Rocky Votolato – A Brief History EP

You might not recognize the name Rocky Votolato, probably the least likely sounding name for a rock musician of this vein, but you might recognize his voice. Votolato has been playing guitar and singing in the band Waxwing for five years. But while Waxwing has always been his outlet for the louder, more dark and moody sound, Votolato has been writing music that has a softer, quieter, more contemplative sound. And because these didn’t fit in with the band, he kept them aside and finally put them to record, with a few of his friends, on this EP.
Probably the first thing you’ll notice is that Votolato’s solo work is much more heavily inspired by folk singers/songwriters than the post-hardcore sound of Waxwing. And while Waxwing has been moving toward the more mellow and softer sound, the band’s songs are nowhere near the quiet depth of Votolato’s own. Some songs are complete with bass, drums, and even violin, while others are just Votolato and his guitar. And just hearing these songs, you’ll instantly feel that Votolato’s expressive voice is best suited for this medium, singing quietly yet wholeheartedly for a simply beautiful effect.
The first song, “One More Work Song Blues” sets the tone for the album perfectly. Soft and low, with an emphasis on bass and soft drums, Votolato sings mournfully and quietly. The song recedes into quietness, with soft drums and Votolato’s soft electric guitar, and you can hear him screaming plaintively in the background, far far in the background. This is about the coolest effect I’ve ever heard on such a soft song. “Silent” is just like it’s name, a quiet, contemplative song that is simply Votolato’s voice and acoustic guitar. “These Old Clothes” is probably the closest to a full band sound, with some throbbing bass lines and an emphasis on percussion. Votolato’s voice gets more intense, more similar to his Waxwing style, but there are also some very quiet, very deep moments here. There’s a slightly retro-sounding pop feel to “Temperate,” and “Plastic Jesus” has a very early century folk feel about it, something that Votolato’s voice lends itself to quite well. Violin from the Red Stars Theory violinist adds a nice accompaniment to the acoustic guitar on “In a Cabin.” And while “Blues Shaker,” the closer here, is slow and mostly just Votolato’s voice and guitar, it has a kind of poppy, almost sing-along quality to it.
With Waxwing on tour now for their latest album, Votolato is often picking up an acoustic guitar and playing his solo songs as an opening act. And because the styles don’t overlap, as often happens when a singer/guitarist goes solo, that will be something to behold. The Waxwing songs have always been more urgent, more loud, more passionate, but Votolato shows a different kind of passion and sentiment on his slower, more introspective solo work. He’s clearly making a name for himself as a singer/songwriter.

Shiner – Starless

I bought Shiner on the suggestion of many people who ranted and raved about how good this album was. But from the very first riffs of the very first song, I began to cringe. This sounds so mainstream, so typical, so usual that I almost didn’t even get through the first listen. Powerful guitar riffs, powerful vocals, powerful rhythm. It’s all about power, and it’s been done by bands ranging from Soundgarden to Fuel.
Still, I have to admit that I gave this album a second chance, and it began to grow on me. While some of the songs evoke that same reactions, others have more originality and intensity. I’m still stuck comparing them to any of a thousand other bands, but that doesn’t always equate to terrible music – just completely forgettable and regrettable music.
From the very first guitar licks of “Spinning,” and when Allen Epley’s deep, slightly drawled vocals start in, I’m wondering what I got myself into. This is the kind of hard rock band I used to see all the time in Baltimore, Md., opening for one band or another, all sounding very similar, with some massive guitar licks and rhythms and vocals that remind you of Creed, Pearl Jam and the like. But “Giant’s Chair” has some synthesizers and a bit more layering of the guitars and rhythm for a decent effect. And then on from there, there are moments that I enjoy and moments that I’ve heard a million times without ever enjoying. “Kevin is Gone” has some light moments that work well but also some crunchy Soundgarden-esque guitar. And while I swear I’ve heard “Unglued” done before almost exactly, at least “The Arrangement” is nice and slow and wistful. And then I have virtually nothing to say about the rest of the album. A few good guitar licks here (like on “Lazy Eye”), a few too many metal references there (like on “Semper Fi”). Don’t even get me started on the terrible “Too Much of Not Enough.” Why do all of these style bands feel the need for a space-themed song?
Ok, so if you’re one of those who told me how good Shiner is and how I must run out and buy this album, I think I need to make it more clear what type of rock music I enjoy. This is the kind of stuff that will be played on your city’s harder rock station, in between Korn and Blink 182. It’s power-chord rock with an emphasis on the vocals. Now it’s not bad, by any means, and some of the songs are actually quite good. But it’s not for me.

Kill Your Idols – Funeral for a Feeling

The following excerpt was taken from the band’s website with the numerous grammatical errors fixed, of course. Apparently, the web-designer believes that the plural form of the word “tattoo” is “tattoo’s.” Maybe he’s just being hardcore.
****Attention people with Kill Your Idols tattoos!**** We will be doing special pressings of some upcoming stuff for you. We are also trying to get photos of all of the tattoos for an upcoming release. Please get in touch with us! Even if your picture is already on the page or we just took them recently, please get in touch!
I don’t know, maybe I am just not hardcore enough. But the idea of tattooing “Kill Your Idols” to my forearm seems mind-numbingly idiotic. This is especially true considering Kill Your Idols sends the following message in “Fashion Statement:” “Judged by the way you look? / that’s so lame / fuck your fashion statement game / What’s the point of trying to fit it? / hardcore kids, punks, and skins / it’s a way of life, it’s not a fad / it has nothing to do with how you keep your hair.” Aren’t tattoos of bands’ names fashion statements? Oh, and how I am supposed to take Kill Your Idols seriously when they also state that “Kill Your Idols Wears Airwalk” in the liner notes?
But I’m just being nit-picky. The music is what is important. Okay. The music is fast and aggressive, as is to be expected by a hardcore band. Come to think of it, everything found on this album is to be expected. And let’s just say that Kill Your Idols’ cover of “Made to Be Broken” by Poison Idea is the most memorable song to be found on this album. The song actually has memorable guitar riffs and tempo changes. “I Will Defy” also stands out as having punchier guitars than the rest of the album. And “Fashion Statement” bounces along rather nicely. The other 14 songs blend together; your standard chords are repeated over and over. Actually, Funeral For a Feeling in its entirety feels like one 34-minute song with slight alterations in song structure about every two minutes. Every so often the listener will come across something different, a guitar solo perhaps. The solo on the title track is laughable. Not because no talent is involved, but because it brings to mind bands like Whitesnake and kin.
Because the music didn’t do much for me, I turned to the lyrical content. The first thing that stuck out was all the grammatical mistakes in the liner notes: “should of drank it straight” from “A Better Place”; “better to be young at heart then angry all the time” from “Young (At Heart).” The latter grammatical mistake resurfaces in later songs. The errors wouldn’t bother me so much if I wasn’t forced to read them so carefully, as I cannot understand one word that is spewed from lead singer Andy’s mouth. It is actually rather fun to just listen to Andy sing and try to figure out something he says. And what I have discovered after substantial experimentation and delicate analyzing is that “fuck” is the only decipherable lyric in Andy’s vast quarry of prose. But that too may be the hardcore punk thing to do.
As for the actual content of the lyrics, again, it is nothing that has not been done before. In “Dead by Dawn” Andy howls, “How can we prove our point / surrounded by posers / tell someone who gives a shit.” I find this whole poser deal childish. And in “Fall Out,” Andy again roars, “By screaming out silence / playing your games / and hiding behind your fake / screen names / chat rooms and message boards / is where you get your kicks / putting down others / to you its like a fix.” Somehow lines like this also make it difficult for the listener to take KYI seriously.
Granted, fans of the genre will enjoy this album. “KYI doesn’t sound like all that metal crap that comes out these days. They’re more old-school. And they put on a great live show.” But Funeral for a Feeling has been done so many times before. Maybe the members of Kill Your Idols will grow up and become lawyers like the main character did in SLC Punk. But judging by all those grammatical errors, they don’t seem to have the potential that Matthew Lillard did.

High Lo Fi – Three Sided Single

High Lo Fi is no longer High Lo Fi. High Lo Fi is now Taylored. Apparently, High Lo Fi was too complex a name for the teenage pop-punk crowds these days. Kind of like a poppier and less thoughtful version of Sugar, High Lo Fi (as I will continue to call them, because that is the name on this particular EP) lack any real depth, but they certainly know how to write catchy, feel-good pop tunes.
Hailing from Toronto, Ontario, and having only been together since January of last year, the band has already gained a great deal of attention, not much of which will gain them the adoration of fans over the age of 16. They were named one of the “Ten Bands To Watch” in the June 2001 Teen People’s Summer Music Special. “One Times One” was licensed to MTV for use in the new show, “Undergrads,” and “Adrenal Eyes” will be heard in the upcoming movie, “Wishmaster 3,” and has also been licensed for use in the Disney series “In A Heartbeat.” In addition to all of this acclaim, the band has also been commissioned to write a theme song for a Sony television series “Game Attics,” as well as music for a film or two.
This three-song EP of glossy pop-punk starts off with “One Times One,” the quickest-paced song here, certain to appeal to any fan of Blink 182, American Hi-Fi, Sum 41, Lit, and MTV’s idea of punk rock. The other two songs, “Adrenal Eyes” and “Let Go!” slow things down a bit, showcasing fuzzed-out guitars, sing-along harmonies, tap-along beats, and a touch of new wave influence. Overall, the guitar work of Mike Scope is probably the highlight and the most semi-original thing here.
The band’s first full-length is currently under production, and judging from this dull and mindless, yet inoffensive and catchy debut, their future work has the potential to be huge. Don’t be surprised if your little sister has a poster of these guys on her wall within the next year. With a new name and a sound that is bound to appeal to today’s mainstream pop-punk kids, you should expect to hear more from these guys in the future, whether you like it or not.

Paper Airplane Pilots – Welcome to the Drunk Tank EP

If you’re as unimpressed as I am with the “clever” pun contained in the name of this EP, you’d probably be wise to set the expectation bar rather low for this Chicago quartet. After all, no band who would give their debut EP such a self-consciously, intentionally “smart” name could possibly have any musical merit. (Ain’t judging things prematurely grand? I suggest it for albums as well as the following: movies, books, and people.) Of course, most of the time you’ll be wrong (with the possible exception of people, who are rather predictable), as I was with this album. Of course, it’s still a ridiculous album title.

The first track off of the seven-song EP takes a decidedly Beck-ish turn. A strummy acoustic guitar plays games with a modest violin as singer Jeremiah Wallis sings easily over big, confident chord changes. Not a bad start. From there, the band’s lo-fi indie-pop roots kick in big time. “She’s a Liquid” is all charred chords and wooing background vocals, a la Superchunk. “Century Kid” is pretty straight up – buzzing power chords and handclaps and more “ah ahhhh” backups.

Things get a little misguided on “Circus Peanuts.” To the band’s credit, they get away with an absurdly stoopid keyboard line, an equally goofy bassline, and a bike horn. The problem is, their press release says they’re choosing from a catalog of over 200 songs, and if “Circus Peanuts” is in the top seven, run for cover. The unlisted track, unexplainably placed at number five, is one of the album’s best. More fuzzy noise chords and 60’s radio pop, only with a bit more force and conviction than before. “Strawberry Breeze” sees the return of the acoustic guitar, and it manages to rhyme “strawberry breeze” with “mulberry trees.” Of course, it’s throwback sugar piled on high, lyrics and all, but it does occasionally tire. The last track, “Exist You,” loves Bob Pollard nearly to death, which of course isn’t really a bad thing. Even for such a shameless derivation, it’s pretty catchy.

Here’s how things stack up – they’re not as weird as Beck, not as catchy as Guided by Voices, not as comically whimsical as Pavement, and not nearly as violent as Archers of Loaf. Still, the Paper Airplane Pilots do a pretty decent job with lo-fi pop. Their shortcomings come with lyrics and shameless puns – right down to the band name – but they more than make up for it with some quality songs.

My Hotel Year – The Composition of Ending & Phrasing

Didn’t this label recently release a Motley Crue video and a new Go Go’s compilation? With that to live up to, My Hotel Year is not having much trouble with this formerly self-released LP. These guys look to be from little Winter Park, Fla. and to have quite a busy live schedule. Not to mention a self-maintained active street team and a huge merchandise selection.

Most obvious at first listen are vocals from one of several singers listed in the band’s line up, which serve as unique and very fitting. The band comes together extremely well in a rich texture of duel vocaling and melodious guitars. As a whole, it moves along an intense alternative beat, sometimes a bit of pop but never losing seriousness.

The first song kicks the disc off with a faster climactic start plunging into deep breakdowns that follow through the end of the release. The songs all blend together nicely and sort of build up to each other, which is always a plus for thoroughly different arrangements together, but separate. The third song, “Sunrise at Sixteen,” has a bit more pop catch to it and leads right into a slower whimsical well mixed softer side to the band.

One of the best songs, “Key Exchange,” begins with an almost exact match to the TV series ER theme song, which I still have not concluded was intentional. However, the song turns out to be one of the best. Possibly for stand out reasons or more legitimately because it best represents the fact that everything fits, credit where credit is due, and there isn’t anything to suggest or criticize about this band.

Secadora – Little Pieces of Paper

Secadora is a three-piece from San Francisco whose music on their debut full-length seems to embrace a kind of minimalistic aesthetic. Listening to this album at low volume will leave you scratching your head over periods of silence, as the music occasionally is so quiet that you’ll check to make sure it’s still going. Not all of the album is so quiet, but there’s still a very sparse, simple feel to these songs. Think a garage rock band teaming up with a band like Low, mixing their sounds together for a kind of thin and simple yet still rocking approach.

The album starts almost bare-bones on “Tizer,” with Adrienne Robillard’s vocals coming in hushed over soft guitar, but eventually the song takes on a little rhythm and a little pace and a sudden, unexpected blaze of guitars and drums by the song’s end. The more poppy “One Minute Automobile” is actually pretty catchy, and for some reason I’m left thinking of Sleater Kinney with the female singer from Rainer Maria, and then Robillard’s vocals get all hushed and conspirational, kind of cute really, on the bass-driven “Static.” The more melodic “Blanket” sounds more similar to the slower Rainer Maria fare, and “Gelato” suddenly pumps things up with a Sonic Youth kind of feel and quick changes in pace. “Bedroom” has a nice mid-tempo pace with good rock-n-roll guitar under pretty vocals, and “Make Believe” closes with a quieter, more melodic and moody atmosphere (with periods of more emphatic rock and some oddly plunked piano).

It’s like the female vocals that make me compare this album most to a thinly produced Rainer Maria. Or perhaps a more indie rock Rainer Maria, but there’s still a garage rock thing going on here, forming the backbone of this band’s music. It grows on you, certainly, but there’s something about the production and bare, almost clinical feeling that troubles me with each listen. Perhaps they need to play with a bit more emotion, or perhaps it’s just the effort, but with a little more of either, Secadora could be a great band.

Motion Picture – A Paper Gift

I get the sense from A Paper Gift that much of the references here are lost on me. It’s obvious that Eric Ostermeier, the creative force behind Motion Picture, is a smart or at least culturally savvy man. On this release, he continues his links between film and music started on the band’s previous two albums. So if you don’t know that “Alida” is a reference to Alida Valli’s performance in the 1949 film The Third Man, you’re not the only one. Even the cover is a photograph of film actress Carroll Baker taken in 1953.

Although the album would likely be better appreciated by people who do get the references, such an understanding is not required. Ostermeier and his backing musicians have put together 11 lovely and lush songs that flirt with pop and slow-core aesthetics. Although Ostermeier’s deep and rich vocals and guitar form the backbone of these songs, they are filled out by an infusion of strings, horns, and more on each song.

The album is resplendent in lush orchestration tied together by Ostermeier’s lush vocals, from the lovely lilting sounds of the title track to the gorgeous instrumentation of “A Wink and Curtsy.” The aforementioned “Alida” brings to mind the playful and simple feel of the 1940’s, and here Ostermeier resembles the more experimentally minded Momus. The strings add a more orchestrated feel to the rich “Me In Your Past Tense.” “And all the restless boys felt / this was just a staged rehearsal / but all the joy at the margin / must yield to the sadness within,” Ostermeier croons on the delightfully soft and rich “A Girl’s Last Daydream.”

While it’s easy to get lost in the lush arrangements and Ostermeier’s vocals, it’s important to remember that the basis of Motion Picture’s music is pop. “The First Name on Your Dance Card,” for example, has a bit of a slowed down and Americanized Belle & Sebastian feel. And the horns and playful, bouncy feel to “Twisting the Apple Stem” evokes a comfortable Elephant 6 feel. Unfortunately, the poppy nature of a song like “Winter, 1988″ takes away from the more slow-core, contemplative feel and results in a song that just feels slow. And the closer, “Promising Young Actress,” uses electric guitar to establish a more up-beat feel.

Obviously, Ostermeier is an intelligent man, and he’s created a very intelligent album. Its biggest flaw is that it may get a bit mired down in that intelligent and restrained feel. The pace varies very slightly among these songs, instead maintaining a lofty, slightly unapproachable feel. That only slightly hurts the music here, however, and repeated listens will bring out the brilliance of these calm and coolly rich, lush works.

The Roots of Orchis – S/T EP

Most of the members of The Roots of Orchis aren’t even old enough to drink yet, and the band has been playing together since 1997. Think how good they’re going to be in their late 20’s! This San Diego band already has two full-lengths behind them and a number of compilation appearances. They branch out with their unique style of instrumental post-rock/math-rock on this new EP.

To say The Roots of Orchis are good is an understatement. This band is remarkably tight, and they combine math-rock and post-rock with a unique blend of avant-garde rock and even jazz for their brand of instrumental. That’s not to say all of their material is entirely unique, as some of their past songs have sounded comfortably in the vein of Tristeza or The Mercury Program. But these four songs show the band continuing to develop their sound, incorporating more complex rhythms, keyboard and sampling, and more intricate time signatures.

“Five Finger Method” kicks off the EP with a 6-minute dose of brooding, bass-heavy moodiness, kind of a swirling, almost Godspeed You Black Emperor! feel to it. Some scratching comes in way in the background for an almost eerie approach. “Fat, Furious and Fluffy” is a bit more up-tempo and less brooding, with a more melodic and crisp approach, with keyboards adding some nice atmospherics to the song. “Gold…and the Man” is an ambient affair, only about four minutes and quiet with some keyboard sounds, and it makes a nice transition into the last track, “Please Call 874-2420″ (which you might want to call if you live in San Diego, just to try it). This 5-minute song has a great flow, lead by jazzy bass and drums and again a kind of moody atmosphere, slow and brooding yet quite relaxed and stark. Some nice melodic guitar fills out the song.

The ambient “Gold…” is a bit dull, although it shows the band experimenting with some new sounds. I think the more electronic sampling the band is trying is a nice addition to the more traditional intricate instrumental feel. Keep at it. I imagine their next full-length is going to be stellar, but this EP has some excellent tracks itself.

Souvenir – S/T EP

In an attempt to bring you the best indie music from around the world, again we touch on the great land of France, better known for its rich food and luscious kisses. Souvenir perfectly fit the bill for a Shelflife band, despite all the vocals and all the words in this packaging being in French. That means they’re delightful pop, bouncy and sweet and so lovely, the kind of stuff that makes you get cavities and blush with glee. The kind of stuff you might not admit to loving but will go right on loving anyway. Souvenir fit that bill perfectly.
Lead by the lovely Patricia de la Fuente on vocals, Souvenir sounds like France’s version of Belle & Sebastian. The songs are definitely indie pop, sweet and yet not bubble gum, adding light drumming, beautiful, crisp guitars, and even horns and samples here and there. With elements of pop, jazz, and bossa nova music, each song here is prettier and more pleasant than the last.
“Quant Tu Reviendras” is a delightful pop song to kick off this EP, with light, bossa nova beats and some wonderful classical guitar in the background, all with those gorgeous vocals. “Belles-De-Jour” (girl of the day?) is even better, with soft male and female vocals doing that quiet, contemplative hushed thing that drives indie kids wild while there’s an upbeat rhythm and even some nice horns to accompany the vocals. Perhaps “Ne Dis Pas” is the real indie song here, almost with a Japanese pop feel, with acoustic guitars more prevalent. It’s bouncy and soft at the same time. Just in case you got a feel for these guys, they throw in “Au Bord Du Soleil,” a song that’s equal parts Japanese bouncy pop and surf rock, with great guitar riffs and big drum sounds. I think “Dusty” (is that a French word?) is probably most what I’d think French pop sounds like, sort of slow and sultry and a little loungy. I’m guessing that “La Femme Aux Mille Visages” is the Beach Boys cover of “Girl Don’t Tell Me,” but my French stinks, so I could be wrong, but I know that cover is on here. This track is certainly bouncy enough, with lots of background keyboards and drum machines to make it a catchy pop song leant the band’s own unique sultry, playful qualities.
Just the vocals here are enough to make me love these songs, despite the language that de la Fuente is singing in. The vocals are quiet and kind of atmospheric in every song, which makes for a delightful blend with the music. Yes, I’d like it better if I understood the lyrics, but then maybe I’d lose the atmosphere. Regardless of what they’re saying, the music is so sweet and nice, Souvenir is hard to resist.

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