Music Reviews of Punk, Indie Rock, Emo, Ska
Band Spotlight
Chiodos
Perhaps no one can explain the sheer ferocity and timid quietness it is better than when vocalist Craig Owens says “we don’t want to let the kids down” when discussing the group’s intense vocals live at shows. Well they never let a single kid down with their vicious assault on the ears and grip on the jugular...
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Skinny Puppy - Mythmaker
Converge - No Heroes
The Graduate - Anhedonia
Death By Stereo - Death Alive
Comeback Kid - Broadcasting
The Snake The Cross The Crown - Cotton Teeth
Dear and the Headlights - Small Steps, Heavy Hooves
The Geeks - Every Time We Fall
Limbeck - Limbeck
WinterKids - Memoirs
03.09.2007 by J-Sin
Music Reviews of Punk, Indie Rock, Emo, Ska
Target Market — No Thrills Buy it at Amazon
St. Louis natives Target Market compose indie pop epics that are a less emo-influenced Koufax in nature—a band that they’ve played with already. Their aim is sure as they hit dead on with melodies so incredibly catchy they spread like the common cold. Smart lyrics and complementary songwriting make “No Thrills” exactly the opposite of its title.
- J-Sin
Deerhoof — Friend Opportunity Buy it at Amazon
This psychedelic indie rock band known simply as Deerhoof actually make you feel like you’re taking drugs while you listen to them. Post-modern stress-free experimental music that with use classic rock riffs one moment, circus music the next, and then drop acid into a symphony pop affair. Genius art rock that is intelligently written and deftly performed with a precision rarely found in music this complex. Comprehend it? Sure you can, but you better be prepared to really sit down and experience every moment that Deerhoof has to offer. Funky guitars that borrow from the ‘70’s are embraced with high-pitched child-like vocals from their Japanese vocalist Satomi Matsuzaki and weird soundscapes blessed with plenty of brass horns. You can’t get much different and special than this.
- J-Sin
Emil — Songs From the Second Floor Buy it at Amazon
Frostburg, Maryland might seem the most unlikely a place as any to produce a world-class experimental indie group. But it’s the home to Emil, a duo that beckons one into their intriguing mixture of moody experimental ambience and downtempo indie pop. Using freeform improvisations with spicy textures of sparse noises, underlying melody, and haunting soundscapes, Emil’s “Songs From the Second Floor” is a dismal, foreboding and melancholic atmospheric hit. If you’re into any of the Icelandic experimental bands ala Bjork, Sigur Ros, Mum, you should add Emil to your wishlist.
- J-Sin
Wolverines / The Sibling Project — Split Buy it at Amazon
I like how the cover art reminds you of E.T. but don’t worry there’s no Drew Barrymore or yelps for “Elliott”. This split album finds Wolverines as a manic indie punk terror storm while The Sibling Project is more settled melodic indie pop. Wolverines embrace the abrasive and chaotic nature of punk. And the flip side is The Sibling Project who are true to their name, siblings. The brother/sister duo dares to take soft harmonies and warm melodies with keyboard cheese and bubbly vocals to the full hilt.
- J-Sin
Pacific UV — E.P. Buy it at Amazon
Athens, Georgia was the home of R.E.M. But that has nothing to do with Pacific UV’s sound other than they too came from the famous college town. Now having relocated to the West Coast, specifically to Portland, Oregon, Pacific UV utilize a discordant melodic style that reminds one of My Bloody Valentine. Thickly distorted guitars juxtapose disarming harmonies and catchy rhythms.
- J-Sin
The Ackleys — Forget Forget, Derive Derive Buy it at Amazon
High schoolers and twin sisters Katie and Allison Crutchfield are surprisingly talented singer/songwriters. And with the young age of the band (the oldest two members are Freshmen in college), you’ll also be surprised to find out that this is their sophomore release on House of Love Records. A quick fast punked-up indie pop record, “Forget Forget, Derive Derive” is the album that you wish your band recorded while still in high school. After you get over your jealousy and devilish envy, you’ll fall in love with these groovy catchy pop-punk indie rock hooks that remind one a bit of The Anniversary.
- J-Sin
Gifts From Enola — Loyal Eyes Betrayed the Mind Buy it at Amazon
Spacey shoegazing instrumental post-rock is the perfect summation of “Loyal Eyes Betrayed the Mind”. Softly edged guitars are drenched in a myriad of effects and distortions that would make Sonic Youth proud. Capturing a merger of Mogwai and Explosions In the Sky, Virginia-based group Gifts From Enola fuse a dynamic experimental set of wondrous post-rock opuses and almost ambient epic pieces that can be emotionally uplifting and catchy or dark and slightly sinister.
- J-Sin
Barr — Summary Buy it at Amazon
Do a google search for “Barr Summary” and you’ll land on quite a few of the insane conservative Bob Barr’s rants and ravings all of which couldn’t be further from anything related to this band and their new album. Barr takes beats and samples and light instrumentation and does beat poetry and life stories overtop. Artsy alt-pop that is unafraid of exposing raw emotions to the elements and for all to stare, pick at, and be intrigued with. Barr’s sonnets are written by Brendan Fowler and flow from dark recesses of his mind to his most intimate moments all told through the voice of a street poet. Very powerful stuff here, that would make Bob Barr and his Republican counterparts extremely nervous.
- J-Sin
Blango — Organ-Vibrator-a-thon Buy it at Amazon
Only a drummer who “sings” and “uses pedals” is what makes up Blango. Odd? Yes. But it’s less than five minutes of free-jazz noise with spastic rhythms and experimental noises with three tracks. That’s short even by CD-single standards. I like the beginnings here as it’s right up my alley but I want to hear something a little longer and more breathtaking.
- J-Sin
Mayors of Miyazaki — Kancho Buy it at Amazon
Across the pond lays this Muse-like pop-rock adventuresome group known as Mayors of Miyazaki. Marrying angular riff rock with alliterated screams and melodic crooning, the Mayors could be the next Refused. Sounding off with hard-edged rock numbers, they easily cascade into a cacophony of altered melodies and distorted guitars with weird awkward vocals ala the Blood Brothers. It’s eclectic punk at its very best.
- J-Sin
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