Archive for the ‘Released this Week’ Category

Track Review: The Ritz – “It’s The…” from The Night of Day

The Ritz - The Night of DayThe Ritz
The Night of Day
“It’s The…”

Content warning: Lyrics involve use of the ever-ominous “f” word. I don’t mind.

The Ritz – “It’s The” | download
[audio:http://www.musicgeek.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/theritz-itsthe.mp3]

My first thought, after hearing this track from the debut album from The Ritz? I was impressed, honest. The combination of bass-heavy beats with string samples and a nice use of stereo rapping (Elliott Smith influence, maybe? Likely not.) is fairly evocative and engaging. My only real complaint? The bass is mixed a bit too heavily, as it ends up slightly excessive and punchy on my well-balanced headphones (Sennheiser HD 485s, nothing too expensive,) distracting from the rest of the track, a well-mixed hip-hop introduction track.There’s nothing too adventurous about this track, but its efficient execution bodes well for the full release, due out August 19th.

Released This Week: Inquiet – Inq Beyong

Inquiet - Inq BeyongInquiet
Inq Beyong
Brother Sister Records, August 15, 2008

Inquiet – “Fresh Flesh” | download
[audio:http://www.musicgeek.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/2008-inquiet-fresh-flesh.mp3]

Inquiet is an experimental pop group from Australia: That’s not a phrase you hear too often in many musical circles, especially those in the northern hemisphere. That’s got little to nothing to do with the musical quality here, to be honest. (more…)

Released This Week: The Telepathic Butterflies – Breakfast in Suburbia

The Telepathic ButterfliesThe Telepathic Butterflies
Breakfast in Suburbia
Rainbow Quartz, 2008

The Telepathic Butterflies – “Telescope” | download
[audio:http://www.musicgeek.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/telescope.mp3]

One thing is made clear from the opening track of Breakfast in Suburbia: The Telepathic Butterflies (what a name!) are rooted in a 1960s pop aesthetic, their apparent influences a combination of the usual suspects: The Beach Boys and The Beatles, most notably, with a nice dose of surf rock playing out in the guitar tones. There’s enough of a psychedelic inflection in the music produced by the duo that citing Barrett-era Pink Floyd wouldn’t be completely off the mark, either.

(more…)

Released This Week: The OaKs – Songs for Waiting

The OaKs - <i>Songs for Waiting</i> The OaKs
Songs for Waiting
Self-released
March 4, 2008

The OaKs, previously the subject of a MusicGeek.org spotlight, self-released Songs for Waiting Tuesday. Opening track, “The Two Calls (of Dietrich Bonhoeffer)” — posted below for download and streaming — isn’t rough, and it’s certainly not too soft. The historical narrative, written by one of two founding members, Ryan Costello, is, at the very least, interesting. The arrangements involved in this new release are well planned, providing a listening experience that’s bound to impress.

The OaKs / Photo by Steven Taylor, Courtesy of Fanatic Promotion

The OaKs – “The Two Calls (of Dietrich Bonhoeffer)” | download
[audio:http://www.musicgeek.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/theoaks-thetwocallsofdietrichbonheoffer.mp3]

The OaKs – “The Heart is a Lonely Hunter” | download
[audio:http://www.musicgeek.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/theoaks-theheartisalonelyhunter.mp3]