Category: Music Reviews

Posted on: July 30, 2008 Posted by: Sargeant Comments: 0

John Paul – Belmont Boulevard (CD)

John Paul has had his fair share of accolades over the years. Whether it was a nine-week reign at the top of the Portland Phoenix local-artist sales charts in his old band, Stillview or another of his old acts (The Posters) getting the Got Milk-campaign’s stamp of approval in 2004, Paul has captured the attention of anyone that has had the chance to listen in. “Belmont Boulevard” marks the second…

Posted on: July 30, 2008 Posted by: Sargeant Comments: 0

Hills Rolling – Something Delicious (CD)

We here at NeuFutur had the chance to review Hills Rolling’s last album, “Sweet Tea”, and we were very impressed with the rock stylings of the band at that point. “Something Delicious” is the latest disc by Hills Rolling, and it showcases 9 impressive tracks that build upon the solid foundation that was created by “Sweet Tea”. “Something Delicious” begins with “I Wake Up”, a unique track that defies convention…

Posted on: July 30, 2008 Posted by: Sargeant Comments: 0

Wilkins – No Expiry Date (CD)

Wilkins – consisting of Mark Wilkins (bass, guitars, and vocals), Julian Wilkins (piano/synths), and Jan Wilkins (acoustic guitars, vocals) – are a family that has been creating music together since 2000. “No Expiry Date” is an album that shows that, even with Julian’s hiatus from the act, that Wilkins is a musical tour de force in the folk music sphere. “Easy” is the first track on “No Expiry Date”, and…

Posted on: July 30, 2008 Posted by: Sargeant Comments: 0

Alex Statan – Go Big or Go Home (CD)

Man, “Future Luver” is an interesting track. The song itself links together rock and funk, while Statan’s output on the track shows influences from artists as different as Lenny Kravitz, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Gavin Degraw. While it would be easy for Statan to go off into absurdity, as acts like Chromeo (“Needy Girl”) and the Bloodhound Gang have done, Statan makes for a track that is compelling,…

Posted on: July 30, 2008 Posted by: Sargeant Comments: 0

Camren Von Davis – Bobby Barbados (CD)

“Cactus Lizard” is the initial track on “Bobby Barbados”, and it showcases a very interesting musical style. Von Davis creates a folky, singer-songwriter type of music but creates a narrative style that is not typically present in this style of music. “Cactus Lizard” discusses the quandary of being a lizard where everyone else is a cactus, allowing Von Davis to add a little bit of Mexican influence to the track.…

Posted on: July 30, 2008 Posted by: Sargeant Comments: 0

The Bridge and the Prophet – S/T (CD)

“Jamie” is one of the stand-out tracks on The Bridge and the Prophet’s self-titled release. The track builds off of a seventies pop approach (think Rob Stewart and Cat Stevens), with instrumentation that provides the support for John’s vocals to truly soar. “Heavenly Candle” is a track that will immediately gain the attention of listeners, owing much to the intricate guitar work that is present. The guitar work has a…

Posted on: July 29, 2008 Posted by: Danica Comments: 0

Interview with Another Option

Last week I got the chance to ask a few questions to the up and coming band Another Option. They are a New England based Indie/Rock band who is currently on tour with TGL and Brookside. Danica

Posted on: July 25, 2008 Posted by: Sargeant Comments: 1

Tilly and the Wall – o (CD)

After four years, it feels like Conor Oberst’s label Team Love has came full circle. The first release on the Team Love label was Tilly and the Wall’s “Wild Like Children”, and at this moment, “o” is the current release that they are pandering. Tilly and the Wall’s “o” is their third full-length release, set on the same 2 year publishing schedule that “Wild Like Children” and “Bottoms of Barrels”…

Posted on: July 23, 2008 Posted by: Sargeant Comments: 0

The Offspring – Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace (CD)

The Offspring have been around longer than about 90% of their fan base has been alive. This means that the act has been together since 1984, and “Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace” shows off a maturity that befits a band that is on their eighth studio album. The album follows from “Splinter” in that all four recording members of the band – Dexter Holland, Noodles, Greg K and session…

Posted on: July 23, 2008 Posted by: Sargeant Comments: 0

There For Tomorrow – S/T EP (CD)

Hopeless Records has had a hell of a long streak of simply amazing albums, whether it be Amber Pacific, or The Dangerous Summer. The fact is that “Deadlines” is the first track on this EP, and it largely showcases the same attention to quality and solid arrangements that Hopeless acts are really known for. The emotive style of the band has a hopeful sound to it despite a much more…

Posted on: July 22, 2008 Posted by: Sargeant Comments: 1

Paper Rival – Dialog

Paper Rival has torn up CMJ showcases, toured with acts like Nightmare of You, and have even been noted by Spin as an “Artist of the Day”. “Foreign Film Collection” is the first stand-out hit during this album. This is due to the fact that the act is able to create an emotive and grave sound to their tracks that will have individuals hearing a heavy Death Cab for Cutie.…

Posted on: July 19, 2008 Posted by: Sargeant Comments: 0

Alone In The Dark: Music From The Video Game (CD)

While we have had a number of opportunities to have a shot at reviewing the soundtrack or score from a movie, I believe that this is the first time that wehere at NeuFutur have been tapped to go forth and do a review about the soundtrack/score from a video game. Oliver Deriviere (composing) and Dora Hristova (conducting) have created the score to this Atari game, a re-vamp of the classic…

Posted on: July 19, 2008 Posted by: Danica Comments: 0

My First Warped Tour

I have never really been to a music festival, personally I thought I was probably making a huge mistake going to Warped tour, I had the stereotypical view on music festivals. At first I thought it was going to be a dirty, hot, drunken, drug fest. Well this proved me wrong. The whole area was great, kept up and clean, flyers all over the place but no true garbage on…

Posted on: July 17, 2008 Posted by: Sargeant Comments: 0

Bodies of Water – A Certain Feeling (CD)

Bodies of Water have been around since 2005, and have released (before “A Certain Feeling”) an EP (2005’s “Bodies of Water”) and an LP (“Ears Will Pop & Eyes Will Blink”). “A Certain Feeling” is the first full-length released after they have signed with Bloomington, Indiana’s Secretly Canadian. The disc itself begins with “Gold, Tan, Peach, and Grey”, giving listeners a blast of sixties singer-songwriter that eventually opens up into…

Posted on: July 16, 2008 Posted by: Sargeant Comments: 0

Willie Nelson – Stardust (Legacy Edition) (CD)

I, for one, had no clue that Willie Nelson was 75. Sure, I knew that ey was getting up there is years, but had no clue that ey was born in 1933. What Nelson originally did with “Stardust” was reinterpret what ey called the “Great American Songbook”, putting eir unique tone on a number of American classic. This means that “Georgia On My Mind”, “Unchained Melody”, “Don’t Get Around Much…

Posted on: July 15, 2008 Posted by: Sargeant Comments: 0

The Morning Benders – Talking Through Tin Cans (CD)

The Morning Benders are gradually gaining their own audience after touring in support of acts like Death Cab For Cutie and The Kooks. While they have released a number of EPs (“Loose Change”, “Boarded Doors”, and “Waiting For A War”) in the past, The Morning Benders’ “Talking Through Tin Cans” is their full-length debut. Potential listeners have to know that a band is good if a PR firm’s label picks…

Posted on: July 15, 2008 Posted by: Sargeant Comments: 0

Mark Gothard – Poppy Fields & Pearls (CD)

“Poppy Fields & Pearls” is the second disc released by Los Angeles’ own Mark Gothard. For being in one of the largest urban cities in the United State, the fact that “Poppy Fields & Pearls” starts out with a folksy track in “The Skywalker Blues” is interesting. The unique style of Gothard’s vocals provides a little bit of richness to the traditional and typical acoustic guitar that is present. Despite…

Posted on: July 11, 2008 Posted by: Sargeant Comments: 0

Tab the Band – Long Weekend (CD)

Tab the Band start off their “Long Weekend” with “Backseat Love”. “Backseat Love” is an interesting type of track, which showcases a band that ostensibly is in the current period, but comes forth with a sound that links the angular sound of acts like Franz Ferdinand with a classic rock style that is reminiscent of Rick Derringer, older Aerosmith, and even Ted Nugent. “Looking Pretty, Pretty” continues with the sharp…

Posted on: July 10, 2008 Posted by: Sargeant Comments: 0

Bad Religion – New Maps of Hell Deluxe Edition (CD)

“New Maps of Hell” was the album that really showed that Bad Religion had a fire left that was stoked back up by “The Process of Belief” and “The Empire Strikes First” after the absolutely dismal releases that marked their Atlantic Records recordings. This deluxe edition has a little something for everyone, as Epitaph has really delved into the depths of the Bad Religion vault to find some interesting tracks.…

Posted on: July 5, 2008 Posted by: Sargeant Comments: 0

Kansas – Two For The Show (CD)

Kansas’s “Two For The Show” was originally released in 1978, and Sony Legacy has decided to re-release the CD right, adding an entire disc of new tracks – 9 in number – that were originally recorded for the album but were ultimately dropped due to time constraints. Of course, the classic live sound of Kansas comes through on the original tracks, whether the band is going through their hits (“Carry…