Interviews from The Lilypad 6/21/13

The show at the Lilypad on June 21 was a great night, and Found Sound succeeded in getting an interview with each band. The videos are in the order that the groups performed: Jules Vincent, Closer Than We Appear, Kevin King, Burglary Years, and Saintseneca. Special thanks to Justin Healy who volunteered to be my camera man, and Owen Bolas for letting me borrow his equipment and editing the interviews into videos.

- Ryan Noss

Track Review: "Reprieve"

Artist: Jules Vincent

Release Date: January 25, 2013

Label: Independent

Note: This review is part of a series of single reviews by Ryan coming out this week leading up to a show on Friday June 21 at the Lilypad in Cambridge, MA, which will feature performances by all the bands reviewed.

Jules Vincent is a young band from Beverly, MA consisting of - full disclosure - good friends of mine and fellow staff writers of Found Sound. That being said, “Reprieve” is an ambitious cut. The live version clocks in at 9 minutes and includes several distinct sections. Realistically, it could be three different songs. The band keeps the track from growing stale by introducing new musical themes throughout, as well as exploring an enormous emotive range, full of peaks and valleys.

Though the instrumentation may be the most palpable element of the song, the lyrics also deserve some attention; it’s as if the band wrote the whole work around the poetry. Mortality seems to be the preoccupation here, with the song exuding fearful sentiments of dying alone. This would be hard to gather, however, without actually studying the words. On a side note, the studio version includes samples of chirping birds that build over the song and peak as they match up with appropriately ornithological metaphors in the lyrics. This isn’t present in the live version, which is a shame. The pastoral effects adds a certain aesthetic to the piece that give the music a more profound impact.

The biggest pitfall with this song is a level of sloppiness commensurate for a band this young tackling such a complex idea. There are a few rough transitions, along with mismatched rhythms and isolated tuning issues, but most of these are lost in the length. Ultimately, the track is interesting, diverse, and demonstrates an incredible level of musicianship, particularly for a group with such burgeoning talent.

- Ryan Noss

Track Review: "Lifesaver"

Artist: Burglary Years
Release Date: November 20, 2012
Label: Independent

Note: This review is part of a series of single reviews by Ryan coming out this week leading up to a show on Friday June 21 at the Lilypad in Cambridge, MA, which will feature performances by all the bands reviewed.

Burglary Years is a dream pop/shoegaze band from Boston. Their song “Lifesaver” is among their higher energy tracks, employing an infectious sound. The song is repetitive, which is characteristic of the genre, but uses subtle changes to keep it captivating. The lyrics deal with a breakup, or a similar situation, but the writer approaches it from a thoughtful, mature perspective. While not whiny, it is somewhat depressing. The sound itself is that of big guitar and consistent drumming, maintaining a high energy wall of sound throughout the piece. It doesn’t really go anywhere until the outro, which is beautifully done by a single guitarist using a multitude of effects. On their “about” page on Facebook they list several bands as influences, including My Bloody Valentine and The Smiths. This influence is wonderfully apparent and the band succeeds in combining different styles to create dynamic music in a genre that is often criticized for being stale. If anything, I’d like the singer to bring out a more tortured tone; he sings in a sad style but I feel like he could do more with it. The bassist could have more input as well, but it is normal for the low end to get buried under guitar in this style of music. Burglary Years undoubtedly succeeds in producing dynamic, interesting music.

- Ryan Noss

Track Review: "Icicle"

Artist: Kevin King (of Maura)

Release Date: February 13, 2012

Label: Independent

Note: This review is part of a series of single reviews by Ryan coming out this week leading up to a show on Friday June 21 at the Lilypad in Cambridge, MA, which will feature performances by all the bands reviewed. 

Kevin King, frontman of the band Maura based out of Somerville, is doing an acoustic solo set at the Lilypad. When I contacted him, he advised me to review the song “Icicle,” as it is the best representation of the sound his performance is going to have. The song has the familiar sound of a folky singer-songwriter that conjures imagery of relaxing in a coffee shop on a rainy day. The guitar chords, repetitive as they may be, reach beyond the normal scope of this style into the region of jazz tonalities, giving the song a warm feel. The lyrics, poetic and thoughtful, seem to take the forefront, as the same melodies and chords are repeated for the majority of the song. While this works in many cases, the energy of the song is largely stagnant, with the exception of an additional voice, a beautiful soprano, late in the song. I would love to hear King put more emotion in his performance, which could be achieved by simply exploring a broader dynamic range or exaggerating the shape in his lines. Overall, the song is warm and comforting, while maintaining a certain thoughtfulness.

- Ryan Noss

Track Review: "Mallwalker"

Artist: Saintseneca

Release Date: December 21, 2012

Label: Mama Bird Recording Co.

Note: This review is part of a series of single reviews by Ryan coming out this week leading up to a show on Friday June 21 at the Lilypad in Cambridge, MA, which will feature performances by all the bands reviewed.

Saintseneca are a fairly established Columbus, Ohio based band who are playing in Boston as part of an East Coast tour. “Mallwalker” was released last December as a Christmas song, but it wouldn’t be identifiable as such if it wasn’t explicitly said on their bandcamp. The lyrics are interesting and thought-provoking, but seem more like fragmented thoughts than coherent ideas. Their sound is that of rich contemporary folk lacking, thankfully, in the pop sound that has come to dominate the genre in recent years (Mumford, The Lumineers, etc.). Instead, they employ diverse ideas into their music creating a unique, captivating sound. The closest comparison that could be made would be if Animal Collective made an album that you could put on during family dinner. But this is reliant on the sound of the guitars, the drummers use of rims, and the singer’s style more than anything else. Thick harmonies are used in the chorus, giving the music a large, communal feel that is always a great feature of folk music. This is juxtaposed masterfully with a barren interlude about two thirds of the way through the song. Aside from the disjointed lyrics mentioned before, the only criticism I could give of this song is a desire for more percussion, which takes the form of simple rim clicking during the climaxes. A more intricate  style of drumming could bring the energy of this song to a different level, and would allow the low points to be exaggerated as well. The sound of Saintseneca is one of contemporary folk music, and is a wonderful balance of thoughtful and fun.

- Ryan Noss

Track Review: "It's Not So Bad"

Artist: Closer Than We Appear

Release Date: May 30, 2013

Label: Independent

Note: This review is part of a series of single reviews by Ryan coming out this week leading up to a show on Friday June 21 at the Lilypad in Cambridge, MA, which will feature performances by all the bands reviewed.

Closer Than We Appear are a younger  band out of Scituate, MA. Recently, they dropped two tracks on their bandcamp, including a song called “It’s Not So Bad.” The song’s sound falls somewhere on the spectrum between Death Cab for Cutie and The Dismemberment Plan, employing both a solid range of dynamics and a few different moods, all presented through a lens of tortured optimism. The title serves as the focal point of the chorus, which is repeated incessantly as if the singer is trying to convince himself of the fact. The lead guitar tone employed is gorgeous and well placed in the mix. Subtle changes presented by the guitarist keep a long song fresh, switching to a more distorted sound at the end to increase intensity. My biggest complaint is the lack of a strong bass. Its clear the bassist is a good player, and a more intricate line given a larger role in the mix could take a song like this to another level. It could probably be shorter, but the intoxicating sound lends itself to a longer form, so it’s a hard criticism to make. Overall, it’s a great track, and I definitely look forward to hearing more Closer Than We Appear in the future.

- Ryan Noss

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

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