Rocky Votolato has that voice; the voice that can haunt your dreams, but at the same time bring so much joy to your heart that it runs risk of imploding. He has been known to bring his original southern spirit and intermingle it with the Elliot Smith-like aura of the Northwest indie folk scene. Read More »Rocky Votolato: Red River [mp3]
Twin Sister pushes out one atmospheric pop song after another on Color Your Life, the band’s second EP. Opening tune “The Other Side Of Your Face” begins smooth and soft, but gradually grows into a minimalistic, calming fuzz drone by the end of the song. One part post-rock jam and one part electro-shoe-gaze drone, Twin Sister’s music flirts awkwardly between the hip, nerdy teen girl and the socially inept dweeb she once was. The insecurity is all for show. “All Around And Away We Go” adds in a beat that screams cool, while “Phenomenons” concludes the EP with an electro-drone. The experience is quite like having a pre-drunk buzz for the first time in months. It feels so good, you just want to sit in the corner and smile. Read More »Twin Sister: Color Your Life [Album Review]
This video by Spaghetti Anywhere, for some odd reason, reminds me of DZR:P’s “Oh Short Ribs”. It’s bizarre and a bit past the line of being downright creepy. Despite the oddities, there’s a certain brilliance and genius behind the video that cannot be denied. Yes, “Incredible Hulk” by Spaghetti Anywhere follows a similar path. It makes you feel awkward for watching, yet there’s blatant honesty as seen when the band sings I go crazy when I think of you. A hazy woman appears, and the awkwardness bleeds away — you get the impression there’s a lot of emotion behind the song, even if it isn’t conveyed in such a manner. Read More »Spaghetti Anywhere: Incredible Hulk [Video]
I love this: We Found A Lovebird is named after an announcement they found posted somewhere on a waterfront promenade. That alone should spark some interest. The music itself fits the somewhat contemporary folk-pop genre. The sound is mature, but it’s also fun. “0 Avenue Park” kicks off their debut EP, which was recorded live at The Hive. Read More »We Found A Lovebird [Feature]
Something in the world has shifted because yet again I am finding myself setting aside the mastery of electric guitars and songs for slower, seemingly simpler sounds, such as those of the folk band Uniform Motion. While we miss out on their rock art concept of sketches and soundscapes created during live performance, we still manage to experience a layer of unfamiliar, emotional imagery not yet touched upon by the majority of folk artists. The acoustic guitar is doused with melodies reminiscent of Jose Gonzalez, yet the intimately wispy vocals are unique. Read More »Uniform Motion: Pictures [Album Review]
The debut self-titled LP by Letting Up Despite Great Faults reminded me a lot of the early stuff by The… Read More »Letting Up Despite Great Faults: Our Younger Noise [Video]
Unnatural Helpers slipped onto my radar screen last year when Sub Pop gave them a hefty bow by including them in the third round of their much-cherished Singles Club. Dirty, Dumb And Comical included four brief, loud songs. The first single off their upcoming LP, Cracked Love & Other Drugs (brilliant title, by the way), is “Sunshine / Pretty Girls” and it stacks up nicely next to the other four — and it maintains their under-two-minutes brevity as well. Read More »Unnatural Helpers: Sunshine / Pretty Girls [mp3]
Some Beans, aka Andy Fonda, aka ¼ of Noise Annoys Simon, is a pretty soulful cat. It’s a bit spooky at times, but it is always funky. His debut album, Fear and Loathing in Tipton St. John, might actually be a very well-planned dance track tribute to the honorable Dr. Hunter S. Thompson. Or not. Either way, this is electronica at its very finest. And that is perfectly alright. Read More »Some Beans: Fear and Loathing in Tipton St. John [Album Review]
In their new single “The Back Of My Mind” off the forthcoming Flashbacks LP out later this month, The Lodger takes a slightly different approach to the sunny pop they’ve released over their past two albums. The song is less bouncy and vocals echo across a backdrop of a consistent drone of jangle guitar. In comparison to highlight tracks like “Many Thanks For Your Honest Opinion” off Grown-Ups and “The Good Old Days” off Life Is Sweet, the song can almost be called mopey and emotive. In that respect, it opposes the insanely upbeat tracks The Lodger has been pumping out for years with great results. Read More »The Lodger: The Back Of My Mind [mp3]
Purveyors of great indie pop music, Kindercore Records released Songs Of The Young Sinclairs by The Young Sinclairs this week. Channeling the 60s folk-pop sound of The Byrds and hinting of a slight Clientele influence, the band packs every song with vocal harmonies and dreamy orchestration. The album begins strong with “Darling” and “Engineer Man” and The Young Sinclairs continue to pump out one hit after another to track 18, “Help You Decide”. And it’s nice to hear the psychedelic folk of jangle-worthy guitar ramblings backed by a drone of harmony in songs like “Thanks Paul Horn” and “Talisman”. Read More »The Young Sinclairs: Songs Of The Young Sinclairs [Album Review]
