Richard Dart is a musician from Australia who has been releasing music since 2016. Since then he has been prolific and generated a good amount of music. On his ambient album Day it's evident he’s growing as an artist.
“When does the day begin?” is the opener which moves is slow waves. He utilizes very sparse guitar that likes to ring out with minor fluctuations. It’s certified headphone music that sets the stage. Up next is the most dynamic song entitled “Svalbard” if simply for the drum programming. I would argue the song might be a little more experimental than ambient. Dart utilizes what sounds like a vocal transformer, a resonant filter and a doubler on his vocals. Brian Eno released an exceptional album that you may have missed called The Ship. I was somewhat reminded of that album on “Solarhringur” which was the highlight. It’s sometimes hard to know what works and why it works on an ambient album but you know it when you hear it. That's how I felt when listening to “Solarhringur.” “People” felt like a pervading mist. It’s a long, foreboding atmosphere that makes subtle shifts from dissonance to harmony. The field recording provides some more emotional depth as well as alien disconnect. “Superdark highway (in the middle of nowhere)” no pun intended is a bit more of a journey while “Tagnokto” is more bright and ethereal. I think Dart indeed has made some improvements since the last time I heard him and he will continue to improve. On that note he still has a little work ahead of him to compete with pioneers in the field like Brian Eno, Stars Of The Lid and Fennesz. Overall, this was a very impressive ambient album that wasn’t afraid to utilize some kinetic elements. Fans of the genre will surely want to check this out.
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I have mixed thoughts about cover songs for many reasons. Although there are some covers that have blown away the original so much so that the cover has became much more popular and well known. I thought Gregg Stewart had a great idea. On top of releasing an album full of originals he also released an album entitled TwentySixteen which is dedicated to musical artists that passed in 2016 by covering one of their songs. The lineup on this album taking on this task consists of Gregg Stewart (vocals/guitars), Carl Byron (keys), Kurtis Keber (bass) and Kevin Jarvis (drums/percussion).
Stewart really does these songs justice. He puts his own spin on them and you can tell there was a lot of attention to detail. I have to admit that I skipped around a lot because there were some songs I couldn't wait to hear. “Leaving The Table” was one of my favorites songs of 2016 so I had to hear what was happening with Stewart’s interpretation. The original version is absolutely beautiful and the melancholy in Cohen’s deep voice is mesmerizing. Stewart’s version felt warm, nostalgic and like it would work at the end of a coming of age film. At the very least I give Stewart a tip of the hat for even attempting to cover a Leonard Cohen song. I was really impressed by “You Spin Me Round” by Peter Burns which I’m sure you have heard before. Stewart really hits the right tone here. The hook sounds great and his vocals style fits like an old shoe. I’ll admit I wasn’t familiar with every song that he chose. That made it a little more interesting going back and listening to the original. There were a number of songs that stuck out including “Daisies,” “If I Could Fly” and “I Found Somebody.” The last thing I have to give some credit to Stewart for is making the album sound connected. That's no easy task given the source material is so disparate. Overall, this is a solid effort which I can wholeheartedly recommend.
As a person gets older, friendships become harder things to keep hold of. People change, people move on, things happen in their lives that take time away of what could once have been spent sitting around and drinking a few beers and jawing about this or that. It’s unfortunate in a sense, though it is also part of life and growing as a person. But sometimes friends go away for a while and then they somehow come back. And when they’re back things become like they once were and everyone can go back to rocking again. Well in the case of four-piece Seattle bred garage-grunge outfit Pistil Whipped Project, you can go back to rocking again, which is just what they do on their very personal four-song EP Lost & Found.
They waste no time getting started as the opening track “Rite to Possess” opens a bit grittily almost like a dirty ‘60s-era psych-wail, which rises and falls in dark waves of gritty guitar bits and heavy slabs of bass and drums, and then slowly but surely mixes in the maximum efforts of metal and rock which forms their signature sounds. This sound continues on the slap-happy drum and bass-driven “Mindmaze” a song that reminded me of equal parts craft and darkness of Black Sabbath. They tone down the darkness a bit on “Whispers” but definitely not the technique. Here music aficionados will have a chance to revel in the sheer mastery of craft that these four guys have obviously been working on for a long time. One hears the slow burn of classic rock in the pacing and solos; every instrument working to do its part and adding depth to the larger whole. When the band finally decides to add some lyrics to their tunes, as they do on the final track “Lost and Found” it made me wish in a sense there were more vocals on this record, if only because of the rough-tinged CB radio styled vocals which the band uses. Lost & Found is a record that possibly never would have been made had four friends not become reunited and rocked out. Fans of balls out rock n’ roll with soul will definitely be glad that the stars aligned for Pistil Whipped Project.
Nico Pry is an eighteen-year-old dude just getting started with music. Like many other musicians these days he records to the best of his ability with very basic tools; Garageband, a couple of mics and stock plugins. Pry seems to understand his results as of right now are not competitive with a professional studio and I think that's a good thing because it gives him plenty of room to grow.
Pry keeps it simple in regards to the songwriting. In all honestly on his release Showroom Sound reminds me of the songs I would hear at an open mic back in my college days. Pry has a good voice. He stays in key and he reminded me of Devendra Banhart at times because of the vibrato in his voice. He opens up with “Somethin' in the Air” which is one of the better songs on the album. The initial guitar riff during the verse stuck out to me and through the vocal melody was catchy as well. There are some hits and misses as the album progresses. Some songs’s sound take a dip in clarity. The next song that stuck out to me was “Sailorette” because of the vocal melodies . There is also a really nice sounding guitar part around two-and-a-half-minutes in. The last two songs “Can't Find Me” and “in The Ocean” have some inspired moments as well. There is just no denying that Pry is at the embryonic stage of his development. He still has a long way to go to be competitive with some of the best musicians out there but he also has plenty of time to develop. I remember being his age and learning so much more after going to school for music and spending the majority of my 20’s in bands. If he has a passion for playing and writing I guarantee his best work is yet to come.
Wesley Maartens (vocals/guitar), Jimmy Macgregor (bass), Jack Benfold (guitar) and Emma Wilson (drums/vocals) are State Of Silence. They formed in 2012 and recently released Difference Of Opinion which is a whopping fifteen-song album.
The band plays rock/pop and points to groups such as 3 doors down, Nickelback, Foo Fighters and Bush as influences. Right off the bat those bands should be an indicator of whether or not their music will be up your alley. Suffice it to say their music will be embraced by a more general demographic who prefer radio friendly type rock. There is quite a bit of material for a rock album. It’s arguable that this album may have a benefit from more brevity. Nonetheless there were a couple of songs which were highlights. “Free” has all the criteria of a radio friendly song that I could imagine people singing along to. Some of the best moments on the song were when they had the distortion off. The verse in particular worked really well on this song. “Simple” has a couple of catchy melodies while “Far Away” is one of the more emotionally resonant songs on the album. State Of Silence may need to think about how else they differentiate from the overwhelming amount of bands that sound similar. There's just no arguing that the band has a familiar sound and sticks to a pop format template. At the very least it's food for thought. I think that in this day and age it's more important than ever to find a way to stick. Overall, State of Silence has done their homework on how to write a song. They are still young and I wish them luck as they evolve and continue to perfect their sound.
The Brooklyn, New York quartet The Academics has had various line-ups of players throughout its decade long existence. The project is fronted by singer/songwriter Adam LaGreca. He is backed by Devon Reed (lead guitar/vocals) Christy Cui (bass/vocals) and David Walter (percussion). Their current self-released album Long, Endless Parade brings a mix of folk, indie and alt-country sounds that reminded me of bands such as The Jayhawks and Semisonic (with a sprinkling of The Velvet Underground) and singer/songwriter types like Jeremy Messersmith and Conor Oberst.
On songs “Sing To You Forever,” “Just Drive,” “Get On Board That Train” and “Goodbye Summer” there is a definite feeling of melancholy, memories, love and bittersweet feelings coming from Reed especially on “Goodbye Summer” – a very fitting song for this time of year when autumn is in the air. Christy Cui, the bass guitar player, sings back up on this one as well as most of the other songs with LaGreca. Cui has lead vocal on one number – “Someday I Will.” It begins with a nice, darker sounding guitar intro coupled with interesting twists and turns that somehow reminded me of The Breeders or…I don’t know. I wish that Cui would have sung more or wrote more of the songs because I thought this one stood out from the rest. To be honest, LaGreca’s voice didn't always hit me the right way. I guess I’m just not into the whispery, timid voice types that to me, at times, sounded flat. Don’t get me wrong, I did enjoy his introspective songwriting style and there were moments when a Gram Parsons / Emmylou Harris thing was going on between Christy Cui and LaGreca on songs, “lovers & coffee & snow” and “Placeholder” and that was a beautiful thing. Technically, the entire album is mastered superbly and has a nice, feel good sound overall. I wouldn’t rule out taking this Long, Endless Parade on a long, endless road trip.
Natty Ward is a prolific artist who recently released I know, I know, I know, I know.... I was familiar with his previous efforts and was thinking about how to describe his sound. In all honesty Ward came up with the perfect sentence I was looking for. “Natty Ward sounds like your summer camp counselor when's he's off the clock.” The description is so spot on which is mostly has to due with borderline hyperbolic enthusiasm when he sings and occasionally swears.
I’m no scientist but I have a hypothesis that there are two camps (no pun intended) when it comes to his music. I feel like you either have to get on board with his fervor or not. I can speculate that it's a love/hate type of thing. I have to admit Ward broke me this time and I just boarded his train of sing-a-longs. Up first is “Ice Age 2” which is absolutely about the movie. I would say this could be a certified song for an eight-year-old but the sample with cusses isn't exactly kid friendly. Oh and in regards to the Eric Andre reference I have but one thing to say “Bird up!”. “Wikipedia Early Life Bios” is one of the more subdued vocal performances and pays off. First it feels a little less like a song that you might hear sung to your kids at Disney World and a little more adult friendly. It’s obvious he enjoys Eric Andre where he places a sample of the absurdist comedian on the song “Blackout Jeopardy!” for no real reason other then to put it there. Ward continues to make cultural references to things such as Game of Thrones and Billy Madison. There were some standouts as the album progressed. “Muppet Treasure Island” and “Ice Age 2, Part II: Electric Boogaloo” were highlights. Love him or hate him I have no doubt Ward is being himself. That’s an aspect you just can’t deny. I know, I know, I know, I know… is his best effort yet and all I can say is keep being you.
Nolan Grzeg aka You're F!red is a musician from Massachusetts who recently released Who Can I Call. Who Can I Call is a complete bedroom effort but these days it doesn't matter much considering the superfluous amount of virtual instruments musicians have at their literal fingertips.
The songs on Who Can I Call are indeed full sounding compositions with the structure of a full rock band and more. Nonetheless the production still feels very much like a bedroom project for plenty of reasons whether it be the lo-fi aesthetics or the juxtaposition between the clean virtual instrumentation. Up first is “Wishful Thinking” which is a well written rock/pop song. The element I was most impressed by was Grzeg’s vocals. He’s dynamic and has a good amount of emotion in his delivery. It’s a straightforward song sticking to 4/4 and major and minor scales but also has notable vocal melodies. Up next is “Young & Vital” which is arguably the highlight. The song has a thematic quality to it provided by the orchestral synths. I really liked the song especially the vocals but I have to admit that I was wondering what it would sound like with actual orchestra and production by a pro studio. It felt like an epic song. “Interchanging” was definitely a lot different sounding than the previous tracks. So much so I had to double check I was listening to the same artist. “Interchanging” is purely instrumental with a jazzy, electronic vibe to it. He closes with “Waiting For Nothing” which is emotionally resonant and introspective which again sounds unlike anything else on the EP. One of the things I harp on is cohesion. It seems fairly obvious to me that Grzeg still is defining his sound and is in the embryonic stage of his development. I encourage him to think about how he connects the tones, colors and textures into a unified whole. Overall, I Grzeg has some potential and solid songwriting skill. I look forward to hearing more soon.
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Melbourne, Australia's Bleach Dream can be added to the list of cool bands popping up in the ever flourishing dream pop genre. Saudade is the group's debut EP which was written and recorded all within a six-month span which is impressive given the quality of the album. While their music does fall under dream pop, it's not so much dreamy as it is pop, and there is definitely an indie rock edge to it.
The album starts off on an instrumental note with "Fields." The song is light and and airy with subtle beachy vibes. It didn't wow me but I wasn't mad at it. The next track is "Drown in Colours" and this is where I became engaged. This track set the tone for the rest of the album which simmers around the same ballpark of mood. Mellow little guitar riffs combined with cool vocals and thoughtful lyrics made a perfect storm of chill that I could get into. I really appreciated that on track ten "Drown in Colours" is revisited in a reprise which is instrumental and far more dreamy than anything else on the album. I'll warn you that this is the kind of music that can come off as easy to ignore. I find it best to really crank the volume and let all the delicate layers come through. I was informed the album is supposed to "evoke melancholia and nostalgia." All I can say to that is, mission accomplished, and this aspect was part of what allowed me to enjoy the album so much. This is the kind of music that makes me feel safe to wonder in my own mind. While the music helps bring out those emotions, it's not a downer. It's not heavy. The music doesn't linger in heavy electronic tones. Everything is as breathable as cotton; it's an easy listen. I can't put my finger on what it is about this album that transports me to to all my favorite ’90s and early ’00s movies, but it's all I can think of when listening to it. It just sounds like a soundtrack I have heard before, but just never really paid attention to, I mean that as a compliment. I see Ethan Hawke and Winona Ryder brooding in misery in "Reality Bites." Or even better, "High Fidelity's" Rob Gordon sitting in his record store, smoking up a storm and looking like a crazy person while he ponders his doomed love life. I imagine the music will create different sensations for everyone, but this was something I couldn't shake and had to share. I love that music so tame can take me somewhere and let me think of it in such specific terms. I think there's a lot of value in reactions like mine. The album may send me back more than a decade, and yes there are dated qualities to the music, but it makes the songs distinctive, especially in this genre. The album's audio finishing works and everything sounded purposeful and cohesive. Excellent blending of electronic sounds really added to the accessibility of the music. I liked this album mostly because it achieved the goals it set in front of itself. I recommend giving it a listen and allowing it to really sink in.
Dominick (guitar/vocals), Brian (drums), Drew (bass) and Mitchell (guitar) are Scotchka. The band has been around for about a year and released Afraid To Fall Asleep. The EP contains four familiar pop/punk songs in the essence of bands like Modern Baseball and Saves The Day.
The band has some inspired moment as well as some moments that point to the fact that they are just getting their footing. The most notable aspect that they need to improve is simply staying in the pocket. It’s an aspect that has to be there for a professional band. The band is a bunch of young guys that sing about age appropriate themes. For the most part the songs in some way seem to revolve around romantic relationships. Take for instance the opener “The Dunning-Kruger Effect” where Domonick sings, “No, you'll never be / As great as the queen I hold of you in my head / But I've grown numb to being disappointed / And I know, I'll never be / As great as the king who reigns inside of your head / So I'm telling you now before I get upset.” At this point in the game Scotchka is wearing their influences on their sleeve. They sound like an amalgamation of many different bands that you have probably heard before. That’s something I usually hear from bands that haven't been playing together for very long. The band certainly has some talent but they are going to need to work on finding their own strain of sound which doesn't sound so familiar. “I'm Not Putting My Clothes Back On” and “Rubatosis” are well written but finding the unique essence of Scotchka eluded me. Overall, Scotchka is a case of wait and see. There's certainly some potential and I hope to hear more from the band soon.
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