May 21st, 2016 | by Dave Manning | published in Local Releases
To put it simply… this is Rock & Roll played the way it should be – rugged, primal, f*kin-loud, headbanging-feedback-raw down&dirty guitar-riffin’ tunes possessed and whipdriven by thick-as-sirloin-steak meaty bass and rumble-the-floorboards Norse ThunderGod drumming. But I ‘wax poetic’ here…
April 20th, 2016 | by David Haddad | published in Local Releases
Pop punk can be a tricky genre to nail down sometimes. While some would consider bands like the Queers or Screeching Weasel to be primary examples of the genre, others might reference Blink-182, All Time Low, or Fallout Boy when describing it. The truth is, neither are really wrong. While the genre started with just […]
April 7th, 2016 | by David Haddad | published in Local Releases
The final throes of the winter season are always the worst. The weather’s temperamental indecision between February and May taunts us with stretches of sunny days, only to sucker-punch us in the gut a week later with snow and cold. With a primary trait of pop-punk/garage bands being a celebration of sunny summer days backed […]
March 28th, 2016 | by David Haddad | published in Local Releases
“You ready to go Gaga?” Ottawa Gaga Compilation: Volume 1 opens with the voice of The Beach Blankets’ singer posing this question to his band and, seemingly, you the listener, before they break out into an energetic spasm of garage-rock goodness. The constant presence of cheering and hooting behind the track make it the perfect […]
June 15th, 2015 | by Scott Martin | published in Local Releases
If you’re looking for that perfect summertime soundtrack, Old Stereo may have just what you’re looking for. Their latest, What It’s All About is an entertaining blend of funk and soul inspired tunes, dripping with great riffs and hummable melodies. To be honest I don’t know where to start with this one. There isn’t a […]
June 9th, 2015 | by Scott Martin | published in Local Releases
There’s something distinct about Cody Allen‘s voice. Whenever I hear one of his songs, I just know it’s him. On his latest release Ignite, he presents 6 new tracks that are distinctly Cody. The lead track, Heart of a Lion is a surefire hit. I can’t stop listening to it. Maybe because it most reminds […]
August 29th, 2014 | by Scott Martin | published in Local Releases
With a name like The Powergoats, I was expecting something a little heavier to come barreling out of the speakers. However, what I heard quickly grew on me. Ruby Headlights was my first introduction to The Powergoats and it’s well worth a listen. The songwriting is strong and it didn’t take long to find myself […]
July 14th, 2014 | by Scott Martin | published in Local Releases
With A Living Fiction, it doesn’t take long for The Red Rails to pull you in with their dirty rock groove. While my favs may be the first 2 opening tracks, The Prisoner and On the Line, it’s by no means down hill from there. Even when the band slows things down somewhat on tracks […]
July 8th, 2014 | by Scott Martin | published in Local Releases
If you’re into the synth sounds that came out of the early 80’s you’ll want to check out the self-titled release from The High Energy Protons (a side project of Nova Spire). The album is an all instrumental affair, whose tempo varies throughout with mellower numbers like Neon Cruising to the more frenetic beat of […]
April 24th, 2014 | by Scott Martin | published in Local Releases
Metronome Jones’ latest EP Porch is definitely worth checking out. With the opening track Olivia, the band wastes no time amping up the energy. This tune just grabbed me instantly with it’s driving rhythm, frantic beat and scratchy vocal. This is definitely my favorite track off of Porch. But even when the band slows down, […]