J. R. Nelson is an artist from Eugene, Oregon who recently released a five-song EP entitled Sleeptalking. The EP is a complete DIY effort from the production to the songwriting. Nelson mentions: “I was raised on Neil Young and The White Album, and once I discovered classic ’80s and ’90s indie as a teenager I knew that I wanted to write songs.”
The first song is called “The Dream” and revolves around strummed guitar, drums, piano, organ and bass. This song has its moments especially during certain sections where the song feels uplifting, like around the one-minute-and-forty-five-second mark. “A Mirror, Dimly” was a highlight to my ears. I liked the vocals and overall mood on this song right away. There are some slight issues with timing but that sort of gives it a real and raw quality. I really liked the tremolo infused lead guitar. “When the Strings Kick In” is a stripped back song with impressive guitar picking. The vocals are very nice and warm here. The vocal harmonies are well done. That being said, similar to the previous track there are slight issues with delivery but it sort of works because it feels raw and live. In this case some notes felt a little off key. “It Isn't Me” was another highlight in the batch. This song is really catchy and there are some fantastic instrumental parts like around the two-minute mark. Last up is “Tracing the Lines” and this was my favorite tune. It sounded like a mix between Elliott Smith and The Beatles. The vocals were the best yet in terms of delivery and being memorable. This EP brings warm pensive sentiment and some good songwriting. The artist made it sound cohesive by combining similar tones, textures and emotional resonance. Take a listen.
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The Cosmic Zero is the solo project of Landon Jenkinson, a musician from Portland, Oregon, who recently released a self-titled album The Cosmic Zero. He mentions: “I had around eight songs that tied together lyrically around existential themes of life, death, non dualism, the divine mystery and paradox. I have an insatiable curiosity about the fabric of reality, and treat music as a sort of personal therapy where I can unweave the tangled web of my mind and create a landscape in which I can find peace.”
In my experience Jenkinson is like countless other artists, not just musicians, trying to gain perspective through the creative process. The album contains eleven songs and the tone of the album revolves around contemplation and melancholy. The album starts with “Seasons” and you are greeted with warm acoustic guitar and vocals. His delivery is dramatic, pensive and melancholy as he whispers about internal existential questions. Jenkinson sings “I have tried so hard / hard to calm the waves / waves inside my head but I somehow got this far tell me where I am, am I already dead?” “More of the Same (A Coward's Refrain)” contains strummed chords and lamenting vocals. The mood is similar to the first song with lots of contemplation and worry. “Nothing Happens” is a warm soundscape I wasn’t expecting. It’s pretty straightforward with not much more than fluctuating sine waves, filters and reverb. “Lost to Stay '' contains the same sentiment but we get a female vocalist. The lyrics seem to suggest similar thought patterns. She sings “I'm not bewildered by existence / Fearful for what's in the distance / Sitting here as hours pass singing to a single cast.” As the album progresses there’s a mix of warm new age sounding soundscapes that reminded me of something might hear at meditation sessions or a spa. The last song “Truth is Cliche” is which contains some solid electronic piano work. This album reminded me of being in my 20’s again where I was sort of asking myself lots of existential questions. I definitely would go into phases where everything would feel confusing or meaningless which I think is extremely common. Whenever I felt the weight of the world I would read some Albert Camus, listen to Sigur Rós or do metta meditation to feel gratitude. The fact that we have the ability to reflect on our existential situation at all is an evolutionary miracle. When we do this through art as we hear on The Cosmic Zero it somewhat ironically provides the solace we are seeking by making the present moment compelling enough so that these questions don’t have to enter into the equation and we can just exist.
DeathPop is an indie rock band based out of Phoenix, AZ, featuring Joel Zonoozi (lead vocals/guitar), David Nelson (lead guitar), Carlos Arellano (drums/vocals) and Chase Lund (bass). DeathPop formed in 2019 at the very start of the pandemic. During lockdown, the band quickly began work on their debut EP Nothing to Stop. The band created the EP with a live sound in mind as they were eager to get these songs out in front of audiences as soon as possible. The band drenches in their sound a lot of indie rock, alt and shoegaze influences from bands like Minus the Bear, Nirvana and Beach House. The band takes their inspiration from these aforementioned bands and takes the sound a step further by putting in their own takes, backgrounds and experiences, giving the music a personalized air. With their unique interpretations, DeathPop gives new order to the tried and true.
Nothing to Stop starts off with “Intro” where synths and scatterings of guitar and percussive instrumentals settle into the groove of this introduction. The sounds meander for a bit, sounding loose and airy. Up next, the band hits it right away with reverb-drenched vocals from Zonoozi and a hazy full-band backing from the other members on “Nothing To Stop (Bubba’s Song).” The band’s music feels very indie rock in vibe. As the band’s energy here feels very slow burning, the track takes its time in evolving. The band sets the course for what is to come in their following songs. Some sparse guitar riffs and synths sound out in the background on “Punk.” As Zonoozi’s vocals softly arrive, you can really feel the music coming together. This felt like another slow burn with the track taking its time in unraveling. “Rest Your Heart” sounds more upbeat and livelier. The uptick in pacing really points to a revved energy. The piano and vocals sounded like a great pairing. The catchy background ‘ooh-ooh-oohs’ were a highlight. I enjoyed the energy of this piece greatly. On “I’ll See You Around,” some moody guitar riffs sound out here. Next, the distorted vocals sound out to great effect. The vibe then changes up for a catchier and more contagious tune. The harmonica highlights a laid back sound as strings and horns gives this track something extra in vibe. DeathPop is proudest of their effort on “I’ve Wasted So Much Time.” Starting off with a slow burning buildup, the sound then makes way for a more sprawling approach with big-sounding guitars. More of their hazy and indie rock and pop energy is played out here. Lazy horns and organ send listeners off with this excellent closer. Originally having started out as a bedroom type of project, the band has gone on to expand their sound, including in their music more complex ideas such as horns and strings. A little bit of everything, the project features both simple and a more involved sound here on their EP. DeathPop doesn’t just reiterate past influences, they imbue into their recording the best of what the band members have to offer. At the core, the recordings play on the players’ strengths, producing something each of them can be proud of. This was a solid undertaking and I look forward to seeing where they go from here.
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Denver, CO brings us Fair Day, an indie acoustic-electronic singer/songwriter. A veteran of many styles and genres--everything from jazz, punk and R&B to orchestras and choirs--he had a long break from music while training to be a doctor. Once he emerged from his residency, he dusted off some old songs, finished the writing and polished them up, resulting in the self-recorded and produced six-track Undertow EP.
Fair Day considers the electric guitar to be his instrument of choice, and Undertow has plenty of guitars. Tones tend toward the indie-pop with chiming arpeggiated figures and clean, easy-on-the-ears amp settings. The title track is the most texturally varied as Fair Day spreads his wings a bit and employs a number of different guitar sounds, including some appropriately chunky fuzz. The guitar work is complemented with synthesizers and synthesized percussion, as well as Fair Day’s smooth vocals. In an interesting twist, he’s used auto-tune and vocoder in a few places. (Attention, Cher: if you’re looking for your gear, it’s in Denver.) This takes the tunes, which could have been delivered in a coffee house open-mic style, into a modern, almost dance-hall electronic direction. It’s somewhat unexpected, especially when the auto-tune first kicks in on “Tungsten,” but it works and provides a little bit of drama. On “Oh, Death” for instance, this electronic treatment provides a very stark contrast with the somber lyrics. The music works well, but where the album really shines is in Fair Day’s lyrics. Take some of the imagery in “Tungsten:” “I know the place I want to get tonight / Filaments of tungsten burning bright / Tell me, baby, when you see the wash of wavelengths / Will you see my silhouette appear before you in the summer heat?” Terrific! Clipping out just one stanza of “No Saul”’s wanderlust story won’t do it justice; you’ll have to listen (and read) for yourself. Bonus points are awarded for the use of “cryptograph” and “circumnavigates,” which both appear in the same song (“Figures”). Fair Day’s parting lyric is “Oh, death – won’t you spare me over for another year?” Let’s hope so, and let’s hope that year brings us another Fair Day release. In the meantime, bring life to your ears with these electro-indie-pop delights.
Shadow is Shadow Quesinberry, a twenty-something singer/songwriter from Mocksville, NC. She is releasing her debut EP Water & Air, where she introduces her bewildering electronic sound that highlights both startling vocals and a dark, meandering feel to audiences. Her husband, Ryan Dyson, plays a role in the process, having helped compose and arrange the tracks on this EP as well as for the most part, handling the engineering and mixing. Quesinberry’s vulnerable sound on this album points to an artist willing to bare all. The very DIY process also allows Quesinberry to show a more intimate and raw side to her music-making. In a very real sense, the minimalistic approach and sparse sound, in the end, only went on to magnify the emotional resonance of the record.
Water & Air opens up with “Fatality,” where some keys and synths sound out as beats gain traction. Quesinberry’s vocals are airy. There’s a buoyant feel to her vocals as the electronic riffs arrive. The track feels very dynamic, brimming with an immediate sound. Quesinberry’s vocals flit in and out of this song. This proved to be a good introduction to her sound. More ominous sounds come in towards the start of “Muse.” Some hip hop-inspired beats arrive as the sound of synths and keys give this track more mood and feeling. Quesinberry really utilizes her vocals here to give this number textures and feeling. Some R&B, soul and hip hop influences could be felt in this song as well. On “Mother,” background vocal harmonies give this a very choral vibe. The overdubbed overlapping vocal harmonies offered up a very lush appeal. For the most part, this track incorporated only vocal layers. The choral element produced a very celestial vibe. Back to the electronic vibes of the previous songs, more of Quesinberry’s dark sound is actualized in “Shell.” The synths gave an eerie and edgy feel. As the synths grow in sound, the moodiness of this track picks up a notch with Quesinberry’s captivating vocals. The singer/songwriter’s minimalistic sound seems to work here. More keys arrive in the start of “Happy.” Quesinberry’s vocals are solely accompanied by the sparse sound of keys. This closer felt more pop-based as the artist bids farewell on a softer and more upbeat note. From the get-go, I thought Quesinberry’s music sounded very similar to Billie Eilish. There was that stark sound accompanied with an electronic vibe that will only grow on you the more you listen on. A little on the lo-fi end, there was a very intimate feel to the recording as Quesinberry packs in the mood and feeling within these atmospheric numbers. Quesinberry says that she created all the instrumental parts vocally, using an a cappella app and a piano to play around with the sounds. If that is the case, then at the very core this was an a cappella undertaking with Quesinberry’s vocals the centerpiece to this entire album. This certainly feels this way as Quesinberry’s voice takes front and center, drawing listeners in with its simple vulnerability. As the singer/songwriter digs deep to share with us her personal story and innermost feelings, Water & Air is Quesinberry, up-close-and-personal.
We've Come To Steal Your Energy is back with a new release entitled I'll Never Be As Cool As You. The release contains four songs.
The first song is the title track “I'll Never Be As Cool As You” and the main riff sounds similar to the Chris Isaak song “Baby did a bad bad thing.” On that note the song is experimental and with a different approach to the vocals. The vocals sort of come in and out. There’s a distorted lead followed by harmonies which are falsetto. The groove is the center of the song while other elements shift and change around it. “Pa 91 (You'll Never Be As Cool As Me)” is very different and sounded much more experimental to me. It starts with various tones and textures. There’s a mix of warmth and metallic soundscapes. It’s oddly beautiful and starts to come together and coalesce. The vocals are also experimental sounding. There’s a unique use of panning and the songs mutate in a heavily electronic groove which sounds somewhere between Aphex Twin and The Knife. Next up is “Is There Anyone There” which begins with a guitar melody and the vocalist asking the question. “Is Anyone There?.” The song is dissonant. It’s not pretty but I’m sure that was by design. Towards the end of the song we do get some drums which are introduced and you get this swelling groove of white noise. “Drinks And A Movie (Tonight)” is the most ambient song in the batch. It’s also very haunting and ominous. The song starts off with a subtle percussion pattern and this fragmented white noise sort of rises to this sense of anxiety. Eventually the tide turns into this pitch bending like melody. Everything feels disconnected but also sort of beautiful. The vocals are experimental. He’s not really singing but more like speaking with multiple layers. This ended up being the highlight of the release for me. This is a unique and inventive release. It’s hard to pinpoint but certainly feels avant garde and pushes boundaries. Take a listen.
Tommy Hodgson is an artist from Warwickshire, UK, who recently released a three-song album entitled Boy Yeah. The artist explains: “Having played and performed quite a bit in my teens, working life took over and it's only the past year or so that has seen me playing consistently again and writing some music.” Hodgson teamed up with a friend to help out with engineering duties.
The title track “Boy Yeah” starts with strummed acoustic guitar chords and a simple 4/4 beat. As the track progresses other elements start to trickle in like xylophone and piano. The vibe here is soft, warm and melancholy but perhaps most of all there’s a sense of gratitude. Hodgson sings “There’s a place that feels like home / where I feel alive.”The song is under three minutes and more or less finds a mood and sticks with it. “Show No Weakness” starts with a similar strumming pattern and right away I was feeling a similar mood to the first song. This song is a little more pensive and melancholy. There’s very little that happens in terms of dynamics until the end. The piano does add some subtle atmosphere. There is some lo-fi percussion that comes towards the end and a piano melody which gives the songs a cerebral quality. The lyrics did sort of have this Cat Stevens thing going which revolved around sort of getting past bad times and founding motivation. “Anywhere But Here” was the highlight to my ears. I was reminded of The Beatles and there were moments where Hodgson’s inflection does sound a bit similar to John Lennon. The song is definitely the most upbeat and catchy. I loved the ending with the overlapping vocal harmonies. The recordings veered towards lo-fi home recordings. I would say the drums in particular could have used some touch touch ups in the mix. These songs were well-written and delivered. They went together well enough to get an idea of Hodgson’s general sound. On that note I hope he doesn't take such a long time to create new songs because this was a solid start.
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Rockin’ Roulette and Chameleon Wheelhouse are the two previous releases from David A. He has been working on a new EP entitled Lit and recently released two songs to give us a sneak peak of how he is evolving and refining his sound.
The first song “Balustrade” starts with a tom heavy drum beat and slightly distorted guitar progression quickly after with vocals. It doesn't take long for more guitars to emphasize certain chords. The song felt like a slow burn with memorable melodies. I thought the lead guitar work around the two-minute mark was inventive. There’s one guitar which sounds similar to some you might hear from Eddie Van Halen and the other sounded more like a sitar. I’m not sure if this was actually a sitar but it worked. By the end of the song it sounded like a hard rock song. Up next is “If I'm So Strange” which actually doesn't sound too far from “Balustrade.” The song is again sort of slow burn with strains of feedback from the guitar and heavy beat. His vocals sometimes go into spoken word territory but not often. There’s another guitar solo a little before the two-minute mark and again some exceptional playing. The song does get more intense as it progresses with some additional vocal harmonies. The two songs I heard felt like certified rock to me. There weren’t too many surprises but the delivery was solid. Perhaps the aspect I enjoyed the most was the fact the songs did feel like I was listening to an artist who is confident in what he wants to play. If the EP expands on this signature sound he has developed I’m sure it will be one of more successful releases to date
Bp & The Big Picture is an alternative rock band from Salem, Massachusetts. Formed in 2019, the “Bp” in their name stands for lead singer, guitarist and songwriter Barryphillip Arruda, along with members Seth Nobles (guitar), Kevin McCourt (bass/vocals) and Dan DeLucia (drums). They were formed from a circle of North Shore musical compatriots and describe their music as “blending a dynamic mixture of blues and heavy rock, yielding a classic sound with a modern twist.” Their newest release BP / EP follows up their previous album You Make Me Sad, which was favorably reviewed on Divide and Conquer. All band members are credited with arranging their songs “to the apex of their potential” while delivering “a tight bed of riffs, solos and atmosphere, all with a hard-hitting bite.” The album was recorded and mixed by Michael Healey at Communal Waves Recording in Chelsea with mastering by Kenny Lewis.
From the very first lush guitar trills on “Gold Ring Disaster” I can tell there’s been a lot of effort put into this album. It’s beautifully arranged but also features a guitar that’s been pitched up or played a full octave higher, creating a kind of electric mandolin sound. When they kick into rock, it’s a truly clean, crunchy and classic sound spanning both the ’60s and the alternative ’90s with tasty blasts of feedback. At the two-minute mark there’s even some Brian May-inspired harmony guitar riffs. The vocals feature that earthy hard rock style and capture the song’s mood perfectly. “Big Plan” is a bit heavier and slower and is a lyrically repetitive Doors-like ode to angst and isolation, which the narrator attempts to shatter by breaking into his old house. I do relate to this track, having written a similar song about breaking into my old apartment back in the ’80s. The second half of this mini-epic features a killer lead break with the full band accelerating in sympathy. “Brian Wilson’s Beach Bummer Blues” wins for best song title, but really has little to do with The Beach Boys’ resident genius except for drugs, catching some waves and the song’s locations (the West Coast, including San Diego and Tijuana). They even misspell “Santa Barbra.” This song’s kinda nutty with two distinct sections and some wild playing, but it fits the set nicely. “Corners” follows with some snotty Stones swagger. It’s got a basic blues structure, but is filled with chords that have been happily subverted with dissonant blue notes. Bp’s vocals again channel the no holds barred charisma of Jim Morrison. “Poor Farmer’s Son” finishes the set with an extended ballad about…a poor farmer’s son, I guess! The meaning of Bp’s lyrics are never very clear but you can certainly feel his sincerity. I like how this one pulls back a bit, starting out with lots of air and space, then gradually raising the heaviosity quotient. Seth Noble’s lead guitar breaks are heartbreakingly perfect and he pretty much owns the final moments. So there you have it: another winner from Mr. Bp and his band, who I can only imagine will continue to crank out these dark but rockin’ hits well into the future.
Boulder, CO-based singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Albert Menduno has recorded several albums as A-Set over the past two decades. He felt that he “overdid it a bit” on his previous releases, so for Ancient Me, he looked to strip back the sound. Menduno recorded the twelve cuts at his home studio using an eight-track Tascam 388, and kept a strict rule that he wouldn’t bounce tracks around to achieve extra layering.
This is quite a mountain to climb. The songs have to be strong--a poor song can’t be hidden underneath layers of instruments. Further, with just eight tracks available (really, five, since Menduno has dedicated three to the drums), each track has to count. You have to write the exact part that the song needs and play it well. Fortunately, A-Set is up to the task, and the resulting album has the immediate, raw, “no frills” feel that he aimed to capture. The guitar, bass and drum parts may be simple on their own, but they fit together well and make a strong whole. Throughout, A-Set shows us how good guitar playing with great tones can fill up the space just fine. He’s not afraid to let notes ring, or let the drums play an easy pattern until it’s time for the next verse. Those old Creedence records didn’t need huge backing bands to sound great, and neither does Ancient Me. Americana/roots-rock fans will feel at home here, both musically and lyrically. These are straight-ahead guitar-based songs with a little slide guitar (“Out With The Old”) and fuzz-guitar-as-organ (“Slowly Slips Below” “The Protector”) worked in. But A-Set pushes the envelope, gently, in a few places, and it gives Ancient Me a nice extra boost. “M Squared,” for instance, has some jazz-standard moments wrapped around its ‘60s feel. The cool chord progression and vocal harmonies from “That Summer” make the tough-lyric chorus (“please find another place to live”) stick to you. The running order makes this a light concept album, as Menduno confronts issues from his childhood and finds the inner strength to overcome them. He starts with the introductory narrative “Out With The Old,”arcs through issues with his father (“The Leaver” “M Squared”), household instability (“House to House” “That Summer”), finding inner strength (“I Am Who I Am” “The Protector”), and finally some uneasy resolution (“In With The New”). Four of the twelve tracks are instrumentals, allowing for nice points of reflection and breath along the journey. And a fine journey it is. A-Set has hit his (self-set) mark with Ancient Me. With honest storytelling and great-sounding tracks, what more could we ask for?
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