Tag Archives: Indie

Garage, Indie, Music, New Release, Punk, Review, Rock

Album Review: Big Dick – Disappointment

12 February, 2015 Brian Mc Leave a comment

Indie-punk duo Big Dick have returned with an all new album titled Disappointment.

This is a follow up to the band’s impressive 2013 self-titled debut and once again has been released through Dirt Cult Records.

Before you question the band’s name and its meaning, just note it was taken from a NoMeansNo song title. Don’t dig in too deep you pervs. Who am I kidding? If you ever heard the original song, your questions might be validated instantly.

Anyways…

Cultivating their own sound with just drums, bass, and dueling vocals, Big Dick really reaches back to 90s alternative rock styles while keeping a DIY punk and even garage rock edge. The result is melodic yet heavy at times making for a truly killer listen.

“Let Down” was a catchy self-esteem downer of a track fueled throughout with a heavy distorted bass. This opening track was a subtile reminder to me how much I enjoy this band as well as one of my favorite cuts on this release.

“Last Days” straight up ruled with the dual harmonies and just addicting bass riffs. It’s hard to believe that there are only two dudes in this band when you hear songs like this. This was another favored track over the rest.

“Up A Step” took more pop-punk noise route that was totally ok with this listener. At times, the vocals just seemed off but not enough to ruin the track.

“Out On A Limb” was a tad more technical with intricate bass lines. The dual vocals and singing on “Crawl” was worth of an immediate second listen. I dug this track a ton.

Tracks like “Marnier”, “Good Hunting”, and “Another Minute” really showed the band has matured and mastered their own sound. From the lyrics to the insane drum and bass playing, I could not help but just get sucked into what I was listening to. Then came “Young Love”, a more experimental track of sorts that clearly could have been a Ween b-side.

“Bad Dream” was one of my favorite tracks on the album. I loved the different genres I could hear in this track, especially the grungy garage rock. The slight harmonies in the background and the throat-clearing screams made it that much better.

Disappointment is anything but that. Fans of Japandroids, Two Gallants, and even Death From Above 1979 are going to eat this up.

Emo, Indie, Music, Music News, New Release, Punk, Review, Rock

4-Way Split Review: Sundae Bloody Sundae

14 January, 2015 Brian Mc Leave a comment

4 bands, 4 songs, all emo. That is what Sundae Bloody Sundae is all about.

The 4-Way Split was put out by Skeletal Lightning last November and easily has the ability to make you take a break from life and check your feelings.

Don’t worry, it’s ok to do that – we are human after all and this split is not all that sad.

Featuring new and unreleased music by four talented acts, Sundae Bloody Sundae is a great comp to be listening to if you are looking for a little variety by some bands you may have overlooked at one time or have not even heard of.

The World Is A Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid To Die‘s “Fat Heaven” will depress the shit out of you and make you hungry possibly for a donut. Man, what a downer of track. I seriously think listening to this with your head down, walking slowly in public and avoiding all eye contact is the only way to listen to this tune. I loved it. There is a reason so many people dig this band…

Rozwell Kid did an impressive cover of Spirit Night’s “The Weather”. I can’t lie, I thought I liked the original more, but the more and more I listened to this track over and over, Rozwell Kid’s own Weezer-esque twist on the original won me over.

Kittyhawk….oh Kittyhawk. You make my heart bleed. Listening to “Soft Serve” turned me into just a pile of mush. The thing I loved the most about this track is the 90s feel I sensed throughout. Dare I say, but the dual vocals remind me of The Cranberries a ton.

Two Knights‘s “Benji’s Cool Times Summer Jamz” was a little technical, a little instrumental, and plenty interesting to listen to. Starting off uppity, things soon slowed down with a self-reflection of sorts.

At a whopping $3 to download or $5 for a flexie, I think this would be well spent money to any music fan out there. This will last a lot longer than a sundae, especially if you are me.

Tracklisting (Two-sided):
Side A:
The World Is A Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid To Die – “Fat Heaven”
Rozwell Kid – “The Weather (Spirit Night)”

Side B:
Kittyhawk – “Soft Serve”
Two Knights – “Benji’s Cool Times Summer Jamz”

Pressing information
1,000 copies –
– /250 White Flexi w/ screenprinted hand-numbered covers (Available exclusively at FEST 13)
– /750 Clear Flexi w/ full color cover.

Indie, Music, Music News, New Release, Punk, Review, Rock

Album Review: Various Artists – Todd Is My Co-Pilot

8 January, 2015 Brian Mc Leave a comment

Just before the end of 2014, Dirt Cult Records head honcho, Chris Mason, decided to drop some tunes for all to hear on a comp called Todd Is My Co-Pilot.

Apparently a few years back, Mason and his pal Walker decided that someone needed to make a Todd C. comp for all to hear.

What once was a booze-fueled conversation between pals turned into reality as Mason reached out to tons of bands and many of them sent in covers to be included. Maybe it did not go as quickly as he and Walker had intended, but one day Mason realized he had more than enough to make their idea a reality.

So who exactly is Todd you ask? He’s actually Todd Congelliere, the founder of Recess Records and also the one-man show / front-man for bands such as The Underground Railroad To Candyland, F.Y.P. and Toys That Kill.

I am sure if you are a fan of punk rock, you now know who I speak of. Even if you are not, you should check out this comp and become familiar with Todd C. This dude packs tons of talent.

Todd Is My Co-Pilot features covers by amazing acts like The Brokedowns, Iron Chic, Low Culture, Sundowners, and even Mike Watt and the Secondmen.

Vacation did a great rendition of “Dead Inside” while Iron Chic put their own twist on Toys That Kill’s “White Lies”. I loved the fuzzy bass on this track. Apocalypse Meow’s clean cover on “Illegitimate” was very close sounding if not a little slower but still awesome.

Full Sun was an act on this comp who I have not really gotten to know, but after hearing them cover Toys That Kill’s “31 Year Old Daydream”, I realize that needs to change. The very 80s female driven punk rock sounds were perfect for this take and invited me to check out their original material.

Hearing The Plurals cover Todd C’s “You’ll Hear My Voice” instantly reminded of the very interesting video I saw for this song that was full of Kewpies. Check it out here.

Of course I need to talk about Mike Watt & the Secondmen’s take on “No One”. I was so stoked to see Watt and crew on this comp and to be honest, their version of the track was….well…experimental-ish. It was like Primus meets Ween meets Toys That Kill. I still dug.

This is not just some half-assed idea when you look at who all contributed. The best part about this comp? Dirt Cult released it for free. Zero cheddar. Nada.

So what the hell are you waiting on? Either head over to the Dirt Cult Band Camp page, or click below and proceed to download. It’s pay what you want, so do your thing and hope no one finds out how much of a cheap ass you really are. More importantly, enjoy.

Alt Rock, Garage, Grunge, Music, Music Video, New Release, Punk, Review, Rock

Album Review: Purple – (409)

18 December, 2014 Brian Mc Leave a comment

2015 has not even started yet and here I am listening to a band I’ve never heard of before thinking to myself how deserving they are to drop on my best of 2015 list.

I know, I know, maybe I need to chill out a bit. In all honesty though, I am dead serious about how much I enjoyed this act.

What would happen if you took Brodie Dalle (Distillers) and asked her to join the White Stripes with the soul purpose of mimicking 90s Sub Pop acts prior to the turn of the century?

Purple.

I speak not of the color, but of the boy-girl-boy Texas trio that literally has caught me off guard in a good good way. They call their sound party rock and I could not agree more.

In January, Purple drops their debut (409) on Pias Recordings. It is tough for me to even think that this is their first album given how well put together it sounds.

“Wallflower” started things off with a Detroit rock sound. It was tough to gauge this band until about the halfway mark and suddenly I was loving what I heard.

“Leche Loco” carried an amazing similarity to 90s acts like Dinosaur Jr. and Bikini Kill as well as even good ol’ Jane’s Addiction.

“Beach Buddy” was a catchy track that was like a morph between Used Kids, The Strokes, and Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros. This fun beach jam was amazing. I loved the back and forth singing between Hanna Brewer and Taylor Busby only for them to join together.

“Thirteen” was like Joan Jett met a hardcore version of The Faint. Damn, this song was nuts. I loved it. The quick breakdowns and the heavy guitars with distorted vocal notes. The video for it was even more insane.

“Target” had Brewer singing like a young Gwen Stefani and Juliana Hatfield but not without adding her own force in. “Head On The Floor” continued with I am hoping the next song to be plastered all over the radio. This track reeked of 90s alt-rock and was extremely enjoyable thanks to that Weezer bass riff.

With more of a blues rock feel, “Newborn” slowed things down a bit. I felt this track proved how much talent this band holds. Dan Auerbach, maybe you need to hit these kids up over Danger Mouse next time. Seriously though, this tune was impressive.

“I like to party and ear a bikini” started off the final song “DMT”, a gritty punk jam that was heavy on the distortion and reverb. Not sure how this will come off but, it is so nice to hear new music take queue from classic punk and alt-rock sounds from my younger years.

This album was full of wholesome pop-garage-punk-rock goodness with some psychedelic flavor and even a little riot grrl-ish making for a truly refreshing listen. If anything though, most of all, it was freaking fun.

This band is going places. I know it.

The best part about this release? It drops on my birthday.