When I was a kid, I had a penchant for taking things apart (like my radio and Gone Fishing game) just to see how they operated inside, and then putting them back together to see them in action with this new understanding of what was cranking within the plastic. Deep Time’s self-titled album, out on
As we previewed in our Artist of the Week and subsequent interview, we’re pretty excited about the new Gold Motel record. The Chicago-natives took singer’s Greta Morgan’s experiences in Southern California and made a pretty successful record despite the recording process being a bit disjointed. This time, on their self-titled sophomore effort, they set out
Canada seems to be the breeding ground for crunchy electro pop these days, and Toronto-based Parallels may be one of the groups that helped start it all. The synthpop trio formed in 2008, when Cameron Findlay, the former drummer of fellow Canadian electro poppers Crystal Castles, teamed up with vocalist/composer/producer Holly Dodson. Since its inception
There are some albums that grab you immediately. You press play and within minutes the veil is lifted, synapses fire and cranial pleasure centers reel. I often attach this expectation to albums like Oshin to those lauded by blogs and music news sites. It’s not that I’m unable to navigate the hype. I think I
Ever since White Arrows released its Fireworks of the Sea EP this spring, the quintet’s full-length debut has been on my radar. The L.A.-based five-piece created its own brand of electro pop, incorporating calypso and tropical beats with soaring synthesizers and catchy lyrics, and its unique sound hooked me instantly. With all this anticipation built
There’s something about The Temper Trap’s Dougy Mandagi’s voice that’s enchanting. The cooed falsetto and Jeff Buckley-esque vocals that made the band’s single “Sweet Disposition” from their 2009 debut album, Conditions, a massive international hit. But Mandagi’s distinctive voice alone is not enough. In the case of The Temper Trap, it takes five to make
Every decade there seems to be that band that makes you wonder why they didn’t make it big. In the ‘60s it was the Seeds (download “Pushin’ Too Hard” right now and I’ll give you a pass for not knowing who they are), in the ‘70s it was Robin Trower (Bridge of Sighs is an
A Place to Bury Strangers release their third full length Worship today on Dead Oceans, and if you already know them, it’s what you want to hear. If you don’t, it’s an accurate representation of what the band is all about: dark visceral noise and pure drugged out rock and roll. Opener “Alone” immediately hits
In music, 11 years is an eternity. Fads come and go and what was yesterday’s hit is today’s washed up band. Beachwood Sparks bucks that trend, proving that as long as there’s good music to be made, people will listen regardless of how long of a gap there is between records. After releasing two albums
We profiled them in our Artist of the Week feature a few weeks ago, but today, after months of waiting, Chester French have finally released their sophomore album for mass consumption. A bit different from their debut, Love The Future, D.A. Wallach and Max Drummey took a much different approach on Music 4 Tngrs. For