The Kooks’ “Junk of the Heart” is junk
By Jake Mahr Theme Editor The biggest challenge a UK rock band often faces is the crossover to American audiences. These acts tend to find themselves with small gigs in theaters, rather than arenas but […]
Review: album
Foster the People disappoints with their first album “Torches”
Foster the People created massive hype after the release of their single “Pumped Up Kicks” but failed to meet the high expectations with their mediocre debut album “Torches,” released on May 24. […]
Battles’ new record, “Gloss Drop,” maintains artistic credibility
Although not as musically groundbreaking as “Mirrored,” Battles’ “Gloss Drop” is just as complex and noisy, while proving to be fun. […]
Arctic Monkeys’ new album “Suck It and See” rocks Palladium show
Very few bands achieve the sort of critical acclaim and worldwide success that the Arctic Monkeys have. On June 3, The Arctic Monkeys played material from new album “Suck It and See” at the Hollywood Palladium and lives up to the massive hype placed upon them for every new tour and album. […]
My Morning Jacket successfully shows its versatility in “Circuital”
Genre-hopping is an ambitious undertaking that commonly leads to disorganized and inconsistent albums. My Morning Jacket’s new album, “Circuital,” bucks the trend. […]
Lady Gaga births success with “Born This Way”
“Born This Way” shows Gaga’s transition into a more mature and lyrically substantial artist. She sold one million copies in her first week. […]
Mac Miller’s “Best Day Ever” is sure to better your day
Out of the many rappers trying to make it big, one new artist is getting a little more notice than others. Mac Miller’s “Best Day Ever” is sure to excite this rookie rapper’s fans while bringing him further into the spotlight.
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The Antlers’ ‘Burst Apart’ delves deep into cohesive soundscape
Antlers’ new album “Burst Apart” proves just as emotionally complex as the band’s last album while artfully maintaining a balance between tense, melancholic ambiance and lush soundscapes. […]
Death Cab’s ‘Codes and Keys’ proves to be dull, underwhelming
After “Narrow Stairs,” it seemed like Death Cab For Cutie was going in a wonderful new direction; “Codes & Keys” proves that prediction wrong. […]
Eden’s Bliss experiment on “EBEP”
In an era where the high school music scene tends to be overpopulated with imitation lo-fi garage-rock bands that sing generic, sappy lyrics, Mira Costa student band Eden’s Bliss differentiates itself on its latest EP, “EBEP.” […]