CicloSDias Minis
Mother Russia
Demo
The notes accompanying Mother Russia's demo point out that it was recorded in 1998, but not actually released until 2012. That;s a pretty long time to hold on to some songs, but they don't sound particularly dated. The band's raucous garage-punk is loud, sloppy and snotty, and it's touched up with just a little bit of New York Dolls' glammy swagger. For those in need of a messy punk record with drunkenness to spare, this gets the job done.
—Jeff Terich
Moosejaw
EP
This EP is exactly what you'd expect from an outfit named Moosejaw. Including screamo, nu-metal and even bits and pieces of Alice in Chains, this is a big metal stew thatíll go great with a shot of Jack and speakers that reach 11.
—Dryw Keltz
Moxie
Retrospective
How can you describe Moxie? Slick, anthemic, dark pop-punk. Hmmm. My description sounds more interesting than the band actually is. Imagine a cross between Hole and The Muffs, only without the talent. (Yeah I said it, Hole have talent.)
—Aaron Carnes
Mr. Nobody
Seemed Like a Bad Idea at the Time (And it Was)
Fast, fuzzy, blown-out punk rock. Even though the longest song clocks in at 84 seconds, this demo's got it all. Irreverent sense of humor? Check. Lo-fi / slapdick production? Check. There's even a couple of doo-woppy numbers circa late Ramones or early Queers. I don't know who you are, Mr. Nobody, but you shred.
—Jim Ruland
Multiplex
“The Glitz”
A neo new-wave project of unknown seriousness, Multiplex skillfully incorporates vintage synths and drum machines with a vocal delivery that can only be described as Kevin Spacey on ecstasy. "The Glitz," with its ironically artsy vocals, feels like something by The Nation of Ulysses' Ian Svenonius / David Candy. That could be good or bad, depending on whether the singer's being ironic or sincere.
—T. Loper
Mutantspaceboy
From Zero to One
Well-executed instrumental prog tales, spun slowly and enticingly until they peak and erupt into solid psych-grooves that will keep you topless-hippie-dancing for the entirety of the EP.
—Sammi Skolmoski
Napoleon Blownapart
Black Face, White Heart
The cover of this CD is a drawing of the eponymous French leader in blackface. There's a song called 'Smurf Cum.' Someone's clearly aiming for the shock-rap angle, possibly a result of Odd Future's popularity. Unfortunately, the comedy isn't done well, the beats sound like Casio presets and even a grainy filter can't hide the rapper's deficiencies. The only value here is trying to figure out the message being sent to CityBeat writer Seth Combs with the song 'Meth Combz' (Nudge nudge. Get it? Clever, right?).
—Quan Vu
Nothingful
Actual Plural Songs
Nothingful mastermind Sasha Syeed claims to be musically untrained, but what he may lack in formal musical education, he makes up for with a natural talent for crafting memorable yet unconventional melodies. Each of his moody, stripped-down, lo-fi songs is an intimate tapestry of stark acoustic guitar plucks, buzzing acoustic bass and the occasional eruption of live drums. I can't make heads or tails of parts of this lengthy, 14-track release, but it's rewarding enough to make me want to retuto it again.
—Jeff Terich
Ogd_S(11) Translation Has Failed
This Middle Ground
The band asked all reviews to come in haiku, so here goes:
You're actually good
Stop trying to be clever
And just play music
—Scott McDonald
Rudy Palos
2012 Demo
A
funky, indie-electro approach to hip-hop music. Palos just might be
pioneering a "math-rap" genre with the time-bending beat on "Racing
Stripes" Without vocals over it, the exuberant robot noises kind of lost
me on "Blinding Headlights"but this is all-around a solid experiment in
instrumental hip-hop.
—Sammi Skolmoski
The Paragraphs
Demo
The
two-song thing is such a tease, but The Paragraphs make an impression
in eight minutes. Not sure what to think about "Trashtalk" but "Wolf" is a
nice piece of straight-up rawk that sounds like Gavin Rossdale fronting
an early-era Kings of Leon.
—Scott McDonald
The Peripherals
As Themselves
Light, airy songs about love and traveling for love's sake, sweetly sung by softies. For fans of Iron & Wine.
—Sammi Skolmoski
The Peter Pupping Band
Café Pacifico
Peter
Pupping mixes traditional bossa nova, samba and flamenco with smooth
jazz. There's even an elevator-music-style guitar lead in the place of
vocals. As far as easy-listening music goes, though, this is top notch.
I'd be stoked if this is what I had to listen to at my dentist's office
the next time I got a root canal. Somebody, please take Kenny G off the
radio and replace him with Peter Pupping!
—Aaron Carnes
Picnic Spirit
“Jean Dear”
This
single-song submission sounds like a crew of Bar Pink regulars who've
convened for a late-night, post-boozing session to knock out their dream
single. Sounding kind of like a B-side from a latter-day Breeders
album, "Jean Dear" features tribal drums, simple repetition, lo-fi
production and distant vocals. You can practically see the musicians
slinging messenger bags and riding fixed-gear bikes.
—Dryw Keltz
EXTRASPECIALGOOD
Parker & The Numberman
The Ridley Project
With such high-quality music, it’s hard to believe Parker & The Numberman haven’t released a full-length album yet. Maybe they want to develop a mystique by sporadically dropping music, just enough to entice you into seeking more. Maybe they’re too busy exploring new styles and ideas to settle on any of them for long. Both reasons sound feasible given The Ridley Project, an EP that finds them teaming with Mr. Ridley of rap group Anti Citizens. They all experiment with a very 1988-era, Run-DMC sort of style. Ridley’s spare beats rely heavily on bass and drums sprinkled with samples used in quirky ways. The two rappers banter back and forth about how fly they are. It’s clear they’re just joking—Parker probably didn’t write a song with Heavy D, Diddy and Cupid (yes, the dude with the arrows)—but their inventiveness and playfulness have a way of building up their myth.
—Quan Vu
Pilots
EP
Expansive,
melodic, layered psych that grabs your wrist and drags you through
other dimensions. The raspy, sprawling vocals are sometimes haunting,
often explosive—definitely the perfect soundtrack to an exploratory
space-out session.
—Sammi Skolmoski
The Plastic Revolution
PostmodeMedicine
I
don't know if I've ever heard a band as ready for heavy rotation on 91X
as The Plastic Revolution. The group walks such a fine line between
Linkin Park / 311-style nu-metal and latter-day pop-punk that they seem
to have developed a sub-genre all their own. Linkin Punk, perhaps? If
your daily habit includes a heaping helping of alt-rock commercial
radio, this might just be your new favorite band.
—Dryw Keltz
Adam Powell
Totally Stripped and Ill Equipped
The
fact that Mr. Powell's info came on a well-tucked Sprouts receipt—and
that he mentioned that these songs were "recorded in the nude for Kathie
Benson"—had me liking it before a listen. Inevitable Beck comparisons
aside, the four tracks here are as interesting and likeable as the man
himself seems to be.
—Scott McDonald
