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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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
The World/Inferno Friendship Society — Addicted to Bad Ideas – Peter Lorre's 20th Century Buy it at Amazon
Brooklyn’s the World / Inferno Friendship Society is high-brow punk at its very best. Joining forces with Jay Scheib, they combine to craft a punk-rock opera about Peter Lorre, a legendary actor from the ‘30s to late ‘50s who escaped the Nazi’s to Hollywood to star as the atypical villain character as well as make appearances in notable films such as “Casablanca” and “The Maltese Falcon”. Lorre eventually fell victim to his own addiction to morphine and died of a stroke. The music on this theatrical album is intriguing in a sort of swing-punk and rock opera sort of vein. Definitely quite interesting and not something you’d typically expect out of a punk and progressive modern band.
- J-Sin
Ari Shine — A Force of One Buy it at Amazon
Produced by Earle Mankey whose resume includes the Beach Boys, Sparks, and Concrete Blonde, “A Force of One” is catchy pop-rock that is rife with endearing hooks. Ari Shine co-wrote the Grand Prize winning song for this year’s John Lennon Songwriting Contest. He’s also performed and written with such artists as L7’s Jennifer Finch, Martyn Lenoble (Porno for Pyros), Todd Youth (Danzig), and Victor Indrizzo (Beck). But all resumes aside, Shine lives up to his last name with fun addictive hooks and modern rock ballads that are part Costello and part Springfield.
- J-Sin
Monster Magnet — 4-Way Diablo Buy it at Amazon
Paying an ode to their heroes, the Rolling Stones, Monster Magnet displays their breadth of garage rock and grungy metal with a grand cover of “2000 Light Years From Home”. Psychedelic guitars twirl around the garage rock anthems that Monster Magnet seems to be at ease with churning out. “4-Way Diablo” has a real live, raw quality to it, ripping and thrashing away with furious drum beats, throaty vocals, and stellar guitars. Perhaps that raw energy is due to the recording method employed, which consisted of a live recording, predominantly using just one take with few touch-ups here and there. Regardless this album shines the spotlight back onto a band who had been second fiddle to some of the “The” bands that have crept up the charts recently.
- J-Sin
PJ Harvey — White Chalk Buy it at Amazon
Polly Jean Harvey leans back, takes a breath, and exhales with peaceful and subtle elastic melodies all throughout her latest gem “White Chalk”. While many may cast off the album as muted and far too sparse, I rather enjoy it in our age of overly processed hyperactive musical hyperbole. Her fragile vocals are, per her usual oeuvre, centerpiece, spookily pitch perfect and grown up. The instrumention is relaxed yet quite intense, often badgering you with all that co-producer Flood and collaborate John Parish and Eric Feldman can muster. Lyrically it’s more proof positive that Harvey is at her wits end as she wails about the harsher emotions. Nifty.
- J-Sin
Champion Kickboxer — Perforations Buy it at Amazon
Sheffield in the U.K. is a growing music scene and is quickly pelting us with new magical talent in the indie rock world. Champion Kickboxer is a perfect example of that kind of export. With their brand of cerebral pop-rock, Champion Kickboxer belts out tunes that are perfect for an afternoon tea party, a rock concert, or a barbeque. Lyrically “Perforations” is filled with character, intense in a personal sense, and somewhat, well, magical. Timeless and smart.
- J-Sin
Dr. Horsemachine and the Moneynotes — This Year We Hunt Buy it at Amazon
Amusing theatrical pop that is a far cry from what you’d imagine would emanate from Scranton, PA. Eclectic vaudeville country pop that twists tales into something easy to digest. Granted you might not like “This Year We Hunt” if your ears bleed for some nonsensical horsecrap pop-rock that just got played by Clear Channel 50 times in a row. But if you’re looking for a unique listen in the indie space, than pick up this latest disc by Dr. Horsemachine and the Moneynotes.
- J-Sin
I — Get To Know Your Own Fluids Buy it at Amazon
The album title sounds like some post-hangover blues anthem or something. I, however takes the roots of Middle Eastern music and deftly combines it with epic rock for an artistic visionary creation that is out-of-this-world. Somewhat like some fantasy movie’s soundtrack to some extent. An incredibly intelligent follow-up to their brilliant debut “The Nominonimore”.
- J-Sin
Nire — Vespers Buy it at Amazon
Another gem released on the seminal Abandoned Love label, Nire composes catchy indie pop ala Elliott Smith. Warm melodies are hushed with lo-fi arrangements and light instrumentation. Nire self-recorded “Vespers” in their Portland home utilizing a sparse arrangement of guitars and Casio keyboards. The female/male dynamic will remind many of Belle and Sebastian but the overall sound of Erin Morgan and Josh Hinton is harmony-driven lo-fi. Neat.
- J-Sin
Barcelona — Absolutes Buy it at Amazon
Seattle’s rock outfit Barcelona showcases melody in a beautiful way that few else could hope to achieve on their debut album “Absolutes”. Reminding one of Keane, the group is piano-driven and rhythmic. Gorgeous vocals are laid out with catchy hooks abound. This is as appealing as any band could hope to be, with songs that are memorable and tuneful all at once. This is definitely one of the best pop albums this year.
- J-Sin
Bevel — Phoenician Terrane Buy it at Amazon
Chicago’s Via Nuon claims Bevel as his solo project. Nuon is removed from his Richmond, Virginia roots though his psych-folk character plays out well past the I-95 corridor. Devlishly clever arrangements spark an Americana folk tradition but also blaze with a Donovan-esque persona. Speaking of Donovan, Bevel covers his “Teas” on its ’04 hit “Down the Puppet String, Marionettes”. This album is much more cinematic, with emotional ups and downs intricately laid out before them with lush arrangements delivered in a hazy atmosphere.
- J-Sin
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