Month: December 2013
Review: CAVE – Threace
CAVE hits all the stops on their interstellar cruise, from bruising motorik groove, to loose-limbed jazz, punchy horn sections, ’70s Latin psychedelia and full-bodied aural guitar assaults. … read more
Review: Celeste – Animale(s)
Listening to Animale(s) is not enjoyable. It’s a tough, thick, oppressive listen, sung in French, with few moments of respite from what sounds like 100 guitar tracks crunching over relentless drumming. … read more
Review: Brief Lives – Whistleblower 7”
I prefer the B-side, “No Voice.” This track captures the DC punk sound better by slightly upping the speed with a steady thumping beat and quick guitar creating the backing the vocals call for. … read more
Review: Cage the Elephant – Melophobia
Drawing on more classic rock influences, CTE attempt to distance themselves from the Pixies-esque sound on their previous album, Thank You, Happy Birthday, instead opting for a much more refined sound. … read more
Review: Callow – Blue Spells
The overly mesmerizing disposition of Blue Spells won’t sober up lovesick music listeners like garden-variety pop songs would, but serves more as a “hair-of-the-dog” cure and further inebriates them via beautiful minimalistic slowcore. … read more
Review: Candy Warpop – Transdecadence
Candy Warpop is sugary-sweet, pop punk goodness, with a delicious and flexible female vocal and a musical sensibility that suggests a variety of top-notch influences. … read more
Review: Blitzen Trapper – VII
Blitzen Trapper = The Eagles + Pavement + Fleet Foxes … read more
Review: Breathe Owl Breathe – Passage of Pegasus
Breathe Owl Breathe = Destroyer + David Bowie … read more
Review: Boys Noize – Fabriclive 72
The album starts off with up-tempo electro-house beats that would be all too fitting for a day club environment, then eases into deeper house and heavier bass that forces the target audience to visualize being in an underground, laser-fueled rave. … read more
Review: BL’AST! – BLOOD!
Dave Grohl. Is there anything he can’t do? He’s a well-known singer/songwriter, has “former Nirvana drummer” on his résumé, and now he’s resurrected the ’80s hardcore band BL’AST! by mixing a collection of unearthed tracks in their newly released album. … read more
Review: Blackout – We Are Here
While this may sound like a formula for your garden-variety sludge, Blackout spare no opportunity to reimagine the genre. Oh yeah, and don’t forget your bong. … read more
Review: Big Star – Playlist: The Very Best of Big...
In the latest catalog of the preeminent power pop group Big Star, Playlist outlines all the incarnations of this influential band. … read more
