Review: The Out Circuit - Pierce The Empire With A Sound
Posted on 13 May 2008 | 1 Comment
If you have a hankerin’ for some slowly brooding atmospheric post-rock-core, then The Out Circuit just might be your fix. Sounding something like Minus The Bear vs. The Cure vs. Casket Lottery, The Out Circuit is the current project of former Frodus bassist Nathan Burke. His latest album Pierce The Empire With A Sound features collaborations with members of Thrice, Roadside Monument, Haram, and even some vocals from Sean Ingram (of Coalesce fame). There are meandering and beautiful shoegazing instrumentals and points where things turn from slight to screaming in a way that recalls the dynamics of Refused. All in all, a good (even if synth heavy) effort. Pierce The Empire With A Sound is out now on Lujo Records.
MP3 | The Out Circuit – Come Out Shooting Pierce The Empire With A Sound
MP3 | The Out Circuit – Across The Light Pierce The Empire With A Sound
Filed Under: Album Reviews, Atmospheric, Post Rock
Review: Grand Analog - Calligraffiti
Posted on 10 May 2008 | No Comments
A month or so ago (or at least the last time I saw him) my uncle Craig said I had to take a listen to Grand Analog’s Calligraffiti. So I did and I liked it. Now I’m not a hip-hop head or anything even close, but take my word that this is some pretty good shit.
So even though Grand Analog calls Winnipeg, Canada home but they sound of parts much further South. On Calligraffiti dub-reggae mixes with bluesy hip-hop that sounds supremely casual and endlessly catchy. Maybe a little like K-OS? The live instrumentation give the music some additional depth and funkiness that much of today’s hip-hop seems to be missing.
I should probably thank my uncle for pointing me in the direction of Grand Analog. “Thanks.” Now I’m pointing you.
MP3 | Grand Analog – I’ll Walk Alone Calligraffiti
MP3 | Grand Analog – Touch Your Toes Calligraffiti
Filed Under: Album Reviews, Hip Hop
Review: All Time Low - So Wrong, It's Right
Posted on 8 May 2008 | 2 Comments
This record sounds like the New Found All-American Cartel or maybe like Fall Out Starting Parade. In other words, All Time Low dishes out catchy-as-hell nu-school pop punk that isn’t anything you haven’t heard before… but I still like So Wrong, It’s Right quite a bit. It may be mindlessly entertaining, but sometimes you’ve just gotta indulge your craving for a burger and fries instead of eating the smoked salmon over leafy greens.
MP3 | All Time Low – Dear Maria Count Me In So Wrong, It’s Right
MP3 | All Time Low – This Is How We Do So Wrong, It’s Right
Filed Under: Album Reviews, Punk
Review: Victor Berman - Arriving At Night
Posted on 7 May 2008 | No Comments
Need some music to do some relaxing to? Have a listen to Victor (don’t call me Chris) Bermon’s latest record Arriving At Night. It is a wonderful collection of folk-tronica that fits perfectly somewhere right between Four Tet’s organic glitches and The Album Leaf’s chilled-out micro tones. While vibes, rhodes, and gently plucked guitar strings carry the melodies, propulsive but mellow beats bubble up alongside to push it all forward into dreamland. Arriving At Night is a gorgeously constructed album that finds Bermon beautifully using the genre’s available vocabulary like a masterful painter would work in oils or pastels.
MP3 | Victor Bermon – Photographs Are Not Memories Arriving At Night
MP3 | Victor Bermon – View Of The Islands Arriving At Night
Filed Under: Album Reviews, Electronic
Review: Earth - The Bees Made Honey In The Lion's Skull
Posted on 7 May 2008 | No Comments
What exactly is the definition of “metal?” I’ve heard many categorize the Seattle-based band Earth as “drone metal,” but (at least on their latest album The Bees Made Honey In The Lion’s Skull) I think that is pushing it. There is certainly no argument (however) from anyone about the behemoth dronescapes that Earth creates. They are simply epic.
Rooted in the blues and psychedelic Americana, fuzzy reverbed guitars ring out and hang hypnotically in the air while the bass rumbles and writhes into drawn-out lumbering grooves. Maybe a little like Early Day Miners’ Offshore but slower and heavier. That’s the real conundrum with The Bees Made Honey…; it is dense and heavy but not really all that metallic. It is more like a landscape in sound than a song; it is mountainous. Like huge clouds on the horizon rising thousands of feet from the wide-open plains of middle America; warning of the impending thunder storm.
The Bees Made Honey… is glacial in pace but not icy for this also sounds of the red and dusty West. Imagine brightly colored rays of sunshine bursting through thickly clouded skies (not unlike many Ansel Adams prints) or explosions of lightning in the night sky. Yeah, The Bees Made honey… is kinda like that and out now via Southern Lord.
MP3 | Earth – Omens And Portents I: The Driver The Bees Made Honey In The Lion’s Skull
Filed Under: Album Reviews, Atmospheric, Hardcore & Metal
Review: Small Towns Burn A Little Slower - So Begins The Test Of A Man
Posted on 6 May 2008 | No Comments
I really liked the debut full-length from Minneapolis’ Small Towns Burn A Little Slower. Called Morality As Home Entertainment, it was pop-punk but with just enough to distinguish it from the standard-issue Warped Tour fare. Their latest (and, sadly, final) album So Begins The Test Of A Man is (again) full of what could basically be called pop-punk, but has a slicker sound than its predecessor and could be called more “mature” (as cheesy as that sounds).
And even though the tunes on So Begins The Test Of A Man are still super-melodic and catchy, they’ve been slowed down a bit to a more mid-tempo pace. “What Is It Worth” reminds me a lot of the pedal-steel pop-punk of Hot Rod Circuit (a good thing) and (surprisingly) one of the best songs on the album is the acoustic “Meth Is The New America.” I usually abhor the token acoustic song, but there is just something very real about it; something sincere. And while So Begins… isn’t exactly the send-off I’d liked to have gotten from these guys (I think they are capable of more), it is still good. Rec’d for fans of Cartel, Taking Back Sunday, Gratitude, etc…
MP3 | Small Towns Burn A Little Slower – Rx (Drive) So Begins The Test Of A Man
MP3 | Small Towns Burn A Little Slower – Meth Is The New America So Begins The Test Of A Man
Filed Under: Album Reviews, Punk
Review: Clear Tigers - Brutal
Posted on 5 May 2008 | No Comments
Last year Brooklyn’s Clear Tigers released a limited edition EP (on Catbird Records) out as well as a full-length album called Brutal. This is some damn good indie rock shit that comes highly recommended for fans of Wolf Parade or Rogue Wave. This is indie rock built around acoustic guitars and the warbly yelp of Mr. Clear Tigers, Nathan Akin. I don’t know why I was expecting something different, but I was. Brutal is (at first) unassuming so it kinda snuck up on me just how good this record is.
MP3 | Clear Tigers – Vacation Brutal
MP3 | Clear Tigers – Igloo Brutal
Filed Under: Album Reviews, Indie Rock
Review: Summer Darling - Health Of Others EP
Posted on 5 May 2008 | No Comments
Summer Darling’s four song EP Health Of Others begins with the skronky electric nu-blues of “Barren Womb” and then into more post-rock territory on “Blazing Fire” and “Thirsty Desert” before closing on a sunny note with the almost rootsy rock of “Open Grave.” It is a short EP that explores a wide range of melody and dissonance in a raw but sorta ethereal way. Not too shabby.
MP3 | Summer Darling – Barren Womb Health Of Others EP
Filed Under: Album Reviews, Indie Rock
Review: Jack Johnson - Sleep Through The Static
Posted on 4 May 2008 | 3 Comments
So what if I kinda like Jack Johnson? He did the soundtrack for the animated Curious George movie that I’ve probably watched more than a dozen times at my daughter’s request. Those songs are really chilled-out, soothing, and have really simple and enjoyable melodies. His newest album Sleep Through The Static is basically more of the same, and that’s just fine with me. Plus Jack Johnson is somewhat of an advocate for various environmental causes and Sleep Through The Static was recorded using 100% solar energy and the liner notes were printed on 100% post-consumer waste recycled paper. How ‘bout that.
MP3 | Jack Johnson – If I Had Eyes Sleep Through The Static
MP3 | Jack Johnson – Angel Sleep Through The Static
Filed Under: Album Reviews, Folk, Just Plain Rock
Review: Empire! Empire! (I Was A Lonely Estate) - When The Sea Became A Giant
Posted on 4 May 2008 | 4 Comments
The emo re-revolution is most certainly upon us now. It’s almost as if this new breed of emo bands like Street Smart Cyclist, Algernon Cadwallader, Rapid Cities, Bridge and Tunnel, Know Think, Jacob and I, and others have just fallen out of the sky and onto my stereo. Another band that fits snugly into this classification is the Fenton, Michigan based Empire! Empire! (I Was A Lonely Estate). Yes, that is the band’s name. Their debut EP, When The Sea Became A Giant, is and imperfect but impassioned collection of what my brother would call “shitty whiny plinky-plink emo.” It’s an accurate and endearing (yes, endearing) description of a band that reminds me a bit of Mineral and early Get Up Kids. A promising debut from a talented band indeed, but there are points where the vocals are so forced and off-key that it is almost painful to listen to. Sure, some harmonic dissonance is expected, but at times it is just too much. All that being said, I can’t wait to hear this band grow and come into their own. When The Sea Became A Giant moves slowly; purposefully meandering and wonderfully unpolished.
MP3 | Empire ! Empire! – Our Love Has Made Us Pariahs When The Sea Became A Giant
Filed Under: Album Reviews, Emo, Indie Rock
Review: Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend
Posted on 3 May 2008 | 2 Comments
Yeah, I’m (again) the last person in the world to jump on the Vampire Weekend bandwagon, but their self-titled debut album is just so damn infectious that it simply can’t be ignored. I ignored all the initial hype, I missed them on SNL, and I was basically an idiot for ignoring them as long as I did. For the three people left that don’t know anything about Vampire Weekend, the band plays bright and bouncy indie pop that sounds like a cross between Paul Simon and The Shins and sounds perfect on a sunny Sunday morning with a cup of coffee or even on a Saturday night with pint of Hop Juice in hand. Interesting, melodic, fun, and easily accessible, this is a band and an album that will undoubtedly top a ton of critics and fan’s best of 2008 lists.
I love this album and have no problem telling all y’all that. I have (however) been reading some comments regarding Vampire Weekend that have criticized those who dare to recognize an indie-pop band from New York City as having any sort of “world music” influence. I don’t know what the issue is. Sure, the band appropriates certain tones and instrumentation from Afro-pop and other so-called “world music,” but all I hear is a nifty little American indie-rock band. I guess that they aren’t so little anymore since when my dad is name-dropping Vampire Weekend, they have most certainly escaped the realm of the obscure.
The effortless and instantly hummable melodies of Vampire Weekend make it an album that is almost too easy to love, but even after listening to the record dozens of times, it holds up and is (perhaps) better than it was on the initial listen. Something about Vampire Weekend just takes hold and won’t let go. It sounds familiar but fresh, perhaps due in part to the “world music” influences the band incorporates alongside the typical guitar-bass-drums indie rock core. Chocolate ice cream is always going to be similar whether your eating Haagen-Daas or the stuff out of the little plastic cups with the cardboard paddle scoops, right? They may taste different and be of differing quality but both are recognizable as chocolate ice cream. Now, you can add peanut butter, toffee, raspberries, or any number of other things to that ice cream and then it gets interesting and (ultimately) better. That’s sorta what Vampire Weekend is like; chocolate ice cream with goodies mixed throughout.
MP3 | Vampire Weekend – Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa Vampire Weekend
MP3 | Vampire Weekend – The Kids Don’t Stand A Chance Vampire Weekend
Filed Under: Album Reviews, Indie Rock
Review: Two Hours Traffic - Little Jabs
Posted on 2 May 2008 | No Comments
If you are looking for some breezy and garagey Canadian Maritime indie-pop that can be incredibly infectious, you should check out Two Hours Traffic. Their album, Little Jabs reminds me a little of something like The Bodeans vs. (perhaps) Andrew Bird (if a little less drastic). It is a (even though I fucking hate this word) pleasant and low-key affair but I found myself nodding along to the tunes on more than one occasion.
MP3 | Two Hours Traffic – Stuck For The Summer Little Jabs
MP3 | Two Hours Traffic – Sure Can Start Little Jabs
Filed Under: Album Reviews, Indie Rock
Review: Ladyslipper - The Time, Not The Weather
Posted on 29 April 2008 | No Comments
Ladyslipper is a Minneapolis post-punk trio with an unfortunately uncertain future at the moment. Their debut album is full of thick and super-cool heavy (but melodic) indie rock that sounds a bit like The Killers fighting Black Sabbath inside a Central Minnesota grain silo as Mission Of Burma blares from the speakers of a still-running pickup nearby. Sometimes lilting and sometimes jagged; this is a great debut that’s got a mathy precision and buzzes with a darkly Trio-ish vibe. All that aside, the band is on hiatus and may very well have played their last show… and that would be too bad.
MP3 | Ladyslipper – Tinnitus The Time, Not The Weather
MP3 | Ladyslipper – Free Stream The Time, Not The Weather
Filed Under: Album Reviews, Indie Rock, Post Rock
Review: Fell Far Behind - Reaching The Red Line
Posted on 28 April 2008 | 1 Comment
If you like New Found Glory or Bayside, you might just have found your new favorite band. Fell Far Behind is a New Jersey quintet that straddles the line between harder-edged rock and fast-paced pop-punk. It’s catchy, melodic, and solidly-played with loads of technical guitarmonies. Nothing really out of the ordinary, but pretty decent nonetheless. I would normally expect that a record like this to be released one of a few mid-sized labels that specialize in this sort of thing, but Fell Far Behind actually self-released this. Kudos to these guys for going it alone.
MP3 | Fell Far Behind – For Now Goodnight Reaching The Red Line
MP3 | Fell Far Behind – The Antidote Reaching The Red Line
Filed Under: Album Reviews, Punk
Review: Polydream - Send Me To The Sun
Posted on 28 April 2008 | No Comments
I’m not sure why, but Madison, Wisconsin was not exactly where I expected Polydream to call home. Their Americana-tinged adult-oriented shoegaze pop just strikes me as being a bit out of place there. Polydream’s latest album Send Me To The Sun sounds (at times) a helluva lot like the Goo Goo Dolls (complete with the big layered super-slick over-production). Other times Polydream doles out more atmospheric major-key-shoegaze a la Coldplay. I’m actually surprised that major labels aren’t knocking down their door since this is the sort of stuff with a wide-ranging crossover appeal they seem to eat right up. Somewhere (however) Polydream sneaks in a little Americana charm onto Send Me To The Sun which makes for an interesting listen and an album I can’t write off as total crap even if it ain’t really sure which way it’s going.
MP3 | Polydream – Montana Send Me To The Sun
MP3 | Polydream – Catch Me If You Can Send Me To The Sun
Filed Under: Album Reviews, Just Plain Rock
Review: Paint It Black - New Lexicon
Posted on 27 April 2008 | No Comments
New Lexicon is fifteen killer new tracks from Jade Tree’s finest; Dr. Dan Yemin and Paint It Black are back and as pissed-off as ever. It’s the same formula as ever (imagine Kid Dynamite with Dan’s vocals instead of Jason’s and with most of the melody removed) but with some interesting interludes between songs. You need more? Well, my wife likes Kid Dynamite but not Paint It Black and (to be honest) I wasn’t their biggest fan early on, but they’ve grown on me. Basically, all you need to know is that this record is great. Period.
MP3 | Past Tense, Future Perfect New Lexicon
MP3 | Four Deadly Venoms New Lexicon
Filed Under: Album Reviews, Punk
Review: Longview - Deep In The Mountains
Posted on 26 April 2008 | 1 Comment
Deep In The Mountains is the new album from bluegrass super-group Longview. I won’t even pretend to know much about the members’ other bands, but I’ll be doing some digging after hearing this record. A simply amazing record that has that high, lonesome sound like it really was recorded deep in the mountains. It is a record that is full of stellar banjo and fiddle playing and captivating three-part vocal harmonies that come together in perfect unison on these traditional old-school bluegrass tunes and is available now from Rounder Records.
MP3 | Longview – Cotton Eye Joe Deep In The Mountains
MP3 | Longview – Eating Out Of Your Hand Deep In The Mountains
Filed Under: Album Reviews, Americana
Review: The Maine - The Way We Talk EP
Posted on 26 April 2008 | No Comments
The Way We Talk is full of run-of-the-mill radio-friendly pop-punk that does without most of the punk. The music is simple and pretty damn catchy, but just it just sounds like every other fucking poppy pop-punk-indie-rock band trying to make it onto TRL these days. Sure, The Maine does what they do pretty well, and I’ll take this over a lot of the crap on the radio these days but I don’t even listen to the radio anymore. And even though I’m a huge pop-punk fan, I’m so over this sound. RIYL: The Starting Line, Cute Is What We Aim For, Mayday Parade, and hundreds of other bands that Drive Thru is probably dying to sign and pissed that Fearless got to first.
MP3 | The Maine – If I Only Had The Heart The Way We Talk EP
MP3 | The Maine – We Change, We Wait The Way We Talk EP
Filed Under: Album Reviews, Just Plain Rock, Pop
Review: The Expendables - The Expendables
Posted on 26 April 2008 | No Comments
The Expendables play ska that ranges from Goldfinger style ska-punk to more laid back Sublime-y or Pepper-ish island reggae grooves. This is something that could easily (and will likely) be written off by most critics as party music for ganja smokin’ college kids, but there is something that I sorta like about these Santa Cruz, California dudes. There is an interesting and pervasive power metal influence that permeates much of this album and percolates my own inner Guitar Hero. If ever a ska band could be called shred-tastic, The Expendables are it. This album will take you for a fun ride so get your flip flops, sunscreen, and limes ready; it is almost summertime and this could be your soundtrack.
MP3 | The Expendables – Paper Chains The Expendables
MP3 | The Expendables – Sacrifice The Expendables
Filed Under: Album Reviews, Ska
Review: Harris Newman - Decorated
Posted on 24 April 2008 | No Comments
Despite the title of Canadian acoustic guitarist Harris Newman’s third album Decorated there isn’t much extraneous ornamentation or decoration aside from Newman’s own guitar. It is a great (and mostly solo) exploration of hypnotic steel-string modalities that walk the line between improvisational avant-garde meandering and pleasantly captivating nearly new age folk-isms. His wonderfully fingerpicked runs ebb and flow like the water of a cold clear stream cascading over exposed rocks on its way into something larger. It is beautiful but unsettling and filled with a tension that seems like it could break or spiral out of control at almost any minute. Mostly in the same realm as guys like Jack Rose or John Fahey, but on tracks such as “Blues for Vilhelm” find Newman playing with experimental dronescapes and even adding a drummer on the electrified “Opera House Stomp.” Decorated resonates with me and works in both the foreground and background. Great stuff.
MP3 | Harris Newman – Decorated Decorated
Filed Under: Album Reviews, Folk
Review: Hail Hornet - Hail Hornet
Posted on 24 April 2008 | No Comments
Hail Hornet ia band that features members of Alabama Thunderpussy and Weedeater (among others). On their self-titled debut album, they dish out grime-metal that’s brutally aggressive and thunderously sludgy. This is some gnarly shit that will put hair on your chest and is out now on the awesome Dwell Records label.
MP3 | Hail Hornet – Golden Whore Hail Hornet
MP3 | Hail Hornet – Devil’s Hound Hail Hornet
Filed Under: Album Reviews, Hardcore & Metal
Review: Bayard Russell - Selftitled
Posted on 24 April 2008 | 1 Comment
Selftitled is a nice little record full of hushed but playful bedroom indie pop tunes from NYC singer/songwriter Bayard Russell. They are catchy, melodic, bouncy and everything you could want out of a record like this. Very recommended for fans of The Incredible Moses Leroy, The Softlightes, Say Hi, etc…
MP3 | Bayard Russell – I Know Selftitled
MP3 | Bayard Russell – A Candle That’s Burning Selftitled
Filed Under: Album Reviews, Indie Rock, Pop
Review: Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago
Posted on 23 April 2008 | 4 Comments
Sam Beam vs. TV On The Radio + Northwestern Wisconsin = Bon Iver’s For Emma, Forever Ago. This is a stripped-down and low-key but amazingly beautiful folk album that is hushed yet fervently soulful. As far as debut albums go, this one from Bon Iver (aka Justin Vernon) is stunning.
MP3 | Bon Iver – Flume For Emma, Forever Ago
MP3 | Bon Iver – Lump Sum For Emma, Forever Ago
Filed Under: Album Reviews, Folk
Review: Burial - Untrue
Posted on 21 April 2008 | No Comments
When I saw Burial’s Untrue at the top of many 2007 year-end lists, I was puzzled. After hearing the album for the first time, I was skeptical and wondered what all the fuss was about. But now, some months (and many many listens) later, I’m thoroughly enjoying Untrue and his twisting turning dubstep. What exactly is dubstep? Good question. I’m not totally sure, but evidently it has something to do with being “a kind of trip-hop revival with overtones of downtempo drum ‘n’ bass” and is one of many subgenres of the UK’s garage and grime scenes. What? I don’t even think I understand a word of that.
Luckily for us common folk Untrue is fairly easy to appreciate. It is a bit minimalistic and darkly atmospheric but with the inclusion of glitched, chopped, and vocoded R&B vocal samples, it plays like some warped form of club music that never quite breaks wide open on the dance floor despite trying to. But, who am I kidding, I don’ dance at all, so maybe you can dance to this. Burial’s music is powerful but engaging but it is also very intimate and almost secretive. It is certainly heady music, but strangely accessible.
Now as someone who likes a fair amount of minimal techno, I’m still not sure what Burial and Untrue really are and what to compare this to. I don’t follow dance/cub/electronic music all that much, but when something catches my ears, I’ll listen. Seriously though, maybe like a more downtempo and glitchy version of Moby’s Play might be a no-so-bad-for-the-average-person comparison. Whatever though. I seriously dig the chilled out vibe of Untrue. You just might as well.
MP3 | Burial – Archangel Untrue
MP3 | Burial – Shell Of Light Untrue
Filed Under: Album Reviews, Atmospheric, Electronic
Review: Cloak/Dagger - No Age
Posted on 21 April 2008 | No Comments
Cloak/Dagger’s latest album No Age fires up on all cylinders from the start. Their no-frills dirty old-school hardcore punk is incendiary but refreshing to hear in a world over-populated with over-produced mediocre songs. No Age is overdriven and relentless and makes me wanna jump in the pit and flail around (or at least pogo) with the rest of the crowd. This punk rock is abrasive (in a good way) and emphasizes grit and teeth over melody. No Age is simple, rough-edged, bombastic, and out now on the always great Jade Tree.
MP3 | Cloak/Dagger – Runways No Age
MP3 | Cloak/Dagger – Hollywood Hills No Age
Filed Under: Album Reviews, Punk
Review: High On Fire - Death Is This Communion
Posted on 20 April 2008 | 3 Comments
Metal. Oh sweet metal. My brother listens to way more heavy music than I do and Death Is This Communion was his favorite metal album of 2007 and after further deliberation, I find that statement difficult to refute. make no mistake this is some powerful and beastly metal, but rather than just throw comparisons around, I’ll just let the music do the talking here. This is truly some amazing stuff Oakland’s High On Fire and highly recommended for fans of Mastodon, etc… and don’t forget to catch them on the Gigantour right now!
MP3 | High On Fire – Rumors Of War Death Is This Communion
MP3 | High On Fire – Fury Whip Death Is This Communion
Filed Under: Album Reviews, Hardcore & Metal
Review: Crime In Stereo - Is Dead
Posted on 19 April 2008 | No Comments
I really liked Crime In Stereo’s last record The Troubled Stateside and my feelings about the Long Island-based band’s latest album, Is Dead, are no different. Is Dead is a solid melodic hardcore/pop-punk album that gives both fury and melody their fair share of face time with a little more emphasis on the melody. The band also shows they aren’t afraid to move beyond straight-up pop-punk or melodic hardcore and include some slower, moodier, and more atmospheric songs like “Unfortunate Tourists” and “Orbiter.” It isn’t as drastic a stylistic shift as the one Cave-In made, but then again, Crime In Stereo isn’t a metal band trying to make a major-label modern rock album either. Is Dead is simply (at its core) about the energetic combination of churning guitars, crashing drums, and in-your-face hook-laden choruses. Check it.
RIYL: Bayside, The Movielife, The Casket Lottery, etc…
MP3 | Crime In Stereo – XXXX (The First 1000 Years Of Solitude) Is Dead
MP3 | Crime In Stereo – Nixon Is Dead
Filed Under: Album Reviews, Punk
Review: Danger Radio - Punch Your Lights Out EP
Posted on 19 April 2008 | No Comments
Wow. I can’t believe I just listened to this entire EP. I hate being this blunt, but Punch Your Lights Out is six songs of horrible white-boy disco funk-rock fusion that has been impregnated with faux-emo whining that comes off like a mash-up of Har Mar Superstar, Hanson, and Fall Out Boy. This is so bad that it might make Stevie Wonder see again; if only so that he could bitchslap these guys. I’m not sure what the band was going for in their name, but shouldn’t Danger Radio be a warning? Run the other way when you hear this. It’s so bad I think I just threw up in my mouth a little.
MP3 | You Don’t Need To Hear This Crap Consider Me Your Savior
Filed Under: Album Reviews, Just Plain Rock
Review: Title Fight - Kingston 7"
Posted on 19 April 2008 | 1 Comment
Title Fight is a killer melodic-punk band from Kingston, Pennsylvania. Their debut 7” is named for their hometown; a place that sits directly across the Susquehanna River from Wilkes-Barre and only about 2 hours from New Brunswick, NJ. So it isn’t (at least to me) surprising that Title Fight the three songs on the 7” fall squarely into the post-Lifetime vein of melodic punk that we all love so much. You know, fast pop-punk parts mixed with breakdowns? OK, think of the first two Saves The Day records but with a tad more grit. It is a fast and furious blast of guitars, bass, and drums that clocks in at a shade under 7 minutes 30 seconds and begs you to keep flipping the record over and over and over; it’s that good.
Kingston is vibrant and exciting and makes me feel many years younger than I am. Even my wife who was born and raised in Pennsylvania and grew up on East Coast punk from the likes of Lifetime, Weston, Plow United, and The Bouncing Souls, also approves and gives her A-OK to Title Fight. Pick up a copy of the Kingston 7” here. You won’t be disappointed.
MP3 | Title Fight – Loud And Clear Kingston 7”
Filed Under: Album Reviews, Punk
Review: The Interiors - The Interiors
Posted on 17 April 2008 | 2 Comments
Let me make it simple. The Interiors are a guitar rock band. They are from Chicago. They are awesome. Their new self-titled album is due out in June. That is all.
Well, just in case you wanted more to read as you listen to the songs below, here’s a little extra. The Interiors’ singer/guitarist Chase Duncan lost part of his left index fingertip in a freak accident the day after the band signed on with the 54-40 Or Fight record label, but has since recovered. And thankfully, since The Interiors is a great record that sounds sorta like Interpol meets Pavement with an additional snap in its step courtesy of our brisk Chicago winters. Jangly guitar rock that nods to the past but dives headfirst into the future.
MP3 | The Interiors – Power Lines The Interiors
MP3 | The Interiors – I’m So Happy The Interiors
Filed Under: Album Reviews, Indie Rock, Just Plain Rock
Review: Saw Wheel - The Next Train
Posted on 16 April 2008 | No Comments
RJ is a guy from Austin, Texas who records as Saw Wheel. His debut full-length The Next Train sounds like the combination of acoustic guitars, beards, harmonicas, dead-end jobs, whiskey, endless roads, and gruff but warm vocals. It is full of rough-edged Southern-tinged folk-punk that reminds me of Chuck Ragan, Tim Barry and their heartfelt working-class anthems. These songs from Saw Wheel have a genuine gritty quality that sounds like a dude sitting on his front porch playing a guitar. Oh yeah, the album also includes a cover of Avail’s “Lombardy St.” Good stuff.
MP3 | Saw Wheel – The Obvious Hit The Next Train
MP3 | Saw Wheel – Train Wreck The Next Trade
Filed Under: Album Reviews, Americana
Review: The Federalists - The Federalists
Posted on 13 April 2008 | 2 Comments
The Federalist Party was founded by Alexander Hamilton in about 1792 and opposed the Democratic-Republican Party (confusing, huh?) during the 1800’s. Their political force (however) was short-lived and The Federalists fielded their last presidential candidate (Rufus King) in 1816 and were all but gone but they 1820’s. Not that the above history has anything to do with the well-conceived but basically straightforward and uncomplicated love songs of the Bay Area band The Federalists, but I thought it was worth mentioning. The band’s smart and upbeat indie-rock touches on synth-pop, rootsy-garage rock, and much of what lies in-between. Say Hi To Your Mom vs. Gin Blossoms vs. The Strokes might be a good approximation of what the new self-titled album from The Federalists sounds like. Nothing too groundbreaking or exciting, but with enough easy melodies and instrumental variation to satisfy even those most adamantly opposed to the War of 1812.
MP3 | The Federalists – Friendly Fire The Federalists
MP3 | The Federalists – City Girl The Federalists
Filed Under: Album Reviews, Indie Rock
Review: The Besnard Lakes Are The Dark Horse
Posted on 11 April 2008 | No Comments
Imagine listening to both Pet Sounds and Gish at the same time as you watch the sun rise at the foot of el Capitan. Fuck yeah! It’s The Besnard Lakes!
MP3 | The Besnard Lakes – You Lied To Me …Are The Dark Horse
Filed Under: Album Reviews, Just Plain Rock
Review: What Makes Milwaukee Famous - What Doesn't Kill Us
Posted on 11 April 2008 | No Comments
What Doesn’t Kill Us is the second album from the Austin, Texas quintet What Made Milwaukee Famous and it is a wide-ranging record full of new-wave inflected power-popping indie-rock. While the band is stylistically all over the indie rock spectrum in terms of sound, one thing’s for sure; they certainly know how to write a melody. Sometimes upbeat, sometimes somber, sometimes soaring, oftentimes lilting, but always fetching. What Makes Milwaukee Famous makes is sound easy on What Doesn’t Kill Us. It is tighter and more propulsive than its predecessor (their 2006 debut, Trying To Never Catch Up which I also enjoyed) but ultimately shows a band that can wear its own shoes even if they are still growing into ‘em. Pick up a copy of What Doesn’t Kill Us from our friends over at Barsuk Records. RIYL: Spoon, the Shins, Rogue Wave, etc…
MP3 | What Made Milwaukee Famous – Resistance St. What Doesn’t Kill Us
Filed Under: Album Reviews, Indie Rock
Review: Ben Lee - Ripe
Posted on 10 April 2008 | No Comments
Have I really been a fan of Ben Lee for this long? Heck, I remember buying his juvenile and imperfectly charming album Grandpaw Would back in 1995 when I was an aspiring young four-tracker myself. That was a long time ago; trust me. Since then, Ben Lee has released six full-length albums (if you include his track-by-track cover of Against Me’s New Wave) that I have all basically enjoyed. He’s recorded everything from sparse and introspective acoustic pop songs to electronics-laden beat-heavy indie-pop with production credits from Dan The Automator. His latest album, Ripe, is (however) a bit underwhelming. It comes across as something like the soundtrack to a boring romantic comedy; homogenized, smoothed over, and dumbed down for the masses. Songs like “What Would Jay-Z Do?,” “Sex Without Love,” and “So Hungry” are perfect examples.
Sure, the production and arrangements are pleasant (if a little boring) and the songs can be really really catchy, but there is nothing truly exciting about the album; nothing distinguishing. I’m willing to give Ben the benefit of the doubt here, but Ripe just seems like paint-by-numbers pop aimed at a demographic that I’m no longer a part of. Ripe has a few classic Ben Lee moments, but is ultimately disappointing; especially after Ben’s interesting (and excellent) take on Against Me’s great New Wave. Hopefully, Ben Lee will return to form on his next record. As someone who has been a fan for over a dozen years, I’d expect no less.
MP3 | Ben Lee – Birds And Bees (ft. Mandy Moore) Ripe
MP3 | Ben Lee – American Television Ripe
Filed Under: Album Reviews, Just Plain Rock, Pop
Review: Glossary - The Better Angels Of Our Nature
Posted on 10 April 2008 | 1 Comment
While I generally provide a track or two to entice you to go pick up whatever album I’m talking about, Glossary has taken it one step further and offered up their latest album The Better Angels Of Our Nature in its entirety as a free download from their site. It’s slow-burning Southern rock that just feels like a warm, breezy summer afternoon; a little Allman Brothers twang with the soul of Iron & Wine. The Better Angels Of Our Nature sounds (at many moments) like it could simply erupt into searing blues-laden guitar histrionics, but doesn’t. The band holds back (if only ever so slightly) and gets fervent but never outpaces themselves. These ten songs are brilliant and make me long for the happiness that comes with warmer days. Follow the link above and download this now.
MP3 | Glossary – Only Time Will Tell The Better Angels Of Our Nature
MP3 | Glossary – Little Caney The Bette Angels Of Our Nature
Filed Under: Album Reviews, Americana
Review: Chinese Telephones - Chinese Telephones
Posted on 10 April 2008 | No Comments
The self-titled full-length from Milwaukee’s Chinese Telephones is another pop-punk record that I can safely file away between the rough-edge of Dillinger Four and the pop-sensibilities of Screeching Weasel. This is unadorned shitty (in the most positive way possible) and sloppy punk that I love. Although the fidelity and sound quality is a bit rough on this record, it is endearing in that it reminds me of what all my old 7” records sounded like before I got a hi-fi turntable.
MP3 | Chinese Telephones – I Think I Can Breathe Now S/T
MP3 | Chinese Telephones – I Can’t Be Right S/T
Filed Under: Album Reviews, Punk
Review: Monitor and the Merrimac - Grandma's Old Couch
Posted on 6 April 2008 | 2 Comments
David Grazynski is a guy who (with the help of his friends) makes music as Monitor and the Merrimac and (though it might sound so) he ain’t a bearded mountain man from the hills of West Virginia. Based around his banjo playing and warbly drawl and augmented with percussion, harmonica, pedal steel, and other assorted instrumentation, Grazynski’s debut album Grandma’s Old Couch builds on traditional folk and old-timey roots music to become something all his own. Imagine Modest Mouse meets Woody Guthrie (but with banjos) and you might be close.
I don’t know where the stories told in the songs of Monitor and the Merrimac came from or where they are going, but they are both striking and easily enjoyable. Grandma’s Old Couch isn’t truly lo-fi but it sounds a bit tattered and timeless; it sounds like a new spin on something old. It’s a recipe mixing something bluegrassish with a little straight-up folk-rock music.
When I was a kid we used to visit a little cabin up in Wisconsin’s Northwoods. There was no indoor plumbing and only a wood burning stove to heat the place. We’d play cards late into the night and listen to the sounds of the FM radio static and the crickets. Grandma’s Old Couch wouldn’t have sounded out of place up there.
MP3 | Monitor And The Merrimac – Grandma’s Old Couch Grandma’s Old Couch
MP3 | Monitor And The Merrimac – Sally, Where’d You Get Your Liquor From Grandma’s Old Couch
Filed Under: Album Reviews, Americana, Folk
Review: Ivoryline - There Came A Lion
Posted on 6 April 2008 | No Comments
One of the best places I’ve found to listen to new music is on the treadmill and since I’ve been spending a lot of time running lately I’ve listened to a bunch of new music. But when something upbeat and driving comes on, I’m generally all for the little quick it adds to my step.
One such album is the latest from the Tyler, Texas quintet Ivoryline. The record is called There Came A Lion and it is well-played and slickly produced but isn’t really anything you haven’t heard before. Catchy nu-emo pop-rock isn’t revolutionary but rarely is it as worthwhile and enjoyable as it is on There Came A Lion. I’ll admit (thought) the album isn’t nearly as good off the treadmill as it is while running. As propulsive and passionate as it is, the record gets a little repetitive as the album draws on and it all starts to sound too similar. Even so, the energy and driving guitars just sorta make me smile.
I’d bet that Ivoryline will appeal to fans of Anberlin, Spitalfield, Saosin, and the like except that Ivoryline vocalist Jeremy Gray has a much stronger voice. There Came A Lion is out now on Tooth & Nail.
MP3 | Ivoryline – All You Ever Hear There Came A Lion
MP3 | Ivoryline – Be Still And Breathe There Came A Lion
Filed Under: Album Reviews, Just Plain Rock
Review: Architecture In Helsinki - Places Like This
Posted on 5 April 2008 | No Comments
The exclusive remedy of the buyer or user, and the sole liability of Can You See the Sunset for any and all claims, fun, enjoyment or spastic dancing (including claims based on breach of warranty, negligence, tort, strict liability or otherwise) resulting from the use of this Architecture In Helsinki, shall be, at the option of Can You See the Sunset, the return of the original indie-pop goodness of Architecture In Helsinki, as provided herein. In no event shall the liability of Can You See the Sunset exceed the melody of Architecture In Helsinki. Replacement music shall be a reasonably similar current MP3 and may not exactly match the original.
MP3 | Architecture In Helsinki – Red Turned White Places Like This
MP3 | Architecture In Helsinki – Heart It Races Places Like This
Filed Under: Album Reviews, Indie Rock
Review: Karmella's Game - The Art Of Distraction
Posted on 5 April 2008 | No Comments
Another disc that has been in my large stack of “stuff to review” is The Art Of Distraction From the Baltimore-based group Karmella’s Game. They play fun and bouncy synth-driven keyboard rock a la Reggie or Zolof but with fewer big rock tendencies. A little like what I’d imagine Sarge might sound like with James Dewees pounding the keys or perhaps a female-fronted Get Up Kids circa Something To Write Home About. Karmella’s Game doesn’t do anything groundbreaking on The Art Of Distraction, but the album is pretty fun and entertaining even for a jaded old fool like myself; even though the keyboards are (at times) cheesy and overdone.Think of it this way, if Darth Vader ever had a little sister, Karmella’s Game would be the perfect band to play her sweet sixteen party. Synth-heavy emo-dance-rock.
MP3 | Karmella’s Game – Diversions The Art Of Distraction
MP3 | Karmella’s Game – One Phone Call The Art Of Distraction
Filed Under: Album Reviews, Just Plain Rock, Pop
Review: The Lemonheads - It's A Shame About Ray (Reissue)
Posted on 4 April 2008 | 2 Comments
I distinctly remembering buying the Lemonheads classic album It’s A Shame About Ray when I was 14. It was a fall day and we had driven to the nearest mall so I could go to Sam Goody (or was it Musicland) to get this album. My CD collection was much smaller back then and I poured over every detail, tried to decipher all the mixed up lyrics, and listened to the album over and over. I had this Sony CD boombox with a repeat feature that allowed me to (at one point during that winter) play “Confetti” roughly 250 times in a row. Those were different times and this was a special album. It was one of a few albums that served as a “gateway” into punk rock for me. After buying It’s A Shame About Ray I got Lovey, Lick, Hate Your Friends, and various singles in the Lemonheads back catalog. From there I got into a bunch of other associated groups; The Blake Babies, Juliana Hatfield, Antenna, Velo Deluxe, Buffalo Tom, etc… and the rest just sorta happened.
You have to remember that all this happened before the existence of the Internet; before the information overload. These days, nothing is surprising and nothing goes unnoticed. And even though he was strung out his voice was golden, his songs were memorable, and his persona was unshakable. Back then, Lemonheads front man Evan Dando’s songs straddled the line between pop, punk, and even alt-country before it was fashionable. As amazing as It’s A Shame About Ray was, it was never really more than an alternative rock minor hit (when there still was meaning to the world “alternative.”) I recall seeing the Lemonheads perform at Chicago’s Grant Park (the current home of Lollapalooza) in 1994 and waiting around afterwards to get an autograph from Evan. It never happened.
Yeah, I purchased the follow-up, Come On Feel the Lemonheads, and even recorded a duet of “Into Your Arms” with my sister (in German, no less). It was a good (but not great) album that didn’t hit nearly as hard as It’s A Shame About Ray. It is difficult to adequately put my feelings about Ray into words. I mean, when I started my own band one common thread between founding members was a love for the Lemonheads, Juliana Hatfield, and the like. Without It’s A Shame About Ray I may have just been “like a ship without a rudder.” Who knows though.
Anyhow, It’s A Shame About Ray has been re-released with a bunch of stripped-down bonus demo tracks and a pretty cool DVD called Two Weeks In Australia that also lends some insight into this amazing record. If you don’t already own this, go out and get the reissue. This album is a necessity in everyone’s record collection.
MP3 | The Lemonheads – Confetti It’s A Shame About Ray
MP3 | The Lemonheads – Alison’s Starting To Happen It’s A Shame About Ray
Filed Under: Album Reviews, Just Plain Rock
Review: Rapid Cities - 3 song demo
Posted on 3 April 2008 | No Comments
It is fitting that Rapid Cities calls New Brunswick, NJ home since that is where my wife is right now. Ha. Anyhow, Rapid Cities plays gritty and driving and emocore/post-rock that is as solid as anything I’ve heard recently within the genre. The mathy grooves of three songs on their demo straddle the smarmy intersection of 90’s Midwestmo, San Diego hardcore, and Chicago post-rock. Indian Summer meets Lustre King anyone? Anyone? Aggressive and infectious, and more dissonant than melodic, it’s just the sort of stuff that you’d expect to come creeping out of dusty vinyl grooves circa 1996 or so. The songs below make up Rapid Cities’ demo but are being re-recorded for their upcoming debut full length which I can only assume will be fucking incredible. These guys give me hope that all is not lost.
MP3 | Rapid Cities – Space Is Infinite Demo
MP3 | Rapid Cities – There Is A Black Hole Demo
MP3 | Rapid Cities – In My Mind Demo
Filed Under: Album Reviews, Emo, Post Rock
Review: The Sound Of Animals Fighting - Lover, The Lord Has Left Us
Posted on 2 April 2008 | 1 Comment
Have you ever heard The Sound Of Animals Fighting? Not wild animals, but (rather) the Southern California progressive rock collective formed by our old friend (and former RX Bandits trombonist) Rich Balling? They supposedly have a new album that is being currently being readied, but their last release, 2006’s Lover, The Lord Has Left Us can be a pretty crazy listen at times that incorporates everything from sheer noise to Eastern-influenced female vocals; from glitch-tronica to spiky emo riffs. There are parts of the album that are almost catchy and others that are almost unlistenable. It is (however) part of an overall whole that is really quite different than almost anything else out there.
Aside from Balling (aka The Nightingale) the band features (or has featured) current or former members of RX Bandits, Circa Survive, Finch, The Autumns, Never Heard Of It, The Hippos, Chiodos, Days Away, and others. The more I listen to Lover, The Lord Has Left Us, the more I like it (or at least have begun to appreciate it). That and the fact that The Nightingale is a really good guy have me intrigued and excited to hear what the group will come up with next.
MP3 | The Sound Of Animals Fighting – Skullflower Lover, The Lord Has Left Us
MP3 | The Sound Of Animals Fighting – My Horse Must Lose Lover, The Lord Has Left Us
Filed Under: Album Reviews, Emo, Noise, Post Rock
Review: The Sword - Gods Of The Earth
Posted on 1 April 2008 | 1 Comment
On their sophomore album Gods Of The Earth The Sword dishes out another serving of stoner and NWOBHM inspired metal riffage that should help you pillage any small countryside towns that you and your noble steed should come across in your journeys. The album picks up exactly where Age Of Winter left off; not as pummeling as Mastodon and not as melodic and epic as Zeppelin. Gods Of The Earth grooves, pounds, and provides guitar pyrotechnics that seem to be made for worship on Guitar Hero. In short:
“This thing all things devours:
Birds, beasts, trees, flowers:
Gnaws iron, bites steel:
Grinds hard stones to meal:
Slays king, ruins town,
And beats high mountains down!”
MP3 | The Sword – Fire Lances Of The Ancient Hyperzephyrians Gods Of The Earth
Filed Under: Album Reviews, Hardcore & Metal
Review: Drag The River - You Can't Live This Way
Posted on 31 March 2008 | 1 Comment
I loved Drag The River’s 2006 album, It’s Crazy, so I was more than a little saddened when I learned that the band was breaking up last year, but was even more thrilled to find out that the band was releasing one final album. You Can’t Live This Way was recorded before but released after the band’s official split last year and it kinda feels just like a break-up album should. Sure, Drag The River still dishes out punk-influenced country tunes, but the overall pace is a bit slower and a bit strained.
In all actuality, I was trying to write a longer review of this record, but (instead) thought I’d direct you to the excellent review of You Can’t Live This Way over at Sound As Language. It expresses everything I would have tried to about this album. For all intents and purposes (in my eyes at least) Drag The River was a supergroup of ex-punks (featuring current or former members of All, Armchair Martian, Hot Rod Circuit, The Nobodys, and Pinhead Circus) and was destined to split at some point. It was inevitable. You Can’t Live This Way is available now from Suburban Home Records. Do yourself a favor and get it (and a pint glass) today.
MP3 | Drag The River – Rangement You Can’t Live This Way
MP3 | Drag The River – Brookfield You Can’t Live This Way
Filed Under: Album Reviews, Americana
Review: Hot Water Music - Till The Wheels Fall Off
Posted on 30 March 2008 | 1 Comment
If you’ve been reading this blog for long or if you’ve checked my last.fm profile, you know that both my wife and I love Hot Water Music and their double-fisted melodic post-hardcore fury. While there aren’t any new songs on Till The Wheels Fall Off, as it is a collection of songs from splits, comps, and other rare stuff that didn’t make it (or wasn’t yet released) for Never Ender, you still need it. Yeah, there are a few omissions but I can live with them if you can. No matter how you spin it though, this album (just as everything by Hot Water Music is) is essential.
MP3 | Hot Water Music – God Deciding Till The Wheels Fall Off
MP3 | Hot Water Music – So Many Days Till The Wheels Fall Off
Filed Under: Album Reviews, Emo, Punk
Review: Mighty Mighty Bosstones - Medium Rare
Posted on 29 March 2008 | 1 Comment
Really? Seriously? I didn’t know. The Mighty Mighty Bosstones recently released a compilation album, Medium Rare, that includes a bunch of b-sides , vinyl-only tracks, and (the best part) three new tunes. I thought they broke up, but (as evidenced by the new songs) the band hasn’t missed a single skankin’ beat.
MP3 | Mighty Mighty Bosstones – The Meaning Medium Rare
MP3 | The Mighty Mighty Bosstones – Don’t Worry Desmond Dekker Medium Rare
Filed Under: Album Reviews, Ska
Review: Bruno Pronsato - Why Can't We Be Like Us
Posted on 28 March 2008 | 1 Comment
Seattle-based laptop sound manipulator Bruno Pronsato (aka Steven Ford) has a new album called Why Can’t We Be Like Us. It is full of playful minimal techno tracks that sound like they were meticulously crafted by an artist’s hand. Percussive elements and beats bounce against flickering organic sounds that seem to be floating somewhere out in space. Listen to this with some nice headphones and the sounds become magnified like a microscopic view of some dark and bubbling petri dish.
MP3 | Bruno Pronsato – Slowly Gravely Why Can’t We Be Like Us
Filed Under: Album Reviews, Electronic
Review: The Felice Brothers - Tonight At The Arizona
Posted on 27 March 2008 | No Comments
I’ve been hearing about The Felice Brothers for a few months now and finally got my hands on a copy of Tonight At The Arizona; a magical album. The band is comprised of brothers Simone, Ian, and James Felice, and a buddy named Christmas and they play some truly threadbare country-folk that sounds so honest (at times) it almost makes me cringe. Most of the songs are stark and unadorned with a haunting realism permeating through them. Sure, drums, bass, and a shaker here or a harmonica there augment what is basically acoustic guitar and voice, but nothing is embellished; nothing is over-the-top.
Now every single review you read of Tonight At The Arizona will undoubtedly compare The Felice Brothers to The Band and Bob Dylan, but those comparisons are absolutely warranted. The album sounds old, tired, well-traveled but also pulls in other influences ranging from Woody Guthrie to Neil Young; you know, the backbone of simple and earnest Americana. The thing that The Felice Brothers have going for them is that they do this so much better than most. In fact, this album (while being of modern compositions) could hold its own against many of the so-called classics.
With their dusty shoes and tattered hats, on Tonight At The Arizona The Felice Brothers have made a rough-edged and flawed masterpiece. It is the imperfections (however) that make the album shine so much brighter than what any amount of studio production gloss could do. Easily one of the best new albums I’ve heard in a long time.
MP3 | The Felice Brothers – Ballad Of Lou The Welterweight Tonight At The Arizona
MP3 | The Felice Brothers – Rockefeller Druglaw Blues Tonight At The Arizona
Filed Under: Album Reviews, Americana, Folk
Review: Slingshot Dakota - Their Dreams Are Dead, But Ours Is The Golden Ghost
Posted on 26 March 2008 | 1 Comment
With many two-piece rock bands (The White Stripes, Matt & Kim, The Like Young, etc…) there are limitations when serious overdubbing isn’t involved. But with basically only overdriven keyboards and steady propulsive drumming, Slingshot Dakota manages to create a racket that seems worlds larger than the sum of its parts. Slingshot Dakota is a duo comprised of Carly Comando and Tom Patterson on keyboards and drums, respectively and their second self-released full-length (their first as only a duo) Their Dreams Are Dead, But Ours Is The Golden Ghost! is really fucking good. It is full of stripped-down punk-influenced indie-pop that is deceptively simple. Keyboards + drums + vocals = done.
While the guitars from Slingshot Dakota’s debut (from Jeff Cunningham of Bridge and Tunnel) are noticeably missing from …The Golden Ghost, their absence may (in fact) have brought these songs into sharper focus. The lyrics are uplifting and Comando’s vocals heartfelt; they are forcefully sung without being shouted and melodic without being saccharine. The album feels loose and comfortable like a worn-in pair of blue jeans. The bright keyboard tones are warm and inviting and sound like a sunny weekday afternoon wasted away while Patterson pounds his kit like he’s in a hardcore band. The production is minimal and keeps a slightly rough edge that (as the lyrics do) perfectly conveys the spirit of restless days on the road and exuberant nights in between.
Their Dreams Are Dead, But Ours Is The Golden Ghost is solid throughout with the title track (featuring guest vocals from Latterman’s Matt Canino) taking top honors. A refreshingly simple and fun album that more than makes up with passion what it lacks in overall dynamics. RIYL: Lemuria, Latterman, The Unlovables, etc…
MP3 | Slingshot Dakota – The Golden Ghost …The Golden Ghost
MP3 | Slingshot Dakota – Until The Day I Die …The Golden Ghost
Filed Under: Album Reviews, Indie Rock
Review: Goes Cube - Not What We Thought EP
Posted on 25 March 2008 | 9 Comments
Goes Cube has always been awesome (that’s a given). But when the robot rhythm section was replaced by new drummer Kenny Appell, their sound became massive. Just imagine Frodus, Isis, Lightning Bolt, and Helmet all wrapped into a ticking package labeled Goes Cube and you’ve got the idea. Before I go into just how ridiculously great their new tour-only EP Not What We Thought is, I need to apologize to Goes Cube.
This review was supposed to be written before Goes Cube started their current tour. I wanted my brother to write this review because he was pretty good friends with Matt “Coach” & David at U of I. He may have actually lived with Matt at one point, but I’m not sure. Anyhow, my brother was supposed to write this because he is infinitely more qualified to (an MFA in creative writing as well) but due to some shit that’s been going on, that never happened. My apologies to the Goes Cube dudes indeed.
So the new Goes Cube EP is six songs of brilliance numbered 50, 53, 54, 56, 57, and 49. From the first note until the last, the songs on Not What We Thought hurl themselves at you like a grenade with the pin pulled; like a vicious attack dog clamped down around you arm that is never going to let go. The bass angrily throbs, the guitar rips and tears, and pummeling drums create a thunderous roar that cannot be escaped. The single most astonishing thing about Goes Cube is how heavy they’ve become. The music is, like, really fuckin’ metal, and stuff, now. And though Goes Cube can be brutally bombastic and thrown down a low snarling groove, they can (and often do) travel down a road that’s a little more atmospheric, moody, and controlled… but then dive headfirst back in the the thick, swirling, blisteringly hot, metallic soup that is the foundation of what Goes Cube does.
In summation, this EP is a electrifying and visceral mini-masterpiece that demands repeat listens. I’m sure all the Goes Cube fans out there (myself included) are just begging for a full-length sometime soon. If Not What We Thought is any indication of the direction Goes Cube is headed; beware. They might just conquer the world.
MP3 | Goes Cube – Goes Cube Song 57 Not What We Thought
Filed Under: Album Reviews, Hardcore & Metal, Noise