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INDIE SPOTLIGHT
Post Death Soundtrack’s ‘It Will Come Out of Nowhere’ packs plenty of emotions
Technically, Post Death Soundtrack is labeled as a “psychedelic industrial doom duo” which, unless you’ve got a feel for any of those descriptions might not mean much to you. To me, they’re a cross between Ministry and Nine Inch Nails with some David Bowie tendencies in several tracks present, as …
Big Terror shows how diverse hip hop can be when paired with quality music
When people think hip hop, the last thing they usually think of is music that feels like a good chunk of it came from the 1960s or 1970s. Yet, with the self-titled album, “Big Terror,” presented by Buttercuts Records, has taken that kind of sound and laid down a set …
Best Intentions’ ‘Twisted’ is formulaic but done well within its set parameters
On their newest single “Twisted,” Best Intentions shows all of the trappings of the prototypical New Found Glory-like bands. The cadence in the intro that rolls into the catchy hook, the barely-there bass riffs, and the complementary guitars that serve to lead your ears onto the content of the verses …
‘Navigate’ by Erich Mrak has potential but needs a few more instrumental pieces
Sometimes a great track comes from pieces of other tracks. “The Chain” by Fleetwood Mac, for instance, came about from several recycled bits from other tracks each of the band members had created earlier. Stevie Nicks wrote a vision for the lyrics before the music was written, while Lindsay Buckingham …
Belle’s new single ‘Baby Don’t Cry’ evokes a cleaner Winehouse-type feel
Amy Winehouse won her first Grammys in 2007 for her mega-hit “Rehab,” and the equally brilliant if a little more impressive “Back to Black.” Before she died too soon in 2011, Ms. Winehouse won six Grammys and was nominated for eight in total. She’s done more than that, though, she’s …
American High presents unique though experiments on ‘U.N. Article 14’
With their latest album “U.N. Article 14,” the band American High claims that they approached the set of tracks in an unconventional way. “We think songs are more interesting when they can be seen in different ways. We shun the tired INTRO-CHORUS-INTRO-CHORUS-LEAD-CHORUS-EXIT blueprint. We prefer freeform songs. We tried to …
Jillian Shea’s ‘Barely Changed’ is a near-perfect teen pop anthem
Back not TOO long ago when I turned 16, my most important achievements were finally getting my own bedroom after sharing one with my brother for years, and getting my very own stereo system that could play two tapes, four! CDs and could tune into local radio stations. I didn’t …
‘Carnymusic’ will have you yearning for warm summer nights next to a campfire
With a name like Carnymusic, you might be a little surprised to find out that instead of circus sounds, this self-titled solo project from Mike Carnahan is actually a solid indie album. It opens with a Decemberists-like track “Riptide.” I say Decemberists-like due to the fact that Carnahan’s style choices …
Todd Warner Moore’s ‘Spark’ is a subtle Americana masterpiece
The best way I’ve found to describe Todd Warner Moore’s sound is this — he plays songs you want to hear when you’re sitting around a campfire with friends on a relaxing summer evening. Even if you’re nowhere near an open flame, put on Moore’s new album “Spark” and you’re …
‘Levitate the Base’ by Adam Rose casts a wide musical net with relative ease
Adam Rose is a bit of an anomaly in today’s music landscape. A self-described “multi-instrumentalist and vocalist” who “avoids categorization, (by) simply playing what he loves,” Rose, a Pittsburgh native, knows he’s not your everyday artist, and he seems perfectly comfortable with that. On “Levitate the Base,” his latest instrumental, …
