Local Review: Two and a Half White Guys – Self-Titled

Local Review: Two and a Half White Guys – Self-Titled
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Two and a Half White Guys Self-titled Gringos Productions Two and a Half White Guys = The Good, The Bad and The Ugly soundtrack + Aquabats + Bob Marley   Jazz-inflected ska calypso reggae jam bands aren’t really my thing, but Two and a Half White Guys are good at what they do, and they

Local Review: The Contingency Plan – Self-titled demo (2002)

Local Review: The Contingency Plan – Self-titled demo (2002)
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The Contingency Plan Self-titled demo (2002) The Contingency Plan = Drive-Thru Records + sincerity   Oops … this is what happens when you lose a band’s press kit in your car’s trunk for two years. This four-song demo is a neat, tight conglomeration of polished emo pop-punk with sharp production (Boho Digitalia), tight performance and

Local Review: NSPS – Timeless Towns and Haunted Places

Local Review: NSPS – Timeless Towns and Haunted Places
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NSPS Timeless Towns and Haunted Places Nutra Stick NSPS = They Might be Giants + Barenaked Ladies   NSPS might not be too bad of a band, if it weren’t for the vocals. They’re gruff, tongue-in-cheek and strained, not unlike Van Morrisson’s, but unlike Van Morrisson’s, they’re painfully out of tune, making portions of this

Local Review: Jupassa – Attack of the Red Dinosaurs

Local Review: Jupassa – Attack of the Red Dinosaurs
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Jupassa Attack of the Red Dinosaurs Kitefishing Family Jupassa = Edward Scissorhands + Ray Bradbury   If Mogwai were approached about concocting the soundtrack for The Nightmare Before Christmas Part II: Jack Gets Funky Fresh with Kwanzaa, this is what they might come up with. Trip-hoppy electronica skips rope with quirky guitar breaks and odd

Local Review: Gina French – Of Rapture

Local Review: Gina French – Of Rapture
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Gina French Of Rapture Gina French = Emmylou Harris + Robert Johnson + Dead Can Dance Gina French has more soul than Al Green french-kissing Tina Turner. She is the only folk artist I know that takes the sexiest, dirtiest parts of the blues, rock and alt-country and mixes it with Middle Eastern scale progressions.

Local Review: Deadvolt – Self-titled

Local Review: Deadvolt – Self-titled
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Deadvolt Self-titled As Dark As Light Deadvolt = Maynard + (early) Korn   Deadvolt takes early, aggressive Flea bass, Tool moodiness, A Perfect Circle melodicism and just a tiny smudge of nu-metal to paint a canvas with a thick, brilliant whirlpool of midnight blue, royal purple, indigo, ebony and cobalt—i.e., blue, purple and black, like

Local Review: Drew Danburry – An Introduction to Sex Rock

Local Review: Drew Danburry – An Introduction to Sex Rock
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Drew Danburry An Introduction to Sex Rock Mother Clucker Drew Danburry = Catcher in the Rye + Parker Sisters   One could swear that Drew Danburry’s been having tea with local musician Paul Compton, swapping synth and cricket tips while demurely brushing crumpet crumbs from his lips. The outstanding An Introduction to Sex Rock, mastered