Category: Rock
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Usually if a band is going to release a self-titled album it’s going to be their debut. If not, then it usually happens later in their career after they’re several albums in and want to announce that they’re changing direction, or perhaps that they’ve finally found themselves again after a bad album or two. It’s…
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Tempel are an insanely talented Arizona-based instrumental metal/post rock duo consisting of Ryan Wenzel (Guitars, Keys) and Rich Corle (Drums), who first joined forces way back in 2003, although On The Steps Of The Temple is apparently only their debut. To that end, I’m really not sure if they actually spent the past 10 years…
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The story of Painted Palms is an interesting one. When cousins Reese Donohue and Chris Prudhomme first began making music together Donohue was living in San Francisco and Prudhomme was living near New Orleans. They started sending ideas for songs back and forth via e-mail and before they knew it they were creating songs together,…
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I must admit that I’d never heard of The Rocket Summer before I came across this new Christmas EP on iTunes. But I’m always on the market for new Christmas songs, being quite the Christmas music junkie, so I checked out the previews of these tracks and had to download the EP. While the name…
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Best Coast — the dynamic duo comprised of singer/songwriter/guitarist Bethany Cosentino and multi-instrumentalist Bobb Bruno — have been labeled *a lot* of different things since their mighty impressive 2010 debut, Crazy For You. Dream-pop, power-pop, alternative-rock, alternative-pop, indie rock, indie pop, lo-fi, surf pop, garage rock — take your pick. But there’s a reason why…
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White Lies has decided to follow up their recent album Big TV, which we’ve already reviewed here on Love is Pop, with a new EP called Small TV, which they’re currently selling 1000 copies of on CD and once they’re gone it will be gone forever. Well, except for on the internet, where it’s sure…
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In 2008, when twin brothers Max and Spencer Ernst were just 16 years old, they became the youngest songwriters signed by Cherry Lane Music Publishing (now BMG). Cherry Lane’s roster includes such heavyweights as Black Eyed Peas and John Legend. In 2009, singer/songwriter Chelsea Lee was signed to Atlantic Records. In 2011, she released her…
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As the story goes, Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong was a big fan of the country duo known as the Everly Brothers, particularly their 1958 album Songs Our Daddy Taught Us. He was so into the album, in fact, that he decided he wanted to cover it. But he wanted to do it as a…
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Although he’s always maintained a moderate level of popularity in Europe, James Blunt is still known as a one-hit wonder here in the States. His hit? 2004’s inescapable “You’re Beautiful,” a song which critics loathed but the masses adored. I always found it amusing that it became such a bit hit because on the album…
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OK, so, the lame spelling of the song’s title is tacky, but Beady Eye’s new single “Iz Rite” is one hell of an infectious tune. In fact, it’s fan-fucking-tastic. Easily the best song Beady Eye has put out thus far. And one that rivals the best Oasis tracks. Basically, what we have here is a…
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Since the Twilight franchise concluded, there haven’t been a whole lot of must have movie soundtracks. Fortunately, The Hunger Games franchise is ripe to take over the coveted most wanted soundtracks spot in our music addicted hearts. The soundtrack to the newest installment, Catching Fire, features brand new tracks by many of today’s hottest artists.…
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First-rate Misfits guitarist Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein is back and at the top of his game on the pulverizing new album DOYLE: Abominator. Joining him are dynamic vocalist Alex Story (Cancerslug), masterly bassist “Left-Hand” Graham and the consummate, latter day Misfits drummer Dr. Chud. Like Newsted or Slash, Doyle is a band, but at the…
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I loved Avril Lavigne’s first two albums, 2002’s Let Go and 2004’s Under My Skin. Still love ’em. But, if I’m being brutally honest, I thought her next two albums, 2007’s The Best Damn Thing and 2011’s Goodbye Lullaby, were just plain terrible. Fucking awful, even. I gave them both a fair shot and listened…
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This review was originally published on Otaku. I’m running it here because it was recently released here in the States. VAMPS — known as VAMPS (JPN) here in the States for Trademark reasons — is a Japanese hard rock/metal group formed in 2008 by vocalist/rhythm guitarist HYDE of L’Arc~en~Ciel fame and lead guitarist Kazuhito “K.A.Z”…
