Category: Rock (Page 92 of 241)

Tiny Masters of Today: Skeletons

June 12, 2009 /

If you can get past the subliminal screams of “Hipster band! Hipster band!” as you’re listening to Skeletons, the sophomore effort from Brooklyn teenagers Tiny Masters of Today, it’s easy to see why they’ve earned the love of David Bowie, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and (cough) Kimya Dawson. They make simple but crazy catchy DIY alt-pop, all fuzzed out guitars and dispassionate vocals (but well sung for teenagers), with tunes that would give the Breeders and the Strokes pause. Indeed, “Ghost Star” is catchier than anything the Breeders or Strokes have sent to radio in ages, and “Big Stick” has the kind of drum track that the Beastie Boys will surely sample for their next record. The biggest problem with Tiny Masters of Today is that while they do what they do really well, they’re not exactly versatile. Sure, they incorporate indie rock, hip hop elements, and other borough-friendly sounds, but the album feels longer than it is, even at 26 minutes. Still, you can see the makings of a band that will one day be worthy of the hipster buzz they’re already getting. It will be interesting to see what they do when they reach their twenties. (Mute 2009)

Tiny Masters of Today MySpace page

Alternative, Artists, CD QuickTakes, CD Reviews, Pop, Rock

Ryan Bingham & the Dead Horses: Roadhouse Sun

June 12, 2009 /

Ordinarily, any album with the words “dead,” “horses,” and “roadhouse” on its cover would be a ripe candidate for outright dismissal on the grounds of crippling cliché addiction, but there’s an exception to prove every rule, and Ryan Bingham’s latest, Roadhouse Sun – credited to Bingham and the Dead Horses – is a helluva lot more enjoyable than its cover might suggest. For starters, Bingham has beefed up his arrangements and strengthened his grooves since 2007’s Mescalito; where his last album lacked the spiky, hallucinogenic thrills promised by its title, this batch of songs is just as hot and grimy as you’d hope for. Only 28, Bingham is already a grizzled veteran of the rodeo circuit and the itinerant life – miles of hard living that surface in each of Roadhouse’s 12 tracks, which range from the raging, slow-burning opener “Day Is Done” to the sprightlier, Nashville-flavored “Country Roads” and all stops in between. While lacking anything you’ll probably identify as an instant classic, Roadhouse comes at you with its chin jutted out and a pack of cigs rolled into its sleeve, and has the chops to justify the swagger; it’s a yellow-eyed, dust-covered reprobate of a record, steeped in Faces-style rock and soaked in bourbon. It doesn’t stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the best of Bingham’s influences, but if the leap he’s made between his first two releases is any indication, he’s well on his way to making a definitive statement. In the meantime, just crank this mother and knock a few down. (Lost Highway 2009)

Ryan Bingham MySpace page

Americana, CD QuickTakes, CD Reviews, Rock

Various Artists: Twenty First Century Twenty First Year

June 12, 2009 /

It may have seemed like just another example of dilettantism from a major star during the late ‘80s – a time when Amnesty International tours were all the rage and the Top 40 was stuffed with globetrotting music from Sting, Paul Simon, and Peter Gabriel – but 21 years later, David Byrne’s Luaka Bop is not only still around, it’s an inspirational example for anyone hoping to establish a boutique label. Known primarily as an outlet for releases from Byrne-approved “world music” artists like Zap Mama, Luaka Bop has actually been a more eclectic imprint than most people have given it credit for, something highlighted in the label’s new anniversary compilation, Twenty First Century Twenty First Year. You get the expected stuff – like Byrne’s tastes, the set skews toward South American and Afro-Caribbean grooves, offering booty-shaking cuts from Moreno +2, and Los Amigos Invisibles and some fine Shuggie Otis – but Twenty First is also careful to remind you that the label has provided a home for artists as diverse as Geggy Tah and Jim White. It all adds up to a solid hour of eclectic music that, like the label itself, is more interested in showing you a good time than proving how hip it is. And it succeeds, too – with the exception of Geggy Tah’s “Whoever You Are,” which should be locked in a lead-lined vault and fired into space, these tracks will make a fine addition to your next barbecue playlist, and it’s a fine introduction to the label in the bargain. (Luaka Bop 2009)

Luaka Bop MySpace page

Adult Contemporary, CD QuickTakes, CD Reviews, Folk, Latin, Pop, Rock

The Features: Some Kind of Salvation

June 5, 2009 /

From the back woods of Sparta, Tennessee come eclectic indie-rockers the Features. Their latest release, Some Kind of Salvation, was recorded without the help of a major label, and boasts a hodgepodge of songs with inventive lyrics and infectious melodies. Opening track “The Drawing Board” sets the tone of the record with a barrage of funky horns, and “The Temporary Blues” makes a statement about that shit job you just can’t stand but really can’t live without. Other standouts on the record include “GMF” – about zombie vegetables that take their non-conformist farmer hostage – and “Wooden Heart,” a post-break up/rebound anthem about putting the shine back on that tarnished but most important blood-pumping organ. On the whole, the record is full of energy. It’s relevant yet different, with audible influences like the Kinks and Elvis Costello. Some King of Salvation is a bit of a departure from the wild psychedelic rock you may expect from the Features, but “Off Track” or not – this foursome is poised to make a bold statement in the world of rock music. (Loose Tooth 2009)

The Features MySpace page

Alternative, Artists, CD QuickTakes, CD Reviews, Funk, Get to Know, Indie Labels, Pop, Rock

Todd Snider: The Excitement Plan

June 5, 2009 /

Over the course of his career, Todd Snider’s gained a well-deserved reputation as something of a smart-ass, an artist who apparently can’t resist the temptation to mingle his sentiment with satire, much the same as Kinky Friedman, Randy Newman, Shel Silverstein and other musicians known for their humor and chutzpah. Snider’s last effort, the obviously irreverent Peace Queer EP, found that line between sarcasm and sincerity all the more difficult to discern, and even though The Excitement Plan has Snider turning somewhat introspective, its also clear that his tongue is still situated comfortably in his cheek. Even so, Snider seems to be plowing his roots, turning down the amps and relying primarily on acoustic guitar, piano and harp for a steady, bluesy shuffle. The rustic appeal brings to mind more esteemed musical masters like J.J. Cale and Dr. John, but when he opts for a weathered and reflective perspective – as on “Greencastle Blues” and “Corpus Christi Bay” – the music becomes unexpectedly endearing. Happily, Snider’s observations are as wry as ever – borne out by the trippy tale of the ballplayer who pitched a no-hitter zonked on acid (“America’s Favorite Pastime”), an amiable diatribe on the spoils of success (“Money, Compliments, Publicity”) and a rambling lament about a shiftless spouse (“Barefoot Champagne”). Whether or not The Excitement Plan is as energized as its title suggests may be a matter of debate, but there’s no denying the lure of these entertaining observations. (Yep Roc)

Todd Snider MySpace page

Americana, Blues, CD QuickTakes, CD Reviews, Rock

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