Showing posts with label _Agressive. Show all posts
Showing posts with label _Agressive. Show all posts
Over the summer a handful of members on the PFW team headed into Philly to catch a glimpse of an LP Stiles recording session. Needless to say, we brought our equipment and had the cameras rolling. We plan on releasing all of the footage sometime before the end of the month, but for now, we're providing a clip of one of their live run-throughs. Keep an eye out for the full feature which includes interviews, live performances, and more studio footage.MYSPACE: myspace.com/lpstilestrio
PURCHASE: iTunes
THE SKINNY: Thelonious Dub is the heavy groove version of your favorite jazz standards with ambient guitar tones and an orchestra of electronic sounds.Thelonious Dub is an experimental Jazz, jam and dub group out of Glendale, Calif. The band’s major contributor is Joe Bartone, the man behind the record's guitar, sitar, melodica and keyboards. He is also responsible for all the arranging and tracking on the band's self-titled LP, an impressive feat considering the multitude of instruments and sounds the album offers. T- Dub has taken classic Jazz standards and completely transformed them into heavy grooved-based jams filled with electronic goodies and plenty of dub feel. They have an original approach to these standards and it really has me glued.
On their record, you'll hear well-known melodies from Thelonious Monk, Miles Davis, Charles Mingus and Duke Ellington. My favorite is the Miles Davis cover entitled "So What". I particularly love when they drop a reggae groove after the intro and then dub the rest out, as a heavy reggae bass line takes point. They kick a similar in groove again on "Footprints", a cover of a Wayne Shorter cover. Here, Bartone weaves melodies nicely to fit the adjusted 4/4 feel. There are so many great things going on in this album, specifically from electronics and guitar tones. The sax and trumpet have an awesome presence and tone, as well. What I love best though, is singing my favorite Jazz melodies under the heavy groove that Thelonious Dub lay out on every single track.
"So What" off of Thelonious Dub
MYSPACE: http://www.myspace.com/theloniousdub
TWITTER: http://twitter.com/TheloniousDub
PURCHASE: CDBaby
FAVORITE TRACK: "So What"
FOR FANS OF: John Scofield's "Uberjam"
WEBSITE: http://jellimusic.comMYSPACE: http://myspace.com/jellimusic
TWITTER: http://twitter.com/jellimusic
PURCHASE: Amazon MP3
J.E.L.L.i. is the brainchild of one man show, Christopher Sauter. His recently released, self-titled debut EP is a short record with a lot of variety spanning emo, punk, hardcore, and indie rock. The EP is rich with texture and is an all-around fun listen which is especially impressive considering Mr. Sauter was also responsible for all aspects of the production.
Vocally, Sauter shares a lot of the same pronunciations found on Greenday's albums, ripe with choppy, colorful melodies outlining catchy, memorable lyrics. Emphasizing this youthful, and energetic sound is the idea that Sauter is an exceptionally ambitious mind. Along with having written, recorded, fully producing his album, Sauter made artwork for both his album and individual songs, as well as a fully functional webspace, brimming with information and ways for fans to help J.E.L.L.i. expand and get public. Chris Sauter is one of the few truly independent artists out there that deserve the right to call themselves such.
Instrumentally, it's not as though Sauter hacks away at each of the instruments that make up the ep's landscape. In fact, the opposite is true. While drum and bass are the most simple of the instrumentation, they're consistent, solid, and highly effective. Guitar is clearly Chris's forte and he's taken the time to emphasize that. "I Am Blank - Nothing" sports some cool riffing while "Jenn" displays a more improvisational edge, beautifully sculpted and nestled into the heart of the already catchy track. I'm skeptical of the ability of the project to stay afloat if there is no live band to recreate the tunes on the album, but no doubt Sauter is figuring this out while he simultaneously records his next album, does the dishes, makes a living for himself, and determines how he can further promote this engaging, unique, and impressive project.
"Jenn" off of J.E.L.L.i EP
FAVORITE TRACK: "Jenn"
FOR FANS OF: Greenday, Brand New
The excitement surrounding The Almost's new record Monster Monster made me crawl back to Underoath this week. Aaron's a great singer, there's no denying it, but he's an absolutely unbelievable drummer, and that's where I prefer him. This track speaks novels on that idea.
"The Only Survivor Was Miraculously Unharmed"
off of Lost In The Sound Of Separation
"The Only Survivor Was Miraculously Unharmed"
off of Lost In The Sound Of Separation
THE SKINNY: With an incredible live performance for a room of a handful of people, All the Day Holiday has forced me to add them to my favorite bands section on Facebook, of which just three bands reside.MYSPACE: http://myspace.com/allthedayholiday
TWITTER: http://twitter.com/atdh
PURCHASE: Amazon MP3, iTunes
All the Day Holiday, an ambient, indie pop/rock band from Cincinnati, Ohio, performed at North Star Bar in Philadelphia, Pa. last weekend to a crowd of maybe 12. Among the sparse audience was at least two photographers, friends of the band, the sound engineer, myself, a friend, and only a handful of fans. The stage was close and the sound was loud. Vocalist Daniel Simmons' was absolutely beaming as guitarist Nathan Frisch began their opening song "La Voyage," before the band exploded into full spectrum sound, and bobbed around the stage.
I was immediately stunnded as Simmons' airy vocal tone sat perfectly into the mix. Whatever intensity the producer managed to capture on the band's debut LP The Things We've Grown to Love, is just a glimmer in comparison to the driving vocal performance Simmons offers live. Each note was perfect and captivating, while the excessively high notes were pleasantly strained into an awesome sort of yell. Supporting this pitch and melodic tonality with rhythm was Mark Ventura, boasting a mullet, a myriad of captivating beats, and an awesome silver drumset with just a floor tom for extremities. His ability to focus on the groove and supply a (clearly trained) pulse is unparalleled in the scene today. Like the other members of ATDH, Ventura is no hack. He knows his craft and is huge reason why the band is so successful.
Frisch spent the entirety of the short-lived show on the highest registers of the fretboard, displaying his prowess not for visual effect but to achieve a distinct and truly awesome tone. Delay is a major component to the guitar sound, for both guitarists, and though its used literally constantly, it's never to excess. Because of this very ambient guitar styling, bass was a forefront on the stage and bassist David Roller did it right. Along with his signature body bobbing came a really delicious fuzz and a fat, deep undertone that sat really well with Ventura's kick drum. The band was tight and spent every minute of the show hitting luscious chords above a rhythm section that puts others in the genre to shame.
The photographers, and handful of heavily dressed and bearded fellas in front of the stage stood in awe while the band blew us all away. Some of them mouthed words and all of us held our fingers around our arms because it was freezing. There was a feeling of art is being made here while photos were shot from underneath Ventura's snare, revealing his sweating face; the band's friends mouthed every word and the sound guy tweaked knobs making for the perfect mix and I looked around and still - there were less than a dozen of us. All the Day Holiday, a still expanding and evolving band, put on a show for 10 of us as if we were 1,000. This humble attitude and appreciation for the life they live came through clearly and breathed a breath of fresh air into the stagnant, drafty bar. ATDH put on one of the best live shows I've ever seen.
WEBSITE: http://www.thealmost.com/MYSPACE: http://myspace.com/thealmost
TWITTER: http://twitter.com/thealmostrules
MERCH: http://thealmostmerch.com/
Monster, Monster marks the release of the 2nd full length album from The Almost, a band that began as a side project from Underoath's Aaron Gillespie. Looking back on what was a simple, glossy debut, The Almost have contrasted that with a grittier, more organic take on their established sound. Monster, Monster is a pseudo-southern collection of straight-up rock/pop songs that disappoint only in that they provide little variety.
The album kicks off like any powerful rock album would, with a punchy first track proceeded by a slew of similar but not as aggressive follow up tracks. The songs are good. They get stuck in your head, because well, that's what these guys are paid to do. But, the truth is I'm tired of this ride. If you like The Almost (and I generally do) then their new repertoire will no doubt have you repeatedly visiting their decked out myspace and checking out Aaron's charming culinary videos. Granted, the band is performing as a band here, which sounds odd, but Southern Weather was a solo effort by Gillespie, manning every instrument in the studio and allowing some friends to recreate it on stage. So, instead of what sounded like an articulately, though exquisitely, sequenced collection of songs now sounds like a snapshot of a youthful, energetic pop/rock band with enough imperfection and nuance to keep me from rolling my eyes.
The Almost's Monster, Monster reminds me a lot of a few other, recent, markedly successful records. I reviewed Sherwood's Qu last month with little enthusiasm for almost all the same reasons: I used to get CDs at a store and wear them down to their bare elements from repetitive play. We all did that. And, while I don't mean to dwell on this point too much because it's the same old schtick, the fact is that commercial music really does lose some value in comparison to less successful equivalents. The Almost are good musicians and adequate song writers and I, by no means, fault them for the production and release of Monster, Monster but I've got enough safe, typical rock music in my life. I'm looking for a band to take musical risks, try something new, and to put energy into branching out musically instead of worrying what their next tattoo should be.
THE SKINNY: Japandroids is a two-piece rock outfit that is radiating with palpable high energy, relentless power chords, and aggressive vocals.WEBSITE: http://japandroids.com
MYSPACE: http://myspace.com/japandroids
PURCHASE: Amazon, via Polyvinyl
"Face melting" is a term that has been used and abused to the point of nausea by people who tend to mock the aggression and energy put forth by simple approaches to song-writing and performance. It can also be used to mock heavy metal, but that is neither here nor there. In the post-modern aesthetic that we currently find ourselves entrenched in, it becomes increasingly difficult to discard the ironic perceptions and the unwarranted comparisons to the old. What I'm trying to say here is this: Is it possible to just appreciate a kick ass rock band anymore? Can we enjoy some good old-fashioned face melting?
Japandroids are doing their best to answer that question with a resounding "Yes." One very vigorous drummer. One very loud guitarist. Two very passionate singers. Lyrics are overflowing with all of the teen angst that a "One Tree Hill" fan could possibly endure. It's safe to say that the amps are turned up to 11, the drum fills are sloppy and careless, and the singing is slightly annoying. It all blends together for a brand of music that makes you want to jump on a pogo stick in your apartment while eating rainbow twizzlers and grinning from ear to ear.
Pretentious critics have described their sound with the following terms: "Noise Rock" (...? What does that even mean?) and "Lo-fi" (Which is a term used by musical tools and faux anthropologists to say that the recording quality of your music sounds like shit, but it sounds like shit on purpose). Do yourself a favor and avoid the critiques and reviews. Listen to their latest album, entitled Post Nothing, and envision that you're in a cramped VFW hall, and the walls are vibrating from the decibels of sound that are permeating the entire venue. After that, I guarantee that you will appreciate the powerful rock force that is this duo from Vancouver, British Columbia.
"Wet Hair" off of Post-Nothing:
FAVORITE TRACK: "The Boys are Leaving Town"
FOR FANS OF: Cymbals Eat Guitars, Wavves
THE SKINNY: If you jumped on the Cartel fanbus when they released their self-titled second LP then Cycles might leave you slightly disappointed, but the record will definitely appeal to die-hards and fans of earlier albums. Cycles is proof that Cartel hasn't lost its youthfulness, energy, and ability to draw a crowd.WEBSITE: http://cartelrocks.com
MYSPACE: http://myspace.com/cartel
TWITTER: http://twitter.com/cartelcartel
PURCHASE: Amazon, iTunes
Since the release of the pop dynamo's self-titled second major record two years ago, I was convinced Cartel was one of those wild card bands. They had it all: a huge following, a reality show on MTV, legitimately talented songwriters and performers. Cartel, since then, has been on my watch list, not only because they never cease to write perfect, punchy pop songs but because I was convinced that with every album the band would mature further until they achieved some veritable plateau of musical greatness.
To my disappointment, Cartel's latest release, Cycles, isn't necessarily a step in this same direction. The album is an incredibly well-produced collection of happy songs with a similar feel. Most tracks have an upbeat pulse with driving drums which might be an executive move at expanding and appeasing to the band's popularity. To support this, there are moments where the guitars are so back in the mix that they're drowned by what sounds like a club synth, which is certainly an exaggeration on my part, but it's clear the band has traded their ability to craft appropriately complex pop / rock gems for a stricter take on their previous commercialism. Cycles, however, is actually very good and I won't criticize it for not falling in line with my vision for the band because that's silly.
"Deep South," a slightly heavier track which also happens to be a lot slower in contrast with the record, is refreshing. Vocalist Will Pugh does his signature persistent and energetic belting while underneath him flows a classic case of Cartel guitars, sliding around the chorus chords with unison bass and kick drum. The effect is way luscious, and there's plenty of this type of instrumental work on the record. "Let's Go", one of two of the record's singles (which you can stream below) is a great example of a quintessential Cartel chorus, full of sharply punctuated and rhythmic guitars with a never-ending drum pulse. This song, in particular, is extremely reminiscent of their previous album, Cartel. The lifeforce of Cartel is unarguably Pugh's radically addictive melodies, of which there are no shortage. The quality of these melodies are certainly above average though some tracks haven't infected me as hard as I was anticipating. On songs like "See Me Now" and "Conventional Friend" Pugh utterly commands the speakers with his swerving, indulgent vocal work.
"Let's Go" off of Cycles
Cycles is undoubtedly a record meant for live translation. The energy on this album is in no short supply. Breaks with huge unison hits while Pugh explodes forth with high-pitched melodic swerves as only he can do are prevalent and welcome. While I prefer other Cartel albums as strictly recorded works it's apparent that Cycles is meant to be learned on iTunes and lived in an audience.
FAVORITE TRACK: "Deep South", "Conventional Friend"
FOR FANS OF: Cartel's Chroma
THE SKINNY: MC Frontalot PWNS You.WEBSITE: http://frontalot.com/
PURCHASE: Amazon
“Nerdcore could rise up, it could get elevated. Oh and wouldn't all of those tough rappers hate it.”
I begin my entry with a couplet by the subject of this post, the self-procrlaimed, “world's 579th greatest rapper” and the indisputable godfather of the bastard child that is Nerdcore Hip Hop: Mc Frontalot. I do not claim to have expert knowledge of this, “obscure and potentially self limiting genre” (a phrase the artist himself has sarcastically used to describe his music) but hope that my enthusiasm in promoting its benefits will excuse any deficiency in my explanation. In my opinion a description of the Front himself might recommend readers to the major issues addressed by Nerdcore.
I relate to Mc Frontalot on many, though certainly not all, of the levels present in his compositions. As a gamer, I eagerly absorb his commentary on the culture and its attendant memes. I am emboldened as a geek by his self-deprecatory pieces lamenting the relative lameness that geekdom bestows. Within this stark truth it is possible to become overwhelmed by the negative, but the flippant manner in which he treats these phenomena never fails to remind me that the geek identity is in fact the rejection of pressure to give into cookie-cutter existence. Frontalot's on-stage uniform of an office/IT Drone, thick spectacles with a short-sleeved button down shirt and tie, creates a brilliant juxtaposition with songs about the geek's other life where he/she can become whatever they want in a RPG or rise to the top as a hacker or programmer. His music awakens a pride that I never knew existed. And never wish to fade.
The Front is refreshingly sarcastic about his own bluster. Whereas mainstream rappers and musicians struggle to make their images fit some idealized authenticity to appease their fans, Frontalot's refusal to take himself seriously allows him to, among other things, use the track “Charity Case” to plead with his tech-savvy fans not to download his music illegally, “You got my album off Bittorrent? Explative!” I believe this form of rap broadens the horizons of Hip Hop and provides his listeners with a sense of belonging to geekdom. An online search of popular streaming video websites would be enough to convince anyone of this (The videos of his performances at the popular gaming expo PAX are of particular note). This proof of nerdly empowerment, or elevation as the Front prefers to call it, causes this humble listener to agree with the optimistic estimation of the likelihood of Nerdcore's Rising offered by the Mc: “We consider the possibleness of this not overstated.”
"Nerdcore Rising" off of Nerdcore Rising
FAVORITE TRACK: It Is Pitch Dark
FOR FANS OF: Less Intimidating Rappers, Mc Lars, Gaming.
THE SKINNY: Attention all reggae fans: I've had the good fortune of coming across a band from Rochester, NY which goes by the name Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad. GPGDS is an arsenal of six musicians shedding true Roots Reggae and experimental Dub that will make you bob your head until it falls off.MYSPACE: http://myspace.com/giantpandadub
TWITTER: http://twitter.com/giantpandadub
PURCHASE: iTunes
MERCH: District Lines
I had the pleasure of catching these guys at a gig in NYC two years ago and it was the best live reggae experience I’ve ever had. The slow jam grooves were so heavy it literally put me in a trance for the entire show. The most unique aspect of the group is the vocals which are both catchy and rhythmic. The strong, rhythmic lead vocals are fronted by Matthew O’Brian while bassist James Searl fills out the sound with his constant and effective vocal harmonies. The percussive groove is so deep that drummer Christoper O’Brian will have you drowning in his pocket from song start to finish. A Hammond B3 Organ is played by Aaron Lipp while Rachel Orke glides through changes on a Rhodes. Finally, Dylan Savage handles tripped out lead guitar and vocals, finalizing a powerfully talented sextet trained in the arts of dub.
GPGDS has played with everyone from Steel Pulse to G Love & Special Sauce. They are true road dogs and never stop playing. My favorite track, "Foundation," has a slippery groove, delayed vocals, and guitar that sucks you in hard. This song, along with their (mostly live) catalog represents love, creation, and great music, and this is revealed in every note. These guys are the reggae movement for the new era.
FAVORITE TRACK: "Foundation", "International Mother"
FOR FANS OF: Reggae, Funk, Dub
WEBSITE: http://thealmost.comMYSPACE: http://myspace.com/thealmost
TWITTER: http://twitter.com/thealmost
After my first run in with The Almost, less than three years ago, I was hooked for a good few weeks on front-man Aaron Gillespie's strained and gliding melodic hooks; though, Aaron's reputation and general brilliance in UnderOATH was enough reason for me to get familiar with the new project. Just a few days back on October 6, The Almost released a preliminary EP entitled The Monster which is meant as something of a teaser to a full-length album which will drop on November 3. The EP contains three tracks from the band's upcoming Monster Monster release as well as two b-sides. So if you're a newcomer to this addictive five-piece, The Monster ep could be your gateway to fandom.
The music on the ep is relatively similar to that of the band's first release Southern Weather, but sounds a little more cohesive and raw, probably because Gillespie isn't manning every instrument, making the listening experience a little more live, rather than studio, which I like. For fans of past works, The Monster ep offers much of the same dripping harmony stuff, but again, is composed of backing music which I've found to be pretty cool and even a little risky for a poppy rock band. All in all, The Monster ep is a smooth transition from Southern Weather into what will probably be a mature, exciting sophomore release for The Almost.
THE SKINNY: Up until the release of Manipulator, the band's third full-length album, The Fall of Troy had a reputation for off-the-wall guitar licks played in odd time signatures while the guitarist and bassist went back and forth screaming and singing; completely insane for only three young men. With a new line-up change, The Fall of Troy attempts to bring that insanity back with a few twists along the way.WEBSITE: thefalloftroy.com/
MYSPACE: myspace.com/thefalloftroy
TWITTER: twitter.com/thefalloftroy
PURCHASE: Amazon MP3, iTunes
The album starts off with a track that the band has had on its myspace for some time now, "Panic Attack!" It's a great opener for the CD and gives fans a taste of what's to come on the album. It's a lot heavier and in-your-face compared to most of the tracks on Manipulator, which is what I think most fans have been craving since Doppelgänger. It also showcases the band's mature sound; the side they've been trying to develop since loosing bassist Tim Ward.
The first track flows effortlessly into the second, "Straight-Jacket Keelhauled." This song is complete insanity from beginning to end. It starts off as a screaming duel between Thomas Erak and the new bassist Frank Ene and then follows with one of the best riffs on the album. From there it goes back into the duel then into a nasty solo to finish out the track. This song is extremely reminiscent of the sound that fans got used to after the first two TFoT releases.
The fifth track ("Single") is one of those upbeat, Manipulator-esque songs on the record. While it doesn't contain tons of super intricate guitar licks or many hardcore elements, it is still one of the most solid arrangements on the album. On Manipulator, many of the pop tracks sounded like they were made simply because the band was trying to branch out from what they created on the first two albums. However, the pop tracks on this album sound more controlled and have a tighter link to the sound many fans associate with TFoT.
In the Unlikely Event takes the best parts of Manipulator and ties them in with TFoT's old sound. This, in conjunction with the incredible production value of the album, makes for a more mature, larger-than-life sound that anyone in their right mind would love to listen to.
"Panic Attack!" off of In the Unlikely Event
FAVORITE TRACK: "Straight-Jacket Keelhauled"
FOR FANS OF: Previous TFoT albums, Tera Melos, The Mars Volta, Thrice
WEBSITE: http://dejhamusic.comMYSPACE: http://myspace.com/dejhamusic
PURCHASE: Direct
July 28 of this past Summer marked the date of Dejha Colantuono's first solo album release. Tea & Vodka not only showcases the vocalists airy alto, but boasts production from Matt Bayles. Bayles' back-catalog includes work with Pearl Jam, Mastodon, and Isis. From the get go, listening and reviewing was pretty effortless because the sound and mix of the album are incredibly professional.
Tea & Vodka is primarily a dark pop/rock album. Instrumentation includes some digital effects and synth and garage-type guitars rocking on simple, over-driven riffs. My only disappointment with Dejha's first studio effort is the sometimes boring instrumentals. The guitar parts are rather repetitive and don't catch my ear to much length. Contrary to this is the album's drums, performed primarily by Matt Chamberlain whom livens up the sound stage with plenty of percussive command. Every song has a great groove and, despite my beef with some of the melodic instruments, stays interesting in both the beat and vocal departments.
Dejha's voice is the dry, warm, tube amp equivalent to the American pop scene's solid-state vocal tone. Melodies on the record aren't intricate or too ambitious but Dejha will hit some pretty dissonance from time to time to keep things interesting. It's my feeling that the melodies and notes are almost inconsequential to the tone of her voice. Dejha's texture and vocal personality are what make Tea & Vodka hip and original.
Colantuono is a vocalist who is, to my surprise, rather well known and respected by music professionals already. It seems the only other next step, oddly enough, is to get her new album Tea & Vodka heard by the public masses.
"Color Blue" off of Tea & Vodka
WEBSITE: http://mikerofe.comMYSPACE: http://myspace.com/mikerof
TWITTER: http://twitter.com/mikerofe
PURCHASE: iTunes, CDBaby
Mike Rofé is a singer/songwriter that I was introduced to recently. He's an artist full of a myriad of different tones, both lyrical and musical. Upon first listen, I wasn't struck by Rofé's music, texturally, but impressed at how each song on his most recent record, Hang On Romantic, maintained a consistent feel but jumped around like a rabbit in a leaf garden. Mike's music is, at its roots, very honest, well-produced, easy to listen to, and most importantly easy to understand because it is simple, happy music.
Rofé's Hang On Romantic draws influence from a number of important artists including Bob Dylan, Elvis Costello, Paul Simon and sometimes showcases abilities from these same talents. Barry Goldberg from Bob Dylan's stage band appears on Rofe's record as does Michael's brother Peter of the prestigious L.A. Philharmonic. Also on the record are Phil Leavitt of Dada, and Alex Del Zoppo of Sweet Water. With this, the record plays smoothly from start to finish as each track carries a personality of its own, spurred by the nuance of a variety of studio talents and Rofe's introspective humor.
Despite the influences Mike Rofé notes on his release, I thing this album will appeal to fans of an almost vintage 90s folk rock sound like Blues Traveler, Barenaked Ladies, and Bruce Springsteen whom, like Rofé, often creates a feel good party atmosphere. The point here is there is a focus on fun simplicity and it is executed beautifully. You'll find yourself mimicking Rofé's signature dipping melodies that hover around his modest guitar strumming which merely serves as the vessel that helps you hum and dance along. For me, Rofé's Hang On Romantic isn't an album you pull apart and dissect. You just put it on and let it do its thing.
"The Ocean" off of Hang On Romantic
FAVORITE TRACK: The Ocean, We've Got It All
FOR FANS OF: Bruce Springsteen, Barenaked Ladies
THE SKINNY: BlK JKS are a band from Johannesburg, South Africa and they are not afraid to show it through their music. These guys encompass styles spanning from Mars Volta-esque fusions to jazz and dub styles while maintaining their African roots.WEBSITE: http://www.blkjks.com/
MYSPACE: http://www.myspace.com/blkjks
PURCHASE: Amazon
So I was waiting at the local barbershop about a week ago for a standard beard/hair trim when I picked up this months issue of SPIN magazine. I sifted through five magazines before I found one that struck my fancy. As I am reading I stumble upon a band called BLK JKS (pronounced Black Jacks). These guys are on indie label Secretly Canadian and are readily being compared to the styles of TV On The Radio and Vampire Weekend. Being a huge fan of TVOR, I gave these guys a listen as soon as I got home. Fresh hair cut and all, I was instantly seduced by their electro-funk experimentalism which is complimented by thrashy unorthodox shreds, dubb guitar, jazz technicalities, and most importantly their African ethnicity. This onslought of styles in combination with the extremely diverse vocal styles of frontman Linda Buthelezi fuse together to spawn a suprisingly progressive sound.
BLK JKS are a foursome consisting of Linda Buthelezi (vocals), Mpumi Mcata (guitar), Molefi Makananise (bass), and Tshepang Ramoba (drums) who lays down some sick ass afro-tech beats. BLK JKS just dropped their debut album "After Robots" on September 8th and it is definitely worth a listen if you are into any sort of prog-rock and dont mind getting a taste of African culture. The production value of this album is perfect in that it emphasizes both an organic and raw sound of a band that is still just a bleep on the radar of indie music.
"Lakeside" off of After Robots:
THE SKINNY: We've got a copy of a Q&A with Rou Reynolds, Lead Vocalist and Keyboardist from Enter Shikari.WEBSITE: http://entershikari.com
MYSPACE: http://myspace.com/entershikari
TWITTER: http://twitter.com/entershikari
Your first album Take To The Skies--released on your own Ambush Reality label--debuted at #4 on the U.K. chart, becoming one of the most successful self-released rock albums ever. With your choice of major label offers in the U.K., why did you decide to release it on your own and what did you learn from it? At the time, we didn't really feel like we had a choice--we'd been touring for around two years properly without any press or label interest. We'd done everything along the way ourselves from the booking to the designing and printing of T-shirts to recording our demos. It was only as we released "Sorry You're Not A Winner" that the interest suddenly boomed and by that time we realized we could do it ourselves with the help of the family we had built up around us. I'm glad it happened just as it did as I'd hate to be tied up in a major label deal now in this current era of uncertainty.
Your new album COMMON DREADS will be officially released in the U.S. in the Spring of 2010. For the U.S. release, you are partnering with DGC/Interscope. What made you decide to join forces with a major at this point? We were lucky enough to get involved with a good crowd over there as there's no way we could repeat the same rise in the U.S. as we did in the U.K. It's obviously colossal in size compared to the U.K., so we knew we'd always need some help along the way and have to play a different game. Saying that, we have done a fair few tours now by ourselves-- just playing the toilet circuit and it's been really fun and still feels organic.
On COMMON DREADS, you teamed with producer Andy Gray (U2, Tori Amos, Korn, Gary Numan) and holed yourselves up in the isolated Isle of Wight. How did this work for you? What did you feel the result was for COMMON DREADS? It was superb-- it couldn't have been more of an opposite experience from the recording of our first album. That was rushed down in two weeks and I've never been happy with the way the vocals sound. This time around, it was a conscious decision to get away for a few months and experiment. Andy (Gray) was wicked as well--he was up for anything from burning pianos (“Havoc B”) to breaking into churches and recording organs (“Fanfare”) to singing outdoors in boxers whilst it was snowing at 1:00AM to get that real 'cold' vibe (‘’All Eyes On The Saint’’). It was a real fun experience and I'm really proud of the result! COMMON DREADS really captures the live feel of the band and our vision.
Fusing such polar genres of music such as electronic and hardcore, how would you describe your music to someone who has never heard of you? Good Music. There's good music and bad music. That's all.
What would you describe as the most powerful song to you on this album? Which new song do you really enjoy performing right now? That’s a tough one--I'd probably have to go with “Fanfare.” It was all done pretty last minute, so I guess it came out as a final outpouring of frustration with both our countries’ aggressive foreign policies this past decade. I'm loving performing “Havoc B” at the moment--Chris pulls down some vicious sub bass to get the ground shaking and at the end hearing the crowd join in with the chanting creates such an unbelievable sense of unity.
What was it like growing up in St. Albans, England and how did it shape you as a musician? St. Albans has always had a struggling, but thriving music scene. First getting into the local hardcore, punk and ska scenes was great, but as we got older we noticed the local Council really started coming down hard on gigs and local venues. We fought for years putting on shows at our local youth club, and they’d actually go to crazy lengths to try and pull our live shows. Ironically, it created a sense of community for our scene and everyone got involved to do what they could to keep it alive. It still happens to this day; the last time we did a homecoming the Council tried to pull it--luckily the local press were on our side and exposed them for how stupid and malicious they were being. Other than the music, St. Albans has a great Roman history and the most pubs per square mile in the U.K.!
You’ve performed at some of the most impressive festivals in the world including Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival, Download Festival, Reading, Leeds, Summersonic and all of the major European festivals. What’s the difference between your festival performance and your club show?
Nothing really--we don't really approach them any different. It's just a longer run to get to the crowd at a festival which is always a bummer, but we get there.
What was the inspiration behind the song “Juggernauts?” We campaigned to stop a local superstore giant here in the U.K. from building a store right in the center of our town. It was just a nice quaint victory that was really inspiring to see everyone getting involved. The song itself is about how important it is to feel involved and to have a sense of belonging to your community and how our current economic and social system actively discourages this.
Describe your worst night on tour, ever. On our last U.S. tour our van broke down as we were leaving Philadelphia. We spent 12 hours in a Walmart car park with a mechanic trying to fix it from 1:00AM whilst right in the middle of a thunder storm. It was pretty horrendous. We had no sleep and had to miss our show the next day so we were totally gutted.
What do you think is the biggest misconception about ENTER SHIKARI in the United States? Rob isn't allowed in the States because he posted a box full of his own sh*t to Walmart’s Headquarters and there was consequently a bomb scare and the whole building was evacuated (joking).
Why is English food “as some people say” so bad? Who needs good food when you have good beer and cider? J
How would you define English food? It's just a culmination of other cultures food really... oh no we have Trifle! Come on! Trifle rules.
The name ENTER SHIKARI came from a boat that belonged to your uncle. Why did you choose it and what do you feel it means? Shikari means “The Hunter” in many Indian languages. My uncle was a fisherman and back when I was a kid I used to go out onto the high seas with him and just thought it was an awesome word. When we made the band, it just kind of fitted into what we had to do. We knew to make changes in this world you have to get out there and hunt yourself. It just seemed apt for how we were working as a band (the whole DIY style) as well as our political outlook.
What is your biggest guilty pleasure? Lady Gaga.
Have you been to Stonehenge and what do you think of Spinal Tap? Stonehenge is awesome. Still fills me with absolute wonder and awe every time I go there. Spinal Tap is just the industry standard, total classic.
If you could record a song with an artist outside the genre of music for which you are known, who might that be? I'd love to work with a rapper called Lowkey from London. He does really political hip-hop, which is such a breath of fresh air from the normal commercial bulk of hip hop which just glorifies violence and condones negativity and greed.
If you could have a conversation with anyone, living or dead, who would it be? John Lennon.
What has surprised you most in your career so far? How nice the majority of people you meet around the world are.
Any hobbies outside of music? Sports, etc? I like swimming and dirt jumping (bikes), but other than that I’m not really into sports. I don't like the sense of rigid and ruthless competition promoted in most sports. It always puzzled me in high school the amount of anger sports produced in people. I think it's kind of pointless and silly.
THE SKINNY: Batik is a wild lounge-jazz band from New York that is making a name for itself through innovative writing and commanding musicianship.WEBSITE: http://batikjazz.com
MYSPACE: http://myspace.com/batikjazz
PURCHASE: Amazon MP3, iTunes, CDBaby
Batik is a jazz group from Carmel, New York, and though you wouldn't think it to listen to them, they're comprised of just five members; all of whom keep pretty busy both on and off the record, as is evident on their youtube videos. It's hard to say exactly what kind of music Batik makes on a consistent basis, but my inclination is to call their style avante garde lounge jazz. Of course, that's not a very concise way to describe a band, so I'll let them figure it out for themselves, but in any case Batik makes some interesting and very obviously experimental music.
Experimental doesn't mean noise, here. Most of Batik's tracks are simple in format, but complex in their chordal structure and melodies, which are almost impossible to hum with or remember, but pleasant all the same. The myriad of textures the band brings to the sound stage also contributes to their appeal. Drums, trumpet (often muted), Bass (the fret-less stuff is great), sax (played by bass player Barry Hartglass), keys, and a variety of percussion all make each of their unconventional tracks interesting.
While the band always manages to hold my interest, the experimental nature of certain parts of songs can be overwhelming at times. Keyboard solos that are clearly inspired but undeniably wild melodically will probably make things less approachable for the average listener. On the other hand, I think it should be noted that Batik consistently provided a tangible groove in every song, which is the best way to make music approachable in this day and age. If your a fan of jazz or funk or anything in between, or need some music for your next (very classy) dance party, then Batik can absolutely contribute something to your music collection.
"Lizarb" off of Vudu
THE SKINNY: Soapbox Army wields a sophisticated debut release, containing great production and an interesting array of unique songs that should appeal to the pop / indie / alternative rock crowd.WEBSITE: http://soapboxarmy.com
MYSPACE: http://myspace.com/soapboxarmy
PURCHASE: iTunes, CDBaby
Soapbox Army requires more than one listen to get to know at any length. I thought they were a solo acoustic act before listening to their self-titled album in full. It quickly became clear that their instrumentation was far more sophisticated than one guitar.
They're most commonly publicized track, "The Tower" reminds me of Death cab's Plans album. It has that Rhodes and pulsing, repetitive drum beat, which is incredibly addictive. Most of the instrumentation on the record is like this: Highly rythymic, cutting grooves by the band which is comprised of Dan Tucker (Guitar & Vox), Dustin Brayley (Rhythm Guitar, Backup Vox), Walt Kresa (Bass), Kevin Wolkober (Keys & Effects), Rick Torres (Drums). Each song's instrumentation is as hypnotizing as the last's, thanks to the incredible backing music which continually nods to some of Radiohead's stuff. Listen to "House on the Moon."
"House on the Moon" by Soapbox Army
Vocally, Dan tucker's singing isn't my favorite, though there are some beautiful tonal moments on the record. His melodies, however, are quite nice, scoring each song some character and listenability points. I get a heavy smack of Goo Goo Dolls from Tucker's tone, and "Sleepwalkers" on the record is a perfect example of it.
Mostly, this album is successful because of the very loved nature of it. The tracks sound cared for, not rushed, and accomplished. So, while there are pieces that don't appeal to me stylistically, I can take solace in that the group released a piece of art they put themselves into, making an otherwise non-fan an appreciator, nonetheless.
"The Tower" by Soapbox Army
FAVORITE TRACK: "House on the Moon"
FOR FANS OF:Goo Goo Dolls, Radiohead, Death Cab for Cutie
THE SKINNY: Another album from rock powerhouse Thrice. Beggars is comparable to recent efforts with a small taste of their classic sound thrown into the mix; a combo that should keep both generations of fans happy.WEBSITE: http://thrice.net
MYSPACE: http://myspace.com/thrice
PURCHASE: Amazon (pre-order), iTunes
The sixth studio album from Thrice is scheduled to hit the stores on September 15 in physical form (it is already available for mp3 purchase via above links). Beggars is the first album to follow the collection of records grouped into The Alchemy Index, a four-disc release with titles corresponding to the four elements. In my opinion, it was a decent idea that Thrice tried to do too much with and ultimately gave me little pleasure.
For me, this album is like a trip back to the band's Vheissu days: it is certainly a more toned-down, commercialized version of Thrice, but still delivers a roster of songs that keeps me interested musically and lyrically. As far as the newer (very different) catalog for Thrice goes, this is their best album to date. It seemed like they had been trying to develop a different, more mature sound but had failed to find it. I do think, however, they can finally rest easy with what they produced on Beggars.
"All the World is Mad" off of Beggars
copyright 2009 Thrice
FAVORITE TRACK: "Doublespeak"
FOR FANS OF: Deftones, Thrice fans who were not satisfied or pleased with The Alchemy Index,
THE SKINNY: Behind the Sun is a five-man progressive rock outfit in Israel. Their self-titled debut was released in late May of this year, seeing some exposure on the local and international front. While the record on the whole doesn't appeal to me consistently, it showcases glimpses of innovation and compositional intelligence that I can only assume will evolve and mature when the band gets in the studio again.
MYSPACE: http://myspace.com/behindthesunmusic
PURCHASE: Amazon
Behind the Sun's self-titled debut release is a progressive rock work with much in common with Riverside's older catalog. If you've ever checked out Dream Theater's middle discography, which pays homage to many different Hungarian modes and flavors, then you might see some resemblance there, too.
Guitarists Aaron Lieber and Assaf Kopelnikov make this album interesting. For one, I've never seen a heavy rock band with a guitarist so often finger picking jazz chords on an electric guitar. Lieber outlines vocalist Gad Erez's melodies with pedal tones and rhythmic finger picking enough to make some jam bands jealous. If you've ever heard Riverside, you'd remember their guitars as ambient and simple, a hard contrast to what Behind the Sun's guitar instrumentation provides, despite the other broad similarities.
Behind the Sun's debut doesn't appeal to me musically aside from these guitar moments which I think show the band's real potential. In what seems like a classic case of great musicians with a lackluster thirst and ability for songwriting, the record drops off as being slightly too drawn out and over zealous. I'll have to stress that my complaints are with the actual recorded album and not the band, however.
The album's production does take away from the performance. A trebly snare, an awkward kick drum tone, and unconventional panning make certain movements of these very long pieces hard to enjoy, despite the group's musicianship. Less is more with independent music. If you can't pull it off, its probably best to not try it, because this is how people judge you. The album's last track is a great example, where a low filter cut gradually turns the mix to a very FM radio sound, before returning to full spectrum audio; a cool effect that simply sounds cheesy when not executed correctly. It's true, I try to stay away from criticizing production on independent music, but a consumer typically won't be as forgiving. The overall clarity of the recordings are just fine, but even the drum and bass sometimes feel rhythmically out of sync, which can be unpleasant.
So, after initially being put off by the record, I decided to look at some live footage of the band to get a better idea of what the band was capable of. It boils down to this: Behind the Sun have debuted with an immensely ambitious first effort, clearly trying to compete with other progressive powerhouses in the industry, and they deserve nothing less than a congratulations for putting their best foot forward and creating something with depth and vision. For this reason, along with what I think is some unarguably very smart guitar playing, Behind the Sun's debut deserves some credit and admiration.
Watch the Album Trailer
"The Professionals" off of Behind the Sun
FAVORITE TRACK: Fifteenth Dawn
FOR FANS OF: Riverside, Pearl Jam, Dream Theater, Tool
MYSPACE: http://myspace.com/behindthesunmusicPURCHASE: Amazon
Behind the Sun's self-titled debut release is a progressive rock work with much in common with Riverside's older catalog. If you've ever checked out Dream Theater's middle discography, which pays homage to many different Hungarian modes and flavors, then you might see some resemblance there, too.
Guitarists Aaron Lieber and Assaf Kopelnikov make this album interesting. For one, I've never seen a heavy rock band with a guitarist so often finger picking jazz chords on an electric guitar. Lieber outlines vocalist Gad Erez's melodies with pedal tones and rhythmic finger picking enough to make some jam bands jealous. If you've ever heard Riverside, you'd remember their guitars as ambient and simple, a hard contrast to what Behind the Sun's guitar instrumentation provides, despite the other broad similarities.
Behind the Sun's debut doesn't appeal to me musically aside from these guitar moments which I think show the band's real potential. In what seems like a classic case of great musicians with a lackluster thirst and ability for songwriting, the record drops off as being slightly too drawn out and over zealous. I'll have to stress that my complaints are with the actual recorded album and not the band, however.
The album's production does take away from the performance. A trebly snare, an awkward kick drum tone, and unconventional panning make certain movements of these very long pieces hard to enjoy, despite the group's musicianship. Less is more with independent music. If you can't pull it off, its probably best to not try it, because this is how people judge you. The album's last track is a great example, where a low filter cut gradually turns the mix to a very FM radio sound, before returning to full spectrum audio; a cool effect that simply sounds cheesy when not executed correctly. It's true, I try to stay away from criticizing production on independent music, but a consumer typically won't be as forgiving. The overall clarity of the recordings are just fine, but even the drum and bass sometimes feel rhythmically out of sync, which can be unpleasant.
So, after initially being put off by the record, I decided to look at some live footage of the band to get a better idea of what the band was capable of. It boils down to this: Behind the Sun have debuted with an immensely ambitious first effort, clearly trying to compete with other progressive powerhouses in the industry, and they deserve nothing less than a congratulations for putting their best foot forward and creating something with depth and vision. For this reason, along with what I think is some unarguably very smart guitar playing, Behind the Sun's debut deserves some credit and admiration.
Watch the Album Trailer
"The Professionals" off of Behind the Sun
FAVORITE TRACK: Fifteenth Dawn
FOR FANS OF: Riverside, Pearl Jam, Dream Theater, Tool
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