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This is the first I've heard of Love as Laughter, and I must say i'm impressed. Backed by producer Joe Blaney (Clash, Ramones, Keith Richards, Tom Waits) and recording in New York City's West Village, 'Holy' is fundamentally a simple album. Acoustic driven, dreamy, psychadelic tinged rock with just enough mainstream likeability to have your mum humming along whilst still holding onto some essence of coolness. It isn't exactly pushing the boundaries of modern music, more reworking classic riffs and lyrics into something fresh for a new generation. At some points Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd and even Fleetwood Mac are evoked. Sam Jayne's folky voice floats over the tracks with enough of a drawl to awaken images of bayou Americana. This is a laid back, groove ridden album with plenty of variety to hold your interest throughout. One thing this record isn't doing however is breaking new ground; to be honest I don't think thats what they are trying to acheive anyway. Excellent stuff......
Love as Laughter - Holy
Red Int/Red Ink

Altsounds Recommends Love as Laughter - Holy
On first listen this record sounds like a promising combination of two bands; Glassjaw and The Bled. Now for some people reading you're probably thinking that's a good thing, right? Not so for LD. They've managed to produce an album so derivative that any qualities it does have are simply overshadowed but the fact that we've heard it ALL before. From the opener 'To Satellite's washed out acoustic strummings, to the post hardcore pulse of 'Miami Nights' LD rip through a technically impressive and yet thoroughly boring tracklisting. Any emotion on this album sounds contrived and the structures for all the songs seem to be near enough identical, almost every track featuring the standard middle 8 'beatdown' with overly distorted screaming. I don't think vocalist Matt Geise could have sounded any more like Daryl Palumbo if he'd tried. The one factor that kept this review at a six rather than a five or four are Eddy Marshburns guitar riffs, crunchingly heavy and yet diverse, he's one too...
LOWER DEFINITION - THE GREATEST OF ALL THE LOST ARTS
Ferret Records 		Finch is the new self-titled EP from the LA Screamo rockers. This is their first release since their 2005 album Say Hello To Sunshine and since leaving their old label Drive Through Records. This is a very welcome return and this release does not disappoint. There is a kicking combination of power, melodies and energy. The chorus’s will have everyone singing and dancing along. There isn’t a bad track on this cd, which makes the transition from start to finish as smooth as something very, very smooth. The cd comes in at just under 20 minutes and is only 4 tracks long, which is a little short. It has been a few years since the last release and this was definitely in need, but I wonder if they had just taken a few more months on this, if they would have been able to push out a full release. But hopefully with this being the newly set benchmark, the follow up will be a corker and a well desired return to form. With some heavy touring ahead, this EP is going to get the push it needs to...
Finch - Finch [EP]
Mantonio Enterprises
Very few artists release four EPs on four months but this is the kind of self-promotion and creative process that American musician Joseph Arthur likes. He took a similar approach back in 2002 with the four Junkyard Hearts EPs. So the six track Vagabond Skies EP is the third in the current series. As expected, it is a mixed bag. Opener 'Slow Me Down' is a fairly standard guitar and voice piece, wonderfully produced and beautifully played. Arthur's vocals are deliciously soft, like Mark Lanegan with all the edges removed. As the song begins to fill out, bringing in more instrumentation and an up-tempo arrangement, it brings out more emotion in his voice. He is matched by distant ghostly choir-like backing vocals. An excellent start. 'Even When Yer Blue' is not great. The vocals are shaky; the guitar work disjointed and persistently loud. Again the same backing choir is used and already feels overworked. Likewise 'Pretty Good Company' changes the vocals yet again, and brings in some...
Joseph Arthur - Vagabond Skies [EP]
Lonely Astronaut Records 		This musical genre isn’t my usual listening choice. After listening to this I understand why. The whole album to me is really boring. Each song has the same feel to it. It’s the same feeling that makes you fall into a deep sleep. It’s all down to the vocals. Aaron’s voice has got the same tone throughout the whole album. The only song on the album that was remotely good in my opinion was ‘Maggie Mahoney’. It’s bouncy and energetic unlike most of the other songs on the album, and although his voice still possessed that familiar and boring tone, the music somehow compensated for it. I especially liked the piano. At least Aaron is good for something!! I wouldn’t rush out to buy this album. Trust me, you would rather watch paint dry than listen to this.
Seabird - 'Til We See The Shore [Album]
Credential Recordings

Altsounds thinks Seabird - 'Til We See The Shore [Album] is terrible
Brigade are one of those bands who are becomming increasingly difficult to classify. From humble beginnings and being the brother of a massive pop star, Will Simpson’s band have almost gone from being the underground, almost cult-like fresh faced kids, to a band who seem set on doing big things and creating monstrously big rock songs. Could there be a clue as to there aspirations in the releasing of a double A-side single, the first time they’ve done this. Personally, it’s brilliant to see ‘Stunning’ get a single release; when I first reviewed the album for the this very website, I concluded that it probably should’ve been the first single. It’s every bit the anthemic, radio friendly rock tune, the sort of thing that Brigade need to hoist themselves into the mainstream. For every ounce of sugary sweet pop melodies that escape your speakers during ‘Stunning’, Brigade don’t want to rest on those laurels, which is probably why ‘Stunning’ is placed after another song. ‘Sink, Sink,...
Brigade - Sink, Sink, Swim / Stunning [single]
Caned & Able

Altsounds Recommends Brigade - Sink, Sink, Swim / Stunning [single]
Originally released in 1987 and re-released now on Visible Noise, ‘Jesus Meets The Stupids’ is an odd album, consisting of nineteen tracks of punk rock, comedy skits and complete randomness (a track of nothing but a single, tinkling piano, anyone?) To sum up this re-release: the songs aren’t tight enough, the shouty lyrics are mostly unintelligible and the comedy isn’t actually that funny. There’s clearly talented musicians buried somewhere in this messy punk racket, as The Stupids tear along at a pace that shouldn’t be physically possible. However, this would be more impressive if they were able to play at such speeds with some semblance of a tune. The Stupids push the speed thing too far, and end up sounding like a group of people beating the hell out of their instruments. It’s like they’re trying to play five different songs all at the same time - and the vocalist is out of tune with all of them. This tendency to go as fast as they possibly can regardless of what it sounds...
The Stupids - Jesus Meets The Stupids
Visible Noise 		Imagine, if you will, you’re in a band. You post your first song up onto MySpace and suddenly thousands of people the world over profess to love what you’re doing and everyone wants a piece of the action. What do you do? Anybody would’ve thought such an instant success story would reel off into a protracted story of stardom without merit and riding on waves of popularity straight to the bank. You are clearly not a member of The Medic Droid, these guys have been doing it since the end of 2006 and have only now got everything together for an album, despite talk of its release for around a year without it materialising. It’s a testament to the times that a band can merit a record deal based on the popularity of one song, had a record label A&R spotted these guys without the massive numbers following them, it’s quite possible they’d have been overlooked and written off. There’s no massive story here of how everything suddenly came together, there’s apparently no explanation for just...
The Medic Droid - What's Your Medium
Modern Art Records 		Pepper are based in Hawaii, and seem determined to hammer that point home, with almost every track on this album built on funky tropical rhythms. It may feel fresh and original for the first couple of songs, but the novelty quickly wears thin because 99% of the songs sound exactly the same. This wouldn’t be so bad if Pepper sounded like a holiday carnival when, in reality they sound like an afternoon spent relaxing on an Hawaiian beach. Everything about ‘Pink Crustaceans and Good Vibrations’ is thinly spread, from the stop-start-stop-unnecessary-pause guitars to the lyrics, which frequently disintegrate into doo-doo-wop-oh-no-no-no jazz free-styling, until you being to suspect that they’ve actually just run out of things to say. The lyrics also seem to wander wherever the rhymes take them, resulting in lines such as “seen her at the hotel bar/ but don’t ask Lucy why don’t she drive a car,” until it becomes unclear what the song is actually about. ‘Musical 69’ in particular is...
Pepper - Pink Crustaceans and Good Vibrations (CD)
Law Records
Controller is the third studio album from Milwaukee based Misery Signals. The band have been together for 5 years and have consistently pushed themselves to spread the word of their great music and technical ability. The music is heavy and very solid. This album has a rich style and is very dynamic, with different levels of power and melody flowing throughout. There are heavy drilling riffs that are all about the power and then there are lots of more interesting, technical and melodic riffs. The other great attribute this album is the production work of Devin Townsend. Having produced bands like Soilwork, Lamb of God and Darkest Hour, Devin is no stranger to the art of getting the best from an artist. Devin thrives to work very intimately with an artist and drive them all individually to be better than they thought they could be. This is really shown through out, right across the board. The vocals are steaming though out with the screams sounding like Randy from Lamb of God mixed...
Misery Signals - Controller [CD]
FERRET MUSIC

Altsounds Recommends Misery Signals - Controller [CD]
Mountain Meadows is the second album from Canadian alternative country trio Elliott Brood. Following 2005's impressive, but largely unnoticed debut Ambassador, the band have developed their sound while staying close to their traditional roots. The album has been described as 'hardcore country', conjuring up images of Hayseed Dixie and their obsession with Motorhead. That is something of a misnomer as Elliott Brood's music is much more interesting. Mountain Meadows is an astonishing mix of old fashioned approach and new musical arrangements. This is clear from the start as the beautiful instrumentation of Springsteen-esque opener 'Fingers And Tongues' makes way for Mark Sasso's wonderful rasping vocals. By the end of the song he is practically screaming as the frantic guitar strumming brings the song to a close. From here the album weaves through numerous music styles but all within the same country/folk/indie framework. 'Write It All Down For You' fuses delicate guitars with dramatic...
Elliott Brood - Mountain Meadows
Six Shooter

Altsounds Recommends Elliott Brood - Mountain Meadows
Although impossibly high pitched for the average grown man to sing along to, I found myself trying to nonetheless. Upon listening to Crickhowell boys ’s debut single ‘Dance Again’, it’s difficult to pinpoint exactly where they draw their influences from; although that is probably a positive thing, as this establishes them as original, fresh and exciting. Unlike many bands that are currently doing the rounds, the music of is far from outdated, as it is possibly a small taste of the future. As a result of mixing up their entire collective influences the band have created an appealing cocktail of sounds that offers something for everyone. Melodic guitar lines, punk chants and throat tearing vocals in the heavier moments ensures that anybody who takes the time to listen to ‘Dance Again’ will be amply catered for. With some impressive previous support slots under their belt and the drive and ambition to succeed, I would not bet against seeing start to pull in the crowds within the...
[Go-X] - Dance Again [Single]
Bwlch Hits Records
EDGEFEST RETURNS PART TWO By: Fridae Mattas In such a better mood, muddy yes but so over it, once I heard some tunes it all went away. I was even more chilled out because every band was good in their own way, each brought a different experience. They all had one thing in common they put on a good enough show, well the bands I checked out minus the nappers. Sweet thing was the last band I saw on the second stage once it poured I had no choice but to stay in one area. The band was typical pop boyband dudes vocals are good they entertain the crowd that's for sure emoting the passion they have for their music. Drummer dude looked so familiar where have I seen him before so into the music keeping that beat tight. These larries turned it out I would go see them again I only caught one tune.
EDGEFEST RETURNS PART TWO!
102.1 THE EDGE

Altsounds Recommends EDGEFEST RETURNS PART TWO!
The Comanche Cipher are a 5-piece metal/hardcore band from Guildford and Ludovico Technique is their debut EP. This is hardly ground breaking, neither is it original, but you can hear that these guys have an ear for a good riff. Taking influence from The Dillinger Escape Plan, you can expect some off key and discordant riffs in odd time signatures. But also having a very strong metalcore sound these guys end up sounding a bit like The Architects but just a lot less tech. The problem is that their sound is an amalgamation of various types of metal and hardcore riffs appose to being a complete package of elements coming out in a combined product. It’s not necessarily a bad thing they just lack originality. The vocals are pretty good but I’d recommend they stick to the high screams, as the guy just can’t seem to hit the lows. The quieter bits on the album add a nice contrast and break up the brutality of some of the more in your face riffs and add a lot more depth to the release. Over...
The Comanche Cipher – Ludovico Technique [EP]
Basick 		This album had a lot of pressure riding on it. If any of you have read the dirt you will realise that Motley Crue are not the closest of bands and still having an original line up is quite a feat. So, when it comes to writing a new album it would be very hard to get the cohesion that is needed - still sounding solid and passionate as if the guys were young and up for it. Is this album just a way of bringing in a bit more cash as over the years they’ve pissed it all up the wall, stuck it up their noses or in their arms and need some to actually live of? Well let’s get in to the music. It’s classic Crue. They are one band that was always pretty consistent in their style. The quality had fluctuations at points but they were always capable of writing a few truly rocking songs for every album. But over the years their writing techniques would have changed due to massive decrease in substance abuse but maybe that is why this album is consistent all the way through, leaving behind days when...
Motley Crue - Saints Of Los Angeles [CD]
Motley Records

Altsounds Recommends Motley Crue - Saints Of Los Angeles [CD]
EDGEFEST RETURNS PART ONE By: Fridae Mattas Why is it every time I mission to an outdoor event this year it rains!! Where is the summer? It feels more like spring, the heat is here but the sun rarely shines with it!! What you are about to read may offend some people but hey my observations and experience their actions and we all know actions do speak louder than words!! Local Toronto Rock station 102.1 The Edge throws together this massive all day concert, last year they took a break but this year came back with sixteen bands in one day. I have never been to Edgefest before because it’s always in the boons or when I’m not available, I could check out most of the bands at a venue closer to home. I was in line for about forty-five minutes, there always is some sort of altercation and for some reason it’s always with people I have come across before. What goes around comes around that’s when karma hits you like a back handed bitch slap! This one security broad whom I have seen...
EDGEFEST RETURNS PART ONE!!
102.1 The Edge

Altsounds Recommends EDGEFEST RETURNS PART ONE!!
I was really nervous to finally catch the highly anticipated new Batman film, The Dark Knight. It has been receiving massive amounts of promotion since Heath Ledger died earlier this year. That is perfectly understandable, but it is often said that The Dark Knight is the last film Ledger did before his death, which is not true. He died while filming another movie, The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus, which is set to release next year. Apparently they finished the film with Johnny Depp playing Ledger's role. Sounds strange, but based on what I've read about the surreal aspects of the style and story, it may not be that weird. Aside from all of the Heath Ledger hype, I have been generally disappointed with most movies I have seen lately. Hancock was terrible. Hellboy II was alright, but felt really really long. Iron Man and The Hulk were both really good, but it was hardly like I needed to change my pants after seeing them. Those are two films that are working toward the upcoming Avengers...
The Dark Knight [film]
Warner Bros

Altsounds Recommends The Dark Knight [film]
Church Bell Blues is the second album from Canadian roots singer and guitarist Catherine MacLellan. Lying somewhere between folk and country but staying firmly on the right side of both, it is a stirring collection of songs with seemingly sparse arrangements and delicate instrumentation. Everything is held together by MacLellan's astonishing voice, piercing through the music. The smart but simple production is added by co-musician James Phillips. This is a perfect example of how artist and producer have developed a relationship and understanding over time - Phillips was in MacLellan's former band The New Drifts and worked on her solo debut Dark Dream Midnight. It is this dynamic that forms the core of the album. The guitars are turned up a notch so that every rasp and vibration is retained, adding a stark reality like recapturing every subsequent live performance. But MacLellan's gorgeous voice is left to glide unhindered with crisp clarity. The mark of a great producer is the ability...
Catherine MacLellan - Church Bell Blues
True North Records

Altsounds Recommends Catherine MacLellan - Church Bell Blues
Following the success of his debut solo album ‘Yours To Keep’ back in 2006, the second full length outing from Albert Hammond Jr, ‘Como Te Llama’, showcases a band of musicians that have gone away and refined and matured their musical style. To say that this record was incredibly varied and was a ‘musical journey’ from start to finish would be far from the truth, but this really isn’t an issue. My reason for saying this is because it simply has no need to be. For those who liked the first album, this is pretty much more of the same thing and seems to follow the ‘if it ain’t broke don’t fix it’ school of thought. However, for those who have never taken the time to listen to Hammond’s solo work then they too will appreciate the simple, classic and hazy summertime feel of the album which would sound amazing cruising down a dusty road on a summer’s evening with a single sunkissed trucker’s arm slung out of the window. Considering that Albert Hammond Jr’s ‘day job’ is to play guitar...
Albert Hammond Jr. - Como Te Llama? [CD]
Rough Trade

Altsounds Recommends Albert Hammond Jr. - Como Te Llama? [CD]
You know the kind of music that you really have to be in the mood for? Well KC’s new release is exactly that. If you just want something to put on as background music, then the ‘Ideology EP’ really isn’t for you. The repetitive and limited music alongside the grime influenced vocals and sometimes cringe worthy lyrics have the potential to get really annoying at times so if it’s not been a good day then listening to this EP will probably result in something being thrown/ driven over / into. However…. If the sun is shining and the vending machine didn’t swallow your money, give this EP a chance. KC just seems to want to do something new in a region that is saturated in guitar orientated bands and good for her for doing something about it. Currently residing in the fringe-tastic South Wales although originally from England, KC has earned your attention as it can be so difficult to start something new musically anywhere in the world, let alone in somewhere like South Wales where the...
KC - Ideology [EP]
Horsepower 		America has a great tradition of piano playing singer songwriters. Sarah Perrotta definitely fits this stereotype - earnest and passionate lyrics set to emotional piano-led music with added strings. On paper it has all been done before so the key is to mix things up to generate new and interesting directions. 'The Well' is Perrotta's first solo release and the album is a mixed bag of sounds, themes and ideas, not just across the album but usually within each song. 'The Well' is a wonderfully crafted combination of formula and melting pot. Almost every song has at its core a Coldplay-esque piano or bass loop, like the impressive 'Fishes' and most notably in the excellent 'Steel', like a slowed down 'God Put A Smile Upon Your Face'. Even the lyrics are typically Martin-like: "I can hear the whole world humming and inside my heart is drumming. Has the world gone mad? Is it all so bad?". Perrotta throws everything into her wavering high pitched vocal delivery which is often striking but...
Sarah Perrotta - The Well
Self Released
Well, those of us familiar with The Briggs will know that they’re not the most original band in the world, a friend of mine once made the observation that it was like listening to a covers band trying to write original stuff. It’s true, they do mercilessly rip off the likes of Flogging Molly and (in particular) The Dropkick Murphy’s and that has always proved a problem for most people including myself. It’s a bit like going to see Def Leppard when Led Zeppelin are playing next door, if you’ll excuse the poor comparison. On their fourth studio album ‘Come All You Madmen’ however, The Briggs seem to have finally turned this trick to their own advantage. The music this band produce has always had an Irish tinge to it, this is what makes for the obvious comparisons but it also makes for some pretty anthemic choruses and a big, full sound. Previous efforts by The Briggs have all had the same kind of feel to them but here it sounds like they’ve stopped trying to rival Against Me! and just...
The Briggs - Come All You Madmen [CD]
Side One Dummy 		Can’t fight robots is the debut Facedown release from Arkensas band Take it Back. As you can probably guess from the name, Take it Back are a hardcore band, taking influence from hardcore heavy weights Comeback Kid, Bane and Stretch Arm Strong. So with these kinds of bands as their key influence, you would expect the result to be pretty good. Well these guys don’t disappoint. They offer that solid hardcore style through out with a few little additions, such as the Blink 182 sounding “A New Day” and a little Down style moment in “Act Your Age, Not Your Shoe Size”. These guys have the gift of consistency and throughout the album there is a hard-hitting edge gently trimmed with catchy vocal lines and gang style chanting. This seems to be another sterling act to the already strong roster of Facedown records. With bands like Sleeping Giant, Means and For Tomorrow all having recent released pounding new albums, it seems that Facedown have made sure that they only sign the best in...
Take It Back - Can't Fight Robots [CD] 		Where to start with this album? Well, lets just say that these Seattle boys have had a great deal of influence from across the wide genre’s of pop, rock, grunge alternative and emo. There is so much going on, on this album. It all starts very Muse-esc with falsetto vocals over a simple picked guitar line, which then gently builds up to a climactic Coheed and Cambria style ending, giving you a taste of the quality that is contained on the album. The great thing is that the little hints of influences only pop up for a second, making this an amalgamation of all the best bits of other bands and not just another wanna be band. The addition of keyboards to the standard formation of 2 guitar’s, drums and bass give their sound extra depth, whether it be through simple accenting or full on swirling, winding electro pop lead lines. The thing that is really surprising about this outfit is that this is their first release. What a way to make your musical debut. If this album gets the backing...
Man Without Wax - Anchor [CD]
Eyeball Records

Altsounds Recommends Man Without Wax - Anchor [CD]
We all loved that nu-metal shit back in the day, I don’t care who you are, it’s nothing that any of us are very proud of, in fact it’s kind of like how some people embarrassingly reminisce about the 80’s, but still, it happened so let’s live with it and try and move on, well not if your in a band called Primitive Reason. Cast The Way is without a doubt the worst thing I have heard this year, quite a big statement to make I know, but wait no it isn’t, it really is that bad! The sound is so dated and hacked out that it would make even disco seem like a fresh idea. Opening track ‘Com’on’ starts out quite promisingly, a slick drum beat and a psychedelic guitar hook that instantly throws images of lava lamps and inflatable furniture into your head. Once the main body of the song kicks in (after about 30 seconds) it’s all downhill from here. Apart form the fact that the vocals sound like they were recorded in a pair of socks and the guitars possibly at the bottom of a silage pit, this song...
Primitive Reason - Cast The Way [EP]
Self Released

Altsounds thinks Primitive Reason - Cast The Way [EP] is terrible
The Real Deal broke onto the Canadian music scene in 2003 sharing stages across North America with bands like Bigwig, Set Your Goals, and Belvedere to name a few. They’ve played ska festivals, they’ve played Warped Tour, and they’ve toured across the continent a number of times. Hungover, But Dead Sober is the band’s second full length release/offering. It is reminiscent of late 90’s pop punk along the lines of Good Riddance, NOFX, and Pennywise. In this latest release, the Real Deal continues to define their unique brand of hilarious party punk and ska. The album features 15 intense songs that encompass a variety of issues ranging from senseless violence in “Bombs Away!” and “The Beating” to the stage of the music industry with “What Happened?!? Fuck!?!” Hungover, But Dead Sober is exactly what a good punk album should be – full of catchy melodies, teenage angst, thought provoking insight, loud guitars, violent drums, toned vocals/lyrics, and what many bands attempt to...
The Real Deal - Hungover, But Dead Sober [CD]
Union 2112 Records

Altsounds Recommends The Real Deal - Hungover, But Dead Sober [CD]
The good thing about being on American Idol is you're basically guaranteed a record deal and you get exposure to a very large national audience. The bad thing about being on American Idol is people already know whether or not you can sing. Now, I remember Chris Sligh. He was a fair singer. A smooth tenor. And he chose songs that the judges weren't always familiar with, but music fans definitely were. He belted out a less than perfect rendition of MuteMath's song 'Typical' but was probably best known for his rather uncomfortable razzing of Simon Cowell, reminding the ego maniacal judge of some of his more embarrassing projects. After seeing Chris Sligh over analyzed for a couple weeks by people who don't really know what they're talking about, I found myself pulling for him. He didn't fit the American Idol mold. They put him through because he was an alright singer with a good sense of humor that would appeal to the audience but have no real shot of winning. They didn't really get...
Chris Sligh- Running Back To You
Brash Music
Son, Ambulance are one of those bands you hear mentioned constantly in reference to the whole Nebraska Saddle Creek scene. Ruled predominantly by Bright Eyes, Cursive and The Faint it’s not very often that you get a chance to hear the offerings available from this widely known but relatively unheard bunch. Fellow Omaha boys Ladyfinger and Neva Dinova have provided Saddle Creek with a newer, fresher sound as of late and shown that this is clearly a label moving forward, this is a fact further emphasised by the release of the third Son, Ambulance album ‘Someone Else’s Déjà vu’ Prior to doing this review I felt compelled to check out the rest of the Son, Ambulance back catalogue as like many others I’ve known of this band for as long as I can remember but only ever heard one or two tracks. Thanks to a friend of mine who simply adores all things Saddle Creek I was able to borrow the first two albums ‘Euphemystic’ (2001) and ‘Key’ (2004). After listening to them both it’s difficult to...
Son, Ambulance - Someone Else's Déjà vu [CD]
Saddle Creek

Altsounds Recommends Son, Ambulance - Someone Else's Déjà vu [CD]
Since when did it become unacceptable for music to be fun? We all seem to be taking things a bit too seriously these days and there’s no Blink 182 or (decent) Less Than Jake to put a smile back on the banner of pop punk. Thankfully in the shape of Cardiff based 4-piece May Contain Nuts, this may not be a problem anymore. Sounding like a cross between The Clash, The Pogues and Capdown, May Contain Nuts are one of those bands it’s hard not to like, short, catchy punk tracks with a drunken sing a long quality that would make a reformed alcoholic reminisce about the good times. Fast paced opener ‘One By One’ is a jaunty Flogging Molly-esque number with a great chorus and a kicking drum-beat that will have you tapping your foot approvingly throughout. Curiously named front man The Good Reverend has a wry wit to his lyrics that require a British ear to truly appreciate, not to say that you couldn’t appreciate them if you aren’t but it does help when it comes to a track like closer ‘Last...
May Contain Nuts - Land Ho! [EP]
SYWP Records

Altsounds Recommends May Contain Nuts - Land Ho! [EP]
After watching his band set up on stage, the crowd burst into rapturous and enthusiastic applause as a dishevelled Matt Costa sloped, almost shyly, onto the stage and over to his mic with his guitar. He immediately breaks into “Josephine”, just Matt and his guitar, and it’s beautiful. He moves into “Sweet Thursday”, “Cold December” and “Vienna”, before breaking out the harmonica. When Matt starts “Behind the Moon”, one of my absolute favourites, both me and the crowd go wild, stamping our feet and singing along. The back room at the Monto Water Rats is dark and intimate, the stage lit with red spotlights, and you can’t help but feel like part of the best fan club ever. “Cigarette Eyes” came next, prompting the crowd to sway, stamp and clap as one, and, before Matt and the band begin one of the crowd pleasers, “Mr Pitiful”, he explains that British Airways unfortunately ‘dropped his piano in the sea’ on the way over from the States, so he happily re-creates it...
MATT COSTA [LIVE]
MONTO WATER RATS, LONDON – 13TH JULY 2008

Altsounds Recommends MATT COSTA [LIVE]
Off the back of a triumphant set on the BBC Introducing Stage at Glastonbury comes The Brute Chorus’ second single. Released for download on the 6th of July and as a limited edition vinyl on the 14th of July, “Grow Fins” is the follow up to the gloriously gothic “Chateau”. The East London four-piece were formed over a year ago and the indie hierarchy have already tipped the band for big things. With influences ranging from Captain Beefheart to The Talking Heads it’s hard to pinpoint exactly who it is the band sound like. “Grow Fins” has a sound in keeping with the current ska-tinged indie of Vampire Weekend and The Arctic Monkeys. The bluesy, country feel to the song gives it different niche and makes it standout from the crowd. Singer James Steel sounds like James McCabe of Zutons and Edward Larrikin of Larrikin Love in this tune. There is a very unsubtle, but ultimately, fun build-up though the song and as a kazoo dirtily rumbles in the background you realise there is something...
The Brute Chorus - Grow Fins [Single]
La Digit

Altsounds Recommends The Brute Chorus - Grow Fins [Single]
All I can say is..wow!! InnerPartySystem are one great band to see live. The Pennsylvania four-some toured the UK and one of those dates had hit Cardiff. Only playing in Barfly, but that’s understandable considering this is the first time they had travelled to Britain. This didn’t stop InnerPartySystem producing an electrifying set with half of the venue full of a Topshop window display kids. With a little help from InnerPartySystem’s sound man, the band was able to pull off live granular synthesis. This, I never thought was possible to do live and had left me speechless. I have to admit I was focusing on the sound guy producing live backing vocal mixes and shredding up the music more than the band themselves at certain points. InnerPartySystem wouldn’t be InnerPartySystem without this guy who was placed behind the crowd and I have to push most of the credits towards him. I’m not saying the band members were shit and had to rely on the secret fifth member. Patrick (vocals), Jared...
InnerPartySystem - Live
at Cardiff, Barfly. 30th June '08

Altsounds Recommends InnerPartySystem - Live
Having been around for a few years now, Ed Harcourt has never really made it. A series of high profile support slots, for the likes of R.E.M. and Snow Patrol, and four studio albums haven’t been enough to catapult the singer-songwriter to mainstream success. 2006 release Beautiful Lie is without doubt Ed Harcourt’s most accomplished piece of work. The underlying melancholy of the album and the beauty of some of the arrangements leave the listener feeling weak at the knees. Sounding like an English Elliott Smith, Harcourt takes his influences from the right places. There are definite traces of Nick Drake and Jeff Buckley throughout the album, with the underlying pathos of the record akin to so many of his singer-songwriter peers. The album does have its definite high and low points; Revolution in the Heart marks the high point of the record. This is Harcourt at his most passionate, singing out to whoever will listen, fighting for the people. The song is an obvious choice for a...
Ed Harcourt - Beautiful Lie [CD]
Heavenly
Elle Milano have definitely listened too much to The Killers while writing/recording their third single Laughing all the way to the plank. Thoguh what they seem to miss from their US alter-ego is the ability to build up their own songs in their own recognizable style, but still around melodic chord sequences. The title song Laughing all the way to the plank has it's good yet brief moment in the full-chorus... If you hadn't to wait a minute and a half to get there, it would've been nicer though. The very beginning of the second song Killin' Time I think has a willingly reference to the Mr. Brightside distinctive guitar sound, but again... a good chorus in the middle of nowhere, and sadly the last track Chess Tragedy doesn't escape this either with a quite pointless and repetitive instrumental intro that goes more than one whole minute into the song. It would've made more sense maybe to make it just an instrumental song... I could've tried to find a meaning there at least... But...
Elle Milano - Laughing All The Way to the Plank
Brighton Electric 		This album sees these Sheffield lads take their hardcore and metal roots and do something a little more interesting than most up and coming bands. This album takes the time to let you breath and appreciate the musicianship and writing of these young lads. It’s so sad when a band develops a really great sound but ruins it by having an album where all the tracks sound the same and ultimately end up over doing it. These guys manage to throw in that sharp edged hardcore sound that cuts through but they step back on the guitars and obey the rule that where you don’t play is as important as where you do play. This means that they can develop a great contrast across the album but without ever stepping out of genre. This album is punk, Hardcore and metal all thrown in and churned to be the way that they want it to sound. The one thing that I like is that there are lots of style references without very many actual artist references. So many bands sound like other bands but The Legacy make...
The Legacy - Beyond Hurt Beyond hell
Visible Noise 		I see why someone at some point might have decided to make a whole bunch of remixes of Bring You Down by Attic Lights. The original song itself gets my praises, an unbeatable 10 out of 10, and my continual almost loop based listening of the track. Thes song is based on such a good melody that no one listening could truthfully say that it doesn't sound nice. It reminds you of the 60s, Phil Spector and The Beach Boys. The only remix that really does the original song any justice is the Camera Obscura Mix (I assume Camera Obscura themselves are involved as they share producer Francis MacDonald). This version may as well have been an alternative radio edit as it goes emphasizes the heart and soul of the song: the harmonic voices and excellent instrumentation. All the other remixes (in my opinion) just try to play on the fact that the song sounds good itself, adding some electronic effects, altering the vocals (as in the Mogway remix making them all completely robot-like) and...
Attic Lights - Bring You Down [Remixes EP]
Island Records

Altsounds thinks Attic Lights - Bring You Down [Remixes EP] is terrible
Wait a second here. We have all missed out on something special here as it has taken the Attic Lights signing to Island Records for them to begin to get the attention they deserve. I base this off the most important thing of all: the sound itself. I have no idea what these guys look like, how old they are, and so far, I enjoy their music too much to even care. I WANT MORE OF THEIR MUSIC! People need this right now! They need some "woo-woo", some hand clapping rhythm, some harmonic phased voices. People need music which is easy to listen to and instantly familiar yet new and exciting all rolled in to one. Something they can be dedicated and interested in. Bring You Down is addictively pleasant to say the least and will make you wish for more backing "hoo-hoo" vocals and coordinated voices in other bands you hear in the current music scene. The drums are almost directly borrowed from the Ronettes masterpiece signature track, but that's fair enough. The Attic Lights actually...
Attic Lights - Bring You Down [single]
Island Records

Altsounds Recommends Attic Lights - Bring You Down [single]
NORTH BY NORTHEAST 2008 PART DIO (TWO) By Fridae Mattas http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g27/lipon/NXNE08/IMMCROWD_WM.jpg Friday the 13th continues so trippy but hey nothing weird except the weather. Time to see ‘Oh No Forest Fires’ I avoided the street closures as I headed towards the Kathedral to check out the band. As soon as they hit the stage they had some energy the music is mediocre not as original as the name of the band. The vocals need work for both dudes singing, the projection is nonexistent they are drowned out by the instruments. The one thing they did right was entertain; the chemistry was at hand they do have stage presence.
NORTH BY NORTHEAST 08' PART DIO

Altsounds Recommends NORTH BY NORTHEAST 08' PART DIO
What kind of name is Incommunicado? I entered their band name into Wikipedia to do a little bit of research and Alex Smoke who produces Techno style music was the only match. Hmm… The "Losing Daylight" CD cover is not very appealing to me and gives off the impression that "Losing Daylight" isn't going to be the best album I have ever heard. The album is described as having hardcore beatdowns. It’s safe to say there isn’t any beatdowns as far as I can tell anywhere on this album. It’s a shame because I was looking forward to seeing how they had approached the beatdown. I don’t know if Incommunicado aimed for the raw punk sound or it happened to end up like this due to a bad choice of recording studio or producer. Either way, I am not a fan. I have never been a fan of the raw punk sound be it a deliberate use or not. With the production quality being low and dull it makes for many boring songs one after the other. This 12 track album feels as if it is one long 29 minute track....
Incommunicado – Losing Daylight [Album]
A-F Records

Altsounds thinks Incommunicado – Losing Daylight [Album] is terrible
Apart from having a quirky surname, there isn’t much else I can say I know about Ben Onono. After quickly researching, Onono is a Welsh lad but has been raised in West Africa and ‘Count to Ten’ is the latest single from the fresh sounding artist. The smooth whistling introduction with added kazoo sets off this bouncy 3 minute track before Onono’s vocals slide in. During the chorus, drums and trumpets gives this single a jazz feeling making my foot tap along. Somewhere in the middle there’s a little cheery piano solo which is made up of roughly 3 chords. (I say roughly because I don’t play piano and I might be hearing it wrong). I guess the solo breaks the song up a bit but it’s not amazing. I’ll admit that ‘Count to Ten’ is a decent song but I can’t say it’s one of my favourites and that I will keep playing it over and over again. On the CD, there is a Tayo remix of ‘Count to Ten’ but I have to admit I don’t hear any difference and I wonder why it’s included with the single. You...
Ben Onono - Count to Ten [Single]
JOS Records 		This EP ‘Show Us Yours’ comes with an 8-track live demo, called ’Eight Tracks in Eight Hours’ according to the band’s myspace. It is punchy mainstream rock ‘n’ roll, the songs providing short sharp bursts of catchy tunes with attitude. The six songs which make up the EP are strong and grow on you. Stand out tracks include ’English Lass’ which sees its live version unnamed at the end of the CD. The vocals keep the song fresh throughout and this, unlike the majority of tracks on the album which are under 3 minutes, follows the familiar structure of a pop tune. ‘Annie’ is also a good track with a stronger electronic influence, and ‘Just A Number’ makes good use of tension and variation. What comes through on this EP, particularly on ‘Hands Are Tied’ is a sense of fun and enjoyment, and it’s refreshing to hear a band focus on their music without taking themselves too seriously. Strong tracks on the live demo part of the CD include ‘Hot Cold Sweats’ which has a punchy beat and rock ‘n’...
The London Fractures - Show Us Yours [EP]
Unsigned 		Now.... I'm not the biggest dreamworks fan, I'm more of a Pixar man personally (Bring on Wall-E!!!), but Kung Fu Panda is a great film. Its got bright colours and funny looking animals and bit slap stick comedy thrown in for good measure to entertain the kids but it has a dark brooding story of revenge and abandonment for the adults. If I'm being honest, I liked both parts. hahah! I think, its better than the Shrek films to. They seemed to be played more for the jokes and adult humour where as Kung Fu Panda doesn't rely on that and can hold its own with a good story line and compelling visuals. The animals have a cartoon-ish feel to them but still look real unlike the characters in Madagascar who look more caricature than real creations. Jack Black, as you can probably imagine, plays the unconventional kung fu hero Po very well and his personality really shines through. As with all the actors, they add a certain flair to each character and you soon stop trying to guess who is who...
Kung Fu Panda (PG)
Dreamworks

Altsounds Recommends Kung Fu Panda (PG)