Valhalla Dancehall is the band’s fourth release and is classic British Sea Power. I was rather excited to review this album as I just love them and will continue to love them with this album. I caught myself singing its opening track, Who’s In Control, while doing the dishes the other day. That’s has to say something right? It says that it’s awesome! Valhalla Dancehall is full of triggering beats, rhythmic enjoyment and I would say it’s a piece of heaven. Be sure to catch British Sea Power on a supporting tour for this album in the United States this spring.
Hard Times and Nursery Rhymes is definitely a classic Social Distortion album. It has a nice smooth mixture of country, rockabilly and punk. Their first instrumental kicks off the album into a great direction for what follows. I am a huge fan of their first single off this album, Machine Gun Blues. It reminds me of Social Distortion back in 1992. Did I mention that front man Mike Ness produced this album? Maybe that’s why it’s so damn good.
The Capital Years is a great album jam packed with the best of The Dandy Warhols. From classic tracks like Bohemian Like You and We Used To Be Friends to newer tracks. After seeing them live at the Hard Rock Café on the Strip in Las Vegas I can say that they still have what it takes to rock. If you are a new Dandy fan or an original fan, pick up The Capital Years to get their music covered.
I would like to start off this review saying that the drums in the opening track, Meet Your New Love, are so simple I just feel in love. Atlantic/Pacific know what they are doing when it comes to great laid back music. Each track is laid out perfectly and each is a great introduction to the next.
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YELLOWBIRDS – THE HONEST OCEAN
The Honest Ocean by YellowBirds is stupendous. I can’t get enough of this album. Their voices remind me of a band from the 60’s but their musical backdrop is from today. It’s a great mixture of pop and indie at its finest. Do download this album upon its release in February on iTunes and support! YellowBirds is a great little band out of New York featuring Sam Cohen of Apollo Sunshine.
What a gentle voices the duo, Molly Shea and Jason Lauber who make up Acrylics have. Lives and Treasure is just that, a piece of treasure. Both went through a lot to get this album finished and all their hard work is finely detailed in each track. This album is wealthy of heart and soul.
Papercranes has won me over. Singer Rain Phoenix has such an angelic voice that changes so much throughout this album it’s just beautiful. Let’s Make Babies In The Woods is filled with great orchestration to match Rain’s voice to a T. The album features a wide range of musicians from Flea of the Red Hot Chilli Peppers to actor Dermot Mulroney to name a few. e album include actor Dermot Mulroney and Flea of the Red Hot Chilli Peppers.
Black Pistol is a lucky band of two childhood friends from Canada who wanted to start fresh with a move to Austin, Texas who made a great album. They won over the ears of p roducer Jim Diamond (The White Stripes, The Von Bondies) while playing at a little whole in the wall in Austin who offered to record this great rock, garage-punk filled album. Their sound reminds me of Kings of Leon thrown into a blender with The Black Keys on the smooth setting.
Weezer’s Pinkerton album back in 1996 was not as anticipated as it is today. This album is now a cult favorite and in my opinion, the best album the band has ever produced. Now, fans of Weezer old and new can partake in the original Pinkerton tracks as well as 16 previously unreleased tracks on this two-cd edition of Pinkerton. Add 25 bonus tracks to the mix, which includes every B-side and live performances from Weezer concerts in 1996 and 1997 from festivals, radio sessions and private performances. The “New” Pinkerton made me discover more about River Cuomo’s interesting take on music with the unreleased tracks which includes Tragic Girl, and a copy of an essay that reveals the tracks’ existence by Karl Koch.
California based band, Trapt, has been around for a while now and their new album, No Apologies, proves that they will be around for even longer. This is the album Trapt has been missing. Their first single, Sound Off, is a great introduction to the album and sets a great tone for every tack to follow. The albums’ self-titled track is classic Trapt and I caught myself singing along to it right away.
Amusement Parks On Fire is the best thing to come out Nottingham England. Their fourth album, Road Eyes is a perfect soundtrack to a mellow drive on the open road. Having been produced by Michael Patterson who has turned around great artists like Beck, this album by Amusement Parks On Fire has wall to wall sound that will take you away.
I remember the first time I saw The Octopus Project way back when on a stage at Coachella when no one really knew who they were. Boy have they come a long way since then. Hexadecagon is a stupendous work of art. The band, having built their own equipment to make this album a success, completes each track of complex electronic sounds. The title, Hexadecagon came about by the band placing eight speakers and eight synched-up video projections in a circle while the band were placed in the middle amongst an audience commencing a 16-sided a/v panorama during their 2010 SXSW performances in their home town of Austin, Texas.
The Creepshow has done it again. Their forthcoming album, We All Fall Down is Horror Rock at its finest. The album is more poetic and about life experiences then their past three. While listening to their new album you will experience a slow song that is unlike none other entitled, Sleep Tight. The track is completely not “them” but they make it work with amazing three part harmonies; it is a great change for the band. The rest of We All Fall Down is classic Creepshow. It is full of heart pounding lyrics and a strong bass slap that will make any girl cream, I mean scream for more horror rock.
It is about time that Belle and Sebastian came out with a new album and it is none like any other. Even with a five year hiatus, Belle and Sebastian have not lost their touch with Write About Love. The Album is full of surprises from duets with Norah Jones and actress Carey Mulligan but has its’ classic folk sound of their earlier albums like my favorite, Tigermilk. Write about Love was recorded with a complete orchestration with Tony Hoffer and is one to impress.
I am a Morrissey fan so I am already a fan of Girl In A Coma since I first found out about them years ago, I mean come on, who can’t love a band whose name was inspired by a Smiths song? The ladies’ new album, Adventures in Cloverfield, still make me coming back for more. The girls have really come a long way. Adventures in Cloverfield, is consists of classic Girl In A Coma orchestrations and tones as well as an enjoyful cover of Buffalo Springfield’s 1960s protest anthem “For What It’s Worth.” You can find their track, Yo Oigo from this album featured in Robert Rodriquez’s movie “Machete.” Definitely check this album out as well as their tour with The Dresden Dolls this November.
It’s Frightening has your foot tapping upon the first beat. Seriously watch out for this band, they are going to be huge. It’s Frightening is the second album of many from White Rabbits, a Brooklyn based band compiled with amazing sounds that made the record that I could not put down. Catch them on tour now with Interpol and pick up the new album; it will transform your headphones.
