Artist of the Day: Troubled Coast

In my humble opinion, any band that is capable of completely re-inventing themselves with each release is deserving of praise. Lately, it seems the bulk of these kinds of bands are receiving the recognition they deserve, such as Between the Buried and Me and Converge. Both reviewers and listeners seem to have acknowledged the progression they've gone through since the start of their careers. So why hasn't anyone done the same for Troubled Coast? Like BTBAM and Converge, they're a band that has consistently changed their sound, and their latest release, Awake and Empty, is simply a beast of an album.

Artist Of The Day: The Fashion

Sometimes, you stumble upon a great artist that was before your time, or that you found out had broken up before you'd heard of them. For me, today, that was The Fashion. Akin to a musical clusterfuck of Beastie Boys, LCD Soundsystem, Head Automatica, and The Rapture, the band had a creative blend of sounds going for them. Often centering around a quick drumbeat and vintage guitar tones that are naturally sweet to the ears like honey to the taste palate, I can certainly say that I wish the band was still around, so there would be at least a possible, glimmering hope that I could catch a live set, because there's so much life that The Fashion brings to their music.

Album Review: A Place To Bury Strangers - Onwards To The Wall EP

Album Rating: A-

Post-punk revival may not be as common as it was in the early and mid 2000's, but that doesn't mean the wave is over. A Place To Bury Strangers is out to prove that that post-punk still lives with their screaming new EP. The record features many of the same qualities the band is well known for, with plenty of screaming distortion and drive to squeeze the most out of this ever-so-short EP. With plenty of retro instrument tones to spare, APTBS tips their hat to bands of the 80's and gives us one hell of a release to turn our speakers down (or up) at with the Onwards To The Wall EP.

Album Review: Girl In A Coma - Exits And All the Rest

Album Rating: B

If you know anything about 70's rock and roll, or if you happened to catch 2010's biopic The Runaways, you probably understand that Joan Jett is sort of a badass. Feverish, fierce, and oftentimes fucked up, Jett was able to claw and climb her way through the rock ranks of the 70's and 80's, not only with her original band The Runaways, but also as a solo artist and alongside her more renowned troupe, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts. Jett's focus was not limited to her own music though, and the early 1980's saw the start of her and Kenny Laguna's independent label, Blackheart Records. Not only has Blackheart released many of Jett's own chart-topping singles, they have also helped to propel a handful of more recent bands into the spotlight, one of the most relevant of which is San Antonio's Girl In A Coma. Adding the post-punk sensibilities that one would expect from a band named after a Smiths song to a slightly less filtered pop-punk approach (and one that certainly appeases even Jett herself), Girl In A Coma have made quite a name for themselves in the Southwestern United States. With the release of their fourth LP, Exits And All the Rest, GIAC showcase just how loud and indelible three girls with amps and microphones can be.