Album Review: Jacqui L’s PLANET PARALLEL 5

Prog rock and electronica fans should take an intergalactic visit to PLANET PARALLEL 5, where they’ll find Jacqui L’s eerie, ethereal music.  Released in May 2017, the keyboard-centric album (in all caps on purpose) takes listeners on a tour of Jacqui L’s mysterious planet.  Jacqui L isn’t all serious though — after all, her website… Continue reading Album Review: Jacqui L’s PLANET PARALLEL 5

Album Review: The Psyatics’ Famous Monsters

Vegas surf n roll band The Psyatics present fourteen energetic tracks in their third album Famous Monsters.  Recently returned from a tour of Japan, the veteran band seeks to become “Las Vegas legends” who spread their music worldwide. Will they make it?  I don’t know, but I can say this — if The Psyatics were… Continue reading Album Review: The Psyatics’ Famous Monsters

Single Review: “This Longing Heart” by Dusty Grant

Dusty Grant started out his music career fronting rock and metal bands, but he’s taking a more introspective route these days.  The Kansas-by-way-of-Nebraska songwriter just released a video for his single, “This Longing Heart.”  Check it out below: Grant expresses universal sentiments using the grunge roots of his youth.  He “employ(s) a straightforward approach for… Continue reading Single Review: “This Longing Heart” by Dusty Grant

Album Review: Super Cell by Xombie

New York City rapcore band Xombie is set to release their fourth album this June, entitled Super Cell.  Don’t tell these guys the genre died at least fifteen years ago — they’re still reppin’ it with conviction. The single “Might as Well” sets out to channel Beastie Boys and Rage Against the Machine.  It’s is available… Continue reading Album Review: Super Cell by Xombie

EP Review: The Long Dark Road (Self-Titled)

Ontario band The Long Dark Road takes a unique approach to to the adjective “blackened” on their self-titled EP, which is scheduled for release on April 8th.  Teaser track “Tragedy of the Commons” starts off sounding like blackened Gaslight Anthem, then veers into heavier, angular riffs about halfway through the song — which then lead… Continue reading EP Review: The Long Dark Road (Self-Titled)

Album Review: Electric Ray and The Shockers’ California Torpedo

Proving the universality of music, Austrian band Electric Ray and The Shockers has released a slice of punky surf rock that sounds like it was hewn from San Diego’s Sunset Cliffs.  California Torpedo is funky and irreverent enough to stand out in a familiar genre.  Check out their video for “T.R.O.U.B.L.E.”: If the balloon-bathroom-acid-trip doesn’t sell… Continue reading Album Review: Electric Ray and The Shockers’ California Torpedo

Album Review: Marty McKay’s New York City Dreams

In his upcoming album New York City Dreams, Zurich-based rock artist Marty McKay presents a “Lifetime Original” vision of what could be across the Atlantic.  His Big Apple is an expected path of standard song structures, lyrics, and vocal arrangements that will be at home on soft contemporary radio, but probably won’t inspire much passion… Continue reading Album Review: Marty McKay’s New York City Dreams