New Artists
2005.02.02
Shortway is the latest addition to our list of "why are they on GroundWaves?" bands that oughtta be more famous than they are. It'd be easy to compare the Portland Oregon trio to an Alice In Chains or a Soundgarden, or even Faith No More's last two albums--but their own voice shines through in their heavier-than-lead prog rock. Plus, you have to love a band that references Kurt Vonnegut--a track on their record is called "Ice-9."
Chicago's Diggy K-Beck is a singer-songwriter whose country and folk influenced acoustic rock would fit right next to your ripped copy of GN'R Lies in your iPod playlist, even if he's not as violent or nasty as Axl and the gang. If Oingo Boingo and Thomas Dolby had a love child, it'd be Mcpherson (yes, that's the second time in two reviews that we referenced Thomas Dolby). The Burlington, VT native's music actually sounds a lot like Box Of Frogs (an obscure Jimmy Page project), but we didn't think you'd heard of them, so... Funky, fun R&B in the vein of Steve Winwood and Eric Clapton's peppier stuff--them's the sounds of Detroit's No Turn On Red. Motown style soul brought to you by GroundWaves. Spookie is. If you're easily spooked, anyway. The Asheville, NC artist's (ex-Archers of Loaf) music flows from piano-driven trip-hop to keyboard-heavy ambient indie rock.