http://www.75orLess.com/ Album reviews in 75 words or fewer. en-us Copyright 2010 Mon, 08 Mar 2010 08:00:07 -0500 Tue, 09 Mar 2010 12:52:59 -0500 http://www.movabletype.org/?v=3.36 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss ]]> Juliana Hatfield - Peace & Love (Ye Olde Records) [upcoming shows] [audio]

At this point in her career, Juliana Hatfield doesn't need gimmicks. Her long-established brand of alternative rock is universally known, and varies only in its degree of rockitude and easy-listenability. Juliana's rocked out to the extreme on albums like Total System Failure and Made In China, but it's been some time since she's presented us with such a collection of stripped down, acoustic, heartfelt songs. Peace & Love puts aside the distortion pedal and fancy production techniques to reach a candid girl-with-guitar makes home-recording feeling.]]> - cormac]]> http://www.75orLess.com/?/archive/2010/03/juliana_hatfiel_3.php http://www.75orLess.com/?/archive/2010/03/juliana_hatfiel_3.php Mon, 08 Mar 2010 08:00:07 -0500 ]]> Harhay - Swimming Pools and Movie Stars (self released) [audio]

Darting between genres with flawless studio production, touches of slide guitars, jingle bells, and ragtime piano, "Yamahauler" borders on ska, while "Without You" goes full-on reggae. "Death by Lily" features a flowing sax solo that would make Sting proud. The vocals fall between Dave Matthews and the singer of the Counting Crows. "Vendelay" is the lone instrumental with samples from cartoons and documentaries. In the end, this is an east coast performer who has mastered the art of creating pastoral pop with a west coast vibe to it. ]]> - mark]]> http://www.75orLess.com/?/archive/2010/02/harhay_swimming.php http://www.75orLess.com/?/archive/2010/02/harhay_swimming.php Mon, 22 Feb 2010 12:03:04 -0500 ]]> Crumwood - Avert Your Eyes (self released) [audio]

One man, Syd Heap, is behind the Crumwood moniker and he utilizes a some of Rhode Island's renowned indie performers, including Dave Narcizo of Throwing Muses and members of The Masons as a production team. The title track somehow manages to mesh together Bobby McFarren and the Flaming Lips; at other points The Doobie Brothers jamming with Air. With over 70 minutes of music, there are touches of the acoustic strumming of The Grateful Dead, the grandeur of Yes, the eclecticism of Beck as well as some bits of Wilco and Blind Melon. ]]> - mark]]> http://www.75orLess.com/?/archive/2010/02/crumwood_avert.php http://www.75orLess.com/?/archive/2010/02/crumwood_avert.php Wed, 17 Feb 2010 12:53:40 -0500 ]]> Slow Club - Yeah So (Moshi Moshi) [upcoming shows] [audio]

Slow Club brings forth indie folk with boy-girl vocals and a beat you can dance to. For no added cost you get pretty voices and bonus English accents, and those only sweeten the pot. Their extra added charm comes from a bittersweet mix of upbeat melodies and lyrics of heartache. Yeah So is recommended for anyone who likes the poppier side of a Bright Eyes, the folkier side of a Rilo Kiley, or those crazies that wish Tilly and the Wall would quit all that tappa-tappa-tappa'ing.]]> - cormac]]> http://www.75orLess.com/?/archive/2010/02/slow_club_yeah.php http://www.75orLess.com/?/archive/2010/02/slow_club_yeah.php Mon, 15 Feb 2010 08:19:22 -0500 ]]> Red Pens - Reasons (self released) [upcoming shows]

Red Pens bring 90's guitar rock back with a howling vengeance on their album Reasons. The duo build their tunes up against walls of feedback, via My Bloody Valentine, while bouncing a barrage of guitar squeals off the noise, much like the Daydream Nation Sonic Youth era. The results hark back to the corrosive yet catchy sounds of The Jesus and Mary Chain. Red Pens aren't the most original band in the world but they are certainly one of the loudest. ]]> - corey c]]> http://www.75orLess.com/?/archive/2010/02/red_pens_reason.php http://www.75orLess.com/?/archive/2010/02/red_pens_reason.php Thu, 11 Feb 2010 10:19:33 -0500 ]]> Adiam Dymott - self titled (Razzia) [upcoming shows] [video]

Adiam Dymott is a Swedish twenty-something songstress with something to say. It's absolutely anticipated that Swedish popsters will make delightful, fantastic pop music, so that's what Adiam has done. Her self-titled debut works as both a complete album and a single factory, as songs like "John Denver", "Pizza", and "Miss You" sound like they were made for the radio station you wish existed. ]]> - cormac]]> http://www.75orLess.com/?/archive/2010/02/adiam_dymott_se.php http://www.75orLess.com/?/archive/2010/02/adiam_dymott_se.php Mon, 08 Feb 2010 08:17:03 -0500 ]]> Steel Panther - Feel the Steel (Universal Republic) [upcoming shows] [audio]

Steel Panther is heavy. Steel Panther is metal. Steel Panther is ridiculous. As a rock parody band there's the obvious comparison to Spinal Tap, however Steel Panther use their obscene lyrics and thick guitar riffs to specifically take on '80s hair metal. Similar to The Lonely Island making a hip-hop parody album that's actually good, Steel Panther actually makes good music... if you're into '80s hair metal. And if you are, you may be looking for some comedy in between seasons of Rock of Love.]]> - cormac]]> http://www.75orLess.com/?/archive/2010/02/steel_panther_f.php http://www.75orLess.com/?/archive/2010/02/steel_panther_f.php Wed, 03 Feb 2010 08:00:38 -0500 ]]> Red Mass - self titled EP (Semprini) [upcoming shows] [audio]

Attention! Roy Vucino, leader of the defunct CPC Gangbangs, has a new project: Red Mass. Vucino recruited over twenty Montreal-based musicians to create these seven tracks for a new self-titled EP. The first three tunes are reminiscent of Fugazi/DC punk, the latter four hit on the psychobilly of the Reverend Horton Heat. Vucino's manic energy and contagious song writing are what separates his musical output from the other mediocre garage rock groups. Red Mass is a modern example of unadulterated and delicious rock n' roll music.]]> - corey c]]> http://www.75orLess.com/?/archive/2010/02/red_mass_self_t.php http://www.75orLess.com/?/archive/2010/02/red_mass_self_t.php Mon, 01 Feb 2010 08:00:37 -0500 ]]> Sonya Cotton - Red River (self released) [upcoming shows] [audio]

Sonya Cotton has delivered another lovely album, keeping her overall identity intact while growing as a songwriter and performer. Rife with metaphor, spare yet lush, "Red River" has more complex arrangements than her previous work - a full band joins in instrumentation and vocals - but maintains her hushed folk sensibilities. In fact, many of the songs feel almost like hymns (and I thought that even before I noticed that one has "hymn" in its name). You should hear her voice. ]]> - meredith]]> http://www.75orLess.com/?/archive/2010/01/sonia_cotton_re.php http://www.75orLess.com/?/archive/2010/01/sonia_cotton_re.php Tue, 26 Jan 2010 09:30:34 -0500 ]]> One-Two - The Story of Bob Star (Four Music) [audio]

A pop opera doesn't come along every day, and if one did it wouldn't necessarily consist of crazy French accents over disco-beats that would charm the pants off of you. While One-Two has a sound of their own, songs like "Annie Mall" with its early-'80s punky new-wave guitar and the Spoon-like "Slippery Shoes" quickly demonstrate the band's ability to diversify their sound while giving you melodies that will stay with you once the disc stops spinning.]]> - cormac]]> http://www.75orLess.com/?/archive/2010/01/onetwo_the_stor.php http://www.75orLess.com/?/archive/2010/01/onetwo_the_stor.php Mon, 25 Jan 2010 08:00:31 -0500 ]]> The Most Powerful Telescope in the Universe - The Moonlight's Fair Tonight (Data Was Lost / Ionik) [free download] [audio]

When Ionik and Data Was Lost combine for a release, you can expect a good dose of electro-pop and indie rock. A great concept- taking members from bands in both camps - Swissfarlo, Coltrane Motion, MW Ensemble - and throwing them together in a remote cabin once per year pound out an album. "Last of the Incas" recalls the Stone Roses while "Reach for the Stars" is the closest they come to getting the inevitable New Order comparisons. On the less synthy tracks, you also have what could be a Pavement instrumental outtake and also traces of a Built to Spill influence.]]> - mark]]> http://www.75orLess.com/?/archive/2010/01/_the_most_power.php http://www.75orLess.com/?/archive/2010/01/_the_most_power.php Wed, 20 Jan 2010 09:28:41 -0500 ]]> Kelly Jones - SheBANG! (self released) [audio]

SheBANG! is a superb combination of '60s girl group swagger and '80s pop rock. On the opening track "There Goes My Baby", Ms. Jones struts her sweetness with such shockingly shameless self-assurance that you'll want to be sitting down before hitting the play button, while new wavy tracks like "Girl with the Silver Lining" prove she's more than pure bubblegum. With the Northeast's finest power-poppers on board (including Mike Viola, Ducky Carlisle & Adam Schlesinger), the result is one delightful toe-tapper after another.]]> - cormac]]> http://www.75orLess.com/?/archive/2010/01/kelly_jones_she.php http://www.75orLess.com/?/archive/2010/01/kelly_jones_she.php Mon, 18 Jan 2010 08:00:07 -0500 ]]> The Orange Velvets - Fuzz, Beautiful Fuzz (Cherry Lemonade) [audio] [upcoming shows]

Male and female sharing vocals on overly brief garage rock with simplistic lyrics. Influences must also include The Beach Boys (see Infections) but the title sums it up - everything has a layer of fuzz and reverb on this - particularly, the vocals and guitars. There's a couple of mellower tracks and one lonely harmonica solo. While this may recall The Jesus and Mary Chain (who have also heard the Beach Boys comparisons themselves), there is hardly any hint of the piercing distortion you may find on the latter. ]]> - mark]]> http://www.75orLess.com/?/archive/2010/01/the_orange_velv.php http://www.75orLess.com/?/archive/2010/01/the_orange_velv.php Wed, 13 Jan 2010 12:08:10 -0500 ]]> Jay Farrar & Benjamin Gibbard - One Fast Move or I'm Gone (Atlantic) [audio] [upcoming shows]

The thought of Son Volt's Jay Farrar and Death Cab's Ben Gibbard collaborating on heartfelt Americana tunes sets your expectations high. The problem is that this isn't all that special. If you haven't heard Farrar's heartfelt Americana before, then you haven't heard Farrar. Hearing Gibbard tread in this territory is refreshing, but not a far stretch from his other solo recordings. As track numbers swap vocalists, you'll yearn for a Gibbard/Farrar duet with trade-off vocals. You'll keep listening, but you won't get it.]]> - cormac]]> http://www.75orLess.com/?/archive/2010/01/jay_farrar_benj.php http://www.75orLess.com/?/archive/2010/01/jay_farrar_benj.php Mon, 11 Jan 2010 09:59:28 -0500 ]]> Grant Hart - Hot Wax (CON D'OR Records) [audio] [shows]

Grant Hart's first studio release in a decade, featuring members of Godspeed You! Black Emperor, A Silver Mt. Zion, and Rank Strangers, most resembles his solo debut "Intolerance." Like most of his solo work, there's a healthy dose of keyboards and his ode to American furniture designer Charles Hollis Jones features a carnival organ. While commercial potential never seems to be a factor in his music, it's a shame the only appreciation Hart seems to get are from those people who remember the band he was in over twenty years ago. ]]> - mark]]> http://www.75orLess.com/?/archive/2010/01/grant_hart_hot.php http://www.75orLess.com/?/archive/2010/01/grant_hart_hot.php Wed, 06 Jan 2010 15:08:15 -0500