Aversionline reviews the Foreseen/Upright split
Aversionline reviews the new split 7" from Finnish hardcore acts Foreseen and Upright: https://www.aversionline.com/blahg/2011/04/01/foreseen-upright-split-7/
Tag: Reviews
Under the Radar reviews Acid House Kings
Under the Radar praises the latest from Acid House Kings: https://www.undertheradarmag.com/reviews/music_sounds_better_with_you/
PopMatters reviews PB&J, The Sounds
PopMatters gives high marks to the new Peter Bjorn and John album "Gimme some": https://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/136159-peter-bjorn-and-john-gimme-some/
Also reviewed, The Sounds' new album "Something to die for": https://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/138633-the-sounds-something-to-die-for/
Avant-garde Metal bears witness to Zweizz/Virus/Ulver
Avant-garde Metal went to London to cover the landmark Zweizz/Virus/Ulver gig and has posted an extensive report: https://www.avantgarde-metal.com/content/stories2.php?id=213
Burning Ambulance reviews Rotten Sound
Burning Ambulance reviews the new Rotten Sound album "Cursed": https://burningambulance.com/2011/03/23/rotten-sound/
Under the Radar reviews PB&J
Under the Radar weighs in on the new Peter Bjorn and John album "Gimme some": https://www.undertheradarmag.com/reviews/gimme_some/
PopMatters reviews Acid House Kings
PopMatters likes the new Acid House Kings album: https://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/138423-acid-house-kings-music-sounds-better-with-you/
Pitchfork reviews Gimme some
Pitchfork reviews the new Peter Bjorn and John album "Gimme some" and is, somewhat predictably/disappointingly, totally ignorant of the band's first two albums: https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/15251-gimme-some/
Dusted reviews Iceage
Dusted reviews the US release of Danish youngsters Iceage: https://dustedmagazine.com/reviews/6320
Swingfly
Awesomeness - An introduction to Swingfly
EMI
Seven of the ten tracks on "Awesomeness" (a retooling of Swingfly's 2009 album) have already been released as singles, so the album plays like a greatest hits collection. This is party music through and through -- a fusion of hip-hop, pop and rock. It's all pretty ridiculous, but that's part of the charm of Swingfly's sometimes goofy, always endearing persona. Anybody who uses the boast "hot like a fresh baked bun" is clearly not taking himself too seriously. As expected, the first half is the strongest, barreling out of the gate with four major pop hits, including most recent single "Me and my drum" (of the "fresh baked bun" fame). But the second half is no slouch either, highlighted by a pair of older singles (2006's "Something's got me started" remains deliriously fun and fresh four years on). It's a singular sound, but one that's surprisingly versatile. Things even get pensive on album closer "Let you go", with its spare, atmospheric electronics. Recommended for fans of Robyn and Teddybears (both of which Swingfly has worked with in the past).
- Nick James
Keith Canisius
This time it's our high
Darla Records
It takes a concerted effort not to judge this album by its cover, and opener "People's faces" does a pretty good job at shifting one's attention from the hideous, frightening artwork to the intricacies of Keith Canisius' music. Then you get about halfway into the song and you're not sure why it hasn't evolved into something else. After five minutes of repetitious instrumentation, the song finally starts going somewhere -- and promptly ends. Unfortunately, this pattern repeats throughout the album. Every song that opens with promise eventually self-destructs. The album feels like a meandering three-hour film that could have, in the right hands, been edited into a 90-minute masterpiece, and there are plenty of moments that betray the talents of the composer. Sadly, these moments just aren't enough. As background music, it's not half bad; as the follow up to Canisius' "Ferris wheel makeout", it's perplexing and, at best, a shadow of what it might have been.
- Lars Garvey Laing-Peterson
Dusted reviews Ø
Dusted reviews the new record "Heijastuva" from Mika Vainio (Pan Sonic) alias Ø: https://dustedmagazine.com/reviews/6293
PopMatters reviews Kvelertak
PopMatters gets hyped on Norwegian arena-hardcore act Kvelertak: https://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/138150-kvelertak-kvelertak/
Peter Bjorn and John
Gimme some
Almost Gold/StarTime International
A year and a half back, I heard rumblings that the new Peter Bjorn and John record was going to be a return to basics -- guitar, bass and drums -- which, for longtime fans, would light them up with glee. Not that "Living thing" was at all a bad album, in fact it found itself duly entrenched in the expert song craft from the trio, but that it was an uncomfortable confrontation on the archetype that catapulted them into popular culture (one can still hear "Young folks" whistled on the streets a half-decade after its release). Whereas "Living thing" was that masterful shunning of settling for a comfortable musical career, "Gimme some" finds the next logical step of the band's discography -- making its tightest pop/rock album to date. All of the rhythms click, all the vocals punch, the bass growls and the guitars provide the texture. "Second chance" and "Eyes" drop a danceable beat while "I know you don't love me" repetitiously steadies the finale; "Lies", "(Don't let them) Cool off", "Breaker breaker" and "Black book" all glorify the various elements of post-punk that have since valorized the genre in music history. "Gimme some" finds Peter Bjorn and John ready to accept their place in popular culture while simultaneously building a catalogue of integrity and depth.
- Matt Giordano
Dusted reviews Tape, Moritz von Oswald
Dusted has a review up of the new Tape album "Revelationes": https://dustedmagazine.com/reviews/6319
Also covered, the new Moritz von Oswald record "Horizontal structures": https://dustedmagazine.com/reviews/6319