Indie rockers Mount Carmel hail from Columbus, Ohio, and, like many things Midwestern, nearly fooled me into thinking they were one thing when they were really something else. Their handle sounded to me like they would be hipster pop or some other ironically-named alt-rock-nuvo-art-thing. But noooo – they are straight-up, four-chord seventies rock, those sneaks. As if I weren’t already thrown off enough, once they launched into their opening track, “Swaggs”, and I heard those gritty vocals coming through a classic condenser mic, […]
Spin Cycle
Spin Cycle: Torche’s “Harmonicraft”
It’s hard to listen to any of Torche’s recordings and not have the biggest, stupidest, shit-eating grin on my face. Heavy? Hells yes. But it’s such a groovy-puts-a-smile-on-my-face kind of heavy that it matters not at which decibels their glorious sounds are being expunged from my speakers thus making me deaf. Harmonicraft, for me, was easily one of the most anticipated records of 2012 and now that it’s here I can easily say that it exceeded all of my expectations. It’s […]
Spin Cycle: Jack White’s “Blunderbuss”
Here’s a review of Jack White’s “Blunderbuss!” You know you wanna read it.
Spin Cycle: Halestorm’s “The Strange Case of…Halestorm”
“That bitch can eat her heart out!” That sums up nicely what Lzzy Hale is going for throughout her band’s new offering, The Strange Case of…Halestorm. She seems to be saying “don’t you wish you were me, girls? I completely rock and am still totally a chick about the whole thing. Keep reading Cosmo, but you’ll never get your hands on this secret sauce.” And chances are good that they never will. Many girl-fronted rock acts fall quickly into self-parody […]
Spin Cycle: SWV’s “I Missed Us”
R&B girl group SWV is back with “I Missed Us,” their first album of new material in fifteen years. Check out our review!!
Spin Cycle: Flying Colors’ “Flying Colors”
Oh, Flying Colors, you got me. How you did it shouldn’t be a mystery, and yet it was a surprise to me, as I was fixed in a wary crouch, prepared for flight at the first sign of blasé songwriting or preachy lyrics. But you approached patiently, slowly luring me in with all sorts of little sonic treats, and the next thing I knew I was tamed, housebroken, and gladly accepting aural scratches behind the ears. [“Who’s a good boy? […]
Spin Cycle: Train’s “California 37”
“California 37” is the latest album by Train, and Popblerd’s managed to sneak into the future to uncover the damage Train will cause.
Spin Cycle: Aeges’ “The Bridge”
It’s scary to think (For me, at least) that bands I grew up with are now being used as a template or a comparison chart for up and coming bands. Take Aeges for example. On first listen to single “Wrong” and I was transported to a crazy world where Quicksand, Failure, and Hum never disbanded. Are these guys the second coming of any of those bands? It’s possible. Once you listen through their debut The Bridge, though, and it’ll be hard […]
Spin Cycle: DragonForce’s “The Power Within”
DragonForce switches lead singers, but do they maintain the rock? Check out the review of their new album, “The Power Within.”
Spin Cycle: Our Lady Peace’s “Curve”
Our Lady Peace release Curve, possibly the most important album of their career and Spin Cycle takes an advance listen over on Popblerd!
Spin Cycle: Monica’s “New Life”
R&B veteran Monica is back with a new album. Find out what we think about “New Life.”