Album Review: Darkness Rains by Death Valley Girls

Album Review: Darkness Rains by Death Valley Girls

Beautiful young opti-mystical girls from Los Angeles who are not afraid to rock really, really hard. This is the future. Forget about Iggy Pop. Our favorite song: Disaster (Is What We’re After). (Link to their video of Iggy Pop eating a hamburger is here.) Reviewed on our #17 podcast, Cinnamon=John Peel

Album Review: Righteous Harmony Fist by Blue Orchids

Album Review: Righteous Harmony Fist by Blue Orchids

Stumbling blindly onto a band like this may make a music critic like myself feel pretty smart, but it shouldn’t. A first listen to this album will reveal the raw talent and thirty years of experience that went into making it. Honored to have this on our podcast. Our favorite song: Incandescent Artillery.Reviewed on our #17 podcast, Cinnamon=John Peel

Album Review: Megladon by the Krektones

Album Review: Megladon by the Krektones

That horn! Those beats! Those riffs! This band keeps themselves deep in the Asheville underground, emerging only periodically to rock some party and then retreat back into the darkness. Our favorite song: Megladon. (Link to their free Christmas album is here.)Reviewed on our #17 podcast, Cinnamon=John Peel

Album Review: Black City by Rich Girls

Album Review: Black City by Rich Girls

Everything good from the early 80s post punk: distortion, rhythmic beats, bass, rich voice, and so much living. An important sound and statement about the defiance of an artist in the face of a world which grinds down the outsider and elevates the team player.  Reviewed on our #17 podcast, Cinnamon=John Peel

Album Review: The Green Room by Sunn Raga

Album Review: The Green Room by Sunn Raga

From the swamps of St. Augustine, Florida, comes a rock and roll sound that is both heavy and clean. This band is still in its infancy, but we think the way they experiment with mixing blues and heavy metal makes them worth a real listen. Favorite track: Swamp Thing. Reviewed on podcast 16: Cowpokin with Andy Perkins

Album Review: Talented Sun by Calvin Heights

Album Review: Talented Sun by Calvin Heights

Experimental music should be just like this: slightly perplexing, but not in denial of beauty. Calvin Heights is a band that doesn’t mind disturbing you, but this album just might make you happy. Favorite track: Man of Your Dreams Reviewed on podcast 16: Cowpokin with Andy Perkins

Album Review: Qalupalik by Daydream Creatures

Album Review: Qalupalik by Daydream Creatures


This young band feels around the edges of their own expectations, finding occasional (and wonderful) roughness and meanness in the midst of their own sweet harmonies and kind words. A band to watch. Favorite track: You Let me Let You

Album Review: “Stake Your Claim”by Big Eyes

Album Review: “Stake Your Claim”by Big Eyes

Taking control of the punk indie crown and owning the perfect sound of big distorted guitar and hella ferocious vocals. Stake Your Claim acts as fulfilment as well as statement of intent – yeah they’re staking their claim and dropping their flag on the biggest piece of cake.

Album Review: “No Control” by Jelly Mammoth

Album Review: “No Control” by Jelly Mammoth

Such sweet young kids from Geelong. So innocent and uncontaminated. Or maybe not. Just intent on leaving expectations behind, drilling into the basics of power chords, and the direct vocal direction – no control, no control, no control!