Review by Billy Geary
Melbourne hard rockers Calling All Cars are undoubtedly one of the harder working bands doing the rounds today. In the past two years since the release of their debut the three-piece have toured relentlessly with the likes of AC/DC, Queens of the Stone Age and The Butterfly Effect as well as a heap of headline shows of their own. Somehow in that time, they’ve managed to record an absolute cracker of a sophomore album, improving their sound in every way possible.
Continue reading Album Review | Calling All Cars – ‘Dancing With a Dead Man’
Category Archives: Album Review
Album Review | Unwritten Law – Blue Room
Review – Sibel Kutlucan
I have to admit, I had kind of forgotten about Unwritten Law for awhile now but when I heard they were remastering Blue Room, their debut released in 1994, I was pretty stoked (no offence but the original sound quality-wise was a tad shocking), it was a great album! For those who haven’t listened to Blue Room, and are familiar with Unwritten Law’s newer stuff, post-2002, then listen to this! It is completely different, but Blue Room showcases the band at their best and in their early days with their 90s punk rock sound.
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Album Review | Breathe Carolina – Hell Is What You Make It
Review – Sibel Kutlucan
Breathe Carolina’s third full length album, Hell Is What You Make It is great for when you want to dance, but can’t quite bring yourself to listen to full on pop or dance anthem tracks…and you still require that bit of ‘rock’ in your music.
Breathe Carolina is an assemblage of power duo Kyle Even and David Schmitt hailing from Denver, and their styles and choices definitely create a bipolar sound. Combining an electro pop sound with synthesizers and screamo/crunk-core, mixed with ‘traditional’ rock guitars and drums, Breathe Carolina certainly is interesting to listen to. Personally, I think it’s fantastic!
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Mariachi El Bronx – II | Album Review
Review by: Lana Harris
Another offering from hardcore punk band The Bronx’s alter ego, proving that having a split (band) personality can work wonders for some. The Bronx have put together their second album of mariachi music and done so with talent, substance and merit.
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EP Review | The Ivys – In The Company Of Wolves
By Chantelle Sievers
The Ivys have set the bar high for themselves, with a reputation for amazing live shows, supporting big names like Keane, and releasing a well received debut EP. Their long-awaited new EP, “In The Company Of Wolves” demonstrates that they still have plenty to offer.
This is a solid collection of new tracks with a more complex and mature sound. Luke Hannaford’s voice soars through each song. There are plenty of riffs not thrown in but cleverly worked in, so no track gets dull at all.
Continue reading EP Review | The Ivys – In The Company Of Wolves
Album Review | Art Brut – Brilliant! Tragic!
Review – Sibel Kutlucan
Brilliant! Tragic! definitely is anything but tragic. It is the fourth album from Berlin-based English and German punk rockers, Art Brut. It is a great 10 track album that promises rather drastic changes which have sparked quite a few heated discussions since its release in May this year. Art Brut as always promise a contagious concoction of strong gutsy instruments and cheeky punk vocals which are prominent throughout the entirety of the album, with some tweaks here and there.
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Album Review | The Elected – Bury Me In My Rings
by Sibel Kutlucan
Jeeze, where have The Elected been all my life! I was shocked that the band managed to produce two albums previously without me realising, however I’m glad to have been introduced to them with their third album, Bury Me In My Rings, which released earlier this year (may 17th) truly is a fantastic indie rock gem. After listening to the first minute or so of the album’s opener “Born to love you”, the LA based indie-rock band had me captivated and I am pleased to say that the album only got better.
“Babyface”; listen to it! If you only have to listen to one song off the album I would recommend this one (the second track), although you would be doing yourself an injustice to only stop here.
Continue reading Album Review | The Elected – Bury Me In My Rings
Sleeping With Sirens – “Let’s Cheers To This”
Review by: Sibel Kutlucan
Wow! It is fair to say with Let’s Cheers To This, Sleeping With Sirens have came a LONG way since their first album release, With Ears to See and Eyes to Hear, which was released just last year, and definitely wasn’t the best way to break into the scene. I was ready to give up on the American post-hardcore band, hailing from sunny Florida, however with a deep breath and a strong cup of coffee I was ready to tackle Let’s Cheers To This and boy was I surprised.
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Album Review | Set Your Goals – ‘Burning At Both Ends’
Review: Sibel Kutlucan
I was surprised in the most part to find out that Burning At Both Ends was an album from the San Franciscan boys, Set Your Goals. Burning At Both Ends did disappoint, certainly those who favoured the bands style that exuded melodic hardcore on Mutiny! The bands extremely well received full-length album released in 2006. At points I found Burning At Both Ends to be confused, torn between styles of pop punk and the stereotypical vocal cadence that is Tom Delonge in a nutshell, and the dynamic and enthusiastic melodic hardcore influences that were prominent in Set Your Goals older, well known sound. Although to be fair the band is exploring a newer sound and there are a few great tracks on Burning at both ends that certainly can win a listener over.
“Cure For Apathy” was a shaky opener for the album, with the first 30 seconds seeming forced and displaced, a little over done. This opening slot could have be filled with a number of tracks of the album that would have made for better openers, regardless however, my hopes for Burning At Both Ends weren’t crushed and sure enough by the second track, “Start The Reactor”, a strong and united pop punk sound came through and altogether it was a great song that definitely got the album going for me.
“Trenches” was another track I favoured on the album, it echoed a slew of popular pop punk bands with the catchy lyrics and rhythmic drumming. It definitely was a highlight of Burning At Both Ends for me and it made me feel like bouncing around and letting go of all inhibitions.
Shamefully, I have to admit another favourite for me was “Product of the 80s”, which even for the lyrics alone-that very much reminded me of MC Lars was just plain awesome. Extremely communicable, I struggled to remove it from the repeat loop on my Ipod (lucky it wasn’t the first track, otherwise I may not have made it through the rest of the album).
I may have been a bit harsh to begin with; Burning At Both Ends certainly is confused and misplaced in comparison to the strong and sincere sound that enthralled fans with previous releases from Set Your Goals. Regardless however, the album is still mostly good, not amazing, but good, with some tracks definitely deserving a listen or two. Set Your Goals may be hoping to further delve into pop punk and they have certainly done this with Burning At Both Ends, which as a whole is a vibrant pop punk album.
Review By: Sibel Kutlucan
Tracklist :
1. Cure for Apathy
2. Start the Reactor
3. Certain
4. Happy New Year
5. London Heathrow
6. Trenches
7. The Last American Virgin
8. Exit Summer
9. Unconditional
10. Product of the 80′s
11. Raphael
12. Illuminated Youth
13. Not as Bad
Album Review | Hellogoodbye – ‘Would it kill you?’
Review: Sibel Kutlucan
Hallelujah! Hellogoodbye have praised us with their return to the music world with the extremely dandy new release of their full length album Would It Kill You? An 11 track album that filled the void of the four years without a full length release from the Californian boys, since their release of Zombies! Aliens! Vampires! Dinosaurs! (released 2006). Would It Kill You? is truly an evolution for the band, maturing greatly from their previously dominant indie-synth and power pop sound; now embracing the indie pop rock sound that is ruling the music scene at the moment. The metamorphosis is extraordinary and definitely has done great things for the album and Hellogoodbye who have come a long way since their disco-esque electronics and syntehsised vocals on older tracks such as Shimmy Shimmy Quarter Turn.
Continue reading Album Review | Hellogoodbye – ‘Would it kill you?’
Colin Hay – “Gathering Mercury” – Album Review
Review by: Ben Connolly
There’s a warmth to Colin Hay’s vocals which instantly resonates. There’s no confusion as to what’s to be expected when an acoustic guitar and that Scottish-via-Sydney vocal kicks in. Like others of his ilk – namely Robert Forster, Paul Kelly and to a lessor extent The Church’s Steve Kilbey – his peculiar brand of Australian-ness swells the heart and instantly proves to be a soothing salve.
Suffering from an abundance of talent by a fairly lackadaisical approach to career direction, Hay’s name seems to have dropped out of the contemporary consciousness. Save for the odd appearance on an American sitcom (he seems to be the darling of the US medical satire Scrubs) and a recent legal stoush thanks to an opportunistic claim for copyright infringement, Hay has been relatively out of the public eye since the 1985 implosion of Men at Work.
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Marianne Faithfull – “Horses and High Heels” – Album Review
Review: Victoria Nugent
I was a little disappointed when I discovered Marianne Faithfull’s latest album Horses and High Heels consisted mainly of covers. The folk singer better known as a former lover of Mick Jagger during the heyday of the Rolling Stones has over thirty years of singing experience, and I was rather hoping to hear a full body of original songs rather than the mere four present on her 23rd solo album.
Nevertheless Faithfull has gathered a stellar group of supporting artists such as Lou Reed and Dr John to flesh out the album, turning her hand to songs from across a wide range of genres and styles. Produced again by Hal Willner and recorded in the New Orleans French Quarter, the album makes use of New Orleans musicians in the band.
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CD Review | Pushking – “The World As We Love It”
Review: Sibel Kutlucan
Pushking’s new album, “The World As We Love It” certainly isn’t for the faint-hearted! The album packs a punch with 19 tracks selected from an extensive back catalogue, and featuring a smorgasbord of rock legends, from Paul Stanley, Alice Cooper and Steve Vai (just to name a few!) For these amazing names alone The World As We Love It is worth a listen, however, Pushking definitely hold their own ground and prove their recognition as amazing European power-metal rockers that can’t help but throw you back in time to huge hair, and shiny leather pants.
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Album Review | Heroes For Hire – ‘Take One For The Team’
Review: Sibel Kutlucan
Take One For The Team, the second full-length album from Sydney pop punk act Heroes For Hire definitely has a strong pop punk sound that plants them on the same page of any well known Fueled by Ramen band.
When I first heard the intro of track 1, “No Milk Will Ever Be Our Milk”, I was flooded with memories of being 14 and bouncing around to Simple Plan and Fall Out Boy in my bedroom. For those who don’t favour the whiny vocals and energetic drumming and guitar riffs reminiscent of bands like Blink 182 and Sum 41, then this definitely isn’t an album for you.
Continue reading Album Review | Heroes For Hire – ‘Take One For The Team’
Duff McKagan’s Loaded – “The Taking” – Album Review
Review by: Ben Connolly
Musical legacies are fickle beasts. For the privileged few, early bravado can lead to a lifetime of open doors and opportunities; for most, thorough, their own massive shoes are rarely filled again, leaving a life of painfully striving either to attain the same heights, or failing to convince the world that there’s more to give. For those at the pinnacle, the ones whose exploits drew a definite line with which others would measure themselves, this is arguably even more acute: audiences are liable to bay for more brilliance, and are vocally deflated when their lofty expectations are not met (take, for example, the expectation of larger-than-myth Bob Dylan, whose audience is rudimentary brought down to earth every time his never-ending tour juggernaut rolls through town).
Continue reading Duff McKagan’s Loaded – “The Taking” – Album Review