Spell Talk Rough Self-Released Street: 09.26.12 Spell Talk = Black Keys + De Stijl–era White Stripes It’s too bad Spell Talk broke up following this release, because their down n’ dirty rock n’ roll went straight for the guts and would’ve won a “vintage sound” contest any day. Rough has a distinguished, antique sound that’s
Local Review: Starbass – Self-Titled
Steve Comeau, a community-involved Canadian transplant, launches us to Starbass with a great collection of futuristic, danceable dubstep tracks. … read more
Local Review: Simian Greed – Self-Titled
The album opens with the bass-heavy “Epic,” a song that took a moment to grow on me. What I initially took to be butt-rock vocals were in fact Lee Ving–styled yells and croons. “Different Circles” has the same aspects of Ving-meets-Danzig vocals. … read more
Local Review: Silver Antlers – All a River
It is really wonderful to hear some new work from Skyler Hitchcox, the guiding light behind Silver Antlers. To the uninitiated, Silver Antlers is heavily ritualized pop music that explores the endless possibilities of dreamy, shoegazy drone that seeks to communicate with something bigger than ourselves inside ourselves. … read more
Local Review: Spörk – Spörk 2.Ö
Sometimes good things come in twos, and the second release by local self-proclaimed “stoner rock” duo Spörk—the embodiment of synthetic, petroleum-based fast-food flatware—the musical equivalent of what passes for “journalism” in frontman Bill Frost’s television-addicted, sarcasm-singed, tube-top addled mind… … read more
Local Review: Sparx – Ignition LP
Despite being personally convinced that most people try to make electronic music just to be able to say they do—if I hear “Hi, I’m a DJ” one more time I may scream—there are exceptions when someone can legitimately produce something worth listening to a few times, which is the case here. … read more
Local Review: Sights – Sonder
Sonder is a great improvement on Sights’ still pretty great debut EP, Mammoth. From a pure songwriting perspective, I think these guys are catching up with Eons (R.I.P.) in the race for who can put out the best post-hardcore music in Salt Lake. … read more
Local Review: Socialists – Self-Titled LP/Hasta La Rock EP
Now here’s a couple of good, old-fashioned leftist punk rock releases, by local band the Socialists. You might want to call this group more of a “collective.” They are true to their beliefs enough that they include “Praise Boss,” with lyrics by the Australian IWW from the early 1900s and “This Little Scab” with lyrics by the Chicago IWW and Local 329 SEIU. … read more
Local Review: Robyn Cage – Tales Of A Thief / Burning Now
Robyn Cage = (Florence + the Machine) + Lana Del Rey – Fiona Apple … read more
Local Review: Selja Sini – Back Home
Selja Sini = Cate Le Bon + Rilo Kiley … read more
Local Review: Salazar – Saudade
Salazar = (Temper Trap + My Morning Jacket) / Wilco
… read more
Local Review: RuRu – Mother / Father
RuRu = David Gray + Radical Face + Vance Joy … read more
