14 March, 2006

Strive Roots

I was going through my early morning iTunes New Music Tuesday routine, reading through the celebrity playlists and checking out the new albums. I was more than pleasantly surprised to find that Hannah Teter's (!) playlist included this band, Strive Roots. I can't believe I'd never heard of them before. They literally rock in a very funky way.

I immediately Googled and Myspaced them followed by a frantic download of their new album, Bio Resonance Therapy. It's all very good, a nice mix of reggae, funk and rock (think Chili Peppers with slightly better lyrics and a lighter sound.) Really, the only thing to say is that you should check them out and they should be touring pretty soon!

"Nolite bastardes te carborundorum!"

-Musicsob

05 March, 2006

A New Movement

From Oakland to San Francisco the Bay Area of California has long been a musical mecca. A place of new musical movements where everyone from the Grateful Dead to Green Day got their start. About a month ago while I was band surfing on Myspace I came across a band called Street To Nowhere from Oakland, CA. Their Myspace homepage was nothing special, but the music I heard while reading their bio was an intriguing blend of punk rock attitude and strong musicianship with a decidedly indie lo-fi sound (Elliott Smithish.) This style was both strange to hear and strangely refreshing, a far cry from the emo-punk and pop-punk that has lately been monopolizing the alternative radio stations. Skimming over Street To Nowhere’s bio I came across this message “There’s something going on in the Bay Area” followed by a list of local bands that are pushing the boundaries of punk music. True, Street To Nowhere may not be the next Green Day and their indie lo-fi/instrumental punk may not be the next pop-punk, but they are certainly creating a sound of their own along with some of their Bay Area friends:

Two Gallants: A little awesome, a little country, completely interesting. These men are creating a unique sound with their folk-with-a-punk-edge lyrics and country instrumentals. Think The Clash meets Old 97’s.

The Matches: This band succeeds in being both completely hilarious and completely cliched. Very straightforward pop-punk.

Audrye Sessions: Punk rock for the Coldplay generation. Quiet, pretty, and yet lyrically challenging. In the words of the prophet Jello Biafra “Punk’s about thinking for yourself.”

Push to Talk: Bringing in The Cars new wave punk attitude, this band screams ‘80s. Yet, as you listen their music it grabs you like Chicago’s Smoking Popes. Fluffy on the outside but with an edge.

-Musicsnob