The Brobecks Happiest Nuclear Winter Self-Released The Brobecks = Weezer + They Might be Giants + Flaming Lips + Alkaline Trio This album isn’t over-cute, it’s just cute drawn out. Happiest Nuclear Winter struts clever through 12 tracks of electro-pop subtle-saccharine with bummed-out lyrics and occasional near-jazz piano ditties. Sad, socially conscious, mostly strange and
The Body Call Off the Search Self-Released The Body = Aesop Rock + Atmosphere + the Roots Funky sometimes slipping into raga full-instrumental backtracks flow behind flows laid by emcees LoKaL and MiMiC rounding out over an hour of recorded sweet hip-hop smoothness. The first half of tracks find the lyrics a bit lazy, crutching
At least, mine came with a section of T-shirt with hand-drawn flowers on it courtesy of Dave Styer, one-half of The Horns’ double-pronged axe-destroying machine. … read more
The Invisible Rays play often-slow, almost dirge-ish creep punk filled with plodding buzzsaw bass riffs, mournful or shouted vocals and sometimes-droning synths. … read more
Covers include the Southern-accented “Wish You Was Here” and “Under the Milky Way.” The Awesome Possum Band is funny but not in an annoying way. … read more
The Hotness Fashion Over Comfort Sound Vs. Silence Street: 02.06 The Hotness = La Severence + The Get Up Kids guitar + high school band with 700 Myspace friends I’m a sucker for a good dance song. I could care less what the artist is singing about, as long as they can keep my ass
The Gorgeous Hussies Self-Titled Self-Released Street: March 2007 The Gorgeous Hussies = Mothers of Invention + The Pres of the United States + Barenaked Ladies Remember those big guys in high school that weren’t the cool kids, but they were still friends with everyone because they were so funny and too damn happy all the
The Krypled S/T Self Released Street: 2007 The Krypled = I don’t even think THEY have any idea. This CD is, from start to finish, one of the most boring, hackneyed, been-there-done-that things I’ve ever heard. Honestly, if I wanted to listen to ripped off NWOBHM riffs, I’d much prefer something like Slough Feg…at least
The Electric Pubes EP is presented in high-quality homemade printer paper CD sleeves. Sure, these guys clearly didn’t put a lot of money into their creation, but for what they lack in cold cash, they certainly make up in energy, creativity, and ridiculously massive balls. … read more
Lovers and Bankers is a short collection of Woodstock -era folk-rock, re-imagined by a couple of guys who loved it then and love it still. … read more
The Lazy Waves Spring Fling Self-Released Street: 04.23 The Lazy Waves = Danger Mouse + Daniele Luppi + Electric Guest The last we heard from Daniel Fischer—aka Fisch—and company, we were gifted a delightful holiday track on Christmas Eve 2011. Their latest offering is the lush, mesmerizing, sexy-as-shit three-track Spring Fling. The laid-back, beat-driven track,
The collection includes some local favorites that I am familiar with, like King Niko, and surprised me with quite a few that I was not. It’s a great selection of indie and alternative styles, including pop rock, pop punk, folk, electronic, a bit of rap/hip hop and even a dash of female mojo (via The Blue Aces, Kitfox, Ashlee Woo, Summer Lasts Forever). … read more
