Album Reviews

Built To Spill: There Is No Enemy [Album Review]

Andy Fenstermaker
October 30, 2009July 26, 2023

To think back over a career of an artist like Built To Spill is, to an extent, the same as doing it for Radiohead or Death Cab For Cutie. Albums come and go, and they’re all pretty damn great; they all hold their own, unique special place in your heart. Revisiting the old albums bring back memories of where you first heard it, or experiences you had while it blasted over your speakers. Sure, you have your favorite(s) and likely one you don’t care for too much. Perfect From Now On has been, in my opinion, their strongest album since its release in 1997. There Is No Enemy, their latest, gives Perfect a run for its money.

Andy Fenstermaker
October 29, 2009October 29, 2009

With a heavy vocal echo and reverb cranked to eleven, Yarn Owl presents seven tracks of undulated upbeat pop. “Yarn Blues” kick things off; it’s a track we’ve heard before, but Yarn Owl gives it a revisit by speeding things up a bit and treating it with the reverb jangle heavy throughout Tiny Dots. One thing is for sure: this isn’t likely what you were expecting, coming from a cassette tape. Tiny Dots label Leftist Nautical Antiques is prone to release things in this form, and it’s almost perfect – the pop Yarn Owl creates has a classic feel to it, be it late 80s or early 90s. Read More »Yarn Owl: Tiny Dots [Cassette Review]

Girls: Hellhole Ratrace [10″ Single Review]

Andy Fenstermaker
October 29, 2009October 29, 2009

In a recent conversation, a friend noted they didn’t quite understand the hype behind Girls. After all, there are a dozen bands that write similar, edgy songs and can carry a complimentary weight. I agreed, but only somewhat. Revisiting songs like Album‘s opener “Lust For Life”, I hear a unique vocal styling and that damn garage-pop I seem so fond of these days (along with everyone else). But one thing is certain: Girls sure can write a powerful ballad. Read More »Girls: Hellhole Ratrace [10″ Single Review]

Total Babe: Heatwave EP [Album Review]

Andy Fenstermaker
October 28, 2009October 28, 2009

Such a confounding name, Total Babe; after all, the band is all-out indie pop. Then again, when you were a teenager, a name like Total Babe would have been perfect for your acoustic-garage-pop. But it’s highly unlikely your pop songs would have been as… well, freaking amazing as Total Babe’s. Heatwave is packed with pop greatness. With airy female vocals, hefty acoustic guitar strums, and a few complex melodies, these songs are both honest and endearing. Read More »Total Babe: Heatwave EP [Album Review]

Netherfriends: Calling You Out [Album Review]

Andy Fenstermaker
October 27, 2009October 26, 2009

Boy do I love fun pop, and Calling You Out by Netherfriends fits the description perfectly. You can tell just by looking at the album art, among my favorites of the year. There’s a lot more going on here than just pop, though, as the eclectic percussion on tracks like “Nunya” and “Oh-Hi-Oh”, along with the supreme guitar accompaniment and tribal-esque vocals, are on par with groups like Panda Bear and, even more so, The Dodos. However, at times the similarities are almost too much. Read More »Netherfriends: Calling You Out [Album Review]

Big Sur: Women [Album Review]

Ron Trembath
October 27, 2009October 26, 2009

In a man’s life, there is always one certainty that can confuse him, impress him, and make him cry for many reasons. Big Sur knows this to certainly be the female gender. Ladies. X Chromosomes. In other words – Women. God we sure do love them in all their complexity and beauty; they just exude happiness in the best of times. And what better topic for a country folk band of Bellingham gypsies to tackle? Read More »Big Sur: Women [Album Review]

I Love You: Bell Ord Forrest [Album Review]

Andy Fenstermaker
October 26, 2009May 8, 2023

Dub and DIY punk are gaining in momentum, a natural progression of the fuzzed out pop that’s been inundating the indie airwaves. The new album, Bell Ord Forrest, by Kansas City dub-noise duo I Love You fits this classification. With an angst-generating array of synth melodies and tripped-out production, the album opens with an undeniable pinnacle, “The Colloquialism Is Simply ‘Gas'”. As the song dives into the repetitive closing synth and bass lines, one is treated to a drone of greatness.

Andy Fenstermaker
October 23, 2009October 23, 2009

I always pictured Mum as one of those great post-rock groups with leanings toward electronic bleeps and bloops and lightly orchestrated melodies with dark sound-scapes, all of it instrumental. After all, Yesterday Was Dramatic, Today Is Okay was pretty much just that, and it is the only album from Mum of which I’ve heard. Their new one, Sing Along To Songs You Don’t Know is quite different – at least at first. And I just haven’t quite gotten over the shock of less electronics and… well, the full inclusion of vocals. Read More »Mum: Sing Along To Songs You Don’t Know

Parlour Steps: The Hidden Names [Album Review]

Andy Fenstermaker
October 22, 2009October 21, 2009

Parlour Steps front-man Caleb Stull has this breathy quality to his vocals on opening track “As The World Turned Out” that, when backed by his female vocal counterpart, catches the attention immediately. The Hidden Names opens on an irrefutable high point whose edgy pop/rock clash has an upbeat quality that pushes it even further. It makes for a difficult follow-up for the rest of the album. The good news: Parlour Steps delivers. Read More »Parlour Steps: The Hidden Names [Album Review]

St. Vincent: Actor [Album Review]

Ron Trembath
October 21, 2009October 20, 2009

St. Vincent, Brooklyn’s sweetheart Annie Clark, has a style that can suit anyone’s fancy. And Actor is a powerful example of an astonishing effort from Clark to develop down right delightful tunes. It’s the warm coffee in the morning. As well as the ecstasy for an exciting night. If “Laughing With A Mouth of Blood” doesn’t make you feel like break-dancing at your closest Starbucks, there is something seriously wrong with you. “Marrow” should be that sort of cut that leaves you feeling less whole when it is all sang and done. And how can you not feel like taking a candle-lit bath filled with cheap wine when you hear “The Bed”?

If none of these scenarios apply, go ahead and get yourself checked. Read More »St. Vincent: Actor [Album Review]

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