Friday, May 29, 2020

Rosewater - Madison, WI


Rosewater's newest release is called So Long SoCal.
Check it out on their bandcamp, scroll down for link.

Rosewater is Blair Clark's new pop punk band out of Madison, WI.
Rosewater is a three piece garage band from Madison WI. Male and Female fronted band of two guitars and a drummer. Both guitarists sing. We have been together for 3 years. The music is frantic and fun, sweet punk, sour pop. We put on a killer show, no yapping just rock and roll. 
Thanks for listening - Blair 

https://soundcloud.com/blair-clark-804478008/bad-city-by-rosewater
https://www.facebook.com/rosewaterlbc/
https://rosewaterlbc.bandcamp.com/

So Long SoCal album art

Blair Clark - guitar, vocals
Leah Brooke - guitar, vocals
John Driscoll - Drums

Recorded live in the basement of John's house.

All rights reserved


Review of Rosewater's So Long SoCal by Joe Tell.
Rosewater's latest release is called So Long SoCal.
The first song is 405. It has a straight ahead, no frills punk rock sound. Punk rock minimalism at it's finest. The combination of Blair Clark and Leah Brooke on vocals gives the music a hip sound, reminiscent of the Velvet Underground and early B-52's. The band sounds like something straight out of CBGB's from the late 70's or early 80's.
Family sounds like a (sped-up) conservation between a loving couple set to punk rock music. The fast pace and guitar heavy mix makes the lyrics hard to make out. This quality will have you listening to the song over and over in an attempt to make out exactly what the words are...at least that's what happened to me but after a few attempts I finally made out the lyrics. 
California Girl has a totally authentic garage rock sound and feel. The single coil guitar sound sounds cool along with the cymbal crashes and intermittent stops and starts.
ER is a song about a place most of us don't want to be in lately. Despite of the subject matter the song still rocks. 
Lookout! closes out So Long SoCal and rocks out in a similar style following suit with the rest of the songs on the release. It's another short but sweet song played with a strong sense of punk rock urgency.

Love Bomb album art 


Bad City album 


Thursday, May 21, 2020

Stereo Pharoah - Ridgway, Pennsylvania


Stereo Pharoah - Ridgway, Pennsylvania

Aggressive Back to Basics Rock & Roll
-Cody Legacy Laughner (Vocals/Guitar)
-Michael Padasak (Drums)
-Elle Laughner (Bass/Artwork)

Recorded at Graphite Sound Studio (Warren, PA) by Anthony Brown
Produced by Cody Legacy Laughner
Artwork by Elle Laughner

Stereo Pharoah Catastrophile music review by Joe Tell.



Kitty Riptide is the opening track and the quick song sets a fast pace and an aggressive feel. The adrenaline filled solo ramps up the energy even more. This track is sure to get your blood pumping, leave you wanting more and waiting for the next song to kick in.
Can you please repeat that?...what did you say?...Tinnitus is up next. Tinnitus is a fast paced punk song. The first time I heard this song I couldn't understand the lyrics, maybe due to my tinnitus?...Tinnitus is something I am familiar with but the lyrics are split between the hearing impairment and something that makes you feel all right. First thing in the morning, rolling all day and night, hmm?... It really sounds like 2 singers on this song even though I don't think there are 2. This is a unique and cool touch which differentiates each part musically and lyrically. The lyrics may be tongue in cheek but the song packs an energetic rock punch.
Ultragotha is a mid-tempo alternative rock track. The drum performance on this track is excellent. Ultragotha sounds like a unique pairing of Soundgarden and Silverchair. The sound is further enhanced by some really cool wah-wah guitar flurries.
Right Now has the sound and structure of a great 90's alternative rock song. The band starts fairly quiet and mellow but then ramps up the energy playing faster and harder. The band conveys a strong sense of urgency and a feeling of angst in Right Now. 
Spoon and Key has a cool stereo guitar intro. The band then busts out into an intoxicating, fast groove. The lyrical content has a couple of narcotic references and in between the verses the band sounds melodic, creating a different sound and feeling from the verse.
Hangman is one of my favorite tracks on Catastrophile. The band shows off a slower, heavier side. The verse music is crunchy with its muffled guitar. The band then transitions from a melodic passage to a riff heavy groove which sounds like a combo of Black Sabbath and Soundgarden, two of my favorite bands. I would have loved to hear a guitar solo but the song doesn't suffer from the lack of solo.
Running Away kicks off with a killer drum intro. Running Away is a straight ahead hard rock track. The vocal timbre and lyrical content reminded me of Kurt Cobain.
Morphine is sure to get ya movin' and groovin' along with the bristling tempo. The music is strong and hard-driving and further accentuated by a steady helping of cymbal crashes. 
Marketbasket is a catchy and melodic track and one of my favorite songs on Catastrophile. The guitar progression sounds like it was played with a slide giving it a blues rock feel. The vocal performance is one of the best on the release and it may have you singing along by the end of the song.
California Rain sounds like one of the most musically adventurous tracks on Catastrophile. The guitar and drum performances are some of the best on the album. After reading the title of the song I was expecting a mellow song but California Rain is definitely one of the best songs on the release.
Old School Obese Horse is pounding and powerful, I really like the slide guitar touches. The emotional vocals sound mysterious and seem to describe a secret plot. 
Dozer is literally a musical bitch slap, a sonic attack on the senses. Stereo Pharoah definitely saved one of the best for last. The mid-tempo pace should induce some movement of the physical body. The drum performance is the best on Catastrophile, especially on the bridge section of the song.

Any fan of the 90's alternative rock sensibility will love Stereo Pharoah's Catastrophile.

To hear Steroe Pharoah goto...
https://stereopharaoh2020.bandcamp.com/releases