With his debut LP It’s Not An Excuse, It’s A Reason, Marcio Novelli proves that great music isn’t written with intentions to impress the masses, but as a personal anecdote by the musician. Recorded in just two weeks and produced by Jim Wirt (Incubus, Jack’s Mannequin), Novelli’s debut is a revival of simple pop rock with meaning, the kind that has been fading out since 2005.
Full of anger and personal regrets, Handguns use their debut full-length to get everything off their chests. With creative punk thrills and pop punk driven chord progressions, Angst is sure to make pop punk fans everywhere happy.
The xx’s second album Coexist feels a bit like floating aimlessly through space with no propulsion of energy in any particular direction. While some of the songs manage to maintain a simmering sensuality with Romy Madley Croft’s sweet voice delivering honest lyrics and enough repetition to elicit the feelings through heartfelt laments, most of the songs seem to remain unadorned and flat or build up to only thin air and the feeling that you’ve just barely missed out on the point.
The American Scene’s seamless blend of honest, heartfelt lyrics and expressive vocals with slick, refined musicianship makes Safe For Now one of the most solid releases of the summer.
After a tumultuous time in the life of Love, Robot, the quartet has come out with Rebuild | Rebirth. The album is dripping attitude and energy, letting listeners feel the band’s trials and tribulations through every song. This album opens the door for the audiences to see into the world of Love, Robot.
After the release of the subpar first single “Go To Hell,†the expectations for Go Radio’s newest release Close The Distance suddenly plummeted to average. But don’t let the initial cynicism stop you – Close The Distance turns out to be a solid album that pop rock fans should get their hands on as soon as possible.
In an age where sometimes it seems that computers have replaced instruments and auto-tune has replaced voice lessons, from time to time it’s best to go back to the basics of raw simplicity – to show off your untainted, unrestricted talent in a stripped-down and intimate way. Joshua Michael Robinson’s Intentions does just that, combining powerful lyrics with modest instrumentals that really shine the spotlight on his distinctive voice.
For their second studio album Floral Green, Title Fight stuck to what they do best – doing whatever they very well please. Produced by Will Yip (Citizen, None More Black), the album is pristine yet raw and shows an originality many bands today lack.
Fresh from the golden state, Silver Snakes are joining a wave of contemporaries who are putting the rock back into punk rock.
For his forthcoming fourth album The Midsummer Station, Owl City’s Adam Young did something he has never done before: he collaborated with co-producers, co-writers, and other artists. The album is a culmination of crisp, finely-tuned vocals, and explosive pop tunes that will delight the moment they hit.
