Minus The Bear Triumphs Over Tech Issues Seattle’s Minus the Bear plays their instruments as well as any band in rock. From a skill and technique standpoint, it would be hard to find a better modern rock outfit. But it seemed for a while during Sunday’s show at the Music Farm that the instruments didn’t [...]
All Eternals Deck – The Mountain Goats
In an era of critically acclaimed literary lyricists, John Darnielle of the Mountain Goats may be the most lauded. But he’s also one of the hardest to crack, as the deep metaphors he crafts often leave the listener rummaging for meaning. This style continues on his band’s latest effort All Eternals Deck. The album launches [...]
Take Care, Take Care, Take Care – Explosions in the Sky
Explosions in the Sky built a post-rock (read: instrumental rock) reputation on soaring highs and skillfully employing the soft-loud dynamic. But the Austin quartet’s newest album, Take Care, Take Care, Take Care, is starkly calm, failing to hit the same emotional chords that thrust the band to prominence. Take Care is best described as even-keel. [...]
Oui Camera Oui – The Heavenly States
Growing up is never an easy prospect for rockers, but Oakland’s the Heavenly States handle the passage of time with understated grace and rock vet chops on their latest release, Oui Camera Oui. The follow-up to the stunning Delayer (the best album of 2008), this EP attempts to make sense of the frustrations of the [...]
