David Mead--Tangerine

Tangerine finds singer/songwriter David Mead sounding less like a singular voice with a guitar, and more like just a face in a band. Still present are Mead’s influences from Lennon and Paul Simon, but a few more contemporary touches are sprinkled throughout as well. "Tangerine," the name-sake song, is softly poetic, featuring harmonized vocals and piano centered Postal Service-styled instrumentals. "Hallelujah, I Was Wrong" is a fast-moving pop piece that’s vocals sound strongly like Rocky Votolato. Moving from standard pop tunes, saxophones and an organ are displayed in songs like "Reminded #1," a gospel-like solo for Mead with only a light organ for support. Mead also strays into pop territory with "Hunting Season," a catchy tune again featuring piano solos that give the song a jazz-like feel, while still remaining very much pop-rock. Still more influences are added into the mix with "Fighting for Your Life," when Mead takes a bouncy-backwoods route. Mead’s songs are upbeat, and while the lyrics stray "we're finally getting our heads around it, under the weight of the world / the truth can hurt when you're so confounded; just give me my songs and my girl" they generally fit the songs and are brilliantly sung. The album is well-polished and holds almost something for everyone. Contemporary pieces like "Tangerine" do well bringing you into the album, where Mead experiments with jazz and country influences, all the while keeping his classic vocal style. Most importantly Tangerine sounds more expansive than a single artist’s work. Going into this music blind it would be hard to guess that it is Mead’s brain-child alone and not a full-flung band.

(Published at MusicEmissions.com)

Eef Barzelay--Bitter Honey

Eef Brazelay, the writer behind the highly-successful Clem Snide, steps out on his own with Bitter Honey. A blisteringly naked album, it features a solo Barzelay with only his acoustic guitar, and is split into two parts. The first of which is "Bitter Honey," the apparent story of a hip-hop hottie ("That was my ass you saw bouncing next to Ludacris / It was only on-screen for a second but it's kinda hard to miss."), but is more an emotional and intimate look at Barzelay. The acoustic guitar is played softly throughout, but keeps the songs moving at a good pace. Wavering and cracking at times, Barzelay’s vocals mimic those in The Red Paintings and are simply Clem Snide without the instrumental foundation, and are deeply introverted and wistful. The second half is titled "Let Us Be Naked" and features a stumbling country-drinking "I Wasn’t Really Drunk." An edge-of-tears version of "Joy to the World" closes the album, a song that probably would not have come out as tender had it not just been Barzelay working on it. Overly emotional - edging in on annoying at times - Bitter Honey keeps it short and shows that Barzelay is indeed the lyrical and vocal power that gives life to Clem Snide. Still, the Snide foundation is missing, and shows that vocal power isn’t everything. A tender and interesting album, Bitter Honey is a nice treat for Snide fans and interesting look at Eef Barzelay.

(Published at MusicEmissions.com)

Interview With Dirty On Purpose

All Questions Answered by Joseph Jurewicz

"Monument" has been playing in the background of my life since June, how did that song reach creation? Did it just come out of a jam session?

That song was written as a bassline by DJ, actually as part of some 5 part thing he hopes to one day finish. I am not quite sure if all the junk the rest of us added on top of it was what he originally intended, but it is probably our most requested song at shows. We play it a lot, it ís super fun to make all that noise.


So how did Dirty on Purpose begin? How did everyone meet? Why start a band?

George and I started the band because we had found a place to play. We figured it would be a waste not to take advantage of the space we had, so we got a band together in less than a month and played our first show. I had known George from a skateboard shop we both worked at .


What influences did everyone bring to the table?

There is a lot. Dj listens to a lot of heavy stuff, so the songs he writes tend to be very driving and heavy. George likes a lot of weird shit. Obviously. Doug and I are probably the most alike as far as influences, we tend to like the same sort of classic sounding stuff.


Does New York have an influence on your music?

I think New York has an influence on anything that happens within it. You can’t live here and not be affected by it. It wears away at you one day, then the next day, you can’t believe how lucky you are to be here. We don’t write songs specifically with where we live in mind, but to say it doesn’t influence us would be silly.


Forget asking about the significance of your name now, what other names were you thinking up when first starting up the band?

The only one I can really remember is Monkey Knife Fight, which comes from a Simpson’s episode about them being in international waters. "Those fools will never know the simple joys of a monkey knife fight."


What were the early days of Dirty on Purpose life? Endless shows, endless practice, both?

Neither. We practiced once a week, it was fun, and we were psyched to play any show we got.
Nowadays we miss the time when we could spend weeks perfecting a song. Now we barely have time to finish one. Oh, and George had a LOT less pedals to fuck around with back then.


How do you write songs? Is it a group effort or more of a solo composure?

It’s rarely a solo effort, though that has happened. It usually starts with one part that someone comes up with, then we all figure out where it should go, whether it should be a beginning, middle or end, or maybe it just sucks and we won’t use it at all.


What was recording your self-titled EP like?

That was more of a demo than anything. We had a friend Chris Cameron who helped us out, and we had very bad equipment. It was all recorded in a day, and we all sort of feel that we’ve grown a lot since then. But it got us a lot of shows after we sent it out. The songs on it are good, it was just done very quickly because we didn’t have any money.


How’d you get picked up by North Street Records?

They were a bunch of guys who wanted to start a label, and they were fans of our stuff, so they contacted us knowing we were looking for a label to help us out. They have been amazing ever since.
I think one of the secrets to their success is that it isn’t a bunch of people who used to be in bands, these guys are businessmen who are very interested in having a successful business. So things get done. It’s nice.


What was recording "Sleep Late for a Better Tomorrow" like?

It was a lot of fun. We did it at Headgear Recording, and we had our friend Rod Sherwood produce it, since we had only done very limited recording up until then. There’s a certain sheen to it that is all Rod, who is amazing at doing what he does, but we realized that it didn’t represent what people necessarily heard at a live show, so for the new record we decided to have a bit more of a live, more unpolished sound.


What inspired the cover work for that release?

The cover photo was taken by George’s brother Greg (gregoryjwilson.com) and like most of our decisions, we used it because he volunteered to do it for free. We got lucky in that his image sort of fit with our chosen title, and Garrett Morlan, the designer, made it all come together.


Why did Erika depart from the group?

Erika started a band called Au Revoir Simone with Annie, who is Doug’s wife now. Like all good bands, they probably didn’t realize how successful they would soon be at the time, but it got to the point where she had to make a choice, and it was apparent that she had a much more fertile environment with Au Revoir Simone to explore the type of music she wanted to be making, as opposed to the guitar-centric stuff we do. Check them out if you haven’t, they are great. We’re really proud of her.


Did she have a hand in "Hallelujah Sirens?"

No, she had left before we started recording.


What was recording "Hallelujah Sirens" like? Better or worse than your previous studio work?

It was better in that we had a budget and could spend a bit more time in the studio than we had with the EP. We lived that album for three months, it was a great experience. So much work went into it. We’d spend 18 hours in there at a time some days. And it helped that we worked with Scott and Chris and everyone at headgear, they are the best. A lot of fun to work with.


The artwork and name are both very appropriate to the sound of the album, what made you decide on the theme for the release?

The name of the album came from a lyric that DJ found in a Rollerskate Skinny song from the album Horsedrawn Wishes. He had met with Ken Griffin, who was in Rollerskate Skinny, and is now in The Favorite Sons, another awesome band, and wanted him to possibly produce our record. It didn’t end up working out, but the name of our album is a tribute to that record, which was ahead of it’s time in our opinion. I just hope they don’t take it wrong and sue us.

The artwork came about as a convergence of Garret and I trying to come up with something to fit the feel of the title. He wanted to use a lot of underwater life and sea imagery, and I had this DADA fetish at the time, so we were sending stuff back and forth, and Garrett pulled it all together once again.


If you could change one thing about the album, what would it be?

I think we could have done more vocal takes, to try and get things perfect, but we didn’t end up having the time. Plus I think it’s okay to have a few warbles here and there, keep it human you know? None of us are very good singers, so maybe we should have hired somebody to do all the singing for us.


Does shoe-gaze have an influence on your music?

I honestly hadn’t heard that term until we started to get the comparisons, but DJ is a huge My Bloody Valentine fan, so I am sure its an influence to some degree.


What are your biggest muses?

I think all of us have a pretty tough time living here, dealing with day to day stuff, and playing music together sort of keeps us sane. There is also a bit of drinking involved, among other things.


Do you think your music has progressed or changed from the earlier releases?

Um yes. I do. A lot. I actually know the names of chords now when I play them. Crazy huh?


What are some of your current favorite bands?

Big Sleep, Jealous Girlfriends, Narchitect, Coin Under tongue, A Place to Bury Strangers, Outline Kit, The Lucky Bastards, The Shorebirds, um. This question always gets me. I always just put my friends’ bands. Lately, I don’t hear much new music if I don’t know someone who’s making it. And if I buy something, it’s usually old.


Favorite song of all time?

Born on the Bayou, CCR


What are all you up to when you’re not making music?

We all have a lot going on outside the band. Doug just got married, George is in another band, DJ seems to travel a lot, he likes camping and the outdoors and all that stuff.

I have two daughters who are coming back to live in New York, they have been in Florida for a while with their mom, so I am going to be hanging out with them as much as I can because we’re supposed to be touring a lot soon.


How’s tour going? Thumbs up or thumbs down on the shows, travel, hotels, anything and everything?

Touring is the same as anything else, there are good days and bad days. We lost our van on the last leg, so that sucked. Being away from our families and friends sucks. Being broke sucks. But meeting new people all over the country and getting to play music every night is pretty amazing.


Could you talk a little about the music video for "Light Pollution?" Maybe explain the imagery of the little boy and all that fun stuff?

That was done by Greg, who shot the photo of the bunny on Sleep Late, and this dude Danny Brothers. They had access to a crew and equipment in Colorado for two days because they were shooting something else, so they filmed a bunch of stuff there, and they filmed us at our house, then edited it all together. It looks a lot more expensive than it was. Greg had been kicking that idea around for years actually, and finally got to do it. It came out pretty damn good. Not bad for his first video, huh? He’s going to the Dominican Republic to shoot a reggaeton video next month based on that.

I really don’t know what the little boy is supposed to symbolize, you’d have to ask Greg, but I do know that there’s definitely a theme of youth in our songs, where we long for the days when things were easier and we were amazed by more things, as opposed to being the jaded assholes we turned out to be.


What’s next for Dirty on Purpose? What can we expect you to be up to come winter?

We’re going on tour again, and then hopefully over winter we’ll start the next record. And I am going to start that charter fishing business if it kills me.


What goals do you have for Dirty on Purpose? Why get into music?

Our goal has always been to make music that we enjoy listening to, and hopefully our friends will enjoy it, and their friends will enjoy it, and so on. We are not under any illusions with this band, we all know we have a limited time, and we’ll probably never get rich, or even support ourselves with just music, but for right now, it’s all we want to do. We got into it because we loved it. When we stop loving it, we’ll stop doing it. We promise.


Have any pets?

Hammer. He’s the Death by Audio (our studio) cat. He can talk. But only if you’re really messed up, otherwise he’s pretty quiet. And Doug has two cats named Sasha and Jumpsuit at his place. To my knowledge they are unable to talk. Scott Norton, the engineer at headgear, has a black lab named Mazzy who I dated for three months. Well mostly it was just us making out on the couch listening to mixes, but I will always love her.


It’s suddenly 2036. Are you still making music? Are you still in Dirty on Purpose? Is Dirty on Purpose alive and well, putting out albums? How would you like it all to be?

It’s suddenly 2036, and I am still typing answers for this interview. Wow. This is a long one. I doubt we’ll still be together as this band in 2036. That’s 30 years, and the odds of 4 dudes wanting to do the same thing for 30 years together are slim. That being said, if we could hold it together for that long, then why the hell not? I’d like to think we’ll all be doing something better than this in 30 years. Man, I hope we’re all still even here in thirty years. We’ll be living underwater and speaking another language, but whatever.


What is the New York music scene like in your experience? How does it shape up compared to other cities you’ve visited?

Well, honestly, compared to other cities, it’s not so good. It’s a lot harder here to feel any sense of community or anything like that here, whereas in other cities, if you play music, you’re automatically in this little club where people will help you out. We try and help out our friends who are in bands as much as we can for exactly that reason. We’re big believers in that. It’s hard sometimes when somebody you’ve never met MySpaces you and asks if you can get them a show in New York with you, but we do try and help out bands that we know deserve to get out there. I don’t think New York will ever have a real "scene" in the way that other cities do, because there are just too many bands, and too many of those bands have really shitty attitudes, but hopefully we can carve out a little thing of our own. There’s a great documentary about this very thing that’s coming out soon called "Rockin’ Brooklyn". Not so sure about the title, but the film is very good and has a lot of Brooklyn bands addressing this very topic. Dave from TV on The Radio has some hysterical quotes in it. And we’re in it. So it’s automatically awesome.



Would you change anything about the music business, or music world? In other words, what’s your biggest gripe about this career?

I don’t know, the whole system is pretty fucked to be honest. If you’re on a major label, you might as well just go get a real job unless you can guarantee a platinum record, because otherwise they won’t pay any attention to you, won’t promote you, then drop you for not selling any records. It’s not that much different on an indie label. If you’re going to get into this, the only way to make a living doing it without being a total whore is to be a solo artist and put out your own records. And who has time for that? I don’t know, I haven’t been doing this long enough to really say anything about it, but I do know that I have yet to make a dime in the music business.


Gotta pick: what’s been the most memorable moment of the band, good or bad?

Meeting people on tour and making new friends. No seriously, it’s awesome. It sounds dumb, but that’s the best part.


What’s the worst interview question you’ve been asked?

Mostly the ones abut the name of the band, hopefully we’ve answered that one enough by now. I noticed you skipped that one. Thank you. Honestly. We love you now.


Has it all been worth it? Is it what you were expecting when you began this?

We didn’t have many expectations to begin with, so yeah, it’s been worth it so far. Time will tell.


Final thoughts?

I went to a Flaming Lips show the other night, and Wayne Coyne said a lot of things about a lot of things, as he usually does, but the one thing that he said that stuck with me was that if you love someone or something and don’t expect anything in return, that’s the greatest thing you can ever do. We, as a band, write these songs because we love doing it. We only hope that people can feel some little glimmer of that when they listen to it.

(Dirty on Purpose's Website)

Look Mexico--The Crucial EP

Though their name is nonsensical (I’m pretty confident you can’t see Mexico from the band’s home of Tallahassee, Florida), and their line-up seems to change with the tides (they’ve been through at least three bass players in two years), Look Mexico has me drooling. The Crucial EP is their second release, and man does it hit the ground running. "He Bit Me" is an instrumental build-up to "I Can’t Today, I’m On Duty," and brings to light Look Mexico’s rough but catchy indie style. "I Can’t Today, I’m On Duty" begins with weak vocals, but recovers soon after with more instrumentals and bouncy little rhythms. Look Mexico stays bright and keeps your attention by being pop- in a sense of strongly appealing to your ear - but staying unpredictable and a tad odd all the way through. "Call Off Your Lap Dog" is a wonderful indie piece that features better vocals, and another instrumental "Guys, I Need A Helicopter" follows in a Dirty on Purpose style. These guys are more than just silly titles and nonsensical names. The instrumentals found in their songs, especially "He Bit Me" and "Guys, I Need A Helicopter" are not the caliber of a band just releasing their second EP. They have maturity beyond their years that just oozes from their music. While the vocals need work at some points, the songs are well-written, uniquely brilliant, and complex. "Come On, We Are Talking About You Here" changes tempo midway from a slow moving ballad to a quick-paced jaunt to the finish. Touches like that show that Look Mexico has gotten right and if they keep this up, big things are in store. The Crucial EP is exactly that, Look Mexico’s next crucial step towards their musical peak. Look Mexico holds not just the potential to make a splash in the music world, but to blow everyone else out of the pool.

(Published at MusicEmissions.com)

Laudanum--Your Place & Time Will Be Mine

Laudanum, the creative output of Frenchman Matthieu Malon, happily releases their second album with Monopsone Records, Your Place and Time Will Be Mine. The album is a revolving door of guest appearances, featuring the likeness of Cavil, T., Angil, Noemie, Laetitia Sheriff, and the list goes on. While the names may be unfamiliar, the bottom line is that each track is completely different from the last. Songs range from haunting softer pieces with Cavil in "Collide," to the bright and catchy "This 80’s-Car" with Noemie, but the songs all hold signs of Malon’s meddling. A heavy electronic influence drips from each song, drifting towards the dark and damp side of the spectrum whenever possible. "Sailor & Bruno" displays this the best, wrapping together Christian Quermalet’s deep British vocals (that sound a little too much like Jack from The Nightmare Before Christmas) and a haunting little techno bass-beat. The entire album flows well, and the diversity among guest artists keeps the songs interesting and fresh. The electronic and techno influences don’t get in the way of attracting non-techno listeners, but is rather an almost unnoticeable foundation, that’s there but not until you realize it. "Perfect," by Malon alone, shows what this artist has to shout about. A catchy beat that’s not quite pop and not quite techno, along with a similarly simple yet memorable vocal line "She’s so perfect / She’s so perfect to me." Your Place and Time Will Be Mine is a strong sophomore effort from Laudanum, and one that’s worth snooping out.

(Published at MusicEmissions.com)

Eugene Ripper--Crackle

Have you been noticing the political themes coming out of popular bands lately? Eugene Ripper seemingly appears to follow this odd trend in "Tech Know Me," "Big brother monkey’s on my back / My television is a fashion rack." Oh no. Another new artist stuck in an overdone motif already. But wait "This high-tech revolution will shape and shake my future / But it won’t change how I feel / And I feel alright." So here then is Eugene Ripper, care-free and bouncy. It’s refreshing isn’t it? The Canadian artist tests the musical waters with this four-track EP. Upbeat, light, and quite fluffy, he goes on to sing of his favorite chair before rolling into a blues-influenced "New Attitude." Short punchy songs are the name of the game, and Ripper stays goofy but at the same time just plays good music. His style is that extra-special something that would perk your interest in a neighborhood bar. "Tech Know Me" is a catchy tune that might just launch Ripper far, and it would be a good idea to keep an eye on this one.

(Published at MusicEmissions.com)

Fightstar--They Liked You Better When You Were Dead

The buzz surrounding Fightstar creates a shroud of expectation and dread when popping in their US debut, They Liked You Better When You Were Dead. Will they be good? Actually good? Or just another group of manufactured hype? But your fears aside, Fightstar are worth every word. These Englanders know how to rock, their frontman Charlie Simpson being a veteran of UK pop band Busted, and they show that off throughout the nine tracks. "Palahnik’s Laughter" captures such energy and power without coming off as pretentious. Simpson’s vocals are mainstream enough to stay inoffensive, yet hold their own gritty uniqueness to the point where you could pick out his voice on the radio. Showing they can keep your ear without the volume, "Amethyst" masterfully blends just enough dynamics to stay away from the standard tear-shedding acoustic piece, but shows good diversity from earlier explosive tracks. Blending influences like Thursday and Lostprophets, Fightstar capture the intensity right from the get-go, giving them time to wander through quieter pieces like "Cross Out the Stars" and not lose your attention. Uniquely their own, Fightstar adds their own touches. This band will be big, and their US debut is better than most entrenched power-punk groups out there. More than anything: nine tracks just aren’t enough. Give us more Fightstar!

(Published at MusicEmissions.com)

Cue the Doves--Architectures for the Atmosphere

It starts out with high hopes. "Majestic Twelve" is a vibrant instrumental that says Cue the Doves isn’t your run-of-the-mill pop-punk outfit. Well, "Majestic Twelve" is lying. No sooner are we thirty seconds into the second track, "Sphere of the Abyss," then images of current pop-punk pieces coming floating to mind. The Academy Is..., Brand New, Lucky Boys Confusion , even Panic! at the Disco can all be found here much more than the band’s listed influences of Nine Inch Nails and Deftones. "An Astronomer’s Eclipse" hardly sounds original, the band’s standard instrumentals and mainstream vocals do little to put them ahead of the crowd. For a band that proudly advertises their non-emotional vocals (citing Ray Bradbury and sci-fi as major lyrical influences), they may score more points after looking to their unimaginative instrumentals. Song after song shed little light on anything unique from Cue the Doves, and worse than that the album is just plain boring. "The Balance" in particular is repetitive and by the time they add in immature screamo they’ve lost the listener. Perhaps one must be in the targeted age range (they cite their 12,000 MySpace friends as a major selling point), but nothing seems to set Cue the Doves apart from an vastly overdone category. A good choice for anyone who doesn’t mind their major post-punk groups being ripped-off, everyone else should stay clear.

(Published at MusicEmissions.com)

Jeremy Enigk--World Waits

After leaving Sunny Day Real Estate, Jeremy Enigk initially put down his guitar and walked away from music. That didn’t last long however, and his first solo album Return of the Frog Queen appeared in 1996. Ten years later Enigk has completed his second solo work, the aptly-titled World Waits. Much as Return of the Frog Queen was departure from Sunny Day Real Estate’s raw emotional rock, World Waits is heavily orchestral without losing the sensitive touch. Enigk takes some simple folk influences from Belle and Sebastian and an all-embracing orchestral sound similar to Sleeping At Last to craft an interesting pop piece. Songs like "Dare a Smile" feature Enigk’s fragile voice and a simple acoustic guitar. The simplicity adds to the intimacy of Enigk’s songs, and really do help the overall sound. Far from being pretentiously emo, Enigk comes off as soothing and peaceful. As one might expect, piano and orchestral parts are used almost as much as guitar, and Enigk’s religious influences can be felt throughout., especially in songs like "River To Sea" that features delicate piano sweeping into fervent peak. Even touches of an 80’s Van Halen and bits of U2 can be heard in "Cannons." An interesting pop piece, World Waits is unassuming, pleasantly simple, and just a relaxing listen. While ten years is a bit long to wait for something like this, Jeremy Enigk shows that he’s still running strong. Even if it takes a few years.

(Published at ComfortComes.com)

Reynold--My Favorite Film

Reynold is Sam Rouanet’s solo alias. Also known for his work with Phil Stumpf in Duplex 100, the native-Frenchman gets his first shot at solo album work in My Favorite Film. At the age of six Rouanet began his musical career, playing classical guitar and violin until dropping those to pick up an electric guitar. Influenced both by rock acts like Fugazi and by jazz through his father, Rouanet moved briefly to Chicago to soak up as much of his influences as he could. He returned to France where he met up with Stumpf, and throughout his time with Duplex 100 his solo work began to shine.

My Favorite Film feels as if it’s one hour-long song broken into 12 pieces. Rouanet’s jazz influence is very obvious right from the get-go as well. "United" softly grooves as if it were an electronic jazz outfit. By no means employing vastly looming house beats, Rouanet sticks with subtleness.

"United" blends right into the kick-off of "Zoogarden." An ambient and ethereal ride, the song begins to form imagery in your mind with little trills and electronic effects. More than just one long song, My Favorite Film is a soundtrack to a movie that the music creates in your mind.

The rest of the album follows suit. "Emotionally Disturbed" mimics its title with small nonsensical drum beats and an uneasy melody. A child-like voice mumbles over everything, giving a sense of growing paranoia and distrust. The increasing uncertainty mounts through "Ville Nouvelle" and the bass-dominated "Bundang," before finally climaxing and finding rest in aptly-titled "Relief." The songs use their length to build emotion and imagery, and Rouanet masterfully adds little to achieve much, and the entire album stays relatively quiet.

My Favorite Film is indeed that, the listener’s own film playing out within their head while listening to Reynold. That said, the songs are on the whole boring if you listen to the songs with an alert ear. Little goes on within a song, they’re repetitive and dull. While it is difficult to listen to the songs purely because of their length and little movement, put together the album is an excellent sonic landscape. Put this one on in the background and let it unwind itself. Rouanet has shown maturity in his first solo album by crafting something larger than the individual songs, an hour long dynamic landscape that might become your favorite film’s soundtrack.

(Published at 365MAG)

The Smashing Pumpkins--Adore

After the explosion of Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, the world was The Smashing Pumpkin’s oyster. They had the artistic license to do whatever they wanted and take as long as they wanted, it was all their call. Yet the tragic drug-related death of tour keyboardist Jonathan Melvoin and the removal of drummer Jimmy Chamberlain was a deep thorn in the band’s side. Frontman Billy Corgan and the two remaining members (James Iha on guitar and D’arcy Wretzcy on bass) took the shift of mood, instrumentation, and their artistic license, to move in a new musical direction. While the result, Adore, is not a complete 360 spin from the Pumpkins’ previous work, it is a change. And not one people were expecting. Adore was released June of 1998 to the eagerly awaiting hands of alternative fans, and what they got was a softly touching, orchestral-blended work of pure sober emotion. Reviews were not as touching, especially from those expecting more "Bullet With Butterfly Wings" hits. Instead, Adore exposed the Smashing Pumpkins experimenting with technique: adding more acoustics, fiddling with electronic effects, and pulling back from their previous work. Blistering overlapped guitar solos - once the feather in the Pumpkins’ cap - could now be counted on one hand. In a different way though, Adore was heavy. "To Sheila" immediately shows where the record is headed, featuring soft acoustics, Corgan’s mournful voice, and ethereal effects. "To Martha," dedicated to Corgan’s mother who had recently passed away, is one of the best on the album, tying together the quiet fragility of Adore with a new spin on the Pumpkins’ old guitar work. "Ava Adore" was most experimental of all, featuring only a heavy bass beat and Corgan’s croons for the majority of the song, it showed that the Smashing Pumpkins could still achieve a pop hit without their trademark tricks. While not the most drastic of changes, it displayed the Smashing Pumpkins as an ever-changing force, and one that could - as it always had - come through great tragedy with brilliant music.

(Published at MusicEmissions.com)

Deetron--Twisted

Sam Geiser may not be a familiar name to you now, but he will be. Geiser, also known as Deetron, has been mixing hits since the ‘90s. He’s gained considerable attention for his innovative beats and 3-deck DJ work. Labels have certainly been paying attention (as one may see from his impressive list of compilation album submissions) and Geiser has been dabbling with EP releases for years, yet Twisted is his first album.

"Twisted Memories" kicks off Deetron’s debut. It stumbles with an off-beat click intro, but falls into a deep bass groove from which Geiser adds rim-shot flares to keep things interesting. Quick quiet transitions allow for explosive revisits to the main bass-line, and keep one’s foot bouncing for the full six minutes. "Life Soundtrack" picks up from there, with a darker beat and vocals by DJ Bone which come close to meeting the beat’s despair: "This music was created / Out of poverty / Desperation / Hate." Frankly the vocals are a bit too much, and feel like spice added to an otherwise dry piece.

"Isotope" is much more upbeat right from the get-go, with a bright quick-moving beat. The entire track is filled with much more energy and lightness, and uses more complex rhythms than previously found. Unlike "Twisted Memories," Deetron takes the main beat and expresses it through different tones and pitches, gaining much more variety and interest. "Sol" in comparison is a building piece, starting off with the essential beat and growing slowly upon it. The track has good charisma, shows off Deetron’s bag of tricks. It features an expansive sound that not only could fit in but belongs on the club floor.

Following the experimental stumbling-block that is "Silence," Deetron moves into "My Plan," which again features a characteristic expansive sound. The song gradually climaxes into explosive moments despite having some repetitive patches. Again, vocals are intertwined with music that should be able to stand up on its own in "The Afterlife." Paris The Black Fu provides the voice for this track, and are just as cheery as DJ Bone ("The afterlife / What will be your sacrifice?"), before falling into a pit of reverb with a scream. Unique, the moment catches the ear before moving back into a wonderful traditional beat.

Twisted is a wonderful debut that shows off Geiser’s talent for mixing. He not only shows power through traditional house beats but adds a bit of his own flair, such as the ear-catching moment in "The Afterlife." His inclusion of vocals falls short on "Life Soundtrack," but comes through as interesting in other places. Some songs hit slow patches and should be shortened early then they are however. On the whole though, Geiser has clearly shown his potential as an artist and is guaranteed to keep your foot moving throughout Twisted at the very least.

(Published at 365MAG)

Larrikin Love--The Freedom Spark

"Who says there needs to be a beach to wear a swimming suit?" Certainly not Larrikin Love, who are clearly following in The Futureheads’ quirky-Brit-styled footsteps in their debut album. Witty and rambunctious , The Freedom Sparks is one catchy tune after another. Filled in are quick ‘n clever little quips like that mentioned above put over pop guitar bits and unique beats. Delicious little post-punk grooves like "On Sussex Downs" are more accessible and, (dare I say?), better than their Futureheads counterparts’ work. The playful single "Happy As Annie" takes the grassroots of a Texan violinist, throws it together with the fast-tongued abilities of an auctioneer, adds a bouncy groove and Larrikin’s English accents; which altogether sounds like British-ized hillbilly chase music. Yet, it works. Songs like "Happy as Annie" and the Celtic-influenced "Fall At The Feet of Rae" could draw a laugh, but Larrikin Love put just enough seriousness into the songs for them to, well, be taken seriously. Strings are featured throughout, and The Freedom Spark contains just enough diversity of songs not to keep you bored, but it doesn’t leave you in the dust either. An lively, impressive, and interesting debut from one of Britain’s newest indie groups. Larrikin Love are currently touring about Europe, swimsuits and all.

(Published at ComfortComes.com)

Make Believe--Of Course

This album was made fast. Really fast. Make Believe recorded the album quickly in the month before drummer Nate Kinsella had to report for 2 months of jail time, but you don’t need to know the back story to feel how rushed Of Course is. The Chicago outfit’s sophomore release, Of Course feels sloppy and just plain dull. The instrumentals could be described as experimental, but the off-beat guitar work and constant feedback does little to improve the quality of the songs, as does Tim Kinsella’s off-key vocals. There is an intense emotional foundation behind this album, as shown through the aggravation of Kinsella’s vocal climaxes, but when combined with seemingly random instrumentals, it just comes out as mush. Bits of songs such as "Bisect Duality" and "Sometimes I See Sideways" sound similar to Sonic Youth and other experimentalists, and "Pat Tillman, Emmitt Till" is an interesting piece that falls just short of finding Make Believe’s niche. Maybe I’m just not getting it, but when you sink right down to it Of Course sounds like a rushed and compromised album.

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The Smashing Pumpkins--Siamese Dream

The mythology, rumor, gossip, delicious stories, and everything that made the Smashing Pumpkins more than just your everyday rock band started here. Riding off the waves of their debut Gish and the relative tsunami that was the grunge and alternative explosion, The Smashing Pumpkins could not have been in a better position to seize the music world. That sort of pressure for a band that had spent years writing their material for their only other release was tremendous. The result would be frontman Billy Corgan sole efforts. Partly with the aid of drummer Jimmy Chamberlain, Siamese Dream would express the tumult and emotional backlash of being a rock star in a time when that was still edgy. More importantly, it sent the Pumpkins in a direction that would result in them being the gods of rock. Siamese Dream, released in the summer of 1993 - featuring Butch Vig again in the producer’s chair - carved a new road not only for the Smashing Pumpkins but for alternative music. It branched away from the path Nirvana was taking, focusing not on the punk in rock but dreamy and emotional qualities. Highly introspective, songs like "Spaceboy" and "Disarm" drip with Corgan’s fragility, without ever telling you what the dang problem is. That sort of emotional animosity gave the teenager listeners something to grab on to, something they could relate to. The Pumpkins also continued evolving their classic layered guitar work in songs like "Cherub Rock" and "Quiet," and achieved their first truly pop hit in "Today." Together with the rumors of drug use, romantic issues between guitarist James Iha and bassist D’arcy Wretzcy , and Corgan’s ever present depression; the album was a huge success. Debuting in the Billboard Top Ten and going on to sell four million copies over the next three years, Siamese Dream firmly placed The Smashing Pumpkins among the heavy-hitters and more importantly gave Corgan the artistic license to create what would come next.

(Published at MusicEmissions.com)

Sean Lennon--Friendly Fire

It’s terribly hard to avoid using the horrid little anecdotes about Sean Lennon: "Like father like son," "the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree," "chip off the old block," the list goes on. Yet it’s hard not to because, well, Sean does sound a lot like pop. Bits of orchestral melodies, piano parts (that sound more like Paul then John at times), even Sean’s forlorn voice brings back memories of his father. "Friendly Fire" and "Spectacle" in particular, sober emotional acoustic tracks, give tribute to John. Yet, if Sean was unrelated, the influence of John and the rest of the Beatles troupe would only be mentioned in passing. Friendly Fire is uniquely Sean Lennon’s. He branches out and experiments into laid-back waltzes, particular romanticism, and even tads of folk. Influences from The Beastie Boys and Beck are shown clearly in songs like "Falling Out of Love," that show the broad musical experience Lennon has received all throughout his life. The majority of the album follows a singer/songwriter vibe though, focusing heavily on the lyrics that are laden with lost love and death. "Love is like an aeroplane / You jump and then you pray," writes Lennon in "Parachute," continuing with: "If life is just a stage / Let’s put on the best show / Cause if I have die tonight / I’d rather be with you." Lennon further crafts his lyrical skills, adds more broad influences to his musical bag of tricks, and pushes forward always with his father’s influence. Friendly Fire is not only a good accomplishment for Sean, but is a welcome addition to the Lennon name.

(Published at UKMusic.com)

Nirvana

Walk down a hallway in any high school during passing period. If you can survive through the over-populated corridors and stairwells, be sure to notice the kids decked out in full black. Complete with gloomy faces, these punks, Goths, burn-outs, outcasts - whatever you want to call them - all carry with them the same badges of their right to be gloomy. The Misfits, System of a Down, Slipknot, Insane Clown Posy, the big names in pop-punk sewn into their bags and jackets, and always prominent in the line of names is one that feels the most out of place: Nirvana.

Yet it is because of Nirvana that those other names are there. The rag-tag group from Seattle threw together everything that was crowding up the underground music scene of the early ‘90s, and clearly the music that came out of their "revolution" was nothing new, but the tortured face of the now idolized Kurt Cobain (action figure and everything) made the then-underground sound marketable, commercial, and most importantly, made it last.

Aberdeen, Washington is 100 miles from Seattle. In that small logging town in the mid-80’s a young high school drop-out named Kurt Cobain was migrating between his divorced parents and a long list of relatives, none of which wanted him. He carried with him a garbage bag of dirty clothes and a crappy guitar, a lifestyle he would later mythologize in countless interviews and the song "Something in the Way."

Cobain’s musical life had been begun through his parents, who exposed him to 60’s rock such as The Beatles, which Cobain eagerly gobbled up. The hardcore world, then truly indie and underground, was shown to Cobain through the neighborhood band The Melvins. He idolized the group, trying out for the guitar part in the band, but instead becoming a roadie, it became Cobain’s dream to start a Melvin’s of his own. To crank out the punk rock that was beginning to consume his life.

High school friend Krist Novoselic held a similar dream. Together, with a slew of rotating positions and third members, the duo slowly practiced their craft. Fecal Matter was the first incarnation, with The Melvin’s drummer Dale Crover on drums, which transitioned into the Stiff Woodies, featuring Cobain on drums, Novoselic on bass, and a whole cast of people on guitars. Finally, by 1987, the band solidified with Cobain on guitar and vocals, Novoselic on bass, and Chad Channing on drums, all under the name Nirvana.

Touring the underground circuit, if there was one, in Olympia and other rural areas around Seattle, Nirvana began releasing rough demos and gaining a small but cultist following. Within a year, the band had signed with a small local label called Sub-Pop, and by 1988 had their first single released, a Shocking Blues cover called "Love Buzz." The roller coaster ride of stardom and myth that then began would culminate in Cobain’s 1994 apparent suicide.

Nirvana’s first album "Bleach" was recorded for $600 in 1989, and quickly sold 35,000 copies - no small feat for a trio out of rural Washington - and most importantly gained the attention of the likes of Sonic Youth and their Geffen label.

Dave Grohl, fresh out of his stint as a drummer with D.C. punks Scream, came into the mix to replace a faltering Channing in 1990, just in time to be rushed into the studio under Geffen records to record Nirvana’s sophomoric release. Under the guidance of Butch Vig, Nirvana cut and released what would be the most influential album in alternative rock. "Nevermind" was released in 1991 to a whirlwind of support. The label’s meager hopes to sell 100,000 copies were soon drowned out as "Nevermind" replaced Michael Jackson at the top of the charts. Never before had punk rock taken such a front-stage, and accompanied by a music video "Smells Like Teen Spirit" began its rotations everywhere from MTV to malls to the radio waves.

The roller coaster ride began to shoot out of control. Making a slew of TV appearances, the grinding tours and publicity began to take its toll on the band. Courtney Love’s entrance into the band’s life as Cobain’s sweet heart and soon wife began causing friction between Cobain, Novoselic, and Grohl. Still more troubling, Cobain had reflamed his old heroin addiction. A media storm erupted after Love was accused of taking the drug while pregnant with the couple’s first child, Frances Bean Cobain, who was born on August 18, 1992. The coupled pressure of drugs, age-old stomach problems, the constant eye of the press and public, and deteriorating martial and band relations began to take their toll on Cobain. This physical and mental strain was made clear in Nirvana’s final album, In Utero.

Released in the fall of 1993 under the direction of Steve Albini, In Utero is arguably Nirvana’s masterpiece. Where Nevermind launched Nirvana and alternative music as a whole to the nation’s front stage of music, In Utero showed what Cobain and Nirvana were trying to do all along. The album is mixed between hardcore distortion pools of emotion like "Scentless Apprentice" and ironic lyrical haunts like "Serve the Servants." It would be Nirvana’s final hurrah.

Cobain had been suffering more and more from his drug abuse problem. He had attempted suicide earlier in the year, and the police were called to the Cobain home when Kurt locked himself in the bathroom with a gun, threatening suicide. In March of 1994 on tour in Rome Cobain again attempted suicide through overdose, and was admitted to Exodus Recovery Center in Los Angeles. After only a day Cobain escaped and returned to Seattle, where he let himself into his house’s garden hutch, took a dose of heroin, and shot himself with a shotgun.

By burning out on that April day, Cobain gained instant martyr status, and became the spokesman for a generation of geeks, punks, outcasts, losers, burn-outs, and drop-outs. Nirvana’s music became the soundtrack for Generation X and laid the groundworks for which future punk and alternative bands would achieve similar success. Grohl himself participated in the rise of the alternative bands after Nirvana’s downfall with his pop group Foo Fighters.

So it’s not difficult to see why that little yellow smiley face appears on high school outcasts 12 years after Nirvana dissolved. Without Nirvana’s marketable infusion of punk and mainstream, the direction that music has taken since then would not be possible. Nirvana cast down the 80’s Michael Jackson’s and made way for groups like Bush, Foo Fighters, Green Day, Blink-182, and Audioslave to take center-stage. While it may offend you to see Cobain cast in plastic and sold around the mall, it’s understandable. He is an idol to a generation of music-lovers, the culmination of the final push into the new era of music.

(Published at MusicEmissions.com)

The Smashing Pumpkins--Gish

*Snap* It’s now 1991. Michael Jackson tops the charts (but not for long), peace settles temporarily in Iraq after Desert Storm, the Soviet Union falls, Michael Jordan brings yet another NBA championship to Chicago, and a great force is brewing in underground rock. Oh, and your hair is just plain hideous. Yes, the grunge movement is in full swing. Nirvana has not yet exploded onto the pop scene, and the producer Butch Vig that would go on to cut Nevermind has just finished a project with a small Chicago group named after a vegetable. The Smashing Pumpkins would become a John the Baptist of sorts for the alternative explosion, warming the crowds and showing the potential that the future of music held. Gish - released in May - was more than just a grunge album, it combined elements of what was then mainstream rock and the underground scene into what would become alternative music. Songs like "Siva" and "I Am One" took the harsh edge from grunge and punk and wrapped it into a pop package, easily digestible and yet still in your face. The Smashing Pumpkins set themselves apart with inclusion of softer pieces, hinting at emotional fragility with honest lyrical confessions, something relatively new. Something that would become a standard in alternative music. Brilliantly layered guitars and Billy Corgan’s high-pitched, emotional vocals hinted at just where this Chicago four-piece could go. The impact of Gish would be overshadowed by the release of Nevermind several months later, and it wouldn’t be until 1993 that the Pumpkins would seize control of the direction of rock music with Siamese Dream. Yet here in 1991 Gish takes the grunge scene one step farther into the mainstream, and puts The Smashing Pumpkins in the minds of music-lovers everywhere, thirsting for change.

(Published at MusicEmissions.com)

Billy Talent--Red Flag EP

Taken from their new album Billy Talent II, "Red Flag" is a good choice for their first single, though falls short of blowing their listeners away. Powerful, fast-moving, and just about everything you’ve come to expect from Billy Talent is wrapped into three minutes. Coming off a summer-long tour on Warped Tour, the Canadian punk-revivalists have lost none of their punch. "Red Flag" is supported by standard distorted pop-punk instrumentals, and Ben Kowalewicz’s vocals are in-your-face. The lyrics follow the fast-pace of the song, ("The kids of tomorrow don’t need today / When they live in the sins of yesterday") and have a political foundation without being obnoxious. All in all, "Red Flag" is a healthy hit from Billy Talent that one wouldn’t mind hearing on the radio.

(Published at UKMusic.com)

Faulter--Darling Buds of May

If there’s anything this world needs more than peace or food for starving babies, it’s more pop-punk-rock groups. (Insert laughter). Well, while the world goes on with no peace and many starving babies, there is an overpopulation of similar-sounding pop-rock acts, complete with the required piano ballad. Faulter follows the formula: pleasant vocals that hint at emotional fragility, predictable instrumentals that range from remorseful to explosive, and the tear-dripper piano solos: "Darling Buds of May," and "There You Go." The lyrics follow the same lines as well, deeply emotional and heartbroken: "These words come flowing out my chest / So let me know if I’m making sense." Yet, like most pop-rock groups, they are enjoyable to listen to. Faulter pulls the right tricks out of the hat, like the pleasantly simple "October 16th." Faulter may fall into an overdone category but they don’t overdo it. They are at their best when they go soft, and heavier pieces like "Holding On" fall short. Smile Empty Soul and Trapt seem to be among their top influences, but tads of Green Day and a slowed version of Fall Out Boy creep in as well. Darling Buds of May is their debut release, and if they keep this up they’ll become a big name.

Not to make it seem as if they are starving babies and stifling peace efforts, Faulter does do it’s part to fixing the world, they recently raised $5,000 in support of finding a cure for breast cancer. Good for you guys.

Gosling--Here Is...

Gosling is…an odd chemistry experiment gone wrong. Bubbling, steaming, but not quite ready to explode, the Washington-state quadruped (the new incarnation of Loudermilk: same faces, different sounds) blends alternative influences like Sunny Day Real Estate, a dash of The Smashing Pumpkins, and even a hint of the White Stripes. The result is, well, a concoction of all their own. Swaggering and brash, Here Is… takes on as many as influences as it can. Muse’s dramatic sound is mimicked at the album’s high points, such as the brilliant "Mr. Skeleton Wings." Songs like "Glass is Empty" adopt a male-version of the Babes in Toylands’ vocal ferocity, and even a Queen guitar solo can be found in "Waiting for the Sun". Genres are switched and melted between songs, even during. "The Burnout" is a good example, beginning as an awkward country-mix but ending up closer to Billy Joel. A few lighter acoustic pieces are sprinkled throughout, and the inclusion of piano and jazz instruments are used well, giving the album a Pink Floyd-like vintage taste. Not that tasting chemistry experiments is condoned, but take a gulp of what Gosling has begun spewing: it’s just odd enough to get you addicted.

Plumerai--Res Cogitans

Taken from the theories of 17th century Swiss philosopher Rene Descartes, Res Cogitans translates roughly as "occurrence thorough consideration," an offshoot of the much more famous Descartes deduction: "I think, therefore I am." Zap forward four centuries to Boston, and occurrence finds its direction from Plumerai’s consideration. The four-piece’s latest EP is almost as thought-provoking as Swiss philosophy (but rest assured, much more thrilling) and defies labeling. That said, let’s give it shot: Res Cogitans is complicatedly ethereal, moving forward with a delicate grace that could only be supplied by Elizabeth Ezell’s equally flowing voice. While Plumerai only gives us a 4-song taste of what is to come, each song flows forward for about 5 minutes, moving from small beats to explosive climaxes, patiently transitioning the listener from emotion to emotion. "En Vole" ("Be Willing to Behold") drips with maturity and elegance, and with added spices of foreign influences, it’s hard to believe that such a sound came out of Boston. Anything but, "Linear" combines a bouncy beat with almost shoegaze touches, moving into "Illuminate," a mysterious orchestral ride that just goes to show anything can be expected from Plumerai. If they continue to put this much consideration and thought into their music, their new album should make quite a splash indeed.

(Published at MusicEmissions.com)

The Fratellis--Costello Music

Founded on principals of “strange fruit” and always in pursuit of “the happilyest of sounds,” The Fratellis are three brothers (or are they?) from Glasgow, Scotland (or are they?). Put aside all the mysterious hype you’re bound to come across looking into this peculiar bunch, and you’re simply left with a pretty average punk-indie act with fun accents and bad hair. (Really bad hair). Costello Music is their debut album, and is disappointingly mostly fluff. Acoustic pieces like “Creepin’ Up The Backstairs” are well-done but are bland and fall short. The Fratellis’ power lies in the possessive power of some hideous garage punk band version of Franz Ferdinand: punchy guitar riffs and scratchy vocals, off-beat melodies that teeter on failure but come miraculously together in the end. A few golden tracks are included in this light, in particular the clever “Chelsea Dagger” and the explosively non-stop “Cuntry Boys and City Boys.” While the acoustic tracks are good and credit is due, they take up room where The Fratellis could be displaying their goofy snotty-punk-filling, coated in an indie-chocolate-layer deliciousness. The Fratellis sound more original crooning collective bar songs in “Baby Fratelli” than prancing through romance in “Whistle For The Choir.” All in all though, the album doesn’t live up to its potential, but is an interesting debut from a band finding its footing. One hopes that their “strange fruit” will someday yield The Fratellis’ “happilyest of sounds.” I would dearly like to hear it.

(Published at ComfortComes.com)

Fionn Regan--Put a Penny in the Slot

Read the paragraph of lyrics from the newest single by Fionn Regan before listening. Winding, odd, and deliciously twisted, the epic is full of run-away sentence structure. (Case in point: "Colour the swans / Through a telescope / I can't help from crying / I wish you were mine when I was seventeen / I followed my dream up into a high rise…"It all may sound rough in your mind, but don't fear. Now listen to "Put a Penny in the Slot" and watch as Regan bends the rough paragraph of lyrics to his will over bouncy-backwoods acoustic instrumentals.

Including only a handful of repeated choruses (only a line each), the remainder of the song is quick-moving, original, and truly unending lyrics: "It was not me but someone else you see / Twisting the steering reigns." Regan shows talent beyond his age, and couples quiet, shy vocals with brilliant lyrics for a downright creepy performance. Regan becomes that scary squirrely guy on the bus, or at work, or who lives down the hall, and if only that squirrely guy were Fionn Regan. We'd all be truly blessed that way.

(Published at UKMusic.com)

Ocote Soul Sounds And Adrian Quesada--El Nino Y El Sol

If you’re like me, you don’t have a clue as to who Martin Perna or Adrian Quesada are. Yet they have become some of the biggest names in afro/latin/funk genres. Martin Perna of Ocote Soul Sounds comes from Antibalas and Adrian Quesada comes form Grupo Fantasma, again, both big names in the latin music scene, and are credited with reviving much of this music. So here the two legends come then, recording for the first and certainly not last time providing "a soundtrack to a lost film" that carefully yet effortlessly blends the boundaries between funk, latin, hip hop, afrobeat, and a slew of other ethnic genres. El Nino y el Sol ranges between all these influences, many times in the same song, and the entire album flows as one movement. The Latin influence is most obvious throughout, giving the release a summery feel, evoking images of sun-backed deserts and endless straight highways. Even if the names and accomplishments mean little to you, these two guys have created a masterpiece of ethnic and diverse beats, and have impressively blended them all together. The sound takes on a genre of all its own, leaving behind its influences and creating something unique and interesting, and most importantly an album that connects with the listener emotionally, bringing them back to sun-baked summers. An amazing debut from two artists that can only improve from here.

(Published at MusicEmissions.com)

The Casualties--Under Attack

Screamo has always seemed a sad joke. For one reason or another, even though it takes its own special kind of talent, screaming constantly feels like a cheap way to avoid having a decent vocalist. Given that, enter The Casualties. Punk-revivalists from the larger-than-life hair to the metal-studded leather jackets, The Casualties have come from their 1990 genesis to their latest release, Under Attack, kicking and screaming with British influenced aggressive attitudes all the way. All the punk/screamo stereotypes can be found here, unending hate towards everything (including your shoes in "World of Rumors"), power-packed guitar blast instrumentals that capture your ear initially but have you bored by the third track, and of course, the monotone scream-vocals that are almost laughable. It must be said however that The Casualties out-punk anyone. For those who can’t get enough of the spiky hair and pissy attitudes these guys should be your idols. No one screams the way The Casualties do, and their punk attitudes can be felt strongly through their music. For a pure-punk fan this should already be in your collection. Yet, if you feel more similarly to the author towards punk, this album is definitely not for you. It’s a clear case of genre choice, but one that couldn’t be easier.

(Published at MusicEmissions.com)

The Dears--Gang of Losers

The newest release from Montreal’s The Dears is as dynamic and changing as their line-up. The album ranges from softly delicious pieces, to calming therapy sessions of picturesque sonic landscapes, to hints of Stooges and Sonic Youth, all smashed together in a package that takes a few listens to get your ear around it. "Death of Life We Want You" is a good start off track to get into the world of The Dears, it incorporates just enough punk and pop for your ear to find some familiar ground, and a taste of the vocals and melody themes that The Dears carry through the album. The rest of the album experiments by blending jazz, rock, orchestral, cabaret, pop, and soft sweet indie to create a wide range of sounds, mimicking The Smiths and The Postal Service at times, and referencing Dirty on Purpose and Of Montreal at others. "Fear Made the World Go ‘Round" is a great example, beginning with a subtle piano and mournful tones, and expanding into a face paced pop rock piece, carrying vocalist ‘s soulful style right to the fragile end. The Dears are complex and carry multiple levels in each song, and while some are obviously better than others, the album is worth a few listens, just so your ear can delve into The Dear’s dynamics. An pleasantly interestingly and appealing work, Gang of Losers shows off a new sound around each corner, and that keeps my ear coming back for more.

(Published at ComfortComes.com)

G. Love--Lemonade

G. Love’s unique blend of blues, rock, R&B, and occasional rap has been pumping out for over a decade. Needless to say, when a band goes for that long, it’s hard to keep things fresh and interesting for the listener, and towards the decline of the 90’s that’s exactly what G/ Love and his Special Sauce was having trouble with. Their sound was rejuvenated however with a record label swap and the release of The Hustle, a return to the grassroots style that G. Love began with. Lemonade picks-up where The Hustle left off. All the songs carry an easy-going, sloppy blues theme, in the spirit of the Dave Matthew’s Band and the Beastie Boys, especially in the solo filled opening track “Ride.” Blues instrumentals are found as well, as piano, harmonica, viola, Hammond organs, and Wurlitzer are added for that special taste. A line-up of guest performances graces the album as well, featuring the talents of Jack Johnson, Tristan Prettyman, and David Hidalgo. The rap in songs like “Can't Go Back To Jersey “ laid over that blues rhythm is a tad silly and laughable, but it’s just subtle enough that you might not notice until the song is half over. While the rap may be good, it’s not my taste, and clouds up an otherwise wonderful blues-rock album. Regardless of whether it’s yours or not, Lemonade features winning blues riffs that follow in The Hustle’s footsteps in back tracking to what made G. Love great.

(Published at ComfortComes.com)