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Western Settings

Yes It Is
La Escalera (2015)

When listening to a band you’ve never heard of, it’s a lot easier to make all those “sounds like” comments. Whether that’s why I think Western Settings sounds so much like some familiar favorites, or if that’s because they really do, well, that’s maybe beside the point anyway. It’s punk rock, man. There’s supposed to be a touch of derivation … Read more

Dustin Kensrue

Carry The Fire
Staple Records/Vagrant Records (2015)

The basic tenets of theology and philosophy concern discerning right from wrong, good from evil. There will never be any clear answer to this, but as humans we're going to keep guessing and muddling through. At least partly as a result of its ambiguous nature, morality will always be a topic that's ripe for exploration and dissection. This isn't the … Read more

Siskiyou

Nervous
Constellation (2015)

Third album for the American indie rock, and it comes with a quite disturbing story to it as well. Main man, Colin Huebert, of the band was diagnosed with hyperacusis, a condition that makes the ordinary noise level of everyday life intolerable. That enough could knock out most ordinary people, but you can only imagine what effect it could have … Read more

Pears

Go To Prison
Gunner Records (2014)

Naming an album is something of a branding concept. Yes, it’s also artistic, but occasionally those two worlds collide, even if we don’t want to admit it.Go To Prison is fitting for Pears debut. It’s angry and often reflects the tone of a loner lashing (slashing?) out at the system. Then the group choruses come, bringing solidarity to the forefront … Read more

Swingin' Utters

Fistful of Hollow
Fat Wreck Chords (2015)

If Fistful of Hollow seemed fast, well it is. Swingin’ Utters released Poorly Formed in 2013 and Here, Under Protest in 2011. With another one in the can in late 2014, the band is showing a little more experimentation this time around.That’s not say their folky version of ’77 punk has lost a step. The best songs here are “I’m … Read more

Swami John & The Blind Shake

Modern Surf Classics
Swami (2015)

When it was announced that John Reis (Night Marchers, Rocket From the Crypt, Hot Snakes) was collaborating with The Blind Shake, it was expected that the combo would pack a punch. When it came out that the collaborative record was to be instrumental surf, even that made some sense—though the instrumental part is a bit surprising. But, as The Blind … Read more

Disappears

Irreal
Kranky (2015)

Fifth album for the rock band from Chicago, and they are still at it, blending the elements of shoe gaze and kraut rock in their alternative rock base. Irreal is an album that finds Disappears pushing their sonic identity to extremes, with the dark quality of the album remaining always present as does their search of finding the most intriguing … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Metallica

Through The Never Soundtrack
Blackened Recordings (2014)

You had to be there. In the grand scheme of box-office existence, Through The Never was a blip. The release was limited, as was apparently, the appeal. Despite all this, It was well worth seeing. It looked fantastic, the sound mix was great. It was possibly the most immersive concert-film experience ever. But, sadly, It will never be credited as … Read more

Orange The Juice

The Messiah is Back
Independent (2014)

With a hard copy release that’s designed to look like a blood-spattered wedding invitation, The Messiah is Back has to be one of the most excitingly eclectic and boundlessly imaginative albums that came out in 2014 – or any year for that matter. Produced by Polish group Orange the Juice which, with its seven player lineup more resembles a jazz … Read more

Hail The Ghost

Forsaken
Independent (2015)

There's something deliciously miserable about Dublin weather that stretches from the end of January to the early flecks of spring, with the pre-summer season not usually making its presence known until the end of April. The skies are grey and morbid, the rain feels heavy and overarching, the ground is muddy and the air has a prevailing chill. You get … Read more

Leviathan

Scar Sighted
Profound Lore (2015)

It has been quite a journey for Jef Whitehead, aka Wrest, and for his solo project Leviathan. The longevity of the band is quite astonishing when you consider that its inception dates back to the late ‘90s, releasing myriads of demos through the years before the debut album, The Tenth Sublevel of Suicide, came out, with the aggressive sound of … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Roses

Roses EP
Stereophonodon Records (2015)

After relocating from Cleveland to Philadelphia, singer/songwriter Matthew Scheuermann put together a self-titled three-song EP released on Valentine’s Day 2015 under the name of Roses. Working alongside crisp acoustic guitar strumming, Scheuermann’s voice reminds me a bit of Band of Horses vocalist Ben Bridwell or maybe even Jeff Mangum since he has a tendency to sing in a higher register, … Read more

Chokecherry

The Future Was a Long Time Ago
Independent (2015)

Expect adjectives. Adjectives and hyphens. For, you see, Chokecherry are a punk band that doesn’t play punk songs. I guess folk-punk is the subgenre tag du jour, but that term steers in the wrong direction in many ways. As does country-punk, though it’s far more apt. Chokecherry play country songs run through a DIY punk filter, influenced by a lifestyle … Read more

200 Words Or Less

Cape Noire

Ad Nauseam EP
Independent (2014)

It's a blank, black slate. There is little information, and everything about Cape Noire is ambiguous. Live pictures are, fittingly, of a woman in a black cape, her face shielded from the glare of the lights. As far as anyone knows, in the absence of a back story, Cape Noire have appeared out of nowhere. Their Ad Nauseam EP is … Read more

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