Featured Music Video:
Artist: Rival Sons
Song: Pressure & Time
Album: Pressure & Time
WITR REVIEW: Have you been asking yourself if rock music has died recently? I hope you haven't, because you might just need to look harder. Of course there is the Black Keys, and Foxy Shazam sounds like they're touring with Queen. Then there comes Rival Sons, a bluesy rock band from LA that certainly tries their hand at the type of blues rock made famous by that little band from England, Led Zeppelin. This is off their sophomore LP, and it rocks!
Summer Camp:
Welcome To Condale
WITR REVIEW: When you watch a John Hughes movie what usually stands out, is it the great character development, the intricate plotlines, maybe even the soundtrack? Known for such classics as Sixteen Candles and The Breakfast Club, Hughes’ soundtracks were typical of the era, fun, whimsical, and uplifting. Jeremy Warmsley and Elizabeth Sankey are obviously familiar with this type of sound, as their debut album Welcome To Condale, under the moniker Summer Camp, has a definite 70’s pop feeling. Within a minute of listening to the first song on the album, “Better Off Without You” you understand how easily it could be to mistake them for a southern California band that stepped out of a time machine. Like the band’s name, the album seems to have been released about 5 months late, but with the temperature dropping around here recently, a summery album might be just the thing to cure that cloudy Rochester depression of yours.
Beirut:
The Rip Tide
WITR REVIEW: Imagine for a moment that you’re in the heart of America; you’re all alone, yet you somehow don’t feel lonely. Off in the distance you hear a strange sound, unlike anything you’ve ever heard before. As you get closer you realize that it’s a soft sort of music, utilizing modern pop stylings with an infusion of old world styles. Even closer yet, a smooth croon can be heard over the wonderfully deep instruments. This is just what Zach Condon (going by the moniker “Beirut”) has done continuously since the explosive release of his 2005 album “the Gulag Orkestar.” 2011 sees the release of Condon’s third LP, and his most mature yet. Those that criticized Condon’s past work of being too repetitive should find refuge in the album. The Rip Tide sees a transformation of Beirut from a solo effort, to a full band. The songs have are much more complex, yet seem more developed. Some of Condon’s world influence has been toned down, which should make the Rip Tide more accessible.
