Monday, November 15, 2010

Review: Black Mountain - Wilderness Heart (* * * *)

Stephen McBean has never seemed particularly interested in keeping his two bands as entirely separate entities. Black Mountain and Pink Mountaintops have more in common than just their similar titles; McBean enlists many of the same musicians to play for both projects and it can be difficult to tell at times where he draws the dividing line between the two band’s. But while McBean doesn’t often vary from the basic ingredients, any direct comparison of the previous efforts by each project reveals fundamental differences in trajectory, with Black Mountain’s In the Future working through various forms of guitar-heavy psychedelia and Pink Mountaintops’ Outside Love incorporating a mellower blend of pop and experimental elements. With Wilderness Heart, however, McBean tempers Black Mountain’s more epic tendencies. (Continue reading @ In Review Online)

Sunday, November 7, 2010

Concert Review: Neon Trees (SLC, Utah)

My first review for The Deseret News. Read the full story here.

Provo alt-rock quartet Neon Trees has steadily built a reputation as an exhilarating live act, and the band delivered Tuesday at Salt Lake Community College.

Supporting the Rock the Vote campaign, which encourages political activity among young adults, Neon Trees gave a flashy, energetic performance showcasing the high-octane style that has the group in steady rotation on radio stations across the country.

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