2-CD Review: Various Artists' 'Role: New Sounds of Brazil'

Various Artists
Role: New Sounds of Brazil [2-CD]
Mais Um Discos

The double-disc release, Role: New Sound of Brazil, is not your ordinary Brazilian album. This is not bossa nova or samba. Instead, the music is experimental, urban, electronica, indie rock, funk, hip-hop, and dark, brooding sounds on guitars, percussion, and samples. Both discs contain similar music that is amped-up with killer vocals and grooves that are almost indescribable, but can be included in avante-garde-grunge. The diverse vocals and instrumentation make the release a must-listen. Over forty tracks and nearly as many artists grace the albums. Fans of popular Brazilian music will get the most out of the tracks. However, anyone that wants an in-depth look at what's going on with Brazil's independent and underground music scene will find satisfaction in the tracks on Role: New Sounds of Brazil. ~ Matthew Forss

CD Review: True Nature's 'You Shouldn't Have To Shout So Loud'

True Nature
You Shouldn't Have To Shout So Loud
True Nature/Fire Sign Records

The New York City-based power pop and alternative rock group, True Nature, brings us an excellent album of alternative tunes with vocals akin to The Gufs and Nickelback. The instrumental arrangements are not too far off either. The six-track album contains one track that is a short introduction to "My Freedom Lies Behind The Sun." The alternative rock song is pure Nickelback with The Gufs guitar work. The title track, "You Shouldn't Have To Shout So Loud," contains jingly and grungy guitar work with vocals not too dissimilar from Pearl Jam and Nickelback. "Only Love" is a classic rock tune with pop and alternative greatness that only can be achieved by the best groups. Fortunately, True Nature is one of the good guys with good vocals, arrangements, and catchy rhythms. Fans of the aforementioned groups will be happy to add True Nature to their audio library. After all, it's only natural. ~ Matthew Forss 

CD Review: Stone Diamond's 'We Stole The Stars From The Black Night'

Stone Diamond
We Stole The Stars From The Black Night
Davin Enterprises

With ties to New York and Germany, Stone Diamond rocks out with some heady blues-inspired tunes with an alternative--almost grungy--edge. The solid vocals are not too loud or intrusive. There are rock harmonies and swirling guitar melodies that do not disappoint. The entire album was produced, composed, and engineered by lead vocalist and bassist, Cy. Cy is joined by Josh on vocals and guitar, along with The Tongue on drums. The trio perform hard-hitting, yet melodic anthems of blues-rock greatness. "Tattoo" leaves its mark with Soundgarden-esque vocals and guitar arrangements. "U Know" is a more languid tune with grungy guitar arrangements that meander with a mysterious beat that is more thriller or spy film soundtrack related than modern rock band performance. At any rate, this showcases the diverse song stylings and sounds Stone Diamond has no problem creating. "When We Were Young" contains a little alt-country rock and blues elements with a classy, almost vintage feel. The guitar and percussion beats resemble early U2. "Long Hard 5 Days" reaches into some grungy, rock-infused music with electronic voicings and punchy bass. Overall, there are eleven tracks that feature a range of grungy, alt-rock, and blues-infused concoctions that are not for the faint of heart (aka Top 40 listener). However, the songs may make the Top 40 list in the future, but Stone Diamond contains a hard edge that is surprisingly easy to listen to. ~ Matthew Forss 

CD Review: Crazy Mary's 'Dreaming In Brilliant Color'

Crazy Mary
Dreaming In Brilliant Color
Humsting Records

The inventive, NY-based, psychedelic-rock group, Crazy Mary, uses inspiration from 60's folk-rock and creative grunge sounds of the 80's and 90's to form a sound that is both fresh and memorable. Moreover, the chameleon artwork on the album cover signifies an ability to not only change colors, but dual meaning of varied musical tones and influences. The jamming abilities of Crazy Mary are not showcased entirely, but the gritty, violin and folksy or jazzy elements of "Come On Let's Go," "Nick's New Groove," and "The Big F" are paramount examples of Dave Matthews Band-inspired morsels--no matter what the original intention. The punchy vocals and grungy sounds seem more like the B-52's on acid (figuratively, of course) than any other comparable group. At any rate, Dreaming In Brilliant Color represents a solid work of thirteen songs that encompass the cozy folk stylings of the B3 with whirling strings and rock-steady guitars with riffs to match. ~ Matthew Forss