Steve LampirisThe Halloween release date is appropriate: Here, the ‘Frisco boys are pretending to be a metal-ized Velvet Underground. Having tried everything across this record to filter “Heroin” through their ’80s thrash, their ’90s blues-based hard rock and their 2000’s attempt at a return-to-form, they clearly want to be the ’60s legends so, so badly. But guess what? Getting Reed to sing on your record doesn’t make your band VU mk. II. But that doesn’t stop…
Album Review: Kasabian – Velociraptor!
Tom
Album name: Velociraptor! Artist name: Kasabian Genre: Indie Rock/Space Rock Released: September 16, 2011 Label: RCA/Columbia ZME Rating: 7/10 Website: kasabian.co.uk Comparisons have always been rife between Kasabian and Oasis but the Leicestershire band has moved one step closer to the legendary Mancunians with their latest record. Much like the majority of the sane population, Kasabian’s Sergio Pizzorno admitted to all but worshipping Noel Gallagher in the ‘90s as Oasis established themselves as the finest…
Warm Up With Mineo!
Alice Smith
Mineo may be clowning around, but their music is for real.
Quickie album review: Revocation, “Chaos of Forms”
Usually metal bands start off simple and build in complexity. Apparently Revocation didn’t get that memo. They’ve stripped away all the progressive wankery of Existence is Futile and made a lean monster of a modern thrash record. The slow-fast start-stop solo action in “Cradle Robber” recalls heyday Metallica. The riffs are catchy and satisfying (especially “Robber” and “No Funeral”), and the songs are well-constructed. More importantly, though, they’re memorable – something that’s severely lacking…
Quickie album reviews: Jay-Z and Kanye West, “Watch The Throne”
The two biggest (and, honestly, most important) names in rap come together to brag. A lot. As has always been the case, Kanye has some great lines (“Luxury rap, the Hermes of verses/ Sophisticated ignorance, write my curses in cursive”) and Jay-Z has some better ones (“Cocaine seats, All white like I got the whole thing bleached/ Drug dealer chic”). Since Kanye didn’t produce the entire album, it isn’t as cohesive as his best work. …
5 Questions For The Tedeschi Trucks Band
Chris Whitten
Tedeschi Trucks Band - Revelator
Godsmack’s Sully Erna presents “Avalon”
Sully Erna - Avalon
The Cars: “Move Like This”
Hailie Hay
Album name: Move Like This Artist name: The Cars Genre: Pop Rock Released: May 10, 2011 Label: Hear Music ZME Rating: 8/10 Website: www.thecars.org After nearly 24 years of disbandment, The Cars are back. Move Like This certainly must have been a feat for this throwback group due to the death of original bassist and lead singer Benjamin Orr in 2000; however, to the average listener, it seems the band has barely changed. Who are/were the Cars? Any…
Foo Fighters: “Wasting Light”
Album name: Wasting Light Artist name: Foo Fighters Genre: Alternative Rock Released: April 12, 2011 Label: RCA ZME Rating: 8/10 Website: foofighters.com —————————— What year is it? It certainly can’t be 2011 because the Foo Fighters have Pat Smear in their line-up. And they made a record, Wasting Light, that’s loud as hell. And they tapped Butch Vig as a producer. And they had Alan Moulder mix the album. And both Bob Mould and Kris Novoselic appear…
Crystal Stilts – In Love With Oblivion
Staff
Album name: In Love With Oblivion Artist name: Crystal Stilts Genre: Noise Pop Released: April 11, 2011 Label: Sumberland Records/Fortuna POP! ZME Rating: 7/10 Website: myspace.com/crystalstilts You remember the 2003 film Lost In Translation don’t you? Yeah. Fantastic wasn’t it? Too flippin? right it was! The film was directed by Sofia Coppola and starred the greatest actor (although perhaps not technically) in the history of American cinema: Bill Murray. Fact. If you can also remember…