Say what you want about Ohio, but I think that the most raw, creative talent comes from being stuck underneath these dead grey skies. On my way to, and from, Columbus, I listened to The In-Sect. It was a nine song long burnt copy by an alternative hip-hop group from Canton, Ohio. Track one, “Unravelin”, does such with confident ease and gradual momentum. Cerebral visuals and distinct messages ooze with passion and tru’istic waves of color and contemplation. Gradually, each song brings heartfelt meaning that is in common with the artistic drive of man. There is a nice tension ...
The 2011 album “A Good Enough Time For Change” by Kent trio, The Great Hum, is similar to an estranged 90’s karaoke song or cover band that plays in the shadows of your company’s summer picnic. There’s an underlying emotional tension that is prevalent in the music with titles such as “Apple” and lyrics, “There’s some darkness in this sunny little garden, for each trembling little leaf, there’s a shadow hiding underneath, dying to be free”. However, the sentimental value of the utter darkness and trickery (in which is symbolic by the “apple”) is not present in the...
Fillmore Jive, from New Castle, Pennsylvania, apparently changed their name to The Modulated Tones, but the demo that I am currently listening to is Fillmore Jive’s "Rock Bottom." Most bands that I come across show direct reference to their self-proclaimed influences. This band, I can appreciate for not sounding like a replica of any single one of their idols. Though, perhaps lacking in the raw luster that their influences have provided over time (the Velvet Underground, The Jesus and Mary Chain, or My Bloody Valentine), Fillmore Jive brings progression, garage rock distortion, and spacey...
Initial thoughts: a little bit of Mudhoney vocals with punk rock attitude and bluesy guitar. Then, track 2 turns into a Kiss hit with a bit of Clutch meets an American version of Ozzy Osbourne. Overall interterpretation: They have an eclectic mix of rock sounds. Although, the first time that I listened to Red Hot Rebellion on shuffle I was unsure if I could take the album seriously with their self-proclaimed ‘evilness’ that is represented by the song titles ("For the Benefit of Evil," "Hellfire," "Devil’s Rope"). But, the more that I listened to them, I found myself re-playing certain...
Lords of the Highway might ring a bell if you are a local music fan. Barreling through the streets of Akron and Cleveland from Painesville, Ohio, they have rocked long and hard for the past 20 years. It would not be a surprise to think that their music is destined to appear on a movie’s soundtrack, as they have appeared on several. Pair rockabilly grooves with a zombie horror flick’s humor, then get on your snakeskin boots and/or saddle shoes and dance til you burn a hole in them. You may need a few shots of tequila too, just to set the mood. You can see them play at Annabell’s Loung...
Any modern hipster who thinks that they have it made would have been delighted to brag about going to see the Black Angels for free at the Newport Music Hall in Columbus. They would have combed their bangs in their face, worn a tight zip-up hoodie with skinny jeans and pranced in, holding hands with their girlfriend talking about the latest trends in art and stoner rock. I, on the other hand, secured my tickets with the booking agent along with a photo pass for my sister’s boyfriend and got ready to be as judgmental yet open-minded as I could. I have gotten pretty into the Black Angel...
The line-up: All Dinosaurs, Helms Alee, Big Business, and Torche. My initial excitement was for Big Business and they kicked ass so I put them first on the title of this. So, as it goes, the story began with raging dinosaurs that shook the walls of the place as the people began to roam. All Dinosaurs are a quadrahedron of four dudes thrashing thunderous punk-rock power trips. Before they went on I noticed a poor plaid shirted guy getting punched in the balls by his friend immediately dropping him to a fetal position on the soiled floors of the Grog Shop. Feeling remorse, his not-so...
