Nada Surf - The Weight Is A Gift

 

“Death Cab is, Alex,” Tricia  announced.  I disagreed.  We were discussing indie rock bands of the last decade.  “No, they are just an alternative rock band,” I objected.

“Well, indie rock is really a sub-genre of alternative rock, isn’t it? So, why don’t you consider Death Cab an indie rock band?” she remonstrated. “ I felt cornered.  I mean, what is an indie rock band anyway? I replied, “In 2004 they signed with Atlantic Records, a subsidiary of Warner Music Group.  Atlantic is hardly an independent label.” 

Tricia didn’t miss a beat, “Is that your definition of an indie rock band?  For Pete’s sake!” (I thought “Who the hell is ‘Pete’?”)  She continued, “Death Cab originally was signed by tiny Barsuk Records in Seattle and then released four EPs and 4 LPs under that label.  Then, and only then, did they take the ‘big deal’ with Atlantic. How can they not be an indie rock band?”

She had me there but, of course, never one to admit defeat, I dug myself a deeper hole, “I just don’t see it that way.  Nada Surf, now there is an indie rock band.  I mean their 2006 release The Weight Is A Gift epitomizes indie rock..  It’s jangly, emotive stuff.  It too was issued by Barsuk but Nada Surf never sold out to a large label.”  I felt self-satisfied by my B.S. diversionary answer.  My flawed plan for purposes of my ego was not to admit to her she was right about Death Cab.

She practically jumped out of her skin.  Every fiber of her being became taut. She immediately mated me in this chess game of musical labels, “Alex, you are so wrong.  By your standards Nada Surf could never be an indie rock band.  Their first label was Elecktra, also a subsidiary of Warner Music Group.” She had me there. Still, I would not admit defeat, “Look Trish, The Weight Is A Gift is as indie an album as an indie rock band can produce,  It was put out on Barsuk, City Slang and Rough Trade, all really small independent labels.”

A sly smile came over her face.  She knew she had me and just wouldn’t let on.  This would be checkmate.  I could see the Queen coming at me from a mile away.  I shifted from side to side in my chair and tried to shrink my stature to become the smallest target possible..

She put both arms on the table, leaned forward and said, “Produced?  Did you say ‘produced?’”  (I thought, “uh oh, Now I’m dead.”) Tricia continued, “You do realize that Chris Walla, you know who Chris Walla is don’t you Alex?  Of course you do Alex. Chris Walla, the guitarist of Death Cab for Cutie, he was the producer of Nada Surf’s album The Weight Is A Gift.  So, doesn’t that disqualify Nada Surf as an indie band?  In other words, my dear Alex, Nada Surf is as much an ‘indie’ band as Death Cab for Cutie.”

I had no place to go.  I looked straight at Trish and with surrender in my voice I said, “Well, at least we can agree that The Weight Is A Gift is a great classic alternative rock album?”  Trish laughed and smiled, and loudly exclaimed, “Damn straight!”

- Old School  

The Haunted Continents - The Loudest Year Ever

 

After a long and arduous journey I parked our van in front of the address the group had provided.   I’ll admit that the location was a little spooky, even in broad daylight.  We were a couple of miles outside of New York City proper, and there were only a few mid-size industrial buildings around to break up the landscape.  Additionally, the squat one story building my camera crew and I were parked in front of appeared to be the only one currently inhabited.  I honked the van’s horn to formally announce our presence.

Sure enough a door opened and two normal looking young men walked out to greet us.  Handshakes and introductions followed.  James A.M. Downes was the singer/guitar player, and Matt Cascella was the drummer.  Together they made up The Haunted Continents.  Perhaps sensing my unease, Mr. Downes clapped me on the shoulder and reassured me that no one present was in any physical danger whatsoever.  Unfortunately his statement did not truly lessen my concern, and I asked for clarification on what exactly was going to happen inside this building of theirs today.  He laughed, put a big smile on his face, and explained that my crew and I were here to document the latest of their ongoing séances.  With any luck he continued, we would also be able to record video of new music being written and performed.  That seemed pretty straightforward to me, so my crew and I followed the two young men into the building with cameras at the ready.

Leaving the bright afternoon sunshine behind, I found the dark interior of the building quite disorienting.  Once my eyes adjusted to the low light levels, I observed that the interior space had been fully transformed into one large practice/recording space, with vintage concert posters decorating the walls.  The musicians took their respective places, strapping on a guitar and sitting behind the drum kit, and signaled us to begin recording video.  Incense was lit and a few choice words were chanted in unison.  At this point Mr. Downes closed his eyes and appeared to go into a deep trance while Mr. Cascella continued calling on otherworldly entities.  No more than one minute later, Mr. Downes visibly shook, opened his eyes and looked around the room as if he was unsure where he was.  He looked down at the guitar, smiled, and lifted his gaze onto Mr. Cascella.

“Hey Matt!  How are you?”
“I’m fine Buddy.  How are you?”
“Well it’s good to be back here I can tell you.”  He looked to his right and saw me and my crew.  “Who’s this?”
“Buddy this is…”
“Hi.  My name is Penfold, and you are?”
“Buddy.  Buddy Holly.  Pleased to meet you.  Are you here to listen to me and Matt play some music?”
“Absolutely!”
“Great!  Hey Matt, I’ve been listening to those Weezer albums you showed me.  Man they’re great!”
“Yeah Buddy, I think so too.  I’m glad you like them so much.”
“You bet I do.  They’ve given me tons of song ideas!  Do you want to just play along with me as I run through some of them?”
“Sure.  That sounds good to me.”
“Great!  Here we go.”

Waveriders, waveriders, waveriders.  Boy oh boy do I have some music to tell you about today!  The Haunted Continents is the name of the band and their fantastic debut album, The Loudest Year Ever, is about to serenade your eardrums into a state of pure ecstasy.  As you might have guessed after reading the story above, The Haunted Continents is made up of the dynamic duo of guitarist/keyboard operator/vocalist James A.M. Downes and drummer Matt Cascella.  Originally from Old Saybrook, CT these two men can currently be found conquering New York City with their wickedly memorable tunes.  But why am I so excited about this band?  What do they sound like?  I’m glad you asked.

To borrow the groups own words, The Haunted Continents ‘mix 50s bop and soul with 90s alternative’.  They list Buddy Holly and Otis Redding as their two main influences besides Weezer.  Now I know what you’re telling yourselves waveriders.  You’re telling yourselves that you’ve heard plenty of modern rock acts that incorporate 50’s rock influences into their sound.  That is certainly true and I won’t bother arguing that point.  So what makes this group different?  I’ll tell you.  The Haunted Continents flip the script and compose songs like a 50’s era group who has been given the gifts of distortion and modern production.  It’s breathtaking!

The Loudest Year Ever is made up of ten songs.  Ten superb anthems dedicated to the fine art of the break-up.  There are ultra groovy heavy hitters.  There are mid-tempo wonders.  There are delicate ballads.  Anything you wish to discover can be found within this album.  Well, I take that last statement back.  If you were looking for some throw away songs or other musical filler, you’ve come to the wrong place.  This album is a lean, mean, bop and soul machine!  While all ten songs are great, there are a few that really jump out at me.  Opener “2nd Avenue Blues” really establishes that the listener is in for something different and wonderful.  “Cure For The Blues” lays some driving guitar strumming over top of another distorted guitar line and hand clap accompaniment.  This song makes me happy…end of story.  “She’s My Only One” sounds so wholesome throughout that I simply can’t resist its charms.  I dare you to try waveriders.  No, scratch that.  I double dare you!

Time to put a bow on this methinks.  Here is the bottom line waveriders.  I love The Haunted Continents album The Loudest Year Ever more and more every time I listen to it.  If you grew up listening to nothing but 1950s rock n’ roll thanks to your parents musical preferences, or if you simply value the sonic blueprint established by those early rock acts and wonder what a 90’s alternative take on their sound would be like you absolutely must hear this album!  The rewards are bountiful!

--Penfold

http://thehauntedcontinents.bandcamp.com/

Y LUV- How Chill Can You Let Go

 
 

Did you know PR companies remind me a lot of foxes? Not the real foxes with the bushy tails, but the cunning ones that are portrayed in cartoons. I have come to that conclusion as most press releases I have  read for a band are really far off the mark. Oh yeah, X Band has “unique” sounds and “is exploding onto the indie scene”... That is why they remind me of every other mainstream artist right now...

I had to retract these beliefs though (Thank you Planetary Group) when Y LUV's press release summed this band up brilliantly. They pulled the words right out of my brain and I feel as if my entire review is going to be paraphrasing them, because they know how brilliant these guys are too.

Y LUV have released two previous musical explorations, and I think this is the cream of the crop. They have tied together the psychedelic, rock, pop sound to make How Chill Can You Let Go their best work to date.

Starting with “All Night” you get the psychedelic treatment. It is heavier on that side of things, focusing less on the guitar riffs you will get to hear later.

“Never Touch The Ground” is my favourite on the album. Clean, clear, strong vocals, fun drum beat, stronger guitar line, it works for me. The lyrics are the epitome of indie pop- catchy yet meaningful.
“I feel the weight on my shoulders,
Can you feel it too?
I know that we're getting older,
What else can we do?...
..Now I know that we will all stop making sense
And that is okay.
Simply saying that I'm never coming down
We never touch the ground.”


You get launched back into the psychedelic sounds with “Feel Sound” but there is the twist of the riff. The guitar plays a bigger part here and paired up with the drums you have some really great indie pop/rock/psychedelic music going on.

I sort of like tambourine-like sounds, I don't know why... If you like tambourines, you will like “Be Free.”  Stream the awesome-ness here- http://yluv.bandcamp.com/track/be-free


Tying things off with the fast paced, riff filled “Super Heavy” was a wise move and just leaves you wanting more. How could you not want more with lyrics like-
“Think that I get it
But I know that I don't
I think that I am trying all alone
Inside of my head now
Just trying to find
I lost my head inside my mind”

How Chill Can You Let Go is by far the best work of Y LUV and unless something truly amazing comes along, they are on my top ten albums of the year. They have the sound nailed, it is the perfect mix of all of the things that make great music- great music, great sounds, great vocals. Plus, when you are as talented as them, you can't ever go wrong. Right?

- Koala

Buy here: How Chill Can You Let Go



Buy here: How Chill Can You Let Go

Sarah Fimm- Near Infinite Possibility

 

It is July 19th 1848. First women's rights convention. What do women want? The right to choose, the right to vote, equal opportunity! These conventions and arguments continued on for what seemed like forever (well, they are still going on so it is forever..). Whilst most women are just pleased they get a say in things, they have made important changes, even in the world of music.

Without their revolutions against tradition amazing artists like Sarah Fimm would be at home baking bikkies and cakes for their offspring instead of rocking out my eardrums.

I say all of this because the numbers of female artists I get sent are significantly less than the males ones. When I do get a female artist they are singing sweet pop or gentle acoustics, I have nothing against this, as you may have read in my other reviews, but just imagine my glee when I hit play on Near Infinite Possibility and I am rewarded with some very cool rock.

More importantly Sarah Fimm isn't pumping out stock standard female leading rock, the music on  Near Infinite Possibility is varied with clear pop and alternative influences. Yes, you get the faster paced electric guitar, drum dominated songs like “Soul Let Swim” and “Closer” but you get a break in the rocking out with a highlight on the thirteen song album being “Sing.”

“Sing” is the main acoustic song and outstanding. With gorgeous lyrics like-
“Sing
Let me begin
Make everything a story
Just sing
And a voice may come in
not forgotten and lonely
Sing”
It is a welcome change of sound at the ninth song. The acoustics are clean and the matching vocals make it one of the best on Near Infinite Possibility.

Jumping back in the time line on the album is “Disappear.” Starting acoustic, then jumping into climaxing electrics it is dynamic, making it brilliant to listen to.
“I still hope the sun will come in
I still hope the sun will come in
Disappear trust
Can I know it enough
Do you hold it in your hand
The memory of you”

If we keep moving backwards we can start right back at the beginning of the album. “Soul Let Swim.” This song shows the strength of Fimm's vocals, and how vocally talented she is. In addition to the stellar vocals there are clever lyrics. I don't know who did the guitar work, but that too is amazing.
“There is no judgment waiting
Only arms that reach in the night
No sense anticipating
Your secret eye
You look out
But you see in
Come out somehow
Soul let swim”
“Soul Let Swim” has the attention grabbing fast-slow-fast pace going on, a style that is continued throughout the album.

Finishing on a strong note is “Morning Time.”
“Tear me apart if it makes you feel better
Born to die high birds of a feather
I know a piece of something wise
All comes apart but is always together
Silent not to slip away
It does no good to turn away
Come in close to the mirror's eye
Reap the stark face of morning time”


Near Infinite Possibility is strong. The fast-slow-fast rhythm of the individual songs, and the entire album jolt the listener into paying attention and listening to the lyrics and not just the music. It is a good thing she does this are the lyrics should be listened to, being deep, thought provoking and enjoyable.

--Koala

Buy here: Near Infinite Possibility
Buy here mp3: Near Infinite Possibility

T H E S L O W D O W N - Sex

It is a magical moment a child being born into this world, taking its first gasp of air, its first steps and amazing everyone around it. How everyone dotes on it, encourages it and sets up the dreams and expectations that it will have to meet up to for the rest of its life... It is even more amazing when you are around to witness it.

I am, of course, talking about a musical baby. Not an actual one... The birth and first phase I have had the honour of witnessing, is of course that of T H E S L O W D O W N.

Sex is their second musical release and an awesome one at that. These guys are wrapping their followers around their little fingers and for good reason. The vocals here are spot on, not a single fault can be found. The music they play is complex, catchy, electronic, pop-rock, fabulous.

It's not just the music that is catching people's ears, it's the lyrics too. Pumping out catchy things is sure to get you a following, and hell, their stuff makes you sing loudly whilst making your toast in the morning.

“There's only minutes before I drop you off
And all we seem to do is talk about sex
She's got a boyfriend anyway
She's got a boyfriend anyway

I love your friend when I saw his film
He's got a funny face but I like that because he still looks cool
She's got a boyfriend anyway
She's got a boyfriend anyway

Now we are on the bed in my room
And I'm about to fill his shoes
But you say no, you say no”

It is terribly sad that it has taken me this long to realize what Ripple is doing. I mean, I understood that what we are up to is getting the artists little voice and giving them a mic to scream over but the impact might just be bigger than I originally thought...


- Koala

Milk Maid- Yucca

 

Yucca is a genus of perennial shrubs and trees in the family Asparagaceae subfamily Agavoideae. Its 40-50 species are notable for their rosettes of evergreen, tough, sword-shaped leaves and large terminal panicles of white or whitish flowers. They are native to arid parts of North America, Central America, South America and the Caribbean. It is also the debut album of Milk Maid.

Yucca was recorded in Martin Cohen's flat with fellow Milk Maid members, Ian Hodson, Rick Entezari and Adam Carless. The rough recording suits the rough subject matter, but not the silky smooth music.

It all starts with “Such Fun” opening up with some really fun guitar riff that seems like it would be in place in some Fall Out Boy song but then the lyrics start and you realise that it far more NIN. In fact, these lyrics make Trent Renzor seem positively euphoric.
“I know a man who will cut your throat out for a buck or two”
Yep. No happy pop happening here...

What really trips me out though is that it is almost subliminal because the vocals are distorted by the happy pop melody. You really have to pay attention to understand that these are quite... messed up songs.... However, in the same stroke you are bopping along anyway!

This continues happening through the album with the next stand out being “Dead Wrong.” I had to listen to the song a few times to get the exact lyrics, but even though I didn't know what he was singing I was tapping along to the music. When I found out what he was singing, I was singing too! 
“Dead wrong, your killing yourself to cut your arms off.
Stabbing yourself in the guts,
You keep on holding on to a heavy stone,
That will drag you under if you don't let go.”

Don't freak out though! Not all of the songs are dark and dank!

“Girl” is the example I will whip out now. It's a sweet song about a lost love and the home recorded sound rough rock sound transforms into something soft and kind. The music supports this song really well, cleaner, smoother but still fun.

I love the fingerpicking in “Same As What” and the lyrics somewhat glum lyrics
“You're not worth the family that carries your name,
And you just say, you need more time,
 You can't have mine.”

Yucca is tied off with “Someone You Thought You Forgot,” a sad slow ballad. Very nice.

I really love how Milk Maid has managed to mix the pop music to their dark lyrics without making it sound try hard. It does have a certain air of eeriness. Yucca- great album, best savoured loudly when a couple in front of you on the train INSISTS on sucking face. Worst savoured walking home alone in the dark. Don't do that. It makes you jump at leaves. Creepy.... 

- Koala


Buy here: Yucca

No youtube links, but a sound cloud one!
http://soundcloud.com/suffering-jukebox/such-fun-milk-maid