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Mutemath – “Armistice”

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on May 10, 2010

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Recorded at the band’s home studio in New Orleans, Armistice is a heavily blended (dare I say watered down) concoction of Maroon-5-meets-The-Postal-Service-whine-pop. The record is full of distorted, multi-layered sounds that mix sort of well with Paul Meany’s Mr. Nice Guy vocals. But the songs lack cohesion, not to mention a true statement that stands out. Outside of “The Nerve” and, perhaps, “Burden”, the album’s bookends, the music is buried under Meany trying to be Adam Levine, which is certainly not a very nice thing.

“Our goal is to embarrass the first record, that’s what we’re trying to do here, and I think we’re on point to pull it off,” Meany says about Armistice. While such ambitions aren’t exactly Herculean, there are glimmers of promise emanating from these, at times, manic-weathered tunes. The band finds itself caught between the age-old rock band conundrum of trying to be accessible while also trying to preserve artistic vision. Mutemath’s first record was known for its post-rock experimentation, which is also certainly present here. But the attempts are mostly grating, like the worst kind of nouveau electronica. There is no harmony. Least of all in the disjointed vocals of Meany, who, like he sings on “Burden”, “just can’t hold it together.”

Closing the album by getting a little Jungian on us, Meany laments that “The devil is not the nature/That is around us, all around us/But the nature that is within us all.” While his lyrics are sound, the delivery is off. [By: Sean Phelan]
Rating: 2.5/5
Release Date: August 18, 2009

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Discover America – “Future Paths”

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on May 10, 2010

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Although this album is called Future Paths, songwriter and vocalist Chris Staples seems stuck in the past – a slightly maudlin review through the narrative eyes of a tangled and nomadic psyche. The music is hinged on low-key, laconic, Tweedy-like laments of suburban, druggy malaise, e.g. “1979”: “You made a promise to yourself/To stay insane/As you sat in the corner/Watching things around you change.” The lyrics, while not great poetry, do make for some interesting short stories.

Besides “1979”, “When You Are Young”, a track that could use a major infusion of raucous noise, “A Lock of Samson’s Hair” and “Brighton Beach”, the one song that shows some real musical and lyrical diversity, are highlights. In fact, about half of these tracks need a major infusion of raucous noise. The trip through Staples’ America is too sleepy – where is the anger, where is the torment, where is any kind of emotion outside of apathy? Even dreams don’t come in monotones. The soundscapes are banal.

While Elliott Smith proved his genius writing this type of music, Staples’ voice simply doesn’t carry you through the peaks and lowlands the same way Elliott’s did. The songs, while engaging, are far too monotonous to give this album more than a couple of listens. [By: Sean Phelan]
Rating: 3/5
Release Date: April 20, 2010

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Solomon Burke – “Nothing’s Impossible”

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on May 10, 2010

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If a man who has been in the music business since the dawn of rock ‘n’ roll (more than half-a-century) tells you that nothing’s impossible, you better believe him. After a Hall of Fame career during which he has bellowed such immortal classics as “Cry to Me”, “Everybody Needs Somebody to Love”, and “Tonight’s the Night”, Burke, who is revered across genres and generations, would seem to have little left to prove. But like every great artist who understands the divine nature of his gift, it isn’t even a question whether he will continue proving it till his dying day.

The liner notes recount a touching story about how Burke came to collaborate with late, great producer, Willie Mitchell, for this record. Mitchell, who is best known for his work with another gospel-bleeding icon, Al Green, courted Burke for over three decades trying to get Big Sol to come to his studio in Memphis. The visit finally became a reality after Burke made a fortuitous sojourn to the River City for some barbecue. The two hit it off instantly, “like kids on a playground”, and the music bears the fruit of their soulful, familial kinship. “Oh, What A Feeling”, “It Must Be Love”, and the title track are all challenges to the listener’s mind to follow the heart. Mitchell’s strings still have the signature of Green’s greatest records, and Solomon’s voice is as strong as ever.

“I feel the presence of his spirit all over this album which is amazing,” Burke says, in eulogy of Mitchell who passed this past January. “I see a lot of things I never saw before. I didn’t understand the song ‘You Needed Me’ until the day of his funeral. I sat in the church and I understood that we needed each other at that point in time. I needed to reconnect with someone…who could say to me that just because you’re 70 years old doesn’t mean that you can’t sing like you should sing or want to sing. Use what God gave you. It was such a great message to keep going forward and to keep your dreams.” [By: Sean Phelan]
Rating: 3.5/5
Release Date: September 21, 2009

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Uriah Heep – “Celebration”

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on April 22, 2010

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As one of the most popular bands of the early 1970s, Uriah Heep built their audience on a heavy organ and guitar-driven sound, with David Byron’s Lord Byronesque vocals soaring like a Tawny Kitaen-less David Coverdale into the rafters. After this initial stint of popularity, the band lingered on to become a cult favorite in Europe, somehow managing to be the first Western band to play in Soviet Russia and selling 30 million albums worldwide. Through numerous lineup changes (only guitarist Mick Box remains from the band’s founding five-some), the ever-non-obsequious Heap (Master Copperfield?) is still going strong, as evidenced by their fortieth-anniversary Celebration.

This CD is largely a set of re-recordings from the band’s early years. There are only two new tracks among the fourteen songs, which will probably come as more of a relief than downer for the band’s longtime fans. While essentially functioning as a royalty-oriented greatest hits record, it is interesting to see how vocalist Bernie Shaw gets on with the old (as in David Byron’s) material.

Among the tentative highlights, “Gypsy”, “The Wizard” and “July Morning” showcase some fine musicianship. But in truth, for those old heads who still actually care about this band, this music is crap. While I tend to like the sound of the organ in rock ‘n’ roll, the band’s song-craft reminds one of Tenacious D without the tongue in Jack Black’s hilarious cheek. These guys make Def Leppard sound like Led Zeppelin. [By: Sean Phelan]
Rating: 1.5/5
Release Date: April 13, 2010

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Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra-“Kollaps Tradixionales”

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on April 22, 2010

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Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra are not a reggae band. Their music is not reggae and despite the cover art and initial feel of the album’s packaging, Kollaps Tradixionales is by no means a reggae album. Instead, the album is eclectic noise music from the vast northern wilds of Montreal. It’s Canadian hipster anarchists! It’s a collection of musicians throwing notes and sounds around like horseshoes. I certainly wouldn’t recommend starting your day with this album, but I also wouldn’t suggest finish it with it either.

The album opens with Japanese desert fighting music- but not from the fight scenes. It is opening credits music and fits because the album has a score-like vibe to it. It’s not alone in it’s madness. The liner notes are very specific; noting that everybody sang on the album. The first song’s vocalist is melodramatic, slightly punk rock, and a few blocks south of on key. This is big music, befitting of the long band name and confusing album title. I suppose that this is just a confusing band. Their website has a Frequently Asked Question section. But it only provides questions- no answers.

I suppose if Orchestra is part of your band name, then you can bring in as many fellas and ladies in as you want. At times, the band seems to be massive with rich and dense parts that build and build up. But there are also soft and gentle parts- vocals and a horn or vocals and some strings. I can only imagine the basement or living room that this album was recorded in was pretty wild and that candles and decorative rugs were intrical to the recording process. As intrical as red wine, hockey and batteries were.

There is no doubt this is a big album; an album born of grand aspirations to deconstruct what we all consider normal music and make something lively, new and fresh. But there is doubt on how listenable this album is and after listening to it once, if I’d ever want to do so again.

Doubtful. [By: Ryan O’Connell]
Rating: 1/5
Release Date: February 16, 2010

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The Pack A.D.- “We Kill Computers”

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on April 22, 2010

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Although The Pack A.D. sounds like it should be featured in the movie, Nick and Nora’s Infinite Playlist, mixing seventies rock with electronics and weird voice phasers, I will say that Maya Miller and Becky Black have a lot of balls for a band that literally lacks in them. Their latest album, We Kill Computers was self produced and to be honest, they did a damn good job of doing it. The brand of music is not exactly my cup of tea, but let’s go over some of the finer points throughout the album.

First of all, Becky Black’s voice rules. Not many girls can pull off being the vocalist in a grungy garage rock band, but her voice is something old and new to the sound all at the same time and it pairs quite well with it. There is nothing delicate about her singing style or the music, and it has a sound all it’s own. Her guitar playing is nothing to be overlooked, either. Belting out classic sounds in songs such as “1880,” Black shows her ability and her overall feel for the rock and roll sound they have adopted so easily. Drummer Maya Miller, not only keeps the time, but also keeps the pace with her partner in crime, Becky Black, by keeping a unique handle on the drums. Although she may not be the best drummer in the world, her style is unique and goes perfectly with the style being played.

Maya Miller and Becky Black are an undeniably perfect matches when it comes to music, and seem to have a strong connection that shines through their songs. For a band that consists of two people and two instruments, they are churning out hits in their genre. I don’t necessarily think that this album will single handedly be the resurrection of seventies rock, but if it ever does come back, I will say that it definitely did it’s part. [By: Dave Quaile]
Rating: 3/5
Release Date: April 27, 2010

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David Ford – “Let the Hard Times Roll”

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on April 22, 2010

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Let the Hard Times Roll is the third album from British singer-songwriter Ford. The album features heavy, lyric-led tunes in the tradition of British protesters such as Billy Bragg. Ford plays nearly every instrument on the recording in addition to writing all the string arrangements and designing the artwork. The songs comprise the three walls of a creative young mind which finds an outlet through Ford’s voice.

Among these songs, “Panic” is a genius, piqued-nerved, steamroller of catch-phrased slam poetry to a nice rising piano and xylophone, that will make your head spin trying to keep up with Ford’s rambling angst. “Waiting For the Storm” slackens the tempo, with a country-styled guitar and vocal delivery, picking up on the emotion felt by so many in our helpless age: guilt in the face of history’s unfulfilled promises for salvation. “I’ll be the one to take the fall/For all these sorry sons of bitches all/And clutching at the shortest straw/A martyr without a cause/Just waiting for the storm,” Ford sings with an erumpent understanding of the workings of birds.

Just when you think he may go the way of Conor Oberst, and become obnoxious with his discontent to the point of making you want to punch your laptop on “Surfin’ Guantanamo Bay” and “Nothing At All”, Ford pulls back the reins and eases you home gently with “Meet Me In the Middle”, a hop-a-long moper, and “Hurricane”, an apt juxtaposition of the ideological histories of Great Britain and America.

Winston Churchill once said, “If you’re not a liberal at twenty, you have no heart; if you’re not a conservative at forty, you have no brain.” While there is no doubt which side Ford now favors, he would do well to understand that even Bob Dylan was good for only one or two the-world-is-outside-of-me diatribes. “Shake the foundations and rattle the walls”, sure, but realize that it’s going to collapse on your head the same as his. [By: Sean Phelan]
Rating: 4/5
Release Date: April 20, 2010

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The Jump Offs- “S/T”

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on April 22, 2010

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How many great bands need to come from an area for it to be considered a musical hot bed? I’d say at least five. But if it were only two, I’d say the Jump Offs put Honolulu, Hawaii in the running. No longer just the place where surf crooner Jack Johnson is from, our fiftieth state is also home of the manically wild, alternative, geek rock, pop/punk five-piece band, the Jump Offs. The band’s debut album on Oregon’s Contrast Records, originally released in 2009, is lamely self-titled, but that is the only bland and lifeless part of an otherwise great album and a wild new band.

Each Jump Off tune comes with a great bounce to it, accompanied by sharp, razor-like guitar parts. The guitars are the punk rock surfers on the beach, the vocals are the more skilled and classy surfers and each song ends up having a day full of some quality waves and rad rides. I like the group vocals, they make the songs sound strong and full. There is nothing overly complicated about the Jump Offs, their songs are straight forward rocket ships of dance rock energy. The rhythm section is incredibly tight, locking in firm grooves underneath the massive group vocals, guitars and keyboards. It’s what the Killers might sound like if they were less Vegas and more lonesome desert and what Brit pop might be like if it spent more time in the East Village of New York drinking PBR’s.

“Coliseums” is the first great song, frantic and upbeat- never once letting up. It sets the tone for the album, which also fails to ever really let up. Things slow down a little on the dreamy walking music of “Stories of Your Stereo.” “Rest” and “After Party Conversations” are also great tunes- both fine examples of gritty and street-wise pop.

And these dudes are from Hawaii? It almost feels like a trick, because you’d think they were either L.A. dudes or maybe a new college band from Boston. They’re not a Seattle band, but they could have honed their skills in a burnt out warehouse in Detroit, Philly, or Washington D.C. It just seems so strange because of the band’s energy, it seems energy born from despondency- but nothing about Hawaii calls to mind anything close to that. Apparently these dudes are from the Hawaii where they don’t shoot postcards and film travel shows. [By: Ryan O’Connell]
Rating: 4/5
Release Date: October 17, 2009

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The Library is on Fire- “Magic Windows, Magic Nights”

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on April 22, 2010

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I was pretty impressed with this album off the bat, and then became more impressed when I found out that the band created it in just over two weeks. Noisy, fast and catchy is a dangerous combination and The Library is on Fire has crafted each one of those aspects carefully in just the right ratio into their songs. The trio based out of New York has found a good sound to grow from and delivers on their first release, Magic Windows, Magic Nights.

Produced by Todd Tobias, former member of Guided by Voices, the band put together fifteen tracks that range from lo-fi tape recordings and live shows in New York City. Mixing the raw energy of music stemmed from such artists as Archers of Loaf, with the pop sensibility of singer Steve Five, the band is the perfect combination of noise and catching melodies. Throughout the album, the band conveys songs of pain, loss, and an overall frustration, Considering that all songs were written by Steve Five, who had just recently lost a good friend, you can chalk the pain up to most of the songs being written about that. Songs such as “I Miss You So Much, It Hurts So Bad,” and “Gilding the Lily” portray a man jaded from the loss he has been faced with and reflect the overall message of the album.The music on the album, is heavy hitting and very well written. Although it is noisy at times, it is very well orchestrated. “Cinematic Idea,” is a great example of one of the bands more noisy songs, melding together to form something catchy and musically enriched.

The fifteen song collection put together in two weeks are, well, impressive to say the least. The fact that three guys can come together and produce something in that little amount of time and have it be so good makes me feel like an absolute waste. It took me two weeks to write that sentence. Magic Windows, Magic Nights is a good example of why this hard working New York noise band will be catching a lot of recognition over the next couple years. So far all I have really heard about them is how they had Todd Tobias produce their album, but something tells me that before too long, I will be hearing more about their music and less about their producers. [By: Dave Quaile]
Rating: 3.5/5
Release Date: March 2, 2010

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Sean Hayes – “Run Wolves Run”

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on April 22, 2010

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Sean Hayes’ is a unique voice – a voice less beautiful than it is convincing. On Run Wolves Run, the sixth album from this soulful San Franciscan, he seems to be calling on a certain female to settle down to pasture with him, if only for a night/eternity. Permeated by acoustic guitar, reggae- and jazz-influenced backbeats, with equal parts repetitiveness, this is a great album for summertime. Flowing, floaty vocals on “When We Fall In”, invoke the opening which is ours to explore. Hayes crafts a lyrical world where what’s down is up and where what’s fair is fairest.

“Open Up a Window” conveys much of the emotive imagery to be counted on for the rest of the record: “Open up the window/Let the night in/There’s a warm wind….” Warm feelings are indeed bestirred by Hayes’ vocal wand and subtly nuanced guitar-playing. His lyrics are nothing short of biblical, e.g., “Boy born naked/Dropped into the water/Swimming to his father/One not another/Girl born naked/Dropped into the river/Mother giver/One not another”, on “Me & My Girl”. “Garden”, “One Day The River”, and “Stella Seed” also extrapolate that the aforesaid “certain female” may in fact be God!

In a digital world where everyday a little letter of our lives is taken from us –since we are dying everyday – the final hour when we cease to exist does not of itself bring death; it merely completes the death process. Hayes, like a white Bob Marley, takes it upon himself to re-alphabetize the way: “You are of the wind/You are of the sea/You are of the sky/They cannot hurt thee/Born of the sun/Born of the waves/Roll thunderous one/Rise and change…, ” as he sings on “Stella Seed”. Sort of like Willem Dafoe’s character Elias in “Platoon”, Sean Hayes reminds that, even though dead, we can all be reborn beautiful inside.

So love your wolves, ladies. Please, please, please, pretty please. [By: Sean Phelan]
Rating: 4/5
Release Date: March 2, 2010

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Screaming Females- “Singles”

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on April 20, 2010

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At the risk of sounding sexist, (personally, I think it is a matter of taste) I will say that I could never get into all that many bands with a girl for a lead singer, with the exception of Nico, but that might have to do with the fact that her voice is deeper than mine. Anyway, Screaming Females, is one band that perpetually reminds me that there is room on my i-pod for a female front man. Yes, it is an oxymoron, I know. There is something about Screaming Females that sets them apart from your typical girl band; for starters, they are by no means “Girly”.

The album may be named Singles, which is usually a collection of the bands most memorable songs, or in a more mainstream band, ones that you would hear on the radio. Singles, however, is more of a collection of 7” records the band has recorded over the years. This is a plus for those of you who don’t have the interest or money to get yourself a record player and some vinyl, because now you won’t have to miss out on these gems. For those of you used to the sound of their much more laid back “Power Moves,” be prepared for a whole other side of this New Brunswick trio. The six track album depicts a much younger, aggressive band.

It is actually disgusting how good Marissa Paternoster is. The evidence of this shines through in the first track “Arm Over Arm,” where she belts out screaming guitar riffs and catchy hooks. Let’s not the forget the help she receives from fellow band mates, King Mike and Jarrett Dougherty, providing the perfect rhythmic background for this rock and roll deity. The band shows their talent progressively through the entire work, providing five outstanding originals and one really bad ass cover of Neil Young’s, “Cortez the Killer.” Although it is only six songs, I highly suggest adding these songs to your collection and witnessing the raw talent of Screaming Females. Who knows, if you are anti-female singers in rock groups, maybe they will help change your perspective on the matter. [By: Dave Quaile]
Rating: 4.5/5
Release Date: February 9, 2010

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Jesse Malin & the St. Mark’s Social – “Love It To Life”

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on April 20, 2010

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Jesse Malin sounds like a poor man’s Ryan Adams – just one of many parallels you can draw concerning the two country/punk-influenced New York singer-songwriters. Malin’s debut The Fine Art of Self-Destruction was produced by Adams. Malin’s career trajectory, like Adams’ after Gold, has stalled to an extent due to failure to make music that blows up the pigeonhole. And the two have even collaborated to form a band, The Finger, which released two EPs collected into the album We Are Fuck You.

Somewhat predictably, Love It To Life has songs filled with good urban energy for rambling hipster walkabouts along the riverside, preferably not in long-sleeve flannels and stovepipe jeans, (for fear of armpit pooling and leg cramps), mixed with tears-in-your-beer, evening cry-alongs. Scripted, yes, but also sincere. Malin is not quite the talent Adams is, who, in spite of his rep, is actually quite diverse. But such comparisons are ultimately unfair (not to mention cheap excuses for critical thought), even though the dudes are kinda beating us over the head with it.

“Lowlife In A High Rise”, with the lyrics: “If she knew all my sins, would she still let me in?”; and “Lonely At Heart”: “When you’re lonely at heart/You drink in self-defense/When you’re lonely at heart/You hide the evidence” are highlights. The songs, like most of the best alt-Keith Urban-country, grow on you after a few listens, such as “Burning the Bowery” and “St. Mark’s Sunset”. Clever song-poetry and guitars spice up a few of the more flaccid numbers, and there is little doubt that all those pretty, springtime Village girlies will eat it right up.

Let this be a lesson to you musically-inclined scenesters: Wear a nice pressed shirt and tie (and preferably a fedora) for your press appearances, listen to everything Gram Parsons listened to sixty years ago, sing exactly like someone else who has already made it while writing songs about being “fucked up but it’s alright” in fringe environs of New York City, and do a duet/cover version for some dinosaur like Bruce Springsteen or The Clash, and you, too, could be deemed “punk” and/or “critically adored” by your peers. Signed, Hater. [By: Sean Phelan]
Rating: 3/5
Release Date: April 27, 2010

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Libby Johnson- “Perfect View”

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on April 20, 2010

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It is not often that I get to say that an album is absolutely beautiful and feel like a straight man when I say it. Libby Johnson’s newest album, Perfect View, is actually my first opportunity, to be completely honest. This album sounds like it should be the soundtrack to any spring spent driving across the country. The cavalcade of musicians featured on the album comes together to form something that is sure to keep you interested throughout the entire album. To mention them all would just about fill my four hundred-word quota, but every song contains someone that was not mentioned previously on the album, with the exception of songs that Libby plays solo.

One thing on the album that blows me away is the feeling of honesty you get out of her songs from the very first note of track one, which is the album’s namesake. A mostly acoustic song, accompanied perfectly by stand up bass and drums played with brushes. There is nothing contrived in the song and it stays that way throughout. Although the album goes through a couple changes in influence, there is never anything forced to fit a mold. Libby Johnson is writing with genuine feelings and musical talent.

Although the album contains different musicians in just about every song, that should not downplay Libby’s musical ability. In songs such as “Blue Dress,” she takes the reigns, playing everything from piano, and keyboards to slide guitars. The entire album is put together beautifully by producer, Daniel Wise, who is also featured on keyboards in “Rare and Beautiful,” and “Being Your Stranger.” The entire album couldn’t be put together any better and each song flows into each other wonderfully, and compliments the previous one beautifully. From the first note of Perfect View to the last picked string of “I Know You Know,” Libby has put together one of the best albums I have heard in a while.

For anyone into slow folk songs, the album is something you will not want to miss in 2010, and although it is still early in the year, I have a feeling that this will be one of the better ones to come out this year. [By: Dave Quaile]
Rating: 5/5
Release Date: 2010

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Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band – “The Wages”

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on April 20, 2010

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If you’re like me, you probably stumbled on Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band through their touring with Flogging Molly or possibly even the Warped Tour. Sure, amongst all the neon-clad pop bands and metal-core breakdowns, a trio of folks playing rural blues on guitar, washboard and drums would have to at least draw your attention. But beyond the novelty aspect of the Big Damn Band, there is a solid blues album to be found in The Wages, full of toe-tapping jams and honest to goodness lyricism.

Lyrically, everything you’ll hear brims with honesty, whether it be socially/politically conscious or not. Touching on bank bailouts and apathy, you can appreciate what is being sung about without having to feel like you need to go learn about it afterwards. And yes, a bit of humor is snuck in about stealing chickens in “Ft. Wayne Zoo” – though it might not hit home hard enough to be as funny as “Your Cousin’s on COPS”.

The Rev’s guitar chops can be appreciated right from the opening of “Born Bread Corn Fed”, as his twangy arrangements wonderfully capture a blues feel without really sacrificing a bit of energy. Throw in Breezy’s washboard rhythm and occasional vocals and newfound member Aaron Persinger’s minimalist drums and you get an enjoyable formula for what the Big Damn Band does – get some part of your body involved in the rhythm. Likewise, The Rev’s vocals are easy enough to decode and easy to sing along with even as you hear their songs for the first time due to the repetitive nature of their songwriting (see “Everything’s Raising”). For some though, the repetition could be the only reason not to enjoy what these guys and gal do, as in some songs certain passages are repeated over and over until it seems like you’ll know every aspect of it.

But the Big Damn Band doesn’t have a problem slowing things down now and then, as tracks like “Redbuds”, “Lick Creek Road” and “In a Holler Over There” show them bringing the tempo down and focusing on simpler rhythms and melodies without sacrificing anything in the long run. Sure, they aren’t quite as catchy as quicker paced stompers like “Everything’s Raising”, but they are good in their own right and provide a break from the usual fare of the band.

The Wages is a solid addition to the Big Damn Band discography, and would be an enjoyable addition to any blues fan’s collection. With their summer plans booked on this year’s Warped Tour, Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band have no reason to stop now, and this disc only further proves that.[By: Jason Gardner]
Rating: 4/5
Release Date: May 25, 2010

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Hypernova- “Through the Chaos”

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on April 20, 2010

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From the first note of this album, Hypernova grabbed my attention, listening intently to the music and waiting for a singer to chime in that would hopefully keep my interest and fit the music. I was certainly not expecting what I heard, but not in a bad way. The singing was something nostalgic, and seemed to have a hint of an accent, and upon further research, I found out something that had me even more interested than I was before. For those of you like me, who didn’t know, Hypernova is a four-piece band from Tehran, Iran, a place where music of Western influence is completely banned and anything Americanized is generally unheard of. The talent displayed by the Iranian foursome, is nothing short of amazing.

Now that they have, for a lack of better words, fled their country, they have been gaining attention, playing shows in their new home town of New York. Subsequently, being able to play shows without the cover of secrecy is much easier for a band to be noticed. Who knew? As you can imagine, in songs such as “Viva La Resistance” the band tackles many political issues of Iranian repression. In songs such as “With You” they write about subjects such as love and friendship. For someone that speaks English as a second language, singer Raam has an undeniable grasp on the subtleties of the language. The lyrics displayed in the album are better than most American bands that I have reviewed over the last six months, and my hat absolutely goes off to him for it.

If I had to compare the band to anyone, I would say they were a lot like the Killers mixed with a little bit of Tears for Fears. No matter who they sound like, the overall story behind this band is enough for me to support them as it is. It also helps that the music and lyrics are worth listening to regardless of background story. Through the Chaos is the first release by the band and I have a feeling this will not be the last we here from our new friends from Iran. [By: Dave Quaile]
Rating: 4/5
Release Date: April 6, 2010

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Eagle Scout – “New Hands”

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on April 20, 2010

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“Poppy” is an adjective that occasionally bears a bad aftertaste in its use. For some reason or another, the influence of pop music and its characteristic of catchiness sounds good on paper, but not always in a review. Yet, while Eagle Scout’s gleaming post-punk jamboree New Hands boasts noodling guitars and limber drumming, you can’t deny the addicting nature of the ten tracks this disc contains. Call New Hands what you want, but you’ll have a hard time not calling it damn good.

Balancing the urgency of their mid-west roots and guitar work beckoning the likes of Minus the Bear and This Town Needs Guns, Eagle Scout wraps it all in a nice bow of often an often shiny nature. Who said you can’t flex your songwriting muscles in an upbeat key? “At Arm’s Length” culminates in a gang-vocal-like expression of the title, and is anchored by fantastic drumming that is found throughout the record. A slight ambience can be sensed on this record, as the introduction to “Death Rays” will show. Still, this track bursts with urgency from the guitars and manic drumming, backed with solid vocals once again peaked with a gang-vocal climax.

The grooves don’t stop there though. “The Decay” weaves transcendental melodies through your head, and “Spies Like Us” does likewise – relying on a bass heavy arrangement to induce an almost obligatory dance session. This tendency doesn’t hinder the spectacular fretwork though, as “I Am Your Ghost” keeps a steady, yet slightly jagged beat with dueling guitar melodies to create a luscious track for your ears to feast on. Everything on this album is upbeat and unrelenting, somehow finding a way to convince some part of your body to move along to the angular rhythms found from start to finish.

With a tendency to never really slow down, New Hands makes for an adventurous album across the board. Finding a near-perfect mix of impressive musicianship and infectious songwriting, Eagle Scout might not be a pop act per se, but they sure know how to write like one while refusing to give up their musical chops in the process.[By: Jason Gardner]
Rating: 4.5/5
Release Date: February 16, 2010

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Eddie Current and The Suppression Ring- “Rush to Relax”

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on April 20, 2010

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Eddie Current and the Suppression Ring are four Australian dudes that met each other in a Vinyl Pressing factory. If you ask me, any guys that work in a vinyl pressing plant are basically a hipster/punk accident just waiting to happen. At a factory Christmas Party, the band played while singer, Brendan Huntley (now Brendan Suppression) adlibbed into the microphone. The band would later form to become Eddie Current and the Suppression ring, a seventies style punk band with nowhere to go but up. They gained popularity in their country and even worked up enough to fame the U.S. a few times, gaining recognition across the country.

I don’t think all the fame is well deserved considering just about every song on the album sounds exactly the same. Clean guitars played over tumbling drum work seem to be the overall formula of the entire album. The only real difference between the songs is that some are one minute and some max out at six or seven minutes. Some guitar solos such as the one in ‘Tuning Out” just go on a little too long for their own good. If I wanted to hear a jam band, I would go see Dave Matthews or Phish.
It makes sense that the band was formed at a party, because the only way I would ever really want to see them is if I were in tenth grade, shit faced on someone’s back patio. The album is not awful, but it is definitely excessive. The intro to “I’ve Got a Feeling,” literally goes on for a minute straight of the same guitar riff, until the vocals come in and even after that the guitar stays the same for another 32 seconds. It is enough to make someone nuts. Not to mention the twenty minute session of shore sounds at the end of the final track, and title of the album, “Rush to Relax.”

I don’t necessarily find anything exceptional about this album, and I think I would sooner spend my ten i-tunes dollars on the Blue Collar Comedy Tour CD before I rushed over to buy this. However, if you are a fan of repetitive, weird jam punk, by all means, check it out. [By: Dave Quaile]
Rating: 2/5
Release Date: March 16, 2010

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Destinity- “XI Reasons to See”

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on April 13, 2010

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At 2am while the world sleeps you’ve just woken to a phantasm. Your memory is bleak, you’re confused and feeling like you’re in a lost state of consciousness. After staring at the ceiling above your bed for some time you realize you’ve just had the worst nightmare in recent memory. As a matter of fact this is just the beginning so don’t say you haven’t been warned. Destinity’s newest release XI Reasons to See will only make them worse so you better get comfortable quickly.

As heavy as the grievous sins weighing on overbearing shoulders, XI Reasons to See lives up to your worst nightmares. Their musical characteristics are inherently death metal and executed with utmost perfection. It’s almost as if the five members from Destinity had a check list when making XI Reasons to See to make sure that they injected as much brutality as possible before releasing this monster to overly zealous ears waiting to unleash criticism. You won’t read about any pitfalls here.

The vocals of Mick are a spitting image of the genre itself which entails monstrous destruction of the voice through hellish growls and deep screams of rage. And, Mick unleashes a nuclear assault on anyone willing to listen, never showing a hint of losing his might. Rhythm guitarist Zephiros, lead guitarist Seb V.S. and Dave on bass bring the pain in more angles than you can think of. The breakdowns are extremely distorted symphonies of every head bangers desire manipulated with plenty of solos (but not so many that you think you’re listening to eighties hair metal). The tuning is low, the riffs vary from moderate to fast and every song contains enough unique chord usage to keep you drooling for more. If you still don’t feel satisfied just keep hitting repeat until you’re ears ring from the intensity or you beat yourself into a comatose state from thrashing. Adding to this fury Morteus on drums and backing vocals will let you know exactly what double bass drumming at the pace of a machine gun sounds like. Forget a few little triplets here and there to give you the illusion that he has skills. Morteus probably has more smoke coming from his feet than a four alarm fire and listening to “Self Lies Addiction” will illustrate this in a few seconds. If you haven’t already given yourself whiplash your fate is coming.

XI Reasons to See is a terror storm waiting to put you through the ropes. You say you like it heavy. Destinity will show you heavy to your grave. [By: Andy Rajan]
Rating: 5/5
Release Date: March 30, 2010 (North America)

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Wetdog – “Frauhaus!”

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From the outset, Wetdog intimates that this is going to be a weird, European-sounding record full of song subjects like “Lower Legs” and “Round Vox[es]”. It is the kind of album that conjures visions of hot, possibly crude-looking German women plucking away at their instruments in torn fishnets and black mascara, like if the female members of The B-52s hailed from Transylvania (or a really bad New York retro shop). Wetdog is in fact a London-based trio of female sound-hounds, whose music rides the thin line between intensely interesting experimentalism and sheer crap.

Released late last year in the U.K. and making its way across the Atlantic via Brooklyn-based label, Captured Tracks, Frauhaus! is, like so much coming out of Brooklyn these days, perhaps too hip-sounding for its own good. The music is retro and desultory, filled with weird, incongruous intonations and punky guitars. The songs are mostly of the two-minute variety, which you will certainly consider merciful of the band on a few of the more “eek-huh-hak”-shrieking numbers. “The Man Delivers Papers” and “Wymmin’s Final” are highlights, showcasing Billy Easter’s abstract bass which is often the only hope of piecing Rivka Gillieron’s impetuous vocal phrasings together, (which is not to say that Ms. Gillieron’s voice does not sound very pretty at times, in a Feist-y, Kim Deal-ish sort of way). This is obviously not the Queen’s English!

I would like to tell you that the world needs more of this music, and I’d probably be correct in saying so, but something about this record puts my Gestalt sensibilities on edge. The whole, inexplicably, is less than the sum of its parts. [By: Sean Phelan]
Rating: 2/5
Release Date: November 30, 2009

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Fight the Quiet- “Let Me In”

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You’ve probably noticed that music is separated into different tiers similar to societies. There are the bands at the very top. Then bands somewhere in the middle that are well known within their genre. Finally there’s up and coming bands that are establishing a strong following but still have a long way to go including start ups and cover bands. Fight the Quiet fits into the third category with their third release Let Me In.

Fight the Quiet’s newest release Let Me In is at the mellow end of the rock spectrum with clean vocals, lightly distorted guitars and moderate to slow paced tempos. While the sound is solidly grounded, it’s pretty damn good but not great. Strangely enough it’s hard to say why other than there’s nothing that totally gets your attention. Of course that’s not enough of a reason to stray from mentioning the positives.

Nathan James’ vocals come across as very passionate and harmonious along with his ability to hold notes and vary in pitch. James voice is very smooth and rich but seems to also sound somewhat nasal and stuffy. Though not terrible, sounding slightly nasal is enough of a drawback to hinder the overall sound of his vocals. Similarly, the guitar hooks are pleasant and progress nicely throughout each track but aren’t entirely exciting to listen to. You won’t necessarily be thinking that Nathan, Chris Wargo (lead guitar) or Timothy Dohse’s (bass, backing vocals) riffs are poorly written or that they can’t adequately play their instruments. In fact there are some nicely added solos and change ups in guitar effects that keep Let Me In maintain listenability. But something still seems to be lacking that’s hard to put a finger on. Meanwhile Brock Lefferts’ drumming suits the bill and while he may not be the one to inspire you to pick up your first pair of sticks he adds in ample spice to keep Let Me In going. Although, this isn’t the type of music that gives drummers a chance to show off and it’s arguably tough to make anything stand out.

While you won’t necessarily find yourself disliking Let Me In you probably won’t miss any sleep if you don’t listen to it. Still there’s no harm in taking a minute to check them out to see what you think. [By:Andy Rajan]
Rating: 3.5/5
Release Date: March 2, 2010

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Pantyraid– “The Sauce”

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on April 8, 2010

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Ignoring for a moment, if you will, the rather raunchy band/album name combination, Pantyraid’s The Sauce proves a strangely stimulating menagerie of electronic sounds. The first track, “Crunkalicious”, sets the tone. This music is funky, in a rude, I-just-farted-during-sex type of way. The listener half expects a Lil’ John “oooookkkayyyy!” at certain points during the record. It combines elements of hip hop, dubstep and electrocrunk with heavily atmospheric, gravity-laden beats.

That being said, with an absence of vocal tracks, besides a Britney Spears-sounding sample on “Like That” and a handful of other snippets, the songs prove little more than crunk backing tracks that end up making you feel violated in the earlobe. (And anyone who chooses to listen to “One Mo” or “Our Second Chance” can certainly say, like Iggy Pop, that they have “had it in the ear before!”). It is an interesting experiment in sounds by two American West Coast producers, Martin Folb (a.k.a. Marty Party) and Josh Mayer (Ooah), but culminates as little more than that.

The closing track, “Worship the Sun”, ends the space jam with a tribal hymn of East Side L.A. proportions. I.e., picture a drop-top El Camino full of Crip-clad aliens singing a cappella to serpentine muffler beats. Too strange to picture? Well then you probably have no business listening to this record! [By: Sean Phelan]
Rating: 2/5
Release Date: November 3, 2009

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Smile Empty Soul- “More Anxiety”

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Finally seeing the light of day after past record company woes and nearly half a decade, More Anxiety (formerly known as simply Anxiety) is a double-disc delight for old-school fans of Smile Empty Soul. But despite being raw and full of gritty melody, this record embodies the name of the band penning the tracks and ends up leaving you empty and needing more to fulfill your hard rock palate. Sure, this material would have sounded much better in the grand scheme of rock in 2005, but just doesn’t quite fit in right now.

Legend (or wikipedia) has it that Smile Empty Soul had to put this record on hold for various reasons back in 2005, and that factoid only further proves the age of the songwriting here. SES may have been at the top of the world after their hit song “Bottom of the Bottle”, but this record shows a falter in songwriting from start to finish. “Bright Side” feels like it is missing something, even for a three-piece band. The somber “California’s Lonely”, which delicately balances dismal melodies and smooth vocals, is a bright spot early on. This track even transfers well as an acoustic song as a bonus track near the end of the disc. The track that made it out as a single, “Don’t Need You”, is a run-of-the-mill grunge cut, sounding more Nirvana than anything else.

As far as the bonuses are concerned, everything you’d expect from a quote-unquote special edition makes it onto More Anxiety. The DVD features footage from the road and the studio alike, plus a music video to boot. You’ll also get a couple acoustic cuts, which are legitimately great transfers to the acoustic sound – showing these guys didn’t just slap a couple songs to acoustic to have said songs as bonus material. There is even a nicely placed cover of Nirvana’s “Aneurysm”, which excels in bridging the sound of both bands together is a fitting cover choice.

More Anxiety is in reality a chance for SES to release the album they wrote in the form it should have been released following their self-titled debut. It might not have carried the same impact it did a few years back, but for die-hard fans this is a good way to complete your collection, per se. Otherwise, you might just be better off sticking to the rest of the band’s work. [By: Jason Gardner]
Rating: 2/5
Release Date: March 9, 2010

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The Venetia Fair- “The Circus”

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on April 8, 2010

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A friend from Boston told me about the Venetia Fair a while ago and sang their praises so much that when I was told to review this album, I could hardly wait to give it a listen. Unfortunately, due to either the hype or the overall redundancy of the album, I was completely underwhelmed. There are a few good aspects here and there, but overall, it was not the life-changing experience that I was hoping for.

Starting off, it seemed like it was going to actually be a pretty good album. Musically, “A Man Like Me,” starts off strong and actually stays that way throughout the song, but it was not a sound that was entirely new. After twelve seconds of being mildly impressed, Benny Santoro was introduced to the album and I immediately lost interest. It was a mix between Panic! At the Disco, (old) Lorene Drive and The Used. It was as if he wasn’t singing, but doing an impression of someone else singing. I am sure many people will disagree with me, but if you give it a hard listen, there is nothing new in his vocal styling. His lyrics are purely for shock value and seem forced. It is like when you are at a party and some guy that nobody knows talks very loudly about his sex life just to get a reaction out of awkwardly laughing guests. Panic! And Say Anything may have pulled off the good sexual lyrics, but The Venetia Fair is just coming off as someone who is trying too hard.

The music on the album is very well orchestrated, and mixes a lot of good elements, which almost makes up for the tired indie rock band style vocals. Once I gave the music a fair shot on its own, I could see more and more what my Bostonian friend was talking about when he raved about this band. The two-part album starts off as an overture and makes it’s way into the second part of the album titled the circus and only progresses as it goes. Pianist Joe Occhiuti is a shining star throughout the album, showing off his talent on the keys, especially in songs like “Because You’re Lonely,” heavily riddled with his piano work, which holds the album together throughout.

Mixing familiar sounds of My Chemical Romance, Panic! At the Disco, and Lorene Drive, this album sounds like it should come complete with a studded belt, carabineer, girl’s jeans and Geoff Rowley skate shoes. Overall, it is an okay album, but I definitely don’t think it deserves all of the attention it has gotten. [By: Dave Quaile]
Rating: 2.5/5
Release Date: August 3, 2009

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Living Sacrifice- “The Infinite Order”

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Sure many bands rise to the top, but not all stay there. Expectations are high on many fronts and fans can be relentless. The story is familiar; your favorite band alters their sound or changes musicians or simply doesn’t create an album that lives up to your standards. Living Sacrifice’s latest release The Infinite Order will not only rise up to your standards but crush any and all of your doubts.

If you’re not familiar with this Christian metal powerhouse it’s time to get yourself acquainted. Living Sacrifice are not newcomers to the world of extreme music. The Infinite Order is their seventh follow up album and has mass appeal to both new fans and long time loyalists. What you’ll hear is pure musical and lyrical integrity bolstered by guys that realize the importance of making new material truly inspiring and invigorating. And don’t think that just because the lyrics are spiritually based Living Sacrifice have softened their style. You’ll bear witness to an album that builds upon all the might from previous material but shows a greater coherence between instruments.

Bruce Fitzhugh’s conviction to maintain a continuum of vocal destructiveness throughout each track never wavers. He screams with a straightforward purpose to bring you heartfelt lyrics with one of the strongest voices in the genre. Combining the forces of Fitzhugh’s guitar playing with Rocky Gray and bassist Arthur Green both of whom are also responsible for backup vocals is an album that lives up to every head bangers fantasy. There are plenty of breakdowns filled with grinding lows and solos with injections of thrash. Fitzhugh, Gray and Green went to great lengths in constructing The Infinite Order to create songs that far surpass the fundamentals of metal by giving us twelve hard hitting tracks filled with as many catchy riffs as you can handle. Adding strength to the backbone is drummer Lance Garvin. If you’re pulse isn’t racing while listening to Garvin’s running double bass, snare pounding, cymbal smashing beats of fury you’re probably no longer living. His style is concise, not rushed and executed with constant accuracy. You’ll never get the idea that Garvin is breaking into a cold sweat trying to keep with his band members.

Whether or not you’re beliefs line up with those of Living Sacrifice do yourself a favor and don’t persecute them before you listen to The Infinite Order. It’s a true testament to great metal and Living Sacrifice continues to bring us only the best music on the planet. [By: Andy Rajan]
Rating: 5/5
Release Date: January, 26, 2010

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Kaki King – “Junior”

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on April 8, 2010

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Introduced to Ms. King through a friend’s mix tape inclusion of “Gay Sons of Lesbian Mothers”, I have to admit that the provocative nature of her music does not come as a surprise. One look at the song titles “Spit It Back in My Mouth”, “My Nerves That Committed Suicide”, “Hallucinations from My Poisonous German Streets” and “Communist Friends” puts one’s conservative tendencies on edge, but such face-value reluctance proves short-sighted. Ms. King is a provocateur in the best sense.

With superlative reviews from the likes of Dave Grohl and Rolling Stone Magazine, it has been vouchsafed that King is an incredible talent, both as a singer/songwriter and guitar player. Her vocals have a resplendent, ethereal feel that conjure a less far gone Elliot Smith. Her guitar playing combines everything from fret-tapping to lap steel to slap bass techniques, which sound absolutely melodic and cohesive, as perfect complements to her singing. “Falling Day” is near-monumental, featuring a continuous guitar and vocal build, as well as the lyrics “Everything comes from somewhere else/Everyone stays alone”, mourning the isolationist nature of modern-day society.

All in all, Junior seamlessly mixes up-tempo dance tracks (“Spit It Back in My Mouth”, “The Betrayer”) with free-floating melancholies (“The Hoopers of Hudspeth”, “My Nerves That Committed Suicide”): a warp and woof of tremendous musicianship and folksy soul. Ms. King collaborates with multi-instrumentalist Dan Brantigan and drummer Jordan Perlson to create quite a large sound in the studio.

Like a musical The Bell Jar, this is not provocation for provocation’s sake: this is art in its best sense. Consider me one more critic on the Kaki King bandwagon. [By: Sean Phelan]
Rating: 4/5
Release Date: April 13, 2010

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All the Day Holiday – “The Things We’ve Grown to Love”

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Mixing equal parts ambience and melody, Cincinnati-based All the Day Holiday have created a doozy of a debut album in The Things We’ve Grown to Love. Balance the sometimes noodling guitar work with smooth vocal lines and impressive drumming, and what results is a huge sounding album that flows well regardless of tempo. This disc of mid-tempo indie-rock is sure to please, bolstering impressive songwriting and a knack for packing in the melodies.

Occasionally channeling Geoff Rickley vocals-wise, the vocal driven opener “Autumn” is an excellent indication of what to expect with this album. Lush melodies weave in and out of the vocal lines, all while the drums spice things up with fill-driven timekeeping. “Real Time” picks up the tempo and keeps the ambience for a sound beckoning the melody to Thrice’s “The Sky is Falling”. Still, it works despite feeling eerily familiar in parts. The up-tempo stuff isn’t their strongest work though, as tracks like this one show. Another small mishap is in the title track, when the vocals swap from flowing to very cut up and choppy. Besides not allowing the vocals to sound as good as they normally do, they just make the lyrics sound awkward and forced.

With slower tempo tracks like “Greener” and “Flowers and Fireworks”, AtDH are better suited for showcasing their vibrant guitar work and vocals, with the latter relying on repetition until the track resolves for a huge chorus. Even the drum and voice driven “Cheers” benefits from the mellower tempo, showing simplistic, yet effective songwriting at its best. When AtDH sticks to the slower stuff, they can even get a nice groove going (beginning of “Mountains”) without sacrificing the melodic songwriting the band excels at. The disc ends with the acoustic track “Invisible”, a shining, heartfelt track underlined with simple melodies that allow the vocals to take the spotlight in a fitting finale.

Carefully concocted, The Things We’ve Grown to Love is a great debut from what looks to be a band full of promise. Despite a couple slip-ups, this is surely one of the better indie rock records to pass through my speakers in some time. [By: Jason Gardner]
Rating: 4/5
Release Date: August 4, 2009

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The Dispensed- “Bury Your Heart”

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The first release from the Richmond, Virginia trio is an average pop punk album, the kind that sounds like it from the type of band you get into when you first discover the genre in grade school. The harmonies are melodic, the music consists of mostly two-steps and the overall result is a run of the mill, safe album with a 50/50 split of pop and punk. It would be perfect for kids just getting into music that find punk to abrasive and need a segway into it, but for most people, the songs might not make that big an impression.

The vocals in the album are more on the punk rock side than the rest of the album, taking on a mix of characteristics from bands such as Dropkick Murphy’s and Jawbreaker. The backing vocals, as I said before, add a nice harmony to the mix and go well with the heartfelt, quasi emo lyrics. The lyrics, however easy to follow, would not be easy to look up, unless you are trying to figure out the chorus, which are the only lyrics contained in the CD booklet. Not that it matters with the internet, but it is always nice to have the whole song for times when a CD is not available.
With the exception of the acoustic closing song, “North Star,” the whole album could pretty much be one very long song.

Although I was not blown away by this album, I couldn’t find anything especially bad about it, which is a sad day for me, being someone who prides themselves as someone who sits behind a computer and basically makes fun of people. The Dispensed are absolutely worth a listen, and when you are done doing that, listen to them again. Listening to songs like “Empty Houses, Broken Hearts,” will get you hooked on the simple cadences and simple two steps. The melodies and harmonies throughout the album will have you singing along in your car, or workspace until the album has hit it’s last note. Overall, The Dispensed will be a band I will enjoy watching the progress of over the years. [By: Dave Quaile]
Rating: 4/5
Release Date: February 9, 2010

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New Model Army- “Today is a Good Day”

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If you take a few minutes to peruse through New Model Army’s website newmodelarmy.org you’ll see that there’s an extensive biography section which dates the band’s beginnings in 1980. Likewise if you look at their discography section you’ll be amazed to see just how busy these guys have been creating music over the years. Though this information can’t prove the originality of their newest release Today is a Good Day, rest assured it is.

Don’t expect to jump right into Today is a Good Day thinking that you’re going to hear your run of the mill rock album. In some aspects Today is a Good Day is simple and pleasant in nature, while in others it’s filled with synthesized sounds that aren’t used frequently by other bands. You may in fact find that you warm up to the album slowly needing to listen to a few songs before you can decide what your opinion is. Why? Because you’ll be taken on a roller coaster ride through some different forms of song construction. For example, the title track “Today is a Good Day” is straightforward rock that leans toward the faster end of the spectrum (not metal fast but up-tempo) with a good guitar hooks. “God Save Me” is a somewhat repetitive low key track that’s a nice segway into “Disappeared” which has some very dominant bass guitar parts. And, “La Push” has a noticeable waltz feel. Between the guitars, bass, harmonica, keyboard and drums/percussion you can expect to hear some neat things.

The toughest adjustment might just be to Justin Sullivan’s vocals. While this may come across as negative it’s definitely not the case. Sullivan’s British accent is very pronounced something not frequently heard in many bands that are from Britain (at least who are known in the U.S.). He’s also not very dynamic and his style of singing rarely hits any higher pitches. A better way of thinking about his voice is that it isn’t too dynamic. However, Sullivan sounds suave and well suited to the sound of Today is a Good Day. He can be attributed greatly the uniqueness that New Model Army brings.

Sometimes it’s best not to form an opinion too quickly because you may just be depriving yourself of some great music. If at first you’re not impressed give Today is a Good Day a chance to grow on you and you’ll be happy that it’s part of your collection. [By: Andy Rajan]
Rating: 4.5/5
Release Date: September 15, 2009

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Librarians- “Present Passed”

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on March 30, 2010

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Surely you’ve walked into a store, turned on the radio or been in a situation in which the music you’re hearing makes you say to yourself, “what in the hell is this?” More than likely if you’ve even noticed what you’re hearing it’s either because it’s the coolest thing that you’ve heard in a while or one of the worst. Hopefully for your sake it’s not the Librarians release Present Passed.

As dull as the band’s name, Present Passed is full of unusual sounds creating a psychedelic effect that’s simply un-exciting from beginning to end. Often times bands over indulge in the use of electronic sounds which (unless it’s anything within techno genre that’s built on synthesizers) creates a certain repetivness that loses its edge after listening to a few of the songs. You slowly lose sight of where the album is going and by the time you get to the end you’re feeling dizzy, hazy and mindless. What’s worse is that you’ll struggle to find one aspect of Present Passed that crosses the threshold of being somewhat enjoyable. Though the vocals aren’t dastardly, they quickly lose credibility from the first song to the next. There’s minimal variation in how each song is sung giving you the feeling that you might be listening to the same thing over and over again with different lyrics. Think in terms of a monotone vocals sung in pop type style. The album might have been more interesting had it been primarily instrumental with vocals interjected here and there rather than in the regular manner of the beginning to the end of each song. Although, since the sounds heard throughout Present Passed give it an awkward feel, simply omitting most of the vocals wouldn’t save it from what it is. The melodies are odd, and synthesized effects even more strange. Nothing sounds real which is why you won’t find any break down of specific musician abilities in this review. Though there are four members that make up the Librarians, it seems possible that only one member and a computer would’ve been ample.

Thankfully, after writing this review I can put the Librarians newest release Present Passed in the past and forgot about the half hour worth of tracks that I will never listen to again. Do yourself a favor and don’t check this out before you find yourself angry for the time you lost doing so. [By: Andy Rajan]
Rating: 1/5
Release Date: March 30, 2010

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The Hextalls- “Get Smashed”

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As expected from the name of the band, an obvious nod to famed Philadelphia Flyers goaltender, Ron Hextall, who was renowned both for his fiery temper as well as being one of the finest puck-handlers at his position to ever play the game, this album proves long on machismo and short on bravura. They named the album Get Smashed, after all. The songs are indubitably sophomoric, in the Blink 182 or Lit sense, but there is something to be said about feel-good anthems centered around beer parties, hockey, and unwanted babies named Tina Turner. It is this slight tinge of unhinged mania that keeps the record interesting, though also conjuring worry about the mental health of Canada’s high school students.

What one loves about pop punk music, like the surf music that infuses it, is the aesthetic chords, where simpler equals better. It’s really a basic and foundational rock ‘n’ roll arrangement where you start with the bass-driven backbeat and then another supplementary guitar set comes in that does something to the original chords.. It’s like a set of waves in many ways, facially similar, but always different in sequence and combination. These guys certainly have the simple and similar parts down, but the flourishes are lacking.

There are no real highlights on this record, as the songs just sort of blend into one another, like a beer stain of banality. “My Dad vs. Shania Twain”, a song about the lead singer’s dad masturbating to Shania Twain, and “I Met Her At the Ropetow”, the closest a band can come to ripping off Blink 182 without involving copyright lawyers, are a little better than listenable. Thank God high school is over. [By: Sean Phelan]
Rating: 2/5
Release Date: January 25, 2010

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