“June Gloom” starts off The Like’s new disc, and the vocals laid on the track by Z Berg really give the impression that eir has been more influenced by Thom Yorke than anything. Sure, there is a little more substantive of a nod towards this influence because of the very mid-nineties, jangly-alternative played by the band, but the vocals are pretty damning of themselves. Perhaps the most compelling part of…
Mixing the best of Lucero with the vocals of Eddie Vedder, The Light Wires’ Jeremy add the icing to a confectionary orgasm. Laid back to the extreme, The Light Wires go for the road not taken by fellow labelmates Thistle. As a result, this disc has a much more polished sound and radio-friendliness that something like “Tired Anchor” just didn’t have. Eons beyond anything a jam band could do, The…
I was born in 1983, so that is likely the reason why I was not familiar with The Poppees’ work before picking up this album. The way I see it, after hearing “Pop Goes The Anthology”, The Poppees were really influential in ultimately determining where American punk would go, in the years immediately preceding acts like The Ramones and Blondie.
I was expecting something completely different from Toby Lightman after looking at the front cover of “Bird On A Wire”. I was expecting something largely acoustic based and quiet, in the vein of artists like Leah Zicari and the like, but what the disc starts out with is something gospel based with “Don’t Wake Me”. After that introduction ends, something pop-laced and country-tinged comes into focus. What I can compare…
While their promo kit is abound with the number of accomplishments that they have garnered in such a short period of time, I still don’t see Lifted as the type of band that really pushes the envelope in any way. Rather a band that would just go through the oft-traveled ruts of such bands as Delirious? and Audio Adrenaline, this type of rock is stale, innocuous, and truly trite. While…
The stop-start sound of A Life Once lost is more of a nod to the technical metal of Converge and the experimentation of early iterations of Korn. The super-sonic screaming present on tracks like “Needleman” remind listeners of a younger Jonathan Davis, albeit one who is backed by a little more meaty musical backdrop. The constant use of the double-bass during tracks like the aforementioned “Needleman” and “Vulture” really provide…
Iron Maiden like guitars mix with Converge styled vocals to provide listeners with a bombastic opening to this, their full length debut on Clockwork Recordings (Pluto records imprint founded by Tim from As I Lay Dying). The virtuosity of the guitar lines laid down by Addy and Caleb is immediately noticeable, with influences for them coming in a wide swath, ranging from Duran Duran to Slayer, U2 to Sick of…
I presumed that Blow Up Hollywood would be considerably different than what ultimately is the norm on “Take Flight”. “RKK” is the first glimpse that we as listeners have into the mind’s eye of Blow Up Hollywood, and this 90-second track covers considerable musical ground. An atmospheric composition, “RKK” acts as the gateway into “Take Flight”, providing a sample to curious listeners for how the rest of the title will…
“Leavin’” is a light-spirited, bouncy type of track that represents a perfect introduction to Puglisi’ “Goodbye New York”. With a set of strings working above the hubbub created by his vocals and backing band, what results is something that spans numerous genres and styles. By the time that this four and a fourth minute track finishes up, listeners that may not have been too familiar with Puglisi’s work will be…
“What A Night” is the first track that listeners will hear when they put in the eponymous CD, and what issues forth is a blend of Tori Amos and Ani DiFranco that showcases equal amounts spirit and talent. Westin’s vocals match perfectly the guitars, drums, and pianos laid down by her backing band. What results with this introductory salvo is nothing less than a single that should garner heavy play…
