Berated

I was so enamored with The Silent League’s second album, Of Stars and Other Somebodies, that I wrote about it twice within several months. I rarely feature an artist more than once in the same year, but the lack of awareness surrounding Justin Russo’s project was alarming considering its unlimited potential. Although its focus was [...]

Music is one of the few ways we can revisit the past through our senses. Listeners tend to eternally place themselves in a particular emotional or social location after hearing a song, and this consequently creates a memory or impression of sorts that is often indescribable in words. It can only be accurately relayed as [...]

If it is possible to be ambitiously impatient, Kevin Martin would exemplify it perfectly. His ambition and impatience often clash for the listeners’ enjoyment, producing a variety of projects that all encompass his ingenuity without being restrained by observational cohesiveness. In addition to his ambition and impatience, Martin has always resembled a perfectionist of sorts [...]

It is risky to tackle a style that fuses several aspects of an overlooked past, particularly in regard to stylistic movements that took place decades ago. This was a time before our generation’s fascination with excess took hold on all forms of media. Popular music has always aligned with the cultural times and the [...]

When looking back to our high school days, many of us can likely remember reading Thoreau’s Walden. Even those turned off by the primary philosophy of transcendentalism have grasped the value of such a classic, as Thoreau’s isolated musings concerning self-sufficiency and civility seem even more relevant today in an age distancing itself from such [...]

Spontaneity is a trait that all fine artists have, regardless of whether it arises daily or once every few years. Immediately connecting with an emotion, object, or individual is rare enough, so to produce a work of art from it requires the most gifted of abilities. This type of spontaneous chemistry was evident between Deidre [...]

Releasing an album fresh out of college can be an interesting process. One arrives at the point where excitement and ambition are more prevalent than ever, not yet deterred by continuous rejection or personal crisis. All the knowledge acquired during class and work now has to be put to use using reason; this occurs as [...]

England is one of the last places I would expect a musician to be “bored”, especially if they are native to the country. Its rich history aside, every major label houses an office there and there are certainly a surplus of venues present, not to mention an endless list of British influences to get inspiration [...]

Anticipation can be a relatively deceptive thing. It has no bearing on the actual result of a product or action, even if hype can sway us otherwise. I can only imagine how the few remaining Guns N’ Roses fans felt those 15 years between new albums, only to experience Chinese Democracy as an average release [...]

Light shows are not exactly synonymous with indie bands. Superfluous visual appeal and leisurely expenses are not the most attractive concepts to artists on a budget, even if it supplements their music well. I am not sure exactly how Morningbell are able to conduct a consistently impressive light show for less than $100, but this [...]