Local Review: Twelve State Killing Spree – Demo

Local Review: Twelve State Killing Spree – Demo
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Twelve State Killing Spree Demo TSKS = The Damned + _ Nelson + Teen Idols   The underproduction and nasally vocals on this album make this sound like a recording my band I had in high school made—and that is not flattering. However, the early 90s (not over-) melodic tunes contrast the more-malevolent-than-your-typical-snotty/poppy-punk-band lyrics quite

Local Review: Various Artists – If You Do Clean People’s Ears Out Vol. 3

Local Review: Various Artists – If You Do Clean People’s...
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Various Artists If You Do Clean People’s Ears Out Vol. 3 Eden’s Watchtower Records   Eden’s has trimmed down its trad comp from two songs per artist to one, which means less Eden’s music, but makes it more accessible. DulceSky’s midnight-lush, 80s shoegazer “Media-Luna” opens up Vol. 3, followed by The Child Who Was a

Local Review: Quant – Crossies Count

Local Review: Quant – Crossies Count
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Quant Crossies Count Quant = (Modest Mouse + Jane’s Addiction)valium   Quant set out to make the most subtly-smart album ever and almost succeeded—or maybe I’m just not smart (patient) enough. The songs are all well and good with intricate instrumentation and thoughtful lyrics but they just go on and on and on—listening to this

Local Review: Summerhead – Liberation

Local Review: Summerhead – Liberation
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Summerhead Liberation Eden’s Watchtower Summerhead = German EBM + A Different Drum Records   Mostly instrumental Summerhead ranges from new-age electronica to synthpop to hip-hop to DJ dub trance to reggae, Enya to Natalie Merchant to Massive Attack. The coherency lies in the smooth production, the peaceful, slow beat structures that are one web holding

Local Review: Various Artists – Sound vs. Silence Vol. 1

Local Review: Various Artists – Sound vs. Silence Vol. 1
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Various Artists Sound vs. Silence Vol. 1 S vs. S = Her Candane + Still Breaking Hearts + Goodbye Blue Monday + Joel Pack + Clarity Process + Still Life Projector + The Hifi Massacre + Danny Vesper Even if Sound vs. Silence doesn’t showcase the best bands in SLC, they have no lack of talent

Local Review: Victrola – 5-Song demo

Local Review: Victrola – 5-Song demo
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Victrola 5-Song demo Victrola = Mission of Burma + Pinback   SLUG got 5-Song Demo by Victrola for a Sabbathon demo in June but it’s so hot I took the liberty of reviewing it anyway. Down-home original indie rock like Dinosaur Jr. blends with a pinch of modern indie-rock jangle like Trail of the Dead, Pinback,

Local Review: Vomit – Self-titled

Local Review: Vomit – Self-titled
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Vomit Self-titled Vomit = Pantera + Eyehategod + Napalm Death   I hate Pantera. Ogden’s Vomit are repeatedly compared to Pantera—but Vomit BLOW them AWAY no contest!!! The music is very crunchy and heavy, and tuned down much lower so they’re more on par with Napalm Death or Eyehategod. This band is also fucking brutal

Local Review: DulceSky – Media-Luna/Half-Moon

Local Review: DulceSky – Media-Luna/Half-Moon
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DulceSky Media-Luna/Half-Moon Eden’s Watchtower DulceSky = The Cure + Violet Run – Nirvana worship Once again, DulceSky have delivered a glazed-honey concoction of dense, multi-layered goth-tinged shoegazer; a smooth, dark glide down a river with no reflection, like Ophelia’s ride to her final resting place. The female harmonies are especially potent on Media-Luna, and the

Local Review: Last Response – Have You No Sense of Direction? EP

Local Review: Last Response – Have You No Sense of...
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Last Response Have You No Sense of Direction? EP Last Response = AFI + Taking Back Sunday + Sunny Day Real Estate Yes, I never thought I’d put AFI and Taking Back Sunday in the same equation, either, let alone Sunny Day, but once you hear Last Response, you’ll hear what I mean. Sanguine anthems

Local Review: Purr Bats – Soft Fluff EP

Local Review: Purr Bats – Soft Fluff EP
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Purr Bats Soft Fluff EP State of Deseret Purr Bats = Virgin Prunes + Rope or Bullets + candy necklaces   Purr Bats, a jeweled rainbow Phoenix risen out of the bleak, life-affirming wasteland that was Utah County band Puri-do, are a fleck of unadulterated talent in a grey fog of bombastic music caricatures. They