Music Review: T. Hardy Morris, Hardy And The Hardknocks: Drownin’ On A Mountaintop
Published on June 26th, 2015 in: Music, Music Reviews, Reviews |
On the new album from Athens, Georgia’s T. Hardy Morris—Hardy & The Hardknocks: Drownin’ On A Mountaintop—Morris makes a music that is the logical marriage of country and grunge. Imagine Nirvana had a pedal steel guitar; imagine Mike McCready played with the Buckaroos. It works, and it works incredibly well.
Music Review: Smokey, How Far Will You Go? The S&M Recordings 1973-81
Published on June 26th, 2015 in: Current Faves, LGBTQ, Music, Music Reviews, Reissues, Retrovirus, Reviews |By Tim Murr
I find it hard to believe that there once existed a band that featured guest appearances from James Williamson (The Stooges) and a young Randy Rhoads (Quiet Riot, Ozzy Osbourne) that I’ve never heard of and you probably haven’t, either. But it’s true! The band is called Smokey.
Music Review: Failure, The Heart Is A Monster
Published on June 26th, 2015 in: Current Faves, Music, Music Reviews, Reviews |
Here’s the short version: Failure’s The Heart is a Monster is a strong contender for Album of the Year. The space-rock pioneers have come back with an incredibly strong, seamlessly cohesive record that shoots almost everything else released so far this year right out of the airlock.
Music Review: Various Artists, 60 Songs From The Cramps’ Crazy Collection
Published on June 19th, 2015 in: Culture Shock, Current Faves, Music, Music Reviews, Retrovirus, Reviews |
The record collection of The Cramps’ Lux Interior and Poison Ivy was massive and eclectic, as well documented on the Internet, the truest of all informational sources. In 2013, Cherry Red Records released Loose Lips Might Sink Ships (review), a 26-track album of instrumentals from their collection, and now, a follow-up has arrived: 60 Songs From The Cramps’ Crazy Collection: The Incredibly Strange Music Box. It’s the kind of riff-filled, oddly charming, mish mash of things that one would expect and hope for. There’s exotica, rockabilly, novelty singles, and a curious preoccupation with voodoo and fancy words (“Ginchy” “Groovy” and “Limbo”!). It’s enormously fun.
Music Review: The Wooden Sky, Let’s Be Ready
Published on June 19th, 2015 in: Canadian Content, Music, Music Reviews, Reviews |
Imagine that Boz Scaggs, Dr. John, and Van Morrison somehow had a baby and that baby happened to sing for a Toronto-based rock band. That band would have to be The Wooden Sky, who have just released their newest album, Let’s Be Ready. Lead singer Gavin Gardiner has the kind of bluesy, soulful voice that sometimes sounds remarkably like the three previously mentioned titans. And that’s great. Sometimes, though, Gardiner’s yawp could benefit from a little enunciation.
Music Review: Kevin Jenkins, Til The Story’s Told
Published on June 19th, 2015 in: Current Faves, Music, Music Reviews, Reviews |
To attempt to pigeonhole Kevin Jenkins would be a mistake. On Til The Story’s Told, Jenkins’s sophomore effort, there are hints of soul, Americana, face-ripping funk, and gospel. His diverse influences come together to make songs that have depth and range, that sound both familiar and quite unusual.
Music Review: Swans, Filth (Deluxe Edition)
Published on June 12th, 2015 in: Current Faves, Music, Music Reviews, Reissues, Retrovirus, Reviews |
Since Michael Gira’s band, Swans, has come back onto the scene, they’ve garnered more critical acclaim than ever, and new fans are running alongside the bandwagon, flailing arms up in the air, and hoping to swing aboard. Now that Swans debut album Filth has been remastered and re-released as a special three-disc set, this is a perfect opportunity for new fans to climb on up and get acquainted with the old stuff.
Music Review: Himmel, A Long Cold Winter
Published on June 12th, 2015 in: Music, Music Reviews, Reviews |
Luca Bluefire is the mastermind behind the dreampop project Himmel. Their debut album, A Long Cold Winter, is a fascinating mixture of New Wave nostalgia and modern psychedelia and even when it becomes overly derivative, it’s still worth a listen.
Music Review: Mastodon, Crack The Skye (Vinyl Reissue)
Published on June 12th, 2015 in: Current Faves, Music, Music Reviews, Reissues, Reviews |By Tyler Hodg
Six years after the release of Mastodon’s Crack the Skye, the band has re-issued their landmark album as part of a new vinyl series. Crack The Skye is pretty unanimously loved by fans of the band, as well as those who love the (somewhat broad) genre of metal. What is specifically extraordinary about Mastodon and this album in particular is that you don’t have to enjoy the band’s heavy style to respect them, because their talents as songwriters and musicians are just too obvious to overlook. Crack the Skye is the epitome of well-crafted music, is arguably the best work the band might ever do, so this limited edition re-issue is definitely something worth highlighting.
Music Review: Uncle Lucius, The Light
Published on June 12th, 2015 in: Culture Shock, Current Faves, Music, Music Reviews, Reviews |
Guitarist Mike Carpenter of Uncle Lucius calls his band “Southern rock for the thinking man” and that’s quite correct. There’s a rich vein of social consciousness running through The Light, with thought-provoking lyrics on each track. Lest that make you shy away from The Light, don’t; those lyrics are enveloped in some excellent tunes, played by a band that doesn’t shy away from kicking ass.