Sunday, May 3, 2015

Whorrifick l.o.l. Single Review

Whorrifick creates a flow in his “l.o.l.” single that is more beat poetry and Gil Scott-Heron than it represents current sorts of rap music. The instrumentation utilized in this track ties together electronic and industrial styles, intruding just enough to highlight specific lines and phrases.


 


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There is a tremendous amount of material that is presented to listeners here, ensuring that one has to spin l.o.l. a number of times before getting everything that Whorrifick has placed here. What results here in not anything that would be played on pop radio, bt this never seems to be the track’s desire. This is a poem with a beat, a hard-hitting bit of prose with a little backing, and it is solid. Check out Whorrifick’s domain and social media for additional information about this fascinating performer.


Rating: 8.5/10


Whorrifick l.o.l. Single Review / 2015 Self / www.whorrifick.com/ / www.facebook.com/Whorrifick/ / twitter.com/Whorrifick



Inspekta Jump Jump Single Review

Inspekta’s Jump Jump is a track that touches upon the trap and electrified-rap style of Juicy J; Inspekta’s flow here is dark, dingy, and dirty. This means that there are hints of Gravediggaz and Bone Thugs n Harmony that can be discerned, but with a cleanness to the arrangement that will garner radio play for the track.


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The unity of the instrumentation and the flow makes for a single that one shouldn’t miss, while the twists and turns that Inspekta takes listeners on during the composition showcase a maturity that is far past Inspekta’s time in the rap game.


Rating: 8.5/10


Inspekta Jump Jump Single Review / 2015 Titans Entertainment / www.facebook.com/inspektamusic / www.amazon.co.uk/Jump-Explicit-Inspekta/dp/B00VYCQ912/ref=pd_ecc_rvi_1


 



Matthew Charles Roam CD Review

Nothing’s Out Of Reach is the first track on Matthew Charles’ Roam and it ties together Crimpshrine, Defiance, Ohio and hints of Against Me! into a frenetic track that straddles the line between folk and punk. While this introductory track is only a hair above two minutes, there simply is a lot of material for listeners to digest. As a result, the energy that listeners have when they move into Reliance is high. Reliance has little more to the track than guitars and a bit of jangliness, but the sheer passion of Charles’ vocals and the backing singers here will tattoo the melodies created by this effort deep into the minds of listeners.


a3889000112_10The titular track on Roam has a very homespun type of sound and tells more with the effort’s introductory guitar work than many bands are able to do with a full-length track. When Charles’ vocals begin, the tempo and overall sound of the effort changes; hints of Tim Armstrong and Justin Sane (Anti-Flag) can be picked out here, while the backing vocals this time feel inspired by “Bro Hymn”-era Pennywise.


Chain Reaction is one of the most full tracks on Roam, and I feel the inclusion of different instrumental elements here represent fertile soil for subsequent Matthew Charles tracks. This release ends with a one-two punch in Young Boy and Let It Go. Young Boy has a catchiness that is unparalleled on this album with rapid tempo and stylistic changes, while Let It Go provides an emphatic conclusion to this stellar release. For additional information about Matthew Charles, check out his Tumblr or Bandcamp.


Top Tracks: Nothing’s Out of Reach, Living in the Past


Rating: 9.0/10


Matthew Charles Roam CD Review / 2014 Self / 7 Tracks / matthewwilliamcharles.tumblr.com/ / matthewwilliamcharles.bandcamp.com/album/roam



Ian and the Dream California Cauliflower CD Review

Girl From California is a feel-good sort of pop-rock that takes equal parts seventies rock, funk, soul, and an easy-going sound and makes them something that will work on current radio stations. The infectious harmonies created by Ian and the Dream will stick with listeners long after their album has ceased; this is one of the first albums that we have heard in 2015 that makes it seem as if summer is coming and that cold Ohio nights may be in the real-view.a4091799061_10


Steppin’ On My Shoes has a laid-back sound that soars on the back of a ska / reggae set of drums and a smart set of instrumentation that allows the drums and guitars to work together in harmony. There is a bass line that adds a considerable amount of fullness to this composition, further bolstering the overall momentum of California Cauliflower.


Wind Up When It’s Done has Ian and the Dream take on a mid-nineties and oughts alternative style, linking together acts as diverse as Weezer and OK Go. As always, the band is able to insert their own inimitable style into the composition. I’ve Got You Where I Want You is a chiaroscuro of the band’s immaculate arrangements and a more dirty, rock-tinged fuzz that showcases that Ian and the Dream have a number of tricks in their bag, even at the later registers of California Cauliflower.


Make it a point to visit Ian and the Dream’s Facebook and Twitter for additional information about California Cauliflower and the band’s latest news. Interested individuals can hear samples from the album from the act’s Youtube  or Bandcamp.


Top Tracks: I’ve Got You Where I Want You, Wind Up When It’s Done


Rating: 8.5/10


Ian and the Dream California Cauliflower CD Review / 2014 Self / 13 Tracks / www.ianandthedream.com/ / www.facebook.com/ianandthedream / www.twitter.com/ianandthedream


 



Saturday, May 2, 2015

Phenteus Evidence Review

Woman Clothed with the Sun is a track that tells more with an instrumental arrangements than most bands can do with four members and an entire page of song lyrics. There are nods to the organic and the electronic throughout the entirety of this album, which takes an epic turn with Apocalypse. The track possesses a very deliberate beat, which is fleshed out with strings and atmospheric soundscapes into something that simultaneously calls comparisons to wide-open spaces, a dark and dingy industrial area, and a well-lit opera. The ability of Phenteus to create such intricate compositions in the space of four minutes is simply unparalleled and as such, represents another strength to his latest EP.


cover340x340Ageless seems to be a more sedate track on its surface, but there is considerable depth to this composition that gradually ebbs and flows through the effort’s runtime. The pendulum swings back to the more nature-based side of Phenteus, providing a break to the theme that had dominated the first half of Evidence. As such, it provides listeners with the momentum that they need to keep focused on the tracks that are to follow.


Evidence concludes with New Blood, a track that fits in easily with seventeenth and eighteenth-century classical music; there is a vibrancy here that connects this older thread with more contemporary styles. The wide variety of styles and approaches that Phenteus has taken through the entirety of Evidence ensures that listeners can continue to spin the album for months and hear new inclusions and obfuscated bits and bops until summer is nearly over. For additional information about Phenteus, samples of his music, and the latest in updates add him on SoundCloud and his varied social media accounts.


Top Tracks: Woman Clothed with the Sun


 


Rating: 8.8/10


Phenteus Evidence Review / 2015 Self / 13 Tracks / phenteus.com/ / www.youtube.com/channel/UC-VdATzTgs-Tk3dj93jJD_Q / www.facebook.com/pages/Phenteus/1576157195992504 /


 


 



Upslope Pale Ale

Upslope Brewing’s year-round Pale Ale provides imbibers with a wide array of flavors in a beer that is not too hoppy, malty, or otherwise flavor-heavy. Upslope’s Pale Ale is a perfect beer to drink as the spring warms up.


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There are hints of hops that can be noticed in the nose, while the beer’s initial sip yields citrus fruit, apricots, and a slight amount of floral elements before drawing to a close. The overall complexity of this beer is substantial, with a hefeweizen-esque layering of twists and turns presented for one to enjoy. As the Pale Ale continues to warm, malt and cereal elements rise to the top as some of the more outright sweet elements fade into the background. At the beer’s core, there is refreshment – after one has completed their chores, went out to a bonfire, or is in some sort of social interaction, Upslope’s Pale Ale shines. The beer is easily paired with fish, chicken, burgers, nuts, and pizza, and will highlight bold flavors from cheeses or strongly-spiced cuisine in a delightful fashion.


Make sure to visit the Upslope Brewing website at UpslopeBrewing.com for additional information about the company’s Pale Ale and their other year-round and seasonal offerings. Checking out the brewery’s Facebook or Twitter profiles will keep one up to date regarding the latest efforts, events, and  buzz about this Boulder institution.


Rating: 8.3/10


Upslope Pale Ale / 5.80% ABV / 36 IBU / upslopebrewing.com/beer/pale-ale/ / upslopebrewing.com/ / www.facebook.com/upslopebrewing / twitter.com/upslope /


 



Friday, May 1, 2015

Girlschool Tour Through Late May, Early June

Legendary all girl British hard rockers Girlschool are gearing up to storm North America for the first time in 20 years, reclaiming their rightful place as the hardest rocking bunch of females to ever destroy a stage.

The band will be previewing tracks from their new album, Guilty As Sin, set for release later this summer via UDR Music and, as a special treat, they will be selling a Special Edition Ep, Propaganda!, featuring two songs from the new album,(“Take It Like A Band” and “Come, The Revolution”) as well as revisiting two tracks from their classic ‘Hit And Run’ album in the form of re-recorded versions of “Kick It Down” and “Watch Your Step.” Rounding out the Ep, which is limited to 300 copies, is the girls’ blistering cover of The Bee Gees classic “Staying Alive.” Both Propaganda! and Guilty As Sin were helmed by legendary producer Chris Tsangarides (Judas Priest, Thin Lizzy, etc)


The gals are bringing along the leaders of the new wave of female hard rockers, Swedish headbangers Crucified Barbara, who return to North America for the second time in three years.  With a new label, Despotz Records, and new album, In The Red, the Swedes are ready to lay waste to the States and Canada once again.  Produced by Chips Kiesbye (The Hellacopters, Millencolin, etc), In The Red features eleven tracks of pure mayhem.


Support on all dates comes from Old James and Velvet Black.


GIRLSCHOOL AND CRUCIFIED BARBARA NORTH AMERICAN DATES:


5/20         Ramona, CA – Ramona Mainstage

5/21         Las Vegas, NV – Vamp’d

5/22         Los Angeles, CA – Whisky

5/24         San Francisco, CA – Slims

5/27         Portland, OR – Bossanova Ballroom

5/28         Seattle, WA – Studio 7

5/29         Vancouver, BC – Venue

5/31         Bozeman, MT – The Fault Line

6/3           Kansas City, MO – The Scene

6/4           Fridley, MN – GB Leighton’s Pickle Park

6/5           Chicago, IL – Reggies

6/6           Weston, MI – Token Lounge

6/7           Toronto, ON – The Hard Luck

6/9           Cleveland, OH – Beachland Ballroom

6/11         Ottawa, ON – Mavericks

6/12         Montreal, QC – Katacombs

6/13         Londonderry, NH  – Tupelo Music Hall

6/14         Brooklyn, NY – Saint Vitus



 




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