As of today, Hardly Art now has seven records under their belt thanks to the release of Lessons In The Woods Or A City by Talbot Tagora. These seven hold some pretty blatant differences. Each release drastically contrasts from the last, the last two, and so on back to HAR-001 (In Camera by Arthur & Yu). Despite variations across the board, one thing remains consistent: greatness. Read More »Talbot Tagora [Feature]
Cover art is often a good descriptor of what may reside within an album, but it is not always the case. A prime example is Fire And Gold by Brian Bond. The cover can truly be labeled as art and gives the appearance that the original piece is mixed media. To me, this type of cover gives the vision of something bordering on the avant garde. Read More »Brian Bond [Feature]
It may be questionable as to whether Russell Huie is a somber songwriter, or a joyful musician. But, one thing is certain, he can write one hell of a folk song. Cheer The Bombs On is the sort of journey one takes knowing it will be a short voyage, but continues to dread the end all the same. Thankfully this album has the artistic capacity of round trip sessions with very little turbulence. Just smooth guitar waves honing into a strange and delightful goodness of folk pleasure.
Read More »Russell Huie: Cheer The Bombs On [Album Review]
Stockholm, Sweden’s Johan Cederberg crafts mellow electro-pop melodies. The majority of songs, like “Near – On” and “The Shape Of Things To Come”, are simply good pop tunes, while others delve into a lo-fi experimentation, as found in “Moonmonths”. Both styles feature clever cuts and loops throughout complex and intricate piecing together of tracks for songs that have extensive breadth.
Read More »Johan Cederberg: Selected Recordings 2004-2006
Many would argue that, when it comes to decade-old genres, it becomes harder and harder to write that which stands alone as unique. The same has been said over and over about post-rock, yet Black Hat Brigade seem to be creating a sound that, at least to some extent, is proprietary. After a brief single for their track “Zombie City Shake”, they now give us an EP titled “Fathers”.
Read More »Black Hat Brigade: “Fathers” [Album Review]
“Desert Song” may be buried somewhere in the middle of Edward Sharpe And The Magnetic Zeros‘ latest LP, Up From Below, out as of last week on Community Music / Fairfax Records, but it’s the intro to their twelve-part, feature-length movie-musical. The song features an intro filmed by singer Alex Ebert’s mother and a chant by his father.
Read More »Edward Sharpe And The Magnetic Zeros: Desert Song [Video]
After two stellar fuzz-pop releases by two amazing artists — The Pains of Being Pure At Heart and Liechtenstien — I was expecting more of the same from the self-titled LP by Bricolage. However, expectations were fallacious; Bricolage has more in common with label mates The Lodger than the aforementioned duo. “Bayonets” is the opening track off Bricolage and while it lacks the fuzz, it more than makes up in highly upbeat Euro-sounding pop.
Read More »Bricolage [Feature] 
Death Valley Sleepers, despite a plural name, is one man — Tobias Winberg. Winberg, who hails from Denmark, writes songs that find themselves in the realm of highly infectious indie pop. The vocals are soothing and relaxed while the guitar, with an added power, delves into the psychedelic. Read More »Death Valley Sleepers: Small Town Bells [Track Review]
So, you probably already know that The Dead Weather is the latest project by Jack White of The White Stripes and The Raconteurs fame. You probably also know that White’s new musical female counterpart is Alison Mosshart, previously best known for her dominating vocal presence in The Kills. And you’ve probably listened to The Dead Weather’s new album, Horehound, three times by now; I have only listened to “Treat Me Like Your Mother” and I’ve only done so once, while watching the video. Read More »The Dead Weather: Treat Me Like Your Mother [Video]
Two years ago I met my girlfriend (her name is Andi, too) at the Capitol Hill Block Party, one of Seattle’s many kick-ass local summer festivals. Last year I went again, and it was packed. This year, as much as I hate to say it, I most likely will not go unless I score some press tickets or something awesome along those lines in the next week. It saddens me because Pela will be there, playing tracks off their debut full-length record, Anytown Graffiti. Read More »Pela [Show Preview]
