Album Reviews

Unca John – Midlife Crisis Vanity Project

August 15, 2023

Midlife Crisis Vanity Project (MCVP)… Without even writing any words of my own, the title kind of says it all. Unca John is a Baltimore-based singer-songwriter hiding behind his secret identity as an economics professor. He’s emerging out of the shadows to debut his art, the ten-song MCVP. It’s full of classic rock, jangly pop, and retro song structures that have a wholesome exterior disguising a darker depth within. Expect lots of sardonic wordplay and dark humor from Unca John as he navigates a confusing time in his life through disarming song and dance. MCVP opens with the quick-witted pop rock of “How The Hell?” “Hell” also happens to be one of the album’s strongest tracks – pairing cascading, plucky keyboards with crunchy and catchy guitar chords and rhythms. John explores falsetto accompaniments and honeyed harmonies here alongside his tried-and-true songwriting approach. It’s tough to give a true comparison to other artists, but[...]

The Freeloaders – Cheap & Used

August 14, 2023

Pittsburgh-based act The Freeloaders are a band that knows their roots. There’s never a wrong time to acknowledge where you come from, and this quartet certainly does that (and does it well) on their latest LP, Cheap & Used. This ten song collection is full of songs that nod to rock and roll heavyweights like The Rolling Stones, Tom Petty, and Neil Young while also channeling 90s guitar rock like Radiohead, Cracker, and the Jayhawks. The Freeloaders have an all too familiar origin story – as childhood friends who grew up playing covers of the aforementioned bands, they cut their teeth perfecting the classics… That is, before the pandemic hit. Whether it was an itch from being stuck at home or just a change of heart, this quartet decided to buckle down and start creating their own songs. Cheap & Used is the result of that burning desire to make art, an[...]

Liquid Pennies – A Wake-Ending

August 13, 2023

St. Petersburg based act Liquid Pennies specialize in an indie-psych sound that toes the oh-so fine line between concise and abstract. After hammering out a new batch of tunes on stage, in between shows, and even on a live radio performance, they’re back with a four-song EP they’ve titled A Wake-Ending, which was recorded with Ryan Boesch of Candor Recording (of The Melvins, Eels, Andrew W.K., The Foo Fighters, and Nora Jones fame). Boesch helped the band encapsulate the fervor of their live sound – something they nailed on this interesting and wild group of new songs. Opening song “Discretion” opens with a whirr of feedback hum before launching into a shoegaze inspired guitar jangle from guitarist Chas Binns. Very quickly, you realize A Wake-Ending is going to be a wild ride, as rolling and rollicking drums from Christian Kovar start rattling the space between your ears. Dylan Carney’s bass acts as[...]

Bathe Alone – Fall With The Lights Down

August 13, 2023

Atlanta musician Bailey Crone, better known as Bathe Alone, recently released the latter half of her double EP Fall With The Lights Down (Velma). That, along with, Side A: (Louise), August 4th, completes the homage to her great-grandmothers; whose pictures adorn the cover of the album and their respective EPs. Speaking to this (and the iconic ’70s era photos that adorn the covers), Crone had this to say: “I was browsing my dad’s Facebook and he had uploaded all of these family photos… She just looks super unhappy and out of context being on a boat… Then there’s another photo of the other great-grandma in a yellow vest with a picnic basket next to her. I thought these photos were so weird and powerful.” We’ve covered Bathe Alone before at the blog, which you can find here; Nick called 2020’s single “Calm Down” a “beautiful slice of dream pop.” Fall With the[...]

Talking To Shadows – Lost

August 7, 2023

Talking to Shadows continues to amaze their listeners with their second EP, aptly titled Lost. Recently released on Bandcamp and streaming everywhere on July 21st, 2023, Lost absolutely solidifies the band’s reputation as riffy shoegazers. Cat Van Glide’s ethereal vocals take off over the scenes made by Gregoire Palmer’s perplexing guitar work, whereas Ron Weldon’s driving basslines and Alex Hughes’ energetic drumming give a strong establishment for the band’s sonic investigation. Together, they make a divider of sound that encompasses gatherings of people, submerging them in a cathartic, reflective, and melodic experience. Opening with “Soma,” the album immediately envelops listeners in a captivating soundscape, as Cat Van Glide’s ethereal vocals intertwine with Gregoire Palmer’s masterful guitar work. The album’s progression leads to the soulful and powerful “Exit Wound,” a seamless blend of shoegaze and dreampop that resonates with perfection. “Give Me Some of You” injects an energetic burst reminiscent of[...]

Porcelain Tongue – Goodbye Peggy

August 4, 2023

Porcelain Tongue is here to talk about loss – the tellingly-titled Goodbye Peggy is their latest offering, a stark title for a hard look at what it means to lose somebody you love. The sophomore release from this Boise-based quartet is a shoegaze-tinged approach that implements significant elements of both emo and straightforward indie rock. Opening track “Support” is archetypal Porcelain Tongue. These dudes have clearly spent many a beer-soaked night in a room with each other – certainly two effective ways to deal with the loss of a loved one (drinking and playing music, that is). Lines like “You say you’re fine, but I know you’re lying” encapsulate these hard-to-talk-about feelings perfectly, while the band wrenches and bends through a number of tempo changes, almost like an irregular, grief-stricken heartbeat. Fuzzed-out bass pushes this one forward, while guitars soar and scream in unison – it’s the perfect way to open an[...]

The Cast-Iron Canaries – Propagaga

July 31, 2023

It’s hard to believe that the 90s were 30+ years ago, but here we are in 2023… And that means grimy punk rock act The Cast-Iron Canaries are celebrating a milestone anniversary of their 1993 EP, Propagaga. Although the band thought their work had been lost forever, engineer/producer Jonathan Burnside stumbled across the project at Razor’s Edge Studios in the Haight Ashbury district. Since discovering this lost gem, they just put out a special reissue of the album earlier this month (7/14), and we’re lucky enough to have the chance to revisit this fun time capsule of early 90s punk rock. Fans of The Misfits, Manic Street Preachers, Sex Pistols, and even Reel Big Fish (!) can find lots to love about this EP. Song one, “Eternal Prom Queen” starts out with a guttural scream followed by the hallmarks of The Cast-Iron Canaries’ sound. Expect buzzing guitar noise; oi-oi-oi singalongs; and[...]

Shaven Primates – Birds Aren’t Real

July 28, 2023

Shaven Primates are a five-piece from Oxford, UK who hit our inboxes with the “alt thought” experiment of their latest EP, Birds Arent Real. The band exists to push the boundaries of independent rock music, typically challenging both ears and brains simultaneously with a mix of dark wave, art rock, and post punk layered atop of a solid prog bedrock. This latest batch of five continues that trend – a highly conceptual (and borderline conspiratorial) offering with plenty to think about, both musically and lyrically… All it’s missing is an exposé on the moon landing (which is, without a doubt, fake). Album opener “Fade Away” touches on the presence of fascism in social media – as the band explains it, it was: “Inspired by the Louis Theroux interviews with YouTubers Nick Fuentes and Baked Alaska.” The ideas portrayed here are cleverly veiled with pointed (but not finger-pointed) turns of phrase, which helps the[...]

Le Big Zero – At Arm’s Length

July 25, 2023

The perpetually rotating (but nevertheless crucial) members of Le Big Zero (LBZ) have persevered through a lot… Think cross-country moves; DIY tours; and the aforementioned revolving door of necessary-but-temporary bandmates. Since you’re reading this review, it’s clear they’re still alive – the band’s proverbial heart kept beating by mainstays Michael Pasuit and Ben Ross. They’ve been joined by Katie Cooney and Lukas Hirsch, who have been with the band since 2022’s A Proper Mess. In case you missed it, we wrote about the excellent “Beach Séance” from that offering last year – be sure to check it out here. But we’re not talking about 2022 right now – we’re here to talk about Le Big Zero’s most recent output, At Arm’s Length. For a band named after literally zilch, nil, nada, this quartet pumps out a lot of sound… And uniquely too. Fans of Speedy Ortiz; Foyer Red; Pavement; and Les[...]

Graffiti Welfare – Revolving Shores

July 23, 2023

Denver’s Graffiti Welfare (aka, mastermind George Lattimore) makes music to disassociate to. That’s not a dig in any sense of the word – in fact, the lush reverbs and cavernous vocal presence make for an otherworldly experience, perfect for simultaneously zoning out while listening ever-so-intently. His latest batch of music, the ten-song Revolving Shores, is archetypal in its psych-electronica approach… A solo acid trip full of thick, heady music to get lost inside of. With some psychy, freak-out albums, it’s easy to think that there’s an avant-garde approach to the music – a more “creative and freeform flailing” as opposed to something heartfelt and pure. Graffiti Welfare finds the happy medium between the two – inspired by his grandparents that passed away during the creation of the album, Revolving Shores certainly tugs on heartstrings while maintaining its ethereal charm. Fans of anyone from Tame Impala; to Pink Floyd; to Animal[...]

Duster – Stratosphere

July 18, 2023

It’s hard to believe that 1998 was 25 years ago… And it’s even harder to believe that 25 years after the fact, San Jose’s Duster has found viral success on TikTok, of all places. Not to say the band doesn’t deserve it – their mercurial blend of “home recording accidents” and “blown-out 2am studio experiments” clearly resulted in something special, Stratosphere, an iconic and well-deserved milestone in pre Y2K slow core, indie rock, and beyond. The 17-song collection is full of Casiotone meanderings; jangly guitars dripping with emotions; and microphone-in-a-room drum tones that sound as iconic today, potentially even more so, as they did back then. If you’ve been on social media any time over the last few years, you’re probably familiar with the now iconic “Inside Out.” Having racked up an impressive 140 million+ streams on Spotify alone (and 7.2 billion (!) times on TikTok), there’s no doubt Duster[...]

In Search Of – Alice and the Wonderland

July 12, 2023

Our latest feature comes from Los Angeles-based act In Search Of. The eclectic duo is here with a unique take on a literature staple, re-told through the lens of pop rock. It’s called Alice and the Wonderland, and you can listen to it on Spotify right now. You may recognize half of In Search Of from The Voice (team Blake, woo!)… But Michelle Ray’s beautiful voice has been heard all over, including in commercial placements (Bloomingdales, Nickelodeon, Mastercard, Maybellene, just to name a few); on film and television placements; in theatre productions (Alanis Morissette – The Album Project: Jagged Little Pill and American Idiot); as well as live performances throughout her hometown of LA. She’s teamed up with a very special guest, her father and virtuoso guitarist Michael Raitzin, to bring you Alice and the Wonderland, and their unique (but undoubtedly strong) background makes for a wild ride through 13 unforgettable tracks. There’s an[...]

chris portka – trash music

July 6, 2023

California bay area-based artist Chris Portka has always dreamt of being a musician. With his roots dating back to the dirty, blistering grunge of the ’90s, a young portka followed his heart… He fought past crippling stage fright; anxiety attacks during Elliot Smith covers; and a voice that sounds like a “Rhinoceros fighting to befriend an Elephant” (his words not ours) to get where he is today. It’s safe to say that portka has devoted a fair amount of blood, sweat, and tears to make this whole music thing work. And while he makes himself at home in any jam session (whether it be on an acoustic guitar or a synth or a piano), there’s a deeper, stranger fire burning within him. As he puts it: “my roots burrow in this impressionistic improv that reflects a fierce internal conflict.” Enter trash music, portka’s latest offering. It’s a twelve song album[...]

Disco Sam – American Nightlife

July 5, 2023

In this infinite void of new music, few acts have the ability to transport your mind to a world of infectious rhythms, cheeky melodies, and fun bedroom-pop quirkiness quite like Disco Sam. He’s about to release a brand new EP, his 7th (!), one he’s calling American Nightlife. Upon listening, it’s evident that this ain’t Sam’s first rodeo, and the enigmatic frontman once again shows his irresistible appeal in this brand new batch of charming, disco-flavored bedroom-pop compositions. The EP opens with “Draws Me Inside,” and the hallmarks of Sam’s songwriting go-tos start to shine through immediately. The basslines on American Nightlife are absolutely the backbone of these tunes, bobbing and weaving around the fretboard with an itchy sort of bounce. Sam’s vocals also shine through here, a characteristic baritone that sounds like it belongs at a sweaty, sexy basement show. There’s something seductive about Disco Sam, and “Draws” is[...]

ROREY – “Apt 7d”

July 3, 2023

There’s no shortage of NYC-based acts that have changed music… The Strokes, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Interpol – basically any band you’d have seen or read about in the semi-recent Meet Me In The Bathroom documentary. With The Strokes having won a Grammy for The New Abnormal; Yeah Yeah Yeahs riding high on the success of their new album; and Interpol touring the world and playing stadiums with The Smashing Pumpkins, there’s no doubt the world is ready and willing to hear more NYC-bred, guitar-driven music. Enter wunderkind ROREY, the 23 year old grunge-popper who is turning heads with her palatable blend of ’90s influenced nostalgia triggers. We’ve had the pleasure of reviewing her latest album, Apt 7d, and it itches that deep-rooted scratching that exists in our tired millennial brains for good times (i.e. the aughts) now long past. EP opener “Burned Your Letter” introduces us to the hallmarks of ROREY’s sound –[...]