Sell Out Records - A Music Review Blog

It’s hard to find a good balancing act between indie, pop, and rock all rolled into something that is not labeled as “emo”. As soon as you throw out the 3 letter word people seem to have a disdain or a passionate love affair with the music. Anie does something that transcends the label and while “Lovekill” is emotional, it’s not “emo” in the negative sense, as it is much stronger and much more powerful than you first realize. From the opening track “Lovekill” to “Fear Losing” you are greeted with an eclectic blend of alternative rock enthusiasm with independent rock fusion that is definitely going to stun you. Even the harshest critic will find amazing compositions in this EP, and I for one am glad to have discovered this record. I love the transition from track to track, as it’s like a jump through time into different elements. I love the way some songs play with words and others play with sounds and create a lavish layered sound. This is a great recording, and something that sh...

There are a lot of country acts that try to put together music and most of it is awful. It’s one of the most oversaturated music genres, but when a star shines, they transcend the label and play music that is highly accessible beyond just the country moniker. That’s exactly what Doug Briney does on this record, which starts off with one of the catchiest songs I’ve heard in a while. “Super Country Cowboy” is funny, moving, and full of life. I found myself singing along by the second minute, and I’m not the biggest fan of country. There’s something to this, and I can even see myself doing a little dance to it in the shower, it has that kind of swagger, and yes, I amuse myself with these ideas. Briney’s flow of lyrics is iconic here, and it’s the type of song that is never going to leave your head once you start humming and singing along. From the opener that just rocks hard, you get 8 more tracks (9 total) of country music and rock and roll gusto. Doug Briney puts together stories an...

My tooth aches, it’s killing me. The only solace I have these days is writing and listening to music. When the transmission of Subterralien’s latest record “Modnar” came on, all bets were off. No more pain in my tooth, and all my synapses were firing as this creative mix of sounds started to permeate through my speakers. People talk about how there’s no “new” or “cool” music coming out, and they obviously aren’t looking. This is by far the most unique and impressive release I’ve heard in a long time. Subterralien fuses sounds from all over the musical landscape. I’m floored by the release of the incredible production and layered approach here. It’s digital, it’s static, it’s computer sounds, it’s a lot of different pieces all making it to your speaker and it’s creating a noise that is straight out of the 1980s fused computer generation. It’s funny, I always think I’ve figured an artist out, and then they slap me with something new. “Slapstick Maverick” is that “new”, the raw, the ...

The English duo of Benjó James and Jack Wilson create an appropriately titled song entitled, “Haunted” and it blew me away upon listening. It’s one of the most beautiful and rocking songs I’ve heard in a while. It’s the same kind of power that made me listen to The Jesus and Mary Chain’s debut. It’s an interesting 5 minutes of music that you are going to want to hear again and again. What makes this track stand out amidst all the music that is proliferating the internet today is the story telling in the lyrics. Looking through the lyrics, you get a taste for the ideas that they are pushing, and the life and times of the duos musical capabilities. It’s a mixture of poetry that you’re going to have a hard time shaking once you realize the power of the lyrics. From the opening notes to the end of the song, you are going to be enthralled with the track. “Haunted” is one of those songs that just won’t leave you. It’s iconic, it’s dark, it’s alternative, it’s rock, it’s a great song. “Ha...

When I was learning how to play piano, I thought that one day I could do something as incredible as what Olivier Zberg has created with the release of “Nostalgia”. I wanted to put my ideas into simple song, pieces for piano that could change the way a person felt, or inspire though, tears, or something else. I failed. I don’t know what happened, but I somehow left the music world only to return later on and then give up after my hands couldn’t take it. That frame of reference for me still gets inspiration from music that is stripped down, and showcased with true emotion and simplicity. The piano pieces found on “Nostalgia” are short, inspired, and artistic on levels that you will be absolutely surprised by.It's the kind of record that you are going to want to listen to again and again, or you will miss some of the notes. There's so much here, and yet it's so simple, one man, one piano and creativity waltzing through a lot of connections. It's the simplicity that shine...

The initial mix of “Ever Since” that comes permeating through your speakers is enough to change your life. I immediately stopped what I was doing, and listened closely to the digital mash up that would come through the reverb of the piano and eclectic sound design. The first minute of this track will give you a sense of exploration and then right when you think you’re going to get bored, the beat and frequency changes and you’re presented with something abstract, new, and compelling. The opening track is one of the best representations of digital music I’ve heard in a long time, and Revise starts to chase what very well could be the best mixed media record I’ve heard in a long time. The ambient music on the record is integral to the sound that Revise creates. I love the pieces, and there are moments when I don’t want to stop the looping, and instead I just want to fly free within the parameters that are set. This happens on several tracks, but it was with “Don’t Look Down” that I j...

Marshall Dane comes out swinging with his latest release “One of These Days” and it’s a powerful record from start to finish. The mix of country and rock is definitely felt with the opening track, and definitely catches you off guard. The opening song, “Take You Home to Mama” really is a powerful punch of a song, and it just gets better. It’s a hefty mix here, you get both country and rock themes, with a powerful pop sensibility that you don’t always get when you mix the genres. I haven’t heard a mix this well in a long time, and I’ve heard a lot of attempts recently. The stand out opening track opens up to more with “Stay Up Late”, “One of These Days”, “Living It up”, “Why Can’t I Leave”, and more. The 12 songs that make up this record really flow well, and while I picked out those tracks in particular to mention, I can truly tell you that this is a record you want to listen through whole. I love the individual tracks, but there’s something absolutely compelling about the story te...

One of the most compelling aspects of music for me is the performance. I tend to review a lot of punk, hardcore, and ska music, but jazz and classical is where I first started to appreciate music. Learning to play chimes, piano, and then bass guitar, I am a fan and a player of the art form. The beautiful music that can be created with classical tuning and instruments are incredible. It’s with that love of music that I can truly say that Nina Kotova’s release of suites for cello by J.S. Bach is incredible. Nina Kotova is an international sensation, and has been heralded as one of the most iconic soloists in the world. She has appeared with some of the biggest names in symphony music, and performs with a certain essence that will completely change the way you hear music. There’s something profound about her work, and with this release she does something that others have tried, but haven’t really done with such precision. On this release, you will get full suites for Cello by J. S. ...

I never know what to expect from independent artists, as I’ve heard a lot of bad in my day. Charlie Leavy is one of those stand outs, that you aren’t sure about until you actually listen. It was with the release of “The Best Damn Ride” EP that I was floored by the talented artist. With the first track of “The Way Life Is”, you get completely thrown into a world that is a mirror of life. The lyrics are of wisdom and honor, a reflection of society, the same kind of candor that you would expect from a veteran soul artist. It’s sung and played with precision and it creates a nice spectrum to give you an idea of what the artist is all about. It’s with that opener that Charlie Leavy won me, it’s a strong opener. The rest of the EP is solid, with “Tongue Tied”, “Summers Day Runaway”, “Falter baby” and “Running My Mouth”. It’s this type of music that bridges gaps between genres, and while it is firmly rooted in acoustics, it still has a raw, rock energy that is definitely worth noting. I l...

I wasn’t sure what to expect from this free album from M00kie-M00K M00-You. I knew it was hip hop, but you never know with independent releases. After getting an intro from none other than Peter Griffin, what is left is awesome. M00kie-M00K M00-You unleashes a serious flow over beats that you’re going to find to be downright reverent. “Getting to know M00-Y0U” is a solid release full of rhyme schemes and raw beats that will definitely find a home with any hip hop head out there. You get a full sense for the artist on “Awready Know” a 3 minute banger that features a full scale of ideas going through the mind and rap lyrics of this interesting artist. From there, things keep getting better with standout tracks like “Let It Go”, “Down I-45”, “Opinion”, and more. M00kie-M00K M00-You definitely works like an artist. The lyrics combined over some very interesting beats makes this release vital, and creates a lavish overall reality laced hip hop rhyme scheme that you will definitely appre...

I’m always interested in hearing up and coming hip hop, and when I got a chance to sit down and listen to the latest from Heist International, I was floored. The latest release of “36” The Mix Tape is an incredible accomplishment. It’s 18 total tracks, nearly an hour of music, and it brings you through all sorts of moods, ideas, with an assault on the senses that will have you repeating the songs over and over again. Often times hip hop mixtapes aren’t that well produced, but that’s not the case here. Heist International brings a well crafted, well recorded, and highly poignant release that features the best beats, a great slew of talented elements, and something that just makes you stop what you’re doing. You can’t really appreciate this while doing anything else, although, you could try. I had to stop and just listen several times while crafting this review, because the quality on the tracks brings a good and eclectic vibe to hip hop. From the initial set up of “36 Meaning” to ...

From the moment you first hear the sound that comes through on this hip hop mix, you will be floored. There’s an organic element to this that is just exciting to hear. Once you turn it up, you will be floored by the execution and production values that are layered throughout this release. The cuts and pieces are sewn together in a very interesting manner, leaving nothing to the imagination. It’s the kind of mix that you would expect to hear on the radio, if they still played good music. From the moment you first turn on “Street Weight”, you get a feeling for an iconic, and impressive unifying hip hop mix. But it isn’t until you get to “Hey, Don’t Miss Out!” that you pick up on something that makes this classic. It’s a classic mix, and around the 1:00 minute mark you start to bounce a bit. I can already see myself using these tracks to skateboard through my streets with as they have a good mix to them and lays out emotional connections through the bass, keys, and organic material th...

Gas Station Disco takes the rock genre and makes it far more accessible than you may think. While modern rock may be playing boring music, the Pottsville, Pa band creates a layered rock sound that is not only urgent, it’s going to find a home with fans of pure rock music. With the release of “Port and Starboard” you get a sense for their sound and it’s going to shock you. It’s well polished, it’s poppy, but it has a rock edge that is definitely in line with some of the bigger bands in rock music right now. Name one of the big bands that are playing stadiums, and you’ll find that these guys are on the right track with their music. It’s solid, it’s beefy, it’s got a pop sensibility but don’t let that fool you, it’s rocking and it’s heavy at times. You get hit with their signature sound on the first track which is the title track, “Port and Starboard”. From there the stand out tracks continue to hit you hard, and flow through a complete balance of rock tracks. “All I See”, “Broken”, a...

As a music fan, I’ve heard a lot of guitar players in my day. I’ve seen a lot too, and every time I hear about another guitar player and their release, I roll my eyes. That wasn’t the case when I first heard about Xander Demos. I was completely blown away with the progressive sound and style of the guitar work and overall attention to the most finite of details on the latest release “Guitarcadia”. This is a heavy metal shredders dream, and it flies in the face of most guitar players today, as this is the type of stuff that should be played on rock radio. No offense to the reggae fans (which I am a fan of), but there’s no reason rock radio should be playing 3 or 4 reggae songs an hour when this is getting ignored. Xander Demos charges through every kind of guitar sound from melodic to extreme picking to just insane pieces of metal glory on “Guitarcadia” and it’s a blueprint for what you can do on electric guitar. Lead, rhythm, and other is all represented in some heavy shredding and...

For those that don’t follow my site, or last.fm account, I’ll let you know that I spend 12 – 20 hours of music daily. Last weekend, I pulled a 36 hour straight run of writing, and my only entertainment was a long playlist of music that spans every genre. Lately, the punk rock tunes that have been pushing forward are a bit too polished, kind of derivative and tired. I wanted to love some of the new stuff coming through, but it’s just not that grand. After another boredom movement, I tuned into the latest release from Figures of Light, and faith was restored in punk rock roots. Figures of Light’s release of “The Nebraska Sessions” plays heavy on that hard rock sound that the early pioneers of punk rock pushed out when they first came out on the scene. The dynamic here is not what you’re going to hear on the radio, it’s a type of punk that made The Damned, Buzzcocks, and even PIL work back in the 1970s and 1980s. If you can imagine that type of raucous music, then you can kind of unde...