VRGNS – Manimals
Since releasing their first full length Miscarriage in 2008, Orlando’s Vrgns have removed the “I’s” from their name (they were Virgins) and added bassist extraordinaire (and the only guy ahead of me in my division of Punk Rock Fantasy Football) Alex Goldfarb to their lineup. The band is still fronted by Sam Johnson (who, along (Read more…)
Matt Pond PA – The Dark Leaves
I’m a huge fan of Matt Pond PA’s 2004 album Emblems but was a little less impressed by two full-length albums and most of the numerous EP’s that followed… that is, until the band released this year’s brilliant The Dark Leaves. It’s the band’s eighth full-length and certainly one of the high points in their (Read more…)
Hostage Calm – Hostage Calm
As someone who is completely unfamiliar with pre-Hostage Calm Hostage Calm, this is my singular opinion of this Connecticut-based band’s self-titled full-length. Before ever listening to a note of the record, I just casually and carelessly assumed this was a hardcore record. I couldn’t have been more wrong. Hostage Calm is a record that covers (Read more…)
Go Rydell – The Golden Age
Hey! You need to check out Go Rydell. They’re a melodic punk/hardcore band from Orlando, Florida and their latest album The Golden Age contains 10 fist-pumping songs that clock in at about 14 minutes. It’s blazing. Everything about this band reminds me of Kid Dynamite and Shook Ones and that (my friends) can never be (Read more…)
Matt & Kim – Sidewalks
It really took me a few listens to figure out how I felt about Sidewalks. I mean, Matt & Kim’s last album, Grand, was one of my favorites of last year, and for all it’s synthy indie-pop, there was still more than a wee bit of raucous punk attitude spilling from those tracks. Here, not (Read more…)
Laura Veirs – July Flame
Laura Veirs has long been one of my favorite female singer/songwriters and her latest album, July Flame, may be her best yet. It’s fragile, beautiful, daring, soothing, playful, and so damn good. It’s a little more straightforward than some of her previous material, but might be even more affecting because of it. Totally worth checking (Read more…)
Dirty Tactics – It Is What It Is
The new album from Philadelphia, PA’s Dirty Tactics was released in May and is called It Is What It Is. You get 10 songs of ramshackle musical mayhem that begins with a 30 second sample from some movie I can’t place. Those listeners who get past that are treated to the following; some throaty shouty (Read more…)
Phosphorescent – Here’s To Taking It Easy
On this, Phosphorescent’s fifth full-length, Here’s To Taking It Easy, that’s exactly what it sounds like. It’s part weird folk music and part lazy West Coast country music; it’s 100 percent amazing and perfect for relaxing around the house pretending that there’s a warm salty breeze blowing in rather than the negative 6 degree wind (Read more…)
