Brian Palmer, Author at Glide Magazine

The Lone Bellow: The Lone Bellow

Brian Palmer January 31, 2013 No Comments

The Brooklyn-based country rock trio The Lone Bellow is making some waves with their debut self-titled album, and it is easy to see why. Zach Williams, Kanene Pipkin and Brian Elmquist have created a nifty little record that will soothe your soul or help you drown your sorrows, depending on your preference. They make either choice sound appealing and you’ll want to experience it again and again.

The Joy Formidable: Wolf’s Law

Brian Palmer January 21, 2013 No Comments

With Wolf’s Law, The Joy Formidable have released what is sure to be a contender for year-end album best of lists. These might be bold words for an album that is only being released in January, but Wolf’s Law improbably fuses together epic rock with gorgeous melodies, swelling choruses, singer Ritzy Bryan’s both pixie-ish and ethereal vocals and all the dramatic sweep and scope of a concept album without imploding under its own weight like most concept albums do.

Dropkick Murphys: Signed and Sealed in Blood

Brian Palmer January 9, 2013 No Comments

As one of the tracks on Signed and Sealed in Blood declares, Boston’s favorite Celtic punk rock sons the Dropkick Murphys are back and they’re looking for trouble. Signed and Sealed in Blood is loaded with the kind of energy, passion and raucous chorus-like chants that have been somewhat muted on their past couple of releases, and it is a welcome relief for those who have been missing some of the pump your fist spirit that filled the band’s earlier records.

Matthew Mayfield: A Banquet for Ghosts

Brian Palmer June 29, 2012 No Comments

Southern crooner and lyric scrawler Matthew Mayfield is a gifted and prolific storyteller (he has released eight EPs and one full-length album in less than four years). Of course according to his Facebook page he is also a “two-faced son of a bitch,” so take that for what you will. Maybe he’s just a tortured artist or maybe he’s just yanking our chains; either way, the man knows how to write and his tales are evocative and picturesque.

Deer Park Avenue: Stop & Go EP

Brian Palmer June 15, 2012 No Comments

The powerpop of Sacramento, California-based sisters Sarah (guitars and vocals) and Stephanie Snyder (drums, background vocals) is a joy to listen to. They fill their songs with a kinetic energy that is palpable and likely to make you dance. With help from the Bissonette brothers (Matt produced the EP and famed session drummer Gregg guests on the track “Millionaire”), this collection of ditties will make you think as much as it will get you moving.

Amos Lee: As The Crow Fliers (EP)

Brian Palmer June 1, 2012 No Comments

While Amos Lee managed to give the world one of 2011’s most notable releases—Mission Bell—he didn’t give us everything. The As the Crow Flies EP features six more cuts from the Mission Bell sessions and if nothing else, these tracks demonstrate just how fruitful and creative those sessions were because any of these songs could have justifiably landed on the original release. More of a companion piece than a separate album, fans who dug Lee’s Billboard Top 200-topping Bell will enjoy Crow because it plays to the same strengths.

Greg Laswell: Landline

Brian Palmer April 24, 2012 No Comments

Landline may not be the absolute best album in Laswell’s already impressive discography, but it’s pretty damn close. Landline is an emotionally resonant, musically diverse and vocally superior record that is easily one of 2012’s best.

Jillian Edwards – Diving Head First

Brian Palmer April 5, 2012 No Comments

As Edwards begins her career as a full-time musician, she talks about her writing process, how she handles the whole “Art versus Faith” discussion, how relationships have proved to be fodder for songs, and why music means so much to her.

Miike Snow: Happy to You

Brian Palmer March 22, 2012 No Comments

Part of the thing that makes the Swedish indie pop trio Miike Snow so intriguing is their unflinching love of variety. Not content to simply make great dance cuts like “Sylvia” and “Black and Blue” as they did on their first release, they dip into the surreal with equal aplomb and dabble in a host of sounds and genres. This is the sort of creativity that helps define bands’ greatness and the desire to try new things is what makes their music noteworthy.

Jillian Edwards: Headfirst

Brian Palmer February 17, 2012 No Comments

Sometimes the fun of scouring the Internet to discover unsigned talent is to see how long it will take for a particular diamond to get snatched up by a label because it is so obvious the singer or band is inches away from achieving this goal. It is just a matter of which label gets the clue first. Jillian Edwards is one of those artists and her latest release, Headfirst, is going to catch ears sooner rather than later

Brian Palmer

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