The sound of the nineties… the raw, rough-and-tumble, ultra-defiant and overly-angsty sound of the nineties…is more than alive in Eugene, Oregon. It is here that garage/alternative quartet Sol Riot has taken shape, going on to take the entire Eugene scene by storm. Recently, the band has released a fresh EP, entitled Start a Riot. Recording right now with Justin Pizzoferrato (Sonic Youth, Dinosaur Jr.), the group also expects to release its first full-length album, which is…
Album title: Neck of the Woods Release date: Tuesday, May 8, 2012. Tracks: 11 (you can find the tracklist here) Rating: 9/10 After a good three years and some odd weeks, Los Angeles alternative band Silversun Pickups has released its third true studio album to date, Neck of the Woods…which does just about everything but disappoint. In all honesty, I had no doubt this album would be quite tops,…
This is probably one of the most outlandish things I’ll say for a very long time: I like an American Idol alum, plain and simple. In fact, I just may like her a lot. For those who didn’t tune in to the tenth season of the show, which features perennially unoriginal talent (but talent nonetheless), Haley Reinhart, a Chicago native with an edge, finished third to charming country teens Lauren Alaina and Scotty McCreery. On Idol, Ms. Reinhart left…
If I were to solely base my feelings for Mixed Emotions on its opening track, “Brothers,” I would be here to tell you that Tanlines has made the best indie pop album of 2012. On “Brothers,” swelling harmonies are laid carefully over Eric Emm’s wailing baritone vocals, creating an infectious pop song that goes beyond “catchy” and becomes unforgettable due to its infusion of subtle gravity. It packs so much promise that the album’s subsequent…
I’m sure you’ve heard Lana Del Rey’s name floating about the music scene for a while now – but it is only recently that her songs have drifted into my ears in a chilling way. This is especially weird as she has actually been on the music scene since 2008, but not under “Lana Del Rey”. You may have heard of her as “Lizzy Grant” – her real name. With this name she released…
If you have not already heard of Odd Future, brace yourself, because you are in for a shock. Completely inappropriate, offensive, sexist, and downright disgusting. The rap collective from LA is every parent’s worst nightmare. But they, and the rest of their teenage fans, just don’t give a fuck. Having won VMA awards, and even getting their own TV program, Loiter Squad, this group are more popular than anyone could have ever imagined. With their…
The self-titled second album from Bon Iver, aka Justin Vernon, is what some may consider to be one of the masterpieces of the 21st century, consisting of ten beautiful, emotional, and ingeniously thought out tracks. This album being his second and not having an actual title may be considered strange. Along with the album cover- a painted landscape with a log cabin surrounded by trees and water, this makes for a fairly mysterious first…
The Maccabees are proving to be a huge brit-indie rock band – and with their new album “Given To The Wild” – have definitely grown. I must admit I was quite oblivious to the fact they would be releasing a new album, but after hearing the news I was fairly mellow, not excited. I absolutely loved their first album “Colour It In” and found it hard to stop listening to it. Their follow up “Wall…
Let me tell you – this album is bizarre. REALLY bizarre. it’s a pop-opera based on a crazy novel about Atlantis from the late 1800s, with a style that mixes up hundreds of musical sub-genres in each song. Each individual element seems too far-fetched to enjoy, but when combined something wonderful and twisted is created. Speaking of the combined pieces, Pepe Deluxé describe themselves as “an inter-continental orchestra,” but the two “conductors” of this orchestra are…
The album probably shoulda been called “Tighten Up,” considering that’s what Danger Mouse helped the Keys do for the songwriting of this record. Funny thing “Tighten Up,” too: If that was the band’s attempt at a pop song (within a retro-soul record), El Camino, and especially lead single “Lonely Boy,” is their attempt at a pop record. And, of course, since it’s Danger Mouse and it’s on a major label, the hooks aren’t happenstance like…
Hailie Hay
Alice Smith
Mark Steinbach
Olivia Pad
Joe Mills
Drew Morgan
Steve Lampiris