Archives

Approximately Relevant

View Archives »
The Cat Empire &bull; <i>Bird in Paradise</i>

The Cat Empire • Bird in Paradise

Like many Australian things, this band is somewhat recognizable yet clearly evolved in a different context. There are many different influences interleaved, from the Caribbean to the Highlands to Eastern Europe and of course, a tinge of that Oz punk.

Mestizo Beat &bull; <i>Jaraguá</i>

Mestizo Beat • Jaraguá

As the name successfully implies, this outfit is a heady blend of Chicano funk and other sources. Pumping bass lines that could drain the Baltic Sea in minutes and horn stabs that could be entered as evidence in a court of law fill out the package.

The Shivas &bull; <i>Feels So Good / Feels So Bad</i>

The Shivas • Feels So Good / Feels So Bad

Exquisite rock and roll, filled with bombastic drenches of reverb and enough monster riffs to fill a stadium, powering through sounds psychedelic, surf-like, and power-chording, but with enough dynamics to keep it from becoming exhausting.

Asian Dub Foundation &bull; <i>Access Denied</i>

Asian Dub Foundation • Access Denied

Bands mashing together sounds from different musical traditions, usually throwing in some modern electronic affectation, can be hit or miss. Asian Dub Foundation has a long history of hitting it out of the park, and this is no exception.