I really respect bands that try to make long songs - like over 20 minutes. I remember the first time I heard GodSpeed You! Black Emperor I thought to myself how do you go about composing a song like that. The thought and attention put into creating pieces of sound that will keep someone's attention over the five-minute mark is one feat that most musicians will not attempt. It’s a daunting task but didn’t seem that hard for Keenan Houser aka Gods On Safari. He recently released a 36-minute piece called Abjuration of the Realm, which takes you to an experimental abyss of intricate rhythms, detailed nuances and an exorbitant amount of electronic sounds. He doesn't waste any time on this piece and jams in enough material that he could have easily decided to split this up. Instead he wanted to take the listener on a ride that doesn't stop till it ends. There is so much going on here I almost want to just say go listen to it but while you’re here I’ll delve into this epic piece.
It starts with crooning monk-like voices that have been possessed by a spirit on the other side of the galaxy. The atmosphere is violently interrupted by vicious stabs of dissonance, which make the scene even more ominous. Close to the three-minute mark the sounds fades away and then we are introduced to a tribal dance that is smothered with electronics and various samples that have no place being there but end up making him sound innovative. He does a great job at combining disparate elements that you wouldn't think would work and then totally do. The disorienting patterns around the 12-minute mark may induce vertigo to those trying to walk while listening. Disjointing sounds float around the frequency spectrum until he finally finds a basic rhythm to bring you down to earth. What I wasn't expecting was the intelligent rhymes being spit around the 20-minute mark. He uses awesome atmospheres that morph and change. Sounding like distant bagpipes one second and then glitching things out the next, I have to say I was immersed. The bottom line is this music is a must listen to for serious music fans. The music here is innovative, fresh, and for 36 minutes you will be hearing some next level beats.
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Brocken Spectre released a single last year called “Parallel Dances” that is an infectious, melodic single that would sit very comfortably with music fans who have a knack for bands like Local Natives and Grizzly Bear. Check their single out if you haven’t heard it yet. They got a little bit of attention from their single and it motivated them to create an EP, which would eventually become Grand Kids. It’s a six-song that while isn’t innovative enough to make you jump to the heavens and claim you found the next big thing but instead brings a nice flow of chamber pop that’s delicately crafted enough to keep you and your friends interested. Brocken Spectre is a four -piece composed of Colin Ablitt (vocals, guitar), Colin Campbell (drums), Andrew Cleasby (bass, vocals) and Nic Campbell (guitar, synth, vocals). Ablitt is diverse vocalist who isn't afraid to use his falsetto voice. For the most part the vocals are straightforward. They are pretty raw, don’t have a lot of reverb on them and are rarely manipulated. Campbell is an impressive drummer as he seems to meld to the songs and brings a wide palette of distinctive beats. He uses rim shots to accents certain parts, knows when to restrain himself and knows when to control the song. Take a listen to “The Fourth Wall” which demonstrates some of his versatility. In fact the first thing you hear on the album is Campbell. The song “Frost” starts with a drum beat that quickly gets submerged with an electric guitar whose picked notes are saturated with a soft, subtle warm distortion. Cleasby picks his spots wisely as the bass is not the focal point of this song but if his bass work was not there it would be immediately noticeable. “Marionette King” utilizes a fat, lead synth that made me get into dance mode but my feelings were premature as the song doesn’t head in that direction. Instead I was introduced to waves of cymbals and heavily reverbed guitars. The song was good but seemed to have a bit of an identity crisis and I am not sure it knew what it wanted to be. They were able to create a chill, relaxed atmosphere on “Anteros & I” that eventually picks up its pace and becomes the song that is most likely to get you out of your seat. Grand Kids closes with the excellent “Corlioghost.” Everything seems to come together on this song. They found a very nice palette of sounds and tones that was missing from some of their previous songs. The song is a great way to close the album and feels like it ought to be continued. My guess is that they already have a full length in mind.
Dan Johansson is one of those guys who have the ability to write an endless supply of pop songs that make you wonder if you should just stop trying. He hails from Stockholm, Sweden and is the only member of Honeychords. He produces power pop that may just be the Swedish version of A.C. Newman. HIs latest EP entitled No Cars In The Sky is a three-song EP that centers around his voice and his guitar. (There are drums and bass but they just provide a backbone for the elements to lie on). The multiple guitar melodies are usually cleanly picked and emerge with each other creating interweaving harmonies. His voice is attractive and sounds great when he combines it with background vocals as he does on the second song “Grand Theft Audio.”What might be the most impressive about this album is that he recorded it himself on his Mac Pro. I was not expecting this, as the vocals are crisp, clear and sounded very professional. The guitars also sounded great. Perhaps the only element that sounded a little subpar were the drums. The EP starts out with “No Cars In The Sky.” which you can look at as a song divided into two parts. The first section is about melody and harmony. I loved it as it sounded like a combination of The Beach Boys and Elliott Smith. The song takes a turn around the 2-minute mark when he introduces distortion to the guitar and it feels like a power-pop song. It is interesting however because the transition is seamless but also has a different feel. A hard feat to pull off but he did a good job. “Grand Theft Audio” is an obvious play on words to the popular videogame “Grand Theft Auto.” The song could be confused with a Fountains of Wayne song if you didn't know any better. It is an excellent song for rolling down the window on a nice summer day to put yourself in a good mood. The EP closes with “The Dwelling” which was my personal favorite out of the three. It’s a rather simple song as he forgoes drums and bass leaving even more space for the listener to relish in his voice and guitar work. This is a good EP but it did leave me hungry for more. I’m hoping he’s working on a full-length because I thoroughly enjoyed No Cars In the Sky.
The cover art and album name ToDeath are a bit misleading for the debut EP from Holocron. I was expecting a very dark, brutal and angry record. Instead I was presented with EDM that is infused with glitch-hop, trance and drum and bass. The music is full to the brim with noises and about to spill over. Minimalists need not apply. Holocron brings an eclectic variety to each song that almost makes it feel like a collection of singles than a cohesive album. Take for instance “SeasonUnending” which layers auto-tuned vocal samples that create a vortex of cartoonish 8-bit sound that sounds like something you might hear at your next rave compared to the rather dark atmospheres and hip hop inspired hi-hat flurries on “Coldpipes.” Don’t get me wrong, these songs contain some advanced programming and a sense of aesthetic a lot of electronic producers just can’t grasp but sometimes it felt like the flow wasn't as seamless as it could have been. One of the highlights of the album was the second song “Bael” which seems to combine Aphex Twin influenced frantic beats and timing with an endless supply of manipulated sine waves that garble, ascend, evolve and disappear as quickly as they form. There is a lot going on here and it needs to be listened to at a loud volume. “MountainCry” makes awesome use of Tibetan throat singing that combines with heavy electronic drums and bass to create layers of sound that are inspired and original. He doesn't stay long on the idea as his attention span is about the equivalent to a gnat as the song constantly changes. Drums drop, parts are tweaked and so on leaving even the most ADD intensive with little time to be bored. “ToDeath” is the most brutal of the songs and goes into grindcore territory. The BPM is ramped up and the disturbing vocals are dosed with effects. Out of all the songs this was arguably the most innovative and appealing. While I feel that with this debut EP Holocron is still finding his sound he has an ample amount of talent. His production is slick and brings a lot to the table amongst a crowded platform.
Regan Lane is the circus leader of Strangely Alright which is a band that produces often exuberant pop songs that tip their hat more to the 60’s 70’s and 80’s than anything else within the last 20 years. The band started to form when Lane met Ken Schaff (bass and background vocals) and their mutual sense of musical aesthetics were similar so they decided to form a band. With 11 songs in hand that would become The Time Machine Is Broken they needed to flush out their sound. As luck would have it they found their adversaries in Jeff Reiner (guitars), Preston Darvill (drums and percussion) and Lee Gregory (keyboards, vocals). I'm glad they got together because they made a well- produced, professional album that is also an enjoyable listen. Although most of their music feels derivative of 60’s 70’s and 80’s they also could at times be labeled as an “indie” band. They kind of sound like Super Furry Animals at points and they mix in some components that make them sound like they could hang with some of the bands who played at Pitchfork this summer.. Anyway you look at it these are songs you are going to want to check out. The Time Machine Is Broken doesn't waste anytime letting you know it arrives with “Train to Nowhere” as the whole band kicks in from the start. The song has a Bowie-esque feel to it with well-placed background vocals, and progressive, uplifting guitars. I was expecting a guitar solo and there it was. Luckily, it was short and sweet and didn’t overstay its welcome. One of the highlights of the album is “So Right It Can’t Be Wrong” which has distinct 80’s overtones that blends with a contemporary framework and creates quite an appealing recipe. Arguably the best vocal performance on the album is “Crying Shame” while “Before The Fall” is one of the more melancholy cuts on the album. The album closes with “U and Me” which is surely a sing- a-long in college bars in some alternative universe. This is good music with great production and really doesn't have a dud on the album. If you are into some of the bigger bands from the 70’s and 80’s this will be one you won't want to miss.
The Modern Golem is a band based out of Portland, Oregon that’s so familiar but you can't peg down whom you think they sound like a lot of the time. At times I was hearing a tinge of Isaac Brock inspired vocals, other times I felt they sounded like Clap Your Hands Say Yeah and I was even thinking they sounded like The Decemberists at points. My point is that if you heard The Modern Golem on the radio you would be like “Who is that, have I heard them before?” As a new band they haven't completely formed their own sound but at this embryonic stage they are writing songs that are catchy, fun and could fit easily into your playlist right before Grizzly Bear. Their first attempt at recording was a three-song EP called GSRS and now they’ve recently released a 5-song EP called Something About the Future. The five-song EP was recorded, mixed and mastered by the band. I enjoyed the songs but they often suffered because of the poor production. When things get congested the mix becomes too busy and the elements often don’t fit in the mix. Luckily, I was able to overlook some of these aspects and enjoy the impressive songwriting the band was able to display. The album starts with “Werms,” which is one of the notable songs on the album that finds the band displaying their ability to write a decent hook. The guitars and organs are almost as catchy as the vocals on this one. The song is the shortest of the bunch and ends with the band tweaking out which almost gets into jam band territory. “Undertow” has a different feel to it. While not as catchy as the first, the band feels more relaxed almost as if they are improvising as times. Another notable song is “Crooked Steps” which is a good diverse rock song that showcases some pretty versatile drum work. The album closes with “The Legend of the Ballad of Johnny Aphid” which might be the most danceable song on the album. For being around about a year I like what I'm hearing. Something about the Future has some good songs. Now I'm just hoping that they can find themselves a way to improve the sound of their recordings on their next effort.
Adam Gardner and Lance M Keelbe describe their music for Charlie’s Hand Movements as “deeply unsuccessful melodic wimp-rock combo” and I have to say I disagree. If you define success as opening up for Radiohead then maybe you could say they are unsuccessful but if you define it by what kind of music they are making on their album Actors then I would have to say they are quite successful. They do make make melodic even atmospheric music but I hesitant to use the word wimpy. This may be just a self-deprecating pun and while they are more inclined to find fans who dig Death Cab for Cutie rather than Mastodon they are quite a few songs on here that are just as accessible to a 32-year old male as a 14 year-old girl. The fact is that Gardner and Keelbe work very well together and have constructed a number of very well written and original songs. There style is similar to a band like Menomena. They do have that cute pop sensibility but they also find a unique variety of experimental sounds to make the songs very appealing. Not only do they pull from a number of different sources but they also change it up on every song. From the ethereal ambience atmospheres to the more distorted clouds of shoegaze-inspired white noise there isn't much time for you to get bored. The album opens up with “Just Like Autumn Leaves,” which starts off as an ambient piece that has dissonant atmospheres that transform as a palm-muted guitar provides a backbone. Vocals come into the song and add even more structure before the raw, distorted sounding drums stop almost before they start. This song is a great introductory one for the album. The song does not have a typical structure as illuminated by their ability to work out of a typical verse-chorus, verse structure. The second song “Cereal Box” is another winner. The song rocks out pretty hard at points combining distorted guitar chords and distant vocal harmonies. They pick their points and strategy never packing too much in and leaving plenty of space for the song to breathe. “I Won’t Try To Move You” is one of the most emotionally resonant songs on the album. It is sparse song consisting of piano, vocals and some experimental components that packs quite a wallop. The album closes with “Hopelessly/Helplessly,” which bursts with unbridled joy and exuberance showing yet another style the band can properly implement. After listening to Actors and the songs Charlie’s Hand Movements is making I would have to say I hope they find the “success” they are looking for because they sure deserve it. There aren't many things as timeless as a band rocking in a garage (usually their parents). Kids have been jamming in their parent’s garages for ages and it usually ends up with someone’s mom saying to turn it down. While rocking out in your parent’s garage may be a timeless act a couple things have changed since I was a young lad who used to do this. Namely, bands these days can record their music with little more than a computer and a couple of decent mics. Case in point - Not Sure. Not Yet. The band recorded their debut EP Garage Door in - you guessed it -in a garage. Using no more the a couple of Shure 57’s and a Mac computer the band recorded an EP that shows potential for a band just starting out. The album sounds like a bunch of demos, which is what you would expect from their setup. They have four songs on this EP that consist of the basics - guitars, drums, and bass. So what do they sound like? I'd say they have hints of Pavement and Yo la Tengo. While not in the same league as these bands at the moment they write some pretty decent songs that are unfortunately plagued by poor production. However they are just starting out and beginning to book shows. The album starts out with the best song called “Brightlight,” which contains wipeout inspired tom rolls and a pretty catchy vocal melody. It’s a fun song and I’m sure would have been more appealing if the production was better. “Alan” doesn’t fare as well as the first song but had enough decent moments to keep my interest while “It’s Alright” sounds like it may have been a B-side on Slanted and Enchanted. The album closes with “Summertime” which is a fun power pop song that is a fun one to bob your head to. Not Sure. Not Yet. has a lot of potential but still has a lot to prove. They haven't fully developed their own sound and they rely on a lot of predictable structures. I will keep my eye on them and hope to see them mature their songs and ideas.
Witness Tree has been playing music longer than a majority of our readers have been alive. Initially forming in 1992 they started out as an acoustic trio that consisted of Steve Kudlacek (voice, guitar), Alan Mansfield (guitar), and Eric Slater (bass). As time went on they advanced from playing coffee shops to bigger venues, refined their sound and eventually added members. In 2000, they disbanded for a number of reasons but I have to give them credit. They did it for eight years, which in band years is about 25. In 2008 two of the original members and PJ Harding (drums) decided to revive some of the chemistry they had back in the 90’s and see what would happen. Since I have not heard their previous album I cannot compare this to their older material but I don't really think that will be necessary anyway. As I started listening to Breathe In I noticed a fair amount of influence from the late 80’s and early 90’s. Make no doubt about it these guys are a rock band. They like their guitar solos, they like their distortion, and they like a heavy dose of riffs that draw comparisons to some of your favorite hard rock and grunge bands from the 90’s. While the music feels to be more rooted in 90’s hard rock like Soundgarden, Alice In Chains and Stone Temple Pilots, Steve Kudlacek’s voice has a very distinct 80’s sludge metal type vibe. It’s cool and he often goes into chameleon mode quite often even during the same song by changing his tone and delivery. The new album starts off with a rocker “Calling All Cars.” The song is essentially a pop song smothered in real warm sounding distortion (a great guitar tone all around). The drum and bass are steady, creating the backbone of the song. Nothing too fancy here by either players but it does what it needs to. Another solid song is “Ready or Not” which utilizes similar tones as the first song while “Lights Out” waits until about the halfway point to start rocking out. Arguably the best song on the album is “Memory,” which has great vocal harmonies, a really catchy chorus and shows overall good craftsmanship. When I heard the acoustic guitar on “White Ending” I thought they might close the album with a sparse, acoustic ballad but I was wrong. The album ends with a bang rather than a whimper. What impressed me most about this band was that you can tell by listening to these songs that these guys are still having fun. They seem to be playing what they enjoy and there isn’t anything wrong with that.
Life is never as interesting as you want it to be, but rarely as dull as you think it is. Life From Light reminded me of that U.S. Navy or Army commercial, when someone dramatically poses the question, "If someone wrote a book about your life, would anyone want to read it?" Toni Castells helped me answer that question: "Only if that book were adapted into a movie and Toni Castells scored the soundtrack and then people were like, 'Hey, I'm gonna check out the book that movie was based on'." I suppose calling this imposing live album some "operatic stuff" doesn't lend itself to my credibility, but that's what it is. Which scares the hell out of me because this will have been the first time I've reviewed opera music, and that's weird because opera is an audio-visual experience. I was actually reading up on reviews on opera and I learned nothing about how to write about it. So… Life From Light is a 15-track live album that features the music of Castells' 2011 album Creation. That musical work explores 21st century topics such as plastic surgery and the changing family unit but also delves into more existential issues like the origin of human life and the importance of sex. I'll be frank, there's a piece on here called "Fake Boobs" that made me chuckle, but not as much as I thought it would because it's a delicate piano-and-strings affair that make it clear where Castells is coming from. Even when soprano (I hope I identified that correctly) Susan Jiwey belts out "fake boobs" I couldn't even crack a smile. And then the music delves into the atmosphere of a military execution. All this from a guy who claims Abba's "Chiquita" pointed him down the road to conductorship.Castell’s orchestrations dip low and soar high, soaring over a musical battlefield. Strings guided with blunt precision often back the vocalists, who hit high notes that overtake even the powerful musical swells. "Never Be Afraid" uses a victorious horn section that builds under a searing cello (or violin, I always confuse the two, point is, it sounds good); compare that with "Annabel Lee," which is far more joyful and has a more rustic feel. Life From Light carves emotion using a myriad of instruments, and because of this its able to experiment with different genres outside of opera."Inman" is an excellent example, as an electric blues riff introduces again the soprano, and that's all the song uses. It's a brilliant display of minimalism and an unorthodox approach to mixing two very different styles of music. At least I think so. More than an hour long, Life From Light uses everything from New Age chants to classical string arrangements to assist the listener in meditating on today and tomorrow and the days after that. Some parts remind of Psychic TV's dramatic experiments. In closing, if you're reading a review of an album in a genre the author freely admits he knows nothing about, what you really have to question isn't the review but whether the author was bored. I was never bored when I listened to this album.
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May 2024
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