Extended Play Wednesday: Gumshen and Profuna Ocean

Gumshen – March of the Februaries

I’ve been following Gumshen for a couple of years now, and the greatest lesson that I’ve learned is to expect the unexpected with their music. March of the Februaries carries on with the adept sonic exploration that these guys have been undertaking since their days as Menthol James. Stew was the first EP to capture our attention with its alt-rock-y leanings, Super Buffet took those alt-rock-y leanings and a added flair of 70’s-era classic rock, and March of the Februaries . . . takes another step, nay . . . leap into the future while staying firmly rooted in the sounds of the past. It has rock elements, but not the knuckle dragging, Neanderthal rock to toss beers back to; it has a jazzy element as well, but not that so far over your head type of jazz that makes it inaccessible. This EP represents the most complete production that I’ve had the good fortune of hearing from the band and what I wouldn’t give to have a major label come along and hole them up in a studio for three months so they could put together a full album! In the past, I’ve said that their sound can never be pigeon-holed and that case hasn’t changed in the least . . . if anything, they’ve further separated themselves from any known genre.

Nothing quite captures the Gumshen sound like the opening track, “Perfect.” Stylistically, this song is all over the place, but in classic Gumshen fashion, they keep the tune flowing without making the stylistic transitions sound forced or out of place. If there were one song out there that defines who these guys are, then this song should pretty much do it. The song kicks off with a huge drum sound echoing over the crisp arpeggios, and then the dynamics that define the band start falling into place. Dual vocals, one melodic and pleading, the other rapped and immediate, intermingle over swells of distorted guitars, keyboards, and feedback, giving the song a haunting Beatles-esque vibe. Yes! That’s exactly what’s going on here . . . think late era Beatles and the musical experimentation that those guys were doing, and then give it a modern sensibility and laser sharp focus.  That’s what this song is. Once “Perfect” hits the mid-point and erupts in a blast of distorted guitars and angst-y vocals, then flows into a searing, emotion laden guitar solo, phew . . . it takes the breath away. The title may very well do all the description that is necessary.

“Hit the Shed” and “Delicious” are two funked out rockers that bring in elements of artists such as Stevie Wonder and have him dancing a jig with Gavin Rossdale . . . ballsy, but danceable, and quite possibly the two songs that best capture the bands ability to cut loose and simply have fun. But then, Gumshen go down a path that I didn’t see tucked there in the trees. “Illusia” is the grand epic EP closer, full of musical majesty and as ambitious a song as I ever thought I’d hear. It’s actually quite stunning. Part circus show tune, part 70’s rocker, part acid trip, part night in a martini lounge, part jam band magic, part interstellar space ride, part hitchhiking through the desert . . . my God, this song is all over the freaking place and a sonic treasure! Pay special attention to the guitar solo about a third of the way in and the utterly tasteful licks that they squeeze from the instrument, and then how it blends in with the synthesizers . . . brilliant work! Oh, and after the space-y musical amoeba of sound, the Supertramp-y clang of the piano keys is absolutely thrilling. The song then weaves along its way like a drunken sailor on shore leave, narrowly pitching itself into the blackness of the chilling harbor waters only to right itself at the moment that all looks lost, and our hero stumbles into the loving arms of a beautiful woman for a safe nights sleep. One could make the analogy of the pilot of a small Cesna suddenly passing away and an inexperienced passenger taking over the controls and safely landing the bird on the ground. Either works. Magnificent performance from all players and the kind of songwriting that gives me hope for the future. Gumshen . . . you’ve outdone yourselves. www.gumshen.com 

Profuna Ocean – Watching the Closing Sky

This EP has be sitting on my desk, spinning around my CD player, sitting on my desk, spinning around my CD player, sitting on my desk . . . Groundhog’s Day, anyone? I haven’t written about Profuna Ocean’s Watching the Closing Sky before now simply because there have been so many other albums that have stolen my attention. For that, I apologize. This disc should have been given its due love earlier than now, so . . . what I have for y’all is a progressive rocking four song set that stands closer to bands like Porcupine Tree or Riverside than not. Though Profuna Ocean has some semblance to these artists, they have their own unique voice to the whole progressive rock thing. They incorporate heavy passages with sweeping ambient elements to create lush soundscapes and epic journeys in music. The keyboards and synths are certainly a focal point to their sound, but they mix in some pretty powerful guitar work to fill things out. Unlike a lot of super fractional division prog-rock, Profuna Ocean focuses on the song first, then apply the heady musicianship on top of fine compositions.

“Lost Inside (The Landscape)” is a perfect example of a compelling song that would sound good stripped of any superfluous elements, but sounds better with the added musical elements. Almost eight and a half minutes in length, this tune begins its epic journey by grinding out a distorted guitar riff while the drums pound away in tribal fashion across the skins of the toms. The vocals are clean, and though a little thin at times, have a nuance to them that plays havoc with imagination. Listen to the way the guitars, vocals, and synths dance around each other at the chorus, creating a moment of unsteady serenity. Suddenly, we come to a break filled with instruments building on top of one another, and ultimately exploding into a tense riff that highlights the heavier side of the band. With a denser production, this portion would be ominous . . . maybe I need bigger speakers, whatever . . . this song then goes to straight up double bass thundering rock and heavy metal intensity. This is the kind of prog that I can get behind because it’s not all “Look Mom! I can play a million notes faster than that guy!” It’s the kind of prog that takes a standard composition and applies sweeping brush strokes of color to the sound, injects the song with fresh ideas or unusual approaches towards execution of ideas. It’s the kind of prog that doesn’t lose the emotion for the sake of the technical wizardry. www.profuna-ocean.com  

--  Pope JTE 

Ripple News - Exploding in Sound Releases Fifth Album in their Massive Free Compilation Giveaway Series

Over the years of Rippling we've met tons of cool people who's work we just have the utmost respect for.  Exploding in Sound is one of those.  Exploding in Sound is a website/blog created by Dan Goldin with the sole purpose of promoting and spreading great rock music.  GLORIOUS NOISE is the “must listen” fifth release in an ongoing compilation series aimed at breaking new artists and gaining exposure.  The first four, including December’s Circulatory System and the ever popular Future Legendary have been met with critical praise and wide spread acclaim.  As someone who owns all these comps, I can honestly say that if you haven't downloaded them, you're missing out on some dynamite new music!

 Glorious Noise is a true exploration of rock music, with a sound so massive you need to hear it to believe it.  The album is an international affair, with submissions from the United States, Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, and Europe. Great rock music with integrity, intelligence, and intensity is being made worldwide, and Exploding In Sound is dedicated to bringing you the best of the best. The bands comprising the compilation deliver an assorted array of genres including post-rock, grunge, shoegaze, alternative, indie, acoustic, post-punk, and more. As always, the compilation is a 100% FREE digital download, containing artwork, band descriptions, links for further enjoyment, and more.

DOWNLOAD HERE: http://www.explodinginsound.com/2010/03/exploding-in-sound-presents-glorious.html

GLORIOUS NOISE TRACKLIST

1.       Traindodge – If I Pass You on the Street

2.       Mr. Gnome – Vampires

3.       LIONS – Poster Child

4.       Regular John – Language

5.       The Blind Pets – Fever

6.       Disco Doom – The Magic Arc Song

7.       And So I Watch You From Afar – A Little Bit of Solitude Goes a Long Way

8.       White Belt Yellow Tag – You’re Not Invincible

9.       Let Our Enemies Beware – Personal Space Invaders

10.   Stereo is a Lie – What We Do

11.   Battleme – No Time For Blood

12.   Apteka - Traitors

13.   Turbo Fruits – Mama’s Mad Cos I Fried My Brain

14.   Postdata – Tobias Gray

15.   Talons – Keys & Codes

16.   Sugar Army – Building Castles

17.   Ceremony – Dreams Stripped Away

18.   Prayer For Animals – Neutral Bees

19.   Black Nite Crash – Jonah Dive

20.   Veil Veil Vanish – Anthem for a Doomed Youth




Website: http://www.explodinginsound.com/

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/explodingnsound

Myspace: www.myspace.com/dangoldin

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/explodinginsound

Nemo Joe - Still Spinnin'

Sometime back, a number of months ago really, I wrote up a review on a progressively tinged rock band from Minnesota called Oceans. Though filled with many memorable moments, the element that sticks in my head the most is the warm as a lover’s bosom bass tones. I mean, the low end on that disc made everyday feel like summer. So, when word came across the Ripple News Wire that the bassist from Oceans was working on another musical project called Nemo Joe, I got down right excited. And then I waited . . . and waited . . . and patiently waited some more, until postman Sal with sweat on his brow, clambered up the steps to our office and deposited the album on my desk. I’m not certain why Sal keeps this route. We’ve yet to give the guy a Christmas card as a gesture of appreciation for his years of service. I hope the dude doesn’t go all axe wielding and maniacal on us . . . mental note: Purchase Sal a fruit basket.

Once again, I digress.

Still Spinnin’ from Nemo Joe is a fairly straight up rock album, featuring some elements of heavy distortion leaning in the way of 90’s era grunge. I had expected Nemo Joe to have more of a prog-rock thing going on, probably because of the bassists association with Oceans. But, it turns out that most of the songs are shorter and more concise, in a standard rock n’ roll vibe, dealing less with musical virtuosity and more with the craft of catchy songwriting. There aren’t any songs dealing with heavy subject matter like foreign wars, human rights, drug addiction or suicide. These songs are in the classical rock n’ roll sense of having fun while giving the listener glimpses of the struggle of simply living and heartache through personal tales, sometimes told in a humorous or cleaver manner.

“Fear” kicks off the disc with a full scale ballsy rocker with tight breaks and a great amount of musical dynamics. First off, the main riff running through the song is compelling in its simplicity, once again showing that a musician doesn’t need the most technically elaborate to drop a bad ass riff. It’s actually a very zen philosophy. Beauty is within the simplicity. And here, we see that less is more. The space around the notes allows the sound to reverberate longer, carry deeper tone, and opens the air for all of the instruments to shine together. Very possibly the heaviest song on the disc, “Fear” borders on the spectrum of metal. Listening to this track through big speakers is a must! There’s a lot more going on in the music than one might hear in a more casual listen. The bass work of Paul Hansen is monstrous, stuffing great fills into the tightest of nooks; guitarist Mark Johnston lays down a freakish sounding wave of guitar textures for a solo, and drummer Rik Wenzel acts as the train engineer . . . shoveling scope after heaping scoop of coal on the raging fire to propel this beast through the soul.

“7th Heaven” opens with a heavy as lead low end groove. The overall sound of the song takes me back to the mid 90’s and post grunge sounds that filled the airwaves. Dissonant growls of distorted guitars over walls of rhythm make up the core of the song, but it’s the vocal performance that suddenly shifts my focus from my shoes to the world around me. The song in infused with a healthy dose of fun. It bounces and grooves, keeping the mind off of the tumultuous surroundings and focused more on smiling. Listen to the guitars, not so much in their role of rhythm, but more in the way of the textural melodies that Johnston sprinkles throughout the track.

“Throw Away” is pure enjoyment! Not only does Nemo Joe provide a great rockin’ soundtrack, but the lyrics are well written, describing a symbolic love being left to rot in a trash can. This is as great a rock n’ roll song as there is! It’s upbeat, well crafted, has great instrumentation running through it, and the lyrics are sold through a compelling vocal performance. The break at the midpoint is awesome . . . as the guitars have an almost psychedelic quality to them, swirling around the open spaces and casting a hazy shade over the music. Also, listen to how tight these guys get once the guitars return to a more rhythmic role, crashing in time with the off kilter groove of the rhythm section. It’s refreshing to hear rock played with such gusto. “Throw Away” feels immediate and comes across in this almost manic sense where the singer’s frustration becomes real. And then, the acceptance of having his love thrown away sets in and he gets on with his life. Love it!

Listening to Still Spinnin’ was just what the doctor ordered. The album took me out of the place of listening to the intricate details and cosmic dynamics of a lot of the music I had been listening to, and giving me something that was maybe a little less serious, less precise. Nemo Joe is a throwback, in a lot of ways, to the fun time spirit of rock music in the 50’s. Though I never felt like I was rockin’ around the clock, I did feel like I had to watch out for Runaround Sue. Nemo Joe provide a great selection of songs that deal with the emotional rollercoaster of love and relationships, in most cases, in a lighthearted fashion. There are no super heavy goth-y moments where the pain was so bad that I wanted to hide from the sun, garb myself in black, start wearing make-up, and then contemplate my own demise. Still Spinnin’ is made up of a more adult, more realistic idea that love comes and goes, and we might as well enjoy it while we can and get on with our lives. Musically, the album is too the point, with only a few songs breaching the four minute mark. I like that. Clean, simple, get in, get out, no one gets hurt. And ultimately, since the songs are of a shorter nature, it’s easier to go back and listen to them time after time without having to commit to a massive build up. Joe may be an average name, but Nemo Joe . . . well, there’s nothing average about these guys. - Pope JTE

www.myspace.com/nemojoe