Refused – The Shape Of Punk To Come

August 4th, 2010  |  by Bryan Mojica  |  published in 90s, experimental, hardcore, punk  |  1 comment

It’s 1998, and the band answers the pseudo-ring announcer’s call, taking to a makeshift stage in an uncomfortably crowded Virginia basement. Given that Refused released arguably the greatest hardcore album of all time just a month prior, the world is unprepared for lead singer Dennis Lyxzen’s own opening address. He steps to the mic and is succinct in addressing the crowd: “This is our last show. The band is over…”

Best Friends Forever – Romance Conflict Adventure

July 30th, 2010  |  by Kathlee Cleveland  |  published in acoustic, female vocalists, garage, indie pop, punk  |  2 comments

In addition to the charmingly accessible lyrics, BFF relishes in camaraderie with audience members and the feeling of sing-along rather than individualism. All of their songs are grungy, raw, and easy to sing to, often with a choir of background singers. I think it gives the entire album a warmth that is often missing from rock (and punk rock, if you can consider this punk).

Bare Wires – Seeking Love

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 [...]

Magic Bullets – Magic Bullets

June 23rd, 2010  |  by Taylor Fife  |  published in 80s, indie pop, post-punk, psychedelic  |  4 comments

Magic Bullets’ newest album is jangly pop masterpiece with a decent chance of getting you to sit up in your chair and ask ‘How have I not listened to this before?’ As a newer band on a smaller label, Magic Bullets hasn’t had much of a chance to develop a following, but with such an earnest and pleasant sound they’re sure to be more than a few people’s favorite band by the end of the year.

Spring Offensive – Pull Us Apart

June 10th, 2010  |  by Taylor Fife  |  published in indie rock, post-punk  |  1 comment

This British 5-piece is flying well below the radar at the moment, but with a new album coming out this summer and a tour planned to promote it, I’d be surprised if more people aren’t talking about them soon. Their seven track mini-album features strong vocals and intricate guitar work.

Tempo no Tempo – Waking Heat

June 5th, 2010  |  by Taylor Fife  |  published in indie rock, post-punk  |  2 comments

To celebrate Jason’s return to the City by the Bay, last night we trekked out to the Rickshaw Stop in San Francisco to catch the final live performance of Bay Area trio Tempo No Tempo. For their last act they put on an energetic show in support of Born Ruffians (who were themselves phenomenal, but this post isn’t about them). After five years, two EPs, and, most recently, a full-length, vinyl-only release, the boys have decided to call it quits and move on.

Foals – Total Life Forever

May 26th, 2010  |  by Jason Grishkoff  |  published in math-rock, post-punk, post-rock  |  3 comments

The beauty is that on “Total Life Forever”, the majority of these build-ups explode into the math-rock evinced in their first album, fulfilling the expectations of those fans of “Antidotes”. The song above, “After Glow”, perfectly exemplifies this tactic. The result is at once unique and rewarding (though you would be right to point out that it takes a certain amount of patience to get through it).

The Splinters – Kick

May 2nd, 2010  |  by Taylor Fife  |  published in female vocalists, garage, punk  |  1 comment

The Splinters remind me more of The Ramones than anything else—the music is stripped down and easy to play, with sincere and uncomplicated sing-along lyrics. While there are occasional flashes of anger—in the song ‘Oranges’ the girls sing “Why don’t you just fuck off” in unison—the music is at its core happy and fun.

Live in DC: Two Door Cinema Club

April 27th, 2010  |  by Jason Grishkoff  |  published in dance, indie pop, live shows, post-punk  |  4 comments

I can’t help but feel half bad for Two Door Cinema Club. Last night, they played an excellent opening set for Phoenix at DAR | Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C. The only problem was that 95% of the audience was there for Phoenix. The result meant that the performance felt somewhat like a zoo exhibit: no one was getting groovy. Instead, folks were mingling and paying half-attention, occasionally walking right up to take their $50 photo and walk away. On the flip side, however, I heard a number of individuals saying, “WHO WERE THOSE GUYS? SO AWESOME!”

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.