Year: 2013
Local Reviews: Shaky Trade
I don’t know about you, but when I think about Ogden, the first thing that comes to mind is funk. Well, maybe the first thing that comes to mind is poverty, then drug use, then crime, then funk, but I’m sure they’re all related somehow. … read more
Local Reviews: The Tenants of Balthazar’s Castle
An ongoing and ever-changing experiment, TTOBC’s third full-length can be described as nothing other than an astoundingly beautiful and ambient stroke of genius. Even with so many established artists in the genre of noise, never has the spirit of imagination been captured like this. … read more
Local Reviews: Vicious Starfish
Vicious Starfish are a peculiar band. Their tracks vary from campy light hearted upbeat stuff to somber, piano-driven songs to electronic pop songs. It’s hard to pin them down. While I like the variety, it seems like the band is a bit scattered. … read more
Local Reviews: X96 Live & Local
The fifth installment of X96’s live local features 18 tracks forms Utah’s finest bands. The bands featured are the ones that you would expect to be on here – Tolchok Trio, Starmy, Purr Bats and many other scenester bands that all of SLC seems to be obsessed with. … read more
Local Reviews: Ok Ikumi
Trying to think of all the technical things that go into this is mind destroying. … read more
Local Reviews: Palace of Buddies
Palace of Buddies is the larger than life projection of two kids playing with their toys: Tim Myers slinging his axe, keyboards and sampler, while Nick Foster pounds the skins, percussion and even more keyboards. … read more
Local Reviews: The Skaficionados
In the great tradition of affixing “ska” to the front of already existing words (Skalloween, Skanksgiving, Skanukkah, Skarbor Day), The Skaficionados keep third-wave ska alive in a world that just doesn’t give a crap. … read more
Local Reviews: Townie
Townie’s CD release show in July said a lot about who they are, because the show also doubled as a benefit for Utah’s Local First organization, supporting local and independently owned businesses. Townie started humbly and has managed to remain so to this day with music that is, quite simply, rock and roll with few frills or flash, but in the best way possible. … read more
Local Reviews: Adam and Darcie
Adam and Darcie Sanders are a serenading couple from Provo. In their beautifully simple (but not without accoutrement) Valley CD, the indie acoustic duo’s voices melt over one another in smooth layers superimposed upon acoustic guitars and banjos. … read more
Local Reviews: Chelsea Grin
Chelsea Grin, like most of their deathcore contemporaries, employ super low guitar tunings, plenty of breakdowns and brutal lyrics that put Hostel or Saw to shame. The handful of tracks on their self-titled EP display walls of chunky guitars that, while slightly monotonous with heaving dissonance, sound pristine. … read more
Local Reviews: Codi Jordan
Codi Jordan knows how to drop some flow. On Vacation, he lets it all loose with his amazing lyrical abilities. It’s fascinating how a kid from Eden, Utah can have such a rich, amazing perspective on life and such a fantastic interpretation of rap reggae. … read more
Local Reviews: Gorlock
Gorlock’s debut EP consists of six songs and unfortunately only lasts 16 and a half minutes. Luckily, those minutes seem like hours. This is a trip into a psychotic wonderland of demons and pure abstruseness. There are elements of basically every extreme metal sub-genre within, but the end result could only be defined as experimental. … read more
