EventsTake It | Labia
Take It is one of the strongest debut EP’s I’ve heard in terms of creativity, execution, and production value. Debut efforts and EP’s in general often lack in one of these areas.
Give | The Bad Plus
Give features some key differences with their previously reviewed albums… and it’s also my favorite TBP album I’ve heard thus far.
The Truth is Here EP | Brother Ali
Brother Ali is one of the sickest emcees in the game. It’s hard to find other artists that so passionately put themselves at the mercy of their listeners. This man has Hip-Hop in his soul and it reflects in the quality of his music. Check out the latest release, The Truth is Here EP!
Wavering Radiant | Isis
Perhaps this is me looking for patterns that just aren’t there (because I do that), but Wavering Radiant actually has a focus on the up-beat more than usual. This actually creates a stark contrast between their dark themes that throws off your sense of what’s actually heavy so much to the point that I actually forgot this album is, relatively speaking, not that heavy. Sure, if you can’t get used to the vocals, it’s easy to immediately label this music as very heavy. Beyond that, the guitars and distorted to hell and back and somehow I get the feeling I’m actually listening to something evocative of… no joke… Pink Floyd. Talk about a mind-bender. It turns out I’m not the only that thinks that either.
Green Delay | Phronesis
There is this unfortunate, and almost regular, occurrence of finding a great band that has already parted ways. Phronesis fell into this category briefly. Lucky for us all, Jasper Høiby managed to find Anton Eger on drums and Ivo Neame on the keys. The newest album from Phronesis, Green Delay (2009), is due to be released May 13th… so mark you calendars!
The TakeOver | Zion I
Clocking in at just under an hour, The TakeOver is Zion I’s statement album to the world and is very accurately titled. Whether you have followed the crew since Mind Over Matter (or even before that with the Enter the Woods EP) or are brand new to their music, you will not be disappointed.
Shifting Sands | Parhelia
Two big occasions occurred with the information I left you in the artist profile of Parhelia I wrote this past January. First, I’m no longer a jobless bum, and more seriously, Parhelia has released their third album. Shifting Sands (2009) was just released and, so far, is only available directly through the band’s website. Parhelia has also had the privilege of sharing the stage with Anathema and God is an Astronaut in the past few months. Their new album is certainly stronger than their first two. By now they’ve developed their own sound, but I can tell they’re still growing musically. Parhelia is still on their way up.
Tuesday Wonderland | Esbjörn Svensson Trio
The Esbjörn Svensson Trio has the same core arrangement of a piano, upright bass, and drum kit as most modern jazz trios, but they’ve given it a little twist using synthesisers/effects from time to time. For the first time, I’ve come across a band that’s added a hint of rock to modern jazz rather than the other way around.
Existence | Dark Suns
I highly recommend this German progressive metal/rock band to fans of Riverside, Dead Soul Tribe, and Opeth.
Sol Eye Sea I | Irepress
I was literally refreshing the Irepress iTunes store page to make sure I got this album as soon as I could. I haven’t found another band quite like Irepress. I could probably come up with some concoction other rock/metal/experimental bands that might indicate what you’re in for when you buy Sol Eye Sea I (2009), but where’s the fun in that? Half the appeal of Irepress is that they’re largely unpredictable.
