Psalmships is the latest project by folk genius Joshua Britton (The Sweetheart Parade). Where his earlier moniker found him a natural folk rhythm in guitar + vocalist, Psalmships is somewhat an antithesis. This is obvious from the earliest moments of opener “Determination”. The music isn’t acoustic guitar heavy; it’s not pointed and rough, or lo-fi. It is, in fact, smooth. Read More »Psalmships: Smoke + Vein [Album Review]
Metric’s newest release, Fantasies, kicks to life with a heartbeat of a kick drum and weavings of stereo effect. The overly saccharine has been replaced with heartier bass lines; there is a moodiness that tempers throughout the album that creates a more mature and mainstream sound. While the overall feel of this album is a definite change from Live It Out, there are still elements that reminisce of their older material. Read More »Metric: Fantasies [Album Review]
My god, what a progression! Believe me that there is merit behind my words: Pomegranates were successful in their debut, last year’s Everything Is Alive, but this, this sophomore release, this Everybody Come Outside – this is something else entirely. And it’s mind-blowing! Read More »Pomegranates: Everybody Come Outside [Album Review]
Soul Distraction is one of those groups you rarely see in this current frame of being. There is no dilemma of rationalization in listening to their music. There is no discredit in yearning to know this very powerful and talented group of musicians. And their sophomore release Ticket To Paradise is another chapter in the ever growing and spectacular being are these profound characters of modern rock n roll. Read More »Soul Distraction: Ticket To Paradise [Album Review]
Even the skeptics would say (or should say) that The Writer’s Block by Peter Bjorn And John was anything but – there was a special sort of quality that hoisted it above prior work, even the great Falling Out. Songs like “Young Folks” and “Objects Of My Affection” were some of the best songs of 2007. Living Thing is the follow-up and, not surprisingly, it fails to live up to its predecessor. But that doesn’t mean it lacks greatness; again, anything but. Read More »Peter Bjorn And John: Living Thing [Album Review]
Hinting strongly of Sarah Records and the twee movement, Charlie Big Time can easily be likened to everyone from greats like The Field Mice and Lovejoy, to more modern artists like Palomar and Tender Trap. And, of course, the king of all twee-based influences: The Smiths. There is no denying the influence of The Smiths here, both the songwriting and vocal styling have Moz written all over “Love Is A Franchise”. Read More »Charlie Big Time: The Tall Storeys Of…
Oh man, this is where it gets good. When the near folk-y “Intro” leads into the intense rock drone of “Sleep By The Ocean”. It sweeps you off your feet, leaving you stunned. You ask: Where did that come from!? And then you grin, because Fauna Valetta really is fucking good. Read More »Fauna Valetta: Fauna Valetta [Album Review]
In sociology there is an ancient debate that continues to rage today: are our instincts influenced by nature or nurture? On one side, nature argues that it is our inherent instinct that rules–that which is passed on from generation to generation. The nurture argument, on the other hand, would argue that we are a product of our environment. Much like the determinism versus free will argument in philosophy, when posed the question, many would say there are elements of both that make up our personalities and explain why we do the things we do.
Read More »Tullycraft: Every Scene Needs A Center [Album Review] 
When You’re Still Frozen In Time arrived in the mail, I got really excited—the group’s label was responsible for releasing one of my favorite indiepop albums last year, an album by Fireflies. Stars In Coma feature heavy synths and glam-like bits, but not quite to the level of Sweden’s The Ark; where The Ark is more rock driven, Stars In Coma makes glam pop. Read More »Stars In Coma: You’re Still Frozen In Time [Album Review]
The concepts on Russian Circles‘ Station are far from new–this particular genre being dominated by power names like Explosions in the Sky, Mogwai, and Dungen–but in comparison, there seems to be more going on here thanks to an added guitar or two. Like EitS, Russian Circles lacks vocals, such that the emphasis is, of course, on the instrumentation and a play on loud versus soft.
Read More »Russian Circles: Station [Album Review]
