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| Keith Canisius Ferris Wheel Makeout |
| Sunday, July 6, 2008 |
Keith Canisius follows up his utterly wonderful Rumskib debut with an equally impressive solo album, Ferris Wheel Makeout. Thankfully, Keith doesn't use this opportunity to make Rumskib 2. It would have been easy for him to repeat the same sorts of formulas found with the band, but instead, he takes his music in a poppier, headier direction. Incorporating softer melodies with complex guitar techniques, as well as dance beats (!!), Ferris Wheel Makeout shows that Canisius is no mere retro-shoegazer. Indeed, there's a definite pop element explored here; listen to the catchy-as-hell "Naive Struggle" and try to resit its charm! Same thing with "Watching Old Films with New Eyes"--that guitar turns a nice trick, the beat is dance-worthy, and the vocals are heavenly!
But don't fret if you miss those strong elements of Rumskib; simply flip over to "Far From" and "29th Escape," and you'll find a little bit of that, too. For the most part, though, Keith has slowed it down, mellowed it out, and made a really wonderful record that further explores and promotes his talents as a songwriter. A fine record, this!
Listen To: "Naive Struggle"
Ferris Wheel Makeout is available now on Quince RecordsLabels: Keith Canisius, Quince Records, reviews c, Rumskib |
posted by Joseph Kyle @ 5:51 PM  |
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| A moment of your time for Sub Oslo, please |
| Friday, July 4, 2008 |
If you would, a moment, please. Divert your attention to the following website, Sub Oslo dot com. Sub Oslo was/is a dub band from Denton, Texas; they've been making music for well over a decade, and though their releases are both sporadic and scarce--I've seen albums of theirs go for well over 50 bucks--they are all pearls of great value, and are available digitally. Sub Oslo's style is dub, and dub-styled instrumental music. What is or isn't dub does not matter; Sub Oslo's music is very moving and transcends easy description.
I call your attention to Sub Oslo for one reason: it's hot outside. Their music is very, very cool, very refreshing, and goes along nicely with outdoor cookouts, parties, or other social events. I would also like to add that the live recordings available on their website show the band's different sides, with "Control This" reminding me more of Durutti Column than Lee "Scratch" Perry. All of these live recordings are excellent, and they form a wonderful little mini-album of sorts. I'd love to hear the rest of the shows these songs are taken from, or at least more live recordings. Having seen them live, I can attest--they're an amazing live act. So, please, take a few minutes and download their music!
Listen To: "Control This"Labels: Sub Oslo |
| posted by Joseph Kyle @ 3:45 PM |
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| Earles and Jensen Just Farr a Laugh, Volume 1 &2: The Greatest Prank Phone Calls Ever! |
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I guess it's because my birthday is August 15th, but I have to say I find Earles & Jensen's Just Farr A Laugh Vol. 1&2: The Greatest Prank Phone Calls Ever! to be one of the funniest things I've ever heard! I appreciate a good laugh, and you don't always have to go blue to be funny--if you use a subtle touch, you can produce a ton of laughs. That's why I didn't care much for Jerky Boys--the humor was just too obviously stupid. What Earles & Jensen have done here is produce a series of calls that are occasionally obviously a prank (Bleachy comes to mind), and a number of calls that aren't.
There are fifty-eight calls and two and a half-hour's worth of material here, so I'm going to focus on one call in particular, "Bedroom ETA:A Jermaine Stewart Cover Band," because it's my favorite. Having been tangentally involved with the music industry for a while now, I can attest to the validity of the scenario of "Bedroom ETA." In its heyday, Mundane Sounds received a ton of records that could best be called, well...crap. A lot of these people believed in themselves so intensely, it was painfully obvious that they were disturbed. I appreciate believing in yourself and if I don't like your band, I don't like your band. But there are people who exist in this industry who are insanely happy in beleiving in themselves, much like you'll hear. I played this track to a friend of mine, someone who hasn't been involved in 'the biz,' and their reaction was a blank, "So?" I played this to a fellow music writer and concert promoter, and they exploded with laughter, because, well, there are a lot of people like "Roger." They're sincere, but they're sincere in a way that makes you wonder if they're sane. I have a feeling Cosloy appreciated this track as well. Some of the less-sane characters in these calls are funny to me, because I've found some of these characters coming into my office on a daily basis. Other calls are equally as funny, many are often music-industry related, and overall,Just Farr a Laugh is a 58-track laugh-riot! And if you don't laugh at some of it, that's okay. If you don't laugh at something in it, then you're an idiot.
Listen To: "Bedroom ETA:A Jermaine Stewart Cover Band"
Just Farr a Laugh is available now on Matador RecordsLabels: Earles and Jensen, Matador Records, Reviews E and J, showing the blogosphere we love good wholesome comedy |
| posted by Joseph Kyle @ 7:42 AM |
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| The Quarter After Changes Near |
| Monday, June 30, 2008 |
If there's one guitar tone I love, it's the Rickenbacker. To succinctly describe the sound: if you hear a record that makes you think of the 1960s, or if a song makes you think of the Byrds or bands of that sort, chances are you're hearing a Rickenbacker. Roger McGuinn made it famous with his band of Byrds, and, really, its rustic sound made many psych-rock bands sound even more down-home.
Two fellows who have an expert mastery of the Rickenbacker guitar are brothers Dominic and Robert Campanella, the masterminds behind the excellent The Quarter After. These two fellows are veterans of the modern folk-rock scene, and, unsurprisingly, their musical roots lead through and reveal members to have been in Brian Jonestown Massacre, as well as having worked with Brian Wilson, Beachwood Sparks and the Tyde. But that doesn't matter because The Quarter After's sound is clearly their own; heck, if you're a long-time reader, you'll remember that I sang their praises for their first album--and I still stand by my loving words!
Their new album, Changes Near, is a beautiful slab of harmony-soaked, weed-sceneted mellow psych-rock that can best be described as primo shit. Musically, their styling never really varies; their music is inspired by the good ol' days, but, really, their sound is much more modern. When they throw down those classic harmonies on "Sanctuary" and "She Revolves," my little heart swoons and my little soul is transported into a very beautiful, heady place. When they kick it mellow, like on "Nothing Out of Something" or "Winter Song," your cares and stresses of the day, they simply float away.
But what makes them great is how they utilize a sound that might seem trite and cliched and make it sound fresh. In a weird way, a song like "Early Morning Rider" or "See How Good It Feels" starts off with a riff that might make you think Dinosaur Jr, but with a quick rock shift, they go into Tom Petty territory, and then they turn around mix both styles together in a beautiful way that will leave you say, "Amazing!" I mean, I dig stuff like this; really, I love stuff like this! I can't really verbalize it and intellectualize it; I simply enjoy this. A treasure worth seeking out and ingesting.
Listen To: "Making Nothing out of Something"
Changes Near is available now on The Committee to Keep Music EvilLabels: reviews q, The Committee to Keep Music Evil, The Quarter After |
| posted by Joseph Kyle @ 6:39 PM |
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| The Acorn Tin Fist |
| Sunday, June 29, 2008 |
"Quiet." "Gentle." "Serene." "Tranquil."
These are several adjectives I could accurately use to describe the music found on The Acorn's EP Tin Fist. I have heard good things about them, so I approached this EP as an opportunity for an introduction, and I'm kind of glad I did, because this record is excellent. What makes it so good? Sincere, sweet vocals; gorgeously plucked guitars, banjos, and other rustic stringed instruments; harmonies that simply make your heart melt. The track I selected for you, "Brokered Heart," captures this magic, but I wish I could also give you "Heirlooms," so that you could hear the lushness of its sound. I wish I could give you "Dents," so that you could hear the gentle string arrangements. I wish I could give you "Feral Chilie" so that you could hear the beautiful singing. I wish I could give you "Spring Thaw" so that you could see that the band can turn it up and deliver a powerful upbeat song. I wish I could give you "Maplebees" so that I could break your heart with its heartbreak vibe.
Yeah, I'm glad I bought this EP, because it's a wonderfully concise and curiously strong release--and it makes me want to hear their latest LP, Glory Hope Mountain, even more.
Listen To: "Brokered Heart"
Tin Fist is available now on Paper Bag Records.Labels: paper bag records, reviews a, the acorn |
| posted by Joseph Kyle @ 7:10 AM |
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| The Tamborines Sally O'Gannon |
| Saturday, June 28, 2008 |
Here's a damn fine slab of psych-rock pop, straight from London! The Tamborines have concoted a sound that's a little bit old, a little bit new, a little bit borrowed, and occasionally a little bit blue. Sally O'Gannon is a four-song EP, with three excellent songs (one is a demo of the title track)."Be Around" and "Come Together" are enjoyable, but it's the title track that really burns up the speakers. Had the Brian Jonestown Massacre/Dandy Warhols revolution truly taken place in the 1990s, "Sally O'Gannon" would have been the love child of that revolution, as it combines the classic rock elements found in BJM's style, as well as the Dandy's modern pop sensibilites. Oh, did I mention that Frankie Teardrop of BJM is enlisted here for production assistance, as well as Mark Gardner of Ride? Yeah. That's badass. This EP's been out a little bit but I just discovered it, and it's worth the mention. I can't wait to hear more from this excellent group!
Listen To: "Sally O'Gannon"
Sally O'Gannon is available now via Planting SeedsLabels: planting seeds, Reviews t, the tamborines |
| posted by Joseph Kyle @ 1:21 AM |
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| Hammock Maybe They Will Sing For Us Tomorrow |
| Tuesday, June 24, 2008 |
Maybe They Will Sing For Us Tomorrow is both a step forward and a step back for Tennessee-based Hammock. It's a step forward in that it's their most mature album to date; it's deeply moving, intricate in its detail, and gentle in its approach. As much as I love Hammock's work, I don't think it's an insult to their storied discography to suggest that this is clearly their best work to date.
In terms of musical ideas, Tomorrow eschews the formula of Raising Your Voice, Trying to Stop an Echo. That record felt a bit more "rock" in that the compositional style felt more traditional; it sounded like the work of a rock band. It was also not an instrumental work; several songs featured the words of Marc Byrd--haunting, melancholy words recalling the passing of a spiritual mentor. Instead, Tomorrow recalls The Sleepover Series, Volume 1 and Stranded Under Endless Sky--two EP's of deep ambient drones and melodies. Irony moment: it was not until last year that Hammock played a single live show. (I'm kicking myself for missing it--had I realized it, I would have been there!) Echo sounded like an experienced live band. The recording method for Tomorrow was inspired by their live performances, and was apparently recorded live.
Tomorrow amazes in its seamlessness; it flows so naturally, so organically, that you never notice when one song ends and another one begins. Heck, sitting down in front of my computer with it playing gently on iTunes, I still can't recognize the seams without looking. This seamlessness is what makes the record so utterly beautiful; it is a restful head-trip. In my restless nights, I've turned this record on, and have used it as a cure for insomnia. At one point, I woke up from it feeling refreshed from what felt like a few hours' sleep, only to find the record was just coming to an end! A deep rest in less than 45 minutes--that's value for dollar, my friend.
Ultimately, though, it's with great honor that I say that Maybe They Will Sing For Us Tomorrow is one of the best albums of 2008. A more beautiful album, I have yet to hear...
Listen To: "This Kind of Life Keeps Breaking Your Heart"
Maybe They Will Sing For Us Tomorrow is available now via DarlaLabels: Darla Records, hammock, reviews h |
| posted by Joseph Kyle @ 6:33 AM |
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| Desolation Wilderness Until Forever |
| Monday, June 16, 2008 |
Direct your attention, if you will, to the website listed below, wherein you will read about the band Desolation Wilderness, and, more importantly, can listen to the band's wonderful K Records three-song sexy new 7" single, Until Forever. The three songs found therein are small and fragile little things; gentle electronica blips and beeps reminiscent of the late-great 555 Recordings and, at times, Kranky. These three songs are all mood, atmosphere, and, occasionally, buried singing. The first song, "Goodbye Summer Girl," is a beautiful song with gentle waves of atmosphere and lyrics I am going to assume are very pretty. The singing sounds pretty, but you can't make 'em out. The next song, "Gloria," has nothing in common with the song "Gloria"--at least I think it doesn't. The final track, "4/4 Love Song," follows in the gorgeous instrumental meets blurry singing style of the first song.Oh, wait, there aren't vocals. I was fooled. You will be, too. The whole damned thing reminds me of why I fell in love with The Clientele, honestly. This record should have been out in 2000--it certainly sounds like something from those heady days! I'm thinking ISAN, I'm thinking Ma Cherie for Painting. I'll be honest and say that this is an exciting new release from a band you need to hear.
Listen To:Until Forever 7"Labels: Desolation Wilderness, K Records, reviews d |
| posted by Joseph Kyle @ 6:35 PM |
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| Daniel Ahearn Pray For Me By Name |
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Daniel Ahearn is the dude behind the folktronic pop band ill lit. Dude has a pretty good way with a melody; he's been compared to Beck, and understandably so. Pray For Me By Name is a solo joint, due apparently to the man having his equipment stolen. As a result, the music found on this brief little EP isn't quite like the trippier moments of ill lit; it's more singer/songwriter fare, with occasional alt.country moments, but those are just lazy descriptive categories that mean absolutely nothing. The songs are kind of melancholy, like "San Vicente" and "Jesus Saves," but when he If I had to compare his voice to anyone, it would be the equally underrated Sean Na Na, especially on the sweet "Down for the Count." Though a brief affair, I really enjoyed the listening experience found here.
Listen To: "Down for the Count"Labels: Daniel Ahearn, reviews a |
| posted by Joseph Kyle @ 12:30 PM |
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| Jeremy Kelly Jeremy Kelly |
| Sunday, June 15, 2008 |
Decided to take a risk and check out the new self-titled album by experimental guitarist Jeremy Kelly. I know some people think he's wonderful; after spending time with his self-titled album, I see their point. Zilch is the amount I know about Kelly, and I prefer my mysterious artists that way. What I do know is that it's hard to not become enraptured in the gentle, simple guitar styling and quiet, hushed drones found on this album. At times, such as on "Polar Bodies" and "Beyond the River Skai," Kelly's work is haunting and disturbing, like a stroll through a dark thicket on Halloween night. It's not all terror and fear-mongering; on songs like "The King in Yellow" and "August Bootfire," Jeremy Kelly is restful and relaxing. The only song I'm not enthralled about is the closing "White Light from the Black Sun," when Kelly goes all psych-rock freakout; though I like music like that, within the context of the rest of the record, it seems out of place--perhaps because it breaks the peace and tranquility and quietness of the record. But that's why we have 'ignore' features, and it doesn't bother me too much. All in all, this little record has made me want to hear more of this talented man's work.
Listen To: August Bootfire
Jeremy Kelly is available now on Foxy DigitalisLabels: Foxy Digitalis, Jeremy Kelly, Reviews K |
| posted by Joseph Kyle @ 8:48 AM |
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