Alright is the debut EP by Josh and the Jet Noise, a power-pop band from Fort Worth, Texas. Formed by Josh Reed (lead singer/guitarist), Matt Thomas (bass) and Chris Grucza (drums), the group’s mission is evident: to get their listeners to have a good time and focus on enjoying their experiences. This album is immediately catchy and grabs you in and pulls you along for the party.
The band describes themselves as a mixture of early-’80s U2 and early ’90s grunge – a perfect description. Although power pop isn’t always a genre I dive deeply into, it’s a very appealing category of music and Josh and the Jet Noise embodies it well. Most of the songs feature simple, broken down structures, instrumental buildups and choruses filled with power chords. At first listen, several of the tracks on Alright seem to become repetitive fairly quickly. But, even though the release has a very poppy “radio” vibe to it, it manages to stand out and stay fresh. The instrumentation has an edge to it, especially in the rhythm guitars and the drums’ punchiness. Overall these guys are talented musicians and their attention to dynamics puts them a step above being just another rock n’ roll band. They start with the catchy and infectious "Darkness". It has an old school garage type of feel it with a prominent bass, kinetic drums and a crunchy guitar. They have more success with "Slam Bang Theater" but "Deadly Affair" was a dynamic highlight that creates a sense of mystery. "Closer to the End" really has a forward moving momentum while "I Don't Wanna" reminded me of The White Stripes. Up next is "April Rains" which has it moments and close with "Alright Alright Alright" which is upbeat. I was worried at first that Alright by Josh and the Jet Noise might be another mediocre rock album, but I was totally wrong. The group contrasts simple structure with a forceful, lively tone that makes for an energetic party album. The band fills their music with life and energy, and I’m sure I’ll be listening again soon.
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Dali Van Gogh is a hard rock band out of Halifax, Nova Scotia that recently released Under Her Spell. The songs are really ones that for the most part sound best turned up real loud or live. They have an old school energy to my ears.
The band busts out of the gates with “Get Away” which has a mix of attitude and a sliver of rock opera. I think it was the organ that had me thinking rock opera. Either way the band rocks. They are multiple vocalists on this track trading measures and sometimes combining efforts. “Down at the Hitching Lane” felt like a single worthy song. It’s the hook. The first time you hear it you feel like you know it. Up next is “Arms Race” which again had me feeling a little like I was experiencing a rock opera. The song is a little dark which is perfectly fine by me. “Superman & MacGyver” is a great name for a song. I think MacGyver would win in a fight. It’s one of the more straight fun songs on the album. It pops and is a little bit funky with a lot of levity. “Outlaw’s Son” sounds like the title. It’s a slow, mysterious sweeping ballad with Western overtones. The vocalist sounded a bit like Eddie Vedder on “When I Go” but with more affectation during the verse. They have fun with “East Coast Witches” which mirrors the style to “Foxy Lady” by Jimi Hendrix during the verse. They kind of jam out in a funky way on “Have It All” while “Long Way from Heaven” is a heartfelt ballad with female vocals. If the band made any mistakes it’s putting a song called “Crooked Little Whore” right after “Long Way from Heaven”which felt like an abrupt transition. The continue to rock with “Boot on Your Neck” and close with “Ships in the Night” which goes back into heartfelt territory. Dali Van Gogh really covers a lot of ground. There are so many sub-genres they approach and pull off. Take a listen.
Okay Pants, look at you with these snazzy jazzy rock tunes I imagine I will be jamming to quite often. The band's main motivation is make listeners "dance their pants off." In the era of yoga pants and skinny jeans that's quite a feat, and I respect their ambition. Pants is an indie funk and other junk band cut from the cloth of Seattle's music scene. With just five tracks, they managed to seduce me rather easily.
Opening the flood gates is the first track, "Breakdown." It's a six-minute jam fest that hold itself together VERY well. It's a TIGHT six minutes. It is fluid and high energy without being overly stimulating. Next up comes "Disappear" which is a little more quirky with pointed lyrics. This one really digs into the smooth jazz elements that give this album a cheeky sort of ironic elevation. You can't not at least give these guys a little shoulder action with this tune. Track three is "Back In The Gun." It's got a great indie rock jam vibe, very surfy, very groovy. This song also houses some of my favorite lyrics on the album. "Lost Myself" goes in hard with the synth and epic rock riffs. Something about this song just turns on the neon lights in my head. Where's the fog machine? Last but not least is "Fight To Shine." Great title, and again fantastic lyrics. This made for such a great closer to this album because the narrative stakes are so high in this one. This band is bursting with musical talent. These guitar riffs, the delicious bass lines - good lord, the experimental percussive elements. They really know how to command time. None of these songs felt like they were longer than three minutes. One element I want to put a spotlight on is the vocal performances in the album. So utterly fabulous, he put his whole rib cage into it. Their energy was so symbiotic and alive. Plus, you can tell they were having a damn good time making this music. The production on this album is pretty clean. It was engineered to go big, epic and even a little theatrical. Not Sold In Stores was a studio project recorded in Chartreuse Muffin Studio in Washington. Mixing and mastering was done by the hands of Max Stephens wielding ProTools. There was special attention paid to highlighting the quirks and diverse samples that gave this album so much flavor. I wanted to make sure I took time to commend the production efforts. Man, I really gotta get out to Seattle and see these guys with my own eyes and ears. I definitely have to buy a damn pair of pants 'cuz that name is AWESOME. I think this group is a solid lineup of talent and I think album is incredibly cool. It's a classic of putting lots of good in and getting cool, groovy jams out.
Tresed is a band from Reno, Nevada that plays blistering sludge rock. Formed by Pablo Schultz (drums), Jake Lorgé (guitar/vocals), Matt L'Etoile (guitar/vocals) and Gabe Horan (bass), the group put out their first release A Sense of Eternity in February. This short four-song EP is laden with distortion, fuzzboxes and plenty of other compelling effects. Several influences cited by the band are perfectly embodied in their music, namely groups like Tool, The Melvins and The Sword.
My favorite song is the second one, called “The Bog.” What I noticed right away was how much Tresed resembles Tool during this song, specifically their sound on Undertow. This track is rich with raw vocals singing drawn-out melodies and aggressive drums playing big buildups. Towards the middle, there’s also a slight blues feel, complete with twangy guitar solos. However, what I think this group does best is the effects and the tone. “Deep Sea Space” is in a more straightforward stoner rock style that reminds me of Kyuss, another legendary sludge rock band. This song is an unstoppable driving force that keeps you energized. The gritty bass and overdriven guitars on this track are just perfect. The four tracks on Tresed’s A Sense of Eternity are an interesting mix of different progressive rock/metal songwriting structures. Each of the tracks also has a different energy level to them, as far as tempo and liveliness are concerned. The band wraps the album up with “Atacama Cries” a slower prog rock jam full of guitar solos enveloped in fuzz. The slow steady rhythm reminds me most of The Sword. All in all, Tresed brings a lot to the table and A Sense of Eternity couldn’t be a better debut. For those of you looking for a new group to get back to the roots of progressive rock and metal, I strongly urge you to check this album out. It’s a skull-crushing intense jam of an album with well-executed instrumentation.
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Santa Cruz, California trio, Planet Plow is fronted by guitarist Garrett Schultz and bassist Thomas Sakoda and its earliest formation took place back in 2010. After countless lineups of musicians who came and went – the latest of which was their last drummer in 2015 – the band once again regrouped in 2016 as a trio, with Dale Anzelmo on the drums. Planet Plow's first full length album Dawn of Plow is a “sampler platter to excite all the senses containing songs which span the full breadth of the band's existence.” The group describes their album as a “delightful mixture of strange, spacey, spicy, funky, potent, psychedelic sonic mutations presented in a form palatable to all Earth-kind.” Are you ready for a ride? The band takes influences from such bands as, Ween, Pixies, Talking Head and the Flaming Lips with a few touches of blues, rock and psychedelic mixed in.
The opener “I Took One” rocks and rolls along with great funk bass action. The chorus gets light and airy with ethereal sounding backing vocals and the lyrics are pretty funny, too. “Moldavian Moonshine” has a swaggering, low down jazzy vibe mixed with rockabilly flavor. The spirited mood and slow tempo of the song works well – and yeah, pun intended. “Bound to This Town” features a tighter beat and a tense, anxious mood. Lyrically, the words suggest being stuck in the same boring town you grew up in and that can either be a good thing, or a very, very bad thing. One of the longer songs on the album is “The Duel” and it starts off with a beat and guitar riff in a sort of anthem-like “call to arms” fashion, which fits well with the title. The style, arrangements and the way in which the singers bounce off each other is very punk/ska, but I thought in a more sophisticated, socially conscious kind of way, like The Clash. “Hate Myself (Love Everybody)” features a pop rock guitar riff, pretty catchy, but here again, the band punks it up quite well. Overall, it’s got great mood, sass and attitude. “Jimmy Legs” starts off with a killer, low down riff and a slow and thick head-banging beat. Another great catchy number, with a fantastic guitar solo thrown in. The lyrics are damn hilarious, too. “Crazy as Shit” has a bluesy feel, smoky and slow grooving. The words proclaim – “the girl is crazy as shit… but I dig it.” “Egomaniacal” has a funk-pop beat and a songwriter who can’t stay sober. “Science” gets good and funky with its bouncing beat and “wah-wah” guitar action. This one was one of my favorites, because the band mixes their own brand of wackiness and musical style. The best line was – “cheers bitches, it’s a toast to science!” “Here on Out” begins with a burp – literally. It then goes into a lot of guitar sound, funk bass and a spirit that says, “let’s have a party, raise some hell because life is just crap anyway.” It definitely has a punk spirit behind its message. “Alisz” is perhaps one of Planet Plow’s best; it stood out for me a lot. Their approach and songwriting seemed different, and this one is filled with another great guitar and bass solo with some kick ass drumming, too. Listen to this one for sure. The closer “Ghost Owl” is the band’s longest song and it gets pretty spacey and psychedelic at times. The band also beefs up the vocals with extra singing that sounded very haunting. In the end, the song felt like one-part epic narrative, one-part progressive rock funk. A strong finish to the trio’s first full-length album.
MAMMOTH TOE is a psychedelic/post-rock band from Bristol, UK. The three members of the band started out in 2016 and quickly booked a load of gigs, while also laying down an album’s worth of tracks in just three months. Sometime after, the founder of the group who is the bassist, decided to do some traveling, but during that time he had an unfortunate encounter with a white tail spider causing an infection and a subsequent skin graft. Man, sometimes you got to pay your dues if you want to rock – but, yikes! Despite this, the band pulled off one gig and the bass player was able to mix the band’s debut EP, Pink Lady, and release a solo album of his own. The band describes their sound as “big’ – creating grooves, rhythms and riffs that “people can latch onto.” Their influences are broad, but if you’re into the soundscape vibe of Jakob, and bands such as Russian Circles, Amplifier and Porcupine Tree, then have a listen.
“OcTOEpussy” starts things off with a fuzzy, psych-rock dreamy sound, coupled with a heavy epic rock style. I liked the drumming and there were a lot of great layers and textures going on, especially as the song further progressed. I think the band captured the soundscape style quite nicely. I’m not sure how they did the effects towards the end, but they were very cool. The first song melts into “Pink Lady” – a song that sounds like what would happen if you played a record backwards. The drums break in on top of that, then more guitar effects and then, maddening energy for a short time, until somewhat returning back to how the song started. I think the highlight to this number was – well, everything – but especially the groove happening between the bass player and the drummer. A lot of great twists and turns in there, too many to mention. “GorgonZilla” features a lighter sound with melodious guitar and crisp, rim shot/hi-hat playing to start off. Some great echoing effects, too. After a bit, the band funks up the beat and then goes into a psychedelic vibe, light and airy. After four minutes, the band doesn’t hold back – reaching into a fury of sound and making me wonder how the hell they even achieved it. They cut off the song abruptly, kind of leaving the listener hanging, which I thought was brilliant! The last tune is “HousePlant” and it’s by far the longest on the EP. The intro is spacey and “magical” sounding as if something fantastical is about to occur – in my opinion, it would do nicely on some science fiction concept album. The drums come in after three minutes in a jazz-like, slow rhythmic way, while the key effects and guitars are layered on top. This one has that special epic narrative quality that makes me want to break out my copy of Floyd’s Dark Side of Moon. Further in, the band juxtaposes these dreamy sounds with explosive energy that’s fused with rock-funk-progressiveness – damn sweet! The band bounces back and forth between those two styles again until sometime after the nine-minute mark they just go full bore, holding nothing back. And the ending here again, made me ask – how did they do that? And while I may or may not figure that one out, how about in the meantime, a full-length album.
Welcome to the delightfully electric world of Pete Cautious. This solo artist has assembled a fascinating self-titled album Pete Cautious right here in my backyard of Chicago. Entering this wold requires a bit of a zen approach. Set free your expectations and preconceived notions because this album transcends time, space and logic. I am always happy to rise to the challenge of defining an album that cannot be defined. I guess you could stuff it under indie rock but then you might be leaving out the surfy, intergalactic details. Oh well, we do what we can. Let's dig in.
The music features lots of charming indie rock guitar work with carefully stacked electronic layers, synth being the other powerful voice. I have to say, on synth alone, Cautious was not afraid to use every crayon in the box and not a single one was wasted. While he is painting with a certain muted, limited pallet, there are so many and so much delicious drama in each of the songs. There are a few universal motifs across the album of dreamy doom, irony, melancholy. It's all very lovely. His foundation is rooted in sounds that are often associated with levity and he then twists and bends these elements to his will. His sense of humor is also not lost on me. There is a demographic out there that will find his heavier synth tunes "dated" or "weird." There are times where it can swallow certain songs, but his love for synth is still so endearing to me. The album never really takes itself too seriously, but it's not without potency. There's a great balance here, again, that zen state of mind when listening really comes in handy. There's also the matter of the music and vocals on this album which happened to really pull on my heart strings. Cautious has one of those voices that is romantic and tragic at the same time. He can be so haunting and broken and yet so hopeful. He’s not a man of many words which makes the lyrics a little enigmatic at times. A good deal of these songs seem to be built off of very singular and brief narratives. I feel some have deeper meaning and carry more weight than what's on the paper. He conveys all of this with this incredible voice. One gripe I have is that sometimes his voice was too buried. It's such a good asset, I wanna hear it. Above anything else, I find this album to be very playful. His musical ability was given lots of green pasture to breathe. Cautious has been involved in countless band projects and now he is all on his own in his home studio. It sounds very much like we're getting a live feed to his subconscious. I can sense the freedom and exuberance of him being left alone to his own devices. Overall the album is not a hi-fi experience, but I still got the sensation there was a celebration happening. Congratulations to Mr. Cautious, I feel like he needed this album out in the world.
You know I've frequented the bay area many times, and I really need to find the wellspring where the quintessential grunge rock sound pours from. Apparently I need look no further than Clearly, a four-piece indie rock band with their second album out. The album is entitled Minor Mistake and it features five tracks with some songs that hold tight to an era of music I will always pine for, but elevates it to today's standards. It's not an easy feat finding the right space between polished while also delivering a sound that has stage presence. This album immediately lit a fire under my ass to see these songs live. That's a pretty big fire. I'm in Chicago so that's not a cheap plane ticket, but still, I am VERY tempted.
The opening song is "Minor Mistake" and right off the bat you'll get those savory notes of grunge. Be still my heart when this track find its crescendos, so utterly angst ridden and honest. I think it takes a pair of serious trouser melons to kick off an album with a six-minute heavy romp like this. I respect it. Next is "Slump" and here you'll get a gruffer, rougher experience that readily rubs against the grain. This is my favorite track on the album due to the pointed nature of it. It doesn't just poke, it shoves. I love it. "Slow Drive" slows things down quite a bit and comes off as a power ballad. I'll admit it was a little exhaustive and I think could have used a little editing. "On Again Off Again" tackles an all too familiar narrative for anyone. There's a good boost in tempo here and I really liked the vocal work as well. Tying a bow on the album is the final song "Wasted." Grab the black eyeliner for this one, it gets dark and twisted. The big seller here is the lyrics. The music was well composed and layered perfectly to build a light engulfing void, but for the most part it felt like it might belong to another album, so I was not prepared. Clearly is very strong in their convictions when it comes to composition. They build songs until the vision is complete. They have rock solid synergy and all hands on this deck are highly capable. I can certainly tell this is a sophomore release because there are no visible seams anywhere in these songs. Everyone was on the same page; everyone knew the destination they were headed toward. As I mentioned before, this album is a great way for this group to sell some concert tickets. Their choice to make this album feel so big and imposing was the right call. The production was handled beautifully, the hands that engineered Minor Mistake belonged to people who truly understand the genre. I think overall this album is a success and a great listen for grunge fans of any make or model.
Jackie and the Treehorns is a band from Burlington, Vermont that released P. Jelly. The band plays three chord garage rock that has been around in some form for the last fifty years or so.
They open with “Velociraptor” which sounds a lot like The White Stripes. The vocal inflection that mirrors Jack White, the Meg White type of drumming and the overall style is especially apparent on the verse. There is one major difference however Jack White never attempted rapping over one of their songs. It caught me by surprise. Up next is “Who Love You” which sounds like more of an homage to Queens of the Stone Age. The vocalist even sounds more like Josh Homme rather than Jack White. It’s not only that but the way they approach the strumming and the drumming felt like a throwback to Songs for the Deaf. “Carbon Footprint” is a very lo-fi song but the most original music so far. The drums are chaotic and impressively technical. I liked the verse quite a bit. The song doesn't figure how to build on that energy partially due to the lack of bass and the quality of the recording. Again the verse is where they shine. I just wanted them to figure out how to propel that into an explosive chorus. They close with “Slow Down” which felt like a pretty straightforward rock song that revolves around 4/4 time, a couple of distorted major and minor chords and pretty solid melodies. Overall, a really good song. The band seems like they are pretty young guys who are at this point having some fun but also wearing their influences on their sleeves. If they hope to do this for a living or establish a large fan base they are really going to have to shed their musical influence to some degree and find the signature sound that defines them. When you think of bands like The White Stripe or Queens of the Stone Age you kind of in a general way have this idea of who they are and what they sound like. You can capture it in your mind. The band will need to meticulously etch out who they are and find that sliver of sound that can define Jackie and the Treehorns. The hard part is finding out who you are and it is something a lot of bands never find. The band has more than the basics down and the drummer especially showcases some impressive technical skill. I think these songs were a solid start for them and I wish them luck as they evolve.
The Brothers Of Depression are actually two cousins. On that note the duo who released Deep Dark Sea has the most dismal, dark and depressing titles and lyrics I have heard from a band. I’m not entirely sure if this was supposed to be a joke or not to be honest (perhaps that is the genius of it) but I will say I was entertained
Up first is “Deep Dark Sea” which is a spoken word piece with a couple digital elements in the background. The vocals sound very distant and lo-fi and I had a hard time making out the lyrics. It sounded like the beginning of a play. It’s so melodramatic but the lo-fi quality doesn't match the very intense emotions I think they were going with. I really didn’t know if they were trying to be tongue-in-cheek but I found it engaging. “As He Slowly Breaks” felt more like a song with a couple of notable melodies. The song is again very lo-fi and I’m not sure why the vocals sounded like they were coming from another room. This song seemed to be an attempt at humor. Between the lines like “God is a jerk” and “Finally went to bed on the 45th attempt / I don't know where that God damn day went” and the vocals that have a heavy affectation I found myself smirking quite often. “I Love You, But” contains some guitar and maybe wind and vocals while “Waves Wash Over Me” is some sort of an ambient piece with light guitar and existential dread. “Nihilists, Dude” is so over the top and I think this was just supposed to be silly. He sings, “My life is meaningless, and so is yours / In this void of emptiness, we’re often torn.” The album progresses with song after song that has a dismal like quality that delicately balances between humor and pure dread. As a recording engineer I had a hard time dealing with how lo-fi this was at times. There was very little separation between any of the instrumentation, the vocals were thin and hard to hear, and there were other issues getting in the way of the emotion. I think lo-fi could work for them but even a ten or fifteen percent increase in fidelity would help with overall foundation they are creating. I do on occasion like listening to really dark and depressing music like Grouper, Sunn O))) or Tim Hecker. Deep Dark Sea is a little more aligned with a band like Xiu Xiu who is so melodramatic and over the top you can’t do anything but smile at points. The latter was more the type of energy I got from this group. If the band can figure out how to improve the recording quality and can continue to do this high wire act of balancing very different emotions they may be able to find a unique little niche for themselves. I'm looking forward to how they evolve. |
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