Galactic Destinations by Nicolas Coppola is an extremely smart and fun album, which explores electronica, jazz, funk and lounge music. The timbres and mixing are incredible, and each song has lots of interest in its development of melodies and instrumentation.
After a brief sweeping intro, the album erupts into “Lunar Space Café” which features some Keith Emerson-like organ runs over some abrupt but fun time signature changes. The sense of lightness balances out the cleverness of the melodies, and the juxtaposing feels and melodies make it feel like it’s moving between the dining room and kitchen of the Cafe in the title. “Warp Gate 1039” uses a funky hip-hop beat along with some reverted claps to keep time while synths pan in stereo and lone vibraphone notes ring out. As the song evolves with its trance feel, there are some interesting call and responses between synth, organ and vibraphone that build and keep interest. “Kepler 452b” is more chilled out with echoing organs and subtle wind chimes. The use of space (no pun intended) is appreciated, letting each reverb really ring out and echo through, like a more focused Pink Floyd. Double-time drums and spoken word pieces help elevate the end of the song. Reprising the smart but fun concept of “Lunar Space Café,” “Orion’s Belt Hotel” has some Shuggie Otis elements in it with its use of glockenspiel and long whole notes on the organ. Whooshes of noise that could be vacuum cleaners cleverly sweep across the stereo spectrum giving a percussive effect without being overbearing. It’s smart and interesting. “The Icy Mountains of Pluto” is based around rock drums with stadium reverb and dueling organs. Not quite acting as a canon, the organs sit left and right and play almost a call and response game with each other. It’s never cluttered or psychedelic, instead the two sides really support each other quite well, and the closeness and directness of the timbre works as a great contrast to the huge drums. “Asteroid Flyby” uses a Postal Service-esque drum pattern and pulsating synths under a pseudo guitar solo. Again, the use of stereo is well executed with drumbeats bouncing back and forth to the sides. The half note pattern on the bass keeps the whole song grounded by offering up a simple but effective footing from which everything else as the title would suggest, flies by. “Stellar Nursery” uses a complex time signature and an aggressive bass line that really drives the song forward. The brassy synths move towards a crescendo with each sweeping pass, giving an elegance to prog-rock-funk beat. Between spoken word bits and loud gunshot-like taps the song really moves the listener through a journey, almost like a promenade style play. The album closes with “Cygnus X-1” a song that has less in common with the Rush song and more with the black hole. Deep penetrating sounds under buzzing noises give way to an acoustic piano, interestingly the first time that sound is heard on the whole album. It works as a summation of timbres, ideas and the flow of a really intellectually stimulating recording.
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Kyle Gallagher’s solo music project called The Vernal Solstice, began in 2011 and expanded in late 2015 to include his younger sister Megan Gallagher. The two make music based off influences from electronic and alternative rock styles and Megan’s voice is usually accompanied by a wide range of instruments that Kyle plays.
Health EP begins with “Breathe” a high-spirited and subtly reflective piece that starts with a subdued electronic patch before transitioning into an acoustically driven beat with underlying synthesizers and distorted percussion. Kyle occasionally provides vocal harmonies to Megan’s trained, yet natural, voice, and Kyle even raps in a section of spoken word. After a feigned ending around the three-minute mark, the song launches with renewed vigor into a triumphant chorus to finish off the masterful tune. Reverb-laden acoustic fingerpicking provides the opening intro to “Hero” a song of thanksgiving and admiration that maintains a relatively low level of energy. However, the decrease in volume is more than compensated by the intricate patterns of notes created by the guitar and the perfect fitting of the lyrics and melody into the chord progressions. This piece is incredibly enjoyable to listen to, and its peaceful atmosphere gently draws in the listener. “Ghosts” is the third and final song on the EP and for the first time in the record Kyle’s vocals take center stage among a choir of swelling strings, faint chords and a solid rhythmic beat. While this song is a bit repetitive, the repetitive parts are so catchy that the repetitiveness is seen as an asset, and not detrimental, to the song. Beautiful strings lead the way through murky lyrics, screaming guitars and an ever-present drumbeat. Overall, this EP packs a large amount of sound and ideas into a small number of tracks. Kyle and Megan evidently have a unique and beneficial family connection that allows them to succeed as artists and collaborate in new and innovative ways. Health EP is a testimony to the Gallaghers’ collective talent and will undoubtedly draw a large audience to their music.
Throughout music history there has never been a shortage of leading front men and women who serve as the “face” of the band. Then there is the post rock genre, which is instrumental, and doesn’t require anyone to be the “face” of the band, though it does require each member of the ensemble to mesh well with one another if the band is to stand on its own.
For nearly four years now the San Marcos, Texas post rock band See You In the Morning has been doing just that, pumping out melodic post rock that stretches over a variety of moods which they have honed since releasing their first two EP’s and can now be found on their debut full-length See You in the Morning. The band is a big one too, six pieces made up of three guitarists; Alex Alston, Alex Strom and Michael Berry, bassist Kyle Duncan, drummer Austin Perrilloux and Victoria Campos on the synths. With this lineup the band is able to create many different soundscapes. They begin by coming out with the full force of rock on the album’s opener “Sorrows Drowned.” See You in the Morning moves easily and seamlessly between melodic and more ambient offerings and then turns on a dime to offer big swells of ear searing guitar solos and then moves back into ambience once again as they do in the thirteen-plus-minute epic “Pandurtle.” They do this again on “Bronchial Catharsis” which along with the guitars comes some pretty ball busting drum fills and warm synthesizers woven in. The closing track, “Siberia” is a cold and slow build, filled with some really great fretwork from the three guitarists. I wouldn’t call myself a man who knows a lot about the post rock genre though I felt like there were a lot of patterns happening on See You in the Morning the main one being that after a time many of the songs, good as they are, begin to have the same format to them. They begin loud or soft, have big swollen middles of guitar and then end in crashing wailing guitars again. I like a certain variety to the way songs are constructed but that’s just me. If your into ambient rock or just wanna hear some pretty kick ass musicians jamming out, get a copy of See You in the Morning.
Some things are worth the wait and one of those things is The Dark Retreat by Mad Monks. The band comprised of James Edel (guitar), Matt Larson (bass) and Eric Dirks (guitar/drums) formed in 2006 and were influenced by the likes of Jimi Hendrix and King Crimson (I would argue I hear more King Crimson than Hendrix on The Dark Retreat). It took them eight years for The Dark Retreat, which is an album about the learning and death cycles.
The album has a great flow from beginning to end and it's obvious the band took a lot of time to think about how each track would flow into the next. I encourage you to listen to this album from beginning to end as it was intended. Up first is “Aphelion” which revolves around slide guitar. It serves as a good intro to the album, which showcases the technical and creative ability of the guitarist. “Helionauts” is where the band comes in to join the fun. There is a bit of a grunge vibe once the vocalist starts to sing and I was reminded of Chris Cornell. “Helionauts” is a highlight with a number of engaging crescendos. “Impasse” is an onslaught of notes with plenty of adrenaline to boot. The song moves fast and could be considered epic. “Asthenia” is unlike anything else that came before. It’s sparse with not much more than acoustic guitar, bells and pads. The overall feeling is a bit dark and mysterious. “Apsis” is another song that sounds like nothing else on the album. It starts with throat or overtone singing that eventually gets layered with guitar. There are very interesting things going on in this song. As the album comes to a close there isn’t any other way to describe the songs but as epic. “Hades” is a ten-minute song you won’t want to miss but the centerpiece is “Chimera” which is over twenty-five minutes in length. The Dark Retreat is a great album. There are very few albums out there that have as much attention to detail and the kind of seamless flow this one has.
I can’t help but be jealous of drummers who happen to be really great songwriters and singers. It’s not fair to the majority of musicians who have enough trouble handling their chosen instrument. Matthew Maher is one of those cats who makes his living as a drummer but has also managed to release his own album entitled Poemed Rhymes that happens to be really, really good.
The songs aren’t trying to reinvent the wheel but Maher’s impressive vocal delivery, songwriting and heartfelt lyrics make this album very enjoyable. My only minor quibble with this album is that at fourteen songs it can feel a bit much to take in on one sitting. For a debut I feel ten songs may have been more impactful. Maher kicks things off with the upbeat “All Grown Up” which is a single worthy song. The lyrics are great and revolve around being “grown up” and still feeling lost in a lot of way. I think of a lot of people can relate to this song. The next song “Cheers Pop” is another very well written tune which seemed conducive to people singing along to it. Maher strips things back on “Another Song” to just guitar and vocals. His guitar picking skills happen to be top notch. “Here No More” is a certified highlight and is the most upbeat song about ending a relationship that I have heard in quite some time. The same sort of theme ties into the self-explanatory song “I Don't Like You” which also features the benefit of female vocals. As the album progresses there are a number of highlights including “Escape,” the waltz “Together Apart” and the closer “Left It Too Late.” Poemed Rhymes is a great album. Maher’s off-kilter themes combined with good songwriting is a winning combination. Suffice it to say this is something you will want to listen too.
Herman Martinez is a multi-instrumentalist/singer/songwriter/artist from New Jersey who now resides in Georgia. On his recent release Solopsi Radio he explains that he sings about time travel, dimensional wormholes, love, xenophobia, musical myths and losing yourself to find yourself.
At the heart of Solopsi Radio is prog rock with a lot of experimental tendencies. Martinez doesn’t make compact pop songs that you would hear on mainstream radio. These aren’t the catchiest songs in the world and may take some people a little bit of time to wrap their ears around. Whether you appreciate this music or not there is no denying Martinez is extremely skilled at the instruments he plays. There is a lot going on in each song from intricate guitar playing to unique timing transitions and more. “Phonic Chronicles” is the first track and comes out of the gate with heavy prog rock. The guitar riffs veer towards metal in the beginning. In a brilliant move Martinez takes off the distortion and introduces clean guitars on the second verse, which gives the song an ethereal feel. The vocals are well delivered. He stays in key and I thought his delivery and the notes he hit served the song well. “Fictional Realism” has a very different feel than the first song and threw me off a bit. It’s a solid song but not one of his strongest on the album. Martinez shines on “Every Letter I've Ever Sent” which embraces his technical prowess and creative abilities. “Sculptor” is another highlight, which reminded me of Alice N Chains at times while “Healing Factor” has an experimental EDM vibe. There is a lot going on with these songs and the kind you really have to take your time with. Martinez packs so many notes and transitions that you will want to listen to this at least a couple of times. Good stuff.
The JG Embargo Band is a five-piece band from the UK that recently released Stooky Bill. They play instrumental music that varies from jazz to rock to funk and some other places in between. The EP feels a bit uneven because most of the time they are jumping from style to style (however they are also successfully blending styles) rather than approaching it from a distinct sound that the band has already formed. That being said there are some great, inspired moments on the EP. The band has some serious skill in the technical department and also are quite creative.
They open with “Shaolin Temple” which is seeped in a good amount of soul and funk. Just listening to the music makes you feel a little bit cooler. The bass line is boss and the ‘70s style synth is killer. It doesn’t take long for the music to progress into a barrage of sounds with the horns being in the forefront. “Above Us” slows things down with Stevie Ray Vaughn-esque lead blues guitar and ghost-like vocal harmonies. There are definitely some interesting things going on here as the song progresses. I thought the way the vocal harmonies took over, as the focal point from the lead guitar was a unique move. Around two-minutes-and-thirty-seconds in they transition to a part that sounds reminiscent of Elton John. It sounded great. “Falling” starts with an LA noir jazz feel that would work in any good detective movie. The beauty of the song is how it slowly transitions out of that style. Once the guitar comes in and the bass line changes the song feels different but not too much so that it's jarring. “Stooky Bill” is a great track and arguable highlight amongst the mix. It’s the type of song that would work in one of those heist movies like Oceans 11. The sax is killer. They close with “Ostinato” which is a loose, free jazz jam session - another impressive tune. The band goes five for five here. My only minor quibble is there wasn’t enough of an x-factor that gave definition to the band while they were seamlessly combining styles. They are on to something with their music. If they can build more of a foundation underneath the general idea they are experimenting with they will be golden.
Alex Matkovic (guitar/vocals/synth/lyrics/production) and Janelle Trieu (vocals/piano/guitar/lyrics) are the two members that make up A Lot Like Us. Matkovic lives in Chicago and Trieu resides in Salt Lake City. They collaborate through video chatting and file sharing service. Hallow is their first release which happens to be written specifically for Halloween.
I have to say it seemed odd to me that their debut was a concept album that may have veered towards a niche sound that may differ from their other material. All I am saying is if an artist comes out with a Christmas album they usually do it well into their career after they have established a sound for themselves. The songs fall under the umbrella of rock/pop. They also have a bit of that Halloween vibe. Take for instance the first song “Everything Is Dead!” It revolves around guitar, bass and drums but the instrument that gives it that Halloween feel is the organ. The song is straightforward and simple and Trieu delivers a solid vocal performance. She sings, “Walking the streets in the middle of the night / Pulled out his phone just to find a ride / To his surprise his battery ran dry / At the worst time, his phone had died.” The juxtaposition between the singing style and lyrics is funny to say the least on “Carve Your Heart Out.” She sings, “You were gone / Now you’re everywhere / I can’t escape / Overwhelmed / By the sight of you / The way you taste / But I Just want to carve your heart out / Open up / Let me take your pain away.” Trieu delivers another solid performance on this track. Next up is the short “Organ Thieves” which at just over a minute could have been extended. The fourth and final track is “Nothing Can Save You.” Truth be told Matkovic isn’t as good a singer as Trieu is but he does hold his own. Out of the four songs this one has the most overt Halloween vibe due to the manipulated vocals. He sings, “I sit inside this ancient tomb / Plotting my vengeance on anyone who/ Dares to disturb me / You've probably heard of me / You should've known not to come here alone.” Overall, the songs are well written and decently produced. I wonder what's next for the band? A Thanksgiving themed EP?
After Afterparty is the moniker for Quinton Sung. The nineteen-year-old DIY bedroom project tips its hat to post-punk, post-rock and the aesthetics of shoegaze. He drowns his music in an ample amount of reverb and lets his vocals hang low in the mix. You can recognize the aesthetic choices that vary from bands like Jesus and Mary Chain, Ride and My Bloody Valentine to even more atmospheric artists such as Windy & Carl and Ride.
For what the songs lack in technical prowess they make up for in ambience and atmosphere. Take for instance After Afterparty’s opener “Coldweather.” Sung creates a specious soundscape with reverb as a simple, steady bass line and electronic percussion create the foundation. I enjoyed the energy of the song and thought the vocals were delivered well. That being said I thought the vocals were too low in the mix even for shoegaze. The lyrics paint a picture of isolation, loneliness and yearning. He sings, “it's too cold i'm looking for you where did you go waiting for you outside my door find me sitting on your floor.” “Disappear” has a similar feel to the first song although there are elements of post-rock. The luminous waves of white noise are melancholy with hints of beauty. “Sofabed” is another solid song but the lyrics were too hard to understand them. “(Suede Shoes)” is a change in pace if only because he relies on an acoustic guitar and puts aside his bass and drums. He closes with “Moth” which is a fairly dynamic for shoegaze. The background vocals were a nice touch. At nineteen years old Sung has all the time in the world to start perfecting his craft. He is off to a good start but there is still a ton of room for improvement. I would encourage him to work on pronouncing the lyrics. In addition to that he will want not only to remember to EQ the vocals for clarity but also the reverb itself, which can make a world of difference. Sung has a lot of potential and we will see if has what it takes to evolve as an artist.
Chris Clesse (vocals/guitar), Thomas Lorimer (guitar), Patrick Daponte (drums) and Alec Irace (Bass) are the four members of Dwayne Champagne. Their recent release Sad Clown is a DIY effort that is a bit raw but has a good live vibe to it. At their core they play rock music that flirts with different styles and genres.
The first thing I noticed was the visceral energy of the band. It was the opener “I’ll Just Pretend” which is the highlight that gives you the feeling right out of the gate that the band is releasing a surplus of energy. The bass line and drums trudge forward as feedback from the guitar floats in the mix. The vocals as well as the vocal harmonies are catchy when they sing, “I’ll just pretend you didn’t break my heart.” You can hear a bit of Weezer and surf rock on the chorus and it sounds good on the band. The song’s finest moment comes towards the end. Around the two-minute mark the band goes into a breakdown. The vocals are probably the best on the album and once the band goes back into the verse the vocals start to break and sound appropriate. The band has some more success with “Noting All The Strangeness.” It’s an upbeat song not too far from something you might hear from The Killers or Franz Ferdinand. There is an excellent breakdown section where the drums carry the momentum. “Tense Off” while a decent song isn’t as strong as the first two tracks. There is a sublime vibe on this song. I have to say the crescendo at the end of the song is rather enjoyable. On “Please Strike Gently” the band dips their toes in jazz while combining it with rock and pop. They close with the title track with a solid rocker with another catchy vocal line. Overall, Dwayne Champagne is a solid band with a good amount of potential. They have a great energy, exceptional vocal delivery and a fairly unique sound. |
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