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Castevet: Summer Fences [Album Review]

Ron Trembath
February 8, 2010February 7, 2010

Itâ€™s been a while since a real intelligent art punk band has emerged from the sewers of the dying underground. With the up-and-coming return of pop punk hitting the mainstream (knocking cry baby bullshit emo bands out of the tear-filled water), itâ€™s almost hard to understand why any artist in their right mind would want to try and handle such a quickly burning torch. Enter Castevet and their debut album Summer Fences. Now weâ€™re talking. Break out the acoustic guitars, PBR, and lack of self respect. Itâ€™s time for a good scream. Read More »Castevet: Summer Fences [Album Review]

Andrew Belle: Static Waves [mp3]

Andy Fenstermaker
January 25, 2010January 23, 2010

Contemporary folk-pop is an arena that is swamped with imitators, yet a select few artists stand out above the rest. Andrew Belle is one such artist thanks to the inclusion of female backing vocals and boisterous orchestration. “Static Waves” hits all the right points – it’s catchy and plush and clean and colorful. There’s a lot going on here, a lot more than your typical artist fitting this genre descriptor. It’s easy to hear why Belle was selected to open for Ben Folds, although I’d also put him in the same camp as masters like Andrew Bird. Read More »Andrew Belle: Static Waves [mp3]

Fireflies: Autumn Almanac

Andy Fenstermaker
January 21, 2010January 20, 2010

It’s safe to say that Fireflies is a bedroom pop band. Autumn Almanac, their new full-length, just solidifies the statement as it follows the path Fireflies journeyed down in Goodnight Stars, Goodnight Moon. It’s the sound Fireflies’ Lisle Mitnik favored on his EPs Strange and Butterscotch. With Autumn Almanac, however, change has occurred. The band has added a great deal more orchestration to the mix. Read More »Fireflies: Autumn Almanac

Netherfriends: Calling You Out [Album Review]

Andy Fenstermaker
October 27, 2009October 26, 2009

Boy do I love fun pop, and Calling You Out by Netherfriends fits the description perfectly. You can tell just by looking at the album art, among my favorites of the year. There’s a lot more going on here than just pop, though, as the eclectic percussion on tracks like “Nunya” and “Oh-Hi-Oh”, along with the supreme guitar accompaniment and tribal-esque vocals, are on par with groups like Panda Bear and, even more so, The Dodos. However, at times the similarities are almost too much. Read More »Netherfriends: Calling You Out [Album Review]