Archive for the ‘Classic Rock’ Category

Tuesday, January 12th, 2010

Avi Buffalo

Avi BuffaloArtist: Avi Buffalo

Hails from: Long Beach CA

Musical Style: Indie, Alternative

For fans of: The Shins, Devendra Banhart, Neutral Milk Hotel

Why you should check them out:
This Southern California folk rock quartet is young… high school young, and yet they write songs that are filled with such maturity and wit, it’s hard not to label them as prodigies. They’ve just signed to Sub Pop and are working on their debut record.
Background Check:
Avi Buffalo revolves around one person, the singer, songwriter and guitar player of the group, Avigdor Zahner-Isenber. This 18 year old Long Beach Native was introduced to the professional music world at the age of 13, when he fell under the tutelage of a local seasoned blues man, Joel Weinberg… think Lisa Simpson meets Bleeding Gums Murphy.  After three years of showing the tween Avigodor how to play and perform, the young upstart began recording at home. He mined the traumas of high school romance to fuel his songwriting, and eventually collected an ensemble of like-minded musicians to fill out the sound.
They’ve only been on one tour, up to Seattle and back; however they’ve garnered a lot of attention with their remarkably catchy songs and virtuoso playing. There will undoubtedly be backlash against their hype, as a result of their age; however, once you give the music an honest listen it’s going to be hard to refute that this is a talented and capable band. If you want to get in on a good investment early, check out Avi Buffalo and watch how they grow.
Where you can find them in Cyberspace:
On Tour:
Avi Buffalo plays the Noise Pop Festival on February 27th at the Rickshaw Stop in San Francisco.  Tickets are on sale here

Posted in Acoustic, Alternative, Classic Rock, Folk Rock, Indie Pop | No Comments »

Tuesday, December 8th, 2009

Cymbals Eat Guitars

Cymbals Eat GuitarsArtist: Cymbals Eat Guitars

Hails from: Staten Island, NY

Musical Style: Indie/ Experimental/ Rock

For Fans of: Pavement, Modest Mouse, Weezer

Why you should check them out:

Whatever you’re into, Staten Island’s Cymbals Eat Guitars is probably into as well. Too experimental to be called pop, but too pop to be called Animal Collective, CEG is like a four man amalgamation of the last twenty five years of indie rock progression.

Background Check:

When I first heard the name Cymbals Eat Guitars, my instinct was to wince. Images of violent hardcore rock flooded, thinking of the sound surely made when a guitar is consumed by the shrill jaws of a cymbal. Hearing that front man Joseph D’Agostino went by the alias Joseph Ferocious only further drove my fantastical visions of black metal and bloody stage shows.

Turns out I am terrible at predictions, since Cymbals Eat Guitars is one of the most dynamic, eclectic, and accessible sounding  bands around today. Just listening to “And the Hazy Sea,” the opening track off CEG’s self released 2009 debut album Why There Are Mountains, paints an epic and artful picture of a young band (D’Agostino is barely in his 20’s) wasting no time in dominating the indie stratosphere.

Building on an early 90’s indie rock base, and launching off with exceptional and experimental flourishes, CEG leave no stone unturned in the canon of modern music. D’Agostino himself is like the love child of Isaac Brock’s yelping and Stephen Malkmus’s ultra hip swagger. The music sways back and forth, often within the same song, from softly crooning piano rock to all out rolling drums and horns backed intensity as the volume and pitch rise higher and higher. Songs like “Some Trees” are down right poppy, reflecting the not so distant past of CEG’s high school incarnation as a Weezer cover band. Though enormous strides have been made musically for the four piece, the essence of that early and pure enjoyment in music still dominates the group. Few bands today sound like they’re having as much fun doing what they do as Cymbals Eat Guitars. And that makes them all the more infectious.

Where you can find them in cyberspace:

Cymbalseatguitars.com

MySpace

Wikipedia

On Tour:

JamBase

Posted in Alternative/Indie Rock, Classic Rock | No Comments »

Tuesday, November 24th, 2009

Monsters of Folk

Monsters of FolkArtist: Monsters of Folk

Hails from: Omaha, NE

Musical Style: Indie, Folk, Classic Rock

For Fans of: Bright Eyes, My Morning Jacket, Wilco

WHY YOU SHOULD CHECK THEM OUT:
Monsters of Folk are the latest supergroup consisting of consisting of Jim James from My Morning Jacket, Conor Oberst and Mike Mogis from Bright Eyes and M. Ward.  This talented group of songsmiths venture deep into their influences on their dynamic debut album. The rotating front men trade off like a team of professors giving lessons on the history of American music; although they make sure to include their own modern touches. If you’re looking for some familiar yet forward sounds, handled by a group of young legends, then get this record spinning.

BACKGROUND CHECK:
This all-star crew got their start in 2004 after they began playing together both on stage and behind the scenes. After five years of collaboration while simultaneously working with their own bands, the group went public with their debut self-titled album released in September 2009.  All three acts represented in Monsters of Folk have rolled out so many hits in the last decade that they can easily be considered as some of the brightest stars of contemporary rock and folk music. The amazing song-writing and stunning playing abilities of this quartet are understood when you listen to some of their well received records like, My Morning Jacket’s Z, Bright Eyes’ Lifted or M. Ward’s Post-War.

With Monsters of Folk, you want to check out “Say Please,” a tune that plays like an instant classic. It’s superb guitar solo and catchy, group-sung chorus will have you joining in the jam from wherever you’re listening. Other highlights on the album are “Ahead of the Curve,” a sentimental acoustic song led by the talented Oberst and “The Right Place” a ragtimey number led by Jim James

Where you can find them in cyberspace:

Monstersoffolk.com

MySpace

On Tour:

JamBase

Posted in Classic Rock, Folk, Folk Rock | No Comments »

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