Ashton York is a southern California based singer/songwriter. We reviewed York’s full length album last year entitled You Are My Sanity which I suggest spending some time with. He has been prolific since then and released one of the best songs to date entitled “Your Love Is A Light.”
This is a love song. Romantic love is probably the most tired trope and subject in songwriting. There is a “but” here. The obvious reason for this is because it's an important factor in most people's lives. People want to write about it whether it’s new love, a breakup song or something else. I think the key here is perhaps (or perhaps not) saying things people have heard before in a different way. And there is a lot to say. What is it really? It’s intangible, we can't hold onto it, but we all tend to agree it’s out there. Explaining what it is can be endlessly fascinating. York does an exceptional job with lyrics and brings poetic imagery to the subject. Take for instance lines like “through the window / I can hear the cat as she howls in the dark you're still on top of me / anything but human / just shy of divine.” He jumps from first person perspective to interpretive lyrics. He could be talking about the communion and feeling of non-dualism that love can bring about. The sun is brighter, everything feels aligned but I’m still a biological creature. Of course this is just my interpretation but that’s some of the fun of a song like this. Musically, there is a lot to appreciate as well from catchy melodies to the instrumentation and delivery. It starts off simple enough with guitar, drums and vocals. Perhaps most interesting however is the engineering aspects. The song starts with an HPF or “high pass filter” which cuts a lot of the lower frequencies. As the song progresses the lower frequencies slowly fade in. This is an advanced technique and used quite brilliantly. The overall mood here melds melancholy and a sort of warm joy. I liked it quite a bit and it reminded me of Sparklehorse. This is a great song and proof that there are still plenty of unique ways to approach the topic of love.
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Blue Dream started in 2014 when Matt Griffin (bass) and Joe Krapf (drums) met at a jam night at Jimmy's Saloon in Newport, Rhode Island. The two joined TC Demers (guitar/vocals) and TC's brother Steve Demers (lead guitar) and the group was complete. After the band released their first, self-titled record Blue Dream in October, they are now playing across New England with upcoming dates in Montpelier and Burlington, Vermont. Blue Dream is a true testament to the band’s sound – a fine combination of ‘70s rock, dive bar style blues and authentic by-the-sea reggae. If Led Zeppelin, John Lee Hooker and Peter Tosh birthed a music baby, it would be Blue Dream. The album was recorded, mixed and mastered by Jon Sanders at Robot Records in Attleboro, Massachusetts. What’s already great about this band is that they recorded live without a click track while adding vocals and a few other instruments afterwards.
“Flipside” begins with a meaty, bassy beat and classic rock riffs. Then just like that, the band switches into a reggae rhythm. I got a feeling that if you’re into thick, heavy bass lines, catchy rock riffs and whaling solo breaks, this band should satisfy your needs. “Holdin’ On” offers a slower groove, more bluesy with plenty of swagger. Classic. “Lost at Sea” is jumpy, and energetic – reminding me of some punk version of the Allman Brothers – if there’s even one, I know, crazy. This one also has some breaks inside where the group throws in reggae. A varied song to be sure as well as one of their longer numbers. I liked the island sound towards the end and how the band remarkably sounded like The Police. “Cuchi Tunnel” definitely has that syrupy, post-psych rock from the ‘70s. As if Iron Butterfly and Black Sabbath met up but toned it down on the psychedelic and black metal. Steve Demers showcases another stellar solo here as Krapf pulls off fluidly, flawless drums fills. One my favorites from these Rhode Islanders. Who can’t love a band with a song called “Locked & Loaded”? Not only is there cowbell, but there’s one hell of a catchy guitar riff, too. The rap style singing of TC Demers and the band’s style reminded me of a cross between Red Hot Chili Peppers, King’s X and Living Colour. I would see these guys live just to hear this song. “Rollin’” clearly has a straightforward reggae sound and style from the get-go with some great rockin’ action towards the songs end – I can hear where the Peter Tosh comparison comes in. “Down the Road” takes a page from the classic, bluesish style of artists like John Lee Hooker and mythic backroads that speak of selling one’s soul to the devil at the crossroads. The reverberating guitar effects cut through deep and sound excellent! “Our Time” switches back into the band’s style of island/reggae/rap-rock. Plenty of “toking-it-up” references in this one, if you know what I mean. “Sneaky Pete” puts things back into ‘70s classic rock mode, a la Mountain, Ram Jam and Molly Hatchet, I would say. Another crazy good solo with what I would call an “acid rock” pedal effect on lead. Good stuff. “Last Night” has an extra layer of syrupy sultriness to it and a mix of reggae rock but with a funkier beat and more rock. The band changes gears and goes into this meaty, progressive style sounding like some metal/funk version of the Chili Peppers back in the day. Krapf’s drumming is nuts on this one! “PJ’s Song” is another one of the band’s blues rock numbers, complete with lyrics referencing a “little girl” and something about having “one good eye” left. If you know who George Thorogood is, then you’ll know where I’m coming from. This one should make you get up and dance. Great song! The last tune is a two-parter called “Edibles/Drinkin’ Blues” and it may be the band’s strongest. Starting out, the style is all out blues, complete with repeating lyrics in that classic blues lyrics kind of way and repeating back and forth between solo, verse, solo. For me, the band tapped into the heavier side of blues, something like the Texas blues of Stevie Ray Vaughan or Jimi Hendrix. About the last half a minute the song fades out into a reggae ditty. Well, what can I say? If you want the best of both worlds, in this case blues and reggae, you can’t go wrong with Blue Dream. These guys were strong contenders in both.
With a band name like Stellar Ash, one would expect a rich sound, spanning to the stars. Despite the Canadian group being only a trio, they meet expectations. Their music is heavily inspired by ‘90s alternative rock acts like Foo Fighters, Soundgarden and Pearl Jam. It’s full and gripping, heavy and distorted, and at times quiet and contemplative. The band claims they are three things, “REAL… CANADIAN… ROCK.” However, after diving into their self-titled album Stellar Ash, it isn’t quite that simple.
The first half of Stellar Ash is sonically ambiguous. The opener “Sleep Test” comes close to being soft-rock and feels more like an album closer. The quiet moments continue on “Peace & Love” and “Fade Away.” These songs liven up, but their ebb and flow left me wanting more. Finally, the quiet acoustic interlude “Under” caps off the album’s first half. It is a beautiful piece of guitar playing but doesn’t have the impact it could have if there were more punch preceding it. The album hits its stride with the song “Over.” A single sustained guitar chord hits hard after the interlude. Then a drum roll leads into a ridiculously catchy guitar riff. The song lacks an actual chorus, but it doesn’t matter because you will want to hear that riff as much as you can before it’s over. The song “Watch Me Go” is maybe the poppiest song on Stellar Ash. And at only two minutes-and-twenty-five-seconds, it’s radio-ready. The party continues with “Hot Tin Roof,” a track that fittingly features a guitar solo that most likely burnt the studio down. The album closes with the country tune “The Extraordinary Mineshaft Canary.” It’s a fun track but sticks out like a sore thumb. The album may have benefited from a closer that is more in line with the rest of the album. Stellar Ash is at its best when the tunes are compact and catchy. There are some sonic inconsistencies. That being said these guys are great songwriters and do their inspirations justice. A clearer vision is all their next project needs to shine even more bright. I look forward to hearing more.
Brian Beaver (drums), Nashville (guitar/vocals), Boyd Means (bass/guitar) and Bobbie Snakes (bass/guitar/vocals) are Dynamo. The band has been around in some form since 2008 and they just released Dynamo which is a five-song EP.
The band sounds experienced from beginning to end with very tight playing and songs that rock. They play various forms of rock including hard rock and classic rock but whatever they attempt they have a good amount of attitude behind it. They take off with “Catch No Ghost” which has a tinge of country and hard hitting emotive vocals. The band My Morning Jacket came to mind at first. They go into a smooth breakdown with the bass leading the charge and rock out in similar fashion to Led Zeppelin and easily transition tempo as the song unexpectedly becomes more ambient and subdued. I liked the original move here. The band just crushes with “Hammer the Persuader.” They dig into a similar vibe you hear from a band like Queens of the Stone Age. It’s a heavy riff and the first transition fuses in elements of metal. “Whiskey Jim” is a short one coming in at two minutes. It’s a fun song and the vocals sound hyperbolic and exaggerated but fits the mood. The ’70s vibes were strong on “The Hex.” What I really liked about this song is their dedication to the build and breakdown. They stay there for a while and are in no hurry to get to the ripping guitar solo and final tempo change which sounds very punk rock but more like The Melvins. “Eastern Road” features a rare synth even if it’s subtle. This song isn’t as heavy but has arguably the most infectious melodies. My first thoughts after listening to the band were that I wanted to see them live. There is a lot of visceral and cathartic energy here. Suffice it to say the band rocks. Take a listen.
I always liked when hip-hop artists would work with a live band. Look no further than a band like The Roots to see what a live band can do. The live band feel is all over Tryna Get My Live Together by Precious Gorgeous. In fact, the album is a live performance.
It’s a little hard to nail down the vocal style of Precious Gorgeous. He attempts a lot of different styles of rapping and singing. There are certain ways he rapped and occasionally sung that did remind me of other specific artists. The album opens with “Bucktown Blues (Broke)” which does revolve around a bluesy guitar riff. There really isn’t much more that you are greeted with in terms of musical variation. As the song progresses sometimes the bass plays a couple more notes and the guitar takes a lead but for the most it felt like a platform for the vocals to shine. The vocals are broken up between rapping on the verse and singing in the chorus. Up next is “Make Art” and you are greeted with warm instrumentation such as electric piano and what sounds like a theremin but was most likely a synth. The song has a stream of consciousness, free jazz type of quality. Spoken word poetry also came to mind. The energy picks up on “Runneth Over” and it sort of sounded like Outkast if they were backed by a jam band. Up next is “I Wonder What It Costs (To Be Something That Beautiful” and I would say this groove was my favorite. There is a clear ’70s soul and Motown vibe here. There were a couple of artists that came to mind but Common seemed to be a clear influence here. “I Wonder What It Costs (To Be Something That Beautiful” felt full and I really liked the energy of Precious Gorgeous on this track which gets more and more intense as the song progresses. “My Shirt Is Off” is another highlight. The vocal style here is similar to “I Wonder What It Costs (To Be Something That Beautiful” and seemed to be where he excelled. “Code Adam” sounds like a different artist after the previous track. They play into a sweet ’50s pop sound and the vocals are sung and rapped and sometimes just between. He closes with “Cool Story (Still Broke)” which returns to a broken heart theme of the first song. There are a lot of different styles across this album. It felt like they were attempting a type of ode to different styles of music. I’ve made my thoughts clear about this in the past but you are obviously giving up a cohesive quality to the album along with a more identifiable signature sound the more you experiment with different genres. It’s a give and take. Precious Gorgeous is unequivocally diverse and has skills as a singer and a rapper which is fairly rare in my opinion. His passion comes through in the music as well as his engagement with the audience. I also have to give extra kudos to the fact that he is keeping live music alive and well. Take a listen.
Flashpoint Run is a band based out of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania consisting of lead singer Danny Rossi (vocals), Brian Bastos (guitar), Seth McClaine (guitar/keys), Brice Taylor (bass)and Jared Humphrey (drums). The band recently released their debut album entitled Worlds On Fire.
The band blend a palatable blend of pop and rock across ten tracks. Their music felt accessible to me on first listen. I wouldn’t say there were many surprises good or bad to my ears but there are a lot of quality songs. The mood is set with the opening track “Fire.” You are greeted with a steady kick and slightly distorted guitar and the whole band latches on to an upbeat groove. Rossi delivers expressive vocals which are dynamic and showcase his range. “Luxe” starts with a soulful vocals and dripping instrumental elements. They quickly latch on to a groove that contains some attitude and mystery. The energy is constantly moving and feels like it’s moving forward. “Amber Sun” felt like a highlight. The song had more of a hopeful vibe especially when the chorus kicks in. The guitar take advantage of a wah pedal and the whole band is on point playing off each other reaching a number of impressive crescendos. “Waves” is a little more pensive and had a ’90s alternative quality while “Sick and Tired” felt like a single worthy with one of the most memorable vocal melodies. They have more success with “Resistance” and the more nostalgic and clean “Be with You.” “Time Again” and “More” continue to create a foundation for the band. They close with “Don’t Leave” which is a highlight. The band is very consistent with their songs in terms of quality. It’s very cohesive and the band has a sound although it’s very broad. I would have liked to hear something that defined the band's signature sound, perhaps just a little more experimentation. Overall. This a strong debut and the band is making good moves while displaying some talent along the way. I’m looking forward to hearing more from the band.
Divide & Conquer reviewed L.A. Trip a few years ago and had a lot of positive things to say about the band’s self-titled demo. When we last reviewed the band, the group only had two official members (Bobby Barber on vocals and guitar and Sean O’Neill on drums) and were heading to LA once Barber finished his contract with the Marines. With all the boxes most likely checked by now, the band looks forward to a more exciting venture with the help of Jake Cullin on bass and keys. Now with the new addition, the band’s signature sound of ‘90s inspired alternative music is even more raw and electric.
L.A. Trip is currently back with their brand-new album entitled Modern Day Slaves. Drawing forth a ‘90s inspired grunge classic rock vibe, the music is loud and in your face. Filled with a mad haze of synths that creates an ambient drift of electro sounds and gnarly guitars, the music on the record is distinct, wild and ill-contained. Modern Day Slaves opens up to “Intro,” where scintillating synths start out to a retro-inspired tune. Heavy drumming backbeat paves this track. The guitars and bass are pummeling. This is a pure instrumental interlude. Electronic music in the backdrop is robotic with automatic beeps and flare ups. Noodling on the electric guitar starts off the song. “Perfect Metaphor.” Gradually, the bass, drums and keys slowly sidle in. The album slows down on this ballad. This track is a slow burn with an almost mellow and laid-back cadence. A departure from the energized and electric sound from before, there is a heavy rotation of drums, bass, electric guitar and keys. The band goes out on an all-out jam-session near the close of the song. “City of Angels” is a slow-grooving ballad that starts off to a hypnotic backbeat that will leave listeners enthralled. Filled with a melodic groove, the guitars shimmer with scintillating light. The music is hazy and romantic. A soft and soothing track. On the title-track and closer, soaring synths start off this song. Next, some noodling on the electric guitar joins in. There is evident a rush of instrumentals. A wall of sound is created from the guitars, bass and drums. The lyrics talk about breaking from the cycle: “Break my chains / I am free again.” With their tight musicianship, dizzying display of guitars, hypnotic bass lines, energized keys and fast drums they shed light on moments of pure jam-session. The band’s evocative playing showcases their close-knit chemistry. Sharing not only a love for music, the band members are also great friends. Their relationship continues to evolve as it looks like they are in it for the long haul. L.A. Trip will assail your senses with their heavy and bombastic music. Be prepared to be impressed. The band’s retro ‘90s alternative cadence doesn’t just exemplify the best out of the era, they also add a modernized twist to the sound. A melding of both worlds, L.A. Trip brings grunge music to fans of the decade without alienating contemporary fans. With their gritty guitars and jolting rhythms on bass and drums, L.A. Trip ignites with their frenzied musicianship and on point lyrics. Their enthusiasm and fervor behind their instruments showcase a raw and untamed sound that is meant to be enjoyed with the volume turned up. Can’t wait to hear more great tunes by the band.
No Degrees is a Brisbane based rock band that last hit the scene with their 2018 single “Magma Diver” and have been occupying their time since with regular live shows and building up a dedicated fan base. Now the band has returned with a new self-titled EP No Degrees, showcasing their unique style of dream-pop through a lo-fi and garage-y lens. While the sonics don’t aspire to grand commercial acceptance, the songs themselves are melodic and energetic, with arrangements that take the listener on a journey through multiple emotions and textures.
The opening track “Swift One” is a textbook example of painting with bold colors. There is a stark shift in frequency between the bright verse sections of guitar and synth pads that are countered by a darker chorus built on tom beats and heavy reverberation. In addition, a creative use of backing vocal melodies on the final chorus gives the darkness a whimsical feel. As a product of their lo-fi aesthetic, No Degrees tends to stick to bleaker shades as default, while predominantly utilizing brighter clean guitar leads to uplift the song and prevent an overbearing stagnation. While the EP features all around good production and flashes of creative ideas, the second half loses steam, exchanging the fleshed out initial songs for more transitory ideas. “Unabomber” starts off promising enough with a single driving verse before dissolving into an instrumental outro and ending too prematurely. The closing track “Music and Spheres” does achieve a more defined sound with an eastern sounding combination of elements and an ominous and harmonically fluid soundscape. However, although it works in context as a closing track, it comes off musically as more of an interlude, leaving me wanting additional tracks on the backend. Overall, I would like to hear greater ambition from No Degrees on their next release as they have shown clear potential for something greater in scope.
Frozen Fountain is a young and promising artist based in London with an audacious sound best encapsulated by his own admission of idolizing bands “that didn't care what people thought of them.” So faithful to his ethos, his debut album A Fading Light holds no creative punches: striking from the traditions of post-punk, new wave and ambient with a sound that is part heavy and part hazy. The word overbearing respectfully describes his buzzy and blistering sonics but his tasteful use of soft pads and transitionary soundscapes has the effect of making the weight malleable and contextually measured.
The sequence of Fading Light is critical to this album’s sense of dynamic change, and interludes abound that allow the listener space to process Frozen Fountain’s cathartic noise. The title track itself is a mini-suite over three songs; the first part featuring a static bass riff and paned FX that explode into a chorus of aggressive distortion and clipping vocals. Upon returning to the verse, the atmospheric and panned sound FX are replaced by clean guitar strums; a creative and uplifting build in the arrangement. The spoken word outro adds a certain vulnerability to this otherwise heavy and blistering cut. After an interlude, “Fading Light II” arrives as a new wave jam with an ocean deep mix and bluesy guitar riff. The stripped down drum loop transition, in line with this album’s flow, is a nice reprieve between two suffocating sections. The album’s best moments are its creative uses of the guitar and an overall sense of journey across the track list; and although I would have preferred a more dynamic mix in the louder sections, I can understand the overbearing nature as critical to Frozen Fountain’s artistic vision. All around enjoyable, the lyrics were mixed too low to leave much to chew over but the vocal’s use as another instrument in the arrangement provided worthwhile moments, as Frozen Fountain’s ear for melody is rock solid. Overall, A Fading Light is an easy recommendation for fans of heavy music.
Monarch is comprised of two people from Nottingham UK. They have been playing together since 2018 and recently released The Solar Interlude. On their Bandcamp page they mention this is an EP but at fourteen songs this doesn't fit any definition of EP.
The band plays a number of different styles and it was a little hard to get a grasp on the overall sound they were going for. There is also a very lo-fi aesthetics to all the music. It was self-recorded and sounds every bit of it. The duo get going with “New Shoes” which melds fairly basic synth sounds that aren’t much more than sine waves with distorted guitar and drums. There are vocals that are spoken word vocals at some points that I barely noticed because of how low they are in the mix. The band gets darker and goes into hard rock on “Assault With a Deadly Weapon” which leaves the synths behind for a lot more of rock inspired track. “Dromordian” has very impressive lead guitar work as well as a kinetic beat that gets the energy moving. The band goes for a goth covered punk rock sound on “Ghosts.” There are also some songs which sound like a completely different band. Take for instance the ambient and atmospheric “Holy Funeral Static.” The very next song “A Song to Break Your Back” is a completely different genre. The same goes for “Bluebell” which is a serene electronic song. You even get some jazz on “The Path of Sleep.” This band is very young in formation and doesn’t seem to be limited to one genre. As I’ve mentioned before I think finding a signature sound is an important factor in finding a fan base and think it may behoove the band to limit how styles they are willing to indulge in. I felt like I was listening to about five different bands. On that note I really liked some of their songs and thought they can pull a number of the genres they attempt. They seemed to testing themselves and seeing what they are capable of. I think a studio recording would be great to hear at some point but I am an engineer so I might feel a little differently than most. The Solar Interlude is very eclectic experience. There will most likely be something for everyone. Take a listen. |
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