Tag: Folk-rock

Real Estate hits home with “Atlas”

Real Estate from Ridgewood, N.J. (Courtsey of the band/ Shawn Brackbill)
Real Estate from Ridgewood, N.J. (Courtsey of the band/ Shawn Brackbill)

Why can’t it feel like summer? I’m not just longing for beautiful weather and endless days spent wandering the miles of New Jersey shoreline. “Atlas,” the latest release by Real Estate, has given me a new perspective on summer fun. As I waded into immersive sound that comprises the third album by the band that hails from Ridgewood N.J. I found myself seeing the entire world through the warmth of summer’s glow.

Real Estate has a modern rock ‘n’ roll sound. Leading off with a sultry and bluesy guitar intro, “The Bend” is among the best songs on the album and features some of the best guitar work including a very Zepplin-esk outro. One of my favorite aspects of this album is the jammy riffs that are prominent throughout the 10 tracks here and is a signature of band.

Dawes keeps rolling on ‘Stories Don’t End’

http://www.shorenewstoday.com/snt/news/images/stories/00-downbeach/Shaun_Cassette-Logo.jpg The retro sound that Dawes developed on the band’s first two albums is more refined and authentic on “Stories Don’t End,” released April 9. Since the band’s 2009 debut release “North Hills,” Dawes has […]

My soundtrack for the weekend is “A Wasteland Companion”

By SHAUN SMITH
Blogger-in-chief

M. Ward will not disappoint fans of his stripped down, reel-to-reel sound on his latest album A Wasteland Companion.

Ward (Matt Ward) has obviously been influenced by his musical relationship with Zooey Deschanel and it shows on the upbeat piano-laded “Beautiful Girl,” which stands not as a detachment of his signature style but an expansion of his talented reach. Fans of the doe-eyed hipster wonder will enjoy her standing beside Ward on “Sweetheart” and “Me and My Shadow.” Recording with Ward on this record makes her Patsy Cline style and hand claps sound authentic rather than retro.