Reviews

Albums, singles and shows, reviewed.

567 stories · Page 4 of 29

MusicAlbum Review: Draghoria – Dangerous SpeciesNate Wilde · Jun 2, 2022MusicEP Review: Elektric Animals – ChannelsDenver’s Elektric Animals ring in the summer via the upbeat rock sound of their new EP Channels.Valerie Vampola · May 2, 2022MusicAlbum Review: Anthony Ruptak – BackroomsLike Ruptak’s earlier work, Backrooms is emotionally charged, but themes of anger, regret and despair are balanced by love and connection. “The overall arc is one of evolution and healing,” Ruptak explained. Scenes that play out over fragile, haunting melodies include a funeral for a well-loved dog, an ambulance ride to a hospice center and a white-knuckle drive to the house of a suicidal family member. On “Angie,” Ruptak proposes to his wife. Literally.Gabe Allen · Apr 26, 2022MusicEP Review: Ronan Andrews – Quarter Life CrisisRonan Andrews’ new solo EP Quarter Life Crisis features upbeat and bright pop with some groovy jazz and soul undertones that should please fans of Mayor Hawthorne or Silk Sonic. There’s a happy, feel-good air about his songs, like the upbeat opening track “Dancing Like a Fool,” featuring a bouncing piano groove, full vocal harmonies and cool guitar licks. It gives “Sunday Morning” by Maroon 5 feelings, especially when the piano plays lush, jazz-influenced chord changes.Valerie Vampola · Apr 25, 2022MusicAlbum Review: Holdfast. – MoviesHoldfast.’s new album Movies brings their expected electro dark-pop and rock aesthetic but leans into other styles that open their doors to new fans. Singer Charlie Maddocks demonstrates a dramatic contrast in dynamics, one that MUSE’s lead Matt Bellamy is well known for, though Maddocks’ tone is undoubtedly his own, becoming one of Colorado’s most recognizable lead vocals. Holdfast. continues to deliver strong songs while experimenting with new sounds and textures.Valerie Vampola · Apr 6, 2022MusicAlbum Review: Young Habitat – In First Person PerspectiveMusic seldom tells you what to imagine in a concrete, absolute way. It requires you to fill in the gaps — sometimes thin, sometimes wide. Young Habitat’s debut EP In First Person Perspective, is a meditation on this idea. Riley Sbarna and saxophonist Hayden Farr (Trash Cat, The Burroughs) have long riffed about a potential musical collaboration, but the inspiration to finally follow through came from an unlikely source: the pandemic. Though In First Person Perspective retains the emotional vulnerability of Sbrana’s previous work, the sonic landscape is a left turn. Understated vocals often devolve into heavily affected opacity. The instrumentation is reminiscent of lo-fi hip hop with frequent saxophone odysseys provided by Farr. It’s one part contemporary Bon Iver and one part Porches with a sprinkle of neo soul. It’s both melancholic and beautiful.Gabe Allen · Apr 5, 2022MusicAlbum Review: Kaitlyn Williams – Under These Lights“Under These Lights,” the new album from Denver’s Kaitlyn Williams, walks the line between neo soul and music for the masses, departing from the bedroom pop she showcased in her 2019 album and subsequent singles. A contributing factor to this shift in style is the live recording, which leaves less room for glittery production and more room for natural musicianship.Valerie Vampola · Apr 4, 2022MusicAlbum Review: Dead Man’s AlibiFort Collins-based Dead Man’s Alibi keeps a post-grunge metal sound while tossing in some blues on their debut.Valerie Vampola · Mar 10, 2022MusicAlbum Review: Big Brooklyn – Everyone EverywhereDenver based Big Brooklyn begs the question “what is jazz?” with their new album Everyone Everywhere, in which every track dips a toe into different sub-genres underneath the jazz umbrella.Valerie Vampola · Mar 9, 2022MusicAlbum Review: Thom LaFond – The Moon Leans InNederland, Colorado’s Thom LaFond is most well known as the guitarist and singer in Denver’s four-piece gypsy jam rock outfit Banshee Tree. But on this, his debut full-length, he lets his inner voice shine. Close, acoustic and intimate speckles of piano, pizzicato violin and nimble upright bass frame his hushed, masculine baritone with gorgeous minimalism; a composition on par with a Kandinsky. “Did they take the moon you were after and give it back piece by piece?” the record’s first lyric asks, initiating a song and an album dense with gorgeous prose, artful arrangements and beautiful music.Kevin Johnston · Mar 8, 2022MusicSingle Review: Isadora Eden f. Duke Justice – “Glycerine” [Bush Cover]Eden’s reimagining of the Bush classic fits the song’s mystical and mysterious feelings of being in love by surrounding the listener with ambient synths and heavy reverbs. Justice’s vocals have a grungy texture reminiscent of Bush frontman Gavin Rossdale, a nice call-back to the original.Valerie Vampola · Feb 22, 2022MusicAlbum Review: One Peace – A GLORIOUS ONEA GLORIOUS ONE from rapper One Peace finds itself at the crossroads of trunk-knocking production, emotion-soaked sampling, and vivid, unapologetic songwriting. Released on independent Fort Collins-based record label Lion League Music, it’s a nostalgic yet relevant album that feels as diverse as it does cohesive. Sonically, it could stand in as the score to a Tarantino flick or the tracklist for a forthcoming Grand Theft Auto radio station with OP’s speaking voice alone commanding more presence than the average MC yelling full volume into the mic.Diego Felix · Feb 8, 2022MusicSingle Review: Bekka Jean – “What If I Forget About You ='(”Following the passing of her mother, Greeley’s Bekka Jean independently released her folky, shoegaze single “What If I Forget About You ='(” in the vein of Phoebe Bridgers.Valerie Vampola · Feb 7, 2022MusicSingle Review: The Burroughs – “My House My Car”The Burroughs continue to progress their sound while retaining some of the retro vibe that first captured the hearts of Northern Colorado: 70’s and 80’s musical tropes, a…Valerie Vampola · Feb 4, 2022MusicAlbum Review: Fast Eddy – Take A LookAs modern rock groups lean into synthesized productions, Denver’s Fast Eddy keeps the standard rock ‘n roll traditions alive in their new full-length album Take A Look.Valerie Vampola · Feb 3, 2022MusicAlbum Review: The Matterhorn Project – TravelerWhen the phrases “prog metal” and “solo studio project” occupy the about section of a band’s website, a couple of red flags go up. But Zahari Tzigularov, a Bulgarian-born long time Denverite and the mastermind behind The Matterhorn Project, has used his studio time well. Though his musicianship is apparent, his artistry is front and center. The 5-song EP is at once lush and foreboding. Tzigularov’s compositions weave between sludgy bass-driven riffs, wandering clean guitar melodies and fantastical whisper-growled lyrics.Gabe Allen · Jan 13, 2022MusicSingle Review: Branson Hoog – “No Vacancy”Intimate and sexy, Branson Hoog’s nimble, close-up vocals evoke an alluring darkness. The NOT A TOY (fka Shatterproof) frontman employs deep and minimalistic beats on “No Vacancy,” the second release under his own name.Kevin Johnston · Jan 11, 2022MusicSingle Review: Co-Stanza – “20 Minutes”Dropping realness like a reference to FaceTime helped folks relate to FoCo’s Co-Stanza (to the tune of nearly 2 million streams on “I Don’t Mind”) and by the sound of this hooky new toe tapper, Co-Stanza will continue racking up fans with each tick of the clock.Kevin Johnston · Jan 10, 2022MusicAlbum Review: Crescent City Connection – Yeah You Right!Fort Collins based Crescent City Connection brings New Orleans flavor to the Colorado funk-rock scene with their new album Yeah You Right!Valerie Vampola · Jan 6, 2022MusicSingle Review: DEBR4H – Cassi-0-PeiaIt’s 2022 and yes, it’s possible that your garage band owns 100 synthesizers.Kevin Johnston · Jan 5, 2022