Monday LXXXI

Part 1

Piles and Piles - Premonitions Say (2013)

Mathgaze if mathgaze was really a thing, I guess. Twinkly, laid-back vocals, and lengthy jams.

Piles and Piles are not to be confused with Pile, who are also from Mass.



Last.fm 

Two Hand Fools - Two Hand Fools (2013)

Two Hand Fools are a noisy pop punk band from Cleveland, Ohio. They also must be Tim & Eric fans as the first track off their new self-titled album is not just "Spaghetti", but "Spaghet"!


Spooked ya!

Last.fm


Vultures of Cult - SVRF EP (2013)

Vermont stoner rock/metal outfit, Vultures of Cult released a surf rock album this week. Need I say more?



Just get it!

Last.fm

Boyfrndz

Boyfrndz - All Day Pass (2012)

Boyfrndz are a shoegaze-y meets math rock act reminiscent of Caddywhompus, Pterodactyl, and modern day Tera Melos. They are not Japanese.

They are also a three piece from Austin, Texas that mixes a nice layer of noise on top of their pounding drums and distorted chords. The result isn't explosive or ridiculously noisy, but rather a nice thick sounding mixture that would go great on a cake or some sort of juicy pasta.

That's right, I said it; it would go great with cake or pasta.

This is Boyfrndz most recent album entitled, All Day Pass released last September.

Highlights: "All Day Pass", "Not That Sensitive", "Moses Jones", "Surfs Up", and "Closer".



Band members of Boyfrndz are also in these bands: East Cameron Folkcore, Tornahdo, Feuding Fathers, Bridge Farmers, and We The Granada.

Bandcamp
Tumblr
Facebook
Last.fm

Monday XXXXXVIII

Despite lots of hip places/sites/magazines posting their best-of lists and stuff, I am waiting until after the holidays just as I did last year.

For those who can't wait though, here are some honorary mentions:

Adventures - Adventures 7" (2012)

Adventures is the name of the Reba Meyers-fronted Code Orange Kids side project. It's really good. Like really really good. 

"Like Seed" is currently my favorite track from this four track 7incher. 

Reba has an awesome singing voice that is both rough and smooth. I would have to say, out of the female fronted releases that came out this year i.e. Traveling, Slingshot Dakota, Lemuria, Cerce and Hop Along, Reba and Adventures takes the cake. That's definitely saying something.

Last.fm (scrobbles to "The" Adventues... watch out!)

The Devil and a Penny - C. (2012)

The Devil and a Penny were so impressive when I saw them last spring. So impressive that I can't get over how much different they sounded live than they do on their recordings. That energy and catchiness I heard live is not captured the same way here on 'C.'. It's a gift and a curse that I saw them I guess. None the less, I must give this album an honorary mention and a high recommendation. They deserve it!

Last.fm

The Guru - Go Easy (2012)

I feel bad that I haven't given The Guru's new release, 'Go Easy' a proper review of its own, (it was high up there on my agenda too) but with finals coming up and all that nonesense, I must place it here for now. 

The Guru had a tough task of following up with another album after releasing the super catchy and fun magic-carpet-ride-on-fire, 'Native Sun' just last year, but 'Go Easy' is still a stellar sophomore album. Is it as good as 'Native Sun'? Ehh maybe - maybe not - but that's not really what's important. What's important is that they still have that disco-rock-whatever sound that got me interested in their sound to began with and tried a little less to sound just like Modest Mouse. Don't get me wrong, I'm actually a fan of Modest Mouse... It's just, these guys aren't Modest Mouse... They're The Guru. And I believe this album really shows that they aren't just being a Modest Mouse-sounding band, they are a band making their own catchy music that is very much their own. 

...And fun!

I was also meaning to mention that these guys were giving both 'Native Sun' and 'Go Easy' away for free this weekend but by the time I found out, it was just too late. Sorry about that...

Last.fm (avaliable for scrobbling on Spotify under "Guru"...)


Stay tuned for more honorary mentions coming soon.

There Will Be Fireworks

There Will Be Fireworks - There Will Be Fireworks (2009)

Since I mentioned this album in my last post, I figured I'd post it now for your enjoyment and your ears. Plus, it really does go hand and hand with 'Travels In Constants 13' by Appendix Out, in my opinion.

There Will Be Fireworks is an indie/post rock/shoegaze-y band from Glasgow. Their self-title debut was self-released in 2009 and features a whole bunch or scottish accents, spoken word by Kevin Macneil*, orchestral instrumentation and fanfare, emotional and angsty autumn/spring feels, and yes, even fireworks.

Maybe.

With all the twists and turns of this album like that of changing seasons, you can absolutely tell this album took a year to record. Take it for what it is and ignore the name. Or the haters. Or love the name. Or love the haters.

*The three spoken word bits are performed by:

Kevin Macneil, who lent his voice for the first track, "Columbian Fireworks". The narration was written and recorded exclusively for the band.

and

Marshall Craigmyle, the bands soundman, on the track, "A Kind of Furnace". He was reading a passage from the Ian McEwan book, Enduring Love.

and

Lastly, Edward R. Murrow quickly appears on the end of "Says Aye". Murrow is sampled from a 50's US Government informercial about nuclear warfare.

I sound like I know a lot about this album but I really just read this play-by-play article I found on Scotsman.com. Check it out after or before listening if you want, depending on if you like ruining surprises or not.

Similar acts/sounds: We Were Promised Jetpacks, The Twilight Sad, Frightened Rabbit, Idlewild, My Latest Novel, Arab Strap, The Appleseed Cast, Moving Mountains and more post rock with words/scottish accent bands.

Bandcamp
Official site
Last.fm

Monday XXVI

Spring forward, kids.

It's monday again.

Pteradon - ¡Viva! (2011)

Pteradon play and sing some manly voiced punk rock. They can easily be compared to bands in similar vein like Iron Chic, Kudrow, Joyce Manor, and Spraynard among others along those lines. I'm really digging the pack and a half of Kools a day vox and the "sloppy and gruff" sounds that follow it.

Pteradon is the "sister band" of Shinobu, another cool band that everyone should look into, myself included.

Last.fm

Change Leopard - Gaiden (2010)

Every Change Leopard (one man band?) release has been a little different in sound so far from what I've gathered. Gaiden is no exception as "gaiden" actually means something like a body of work as a side story; "somewhat outside the canon". It's japanese and is usually seen most commonly with "Ninja" in from of it.  Gaiden is the result of being stuck inside the house with a drum kit for 4 months. Their is no mention of why the artist was stuck in the house but it obviously caused a different feel and style. Where previous pieces seemed to focus on minimalist electronic not-quite-danceable dance tempo music, Gaiden shows us a more live-drum shoegazed and spaced out upbeat side of things. Maybe I just really like the name of the project itself, Change Leopard, as it is a reference to the Japanese version of Spiderman by Toei, but maybe there's something in this whole variety/gaiden/departure of work business that I really dig!

Toei's Spider-man series was essentially a very early Power Rangers AKA Super Sentai. Leopardon was Spider-man's giant robot (zord, if you will) that transformed when he yelled, "Change Leopardon!"

Definite check out tracks on Gaiden would have to be tracks 1 and 5; "Red Afternoon" and "Airport at Dawn".

Last.fm

Laces Out - Where I Grew Up (2010)

Some more punk for y'all! This time in the form of three white kids from my neck of the woods, Portland, Maine. I do not know a lot about these folks personally or have had the chance to see them play but I do know that they sound pretty legit... rough and DIY... just the way it should be.

I'm not sure if these guys are still kicking around anymore or playing any shows anytime soon but I would surely get off my lazy butt and go see 'em. They don't look like they smell that bad either...

Jake Reiger AKA guitar/vocals also has himself a little bit of solo stuff floating around on Bandcamp and such.

Bandcamp
Last.fm

unouomedude - Marsh (2010)

Sometimes you just have to be the mood for certain things... especially when it comes to music and especially when it comes to me. Sometimes I don't like things that get hyped because they are dull and boring and sometimes I don't like things just on the fact that it's not that time for them yet. With things like dream pop, lo-fi, chillwave, dreamwave and whatever else will come next, I often find them a little dull and boring. I like things that will get me moving or (if that's not the case) get me to stop moving and chill out. If something is "hyped" and can do both for me, well, then we have a good find. Sometimes that certain hyped item can also go right through me just on the simple conditions that it is not what I'm looking for right now; not the right mood.

With unouomedude, I could sit here and wish it was more bumping and the vox were more chanted, but on a beautiful day like today were I just want summer to come so I can lay on the beach and watch the waves roll in, I totally get it.

I'm in that mood.

Also: Usually I would rag on a band with a name like unouomedude (pronounced you know you owe me dude), and don't get me wrong, this is a pretty hip band name for a band, but I will let it slide... It's comparison to Wavves and how it is the black Wavves is a whole 'nother story.

Also Also: unouomedude has a cover of The Adventures of Pete & Pete Theme! It's nothing like Tera Melo's cover but boy oh boy I still can not resist a Pete & Pete cover!

Last.fm

You can't be a sell out if you just admit you are selling out... just look at Reel Big Fish Time Rush.

NFT's Got You Covered! With Carissa's Wierd

Carissa's Wierd - Scrapbook (2003)

While not completely a cover album, Carissa's Weird's, Scrapbook is a nice little look at some of CW's unreleased/demo/remixes/covers recorded between 1996 and 2003. The covers include (in order by appearance), "Asleep" by The Smiths (track 5), "Chelsea Hotel" by Leonard Cohen (track 6), "Gauze" by Red Red Meat (track 8), "Isolation" by Joy Division (track 9), and "Curtains" by John Frusciante (track 10).

Carissa's Wierd show off their deadly sadcore/slowcore style with the covers they picked on Scrapbook. To be straight, the album's not as good as I remembered it when I first discovered it but that's partly due to my lose of interest in the Mat Brooke (pre Band of Horses/Grand Archives) and Jenn Ghetto (pre S) starting point that is Carissa's Wierd. I still recommend these guys and their covers on Scrapbook even if you are not a fan of Band of Horses, Grand Archives or Carissa's Wierd (which is much different than those other too...) for that matter. This release is the reason "Asleep" is one of my favorite Smiths track (not to be confused with Fugazi's "I'm So Tired"), the reason I know about Red Red Meat and the reason Chelsea Hotel is one of my favorite songs to be covered and to hear covered.

Scrapbook also features the teary eyed wonder "Sympathy Bush" as well as a remix of said track along with three other unreleased tracks, a demo called "Ugly Valentine" which maybe the blueprint to "All Apologies and Smiles, Yours Truly, Ugly Valentine"from You Should Be At Home Here (2001) and a remix of Heather Rhodes from I Before E (2004).

My interst in Carissa's Wierd may be pretty low right now but I have a feeling that that might change and it'll bounce back up. When it does I'll be sure to post some of their other stuff. I will also explain this whole sadcore/slowcore business...

Last.fm
Profile on Hardly Art

Monday IX

Damn, Monday again.

Dirty Dishes - Dirty Dishes (AKA In The Clouds) (2009)

Massachusetts' indie rock/shoegaze Dirty Dishes. Not a huge fan of "shoegaze" or the term but I do like what I'm hearing from these folks right here. This band has a good use of not too much dizzy guitar work and plenty of intoxicating female vocals.

They tour with Grass is Green sometimes which is chill.

I do enjoy the term "melongaze" however.

Last.fm

Enemies - Alpha Waves (2008)

Irish math/post rock. This is their EP Alpha Waves. No brainer.

Last.fm
Bandcamp

Leech - The Stolen View (2007)

Really chill and textural post rock. There's so many bands in the post rock game right now that it gets tough deciding which are being under appreciated and which are generic. Leech seems to be the former.

Thought I was going to say that they suck?

Because leeches suck...

Last.fm