Reviews
Album Review: Fractal Cats – The Tower
Tuesday, January 31st, 2017 by WLOY Staff
Review by: Claire Riley
Fractal Cat – The Tower
Rate: 8.5/10
LIYL: Brooks Long and the MadDogNoGood, Pink Floyd, Stanley Roots
Local Baltimore band Fractal Cat released their third album “The Tower” on the 26th of this month. It can now be streamed online via Spotify and Apple music and purchased on iTunes and CD as well. Previous albums include “Loving Kind” released in 2014 and “The Eye in The Dawn” released in 2012. All three albums have a similar musical style, so if you liked “The Tower,” check the other two! As a band inspired by the golden age of rock n roll when legends like Buddy Holly and Smokey Robinson dominated the music world, Fractal Cat is known for their personal twist of trippy, psychedelic rock. (more…)
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Album Review: Gift Shop-Jokes Jokes Jokes
Thursday, January 26th, 2017 by WLOY Staff
Review by: Stephen Vanyo
Gift Shop– Jokes Jokes Jokes
Rate: 9.5/10
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Album Review: Buenos Diaz – Buenos Diaz
Tuesday, January 24th, 2017 by WLOY Staff
Review by: William O’Connor
Buenos Diaz– Buenos Diaz
Rate: 7.2/10
LIYL: Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Black Keys, and Jack White
This is a band I’ve never heard before, and I was not only surprised but impressed. The first song, Hem Haw, is a short intro that opens up the album and shows off its instrumentals. After hearing this intro you can know what to expect for the rest of the album. (more…)
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Staff Picks: Jeremy’s Top 5 Albums of 2016
Friday, December 23rd, 2016 by WLOY Staff
Review by: Jeremy Stephenson’17
Disclaimer: These albums are albums listened to in 2016, these may not actually be albums released in 2016.
5. Led Zeppelin – IV (untitled) – [itunes link=”https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/led-zeppelin-iv-remastered/id580708175?uo=4″ title=”Led_Zeppelin_IV_(Remastered)”]
This is by far my favorite Zeppelin album. Start to finish this album will take you to magical places far away. The bluesy folk rock feel will make you dance your face off but still keep your neck sore from all the head banging. Remember to soften it up with Going to California.
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Staff Picks: Will’s Top 5 Albums of 2016
Monday, December 19th, 2016 by WLOY Staff
Review by: Will O’Connor’20
Disclaimer: These albums are albums listened to in 2016, these may not actually be albums released in 2016.
5. Young Chasers – Circa Waves – [itunes link=”https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/young-chasers/id1018516137?uo=4″ title=”Young_Chasers”]
This is the new Brtish band’s first album and it’s great. This whole album just makes you think of happy times. The suns shining, you’re on vacation with no worries and you’ve got this album playing through your headphones. This is what I picture of what it feels to be stress free. “Get Away” and “T-Shirt Weather” are summer anthems that will make you listen to them endlessly on repeat. This album is very professional and has very catchy guitar riffs to go along with the catchy melodies.
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Staff Picks: Steve’s Top 5 Albums of 2016
Friday, December 16th, 2016 by WLOY Staff
Review by: Stephen Vanyo’17
Disclaimer: These albums are albums listened to in 2016, these may not actually be albums released in 2016.
* Disclaimer these rankings aren’t hard and true, please don’t get mad at me for not putting Beyonce on this, Beyonce has her time elsewhere *
5. D.R.A.M – Big Baby DRAM – [itunes link=”https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/big-baby-d.r.a.m./id1162244059?uo=4″ title=”Big_Baby_DRAM”]
Fresh off the success of “Cha Cha”, D.R.A.M dropped his soul influenced, positivity laced new LP “Big Baby D.R.A.M”. With features coming from everyone from Lil Yachty to Erykah Badu, D.R.A.M shook up the hip-hop world with his energetic style of hip-hop. Described by D.R.A.M himself as “trappy-go lucky music”, D.R.A.M clearly differentiated himself from his counterparts this year. “[itunes link=”https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/broccoli-feat.-lil-yachty/id1162247737?i=1162248457&uo=4″ title=”Broccoli” text=”Broccoli”]” is a certified party anthem.
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Staff Picks: Claire’s Top 5 Albums of 2016
Monday, December 12th, 2016 by WLOY Staff
Review by: Claire Riley’ 20
Disclaimer: These albums are albums listened to in 2016, these may not actually be albums released in 2016.
5.) I Got Dem Ol’ Kozmic Blues Again Mama! – Janis Joplin – [itunes link=”https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/i-got-dem-ol-kozmic-blues/id1073650135?uo=4″ title=”I_Got_Dem_Ol_Kozmic_Blues_Again_Mama”]
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Jakubi – Rock n’ Roll Hotel, DC 09/29/16
Wednesday, October 19th, 2016 by The Professor
Words & Photos by Jeremy Stephenson
Hailing from the land down under, Jakübi is a five-piece band that is something entirely different from what you have been listening to. Comprised of five great guys who were all best of friends, actually family, before making music. There are the two brothers, Jerome (vocals and talkbox) and Jacob (bass and moog), the cousins, Adam (or Addzy, guitar) and Jesse (drums) and last but not least the mutual friend of everyone, Rob (guitar). Coming from relatively new beginnings, Jakübi released their first recorded song, “Can’t Afford it All” in 2013 and second, “Holiday” within three weeks of each other gaining more than a 100,000 listens on SoundCloud. Ever since those days of jamming for hours in their studio in Melbourne, Jakübi has been gaining a formidable following in both America and Australia. Recently signing to Epic Records in 2015, Jakübi released their first EP, 61 Barkley (the address of where they recorded their first songs) headlined by their single “Nobody Better”. (more…)
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Album Review: Slaughter Beach, Dog-Welcome
Thursday, October 13th, 2016 by WLOY Staff
Review by Stephen Vanyo
Slaughter Beach, Dog– Welcome
Released: September 30th 2016
Rate: 8.2/10
Slaughter Beach, Dog has just come out with their debut full length “Welcome” which you can purchase now from Lame-O Records. Slaughter Beach, Dog is the side project of Modern Baseball’s Jake Ewald. Previous efforts from Ewald under this moniker include a demo EP called Dawg which he released through his own label Family Dinner. Ewald has always embodied his music with a “Do it Yourself” attitude and this record is no different. Mainly self recorded between tours, this record features a bare-bones production style which allows the warmth of the instruments to permeate throughout the speakers. The album’s thematic content raises concerns of post-grad uncertainty on “Jobs”, to the pains of self-sabotage on “Monsters”. The style of this record is varied as well ranging from post-punk to elements of alt-country.
Ewald revisits several of his past works from the Dawg EP by including “Toronto Mug”, “Mallrat Semi Annual” and “Bed Fest”, all cuts originally from his debut demo. While many of the changes from the past effort to this are sonically more improved, Ewald has added little auxiliary parts to create a more whole effort. The most noticeable difference however is how much more confident in his performance with these songs and it shows. With this new full length, Ewald is ready to step out from his Modern Baseball notoriety and go for it on his own terms. I for one, welcome his arrival.
Purchase “Welcome” digitally here: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/welcome/id1144207219
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Concert Review: Modern Baseball @ Baltimore Soundstage (Baltimore, MD) & The Fillmore (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
Monday, July 4th, 2016 by WLOY Staff
Review by: Tara Howell
Right after MoBo surprise released The Perfect Cast EP, I had the chance to see them for the first time at my favorite Baltimore venue, Ottobar, in the fall of 2015. More than any other concert I’ve been to, it felt like a group therapy session. In a room full of strangers, I’ve never felt more connected. It was at this concert that I really, really realized not only how powerful music is, but how special this band really is. (more…)
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