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...
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03.09.2007 by J-Sin
Music Reviews of Modern Rock, Folk, Alternative, Pop
Redding — Redding Buy it at Amazon
St. Louis who is now home to the new World Series champions in the Cardinals, is also home to a band named Redding. They may not be a household name quite yet but it’s only a matter of time. Armed with fitting melodies and catchy hooks, Redding seems poised to deliver one of alternative pop’s biggest albums. Cleverly capturing the rhythms of Coldplay and the melodic wordplay of Travis, you’d almost think Redding was a U.K. import. Redding instead is a mature pop-rock outfit that has one foot solidly in the soiled world of alternative and another in the dirt-free universe of indie pop. Delicious!
- J-Sin
Soapbox Soldier — My Dear, Where Do We Begin Buy it at Amazon
Alternative rock. It’s a cascading avalanche of different sounds if you believe what the pop world is telling us is “alternative”. Regardless of ‘genre’, Soapbox Soldier deliver stirring pop-rock ballads with vocally drenched songs that are merely a stones throw away from ‘90’s alternative rock. Occasionally their songs are a bit heavy so it travels into the land of hard rock but it does so with the efficiency of a garage outfit not a bunch of mall rats who have no idea what comes next. Good stuff with plenty of energy.
- J-Sin
Simplelife — New Addiction Buy it at Amazon
Funky guitar wailings deliver Simplelife from your traditional trappings of the alternative pop-rock universe. I guess you could call them clever but the rest of their delivery is so undeniably ‘pop’ and universally ‘accepted’ that it’s rarely anything new or original. Sure there are hooks but even K.Fed has hooks.
- J-Sin
Ellen Cherry — Years Buy it at Amazon
A mighty three-years older than me, Ellen Cherry must feel old. Why? Because I feel like any moment my knees might give out because I’m the wopping old age of 28! Cherry’s vocals are endearing and sentimental with tales that are topical. Her folksy sound belies the ease of the delivery with slight genre-twisting throughout “Years”. Often commanding a very demanding and striking voice, the alluring songstress known as Ellen Cherry will surprise even the most seasoned veteran of folk-pop music.
- J-Sin
John Biz — The Happiest Days of My Life Buy it at Amazon
Proto-alternative rock cat John Biz likes to dive deep into Beach Boys’ era vocal melodies at times. “The Happiest Days of My Life” seems to be a Weezer-esque sort of album that wants to find a home nears the Replacements and maybe R.E.M. Fortunately for those of us who really love pure indie rock, it won’t interfere—this is far reaching power-pop that has occasional indie rock noodlings with driving guitar fuzz and infectious rhythms that are demanding. Nothing bad but nothing superior either.
- J-Sin
Arielle Silver — Somethingprettysomethingtrue Buy it at Amazon
Arielle’s sophomore release “Somethingprettysomethingtrue” tries to be a lot of things but it doesn’t try to really break free of pop-rock which is a good thing. Silver’s vocals are empowered pro-feminine lyrics that are refreshing in the land of “man”. The music reminds me of classic R.E.M. at times with more orchestral pop and indie rock mixed in with delightful results. Wanting to find some hot female singer/songwriter folk-pop that’s nifty, dynamic, and outreaching? Look no further!
- J-Sin
Acid Android — Purification Buy it at Amazon
Japanese rock group Acid Android soak their sound in what most refer to as “industrial” with its chugga-chugga riffs and droid-like rhythms. But it’s not industrial as you may expect it to sound. Instead, it’s more industrial in the methodology of songwriting that Yukihiro employs. Churning guitars wail against a distorted wall of angst, hard rhythms that are somewhat danceable, and pop harmonies that maintain a nice level of catchiness.
- J-Sin
Fair to Midland — Drawn and Quartered Buy it at Amazon
Serjical Strike’s Fair to Midland hopes to prove that categorization is something of the past with their enigmatic debut. System of a Down’s Serj Tankian personally chose the group to be on the roster for his interesting label. The group marries heavy guitars, melodic vocals, dynamic songwriting, crafty harmonies, and progressive rock undertones into one majestic sound all their own. Clever, different, and quite divergent from what you normally hear on the radio—or even might expect from Serj’s camp—“Drawn and Quartered” is a challenging listen that every music fan should engage in. The enhanced EP contains two original demos, two live tracks, and a music video.
- J-Sin
Breaking Laces — Astronomy Is My Life But I Love You Buy it at Amazon
Vocally it seems as if Breaking Laces firmly resides in the alternative rock arena. And that’s just damn dandy if you ask me. Because they circle with wagons filled with indie rock pop harmonies and infectious hooks. Based out of the gritty land of Brooklyn, Breaking Laces isn’t what we’ve been typically hearing out of the Big Apple these days, which seems to be more lo-fi apartment-based rock or anti-folk fodder. It’s a great chance for this group to reclaim the rock world as a New York commodity that Wall Street wouldn’t dare trade. Nice edgy pop with melodies you can really sink your teeth into.
- J-Sin
Josh Dion Band — Live! Buy it at Amazon
Funk rock outfit Josh Dion Band has some good chops and does a good job of writing a funk riff. But is that really something you want to listen to for over an hour? Hip funk rock, over and over, and over some more with R&B crooning for sixty-six minutes? I got tired fast and you might too. Just think, this is them live, imagine ‘em just recorded…
- J-Sin
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