Nothing quite matches the touch of class a small string section can bring to a recording, usually added as an afterthought. Ra Ra Riot has used a cello and violin to transport its Vampire Weekendtangent Afropop from an Ivy League frat party to a garden soirée, as cellist Alexandra Lawn and violinist Rebecca Zeller are […]
Delicate Steve
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Ponytail — Do Whatever You Want All the Time
Having a singular vision is difficult, especially when it’s so singular that listeners don’t get it. Ponytail’s “Do Whatever You Want All The Time” follows its title a little too closely, featuring eccentric tunes that lost me. While the dual guitar work here is impressive and occasionally interesting, it often takes a backseat to the […]
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All Tiny Creatures — Harbors
It needs a name, but op-prog seems wrong. Oprog? Oprock? Op rock? I have no idea. If bands keep coming out like Delicate Steve, Adebisi Shank and now All Tiny Creatures, I’ll have to distill this idea into one name. But for now, it’s enough for you to know that All Tiny Creatures’ “Harbors” splits […]
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Adebisi Shank — This Is the Second Album of a Band Called Adebisi Shank
The positive prog-rock movement that Fang Island helped break last year has been a blast to listen to. With Adebisi Shank’s “This Is the Second Album of a Band Called Adebisi Shank,” listeners are treated to more of the mostly instrumental, relentlessly fun, technical rock. The Irish trio made a pretty long album, as these […]