*This review was composed by Sydney Gore and edited by Erik van Rheenen

When Wild Nothing released its newest single, “A Dancing Shell”, critics everywhere raved about the hot track. With so much excitement built up on this EP, Jack Tatum was expected to step up his musical game. So he ventured all the way to Brooklyn to record the EP, where a new setting certainly awakened another side of the artistic genius within him. All 7 songs on Empty Estate flow smoothly along a musical current that leads to a waterfall of wonderful sound.

Empty Estate is the type of EP that can’t be interrupted— it deserves to be played all the way through, from beginning to end. “The Body In Rainfall” opens the floodgates of sound with grooving guitars and killer keyboards to create the dreamiest of dream pop. “Ocean Repeating (Big-Eyed Girl)” follows the wave as Tatum describes a mystical woman whose features are emphasized with piercing synthesizers. “I’m not trying to catch her or to carry her weight. I only wanted to chase her through the empty estate,” Tatum sings.

With sensational single “A Dancing Shell” aside, other standout tracks are definitely “Ride” and “Data World.” The duo has multiple layers to them, packed with pop, rock and electronic influences that all reek of that sweet 80’s funk. 

Read More

*This review was composed by Sydney Gore and edited by Erik van Rheenen

Vampire Weekend has been hiding in the dark for a solid three years. In 2008, they shook up the rock world with their debut album. Two years later, they made everyone yearn for an extended vacation on a foreign island with Contra. And now, at last, the band resurfaced from the shadows of New York with their third album, Modern Vampires Of The City.

“Obvious Bicycle” re-introduces us to the band that so many have been struck by. The world sound captured on both the debut album and sophomorealbumremains with the band’s beloved South African influence beating on the drums and into our earlobes. 

This time around, it is evident that Ezra Koenig, Rostam Batmanglij, Chris Tomson and Chris Baio are not the same men they were six years ago. On the brink of entering their golden thirties, they are no longer college undergrads bursting with energy and naivety. (Perhaps the closing track, “Young Lion” is the band’s way of paying homage to their Columbia University roots.)

This logic is best exemplified in the song “Step,” where Koenig’s musical metaphors shed light on their new mindset: “Wisdom’s a gift, but you’d trade it for youth. Age is an honor, it’s still not the truth.” There’s always a hint of nostalgia between the lines, but it’s applied in a tasteful manner. Into their adulthood, these men have had their fair share of life experiences and are willing to lyrically share their words of wisdom with fans in regards to relationships with loved ones, God, and everything and everyone in-between.

Read More

*This review was composed by Sydney Gore and edited by Erik van Rheenen

Contrary to popular belief, there was no skating or surfing at Skate And Surf Festival on May 18. For the first time in8 years, the music festival was brought back in place of the failure that was last year’s Bamboozle Festival. In fact, Skate And Surf Festival pre-dates Bamboozle Festival, originating in 2002 in Asbury Park, New Jersey. 

Originally, the festival was supposed to go on at Plaza Green at iPlay America in Freehold, New Jersey but was moved to Six Flags Great Adventure for the weekend by popular demand, although most attendees will agree that Six Flags is one of the worst venues for concerts.

Unfortunately, Mother Nature was not on Jersey’s side, casting the entire day with grey skies and light showers. Aside from the bad weather, Skate & Surf Festival was somewhat of an actual disaster for its first round. The setup alone for the event was an absolute mess. On one side, three stages are directly next to each other while the main stage — almost the same size as the others — stands a few feet away from another hidden stage.

Even though it seemed like everyone was here to defend pop punk, there were so many different types of music featured at the festival, including hip-hop/rap, alternative, ska, electro, indie rock and screamo. With the stages being so close to each other, there were a lot of mixed signals throughout the day: in between sets, it was almost impossible not to hear the next band over. 

At the Aquarian Better stage, pop-punk bands like Mixtapes put on energized 30-minute sets before spectators got too soggy from the rain. (The bassist even performed without an actual bass for most of the gig, which was impressive.) The Ohio natives were the most interactive band by far, engaging the crowd in witty dialogue in-between all of Maura Weaver and Ryan Rockwell’s lighthearted male-female call and response sing-alongs. 

Read More

Skate And Surf Festival is three days away, and we hope you’re all as excited as we are for an incredible weekend at Six Flags in Jackson, NJ. We posted POZ’s Must See Bands And Acts for the first day of Skate yesterday, and we’re back today with day two! Check out ticket/lineup information for the festival here, our list below, and reblog to let us know who we need to see while we’re at Skate this weekend!

Related Stories:
POZ Skate And Surf Preview: Our Must-See Bands And Acts (Day 1)

Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, by Sydney Gore
I have already had the pleasure of watching this dynamic duo perform live, so from my own personal experience, I can assure that they know how to show a crowd a good time. There’s so much more to the Seattle based rapper and producer than meets the eye—the same men who made the catchy, lighthearted tracks like “Thrift Shop” and “And We Danced” also speak out about social issues, such as marriage equality, in “Same Love.” The Heist was one of the most anticipated albums of the year, and since its release back in November, Macklemore and Ryan Lewis have earned themselves quite a supportive following. Believe the hype, Macklemore and Ryan Lewis dish out lyrical poetry that does not disappoint.

Glassjaw, by Jesse Richman
Elusive post-hardcore veterans Glassjaw tend to keep a low profile these days; it’s been over a decade since the band released their last LP (though they continue to quietly release the occasional EP), and nearly as long since they played anything approaching a full-time touring schedule. Not that the infrequency of their performances shows in their stage work — ask anyone who’s had the luck to catch them in the last few years, and they’ll gladly let you know that Daryl Palumbo remains as dynamic a frontman as ever. These veterans of the original Skate And Surfs may be fighting an uphill battle against a crowd primed for Macklemore and A Day To Remember and too young to remember the band’s glory years, but Glassjaw are nothing if not fighters. Hopefully the crowd will understand what a rare treat they’re getting when the band takes the stage.

Rx Bandits, by Erik van Rheenen
They’re back.

Ten years after releasing The Resignation,the Drive-Thru standouts are putting the kibosh on their one-year hiatus with a return to Jersey. Nearly four years removed from their stellar full-length Mandala, the progressive rockers will shake off the rust and be back to their old proggy tricks. The elusive veterans haven’t played North American shows in more than a year, and in a day packed with nostalgia, (Glassjaw and Saves The Day, for starters) Rx Bandits will rock the Skate And Surf stage like it’s 2009.

MOD SUN, by Sydney Gore
Selecting two hip-hop artists from the lineup was a happy coincidence, but MOD SUN is definitely one of my favorites. The hippy-hop artist is all about being happy, spreading posi vibes, and living life to the fullest— or the highest. I guarantee that you’ll leave his set with a huge smile on your face and a fresher perspective on life. Anyone who wants to immerse themselves in a fun atmosphere needs to let MOD SUN be their guide.

Saves The Day, by Erik van Rheenen
We the fans can be big complainers. “This band didn’t play all the songs I wanted to hear.” “Where’s that obscure B-side from 2005?” “You guys always play the same set.” So Saves The Day cut out the middleman and had fans vote on the setlist, so even if they don’t play “Sell My Old Clothes, I’m Off To Heaven,” you at least had some say. A collection of fan favorites and deep cuts should be more than enough to pack the pit for Chris Conley and company — who knows? Maybe we’ll get a taste of some new tunes, too. 

Read More

Skate And Surf Festival is just a few days away now, and we hope you’re all as excited as we are for an incredible weekend at Six Flags in Jackson, NJ. We thought it’d be a great idea to put together a list of POZ’s Must See Bands And Acts for the first day of the lineup today, with a day two feature coming tomorrow. Check out ticket/lineup information for the festival here, our list below, and reblog to let us know who we need to see while we’re at Skate this weekend!

Streetlight Manifesto, by Erik van Rheenen
Ska fans can wipe that tear from their eyes and pull on their skanking shoes: the beginning of the end may be here, but not before Streetlight plays a homecoming show in Jersey under the bright lights at Skate And Surf. With label woes plaguing the release of The Hands That Thieve, the band will probably blow off some steam at their set and show off some of the new material, which is, in fact, killer. From old fan-favorites to new sing-along anthems, fans will make Streetlight Manifesto feel right back at home. Mostly because they will be.

Balance & Composure, by Adrienne Fisher
Balance & Composure has been fairly quiet ever since wrapping up a pretty hefty winter headliner earlier this year with The Jealous Sound and Daylight, only to reveal just a week or so ago that that time’s been leveraged into finishing up their second full-length record, slated for release sometime this fall. I know I’m not the only one busting out party hats to celebrate that fact, and being that their set at Skate and Surf is the only one publicly on the books for the foreseeable future, we the people should probably resolve to make sure we’re there for it. While we can always cross our fingers for a preview of a new song, the truth is that we’re definitely not over 2011’s Separation and will still eagerly lend ourselves to become soul-crushed by that opening rhythm section in “Burden.” If you’re a Balance fan, make it a point to catch this set – you never know, those songs from Only Boundaries might drop out of rotation once the new record comes out and you wouldn’t want to be that guy whining about how you missed out on hearing the old stuff, right?

Transit, by Jesse Richman
It’s hard to remember the last time anyone in the scene released an album as divisive as Transit’sYoung New England— whether they loved it or hated it, everyone seemed to have a strong opinion. As they bring that album to the biggest stage yet, will the crowd be with them or against them? Has the criticism beaten Transit down or made them stronger? And has Joe Boynton’s voicereally changed? We’re looking forward to finding out the answers.

Andrew WK, by Erik van Rheenen
When it’s time to party we will party hard.

I mean, seriously. What will be more fun than catching a set from the King of Positive Partying himself at an amusement park? Since the eruption of his smash hit “Party Hard” in 2001, Andrew WK’s become a jack-of-all-trades: motivational speaker, TV show host, producer, and of course, sticking to his singing/songwriting guns. Dust off your copy of I Get Wet, reacquaint yourself with some of WK’s early 2000s party rock anthems, and let’s get a party going on Saturday afternoon.

LIGHTS, by Sydney Gore
The 24-year-old Canadian singer-songwriter has a way of enchanting anyone who listens to her synth-pop tunes. With a traveling background as a missionary child, Lights takes the crowd on an adventure of their own to a digital dimension where music is the only savior. Her most recent album, Siberia was nominated for “Pop Album of the Year” at the Juno Awards last year. Don’t let Lights’ “manic pixie dream girl” physique fool you—she goes hard at live shows, especially when the heavy electronic beat start pulsing. Lights is always a delight to watch, so definitely don’t miss out on her set—it’s bound to be electrifying.

Mixtapes, by Erik van Rheenen
Ordinary Silence doesn’t hit shelves until the end of June, but fingers crossed these Ohioans share a few new tunes with us come this weekend. The uber-productive pop-punkers (this marks their second full-length in as many years) keep the bouncy tunes coming, and the dual vocal attack of Maura Weaver and Ryan Rockwell (and their kinda-sorta ridiculous stage banter) is always a blast to sing along with. There aren’t many bands to usher in summer with, and Mixtapes sets are pretty much always guaranteed to be a good time. 

Read More

*This review was composed by Sydney Gore and edited by Erik van Rheenen

Take away all that electronic noise of her instrumentals, and Lights’ beautiful voice would still blow the speakers out. On Siberia Acoustic, the Canadian electro-pop star strips down all 10 songs from her previous album and shows off why she’s a force to be reckoned with. The acoustic album also includes a few familiar artists from past tours, turning some songs into duets. 

Adam Young, of Owl City fame, comes in on the second verse of “Cactus In the Valley,” transitioning the duet into a powerful piano-driven ballad. On “Peace Sign,” Coeur de Pirate chimes in after the chorus with a mouthful of French. It’s probably the most unexpected element of the track, but it works well with the song’s acoustic guitar. This is definitely one of the best tracks, almost reminiscent of finding summer in the midst of winter.

Formerly the opening track on the original album, “Siberia” gets majorly slowed down, but the melody flows with ease on the piano. The addition of Max Kerman of Arkells on vocals probably seemed like an ambitious idea, but to be honest, it was probably the biggest mistake of the album. Kerman’s deep voice doesn’t quite match with Lights’ higher pitch, and he basically ruins what could have been a pleasant duet if a compatible vocalist had been selected instead.  

On the flip side, “Where the Fence Is Low” wasn’t originally a standout track on Siberia, but when there are only a few acoustic guitar chords being strummed behind Lights’ divine voice, there is a whole new side to it. The same can be said about “Suspension” and “Heavy Rope,” where Lights’ hauntingly soft voice resonates deep within the ears.

There’s also something about “Toes” that sounds slightly better when it’s not acoustic. Somehow, it loses the excitement and high energy it once possessed when accompanied by the synthesizers and hard electro beats. Lights sounds vulnerable and even a bit helpless as she sings at a whisper. It isn’t necessarily a bad thing; it’s just a completely different vibe. 

Read More

*This review was composed by Sydney Gore and edited by Erik van Rheenen

The Dear Hunter’s new album, Migrant, simply takes your breath away. 

The album sets itself apart from The Dear Hunter’s previous three full-lengths all in sound, technique, and concept. No song in particular stands out, as they are all impressive by their own means. Setting that aside, everything about Migrant—from the instrumentation to the song writing—is subtle, but impactful. The songs are theatrical, enticing movement in an emotional and physical sense.

Every song on Migrant sounds different, but all of the tracks work in sync together. There’s pop, rock, and a pinch of folk to keep all types of listeners tuned in. At first, “Bring You Down” sounds like a sinister medley from a Hitchcock film, but then transitions into something much more comforting. The call-and-response between the chimes and the piano are mesmerizing. Add in Casey Crescenzo’s compelling voice, and the musical magic plays on. 

“Shame” has the unsettling factor again, but feels like an elegant tango between quarrelling lovers. But then “An Escape” follows, which literally feels like an escape to another musical realm with gorgeous melodies dripping from every word. (For some reason, the arrangement of “oohs” midway through reminds me of the enchanting snow scene from “Edward Scissorhands.”) This is a song to blast in the car with the windows down as you speed down the highway en route to a spontaneous adventure.

Read More

*This review was composed by Sydney Gore and edited by Erik van Rheenen

Their creepily romantic song “Hey There Delilah” was a huge hit in 2005, making tween girls across the nation weep every time it came on the radio because they weren’t nearly as captivating as Delilah. But for the past three years, Plain White T’s has been musically inactive.

In 2007, Plain White T’s released Every Second Counts, followed by Big Bad World, which contained more heart-bursters like “1, 2, 3, 4.” Their most recent album, Wonders Of The Younger,dropped in 2010, but still didn’t soar as high as the 5 previous albums.

Now, Plain White T’s has returned with a new EP, Should’ve Gone To Bed. Unfortunately, the EP is on the shorter side, but it still gets the point across—Plain White T’s is back, but they’ve been better.

The title track opener starts the EP off on a bad note. First off, there is way too much Autotune on the vocals. And the chorus is so cheesy that if I were diagnosed lactose intolerant, I would have experienced an allergic reaction to it. Choice lines include: “I should’ve just gone to bed. I should’ve never called you. I should’ve listened to my head when it said, ‘Leave it.’” As if the simplicity and mundaneness of the lyrics isn’t enough, at times they are also contradictory of each other. This track is so inconsistent that I couldn’t even listen to the whole thing. I should’ve gone to bed instead of listening to this song.

 While the first track is a major setback, “The Giving Tree” shows the softer side of Plain White T’s that everyone typically associates the band with. It’s a cute song that explores the process of wondering what a former lover is doing now that they have gone their separate ways. “When all I wanted to be was your giving tree. Settle down, build a home and make you happy,” Tom Higgenson sings.

The vocals are at their best on this track, especially when Higgenson is accompanied by some gorgeous harmonies. It’s a folksier jingle paired with good acoustics provided by guitars and banjos. It’s easy to envision Higgenson delicately plucking guitar strings and serenading you under a cherry blossom tree, planting a Cheshire grin onto your face. 

Read More

We posted a PropertyOfZack Friday Discussion on The Best Album Openers last week, so we’re following it up this week with The Best Album Closers. Album closers have the ability to leave a truly emotional mark on the listener, and we’ve experienced quite a few memorable ones over the years in our scene. We put the closers together in an Rdio Playlist to listen to as you read the Discussion as well. Check out our list below and feel free to reblog with some of your favorite album closers!

Brand New - Play Crack the Sky
From the classic punk energy of Your Favorite Weapon to the dark intricacies of Daisy, the amount of things that Brand New have gotten right throughout their career is monumental. “Play Crack The Sky” is one of the few songs in the Brand New catalogue that showcase what each one of their masterpieces started out as poignant lyrics carried simply by a single guitar. If there is anything more impressive than their ever-present brazen musicality, it is the fact that even stripped down to bare bones, Brand New can evoke emotion like nobody else. - Alyssa McKinley

Death Cab For Cutie - A Lack Of Color
Death Cab For Cutie always has a way of making you feel both happy and sad at the same time with heartbreaking and heartwarming songs. “A Lack Of Color” is a tragically beautiful ending to close Translanticism, similar to the aftermath of a torrential downpour. It’s almost like the raindrops that slowly roll down the glass window on your wall as the sun fights to shine between the pockets of dark clouds. Moving at a serene tempo, Benjamin Gibbard perfectly sings every harmony with gentle conviction while the acoustic guitar repeatedly calls back to the piano chord. Ten years later and Translanticism is still considered one of the best Death Cab For Cutie albums of all time. “This is fact not fiction for the first time in years.” - Sydney Gore

Dashboard Confessional - Several Ways to Die Trying
A Mark, A Mission, A Brand, A Scar is Dashboard Confessional’s transitional album, the one that bridges the gap between Chris Carrabba’s deeply personal early work and the cinematic bombast of the band’s later LPs, and closing track “Several Ways to Die Trying” pinpoints the moment where that crossover happens. The six-minute epic swells seamlessly from ginger, cowering verses into a megalithic chorus  — one of the strongest in Dashboard’s songbook —with Carrabba’s meticulously planned delivery pushing the song over the top. His measured crumble in the refrain’s “dying to live” apex coheres into a laser blast at song’s end, searing its way from here to forever and soaring the ashes left behind to the heavens. - Jesse Richman

Thrice – The Beltsville Crucible
I used to believe that the closing track to Thrice’s brilliant sophomore release The Illusion of Safety should have been “To Awake and Avenge the Dead,” a fan-favorite anthem and perennial show closer.  Silly me. As any good storyteller knows, one does not end the story at the climax; a denouement is needed to resolve conflict and complete the story arc. Enter “The Beltsville Crucible.” Instead of ending the album with the lyric “to awake and avenge the dead,” Thrice was clever enough to end with, “and if you’re feeling all right, you’ve got to play it again.” The last two tracks of many lesser albums are just afterthoughts, but in this case, they’re just too damn good to be left out, and “The Beltsville Crucible” has the perfect intensity level to conclude this album and get the listener ready to let track one start all over again. - Marc Gary Gray

Fireworks - The Wild Bunch
“The Wild Bunch,” the final track on Fireworks’ 2011 album Gospel, is bold, unpredictable and wildly fun; splicing swirling finger-picked arpeggios, The-Who-via-Green-Day arena windmill riffs, double-time skate punk, gang vocals and love-your-friends-die-laughing lyrics into one of the most innovative punk songs in recent memory. Anyone who “grew up weird enough” to make a song like this grew up right. - Jesse Richman 

Read More

*This review was composed by Sydney Gore and edited by Erik van Rheenen

Iron & Wine’s fifth LP, Ghost on Ghost,embodies the principles of entering a golden state of mind with twelve new songs that spread good vibes from beginning to end. Handsomely bearded frontman Samuel Beam reels listeners in with a traditional folk opener, “Caught In The Briars,” followed by equally folksy “The Desert Babbler.” 

Further down the track list, “Grace For Saints and Ramblers,” “Singers And The Endless Song,” and “Lovers’ Resolution” are all saturated with elements of jazz, with the addition of horns, violins, bass, and various other string instruments. Each song swings and sways to a groove of its own. It’s no bump and grind, but a dominant sexual energy forcefully floats through the speakers and possesses your body over the course of the record. (With consent, of course.) Ghost on Ghost manages to feel intimate without getting caught up in all the wrong moves.

There is a ton of variety on this album, but it all blends together effortlessly—Beam gives us a taste of folk, country, jazz, rhythm & blues, and even some disco. “Sundown (Back In The Briars)” even sprouts some African roots with its hollow drumbeats. Overall, the LP sounds like it comes straight from the ‘70s, which could potentially be problematic for younger listeners who aren’t familiar with this era of pop. (Speaking on behalf of children from the ‘90s, I had no issues with it.)

The only song reminiscent of good old-fashioned Iron & Wine  — the one that everyone listens to alone in their bedroom on a vapidly miserable rainy day — is “Winter Prayers.” As Beam hauntingly “oohs” and “aahs” behind the gentle pluck of each guitar string, goose bumps will gradually appear on the surface of your skin. If not? You’re doing something wrong.

Read More

There’s nothing better than a strong album opener. It can set the mood for the next 40 minutes of the album you’re listening to, or even your day. We thought it’d be great to do a PropertyOfZack Friday Discussion on The Best Album Openers from multiple albums in our scene. We put the openers together in an Rdio Playlist to listen to as you read the Discussion as well. Check out our list below and feel free to reblog with some of your favorite album openers!

blink-182 - Feeling This
“Feeling This,” to me, is the song that captures most of what blink-182 is in every sense: pop-punk, sex, back-and-forth vocals, an incredibly catchy chorus. Not only is it an excellent opener for the band’s best album, but it sets a tone of uplifting excitement and exuberance. Whether it’s your favorite blink song or not, it shows them at their best. - Zack Zarrillo

The Menzingers - Good Things
For all its wide-eyed nostalgia for American muscle cars, the Paupack Cliffs, and a waitress named Casey, shake The Menzingers’ On the Impossible Past to its core and you’re left with the story of a slowly disintegrating American youth. But it’s hard not to feel hopeful in the face of that crushing notion, especially when the opening riff of “Good Things” and plaintive declaration of “I’ve been having a horrible time pulling myself together” sound so damn hopeful.

The sing-along chorus is as lyrically depressing as it is deeply catchy, and the nostalgic imagery of an American muscle car quickly decays into “I felt American for once in my life / I never felt it again.” On the Impossible Past is an album grappling with the idealism of nostalgia pitted against the reality of growing up, and “Good Things” perfectly captures that battle.  - Erik van Rheenen

Say Anything - Belt
…Is a Real Boy is one hell of a psychologically damaged opus, and there’s no shortage of unique and shocking moments throughout the record, so what better way is there to be introduced to the insanity than with an overheard phone conversation with Max Bemis in which he states, flat-out, his anxiety about starting? “And the record begins with a song of rebellion” is a heavy-handed battle cry, leading off into a snarling, kick-ass song that seems to contradict Bemis’s expressed nervousness and doesn’t let up into softness or vulnerability — that comes later on. “Belt” is a unforgettable, steadfast song with unbridled power, and its place at the front of …Is a Real Boy is rightfully earned in its dichotomy between anxiety and confidence. - Adrienne Fisher

Saves The Day - All-Star Me
“All-Star Me” is the perfect song. It’s melodic, frank, compact, and steady, while simultaneously delivering classic Chris Conley lyrics of real life situations mixed up into metaphor. It’s a wonderful taste right off the bat of the progression that Saves the Day saw from Can’t Slow Down into Through Being Cool, even possibly deflecting skeptics by stating immediately that “this isn’t the way we planned.” Not to mention that quiet buzzing of guitar feedback right before the first chords kick in - for anyone who knows what an amazing trip they’re in for with Through Being Cool, the sound of plugging in is the most exciting sound in the world. - Adrienne Fisher

Brand New - Tautou 
In just one minute and forty-two seconds, Brand New managed to accomplish what takes most bands years: without warning, they threw out any semblance to the band that recorded Your Favorite Weapon, prepared the listener for the intensity ahead, and set a precedent of dark and brooding brilliance for albums for years to come. No segue. No transition. Just a declaration: “This is who we are now. Oh, and here comes the catchiest bass line of the decade. Go.” - Marc Gary Gray 

Read More

*This review was composed by Sydney Gore and edited by Erik van Rheenen

★★★☆☆

The formation of most indie bands these days always seems to be a happy accident. In the case of Lux Lisbon, this statement could not be truer. Named after the notorious Lux Lisbon from “The Virgin Suicides,” Stuart Rock (vocals, piano, synth), Charlotte Austen (vocals), Alastair Jones (guitar), Johnny Colgan (drums) and Rob D’Ath (guitar, vocals) formed the indie rock band circa 2010 after they graduated Nottingham University together and moved to London. 

With the release of the Get Some Scars EP, Lux Lisbon debut the full version of 4 songs that were previously featured as snippets in promo videos for their 2011 album, Your Heart Is a Weapon the Size of Your Fist.

Get Some Scars opens with the dynamic single that shares the EP’s name. “Get Some Scars” is a song about living life to the fullest while you’re young. When all of the voices mesh together in between the verses, the song takes on a more gospel tone. The chorus is almost like a hymn, floating above the runaway piano tracks. The song embodies the sensation of falling down and getting back up again, a mentality we have all been encouraged to adopt at one point or another. 

Read More

*This review was composed by Sydney Gore and edited by Erik van Rheenen

★★★★☆

Two years after the release of The Year of Hibernation, Youth Lagoon has graced the musical underworld with the presence of Trevor Powers’ beautifully disturbing synth-pop tunes. Indubitably, Wondrous Bughouse is a little bit creepier— the anxiety is still there, but gone is the hopeless romantic who wants to hold your hand in the middle of the night.

Powers still operates in the bedroom at heart, but he has entered a new space that looms much darker. “Through Mind and Back” takes us to that place under the bed that we’ve always been terrified to explore. The eerie sound of the synthesizers rings from ear to ear, but transforms into a state of serenity. It’s the ideal set-up for the next track “Mute”, which is the most impressive tune on the album by far. 

This time around, Powers added a full band, which gives songs like this and “Raspberry Cane” a fuller sound. The drums keep the listener grounded while the guitar and bass drift off into a psychedelic groove of their own. The melodies are simple, tastefully crafted to enchant the listener without doing too much to disorient them.

Listening to “Attic Door” feels like a never-ending ride on a carousel at a summer carnival. (Or better yet, a bad acid trip down the rabbit hole.) All of the elements—from Powers’ squeaky voice to his taunting accordion-esque keyboard–- are enough to make anyone question their surroundings, as well as their level of sanity. And who could forget “Pelican Man”, with incredible instrumentation that is so precise and a voice so monotonous that it almost hypnotizes us?

Read More

*This review was composed by Sydney Gore and edited by Erik van Rheenen

★★★.5/★★★★★

A Rocket To The Moon’s newest album, Wild & Free, makes it really hard to believe that the rock band hails from Massachusetts: the band’s strong country influences complement their rock and roll antics. Since the release of 2009 full-length album, On Your Side, the band has bunkered down in Nashville, getting in touch with their wild and free side.

Essentially, A Rocket To The Moon wants listeners to embrace the feeling of being wild and free while listening to all 13 songs on the record. On opening track “Going Out,” Nick Santino sings with a country twang about howling at the moon and getting crazy with his best friends. Justin Richards tears up the guitar while Eric Halvorsen picks the bass and Andrew Cook bangs on the ole’ drum set.

At first, “First Kiss” sounds like it could be an old Taylor Swift song before Santino’s vocals come in, and it ends up being a more sentimental tune that will appeal to sensitive hearts everywhere. Personally, it’s not a favorite— in fact, it kind of kills the album’s mood. 

Luckily, “Whole Lotta You” picks the vibe back up, lifting listeners’ hopes with airy acoustic guitars. Santino is addicted and he just can’t get enough of this girl: he sings about being “buzzed on [her] love” and stuck on the taste of her bubblegum kisses.

While it makes for a cute song to sing along to, Santino comes on a little too strong at times. “Nobody wanna be alone tonight, so come on and take me home,” Santino sings repeatedly. Is that a request or a demand? “Gotta leave all your worries out that door / ‘Cause life ain’t nothing but a big dance floor,” he concludes. In the spirit of being wild and free, we get it. Just tone it down a bit.

Read More

*This review was composed by Sydney Gore and edited by Erik van Rheenen

★★★.5/★★★★★

In the midst of winter’s cold shoulder melting away, Ducktails’ (side solo project of Real Estate guitarist Matt Mondanile) latest album The Flower Lane brings listeners one step closer to spring with 10 songs blooming with groovy vibes. “Ivy Covered House” has a chill demeanor with a funky guitar that complements Mondanile’s lax vocals. It really sets the mood for the rest of the album, followed by “The Flower Lane,” which casts an even trippier atmosphere with more lo-fi synthesizers.

“Under Cover” has a feel-good 80s vibe to it, projecting elements of soft rock with keyboards, horns and bass. “Under, do you want to go under the covers?” Mondanile smoothly teases. This is the track that makes the album spin in pirouettes, sending us off into a psychedelic parallel universe where anything goes.

Envision an awkwardly adorkable man narrating an encounter with a woman he has failed to properly pursue due to overanalyzing the situation in his head. “In the hallway, I felt anticipation/ I just want it to look away/ When I see you, my heart turns blue/ I act so shy, always around you,” Mondanile sings on “Timothy Shy.” The song sounds like something straight out of Mondanile’s noggin as he struggles to convey his intentions to his crush, backed by a steady piano and screeching guitar.

The album takes a turn somewhere out of this world halfway through the album, after “Planet Phrom.” From here on out, Mondanile puts the brakes on the tempo and takes a step away from the microphone, focusing more on instrumentation and featuring sets of fresh vocal pipes. Artists such as Madeline Follin of Cults and Jessa Farkas of Future Shuttle take the lead on “Sedan Magic” and “Letter of Intent”.

“Letter of Intent” is a quirky, modern-day love song with a beat that moves and grooves with ease. There’s something foxy about the way Mondanile and Farkas go back and forth on the chorus, hitting all the notes with a drawn out moan.

Read More