Fast Computers – Heart Geometry / 2007 Self / 11 Tracks / http://www.thefastcomputers.com / The synth lines that start out “Sweden Hasn’t Changed, You Have†will undoubtedly remind individuals of The Psychedelic Furs. The fact that the book has pictures from a library further gives individuals an eighties type of feel. The band shifts things up enough that it does not last; a song like “How Many Times†brings Fast…
Chris Letcher – Frieze / 2007 2Feet / 15 Tracks / http://www.sheergroup.com / http://www.2feetmusic.com / The opening to “Frieze†starts off slowly with what sounds like a movie quote opening up “Deep Friezeâ€. However, it is the poppy style of indie rock that Letcher plays that immediately saves this album. There are more than passing comparisons to individuals like Matthew Sweet on “Deep Friezeâ€, and while the Avalanches meets Kid…
Buildings Breeding – S/T / 2007 Mushpot / 12 Tracks / http://www.myspace.com/buildingsbredding / http://www.mushpotrecords.com / Buildings Breeding play a dreamy type of indie cum pop rock music that will bring individuals back to the shoegazer genre present in the early to middle nineties. The use of clapping during the opening track “Stacking Up Reasons†further closes the sound in on the band, to make it seem as if the band…
AJ Rosales – Ultramarine / 2007 Novelty / 13 Tracks / http://www.ajrosales.com / AJ Rosales has a little bit of a Chris Cornell sound to eir voice during the opening of “Ultramarineâ€, the track “Alone Againâ€. The instrumentation may be bouncy and jangly, but there is nothing too terribly new provided by Rosales here. The California Dreams-like guitar line that shifts in and out of solos during “Alone Again†is…
Mando Diao – Ode To Ochrasy / 2007 Mute / 14 Tracks / http://www.mandodiao.com / http://www.mute.com / I guess there are bands that are still trying to do the retro rock thing. Mando Diao does just that with their “Ode To Ochrasyâ€. This is the band’s third alum, and it shows that the act has had considerable time to go and polish their sound. While “Welcome Home, Luc Roitaille†is…
Kristie Nalley – The Pagan Romantics / 2005 Self / 12 Tracks / http://www.kristienalley.com / Despite the fact that all the documentation that I received with the disc said that the album was sanitized, I still felt as if unseen mold and mildew was messing with my breathing. Besides that, “The Pagan Romantics†is an okay album. “Barely Legal†starts out with Nalley’s vocals, and while different elements (drums, and…
Adrianne Lenker – Live At The Southern / 2007 Lucid / 17 Tracks / 72 Minutes / http://www.adrianne.com / Adrianne Lenker is an individual that has not reached eir 17th birthday yet. This album was released when ey was still 14 years old, and features eir in the focal point of each and every track in this CD and DVD set. Whether it is providing the vocals or stringing together…
Ellen Degenerate – Modern Girl / 2007 Self / 5 Tracks / http://www.ellendegenerate.net / http://www.glassmanaclerecords.com / Ellen Degenerate play punk rock. There is little that distinguishes them from the rest of the quicker, Los Angeles-punk acts of the late nineties when they play their “Who Made Rock & Roll Just For Girlsâ€. Of course, the vocals are catchy and seem to press a little bit on the style of the…
Billy Brush – Love Sublime / 2007 Self / http://www.myspace.com/billybrush / Billy Brush last released an album in 2005; despite the break, the act has not lost a single step. Tracks like “My Couch†show Billy Brush and the rest of the band as a culmination of mid-nineties alternative with an earlier emo sound and more than a passing hint of Ben Folds and They Might Be Giants. The style…
Larry Bagby – On the Radio / 2007 Self / 6 Tracks / http://www.larrybagby.com / “I’m Alright Tonight†plays at two different styles; there is a classic, almost 19th-century country sound to the opening guitar riffs to the track, but the vocals and piano seem to paint a much more contemporary sound. Larry Bagby provides these vocals, which are smoothed-out, lending individuals the ability to find something similar to a…
Partly Cloudy – Arm Your Weapons / 2007 Self / 5 Tracks / http://www.partlycloudyrocks.com / Partly Cloudy has been around for quite a few years. The act was founded by Dave Harms in 1995 and released an album, “State of Mind†on Long Island Recording. This 5 song EP marks their latest foray into punk music. The disc’s opening track is “Helplessâ€, and it shows the band as a mix…
Diego Sandrin – A Fine Day Between Addictions / 2007 Self / 13 Tracks / http://www.diegosandrin.com / For those individuals that have to have pretty much any punk recording, the name Diego Sandrin will be familiar. She was the mastermind behind the Italian punk group Ice and the Iced. Other individuals may know Sandrin for the fact that Lisa Marie Presley included a song that she wrote with Sandrin on…
Demetra – S/T / 2007 Self / 11 Tracks / http://www.demetramusic.com / “Beam Me Up Scotty†is the first track on this, Demetra’s self-titled released. While there are sci-fi beeps and bloops that seem to bring the band into a dance-punk type of style, the female vocals that are present during the track recall acts like Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, The Donnas, and Battershell. The style of rock music…
Scott Marrow – For All The Time You Spend Losing…You Better Enjoy Your Failures / 2007 Whiteroom / 9 Tracks / http://www.myspace.com/scottmarrow / http://www.whiteroomrecords.com / Man, I was completely expecting something else from Scott Marrow. I really thought that what would result with “For All The Time You Spend Losing†would be yet another boring singer-songwriter with an acoustic guitar. However, Marrow impresses with eir blend of Two Gallants, The…
Nebelhexe – Essensual / 2007 Candlelight / 10 Tracks / http://www.nebelhexe.com / http://www.candlelightrecords.co.uk / Nebelhexe may better be known as Andrea Haugen, who has been around goth and metal-like rock music for well over a decade. The disc itself starts with “Underworldâ€, a song that has Haugen sing in a very Stevie Nicks meets Switchblade Symphony style. The instrumentation has an Enya/Enigma sound to it, which means there are tribal…
The Masons – Let You Down Easy / 2007 75 or Less Records / 14 Tracks / http://www.themasonswebsite.com / http://www.75orlessrecords.com / “Preemptive Denial†is a track that has in it a very early nineties alternative sound, with equal hints the B-52s and Sonic Youth. There is a simplistic approach to the vocals that matches well with the instrumentation present during songs like “Preemptive Denialâ€. The thing that makes this track…
A Shoreline Dream – Coastal / 2007 Latenight Weeknight / 4 Tracks / http://www.ashorelinedream.com/COASTAL / The slightly electronic feel of “Ukraine†starts off “Coastalâ€. A Shoreline Dream make a play for the Smashing Pumpkins meets Morrissey set with this track, but comes at it in a very unique way. The vocals are present and do have a focal point during this track, but the instrumentation seems to be the thing…
Ben Weasel and his Iron String Quartet – These Ones Are Bitter/ 2007 Mendota Recording Co./ 14 Tracks / http://benweasel.mu.nu/ / http://www.mendotarecording.com / After five years hiatus Ben Weasel former front man of legendary pop-punk bands Screeching Weasel and The Riverdales is back and has made damn sure that the wait was worth it with These Ones Are Bitter. Taking everything that only a master of the pop and punk…
Spokane – Little Hours / 2007 JagJaguwar / 10 Tracks / http://www.jagjaguwar.com/ Spokane offers listeners a melodic and sad album with their newest release Little Hours. It starts out with “Singing†which does a good job of giving the listener a taste of what they will hear throughout the entire album and has some neat nature noises which is a bonus to what is coming. “Minor Careers†doesn’t differ too…
Colbie Caillat – Coco / 2007 Universal / 12 Tracks / http://www.colbiecaillatmusic.com / http://www.universalrepublic.com / Colbie Caillat’s “Coco†starts off in a very sedate way. The first track on the album is “Oxygenâ€, and it provides listeners with a brand of rock infused pop music. Hints of Kelly Clarkson and Sheryl Crow both present themselves throughout “Oxygenâ€, placing Caillat into good company right from the opening gate. “The Little Things