For all you punk and garage rock junkies out there living in an age dominated by pop, rap and hip-hop music, there is still hope for getting your garage rock fix from new releases. The Fleshtones’ latest album, “Wheel of Talent” is a refreshing blast from the past that features the head-pounding, sweat-inducing, mosh-friendly, 1960s and 1970s style of...
After two EPs and a ton of anticipation from fans of Chino Moreno — lead singer of the immensely popular nu-metal band, Deftones — Crosses’ dark and atmospheric full-length album is a hit. Combining electronic, 80s new wave and rock influences, “Crosses” is the perfect choice to blast while driving down the freeway at midnight, or while in an...
I initially felt pretty relaxed as I sat down to listen to Katy B’s sophomore album “Little Red,” but halfway through, I was energized and feeling the groove. The British-born, Mercury Prize-nominated artist brought forth an excellent, synth-heavy house album that is bound to hit dance floors everywhere (if it hasn’t already). Not only were the beats extremely catchy,...
In 2010, James Mercer of the Shins and acclaimed producer Danger Mouse (aka Brian Burton, who has produced albums for the likes of the Black Keys, Gorillaz, Beck and Portugal. The Man) put out a collaborative album under the band name of Broken Bells. The album took Mercer’s 60s-pop-folk songwriting and voice and combined them with Danger Mouse’s eerie...
After 20 years without releasing an album, the legendary David Crosby has finally returned with his new release, “Croz.” For those unfamiliar with the man, Crosby is the founding band member of two legendary bands — The Byrds and Crosby, Stills and Nash — that have contributed greatly to the world of music. Not only have both bands been...
Raw. Emotional. Real. Based. These are truths used to describe Lil B the Based God and thus his newest mixtape, “05 Fuck Em.” Months in the making, its release was stalled so much that it was becoming the stuff of legends, on par with Dr. Dre’s “Detox.” People around the world began to question the Based God and whether...
In an interview with Rolling Stone magazine, Young the Giant’s lead vocalist Sameer Gadhia sums up the difficulty of finding their voice in their second album “Mind Over Matter.” The different mixes of music in the album — ranging from their standard alternative rock sound to 80s-tinged synth pop — sometimes don’t match, but otherwise provide a definitive example...
With a career that has expanded beyond the realm of albums, Mogwai is no stranger to the instrumental rock scene. The 17-year post-rock veterans from Glasgow, Scotland have done it all, whether it’s putting out numerous albums or creating soundtracks for films and television. All the while, the band has stayed true to the compelling ballad sounds that have...
Women have successfully dominated the music industry recently, from big pop stars like Beyonce and Katy Perry to promising newcomers like Lorde. And now, after a four-year hiatus, there’s indie-rock band Warpaint, who prove with their new self-titled album that they deserve to be added to the list of women planning to rule the music world. The Cali-bred quartet...
Over the past 10 years or so, baroque-pop-influenced music has made a steady comeback. The likes of Arcade Fire, the National, St. Vincent, Regina Spektor and more have helped popularize the format characterized by emotional guitar builds, "wo-oh" choruses and strong, melodic piano and string sections. Continuing in this vein, Lanterns on the Lake attempt to establish their own stake in...