Eclectic Vibes - November 2012
by Andrew Frey
big gigantic
Big Gigantic Madison
If you managed to brave the low temperatures and collegiate crowds on Oct 28 at FreakFest in Madison, you could have seen a great set by Boulder, CO group Big Gigantic. Their light show was minimal and their set got cut short, but this highly sought-after electronic duo strutted their stuff and had me jumping (literally) to their amazing breakdowns and enticing saxophone-laden beats. Low marks however, go to the event itself, which offered almost NO port-a-potties, inconvenient entrance points, and more cops than a police convention (seriously). Granted, there were no riots, but there wasn’t an excess of creativity or non-musical fun, either. biggigantic.net
World Inferno Friendship Society
Punk comes in many forms and flavors. The punk style that World Inferno Friendship Society offers fuses soul, klezmer, and jazz with snarling, in-your-face vocals, booming choruses, pounding piano, horns, guitar, and more. This rare treat can be found Nov 30 at High Noon Saloon in Madison or Dec 1 at Triple Rock Social Club in Minneapolis. www.worldinferno.com
MICRO REVIEWS:
This Month's Rating Scale is from 1 is Farcicle thru 10 is Fantabulous
Falcon Punch - Falcon Punch
Falcon Punch
Album title: Falcon Punch
Record Label: Stainless Manchu Records
Rating: 9
Quirky, atmospheric and odd-tempo electronica from Toronto. These experimental compositions swing through jazzy, mathy rhythms as easily as spacey soundscapes with strategic samples and brain scratching soundbites.
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Falcon Punch online:
• Website • Facebook
• Download Falcon Punch
• Purchase Falcon Punch
Lacrimosa - Revolution
Lacrimosa
Album title: Revolution
Record Label: End of the Light Records
Rating: 9
These pioneers of German Symphonic-Metal return for their 11th studio album filled with trademark German lyrics, dramatic atmospheric passages interrupted by terse industrial gothic beats, all crossed by orchestras, choirs and a stellar guest lineup. Since their inception in 1990, they have toured the world, worked with the world famous London Symphony Orchesta, recorded at the legendary Abbey Road Studios, and have topped the charts in over 25 countries worldwide. Bravo!
(2266) Page Views
Lacrimosa online:
• Website • Facebook • Wiki
• Purchase Revolution on Amazon
Seven Kingdoms - The Fire Is Mine
Seven Kingdoms
Album title: The Fire Is Mine
Record Label: Nightmare / Sony / RED
Rating: 8
Furious melodic progressive thrash metal with epic choirs is the order of the day for the third release from this Florida group. Led by the amazing female vocals of Sabrina Valentine and recorded at Morrisound Studios by legendary producer Jim Morris (Iced Earth, Obituary, etc) this release has the backbone to explode onto the metal scene and do some serious damage.
(2146) Page Views
Seven Kingdoms online:
• Website • Facebook • Wiki
• Download The Fire Is Mine from Amazon
• Purchase The Fire Is Mine on Amazon
Tusmørke - Underjordisk Tusmørke
Tusmørke
Album title: Underjordisk Tusmørke
Record Label: Termo Records
Rating: 7
Immediate flashbacks to early Jethro Tull flooded my senses on first listen, only to give way to other obvious influences from Gong, Can, Caravan, etc. While their name means twilight in Norwegian, their retro prog-psych music is twisted with a dark dose of Nordic folk and folk magic while being played out in atmospheric analog format thanks to the antique equipment that was used for its making.
(2124) Page Views
Tusmørke online:
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• Download Underjordisk Tusmørke from Amazon