Julian Mazzola (vocals), Tony Peer (guitar/bass), Connor Smim (bass/guitar), Josh Mendelson (guitar) and Ethan Manning (drums) are Blue Moon Under, The young band who are either seniors in high school or already graduated released a lo-fi album called This Is It.
The thing with high school bands is they are transitory. I will surmise around ninety-five percent fall apart once college rolls around. When you get to be my age which is a little shy of forty there are no bands left. If they are still together they are most likely rich and famous. The cold, harsh truth is that unless Blur Moon Under gets a huge following relatively soon they will probably meet the same fate as the cute girl they were dating and breakup. Perhaps Blue Moon Under will be an anomaly because their release This Is It shows some potential and talent. They play rock that feels smart, visceral and well delivered. The band has skill and although the band is wearing some obvious influences on their sleeve such as the Red Hot Chili Peppers they sound fun. The band opens with “Looking Glass” which shows some talent beyond their years. I thought some of the sounds they implemented displayed an aesthetic proclivity towards unique tones and textures. On top of that the song is catchy and easy to enjoy. It’s a very impressive opener. “Deeper” show some technical ability and that they can stay in the pocket. This is the arguable highlight with jangly guitar and tight drumming that gives the song a lot of energy. They mellow out with “Sonar” at least in the beginning before it showcases a Pink Floyd-esque guitar solo and dynamic performances from the rhythm section. The closer “Castles” felt the most influenced and funky while being a fairly obvious tip of the hat to the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Even though the recording quality could be improved in a number of areas the band's songwriting and skill shine through. If these guys can make it past the almost inevitable deal breaker of college I predict good things. Recommended.
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Graham Earley is a Minnesota singer/songwriter and Caregiver Caretaker is his first full-length record. Released just before departing for a year in India on a Fulbright grant, the album represents the culmination of his musical work during his college years.
Earley claims Tallest Man on Earth and Henry Jamison as influences, which is evident immediately on the album opener “Thought You Thought.” Their intimate folk clearly inspires Earley here with fingerpicked guitar and a stark arrangement. The end of the song, moving into a heavily strummed pattern, contains the lyrics “You say a word / I say it back / I change the tense / I add a track / you press rewind / I play it back / am I on track?” The theme here seems to be of learning and patience, of reinterpreting someone’s point of view into your own. The narrator is shaping the present with his counterpart’s past, and learning from his own mistakes. The effect of “Thought You Thought” is astounding, and it’s a great way to open up the record. “Horoscopes,” another standout, demonstrates Earley’s capability as a songwriter. Using a stilted pattern that alternates between bars of 4/4 and 2/4, the verse has a buoyant energy complementary to the playfully inquisitive lyrics. The chorus, however, drops into a minor key and stops the alternating lengths, giving it a weight that contrasts with the verse. It’s surprisingly effective, and by the end Earley marries that tension with the original alternating pattern, bringing the whole thing home. “Horoscopes” foregrounds his clever songwriting, an instinct that helps distinguish the record from similar work. Though not necessarily a stated influence, Earley seems to carry some indie rock history in his work, particularly his singing voice. At times he sounds as if he’s straining to reach for a note, giving his vocal a grit common among indie rock singers. “Ocean Floor” is a prime example of this technique; staying restrained in the verses, Earley sounds like he’s yelling out his feelings in the chorus, giving it an additional emotional impact. “The Weekend” is a poignant moment to end on, marrying a gentle fingerpicked guitar with heavily reverbed vocals. Describing fleeting moments of quiet and peace, and insinuating the darkness and noise surrounding those moments, long stretches of the track are simply intense guitar. It also ends on a discordant note, refusing to offer a tidy resolution to the uncertainty. It’s a really strong way to close the record, demonstrating Earley’s profound understanding of the emotional dynamics of his music. Caregiver Caretaker has a depth and maturity that are almost surprising coming from a young artist. Earley knows his strengths and rarely strays from them, imbuing a diverse set of songs with a potency that’s rare to find in self-released albums. Hopefully he will have even more to offer when he returns from his time abroad.
Edgar Sopper aka Crow Speaks is back with Featherweight. Featherweight is a six-song EP consisting of guitar and vocals. I’ve stated multiple times in this site that an album or EP consisting of only those two elements needs a rare level of talent to keep me interested these days. I'll say that Sopper does get a lot of emotion out there and he is a dynamic player. On that note I still wanted more instrumentation.
Sopper has some good ideas but I think if he is going to continue to go the lo-fi record on Garageband type route the most important thing is that he needs to work on basic production techniques, the most important being his vocals. The reverb makes it very hard to understand the lyrics and the guitar and vocals sound very thin in general. I thought the vocals needed more depth and presence. Pushing a compressor hard while boosting frequencies around 150 hz, 2k and even 5k could have helped with making his vocals feel more intimate and like the focal point of the music. Up first is “Collapse Relapse.” His vocals are on the verge of feeling theatrical in the beginning of the song. I kept on picturing the performance in a play. The lyrics are like a Greek play and are tragic and overflow with a dramatic, astringent delivery that lacks any sense of levity. He sings, “Mother, Father we are sorry Still cannot fathom what 'Love' means No one should be suffering For the ones who only know hate.” Up next is “Stuck” which contains depressing lyrics with a more upbeat, energy that at its best has an energy similar to Neutral Milk Hotel. He sings, “Stuck inside of my empty mind / Got a broken tooth for a silver spoon / Stuck inside of my empty mind / Know I'm not going make it out alive.” As the songs progress they seem to be about a tortured soul in some way of another. The Tom Waits-esque highlight entitled “Sea Song” seems to revolve a fictional protagonist while “XYZ God” seems to reinforce my theories that some lyrics are inspired by Greek mythology and lore. The dismal closer “Running...again” feels like an overt cry for help and salvation. The creative process seems to be a cathartic experience for Sopper and that's arguably the most amazing thing about music. It can help you clear up your demons and even has the possibility of clearing up someone else’s demons. That sense of connection is a major reason why people listen in the first place and I surmise that is something that Sopper is hoping to accomplish.
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 Great Line Byron Letters to Lynn 3.4 Lethal Wayne Isidhair Eoaltbsowkf 3.4 Straw Poll Straw Poll 3.5 Fogtrotter Fogtrotter 3.5 Moomjean Always There EP 3.6 Raven State Raven State 3.7 White Summer A Dark Sea 3.4
Before Clouds is the project of singer/songwriter Brandon Craw (guitar/vocals) with the help of producer Ben Kernion, based in West Los Angeles. Craw describes his sound as a blend of alternative rock and indie folk, Foo Fighters meets Mumford Sons, if you will. Every song on his four-track EP Songs for Janice Holland is built around the words; it’s obvious that Craw is a lyric-driven artist. He describes the instruments as a base “to give life and flow to the words.”
The first track “I Want Oxytocin” had an intricate guitar intro that was soft and pretty. The lyrics were instantly intriguing. It was definitely one of those songs where the entire thing is a metaphor and you find yourself second-guessing the meaning. For anyone that doesn’t know, oxytocin is a hormone released by the pituitary gland that increases during pleasurable activities like kissing and sex and is sometimes known as the “love hormone”- he's not talking about drugs. Craw’s vocals are rough and a little off key at times, but fitting in the context of his sound. About halfway through the song the guitar became a little too intense for me. The aggressive strumming became distracting and overpowering. But overall I enjoyed the dark edge of the song. The second track “Row” felt much lighter, even though I again found the guitar a little overpowering. This song had more of a folk feel which fit better with Craw’s vocals. Towards the end, it took more of a rock turn which felt a little confusing to me. “Limbo” was poetic with a sad longing in the lyrics. The final song “Simple Smile” was a perfect ending track. It’s an emotional song that slowly builds into a full-bodied folk/rock anthem. I loved the lyric “So please don’t retract from this hallway, my love. I only called you here so I can tell you that you’re the one I fear.” Songs for Janice Holland was an interesting EP. I really love Craw’s songwriting although I think the same passion he has for the words should be put into his vocal melodies and instrumental accompaniments. The melodies felt redundant at times and the aggressive guitar strumming became repetitive and overpowering. The guitar started to feel like a crutch. If Craw put the same vulnerability into the instruments as he does with the lyrics, I think he could have something pretty amazing. I look forward to future work.
The Spines originally formed in 1981 - yes, 1981. The original lineup lasted till the late ’80s and was built upon Jon McLeary’s (vocals/guitar) songs. They eventually reformed with a new lineup backing McLeary’s songs consisting of Hannah Fraser (vocals/keyboards/violin/glockenspiel), Les Knight (bass) and Malky Taylor (drums).
Epidural is their latest album which is a no frills rock/folk/blues album. They stick to basics as far as production goes and rely on the songwriting. Up first is “On a Daily Basis” which is a bluesy rock number that introduces you to McLeary’s vocals which could be considered an acquired taste. The song is loose and had a live feel to it. Up next is “Explore” which combines instrumentation like violin, guitar, bass and drums. The song is a highlight and like the opener has a loose feel to it that was starting to define the band. I thought the lyrics were interpretative. Lines like “I see the house I see you there by the door / I tell myself to be ready for anything / I hear the voice that describes you so well / And feel the roar of the planet's edge” are descriptive inner monologues that are ambiguous in there meaning, There are more traditional rock songs like “For The Vulture's Sake” and “St June” as well as backroom midnight blues burners like “Rachel” which contains some of the most inspired moments on the album. Some of the standouts was the slow and steady “Sex can Be Sad,, “The Supersane” and “There Goes The View.” Epidural is an album that draws influence from artists, albums and sounds that were around before the ’80s. There isn't an ounce of modern production or influence for that matter. The album isn't without its faults but was an enjoyable ride from beginning to end. Recommended.
What started as a passion project has quickly grown into something much greater for Lucky Monkey, a quartet that comes from British Columbia, Canada and recently formed in 2016. Their self-titled EP debut Lucky Monkey mixes influences from classic rock and metal and combines them into a modern sound of their own. The band consists of vocalist Cassidy Hritzuk, guitarist Ryan Zeleznik, bassist Dylan Losell and drummer, Josh Evans.
The EP starts off with energized guitars and a straight up beat that has more of a modern rock sound than the hardcore, ear splitting stuff from metal’s golden years. Hritzuk’s vocals come off as clean and bold and have that classic hard rock scream. “Say What You Want” has a low, driving groove and shifts into gear with anthem-like lyrics and crazy, catchy guitar riffs. It has a blues flavor to it as well and would be really great to see live. “So Far Away” is the slower, darker track among the five songs and features a beautiful intro and Hritzuk’s incredible vocal range. The layering of guitar and vocal tracks was quite excellent on this one, too. From what I could tell, this one was perhaps about a broken love relationship but I’ll let the listeners decide for themselves. The last two songs shift from the hard rock/metal style to something a little more easy going. If I weren’t already familiar with Cassidy’s vocals after a few listens, I’d swear this was a different band. But I don’t mean this in a bad way, in fact, it should prove to listeners that Lucky Monkey is not a one-size-fits-all kind of band. That being said, I did like “I’m Done With You” because of the bass and drums parts in the beginning and middle; in fact, the bass was hot – meaning it was damn good! “What Are You Waiting For?” had a bluesy, soulful feel and once again showcased Hritzuk’s vocal range that I will confess here, reminded me of a very young Chris Cornell – not quite as raspy or gruff, but the higher range that Cornell was so well known for was there. I’ll be looking forward to hearing what’s next from these guys just north of the border.
Kill Effect was formed in 2007 by Jason Watts (vocals/guitar) but the band completed the lineup with Shawn Lockrey (drums) and Steve Leslie (bass). They released Grit which is a twelve-song hard rock album.
The word “indie” is a hard one to define but it’s a word that can describe a sound. Bands like deerhunter, real estate and big thief have what you would call an “indie” sound. Kill Effect doesn’t have that vibe going on in the least. Their music is unequivocally a little more commercially accessible. It's the kind of music that could be the walk out music for a UFC fighter. Hard FM radio ready rock. The sound has been done over and over throughout the last maybe fifteen, twenty years. I can’t say Kill Effect is bringing much new to the table with this album. It’s an album that you will most likely know right away if it's your cup of tea or not. Songs like “Contagious” sound closer to Nickleback style grunge than bands like Alice In Chains, Mudhoney and Soundgarden. Then you have a song like “Adorable (When You Scream)” which has a chorus that sounds closer to ’80s rock. The band has some success with “Hidden in a Melody” which while broad sounding is catchy and contains some memorable vocal melodies. “Wish You All The Best“ is a little heavier and is on the verge of going into metal at times while “Trigger” has a good amount of attitude that is turned up to ten. The band ultimately has a sound that is more apt to resonant to a wide demographic. Their music has a certain sound that you should be familiar with unless you have been hiding under a rock.
Stellar Systems is a recording project between Ben Krueger and Blair Hatch. They released Edge of Infinity which is very much a concept album with a narrative. I’m personally on the fence about albums that tell a sequential story for a number of reasons I won't go into. It. That being said Edge of Infinity worked because of a couple of reasons including the top notch production and the solid songwriting.
Their music could be boiled down to atmospheric rock. The guitars are covered in a good amount of reverb and so are other elements for that matter. There weren’t many surprises along the way and no moments that shouted they are onto something that will redefine rock. Of course that would be highly unlikely but at any rate I thought the album was cohesive and used a limited palette of tones and textures which gave the album a cohesive feel. If you want to know more about the story specifically I would just check out their Bandcamp page and read the synopsis because I won't be going into the details. The story was secondary for me. I have to appreciate the melodies, the delivery and the visceral feeling I got when I listened to it before concentrating on the narrative. And that was what I got with the first track “The Journey.” I was honestly a little worried upon hearing the atmospheric pads that this journey was going to a little bit too grandiose for me. Luckily, the band doesn’t let the cerebral, ethereal qualities feel overwhelming. They get back to earth when I hear that good ole sound of humans playing instruments. The lyrics are reflective, lamenting the fact they lost everything but also hopeful about the future. The journey takes off from there with a number of quality songs. Hooks abound on “(We Are) The Scientists” and the melancholy and atmospheric “CHON.” The songwriting is consistent as the album progresses. “Breathe,” “Mysteries Of This World” and “Build It Strong” were a couple of standouts. There is no denying this album was a labor of love. The album is thick with detail and does take some effort to get through the thirteen tracks. In the spirit of the narrative I will say it's an album that definitely worth exploring.
I don’t know much about the artist who calls himself sicky. He has played in a number of bands and recently released 24 days which seems to be a complete solo album. Either way 24 days is a slightly off-kilter rock album. I wouldn't go so far as to say it's experimental but sicky isn’t afraid to take some chances.
The album starts off with “Everythings Electric Just Plug Me In” which is a highlight. I liked multiple things about the song but the thing that got me was the layered vocal harmonies. There's a bit of a late ’80s, early ’90s rock vibe going on especially when he sings “let it begin.” Up next is “Miracle” which is a little more just straight rock.There weren’t too many surprises along the way with catchy verses and a harder hitting chorus. I was a little more intrigued by the beginning of the title track. Something about the initial melody felt like a repetitive mantra and set the pace for a fun, rock song. “Out of My Mind” starts with a prominent beat that will get you moving. I thought the pacing was great especially the way the sheets of distortion come in from the guitar on the chorus. His vocals were treated differently on “House” at points. It seemed like they were layered with some kind of modulation effect which worked for the song. “Radar” felt like the centerpiece and was the clear standout along with “Everythings Electric Just Plug Me In.” “Radar” starts off sparse with guitar and vocals. As the song progresses it gets layered with more instrumentation and eventually goes into the most epic chorus on the album. The song is really dynamic as well making the epic moments feel that much more epic. But don't stop there because “I’ll Send You the Dream” and “All In” have some inspired moments as well. Even though there were a couple of tracks that didn't float my boat I thought the delivery and production was great. 24 days is a solid album that obviously had a lot of work put into it. Take a listen. |
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