Hailing from the great Midwest, The Sextons have an unfortunate handle on the atmospheric folk genre. They seem to be aiming for the Coldplay market, and in that aspect, they are succeeding. Their songs blend nicely into one large lump, with each...
Madison, Wisconsin’s Zebras play a peppy brand of chops-heavy sci-fi/dance punk, which I found myself enjoying thoroughly but ultimately not really connecting with entirely. There are some good ideas going on here, mainly in the form of...
The unassuming ethics of blue-collar workers and classic rock go hand-in-hand to establish the authenticity of Philadelphia’s The National Rifle. Their latest release, Man Full of Trouble, is a product of this marriage: wedding Rust Belt...
Travis Lee Wiggins has been described as prolific, and although it’s accurate, I’m not sure it does him justice. The newest release from his Chicago band Essex Chanel, Love is Proximity, is studio album number eight — not including...
Because of really cheesy (re: terrible) nu-Warped bands like Millionaires and Brokencyde, I long for the days of earnest Midwestern emo. Yes, I wrote the dreaded “E” word, but let’s not get it twisted. Before it turned into the...
I apologize in advance, but I really don’t like this album. I’m sure I’m going to regret this review later, but I still don’t know what else to say. There are moments of Seeing Blind songs I love, but mostly, what I hear...
Noise: a genre that is difficult for the average person to appreciate. However, when one sees its creation firsthand or creates it oneself, noise becomes a type of musical art that takes on its own appeal and meaning. In People Who Do Noise, noise...
With their homemade press kit, Forks and Knives seem like a band with DIY roots right off the bat. But unlike many bands that throw together a press kit, write a personal note, and call that enough, Forks and Knives manage to come off as...