Tag: review
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SHOW REVIEW: The xx at Tabernacle
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If you’ve listened to even a tiny fragment of a song by The xx – any song at all – you can not only acknowledge that the band is perfect in a very technical, musical sense, but also that the purity of their music provides an incredibly ethereal experience for the listener. Now, imagine it live: the drums reverberating through your very core, voices ever more ghostly, each silence ironically amplified a thousand times over. When The xx played the Tabernacle in Atlanta on February 2, the beautiful simplicity of their music reminded us of why we should be thrilled to be alive.
As we had so desperately hoped, Romy Madley Croft, Oliver Sim, and Jamie xx played a substantial amount from both of their albums, xx and Coexist. Opening with “Angels”, the first track on Coexist, the trio set the mood immediately: dark, emotional, and – appropriately – angelic. We instantly noted that Crofts’ and Sim’s voices sounded nearly identical to the way they sound on the albums – just much, much more intense. Though we were a bit disappointed that the band moved around the stage very little, we soon realized that the gripping, otherworldly nature of the music entirely made up for the lack of movement.
By next playing “Heart Skipped a Beat”, The xx effectively relieved fans of their concerns that very few tracks from xx would be played. Soon after, “Crystalised” was swept through as well, male and female vocals layering beautifully. We were thrilled when we heard Jamie xx’s steel drums opening up “Reunion”, a song that brings in what we believe to be the better half of Coexist. The track was chilling, filled to the brim with emotional tension – that is, until a steady drumbeat was ushered in as Croft nearly whispered, “Did I… see you… see me… in a new light?”
Finally, the trio played our favorite track on the entirety of Coexist, “Sunset”, a song that manages to be extremely dance-worthy while exploring pure heartache. Toward the end of the band’s set, they began to once again bring back older tracks, including “Shelter”, “VCR”, and “Islands”, three of their all-time best, and three that ideally exhibit the unheard-of vocal chemistry between Croft and Sim. By the time the three tiptoed shyly off the stage, the crowd was all but drooling for an encore. And, boy, did they get one. The xx came back with the powerful “Intro”, and promptly ended the night on a much softer note with “Tides” and “Stars”.
Though the music in itself was nothing short of heavenly, the charm and humble nature of the three indie pioneers made the experience entirely refreshing. While Sim constantly thanked the crowd, Croft was often seen looking around the venue in a state of total awe and disbelief. When it comes down to it, though the insanely talented threesome seems to retain a very modest lack of perception of their massive effect on their listeners, one thing is for certain: The xx is crafting a sound that no other band can replicate.
REVIEW: Circle Takes the Square’s Decompositions: Volume Number One
Circle Takes The Square‘s Decompositions, Volume Number One is a record that dissolves boundaries, a journey through time arriving at the crossroads of an epoch. Blurring the lines between human and animal, earthly and supernatural, linear and cyclical, and creative and destructive, Decompositions sounds like a fevered ayahuasca dream.
Listening to Decompositions‘ stream of apocryphal consciousness is both exhilarating and confounding, much like a classic thriller. Ambitious and epic, it’s clear why the project took over two years in production to come to fruition. Sonically lush, musically progressive, and densely lyrical, Decompositions is a Pandora’s box that will be studied for years to come.
A tribal chant sets the tone for the album in the opener “Enter by the Narrow Gates,” a song that bridges the gap between the shamanic traditions of Native Americans and the cacophony of 21st century post-hardcore. With the help of modern instrumentation, CTTS create a hypnotic, often mind-bending vibe as somber aboriginal-style chanting gives way to a soundscape of slow, crashing drums, distorted electric guitars, and finally, the carnal screams of a shattered reality, welcoming the end of one Earth cycle and the beginning of another. It’s a signature song, and one of their best to date.
The opener flows seamlessly, as does much of the album, into “Spirit Narrative,” a short burst of progressive hardcore with lyrical themes of shapeshifting and animal transformation. Had they existed in 17th century colonial America, it’s quite possible CTTS would have been burned at the stake for heresy(!) Background screams from guitarist David Rabitor add to the brutality of the song.
“Way of Ever Branching Paths” is one of the album’s standouts, with bizarre time changes and a much looser feel in parts than CTTS have experimented with in the past. The song conveys an “order out of chaos” feel, while the lyrics explore esoteric and spiritual revelations drawn from Earth’s archaic history. Melodic singing from bassist Kathleen Stubelek and drummer Caleb Collins provides a welcome, if chilling break from the din of screams. It’s also possible to view the song as a metaphor for the diverging lives of the bands’ members, which are geographically spread across North America.
From this point on, the album builds in momentum and intensity, hurtling towards some great unseen cataclysm. “The Ancestral Other Side” references the ancient symbol Ouroboros in the line, “Through fevered visions, silence devouring its own tail, Unbroken circle, grant us the crisis needed to heal.” It’s an existential take on music as a therapeutic and constantly evolving force set against the blank canvas of silence. It’s also a reference to the cyclical, primordial Earth themes that are present throughout.
“Prefaced By the Signal Fires” should remind longtime fans of “A Crater to Cough In,” one of the band’s more epic and heavier cuts from their 2004 release As the Roots Undo. The track kicks off the second half of the album, flowing into the more contemplative but still heavy-as-hell “A Closing Chapter (Scarlet Rising).” Here, ominous melodies blend with bone-crushing rhythms and vague prophecies of Armageddon and the end of time as we perceive it.
“Singing Vengance into Being” and “Arrowhead as Epilouge” revisit themes of animism, higher consciousness, cyclical time, and death as transition. The tension builds with snarling guitars, growling bass and aggressive drums, and the Circle’s token call-and-response vocal stylings of bassist Kathleen and guitarist/vocalist Drew Speziale, before climaxing with “North Star, Inverted.” The album’s dreamlike, acoustic-flavored finale perfectly bookends with the opener, bringing a long-awaited vision to its epic conclusion. It’s Neurosis-meets-Mazzy-Star, a goose bump-delivering acceptance of the end, rife with elaborate instrumentation and haunting vocals. The feeling of stark finality is what makes it so special, and arguably the best song of their career.
It’s a stunning accomplishment that often defies description, a true piece of art and snapshot of a band (and civilization) at a fractal boundary. Through dark times, Circle Takes the Square carry the light of knowledge and self-discovery.
9/10
REVIEW: Concord America’s Shag Nasty
What do edgy punksters, the beach, and a be-grilled Marilyn Monroe doppelganger have in common? Yeah, you should be confused. But you should also be ready for some insanely awesome listening, because all of these elements – and a hundred others, for that matter – combine to form Atlanta band Concord America’s first full-length album, Shag Nasty.
These boys have been taking the Atlanta music scene by storm for over a year now, maturing steadily from tossing glitter into audiences everywhere to playing some serious rock-meets-punk-meets-beach-meets-grunge-meets-doo-wop with well-known bands like Foxy Shazam. We’re not kidding – everyone from your dad to your weird roommate that wears the same flannel shirt every day will be listening to this band soon. A lot of this comes as a result of the unheard-of chemistry between ConAm’s members: guitarist and vocalist Ben Presley, bassist Vinny Restivo, and drummer John Restivo. This – together with a rare knowledge of their craft, a lack of fear of dwelling into unknown musical territory, and some pretty huge imaginations – puts Concord America in the ranks with the best and brightest newcomers nationwide.
Now, with the release of Shag Nasty, more than just a handful of hard-partying Atlanta twenty-somethings will understand the trio’s power. The album kicks off with “Roller Derby”, a powerful, beachy anthem, only losing speed momentarily for an organ intermission or two that add insane dimension to the track. The fun continues through “Kids” with a chorus of Restivo’s retro “ooh-ahhs” until the mood becomes dark and sexy on “Low Beat”. This song is especially near and dear to our hearts as it exemplifies some very unashamed, Pixies-esque fast-slow-fast instrumentals, keeping us constantly somewhere between brooding and pumped up, all the while always ready to dance like mad men. And Presley’s voice? It’s positively skin-crawling (in a good way, we swear) as he belts out “Low beat, low beat…” more and more slowly and sensually.
“Shag” opens up the second half of the album, and we’ll be frank: it’s easily the best track of all. It’s simple, it’s whimsical, and it’s different from everything else ConAm has done. With nothing but a guitar, a few drums, a xylophone, and Ben’s hypnotizing voice as he drawls “Love is ____ baby, come and see. Love is ____ when you’re loving me” (insert “simple”, “stupid”, or “evil”), it’s a clean, sugar-sweet love song through and through. The romance continues through “Anniversary”, a fun tale of lovers that’s sure to be your summer anthem. As you ease toward the end of the record, “Skinny Rock N’ Roll Man” will satisfy fans of the Black Keys and a bit more bluesy acts, while “Love” is a very raw, slightly folksy tribute. It feels totally sincere, as it was recorded in the backyard of the Hoodau – the home shared by the ConAm boys – and, like the rest of the album, is filled with the kind of sheer time and patience that only a band with a rainbow amp and a slew of Goodwill outfits could produce.
REVIEW: Snowbeast
Album: Snowbeast by Snowbeast
The upsurge of intentional lo-fi music that has pervaded the Internet lately has usually been written by artists looking to emulate roughness and obscurity through the recording means now offered on everything from Ableton Live to Pro Tools. Without question, many of these faux-fi musicians seek the warmth of analog or grittiness of a past era’s recording technology, but Snowbeast’s lo-fi tendencies and stripped aesthetic never sound over-wrought or exploitative. There is honesty within this EP that somehow gets lost or strangled out of a recording once it undergoes the slick treatments of post-production.
But Snowbeast’s strength doesn’t lie solely in its production. Vocalists Riun Garner and Brayden Pichor drawl and scream their lyrics, which hinge on the threat of growing older and the paranoia that accompanies too much change too quickly. “Backyards and alleyways/ Skateboards and roller blades/ It’s all stayed the same,” Riun sings, ending the repeated refrain with “It’s you that has changed.” At certain moments, Snowbeast break from their grungy, shout-along guitar rock to dabble in Vampire Weekend tropic stomp and electro noise, and these left turns occur only when the lyrical mood becomes harried, panicked, or even playful. Snowbeast have crafted an entire world that expands beyond their EP. Their moniker, EP title, and opener all share the same title, and their Facebook page provides a proper definition of the Snowbeast that stalks their persona. In short, to “capture a glimpse of a Snowbeast” is to witness truth, ease the mind, and retreat into a world free from pain. It’s a bare release from a bare-bones band –one that invites you into the church they recorded in and hands its music to you with delicate ease and raw emotion.
7/10
REVIEW: Evan Andree’s Invisible Sap EP
Evan Andree is an up-and-coming singer/songwriter/producer/music journalist, born and raised in the home of the brave. The Atlanta native’s song Panic (off of his Flags Pt. II EP) has recently been featured in Nike UK’s ad campaign “Find Your Greatness”. Now, Andree has released a new EP titled Invisible Sap, which has been online, accessible, and furthermore, FREE, for over a month now. I took it upon myself to stay in on this fine Friday evening and download this free little musical gem I had been introduced to earlier in the week.
The EP starts off with American Dream, a bubbly number with a modern-day John Mellencamp meets Jacks Mannequin-esque sound (is that too weird?), appropriately singing of those first butterfly feelings that come with young romance. I will admit that at this point in the game, I’m kind of just….eh.
But oh! Wait! There’s more. Track numero dos begins playing, and here is where I realize that perhaps this kid may be on to something. Your Song (thankfully) takes on an entirely different sound than American Dream; slowing it down altogether, giving it a little more lyrical depth, and allowing Andree to become more vulnerably exposed. The song that I claim as my favorite off of Invisible Sap would most definitely be this track – the ending was executed perfectly.
The third and final track titled Mr. Teleportation heavily emotes the aforementioned Jack’s Mannequin sound, but in much more bearable doses. I can say that after listening to this particular track a few times, I really began to enjoy it. It encompasses that same light and bubbly tone that resonates throughout the entire EP, but this track really owns that sound like no other. “Light and bubbly” easily and often translates as generic, but Andree really did something right with this one, setting it apart from all the others who tried and failed.
Invisible Sap will remain free-for-download for a few more weeks and can be accessed here.
My opinions are my own, so don’t just take my word for it – go and create your own!
REVIEW: The Last Tycoon’s Ballad of the Bloodstained Bible
Take a large dose of Sufjan Stevens circa Seven Swans, mix in a little Ryan Adams, and toss in just a dash of more current folk acts like Mumford and Sons, and you have “Ballad of the Bloodstained Bible”, The Last Tycoon’s newest single.
John Gladwin, currently living in Athens, Georgia, ushers in the song with a slow, melancholic banjo. From the moment the first note hits – as if the incredibly substantial title didn’t tell you enough – one can see that this song isn’t just your everyday folk song about love and loss. The tune, inspired by Southern Gothic literature, runs much deeper. By the time you reach the haunting chorus, chills run up your spine: “There’s bloodstains on the family bible…” Gladwin goes on to describe gunshots and, somberly, the fact that “sometimes love don’t get you through.”
Gladwin’s worldly lyricism and musical talent in “Ballad” express his unceasing understanding of the world and, especially, the Deep South. Just as writers like Flannery O’Connor, William Faulkner, and Truman Capote expressed the region’s mystic, often grotesque, nature, Gladwin achieves the same ends in song with this single. At one moment, Gladwin sings darkly of “neon crosses” that “burn through the night”; the next, the song builds into a dangerous atmosphere, a man walking solely with his “hat too low”, warned that, “one wrong step and you’re gone.” The rest of the song works in much the same pattern, ultimately leading to “strange fruits hanging on the trees”, a reference to the southern practice of lynching.
After one final, echoing chorus, the band finishes with an impressive last minute of instrumentals – a folksy banjo, a characteristically southern piano, and so on. With “Ballad of the Bloodstained Bible”, the Last Tycoon successfully transports the listener from his or her cozy living room to the historical South, sinister bloodstains and all.
REVIEW: Rivals by Her Bright Skies
Here is a band from the land of beauty. Introducing Switzerland’s rock/pop punk group called Her Bright Skies. They’ve just released their third album titled Rivals through Panic & Action records on November 19, 2012. They hail from the small town of Jönköping in Switzerland, and they got their kick-start in 2005. Since then, they have released two EPs (Beside Quiet Waters, DJ Got Us Falling in Love) and two full-lengths (A Sacrement: III City, Causing a Scene). With a sound that can be compared to Crown the Empire, Sleeping with Sirens, and Close to Home, they have very catchy melodies and lead singer, Johan, has an incredible vocal range. They have a huge following in Europe, and are breaking through here in the US. They’ve shared the stage with the likes of Asking Alexandria, Paramore, Bring Me the Horizon, 30 Seconds to Mars, August Burns Red, and plenty of others.
The current album Rivals was birthed in the states in New York City. HBS teamed up with producers Shep Goodman (Bayside, Cute Is What We Aim For, From Autumn to Ashes) and Aaron Accetta (Four Years Strong, He Is We, Forever the Sickest Kids). Less than two months later, out came a catchy, 11-track album. The album was then mixed by the legendary producer/engineer/mixer Mike Plotnikoff (Flyleaf, My Chemical Romance, Hawthorne Heights). Their single Lovekills is featured on the album, and the music video is nearly at 40,000 views on YouTube after being posted just a day before the album release. With an appealing chorus stating: I take take take what I want want want/And I pick pick pick it apart part part/I take what I want and I can’t get enough/And I want your heart. A personal favorite on the album would have to be “Bonnie & Clyde (The Revolution)”. It’s a slower, more melodic song. However, I feel this song really shows off Johan’s range. From the bottom of my heart/To the top of my voice/Let the spark in your eyes/Set the whole world on fire/Let’s start a revolution is the chorus and ending of this harmonious song. The whole album itself is a great listen, and you guys can get it off iTunes for only $9.99, so go support them and their music!
Members:
Johan “JayBee” Brolin – vocals
Niclas Sjostedt – guitar
Peter Nilsson – guitar/backing vocals
Jolie Karlsson – bass/backing vocals
Jonas Gudmundsson – drums
REVIEW: Foeme’s El Fin Del Mundo
Isn’t it something when a song can speak volumes to you (regardless of the familiarity of the language it’s being played in)? This was my revelation from earlier in the week when I was introduced to Foeme, an independent rock band from Mexico City. I find it kind of ironic that even though my Mexican roots run deep in my mother’s side of the family, I’d never really been exposed to traditional Mexican music, let alone anything modern and authentic as that of Foeme. But at last, aforementioned exposition and I have met and formed a musical friendship.
Foeme released their official video for “El Fin Del Mundo” in early November, which has since quickly made waves in the realms of the interweb. The song starts off with that favorite-old-record-buzz to it, slow and melodic, quickly transcending into an instrumental fiesta of horns, spastic drum hits, and resonating bass riffs. “El fin del mundo” translates to “the end of world”, which can be heard throughout the chorus physically, but somewhat metaphorically, as well. Following in suit, the video itself sets a somber tone, shot entirely in a single room and in all black and white.
My biggest regret after listening over and over again to “El fin Del Mundo” was that I didn’t pay as much attention in my language aspects of high school curriculum as I should have. There’s a message to be heard in this song, no doubt, but all I can take away personally is what the music is saying. And those horns…..they said it all for me.
Go give Foeme’s “El Fin Del Mundo” as listen for yourselfbelow and let your own interpretational imagination run wild!
In the words of Foeme, “cheers and tacos”, Vinyl readers!
SHOW REVIEW: Deerhoof, Liam Finn, Tunabunny, Formica Man
An unusually large lineup and an (almost) appropriately large crowd convened at Athens, Ga.’s 40 Watt on Saturday, Nov. 10. Formica Man and Athens natives Tunabunny delivered energetic sets, but it wasn’t really until über-bearded New Zealander Liam Finn took the stage that things started to fill in on the floor. An impressive showman, Finn managed to keep the audience engaged through every second of the floor-bound fiddling and fussing that comes with being a one-man band.
Maybe it was because the music itself actually delivered. Finn’s tunes were chord-y and emotive, at times harkening back to the mid-90s golden age of guitar alternarock. But even if each song appeared to fit a template at first, there was almost always a twist. In addition to his trusty looper, Finn deployed an armada of octave machines, flangers, dirt boxes and every other pedal you can think of, always to good effect. Instead of merely overdriving guitars to make them louder, he would find compatible timbres and blend them to create new flavors of resonance. You get the sense that some of this stuff could be achieved more easily by pressing a space bar. But Finn’s the kind of guy who’d rather work for it, even relying entirely on live percussion played by you-know-who. He displayed impressive chops on the kit, even managing to rearrange loops with a spare foot during the infinitesimal moments between kick drum hits. By the time he delivered a personalized tune about being an “Athens virgin,” Finn had won over just about everyone in the room.
Then, with gracious speed, Deerhoof filed onstage. There were cheers.
Listening to their records, it’s not hard to glean that this group rarely wants for ideas. But in a live setting, you also realize what a staggeringly talented collection of musicians they are. While there weren’t any warp-speed, Steve-Vai-sanctioned guitar solos going on, the members’ understanding of rhythm – and the many ways in which to turn it on its head – was borderline virtuosic, improbably calling to mind the technical prowess of nerdier bands like Battles and the Mars Volta. On innumerable occasions throughout the set, Deerhoof veered off into time signatures so odd and unexpected, it was like watching a troupe of trapeze artists pull off stunt after stunt. And all night they did it without a net: shaggy drummer Greg Saunier roughs it on a spare three-piece kit, confidently tossing off the chance to bury mistakes beneath a mound of blurry tom fills.
But don’t worry: Deerhoof aren’t going to write any hour-long prog operas anytime soon (I don’t think). Despite the pronounced “jankiness” of their rhythmic engine, the true unifying force behind their live show is a strong dedication to the ethos of straight-up rock. There is ample noise and energy, and all the combinations of loud-soft/fast-slow shakeups that render each full-band crash absolutely huge. They’ve nailed these devices, skillfully conjuring and combining them at will. And above all, the performance was expressive, a quality that seems to slip the minds of many equally nimble musicians. Throw in the robotic pixie dance moves of frontwoman/bassist Satomi Matsuzaki, and you have a show that’s just weird enough to fascinate while precluding any accusations of gimmickry. Deerhoof may be an against-the-grain act, but they’re too focused a unit to fall back on faux-showmanship.
REVIEW: TRC’s The Story So Far
I have an interesting mix for you guys. I’m here to introduce London’s TRC with their debut U.S album release called The Story So Far. Here’s where it gets crazy…
Step one: Take the band Touché Amoré and add a full cup of British accent.
Step Two: Stir in a tablespoon of Bring Me the Horizon.
Step Three: Throw in just a pinch of Bullet For My Valentine.
Combine and let it come to a boil, then simmer. And there you have it… this is what TRC is made of.
TRC has made an impact in the UK underground music scene and are now here to see what ruckus they can kick up in the states. They signed in May with No Sleep Records, through which they are releasing TSSF. TRC is actually an acronym for “The Revolution Continues.” Their singles “Go Hard or Go Home” and “H.A.T.E.R.S.” have turned eyes on them in the UK and deemed them pioneers for the newest and eagerly anticipated wave of hardcore. Their latest single off of The Story So Far album, “#TEAMUK”, landed the band with a nomination for this years Metal Hammer Golden Gods Award as Best UK Band.
“Bastard” is probably one of my favorites on the album. I like the riffs and chords they use. Can I just say that I personally love UK hardcore bands? BMTH, Enter Shikari, Asking Alexandria… Just having the heavy accent adds that little tweak of difference from US hardcore bands, and they’re so catchy.
“London’s Greatest Love Story” is a great song for those with relationship woes, and it’s excellent to relate to. It’s a song about a guy lying to a girl that loves him, all the things he’s done behind her back, and how he wishes he never did any of it. Given the chance could I go back/and unbreak promises littered with mistakes/cause I’m telling her fiction/but Facebook pics are making me the villain/for testing waters where mermaids wait/blowing hot and cold/yeah they’re hot for a day/but what I’m left with is a keepsake/as my love boat floats away.
So, uhhmerica, tell me what you think of these across-the-pond-ers and if you can get down to their music. After a couple of listens, I definitely can! The Revolution Continues…
Members and Twitters:
Chris Robson – Vocals – @trcofficial
Anthony Carroll – Vocals – @anthonytrc
Charlie Wilson – Guitar – @CharlieTRC
Ben Taylor Dingwall – Guitar – @BenDingersTRC
Oliver Reece – Bass – @OliverReeceTRC
Lasselle Lewis – Drums – @BlacklavendaTRC