Indie and Rock Music Reviews

Should I or Shouldn't I?

2008-10-07T20:28:00.001-04:00

I'm thinking about starting this thing up again. I have about 75 albums to review...Hmmm. This thing might be back on.

Gonzo Radio 2/27/07

2007-02-27T11:28:00.000-05:00

Explosions in Space has ceased to exist. Of course, we all know an explosion in space can't happen anyway. At least theoretically... You know, that oxygen thing.Here is the debut of Gonzo Radio. Basically, this is a 24 hour radio station that picks songs based on my music tastes and listening habits. It is brought to you by Last FM , a really awesome music site. The motto of this station is

Explosions in Space 1/7/07

2007-01-07T09:55:00.000-05:00

The new show is now up. This week we have 19 songs ranging from Explosions in the Sky to Pretty Girls Make Graves. Of course there is a ton of good stuff in between. Go there now.

Explosions in Space 12/31/06 Best of 2006

2006-12-30T22:26:00.000-05:00

The Happy New Year show is now up. This is the time of year when people who think they are important or cool post their best of the year lists. I really hate those people! So, just to be jerk like them I made my last show of the year...The Best Songs of 2006. These may not be the best songs written and certainly not the most popular, but they are what I grooved on the most in 2006. HAPPY

Explosions in Space 12/24/06

2006-12-24T13:35:00.000-05:00

New show is now up. We have a christmas song by the Flaming lips and a few requests as well. I guess 3 or 4 of you are actually listening. This week features a song by Leaves. Leaves is a Coldplay copycat, but they write better songs. We have Garageland, which if you listen carefully, you will hear where the Strokes stole their sound. This album came out 4 years before Is this It. Let's

The Sunshine Underground - Raise the Alarm

2006-12-21T14:52:00.000-05:00

Genre: Indie RockRelease Date: August 28, 2006Sounds Like: The Killers, The Kaiser Chiefs, Franz Ferdinand Overall Rating: 5.7/10Summary: The Sunshine Underground is from Leeds, England. Their debut album Raise the Alarm is a beat heavy indie rock album. If you were to shuffle up a player with the Sunshine Underground, Kaiser Chiefs, The Killers and Franz Ferdinand you would probably miss them

Explosions in the Sky- All of the Sudden I Miss Everyone

2006-12-20T20:12:00.000-05:00

Genre: Indie Rock, Post-RockRelease Date: Early 2007Sounds Like: Mogwai, Mono, My Education Overall Rating: 9.0/10Summary: Anybody who knows me really well also knows I love Explosions in the Sky. They are one of my all time favorite bands, so just assume right off the bat that this review is biased. I managed to get my hands on the forthcoming EITS album, to be released in early 2007. The album

Explosions in Space Website Update 12/19/06

2006-12-19T08:00:00.001-05:00

Explosions in Space has a new website...Sort of. It looks a lot like the last one, but much neater looking. I also added the ability to submit requests for the next show. I might also experiment with getting your requests added to the list within 24 hours. Go there now.

Explosions in Space Website Update 12/19/06

2006-12-19T08:00:00.000-05:00

New Explosions in Space 12/17/2006

2006-12-17T16:29:00.000-05:00

A new Explosions in Space show is up on the explosions page. Click here to go there. Although Explosions in Space is an indie rock show, it doesn't mean that commercial music shouldn't be played. This week's show has a smattering of classics wedged between the indie and post-rock. Until next week...Enjoy..

Thoughts 12/13/06

2006-12-13T22:43:00.000-05:00

Over the last 5 hours I Iistened to 2 new albums that I really dug. I tried to write reviews for them, but after I finished the reviews I deleted them. I don't know. It just didn't seem like I was connecting with them even though I liked them. So for the last 2 hours I have been scanning my database of 31,000 songs trying to find the ultimate song. Once again I have failed. Tonight, for whatever

New Explosions in Space 12/10/06

2006-12-11T08:27:00.000-05:00

A new Explosions in Space show is up on the explosions page. Click here to go there. We have a lot of post-rock and many other tasty tidbits.. Until next week...Enjoy..

Explosions in Space 12/03/06

2006-12-03T15:29:00.000-05:00

A new Explosions in Space show is up on the explosions page. Click here to go there. Lots of classics from the likes of Sonic Youth, Ride, Lush and Arab Strap. I threw in some Turkish indie rock by the Replikas and the slow burning Daturah to close the show. The show opens with a punch in the face by the Distillers. Until next week...Enjoy.. If you are too lazy to go to the explosions page

Lost Ocean - Night to Life

2006-11-25T16:58:00.000-05:00

Genre: Indie Rock, Alternative PopRelease Date: 8/15/2006Sounds Like: ColdplayOverall Rating: 3.9/10Summary: Do you like Coldplay? If you do then perhaps you will like Lost Ocean or maybe you will feel like you have been let down by a pretender. There is nothing wrong with having influences, but this is thievery. I think these guys are good musicians, but they do not know who they are yet. Click

Explosions in Space 11/25/06

2006-11-25T15:50:00.001-05:00

A new Explosions in Space show is up on the explosions page. Click here to go there. I managed to get this one up a day early. Must be the holiday. This week's mix is weighted more on the heavy side as you will see. We have some post-punk from Thursday and At The Drive In. We have a healthy dose of metal from Isis, Type O Negative and a killer tune from the Spawn Soundtrack. We have Moby! Yes,

Daturah - Daturah

2006-11-22T21:40:00.000-05:00

Genre: Indie Rock, Post-RockRelease Date: 2005Sounds Like: Mogwai, Mono, Explosions in the SkyOverall Rating: 7.6/10Summary: Daturah is the biotanical name for Jimson Weed. A drug that Hunter S. Thompson made famous in the Great Shark Hunt. Jimson weed is a hallucinatory drug that has a profound effect on the sensory and physchological aspects of the mind. Sight and sound can be blurred and

Heliconia - Glad You Were Born

2006-11-20T21:14:00.000-05:00

Genre: Indie Rock, ShoegazeRelease Date: Summer 2006Sounds Like: The Verve, My Bloody Valentine, Catherine WheelOverall Rating: 7.2/10Summary: This is the debut full length for England's Heliconia. Glad You Were Born is just a great album. Why flower it with poetic words like... lush walls of distorted guitars over a water fall of rainbow prisms. Why declare that the album shimmers like a billion

Nassau - Machines to Paradise

2006-11-20T16:32:00.000-05:00

Genre: Indie Rock, Psychedelic Release Date: 10/24/06 Sounds Like: Pink Floyd, Hawkwind, Trail of DeadOverall Rating: 6.9/10Summary: Nassau is from Toronto, Canada. Machines to Paradise is their second full length album. This album is a straight ahead psychedelic rocker. The band wears its influences on its sleeve. You hear early Pink Floyd, The Byrds, Blue Oyster Cult and more contemporary bands

Explosions in Space 11/19/06

2006-11-19T09:12:00.000-05:00

A new Explosions in Space show is up on the explosions page. Click here to go there. This week we have some classics from Sugar, The Flaming Lips and the Treepeople. I threw in an awesome Butthole Surfers tune and for my buddy Caps I closed the show with New Jersey's own Overkill. You never know where the beverages will take me. If you are too lazy to go to the explosions page click here to

Confuse the Cat - We Can Do it

2006-11-17T20:45:00.000-05:00

Genre: Indie Rock, AlternativeRelease Date: 10/16/06 (Europe)Sounds Like: The Killers, Franz Ferdinand, InterpolOverall Rating: 6.5/10Summary: Confuse the Cat are from Belgium and that is about all I know about them. After listening to We Can Do It, I am shocked that they are not popular here in the USA. This is just a really good album all the way through. It certainly competes with anything by

Bad Astronaut - Twelve Small Steps, One Giant Disappointment

2006-11-15T16:50:00.000-05:00

Genre: Indie Rock, Alternative, Pop-PunkRelease Date: 11/14/06Sounds Like: The Anniversary, Bad Religion, SuperdragOverall Rating: 5.8/10Summary: Twelve Small Steps, One Giant Disappointment is a pretty fair description of the new album by Bad Astronaut. I am not a fan of Pop-Punk, so I reviewed this album with an open mind. The opening track Good Morning Night sounded like it was straight from

...And You Will Know us by the Trail of Dead - So Divided

2006-11-14T21:22:00.000-05:00

Genre: Indie Rock, Alternative, Post-punkRelease Date: 11/14/06Sounds Like: Unwound, Seachange, SuperchunkOverall Rating: 5.4/10Summary: I must admit I am a huge Trail of Dead fan, so perhaps my review is biased, but I will try to call like it is. This is a decent album, but it lacks the fire of Source Tags and Codes and thankfully it is less indulgent than Worlds Apart. Unfortunately, it falls

Explosions in Space 11/13/06

2006-11-12T12:24:00.002-05:00

A new Explosions in Space show is up on the explosions page. Click here to go there. This week we have some classics from Pavement, Fugazi and Swell. Of course there is plenty of post-rock thrown in too. You never know what you'll hear. If you are too lazy to go to the explosions page click here to listen now.

Medeski, Scofield, Martin and Wood - Out Louder

2006-11-10T08:35:00.000-05:00

Genre: Jazz, Post Bop, Jam BandRelease Date: 9/26/06Sounds Like: Sex Mob, Soulive, GalacticOverall Rating: 7.5/10Summary: In 1998, Medeski, Martin and Wood collaborated with John Scofield on his A Go Go album. I’m not sure what it is about this group of musicians, but when they get together they bring out the best in one another. Out Louder is the best album since A Go Go for both MMW and John

Hammock - Raising Your Voice...Trying to Stop an Echo

2006-11-08T20:53:00.000-05:00

Genre Shoegaze, Space Rock, Post RockRelease Date: 11/20/2006Sounds Like: Slowdive, Sigur Ros, Explosions in the SkyOverall Rating: 6.9/10Summary: Raising Your Voice...Trying to Stop an Echo is the 2nd full length from ambient space rockers, Hammock. Never has there been a band so appropiately named as Hammock, well, except for Slayer, which is probably the perfect antithesis to Hammock. This

New Explosions in Space Show

2006-11-05T10:16:00.000-05:00

A new Explosions in Space show is up on the explosions page. Click here to go there. This weeks picks are quite diverse, ranging from the dirty bar room punk of the Murder City Devils, the feedback drenched Bardo Pond and a classic Built To Spill song and of course much more. Check in each Sunday for the new playlist. You never know what you'll hear. If you are too lazy to go to the explosions

CSS - Cansei De Ser Sexy

2006-10-31T17:40:00.000-05:00

Genre: Indie Electronic, Indie Rock, Art RockRelease Date: 7/11/2006Sounds Like: Butter08, The Sounds, PeachesOverall Rating: 6.8/10Summary: This is the debut album from CSS, which is short for Cansei De Ser Sexy, which is “Tired of Being Sexy” in Portuguese. CSS are from Sao Paulo, Brazil and they have delivered an impressive first album. CSS formed in 2003 and developed a large following on the

The Hold Steady - Boys and Girls in America

2006-10-29T11:35:00.000-05:00

Genre: Indie Rock Release Date: 10/03/2006Sounds Like: Guided by Voices, Ted LeoOverall Rating: 6.5/10Summary: Boys and Girls in America is the third release from The Hold Steady. I have never heard a chord of their previous albums so I don’t have anything to compare them to. This is just a fun album all the way through. The songs are tales of drinking and living. The sound is early 80’s guitar

Make Believe - Of Course

2006-10-28T19:49:00.000-04:00

Genre: Indie Rock, ExperimentalRelease Date: 10/03/2006Sounds Like: Cursive, The Promise Ring, June of 44Overall Rating: 3.5/10Summary: Of Course is the second full length LP for Make Believe. This album is angular, spacious and overall just plain strange. There are other adjectives to describe it such as irritating, obnoxious and just flat out messed up. I personally don’t like this album. Too

Isis - In the Absence of Truth

2006-10-26T17:45:00.000-04:00

Genre: Post-Metal, Post-RockRelease Date: 10/31/2006Sounds Like: Neurosis, Tool, PelicanOverall Rating: 9.0Summary: In the Absence of Truth is Isis’ fifth LP and it is by far their best album to date. This album is a true gem. It is hard to find the proper words to describe the sound of Isis. They are certainly Post-Metal, definitely Post-Rock, but more than anything they are freaking brutally

Sparklehorse - Dreamt for Light Years in the Belly of a Mountain

2006-10-26T10:59:00.000-04:00

Genre: Indie Rock, Noise Pop, Dream PopRelease Date: 9/25/2006Sounds Like: The Flaming Lips, Mercury Rev, The Black Heart ProcessionOverall Rating: 6.1Summary: Dreamt for Light Years in the Belly of a Mountain is Sparklehorse’s fourth full length album. I don’t know what it is about Sparklehorse that causes me to always want their albums, yet never truly enjoy them. I think this album finally

Seachange - On Fire, With Love

2006-10-24T16:01:00.000-04:00

Genre: Indie RockRelease Date: 10/16/2006Sounds Like: Oceansize, And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead, Interpol Overall Rating: 6.0Summary: Seachange are a six piece indie rock band hailing from Nottingham, England. On Fire, With Love is an interesting album and a slight departure from their first album, Lay of the Land. Where Lay of the Land relied more on noise, this album offers more

Ladyhawk - Ladyhawk (06/06/2006)

2006-10-22T13:10:00.000-04:00

Genre: Indie RockSounds Like: Dinosaur Jr., Silkworm, Pavement, Neil Young.Overall Rating: 6.2/10Summary: Canadien rock quartet Ladyhawk play straight bare bones guitar rock. Their influences are obvious. Singer/guitarist Duffy Dreidiger delivers on both ends with fantastic string work and emotive vocals. Despite a few weak tracks this is a good album overall. Click here to hear a track from the

Fighting for Alaska - Fighting for Alaska Ep (04/2006)

2006-10-20T08:31:00.000-04:00

Genre- Indie PopOverall Rating: 5.3/10Summary- This is the second EP from Perth, Australia’s Fighting for Alaska. This is a catchy female fronted pop album that reminds me a bit of Rainer Maria. The songs are well crafted emotive pop tunes with catchy hooks and smart phrasing. Meike Scantlebury’s voice has a hushed vulnerability that carries a surprising underlying strength. Overall this is an

Deftones - Saturday Night Wrist (10/31/2006)

2006-10-19T14:25:00.000-04:00

Genre: Rock, Metal, Alternative, Post GrungeOverall Rating: 5.7/10Summary: This is the 5th full length album by the Deftones. The album is a return to the White Pony era featuring melodic washes of orchestration over gnarling guitars and Chino Moreno's Hush-Scream vocals. Though this album fails to capture the brilliance of White Pony it far exceeds their self-titled previous effort. I rate this

I'm Back!

2006-10-19T08:49:00.000-04:00

You probably didn't notice, but I haven't posted a review in over a year. No, I didn't stop listening to music, in fact I am probably more obsessed than ever. Since I listen to so much music I am going to post even shorter reviews. I am going to try to summarize my feelings and opinions of an album in one very short paragraph. I will rate several aspects of the album with a 0-10 rating. My

Sigur Ros - Takk (2005)

2005-09-10T10:42:00.000-04:00

Genre- Indie Rock, Post RockSigur Ros are from Iceland. When I think of Iceland I envision a cold, grey somber place. I also see the incredible beauty of the landscape. Perhaps geography plays a role in Sigur Ros’ sound. Like Iceland, Sigur Ros’ music is cold, grey and somber, however, shining above these grey tones is the pure monumental beauty of the music. It’s like a picture perfect sunrise

Leaves - The Angela Test (2005)

2005-09-09T16:16:00.000-04:00

Genre- Indie Rock, PopThe Leaves are from Iceland and if you are like me you must wonder if they sound like Sigur Ros. Though they do employ similar instrumentation and experimentation as Sigur Ros, they sound much more like another band. In fact, they sound so much like this other band you could mistake the two for being the same band. The Leaves sound so much like Coldplay that it is

The Cloud Room - The Cloud Room (2005)

2005-09-07T15:40:00.000-04:00

Genre- Indie Rock, New Wave Where have I heard this before? Is this a band I heard on the 80's Modern Rock Station about 20 years ago? Of course not, it is yet another band that sounds like they were transported straight from 1985. This is The Cloud Room's debut album. I'm afraid this album will get lost beneath the success of The Killers and Interpol. The Cloud Room lacks the energy of some of

Team Sleep - Team Sleep (2005)

2005-08-16T15:33:00.000-04:00

Genre- Rock, Dream PopTeam Sleep is a side project by Deftones vocalist Chino Moreno. Besides Moreno's distinctive voice there is absolutely zero similarity between the Deftones and Team Sleep. There are a few rockers on this album, but the majority of the songs are gentle dreamscapes that are intended to create a mood of calm. The album features plenty of lush textures, combining electronics and

Frank Black - Honeycomb (2005)

2005-08-11T09:30:00.000-04:00

Genre- Alt Rock, Classic CountryFrank Black is a legend. It is safe to say that his band the Pixies lifted Alt Rock of the late 80's to the mainstream boom it had in the 90's. Surfer Rosa and Doolittle are true classic Post-Punk-Alt Rock albums that will stand the test of time as demonstrated by the Pixies successful reunion tour this summer. Frank Black has earned the right to play any style of

Bear vs Shark - Terrorhawk (2005)

2005-08-02T18:42:00.000-04:00

Genre- Indie Rock, Post-Hardcore Bear vs. Shark are from the Detroit, Michigan area and reside on the Equal Vision label. Terrorhawk is their second full length release. Describing Terrorhawk's sound will prove to be difficult. Their influences are many and elements of each influence shine through in their music. At times you can hear hints of Dismemberment Plan, Fugazi, and Leatherface . It

Sugar - Beaster (Retro Review 1993)

2005-07-30T11:23:00.000-04:00

Genre- Alt Rock/Pop I discovered Sugar a bit late. I think I bought Beaster in 1995. I heard of Sugar before this , but never paid attention because of their name. The name made me envision syrupy Grrrl pop, which was very popular at the time. Then one day, I was riding in the car with a friend and noticed he had a Sugar album. It was Sugar’s first album, Copper Blue. I asked him to play it and

Bob Mould - Body of Song (2005)

2005-07-28T14:00:00.000-04:00

Genre- Indie RockBob Mould is back. Well, sort of. His new album Body of Song is promised to be a return to guitar rock. For the most part it is a solid Bob Mould rock album. Mould's last rock album was the Last Dog and Pony Show released in 1998. Since 1998, Mould released only one full length album and that was 2002's Modulate, which was an electronic album. On Body of Song you can still hear

Wilderness - Wilderness (2005)

2005-07-23T11:47:00.000-04:00

Genre- Indie Rock, Post-Rock Wilderness are from the Baltimore, Maryland area. They record on the Jagjaguwar label. This is Wilderness’ debut release and it is a good one. Before I talk about how great the music is I must address the vocals on the album. James Johnson really doesn’t sing. He more or less sounds like an announcer. It reminds me of early David Byrne or even at times like Les

Goldrush - Ozona (2005)

2005-07-19T19:21:00.000-04:00

Genre- Indie Pop/RockGoldrush are from Oxford, England and signed to the Better Looking label. Ozona is their second full length release. The album is loaded with many textures of music. There are piano, horns, synths, acoustic and electric guitars all melded into a cohesive pop sound. Robin Bennett provides adequate vocals and at times sounds just about perfect for the wall of sound behind him.

Tullycraft - Disenchanted Hearts Unite (2005)

2005-07-16T16:25:00.000-04:00

Genre- Indie Pop, Twee Pop Tullycraft are based in Seattle, Washington and reside on the Magic Marker label. This is their fourth full release. Until this day I have never heard a Tullycraft song, so I cannot compare this album to their back catalog. Disenchanted Hearts Unite is a decent album. I must tell you that this is not an album I would choose to listen to ordinarily. I'm just not a big

The Most Serene Republic - Underwater Cinematographer (2005)

2005-07-14T22:18:00.000-04:00

Genre- Indie Pop, RockThe Most Serene Republic are based in Ontario, Canada. Underwater Cinematographer is their debut album on the Arts & Crafts label. The album features both male and female vocals, however only occasionally are they together. Adrian Jewitt tackles the male vocals with enthusiasm. Though it would be safe to say he is not the vocalist that Emma Ditchburn is. Musically,

Longwave - There's a Fire (2005)

2005-07-09T16:20:00.000-04:00

Genre- Indie Rock, Dream Pop, RockLongwave is a five piece band from upstate New York. There’s a Fire was recorded at Allaire Studios, which is actually a remote mansion in the Catskill Mountains. Perhaps the mansion is haunted because There’s a Fire has a rather haunting sound at times. There’s a Fire features lush strings arranged around soaring, spacey guitars. Vocally Steve Schlitz sounds a

Sleater Kinney - The Woods (2005)

2005-07-08T20:18:00.000-04:00

Genre- Indie Rock, Punk, Riot GrrrlSleater Kinney is an all female 3 piece band. They have spent most of their career on the awesome Kill Rock Stars label. The Woods is their first full length release on the legendary Sub Pop label. This is a definite move up in the indie rock world, but certainly not a sellout as Sub Pop has produced some of the best bands of the last 15 years. The Woods was

Mercury Rev - Boces (Retro Review 1993)

2005-07-08T15:54:00.000-04:00

Genre- Indie Rock, Neo-Psychedelia, Noise PopTo be honest I really can't review this album fairly. Mercury Rev is my favorite band and Boces is my favorite album. I discovered this album by accident in 1994. One day I asked my friend Pete to take a ride with me to the local CD shop. Unfortunately, he had to work, so he asked me to pick up a CD for him instead. He said a friend recommended that he

My Education - Italian (2005)

2005-07-06T19:07:00.000-04:00

Genre- Post Rock, Indie Rock, Ambient I guess I am just a sucker for overindulgent, pretentious Post-Rock. My Education is a perfect example of what I like about this genre. On Italian they master the art of building a plodding, lumbering instrumental into an explosion of chaotic noise. Here is an example of a typical song. The song begins with a slow and slightly out of tune piano. Add a

Lapush - Somplace Closer to Here (2005)

2005-07-06T16:25:00.000-04:00

Genre- Indie Pop/RockLapush hails from St. Louis, Missouri. This is their debut album on the 456 Entertainment label. Lapush crafts nice Indie Pop songs with a distinctive British feel. It is pretty obvious that the band counts Radiohead as one of its primary influences. Also are hints of influence from the Stone Roses and perhaps Blur. Vocalist Thomas Donovan often sounds like Thom York from

Red Sparowes - At the Soundless Dawn (2005)

2005-07-05T19:23:00.000-04:00

Genre- Instrumental Rock, Experimental, Post RockRed Sparowes is composed of members of the bands Isis and Neurosis. The bands bio states that the core group will continue to work with these and other musicians for each recording, allowing subtle and textural progressions in the music, while still keeping the heart of the sound intact. The core sound of Red Sparowes

Coldplay - X & Y (2005)

2005-07-04T20:14:00.000-04:00

Genre- Rock, Adult Alternative, Brit Pop This is a fantastic album. It is nearly perfect and it is certainly a great follow up to A Rush of Blood to the Head. This is also X & Y’s weakness. Lyrically and musically there is very little difference between A Rush of Blood to the Head and X & Y. Chris Martin’s lyrics are vague, which makes it easy for the listener to identify with. Musically,

Mercury Rev - The Secret Migration (2005)

2005-07-04T16:33:00.000-04:00

Genre- Rock, Neo-Psychedelia, Dream PopThis is Mercury Rev's sixth album. Sadly, it is their worst album to date. The Secret Migration continues Mercury Rev's move away from rock music. It is important for a band to evolve musically and nobody can ever accuse Mercury Rev of not evolving. Their earlier work with David Baker on vocals was incredibly noisy and spontaneous. The post David Baker era