June 30, 2005 Music » Sound Advice

Sound Advice 

Tools

click to enlarge Avenged Sevenfold - - City of Evil - Warner Brothers - - Avenged Sevenfold, from Huntington Beach, Calif., must - have spent time worshiping at the altar of 1980s thrash - metal. The result is a musical comprehension beyond - their years -- all five members are barely beyond 20 -- - and a major label debut that relives the glory days of, - and slays on par with, Iron Maiden and Anthrax. The icy - rock riffs and nasal vocals on songs like "Burn It Down" - are somewhat derivative, but they're executed with - precision. You'll snicker through some of the ballads, - like "Seize the Day," but the album merits a "rad." It's as - if the band, not necessarily known for fidelity to old- - school metal, somehow found the genre's missing link to - rock -- proving that it wasn't killed off by the indie - revolution. -- Dan Wilcock -
  • Avenged Sevenfold

    City of Evil
    Warner Brothers

    Avenged Sevenfold, from Huntington Beach, Calif., must have spent time worshiping at the altar of 1980s thrash metal. The result is a musical comprehension beyond their years -- all five members are barely beyond 20 -- and a major label debut that relives the glory days of, and slays on par with, Iron Maiden and Anthrax. The icy rock riffs and nasal vocals on songs like "Burn It Down" are somewhat derivative, but they're executed with precision. You'll snicker through some of the ballads, like "Seize the Day," but the album merits a "rad." It's as if the band, not necessarily known for fidelity to old- school metal, somehow found the genre's missing link to rock -- proving that it wasn't killed off by the indie revolution. -- Dan Wilcock

click to enlarge Mary Timony - - Ex Hex - Lookout! Records Mary Timony's Ex Hex - takes me back to the good ol' grunge-filled days of - the 1990s, a time when Rolling Stone magazine - treated "women in rock" like a novel concept. Singer/ - guitarist Timony survived those days as the on-again, - off-again singer for Helium, and eventually struck out on - her own. Ex Hex is so lo-fi it sounds like it - really could have been made in a garage. For the most - part Timony rocks out with her trademark quirky vocals. - "On the Floor" is a rocker with kicky girl-pop energy and - a funk groove. "9x3," with its driving spy-punk bass line, - leads, "Didn't you read what was scrawled on the girls' - room wall?" Unfortunately, Ex Hex proves - uneven at times, with dullards like "Silence" that feel like - work to listen through. Timony gets points for - effervecence and cuteness, but she's definitely an - acquired taste. -- Kara Luger -
  • Mary Timony

    Ex Hex
    Lookout! Records

    Mary Timony's Ex Hex takes me back to the good ol' grunge-filled days of the 1990s, a time when Rolling Stone magazine treated "women in rock" like a novel concept. Singer/ guitarist Timony survived those days as the on-again, off-again singer for Helium, and eventually struck out on her own. Ex Hex is so lo-fi it sounds like it really could have been made in a garage. For the most part Timony rocks out with her trademark quirky vocals. "On the Floor" is a rocker with kicky girl-pop energy and a funk groove. "9x3," with its driving spy-punk bass line, leads, "Didn't you read what was scrawled on the girls' room wall?" Unfortunately, Ex Hex proves uneven at times, with dullards like "Silence" that feel like work to listen through. Timony gets points for effervecence and cuteness, but she's definitely an acquired taste. -- Kara Luger

click to enlarge Trans-Global Underground - - Impossible Broadcasting - - Trikola/Artemis "What kind of music do you - like?" Trans-Global Underground asks in the opening "7 - -5." Don't fret. They answer themselves: all kinds of - music. And they're not lying. The fusion concept has - been attempted ad nauseum, usually to an annoying - jam-band effect, but world music is in a good place with - T-GU. Skillful programming and beats underscore - Impossible Broadcasting throughout. "The - Khaleegi Stomp" blends dance, sitar, gospel backing - vocals and vintage shout-outs. Tuup shows up on - several tracks, rasta-rapping on "Yellow and Black Taxi - Cab," a ditty with dangerous underlying bass. Get - downright disco with "Drinking in Gomorrah," which - features a narrative that will almost make you forget the - music. -- Kara Luger

  • Trans-Global Underground

    Impossible Broadcasting
    Trikola/Artemis

    "What kind of music do you like?" Trans-Global Underground asks in the opening "7 -5." Don't fret. They answer themselves: all kinds of music. And they're not lying. The fusion concept has been attempted ad nauseum, usually to an annoying jam-band effect, but world music is in a good place with T-GU. Skillful programming and beats underscore Impossible Broadcasting throughout. "The Khaleegi Stomp" blends dance, sitar, gospel backing vocals and vintage shout-outs. Tuup shows up on several tracks, rasta-rapping on "Yellow and Black Taxi Cab," a ditty with dangerous underlying bass. Get downright disco with "Drinking in Gomorrah," which features a narrative that will almost make you forget the music. -- Kara Luger

Sound Advice archives »

Comments (0)

Subscribe to this thread:
By Email
With RSS

Add a comment

Latest in Sound Advice

Popular Events

Most Commented On

Top Viewed Stories

COLORADO SPRINGS INDEPENDENT: Home | Jobs @ the Indy | Privacy Policy | Advertising | | Find a Newstand | Comment Policy | Contact Us | RSS

All content © Copyright 2013, The Colorado Springs Independent   |   Website powered by Foundation