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Los Campesinos! – Romance Is Boring

Los Campesinos! – Romance Is Boring Romance Is Boring starts out well. Very well. Slow buildup? Check. Bells? Keyboard? Strings? Check. Check. Check. But then towards the middle it totally falls apart. With the weird vocal filter that springs up seemingly out of nowhere and the industrial beat in the background, the song seems to lose itself; luckily, it brings it...

Built To Spill – There Is No Enemy

Built To Spill – There Is No Enemy Does music have to produce hits to be considered great? Is composition just based around what musician the software Blue Platinum dictates as most profitable? Legendary influences such as Buddy Holly, and Rock and Roll superstars such as The Grateful Dead and Led Zeppelin have yet to win a Grammy. It seems pop culture has...

Lanterns – Apocalypse Youth

Lanterns – Apocalypse Youth Diogenes smiles. His tool is a racket. A glint in forgettable sunshine. A simple gift of the gods if the gods claimed Imperial and turned her sinking shell into a dais for the dogs to call a pulpit with yips and howls resounding in the peppered caves where shadow men lay tremble in their myopia....

Lupe Fiasco – Enemy of the State: A Love Story (mixtape)

Lupe Fiasco – Enemy of the State: A Love Story (mixtape) Is it just me, or is Lupe Fiasco starting to put together a solid hip-hop resume right before our eyes? Full-lengths followed by mixtapes followed by cameos, and all, well, good. Damn good. I would concede that his first few offerings might have given off the impression that the dude thought he was some epic-ass...

Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra – Kollaps Tradixionales

Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra – Kollaps Tradixionales For over a decade, through six full lengths put out under no less than five different band names, Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra have remained consistently potent. Kollaps Tradixionales is SMZ’s first go with Efrim Menuck as the lone guitarist, and also the first release with David Payant playing drums. Kollaps Tradixionales is predictably...

Capgun Coup – Maudlin

Capgun Coup – Maudlin Its 2002, every band has a “The” attached to the front of their name and catchy rock music is back. Critics and fans are excited about the promise of pop-music. The whole boy-band thing seems to be over, despite the hangers on, even college kids discovering how much they “love Belle & Sebastian” are excited...

Daylight – Sinking

Daylight – Sinking I’m a champion of Daylight. I’m their Bobo in the pit. I’m that jackass screaming shirtless inches away from the singer’s face. The one who had too many two hours ago but just keeps going, ignoring everyone and everything within a ten-year radius just to be his best. His blind and inspired. A singular savage...

And So I Watch You From Afar – Letters EP

And So I Watch You From Afar – Letters EP Where to go for a band that has achieved so much in the last two years? Belfasts’ And So I Watch You From Afar have gone from being a niche instrumental band to a post rock behemoth that have ensured their legacy in Northern Ireland’s musical history. From confident but raw sounding EPs to sell...

Vampire Weekend – Contra

Vampire Weekend – Contra Vampire Weekend’s sophomore album, Contra, was released last week with plenty of pre-amplified hype. All the band had to do was put out a couple singles, and promote this stoned-looking cover girl floating around the web. Her name is apparently Kristen. Premature maybe, but this band has got fan diversity, clever lyrics, and a radio...

Drive-By Truckers Announce Tour & Free MP3

Drive-By Truckers Announce Tour & Free MP3 The Drive-By Truckers have announced the first part of The Big To-Do tour. The Big To-Do is slated for release on March 16, 2010 on ATO Records. Leading up to the release the band will play some weekend runs before kicking off The Big To-Do tour with a two night stand in Atlanta and then...

Spoon – Transference

Spoon – Transference Spoon’s music is like a Canadian person – thoroughly unimpressive but difficult to dislike.  A presence pleasant enough not to complain about, but you wouldn’t complain about its absence.  Vividly colorless, shockingly neutral, tenaciously timid, mouth-wateringly bland. Daringly safe. I have respect for Spoon as a band.  They are solid musicians; they found their sound...

The Soft Pack Release Parties- Ten Shows in ONE DAY!

The Soft Pack Release Parties- Ten Shows in ONE DAY! Within the next 3 months The Soft Pack are doing everything from Letterman (Feb 12) to London, but first they’ve got a show to do in LA. Well 10 shows in one day to be exact. This is all building up to the release of their self titled debut album as The Soft Pack (formally...

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