Issues: Issue 319 - July 2015
Review: Jeen – Tourist
Jeen Tourist Self-Released Street: 06.30 Jeen = Alanis Morissette + Mazzy Star I have a musical crush on Jeen O’ Brien; there is something very nostalgically ’90s about her singer/songwriter style. Tourist sounds like a woman who has a score to settle—“Buena Vista” is a demanding foot stomper with plenty of angst contrasting her softer,
Review: Institute – Catharsis
Institute Catharsis Sacred Bones Street: 06.09 Institute = The Dead Boys + Gang of Four A thin-toned, catchy guitar riff begins “Perpetual Ebb,” the first track on Catharsis, and it seems to set the BPM for the whole record. Like most good albums swaying toward the punk genre, the speed enables perpetual pogoing. The vocals,
Review: Iva Dawn – The Only One
Iva Dawn The Only One Triple Pop Street: 02.10 Iva Dawn = Florence + The Machine + Cate Le Bon The Only One is Iva Dawn’s six-track debut EP that came to life with the help of a Kickstarter campaign. Whitney Mower is originally from Provo, Utah, but left the LDS church and Salt Lake
Local Review: Whysir – Sigh Quests
Whysir Sigh Quests Self-Released Streets: 03.12 Whysir = Hopsin + MC Frontalot + Yelawolf Witty, clever, angry and thought-provoking—this is what comes to mind when listening to Whysir’s debut mix tape Sigh Quests. Whysir approached the layout of this mixtape in an amazingly creative way, played out as an intimate conversation between a madman and
Local Review: The Ladells – Vamp
The Ladells Vamp Self-Released Street: 05.15 The Ladells = Giuda + The Stooges + The Velvet Underground In an explosion of heavy, fuzz-filled riffs and prominent beats, The Ladells have more than captured my attention. The Ladells have a sound that is a welcome ferocity of sultry angst inspired by the greats of proto-punk that is
Local Review: Soft Touch – Touch
Soft Touch Touch Self-Released Street: 03.26 Soft Touch = Shy Girls / Lewis When Prince introduced the world to his high-pitched funk ballads, the world became infatuated with them. Soft Touch might be hip to the “purple one” and his influence, but they remind me more of Prince-influenced modern songs than Prince himself. Beck’s “Debra”
Local Review: Porch to Porch – Self-Titled
Porch to Porch Self-Titled Self-Released Street: 03.24 Porch to Porch = Hot Buttered Rum + Ugly Valley Boys Porch to Porch are an all-acoustic folk/bluegrass band that capture the quirky, Western vibes of Salt Lake City. The band members initially met each other in high school, and music eventually brought them back together years down
Local Review: Ossatura – Self-Titled
Ossatura Self-Titled Self-Released Street: 03.13 Ossatura = Motionless In White + Iron Maiden Ossatura’s self-released, self-titled EP is the epitome of bad production wrecking an otherwise good album. Musically, with what they are trying to accomplish, they have all the trademarks needed to be a good representative of their sound, which is a somewhat melodically
Local Review: panthermilk – Totem
panthermilk Totem Self-Released Street: 03.12 panthermilk = Woods + TOPS The second EP from Loganite Benton Wood’s solo project, panthermilk, reminds me of those wholesome snack food commercials where the mom and the kids are flipping their shit over their healthy treats. It’s a vision of wholesomeness. Though this association may seem negative, it’s not.
Local Review: Kyler Slater – The Winter EP
Kyler Slater The Winter EP Self-Released Street: 03.02 Kyler Slater = The Fray + First Aid Kit – Justin Townes Earle The Winter is an appropriate title for this album. This is not a cheer- ful, upbeat kind of album—this is a rainy-day, stare-out-your-window-and- wonder-where-it-all-went-wrong kind of album. The Winter plays beautifully and brushes over your