Back in the early ’90s I picked up a guitar and quickly started playing cover songs with my friends which included Nirvana, Smashing Pumpkins and other popular alternative bands at the time. I quickly wanted to ditch the covers and start playing originals. This is a cycle that’s going to continue as long as young people continue to want to pick up an instrument and not just learn how to program a virtual instrument. The reason I bring this up is because Coffee and Soda is a band based in Cape Coral, Florida that is going through a very similar thing that I was over twenty years ago. The band mentions: “We formed initially as a cover band in late 2019 for fun as a group of high schoolers, but over the past year and a half we wrote our own songs and released this EP.”
On their self-titled EP Coffee and Soda I would say the young band is off to a solid start. They start with “Alone for the Summer” which consists of a couple jangly guitar chords, drums, bass and vocals. The band sounds similar to The Strokes but perhaps a little more funky. The title track “Coffee and Soda” is more emotive and pensive while “Hot Cinnamon Donuts” was catchy, poppy and easy to digest. They rock out harder with “Serpent’s Kiss” which is closer to Interpol. “Olive Branch'' is a solid but straightforward garage rock and the closer “Capo at 6 A.M.” is by far the most technically impressive song. They go into prog and post-rock territory. I hope this is a hint of what’s to come. This is the sound of a young band figuring out what works and what direction they might go in. As an engineer myself the logical next steps would be to step into a professional studio and record. The band did a fine job with the home recordings but they sound like they could use some improvement. Overall this was a solid start for the band and I look forward to hearing more.
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Robert Anderson aka RW/A is an artist from Oakland, California who recently released That's True. It seems like the album was a complete DIY production done from the comfort of his own home. There’s definitely the familiar home recording quality I’ve heard countless times before and overall I thought the production was solid.
The songs are pretty straightforward and revolve around guitar, bass, drums and vocals. Up first is “Along with Me” which consists of minor and major chords, 4/4 time and some catchy vocal melodies. As the song progresses other elements like a second guitar show up and there are some nice pushes in terms of dynamics. “Of the Surf” has a slight ’50s vibe. The guitar work is similar to The Animals and other acts from around that time. It’s lush, easy to appreciate and has a relaxing vibe. “Don’t Follow” is more moody and pensive. I really enjoyed the vocal harmonies which are done on the verse. “Head in the Sand” is a solid rock song. The song is about 4 dbs quieter than the previous song which is an issue with the mastering. One of the highlights was “Get Away (feat Lena).” The male and female vocal performances sound good together and I liked the melodic guitar parts as well. “Beauty All Around Me” is another solid song which is laid back. The vocals are delivered in a very comfortable vocal range. I again was attached to the guitar, especially the lead. He tries to get a little more rock-oriented with “Do You Blame?” but the mix was having a hard time keeping up with the sound he was trying to achieve. “More of a Friend (feat. Lena)” has a bit of a Velvet Underground vibe but perhaps a little less psychedelic sounding. “Preacher” is another more rocking song. My critiques are fairly minor and related to engineering. These songs would have benefited from being passed to a professional mastering engineer. I thought the artist did a solid job but a mastering engineer could have helped with the overall RMS level and made the sonic imprint of the songs a little more cohesive. The drums were a little too perfect, clean but not really dynamic compared to the rest of the sounds to my ears. I’d love to hear these songs played with a full band live. Overall I thought this was a solid album with some good songwriting. Anderson certainly has some talent in multiple areas and I enjoyed the songs. Take a listen.
Billy Edwin--the recording handle for Los Angeles-based Mike Levy--has released Life is Short, a four-song EP which follows August 2020’s New American West album. Each of the four songs in the collection is an original Edwin (Levy) composition.
Edwin’s musical roots stretch back to the mid-90’s Southern California punk-rock scene, so he is no stranger to the studio. For Life is Short, he handled engineering and production himself with terrific-sounding results. Edwin’s vocals, guitars, bass and harmonica performances are augmented by a strong supporting cast of guest musicians, including Adam Salzman and Rich Culley (guitars), Phil Parlapiano (keys), Amy Aileen Wood (drums), and Barry Stricke (backing vocals). In short, it’s a professionally-executed record, helped by a sparkling, professional mix (courtesy of McCulley). Stylistically, Life is Short fits right into the Americana rock/country/alt-country bucket, although Edwin adds a few twists. The opener “The Road” is a straight-ahead rocker, featuring nice piano thump underneath and organ up top. The production is, well, professional, with a nice balance between gritty and softer sounds; there’s not a hair out of place, yet it still feels like rock. The musical twists start with “Ballad of a Privileged Man” where Edwin’s lyrics turn a disapproving eye towards narcissists. Underneath, the song employs an unusual meter on the verse, which gives the track a lilt and an urgency to drive the message home. The acoustic-guitar love ballad “She’s My Best” continues the off-kilter feel with shifting downbeats set against a plaintive harmonica line. The ending lyric brings a smile with an atypical couplet: “She keeps me calm like a cigarette / She’s my best / Her name’s Annette.” Hey, if it makes Annette happy… The title track closer “Life is Short” is a radio-ready country-rock anthem from a band to its audience--or for a struggling friend. Edwin brings out his punk roots here with the chunky guitars and pounding drums giving the song a bit of a harder edge than your standard mainstream country fare. It’s another well-constructed track with strong backing vocals, guitar solos and shifting dynamics. Edwin finishes by telling his friend, “Hang on there … we’ll be on stage again.” And good thing. This is solid rock n’roll, and we’d like more of it. Life is short, so spin it today!
I was looking at the album cover and song titles for Boonton, USA by Bryan Yurcan and I thought I already know what this is. That’s definitely a presumptuous thought but just looking at the imagery and song titles it seems like this is going to be nostalgic American folk/rock. I wasn’t far off but there are some twists and turns.
The opener “In Your Garage” felt like such an odd song to me to start with. For one thing this song sounds like nothing else on the album. This has an early Sonic Youth vibe. I love Sonic Youth and thought the song was damn good and actually one of my favorites but it really doesn't sound like it belongs on the album when compared to the other tunes. “Mercer County” is much more indicative of the general sound of this album. The song is mostly strummed chords, some atmosphere and singing that’s more spoken word. That style continues with “Summer Of ‘99” but with percussion. It’s very lo-fi but has some charm. “Moonlight over Manhattan” is the first highlight with the acoustic instrumentation. It’s atmospheric and the vocals fit the song well. “Break in the Clouds” is a really nice song but the percussive felt too lo-fi or something. The tone and textures of whatever is being hit sounds a bit boxy but there are some guitars that enter the mix which help with that. I thought the vocals were some of his best and liked the more traditional singing on this song. “Isabelle” is another solid song but again it’s quite lo-fi and the acoustic guitar needed some more definition and fidelity. The guitars actually sound better on “High School Poetry.” He ends with the most somber song entitled “New England Winter” which can feel dismal at times. The guitar was pleasant towards the end which perhaps can be interpreted as some kind of hopeful closure. The familiar topics of reflecting on life in the middle of America have been done countless times before and the artist does a fine job here. Some songs hit the bullseye for me. I think working with an engineer would help his future release quite a bit. The recording quality is varied and changes from song to song although not drastically. Overall, this is a solid effort with some heartfelt songs. I hope to hear more soon. Take a listen.
Everything But The Everything is back with a new song entitled “Blue Sun featuring Olivia Barchard.” If you are unfamiliar with his work he mentions “Izzy The Gent takes a different approach to producing and releasing music under his Everything But The Everything moniker. As a bass player and producer by nature, he pairs each of his indie-rock tracks to a specific voice, knowing that one person will be the perfect fit for the song.”
Barchard was a good choice for this song to my ears. The song starts with a fairly straightforward distorted guitar riff, a driving beat and what sounded like additional arpeggiated percussive elements. Barchard's vocals are simultaneously lush and powerful. There are some similarities between Victoria Legrand from Beach House especially around the one-minute mark where the song opens up and starts to feel more shoegaze influenced. There’s a good amount of reverb coming from the stereo field. The song goes back to verse with perhaps a little more energy but not much. I thought the lead guitars were also very well done on the chorus which sounds like the player is hitting sixteenth notes that combine with a sheen of reverb. There are slight post-rock vibes on this song that combine with ’70s punk aesthetic. The song is just over three minutes long and all the fat seems to be trimmed off. There’s no navel gazing, experimental sections or anything else that feels labored. At its heart this is a single worthy song that has repeat worthy value. Take a listen.
Torso Incognito is the second release from Atlanta-based singer/songwriter Cory Brown, recording as The Racquet. The work on the seven-track album is entirely his: he wrote, performed, engineered, mixed and mastered everything in his home studio.
Brown describes The Racquet’s sound as a mix of “elements of noise and experimental artists like Sonic Youth and Radiohead with the compact and melodic songwriting of artists such as The Strokes and Pixies.” These influences come through clearly. Put another way, he’s taken some of the best parts of the ‘80s new wave sound, updated it with some of what’s come since, and wrapped it all around solid songwriting. The songs are strongly structured with clear verses, choruses and bridges, and feature memorable melodies. The structured writing allows Brown the leeway to build variations in the backing tracks, adding that little extra sparkle to the proceedings. Of particular note is the guitar work. It’s terrific throughout. The rhythm parts are on-point, even evoking the Motown style at points. Leads are melodic and interesting, and Brown avoids the tempting thousand-note guitar-hero opportunities in lieu of restraint and musicality. Listen for the tones of his guitars as well. He’s laid down a wide variety of different six-string sounds, from razor-thin early-‘80s (“Poor Ramona”) to 2000s rocker (“Backseat”), and everywhere in between. The mixing and mastering--also Brown--perform a great service to the music. He’s close to soundscape nirvana. There’s a great use of dynamics with volumes rising and falling to support the arc of the songs. Panning effects are sprinkled in where appropriate (e.g. the spoken-word bits of “Ghosted”). Further, distinct parts can be heard, if you want to pick one out, but none detracts from the overall whole. “Window Shopping” is a great example of this. There is a lot going on in the track, and it all fits beautifully into the ear space. You won’t go wrong with any of the seven tracks here. Highlights include the angular riff and middle-section guitar work on “Debris” and the garage-rock-meets-new wave sound of “Night Terror.” Brown digs out some interesting chords for “Ghosted.” Finally, don’t miss the phrygian-tinged outro of “Poor Ramona” which might be the single best section of the whole disc. Torso Incognito is a strong sophomore effort for The Racquet. Solid songs, terrific feel and great sound--what more could you want? Cue it up today.
After releasing his first two singles in 2020, Sydney, Australia-based singer/songwriter M.(Mikhail) Hofmann has just completed his debut album titled Lavender Sleeping. Hofmann wrote the songs and played all the guitars along with vocals, with Tim McArtney on bass and Charlie Finn on drums (except for two tracks, where the drums were played by Harry Day). David Andrew added piano, organ and synths on three songs, while Charlie Finn sang harmonies, added percussion and played all harmonica. The core trio cut the basic tracks together to get that “live energy” with overdubs added later.
Hofmann says his music is “bursting with layers of Heartland Rock and Americana with indie rock elements, peppered with nostalgia and self-reflection; ’80s guitar tones blend with synthesizers and organs, and a harmonica can be heard echoing in the distance.” Conceptually, Lavender Sleeping captures a certain part of Hofmann’s life: “It wasn’t intended to be that way but that's how it turned out. If someone was to ask what I have been doing for the past ten years of my life, I would hand them this record.” Recording took place at Hercules Studios in Sydney with bassist McArtney mixing through a vintage Neve console. Mastering was by George Goergiadis. To imagine Hofmann’s sound, think about Tom Petty’s voice and music along with the jangly guitars of the Byrds, and you’d be pretty close; the opening “Old Home” is a perfect example. When Hofmann says his guitars have an ’80s tone, I assume he’s talking about Petty, R.E.M. or the many other groups that were influenced by the 12-string guitars of the late ’60s. Like most of his songs, “Old Home” has a clean and consistent arrangement with tasteful bits of Dylanesque harmonica. “You Don’t Have To Stay” ups the Byrds jangle ante and features Harry Day on drums. This one also has strikingly Petty-esque vocal harmonies. “Rain In The Summer” starts on acoustic guitar with organ backing, before slowly adding the other instruments. Hofmann’s guitar solos are restrained and probably sketched out ahead of time, as they hit each note cleanly without a lot of unnecessary theatrics. “Percy Street” takes a quiet, folky detour in which the harmonica gets a short solo. The title track “Lavender Sleeping” is a nice tune, though not strikingly different from what’s come before. “End of Time” fades in already playing, so I assume the boys were cranking away in the studio even before tape began to roll. This track is basically a more interesting and dynamic version of the title track with majestic chorus stabs and heartfelt lead guitar. I like that David Andrew gets a couple moments all to himself on piano and organ. Drummer Harry Day returns on “All Along” while “In The Dark” features Jy Perry-Banks on welcome pedal steel. Any single one of Hofmann’s songs is accomplished and effective, though taken together they tend to blur into each other a bit. If you’re looking for a sense of danger you may not find it here, but Hofmann delivers beautiful songs and performances and for now that’s good enough!
Color Crush is a husband and wife team featuring David Napier (vocals/guitars/synths/drumming/programming/lyrics) and Courtney Napier (vocals/bass/lyrics). The duo is based in Louisville, KY and started Color Crush in August of 2020. Before the formation of Color Crush, David and Courtney also contributed and are currently contributing to the experimental metal band TIMŌRĀTUS. Infinite Connection is their debut EP that shows the band’s ingenuity in creating bedroom pop and shoegaze instances. The band tastefully mixes in layers of vocal harmonies with lots of dreamy synths and shimmering guitars for a mixed indie and dreampop sound.
Infinite Connections brings forth a hazy sound that slowly grows in volume on “Lean.” Next, the groove that enters is very dream-like and hazy. The haunting and ghostly notes are layered in, creating swaths of dynamic sound. Leaning heavily on reverb, this becomes a part of the ambiance. The distortion was used like another instrument on this recording, giving the fuzziness a voice of its own. With a heavier vibe, the band starts off with a wall of guitars with a metal-induced sound on “Movie Night.” Once David’s vocals come in, you will start to appreciate the harmonies. The guitars and drumming beats are one entire movement, rolling together in one wave of sound. Beats from the drum machine come in on “Drive.” Along with the haze of instrumentals, Courtney’s vocals become a part of the ambiance. As the fine line between vocals and instrumentals is blurred, the sound comes across very atmospheric and airy. The heavy buzz of synths makes the noise level rise, creating a whirlwind of snow and distortion. “Snowstorm” changes things up for a more electronica feel. Some synths and beats start off this track as slowly some guitars gain traction. The music gradually grows in volume, nearly overwhelming the listener. This song felt heavy with mood and feeling. As the ambiance builds in groove, once the vocals enter, you can feel the dreamy elements and vibes really come together for a surreal and inviting soundscape. On “Wishing,” some beats and a wave of guitars jumpstarts this track to a heavy buzz. The sound is inescapable. Next, David and Courtney’s combined vocal harmonies create an alluring vibe. The heavy guitar riffs also produce a hard rock and metal feeling. I liked how the band was able to fuse different genres and elements into their sound here. At moments, they reminded me of Beach House. Some beats roll forth along with a synth pop sound on “Breathe.” The vocal harmonies were very ear-pleasing. At moments this had an ‘80s-inspired feel that I felt was very retro-styled. The glitch-y electronic background riffs gave this song a robotic flair, making it stand out on its own. I greatly enjoyed the breathy vocals on what was a memorable closer. From my experience, it’s hard to tell the instrumentals apart here as everything, including the vocals, becomes tightly knit into the sounds. This eventually becomes an entire package. A surreal soundscape so intricately layered it feels like a jumble of dreams that you are constantly falling into as you navigate your nocturnal fantasies. As you fall deeper into this soundscape or dreamscape, and as you deeply immerse yourself in this growing rabbit hole, reality and the dream world merge. The sound will grow on you the more you listen on. Infinite Connection is not only a love letter to each other, it is also about their love for music. Worth exploring from start to finish, this was a great start from the band. And I look forward to seeing what’s next for them in a follow-up release.
Hated Names is an alternative music project, based in Melbourne that recently released Little Liberties. There’s an eclectic blend of styles on this release so let's get into it.
The first song “Holding Back the Tide” starts very somber with reverb laced guitar and bass. I really liked how the vocals sounded which were breathy especially before the beat drops. On that note the song was original sounding and got my attention. “Morning Thieves” is soulful, melancholy and heartfelt. The beat is very upfront in the mix with the other instruments in the back of the mix. I thought the vocals were again very well done and emotive. “Bring Me a Drink!” is a little more upbeat than the previous songs. There’s some killer production on this with filter sweeps and much more that benefits from a nice pair of headphones. I was reminded of the band xx on this song. “Little Liberties” is one of the highlights. It’s a twilight ballad of sorts that’s very intimate. The guitar is fantastic as are the lamenting vocals. “Reflection” brings some energy and is one of the more straightforward songs with clean guitar and piano being important aspects in the mix. “Dependency” is almost overfilled with elements and goes for a more epic quality. It wasn’t my favorite song but there were some interesting moments. “Ether” actually reminded me of the band Tool at points. The more indie rock inspired “Rust'' is fantastic and “Don’t Tell Me” has its moments as well. I liked the last song as well entitled “The Strangest Place” which contains some of the most catchy vocal melodies. There were a lot of good songs and some really great songs on this album to my ears. I thought the production felt unique and refreshing.
Based out of Saint Paul, Minnesota, Lorenzo "Ledfoot Larry" Michelutti started off playing solo shows in local coffee houses, but he soon realized that a return to the stage with a full band was the next step in performing music. After some lineup changes, the final roster of Ledfoot Larry includes Larry himself, Paul "Paco" Pederson, Mark "Hoss" Haider, Patrick Dempsey and Bob Locke. They play a mix of danceable ’90s and earlier country standards with a mix of their own unique blend of "Bakersfield and Tejano music meets ’70s country" originals.The band’s follow up album to Smooches Gracias is Tequila Mockingbird and it was recorded in their studio, aptly named "The Jungle Room" due to their giant velvet Elvis hanging on the wall. It was engineered and mixed by their keyboardist/accordionist Paul "Paco" Pederson. The band states that this album is 'more country' than their debut and it digs deep into the Bakersfield sound with rich melodies and fun beats. Added flavors of 'old school' background vocals and accordion, this neo-traditional outfit delivers ten unique tracks mixing country and Americana genres.
The opening track “Silver Spurs” has got that classic country appeal with just a twinge of rockabilly in there, – if you’re talking Marty Stuart and Jerry Lee Lewis that is. Loved the backing vocals, too. Just in time for July weather is “Fireflies” – a tune with Tex-Mex influence at a bit of a slower pace. If you’re familiar with a tune I remember from my childhood, that I don’t hear much anymore, you’ll recognize the melody in this tune. (Hint: “Would you like to swing on a star, carry moonbeams home in a jar.”) Here’s to summer! Next up is “Dance, Dance, Dance” and yes, I’d say it’s meant for dancing. Complete with accordion and a classic guitar sound, this song should get you on the dance floor in no time. “My Baby Hates Country” features the piano and a stronger presence of the drums with a few drum fills in there as well. Hey, she may hate country music but at least she likes you enough to stick around. “Seedless Grapes” has got a great rumbling drum rhythm with plenty of piano. I’d say this one has more of a modern twist featuring the band’s own blend of new and old styles – danceable, too. “In a World Without You” starts off with the soft touch of the brushes on the snare and later, a soulful guitar solo, accompanied by the piano and a steady bass. “There is nothing left for me tonight, in a world without you” sings the band – that’s about as sad a line in any country ballad as you can get. “Loving You Was Easy” features a more rocking beat and a classic Wurlitzer keyboard sound. The bass is lively, and drums are quick and shuffling. I think this tune shows off the band’s more soulful side quite well. “Fire Warnings” gives the listener another take on Ledfoot Larry’s softer side. This one’s definitely a slow dancer with Americana and classic country appeal. The guitar/keyboard solo stood out the most for me. “Hundred Million Roses” is another tune with Tex-Mex and old school country influence. I might have to listen to some Marty Robbins after this one. Last up is “Red, White and Blue” and you can’t get more country than this one. The classic two-step beat is there, “the girl in red high heels and a white pearl necklace,” and the colors of Old Glory on the Fourth of July, all point to the quintessential country song. If you’re ever in upper Midwest America (a la St. Paul, Minnesota), looking to brush up on your two-set dance moves and some bar or nightclub or enjoy the pairing of classic country/Americana with Tex-Mex style, look no further than Ledfoot Larry’sTequila Mockingbird.
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