In The Whale – Not Their First Rodeo

For Nate Valdez and Eric Reilly of the two-piece rock band In The Whale, the last seven years has been a wild ride on the slow burn to success. From their humble beginnings in the early days of the Greeley music scene to their grind touring at a national level, In The Whale has evolved both sonically and professionally.

Thundercat Comes Into His Own

“As long as I don’t start murdering people are robbing banks in the name of Thundercat, I’m good,” Stephen Bruner says regarding his fixation with the ‘80s action figures and cartoon series. “I kind of had a creepier fascination with it when I was younger. It scared my parents a bit. My mom had to be careful and pay attention because if she didn’t, she would turn around and I would seriously be worshiping the toys. I’m sure eating the cat food, staring at the toys and not really playing with them would scare anybody though [laughs].”

Don’t Always Believe What You See: Brotha Lynch Hung

Infamous for his tendencies towards dark, twisted rap tales, or what many call “horrorcore,” Sacramento native Brotha Lynch Hung (real name Kevin Mann) has established himself as an inimitable force in the business. Since stepping out with the 24 Deep EP in 1993, he’s continually pumped out solo albums, only taking a hiatus between 2003‘s Lynch by Inch: Suicide Note and 2009’s The Gas Station Mixtape Volume One. Admittedly, he was not exactly sure what he was going to do during that period of his life.

Album Review: Victim Culture – Self-Titled

Back in April, Denver-based hardcore band, Victim Culture, released their debut, self-titled album. Coming in at eight songs and a breezy 23 minutes, the album packs a heavy, but swift punch from start to finish. Comprised of Zack Hill on guitar and vocals, Connor Hampton on vocals and bass, and Noah Shockley on drums, the band’s sound is rooted heavily in punk. They have a raw but defined sound, blending together melodicism with dissonant, angular guitar riffs.

Album Review: Attack On Venus – XO

Attack on Venus is your local pissed off galactic explorers. With the release of the album XO they explore new territory. XO is a fairly short release that focuses on bringing you along their journey. If you have listened to Attack on Venus live it is very much a sonic exploration, however this EP directs you more towards structure and catchy hooks with an occasion sonic bloom.

Album Review: Ian Mahan – Rockford

Ian Mahan, based out of Denver, says he blends together pop, blues, folk, “and old-time entertainment,” and his latest album, Rockford, particularly leans toward an acoustic indie/pop blend with gentle, relaxing lyrics. The album could be called sweet, or in less generous terms, sappy. But for an independent singer-songwriter, Rockford is a good step forward.

Album Review: She-Devils – Self Titled

The self-titled debut from Montreal-based rock band She-Devils possesses a fresh eccentric edge and is a well put together album as far as composition, songwriting and singing is concerned.