Firebirdie "Weathering Heights"
To sum Weathering Heights up in one sentence - to Travis, Weathering Heights is a statement. Jessica agrees and adds that, “it’s passion and pain that clears the voices in your head.”
Read MoreJesse Norell "Aorta Borealis"
Albums like Jesse Norell’s Aorta Borealis are why the independent music world needs to exist. While it’s more chaotic than the wild west when trying to standout from the crowd of countless artists, there’s a level of creative freedom that allows your music your way. You can try and emulate what is topping the charts, or you can write a concept album.
Read MoreCouch Potato Massacre "Culture Shock"
Just weeks before the pandemic laid the world low, Couch Potato Massacre had cemented their permanent lineup and began playing shows in support of their then recently released 6 song EP, Booze and Delusions. Undaunted by what could’ve been a setback, the band took advantage of the time to write and record, ultimately selecting 6 new tracks to couple with Booze and Delusions to produce their debut full length, Culture Shock, set to release on June 1 st , 2022 on OutLoud Records (Lodi, CA).
Read MoreSpace Monkey Mafia "Banned from California"
Banned from California is an album we needed to hear right now. The listening experience is truly cathartic, the perfect reprieve from the stresses of everyday life. Take a moment to grab some headphones and sit down with this album. Or even better, dance it out.
Read MorePrathloons "The Kansas Wind" Review
Conceptually, the album is about what the title suggests: The Kansas Wind. “I’m just kind of using the wind and the vastness of the sky to almost use nature as a metaphor to kind of usher in what once was and what now is,” explains Colin. Throughout the album, the air, the sky, and the wind are referenced in similar but always repositioned ways.
Read MoreInterview with Singer-Songwriter Jesse Norell on "Aorta Borealis"
Singer-songwriter Jesse Norell’s new album Aorta Borealis is special. Not only is it his return to music, but it also chronicles the struggles he and his family went through when his daughter Alyssa was diagnosed with CHD (Congenital Heart Disease). It’s a concept record of the most personal kind, dealing with all the emotions, and Norell hopes it raises awareness and aids in reducing the stigma of those living with Down syndrome.
Read MoreOKnice's "Have You Tried Being Happy?" Review
Have You Tried Being Happy surpasses the size of the emcee’s last two projects in the first-days-of-lockdown experiment of The Social Distance and the chilly, late 2019 release of Winter Tape Vol. 1. Oknice’s effort to make a feel-good record falls short on this album, but that goes without saying it’s not filled with heavy doses of dopamine.
Read MoreAlien Book Club's "Desecration of the Whispering Salamander" Review
Desecration of the Whispering Salamander proves to be just as eclectic as its name. Guitarist and vocalist, Anita, describes their work as “musical ADHD”, while bassist and vocalist, Andrea, chooses the words “chaotic and fun.” These descriptions are spot on, as Alien Book Club manages to weave aspects of numerous genres seamlessly into each song to create an exciting and entertaining listening experience.
Read MoreGenetic Drift's "History's Contagious" Review
The Minneapolis four-piece returns on October 13th with History's Contagious, their first proper release in six years. The 25-minute album demonstrates maturing songwriting craftsmanship that hasn't faltered in the years since 2015's Sunrise Compromise, with lead single "VIgorous PHantasy" showcasing the group’s brand of garage pop through a refined lens.
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