Articles By: Chris Bretecher 
I am a traveler, music écouteur, designer, and builder of things I design (see previous trait). When not traveling, I am listening to music, designing, and building things I design (see previous activity).
Union Cell – All the Pretty Things album review
When you hear the band name Union Cell and then see the cover of their debut album titled “All the Pretty Things” (Forward Motion Records), you might think of a death metal band full of Slayer t-shirt wearing, ‘roid raging, head banging dudes. Well you couldn’t be further off base if you tried. Union Cell is one man’s emotional baggage laid out through slow music and turbulent half-spoken lyrics. Singer/songwriter, Gabriel Garcia-Menocal went through some dark times while writing this [...]
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Merchandise – Totale Nite album review
Totale Nite is the band Merchandise’s latest 6 song, 33 minute EP. Even though they call themselves a punk band, Merchandise truly belongs in the 80s alongside The Smiths, Joy Division, and all of the other post-punk bands of the time. We have definitely seen a resurgence of this genre of music over the past decade and even though Merchandise closely follows the classic interpretations, they do it with just enough of their own spin so as to not seem [...]
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The Virginmarys – King of Conflict album review
Over six year in the making since the band formed in 2006, The Virginmarys have finally released their debut album “King of Conflict” (Wind Up Records, U.S.). Don’t let their name fool you, they are definitely not opening for the preacher every Sunday morning, but they might still be up that early after partying all Saturday night. Sometimes you hear a band and have a difficult time placing them within a genre, well not The Virginmarys, these guys sing, play, [...]
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Mice Parade – Candela album review
Imagine a slow and rickety cart that picks up a little speed and transforms into a rusted pale red wagon, this how Mice Parade’s new album, Candela (Fat Cat Records) kicks off. You can actually feel the strain in some of the songs as the band strives to break out from the drudgery, but front-man and writer, Adam Pierce is just stuck in a rut. Coming so close to something that could be described as indie-pop, Mice Parade’s music is [...]
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Pissed Jeans – Honeys album review
Honeys is the latest album by Pissed Jeans released on Sub Pop Records. If you are familiar with the Pissed Jeans than this album will not disappoint, if you are not than get ready to wet yourself. Rather than describe their sound I’ll just recommend a time and place in which it would be appropriate to listen to this new album. In order to accomplish this you’ll need some basic knowledge in welding, oh and the end of the world [...]
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Ex Cops – True Hallucinations album review
Take one part exhale, one part Brooklyn, and a couple of indie guitar licks and you’ll create something that sounds like the Ex-Cops and their debut album “True Hallucinations” (Other Music Recording Co.). The 5 piece band was formed by singers Brian Harding and Amalie Bruun in 2011 and other than a self-recorded EP, “True Hallucinations” is the publics first chance to hear them digitally. At just over 30 minutes long, the album is short and sweet, or I should [...]
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Ra Ra Riot – Beta Love album review
“Beta Love” is the third and latest LP release from indie band Ra Ra Riot (Barsuk Records). The “Beta” part of this record definitely comes from the band testing out a new sound. This album moves away from indie-pop-rock to indie-”synth”-pop-rock (basically they added some electronic sounds) this is also the first album completed without founding member Alexandra Lawn (cellist). Although the move towards adding more electronic elements was stunningly accomplished, it came at the sacrifice of an already greatly [...]
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Local Natives – Hummingbird album review
You know when you are listening to a new album and you become obsessed trying to figuring out where you heard that particular song before, or perhaps what other band the singer might be from or have collaborated with, or just where exactly they borrowed that guitar riff from…? Well the Local Natives’ new album “Hummingbird” (Infectious Music U.K. / Frenchkiss Records U.S.) does all of that, and in a good way. You never really spend time trying to pin [...]
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Fableglass – Fableglass album review
There is a band in Quebec City, Canada named Fableglass that recently released their self-titled debut album. For the majority of music listeners and people with ears this is news, since Fableglass is so far under the radar that their instruments just figured out they were in a band. However, obscurity isn’t always a bad thing and in this case it really just means that they need some more time to be heard. Their musical style is akin to Dashboard [...]
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Shiny Around The Edges – The Night Is A Disco album review
The Night Is A Disco is the latest release from experimental rock band Shiny Around The Edges. This piano-centric album is filled with deep gloomy vocals accompanied by the occasional complementary saxophone chorus. The dark nature of the album has a feeling as though you are riding a horse named Manuel, on a shiny merry-go-round at a shady abandoned fair. The experimental rock, is just that, experimental. The album certainly isn’t for everybody, but what sets these guys apart from [...]
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