Precious Fathers are the kind of typically enigmatic act that Vancouver’s oft-experimental, instrumental post-rock scene thrives on. Altruistic in the manner which they toss sounds off one another, Precious Fathers seemingly follow no tried and true methods of songwriting. Their experimental rock builds rapidly, with screeching guitars and relentless drumming acting as the core for…
Category: REVIEWS
CD and DVD reviews
Anna Madorsky, Incantation
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Madorsky is following up her 2008 debut, Talk Is Cheap, with a new name & a new attitude. Talk Is Cheap was darker clouded with the focus on a romantic breakup whereas Incantation focuses more on current issues from a narrative standpoint. The focal point for this album is based on where people…
Fiction 20 Down, Comfortable Fools
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First off, I’d like to mention the exceptionally professional touch put forth on their overall appearance of the cover art and inside sleeves. This brand new LP has a very pleasing feel about it due to its well-put-together packaging. Right away, I was drawn to this band and their record just from first…
Luis Bonilla, I Talking Now
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Sit down and fasten your seat belt before hitting “play” for this album, because Luis Bonilla is talking now. It’s going to hit you fast, and it’s going to hit you hard. In fact, in the opening/title track, you might have a 4-minute “WTF?” moment as Luis Bonilla and his band prove that their finger…
Tirra Lirra, Pink Live Forever
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The Chicago-based trio, Tirra Lirra, brings modern sounds of outer-dimensional electronics mixed with pop/rock tendencies. Pink Live Forever offers listeners a New Wave ambience of experimental sonic jargon. I would best describe Tirra Lirra’s new release as an abstract puzzle with millions of pieces. This puzzle will require much thought, concentration and…
Teleseen, Fear of the Forest
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Teleseen is one man known as Gabriel Cyr and he is based in Brooklyn. The NY locale has no relevance here because Fear of the Forest will you take you on a trip, but not in the physical sense but rather by way of a voyage through the mind. Teleseen and the artist behind the…
Steven Bryan, Let Me Stay
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Steven Bryan was born Francesco Dell’Orco in Milan, Italy, but he is an English adopted singer/songwriter. He later moved to London in 2007 where he really started to find out who he was as an artist. It seems that Bryan has now found his voice/identity on this new EP, Let Me Stay. …
Mayday Parade, Anywhere But Here
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On their sophomore release Anywhere But Here will come as a huge change to many Mayday Parade fans. Mainly for the fact the new record does not feature the writing and vocals of original singer, Jason Lancaster, whose spot has been filled by Derek Sanders. However, with the absence of Lancaster, the Tallahassee-based quintet have…
Elephant Stone, The Seven Seas
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“Hindie rock,” you say? That’s what Elephant Stone, a five-piece psych-pop outfit from Montreal (Better known as Canada’s indie music goldmine) are calling The Seven Seas. The debut record features members of The Besnard lakes and The Dears, and is essentially the brainchild of Rishi Dhir, once a member of the all-to-infectious Montreal rockers The…
Elliott Brood, Mountain Meadows
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Elliot Brood is one seriously bad-ass band. No, it’s not just one dude parading around; it’s a full-on, raucous three-piece band that manages to kick out some of the most rollicking countrified jams possible from just three instruments. Toss in lead singer Mark Sasso’s relentlessly raspy growl and you’ve got reason to believe why Mountain…
The Wooden Sky, If I Don’t Come Home You’ll Know I’m Gone
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Once known as Friday Morning’s Regret, an ode to the sins committed by University students, Toronto’s newest alt-country sensation have regrouped as The Wooden Sky and have taken a step in the solemn yet earnest direction. Lead singer Gavin Gardiner commands If I Don’t Come Home You’ll Know I’m Gone, with a penetrating, at times…
Ihsaan Khatim, Speak Life
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The meaning behind this artist’s name is “Excellence, Finally”, which was given to him by his uncle. Ihsaan Khatim is definitely following suite with Speak Life by pouring everything he has into this project. This EP is just a taste of what’s to come in 2010 when the new album hits the streets.…
The Beatles, Rare and Unseen
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Ready to relive the British invasion? ‘The Beatles: Rare and Unseen’ takes you on a magical mystery tour from the birth of the biggest band in the world, to their break out performances, the American invasion, and the drift to different directions for the ‘Fab Four’ – out now on MVDvisual. If you have ever…
Amanda Morra, Self-Titled
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The first thing that blew me away was the simple fact that this was a debut album. Incredible news to my ears because the quality & professionalism put into this disc was undeniable and damn near impeccable. This artist seemed to be a seasoned vet in the studio based on the overall sound…
CRGruve, Naughty and Nice
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Two men make up CRGruve and they are bringing you some Naughty and some Nice. This Portland, Maine-based duo offers up a fun & party-like atmosphere that everyone can jam to. They go by Craig Handley & Ramone Jones and they are set to take the world by storm with their infectious sounds. It is…
Lights, The Listening
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One year and and a hot, sweaty summer of Warped Tour later, Canadian sweetheart Lights has finally released her full-length record, The Listening. Half of the record will already be familiar with fans, featuring previous releases like opening track “Saviour” and “The Last Thing On Your Mind” from her past EPs, and the rest is…
Sex Slaves, Wasted Angel
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This 3-member rock band from NYC is bringin’ the dirty ‘n’ nasty goods here on Wasted Angel. Sex Slaves offer a real hard-edged rock sound that really has some ballz to it. The new record has attitude, it has got rawness and it has a whole lot of substance! Coming off their…
The Box Elders, Alice And Friends
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The Box Elders are a throwback to simpler times. When making eight-minutes ambient, difficult to digest post-rock tunes wasn’t considered cooler than thou, but when drawing as many eager kids out to the dancefloor (With guitars, no less) was the only way to gauge cool. And on Alice And Friends, The Box Elders crank out…
Rah Rah, Going Steady
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Certain bands remind you of certain things. Neil Young and campfires. U2 and a breach of trust. You get the idea. Rah Rah, an auspiciously named eight-piece indie-pop opera of a band out of Regina, Saskatchewan remind me of something even more vague and non-descript: colours. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. Rah Rah,…
One Flesh, Twelve Gates
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Right away from the front cover, you get a gloomy, dark-type setting. This flows right into the CD where you definitely get a dose of what I like to call Gloom Rock. One Flesh and their newest release, Twelve Gates, offers up some darkly-layered gothic rock with some tinges of alternative & psychedelic…
The Hidden Cameras, Origin: Orphan
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Much is made of the fact that Joel Gibb and the rest of the Hidden Cameras are closely aligned with the gay movement within indie-rock. Yet on Origin: Orphan, the band’s 5th studio LP, one doesn`t hear so much an influence from Gibb`s personal choices as a spiritual influence. Long classified in the chamber-pop genre,…
Alberta Cross, Broken Side Of Time
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Comparisons in rock and roll are inevitable for two reasons: very often a band gets together because of a shared affinity for another band. And rock journalists are a stringently lazy bunch whose ears are often tweaked but connect the dots like young children. Without knowing the exact circumstances of what brought Alberta Cross, the…
The Echelons, Don’t Kiss Her Face
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First thing I see when I look at the front cover of The Echelons’ Don’t Kiss Her Face are two cartoon characters with serious sexual innuendos. One character is portrayed as an attractive woman all dolled up while putting lip stick on & looking at herself in the mirror. She is depicted as…
Meshell Ndegeocello, Devil’s Halo
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There are very few musical performers today who can be described as musical artists. Meshell Ndegeocello is one of the few though. The genre-bending singer who is one of the best bassists, male or female, of her generation has been releasing plenty of fine, yet underrated music for a good two decades now. Ndegeocello has…
Ryan Dahle, Irrational Anthems
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Limblifter was a fantastic Canadian piece of indie-rock folklore in the mid-90’s. The band practically shit out hooks. Though I was a little too young to appreciate them then, I can now consider Ryan Dahle’s debut solo LP, Irrational Anthems a blessing from above. Dahle, being one of the founding members of Limblifter hasn’t lost…
Joe Henry, Blood From Stars
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Upon first listen, Joe Henry’s blend of folk, blues and jazz on his 11th LP, Blood From Stars comes across as entirely too ambitious. The record struggles to find a happy medium and therefore, loses its groove very early on. Now, if chaotic is the spice which entices your tongue, then Blood From Stars might…
Sand Machine, Conference
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A Boston band that came out of nowhere a few years ago, Sand Machine has grown even stronger than their 2002 debut indicated. They caught on with the city’s indie crowd as well as with the older folks who enjoy classic rock. Neil Young and The Beatles were the influences they wore on their sleeves.…
K-Maxx, The Whole Woo Wop
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Okay, first off let’s clear up what the meaning behind the title means because I’m sure that’s what you’re asking yourself. K-Maxx states that The Whole Woo Wop is actually a slang term that means “all encompassing”. This pertains to all the emotions/feelings that have surrounded K-Maxx in the last few years. …
ANNA ROSE, ANNA ROSE
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All right. I’m basically a rocker at heart. If I have to listen to female singers, I prefer female rockers that can also deliver a ballad. After many years of listening to just about every genre on the planet, I’m very picky when it comes to personally judging female singers.…
Reign Lee, Broken Skylines
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This Hong-Kong based singer/songwriter, Reign Lee, is ready to take the music world by storm. Not only does Lee write and perform all of her songs on the new record, but she is also the producer of Broken Skylines. This multi-talented artist is definitely prepared to excite the minds of music enthusiasts everywhere!…
Kestrels, Primary Colours
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Maybe it was just where I grew up, but in high school, every band sounded the same. They were hookey alright, but their remotely relevant brand of pop-punk never sat well. There was something missing. Even in a sea of bands all playing at the same venue (The Dungeon, if you must know) not one…
Japandroids, Post-Nothing
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Buzz bands walk a very, very fine line. More often than not, the first thing your average music consumer hears is the hype before any substance. Immediately then, said listener adopts Grand Canyon-sized expectations. Especially when proliferated by a few certain tastemakers, the hype becomes so unmanageable that the artist risks imploding, often before a…
Rich Hope, Is Gonna Whip It On Ya
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Where do the blues come from? Is it a persistent hole in one’s soul that’s only filled by dirty jams in smokey bars? And if so, are the blues really that simple of a vocation? On Rich Hope’s debut LP, Rich Hope Is Gonna Whip It On Ya, the answer is a resounding no. There…
STEVE VAI, WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE
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First off, there are hordes of great, eye-popping guitarists roaming the stages across the globe. Steve Vai is in the upper echelon of these real life guitar heroes. Steve is a technical guitar savant, in the same vein as Jeff Beck. Steve always adds a little touch of something live, to make…
THE BEATLES, RARE AND UNSEEN
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This release is a documentary, featuring rare glimpses of the Fab Four, and dialogue by many of their associates like Tony Barrow (former press officer), Tony Bramwell (former roadie), Sam Leach (former tour manager), and noteworthy fans like Jerry Marsden (Jerry and the Pacemakers), and Phil Collins. A booklet is included with some early…
RANDOM STABBINGS & ARTLESS CRITIQUE, OCTOBER 2009
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Infected Mushroom, Legend Of The Black Shawarma (Adrenaline Records) Lot of blah-de-blah on the blogs and such about this not being (as expected in keeping with this Israeli electro duo’s original pigeonhole) psy-trance, probably owing to all the drum n bass that goes on (if you’re not a walking Wikipedia, DnB involves a lot of…
Slant, Slant
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If Tool and Jimi Hendrix had some kind of post mortem love child, it would be Slant. And if Tool, Jimi Hendrix, Pink Floyd, and Nirvana could create a celestial collaboration, it would be Slant’s latest album, self titled “Slant”. “Slant” takes you on an epic journey of intricately skilled drum solos, nostalgic guitar riffs,…
Shannon Stephens, The Breadwinner
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I’ve been saying this to myself for awhile now, but I think I’m ready to get it out in the open: there aren’t two female singer-songwriter voices out there that sound alike. None. Every female voice, from those that hum a tune to those wailing down in Vegas share the same vocal chords. And Seattle-bred…
The Oranges Band, The Oranges Band Are Invisible
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Let’s all raise a glass for The Oranges Band. On The Oranges Band Are Invisible, the Baltimore smart-punk outfit combine blue-collar, everyman aesthetics with a sound that’s thick as nails. Tangibly reminiscent of some of the bands which have influenced them in some form or another, including Spoon and Guided By Voices, The Oranges Band…
The ETTES, Do You Want Power?
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The ETTES are a 3-piece rock outfit from Nashville, Tennessee and they are dropping their third album Do You Want Power? today. They deliver garage rock soaked in a 60’s beat-punk sound with heavy, distorted guitars and pounding drums. Lead singer Lindsay “Coco” Hames has a soulful 60s country voice not unlike Patsy Cline. Bassist…
