Trapped Again is a tight collection of eight songs showcasing Mental Hygiene’s strengths: catchy lyrics, infectious melodies and punchy guitar riffs. The opening track, “Strangers,” sets the tone for what promises to be a rockin’ good time. The track brings an edginess to the record, with lyrics like: “You pretend you’re a stranger/To the lust we
A one-man band can either be a blessing or a curse. Either you can be pigeonholed as a singer/songwriter who can put together a nice patch of songs or can be seen as an idiosyncratic genius or lastly, a lunatic. Spencer Berger, aka Auditorium and formerly known as Field, fits into the first category. His
Orange Peel Sunshine has undergone many lineup changes since their formation in 1999, but their output of post punk grunge rock is still as energetic and in-your-face as it ever was. In a market oversaturated with dream pop and shoegaze, the Dallas-based quartet dares to shake their fists at the dominant paradigm rather than
HelloGoodbye’s second studio album Would It Kill You, released November 9th, 2010, stays true to form with a plethora of catchy melodies and beats that follow their traditional theatrical lines (a little less pomp than circumstance) with a new added synth twist. Their melodies are clear and the smooth instrumentals complement the repetition of the
It’s a rare thing to get to glimpse into the evolution of a new artist. Twin Sister’s recent release on Double Six Records, which pairs the band’s very first EP, Vampires With Dreaming Kids, with its newest effort, Color Your Life, offers a glimpse into how their sound has changed, while offering up some of
Maserati’s sound is epic. Not epic in its slang sense, but epic in the sense of greatness. Though only four (currently three) men, the Athens, Georgia-based instrumental post-rock outfit has a knack for evoking a mélange of emotions and producing full, boisterous pieces, without singing a word. Pyramid of the Sun, the band’s third album
Don’t let the bunny bear fool you; this album was not meant for children. Released last week by Los Angeles-based trio Mini Mansions, the album (now available on iTunes) is a neat and tidy 12 song magnum opus in the form of an eponymous sophomore album. Upon first listen, I believed Mini Mansions to be
Melodiously off-beat. That’s the oxymoron that describes the 8th LP, Bitte Orca, released by Dirty Projectors in June of 2009. Leadman Dave Longstreth is not so lead in this album, lending his hauntingly boyish voice to only a couple songs, and letting Amber Coffman and Angel Deradoorian, both lead vocals, to couple up, spice up,
On Tuesday, Matt & Kim dropped their latest album, Sidewalks. The CD is their third to hit the charts since last year’s Grand. It is sad to say but Matt & Kim’s recent effort at music making has been hit with a case of the junior album blues-a great attempt not being executed well. I
Just when you thought the renaissance of indie music in 2010 couldn’t get any better, Austin-based Ghostland Observatory dazzles again with the release of their fourth album, Codename: Rondo. The band’s sound, which has been called the odd the blend of Rage Against The Machine and Spice Girls, once again is an up-tempo blend of