Authors: Rebecca Vernon
Local Review: The Awesome Possum Band – Blendn’ In
The Awesome Possum Band Blendn’ In The Awesome Possum Band = Willie Nelson + Tenacious D + The Frogs Quirky alt-country with deep redneck roots sounds like it came straight from the heart of Alabama moonshine country. Songs are about Blue, the hound dog, corndogs, crawdads, prison and the office. Covers include the Southern-accented “Wish
Local Review: Summerhead – Liberation
Summerhead Liberation Eden’s Watchtower Summerhead = German EBM + A Different Drum Records Mostly instrumental Summerhead ranges from new-age electronica to synthpop to hip-hop to DJ dub trance to reggae, Enya to Natalie Merchant to Massive Attack. The coherency lies in the smooth production, the peaceful, slow beat structures that are one web holding
Local Review: Swedish Music in Utah – Lucia Celebration
Swedish Music in Utah Lucia Celebration Utah Arts Council Lucia Celebration = cute times + food, folks & fun This CD is just sickeningly cute. It’s a bunch of Swedish young people singing trad Swedish music. It’s a recording of the Lucia Day Celebration, put on by Utah’s Swedish Heritage Society. Sweden happens to be
Local Review: Subterranean Masquerade – Suspended Animation Dreams
Subterranean Masquerade Suspended Animation Dreams The End Records SM = Pink Floyd + Polyphonic Spree + Katatonia + Paradise Lost + Tommy Subterranean Masquerade’s much-anticipated first full-length album picks up where two-song EP Temporary Psychotic State left off, giving us Pink Floyd psychedelia, Porcupine Tree/Devin Townsend prog rock and 60s Tommy concept-rock-opera insanity, but blended
Local Review: State & Stereo – Thinkstop
State & Stereo Thinkstop Gloworm Records State & Stereo = New York Dolls + The Strokes + The Warlocks Bratty, cheeky lo-fi rock equal parts pop, glam garage and psychedelic wash with heartrending piano is best when dipping closer to the latter two, traveling back two decades como T. Rex than suckling from fads
Local Review: Spit – Self-Titled Demo
Spit Self-Titled Demo Spit = Godsmack + Taproot + Disturbed Spit aren’t bad for what they do, even though the first track blows monkey chunks and they could have used better production … or just production, period. Fat, harshly separated riffs churn more viciously than a jilted milkmaid. Aggressive drumming with plentiful amounts of
Local Review: Sound Lab – Eat Your Pets
Sound Lab Eat Your Pets Sound Lab = NIN + The Bad Plus + Cat Stevens They experimental ambience was passable in the first three tracks, but really picks up in “Toy Box,” where toy percussion, discordant, creepy guitar, maggot-moulting clicking sounds and beautiful cello blend together—a perfect soundtrack to falling asleep clutching your dead mother’s
Local Review: State & Stereo – The Reservoir
State & Stereo The Reservoir Gloworm Records S & S = The Strokes + Modest Mouse + Julian Tulip’s Licorice I just found out about this charmingly mopey band called Julian Tulip’s Licorice, and there are moments when State & Stereo remind me of the better parts of them, even though I’m confident State &
Local Review: Seconds Away – Self-titled demo
Seconds Away Self-titled demo Seconds Away = The Used + Gift Anon + Drive-Thru Records OK, I put Gift Anon in there because of the tender vocals. They should send their CDs only to Drive-Thru Records and Jade Tree and call it good. Seconds Away are pretty good at making emo that doesn’t suck, thanks
Local Review: Scoob Serious – Standing in the Gap
Scoob Serious Standing in the Gap Visualize Scoob Serious = The Bible + Cypress Hill Christian rap can be annoying, but Scoob Serious comes off sincere and non-self-righteous about his religious convictions, rapping directly but non-melodramatically in his knowing purr about his past life as a gangster leading a double life behind his young