Posts under ‘Quick Hits’

With vocals that give “gruff” a whole new meaning, the recently defunct Down In The Dumps punish their way through a bunch of punk rock tunes. Hey this ain’t the most original shit so let’s not pretend that Down In The Dumps are doing something never done before. But this is some good crusty pop/punk […]

Go Sell Drugs play balls to the wall punk rock that makes no apologies for the battering ram they just shoved through your front door. I am sure that someone will take this the wrong way but these guys have an almost cock rock swagger to them. It is kind of refreshing to find a […]

Here is another refreshing indie pop band. Wild Mocassins hail from Houston, TX and play indie pop with a dynamic and fun spirit. The songs can get kind of cute at times but never to the point of sheer annoyance. My tolerance for this stuff is pretty damn low but there is an innocence that […]

Richard Cranium play a distinct brand of experimental/math rock that is really quite enjoyable. Fans of Don Caballero and Maps & Atlases would probably be down with The Cranium. I would probably enjoy the band a bit more if they were strictly instrumental though. It’s not that the vocals are bad, I just find that […]

With a member from Seaweed in the fold you might guess that To The Waves would be flashing some post/hardcore chops. Well, you would be correct. But, post/hardcore in the vein of Quicksand always runs the risk of drifting too freely into alt rock waters. Unfortunately, To The Waves fall into this trap a little […]

I will preface this quick hit with the fact that I am indeed a wuss and I do not like to “rock” so to speak. Git Some sees two former members of Planes Mistaken For Stars continue that band’s aggressive and maniacal path along with two new cohorts. The band’s debut, Cosmic Rock is chock […]

I don’t like it when press releases are misleading. Comparing The Oregon Donor to The Promise Ring and Dismemberment Plan is just a flat out tease. Somethings isn’t bad, just terribly unconvincing. I can see a comparison to a band like The Velvet Teen being completely valid. But The Oregon Donor has a long way […]

Adam Svec’s Enemy Swimmer was definitely a nice surprise of 2008. Svec strips down his songs to their bare soul. Quite reminiscent of Ben Gibbard/Death Cab stuff but there is a bit more darkness creeping into the cracks here. Perhaps a less eccentric John Vanderslice might be an appropriate comparison as well. Either way, Svec’s […]

The Wayward’s Overexposure is a screamy clusterfuck of prog and math rock the likes of which I just have not been able to wrap my head around. These guys can certainly play their instruments but there is an air of psychedelic sloppiness the band wears on their sleeves with pride. Not really my bag but […]

Bad Brains “Build A Nation” (Megaforce)

I have never been a big fan of Bad Brains so it is hard for me to truly understand Build A Nation. For their fans, is it a return to form or yet another failure at a reunion? I have no clue. All I can say is that I could […]