Warren Davidson is the sole entity of Willow Weeper. On his recent album entitled Beginnings he creates compositions that have a bit too much meat to be called ambient but certainly veer towards similar tonal atmospheres. He combines electronic elements, with some organic instrumentation like guitars, that usually burst optimistic, invigorating patterns and frequencies that you may be apt to put on during your next house party.
One of the most surprising things to me is that Davidson did everything himself. The mixes sound stellar. However, I did notice that I was adjusting my volume knob quite often during the duration, something a professional mastering job could help with. A chill landscape is immediately established on “Time Turns Greens,” which transitions into an exuberant chorus that utilizes female vocals under a combination of instruments. You immediately notice how he has a knack for knowing how to stack different sounds where the whole sounds greater than the sum of its parts. He displays just as much skill on “Skylights” as he did on the first song by merging ethereal guitar with arpeggiated synths and electronic percussion. “Verbena Folk” was another track that stood out because of the light funk that he introduced. The song reminded me of early 2000’s Out Hud. “Bliss” melds electronic with post-rock style guitar in an attractive way. One of the best moments is halfway through the song when shards of sounds scatter across your speakers. Beginnings is good, really good. At 11 songs it feels a bit long but he had enough variety throughout to keep me interested throughout. This is the type of music you need to listen to on a nice pair of headphones with a full glass of wine.
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White Lodge is a group from Queensland, Australia that brings raw, guitar rock that not only has music that sounds like it was conceived in the 70’s but was also recorded in the 70’s. On their latest release Holy Void they have a downright dirty sound that embraces a similar aesthetic to contemporaries like Ty Segall Band. Just about everything on the songs are distorted. The guitar, the vocals and even the drums sound like they have a heavy dose of tape saturation applied. What's most impressive about this album is that even though the songs have similar roots they contain a lot of variety. This can't be better exemplified than by the first song on the album “Breath Of Shiva,” which blends a 70’s aesthetic with an overt 50’s influence. The song sounds like it would be right at home on a compilation of 50’s tunes like “Earth Angel” by The Penguins. It reminded me of the stellar record that Foxygen came out with earlier this year. “Teenage Fever Dream” changes courses to an upbeat, catchy, punk song while “Black Hyacinth” owes a lot to the bassist for making this song memorable. That being said the rest of the band also rocks out hard. “Black Hyacinth” is an intense song with heavy guitar riff and intense blood curdling vocals. Some elements of surf show up on “Velvet Sea” which is the shortest song on the album. Perhaps the highlight of the album was “Red Moon Hex.” The beginning of the song sounds like something you might hear in a modern day western written by Quentin Tarantino. It’s the music that is playing when our hero enters the town. I think it’s the whistling that really made it work. They close with the longest track called “Corduroy Clouds,” which to my surprise was one of the most restrained songs that never really takes off. Holy Void is a fun listen from top to bottom and has a nice flow with very few lulls. It is highly recommended. There's a strange beast within Petals of Spain's self-titled album Petals of Spain. The first song alone, the memorable "Eat You," introduces listeners to jazz-infused pop with noticeable hints of math rock and I'd venture to say emo-styled vocals. All these elements fuse into a big, stark sound that could pass for progressive rock. The rest of the album features similar moments of musical melding, such as the heavy gothic of "One in Billions" that loses its damn mind in erratic drum rolls and brass at the end, or if that's too much try the comparably mellow, keyboard-tinged "Shine." Petals of Spain is an exciting listen, like all albums created by unusually skilled musicians. All sorts of sensibilities, musical styles, genres and moods emerge from the lovingly arranged tracks. The Denver-based quartet lists their primary influences as Queen, Led Zeppelin, The Beatles, Rufus Wainwright, Michael Jackson and Radiohead. Certainly you can hear the eclecticism on tracks like the free-spirited "Taking Me High," which indeed features Jacksonesque vocals and Queenworthy levels of exuberance. Sometimes, though, the styles are far more muted, and even contradictory to the tracks they come before or after. "Era of Love" ends the album after "Taking Me High," and the only way the two tracks could be more different is if one of them was a noise collage. "Taking Me High" emphasizes funky bass lines underscoring optimistic piano notes and high male vocals, whereas "Era of Love" takes plodding gloom and channels it through subdued instrumentation (melancholy guitar chords, moribund drumming, anxious riffs, etc.). This sort of here-it-is-there-it-is set-up makes Petals of Spain a heady listen. The band manages the difficult task of making their album at once strange enough to attract interest but accommodating enough to make conversion to their camp of varied music styles permanent. Modern listeners, for example, could be attracted to "Here We Go," which at times sounds more Radiohead than Radiohead. Classic rockers will be prone to the supremely weird riff-fest of "Oo Mei Baba Wei." What impresses me most is that the musicians never seem to tire of exploring their potential. This is not the Petals' first release, which impresses me even more. Even if you listen to no other album of theirs besides this, you'd be arrogant to ignore the maturity and sense of adventure they boast. There are a few missteps here (some ideas don't work; the synthesizer sounding sounds on the proggy "So You're Gonna Quit Now" do not compliment the song) but more forward leaps in musicianship. This is highly recommended.
DandyLyon Whine plays bars and clubs around Rochester, MI, where they reside. Jeremy Otto leads the band. He mixes their music from his home. The group’s latest album, Coelacanth, is a grab bag of music. It includes everything from rock to grunge, folk to bluegrass, and even Americana. That’s one of the strongest elements of Coelacanth; you start every song blind about what to expect. Besides the sound variety, each track has a different subject. With so much musical diversity, there is a song that fits into everyone’s favorite genre. If you like dark grungy sounds then let “Schizoid” take you on a journey. For more bluesy-rock songs, the “Hollow Spine Waltz” pleasures your tastes. For people who like a mixture of rock and folky tunes, “If You Loved Me” grabs you and does not let go. A couple of songs stood out more than others. They were “Solenoid,” “I Don’t Want To Live Anymore” and “Satanic Mechanic.” “Solenoid” has a great meditative sound and even a better story. It’s one of a man trying his best to stay away from love. “I Don’t Want To Live Anymore” tells the complicated tale of a man giving up on his life because of bitterness. It does it with over-all cheery-folky beats. “Satanic Mechanic” sounds like the epitome of rock-grunge songs. It’s dark, has raw vocals and crazy guitar solos. DandyLyon Whine has a very distinctive sound, despite the changing genres. The band has many layers and strives in almost any genre. Nevertheless, the quieter songs, like “If You Loved Me” and “Solenoid” is really when the band soars.
Think of ambient trip hop music with an international twist mixed into one; that is the music brought to us by multi-instrumentalist Anna Morley. She is from Australia but is currently based in Berlin; this perhaps adding to her unique exotic sounds. Water Door is her second full-length album, which took her and several other musicians two years to complete. The effort and attention to detail is apparent throughout the album as each song is built from many beautiful and intricate layers of sound, all of which gently drip into a pool of intriguing and soothing sounds. The first song on the album puts you right in Anna’s world, there is an eerie yet very appealing vocal sound of “eee aahh aahhhh” and these sounds accentuate the beats of the song and almost lull you to another world. The second track, “Not Letting Go” is a bit more slowed town in tempo and has a progressive build until the vocals are introduced. This track really reminds me of sultry trip hop songs from the late nineties or early 2000’s; bands like Hooverphonic, Massive Attack and Portishead. At times I hear a bit of an Indian influence in the music, as there are many bell sounds and twangs from funky instruments. The song “Gnossienne No.1” has this kind of feel; it also sounds like a track from a mystery movie because the song is just stuffed with undiscovered chaos and careful questioning. The vocals repeat a chorus that seem like it would just echo through a dark alleyway and entice any curious passerby. Each song on Water Door has its own very unique sound that emulates a world of intrigue, mystery, curiosity and eerie opportunity. The vocals that are meticulously placed within the songs are very compelling and set the stage as they float against the backdrop of the sound effects and unique rhythms. The production of this album is commendable as the sound and structuring of each track is of high quality. This is an eccentric listen and a great one to unwind to or to open the gateways of ones’ consciousness.
Missouri natives Bob Kitt and Wayne Blinne make up the band Theories Abound. Both men’s history with music expands many genres and crews. Kitt toured and recorded music with metal/hard rock groups, Blue Maxx and Renegade. He currently records music with the progressive rock band Syfaera. Blinne uses his musical talents to compose classical style tunes. They were featured in short films, art exhibits and promotional videos.
Theories Abound specializes in ambient instrumental sounds. Their self-titled debut album Theories Abound heavily uses electric guitars and piano to create atmospheric music and mainly contains ambient beats. However, the album has some clear rock and pop influences. Theories Abound works best for those who need music for meditative moments. Nonetheless, instrumental depth lovers will also be pleased. Though Theories Abound has a lot to admire, one criticism is the lack of sound diversity. Every song feels like one single sound. Shifting tones throughout the tracks could have really taken the album to new harmonious heights. A couple of the songs on Theories Abound do add sound movements. “Aberration” starts by creating the feeling of walking down a deserted location. As it continues, it adds some jazzy elements. “Unappreciated” gives the open space vibe with its whimsical tunes, which are created by instruments like chimes. It ends with the surprising sound of a train. A few other songs on Theories Abound conclude with nature beats. This really brings the album to a new level of complexity, because of their creation of a mystery with sound-title connection. Theories Abound deserves respect for their usage of instruments. However hopefully in the future they will take more musical composition risks. Their best tracks contain varying beats, styles and transitions. Smooth, subtle sound changes can really create a dynamic musical experience. Many people know niacin as a vital vitamin that is necessary in a healthy diet, yet this concept has been repurposed to supplement your library of music. Richard Guinn is the mind behind Niacin Library and has recently released the album titled The Vulture and the Sun. The record was produced at home and maintains the quality of truthful acoustic soul-rock. Guinn admits he tries to stay utterly true to the sound that is created when he plays live shows; this desire has been achieved (even though I have never heard him live) because one can easily imagine the sounds of this album just flooding any concert hall or small-town venue in Anywhere, U.S. The first song on the album brings you up to speed with Niacin Library’s style and his attribution to vultures, “Death Woke on Saturday (Vulture of Man.)” In the song he mentions beds of roses and waking up “off my cloud” and he also animates the flying creature metaphorically; “I’ll steal your love, and then I’ll steal your plans, I am the vulture of man.” The next song is in contrast to the previous song in regards to love and how one goes about a relationship. From the beginning the vocals are a bit deeper and sultrier, the lyrics include “I will never let you go, I promise now…” Yet, there is a twist in the sentiments, because he goes on to clarify that the promise is made for “today” and “I promise now and through this hour.” Perhaps this is another animation of the vulture’s way of life. The next song “Mesa Town” has a really catchy sound and the guitar notes innately create a head nod. The infectious and beat-like vocals of “treasure, precious, lessons now, cake for cake and pound for pound,” anchor the song and add some illustrations that are both visual and conceptual. The music that makes up The Vulture and the Sun is very solid and true to alternative rock. One can be reminded of acoustic songs once produced by Incubus for example. There is interesting metaphors and beautiful poetry found within each song and the simple yet appealing guitar chords come together to create a song that anyone can sing along to and perhaps even relate to.
EVOLTEAH is an Australian (Adelaide) quartet from that put the 'down' in land down under. We ache for the Moon is a collection of songs that carefully balances late-night jazz with foggy soft rock. If lipstick-stained collars, cigarette burns and empty wine glasses were converted into music, this is what it would sound like. The entire album is shrouded in humble melancholia and the songs enter moments of beauty and self-destruction in equal measure. The opener "Halfway" features shimmering guitar work that leads into the ghostly harmonies that fill the song's end space. The next track begins pleasantly enough, with quiet piano and percussion and collaborator Katie Underwood's earthen voice slowly building up to an erotic jazz coda, whereupon we, the audience, are treated to Underwood's own sultry vocal response. The opening one-two punch of We ache for the Moon is a long one (the two songs’ total almost ten minutes) but exemplifies the album's MO: drawn-out despondence that feels like forever even if it's only two-something minutes. Vocalist and guitarist Matt Cahill is particularly effective at changing an otherwise pleasant day. His spindly vocals crawl across the tracks like a glass spider searching for its web. It is very complimentary to the delicate music his band mates produce. Not to say the music itself is weak; quite the opposite. Each expansive track takes its time engulfing the listener in blues (the feeling, not the music). "The Eleventh Hour," which begins with some backwards tape loops, gives way to simple and simply mournful piano and string composition with horn. The dreariness is almost debilitating, and toward the end, when a ghost seemingly whispers, "Close your eyes," you won't want to for fear of what's there. God, and that wailing at the end… "Black & Blue" is also powerful in its simplicity, sounding almost like a Xiu Xiu track if Xiu Xiu sang about normal things like metaphors for pain. Though the compositions are usually spot-on, the band sometimes misses the mark. "Drive" would do better if the vocals were more pronounced and "Thirteen Moons" wears the Slowdive disguise thin and ultimately feels like pointless inclusion. And yet, even the mistakes left me with a sense of empathy. Few bands I've recently heard manage to capture the austerity of human sadness without sounding desperate for empathy. I suppose its because Evoletah seeks none; We ache for the Moon is, above all, an album of confidence in the face of bleakness, not seeking to relate the everyday pains we feel but rather confront them. Definitely an album best heard by yourself.
Every week we mention a couple of artists that are worth your time to check out that were not featured in our weekly reviews.
Matt Lee is a singer/songwriter from Nottingham, UK who only recently starting performing songs from his debut album Beautiful Thing. The album is a collection of straightforward pop songs that sound familiar but also sound varied enough so it is not derivative of one particular source. Lee explains that the songs are about ubiquitous human emotions such as “love, longing, separation, rejection, confusion, frustration as well as hope” but as you listen you will notice that most of the negative emotions are conveyed lyrically. The music and tone of the album veer towards unpretentious, carefree sounds that are bound to put you in a good mood. Don’t ask me why but I kept thinking about this music playing outside of a popular coffee shop somewhere in France. The album starts with the acoustic-based song called “Ain’t No Time,” which is a quaint pop song that is simple but incredibly catchy as he sings the title of the song during the chorus. “San Jose” takes things up a couple of notches.The lead acoustic guitar parts sound great against the upward strummed chords during the verse and the additional vocal harmonies including a female accompaniment that are added during the chorus. They combine effectively with Lee’s voice as well. I couldn't stop picturing the two musicians who kept popping up in the movie “There’s Something about Mary” when listening to the title track “Beautiful Thing.” Everything about the song is soft, from the way he strums the chords to the way the drums are hit. “Chasing Rainbows” is another decent song that begins to spread it wings as he implements spacey, delayed guitars into the mix. The second half of the album deals with separation as a hot topic on songs like “Apart,” “Last Time I Saw You” and “Baby Don’t Go.” Lee has a propensity to write about emotions that lead to sadness but his music provides enough solace that it achieves a good balance. Overall, Beautiful Thing contains some solid pop songs that don't reinvent the wheel but are enjoyable. Check out his new single below. |
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