Category: Music Reviews
Less Than Jake: See The Light
For the first time in five years, Less Than Jake is dropping a full-length album (THIS MONTH), and to say that there’s much anticipation as to what to kind of musical magic these guys have created wouldn’t even scratch the surface. Less Than Jake has become a timeless staple in the punk/ska scene, with a…
Blanche Blanche Blanche: Breaking Mirrors
It was an interesting experience making homemade cookies to Blanche Blanche Blanche’s most recent album, Breaking Mirrors. I felt mad and impatient, ready to throw my no-bake cookies against the wall. That’s an exaggeration, of course, but the essence is very real. Blanche Blanche Blanche even warns on Facebook, “Don’t come to our shows if…
The Swellers: The Light Under Closed Doors
Contrary to what their last album may have led you to believe, The Swellers have not, in fact, ran out of places to go. The band released their latest album, The Light Under Closed Doors, earlier this month, and Vinyl got a first listen. Were we impressed? Definitely. Surprised? Not in the least. As a…
The Bottle Rockets: Bottle Rockets and The Brooklyn Side Reissue
When Whiskeytown was merely a blip on the mind of a 19-year-old Ryan Adams, one alt-country group was already a step ahead. Formed in St. Louis in 1992, The Bottle Rockets – founded by Brian Henneman, Mark Ortmann, Tom Parr, and Tom Ray – treaded between the then-wide lines of punk and country. With the…
of Montreal: Lousy with Sylvianbriar
If you have ever listened to of Montreal, you are aware of the psychedelic journey their tunes can take you on. A fitting album cover photo, perhaps, for Lousy with Sylvianbriar, since you may find yourself ready to hop on that bike and ride off into lands of trippy new colors and skies. With the…
Visc: The Original Rebels
Original Rebels is the fifth and most current product of Dylan Fellows’ solo project, Visc. This particular album is composed of songs themed for his childhood fears: werewolves, villains, and “Chupey”. At such an innocent age, the absurdity of our imaginations dominates our perception of reality, and even Goosebumps seems plausible. In retrospect, we see…
Arctic Monkeys: AM
Old-school Arctic Monkeys diehards, please don’t hate us for saying this: AM has got to be the group’s best album yet. With the perfect blend of rock n’ roll and pure, unadulterated sex appeal, Alex Turner and crew have churned out a masterpiece from start to finish. Let’s start with the singles. Yes, those slow,…
Kitten: Like A Stranger
Unless you’re Lady Gaga, it’s damn near impossible to harken back to early Madonna and 80s glam rock in a totally modern way. Enter Kitten, the youthful, L.A.-based electronic group fronted by 18-year-old Chloe Chaidez. Having already toured with the likes of Paramore and The Joy Formidable, it’s no surprise that Kitten’s new EP, Like…
Sirah: Inhale
You’re gonna love Sirah. It’s not that her new EP, Inhale, is all that groundbreaking in a technical sense. It’s not because her five-foot frame and candy-colored hair make the guttural raps emerging from her throat even more shocking. It’s not even the fact that she shares a Grammy with Skrillex for “Bangarang”, a collaboration…
Barrence Whitfield and the Savages: Thy Savage Soul
Discovered by the famous guitarist Peter Lynch at the Nugget record store in 1980’s Boston, Barrence Whitfield and the Savages have combined the essence of rock n’ roll with the soul of blues into their own unique albums that everyone can enjoy. Having had the privilege to listen to their newest album, Thy Savage Soul…