{"id":18426,"date":"2019-10-23T09:00:30","date_gmt":"2019-10-23T16:00:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.nexusnewspaper.com\/?p=18426"},"modified":"2019-10-18T14:38:55","modified_gmt":"2019-10-18T21:38:55","slug":"new-music-revue-roundup-hua-li-lagwagon-vultures-vinnie-caruana-and-jail-socks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nexusnewspaper.com\/newsite\/2019\/10\/23\/new-music-revue-roundup-hua-li-lagwagon-vultures-vinnie-caruana-and-jail-socks\/","title":{"rendered":"New Music Revue<\/em> roundup: Hua Li, Lagwagon, Vultures, Vinnie Caruana, and Jail Socks"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Hua Li
\nDynasty
\n<\/i>(Next Door Records)
\n3.5\/5
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

If there\u2019s a clear takeaway from Victoria-born, Montreal-based rapper, vocalist, DJ, and producer Hua Li\u2019s debut album, Dynasty<\/i>, it\u2019s that it\u2019s anything but one-dimensional. Dynasty <\/i>sees Li combine R&B slow jams with triplet flows to tackle numerous subjects, including identity, intergenerational trauma, and romantic anxieties.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The opening track, \u201cPaper Sons,\u201d is a reference to Chinese-born individuals who used illegal documents to immigrate to the United States despite the racist Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882. The song is an expression of minority empowerment, echoed by Li\u2019s shoutouts to Black Panther Party co-founder Huey Newton and the Asian American Political Alliance.<\/p>\n

Tracks such as \u201cSidebitch\u201d and \u201cMastery\u201d are stylistic odes to early 2000s R&B, channelling the likes of Ashanti and Aaliyah. Dynasty<\/i>\u2019s smoother, more vocal-focused tracks contain the album\u2019s best production and allow for Li\u2019s sharp writing to stand out.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Dynasty <\/i>is an incredibly ambitious record containing multiple narratives and stylistic changes. Despite some rapping that feels slightly stilted, Li\u2019s unique storytelling and R&B throwbacks make this album an incredibly captivating listen.<\/p>\n

-Mitch Fisher<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Lagwagon
\nRailer
\n<\/i>(Fat Wreck Chords)
\n4.5\/5\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s another word for \u2018fuck\u2019?\u201d So begins Railer<\/i>, California punk lifers Lagwagon\u2019s ninth full-length album.<\/p>\n

After a career full of hiatuses, rumours of breaking up, and turning down offers from mainstream record labels, this punk powerhouse bounces back with a collection of songs that\u2019s a rock-hard kick to the listener\u2019s head. These songs will leave your ears ringing and put a metallic taste in your mouth, then pick you up and dust you off, true mosh-pit style.<\/p>\n

The album flows fantastically, circulating through upbeat guitar riffs with group chants to punchy choruses followed by slick solos in a way that\u2019s never boring.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Lagwagon have a reputation for committing themselves to the pursuit of their craft rather than the pursuit of fame, and this comes across crystal clear on Railer<\/i>. Track after track, Lagwagon demonstrate experience and finesse while maintaining a raw sound you\u2019d expect from their younger, malcontent punk peers.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

-Bo Essery<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Vultures
\nHunger
\n<\/i>(Independent)
\n3.5\/5<\/p>\n

Local hardcore\/metal band Vultures just released their second EP, Hunger, <\/i>which is destined to be one of the notable West Coast hardcore records of 2019.<\/p>\n

With its six tracks, Hunger<\/i> brings out the excitement and madness of hardcore. While listening to each track, listeners can feel the aggressiveness, energy, and chaos of the tracks. The quality of the music in Hunger<\/i> is also one of the good points of this EP. Due to the influence from the New York hardcore scene combining with a groove-metal sensibility and technical metalcore flourishes, Hunger<\/i> will surely make Vultures become one of the hardcore powerhouses of the West Coast.<\/p>\n

Although Vulture\u2019s style <\/i>is not very unique, this is a great EP that earns the band a top spot in the West Coast hardcore scene.<\/p>\n

-Mark Nguyen<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Vinnie Caruana
\nAging Frontman
\n<\/i>(Know Hope Records)
\n4\/5<\/p>\n

Aging Frontman<\/i> is the third solo release by Brooklyn\/Long Island-based singer\/songwriter Vinnie Caruana. A music veteran, having played in both The Movielife and I Am the Avalanche, Caruana showcases his vocal versatility on this honest and worthy EP.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Caruana\u2019s wistful lyrics strike early in the album\u2019s evocative opener, \u201cBetter.\u201d Over momentously dramatic guitar work, Caruana\u2019s tone evolves from delicately vulnerable into a raspy roaring chorus that continues to resonate long after the song ends. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Fans of punk-influenced \u201990s alternative rock will appreciate \u201cDying in the Living Room,\u201d a short but sweet characterization of jubilant, elated suffering. Anchored by tight drumming and accented with a fuzzy, distorted guitar tone, Caruana hits his notes effectively in an anguishing, screaming pitch.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTex \u2018The Rock\u2019 Johnson\u201d is a delightful, sentimental lullaby. Here, Caruana projects his capable voice in a melodious pitch with a croon-like delivery.\u00a0 \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Aging Frontman<\/i> is a poignant and varied EP that deserves a listen.<\/p>\n

-Frazer Love<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Jail Socks
\nIt\u2019s Not Forever
\n<\/i>(No Sleep Records)
\n4\/5\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Jail Socks are a new alternative\/indie band from Charlotte, North Carolina. The band\u2019s debut full-length, It\u2019s Not Forever<\/i>, follows up a split record with Placeholder and the No Promises<\/i> EP. It\u2019s Not Forever<\/i> delivers more punk rock to fill your earholes.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

They sound very similar to bands like Neck Deep and The Story So Far, but they still deliver headbanging-worthy tunes with thick bass, smooth guitar, and solid vocal work. The lyrics are very personal, covering topics like relationship issues and the use of vices such as alcohol, drugs, or cigarettes to cope.<\/p>\n

Jail Socks deliver nothing new to the genre, but they do deliver some great songs on It\u2019s Not Forever<\/i>.<\/p>\n

-Joel Mitchell<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Hua Li Dynasty (Next Door Records) 3.5\/5 If there\u2019s a clear takeaway from Victoria-born, Montreal-based rapper, vocalist, DJ, and producer Hua Li\u2019s debut album, Dynasty, it\u2019s that it\u2019s anything but one-dimensional. Dynasty sees Li combine R&B slow jams with triplet flows to tackle numerous subjects, including identity, intergenerational trauma, and romantic anxieties.\u00a0 The opening track, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":18427,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4,242],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-18426","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-arts","category-october-23-2019"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nexusnewspaper.com\/newsite\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18426","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nexusnewspaper.com\/newsite\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nexusnewspaper.com\/newsite\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nexusnewspaper.com\/newsite\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nexusnewspaper.com\/newsite\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18426"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.nexusnewspaper.com\/newsite\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18426\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18432,"href":"https:\/\/www.nexusnewspaper.com\/newsite\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18426\/revisions\/18432"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nexusnewspaper.com\/newsite\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/18427"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nexusnewspaper.com\/newsite\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18426"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nexusnewspaper.com\/newsite\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18426"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nexusnewspaper.com\/newsite\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18426"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}