Label: KScope Released: February 27, 2012 Anyone familiar with Steve Hogarth’s or Richard Barbieri’s work would assume not to expect a standard, run-of-the-mill album. That assumption proves correct here. Not the Weapon But the Hand feels more like a soundtrack than a regular album and that accounts simultaneously for its strengths and weaknesses. “Red Kite” is certainly a subtle opener,… Read more »
Label: Third Man Reocrds Released: November 13, 2015 Yak is heavy, heavy, heavy. Not just any heavy, but Blue Cheer heavy. MC5 heavy. Amps pushed past the breaking point heavy. This record is physically incapable of being quiet. Smashing drums and low end fuzz blast out a groove that almost asks you to dance on the manic “No.” Stuttering distortion… Read more »
Label: self-released Released: November 13, 2015 There is no question that bluegrass was a significant part of the Grateful Dead’s DNA, so doing bluegrass covers of a couple of songs that frequented the Dead’s repertoire makes great sense. However, the initial mistake that I made was to listen to Town Mountain’s versions side by side with the Dead versions. Where… Read more »
Label: Nine Mile Records Released: October 16, 2015 I once read that the Detroit music scene of the 1960s was a battle for the airwaves between Motown and garage rock. It’s hard to imagine being envious of Detroit today, but imagine it 50 years ago, having to pick between the MC5 and the Temptations. Can’t imagine it? Well, maybe you… Read more »
Label: Korda Records Released: October 16, 2015 There is something gentle and optimistic about the Innocence Misson’s Hello I Feel the Same that goes beyond the name and title and is not the entire picture. Finger picking over a quiet drone in “Blue and Yellow” support Karen Peris’ almost Nico-esque vocals. There is even some of the emptiness that comes… Read more »
Label: Secret City Records Released: November 6, 2015 Black Matter is an overall haunting affair, but one that rises slowly from its darkness. The dirgey, ambient tones strain slightly against quiet, tribal drums in “Asleep in the Water” while electronic sequencing drifts beneath the ringing dissonance of the title track. The darkness lifts ever so slightly as the album progresses… Read more »
Released: 1985 Label: Proteus Records Ever heard of New Zealand’s the Drongos? Me either. I bought this on a whim out of the used bin of a local record store based solely on the liner notes. The Drongos came to New York City in 1978 and, at a friends’ recommendation, went out and starting busking in the vicinity of Times… Read more »
Label: Topshelf Records Released: June 9, 2015 Listening to Ratboys’ AOID takes me back to the early 80s Paisley Underground sound of jangle and fuzz (both early Bangles and Long Ryders come to mind). Sure the opener is a short anti-folk ditty, but the album quickly finds its 60s/80s stride. It is simply wonderful to enjoy these hooks amidst the… Read more »
Label: One Percent Press Released: November 6, 2015 why+the+wires’ self-described genre is “PunkRockWaltzStompShout.” In a way, any attempt to review this album beyond the concise clarity of that self-examination is pointless. But I’ll give it a shot nonetheless. Flame Failures is a wild and loose affair right out of the gate with two tracks soaring loud and free with perhaps… Read more »
Kindling offer up this melodic wall of noise from their upcoming Galaxies EP on No Idea Records. It may not break any new shoegazer ground, but certainly would not suffer on a mix tape of the genre’s best. Loud guitars and driving rhythms make the ears ring while sweet pop vocals sneak through amking it at once ethereal and earthy…. Read more »