Music
▼ National Reviews
Review: Signals Midwest – Light on the Lake
I wouldn’t be surprised if bands like Signals Midwest, The Front Bottoms and other emo-revivalists start getting serious radio play in two years or so. Their mathy rhythms, straightforward guitar-work and harmony-laden vocals are just screaming radio potential. … read more
Review: Sally Seltmann – Hey Daydreamer
Hey Daydreamer is an album full of theatrics. Not only is the instrumentation elaborate, with emphasis on the horns and percussion, but the overall feeling I get from listening to this is uplifting, as she sings about finding strength in independence, throwing out bad influences and living with your mistakes. … read more
Review: Saâda Bonaire – Self-Titled
My mind was blown when I first listened to this record. It’s like falling in love with The Beatles and then finding a long, lost band like Nirvana who sound just as influential in modern music. This re-issue is a must hear, especially for music history buffs. … read more
Review: Rock n’ Roll Monkey & the Robots – Rocket...
Seemingly covering the basic aspects of rock n’ roll, this double EP, 45-RPM LP is a combination of pop and folk wrapped with surf rock, dashed with some punky attitude and concluded with Mersey-sound rock n’ roll. … read more
Review: Rllrbll – 4 Corners
Because of the risks taken throughout, there isn’t much cohesion to these 10 tracks, though “Hebrew, I Hate You,” a minimal, gothic, dub-styled tune, is where the approach pays off. If you’re up for a weird listen, here’s one for you. … read more
Review: Outrageous Fun – Trustfund DIY
Trustfund DIY moves through the greater lo-fi genre, reminding me of a new group with every song, but always holding an upbeat quality I’d associate with Marvelous Darlings. The album opens with “Town Like This,” which could be Matt Whitehurst of Psychedelic Horseshit singing over Cloud Nothings’ first album. … read more
Review: Origamibiro – Collection
Samples of the guitarist’s creaking chair, sounds of his breath and the squeak of the wood in the guitar were implemented in the songs. It gave a very personal and intimate feel to the album. This album is a lengthy novel in comparison to the norm and is something that should be listened to intently rather than as an accompaniment. … read more
Review: Pow! – Hi-Tech Boom
This record buzzes like a Brookstone orgasm chair, especially the track “Switchboard Scientist,” which swoons like a Funkadelic groove minus the big-band instruments, with added Prozac and guitar dirge. It’s no downer, though. … read more
Review: NOFX – Stoke Extinguisher
I’m not going to try and convince you to like NOFX—if you’ve been around this music at all, then you know who they are and what they do, but this EP is them doing it at their best. … read more
Review: My Education – 5 Popes
This is as post-rock as you can get—intricate guitar melodies, heart-racing riffs, stereotypical drumbeats. Stereotypes aren’t bad, though, and My Education execute what they want so well through their music. … read more