Tag Archives: album review

[Album Preview] Brigg Fair – full length debut

When making an album, recording live is the musical equivalent of doing your crossword puzzle in pen. It’s risky. If one member of the band falters or delivers a performance that’s less than stellar- it shows through in the playback and you pretty much have to record the whole song over. There are very few opportunities to “punch in” where you left off in this kind of recording environment. Because of that, engineers often steer bands away from live recording. When it’s done right, though, it’s gold. The Album becomes a testament to a moment, an honest feel for the bands sound, as if you were watching them at a concert. It gives the record an energy and drive that cannot be created through tracking.

This is the nature of the mantle that Geoff Ereth and his band Brigg Fair have taken upon themselves. A challenge that they have well met through both their performance and the location in which they recorded- the sanctuary of an old church, whose high ceilings allow for beautiful organic reverberation and a light pulsing echo.

Brigg Fair – You Know Who You Are

’Brigg Fair – Brigg Fair – 01 You Know Who You Are.mp3′

Set to release in March 2012, Brigg Fair’s full length debut is a blend of soft rock and power pop that truly has something to say. “How’d you like to make some money? How’d you like to kill yourself for change?” Continue reading

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[Album] Sleigh Bells 'Treats' Review

Sleigh Bells Treats album review

On their ambitious debut album, Brooklyn noise pop duo Sleigh Bells treat our ears to a fresh angle on the stagnant crunk sound with cheers, rock guitars, massive drum blasts and air-tight pop vocals. The results are immensely listenable and frequently dazzling.Sleigh Bells Treats album More often than not, the band’s music sounds like a fully-integrated mix of electro pop and 90s hardcore—an admittedly cheap comparison considering that singer Alexis Krauss was indeed once in teen-pop group Ruby Blue, while guitarist/song-writer Derek E. Miller was a long-time member of post-hardcore outfit Poison the Well. Loud-and-clear opener “Tell ‘Em” sums the record up perfectly. If you are unable to process the blaring crunk beat paired with the screaming metal guitar leads, then your attitude about the album is unlikely to change. Krauss’ sugary-sweet vocals sound like they were pulled from another song altogether, but the crowded mix makes room for her quite effectively. Read full review at inyourspeakers.com

Listen/Download: Sleigh Bells- Tell Em Here

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[Pop/Rock] Quiet Company 'Songs For Staying In' [Review]

Quiet Company 'Songs For Staying In' EP review
Sincere and effortlessly charming, Songs For Staying In is soulful 27-minute rendition of love, sex and those soft rock pop melodies that call for intimate affection. Lead by front man Taylor Glen Muse and his friend, Austin-based Quiet Company‘s new EP is the kind of record that only takes one listen to fall in love for. With smooth pop ballads like ‘If You Want’ and ‘Jezebel’ that incorporate longing honest vocals, playful electronic guitar riffs and plucks, and moving piano chords, the EP create a perfect enviroment for calling off work and staying in for the rest of the morning.

Not all is soft and slow. Instrumentally rich tracks like ‘Things You Already Know’ and ‘How Do You Do It’ serve as glorious rock anthems for the loved, the wicked and the wickedly in love, with bigger than life sounding songs that still remain grounded to a romantic overtone.

qc_album-coverThe Music Ninja does not ‘rate’ albums but I definitely give these collection of songs two thumbs up, and if it wasnt so gross, I would raise both my toes as well. Highly recommended and highly enjoyable, Songs For Staying In has not only made impression on my 2010 favorite lists of albums, but it has also gotten me excited to see what Quiet Company has stored for us in the future. A band to watch and a delicate rock/pop EP to check out.

Quiet Company – If You Want [Buy Here]

’05 If You Want.mp3′

Free MP3:Quiet Company – How Do You Do It

’01 How Do You Do It_.mp3′
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[Interview] & [Album Review]: Adam and Darcie "California Trail"

adam-and-darcie-california-trail
Poetic Version Review:
From the first time you are able to ride the bicycle without any help, to almost falling in love with someone that you just met, sometimes in life things just click and although you may not understand the why or the how, all questions become mute as the moment takes over and puts you in a different place and time. Equally, on a musical scale, this is how I felt when I listened to Adam and Darcie’s latest album “California Trail”. As I was checking my Inbox for new music, I was provided a link to listen to their new single “Hands/Mind”. A very simple task I thought to myself, I opened the link and started playing the song. About twenty minutes in I came to the realization that I was not just listening to one song but the entire album available for streaming on their website. It was purely magical, their album and my ears had just clicked, love at first listen one can say. Before I was able to answer the how or the why, their carefully crafted melodies, delicate to the ear but strong with emotions, had taken me to another place that although unfamiliar to me, had never felt closer to home, I was walking on the California Trail.

Regular Version Review:
I am a little embarrassed to admit that the above is 100% the truth. I enjoyed their album so much; it inspired me in many ways. The best answer is always the simplest one and when you add instrumental melodies, intertwined vocals between wife and husband and the passion to create, you get Adam and Darcie definition to what music means to them. California Trail is a story telling venture about longing for a peaceful, family life and a place to call a home.

california-trailAdam And Darcie – I Need To Let Go Of What I Wont Miss

’Adam And Darcie – I Need To Let Go Of What I Wont Miss.mp3′

Buy

Adam And Darcie – The Fox, Hare, And Doe

’Adam And Darcie – The Fox Hare And Doe.mp3′

Buy

Free Download: Adam And Darcie – Hands-Mind

’Adam And Darcie – Hands
Mind.mp3′

Buy

I got a chance to bounce a couple of questions with Adam and Darcie, and here is what they had to say. Continue reading

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Classified's "Self Explanatory" is also self satisfying

classified

You are in for a hip/hop ride like never before when you listen to the latest album of one of Canada’s finest and yet most underrated producer/rapper Classified. Right away you can tell his a producer first and rapper second, as the quality and refinement of each beat on every track is to put it simply… freaking dope! He brings an out of the box lyrical approach of storytelling where through a series of tracks prefixed with “Choose Your Own Adventure” he raps the events that happened to him in a normal day, each scenario accompanied by a different beat and style. To describe his style you would have to listen to artists like Jay-Z and Mike Shinoda’s side project Fort Minor.

Each track is submerged in genuine life themes that come through as sincere as he expresses them. Classified is not a higher than life artist, spitting game and bragging about girls, money and fame like most mainstream rappers do. He is about being at par with life and its situations from a grounded and hopeful positive perspective. I’ve been blogging about music and selecting my favorite from albums for a while now and it truly pains me to select just a couple of songs to share from this epic album. We’ll definitely start with the first song I heard from Classified titled “Quit While You’re Ahead” and just to show his range in style I am also posting the slow, mellow, sad and yet motivational song “Inspiration” . “Choose Your Own Adventure 3” is one of out a 6 part series of track that complete a storytelling adventure.

Classified – Quit While Your Ahead

’Quit While Your Ahead’

AmazoniTunes

Classified – Inspiration<3 hypem

’Inspiration’

AmazoniTunes

Classified – Choose Your Own Adventure 3 – <3 hypem

’Choose Your Own Adventure 3′

AmazoniTunes

http://www.classifiedofficial.com/
http://www.myspace.com/hiphopclassified
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classified_(rapper)

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Steve Raynolds' take on folk "The Carnival Papers"

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Song/Artist Steve Reynolds with his captivating folk influenced slow rock was featured in the soundtrack of Eli Stone’s “Mortal Kombat” episode with a beautiful mellow the song titled “Coming In Too Low”. Soothing and sincere sounding lyrics that spread across the emotional spectrum of indulgence, wanderlust, love, lost love, joy and a lot of pain, youthful run-ins with the law, full release, redemption and resultant wisdom.

His must buy album released June 3, 2008 The Carnival Papers appears to come across as folk yet it contains a lot of modern rock influences that give it a very unique sound. There are albums that only have a few great song and the rest track are just OK, which is definitely not the case with The Carnival Papers as Steve Reynolds keeps you entertained from beginning to end. From the very folky lyrical driven “Once In Your Life” to the more epic violin accompanied songs “Mistaken Identity” and the heavy orchestrated “Coming In Too Low” Steve Raynold is able to pull every song with elegance.

Coming In Too Low – Steve Raynolds

”Coming In Too Low”

AmazoniTunes

Mistaken Identity – Steve Raynolds

”Mistaken Identity”

AmazoniTunes

Once In Your Life – Steve Raynolds

”Once In Your Life”

AmazoniTunes

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"The joke is on everyone", says Patrick Davy

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Yes, the joke is on everyone that has not listen to the extremely catchy song title “The Joke” (click here to check out the video). Patrick Davy is a singer/songwriter/guitarist from Detroit, Michigan. In his album debut “Where it began“, Patrick creates a balance between the simplicity of his songs and the powerful heartfelt vocals to create beautifully sounding melodies. As he points out “‘Where it Began‘ is a darker record than most as the songs are reflections of reality. Because life isn’t like TV. The record is directed at the heart and bones without the sales-pitch frills that the obsolete gatekeepers of the music industry have required for too many years.

“The joke” and “Took a long time” are one of the lighter songs that appear on his album. Others like “The feeling” and “Where it began” are much more mellow with a steady slow tempo. Make sure you check out his myspace to listen more of his album.

The Joke – Where It Began

”The Joke”

This Feeling – Where It Began

”This Feeling”

Where it Began – Where It Began

”Where It Began”

iTunes myspace

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