Music Reviews of Modern Rock, Folk, Pop
Band Spotlight
Chiodos
Perhaps no one can explain the sheer ferocity and timid quietness it is better than when vocalist Craig Owens says “we don’t want to let the kids down” when discussing the group’s intense vocals live at shows. Well they never let a single kid down with their vicious assault on the ears and grip on the jugular...
Subscribe to our mailing list
Current Top Ten Chart
Skinny Puppy - Mythmaker
Converge - No Heroes
The Graduate - Anhedonia
Death By Stereo - Death Alive
Comeback Kid - Broadcasting
The Snake The Cross The Crown - Cotton Teeth
Dear and the Headlights - Small Steps, Heavy Hooves
The Geeks - Every Time We Fall
Limbeck - Limbeck
WinterKids - Memoirs
03.09.2007 by J-Sin
Music Reviews of Modern Rock, Folk, Alternative, Pop
Various Artists — Completed 2005 Buy it at Amazon
Following up on Blind Pigeon Records “Completed 2004” is another collaboration of various artists and musicians that shows off the various travels that rock ‘n’ roll embarks upon. The songs are all originals with some songs still in demo format, others are live, and still others are unreleased or outtakes. Based in Schuylkill County in Pennsylvania, Blind Pigeon Records has a roster that covers a 40 square mile radius. Songs by bands like Truckstop Lovechild, The Dennehys, and Poor Luther’s Bones show off the true diversity of the compilation, whether it’s saloon rock, blues rock, or powerful folk rock. Nice.
- J-Sin
Roman Candle — The Wee Hours Revue Buy it at Amazon
Wilco fans listen up. Roman Candle is right up your alley. With lyrical twists and wit that could easily be mistaken for Elvis Costello, Roman Candle write compelling songs that are warm with smiling melodic vocals and rich with harmonious guitars. The layers that this band employs on “The Wee Hours Revue” are simply staggering. Soulful groove is teased by alt. country tenets that are properly deployed without sounding derivative and with proper asides to the Grand Ole Opry sound followed by nice nods to folk rock. The keyboard arranges things nicely with church organ spine tingly effect. Roman Candle sounds like a polished band playing ‘70’s era rock ‘n’ roll with a bit of folk and country stirred in.
- J-Sin
Durga Temple — High Rocktane Buy it at Amazon
Heavy distorted guitars that are thick with stoner rock grit and hell on wheels pizzazz opens “High Rocktane”. From there Durga Temple offer more of the hard edged stoner rock with manic melodic crooning. In the vein of Fu Manchu, Monster Magnet, and Queens of the Stone Age, Durga Temple employs blues punk with thick distorted guitar wailing overtop. Recorded by Jeff Kane (Malady, Haram, City of Catapillar), “High Rocktane” couldn’t be more aptly titled with its boisterous high energy stoner punk-rock. The bongs might thicken the air with pot smoke and the resin might corrode, but one’s thing for sure Durga Temple will be rockin’ the DC area through thick and thin.
- J-Sin
Mew — The Zookeeper's Boy Buy it at Amazon
This quick EP from one of my personal favorite imports from Denmark traverses their two recent releases. The first three tracks are some of the brightest spots from their forthcoming (in the States) release “And the Glass Handed Kites” whereas the last two are from their “Frengers”. I know it’s really more of a teaser than anything else since it offers really nothing new or different (save different artwork for the import and this version) but as a collector of everything Mew, you just have to have it. Their sweet vocal arrangements will remind some of Billy Corgan while their complex song structures and dense guitars will boggle most everyone’s mind. Truly an original band and one to obsess over.
- J-Sin
Boy Kill Boy — Civilian Buy it at Amazon
London's Boy Kill Boy have some explaining to do. They need to have a sit-down with The Killers and discuss who came first. Regardless of whether they’re the egg or chicken in that discussion, Boy Kill Boy does do the whole dance rock plus New Wave thing pretty well. But most people are going to mumble something about The Killers and suggest derivativeness.
- J-Sin
The Dashboard Saints — Little Bits and Pieces Buy it at Amazon
A band that seems destined to conquer the local bar circuit, The Dashboard Saints fuse classic rock with Latin styles and jazzy blues. Their songs are easy to chew and offer uptempo pop-rock hooks. They keep things as simple and easy as possible but that lack of complexity doesn’t make their songs any less enjoyable. Fun times with multiple vocal harmonies to really latch onto.
- J-Sin
Nouvelle Vague — Bande a Part Buy it at Amazon
Their debut did quite well, selling over 200,000 units. And more importantly I liked it! Nouvelle Vague has somewhat of a schtick that they adhere to. Theirs is to recreate and refashion ‘80’s post-punk pop hits into a downtempo, calypso, bossa nova, and trip-hop amalgamation. Beginning with one of my favorite songs, “The Killing Moon”, Nouvelle Vague covers such luminaries as Bauhaus, Echo & the Bunnymen, Joy Division, Depeche Mode, the Undertones, and Tuxedo Moon. They also ladle in some stirring renditions by lesser known acts like Lords of the New Church and The Wake. Retro future pop that covers (literally) the wide range of what pop music consists of.
- J-Sin
The Format — Dog Problems Buy it at Amazon
I reviewed their EP “Snails” a while back. The Format are here with their majestic full length on Nettwerk completely readying the next Ark as they pile in psychedelic pop, indie pop, and operatic overtures that Brian Wilson would “Smile” at. Walking alongside very few contemporaries, The Format hail from the sweaty region of Phoenix, Arizona and boast melodies just as warm and engaging. Invigorating emotional hand-wringing are the first thing that The Format plate on “Dog Problems” as they build to a crescendo with the smash “I’m Actual”. The production is fantastic and provided by the wonderful ear of Steven McDonald (Red Kross) who manages to lull you with rich harmonies, disco-worthy backbeats, and full orchestrations. Clever ain’t the word, this is downright freakin’ genius indie pop.
- J-Sin
Eliot Morris — Eliot Morris Buy it at Amazon
Alabama’s singer/songwriter Elliot Morris writes pop songs with Americana backdrops and R&B urgency. You can hear a lot of Jackson Browne and John Mayer (who he has toured alongside) throughout this release. He has a great knack for writing nice hooks with country twang for guitars that swoop down and pick you right up. Neatly placed melodic vocals don’t hurt either.
- J-Sin
Keane — Under the Iron Sea Buy it at Amazon
A 2006 Grammy Nominee, Keane had a lot of expectations lumped onto them with “Under the Iron Sea”, their sophomore release. Their first single “Is It Any Wonder?” is not quite the best track on the album however so temper your thoughts a bit until you hear the full album. “Atlantic” begins the album with a nice backbeat, eerie sonic reverberations, and a brooding keyboard piece. How could anyone follow up Keane’s pop masterpiece of a debut “Hopes and Fears”? Well only this group could succeed so well. It’s an album that grows on you with each subsequent listen. You’ll appreciate the truly thick pop bliss that is injected into each song. A band that consists of only bass, keyboard, sequences, vocals, and drums with the first three played by one person, it’s sure to drive other musicians absolutely bat crazy. How could a trio write such dense songs that are cleverly arranged as if they born not written? You’d have to ask this British pop trio known simply as Keane what’s in the water they’re drinking. Driving rhythms, multiple vocal harmonies, and pulsating piano keys in for an album that will be remembered as one of 2006’s best pop ballads.
- J-Sin
Read More Music Reviews