Riton--Hammer of Thor

Riton – the French term for ‘Henry,’ as in Henry Smithson – provides Tiefschwarz’s Souvenir label their third release in "Hammer of Thor." Smithson, who has released and remixed music on a slew of labels such as Grand Central, Get Physical, and Klang, is currently working on his third album which will represent a change in Riton’s music. Stepping away from the contemporary world of electronica, Smithson will instead focus his musical talent on 1970’s German Kosmische.

In a way then, "Hammer of Thor" is a stepping stone towards this eventual destination. A bit of rave and a bit of dance-floor grooves, Riton’s first release with Souvenir is a quick-n-dirty three song glimpse at what Smithson is experimenting with…and what we can expect in the future.

The opening namesake track of the release is a synth-infested 9 minute groove. Evolving its way from the simplest of origins, a trumpet-like electronic melody guides your way through a world of blips, beeps, and grinding drumbeats. While the trumpet-like effect make slice a bit too hard into the eardrum, the modest beat driving the listener along through the song is very catchy and will get even the most stagnant foot moving.

Almost sensing this, the Roman Flugel remix of Hammer of Thor distributes the trumpet effects throughout the song, and putting in more of the deliciously drum-snaps and beats and using the other effects as breaks in the action. Both versions of the track are wonderful raves that would get any dance-floor moving, but the dispersion of the less-ample effects in the Flugel version seem more pop-oriented.

Closing out the release, Cocks and Noodles is a shorter track with a more mellow traditional beat, but still one that’s well-defined and great to move to. Quieter and less drastic, Cocks and Noodles reveals that Riton is still hanging on to this previous influences while gasping out for new territory. "Hammer of Thor" is a transitional piece that finds an artist moving on to new musical ground, while still keeping a foot in familiar sounds.

(Published at 365Mag.com)

Shonky--Olympia EP

From the first bass rumblings of Olympia you know you’re in good hands. Shonky’s "Olympia" is his second EP since beginning his DJing career in 1998. Influenced by such Parisian artists like Dan Ghenacia, Ivan Smagghe, and :Terry, Shonky released his own debut "Let Me Ask You" in 2005, and follows it with "Olympia," Freak n’Chics’ first release of 2007.

Olympia—the namesake opener of the EP—is a straightforward yet tantalizing electronic joy-ride, displaying just what Shonky can do to get your body moving. Added on like layers on a sonic cake, brightly colored manifestations of resonance fly on by around the firm foundation of a solid dance-floor groove. Phantonmas is sludgier and darker, but still feature the kaleidoscope of whirling snapshot-like synth effects—like a sonic strobe light spitting out snippets of electronica joy.

Horizontal Moon – besides having one of the best song titles yet of 2007 – follows the same recipe as the previous two tracks. A different blend of effects are added however, which makes the general composure sound hipper and more life-like in a way that’s very difficult to explain. Perhaps it’s the addition of rhythmic vocals that make Horizontal Moon suave, or just the sly bass-line.

Whatever the case, Shonky makes himself a player in 2007 with "Olympia," showing he’s got the stuff to make it both in the Parisian scene and around the world.

(Published at 365Mag.com)

Zwan Blurb

After descending from the lofty perch of rock that was The Smashing Pumpkins, Billy Corgan and Pumpkins drummer Jimmy Chamberlin entered the new millennium with their newest creation: Zwan. Matt Sweeney of Chavez and Skunk fame joined in as guitarist, as well as David Pajo (of Slint and Tortoise) on guitars and bass.

Touring briefly in late 2001, the band gained Paz Lenchantin of A Perfect Circle on bass. By early 2002, Zwan’s live shows hinted at over 5 dozen songs in their line-up. Due to the sheer depth of musical quantity pouring out of the group, "Honestly" was released later that year through Reprise, and Mary Star of the Sea followed in January of ’03. Despite a strong start to the year -- including a five-night stand at The Smashing Pumpkins’ old nest (the Metro in Chicago) -- Zwan dissolved in September. Corgan hinted at wanting his Pumpkins back, and possibly starting a solo career as reasons for the break-up.

Sure enough, The Future Embrace – Corgan’s solo album – was released in the summer of 2005. A year later, The Smashing Pumpkins reformed and hiked off to the studio. They are expected to release their first studio album since 2000's MACHINA/The Machines of God on July 7th, 2007.

(Published at MusicEmissions.com)

Calla--Strength In Numbers

New York rockers Calla enter 2007 with their fifth studio release, Strength In Numbers. The trio have always been known for the wistful dark brand of moderately paced rock, and the fittingly titled Strength In Numbers shows a refined loyalty to this quality. Always gaining more talent and experience between releases, Strength In Numbers represents Calla’s improvements since Collisions. The opener "Sanctify," like the majority of the album, is a slow-burner that features a guitar snippet that reminds one of Sonic Youth, before launching into an Audioslave-like solo. Unfortunately, because of the songs’ not-quite laid-back nature, all of the tracks begin to melt together. Tunes like "A Sure Sight" and "Le Gusta El Fuego" are well-written jam tracks, but are also a tad repetitious and slow. Not to say those qualities are detrimental necessarily, but the songs do fail to retain the listener’s active attention. That said, the guitar work is wonderful and any track that rips out into a solo will become a well-worn favorite. In addition, Calla achieves a few very catchy tunes in "Defenses Down," "Rise," and "Bronson," not to mention the hauntingly chilling instrumental interlude found within "Malo." Calla stick to what they know, and gain an overall victory with Strength In Numbers. While some tracks may lose your attention – especially if you’re more pop oriented – the majority of the release is very enjoyable (turn to "Malicious Manner" for proof). Strength In Numbers finds the New York trio continuing to hone their talents, and still winning over auidences.

(Published at ComfortComes.com)

Silversun Pickups--Pikul

After hearing bootlegs of their own live shows, the Las Vegas group Silversun Pickups were so disgusted that they ran off to the studio to prove they could sound better. 10 seconds into Pikul shows not only that the group sounds better, but is a powerful force to be reckoned with. Their first hit, "Kissing Families" is a culmination of the ‘90s rock blend of shoegaze and alternative that has become Silversun’s trademark. Picking up comparisons to The Smashing Pumpkins and My Bloody Valentine, the song features Brian Aubert‘s hauntingly quiet voice that – at any moment – can explode into a fury of emotion. The effect-ridden shoegaze guitar solo blows whatever expectation you had of the group out of the water, climaxing into a chilling cello instrumental that displays the group’s fine use of loud/soft dynamics.

Within "Comeback Kid," Silversun Pickups create a suspicious instrumental cloud of pint up paranoia and fear. Once again, Silversun builds up towering climaxes and tears them down with instrumental fall-offs that ricochet seamlessly into another brilliant guitar solo worth drooling over. "Booksmart Devil" is a low-key, smoke-filled-room style groove that moves slowly yet gracefully along. Supported by Nikki Monninger’s bluesy bassline, Aubert throws out some jazz-themed guitar solos in a jam that’s still catchy as hell. "The Fuzz" follows suit, building slowly upon a groovy line that finally culminates into a gale of ‘90s alternative stylings.

Silversun Pickups deliver a delicious blend of shoegaze and alternative ‘90s rock, yet with their own classical touch. This isn’t just a memory of an era of music gone by, this is a talented group taking these influences and wrapping it into their own idea of what music should be: deep, intricate, emotionally stimulating, and complex. No cheap shots are taken, and every song is as well-written and well-executed as the last. In their first single, Silversun Pickups blow away most veteran bands’ full-lengths. The quality and care put into every song, in combination with the explosive quality of their later full-length Carnavas, reveal a band ready to take the world by storm.

(Published at MusicEmissions.com)

Tia Carrera

"We’re going to try to recruit all the stoners of the world to follow our band," proudly proclaims Jason Morales, guitarist of Tia Carrera. Like Phish and The Grateful Dead before him, Morlaes and his two bandmates thrash out powerfully terrifying grooves for hours upon the stage. Unlike their predecessors however, none of it is planned. "We never rehearse," confesses bassist Andrew Duplantis, and their live show proves it. Tia Carrera put new meaning to the term "jam band," crafting a scything line-up of bluesy, vintage and stoner rock…all improvised for your pleasure.

All music veterans, the trio of artists arrived into the 21st century still clasping their ‘90s grunge stylings, and refusing to let go. Jason Morales – raised in Olympia, Washington – played briefly with The Butthole Surfers and his own band Hell Trout, which played with Nirvana before Bleach. Hell Trout’s drummer Dave Foster even played for the fellow grungers before Chad Channing came along. Morales’ amp is even featured on the cover of Bleach. In addition to Tia Carrera, he also shreds ax in Migas and Gorch Fock.

Bass player Andrew Duplantis, hailing from Louisiana, has been very much an in-demand rhythm instrumentalist. Playing in over 40 bands since he first picked up a bass, including the Meat Puppets and Bob Mould, Duplantis brings with him the glue needed to fuse the talents of Morales and drummer Erik Conn. "I just feel it. It’s telepathy man," revels Conn. Playing for Roach Factory, Conn opened for Jesus Lizard, The Flaming Lips, Uncle Topuleo, and Mudhoney before joining up with Stick. It was Conn who proved the key middle man between Duplantis and Morales, gigging with them both and bringing them together at the suggestion of Duplantis

The group’s first gig – a benefit funding the construction of a skate park – was the trio’s first time playing together: raw, unrehearsed, and blistering. Concerned over the young skaters’ music tastes clashing with their style, Tia Carrera were surprised to find a different group applauding them. "The funniest thing was," recalls Morales, "I can remember playing and [the skaters’] parents all coming up and going ‘Yeah! These guys are playin’ some of that blues music…I saw Cream, and it was just like that!"

Since then, the group has been a regular at Room 710 in Austin, Texas. Each and every week, at 8:00 on Friday, the trio take the stage and throw out new jams…new even to them. "You don’t know where it’s going to go but it feels good," Morales claims of their songs. Duplantis agrees: "People really seem to lie it, because they’re not really songs. It’s not packaged into nice little two and half minute deliveries."

This quality makes for a thrilling and blazingly haunting live set, but making an entrance into the studio-world is difficult. Usually handing out free recordings of their live acts, Tia Carrera decided to record their first album. The November Session, released in 2003 and recorded in a single day, certainly got the critics talking. Rolling Stone magazine described it as containing "A-bomb quality, like the 1970s German band Guru Guru shredding Jimi Hendrix’s ‘Machine Gun’ at half-speed." The Austin Chronicle agreed, claiming the monstrous grooves are "like Hendrix firing up his axe while the Melvins pour kerosene on it…Tia Carrera will have you on your knees, begging darling please." Achieving a place on The Austin Chronicle’s Top 10 list of 2003, The November Session exposed a whole new demographic of music-lovers to Tia Carrera’s exposed and unabashed sound.

Their newest recording come out in 2007 within the Heaven / Hell EP, which features more of Tia Carrera’s blistering jam rock, with a few guest faces and always stepping closer to the power of their live act. Tia Carrera’s on-stage performance will always be the heart of the band. "It’s like a treasure," Conn muses, "You’re not looking for it, but lo and behold you find it, and it’s more beautiful than you ever imagined."

(Written for Arclight Records)

Mêlée--Horns & Halos

Even if you haven’t heard of Mêlée, you probably have heard them. Featured prominently and often on the popular shows "The O.C." and "House," the national recognition has nabbed the appropriately Orange County natives a spot on a major record label. Warner Bros will release Mêlée’s sophomore effort Devils & Angels in April of 2007. Horns & Halos, the first EP off their new record, gives a good idea of what we should expect from the California group. "Built to Last" is prominently pop, but with some mellow and desirable pop-indie influences as well. Clearly about a certain relationship (that’s "Built to Last," obviously), the song may be simplistic, but it’s easy on the ear and the instrumentals are fairly mellow and inoffensive. "Drive Away" is up next, and follows in the opening track’s footsteps. Pop, but not offensively painful and obviously so, the tune features more relationship woes but again fairly pleasant instrumentals that make up for any other lacking area. The final track "Frequently Baby (She’s A Teenage Maniac)" is wholly pop, and thus very annoying. The chorus could be catchy to some, but after the first two tracks I have little patience for yet another mindless romp through the flower-field that is mainstream radio. An enjoyable single, I doubt I would be as pleasant if I were forced to listen through a full-length.

(Published at MusicEmissions.com)

Dilatazione--Too Emotional For Maths

Imported shoegaze from Italy—a fine delicacy. Following along the instrumental paths of My Bloody Valentine, Ride, and label-mates My Majestic Star, Dilatazione’s Too Emotional For Maths contain 7 almost-fully instrumental tracks that at first seem to be a shoegazer’s dream come true. Ranging from 3 to over 7 minutes per song, Too Emotional For Maths carries a modest and informal mood—almost as if you’re sitting in on the band’s jam sessions. The songs feel loose and free to flow where they may, an interesting aspect that is both a boon and curse for the Italian group. Though a gem for some fans, the unfocused (and arguably rambling) quality of their songs may lose the attention spans of others. "Solo in una strada affollata" (which translates as "In One Road Only Crowded") and "Eva Robin’s meets Stefania Sandrelli" are excellent shoegaze grooves off the album. While some shoegaze fans will completely fall in love with Dilatazione’s unfiltered shoegaze work, others may find Too Emotional For Maths too drawn-out for me.

(Published at MusicEmissions.com)

The Living End--State of Emergency

Being American is sometimes (read: always) embarrassing. We’re a tad selfish with the whole natural resources thing, our attention spans are shallow and childish, and our tastes in music are just as shallow…most of the time at least. The Living End is a good example. They hail from Australia, and for some reason their latest work State of Emergency was hurt by a delayed release here in the States…primarily because of disinterest. What a crime. This album is the best pop-punk work I’ve heard in months, and that includes American Idiot by The Living End’s number one comparative artist: Green Day. Arguably (as will be argued by me), these guys blow the pants off Green Day, and State of Emergency should have swept through the States like a primeval wind-storm. Alas, my soap-box and I don’t control American tastes, so I will be satisfied by convincing you to go out and sneak a listen to The Living End—if you haven’t already.

Skinny ties and upright bass included, State of Emergency is an explosion of a pop-punk piece that includes horribly catchy tunes, one right after the other, and a general state of discontent towards the state of everything. "Wake Up" is probably the best example of this complaint, as singer Chris Cheney calmly instructs, along with a Floyd-like chorus of school-children: "So wake up / To the manipulation / Wake up / To the situation." The entire first half of the album is laden with punk rhythms just waiting for ears to lick up. From the stunningly fast guitar solo in "What’s On Your Radio" to the opening powerful chords of "’Til The End" (which will pull you into The Living End ‘til the end), State of Emergency rocks. "We Want More" sounds poignantly like earlier Green Day tracks, but frankly holds much more depth, more finely crafted instrumentals, and classier vocals.

The second half is a bit more pulled back. Tracks like "Nothing Lasts Forever" and "One Step Behind" find The Living End pulling back their formerly crashing instrumentals, opting instead for quiet verses and more moving choruses—giving Cheney to show off his lyrical might. This dip in intensity is a well-deserved break from the roller coaster of the opening tracks, and lets the closing songs come off much stronger than they would have if every single track were an tremendous sonic adventure. That’s not to say the middle tracks are bad, "Nowhere Town" still has a catchy pop melody, just with a light-punk influence. These scaled back tracks open up into the conclusion of the album, the blisteringly fast "Into The Red" which leaves the listener breathless from the mile-a-minute guitar solos…and strongly desirous to start the CD again. The Living End are wonderfully impressive in their latest musical addition, containing more depth and coming off as more catchy than their North American brethren—and perhaps humbling us Yanks.


(Published at MusicEmissions.com)

Brightblack Morning Light--Brightblack Morning Light

If Brightblack Morning Light were a person, you’d want to invite them to every single party you threw. They’ve got character out the wazoo as it were. Begun by childhood friends Nathan "Nabob" Shineywater (guitars, vocals) and Rachael "Rabob" or "Rabinyah" Hughes (Fender Rhodes, vocals), both have since decided to live isolated of modern city life. Instead, they live out in northern California. By summer you can find them in tents, and when winter rolls around they retreat to a cabin. Whether it’s because of their Indian blood or just because that’s who they are, they’ve got character. Once more, their music fits completely with their background. Combining shoegaze-esque grooves with quiet, country rhythms, their self-titled second album is much like what My Bloody Valentine would have been, had they been cowboys (or had Jerry Garcia as leadman). There’s a thought you hadn’t planned on thinking up today. Brightback Morning Light move about instrumental soundscapes slowly, like a celestial sonic donkey moseying it’s way across a Western landscape. Just their song title "Amber Canyon Magik" sums up their music. Does it work? Sort of. If you find yourself nodding off at the length of My Bloody Valentine and Mazzy Star, or skipping through the tracks of the Grateful Dead, Brightback Morning Light is not for you. While they have some good grooves, mainly they’re just long and drawn out. Great groovy background noise, Brightback Morning Light may struggle to keep your undivided attention, but if they do you’ll find wonderfully mesmerizing and fascinating tracks that unravel more of themselves every time you listen.

(Published at MusicEmissions.com)

Andy Partridge--Fuzzy Warbles

This is the sort of collectors box set that every music fan salivates over. Or is terrified of. Here, in over 9 CDs and an incredible 161 songs, Andy Partridge has assembled the vast enormity of songs that his group XTC never got around to using over their tumult-filled 30 year career—as well as a few of his own solo tracks. The total collection provides a good kaleidoscope of the many sides of XTC. In "Ship Trapped In The Ice" can be found the British Invasion stylings that got the group associated with other light poppy Brits. Within "I Don’t Want To Be Here" can be heard the edgy influences that always kept Andy and XTC distanced from traditional pop. Partridge’s song-writing skills are proudly displayed in the totally vocal track "Put It On Again," and as the fourth album opens we are immersed in the pastoral beauty of Partridge’s music after his 1982 nervous breakdown.

"All I Dream of is a Friend" finds Partridge vulnerable and alone with a guitar, singing tenderly of loneliness and forlorn feelings. In a conflicting paradox, XTC’s borderline scary playful mood blasts through "Bumpercars," an almost-dance based track that professes an undying love for the amusement park ride. Lush melodies aplenty are to be found on Volume 5, what with songs like the psychedelic and melancholy "My Land Is Burning." Passing by Volume 6 (a goofy collection of whistle and kazoo-filled tunes), we come to "Sonic Boom" and Volume 7, a more pop-oriented song that has strong roots in the late ‘80s, early ‘90s. By the end of the collection, the music sounds near-modern ("I Gave My Suitcase Away" is a good hit off of Volume 8). The Fuzzy Warbles Collectors Album plots the evolutionary course of a man and his band from the ‘70s all the way up to the present, charting their varying moods and influences along the way. Like a backstage pass to the music unseen from XTC, this collectors box-set should fill the appetite of even the hungriest XTC fan, and gives a magnified look at the songwriter skills of one of the most influential British rockers.

(Published at MusicEmissions.com)

The Klaxons--Myths of the Near Future

In the house where pop music lives, locked away in the attic and forced to feast upon fish-heads broods the Klaxons. Their debut album Myths of the Near Future reveal this London group as pop music’s ugly twin – hidden away from public view – a quality that is as intriguing as it is wonderful. Though primarily rooted indie rock, the Klaxons infuse a fair amount of dance music (mostly from the UK rave movement) which gives their tunes a pop-sound (much like The Arctic Monkeys). However, their songs stay clearly on the experimental side of the genre-border with whacked-out songs such as "Atlantis to Interzone." Though built upon a dance-floor beat, the crazed vocals (think Ad Astra Per Aspera) and spastic manner of the melodies show off the Klaxons’ nonconformist side.

Resounding much like Withdrawal and The Rapture, the Klaxons deliver their off-kilter lyrics at a mile-a-minute rate, barely pausing enough to let the instrumentals – and your ears – catch up ("Totem on the Timeline" is a great example, pumping out the tongue twister "Serebella sitting on the totum timeline / Unwelcome foreign hands are very hard to find / Hangmen also die, in famagusta's hive" in just a few seconds). While songs such as "Forgotten Worlds" and the chillingly melodic "It's Not Over Yet" may try to convince you that the Klaxons are a purely dance-infused pop outfit, this only but their surface. Turn to tunes like "Magick" and the tribal "Isle of Her" to see just how scarily original the Klaxons can be. Myths of the Near Future is bound to make a big, freaky splash in the music scene as the Klaxons descend from their attic lair.

(Published at MusicEmissions.com)

Beneath Augusta--You Gotta Come Down Sometime

"We sound like Interpol…I guess," relents Beneath Augusta on their MySpace page. This is a band that would rather pull their teeth than offer up a list of bands they copy. Which is refreshing…but it may also be because their sound is just so darn unique. You Gotta Come Down Sometime isn’t bland, but the music just presents itself without baggage or description, and when the song ends everything that it brought with into your ears slips away. This is a really long way to say Beneath Augusta present a scaled-back version of progressive rock, in a way not unlike Interpol. The album contains many appealing songs that would hold their own weight on mainstream radio stations. "Satellites," "Silhouettes In Two," and "Security Wires" in particular cater to some light-punk-pop tastes, contain some alternative instrumentals, and contain that necessary malcontent with most things ("The blood and feces just keeps building up"). The lyrics made be clich矡t times, but when tied together with their angsty music (and if you’re in the right sort of mood) they do sound well-written (i.e. "Getting too close means you’ll get burned" in "Silhouettes In Tow"). While You Gotta Come Down Sometime sounds impressive, it lacks that glue that keeps the music cemented in your brain. Beneath Augusta show great potential in this release, but also reveal that they are still finding their feet.

(Published at MusicEmissions.com)

Pimp the Cat--Pimp the Cat

I’m not one for jazz and blues albums, and don’t pretend to be very knowledgeable on the topic. But damn do I know some good music when I hear it. When this album fell into my lap I stayed away from playing it for at least a month because of the title and cover. Don’t judge a book by it’s cover, right? Never was this a more correct phrase than with Pimp the Cat. Despite their name (I envisioned the music of some immature "punk" outfit to come oozing out of my speakers), these guys can play like no other. Rounding out 74 minutes with 11 tracks (including "Itzit," an 11 minute instrumental), this is a groove album to end ‘em all. Most of the tracks are instrumentals, and average about 5 minutes. Beautifully played guitar solos, solo filled organs, and a cool-hand blues/jazz wave come sweeping out of this album…almost too much to handle. Made up of the best musicians for their respective instruments, (Mark Greenberg, the drummer, has played with the likes of The Doobie Brothers and Roomful Of Blues, as well as endorsing Zildjian), Pimp the Cat crank out "Bill Hilly," an 8 minute behemoth, like its no sweat. The solos roll out one after the other, simulating a great live experience. A wonderful gem of a find, Pimp the Cat prove not only that they can play the socks off anyone, but that "indie" is not just a rock term.

(Published at MusicEmissions.com)

Extropy -- The Machineries

Extropy’s liner notes hardly reveal the name of this album, let alone anything else to do with the mysterious group. The cover art is blisteringly artistic, a piece of art that could have stood up to the scrutiny that LP covers received. Yet it too reveals nothing about this group. A quick search online sheds light on relatively nothing, besides the random review here and there. No information, except that everyone who touches this album falls freakishly in love with it. The Machineries is Extropy’s second release, after Lethe was released back in 2004. The album strikes a very intriguing and appealing middle ground between rock, goth, industrial, and electronic vibes (like if Radiohead, VNV Nation, and Lacuna Coil all were flushed down the toilet, genetically fused in the sewer pipes, and came out to wreak havoc in New York City). From the word go (or rather, word "Epilogue" as their opening track is ironically titled) Extropy seize your attention, and I sat on the edge of my seat waiting to discover if this reclusive group is yet another sad pompous punk group, or if there is perhaps something to their aggressive themes. My oh my, was I in for a pleasant shock.

Extropy deliver electronic grooves that remain on the fringe of rock (and perhaps pop, but that just sounds so wrong) in the same way that Radiohead does, but they also thrown in tastes of goth and industrial influences, together with a wonderful anti-establishment mood that is obviously required when you have a song titled "The Quiet Attraction of Suburbia." Sure enough, beyond the breath-taking instrumentals (again, like Thom Yorke producing Lacuna Coil) is a political message ("Every golden age / Shaped and nourished / By the long shadow of progress / And the illusion of change") delivered by soft-spoken and chilling lyrics that rely on their words, not their volume, to get the point across. The Machineries contains more than a few instrumental tracks, all of which craft exhilarating electronic landscapes—never letting go of those more punk attitudes. A very interesting blend of many influences, Extropy continues to make a fan out of everyone who takes a peak at what they have been up to.

(Published at MusicEmissions.com)