Category: CD Reviews (Page 212 of 399)

Wunderbugg: Written in Flesh

October 3, 2008 / Captain Capm

On Written in Flesh Wunderbugg has created an electronic mix of impressive proportions. A little electroclash here, a smidgen of ambient there, some dance and house beats sprinkled throughout. “3 Molecules Away” opens the album on a fuzzy, jagged note where the sublime mixes with the crunch of synths whirring away. “Infected with Hope” sounds like its title might suggest; an ethereal space-age sort of breezy groove with a bit of a dark undertone running down the middle. “Heartworm” approaches the New Age side of the yard, and “Overdose No. 5” features raging beats that would please any of those 140-BPM-and-higher fans. Like many electronic-based groups, Wunderbugg’s repertoire doesn’t come off entirely clean over the course of this album, but what’s good here is very solid, indeed. It just seems a little faceless at times. (Self-released)

Wunderbugg MySpace page

CD QuickTakes, CD Reviews, Dance, Electronica, Pop

Knugu: Quadrilogy

September 30, 2008 / Captain Capm

If one thing’s for sure, the production of this four-song EP by Knugu is damned impressive. Not one note or beat is out of place, and the vocals are well balanced with the instrumentation. However, if feels like there’s something missing here. The opening song “Getting Over You” has a nice melody and memorable chorus, but it seems to end far too soon. “Dark Angels” is delicate and crystalline in its guitar work, but lyrically it feels as if it’s running in place (beautiful background vocals, though). The vocals by Knugu on “Ad in Personals” sound a little too dramatic at times, and when he twists some of the notes at the ends of the words at times, it’s a little cringe-inducing. And “Running Back to You” sounds like a nice little flashback to the mid-‘80s. It’s pleasant enough, and the whole thing is supposed to depict “the life of a young American couple in the first decade of the 21st century,” but overall there’s not a lot to hang your hat on here. Perhaps a full-length release could fix this problem next time around. (Self-released)

Knugu MySpace page

CD Reviews, External Music, Pop, Rock

John Paul: Belmont Boulevard

September 29, 2008 / Captain Capm

John Paul has the sort of musical dynamic that runs through a lot of Paul Westerberg’s best solo stuff. The guitars have a nice twang to their tone, and the rhythms and attitude are very much like the former ‘Mats frontman. Vocally, Paul sounds like a really young Don McLean mixed with Ryan Adams’ rough edges. Very impressive, no matter how you cut it. “21” is a killer song, showcasing all of these elements. “Set Me Up” certainly swings more to the twangy side of the Ryan Adams pasture, and “Chameleon” sounds like a great, long lost song from early ‘90s college radio. Sometimes things get a little CMTV sounding, as on “.45,” which has great potential but almost becomes undone by its arrangement and lyrics. But a song like “Sleepless” quickly remedies that, where Paul’s formula works perfectly. It’s also on this song that he sounds like his own man, and it’s definitely a standout tune. The production is lush and with any luck, John Paul will soon be a recognized name with this nice collection of songs. (Self-released)

John Paul MySpace page

CD Reviews, Country, External Music, Pop, Rock

Whitley: The Submarine

September 26, 2008 / Jeff Giles

Whitley (a.k.a. Melbourne singer/songwriter Lawrence Greenwood) lies at the junction of Nick Drake, Paul Simon, and bedroom-electronic pop acts like the Postal Service and Cassettes Won’t Listen, and his debut effort, The Submarine, is filled with husky-voiced, mostly acoustic goodness for lovers of any of the above named artists. It’s an uncommonly assured debut, one that resists showiness in favor of gently catchy melodies and thinly layered arrangements. At first listen, The Submarine might sound like just another album of wispy navel-gazing from just another indie-pop songwriter, but give it time to sink in – there’s more going on here than may initially meet the ear. Greenwood has a gift for production, and a knack for grafting small, subtle bits onto his deceptively simple songs; plug in your favorite pair of earbuds, and you can easily get lost in the soundscapes he paints here. Toss in a cover of Jeff Buckley’s “Mojo Pin,” and you’ve got an undeniable magnet for the hoodies-‘n’-iPods set, but something with crossover appeal for fans of good old-fashioned singer/songwriter stuff. Whitley won’t kick your doors in, but if you sit still long enough, he just may end up becoming one of your favorite musical discoveries of the year. (Dew Process 2008)

Whitley MySpace page

CD QuickTakes, CD Reviews, Folk, Pop

Mark Geary: Opium

September 26, 2008 / Lee Zimmerman

Born in Ireland but a New York City transplant since 1992, Mark Geary has quietly worked below the radar while fashioning an eerily hypnotic musical motif. There’s always been something both confessional and contemplative about his material, a shadowy aura that casts him at a distance. With Opium, his fourth album, Geary takes steps to remedy that elusive stance, thanks to a set of songs that’s beautifully beguiling in its sensual, seductive appeal. The music is framed with his usual hushed ambiance, but it finds its footing in muted tones, plaintive vocals, gentle entreaties and wistful sentiments that soar with a quiet resolve. The delicately percolating rhythms of “See-Saw (Houpacka),” the kinetic urgency of “Not on Your Life” and the easy shuffle of “Tuesday” ensure a steady foundation rather than an aimless drift and an array of organic instruments – acoustic guitars, violins, clarinet, flute and piano – combine to create some lovely soundscapes. Ultimately, this Opium proves as addicting its title might imply. Sonablast Records

Mark Geary MySpace page

CD QuickTakes, CD Reviews, Emo, Folk