Detroit, Michigan’s Free Element enters the scene with a strong ten-track debut in “Remember This”. If you can picture Watashi Wa’s strong hooks and forceful instrumentation in “Love of Life”, mixed with My Spacecoaster’s moodiness, then you’re on the right track with describing this band. In fact, singer Andy Perry’s gentle and melancholy stylings are reminiscent of the latter’s vocals, and they offer a nice contrast to the bombast of the music underneath.
The production values are a bit lacking. I would’ve liked the kick drum to be upped in the mix a little more. On the upside, the overall experience is more raw and not robotically pristine.
Keep your eyes locked on these guys, because they have the potential to go places.
Over their almost thirty year career The Cars have produced more than a dozen hits, released several mult-platinum albums and influenced a countless number of groups. Even today their presence can be felt albeit watered down in todays synth rock groups. On October 17th a company called Docurama in association with Cars frontman Ric Ocasek will release a CD/DVD set titled The Cars Unlocked which captures the bands live show and what went on behind the scenes. More »
This debut album by Canada’s Cancer Bats is good in a lot of ways and bad in a lot of ways. I have to admit that if I heard this like two years ago, I would have thought it was one of the best records I’ve heard in a while. The sad thing is that I’ve heard this record four or five times in the past year – that being said though, Birthing the Giant is still a good album. More »
Here’s 10 CD’s I just reviewed in non-Pitchfork fashion (meaning they’re less than a novel). My heavy bias and lack of patience for 30 seconds of white noise at the beginning of CD’s (I guess it’s some artsy thing) is quite evident in my writing, but that’s okay. More »
This Harness Can’t Ride Anything, the first full-length release from Suicide Squeeze artist Chin Up Chin Up since We Should Have Never Lived Like We Were Skyscrapers seems to be picking up where the band left off, and then taking a step or two in the right direction. It’s richly textured avante-pop that will have you tapping your toes. If there’s one criticism, it would be that some of those toe-tapping moments are shuffled out too soon for my taste. While I don’t know if the band has reached it’s full potential yet, I do know that they’re pretty dang close.
Here’s a nice show review of Cursive, from a recent performance at Webster Hall.
“The awkardness of the crowd took away from the show a bit (as well as the fact that Tim Kasher stated at one point “I wasn’t really into those last 5 songs I played, but hopefully you thought I was”)”
Don’t forget to download the B-Side from Happy Hollow.
Damien Jurado has released quality music for nearly ten years but is often overshadowed by many of his peers. Even in this post-Sufjan world in which artists with a folk slant are starting to break in to the mainstream it seems he still hovers below the radar of most. Hopefully Damien’s name will be on more lips with the release of the upcoming And Now That I’m In Your Shadow. More »
For all of you fans of old-timey jug band tunes and proto-bluegrass, Big Iron World from Old Crow Medicine Show might not be your cup of tea. Eutaw, their first studio album (which was only available on tour) was an unrequited mass of old jug band tunes and energy. The band expanded their sound on their self-title album, adding some folkocity to the mix. With this album, you get all of the above, plus a wider display of roots music mastery, with a real bluesy feel at times (and some Dylanesque vocal delivery/songwriting thrown in to boot). I’m a bit conflicted, being a fan from way back. While I love the album itself, it just isn’t the same rag tag group wailing away at the old school Memphis jug band ditties and old-timey rag. However, it doesn’t have to be, and it stands on its own merits as a phenomenal record.
Low Red Land has released an excellent entry in to the alternative country genre with their latest record Weight Of Nations. Names like Neil Young, Son Volt and to a lesser degree Mark Mulcahy come to mind while listening to the albums 9 tracks. The groups lo-fi inspired twang is quite infections and should appeal to most fans of the genre. More »
Real Live Tigers is the blues. There aren’t any A-minor, pentatonic guitar solos or B.B. King borrowed riffs, but instead a true sense of being beaten and relying on those around you for whatever kind of help they can give you and giving back in the name of friendship. With a voice like Calvin Johnson (Beat Happening, Halo Benders), simple guitar, and bathroom production the experience is raw and natural for the morning after.
Detroit, Michigan’s Free Element enters the scene with a strong ten-track debut in “Remember This”. If you can picture Watashi Wa’s strong hooks and forceful instrumentation in “Love of Life”, mixed with My Spacecoaster’s moodiness, then you’re on the right track with describing this band. In fact, singer Andy Perry’s gentle and melancholy stylings are reminiscent of the latter’s vocals, and they offer a nice contrast to the bombast of the music underneath.
Over their almost thirty year career The Cars have produced more than a dozen hits, released several mult-platinum albums and influenced a countless number of groups. Even today their presence can be felt albeit watered down in todays synth rock groups. On October 17th a company called 
This debut album by Canada’s Cancer Bats is good in a lot of ways and bad in a lot of ways. I have to admit that if I heard this like two years ago, I would have thought it was one of the best records I’ve heard in a while. The sad thing is that I’ve heard this record four or five times in the past year – that being said though, Birthing the Giant is still a good album. 
This Harness Can’t Ride Anything, the first full-length release from 
Damien Jurado has released quality music for nearly ten years but is often overshadowed by many of his peers. Even in this post-Sufjan world in which artists with a folk slant are starting to break in to the mainstream it seems he still hovers below the radar of most. Hopefully Damien’s name will be on more lips with the release of the upcoming And Now That I’m In Your Shadow. 
Low Red Land has released an excellent entry in to the alternative country genre with their latest record Weight Of Nations. Names like Neil Young, Son Volt and to a lesser degree Mark Mulcahy come to mind while listening to the albums 9 tracks. The groups lo-fi inspired twang is quite infections and should appeal to most fans of the genre. 
