Review: Brandt Brauer Frick – Miami (2013)
First of all, hats off to ForceField PR for delivering some of the most interesting album submissions to IATU. Miami may be one of the more unique albums we’ve had the opportunity to feature, and certainly one of the tougher ones to review. This toughness resulted in a bit of procrastination (sorry guys) but hopefully...
Review: Phoenix – Bankrupt! (2013)
For a little something different, for better or for worse, I am going to be doing what I call a first impression review of this, one of the more prolific releases of 2013 for sure. In anticipation of their performance this summer at Lollapalooza (which I will be present for), the new album from Phoenix...
Review: Surrogate – Post-Heroic (2013)
Review by Ryan Getz Let me begin by sharing a bit of background behind the Chico, CA based band known as Surrogate. You might best know the guys from their stint as members of Number One Gun, who released notable records on Tooth and Nail Records in the mid-2000s, garnering known singles like “Starting Line,”...
Review: Sunglass – Unearthed Devices (2013)
Review by Ryan Getz Sunglass is one of a handful of bands in the indie/alternative/ambient umbrella signed to independent boutique record label Mustache Era Records. The first band on this roster to grace IATU was the vastly underrated Playing to Vapors. This paradigm will likely mean nothing to those outside the band’s hometown, so I’ll...
Review: André Obin – The Arsonist (2013)
Review by Jeff Thompson Upon listening to the first seconds of André Obin’s The Arsonist one feels whisked away to a fairy dreamworld where arpeggiated synths and mimimalist beats are the name of the game. The first track “Golden Hair” with it’s pulsing beat, spacey arpeggios and Imogen Heap-like vocals would be equally at home played in a...
Review: The Brains – The Monster Within (2013)
Editors note: IATU has this record for review because they are doing something relatively unique in the musical genre continuum. Their lyrics should not be construed as reflective of the stance of I Am Tuned Up as an entity or of the stances of its writers. Thanks. Review by Ray Cobra I have to admit...
Review: LVX – At Arms Length (2013)
LVX is a group that has been heavily plugged on IATU, and rightly so – they carry the musical chops of a seasoned band and have the ambition and vision to go far. After a long wait (or so it seemed) we finally have At Arms Length, the band’s first formal release (unless you count...
Review: Dir En Grey – The Unraveling (2013)
Review by Jamarr Stokes Dir en Grey have been one of my favorite bands since I discovered them back in 2004. They have released some of my favorite songs of all time, and they show no signs of stopping. Today’s review will be of their 3rd EP, The Unraveling. Here we have 1 entirely new...
Review: Last of the Wildmen – Ship Set Sail EP (2013)
This group of five from a small town in Northwest Ohio really has a lot of guts. Not just guts, but raw passion. Their new release, Ship Set Sail, is their first proper release under the moniker Last of the Wildmen and their first professionally recorded release with any kind of Wildmen venture. While it...
Review: Transit – Young New England (2013)
Review by Ray Cobra Nothing lasts forever, this is very true. Truer words have never been spoken. Life is full of changes and this is what this album is about, the changes that we all go through in our lives. However the one constant is our friends and where we are from. Throughout the album...
Review: For Today – Prevailer EP (2013)
For better or for worse, For Today is one metalcore band that has been on the receiving end of much in the publicity sphere. Without beating an already dead horse associated with what led to this publicity, I’ll say that it has many eyes rightfully focused where they need to be. Why? Because this EP...
Review: The Seasonal Help – Pat on the Back Parade EP (2013)
Boutique indie label Secret Song Records hopes to leave a permanent mark on the Columbus scene, and one vehicle they hope to use for that purpose is The Seasonal Help. The band carries a whole bevy of influences, making them a local standout. What does The Seasonal Help sound like? The subgenres in rock music...
