The average male rock fan’s opinion of musicals is likely to encompass the word “suck,” but hand him The Dears’ Degeneration Street, and unless he’s a pure-bred metalhead, it’ll more likely go something like “…awesome…”
It is amazing how pure distortion can sound when it is distilled through 6-strings at high amplification. Yuck know this and continually present guitar tones that cradle the brain on their self titled first release.
Building upon the diverse styling of last year’s Dead Flowers EP, Caitlin Rose and her band continue their jumps and dives all over the musical map, sounding timeless yet fresh and new at the same tim
The Celtic storytelling and all-for-one union drive is flowing like a pint of the dark throughout Going Out In Style. The album unfolds like a screenplay and when it wraps up with the groups cover of the classic “Irish Rover” you realize Dropkick Murphy’s have crafted one of their fullest and most fulfilling albums of their career.
Durham, NC resident Mike Babyak includes the above quotation on his Facebook page, and the fine new album from his band Triple Fret certainly lives up to this notion — listeners will indeed hear lots of guitar work, but no tracks are likely to evoke Zappa’s acerbic sentiment.
Although not exactly household names, these three are no strangers to acclaim, as all three of their respective outfits’ work ranks equal to or above those of the more recognizable Monsters. And such is the case here, on Middle Brother’s gorgeously lonely self-titled debut collaboration.
Bigler and Lykes deserve much respect for their ambition, creativity, and passion. Solid musicianship and production qualities make the record more than just a D.I.Y. declaration. Kudos for creating an interesting musical tour told through the journey of one man transcending our broken society and his selfish desires.
After calling it a day with Guided By Voices, then releasing a ton of material, then reforming Guided By Voices, Robert Pollard still has time to keep releasing material. As meticulous as some artists are in tossing their songs out into the general public, Pollard’s workmanlike approach has meant some misses but more often than not delectable, infectious hits.
There is a collaborative, one for all spirit on Top Hat and if you like the new wave of Americana acts like Deer Tick and Dawes you will have a soft spot for Band of Heathens. Its not a perfect album, there are lulls in the generic country rock of opener “Medicine Man” and the blues bounce of “Enough” but it is abundantly clear this is a group of focused songwriters and tour hounds, a unit to be reckoned with. “Gris Gris Satchel” ends the album solemnly with each vocalist taking a turn on the slow cooking chorus. Feel this.
The electropunk gets shifted to overload with Parts & Labor’s newest release Constant Future. Out of the gate the first two tracks amp the art-rock keyboard blasts beyond the sonic limits, frying speakers with electricity overloads. “Fake Names” and “Outnumbered” are chaotic pieces that seem like a Technicolor installation, opening the ears for the catchier fare to follow.
