Ryan Krga is a Chicago-based musician. He has been writing music for about five years which really isn’t a long time. His three-song EP A Testament EP sounds like it was written by someone who has more songwriting experience.
First things first - Krga sounds like John Lennon when he sings. I hear the similarities in the inflection can you? At rate he has a great singing voice. The songs even have a Beatles-esque qualities. Take for instance the opener “What Makes Me Blue.” It shouts early Beatles. That being said Kyga has his own essence. The song is addictive. From beginning to end I enjoyed the warm melodies and lyrics. I especially enjoyed the last lyric, "There's nothing wrong with you and that's what makes me blue.” There's a simplicity to it without feeling cliche. Songwriters who are able to say the same thing in a new way are a step above the herd. Next up is “She Gets Results” which is another exceptional song. It has a memorable chorus and works on many levels. The music revolves around organ, guitars, bass and drums. Nothing too fancy but with songwriting this strong you don't need anything too exotic,. He closes with “A Testament” which is yet another near perfect pop song. Like the other songs the topic revolves around the timeless subject of love. Also like the other songs it feels authentic. When your delivery is this good you don't need to worry about tropes and cliches. A Testament EP is a great EP. Every song is money. With that I want more. These three songs felt like an appetizer. I’m anxious to hear what else he is capable of. Can Krga rock out if needed and does he have a McCartney type he can team up with for the full-length. I jest but all kidding aside Krga is a great songwriter and I am looking forward to hearing more.
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Uncle Tasha aka Natasha Lepine is a musician from Canada who recently released an album entitled awkward. Lepine's music has style that I remember hearing when I first heard Mirah. The music is minimal revolving around mostly guitar and ukulele while she sings in a melancholy and quaint voice. Don’t fool yourself, this is a niche all in of itself. Luckily, for Lepine she pulls it off quite well.
The album starts off with “mount fuji” which at least feels like no more than a short intro into “paris.” Her vocal delivery on this veers towards cute and quaint as she laments about being in Paris, checking out all the fantastic sites and still feeling melancholy inside. She sings, “i'll act like i'm happy gallery to gallery but i'm beginning to isolate myself.” The melancholy continues with “one last summer night” which has a very similar vibe to “paris.” Next up is “vancouver” which still is melancholy but she switches up the instrumentation with synths or some kind of electric piano. The highlight is “wells.” It’s the catchiest song and also blends shades of optimism with the shades of sadness. Lepine's lyrics are observational and from a first person perspective. She sings, “fresh air fills my lungs thanks to the trees / we race each other swiftly to the swings / and the grass is stomped and soft and happy.” “i want my linkin park cd back, you pr*ck” reverts to the vibe of the first couple of songs. She gives a brief introduction to the song “emily carr” and closes with an instrumental piece called “thanks for listening (hold hands).” I still consider myself young at thirty-five but it’s sometimes hard to listen to someone who has so much of their life ahead writing such sad songs. That being said I remember being that age and relating to Bright Eyes and The Microphones. I feel her music is very honest and raw. People will be attracted to that. One thing I noticed with her lyrics that I also see with a lot of younger songwriters is that the lyrics rely exclusively around her experience. I’ve noticed especially with melancholy that it's sometimes more prolific if the lyricist writes from different perspectives. Take for example a song like “Nude” from Radiohead. Yorke sings, “And now that you found it It's gone.” The line hits hard because it feels like he is singing directly to you. Food for thought. Lepine has some talent with a lot of potential. I like the minimal route and it worked for this album. That being said I think she will want to look into expanding her arsenal in regards to tools and vibes for future releases.
Joe Leytrick (vocals/guitars), Dan Suriano (bass) and Ed Terrell (drums) are A Friendly Gesture. Their debut release Slug Stampede is one of those albums that is hard to sum up because the band does not have a sound.
They jump to different styles quite often and you aren't quite sure what to make of it once you’re done listening to it. One minute they can sound similar to Primus like on the beginning of “Day One,” next they sound like a punk band on “Show Them What They're Missing.” If I had to give this band a genre it would be progressive rock. There is no doubt the instrumental work is exceptional. They really know how to play. And there were some parts that really made me take notice. They open with “Hollow Harmony” which starts with acoustic guitar and vocals. It has a serious vibe that leans towards mystical sounding. There was a tinge of an ’80s ballad on this song. I wasn’t expecting it but the song eventually rocks out pretty hard. Perfect choice for an opener. The slap bass on “New Song” took me off guard. It's kind of funny. With slap bass you automatically expect something funky but the song doesn't feel like that. It’s a rock song through and through. The drumming on “Show Them What They're Missing “ is pretty sick. It reminded of NOFX punk style drumming. Fast, in the pocket and completely drives the song. The title track is catchy but the thing I enjoyed the most about it was the technically demanding transition and creative instrumentation. I had more of my attention on that than the vocal melody The band close strong with slap happy “Colors” and the melodic “Shortcomings.” I definitely preferred some songs on this album and I think the next logical step for the band would be the get a boost in the production department. With that Slug Stampede is a solid debut.
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Hooray! A husband and wife duo who don’t sing about how much they are in love with each other. I was privy to this even before listening to the songs. With song titles such as “Rage Quitter” and “Chaos” I had a feeling saccharine lyrics about snuggling and romantic love that would send me into a spiraling depression would not show up.
The husband (Zack Bresler) and wife (Maggie Bresler) duo go by Pretty Compatible and their five-song EP is entitled DND. It’s an eclectic batch of tunes ranging from rock to synth pop and some other places. They don’t establish much of a signature sound but do successfully pull off what they attempt. Up first is “Shame” which is made up of distorted guitar that leaves shards of white noise, light, airy synths and consistent drum beat. Maggie Bresler handles vocal duties. I liked her style but felt her vocals hid behind the music. It’s a subjective opinion and being an engineer myself I would have brought the vocals out more. “Shame” is like an anti-love song. She sings, “‘I've got a feeling that you don't care / You’ve got me reeling - It's not fair / You keep on stealing my heart / I’ve got a feeling I'm falling apart.” The synths on “New Day” bring a completely different feel to the EP. The guitars are gone and the atmospheric synths dominant the texture and tones of the song. Up next is “Plot Twist” which brings back the guitars into the mix. “Plot Twist”may be the highlight and I think unequivocally it has the most memorable vocal melodies. The chorus is extremely catchy. “Rage Quitter” has a Pixies-esque punk vibe while the closer “Chaos” lies somewhere between Courtney Barnett and Sleater-Kinney. DND has its flaws but is still enjoyable from beginning to end. On top of that the money goes to a good cause. Check it out.
Technology has come a long way in the 21st century. Starting in the dregs of the '90s, the first attempts to hybridize the human and the machine came off as entirely tacky and utterly, repugnantly uncanny - the sonic equivalent of truly terrible CGI. Just think back to some of the truly unfortunate mashups to come from that era - "electro-swing", "acid jazz” and bad, featureless celebrity remixes, where an original track had an unnecessary and unflattering 4/4 house beat dropped underneath the main event.
As we approach the Singularity, as processors continue to grow in power while exponentially decreasing in size and cost, we are entering a true era of cyborg art. Technology is finally serving the human, instead of the other way around. Finally, machine beats and slinky synths are made to be relatable, emotive, expressive and, most importantly, interesting and musical. Nowhere can this be seen more firmly that in the realm of "alt-r&b" (choose your descriptor, it's sometimes called "noir&b" and "pbr&b", as well), where sleek, futuristic beats meet the pure emotionality of the human voice, and the intuitive feel of organic instrumentation. Anyone who's ever spent any amount of time can tell you, it's damn near impossible to program this level of nuance and expressiveness, making it far, far easier to master a wood-and-string instrument than the coding that would make such a thing possible. Californian duo Slenderbodies sublimely straddle this divide on their album Sotto Voce, laying out a foundation of soulful, breathy vocal harmonies and intertwining guitars, which are fully fleshed out with luscious reverbs, detailed echoes & delays, and super sound design. Instead of bowing solely to the machine, the technology is used to fine tune and finesse the audio, like with the shimmering, jazzy “Polychromatic" or the mirror hall dream pop of album opener “Gray.” If late '90s/early '00s electro was the sound of inept CGI, Sotto Voce is the sound of a fully rendered Photoshop masterpiece, complete with lens flares and film grain. It is to Slenderbodies credit that they never go full-blown Michael Bay with the post-production. The lens flares are never overdone, the film grain never too faded. They're truly using technology to touch up what is already damn fine electro-infused r&b/soul. Let this be a lesson for anyone looking to unleash their creativity via technology. Always lead, never follow, and focus on what is unique about your music. When there's a message, a solid aesthetic identity and a real story to tell, it speaks volumes.
Succeeding in the music world, in 2016, requires a certain amount of counter-intuitiveness. On one hand, we're supposed to completely ignore the prevailing styles, trends, in-genres and movements and create art that is distinctive, personal and unique, while still keeping in mind a certain pre-requisite level of taste and style. It's knowing what's in, what people like, but discarding all of those data points when it comes time to create, in which case it is up to each individual artist to do their best and make the best possible art with the tools and skills at their disposal.
Acrylic Road by Corbett, Oregon's The Arborist, started out from the most simple of motivations - learning how to master music. Mastering, that is, in that secret, hidden art of finalizing audio to sound its best, for each individual medium where the soundwaves will be reproduced. It's a valid pursuit, as mastering is one of the most commonly overlooked steps in the indie world of Bandcamp and Soundcloud. It really helps quality material stand out, shimmer, sparkle and shine, especially in a sea of raw, crude, lo-fi indie releases. Acrylic Road started out as a practice template, in every conceivable way, for The Arborist's Carson Schnackenburg. Schnackenburg is a drummer, by trade, and tracks like album opener "The Fifth Acre" were created solely for Schnackenburg to play drums along to. You'd never know it, from the wispy, neo-classical, prog-and-metal infused art rock. It's sensitive, delicate, intuitive and personal - not what you would expect from a bash-along backing track. The Arborist might've just set out to hone his skills, but many masterful musical moments have been created from less. One definition of a master that I've seen is "someone who takes pleasure in all of the small details of an activity." I.e., someone who takes the pains to polish every single detail, to make sure everything is intentionally placed and serving the greater good. It is my great pleasure to report that not one moment is out of place on Acrylic Road, from the dense percussive polyrhythms to the swelling, emotive violin, cello and harp to tug your heartstrings of "The Lost Continent Of Mu: Part 1.” "The Lost Continent Of Mu: Parts 1 & 2" might be Acrylic Road's most sprawling and ambitious music, and while Schackenburg might've set out solely to master an obscure mixing technique, it's not hard to imagine these orchestral works showing up on the next Hans Zimmer or Johann Johannsson. In short, The Arborist is one to keep an eye and an ear on, especially if this is what he can do when he's just experimenting and practicing. An auspicious and rising talent!
College student Kenyon Icenogle has been writing songs since he was twelve, and he is the founder of KtheV, or Know the Void, a collaborative music project between Icenogle and a few of his friends. Icenogle’s songwriting style has been influenced by classic rock and roll, alternative, experimental and electronic genres, and his debut concept album Upsie Daisies demonstrates his eclectic musical background.
Beginning with “Mourning Sickness” the album opens with a relaxed groove composed of electric guitars, electronic percussion, electronic riffs and vocals that seamlessly blend into a swaying, somewhat dark tune. “For Our Me” turns up the energy and delves into a highly experimental style in which alternating moods and abstract percussion make for a truly intriguing listening experience. Combining smooth synthesizers with harsh guitars and gravelly vocals, “A Stick And A Stone” precedes “Elementary And Grey” a more traditional rock song with unconventional chords that border between grunge and jazz. “Death To A Dream” features echoing percussion, haunting guitars and strong vocals in a powerful anthem infused with rock and alternative styles. Veering towards a more serene mood, “Eye Of The Day” highlights Icenogle’s technical skills with an acoustic guitar as well as his ability to form cohesive, ethereal soundscapes with his voice and accompanying synthesizers. Perhaps the most catchy song on the album, the highly danceable ”Peace Love & Lobotomies” brings a sharp energy to the record as the pulsing bass and drums drive the song swiftly until the end. “Over My Dead Body” and “Had A Kin” both explore experimental and novel sounds in two speculative pieces. These unprecedented tracks demonstrate Icenogle’s absolute courage in taking his music to places previously unknown. “Save The Humans” and “Only Over And Gone” return to more familiar musical territory with strumming guitars and quick hi-hats leading along with Icenogle’s wistful vocals. The album quickly winds down with “Only Over And Gone” a beautiful piece full of acoustic plucking and droning sounds. The record ends on a high note with “Rising From The Ashes” a spoken word poem that transitions into a meditation track infused with isochronic tones. As a whole, Upsie Daisies runs the gamut of modern music, and KtheV finds successful ways to create extraordinary music from extravagant, experimental ideas.
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It's not very often that a band drops a full length album just a few months into their existence, but I suppose not every project sees two prolific musicians teaming up, bringing to bear a repertoire of their own songs and knack for finding more on the road. Such is the case with Ashes of Old Ways, a new project from Charleston musicians Dave Britt and Bobby Sutton. On their self titled release, Ashes of Old Ways delivers catchy, streamlined America with a sense of total ease and confidence, rattling off a litany of would-be hits that sound equal parts familiar and fresh.
Ashes of Old Ways manage to put out a very classic Americana sound while still building on the what's been added to the genre over the last 25-odd years. So, while classic elements of lap-steel and Neil Young-esque crooning are present at times, there are also whispers of Wilco and a bouncy catchiness from indie-country acts like the Shins. And if you think the opening track/lead single/standout song “Living in the Present Tense,” sounds more than just a little bit like Band of Horses, there's a perfectly reasonable explanation: Band of Horses Ryan Monroe contributed some backing tracks and vocals—as long as mixing help—to the track. While “Living in the Present Tense” stands out as the band's single and one of the album's highlights, the album as a whole has a certain streamlined catchiness to it. The second track, “Restless Heart” has big, echo-y searing guitar, with laid back, almost Lou Reed-y verse vocals and a big, wide open, nearly U2-like chorus vocals. Like good Americana, the track coveys an effective sense of open spaces with unhurried and uncrowded instrumentation. There are a handful of “meat & potatoes” tracks that pad the album—not at all in a bad way, the bar is just set pretty high, so tracks that might stand out on another album are just par for the course on this one. There's a certain formulaic catchiness at play here, where songs never waste time focussed on one part for too long, and they never overstuff verses or bridges with anything that will delay the ever-hooky chorus from swinging back around. “Broken Glass” stands out as a perfect example of a sad and sweet song, managing to be the sound equivalent of a scrunched up smile shining through a tearful face. “California” rings with the triumph of a late-set song at show that couldn't be going better—just that moment where the energy between the band and the crowd is lined up and everything just clicks. “Free your Mind” sounds like a late 70's dark rock jam, no doubt thanks to Mel Washington's deep and resounding vocals. Ashes of old ways fails to miss a beat from start to finish, sounding incredibly unified for a project containing both new and reworked material from two different songwriters, as well as for one recorded a handful of different places. Some songs, like “Living in the Past Tense,” were collaborative efforts that came out of the band's initial tour this spring, many others were brought to the table in some form of completion by either Britt or Sutton. The fact that you can't readily distinguish the latter tracks from the former speaks to the inherent cohesion between the members and their styles, as well as successful delivery. The album was recored at a few different studios as well as Britt's home set-up, but again the album doesn't show any seams from the patchwork nature of its capture. Ultimately, Ashes of Old Ways is a great album in of itself, as well as an exciting harbinger of what could be next for the young project.
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The Lancaster UK trio Dope Francis, made up of guitarist/vocalist David Kay, bassist/vocalist Charlie Burns and drummer Raymond Salad, was formed a year ago as the trio met studying on an HND music course. The band’s first EP, the cheeky The Hot Carl EP, (the title meaning is a slang term for defecating on one’s sexual partner’s chest) is a pretty straightforward foray into the punk and nineties alternative rock.
The Hot Carl EP opens with the hard edged instrumental “Carl’s Requiem.” If anything it gives the listener a taste of what is to come, which is buzz-saw power chords, taught and upbeat bass lines and drums that stick to a loose snare. As things go it seems almost like it was included as an exercise, a sign of things to come next. Mainly it’s a warm up. What it warms the listener up to is the ‘90s alt rock “Dank Quiche.” It sounds a bit like a more bare bones version of Siamese Dream era Smashing Pumpkins tune with lyrics and vocals that lean to the later period emo stylings. On the whole “Dank Quiche” is pretty rocking and one can imagine the energy of the band in a live setting. Next comes the bouncy “Collapse” which takes on much more of a Brit rock attitude that skirts the boundaries of punk rock but still has the pop sensibilities of bands like Arctic Monkeys. It shows that Dope Francis is trying to be more than just a funny punk rock band, and it would have been nice to hear more songs like “Collapse” on the record. As a punk musician one really does need to pick a version of punk and at least stay with it awhile, learn its in’s and out’s. I kinda feel that’s what Dope Francis is trying to sort out by the time The Hot Carl EP gets to its fourth and final song, “Crawling up the Walls” which sounds like the Sex Pistols in the chorus but completely loses its edge by turning a bit weepy with the verses. Dope Francis is a young band and seems to be trying to find their footing. It’s not uncommon. The Hot Carl EP is rife with bright spots and gleams with influences that if the band is willing to follow and stick with I think it will make their second offering that much better.
Grackle? What’s that? Did the band make this word up? I’d like to know what it means.The only thing I found from my extensive Google searching is a type of bird. Maybe I’ll never know but I think the band should have an explanation on their website as to why they decided to go with this name. It’s keeping me awake at night and now my wife is also searching for answers as to the meaning of this word.
Steve Katsikas (vocals/keyboards/saxophones/guitars), Jeff Gard (drums), Steve Dietrich (bass), and Joanna Katsikas (vocals) are the members behind this band and their debut album is called Wintergarden. The production is exceptional and the band explores a variety of different genres. The music can be dramatic, epic and nostalgic. It also has a vibe that you trace back to the ’80s on many of the songs. Everything from elements of prog to cinematic rock in the spirit of Meatloaf. In all honesty this album doesn’t mesh with many acts in the mainstream or the underground of today. You may at first think that’s not necessarily a good thing but I beg to differ. I guarantee that a band hoping to jump upon a bandwagon or sound is already too late. By the time the band releases their music it will already become passe. Bands like Grackle have more of a chance of being recognized because they don’t sound like the songs that are dominating people's Spotify playlists and airwaves (although I wonder how many people still listen to the radio). The band opens with “Take Every Road” and this one is about as epic as they come. I don’t remember the saxophone being this huge sounding. Suffice it to say the song is quite epic from the instrumentation to the lyrics. Luckily, the band doesn’t go quite as epic on the next couple of tracks. “Pieces” is lush and atmospheric while “Winter Garden” is a solid rock song that is melodic.There is a good amount of versatility as the album progresses with “Hold On To Sunshine,” “The Truth Has Eyes” and “Interstate of Circumstance.” There are some albums where you can tell the band put a lot of time and effort into it. The proof is really in the pudding. Wintergarden is unequivocally one of those albums. At ten songs this is a full-fledged album that feels like an album should from beginning to end.
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