Juniper is a Boston-based rock band debuting with their eponymous EP. The members, high school friends now in their first year of college, recorded Juniper in the summer of 2017 at a friend’s home studio. Drawing influence from classic rock and folk, the five-track EP is a quick tour through traditional genre territory with intimate performances and crisp production.
Opener “Here to Stay” begins with a laid-back fingerpicked acoustic guitar, gradually accompanied by a light electric guitar. As the vocals come in, splashy cymbals grow underneath the track, until a punch horn break signals a switch in tempo and feel. The drums pick up a classic pattern, and organs and horn stabs further flesh out the instrumentation. The harmony vocals don’t appear until just before another instrumental break with an instrumental build until the end. A dynamic song with shades of ‘60s music from soul to southern rock, “Here To Stay” establishes the retro vibe on Juniper along with the keen performance and production character. “Journey Home” promptly shifts the mood with a glacial pace and lonely acoustic guitar. Gentle vocal drones start up slowly, along with twinkling percussion, until the vocals hit a huge harmonious chord. Just like that, the track is over, a sub-two-minute detour into sheer ambience. Though slight on arrangement, “Journey Home” still has a large impact on Juniper’s overall atmosphere. The third track is a cover of “Valerie.” Originally by the Zutons, and popularized by Amy Winehouse’s cover, “Valerie” is quite adaptable to various styles; the original has a rich southern-rock stomp, while Winehouse’s version has more of a peppy ‘60s girl group feel. Juniper embraces neither fully, reaching an understated Stax Records-esque vibe with horns and boy-girl alternating vocals. Everything sits together nicely, and it ends up being a breezy slice of blue-eyed soul that Juniper inhabits comfortably. “Starting ‘Cross the Water” is largely guitar-led with a syncopated rhythm accented with fingers snapping. The trading vocals return, though the strongest bit is the scat section with a brassy female lead over harmonized male backing parts. The gentle trumpet/flugelhorn part that grows towards the end of the track adds a smooth element lifted straight from the Chuck Mangione playbook. Though it’s a decidedly throwback sound, the young performers fully commit with absolute sincerity, and make it work. The closer called “Goodbye” revisits the organ-inflected classic rock of “Here to Stay” though the wandering electric guitar and emotional vocal give it a significantly bluesy sound. The track moves from subtle to outsize several times, ending on a fat horn stab and no denouement. It’s no-frills, sure, but that’s part of its charm, along with the album’s charm as a whole. Juniper isn’t a record heralding a new musical path, but innovation doesn’t matter when the music is fun and performances are tight. The young musicians of Juniper have a startling sensibility for what made so many classic records classic, and the talent to make good on the promise of that sensibility. Hopefully their summers back from school allow them the opportunity to keep honing their skills together.
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Surgery Flowers is a solo project out of Minnesota who recently released a three-song demo entitled Daisy. The artist mentioned it’s a tribute to an existential crisis. It’s a complete lo-fi effort with slow-moving, low-energy songs.
He opens with “Wolves” which was a highlight amongst the batch. It starts with lightly strummed guitars and is soon greeted by subtle percussion, lead guitar and eventually piano. It's a nice groove. I’m not really sure the more conventional lead guitar worked that well but I thought the piano that inserts itself into the verse sounds great. The vocals fit the music and are delivered in a monotone with weary malaise. The lyrics were original. He sings, “Margaret mumbles / Mary laughs / Jacob stumbles / Johnny laughs / After they fought in the parking lot /Where people leave their trash / They whisper their confessions/In the summer grass.” The digital sounding horns towards the end were questionable. “25” takes is a dip in recording quality. The lead sine wave type synth made the song have an elevator music type quality which wasn't bad but gave the song a sense of levity the first song didn't possess. The vocals are fairly catchy on this track and delivered in a similar monotone way. He closes with “Lead” which is a piano led song. The lyrics are again intriguing. He mixes an emotional heavy, reflective moment between two people and biological impulses. I couldn't make sense of some of the lines after that but felt like the poetic ambiguity worked. Surgery Flowers shows some talent and skill with these songs. There is still a lot of room for improvement but the songs got me interested to hear what else he will be releasing.
I heard some girl the other day tell someone “live your best life.” It sounded stupid at first and then the plainness of it kinda hit me and then it sounded stupid again. Maybe stupid’s not the right word. But anyways I was left with the feeling of “no kidding.” I mean of course live your best life. What are you some kinda moron? Anyways so I’m listening to the latest solo release Ghost Fumes by Chicago’s very own Eric Quigley. Quigley spends the majority of his music making efforts fronting the Chicago rock band One More Moon. But he keeps the sadder and more personal stuff to himself, and then releases those songs under his own name.
I’ve never heard any of Quigley’s previously released solo material, so I decided to take a spin through his sophomore record Miles from the Fire which had the soft and mellow, late night DIY vibe all over it. The major difference on Ghost Fumes is that the songs sound more carefully structured, more professionally tailored, and his canvas now is much more vast, his scope further reaching. Ghost Fumes opens with the slow rolling folksy Americana of “SPIN,” which after a few washes kinda sounds a bit like a mishmash of Elliot Smith and Andrew Bird during different moments in their careers. The next tune “Hour Hand” opens with that same slow boil stature but then turns into a rollicking folksy hymn. “Hour Hand” which is nuanced beautifully by the addition of backing vocals by Katie Kadan. Quigley’s own vocals, I should note, also add to the sheer power and force of his songs. When he is alone with a rambling acoustic guitar, like on the early morning crooner “5 AM” it is his voice that commands the listener’s attention much more than the melody. Even when he’s pitted himself against an electric guitar as he does on hazy “I Know, I’m Sorry,” his vocals, long and dragged out sometimes, really add a depth of feeling to the words behind them. I found this to be true also later on the somber and slow “Before I Met You” as his cavernous vocals fill up the song. Ghost Fumes shows Quigley’s songwriting capabilities have grown by leaps and bounds. He has stepped out from amongst the masses of bedroom recording artists, and he seems determined to show the world what he can do with his talents. This is a hallmark record for Quigley, and one that sets a new bar for his solo career.
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Soldiers of Suburbia is a rock band based in Haymarket, Virginia. Their album Eating Cigarettes was recorded while lead guitarist and vocalist Tyler Plazio was going through some hard times and in a dark place emotionally. Soldiers of Suburbia’s sound can be described as a combination of indie rock/alternative with elements of emo and punk.
The first track “Till What?” was raw and grungy with a sad melancholy feel. Plazio’s voice has a gritty punk quality about it that I really liked. I kept waiting for more of a full garage band feel to kick in, but it never did. I liked the song, but I think it could have been so much more. It was such a solid foundation. I really hope they expand on it eventually. A stand out track for me was “Rollercoasters.” I went to high school in the late ’90s when the real grungy mohawk and suspenders punk rock was fading out and the more commercial pop-punk was appearing on the horizon. I love bands that ride the line between the two and this song had that feel for me. It was raw and rough yet soft around the edges. The eternal youthful vibe that is at the heart of good punk rock was there as well. Plazio’s vocals are so endearing on this track. I loved it. A track with a similar vibe was “The Dark Ages.” I almost wish they could take some of the harder elements of this song and incorporate it into “Till When?” This one had an underlying optimistic message which was a contrast to most of the other tracks. The final track “Birthday” was a sad anthem that reminded me a little of Green Day. I loved the pretty guitar melody and soft understated vocals. I honestly loved Eating Cigarettes. Soldiers of Suburbia remind me so much of the local bands I obsessed over in my younger days. There’s a lot of young rock bands out there, but Soldiers of Suburbia has something special. Sure, it wasn’t a perfect album, but I expect a lot of growth and evolution. They better continue making music, because I’ll be waiting for it.
Off the heals of his 2016 EP release Give Up the Ghost, Jay Hammen (aka Strange Creatures) returns with his first full-length debut album Estimate of the Situation. Once again recorded entirely on his iPhone 6 with the exception of one song (“The Kid’s Gonna Be Alright”) the album’s concept combines elements of science fiction, current events and ufology. Hammen states that David Lynch, Ancient Aliens and caffeine this time around heavily influenced his writing. Steely Dan, Brian Eno, Ingmar Bergman, Radiohead and David Bowie were also very influential. Now I’m not going to lie, when I read his description, I thought – is this guy my twin? Is it I in another dimension? Who else would put Bergman, Eno, Steely Dan and Bowie in the same sentence?
The opener starts off with old recordings of some famous world changing events both old and new overlapping. A funky beat with synth-pop keys comes in with a monotone hypnotizing voice (“There’s a buzz in my ear and I’m not sure where it’s coming from”). The message seems to be a commentary of these crazy times and world changing events that have happened but not being sure of wanting this “buzzing” to stop in our ears perhaps says something about our need for news that’s not so pleasant. “Planet Hollywood” has a modern western soundscape feel to it and contrary to what I thought at first, it’s not a song about the ill-fated restaurant chain. “The Kid’s Gonna Be Alright” sounds very radio-friendly, inspirational and has that certain formula for a hit song. Fans of the post-punk/new wave band Wire will recognize the “Outdoor Miner” cover. “The Ballad of Mac Brazel” has a news flash reference to the Roswell, New Mexico UFO crash of 1947 and the events of the aftermath. This number has a sweet, tender sound somewhat like a ballad but more folkish. Michio Kaku can be heard at the end. “Life is Not a Pop Song” is very poppy, catchy and reminds me of some of R.E.M. tongue-in-cheek stuff or XTC. Hammen sings, “We’re lost somewhere in a dream” – a social comment on our society perhaps? The guitar on “Still Hold Hill 154” keeps a steady rhythm and features spacey snyths a la Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon. There is a reference to Shiva, one of many Hindu gods, stating a dark, sobering message: “Now I’ve become death, the destroyer of worlds.” “Weltschmerz” which is the German word for feeling melancholy, features a beat that sounds very much like a racquetball echoing as its being hit in court. The avant-garde nature of this song reminds me of the sparse lyrics (and in this song there really aren’t that many) and heavy unique sounds on Bowie’s 1977 masterpiece Low. I was stoked when I saw the album had a reprise of the first song “There’s a Buzz…” Totally nerdy – who does reprises anymore? Loved it. The last number “Proxima Centauri” is a straightforward rock song, acoustically driven with synth and piano. The song’s title references the closest neighboring star to Earth, which who knows, could be a possible home for us when Earth is no more. On the other hand, was it our home to begin with before Earth was inhabited, as the ancient alien theory suggests? (“Pack it up, we’re going home – to a place you should know.”) Either way, it ends with an encouraging take on a possible new utopia (“No more children die in vain, No more sadness no more pain”). To my ears, Estimate did not disappoint one bit. It definitely feels like a solid concept album with themes of sci-fi and conspiratorial “what’s out there” kind of questions. But there are also moments of hope with catchy, poppy-er beats and melodies. I definitely will be geeking out on this album for some quite time and look forward to where Strange Creatures’ next adventure will be.
Music in and of itself is a beautiful thing because of its symbiotic nature. The artist and listener can feel a connection in some way even though they have never met. Where do these songs arise from? The answer can vary greatly for the artist but music is often created for a release - a cathartic experience that allows for what you might call a purge of emotion. After reading about and listening to the album Loner by Zonca that's what it felt like.
His album is just him and an electric guitar. I don’t say this in a pejorative way but it reminded me of what I used to do when I was a teenager. To let off some steam I would lock myself in my room, turn up my guitar and wail. Suffice it to say this sounds like a guy doing something similar. Some of the album contains inspired moments along the way. The album was recorded DIY with the standard go to Garageband. And by all accounts that's what it sounds like. Ideally, this record would have aesthetics similar to punk records from the ’70s like The Ramones and The Sex Pistols which capture a raw vibe that is still beautifully captured on analog tape. Although the recording quality isn't ideal for the style I was able to hear the lyrics and feel some of the energy Loner is a very cohesive album. It actually felt like one continuous session. The songs run into each other and feel interchangeable. Zonca's vocal delivery is somewhere between singing and talking. I liked it but don't expect a lot of catchy hooks. Overall, I really enjoyed the energy and attitude of the album. The songwriting is very basic like most punk rock but serves its purpose. Zonca is going all in and strips himself from any pretense. In a nutshell that's what most people want out of art. Something real, something visceral and something that doesn't feel like it's trying to be art.
Around sixteen years ago Luke domozick decided to pursue music full-time. He is still at it and just released North Road. The EP contains six songs grounded in rock which I found to have an inspirational and motivational vibe to them.
The production is fantastic and sounds polished and radio ready. I also felt the music in general had a bit more of a commercial accessible feel to it. You can hear this on the opener “Convey” which seems like it could be played during the closing credits to a coming of age film. I also have to say this song in particular brought back memories of being at Sunday worship with my ex-girlfriend. The bands that were often quite good would strike a similar mood which was uplifting while being reflective. I know nothing about domozick's religious affiliation but I wouldn't be surprised if he knew what I was referring to. The remaining songs while sometimes not as overt had a similar vibe. “Yield” for example is an almost continuous wave of joyful energy. “Amherst Alibi” has some great percussive elements while “Grieve” is a more traditional rocker with distorted guitar and driving beat. “Balance” is a little more laid back and had a ’90s alternative groove along with a solid breakdown halfway through. He closes with “Insurance” which contains orchestral string and an emotionally resonant vocal performance. “Insurance” felt like a closer and I really enjoyed the sparse elements that the song closes out with which are quite beautiful. North Road definitely had a familiar sound. I can’t say the songs felt particularly groundbreaking but there is an audience that will appreciate the quality of the songs. North Road is a cohesive EP that made me feel like I wanted to get done what I needed to. I’ve never seen domozick live but I imagine that his audience feesl reinvigorated after the show and also in a pretty good mood. Recommended.
Timi Alexander, is a 23-year old Finnish man currently living in London who recently released a self-titled LP Timi Alexander. The album features electronic and contemporary sounding production. That was one thing that stuck out to me was the it didn’t feel like a production producers were doing ten years ago. It felt like an album that was made in 2017. There are some twists and turns along the way most of which I thought really worked.
Up first is “Intro” which is a voicemail that is so ultra serious like it was coming from a spy thriller movie. I’m not still not sure what point it served if any but I felt utter indifference. Things get moving with “Cold Leather.” I Immediately liked his vocals as well as the elements that surround them. The way he utilizes disparate elements is really impressive. Most of the song stays around the same energy but picks up towards the last minute with some fantastic guitar. Up next is “Heartblood” which also contains a number of ear candy elements. The production can bear some comparison to James Blake and some points which has a similar smooth, dubstep vibe. After another short voicemail or “Skit” Alexander launches into “The Ballad of a Keg Heart” which is a song that caught me off guard. The song revolves around piano and vocals. He shows off his natural voice and sounds good. Thankfully the song deviates from a normal ballad which I don’t think would have worked in the context of the album. He introduces white noise, heavy beats and more which start to fit into the earlier material on the album. “Bonus” is a spacey, synthy hip-hop beat while “Baz” is a sound collage of samples and snippets. Alexander then explores avant garde minimalism with “Deadline.” The closer “Glide” contains falsetto vocals and jarring almost harsh percussion elements against soft and subtle pads. The track goes to silence before the finale of haunting dissonance. Alexander gets an A for pushing boundaries and testing possibilities. It's something I always talk about and wish more artists would do. There were some particular moments where the singing didn't work as well but it was rare. Overall, I would say this is a great album. I found it to be cohesive which is even a harder thing to do when you are working with a unique palette of sounds. Don’t pass this up.
Singer/songwriter Wes White comes back this year with As Above So Below, his follow up to 2016’s Wildfire. On his first effort, White had a lot of outside help but this time around he did the majority of the production. Not being quite sure of what his sound can be compared to, White embraces a lot of styles on this newest recording such as blues, rock, indie and folk. Recorded and mixed in his home using Logic Pro X and his iMac, the album reaches into White’s personal thoughts and experiences and the title track was born out of a dream he had one night about the end of the world in flames. This dream fueled the overall feel of the album.
After listening to his debut, there seems to be more cohesiveness to his second effort and the first song aptly titled “Prelude” sets the mood for its darker theme. Sounds of pouring rain on a wet street, cars driving by, a train on its tracks accompanied by a nice rolling piano with a steady melody makes for a very nice opening. “In That Valley” has a country-rock-soundscape flavor without being overtly cookie cutter. White’s voice is much more raspy on this number compared to the more gentle tones of Wildfire. The lyrics seem to suggest what happens to a guy when he gets rubbed the wrong way by the things in life that have dealt him a short hand, but despite this he moves on. “Can’t Stay” has a full, raunchy blues sound and suggests a story about someone who needs to move on and won’t live their life feeling bad about the decisions they’ve made. “As Above So Below” is a haunting, ballad-like number about White’s vision of a world up in flames. His voice is equally haunting as he cries out hitting some very high notes. The second to last number, “Shattering” was the album’s wow moment for me, I mean, wow – really, wow! Introspective and sad, White really opens up his heart a lot in this one. More folk-ish and hushed than the other songs, it shines gorgeously. “Dance of the Dead” is a livelier rock number, which reminded me in some way of the carefree days of summer, having a good time and being in love, although the song title suggests an otherwise darker message. Wes White’s sophomore effort is well rounded and overall his songwriting is tighter and filled with enthusiasm and emotional moments. It should be interesting to see where his next endeavor takes him.
Rita B, Rita B, here is a woman with something to say, LOTS of it actually with her new album’s title alone With Pockets Nearly Empty And A Glass Almost Full. She’s got an innocent folk rock vibe that comes with her music and everything is all peaches and cream until she opens her mouth and unapologetically dishes it out to everyone and everything including herself. The odds of me having the chance to meet this woman are remote at the moment being she is in Sydney and I am Chicago, but I LOVE this woman. I wanna be best friends, I wanna hang out and do sleepovers. I know I’m coming off creepy, but that’s how cool she comes off in her work. This album is all things ironic, cheeky and very real. Buckle up.
The music is good, it is by no means the star of the show, but you get a good mix done by clearly professional musicians. You get whimsy, a little alt rock and lots of folk notes. It’s often understated and structurally flexible to really allow her to get into her stories. She is known to do solo work but she can also roll with a band. When in the company of her band on this album you can tell they really understand her, her cadence and her mission. I really enjoy the talented Ella Carstein who not only brings her harmonic vocal talent but also lends her violin skills which are lovely. The breadwinner is all in the lyrics and the fantastically blunt delivery. There’s no shortage of “F” bombs, which is often a word I use to punctuate sentences so she’ll have no complaints from me. There are times where she attempts to justify her self-destructive behavior, been there, done that. At other points she concludes she doesn’t need to justify herself to anyone, once again, been in those shoes. She is very comfortable with contradictions and hypocrisies that almost every human being commits. You have to admire someone willing to own to it. Hopefully it will encourage others to do the same. On top of everything else her voice is beautiful. While a good deal of her delivery is very conversational and at some points feels almost like spoken word poetry, the lady can sing. Her range is perfect for the genres she gravitates towards. I feel like this album is a good dose of medicine for anyone. It is so relatable, funny and just downright entertaining. It is the perfect blend of sweet and savage and while it has a powerful feminine energy in it, I see no reason the songs couldn’t translate across any gender or creed. At one point or another you’ll hear something that can hit home for anyone. If I ever make my way to Sydney or should Rita B ever find herself stateside it will take great lengths to stop me from trying to see this lady in action live. Congratulations to Rita B on this fabulous album and congratulations to her for gaining a new, creepy fan. |
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