This is fun to listen to: a guy named Vivien Cabrol aka Lopoli hears about Alan Lomax, gets interested in Americana on top of already being preoccupied with music sampling, combines his two interests, and bam, the first genuinely folk-hop recording I've ever heard. The idea of seriously marrying hip-hop and folk music is probably in the back of many musicians in both camps, locked in the cellar that's separated from the basement by a cement wall. But seriously? Not that bad. Cabrol uses simple but clean beats along with his samples of flute, banjo, harmonica, etc. The results are, at worst, unmemorable but there is nothing unlistenable on this album. His experiments work most brilliantly when he creates a quick drum loop and cycles it over a single instrumental sample. "The Chase" is one of the best examples on The New Paradigm, with war flutes and rubber-bandy guitar entering at various stages of sudden percussion. The result is less tension from a chase and more relaxation after a run but it works. "Waking Up" and "On the Smile Side" show what this genre has to offer, the former with super muted samples of flutes and guitars under the surface of a slow, resigned drum beat, the latter with a much sunnier assignment of a quickly repeated guitar strum with a horn section that injects a bit of jazz into the mix. The album maintains a generally warm feeling about, despite the abrupt cut-offs for some of the loops and the plodding rhythms found in some of the songs. Even the chilly "Some Will Try to Break You" features ambient noise that counters Cabrol's robotic vocals. On the subject of Cabrol's vocals, you will find a man who knows how to best use them. He isn't technically gifted, but whereas most musicians make the mistake of throwing their voice against the music, Cabrol simply builds compositions that make use of his voice, which sounds best during the slower-tempo songs (again, "Some Will Try to Break You" is a great example). I'm still not entirely on board with the idea of folk-hop. None of the songs outstay their welcome, but it doesn't have the rustic punch I was expecting. Indeed, many of the songs here would sound better on a subway ride during a foggy morning rather than during a walk in the woods on a foggy morning. Still, unusual instrument samples and thoughtful rhythms make The New Paradigm well-worth exploring. Also, you can be the first to claim folk-hop as "your thing."
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We reviewed Carbondale by Fiery Crash aka Josh Jackson at the beginning of the year. It was an impressive record that showcased his unique baritone voice and ability to write a song that is full of melancholy and emotion. His latest effort Practice Shots builds upon his strengths and is an improvement in all areas. A lot of the songs are surrounded with a beautiful melancholy but at the same there is a tremendous weight that is lifted with his delivery that provides solace. The songs feel more like observations rather than feeling like you're trapped in a depressing state. Despite being wrapped in melancholy a lot of the songs have this tinge of optimism or at least contentment that round out the listening experience. The album starts off with “Cada Año.” It is a gorgeous song that revolves around Jackson’s voice as the guitars lay distant in the background. The music here is incredibly atmospheric and if it weren't for the drums it could be considered an ambient piece. Things just get better with the second song “Land Beneath The Shades.” The acoustic guitars are more prominent as his guitar picking is more than impressive. He doesn't slack in the vocal department either especially toward the end of the song where he repeats, “I wanted.” Everything coalesces together and you start to realize how good Jackson is. Possibly the best song on the album is “For The Canopy.” It’s a very simple song with acoustic guitars, shakers and his voice. The guitars parts lay upon each other with ease as he put down just the right amount of reverb that give off a sense of tranquility. “You’re Turning From” feels a bit darker than some of the other songs and I think it may have been the drums. They almost sound like a beat you would hear from Massive Attack or Boards of Canada as they have a slight delay on them. The melody relies on one off chords that he strums at the beginning of each measure. He closes with “I was Tall” which is the longest and also the lightest song on the album. The guitar chords are upbeat and he even sings a couple of “la las.” In the middle of the song it fades to silence only to fade back in and then finally end. I enjoyed almost every song on this album and the tunes are a testament to how much better Jackson is getting as a songwriter. The album solidifies his abilities and makes me wonder if he is just getting started.
Repeater has been around for a long time. For a band that began so long ago and the fact that they are continuing to exist with their original lineup for eight years is a remarkable feat. I'm not sure if it's long enough to warrant a Wikipedia page, but these guys have one. They've been just on the edges of my radar for the last eight years as well and this is the first chance I've had to really give them a good listen. Their last album was quite a raucous affair. Vocals were full of grit, the rhythm section was driving and the guitars were sufficiently overdriven. In order to get a bit of context for the EP that I'm reviewing here, I took a good listen to We Walk From Safety and I must say that I wish I had paid attention sooner. Repeater is making quality music. Their sound on their new EP Golden Ships, however, is quite a bit more sedate than on the album that preceded it. The grit and distortion have been replaced with melody and ambience. Right from the start, there is decidedly more reverb happening. It's done tastefully, though, as a tool rather than a gimmick. The title track lends itself to an atmospheric feel and that's exactly what was captured in the recording. I even struggled to hear the slightest bit of overdrive on the guitars. They aren't squeaky clean, but they're definitely smoother than on previous releases. "1000 Cranes" picks up the tempo a bit, but the feel of the song is still quite mellow. It almost reminds me of The Smiths. The melody sounds very much influenced by Morrisey and that is definitely a good thing. That influence continues on "Open Air,” though that song is a bit more spacious sounding than "1000 Cranes.” The guitar melody that kicks off "Chrome" is just about the most beautiful thing I've heard all week. The closing instrumental completes the EP perfectly, with a piano riff and a string section. Every album should end this way. Golden Ships is great for listening to while writing late at night. It's got just enough happening to keep you awake and moving but not so much that you feel like you're going to end up ripping your eyeballs out because you're at war with yourself over whether to go to bed.
The Radio Effect is four-piece band consisting of Theo Matz (guitar/vocals), Lalo Gutierrez (bass), Alex Massenkoff (drums) and Brandon Kerrignan (vocals/guitar). They hail from Napa, California and have been playing together live since 2010. They recently released their album Compass that has been in the works for the last three years. The album contains seven energetic songs that lie somewhere between those wonderful adjectives rock, indie or alternative. They have traces of “vampire weekend” in their blood along with a band like “Bloc Party.” All the fellows here are accomplished at their preferred instruments and they also made some good decisions in regards to aesthetics. For instance, I respected the fact they decided to forgo distortion and reverb on most of the songs and instead go for a clean, sharp guitar tone (it kind of reminded of the sound of the excellent Television album Marquee Moon). The album begins with “Where It All Began.” It’s a song that has one of the catchiest guitar riffs on the album and is also driven by the energy of the drum work. The singer goes back and forth as he exclaims, “it could possible, you are so capable” throughout most of the song as it starts to become hypnotic. “Dress the Part” is another well-put together song that showcases a more dynamic performance by the lead singer. He goes from what sounds like him talking fast to singing to going a couple of octaves higher when he sings the chorus. The high point of “The Scene” comes right after the three-minute mark where the band is at their finest. The jangly clean guitars, steady bass and drums come together nicely. I thoroughly enjoyed the complex guitar patterns and one off timing on “Phases.” On top of the effective tom work it proved to be an effective formula. “Which Side Up” closes the album and is the most anthemic of the songs on this album. The Radio Effect presents us with a sing-along type of chorus and even pulls out some slight distortion on the guitars. Compass is a solid album for three year’s worth of work. The songs are good (not great) but also have moments within the songs themselves that makes you take notice of the amount of talent this band has.
After 30 years of making music, Erik Austin Deerly has chosen to go back to his roots, making electronic music that is fused with world music. The result? Pretty spooky. His songwriting process has morphed over the years from working on making pop radio-friendly tunes to taking a more cinematic approach to composing. Where song structure was once king, emotion has taken the throne. He recorded his album Protoglitch in Pilsen, a neighborhood of Chicago, and handled mixing and mastering at his newly adopted home, Pulp & Pixel Farm in Kokomo, Indiana (not the Kokomo from the Beach Boys song). The opening track, “Skern Runestone,” could almost be a Bjork song. It's really interesting to listen to and matches well with the way her music and melodies flow. What keeps it from being a Bjork song, however, is the liberty taken with pitch in the melody. Bjork can get a bit creative with how she sings a song, but this is just way out there. "The Paix Incident" is a true melting pot, there are psychedelic guitars, blues organs, and creepy whispers all together in the same track. It's unnerving and disarming and grabs your attention. I listened in awe, trying to understand the mind that thought to put all of that together into something so cohesive. Much of the singing on the album takes the form of looping whispers and occasional chants. They remind me a lot of some Native American singing. Much of it sounds like a foreign language. Coupled with the mellow nature of the music, the effect is very spooky. I occasionally felt that someone was creeping up behind me. This was especially true on "Tendu,”a song that revolves around a groove and works every angle it can of that one groove. "Dermal" is the most organic sounding of the songs on the album, based around a guitar and filled in with atmospherics. It's quite a melancholy song that leads into an equally melancholy song called "Ghost Station.” It starts off with the sound of a low harmonium and builds with a beautiful string arrangement. The album continues along the same theme of exploring a groove and figuring out what else can go with that core. For an electronic album, it either has a lot of organic instruments or some very high quality digital reproductions. I was unable to make a decision on what was used much of the time. The sounds are so natural that they almost have to be real.
This band from New Zealand will immediately sweep you off your feet to a bright and sunny place. The Map Room is influenced by several of the band member’s trip to South America. They have brought some of that international appeal to this self-titled album The Map Room as it is reminiscent of popular bands like Fleet Foxes, Grizzly Bear and Metronomy, yet is cultured, dynamic and a bit exotic. The opening track really showcases the artists’ ability to construct compelling lyrics. The song is very soothing yet upbeat and catchy, the repetition of “find me find me find me…” becomes hypnotic throughout the song. “There’s a Fire” is a bit of a mellower track with lyrics that paint somewhat of a dreary sentiment, yet infused with positive optimism. Another song that has more upbeat persona is “Lay Down Here.” From the beginning, the guitar and vocals grab the listener. This is a song that can fit in many situations, a party or a beach excursion. The breakdown of the song is really uplifting and just makes you want to dance. Another song that really struck me is “Memory.” It just transcends reality and effortlessly opens the gates of wonder, dreams and love. Another ethereal track is “Visitors.” I appreciate it for its lack of lyrics and its simplicity in terms of pure music. Overall this album is a high-quality production of well-executed experimental folk rock music. The vocals all carry on hypnotically, the lyrics are touching, and the structure and sounds of the song are very pleasing all around.
In Search Of Signals is a six-piece band giving their audience new age metal music. Right from the beginning, the screams of the vocalist really stamp their music with a metal and punk vibe. Yet this band is set apart from the typical set of progressive rock; there is a female voice that harmonizes with the male screams and there are intriguing variations in the tracks. For being recorded in a basement, the quality of production is noteworthy. The first track on the album Slander is called “Victoria Cross.” It is a song full of riffs yet the smoothness of the female vocals really anchors the song and the catchy lyrics “…this is our voice” create a contagious tone. The next track, “Lucid” is filled with deep and harsh vocals but is a bit mellow in the sense of guitar riffs and percussion. A more intense track is “Walk Your Paces;” there is both screaming and leading riffs from the start. The song also leads up progressively to a climatic breakdown that then boils over even more when it returns to the main track. As it continues on, it almost transforms into a different song; it is a bit hard to follow because of the lack of a solid melody; but very entertaining either way. Even though the album only has four songs, each has a very structured and varying presentation that makes up for the lack of more songs. The band has a strong dynamic between their members and the addition of the female voice on metal music which really makes this music collective unique.
I don't know much about the project called The Naked Circus. I do know that it’s one guy who recorded this self-titled album The Naked Circus by himself in his parents’ basement. He has another project called Creepy Circus Mind and he is from Montreal, Canada. I’m not sure what type of setup he has in his basement but the recording sounds good. He packs in drums, bass, guitar, percussion and everything has it own space. He writes pop songs, has a good voice and has a knack for writing choruses that get stuck in your head. The album opens with “This Nowhere,” which centers around his dynamic voice (too dynamic at times - a bit more automation or compression would have been nice) and a softly played piano. The song picks up such energy when the bass and the inventive drum work enter the mix. He puts down a piano and picks up an acoustic guitar on “Sooner or Later.” It is a decent song but some of the parts sounded off time. Now I don't mind it when it has a humanistic element and doesn't sound quantified but sometimes the parts sounded a bit sloppy. ”Childhood Memories” features a female vocalist that I wish would have been more prominent on the album. She creates a nice contrast with the male vocalist even if she was too low in the mix. ”Fix Me Up” was one of the sparest songs on the album but also one of the best. The singer found a good octave for his voice on this one and the melody isn't too shabby either. I really enjoyed the ending that showcased some nice vocal harmonies. He closes the album strongly with “Live Forever.”. It has some nice string work that kept me interested. Whoever this guy is he has some talent. The songs are sometimes too sloppy for my liking but I was able to overlook this in some cases because of the decent songwriting.
David O’Neal recently released his debut album called Big Deal, which are nine very digestible pop songs that have their influence from rock, a tad bit of folk and country. According to O’Neal the “nine songs are about the beginnings and inevitable endings of relationships – all told with a perceptive and often humorous take.” You don’t have to go much farther than reading the song titles to figure this out because with song titles such as ”Look At That Girl,” “Never Want to Fall in Love Again” and “She Got Me” you don’t really have to scrutinize the lyrics to figure out the general theme of the album. The music itself is good although it rarely has any kind of edge. It’s music that most people from any generation may enjoy. Your grandpa, mom and sister may all like it because the song structures, down to the tone of the guitars are recognizable and have a ubiquitous quality that seem timeless yet not distinct. The album starts with the title track “Big Deal” which is a soft rock pop song that revolves around O’Neal’s story telling lyrics. His lyrics describe a narrative “So I don't remember the day we first met/it was in November how could I forget” as he interjects the catch phrase “What’s the big deal anyway” after every line. It’s a good song but it often feels a couple of shades off from feeling like he could be covering a Hootie and the Blowfish song. He pushes on the accelerator ever so slightly on the second song called “Never Want to Fall in Love Again.” He trades in his acoustic guitar for an electric as the song sounds 100% USA approved. Kind of like something you would hear playing on the radio in an American warehouse as the workers put away the carts with a forklift. “Give Me His Number” is a bit slower than the first two songs and also has one of the better vocal performances from O’Neal on the album. He choses to close the album with a song “Look At That Girl” that features just his voice and his acoustic guitar. It is a catchy song that again showcases his talent for writing lyrics. Even though O'Neal's songs sound a bit rehashed at points he is a good songwriter who unapologetically write songs that are almost too easy to enjoy
I love me a good indie pop gem and I got pretty geeked after hearing the first track from Ghost Bunnies self-titled debut. It reminded me of the first time I heard The Unicorns. Like the Unicorns the music is unpretentious, catchy and it seemed like the band has an endless amount of hooks that they could create out of thin air.
The band’s lineup consists of multi-instrumentalist and primary songwriter Justin Schoenfelder who plays guitar/accordion/mandolin/synth, Adam Riddle is on the drums while Kris Kehn rocks out on the bass. Peter Swikoski adds various percussion and last but not least Nate Hartmann plays the keys. Besides the excellent song writing I also enjoy the fact that all the members in the band sing. It’s mostly Schoenfelder on vocals but the band occasionally chimes in usually as a whole to accent a certain word or phrase. It should be noted that Schoenfelder and Swikoski have both worked on educational children's music and it seems to come across in the music. It’s a combination of the handclaps, Schoenfelder’s warm inviting voice that has a number of childlike qualities, the quirky organ and a number of other things. There’s this innocence to the music when combined with occasional rocking out and an ample amount of talent that creates a very attractive style. Ghost Bunnies starts with “Walk the Burren.” It’s a four-minute song that is full of enough hooks to make your head spin. The vocals are instantly catchy and the background harmonies are the cherry on top. There's a fair amount of distorted guitar that creates a nice contrast to the cute organ sound. “Telephone Game” puts a little pep in your step while “Ghost; Friend” seems to have the whole band singing which creates a sing-along type of feel. ”Twelve Feet” strays into Tom Waits or Man Man territory. The song sounds like a drunken Russian waltz for teenagers. It’s a nice change of pace and quite catchy as well. The album ends with the fast paced ska inspired “Spring Valley” which has arguably the most dynamic vocal performances on the album. Overall, this is a superb debut, ten pop songs that are well produced, full of great moments and puts you a good mood. |
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