Year: 2013
Local Review: PTO
Pointless has possibly gotten just as many plays on my stereo as it would have on a college radio station two decades ago. Even though the album’s performers are just four local (and young) dudes, they could still easily pass as Clinton-era slackers. … read more
Local Review: Mike Moran
This album from local musician Mike Moran contains a dense amount of indie/folk instrumentation, but Moran’s great attention to detail seems to do a disservice to his songs. Along with the thin, distorted vocals, there are a lot of small accents mixed throughout each song, such as guitar noodling, which add some different flavors to the songs, but fail to catch your ears overall. … read more
Local Review: Joshua Payne Orchestra
Joshua Payne is an unmistakable Salt Lake character who never seems to put down his guitar, gigging everywhere from Bar X to Grand America. He’s versatile, as is his sound. On his most recent album, Payne and his orchestra join pop and contemporary jazz in an unlikely space: the mainstream. … read more
Local Review: Linus Stubbs
Having heard more of Stubbs’ work with collaborators like The Numbs, it could be easy to typecast him as a standard hip hop producer, more concerned with fat bass and recognizable samples than expressive music. … read more
Local Review: MiNX
The chameleon-like duo of Ischa Bee and Raffi Shahinian are definitely trying to make an impression on our local music scene. With a staggering 45 free tracks available to download from their website (minxband.com), they are certainly one of the most prolific. … read more
Local Review: Odium Totus
Odium Totus describes their music as “all about torment,” Odium Totus vacillates between dreadful moments of wretched hopelessness and pugilistic riffs that pound the listener senseless. With a sound reminiscent of Ved Buens Ende’s Written in Waters, Nullam Congue Nihil is a caustic, vicious insult aimed at every living thing on the planet. … read more
Local Review: Problem Daughter
Problem Daughter has been cranking out solid punk rock tunes since 2008, and this self-titled release proves that punks can still progress. The opening trio of songs (particularly “Church Bitch”) channels the melodic style of punk rock championed by bands from the Bay Area and/or Gainseville and eaten up by frequenters of punknews.org. … read more
Local Review: Tendervishes
Tendervishes is the kind of band I’d imagine somebody using the word “gypsy” to describe, if that person had never actually heard gypsy music. Perhaps this is something any band making moody use of violins and non-4/4 timings has to deal with, though. … read more
Local Review: Yaktooth
There are a few key things you need to know about Yaktooth: They like to talk about North Korea and Kim Jong Il, and they like to play math rock. Yaktooth wouldn’t be out of place on Hydra Head’s roster, and their jams rock.
… read more
Local Review: Accidente
With an opening track eye-catchingly titled “Listen Bitch,” Accidente kick off their most recent endeavor with a chunky bass line as frontman Peter Mackowski emits sarcastic, guttural growls that build into a riffy number. … read more