Happy 101 posts, everyone! Thanks for the support.

Album Review: The Workhorse Kings-Tripple Crown-

The Workhorse Kings Triple Crown (4/6):
Another con find. When I found them at the convention the name made me think of that garish twangy country music you stumble on occasionally, wince, and walk away quickly. While they are definitively country, there is a harder edge to their sound than most country-rock. A strong baseline serves as the groundwork for innovative instrumentation that manages to be layered without becoming noisy. There is a nice balance of electronic growl and precision. While the instrumentation blends quite well, the vocals do not; the frontman has a solid voice, and the lung power to back it up. However, when it comes to the harmonies and chorus, his distinctive voice sticks out a little too well and sometimes drowns out his background vocals. The lyrics piqued my interest with a little more intellectualism than most country. Overall, this album has brains, attitude and style.

The Spill Canvas at The Bottom Lounge 8/11/12

Normally when I get this far from the concert, I just skip reviewing entirely.  However, there are a few points that needed to be said.

The Bottom Lounge 3/6)-- Normally I love the intimacy and coziness of The Bottom Lounge, however there was one major issue with their sound system. The bass overpowered the vocals as well as the other instruments. While over emphasized bass is a common tactic to cover for a weak high end it can often be overlooked. However, with a band like Spill Canvas that is so lyrically driven that it was very distracting to the point of making me want to leave. I’ve never left a concert early of my own volition.

The Spill Canvas (4/6)

These guys have improved tremendously since I saw them a few years ago.  Their music evokes a level of intimacy that a lot of other bands just don’t do. While they can be a little emo, for lack of other word, front man Nick Thomasis a sweet, gracious soul whose lyrics are touching and romantic.  That shyness that I’ve come to be so fond of was initially what made them such a difficult band to get into live, however, experience has brought Spill Canvas a new degree of confidence and comfort on stage that wasn’t there in past shows.  This new attitude, in turn, has produced a significant improvement in energy.