Label: Blackheart Records Released: May 15, 2007 Being a female band on Blackheart Records, the expectation would be that Girl in a Coma would follow in Joan Jett’s footsteps. Unlike so many of Jett’s followers though, Girl in a Coma didn’t forget that attitude and hooks aren’t mutually exclusive. Besides, they’re a lot closer to Blondie’s edgey punkish pop than… Read more »
Label: Flicker Records Released: May 15, 2007 When a band merges punk and Irish folk, the first influence that comes to mind is the Pogues, but Shane McGowan and company were more a folk band with punk attitude. The real origin of the more punk-leaning mixture is the Stiff Little Fingers. While the bands today tend to wear their Irish… Read more »
Label: Rockular Recordings Released: 2007 On Phonography, the Treat not only incorporate a lot of British rock styles from the late 60s and early 70s, but they manage to do it seamlessly and make it fresh. They draw on everything from the raw bluesiness of Led Zeppelin to the grandiose prog of Genesis. Starting off an album with as much… Read more »
Label: Breaking Records Released: November 20, 2007 With a name like Demolition String Band, there’s bound to be some preconceptions. The mention of “string band” certainly creates an expectation of a 30s/40s pre-electric country and bluegrass revival. “Demolition,” on the other hand, implies breaking down barriers or rejecting rules. In the end though, Demolition String Band isn’t really what their… Read more »
Label: Azra Records Released: September 11, 2007 I’ll make no secret that songs of hopelessness and despair that have no sense of redemption or salvation have an uphill battle to resonate with me. That’s not to say that none do, just that it’s harder for them, because they run against the grain of my soul. Mad Juana’s Acoustic Voodoo is… Read more »
Label: 24 Hour Service Station Released: December 7, 2007 What happens when Fugazi meets Black Sabbath? History. Okay, so time will tell if History the band actually makes history, but there’s no denying that the potential is there. Their album, Ghosts in the City, isn’t just the result of these influences slapped together in some random fashion, but a natural… 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: Padre Records (available through CDBaby.com) Released: March 1, 2007 Caleb Klauder’s band Foghorn Stringband is instantly contagious. Its authentic bluegrass instantly wraps you in its warm, genuine strings and heartfelt twang. Klauder’s Dangerous Me’s and Poisonous You’s, on the other hand, takes some time to sink in, not because it isn’t as good, but because it has more dimension… Read more »
Label: Yep Roc Records Released: August 6, 2007 Liam Finn has a Beatlesque knack for writing great pop songs. Perhaps that comes from his father Neil of Crowded House/Split Enz fame, but Liam walks his own path, making the connection to his father more trivial than musical. The singer-songwriter thing can be pretty limited, but Finn’s generally folky pop has… Read more »
Label: Spoonful Records Released: 2007 The Griefs channel the Who’s manic drums, big power chords and brutal loudness in a catchy package. Sometimes there’s fuzz and other times there’s jangle, but from start to finish, this is an album of loud melodies and rock n roll bombast that many have copied, but few have done this successfully. Throwing a Tempo… Read more »