WRUV Reviews

ZZ Ward is back with a self-titled EP.  Four soulful tracks!

FCC: #3

RIYL: Erykah Badu, Joss Stone

Give track # 1 a try

Band Website: http://www.zzward.com/

-cheers-

dj llu (WRUV Rock A.MD)

Electric Guests are from LA and dropping some great new electro-pop rock.

FCC: CLEAN

RIYL: Hot Chip, Broken Bells

Give track # 1, 9, 3 and 4 a try

Band Website:  http://electricguest.com/

-cheers-

dj llu (WRUV Rock A.MD)

-cheers-

dj llu (WRUV Rock A.MD)

Alrealon’s 2011-2012 Media Sampler shocases several bands from this label.  Artists include FluID, PAS, Black Saturn and Zilmrah to name a few.  The music is a mix of Experimental, Industrial, Dark Ambient and Electro Hop.  The mix is good as are the tracks, the music has a smoothness that you rarely see for these genres.  If you’re looking for something a little different, check this out.

Tracks: 1,2,3,5,6,9,11,13

Exit Bratislava is a compilation by Carmen Rizzo showcasing Slovakia’s Electronica scene.  The music ranges from House, Post-Dubstep, Dreamwave and Ambient Dance.  The music sounds like Rizzo’s own and seems to lean toward the mellower side of things.  Regardless of that fact, this album showcases some of the up and coming talent from Eastern Europe and shouldn’t be overlooked.

RIYD: Carmen Rizzo

Tracks: All Good

Oliver Tank’s is titled Dreams.  Tank himself describes the music as Dreamwave, which is to say that it’s music for your head-haunting, lingering and emotionally connective.  Similar to Tycho, you have ambient soundscapes that drift and float along and it does have that “place between consciousness and sleep” where your mind wanders in a pre-dream world.  Another good album for bedtime or just to chill to.

RIYD: Tycho, Sonic Adventure Project

Tracks: All Good

The latest from PAS is titled Flanked By Women And Pumpkins.  The music is “standard” Experimental-long drones, found-sound effects along with synthesizers, fuzzy static and funky drum beats.  However, there is some depth to the tracks and you can feel the musical textures the band is trying to create.  As well, there is also a beat structure on some tracks that won’t get you on the dance floor but will get your toe tapping and it adds cohesion to the album.  The tracks have an organic quality to them and i would listen to this in the deep woods as much as I would in an urban environment.  PAS continues to explore the outer edges of music and produce music that is a bit far out but also creative and thought provoking.

Tracks: 1,2,,4,5,6,8,9,11

Debut from The Bombay Royal is titled You Me Bullets Love.  The music is inspired by vintage Indian cinema from the 60’s and 70’s.  The music itself is a mix of Ska, Funk, Disco and Beach Rock all blended with haunting Hindi and Bengali vocals.  Think James Bond meets Bollywood meets The Monkees.  Very high energy, kitschy and retro this is perfect for a beach party, a barbeque or a zany caar chase through the streets of Bombay.

Tracks: 1,4,5,6,9

Brooklyn based duo Light Asylum’s self titled debut album is all about the Wave-New Wave, Cold Wave and Minimal Wave of the 80’s.  Mixed into this is a distinct Dance Industrial vibe as well.  You definitely hear hints of Nitzer Ebb or very early Ministry with sharp drumbeats and equally sharp synthesizers and aggressive vocals but there is a clear-cut dance edge to the music.  The vocals are provided by Shannon Funchess who looks and sounds like the re-incarnation of Grace Jones and provides the aggression to the music.  I like the mix of Wave music with the Dance Industrial.  It adds weight and depth to the music and helps to separate the sound from other Wave bands.

RIYD: Kraftwerk, Nitzer Ebb, early Ministry, Flock Of Seagulls

Tracks: 1,2,5,6,8,9

The Escapist- Self-Titled
Release date: 2012May09
Label: Self-Released (Bandcamp)
Rating: 5/5

This release caught my eye and my ears with a fresh blend of hardcore from Finnish punks The Escapist.  My first impression is a  sound reminiscent of The Subhumans with Finnish vocals. Sounds promising. “Suggestions” is chock full of grainy textures with loud punching drums and a foreboding bass line. Eerie in a sense. “Awake” brings you more of the same. I can’t get enough!

“So Tired” blows both of those tracks out of the water. It’s a fucking sweet cross between X and Chappaquiddick Bridge-era Poison Girls.  If you thought that was good, “Monetize” is a fucking 88mph joyride through a parking lot with plenty of crunchy hooks. They have the rawness, the fuck-all attitude of Penny Rimbaud with the delivery of Dick Lucas. “Peace Has Been Achieved” expands upon the eeriness of “Suggestions” with a touch more melody.

I’m telling you, when you want to find quality punk rock that doesn’t sound like live or re-hashed shit, you have to look outside of the US. This is a quality EP from a promising band.

FCC: 4
Try: ALL

http://escapistfin.bandcamp.com/album/the-escapist

Pennywise- All Or Nothing
Release date: 2012May01
Label: Epitaph
Rating: 4/5

I always told myself that I would never review a Pennywise album for WRUV. At the time, I felt that they were simply too popular for WRUV. It’s taken me a few years to come full circle (literally). First of all, Jim Lindberg is no longer on vocals. Zoli Tegas (Ignite) takes over on vocal duties, bringing a fresh breath of air to the group. Second of all, I think that it’s been long enough to where there is room for penny wisdom on the air.

The title track gets things off to a start with a throwback to their earlier material, via Full Circle. Zoli’s voice isn’t quite up to par with Jim here but it’s strong regardless. DItto for “Waste Another Day”. Maybe it’s just me but the vocals don’t resonate. “Revolution” has the better vocals and a faster pace as well.

The middle  brings us  “Let Us Hear Your Voice” (references OWS, doesn’t sound like their typical stuff), “Seeing Red” (I don’t think that they’ve EVER been this melodic), “X Generation” (another unique track!) and “Tomorrow” (a homage to 80s hardcore). The version I have includes two bonus tracks, “We Are The Fallen” and “Locked In” (the more interesting of the two).

Again, I have reservations about the vocals of Zoli Tegas. I think that with some more output and live sets, that Zoli’s voice can define the 21st generation incarnation of Pennywise. They’ve upped their game despite the weak start to this album.

FCC: 5 and check rest
Try: 5,6