REVIEW: Pale Sunday - The Fake Stories About You and Me

I make quite an effort to keep my eyes and ears open for that great indie guitar pop sound.  I'm accustomed to finding it in Scotland, England, Sweden, Finland, California, Seattle, New Zealand, Australia, and even Singapore (if you haven't listened to Obedient Wives Club, you are missing a treat).  But we get by with a little help from our friends (phrase trademarked by Rocksteady74 LLC), and in this case, the friend is Jimmy at Matinee Recordings. Thanks to Jimmy, we know about  Pale Sunday -- A Brazilian power pop/twee pop four piece whose The Fake Stories About You and Me EP continues Matinee Recordings' 2012 string of high quality releases.

"Happy (When You Lived Here)" is a lovely, jangly melody that may remind you Belle & Sebastian both in sound and in melancholic sentiments.  It also is available for free download.



The robust guitars and plaintive vocals of the second and third tracks, About Your Life and That's the Way, earn fair comparisons to Teenage Fanclub's powerpop portfolio.   The EP closes with the gentle Winter Song, on which piano and strings are added to the accompaniment.

Pale Sunday has chosen it's influences well, and executed its own interpretation of the genre in an excellent and affecting fashion.  And their shimmering pop arrangements and warm harmonies make The Fake Stories About You and Me EP a perfect record for your summer collection.

The members of Pale Sunday are Luiz Gustavo (bass/vocals), Sineval (guitar), Tiago Fuzz (guitar/synths), and AZ (drums/backing vocals).  Several of their previous releases can be streamed at their website and purchased from Matinee Records, the links for both of which are below.

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Matinee Recordings page for Pale Sunday

REVIEW: Ozarks - Ozarks

If you enjoy Flaming Lips and Jason Lytle (Grandaddy), I probably don't need to tell you any more about Robbie Augspurger and Eric Lee's Ozarks than to say you will definitely like it. If you don't, you may want to give this a chance anyway... there are more Hollies, Beach Boys, Beatles and other 60's/70's-inspired pop/rock moments than you can count. Actually, Augspurger wants you to count them...

I’ve been obsessed with recording music since I was about 13 years old, when I read The Beatles Recording Sessions by Mark Lewisohn. I loved that book and must have read it over 20 times until finally, its binding disintegrated. The dream of my youth was to get a mixing console so I could de-construct the Beatles’ mixes, until I discovered I’d need the master tapes to do that. So instead, I analyzed their stereo mixes one channel at a time on my dad’s old quadraphonic hi-fi system, trying to pick out sounds I’d never heard before.

That’s another thing we wanted to try with this record—have people pick out the references we make in the music. We thought it would be a funny thing to do.

Funny, maybe. Definitely enjoyable. This is a fun record that, like the work of Lytle, Coyne (and dare I say, Brian Wilson?) really rewards repeated listening. In addition to the baroque keyboard and vocal elements, check out the guitar lines on songs like "Out Of Tune" - a country-sounding break early on, and some sweet slide guitar later, with reverb laid on top. Every song reveals moments like this once you give them the chance.



Here's the video for album track "Pyramids of Love". Looks like Andy Kaufmann, sings like Wayne Coyne:



And you can download Pyramids of Love here.

As a non-album bonus, here's a video for Ozarks' cover of the Beach Boys' "Til I Die":




It's out now on Wil-Ru Records.

New EP from We Are John Wean

We Are John Wean are four guys who write and play songs about girls, life, girls, love and girls.  The  band was formed in 2009, and currently is based in Glasgow.  Earlier this week they released their EP New York Doesn't Love You.  The songs feature melody and hooks, and, in the title track, a modern love story with Facebook stalking.  And here it is --



And if you just want the audio:



The band is Conor Cartwright (vocals/rhythm guitar), Jude Smith (vocals/bass guitar/piano), Stuart Anderson (lead guitar), and Simon Coakley (drums), and they are from Uddingston.  They first caught my eye, or ears, with their humorous single "Desperate Dan (She Told Me She Was Single)" in which the narrator ponders his upcoming demise at the hand of the boyfriend of the girl he recently slept with. I marked them as a band to follow, and nothing on offer in the EP has changed my opinion.

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New Spanish Folk Rock Discovery: Maria Rodés - Sueño Triangular​

Maria Rodés is a Spanish singer/songwriter who is creating some of the most beautiful pop music I've heard in some time... touching on folk, alt/country and even some gently rocking soul, but with an almost supernatural voice in front of all the tempos and arrangements.

Here's the lead track "Te Vi" - gently picked acoustic guitar, lush keyboards, and that voice:



And here's the second song "Cae Lo Que Fuego Fue", which features a gently rocking second half, and serves as a good example of the variety and quality of her songs on this record:



Here's "Mirall" - the vocals, again:



It's out now on BCore Disc.

REVIEW: The Young Evils - Foreign Spells

In the timeless battle between good and evil, good often triumphs.  But as we grow up, we learn that there are times when evil wins.  Such is the case in the current Seattle indie scene, where the current  winning act is evil.  Or, to be more precise, The Young Evils.  And in the case of this band, we find ourselves in the position of cheering for evil.


The band was founded by Troy Nelson (guitar/songwriter/lead male vocals) and Mackenzie Mercer (female vocals), who met working in Seattle's Easy Street Records.  Cody Hurd was in the band near the beginning as well.   In 2010, they released Enchanted Chapel, a delightfully good debut LP full of energetic guitar pop and well-crafted ballads that cracked my list of top 20 albums for the year.  They are back, now as a five piece, with the four-track EP Foreign Spells.

Like its predecessor, Foreign Spells features fast paced songs with male/female vocals that sometimes are sung in unison and sometimes dueling.  However, for this release Troy's songs have a more complexity and a far darker shade, and the band's sonic palette is fuller.  They aren't yet in The Raveonettes territory in terms of sound and style, but they are discernible distance closer than they were two years ago.  And it should be noted that while Mercer's vocals were a standout on Enchanted Chapel, her gifts are even better showcased in her boyfriend's current set of songs.

Here is the single, and probably the best track -- "Young Animals" --



In addition to Troy Nelson  and Mackenzie Mercer, The Young Evils are Cody Hurd (guitar), Michael Lee (bass), and Eric Wennberg (drums).  Faustine Hudson played the drums on the EP.  The band's performance on the EP is tight and confident, and I think that Foreign Spells will serve as an excellent springboard for their continued development.

If you can't find a physical copy, or just like the digital route, Foreign Spells is priced to move on Amazon and Bandcamp.


You can stream the entire EP on the Bandcamp link below.



By the way, the busy Mr. Nelson also is a DJ at Seattle's influential KEXP (web listening link here), where he holds down the Friday 9pm to Saturday 1am slot and subs in the mornings for John Richards from time to time.

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New song from POST

POST is a Glasgow/Manchester we've been following enthusiastically for some time.  Just yesterday they released a proper single New Play Thing on the Blue Fur and We Can Still Picnic labels.  It is a very infectious vamping tune that will remind you of Franz Ferdinand (or, if you go back that far, Josef K).  And I have no doubt that there will be dancing feet to this track.  You can give the record a test spin with the promotional video right here.



The CD version of the single is available in stores in Glasgow, Manchester and London.  Digital copies are available in the usual digital outlets.

POST is Graham Wann, Craig Forbes, Adam Florence and Chris Elkin.  They have shows planned for Glasgow and London in the fall, and are planning to add August and September dates.  If you like these guys, and I highly recommend them, follow them through their website and Facebook pages, because the chose a name that is sure to frustrate those who try to research them via Google or other search engines.

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Video of PreTeen's performance of "Irene"

As readers here know, I'm very fond of the music of San Francisco band PreTeen.  I recently became aware of a video for their live performance of "Irene" from last November, so I am sharing it with you.



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Introducing: Orca Team

Seattle/Portland act Orca Team boasts an interesting and somewhat unusual sound that I describe as a mid-fi, semi-restrained surf pop with plenty of reverb and prominent bass lines.  Oh, and it sounds great.  They currently are on tour with dates in the eastern and midwest United States, and a few dates further west.

Their latest release is the 11-track Restraint album that they released last month.  Here is a video for one of the album tracks, "Too Busy to Love Me" --




You can stream it the entire album here.  If you're like me, you'll find the songs worming their way into you brain.



They have several other releases to their credit, which can be explored at the Bandcamp link below, and sourced via Bandcamp or their label, HHBTM Records (Happy Birthday to Me Records) in Athens, Georgia (link below).

The members of Orca Team are Dwayne Cullen (drums), Jessica B. (guitar), and Leif Anders (bass and vocals).

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New song from Father Sculptor

One of our most popular discoveries this year, and a personal favorite of mine, has been the talented Glasgow group Father Sculptor.  The lads have decided to follow up their excellent spring record Ember/Blue by releasing a single every two weeks through the summer.  And here is the first -- "Rhein", available July 16.  As with the spring release, this track features a beautiful melody, multiple sonic textures and a building tension.  Quite simply, it represents topnotch songcraft, and it continues to make the case that Father Sculptor, despite their recent entrance stage right, yields to no one in the ability to create emotionally evocative pop music.  Rarely does music make you feel so good about feeling melancholic.



And as a remedial lesson for those who are late to the WYMA party (sorry, you missed all the free beer), here are the aforementioned "Ember" and "Blue".



This band is building an impressive body of work, and if you are going to let anyone play your heartstrings with their guitar pics, these are the guys you'll choose.  Check back every fortnight; we intend to be along for the ride.

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Free song from Black Whales

One of my favorite Seattle Bands, Black Whales, has made their recently released single available for free download for a limited time.  "Vietnam" is a good song, so get busy.



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The Soul Corner - Bettye LaVette "You Don't Know Me At All'

I had the great pleasure of seeing Bettye LaVette at the Portland Bluesfest last Saturday. It was a gorgeous hot day on the downtown Portland riverfront. Bettye, playing while the sun was beating down on the stage at the hottest point of the day, thanked people for coming and said "I wouldn't stand out there in this heat to see Jesus walk on the water."
And while Bettye didn't quite walk across the Willamette River, she did remind me why she's my favorite living soul singer. She can belt out the rough soul rockers and then bring every last ounce of sympathy out of a ballad. And Bettye's stage presence is brassy, funny and utterly candid. If you run into at her and end up chatting her up, ask her about a night out drinking with Lucinda Williams.

This song, co-written and originally recorded by Don Henley, was performed at a similar summer festival and gives you a great flavor for both LaVette's attitude and performance chops:

And speaking of Lucinda, here's Bettye doing "Joy":

Introducing Teenage Burritos

I love the lo-fi girl group garage sound of Teenage Burritos.  We have two of their songs for you to enjoy, but first indulge me as I tell you what I know about them.  They are from San Diego, and the members are Kirsten on guitar, Rachel on drums and Emily on guitar.  As for other information....um...have I mentioned that they are from San Diego?  I guess I have.  OK, then, listen, enjoy, and look for more from this band.



Actually, we do have a bit more information.  The band will be releasing a tape in a few weeks on Burger Records.  We think Burger Records has good taste, and we know that we have good taste, so that gives you two votes for Teenage Burritos.  As for whether burgers and burritos are a good combination, that's a matter of individual preference, but it may cause you to increase your supply of condiments.



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Through the Sparks - Alamalibu

I love summer soups.  You know the kind -- chilled with a bit of spice and lots of different ingredients. It seems it can be a great template for an album as well.  Exhibit A, is Alamalibu (June release on Skybucket Records), the recent EP from Birmingham, Alabama's Through the Sparks.  


The band's intent to blend styles is signaled by the EP's title, a mash-up of their Alabama locale and the legendary Southern California beach community.  Then note that wonderful album art with a crustacean riding on top of muscle car.   But these guys aren't just about flashy PR.  The important thing -- the music itself -- is a welcome summer concoction of crunchy southern indie and sunny west coast power pop.  Here is lead track "Brion Monchus" --





Through the Sparks was formed in 2003, and has several LPs and previous EPs under their belt.
The band is new to me, so I can't compare previous efforts.  However, this EP promises you music born of two enduring styles, and ably delivers it.  I highly recommend Alamalibu for your summer soundtrack.


"Warring Arms" --



"Angel Fix" --



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New single from Shambles Miller

Shambles Miller is a Glasgow indie folk musician who has featured on the blog previously.  He returns today because he has released a two-track single entitled Confessions.  Released on Monday, the limited edition CDs already are sold out, but regular CDs and digital downloads remain available.  If you'd like to take if for a test drive, here it is --



In addition to a fine sense of melody (and an accent Americans may find a bit thick), Shambles' songs tend to be characterized by a deft sense of humor.  In that vein, and as an added feature, we've linked to another fine blog on which Shambles reports his experiences with speed dating (speed dating).

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REVIEW: Deep Time - Deep Time

The self-tiled release from Austin, Texas duo Deep Time manages a difficult feat: Nine songs of undeniably minimalist pop that still manage to give the listener good weight.  It seems to me that Jenifer Moore and Adam Jones accomplish that task by paying careful attention to the structure of the songs, and then providing a more robust rhythmic element via drums and bass that one would expect in a minimalist genre.  And ultimately, that prominent, almost tribal rhythm and Moore's vocals provide a otherworldly thrust that elevates Deep Time to a very interesting and satisfying listen.  Expect the unexpected, vocalizations that go beyond lyrics, and changes in tempo, volume and atmosphere mid-song.  While Moore's prior vocal work with the Carrots was more of the girl-group variety,  her contribution here is a shadow-tinged indie styling that reveals her to be a strong and innovative vocalist.



If you are the kind of pop fan that demands that an album choose its public face from the opening note and stick with it to the end, you'll likely appreciate, but not fall in love with this album (but if you are that kind of listener, you might not be reading this blog at all).  For those that like some surprises, and don't mind been asked to think a bit while enjoying a good song, you'll like this one.

This band originally was known as Yellow Fever, but were forced to choose a new name for legal reasons.  Deep Time was recorded in Austin and released yesterday by Hardly Art.

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Chelsea Light Moving - new Thurston Moore project

Chelsea Light Moving is the new project from Sonic Youth's Thurston Moore, including in addition to Moore (guitar/vocals/songwriter), Keith Wood (guitar), Samara Lubelski (bass) and John Moloney (drums).

They've released a new song, "Groovy and Linda" - billed as a paean to the 60's counterculture scene in New York City, it features, in addition to some truly spectacular guitar shredding, the chilling repeated lyric "Don't shoot, we are your children"... You can download it free, courtesy of Matador Records, by clicking here.

Here is what Moore has to say about the song:

Not to be confused with the 1968 coffee house folk song by Tom Parrott (recorded for Smithsonian Folkways), this chug n’ shred burner is a psycho reflection of late 60s NYC East Village hippie idealism slayed and splayed in an Avenue B tenement boiler room. Groovy was the boy born James Leroy Hutchinson from modest American means and Linda was Linda Fitzpatrick, she from a privileged nuclear household, both runaways to the lysergic pulchritude of peace, love and marijuana. When The Fugs went on tour in 1967 ringleader Ed Sanders enlisted Groovy to care take his Peace Eye bookstore at a “secret location on the lower east side” (E. 10th St., actually). An incredible underground poetry bookstore/art gallery/hip hang out and orgy hook up scene, Groovy turned it into a barefoot mantra crash pad for all the beautiful zonkers and speed freaks of alphabet city. It was hard for even a grouch like Sanders to get too miffed at Groovy who actually believed in the wild animal dreams of hippie. Groovy was in love with Linda, a starry-eyed goddess nymph and they were the power flower couple of Tompkins Square. Tragedy flapped its nightmare wings and the two were found brutally beaten and killed bathed in blood and mystery amidst their tie-dye rags and rolling papers. It signaled the end of the fairytale that the media presented in day-glo color come-hitherness in the pages of Life and Look magazine. The following year Charles Manson and his dune buggy motherfuckers would exact an even farther cry of chaos and killing in the bamboozled hills of Los Angeles. We, Chelsea Light Moving, want to mantra the names of these two angels of beauty, regardless of the cynicism and naïveté of youth, for these are the charms of the soul. “Don’t shoot!!” ----- we are your children……

Peace,

Thurston Moore

Here's the video for guitar shredder "Burroughs", which was released recently:



It's an intriguing and promising development, and it will be out on Matador in the fall.

REVIEW: Milk Maid - Mostly No

Milk Maid was founded in 2009 by Nine Black Alps bassist Martin Cohen.  Initially the venture was a side project to provide an outlet for his own songwriting ambitions.  The result was 2011's Yucca, an excellent mix of classic powerpop swathed in shoegaze and Jesus and Mary Chain distortion.  Mostly No, which is released this week on FatCat Records, represents a step forward in several respects, and not only in that Cohen has resigned for the Alps to concentrate on Milk Maid.  Cohen's songwriting on this album seems sharper and more assured.  And while both albums were home-recorded, Martin used the live shows following Yucca's release to test and refine the songs on Mostly No with the touring band.  It seems to me that the result is songs with more sonic range and more emotional swagger.  For all its good points, and there were many, Yucca had a bit of a bedroom recording feel to it.  A feel that I think Mostly No shrugs off despite its origins.  This may be a sophomore album chronologically, but the development it represents indicates that this band can compete with the Ty Segall, White Fence and others who are reshaping the influences that keep us coming back to rock music.

Here is the third track, "Do Right".  It is a terrific jolt of greasy, distorted rock and roll, and it is available for a free download --


Apparently, creating Mostly No wasn't without its difficulties, among them line-up changes and financial difficulties.  Perhaps some of the darkness in the album reflects its creation, but I don't want to give the impression that it is a downbeat listen.  It is lively, scuzzy and a bit psychedelic.  And it isn't devoid of positive messages.  Try "Summertime", a wonderful jolt of distortion with a suggestion that the desperate  hold on until summertime before considering suicide --


This is lo-fi indie, without synths or production gimmicks.  Mostly No just delivers pop songs with hooks, noise and feedback.  Is that what we wanted?  Well yes, yes it is.  And an additional bit of good news is that Cohen has begun writing Milk Maid's third album.

If you are collecting rock and roll this year, Mostly No has earned a spot on your list.

"Bad Luck" --


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The Glasgow Flower Show - Documentary

No, you haven't stumbled on a horticulture blog in error, this really is about music.  In mid-February of this year Glasgow label and multi-media collective Flowers in the Dustbin held a two day event celebrating the contribution of Flower's artists to the underground indie scene in Glasgow.  Flowers filmed it all for a documentary entitled The Glasgow Flower Show, and is launching the documentary with a 15 minute taster they call "the propaganda edition".  The propaganda contains contributions from  artist, bloggers, journalists, DJs and audience members, as well as clips of artists performing at the event.  Two of those acts, Kick to Kill and Mummy Short Arms have feature on these pages in recent months (and if we'd been aware of For Able's Yorkshire when it was released last November, we would have covered that as well).

Flowers in the Dustbin motto -- "be reasonable - demand genius" -- sets a high standard for the proceedings, and we think the event hurdles the bar with room to spare.  It certainly will be of interest to fans of Scottish indie, but we expect that it will appeal more broadly to those interested in music  We've embedded the propaganda edition below for your perusal.  And we'll immodestly add that the alert viewer will note at about the six minute mark a clip from this blog's review of the Kick to Kill release.



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New Dirty Blues Discovery: Left Lane Cruiser & James Leg - Painkillers

James Leg, who sings dirty blues in a voice that makes Tom Waits sound operatic, and Left Lane Cruiser, who play dirty blues as a duo, have combined forces to release Painkillers, an album of, you guessed it, dirty blues. It seems every generation rediscovers the glory of the blues, and this one is no different. Whereas the Stones worked with Howling Wolf and Clapton covered Robert Johnson and Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee, these cats are mixing their "original" blues with some later generation stuff.

It was recorded in Detroit, and with the involvement of Jim Diamond and Alive/Naturalsound Records, the pedigree is impeccable... but check out the song lineup.

Covers on this record include "Little Red Rooster", "Shake It" and "Come To Poppa":



But it also includes some pretty inspired choices: "Sway", "When The Levee Breaks", and "If 6 Was 9". These are not as you have heard them before... to say the least, and in their stripped-down, dirty versions is a combination of reverence toward the progenitors of the blues and a spirit of pure enjoyment that is rare to find.

This is a fun record for anybody with a taste for the blues.

Buy at Alive/Naturalsound Records

Duck Migrations: The Mallard on tour in July and August

It is July, the sun finally is out in Seattle (residents, please be calm -- a couple of hours a day for a few weeks is not harmful) and one of my favorite young bands, The Mallard, is swinging through the Pacific Northwest to begin their multi-state campaign to win your hearts.  It represents a great chance to see the band (now a foursome) play the songs from their great debut, Yes On Blood (our review here) and new ones for the second album.  Their brand of surfy, echo-garage rock is just right for a night out. I've seen them live, and they are worth the effort.

Here is the final track of Yes On Blood, "You Got the Critics" --



The dates and venues are as follows:
06/16/2012 Brick and Mortar w/Burnt Ones 
07/08/2012 Doug Fir Lounge Portland OR w/wimps
07/09/2012 Funhouse Seattle WA w/wimps
07/10/2012 The Manor Caldwell ID 
07/11/2012 Zoo City Missoula MT 
07/13/2012 The Aquarium Fargo ND w/Blind Shake 
07/14/2012 Turf Club St. Paul MN w/Blind Shake 
07/15/2012 Empty Bottle Chicago w/Blind Shake + Terrible Twos
07/17/2012 Frank’s Power Plant Milwaukee w/Blind Shake 
07/18/2012 Gabe’s Oasis Iowa City IA 
07/19/2012 Replay Lounge Lawrence, KS 
07/20/2012 Hi Dive Denver CO 
07/22/2012 Bootleg Theatre Los Angeles CA w/Magic Trash
08/08/2012 Tractor Tavern Seattle WA w/Shonen Knife
08/09/2012 Dante’s Portland OR w/Shonen Knife 
08/10/2012 Bottom of the Hill San Francisco w/Shonen Knife
08/11/2012 Blank Club San Jose CA w/Shonen Knife
08/12/2012 Alex’s Bar Long Beach CA w/Shonen Knife
08/13/2012 Casbah San Diego CA w/Shonen Knife

And from the debut album, "Fog" --



The band is helmed by vocalist, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist Greer McGettrick, and includes Dylan Tidyman-Jones (guitars/keys/vocals), Dylan Edrich (bass/guitar) and Miles Luttrell (drums).

They even grew up and got a video:



Oh, the T-shirt designs are pretty cool, too.

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Introducing: Driving Mrs. Satan

Driving Mrs. Satan is an band from Belfast, Northern Ireland, with a novel idea: Take heavy metal songs and present them as indie pop.  The members of the band are Claudia Sorvillo (vocals), Ernesto Nobili (guitar), and Giacomo Pedicini (double bass).  In my opinion, it is a fun concept, but more important, it is good music.  Try out their cover of Black Sabbath's "Never Say Die" --



And they haven't forgotten the importance of AC/DC to the heavy metal genre, so here is "Hells Bells":




I'll close with the band's cover of Helloween's "I Want Out". I'm especially fond of this one.



The music of Driving Mrs. Satan can be found at the band page at several of the links below, so I encourage you to explore, and to keep these metalheads in mind.

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REVIEW: The Semis - High On Pop EP

The Semis are a rock band from Tampa/St. Pete consisting of Billy Summer (who writes, sings, plays guitar and bass) and Kyle Lovell (drums). I don't qualify "rock" in any way, because to do so would be to minimize what they're doing. As I've observed in a previous review, they tend to veer from Stones raunch to clean, pretty, summery power pop (sometimes in the same song), and the common denominator is frontman Billy Summer's absolutely devastating way with a hook.

Whether it's any of the truly tasty guitar licks on songs like "Burn Your Eyes Like The Sun" and "The Smart One", or the rapturous vocals on the title track (currently my favorite song of 2012, by the way), The Semis define catchy... but without ever losing the edge that leads you to believe these guys could keep an Ybor City dive, or a bar full of SEC frat boys, rocking, dancing and hair-throwing along through a night of rock. That's a rare quality. To me, it puts Summer in a pretty small group with artists like Will Johnson, Jim James and Robert Pollard -- able to make a ridiculously catchy, poppy song, almost on demand... but also able to deliver razor-sharp rock with a pounding rhythm section and old-school guitar solos to keep things from getting too sweet.

As far as musical labels, you could call some of this psychedelic and you're never far from a power-pop breakout, but there are shoegaze elements in some of the guitar work - the way it's layered, mostly. And there are times this stuff, especially some of the solos that take flight, really reminds me of Crazy Horse.

Much like the Henry Clay People (read Scott's recent review), and personal favorite Centro-matic, I believe the Semis deserve a lot more exposure. Bands like this make wading through all the "other stuff" worthwhile. I've had the five songs on High On Pop on almost constant repeat for the last two weeks, and haven't tired of them yet.

Here's a link to download the EP. It's "name your price". Although I understand the reasoning behind offering to let you have it potentially free -- as a foretaste of a forthcoming album -- you really should pay for music this good. But hey, you're on the honor system. Me, I just want them to keep making music.



And today's your lucky day... Billy has also made the previous album Decapitator Blues available on Bandcamp. You can read my review if you would like, or you can just go ahead and download and listen for yourself.



Keep The Semis on your radar...

The Soul Corner - Some Kind of Wonderful

Here's a rocking jam from 1967 by a band out of Rochester NY, the Soul Brothers Six.

Of course you probably know the Grand Funk Railroad cover from 1975, which isn't too shabby at all, especially as these rock band covers of great soul songs go. They stay very true to the original and more than pull it off.

The Fantastic Johnny C also recorded it in 1968. Another winner.

Can I get a witness?

New EP from Saint Max and the Fanatics

Saint Max and the Fanatics is Max Syed-Tollan, a young man from the Galloway region of Scotland.  Max describes his music as offbeat pop, but while that description is undeniably accurate, it doesn't begin to convey the scope of his work.  It seems to me that the songs offered on this self-titled EP range from exuberant indie pop to a style I would call contemporary Celtic cabaret, which may bring to mind Morrissey.  But whatever you want to call it, it is captivating and entertaining.  Understand, for a young man, Max has a lot to say, and he says much of it to music.

The EP includes five tracks, which can be streamed in full below, but we will take an individual look at three of the songs that I think demonstrate his musical range, compositional skills, sense of humor and deft touch in telling a story.  Our spotlight first shines on track three, the beautiful ballad "Wonderful Life" --

The energetic pop side of Max is ably represented by the following two tracks.  "A Life Worth Living", which is the lead track of the EP, is a rollicking pop tune that careens on the edge of going out of control and smashing the glassware; it is a fun ride.


Fun, did I mention fun?  Good timing that is, because the third track I'll bring to your attention is the excellent indie pop track with a wicked sense of humor: "Die Annie Die" --



Max has the musical talent and a great voice, and he appears to have the necessary dose of ambition.  I think he's one of the ones to watch.

Max's EP released on July 16.  If you are one of our UK readers, you can hear the Saint live on Saturday, July 14, at The Captain's Rest in Glasgow.  The album was recorded at Glasgow's venerable Green Door Studio.  The Fanatics are, for the most part, Max himself on vocals, guitar, bass and keys.  But the album also credits Muir Steele (guitars and bass), Elliot Waterhouse (brass), Fraser Gibson (brass), Ewan McCall (brass), Scott Murphy (brass), and Scott Duff (drums).

You can stream the entire EP here on Bandcamp.  If you prefer Soundcloud, here is the link.




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Multiple songs on Soundcloud
Twitter ( @saintmaxmusic )

RIP Andy Griffith: A Short Appreciation of His Contributions to the World of Music

I realize this is a music blog, but for some reason the news of Griffith's passing inspired me to want to share a few things with you...

Griffith was inspired to a career in the arts by his early love of music, and his first role was as folk singer/demagogue Lonesome Rhodes in 1957's A Face In The Crowd:



But of course, he was born and raised in North Carolina, and his best-known work was based there... and music was always a big part of the show. I was always partial to the version of the theme song with words:



And, heck, remember the Darlin's? (The Dillards) One of the best intersections of comedy and music ever - great, great stuff:

REVIEW: The Henry Clay People - Twenty-Five For The Rest Of Our Lives

A new album from Southern California's The Henry Clay People puts a bit of the old spotlight on the relationship, don't you know.  Oh, don't get me wrong, I don't mean our relationship with the band, which is a mutual twitter following and us telling everyone to buy their albums while they become rock and roll millionaires and fly in private jets to their tax haven mansions.  No, I mean the relationship of the WYMA crew about the band.  You see, if Bob Pollard's many artistic platforms comprise the spiritual inspiration for this blog, The Henry Clay People are the noisy, energetic heart where all of our tastes overlap.


It began a number of years ago when I was driving to work listening to Seattle's KEXP, and I heard the song "Something In The Water".  In my typical, debonair lawyer fashion I said out loud "that's a great f**king song".  KEXP taunted me over the next few months by playing that song, as well as "This Ain't A Scene" and "You Can Be Timeless", while I unsuccessfully tried to source the album, For Cheap or For Free, from a curiously unresponsive label.  I also began singing the band's praises on an alumni website that includes all of the eventual contributors to WYMA, and they enthusiastically embraced (in a figurative, mostly platonic fashion) the band.  Meanwhile, I eventually procured three of their albums, and John was moved to start this blog by a vision of Bob Pollard in his mirror while shaving one morning.  So now we are in a happy place to celebrate another album from The Henry Clay People.


Twenty-Five For The Rest Of Our Lives finds the band fine-tuning their signature rock sound while exploring the margins of rock and roll's impossible promise of eternal youth.  I say "fine-tuning" rather than polishing, because this music is, at its core, garage rock with reminders of The Replacements and Pavement (in sound, more the former than the latter for my ears); the smart band doesn't over polish that sound, and this is a smart band.  This album also continues the band's characteristic vocal approach, consisting of sing/speak lead vocals and call and response participation from the rest of the band.  The results are anthems that invite the audience to join in the chorus.  There can be no better first taste to the sound and spirit of the album than its  title track --



So, there we are.  In a day and age when much of the energy and thrust in pop music is based on synths and drum machines, and embracing and reinventing every musical form from the past 60 years except, it seems, rock, we have The Henry Clay People carrying the rock standard.  The album is tight and fast--11 songs in about a half hour.  And the boys deftly sidestep the deadly indie rock mid-tempo jungle, with most of the tracks lending themselves to fist pumping and jumping around.  Even when discussing the mid-20s pain of having to move home in "Hide", the perspective seems to be that of a young man looking around, rather than a full adult looking back.  Life may not be all skateboards and girls, but no one is admitting defeat.



That isn't to say that the band doesn't record fine slower songs, as evidenced by "Friends Are Forgiving" --


But the key to this all may be in a comment that Joey made about the album.  He said that they wanted to make an album that would have excited them as teenagers, but the route to doing so was to stumble a bit recently and direct their teenage angst at their allegedly unimpressive 20s.  That is the sort of concept that could have gone roadkill on a hot summer highway.  Fortunately for us, and the band, they stuck the landing.  In gratitude, I can only hope that they have as much fun making and playing this album as I do listening to it.

And for a fun closer, here is a live version of "Anymore / Any Less".  This recording seems to represent an advance in touring procedure wherein the band doesn't bother to leave the tour bus.


The Henry Clay People are Andy, Harris, Eric and Joey.  Andy and Joey are brothers, and have been with the band from its inception. Twenty-Five For The Rest Of Our Lives is out now on TBD Records.  You should be buying a copy.  Now.

Website
Facebook
Twitter ( @henryclaypeople )

Soul Corner - Special 4th of July edition

The United States of America has contributed many great things to the world, and here in the US, we celebrate many of them today - democracy, freedom, the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights. And it's a a fun holiday in no small part because in many households there are 2 other elements to the day - American music and barbeque.

And so today we give you some of America's finest, live versions of a few quintessential soul songs, festive and celebratory.

And speaking of dancing, we can't forget the Motor City:

Maybe this one can help you beat the heat that is bearing down on much of the country right now:

 
Now let that guitar fall in:

The man himself, America's great musical ambassador, Ray Charles:

We'll close this dance party and hopefully inspire the music for your own celebration with one of America's true legends, James Brown, just absolutely killing it here from 1965:

Happy 4th of July from all of us here at WYMA.

Update: Lisa Hannigan and Joe Henry

WYMA loves and supports both these artists. And a few lucky cities, including mine, got to see Mr. Joe Henry and the lovely Ms. Hannigan perform together recently. Along they way they did some impromptu recordings. This very recent recording from Portland:

The Railway Club

The Railway Club is a British chamber pop group that makes music that makes you feel good.  It is a public service, and it is very welcome.  Their debut single "Broken Strings", with B-side "Angel in the House", is available on July 9 as a digital download and a limited run of cassettes via Tiny Lights Recordings.  The band is preparing an album for a hoped-for August release.

Here is the A-side for the single:



The band is from the coastal town of South Shields, and its members are Martin Francis Trollope, David Garrick, Richard Milburn, Carmen Green, Glenn Coyne and Grant Lagan.  It appear that one or more of them have a sense of humor, because their Facebook page contains the following description: "Music played by a collection of people who wouldn't look out of place sleeping on the floor of a train station."

Here is the B-side:



Digital copies of the single will be available from Bandcamp, iTunes, Spotify, emusic and Amazon.

Website
Facebook
Twitter ( @railwaymusic )

REVIEW: A Place To Bury Strangers - Worship

A Place to Bury Strangers, the noise pop foursome from Brooklyn, has this week released Worship, a dense and darkly hypnotic album that will bring back fond memories of Joy Division, Jesus & Mary Chain and My Bloody Valentine... but this band is not simply following influences.

They take it in several different directions - "And I'm Up" is a really accessible guitar rock song, whereas lead track "Alone" features some pretty primal industrial drumming and "Mind Control" calls to mind something like a more aggressive Bauhaus. In fact, lead singer Oliver Ackermann definitely calls to mind Peter Murphy, an old favorite.

The variety in guitar sounds, and Ackermann's vocals, make this more than just another industrial noise rock record, and well worth checking out. It even veers into psychedelic territory on "And I'm Up"... We posted the advance track and the video for album track "You Are The One" on WYMA previously here.

And courtesy of their label, Dead Oceans, you can download "You Are The One" here.

And here's the video for "So Far Away":



And a live video (of an older song, "Burning Plastic") from a European appearance:



They'll be back out on tour the rest of the summer:

07/16/12 - Columbus, OH - The Basement
07/17/12 - Chicago, IL - Empty Bottle
07/18/12 - Indianapolis, IN - White Rabbit
07/19/12 - St. Louis, MO - Firebird
07/20/12 - Lincoln, NE - Bourbon Theatre
07/21/12 - Denver, CO - Underground Music Showcase
07/23/12 - Nashville, TN - Mercy Lounge
07/24/12 - Atlanta, GA - Drunken Unicorn
07/25/12 - Charlotte, NC - Tremont Music Hall
07/26/12 - Washington DC - Rock & Roll Hotel
07/27/12 - Brooklyn, NY - Music Hall of Williamsburg (Record Release)
07/28/12 - Philadelphia, PA - TBD
07/29/12 - Boston, MA - Middle East Downstairs
07/30/12 - New Haven, CT - The Space

A Place To Bury Strangers Website

New Dinosaur Jr. Song: "Watch The Corners" from I Bet On Sky, due out in September

Pretty exciting news - Dinosaur Jr. is touring later this summer and into the fall, and has a new album, I Bet On Sky, due out in September.

You can stream the advance single now at Rolling Stone. And you should - it sounds great.

Pretty excited about this album and seeing them on tour this fall. Farm was a terrific record -



- no reason to expect less this time.

Here are the tour dates:

Tour Dates:
07/06/12 Des Moines, IA: 80/35 Music Festival
08/25/12 St. Louis, MO: LouFest 2012
09/24/12 Toronto, ON: Lee's Palace
09/25/12 Toronto, ON: Lee's Palace
09/26/12 Toronto, ON: Lee's Palace
09/27/12 Detroit, MI: St. Andrew's Hall
09/28/12 Cincinnati, OH: MidPoint Music Festival
09/29/12 Champaign, IL: Pygmalion Festival
10/01/12 Nashville, TN: Mercy Lounge*
10/02/12 Atlanta, GA: Variety Playhouse*
10/03/12 New Orleans, LA: Tipitina's*
10/04/12 Austin, TX: Mohawk*
10/05/12 Houston, TX: Fitzgerald's*
10/06/12 Dallas, TX: The Prophet Bar*
10/08/12 Flagstaff, AZ: Orpheum Theater*
10/09/12 Santa Ana, CA: The Observatory*
10/10/12 San Francisco, CA: The Fillmore*
10/11/12 Eugene, OR, WOW Hall*
10/12/12 Seattle, WA: Neptune Theatre*
10/14/12 Salt Lake City, UT: Urban Lounge*
10/15/12 Denver, CO: Bluebird Theater*
10/17/12 Omaha, NE: The Waiting Room*
10/18/12 Minneapolis, MN: Cabooze*
10/19/12 Madison, WI: Majestic Theatre*
10/20/12 Grand Rapids, MI: The Orbit Room*
10/22/12 Bloomington, IN: The Bluebird*
10/23/12 Cleveland, OH: Beachland Ballroom*
10/24/12 Millvale, PA: Mr. Smalls Theatre*
10/25/12 Washington, DC: Black Cat*
10/26/12 Charlottesville, VA: Jefferson Theater*
10/27/12 Philadelphia, PA: Union Transfer*