Track Review: "Spirits"

Artist: The Nth Power
Release Date: April 20, 2013
Label: Independent
 
On 4/20, The Nth Power showed us what they got with their first release Basic Minimum Skills Test. The album is available for $6 (USD) on their Bandcamp page.

Basic Minimum Skills Test kicks off with "Spirits,” beginning with a extremely airy feeling section lead by locked in South American sounding percussion before a swampy guitar lick sweeps in and carries the track onward. "Spirits” brilliantly showcases what they say the album displays: funk, jazz and soul. Throughout the track, the vocal harmonies feel as if they pick up on a distinct reggae influence. The themes in the song are constantly revisited, yet it is not overkill the overall output. The instrumentation on the album is ridiculously tight; dynamics are an extremely important part of this kind of music, and The Nth Power takes this into strong consideration with the framework of not only this track, but the rest of the album. When writing, much like in literature, there is the important "grabbing line" at the very beginning that is supposed to perk the readers interest. "Spirits" is an excellent "grabbing track" for this album, making it easier to step into the rest. Though the vocals may be overwhelming at times, there are minimal risks taken in creating this song. Lack of intense risks makes for an easier listen, and that really helps with this ear pleasing tune.

- Woocci

Space Junk

Artist: Halasan Bazar
Release Date: April 2, 2013
Label: Crash Symbols


Is it summer already? No? Well, it feels as if summer's come early with Halasan Bazar's album Space Junk. Slap on some cans and let the humming organs, vintage guitar tones, and gentle harmonies sweep you off your feet. Halasan Bazar's take on the fuzzed-out west coast garage rock of the 1960's goes beyond a mere imitation of their influences.

The sunny acid-soaked Beatles-esque compositions on Space Junk are, for the most part, pleasant. Tracks like "You and I" wallow in the psychedelic mood that the group is so great at creating. LSD-laced vocals dominate the track for the most part but are accompanied by a circling instrumental. The song is a great example of what Halasan Bazar is going for on Space Junk. The entire album feels nostalgic, as if the band is trying to pull us back into the 1960's where we'll all just hang out for a while.

Lyrically the album is quite a different story. While the instrumentals are relaxed and friendly the lyrics are desperate at times. On "Live Without Love" Mr. Halasan instructs us to "Live without love, die without love." "Stay," other than sounding like a drug-riddled Route 66, is a grasp for a comforting presence, vocally crying "Won't you stay?"

"Stay" seems to be a prelude to "The Light of My Day," arguably the album's strongest song. Starting off quaint, frail, and fragile, the gentle acoustic guitar and hushed vocals quickly gain confidence. Here Halasan Bazar plays with a less psychedelic sound, going for something more at home and earnest. Eventually incorporating other instrumentation (including harmonica, which isn't seen anywhere else on the album) the song slowly builds itself to awesome proportions. At it's height, the vocals scream "Hold me close, say you'll stay. please hold me tight, then you'll stay. Oh, you light my day, keep me blind, lead the way." There's something amazingly uplifting but tragic in the juxtaposition between the desperate vocals and the awe-inspiring instrumental.

There are certainly moments of nostalgic brilliance on Space Junk, (namely "How Did We Get Here in the First Place" and "The Light of My Day"), but there are still a few gripes I have when listening to this album. Mr. Halasan's straining vocals are quite nice, but aren't for everyone and this may be an immediate turn-off for some. Some tracks rely on the same riff or main melody for too long. Without any new material or timbres, this gets quite stale.

Everything considered, Space Junk is an interesting listen. Definitely something I'd 'highly' recommend to certain people. In all seriousness, if you're looking for something to blast in your car on a road trip or just something feel good for this spring/summer pick up Space Junk, you won't regret it.

-Owen Bolas

Theatre By The Sea

Artist: Janek Gwizdala
Release Date: March 26, 2013
Label: Independent


Artist Janek Gwizdala is certainly no newcomer to quality music such as found on Theatre By The Sea. This English bassist (living in the US for over a decade) has been on the international music scene for years, as a sideman or group leader. He has worked with Randy Brecker, Mike Stern, Pat Metheny, Hiram Bullock, Wayne Krantz, Peter Erskine, Airto Moreira, John Mayer and many other professional musicians. Gwizdala's maturity is reflected in the taste and crispness in which he created this album. Beside himself, there were nine musicians who contributed, some appearing on all compositions while others appearing on only a few. This album is chock-full of vigorous unison lines and interplay which holds a cognizance and ardor matched by few other modern jazz groups.

The album starts of with "Erdnase" an exotic Latin song which demonstrates one of the core themes of the album: the repeated use of enticing unison lines accompanied by a tight, interlocking rhythm section. This track gets the album rolling and sets up nicely for the next track, "España" a spacey latin tune with some deep emotion. The saxophone cries and wails, shooting nicely over the rhythm section which lays down a groove which at times feels dejected and others spirited. Straight piano interludes and spacey sax, strings, and voice build in the second half and slowly come back down. All this is done very tastefully, just as the rest of the album is.

"Portugal" is the brightest and poppiest sounding of all the tracks on this album, rising out of the ominous end of "España" like a phoenix from the ashes. Even in the poppier chord progression, a distinct Latin/jazz sound is still retained with evident folk influence. The guitar solo continues over a build of layered vocals and lively comping from the rhythm section, giving way to a smooth jammy feel  in the last minute or so. "Randroid" continues with a funky jazz/hip-hop feel. The rhythm section does a great job on this track of supporting the soloists and keeping the repeated forms fresh with new palettes of various rhythms and influences, as well as building well with good timing in each section.

The longest track of the album, "Once I Knew" is very different from the others, starting with a delicate, ambient guitar intro giving way to a ballad feel. This downtempo setting stays for the rest of the song, at some points dragging on and giving a bit of a wandering feeling. Nonetheless, the rhythm section keeps it interesting and retains their distinctive style of exchange below and with the other members of the group. "Fooling Houdini" holds an interesting ambient fusion feel, which sounds as busy and locomotive as it does stagnant. There are some moments in this song that sound much like Radiohead-esque jazz. The title track "Theatre By The Sea" sounds as if I had synesthesia in a contemporary art museum, what with all the different genres that are touched upon so frequently and in such a short amount of time.

"The Goshman" holds some of the best examples of the use of unison lines and tight, interlocking background provided by the rhythm section. This track stands out the most when it comes to improvisation, for both comping and soloing. This inexorable funk/jazz song really gets your body moving all the way through to the end, where it just kinda falls off a cliff. The closing song, "Chicago Opener" pedals onward with a progressive feeling, between the unison lines lead by the drummer and piano that looms overhead like a storm. These clouds brew and accrue with added horn lines and a soaring guitar solo which all build into a wall of sound, giving way to a tight groove that rides out to the end.

This album did not have many flaws, and those that it did have were dwarfed by the sheer professionalism that radiates off of these songs. Gwizdala takes songs that are (for the most part) simple and transforms them by using different combinations of instruments to expand and decline. In addition to the great composition work, this album hosts a myriad of talented musicians, especially the drummer, who played an integral part in the progression of different sections and their levels of energy. Each player holds a distinctive voice on this album, and the way in which they spoke to each other left for some truly provocative conversation. I would have loved to hear more vocals on this album, as they provided a key addition to the first three tracks on the album that I missed in some of the later tracks. Nonetheless, this album is a breathtaking look into the mind of Janek Gwizdala and has caught a firm hold of my attention for him.

-Alex Walsh

7.25.2148

Artist: Makeup and Vanity Set
Release Date: March 28, 2013
Label: Telefuture Records


7.25.2148, the new EP from electronic duo Matthew Pusti and Christian Williams, is a conceptual record that musically describes a journey through space and the future. Filled with warm droning bass and rich synths, this album produces an enjoyable ambient vibe as well as some dance-able inflections. The rise and fall of each song creates a feeling that time has stopped, and each track appears much shorter than it really is. This helps suspend reality as the listener is transported through the final frontier.

As the opening track, “An Infinite Horizon” sets the tone of the album with a reverberated arpeggiation and background noise like that of an engine room. Immediately, one is thrust into a dream-like world of ambience and serenity. A subtle droning bass slowly replaces the background noise, and more atmospheric synthesizers drone in their upper registers. The song builds, and the continued arpeggiation holds a delicate beauty like the stars of space. Many subtleties may slip past as the song slides along without commanding any attention. This being said, in the realm of ambient music, it fits in perfectly.

Following this smooth ambient track is “Quadra IV,” which continues the concept of space exploration, but includes a driving drum beat and more synths with less warmth. The song is reminiscent of the arcade game Space Invaders in the feelings of urgency and danger as one tries to survive the perils of the universe. The track slowly progresses, and would maintain the ambient style were it not for the presence of drums. Like the rest of the album, the song maintains a nice burbling bass throughout.

Arguably the most interesting track on the EP is “Versions.” Opening with avant-garde like pinging sounds, the song grows to a whining synth and thick bass below it that gives a very spooky feeling. The song continues the dominantly ambient vibe of the EP, but with less musical sense and much more atmospheric tone. Rivalling this track is the closer, “Praxis.” Holding extremely different ideas, this track has some dancier house styles while still keeping in the sci-fi theme. The entire song is not as warm as the rest of the album, and uses much higher pitched synths and more rhythmic intricacies as well as melodic lines.

This EP holds true its conceptual ideas, and really depicts futuristic space travel in all of its eerie beauty. The overall warm droning and constantly rumbling bass comes off boring on a surface level, but the detail and progression comes through upon closer inspection. The inclusion of some good ambience and danceable beats provide for enjoyable listen either in the background or with closer inspection.

-Peter Fickenwirth

Deertree

Artist: Deertree
Release Date: April 1, 2013
Label: Independent


Deertree is the folk solo project of Thom Koehly, and his eponymous debut is charming; a quaint folk album that doesn't push too hard in any one direction, but rather sets a gentle and nurturing mood. Deertree tells a bleak but beautiful tale of a lost traveler and ensuing loneliness conveyed through a variety of colorful vocal harmonies and warm guitar tones. With tracks flowing from one to the next perfectly, this album feels less like a collection of individual works but rather chapters of the same novel. Along with similar lyricism, most of these songs share very similar chord progressions. Not to call the songs uninspired, but they all sound quite similar to one another (especially “Walkin I,” “Everything or Nothing,” “Jeneher: Trying to Reach the Sea,” “Barefoot Pilgrim,” and “Walkin II.”) It unifies the songs in a way that can get tiresome with repeated listens, but keeps the album feeling like one larger story..

Droning guitar playing is another factor in the similarity of these songs. Often times progressions move slow and timidly, but nonetheless precisely move from chord to chord. There a good few songs that break the mold; tracks like "The Little Boy Lost" or "Jeneher: Trying To Reach The Sea" have much more interesting features. "The Little Boy Lost," the opener, sounds straight off of Bon Iver’s For Emma, Forever Ago. This isn't to say that it’s not interesting or creative, just that it sounds extremely similar on account of the guitar playing and strong falsetto vocals. Koehly uses a large range of vocal styles on Deertree, ranging from low raspy tones on "The Morning Lights" to the enchanting harmonies in falsetto on "The Little Boy Lost” which, unfortunately, is the only track where Koehly shows off his impressively tender upper range.

Koehly's elusive lyricism brings forward themes of loneliness, loss of purpose, and hopelessness. Fantastic moments appear abruptly throughout this album. For instance, as "Everything or Nothing" bursts into a 3/4 explosion at 4:09, Koehly sings "everything was still nothing." Coming from the previous sections of the song, this is quite impactful. Another example is "The Morning Lights" where 3 or 4 part harmonies come in belting "I'm not dying! I'm not dying! The lazy day is over. I can." For all the moments where there are meaningful lyrics, there are many moments where his singing can't be understood or is just inaudible. It's either his singing or the mixing that gets in the way of hearing his lyrics, which are vital for this album's enjoyment.

The instrumentation and aesthetic, unfortunately, don't hold up amazingly after repeated listens. Koehly depends too much on mood and feeling at times, causing some tracks to get rather bland after a few listens. Instead of finding new things interesting, it becomes easier to find mistakes or unfavorable moments. The chord progression used on many tracks can become tired and the toy piano (which, granted, is used infrequently) loses it's charm after a few listens. That being said, the album is still a good listen but it doesn't hold up well under a magnifying glass.

Deertree is the story of a lost traveler unsure of where he's going or what he's doing. Everybody questions themselves during their life as to what they're doing or where they want to be. At some point in their lives, everybody misses their family, can get homesick, or gets lost altogether. Deertree relates to the scary pictures of uncertainty drawn on life's canvas. This album is going to go over well with a lot of people, I'm sure; Koehly's voice is beautiful, and his guitar playing is moody as anything. If you've ever liked anything in the new era folk-pop genre (Arcade Fire, Bon Iver, Sufjan Stevens) I recommend this album. If you don't, I wouldn't stay away but don't expect anything that'll crack your top 10 for the year.

-Owen Bolas

Under The Ancient Oak

Artist: Moonroot
Release Date: March 19, 2013
Label: Metalhit


Under The Ancient Oak is the debut album by American folk metal band, Moonroot. Comprised of Dawn Desireé alongside Mark and Michael Riddick, the band sonically creates a mythological world of Celtic wonder and strife, but fails to provide the proper tour guides. Desireé's operatic vocals, medieval recorders, and cartoony guitars will make you headbang, dance, and enjoy the Celtic countryside until the first track ends. It's almost as if the guides provided just aren't into the rest of the journey. Were the entire album a country and each song a village: the arrangements show you each village enjoyably, but the tours just become less interesting as they bring you deeper into the country.

The album kicks off with an Iron Maiden-type riff in “The Hunt For The Hunter,” an excellent track that introduces the cartoony distortion present throughout the album and sets the bar high for the release. However the follow up track, “Once Upon A Sidhe Mound,” sounds a bit more like a church hymn and is completely out of place at the top of the track list. Desireé's soprano voice flows surprisingly well with the mayhem and thrash that surrounds her on the album's fast tracks including “Haunted Waters Of Duinn,” “The Fiery Spear Of Lugh” and “Dreamchild.”

The album has Celtic folk flesh and blood but a metal skeleton, that which can be heard in the bass and drums in almost every song. Though the songs seem somewhat random in their placing, each song is able to shine on its own. Because of this, it's hard to tell whether or not Moonroot rock harder then they play a mystic melody or vice versa, but what remains clear is that Moonroot can make folk music headbangable. Under The Ancient Oak is a worthy listen that will most definitely take a few times to get used, but once you learn to enjoy each track on its own you can realize the album's best qualities.

-Ralph Ferrigno

Ŝanĝi

Artist: Foussion
Release Date: March 10, 2013
Label: Independent

Foussion's sophomore effort on bandcamp, Ŝanĝi, is an eclectic eight track album that is sprawling in its themes. This four piece fusion band from Madrid brings a lot to the table; with all instrumental songs showcasing drum, bass, piano, guitar, and saxophone. One can hear the obvious Latin and Spanish influences on this album over a fusion and jam base. This gives it a sound similar to that of Carlos Santana and other prominent Latin-rock musicians of the late 20th century.

What is notable about this work is the group's ever present sense of concurrence and interconnection, and how the band accomplishes this while its individual members flourish in flashes of creativity. The drummer really shines on the opening track, "Umami," which leads the group through abrasive,  jarring (yet adamant) themes as well as softer, more delicate ones. This is an occurrence which pops up again throughout the album. The second track, "Outro," lasts only about a minute, but uses an interesting effects-laid palette of textures. The guitarist accomplishes a compelling comping effect through the sublime use of delay as dreamy piano and saxophone fade in front and behind. "Stuck In The River" shows a bit more of Ŝanĝi's latin and rock influence. Here and in other moments, the group shows their skill in setting out-of-the-ordinary grooves, but could do much better in building things up or bringing them back down from theme to theme. Perhaps they could accomplish this by doing more with fine tuning and listening in to one another for specific nuances.

"In-Decision" is a beautiful solo acoustic song that is delicately busy. The guitarist takes folk and flamenco influence to a pristine place in under a minute. "Journey" opens by continuing this approach with each member contributing to a delicate feel in a synchronicity that is both disjointed and congenial. It quickly explodes into a theme that sounds almost like a ballad, but the group persists in building and jamming through it. When it comes to exploring different themes together yet still holding a great sense of individuality and improvisation among the specific members, this is the album’s best example. All this while tastefully building and bringing things down. From soft fusion rock, to a walking bass groove, and back to soft piano solo, it seems as if this band's quietest moments are the ones with the highest energy and that is something that is extremely hard for even the most professional groups to accomplish.

"Intro" fades in creepily with organ, drum, and bass. This short track has the band exploring a new and very dark realm that is found only again in "Manhattan". It almost sounds as if "Outro" were injected with a much more sinister element. The album's single, "Sometimes," opens delicately which, after listening up to this point, seems to be this pianist's forte. It moves slowly at first in the sax solo, but then the group fluidly supports what the saxophone has to say. The musicians do a great job in the second half; all contributing to the sound equally and sound as if they are on the same page completely. The closing track, "Manhattan," holds an ominous and sinister sound like in "Outro," but does so with an enormous amount of energy. The first half starts with Latin and Fusion overtones and quickly starts delving into a trance-like second half laden with effects.

This album is worth a listen because of all the varying musical genres it visits. There is something for any fan of rock, jazz, latin, experimental, or jam music on this album. What is great about it is the crispness in which the band accomplishes this fusion. Many of the album's songs are only a few minutes long but, touch upon many different genres in that time. My only misgivings of this album were of moments where the group seemed to hold back as if waiting for something to happen. In some of the longer songs, there were themes that were not necessarily dragged out for too long, but definitely could have used some more variety and individual contribution from the members (notably the keyboard player). Other than that, this album goes to so many different places that it deserves every single minute of its listening time and is available on Bandcamp or the band's website for 5 Euros.

-Alex Walsh

Haru

Artist: Sinitus Tempo
Release Date: March 20, 2013
Label: Bliss Eternal

Nu-jazz is always an appealing genre, and there aren’t many things better than when it’s done exceptionally well. Sinitus Tempo’s new album, Haru, is a prime example of this. It successfully fuses chill jazz with grooving hip-hop beats to create a seamless mixture of two wonderful types of music. Sinitus himself is undoubtedly an interesting character; a musician, self-proclaimed otaku, and a cofounder of Bliss Eternal (an indie-label that, as far as I can tell, is a fusion of hip-hop music and anime culture). His contributions to the album are primarily drums and vibes, as well as the sampling and production. He features various horn players throughout the album, which creates organic textures to juxtapose the electronic textures.

Technically, Sinitus is a solid drummer and probably has a larger capability than the album showed off. In this genre, it makes sense for a drummer to employ complicated beats, but to leave out flashy fills for artistic purposes. His vibe playing, while not often in the forefront of the mix, is spotless and adds a huge amount to the textures and overall feel of the album. A great example of this can be found in “Little Lessons,” which draws on a heavy Latin influence and also serves as a tribute to his use of impressive beats without distracting flashiness.

His sampling throughout the album is fantastic and draws on a wide variety of sounds. “Harunoyoru” employs a gorgeous flute sample that floats over an organ sound that sounds like it was lifted from video game. Various vocal samples are used throughout the album, including “Love Fish” which uses a vocal track that sounds lifted straight from the soundtrack of an old film, and includes ethereal synths to create a distinct, spacey feeling. On his Facebook description, Sinitus Tempo calls himself a “seeker of vintage vinyl” and describes his love for sifting through old records for samples, which is beautifully apparent in the majority of his songs. The sampling and production are, for the most part, masterfully done and truly make the album.

Overall, the album is thick with rich layering, and the production style offers a hazy feel while fusing organic and electronic textures. It’s the kind of music that belongs in a smoky, underground jazz club. The biggest problem with this album is that Mr. Tempo keeps the same overall sound throughout, and sometimes the energy feels stagnant. There is definitely a case to be made for the unity of an album as a piece of art, but I worry that he might fall into the trap that so many contemporary instrumental artists and groups fall into: find a great sound, and stick to it. Examples of this include RJD2 and Explosions in the Sky, two of the biggest instrumental acts of the last decade. I would love to see Sinitus Tempo step out of his comfort zone for his next album and do something truly innovative. Haru has moments of this, but if nothing else it says that he has the potential to truly push the boundaries of the genre. Despite this flaw, it was a great listen, and I look forward to the next time Sinitus has a release.

-Ryan Noss

Epigram / Microgram (CZ)

Artist: Leo Chadburn

Release Date: April 2, 2013

Label: Library of Nothing

Epigram / Microgram (CZ) is an exploration by Leo Chadburn (better known by pseudonym Simon Bookish) into the capabilities of the CZ-101, a modest little Casio synthesizer that can be found online for about $200. Each song is based on a melodic experiment and fleshed out through the use of the CZ-101, which is the only sound source used. Because of this approach, Epigram / Microgram (CZ) has a pleasant feeling of experimentation for the sake of experimentation; not every track is outstanding, but a sense of wonderment and joyful discovery permeates each sonic expedition.

Due to the nature of its writing, the majority of Epigram / Microgram (CZ) is shapeless. The ideas at work are almost entirely melodic and harmonic, and rhythmic precision is often abandoned entirely. A formula that’s used throughout is one synth voice playing a theme while others will either play in a completely different tempo, or create a background of clicks, pops, and buzzes. Unfortunately this form can become predictable and a little stale, but one thing these songs excel at is creating a vivid setting in the listener’s head. “Intercontinental” starts with a rapidly shaking atonal noise that fades into the background, sometimes disappearing entirely, only to return in a subtly different form. It evokes a feeling like drifting just outside the atmosphere of a lush planet, with the occasional company of a satellite that is buzzing through orbit.

The only track that doesn’t dabble in slow-moving ambience is the stellar “Difficult (Let’s Go Off the Cliff),” which sounds like it’s trying to defy the rest of the album as aggressively as possible. Driving bass synths growl and roar like beasts locked in combat, juxtaposed against delicate waves of music-box impersonation. It’s a standout on the album; it’s jarring, soothing, claustrophobic, and airy all at once.

Overall, Epigram / Microgram (CZ) sounds exactly like what it is; a collection of experiments that are about the question more than they are about the answer. Nearly every track has standout moments, but it seems like these are happy coincidences as a result of exploring a musical concept as thoroughly as possible. That’s not to say the album is bad by any means; it’s an extremely pleasant listen, and the overall feeling of experimenting and fiddling is simply fun. Epigram / Microgram (CZ) is a good album to play as background ambience while working. It’s unobtrusive and atmospheric, while inspiring listeners to buckle down and use their brains to do incredible things and explore the ideas they haven’t even thought of yet.

-Alex D'Alfonso

Dream Date

Artist: Joshua Van Tassel
Release Date: March 26, 2013
Label: Backward Music


Two days ago, Joshua Van Tassel showed us the inner-workings of his mind through his moving album, Dream Date. He is back for thirds, and this time he may be hungrier than ever. In-between his June 2011 debut Everyone Has It All and this new album, Tassel has received some noteworthy critical acclaim for his self-titled second album released in September 2011 The CBC rated this as one of the top albums of 2011, and it is currently in the running for "Electronic Album Of The Year" at the '13 East Coast Music Awards. Since his second album came out nearly three years ago, that leaves a lot of space between then and March of this year. Plenty of time to grow, evolve on your own musical ideas, and create something great.

Dream Date does just that. As an album, it is a patient ride that, as each track progresses, begins to unfold onto the next. The music within shows a side of Electro-Folk that is delicate. "Come Home Safe To Me" invites you in through seemingly western influenced acoustic works that are gargantuan enough to be the introduction music to a Tarantino film. Once the doors have flung open, a groove leaks out with the second track, "The Sharpest Corner." This track is notable for its liquid bass work and upbeat rhythmic section. Thus far the album remains speechless, but "The Warmest Heart" quickly changes that. With a Thom Yorke-esque sound and a Neil Young sense of writing, the third track on the album is directed towards the narrator's father. Asking him questions such as "Are you listening? Can you hear me? Where are you going?"

A huge thing about this album is the musical and technical diversity it shows. Certain tracks like "Sentimental Health" focus on a small aspect of the group (in this case, the percussion section), while others, like "Bottom Of The Well," excrete more of a powerful and moving aura. It'll take a couple listens, but while doing so you almost feel forced to hone in on the deeper message.

Moving forward, the final segment of the album is arguably the best; beginning with "Sneaky Beard," a guitar-lead journey with a constantly reappearing and ear-pleasing lick. Following the beauty of that adventure, we fall into the hands of our new Bond, "Daniel Craig." Though you may be expecting fast-paced, panic ensuing music to use when facing serious nostalgia while playing Goldeneye, this is far from that. "Daniel Craig" follows directly in the path that "Sneaky Beard" opened up; a well-constructed piece with memorable themes that will reappear before you know it. Along with that, this track flips back to the opening track in the way that it draws from western-esque influences. Approaching the finale, "I Think You're A Salesman" brings dominant female vocalization which, at this point, is refreshing. It is fairly rare to see an album feature multiple vocalists singing on separate tracks, making Dream Date stick out among the masses. "Companion" ices this gourmet cake off with its airy acoustic harmonies and plot twists. A must-hear from the album with an epic conclusion.

Joshua Van Tassel’s Dream Date thrives for attention by using a combination of acoustic instrumentation and electronic goodness that pushes it over the top. The album itself, overall, is so clearly put and delicately layered. Many different styles appear track to track, showing extreme variety and leaving you thoroughly satisfied in many different ways. Already being a big contender for Best of '13, Dream Date is truly an album to keep your attention and have you back for seconds.

-Woocci

Now We Are All Sons of Bitches

Artist: Patron Saint of Bridge Burners
Release Date: March 23, 2013
Label: Independent


The newest release from Patron Saint of Bridge Burners is a heavy one. Not in terms of sonic power or distortion, but on an emotional level. The whole album is based around the detrimental effects of war and violence on not just the victims, but the civilians on the "winning" side. The album's title comes from a quote by Kenneth Bainbridge, the physicist that helped the atomic bomb come to fruition. Seconds after the first test Bainbridge turned to J Robert Oppenheimer and said, "Now we are all sons of bitches." Thematically, Now We Are All Sons of Bitches follows this quote in each song. The whole experience laments violence and war, but also considers the role we play in its encouragement and rejection. As the title track says, "We are as the soldier with their guns, we're to blame for the slaughter of our daughters and sons."

"Martyred" is about burning a photo of a deceased soldier. It brings up the point that not every warrior is a hero and that we should not celebrate someone just because they carried a gun. The song has accompanying strings and lush guitars that contrast the rest of the album where sparse guitar and syncopated drums take the forefront. "Untitled (The Sound + The Fury)" is less poignant lyrically but has several great metaphors based around waves and lightening eroding a landscape. The song burns out on slowing drums and then a violin and cello duet. "Need Somebody" oddly features a blast beat and overwhelming guitar clatter that nearly drowns out lyrics about stormy seas and submissive people. "Heaven's Gate Away Team (Do the Hale Bopp)" is about the ritual suicides encourage by Marshall Applewhite based on the belief that a space-ship was tailing the Hale-Bopp comet. The title comes from the patches the dead wore reading "Heaven's Gate Away Team." "Symphorophilia" is a contemplation on death and grieving. The author states he wants to die instantly after notice because he worries that he will die a mentally violent death. This track features a slide whistle wildly chirping along out of tune in the background. "Turbulence" begins with a light ambient drone which fades out to be replaced with a poorly lead drum and guitar combo that continues to play for a minute despite failing to line up in any logical way. "Knife Wound" is a song about the disappointment created by the end of a war in which a combatant feels he hasn't been fighting for a worthy cause because he feels more relief in coming home than making his country proud. It is a logical pairing with "God Damn Us, Every One" as it deals with similar themes and issues. "The Spirit of Oklahoma!" is a description of the destruction and loss created by the atomic bombs dropped in WWII. The singer describes the violence caused by the explosion. The song then shifts to "landmark" crimes that have been committed in America. It then compares the human race to an atomic bomb, as a machine created to "rip flesh and bone." "I'll Take You With Me" is a spoken word description of a un-manned drone attacking, described with the metaphor of a vulture to whining flutes and an angelic chorus. The narrator describes how the "bird" takes the kills back to its nest to feed its "young."

Now We are All Sons of Bitches is one of the most sobering listens of 2013 and is highly recommended. 

-Justin Healy

Track Review: "Titan"

Artist: The Physics House Band
Release Date: April 15, 2013
Label: Blood and Biscuits



"Titan" is the lead single from The Physics House Band's forthcoming release Horizons/Rapture due out April 15th. The track highlights the band's chaotic energy right from the beginning with a series of group hits. These hits are followed by occasional notes played on piano or guitar, which act as sparks after a sonic explosion. Musicianship shines here; the group hits are tight, and are soon followed by impressively complex drum beats. The production is great in that every instrument has it's own space, and everything can be heard if you're listening for it. At around a minute and a half, it takes a sudden turn which takes a lot of energy out of the song. Thankfully it's not a long section and within about 30 seconds, the listener is engaged in the track’s original chaotic feel. The mix of synthesizer tones and guitar is not only well done, but balanced. Neither one overpowers the other. "Titan" is comparable to a splatter paint piece, one where all the colors land in just the right places to compliment each other. The Physics House Band reminds me of an intoxicatingly brightly colored Godspeed You! Black Emperor song on this track, stylistically and emotionally. After hearing this, I'm now anticipating a lot from Horizons/Rapture.

-Owen Bolas

It Could Happen to You!

Artist: The Candy Sharks
Release Date: March 25, 2013
Label: Independent


It's all happened before: a few independent high school kids decide that they like music, next these kids somehow become united through a love of all things rock and decide to start a band. The final step however, is not as straightforward. At this point the group either plays a couple dozen shows and slowly fizzles away, or they save up all of their (parents') money and record an album. Chicago, Illinois' The Candy Sharks are obviously the latter, and that definitely shows on the record. This is definitely a batch of songs made by kids; the clear purpose of the LP being to embody the teenage experience rather than make the next OK Computer. It Could Happen to You! has its fair share of mediocre moments, but nonetheless there are flashes of sloppy rock brilliance scattered throughout.

I'll start with the good. The Candy Sharks' debut begins with "Valhalla," an up-tempo number that bristles with an intensity that would have served the band well had it been kept up throughout the whole record. If not for vocalist Jack Hayden's energetic performance on the opener, there would be no reason to continue listening. The rest of the album's first half is forgettable, but it still retains a certain charm that few major acts can convey through their music. Later on the album comes "In the Greenhouse Garden", one of the most stylistically different tracks on the album. "Greenhouse" features celestial synthesized strings and an arpeggiated guitar line, topped off with a baritone croon from Hayden that gives the track an indie pop character as opposed to the sound of four kids hitting things in a garage that dominates the rest of the record. Album closer "Lightning Bug" is an innocent sounding track that would without a doubt have been an indie favorite had it been recorded by The Zombies in 1969. All of the classic musical staples being utilized in the track by way of clumsy falsetto vocals, squirming guitar lines, and gentle drumming make the album closer hard to forget. If there were a song on It Could Happen to You! for the Candy Sharks to re-record for a major label debut it would be "Lightning Bug."

While most of the Candy Sharks' debut is merely pleasant-enough garage mopping that wouldn't sound out of place on a Sub Pop compilation, there are undoubtably some promising moments. There is something to love for everyone on this record, from shoe-gaze to brit-pop ballads. Though it is not done on the professional level of other big acts, the endearing quality of an unknown group is hard to deny. In short: It Could Happen to You! is not only a catchy album title but features some catchy tunes, and considering the brevity of the record, it is definitely worth a listen.

-Matt Gill

Track Review: "This Human Joy"

Artist: Ajimal ft. Emily Holie
Release Date: March 25, 2013
Label: Pop Sex Ltd



"This Human Joy," the second track that has been released in anticipation of Ajimal's upcoming Childhood project, is a fragile folk piece that could be described as something halfway between the orchestral folk popularized in the first decade of the 2000s and Jeff Buckley circa Grace. Such comparisons as the latter are obvious, but the lush instrumentation of "This Human Joy" and the vulnerably beautiful falsetto in which Ajimal sings it make them impossible to avoid. Although the song still would have been powerful if it were simply Ajimal sitting down at the piano, the tender harp flourishes added at the first refrain keep the track from being just another soft-rock throwaway. With ethereal harmonies and sweeping strings to spare, "This Human Joy" slowly grows from the aforementioned bare-bones sound to a triumphantly contained climax that sounds like Sigur Rós-- had they decided to ditch post-rock for a more straightforward chamber pop sound. There is something to enjoy for casual and critical listeners alike in Ajimal's latest, but it is the unique grandiose of the track and the organic quality of the lead vocal that makes the wait for Childhood all that harder to endure.

-Matt Gill

Shannon Graham and the Story Tellers

Artist: Shannon Graham and the Story Tellers
Release Date: April 16, 2013
Label: Canterbury Music Company


Coming from the mind of composer, violist, vocalist, saxist, Shannon Graham, this album attempts to create Graham's idea of "narrative composition," and succeeds incredibly. The album combines so many different styles of music that it is nearly impossible to define it any other way, and her ability to tell a story through her compositions only helps to justify the name. Graham, primarily a jazz saxophonist, draws heavily from the styles of jazz. The strange harmonies, scales, and melodies provide an uneasy feeling during times of chaos and dissonance, as well as bliss in its smooth calming lines. Equipped with 9 other players, the album employs sax, viola, violin, trumpet, trombone, vocals, and a jazz rhythm section. The album is very classic as well, which is amplified by the use of string instruments. The use of unison creates an interesting effect in timbre that ordinarily could not be achieved by solo instruments. Instead they gain a synthesized, uncanny quality.

"Samsara", the opening track, sets the tone of the entire work by opening with an ominous unison line from trombone and piano over sustained strings, that eventually descends into chaos, resolving to a groove established by the rhythm section that ties everything together. The song plays back and forth between dark and light tones. When the beginning theme returns, the strings are replaced by an ethereal chorus, which then leads into a more relaxed section. Like most of the songs on the album the main theme is returned to over and over again, but surprisingly does not feel annoying or repetitive.

"We've Come to Take You Home" and "The Truth Seeker" are arguably the best tracks on the album for their excellent employment of imagery and interesting styles. "We've Come to Take You Home" employs dissonance throughout, mimicking a bad dream that you try desperately to wake up from but despite your efforts you can't seem to manage it leaving you trapped in this dark world. The song builds to a fast paced drive from the piano and drums, and features trombone throughout. Towards the end, a unison chorus enters completing the terrifying feeling of this chaotic tune that continues to build and build until the very end where there is sudden silence; you've woken from the nightmare.

"The Truth Seeker" compares in genius with "We've Come to Take You Home" but is hardly similar. The song begins with strings and spoken word. The way that the entire song plays around the beautiful speaking voice, having very little melody while it is in use,  the voice becomes a melody of its own. Once again a dissonant chaos is found throughout but eventually morphs into a much happier swing-like tune featuring Graham as a singer. The spoken word is an inspiring tale about the creation of earth, and the singing plays off of this, explaining how the world is paradise. The listener can't help but feeling happy while listening.

Each song reflects the feelings and emotions that everyone feels throughout life; like a chaotic morning where you scramble around without being able to figure out whats really going on, until finally you settle into a groove, but the craziness is still there. It also highlights relaxed moments as if one is finally sitting resting after the rush and bustle of the previous chaos. Shorter tracks act as interludes of a single theme that provide a good transition between the beefier songs.

Overall this exquisite album has to be one of the best listens of 2013. The emotion and beauty of this album cannot be placed into words and still do it justice. The acute musicianship cannot even be described. My suggestion is to sit in a dark room lying on a bed concentrating only on the music. The experience is exhilarating. This work is absolutely an amazing expression of life and is by far one of the best albums of the year, and should confidently remain so.

-Peter Fickenwirth

EPUZZ

Artist: Ultra Zook
Release Date: March 18, 2013
Label: Gnougn Records


Ultra Zook is an Art Rock band from France who's eclectic and eccentric style reminds me of a weird Of Montreal. Signed to Gnougn Records this is their second official mini-album release. EPUZZ can only be described as an innocent and exciting Candyland adventure gone horribly wrong. This mini-album starts off with a bang with the highly energized song "Yapati Yupata". Opening up with whimsical group vocals the song gets right to the point from the beginning. The short form of this song has a lot of progression and it paints a variety of images throughout. A dark guitar riff comes in about halfway through the song followed shortly by a disco beat. The odd juxtaposition works beautifully.

The next track, "Mozambiouc", starts off with rhythms splattered about and eventually an asian flavored melody played by either synthesized vocals or an odd vocal synthesizer comes in. This is one of more abstract songs. The back half sounds like a hectic 8-bit chase scene. Out of this section comes the main theme again, adventurous and bold as compared to the bleak chase. After "Mozambiouc" comes "Pisote", another highly energized track. Musicianship here is tight as can be as barking baritone saxophone takes command over the track. There's so much going on at once it's hard to take it all in.

"Tiramisu" starts off with a pleasant guitar riff with a nice delay on it. Soon after a driving beat comes in. This driving beat is used commonly throughout all of the songs. Another technique used in this song as well as "Yapati Yupata" is group vocals. In this song multiple people are saying wordless exclamations in a sort of call and response type of conversation. This song is easily the best on the album for it's breakdown section. Suddenly the driving beat stops and a dubstep-influenced halftime beat comes in and a rising bass synth comes out of nowhere only to precede laser noises combined with shouting group vocals.

"Aluminium C4" is the longest track, going at about 4 and a half minutes. All of the other tracks are under 3 minutes. The song's long form can get a bit boring and drag on but in general there's enough progression to hold my attention. About halfway through the song shifts, it sounds like somebody just discovered what 8-bit music was in the year 2500. The song is capped off by a chaotic and cacophonous ending with a strange rising feeling. Layers and layers are added until it stops and a calm resolution fades out into obscurity.

One of the few complaints I have with this mini-album is that at some points there is really too much going on, it's like music for kids with ADHD. Then again maybe that's the point. In these sections where everything is going on at once the production can get a bit crammed and the instruments are effectively spread out sonically. This can get tiring after a while. The last complaint I have is the synthesizer tones used throughout the mini-album. While having slight differences they all feel rather similar and if this release were any longer it would get very tiring.

This was a very worthwhile listen. Coming in at only 15 minutes this doesn't exactly take a while to listen to. EPUZZ is a release jam-packed with fun material that is sure to get the blood pumping. If you're looking for a fun listen then this is certainly it. I highly recommend this mini-album.

-Owen Bolas

The Sizlacks Demo

Artist: The Sizlacks
Release Date: March 16, 2013
Label: Independent


The Sizlacks, a psychedelic blues-rock band hailing from Perth, dropped their demo on March 16, comprised of songs that were released gradually throughout the year on their youtube profile, with the most recent being released last week. Their style is distinctive and while they maintain a level of diversity from song to song, they have an overarching sound that ties the demo together, characterized by big, reverby guitar effects. They draw heavily on influence from the 1970's, using the guitar tones of Cream and Jimi Hendrix, as well as the wide openness of Pink Floyd. The songs are jammy, and employ what seems to be a solid amount of improvisation. The band's single biggest strength is most likely their collective dynamic range, which comes across in almost every track, and keeps relatively simple hooks sounding fresh. The form of their songs seems to focus primarily on a theme, with variations. Small changes in drum textures and bass lines work under the guitar riffs to keep each tune fresh throughout and fight the monotony that is so common in up and coming bands of this style. Vocals are only present in the first two songs, "Insanity (Part I)" and "Insanity (Part II)", and due to a combination of the simple melodies and the singer's horrendous diction, seem to be more for textural purposes than anything else.

Overall the album is definitely enjoyable, and it comes across that the band had a ton of fun making it, which is always nice to see. The album is surprisingly varied, especially for the genre. Some songs consist primarily of a simple riff played in unison by guitar and bass over a fairly straightforward beat (Blues Berry Jam). Some songs have multi-tracked guitar creating a thick, rich sound (Demo 2). The most apparent weaknesses are the occasional awkward transition, especially in the drums, as well as the less than ideal recording quality, both of which are clearly due to the newness of the band. The album is undoubtedly fun, but it's important to keep in mind that the music is simple. While it may not stand up to a large amount of active listens, it is a fantastic album for throwing on with friends to chill out.

-Ryan Noss

Arbitrarij

Artist: Vsemogočni Mlin
Release Date: March 18, 2013
Label: ZARŠ


Exploring the realm of Fusion Jazz, the Slovenian group Vsemogočni Mlin combines elements of Jazz and Rock to create this exquisite debut album, Arbitrarij. Each genre is well blended featuring slightly distorted guitar and unison keyboard-guitar melodies with definite rock influences alongside jazzy chord progressions and solos. Even the percussion follows a nice combination of simpler rock beats and intricate jazz drumming that becomes increasingly complex as the album progresses.

"Goba", the opening song, has the feel of a jazz combo with a main melodic theme carried by both the piano and guitar, that morphs and grows into solos on both instruments. The piano and guitar interplay excellently providing both background and contributing their own soloistic ideas that are traded back and forth, eventually coming together and returning to the main melody to finish out the track. Almost every song on the album follows this same format, but keeps the listener on their toes as each song travels from beginning to end. Possibly the most entertaining part of this album, however, is the excellent bass lines and features. The intricacies can easily go unnoticed when not on display, but are showcased in both "Deževje" and "Silo" with the excellent use of harmonics that mingle with the guitar and a bass solo. This element definitely makes these two of the best tracks on the album.

The record provides some contrast in energy and style, but mostly passes between high energy rock-like tunes, and smoothed out relaxed tracks. The band creates a unique sound of excellent jazz with rock and roll overtones which comes together quite unlike any other group. Arbitrarij comes off as a very promising debut and a good listen for any type of jazz enthusiast.

All their music is downloadable on Bandcamp for name your price.

-Peter Fickenwirth

Through And Within

Artist: Jared Lees
Release Date: March 16, 2013
Label: Independent


Delivering some seriously raw emotion, Jared Lees Through And Within is a rather spiritual listen. Being the bassists first release, the 5 track album really displays his ability to let loose with what's being done. You can hear distinct influences drawn from the wizards that are Victor Wooten and Jaco Pastorius. On the album with Jared is Saxophonist - Justin Tibbs, who plays a drastic role in songs like “Wandering” that are nearly carried by the man. Aside from him, Jared Lees does all the Bass work on the album, drums, percussive work and guitar. With that being said, you have to respect the man regardless for displaying musical flexibility. Not a lot of people can put together the fundamental parts of an album alone.

Through And Within excretes a dose a melodic jazz fusion that pleases the ears. Majority of the songs are really clean, with the exception of the title track “Through And Within” that almost takes too simple an approach. Being the title track of the album you would expect it to deliver, as opposed to droning on repetitive rhythms. Technically speaking, “&” satisfies most possible musical needs when looking for something unique from this album. From the launch pad that is coated with elusive percussive runs, before quickly melting into a slapfest. Arguably the best Bass work on the album, and what I would put as the best soloing on the entire project as well from the Sax’s initial attack in the song. Justin Tibbs has a style that almost reflects on Howard Levy, which is spectacular.

A beautiful thing about this debut album is the lack of fear shown. It’s clear that Jared Lees is willing to push past blatant comfort zones, even though there is always room for improvement. On tracks like "Wrinkle In Time" (the albums opening song), a different style from the rest of the album is shown through unison harmonies that say more than any vocalization could have. This really sets you up for "The Journey" (the second track on the album). Flow on the album is undeniably tight, the track order wouldn't make sense any other way. Not to mention Through And Within also has some beautiful album art to put some icing on the cake. Don't hesitate to give this one a listen, you will not regret taking the spiritual journey that jazz and pop fans of the like can get down to.

-Woocci

Red

Artist: Kixnare
Release Date: March 18th, 2013
Label: U Know Me


Red, released this week by Kixnare, is a subtle and slow moving album that takes inspiration from every corner of dance music. Elements of 2-step, Juke and UK garage are at the rhythmic forefront of this LP. Samples and beats are slowly laid on over the course of each of the ten songs to great effect. Every track has an incredibly satisfying conclusion that is built upon a short sample played dozens of times and beats that evoke a sense of rhythmic fun and dance. The classic 808 drum machine is used extensively throughout this album to its benefit. The familiar sounds allow the fantastic use of synthesizers to take the front of the sound. While not as complex as some of his peers, Kixnare uses tone and various effects to pull the best sounds out of a simple pattern.

"Gucci Dough" and "Automatik are the two standout tracks on this album. "Gucci Dough" for it's delicate sample work and wavering synths; "Automatic" for it's use of clean melody surrounded by erratic drums, cymbal hits, and fantastic sampling that bult toward a satisfying conclusion. While each track is equipped to use minimal sound for maximum effect, I do think Kixnare could have reached out to different sounds. The whole album relies on the same few drum fills and by the end of the album they get stale. As well a few tracks don’t seem to fit in with the rest of the package. "The Eraser" and "No More" could use a bit more variety or should have been shortened down. Despite these flaws, Red is a good listen that really evokes the more evolved side of dance music while still being able to keep you entertained.

-Justin Healy