Sell Out Records - A Music Review Blog

Neck Deep's self-titled record, released on January 19, 2024, marks a pivotal moment in the band's journey. The album, deeply rooted in the band's signature pop-punk sound, signifies a homecoming to their origins while navigating through a sea of growth and transformation. Notable for being the first album without original drummer Dani Washington, this record introduces Matt Powles in the role, alongside bassist Seb Barlow taking the helm in production and engineering. With singles like "Heartbreak of the Century" setting the stage, the album embodies a mixture of nostalgia and fresh energy. The band's commitment to their craft is evident as they embark on a supportive US tour, promising an immersive experience for fans old and new.   A Deep Dive into Neck Deep's Self-Titled Saga The Quintessence of Pop Punk Neck Deep's self-titled album isn't just another record; it's an anthology of raw emotions, intricate guitar riffs, and lyrics that ...

  Greenday, the band that needs no introduction in the punk rock world, has just spun out another record set to leave its mark. "Saviors," the latest from this iconic band, isn't just an album – it's a statement, a vinyl masterpiece that beckons the nostalgic and the new-age punk rockers alike. With its vibrant colors and rich, raw sound, "Saviors" promises an auditory journey like no other. As we gear up to dissect this latest offering, let’s remember – this isn’t just about the music; it’s about experiencing Greenday in the most authentic way possible: through the grooves of a vinyl record. "Saviors" Vinyl Experience When you hold a Greenday vinyl record , you're not just holding music; you're holding a piece of art. "Saviors" is no exception. This record radiates a charisma that's hard to ignore, with its visually striking cover and the tactile feel of the vinyl itself. Available in various colors, each edition of ...

 

 

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Leon Bridges Coming Home Vinyl LP (click here) Leon Bridges has put out one of the most soulful albums I’ve heard in a long time. But it wasn’t until I paid attention to “River” that I truly fell in love with the ideas pushed on the record. It’s in this song, that the nature of love is captured. But not just emotional connections with someone, but rather a larger scope. Obviously, music means different things to different people, lyrics can mean something but end up painting something else. For me, it is the structure of “River” that gets me every time. A simple man’s song turns into a beautiful, soulful institution. It’s not just about love for someone else, if you think about it. You can think about it in terms of God, losing a loved one, church, sanctuary, or just home. I recall that in 2011 when I stepped off an airplane headed home, divorced, saddened, and lost, a song could bring me hope. Little did I know that the soundtrack for that memory would be this. It’s in the lyr...

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The Hippos 2003 Release (Buy It here) If you were living in Southern California, like I was, in the mid-2000s then you loved ska. You had to. Ok, maybe not, but I was growing up in a religious community near Santa Monica, California and we loved our ska. I wanted to be a rude boy so bad. If you rewind to 1997 I saw my first concert, and it was MXPX, The Hippos, and Less Than Jake. The band put on a showcase of ska fused music that I just couldn’t get enough of. They toured the country with the other two bands and they even made it to MTV and radio airplay. Then things started to change. The band went from ska punk to synthpop and completely disenfranchised their fans. I didn’t like the synth heavy record that came out in 2003, but hey, that’s just what happens. The band didn’t even put this out initially, they waited 3 years to get it out after fans wanted to hear it. That being said, this is not the traditional ska music that you knew from The Hippos. This time around the band...

Wild Rossa and The ’88 take the best parts of music, all music, and throws it into a blender to create an absolute incredible mix. Their Self-Titled EP is a musical handbook. It’s like Ozomatli’s brother, because the band has found a voice that is like the latter, mixed, varied, and just astonishing in my view. There’s so much here, from the moment you get the bass booms of “Gasoline”, you know that you’re in for a real treat. The music is crafted so well, you are going to be lost in your senses, as you will not be able to nail down what it is you love about the music Wild Rossa and The ’88 brings to the table. There’s dancing elements, there’s serious lyrical thought processing, and there’s a beauty found in the tracks that transcends one label, which is why this is so great. Name a genre, any genre, and you may find a sound in the release that Wild Rossa and The ’88 to consider within it. From soul, ska, punk, to guitar picking, bass line dancing, to rock, swing and more, the b...

K9 Kev is an interesting musician that brings about a whole new balance of hip hop and production with his latest record. “The Dear Diary EP” is a collection of 5 tracks coming straight out of the coastal town of Oban, Scotland. This unassuming EP is quite strong, and you'll get hit hard if you pay attention, as there's some great honesty in the songs, and excellent timing with the rhythm that is set forth in this release. The lyrical measurements that K9 Kev has on this record are nothing short of epic. The rhymes are good, but it’s the story telling that really takes center stage. I love when emcees focus on telling you more than just how great they are, and that’s something nice about this record. This is a story book that is quite personal, and while it’s deeply rooted in hip hop, there’s so much more to it. The character of the music speaks volumes about the artist, and the ear he has to production. The production is spot on here, with vocals soaring over the melodie...

Jamie Alimorad brings out one of the most incredible songs with “Rock Me To Heaven”. I don’t just say that, it really hit me hard. There’s a spiritual quality to this, and it absolutely rings true to your soul. The opening lyrics of “Rock Me To Heaven” send images in my mind of travel, coming home after a long trip. “You quiet the storm in my mind…” hooks you at around the minute mark and you’re absolutely lost in the soulful track that Alimorad has puts down with ease. Few artists can catch you off guard, especially when you are a music fan. I listen to music 17 hours a day, thanks to my writing career, and a lot of it becomes a part of the background. That’s not the case with “Rock Me To Heaven”. The track is very well written. The opening will grab you, but it’s the progression of the lyrical elements, the notion of love, the comfort, the peace, and the glory of love really shine through. It’s easy to wax poetic about this all, especially if you have ever loved someone deeply,...

Labeled as an experimental, meta-rock record, Herman Martinez takes on the tropes of what alternative, rock, heavy music, and shatters definitions. From the first track that opens “Solopsi Radio”, you are treated to an eclectic arrangement of instruments that are very much heavy, and very much in the same framework that Tool’s debut started with. However, the comparisons to the past slowly lift as the song’s structure begins to reveal an all different approach to the rock genre. There’s a staggering bass line, a triumphant guitar lead, and vocals that create a haunting experience. As you progress through the record, you are given a mix of heavy, soft, mellow, and contemplative lyrical elements. Tracking on this record is diverse, unique, and bring about a lot of comparisons. You are not going to be able to pinpoint “one” genre here, but it’s definitely rock heavy. This is a strength of Martinez’s composition, layering plenty of rock sounds into a larger portrait. Tracks like “Fic...

I’m always impressed with new music. Soul Spear caught me off guard, however, as I didn’t know what to expect. The artwork for “Built With Girders” was really cool, but the sound on my computer didn’t come through very well at first. It was because I didn’t plug in my speakers, and that’s my fault. Once I got things working, I was really impressed with the layers of EDM that Soul Spear puts through on this release. It starts with an orchestral solution then moves into a deep entrancing rhythm and flow of sounds that you will absolutely get lost in. Just when you think that you have figured out what Soul Spear is doing with their tracks, they throw a wrench at you and switch up the electronic soundscapes. This record really puts on a showcase of musical prowess, but not without showcasing layers of traditional digital music. There are moments that you swear you heard something before, but right when you try to figure it out, things switch up and you get a new sound, and a new laye...

Nick Driver is a very talented singer, songwriter, and he’s poised to get a lot of attention with the latest release that he has out, “Acoustic Mixtape EP”. Focusing on a stripped down, simple song structure, Nick Driver finds a way to create impressive layers of lyrical storytelling, and quality production. His work flows quite well, putting catchy elements with acoustic guitar and a little percussion here and there. From the opening track “Tip Jar” forward, you’re going to have this full EP stuck in your head. Often times when you get an acoustic record, you get a lot of soft, slow music. That’s not the case here. While this is not punk rock, it doesn’t need to be. Nick Driver finds a way to make the song structure catchy, without leaving you asleep amidst watered down acoustic traps. Driver really comes to life through the transition of tracks, from “Tip Jar” to “Baby Come Back To Me” to “Coffeehouse Hero”, you get a true sense for the emotional musings of Driver’s guitar work...

10K comes out swinging with the latest catchy hip hop song you’re going to absolutely love. I’ve heard a lot of rap and hip hop tracks this year already, but a lot of it is just boring. The rhymes are just repetition, or the words just get slurred across some mediocre beats. But this, this is pretty cool, 10K drops a story rhyme that is all out catchy, and fun. 10K goes across several different thoughts in just 2 minutes and 58 seconds of music, never letting up and continually processing consciousness with rhyming ability. You’ll get hit hard up front, and by the first chorus, you’re going to be singing along. This is the type of song that really showcases a good ear for beats, rhyme schematics, and professional flow. 10K is no slacker here, he throws down as many adjectives and ideas as he can without losing the audience. Often time’s when rappers have a lot to say, they speed it up and try too hard to spit out as many sentences as possible, but not here. Here it’s a bit laid...

King Saylee brought out two tracks of absolute fire with “Keep Going”, and “No Regrets”. These two tracks hit me like a ton of bricks, and they don’t let up. The lyrical elements of “Keep Going” alone are stuck in my head. King Saylee has found a way to bridge the gap between hip hop and rhythm and blues on these two tracks. First up, “Keep Going” gives a positive spin on the daily grind. The message of hope for a brighter future is definitely showcased here. The point is to keep on moving forward, and just don’t give up. No matter what comes your way, keep it moving, because you’ll get to the greater good that awaits ahead of you. “No Regrets” comes through with another slice of positivity, giving the listener a sense of empowerment. These tracks are not too unlike the positivity that artists like Bob Marley put out in his prime. You’re going to find that there are moments here that get you singing along with ease. Overall King Saylee’s two latest tracks truly give you a sense...

There comes a time when others become envious of what you do. Today, I can truly say that people are going to absolutely be envious about this blog, and the music that I am able to review. Why? I would credit Elmo Karjalainen’s latest “Where We Belong” as a major contributing factor in that regards. I’ve heard a lot of records, and have reviewed over 300 of them on the site so far, but nothing has been as poetic in song structure as this one. It’s a testament to the creativity that is provided with music of all types, and I’m honored to have heard this one for review. A Symbiosis of Melodic Guitar Sounds There’s a lot to this record. 15 tracks and nearly an hour of music comprised of acoustic elements. Each track creates a story through the language of acoustic guitar playing. This is not just strumming, there are layers to it, and each one creates a pictures for you to see when your eyes are closed. From the opening tracks “Where We Belong”, “By The Ocean” and “Black Jack Time...

Matt Tiller threw me one of the most interesting tracks I’ve heard in a long time. I didn’t know what to expect, as I heard the first track of his latest record. “Awkward EP” got me laughing, and singing along. Tiller has found a way to engage the comedy power of Flight of the Conchords and even a little Weird Al and douse it with a tinge of Ska and even Punk to give you a hilarious track. George Osborne gets absolutely skewered in this track, but in such a funny way, that you will absolutely find it amusing, and poignant all the same. Matt Tiller has a winning combination here, and if you can’t find yourself singing along to the standout single, then you’re dead inside. Seriously, what’s wrong with you? “We’re In This Together” is one of the best tracks I’ve heard in a long time, and it’s comedy gold, mixed with pop sensibilities that you will definitely love. Aside from this track, you’re going to find that “Awkward EP” is full of smartly tuned comedic elements. “Flat Packing ...

I have been a Matt Skiba fan for a long time. If I were to have one guitar player in my band, I would hire Matt Skiba, and that’s what Blink 182 did. Whatever the case is, this guy has so many musical outlets, it’s insane. What surprises me each time I hear about a new Skiba project is the fact that each one is tremendously well done. That’s what you’re going to get when you pick up “Kuts” , the latest release from Matt Skiba and the Sekrets. Holy crap, the guy can write a song, and the band is right on par with what you’d expect from their post punk, pop stylings. Not Alkaline Trio, But Close I’m not saying this in a bad way, but the record sounds a lot like you’d expect from The Alkaline Trio. However, the drumming and the guitar work is not as fast. This is not a fast paced, punk rock record like you’d expect from the trio. Instead, you get a more post rock, pop punk approach. That’s not a bad thing. The song writing is very well done, the bass tracks are layered in, and th...

2011, what a year. This release came out in October of 2011 and it was the fifth record from the band Jane’s Addiction. I have been a fan of the band since I first saw Perry Farrell in “Been Caught Stealing” and of course my affinity for Porno For Pyros is also well documented in my blogs. This record came out swinging with a whole new attempt at capturing the magic of the band’s earlier material, without sacrificing too much. Was it really worth it? Did the guys really come through on this one, or was it another miss in a long line of bad rock records that came out in the 2000s? The Heavy Bass Lines Makes The Great Escape Amazing “The Great Escape” shows Jane’s Addiction’s prowess for song writing . The music is well produced, and what I find to be absolutely astonishing is the bass work. Dave Sitek’s bass guitar playing on this record is not to be missed. If you’re a bass guitar fan, then you have to listen to this record a lot. It’s fascinating how the record pulls through ...