I would be in a trance-like state—then suddenly, I would be jarred and thrown into shock by a disturbing pipe organ sound that was something along the lines of the soundtrack of the classic 1974 movie, Phantom of the Paradise. … read more
Review: James LaBrie – Impermanent Resonance
The attempt here is to bridge the gap between prog-heads and fans of the more melodic style of melodic death à la Sweden. It works extremely well. … read more
Review: I’m In You – Trust
I’m In You keep the guitars to a minimum, only using them for texture, giving the album a new wave feel like the darker songs of New Order filtered through Metronomy. For me, the album peaks in the middle with “Disclosure,” a track that would easily fit on the Drive soundtrack. … read more
Review: Ills – Hideout From The Feeders
This album mixes aspects I’m fond of—catchy progressions matched on bass and guitar that give the rhythm a thickness I could move to—with aspects I could leave behind, like vocals that sometimes sound a little too much like Isaac Brock, for example. … read more
Review: Irish Moutarde – Raise ’Em All
A mix of alternating lead vocals—switching between nearly each band member—and representation of bagpipes, accordion and banjo, played to fast-paced punk rock, make for a really exciting sound. Like any Irish-style band, they include their drinking songs like the bittersweet “Farewell to Drunkenness” and the festive “Glasses to the Sky.” … read more
Review: Iron Chic – The Constant One
“Whoas” and subtle vocal harmonies adorn these major-key pop punk songs that elicit emotion in a heartening way, as if Iron Chic’s M.O. was to purge our negative thinking by way of sonic chemotherapy. … read more
Review: Jeffrey Novak – Lemon Kid
One assumes that the unintentionally yet appropriately titled opener, “Endless Repetition,” sounds like a first-stage demo on purpose, or that the title track is really dreadful, despite the briefly creative drumming that it starts with. … read more
Review: I Break Horses – Chiaroscuro
Although it feels like I’ve heard this album a hundred times before, performed by different artists throughout the years, I Break Horses deliver a skillful synth-pop performance of epic proportions. … read more
Review: Integrity – Systems Overload (A2/Orr Mix)
For as good as the original Systems Overload is, it’s firmly planted in 1995. The new mix is rawer and louder, and the instruments have more space. My only gripe is that everything is loud, making songs that should be more dynamic and punctuated lose potency as all dials are pegged at 11. … read more
Review: Jack Name – Light Show
This album is a toxic concoction of psychedelic, guitar-driven, experimental “adios motherfucker,” which needs to be experienced with full attention. The album tells a story that appears to be chaotic and complicated as it sifts through many genres. However, listening to the gems makes it bearable, like “Do The Shadow,” which is full of energy. … read more
Review: Indian – From All Purity
“Rhetoric of No” and “The Impetus Bleeds” seem to signal a return to the lively riffing of their previous albums, but then the band inevitably falls back into a yawn-inducing sound coma. Containing little substance to be admired, From All Purity marks the low point in Indian’s discography. … read more
Review: Isaiah Rashad – Cilvia Demo
Rashad takes his father’s abandonment and turns it into a moral imperative—a move that could have been trite in hands of a lesser MC. This, however, is a daring labor of love by a very gifted young man. These strong but flawed songs creep into your soul without you even realizing it—the same way that forgiveness can. … read more
