I have a problem. When people start wetting their pants about a band or song, I tend to shy away from said artist. Call it elitism or whatever but I like finding stuff on my own, not from some know-it-all blogger (I know this may sound hypocritical, haha). This was the case with Jay Reatard. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a huge fan of his previous band The Reatards. There was something about his solo album Blood Visions that I just didn’t get. Maybe I was just having a bad day but the album just sounded like a watered-down version of The Adverts. I got more and more peeved when everyone and their mother was saying it was the best thing since sliced bread or, uh, No Age.  

Keep reading after the jump.

Continue Reading

I’ve always heard of Scream Hello, but never really sat down to listen to them. Man, I was missing out. A great mix of melodic pop punk with smart lyrics, I’ve been spinning this little teaser for their upcoming full-length, Everything Is Always Still Happening constantly. If you don’t find yourself tapping your feet or even dancing to “Vinegar & Baking Soda,” you’re a goddamn Communist sympathizer who deserves life in jail.

Warm weather calls for a different type of music. No more of this mopey, sad-sack stuff. Bust out the upbeat, the melodic, the toe-tapping goodness that is reserved for the time of year when the weather is nice and no one can stop you from wearing sandals outside.

New Jersey’s own The Black Hollies aren’t exactly reinventing the musical wheel with their newest full length Casting Shadows, but their brand of decades old rock is just the thing that spring calls for. Tracks like “Paisley Pattern Ground” and “That Little Girl” are just the kind of song that would have young girls screaming at the TV set back in the black and white era.

Read more after the jump!

Continue Reading

I hate album reviews. Instead of going into indepth and long-winded sentences about the chord progressions of Generic Band A, I’d rather spotlight albums that I’ve been rocking the shit out of lately and talk about why I have been, well, rocking the shit out of them lately. It’s the record store geek mentality, what can I say? I’m not saying we won’t have our standard album reviews. I’m saying that I’d rather do this from time to time. So screw it, let’s go! So to clarify for those keeping notes, this isn’t an album “review” but rather an album “spotlight.”

Ok, I’ll admit it, up until recently, I really wasn’t the biggest fan nor did I have a clue about the genius of Nick Cave. Yes, I had a greatest hits collection on my iPod and I knew of a few Birthday Party songs here and there but that’s about it frankly. That has changed since hearing his latest full-length Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!! (Mute/Anti-). I was a fan of his Grinderman project and I think this is why I dig this version of Nick Cave so much more than his older stuff. Lazarus is filled with Cave’s usual dry wit and lyrics but the songs are much more bare-boned RNR. 

Follow after the jump for more.

Continue Reading