Wade Findlay has been creating music under the moniker Thru Colorado but only recently released his first LP Ephemera. The album is a lush arrangement melding ethereal pads, distant guitars and vocal harmonies to create quite a statement with his first release. Throughout the album Findlay displays an ear for creative compositional structure as he weaves through songs that catch your attention and are aesthetically appealing. A lot of the songs are embedded in nostalgia and melancholy but feel cathartic at the same time. Some of the songs reminded me of the stellar release Obsidian from Baths that was out earlier this year except the songs on Ephemera weren't as dark and felt less claustrophobic. Ephemera opens with one of the many highlights of the album called “Old Life.” Findlay sings with no more than a spacious cloud before intricate drumming enters to create a complex environment of sounds. Findlay bathes his voice and music in a lot of reverb on this track which adds even more of an ethereal quality to the music. By the end of the song it is glimmering in a crystal palace of light that sounds great coming through your speakers. Another accomplished track is “Reeling,” which displays some solid songwriting but it isn’t afraid to get experimental. There is a great section where he layers his vocals creating a bed of vocal sustain while laying down an intricate drum part with a solid walking bass line. The song succeeds on multiple levels and isn't one you will want to miss. “Do You Feel” combines distorted, aggressive drum kit and bass against shiny clean guitars creating a sweet sounding dichotomy that works well for the song. The album closes with “Where You Belong,” which in my opinion had the best vocal melodies. Findlay not only harmonizes well but also excels at mixing the different vocal lines which create an effect as if he is singing at different distances. Ephemera is an accomplished LP. There is little more to say than this is something you should be listening to.
0 Comments
Bill Chiklakis and Kevin Tofalo are songwriters who were collaborating back in the 80’s and are still at it. The duo called October just released a well-put together album entitled October Moon. Tofalo provides the lush atmospheres through the way of synths while also playing the drums and bass parts. Chiklakis tackles the singing and plays the guitars. When their forces combine they sound like undeniable 80’s soft synth pop. There is nothing wrong with that but sounds unapologetically stuck in that decade and everything from the way the songs are mixed, to the structure and to the vocal delivery sound remind me of it. The album starts off with “October Moon” which builds upon triumphant sounding synth horns, some sparse piano and bass. As the song progresses it gains more energy as the drums and lead guitar are introduced. By the end of the song they are jamming out on lead synth that transitions to the outro. “The Bigger The Love” was a solid song with a good vocal hook (I admit I was singing along when the chorus hit) and would have made a great B-side to the 1982 classic “Avalon” by Roxy Music. So “Day By Day” is a bit cheesy but so what the chorus is undeniably catchy. “Talk About It” is a solid song with some of the best energy on the album as it utilizes an arrepegiated synth to create a subtle sense of motion. The synth work in general in the song is well-done as it is varied, present but not overdone. “Slip Away” may be the best track and most danceable number on the album. The drums and bass during the verse were reminiscent of New Order - hard to not get down with that. In typical 80’s fashion they close with a nostalgic ballad called “Every Road,” which is a solid song with classic sounds. October Moon is a solid album with a number of good tunes. If you are yearning for 80’s synth pop you just found your new favorite record and if not it’s still worth a spin.
Josh Dent, Phil Yochum and Lucas Svevo make up the Breathers side of the group Kin Sullivan & The Breathe In Breathe Out. Sullivan was born in Baltimore, MD but lives in Nashville, TN. Svevo is from Oklahoma, Yochum is from Texas and Dent is from Florida. The band is still at their developmental stages. Therefore, with time, the band could morph into something completely different. Currently, their sound is a hybrid of alternative, indie, folk and at times blues music. The band credits Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen, among others, as their musical influences. Kin Sullivan & The Breathe In Breathe Out intended to create an intimate listening experience with their EP In Feel. To accomplish this, Sullivan made these tracks organically. He relied more on momentary inspiration than following set patterns and themes. In Feel packs a lot of emotion into the five-track disc. This is mainly because of Sullivan’s mesmerizing vocals. His voice is a legend in the making. Each track on In Feel has interpretive, poetic lyrics. This creates personal reflection for listeners. Sullivan’s song “She Listens to Love Songs” drips with raw emotions. “The Fall Bird Song” has the best hook, instrumentals, voice and lyrics. It almost makes you hum along. “Fever Dreams” has a 90s alternative tone to it. The randomization of these songs’ French phrases gives In Feel a unique, unexpected twist. Having a clear theme could have given In Feel more meaning because it feels a little directionless. I believe thematic albums connect better with the general public. However, I understand Sullivan and his band’s purpose so it’s not a huge problem. It does not defer from the strengths of In Feel. And there are many strengths to it. The Countdown strive to create their own genre of “indie core” with their full length Social Caterpillar, an album that smashes indie themes and vocal styles with ‘in your face, I don’t care’ hardcore, and makes an interesting mix of the two.
“Nowhere is Safe” opens with engaging guitar chords punctuated by a slightly untuned note and accented with completely out of tune vocals. One can’t help but smile when hearing it though; they just sound right given the overall vibe of the album. “Cry Yourself to Sleep” has a much more hardcore, headbang worthy introduction that opens later into a melodically pleasing riff that loses none of the initial intensity. The built up wall of noise halts abruptly, with just a few notes breaking the silence. As could be predicted, the song comes crashing back in, almost jolting you out of your skin. Continuing along this vein, “Broke and Alone” is the perfect ‘I’m so angry I’m in tears, screaming at the top of my lungs, punching everything around me’ song. The guitar solo in the middle is nice, reinforcing the overall direction of the song before the vocals break back in for more destruction. I like the vocals in “Hedge Fund”, as they are more emotive and do a great job of displaying the vocalist’s strengths. It sounds sad and almost wistful, while the call and response techniques in the chorus are scattered and short, used just enough for the right emphasis. It leads into “Speed”, ironically the calmest song here. “Survive the Week” moves the tone down a half step, and it produces a more eerie sound. The opening rhythm is enticing and reappears throughout the song, taking turns with the vocals. It’s a stunningly honest song, speaking to those who know the feeling described by the title. “Green Lights Turn to Red” changes the pace a bit by opening with a booming bass line, later accompanied by clashing cymbals and strong guitar chords. Another energetic song, this expands on the path lit by “Survive the Week”. “Organ Music” opens with a slightly schizophrenic beat, settling into a pleasing collaboration between steady drums and the sounds of the organ. It’s a great, albeit fully instrumental, way to end out the album. While it is impressive that the vocalist attempts to show a gritty range, at times the effect seems to reach a bit far and it takes away from the other elements of the song. There are many shining points here where I can hear his strong, warm voice, and I wish it continued longer. As far as energy goes, this can’t be beat; the use of slowing down followed by a quick jolt in pace was a winning technique. I would love to hear the evolution of this “indie core” sound to see what new heights they can take it to. Millburray is a self-described neo-psychedelic band from Northern California. On their recent release Maiden Voyage they tip their hats to bands like Cream but also would fit along nice and snug amongst contemporaries like Ty Segall and Tale Impala. The music is raw, feels like a hit of blotter acid and sounds like the band is having a great time. These elements combined and you get a recipe for a successful debut. The songs are solid throughout and the only thing really holding it back is some of the production. Don’t get me wrong it was lo-fi and fitted the music but still I would have loved just a bit more magic in the production end of things. The album rocks out plenty with its opening number “Who In Tibet.” What’s not to love really - the song has a shredding psychedelic lead guitar, a great vocal performance, and a very live sounding drum kit. The singer gives an inspired performance He often sounds similar to Kevin Parker from Tame Impala and Kevin Parker often sounds like John Lennon which isn't something to be ashamed of. “Bamboo Killer” was a nice dose of raw instrumentation that sounded a bit like Frank Zappa and something you might hear off of Atom Heart Mother. The strongest song of the five may have been the Eastern-influenced “Mother Of Ten Thousand Things” which successfully blends western rock and traditional sounding Indian music (think Ravi Shankar). The song has a really great string arrangements as well as inspirational vocal lines that make the song stand out. MIllburray started off with 12 tracks that were trimmed down to five before the release and I think they made a good decision. These songs are good and they created a solid foundation for them to grow off of.
Sintaks mastermind, Thomas Kollar, was born in Hungry, but he lives in Vancouver. After experimenting with various instruments, Kollar finally decided to pursue his passion of electronic music. Next, he went to college at the Harbourside Institute of Technology in North Vancouver. There he learned to fabricate the sounds of instruments through technology. Paint the Depths takes a journey deep into the mysteries of the ocean. It fuses actual ocean sounds with futuristic beats. It’s an experiment in storytelling. Paint the Depths’ track “The Search (For Na Kika)” retells the legend of a Hawaiian Octopus God, Na Kika. Na Kika brought Gilbert Island up from the ocean floor. In “The Search,” different sounds represent Na Kika’s calls and cries. Listeners quickly discover Sintaks vision for the album, because he accomplishes his goal of making the album flow as one sound. Paint the Depths unfolds like a narrative with an introduction, rising action, falling action and a conclusion. The main method Sintaks uses to combine these tracks is carrying some of the sounds over to the next one. Other times he uses a continuous beat throughout Paint the Depths. “The Search” and “The Depths” sound almost entirely like one song. That’s one reason why “Strokes n’ Waves” stands out the most of the three. “Strokes n’ Waves” is the most experimental track on the album because it incorporates different sound mediums. Additionally its layout of voiceovers and beats create a playful blending. “Strokes n’ Waves” song quality makes it a dance-style track, which adds to the enjoyment of it. Paint the Depths is an ambitious first album. With influences like Wish You Were Here by Pink Floyd and The Galilean Satellites by Rosetta, we’d expect nothing less. Sintaks creative risks really work rhythmically in this album.
I would like to start out this review by thanking Opium Dream Estate (a French musical project formed by Sébastyén D.) for taking my expectations and turning them inside out with an original, ambitious sound that blends dark, ominous ambient pieces with solid traditional songwriting. For There Will None Be Left is a five-song EP from the artist that is an adventurous achievement in that it combines unlikely genres such as post-rock. ambient, folk, and darkwave to name a few. It kind of sounds like Oneohtrix Point Never decided to pick up a guitar and write a folk song. The album opens with “Shroud (Sleep Now),” which is an instrumental song that is on the verge of being terrifying in the best way. In the beginning of the song you are greeted with a melody that sounds like it is coming from a music box from the 1960’s that is slightly detuned. It fades, making way for an ominous fog that is front and center but also blended with a creepy vocal utterance that sounds just a tad bit evil. The cloud of darkness is dispersed rather quickly once “Weathered and Timeless” is introduced. It is not completely gone but the bright acoustic and electric guitars and vocal melody provide some solace from the first track. “Dead Souls” soars in a sedated way while “Forget Me Not” is a beautiful acoustic song that is layered with many elements that crackle making it seem more vibrant and alive. “End (Of Those Autumn Dreams) “ is another instrumental track that closes the EP. The song is contemplative and lies in a pool of sadness, wonder and nostalgia. It’s a short song but powerful in that it provides a sense of sense of stillness when you listen to it, especially at loud volumes. Opium Dream Estate beats to his own drum and makes it work. He has created a short yet powerful statement with For There Will None Be Left that showcases his ability to blend genres into original compositions.
Based out of Minneapolis, MN Creaking Oak is a folk/americana-duo made up of Alec Seeley and Thomas Ebert. They were friends before band mates in college and as one thing lead to another they started creating music together. As the songs started to amass they wanted to release them in a proper album. Their self-titled debut Creaking Oak was self-produced and recorded in their basement. With little more than a microphone and an audio interface they recorded their songs and the quality is about what you would expect from the gear they had at their disposal. The strings and vocals often sound thin but the mixing isn't too shabby. The music is hit-and-miss throughout and they have their best moments when they veer more towards bluegrass and less towards melancholy indie rock. One of the highlights on the album is “In My Dreams (I Can Dance the Waltz),” which contains a bass, a banjo and lead vocals for most of the song. In about the last minute or so the song really opens up and proves to be one of their best moments of the album. The vocal harmonies, guitar and additional string work come together to create a joyous, triumphant sound. “Filth” doesn't work as well. The song never seems to get off the ground and it drags. Another highlight is the first song “Hands in a Jar” as it contains a great acoustic guitar progression and has an upward momentum. “Bend, Or” is a good song but it is plagued with production issues that hold back the kick from having much of an impact and make the bass sound very thin and frail. Creaking Oak have made an impressive debut with some exceptional moments but still have room for improvement. They have a knack for writing folk/bluegrass type tunes and hope they lean towards that direction in the their future endeavors.
Keep Dreaming by Daniel Admon was the result of a spontaneous gathering of musicians in the night between the 26th and the 27th of May 2011. What might be most interesting about the album is that “the musicians did not hear the music before that night and what you hear on this album is the captured primal musical ideas and feelings that the musician felt and played.” While the concept is interesting the album is little more than an acoustic guitar and Admon’s vocals. The music itself is one of the saddest records I have heard since I See a Darkness by Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy. There are eight songs on this record and each one of them features a good amount of melancholy, nostalgia as well as beauty .
Admon starts with a declaration as he sings: “All I know is that I don't know anything, I'm only swimming in a pond. How can I know what is fiction what is real? How can I know what I'm to feel?” on “I need you.” The song is so intimately sung it was on the verge of making me uncomfortable even though I was listening to it through a pair of speakers. The way he picks the guitar it seems as if he is barely plucking the strings and the way he sings is hardly above a whisper. “I’m not O.K” begins with the lyrics “One day I will find my way. I don't know when. All I know is that I'll find it my friend,” and in combination with the melody, and the song title it could be contender for tearjerker of the year. Another song is “Scared” is which Admon sings slightly optimistic lyrics of distant piano notes and lightly picked acoustic guitar. The last song on the album “You feel like home” provides a bit of solace and hope. He sings, “I may thinks many things but I just need your love. And tonight I feel I found the truth. For me you feel like home. With you I feel I'm right back home. With you I feel I'm right back home.” This is an album that sometimes makes Elliott Smith seem like Vampire Weekend and isn't something you are going to want to pop in at a party. In fact this soft and nostalgic album is best enjoyed by yourself on a Sunday morning. Junkyard Genius is a brand-new band from Kansas City who recorded a four-song EP called Flood It Out (EP) within the first month of their being together. The album was recorded in their basement and the songs are there but production is extremely poor. The demo is kind of like seeing a spark in the fog. You can tell something is there but it’s just too cloudy to make it out. The songs sound very muddy and there is no definition between any of the instruments. The songs themselves aren't bad and for recording this EP within their first month it is quite impressive. A lot of the material is straightforward indie rock but also has a bit of blues influence in the mix as well. I also really enjoyed the vocals. The vocalist has an attractive, soothing voice that is devoid of any douche-y-ness. The album opens with the bluesy number called “Oxygen.” It contains a couple of cliché guitar progressions and is a fun tune overall. “Scandalous Little Red” is a solid pop song that contains a catchy vocal line while “Lions Den” is the highlight of the EP. “Reflected Mind” is the most ambitious song and would burst with energy if it wasn’t for the production. The drumming is pretty tight and overall the song has a lot of changes that keep your attention. Flood It Out will hopefully be remembered as the band’s meager beginnings. There is talent here but it’s not presented on the best canvas.
|
Critique/insightWe are dedicated to informing the public about the different types of independent music that is available for your listening pleasure as well as giving the artist a professional critique from a seasoned music geek. We critique a wide variety of niche genres like experimental, IDM, electronic, ambient, shoegaze and much more.
Are you one of our faithful visitors who enjoys our website? Like us on Facebook
Archives
May 2024
|