Given the recent legal issues between the band that is now known as Vista Chino and Josh Homme, is it an insult to describe VC’s latest song, “Barcelonian”, off their upcoming Peace album as sounding like Queens of the Stone Age? Because it does. It’s that pure QOTSA that shared a split with Kyuss before their debut full-length. Comparisons aside, though, it’s awesome. Bruno Fevery definitely holds his own and it’s nice to see the young guitarist really let loose […]
Release Dates
Mazzy Star, “California”: The Singles Bar review
It’s been 17 years since Mazzy Star’s last full length LP, 1996’s Among My Swan. 2011 gave us the first new tracks from Hope Sandaval and the gang via the “Common Burn” / “Lay Myself Down” single, with news of an LP to be released in 2012. The promise of a new Mazzy Star LP was enticing given the length of the group’s absence, and doubly so based on the strength of “Common Burn” / “Lay Myself Down.” But the […]
Popblerd’s New Release Report 7/16/13
I’m doing this. I really am! This is Big Money’s deal but I’m taking over the “New Release Report” for a little while because, frankly, I miss it. But enough rambling, onto the new releases… We’re in the middle of July meaning…nothing is coming out. For the most part. First, there’s the solo outing from ex-Pantera/current Down frontman Phil Anselmo. I didn’t like it. A lot. You can go here to read why. On the other side of the spectrum (And […]
Mickey Gloss, “Are You Happy?”: The Singles Bar Review
Wall Of Voodoo meets Devo meets Arctic Monkeys with some manic psychedelia thrown in for good measure, Mickey Gloss is a genre-bending outfit from Australia now based in London who make the kind of music your ears will automatically drift towards. The vocals are mesmerizing, the chorus is hypnotic, and the breakdowns are raging! What more could you ask for in a raucous two and a half minute little ditty like this? Single “Are You Happy?” will be released on […]
Bloc Party, “Ratchet”: The Viewfinder Review
Well, that was quick! Less than a year after their genre-defying comeback album it looks as if Bloc Party are going on the dreaded “indefinite hiatus” once again. Don’t fret just yet, though, as the band have one last batch of new songs to release before they go their separate ways. Slated for release on August 12th in the UK, The Nextwave Sessions could very well be Bloc Party’s swan song but if songs like first single “Ratchet” are indicative […]
Metal Monday Volume 129 (7.1.13)
Shoot has been a long time coming and while I’d rather have a full length in my hands right now instead of an EP, I’ll take whatever I can get when it comes to new material from American Head Charge. Over eight years since The Feeding and six since Can’t Stop The Machine, if Shoot proves anything it’s that absence makes the heart grow fonder and that like a fine wine some things only get better with age. Is this […]
David Lynch, “Star Dream Girl” : The Singles Bar review
“Crank up that radio. Lemme tell y’all a story.” So begins the latest single from David Lynch, and it’s a rather fitting introduction. As the mastermind behind perplexing and entertaining films such as Lost Highway, Mulholland Drive, Wild at Heart, and Eraserhead, Lynch is well versed in storytelling. Music has always been central to his storytelling craft, and with last year’s Crazy Clown Time , Lynch opted to hone his stories to purely aural rather than visual media. The Big Dream is Lynch’s […]
Rogue Wave, Nightingale Floors: Album Review
Rogue Wave records have in the past always been this sort of comfort food for me. They’re magical and uplifting despite being so dark at times. The beauty of their records is probably that, regardless of the subject matter, one would never be able to tell because of how uplifting and beautiful the music is which has always appealed to me. On the band’s latest record, Nightingale Floors, Rogue Wave again take beauty from the breakdown to limitless new heights. […]
Download, Lingam: Album Review
Can I first thank the demon goddess that 2013 is apparently bringing us a new Skinny Puppy record, a new ohGr recod supposedly (Watch this space for my Nivek Ogre review coming soon where he talks about it), and a new record by cEvin Key’s Download? Anyway, the ego to the super-ego that is Skinny Puppy (The id of course being ohGr), Download float in that middle space superbly crafting these beats that lie uninhibited by vocals. As far as […]
BLACK TAXI, “House On Fire”, The Viewfinder Review
While taxidermy is definitely not the first thing that comes to mind when I think of BLACK TAXI, when it comes to new music from these NYC natives I will gladly take whatever visuals they decide to throw my way. With “House On Fire” they’ve expanded their sound even more on this synth-heavy slow jam that features guitarist Bill Mayo on lead vocals (Don’t worry, vocalist/multi-instrumentalist Ezra Huleatt is definitely present especially when you hear that strong trumpet line towards […]
Front Line Assembly, “Killing Grounds”: The Singles Bar Review
Is that dubstep I hear in “Killing Grounds”, the first offering from Front Line Assembly’s upcoming ECHOGENETIC album? It kind of sounds like there is but with most everything FLA do, they make it work. Definitely a more electronic and dance-heavy vibe than 2010’s Improvised. Electronic. Device., “Killing Grounds” still has Bill Leeb’s uncanny snarl at the forefront propelled by some killer beats and interesting forays into new genres all within six minutes. ECHOGENETIC is out on July 9th […]
