Sell Out Records - A Music Review Blog

Emoshoon Ophy is one of the coolest acts I’ve been given the pleasure of listening to in recent months. They have found a way to mix several genres that I love and evoke the same power that makes Ozomatli, Damian Marley, and so many others work so well. Here you get something that cannot be housed in just the reggae genre, because it’s not. It’s not really pop either, and though it has some serious soul, it’s not really fair to call it that either. What you get from the sum of the parts here is a fusion of rhythm and blues, afro-beat, afro pop, and mixes of reggae here and there that are all working together to present a world music sound that I could not get out of my head. There’s a sense of world music up front, but there’s so much more when you listen to “I Dey Fine” a song that uses some pathos that come across the ska, two tone genre at times. It feels like you’re on an international trip, or you’re at a soccer stadium waiting for the beginning of the World Cup, as it reaches...

The Colored Parade gave me a ticket to ride in a time machine. I was taken across several generations of musical style, theory, and composition with the incredible release of their latest record. I was completely blown away from the initial track, moving forward on “…And The Walls of The City Will Shake”. “Please, Be Kind” should be on par with The Black Keys, and the rest of the bands that are getting a lot of attention today, because it’s iconic, it’s multi-genre, it had me thinking. I got a bit emotional, I admit it, the lyrics hit me, the way an iconic song certainly does. It’s there that the time machine continued to impress as the record continued to get better and better. From the opening blues, rock, pop genre mesh that you get with the initial track, to the second song you are taken to yet another locale. It’s hard to define The Color Parade as one genre because it’s not. It goes through several, and the record does so well in creating a lavish portrait of emotion. “When T...

The latest release from artist Mr. Eurodisco is a combination of digital music, dance, and more. The song “Feel It” is a well mixed, and highly interactive journey through several different visions of the mind. From the opening notes through the transitions, I felt as though I was being taken away into a new world of musical landscape. One that is full of possibility, and it harkened back to my days as a video game addict. I spent hours and hours playing games with this type of soundtrack in my youth, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing, this definitely has more than just video game rhythm, it’s passionate, it’s iconic, it is very much danceable. “Feel It” transfers several layers into one stereophonic dance tune, which is full of life. Even if you’re tired, jaded, or just a bit bored this will jolt you into a new state of mind. I know I was feeling tired this morning, and upon hearing this, my head start bouncing along. I also craved bacon, but that’s another story. I love the...

Jana Pochop’s voice brings about a new vision for me upon hearing “When Your Soul Leaves Your Body”. Perhaps it’s the subtlety of the song structure, perhaps it’s the vocals on the track, or maybe it just hit me at the right time. The song is a good starting point to her latest release “Throats are Quarries” as it spins a good tune on this 5 song EP. Jana plays acoustic guitar and provides vocals on this recording which is very much an eclectic mix. It’s simple, to the point, and on par with some of my favorite Neko Case songs. “Throw You Forward” brings about an emotional connection with me, and speaks to a poetic side that I lost along the way. It’s a good song that ties up how I feel about this record, that I hope gets more attention. The music is acoustic, folk, with a rock tinge, and truly is one that is accessible by all music fans. You forget that you’re listening to an independent artist as you look to the radio dial to see the station you’re on. That’s the magic of this re...

Dance of Atoms woke me up this morning. I was feeling tired from doing laundry all night, and trying to fight this depression that I have as a starving writer, and with “I Can Change” all things were made brand new. It may not have fixed my problems, but it sure woke me and my cats up, enough to get a little more upbeat. The sounds are a mix of 80s new wave, alternative, and electronic music with the same urgency that you would expect from Joy Electric or M83. I like the mix of sounds that start things up and to my surprise the continuous tracks just got better and better. With the release of "Atom and Eve", the morning becomes a bit more eclectic. A lot of electronic music is being touted as the next best thing, but I can truly say that this is a unique and vibrant mix of music that could very well be the next big thing. There’s no “one” genre here, even though it’s electronic at times, and that’s what I like best. I love when artists can find new avenues to use musical ...

AntBanks380 unleashes a track that had me spinning at first. I wasn’t sure what to expect, and then the song really took off into a whole new territory of hip hop. The song “Psalms 118” is a mix of singing and rapping, and it’s all in praise of God. Often times Christian music, especially hip hop is not very good. Some of it is downright awful, and the MC’s are just not good at what they are doing. This is not one of those times, as you get a feeling for that grit and honesty that you would expect from the underground, pointed to the sky instead. I like the flow of the rhymes, the sincerity in the singing and the message overall. If a Christian musician or artist is worthwhile, I will give them props, and that’s deserving for AntBanks380. Wearing hearts on your sleeve as a musician is tough, but that’s what you get here with a message that is aimed to the masses and relevant as ever. “Psalms 118” takes a path less traveled and unites it in a good way, bringing quality rhymes, singi...

Electronic music is one of those genres that I give only a few minutes to before I give up. Usually I’m handed a lot of repetition and boredom, but for those that have been following this blog for a while now, you’ll notice something grand. The electronic music I recommend is spot on great. Henneke once again shows me how incredible this genre can get, with compelling unions of sound, static, and so much more. You’re going to get hit with a tidal wave of bouncing rhythms, beats, and sounds, and it’s only an EP! Henneke's Outside Systems of Human Presumption is a testament to the genre. In a world full of boring music, this is one that mixes genres quite well. You get a little bit of flavor from ambience to pure digital frameworks, to layering of keyboards and more. It’s techno done right, with explosive symbiosis and integral elemental design. In the end, it just sounds good. From the first time I listened to “Isopoda” to the third time, it’s reflective of something magical a...

I recall seeing The Huntingtons at the Troubadour in Los Angeles. They played with The Dingees to a crowd of around 100 people, if that. It was a random Thursday night, and I noticed that they didn’t have the cult following that I saw them playing front of in 2002. I went to Cornerstone Festival 2002, and saw a massive crowd go nuts for the band, but on this random Thursday in Hollywood, they couldn’t draw flies. Then again, 100 people isn’t half bad, right? I didn’t stick around for the whole performance, but they were promoting “Get Lost” a 13 track opus of Ramones-esque punk rock that should’ve been their big break. It wasn’t. In fact, no one that I’ve talked to online or offline knows anything about this band. They are not exactly high on the list of this style of music, even though they performed with Joey Ramone and have one of the best cover-albums of Ramones tunes in the world. Yeah, I said it. Despite their high quality sound, and attempts to emulate the mighty New York p...

Things Are Not Life hits you with a fuzzy guitar before hitting a whole new plane of rock existence with their song “God can’t save” off of their new record. The latest record from the band increases the creativity levels of the genre known as alternative and infuses it with rock, and metal at times. Imagine Tool and the Deftones in a combination of garage oriented punk music and you may start to see how the band has brought together several elements together to form one cohesive unit. This creation not only rises like a phoenix, it completely blows you away with incredible attention to both guitar work and percussion. The driving bass lines and soaring vocals also play a great role, giving credence to the rock sound like a Pavement record. The roaring rock opus is not contained in one track, the music flows through a connectivity that is rare in rock music. From one high to another low, and through several waves of urgency not too unlike what you’d expect from the 1980s icons like...

Freddy Charles immediately impresses on the release of “I’m Only Human” as he plays everything on the record, and even mixes it. This truly independent release is an impressive accomplishment, and as a former record label owner, I know how hard it is to bring all the pieces together. From the first track, “End of an Era”, you get this sense of brevity, and accomplishment with the sound. This is a record of urgency, and it shows with some great quality guitar work, percussion, and movements forward. You never feel like you’re listening to a one genre record, and that’s why I can’t simply label this rock, because it’s more than that. There’s blues, jazz, and classical tied into the presentation here, and that all works in the favor of Charles. “I’m Only Human” pushes you through 13 songs, all of which stand on their own as singles. Right when you think you’ve got this one figured out, a track like “I’m Only Human” plays through some incredible moments of jazz and rock fusion that you...

I’m not always up to date with dance and electronic music, but the more I pay attention to the changing landscape of music, the more it comes up. The Jimi Newton Project breaks down the walls with this latest release of “2.0 Ghost Stories” and completely shatters the notion of electronic music. If you’re into Chromeo or Daft Punk, this is going to get serious replay value for you, because it mixes musical notes in a manner that even the former can’t really claim. From “Summer 2.0” moving forward, I was definitely impressed with the production, but more importantly the flow of the whole record, making this one of my favorite electronic releases this year. I know, bold statement, but it’s true, it’s that catchy. There’s a casual flow to this recording, and something that is far more compelling than other releases in the genre. The Jimi Newton Project seems urgent, but the flow of sounds melt together in a good unison. At some point you don’t feel that you’re listening to multiple layer...

Everyone’s got a music collection, some are larger than others, and some have it all itemized and categorized like the guys in “High Fidelity”. I used to be the latter, but now, I end up listening to streams, and a lot of Spotify, alongside the occasional vinyl record. It’s just easier, and amidst my listening to the collection of thousands upon thousands of tracks that fill my daily routine, I wanted to highlight 5 records that you probably don’t have in your collection yet should pick up right away. The following are 5 lesser known punk rock releases that you absolutely need on your Spotify account, mp3 player, phone, or whatever it is you’re using to listen to music: Guns N’ Wankers “For Dancing and Listening” In between spats of Snuff and other bands, Guns N’ Wankers put together a great string of releases that eventually caught the eye of Fat Wreck Chords and we get this recording. The 8 tracks presented on this record are a mix of Snuff and other bands all rolled into one. It...

My Secret Island pushes out a very cool release, and I’m hooked. It has a certain 1970s and 1980s punk and pop sensibility that you’re going to want to put on repeat. The four songs found on “My Secret Island” really come together in a string of songs that all flow together. It feels like a full record, and it feels longer than it really is. From the first track of “I Miss The Day” through the subsequent tracks, you’re going to be hit with a wall of noise that is cohesive, and very much in the vein of the 1980s punk movement without pretense. The rough guitars, great vocals, and the cover of “Sheila” definitely make for a great record to pick up today. Even though the record came out in September 2012, it still holds up quite well. It starts with a rock sound that you’re familiar with, and then drives the point home with eclectic moments and strong rock, and alternative moments. From the opening track of “I Miss The Day”, to the cover of “Sheila”, the album flows in unison almost, ...

I never truly know what to expect from the latest in the hip hop genre. Teacher Preacher and Kuntry Strong come together to pull out one bouncing hip hop release and it’s called “The Return From Babylon”. From the introduction through the 20 songs of flowing rap music, you are going to be thrilled by how this all pulls through. The beats are secondary to the lyrics, as the flows are coming through fast and furious. Filled with choruses that you’d expect from southern rap, and mainstream singles, you get exactly what you’d expect, and then the duo turns out something even more incredible. Topics are all over the place, as there is no “one” thing that they are trying to talk about, as they cover a variety of topics from making money to living life of struggle. There’s a lot to sample here, and it’s all done with such an easy flow, that you’ll swear this is second nature to Teacher Preacher and Kuntry Strong. The whole record is well produced, and connects together in a very unique ma...

There was a time, where I had to listen to a lot of smooth jazz. I was working at a casket retailer, and they only let me play the Jazz station in Los Angeles. I grew to hate the genre. It’s one of my weakest links in terms of record collections, but that doesn’t mean I don’t like jazz. I love jazz, when it’s done with passion, and without pretense. When it sounds like someone is truly caring about the music, and is not just throwing around pop songs into elevator music. Jacob H Carruthers III has done something incredible on the release of “The Jazz in My Soul”. He has truly given me new hope for the smooth jazz genre, by creating waves of emotion throughout every track. Nothing is wasted here, and it truly is one of the better smooth jazz records that I've heard in a long time. I'm a believer. Hailing from Chicago, “The Jazz in My Soul” is the latest release from Jacob H Carruthers III, and it starts with one of the best piano tunes I’ve heard in a long time. “The Broken ...

It’s the return of pure rock music. Lately I’ve been hearing so many good bands coming out and after hearing Zero Verdict’s latest release “Clarity”, I’m 100% positive that they are poised to make it big. From the opening lines of their record, they bring high quality guitar driven rock music that will take you back to the rock and roll era. It’s as powerful as anything coming out Seattle from the 1990s, and it’s as powerful as the heavy metal guitar work that came through the 1980s, with incredible vocals that float through the driving guitars, and killer bass with other instrumentation throughout. This is the ultimate rock and roll package, without sticking to just one genre. On “Clarity”, the band opens up with “The Perfect White Lie” and I was blown away by the production, and overall style. It’s well crafted, and powerful, giving the listener something from all genres, including an awesome solo to finish things off and sing along choruses that will definitely stun you. Even th...