Mark Goldberg is from Everett, WA and has been playing guitar, keys and performing since 1999. He has explored many genres of music including blues, R&B, acoustic folk, jazz, pop, rock, among others all which show up on his recent release Superstars. Previously at Divide and Conquer we reviewed The Truth Of New Faces.
Superstars is a whopping twenty-one songs. There’s a lot of variety here so I’m focusing on some of the tracks which stuck out to me in some way. “Your Starting Point/Superstar” starts with an ambient section with airy sounding synths that feel very dreamlike. It transitions to a rock song with what sounds like an audience screaming. Goldberg then belts out a scream which is a little off key but gives it a raw quality. Next up is “The Creeping Fear” which is a thematic piano ballad with pads. It sounded like something from a play. The piano playing is exceptional but after the first two songs I was confused about where this album might be going. “Song Of The Spectrum” was another ballad but more in the spirit of someone like Billy Joel. There’s a warm New York sort of quality that’s hard to describe. “The Return Of Misterio” is a fun rock song and also one of the catchier songs on the album. He’s in a comfortable vocal range on this song and it pays off with one of his best performances. “Underdog” was one of my favorite songs. This song is soulful and the electric piano sounds on point. It’s also another song where the vocals sound well delivered and in the right range. There’s a super slick guitar solo that also hits all the right notes. “The House You Never Had” is a well done rock/blues hybrid with a killer groove while “New Beginnings” has the best groove yet with sweet ’70s quality. “Seek The Silver Sea” is another solid song with a classic rock flavor. As the album progressed, I thought there were a number of highlights including “Keep On Craving” and “Politician” which has a Bossa Nova like rhythm and the exceptional ballad led “The Jewel In The Cards.” My critique remains similar to my first review. I wanted a little more fidelity. As an engineer myself I thought some songs were mixed better than others. Goldberg certainly has a lot of talent running through his veins. He can not only write a song but can write a song in multiple genres. Take a listen.
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Feeling of Fall is a solo project from Sydney Australia. The artist is a multi-instrumentalist who plays guitar, bass, uke, mandolin, drums, Irish flute, whistle, uilleann pipes and is working on cello and violin as well. He also released Look at what you had which is a four-song EP. The artist mentions “The name for the EP Look at what you had came from the cover art a painter friend of mine did for me. The concept was a bull, representing the bull market, with all the wealth in the world looking over its shoulder at a burning field with nowhere to run to. Kind of describes the state of the world in my mind.”
The first song is entitled “Facegod” and starts with acapella and then goes into a section with strummed guitar, percussion and what sounds like a woodwind instrument. It sounds like music that could be used in a movie like Braveheart. In fact once the vocals come in the mood is thematic. The vocals have a painted sort of baritone somewhere between Tom Waits and Nick Cave. It’s a very cool and dynamic song that has this orchestral vibe type of flavor. The song according to the artist , “Are some of my observations on how social media is taking over our lives and in many ways restricting what we can and can't do.” “Breaking” starts with emotive vocals and piano. This is a slow burn of a ballad that gets epic and thematic. The artist knocks it out of the park in regards to how the vocals get more intense. There’s also a soaring guitar, some beautiful classical guitar and other instrumentation I found compelling. “Powerless Paralyzed” is a dynamic rock song. The vocals are even more expressive here and sounds like a different person at points. I thought the guitars sound huge on this song which is backed by a steady but hard hitting beat. The lyrics are powerful especially when he repeats the phrase “Do nothing or do it all.” “Bed of Razors” starts with harmonica and piano. This is an unexpected combo I loved. Other instruments quickly follow and the song becomes thematic. There’s some exceptional sounding classical guitar. Similar to the previous songs the song gets epic at point. You even get some falsetto on this song. The artist as a vocalist has a lot of range and in fact I felt like there were multiple singers on this release. Just as impressive is the way he puts together instruments. I found Look at what you had” highly original and novel and it made the songs exciting. Take a listen.
NYC’s Weird Fiction is an indie rock band that takes classic rock notes and breathes new life into the aforementioned genres. Consisting of Andrew Steinkuehler (vocals/rhythm guitar), John Miranda (lead guitar), Matt Hassenfeld (bass) and Cameron Escovedo (drums), the band is on fire with their retro-styled musings with a modern twist on their debut EP Interesting Times. Sounding a lot like Bruce Springsteen as well as other arena-rock bands from the ‘80s, the band lights it up with high-energized performances that goes on to show their excitement for the music.
Interesting Times begins with “The People You Used To Know” that starts off with some revved instrumentals. Once Steinkuehler’s low rumbling timbre arrives, the music really comes together. I was reminded of Bruce Springsteen here. To a jaunty drumming beat, gradually some guitars enter for a sauntering feel on “Still Waiting.” The melody meanders for a bit. This proves to be more of a slow burning groove from the band. More slow grooving tunes comes from the band on “Even If I Could.” I liked how. The instrumentals had a way of spiraling around in the backdrop. I was getting some classic pop vibes here as well. More sauntering grooves come forth from the instrumentals on “The Line.” The bass lines make an appearance. Steinkuehler really commandeers this rock track. He exhibits tons of attitude and sass on this class rock number and it proved to be a fitting closer. Weird Fiction’s sound is filled with old school rock tunes and a classic sensibility that will have you feeling nostalgic for a bygone era. Keeping the flame alive with their rock takes, the band carries the torch for other like-minded bands. With enough zeal and zest to last long into the night, the band serves it to you straight. This is a good start and I look forward to seeing more from this band soon.
Although Dan McKean’s earlier projects glean inspiration from backlit acoustic charm, Wheat, his latest EP, opts for a more lo-fi ambience. The man is, after all, a DIY enthusiast when it comes to layered harmonics, textural instrumentation and programmed beats. So we’ll forgive him for strumming much less on this four-song collection.
McKean professes a penchant for melody and “reflective words,” which is to say, he fancies himself a lyricist. This acquaintanceship with emotional lexicon is surely a plus. It’s easy enough to describe one’s feelings, but quite another to provoke the listener’s empathy. This is accomplished, over the course of 16 minutes, using the type of whispered grooves that tap, unoffensively, into the vein of musical eunuchs. “Wheat,” the title track, begins with a Casio-esque melody – mixed very forward – before reverting to a solemn type of ‘yacht rocksmanship.’ It’s a post-Gen X take on the genre, losing any allusions to chest hair or AM grandeur in favor of clean sensitivity. That isn’t to say it remains soft in all places. One of the key lyrics, “wake me up if you need someone,” is part kiss-off, part sad sack desperation, depending on your view of fractured relationships. It tends to drag a bit at the close, but McKean isn’t fashioning a Purgatorial “Hey Jude” reprise so much as an ’80s era fadeout. And it probably sounds fantastic on your old man’s transistor radio. “Started Out So Well” continues where its predecessor leaves off. Namely, with the same glossy vibe, ripened amid a dash of Steely Dan (minus the flap-mouthed – not to mention, overt – sleaze). Thirty years ago, this kind of thing would have rocked supermarket playlists. But now it just harkens back to a time where dudes could embrace introspective individualism with a side of electric piano. By the time the EP glides into “Aching,” the superfluous instrumental trappings are stripped bare. Sure, the tune is catchy, if not melancholic, but it also leans more genuine in this form. Gone are the allusions toward bistro jazz, and with them, the breezy accoutrements of the record’s first half. The biggest difference in style, however, occurs at the final track. Titled “Thousand Reasons,” it slinks into an acoustically driven alt-folk vista, marking the bridge between the artist’s prior output and more smoothed modern sound. Ultimately, Wheat is an earnest serving of calm; slickly defined and professionally recorded. Consider it eggs over easy on a churchless Sunday morning, or the aural equivalent of bitter-free decaf. Could the production have used more punch? At times, yes. But it’s difficult to fuss under so much tranquility. Why fight it? Simply close your eyes and plug that long corded mic into the armchair of a fair-weathered soul. Play on, player.
Timothy Vajda is a composer and instrumentalist whose principal instrument is the viola da gamba. He also plays the medieval fiddle, electric and acoustic guitar, and keyboard. Vajda mentions “As a gambist, he participated in numerous early music performances in the St. Louis area with members of the St.Louis Symphony and more recently as a member of the Ganzfeld Quartet.” On top of that he also released an album entitled Worlds.
I will say off the bat the album earns the somewhat grandiose concepts. I’ve been a big fan of the series COSMOS and the original with Carl Sagan specifically had some great interstellar music. The music on this ride did tend to feel haunting, vast and sometimes disorienting. There aren’t a lot of soundscapes which gave me a feeling of going to a location that is particularly welcoming. Our journey starts in “Venus” and there’s a good amount of melancholy swells. It’s indeed beautiful sounding but soon enough turns into something more terrifying and ominous. I was getting David Lynch type vibes from this song like something was absurd. “Mars” has you feeling like you’re traveling through an air tunnel. It’s very windy here and perhaps something lurks underneath the clouds. There’s a sense of tension and action on “Jupiter.” It’s still haunting and I feel like I’m being chased. Oh god I see it coming. On “Titan” there’s pure confusion. I’m not sure which way is up. Or if there even is an up. Look at me spinning in space hoping to land on my feet. I still feel a long way from home when visiting “Neptune.” The long swells contort time and space. Where are we? Or perhaps I should ask when are we? The tension is still there as I visit “Phobos.” I feel like I’m ascending. Oh no I hope I didn’t pass the atmosphere. There’s some warmth here on “Luna.” I think I found some water. Peace at least. Let’s hope it continues. As I rounded the bend on “Pluto” my memory became fragmented. Why did I go on this journey and why is there a monkey named Morpheus as my co-pilot? Vajda takes you on a journey with these songs. This would be an awesome experience with some visuals of the locations but I found closing my eyes works as well. If you can’t go to space with a billionaire anytime soon I highly suggest Worlds which will at least put you in the mindset.
In 2001 I was in Champaign, Illinois going to school. It was a great time to be on a campus in college. People weren’t staring at their phones while walking, differences were handled in person and live music was flourishing. My friends would go out and listen to bands at the Canopy Club. They had a lot of jam bands at the time. A lot of them sounded similar but it didn’t matter. Lots of people dancing, talking, smoking pot and again no smart phone to steal everyone's attention.
Bull Street Garage reminded me of one of those bands I would have seen. They have a very familiar energy that’s upbeat, loose, fun and can easily put you in a good mood. The band formed in 2020 and is composed of Joe DiGregorio (guitar/vocals), Doug Neubauer (guitar/vocals), Parker Lubin (bass/vocals) and Josh Blibaum (drums/vocals). They got to work and released an eight-song self-titled album Bull Street Garage. “Keeper” is the opener and the band lays down a familiar sounding jam band type of groove that flirts with a reggae pattern. The song is warm with notable guitar work as well as memorable vocal melodies. There’s a catchy chorus and it was a solid opener. The energy increases with “Ice Cream Man.” The band proves they can do more than just jam and can write a song with mass appeal. That being said, there are a number of guitar solos which were impressive. The slightly more Americana infused “Twice” also contains elements of blues. It works for their sound. There’s some great lyrics on this song as well. “So I caught up to my brother on the street. / I could tell by his eyes he'd been facing defeat. / He looked at me and said aren't you a sight for sore eyes / And then he pulled out his 9 / And he said to me….” “Drop Bear” is a super chill song. The drumming was great. This is a song I could imagine being played on a beach. It’s very atmospheric and I could imagine drifting off to sleep with this song in the background. There are some epic guitars solos in the spirit of Pink Floyd. The band embraces a trope with “Steel Shovel.” It’s the biker infused classic rock vibe that introduces some danger. The vocal inflection as well as the lyrics indicate this. The vocalist sings “The waking up is evil, when you dream about all day / A pot of gold to save your soul and wash these blues away.” “In a Bind” is a smooth and clean ride while the closer “Witch” is a fast moving song that ends the EP with impressive technical skills. The album was nostalgic for me and I hope that bands like this continue to surface.
“Bonnet Laird” is said to be “a derogatory term used for wealthy and petty Scottish landowners, wearing a bonnet like the humbler folk.” It’s also the name of the band that has just released this three-song EP titled We Could’ve Sat. I’m at a disadvantage here, as I can’t find a human name behind the band’s music, so I’m going to simply call the main creative person “Laird” and hope that works.
The band explains that the idea behind their creation was to “give ourselves a platform where we could create art that we are proud of. Every time I tried, even to write the simplest thing on a social media platform, I got further away from myself. Trying to censor what I really wanted to say was exhausting for me. I don't have time for that when I want to make my art, as I want to make it. Having an anonymous alias allows me to do this.” The band hopes that their music makes you feel something or experience some emotion, whatever that may be. Influences include Bon Iver, Tame Impala, Lianne La Havas, Last Dinosaurs, Haim, Pinegrove, Sarah Jarosz and Feng Suave. Recording took place in The Shetland Islands using Logic Pro X with stock plugins. Laird states that he didn’t go hunting for bigger and better plugins, wanting to understand what he already had readily available. “The stock stuff certainly doesn’t hold me back!” Mastering was by Tim Matthew. “Get It Now” starts the EP off with a bit of a trick: it sounds exactly like a malfunctioning cassette, with the tape sliding off the heads and the azimuth totally out of phase. I was ready to chide the artist for the bad recording quality, when it suddenly popped right back into the full harmonic spectrum! Laird describes this song as “a wonky, poppy, funk and psychedelic alternative-inspired track. The feel and *almost* random lyrical content was influenced by a lucid dream. The song was written on a warm summer’s day, and that’s how it’s supposed to sound.” Having played this track before reading the notes, “Funk pop psychedelia” is exactly how I thought of this music. It’s indeed big and bright and all-encompassing, with every available bit of sonic space stretched nearly to the breaking point. Head-trip lyrics include: “Every planet would be sunrise / Every star would be our sun / From there we'd journey home.” In prepping us for the next track, Laird states: “If 'Get It Now' is your high, then 'LUDE' serves as the comedown.” I don’t know if I’d call it a comedown exactly, as I found “Lude” to have a Bowie-like intensity (including jazzy saxophone). Laird describes the music in detail: “It’s a dark, murky and unusual song, with sudden dynamic changes and modulations. An old broken radio with clips of famous cult members and controversial leaders recorded on an old phone were used to add to the uneasy emotions.” This middle track is my clear favorite, as the kamikaze wah wah guitar solo in the middle takes the proceedings to another level, followed by an absolutely lovely string section against the miasma of dictator samples. The final track “Home On Fire” sounds the most traditional to me. Laird says it’s “a groove based, almost R&B track. The world (our home) is literally already going up in flames. It's killing us and everything else, and we caused it. When Covid hit, photos were shared of animals claiming back cities while everyone was isolating... make of that what you will. But that was definitely in my mind when the song was written.” What most stands out in this tune, aside from the funky groove and the Hendrix tonality of the guitar, is the expert sax by Norman Willmore. Overall a very unusual and unexpected musical treat, and surely a sign of greater things to come!
Reid Bouvier (vocals/guitar), Carlin Ritchie (guitar), Jordan Lang (bass/vocals) and Raymond Trudeau (drums) are Camp Robber. The band didn’t form very long ago and recently released Birdsong which is a three-song EP.
The band is somewhere between alternative rock and pop punk. I felt the lyrics veered towards pop punk which often deals with similar subjects but not always. What are those subjects? It mostly comes of age with heavy nostalgia, the future and also staying up all night. The songs contain that cathartic type of energy that is almost always associated with youth. “Birdsong” is the first song and it starts with 4/4 time, catchy vocal melodies and crunchy guitar chords. The song's tale seems to revolve about an adventure with a companion. It’s a little over two minutes long but they manage to cram in a full song. The hook was infectious and they ended the song with a climax. You can make an easy case for “Barbara’s Ashes” being the highlight. It felt like a single. The hook is really strong and the dynamics pop. I thought the drumming which was reminiscent of the song “Everlong” by Foo Fighters added a lot. The vocals are well delivered and intense. In addition to that I loved the line “it’s better to burn out than fade away” which reminded me of Kurt Cobain. “Stress Cadets'' starts with an unbridled energy that’s undeniable. The beat is on point and the guitars flourish with different styles which affect the dynamics. This song had the most infectious vocal melodies to my ears. He sings “Cause we were Space Cadets in summer camp.” The song builds with an intensity and layers with more and more energy. Great stuff and definitely felt like a closer. The songs go by fast even if the whole EP was only about ten minutes. I thought the songwriting was good. The songs didn’t have any extra fat and they get to the good stuff with powerful sections that keep your attention. One aspect that helped was the recordings. The songs sounded professional and refined but also raw in the sense that this feels like a band playing in a room together. The band hasn’t been around long but this is an indicator they have talent as well as potential. This release is an easy win for fans of alternative and punk music. Take a listen.
Forestline is an LA-based indie rock group composed of Will Taggart (vocals/guitar), Joe Fournier (keys/synths/vocals) and Nick Coggiola (bass). The band recently released a six-song self-titled EP Forestline.
The album starts off with “Just a Guy.” I liked their sound right away from the rocking groove they start this song out with. The horns combined with the fuzzy guitar sound which creates a warm and inviting mood. There’s a splash of Americana on this song not too far from a band like Wilco. All of the players showcase some talent. The drumming was exceptional and I thought the singing was top notch as well. Great opener. You submerge into a lush soundscape on “First Time in a While.” The guitars twinkle, the vocals are more subdued and the horns are borderline sensual. It’s also a catchy song with a bed of melancholy. The ending is fantastic where he repeats the line “The first time in a while” and goes into a killer sax solo. Two songs in and I thought both showed different sides to their talent. “Couldn’t Wait” begins with a wicked guitar pattern and vocals. Cymbals begin to shimmer and the horns slide down to find a funky and fine groove. This is a deep cut and many more kudos to that drummer. The song has a lot of great sections. Towards the middle it goes big band, reaching a crescendo and coming crashing down to a jazzy moonlit evening. “Lost on Time” trades the funky qualities for a song that’s a little more cerebral and pensive. The guitar melodies and horns are again key components. Taggart hits it out of the park with the vocals and there are some sections where they rock out in their own horn based way. “Waves” is the arguable highlight. The song fades in with a solid bass and drum combo. There’s an airy feeling to the groove which is dreamlike. As the song progresses it builds with excitement and energy. It happens slowly which is some of the genius to it. They close with “Wander Off” which is another solid song. There’s a joyful energy to the song and the dynamics between the instruments work well. There are punctuating stabs by the bass and drums juxtaposed against disparate guitar melodies. I thought the hook on this song was really strong. The band is off to a great start. I thought the songs were well produced and delivered. They have a sound that has broad appeal and should catch you on first listen. Take a listen.
Evan Jordan is an artist and musician from Kalamazoo, MI who recently released Bad Touch. Jordan mentions “The making of Bad Touch was at all times about melding experimental with infectious, polished with flawed, old with new, kitsch with class, etc. - those tasty dichotomies. It’s also about unapologetically believing in auteurism as a virtue, while acknowledging it to be a notorious stumbling block as well.”
The artist starts with “Virgil” which is an instrumental song. One of the first things I noticed is all the instrumentation sounds like virtual instruments which creates a very specific aesthetic. The song's focus is on an arpeggiated synth, pads and percussion. There’s a distinct change about halfway through which does feel more organic and live. It’s a reggae sounding sort of beat with lead guitar. The sections really didn’t sound all that connected but somehow it works. “Anytown” introduces the vocals. The vocals are delivered softly. I was getting Ariel Pink vibes. Reverb tails wash over from guitars panned hard left and right. There’s also some organ in the mix. “Ms. Manners” goes back into instrumental. The song has this innocent and cuddly feeling. It is almost like a funky song for kids. There are some solid transitions and I liked the one a little before the two-and-a-half-minute mark. “Mopin'” has a forward moving kinetic quality that seems to be created with guitar. Other elements sort of swirl around for most of the song. It’s like that one guitar note is the anchor in the song and everything else is reacting to that. “Parlour Games” is sort of a darker electric piano lead song that feels theatrical. The tone of the song is hard to pinpoint. There’s a serious sort of feeling to it that can be ominous yet sort of playful. “Molar Dust” is a funky off-kilter beat. There are clean guitars; some elements feel very soft which lets the guitars breathe. I loved the melodies towards the end which might be played on lead guitar. There are some unique ideas here. Jordan has an unusual approach to structure and songwriting which made some of the songs feel novel. I would have loved to hear a live drummer on some of these songs but all things considered I think there’s a lot to appreciate here. |
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