Wednesday, March 19, 2014

QUICK SPINS


Biblical Monsoon Season
We have been talking a lot about Toronto’s metal / prog trio Biblical and finally, their much anticipated debut arrived and does not disappoint. The band who sound as if there is an entire army in this band rather than three guys combine their influences of thrash, metal, punk, hardcore, prog, and old time rock and roll. They pound and push boundaries to no end and we are just hearing the beginning of what they can do.
FINAL GRADE: A

PharrellG I R L
Following one of his most successful years in a long time, Pharrell unexpectedly announced a solo record a month before it arrived and G I R L continues his wave of new success. Combining the funk of James Brown, the essence of Michael Jackson, and his signature out of this world production and songwriting, Pharrell scores again.
FINAL GRADE: A

Johnny CashOut Among The Stars
The “lost” album from Johnny Cash surfaces thanks to his son “discovering” it and looking to put it out. This 1980’s lost record has finally arrived and it haunts us, simply because the record is as beautiful and dark as we would hope, it is as if The Man In Black is still with us.
FINAL GRADE: A-

Perfect PussySay Yes to Love
Syracuse, New York, noise makers Perfect Pussy seem to come from nowhere but they are showing that they are more than just hype. After being one of the most talked about bands to come from SXSW and get heavy promo from NPR, Perfect Pussy take that Bikini Kill thrash and garage rock sound and push it further as if they are in their final seconds of life as they push their music through your speakers.
FINAL GRADE: A-

Band of Skulls Himalayan
The English trio return with their third album and while they may be from the other side of the pond, they show their heavy American rock and roll influence on Himalayan. A tour-de-force album that shows while this band may not be new to some, they will become household names to others.
FINAL GRADE: B+

ElbowThe Take Off and Landing of Everything
The English ballad giants return with their latest album, and following the somber dud of 2011’s Build A Rocket, Boys!, The Take Off and Landing of Everything hears Elbow get more upbeat, more optimistic, and most importantly much more lush in sound and style than ever before. 
FINAL GRADE: B+

Fanfarlo Let’s Go Extinct
The third record from this English collective hears Fanfarlo experimenting a bit more with electronic sounds and a bit more texture than their previous effort, 2012’s Rooms Filled With Light. The record is a loosely based off the theory of evolution, but the album hears this band evolving from what we knew about them.
FINAL GRADE: B

The Men Tomorrow’s Hits
New York City’s favorite garage rockers are now four albums into their career in four years and are showing no signs of stopping. Tomorrow’s Hits hears the band going a bit more technical but just as chaotic as they have in previous releases and only make things more interesting as to what they will do next.
FINAL GRADE: B

MetronomyLove Letters
The fourth album from England’s neo-new wave punks is much more introspective and raw than previous releases and while most bands of their genre would be going for a radio hit, they are doing things on their own terms.
FINAL GRADE: B

Neil Finn Dizzy Heights
The songwriters songwriter, Neil Finn returns with his third album and while the New Zealand legend has been in the business for over 30 years, it is surprising that Dizzy Heights is only his third album. Finn makes Dizzy Heights a family affair with use of his wife and sons on the album and still shows that even after all these years in music, he has not lost his touch.
FINAL GRADE: B

SkatersManhattan
The much talked about NYC throwback thrash punk band, Skaters released their much anticipated debut and they prove that The Big Apple still has the ability to produce a punk band that will raise eyebrows everywhere.
FINAL GRADE: B

Rough FrancisMaximum Soul Power
Coming off the success of last year’s documentary, A Band Called Death, which features the children of members of Death in the band Rough Francis, the latest generation decided to release an eight-song LP that takes their family’s legacy into a new era.
FINAL GRADE: B-

BaysideCult
The Long Island via Queens post-punks return with their sixth studio album and bring the same thunder that fans have loved from Bayside over the years. Cult is a record that is for their cult, the legion of fans that have stuck by them through the years and each song, though may not be directly about that, that motif is there.
FINAL GRADE: B-

War on Drugs Lost in the Dream
Indie favorites War on Drugs return with their third album, and while the band have built a massive buzz over the years, Lost in the Dream alters what people had known about their style and sound. The record has mysteriously murky and dark tones but overall echoes some worthwhile creativity.
FINAL GRADE: B-

SkrillexRecess
Pulling what Beyonce had done months prior, Skrillex surprisingly unveiled his latest release of wub and sub-bass onto the masses. While it is hard to review or chronicle EDM albums simply because so much of it relies on the live experience and energy from the crowd, Recess seems to be an excuse for Skrillex to hit the road again on a large scale -- as if he really need a reason too.
FINAL GRADE: C+

Tokyo Police ClubForcefield
Tokyo Police Club have had an interesting career, a few years back they had the indie world by the balls and then seemed to disappear. Now, as they make a “comeback” with Forcefield, the band experiment with a formula that has already been done before and play it safe to try and get back in the good graces of those that made them such a hot act.
FINAL GRADE: C-