Month: March 2013
Local Reviews: My Dead Ego
It is hard to get excited about reviewing something that comes with very little information about it. While promos come in a variety of formats, most of them include a teeny bit of background. So—other than a cover art print, and that this EP’s three tracks were handwritten on its CDR alongside the name Allison Martin—the only thing to do was start listening to it. And what a pleasant surprise it was—if not a slight shock—from a local CD. … read more
Local Reviews: Such Vengeance
Local metal outfit Such Vengeance has upped their game for their new release, Golden Leaves, Rotten Roots. Production value on this album is excellent, head and shoulders above their first; it really allows the listener a fair view at a talented collective. Their sound is cohesive, aggressive and tight. … read more
Local Reviews: Swedish-ish Fish
Quite simply, it’s a girl and her guitar. Never a genre to be underestimated, acoustic folk rock will always find an audience—and with minimal gear and wrangling necessary, the ability to play out and in a variety of venues or simply on the street makes it even easier to expand the fan base. … read more
Local Reviews: Uncle Scam
Uncle Scam is sex rock. This pack of talented musicians is led by the fiery Ischa. Heavy Cream leaves nothing to the imagination. The album title track is a scathing call-out to men who say whatever they have to to get what they want from the ladies. … read more
Local Reviews: Christopher Anthony Leibow
Cohesive and composed, read aloud by a deep, sensual male voice, and accompanied by simple and unobtrusive classic piano and guitar melodies, this collection of poems tells a story of the experience of relationship. Sometimes weird and super personal as poetry and art tend to be, it would nevertheless (or perhaps more so) be a fun CD to put on in the background of a party to see if anyone noticed. … read more
Local Reviews: Perception Cleanse Perception
At the end of his decade-long experiment, KJ Cazier (Little Sap Dungeon) closes with inVERSIONS. Citing the instability of the project and the mixing of genres within it, Cazier decided to end PCP with an album mainly composed of remixes of previous material. … read more
Local Reviews: Twilight Transmissions
Possibly one of the most aptly named bands out there, Twilight Transmissions is like something you’d hear on some 3 a.m., non-commercial radio show dedicated to space music, but with a twist of something darker than a black hole. … read more
Local Reviews: When the Fight Started
Ah, boys. Testosterone-laced angst is, in my humble opinion, by far the best fuel for any young band. Pretty little vocal harmonies pay homage to greats like Alice in Chains, and also make it clear that vocals are in fact this band’s strength. … read more
Local Reviews: Christopher Alvarado
Local ambient-industrial sound artist Christopher Alvarado (Twilight Transmissions, Little Sap Dungeon, Harsh Reality) is at it again with 10 tracks of atmospheric trance soundscapes. … read more
Local Reviews: Gerschweyn Matthews
With titles like “Strategies of Redistribution Regarding Devil Worship in the New World,” it is clear that this six-track album is going to be unusual, maybe even pretentious. … read more
Local Reviews: Bootload Of Boogie
There are times when you can judge an album based on its cover. From the cover art that harkens back to National Lampoon designs to song titles like “Go-Go Ho Sale” and “If You Don’t Love Me (Just Fake It)” and the half-assed attempts at lyric writing, you’d swear Sweaxxy Chogg was made on a dare. It’s as if all three members thought of a bunch of inside gags in high school and then put them to music. … read more
Local Reviews: The American Shakes
Releasing an album in the wake of such a popular local band is going to invite some comparisons to the latter’s work. Brent Dreiling, former pedal steel/steel guitar slinger for Band of Annuals (R.I.P), expands on the classic Americana of B.O.A by steering his alt-country intonations into sugary, ‘70s AM radio hits instead of the dive bar balladeering of his previous band. … read more
