Learn To Fly is a four-song EP from Paul Pashley. The songs are a mix between pop, swing and jazz to my ears. I think the emphasis is just how smooth the songs are. They sound a lot like how Pashley dresses from the photos I’ve seen which is usually in a nice suit.
The first song is entitled “Learn To Fly” and at first you are greeted with a crying trumpet. There is a beat that comes and quickly provides some upbeat energy. The song is celebratory in a lot of ways but there is also this slight noir feeling to the music which I always love. “All For You” is way more subdued. I loved the lounge-y vibe on this sound that is created with piano, guitar, flute and what sounds like brush work on the drums. It’s a fairly straightforward song about romantic love when it comes to the lyrics. “Assassin” is the most spy infused sounding song yet and I was hoping I would hear more of this from the first track. The energy actually felt like it was somewhere between the first and second song. Pashley digs into the spy theme with the lyrics which covertly are about romantic love. Last up is the very jazzy “My Lovin’ Arms” which is similar to some Tony Bennett songs. There is even some standup bass on this track. The songs are very well produced. The clarity of the instrumentation was notable in the mix and I could hear the pronunciation of every single word. I think with this style of music the high production was a big plus to the experience. Overall, this was an accessible release that embraces elements of jazz and swing in a contemporary way. Take a listen.
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Here’s an album that caught me off guard. The title Spent the morning watching TV and looking through my phone sounds like something by a total slacker; I was honestly expecting songs by a guy who could barely stay awake, let along create music. Instead, this is one of the most professionally recorded and beautifully written collections of rock songs I’ve heard in a while.
John Wallace Wheatley of Hertfordshire, England is a film industry veteran, which becomes clear when you view the simple but engaging videos he created for this collection. He’s also released three albums with his band Suburban Dirts and had a UK chart hit in 2004. For his first solo album, he ditched his acoustic sound in favor of electric guitar. He describes this album as “50% self conscious soul pop and 50% existential mellotron rock.” He’s assisted by Sid Wheatley (vibraslap), David Austin (percussion), Chris Varley (bass), Andy Fairclough (mellotron), Steve Brookes (drums) and Joe and Robin Bennett (backing vocals). The album was produced by Chris Clarke at Reservoir Studios, London, and mastered by Mark Lord at Supernature. Wheatley could have titled this album “Cemetery Smokes” as it features two versions of the song which inspired the album. As “Cemetery Smokes II” recounts (and which confusingly comes first), Wheatley happened to stumble upon a gravestone in Bunhill Fields that had his own name. “Don’t want to be alone in the dark tonight,” he sings, “Don’t believe in ghosts / but I’m petrified / curiosity led me to the grave / carved into the stone was my own name.” Right away this song sounds like an A.O.R. hit with perfect ’70s style harmony vocals along the lines of the Doobie Brothers, Steely Dan or Loggins and Messina. “Heartstrings” starts with a Jimmy Buffet island vibe and becomes an elegantly-crafted soft rock gem with winning vocals and an ace arrangement that never falters or shows any hint of insecurity. There’s also a simple but fun video created by Wheatley that shows a band comprised of a panda, bear, bird and penguin. Wheatley says this song expresses his disdain for music industry phonies, before embracing his own phoniness once things went his way. “Last Man Standing” is a sad and soulful lament about trying to survive a broken relationship, though the very cool video presents the idea literally: the last guy on earth, tooling around town to keep busy, and nearly killing himself in a car crash out of sheer boredom. This is another mellow and stately tune with a fun Beatles-like middle section. “Neurotic Dancer” is indeed a highly danceable pop track with a jumpy one-two beat, more Steely-style vocals and a smart and tasteful lead solo. “Cemetery Smokes I” starts with a heart monitor “flatline” tone, and ushers in a smoky blues workout. Wheatley’s vocals are lower and more earthy, but he still features a nice background chorus. Though a good version of this song, it’s basically one riff over and over. “I’ve Only Just Realized” begins with Andy Fairclough’s mellotron (a 1960’s tape-based keyboard with prerecorded “samples”), which here and elsewhere give the songs a fun retro feel. Wheatley again goes for more of a wailing rock vocal in a tune that recalls Leon Russell in its bluesy abandon. “World War III” appears to conflate the end of a relationship with nuclear holocaust. “I took a piece of shrapnel in my right shoulder blade / not to sound dramatic / but it still hurts when I play.” The video Wheatley created is essential viewing: action figures including Captain America, the Flash, and Bill and Ted are animated in front of borrowed footage from “The Day After” and is a total delight. “The Singularity” is a term that references a time in the future when machines become sentient, and all hell breaks loose. Wheatley applies this idea to the awareness of his own insecurities, which keeps him from fully pursuing his music career. “I am one of a kind / like every other bearded wannabe…some shitty band’s misguided ego trip.” Ironically, for a track that has a creepy video of robots performing, this song feels among the most heartfelt of the collection. As the album ends, Wheatley is overtaken with thoughts of mortality: “Our protagonist experiences a billion life times in the nanosecond of his death before accepting that none of this was meaningless.’’ The song begins as a simple vocal, guitar and mellotron lament and builds slowly. A slow ticking percussive “clock” is introduced before the clamorous Walrus-like finale. This is certainly the most ambitious and multi-level song here, and my personal favorite. So it turns out that the album title is a bit of misdirection perfectly in keeping with Wheatley’s “don’t look at me, I’m hideous” propensities, even as he cranks out these heartfelt, professional-sounding songs seemingly without breaking a sweat.
Rob Osenton has been part of the Tampa Bay music scene over the past two decades as a guitarist, band member, recording engineer, guitar-amp builder and songwriter. With the release of his debut solo EP Together Alone Osenton takes his turn in the spotlight. The four songs on the disc were written at different times (and for different groups), and form a preview to his upcoming full-length release Songs of the Apocalypse.
This is well-crafted guitar-based rock. Osenton cites Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Tom Petty, Wilco and the Beatles as influences, and they shine through clearly. The lyrics ponder relationships, and the fractures in society as Osenton sees them. Broadly, Together Alone falls into that catch-all “Americana” bucket, but on the overdriven-tube-amp side, not the twangy Telecaster side. It’s engaging from the first strum of “Just Enough.” Osenton has taken all the guitar chords you learned in high school and put them into a unique order, almost like AC/DC does: there are no surprises, and yet somehow it’s his own. The track is catchy and well-produced. The harmony vocals and tambourine on the chorus are nice touches, as is the cowbell under the guitar solo. I would have liked a slightly different lyric on the chorus, where two stanzas ending with “need” left me a little flat. And that’s really the only nit to pick on all of Together Alone. “Say What You Mean” channels a Tom Petty vibe (as Osenton readily admits) with a prominent organ track gluing together complementary acoustic and electric guitar parts. There’s a bendy pentatonic guitar solo, and nice dynamics as the track peels all the way back before building up into a rousing finish. The title track introduces some cool square-wave synth and a little Dream Police-era Cheap Trick drama with higher-register guitar leads over a growly bass riff. “We’re together alone / Living out of our phones / Disconnected souls / Searching for home,” sings Osenton, and he’s not wrong. He flexes his songwriting chops with a few unexpected key changes, and his axe-man skills with nice outro guitar work. “Can we do one more?” Osenton asks at the start of “The Path Between” the final track. Yes, please, but make sure you’ve got fifteen minutes saved for this epic. It’s a heavier, driving jam with terrifically warm, overdriven, down-tuned guitars. Osenton caught this as a first studio take: it’s not perfect, but it’s not meant to be. “The Path Between” crackles with energy and with the musicians playing off of each other as they push, pull and develop the ideas in real-time. It would make a great concert piece. Osenton delivered a fine set with Together Again and it’s just the preview to the forthcoming full-length disc. I look forward to hearing that one, too!
Mstrbstrd is a project led by audio collage artist hailing out of the Pacific Northwest. The effort was born out of the Covid-19 shutdown in March 2020. Wanting to give a voice to the oppressed, the artist’s debut release Please Stand By tackles topics that need to be addressed to the world. At a time when we need this most, Mstrbstrd has released a set of relevant tracks that is a call “to the greater good” and for change. Through smooth soundscapes featuring samples from George Orwell, Otuwatoyin Salau, Fidel Castro and Dr. Cornel West, the album is a heavy bash of electronic, dance and hip hop.
Please Stand By starts off with a bang with “Lovely Place To Be (ft. Sun Choke),” where some beats give an overall tribal air. Some guitars and drums give this track a disconcerting feel. The mash-up of vocals and electronic and acoustic instrumentation offer up an edge of dissonance. The discord projects a very off-kilter vibe. Some keys clash with warbling synths on “The Party (George’s Nightmare).” Spare guitar riffs also sound off. The electronic modes are glitch-y and take the song to newer heights with their sound. An announcement adds an immediacy to the track. Atmospheric synths and the tricking in of a xylophone gives off a very airy vibe on “For Oluwatoyin // For Tony (ft. Oluwatoyin Salau).” The nice ambience of the song flows underneath a Black Lives Matter rally. The smooth music contrasts to the fiery message, highlighting the words to amplified effect. The lone strains of a psychedelic guitar pave “Kill Your Masters.” The sound overall felt very mellow and laid-back. The electronic beats add an exciting proponent to the sounds. Percolating beats add some traction to “_Loading_Screen.. (Please Stand By).” Some synthetic horns add a pulsating and jazzy feel. The track also has a great trance and techno vibe to it. On “Busy” some robotic vocals give this song a very dance and EDM feel. The sounds are amped and energized. The keys offer this track a slight funky groove. Some keys chime in on “Life’s A Bust.” Spoken word vocals are executed in a robotic fashion that underlines this fresh electronic track. With a very chill and smooth feel, the background vocal harmonies flow through with a very invigorating vibe. On “Passing Trends (ft. Sundays),” a trailing guitar solo is a nice addition to the song. Together with the hip hop-based beats the sounds felt very psychedelic and groovy. The vibes reminded me of ‘70s era rock music. A sample from Dr. Cornel West adds to the urgent themes on “Thank You Dr. West (ft. Dr. Cornel West).” The beats underline the compelling message, adding to the overall immediacy. This feels like a relevant way to close the album. The album mixes trance and electro instances in this cocktail blend of cool and chill beats with electronic-based ambience and organic instrumentation. Overall, the sounds felt very experimental with the artist overdubbing samples and spoken-word like vocals into the urgent-themed tracks. Filled with hypnotic hip hop beats and a bold and daring flavor, Mstrbstrd’s debut is a great introduction to his brand of hip hop, spoken word and pop mash-ups. The artist announced on his website that all proceeds will be donated directly to charity.
Mr. Muzix is a twenty three-year-old artist from Atlanta, Georgia who recently released STAGES. The artist mentions “This album, being my first, is something of a breakthrough through music for me. It covers different stages I have conquered in my life.”
The album starts with “Jennifer” and revolves around organ, piano, bass and what sounds like finger snaps. I liked the instrumental aspect but the focal point is the soulful vocals. The vocals are dynamic and just have a bunch of emotion. Up next is “School Daze'' and it starts with what sounds like vinyl crackle and harp. This song is soulful and more of a slow burn. It works nicely with his voice because he’s able to stretch things out a bit more and really gets those pipes working. “Jersey Girls” is great. The groove here is smooth and more beat heavy with a kick and hi-hat. It’s a reflective song that feels nostalgic and heartfelt. “Convince You To Stay” is a little more R&B infused. There are overlapping vocal harmonies on the hook and some other elements such as synths which add to the mood. “SOAPBOX” is about contemporary issues like George Floyd and due process. It’s also a very subdued song that is smooth as silk and very serene. “Corner Store” is a 180 in terms of mood. It’s upbeat and the music sounds like the lyrics. He sings about starting his day which seems to be going pretty well. “All White Dress” is an atmospheric ballad while “Carriage Park” is a single worthy song that has a memorablehook. The album continues with “Precious Pearls,” “Fallin’ (the Unfinished Song)” and finally the sentimental closer “STAGES.” The artist has some serious talent as a musician in multiple ways. I think the vocal work is exceptional. This was a release I found very easy to appreciate. Take a listen.
The last recording for the band A.G. McIntosh was a five-song EP in 2010, but unfortunately it was never released due to the group disbanding. Ten years later, their EP The Satisfaction was finally released. The songs are fun but straight rock songs which lean most into Americana most.
The EP opens with “Party Girl Hallelujah” and basically this song takes all its moves from the playbook of rock n’roll. There is a heavy dose of Tom Petty and John Mellencamp with a side of AC/DC. The song was catchy but also sounded so familiar the first time I heard it. “Stand Next to My Fire” is more infused with hard rock and blues. Similar to the previous song it takes its cues from the rock n’ roll handbook and the band pulls off a lot of recognizable moves. Small towns, country roads and more define “Shot in the Dark.” The vocalist doesn't sound like Bruce Springsteen but this certainly sounds like the musician it was influenced from. Next up is “Never Told Yourself” which is very similar and continues to embrace Americana 101. Last up is “Reason For Living” which is more of a ballad. This is a release that wears its influence on its sleeve. I was looking at the album cover and the band was very young when they recorded the music and truth be told when you are around that age it’s a lot easier to sound like your heroes. The young band that recorded this release was talented. They were technical, the songs were well written and they had chemistry. On that note there is very little here that makes a signature or singular sound. Their songs are so close in flavor I would call this a genre band. If you are a fan of Americana and consider yourself a purist with no frills I think you will connect with these songs.
Back in the mid ’90s I started making my first recordings. This was way before I started producing bands. It was a learning process and I still appreciate those lo-fi home recordings for what they were.
Back then I was also heavily into Nirvana and Pearl Jam. For all these reasons HEARTACHE EP which is a five-song self-titled EP from HEARTACHE reminded me of those recordings. The recordings are very raw, once in a while not in the pocket and revolving around 4/4 time and distorted power chords. The band starts with ‘Control” and revolves around a couple strummed chords and an intense drum beat. As intense as the music is, the singing is on the smoother side. I was heavily reminded of Nirvana on “Colours” while “Valentine’s Day Massacre” has its moments and is more of a slow burn. “Pandemic” takes away the distortion and is more of a ballad while “Staring Into The Ceiling” felt more reflective. The band is young and seems to be having a good amount of fun which was palpable. The recordings are so lo-fi at this point I would encourage the band to collaborate with an engineer or really do whatever they can to improve the fidelity. On that note there some issues with foundational things such as timing which in my opinion if they are noticeable should be worked on. I can relate to these songs because I felt like I was listening to a younger version of myself. There was a sense that I was really rooting for this artist because of the similarities to my own life. The songs are very simple from a technical perspective and for the most part work. There are some catchy melodies here and there and on occasion there is a memorable chorus. My advice to here is to keep going and for the band to push themselves as musicians. I’ve been making music for over twenty-five years and I promise them if they decide to go on a long musical journey throughout their life they are just getting started. I'm looking forward to hearing more.
Mining for Rain began as a folk rock duo in the mid-’90s in Santa Fe, NM. The band broke up at some point and reformed in 2013. They recently released a six-song EP entitled Hot Birds.
I was a teenager in the ’90s and have a pretty vivid recollection of the music that was popular in those days. There were a lot more alternative bands and more bands in general that sounded like a bunch of people playing in a room together. This EP sounds very ’90s although the recordings sound more lo-fi and raw then what you would hear on the radio. The band gets going with “The Girl Upstairs” and it starts with a lone guitar. Its energy quickly shifts with a snare roll and the whole band joins in. The song revolves around a couple strummed major and minor chords, a 4/4 beat and in general was very straightforward power pop. It's familiar sounding yet catchy. Up next is “Puppy Luv!” and it reminded me of a popular ’90s group called Spin Doctors. They continue with “Wendy & Rachel'' and it actually sounded similar to the previous track except more lo-fi for some reason. The band presses on with “Shut Up Instead” and “Hot Bird.” I really liked the more forward moving and surf inspired “Hot Bird.” The highlight was the last song “Zooey” simply because it was catchy and well delivered. It's a tongue-in-cheek reference to the actress Zooey Deschanel which I've actually heard from other bands before. She seems to a bit of a thing among hipsters and indie bands. The music is simple and catchy. They aren’t reinventing the wheel here and I really didn't get the impression that’s their goal. The band really goes hard in the paint with a ’90s alternative/MTV type of vibe which I appreciated. I also got the impression the band was having fun with these songs and not taking themselves too seriously. Overall, this was a solid release that had its moments and a certain demographic probably within my age range (30's and 40's) will appreciate it most but encourage anyone to check it out.
The new four-song EP Becoming a Body by Endless Digital Birthdays is one of the most orginal sounding releases in recent memory. Throughout the EP the band goes in different directions and seamlessly blends multiple genres that create a signature sound.
They start off with “V10” which immediately sounds like a tear through the space time continuum. In the first minute they blast off and land and I’m not sure if this was rock, experimental or what. After the one-minute mark there are transitions which are unexpected, inventive and technically apt. The vocals are sparse and come in at certain points. There really aren’t any hooks in a traditional sense but who needs them when you get music that sounds this original. Next up is “Despot Rock (gmrgrlmst)” and it is the mix of electronic and the almost Talking Heads type quality but more contemporary sounding. The vocals are prominent in this song and there are multiple affectations that are used in a good way. There are also points where the band rocks out hard. “One Face at a Time” starts off darker in mood and color than anything else. There’s a bit of a Joy Division vibe perhaps mixed with the band Daughters. I’m not a huge fan of spoken word but this was fantastic. The lyrics are absurd like David Lynch or perhaps Scott Walker. As the song progressed it went in unique ways including this serene piano section and an explosive, dissonant outro that keeps going and going as if the music has no borders. Last up is “Luigionair” and at first this is like the most familiar sounding song with an electro club vibe but that quickly changes. The song gets dark and feels haunting but then leads you down a wormhole as this ever changing organism battles with its own consciousness. Once or twice a year I will hear a release that will push boundaries of what is possible in the studio. This is one of those releases. Highly recommended.
California’s New American Hustle is a virtual band led by Ian Smith. Their music is created with live studio musicians, pre-recorded loops and online track-swapping with various collaborators. They cite influences such as Beck, Gorillaz, Khruangbin, Bob Marley, Portishead, Queens Of The Stone Age and Tame Impala. Just a quick glance at their Bandcamp page shows their prolific and professional-looking output.
My previous review of a New American Hustle album was Destination Go-Go! That collection was a jumpy, trip-hop celebration of the ’90s. While similar in some ways, Butcher’s Daughter feels like a more traditional release. Smith confirms this impression by calling this “… our most fully-formed album. It pays homage to what we’ve done before, yet opened us up to more dynamic new sounds. Nothing is more important than the power to make people shake their ass.” As such, they’ve dedicated these tracks to exploring grooves: “reggae, dub, funk, hip hop and African rhythms.” Partner Lolita Larsson states that “there are many beautiful voices on these songs” and her role this time out was to be more of a “sonic curator, making sure the melody was glued to the rhythm.” The album was mixed and mastered by Nate Bridges from Black Market, who also contributed instrumentally. These tracks were recorded in Merced, California; Toronto, Canada; Dartmoor, England; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Nashville, Tennessee. The rhythms are crisp, solid, and polished to perfection like diamonds, while the backgrounds - featuring both synthesized and treated “real” instruments - float back and forth throughout the songs, bathing each vocalist in a downy bed of sound. Though less prominent this time, the quick little samples always feel exactly right for the moment. This review was based on the original version of this release; there’s also a “complete” version with four additional songs. “Last Diver Into The Bay” sets the sonic table with agitated synth swirls and a militaristic beat, which melds into a short spaghetti western-style instrumental. “The City & The Town” features the lovely, hushed vocals of Lolita Larsson, sometimes reflecting a Diana Ross quality. The backing track is a funk-rock hybrid with nice wah wah guitar, engaging piano and fairly straightforward drum kit. The title track “Butcher’s Daughter” feels like harder rock, thanks to the crunchy electric guitar and uptempo melodies with another sweet Larsson vocal. “I don’t want to talk too much / sometimes it hurts.” Really stellar drum work here. “The Maze” is the first appearance of a guest vocalist Lisa Bregneager on “dreamy vocals.” An exotic-sounding track with both East Indian and Egyptian influences, this is a composition that wanders freely while always centered by Bregneager’s voice. “Mellow Razor” is closer to traditional hip hop with a rap by Ian Smith and funky, circular guitar riffs throughout. “Like a machine of rage / five four three two one, we engage / still working for minimum wage.” “Lips Touch Bliss” has a solid rock beat with funky, scratchy guitars and more echo-drenched and sampled vocals by Larsson. Vocalist Lisa Bregneager returns on the reggae workout “Vultures Rising” where the spooky guitar figures sometimes dissolve into wispy molecules floating across the stereo spectrum. “Whistle Inside A Mistress” is bluesy dub-funk with a fuzzy synth bassline. Interesting moments include a female vocal in a language I can’t place, and what sounds like a tin whistle solo. “Ballad Of A Barefoot Bride” features English folk singer Em Marshall, who brings a Sandy Denny spirit to the folky mix; I also love the bright acoustic guitar strumming, violin, and more chanting… possibly American Indian? Really nice layers of drum playing and construction here. The barefoot bride then gets “Naked By The Pool” which begins with shimmering metallic feedback and resonant guitar stabs, before settling into a film noir-sounding jazz instrumental with the welcome addition of Philadelphia saxophonist Isak Gaines. In retrospect, it’s funny that Smith mentioned “shaking your ass” to these songs. Though highly danceable, this release often veers toward trance for me with any dance floor moves being of the more liquid, balletic style. Overall this is another excellent addition to the seemingly endless New American Hustle catalogue. |
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