Bigelf has broken big to the point that Linda Perry (formerly of 4 Non Blondes) has allowed them to be a focal point of eir Custard Records. Bigelf has been a major force in the United States prog-rock genre for well over a decade, and the added notoriety given “Cheat The Gallows†by this bump up in labels will undoubtedly bring many more fans to Bigelf’s side. The disc itself…
The opening track on “The First Fiveâ€, “Hey Love†is a muted track that still is pretty intense when one actually sits down and listens to it. Something that really delineates Abraham’s vocals from the rest of pop-singers is eir attention to the arrangements present in the track. What really holds back a number of singers is the fact that they just lay their vocal track like a dead body…
Abandoned Pools start out their “Armed To The Teeth†with Tommy’s vocals acquiring a Placebo-like sound, a style which is only intensified when the instrumentation washes over listeners like a wave. The first track is euphonic, but does not have the same radio-friendly style that really allowed the band to sell over 100,000 copies of their last album. Perhaps what really endears listeners to Abandoned Pools are the tremendous shifts…
While the opening to “gAame†starts off in a fairly dissonant way (with the opening track “Deathmaskâ€), some tinny sounding percussion (maybe a triangle) provides the first real harmony for the disc. The band gets more into a cohesive mood with “Best of Sevenâ€, using this same sound to fuel the fires of this track. There are vocals that figure in in a way eighties-gothic type of way (45 Grave,…
Overall Rosematter is a young and fun pop punk band that shows promise once they get some more recording under their belt. The quality of their work is pretty high caliber. Very good recording, nice little techniques are used throughout that can be expected of bands on their fifth album. Though it seems obvious at the surface to compare them to Paramore due to youth and the rarely used complete…
“A Beaten Man†is a track that introduces fans to Strange Day well; the band’s eclectic nature is shown perfectly here. Whether it is the vocals calling forth equal amounts Chris Cornell and Axl Rose or the epic instrumental arrangements that operate in the background, listeners that have a chance to give “A Beaten Man†a few spins will understand the band’s allure. Strange Day does not pigeonhole themselves into…
The electronic, industrial sound of Wunderbugg’s “Written In Flesh†unities ambient music with a darker component, speaking to more than many singularly-focused albums would normally. While there is nothing in the way of vocals to be had during this opening salvo, Wunderbugg is able to create a narrative that leads strongly through “3molecules Away†and into “Infected With Hopeâ€. “Infected With Hope†still has hints of this ambient sound, but…
Knugu starts out “Quadrilogy†with a funky bit of pop music that ties together the instrumental efforts of Prince and Eagle Eye Cherry, while bringing forth vocals that touch on a pop tradition put forth by the Backstreet Boys, Vanessa Carlton, and even Christina Aguilera. The two sets of vocals that introduce listeners to Knugu during “Getting Over You†showcase a more varied approach than many pop stars are apt…
“Songs of Ascent†starts out with “Modah Aniâ€, a track that has a contemporary sound, albeit one that is tinted with a Middle Eastern flow. When Wilson’s vocals begin, they operate more as an additional instrument instead of going forth and furthering a narrative. This shift in the role of the vocals represents just one of many things that Wilson changes and does differently on “Songs of Ascentâ€, an album…
“Fade†is a perfect introduction to Sweden’s latest export, Leo Nielsen. Nielsen (better known as just “Leoâ€), begins “Fade†with nothing more than a twinkling piano. This simple arrangement tells books worth of narrative, uniting with Nielsen’s soulful, softly spoken vocals soon after. The style of vocals that Nielsen contributes to “Fade†is something pretty unique, coming forth as a blend of Coldplay and Lionel Richie. The choir-like arrangement that…
Chances are if you have been involved in the bar scene in New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania over the last decade, you have seen the Cosmic American Derelicts play out. Their brand of rock-cum-country is something that can be appreciated by anyone, and with the opening track “Sleepwalking Killerâ€, Cosmic American Derelicts are poised to increase their fan base considerably. This track is a driving bit of country-infused rock…
I can see Zach Raizman coming forth with the tracks on “Zachâ€, his latest EP, on a path that will ultimately place him alongside the Jonas Brothers and Naked Brothers Band as a king of pop. After individuals hear the first track on this eponymous EP, “Superstar†, they will likely come to the same conclusion. “Superstar†links together the pop tradition of a Jesse McCartney and an Aaron Carter…
“Whisper’s Song†begins Martino’s “A Storyâ€. This track is integral in understanding the range of approaches and styles which Martino is capable: in the space of a few minutes, Martino has really done more than many musicians have done in the course of a disc. The track’s five-plus minute runtime places it at the longer end of “A Storyâ€â€™s tracks, but the calming, serene nature of the track will get…
Individuals might not be familiar with Craig Bickhardt from name alone. For film buffs, however, individuals may know of Bickhardt from the compositions that he contributed to the classic flick “Tender Mercies”, that starred Robert Duvall. If the individual would not know Bickhardt from that linkage, he has also penned hits for stars like Pam Tillis and Martina McBride. Knowing that he penned hits for those individuals does not give…
Over The Rhine is an act that shocked me. I was guessing a much more folksy, classical style out of “Discount Fireworksâ€, but I hear something like a slow-baked version of Sheryl Crow. The opening track, “Last Night On Earth Againâ€, is a very radio-friendly song and only goes into a more musical style when the slide guitar plays at the peripheries. This sound continues through “If Nothing Elseâ€. The…
There is a heavy amount of alt-country present during Leeroy Stagger’s “Where I Liveâ€. The vocals seem to blend John Mellencamp and Tom Petty. This means that while the songs are eminently radio-friendly, they have a little bit of grit present that establishes eir as someone completely different from what is pushed at the moment. The material is a little sparse for a nearly-five minute track, but Stagger ends the…
Benea Reach starts off their “Monument Bineothan†in a pretty normal, middle of the road way. There might be a tremendous amount of “heaviness†present, but the first track “Ground Slayer†does little to really compel listeners to focus in. The band is able to make their compositions fit together nicely, and make a play for the Headbanger’s Ball group, but the only thing interesting during the disc’s first track…
Forever in Motion is a band that I was not familiar with before putting on “The Beautiful Unknownâ€. The first track, “Magicâ€, seems to add together equal parts radio rock and emo music. A piano blends together with a set of vocals that itself seems to be influenced by those coming out of bands like Hinder and Linkin Park. The band slowly adds bits and pieces to their overall sound…
Abigail Williams start out their “Legend†EP with “From the Buried Heartâ€. During this opening track, there seems to be a blend of progressive metal with a brand of metal that looks back towards the eighties style of metal. However, instead of Abigail Williams merely attempting to revive a certain period in metal, their smartest move during this introductory track has to be the inclusion of a newer rock style.…
Genre-wise I feel like Motion Picture Demise is kind of all over the board. “Zip. Boom. Hah.” leaves me feeling a little lost as to a genre to tag on them. Mostly, their music is a solid time investment; I think all can find at least one song on here that touches on their style of choice. My largest criticism is to cut the song length down a bit, by…