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
Daniel G. Harmann — Anthems From the Gentle War Buy it at Amazon
Beautifully woven atmospheres and crafty textures of sonic bliss greet the ear immediately as “Anthems from the Gentle War” waves its way over your body, lending a sensation not much unlike the best orgasm ever. Art rock that is unafraid of taking challenges to heart, “Anthems…” escorts you through the hallways of indie pop, rock, and post-rock with passionate catchy hooks. The long lost descendent of Sigur Ros and Low, Daniel G. Harmann waves his magic wand of awesome songwriting and invites you inside for a cup of tea and a good talk. Energetically subtle and sincere with emotional vocal deliveries presented with imaginative ethereal sonic spaciousness.
- J-Sin
Year Long Disaster — Year Long Disaster Buy it at Amazon
Southern fried rock ‘n’ roll that is steeped heavily in beer and pot resin, Year Long Disaster beckons forth garage rock in the vein of Led Zeppelin. Featuring Daniel Davies, the son of the Kinks’ Dave Davies and Rich Mullins of the stoner rock instrumental group Karma to Burn, Year Long Disaster is no stranger to talented rock ‘n’ roll. Shining through with distorted and wailing guitars, Year Long Disaster blends stoner rock with garage rock and old school blues rock to absolute perfection.
- J-Sin
theSTART — Ciao, Baby Buy it at Amazon
Aimee Echo and her man Jamie make New Wave sound cool again. “Ciao, Baby” was written and performed entirely by Jamie with Aimee lending her sultry vocals and penning the lyrics. Retro in nature, “Ciao, Baby” boasts modern sounding synths and drum programming with sparse guitars and bass lining up to help the grooves along. I saw them perform at a local college a few years opening for Weezer and it was amazing how much they moved the crowd who had for the most part never even heard of them. They played loud and furious, and years later are doing the same thing on their studio ventures. Cool songwriting that is riddled with catchy hooks and perfect sing-a-longs.
- J-Sin
Death to Our Enemies — Death to Our Enemies Buy it at Amazon
You instantly hear the influence of the Rolling Stones and Nirvana throughout the self-titled Death to Our Enemies record. A trio of rock fanatics, Death to Our Enemies pummels you with their fist-pumping anthems of cocked-and-ready rock ‘n’ roll steeped heavily in garage rock and grunge. Hot and steamy guitars glisten with distorted melodies and churning harmonies. Loud and with a nod towards garage punk, the album is not for the faint of heart.
- J-Sin
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
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