REVIEW: Deathline - Nova

Nova is the exciting debut LP from Deathline, the London-based rock/electronic duo consisting of Jennie Werlemar (vocals and bass) and Kaoru Sato (guitar and programming).  Featuring thundering industrial beats, menacing guitars that bring to mind Suicide gleefully distorting the Stooges and Velvet Underground and Werlemar's distinctive low register vocals, this album could be your dark mood choice for the Winter.  Give it a try with "Ten of Clubs" --


DEATHLINE - Ten of Clubs from Deathline on Vimeo.

Nova's atmosphere is dense and foreboding, with synth lines and guitar riffs cutting through the fog.  In the wrong hands, these elements could be suffocating.  But the 13 tracks here are exhilarating, even liberating.  And it is all distinctly Deathline -- too dark and swaggering to be shoegaze, too noir and industrial to be psychedelic, too post-rock to truly be garage or blues rock.


If you like what you've heard, check out the Bandcamp link, where you can stream and buy the entire album.

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Bandcamp for Nova

New Texas Alt Country Discovery - J. Charles and The Trainrobbers - Upon Leaving

 

J. Charles and The Trainrobbers is a Dallas-based outfit playing punk-inflected country rock with the added bonus of some really gorgeous pedal steel. Produced by Centro-matic's Matt Pence, this record has a big sound that belies the fact that it's their first release. Put another way, this band has surely been refining its chops for years - they don't come out of the box sounding this strong.

From the opener's mournful a capella harmonies to the hard rocking guitars of later cuts like "Something", Upon Leaving sets the level high and keeps it high throughout. Strong, strong choruses and, again, I just can't say enough about the pedal steel. The band's lineup consists of J. Charles Saenz (Guitar, Vocals), Steven Visneau (Drums), Justin Young (Bass, Vocals) and Danny Crelin (Pedal Steel Guitar). Saenz's vocals are a bit reminiscent of a younger John Mellencamp, but this is much more C&W-leaning. Other touchpoints may be the Drive-by Truckers or Jason Isbell, in their harder-rocking country moments.

Here's a video of them performing "Something" - check out the way they build to the chorus and layer in the vocal harmonies and pedal steel on top of a very strong country rock sound:





J. Charles and The Trainrobbers is a welcome addition to my collection of terrific alt country from the DFW area (Centro-matic, Slobberbone, Old 97's)... looking forward to hearing more from them. The record is available via the label End Sounds.

Introducing: La Luz

Not ready to leave summer?  Let's look backwards a bit with some indie surf.  With an appealing sound that evokes Dick Dale or the Ventures combined with a '60s girl group, the young, all-female Seattlites called La Luz are just what the DJ prescribed.

The band members are Shana Cleveland (guitar), Marian Li Pino (drums), Abbey Blackwell (bass), and Katie Jacobson (keyboard).  And they all sing.  Give their new Damp Face EP  a spin.  Swing to the fast numbers line "Sure as Spring", feel a chill with the atmospheric surf noir instrumental of "Damp Face".  If you like it, the Bandcamp site is your new best friend.  The digital EP is available for "name your price" and the cassette for $4.  Hang on to those summer vibes with La Luz, my friends.


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Black Friday Special - Free Single from The Deadline Shakes

Sounding like a combination of The Strokes from NYC and Glasgow's beloved Orange Juice either one of which should be enough cool for any occasion -- "Don't Be Too Cool" is the latest single from The Deadline Shakes.  And the song has been made available for free download by the band's label, Flowers in the Dustbin.  So give it a play, and then download it at Bandcamp.  This will be the cheapest Black Friday treat, and probably the easiest to obtain.  And you won't tire of it like that sweater you just bought (whatever were you thinking?).

"Don't Be Too Cool" follows in the fine tradition of Glasgow guitar pop.  Add it to your holiday season soundtrack.


The Deadline Shakes are Greg Dingwall (guitar/vocals), Iain McKinstry (guitar/vocals), Martin McLeod (bass) and Thomas Booth (drums).  Our original profile of the band and their debut single "Sweeten the Deal" is here.

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The Soul Corner - The special Irish Chocolate edition

Especially for the many Notre Dame football fans among our loyal readers, we feature the signature song of a special young man today.

Louis Nix III is a defensive lineman whose dominating play in the middle is a very big reason why Notre Dame is rated #1 in the country. But perhaps more important are Louis' enthusiasm and infectious personality, which contribute significantly to ND's remarkable team chemistry.

The junior from Jacksonville, Florida has 11 younger brothers, so he no doubt learned to lead with some humor and perspective there.

We know of his outsized personality from a series of homemade videos that he posts called Chocolate News. Here's my favorite: We pet mooses around here.

So what is the theme song that Big Lou uses in the videos?  "Candy" by Cameo from their 1986 smash  Word Up!:

   

Cameo were a large ensemble from New York City, led by Larry Blackmon. "Candy" has been sampled by many, including Tupac Shakur, Mariah Carey, the Black Eyed Peas, and Master P.

So as America finishes up the Thanksgiving celebration and turns its attention to Notre Dame's regular season finale against traditional rival Southern Cal tomorrow, we here at the Soul Corner give thanks for ND's remarkable season and honor the 6'3", 326 pound soul man, "Irish Chocolate", the irrepressible Louis Nix III.

Happy Thanksgiving from WYMA!

As we did last year, we'd like to wish our loyal readers wherever you are out there across the world, a very Happy Thanksgiving Day.  We've got a set of great tunes to give thanks to today.
Our readership nearly doubled this year, and we are grateful to all of you for the support. We are having fun here.
So thank you!
Here's two for you Soul Corner fans, the first courtesy of Frank Fahey:

And for you rockers who like your thank you's a bit more on the greasy side, here's a kick ass live version of "I Thank You" by some guys who had beards long before they were trendy hipster gear:

Here's one from the great Ray Davies, a proper Brit (well sort of), noting this American holiday:

And finally, from our dear friends in Chicago, Diane Christiansen and Steve Dawson, and their great Americana band Dolly Varden, a brand new song "Thank You". This is from their new full length CD For A While which we will be writing about here when it is released in Jan 2013. A new Dolly Varden record is indeed something to be thankful for:

Have a great Thanksgiving Day everyone! Tune in tomorrow for a very special edition of the Soul Corner that will carry particularly resonance for you Notre Dame football fans out there.

Introducing: French Films

New Order trying its hand as a garage band, or the Hives or the Strokes trying for New Order's new wave?  Whichever way you decide to view it, Finnish band French Films has captured an undeniably great sound.  The band was formed in 2010, garnered positive attention with a few demos and released a four track EP.  In 2011 they released the Imaginary Future LP.  They are working on their second full length, but this summer released the two-track 7" When People Like You Filled The Heavens.  Both tracks are excellent.



The current line-up for French Films is Johannes Leppanen (guitar/vocals), Joni Kahkonen (guitar/vocals), Santtu Vainio (keyboards), Antti Inkilainen (drums), and Tuomas Asanti (bass).


Here is "Convict" from last year's Imaginary Future full length --



You can stream four of the album's ten songs at this Soundcloud link.

The four-track EP Golden Sea was released in 2010.  Here is the title track --



You can stream the entire EP here.

I think these guys have a great future, and can make their mark far beyond Finland's shores.  Give them a little time at the links.  Their current output is available at iTunes and Amazon.  And of course, watch for the release of their second album.

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REVIEW: Woollen Kits - Four Girls

If a guitar pop fan were to pick only one city to supply his or her musical needs lately, a competitive candidate would be Melbourne, Australia.  And one of the reasons is the trio known as Woollen Kits.  With apparent influences from '60s rock, the Flying Nun bands and '80s underground rock, this band creates an exciting brand of garage pop, with enough punk, enough jangle and enough driving bass to make their music stand out from the crowd.  Can three guys sound like a mash up of The Troggs, The Clean and a band from Athens, Georgia with plenty of caffeine?  Their new LP Four Girls answers the question in the affirmative.  Try it out with the single "Susannah" --



Four Girls presents a guitar pop band that is unafraid to adorn their melodies with muscle and energy.  The confidence in the music they produce is evident, and it is infectious.  I'd give you hints about which songs are the best, but my favorites tend to change with each listen.  But the last time through the album I gave replay honors to "Be You" and "All Sorts" as well as "Susannah".

 By the way, the title of the album reflects the subject of four of the ten tracks -- in addition to "Susannah", there are songs entitled Shelley, Sandra and Cheryl.  Shall we meet Shelley?



Woollen Kits is Tom Hardisty, Tom Ridgewell and Leon Applebee.  Four Girls is their second LP of 2012, and it is out on RIP Society Records in Australia and Trouble in Mind Records in the U.S.

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Let's honor 1988: The Replacements

We here at WYMA are a little giddy today over our 11-0 football team. It reminds us of our most recent glory days in the late '80s, early '90s, when the Fighting Irish were in the national championship hunt every year, and not forgotten for us music geeks, great American rock blasted across the quads on America's most beautiful campus and its game day parking lots.
When Cierre Wood broke off that long TD run on a picture perfect option play in the first quarter today, it immediately brought this to mind, echoes of glorious Notre Dame teams and tailgates past :  

And this:

More recently, there's this beautiful mess:

For rock trivia, did you know that the 'Mats longtime sound man and engineer Tim Powell was an Notre Dame grad?  

My favorite personal ND 'Mats story - their mgr Peter Jesperson game me a cassette advance of Tim in September 1985, shortly before it came out. I headed off to ND for a game the next day. We brought a boom box into Lee's Ribs and blasted it in there after the game, then ended up at Bridget's late that night, where we paid the bartender $20 to turn it up full blast and play it all night on continuous loop. ND fans celebrated beating Michigan State 27-10 and heard Tim, arguably the great rock'n'roll album in American history, before anyone else in the US. A Midwestern celebration of the highest order.  

It sounded like this: 

  

The Soul Corner - "The Tracks of My Tears'

One of the first music conversations I ever had with WYMA's founder and fearless leader, John Hyland, was about today's song. We both marvelled at its perfect construction, unforgettable lyrics and array of pop hooks.

Smokey Robinson is an absolute master and this is one of his very finest moments. Some good footage here:

Introducing: The Rosy Crucifixion

I don't know where you go for morbidly focused hillbilly garage music, but of course I go to Glasgow.  That's right, Glasgow's The Rosy Crucifixion delivers crashing and twanging roots guitars, female vocals and garage ethos.  My research indicates that the members of the band are Emily MacLaren, Stuart Evans, Andrew Power and Conal Blake.  I don't believe that you'll find any records to purchase, but perhaps if you obsessively play their music the band will be encouraged to officially release some records.

Here are some demos, some or all of which appear on a compilation of current Glasgow music arranged by three of that fair city's indie labels.  You'll hear thunder, twang, harmonies and surfy riffs.  You'll be amazed, thrilled, and want more.  You may look over your shoulder on the way home, as well.







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Introducing: Dick Diver

The music of Melbourne's Dick Diver has a certain scruffiness to it.  That doesn't mean that it is sloppy or poorly executed.  In fact, it is exciting, high-quality music from a band with great promise.  What I'm trying to convey is that their music has a comfortable, well worn vibe to it; it just feels like it belongs in your life.  In that way it sounds like little else you'll listen to, despite hints of many other bands you surely have heard.

I make no claim to being an expert, having stumbled on the band after writing a recent post about Melbourne's Boomgates, which shares with Dick Diver one Stephanie Hughes.  The other members of the band are Al Montfort on bass, and founders and guitarists Alastair McKay and Rupert Edwards.  Steph is listed as a drummer, as well as one of the vocalists, although I seem to recall a video in which she was playing a guitar, so my information may not be current.  The name of the band may be taken from a character in an F. Scott Fitzgerald novel.

In 2011 Dick Diver released the excellent LP New Start Again, which is embedded for your streaming pleasure further down in the post.  However, looking forward, the band will be releasing a new LP in 2013 on the Chapter Music label.  In the meantime, they have issued the five-track Alice EP.  The title track will be on the forthcoming album, but the other for tracks are only available on this EP.  You can try it here, and obtain it at the Bandcamp link below.





Here is the opening track from the 2011 LP --


Dick Diver - Through The D from Chapter Music on Vimeo.

The deliciously laid back "Head Back" --







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New Twin Cities Shoegaze/Psych Discovery - Pony Trash (new EP out 11/27)

Pony Trash is a Minneapolis/St. Paul rock group comprised of members of other area bands, including Chambermaids (who we featured here) and Polica (who we featured here). They have a self-titled EP due out November 27 via The Old Blackberry Way. That's the name of the new label on which it will be released, and also the studio, where lead man Neil Weir makes music and produces music for other Minnesota artists.

It's dense, kind of alternates between dark and sunny and features loads of really good electric guitar - in other words, great rock music. The label "shoegaze" is used, by the artists themselves, and I suppose it applies in part, but it is sort of limiting - their sound is much more expansive than that. The record features some astounding guitar work - sort of surfy, with the strings bending, and very full. The vocals are sort of mixed down - at least it sounds a bit that way to me - but the vocal harmonies are terrific.

Here's the video for "The Weight Of The Night" - this stuff reminds me a good bit of the late, great Love Tractor and that is a compliment of the highest order from me:



You can listen for yourself, and order a limited edition vinyl, here:

New song from Veronica Falls

I rated the debut full length (our review here) from Veronica Falls to be my sixth favorite album of 2011 (2011 list), so it will be no surprise that I welcomed the news that Bella Union and Slumberland will be releasing a new Veronica Falls album, Waiting for Something to Happen, in 2013.  I have no further details, but Slumberland made this song from the album available to stream this week.  It is good stuff, and I think you'll understand why I'm counting the days until the entire album is available.



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REVIEW: Local H -- Hallelujah! I'm a Bum

How you gonna live at 40?
How you gonna live it down?
How you gonna live at 40?
Whatcha gonna tell your kids?

Scott Lucas asked those questions way back in 2004, in the classic song "Heavy Metal Bakesale" on the fifth Local H album Whatever Happened to PJ Soles? In the intervening years, Lucas himself has waded that Rubicon into middle age. So how, then, does Scott Lucas live it down, now that he's a couple of years on the other side of 40? Well, he lives it down by releasing the best Local H album yet, and then hitting the road to tour the hell out of it.

The album, Hallelujah! I'm a Bum, takes its title from a hundred year old hobo folk song, and like every Local H album, it showcases a tense interplay of empathy and fury. Despite the vocal similarities, I've always considered Lucas to be less Kurt Cobain and more Paul Westerberg -- an opinion I'd refrain from expressing if I didn't think this album proved me right. That is, for maybe the first time in this band's body of work, Lucas seems less a brash, bad-tempered smartass and more a wistful, careworn smartass.

In fact, some of the best moments on the album are when he's not trying to be a smartass at all. On "Blue Line," Lucas expands the record's "concept" beyond ruminations on the ennui and frustrations of real people struggling in a depressed economy, observing more big-picture tears in the social fabric:

It's getting hard to realize
A sense of self in other eyes
. . .
The "we" is dead

Lucas, a Chicagoan (originally from Zion, IL), has set the scene on the Blue Line train that runs from O'Hare through downtown and out to the western suburbs -- which in winter is, for many of the desperately poor, the only respite from the elements. Check it out:



Although several songs on this hour-long album tilt toward the anthemic, there's no shortage of those muscular, caustic tunes necessary to a proper Local H effort. Among my favorites is "Paddy Considine", a worthy effort to do for the English actor something along the lines of what Jonathan Richman did for Pablo Picasso.



It's hard to overstate how excellent this album is from front to back, with perfect pacing, recurring lyrical themes, and plenty of noise. Lucas always has been a great lyricist, but there are some stunning phrases on this record -- e.g., "a gauntlet of goodbyes" (from "Say the Word") -- that suggest he's one of those rare rock and roll artists whose voice as a writer continues to improve as he gets older. Indeed, he seems to be embracing his 40s. You can see this very thing in the first video from the album, for the song "Cold Manor", although he probably is not as quick to fight people in the crowd as he used to be.



"Hallelujah! I'm a Bum" was released in September by Slimstyle Records. Get it in time to be familiar with it when you catch them live, which in my case, will be on 15 December at Local 506 in Chapel Hill. Check the other dates at the band's page linked below.  First, though, here's a brilliant concert video. It's not on the album, but it did happen.


Local H page

SlimStyle Records

New Krautrock from Spain - Jupiter Lion

Jupiter Lion is a Valencia (Spain, not California)-based band playing some terrific driving music - in fact, this self-titled album is about the best driving record I've gotten in years. It's krautrock in the Kraftwerk and Neu! tradition, but it's a little heavier, calling to mind things like "Interstellar Overdrive".

The group consists of Sais (vocals, synthesizer and programming), Jose Guerrero (Bass guitar) and Gonzo In Vegas (drums). It was recorded with the help of Pablo Peiro, the bass player from Betunizer, another really good prog-rock band from Spain (we featured them on WYMA here). Gonzo's a hell of a drummer - he's got the "motorik" thing going very well here, getting into a groove that Klaus Dinger himself would be proud of. Check out the way the songs build from drum/bass, to add some drum fills, then Sais gets going on the synths. They're certainly not inventing a new style - what they are doing is playing this style very, very well.

Here's the video for "Silver Constellation":



And you can listen, and download, here:



There's a unifying approach to the record, but some variety in the ways the six longish songs are constructed. The quality is consistently good throughout. If you've got a taste for prog rock, kraut rock or really, any kind of instrumental rock, do yourself a favor and check this out. You can read more, or buy the record, at BCore Disc.

REVIEW: The Pharmacy - Stoned And Alone

This record is a blast - a Kinks-inspired blast of super catchy power pop with a fuzzy guitar edge. The Pharmacy is Scottie Yoder on vocals and guitar, drummer Brendhan Bowers, and keyboardist Stefan Rubicz. They hail from Seattle, so the grunge/garage bona fides are real. But they've spent a good bit of their recent history in New Orleans, which may be the source of the soulful touches on many of these songs ("Top Of The Ivory Stairs", for one) and the general party-rock atmosphere at work on Stoned And Alone.

The record is very entertaining throughout, and they are not new to WYMA. We have written earlier this year about them. In January, when they released advance single "Dig Your Grave" (read here), and in May, when they released an EP via Seayou (read here).

Here's a new video for "Dig Your Grave":

THE PHARMACY - DIG YOUR GRAVE (MUSIC VIDEO) from brendhan bowers on Vimeo.

This record features those earlier songs plus several more - at 13 songs, it's definitely a good use of your time and money, even if you already got some of the earlier stuff. And they offer a download of "Baby Be", one of the catchiest tunes on the record.



It's very upbeat, as opposed to the ambling "Lazy Bones" which has a real easy pace and some laid-back guitar and keyboard riffs, and the slow/fast/slow/fast "Where Do You Run To?". The variety in tempo adds to the appeal, as does Rubicz's uniformly excellent keyboard work. Yoder's a very good rock vocalist, and Bowers does a great job keeping the pace and driving things along on rockers like "Pines".

It's on Old Flame Records in the US and Seayou Records in Europe - either way, it's terrific.

Introducing: The Velveteen Saints

We writers slice and dice music into genres, sub-genres and various styles to help us describe a band's sound to the readers, but sometimes music is best described simply as rock and roll.  Such is the case with the Glasgow teenagers, The Velveteen Saints.  I have very little information about them, but their Facebook page suggests that they haven't been together long.  However, we really don't need a lot of detail when what we want is good music.  Make no mistake, these guys deliver good music, and I think they have a bright future.

Give the lads a try on the anthem Rock N Roll Is Dead, with a chorus that name checks Joe Strummer, Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash.



I don't think that there is any music to purchase or download at this point, but you can stream songs on the band's Facebook and Soundcloud pages.  Links to both are below.


Keep an eye on this group -- The Velveteen Saints can help save music from middle of the road urban pop.  If they come to the States, I'll help arrange the tour myself.

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REVIEW: Guided by Voices - The Bears For Lunch

The Bears For Lunch, which is Guided by Voices' third album of 2012, is also their best of the year... and perhaps their best in quite some time. From the beginning of full-on rocker "King Arthur The Red", this is the sound of a band that is hitting its stride - well past last year's "Can they still do it?", well into "Well, hell, maybe they can do it as well as they ever did!" Certainly, Pollard's solo records in 2012 have kept up the quality, but there is still nothing like a Guided by Voices record.

Listening to the breakneck rhythm section and guitar riffing on that opening track, one has the impression that Pollard has done what might have seemed impossible. He has reunited with Tobin Sprout and brought production values that GbV really only started to employ after this original lineup broke up. But even better than merely having the old gang play the old songs in a new way, they've cranked out 19 terrific new songs.

It's not for me to pick out highlights - the whole thing's a highlight - but "Hangover Child" is terrific, with a heavy riff and multi-tracked vocals in Pollard's trademark British accent intoned over what sound like at least six or seven changes in a little under 3 minutes. And the next cut, "Dome Rust", is full of punk-inspired guitar riffs... later on, "White Flag" is a heavy guitar rocker in the tradition of "Official Ironmen Rally Song" or "Not Behind The Fighter Jet". Here's "White Flag":



Here's another one of my favorites, "Everywhere Is Miles From Everywhere":



The Tobin Sprout tracks, including "The Corners Are Glowing", "Skin To Skin Combat" and "Waving At Airplanes" are as pretty and smile-inducing as the best songs Sprout has ever contributed to GbV. Sprout's gentle vocals and some sweet string sounds lead toward about a minute-long outro of psychedelic rock guitar on "Corners", and the impossibly high multi-tracked Sprout vocals of "Skin To Skin" over growling electric guitar are terrific. The vocals on "Airplanes"... just beautiful stuff.

If you're a fan, don't waste any time. If you're not sure, you can check it out for yourself and see what all the fuss is about. The record is out tomorrow on Guided by Voices, Inc. - you can buy at GBV Digital or you can order a cd or vinyl at Rockathon Records.

Also, if you look on iTunes, you can find three of the songs with B-sides available to buy.

REVIEW: The Babies - Our House On The Hill

The Babies are not taking baby steps.  The Brooklyn band has quickly evolved from a noise pop side project to an exciting indie band with a broad palette of expression and an engaging ability to marry pop melody and rock energy, and then adorn it with menace, sweetness, melancholy and a satisfying arsenal of musical touches.  And the coming out party for the grown up band is the full length Our House on the Hill, out today on Woodsist Records.  The first single, "Moonlight Mile", provides an excellent preview of the album's quality.



I was interested to learn that the band spent two months of 2011 in Los Angeles, because my first impression upon listening to the album my was that the album seemed more closely related to some of the better music coming out of the West Coast, from San Diego to Seattle, than to the material I've heard from Brooklyn.  The music ranges from fast-paced post punk to house party rave ups to Americana dirges.  And it has an authentic, sincere feel that gets under your skin.


The Babies are Kevin Morby, Cassie Ramone, Justin Sullivan and Brian Schleyer.  As has been well covered, the band began as a side project for Morby (of Woods) and Ramone (of Vivian Girls), along with Sullivan on the drums.  Schleyer and his bass joined more recently.  However, The Babies is no longer a side project, and that is good news for indie rock fans.

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Album page at Woodsist

The Babies are embarking on a lengthly tour to support Our House On The Hill.  Here are the dates and venues:
11/13 Brooklyn, NY - Knitting Factory
11/14 New Haven, CT - BAR
11/15 Montreal, QC - Il Motore
11/16 Toronto, ON - Silver Dollar
11/17 Detroit, MI - Garden Bowl
11/18 Chicago, IL - Schuba’s
11/19 Madison, WI - Mickey’s Tavern
11/20 Minneapolis, MN - 7th St Entry
11/21 Des Moines, IA - Vaudeville Mews
11/23 Kansas City, MO - Riot Room
11/24 Denver, CO - Hi Dive
11/25 Salt Lake City, UT - Kilby Court
11/26 Boise, ID - Neurolux
11/28 Portland, OR - Holocene
11/29 Vancouver, BC - Media Club
11/30 Seattle, WA - Barboza
12/01 Olympia, WA - The Northern
12/03 Reno, CA - Holland Project
12/04 Sacramento, CA - Bows and Arrows
12/05 Oakland, CA - 1-2-3-4 Go Records
12/06 San Francisco, CA - Bottom of the Hill
12/07 Santa Cruz, CA - Crepe Place
12/08 Pomona, CA - VLHS
12/09 Los Angeles, CA - The Echo
12/10 San Diego, CA - Eleven
12/11 Tucson, AZ - Topaz Tundra
12/12 El Paso, TX - Lowbrow Saloon
12/13 San Antonio, TX - Korova
12/14 Austin, TX - The Mohawk
12/15 Dallas, TX - Bryan St Tavern
12/16 Memphis, TN - Hi Tone Cafe
12/17 Birmingham, AL - Bottletree
12/18 Atlanta, GA - 529
12/19 Durham, NC - The Pinhook
12/20 Richmond, VA - Strange Matter
12/21 Washington, DC - Comet Ping Pong
12/22 Philadelphia, PA - Kung Fu Necktie

REVIEW: Joshua James - From The Top Of Willamette Mountain

From The Top Of Willamette Mountain is the latest and third album from Utah's Joshua James, and it is a triumph, a record you can truly get lost in. Like some of My Morning Jacket's best work and the recent Damien Jurado record we reviewed here, it features excellent and affecting songs, a variety of tempos, a lot of reverb, terrific songcraft and a unique lead vocalist.

He's really got an amazing way with a song - on the acoustic ones (opener "Mystic" and "Doctor, Oh Doctor") he and Richard Swift (Damien Jurado, Gardens and Villas) mix it just right. On the more rocking songs, he and Swift excel at building them to what would seem a peak, only to top that with a well-placed pedal steel, nicely multitracked vocals or a string section.

You can download "Queen Of The City", the second track on the album, here. I think it's the best song on the record, and that's saying a lot - there are lots of very good songs on here. "Feel The Same" is a pretty ballad with some sobering lyrics: "I started wishing for a chemical to make me feel/ A little more animal and a little less real" - and all kinds of effects backing up a pretty simple construction. "Holly, Halej" is a beautiful, soaring yet understated rock song - almost a hymn with drums, bass, electric and pedal steel guitar.

Here is a video for "Ghost In The Town":

You can learn more, or buy the record at his label, Intelligent Noise. The record came out last week - so you're in luck. It's available now.

As a bonus, here's a video of James performing Tom Waits' "Green Grass":

Even if his songs weren't so good, his voice might draw you in. But his songs are very good. 

New Beach Guitar Pop Discovery: Cayucas: "Cayucos/Swimsuit" - new single out now

On the video for the single "Cayucos" by Cayucas, the beach scenery is fitting: the reverb and acoustic strumming are reminiscent of Brian Wilson-style pop music. It's also got a bit of the same feel as Vampire Weekend, except it swings a little more "Caribbean" whereas VW stays more in an Afro-pop mode. This stuff is very catchy and upbeat:



Cayucas is led by Zach Yudin, a native of Southern California with a confessed love of classic beach pop. They have released a 2-sided single, "Cayucos" and "Swimsuit", which sounds a bit like a 2012 reimagination of "Sloop John B" - nice organ work, handclaps, with a lot of nifty little electronic touches.

You can listen and buy both songs here:



They will have an album out in 2013 on Secretly Canadian. Looking forward to hearing more.

REVIEW: John The Conqueror - John The Conqueror

John The Conqueror is a Philadelphia-based blues/rock trio: Cousins Pierre Moore (vocals & guitar) and Michael Gardner (drums) are originally from Jackson, MS, while bassist Ryan Lynn is a native of Philadelphia. They are working in the same general territory as The Black Keys and Dirtbombs - blues/rock with a little (or a lot) of added spice. Between the two, Moore's vocals seem a little more soul-based than Black Key Dan Auerbach's blues style... not surprising given a provenance of Mississippi crossed with Philly.

Make no mistake, this album (their self-titled debut) rocks hard, throughout. The guitar intro on "Lucille" is scorching, leading into a stomping rhythm section backing strong multitracked vocals and a nearly psychedelic guitar line. If you remember what you've always liked about rock music that hews close to the blues and soul traditions, you will be well-disposed to enjoy what JTC is doing.

There's also a punk influence, best heard on stuff like the fast guitar intro to "Say What You Want", which is a 2:25 rant that keeps a high energy level throughout. Here's a taste:





And here is video they made while recording album cut "I Just Wanna", another good representation of their style:



It's on Alive/Naturalsound, which has not let us down yet... we've featured labelmates Lee Bains III, The Buffalo Killers, Brian Olive, Left Lane Cruiser and Radio Moscow. John The Conqueror is a welcome addition to that roster of hard-rocking bands, and heir to the Alive/Naturalsound tradition started by The Black Keys themselves.

REVIEW: Lowe Country - The Songs of Nick Lowe

Nick Lowe is a master artist - vocalist, musician, producer, tastemaker - one of the truly class acts in music.

But nowhere does this British gentleman shine more than as a songwriter.  Lowe consistently displays a great sense of melody, impeccable song structure, hooks galore, featuring clever wordplay to embellish a terrific story, a memorable character or a unique way of looking at a situation.

This CD Lowe Country - The Songs of Nick Lowe puts 13 songs in the hands of some of today's finest Americana singers with a focus on the more country side of Lowe's catalogue, or giving a more country arrangement to some of his better known rock songs -- "I Love the Sound of Breaking Glass" (Amanda Shires), "Marie Provost" (JEFF the Brotherhood), "Heart of the City" (Chatham County Line).  



Listen to the entire CD here, and listen especially for some of my favorite moments:

Hayes Carll's "(I'm Gonna) Start Livin' Again If It Kills Me".

Griffin House's "Crackin Up".

Longtime WYMA favorites The Parson Red Heads version of "Don't Lose Your Grip on Love".

One of my very favorite singers, Canadian Ron Sexsmith's "Where's My Everything".

Caitlin Rose doing "Lately I've Let Things Slide", here.

Robert Ellis' "All Men are Liars". See Live version here:

Full list of songs and artists here: Fiesta Red Records

Purchase here: Music Millennium or at better independent record stores everywhere, especially in your town.

Lowe Country is a terrific collection of cover songs. Highly recommended.

Delightful Lo-Fi Guitar Rock Re-Discovery - Pear Traps EP

Chicago's Pear Traps are a very good lo-fi guitar rock band - we've featured them before and are delighted to do so again.

They've released a new EP, Elsewhere, with lots of jangle, reverb and plaintive vocals...

Check out the video for the lead track, "Santa Fe":



You can check it out, and buy, here:

Ridiculously, they are willing to let you have it for "name your price". If you like it, download it and pay 'em something... and stay tuned. Hopefully they'll have another full-length soon.

The Soul Corner - "Signed, Sealed and Delivered"

The re-election of President Obama was a monumental event this week.
The reasons behind the historic win be analyzed, dissected, and written about in articles, book, dissertations and treatises for many years.
But one key fact may be overlooked - President Obama's events featured much better music! In fact, his victory party on Tuesday sounded like it was sponsored by the Soul Corner,  especially when the President entered the hall to King Floyd's "Groove Me".
But the song that took center stage with the President at the height of the celebration certainly deserved the honor. Stevie Wonder's "Signed, Sealed and Delivered" is an American classic by one of our most gifted and essential artists of all time.
Here's a terrific 1970 live version from the old Dick Cavett television show, especially fitting given that Mr. Cavett's show regularly featured the most progressive and thoughtful political discourse of its day, and in this case, some very cool clothes:

 
The song, released in 1970, was the first that Wonder self-produced and also his first ever nominated for a Grammy award. How's this for political trivia: it is also reported to be the ringtone on David Axelrod's cell phone when the President calls his senior advisor.
You got the future in your hands...

REVIEW: Jo Mango - Murmuration

Indie-folk encompasses a broad range of musical styles, from quiet and gentle to loud and energetic, sincere to sly, sad to humorous.  Murmuration, the first LP from Glasgow indie-folk artist Jo Mango in six years, arrives like a whisper on the sea breeze.  The pure tone of her vocals barely audible over the minimal arrangements, the phrasing deliberate and seemingly directed inward.  The listener has the sense that he is being permitted to overhear a musical diary.  And it is beautiful.

The first track is "The Black Sun", which also was included in the soundtrack for a feature film --



Jo wasn't idle in between albums.  She obtained her doctorate in musicology and collaborated with numerous other artists.

The first single from the album is "Cordelia", which is available at this link for "name your price".



The songwriting on Murmuration is excellent, but the things that stand out the most for this listener are the quality of Jo's vocals, and the tasteful restraint in the arrangements.  With respect to the former, the vocals are note-perfect and phrased to allow the words to sink in.  With respect to the latter, while this set of songs leave enough aural space to invite an artist and producer to experiment and gild, thankfully, they resist the urge and craft details in way that seem to be nothing less than essential.  And it may be this attribute of the album that pushes it ahead of many of the offerings available in indie-folk.

Murmeration is out now on Scotland's fine Olive Grove Records.

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REVIEW: Trainwreck Riders - Ghost Yards

Trainwreck Riders are a San Francisco band playing a fantastic blend of alternative country and alternative rock - bringing to mind influences as varied as The Meat Puppets, Drive-by Truckers and Pavement, in the process of creating something very enjoyable. Apparently all four members, rhythm guitarist/vocalist Pete Frauenfelder, drummer Steve Kerwin, lead guitarist/vocalist Andrew Kerwin, and bassist Shawn "Boof" Wyman, share backgrounds playing in various punk bands. Like some of the better alt/country acts, the punk influence is not terribly overt but definitely informs their approach, and yet does not limit their willingness to stretch out and play some guitars.

You can download the single "Gypsy Stealin'" and listen for yourself:




Somewhat typical of the album as a whole, the song changes three times - each includes some terrific rhythm and guitar work.

And here is a video for "Houses On The Hill":




This is my first exposure to this band - apparently they've been playing together for 10 years or so - and I look forward to exploring the back catalog. For now, you'd be well advised to give this thing a listen.

Here is their website, and you can buy it at the label site: 20-Sided Records:

REVIEW: Banana and Louie - Alphabet Soup

Seemingly taking inspiration from The Beach Boys and Belle and Sebastian, Matthew Stead and Sharon Leach of London indie pop band A Fine Day For Sailing (previous profile here) formed Banana and Louie to give life to their wide-ranging baroque/chamber pop conceptions.  The result is the excellent Alphabet Soup, a collection sweet, jangly, melodic pop songs with orchestral flourishes not often found in today's indie music.  It's distinct voice alone would make it welcome on today's scene, but the quality of the music speaks for itself.  Try out track "Hero of the Home Countries" --



The full line-up for the album is Matthew Stead (vocals, guitar, percussion), Sharon Leach (vocals, keys, glockenspiel, melodica), Jacob Chivers (drums), Simon Nelson (bass, guitar), Gareth Jones (bass), Kenny Lee (piano), Natalie Hudson (violin), Matthew Walker (violin), Claire Hadidjenar (violin), Jill Faure (viola), Helen Short (cello), Catherine Carr (flute), Keira Poland (flute), Nicola Burnett Smith (bass clarinet), and Alex Bilig (bassoon).

For those wondering about the somewhat unusual name of the group, Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys owned dogs named Banana and Louie, and their barks appear on the Pet Sounds album.

One of my favorite songs on the album is the sweet and lovely "I Have Your Melodica (You Have My Heart)".  Hearing it reminds me that we haven't had a Camera Obscura album for a while.  And that is no put down for Banana and Louie -- if you remind me of Camera Obscura you are on the inside track to my musical heart.



The album is available on CD, digital download and pink vinyl.  The label is Vollwert-Records in Berlin, a fine label devoted to indie pop music.

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New single from September Girls

Today's news is the first official US release from Ireland's September Girls.  Out soon on Matinee Recordings, the Wanting More 7" features the title track A-side and two B-sides.  These ladies have graced our pages before, and I expect that they will continue to do so.   Their music is excellent, and the vinyl versions always sell out (their April release for Scotland's Soft Power sold out in a week), but this record is available in both vinyl (with a digital download included) and digital-only.

"Wanting More" may cause you vinyl purchasers to wear out the A-side -- girl-group vocals soaring on a retro melody, all swathed in reverb and distortion.  The Ronettes never fronted The Jesus and Mary Chain in a recording produced by Phil Spector, but this might give you an idea of what it would have sounded like if they had.



Here is B-side, "Hells Bells" presented in a fun video --


September Girls - Hells Bells from jessie ward on Vimeo.

Someone cleverer than I one described the sound of this five-piece as that of a transistor radio abandoned in a rural cinema.  After listening to several releases, I think it is a fair and evocative description.  In the second B-Side, September Girls showcase their ability to deliver the noise.  This isn't a sweet collection of female singers, this is a rock band.



We look forward to more from Sarah, Lauren, Jessie, Caoimhe, and Paula.

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New video: Our Lost Infantry -- All the Streetlights of My Hometown

Deep Elm Records is responsible for some of the most consistently excellent new music coming through our speakers these days and the Maui-based label has delivered again with the release of a new video for the song "All the Streets of My Hometown" by Aldershot, England's Our Lost Infantry. The band's name evokes thoughts of Wilfred Owen and Siegfried Sassoon, and a turn through the video makes the idea of these dead men being influences seem not farfetched. It was filmed in Norway's Blefell Mountains, and the austere setting and color, coupled with the recurrent image of a tin hat and gas mask, give it a WWI patina. It's a compelling video even with the mute button on.

But don't watch it that way, because there are some terrific things happening in this song you need to hear. The first two minutes build tension with chiming guitars and slow vocals, reminiscent of some of the Scottish bands on the Fat Cat label, but at about 2.30, instead of the crashing wall of sound you might expect, the band shift to a really nice prog-riff, like something Robert Fripp might have done on "Larks Tongues in Aspic, Pt. 23". Oh yeah, and then the wall of sound with the beautiful chorus, followed by a bigger wall of sound pounding out the last 30 seconds. Exhilarating.

If you'd like to hear more, you'll have to wait -- but not long. Our Lost Infantry's debut album, The New Art History, will be released by Deep Elm in the US on 14 November. Start saving now.

Our Lost Infantry band page.

Deep Elm Records.

The Soul Corner - Gladys Knight "If I Was Your Woman"

I've written here on the Soul Corner about Gladys Knight before. Her voice, real as a heart attack, is one of my favorites in the Motown pantheon.
This vocal on her 1970 hit "If I Was Your Woman" is so striking, so powerful, so utterly convincing, I mean really, what man could resist this:

And let's praise the Pips. Honored and teased a bit in the Doonesbury comic strip, their silky smooth dance moves are legendary. But did you know they were family?  The Pips were Gladys' older brother Merald "Bubba" Knight, who also served as her business manager, and their cousins Edward Patten and William Guest. Chuckle if you want, but those are some great backup vocals.

REVIEW: Epsilon One - Spirals EP

Taut, dark, sludgy, and lo-fi, with aggressive bass and a dose of distortion, the Spirals EP from Edinburgh's Epsilon One says "pay attention to me" from the opening notes of the title track.  At times it seems late-night industrial indie rock, and at times a grimy nugget of electro-rock.  This is one of those new and almost unknown artists that is worth getting to know before every social music site proclaims that Epsilon One is their new discovery.

The guitar, synths, bass, drums, programming and vocals are all the work of  Dicky Lorin.  The Spirals EP is out on Dog Got A Bone Records, and we understand that Dicky is planning a full length release in 2013.

Stream all for tracks here.  Source it at the Bandcamp or the links below for Dog Got A Bone Records.



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