Brian Ross is a solo artist from Woodbury, NY (that’s on Long Island). He travelled to adjacent Huntington to record his six-track Sidewalks EP.
Ross calls himself ”just one guy making songs,” but he displays solid songwriting and performance skills here. The tunes have the same subject, love—falling into love, falling out of love and messy breakups therein--he gives us several different takes on this universal subject. He casts a sarcastic light on “thanks,” for instance: “You don’t love me / You’re not sorry / For this heartbreak / Thanks for letting me know.” “XYZ”’s approach is almost manic with impressive stream-of-consciousness round-and-round storytelling. No matter how you are feeling about your lover, Ross has a song for you on Sidewalks. Musically, Sidewalks falls squarely into the indie-pop category. There are plenty of guitars and pounding drums (“Weather With You,” “XYZ,” “Unfinished Business”), pumping basslines, strong melodies and hooky choruses to go around. Ross sprinkles in some acoustic guitars and pianos, too (“Easier Said Than Done” and a notably good acoustic guitar solo on “thanks”), and uses these changes of instrumentation well to support the songs. Ross’ vocals are strong, and his voice fits the indie-pop sound. He exhibits very nice vocal control on the sweet “Weather With You” and soars on the climactic outro of “Easier Said Than Done.” Both of these songs feature sections of stacked-vocal backing “oohs” which sound terrific and add great texture. The album is strong throughout, but a couple of things didn’t quite work. The first three songs are all in the same key; the last three songs are all in the same key as well (but a different key than the first three songs). It’s a choice that doesn’t land, especially as Ross’ wide vocal range doesn’t limit his choice of keys. Finally, the drum levels were inconsistent with the kick drum on a few songs (“thanks,” “XYZ”) overpowering the mix and crackling the speakers. A little clean-up with the mixing and mastering would solve this problem. Ross gives us a short, bittersweet sendoff with the closing track “goodbye.” Let’s hope this is only a temporary departure while he creates another album for us!
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Jolee Gordon is a 23-year-old singer/songwriter, improviser and multi-instrumentalist who was born and raised in New York City. Gordon is very active in the Boston/NYC DIY scenes and has been a part of bands like Houndsteeth, Queen Crony, tr0ut and Chatterbox, to name a few. The Good Parts is her first solo project. You can tell a lot of thought goes into this album with Gordon adding a bit of quirkiness and wackiness from her personality into this recording. You can really see Gordon’s imprint on this album from the album art to her contributions on vocals, keys, bass and beats – Gordon really sees to it that the songs here reflect her love for indie pop and “weird wacky shit.” A mix of alternative with indie pop and more, this is something out of the ordinary that will speak to fans looking for something a little more out of the box.
The Good Parts starts out with “Mother,” where heavy synths add a retro-styled ‘80s vibe to the music. Once Gordon’s vocals come in, you can feel the music growing weirder. Sounds of bass and beats adds to the eclectic feel. Gordon’s vocals tie in an intimateness to the track, feeling like she is performing right in the same room with you. More synths sound out on “Neighborhood.” There is a touch of dissonance to the electronic music as Gordon’s soothing vocal makes its way through this number. There was an eccentricity to the music that really kept things interesting. On “Be Here,” as beats come in along with vocals, the trumpets add an old-time-y feel that makes this sound like a soundtrack coming from a black and white film. The beats and synths add a touch of modernity to the music. As Gordon’s vocals cascade over the sounds, you can truly feel the emotions emitting from her voice. Dashes of oddball flourishes add a finishing touch to the piece. On “I Can’t See It,” the indie flavors are full-on here. I loved Gordon’s delivery here and the energy of this number was very dynamic. This felt more pop-oriented with catchy riffs and melodies. The ‘ooh-oohs’ in the background vocals were also a highlight. On “Prove It To You,” moody bass erupts through the start of this song as drumming beats drums up the drama. Gordon’s steady vocals make their way on this track. Feeling very indie pop in vein, this song proved to be one enjoyable listen. On the title track “The Good Parts,” some retro keys make an appearance on this track adding a carnivalesque flavor. The quirky and whimsical vibes really made this song. Gordon’s indie vocals on the chorus is spewed out in a fast-paced manner. I really enjoyed the execution of this track. This felt like a good way to close the album. Recorded in the bedroom, there was a very bedroom pop feel to this recording. Like the genre, there was an intimacy audiences can glean from the album, like she was just six feet away performing the song for you live. With a sound indicative of her person, The Good Parts takes the best out of Gordon’s quirky nature and mixes it with a great synth, alternative and indie pop sound. My only critique was that the songs on this EP felt too short, feeling more like vignettes. Perhaps by diving deeper, this will better flesh out the ideas next time around. Overall, I look forward to seeing more from the artist.
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Gentle Home is a recent four-song release from everything is a photograph. The EP is just under twenty minutes and fits into the folk and singer/songwriter category. I was reminded of the folkier side of artists like Sufjan Stevens and Bon Iver.
The first song is entitled “Shape of our Love” and features some delicate guitar picking that combine with synths at first. That combination quickly subsides in favor of drums, guitar, bass and vocals. The vocals are very breathy and float to the top of the mix like blossoming flowers. I thought the songs felt melancholy, warm and quite beautiful. The artist does a great job avoiding cliches and the synths that reenter sound unique. Next up is “Kodachrome” and on this song we have some softer strumming. Elliott Smith definitely came to mind on this track or at least a similar emotional resonance. The song unfolds with an atmosphere which includes some organ that feels distinct in the mix. It’s a very nostalgic song not only in terms of the mood but also the lyrics. I loved the guitar work on the beginning of “April Song” which is the arguable highlight in the mix. The melodies are really distinct and the vocals in particular shine. I thought the mood was very similar to the first song. There are some dramatic pads and reverb laced guitar which adds to the heaviness and beauty of the song. Last up is “Beautiful Boy” and right off the bat this song feels a little more hopeful but ends up being the most intimate. The song is heartfelt and sincere but perhaps most of all I felt a sense of gratitude coming from the artist. This was a great four-song EP that very much carved out a cohesive sound. The EP showcases a distinct writing style that while not unfamiliar felt accessible and inviting. I think fans of the aforementioned artists should really enjoy this.
Every week we mention a couple of artists that are worth your time to check out that were not featured in our weekly reviews.
Artist Album Rating Light Tan Always Dreaming 3.7 Dan Bauer The After Life 3.5 Rachel Erin bar culture 3.5 MoonBell I Remember 3.8 Big Greg #G4 3.8
Sedentary Nomads is the debut album by No More Winters. Tim sings and plays guitars and bass; Klovis sings and handles drums, percussion and keyboards. They had some help from Jon Amor and Zoe Mule-Orsal on backing vocals, and Leonard Mule on vocals, bass and additional guitars and keys. The group first began life as an acoustic guitar duo, but the boys couldn’t resist the lure of amplification. The result is a collection of thick, heavy blues rock tunes with some pop and folk for good measure.
The boys describe Sedentary Nomads as “a kind of postcard collection, a snapshot of the band's journey so far. The songs are for the most part based on personal stories, experiences and feelings, and were written at different life moments: in a basement home studio long before imagining they would one day be performed live; in the middle of nature during bicycle travels; and in a one-room apartment… It's self-produced, and we poured lots of love and sweat into it.” As far as recording, No More Winters considered laying down the songs close to how they play them live, but decided to create the full band sound they had in their heads. Tracking took place over a few hectic days in Nantes, France at Le Batiskaf, Birdland and La Compagnie des Arts studios overseen by Leonard Mule. Mastering was by Jean-Sébastien Guibert at Phase Mastering. “Garage Princess” kicks right in with bluesy, slippery guitar lines, swampy organ and a thumpy clap-along beat. Tim’s vocals recall the lead singer of The Arctic Monkeys, both here and elsewhere. For the chorus, the guitars take on a harder rock edge and the vocals thicken up. Though this song appears to be about a hot young lady who’s afraid of commitment, I like to think that the “garage princess” is actually a dedicated fan of indie music who loves hanging out with garage rockers. “Can’t Feel The Rain” is classic boogie in the tradition of Canned Heat or “Spirit In The Sky.” We have fuzz guitars played with razor precision and a solid beat that’s again beefed up with handclaps. Tim caps off the fun with a chunky, harmonic guitar solo. “Send Me Down A Sign” is a slower Zeppelin-style blues tune; the riffs are maybe a bit familiar but the boys pull them off with style. “Oh Luisa” jumped right out for me, not only because my sister is named Louisa! It’s an upbeat singalong rocker with “Hit” written all over it: a tight two-and-a-half minutes with a quick, killer guitar solo. “Never Stop Trying” kicks the tempo into higher gear with lots of tasty, swampy slide guitar. No More Winters’ lyrics are far from poetic or profound, but they fit the beats perfectly and sing way better than they read. “I Didn’t Know” is a laid back rocker featuring lots of space for the guitars to dialogue with each other. Jon Amor helps with background vocals, though you barely hear him until the end. “What Could’ve Been” has a slow, portentous beat and an eerie low end drone for a classic tune about yearning and heartbreak. See if you can catch the sneaky Zep reference: “I miss your town, I miss your street / The dodgy corner shop where we used to meet / I miss the sun, I miss the heat / But all I can do is hang my head and weep / I miss, I miss, I miss / What could've been and never will be.” Speaking of Zeppelin, the song title “Hangman’s Creek” put me in mind of “Gallows Pole” and the music is also similar, featuring mostly acoustic guitar with electric and slide for emphasis. Thankfully, though, this is another love song and nobody’s in danger of swinging from the rope any time soon. “Ain’t So Bad” is a rollicking guitar workout with riffs that respond back and forth across the stereo field. “Wrong Train” is a heavy mountain-style rocker with some cool, almost subsonic synth runs toward the end. “Gotta Come Home” is a great title for the closing song and musically brings us full circle to the bluesy guitar style of the opening track. At the end of the day, my only real criticism would be that this band’s riffs are sometimes too classic, and might benefit from unexpected twists. But on it own terms, this is an excellent collection and a sign of great things to come.
Melody Music is a trio that hails from Bern, Switzerland. Friends Luka Mandic (guitars/vocals/lyrics) and Luzius Schuler (drums/percussion/synths) got together in early 2020 to write and learn about studio gear.
As their music evolved and they built their skills, they added Timothée Giddey (bass/saxophone) to round out the recording lineup. Schuler recorded and mixed the final product Melody Music EP which is four tracks of danceable, smooth, well-constructed pop. The band describes their music as “neon-coloured songs that slowly drip down from the clammy ceiling and glow … [a] candle that melts into something that already existed … [a] lava lamp of emotions.” They certainly know what they’ve recorded. These are all smooth, well-constructed tracks that just ease over your ears with strong melodies over nice variations of instrumental textures and tones. “Angel” kicks us off. It’s a mid-tempo rocker with in-the-pocket drums and bass that will put a little movement in your hips. The strong production values are worth noting, too: the smooth melody and synths are nicely set against thickening percussion and some pinpoint hi-hat figures. There’s a very cool morph into the coda section with a variation of the melody against a lo-fi drum loop. “Elmo & the Atomic Bomb” is this listener’s favorite track on the EP. It starts as a folk song with an engaging acoustic-guitar figure locked in by a just-right drum pattern. The Nicky Hopkins-like piano figure and incidental vocal harmonies give it a pop flair. The bridge introduces some fun chords and dissonance. The lyrics tell an allegorical story with a light touch, allowing the listener to find his own interpretation. It’s a winner! Melody Music keeps it up with “Polaroid,” another track that just eases right over you. Mandic’s guitar sounds evoke surf-rock, or the ocean waves, and the groove has a bit of an island feel. The production shines here, again, with little metronomic percussion pops mixed in among the layers of synths and guitars. “Thumbs Up” closes the EP. The song features a pop melody and approach, but Melody Music put more-interesting-than-usual harmonies underneath to give it an enjoyable wrinkle. Giddey gets a few turns up front, coaxing a beautiful tone from his horn as he blows two jazzy sax solos. Melody Music is a well-done set that belies the “do-it-yourself” credit in the liner notes. The EP (and band) lives up to its name with its fine melodies and well-constructed pop songs. Enjoy a spin!
Gabe Pabst is a singer/songwriter from Oklahoma City, OK. Growing up in a household that valued the arts, Pabst started on the violin at the age of nine. He soon picked up the guitar at the age of 11. Both instruments are heavily featured on Pabst’s debut LP Time Tables. All the instruments were performed by Pabst other than the saxophone solo and the drums were recorded over Christmas with his brother who also writes and performs under the name Switchback. The album is a culmination of his experiences in 2020. Joking that 2020 was going to be a great year for clarity and clear vision, Pabst did not anticipate the sort of year it turned out to be. 2020 was an important year for a lot of wrong reasons, forcing a lot of people to reassess their lives. Time Tables reflects a lot of thoughts and beliefs that ended up saturating the nation’s identity, as well as what was going on in Oklahoma City at that time. From the ground up, Pabst has layered in his sound a very familiar sense to the acoustic vibes that listeners will recognize at once. You can tell Pabst is perfectly at home in front of the mic and it is this overwhelming sense of being comfortable in his very own skin that brings audiences consolation that they are in the right hands.
Time Tables begins with “Table Crumbs,” where sounds of rain pitter-pattering in the background along with some snow come in. Gradually, a drumming beat enters and a welling of vocals sound out alongside the acoustic guitar. The combined vocal harmonies felt very flavorful. There was a great folk and singer/songwriter energy to the acoustic vibes. I enjoyed the greatly lush music. The sound of conversations in the backdrop offered a nice ambiance. “Picking Back Up” transitions right from the previous track. As a drumming beat sounds out, Pabst's vulnerable vocals come in to give a very soothing sense to the song. I enjoyed the attention to melody on this track. There was an uptick to pacing on this song, which I appreciated. The strings also added a nice flavor. Background sounds of wind settles into the groove of “Don’t” as an acoustic guitar makes its way towards the start of this piece. The sound that eases in is soft and soothing. Once Pabst’s vocals arrive, you can definitely feel the emotions from his voice coming through. There was a touch of melancholy to this singing and music. Starting off with the distinctive sounds of xylophones, “Come Back” offered some unique instrumentation. The vocals are backed with distortion and this gives off an off-kilter feel. Next, this all clears up for some crystalline vocals coming from Pabst being supported by guitar. Eventually, the electric guitars are interwoven in to give a more full-on vibe. I loved the dynamic delivery here. Once the acoustic guitar sounds settle in, you can hear a storm brewing in the background on “Now I.” This provided a very thought-provoking soundscape. The current of sounds had a nice ebb and flow to it. At this point, Pabst’s vocals really reminded me of Bon Iver. The beats and chord progressions on the acoustic guitar offer up a lush and inviting sound on “Forgiving Myself.” On “Rung Cutters,” eerie guitars and ghostly vocals provide a very haunting sound. There is a bit of unquiet to the music, giving an edgy feel to the sound. Then the sound just builds into a fuller band undertaking. More of Pabst’s vocal harmonies are unleashed keeping the music afloat with his singing. The music here had a harder rock edge, as Pabst changed up his acoustic sound for something more aggressive. On “Time Of Day,” a drumming beat, acoustic guitar and harmonica make for a country-twang vibe. With also a dash of folk, this keeps up the warm tones on this up-close-and personal track. “With Eyes Shut” is filled with vocal harmonies. Pabst keeps the rich sounds coming with this intimate and dreamy closer. There was a great indie rock, singer/songwriter and acoustic vibe to the album. The sound at times reminded me a lot of Bon Iver. Pabst pays a lot of attention to his layers of sounds and overlapping vocal harmonies. Although Pabst does pay ode to a lot of artists like Bon Iver, James Blake and Iron and Wine, at moments he does go off the beaten track and makes memorable instances of his own. These moments are truly when we see him coming to his own as an artist and this is where he thoroughly shines. Time Tables is an album filled with great craft to songwriting and musicianship. It looks like Pabst is only getting started and I eagerly look forward to seeing where he takes his sound to next. Highly recommended.
From Austin, Texas comes singer/songwriter Scott Standley who has just released his striking and unusual choral album VICTORIA. People often describe music with the phrase “you’ve never heard anything like this before” but in this case it’s 100% true. Standley has created a musical hybrid of artists he heard growing up (Bonnie Raitt and Lyle Lovett on one side, choral hymns and folk standards on the other) with his current favorite artists (Bon Iver, Perfume Genius, Frank Ocean, Sufjan Stevens).
Standley’s earliest musical experience was playing a lap dulcimer with his grandparents in Victoria, Texas. His professional career started by performing with the rock groups Jungleset and ChooChoo and the percussion group Resonate. He describes VICTORIA as “a heavily choral album that combines a wide mixture of influences (including) blues, Neo soul, folk standards, hymns, dusty slide guitars, experimental vocals and analog synth elements.” Scott states that the original idea for this album was to create “cosmic hymns” blending his old southern influences with a modern world. Thematically it was influenced by our old pal Covid-19 with Standley aiming to “cut through the anxiety and find some peace.” Writing and recording took place at Standley’s Chicago home studio using Logic and the old Apogee Ensemble Firewire. Bandmate Ryan Imboden added keys and synth. Davis Jones played flute and saxophone and also mixed the album in Logic with prominent use of the Vocal Rider plugin to get consistent levels on the vocals. Mastering was by Will Patterson including a final pass onto analogue tape. “Ready” opens with Standley’s lead vocals atop his choral overdubs swirling and strobing in the background, supported by acoustic instruments, clapping and whistling. It sounds both familiar and unsettling. I was thinking equal parts Fleet Foxes, spiritual hymns and African vocal music as Paul Simon purloined it for “Graceland.” At one point the backing vocals are electronically dropped a full octave. The dulcimer adds an unexpected magical touch. “Delicate Strong” creates a soulful vibe with even more thick chorus vocals. It’s clear by now that Standley’s using auto tune on the background vocals, but it’s weird how perfect it sounds for this project, even when it seems to be digitally imploding. “Simple Sweet” has a Brian Wilson “Pet Sounds” vibe, as if refracted through an audio kaleidoscope. I especially like how this song builds itself over little “blocks” of sound, as the vocals and the instruments seem like they’re one organism, moving and stopping with intuitive sync. “You Got It” has a Stevie Wonder sheen and vocal complexity. The lyrics are simple but perfect for the song: “You got it / You deserve it / You’ll finish / You’re perfect.” “Driving” again channels the Fleets both lyrically and musically with maybe a dash of Hozier. The spacey, wobbly synths are quite intriguing here. Somewhat similar is “Dusting Off Hell,” a track that flirts with becoming a more traditional tune: lovely lead vocals, moody synths and sweet slabs of electric guitar. I found myself going back to this track a few times. “Delicate Strong Reprise” is a quick one-minute recap of the album’s second track. “Before All That” is another short song that wears its spiritual roots on its sleeve. “The Whole Time” ends the collection with vocals that sound a bit less processed at first, for a more natural feel. This doesn’t last, however, as the weird pitching and tuning returns full force along with natty electric guitars, more clapping and busy analogue synths. As I’ve already stated, this music was quite different from anything I’ve heard before, even though the individual elements are familiar. It’s audacious in its presentation but quite beautiful. Where Standley goes from here I can’t even imagine, but I’m sure it’s gonna be somewhere good!
Michael McClellan is an artist who recently released Michael McClellan Presents Half Life. McClellan has been in a number of bands over the years but this is his first solo release. I think I would primarily call this a rock album, maybe even a hard rock album, but there are a lot of sub-genres he flirts with. There is a mix of other genres like funk but mostly sub-genres like Americana and prog-rock.
The album begins with “In The Beginning” and as soon as the song kicks in it goes back and forth between hard classic rock and a sort of funky Bowie like glam rock. There are a lot of unexpected transitions which on repeated listens felt seamless. “Tears”’ contains Led Zeppelin like slide guitar but the vocals are manipulated drastically using a pitch shifting which creates a very psychedelic soundscape. I was getting major Americana vibes on “Woke Me Up” that mixes with some '80s prog. I was not expecting the familiar bluegrass vibes on “The Weekend” but actually enjoyed it quite a bit. There are some very catchy songs and perhaps the most is “You Called Me an Artist” which seems to be a homage to '50s rock. As the album progresses there are some highlights. The fast moving and hyperbolic “Sabotage” was interesting and unique while “Muezzin Call '' has a warm yet subdued funk to it. Last but not least is “The Usher” which has a slight shoegaze vibe. The recording quality was solid for a recording. I think handing off the mixes to a professional mastering engineer could have helped in certain areas but overall I thought the mixes held up nicely. This is an album with a lot going on. It’s hard to pinpoint his sound because of that but there are some quality songs throughout. Recommended.
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Sugar Addikt is a group from Seattle, Washington that recently released a five-song EP entitled Phoenix. This EP reminded me of ’90s electronic music and in particular techno.
The EP starts with “Shackles” and you are greeted with spoken words and synths. It doesn't take long for a basic 4/4 beat to be introduced and this is where the ’90s vibe comes in full force. The next song doesn't change things up too much. There’s more synths floating around for the first minute but soon enough we get into club mode with a hypnotic beat. There are some solid hooks on “Safe” and “New Dance” is perhaps the most straight up techno style track on the EP. Last up is “Rise” which is dramatic but dance worthy as well. This is not electronic music that gets experimental like Aphex Twin, Autechre or Amon Tobin. It’s very straightforward in terms of structure from the 4/4 structure, builds and dynamics. On that note, it’s music that seems you would most likely dance to rather than explore with a pair of headphones. The production was solid throughout. I thought the mix was good, especially the instrumental elements like the percussion. Overall, I think if you’re a fan of ’90s electronic music and specifically techno music that sounds best in a night club you should love this. |
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