The Lost Lovers Brigade
Little Skeletons
(independent)
3/5
When listening to The Lost Lovers Brigade’s debut album, Little Skeletons, a few key phrases come to mind, phrases like “meh,” “it’s aight,” and “I guess I could see people being into this.” Now, that’s not saying this Vancouver band is terribleŃthere’s something that catches my attention about them. Perhaps it’s the homemade recording feel, or Elisha May Rembold’s eerie pop/country textured vocals. I’m not 100 percent sure.
Ultimately, though, it’s not all the way there, which is fair enough, as this is their first album. Just keep an eye on this band because there’s some talent brewing.
Maybe we’ll just have to wait until the indie hipster kids get a hold of it and run rampant, all of them claiming to have been the first to listen to The Lost Lovers Brigade. And then I can be all like, “Yeah, well, I totally reviewed their debut album.”
Stupid hipsters.
-Clorisa Simpson
The Cat Empire
Asylum
(Tunes for Change)
4/5
Asylum is a charity release benefiting the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre in Australia. It features alternate versions of old Cat Empire songs, plus new ones, and songs from members’ other, previously released, projects.
“Here Come the Scissors” by The Genie brings The Cat Empire’s rhythm section to the forefrontŃwhere they belong. Felix Riebl’s “I Won’t Know You Anymore” is a gorgeous step up from Cinema’s “No Longer There.” And Roscoe James Irwin evokes Elliott Smith on “Pass the Time.”
The standout tracks on Asylum both come from Harry James Angus. His evocative, imagery-rich songwriting is highlighted on the curiously melodic “Dave” by Jackson Jackson, and on “Underground.”
Asylum exemplifies the fact that musicians exist not in a void, but in a community. And be sure to act fast: once the donation goal of $50,000 is reached, this will no longer be available.
-Rose Jang
Marianas Trench
Ever After
(604)
4/5
This Juno-nominated pop-punk band from Vancouver had a lot to live up to with their third album, Ever After, considering their last album, Masterpiece Theatre, had great songs like “Cross My Heart” and “Celebrity Status” on it.
Their single “Haven’t Had Enough” is already causing waves on iTunes, but it’s other tunes, such as “Ever After,” with its strong, vocal beginning, “Porcelain,” with its slow but heartfelt lyrics, and typical Marianas Trench upbeat songs such as “B Team” or “Fallout” that have great potential to make it into the spotlight.
Be prepared to get up and dance – or at least stay seated and tap your foot – to this album.
Even better, Ever After flies from song to song with no pauses in between, and the fun will last the whole 54 minutes that the album is playing.
-Chesley Ryder
Vektor
Outer Isolation
(Heavy Artillery)
5/5
This second full-length release by Arizona thrash metal band Vektor proves with technical prowess, succinct length, and juicy solos that it’s a masterful follow-up to their first album, 2009’s Black Future.
Through their sci-fi thrash, Vektor pays homage to black metal and progressive death metal. Their bleak stylings are akin to noted underground metal bands like Nocturnus, Unseen Terror, Nuclear Assault, and Gorguts.
Picture several lone cyber marines forsaken by their government on an inhospitable barren landscape. They’re not being attacked by aliens; they’re slowly being internally destroyed by the elements. That’s the sound Vektor creates.
“Tetrastructural Minds” is the boldest metal opener in recent memory, and the album just does not relent: there are no bad songs. Outer Isolation is violent, sophisticated, audible, and proves that thrash is more relevant now than it was in the ’80s.
-Adam Price
Sharon Jones
Soul Time!
(Daptone)
4/5
It’s time to get down to Soul Time!, a collection of B-sides and rarities from America’s soul queen, Sharon Jones. The tracks were previously released on 7”s, compilations, or as bonus tracks, and are collected here, along with new track, “New Shoes.”
This album is super funky, and features the strong horns that make the Dap-Kings so good. As usual, the songs are infused with Jones’ strong, sassy personality. Her powerful, distinctive voice is what makes the songs so good.
Highlights include “Genuine (Parts 1 and 2),” which is as strong as anything on Jones’ recent albums; “What If We All Stopped Paying Taxes?” a grooving song with a great baritone sax line and a chill guitar solo; and romantic slow jam “Without a Trace.”
The tracks on Soul Time! are less memorable than 2010’s standout I Learned the Hard Way, but it’s still great to hear more of the Dap-Kings’ soulful sound.
-Rose Jang