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Category: Review

Review | Langhorne Slim – The Way We Move

Langhorne Slim – The Way We Move It’s been a long while since Langhorne Slim’s last album Be Set Free, which hit our ears back in ’09.  But this past tuesday, we all got a taste of what he’s been up to these last three years.  Although if you’ve been attending his live shows, you’ve heard quite a few of these tracks (and probably loved them). Attempting to capture the pure energy and soul of a Langhorne Slim show into a record is no easy task, but its most evident that they were trying and we can be sure listen…

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Review | Regina Spektor – What We Saw From the Cheap Seats

Regina Spektor has come a long way since her 2001 self-released debut “11:11,” which was exclusively sold at shows she played at venues in and around New York’s East Village. And while this album has become the holy grail of records for her fans, a search through eBay provides no help, her latest “What We Saw from the Cheap Seats” is a highlight in an already impressive repertoire. The album’s first single “All the Rowboats” has all the makings of a classic Regina Spektor hit as she combines lyrics which compare works of art as prisoners condemned to life, with…

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Review | Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros – Here

Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros – Man On Fire It would not be foolish to think that a breakout band, with a breakout song that took the world by storm, would have a hard time following up on the success that followed. It would be foolish however to think that of Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros. The new album “Here” finds the lead singer Alex Ebert and his merry band of musicians in fine, folk rock form, wearing the past 2 years of extraordinary success like a badge of honor. The album opens with the rambling, dreamy “Man…

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Sasquatch! A recap

I just got back from the Sasquatch Music Festival at the beautiful Gorge Ampitheater in Eastern Washington. It’s one of my favorite festivals because it always has a fantastic lineup and takes place in an unbelievably beautiful place. But this year I discovered another reason why it’s so great: small bands getting their chance to play for huge crowds. The festival itself welcomes 25,000 people through the gates every day, and the mainstage seats 20,000+. For some of these bands, playing the mainstage at Sasquatch (and even the side stages) is the largest crowd they’ve ever played.

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Review | JBM – Stray Ashes

JBM – Winter Ghosts Montreal born singer-songwriter Jesse Marchant, more commonly known to fans as JBM, just released his haunting new album “Stray Ashes,” a masterful follow up to 2008’s “Not Even In July,” and the years in between releases have seen the Canadian’s fanbase swell. A touring schedule with the likes of Elvis Perkins and St. Vincent, just to to name a few, has also opened new hearts to his captivating sound. He has been compared to one of the greatest singer-songwriters to pick up a guitar, Nick Drake, and that is praise not thrown around lightly. It appears…

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Review | The River and the Road – S/T

The River and the Road – Too Much of a Good Thing Spurred by a submission by one of the bands siblings of a couple of live videos I was desperate to hear Vancouver’s The River and the Road’s self titled debut. I contacted them, and waited. Having to wait while they were putting together the record I played this video again and again. And a month or two later, I had in hand, a full copy of their self titled debut album. Finally. The River and The Road are a two piece Vancouver based Folk Americana act comprised of…

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Review | Jack White – Blunderbuss

words by Ryan Doyon Ok sure, I am still saddened by the demise of The White Stripes. After an amazing 14 year run which produced 6 highly praised studio albums, giving us countless fuzzy guitar infused blues rock, they called it quits in 2011 leaving fans everywhere crushed. Jack White has added his musical one-two punch to many a band over the years but nothing came close to the energy that the Stripes produced in their time together. Almost a year to the date Jack White releases his first solo album, “Blunderbuss.” And it appears he has returned to form.…

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Review | Reptar – Body Faucet

Reptar – Orifice Origami Sometime last summer an EP dropped into by inbox. It was called Oblangle Fizz Y’all, and I was intrigued. Sure enough, that weekend was the August Hurricane of 2011 that hit Boston and Oblangle Fizz Y’all became the soundtrack, phrase (‘Hey, what’s up?’ ‘Oblangle Fizz Y’all!’) and drink (essentially a mojito with carbonated cranberry juice for the fizz of course) of the weekend. When the power, and internet, came on a day later I did some investigating. Turns out the four guys from Georgia were still in college, and had created an EP strong enough to nab…

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Review | Father John Misty – Fear Fun

Father John Misty – Hollywood Forever Cemetery Sings Forget anything you think you know about Josh Tillman. Father John Misty, Tillman’s new project and name under which he released Fear Fun, out today on Sub Pop, is about as far from Fleet Foxes and his seven albums as J. Tillman as you can get. And this is a good thing. A damn good thing. The first single off Fear Fun, Hollywood Forever Cemetery Sings, is a thrashing folk rock anthem, and the second single off the album, Nancy From Now On, is just as good, and as perplexing as Hollywood Forever…

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