Mansions’ main man Christopher Browder decided to make a rock album called “Dig Up the Dead.” The best thing Browder could have done was make an acoustic album of the same songs called “Dig Up the Dead.” I’m not just being petulant. His last release, “Best of the Bees,” was a collection of cast-off tracks […]
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Unwritten Law — Swan
The guitars were as much inspired by modern rock and metal tones as they were pop-rock, and that fine balance of heavy and pop intrigued me. Unwritten Law was in that mix as well; where other bands have hung up their laces (or, in the case of Blink, tossed their shoes around in the air […]
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Elbow — Build a Rocket Boys!
So when the band’s new album, “Build A Rocket Boys!,” showed up with a bunch of mushy, mid-tempo pop tunes, I was very, very confused. There is nothing on “Boys!” that even suggests that this is the same group of “Grounds for Divorce.” There are string-laden arrangements, maudlin lyrics, weird arrangements that include steel drums, and […]
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Yuck — Yuck
But some people hype a thing because it’s actually really good. Yuck, the latest in a seemingly constant stream of “next big thing”s, has the music world all aflutter because the tunes on its self-titled debut are great. Yuck’s sound is a modern interpretation of early ‘90s indie rock (good grief, how was that almost […]
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Billy Joel — Live at Shea Stadium: The Concert
Knowing these were to be the final musical performances at the Shea, Joel pulls out all the stops, playing to the crowd like it’s one big party. So what if they’re a little slow to pick up on which hit the band tackles before exploding into gracious applause? At least they’re appreciative. Joel even toys […]
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Irate feelings
The sandy shores and clear water of Hawaii, the home state of the six members of Iration, help to bring life and inspiration to the band’s unique, reggae-rock blend. “I would describe it as feel-good music,” bassist Adam Taylor said. “It’s all around you and fits the lifestyle well, so it was natural for us […]
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The Two Koreas — Science Island
As an album in general, it’s kind of hard to find a beating heart under the barked vocals and charging riffs. That doesn’t mean it’s bad; it just means that while this batch of songs rocks my face off, it’s not going to end up on my year-end lists. “But lots of albums won’t end […]
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Swordplay
If you are looking for a metal mentor, you could do a lot worse than J.D. Cronise, vocalist, guitarist and lead songwriter of heavy metal three-piece The Sword, and he’s got your very first lesson right here. “When you start a band, you say, ‘I want a band that sounds like,’ then you fill in […]
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The Ex — Catch My Shoe
Rebelling against the man became a played-out cliché that doesn’t inspire any actual action. Pop-punk is the only bearer of the word these days, and that’s just really hyper pop music. Punk, really and truly this time, is on its last legs. But it’s not totally dead, as long as The Ex is around. Formed […]
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Cake — Showroom of Compassion
If you don’t like Cake, you still won’t after “Showroom Of Compassion.” There’s nothing here that even tries to convince you otherwise. If you love Cake, though, this is the equivalent of John McCrea delivering a singing “thank you” and then giving you a hug. This album is magic (prolonged). By “fan’s album,” I mean […]