I’m not sure what real and what's not with The Ladywell Lout. Their bio says at least one of them was raised in south central L.A. and migrated to the UK in 2003 to escape the hood. Ok - so where did the Scottish accent that is all over their debut album Gadgies and Radges come from. Well, maybe that’s the other half of the duo? The point I'm getting at is that the group is irreverent about their music, which is also evident in their songs titles. I had myself a chuckle when I was reading their tracks on Spotify and saw titles such as “Phil Collins got a drum kit when he was 5” and “85% of greyhounds are depressed.” The irreverence comes across in the actual music as well as the titles, which ends up being one of the most attractive aspects about the band. They compose lo-fi electronic music that flirts and explores different facets of the genre. The duo isn't afraid to bust out a 4/4 dance beat or get heavy with melancholy and white noise. When I first heard the vocals I have to admit I wasn’t into it. The vocalist’s Scottish accent was very thick and he sounded like he was barely trying which I’m pretty sure was intentional. After about my third time through the album I had changed my mind. It slowly grew on me and I starting appreciating his stoic delivery. That being said, his vocals could have used better compression techniques and EQ to fit better into the mix. The album starts with “Ramp It Up For Sleep,” which revolves around bell like synth effects, more synths and vocals. It’s a fairly minimal song and I couldn't understand what the vocalist was saying besides “big exhale.” The song had a lo-fi cheesy allure similar that of Your Blues by Destroyer. “Trancetasticminimalplastic (Alex Salmond Mix)” contains a bumpin 4/4 house beat, shards of white noise and enough changes to keep things interesting. It’s a solid tune all around, which displays some of the band’s skills in the studio. ”Phil Collins got a drum kit when he was 5” is the first song that creates a symbiotic relationship between electronic and organic instruments. While is only a little over 2 minutes long, it is b one of the most infectious tracks on the album. “Gonny come here Danielle” is a haunting track that revolves around a field recording of a conversation and dark atmospheric elements. The track is a testament to the duo’s willingness to explore different soundscapes. Gadgies and Radges isn’t exactly an accessible album. It takes a bit of patience to appreciate the songs but if you are willing to put the effort in you should be rewarded.
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There are pros and then there are amateurs. It’s pretty clear that the musicians on Switzerland-based label Dead Vox fall in the former. Goodbye Ivan is a project run by Arnaud Ivan Sponar, a French multi-instrumentalist who has twenty-five years of extended musical experience. His recent release The Lost Tape bursts with so much emotion that it makes a large percentage of popular music seem like a joke. Throughout the album he seamlessly combines pro production techniques with organic and electronic elements. None of the sounds seem disjointed or separated from the whole. The instruments whether it’s a guitar or a glitch-like effect create a symbiotic relationship with each other.
Sponar starts off with a twelve-minute epic that morphs, dissolves and evolves over its length. He creates moods with the warmth of pads as arpeggiated patterns create the rhythms and movements of the music. It’s an impressive song but he is just getting started. The next track “Fantasme” is a musical manifestation of solace and has an emotional weight that compares to a band like Sigur Ros. It’s a song the slowly rises, hits its peak and then slowly dissipates. A combination of guitars, bells and bass create the sonic landscape. “Douceur” is a track that drips with melancholy. A guitar and orchestral-like string are the main ingredients here, which carry the song. “Disparition” sort of sounds like the musical inner workings of hospital. The subtle nuances and glitch-like effects of the songs are great for active listening as the warm synths provide the melody and emotion beneath. “Déception” backs off the emotional heaviness a bit in favor of a more immediate, off-kilter song you could dance to. The kick drum drops with authority, as Sponar makes sure to keep you captivated with the layers of sound working together as one. “Cercle vicieux” is a certified closer that like the opener evolves and devolves into different soundscapes. At one point it sounds as if we are undertaking interstellar travel but a transition that feels fluid takes us to a place with rumbling sub frequencies and anomalies. The production for this song is jaw dropping. I really can't recommend The Lost Tape enough. Take a listen – I’m pretty sure you will be glad you did. Heavy Lights is a four-piece band from Frederick, MD that recently released their exceptional full-length album entitled Mad Minds. As I was taking in the album and browsing their website I found it odd they don’t mention who the lead vocalist is in the band considering the vocalist is such an integral part of the music. The lead singer has a great voice that often reminded me of Robin Pecknold from the Fleet Foxes. His delivery is spot on and the tone of his voice is warm and inviting. It often carries the songs and is the emotional center of the music.
Musically, the band is a tight unit with original grooves and rhythms. There are some times when they click that left me pretty taken aback. Perhaps the most enjoyable aspect of the music is the emotional resonance the songs have. They are often poppy and fun yet at the same time don’t feel like fluff pieces. Take for instance “A Family Familiar,” which is a highlight of the album and an overall fantastic song. A low hum of an organ is sustained, as a clean guitar trickles into the mix and the tom drums provide the heartbeat to the song. It sounds like a sunrise and is wrapped in emotion. Once the chorus hits with handclaps and bass they bust a poppy grove that is irresistibly catchy. “Ringing Bells” is a success that swells with thumping drums, atmosphere and uplifting vocals that feels nostalgic yet not melancholy. You feel like you're moving forward as you listen to the music. You are following the music and it feels like it has some place to go. The band also knows how to show some restraint. “Mel” revolves around a walking bassline, slide guitar, and some brush work. The vocals breathe in even more on this song and they are just more of a testament to the singer’s ability. “Stop Talkin'” has the rhythm section (drums and bass) playing in the pocket. They flex their muscles technically but it’s not without reason. The bass and drum parts add a lot of aesthetics to the song. The album closes with the melancholy “The Best Selling Show.” The soundscape they create sounds epic. It howls at the cosmos as the band leaves me with one of the most enjoyable debuts I have heard in quite some time. No joke. I know I'm gushing but these guys are the real deal. These songs are more than well put together. The songs on Mad Minds are addictive pockets of sound that hit upon the gamut of human emotions. Joshua Mudge and Matt Hinkle are the two members of the project 38 State Nation. The two musicians who came from different bands wanted to make meaningful music that resonated with the listener. Their first attempt at this comes in the form of a four-song EP entitled In This Life. The album ventures into experimental pop that is musically quite adventurous but foundationally rooted in sing-a-long worth vocal melodies that carry the songs. In This Life is a complete DIY effort that was recorded and mixed by the band. The recording is very impressive although it is in desperate need of proper mastering. I noticed the first song was a good 4-5 dbs louder than the second song according to my Dorrough meter. The four songs on the EP are well written and they implement enough savvy production tricks to keep your attention. Their music is the opposite of subtle. They follow in the footsteps of bands like Coldplay and Muse and play music that you want to hear in an arena. They are going for broke with this EP and they make grandiose music that is impossible to ignore. The first song entitled “King Of Fools” was the highlight of the EP for me. One of the most enjoyable aspects was the slick production such as the filtering of the vocals that brought variation to the singing. The percussion sounds tribal as layers of rhythm drive the beat of the song. It combines with a bass and organ as the vocalist delivers an emotional vocal performance. The next track “Two Hearts” has a bit more forward momentum than the first song but that doesn’t necessarily mean it is a better song. Guitars are more prominent in this track and stick to a more commercial structure. They couldn't have named the last song “Release” any better than they did. This is another well-done song with savvy production. At first the song is loosely put together. Drums fade in and fade out (with filtering effects as well) and it all feels like it’s building up to something, which it does. At about three-and-a-half minutes the drum explodes and the song catapults in the air. They end with a bang. In This Life displays potential for the band and forms a solid framework for them to move forward with. Their strongest aspects lie in the slick production and well thought out implementation of sounds. If they can keep up the experimental part of their music and expand on it rather than try and shoot for sounding like a pervasive guitar band than I think they maybe on to something. Become a Fan
Whether you like Last Dragon’s music or not there is no denying it is original. Their self-titled EP Last Dragon contains some sludge metal, horns, tribal rhythms, hyperbolic vocals and a sense of dread like this is the last party you will ever be attending. It’s over the top in a good way. There is a sense of humor in the music, which defuses the pretension that could easily exist. Instead of coming off as overly artsy they come off as a bunch of misfits who couldn’t care less what you think. That being said the music feels like they want you to join the party just don’t be lame and come as you are. The opener “Runnin' Red Lights” is essentially sludge metal with horns. A distorted guitar runs through a couple of power chords as blaring horns add unexpected spice. The front man Sunru Skywaka brings his own unique vocal style to the music that you won't confuse with anyone else’s. Once you get to the last quarter of the song it is bursting with guitar, synths and percussion all adding to sounding like a cathartic purge of tension. “Hey Lil' Lady” layers those horns on a phase-y, distorted guitar and contains a great chorus. The vocalist sounds like TV on the Radio and contorts his voice making one of the highlights on the EP. “Call to the Tribes” is the centerpiece of the album and is a constant build up and release. The intensity rises as the singer leads the rest of the vocalists in a chant that sounds like music you would be listening to with your new tribe after the apocalypse hit. “Big Cities” is a fast-hitting song grounded in punk rock while the closer “California” has shades of early Red Hot Chili Peppers. I wasn't sure what to think of this EP at first but now I’m a full-fledged fan. These guys blend genres without it sounding contrived and corny. It’s visceral music that makes you feel alive. The band Weathered Helm seems to be prepping for one heck of an album. They recently released a self-titled four track EP Weathered Helm that according to their Bandcamp page “is in preparation for their full-length album.” Two of the songs are over seven minutes and the songs in general feel “grandiose.”
The band’s biggest comparison will be Pink Floyd but they also seem to have influence from other bands like Explosions In The Sky. This is music that isn't meant to be listened to passively. Don’t put this on in the background while you are updating your blog or doing homework. This is music that's intended to be experienced loud and deserves your full attention. The band kicks things off with an epic track called “Why Lie.” Thick, white distortion drips off the guitars as the drummer lays into his kit. When the verse kicks in the band comes a bit too close to sounding like Pink Floyd. The guitar line as well as the vocal hook sounds like they were extracted from The Wall. The last quarter of the song features an impressive guitar solo as the band reaches for impressive heights. “Tonight Is All Mine” brings down the intensity in favor of atmospheric organ and clean guitars for at least a while. The guitars are covered in reverb and meant to sound larger than life as they climb the neck of the guitar. “Streetlights (in the Rain)” is one of the most original pieces on the album. The band creates light ethereal music as the vocalist performs a spoken word piece. As the song progresses more layers of music come into play and it unfortunately becomes very hard to understand the words. They close with the most inspired song entitled “Inch On.” The band starts to come into its own and lays down a number of well-executed parts. This EP is solid but the band can make some tweaks here and there. They should be aware of a couple of things. If a band sounds too similar to any particular band they can be pigeonholed pretty fast. It should also be noted that the production is lo-fi and with this style of music it should have high production aesthetics. I know this is easier said than done but some of their music would be more impactful if the recording quality was improved. The Periodicals have transformed their band practice into a recording session and thus have brought us their debut EP. The Periodicals can be best described as new-age alternative rock. There are connotations of classic rock and roll as well as takes from bands like Talking Heads. Based out of Madison, Wisconsin, the five members have conjoined to create a soulful and sometimes folky alternative rock album. The second track on the album titled “Kindling,” begins with a funky piano beat that reminds me of the time encapsulating The Brady Bunch. Soon the lyrics “Sail to the sea,” open up the lyrical portion of the song and the catchy chorus “we’re starting a fire, burning, we’re taking it higher, page is turning” adds depth and a story is starting to show itself. The song has a double-persona, one that is old and wise and one that is young, curious and unpredictable. The lyrics are clever, catchy and have a nice rhythmic rhyme to them that make this song pleasant and entertaining to listen to. “44 Straight Down” also has a similar character animated by the lyrics “if I’m wiser, when I’m older, whenever I find that place.” The melody anchoring this song really has a sophisticated meter and the song is soothing to listen to. All of the instruments work in harmony to create a unique landscape of sound, something like a colorful sunset out on a beautiful open field in the middle of early fall. Everyone is laying out in the grass thinking of beautiful memories while listening. The album was recorded DIY in the basement and kitchen of one of the bandmate’s home. Despite a couple guest appearances from a squeaky door, the sound of the album has a fresh, uplifting sound to it and all the aspects of the sound profile come through successfully. For their first release as a band, The Periodicals have showcased their abilities to explore their genre successfully and create dynamic, fresh and inspiring sounds and lyrics. This is an album for anyone interested in new-age folk rock. Become A Fan
Tired of listening to the same Deep Purple and Sabbath albums for the millionth time? Do you yearn for more of that rock ‘n roll with attitude that is all but vanished from popular music this day and age? Look no further because The Oldfield Victory brings some of the old school rock that people listened to in 1972 while getting high in the back of their van.
The Oldfield Victory is a four-piece band comprised of Jon Freeman (vocals and guitar), Paul Hagedorn (lead guitar), Dane Tanner (bass) and Casey Wallace (drums) who recently released a six-song EP entitled A Thousand Doors that is straight forward and to the point. There aren't many bells and whistles on this EP. No crazy production techniques just a band playing live in a room. In an oversaturated market where a surplus of rock bands sound like something my eight-year-old daughter would consider weak it’s nice to hear guys making music with a bit more testosterone. The band exemplifies this with the first song “Wrecking Ball.” It’s a solid song with an anthemic chorus. Freeman sings “All night, she’s like a wrecking ball.” The song comes well equipped with a guitar solo and enough momentum to get things going in the right direction. They keep the energy up with “A Thousand Doors.” Waves of distorted guitar chords and cymbal crashes create a dynamic canvas for Freeman to sing against. As the EP progresses the band refuses to pull out an acoustic guitar and give us a tearjerker. “She Disappears” has an ending that faceplants you into submission. It starts with a clean guitar but after a quick count off the band brings on an onslaught of mayhem with a wailing guitar that steamrolls and a rhythm section that puts you down for the count. A Thousand Doors isn't an EP you pick up if you want to hear a band innovating rock. This is an EP that proudly wears its influences on its sleeve but packages original songs. Music fans that want stripped back, visceral rock ‘n roll have come to the right place. Hailing from Amherst, MA, Ian Stahl isn't content with his music unless he is pushing his boundaries and exploring his creative potential. He has been playing music since he was young and has been studying jazz in college. On his recent EP These Secrets We Keep he attempts and often succeeds at combining jazz and rock. There are four songs on the EP in which the songs either feel much more heavily influenced by jazz or rock. Take for instance “Facades,” which for the most part is a well-written song you could label as alternative or indie rock. It isn't really about until about a minute and a half in that he starts pulling out riffs that have a hint of jazz influences that an average rock band probably couldn't pull off. “The Lotus Eater” is a much more overt jazz song. The song is one of the most compelling of the four. It initially combines psychedelic atmospheric elements with a loose bass line. It transitions to funky bassline that is highly reminiscent of the song “Bulls On Parade” by Rage Against the Machine and then evolves into a jam session that you might hear from a jam band. The song then devolves into free jazz eventually distilling down to a bit of atmosphere and a drum solo. This is a song that is definitely not your average bear. “Far Away” is another solid song this time introducing a prominent piano and orchestral strings. The song sounds nothing like “The Lotus Eater” or “Facades.” It even goes into an a capella-driven ending that was unexpected but well done. “Stay” melds pop and jazz. It also contains some sweet sax playing that was a welcome addition. The biggest and really the only issue with this EP is that the songs feel like disparate pieces of a puzzle that don’t fit with each other. Stahl is obviously talented but stylistically the EP is scattered and creates an ambiguous statement about his artistic direction. Luckily, Stahl has a lot of time to figure this out and I am not too worried that he will do this as he matures as an artist. Hailing from Denton, a city just outside of Dallas, The Mothers consist of guitarists and vocalists Adriana Valls and Naomi Kleiwer, Kyle Williams on drums, Jake McCandless on bass and pianist/vocalist Michelle Brite.
Valls has a very pop-ready voice. I can see her voice being over some snappy, house music infused radio hit but I’m glad that the rawness shines through being a member of The Mothers. Musically, the band is in top form from the technically impressive drumming to the creative guitar parts the band creates and accessible blend of sounds. The mish-mash of guitars, sporadic drums, clean piano and pure harmonies on “Howl” bleed so well together that I am forced to just close my eyes and shut up and listen. The last couple of minutes on “Narcissus” are the highlight: a mini guitar solo accompanied by bass and ending with a great explosion of harmonies from Valls and Kleiwer.Those jazz influences from Williams come in near the end of “It Gets the Hose Again” from McCandless on bass. And I can always hear some Grimes and St.Vincent-esque wails from Valls. I love the pick up on tempo and rhythm from the slow and steady “Requiem” to the upbeat and romantic “Edittor.” The track has the potential to be a stand alone single or radio hit. It’s appealing and sweet. Loving and warm. Something people can relate to, like the band themselves. “Professional Manipulator” is the perfect album ending. Valls gets a little more soulful on vocals, and the guitars are clean and poppy. Actually, it almost feels like the end of the summer. There’s a sense of happiness but also a sense of sadness that it’s over. But like with every summer, there’s a feeling of hope and optimism that it’ll be back. That’s how I feel awaiting The Mothers’ second album. |
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