Molly Rabuffo aka Maura is a singer/songwriter based in Brooklyn, NY. She has an impressive resume. She released her first album in 2013 and composed directed an independent off-Broadway play in New York City titled Honey Dipped Apocalypse Girls
Her most recent effort entitled Seedlings is a four-song EP showcasing what I would describe as delicate music that is emotionally resonant. The EP starts with a melodramatic poetry reading with piano music playing in the background. It lasts a little over a minute which I thought was just about perfect. “Ready” is gorgeous and was the highlight for me. It’s here she displays her vocal talents against acoustic guitar and other musical elements that can be described as warm. There is a feeling of solace. The topic itself was quite unique and avoids the cliches of a typical love song. It seems to be about new love that you might not quite be ready for. My interpretation was that it was about personal growth. She sings, “But have you noticed? I might not be quite ready for you darling / I don't think I'm quite ready for you darling / I’m not ready for you darling.” “Our Building” was a well played stripped back song. It’s somber and jazzy. I wouldn’t have minded some additional instrumentation. The lyrics are again very inventive and avoid tropes and cliches. It seemed to be about heartbreak and moving on in a lot ways. “Hello Heart (Live from Girlhood)” is another stripped back song and is indeed live. I liked it quite a bit but the diminished recording quality took away some of the intimacy that I heard on the previous song. This EP went by in a flash. I was actually interested in hearing more than I did. Hopefully that can happen in the near future. I’m looking forward to her future work.
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The Bearskins is a four-piece based in Elora, Ontario that was formed after jamming together at a local pub jam night. Some of the first songs the band worked on were old material. However the band has been writing new music faster than they can record it. In early August, the band released their self-titled debut The Bearskins. It is a collection of tracks that masterfully draws inspiration from some of rock n’ roll’s greatest and gives it a fresh new face for the modern world.
The album’s opening track “You Came To Interrupt” begins with a bluesy riff that leads into the first verse of the song. It sounds like it could fit onto a ’70s Rolling Stones album. The slides and bends that fill in the gaps in the song also serve to add more flavor to the tracks in between the lines of the verses. Small solo sections populate the song as well, making for a perfectly paced opening track. “A Fox, A Dog, A Snake” is the third track in the line-up. A more mellow track than “You Came To Interrupt,” the slides and bends between lines is still present. In a different light they add to the moodiness of the track, giving an underline to the words of the verse. The Bearskins bring a healthy serving of blues to the modern alternative sound. Standing on the shoulders of The Arctic Monkeys, The White Stripes, The Strokes, The Black Keys, Led Zeppelin, Kings Of Leon and The Hives, the pure rock n’ roll form is given a luxurious modern update on this album. The wailing guitar solos, the crashing drums, the relatable and memorable lyrics and the thunderous bass tone present on these five tracks are the same things that propelled the giants of the rock world to the mountaintops in the first place. A stimulating blast of classic rock elements, complemented by modern attitudes and influences comes together to make The Bearskins one band that all fans of rock music need to hear.
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Progressive rock n’ rollers from Pittsburgh, Space Weather was formed by vocalist Tony Gregory in the summer of 2017 and during the past spring the group recorded their first self-titled EP Space Weather at Interlace Audio in Portland, Oregon. The EP’s music is two-fold: songs are each stylistically strong enough to stand on their own but yet taken altogether have similar progressive riffs, harmonies and instrumental sections. Other bands that Space Weather has pulled influence from include Dance Gavin Dance, CHON and From Indian Lakes to many more.
“Home Isn’t Home Anymore” starts things off with a magically sounding instrument and crazy, fast drumming on the skins. In fact, the entire song keeps up an intense, frenzied energy – overall, a great start for this first-time listener. I’m guessing the lyrics hint at what it feels like to be an “alien” or “out of place” in a relationship. “Dancing Demons” keeps the intensity going with unbelievably quick finger action on the guitar and fantastic drumming. The words are equally intense and complex, suggesting the dark place of addiction. Stylistically, I’d say this tune has a mix of indie, alternative pop with a little metal and industrial sounds. “West Coast Daze” features a lighter pop flavor with a forceful beat on the drums. Keyboards drop in after the first verse giving some added variety. Some fantastic guitar work can be heard on this one and the lyrics remembering back to a simpler time that I’m sure we’ve all tried to relive as we grow older. “Magenta Echoes” features more crazy good drumming and additional keyboards. I thought this one had a lighter melody to it as well. Some of the lyrics however, didn’t read like the melody and speak from a very personal level of the songwriter – “I wanted to fly cause they’re coming to take me away.” The last tune “Terminal” fades in with some intricate guitar riffs and a more industrial/electronic feel with click and rhythm effects on the keys and a special filter added to the vocals. I thought the tempo on this number was the slowest of any on the album. The words here are deeply emotional, suggesting that a person’s life would be over if they were to separate from the one they loved – “Please don’t leave me here, just fight it off” and later “cause everything in life is just not worth it if I lose my one true confidant.” The ending musical effects were very cool and otherworldly and wrapped up this band’s first EP nicely.
David Taylor tells a very personal story through a very traditional Americana country sound with his album Texas Heat. Taylor was born in Texas and then moved to Charlotte, North Carolina when he was thirteen. I think it's interesting that he seemed very committed to go back to his roots with the album name. This album is decidedly American made and accessible for so many dealing with the very issues he addresses.
The first track "Twelve Dollar Check" is such a personal and yet very topical narrative. It's a tale of poverty and the excruciating frustration of trying to hold a family together when money is short and you begin to wonder how you're going to put food on the table. I don't know if the tone of the lyrics really connected with the mood of the music. "We'll get by" slows down a great deal and in my opinion has a much better cohesion between the lyrics and music. This song also ties into the theme of triumph over adversity. There's mental and physical anguish as the stakes are high. Track three is "Take Me Back To Texas." Here you'll understand how much of Taylor's heart was left in his favorite state. This is another slow one with an emphasis on family. "Last Chance (American Dream)” is yet another very accessible song with lyrics that deal with poverty. It addresses the pitfalls of working endlessly and earning very little and losing peace of mind in the process. This track was one of my favorites musically. The added piano was a nice touch. It was also given a few more layers that really punched it up. The music and lyrics melded really well here. "Wondering" falls deep into the classic country genre. The last track is "Bartender" and I really loved the guitar in this one, I don't want to spoil it too much, but it's a great closer. I like Taylor's voice, although I think with a little work I could love it. He tends to lean towards slower, low fi songs and this puts a big focus on his vocal ability. The place where he struggles is on hard inflection and holding a note. It's here that I firmly believe he could tone that muscle and really make those words fly. I love his lyrics and the music managed to pull on my heart strings from time to time. There was something in the treatment of the production on the album that I thought could be improved. This is one of those albums that really calls for a love of country music, something I could tell Taylor clearly has in spades. I want to commend him on his willingness to share such a personal narrative.
‘Coon Eye is a project that was started in 2018 by Calvin Whitney. The young artist released One For Out Yonder which plays like a collection of some of my favorite bands that I was playing on my CD player about twenty years ago. Pavement, Yo La Tengo and Elliot Smith were a couple of the artists I was appreciating in my high school days. Suffice it to say Whitney has good taste to my ears.
His EP starts with “Wailing Jennings” which sounds like Elliot Smith from top to bottom. It’s quite good and over in a flash. “Rite Of Passage” sounds like a mishmash of indie rock bands from the ’90s. According to the powers that be indie rock is no longer as cool as it once was. I was never one for trends anyhow and I can respect a good homage. “Candid Camera” is arguably the highlight. It’s a straightforward song but quite catchy, well written and Whitney delivered a solid performance. On top of that the guitar work was top notch and I appreciated what I think was a xylophone. The warm melancholy hum of Dinosaur Jr. is what I was reminded of on “World Champion.” In fact he sounds a little like J Masics. Whitney has a boat load of talent especially for such a young age at nineteen years old. That being said being twice his age I have a little advice for him. He seems to be doing the same exact thing I was doing at nineteen and wearing his influences on his sleeve. It’s hard not to but it’s never too early to start defining a signature sound. I think finding ways to cast away his influences before he writes a song would be a good start. Overall, this is a solid start. I hope to hear more from him soon.
Baby Creative Starz is the moniker for recording artist Jack Hawkins. The concept for the band was intriguing even if I’m not completely sure what it means. Hawkins states the project “started as an imaginary group of musicians (a band) that I wish existed as a high-schooler in Jackson (Mississippi).” At any rate Hawkins released Luka's Descent which at the very least has a unique sound.
The album started off as a dedication to his puppy Luka. It kind of went off from there apparently and focused on different aspects of his life. The first song entitled “Luka’s Playground” is definitely about his dog. I liked the song which was a highlight and I liked it quite a bit because i was hard to put a finger on. It reminded me of Ween in some ways. It's a little funky with inventive vocal techniques and some great guitar work. The first word that came to mind when listening to “It's Red (like the color of the thoughts inside your head)” was zany. It’s oddly fun in ways but I have no idea if any words were actually being sung. “Melodrama” felt a little more traditional in terms of tones and structure but there are some pretty unique and slightly vocal inflections which was great. “Hot Night” is completely instrumental and sounded a bit like a B-side from Mac Demarco. “Viv” is short but sweet and is wacky in a Frank Zappa sort of way while “Child's Hand” is far away the most emotionally resonant with atmospheric qualities. Luka's Descent was a solid listen. I think it would behoove him to keep going in the experimental side. That seems to be the sweet spot for his music. I’m looking forward to hearing his music evolve.
Tyler (drums), Travis (bass), Landon (vocals/guitar), and Kaylon (guitar) are TetraFuze. The band from Lawrence, Kansas released Welcome Home which embraces hard rock/metal.
I had a discussion with a couple of other musicians recently about which genre we thought brings out the most technically advanced players. We came to three conclusions with no clear winner. Jazz, metal and prog rock. I love fast heavy metal that comes at blistering speeds giving you zero time to breathe. Welcome Home does do that at times which is the band at their best. The band doesn't come out of the gates rocking. They start with an “Intro” which sets an ominous tone with a couple of guitars and distortion. In fact the band displays their more tranquil side with “Farewell” which is free of percussion. It’s a moody piece with lyrics that yearn for change. The band starts to rock out with “Grad-itude” which is where the band thrives. There are some cliche death metal things like the ever popular growl but it’s the guitar parts and drumming which really attracted me to the song. The band continue to rock with “Reprogrammed” but go for something more aligned with drone metal on “Freeze.” Album highlight “Empty” is a nice balance in terms of dynamic and pacing. It’s mysterious and brings to mind a band like Soundgarden. In fact the whole song felt like it could be considered grunge. The band goes really hard with “Tempus Fugit” and then goes back into hard rock with “I Suffer.” They go full on ambient with “Scars” and come to a close with the title track “Welcome Home” which is a slow burn. The album felt a little loose. It seemed like the band wasn't completely sure what direction would be the right direction. On the plus side it leaves them more room to close in on a signature sound on their next effort. I do think narrowing down on whatever defines their music should be food for thought. Overall, this is an impressive effort. It feels like a band that is just coming into their own and I look forward to hearing more.
The band Strothers put out an album earlier this year titled About an America. Sam Strothers formed that group in 2015 with drummer Joe Harari and bassist Dylan Lawbaugh. After two years of intense songwriting, the artist decided to pursue a solo record in late 2017 and voila, we have an album.
“Ghost” is the first song off the album Skeleton and I believe it’s the perfect choice. Strothers’ haunting voice gives life to the lyrics and you feel empathetic to the hero. A nice, but also wonderful add to the song is the catchy guitar riff that blends really well with the story. You can’t help bouncing your head while following along to the hero’s journey. “Full Flesh Now” is the second song, and was perfectly placed as a follow up song. The song starts and ends with an orchestral beat that’s has a very ’90s house music feel to it. I could imagine Bjork being an inspiration to this song. But my favorite song off this album is “Just a Loss.” Strothers is back with his stirring voice mixed with an acoustic guitar. Strothers’ voice is so captivating to listen to that you could get lost with his words while strolling down the park late in the evening. This song has so much potential I could see it being picked up by a label. According to the artists themselves, they describe the album full of emotional heartbreak, loss and isolation. Strothers comments, “It’s a collection of different genres side by side and blended together. This was by all means intentional because I wanted to show diversity and like a diamond, the different faces of a common thread.” I agree with them that their pace is upbeat, but provides a realistic perspective on life. While the pace is often upbeat, the lyrics offer a more realistic perspective. Take a listen.
In Different Sounds started as a joking conversation between two friends. The work they have done since, like playing basement shows and small venues in Philadelphia and releasing an EP, is no joke. Their newest EP Whale Jail was released in late March of 2018. A complex and eclectic set of songs, the EP is steeped with the raw talents of In Different Sounds.
The title track “Whale Jail” is a medium paced song. It’s the longest song on the album, and it covers many different styles and feelings across its 4:44 run-time. The blend of the multiple instruments that the band has to offer is very apparent on this track in particular as each of them join one by one for the intro of the song. As the song settles into its medium pace it becomes drenched in arpeggios and cellos. The change of pace in the middle of the song demonstrates the versatility of the band. Each part of “Whale Jail” could be its own song. The combination of the two creates a wonderful mix of easygoing energy and the loud and fast. The build-up for the outro brings the song to a more than satisfying ending. The closing track “Special” is a little more upbeat. A hint of pop mixed in with the sound of the rest of the EP, it sets the tone well for closing the EP and leaving the wait for the next In Different Sounds release; one that listeners can jump onto with high energy. Whale Jail follows a loose concept. The songs sound upbeat and joyful, while the lyrics often highlight less than joyous occasions and feelings. Fans of bands like The Cure, The Strokes, The Killers, Vampire Weekend and Pixies will find themselves at home with many elements of the sound of In Different Sounds. The fusion of genres that make up the sound of the band can’t always be traced at first. Repeat listens will reveal more of their nuances and bring listeners to the realization that In Different Sounds can hang in with any of the bands that have used these elements in their music. Listeners that are not so enthusiastic about the bands that I rattled off above will quickly appreciate the chemistry between the band, as well as their use of pop elements to keep a song within the lines of reason.
Sam Stringfield typically speaks to the world at large from behind the piano. His debut EP was released in 2014, garnering local radio play. The Charleston, SC based singer/songwriter released his second EP So Many People in mid-August of 2018. A mix of jazz fusion, power pop, and a self-aware sense of humor, the EP is one that is sure to captivate listeners from the beginning.
“Only Photogenic” in the first track. It hits hard from the beginning, telling the story of being a human being in a world where digital citizenry is taken more seriously than being present in the real world. The guitar that strikes its chords behind the piano, drums and saxophone adds a bit of anger to the melancholy that populates the verses. It gives the feeling of climbing, like the slow ascent up a rollercoaster’s first drop. As the EP carries the listener forward, the fourth track “Beer in the Shower” starts off with a bouncy electric piano. As the other instruments join, the verse passes almost as quickly as it started. The chorus is as straightforward as one can get. It’s a fun song to sing along to and an entertaining one to listen to if you’re not much for singing. Entertaining is the absolute underline of this album. So Many People is a fun album to listen to at any time of day, and for any reason at all. While it feels fun to listen to, the introspective and hyper-observant lyrics are excellent for days when fun seems hard to have. Fans of Frank Zappa will be elated to hear this album. The jazz outlines of each of the songs, the help from other musicians to use heavy solos and technical efficiency to add depth to the music, and the often tongue-in-cheek humor that is observant to the point of being self-aware. Listeners that are unfamiliar with the style will quickly find comfort in Stringfield’s power pop and alternative undertones. It’s an album that anyone can easily get behind, and with a few listens So Many People will find its way into the daily rotation of any fans of honest songwriting, saxophones and adept piano playing. |
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