Album Reviews

Album Review: Normie Rowe – Frenzy! The 50th Anniversary Collection (2015 LP)

There’s two ways you can look at an album like Frenzy! The 50th Anniversary Collection when you plan to review it – either as an album for fans of Normie Rowe‘s music or as an opportunity to expand his music base. Whichever way you look at it, he’s music royalty with an amazing career behind…

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Album Review: Jasmine Rae – Heartbeat (2015 LP)

Jasmine Rae has accomplished a lot in her career since taking out the top prize at Telstra Road to Tamworth in 2008. As a fan of the three-time ARIA-nominated and two-time CMC Music Award winner’s previous albums; Look It Up, Listen Here and If I Want To respectfully, I was excited to hear the new…

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this wild life clouded atmosphere edition

Album Review: This Wild Life – Clouded: Atmosphere Edition (2015 LP)

At the beginning of this year, the pop-punk acoustic duo of This Wild Life made an appearance at Soundwave Festival and needless to say – they held a fantastic set! I remember coming across one of their acoustic covers of A Day To Remember’s “If It Means A Lot To You” and the brilliance of the acoustic vibes that resonated in…

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Album Review: Adam Lambert – The Original High (2015 LP)

Adam Lambert, the runner-up for the eighth season of American Idol, returns; following the success for his first two albums For Your Entertainment and Trespassing and now, the commercial success of his latest single “Ghost Town”. I take a listen to his third album The Original High.

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Album Review: The Getaway Plan – Dark Horses (2015 LP)

If there’s one thing I admire about The Getaway Plan, it’s their resilience that has brought them a successful and flourishing music career. Since the crowdfunding of Dark Horses started, it’s pretty amazing to have seen so much support that was brought by their loyal fanbase. The band made a brave decision on leaving their record label because…

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Album Review: Ta-Ku – Songs To Make Up To (2015 EP)

Within the first few seconds, Perth producer/entrepreneurial barber Ta-Ku has put you into a smoothly lush atmosphere. Displaying his power over composition, Songs To Make Up To is a blissful flow of samples and vocals that evolves so naturally that it goes beyond pleasurable listening. Eliciting such a level of emotion where only half the…

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Album Review: Josh Groban – Stages (2015 LP)

Josh Groban has already proven himself as a capable theatre performer, playing Anatoly Sergievsky in Chess at the legendary Royal Albert Hall along with the London Philharmonic Orchestra and the West End Chorus. So perhaps it’s of little surprise that Stages, his seventh album, is full of songs from the world of musical theatre. It’s…

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Album Review: Dawes – All Your Favorite Bands (2015 LP)

Winter time is the season where you’re prone to feeling down and uninspired. There’s only so much gloomy weather you can handle and this affects the way you work and your mood. It becomes a groveling chore to even get out of bed because of the unforgiving cold that is felt through your skin. Suffice…

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Album Review: The KVB – Mirror Being (2015 LP)

With a handful of impressive LPs and EPs to their name, London duo The KVB have just released their first full length instrumental album Mirror Being on Invada Records. I remember that they first piqued my interest back in 2013 when they toured Australia with the Brian Jonestown Massacre and was so blown away by…

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young guns ones and zeros album art

Album Review: Young Guns – Ones and Zeros (2015 LP)

UK-based alternative rock band, Young Guns are in my opinion, underrated in the scene of music they are already in. To see them go at great lengths with their last two studio records while maintaining a loyal fanbase is an achievement itself. The last time I saw the band live was back in 2012 when they were…

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pennywise yesterdays album art

Album Review: Pennywise – Yesterdays (2014 LP)

Pennywise have been around for ages and it’s amazing to think that they have been one of the influential bands that have shaped the punk rock scene of today. For their music to still mean something, says a lot about their reputation. Being a band for over twenty years and having eleven studio albums, this is…

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from first to last album art dead trees

Album Review: From First To Last – Dead Trees (2015 LP)

Lineup change for a band can impact their musicianship and when looking back at the band’s history, Dead Trees isn’t a strong comeback album from post-hardcore outfitters From First To Last. Comebacks normally mean power and success but it’s hard to ignore the weak points this album encompasses. Some tracks capture a strong reunion within the band and…

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Album Review: Zac Brown Band – Jekyll + Hyde (2015 LP)

Before I get to my thoughts on the album I firstly want to say that even though I’ve never found lead singer/guitarist Zac Brown to be a handsome man and I often don’t say this, but I love the cover art and dare I say, he even looks a bit powerful and attractive on the…

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holy pinto stenography

Album Review: Holy Pinto – Stenography (2015 EP)

British band, Holy Pinto provides a varying amount of musical influences. From the quirkiness of Say Anything to the poetic words of Death Cab For Cutie, this two-piece are the game changer of indie music. With their latest offering of Stenography, it is a short and sweet summation of their sharpness and attitude in their musicianship. Many will delight in this…

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too close to touch nerve endings album art

Album Review: Too Close To Touch – Nerve Endings (2015 LP)

If there’s one band you should keep on your radar, it’s Too Close To Touch. With their sounds influenced by bands such as Pierce The Veil and Sleeping With Sirens, the Kentucky band are leading the way already with their diverse alternative rock sound. Since the debut of Nerve Endings, they have received such praise among fans and critics that…

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all time low future hearts album art

Album Review: All Time Low – Future Hearts (2015 LP)

Since the success in topping the Billboard charts last week, All Time Low have shown once again that they’re champs to the world of pop punk. Following their 2007 breakthrough with So Wrong, It’s Right, it’s been predicted that they were a band destined to ‘fade out’, as contenders of the pop punk scene have a low shelf-life…

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gang of youths the positions album art

Album Review: Gang of Youths – The Positions (2015 LP)

Already topping the Australian charts since its release, Gang of Youths present a warmth and fiery-edge to the indie scene of music with their debut album, The Positions. Full of raw emotion, an atmosphere of storytelling is played out in each track, with intricate and striking lyrics that you don’t need to relate to to understand. In the…

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Fictionist album art

Album Review: Fictionist – Fictionist (2014 LP)

There’s something about Fictionist that is promising and to have that potential makes their music something to look forward to. Unfortunately, their self-titled album doesn’t highlight their best work as some songs are of mediocre quality. The band have succeeded on their own terms by being part of the SXSW festival and for them to get that kind of…

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death cab for cutie kintsugi album art

Album Review: Death Cab For Cutie – Kintsugi(2015 LP)

The term Kintsugi is a beautiful one (the Japanese word for the art of mending broken pottery) and as the title of Death Cab For Cutie‘s eighth studio album it’s a good indication of where the band stands in both sadness and heartache. 2011’s Codes and Keys, brought an upbeat indie rock style but now, since the many changes…

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falling in reverse just like you album art

Album Review: Falling In Reverse – Just Like You (2015 LP)

Falling In Reverse have just released their most recent LP Just Like You. Since their controversial single, “Alone”, Ronnie Radke and his fellow band mates have gotten quite a following with their stylish direction in the post-hardcore scene and have been turning heads since their early days with “The Drug in Me is You”. Unfortunately, the band’s image has…

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sleeping with sirens madness album art

Album Review: Sleeping with Sirens – Madness (2015 LP)

Sleeping with Sirens have explored their pop rock dimensions on another level with their newest album Madness. Since their last release, the band have further explored something different from their usual scope of music and this will surely have old and new fans divided. It’s hard to move past the heavy sounding, in-your-face back catalogue offered in…

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cedar boulevard ep art

Album Review: Cedar Boulevard – Cedar Boulevard (2015 EP)

The world of pop punk music is a competitive one and the smartest strategy you can ever have is to fuse it with something else. Cedar Boulevard are no ordinary happy-go-lucky band; they are a band that acquaints post-hardcore elements into their music as well. Balance is always key and it’s safe to say they have achieved…

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Album Review: Damien Leith – Songs From Ireland (2015 LP)

It’s almost been 10 years since Damien Leith won our hearts winning Australian Idol in 2006. Since then, the ARIA award winning artist has released 2 novels and 7 albums, and in March 2015, is set to release Songs From Ireland – a celebratory nod to his musical homeland.

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Album Review: Quarterbacks – Self-Titled (2015 LP)

New York three-piece band, Quarterbacks, have delivered a debut album that’s obscure compared to the mainstream. With the average album running for about 45 minutes in length, this record lasts for half that time, offering a short and sweet standout in the punk genre. The dynamics of this record go far in terms of the depth…

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Album Review: Home by Three – Desert (2015 LP)

It’s refreshing to come across a band that’s raw, emotive and just plain honest when it comes to their music. Italian rockers of Home by Three make a lasting impression with their debut album, Desert, focusing on the emo/alternative rock genre, with influences from the likes of Jimmy Eat World, The Early November and The Get Up Kids. Capturing the essence of…

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roam viewpoint album art

Album Review: ROAM – Viewpoint (2015 EP)

It’s easy to overlook pop-punk music nowadays but coming across a gem like ROAM may make you think twice about that. Their recent EP release Viewpoint shows they’re not afraid to take risks and tell the world what they’re all about. This four-track release provides a taster of what they plan to offer to the pop-punk world, jam-packed with…

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double lined minority caught in the ceasefire EP art

Album Review: Double Lined Minority – Caught In The Ceasefire (2015 EP)

Residing from the sunny side of the Gold Coast, Double Lined Minority are a band worth keeping on your pop punk radar, with musical influences from the likes of All Time Low, Blink-182 and Motion City Soundtrack. With the release of their second EP, Caught In The Ceasefire, the band have shown their potential by maintaining a positive image in their music….

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Album Review: Damian Cowell – Disco Machine (2015 LP)

Upon first listen of Damian Cowell’s crowd-funded new album Disco Machine, I didn’t think that there was enough drugs in the world to prepare me for what I was about to hear – but in essence, at its core, it’s a smart, satiric blend of comedy and disco.

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Album Review: Jason Aldean – Old Boots, New Dirt (2015 LP)

For an album titled Old Boots, New Dirt, you’d expect a classic country album about boots, hats and horses, but award-winning country music superstar Jason Aldean’s Australian debut is a mix of rock-pop with a country twang that makes you want to get up and dance.

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enter shikari the mindsweep album art

Album Review: Enter Shikari – The Mindsweep (2015 LP)

When it comes to Enter Shikari, there’s no doubt that their music is followed religiously by fans around the world. With their electronic twist to post-hardcore music, it can be said that standing out from the crowd is their A-game, as well as their ability to make every track sound entertaining from start to finish. From…

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