_CD Reviews 2013 (Page 6)

The Dave Nelligan Thing – “Dark Matters”Self-Released-out now2.5 / 5 The folk-pop that is the Dave Nelligan Thing reminds us of Chris Knox for some reason. The vocals are different, and Knox is a bit more outgoing in the instrumentals, but in both there is something organic, low-fi, self-described DIY, somehow. It’s playful, it’s unusual, it’s that strange kid in the back of class who draws pictures of chocolate tribbles because the idea amuses him. And that’s what we get from Dark Matters, the first album under The Dave Nelligan Thing from the Cork, Irelander. It’s an unusual journey, but not necessarily one worth repeating.Read More →

Treetop Flyers – “The Mountain Moves”Partisan Records-out June 253 / 5 We think Treetop Flyers wins the “sounds most like Fleet Foxes” award this year. It’s all about that opener for us, “Things Will Change,” with its cheery guitar and constrained harmonies, acoustic perfection. Where, then, have all the pieces gone after that song? That’s the question we’d like to put to the London quintet, because the rest of what they’ve presented here is merely average teetering on just above, passable but certainly not exceptional. They dropped the ball! And that’s dangerous to do from the treetops. To compare to the Foxes, both debuts useRead More →

Whitehorse – “The Fate of the World Depends on This Kiss”Six Shooter Records-out now2.5 / 5 Canadian folk band Whitehorse jumps right out of the gates. The husband-wife duo start right off with such a strong opening that we’re left wondering what’s to come. Unfortunately, not much is the answer. The quality of their writing is so uneven that it astounds us, and the vocals that drive these songs are similarly uneven. “Achilles’ Desire” is one of those great openings, dark country, saloon gunfight kind of pace to it, that captures our heart. It’s strange and brilliant that it’s something of a love song, butRead More →

Radiation City – “Animals in the Median”Tender Loving Empire-out today3 / 5 The Portland, Oregon’s pop unit has some mixed blessings on their sophomore. Their sound is deliberate, their decisions intentional; there isn’t much room for putzing about on the album. They know what they want and they go right for it. Unfortunately, some of these tracks are fairly sleepy, and that’s perhaps the best way to put it. Every now and then, they drift a bit dreamily, and come out the worse for it. And what they go for isn’t necessarily tight and focused, it doesn’t always produce a brilliant listening experience, but let’sRead More →