Sell Out Records - A Music Review Blog

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It’s time for a new series of posts, and one that I have been kicking around for a while now. Today I open up the vaults for you humanoids out there that have given up on finding new and old music alike. We are going back to 2003! In 2003, The Huntingtons and Retarded put out a split record with 12 songs and about 30 minutes of punk rock glory. If you don’t know either band, shame on you! If you do know these bands, then you’re probably Jeremy Allison from Santa Monica, California. But in case you’re not, I’m here to discuss in brief two tracks off of this otherwise forgotten record. If you’re serious about collecting records, however, you can find this CD on Amazon for $63 HERE . I wouldn’t pay that much, but that’s simply because I had the CD in my collection and sold it in 2009 to fund my trip home from Moscow, Idaho aka HELL. Getting to the tracks at hand, you’ll denote the The Huntingtons put on quite the Ramones-esque punk rock element, but Retarded follows suit. The sec...

I caught wind of this free track from Flaunt and it pushes together a mix of old, new, and future all into one track. The ambient mix of jazz, rock, and hip hop is incredible. It mixes a lot of elements to work into something that is eclectic, beautiful, and thought provoking. You will find it hard to resist the song and melodies that are created with such veracity. It’s intrinsically beautiful, and flows through several different stages, all while creating a landscape of semi sonic sound. As far as alternative music is concerned, this is poetry in motion, bringing together interesting components to present a new touching and enigmatic world. You’ll be hard pressed not to love this, as I found it compelling, and intrepid. It’s daring, it’s layered, its well worth your time. If that doesn’t grab you at first hand, than you will definitely want to look at this music video for the track, as it will definitely wake you up from your stupor right now. It got me, and that’s hard to do. ...

Another day, another round up of records that I played through. I’m having a terrible month, and even though the holiday season should be full of joy and not about anything else, it’s really crappy. I’ve had to deal with a lot of financial troubles, to the point where everything is on hold. At the same time, I’m trying to hire writers to give me more time to work, and I’m trying to establish all sorts of new things to work on for next year. I want it to be the most productive year in terms of writing yet, and at the same time, I’m trying to register for my next set of classes for college. As long as I am enrolled, I can chip away at that coveted master’s degree. They can’t take it away once I get it, so it’s what I am aiming for right now. The following records are a mixed bag, mostly from the 2000s, and do not represent everything I listened to. I took time to listen to a mix tape from an up and coming rapper, listened to the albums reviewed recently, ended the day on a fast note ...

The first thing I noticed about “Time Wounds” by Joseph Gallo Jr. was the cover art that resembles “Out of the Fierce Parade” by The Velvet Teen. The sound is a mix of the talent that they presented in “Elysium” and what many other underground and mainstream artists aspire to. With that in mind, you will hear traditional arrangements, mixed with eclectic soundscapes that push acoustics to a whole new place. It’s too easy to call this one genre, because it’s not really just one. At times you get controlled chaos, and at others, you get introspective piano melodies that are pointed to lyricism and thoughts that rival many other bands in the indie circuit. “Violent Colors” opens up things and is not what you may expect, I certainly didn’t. The piano stands out there, with some interesting introductions, like that of “Checkers vs Chess”, and pairs well with the additional instruments. You’ll hear violin, flute, and cello all map out with interesting components, and lead you through a v...

M.D. Edwards is another singer songwriter that you may want to keep tabs on. As with the previous reviews that I’ve been featuring on the site as of late, this is another interesting and eclectic work. Taking notes from the previous batches of acoustic and folk writers, you’ll find that this release is definitely worth listening to. From the opening track of “Ex-Lover”, you get a feeling that you’re in for another reach towards emotional connection with the listener. Often times with albums of this nature, you end up with some boring drivel, but that’s not the case here. The focus on the recording may be simple, with arrangements that keep things toned down, but it’s the relationship between words and tones that will compel you to listen and perhaps gain a semblance of the same feelings that the writer has. On “Paper Bags (For Breathing In) the sound really starts to settle, and it becomes a labor of love and interest. He definitely does a good job of taking you through different p...

Solo artists always have an uphill climb for attention, if they are trying to play alternative music. Pop artists seem to have an easier path, but sometimes the harder road creates better quality music and releases. That’s what is presented here by Young Coconut. With the release of “I Got A Vibe”, you hear an artist sprouting his musical wings and presenting an eclectic mix of sounds that range from fuzzy garage rock to acoustic ballads and thoughtful pieces that play on a lot of different themes. From the first track, you immediately think of The Rocket Summer, but with a much older sound. Rewind time and you can hear tones right out of the British Invasion. Think early Rolling Stones as you move through the tracks. “Torch Bearer”, for instance, feels like a much older song than it is. It feels like a B-Side for a single that could’ve been easily published for Rock Radio in the 1970s. Mixing elements of rock, jazz, and even a little bit of a country twang, you get an interesting bl...

Another Saturday has come and gone. I’ve managed to stay sane today, even though everything points towards insanity. Ok, that’s a bit much, but this week has really kicked me in the balls. As a freelance writer, the holidays usually mean that no one is hiring writers. Perhaps the Hollywood crowd is getting work, but us lowly content managers, bloggers, and Cretans of the written word are not getting any sort of financial push. It sucks, because that means Christmas is not going to be coming early or even at all for the Sell out Records crew. My cats got a Christmas gift, so perhaps all is not lost. Then again, it’s not all about the presents right? I mean, that’s what we poor tell ourselves about it, but that doesn’t negate the fact that inside, we want presents just like anyone else. Whatever the case is, this week has been hard on me mentally. I’ve tried to curtail it, but it’s just not that simple. Music helps though, and I have managed to maintain a certain level of musical inf...

Not since I first heard The Velvet Teen have I admired the approach of an independent rock recording as much as I’ve enjoyed listening to the new Lazu Lie record. This interesting and introspective record has a lot of potency, and while I may say that it’s rock, it may be a detracting point. It’s so much more than just that, as it encompasses so many different layers. Influences from Matt & Kim, American Football, Jets To Brazil, and even a little Joan of Arc can all be felt here. Even if it’s not the intentional fingerprint of the band to draw those things out, it’s still not lost on my ears, and all that makes for great musical contemporaries, if I do say so myself. (which I do in fact say) Lazu Lie presents a virtual kaleidoscope of musical integrity on this record, and something that I had a hard time pinpointing on just one genre. The opening sounds seem light as you go through, but start to pick up quite well in “Dubble Draggin” which brings you through highs and lows tha...

I’ve been trying to sell an Ipod for 2 weeks now. Previously, I tried to sell a Boost Mobile Android phone, and could not for the life of me sell that either. Apparently no one in the Pomona area needed an mp3 player or a smartphone. I ended up putting it up on Amazon and someone bought hit. Hopefully they enjoy the piece of digital media. It’s odd how craigslist just doesn’t seem to get a lot of views like it used to. In West L.A. I would get a million responses, but here in the San Gabriel Valley, it’s not happening. I don’t know, maybe it’s the season, or maybe less people use the internet for the purpose of purchasing these types of items today? In Koreatown, I didn’t have a problem either, but here I am trying to hock things for the rent, and well, it’s not coming along. Writing has slowed down, but I keep hitting the pavement, trying to make a few bucks. That’s just an aside, the real story today is about The Daily Spin. In this edition of this column, I will be looking at so...

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SNFU is one of those bands that you either know about or pretend that you’ve heard about. They are a Canadian punk outfit that has been working on music longer than most people have been born. Just like a lot of the early Epitaph bands, this is another creative project of punk rockers that didn’t know they were blazing a historical trail. The album sounds great for a live record and has all of the sounds you’d expect from punk rock delivered with an edge. “Let’s Get it Right The First Time” is not the tightly produced release that say, “Blink 182” put out in limited release, and that’s why this shines. It hits on the emphatic and chaotic relevance that comes with the medium. On this one, you’re treated to a great deal of SNFU classics . Some of the songs you may know some you may be hearing for the first time. Some of my favorites include “Loser at Life, Loser at Death”, “Bobbitt”, and of course “Don’t Have the Cow”. The band is exactly what you would expect from an early Epitaph...

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I’m not always reviewing hard albums on this site, and it’s starting to be evident with my selection of records to talk about. I can’t really post as much as I’d like, because if I had things my way, I would be updating this page 3 or 4 times a day, and then some. Instead I’m trying to get a review up and a few other posts here and there. The latest record that I can’t get out of my head comes from an unlikely source for me. It is from Mack Wilds’ release “New York: A Love Story” and it is one of the most catchy Rhythm and Blues record I’ve heard in a long time. Mack Wilds appeared live on the Arsenio Hall show the other night and it caught my eye. The dude had swagger and a voice that was very much in tune with something that caught my ear, and mind. The lyrics are evident that there’s something more going on than just the words “Own It” and it’s definitely got the crowd moving. The live performance featured a live backing band, and when you hear it on the record, you hear the i...

My quest for friends is not going so hot. I moved to Pomona a couple of months ago and have a rough time trying to meet people. Perhaps it’s because I stay indoors a lot to work. I do the traditional thing, work 7 days a week. What? That’s not traditional? Oh crap, I missed out on the whole corporate hero thing didn’t I? I’m not complaining, but it’s a lot harder to make friends when you’re older. I’ve tried craigslist and it seems that the reception there is abysmal. Drowned out and left for fiends and idiots, but then again, in the absence of friends, fiends may work, right? Ok, so maybe not. Today I was able to listen to a lot of music, because that’s what I do every day. I haven’t met anyone that wants to talk music all day, but it would be nice as well. I’m a weirdo for listening to this much, right? Ok, so maybe I am just pandering to an empty room. Today on the daily spin or rather the daily spin presents, you will find some records that I found compelling enough to listen t...

Here at the Sell Out Records offices, I’m fortunate enough to play whatever I want. Even though a lot of it comes through my crummy laptop speakers, I still spend a lot of time listening to music. It helps with ups and downs and different things that I go through on a daily basis. As a freelance writer, I question my motives as to why I gave up working 9 to 5 for this unstable life, but then the music comes on and I realize that it’s for something, the love of freedom. We can debate whether or not I actually have it, or the reasons why I’m often times depressed, tired, and feeling like the world is going to collapse on me, but that’s not for this blog, or time. Today is Wednesday, December 4, 2013 and I listened to some whole records. This is volume 1 of my journals and playlists. I do have a last.fm page here , but this is for complete daily spins. You can purchase them by clicking on the appropriate links, and of course you can download them there too. Here is what I listened to,...

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