Bhopal’s Flower is a band led by Lionel Pezzano. They have released a few records with Diamond Queen and Alstroemeria starting their journey. Their latest is entitled Joy Of The 4th.
Joy Of The 4th is a ten-song album that heavily leans on psychedelia. To my ears their sound is somewhere between The Beatles (Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band era), Ravi Shankar and Tame Impala. The album begins with the title track “Joy Of The 4th” which begins with a shimmering sitar. I loved the groove that appears which is much more Western sounding. The convergence of genres was unique and I was completely on board. This song in particular reminded me of early Primal Scream. The vocals are laced in reverb and are also quite catchy. Overall, I found the opener very intriguing and I was ready to explore more. “Summertime” is next and this one felt out of the late ’60s in the spirit of a band like The Byrds. It’s a very open and joyous sounding song. The skies feel clear as if you are riding a wave of psychedelic energy headed towards the sun. The mix of Western and Eastern instruments was a winning combination. We continue our trip into psychedelic areas with “Byrd Of The Tree.” It was one of my favorites on the album. The omnipresent feeling combined with the catchy vocal melodies had me from the beginning. “Cool Symphony” was a nice change of pace. It’s a little more subdued with guitar being a main focus. The vocals are again very well delivered and quite catchy. I think the influence from The Beatles was most apparent on this song. “Walking On Rainbow” is another great song. It’s sort of a mid energy song with some positive and happy vibes that make you feel as if everything is going to be ok in the end. Pezzano sings “Hold my hand / Tiny little man / Raise your head / As much as you can / Feel the air, / Freedom is your land / Fruits & bears / Are living in your land.” I’m not being hyperbolic when I say “Babyphone” is a blast. It’s dynamic and somewhere between The Flaming Lips and Of Montreal. What’s also very cool is that Pezzano sings in both English and French. The album continues with the lush and tranquil “Sunflower Castle.” Pink Floyd didn’t come to mind till I heard the epic “Running Wild With Us.” We get more of a carefree tune with “Pick Up A Walnut.” Last up is “Alright” which is an epic closer. It’s a slow burn of a song that blossoms as it progresses. It felt like a proper way to close the album. I can’t say there was a single song I didn’t like. The songs work individually but this album is one that begs for you to listen sequentially. This was an exceptional album. Highly recommended.
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Eli Waltz and Hannah Wyatt are two highly-skilled musicians, each with an impressive body of solo work, that have come together as a folk duo to pool their creative talents and bounce off one another’s strengths. The resulting EP is entitled Waltz & Wyatt, and it’s five short songs. It would be lovely to hear more from this talented duo, considering the quality of this brief record, but I’ll take what I’ve been given.
“Prelude No. 2” is the stunning introductory track to this short EP. Skillful finger-picking on an acoustic guitar, performed by the ultra-talented Eli Waltz and heart-wrenchingly beautiful violin work performed by the ultra-talented Hannah Wyatt. It’s a short-but-sweet instrumental that only serves as a tip of the iceberg, in terms of what this pair is capable of delivering. It transitions neatly into “Dreams.”More divine violin-work and gentle finger-picking is on offer here, but it’s the sudden introduction of tender and lovely vocals from Waltz that takes this song to another level. The intimacy on this song makes it feel like the perfect song for a calming road trip along a deserted road, lined by gloriously green fir trees. Some music can evoke strong imagery, and Waltz & Wyatt are certainly capable of achieving that. The real peak of the EP, for me, is the third track. It’s so good, in fact, that I had to give it a second listen, just to ensure that I accurately captures everything I love about it. “Blood Mountain” is a frosty tear-jerker of a song. It’s not some melodramatic ballad. It’s fragile and haunting. It is driven by little more than Wyatt’s stunningly beautiful voice. The guitar gently strums behind her and the violin weeps alongside her mournful singing. I do have a penchant for dark folk music. If the previous song were suitable for a sunny road trip, then “Blood Mountain” would be suitable for a campfire beneath stars. “Singapore Sling” is a return to Waltz’s tender but slightly warmer songwriting. Both artists bring something completely different to the table, and that’s why they gel so wonderfully together. Something about Waltz’s vocal warbles and gravelly tone reminds me of Ben Howard, and I feel that this duo deserves the same level of success because they bring just as much beauty and uniqueness to the table. This particular song offers a joyous violin passage towards the end. The last song on the EP, “Rosie”, is the most calming song on the record. Waltz’s evocative singing is the most prominent and captivating element of the mostly-acoustic closer. Wyatt, yet again, delivers a violin melody that almost seems to possess a voice of its own. When I picture a truly good folk record, I think of something that sounds like this, but I have a feeling that this is only a small window into the sheer musical capabilities of this electric duo.
Booster Club call themselves a “College Rock Revival™ band” from the Raleigh-Durham area. The band features singer/guitarist Steven Bailey and bassist Alan Levine. Their music is an unholy marriage of Superchunk and R.E.M., with Bob Mould, The Pixies and the Replacements joining them at the altar. Despite these influences, the band feels like their songs stand on their own, “being delivered with an authentic fervor fueled by death-anxiety and caffeine. Despite sharing common aesthetics with pre-internet college radio artists, Booster Club takes on forward-leaning sensibilities that are unafraid to veer from anthemic hooks to art-rock chaos.”
Bailey appears to be the main (but not the only) songwriter. He says he writes everything “in my head” then starts working out arrangements on piano or acoustic guitar, which is surprising once you first experience the songs! He often doesn’t hear them “loud” until he plays them for the band. These three songs were recorded to capture a live feel in a controlled environment, with drums, bass and rhythm guitar played at the same time, followed by vocals and additional overdubs. I’ve been trying to figure out who their drummer is, but no name is listed. Bailey recorded these tracks on his Yamaha AW16g vintage digital recorder at D & D Studio in Durham, NC. Mixing and mastering was by the band using online mastering sites. “Here Kid” explodes off the Bandcamp page with a ferocious energy! This is classic alternative rock, as influenced by the punk bands of the late ’70s (especially The Clash). The guitars are razor sharp, the bass busy and angry, and the drumming full and inventive. To address the (old) elephant in the room, it’s clear from the photo featuring a bald, bearded guy on the cover that the Booster Club are not spring chickens (though neither am I), but the vocals have the ageless sound of wild young men in leather and chains. Just over two minutes but a killer track! “All Right” again reminds me of The Clash, especially in the vocal harmonies. With a song like this it’s more clear to me how Bailey can construct these tunes on piano or acoustic guitar. This particular track has a few tricky changes you won’t see coming, along with a chanting, anthemic chorus. “Say It Out Loud” doesn’t exactly slow down, but has a more stately pop-rock tempo and feels a little wider instrumentally. Bailey’s vocals have a bit more room to play, and he’s every bit as good when you can really hear him. The guitars have a surprisingly twangy Beatles quality as well, or Beatles as refracted by a thousand groups that came after. The last minute or so is a wall-to-wall guitar fest, playing the basic chords over and over with increasingly frantic drumming. This is the very definition of a short EP but these guys don’t waste a single moment. Powerful stuff!
The Crushed Puppets is a Melbourne (Australia) based electronic experimental punk band that released their second EP Alternative Funktion. They consist of Pauli X (guitar/bass/vocals), Jackson and T Pag (vocals).
“Turn Me Upside Down” is the opener and begins with a crunchy beat, an electronic sounding drum beat and vocals. The spirit of the song felt somewhere between a band like Primal Scream and The Rolling Stones. There’s also a sort of rock n’ roll looseness to the song. It feels like the band is relaxed and having a good time. The vocals come in short spurts that I think worked well. It’s a solid opener and I was excited to hear what else might lie ahead. The title track “Alternative Funktion” fuses in some elements of shoegaze and garage rock. Primal Scream came to mind again but so did more straightforward shoegaze bands like My Bloody Valentine and Ride. The vocals are similar to the previous song in that there’s no clear distinction between verse and chorus. When the vocals do come I liked the delivery which is almost aggressive and contains a hint of urgency. As the song progresses the instrumental textures and tones change and evolve over time. I loved the sounds they were getting on guitar towards the end where it builds a sense of tension. “Dripping Hot” sounded quite different from the first two songs from the genre to the production. The song has an almost hip-hop and R&B feeling to it. It’s lush and the consistent electronic beats create a space where elements can come and go. This song also contains very few vocal parts. It sounded mostly like samples they may have sliced together. This song did have an ambient feeling to it as if it could loop for hours. I did find the song relaxing. It’s a little hard to label this EP but for the most part I felt like the band was experimenting with different types of soundscapes rather than a verse/chorus/verse type structure. I can’t say these are the most dynamic songs, however I found them quite enjoyable. The way I can describe it is that you submerge into grooves and the nuances are often some of the best moments. For this reason alone I suggest testing out these songs with a nice pair of headphones. Overall, I thought this was a solid EP. The band put themselves in a good position where they can build even more from these kinds of ideas and concepts. I hope to hear more from The Crushed Puppet in the not too distant future.
Every week we mention a couple of artists that are worth your time to check out that were not featured in our weekly reviews.
Artist Album Rating Anthony Nintendo. Straphangers 3.7 Galick Guns Galick Guns 3.6 Transient Illusions. I'm Ok 3.6 Lilith Max Storybook 3.7 Highwood Atlas Peace Comes Dropping Slow. 4.0
Shorebreak is part of a growing wave of Connecticut River Valley bands committed to writing and performing original music. They are led by singer/songwriter Sharif Okasha. Rodeny Maxwell (guitar), Patrick Riordon (bass) and Mike Keyes (drums) round out the line up. They mention they make “All original music, pulling from a variety of influences including rock, blues, reggae, folk and Americana” which is on their release Silver Linings.
They get going with the song “Landmine” which starts with guitar and vocals. I was getting an Americana rock flavor with this song. As the song progressed I found the melodies very accessible and memorable. The band ramps up the energy when the chorus begins and I was digging the dynamics. Great opener. I was getting more relaxed as soon as the title track “Silver Linings” came on. It’s an incredibly warm song that made me feel like I was hanging out in paradise. The lyrics however aren’t that relaxing which at points revolve around COVID. “She’s In Love” starts with a southern gothic folk flavor. The song also happens to have a fantastic groove once all the instruments come in. I really enjoyed the vocals on this song. On the first listen I felt like I had a handle on the vocals and could almost sing along. “Wildflower” sounded like a clear tip of the hat to music from the ’60s and ’70s. It’s a positive song all around in terms of the lyrics and the overall feeling you get. The chorus is undeniably single worthy and repeat worthy. The album continues with a variety of styles and genres. “Slipping Away” is a song full of heart and emotionally resonant while “Sun Comes In” is an upbeat country/folk song with a dash of bluegrass. They do some serious rocking out with “8 Miles, 8 minutes.” I thought there were a couple more highlights as the album progressed including “Twice My Age” and “Ships By The Bay.” The band experiments with a lot of different genres. I’m not always a fan of an album that attempts too much but in this case I thought they were able to inject their own signature sound into the songs. The album contains well-written songs that are delivered from a tight band. There’s a lot to appreciate here. Take a listen.
Broke Body is a three-piece dark indie pop band from Philadelphia, PA, founded by Jackie McLaughlin, Davey Jones and Nolee Morris. The band recently released Paranoid Particles which is a six-song EP. They mention the EP has a “strong emphasis on chaotic melody. Broke Body fuses the upbeat danciness of pop music with a dark/somewhat foreboding undertone.”
The first song is entitled “Back For More” and begins with a melancholy and introspective type of groove. It sounded somewhere between Mogwai and Local Natives. I liked the vocals when they came, which are delivered very well. There’s definitely an expansive feeling to the song and picks up energy as it progresses. The mood changes as well to something a little more invigorating. Great opener. Up next is “Cellophane and Perfume” and I was loving the groove here as well which melds elements of post-punk, alternative and post-rock. It’s dynamic and the guitars shred on this song. The rhythm section holds it down as well by creating a solid foundation for the vocals. Once the chorus arrives things really take off and start to feel more epic in scope. “Unbeliever” sounded like the single to me and reminded me of bands on the indie scene a couple years back like Bloc Party and Blood Brothers. There’s some serious versatility on this song in terms of the vocals. There are points where the vocalist is more or less screaming and other times where he’s in a more comfortable range. I was impressed to say the least. The chorus is memorable as well making this a highlight to my ears. “Shake” definitely felt darker in comparison to the other tunes. There’s an ominous feeling to this one and a feeling of tension. That being said, there's definitely a sense of cathartic release. Kudos to the drummer on this song but the whole band really crushes it. On the chorus, the vocalist sings “I can’t shake it off this time / Is it sleep or death? / shake, shake, shake.” The band keeps the energy up with “I Don't Care” which starts with a steady bass and atmosphere elements. I was again impressed by the drumming as well as the other instrumentalists in terms of their creativity and ability to lock in with each other. I wasn’t expecting a solo acoustic song called “Soft Slopes” which closes out the album. It worked surprisingly well. I thought this was a great EP from beginning to end. The songs are well written and the delivery is top notch. There’s a lot to appreciate with this release. Recommended.
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The latest pop punk album from Seth Martin aka Most Elusive Fish is an energetic ride pop punk release entitled Six Years Gone. Martin mentions “Musically the album takes equal influence from both modern day pop punk/emo and pop punk/emo from the 2000's. With a longtime love for Weezer & Blink 182, solid pop rock writing created a foundation for the record. Bands like The Matches and Motion City Soundtrack directly influence the melodies of both vocals and instrumentation.”
One of the standout tracks on the album is the opener "If Anyone Could, Rick.”This song showcases Martin's ability to write anthemic choruses and powerful guitar riffs that are sure to get stuck in your head for days. The lyrics of this song talk about the struggle of dealing with your own head and how hard it is to keep going when everything seems to be falling apart. It's a relatable and empowering track that will resonate with listeners. Martin sings “I'm sick of staring at these four walls / I just wanna see something I've never seen before / Any progress I make stutters and stalls / Waking up everyday shouldn't be a war.” Another strong song on the album is "Great Scott!" This track features a more contemplative and introspective tone, with lyrics that delve into the complexities of moving and the ups and downs of life. The melody is more melancholy than the previous tracks, but it's a perfect contrast and brings a more balanced feel to the album. Martin continues to showcase refined songwriting with songs like “Welcome Home,” “Melonhead” and “Stand.” The guitar work was top notch, especially some of the picking which was well done and intricate. Weezer came to mind while listening to “TMvAS” while the title track “Six Years Gone” is a single worthy tune that contains melodies that will get stuck in your head. I loved the energy on “Junk Drawer” which leans more into a flavor of punk associated with a band like Car Seat Headrest. The rocking “Old Sitcoms” and the closer “My Battery is Low and It's Getting Dark” are solid songs as well. In conclusion, this album is a well-crafted, energetic and fun listening experience that showcases Martin's undeniable talent and passion for music. I think fans of the aforementioned bands should appreciate this. Take a listen.
Belle Shea is a singer/songwriter who writes "unpredictably progressive alt folk pop" (A&R Factory). Her music has been featured on Steve Ferrone's (drummer for Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers) SIRIUS XM radio show, as well as on Inhailer Radio Cincinnati, Overview Radio London and more. Shea was born and raised in South Florida and has performed and written music since a young age.
A couple years back we at Pitch Perfect reviewed The Art of Years by Belle Shea. It was a warm and inviting album with pop sensibilities that weaved in elements of folk and Americana. She’s back with a new song entitled “Cheyenne.” Shea mentions “The bridge is the focal point of the song, when repeated musical motifs from the guitars and piano are taken up by sweeping strings. The track was written originally as a piano ballad and expanded into full band production to mirror the line in verse 2 ("maybe the radio's on to some old folk song I'm gonna cover with my band.” The song starts with a very warm acoustic guitar and piano. It’s melancholy but not without a sense of solace. The momentum slowly starts to shift once the vocals come in as she sings “Maybe you're driving late at night / Down the highways of Cheyenne / Maybe you're reveling in getting lost / Like some badlands Peter Pan / Maybe it's just like Joni said, / ‘It's the time of year or time of man' / Maybe you can't change, but I can.” The vocals are intimate and while not whispered, sounds like she’s singing in close proximity to you. I loved the slow burn of this song and how it feels like it gets brighter and more positive as the song progresses. The song really starts to bloom and I love the orchestral elements that come into the mix. According to the credits on Bandcamp the song contains viola, violin and cello. There’s a well done instrumental section that feels cinematic. There’s one more subtle verse before the song goes into chorus and this time feels like it completely surrounds you. There’s not much to not like about this song. It hits you in your heart and is very emotive and accessible. Recommended.
GROSS is a project from singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Mickey Gross. Gross spent some time playing in punk bands in Nashville but is currently In Omaha. His recent release Boketto is a ten-song album. Gross mentions it's “A fun, upbeat, fuzzed out, lo-fi love letter to bands like Queens of The Stone Age and The Cramps.”
The album starts with “Boketto, Pt.1 ” which begins with organ and piano arpeggios. It’s cerebral and calming and gets bombarded by a fuzzed out guitar. It felt like an intro and a cool way to open the album. On the next song “Bled Dry” we get more of a fleshed out song. There’s a dark sort of post-punk quality to the song but it’s also a fun time. It’s a fuzzy tune and I loved the grooves which you could easily dance to. In fact the breakdown sounds perfect for people clapping along and then singing during the verse. “Don’t Look Now” starts with a rocking riff and the first time I picked up on the Queens of The Stone Age reference. Some of the guitar riffs have a similar energy to the band. That being said, the song went in a couple of directions I wasn’t expecting. The vocals are delivered in a unique way and I also loved the chaotic feeling this song had while simultaneously being quite catchy. “Mouth Like a Rocket” is a super fuzzy sounding tune. It's dynamic and when it drives it feels like it takes off. There’s some faint piano in the song at points which I thought worked well in the song. By the time we get to “Bone Crushing Love” we are at the heart of the album. You could make a case for “Bone Crushing Love” being the highlight. It’s a fun banger of a tune that sounds huge. Both the verse and chorus contain memorable melodies. “Cockroach Stomp” is amplified garage rock that I’m going to say was influenced by Les Claypool when it comes to the vocal delivery. We have a near perfect mix of hard rock, garage rock and blues on the song “My Brain Is Dumb.” There are more fun times ahead with “Klaus Maus” as well as “Please and Thank You.” The last song “Boketto, Pt. 2” is a play on the first song and ends the album in a cohesive way. This was an impressive release and even more impressively given the fact Gross seemed to do everything by himself. This was a fun, fuzzy and cohesive album with a lot of great songs. Fans of the aforementioned bands should appreciate this. Take a listen.
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