Portugal. The Man The Satanic Satanist Equal Vision Records 2.5 / 5 The Satanic Satanist, Alaska-native Portugal. The Man’s fourth full-length release in four years was conceived as the soundtrack to vocalist’s John Gourley’s experiences of growing up in the majestic daunting lands of Alaska.  While these intentions feel warm and genuine behind Satanist’s cool [...]

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Grizzly Bear Veckatimest Warp Records 4.5 /5 To say it’s been a good year for Grizzly Bear would be an epic understatement. The band’s third full-length release Veckatimest is one that has launched the New York native four piece from relatively unknown freak-folk beginnings into Billboard’s Top 10 Charts and indie stardom. Listening through Veckatimest, [...]

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mewithoutYou it’s all crazy! it’s all false! it’s all a dream! it’s alright tooth & nail 4.5 / 5 Three years ago, prior to the September 2006 release of mewithoutYou’s third full-length Brother, Sister, the band was known to me by little more than the recognition of “January 1979″. I was intrigued the first time [...]

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Dance Gavin Dance Happiness Rise Records 3.5 / 5 Happiness, the third full-length from Dance Gavin Dance showcases the band somewhat hitting their stride after the travesty of an album that was their self-titled sophomore releases.  They dropped the guy who couldn’t scream, and while the replacement seems to be a tad bit generic, it [...]

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As Cities BurnHell or High WaterTooth & Nail Records4 out of 5 In 2007, Louisiana native four piece As Cities Burn released their sophmore album, Come Now Sleep. A follow up to fan-favorite “Son, I Loved You At Your Darkest”, Sleep was an album marked by it’s absence of their then frontman TJ Bonnette. Along [...]

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Conor Oberst and The Mystic Valley BandOuter SouthMerge Records4/5 For artists that have been around for as long as prolific singer/songwriter Conor Oberst, there is always a turning point in ones career. For Oberst, this undeniably came in between the time gap of late winter 2005 and the spring of 2007 in which Oberst, following [...]

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Manchester OrchestraMean Everything to NothingFavorite Gentleman Recordings4.5 / 5 If you’ve had your ear anywhere close to the ground in the past 3 years, chances are you’ve heard the rumblings of Manchester Orchestra’s stampeding hype machine slowly nearing. The band’s debut full-length I’m Like a Virgin Losing a Child was an almost instant success after [...]

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This Providence – Who Are You Now?Release Date: 03/17/2009Fueled By RamenRating: 2/5 Who Are You Now? is the 3rd studio release from Seattle based pop-rock quintet This Providence. The disc is a notable landmark in their six year career, which consists of two previously released albums and one EP that garnered polarized attention for their [...]

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Kevin Devine – Brothers BloodRelease Date: 4/28/09Favorite Gentlemen RecordingsRating: 4/5 Brother’s Blood is the fifth release by New York based singer/songwriter Kevin Devine. It could very well be the best album he’s made in his career. Brother’s Blood uses subject matter that is familiar to Devine’s back catalog, touching on topics from substance abuse and [...]

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Metric – FantasiesRelease Date: 04/07/2009Independent Release (US)Rating: 4/5 Metric is back with their first full-length release since 2005′s “Live it Out.” In between the 4 year span of relative inactivity as a band, front woman Emily Haines has gone on to release two solo-efforts and has returned for Metric’s 3rd full-length on the top of [...]

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