Posted inMusic New Releases News Reviews

Review: THRILLCHASER – A Lot Like Love

Artist: THRILLCHASER
Album: A Lot Like Love
Release Date: 02/16/2018
RIYL: The 1975, The Naked and Famous, Two Door Cinema Club
Rating: 7/10

A Lot Like Love is the debut album of THRILLCHASER, which was previously known as American Wolves before undergoing a shift of sound from heavy to poppy. THRILLCASHER accurately describes themselves as an alternative rock pop band. A Lot Like Love is interesting because between the songs there are shifts—one may have more of a medium rock pop sound with a synth-y backdrop, while the next song sounds slightly more like the melodic vocals of bands like Issues. As a whole, A Lot Like Love has a cool mixture of different sounds, and the sounds of “Emptiness,” “Like That,” and “Juliet” are definitely ones to lend your ears to.

April 5, 2018Posted inMusic, New Releases, News, ReviewsNo Comments
Posted inMusic New Releases News Reviews Top 40

Review: Coach Phillips – Learning How To Swim (EP)

Artist: Coach Phillips

Album: Learning How To Swim (EP)

Released: 02/13/2018

RIYL: Rat Boys, The Obsessives, Weezer, Cloud Nothings, Car Seat Headrest

Rating: 9/10

Coach Phillips’ latest release, Learning How to Swim (EP), is one that will take you back to the late 90s and early 2000s with the characteristic guitar sound of that era. Based out of Seattle, Washington, Coach Phillips consists of guitarist and lead vocalist Wade Phillips, percussionist and vocalist Jessica Kim, drummer and saxophonist Chet Baughman, guitarist Sabee Grewal, and bassist Tom Moskal. Learning How to Swim is an EP that brings together indie rock and garage pop, which is a beautiful combo that is accentuated by Jessica Kim’s dream-pop style voice and Baughman’s savvy saxophone playing.

March 23, 2018Posted inMusic, New Releases, News, Reviews, Top 40No Comments
Posted inMusic News Reviews

Review: Lenore. – Lenore.

Artist: Lenore.

Album: Lenore.

Release Date: 09/15/2017

RIYL: The Civil Wars, Iron & Wine, Joy Williams

Rating: 9/10

Lenore.’s self-titled album weighs heavy on the heart. It feels as if Edward Cameron, Lenore.’s guitarist, is picking on the audience’s heart strings. Everything about Lenore. just flows incredibly well, especially the voices of Rebecca Marie Miller’s and Joy Pearson’s voices. The sound that binds all of the instruments heard on Lenore. is that of the cello, which is made to sing by Jessie Dettwiler. Lenore.’s peaceful vibes will put you in a trance with it’s perfect folk blend of percussion, sultry string instruments, and soothing voices. Lenore. is an album of empathy and comfort for those lonely lovers and loners out there. Tracks such as “The Sun” and “(I Just Thought) That You Should Know,” can be heard on WLOY. My recommended three-song-sampler consists of “Ether’s Arms,” “Heavy Eyes,” and “Blue.”

March 10, 2018Posted inMusic, News, ReviewsNo Comments
Posted inMusic New Releases News Reviews Top 40

Review: Shy Kids – In A State

Artist: Shy Kids

Album: in a state

Release Date: 02/23/2018

RIYL: Future Generations, The Kooks

Rating: 8.5/10

In a state by Shy Kids is a dynamic rock pop album that gains points in the areas of originality and creativity. It’s a well-thought-out album that should be listened to on a sunny day while you’re driving around with the windows rolled down. As the name of the album suggests, the tracks of in a state fit the theme of travel as well as the sentiments that go along with travel. This being said, Shy Kids does an awesome job of capturing the energy of the places that the songs are about. Shy Kids is able to do this not only through the copious instruments used, such as the sax, piano, and violin among others, but also because of the background sounds that are infused into most of the songs, such as the honking horns of traffic, the ringing of a telephone, and even a rooster.

March 3, 2018Posted inMusic, New Releases, News, Reviews, Top 40No Comments
Posted inMusic New Releases Reviews Top 40

Review: Marty O’Reilly & The Old Soul Orchestra

Artist: Marty O’Reilly & the Old Soul Orchestra  

Album: Stereoscope 

Release date: 02/09/2018  

RIYL: Civil Wars, The Dead Tongues, Bon Iver 

Rating: 8/10  

 

I have the chills, but that’s not because this winter has been brutally frigid here in Baltimore. In my short life, I have found that great music is goosebump-inflicting, and I am afflicted, thanks to Marty O’Reilly & the Old Soul Orchestra. Released on February 9, 2018, Stereoscope is the four-piece’s second full album. Compared to Stereoscope‘s predecessor, Pray for Rain, which has a lot of blues and traditional folk influences, Stereoscope sounds like Bon Iver with a twist. Stereoscope has a lot more string instruments, modern folk influences, and light rock influences. All in all, it’s a great album to listen to while reading (or prepping for a philosophy exam), in bed, under the covers, on a rainy Saturday. Here’s why:  

February 10, 2018Posted inMusic, New Releases, Reviews, Top 40No Comments
Posted inMusic New Releases Reviews

Review: American Pets – Bad Dream

Artist: American Pets 

Album: Bad Dream-Single 

RIYL: The Republic Tigers, The Little Ones, Matt Pond PA 

Released: January 5, 2018 

Rating: 10/10 

Do you ever hear a song by a band you’ve never heard of, get excited to look them up to see what else they’ve recorded, and find squat? This is what happened when I looked up American Pets . So, here’s what I know: American Pets classify themselves as a four-piece indie-rock band, they originate from Los Angeles, California, “Bad Dream” is the only song that they have released, but they are releasing their very first EP later this month. “Bad Dream” has me highly anticipating the EP’s release. 

February 7, 2018Posted inMusic, New Releases, ReviewsNo Comments
Review: Captain, We’re Sinking – The King of No Man
Posted inFeatured Music Reviews

Review: Captain, We’re Sinking – The King of No Man

Captain, We’re Sinking  

The King of No Man  

Rate: 10/10 

RIYL: The Menzingers, The Wonder Years, The Descendents 

As a whole The King of No Man definitely has a softer tone than Captain, We’re Sinking’s last album, The Future Is Cancelled, which was released in 2013. Despite this, The King of No Man is still very distinctly the punk sound of Captain, We’re Sinking. Overall, the album has mellow verses with heavier choruses. This album’s tracks have similar sounds to that of The Wonder Years, Knuckle Puck, The Gaslight Anthem, classic punk bands such as The Rites of Spring and The Descendents, and complimenting other out-of-genre influences. I feel like this album is like the Thanksgiving meal of punk; there’s so many sub-genre punk tracks that work deliciously well together. Below is just a taste of what the album is like: 

January 30, 2018Posted inFeatured, Music, ReviewsNo Comments
Posted inMusic New Releases Reviews

Review: Anderson East – Encore

Artist: Anderson East 

Album: Encore 

Released: 01/12/2018 

RIYL: James Morrison, Passenger, John Mayer, Ray LaMontagne 

Rate: 10/10 

As the boyfriend of one of my favorite country artists, Miranda Lambert, Anderson East is a person of my special interest. There’s something about this soulful singer’s voice that makes it clear why Lambert swoons over him—it’s downright gorgeous with just a touch of a rocker’s raspy-ness. From the beginning, Encore has a funkier and more upbeat and in-your-face sound than East’s previous album, Delilah. Still, Encore is not without a few of Anderson East’s signature style consisting of slower love songs. A lot of different (and great) components of the album remind me of the 60s and 70s funk-rock and The Temptations. With co-writers such as pop artist Ed Sheeran, country artist Chris Stapleton, and Nashville songwriter Aaron Raitiere, this album is pure beauty. In this way, Anderson East takes southern soul and twists it making his music accessible to listeners of many different genres.  

January 24, 2018Posted inMusic, New Releases, ReviewsNo Comments
Posted inMusic New Releases Reviews

Review: Spice Boys – Glade

Artist: Spice Boys 

Album: Glade 

Label: Punk Slime Recordings 

Released: 01/12/2018 

RIYL: FIDLAR, WAVVES, Together PANGEA 

Rate: 9/10 

When I first heard of the band Spice Boys, I was immediately intrigued and “Wannabe” by Spice Girls starting playing in my head. To my surprise, the Spice Boys are nothing like their flavorful, female, predecessors. Spice Boys released their first EP in 2016. After signing to Punk Slime Recordings shortly after this, Spice Boys have blessed us with their newest album, Glade. The whole album is full of distortion of all aspects of the songs—the vocals, the guitar, even the drums sound more static-y than normal. This Swedish garage rock band’s sound makes me think of kicking up some trouble with my friends on the beach in the summer. The use of echoes and wa-wa-like effects in all of the tracks just gives the album a really fun-inspiring. The fast-paced and upbeat songs make you want to dance like a fool.

January 17, 2018Posted inMusic, New Releases, ReviewsNo Comments