Year: 2013
Local Reviews: Mr. Richter
I’m all about the classic heavy metal revival. Mr. Richter join the mêlée of Utah’s virtuosic-vocal NWOBHM with their debut, six-song EP, where they find a good portion of their heavy metal niche with elegiac songs including opener “Mr. Richter,” which pounds along at a heavy, steady pace set by drummer Tyler Russell, along with chuggy guitars that blast in and out of dual harmony from both guitarists. … read more
Local Reviews: The New Electric Sound
Whether it was serendipity or just savvy marketing, the debut album from Provo-based surf-rockers The New Electric Sound has arrived just in time for summer. Generally speaking, the words “surf-rockers” and “Provo” don’t jive with one another, but this album just might change that. It’s the type of music that screams to be blasted out of topless convertibles cruising down the Pacific Coast Highway as the sun lazily sets over the horizon. … read more
Local Reviews: Def Letter
Def Letter is Salt Lake’s own MC Dumb Luck and veteran DJ Linus Stubbs. Social Introduction is a very literal title for this album, as it is Dumb Luck’s premiere headliner. The album screams the white-boy angst of early Slim Shady with 20 tracks of high-speed life-struggle raps. … read more
Local Reviews: 5 State Killing Spree
Alternative, ‘90s-inspired and with a fun little Latin twist in the rhythm now and again, these guys have done a nice job of referencing some of the bands they probably grew up listening to. … read more
Local Reviews: Daisy & The Moonshines
Daisy & The Moonshines’ second release is six tracks of mediocre garage rock. It’s not bad rock music, but it is forgettable. The rhythm guitar feels like it’s mindlessly picked along with the drums, as if someone who didn’t know the music was playing along with a chord chart. … read more
Aspen Harvey Hunt 08.28.75-01.27.10
Aspen Harvey Hunt was born into this world named Richard Harvey Padley Jr., but on account of our dad being a total douchebag, he quickly took on the name Harvey after our grandfather, a kind and gentle man. Not long after that, he legally changed his name to Aspen Harvey Hunt to honor our other grandfather and the aspen tree, the largest organism on the planet—as big as his personality. He seemed to change names like he changed girlfriends. … read more
Mike Brown’s Monthly Dirt: Puke!
To be a decent writer, I feel that it’s important to write about stuff you know about. Refer to the saying: “Never trust a skinny chef.” I am by no means an expert on writing, but if there’s one thing I do know a thing or two about, it’s vomit. Having hurled many, many times in my short life, I feel I’m a skinny chef you actually can trust while navigating the seas of puke. So, for this article all about throw-up, please allow me to be your chumpass. … read more
Local Reviews: Jay William Henderson
The Sun Will Burn Our Eyes EP is the first solo release from Band of Annuals’ lead singer, Jay William Henderson. Instrumentally, Henderson favors the acoustic guitar backed by tremolo keys or electric guitar, slide guitar and the earnest whines of the steel pedal. … read more
David Ross Fetzer 12.17.82 – 12.20.12
The first time I met David Fetzer, we bumped heads. Literally. I rounded a corner in the Tower Theatre too quickly and ran into David head first. After two minutes of apologies, he introduced me to the event’s co-creator for an interview, we exchanged numbers, and then he took off to go act in a play. Since that time, I’ve had the honorary pleasure of being able to call David a good friend … and a great co-conspirator for creativity. … read more
Local Reviews: Melody & Tyler
I woke up with lyrics stuck in my head a couple of times after listening to this album––the songs are catchy, well put together, and totally genre-appropriate. Singer/songwriter Melody Pulsipher has a beautiful voice, and, better still, is willing to experiment with it, ranging from soft and moody to twangy and countrified. … read more
Eat, Drink and Be Merry: Provo’s Up-and-Coming Food Scene
Up until recently, I never really considered Provo a place that cultivated any authentic type of food culture. It’s full of various chain restaurants, fast food joints and a few dives that offer a bit of local charm, but Provo’s food scene was almost nonexistent. That was until I attended Local First’s Celebrate the Bounty event, where three Provo sparkplugs brought their A-game: The farm-to-table virtuosos of Communal Restaurant, the Southwestern Native American pioneers of Black Sheep Cafe, and the regional comfort food experts of Station 22. … read more
Local Reviews: The Mighty Sequoyah
While folk may not be my personal favorite of the genres, The Mighty Sequoyah have managed to produce a solid and pleasant-sounding album. In Sunken Houses, the sounds have been well produced under drummer Bret Meisenbach’s label, Black Pyramid Recording. … read more
