Author Archive

Pedal Review: Dwarfcraft Devices Eau Claire Thunder

The Eau Claire Thunder from Dwarfcraft Devices is the big one; big tones, big features and a big, knob laden enclosure. This pedal cranks out all manner of fuzz from the blunted, smokey kind of Sabbath style fog to the much more modern aggressive waves of noise rock bliss. The…Click on the title for more

Pedal Review: Dwarfcraft Devices Eau Claire Thunder

Review: Analogman Astro Tone Fuzz

The Astro Tone Fuzz by Analogman is a recreation of the long extinct Sam Ash Fuzzz Boxx. This updated clone is loaded into an MXR sized enclosure and is a bucket of rip - roaring 60's style fuzz that is bound to make you blow your top. Clever reverse engineering…Click on the title for more

Review: Analogman Astro Tone Fuzz

Review: Fridgebuzzz’s Land of the Rising Fuzzz

'60's fuzz pedals are some of the most collected and sought after guitar effects. Due to their use on seminal recordings, these pedals continue to sell for exorbitant prices and inspire numerous reissues and sound-a-likes. Keith Richards signature snarl on "Satisfaction" using a Maestro Fuzz-Tone or Jimi Hendrix's soaring solos…Click on the title for more

Review: Fridgebuzzz’s Land of the Rising Fuzzz

Recording Artist Feature: Hooray for Earth

Part of the uniqueness of “True Loves” - Brooklyn's Hooray for Earth debut album - lies in a certain kind of heavieness that’s intertwined with its pop buoyancy. The drums are massive and brooding (and were recorded on a rooftop) and the keyboards are thick and lush with extensive layering…Click on the title for more

Recording Artist Feature: Hooray for Earth

Pedal Review: TWA Triskelion TK-01

The TWA's Triskelion TK-01 is a pedal named after an occult druidic sign. If that sounds very metal to you, you won't be disappointed by the pedal's equally aggressive hard rock tones. Cryptically described as a "harmonic energizer modulation" effect, the Triskelion operates more or less as a standard EQ…Click on the title for more

Pedal Review: TWA Triskelion TK-01

Secrets of Mixing: Reverb on slower songs

The sparse arrangements that fit slower songs provide mixing engineers the opportunity to create a perception of space through the use of reverb effects. Reverb, in a mix, allows “placement” of each instrument in a sonic space. But a “realistic” use of reverb is quite tricky to get right. Realistic…Click on the title for more

Secrets of Mixing: Reverb on slower songs

Review: T-Rex Yellow Drive

New from T-Rex Engineering, the Yellow Drive is a dual channel overdrive that covers a lot of territory. Both channels A and B are equipped with their own set of volume, gain and tone controls, and are voiced differently to access a wider range of tonal options. An A/B Select foot…Click on the title for more

Review: T-Rex Yellow Drive

Digitech Whammy DT review

Since 1991, the field of pitch-shifting effects has been dominated by the DigiTech Whammy; an effect which allows users to perform dive bombs and radical octave-shifts using digital pitch-manipulation rather than a guitar-mounted vibrato-bridge. But in the last decade or so, DigiTech’s Whammy has been given a run for its…Click on the title for more

Digitech Whammy DT review

The Secrets of a perfect Surf Guitar Tone

Surf Rock experienced a Renaissance in the last few years, influencing a wave of new indie artists. The ultimate surf guitar tone has several elements: a guitar, the amplifier, reverb, tremolo, and vibrato, but the sound starts with the guitar itself. A Fender Stratocaster, Jaguar (pictured) or Jazzmaster would be…Click on the title for more

The Secrets of a perfect Surf Guitar Tone

Recording Artist Feature: Yellow Ostrich

What's in a name? Don't ask me. There's no such thing as a yellow ostrich, but that doesn't stop Alex Schaaf from insisting it's alive anyway. And in songs like 'Whale' and 'In The Past I Was an Astronaut', Yellow Ostrich is making the abstract discernible, and getting a lot…Click on the title for more

Recording Artist Feature: Yellow Ostrich

Moog Cluster Flux Review

TRY THE MOOG CLUSTER FLUX IN NYC AT THE DELI'S FREE STOMP BOX EXHIBIT In scientific terms, flux is the rate of movement of some energy or matter. When something is in a state of flux, it is changing from one state to another. In audio terms, the Cluster Flux…Click on the title for more

Moog Cluster Flux Review

TC Electronic MojoMojo Review

A few months ago, I had the pleasure of reviewing TC’s TonePrint line. Since then I kept thinking to myself... I really wish there were an easy go-to distortion that featured the same quality and no-brainerness. The TC tone gods have answered my prayers! Usually anything that claims to have…Click on the title for more

TC Electronic MojoMojo Review