Monthly Archives: March 2015
The Screaming Females – Rose Mountain
The Screaming Females are hard-hitting DIY female-fronted punk rockers with full, deep, unapologetic vocals. Rose Mountain has a forceful but more refined and clean sound, not as wild and screamy as previous releases. Play: 1, 3, 4, 2, 8 RIYL: Sleater-Kinney, Speedy Ortiz, Times New Viking
Young Guv – Ripe 4 Luv
‘F*cked Up’ guitarist Ben Cook’s side project ‘Young Guv’ is a big leap away from the parent band’s hardcore sound, but the tunes are just as celebratory. Ripe 4 Luv is easy-breezy garage power pop for summer that is just messy enough to stay interesting. Tasty, pleasant pop-rocks with drum kit beats. The album is […]
Made Violent – Made Violent EP
Made Violent is the debut EP from youngster rock band Made Violent. The EP consists of five catchy, upbeat, chorus-driven rock ‘n roll tunes full of Stones references and riffy radio guitars. Simple music to accompany a video montage of a group of clean-cut, precocious teenagers making mischief in a sunny metropolitan area. Play: 1, […]
San Cisco-Gracetown
This album can give you a toothache with the amount of sugar added through the recording process, which isn’t a bad thing because it really sweetens up the songs. The songs would fit well in an advertisement in which a family in pastels chases after the unruly dog before settling down at a BBQ and […]
Genghar- She’s A Witch EP (Transgressive)
A unique sound that blends elements of 60s pop and psychedelic music as well as a neo-soul like vibe. The songs are relatively bare with only guitar, bass, drums, keyboards and vocals but that is all that’s needed to present these simple and pretty songs; the vocals are layered together to create an interesting voice […]
Shana Falana- Set Your Lightning Fire Free (Team Love)
With heavy bass and synth, it is easy to confuse this music as something out of the 80s but Shana Falana puts a spin on the heavy sounds by pairing it with surf-pop vibes to create a nice mixture. The reverb soaked guitar is picked like a perfect beach pop song similar to Chastity Belt, […]
SUFJAN STEVENS // CARRIE & LOWELL (ASTHMATIC KITTY)
INTIMATE, EMOTIONAL & PERSONAL DUE TO HIS MOTHERS PASSING IN 2012. STRIPPED-DOWN ACOUSTIC INDIE-FOLK. LESS EXPERIMENTAL. CHORAL SHIMMERS, VOCAL LAYERS. PLAY: 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11 FCC: 3, 10 RIYL: ELLIOTT SMITH, BON IVER, IRON & WINE
LOWER DENS // ESCAPE FROM EVIL (RIBBON MUSIC)
DREAMY, DARK & ETHEREAL POST-PUNK. MORE SYNTH, LESS GUITAR THAN BEFORE. ANDROGYNOUS FEMALE REVERB VOCALS (SOUNDING LIKE VICTORIA LEGRAND FROM BEACH HOUSE). 80’S SYNTH-POP SOUND. PLAY: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10 RIYL: BEACH HOUSE, FUTURE ISLANDS, MR TWIN SISTER
THE PREFAB MESSIAHS // KEEP YOUR STUPID DREAMS ALIVE (BURGER)
REASSEMBLED GARAGE-POP BAND FROM THE 80’S. PSYCHEDELIC & WHIMSICAL. FUZZY & VINTAGE W/ POWER-JANGLE, REVERB VOCALS. PLAY: 1 THRU 7 RIYL: THEE OH SEES, WHITE FENCE, KING TUFF, BLACK LIPS, 13TH FLOOR ELEVATORS
TWERPS // RANGE ANXIETY (MERGE)
AUSTRALIAN WARM, INFECTIOUS POP W/ SLOW JAMS. ELEMENTS OF 90’S LO-FI, MALE-FEMALE VOCALS, JANGLY GUITARS, FUZZY MELODIES. PLAY: 2 THRU 9 RIYL: YO LA TENGO, GO-BETWEENS, FLYING NUN LABEL BANDS
THE SOFT MOON // DEEPER (CAPTURED TRACKS)
ETHEREAL, GOTHIC SHOEGAZE, POST-PUNK aka “DARK-WAVE” W/ BASS CHORUS, MECHANIZED BEATS, EERIE ANGULAR GUITAR, REVERB VOCALS. PLAY: 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9 RIYL: BLACK MARBLE, HOLOGRAMS, PLACE TO BURY STRANGERS, KAVINSKY
lowercase letters – lowercase letters
Lowercase letters makes real low-key neo-soul/rock/R&B. There’s some definite genre crossover even hitting on hints of punk at certain moments. Soft, sexy vocals from a female singer with lovely harmonies…although not always perfectly on key :(. Really nice album though. Play: 3, 8 FCC: 2 RIYL: Jhene Aiko, Jessie Ware, Beach House
Action Bronson – Mr. Wonderful
Action Bronson is as crazy and goofy as ever on his second studio album Mr. Wonderful. The beats are surprisingly funky and soulful. Production credits are familiar Bam Bam collaborators including Statik Selektah, The Alchemist and Party Supplies. There are a few new faces like two tracks by Mark Ronson and “Actin’ Crazy,” a banger […]
Greg Grease – Born To Lurk Forced To Work
Greg Grease is a rapper/producer from Chicago. On this album he provides atmospheric post-dilla beats (verging on trap in the album’s second half). He also spits lyrics that might make you want to rewind and listen again. Its an experimental album throughout that feels like it may come unhinged at points but it never does […]
PRhyme – Prhyme
Prhyme is DJ Premier and Royce Da 5’9. If you haven’t gone to look it up yet, it’s dope. Classic primo beats with hot samples and scratches. Royce is at his best too. Plus, take a look at the list of features that includes Jay Electronica, Dwele, Ab-Soul, Schoolboy Q, Killer Mike, Common, Mac Miller […]
Tuxedo – Tuxedo
Funk is clearly on its way back, and this time with lots of groovy synths. Jake One serves up the beats and Mayer Hawthorne sings about how great the feeling is…and how he can’t get enough of it…and he can’t describe it…. seriously every song. But I’m not complaining. Enjoyable, accessible, feel-good album. Play: 3, […]
Gustave Samazeuilh–Complete Piano Works
A composer unknown to me, his parent’s were friends with many Impressionist composers and he himself was a close friend of Ravel’s–lovely, lyrical works. Play all!
Michael William Gilbert–Secret Stories
Ambient, mostly lyrical works with synthesizers and instruments. Trks 4 & 5 jazzy. Play!
The Clarinet in the Twentieth Century
Pieces for either solo clarinet or with accompaniment by varied composers throughout the 20th century, including Juon, Berg, Stravinsky, Hindemith, and more. Play!
Kalevi Aho–Works for Solo Piano
Finnish composer Aho is known for his orchestral works, not for piano. This CD shows his range–“19 Preludes” sounds very Classical, despite having been composed in the 60’s. Other pieces are definitely modern, gracious, lilting to strong. Play!
Rod Piazza and the Mighty Flyers
LA-based Piazza has been around as a local band for several decades at least. Here is a mix of covers and originals, harmonica front, with horns, piano. Vocals thinnish.
Nancy Galbraith–Strange Travels
Interesting contemporary works for varying instruments, solo or ensemble, electric or acoustic. Lyrical, intense, a variety. Play!
Ludovico Einaudi– Piano Music
Contemporary piano pieces that (per liner notes) can be considered “minimal, classical, pop or easy listening,”always lyrical.
Music at Brandeis
Works for piano and violin in which both instruments are equally prominent, unlike the majority of works. Play most!
Harp Music
Italian harp pieces from the turn of the 20th century, with some Baroque elements. Play!
WRUV Reviews 