Label: Mercury Released: April 29, 2008 Lots of people are complaining that Third doesn’t sound like Portishead. These people are smoking crack. In fact, they’re probably trying to smoke crack through their ears, which means the crack smoke is blocking out the music. I don’t get the complaints of the crack smokers. Third sounds like Portishead. It is filled with… Read more »
Label: self-released (digital only) Released: February 2008 In the mid-90s, Trever Keith’s band Face to Face was releasing some of the best pop punk around. Big Choice still finds itself in at least my semi-regular rotation. However, they lost me with Ignorance is Bliss at the end of the decade and I never really came back. Now I find myself… Read more »
Label: self-released Released: 2008 “Warning! The recordings contained on this disc are raw and far from perfect. Just how we like it!” That’s the warning on the CD, but it’s more like a mission statement and they back it up with the tunes. Another Shitty Band’s First Demo is raw beyond belief. Thick, sludgy guitar and bass are essentials in… Read more »
Label: self-released Released: May 24, 2008 I had the chance to catch the Niki Barr Band open for the Cult a few months back and they were an outstanding live band. They played with the confidence and intensity of a headliner, not the caution and tentativeness of a local band opening for an international act. However, when I heard their… Read more »
Label: Mute Released: April 15, 2008 Saturdays = Youth is promising when it opens with “You, Appearing.” The piano is as warm and embracing as a fireplace on a cold winter day, and it seems to be laying the groundwork for an incredibly rich album. When the vocals finally kick in, they’re slightly urgent and desperate but pleasant and intriguing;… Read more »
Label: Temporary Residence Limited Released: November 6th, 2007 You shouldn’t need this CD. After all, you should already have all of the Drift’s albums and you should definitely have them on vinyl. However, if you’ve missed either boat, the kind folks at Temporary Residence feel bad for you and have released this collection of The Drift’s non-CD tracks. For those… Read more »
Label: Mute Released: April 1, 2008 It’s strange when a deep artist makes a shallow album. Is its shallowness actually well-disguised depth? Is it ironic? Is it a philosophical statement of the lack of substance in our culture? Or is it simply what it is, a musical treat with no goals other than to be a sugary snack? Moby is… Read more »
Label: 13th Planet Records Released: April 1, 2008 I’m not much of a Ministry fan. Sure, Land of Rape and Honey was a very good album, particularly for its time, but otherwise they’ve never grabbed me. Nonetheless, when I saw Al (or Alien as he’s listed in the conspiracy-themed liner notes) Jourgensen and friends were releasing an album full of… Read more »
Label: Malamute Records Released: March 4, 2008 Crooked Paths is an album that is seldom just good. Instead, it sometimes struggles just short of good and at other times pushes fantastic. Without question, Star Anna’s voice is wonderful. It’s dynamic and has really good movement that can be both subtle and bold. The problem is she doesn’t let it loose… Read more »
Label: self-released Released: June 3, 2008 When most people think of the Bangles, they think of “Walk Like an Egyptian” or “If She Knew What She Wants,” but before they caved into commercialism, they were an edgy band making garage rock with a great 60s girl group flair. THe BAcksliders aren’t playing an entirely different game from the pre-Different Light… Read more »