Latest Review: Magic Lantern - High Beams

Long Beach’s Magic Lantern have finally gone and released a new sonic document after what seemed like an eternity of waiting. Eagerly anticipated by those who have been biding their time waiting for the band to get on with their uber limited cassette only and CD-R releases (their Self-Titled CD-R was limited to 30), “High Beams”, the band’s latest opus [...]

Boston’s love duo, Drug Rug, spark it up at Spaceland

Tonight: Drug Rug w/Amnion, Abbot Kinney @ Spaceland - 9pm / $8 / 21+

I bought Tommy Allen and Sarah Cronin’s debut self-titled Drug Rug release, back in September after listening to a few samples and reading the all the praise that was being heaped upon them. Initially I was a bit disappointed with the album’s inconsistency, mainly every time Cronin’s vocals took center stage. Often compared to Joanna Newsom, I would instead equate Cronin’s vocals to any female cartoon character you might run across on Nick Jr., which one can imagine how that might throw a listener for a loop. Together Allen and Cronin’s two different vocal styles work, that, and along with the twisted janglely electric/acoustic 60’s type folk rock the two turn out, it all falls right in place and is what in the end kept me on board with Drug Rug.

Thomas Allen and Sarah Cronin, a real life couple, met in 2006 while working at the Middle East Club in Cambridge, Ma, where Allen was able to persuade Cronin to share her songs, eventually leading the two to coupledom and becoming the duo, Drug Rug. As with other such couple groups that Allen and Cronin draw comparisons to, Paul and Linda McCartney, John and Yoko, June Carter and Johnny Cash, Drug Rug’s juxtaposition of male and female personalities provide the perfect carriage for their message of love and peace, and stories angst and triumph.

Download “Day I Die” (mp3)

[audio:http://www.themusebox.net/featured_artist/images/drugrug_day_i_die.mp3]

and “Winter Time” (mp3) from Drug Rug’s self-titled debut album.

[audio:http://www.themusebox.net/featured_artist/images/drugrug_winter_time.mp3]

Drug’s Rug’s S/T album is out now, get it from: Amazon | Insound | AmazonMP3 | iTunes | eMusic