This is a treat from across the pond that found me via email a few weeks ago. Within the last few years I have taken a deeper look into the realms of progressive and post-rock, resulting in some ear pleasing rewards. The Fierce and the Dead -- the trio of Matt Stevens on guitar, Kev Feazey on bass, synthesizers and production, and Stuart Marshall on drums -- are proving to be contenders for post-rock glory.
Taking the normal rock music ingredients of guitars and drums, ditching verse-chorus-verse style writing, and blending in elements of free jazz improvisation is the easiest
Archive for New Music
New Release: My Morning Jacket, Circuital
I was worried about this album when I heard that the Kentucky boys were using some more psychedelic folk like their previous release 2008’s Evil Urges. Nothing against that record but it lumbered on after about eight tracks and the experimental pieces in the beginning were kind of far out. Holing up in a church gymnasium in Louisville to record their latest, you can tell they are doing some experimenting and holding onto the roots that made them famous.
Interspersed throughout this album are some spots where you can hear the band having a good time and stretching out a
Interspersed throughout this album are some spots where you can hear the band having a good time and stretching out a
Explosions in the Sky: Take Care, Take Care, Take Care
The last time I was in Newbury Comics to pick up a new release I gave myself a challenge: pick a new release by a band you didn’t know anything about. I used some simple criteria: name, promo stickers and clerk recommendation. With a band name like Explosions in the Sky, a sticker that had reviews from Filter and Mojo, then a clerk mentioning it was a solid album from an instrumental rock band; it fit my criteria.
Explosions are a four piece from Texas and have been together since 1999. Unlike Mogwai or Tortoise, Explosions seem to stay
Explosions are a four piece from Texas and have been together since 1999. Unlike Mogwai or Tortoise, Explosions seem to stay
Horse Feathers, Drain You/Bonnet of Briars, 2010
Not all music has to be on CD or MP3; some of us still buy vinyl. A few weeks back I was going through a music site I read and came across a link to a cover of my favorite Nirvana song "Drain You." When it comes to covers I am very particular: if you’re going to take one of my favorite songs, or any song for that matter, and revise it then you better do a darn good job. Not knowing what to expect I listened to the track and was floored. The single was being released in
Cake, Showroom of Compassion, 1/11/11
After a six year break since their last proper album, Cake return with an eco-friendly set of tunes that will revive your faith in music. The boys have been busy converting their studio to solar power, touring just about every year, releasing an album of B-Sides and rare tracks. However, it is always refreshing to hear new material from any band.
Cake has not lost any of their wit since Pressure Chief, and you might say that this album sounds much more cohesive. There is a relaxed feeling to many of the songs, but you can tell there is a
Cake has not lost any of their wit since Pressure Chief, and you might say that this album sounds much more cohesive. There is a relaxed feeling to many of the songs, but you can tell there is a
