Momentum is the first solo project from artist James Mason, or better known as Jim Wisp. Before creating the soft melodic harmonies present on Momentum Mason could be found playing the saxophone with a previous band, which seems to be a bit of turn for the musician as this album is devoid of a saxophone. Yet there are several subtle bluesy tones to be felt throughout the album, especially on the track “Defining Step.” This album is a “bedroom-album” as it was recorded and mixed primarily from the comfort of Mason’s abode; you can feel the hominess behind both the tone and lyrics of the album as it is a personal journey through time, past and future. The album opens with "Drift" which contains gorgeous piano, guitar, and vocal harmonies that all gradually gain more intensity as the album progresses and drums are introduced. "Alone" is a frail, sparse song that revolves around cascading, intricate melodies that are softly picked on an acoustic guitar while the whimsical "Fade away" is supported by a playful orchestral ambience that would have sounded right at home in a musical. The vocalist harps over lovers past; the song titled “What I left behind” is anchored to the chorus “when I get over you.” The song has a gentle melody yet is accentuated by an upbeat drum pattern that leads into the triumphant chorus of the victory of getting over an ex-lover. The album is scattered with grey songs, a bit on the dark side but still airy and light in conviction. Mason’s voice is the anchor to this album; it leads the soft tunes and guides the songs in a non-abrasive way. This can be heard on the track “Rapture,” where the chorus and bridges take the listener away to a safe dreamy land where a lover soothes your worries away. There are also some guest appearances on the album that add female vocals and flute melodies. The entire theme of the album is about movement, or momentum towards the future, yet perceived from a more passive and “go with the flow” attitude. Momentum is a great easy-listening album.
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Nice try, Philippe Simon and Cyril Monnard of Sinn/rd, but did you really think the 4/20/13 release of One-legged tap dancer would escape the sensibilities of an American audience? This isn't stoner music per se, but it's certainly nice to listen to while stoned (I would imagine). The first release of what promises to be a lucrative electronic career, it took Simon and Monnard nearly three years to record this EP, so you know they weren't just recording in the studio.
Sinn/rd's music falls somewhere between the post-rock musings of Do Make Say Think (the album cover does bear an architectural semblance to DMST's Goodbye Enemy Airship The Landlord is Dead) and the artificial textures of European forebears like Kraftwerk and Can. A laptop and a rhythm machine are the primary weapons these fellas wield, but guitar, trumpet and even a cello make appearances. The rhythms are drawn out and take a while to get creative, or rather it takes a while for the creativity to hit you. The modulation is sometimes so subtle you won't notice a change in sound (like in the exploratorium jazz of "Scar") and sometimes you can see the structural mutations from a mile away (the doomed instrumental hip-hop piece "The Rhythmace" that manages to be the best track despite being the most predictable). The EP only numbers four tracks but it's more than 25 minutes long. Plenty of time for Sinn/rd to market their ideas and change up their sound. Distant shuffling and buggy tapping ushers in acoustic murmurings on "Pem-x" that slowly build into crests of white noise breaking over each other. Industrial foreboding looms in the distance during the first half of closer "The Fuzzin'E" and then gets in your face with warped synthesizers, warbling guitar and mechanical rhythms. Real intensity lurks around the corners of the songs and while Sinn/rd sometimes confront it they are more content to let it be. The music sometimes succumbs to this passive-aggressive stance and yet that'll probably be Sinn/rd's biggest strength as they explore their musical possibilities and find their audience. But should safety overcome aesthetic? They're already good at what they do, making long, weird electronic instrumentals, so I think they should just fully embrace the pot and go all out. None of this business about taking years to make less than a half-hour of music, though. The debut album Do You Feel It by the quintet Ghost Hotel who are based out of Frederick, Md. (in case you're ever in town), reveals a knack for soothing electropop, memorable duets and breezy vocal harmonies. All the musicians play like they could be the lovechildren of Death Cab For Cutie and Stars, and some DNA from The Delgados even reveals itself here and there. Originally conceived by high school buddies Sam Paxton and Alison Crawford, Ghost Hotel eventually expanded into a five-piece to realize its pop ambitions. The production quality on Do You Feel It is excellent. The sounds never feel forced together and proper attention is given to each individual player. Paxton and Crawford provide the vocals to infectious guitar hooks and buoyant percussion. The former has a matter-of-fact voice that does justice to the ballads of modern heartbreak while the latter delivers the sharp notes for contrast. Both are capable of more forceful singing, as heard on "Howard Hughes, Captain of the Industry,” but unfortunately it feels exactly like that - forced. Many of the songs are radio-ready pop numbers, such as the excellent "Simple Fiction", which treats to silky synth lines, handclapping and buzzing guitar while Paxton and Crawford wax nostalgic with lyrics like, "Summer nights in your car/we're driving out in town so we can see the stars/and all I want is to forget the past/because disappointment comes way to fast." It's the sort of line anyone can get down with; a throwback to the adventures of youth before you realize being an adult really, really sucks. Paxton's delivery may come off as too saccharine and self-indulgent for some, but his tone of resignation is a representative for the feeling he conveys. It should also be noted that sound is further benefitted from the production courtesy of Gypsy Cab Studios. For the most part, the album remains squarely in the realm of cutsie-pie twee (I blame Crawford, the way she sings on songs like the beach blanket melody of "All Day Ocean" is too adorable), but the band is capable of producing startling beauty, even if it does come at the very end of the album with "A Banner Year.” Contemplative guitar chords escort Crawford as she sings,"Falling asleep with my feet on the dash/as we rode in your car through the snow and the ash on the roads.” It's a testament to a band's creative strength when they can hold on to their whimsy while opening up with their wariness before your very ears. As the song progresses, twinkling piano and opulent guitar work provide the closing music while Paxton croons, "This year will be better.” Ghost Hotel released this album in 2012, and I can only hope that prediction held up.
Before you even listen to a second of music from Violent Sagas of the Ancients by Reptiel take a look at their cover art. It depicts an ancient warrior staring into the vastness of the sea possibly ready for battle. Judging this group by the cover art combined with the album’s name I was expecting a black metal album and ready for an onslaught of distortion and double bass drum, but to my surprise the album sounds pretty far removed from black metal entirely. Instead I was presented with Indie Psych Prog Rock that handed me rather infectious harmonies, esoteric lyrics (who uses the word byzantine in their CHORUS? THESE GUYS DO.) and a rather humorous, light tone that makes the album all the more enjoyable. The band's lineup consists of Alec Way, Brian Weaver, Jason Gonzales, and Jason Yakich who all display some formidable technical skills as well as creative songwriting that makes their sound utterly unique and not like anything you would hear on the radio today. The songs are a bit silly as you sometimes get the sense they would be a good opener for Spinal Tap but in my opinion you sort of have to be when you decide to have a picture of a warrior as your cover art or start a song by singing “ I believe in black magic.” After a short sparse song called “Prelude” we are introduced to “Byzantine Standard” which is one of the best songs on the album. The instrumental setup is pretty standard as we hear drums, bass and guitar but what makes the song work is the vocals. The verse in which the singer sounds like a somewhat demented version of Jim Morrison at times is catchy and infectious which is followed by the even catchier chorus. Add the bridge that contains thunderous toms and harmonies and we have a winner. ”Gamigin” was a lesson in sludge rock 101 as the song seemed to be a throwback to bands like The Melvins. “Servants in the Place of Truth” was another song that had a progressive momentum and as with the first song was a success because the vocals while “on and on” felt like the most commercially viable song on the album. “Lakam Ha” is the last substantial song that returns to the sludge rock vibe but throws in a couple of unexpected zingers to make sure you are paying attention before they close with "Postlude". Overall, this is a fun record that is as catchy as it is esoteric and worth some of your time to check out.
Knee slapping, beer drinking and bass fishing all have something in common besides just being simply awesome. They all are activities that will be enhanced if you take a listen to On The Run by The Cardinal Sound. The band weaves in genres like folk, bluegrass and reggae on their album and usually succeeds in making fun, well-written songs that sound cohesive as a whole. They are at their best when they are upbeat, exuding optimism and have that gosh darn glorious sounding banjo playing. A four-piece band hailing from Des Moines, Iowa, the music they play feels as natural as the corn that is grown there. As natural as the music sounds, I have to say they have a better knack for the bluegrass-style songs and I would have been perfectly happy if the reggae and slower song had been omitted. Aside from this the album is filled with exuberant songs that can lift the dopamine levels in your brain by a couple of degrees. The album starts things off on the right foot with “On The Run” which sounds like it would be a great opener at a live show. Banjos swirl as this bluegrass tune is treated with infectious vocals, melodies and intricate drumming. “Dry” decides to forgo the bluegrass and turn to a blues almost funk-based format. It wasn’t a bad song but I have to say that it wasn’t what I was expecting after the first song. Things return to a more bluegrass/country vibe with “Outlaws” while “Dreams” is their first attempt at a slow acoustic ballad. “Serena” is one of the best songs on the album and plays into their strengths. The song is upbeat, has some wicked banjo playing and the best vocals on the album. “Soul to Steal” worked well as it veered more towards the country side but wasn't enough of great departure from their other material to make it feel out of place. “Passing Through” felt a bit out of place to me; the reggae-style guitar seemed a bit odd with the country-inspired vocals. The album ends with “Proving Grounds” with a softly played song that singer-songwriter-esque. On The Run is a good album that only has a couple missteps that don't take away from their strengths. Check this out if you are in the mood for a good eclectic album that does bluegrass some justice. Every week we mention a couple of artists that are worth your time to check out that were not featured in our weekly reviews.
Ahhh these are the kinds of records I live for. After listening to so much music and consuming more then ever it is extremely difficult to find something that has me in awe and feels utterly original. When I popped in this amazing album Dotted Drives and Drone Delays by Larkian I felt the same as when I first listened to Fennesz’s epic album Endless Summer. I felt inspired that artists were still doing original things and finding new ways for sounds to translate into experiences that can evoke some of the most primal of emotions. Larkian aka Cyril Monnard, is a Lausanne (Switzerland) based guitarist that uses his instrument as a sound generator and manipulates the living daylights out of it to create intense, vast, unpredictable, stoic, hypnotic, landscapes that are covered with beds of white noise that contain melodies underneath. There's a song by Fennesz called “Glide” and I felt like these songs were similar in style to that song. What’s great about these pieces is that they feel like organic elements raising from the universe as opposed to presets I heard a thousand times before in the software program Reason. As the sounds rise from the universe they don't need to make you feel nostalgic, melancholy, joyful; instead they present themselves completely ambivalent as to what feeling it would like to impart upon you. This is achieved by combining elements of beauty with elements of dissonance that converge to melt the matter of your mind. The album is two pieces; the first being 14 plus minutes and the second at 12 and some change.
The first piece starts unassuming as it sounds like a snippet of music you might hear in a Quentin Tarantino film. Slow guitars pick a melody that conjures up a scene of a cowboy entering a desolate town. As the song progresses the melody start to feel like a distant melody as pads of warmth and fluctuations create a dream-like soundscape that slowly evolves. The most sudden and alarming of noises is presented around the 7-minute mark. It sounds as if we have located the nexus of the ship. At this point we are so far removed from where we started we have to wonder how we got here. Further still things become even fuzzier as almost everything is covered in static. We end the first piece completely sucked into the void of oblivion where demons we hope are angels do lie. The second part begins almost where the first piece left off. This piece felt more like being lost in the Arctic tundra. In fact I felt like I was trapped in one similar to how Luke Skywalker must have felt. The piece feels ominous as barely audible moans peek their heads above the white noise. There are little changes in this piece as slight variances and fluctuations are the moments you will sink your mind into. The piece closes by having the static distill into a virtual silence besides the rumbling of anomalies as they fade out. Larkian has created a memorable and original album with Dotted Drives and Drone Delays. The sounds often feel like they tap into the blueprint of the universe exuding chaos, repetition, order and utter disregard of pleasing anyone. I don't know about you but listening to what the universe might sound seems like a pretty great way to pass the time. I know I've heard Strawberry Heritage before. Not in regards to the music John Hanson himself makes (he's joined by a bunch of others on this release but he's the brainchild), but in regards to the sound. I've heard it in Japancakes, early Iron & Wine and even some of Michael Yonkers' folk stuff, and yet I can't get enough of it. This is starry-night folk music to be listened to either by yourself or with a lover around your arm but never anyone else. Its arrangements are strong enough to break a heart and soothing enough to mend it. A lot of people designate Americana as primarily acoustic folk music that just happens to be made in America, and for the most part they're right. How many times have we held up criteria asking for more stripped-down, more authentic folk music to keep the genre alive? Well, The New Rise is authentic but it is anything but stripped down. This is some of the most endearing, artfully composed folk music I've heard all year. Soft and beautiful, with a lyrical toughness that reveals itself in every song. Except the ones that don't have vocals. After the completely unnecessary opener "Dream Hard,” the album begins in earnest. It has rustic guitar-plunking sounds, lazily-felt but not lazily-done strumming that signals the maternal calls of suppertime, the babbling brook voice of Hanson himself, sometimes the cello and vibraphone. The deep woods sound of The New Rise inspires feelings of calm and peace, and, dude, there's even a sitar on "The Living Elder.” Oboes, clarinets and dulcimers also make themselves heard. If you are still saying no to this at this point there is just no helping you. The best song is "Red Rock.” It's the most delicately arranged and also the most evocative. Hanson sings, "1929/the boom of a copper mines/money fell from the underground,” against a defensive guitar and banjo before an alleviating violin balances an equation that, in Hanson's mind, was never solved. you'll need maybe three songs to figure out if you like this album or not. As far as I'm concerned it's one of the best folk albums to come out of the states this year, and from Michigan of all places. *I know it's borderline reprehensible to market a musician in the same write-up that markets another, but people really need to listen to more of Michael Yonkers so he'll get the hint that maybe he SHOULD rerelease all his recordings.
The first time I heard Half Now I thought I was listening to an album from the early 80’s. The songwriting, production, vocal style and pretty much everything in between feels like it was made between 1980 and 1986. Piano Rock is the common denominator here and could be compared to bands like XTC, Elton John and Billy Joel. Half Now is comprised of six songs that are between the 3- and 4-minute mark. You have heard these types of songs before (if you haven't then you need to go to a college bar in the mid west and you will get the idea) and will know if you will be sticking around or not within the first song. While I can't see a lot of “too cool for school” hipsters spinning this album I don’t think Timbs really cares. He plays these songs unapologetically and probably is well aware of the audience that will be enjoying his music (looking at the 35+ crowd). One thing's for sure about this album is that the production sounds stellar thanks to a number of professional engineers who helped create the album. The first thing we hear on “Shatter” is an 80’s sounding drum kit that is quickly bombarded by the rest of the band. The song reeks of guitar solos and hooks that remind me of Huey Lewis and the News. The piano playing is excellent and if Timbs ever needs a day job he should apply as the piano man at Zebra Lounge in Chicago. The song ends with a bang as it makes way for “Always Been The Same” which is almost so innocuous it becomes offensive. The song is easy to listen to and a man with no less than a pint of beer within his system would be prone to start singing along. “Hold On” shows Timbs taking his foot off the pedal to slow things down a bit. I was listening to the song waiting for the duet with Elton John to kick in but it never happened (maybe next album?). “Serious” is a song that despite Timbs saying he is serious about a dozen times does not feel overly serious. The song continues with the sing-a-long type vibe that has made drinking too much alcohol that much more embarrassing. Ending with a solid number “Masterplan and PetRock,” it is obvious that Timbs knows what type of music he wants. If you dig piano rock this should be a no-brainer.
Starting at the age of 13 Henry Mittnacht was writing and recording his own material. Apparently with a ridiculous surplus of songs to chose from he recently released Waiting Near which contains some excellent songwriting that should be put on first thing in the morning. Most of the songs burst with an optimism that doesn't sound contrived but honest and heartfelt. Mittnacht covers a variety of genres and surprisingly they work together really well despite a few stumbles. You get a folk song followed by a funk-inspired Sublime-esque song. A gritty rock n roll number that seems oddly accessible after listening to an angelic acoustic ballad. The reason this works is because the songs are really good. You quickly get over the fact that the album has a somewhat odd flow when you hear how catchy some of these songs are (check out “Make” – my god you’ll be hooked after the first chorus). The album starts off incredibly strong with “They Say You Stole the Gin” which lays down a steady kick drum and gritty guitar melody for the real attraction, the vocal, to take center stage. It’s a song that drips with Americana and would be something the Fleet Foxes would be proud of. “The Gambler” is a simple yet catchy folk song that has original lyrics that refrain from sounding cliché. I have to say “Don't Call Me Now” was probably my least favorite. I liked the beginning but felt that by the end of the song he was veering a little too far from his strengths. The Sparse “Come First” relies on excellent lead vocal work and some gorgeous guitar picking. The rock-inspired “You Will Never Fall” works pretty well. Crunchy guitar infests this song as his vocals adapt and play the role of rock singer. The serene “Roses” would fit nice and snug right next to “The Sound of Silence” by Simon and Garfunkel. One of the catchiest choruses I have heard is in the song “Make.” It's simply hard not to like it. The album ends with “I Don't Know Why” which is an a cappella song that lasted 39 seconds – cool way to end the album. Overall this album is exceptional in that it provides a variety of different genres that work in the context of the album because of the inspired talent behind the music
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