Another Basement Tapes alumnus, Wiita was actually the first person to take the trip to the basement. His music is minimalistic in a sense… mostly just guitars and few other sounds on each track. Mandala is different and accessible at the same time. Comparisons to other bands are hard to make, but many of his…
And How might sound familiar to you if you listen to the Basement Tapes podcast. And How’s first album, Endless Winter, was featured in the basement in July. The dreamy alternative songs featured on the podcast can now be downloaded for free at the And How Bandcamp page. Fans of the bands we cover in…
This is probably one of my favorite releases this year. Wovenhand masterfully combines a dark, gothic Americana sound with a whole host of world music influences. I love world music, but I tend to hate the half-baked attempts most American rock musicians make. Wovenhand fully embraces the diverse cultures that they weave into each song.…
I first decided to check out this ep when I read Doug Van Pelt of HM magazine raving about it. At the time it was offered as a free download. One really catchy, well-written download at that. The sound is kind of a gritty garage rock vibe with punk influences throughout (especially The Ramones in…
Electromeo was originally released in 2000 with 2 songs being recorded in Athens in the fall of that year, and the other 2 songs being recorded in England in the spring of 2000. This EP has always been one of my favorites that the band did together. Originally there were only 1000 copies of this…
When you speak of classic Christian albums that inspired countless other albums that followed, Branded is usually at the top of the list. The honesty and emotion on display in this album was pretty rare for this era of Christian music. I actually didn’t first hear this album until 1994, 8 years after it was…
Picking a favorite Bill Mallonee album is like trying to pick which kid you like better. Actually it might be even harder than that. Mallonee’s staggering output is equaled only by the quality of what he releases. Kid Heart is the 11th WPA Volume that Bill has finished and released. The WPA’s are an ongoing…
Ever wonder what Rob Zombie would sound like if he got saved? Well, other than probably ripping a hole in the space-time continuum, he would probably sound almost just like Mind Of The Sick. While I am not a huge Rob Zombie fan, I do like to occasionally dive into the heavy industrial goth horror metal…
Old school punk rock. For free. What more do you need to know? You can also buy these songs on vinyl. False Idle avoids anything “pop” and goes for the throat with four songs that will have you shouting along and pumping your fists. There is just enough grit around the edges to make this…
I’m a late comer to this album. Any fan of Jyro Xhan needs to get this. Download only as far as I know, came out in 2007. What you have here is a fuller, slowed down Fold Zandura, add in some Radiohead influenced ambiance, and the droning guitar of “Loveless” era My Bloody Valentine, and…