Rise & Downfall by Marz the Superior (April 2, 2012) *
It’s been a while, and I’ll be the first to admit we missed a few tracks, since we’ve checked in with Marz the Superior. His latest full length, Rise and Downfall, is a true hip-hop gem. Intelligently spoken, Marz’ vocabulary extends past peon grasp, sure to stimulate the academic while still speaking true to personal sentiment. Dingus
Posted in A: Dingus, C: Staff Favorites, T: LP/EP
Tagged DIY, hip hop, Marz the Superior, New Orleans, rap, Rise and Downfall, Sick Fires
Places EP by The Alexander (November 8, 2011)
The soothing acoustic ways of The Alexander pierce through with lavish vocal melodies, held up by charming (simple) instrumentation. This New Orleans based group sends warm regards on this early EP filled with human emotion, suffering and joy (all spun together).
- Dandelions
Honey Drip by The Blacksmoke Band (November 21, 2011)
Recently we reviewed the April release from NO based rockers, The Blacksmoke Band. It was a rough, thrashing act of aggression within the scene but now, with the more recent Honey Drip we see an easing of the gas and a more tempered logic. Feeling less likely to melt faces, but more likely to connect with a large scale audience, don’t take this review the wrong way. Blacksmoke is still the hard hitting band we were first introduced to.
- Big Boss
Jug of Doom by The Blacksmoke Band (April 20, 2011) *
Nothing has ever sounded powerful the way that The Blacksmoke Band’s Jug of Doom sounds powerful. The combination of old school, power-house rock with the modern diy recording aesthetic is amazingly fresh. The album is perfectly paced, hits every step and in general, lives up to its album arts intensity. Formed to “get drunk, be loud and eat boogers”, The Blacksmoke Band is everything the diy scene was missing.
- Big Boss
Posted in C: Best New Music, T: LP/EP
Dead Dog Drowning by Chris Lyons (April 3, 2011) *
Dead Dog Drowning has bedroom soul written all over it. It sounds as though Chris Lyons is searching for something with the release of this album. In the opening song Lyons sings, “I’ve tried to sell my soul, but it’s already been sold”. The music may be bare, but Lyons paints these gaps with a touch of his own color; much like the music of Kurt Vile. It almost feels as though I’m eavesdropping on a conversation; I can’t seem to stop listening.
- Yvonne
