For the love of music
Two years after their sophomore LP, Humorous to Bees, took the indie circuit by surprise, Georgian chamber pop sextet Little Tybee returns with an even stronger statement, For Distant Viewing. Still maintaining the group’s beloved blend of bluegrass, pop, folk, jazz, and soul, it feels more nuanced, intricate, and profound. Although arguably not … [Read more...]
Canadian outfit Fen packs a lot of detail and energy into its fifth LP, Of Losing Interest. The follow-up to 2010’s more somber and acoustic Trails out of Gloom, the record is a powerhouse of staccato guitar riffs, spastic rhythms, and forceful singing. Although not all of its melodies resonant equally and it can feel too familiar at times, the … [Read more...]
By now it's well-known that The Strokes' best album is ten years old and there wont be much of a chance for part two to ever be released. But if they continue to sound forcefully capable, like on Comedown Machine, there really shouldn't be much complaining. Although Angles was a success because of the band's invigorated sound and … [Read more...]
The launch of this debut long-player from Carmarthenshire-based duo Trwbador comes with not just the ringing endorsement of Welsh indie establishment figures (Euros Childs, James Dean Bradfield and DJ Huw Stephens) but also from further afield, with the likes of 6Music, members of Cornershop and The Great Pop Supplement label being benevolent … [Read more...]
Primary Perception is a term referring to the gut instinct or sincere spontaneous emotions you have in a given moment. It comes from a study by scientist Cleve Backster who observed plants reacting strongly to spontaneous outbursts of emotion. Nick Jaina took a similar approach in the studio, gathering musicians together then deciding which song to … [Read more...]
Although Brisbane’s Blank Realm have been releasing music since around 2007, Go Easy is the Australian quartet’s first widely available album. After years of limited vinyl, CDR and cassette affairs for the likes of Not Not Fun, Music Your Mind Will Love You and Bedroom Suck Records, the foursome has finally found a label to push them into the … [Read more...]
The press kit to this album nails it: Dormarion, it says, “is the sound of a man figuring out exactly who he is.” Give the guy who wrote this a raise, or maybe fire him, because the problem with this album is that it can’t figure out what it is. Michael Benjamin Lerner, the man and the band who is Telekinesis is wildly talented, but also … [Read more...]
Hunky-dory Bloodsports heralds the welcome return of British band Suede after an over-10-year absence from the music scene. Who would have thought that a band that made its name during the heady years of the 1990s, when Britpop ruled the U.K. and indie U.S. airwaves, would make a comeback in 2013? Who would have thought that, after all these … [Read more...]
David Grubbs on… John Cage’s The 25-Year Retrospective Concert Of The Music Of John Cage (no label, 1959) I have always been intrigued by John Cage’s dismissive attitude towards sound recordings. Actually, I should be a bit more precise than that. John Cage was often dismissive towards commercially-released sound recordings, even … [Read more...]
A Life in Transit is a triumph over adversity recorded over two years in various parts of North America and completed with the help of friends when Nathan Leigh suffered a collapsed lung after being beaten by the NYPD during an Occupy protest. Contributions from over 20 artists create a rich tapestry of styles and voices. “Family of Ghosts” … [Read more...]