Man/Miracle – The Shape of Things
August 24th, 2010 | by Bryan Mojica | published in indie rock, noise, rock | 5 comments
All too often it seems the releases are more an attempt to fit a genre/scene and generate “mad hits” versus serve as an expressive outlet of art, energy, or passion. Considering this current atmosphere of indie music, Man/Miracle’s edgy, vigor-soaked rock LP, The Shape of Things, is an essential quencher to dry neglected receptors.
July 24th, 2010 | by Taylor Fife | published in garage, punk, rock | 1 comment
Matthew Melton has been rocking out in the East Bay with Bare Wires for some time now, but their latest, Seeking Love, is the first polished product that displays the energy and vigor of the project in a tidy package. This album retains the hard rocking 70’s inspired garage punk of previous efforts, but has [...]
July 6th, 2010 | by Jason Grishkoff | published in alternative, rock | no comments
The first few seconds of “Time” begin with a piano-based riff that reminds me of work by European artist Mew. The similarity, however, stops there. What follows is something a bit closer to Paper Route, relying heavily on solid guitar licks layered over electronic-rock-based synth. I find certain parts of the song to be particularly captivating, such as the bridge that begins around 2:30.
The Booze – Rebirth of the Cool
June 14th, 2010 | by b aiken | published in blues, garage, rock | 2 comments
Its not a big band, big sound, nor does it leave a big impression. But, and thats a big but, I’m recommending it. It just sounds right.
Free Energy – Stuck on Nothing
April 13th, 2010 | by b aiken | published in alternative, punk, rock | 2 comments
The band doesn’t get too technical, doesn’t employ too many effects, and generally rocks in an old-school fashion. For me, this is a pretty refreshing audio journey. Start to finish, Stuck on Nothing gives the listener something to bob head / stomp foot / whistle / sing-along to, without too much thought involved. Pick this up, tune in, chill out, and enjoy the listening.
Pants for Bears – A Relative Concern
April 3rd, 2010 | by J Meagher | published in funk, psychedelic, rock | 2 comments
So what is the difference between a progressive psychedelic band with indie cred and one without? Three or four synthesizers? A fabricated lo-hi aesthetic? A complete unwillingness to make music people can dance to? Well the truth is I don’t know, and don’t really care. This is the kind of band that is just going to get better and better on record, with each member pushing each other to get weirder, better, more exploratory, and willing to take risks.
Pavement – Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain
March 18th, 2010 | by Jason Grishkoff | published in 90s, alternative, indie rock, rock | 2 comments
When I got my turntable a while back, I started to make a list of albums that I wanted to own on vinyl (and to keep me on track in my local record stores). The only criteria for inclusion on the list was that the record had to be an album that I usually listened to from front to back. “Crooked Rain” was one of the first two or three records that made it on the list.
March 10th, 2010 | by Jason Grishkoff | published in rock | 1 comment
Sisterworld, the band’s fifth album, continues the tradition of radical reinvention that has dictated the band’s narrative for a decade now. The album isn’t as exhilarating as They Threw Us, nor as abrasive as Drum’s Not Dead. Sisterworld sheds a lot of the biker rock posturing that dominated their eponymous forth album in favor of a creepier, more expansive aesthetic. The record requires a fair amount of a patience to get through the first couple of times.
March 3rd, 2010 | by b aiken | published in garage, rock | 1 comment
Have you ever wondered what The White Stripes would sound like if Jack had been born in 1945, started the band in 1963, and sang with the voice of a young Bob Dylan? Well, me neither, but if you were, this album from The Strange Boys would give you a pretty damn good idea. The decidedly lo-fi, bluesy, folk inspired and just plain awesome sound harks back to a homespun time of synthless choruses and voices unspoiled by autotunes.
April Smith and The Great Picture Show – Songs for a Sinking Ship
February 27th, 2010 | by b aiken | published in female vocalists, indie pop, rock | 2 comments
“Wow”. That’s all I could say after taking a listen to this album, “Songs for a Sinking Ship”. It is a downright enjoyable music experience that uses the time-tested formula of great vocals, catchy hooks, and well orchestrated instrumentals to give the listener a true gem of an album.
