Year: 2013
Review: Carmen Villain Sleeper
Carmen Villain/Hillestad has a history as a model. It’s in every review and bio. I don’t care all that much. However, listening to Sleeper again while writing this review, I am noticing that I am not all that distracted — and at times, her music is of the kind that could easily play in the background during a photo shoot or similar activity. … read more
Review: Brianna Lea Pruett – Gypsy Bells
The sparse sounds of Pruett’s voice with her acoustic guitar reflect the topography of the West, with her folk tales coming across as a lone traveler passing through those vast landscapes. … read more
Review: Broken Hope – Omen Of Disease
There’s been a lot of waiting and anticipation for this record—though maybe misplaced anticipation, because there are quite a few death metal bands from the 90s that I feel did a lot better than what Broken Hope ever did, but that’s just my taste. … read more
Review: Carnivores – Second Impulse
A drumbeat just shy of lo-fi, a thin, spineless guitar with a tone so frail and twangy it feels cute (which is not a bad thing) and a 60s-sounding synth unite Second Impulse despite the vocalists switching from one track to the next. … 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: Bone Sickness – Alone in the Grave
Bring an extra pair of pants to this listening party, folks—you’re gonna need something to wrap your balls in after this debut album from Bone Sickness hits like a slamming scissor kick to the nuts. … read more
Review: Bleached
They’re like Vivian Girls, but more polished and with better singing, like Best Coast, but punk rock. Jennifer and Jessica Clavin, formerly of the all-girl punk band Mika Miko, join with Jonathan Safley and Sara Jean Stevens to form LA’s Bleached. … read more
Review: Bleeding Rainbow – Yeah Right
Doubling their ranks and replacing “reading” with “bleeding” in their moniker means these Philadelphians become even more annoyingly aligned with Shields, Butcher and the other anglo-forefathers of pop-inflected sneaker gazing. … read more
Review: Blood Ceremony – The Eldritch Dark
While many listeners may expect to hear the overdriven Black Sabbath worship of Living With The Ancients, Blood Ceremony take a clear step toward their folk influences on The Eldritch Dark. … read more
