Know Your Gear (Phillip McKnight)
SHOUTOUTS
10/8/2018
Airlift
Airlift is a rock band residing and performing in New York City. They are a mish mash of the 80s and 90s with a little punk rock attitude thrown in the mix for good measure. Their agenda is to dismantle the current indie rock scene. Which is inundated with fluffy, mellow, pop rock. I say, “More power to ya. Let’s rock this joint!” To hear their music and check upcoming show dates, please visit their website, and Facebook page.
Divide And Conquer
Indie Music Album Review
7/13/2018
Airlift - 'Don't Mind Me'
Airlift is based in New York City. Their recent release Don’t Mind Me came out in April of 2018. It is the second release from Airlift over their career. Don’t Mind Me is more raw and uncut than their previous release.
The band intended for this, feeling that the unpolished sound that is found on Don’t Mind Me was more representative of their true sound. The EP is great to listen to, showcasing the fruits of the labor of Airlift for fans of hard rock the world over.
There are only three tracks on Don’t Mind Me. Each one has a voice of its own. The general sound of the EP is cohesive, but each track has a different take on that sound. There are upbeat snare driven choruses, arpeggiated guitar breaks, grooving bass lines and biting lyrics populating the neighborhood of sounds that make up Don’t Mind Me.
One or two more tracks would have rounded the whole thing off a little more, but the tracks that are on Don’t Mind Me do not disappoint in the slightest.
Don’t Mind Me is a darker take on the classic hard rock sound. Airlift does a great job of keeping to the roots of the sound, while also staying true to their voice. Parts of Don’t Mind Me have a rougher feel to them, but this only adds to the realness of the EP.
he running time is just under 15 minutes. It is a perfectly portioned bite of Airlift’s sound. With previous releases available alongside Don’t Mind Me, the next Airlift release is one that I’ll be looking forward to.
http://www.divideandconquermusic.com/indie-music-album-reviews/airlift-dont-mind-me
Indie Voice
Get It Or Forget It
5/26/2018
Airlift - 'Don't Mind Me'
Airlift is an up and coming rock band from New York City who is releasing a new EP, Don’t Mind Me. They base their sound on bands like Pearl Jam, Radiohead, U2, The Replacements, REM, My Bloody Valentine, and Sonic Youth, and have the goods to take their sound a long way. This three-song EP is a good introduction to the band, and we think they have a lot of potential. Their sound is radio friendly, and if their live show is anything like what’s on this EP, we bet they are killer on stage. We look forward to what they do next, and we advise you to keep your eyes on them as well.
Recommendation: Give them a chance and grab your copy.
What Happened to Your Band?
Airlift Unveil Details On Their EP "Don't Mind Me"
5/21/2018
Airlift - 'Don't Mind Me'
NYC-based alternative, indie rock band Airlift released an EP titled “Don’t Mind Me” on April 24, 2018.
On this release, the band comments:
“Flat Earth opens the EP with an eerie ambience (the idea was to evoke something like a ruined landscape) which quickly explodes into something more aggressive and fast-paced.
The material is guitar-driven and was recorded as a five-piece (two guitar, vox, drums, bass). As a band we draw some inspiration from the post-punk movement of the 80s and the alternative rock of the early 90s; we try to write music that has intricacy about it but which retains a bit of a rough-hewn character and attitude.”
https://whtybpress.com/2018/05/21/airlift-unveil-details-on-their-ep-dont-mind-me/
Punk Rock Demonstration
Show #634
5/14/2018
Airlift - 'Like A Borderline' (from 'Policy')
Punk Rock Demonstration played Like A Borderline, from 'Policy', on show #634 (1:33:52).
Listen to it and a bunch of other cool songs here: http://www.punkrockdemo.com/playlists/show634.php
Rock The Pigeon
Airlift's 'With a Bit of Luck' Is Some Intricate Indie Rock
5/12/2018
Airlift - 'With a Bit of Luck' (from 'Don't Mind Me')
‘With a Bit of Luck’ by Airlift is some intricate indie rock. The complex arrangement is definitely this song’s most notable element. The emotive, rough guitars and quiet-to-loud format on here scream old school post-hardcore. These guys have a lot to offer. Check out ‘With a Bit of Luck’ below!
https://rockthepigeon.com/2018/05/12/airlifts-with-a-bit-of-luck-is-some-intricate-indie-rock/
Velvety
5/8/2018
Airlift - 'Don't Mind Me'
Today we get carried away by the stimulating sound of Airlift, inspired by the post-punk eighties and alternative rock of the early nineties, featuring intricate passages from the guitarists and a lot of attitude. The band presents an attractive show on its recently released EP, Don't Mind Me. Enjoy.
Translated from Spanish
Brett David Stewart
Independent Spotlight
11/4/2016
Airlift - 'Policy'
In this morning’s edition of the Independent Spotlight, we shine our gaze on ‘Policy,’ a two-track EP that has been released by Airlift, a new independent rock outfit that formed in New York this last spring. The five-piece band consists of two guitarists, a singer, a drummer, and a bassist, and they cite inspiration the likes of The Smiths, Sonic Youth, and Pearl Jam. ‘Policy’ is their debut effort, and a full length record is expected to follow. Are these two songs worth taking a listen to? Let’s dig in and find out.
Despite not claiming to sound anything like their influences, there is most certainly a Smiths-esque sound to ‘Policy of Containment,’ the A-side of ‘Policy.' That inspiration is particularly noticeable in regard to the vocalist's style. The soundscape reverberates behind his presence as his performance becomes increasingly more passionate and dire. The instrumentation echoes this tone, too, and ‘Policy of Containment’ reaches a dynamic explosion of rocking intensity in its final moments.
Each member of Airlift is in fine form, and ‘Policy of Containment’ is an excellent exhibition of the guitar and percussion banter in the band. The percussion is especially thunderous, and truly acts as the pivotal backbone to the track. Airlift’s compositional style embraces a level of brevity, too, akin to punk music or the like. They’re talented performers, but there isn’t any ostentatious soloing to be found.
‘Like a Borderline,’ the more intricate B-side on ‘Policy,’ is no less excellent than its predecessor. Again, the instrumental performances are fiercely fervent, and the lead vocalist shines with some more extensive lyrical content. Despite being shorter than ‘Policy of Containment,’ ‘Like a Borderline’ covers a lot more sonic territory. There are rises and falls in its presentation, and the electric guitar performances are pleasantly colored by the softer segments.
Airlift have something very special here. Both of these songs are superb, and I’d even go as far to argue that ‘Like a Borderline’ is the very best of the two. The production quality is outstanding as well, which will make the 7’’ color vinyl release of this record even more worth picking up this December.
Check out Airlift below and keep tabs for their new music on the horizon!
http://brettdavidstewart.com/the-independent-spotlight/airlift
CUSTOM MADE MUSIC
SIX RECORDS CMM WANTS YOU TO KNOW
11/4/2016
Airlift - 'Policy'
New York City's Airlift deliver a pair of melodic, heartfelt songs that feature rich guitars, powerful vocals and a top notch rhythm section that keep things moving well. "Policy Of Containment" is a driving number that incorporates a straight forward rock sound with twisted atmospherics and an underlying element of mystery while "Like A Borderline" is faster paced and channels more of a late 80's/early 90's college rock approach that comes off like a cross between Dramarama and Seaweed. It's climbing, octave style guitar playing and inspiring vocal delivery give it an undeniable appeal. A refreshing blast of epic rock n roll from beginning to end.
http://custommademusic.blogspot.com/2016/11/six-records-cmm-wants-you-to-know.html