Label: Country Club Records Released: March 4, 2008 Pretendo play a dark angular pop that revolves around its rhythms, whether that is principally percussion, bass or guitar (or most often the interplay between them), while keyboard or guitar build an unsettling ambiance. The songs vary from the subtley Stones-influenced swagger of “Chronicle a Free Subletting” to the post-punk/dance meld of… Read more »
Metal Mark and I have plenty to say about the Rocklahoma nostalgia fest. Check it out at Heavy Metal Time Machine.
I picked up this copy of the Simple Minds’ New Gold Dream on ebay. I don’t remember any marble vinyl like this as early as 1982, but apparently it did exist. Even by today’s standards when there’s so much great colored vinyl out there, this one looks really nice.
Label: Shout Factory Released: February 19, 2008 It’s hard to ask someone to talk about themselves over an extended set of interviews and not seem self-absorbed. For Cobain, it would probably be impossible to ask that over a twenty minute sit-down let alone something this extensive. Cobain comes across as a whiner, whether he’s crying about his childhood, his health… Read more »
Label: Hot City Records Released: 2007 As their name implies, Crash Street Kids are big fans of Mott the Hoople. Even without that reference though, it would still be pretty clear. Their ability mix sugary pop with hard rock edge also raises the specter of early Sweet, but some of those guitar lines are unmistakable homages to Mick Ralphs. Throw… Read more »
Label: self-released CD Baby Released: March 4, 2008 Okay, I’ll admit White Zombie was kinda fun…for about ten minutes. I don’t know that I could ever take them in album-length doses. When the first track of A Single Drop of Red was nothing short of an homage to White Zombie, it was already off on the wrong foot. Unfortunately, it… Read more »
From Alive/Naturalsound: Los Angeles, CA – March, 2008 – Left Lane Cruiser is on tour in support of their debut Alive Records release “Bring Yo Ass to the Table.” Comprised of Joe Evans on slide guitar and vocals with Brenn Beck on one big-ass bass drum, harmonica and a toolbox full of percussive gear, the raw blues duo of LLC… Read more »
Label: self-released Released: March 4, 2008 The opening track of There’s Nothing Safe sounds like a cross between 80s synth pop and the Runaways. Over the course of the album, they throw in alt rock, new wave and post-punk. It may sound like a pretty bland stew that they’ve cooked up here, but they’ve largely taken the strengths of these… Read more »
Los Angeles, CA – February 28, 2008 – Nebraska’s BRIMSTONE HOWL is heading back on the road in support of their debut Alive Record’s release “Guts of Steel” – co-produced and engineered by Dan Auerbach of the Black Keys. The band will wrap their U.S. tour after performing several SXSW showcases then begin a month long European tour. Alive Records… Read more »
Label: MVD Entertainment Released: February 19, 2008 Tad is the forgotten band of Seattle’s grunge explosion, but there is a case to be made for them being among the scene’s most important artists. In Busted Circuits and Ringing Ears, it is said that in 1989 “Yeah, I’m friends with Kurt,” meant Tad bassist Kurt Danielson, not Cobain. They were perhaps… Read more »