new release Archive
17 Dec 2014
Album Review: Marbin — The Third Set
Generally, I avoid reviewing more than one album by relatively unknown artists; even less often – never before, as far as I know – do I review two albums within […]
17 Dec 2014
Album Review: Lucas Lee — Normalcy Bias
Some of those progressive drummers really get around; it seems as if Pat Mastelotto and Marco Minnemann are everywhere, and that they always involve themselves with fascinating projects. Pat’s the […]
17 Dec 2014
Hundred Word Reviews: December 2014, Part 3
Today I cover five more albums – all new music – in hundred-word format. There are some good – and quite possibly overlooked – releases in this bunch. Lucas Lee […]
16 Dec 2014
Album Review: Willow Willow — Listening to Music
Sweetly jangling pop that recalls everything from Let’s Active to Lesley Gore to The La’s to The Cranberries (especially them) to The Roches, Listening to Music benefits from its fetchingly […]
16 Dec 2014
Album Review: The Jigsaw Seen — Old Man Reverb
It’s nice to discover there’s still music like this being made (and released) in 2014. Crunchy guitars, strong yet guy-next-door vocals, and strong melodies are often labeled power pop, but […]
16 Dec 2014
Album Review: Screaming Headless Torsos — Code Red
This charmingly-named outfit weds aggressive, metal-riffage styles to funk textures (a la Red Hot Chili Peppers), and some hip-hop vibe. The result is difficult to pin down, but it’s a […]
16 Dec 2014
Album Review: Leon Alvarado – Music From an Expanded Universe
The album cover art is an unashamed homage to H.R. Giger, so you might expect something foreboding, or at least challenging. The five-track album (one of which is a “bonus […]
16 Dec 2014
Album Review: Modest Midget — Crysis
If the name makes you think of Gentle Giant, you’re on the right track. The album opens with a grand, sweeping intro that might remind you of Yes. This group […]
16 Dec 2014
Hundred Word Reviews: December 2014, Part 2
Here are five more capsule reviews; each of these is worthy of longer, more in-depth coverage, but with the volume of CDs in my inbox, sometimes it’s this or nothing. […]
15 Dec 2014
Album Review: Thom Douvan — Brother Brother
Thom Douvan – Brother Brother A (perhaps) surprising number of the Detroit players known as The Funk Brothers were actually white guys. One of ’em was guitarist Thom Douvan. In […]