107 total search results — Page 5 of 6
The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra – Plays Prog Rock Classics
Review — November 16, 2015
At a point in the late '90s and early-to-mid 2000s, it seemed like every major artist had at least one tribute album out there. Invariably produced by one cheap-jack record label or another, these albums highlighted a dozen or so no-name musicians playing through (and quite possibly butchering) various well-known …
Giorgio Moroder – Deja Vu
Review — December 7, 2015
I admit it: arguably the guiltiest of my guilty pleasures is Euro disco, a genre which found (sometimes quite dubiously-talented) European musicians exaggerating the basic tenets of '70s dance music to the point of near-absurdity. Hard as it is to resist the infectious but undeniably cheesy keyboard lines in many …
Craig Taylor-Broad – For the Organs
Review — December 21, 2015
Without doubt, one of my favorite musical discoveries of the past few years has been British singer-songwriter Craig Taylor-Broad. After first unleashing an (apparently, now deleted) EP under the name of the noises we make we no one is around in mid-2014, Taylor-Broad has continued a string of undeniably difficult …
Pas Musique – Inside the Spectrum
Review — December 28, 2015
Forming in Brooklyn in 1995 as a collective based around abstract sound, Pas Musique translates to “Not Music” in French, a fact which gives some indication of what the adventurous listener is in store for on limited 2015 release Inside the Spectrum. That being said, much of what is …
Wall Of Water – Promo 2015
Review — January 11, 2016
The deliciously gloomy album art on Wall of Water's two-track Promo 2015 features what seems to be a long-abandoned roller coaster rotting away in the elements, an image that seems to jive with the downbeat but arresting style of music played by band members Cullen Toner (multi-instrumentalist and vocalist) and …
Ali Muhareb – Existentially Wasted
Review — February 1, 2016
The concept of being “existentially wasted” seems somewhat appropriate in the context of increasingly confused (and confusing) modern society. It's a concept that could easily have been born out of something like The Matrix, a process of being burnt out on being. Modern humans are often simply swamped with …
The Howleez – No Shame
Review — February 15, 2016
Considering that the genre is and probably always will be associated with youth, it's worth noting that there are some more experienced players working in today's punk scene – and not just in “legacy acts” that play songs first recorded years if not decades ago. Count Gainesville, Florida quartet The …
Kindling – Galaxies
Review — February 29, 2016
Debuting in 2014 and quickly releasing the surprisingly outstanding Spike & Wave 7”, Easthampton, Massachusetts-based Kindling has undergone a substantial metamorphosis over the past few years. The original duo of Stephen Pierce (he of Ampere) and Gretchen Williams have been joined by drummer Andy Skelly and bassist Andrew Farr, allowing …
Moñecho – Past Waters/Fever Lives
Review — April 11, 2016
In a past life – OK, like eight years ago - I found myself working at a furniture factory in small town Pennsylvania. While I've found worse methods of employment from time to time, this job was, to put it mildly, not an ideal use of my time and talents, …
Various Artists – Fatso Jetson / del-Toros Split 7
Review — November 21, 2016
Given that it's a split release between a well-established group and one making its U.S. debut, the best thing about 2016's Fatso Jetson / del-Toros 7” may be how well its two tracks play alongside one another. Self-proclaimed “godfathers of the desert rock scene,” California's Fatso Jetson kick off the …
Otoboke Beaver – Love is Short
Review — January 15, 2018
To put it mildly, Otoboke Beaver's Love is Short doesn't beat around the bush, though that phrase seems wildly inappropriate given the origin of the band's name. Following a churning title track that sets off immediately at breakneck speed and features aggressive foreign-language vocal shouts, shrieks, and howls, …
Daniel Ruiz – A Cup of Coffee with Two Sugar Cubes, Cream, and a Tiny Drop of Whiskey
Review — January 22, 2018
Described aptly by its creator, Barcelona songwriter Daniel Ruiz, as an “ode to misery,” A Cup of Coffee with Two Sugar Cubes, Cream, and a Tiny Drop of Whiskey is a relaxed and dreamlike work built around layers of hazy guitar, warbling organ, and just a hint of piano. Vaguely …
Damon Eliza Palermo – Beacon of Maracaibo
Review — January 29, 2018
Contemplative and calming, “Delacorta” kicks off Damon Eliza Palermo's Beacon of Maracaibo release with flowing piano and bubbling electronic tones playing under a pleasant, naturalistic bed of chirping birds. Slightly glitchy but undeniably relaxing even when it introduces a cymbal-heavy beat late in the going, the opener transitions into a …
Spiritual Cramp – Mass Hysteria
Review — February 5, 2018
Given their name, it's appropriate that San Francisco's Spiritual Cramp have a sound rooted in the punk rock of 40-ish years ago. I don't think debut EP Mass Hysteria would have the same punch had it featured a more aggressive approach. Alienation figures prominently in the lyrics of opener “All …
Various Artists – Say Sue Me / Otoboke Beaver Split 7”
Review — February 12, 2018
Though the thought of pairing a shoegazey indie pop band with an anything-goes punk group on a split record may seem odd, in the case of this effort from South Korea's Say Sue Me and Japan's Otoboke Beaver, the results are magical. Say Sue Me's contribution is the sunny …
Mokumedori – Mokumedori
Review — March 5, 2018
How do you tell a fairy tale using only sound? That's a question seemingly answered by Japanese artist Mokumedori's self-titled album. Utilizing an eclectic variety of instruments, many of the toy variety, this album appeals directly to the imagination of its listener, almost daring you to come up with a …
Pariuh – Family Witchcraft Attack
Review — July 23, 2018
I'm not sure what exactly I expected going into an album titled Family Witchcraft Attack, but I wound up being pleasantly surprised by the type of sound exhibited by Miami-based Pariuh on their 2018 Moniker Records release. Almost immediately upon pressing play, I found myself transported out of 2018's …
Jack of None – The Tattle Tale Heart
Review — August 6, 2018
Playfully naughty lyrics might have been the first thing I noticed about Jack of None's The Tattle Tale Heart EP, but there's more to this record created by three Filipino-born siblings, A.G., Maxine, and Julian Syjuco. Things change from sultry to sinister on a dime, and the album's combination …
Neon Cities – Toulouse
Review — December 18, 2018
The fourth in a string of 2018 releases from Denver-based synth duo Neon Cities, the Toulouse single presents a pair of tracks that showcase distinct sides of the group's sound. With warm synth and hazy, barely there vocals placed on top of a relaxed rhythm and buzzing bass groove,the …
