Spiral Vortex comes from a school of musical thinking that is all about two major concepts: subverting expectation and always maintaining an element of surprise. If the cover art of the group’s new album Prisma stands as any indication, the group is about ushering a post-modern version of classic, Hispanic-tinged …
Read More »Album Review: Paul Jacks “Black Jackal”
Brooding isn’t a word that I would normally whip out to describe a synth part in any album, but in the case of Paul Jacks’ “Into the Silence” and the other nine songs found on Black Jackal, no other will do. In Black Jackal, Paul Jacks is seeking to change how people …
Read More »Album Review: Danny Artuso And Victor Nesrallah “Wearing the Blues”
Newcomers Danny Artuso and Victor Nesrallah are already making waves. Their musical collaboration has a ring of something distinctively modern and progressive in an otherwise old-school, red state sort of medium. There’s a noteworthy exoticism that underscores each song on the album, be it certain lyrical, musical, or other creative …
Read More »Album Review: Rubio – Mango Negro
From the haunting “La Pérdida” to the brash title track and the stealth-like “El Fruto”, the 15 tracks from Rubio on the thrilling Mango Negro ignite futuristic tones over embellished classical string movements. Rubio’s, sophomore outing is a nonstop emotional bucket that pulls from a wealth of sonic bliss and …
Read More »Album Review: The Wild Stares “Automatic Writing Machine”
The Wild Stares – and where should this begin but back in the day when this band first caught global attention and left a good story to tell about their journey which I am glad to catch back up with on – Automatic Writing Machine, their latest full length release. …
Read More »Album Review: Hēran Soun “Undeaf”
In his new album Undeaf, Hēran Soun unravels a tangled depth of emotion years in the making. His unique perspective and interpretations of sound is often askew to what we normally term a pop sound. He bends sounds, he manipulates them to something beyond ambient ribbons. The risks he takes …
Read More »Album Review: Skittish “Savannah Sessions”
Intro tracks have been making one heck of a comeback in the year 2020 among indie folk/rock syndicates around the American underground, but thankfully, their dreadful and forced presence isn’t a factor in Skittish’s new album Savannah Sessions – for this record’s opening cut, “Intro(Vert),” is anything but the sort of throwaway …
Read More »Album Review: Grand Nathaniel “At The Lagoon”
Grand Nathaniel is one J Burton, an artist who settled on the name by way of it first going by Grand Nathaniel and the Ghosts, with a more progressive approach. The difference is a lighter and more pop style with an 80s throwback vibe on the current release of At …
Read More »Album Review: David Newton & Thee Mighty Angels “A Gateway to a Lifetime of Disappointment”
Bursting at the seams with a color that will only get brighter as we get deeper into the tracklist, “In Love and War” initiates the thrill ride David Newton & Thee Mighty Angels are intent on taking us on in their new album A Gateway to a Lifetime of Disappointment, but …
Read More »Album Review: Terry Ohms “Smooth Sailing Forever”
Smooth Sailing Forever is interesting because Terry Ohms is really the alter ego of one Wes McDonald, the songwriter and singer/guitarists for Vulture Whale and The Ohms, and now the drummer for dream-psych-rock outfit, People Years. McDonald himself can take the credit for it all but it’s nothing new because …
Read More »Album Review: Avatar ‘Hunter Gatherer’
Avatar hits the world with their new album, Hunter Gatherer, on August 7th, 2020. This is their eighth full length album. Their first single, Silence in the Age of Apes, gives us a glimpse of their new wardrobe and look. Each song was recorded with each member of the band …
Read More »Album Review: Toronto Tabla Ensemble “Unexpected Guests”
In their latest album, titled Unexpected Guests, veteran project Toronto Tabla Ensemble offer us an intimate look into spiritually stimulating songcraft unlike any other you’re likely to encounter this summer. In tracks like “Maryem’s Here,” “Money Tale” and “Dream Symposium,” Toronto Tabla Ensemble make it more than obvious how little they …
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