Category: Music Review

Christina Rubino

If you’ve been on the lookout for new acoustic/alt-country/americana music, check out Christina Rubino’s album Alive From The Scrapheap.

Rubino

The harmonica at the beginning of “The Gateway” ushers in the album’s 11 gritty, raw songs. But the songs aren’t straight country/americana — there’s a definite New York vibe mixed in, which provides an interesting blend of (traditionally) disparate elements.

At nearly 6 minutes, “Tidal” is the album’s longest track but also one of its best. Despite its length, “Tidal” doesn’t lag or drag on.

Alive From The Scrapheap is definitely not light-hearted or lightweight listening. Because of the heaviness of the songs, the album requires careful listening, preferably alone in a quiet place.

The last track “Billy’s Song” is the perfect close to the album, ending on the lines “Follow God’s love home / Let the music set you free.”

+Official Facebook

Monks of Mellonwah

Photo Credit: Trini Cromie

Photo Credit: Trini Cromie

The Monks of Mellonwah debut album Turn The People doesn’t come out until March, but you can hear the whole album at Bandcamp (embedded below for your convenience).

The album’s 13 tracks showcase the Sydney band’s indie/electro/alt-rock style. They mix slightly distorted vocals with rock guitars and pulsing drums and tremolo effects (which adds a little electronic feel to the songs).

I like how prominent the bass line is in “Alive For A Minute,” a subdued prog-rock track that comes alive around the 1:50 mark.

I think the album loses steam in its latter half: a few tracks like “Sailing Stones,” “Downfall,” and “Afraid To Die” sound too similar upon first listen. Narrowing Turn The People down to 9-10 tracks instead of 13 could have made the album even stronger.

Highlights of the album include the simple (just vocal and electric guitar) “I Belong To You,” the single “Tear Your Hate Apart,” and “Ghost Stories,” which perhaps best combines the band’s influences into a solid sonic statement.

+MonksofMellonwah.com

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