I was literally startled when I pressed play to listen to A Mourning Bender by Vivid//Complex. The five-song EP jumps out of the gate with no warning. I liked it and it is certainly a way you can catch someone's attention.
The band comprised of Alex Ilyadis (guitar/vocals), Ben Thibault (drums), Glen Cavanagh (guitar) and Brittany Pappas (bass/vocals) certainly has an intense energy about them all the way through. This is the type of band that wants to be heard and aren't taking any prisoners. The music is a mix of emo, pop-punk, indie rock and even a tinge of post-rock. It works well and the band is riding a wave of originality but also certainly tips it hat to all the aforementioned genres. That being said the lyrics certainly veer towards pop-punk in that most of the songs seems to deal with an ex-flame. “Untitled (I Swear I'm Fine)” is an epic, anthemic opener. Right off the bat you can hear the precision of this band. Everyone is in the pocket and the technical ability is undeniable. There isn’t a loose cog in the machine. “I Waited By The Door” is another solid song with some inspired parts. Take for instance the sick guitar part around a-minute-and-thirty-seconds in. The intensity doesn’t wane one bit on “Things That Change” which contains some exceptional hi-hat work while “Lost and Found” is an emotionally resonant ballad of sorts. “I'll See You There In Six Months (When You Get There On Your Fucking Horse)” closes out the album and is a further testament to their ability. I’d say A Mourning Bender is no brainer to fans of pop-punk. I would also say that even if you aren’t crazy about that genre this album is worth your time. Recommended.
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Every week we mention a couple of artists that are worth your time to check out that were not featured in our weekly reviews.
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Every once in a great while one stumbles upon a great new voice, yet unknown to many though it should be. When I first heard Melbourne-based singer and multi-instrumentalist Connor Ross, it just clicked to me that this is a person whose music should be heard by as many folks as possible. Right now there are only a handful of songs to be heard, and they make up his five-song debut EP Come to Think.
Centered around acoustic guitar melodies Come to Think also subtly utilizes the addition of a rather full band which includes drums, percussion, bass and horns, along with a few vocal and tape effects. It is the sparse use of these things in most cases, which draws one into the world which Ross creates on Come to Think. The album was influenced by the natural beauty of Ross’ hometown of Far South Coast in New South Wales. Come to Think opens with the sparse yet melodic “Feign Disbelief.” Its construction is brilliant as it opens quietly with soft acoustic guitar and Ross’ hushed poetic vocals. But it suddenly takes you by surprise, pulling you into it with the force of a whirlpool as Ross slowly stirs in a simple drumbeat and some tasty bass along with some bright keys. Then the horns come in and everything starts working together and it seems nearly impossible that this was the same song, which only a-minute-and-a-half ago was just a few plucked strings. Next we find some of these same instruments at work, albeit in quite a different element on the dusky and mellow “My Fear.” On “Counter Truths,” Ross channels Devandra Banhart and Elliot Smith, as he blends a poppy acoustic melody and then with the use of multiple vocal tracks harmonizes with himself. Part of what makes Ross so good is that he is not afraid to experiment, as he does with a bit of fuzz that he turns up at just the right moment on the otherwise solo acoustic “No Hands.” With the five songs on Come to Think there is no filler, no room for error. Connor Ross shows the dedication and focus to songwriting that produces great songs.
When West London’s danDNA isn’t serving as a member of the UK alt rap group Guardians of the Ancient Wisdom, acting as producer for bands such as One Unique Signal, The Telescopes, Art of Burning Water, and Mysdiggi, to name just a few, he moonlights under the moniker Horne the Hunter, a stripped down DIY hybrid of gritty punk sounds and hip hop engendered vocals, in the way they deal with social issues via witty and often hilarious end rhymes that after your are done laughing at the joke, make you realize there is quite a bit of truth to them too.
“Do The Radicalization, Baby” the opening track from Horne the Hunter’s rather plentiful five-song debut Acornucopia lays down a scratchy punk riff loop over which danDNA lays down his socio-political observations in a fast paced sing-speak complete with punk stops during which he addresses his intended audience with a rhetorical call to arms. Social media has largely given everyone a soapbox from which to bitch about whatever it is that is “on their mind.” It has bred a nation of “over-sharers” backed by the influx of the use of the acronym TMI. The opening lines of “Do The Radicalization, Baby” reflect this, “What's going on in the world these days? / Everyone's got some thing to say / And they want you to know, so they’re all in your face.” From here Horne the Hunter gives a proper take on the artists view of recent events, which include refugees, obesity, oligarchs, Kim Jong Un, cops, feminists and just about every single race of people. Of course one could argue hypocrisy on the part of the artist, but they’d be wrong. No one is left out and therefore no one can point the finger. As the refrain goes, “Everybody's doing it ain't no thing / to pick a side and take it, to the extreme.” Next comes the bass-throttled “You Blew It” which comes off angrier and more minimalistic than its predecessor though its scope seems more centered on single source as is evidenced by the frequent refrain of “you blew it.” The Casio preset melody of “So You Wanna Be A Libtard?” is pretty genius. Musically it has all the makings of a shitty ‘80s pop hit but with lyrics like, “Im confused / Baby how can u say, That u love me / then say im denying climate change? / Im very liberal / Im feeling bad for you.” Acornucopia closes on a bright note with the wonderfully psychedelic organ heavy “Talking Shit” which reminded me a bit of “Blue Jay Way". Acornucopia is a variety show. Each song merits a costume change. There is no semblance of order here. Acornucopia is the work of a sane madman. Every song is a funhouse mirror, a maze without an exit. It’s beautifully terrible and terribly beautiful.
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I don’t think it's any secret that music can be therapeutic for both the listener and artist who is making it. For the solo act LIPS AND LIGHT SHADE his latest release SPIDERS seems to be at the very least a creative outlet for him to lament about some of his personal struggles with depression and agoraphobia.
His music could certainly be considered experimental but also harks back to a couple of post-punk bands. I was reminded of Joy Division a numbers of times while listening to these songs and thought he did occasionally sound similar to Ian Curtis. The album starts with “SPIDERS” which is a dissonant piece that explores white noise. It serves as an intro into the album. “Howling wind’ is a little more meaty but is just as dissonant. The overall vibe is dark and quite ominous at times. The singing during the verse is monotone as it follows the same notes as the guitar. It’s not particularly catchy but I don’t think that was the intention. “A small place” is an exploration of space and unique sounds. The music along with the lyrics can give you an unnerving sense of isolation. He sings, “Am I here in my mind / Where is here / No one knows? / Something strange / Feels like Home.” “A wide space” is atmospheric and dreamlike as waves of white noise and spoken words paint a dismal canvas. On the next song “Melting” the white noise is accompanied by a couple of bass notes. If there were a song that could be considered slightly upbeat it would be “It's not too late.” The influence from Joy Division seems obvious on this track. He closes with an ethereal highlight that fully explores feedback and white noise. The constant stream of white noise from his guitar seems to encompass one's feelings and then has them catapulted in some kind of cathartic release. It was a great way to end the album. SPIDERS is a niche sound that will be embraced by those who can see the beauty in the darkness. It’s not an album most will want to be pumping on a Friday night or something you should put on to psych yourself up before a job interview but it does have a time and place. At its best I think those who can empathize with these songs will also find some solace along the way.
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Skeever is a band from North Dakota comprised of Jake Collins, Patrick Callender, Blake Spokely and Jacob Douglas. The band has stated they have been influenced from blues, to alternative, to punk, to heavy metal, to guitar driven rock. Out of those genres alternative and heavy are the most overt. I’d be digging to say there is a strain of punk or blues on much of this self-titled album Skeever.
Skeever isn’t the most innovative rock band to recently emerge. In fact I thought they sounded like something that was reminiscent of ‘90s alternative. This is not a dig in anyway especially when I consider bands like Nirvana, Smashing Pumpkins and Stone Temple Pilots to have delivered some of the best music in the past fifty years. Things start with “Believe.” The opening lead guitar riff actually sounds more aligned with ‘80s rock. As the song progresses the rest of the instruments make their way into the mix. The drumbeat becomes more intense, the guitars rely on distorted power chords and the bass reinforces the low-end. It’s a well-written song and has a number of memorable moments. “Go Away” is a straightforward poppy rock song while “Precipice” further establishes the band's overall sound. Three songs in and I felt the band delivered well-crafted songs but lacked any surprises; good or bad. That being said the lead guitar skill on “Precipice” was impressive. “Remember Me” was a highlight. It wasn’t drastically different from the other songs but was immediately accessible and stayed with me after it was over. They close with a heavy song entitled “Hours” which has some resemblance to Alice In Chains. At the end of the day Skeever is a no frills rock band that delivers the goods and will most likely resonate with those of us who like their whiskey and their music straight. The album is cohesive and the band builds a foundation with these songs. On their next effort this foundation gives them a little more room to explore sonic possibilities.
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The Angry Tides comprised of Justin Desilva (drums), David Blois (bass/vocals) and Dave Saulnier (guitar/vocals) is on the precipice of becoming a great band. On their release Corrupt Design the band attempts too many styles of rock from a funky, clean ‘70s sound to early ‘80s punk to much more. When they get it right, they get it right and when they don’t it’s off by a couple of degrees.
They start off with “Little JJ is Dead” which I think is the sound this band should be chasing. You can hear elements of bands like The Minutemen, Hüsker Dü and Fugazi. It’s a great blend of what early punk is all about. It’s fun, fast-paced and the vocalist is hyperbolic when he sings. This is a great song and the highlight of the album. The ending even sounds like The Liars The next song “Hate Season Revival” is a slower blues/rock song that feels absolutely jarring coming after the opener. All the energy and fun of the first song is deflated. The song itself isn't too shabby and when the band does rock out it's only within the last minute. The next song “That's the Way She Goes” has some energy and is well written. There are some inspired moments and there is some good energy. “White Girl Wasted” has a clean dance-y Franz Ferdinand vibe but again it feels incongruous with some of the other songs. There are some interesting things they do with the timing. They confuse me even more the band goes almost straight ska on “Three Blind Mice” and into metal/grunge territory with “Sleeping Giants Never Die.” This band has a boatload of talent. That’s why it's a shame they have absolutely no idea what type of music they want to play. Every song is basically a different genre and there is almost no cohesiveness on this album. This band desperately needs to sit down at a table with a lot of whiskey and have a healthy discussion about what direction they should go in. Do it - I promise you will be better off in the end.
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Forming in early 2015 BiRDPERSON comprised of Aaron Cooler (vocals/guitars), Anthony Mcleod (bass/vocals), Trey Wilson (guitars/vocals) and Wheeler Lovett (drums/vocals) have already released some music. Their latest is a four-song EP which shows a young band still trying to find their niche while also displaying some potential.
The production and recording is around demo quality, arguably a bit higher. I heard some of the normal things you hear such as not enough separations, cymbals with too many high frequencies and vocals that could have been treated better. That being said you still get an idea of where the band is at and where their talents lie. What do a bunch of young guys in their early 20’s have in common? It’s usually that all they can think about is members of the opposite sex and school. Hence, it makes sense that's what you would write songs about. Things starts off with the upbeat and slightly funky indie rock song entitled “Days With Sun.” The instrumental work across the board is tight and I was impressed off the bat. I have to admit it took me a couple of spins to warm up to the lead vocals. Cooler doesn’t have golden pipes by any stretch but his singing works in the confines of garage rock. He sounds best when he is relaxed and does not stress his voice to the point where it becomes nasally. “Tsunami” is the next song, which is fairly straight indie rock with no surprises. There is a stellar guitar solo which fades out the song and the guitar work in general is inventive. The beginning of “Bobby Moynihan” is tight. I enjoyed the unorthodox guitar and explosive drums and bass. They close with “Voyager” and Cooler changes his vocal style, which at times sounds eerily similar to Anthony Kiedis from the Red Hot Chili Peppers. I’m not sure if any one noticed or what but it feels like a tip of the hat to Kiedis any way you look at it. The band's biggest strength is their technical ability along with having inspired moments of creativity. They still have a decent amount of work to do in regards to defining a unique sound but that's pretty much expected considering how long they have been together.
Toronto, Ontario’s five-piece Anderson Hall formed in the middle of last year. The band is fronted by eighteen-year-old lead singer and bassist Quinton Barnes who co-writes a majority of the songs with lead guitarist Braydon Johnson. The band had no real ambitions toward recording an album until February of this year when they decided to make an album in accordance with the February Album Writing Month challenge.
The band spent a furious two weeks recording and decided to use the best tracks out of everything they came up with, citing artists such as The Beach Boys, The Beatles, Pink Floyd and ABBA as inspirations during their recordings. What transpired from these recordings are the 11 songs, which make up the band’s debut Only Sons and Thumb. Barne’s Prince-styled falsetto vocals coupled with the ‘80s synth rock and club ready beats help to make the opening tune “Attracted” a fun way to open the album. “(It Goes) on and On” with its sad peels of organ sounds similar to Procol Harum’s “A Whiter Shade Of Pale” and its bluesy psychedelic guitar riffs is certainly where the band sounds best. The balmy balladry of “How Can I Believe” is a hard sell for the band after its two solid predecessors. This is followed by the blatantly obvious Beatles rip-off “Lady Tuckett.” But Anderson Hall get back on course again with the bouncy and melodic instrumental “Fall in Love Again,” which marries strings to a bright pop melody. Then comes “Mama” with its beautiful and catchy female backing vocals, which appear again this time matching Barne’s falsetto in the uppity piano vs. guitar tune “Come On (I Got It)” which is another feather in the band’s cap. The band explores a bit of psych-jazz on the instrumental “Jameson and the Red Blue Skies” and then closes with sadness and strings on “The Saddest Prayer.” For a band as young as Anderson Hall are, they possess a lot of talent. But being an artist at a young age one also struggles with knowing what to cut out, in sense to make something stronger. The case here is that Only Sons and Thumb, taken as a whole, would flow better with a few less songs, mostly those that stray from the pack. The hardest part about making art is casting one’s own cold eye upon it and not settling for what is simply good enough. But this comes with time.
Matthew Hoffman (vocals), Vance Manu (guitar), Alistair Hewton (bass) and Jordan Cossill (drums) are Carcosa. Imagine a band that sounds similar to Alice In Chains and Queens of The Stone Age with both metal and post-rock tendencies and you have a sound that resembles the songs on What Happens Under Neon.
What Happens Under Neon contains three relatively lengthy songs that take their time exploring the sonic possibilities of the band. The arguable highlight is the opener the intense “Soured.” Hoffman reminded me of Josh Homme as the guitar moves through ultra light speed piercing a myriad of notes. The band explores a lot of possibilities within the first two minutes. My attention was drawn to where they would go next. Once they are around the five-minute mark the band gets sludgy and heavy but eventually finds a way out of the swamp. The song closes on a crescendo. “Wastrel” while not as engaging as the first track still had some inspired moments such as right after the five-minute mark. The majority of the song relies on a primary heavy riff and vocals that this time sounded more like Layne Staley. They close with the blistering title track, which is a high-octane thriller that tears it up. Guitar bends break at the seams while machine gun like snare work backs you into a corner. Once again the five-minute mark seems to be the most prolific. This time around the band breaks it down only to build it back it up into an epic crescendo. For fans of good metal this EP is a no brainer. Carcosa brings the goods and the EP has very minor mishaps. Looking forward to what this band will be doing in the future.
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