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Half of Nova Scotia is Ian Burke from dirt, and the writing and production of this record is in keeping with his other project’s great EP. The lo-fi drums blend with clean guitars and emotionally driven vocals -- all of which are fleshed out by horns as the songs build tension. Nova Scotia create a mellowness and groove in the music despite the rising anger as the songs continue; mellowness emphasised by the sudden silence to end each track. Dollhouse is raw without becoming overbearing, and I really liked it.

Favourite Track: Bite Marks

Released: May 16

#dinoshart #music #music review #nova scotia #lofi #alternative #emo

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Bellwire made an interesting decision with this EP. By putting an avant garde piece of performance poetry as the first track they risk turning off some listeners from the catchy and urgent guitar pop that makes up the rest of the release. Even if it isn’t your thing, sit through it and you’ll be rewarded. There’s an obvious Elvis Costello influence throughout, and a rawness of a punk band refining their sound. This EP owes a lot to the tight rhythm section that holds it together across poetry, rock and roll power pop, to indie americana in the final track.

Favourite Track: Time Out

Released: May 16

#dinoshart #music review #guitar pop #power pop #garage revival #bellwire #dog thoughts #boston

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Gold Spectacles - Flaws and Visions EP

Danceable, sample based alt-pop.

Solid beats, some sweet analog synths, handclaps in the refrains, all tied together by some nice clean bass. Add some guitar noodling that sounds like the love child of Graceland and Great Good Fine OK and you’ve got this well written and produced EP from Gold Spectacles. This duo mix male and female vocals to great effect, keeping things fresh and interesting across all five tracks. After the first listen I wanted to throw a house party and blast this over a makeshift dance floor. I can’t get enough of this EP.

Favourite Track:  The Vine

Released: May 16

#dinoshart #music review #gold spectacles #flaws and visions #somerset #uk

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Sophie Sutton - A Mistaken Love

Happy, catchy acoustic pop.

A Mistaken Love hits you with catchy acoustic pop and Sophie Sutton’s impressive voice. There’s some great musicianship on this EP and it’s well recorded and obviously destined for radio play, yet it hasn’t fallen into the trap of sounding too slick and produced. Classic chord changes somehow aren’t cliched in this context, but rather give the four tracks a sense of familiarity and warmth. The combination of sparkly acoustic guitar, clean electric, and ukulele are on each track, but are grounded by some solid bass and drums -- preventing this great release drifting too far into twee territory.

Favourite Track:  Good Friends

Released: Jun 16

#dinoshart #music review #sophie sutton #a mistaken love #acoustic pop #devon #uk

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Back in July

You may have noticed that Dinoshart has gone quiet recently. I've moved cities and started a new job, so time has been tight. Weekly reviews will resume in July. Ngā mihi.

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Where Movie Brain’s Breeder EP was an aural summer through an Instagram filter; Phantom Limbs is an autumnal or winter version -- as alluded to by the album art. Ambient soundscapes bookend three dream pop tracks that seem slightly darker than their earlier work. The third track has a subtle Pink Floyd “Us and Them” vibe, and the chorus (“sweetness in snow”) echoes the wintery mood without losing the dream pop charm of before. This Tennessee band are quickly becoming one of my favourites, and if they keep up their rate of releases they’ll be well known in no time. 

Favourite Track: Movie Brain

Released: Apr 16

#dinoshart #music review #movie brain #phantom limbs #dream pop #soundscape #tennessee

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There’s something about Altadena Hotel’s EP is great indie pop/rock that’s energetic yet mellow; catchy yet unobtrusive. And there’s a Galaxie 500 vibe to the vocals performance and phrasing of some of these tracks, giving this whole release a distinct early 90s vibe in my mind. The lyrics, while looking back at relationships past, aren’t full of self pity or sadness, but rather a nostalgia and acceptance that fits perfectly with the instrumentation. The more I listen to this EP the more I like it.

Favourite Track: Seaprints

Released: Mar 16

#dinoshart #music review #Altadena Hotel #spirit goth #indie pop #indie rock #altadena #new york

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I’ve found Californian band Pregnant’s latest release is hard to describe, but easy to listen to. Touching on numerous genres across its two eight-plus minute tracks, “soundcollage” is the simplest way to describe this EP, with seemingly endless variety and changing influences keeping things interesting. It ranges from sounding like the talented love child of Zappa, Sun Ra, Ratatat and 1980s Miles Davis; to dancey world music, field recordings and chill hop instrumentals. My only complaint is that the last two minutes of Side A were too repetitive. But words can’t do this one justice -- just listen to it.

Favourite Track: Side A

Released: Apr 16

#dinoshart #music review #pregnant #them there records #uchuu music #soundcollage #sound collage #experimental

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Josh Benash (formerly of Kiss Kiss) has employed some eclectic instrumentation on latest solo EP, all of which helps the tracks swirl from circus rock to Bowie-esque glam -- generally within the same track. This variety keeps the record fresh and exciting, and pays tribute to many influences without plagiarising. Despite some angry lyrics and shouted, distorted vocals I came away from this EP feeling upbeat -- perhaps because Benash has managed to create something that is catchy and commercially viable without being sterile or cliche.

Favourite Track: Prelude to Pitchforks

Released: May 16

#dinoshart #music review #josh benash #motoroat records #alternative rock #indie rock #circus rock #kiss kiss #white plains #new york

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What’s For Breakfast? Records have compiled this EP of various DIY artists making music (and one piece of conceptual poetry) about the X-Files. As well as multiple artists, the release spans six genres, showing the breadth of the work that WFBR champion. Despite the disparate artists and genre, the X-Files theme keeps the compilation nicely aligned and flowing. Stand out tracks are Jason Douglass Swearingen’s alt-country “Leave Us Alone” and White Coke’s indie post-punk, which quickly reminded me of Dead Radio Social [Spotify Link]. This release is a celebration of DIY creativity and pop culture nostalgia, above and beyond one TV show.

Favourite Track:  Goodbye (It’s Been Nice Working With You)

Released: Dec 15

#dinoshart #music review #whats for breakfast records #x-files #surf rock #post punk #electrogrit #folk punk #alt country #thee wilt chamberlain #James Dean Death Cult #lieutenant dance #jason douglass swearingen #white coke #adrienne dodt

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I never thought I’d review a concept EP about a pigeon, but I’m glad Nick Keeling has given me the opportunity. Keeling has crafted three lo-fi tracks about passenger pigeons (the last of which - named Martha - died in 1914), that is poignant and cinematic. Originally released on cassette, the EP’s crackly, warm, tape saturated piano blends perfectly with documentary excerpts outlining a species’ catastrophic demise due to hunting and habitat destruction. There is also an implicit warning throughout: humans can destroy the environment and not realise it until it’s too late - don’t let history repeat.

Favourite Track: Once There Were Billions

Released: Oct 15

#dinoshart #review #music review #cincinnati #classical #cinematic #lo-fi #piano #nick keeling #passenger pigeon #illinois

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Boston artist Ephemeral Frisson can write catchy songs, as can be heard on his most recent release. The melody on the opening track of this short but sweet EP is a perfect hook to pull you deeper into the realms of his electronic dream pop. A good use of dynamics and instrumentation encourages you to actively listen to this record -- this isn’t the dream pop you put on as background music -- and you are rewarded for doing so. The lyrics exude an honest vulnerability throughout, sometimes hiding behind those catchy synth leads that caught you at the start.

Favourite Track: Hiraeth

Released: Mar 16

#dinoshart #music review #ephemeral frisson #dream pop #chill wave #electronic #boston

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I’m a pretty jaded guy, so I was sceptical when I started listening to the first EP from Vancouver’s Blueberry Moon. It’s very optimistic and happy, but the good songwriting, musicianship and catchy choruses won me over. Songs that un-ironically tell you to “hug a tree” or give “8 hugs a day” risk becoming a parody of themselves, but Blueberry Moon manage to make their core message (which admittedly I’m already on board with) hit home. Give this a listen, and remember: it’s easy to be cynical. Stop being lazy, and challenge yourself to view the world with more positivity.

Favourite Track: 8 Hugs a Day

Released: Mar 16

#dinoshart #music review #blueberry moon #vancouver #folk #folk rock

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The first thing that hits you on this record is Maggie Gehegan’s vocals. They’re smokey, raspy, soulful, and reminiscent of Simone, Cole and (more recently) Winehouse. The Nina Simone comparison extends to the title track -- a homage ‘I Ain’t Got No/I Got’ that pays tribute without plagiarising. The musicianship is on point, with precise instrumentation creating a perfect stage to show off the vocal performance and lyrical content. By mixing soul, jazz and blues with a sprinkle of funk this group have created something emotive and fun, with a hint of illicitness and noir.

Favourite Track: Runnin’ Out

Released: Jun 15

#dinoshart #music review #maggie belle #NOLA #New Orleans #soul #jazz #blues

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James Dean Death Cult show that you don’t need amazing recordings (or in tune guitars) to make cool music. The lo-fi folk punk duo from Chicago are open about playing “short songs about all the terrible things”, but manage to keep things from getting dark or melodramatic. For a record that clocks in at under 10 minutes they keep it interesting, with a surprise acapella sea shanty appearing in the middle. Starter Pact is a nice little EP that is fun, honest, raw, and relatable.

Favourite Track: Missed Connections

Released: Jul 15

#dinoshart #music review #james dean death cult #whats for breakfast records #folk punk #acoustic #lofi

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If you’re into jangly dream pop you’ll adore Movie Brain’s Breeder EP. Creating an emotive soundscape can’t be easy, but this record succeeds in the effort (partially due to the dream pop tradition of low in the mix, reverb laden vocals). There’s not a lot of variety between tracks, but somehow this EP doesn’t need it. In fact, the ability for the release to blend together as a whole makes it a perfect non-intrusive soundtrack to your summer road trip. If an EP were a nostalgic recollection of a sunny '80s home video, this would be it.

Favourite Track: Lift

Released: Feb 16

#dinoshart #music review #movie brain #breeder ep #spirit goth #dream pop #jangle pop

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Calm and Crisis manage to keep the four tracks on this EP interesting and exciting with great songwriting and dynamic changes. This is most evident in the second track ‘In Vain’, which starts as a solo acoustic indie song and surprises the listener with a sudden change to angry hard alt rock. Calm and Crisis are evidence that less is more -- there are only three of them creating this huge sound, and the songs are strong on melody without any superfluous parts. This is an engaging EP, with the ability to kick your arse when you’re least expecting it.

Favourite Track: The Blur

Released: Jan 15

Calm and Crisis have just released their first full length album (which is also awesome). Check it out here.

#dinoshart #music review #calm and crisis #it always rains on wednesdays #indie rock #alt rock #post punk #washington dc #dc