like Unwritten Law and New Found Glory. When they changed up their sound slightly a few years back, individuals still tended to flock to acts like Thrice and Alkaline Trio. “Not Without A Fight†is an album…
It’s kind of hard to feel sorry for the music industry crying about low CDs sales, when a solid band like Kaline is churning out records on its own, while stale, paint-by-numbers groups simply ape the sound of mediocre bands that came before them and are rewarded with record label deals.
While Brett Terry has been declared by some to be influenced by The Beatles, I feel that what he puts forth on “Instant History†is much more unique and impressive than that comparison would have individuals believe. Tracks like “Unharmed†show an individual that establishes his own sound early in the disc, and ensures that listeners will be salivating for more with each subsequent track. “On Alexander Street†will blow…
Telly’s “Free Music For Sale†is an album that is truly timeless. While the tracks on the album will appeal well to a contemporary audience, the songs on the disc fit equally well into a number of eras and different genres. This accessibility is the reason why “Free Music For Sale†is such a hit; jazz, funk, rock, and countless other sounds and stylistic approaches morph together into something new…
I don’t like a great deal of country music. Call me uncultured or otherwise wrong, but I do not find much to appreciate in the genre. However, a band named Sway has done wonders in their “Let It Roll†to show me the inherent beauty of the style. “Let It Roll†starts off with “Cowgirl Sceneâ€, a track that immediately shows the talent inherent in the effort of all four…
Lucia Seas has had a productive 2008. In May, she released “Keep The Drive Aliveâ€, and she ended the year with the single “The Best of Your Soulâ€. What exactly about this artist makes her one of the best up and coming artists out there, though? When one tunes in to the introductory track “Cashâ€, what they are introduced to is a world in which genre labels do not matter…
Listening to Death Cab for Cutie’s first proper release, 1998’s Something About Airplanes, there is little indication that the band would someday be headlining major festivals, churning our records for a major label and pretty much adding a touch of indie cred and respectability to mainstream radio stations. It’s not that the songs are not good, in fact for the most part they are just as beautiful as the latter…
Mining influences as varied as the Beatles (before they discovered LSD and meditation), Buddy Holly and power poppers like Milk N’ Cookies, Central Pennsylvania’s The Tamboureens sound like just about nothing being released today… and that’s a very good thing.
1. When Did you start the band/act? Late April / Early May 2008 2. Who are the band/act members (first and last names please!!!) Norman Wilkerson (lead vocals), Tommy Johnson (guitars), James “Rus” Russell (bass and backing vocals), Jeremy Parker (drums)