Month: April 2014
Review: The Apache Relay – Self-Titled
The Apache Relay, despite sporting a pretty badass (I don’t use the term lightly) and foreboding name, are actually twee in nature. As such, they are subject to the usual comparisons: Grizzly Bear, Fleet Foxes, and to some extent, Blitzen Trapper. … read more
Review: Sleepy Sun – Maui Tears
Maui Tears is the band’s finest work yet. It’s a perfection of everything good from Fever and Spine Hits. The record opens with “The Lane”—an angelic little ditty featuring guitars that soar through the clouds and rip through the ether in search of a realm of permanent shapes. … read more
Review: Southern Culture on the Skids – Dig This
For years, Southern Culture on the Skids have been one of those Americana bands that are such a well-built hotrod of a band that, when it comes to any of the genres that they tackle, they can naturally shift from country to surf to R&B and every bit sounds as authentic as it is original. … read more
Review: Spiritual Rez – Apocalypse Whenever
This fourth album, and first album not self-produced, is a huge step for this seven-piece Boston reggae/ska/progressive rock band. … read more
Review: Stefan Jaworzyn – Drained of Connotation
If you consider yourself a noise aficionado, then chances are that you know who Stefan Jaworzyn is. Being a once-prominent member in the ’80s UK experimental underground (with contributions in Ascension and Skullflower) before dropping off the grid, Drained of Connotation is Jaworzyn’s official proclamation of rising from his hiatus to resume his atonal passion. … read more
Review: St. Vincent – Self-Titled
Annie Clark sure knows how to make a statement. In releasing “Digital Witness” as a response to a world that is growing obsessively consumed by technology, Clark simultaneously addresses her own technological dependence in the form of electronica mixed under a funky horn section. … read more
Review: September Girls – Cursing the Sea
This full-length debut album is a DIY-style reverb mash-up of ’60s girl groups and ’80s New Wave, and comes from Dublin noise pop group September Girls. … read more
Review: Reverend Horton Heat – REV
Anyone who knows Jim Heath knows that there’s no greater friend to rock n’ roll. Reverend Horton Heat have been wowing audiences with rockabilly virtuosity that nothing else compares to. … read more
Review: Ringworm – Hammer of the Witch
At this point, Ringworm’s greatest testament is their longevity, having been steadily grinding away since ‘98, crafting a stream of excellent records while most of their contemps have opted for the quick cash of a reunion spot. … read more
Review: Rough Hausen – The Medicated Generation
Rough Hausen is the latest project from Jeff Stoddard, former guitarist for Frontline Assembly. While there are elements of his past contributions on The Medicated Generation, it definitely utilizes harder synth beats and heavily distorted guitar in the vein of Gravity Kills. … read more