In case you were wondering – no, punk is not dead in Athens, Ga. In an almost satanic fury of screeching vocals and dark psych-rock comes Woodfangs, a local Athens band with a worldly sense of attitude. On their newest album, Future Vistas (out May 26 — keep your ears open), we take a journey through what feels like every genre. Even better? Woodfangs flawlessly molds their sound to each and every one to create an album that is entirely their own.
Seriously, let me prove to you that this foursome knows how to work through the history of music. On the album’s first track, “Demolish,” they start with a very ska selection of horns before vocalist John Woodfin Harry begins his ceremonial screaming and chanting. Then, all at once, the album’s title track shoots us into modern punk, reminding one of the Black Lips if they decided to whip out a Ouija board. By “Get Away,” we’re feeling old school Brit rock – it’s hard NOT to hear the Rolling Stones in this track. Through it all, Harry’s vocals give us a nostalgic blast to high school, when the only cool band we were into was Louis XIV. Though the group’s influences are undeniable, their individuality comes in the artful way they mix said inspirations.
However, Future Vistas takes an unexpected turn in the second half of the album. “I’m Just Dumb” incorporates a twang-y guitar and lyrics with a little more truth (“I think that I’ve got friends, but I’m all alone/I think that I feel good, but I’m just stoned”). “Karma Compass” is one of the album’s best tracks – I can’t resist its subdued sense of melancholy. Finally, the last track on Future Vistas, “Flying on the Wings of Angels,” makes you wonder if you entirely imagined the record’s chaotic first half. Maybe they were just good southern boys all along.
Scooterbabe, an Athens, Ga.-based noise pop trio, recently released an EP. The 5-track Scooterbabe EP is available digitally on a “name your own price” basis, and the band also released the project on a limited number of cassette tapes… Yes, I just said (well, wrote) cassette tapes… As in those plastic music squares that had a unique relationship with pencils and share a nostalgic sorrow with floppy disks. Scooterbabe’s choice of genre and audio release format clearly display their respect for noise pop and their nostalgic tendencies. So be sure to grab your Walkman, throw on a pair of jncos, and give them a listen.
If you played Tony Hawk Pro Skater and enjoy bands like The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, then this EP might be for you. The band finds their niche with songs like “Clean” where the soft “oh’s” that comprise the melody smooth some of the rough production edges.
The album has an untainted garage-rock sound that feels dreamy and seems to embody Athens. The town is constantly producing new artists, and new artists are constantly altering the Athens music scene. Scooterbabe’s most recent self-titled album is one of them. I’m sure I’ve seen one of its members downtown or on campus. Little did I know this person was working out a lyric about Annelise, “Why’d you let yourself down, waiting for some boy to set you straight?”
Scooterbabe presents an indie pop sound, with surf-like guitar riffs and base and catchy lyrics. The attitude is fast and fun as Scooterbabe chants, “Are you bored? If so, scooterbabe, go.”
Scooterbabe is Athens. It is feel-good; it is easy to sing, and it is easy to relate to.
[tps_header]
*All photos taken by Emily McBride at the Historic Scoot Inn in Austin, TX at SXSW 2014.
What’s up? We’re Diarrhea Planet, and we just woke up!!
It was the final day of South by Southwest, and the guys from Diarrhea Planet were taking the stage as I was waiting outside the gates of Austin’s Historic Scoot Inn. It was a rainy Saturday with an uncharacteristically long wait time for an early afternoon showcase. The line swelled with anxious concertgoers recovering from the night before as skateboard-wielding kids leaned against the chain link fence eagerly anticipating the impending shredfest. It has become a Vinyl Mag tradition to spend the last day of the festival with Diarrhea Planet. Last year, we literally bumped into them on the street before their final showcase at the Jackalope, which to this day remains one of my top five favorite shows of all time. I honestly can’t think of a better way to close out that epic week of music than to be drenched in sweat at the end of one of their sets.
The dudes were three songs in when I finally entered the yard, so I hustled to the bar, grabbed a Lone Star (you know, nothin’ snooty), and jumped over mud puddles to get closer to the action. I came in midway through “Lite Dream,” the first track off I’m Rich Beyond Your Wildest Dreams, as frontman Jordan knelt perched on the speaker platform at the front of the stage like a gargoyle – tongue out with each note of the solo seemingly pouring down from his open mouth past his fingertips before landing precisely on the fretboard. He was later joined on the platform by guitarists Brent, Evan, and Emmett, where back to back they formed a four-headed monster, aiming their guitars at the sky as if in tribute to the gods before turning them on the audience like AK’s of shred. Simply put, these guys play with impassioned stage presence and waste no time getting after it.
Meanwhile, Mike seems content to lurk in the shadows while chugging out underrated bass lines as drummer Casey powers the band with unrivaled heaviness in his sticks. Evan and Emmett sway back and forth periodically in choreographed fashion, with Evan sarcastically miming wiping sweat off of his forehead – a signature move that displays the band’s sense of humor. Crowd interaction is also a major component of Diarrhea Planet’s now legendary live shows. During their infectiously energizing performance, they awarded the first eight crowd surfers a free t-shirt that read “Diarrhea is the new F**k” – further displaying how seriously these guys take themselves. At one point, Evan had a girl photographer climb on top of his shoulders before parading her through the crowd while effortlessly fulfilling his guitar duties.
They roared through the remainder of their set, playing a nice mix of old and new. Two weeks later, I had the chance to see them again at New Earth Music Hall in Athens, Georgia when they were back to make up for a van-induced cancellation earlier in the year. They took the stage after midnight, sincerely apologizing for missing their previous date, and filled the room with over an hour of the catchy ear-ringing, shred-driven skate punk they do better than anyone.
As they broke down their gear after each one of these shows, it was clear that everyone was impressed with what they had just seen. Too many bands these days look like they’re just phoning it in – dialing up impossible to reproduce melodies and licks from their studio sessions in an effort to earn gas money to get from this city to the next. Diarrhea Planet is a rarity – their live show is actually better than any of their records, which is the highest compliment I can give a band. When they finish their set, you can be absolutely sure of one thing: these guys are having a blast.
After all, live shows are supposed to be a good time, and this seems to be the one thing Diarrhea Planet truly takes seriously. And for that, we should all be grateful.
Girl Talk recently teamed up with former Roc-A-Fella MC Freeway to release the Broken Ankles EP. The project was released free on DatPiff, and I was so hype to get to write my first review on a hip-hop project. I looked up to 2Pac, Biggie, Eazy-E, and the remaining Rap Gods, but they stared down from Thugz Mansion and didn’t see fit to have me review something as dope as Freeway’s earliest releases.
If you don’t remember, Freeway first burst onto the hip-hop scene with a featured verse on “1-900-Hustler” from Jay-Z’s monumental album The Dynasty. Since parting ways with Roc-A-Fella in 2007, Freeway’s work has been largely directionless. While Broken Ankles isn’t completely uninspired, it still finds Freezer an MC with nothing new to say.
The boisterous, in-your-face intro sets the hyped up tone of the album, but I kept wondering when Girl Talk was going to do Girl Talk. The answer is never. If you’re expecting souped-up pop samples for Freeway to spit on, then you’d be just as disenchanted as I was when the only recognizable sample is a single Notorious B.I.G. line used to comprise the hook on “I Can Hear Sweat.” Freeway juxtaposes the Biggie hook by trying to tap into 2Pac when he announces, “all eyes on me, all eyes on me.” Freeway concludes his attempted legendary East Coast/West Coast marriage by surmising that he thinks “they love me like Pac now.” While the historical hip-hop nod is nice, it just seems to be missing a point; much like the entire project.
This isn’t to say that the EP is a total failure. Whenever Girl Talk takes a back seat and allows Freeway to drive, hints of the old MC appear in soulful songs like “Tell Me Yeah.” The EP also has some great guest verses. Waka Flocka Flame makes the first track, “Tolerated,” tolerable, and Jadakiss was born to rhyme over “I Can Hear Sweat.” Unfortunately for Freeway, he raps in the shadow of his featured verses for the majority of the EP. He spits recycled similes and tired lines like: “Betty Crocker, got my cake up” and “I learned lessons went to summer school.” Baseless rhymes like this combined with the hit-and-miss beats make the EP perfect for a mindless jog or background music at a pregame everyone just left.
The EP is currently sporting a 4/5 rating on DatPiff (so hey, what do I know, right?), but the majority of the commenters agreed with me as we reminisced on the Freeway who proved he had honest, inspired flow and something to say in the early 2000s. If Girl Talk had simply done what Girl Talk has done in the past, then it would’ve allowed Freeway to spit over some sweet samples. I mean, that seems way more hip-hop than what Broken Ankles actually winds up being. Unfortunately, even if that were the way the record was spun, I’m still not sure Freezer has any new stories to tell.
2.5/5
GIRL TALK TOUR DATES:
Fri. April 11 – Indio, CA @ Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival
Fri. April 18 – Indio, CA @ Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival
Sun. May 4 – Tampa, FL @ Big Guava Festival
Thu. May 15 – Gulf Shores, AL @ Hangout Music Festival
Sat. May 17 – Atlanta, GA @ Centennial Olympic Park
Fri. May 23 – Sun. May 25 – Chillicothe, IL @ Summercamp
Fri. June 20 – Dover, DE @ Firefly Music Festival
Wed. June 25 – Sun. June 29 – Milwaukee, WI @ Summerfest
Nashville native, Bobby Bare, Jr. exemplifies southern rock ‘n’ roll in his most recent album, Undefeated, out today!Along with the album, a documentary, Don’t Follow Me (I’m Lost) will be released May 1st.The documentary, ironically, follows Bare in his musical endeavors and family affairs. On Bloodshot Records artist page, Bare is described as “rambunctious” and “freewheeling,” generally a relatable guy. What’s more enjoyable than listening to a man who doesn’t take life too seriously?
Undefeated embodies just that; don’t allow trivial matters eclipse what is important to you.
Undefeated opens with “North of Alabama By Mornin’.” The piece presents an echo effect with a deep, harmonizing voice, giving it the primary pop, rock ‘n’ roll style. On the other hand, pieces like “If She Cared” and “Don’t Wanna Know” feature a female voice that creates a graceful, blues sound. “The Elegant Impostor” follows the heartbreak blues sound with elegant, synthesizer chimes.
BBJ is skilled and eloquent at crossing genres. “Undefeated” combines a country, blues guitar with airy vocals and rock guitar riffs. In general, the album is able to mix country rock with more experimental pop pieces, like “Don’t Stand at the Stove,” which utilizes more synthesizer and high-pitched vocals, to create a very original piece of work.
More interesting is the story-like style of the album, as if Bare is sitting around a campfire with the listener. “My Baby Took My Baby Away” begins with the principal country sound and Bare telling us a story about his “baby”: “He comes stumbling through the door with his bottle in hand…he closes his eyes while he’s mumbling.” The story-telling format allows the listener to relate, and it is, generally, entertaining. Bobby Bare Jr. is a master at narrating through his music in an original and nontraditional way.
For a band that shot to the top and stayed there, The Kooks have been rather silent; the British rockers haven’t released an album since 2011. But it was worth the wait. Their new EP titled Down, out April 22 on Astralwerks, is everything I hoped for and more.
The first song, “Down,” is a sexy, funky number. Lead singer Luke Pritchard channels his inner sex machine with James Brown vocals over simple riffs and a snare/hi-hat combo as he sings “I’m gonna hit you up, I’m gonna let you down, just to prove a point that you can’t break a man who’s already down.” The song oozes with sex appeal and is an incredibly likable tune.
“Hooray for Henry” is very rock and roll. The melody sticks with you instantly and is peppered with electric guitar licks and echoing vocals that are as reminiscent of British Invasion as they are of punk rock.
The lights lower and the disco ball comes down for “Hold On.” This track is fun, so much fun, plain and simple. “We are the kids of pleasure, we are the dynasty,” they sing and I honestly just want to put on some bell bottoms and dance.
Acoustic guitar drives the melancholy “Melody Maker” to close out the EP, appealing to all the jilted lovers out there and adding a lyrical nod to fellow avant-garde British rockers, Pink Floyd. It’s a mellow tune and a rather nice way to end the EP.
As always, The Kooks’s love of making music is apparent in the new Down EP. But they switch it up and seem to be embracing their early rock and roll and R&B influences to create an incredible EP that reminds us just how awesome the Kooks are. And they haven’t gone anywhere.
Challenger, the electro-indie band from New York City, plans to drop their second full-length album on May 27th. Led by producer/songwriter John Ross, Challenger debuted their first LP, The World Is Too Much for Me, in 2012. Their sophomore effort is titled Back to Bellevue and features eleven epic pop tracks rooted in indie electronica. Ross left the hustle and bustle of Brooklyn and returned to his childhood room in Florida to write and record the album.
DISCLAIMER: I’m a huge fan of electro-indie music. My friends and I have a collaborative Spotify playlist called Electropolis. It’s filled with hits from bands like Washed Out, Purity Ring, Small Black, and Summer Heart, and we’re pretty selective about what makes the cut. If you don’t dig the smooth sounds of a cinematic synthesizer, then, first of all, what’s wrong with you? And, second, read no further, because liking Challenger’s Back to Bellevue was just way too easy for me.
Driven by bright synth leads and punchy, robust percussion compositions, Challenger’s latest offering separates itself from the crowded electro-indie genre by lacing its tracks with honest, fragile vocals that aren’t buried in reverb. While this album reminded me of bands like Summer Heart and Washed Out, the raw and delicate vocals held hints of Conor Oberst of Bright Eyes. Think Small Black but with more rough edges. This combination of clear, raw vocals and catchy synth leads works best on tracks like “How Terrorism Brought Us Back Together” and “Sweetheart in San Francisco.”
Ross’s experience as a composer for television is apparent in the album’s cinematic synth pop sounds. Several of the songs seem suited for the screen. I could see a car driving further and further away as the sun sets or a couple sharing their final kiss before we fade to black as each track on Back to Bellevue flows into the next. But Ross doesn’t stop at simply crafting cinematic songs. Challenger shows their diversity with songs like “Sylvia,” which provides a hauntingly beautiful juxtaposition to the brighter melodies. With “I Want You To Love Me,” Challenger strips away the intricate drums and synthesizers in favor of an acoustic ballad that echoes back to the happy holiday declarations found early in the album on “Birthday At Beth Israel.”
While I thoroughly enjoyed the album and admired its bold, different vocal approach, I have to admit that the raw vocals seemed out of place on the song “Sorry,” which is arguably the most beautiful track in terms of musical composition. Then again, even when the chosen vocal style seems out of place, it still sounds incredibly honest and makes the music more endearing. Challenger’s latest album is an undeniable success for any fan of electro-indie. Rest assured that several of the songs from Back to Bellevue will find a home in Electropolis come May 27th.
“Let me hold you swing you round, pack our bags and leave this town”, begins band Kris Orlowski in their new single “Stone by Stone” from their forthcoming debut full-length album, Believer, set to be released April 25, 2014.
Kris Orlowski is a Seattle-based band dedicated to making music that is “about creating something that touches the soul”, according to their bio. And “Stone by Stone” certainly does that.
The Americana tune is very affectionate and uplifting, telling a story of love in which “fooled by the world, I’m tingling; you’re leaving me whole again.” The Mumford and Suns-esque tune leaves the heart and soul feeling rather touched.
The band has shed the big-band folksy feel of their previous work for a more “punch-y and experimental” album, and the single certainly reflects a more simple instrumentation, relying on the vocals and lyrics to do the storytelling, which they do rather well.
The song ends with a beautiful promise as they sing, “I won’t stop trying now, I can’t start lying now, because I’m sacred in my vows to see this through.” “Stone by Stone” certainly makes me excited for the release of Believer.
There truly is nothing better than being at a show surrounded by dedicated and enthusiastic fans. It feels as if time has stopped, and the only thing that matters in the world is about to walk out on stage and put on a show just for you. I was lucky enough to be a part of that phenomenon at Lydia’s sold out show in Atlanta, where the band played their beloved album Illuminate from start to finish.
Lead singer Leighton Antelman walked out to the middle of the modest stage with white sheets in the background, illuminated (no pun intended) with colorful lights. They began to play “This Is Twice Now,” a sort of melancholy song that the crowd sang along to with fervor. Transitioning into “A Fine Evening For a Rouge,” an initially calm track that climaxes towards the end, the crowd belted out “don’t you ever get lonely!”
When Antelman began to play “I Woke Up Near The Sea,” the crowd lost it, and I heard someone proclaim, “This is what I came here for – this damn song!” With hard-hitting drums and powerful lyrics – which Antelman had to scream to be heard over the crowd’s raucous singing – it’s not surprising this song is a fan favorite.
“Hospital” started, and Antelman alternated between singing softly to yelling and dancing around the stage during the drum and guitar solos. For “Fate,” he asked for some vocal support from the crowd, which was happy to oblige.
What started out as a bitter ode to a misguided love affair, “Sleep Well” turnedsurprisingly upbeat. Former band member Mindy White had a prominent role on the track, a responsibility given entirely to the crowd as Antelman supervised, blown away at their ability (and enthusiasm) to sing her part.
“Stay Awake” is another crowd favorite that starts out slow but packs a powerful punch. The crowd once again belted out every lyric, never missing a beat. The song climaxed, and Antelman did a wonderful job trying to sing over the crowd during this up-tempo track.
“All I See” started out with ominous guitar and keyboard, making the song a mix of beautiful and creepy. A steady drum beat and Antelman’s suggestive lyrics combined to make this mellow track superbly sexy. “One More Day” followed the pattern of the album’s tendency to switch from mellow to upbeat without warning. The song features a beautiful guitar solo, pulled off with excellence.
“Now The One You Once Loved Is Leaving,” a track that heavily features White on the album, was sung almost entirely by Antelman with grace (though, of course, he had some help from the audience).
It isn’t difficult to see why this album resonates so deeply with fans. An amalgamation of soothing guitar and keyboard that morphs into intense cautionary tales of broken hearts accompanied by high impact drums is Lydia’s recipe for success. However, the special ingredient to this tour seems to be the devoted fans that follow Antelman faithfully in and out of his moody lyrics, stirring the pot of a delicious dish that anyone can appreciate.
Be sure to check out our interview with Lydia here!
Baby Guru is, once again, all over the board. Their new album, Marginalia, released in March via Inner Ear, is a collection of songs whose wildly diverse inspirations are apparent, with songs so distinctly different from one another, yet songs that flow together to create a coherent and unique album. What they lack in reasoning, they make up for in creativity on a record that takes the listener on a strange and interesting journey.
Baby Guru is, in their own words, “an ever evolving musical organism conceived by three childhood friends, in a basement, at the end of 2009.” A very unique band, the musicians rely on “unexpected spontaneity” and blend a combination of “kraut rock,” psychedelic music and African percussion to create a sound unlike any other.
Marginalia seems to draw inspiration from every type of music under the sun – and then some. Songs like “Marginalia” and “Turtle Hearts” are very modern-day Beatles, with Ringo-like drums and multiple clear, harmonizing vocals. David Bowie seems to have had a hand in inspiring spacey songs such as “Explain” and “We Need Some Space.” Baby Guru’s far-reaching influences are apparent in the almost Celtic-sounding electronic beat, “Exegesis” and the tribal sound of “Most of the Times.” No two songs are similar, and it makes for fascinating experience.
While every song is wildly different, the album as a whole is very synth- and keyboard- driven, creating an upbeat, indie-pop sound. It is fun and wild and different. While at first listen, it may seem a bit random and out-there, after a few times hearing the album, it certainly grows on you. The three members of the band, Prins Obi, King Elephant and Sir Kosmiche not only wrote the entire album, but recorded and produced it themselves, and in a world where most artists don’t even write their own songs, you’ve got to respect the band that can do it all.
Plus, there’s a groovy video to go along with the track, “Especially When,” that is incredibly entertaining. Featuring kaleidoscope shots of the band and a beautiful woman in a muscle car, the song makes you want to get up and dance. And maybe take a shot or two with a stranger in a leather jacket. It’s dangerous and psychedelic and very cool.
This consciousness-expanding album is open minded, fun, and certainly worth the listen.
