Tag: vinylmag.org
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REVIEW: of Montreal premiere first single off new album
of Montreal is the kind of band that wanders in and out of its time. At the height of fame for Kevin Barnes and crew, around the Hissing Fauna era, their sound was modern and fresh. By Paralytic Stalks, the band propelled into the future, prompting the loss of a few unprepared fans.
With the release of the single “fugitive air”, we expect that lousy with sylvianbriar – to be released October 8 – will force the listener into a time machine set to the 1960s. It’s even apparent in the album art, a psychedelic swirl of intense colors and type.
As much as we hate to make this cliché reference, it’s impossible not to hear the Beatles in this tune. The opening guitar riff screams Harrison, while the sweet ooh-ahhs at the chorus harken back to McCartney. And, much like a Lennon signature, the track feels entirely lyric-driven. This retro sound is no surprise though, considering of Montreal ditched digital embellishments in favor of a 24-track tape machine.
That’s not to say that today’s listener won’t adore this single, and, ultimately, lousy with sylvianbriar in its entirety. In fact, the track fits comfortably into 2013, considering the rise of surf-punk bands like Wavves, FIDLAR, and Bass Drum of Death. Finally, it seems, the past, present, and future have collided for of Montreal.
P.S. Pre-orders available NOW HERE!
EXCLUSIVE VIDEO PREMIERE: Tim & Adam’s “So Much More”
Pop duo Tim & Adam have come out with a brand new video, and we’re here to bring you the exclusive premiere! So stop what you’re doing and have a look!
Now that you’re a fan, head over to their Soundcloud for some more T&A tunes!
Dexter Season 8 – Lets Talk
*SPOILER ALERT if you’re not caught up. Don’t get pissed. I warned you.*
[youtube id=”6ckzE5vT0wc” width=”600″ height=”350″]June 30th is the night. And it’s going to happen again and again, every Sunday until September 15th.
It will all be over soon. Dexter’s fate will finally be unmasked, and viewers will see the series for what it is — but for now, we wait.
No longer is it taboo amongst Dexter fans — or should I say Dexter’s devoted until around season five and his frustrated followers thereafter — to believe that perhaps the series’ continuation better deserved to have been laid atop fifty yards of plastic wrap and cut into tiny pieces, wrapped tightly in Hefty garbage bags and tossed to the infinite blue than being dragged like deadweight through the past two seasons of soap opera-styled drama and implausible chaos.
For such a neat monster, Dexter hasn’t exactly been keeping things orderly.
It takes a certain kind of blindness to play along with the idea that Miami PD would inexplicably allow an unarmed forensics geek first entry to a crime scene or to have a police captain search for a former murderer in a shipping container without backup. Brother Sam may have tried to implant the virtue of faith into Dexter, but it was faith that killed Brother Sam. Call it miraculous, call it coincidence or luck, but that only goes so far — Deb isn’t the only one who’s stopped believing Dexter.
But while Dexter’s been getting caught, his character’s nature has been sneaking away.
For seven seasons he’s been grappling between monster and man — a Dark Passenger stalking and hunting for his identity amid a blood-red impulse. Now he’s a monster in love, letting mistakes collect like blood slides in his treasured box. Giving Deb a choice between ending his life and saving it — is that what it means to be human?
I suppose this was always Dexter’s destiny, to shift away from monster and closer to man as he finds his way to the light at the end. But as monsters disappear with the lights turned on, so are monsters created when everything dims.
Deb — caught between loyalties, she’s been the strongest element to the past couple of seasons, holding the show together with intense hysteria and a development from a workaholic cop, to murder accomplice, to a killer herself. Dexter may be on the way to finding himself as human, but Deb is caught wavering in a meltdown of a monster.
This season, I’ll be watching. I’ll be watching Dexter out of investment and self-obligation, to see his fate unfold and conclude the Dark Passenger’s long journey. But I’ll be watching Deb, the way I used to watch Dexter — when he was careful and creepy.
After all, isn’t the making of a monster more interesting than the taming of one?
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REVIEW: Look Alive’s ‘Mistakes and Milestones’
Look Alive, an up-and-coming band straight out of Atlanta, Georgia, is kind of like a manifestation of all of your favorite pop-punk bands from 2004. Intrigued? Well, rightfully so. These guys have been at it in some form or fashion for over 10 years now, and now the time has come for them to release their latest EP, Mistakes and Milestones, via Autumn + Color Records. Luckily, we got a little preview of the album; indulge in our thoughts:
The album’s intro, “Transitions”, essentially sets the theme for the EP in just 50 seconds. The album then jumps into the second track, “Anchored”, which is an ode to the bad break-up that we all have been through at least once in our lives. Singer Jacob Causey’s aggressive vocals pair nicely with the direct lyrics and definitely strike a nostalgia chord for earlier pop-punk enthusiasts.
“Sink or Swim” is the third track on the album, and by this point, a clear pattern in song placement has been formed. The album takes you through all of the emotions you inevitably go through in the throes of failed relationships, with “Sink or Swim” expressing the stage of self-loathing and reflection, heard loud in clear with the focal point of the song, “Don’t let me hear your say I’m just some castaway sailing out towards the nothing I became”.
Track 4, “The Way I see It”, continues to follow suit with the reflective process- you know, that moment when you realize it’s time to live your life yourself without reservation? That what this one’s about- that glorious realization that no ones opinion is going to deflect you from your dreams.
By Track 5, you’ve reached the song “Farewell” (may be my personal favorite). There’s a bitter tone to Causey’s lyrics, and the energy is slowed down just enough to give it the dramatic edge over the rest of the album. “You are reckless, and I’ve accepted this”- Hold tight listeners, because at this point we have reached acceptance, and what a glorious feeling that is.
Look Alive closes the EP with the track “Over Under”- the end of an era of sorts, moving forward is the name of the game with this track.
Bravo, Look Alive – you have taken us through a realistic depiction of the emotional rollercoaster ride relationships and life will throw your way. Furthermore, bravo for making a fan out of all of us at Vinyl Mag. Be sure to check out Mistakes and Milestones when it drops July 2nd .
REVIEW: David Lynch and Lykke Li’s “I’m Waiting Here”
Two years since David Lynch’s “Pinky’s Dream,” the release of his upcoming album, The Big Dream, is creeping along quite nicely, with Lykke Li’s whispered hint of a far sexier and more surreal theme of an album that may indeed be much bigger and better than its predecessor.
“I’m Waiting Here,” the Lykke Li/David Lynch collaborative single, is the only track released from the album so far, but lucky us, it is also accompanied by a music video (that is, unlucky for us, not directed by Lynch himself). Regardless, the video is the window to the song’s soul, and its vacant and hypnotic feel not only matches the track’s sound wonderfully, but it too will leave you feeling the way Lynch always intends to make you feel — just a little bit crazy.
It’s a tedious video following a long road as the landscape slips out of view over and over and over again. Our eyes follow along like the weary driver’s herself, as Lykke Li’s lovesick and airy voice repeatedly serenades us with the haunting words “I’m waiting here.” The video drives us with layered footage of the lanes, tricking us as if we’re focusing dry eyelids struggling to stay open until suddenly we’re parking in a headlight-lit neighborhood right off the side of the never-ending road. Then it’s over.
Which leaves us waiting here, as well.
The video tells us nothing, which is why its aftertaste leaves you feeling vaguely uncomfortable and subtly curious. There’s no explanation of the neighborhood we’re led to, nor do we have any sense of where we came from or who we are. Lykke Li sings “I’m waiting here,” but she also tells us that she’s burned bridges to get where she waits — granting an especially eerie and mysterious vibe. There is a story here, but we don’t know what it is.
It’s a simple and fitting visual for a song that instantly became my favorite Lykke Li song and a promise that “The Big Dream” is worth the wait after “Pinky’s Dream.” Where “Pinky’s Dream” has absolutely been repeated through my speakers, “I’m Waiting Here” gives the impression that perhaps “The Big Dream” will be worlds different than what we had originally expected.
Of course, that is an excellent thing. Right now we can’t know what strange neighborhood Lynch will drop us off at when the album is released next month, but it’s definitely a drive I’m willing to tag along for.
REVIEW: Heard In The Mountains’ Will To Well
In 2011, Vancouver-based band Heard In The Mountains got together and began shattering the windows of a local church – metaphorically speaking, that is. As their casual jam sessions began to morph into the beginnings of an actual band, their sound transformed into a rock-meets-pop-meets-indie powerhouse, and frankly, we’re surprised they didn’t blow that church’s roof clear into the night. Take a listen to their debut EP, Will To Well, and you’ll see what we mean.
The EP’s first track, “Sills”, is undeniably reminiscent of Fleet Foxes, but only for a moment. Mitchell Walford’s delicate, beautiful piano opens up the track, but quickly ushers the listener into an intense, slightly electronic moment. This provocative pattern continues for the entirety of the song, and through it all, we are swept up by Walford’s irrefutably sweet voice, feeling every high and low he hits. “Raccoon Hands” shows another dimension of the band’s sound. Walford’s vocals are paired with those of guitarist Daniel Baxter, and the effect is irresistible. What really perfects this song, though, are its lyrics. For example: “Memories, like bricks, to my feet, become tied, down into oceans you like to call eyes.” Convinced yet?
“Major Change” truly allows the fivesome’s synth-pop influences to shine through. But while other acts allow such genres to overpower their sound, Heard In The Mountains layers the track with whimsical, simple indie-rock instrumentals and a theme we can all relate to: the onset of massive changes in our lives. All of these elements are perfectly crafted to inspire and enlighten the listener. Will To Well’s final track, “In The Meadow”, concludes the album in the most natural of ways, both literally and figuratively. We are reminded once again of the group’s knack for alternating between slow and fast, soft and loud, exclusively indie to powerfully pop-y. And herein is where this band’s potential lies. An uncanny ability to appeal to every set of ears time and again could take them from the pews of a tiny church to the world’s largest stages.
REVIEW: “Palm Reader” by Sonny and the Sunsets
Sonny and the Sunsets’ follow-up to Longtime Companion is entitled Antenna to the Afterworld, and like many indie artists to go before them, Sonny Smith and his band are ripe to tackle death and its aftermath. The band suffered the loss of a close friend, and that tragic experience has led them produce songs like “Palm Reader,” a light ditty about reading palms and impending death. The production on this song is top-notch with its sharp, analog synths and country-western electric guitars. The song kicks off with the low-register twang of the main guitar riff, and that riff continues for the majority of the song. Smith’s vocal track is the only component that really misses the mark in the song, with such bland lines as “Every year, they say the end is near/ But we’re still here.” His voice is too jarring amidst the warmth of the instrumental tracks, and his lyrics rest awkwardly between the quirk of Syd Barret and the heart of Phosphorescent. The song is whimsical and is not meant to erupt at any point, but it never seems to find its way.
7/10
REVIEW: Lemuria’s “Oahu, Hawaii”
Buffalo, New York’s own Lemuria is dropping their newest album The Distance Is So Big on June 18th, but prefacing that date, they have decided to release a few sneak-peaks from the album- the most recent being “Oahu, Hawaii”. Upon pressing play, I noticed Lemuria had strayed from the norm in certain aspects, but in other respects you still find the deadline Lemuria traits, such as the dramatic 15-second build to really get you amped on what your ears are in for. Alex Kerns takes on the lyrical lead for the song but is quickly met with Sheena’s bubblegum melodies.
In a recent interview [Vinyl Mag] conducted with Lemuria, Sheena spoke of Alex as a “man of many words”- this song being no different. That concept alone, paired with strategic lyrical repetition, make for the basis of almost the entire song. If you were already a fan though, the magnitude of their simplicity is probably something you’ve already come to love. As far as the intensity goes, “Oahu, Hawaii” tends to ricochet back in forth between about a 3 and 5- but don’t be fooled, these guys definitely have it in them (and will probably release that energy elsewhere in the album). It’s clear, though, that this song in particular holds a lot of meaning to the members, having named the album from a direct lyric in this song. Have a listen for yourself here, and be sure to check out the new album when it drops.
REVIEW: September Call-Up’s Air And My Sleep
Christian Bitto, singer of the September Call-Up, is a lot like Leonardo da Vinci. How, you might ask? Quite simply, Bitto is a Renaissance Man of vocals, a jack-of-all-moods, you might say. From first track to last on his album with drummer Jesse Gimbel, Air And My Sleep, Bitto switches constantly and effortlessly from a soft, near whisper to a powerful shout, before retreating back into a passionate warble. Such a truly textural range is the focal point of this otherwise very calm, smooth indie record.
Its first track, “Negative Film”, is exemplary of the EP’s depth. As Bitto utters, “Gave you my word, it wasn’t worth a spit. Gave you a kiss, it tasted like shit,” the song has a very Ryan Adams, alt-country feel to it. Before you can even process that comparison, though, Bitto becomes a 2013 version of Michael Stipe, his voice loud and all-consuming through the chorus.
“Our First Fall” is a song everyone needs at some point in his or her life, for a lonely, heartbroken kind of night. Bitto’s cloud-soft voice paired with very angry, tearful lyrics sweeps you into a storm of emotions you can relate to. “Song No. 3” is probably our favorite on the EP, and is equally heart wrenching. Comparing Bitto’s vocals to that of Conor Oberst is inevitable, and only makes the track tug at your chest more.
Toward the end of the album, a sense of nostalgia begins to emerge, especially on “Burnt Orange”, a very pretty track about love come and gone. “Ghost” is a surprisingly upbeat tune instrumentally, raising the tempo of the album before a pleasant crash into Air’s final track, “9”. The September Call-Up couldn’t have chosen a more perfect track to conclude their album – it’s sensitive, dreamy, and thought provoking. And after listening to the record, you see that the duo’s intention, all along, was to get listeners thinking. Job well done.
Air And My Sleep is due out June 25 through Wissahickon Records.
The Front Bottoms release ‘Talon of the Hawk’
It’s here. It’s happened. The Front Bottoms have released their second album, Talon of the Hawk, TODAY! So no one try to contact me the rest of the day. I’ll be too busy listening to this over and over. And over. Join me.