The Indigo Society is a five-piece alternative rock band from Fort Wayne, IN. Largely inspired by The Smashing Pumpkins, their debut EP, Daisyface, was recorded at Sweetwater Sound in their hometown. It was engineered by Jason Peets and Dave Martin, the former of whom also produced its five tracks.
If I had to describe this band with only one word, it would be “eclectic.” These folks aren’t afraid to experiment, as I can tell by the instruments played on this EP. Aside from the usual vocals, guitar, bass and drums combo, members contribute finger snaps, keyboard, organ, chimes and avocado. Yes. Avocado. Okay, well it’s a shaker shaped like an avocado, but still! Even for the more typical instrumentation, The Indigo Society is very vocal about the effects and equipment they use. All sorts of different guitar brands, amps and fuzz pedals help to create their signature take on a Pumpkins-esque sound. “Paisley Blue,” the first song on Daisyface, is wicked good! Maneskin-ish drums and a lead guitar line suitable for a packed arena fill this song’s backdrop. Also of enjoyment are the electrifying guitar solo and the chiming outro. However, the meaning of “Paisley Blue” is tricky to decipher, even with its vague “I’m lost you know / I can’t ever let you go” chorus. It’s likely because that chorus contrasts with the verses so much. Slow dance number, “Draw the Line,” is next. I could detect both blues and jazz inflections within this composition, most notably from the shambling percussion. This one may not rock quite as hard as “Paisley Blue,” but it does offer a neat glimpse into the band’s eclectic nature. I certainly commend all of these guys for being able to branch out a bit and have the result work out this well. This eclecticism bleeds into “Marigold,” a fragile yet understated moment of beauty leaning in on finger snaps and acoustic strumming. Following “Marigold” is track number four, “Happy Valentine.” It’s surprising that the light funk of the bass and guitar licks could even match with Bossa nova-like drums, but they do. “Happy Valentine” shows that The Indigo Society can once again pull off this combination of styles. The most Pumpkins-like moment on the entire EP may actually be the last song, entitled “You’re So Cold.” Starting out with a shoegaze swirl of thrashing guitars and icy keyboard layers, this standout track quiets down during each verse to emphasize its roaring refrain. I was thinking that this wouldn’t sound out of place on alternative rock radio, but it seems as if I was beaten to the punch because according to the group, radio has already latched onto it. The song begins with the intriguing lines, “Breaking walls and you oughta show / The untold meaning of an episode.” Daisyface really suits this band’s strengths: emotive vocals, dynamics and effortless genre-shuffling. I really don’t think there’s anything they can do differently, except to record longer songs. Though if I’m being honest, that’s just a nitpick. I still hold this debut EP in high regard, and I can’t wait to hear more from them!
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Grant Stone is a bonafide rock and roller — a classic. One thing I love about reviewing undiscovered, small-time musicians is that I get to hear things outside of the mainstream. And given that rock is almost nowhere to be seen in the charts, it’s always relieving to know that the genre is alive and well in the underground music scene. From the opening moments of Grant Stone’s latest album, Hot After Dark, it’s abundantly apparent that this is an artist who draws inspiration from traditional country rock and blues.
The self-titled track, “Hot After Dark,” is driven by warm, enveloping piano chords and a sharp, infectious electric guitar riff — the tune is brimming to the surface with mean Hendrix-inspired licks, and even Stone’s vocals have that soothing, slick flair of ‘70s-era rockers. But Stone isn’t a one-trick pony, and he certainly proves that on “Wingship.” The blues essence is still there, but the vibe is mellow; this is a track for a road trip on a stunning, sunny day. It oozes with feel-good vibes. It’s a tender track with a contented aesthetic. Electric guitar riffs have become acoustic guitar riffs, and Stone’s delicate vocals are beautifully complemented by the soft acoustic strumming. I love the booming piano rock vibe of the opener, but this fragile change of pace really touched me. It demonstrates the versatility of Grant Stone’s discography, and that was my assessment after only listening to two tracks. The measured, punchy drumming of “Magic” definitely has a magical quality to it. Sorry, that was long-hanging fruit, but it’s true. I really miss that intimate feel that drums used to have on old records — Grant Stone brings that style back, but it feels fresh and vibrant, not stale and dated. He certainly knows how to complement a gentle guitar melody with muted, restrained drumming — take “Lady of my Reverie,” for example. The gentle layers of instrumentation allow plenty of breathing room for Stone’s vocals; and there are some breathtakingly pretty piano twinkles too. Hot After Dark wears its influences on its sleeves, but Grant Stone is more than a musician looking at the past through rose-turned glasses. He brings his own unique character and flavor to his latest album. Mesmerizing musicianship is on display here. Grant Stone’s vocals, in particular, absolutely blow me away. Please give this record a listen. It’s worth your time.
Evan Farkas aka Ins Kino is back with a new EP entitled Ins Kino 2. This release follows the self-titled EP Ins Kino that was released in 2021. The EP was produced by Zack O’Brien and according to the artist expands on the chamber pop sound. To my ears the music is somewhere between Grizzly Bear, Father John Misty and The Beatles.
The EP starts with the single “Bauhaus Party” which is a warm ballad that revolves around keys, bass, guitar, sweeping pads and drums. I loved the production right off the bat and it reminded me of Yoko Ono/Plastic Ono Band with an updated contemporary approach. It’s a great song that expands with orchestral strings. I thought the dynamics were broad and surrounding. It’s very dreamlike and nostalgic as well but also quite vibrant. “Other Worlds” is a great follow up. The song is catchy and sort of playful in ways. I thought the vocal melodies were memorable and I found myself humming the melodies on the chorus. Kinos knocks it out of the park in regards to the vocals. The organ solo was also on point as was the expanding warm orchestral strings. “Box Kite” gets more experimental. It starts with this marching type beat and ominous drone. The organ joins the part and makes for a very psychedelic sound. Keys and guitar emerge and create a canvas for the vocal. There is also a breakdown section with Beach Boys style vocal harmonies. I loved the crossing between experimentation and accessibility on this song. It might be my personal favorite song on the release. “A Man For All Seasons” is another fantastic song and the most dynamic yet. It starts with a celebratory beginning which sounds like it could be on Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. The song drops in this ’50s style romance. I loved this. It’s a bit haunting and nostalgic. The song finds its way back to the enthusiastic first section but with vocals. Kino does a great job tipping his hat to certain legends while paving a way for his own signature sound. It’s cohesive and feels fully realized. I would say this is one of the best releases so far this year which will be available in a couple of days. Highly recommended.
Stephanie Lane is a band from California composed of Donovan (guitar), Bobby (bass), Jorge (vocals/guitar) and Steve (drums). A couple of years back the band released Noah's Room. The band plays into their own spirit of rock that leans towards hard rock on most of the songs. I was definitely getting some ’90s vibes with this release.
The band opens with “Para Fumar” which comes off the gates with the whole rocking out hard. It grabs you with the heavy guitars, the driving beat and the overall attitude. I thought it was an impressive opener and I was looking forward to what else would come. “Empire” starts with some solo acoustic guitar picking but really acts as an introduction to the song. It doesn't take long for the distorted guitars, drums and bass to come in. This song has much of a lush verse in the spirit of a band like Alice In Chains. That being said the song still rocks and contains a killer guitar solo. “Hooligans’ Delight” is a mid energy song and one of the more accessible and radio friendly tunes. The chorus is catchy and I found the lyrics to be well written as well. “Trapped” goes into drone metal territory. This song in particular felt more ’70s inspired in the spirit of Black Sabbath. I was also reminded of the band Tool. I swear It sounds like the song is being sung in Spanish. The song is the definition of a slow burn and the band pulls it off. This was one of my favorite songs on the album. “Weak” sounded like a ballad to my ears. The band keeps the guitar relatively clean on the verse. Once the hook arrives the song absolutely soars. It felt like a good song to have at this point in the album. “Stepping on a X” was interesting. Something about this song had a Billy Idol quality. It’s forward moving with some attitude and danger. I liked it quite a bit but it isn’t the heaviest song either. They get heavy with the next song “Look Out” which has some great performances especially coming from the drums and bass. “Dust” is last and I was getting a darker energy in the spirit of the band Tool again. It was one of my favorites on the album and felt like a closer that leaves an impression. This band rocks. I think fans of heavy rock especially from the ’90s will love this. Take a listen.
Nothing but a Nightmare is an alternative rock band that was formed by a group of high school best friends in Philadelphia, Pa. The band consisting of Eddie Tamanini (vocals/guitar),Clayton Malaney (bass) Dom Vacca (drums) and Own Magers (keys) has garnered an impressive following and recently released The Salvation which is an eleven-song album.
The album is rock based but they flirt with a number of sub-genres so let’s get into it. Up first is “Baggage Clam” which is a fast paced adrenaline inducing song. The band sounds great in terms of their playing. They sound tight and in the pocket. The song is also quite catchy and dynamic and provides a solid opener. I loved the screaming ’80s arena rock vocals that happen around the one-and-a-half-minute mark. “Can’t Fix Stupid” is a highlight and also a pretty different approach. It’s jazzy with big band style drums and even some horns. That being said it still has a rock foundation especially when the guitar arrives on the hook. The hook is extremely explosive and infectious. “I Hate You” has a more or a straightforward pop punk sound in the spirit of a band like Blink 182. The lyrics also align with the genre which also seems to revolve around a coming of age generation. They have more success with “Ready To Roll (Revenge Tour)” which is arguably the most dynamic song. I loved the syncopated rhythm here. The band continues with “Start a Fight” which is another high energy song with an anthemic chorus. It’s also a fun song. The band seems to be having a good time here and the feeling is infectious. As the album progresses the band hits it out of the park with catchy and accessible energy songs. The pop punk quality is strong throughout especially on songs like “She Always Ruins a Good Time” and “Sex With My Ex.” Some of the other standout songs include “Crossed a.F. (feat New Mistake)” and the piano ballad closer “The Old Days” which feels like it could from Queen. The band might be young but they are certainly talented and off to a good start. I thought the songwriting and delivery was strong. Recommended.
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If you are a frequent visitor of Pitch Perfect you probably have heard of Class of 91. The band is back with a new release entitled Lost Stories. They mention “Lost Stories explores human conflict, mental health and duality as its prevailing themes.
The album begins with a sense of déjà vu in the raw opener “Look How Far We’ve Come,” which questions why, over 30 years since the end of the Cold War, the threat of nuclear conflict between nations is again making headlines.” It sounds like a heavy song however the mood here is rather exhilarating. It amps you up as soon as you hear the driving drums, steady bass and distorted guitars. I felt like it was a great song to open with. It’s strong, catchy and doesn't seem to contain an ounce of fat. The band keeps the momentum going with “These Four Walls.” I actually didn’t notice it before but there are similarities to the band Foo Fighters on this song. In fact I thought the vocalist sounded a bit like Dave Grohl. This felt like a single to my ears. On the chorus the vocalist sings “Think back to it, can you hold on? / Fascination is the mission from now on / These four walls are all that we define / As lost stories fall to time”. They have more success with “Pull Me Back Around” which is another solid song. It has an ebb to it I found very easy to appreciate. For the most part the band keeps things simple with a verse/chorus/verse type structure. The guitar solo works as well. It feels like the tempo just about doubles on the next song “When Do We Fall.”The song felt like it was between bands like The Wire and The Offspring. I was impressed by how locked in the band was. After that rush of adrenaline the band gets a little cerebral and uplifting with “Hideaways” which sounds closer to early Radiohead. “Polaris” was my personal favorite song in the batch. It has an early ’90’s aesthetic in the spirit of bands like The Jesus and Mary Chain. The lead guitar work on this song was fantastic. “Golden Hour” is an explosive and anthemic rock tune while the closer “Simple Human Love Song” is an acoustic ballad I wasn’t expecting but it worked as the closer. The band crushes it with this release. I think it was their best one yet. Recommended.
Air Show Disaster is the solo project from Eric Sporer from Brooklyn, NY. You are probably familiar with the artist if you have frequented this website. Sporer has been busy making his double album entitled Desert Noir. There are a whopping fifteen songs. I think it’s important to rely on the fact this is a concept album. The concept sounds more like a movie than an album but I found it intriguing. It revolves around the plot of a guy who stumbles upon a murder scene while driving through the desert and gets framed. Logically, he tries to clear his name. I think I just saw a Harrison Ford movie with this same exact plot.
The first song is entitled “A Slow, Slow Burn.” It does indeed make you feel like you’re in the desert with the guitar work. I thought it sets the tone which does feel cinematicbegins with a couple guitars. I can say for sure Sporer does an excellent job making you feel you’re in a vast desert. It’s an intro of sorts. “Devil Among Us” is a great song and one of the highlights in my opinion. The sound is a little ominous at points and the crunchy guitar melds with the drums and bass. There’s also a sense of tension which is created throughout the song with varying degrees. I loved the high paced fuel on “Mexico” which combines modulation effects in inventive ways. The cinematic qualities are in there as well which does make the album feel like a narrative. That was one thing I was trying to do the whole time was close my eyes and sort of imagine this scenario unfolding. I thought songs like “Sunset Slinker” do this well with its deep organ and rumbling bass frequencies. In my opinion the centerpiece of this album is “Trails in the Sand.” This song is epic in every sense of the word. I’m going to surmise this was the crescendo of the narrative in some ways. At least that was the impression when listening to it. Narrative or not this is a song you might have on repeat. The album unfolds and I thought there were some highlights along the way. “Putting It All Together,” “Blood Lust” and “Catch and Release” were some notable songs. Concept albums aren’t easy to pull off. In fact I would say they are incredibly difficult since you don’t have any visuals and let’s face it sometimes it’s hard to hear what is being said. My hats off to Sporer for attempting this and pulling it off. This is definitely an album that needs to be listened to from beginning to end.
Rob Arbuckle, Christopher Dwyer and Joe Nathan are Ghost Idols. The band formed in 2012 and quickly got to work. They released a couple of EP’s with Absent of Feeling being one they released in October of 2022. The EP contains three songs.
They make heavy sounding music which mixes a number of different sub genres under the umbrella of rock. The band got going with the title track “Absent of Feeling.” It starts with some atmosphere and guitar. It’s on the haunting side. The song builds with drums making for a dynamic, syncopated type of rhythm. There’s a sense that the song is going to explode on the verse with the more subdued singing. It certainly does but it’s as if at first they are hinting at it. The bass and drum work starts to expand. Then the guitar became more present. There are some serious post-rock vibes here in the spirit of a band like Deafheaven. The song reaches its peak around the three-minute-and-thirty second mark. “Dead Out Of Ways” comes out of the gate rocking hard. The whole band is crushing but I got to give it up to the drummer who is on another level. There are a number of different beats he pulls off in about the first minute which create a forward moving momentum. It’s definitely a heavy song but also had a bit of this power pop and prog rock feel to it. One of the best moments on the song is around the two-minute mark which contains an impressive instrumental section that leads into an explosive chorus. This song doesn't contain an inch of fat. First of all “Tidal Waves Harmonic” is a great name for a song. This was the highlight to my ears and I would say it’s also the most single worthy. It starts with a commanding drum beat and fuzzy bass. The guitar soon entered along with the vocals. I loved the vocals on this song. The melodies were memorable and felt like it was a song people would sing along to. In addition to that the song just soars. One of the things I really liked about this band was how he filled the songs with a lot of changes and transitions. There’s never sections that felt like they were too long. In fact I would say they could have even stretched some sections out longer. The production was also top notch so kudos to the engineers. Overall, I thought this was a cohesive EP that showcases a talented band. They sound tight and experienced. Recommended.
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Los Angeles alternative rock trio, Timid Nones, have been playing together since 2018. Last year, they released a debut EP entitled Porcelain, reflecting genres such as dream pop and post-punk revival within their varied sound. All four of its songs were recorded at Holloway Productions in Santa Fe Springs, CA. Mixing was done at home with Reaper, and the mastering was done by the studio’s own Eddie Holloway.
I was pleased to read that dynamics are a crucial component of this band’s style, and sure enough, there are plenty of cool dynamic shifts to be heard throughout Porcelain. “Indefinitely,” the first song, is a major highlight of the EP. Beginning with a lively acoustic guitar riff, the tune sports big, brawny snare drums and fuzzy guitar distortion. Between the walls of distortion and the lead singer’s vocals, I couldn’t help but wonder if they are big fans of Silversun Pickups, another dreamy California rock band. The Silversun Pickups similarities, whether intentional or not, continue on “Slipping Away.” Musically, this one is very dynamic and keeps the listener engaged. I particularly like how this cut emphasizes the bass lines a lot in the first few minutes. It makes the crunchy My Bloody Valentine-esque chorus all the more impressive. Indeed, the beauty of this track is that it has such soothing ambience contrasting with noisy dissonance, going from quiet to loud and then back to quiet very effectively. Another major highlight. “4AM” is a bit different from the first two, adopting a swaying rhythm for over six minutes. What sticks out most is not the epic guitar solo that occurs four-and-a-half-minutes in or the infectious chorus melody, but the opening lyrics. Backed by electric and acoustic guitars, the lead singer sings, “There’s a bottle of alcohol / In my glove compartment / And I could not recall who polished it off.” I have a feeling that these lines alone fit in with the song’s title of “4AM,” as they seem to be revolving around early morning intoxication. Last of all is “Tarot Romance.” The guitars and bass here are also reminiscent of Silversun Pickups, but what’s different is this song’s tone. Whereas the three other tracks were calm and composed, this one seems like it’s pissed off. The vocals here are more like angry shouting than melodic singing. I don’t think it detracts from the song by any means, but at the same time, I get why this may divide some listeners’ opinions. Overall, Timid Nones’ debut EP is one that is filled with all sorts of dynamic shifts and sonic colors. I thought that this was a killer first effort. Give Porcelain a listen and hear for yourself! Recommended.
BlindHardt is a band from Maryland that is led by Brian Goodwin. The band recently released a self-titled twelve song album Blindhardt that mixes elements of folk and rock. Goodwin mentions “Eight months before the album I had never written a song.” In my opinion that’s almost nothing at all in terms of songwriting. That being said I was interested to hear what this young songwriter has to offer,
“Elizabeth's Song” is the opener and is a simple bohemian style folk song. It’s got a classic melancholy and coffee shop type feeling. It’s stripped and revolves around vocals and guitar. The vocal delivery is solid and I thought the lyrics were well written. It’s a solid start. The next song “Riverside Blues” has a similar foundation but has more instrumentation like bass and percussion. It’s warm and the vocal harmonies sound good. The album starts to go in different directions with “The Bells.” This is more rock based with a blues background. The structure of the song and the riffs sounded familiar like I heard the song before. That being said the delivery is on point. It’s a dynamic sound with a great hook. Next up is this funky party jam entitled “Let Go.” The hook is very catchy and reminded me of alternative rock from the ’90s. “Goodbye Double Time” is fantastic and arguably the highlight. It’s got a nice mix of rock and folk. This felt very aligned with late ’60s music in the spirit of The Velvet Underground. The vocals feel organic and as if they are coming from the soul with a cathartic quality. The album continues with the intimate folk inspired “Just Don't Leave Me Behind” while “Ballad Of Insanity” has some darker qualities which I thought fit really well. The drum sound was on point with “Ballad Of Insanity.” As the album progressed I thought there were a number of highlights including “Welcome to the Operation” and the eight-minute epic “Had To Go Away.” The album ends similarly to where it began with “My Wish.” Goodwin really impressed me. I’ve been producing bands for almost twenty-five years and can unequivocally say Goodwin has some serious talent. My only advice would be to experiment a little more with unconventional chord changes and structure. Goodwin hops around genres a lot which is typical for a new songwriter. In due time I have a feeling Goodwin will find his signature sound. Overall, this is a solid release. Hopefully, this is just the beginning. I look forward to hearing more in the not too distant future. |
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