Hailing from a small town in southern France, Morgan Manifacier arrived in the US a few years ago to study music in California. Now, two years after his critically-acclaimed debut Grande, Manifacier is back with his appropriately-titled sophomore attempt Hues and Calm. “Calm” is the perfect word to describe Manifacier’s newest LP. Using only his tranquil voice, an […]
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Donning the confident, edgy guise of a band with a large following, Tall Walker released its impressive debut EP under the same name earlier this month, featuring powerful tracks and excellent songwriting. The Chicago-based trio strips down and unleashes a dynamic tracklist, starting its career off with a commanding rock album with heaps of energy […]
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Riding on the same edgy, Neon-Trees-meets-Moostache grooves that drove its debut EP Extended Play, Ula Ruth is set to release its sophomore effort Restless Nights EP in early 2014. Clocking in at just over 23 minutes, the EP is fresh and deserving of attention. The band has undoubtedly matured since its last endeavor, crafting more complex songs that still comply […]
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The weather is getting colder, but that doesn’t mean your music has to. The jangly, warm indie-rock trio Daytona’s self-titled LP will keep you company through these chilly times. The band hails from North Carolina and presently resides in Brooklyn, but makes good use of rampant tribal drum beats and rich harmonies that take listeners […]
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Carbon Tigers is back on top of things with its self-released third EP, The Wars at Home. The Chicago-based indie rock group has toned down just a bit from its previous releases, crafting a more mellow quintet of songs this go-’round. The group went for a more direct approach on this EP, making more widely-accessible music […]
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Upset is the brainchild of some serious pop-punk women: Ali Koehler as the lead singer and guitarist, who formerly drummed for Best Coast and Vivian Girls; Jennifer Prince on lead guitar, who also used to play in Vivian Girls and contributes to La Sera; and ex-Hole drummer Patty Schemel, who needs no introduction. Together they […]
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Post-hardcore heavyweight A Lot Like Birds has seen its share of changes during its time in the industry, none of which have been very positive. Following its debut LP Plan B—an experimental masterpiece that set an unbelievably high bar for the genre—A Lot Like Birds drastically plummeted, becoming a generic screamo band fading into the rest […]
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The Chicago Tribune could not be more right in declaring French songstress Julie Meckler as one of their “Artists to Watch in 2011,” although her debut album Queenshead is finally hitting us two years later thanks to a successful Kickstarter from back then. Meckler, who was formerly an actress overseas, is joined by a group of […]
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Chicago’s own Bottomless Pit is back to shake listeners up with its third full-length album, Shade Perennial. The band consists of past members from Silkworm, Seam, and .22, though Bottomless Pit has been the main focus for the seasoned quartet since its start in 2005. The band has always ridden on impassioned, fuzzy instrumentals, which is […]
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Immediately apparent when you turn on Dead Gaze’s debut record is the newfound clarity and distinction between each instrument and songwriter Colin Furlow’s vocals, which was alien to the multiple EPs and self-titled compilation album his project released in the last few years. This change can be attributed to the upgrade in Furlow’s recording capabilities—he […]
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Mysterious indie-pop rockers Madeline Follin and Brian Oblivion, aka Cults, are here with their second attempt through Columbia records, Static. The group is known for its bubbly hit single “Go Outside,” as well as its time spent on tour with the likes of Passion Pit and Foster the People. Cults is characteristically echo-heavy and instrumentally driven, […]
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California hard-rock trio FUZZ has finally released its self-titled debut after two years in the making. As the band’s name hints, this release is as fuzzy and gritty as one can imagine, drowning the listener in a sea of tenacious noise. The group’s three members, drummer and lead singer Ty Segall, guitarist and backup vocalist […]
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