Album Reviews

King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard – Nonagon Infinity

May 20, 2016

King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard have been on a tear since forming in 2010. The Melbourne, Australia-based psychedelic rockers are now on their eighth full-length studio album in six years, an impressive output considering they are also relentless live performers. Their latest, Nonagon Infinity, is an onslaught of fast tempo, psyched-out rock that shows off their cornucopia of influences. The entire album is intended as a continuous, looped musical piece. Each track flows directly into the next, with the final track (“Road Train”) connecting seamlessly back to the first (“Robot Stop”). If you were to put the album on repeat, it would continue forever. Of course, you could do this with any album. However, there would be a clearly defined and discernible beginning and end. With Nonagon Infinity, you don’t know where one song ends and the next one begins, as you are lead on a never-ending sonic journey.[...]

Sam Beam & Jesca Hoop – Love Letter for Fire

May 10, 2016

Singer-songwriter heavyweight Sam Beam (know mostly as Iron & Wine) has released another collaborative work, titled Love Letter for Fire. After 2015’s joint effort with Band of Horses’ Ben Bridwell, Beam has teamed up with singer-songwriter Jesca Hoop, who is known for her experimentation with different genres. The result is a record of imaginative and heartfelt acoustic indie-folk that is both lively and melancholy. Their unique perspectives as composers compliment each other well. Musically, Beam’s jazzier tendencies are on display alongside Hoop’s experimental indie side. They find common ground with their inherent passion for both classic and modern folk music, offering floating arrangements with fingerpicked acoustic guitars and soft strings. Both singers posses a tender and soothing voice that gently cradles their poetic lyricism. Every composition is raw and rustic, featuring sparse percussion, complimentary violin and ornamental piano as add-ons to the predominant base of guitar and vocals. Tracks like[...]

Evil Wizardry – The Garden

May 4, 2016

On April 25, Evil Wizardry released the condensed, electronic beauty that is The Garden. Evil Wizardry is a Utica-grown ambient, dream pop, noise band. A summary of those genres is: Though there are vocals and lyrics to this 5-song EP, don’t try to listen close without a lyric sheet, or your head might explode. It’s spacious vibes can certainly be appreciated, but everything needs to be taken with a grain of salt. Try to think your way through these songs and you’ll find yourself strangled by the racket rather than cozied in its trippy waves. “Trance Path” begins with a trance drum beat and jangly nineties guitar. Soon, expressive vocal phrases show their heads, though altogether, the song is a warped, making you bend over to listen closer to the somehow distant music. “Trance Path” ends with guitar bouncing up and down from the speakers. Song Two, “Gordon’s First Informal[...]

Parquet Courts – Human Performance

April 29, 2016

Parquet Courts is one of the rare rock’n rolls bands in the last couple of years to manage a consistent number of good releases in a short period of time. Coming from Brooklyn, they manage a good work ethic and have put out some actually thought-provoking music that isn’t too pretentious. When Parquet Courts first gained traction with their release of album Light Up Gold, it was apparent that this band was special. The quartet has succeeded by making good music with a genuine message that is unfortunately not commonly seen with many bands when they gain any sort of commercial success. The lyrics Human Performance are poetic and that’s what is one of the many polarizing aspects of the band. The intro track “Already Dead” contains is good preparation for what is to come as it transitions into a small spoken word monologue reminding you to just relax wherever you are[...]

Kevin Morby – Singing Saw

April 25, 2016

After a stint in the group Woods and a short lived side project The Babies, singer-songwriter Kevin Morby is now on his third solo record, titled Singing Saw. He has grown with each album, establishing a unique voice in a musical realm of familiarity. With pristine instrumentals and a storyteller-like prose, Singing Saw may be his best work yet. Nothing here is overly groundbreaking but, much like Tobias Jesso, Jr., he has managed to take the influence of well-traveled sounds and ideas and make them feel fresh and all his own. At moments throughout the album, you can draw lines back to the likes of Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen or Lou Reed, but not without a deep look through Morby’s own lens. He expertly weaves together folk, rock, and Americana, pairing it with vintage and folksy lyricism. His signature hushed baritone voice gives everything a calming, almost hypnotic feel. Singing[...]

The Cat Empire – Rising With The Sun

April 15, 2016

The Cat Empire has just released their new album Rising With the Sun.  I wouldn’t put this Australian band into any particular genre because they are a very unique group that incorporates several genres into their astounding music.  Rising With the Sun is a very Reggae-ish album compared to most of their other albums.  With the use of trumpets, synthesizers, and a funky bass, The Cat Empire brings you into the summer with this album. The second track on the eleven-track album, “Bulls,” is an upbeat reggae song that relies heavily on the piano for the refrain and the reggae breakdown in the verses.  The bass is also a big part of the verses holding the groovy beats together.  Once the refrain hits, the trumpets come in hot, giving the refrain a sing-along effect.  It then cuts into a fast break/ending with the bass leading the way to close it[...]

Iggy Pop – Post Pop Depression

April 5, 2016

Releasing a rock and roll album at 68 years old is no easy task as the genre is almost synonymous with youthful energy. When you are one of rock’s most legendary icons does that mean you can still release music that was up to par with your early material? That’s a question in which will be debated endlessly, but I can safely say that Mr. Pop still has the weirdness that we know and love along with some fresh creative energy. Pop brings a flavor that isn’t youthful energy, but is no doubt rock n roll. On the icon’s latest effort, Post-Pop Depression, the vocals bring about a sound reminiscent with the likes of Johnny Cash’s sound when he was around the age Pop is now with the added crudeness that we are familiar with when it comes to Iggy Pop. This is certainly not to say that Post-Pop Depression lacks[...]

Ray LaMontagne – Ouroboros

April 4, 2016

On the latest from folk-rock veteran Ray LaMontagne, he takes his sound another step farther from his earlier material. Ouroboros is his sixth full-length studio album, and the sonic palette is as expansive as it’s ever been. The singer-songwriter has enlisted alternative rock favorites My Morning Jacket to serve as his backing band on the record, with their lead singer Jim James serving as producer. It’s James’ unique voice as producer that lends a helping hand in taking that next step. Musically, LaMontagne draws on the same influences that informed the cosmic rock of the early ‘70s, which combined elements of rock ‘n’ roll, blues, psychedelia, soul and folk. He claims that the album came to him in a dream, and therefore he needed to present it as one cohesive record. Much like his influences from the ‘70s, he utilizes the album format as an artistic vehicle. It’s not quite[...]

M. Ward – More Rain

March 31, 2016

Singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer Matthew Ward (aka M. Ward) has released his 8th solo studio and first album since 2012, More Rain. The restless indie-folk favorite is known for his work with duo She & Him, super group Monsters of Folk, his own solo career, and producing work for countless other artists. More Rain is a nice collection of fun, but familiar, new tunes. Ward doesn’t stray far from his comfort zone on the new record. But why would he if it works? He has made a name for himself by fusing the sounds of classic folk, ‘50s do-wop, and ‘60s rock n roll all through the lens of a modern indie context. There is a certain appreciation for artists who have established a compelling sound and can continue to churn it out, without it feeling worn. More Rain does exactly that. In typical M. Ward fashion, the genre lines[...]

Damien Jurado – Vision of Us on the Land

March 30, 2016

Damien Jurado brings us a unique experience with his newest album titled, Visions of Us on the Land.  His latest release is a 17-track album that revolves around the acoustic guitar.  From the experimental folk genre that has risen from the Indie Rock scene, this album gives us exactly that.  This is a combination of the soft voices and harmonies of Fleet Foxes and the mysterious lyrics and raw acoustic guitar of Iron & Wine. We see much more of an experimental phase from Jurado on this album.  As we hear in the fifth track titled “Sam and Davy,” he opens with a simple guitar riff while singing with an intense echo in the background.  The experimental rock side to this song is the synth that is being played as well making the song sound like it came out of a Pink Floyd album.  With the orchestra instruments slowly coming in[...]

PineSheets – Casual Frustrations

March 16, 2016

… Think a completely synthetic Elvis Depressedly meshed with the trippy-ness of Youth Lagoon. The previous ellipse is necessary as it reflects Casual Frustrations‘ tendency to slow your breathing as you become entangled in its dizzying churn. For PineSheets’ new EP, sole songwriter/producer, Joseph Vita, wrote six cohesive songs, their simplicity bordering on nothingness. The songs as a whole represent the stale depression Vita experiences throughout his daily affairs. Via R&B, soul, and experimentation, PineSheets succeeds in creating an attractive EP. Casual Frustrations kicks off with the whimsical, fluttering “Can’t Wait.” About a minute in, the piece transforms into a noticeably jazzier mix, in which Vita sensually creeps forth eventually singing about his excitement to give his love some sugar. The lead single, “Sunday Afternoon,” takes you on a twisting journey through the latter half of the weekend (typically the less exciting half). Vita exclaims, “I need to find something to occupy[...]

ROMP – Departure From Venus

March 14, 2016

When two individuals meet via Tinder, one would be safe to assume that there is a certain “connection” waiting to be made. That swipe to the right might result in a new partner if you catch my drift. In our age of digital love, what does a Tinder swipe really mean? In the case of Madison Klarer and Lucas Dalakian, Tinder was the vehicle that helped them create a completely professional musical relationship, aptly-named ROMP. Stranger things have happened, right? Either way, ROMP specializes in fun, synth-laden pop rock that’s riding the third-wave of nerd-chic acts a la Front Bottoms and Modern Baseball with a female-fronted touch (think Field Mouse or Tancred). In yet another stellar “aptly-named” decision, ROMP decided to name their first LP Departure From Venus. Themes of alienation, confusion, and twenty-something woes permeate the nine-songs on DFV. Opening track “Backfire” is an archetypal example of ROMP’s specialties – bouncy pop-punk about the awkwardness[...]

Kendrick Lamar – untitled/unmastered.

March 8, 2016

After several rumors surfaced last week regarding a new project, Kendrick Lamar surprise-released a compilation of previously unreleased material in the early hours of Friday morning. untitled unmastered. consists of eight tracks that were recorded during sessions for his 2015 masterpiece To Pimp a Butterfly, but were eventually dropped in favor of other songs. Each song name is simply “untitled” followed by the date it was recorded, spanning 2013-2014. In untitled unmastered. all of the free-form jazz backing and dense lyricism is still present, but without the finely tuned narrative focus that was employed on To Pimp a Butterfly, it plays out like a loose jam session or rehearsal. It has the same inherent feel and inspiration as its predecessor, while at the same time taking on a life of its own by being presented in a new, unhinged context. The content of the album spans an array of subjects, as the[...]

DIIV – Is the Is Are

March 3, 2016

DIIV has acquired quite the reputation among independent music fans over the last couple of years. For both their music and through offstage controversies, like when the bassist of the band, David Ruben Perez, was accused of making bigoted statements on the image board 4Chan. Not to mention since the release of their last album, Oshin, there have been various accusations of singer Zachary Cole Smith and his girlfriend, Sky Ferreira, of being addicted to heroin after their drug-related arrest in 2013. This is the first full-length release from DIIV in four years after receiving mostly positive reviews on their debut. All this aside, Is the Is Are is a double LP clocking in at a little over an hour long, which sort makes it justifiable to the fans who have been patiently awaiting new material from the band. This album is not drastically different from DIIV’s first release, but[...]

School of Seven Bells – SVIIB

March 2, 2016

After nearly a decade, Alejandra Deheza is ending School of Seven Bells. Originally a trio, Deheza is lone founding member after her twin sister Claudia left in 2010 and Benjamin Curtis tragically passed away in 2013. SVIIB is the fourth and final album from the dream pop group, and serves as a tribute to their late member. Before his passing, Curtis was able to record new material with Deheza one last time, all of which is the basis of the new record. Baring a strong sonic resemblance to the production style of the 1980s, the album is filled with cascading synths and echoing drumbeats. Blending together elements of shoegaze rock and indie-pop, it achieves a sound that is both retro and modern. Throughout, Deheza’s vocals float hauntingly over top of it all, drenched in reverb and rounding out the dense, dreamscape arrangements. There is an inherent sadness that runs through the[...]