Month: May 2013
Reviews: Swingin’ Utters
What can I say about the Swinging Utters? That they’re an amazing band that always manages to come up with ways to never sound hackneyed or worn-out. That Poorly Formed ranks amongst this fan’s favorite releases from the band’s nearly quarter-century career. … read more
Review: Youth Lagoon – Wondrous Bughouse
The dense and trippy world Trevor Powers invites listeners into appears to be an extravagant show. It seems that he wants to appear much more than a lo-fi bedroom artist, but upon listening to the opening track, “Mute,” I can feel Power’s sincerity, even if he does secretly crave being weird. … read more
Review: Wartorn – Iconic Nightmare
Iconic Nightmare doesn’t fail to entertain, what with the leads in “No Sanctuary, No Salvation” and the barking crustoleum of “Permanent Blackout” and “Knee Deep in Blood,” but it’s certainly not leading the charge into territory that hasn’t already been exhaustively mined by the same label (Martyrdod? Wolfbrigade?). … read more
Review: Wild Belle – Isles
With an interesting mash-up of eclectic styles—including trip hop, reggae and ska—siblings Natalie and Elliot Bergman’s debut is equally unique. … read more
Review: Victory
Robert Fleming is the multi-instrumentalist behind Victory. He touts a 60s Brit rock sensibility and sports a rockabilly pomp—two promising signs for any music reviewer. Sadly, Victory is Music is indicative of neither. Don’t get me wrong, Fleming could pass as an authentic Britt Daniel sound-alike and can strum a hollow-body exceptionally, but it’s hard to notice at first, since every single song on the album is scrubbed and drenched with kitschy production. … read more
Review: Valleys – Are You Going to Stand There and...
The songs on this debut album beautifully capture that feeling its lengthy title evokes. On the album, Valleys reinterprets the rich heritage of melancholic shoegaze with their own vision. … read more
Review: V/A – Kitsune America 2
Kitsuné has put together another album of electro pop, indie and R&B tracks from around America, which complement one another in a relaxed but well-paced album … read more
Review: Ulrich Schnauss
A Long Way To Fall is the fourth studio release from German producer Ulrich Schnauss. This time around, Schnauss dropped the synthesized shoegaze and embraced new age. The album concentrates on delicate, ethereal melodies that weave in and out of human subconscious. … read more
Review: Veronica Falls
If you pop this record in right now, you’ll get excited for spring. Pleasant Brit-pop bass lines hold hands with pretty vocal harmonies, making the album breezy and warm. Most of the songs have a kickback, nostalgic feel—probably due to the simple, repetitive lyrics, but no complaints here. … read more
Review: Thee Oh Sees
hese days, it seems John Dwyer only knows life from within the walls of his abundant pet projects. His dabbling with Thee Oh Sees caused the band to beget 12 albums since 2004—virtually nominating Dwyer as the Nikolai Tesla of contemporary garage/psyche. … read more