Category: Reviews
REVIEW: Kareem Ali – ‘Getting Through’
Getting Through by Kareem Ali Upon doing research for this review, I noticed that Phoenix-based producer Kareem Ali’s Instagram bio reads “I create music for everything in the universe”. Marry this ethos with Ali’s one-of-a-kind Boiler Room mix, set in the sunset-soaked desert outskirts of Phoenix, and this mission statement tells listeners everything we need…
REVIEW: DoFlame’s “Bat House”
18-year-old DoFlame made his debut just a few weeks ago with single “Bat House.” If I could describe this track in a just one sentence, I’d say, “90s nu trash is back, baby.” But, we have the privilege of free speech, so let’s continue. I can’t say I expected a 2003 baby to make his…
REVIEW: Cities Aviv – ‘The Crashing Sound of How It Goes’
THE CRASHING SOUND OF HOW IT GOES by Cities Aviv I was stuck in a place/I couldn’t get up/what happens next? How does one begin to grieve growth from one chapter of life to another? Loved ones lost, a regressive sociopolitical landscape, and the impending fears of aging all come crashing down on one to…
REVIEW: Bobby Kid – “Blue/Dissonance”
Who am I, and who are you? Growth. Fear. Changes. The nostalgia of it all. Who are we if I am no longer who I used to be? We desperately cling on to our past in hopes of using it as a band-aid, a short term justification, to heal what we face now. And most…
Fleet Foxes – ‘First Collection 2006-2009’
Nostalgia is a powerful feeling, providing respite from the present day. Music continues to find ways to replicate former fond feelings: a day at the beach, a sunset with friends after a long hike, or a cozy evening in the mountains. If there is a specific minutiae-filled time and place that one longs for, it’s…
BRONCHO: ‘Bad Behavior’
When formulating ideas for new music, BRONCHO bandleader Ryan Lindsey could not help but focus on the bad things. While spending a lot of time watching CNN, he says, “…man, there’s a lot of bad behavior out there. Not to mention, there’s a company making money off of people watching their depiction of it all.” Shortly…
REVIEW: Lala Lala – ‘The Lamb’
Lillie West has described her recent past as one of “general violence.” In the midst of writing her follow-up to 2016’s delicate Sleepyhead, West’s inner circle faced home invasions, assault, and death, leaving her running inward, dreading the world outside. Through fear and personal deconstruction, West’s latest album as Lala Lala makes big realizations around…
Middle Kids are a Force to be Reckoned with on Debut Album “Lost Friends”
An eclectic combination of confidence, self-doubt, love, and lust ooze from “Lost Friends,” the debut album from Australian trio, Middle Kids. The vocals of singer/guitarist Hannah Joy radiate self-assurance, but the lyrics tell a story of uncertainty and woe. Combined with the powerful instrumentals of Tim Fitz and Harry Day, the fresh-faced band navigates rocky…
(Sandy) Alex G at Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall (6/8)
Quiet whispers evaporated into the echoing chambers of the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall as a couple hundred early attendees awaited an appearance from Philadelphia bedroom singer-songwriter, Alex Giannascoli (stage name (Sandy) Alex G). Initially gaining a core fan base from a sprawling DIY Bandcamp catalogue, Alex G’s official debut album DSU arrived in 2014 via Orchid Tapes….
Melody’s Echo Chamber: ‘Bon Voyage’
The time between albums for Melody Prochet has been close to six years, and that span can be categorized by loss and rediscovery. In the initial recording of Melody’s Echo Chamber’s follow up to her acclaimed self-titled debut, Prochet abandoned the first attempt, describing it as a “dead baby”. Choosing to go it alone and end…