Garage rock revival from Atlanta. And it's pretty true to form. They experiment here and there with some psychedelic art-rock, but for the most part it's distorted guitars and danceable beats. The songs are okay, and the best is a slower-tempo'ed ode to a friend called "I'll Be With You". It certainly would fit perfectly in your car in the middle of a Little Stevie Van Zandt radio show; and the video is perfectly retro and cutsy, but... Overall, the music is as forgettable as their boring name, though. Sorry, hipsters.
This was my first foray into the Dead and maybe I'll check out some more. But it seemed to pass by me. There's a lot of build-ups and crescendos, so it might be exiting in a live setting. Or maybe I'm just hungover.
Having said that, this song below is a fucking jam. (2 of 5 stars)
The leader of the Black Keys releases his first solo album. And it's not all that different than the Keys. How could it be? You're simply replacing a drummer. But somehow, the power a vitriol that comes in a two-man garage blues band is lost when you add other side players with new instruments. Instead of "garage rock", it becomes "front-porch rock". I like most of the songs here, but they're performed with practice and calmness. It loses the reckless abandon that I love about the Keys and you're just not gettting that here. (3 of 5 stars)
This band passed by me while I got into the White Stripes, so I was not breaking my ass getting to this record. But still, I love "C'mon, C'mon" (Rescue Me premiere- April 7) So, when I liked a couple of songs I was surprised. The Bondies are fully aware that the neo-garage rock scene is over and that they should move on, but they don't move any farther than general pop-rock generally. But check out "Chancer". You'll like it. (3 of 5 stars)
I liked this about as much as I thought I would. Alternative indie rock that you can dance to. I found it about as challenging as I find most dance music. So, now they've gone farther into the dance thing. And it rarely rocks. So, you may love it, it's just not my bag. This is almost a concept album about a debaucherous night out drinking and screwing. Obviously, stealing everything from my own concept album Game Of Monopoly a few years ago. I'm HUGE in Scotland. Had a favorite though, the Pulp-y rocker, "Bite Hard". (2 of 5 Stars)
New York oddity follows up his morbid debut with an equally dark tale of baroque woe. I can hardly describe it any better than this allmusic.com review: "Musically, the softness and restrained textural lushness — always propelled by the intimate, mysterious, exploring piano of Hegarty — is highlighted by his voice that bears the traces of every heartbreak ever confessed, every quiet yet desperate hope ever held, and each prayer whispered to an unknown and unknowable God."(4 of 5 stars)
Salt Lake City band who throws back to a not-so-distant past of mid-90s post-grunge X103 Alt. Rock. I am going to assume that this band LOVED Candlebox. They're not a Christian band(because they love their whiskey), but they also sing about redemption and "growing up". It's not bad. It just passes in one ear and out the other. It's basically music for the kids that haven't gotten this far in life and hope to have the experiences and the good friends that Royal Bliss are reminiscing over. But I'm kinda over that, my damn self. So... (1.5 of 5 stars)
