Sell Out Records - A Music Review Blog

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I caught wind of LEL Brothas and was shocked that these guys aren’t bigger. They should be on the radar of every single person’s hip hop collection. I’m surprised with how the beats are done here, very clean, and to the point. The rapping is solid, rhyming through lyricism that you’d expect from the best MC’s in the game. You will sing along, bounce your head, and hit the switches on your low rider to the tracks on this record. From the intro which mixes news and media into a hip hop intro, to the track “The Drank Game” you get a feel for the sound that the LEL Brothas bring down with relative ease. Things flow well through the first few tracks, and then track 6 starts to really triumph as “Killa Cali” drops with an emphatic flow that you’re going to be wanting to hear again and again and again. All in all, The Epidemic represents a very good record that you’ll find to be on par with anything that is being released in the mainstream right now. In fact, the beats and the diversity of ...

It astonishes me how old I’m getting, especially when I listen to some of my favorite records and realize that they are nearly older than my younger sister. Rancid released “And Out Come The Wolves” In 1995, and I was only 12 years old. I purchased the cassette tape from Epitaph Records. They had a catalog that they mailed people, and I filled it out in pencil, put a few dollars into an envelope and next thing you know I had a new cassette tape, some stickers and a sampler. That was how it was done back then, now? I don’t know what happens now, people just download stuff I guess. Rancid’s rise to fame was not something that happened over night, they pushed and pushed through the Bay Area punk scene until it hit big. This record is by far one of the top selling albums in the punk world, and one that everyone probably already has in their rotation, and if not, what’s wrong with you? From the opening track of “Maxwell Murder” through the singles that you probably heard on the radio on...

The booming percussion comes through first on “EP One” and some of the most compelling guitar and bass lines trump through before you get the full scope of what The One2s have to offer. I was immediately blown away by the opening of “Wide Awake” and then as things progressed, it just got better. This EP is another prime example of how you can create lavish, guitar driven, percussion laced alternative rock without having to turn too much pop on the draw. The vocals and guitar work all drive home an incredible sound, one that is not too far off from bands like Denali, Sonic Youth, and others. What starts with a bombastic manner, dives into more melodious rhythms and rock sounds through the course of the release. Each track stands alone as a single in my view, with each one getting better than before. You get a mix of vocal options, and you get an incredible sound that is definitely nothing you’ve heard recently, and that’s perhaps what draws me to love this one. The use of bass and d...

Filthy Racket has definitely done something powerful with the release of their latest EP “Raw”. The powerhouse band brings forth a bit of raw punk energy, mixed with garage band noise and produces a fine example of pure rock energy. Not nailed down by one genre, they possess the kind of influx that you would expect from the 1990s alternative scene. Melting together power chords, fuzzy bass lines and clever vocals to create a solid release. With the release of “Raw”, Filthy Racket does a good job of presenting themselves as pure rock enthusiasts. Instead of relying too much on one sound, they just throw a lot out there and it works for this short release. Out of the 5 tracks, you will have a hard time picking your favorite because they all have something different to showcase. Whether it’s piano, bass, or guitars, you’re going to find that there’s a lot to be found here. Stand out tracks are definitely “I’m On My Way”, “When There’s No One Else Around”, and “Been Drinking To My D...

When it comes to rock, there’s a lot of genre shifting. Crowe definitely has a lot of monikers that you can throw at them, but one thing is for sure, they are staying true to the core rock formula that introduced the world to an alternative to the jazzy sounds for the 1930s and 40s. This is like a time capsule to the birth of rock, classic or not, “Crowe 2.0” puts on a display of true rock sounds that you will be hard-pressed to compare with other bands right now. From the first moments of “Afterglow” through the rest of the 8 total tracks, you’re going to get hit with that distortion and bass that comes through the rock pathos that you’ve come to love today. It’s rare to hear an independent record with such heavy rock influence without trying to shift into all sorts of genres. This band doesn’t need that, it is rocking from the first track to the last, and it shows. Some of the standout moments include “Afterglow”, “Swallow a Gun”, “liquid”, and “Unbreakable”. However, as is my ...

The first few notes of the latest release from Ash In October are enough to wake up the jaded music fan in just about anyone. This Australian band works with electronics, and after a hard road of trying to get noticed back in the 1980s scene, they faded away. 25 years later, with a whole new purpose, they have come back and recreated their original release with an all new recording of epic proportions. The sound that you get from their new recordings is nothing short of poignant, and very much in the arm of the 1980s. You will swear that you’ve heard these songs in movies, on MTV and radio. If you’re as old as I am, then you absolutely remember the pathos that are created with both “Greater Crime” and “Sex Machine”. The band puts together a good mix of rhythm, and bass, mixed with cool electronics and solid vocals. The originals are interesting, but they don’t have that power that the freshly recorded options do. However, they do have that “Weird Science” type of electronic sec...

Matt Simon is a guitar player that should be incredibly famous. He should be shredding with the likes of Slash right now. I haven’t heard a record come out with this type of precision guitar work in a long time. I listen to a lot of rock music, but nothing compares to the components that are found with the release of “The Scepticle Testicle” . This is a shining recording of pure guitar genius. I truly believe that if this record came out in the 1980s, Simon would be on top of the rock world, because he puts on a clinic of musical categorization. With a lot of guitar records, you end up getting just one style, but Matt Simon’s genius goes through all different styles of music here. He plays on metal, jazz, funk, and fusion. With serious attention to the elements, you are going to get a ton of great instrumental sounds here. I have to stress the fact that this is a full band recording, and not just a dude playing guitar in his living room. The production value is very high, and the i...

If you’re following my reviews, you know I love a good hip hop record, and every week I seem to get word on more and more records being pushed out by people that are looking to top the previous releases that are getting popular, and here we go again, another release and another shot at the crown. Giant The Artist releases a mixtape that drops some incredible rhymes, and beats from Sinima Beats and I’m impressed. Blown away from the intro, to the drops and pieces from movies, television shows and more. Not since Esoteric and 7L released Czarface have I loved a record this much. I think it’s one of the best things to come out recently, and it is a tough contender, going hard in the paint. (Sorry, had to say it) Giant The Artist’s flow on “HiberNation: The MixTape” creates a compelling flow from the start, dropping beats with samples that you swear are familiar, but are truly unique to this mixtape. The first thing that struck me was “Now or Never” an emphatic hit that should make any...

Believe me, I have heard a lot of hip hop records this year, and I have so many records to go through, that I sometimes miss out on posting the reviews here because I’m working on something else. This one blew me away from the first line and continued to represent some serious elements. Progress and Antidote bring down the house with incredible beats and more importantly, a flow that is shocking. Listening to the lyrical assassination and combination of flows is impressive here, and the two are able to flow through sounds that are compelling, intrepid and just impressive to say the least. “BFAU” completely blew me away, and I was floored. Not since Murs and Fashawn have I heard a record with two rappers that can flow with such poetry and still maintain differences, and be united. Sure, Grouch and Eligh put a great record out, but Progress and Antidote rise above theirs this time around. I’m completely impressed with the production value up front, I didn’t expect that all. I’ve b...

Mark Morrison has been one of the bestselling and most reversed British singers for quite some time. Just one search online for his music and you will be hit with remixes, releases, and a lot of collaborations that features his intricate vocal style. Mixing R and B and hip hop with pop sensibilities makes Morrison’s voice stand out amongst a lot of different singers today. With the release of “I AM What I AM”, you get 7 new tracks of great music. Early reviews have touted the music to be very good, and quite interesting. One listen to the opening track and you’ll be hooked with the way the beats, production, and sound all work together to form a nice setup for Mark Morrison. It’s been a while since I’ve heard anything from Morrison, but remember his single “Return of the Mack”, which was a highlight of my collection in the past. This latest release coming out in May is definitely worth a listen. Stand out tracks include “I Am What I Am”, “My Life”, “Father Forgive Them”, and more...

Stew Dixon may be young, and may not be on the top of radio charts, but if you listen to his latest release “The Animals” you very well may think he’s on his way. Mixing equal parts Frank Turner, Chuck Ragan, and a bit of modern rock and folk, this young songwriter from Ireland is doing something that others aren’t, he’s creating eclectic music. The music on his latest work is stripped down, to the point, acoustic in nature and sounds quite amazing. You will get that taste of the Celtic roots as he strums and sings through this record, and really is something to behold. Not since I first heard Dashboard Confessional, have I heard something played quite well, with so much passion and emotion. It’s simple here, and that’s ok, you don’t need to have bombastic delivery, you simply need one man, a guitar and a heart. If you are a fan of modern rock, you will definitely find that this acoustic EP fits so well with what’s being promoted on rock radio today. Mumford & Sons would easily...

I was recently pointed in the direction of the latest single from Alize Levy and I wasn’t sure what to expect. When I sat down to listen, it started with a pop sound, and then her words came in and the voice over music really took me a new place. Upon closing my eyes, it seemed as though this incredible singer was singing just to me. It’s a visceral experience that you don’t always get with pop music, and specifically R and B music. It’s too easy to take shortcuts and make something fake, but that’s not what you get with “I Can Be” as it is definitely one of the better songs I’ve heard in a long time. I had to listen to the song on repeat for a while to truly get everything, as the song is that good. It’s a carefully crafted musical opus that features the vocal talents of Alize Levy and I for one am impressed. I love the sound, and love the lyrics. Her talent rises through the ranks and definitely presses the listener to take notice with a sultry emphasis that you’re not going to f...

My eye was red, I kept rubbing it like crazy underneath my glasses, while I turned on Monster’s latest release, #Tha Monster EP {14’}. With one eye open I managed to get the record to play, and then fell out of my chair as my eye kept bugging me. What greeted me, aside from my own body’s warning signs that I need to put some visine in them (I’ve been writing since 3 am today), was a mix of music that is definitely worth listening to. I was pleasantly surprised by the layered approach to the music here , which is a mix of classical introductions, audio sound clips, and beats that intrigue as much as please. The compelling nature of the music here is mixed with what I can only label as hip hop, but it’s not really hip hop. Ok, it is, but it’s not. It’s not MURS rapping about mid-city, and it’s not SLUG talking about his depression, it’s something a bit left of center. It’s more jazz than anything else. It’s as though Monster has found a way to create layered jazz music, like you woul...

Grieves put out a record that quickly shot up to the top of the iTunes hip hop charts. I took note and decided to give the record a shot, since I’m a fan of Rhymesayers and am always looking for new music to review. What you get when you invest in “Winter and The Wolves” is an album that has some heavy hitting lyricism, beats that flow from traditional to abstract and an interesting record that makes me feel like Brother Ali trained a new guy to jump in while he’s working on other stuff. Grieves rhymes well for the most part, but there are times when he jumps sentences and rhymes in a forced manner. He’s not running out of air, but it sounds like he’s reaching hard for the next syllable and it just doesn’t work that well on the first listen. Hip hop is like that though, you have to find a way to compel yourself to listen more than once, or you’re going to get lost in a hail of words that are painting you a picture. The great thing about this record is the beats. There’s a very “...

I’m not always up on the latest singers, or hip hop acts, I’m behind at times, but it’s always refreshing to see new talent releasing music. One such artist that I just caught wind of is Mack Benton. Benton’s vocal style is nothing new, but the way he pushes the lyrics and sounds through a mix of hip hop beats and instrumentals rings true to something incredible. In fact, I had to put the track on repeat, because it was that catchy. The latest single from Mack Benton is titled “Secret (Banger!!!!)” and if you hear it, you’re going to swear that it’s the latest from a larger act, or it’s the next big thing, because it’s that solid. From the moment you hear the beat come in, to the point where Benton starts to sing, you’re sold. If you move forward through the chorus you’re swaying from side to side, and you are in complete R and B mode, because it’s a solid track. If you are a fan of rhythm and blues, hip hop, and modern music, this is going to be right up your alley. It’s one of ...