Hailing from Wales, Fire Fences are a four-piece that just released their debut EP entitled Roses From Dust. The band is young, really young. They range in age from 16 to 19. That being said they are already writing songs that sound well beyond their years. The lyrical content deal with mature subjects and the music is well written. The biggest detriment and the advantage the band has is the same exact thing. Make no doubt about it this is extremely accessible top 40 acoustic/rock. The moment you hear it you will notice similarities in the vocal delivery and song structure to a copious amount of bands surfacing right now on the mainstream. At this point even though the band is clearly talented they may have a hard time breaking through due to the ample amount of competition out there right now that is producing very similar sounding music. Some of the music rides too close to sounding like a commercial pop for my liking but there are a number of moments that clearly point to some creative output. Aaron Wyn Nicholas is the lead singer and whether you dig this type of music or not it is hard to deny that he has an aesthetically pleasing voice. It’s especially evident on the opener “Next Page.” The song opens with an acoustic guitar and vocals. As it progresses orchestral strings are added and it is here that the song reaches its finest moments. It ends up rocking out with distorted electric guitars but it felt a bit predictable. The song would have benefitted from building off the serene, nostalgic atmosphere they built rather than throwing it away early on to be replaced by a more intense but not as effective standard rock formation. “Hurricane” gets a lot of things right. The guitar playing is slick and the music has some resemblance to the band Phoenix. I was digging the upbeat vibe. The song isn’t perfect but well written and executed well. “Thirsty Heart” isn’t too shabby either. The band goes with a singer/songwriter type vibe here and strips it back to vocals, acoustic guitar and atmospheric elements. I was happy that the band didn’t try too hard to rock this song out. While not my favorite song of the four, he closer “Nobody Home” has the bass driven verse and the most rocking chorus on the EP. The slickest part of the song is right after the chorus where the band sounds funky and fun. Regardless of the members’ ages this is an impressive EP. As solid as this is, they still need to find what will separate them from the masses of bands who sound like them. Overall, job well done but also a case of wait and see.
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I never thought I would hear R&B combined with punk rock but lo and behold that what Cicada Sunrise does on their recent release entitled Organic Damage. But wait there’s more - they stuff other genres like pop and alternative in there as well. It sometimes works and sometimes not so much. More on that later. The biggest issue with this album is the mix itself. In particular the vocal seems separate from the music on a number of occasions. The music seems too soft while the vocals lay on top of it rather than within it. On top of that the vocals sound too raw and you can hear when the vocalist even goes slightly out of tune. A bit more reverb and proper use of compression could have helped this issue out. The album starts with a soulful introduction entitled “The First Song” in which I wish the vocalist sounded more like the he does during the remainder of the album (at least the first part of the song). The vocalist is nuanced, deep and effective when he sings in an R&B style. There is hardly anything supporting his vocals besides other vocal harmonies. Suffice it to say it sounds great. When the guitars enter it doesn’t work as well. Some of this can be contributed to the mix itself but his voice isn't as easy on the ears. One of the tracks that gets it right is “No Corners.” The music is somewhat engaging and the vocalist finds a good range for singing. It revolves drums, bass, guitars, piano and synths and leans more towards Brian McKnight than the Ramones this time around. Another success is “Don’t Flinch,” which plays into the band's strengths. They ditch the distorted guitars and replace them with piano. It gives the song a more classic R&B feel. This is also another example of the vocalist sounding his best. He pulls off the same tone during the verse as he did on the first song and that is unequivocally the style he should be shooting for. Cicada Sunrise has some good things going for them but still needs some buffing around the edges. They sound best when the music veers towards R&B rather than punk. It also is in their interest to at some point work with a producer/engineer who can balance out their songs after the recording process. This is a work in progress with potential. Sherlock is a Canadian band that sings in French and play Brit-pop. When they started about six years ago they sung in English and then one day about three years ago they said to hell with it and started singing In French. I don’t understand French but I honestly can't make out what the heck rock singers are yelling about most of the time anyway. There isn’t too much you need to know about this music on their album Réveille le Roi. It’s fairly straightforward rock that revolves around the time-honored structure of drums, bass and guitar. The song writing is better than your average bar band and the production is polished. These arc catchy pop/rock tunes that will mot likely get stuck regardless of what language you understand. Opener “Dans mes rêves” takes a dash of Brit rock and classic rock to create a pretty catchy tune. I was humming along to the vocal melody despite not understanding a single word of the lyrics. The guitar sound is big and effective with crunchy mid range that sounds meaty coming through your speakers. The second track “C'que j'ai en tête” definitely has some of that Brit-pop flavor that reminded me of Blur and Pulp. It was the “ooohh ooh” background vocal harmonies combined with the lead guitar part. It's a song that will give you an immediate release of serotonin and put you in a good mood. Not a bad way to start your morning. “R.S.V.P” rocks out big time Led Zeppelin style. The guitar is wicked as the drums crash and the bass provides a little bit funk. I thought “Tout s'efface” might be an acoustic ballad but picks up some major traction when the electric guitars and drums enter in the picture while "Peut-être ailleurs" reaches it's climax with dueling guitars and vocal melody that is sung with conviction. Réveille le Roi isn't reinventing the wheel by any stretch of the imagination but Sherlock does what they do really well. There wasn’t a dud on the album. Like I said this album doesn't need much explanation. Grab a drink, hit play and enjoy. Martin Del Carpio is a music artist who seems to enjoy hopping genres and themes from album to album. In 2007 he released In Absentia, which according to his Bandcamp page is a personal political album that mashes up punk and experimental rock. Pequeno Pionero was released in 2008 and is an acoustic based Latin fusion album that is sung entirely in Spanish. The record we will be delving into today entitled X is a dark electronic pop album that explores lost love and sexual decadence. Suffice it to say his fan base probably doesn't expect the same thing twice. The production on X is strong, varied and original enough to keep your attention throughout. Like his albums Del Carpio doesn’t stick with one palette for very long. Album opener “Anon” omits dark almost sensual sounds that you can dance to. The bass provides the variation of root notes while a electric drum beat fills your speakers with energy and an ominous pad creates the atmosphere. A clean reverb laced guitar is present in the mix but strategically placed in order to enhance certain sections. Del Carpio doesn’t have a voice that necessarily jumps at you but works against the context of the music. He sings, “Atomic lover you take it all in across another you sway to the rhythm moving deeper there's nothing left for you there's no one here for you.” “Murmur Of The Heart” is the first deviation that sounds nothing like the dark synth pop based music before it. It is haunting at times, void of percussion and relies on piano and acoustic as the main instruments. Del Carpio delivers one of his best vocal performances on this track. A clear highlight and arguably the best song on the album is “Suddenly.” Interestingly enough this song sounds optimistic, full of life and is an anomaly compared to the other material. Del Carpio has another inspired vocal performance with thoughtful, poignant lyrics. He sings, “beauty fades is what they say the same face that isn't there but deep down we are all the same Monty you're one of us...” X may be a bit scattered and inconsistent but there are some splendid moments here. Del Carpio seems bursting with so many ideas that he doesn’t know what to do with all of them. Luckily for us a majority of his ideas are worthy of your time. I don’t have too much information about the artist known as The FireGod but as far as I know he is a solo act from Seattle, Washington who has released five albums. His latest A Light contains six polished songs that are ultimately pop but overflow without a lot of instrumentation. Although guitars are present within the songs (usually in lead form) it’s the synth, electronic elements and beats, which are the most prominent. A Light starts with “This Love,” which immediately establishes some of the unconventional sounds he implements into his music. The verse contains bass, drums and a synth that sounds like a robot talking. There are traces of ‘80s rock in there; it’s subtle but it’s there. The chorus is the catchiest part of the song as he sings, “This Love /will bring the end to everything / My life expectancy is growing thin / There's no escape / must be my destiny / This love / will suck the life right out of me /Bring me to my knees and watch me bleed.” The second track “Move Me” combines a deep electronic house beat, arpeggiated synths and his vocals. He strategically breaks out a lead guitar during certain sections to add another layer of depth. “Honey (Just Call)” contains a programmed drumbeat with airy synths that sort of has a dance vibe. The song gets moving once the clean guitars enter and meets its apex towards the end of the song when he implements overlapping vocal harmonies. “A Light” was a highlight for me that in my opinion was the artist’s finest vocal performance. There is an emotional weight within the lyrics that when combined with melancholy and the contemplative tone in his voice is a winning combination. The songs on A Light didn’t hit me over the head as mind blowing but rather a solid batch of well-written songs. He has some skill incorporating sounds you don’t always hear all the time while adhering to basic pop structure. Worth you time to give this a spin. Anachronist is a five-piece band comprised of Phil Carr (drums), Brian Clark (guitar and vocals), Mike Donofrio (bass), Craig Jarvis (guitar) and Angela Paladino (vocals) that released an album entitled static and light through the record label State and Main Records. The music they play can easily fit under the umbrella of rock but the band tends to be more melodic than cranking up the distortion and plowing through a couple of power chords. The guitars are relatively clean and when we do have some distortion it usually is crunchy leaving ample room for the vocals and other instrumentation to breath. The songs take little work to enjoy, as the vocals from Paladino and Clark are instantly aesthetically pleasing to your ears. Clark’s vocals doesn’t have many traits that make it particularly distinct but it does have subtle warm overtones that make it appealing. Some of the best vocal work is when they harmonize such as on the first song “Take Them Back.” It is a solid song overall and reminded me of a less distorted Alice in Chains at points (mostly the verse). Speaking of bands they sound like, tell me that the beginning of their second track “Nothing's Here to Stay” doesn’t sound like “Teen Age Riot” by Sonic Youth. They slow things down a bit on “Like Beads” and give the lead vocals to Paladino. It was nice to hear her vocals front and center because she certainly sounds good especially when she sings with some melancholy in her voice. “It’s Happening” sounded like a ‘90s alternative song from a band like Candlebox or Gin Blossoms while “The One Time” contained some of the most engaging vocal harmonies from Paladino and Clark. As the album progresses "I've Arrived" and closer "Two Of Us" were notable songs. The guitar work on "I've Arrived" was some of the most engaging on the album and in some ways reminded me of Fleet Foxes. Their is a haunting melancholy that the songs spews which sticks with you after the song is over. The closer "Two Of Us strings together loose chords for a slowly trudges it way towards the ending. They rock out in epic fashion towards the end of the song as the music veers towards nostalgic post-rock Static and Light is a mix between alternative ‘90s rock and contemporary indie rock. A like-minded group that comes to mind is The Wrens. They both kind of have that blue collar, we’re just a bunch of normal people playing rock music vibe - it’s hard to pinpoint but it’s there. The songs are relatable and down to earth in a way that makes it easy for the listener to connect with. I’ll take it. In 2007 Jester Jack Band was born but three years later the band would change their name to Rubix Wheel. I’m not exactly sure why they changed their name but in the long run it’s the music that matters. The band is comprised of Jack O'Handley (guitars/vocals), Paul Kish (drums), Kendall Denton (bass) and Josh Sowders (keyboards). They recently released an album entitled Sky's the Limit in which they present eleven well-balanced songs. The most obvious comparison is to the band Phish but not the Phish who jam out for thirty minutes pulling off technical wizardry that is hard to comprehend for mere mortals. It’s comparable to Phish when they try to write pop songs and Trey Anastasio attempts to sing. There is no denying that O'Handley has similar idiosyncratic nuances that bear resemblance to Anastasio. The band seems to prefer a limited palette of sounds and tones. For example, the guitars are clean and never heavily distorted and the colors within the bass and drums sound pretty similar from song to song. Upon my first listen there weren't any songs that stuck out to me as clear highlights. Just hit play and they will settle in a groove that bobs and weaves across the eleven songs. “Camera” is an upbeat, bouncy pop song where you can practically picture a number of toasted hippies dancing to it. It’s a groovy track and does contain a pretty rad guitar solo - no distortion needed. The songs start to bleed into one another after that. “Planet B,” “Coconut Candy” and “Mellow Dreams” are basically interchangeable. The delivery and overall vibe feel a bit too similar. “Island Song” is a bit more distinct and it does have a Hawaii luau thing going on. “The Lot” stood out to me because it lacked that upbeat Phish type groove. Rubix Wheel embraces a bit of melancholy but even at this slow of a tempo they try to create a little dance for the hippies. The record quality wasn’t bad but certainly could have been better. It suffers from a muddy low end and the ound of the overall mix sounds narrow at times. If you like one song on Sky's The Limit I can bet you that you will enjoy the whole thing. Give it a spin and see if you dig these crunchy grooves. A total mish-mash of influences is on display on Ink Procedure’s self-titled album Ink Procedure but the key components are easily discerned in the early going. The opener “This is Why” gives us some familiar pop-punk earmarks upon which to build a foundation, from Tristan McVeigh's delivery (punctuated with noticeably sharp breaths between lines and just the slightest edge) to the simple jangling guitar riff that carries the track. However, the five-piece takes on the genre in a decidedly acoustic fashion. Beyond the rhythm guitar they play about with orchestral themes crafted by piano and violin creating an organic sound that, strangely enough, does more to compliment the vocals than to fight against them. The lyrics tread on tried and true territory for modern punk fans as our heroes struggle with happiness, loss, internal strife, etc. but there's something to it that makes me think it's tongue-in-cheek much of the time. The opening line to “Don't Go to a Bar on Sunday” (quote: “Well I'm sorry you met me in such a difficult time in my life”) is delivered with enough of a sneer as to suggest that the whole song is just a thumb in the eye to anthems of teenage angst. But then pianist Dana Bouchey takes up vocals on the second verse (sounding, it must be said, a tad like Amy Lee) and suddenly things become more earnest and palpable. Likewise, “Midnight on Christmas” does the same trick but in reverse: Bouchey offers a slow plea at the start before everything begins to thump: the drums pick up the pace to match the thudding strum of an electric guitar (in a rare moment when the electric takes on a star role). By the time McVeight delivers his best visceral metal scream the very attitude of the song has gone from gothic pining to manic alt-rock battle cry. The focus of the writing seems to be doom and gloom but the songs generally move too quickly to take it seriously, not to mention they are rich with catchy hooks. I wouldn't argue that they're being melodramatic—it never feels forced enough for that. It's more like a cathartic celebration. The EP closes on an interesting note: a demo track called “Los Angeles.” Bouchey takes up vocal duties all on her lonesome (whereas on previous tracks vocals are shared with McVeight in some capacity) and is accompanied by nothing more than acoustic guitar and violin. There's no hint of the rest of the EP's pacing here as things slow to a crawl (comparatively, anyway). It has more of a folk feel than anything else, and while some will question including the song in this rough form, giving Bouchey a song to herself is a delightful surprise to end on. She doesn't sing with the usual punk voices and without the swell of the full band playing in the background she has more room to show off her expressive range. While not a total reinvention of the wheel, Ink Procedure goes in enough different directions to warrant attention. The humor is there (and can also be seen in the video for “This is Why,” which I also recommend), the more classical music elements add a unique layer of depth to the arrangements and there's enough brief instances of genre fusion throughout to keep things fresh without losing the punk identity. Certainly a good start. The blending of metal and shoegaze seems like a match made in heaven: both have a heavy emphasis on atmospherics, extremely effected guitars and indecipherable lyrics. In the case of Denmark's møl, it’s more like a blending of heaven and hell, a coming together as the fury and energy of black and doom metal meet the celestial harmonics of shoegaze. And while a lot of purists of both traditions bemoan the loss of purity of their blessed and blasted mediums of choice, the truth is both can be better off for it. For instance the inclusion of shoegaze production takes the edge off of black metal's trebly rasp. While the harsh and uncommercial sound quality may be essential to black metal's mission statement, by nature it entails a very limited audience. That means that black metal bands will be plying their blast beats for doomed congregations, preaching to the infernal choir, which kind of negates the threat at the same time. The inclusion of metal gives shoegaze some much needed heat and intensity, bringing it down to Earth and correcting some of the ethereality of the first wave, which ensured that only waifish people in black clothes would listen. møl's first release møl is a very short and uber-sweet dose of blast beats, heavenly guitars and infernal shrieking. møl formed in late 2012 by two former members of a Danish shoegazeing band Antennas to Nowhere and were joined by two more members in 2013. Their goal is to "create a massive, affective, dreamy wall of sound, that may crush or envelop the listener and take them to distant places of the imagination." This goal is a success as their crashing walls of sounds seem to evoke images of a granite mountain range, perhaps in a distant time or place - far from the clamor of society. This gray-black mountain range, seen at night, is lit up by otherworldly constellations. Perhaps this is another world, or this one, in a very distant time. møl is way more technical than your typical black metal or shoegaze band, both of which are content to produce washy walls of sound. møl has the wash but they intersperse it with moments of synchronized thrashy grooves, such as in the case of "Airy,”which is ironically one of the doomiest, riffing-est moments on here. The heavens don't unleash until midway through the final track "Makhachkala." However in the EP's most thrilling moment - clean, beautiful guitar picking opens up into grinding double bass and that witchy shriek. It's epic as heck without being a cliché and suggests a fretful peace between the spirits of the air and the Earth. møl is a tight and well-rehearsed unit that is essential listening for any metalhead who's had enough of rehashed genre tropes and for any dream rocker who feels the blood in their veins and likes to run in the night. This self-titled EP is a fine, fine example of the nascent scene known as “blackgaze" (also "atmospheric black metal") and is a must-hear for fans of Wolves In The Throne Room, Slowdive or Deafheaven.
Adam Lamotte is a songwriter from California who recently an album entitled Time Capsule. It took Lamotte awhile to finish this album compared to his previous material because he didn’t have access to his recording equipment at all times. Some things are worth the wait and this album is one of those things. Lamotte is a good on the verge of a great songwriter. He lists the Beach Boys, Tom Waits and Talking Heads as influences but they aren’t transparent in his songs. Lamotte does a good job carving out his own unique space with little more than an acoustic guitar and vocals. I enjoyed Lamotte’s singing style throughout and it is one of the main attractions to the music. HIs voice doesn't sound like your typical overly masculine singer/songwriter type. It kind of reminded me of James Mercer from The Shins and the singer from They Might Be Giants. The only thing holding this album back is the recording quality and it’s not necessarily on every song. On songs with less instrumentation it’s not as noticeable but when Lamotte starts piling up drums, guitars, bass and more things start to sound under-produced. Fifty percent more polish on some of these songs would have gone a long way. With that out of the way there are a couple of moments of brilliance that shine through. The first song “Creation” is a song that immediately establishes some on his eccentricities as a songwriter, which make the music enjoyable. On top of that the vocal harmonies Lamotte comes up especially towards the end of the song are not only inventive but infectious. Lyrically he is adventurous and doesn't fall into typical clichés. He sings, “It’s the first blank page of an open age / And nothing new to say In the blank of white nothing feels right / Under heavy thought up weight .” “Drought” is a sparse song lacking percussion but it sounds open and you can clearly hear Lamotte’s vocals here. In my opinion it has some of the best string work and songwriting on the album. Speaking of string work you may want tocheck the bowed string work on both “Talk With Myself” and “The Way Back.” Overall, there is little to criticize here besides the recording quality. There weren't any songs which I felt I wanted to skip over and it was a very enjoyable listen from beginning to end. |
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