Power house drumming, fuzzy lint-covered brash guitar, bullhorn whooping lyrics and stabilizing bass are what compile to result in the Pathers latest release, Things Are Strange, released on Vice Records. A tad Jesus Lizard, a bit Tool, this five-piece from Brooklyn is heavy, almost hardcore, not too garage or punk. By avoiding any major genre […]
Song lyrics are funny things. They can remind us of a specific person, or place, or time in our lives. I remember the first time I heard Jack White utter the words, “Soft hair and a velvet tongue, I wanna give what you give to me…And every breath that is in your lungs is a […]
One of Saddle Creek’s newer investments, Son, Ambulance, has released a record that’s like buttered toast: plain, but still mildly satisfying. Key is a record of mostly piano, layered vocal and instrumental tracks, and simple vocals courtesy of singer/songwriter Joe Knapp. Tracks like “Billy Budd” are reminiscent of Cursive and hint at the new conglomerate […]
Sons of Armageddon is a collection of seven Denver musicians who create a jazz-driven mash of analog/electronic experimentalist funk-improv-dancehall-hop. Sounds loop and lull, with samples and vocals intermitting, occasional horns, and even a fair display of turnrtablism. Improv is obviously a big part of this; and is achieved stunningly. Innumerable sounds emit from seemingly fabricated […]
Power-pop tends to be one of those ambiguous terms in music that fetches all sorts of opinions. Purists like Michael Slawter tend to call out folks like Cheap Trick, Big Star and The Replacements as the poster children for the genre, and few would argue with this definition. In forming his latest pop project – […]
It seems a though Codeseven has fallen asleep. Then they decided it would be a good time to go into the studio and record their Equal Vision debut, Dancing Echoes/Dead Sounds. The opening track “La Memoire Reincarnee” is weary and heavy-eyed, foretelling the premise for the rest of the album: dead to the world. Okay, […]
Ben Nichols: guitar & vocalsBrian Venable: guitarJohn C. Stubblefield: bassRoy Berry: drums. Ben Nichols of Lucero smokes Marlboro Reds and wears worn white T-shirts with Levi’s and cowboy boots. In other words, he looks just like he sounds, right down to the tattoos. He says “Thankyouverymuch,” in a voice that oozes Memphis, Elvis, Jack Daniels, […]
The Futureheads are a four-piece post-punk band from Sunderland, England. The band consists of Barry Hyde (guitar), Ross Millard (guitar), David “Jaff” Craig (bass), and Dave Hyde (drums), and ladies, they can all sing, so there are plenty of front men to go around. Their music is fast-paced with surprising harmonies. I spoke to the […]
Many an American band has had to travel overseas to gain recognition before they’re appreciated on these shores. For the U.K. group Dirty Vegas this happened in reverse when the debut of their dance single “Days Go By” went quickly from the soundtrack to a Mitsubishi commercial (which also became parody material for one of […]
Isn’t it ironic that this year, where our future seems so uncertain and we walk around at times in disbelief, that many of the classic bands from 10 or even 15 years ago have resurrected their monikers and songwriting teams to return once again, triumphant? And they’re better than ever, not some tired group whose […]
