Review: Templars
Templars ““Phase 2”” (GMM Records) I remember seeing Templars patches on people’s jackets at some street punk shows back in the day, but until now I’ve never had the pleasure of hearing them. I have a friend named Nick who…
Tag issue-34
SNOW “Two Hands Clapping” (VP Records) For someone who’s had mad ups an’ downs like this artist has, you would assume he’d take his craft a little more serious. Snow touched the game way back in 93′,but constantly had problems…
Review: Starflyer 59
Starflyer 59 ““Old”” (Tooth & Nail) After nearly a decade of making meandering, melancholy music for a number of different audiences including the So Cal indies, Starflyer 59 find themselves at the forefront of the dreamy uninhibited essence they’ve been…
Review: Taking Pictures
Taking Pictures“Friends Are Ghosts”(My Pal God Records) “Sleep all day, sleep all year, for all you care, I’m not here.” And with that lyric, they had me. This is some feel good dreamy indie rock. Caress the guitar strings, slap…
Review: Tangiers
Tangiers ““Hot New Spirits”” (Sonic Union Recording Company) It’s crazy that in wonderful countries like Canada they support the arts and help bands put out rock records. If only America could learn from Canada’s example and support music other than…
Review: The Bellrays
The Bellrays “Raw Collection” (Upper Cut Records) “Punk and soul” is the best way to describe the music from this soul-styling, punked-up rock band. This retrospective is subtitle “A collection of 7″, 8″, compilation tracks and occasional stray dogs from…
Review: The Cramps
The Cramps “Fiends of Dope Island” (Vengeance) Freshly invigorated by regaining control of its own back catalog and resurrecting its own label, The Cramps drops on a bomb on the scene with a new chapter in its Goth-rock death blues.…
Review: The Exploding Hearts
The Exploding Hearts “Guitar Romantic” (Dirtnap) This Portland, Oregon band has a great, skinny-tie sound. Its power pop recalls such post-punk acts as Buzzcocks and The Only Ones. The two-guitar quartet has a full, dynamic sound that propels the group’s…
Review: The Riptones
The Riptones “Slant 6” (Sparkletone) Mix Junior Brown with The Ventures and the Stax sound and you have the excellent instrumental combo The Riptones. The rootsy rockers in this group got swing, rhythm and tasty licks that take us down…
Review: The Strugglers
The Strugglers “The New Room” (Tract Records) The Strugglers, a music project started by Randy Bickford, is a relaxed, mellow song-oriented project. The songs on the album are delivered with a something of a Southern drawl. Or, is that a…