Category: Reviews
Dex Romweber Duo: ‘Images 13’
“Dex Romweber was and is a huge influence on my music. I owned all of his records as a teenager, and was thrilled at the fact that we were able to play together recently on tour. [He is] is one of the best kept secrets of the rock n roll underground.” —Jack White, White Stripes
Hailing from Chapel Hill, North Carolina, Dex Romweber Duo has released their first album since 2011, Images 13. The sibling duo is made up of singer and guitarist, Dex Romweber and drummer, Sara Romweber. Images 13, produced through Bloodshot Records, hit March 18th.
You know you’ve accomplished a prodigious musical goal when Jack White considers you somewhat of a personal hero. There is nothing more valuable in the music industry than inspiring other artists, rather than competing against each other. Dex Romweber should not only be honored to have such a talented artists praise him, but to know he had a part in influencing a praise-worthy artist. More interesting is Romweber’s contributions to Athens. Bloodshot Record’s artist page states, “He starred alongside R.E.M. and The B-52’s in the 1987 cult classic film ‘Athens, GA Inside Out’.” Are you looking it up on Netflix now? Let me save you the time and sorrow and tell you it is “unavailable to stream.” Every time! Yeah, too bad we’ll never get to see an ’87 Athens mullet.
Images 13 opens with energy in “Roll On.” Romweber immediately exhibits his coarse, but surprisingly smooth, voice. Although the duo is primarily rock, they diverge into a surf rock sound in “Blackout!” and “Blue Surf,” both of which are instrumental. Still, Romweber is able to turn it down a notch with a classical, deep voice similar to Roy Orbison’s in “I Don’t Want to Listen.” The duo is versatile and is able to make listeners energetic with “Long Battle Coming,” and then immediately create a slow, emotional tone with “One Sided Love Affair.” Dex Romweber Duo leaves a lasting imprint accompanied with conflicting feelings. The album can make you feel lawless, heart broken, and weird with simple instruments and vocals, all in one sitting.
4/5
Recap: Athens Slingshot Festival
With over 70 bands spread out among 12 different venues, 40 artists, a technology panel, a comedy night, sold out 1,000-person shows, and after parties, it’s safe to say that Slingshot Festival 2014 was a success. With the numerous acts and artists, it’s difficult to summarize, but we’ll hit some of the highlights of the weekend.
The festival kicked off Wednesday night with a performance by Tinariwen, a desert blues band from northern Mali. These guys could not have been a more unique start to the festival. The energy from Tinariwen was contagious, and the contrast between the band’s traditional dress and modern instruments was striking. Their harmonies were stunning, and despite the communication barrier, the passion in their performance was felt by the packed-out Theatre.
To top off the great start to Slingshot, Creature Comforts previewed – and quickly filled to capacity – their lovely new space. The after party featured DJ List Christee, better known as Kevin Barnes. Barnes provided an excellent after party soundtrack to break in Creature Comforts in the best way. Thanks to Dos Equis, free beer was provided, and danceable beats from KB pleased the partygoers.
Thursday was predominantly art exhibits at Creature Comforts, Bulldog Inn and Lamar Dodd School of Art. One art exhibit by Christopher Nelms and Ted Khun, at Bulldog Inn particularly stood out, involving 40 pounds of bananas, vodka shots, and karaoke. All of the art exhibits throughout the week were each completely unique and spanned a wide range of mediums.
Friday was a packed schedule, and it was tough to decide what to go to with the abundance of options. Lera Lynn graced the Morton Theatre with her style of rootsy Americana. During a few technical difficulties, she even gave an impromptu tap dance to entertain the eager crowd.
The New West records showcase was at the Caledonia Lounge, and all were exciting up-and-coming artists. Dega performed their synth-heavy compositions, which featured dreamy vocal harmonies, making quite the impression on the crowd for what was only their third live performance. Ruby the Rabbitfoot followed with her soulful, organic style of indie pop. Ruby had great stage presence and kept the crowd entertained with her quirky comments in between songs.
Powerkompany packed out The World Famous later in the evening. The cinematic electropop trio filled the room with powerful and convicting vocals the crowd seemed to enjoy.
Friday was also Japan Nite, featuring five bands from Japan performing at New Earth Music Hall. Peelander Z was the headliner for Japan Nite, and did not disappoint. The energy of the “action comic” punk group was electric, and the crowd responded with chanting, crowd surfing, and joining the band on stage.
The 40 Watt, had three of Athens favorite bands: Programs, Elf Power, and Space Trucks. Urban Outfitters sponsored free Weaver D’s, and there were several sightings of Michael Stipe, so clearly it was a true Athenian experience.
Kishi Bashi headlined Saturday night at the Georgia Theatre. As usual, it was a high-energy show featuring unique music. Kishi Bashi, with frosted tips and friendly smiles, revealed a handful of new songs, while making sure to play fan favorites like ‘Bright Whites’ and ‘Manchester’. The show was visually appealing as well, featuring an art piece that was progressively altered throughout the performance.
Following the Kishi Bashi show, much of the crowd moved down the street to The Green Room, where Washed Out treated the house to a DJ set, complete with trippy projections and experimental rhythms.
To end the night there was a second after party at Creature Comforts, more free beer and even more dancing. Slingshot brought Athens a multitude of international and local artists, with so much to see and experience we cannot imagine what Slingshot will bring in the coming years.
Kristin Hoffmann: ‘New Directions’ EP
Kristin Hoffmann recently released a follow-up EP to her full album, The Human Compass. The EP, New Directions, is comprised of three remixes to songs from the previous album. While the EP attempts to transform her ethereal Renaissance pop songs into something more electronic, it fails to realize the true purpose of a remix, which is to take an old song and shed new light/offer a different perspective by adding and subtracting certain qualities.
The original album has some undeniably beautiful piano melodies. Add Hoffmann’s distant, ethereal vocals and you’ve got a catchy pop tune, right? Unfortunately not. One of the qualities that the original album lacks is the presence of a single catchy hook or pop-ish melody. While melody is certainly important in any remix, it often does not have to drive the track like it does in most pop songs. With this in mind, I was hopeful that the three remixes could offer something that the original album did not.
With the exception of the “Ghosts” remix, New Direction doesn’t do much for the original tracks. While the songs do manage to maintain their prettiness, there isn’t much there electronically. I kept wondering when the track was going to “hit,” and then the song ended. For me, the piano and the vocals only carried the tracks for so long until I started drawing comparisons to Evanescence minus the crunchy guitars.
I do feel as though New Directions more successfully captures Hoffmann’s ideas and the original album’s ethereal goals, but it is unfortunate that the EP lack the sort of electronic punch that remixes need to be cool remixes that are worth a listen. Hoffmann sings about “a distant lullaby” in “Ghosts,” and that seems to be what this endeavor is: A distant lullaby that is too far away to serenade us to sleep, but just enough to keep us awake, like the ticking of a fan or the dripping of a faucet.
Spinning Vinyl: Blondefire’s ‘Young Heart’
Blondfire says it all as Erica Driscoll sings, “So you turn a new rotation, and live a silent dreamy sigh.”
The album cover and design reflects the innovative music that Blondfire creates. The album cover is a mix of classic album art, reminiscent of the Rolling Stones’s fuzzy and glamourously out of focus Goats Head Soup cover, with a modern, artistic take on vinyl. An insert reveals a picture of the brother and sister, Bruce and Erica Driscoll, and the back is a vintage photograph of Erica holding flowers. Very sixties. And I love it.
The record itself is an awesomely mod, half-pink, half-white flower design with a green center. It looks rather awesome spinning on my Crosley record player.
And as the record begins rotating, I do just what Erica is crooning about. I “live a silent dreamy sigh.”
Young Heart is young and playful. It is bright and optimistic. The indie-pop band keeps it refreshingly raw, not letting the electronic parts overwhelm the instruments or Erica’s airy and luminous vocals.
“Waves” reminds me of a summer spent with my best friend, exploring the freedoms of adolescence, making bracelets, stealing our parents’ alcohol and kissing boys on the beach. In fact, almost every song reminds me of some fond, youthful memory.
Some tracks, like “Dear in Your Headlights” remind me of every weekend I spend in the beautiful city of Athens with my even more beautiful friends. She perfectly captures the age of half-innocence, and meager attempts to grow up while simultaneously staying young. Blondfire protests the monotony of adulthood as Erica sings, “I don’t wanna be like them, I don’t wanna be like you, I’d rather be a monster, just howling at the moon.”
The instrumentals are clean and brilliant. They are simple but powerful, and perfectly supplement the dreamy voice of Erica Driscoll. Songs such as “Wild and Wasted” and “Life of the Party” capture the playful, danceable vibe that Blondfire is clearly going for. But more somber and thoughtful tracks, like “We Are One” bring the message back down to earth.
Young Heart was a delight to listen to on vinyl. Not only did I enjoy the fun, carefree music, but I loved the art of it. Listening to old, classic albums on the record player is obviously wonderful, but listening to a new artist on vinyl is a new and exciting experience, especially when Blondfire is the band that’s spinning.
The Lovers Key: ‘Here Today Gone Tomorrow’
I have three Spotify playlists that I feel like I can listen to no matter my mood. The first is a bipolar irrelevance made up of a hodgepodge of genres. The second is dedicated to the soulful sounds of Motown, and the third is filled with 60s rock (minus The Beatles, whose music is “Spotifyless…” Thanks a lot, Paul). If that second and third playlist got together and made a baby, it would be made of bits and bytes and the best MP3 genes available… and it would probably sound a whole lot like The Lovers Key. Comprised of Christopher Moll and Maco Monthervil, The Lovers Key combines retro pop-rock instrumentals with soulful vocals. The band’s debut full-length album, Here Today Gone Tomorrow, is due out in early April, and is a must-listen for any fan of Motown or 60s Rock.
As the album title suggests, The Lovers Key attempts to tap into a bygone era with their 60s style. The album’s 11 tracks are primarily driven by fuzzy guitar and upbeat organ arrangements. Throw in Maco’s soulful, jazzy melodies, and you wind up with an album that seems to be made for head bobbing and finger snapping. Depending on the song, Maco’s voice could draw comparisons to nearly every soul singer from the 60s, but for me his voice falls somewhere between Jimmy Ruffin and Billy Stewart.
One of the things I like most about the album is that it’s not overproduced. There’s a very raw and real sound that coincides with the honest lyrics and the two genres (60s rock and Motown) that the album draws from. That rawness seems to express the band’s heart as much as it does this particular style of music. I listened to the album digitally, but the whole time I felt like it should have been playing on vinyl. If you only listen to one song from the album, I’d recommend “Tell It Like It Is (Don’t Break It To Me Slow).” While this catchy, upbeat track captures the band at their best, “Maybe I’m Not Good Enough,” and “In A Perfect World” are also must-listens.
It’s awesome that this is the band’s debut album. I mean, they’ve only been together since 2012, so if they can manage to avoid the curse of the sophomore album, then it seems like they have a lot of room to grow and become even better, which is pretty exciting for any fan of retro rock and/or Motown. But before we go talking about a follow-up, give this album a listen. Fortunately for us, the Internet has ensured that basically nothing is actually here today and gone tomorrow, so be sure to snag a copy of Here Today Gone Tomorrow and let the music remind you of a time when records ruled and we didn’t have to wonder why The Beatles’ music isn’t on Spotify.
SXSW Recap: Females Shine at House of Vans
Checking the pages upon pages of lineups the morning of March 12th with coffee in hand, I found it. I found the one party that day not to be missed. It was taking place at the historic Mohawk in downtown Austin. Four amazing female acts played, and they were not there to mess around. Below is a short synopsis of each act.
Unfortunately, I was running behind and arrived late to this rising star’s set (in my defense, no one is ever on time during the chaos that is SXSW). But on the positive side, I did get to listen to the last half from behind a protruding wall partially blocking the overflowing room for which she was playing. The number of people willing to pack into that small room was a good indication of the huge amount of talent this petite blond possesses. Her country twang had an infectious edge reminiscent of the rich voice of Stevie Nix. As her set came to a close, I understood why so much hype surrounded this artist coming into the music week of South by, and she sure lived up to it.
Kelela:
Oh, Kelela. I could listen to this songstress’ lovely layered voice for hours on end. She is impressive pre-recorded but even more so live, her voice boasting such a range from full and rich bass notes to beautiful and airy falsettos. Unfortunately her set overlapped slightly with Lydia’s, so I only truly caught the tail end. The uniqueness of her sound, her breathtaking voice layered on top an eclectic mix of bass, drum, and electronic tones, especially rang out on “Cut 4 Me,” the title track of her 2013 LP.
Her avant-garde sound is difficult to pin point, which could be because of her out of place feelings as second generation Ethiopian Immigrant raised in the states. Yet her music reaps amazing benefits from this situation, breaking the confines of any particular genre.
Charli XCX:
Punk pop princess of the UK Charli XCX was next on the bill at the House of Vans – the performance I had been waiting for all day. Bounding onto the stage, she immediately began strutting around the stage like she owned it, throwing her wild black locks around as she danced. Known for her synthy pop beats with a dark side, the 21-year-old shined on slower track “Black Roses” and fist pumping crowd favorite “SuperLove.”
Not only did she sound fabulous, she looked the part as well donning a lovely vintage plaid dress and stunning the crowd with her intense stare and sassy red lips. She ended her high energy set with an appropriate cover of the famous tune “I Want Candy.” Needless to say, Charli XCX did not disappoint.
Dum Dum Girls:
If you are looking for a powerhouse all female rock band, then go see Dum Dum Girls live. In their 40 minute set, the four-woman group managed to kill all guys rock harder stereotypes. Dee Dee’s voice soared high above the dreamy psychedelic guitars, sounding especially ethereal on tracks “Coming Down” and “Lord Knows.” All four wore all black, fitting for the slight melancholy that melds into their music. Addictive 80s melodies are sprinkled into certain tracks, especially those off their 2014 album Too True such as “Rimbaud Eyes” that captivated the crowd. Although the Dum Dum Girls went last for the females that day at the Mohawk, they certainly weren’t the least.
The Mike Benign Compulsion: ‘Here’s How it Works’
I received a vinyl copy of The Mike Benign Compulsion’s third album, Here’s How it Works. The record is a timeless medium and is slowly recovering. The cover of The Mike Benign Compulsion’s album is minimal. It is clean and completely white except for the title and a bald man standing on the right side. He’s watching you pull the record out; I think his face emotes something like approval. The record is as clean as the cover, but black. I’ve never seen a new record, most of the time they are used and deeply grooved. This one is smooth and classy, much like Mike Benign’s persona.
Benign’s recent release of the video for “Haley Daley” (check it out below) shares a similar style. The members are presented in front of a white canvas wearing mostly black, except for the Mike Benign’s fun-colored burgundy pants. I guess it’s true you that should never judge a book – or a record – by its cover. I thought The Mike Benign Compulsion would feature soft rock or something close to classical. I was wrong, and I’m sorry.
The album opens with “Mrs. Kean”, and I feel shallow. How could I have been so quick to judge? The Mike Benign Compulsion is way more lively than classical; in fact, they have a more pop-rock sound, which makes sense considering the members are pop-rock veterans from The Woolridge Brothers, The Yell Leaders, Blue in the Face, Arms & Legs & Feet, and Dorian Gray. At times, especially in “Haley Daley,” the harmonization has a Beach Boys feel.
Let’s talk about Haley. She follows “Mrs. Keane” and “You Say It’s Over” with a bubbly and poppy attitude. I know immediately that this is the song that will inevitably get stuck in my head. Benign’s melodic voices pairs nicely with the rhythmic, quick guitar strums, as he sings, “I’ve got a feeling you’re gonna crumble Haley Daley.” Then there are slower songs, similar to a lullaby, like “Bay Window”. The Mike Benign Compulsion doesn’t have to do much to change their tempo. They show that a band doesn’t have to be “experimental” to be talented.
Sometimes simple can be just as beautiful.
Foster the People: ‘Supermodel’
With their second studio album, Supermodel (released March 14th on Columbia Records), Foster the People has departed from the light, upbeat sound of Torches, replacing techno beats and airy vocals with a much more stripped down, heavier, instrumental, resulting in a raw and very real album. And it totally works.
Supermodel is an angrier follow-up to its predecessor and proves that Foster the People is not in a sophomore slump—this second album is certainly a force to be reckoned with. Supermodel is angry, brash, bold, unafraid, and raw, with cryptic lyrics alluding to growing up and coming to terms with unforgiving fame in a greedy world.
Many of the songs, such as “A Beginner’s Guide to Destroying the Moon” urge the listener to “think freely” and “smash the wall of apathy”, breaking free from the world which they have discovered to be petty and fake.
Self-fulfillment and satisfaction with personal success are also recurring themes that run rampant in Supermodel, with such tracks as “Are You What You Want to Be?” and “Ask Yourself” in which they inquire, “is this the life you’ve been waiting for?” They offer their own experiences by reflecting, “Well I find the more I want, the less I’ve got.” The evolution of the band as a mid-level act coming to terms with not just indie stardom, but shooting to the top of the pop music charts, is obvious and clearly drives the music on this second album.
However, the upbeat rhythms and unbelievably bright melodies juxtaposed with dark lyrics that we have come to associate with FTP have certainly not fallen by the wayside. Tracks such as “Pseudologia Fantasia” (which is a term used to describe pathological lying) and “Best Friend” are reminiscent of Torches, with danceable grooves and surprisingly grave lyrics. Yet these songs are composed with heavier undertones and even darker, more cryptic lyrics.
The 30-second, vocal only track, “The Angelic Welcome of Mr. Jones” provides a nice intermission for the rest of the album, and the acoustic and very introspective track “Goats in Trees” breaks up the impassioned guitar-heavy tracks with a thoughtful, lyrical piece in which they bear their souls and refuse to shy away from such contradictions as “Don’t give up on me now, and I’m on the outside, but it’s warm on the outside. That’s a lie, I don’t wanna fall apart,” revealing inner struggles all humans face.
Songs like “The Truth” and “Nevermind” evoke thoughts of Radiohead and continue to deal with such issues as love and loss in the face of modern philosophy. The album ends with a quiet, acoustic number (“Fire Escape”) leaving us to reflect upon the album and our own lives.
Foster the People burst onto the music scene with “Pumped Up Kicks” in 2011, and while the tune was unbelievably catchy, it was easy to brush them off as a one-hit-wonder. However, Supermodel proves the doubters wrong and guarantees the band a lasting place in indie and pop music history. Heavier, weighty lyrics and instrumentals bring the band down to earth as they explore universally relatable worldly issues from the perspective of a band coming to terms with newfound fame. I want to listen to it again and again and again.
Children of the Stones: ‘The Stars and the Silence’
Extended Play, the first EP released by the collaboration of Mark Van Hoen (of Black Hearted Brother, Seefeel, Locust, Scala) and Martin Maeers, has proved only to be a tease- the best is still yet to come.
Children of the Stones is the new project from Van Hoen and Maeers, and they will release their upcoming LP, The Stars And The Silence, on March 25th. Joining them on this album are Rachel Davies (Esben & The Witch), Neil Halstead (Slowdive, Black Hearted Brother, Mojave 3, solo) and Al Forrester, plus Angus Finlayson, amongst other friends. For over 30 years, Van Hoen has been creating and innovating the electronic music genre. With the help of vocalist Maeers, it seems that The Stars And The Silence is the next step in the right direction and perhaps just what electronic music needs.
Where the EP, Extended Play, displayed a bleak sadness, The Stars And The Silence explores a lightness that can be found within the shadows of love’s darkness. “Love’s Last Loss” is a subdued and humbled testament of what was and a realization of a love and life that will no longer be. The composition of this first track is somewhat a cut and paste of appropriate sound bits, bleak glitchy transitions, oceanic dream, and mournful raw emotion. “Love’s Last Loss” is an appropriate choice as the start of this album as it introduces the listener to Van Hoens’ use of technology as a catalyst for creativity and expression.
The Stars And The Silence takes an upbeat turn with “Out of Reach.” As one of the more uptempo compositions of the album, this track is reminiscent of songs found on The Postal Service’s 2003 album, Give Up. The title track, “The Stars & The Silence” follows and maintains the form of a mystic lullaby that hypnotizes the listener into a dreamlike state which was first introduced on Extended Play.
“Just Like Coming Down” is a seductively somber track with heavier downtempo wobble. It is easy to immerse oneself into this track and, as the title of the song suggests, allow the vibrations to bring the mind, body, and soul completely down. The eight track on the LP, “Every Word You Say,” has similar vocal and musical composition to the song “Guiding Light,” found on Extended Play. Where as “Guiding Light” is disjointed with low monotonous vocals and overpowering electro beats, “Every Word You Say” is is more united and cohesive.
One of my favorite tracks on this album was the triumphantly dark “Toward the Umbra.” Similar to the undertones conceived in many MUSE songs, the composition of this song sets the tone of go forth and conquer, Musically I found this track to be the most commercial of all the tracks found on The Stars And The Silence.
Overall, The Stars And The Silence was a pleasant surprise. The variation and play of technology keeps this LP interesting and entertaining and I look forward to more releases from this collaboration of artists.
The Stars and The Silence will be released on March 25th.
Craig Bicknell: “Hymmmn”
Craig Bicknell’s new single “Hymmmn” is meditative and soothing. The track starts with a simple humming. I wait for lyrics but none come. The track is composed of layers of “hums”, “ooh’s” and “ahh’s” and seamlessly grows.
This is the beginning of Bicknell’s “Hymmmntronica”, a new style composed of intermingling sounds. The track begins to grow with more harmonizing “hum’s” but becomes lighter. Electronics are present, but not to the point of overpowering the main attraction. The piece reaches highs and lows and even combines the two. Bicknell can layer soft on soulful to create a beautiful melody of “hums.”
It’s odd quoting a sound rather than a lyric, but for Bicknell it works. More layers create more depth, and the listener becomes totally relaxed, and I can’t help imagining the movement of mouths. The track carries an airy, southern feel, like a hymn. The track is that of a contemporary composition; it ends with the same, simple humming to complete a piece with an opening and a closing.
Yet, I wish it would go on. In fact, after listening to the track several times, the melody stuck in my head like lyrics, and I continued to repeat the humming cycle even after the track had ended.