Coming off of what is widely - and rightly - considered to be their finest achievement, 2001's Stay What You Are, Saves the Day was in a difficult position. How do you follow something that magnificent without seeming second rate or derivative? It's a difficult question to answer and one that a great multitude of bands have [...]
Tag: Review
Brennan’s Best of 2012: New Jersey Rising
It is news to approximately zero people that music is not made in a vacuum. What may actually be news to a few people is the important role that community can potentially play in fostering a band's sound. There's a reason that we associate Seattle with grunge, St. Louis with the blues, and Detroit with that Motown [...]
Paper Route – The Peace of Wild Things
Paper Route is in an interesting place. After releasing a smattering of brilliant EPs1 that introduced their novel, beautifully melodic take on electronica, Paper Route released Absence, their début full-length in 2009. The album was well received, both critically and commercially, and while I agree that it is a strong album,2 it also seemed to present a movement away from those [...]
Coheed & Cambria – The Afterman: Ascension
While many of their contemporaries have disbanded completely, splintered off into various side projects, or - all too often - broken up only to reunite a few years later in what might lovingly be called a nostalgic tribute (and cynically, a cash-grab)1, Coheed and Cambria have simply kept at it. With a few lineup changes here and [...]
Peter Gabriel at The Palace of Auburn Hills
If it takes 10,000 hours to become an expert in any particular field, then it's safe to say that Peter Gabriel has spent a good deal longer than that performing on stage. There's a reason that the one-time Genesis frontman is renowned in the industry for his onstage theatrics and performance: few, if any, artists [...]
In Defense of…
Let me describe an album to you. It's not really a concept album but most of its tracks are thematically linked. It's divided into two separate sonic halves, the first based around simple, poppy instrumentation and the second around more complex compositions and arrangements. Between the two halves is a segue track that, during its [...]
Places and Numbers – Waking the Dead
A couple of years before fun. decided to light their drums on fire and make the programmed chart-topper that is Some Nights, another indie icon - Bobby Darling of Gatsbys American Dream fame - decided to fire up his laptop and record some songs as he trekked across the globe. In 2010, Darling released two EPs [...]
I the Mighty – Karma Never Sleeps
From the opening moments of Karma Never Sleeps, I the Mighty demands your attention. Album opener, 'The Dreamer,' comes to life as an atmospheric hum fades into a reverse snare hit, soon swallowed into a vacuumesque moment of silence, that is shattered by pounding instrumentals. The following freewheeling vocal line sets the tone for the entire [...]
2011: Omissions
Back in February, I presented my comprehensive1 analysis of 2011's musical offerings and now, several months later, it occurs to me that a handful of discussion-worthy releases were unintentionally omitted. Three of those overlooked albums, however, I could not resist discussing, even if somewhat belatedly. In a zombie-esque move, Lydia returned (in an altered state) [...]
2011: One Man’s Take On the Year In Music
Acknowledging that we live an age of excess but also an age of brevity, I have this to say about the 2,000+ word article that lies ahead: it is too short. Alas that time has not been given to me to write a 10,000 word article concerning the intimate details of a dozen different albums. [...]
Songs & Stories 