Jo Gabriel – Fools and Orphans

This review is of Jo Gabriel’s limited release version of her album Fools and Orphans on her own Ephemera record label. A gothic, European version will be released in the fall or winter of 2008 on Kalinkaland Records. Self-taught pianist, singer, and song-writer Jo Gabriel delivers an album of intimate and sustained emotional resonance due to her tremulous, yearning vocal delivery and restless runs of piano notes that create a wavering agitation on each song, like raindrops striking the surface of a creek, with the ensuing ripples reverberating long after the source of disruption has dissipated.

Jo possesses warm, bittersweet, mid to high-register, brightly quivering vocals and her delivery and emotional tone are strongly reminiscent of singer/song-writer/composers Kate Bush and Tori Amos. Jo’s vocals revolve around her runs of piano, fluttering like the wings of an anxious bird unsure of the stability of a tree branch, ready to fly off into the vagary of the air. She shapes her words, drawing them out, emphasizing certain phrases, coloring them with her emotions, her inner tumult finding expression through her vocals, piano playing, and lyrics of loss and longing.

Assisting Jo (vocals, piano, keyboard, concertina) on her album are Linda Mackley (tympani, percussion), Matt Turner (cello), Mark Urness (bowed upright bass), Stephanie Rearick (trumpet), Wendy Schneider (guitar), guest vocalist Hannah Fury on “The Habits of Shadows”, guest vocalist Jeff Ladd on the hidden track “Heavy”, a bevy of birds that spontaneously twittered away during the recording of “Of Love and Ether”, and Isis, the Siamese cat yowling at the end of “How the Devil Falls in Love”.

Jo sounds like a breathy Kate Bush on the opener “Bulldozer”, with a trembling, crying ache to her voice as she moves from a mid-range tone to a higher register, never completely placid, hitting the vocal peaks over and over again, as she pours out “Why did we build this love / or was it a dream? / You were the end / to most everything.” The song is imbued with a bittersweet longing, full of tender emotion, caution, and tension developed by Jo’s vocal phrasing which rises in intensity on a chorus of muted trumpet, heightened piano notes, and cymbal shimmer, and subsides on the verses accented by piano notes and cello.

“Fable Honey” lightens up the mood, with Jo singing in a mid-range, carefree tone with an accompaniment of flowing piano runs, subdued trumpet, and pulls of the cello. The chorus moves in at a stormy pace with cymbal shimmer, low, fast piano runs, trumpet, and Jo’s expressive and sometimes doubled vocals. On “The Habits of Shadows” Hannah Fury makes a guest appearance, backing Jo in a whispery, echoed tone amid the quick, constant piano runs and sharp pulls of cello as Jo sings in a clear, but fragile tone that she’s “…surrendered all my nights / to love a shadow.”

Jo is her most emotive on “How the Devil Falls in Love”, imploring against upright bass and an insistent merry-go-round sound that “I always want what I can’t have / What I can’t have is killing me.” Poignant piano and cello add depth to the song as Jo sings sweetly and lightly at the start of the chorus until she reaches an emotional breaking point and pushes her vocals, crying out in an expression of loss, a release that is echoed at the end of the song with her cat Isis yowling away in the background.

“Of Love and Ether” features delicate piano notes, cello, concertina, upright bass, and a background of ebulliently twittering birds as Jo sings expressively “…to invent dreams so easily / It’s the same for love and ether / It burns, it shines / a valentine….” On the chorus she sounds like Kate Bush singing from far away, drawing out a searching call of “yo…yo…yo….” At the other end of the spectrum, “Poison in the Well” is an emotionally troubled confessional with somber bass, sawing cello, and an old-fashioned-sounding piano supporting a yearning Jo keening “You keep setting things on fire / just to try and make you feel…” while an echoed, wordless call hovers like a ghost above the main vocal line.

Spy Island – Famous Shipwrecks EP

The Famous Shipwrecks EP is prime indie rock. On itsr third release, Spy Island seize inspiration from the finely aged sounds of Mercury Rev and Pavement and capture those rare aesthetics that, for many, define indie rock. The sound screams DIY, where fabricated flaws and seemingly carefree musicianship are just part of the plan. The scruffy but charming end result doesn’t happen by chance. The band, led here by songwriter Dale Nicholls, follows inspiration all the way through.

Spy Island is Nicholls and a loose collective playing various instruments. The 5 tracks on the Famous Shipwrecks EP were recorded and mixed in various Seattle cubbyholes. Alternately stripped down or layered, these mussy pop songs bleed a quickly fading innocence. Simple chord progressions come to life and choruses bring hooks and occasional harmonies.

Tracks 1 and 3 best show the traditionalists’ concept of indie rock. First, “Pink Like Smog” takes off from a simple pop chord progression, using understated vocals at the verse before releasing a bustling energetic chorus, singing, “Yeah, but they’re catching on! I can see the shadows across the lawn. / Yeah, but they’re catching on! What we gonna do now that summer’s gone?” A sax enters at 3:15 to ease through an interlude before the lovely fade out.

In track 3, “Ecorse Fireworks”, the bare acoustic guitar invites embellishment. Here, again, the peak is the chorus, featuring the lyric, “Ecorse fireworks are bleeding red and yellow on the floor / Ancient yards, drinking mates burning swing sets in their wake / We shout out from the deep while she drinks and dreams of sleep / Hand on cheek, skin and bones / Ecorse fireworks are bleeding red and yellow on the floor”.

The remaining songs are more temperamental, two of them cacophonic and the other somber. Fifth track, “Small Storm”, layers instruments and tension, moving from mild aggression to release which builds a strong arc through the song. “Lovely Phonecalls”, starring organ keys, is maybe the crudest track of the bunch. It works in a rush. Exaggerated vocals, voluminous keyboard work, and haphazard drumming stir up an electric whir. In contrast, “Avery” enters on a minor key, as male and female vocals mix and instruments fade in and back out to ease or maybe facilitate gloom. The lyrics close with, “Avery, why are you crying? / I promise I’ll stop lying / You are my medication, my one-time education / You are my medication, my dying inspiration”.

On Famous Shipwrecks, Spy Island’s Dale Nicholl’s makes a convincing show of his musical prowess beneath a crude exterior. Hodgepodge sonics yield catchy results. Shame it all has to end so soon.

I Rise – Down

I read a complaint about the current state of hardcore saying every band is trying to be No Warning or Infest. This stereotype rings true, but I Rise goes a different path, taking influence from a crop of 90′s bands that I love. The record at hand, Down, is a mini discography of new and old material.

“Burn” got me into this band’s demo, it’s an exercise in dynamics between trebly riffs and down tuned loudness. I Rise shows forward-thinking songwriting with old-school influences on the seven new recordings. “Down” explodes like a sped up Rage Against the Machine riff. The layered octaves sound so dark and the rhythm guitar backbone uses stabbing strums that trigger 90′s nostalgia.

I hear too many young hardcore bands with awful singers that haven’t developed their instrument yet. Nicky’s voice is developed and his political-driven lyrics cannot be ignored even by the most apathetic listener (I’m proof of this). The mixing technique applied to his vocals also makes for a unique “full” sound.

I’m into the more traditional open-chug breakdowns that surface on Down. While they’ve written their hardest stuff to date, they can also achieve a serious Quicksand – Slip vibe without slowing down. “When Fear Turns To Hate” is, dare I say, poppy.

Constantly on tour, I Rise show no signs of quitting the game. Some bands win the hype lottery and elevate their status without hard work. I Rise actually earned theirs.

Broken Social Scene Presents: Brendan Canning – Something for All of Us…

When you’re the kind of band Broken Social Scene is, people tend to expect a lot from you. Some of indie-rock’s most celebrated artists, the Toronto-bred and proud “super-group” have amassed quite the following. The breakthrough success of You Forgot it in People led many to believe that these popsters had many more classics in them. And though their albums may not have the most immediately moving or trendily catchy music of the year, it’s always easily pleasurable. With their second album in the “Broken Social Scene presents:” series — the Brendan Canning edition — they have not only successfully defended their “super group” tag but have also proven that they are one of the best indie acts out there.

It’s fun to take Something for All of Us… and Kevin Drew’s stellar album from last year, Spirit If… and study them side by side. However, that’s neither here nor there because although they share their similarities, it’s their stark differences that make them enjoyable on their own. Songs like “Hit the Wall” and “Churches Under the Stairs” bristle with a driving intensity that never lets up. The music is pumped with pulsing drums and frenetic guitars that deliver an intoxicating energy. These songs are segued into and after with easygoing, lush pieces that pull the reins on the horse a bit. The picking guitar and atmospheric touches on “Snowballs and Icicles” are nice retreats to a gentler, calmer approach.

While band members deliver cameos throughout and many of them play instruments on the songs, this is Canning’s album at the core. The melodic horn section, the thriving vigor and that lightheaded, fragile voice are all Canning. And since he is the co-founder of Broken Social Scene, it’s easy to see how is influence is felt throughout all of their proper albums. “Chameleon” is an ambient, droning song that is lightly layered with horns and choral-like vocals that create a wonderful mix of oceanic tranquility.

An unexpected standout is the instrumental bliss of “All the Best Wooden Toys Come from Germany.” It begins with more ambient feedback and reverb before substantial electronics creep in and sustain the entire song. They are blended into the surroundings in a skillful manner that is remarkable and when everything climaxes—complete with horns and lush strings—it dazzles in what is a melting pot of sheer musicianship. It’s moments like this that highlight the entire album: from the funky groove of “Love is New” to the growing amazement that is “Been at it So Long” to the bitterly poignant, “Take Care, Look Up,” these are all signs of an accomplished musician at work.

The music on Something for All of Us… is focused, melodic and utterly impressive. Not only does it sound terrific but it sounds like it was a complete pleasure to make. Maybe that’s what the band needed, a few solo albums here and there (not to mention the solo efforts of Feist’s 2007 album and Jason Collett’s latest) to liven up the group. Here’s to hoping that when they do decide to record a new album together that it sounds as good as this.

The Electric Bunnies – Fantastic Metal Eye 7"

In the words of Nelson Muntz, I can think of two things wrong with that title. The title being “Fantastic Metal Eye,” the latest 7” of “other” from Florida’s Electric Bunnies. Starting off the 3 song single are some rollicking drums with a pulsing Farfisa-like organ in a Silver Apples like trance. Not a bad start until some sort of heavily processed vocalizing comes in and mucks things all up like a Daft Punk who haven’t quite made it out of the garage. Mid song things slow down a bit which really threw me off since I had already thought the record was on the wrong speed. Now, I seem to remember a time when a 7” was called a 45. And it was a 45 because that was the speed at which it was played at. Now it’s a gamble since we seem to have these things needing to be played at 33 RPM’s which really just makes no sense. Oh I’m not really so angry at that so much as the need to at least tell me what speed to play it at on the record sleeve! In the case of the Electric Bunnies I thought they were really on to something special, a single that could be played at either speed, giving each version something new. But alas, no, it’s not a very good track, short on hooks, heavy on irony, and really, the faster it’s played the better.

Second track “Beautiful Pants” is a short n’ sloppy little punk number, like the Ramones only with one less chord. Not bad but not great either. In fact the only purpose I can find for it is to blur the lines of just what sort of sound these Bunnies are going for. While “Fantastic Metal Eye” is pushing a space groove, “Beautiful Pants” goes for the garage punk, and the B-side “Bubble Bath” has a sort of New Order/PIL thing going on, the 3 piece has either far too many influences or just likes to astound with the many different genres it can span. My guess is the latter but it doesn’t really work. Every band has a large record collection these days and can claim their influences are Fleetwood Mac and Black Flag but it doesn’t mean you’re particularly good at playing either.

After hearing other tracks from now out-of-print 7”s the Bunnies work best with their short and sloppy, jangle poppy sound, such as on the “Chewing Gum” single. Why they chose to space out is beyond me. Points for trying something new on this single but it’s neither fantastic nor metal.

DOA’s Guide to the Recordings of…James

The creative, alternative, Brit-rock band James was formed in Manchester, England in 1982 by Paul Gilbertson (guitar), Gavan Whelan (drums), Jim Glennie (bass) and Tim Booth (vocals). More than 25 years later the band is still going strong, with two original members (Booth and Glennie), and an impressive catalog of ten studio albums, a few live recordings, many singles, b-sides and even a “Best Of” release. Some would argue that James, along with other local bands like Happy Mondays, Inspiral Carpets, The Charlatans and Joy Division/New Order, helped define a late 80′s rock sub-genre known as “Baggy” or “Madchester”. But I would argue that a specially talented band from Manchester just happened to get its start at that same particular time and place.

Certainly one of the better bands to come out of this era, as evidenced by their longevity and ability to re-invent themselves and their sound through multiple personnel lineups, various record companies and the fickle musical market forces, they counted Morrissey as one of their earliest fans and were often compared to The Smiths. Unlike The Smiths though, James was able to outlast the 80′s and 90′s and even put out some of its best work in the 21st century. But the band didn’t do it by resting on their laurels. They did it by being unpredictable, daring and bold and making a distinctive brand of creative rock music that ultimately defies categorization. Of course having a band full of excellent musicians and a dynamic and enigmatic frontman (Tim Booth) with a precious lyrical skill and a booming voice capable of expressing a heart full of despair and a mind filled with hope, along with possessing a unique dancing ability, certainly didn’t hurt.

In addition, the band was able to hook up with some of the best rock producers in the business including Lenny Kaye (Patti Smith), Hugh Jones (Echo & the Bunnymen, The Charlatans), Youth (Killing Joke, Crowded House, The Orb), Brian Eno (Ultravox!, Devo, David Bowie, Talking Heads, U2) and Stephen Hague (New Order, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Pet Shop Boys, Blur) that, aside from being recording studio whizzes, encouraged and helped the band expand their sound and achieve their potential. All of which enabled James to develop a devoted British fan base while exploring different musical genres and textures yet maintaining its own style and artistic integrity.

For some incomprehensible reason James was never able to break into the American music scene, except for mild success with its 5th album Laid. The title track of which, even after fifteen years, four new albums and dozens of better tunes, is still occasionally played on American radio stations today. Even an appearance at Woodstock ’94 didn’t seem to increase their popularity in the States. However, they were able to achieve somewhat of a cult status and following in the UK, thanks in part to their exuberant live shows, which enabled them to put out nine distinct, unusual, innovative and sometimes glorious rock albums before calling it quits in 2001.

Now, after a 7-year hiatus, James has reformed with what the members consider their definitive line-up, including the “Laid” six of Tim Booth (vocalist, lyricist and founding member), Jim Glennie (bassist and founding member), Larry Gott, Saul Davies, Mark Hunter and David Baynton-Power, with Andy Diagram rounding out “The Magnificent Seven”, and have released their 10th studio album, Hey Ma, a grand mixture of their past with a pulse on the present and an eye to the future.

It seems fitting to take a closer look at James as it proves its staying power by ignoring trends and producing a special brand of alternative rock that is true to the members’ hearts and speaks from their souls. Hopefully this will heighten and enlighten your musical awareness of this great, but often overlooked, band.

Stutter [Sire; 1986] – After a couple of promising EPs, James hooked up with producer Lenny Kaye and released its first album of raw, powerful and punky folk-pop that showed off the band’s energy and ability to create a discriminating new sound. It showed enough potential to gain a small following and enabled them to make more records. Recommended Track: “Johnny Yen”

 

 

 

 
Strip Mine [Sire; 1988] – Building on the folk-pop of Stutter, James reduced the amount of raw punk and replaced it with more polished pop hooks while retaining its youthful enthusiasm and playful charm. “What For” was featured on the American release of Sire Records’ “Just Say Yo” compilation in an attempt to garner a wider audience, but “Are You Ready” and “Ya Ho” are the recommended tracks.

 

 

 

Gold Mother [Fontana; 1990] – Following the release of the live album One Man Clapping, James’ 3rd studio album expanded its sound with the inclusion of new members and produced its best known song, “Sit Down”, which became an audience participation event at the band’s live shows. But the lesser known tracks showed growth both in the politically charged lyrics and with a more experimental musical sound that flirted with prog-rock and included some more ambient electronic-based, effusive pieces. This album was released in the US one year later, titled simply James. Recommended Tracks: “Come Home”, “Lose Control”, “Government Walls”

 

 

Seven [Fontana; 1992] – Less eclectic but more bombastic! A majestic mix of anthemic, stadium rock with an amalgamation of its earlier styles, complete with magniloquent horns and alternative pop hooks. Recommended Tracks: “Sound” and “Heavens”

 

 

 

 

Laid [Fontana; 1993] – A return to the more eclectic and experimental, only this time with Brian Eno at the helm. Ethereal moods and sublime ambient textures permeate the magnificent, atmospheric rock. Recommended Tracks: “Say Something”, “Low Low Low” and “Dream Thrum”

 

 

 

 

Wah Wah [Mercury; 1994] – Recorded and performed by James and Brain Eno during “The Laid Sessions”, this collection of 23 compositions was culled from countless hours of improvisations caught on tape. James’ most daring and diverse work, it captures the group’s creative genius. Recommended Tracks: “Tomorrow” and “Pressure=s On”

 

 

 

Whiplash [Mercury; 1997] – With longtime guitarist Larry Gott gone and new guitarist Adrian Oxaal in tow, James infused its sound with elements of techno, swirls of grunge-style guitars and U2-like arena rock and proved it could keep up with the times while still sounding like classic James. Recommended Tracks: “Lost A Friend”, “Waltzing Along” and “Avalanche”

 

 

 

Millionaires [Mercury; 1999] – Another new guitarist, this time Michael Kulas, but James didn’t miss a beat as itsr sound continued to grow by mixing clever lyrics and humming guitar textures over rich, layered melodies underscored by Eno’s luminous production. Recommended Tracks: “Crash”, “Just Like Fred Astaire” and “Shooting My Mouth Off”

 

 

 

Pleased To Meet You [Mercury; 2001] – James’ unique experimental art-rock meets sublime alternative pop. Some of the band’s best stuff both musically and lyrically, as they seemed to go out on top, only to return 7 years later. Recommended Tracks: “Space”, “Junkie” and “Getting Away With It All Messed Up”

 

 

 

Hey Ma [Mercury; 2008] – Re-united with old members, including guitarist Larry Gott and Andy Diagram on trumpet, James returns in stellar fashion with 11 songs that encompass the vast array of great sounds that graced its last four albums. Recommended Tracks: “Bubbles”, “Hey Ma” and “Waterfall”

Sebastien Grainger – American Names EP

Sebastien Grainger, former member of Death From Above 1979, recently released a four song EP named American Names. The one sheet that accompanied the digital download from Saddle Creek mentioned, in so many words, that Grainger does not intend for American Names to be indicative of his upcoming full-length release. Probably a good thing.

Coming from the loud, energetic music of Death From Above 1979, Grainger appears to have taken the opportunity on this EP to sort of re-find or re-define himself. The songs, although laced with pop percussion and distorted guitars, sound as if they were all born as acoustic numbers that Grainger layered and layered and layered and layered with Canadian rock-pop sensibility.

I suppose I should give credit where credit is due, though. At least he didn’t just leave these songs as half-assed acoustic/folk songs. At least he had the decency to work hard on his product, no matter the fact that the end result so completely missed the target. Grainger worked on these four songs only for about a year (according to Saddle Creek). Now now, there is something to be said for the man’s work ethic. However surprising it was to me that this guy worked on nothing but four songs for a year and American Names is what he ended up with, it is nonetheless refreshing to see a musician so dedicated to his craft.

Since this EP is only four songs in length, we have enough time to briefly analyze each song. So, here’s the rundown.

The first and title track, “American Names” starts out with an 80’s hard rock-era piano rhythm that made me cringe the first few times I listened to the tune. Honestly, a physical cringe. That is, until I finally figured out what he was doing with it. From the outset, he is setting the listener up for an EP of straight up pop music and the superfluous piano intro serves best as a sort of pop-hyperbole. The question is: Why does he need to invoke musical hyperbole? The only answer I can think of is to sort of acclimate his fans to his new sound. In this vein, I can sort of respect Grainger for the idea of trying to set up his listener for what is coming and thereby sort of building from the ground up with this song.

Unfortunately, the idea only gets you so far before you have to start worrying about execution. And that is where Grainger falls short. He actually has some pretty excellent lyrics in this tune. He explores the themes of finding one’s home and place in the world and shame and guilt and, well, America. Universal themes, for sure, and difficult to articulate in a four-song EP. In a fit of desperation and attempting to get some big idea out in the first song, Grainger belts out the words “Drive forth/Give your kids American names/Give them more than what was given to you.” He almost accomplishes an impressive feat in this song by tackling these huge ideas in a single song, but the fact remains that he would have been better served by crafting an entire full-length album around the themes that constitute this first song.

The second song, “Ways to Come Home”, is also a little troublesome for me. It is a short song and the music is obviously secondary to the unabashed didactic message of dealing with some overwhelming shame in order to go back to where you feel most comfortable, home. The problem I have with it is that lyrically it is split in two parts. The first part is a borderline irresponsible verse that ponders the ability to return home after you become famous. Whereby, Grainger concludes: “It’s like skipping class/for a week/just come back and you’ll see.” The second part, though, invokes some sort of Pogues-like natural world angst that is actually commendable: I was there where you roamed/It was like a dream we all shared/But you were gone too long/And when you come down, Oh.

At first, these lyrics sound like generic filler; but, to me, they are the best lyrical expression on the entire EP. Nowhere else on the album does Grainger take his theme (in this case, finding one’s way home while dealing with the woes of fame) and perfectly describe it without giving anything away for free.

Now the third song on the release, and the last one with lyrics, is difficult for me to listen to, and I honestly have not paid it that much attention because there is just something about this song that is lucidly reminiscent of “Helter Skelter.” The vocals sound just like Lennon’s, the piano sounds so perfectly White Album-esque and the fuzzy guitar solo in the middle of the song is bottom-line pornographic. Now, in a White Album-era Beatles and Sebastien Grainger split, you know who I have to go with. The only positive thing I can say about this song in Grainger’s favor is that despite its fully derivative existence, it is perfectly executed and will probably become his most fan-favored song from the EP. However, if The Beatles sound is what he was looking for, he definitely found it. Now, I am very aware that it is kind of lame of me to compare somebody to the Beatles because people do it all the time. But, in my own defense, I will say that the Beatles comparison is usually a laudatory or pejorative. In my case, I invoke the comparison in a purely hortatory manner. In fact, this entire review is hortatory in my eyes.

It is pretty close to soul-wrenching for me to listen to Sebastien Grainger, someone with such obvious talent bleeding from the speakers, taking a handful of decent songs and screw ingthem up by trying to do way too much to them. The last song on the album, “Epilogue”, is a three and a half minute instrumental of mediocre quality. I mean, come on. Instrumentals are all good and well (some of my favorite music, in fact), but when you put out a rock EP and the last song is a sleepy instrumental tune, it doesn’t really rev anyone up for the full-length you are about to release. In actuality, it borders on being a rock faux pas. And, yes, there is a such thing as a rock faux pas.

The final result of this review in the form of a rant: I do not support (but I still somehow enjoy) Grainger’s American Names. On the upside, I do look forward to his full length with all expectation. I can only hope that he will put himself forward on the album a little more instead of trying to impress. I think there is a lot more to this Canadian rocker than meets the eye and I will just have to wait like everyone else until this fall when I can listen to Grainger’s full length in order to find what I have been looking for from the guy, maybe what he has been looking for from himself.

Loop-Aznavour – Dancing with the Dogs

Loop-Aznavour comes from Manchester, UK and has a resonance reminiscent of other English pop/rock artists like David Bowie, Roger Waters and, of course, The Beatles. The group’s song “Dancing with the Dogs,” apparently from the album The Onions Turn to Cry, combines the melodic sensibilities of the aforementioned artists with enough quirky, silly sounds effects and lyrics to also enter the world of The Bonzo Dog Band.

Opening with a poppy, though melancholic, piano progression that reminds one of “I Am The Walrus” from the Beatles’ Magical Mystery Tour, a vocal fusion of Bowie, Waters, and perhaps even Bob Dylan in terms of vowel accentuation (but with a bit more yodel vibrato) begins to sing. It’s an upbeat, poppy tune that wouldn’t be out of place in the late 1960s. As the song ends, a weird minute of strange typing noises ensues and a low voice says “dancing” repeatedly. Think of “Revolution 9″ from The Beatles’ self-titled “white album” but not quite as chaotic and strange.

Lyrically, “Dancing with the Dogs” is quite silly. It’s told from the perspective of someone following someone else to “look you in the night. Make you my prototype. He’ll be ‘skinned alive’ because he was dancing with the dogs.” Perhaps it’s a case of a dark song disguised as a happy track. The line “We’ve been dancing on hot plates baby” screams Vivian Stanshall from The Bonzo Dog Band, and it would fit to have Neil Innes as the musician accompanying him.

This track, as well as another I’ve heard called “Worker’s Playtime,” introduces a quirky new pop band. They wear their influences on their sleeve, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t interesting. Since no one else these days is bringing back the great combination of solid pop music and oddball humor, Loop-Aznavour provides a welcomed sound. Keep an eye on these guys!

Effusion 35 – Stonewind

The Philadelphia quartet, Effusion 35, create an amalgam of alternative, metal, prog-rock, punk and indie-rock that borrows heavily from the dynamic, classic rock of the 70′s mixed with the brawny attitude of early 90′s alternative rock, resulting in something that can also be described as indie power pop and prog-rock that teeters on the edge of heavy metal.

Fans of any and all types of guitar rock should find something in Effusion 35′s music they can relate to, whether it’s the steady drumming of Randy Robbins, the distorted, crunchy and often searing guitars of Joe Napoleon and frontman Pat Manley, or the slick, thundering bass riffs of Sean Hamill. Together they construct compositions ranging from generic alternative rock, to a raucous punk/prog mix to energetic power/alterna-rock with energetic tempos and propulsive, precision guitar work.

Like NYC trio The Exit, the musicians of Effusion 35 are quite capable as evident by the number of different styles they pull off and the tight instrumental sequences. But having good musicians doesn’t guarantee a good album. They must also have the ability to craft a song, so the music will stimulate our bodies as well as our minds. And this is what Stonewind is lacking. The music, while satisfying our need to rock out, too often fumbles around aimlessly, failing to form into cohesive songs or elicit much emotion other than “rock on dudes!” Some bands overcome this by relying on the vocals to provide the tunes with a lift, but this can’t be said for Effusion 35. The vocals sound the same on every song, are far from polished, are a distraction from the music and sound more like a strained yell than any kind of singing and will most likely have you searching for a throat lozenge.

With better songwriting and improved vocals, Effusion 35′s debut would be recommended as the layered guitars sometimes close in on the artful musings of Built To Spill, but may still be worth a try if you like roaring guitar rock.

The Slow Beings – We Know Why the Earth Moves

The Slow Beings are a fresh, new outfit from Australia. Their blend of pop, rock and fuzzy, funny punk is a nice change of pace that allows their music to soothe over you. With their debut, We Know Why the Earth Moves, they have accomplished a modest task: make an album that has equal parts indie and rock, that doesn’t sound cliché or bland. Now, to many, this may seem like a somewhat trivial task but trust me, this is a very good thing.

The album’s closing song, “The Happy Few,” is a fine example of the band’s best strengths. Craig Hallsworth’s vocals are touching and serene and the music is filled with strumming guitars that carry out a lovely melody. The accented drums foreshadow the chorus’ uplifting drive and chugging instrumentation. Choosing acoustic guitars, rather than electrical ones, is a smart choice that conveys a much more personal feel. It’s a charming song that is musically simple, yet strongly effective.

The members have played in other bands that are all tied to the Perth music scene, including The Bamboos, The Rainyard, The Healers, Header and Hallsworth’s main band, Tangled Star. Their influences are also wide and far, covering much of indie’s diverse spectrum. A strong inspiration comes from Stephen Malkmus, of Pavement fame. His presence is felt on songs like the spunky opener, “I Waste the Sea” and the laid back, “Carson Dyle.” The former is the lead single that is stretched out into a six-minute fuzzy epic, I prefer the radio edit but the extension is a nice showcase of musicianship. The latter is a sparkling gem that features subtle guitar proficiency; Hallsworth’s voice trembles with emotion and confidence with every note he sings.

Bands like Blur can be heard on songs like the thriving, “People Leave Heaven.” Its pounding drums are juxtaposed with soaring vocals and poppy hooks. Others like “(Let’s) Get (Married)” carry immediately catchy riffs that pull you in and most of the songs on here are alike in that sense. These are carefully crafted pop songs that are superbly executed.

One of the chief aspects on We Know Why the Earth Moves is the honing of the band’s fortes. They are all talented musicians and the songwriting agreeably compliments those skills. The title track calms with background “ooohs…”, the placid guitars and Hallsworth’s effortless delivery. And the fact that this is only their first album is a testament to their ability.

The Slow Beings are the kind of band that could break through onto the mainstream. They already control the hooks, melodies and riffs to compete with anyone. It’s a surprise that this album hasn’t been getting more attention because We Know Why the Earth Moves is a great listen. These Australian cats know how to make catchy music that works in many different ways and I only hope they continue to improve from here.

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