“You heard I was a nice boy/Well, you didn’t’ hear it from me/And I want to keep a hoodie head/Nice to meet you/Now go away/I want to be alone/It’s such a nice day,” singer/songwriter Brian Warren warns in “Pagan Baby,” the opening track of his newest LP, Flies In All Directions. Under the emo-punk rock moniker Weatherbox, Warren […]
Read More
If John Lennon were still alive, he would either be amused or annoyed with the Shilohs’ new, self-titled album. The Vancouver-based, four-piece wonder has concocted a 12-track tribute record to the Beatles and other ’60s pop bands, though perhaps not intentionally. Lead singer Johnny Payne’s vocals are so good, you might think Lennon himself has risen from […]
Read More
Belly Up, aka Adam Kowalczyk, churns out an incredible, mostly guitar-driven techno fest with his debut album, Sonder. The record is a work of art with a mishmash of electrifying drum and bass beats, energetic guitar rhythms, and a hint of acid jazz. But that’s the just the beginning; Sonder is a beautiful collage of […]
Read More
Listening to Secret Colours’ Positive Distractions Part II feels like revisiting the ’60s—but not in a good way. It’s a continuation of Part I, released in February, containing six nostalgic, pop-psychedelic anthems. The four-piece group based in Chicago has fun emulating that era of music; lead singer Tommy Evans and his band do an exemplary job of recreating […]
Read More
’90s alternative rock group The Faint has released a new album that surely lives up to its name. Doom Abuse is a sad, noisy, electro-punk record that will musically abuse your ear drums. Ravers and dance-punk enthusiasts will definitely be doomed listening to this hyper, irritating, electronic shit-fest infected with horrendous, filtered vocals and insipid, ’80s-influenced rock […]
Read More
Great artists are made by taking risks. They will either mesmerize their audience or piss them off completely. Faces on Film’s new album Elite Lines brilliantly captures different genres of music ranging from cathartic indie-rock to experimental, pop kitsch. An artist who has the audacity to make challenging pop music, something you don’t listen to on […]
Read More
Warning: Wake Owl’s debut album, The Private World of Paradise, is a straight-up snooze fest. Singer and songwriter Colyn Cameron, along with producer Richard Swift, concocts an incredibly insipid record that sounds lame and nauseating, with unmemorable tunes, an overall lethargic feel, and mushy, unimaginative themes like dysfunctional relationships. In fact, most of the songs on The Private World […]
Read More
Three talented musicians, who knew their audience and music well, set The Empty Bottle…
Read More
Raw emotions, thumping drums clashing with screechy guitars and high treble charisma highlighted Major League’s live gig at the Beat Kitchen. But out of the five bands that played that night, only one shined brightly on the densely lit stage, and it wasn’t the main headliner. The night began with local hardcore-punk outfit, Arkham blaring […]
Read More
“Fame, what fame?/I never wanted it, I never needed it,” Bart Davenport sings on “Fuck Fame,” perfectly describing the attitude of his upcoming album Physical World. He croons with coolness about how he prefers to be an unknown rather than some superstar. Power-pop, soft rock, and a touch of synth merge into an album that sounds […]
Read More
The doughnut gracing the cover of holychild’s Mindspeak EP is a good indication of what’s inside: candy-coated trash pop that will make you sick to your stomach. The not-so-dynamic duo, Liz Nistico and Louie Diller, has gotten early praise from Billboard and Nylon, but don’t believe the hype. Mindspeak is utterly trite, unoriginal, and repetitive, full of […]
Read More
Kid Tiger, the sophomore album from Daniel Ellsworth & the Great Lakes, is a musical roller coaster—it’s unbelievably fun, raucous, and energetic. But that nonstop energy can actually make the music stale. Following the formula of debut album Civilized Man, lead singer and guitarist Daniel Ellsworth continues to blend indie rock with hyper, aggressive synth-pop. Ellsworth’s unique […]
Read More
