If you’re a long-time fan of Tilly and the Wall, “Love Riot” may come as a bit of a shock. It’s loud, raucous almost. It’s rock. It’s heavy. What made Tilly so unique in the past — the handclap/foot-stomp combo — remains a staid feature here, but pairing it with indie pop sensibilities is seemingly a thing of the past. Read More »Tilly and the Wall: Love Riot
One of my favorite elements of shoegaze is its tendency to combine monumental, spacey guitar riffs with dreamy, oft wispy vocals. Conduits excel at this pairing on their new track “Top of the Hill”. Likewise, the typical shoegaze darkness persists, all encompassing but not entirely overwhelming. There’s energy here, but it’s not the torment so often found in post-rock. Read More »Conduits: Top of the Hill
Portland bedroom pop group A Weather is back with their second full-length album and follow-up to Cove, Everyday Balloons. Though the album came out last week on Team Love Records, we’re just now getting a taste of what it has in store for us through “Third Of Life” and “Giant Stairs”. With these songs, A Weather shakes some of the bedroom softness for a sound slightly louder. The increase isn’t substantial — say, from a 2 to a 3 — but on the volume scale, it’s noteworthy. Read More »A Weather [Feature]
Capgun Coup‘s pure pop sensibilities are thwarted by a distorted fuzz in every element of “Bad Bands”, the first single off their new LP, Maudlin. Yet without it the song wouldn’t have the energy in the crazy jangly guitars and pointed percussion. This energy is channeled through the raucous vocal shouts of Bad bands are my favorite bands and the wild California surf guitar solo that bows out the song. Fitting the noise-pop sub-genre, Capgun Coup returns to the era of garage so inherent in the greats of today. And with “Bad Bands” they demonstrate an excellence in a genre favored by an extraordinary number of hype bands this year. Read More »Capgun Coup [Feature]
I may get railed on for making a Dylan comparison here, but Simon Joyner and the master himself share a few points. There’s the minimal acoustic guitar and equally minimal accompaniment in songs like “The Drunken Boat” and “Sunday Morning Song For Sara”. There’s the traditional folk element rampant throughout each of his songs. And there’s a slight vocal similarity as well. Sure, Joyner may not be the songwriter Bob is, as that feat would truly be amazing, but his songs have that same timeless folk quality that dabbles in Americana. Read More »Simon Joyner: Out Into The Snow [Album Review]
Written by Ben Meyercord.
Okay the let me get the two things that are always written about A Weather out of the way. Their record, Cove, was released by Conor Oberst’s (Bright Eyes) imprint of Saddle Creek Records, Team Love. They have hushed vocals. I am here to tell you there is more to this band.
Read More »A Weather: Cove [Album Review] 
I want to say that, at some time in the past three to five months, I picked up Joker’s Daughter‘s 7″ single for their song “Worm’s Head” as the cover art looks mighty familiar. Thanks to my recent move away from Seattle and into a small-ish country town between the capital of grunge and Vancouver, BC, and my subsequent attempt to get the house I purchased in order, I cannot quite recall. One thing is for sure: the lovely female-fronted folk that pours out in their video for “Lucid” is completely new to me (a fact that could simply mean that I purchased the single but did not listen to it after). Read More »Joker’s Daughter: Lucid [Video]
