Posts Tagged ‘Headbanging’

By: Maria Ciezak
For BiggerThanBeyonce.Com

MARIA CIEZAK: You guys are one of my/New Jersey’s best-kept secrets. For future fans, can you provide us with a brief background story? How did you all come together?

TREVOR NEWCOMB of ONLY LIVING BOY: First off, thanks for doing this interview with us. We really don’t want to be a secret, so we appreciate it. The first time we played on stage together was probably in the 6th grade. We kept playing and learning together and we went on to graduate high school together. In 2006, we formed Rabid Roy with the intension of “making it.” Rabid Roy became OLB after a couple of tough years and one bad record contract. Since the formation of OLB, we’ve independently toured most of the country, put out a few full-lengths and several singles and EPs… You know, trucking.

MC: Now I am assuming the band is named after the Paul Simon song? Are you guys mega fans?

OLB: We all love us some Paul Simon but the name is just a coincidence. We needed a name for the band and after several months of tossing around terrible ideas, Paul Simon’s Only Living Boy in New York came on the radio while we were on our way to a jam. The rest is history.

MC: You just released a new EP entitled Cool Collected Headcase, and it’s been getting a ton of buzz. I know you worked with Paul Ritchie from The Parlor Mob in the past. Where was this recording done?

OLB: We plan on working with Paul again; he’s the shit. This time around, we got the opportunity to work with Billy Perez at SST Studio in Weehawken. SST isn’t on a lot of people’s radar, but I suppose that’s purposeful. To put is plainly, SST is the most incredible studio we’ve sat foot in. Throughout the years, as some of the big analog studios in NYC closed, SST acquired their gear. So it’s packed with incredible recording equipment and a ton of history. It’s in an amazing space – huge rooms, huge ceilings etc. They’ve hosted some ultra big acts. Everyone from the Crows to Nirvana to Sabbath has done something there. It’s crazy.

MC: Who does most of the writing? Is it a group effort?

OLB: Joe is the core writer, but once the rest of us get involved with his ideas you never know where the song is going to go.

MC: What comes first? The music or the lyrics?

OLB: One thing’s for sure, Joe writes 99% of the lyrics. He has books/journals of lyrics and ideas. I think some of his lyrics are done first and then it hangs around until the right song comes together, but most of the time it’s music, then lyrics.

MC: How do you keep yourselves so original in such a mainstream day and age? Do you even think about it?

OLB: Oh, certainly it’s best not to think of it. We just do us. We just try to maintain some sort of edginess and rawness. And of course, we try to record and perform with energy and power. And I suppose if there’s one benefit of being a trio, it’s the fact that there isn’t a lot of them out there and there’s way fewer that sound anything like us. I know lately we’ve been getting a lot of QOTSA comparisons and that’s cool, but I can tell you, with all honesty, we got that 5-6 years ago before we ever even knew of them. We are sponges. We absorb influences all the time. Everything we hear. It’s true.

MC: Your live set is something that everyone must experience. How do you determine a set list for each show? Does it require much catering to certain venues?

OLB: Thanks. We usually write out a set and then do some improving once we get going. And we don’t mind taking risks. We’ll play new songs or old songs that may or may not be ready for the stage. I think risk-taking is something that is important with rock. We aren’t afraid to push the envelope. We aren’t afraid to fuck up. When I see other bands perform with that attitude, and they pull it off, I think it’s exciting. Like watching a stuntman almost wreck.

We really try not to cater sets for anything, but inevitably we tend to play louder and harder at bigger places. Also, sometimes we play acoustic; we can do more than rock at 115db.

MC: Any tours coming up in the near future?

OLB: Hell yeah. As Lemmy from Motörhead says: “You’re not a real band if you don’t tour.” We’re heading out in July for a couple weeks, working our way out to the Roots Rock & Deep Blues Festival in Minneapolis, where we will join our good buds in Poverty Hash (their lead man, Joe Roberto plays harmonica on our track Spread Your Butter). Also, we’ll have to hit some college circuits in the fall. Lately, we’re looking for some good bands to hit the road with. It’s always more productive and fun that way.

MC: If you could place yourself on tour with any artist, who would it be and why?

OLB: We’d love to go out on the road with any band that rocks and can help us get in front of more people. Top pick: Queens of the Stone Age. Or any Dave Grohl or Josh Homme project. Those guys are the top dogs in rock, as far as I’m concerned.

MC: How much material is there in the Only Living Boy vault? Are there a lot that don’t make the record?

OLB: So much material. Between his solo stuff and the OLB stuff, that Joe Cirotti is a writing machine. Currently, we’re working on songs for the record that’s coming out after our next record. So we’re like three albums ahead already. We constantly write and record demos. Many of them don’t make it to the albums or haven’t yet. Many of them we still play live.

MC: What is the ultimate goal for Only Living Boy? The music business is so different these days. Is getting a record deal somewhat of a priority?

OLB: Good question…

Every time I feel like I have a grip on the biz, I realize I have only the benefits of my own successes/mistakes to reflect on; otherwise, I’m half guessing just like everybody else who is short on investors.

Having a career is our ultimate goal. I would be satisfied being a lower-middle class full-time musician. However, we’re not looking to sell ourselves short. I think another equally important goal is to share our music with as many people as possible. So some combination of that: a career and maximum exposure. That’s my pragmatist stance.

Now, a record deal? That means a lot of different things to a lot of different people. And it doesn’t always involve the combination of exposure AND career that we are looking for. That being said, we will be looking for some sort of “deal” over the next few months, however, in the mean time, we won’t stop outing our music by ourselves.

MC: Now that you guys have made quite the name for yourselves in the Tri-state area, if you could have done anything differently, would you?

OLB: I spent most of my twenties traveling the country playing honest music with my two best friends – I’m pretty lucky. So I don’t have too many regrets.

One thing though, if you’re in a band and you’re thinking about signing to a label or some other business arrangement, consider who it is that represents you and what they have to gain/loose from the process. Sometimes it seems like someone is fighting for you when, really, they’re only worried about themselves or they may be too short-sighted to give two shits about how your career goes in the long term.

MC: What advice do you have for bands just starting out?

OLB: When pursuing your art, patience is the key and so is being yourself. That is, unless you’re ok with being a tool.

MC: Five words why people should listen to Only Living Boy.

OLB: Real rock and roll lives on…

By: Maria Ciezak
For BiggerThanBeyonce.Com

California’s own, The Story So Far, have released a new album entitled What You Don’t See, available for purchase now. The record was produced by Steven Klein, who you may know from a little band called New Found Glory. I must admit, I was a little nervous when I first heard Klein was going to be working on this record, for some of his previous work is compiled with bass, bass, and more bass. However, the album isn’t too mixed down, it’s somewhat perfection actually.

Two years ago, this band came crawling out from under a rock, with a debut album (Under Soil & Dirt) that made me an insta-fan. This record also gave them major success, touring with many known names, and giving punk rock fans that fix they had been yearning for over the years. It was actually one of the best freshmen albums I had ever heard. Currently, The Story So Far completely negates that age-old theory that once a sophomore record comes along that bands tend to demise. This album in fact solidifies all of the fame they have acquired.

To be blunt, I truly cannot find a single flaw in this album.

One thing about The Story So Far that always grabs my attention are the lead vocals, for they are undeniably blessed in that area. Parker Cannon is a diamond in the rough; no whining, no screeching, just pure talent. He is so relentlessly talented on recordings and so full of energy, that you will be sucked in immediately. Long story short, this record doesn’t have a single filler track on it. Standout tracks include: Things I Can’t Change, Right Here, and The Glass.

If you are a fan of bands such as The Wonder Years, Set Your Goals, Four Year Strong, or any pop punk band, you will dig this new product.

Check out the official video for Empty Space below, and get a tease of what you are in store for on this new record. Their music has continued to shatter anyone who doubts their staying power. They now own the world.

Job well done.

By: Maria Ciezak
For BiggerThanBeyonce.Com

One of my favorite rock n’ roll groups, The Strokes, have released their newest single All the Time, which can be found on their new album Comedown Machine (available for purchase March 25th)! You may not remember, but this is the second track to be taken off of the group’s fifth studio release, as One Way Trigger dropped earlier this year as a free download. That track fell somewhat short, however, All The Time is picking up strong radio play and taking us back to The Strokes that we all know and love. The video reminds us why we were fans in the first place, taking us on a trip down memory lane. It’s a laid-back vibe full of tour footage that makes me yearn to see them on the road again.

I will be reviewing this record in it’s entirety upon release, but for now, let’s savor the appetizer.

Brand new video for All The Time below.

By: Rob Brayl
For BiggerThanBeyonce.Com

Certain songs are like fuel. They take you places. Others are like pain medication. They get you through shit. When a song contains both of these elements, it’s a serious addiction waiting to happen.

That’s what this song is for me: a freakin’ addiction. I literally cannot stop playing it; I feel it in my veins. And while the music video was disappointing and weird (to see it, go find it for yourself), the song stands on its own. It’s rad and without flaw.

Check out Radioactive by Imagine Dragons below.

Love! Love! Love!

By: Caitlin Hoffman
For BiggerThanBeyonce.Com

Need a tune to crack your windshield? Juliet’s Vice have got their hammers ready.

What can I say? We’re all entitled to kick back with some headbang-heavy ballads. Even if only once in a while. So when you’re flipping through your records, on the hunt for the soundtrack of junkie superstars, take Juliet’s Vice for a spin.

They’ve got that rock n’ roll sleaze well-ripped, a glam grunge which only furthers their musical aggression. You want light shows and naughty notes? A time-swipe back to the eighties? Done, done and done.

If their songs were made of flesh, they’d wear heavy eyeliner and tight leather pants, kicking beer cans off the curb. A force to be reckoned with, to be sure.

These guys are dying to rock. I swear they’d come back as rotting zombies just to finish a show.

By: Caitlin Hoffman
For BiggerThanBeyonce.Com

Conor Oberst has always given voice to the unspoken. In Bright Eyes he dissected all sorts of angst, teeming with sensitivity. Now in Desaparecidos, his post-punk project, he’s tackling corporate corruption and saluting the unseen- namely Anonymous and the Occupy Movement.

I’m sorry I hadn’t stumbled on this sooner. Desaparecidos has a great recipe of emo and grunge, iced over with up-tempo poppy-punk. It’s true that they’ve been silent for a while, but now they’ve got not one, but two singles hot off the mixing board.

These songs are nothing short of rousing. They captivate and motivate, bubbling with social awareness. The Left is Right is a soundtrack to the revolution, while Anonymous acts as an angry love letter to the internet group of the same name. All in all, this musical duo-drop is innovative, resistant, and engaged.

You can pop on over to the aficionado zine of rock, Rolling Stone, to bathe in the melodies. Trust me, it’s worth an extra click.

Nice to know Conor’s genius isn’t going to waste!

By: Caitlin Hoffman
For BiggerThanBeyonce.Com

A Primitive Evolution are something to get excited about. When I first jacked in, I was startled not only by the maturity in their sound, but in the way it was so keen to resonate. Their music is easily met, easily embraced, and impossible to let go.

Children of both rock and the blues, this group adds unprecedented soul to what would otherwise dust as radio rock. Their h-core ‘tude is rocked into sedation by a more gothic undertone, leaving you manic and mysterious.

These Toronto darlings aren’t just in it for ignorant kicks. Rather, they take a cerebral front to their mission. So says Bret, their lead vocalist/guitarist: “Creation is evolution. That’s what I figure we’re trying to say with A Primitive Evolution. …We are very much at the beginning of the evolution of mankind. We have a long way to go as a species. We want our band to reflect that too, going off of what we feel, doing it out of instinct and evolving naturally; having some fun existing on this planet.”

Have fun? Their latest album The Prize will help you do just that. This record’s a thunderstorm and no mistake. The members themselves are pleased with its turnout too. Stephany (their house bassist/back-up vocalist/cello player) calls it: “the epitome of pure enjoyment of music”.

I can’t quite put my finger on why I like them so much. They’re like Queens of the Stone Age, but better. Couple that with intense, eye-popping music vids, and they’re nothing short of visionary. Take the visual masterpiece aka music video for Lord of Reason. With elements of urban horror, magical realism and satire, it’s a trip not to be messed with.

So as far as A Primitive Evolution’s concerned, what’s the bottom line? Stu (the percussion master) ties it up nicely: “Get ‘em hot and bothered. They should be excited about (the) music; surprised. As a musician, that’s the greatest reward.”

I like the way these guys think.
　

By: Maria Ciezak
For BiggerThanBeyonce.Com

MARIA CIEZAK: For those who don’t know Toothgrinder, what’s the backstory?

JUSTIN MATTHEWS of TOOTHGRINDER: Everyone in the band has pretty much known each other for most our middle and high school careers. We have all played in other bands at one time, and coincidentally, all of our previous bands have played shows together. When everyone went off to college and our high school bands had broken up, Wills, Jason and Milky were still jamming on and off. One summer after my first year of college, Milky asked me to jam with them. I was a little hesitant at first, considering I thought my music career was over and I didn’t want to get involved in something that wouldn’t last. We had a couple jam sessions in Wills’ parent’s back room and realized we could make this work. We then picked up Matt as a bass player; we knew he had a background in jazz composition which helped evolve our eclectic style. I ended up going back to school as well as everyone else. Considering all of us were attending school full time, it was extremely hard to practice and play shows. Up until this year, we were only able to play during the summer and short winter breaks. I was going to school in North Carolina and remember about ten different occasions where I was driving a total of 20 hours to play one show. Though it was stressful, it made me more emotionally committed to the band and solidified my passion for it. Now that we have all graduated, I feel this is the first year we can call ourselves a real band. Up until now it has felt more like jam sessions and random shows. Fortunately, it is now more exciting than ever.

MC: Was the lineup always the same?

TG: Yes, the lineup has always been the same. I feel I can speak for everybody by saying the band would probably end if one of us split from the group. Each and every member of the band is irreplaceable. This goes beyond talent and creativity, we are pretty much family. I have spent more time with these guys than I have with a lot of close people in my life. It is something hard to understand unless you are in that particular situation.

MC: Where was your first show?

TG: Our first show was at a place called “Good Times”. Let’s just say it was very anti-climactic. This band started off extremely different than other bands I have been in. We pretty much began playing shows with absolutely no buzz and no one knowing who the hell we were or that we even started a band. We were the anti-facebook, anti-myspace band, with a more grassroots style.

That has clearly changed.

MC: What are your thoughts on the metal scene in New Jersey? Is there much of one?

TG: Yes and no. Yes, there is a metal scene with some great bands and great musicians, and no, in the sense that I feel the local fan base is not what it used to be. I remember chewing my nails to the bone just trying to find some sort of live video online, and now they are everywhere. I feel technology has a little to do with why so many kids do not go to local shows on the weekends anymore. I know I am not the only one who feels this way. Though, I am extremely grateful there still is a metal scene, because for a while I thought it was going to completely die out.

MC: Who are some of your musical influences as a band?

TG: I cannot speak for everyone on this topic since we all have very different tastes in music. As a vocalist, I am greatly influenced by Mike Patton, Daryl Palumbo, Phil Anselmo, Phillip Lebonte, Greg Puciato, Chris Conley, Geoff Rickly and Maynard James Keenan, to name a few.

MC: What is on Toothgrinder’s iPod right now? Digging any new bands?

My iPod is ridiculous. I have been listening to a lot of nostalgic throwbacks lately. Some bands include Glassjaw, The Bouncing Souls, Shai Hulud, Pantera, Gin Blossoms, Pink Floyd and Crosby Stills Nash & Young. As far as “new” music goes, I am really digging this dude Wills introduced me to. His name is Charles Bradley. He has this James Brown style that I tend to like a lot.

MC: You guys just released a new record, however, it’s only three songs long. Explain!

TG: We have all decided that as an unsigned band it is better to release little bits of music more frequently, rather than an album with 60 minutes of music on it once every two years. We feel it gives people the chance to listen to everything we have to offer rather than skipping through an entire album until they find their favorite song… Technically, the album we just released is one song, but we split it up into three parts so people can skip rather than fast forward to a part they want to hear. It really is just our preference. We tend to do things our way, and we hope people appreciate that.

MC: Where can fans go to learn more about you?

TG: As cliché as it sounds, our facebook page and live shows. Personally, I feel our fans will not learn what we are about until they see us live. That is where the magic happens.

MC: What is your proudest moment in your career thus far?

TG: Honestly, I do not have a “proudest moment”. I am just so happy and thankful that I have come to a point in my life where I am involved in a musical project that is putting out quality music that people like to listen to. The fact that people listen to something we write, and enjoy it, blows my mind. It really does.

MC: What’s next for Toothgrinder? Tour? Studio again?

TG: All we want to do at this point is get on the road and keep putting out music. We are all at the crossroads where we want to quit our day jobs, say goodbye to our families and be gone for nine months. That is our dream and we are doing all we can to make it happen. Right now we are putting together a “do it yourself” tour for late spring. It is extremely hard, but I have the confidence that we will get it done. New music will be out in the next three months as well. Until then, we just got to keep on keepin’ on.

By: Caitlin Hoffman
For BiggerThanBeyonce.Com

I’ll do my best not to gush. It’s just… Rancid was a landmark group for me. …And Out Come the Wolves was one of my first proper punk albums (right next to Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols). Songs like Daly City Train and David Courtney still boil my blood with nostalgia. They’ve got a rev in their rocket that made undeniable ripples on the alt. seascape. And Tim Armstrong’s voice is always set to make me melt.

…I just channelled fan-girl. Geez.

Even if they’re not your favourite, you must concede that they helped revive street punk in the ‘90′s. Not only did they blow dust off the underground, but they dared to bring it to mainstream attention. Amazingly, they did so without sacrificing their essence or honesty.

People have, however, been pining for new releases. Almost each core member has pursued side-projects through the years, and prolonged silences have popped up here and there. Their last album Let the Dominos Fall was released in 2009, and there’s been little mention of upcoming projects since.

But hope prevails! They’ve just released a single.

A red-hot, pure punk, NSFW single.

My heart’s pumped full of happy. Fuck You goes back to their radical roots (see what I did there…?), never sacrificing tone for tension. It removes previous ska influence and replaces it with hard-boiled chorus-lines.

The song was enough to add sizzle in my step, but the fact that it’s a free download rocked me into overdrive. That’s want you want to see from punk veterans: legitimacy.

I ended up gushing, didn’t I? Oh well.

By: Rob Brayl
For BiggerThanBeyonce.Com

Time to stuff yo face! With a loud ass piece of rock & roll pie!

That’s right, kids. Because multi-platinum rock band Buckcherry have released a lyric video for Gluttony, the lead single from the band’s upcoming album, Confessions (set to drop February 19th on Century Media Records).

The band just wrapped a string of UK dates, and will headline North American shows in late December and January before joining Kid Rock as special guests on the upcoming Rebel Soul Tour, beginning February 2nd in Kansas City, MO. In addition, Buckcherry will co-headline Fremont Street Experience’s Downtown Countdown New Year’s Eve 2013 celebration in Las Vegas December 31.


(For those of you who can’t make it, there’s always PartyBingo.Com!)

While on tour, Buckcherry will preview new songs from Confessions, the band’s sixth studio album and first U.S. release for Century Media Records. Confessions merges punk grit, gutter attitude, honest storytelling, and razor sharp hooks. The lyrics are tied together by the underlying theme of the Seven Deadly Sins.

Buckcherry continues to resonate because they’re so unabashedly honest in their recordings and on stage. “It’s a real rock ‘n’ roll band,” says Nelson. “You get 100 percent of what we are and what we’re about. We don’t apologize for it.”

Hell yeah!

Buckcherry–Josh Todd (vocals), Keith Nelson (guitar), Stevie D. (guitar), Jimmy Ashhurst (bass), Xavier Muriel (drums)–are one of the premier rock bands of the new millennium, having sold more than three million records in America alone and touring virtually non-stop, playing with everyone from AC/DC to Avenged Sevenfold, touring sold-out arenas with rock legends KISS, and headlining festivals ranging from the punk rock Ink-N-Iron (also featuring the Misfits and Pennywise) to Sturgis. Radio staples Lit Up, Crazy Bitch and Sorry have cemented the band as one of the most identifiable and sought-after bands on the radio and the live circuits, and Confessions is primed to take the band to even greater heights.

Official lyric video for Gluttony down there, y’all!

By: Rob Brayl
For BiggerThanBeyonce.Com

Los Angeles-based rock band Beta Wolf has released a video for their single Domino, and I’m diggin’ it! Taken from their latest EP, Just Before Morning, the clip keeps it simple yet effective, taking footage from the band’s performance from Ives Concert Park in Danbury, CT while on tour with genre heavyweights Daughtry.

Beta Wolf released Just Before Morning earlier this summer while submerged in the middle of a 3-week tour with Daughtry. Recorded in Bob Clearmountain’s Berkeley Street studio in Santa Monica, the band enlisted producer Fred Archambault (Avenged Sevenfold, Eighteen Visions) to create a memorable piece of rock.

Be the cool kid. Purchase the boys’ EP before their name gets plastered everywhere. Cuz let’s face it, it’s bound to happen.

By: Maria Ciezak
For BiggerThanBeyonce.Com

If I can somehow manage to sneak into The Sundance Film Festival, I will keep you guys up to date, just in case you may need to post my bail. Reason being, I just found out that Dave Grohl will be making his directorial debut at the festival with his new feature documentary film, Sound City.

The film is about the infamous recording studio in Van Nuys, California. As I have seen in my twenty-six years of life, Grohl can literally do no wrong, so I am excited to see what he can do on this side of the arts. Dave perceived the idea for Sound City after he purchased the legendary Neve 8028 recording console from Sound City Studios last year. He also became connected with the studio, as well as introduced to it, while recording that famous little album with Nirvana, Nevermind, back in the stone age of 1990.

While we all anticipate the greatness that Grohl is about to unleash on the world, let us all bask in his glory with some tunes. After the official Sound City trailer, of course.

By: Maria Ciezak
For BiggerThanBeyonce.Com

Punk music is just something that always makes me weak in the knees, yet few bands in particular really stand out in the genre. That being said, one of them goes by the name of Sum 41.

On Sunday night, I celebrated 10 years of amazing music with their album Does This Look Infected, to a line around the infamous Stone Pony in Asbury Park. As we all know, the Jersey Shore has been devastated due to Hurricane Sandy, and some good music is just what we needed. Little did I know that I was in for one of the most epic nights, ever.

The night kicked off with some local openers including NJ rockers Set It Free, along with a two-piece called I Am Dynamite. As the night progressed, the venue got more and more crowded. I could only imagine how hyper the pit was going to be when Deryck and the boys hit the stage, for the crowd was getting warmed up with some Beastie Boys and Kiss blaring through the house system. 10:15 rolls around, and Sum 41 finally take the stage, kicking the night off with a bang with Hell Song, as hundreds of fans start to mosh, crowd surfing and fist pumping in full affect.

It had been quite some time since I had seen Sum 41 in concert, and I was amazed to see how tight they were. They literally sounded exactly like they do on their records, and their sound had aged incredibly. Maybe it was because I was so young the last time I saw them, but I really appreciated it more this time around.

Deryck’s vocals were extremely on point, Cone and Steve did their thing as always, and Steve-O mastered the drums like a king. Their energy was just indescribable. They continued to soar through hits on Does This Looked Infected, including Still Waiting, which turned the energy in a whole new direction. You could feel the room shake on this one, while Deryck and Cone stood high above the crowd on speakers, bringing five lucky fans on stage to watch the entire concert from an extremely intimate view.

As the night went on, the boys took on some partial covers, including We Will Rock You and even a little Seven Nation Army by The White Stripes. Of course, their biggest hits were thrown in the mix as well, including In Too Deep and Fat Lip.

All in all, it took one show to make me realize how much this band truly rules. They deserve to have been in the business for 10 years, and I hope this anniversary tour embeds that in people’s brains. If you’re lucky enough to have this tour wreck your town, do yourself a favor and get tickets as soon as you can. It’s honestly one of the best shows I have been to in quite some time.

Long live the punk revival that is Sum 41!

By: Caitlin Hoffman
For BiggerThanBeyonce.Com

Test your trivia! What band won “Best International Rock Act” at the LA Music Awards?

Hint: they’re Australian.

Double hint: they’re super duper talented.

Give up? It’s Monks of Mellonwah, and they’re a group worth knowing. They have a depth I can’t quite put my finger on; their charm is as decisive as it is elusive.

Such a ghostly allure is totally apparent in Neurogenesis, an EP that’s still hot from the studio. Thus far it’s been getting excellent reviews and I’m hardly surprised. This wee EP packs a punch, with four songs saturated in world-wide appeal. At the same time they dare to unsettle, drawing you in like a finely-tuned trance. The title track pulls you in, as if waking up in the middle of a dream. Neverending Spirit then showers you with a slow-going epiphany, only to have Kyoto attack you with solidity. The last piece You Shine rounds it all out, casting the credit roll on this brief but multi-layered experience.

Kyoto was the track elected as my personal favourite. It has a great underground grab and the string-plucking borders on hypnotizing.

What can I say? I’m a sucker for new talent.

With tours and a full-length album debut on the way, I don’t doubt they’re due for a spotlight. That, or they’ll keep making ripples in the darkness.

By: Caitlin Hoffman
For BiggerThanBeyonce.Com

What do you get when you combine the raw power of the Stooges with a modern grip and a long roll in the mud? Vulture Kult, that’s what.

(Ha! “Raw power”. Iggy Pop. I crack myself up.)

I am so happy to feature another Canadian-borne talent. This duo is juicy punk seared off the edge of rock.

Yes, the distortion in the amps and weight to the rhythm is more h-core than I usually endorse, but these guys make the extra bulk work to their advantage. They fall forward on your face, dragging picks across your cheeks and poking your eyes with free drumsticks. In that way they’re rock marinated in grunge- it’s all messy, screaming of greasy hair and exposed secrets. You can feel the sweaty grime recorded with the music. Even if they make the beats slosh about, every stain is intentional.

Don’t Let Rock n’ Roll Ruin Your Life (their second album, plucked out this year) is waiting to get stuck in your head. Anyone who ventures on the alt side of genres will likely appreciate this compilation. It reeks of classic underground influence without sacrificing the contemporary.

Get ready to pogo. (Or headbang. You choose.)