Thomas Charlie Pedersen is a Danish singer/songwriter who performs in a band called Vinyl Floor with his brother Daniel. As with many artists, Pedersen used the Covid lockdown of 2021 to double down on creative exploration. Pedersen wrote so many demos for his group that he decided to record the remaining tracks as a solo folk project called Employees Must Wash Hands.
Pedersen feels this is “a quieter and somewhat more introverted and reflective album than my previous solo efforts, but also showcasing a more arranged and ‘band-like’ feel.” Thematically these songs deal with “Man’s relationship with God and God’s relationship with Man. Who has abandoned who? Is there any faith or spirituality left? They also deal with isolation, self-doubt and all of the other stuff on my mind during the strange time that was the Covid lockdown.” Pedersen wrote all the songs on the album and played the majority of the instruments while his brother Daniel contributed additional vocals and instruments, along with producing and mixing in Copenhagen. Mastering was by Audio Bay Mastering in Michigan, USA. While I was expecting a folky-sounding album based on acoustic guitar, Pedersen surprised me with songs that feel like British Invasion classics, with a fully produced sound. For example, the opening track “Yesterdays And Silly Ways” reminds me very much of The Move, which was the group Jeff Lynne headed before ELO. The chord sequence and lead vocals both suggest Lynne at his early best. Vocal harmonies, piano and drums predominate here. The synth horns in the middle recall The Beatles refracted through The Rutles. “Oh, Whatever” is an example of a seemingly boring title making for a delightful hook-laden folk tune. The vocals here are especially wonderful, with rich harmonies bringing back memories of Peter and Gordon, Herman’s Hermits, etc. Besides drums, nothing here gets as much attention as the vocal tracks. “Slow Passage” has an electric guitar riff worthy of Elvis or Del Shannon, while the overall track feels like a slower version of the Beatles’ take on “Besame Mucho.” The guitars are melancholic and full of yearning. “Rains On Saturn” is a clever variation on the term “Rings of Saturn” and has the drama of a Broadway show tune, bathed in retro space sound effects. I wasn’t expecting to be reminded of Warren Zevon, especially on a “space tune,” but Zevon could get classically dramatic with the best of them. The vocals here are so amazingly varied it’s hard to believe it’s just two young men at the mics. “Coarse Rasp Of Yore” gets to the picked, folky acoustic guitars I’ve been expecting, a bit in the Lennon-White Album tradition. “Mass In D Minor” slows down almost to a dirge, with a simple beat and low strummed electric guitar. It’s a serious affair but I found a bit of humor in the gravity of the digital horns in the middle section. “Fiddler & The Travesty” is the longest song at almost four minutes, where Pedersen retakes the narrator’s perch while accompanying himself on piano, using mostly lower, deeper chords. The ersatz orchestra is especially rich here, approaching ELO majesty. “You Can’t Have It Both Ways” features beautifully picked electric guitars, understated synth pads and a terrific vocal arrangement. I’m running out of British Invasion bands to compare these guys to but on this song I thought of the Small Faces or even early Bee Gees. “Tremble And Reel” returns to the piano, and it’s clear now that these guys pick a lead instrument before arranging their material. Pedersen’s keyboard playing is a wonder in itself, as this short song stands almost completely on his vocals and keys. “Organ Prayer (in E flat)” shows both Pedersen’s vaguely spiritual side paired with his obvious sense of humor. The main instrument is indeed a churchly organ, with lyrics like: “Damn your snake eyes / Damn your multitudes / Damn your disguise… tell your lame friends to go screw themselves.” The combination of reverent musical tones with droll lyrics aimed at a partner is a guaranteed winner. “Beach In Vietnam” is the shortest track with the simplest lyrical device, and a very nice lead-in to the concluding “Stagnant Pools Of Sorrow” which begins by channeling some of the richness of Jimmy Webb. Pedersen takes this last instrumental to remind us, yet again, of his compositional and technical prowess, with yet another stunning arrangement for backing strings. I must admit that the quality of songs here caught me by surprise. Any time a band says “we had so many songs left over we decided to make another album” I expect the material to be from the second or third shelf, but every one of these songs is top drawer and the recordings and arrangements do them full justice. Essential!
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The artist who calls himself Kindergraph is an independent musician in Glasgow, Scotland who’s just released a new album titled East of the attic, which he says is “my first foray into recording and releasing my own music.”
Though Kindergraph has played in Scottish indie bands over many years, he enjoys writing quirky music to please himself: “It’s a great side project from a demanding day job.” The type of music he began producing over the past couple years surprised even him, since he made no attempt to fit any particular genre. He admits that among his apparent influences are Fourtet, DJ Shadow, Mum, Emancipator, Boards of Canada, Massive Attack, The Blue Nile, TWDY, Wolf Alice, Jonsi, “and the full gamut of ‘80s melodic pop.” He says his music is “sometimes playful, sometimes sad, sometimes triumphant, always curious. Some of the parts are improvised or synth knobs are twiddled in such a way that the recordings are a one-off. I like the fact they can't ever be exactly reproduced.” Kindergraph recorded himself in his own lo-fi attic studio using a digital 8 track recorder and mastered using CloudBounce. Interestingly, Kindergraph avoids using computers as much as possible. “Your mirth, my salve” kicks right in with a cool, old school synth sound and “percolating” beats. The keyboard melody could almost be baroque if it didn’t have such a “retro-futuristic” sound. When the additional overdubs begin, it sounds like something Keith Emerson or Rick Wakeman might have created in kindergarten. The melodies are engaging and upbeat while feeling more like musical toys than advanced electronics. The occasional kick drum has a deep and satisfying impact. The lead synth track in “Sullen kink” has a rude aggressiveness, with a tumbling closet-full of percussive effects and errant voices echoing in the background. Slowly a steady tempo emerges, with the melodies darting back and forth behind drum hits that could be sampled bowling pins. On first listen it’s hard to grab onto the tune (such as it is) but the overall effect is fascinating. Halfway through, the track crossfades into a different but similar composition with an acoustic piano patch that adds a bit of smooth jazz flavor, with the percussion sounding more like handyman power tools or giant woodpeckers. “Fuzzybear” starts with the dialing of an old fashioned analog telephone. The melody has an underwater quality with a retro Kraftwerk beat pushing it along smartly. Again it’s tricky finding a real “tune” here but the cloud of notes and chords creates its own unique spell. Also, as before, the track takes a sudden turn halfway through for a more distinct, direct melodic statement. Don’t know how this is possible but the drum beats suggest a growling, breathing bear! “Where the rain meets the river” is built on stark piano chords bathed in reverse-zoom synth sounds and sporadic, sharp percussive effects. The main chords are a lattice on which to hang all sorts of sounds and inverted melodies. Predictably now, the whole feel of the track changes in the middle, becoming more of a traditionally minimalist keyboard instrumental, like Giorgio Moroder hopped up on caffeine. “Jura will still be there in the morning” is an interesting track because like a few of the songs, there seems to be a disembodied voice speaking way in the distance. The soundscape here is very much like a desert landscape (and I should know, as I live in the desert now) with the circular, robotic melodies dialed way back in the mix. The lack of audio aggression is a refreshing change at this point in the proceedings. “Fine day for the carnival” is built on a simple alternating note pattern, slowly building upon its edifice with counter melodies and (of course) unique and almost cartoonish beats. The slow march to relative complexity again feels a bit like Kraftwerk. “Fried bubblegum” has the repeating tempo of a police siren over which Kindergraph “sings” through a Vocoder like Laurie Andersen or Neil Young. This one feels like a hit single trapped within a singularity, but I like it exactly how it is. The track builds organically and it’s a short but thrilling ride. “This fractured memory” ends the set with one of the longest tracks. It seems to rise up from a foggy swamp, with frogs groaning and talking amongst themselves (you will not literally hear this, but that’s how it hits me). Little bursts of percussion test the waters until the beat finally kicks in. This track is relatively laid back and hypnotic, content to suggest feelings and imagery without spelling things out until the dramatic closing melodies. If you love that old school synth sound you already know this is for you, but I think this music is interesting and intriguing enough for everybody to check out. A fine achievement!
27 Dead is the latest musical offering from Blaine Vogt, a talented singer/ songwriter and multi-instrumentalist hailing from Salem, OR. Throughout his career, Vogt has released numerous albums both as a solo artist and as a member of various musical projects, including Groove Thief, V/V, One More Story, Crossing 13th and others. However, this latest release Living In Sin is the first to be launched under the moniker 27 Dead. Blending infectious melodies, blasphemous lyrics and catchy hooks, the album showcases the dark depths of one man's mind.
“The Last Night” is the opener and a rock oriented song. The song has a fairly overt ’80s rock quality. It’s a little arena and glam rock. The guitars sound huge and Vogt has a commanding voice. I loved the anthemic chorus which definitely gave me an empowering feeling that gives you some energy. I felt like we jumped a decade in time when listening to “The Devil's Eyes.”Although there’s definitely an ’80s metal feeling to the chorus I felt like the verse had an Alice In Chains grunge vibe going on. Vogt even sounds a little like “Layne Staley.” “Painted On” sounded great as well while “The Lie” shows a different emotional shade to his music. “The Lie” is more of a ballad and wraps you in a blanket of warm melancholy. The vocals are delivered differently here to match the music and Vogt sounds great. I thought the song reached some impressive peaks and was definitely a highlight. We get back into high energy rock songs with “The Man Who Never Was” and “Butterfly.” “Fireworks On The Rooftop” felt like a song people would sing along to at a live performance. Vogt absolutely kills it in terms of the vocals. This is arguably the song he sings the best on. There are some more highlights as the album progresses. “Too Late Now” and “The Gavel” both sounded huge. “Living In Sin” rocks out perhaps the hardest of all the songs which demands to be listened to loud. The epic closer “It's Our Time” is absolutely massive in scope. I’m old school in that I listen to albums from beginning to end. With that in mind I think this album is a little long. Ten songs might have been more powerful. That being said, this album contains some great songs that I recommend you listen to. You won’t be disappointed.
The musical group known as Our New Golden consists of Zack Ghika and James Gilbert, and they collaborated with a number of talented friends, notably Brendan Sullivan, on their latest project. Titled Assisium, the album was largely recorded during an intense several-month period of jam sessions in 2019, resulting in a vast collection of around 100 songs. From this pool of material, the final version of the album was carefully crafted and completed in September of 2022, comprising eighteen tracks.
“Our New Golden” opens the album and is one of the more ambitious and lengthy songs. There’s a bunch of synths, electronic drums and other elements. I was picking up on some other electronic artists like Aphex Twin and Boards of Canada. There’s a similar sort of dissonance to the songs. This song feels alien with ephemeral pads that float and dissipate other elements. It’s definitely headphone music. There’s more of a hip-hop feel to “Son of a Watchmaker” which has a lot of airy elements. It’s warm and oddly inviting with a beat coming in and out of the mix. I was impressed by the sound design which is what this song is all about. The cinematic “Sunburst” has a darker and melancholy feel. This felt like a song that could be in a movie. There’s also this slight spaghetti western quality I was picking up. The song comes apart in different ways and I loved this experimental aspect where the band was thinking outside of the box. “Dune” actually sounds more like a band playing. It’s cool and different and works. I would say this song was relaxing and calming in a meditative type of way. The title track “Assisium” is very cerebral and again very zen. It feels like a mantra and this band of white noise passes over you with some guitar creating the variation. They are really just getting started but I thought there were a number of other high points on the album. “Wedding Song” has a wicked groove somewhere between Bjork and Oneohtrix Point Never. Another high point was the closer “The Return”. I loved the percussion on this song. This album did have a mixtape-like feel. Some of the tracks felt like they were working with a different palette of tones and colors. Overall, I thought there were some exceptional tracks on this release. And make sure to listen with headphones and eyes closed for full effect.
Electronic music, grunge and dance pop. Those are the different genres that Justin John Scheck promises to deliver on his latest release, The Evening Years: Dance Songs for the Lonely. You can imagine my intrigue at the prospect of such an unlikely meshing of styles. But Scheck certainly doesn't disappoint on this wildly experimental and intriguing album. The intro, "This Skin And View,” leans heavily into electronic experimentation, offering whirring, buzzing synths and sparse, buried percussion. It's his vocals and the stark, spaced-out piano chords that really capture my attention though. In spite of the chaos on display, there's a joyous warmth to the melody of this opening track. You can hear it in the delightful piano chord progression and Scheck's emotive, husky singing. His emotions seem to reach a climax at the end of the track, and he delivers a truly impressive performance. It's always brilliant when you can hear a singer's passion in their voice, isn't it?
"Times Were Strange" is driven by plinking, upbeat synths, a glitchy, catchy beat and a distorted guitar riff. The grunge influence is definitely starting to show, but Scheck offers yet another wonderfully whimsical tune. His husky vocals, yet again, take prominence on the track. I do love the consistency of his singing. Every note feels meaningful to him. His emotion never wavers for a second. It's hard to put into words, but you'd know exactly what I mean if you were to listen for yourself. The words are deeply significant to him. Every sung lyric comes from the chest. I really thought I'd be focusing primarily on the experimentation in this record, but it's definitely Scheck's voice that I find the most captivating. That being said, his production skills are apparent. There's an intricacy to the blending of synths, guitar, and electronic drumming that doesn't just happen; it takes meticulous mixing and hours of work. "Never Say Never" isn't an homage to Justin Bieber, but it was certainly the first moment on the record that truly took me by surprise, offering an experimental curveball. There's definitely a grunge essence to this track in that it's pure carnage. That doesn't just come down to the sizzling guitar. In fact, if anything, I'd say the grunge energy comes from the crashing drums and wacky, auto-tuned vocals. I know. I never thought I'd say auto-tune is grunge, but in this instance, the production effect really adds to the sheer chaos of the song. I can't really distinguish any of the lyrics, but I think that's by choice. It's a wild rollercoaster ride with a few moments of beautiful piano plinks, just to really scramble the listener's head, but I really rate the avant-garde nature of this track. This is true experimentation. That being said, I'd definitely say I prefer cuts such as “OK," which is more of a Radiohead-inspired alt-rock offering. A catchy electric guitar arpeggio atop a rhythmic beat which takes some dark, dissonant twists and turns. It's a short instrumental offering, but it's one of my favorite moments on the record. It really demonstrates Scheck's talent. All in all, this is an exciting album, and there's no denying that. Scheck's vocals were the highlight for me, but I admire his production skills and willingness to experiment in wild and unconventional ways. Even the outro, strangely entitled “Interlude," though it's the final song, offers an intriguing ending. I adore the bending guitar notes on this distorted, yet soothing, closing track. There's an unfinished feeling to the album, and that leaves me wanting more from Scheck. I look forward to seeing what he does next.
Living Things is a New York City based female-led indie rock band consisting of Vivien Hale (vocals/guitar), Harrison Dolan (drums) and twin brothers Liam Wright (lead guitar) and Cameron Wright (bass). They recently released their first single "Beauty & Her Beat" and their second single "Bones" comes out later this spring.
"Beauty & Her Beat" starts with a couple loose guitar strums and vocals. It doesn't take long for the bass, drums and additional instruments to come together. I was immediately attracted to the vocal delivery. There’s a good amount of emotion but it’s also not too heavy. The song gains more and more energy as it progresses. It quickly reaches some impressive heights. One of the things that kept the song interesting was the variation in instrumentation. I will point to the guitar work as having a lot of variety which was both technical and creative. The band also sounds very tight and as if individual members aren’t competing for space. As a unit they are able to focus on the song and support the lead vocals. The song reaches its climax around the two-minute mark which is where the band comes together. I loved how the guitar soared on this song and continues to climb until it descends into the mid-level energy of the song. This in my opinion has all the qualities you want in a single. It’s catchy, accessible and there’s no extra fat to the song. The song lasts around two minutes and thirty seconds so the band gets in and out quickly which is exactly what this song needs. Lyrically, I thought the song was pretty straightforward. It paints a narrative effectively which I think a lot of people will relate to. Overall, a really cool song and I look forward to hearing more from Living Things. |
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