Columbus alt-rockers Something Else have produced yet another self-titled work, released on January 4, 2019, though this one seems to be a reworking of some of their older music. A few songs are familiar, and this time around, they are also more mature. The sound of Something Else‘s seven tracks is an unapologetic, emotional one, and the polished … More EP Review: Something Else – Something Else
“Sibling pop duo” Klashing Black, out of Northwest Ohio, dropped their debut full-length album, Who We Were. Who We Are. last Friday, August 17. Smooth lyrics deal with nostalgia, growing up, and the classic and ever-constant theme of change as the background is filled with either rich synth or mellow guitar picking and ’80s-inspired drum beats. … More Album Review: Klashing Black – Who We Were. Who We Are.
Perhaps the most remarkable part of EXNATIONS‘ Tiny Sound In The Dark EP, due for release tomorrow, is not its classic synth or its poppy melodies; it is the EP’s impressive cohesion, despite the fact that all three band members were rarely in the same place at the same time. According to the band’s bio, frontman … More EP Review: EXNATIONS – Tiny Sound In The Dark
The SIR band, hailing from Denver, kicked off the new year with a thrilling new indie pop-rock album, “So Cold”. The lyrically-relatable album was released on the very first day of 2018, and it shifts back and forth from soft and smooth to heavier rock ballads. The SIR band, despite a somewhat formal name, is … More Album Review: the SIR band – So Cold
There’s a winter storm hitting most of the United States this week, and we’re beginning to hit the worst months of the season – the months when the snow is gray and gross, or when the weather is bitterly cold and icy but there are no days off, or when it starts to look like it’ll … More EP Review: The Bad Bees – Big Pretty
It would be almost too easy to compare Moon’s “you snuck me into your darkness” to records like Cigarettes After Sex’s self-titled – that is, simultaneously beautiful and devastating with plenty of hazy vocals and synthesizer. Moon, the solo project of multi-instrumentalist Jack Sipes, is dreamy, melancholy synth-pop, and its debut album feels like heartbreak. … More Album Review: Moon – you snuck me into your darkness
The dichotomy between breathy vocals and heavy-handed alternative pop-rock instrumentals in Little Coyote’s “The Trouble With Teeth” is both catchy and cathartic; it’s often difficult to tell whether the consistently mournful feeling is from foggy vocals, hard instrumentals, or less-than-sunny lyrics. It’s an inviting sadness, however – rather than alienating, Little Coyote welcomes you with … More Album Review: Little Coyote – The Trouble With Teeth
Somehow’s latest album, “Hidden Memories”, is exactly what you’d expect of a French indie pop artist. It’s quirky, moody, and colorfully vibrant, and both vocalists have just a hint of an accent. “Hidden Memories” is radiant, romantic, and melancholy all at the same time. It’s a quirky lo-fi sound that oscillates between dreamy and edgy, with … More Album Review: Somehow – Hidden Memories
Built on an alternative/indie sound with a little ’80s pop thrown into the mix, Ledges‘ debut record, “Homecoming” comes out on Friday, September 1. It’s a story full of lovestruck teens and angst, following a character through “doubt, love, loss, and redemption.” At times gritty and others smooth, the album is broad and soaring, moving with … More Album Review: Ledges – Homecoming
I’m definitely not Warped Tour’s biggest fan, but I’ll be the first to admit that alt-pop duo Broken Bellows was a positive result of Warped 2016. Written by Cory Brent and Will Prinzi – formerly of Reckless Serenade – during downtime on the road, the band’s “The Card Table” EP serves as a strong introduction … More EP Review: Broken Bellows – The Card Table
