The five-piece band The Ramblin' Years comprised of Sean Clavere (vocals, lead guitar), Katie Sweeney (vocals, rhythm guitar), Daniel Dunn (sax, vocals), Daniel Dovinh (drums, vocals) and Mitch Edwards (bass) is a group that is easy to enjoy upon first listen. Their music is a warm country/alt hybrid that contains poppy melodies, exceptional vocal harmonies and good overall songwriting.
The band released their debut self-titled album back in 2014 and already had time to hit the studio again and put out a three-song EP entitled Nickels & Dimes. There are only three songs on this EP and it’s less than ten minutes in length but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t impactful. The first song “Come On Carla” is arguably the highlight, which is pure americana country that would have sounded just as relevant fifty years as it does today. It’s about a marriage, which is past the honeymoon phase but the desire to get some of the passion between the two has returned. The song starts with A cappella vocals, which sounded fantastic. I honestly wouldn't have minded the whole song that way. When the instrumentation enters it’s clean, crisp and adds an upbeat energy into the mix. The song has a number of notable moments with lyrics like “Come on Carla put your red dress I wanna go out tonight, I haven't seen you dance in so long somehow that doesn't seem right.” ”One Eye Open” has a different feel from the first track. It’s a blue-collar rocker that lies somewhere between John Mellencamp and Bruce Springsteen. The guitars are heavier and the male voice is more prevalent this time around. It’s unequivocally the rocker of the three songs. The band closes with minimal and melancholy “Sweet Smilin’ Girl.” It’s a tender song that puts the acoustic guitar and vocals at the center. Even though the band's full length came out before Nickels & Dimes I think it’s a good starting point for getting into the band. The band attempts and pulls off three different styles which I’m pretty sure is indicative of what we can expect the band to build off of on their second album. Nickels & Dimes is short, sweet and thoroughly enjoyable.
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George Baba is the kind of guy who seems to live and breathe music. He has played in VOID, The Dead Revolt, RIVERS and Death By Supernova. Death By Supernova like his other projects is undeniably rock. Baba has a penchant to play rock that derives from the late ‘60s and ‘70s rather than something contemporary.
Between his guitar tone, delivery and a number of other factors his music on his self-titled album is a mix between hard, garage, progressive and classic rock. Fans of bands from Alice Cooper to Deep Purple to Black Sabbath should be able to enjoy Death By Supernova without much of a problem. Thematically Death By SuperNova isn’t exactly an uplifting album. Baba explains that the album is about “A lonely man who seeks comfort in a woman through sex. He is unable to understand why she doesn't want to be with him and in a depressed state of mind, he violently murders her.” Luckily, Baba is a gifted lyricist and the experience of listening to the album from beginning to end does not feel trite. He kicks things off with a sludgy, rocker entitled “Silver Tongued Devil.” The chorus is memorable when he sings, “I was a rockstar all along Nobody ever told me I was a winner, they were wrong I was a rockstar all the time Just didn't know it cause I was a loser all my life.” It has a certified catchy chorus that got stuck in my head after spinning the song for a second time. “1000 Misfires in the Womb of Creation” has my vote for top ten coolest song titles I have heard. The initial build up of the song sounds like something you would expect from The Who. It’s a pure cathartic energy release that is all too rare among mainstream rock bands these days. “Thank God for the Atomic Bomb” gets into punk/garage type territory. The microsecond guitar fills are money. The lyrics become more indicative of the theme on “These Grave Girls.” He sings, “I can't caress you with severed hands So release me from these chains Cause I'm addicted to your lustful smile And it's driving me insane.” As the album progresses the songs are well written and hard to ignore. “War and Women” was a personal favorite that I will be revisiting every so often. Death By Supernova isn’t flawless but it is a consistently good album that delivers. Recommended
Acacia Park Avenue is the culmination of three producers. Two reside in Australia and the other in Austria. I’m not sure how they write music but they manage to do it and recently released an album called Forbidden Love. They call it a storybook album in which the narrator tells you the story. In this case the story is about young love and what you would do to be ''the one'' only to find that the one isn't what they seem and is from a different world. It's a story of vampire lovers that want to return to human form so they can be together. Isn’t that pretty much the same storyline as Twilight?
Before each song a narrator speaks with no music explaining the story. The recording of the narrator is so much better sounding than the vocals that are sung that it creates an odd juxtaposition. The recording of narrator is perfectly clear and understandable unlike the person who is singing which sounds boxy and muddy. While we are talking about the recording quality the overall sound needs improvement. There isn’t much separation between the instruments, nothing is very clear in the mix and the drums need a lot of work. The whole style of the album feels random. They jump from an ‘80s sounding rock song to a disco-esque electronic dance song to avant-garde minimalist all within the first three songs. The biggest success they have out of these three very different styles is the disco-esque electronic dance song entitled “This Night.” It sort of sounds like Erasure meets Phantom of the Opera. Another slight success is “Addiction.” It has an ‘80s sounding INXS type vibe. The song lacked any low-end which severely held back the song from reaching its potential. The band goes into material that sounds like it is something you would hear in a dark play on “Sever the Blood Line.” In a complete random turn the very next song sounds like an ‘80s ballad. The album closes with a Meatloaf-esque piano ballad. It’s hard to follow the storyline since the songs feels so disparate. Every song feels like a separate entity rather the continuation of a story that has an ebb and flow.
The Minneapolis singer/songwriter Jourdan Myers is pulling out all the stops on her second album entitled Ruin Me With Love. Over the course of the twelve songs you are treated to a vast array of instrumentation such as cello, accordion, pump organ, synth bass, violin, guitar, piano, vibraphone and much more. I think Myers may have realized you need more than a good voice (which she has) in this day and age to penetrate through the intense competition that is oversaturated to a point where artists become superfluous.
Every song on Ruin Me With Love has a unique palette of sounds, which deflated any chance of the songs becoming monotonous or laborious. By the time I got halfway through the album I started to enjoy the anticipation of what would be next. Perhaps even more impressive than her arsenal of tones and textures is that the album still has cohesion and uniformity. There wasn’t a song that felt too far out in left field amongst the rest. The album opens with “Lifetime Or Before” which begins with piano, dirty sounding drums and vocals. It starts to gain traction as it gets layered with more sounds and has an almost chaotic vibe that is easy to enjoy. This is a “single worthy” song that is catchy but also has enough unique instrumentation to make it stand out. The next track “Long Days” is an absolute highlight. It’s ignores conventional 4/4 timing and move along at a slow BPM but is unequivocally gorgeous. Myers vocals sounds great but so does everything else. Don’t miss this one! Myers wisely picks up the pace with “Push Me on the Playground.” It’s another success and the first time Myers really belts it out. The album really is a treat as it continues. “Firelight” contains some notable accordion and sounds like a waltz while “Wanderlust” is the most epic, grandiose track on the album. Another highlight was “Tears,” which has a dark almost Portishead like vibe. The instrumental part towards the end, which seamlessly transitions in an ominous ambience, is exceptional. “Dusty Roses” has a celebratory, festive feel not unlike Feist while the melancholy closer “Slow Motion” is an emotional resonant song that is on the verge of haunting. In an alternate universe Myers might be selling out stadiums but in this one she doesn’t have nearly as many fans as she deserves. Take a listen and if you love it spread the word.
Leah Capelle is an artist who has been devoted to her music from a very young age. She began piano lessons at the age of six and started writing songs by the time she was eight. It wasn’t long after that she started performing live and later attended Berklee College Music in Boston. She currently lives in Los Angeles working on music full time.
She recently released a six song self-titled EP Leah Capelle, which is certified pop that could easily be on the airwaves. There is no doubt she is a talent in terms of singing, songwriting, playing guitar and piano. On top of that the EP from a production perspective is excellent. Everything in the mix is perfectly audible and well balanced. Capelle’s best moments are the ones where she deviates from typical pop structure we have heard a thousand times before. A song like “In A Boat” displays some unique aspects such as the vocal harmonies and overall rhythm to the song. She also excels when her technical prowess is implemented such as in the first song “Would You Know.” The guitar and bass parts are pure ear candy and the upbeat jovial vibe doesn’t hurt either. There are times when Capelle plays it too safe and her music starts to blend into what we have heard come from the mainstream for the last ten years or so. The song “Natural Disaster” has a recognizable grandiose type chorus and a lot of the tropes we have come to expect in radio ready pop. Capelle pulls off the intimate singer/songwriter vibe with her acoustic guitar on “My Love Has Dried Up.” The lyrics are straightforward, lacking any ambiguity. Melancholy sounds good on Capelle as she showcases on “My Confession” and “The Storm.” It’s not that hard to make a case for “My Confession” as being the best songs on the album. I admire the talent, passion and ambition Capelle has. It’s evident in her music. That being said, I still think this EP doesn’t clearly define what Capelle has that separates her from the copious amount of pop acts that sound similar. This is a very promising EP that showcases an artist with a lot of potential.
Eugene Nihx is the solo project of John Savins. He recently released a five-song EP entitled Mantis, which is off-kilter art rock that showcases some potential. There are a number of inspired moments as well as some that fall a bit flat.
Mantis is a complete DIY effort and is by no means bad from an aesthetic perspective but could have used some improvements. The bass drum could have benefitted from some more low-end and the vocals were sometimes masked by offending frequencies but overall I was able to look past these issues. The most apparent influence on these songs is Grizzly Bear. There is something with the vocal delivery and occasionally the music that reminds me of them. That being said, there is enough original style here that if Savins can tweak his future work the comparisons won’t be as obvious. The first song “Welcome To Interzone” combines a time shifting synth with drums and lead guitar. It’s a spacey sounding, dream like song but the start and stop like timing almost makes it jarring. There is a bit of Bradford Cox like vocal delivery on this song. “You Know My Love” is a solid song and I thought the sometimes de-tuned organ was a nice touch. The song does suffer from not having any noticeable changes. A disparate chorus with a different feel would have been a nice touch. The most obvious Grizzly Bear comparison comes from “Coining The Phrase.” Savins layers a number of well-implemented sounds but the song mirrors the flaws of the previous song. It lacks a change that feels visceral or compelling. The song has the same energy all the way through that it never deviates from. The next two songs have a similar fate. Savins successfully explores the depths of layering his music but fails to find a hook, chorus and/or general change in momentum. Savins is a work in progress. In order to compete with the some of his influences he still has some work to do but he is off to a decent start.
The four-piece band Yerçekimi comprised of Emre Aypar, Altan Sebuktekin, Barkın Engin and Burak Yıldırım formed in 2010 and recently released their self-titled debut Yerçekimi. I can’t understand a single word that is being sung but that didn’t stop it from being one of the most enjoyable albums I have had the pleasure of listening to this year.
Yerçekimi is a gorgeous record from head to toe and it all starts with the production. The band's original idea was to make a very ambient record sounding record. I for one can tell you that they achieved this and then some. It’s a lush sprawling sound that envelops you in a good way and won’t let go. Perhaps the most impressive aspect about the album is that it was a complete DIY effort. The album was recorded in the band's own studio in Hasköy, İstanbul and can easily compete with anything that was done in a world-class studio. It’s beautifully recorded and mixed album and if for some odd reason you don’t appreciate the songs you can appreciate the aesthetics. The album lies somewhere between pop and rock but the addition of the mandolin was a factor that helped bring something you don’t hear every day to the table. On top of that each song has a distinct feel but manages to feel connected to the theme of the album. The album starts off with “Deniz Kenarında” and the first minute or so is a beautiful ambient section that sounds like something you would hear from Stars Of The Lid or Max Richter. You hear subtle vocal harmonies, orchestral strings and panning white noise. It’s short and made me think about what these guys could do if they attempted an entire album made in this style. The transition in the pop/rock material was a bit unexpected but so good it didn’t matter. The slightly melancholy but hopeful “Biliyorum” is a certified highlight. There is a fantastic mix of mandolin, reverb laced guitars, and drums and bass on this track but the vocals were still the focal point. “Yanyana” is an emotionally resonant piece that reaches epic peaks while “Zalim Dünya” is a funky, fun song that still somehow works against the other tracks. The closer title track is just as good as anything else on the album. Yerçekimi is one of the best albums I have heard this year. There is no reason to pass this up. Highly Recommended.
Detroit, MI looks like the set of the upcoming Mad Max remake. Despite the city’s barren wasteland aesthetic, however, it has quite an extensive musical heritage. From the soul music of Motown to the rough modern garage rock of Jack White, the city of Detroit can now add Tin Legs to that list.
Tin Legs is a side project of multi-instrumentalist/songwriters Steve Stetson and Erik Pederson, who’ve both previously played with another Indie Michigan group, Bearlake that has earned moderate success by building a following on the Michigan music scene by having some of their discography played on CW shows like “Melrose Place” and “One Tree Hill.” When describing their sound, Brett Callwood of the Detroit Metro Times called them “Michigan’s Radiohead.” To avoid living in the shadow of Bearlake’s musical prowess, Stetson and Pederson have stepped up to the plate with Pederson handling most of the EP’s instrumentation and Stetson, a pro drummer, stepping out from behind the kit as the duo’s vocalist. Despite his singing, Stetson acts as a more than capable drummer on this new record. The Needle Knows EP, which was released in late March of this year, is quite an ambitious undertaking for the group. The overall production quality is spot on. Even if you have a keen ear, you wouldn’t know that the record was recorded at Stetson and Pederson’s houses using only a few microphones and logic pro. The only professional treatment on this record were the drums and the final mix done at Rustbelt Studios in Royal Oak, MI and overseen by producer and sound engineer Steve Lehane. Tin Leg’s musical sound is comparable to other indie groups like Modest Mouse or Broken Bells (another side project from a successful indie band). The EP’s title track is a melancholic break up song that is immediately followed by two grooving dance tracks (“Never Let It Go” and “Get To Dance”) that sound like they belong on Phoenix’s “Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.” Not a bad listen for a debut EP. Let’s just hope that Tin Legs can deliver this same energy on a full-length album, provided of course, that they have plans for one.
Sunflower, the self-titled EP from the Cedar Grove, NJ folk-infused trio Sunflower, is a snapshot of a band in transition. Describing themselves at an intersection between indie folk and psychedelic folk, embellishing the acoustic skeleton with burning, churning organ leads, world percussion and vocal harmonies that are as much Black Mountain and Mount Eerie as Appalachian mountain music.
Sunflower began life in the intimate and humble crucible of local open mics but quickly began to explore and experiment. This is essential to Sunflower's narrative as anyone who's spent any time at open mics can attest, as while they are useful and wonderful for their openness and inclusiveness, open mics can also be havens of acoustic strumming mediocrity. Sunflower shows their development right from the beginning, with the opening organ strains of "California's Waiting," which sounds sort of like The 13th Floor Elevators jamming with Pete Seeger, not to mention a tent revival at a burlesque. "California's Waiting" suggests Sunflower is ready for California AS IT IS NOW, not how it was in 1968. It's an unusual and distinctive sound that catches the ear and makes you lean in and really listen. Bobby Kirner and Emily Noll's vocal harmonies are charming without being too polished. There is a danger with much of folk-influenced music to be too precious and twee. There's a little bit of a lysergic, acerbic bite to Sunflower's music that is as much punk as it is bluegrass. If Sunflower does make their way to California, they should make a point to stop by Olympia, WA as this kind of anti-folk/pop/punk is much revered and would go over gangbusters. "Asylum" finds Sunflower back in rustic roots territory with some reedy vocals and confessional lyrics, courtesy of Bobby Kirner. "Gloomy Day Sunday" brings the organ back with a wide-open, hollow pipe organ sound, full of religiosity, which is complemented nicely by sparse acoustic guitars and little bits of shaker. Sunflower knows when to keep it simple and when to get ornate. They wrap things up on this gem of an EP with the meditative Hawaiian strains of a ukulele on "Little Town," which brings Emily Noll's vocals into the forefront. Her vocals are somewhere between jazz, ragtime, bluegrass and blues, which may have been described, in 2005, as "old-timey." Here, in 2015, it sounds emotive and human. The sliding, bending microtones of the human vocal cords are a refreshing respite from the technological music landscape. Sunflower has done much to redeem acoustic roots Americana on their first fully realized EP, digging the past and catapulting it into the future. And here, I thought I would never be able to enjoy the ukulele again.
Imagine: A fog rolls a Mesozoic landscape. In the distance, a hollow thud resonates. Are they sacrificial drums? Or the approaching stride of a behemoth? Just as your blood runs cold, and you begin to call upon whatever savior you can find, the fog turns lilac and lavender; there's a break in the clouds, and all feelings of ominousness dissolve. This is a complicated ecosystem, for sure.
For the longest time, anything DOOM-related - the bastard mutant progeny of Black Sabbath's half step downtempo crawl - was automatically associated with all that is grim, unholy and unwholesome, conjuring images of inverted crosses, gore-splattered B-grade horror films, full of witches and warlocks, goats, demons and all cast in a uniform black and white. Like most genres, in this brave new century we are living in, these associations have grown more layered and complex with the omnipresent availability of music spanning time and space. The monolithic dirge of DOOM rock/metal is still there, dour and grim as ever but it mixes and mingles with other styles and genres making for amusing and confusing mental imagery, like bong rips in Mayan jungles or pagan altars in outer space. In the case of Gully Sun by Blind Roots this can be seen from a devotion to Sabbath, as well as Jimi Hendrix and his Experience. And while merging genres is not entirely a revelation, the mixture of worldviews can be revealing, indeed. DOOM, as the name indicates, suggests a misanthropic outlook, being rooted in the horrific traditions of Edgar Allan Poe and H. P. Lovecraft. But Hendrix was a humanist, a futurist - dreaming of what life would be like, when we could breathe underwater. It's not as much of a contradiction as you might think. Blind Roots remind us that many of us LIKE the horrific, the imaginative, the fantastic. This is slo-mo sludge metal for prehistoric adventure, for zero gravity exploration. It's like standing in some desolate marsh, and watching sterling and chrome high rises shoot out like mutant weeds in time-lapsed photography. Gully Sun is a breath of fresh crypt air in a metal scene that is too often polished and airbrushed like some heathen boyband. A lot of us like metal that is raw, real, uncompromising, as can be heard from the infernal regions issuing static-y missives, straight to cassette. Gully Sun was recorded live, in one morning and mastered in one more sitting. The sound can be a bit muffled, a bit rawer than what the average radio listener might be used to, but you'd be well advised to peer through the murk if you happen to like Kyuss, Hawkwind, Voivoid, etc. Gully Sun grows on you more and more, the more you listen, like moss on some forgotten statue. I wish all metal could be this real and this imaginative.
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