Tag: Silversun Pickups

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

Initially begun as the solo recording project of Salt Lake City, UT-based founding member and frontman Jordon Strang and now currently a quartet, No Sun has quietly developed a regional reputation for a harder, more modern take on shoegaze that draws from past masters of the genre such as Swervedriver, RIDE and Failure and contemporaries including Pity Sex, Silversun Pickups and others as you’ll hear on the anthemic and forceful “It’s Happening Again,” off the Salt Lake City-based band’s soon-to-be released debut effort It’s Only, slated for release next month through The Native Sound Records.

While reportedly having a title that draws from a famous scene from Twin Peaks, No Sun’s latest single as Strang explained to the folks at CLRVYNT the song is “about coping. It’s about delving within yourself during times of inner turmoil, and being further isolated by doing so. To me, depression is like an ebb and flow that is constantly coming and going, taking me away from my peers or loved ones and drawing my attention inward. This song focuses on how — despite how collected people can seem on the surface — they may be fighting their own inner battle.” Interestingly, the song possesses and evokes a similar tension in which uncertainty and turmoil gently bubble up from a seemingly tranquil surface.

 

 

 

 

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

 

Cooler is a Buffalo, NY-based indie rock quintet, comprised of Alley Yates (guitar, vocals), Nathan McDorman (guitar, vocals), Nick Sessanna (drums, vocals) and Adam Cwynar (bass) whose sound and aesthetic draws from 90s grunge and early 00s emo and as a result their sound has been compared favorably to the likes of Weezer, Saves the Day and Pity Sex — although as you’ll hear on “Metal Moths,” the latest single off their recently released Phantom Phuzz EP, their sound reminds me quite a bit of Bleeding Rainbow and Silversun Pickups as the members of the Buffalo-based quintet specialize in pairing layers of fuzzy power chords with anthemic hooks, a special attention on harmonized vocals singing incredibly earnest lyrics. Listening to the track brought back memories of making mixtapes

 

 

 

 

 

 

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

Just last week, I wrote about the New Jersey-based indie rock quartet MELT and “Out of Line” their 90s alt rock channeling, updated take on early aughts emo rock-based first single off the quartet’s soon-to-be released full-length debut Riffer slated for a  November 25, 2016 release through Danger Collective Records and Topshelf Records. The second and latest single “Rewind” off the quartet’s upcoming full-length debut will further cement a burgeoning reputation for crafting anthemic guitar rock — and while being decidedly mid tempo, the song finds the quartet pairing dense layers of power chords, and thundering drumming with a swooning, wistful and urgent Romanticism that’s reminiscent of Smashing Pumpkins and Silversun Pickups.

 

Video by William Ruben Helms

New Video: Halifax, Nova Scotia’s Kestrels Return with Another 90s Alt Rock-Channeling Single Paired with Slick Visuals

Interestingly, the Canadian trio’s self-titled effort’s third and latest single “Descent of Their Last End” continues on a similar vein as “No Alternative,” as it’s an anthemic bit of buzzing shoegaze that sounds as though it could have been released in 1993. We’re talking about buzzing power chords, thundering drumming and a propulsive groove that you can mosh to in a sweaty club — but with a hint of what sounds like synths that act like bookends to the song.

The recently released video is comprised of a TV siting in a middle of an urban street, and a suburban back yard with projections of weird psychedelic-like footage in empty rooms, suburban yards and slick split screens.

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

Earlier this year, I wrote about Kestrels, a Halifax, Nova Scotia-based indie rock/noise rock trio comprised of  Chad Peck (guitar/vocals), Devin Peck (bass) and Paul Brown (drums). And with the 2014 release of The Moon Is Shining Our Way EP, the Canadian indie rock trio emerged both nationally and internationally as the EP’s title track received radio airplay on CBC Radio 3  and as a result of touring with internationally renowned acts including Speedy Ortiz, Ringo Deathstarr, Beliefs, Grays and Ash. Reportedly, the sessions that produced The Moon Is Shining Our Way laid the groundwork for the songwriting approach and sound the band would then take into the studio for their self-titled, third full-length effort, slated for a September 30, 2016 release through Hamilton, Ontario-based label Sonic Unyon.

The album’s first single “No Alternative” was a decidedly pedal effects-led power chord- are paired with thundering and propulsive drumming, a tight bass line, an anthemic hook you can hear kids shouting along to in a sweaty club and Chad Peck’s plaintive falsetto as the song reminded me quite a bit of Siamese Dream-era Smashing Pumpkins, Silversun Pickups, My Vitriol and others, complete with a swooning urgency. The album’s latest single “Waiting” sounds as though it owes a sonic debt to Brit Pop and shoegaze; in fact, to my ears, I’m reminded quite a bit of RIDE, as a motorik-like groove is paired with psych rock-leaning guitar chords, propulsive drumming, ethereal vocals and an anthemic hook.

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

 

With the 2014 release of The Moon is Shining Our Way EP, Kestrels, a Halifax, Nova Scotia-based indie rock/noise rock trio comprised of  Chad Peck (guitar/vocals), Devin Peck (bass) and Paul Brown (drums), emerged both nationally and internationally as the EP’s title track received radio airplay on CBC Radio 3 — and as a result of touring internationally with the likes of renowned indie acts such as Speedy Ortiz, Ringo Deathstarr, Beliefs, Grays and Ash. Interestingly enough, the sessions for The Moon is Shining EP reportedly laid the groundwork for the songwriting approach and sound the band would eventually take into the studio for their forthcoming third full-length and self-titled album, slated for a September 30, 2016 release through Hamilton, Ontario-based label Sonic Unyon.

While the album features guest spots from Ringo Deathstarr’s Elliott Frazier and Alex Gehring, its first single “No Alternative” is a decidedly power chord-based 90s alt rock-inspired song as power chords are played through various effects pedals and are paired with thundering and propulsive drumming, a tight bass line, an anthemic hook you can hear kids shouting along to in a sweaty club and Chad Peck’s plaintive falsetto floating over mix. While sonically speaking, the song reminds me quite a bit of Siamese Dream-era Smashing Pumpkins, Silversun Pickups, My Vitriol and others, complete with a swooning urgency.

 

 

 

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

Comprised of Bobby Moynahan (vocals), Esli Sugich (bass), and Scott Eton (keyboards and guitar), the trio of Ballerina Black, have received praise across the blogosphere for a sound that my colleagues have described as “a collage of mope rock and grave wave;” in fact, their sound on their earliest releases reminded me quite a bit of Depeche Mode, Nine Inch Nails and 4AD  Records as it struck me as being a slickly produced, anxious goth-based electro rock.

Adding to a growing national profile, the band has opened for the likes of Interpol and Silversun Pickups, have seen some of their singles receive airplay on radio stations across the globe and have played a number of sold out shows in their hometown of Los Angeles. And to continue the growing buzz around the band, they’re planning to embark on a tour to close out 2015; however, in the meantime, the band has released their latest single “Chiffon,” which is a decided change in sonic direction as it’s arguably one of the sunniest and breeziest songs they’ve released to date. Not only is the song much more upbeat with much of the gloom and doom being lifted from the proceedings, the song sounds as though it subtly leans towards shoegaze as the song consists of lush, shimmering guitar chords, propulsive drumming and Moynahan’s plaintive and ethereal vocals. And although swooning and seemingly channelling 120 Minutes-era alternative rock, there’s something under the surface that’s tense and menacing.

Uncategorized by William Ruben Helms

Ballerina Black, which consists of Bobby Moynahan, Esli Sugich (bass), Scott Eton (keyboards and guitar) and Romeo Mendzoa (drums), have been praised for a sound that has been described by many across the blogosphere as […]

Uncategorized by William Ruben Helms

Silversun Pickups have developed a reputation for a sound that manages to be simultaneously ethereal, psychedelic, towering and explosively forceful in a way that can sometimes bear an uncanny similarity to Siamese Dream-era Smashing Pumpkins –especially on the Los Angeles, […]

Uncategorized by William Ruben Helms

With the release of their debut effort, Bloodstreams, the Brisbane, Australia-based duo of DZ Deathrays won the attention of bloggers and media outlets both in their native Australia and other places in the world, thanks to their […]

Uncategorized by William Ruben Helms

Big Deal’s latest effort June Gloom was released by Mute Records on June 4, and the latest single from the album, “Dream Machines" sounds a a bit like Matt and Kim on steroids — big, stomping drums, chiming guitars, […]

Uncategorized by William Ruben Helms

Danish trio Kissaway Trail released their latest EP, Life Is A B-Side through Yep Roc Records, and it kind of serves as a teaser for their forthcoming full-length Breach which you can expect on August 20th. “Nørrebro,” the first […]

Uncategorized by William Ruben Helms

Earlier this year, London-based band Splashh released the hazy and summery single, “Sun Kissed Blues,” off their forthcoming debut effort, Comfort. “Today (Fade Away)” is the B side to the “All I Wanna Do” single, and […]

Uncategorized by William Ruben Helms

Brooklyn-based trio Dead Stars sound has been compared to 90s stalwarts such as Dinosaur, Jr., Sonic Youth, Pavement, and the Foo Fighters – after all, we’re talking about scuzzy power chords fed through layers of […]

Uncategorized by William Ruben Helms

Big Deal’s forthcoming Mute Records release, June Gloom will drop on June 4, and the latest single from the album, “Dream Machines” sounds a a bit like Matt and Kim on steroids – big, stomping drums, chiming […]