Based on the past few years, you’d think every grizzled punk rocker wants nothing more than to be a folk musician. Hot Water Music front man Chuck Ragan put his band on ice for a year or two to pick up an acoustic guitar; Bad Religion’s Greg Graffin went rootsy on his solo record last year; and former Avail singer Tim Barry has been unplugged for several records now. John…
You can go into just about any major city today, toss a bagpipe into a crowd and hit a band playing Celtic punk rock. Over the past decade or so, it seems like everyone wants to marry The Pogues use of traditional Irish instruments and themes with the driving beat and heavy guitars of The Clash. Though not as well-known as The Dropkick Murphys or Flogging Molly, the Chicago-based six piece…
It’s hard to hear the songs off of Asteria’s self-titled EP over the sound of the final nails being loudly banged into the emo/pop-punk coffin. The paint-by-numbers, overproduced, polished-all-the-jagged- edges-until-they’re-shiny-and-smooth sound from this Indiana-based five piece is so mundane that the only thing to distinguish one song from the next is the titles. John B. Moorewww.neufutur.com
Sonic Bliss begins their “Loved to Death†with “Saharaâ€. “Sahara†is a confident rock track that has hints of Disturbed and Static-X present, even as the band crafts a unique sound that will easily clue listeners in as to the identify of Sonic Bliss. The band is able to create an iconic sound and shift it up enough through the track’s six minute run time to keep listeners firmly planted…
Individuals may know Stack$ as the owner of Sobe Entertainment (the label that released “Crazee N Confusedâ€), along with releases by Brooke Hogan and signing luminaries such as Jah Cure. Bouncing back from a June injury that could have left eir dead, Stack$ looks to reach an entirely new plateau with “Crazee N Confusedâ€. Where a number of newer rappers’ releases are ignored by the mainstream because they do not…
Decades ago, Waylon Jennings earned his spot on the Outlaw Country Mount Rushmore, sandwiched somewhere between Willie Nelson and Kris Kristofferson. Anyone wondering if he really deserved that honor just needs to listen to the first few tracks off Waylon Forever, the last album he recorded. His distinctive baritone is as strong as ever and the songs just as memorable. He’s joined on the record by his son Shooter Jennings…
While individuals may know of Lady Gaga through eir writing credits (which include The Pussycat Dolls’ “Elevator†and Camden Hart’s “Lustyâ€), â€The Fame†is poised to set up Lady Gaga as a contender for the pop queen crowd worn variously by the aforementioned PCD and Britney Spears. The fact that Lady Gaga has writing credits on all 13 tracks on “The Fame†makes the disc exist on so much higher…
It’s hard to listen to a Snow Patrol record nowadays and think of anything but the weepy, melodrama Grey’s Anatomy. The show may have added a few hundred thousand members to their fan club, thanks to heavy air play, but has pretty much cemented the band’s rep as being lightweight ear candy for those who get their music recommendations strictly from TV commercials – justified or not. There are a…
I’m usually not a big fan of EP’s, seeing them as little more than a record company’s quick way to cash in on a rising band with not enough material for a full length. I am, however, willing to make an exception for Dead to Me’s 5 song offering Little Brother. The effort is pretty much hold over until their next proper album is ready, but the songs on the…
Calling all Radiohead fans, calling all Radiohead fans we have discovered something just for you! Copper Sails hailing from Virginia offer up an album that drifts in and out with a very relaxing sonic experience. Copper Sails taking licks from bands like Radiohead and Dead Cab for Cutie have reached a wide fan base that only seems to get bigger and are ready to strike while I guess the copper…
So the first thing I see on Modern Skirts – All of Us in Our Night is some big name producers in the indie rock game, big fucking deal that won’t sway me and sadly neither did Modern Skirts. I remember when Shins fever took over shortly after Garden State came out and totally rocked skinny pale kids everywhere to their very score. Kristopher Shepard
The Rockwells are a breath of fresh air with this tour de force of a full length. “Place & Time” offers the listener thirteen dance your pants off tunes with that ability to keep you interested beyond shaking your ass. And to those of us who aren’t wearing pants we got at the junior miss section of Fashion Bug, Rockwells is an intimate album that has plenty to offer a…
I’m having a hard time trying to put into words exactly what Hooray For Earth sounds like. I’m completely dumbfounded by their sound it’s a milkshake of forty different sounds in one stretched over twelve tracks. This self-titled has me reaching deep because it really does deserve some recognition. Hooray For Earth take what makes rock and roll so great in its raw form throws in some excellent key board…
Beaten By Them much in the vein of Explosions in the Sky and Mogwai offer up some pretty heavy duty tunes. Signs of Life is a mix of classical brilliance and rock and roll at it’s best. Kristopher Shepard
The CW’s smash hit Gossip Girl based on the best selling young adult novels thirteen track soundtrack is exactly what’d you’d expect. Remember the days of The OC with their mix of relatively unknown artists in the main stream, although Cobra Verde did play on an episode which was cool, well this disc works in the same vein. Featuring giants on the rise The Kooks, The Republic Tigers ( check…
It’s refreshing to hear a band dig further back further in their closest than the last couple of Green Day CDs for musical influences. Ohio’s Two Cow Garage, like label mates Ninja Gun, pay homage to everyone from The Jayhawks to The Replacements and Speaking in Cursive, their fourth full length, is one of their best so far. John B. Moorewww.neufutur.com
The titular track for “Die In June†is a track that immediately creates a very detailed and dense instrumental arrangement that incorporates a number of distinct styles in the time before the vocals kick in. When the vocals do start up, individuals will hear a bit of dark rock that has hints of HIM and Stabbing Westward present. The driving guitars provide the perfect backdrop for the vocals to properly…
Dead Heart Bloom once again has rocked my fucking face off with their second EP of three to be released this year by KEI Records. Their first EP Fall In was an epic roller coaster ride of an EP giving us plenty of look into the talent and capabilities of Dead Heart Bloom. Kristopher Shepard
What happens when you take Jake White, that chick who sings that lovely little diddy about NOT writing you a love song and combine it with some crack you got from Amy Winehouse? Why Meaghan Smith of course! This four song shit pile of an EP even comes with a DVD! Who releases a DVD with their EP are you fucking Metallica? Kristopher Shepard
With so much noisy, louder than ye bands out there nowadays how can one tell the difference from shit I can make with a loud amp and some pedals? Compared to masterful and intelligently played? Well for one you could take some time out of your day and pick up A Caesar Holiday S/T EP. With six incredible songs slick with emotion and a tempo in each song that leads…