Patrick Singer currently resides in London. His career as a songwriter began in Edinburgh at the age of 11. Recently, Singer released Discomfort Changes, a heart wrenching telling of his personal journey through relocations, changes in career and many other personal perils that were experienced along the way. The album tells of these in an insightful and intimate way, bringing the listener into the mind of Singer to experience these things for themselves.
The album opens with “Sorry.” A soulful and down beat track, the guitar is soaked in reverb for the briefly appearing solos. The rhythm guitar plucks through arpeggios as the lyrics tell the story of Singer recovering his mental health after a jarring relationship. The mood quickly changes as “Unsure” begins. Distortion, crashing cymbals, an in-your-face delivery of vocals starts within the first thirty seconds of the song. A quick curveball from “Sorry.” Discomfort Changes is filled to the brim with these changes of pace, in fact it’s one of the things that gives the album the most personality. From just the titles of the tracks alone, the listener will be unsure if a song will be a shredder or a weeper, but the songs are always crafted with a genuineness and presented in a thought provoking and exciting light. Singer borrows influence from some of rock and alternative’s greatest, and it really shows through the album. Each song is directly personal, but narrated and delivered in a universal way. Giving listeners a sense of familiarity and comfort through his delivery, by the third track Singer will seem less like a new addition to the rotation and more like an old friend. Playing therapist to himself, the music and the listener lets Discomfort Changes come to the listener from a unique angle. Fans of alternative or rock are sure to have a field day with Singer on the mic and behind the boards.
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Baltimore-based trio Illiterate Public, have been performing live at such events as Mums in Federal Hill and most recently the Under Armour Global Marketing Summit, where they performed in front of 500 attendees. Now vocalist Scott Knowles, bassist Conor Reynolds and drummer Nick Bedard have worked feverishly to release their first album. The project was highly expedited since Knowles would begin graduate school. Still the band members, along with Emerald Studios founder David Favazza committed every Sunday over the summer to finish the album.
Illiterate Public begins with the energetic “Retrospective.” The wailing guitar makes for a hip tune that you want to dance and twist to. However, the next few songs go for a more slow, calm tone. “Forget the Details” and “Lovely Slow” are easy-going acoustic songs that showcase the strength of Knowles’ rich voice. They are quite enjoyable but the vibrant upbeat tone of“Retrospective” makes you wish that would’ve kept flowing through more in the first half. Luckily “Cannot Sleep” brings back that energy. With its spacey sounds and wild sound effect leads to a brilliant guitar solo that really shreds. It sounds similar to something by The Doors with Knowles doing his best Jim Morrison impersonation. “Underdose” is the last song and it’s a nice little send off that makes you want to chant along the words in unison. Illiterate Public might have had to work on a tight schedule, but they did not sacrifice quality during the process. Illiterate Public was influenced by The Cure and R.E.M. and has some solid alternative rock songs. The album sounds much closer to an indie-country album. That’s not necessarily a bad thing since it gives them a unique identity. Now imagine if the group had more time to work on their next project.
Hussies is a post-punk band hailing from Omaha, Nebraska. Formed in 2012, the years playing in Omaha has garnered a following that stems beyond just local fans. Opening for many of the bands touring through Omaha, and headlining on nights when venues asked, Hussies has also released three albums of their music. The third Fast was released in early January of 2019 to be enjoyed by listeners from all over.
“The News Says the Truth is Dead” is a mouthful of a title. It is also an explosive shot of energy to kick off Fast. The quickness of the chord changes and frequent drum fills are sure to jolt listeners to the edge of their seats. The opening guitar riff is catchy, and the multiple appearances of the song helps it feel familiar quickly. A track that is optimal for repeat listening, even it’s running time feels like a perfect fit making itself at home in the speakers without overstaying its welcome. “Honey, I Ain’t Comin’ Home Tonight” appears at the middle of the album. Bouncing between a high energy rumble and a slowed down blues jam, it’s hard not to sing along with the words as the song continues to build from start to finish. The bridge is the highlight of the song, joining both sides of the song in an almost chaotic eruption of emotion, cymbals and shredding guitars. “Back Burner” is the final track on Fast. It is a fitting ending to a rapid fire album as drum hits fly by at lightning speeds, complemented by twangy guitar lines and a well-executed vocal performance. Each element of the sound of Hussies is fleshed out in brilliant tone on this track, leaving listeners who want more quickly reaching for the repeat button. The post-punk genre has always had a strange definition of boundaries. The sound can’t be defined by a few words. Since its inception, however, there has always been bands that carry the sound. Hussies hits the nail on the head. The distorted, sometimes reverbed crashing sound of the band as a whole fits the post-punk target. Fans of Wire, Talking Heads, Devo, Television, Rye Coalition, Rites of Spring, Shellac, Fugazi or Sonic Youth will quickly find a perfect fit for Fast in their rotations. Fans unfamiliar with the genre will find quality in the explosive energy and excitement that the album provides.
Jesse Lidster is an artist from Australia who apparently started recording and producing his music about only a year ago. Even though he is in the embryonic stage of his development he released Journey Within which is a full-length album. The album is full of what one might call art rock. At times the music reminded me of a much more lo-fi version of Deerhunter.
“Cortex in a Vortex” is the opening track which is about seven-and-a-half minutes long. The music felt pretty original with a lot of surf rock lead type guitar with other elements that often erupt in a wave of white noise. Lidster certainly has some passion in the vocals but he often wasn’t able to stay in key when trying to hit higher notes which was distracting. The song felt long and it lingered it a little too long when the softer moments come. “Imagination FluXuation” is another solid song that seemed to go on little longer then it needed. He repeats the title of the song with a solid groove behind it. “MOTORVATED” was a distorted, chaotic song that has some solid moments of rock and mutates into artistic free form expression. The album started to spin out of control with “SquidgeeZ” which is a collage of noises making for the most avant garde piece yet. “A Reflection of Depression” is more or less just guitar and vocals. It’s arguably the highlight and seemed to be the most heartfelt song on the album. After another acoustic piece entitled “Do You Wanna Go Somewhere?” and the title track the album continues to go in any direction it choses. Typically with a debut album you want to build a foundation. There should be something cohesive whether you are Oneohtrix Point Never or Grizzly Bear that establishes a signature sound. Lidster gets an A for effort for thinking outside the box but I thought that reeling it in a little with the different approaches would have behooved him. As an engineer myself I think finding a producer/engineer to work with should be the next step for Lidster. There were a lot issues with masking frequencies, the drums, compression and more that a trained engineer would have been able to treat. Overall, I think Lidster showcased some good ideas and talent in multiple areas. For as little as he has been producing and recording music I felt like this was a valiant first effort. I hope to hear more as he evolves.
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D’Evingere is an artist from Madison, WI who recently released a self-titled album DEvingere that contains eleven songs. It’s a stripped back album and also a very simple album from a musical standpoint. The songs contain distorted major and minor chords, 4/4 drum patterns and vocals. I was reminded of early garage and punk bands from the ’70’s that got by on only a couple of chords and a lot of attitude.
Things start off with “Sunset.” The drums sounded solid for a home recording; the distorted guitar was rather harsh with too many high frequencies. Luckily the guitar sounded better on the next song “Train to Nevada” which sounded like a mixture of American hard rock and Sex Pistols. As the album progressed the recording quality sounded different even though the instrumental stayed the same. Take for example the sonic imprint of a song like “Icebreaker” compared to “Dissonance.” There were a couple of standout tracks like “Abattoir” and “Neon Streets and Velvet.” This style of music requires hooks and I have to admit the vocal melodies didn’t jump out at me especially on first listen. The reason I can appreciate a band like The Stooges or Green Day is because of the energy and memorable melodies that will get stuck in your head. I think there were some solid, memorable melodies on the album but they weren’t easy to find. As a an engineer myself I think the most important thing for the artist to do moving forward is to work with a producer/engineer. These songs have a lo-fi bedroom feel and you really want, in my opinion, to have a more live sound that you have heard on countless punk and garage rock records from the ’70s. Additionally, an engineer (especially a mastering engineer) would be able to EQ and compress the songs in a way which would make them all have a similar tone and texture in addition to volume. The spirit and talent seemed to be there for this artist and I think there is some potential for him to come into his own. I look forward to his next release and I hope to hear more soon.
Soft Construction is a solo effort from Derek Sasu. The artist from London has only been playing guitar for about six years but has managed to release a number of solo albums. It should be stated that he eventually wants to take his work into a proper studio. I think that would be a good move at some point because the songs on Where Are We Going? got my attention.
The EP starts with “Search Party” which is an explosive rock song. It has an aggressive drum beat and is quickly joined by a jangly guitar. The song goes into a number of different directions including a more distant section that is covered with vocal samples which I noticed but couldn’t make out the words. Up next is “Chain of Being.” One thing there was just way too much of was cymbal. It was so jarring, pronounced and aggressive I couldn’t concentrate on anything else. Less is usually more especially in this case. His vocals are so far in the background. “Portrait of a Young Man” has its moments but there were too many elements competing with each other in a way that your attention really doesn't know where to go. The vocals are smooth but the other elements are too distracting. “Off the Grid” is his best attempt. The canvas he paints here is a little more smooth and I at least felt like I was able to appreciate the different elements in the song. “Bruce Lee's Ghost in "The Game of Life" features some spoken word and is the other highlight. It’s an atmospheric, psychedelic soundscape of sorts. Sasu is correct in saying working in studio is a good way to go. As an engineer myself there were a lot of issues I would have wanted to rectify. The good news is that the ideas are there and with the proper implementation that can find their potential.
Richard Berger is an artist currently located in LA and he released Not There. The release contains three songs all of which have their own distinct flavor. Berger used to be in a band but these days prefers just writing for himself.
The EP gets going with the title track which is about unrequited love. It’s a warm, emotive rock song with a bit of ’90s flavor. The song starts with softly strummed acoustic guitar followed by bass and drums. I liked what I heard and thought the vocal melodies were memorable. Up next is “Let Love Live” which was the highlight. I’m not sure who was on lead vocal on this song but they sounded great. I thought the jazzy drums and piano that opened up the song was just about perfect. Vocal harmonies and what sounds like digital piano are also implemented into the mix. My only minor issue was the distorted guitar which didn’t seem to mix well with the other elements in the song. "Nevermind" is a song about missed connections. It has a reflective, nostalgic vibe to the music. There is nothing harsh about the song. It’s a pretty sincere ballad that was on the verge of feeling saccharine. The vocal harmonies are the high point. There are some issues with the male vocal however where it sounded like a pop filter would have helped out. These songs aren’t reinventing the wheel and aren’t exactly professional studio quality but they have their charm. I think the charm comes from the heartfelt delivery which seemed to come from an honest place. There was this sort of wearing your heart on your sleeve type quality to the songs. Recommended.
Old band mates, who are also longtime friends and work colleagues, sure can make a fantastic first record. The Hanake Twins (aka the two CERN scientists) are based in Switzerland and just last September put out their first EP by the same name. Recorded at the DUDU Loft Studios in Athens, Greece, the group consists of Stefanos Leontsinis on guitars and Paschalis Vichoudis on vocals and bass. Additional drum playing was done by Kostas Zabos on all of the tracks. For those who are Doors fans, they do a sweet rendition of “The End” as their last track. And for others, like me, who are nuts about Joy Division, you’ll hear some mighty fine influence from this iconic band, not to mention bits of Nick Cave. For those who still geek out on album covers…yes, again me – the band’s album photo was done by Menno de Groot.
The lyrics to “Deep” are indeed deep. I mean I have no idea how to interpret them. Maybe some of the words were taken from poems by Stathis Antoniou, as the band’s biography point out. But anyway, I don’t think one needs to understand what’s being said in order to enjoy the song, in terms of its musical style – and man, did I enjoy this one. I couldn’t get enough of it! Dark, brooding, and gothic – to me, this stuff never gets old. It has the classic hallmark sounds of the dark undertones of Joy Division – with Vichoudis channeling Ian Curtis and Peter “Hooky” Hook. At times, he sounded like Peter Murphy from Bauhaus. Overall, I thought the twins brought an edgier, more intense feel to this opener. “Climb” speeds things up with a faster tempo. This one gets even darker, in my opinion. There is a break where the drums drop out for a bit towards the end, and overall there seems to be more action and energy with the guitar riffs and off beats. The words seem to suggest either climbing a literal mountain or just some obstacle with mountain used as a metaphor. Either way, it didn’t matter to me I loved it. “Lost” starts off with a thick and heavy bass line, thundering drum fills and an eerie, echoing guitar. The style, or styles within the song, range from haunting indie-alternative to punk, thrash and new wave. For those who love dark, brooding instrumentals with lovely surprises, you’ll like this one for sure. “Drive” was rather memorable with its catchy guitar licks and drum rhythms. For those who appreciate Robert Frost poems from time to time will absolutely wonder why no one else has ever done what this band did. Unless I missed something in the last 20 to 30 years, putting snippets of a well-known classic poem by one of America’s beloved poets with an indie/alternative/goth/new wave music style is a first. Well done lads! “The End” a cover by the short-lived American band The Doors is darker and moodier than the original. The synth parts really gave this cover unique layers of sound. Stylistically, I’d say this one reminded me of The Cult meeting up with Sisters of Mercy and The Bauhaus. I wish though the twins would have recorded a longer version of it. Perhaps these longtime friends will do so on their next adventure, which I hope doesn’t take too long to make.
Meeting for the first time in elementary school about eight years ago, the teenage group New Sounds, Better Sounds from Montreal, Canada, love the idea of putting together new and interesting sounds to their music. After being in and out of bands for a while and winning a few local talents shows, Roy Boutros and Charles Guy decided to start up something new – their debut, NS-ONE is the result of that new endeavor. Using nothing more than their old MacBook Air, Logic software and of course, their instruments, the duo has a unique mellow, lush and clean sound with just the right amount of raw, warm tones that’s a joy to listen to.
The semi-instrumental “Karl’s Intro” starts off with mellow tones on the keys, quick crisp drum beats and a gentle, poppy sounding guitar – all jumping in and between audio recordings of the late, great Charles Bukowski. If you’re not familiar with his writing – I suggest you do yourself the favor – and you’ll either love what he says or hate it. I don’t think you can go halfway with Bukowski. “Monkey Junk (with a hint of love)” features a funk-jazz, old style guitar with a clean sound and mellow, magical keys. I believe old recordings of Son House is heard here with just a few lines sung by the band’s friend, Jad Kawas.“This MP3 is a Safe Place” has a smoother, soulful and full sound that has a lot of great additions added. In my opinion, I thought this was the band’s best song. Overall, I think this band has a lot of potential and great, refreshing ideas. “Pataphysics” takes its name from the discipline made famous by Boris Vian, a French Pataphysican. According to the band, Pataphysics is the science of the absurd and the song’s message, which features bongos and chirping birds at the end, is about appreciating the exceptions to everything in life and learning to deal with them.
RE:Calibrator is the debut project of Petri Coetzee. He recently released Time And Tide which I would say is a largely instrumental album that veers towards electronic but blends a number of different genres. There were songs which got my attention more than others. One of the those songs was the opener “Calibrator” which I thought has one of the more inventive beats on the album. The vibe is somewhere between Burial and Boards of Canada with dark elements. The way the song fades into piano was effective.
Up next is “On Every Corner” which is another success. The percussive elements are pronounced and it’s a nice mix between warm piano and alien like modulations. I also liked the way distortion was implemented into the song. There wasn’t as much success with “Everyone That Rides.” The drums felt like they were trying to be organic but sounded programmed and the lead vocal didn’t grab me in the same way the instrumental songs did. “Same Old Voice (ft DIMA)” was a slow, psychedelic and soulful song. The lead vocals took a little time to get used to but grew on me. “Cake And Sodomy” was a unique song. The bass really drives the groove here and the metallic percussive elements make a memorable melody. “Calibrator (pt 2)” is a pensive darker piece reminiscent of something you might hear from NIN. As the album progressed there were a couple of standout tracks. “No One Left To Forgive Us” was a slight jazzy drum lead piece that made my ears perk as well the most epic and experimental track “Time and Tide.” RE:Calibrator is a solid first effort. There was a good amount of slick production.
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