“The Fraudulent Singer” opens the recent Colossal Yes LP Charlemagne’s Big Thaw and it begins with a monumental scream. Folk-y piano and a pop-filled fuzzy guitar enter, all fronted by folk-pop vocals. The song is ripe with hooks: be them the catchy piano tinkering, the wild guitar riffs, or the old-time country-ish vocals. Read More »Colossal Yes: The Fraudulent Singer [Track Review]
It’s been a few years since we’ve heard from Sugarplum Fairies, and the extensive time has allowed me to forget how fun this band can be. “First Rate Show” is off their upcoming release, Chinese Leftovers, out July 28. The song features hushed and melancholy female vocals, a lovely brass section, and folk-based indie pop. In “First Rate Show”, Sugarplum Fairies conjure thoughts of artists like Concretes and early Camera Obscura. Read More »Sugarplum Fairies: First Rate Show [Track Review]
So I really dig this; when I saw The Octopus Project perform at SXSW in 2007, there were no vocals, and while the music was entirely mesmerizing and the performance was completely amazing, this is a welcome change from that era of the band. Instrumentally, little has changed. It’s still filled with phenomenal harmonies that sift through multiple keyboards, loops, and upbeat percussion — and… can it be… is that a theremin there toward the end? Yes! Read More »The Octopus Project: Wet Gold [Track Review]
WHY? The distinct capitalization and weighty punctuation are fit for embellishments: WHY? And yes, that is also the question: Why haven’t I given this band ear time? I cannot begin to answer the question, nor can I drum up any of the countless excuses that should be so easily on the tip of my tongue. After all, I recall seeing Rubber Traits come across the desk at KZUU in 2006 (approximately six months prior launching this site) and I noted the unique cover art, and heard great things about 2008’s Alopecia. Read More »WHY?: This Blackest Purse [Track Review]
Folk-based pop artists, and vice versa, tend to encompass a homogeneous realm in music, as found in most sub-genres. So it generates great excitement when an artist defies the typical expectations. On “Unfold”, Julie Peel does just that, conjuring (surprisingly) a sound similar to the Jenn + Andy duo Wye Oak, sans the electric strength. “Unfold” too features male/female vocals, but rather than heavy pop-rock percussion and loud dreamy electric guitar riffs, Peel’s song is stripped to guitar, bongos, strings and a collective of instruments that assist in making her music stand out amidst a sub-genre often tired and, while typically good, unoriginal. Peel demonstrates aptly in “Unfold” that she is anything but. Read More »Julie Peel: Unfold [Track Review]
Surprising a fact as this may be, I am pretty much unaware of the music reviewing world. This is a fact I plan to rectify from now on, as there are surely several blogs and sites worthy of my time and attention. I did a little digging when approaching “New Bones” by So Many Dynamos, a song that many relate to Fugazi, dub as post-punk with forays into math-rock, or said this positive thing or that negative thing… and I start to see why I tune so much of it out. It taints the writing, the perceptions, and the expectations.
Read More »So Many Dynamos: New Bones [Track Review] 
Back in 2007, I caught Bad Veins play a live broadcast for WOXY in New York during CMJ. My recollection is deceiving me — I was under the impression that their music was a bit louder and crazier. Their self-titled LP opens with “Found”, a song that champions melody and clever instrumentation. It contrasts sharply with the following track, “Gold And Warm”, which sounds ripe for popular radio. Still, I can see a lot of people going crazy over both tracks. Read More »Bad Veins: Found [Track Review]
Above photo by Jesper Berg.
Swedish artist Moto Boy has a very Jeff Buckley aura to his persona, from his highly powerful vocal styling to the cleanly plucked guitar. So, it’s no surprise to hear that he’s covered Buckley live. This introduction is merely a focal point, an introduction to Moto Boy, whose latest tidbit of news is that label cohorts Regina remixed his song “Young Love”. Read More »Moto Boy: Young Love (Regina Remix)
Denmark’s Mew is prepping to drop their third studio album, this time via Columbia Records. No More Stories… is its name and “Repeaterbeater” is the second track now available from the release. For fans of …And The Glass Handed Kites, the group’s sophomore release, you’ll be happy to hear that, at least on “Repeaterbeater”, the traits that made Glass so great remain in-tact. Read More »Mew: Repeaterbeater
Oh man, this takes me back to the gritty rock of the late 90s. Following the loud, raucous punk-ish path of groups like No Age, Japandroids feature wild guitars, intense percussion, and dual screams. The band is Brian King and David Prowse and their music is Canadian genius. “Young Hearts Spark Fire” is absolutely brilliant. Read More »Japandroids: Young Hearts Spark Fire
