This thing should come with a “hazardous contents” warning. Oh, there were clues to the destructive power of Heavy Harvest on their debut, but ‘Iron Lung’ makes the mix even more volatile. The Swiss trio do a bunch of different things well- noise rock stomp, punk rock attitude, earworm riffs, and hot-vent vocals that stomp the line between alt rock […]
Read moreConstants didn’t exactly go out with a bang. After four records of increasingly sturdy post-rock, the band employed a repetitive dream pop sound for 2012’s ‘Pasiflora’ full-length and seemed to fade away. They certainly became less of a concern for main man Will Benoit, who moved into the producer’s chair for the likes of Caspian, Junius, and believe it or […]
Read moreWhen Kris Rochelle plays drums for Listener, he pounds out fidgety rhythms, anxious beats and a little chaos. They are a band that sound like they have the weight of the world on their shoulders. When he steps out from behind the kit for Red Sweater Lullaby however, he slots into a more direct, easy-going groove. His second full-length is […]
Read moreThat cover art is worth a thousand words. On his second outing as Eerie Gaits, erstwhile Wild Pink frontman John Ross employs babbling brook bass, warm breeze synths, hazy atmosphere, and soft ambience that settles like a mist. If Ross already seemed to revel in the majesty of the wilderness during his day job, these nine instrumental tracks find him […]
Read moreSuntitle are stepping out of the shadows. While the New Jersey outfit’s first EP showed talent and potential, it felt like it was in black-or-white or something. Weighed down, frowning. It wasn’t tough to listen to, but it wasn’t exactly easy either. ‘Pure Forever’ is made of many of the same alt rock ingredients but, essentially, finds the band letting […]
Read moreVAR are going to get some Sigur Ros comparisons. They’ll resist of course- at this point every Icelandic band is probably duty-bound to declare just how different they are than their homeland’s most famous rock export- but the quartet share plenty of similarities beyond a postcode. They also employ icy cool ambience, volcanic crescendos, lush strings, plaintive piano, and sweet […]
Read moreJoseph D’Agostino has been through hell. And of course that doesn’t just mean the injustice of his former band, the terrific but terribly-named Cymbals Eat Guitars, never getting the credit they deserved. In between that outfit’s slow demise and the rise of his solo project, Empty Country, he’s also faced mental health challenges, the suicide of a friend and mentor, […]
Read moreIn their own words, ‘Mustard Coloured Years’ is something of a P.S. for Wild Cat Strike, an addendum to the wistful wonder of their 2018 debut full-length. The first lyrics here even echo the final words of that album. But this shouldn’t be considered an afterthought. In fact, opening track ‘Mustard’ instantly ranks as one of the best things the […]
Read moreIf the debut album from Modern Rituals saw them stand out in a crowd, the London-via-Bristol quartet’s follow-up finds them stand virtually on their own. They still play what is essentially four-dudes-in-a-room rock music but there’s a palpable sense throughout ‘This Is the History’ of the band’s natural urge to zig when most others would zag. Here there is acoustic […]
Read more‘High Line’ is barely there at times. This is a record of distant guitars, soft synthesisers, sparse percussion, and no vocals. The loudest sound over its twelve tracks and 40 minutes is probably a few strong plucks of baritone guitar. That doesn’t make it a meek or thinly drawn piece though. No, this is music dug out of the ground, […]
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