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Album Reviews

The Pica Beats: Beating Back The Claws Of The Cold [Album Review]

The Pica Beats

Written by Fense

I’m reading a little note by a key force behind Hardly Art Records, the label releasing The Pica Beats (MySpace) sophomore album, Beating Back The Claws Of The Cold, today. I usually don’t quote press releases, but this one is both important and relevant:

If there’s one thing I love about this label, it is being able to introduce bands that no one knew existed.

And it’s true. I hadn’t known about Le Loup or Pretty & Nice (the latter will hit later this year), or even their set of local Seattle bands. The list: Arthur & Yu, The Moondoggies, and, of course, The Pica Beats. That is, I didn’t know about any of them until the Hardly Art introduction. Read More »The Pica Beats: Beating Back The Claws Of The Cold [Album Review]

Mamiffer: Hirror Enniffer [Album Review]

Mamiffer by A. Turner

Written by Fense

Mamiffer is a strange name. So is the title to their debut album, Hirror Enniffer. Then again, the music Mamiffer makes is as unique as the monikers they have masterfully possessed. The group consists of Seattle pianist Faith Coloccia. Coloccia draws influence from her art and composition background to create a refreshing sound unheard of by your traditional pianist. Read More »Mamiffer: Hirror Enniffer [Album Review]

Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band: Weepy EP [Album Review]

Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band

There’s a low buzz in the air. You can only hear it if you listen hard—very hard. But it’s there; it’s quiet now but it’s gaining in ferocity, gaining in momentum. Pretty soon it will dominate all. The buzz is that of people talking—the good ol’ word of mouth style of promotion—about Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band. I first caught wind of the buzz a few months back and, yesterday when I saw Weepy sitting on a shelf, I couldn’t resist picking up a copy (I’m a sucker for WOM impulse buys). Read More »Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band: Weepy EP [Album Review]

Sharks And Sailors: Build Brand New [Album Review]

Sharks And Sailors by John Van

Written by bob_vinyl

Every action has an equal and opposite reaction, so the physicists say. You cannot effectively defend your position without understanding the opposition, so the orators say. You cannot know up without down, dark without light, good without evil, so the philosophers say. Ours is in many ways a world defined and understood in terms of opposing forces. Read More »Sharks And Sailors: Build Brand New [Album Review]

The Asteroid No. 4: These Flowers Of Ours [Album Review]

The Asteroid No. 4

These Flowers Of Ours channels an array of 60s subgenres, from folk and psych to jangle-pop and British Invasion. Layered under these vintage sounds, The Asteroid No. 4 (MySpace) combines elements of each sub-genre in a modern blender, portioning all the right amounts to create a concoction they can easily call their own. The result is a cohesive album, both fun and dreamy. Read More »The Asteroid No. 4: These Flowers Of Ours [Album Review]

Of Montreal: Id Engager [Single Review]

Of Montreal by Jeff

Written by Fense

So, Id Engager by Of Montreal (MySpace) isn’t necessarily an album, though it will be categorized as such. It’s a single. And boy was I excited to see it in a small pile of singles when I was at Everyday Music in Bellingham last week. There it was, sitting precautiously on the counter top as I picked up $50 for selling them a bunch of old crap. I turned right back around and dished out four bucks for the orange-ish wax. Read More »Of Montreal: Id Engager [Single Review]

The Dark Romantics: Heartbreaker [Album Review]

The Dark Romantics

Written by bob_vinyl

In the early 80s, Wall of Voodoo made some dark, moody and strangely captivating music out of a peculiar meeting of post-punk, synth pop and the roots of rock n roll. On Heartbreaker, The Dark Romantics (MySpace) find themselves at the same point where these influences flow together and they make music that is deliberately at odds with itself; nervous with pleading vocals and treble-y guitar or stark piano poking through smooth synth textures. Read More »The Dark Romantics: Heartbreaker [Album Review]

Bodies Of Water: A Certain Feeling [Album Review]

Bodies Of Water

Do you want to know something I completely object to? Of course you do—if you’re a regular reader you probably long for me to go off on a rant about something negative. So… listen up: I strongly believe that those who say Oh, nothing good has been released this year have a vastly distorted vision of reality. Their folly is that they don’t expose themselves to that which is new. Take, for example, A Certain Feeling by Bodies Of Water (MySpace)—this album is absolutely brilliant!!! Read More »Bodies Of Water: A Certain Feeling [Album Review]

Stereolab: Chemical Chords [Album Review]

Stereolab by Sabrina Tabuchi

Written by Fense

If Stereolab (MySpace) were a person, they’d have recently graduated from high school. That’s how long Stereolab has been around. Eighteen years. That means they formed in 1990. That means I was 10 at the time. Come November they will prepare to enter their fourth U.S. presidency. Their longevity outlives most independent labels and most independent bands; hell, they formed during the Cold War! Read More »Stereolab: Chemical Chords [Album Review]

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