Good music comes from the heart – and Midwest band Linwood’s Closer to Clear definitely embodies that sentiment. There’s simply no substitute for the sheer soul behind every vocal note, the power behind each riff and the delicacy used to weave it all together through 13 stories – or songs, rather. I was caught off guard by the classic hard rock feel of “Poison,” the first song on the album. It evolved slowly, moving gracefully from an elegant piano twinkle before being joined by harsher guitars and a clear, perfectly midrange voice. This classic tone reappears on various songs throughout the album; “Breath of Rain,” with its sumptuous ending riff, is another great song, as was “OK.” There were some slightly poppy leanings here, too, served up with a nice helping of ambience. “Hidden Things” utilized a pretty cool vocal “riff,” if you will, as a major part of the rhythm along with more pronounced bass. The opening verse of “Pixels” sounded strongly like an homage to Neon Trees, but the song very quickly developed a very different tone and direction with the chorus. On the other hand, there are some slower and deeper songs to be found, as well. “Sleep” eases you into this new mood; it still rocks pretty hard but is more light and airy. “Landslide” has a very introspective feel to it. I can see why “Closer to Clear” is the title track; it is a song that’s every element of what makes the band’s sound so unique and makes that the forefront of the song. “Austin Road,” the closer, is both heavy and catchy at the same time, creating a very alternative vibe. This was a great song to end the album with as it left me wanting to hear what was coming next – I suppose I’ll be waiting for the next release to find that out! While there is no doubt that every song in itself is nicely written, I found that a few of them were very similar in nature and sound and probably could have been saved for an EP or a different LP. That being said, the album is still well organized and makes great use of up and down tempos to add some spice to the album and keep the interest level high. There are fast songs, slow songs and everything in between; harsher vocals and smoother vocals, simpler riffs and “oh my goodness that’s awesome” riffs, which makes this the kind of album that could appeal to a wide audience all at one time. There is something for everyone to enjoy, particularly when you factor in the added element of good songwriting. I think this is a great full-length album from Linwood and I look forward to seeing what else the band will have to offer in the future!
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If you like out of body experiences, or at least music that sounds like one, then a good first stop is Spaceface’s self-titled EP Spaceface. It contains five songs laden with more genre influences than you can shake a stick at – all of which play well together to create a really cool sound. “Cosmic Trigger” definitely starts off pretty trippy, with a rolling rock beat keeping the fast pace. Even the vocals are otherworldly, tunneling and echoing, moving with the groove of the song rather than setting a precise lyrical track. The addition of certain little sounds and effects here and there propel the song to maximum “duuuuuuude” status. “Taking It Off” is an industrial beach rock song – which is just as interesting and awesome as it sounds. The steely mechanic sounds brought a grating intensity to the song, while the beach vibes kept it grounded; I thought this was an especially creative effort and I won’t be surprised if “industrial beach rock” becomes a thing in the next few years. I thought I could pinpoint the genre influences clearly in “Madness,” but they changed so subtly and quickly that I couldn’t keep up. Suffice to say, there’s some funk and a little disco, some seasoning from the 70’s, and two side dishes of pop and R&B, which they somehow managed to interchange from one bar to the next as though it’s the easiest thing in the world to do. The song says, “there’s a madness in your mind,” and by the time it was over I was definitely convinced of that…in a good way. The drums in “Crazy Man” were the strongest part of that song (I want to say of the album, but there’s a lot of good stuff in this album). If you’ve ever played Tekken and seen Gun Jack’s intro and how his arms lock and load, you’ll see the striking resemblance. “Chemical Sea” has a relaxed groove with more pop-like vocals. I hear some soul in there too – and the drummer sounds like he is going crazy back there. The fact that I can’t tell whether it was a human or machine should be a good indication as to how awesome they are. I really liked the melody in this song as well. I enjoyed the experience of sitting back and allowing this album to surround and carry me. This is very much the stuff good psychedelic music is made of; the fact that so many other musical sounds and techniques were incorporated was a bonus. Spaceface have really discovered a winning formula with this EP and have the fundamentals that are sure to bode them well over time. I’ve said it before, and I will say it again – the sound that results from friends that get together and make music is unrivaled. Hill of Doors proves this sentiment to be completely true with their five-track self-titled EP Hill of Doors, a collection of somewhat spacey yet consistently intriguing songs that managed to catch me off guard more times than I can count. “Anima” sounds like euro acid jazz meets Tool, in all the right ways. I love the off-rhythm approach along with the super jazzy and smooth lyrics, floating on top of a swirling background of comforting background ambience. “Red Wax” is deceptive; based on the overall tone it sounds like your typical ballad type song. What makes it different is the rhythm switch that comes without any warning at all. You’re sitting there, thinking everything is peachy and 4/4, and then out of nowhere the beat staggers and you’re left wondering how on earth they kept the song going after pulling that. I do like the grunge-laden portion of the song, which tossed some gravity into the mix. “Roses Will Grow” is positively dreamy and horrific all at the same time. The bass-centered melody is ominous and dark, but the higher-pitched lyrics and Latin-esque technique add brevity. Add in some hard rocking parts, and one can’t help but think this song is bipolar. That being said I loved every bit of it because the two extremes work so well with each other. “Mirror Show” somehow seems to capture the frantic nature of walking through a house of mirrors – the confusion, the fear, mixed with wonder at the familiar images all bouncing back at you – while still being a comparatively laid back song. More interesting is that the riff is technically straightforward and does not deviate much, but still remains interesting all the way through. I got an earworm from this one because of that riff. The swirling melody that kicks off the last track “The Bones” is beautifully written and trickles meaningfully through the song aided by key notes played by the bass and heartfelt lyrics. Though Hill of Doors has a lot of different techniques and sounds at their disposal, they don’t just toss them all into each song; each sound and effect has its own special place. The end result is a well-balanced album that isn’t overwhelming but still feels hearty and thick, and is fun to traverse to boot. I enjoyed this because at no point did I know what was coming; at no point could I get comfortable with a certain sound, lest it should be snapped up and switched out for another, equally if not more, impressive section. I thought it was great from beginning to end and could easily expand to include more songs. Definitely give these guys a listen. A name can reveal a lot about a band – in this case, Wild Bears Attack Elephants (And Hurt Them Badly), as thoughtfully indicated on the band’s Bandcamp page) is the kind of name that makes you want to listen to the music just because a band with the comedic fortitude to name themselves that have to have something special to offer. Their EP Four More Songs certainly doesn’t disappoint in that respect. “Otherwise” starts off in an excitingly fun fashion, getting blood pumping and temperature rising with galloping drums and a filthy guitar line. Just this song alone boldly stomps the line between slow and fast while remaining heavy the whole way through. “Keeai” is a far more saccharine song than its predecessor, which gives a decent taste of this band’s range – not bad for just two songs into the EP. The moment where the beat dissolves for just a brief moment before a lulling tone comes in soothingly just grabbed at my heart. I love the lyrics in “For You;” a story is clearly and compellingly told. I also love the melody, particularly the one that emerges about two minutes in. I love this song. Don’t get comfortable in the lull of the middle two songs, because the energy and pace of “We Are Running Around” reminds everyone that Wild Bears Attack Elephants is here to kick you in the teeth (musically of course) while sending flowers to your hospital room after. The band says they want to “revolutionize the animal-in-a-band-name sub-genre garage rock”, and I think they do a great job of it, managing to have a sound that fits very well within the genre but it still very uniquely their own. Granted, the band name made me think of what the brainiac lovechild of Minus the Bear and Cage the Elephant might be; rather, this band seems to be everything those are not, in alternate ways, while still staying true to the underground alternative rock mentality. So, I am crossing my fingers and toes hoping that these three bands tour together and give the world the night of alternative glory they have been waiting for! Definitely give this a listen – you can’t afford not to.
Every week we mention a couple of artists that are worth your time to check out that were not featured in our weekly reviews.
Artist Album Rating Solarein Reveries 4.0 Muertos Muertos 3.6 The Bounds Art Ain't Rock 3.8 Koala Temple Blue Milk 3.6 Silvery Ghosts Love & Other Ephemera 3.5 Photos Of Photos The Downpour 3.7 Aaron Liu Select Works 3.8 The Bear Social Ursa Minor 3.7 The Sea Life Transitions 3.7 In 2010, Bryan Stage started creating tracks for My Satellite. While still a solo effort, My Satellite released two EPs, Telescopes and Depths. In 2011, Andy Marshall (bass and backup vocals), Ryan Ward (guitar), and Justin Paul (drums) joined the current lineup for My Satellite. My Satellite’s first full album, Lift, was developed through a Crowdfunding campaign. The album has an otherworldly vibe. It’s intergalactic, spatial and explorative. Lift tells individual tales of love, loss and does some meditative musing. Lift resides in an electronic, indie-rock realm, heavily graced with electronica sounds. My Satellite beautifully composes beats in each of the album’s tracks. The beats in “Mariner Valley” create all the harmony of a valley, while the ones in “Pacific” capture the intensity of a fast-paced big city. “Olympus Mons” feels like a day in the clouds with the gods. It’s the single that has the most production with its layered vocals, and instrumental and electronic blending. “Made & Left” has dark, haunting, ghostly tones, which seamlessly matches the song’s content. “Control” is whimsical and spacey. Its beats are so beautiful that the song is just as strong without lyrics. “We Were Weightless” has somber tones, which pairs with its message of love and loss. It’s the song with the most interesting vocal dynamics. My Satellite creates awe-inducing beats blending. The band tenderly establishes tracks that make you admire their skills, efforts and inventiveness to their album. Lift’s one downfall is that its lyrics are sometimes difficult to hear through all the other sounds. This takes away from exploring all the elements of these songs. But overall, My Satellite’s Lift transports listeners on a different creative and strikingly vivid journey with every new track.
San Fernando Valley based electronic producer Point 10 began composing music in high school. Point 10's sound and musical techniques have advanced since his early days, but the wondrous heart of youth remains. To construct the innovative sounds for the Sleep Is For Commies EP, Point 10 combined electronic sounds, guitar, bass and drums. This created a hip-hop and electronica fusion. Every song on Sleep Is For Commies has a story, and we may not know their exact details, but we're compelled to listen to them. Each track on Sleep Is For Commies contains layers of beats. They create various gritty sceneries, but unclear narratives: Point 10 cleverly channels the intoxication of the unknown. Your imagination gets to explore its greatest depths and peaks. The sounds on "Dust On" establish a world fueled by the bells and whistles of street-artist life: a place where artists' collaborate for the love of it, while spectators admire them. "Margaret Thatcher Is Dead" thrives on the allure of mystery. Its style invokes a meditative and reflexive structure. "Rushing To A Red Light" blends the fast-paced nature of city life sounds with somber, quiet ones. It makes the most creative union of sounds on Sleep Is For Commies. "Birth" takes an atmospheric route with its naturalistic nature. The song captures the feeling of exploring something for the first time; it's the physical or metaphorical birth of something. Point 10's bio shows that some sounds on this EP developed through experimenting with ways to create them. The tracks might have been more musically interesting if the rawness of this type of sound creation wasn’t overly refined. Despite that minor criticism, the hip-hop and electronic fusion creation on Sleep Is For Commies creates a rare experience. It's an unusual blend of futuristic and funk. Point 10 wakes the mind, calls the body and speaks to the soul with the beats, tones and sounds on the Sleep Is For Commies EP. The first thing you should know about The fundaMentals is that they play their own brand of unpretentious rock n’ roll that makes you want to throw down a couple of cold ones and light up a cigar. After listening to the band’s latest EP entitled Full Mental Jacket I had the urge to go see this, or any, band live. Suffice it to say that the band plays music that seems best served live but if you can’t have that then the record is the next best thing. The music lies somewhere between classic rock bands like Steely Dan and contemporary rock acts such as My Morning Jacket. The band consists of The Icon (guitar, lead vocals), Danger Dan Goodnight (lead guitar), Sir Chas House (bass), Big Hoss (keyboards, vocals) and John “The Hammer” Marnie (drums, vocals). The most striking component is the lead vocals. The Icon has a voice that is the antithesis of the kind you will find winning American Idol. The singer sounds like he is a trucker who has been on the road for the last thirty-five years and has had a steady diet of cigarettes and whiskey. The band kicks off the EP with “She’s Dangerous,” which revolves around a couple of distorted power chords, a steady drum beat and those oh so recognizable vocals. From the get-go the band utilizes rock 101 techniques and clichés without sounding contrived. The chorus is catchy and it is fun to sing along to it as the vocal harmonies come together and say, “she’s dangerous.” “I Do It All For Rock ‘n’ Roll” rocks hard and introduces some piano that I wish was a bit more prominent in the mix while “Streets Of Time” shows that The Icon actually has an impressive dynamic vocal range. I couldn't help but be reminded of My Morning Jacket when they rock out on the chorus. The band is also not without a sense of humor. I couldn't help but laugh when I heard the line “she has the body of a goddess and a voice like Al Pacino.” They close with “It’s About to Get Loud,” which ends the party with a bang. It’s an anthemic song that sounds like the night is just getting started. The one thing that held back some of the energy was the production. It was by no means awful but some elements sometimes seemed a bit off in the mix. Other than that the album is a lot of fun and embodies rock n’ roll.
Who doesn't like stories about when bands reunite to rock out once again? Two of the members, Jay Lee (guitars, vocals) and Ryan Marshall (drums), of the three-piece post-hardcore/post-punk band Quiet Mind first actually met and played music together back in 2004 when they were both in college. They both went their separate ways and ended up reuniting in 2013 with the addition of Alex Vaos (bass) to form the current lineup. After a couple of rehearsals the band decided to go completely DIY on their first EP entitled Alpha Waves. To the bands credit they did a pretty decent job with the recording and even though it doesn't have the polish of a studio album it serves well as a first EP. As I was listening to Alpha Waves I was thinking about how the band strikes a balance post-rock and post-punk. The band occasionally has soaring reverb laced guitars not unlike that of Explosions of the Sky but also delves into more grounded riffs that you might expect from a modern day punk band or even alternative act. The first song “Avalanche” builds in intensity fast before settling into the first verse for Lee to sing over. You won’t find much humor in Lee’s lyrics as the band reciprocates the mood of the music. He sings “I forged my fire / Melted out the walls / Now I can breathe / Deep this silence / Fills and breaks me down.” As it progresses the song rocks and hits its climax with an impressive guitar solo. The band delivers another solid performance on “Mirrors,” which settles into a hypnotic groove. Once the band starts rocking they don’t stop till the end. They close with “Barrels,” which is the highlight of the EP. The vocal delivery and melody are on point and the guitars have more post-rock tendencies. Out of all the songs “Barrels” is the shortest but actually has the biggest impact. Alpha Waves is a solid first attempt. I would have enjoyed to hear these songs with a little more polish but the songs are good enough that they shine through. In 2013, tired of his music being limited and restricted, Manian Van Hacker decided to become an independent artist. Then he enlisted Jim Bedorf (drummer), Curtis Tankersley (bassist) and Derek Euston (guitarist) to join his band. They became Manian & the Monumentals. In early 2013, they began writing, mixing and developing tracks for their first EP, The Crime and The Season. The EP combines rock, blues, jazz, indie, pop and many other genres to form a uniformly composed album with complex, poetic lyrics. The six tracks on The Crime and The Season speak to listeners about complicated, universal topics, such as life, death, love and heartbreak. "Stay With Me Tonight," "The Last Alive," and "Long Way Home" dissect the intricacies of a relationship. Generally, these tracks are about how the end of a relationship affects the individual, and not the couple. "Stay With Me Tonight" takes a fascinating method of storytelling by setting the song's lyrics in a flashback, flash-forward style. Some of it indicates that the narrator remembers a breakup while seeking someone new. "Bipolar Rendezvous" and "Sleep Creeping Danger" both explore individualized problems and wonderings. "Bipolar Rendezvous" seems like a song about a child who faced a lot of hardship because of their parent's issues. "Sleep Creeping Danger" seems to play with the idea of sleep as in actual sleep, and sleep as in death. The lines in the songs have double meanings that could refer to things you see in dreams and life encounters. The Crime and The Season's biggest strength is its lyrics. However, it also blends really crafty beats. "Bipolar Rendezvous" takes calming sounds and jams them with intense instrumental strumming. "Sleep Creeping Danger" has a kind of Latin aura with its instrumental usage, which blends well with Van Hacker's vocals. "The Last Alive" has all the hype of a smooth bluesy sound. "Long Way Home" creates the signature rock sound by adding a guitar solo in it. Manian & the Monumentals' The Crime and The Season EP doesn't shy away from gripping lyrics with equally captivating beats. It highlights the magic that happens when you're limitless.
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May 2024
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