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Formerly the bassist of indie darlings (yes I said that) Port O’Brien, Caleb Nichols has teamed up with longtime friend and collaborator Jameson Swanagon to form a new force in the Bay Area music scene. The Oakland based group shuns the trite and boring elements of wimpy 4/4 indie rock and instead delivers complicated, haunting, intricate music with passion and intensity. Grand Lake’s album, Blood Sea Dream, isn’t as pop oriented as most other successful indie rock bands, and therefore at times more difficult to listen to, but the band’s songwriting ability is always on full display.

On Thursday September 16^th Indie Shuffle will be teaming up with our friends at Epicsauce.com to bring Grand Lake to Milk Bar in San Francisco. Ash Reiter, Burrows, and Sunbeam Rd. will be supporting. We’re going to have plenty of details posted on the site tomorrow, and will even give you a chance to win free tickets, so stayed tuned.

myspace | myspace.com/grandlakemusic]]> http://www.indieshuffle.com/grand-lake-blood-sea-dream/feed/ 3 http://www.indieshuffle.com/manmiracle-the-shape-of-things-2/ http://www.indieshuffle.com/manmiracle-the-shape-of-things-2/#comments Tue, 24 Aug 2010 21:44:55 +0000 Bryan Mojica http://www.indieshuffle.com/?p=10370

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In a summer over-saturated with lo-fi, chillwave, dubstep, and innumerable remixes of seemingly every mediocre song that hits the blogosphere, a chronic disease runs rampant: dry palate. Personally, I’ve accumulated 15 gigs of ‘”new music” in the last 3 months and the consumption is largely comparable to eating a box of powdered donuts without any milk to assist with lubrication. The overall colorless, tedious listening is attributable to artists flogging the above-mentioned: trendy sounds lifeless. All too often it seems the releases are more an attempt to fit a genre/scene and generate “mad hits” versus serve as an expressive outlet of art, energy, or passion.

Considering this current atmosphere of indie music, Northern Californian quartet Man/Miracle’s edgy, vigor-soaked rock LP The Shape of Things is an essential quencher to dry neglected receptors. After fifteen seconds of scratchy, muted picking, the album’s single “Hot Sprawl” takes course with dual guitars ringing outward while joined by crisp percussion and lead singer Dylan Travis’ instantly-enrapturing voice. This is one of Man/Miracle’s favorite tracks to play live because it “usually leads to dancing” (see interview below) and understandably so: the percussion-driven refrain is a spirited masterpiece. After a tonal breakdown led by drummer Tyler Corelitz’s supreme fills, each element rebuilds and exalts in its own right: Travis yells, tambourines roll, Corelitz snaps on the snare, and guitars defiantly squeal.

If this synergetic orgasm doesn’t uplift you in any way, check for a pulse. Similar highlights are widespread throughout the 10-song LP, yet The Shape of Things is positively shapeless. No two songs sound similar as the group is unconfined to a distinct, solitary sound. Instead, Man/Miracle have truly crafted a fresh, unabridged full-length album (a definite rarity in this era of singles and EPs) where they succeed in skillfully interweaving rebellious noise and rock with pop undertones – all the while brimming with energy and zeal. The result is an enthusiastic standout on the year, and a taste that will have listeners eagerly awaiting live performances and a sophomore release.

Special thanks to Dylan Travis, who was gracious enough to take the time and answer some questions. Enjoy and be sure to check out Man/Miracle’s sun-kissed, feel good video for “Pushing and Shoving” at the end of the article.

Who are Man/Miracle and how did you guys meet?
We are four dudes — Dylan, Brian, Ian, and Tyler, though Ian is moving on to bigger and better things at the end of the month, and we’re being joined by Emery Barter. Dylan and Tyler met on a T-ball team in the tiny town of Los Osos, California. Ian and Brian joined in Santa Cruz. We now all live in Oakland, which is where we met Emery.

What does the name “Man/Miracle” mean?
It’s meaningless by design — two of the most loaded words in our language meant to describe the indescribable. We came up with it because we were having difficulties finding a name that encapsulated what we were all about. So we picked something that explains everything and nothing.

How would you describe your sound?
All I know is that it’s constantly changing. In the past it has been chaotic, but controlled, with tons of energy. The new stuff we’ve been writing has been leaning more towards bittersweet, stoned, and nostalgic, but still energetic. I think we might roll with that for a while.

Is there a general theme (as far as lyricism) on The Shape of Things?
Yes, The Shape of Things is about growth and death and creativity and destruction and the eerie way that those things all tend to occur at once. It’s about adjusting to adulthood and living in less-than-stellar situations out of necessity, while trying to stay sane and keep some hope going. There’s some love songs on there too.

Your video for “Pushing and Shoving” is one of my favorites of the year. You’re playing an intimate show for friends – was this just for the shoot or was it a ‘real’ get together?
That was actually one of the tamer parties that occurred on that roof. We still have shows there, though I don’t live in that apartment anymore. The original idea was to have it just be the sand dunes stuff, but we decided to bring a camera to one of the shows we were putting on, and some of the best footage came out of that.

Can you tell me a little about the making of the video/where the shots take place?
Half of it was filmed at a party we had at my old house in east Oakland, which is on International Boulevard. The other half was in our hometown, Los Osos, on the sand dunes—sort of a spiritual place for us, and some of the most gorgeous dunes in the world. It was made by Josh Lowman who is quite talented.

What’s your favorite song to perform live?
I love playing our new songs, but “Hot Sprawl” usually leads to dancing. “It’s Already There” is a new jam I really like singing.

What music are you currently listening to?
I’ve been heavy into beauty and despair lately—lots of Cocteau Twins, Dead Can Dance, Zola Jesus, Slowdive, Diamanda Galas, Smashing Pumpkins, and certain Kurt Vile EPs. I also like Gun Outfit and The Pains of Being Pure at Heart.

Is there one artist/group that all 4 of you love?
Yes: TUNE-YARDS

What is the most shameful song on your iPod?
I have no shame. But I have some songs my girlfriend wrote me that I listen to a lot, which is pretty dorky.

myspace | myspace.com/manmiracle]]> http://www.indieshuffle.com/manmiracle-the-shape-of-things-2/feed/ 5 http://www.indieshuffle.com/bare-wires-seeking-love/ http://www.indieshuffle.com/bare-wires-seeking-love/#comments Sat, 24 Jul 2010 23:02:33 +0000 Taylor Fife http://www.indieshuffle.com/?p=9497

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Matthew Melton has been rocking out in the East Bay with Bare Wires for some time now, but their latest, Seeking Love, is the first polished product that displays the energy and vigor of the project in a tidy package. This album retains the hard rocking 70’s inspired garage punk of previous efforts, but has more than a few notable differences. The one I appreciate the most was that I was able to get this album on CD. I guess it was pretty cute that I could only find earlier work on cassette or vinyl, but for a guy that listens to music primarily on his computer, I felt the novelty wasn’t quite worth inconvenience. The other obvious cosmetic difference is the lineup changes, but while the bass and percussion do keep things together well, the nut of band is Melton’s retro punk guitar and melodiously distorted vocals.

The most important difference between then and now is more subtle; the music is on the whole easier to digest. The sounds are nice and distorted, but instead of making the album more difficult to listen to, it somehow makes all the parts fit together. Songs are short and forceful, but also interesting and vibrant. The melodies are pleasantly poppy, with early punk groups like The Ramones and The Stooges likely strong influences. Most impressive is the excellent job Melton does making the vocals fit great with both lyrics primarily focused on the opposite sex and high energy garage rock. Throughout the album Bare Wires sticks to what they know best and don’t stray too far from their established formula. But as the album lasts just over 20 minutes, any branching out would probably just give them an ADD diagnosis on top of the already certified hyperactivity. Catch these boys at one of their shows in the Bay Area in July before they head out to conquer the nation in August and September.

myspace | myspace.com/thebarewires]]> http://www.indieshuffle.com/bare-wires-seeking-love/feed/ 1 http://www.indieshuffle.com/polaris-at-noon-time/ http://www.indieshuffle.com/polaris-at-noon-time/#comments Tue, 06 Jul 2010 21:45:37 +0000 Jason Grishkoff http://www.indieshuffle.com/?p=8919

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Polaris at Noon is releasing the track “Time” with a bit of hoopla today: at 10:30pm PST it will debut on MTV’s “The City”. Fortunately for us, we don’t actually have to sit through that reality trash: Jason Suwito has provided us the single as a first glimpse of his band’s upcoming sophomore release, “Season Two”. With it, Polaris at Noon looks to continue the “serialization” of music that defined their first album (“Season One”), which was released song-by-song on a weekly basis.

The first few seconds of “Time” begin with a piano-based riff that reminds me of work by European artist Mew. The similarity, however, stops there. What follows is something a bit closer to Paper Route, relying heavily on solid guitar licks layered over electronic-rock-based synth. I find certain parts of the song to be particularly captivating, such as the bridge that begins around 2:30. On the opposite end of the spectrum, the “chorus” first featured at the one-minute mark can be hard to swallow, owing perhaps to its simple progression over solid, uninspiring guitar-work.

Serializing music is an interesting approach, assumedly aimed at drawing out the attention of fans waiting in dire anticipation of the next-to-be-released single. “Time” has certainly sparked my interest, though I’m not sure I can follow ~eleven consecutive weeks of intense anticipation unfolding around each song. Then again, the simple fact that I’m now concious of the band’s approach likely means I’ll have no choice but to remain tuned in.

myspace | myspace.com/polarisatnoon]]> http://www.indieshuffle.com/polaris-at-noon-time/feed/ 0 http://www.indieshuffle.com/the-booze-rebirth-of-the-cool-4/ http://www.indieshuffle.com/the-booze-rebirth-of-the-cool-4/#comments Tue, 15 Jun 2010 01:58:59 +0000 b aiken http://www.indieshuffle.com/?p=8356

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The garage rock resurgence, forefronted most popularly by The White Stripes, has permeated indie rock and doesn’t seem to be drying up any time soon.  The Booze represent the more folk/blues/southern rock side of the movement, combining a number of tracks ranging from upbeat to a bit sullen. This is displayed right off the bat, with the first two tracks spanning the musical thrust of the entire album.  That isn’t to say, however, that you should stop listening after those two tunes. ”Rebirth of the Cool” continues on melodically and keeps the listener’s attention throughout.

As mentioned, this is pretty standard southern-tinged garage rock, which makes sense, I think, considering the band hails from Georgia.  It’s certainly an easy listen, much of it recalling  the sound of The Rolling Stones.  Nostalgic? I don’t know; I’m not a baby-boomer. But, given the litany of rock from the 60′s and 70′s forced (comfortably) upon me by my loving hippie parents, it definitely conjures up a reminiscence to this musical era.

There isn’t much more I can say about this album or this band.  Its not a big band, big sound, nor does it leave a big impression. But, and thats a big but, I’m recommending it. It just sounds right. Its not forced and doesn’t give the impression they’re trying too hard to simply replicate the sound of bands past. It’s not groundbreaking but it doesn’t need to be. That’s why I like it. A great summer album, pick it up, take a listen, and enjoy.

myspace | myspace.com/thebooze]]> http://www.indieshuffle.com/the-booze-rebirth-of-the-cool-4/feed/ 2 http://www.indieshuffle.com/free-energy-stuck-on-nothing/ http://www.indieshuffle.com/free-energy-stuck-on-nothing/#comments Wed, 14 Apr 2010 00:44:36 +0000 b aiken http://www.indieshuffle.com/?p=6845

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Sounds like: Weezer, The Shins, Kings of Leon, Buffalo Killers

The band doesn’t get too technical, doesn’t employ too many effects, and generally rocks in an old-school fashion. For me, this is a pretty refreshing audio journey. Start to finish, “Stuck on Nothing” gives the listener something to bob head / stomp foot / whistle / sing-along to, without too much thought involved. Pick this up, tune in, chill out, and enjoy the listening.

Elsewhere on the Web:
myspace | myspace.com/freeenergymusic

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Sounds like: Frank Zappa, Parliament, Allman Brothers

While Pants for Bears is definitely a live band first, I was pretty surprised by the quality and diversity of the tracks. In this recording I hear the ass shaking party grooves of Parliament, the weirdness of Frank Zappa, the down-home soul of the Allman Brothers, and the hundreds of dirty guitar riffs that inspired bands like the Black Keys.

So what is the difference between a progressive psychedelic band with indie cred and one without? Three or four synthesizers? A fabricated lo-hi aesthetic? A complete unwillingness to make music people can dance to? Well the truth is I don’t know, and don’t really care. This is the kind of band that is just going to get better and better on record, with each member pushing each other to get weirder, better, more exploratory, and willing to take risks. The good news is Pants for Bears is ready to enjoy right now as the group is making live sounds that people used to wait months to see. You went to go see Parliament because they had the funk, and you wanted it badly. Well Pants for Bears has the funk…and some pants…for bears.

Elsewhere on the web:
myspace | myspace.com/pantsforbears

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Sounds like: Built to Spill, Stephen Malkmus, Yo La Tengo

What’s so good?
Pavement’s “Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain” has my favorite opening to any album: a bass and a lead guitar argue while a drum kit tries to mediate. After the three have hashed it out, they start to work together to introduce what is probably my favorite song in Pavement’s catalog, “Silence Kit.” By the time Stephen Malkmus enters the mix, exactly one minute into the album, the song has exploded like a wild cannon shot. What follows is an anthemic take on Buddy Holly’s “Everday” that ends with Malkmus jerking off backstage after a show. In a sliver over three minutes, Pavement make an open and shut case for themselves as one of the most inventive rock bands of the 90s (second only maybe to Radiohead).

From the pathologically catchy “Cut Your Hair” to the heart-on-sleeve earnestness of “Gold Soundz” to the brazen choices of “Filmore Jive,” the next 39 minutes after “Silence Kit” offer the best of the band. The album is frequently talked about as if it was Pavement’s conscious attempt to gain fame. Whether or not Pavement were this calculated when writing and recording the album, I’m not sure I care to speculate. What I do care about is how this album fits into Pavement’s career. Crooked Rain is the most quintessentially Pavement album they ever made. They sound like a bunch of confidently intelligent, relaxed products of suburban California. They sound like themselves.

Like “Slanted and Enchanted”, “Crooked Rain” is boatloads of fun. “Unfair” is an ecstatic tour of California via its water rights issues. Malkmus doesn’t pull punches: “You film hack, I don’t use your pay.” “5-4 = Unity” is a playful send-up of David Brubeck’s seminal “Take Five.” But unlike their full length debut, the band wasn’t afraid to scrape the distortion off their guitars to make some direct statements. The spiritual center of the album is “Range Life.” The song is a surprisingly personal take on band life and indie cred: “After the glow, the scene, the stage, the set/Talk becomes slow but there’s one thing I’ll never forget/Hey, you gotta pay your dues before you pay the rent.” At this point in their careers, Pavement shouldn’t have had to worry about paying their dues, but they clearly understood the fickle nature of the beast. And Malkmus sounds a little bitter about it: “If I could settle down, then I would settle down.” But instead of bitching and moaning about being in a great band, he turns song’s attention elsewhere. He’s a teenager again, winding his way through the empty suburban streets on his skateboard. The lyrics are the most genuinely poetic thing Malkmus has ever written: “Out on my skateboard, the night is just hummin’/The gum smacks are the pulse I’ll follow if my Walkman fades/But I’ve got absolutely no one, no one but myself to blame.” Lines as poignant as that lose their luster under the microscope of interpretation.

When I got my turntable a while back, I started to make a list of albums that I wanted to own on vinyl (and to keep me on track in my local record stores). The only criteria for inclusion on the list was that the record had to be an album that I usually listened to from front to back. “Crooked Rain” was one of the first two or three records that made it on the list.

Elsewhere on the web:
myspace | myspace.com/pavement

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Sounds like: Fridge, Xiu Xiu, Sightings

What’s so good?
According to the press release accompanying Liars’ forthcoming Sisterworld, the album creates “a space [...] somewhere remote from the false promises and discarded dreams amassed in LA. In it Liars explore the underground support systems created to deal with loss of self to society.”

Sound familiar? That’s basically the plot of David Lynch’s Mulholland Drive, which tells the story (I think) of a woman who willfully creates a supplemental persona to deal with the guilt and frustration that dictates the remains of her shattered life. I don’t know that Sisterworld has as neat of a narrative structure. Then again, Liars are no strangers to narratives conceits: They Were Wrong, So We Drowned was about witches on Walpurgisnacht, and Drum’s Not Dead was about negotiating the twin monsters of fear and confidence. I bring up Lynch because I approach both artists in much the same way. My investment in their work is not conditional: I don’t need to be able to account for every image or sound to feel engaged and involved and, ultimately, moved. Honestly, I’m usually more interested in figuring out what, exactly, it is in their art that elicits reactions that range, literally, from anxiety to nausea. As with Lynch, the atmospherics do most of the heavy lifting. The white noise and industrial drone that accompanies much of their music carve out a cavernous space that accommodates any spooky sound they can imagine. These are the tones and textures that are the public face of Liars’ superabundant weirdness. They provide the soundtrack to Andrew’s interest in things that are truly terrifying: malevolent spirits, lost identity, unmotivated violence, crippling fear, uncontrollable ego, forests at night, post-industrial Los Angeles, claustrophobia, agoraphobia.

Sisterworld, the band’s fifth album, continues the tradition of radical reinvention that has dictated the band’s narrative for a decade now. The album isn’t as exhilarating as They Threw Us, nor as abrasive as Drum’s Not Dead. Sisterworld sheds a lot of the biker rock posturing that dominated their eponymous forth album in favor of a creepier, more expansive aesthetic. The record requires a fair amount of a patience to get through the first couple of times. Frankly, it’s lugubrious in places, but those moments are a necessary antithesis to the towering infernos of hysteric noise that rise up suddenly in almost every song. The self-released “Scissor” opens the album and sets the basic template for most of the album: a ponderous murder ballad accompanied by the gentle piano and strings cracks open to reveal a molten core of caveman rage.

Thematically, Sisterworld draws heavily from the mood of They Were Wrong. Both albums are concerned with hysteria, and there’s plenty unaccountable panic seething below the surface of the album. And when that panic breaks the surface tension of the song, Liars are capable of evoking profound violence. On ‘Scarecrow On a Killer Slant,” a gale force guitar riff blows in after a frightening bridge: “We should take the creeps out at night/Drag them incomplete by their ears/We should nail their thoughts to the wall/Stand them in the street with a gun/And then kill them all!” The violence of the music when coupled with the brutish lyrics makes for a potent combination that threatens to peel the paint off your walls. Liars unleashes similar musical firestorms throughout the record. The martial pomp of “Goodnight Everything” sounds like nothing less than the horn flourishes that will greet the ascent of the Antichrist. And the closing minutes of “I Still Can See an Outside World” rage with the intensity of an industrial fire. And while you wait for even more explosive crescendo, they suddenly pull back, which is more unnerving than watching the band burn down the whole structure of their composition. But this what makes Liars such an effective band: they overwhelm you with noisy pyrotechnics before abandoning you, alone, anxiously awaiting the next strike.

A couple of years ago, I heard “It Fit When I was a Kid” at a party. It was wrong. When the context of the song is removed (especially its preceding downer “Drum Gets a Glimpse”), a lot of its power is drained; it just sounds like weird noise. Liars make music that refuses to be relegated to the background. Their albums demand your attention. Sisterworld is no exception. This is 42 minutes of punishing music that gets deeper and weirder with each listen. Listening to the album endlessly for a few days has been pretty taxing. I don’t think music this creepy, this brutal is meant to be lived with in that way. I won’t always be in the mood to listen to it, but I’m not always in the mood to watch David Lynch either. That shouldn’t detract from the raw power of the album because the best records are the ones that almost force you to stare unblinking into their depths.

Elsewhere on the web:
myspace | myspace.com/liarsliarsliars

Click image to download full album

Sounds like: Ty Segall, Black Lips, Bob Dylan

What’s so good?
Have you ever wondered what The White Stripes would sound like if Jack had been born in 1945, started the band in 1963, and sang with the voice of a young Bob Dylan? Well, me neither, but if you were, this album from The Strange Boys would give you a pretty damn good idea. The decidedly lo-fi, bluesy, folk inspired and just plain awesome sound harks back to a homespun time of synthless choruses and voices unspoiled by autotunes. Ryan Sambol (Guitar, Vocals) has an heir of folk storyteller, and straight forward but well played instrumentals provide an excellent backsplash for his raspy delivery.

“Be Brave” clocks in at around 32 minutes, so please don’t worry about investing too much of your precious time away from the modern musical comforts of electro-pop, but do take a close listen and revel in the simplicity, and even (gasp) a few acoustic melodies. The Strange Boys may be just one just one of many bands still nurturing the musical seeds sowed during the early days of rock and roll, but they do it with class and what appears to me to be a real respect for the pioneers of their craft. So please, check this out; I promise you won’t end up pissing on that totally rad Miike Snow remix bootleg you bought from the hipster at the record co-op downtown.

Elsewhere on the web:
myspace | myspace.com/thestrangeboys

Click image to download full album

Sounds like: Amy Winehouse, Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings

What’s so good?
“Wow”. That’s all I could say after taking a listen to this album, “Songs for a Sinking Ship”. It is a downright enjoyable music experience that uses the time-tested formula of great vocals, catchy hooks, and well orchestrated instrumentals to give the listener a true gem of an album. Obviously, if you’re not a fan of female vocalists, you should probably stop listening to this and hit the “shuffle” button above to go to a new post. But if you, like me, love the throaty sound that’s popular in lady-fronted bands these days (Heartless Bastards, Yeah Yeah Yeahs), you are in for a treat.

I’m fairly certain that it’ll be Smith’s enchanting articulation and a hint of voodoo blues that drive this album all the way to the bank. The combination of simple harmonies and this little, awesome voice make for a great listen. “Songs for a Sinking Ship” rolls along at a tempered pace and is somewhat predictable, but that certainly doesn’t take away from the quality of the work. Old fashioned, yes, but definitely not in a bad way.

ASATGPS (< fan of Acronyms) is the kind of band everyone would want to hear in their smoky local tavern: a low key group of talented musicians fronted by a cute girl. Perfect. To cap this off, my suggestion would be to get a hold of this album, dim the lights, pour a glass of your favorite single malt, and enjoy a thorough serenading compliments of Ms. Smith.

Elsewhere on the web:
myspace | myspace.com/aprilsmithmusic

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Sounds like: The Shins, Dangermouse

What’s so good?
I’m going to keep this one short and sweet: the new collabo between the Almighty Danger Mouse and James Mercer of the Shins is absolutely unreal. Yes, I did refer to Danger Mouse (or Brian Burton as his mother would say) as Almighty. As you might know from previous posts, I have all but devoted my life to everything Danger Mouse dives into. Whether it be Gnarls Barkley, Beck’s Modern Guilt, MF Doom’s Mouse and the Mask, Jemini’s Ghetto Pop Life, or The Black Key’s Attack & Release, everything the man touches turns into pure gold. As far as Broken Bells goes, I think it’s his best work yet. The production is at an all time high and Mercer’s melodic voice just takes everything to the next level. And this coming from a hardcore Black Keys fan and someone who loves everything Mouse has done for the evolution of hip hop.

I have now been listening to this album on repeat for several days. I discovered it thanks to a hip hop loving indieshuffle viewer who reminded me to tune in. Kathy, you will probably not see this but I just want you to know that I am eternally grateful for what you have done.

Do yourself a favor: listen, enjoy, experience musical nirvana.

Elsewhere on the web:
myspace | myspace.com/brokenbells

Click here to download full album

Sounds like:The Black Keys, Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix, Ten Years After

What’s so good?
Ethan Kennedy is the new Black Keys. He is better than the Black Keys. The Black Keys ruined themselves by following up a mediocre Attack+Release with an even worse Blakroc. Ethan Kennedy is so fresh that he can’t possibly ruin himself yet. He is the Black Keys to the power of Led Zeppelin, The Beatles and Jimi Hendrix. He is intricately more interesting and far more exciting. The world needs to hear this stuff. (Note: Some of this is hyperbole. The Black Keys can’t really be upstaged – they created a niche and epitomized it. Further, the songs I’ve put up aren’t nearly as raw as the Black Keys or as reflective of their similarities).

But seriously, folks, the parallels are right there. Ethan Kennedy is a two man outfit; so are the Black Keys. They both play psychedelic blues rock like pros (though I’ll be the first to admit that the Black Keys use a shitload more distortion). They’re both as passionate as Saint Francis of Assisi was about the animals. They both kick ass. Hell, just take this song as an example:

Until I’d done my research, I wouldn’t have figured there were only two members to this band, with the multi-instrumentalism and layering being so diverse. But as it turns out, Ethan Kennedy and a gifted young drummer, Aeran Shabi, account for the myriad instruments heard on the album. [UPDATE: When playing live, the band has three members, with the addition of Sam Calvert on bass]

Ethan Kennedy endeavors to conjure this magic, not by a novel calculation of genre, but by energetically imparting his own unique character to his music. He belts out lyrics unencumbered with convention, though accessible through their earnest, yearning delivery. His singing is enveloped by music that is rock and roll in its heart and bebop in its brain. But it doesn’t stop there, it only starts there – Ethan Kennedy

Elsewhere on the web:
myspace | myspace.com/ethankennedymusic

Click here to download full album

Sounds like: Surfer Blood, Girls, Best Coast, Ganglians

What’s so good?
I’ve been meaning to post something for weeks and weeks about Brooklyn band Real Estate, another pioneering group in the increasingly popular psychedelic surf pop movement which I’ve been heavily overindulging myself in recently. In the same vein as all my blog favourites such as Surfer Blood, Girls and Best Coast – Real Estate make snippets of 60s pop psychedelia coated in fuzzy reverb and drenched in sunny harmonies. The difference between this band and the others is the total chillout mentality they show across their entire self-titled debut album, leading to a whole load of comparisons to the other chillwave bands of late.

Unlike their synth laden companions such as Toro y Moi, Washed Out and Neon Indian they make chill out surfer pop music with more of a classic rock influence than one from electronica. Again, another feature sets them apart from bands like Surfer Blood and Woods is the fact that they coat their meaningful and heartfelt lyrics in meaningful and heartfelt music. As with most of the albums I’ve been posting about recently, this is another one for your Sunday morning collection.

Real Estate is bassy and slow-paced with occasional bursts of energy across the ten-track Woodsist Records release. The spaced out vocals of Martin Courtney don’t feature heavily – and when they do, its more the notes they hold than the lyrics they deliver. It’s not shoegaze, but at times the lyrics make more of a background appearance in relation to the simple melodies than a dominant one.

Elsewhere on the web:
myspace | myspace.com/realestate

Click here to get the full album

Sounds like: Widespread Panic, Moe, Led Zeppelin, Wilco

What’s so good?
Hailing from Hamilton, Ontario, Huron is a self-described rock and roll band, but I would say they are a bit more dynamic than being pigeon-holed into the massive genre of ‘rock and roll.,’ I’d define them as ‘real, good, music.’ It’s certainly clear that Huron stays close to their rock roots; with influences ranging from the Beatles to Neil Young and Pink Floyd, Huron spans both the psychedelic and southern rock musical spectrum.

Their 2009 self-titled debut is solid, combining big guitar driven riffs and melodic jams. I can’t be sure who is supplying the majority of the vocals, but they are reminiscent of Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy. Huron differs from Wilco however, shedding the painfully boring instrumentals for something with some get-up-and-go. Huron is the band I wish Wilco was. I’m sure Wilco fans will string me up a pole for saying that, but its true, Wilco sucks and so do you.

I’ve checked out the band’s website and myspace, and it appears they are only touring within Ontario, CAN, so I’ll be waiting to hear them live (other than Youtube) for most likely… ever. I can only hope they get heard down here in the land of the free and the home of the brave, because I’d certainly love to check this band out in person.

Elsewhere on the web:
myspace | myspace.com/huronband

Click image to download full album

Sounds like: Portishead, Blonde Redhead, Yeah Yeah Yeahs

What’s so good?
The amount of sound produced by just two band members can be mind-blowing. When Mr. Gnome released their debut album Deliver This Creature in early 2008, I found myself oddly enraptured by their dark sound. I didn’t realize at the time that there were only two members, guitarist Nicole Barille and drummer Sam Meister. All I could think about was how much their album cover made me associate the album with the rabbit in Donnie Darko (scary shit, I’m telling you!).

With the Cleveland duo’s November, 2009 release of Heave Yer Skeleton, I have concluded that I would love to see these two live. Nicole’s raw, emotional vocals and raging guitar, backed by Sam’s complex drumming, make this as strong a duo as you’re apt to find. And they’re heavy on the bridges — you can’t beat that.

Obscure Sound’s description of their first album is so spot on that it may as well be describing their second album:

Camera operator/drummer Sam Meister and make-up artist/guitarist Nicole Barille produced an intense wave of emotions through an interpretation of gloomy post-punk, gritty alternative, and progressive metal, with Barille’s howling vocals managing to choke-hold the listener into unavoidable emotional fury that was dependent on Barille’s constantly alternating melodic capacity and Meister’s expert variation in percussion. The release’s ability to juggle anger, somberness, and regret through similar emissions of heavily distorted guitar chords and hectic percussion made The Yeah Yeah Yeahs or Blonde Redhead the most apt comparison in this case, both using a howling set of vocals to unveil predominant angst before occasionally reverting to a serenely consumed atmosphere more intent with mellower hooks and instrumentation – Read more from Obscure Sound

elsewhere on the web:
myspace | myspace.com/mrgnome
official website | mrgnome.com/foolsgold

download:
Mr. Gnome – Sit Up & Hum.mp3

Click image to download full album

Sounds like: Garbage, Feist, Cat Power, Metric

The newest EP from LOT, Fun and Laughter, seems to have struck the perfect balance. The four new songs sound like Powell has matured, but she’s getting back to who she’s always been, at least musically. “May you never” is classic LOT, the slow build leading to a catchy pop rock up beat. With “As me”, you wait for the song to make that same switch, but this song is built on riding the lo-fi drumbeats. “A series of flames” croons for slowing down.

Land of Talk is best seen live. In person, the trio really lets the grit and rock, power their sets. Luckily, the release of their new EP coincides with their upcoming tour. Trust me: catch them live. The full complexity of their music is best understood while watching Powell and the crew on stage.

There is something about the fragility of her voice that makes me melt to the core…I was really disappointed with their Some Are Lakes LP, but the snippets I’ve been hearing from their upcoming Fun and Laughter EP is making me forget about those ill fated endeavors. They seem to be returning to the structures that made their first EP too strong. Here’s to hoping they’ll be touring the Northeast sometime soon – Dipped in Dollars

Now healthy and rarin’ to go Fun and Laughter’s four new songs denote a sophisticated turn for the band, a veer away from experimenting with fast and unique guitar and vocal rhythms as a focus, and instead placing emphasis on framing the uniqueness of her voice in new ways. Powell can really sing, and these songs show it (although I admit they may have been a bit heavy handed with the vocal layering plus reverb) – Sound on the Sound

elsewhere on the web:
land of talk’s website | landoftalk.com
myspace | myspace.com/landoftalk

download:
land of talk – may you never.mp3

Click image to download full album

Sounds like: The Dead Weather, The Ergs!, The White Stripes

What’s so good?
I won’t lie: I wasn’t a big fan of this album. but i’m still compelled to throw this up because i think people should know about this band. it may not translate on CD, but these guys have one of the most raw, powerful live sets i’ve seen in a long time.

I saw them open for “The Dead Weather” a few weeks ago, and they totally caught me off guard. Out comes this three piece led by a girl that looked like she could have been thirteen years old in a shabby pilgrim dress looking down at the ground. Then she opened her mouth. Marissa Paternoster may be the only true female in the band, but she lives up to the “Screaming Females” name. And man can she play the guitar. I don’t mean ‘oh, she can play guitar well for a girl;’ I mean this girl can fucking shred. And she thrashes around and slams to her knees as she wails. It was a sight to see, and didn’t feel forced or staged at all.

As punk music continues to evolve into something that looks more and more like whiney glam-rock, it was awesome to see a band play with the pure, genuine spirit and energy of punk rock untainted by a fashion or convention. “Screaming Females”, above all else, are themselves, and they absolutely rock.

Check out this cool “Screaming Females” documentary: