Month: December 2015
Local Review: Nick Names – Wasteland EP
Utah absolutely loves EDM, and this release from local artist Nick Names pays homage to that love. Wasteland intricately bends genres like techno, dubstep and—forgive me for saying this—big room to create a wild and exciting ride through a psychedelic-fueled taste of the rave. … read more
Local Review: Militant – Father Figure
I find it funny, and maybe a little annoying, when bands get uptight about genre. To me, it feels like a non-issue that distracts from a discussion of the actual music. When I opened Bandcamp to listen to Father Figure, I noticed that Militant had tagged the album as “not metal.” … read more
Local Review: I See Your Nightmares – A Lovely Occurrence
I See Your Nightmares = Lou Barlow + Lou Reed – Sebastian Bach … read more
Local Review: Gunfight Fever – Self-Titled
Hailing from Ogden, this four-piece instrumental metal outfit is packing some serious teeth in its jaws. Their debut album is well-structured, with a songwriting style reminiscent of the thrashier spectrum of NWOAHM blended with efficient prog sensibilities. … read more
Local Review: Grey Glass – Self-Titled
Straight out of Provo, Grey Glass are somewhere between pop rock and indie rock. Amid slow-tempo drumming, singing, and infrequent acceleration on tracks like “Lioness,” the “rock-band” essence is somewhat elusive. … read more
Local Review: Fever Dreams – Life has Departed
Fever Dreams = (Nails + His Hero is Gone) / Botch … read more
Local Review: God Country – Last Songs
Had this album come out in 2004, my 15-year-old self would’ve freaked out. To a degree, it uses the tried-and-true formula of distorted guitars with angry-soft vocals that crescendo into a cloud of noise so saturated in raw emotion, I inadvertently absorbed the singer’s climactic experience as my own. … read more
Local Review: Former Tides – What We Are EP
The post-hardcore scene has been dwindling as of late, but these guys brought some serious crashing guitar riffs to the studio just in case you forgot. The title track gets the EP started and really displays the overall sound Former Tides are going for. … read more
Local Review: Fasba Fpel – Book LXVII—Mobile Home Manor
Fasba Fpel = Red Krayola + Jazz Fusion + June of 44 + early Pink Floyd … read more
Local Review: Eyes on Kites – New Lens
Eyes on Kites’ most recent release, New Lens, is able to constructively take aim at a certain nostalgia—not necessarily in sound, but in feeling—and remind us of a more innocent, purer time in our lives. … read more