Month: April 2013
Local Reviews: Scenic Byway
Local rap band Scenic Byway have been taking Salt Lake by storm with their cool raps, sweet sounds and appealing messages. The track “Surprise Surprise” is the perfect song for anyone who has ever found themselves stressing out more than necessary. … read more
Local Reviews: Albino Father
Earlier this year, Albino Father released Blanket, and they returned six months later with a far more mature album. The opening track’s intro sounds like it was stolen from a White Stripes album, but the vocal melodies are more reminiscent of the British Invasion. … read more
Local Reviews: Cannons/Maraloka
With members having done some time in Parallax, God’s Revolver and a host of others, local boys Maraloka play down-tuned, sludgy heavy metal that’s as kaleidoscopic as it is leaden (which dorky bloggers will probably call “mathy”). Think ’90s ‘core after straight edge and the vegan apocalypse, or maybe Coalesce and early Converge, heavy on groove and light on shrieking. … read more
Local Reviews: Dark Seas
Dark Seas are great live performers, with their genuine charisma and drunken stage antics. The music itself is nothing extraordinary, consisting mainly of minimal, easygoing guitar strumming through a haze of feedback and reverb, with Rhett Hansen pounding out energetic mid-tempo drum beats. … read more
Local Reviews: Handicapitalist
Handicapitalist thwacks out an irreverent, blatant style of old-school crust. “Smart Girls” epitomizes the band’s straightforward temperament as vocalist Jake Gatenby scratchily wails, “I only fuck smart girls!” … read more
Local Reviews: 004
The Utah ska scene of the ’90s is fondly remembered (well… by some people), and the likes of Stretch Armstrong and My Man Friday have remained in the collective consciousness of local ska nerds over the years, but 004—quite possibly Utah’s first ska band—seems to have been forgotten. Hopefully, this great collection of 004’s music will rectify that injustice. … read more
Local Reviews: Albino Father
This Futurists side project is, unsurprisingly, one of the better sounding, current local projects. With bluesy folk-guitar riffs, the whole EP tends to ramble on in the least boring way possible. … read more
Local Reviews: The Chevalier
The Chevalier is bombastic! Aaron Micheal Peat (vocals and guitar) and Konner Alek Hale (drums) are intense. It’s like listening to some really early Glassjaw demos and hearing all the promise and potential in the world. … read more
Local Reviews: The Chickens
The Chickens are classic instrumental jazz by extraordinarily talented musicians. Without a piece out of place, this easy listen will keep you company from Point A to Point B, as a soundtrack to your dinner party, music to study by, music to shimmy to … the list goes on and on. … read more
Local Review: Damien Fairchild – For All The Girls
If you’re at all familiar with the local music scene, chances are you know who Drew Danburry is. However, this will be the first time you’ve heard of Damien Fairchild, Danbury’s lovesick lothario of an alter ego. In For All the Girls, Fairchild sings soliloquies about every female he’s possibly ever—at one point or another—desired. … read more
Local Reviews: The Departure
The Departure are a brother-sister duo consisting of drummer Maci and singer/guitar player Ryan DeBlanc. Both Maci and Ryan are still in high school and their playing ability and song composition are quite advanced for their age. … read more
Local Reviews: Flea Circus
It’ll make you shimmy, shimmy, ya. Sample-heavy and boogie-friendly, for real, so many samples I won’t bother to get into it. Flea Circus brought the tunesmithism. The lyrics are cookie-cutter and perfect to dance to. … read more
