WHIRL is literally a brand new band. They’ve been a member on Myspace since January, and they made their first post on their Tumblr account about three months ago. Since opening all of these accounts, Whirl has been hard at work releasing their earliest material to share with us. Up until this point they’ve released a demo tape (which you can snag for a dirt-cheap $2.00!), and then their first full-length EP, entitled “Distressor”. They posted a link to download “Distressor” on their Tumblr page about two weeks ago, so you should definitely look into that. It’s 25 minutes of heavy, spaced out shoegaze music that’s meant to be played no other way but at excessively high volumes. You’ll figure that out pretty quickly too, as the guitars are almost always coming at your full force, like in the song “Child”, or in the melodic goodness of the track “Meaningless”.
When it comes to listening to their new EP, it doesn’t really take that long for it to sink in before you’re listening to songs over and over again. Like everything else out there, once it sinks in, it’s not an easy task to escape it. Songs like “Leave”, “Blue”, and “Meaningless” will keep you coming back for second and third listens, not to mention the entire EP itself. The songs are arranged very carefully, some playing into each other as seamlessly as possible, making this all hang together almost too perfectly. I don’t necessarily like to tell you guys when you’re going to like music, but I think I have to this time. It’s just so deliciously awesome and fresh that it’s kind of hard to ignore. Although this is pretty much getting their foot into the door of the music universe, I think it’s a safe bet to say that these guys are going to be moving on to bigger and better things very soon. Very ambitious, and certainly promising. Enjoy the songs, because I know I did!
Leave –
Blue –
Meaningless –
My Rating: 8/10 Genre/ Tags: Shoegaze, Alternative, Punk Distressor EP: Tracklist:
1.) Preface
2.) Leave
3.) Blue
4.) Ghost
5.) Meaningless
6.) Child
7.) Sandy
Whirl on Myspace
Whirl on Tumblr
Download the EP for free right here
Download the Demo Tape right here (you should buy it for $2.00, come on)
Probably a little over a month ago by now, I went out to a record store and found this gem sitting on the shelf. I bought it not knowing what I was getting into, and it was dirt cheap, so I didn’t really have anything to lose. Don’t ask me why, but I didn’t listen to it for weeks. It took me even longer to get it posted up here, as I’m finally getting around to it today, about 2 months after I bought it. Possibly even more. But that’s besides the point.
The name of the band is SCRIBBLER, and they come from up north in a place called Halifax in Nova Scotia, Canada. The record is a 6-song vinyl debut EP for the band, and it’s made up of tracks from all different environments and without a doubt, different varieties of music. Some songs sound as if they were recorded right in somebody’s bedroom, while other tracks were taken from live shows these guys have put on in the past. You can hear the audience and everything, which makes for a pretty interesting listen of this beyond-mysterious release from this beyond-mysterious band.
The reason I use the word ‘mysterious’ is due to the second half of this record. Some of the tracks are just short, face-splitting noise tracks that if you listened to long enough would certainly give you a headache. I have a few of the songs for you to listen to below, so please check’em out. If you like it, you should consider buying the 7″. Why you ask? 1.) It’s pretty damn cheap, and 2.) It’s limited to 300 copies, so it’s not going to be around forever. The sleeves were all hand made and silk-screened, and the labels on the actual record were hand-drawn. So you’re definitely getting your moneys worth with this one. I think it’s a good thing to say that I am looking forward to the next release from these guys, whatever it may be, and whatever it may include.
My Old Lady –
A Girl Should –
Ocean Floor –
My Rating: 7/10 Genre/ Tags: Lo-Fi, Experimental, Noise Rock My Old Lady 7″: Tracklist:
1.) My Old Lady
2.) A Girl Should
3.) Ocean Floor
4.) A Few Days of Storm
5.) Nothing but Pain
6.) zzzzzz
Hey guys. So today marks the first day a cassette tape is ever being reviewed on the Styrofoam Drone – isn’t that exciting? The best part is it’s an awesome cassette tape from a band we’ve been hearing and seeing a lot about recently: Long Island, New York’s own TWIN SISTER.
The cassette was released not very long ago (in March I believe), and it was put out by the one and only Curatorial Club. The Curatorial Club is a branch of the ever-growing Chocolate Bobka brand, and they’re slowly but surely releasing new, limited edition tapes of otherwise hard-to-find music from some of the latest artists that have been making waves. Head on over to the Curatorial Club to see what else they’ve got in store for you, because most of these tapes sell out very fast. Unfortunately, the tape of topic today has already sold out long ago, but don’t get too down on yourself, because you can download both sides of the tape by using the links at the bottom of the post. See, it doesn’t have to be all bad!
This tape has a slew of songs from the Twin Sister catalog, being both equally old and new, and then some being completely unknown. The A-Side of the tape features rough versions of the songs from their very first EP, “Vampires with Dreaming Kids”. You’ll find rough versions of the songs “Ginger” and “Nectarine” amongst others from this era of the band. If you heard the final version of these songs first and then went back to check out these older ones, you’re probably going to be a bit shocked. The two versions of “Ginger” are completely different. One song from the A-Side of this tape that I hadn’t heard or seen anywhere else was the last track called “Jailbirds”. I’ve uploaded it for you to listen to below if you’re curious.
Now flipping over to the B-Side of the tape, this side comes dominated with rough versions of songs from the “Color Your Life” era of the band. Rough, unfinished versions of tracks like “Lady Daydream”, “All Around and Away We Go”, “Milk & Honey”, and “Phenomenons” appear on this side, with some of them being drastically different from their final version. For example, the version of “All Around and Away We Go” (credited as “White Bread” on the cassette) is a soothing acoustic guitar song wonderfully played by guitarist Eric Cardona. Him and Andrea Estella share the vocals efforts in this version of the song, and once again, the difference between this cassette version and the final found on “Color Your Life” is huge. You can ever hear the flowing water and footsteps-in-snow sound effects that they used to paint such a wonderful picture on the track “Galaxy Plateau” from the “Color Your Life” LP. Cool. So if you haven’t figured it out yet, Twin Sister totally rules, and you should listen to these songs below. Definitely looking forward to the next release (whatever it may be) from these guys, because lately they’ve continued to give us musical gold over these past few months or so. Thanks for reading guys, and be sure to check back yet again tomorrow!
Jailbirds –
Lady Daydream (Cassette Version “Smoke”) –
Phenomenons (Cassette Version “Synth Jamm”) –
My Rating: 7/10 Genre/ Tags: Dream Pop, Experimental, Electronic Alternates Cassette: Tracklist:
1.) Idea Bubble #20
2.) Ginger (Jab)
3.) Nectarine (Extended)
4.) I Want a House Built of Old Wood
5.) Excerpts from Other Side
6.) Jailbirds
7.) Smoke
8.) New Suit
9.) White Bread
10.) The Walk
11.) Synth Jamm
Hey guys, I have kind of another short post for you today. That’s because a new pair of Nike’s are being released this morning and I’m trying to snag a pair before it’s too late. They’re limited edition Nike SB Dunk Highs designed by skater Eric Koston, and they’re supposed to represent the temples in Thailand. Check them out right here. If it’s still early and there’s a decent skateshop in your town, it might not be too late to get them yourself! All this Nike talk makes me wonder why this isn’t a Nike SB/Music blog. Hmmmmmmmm…………
Well, for our music entry today, I have something that has been making some waves across the blogosphere lately. At least in the places I’ve been looking anyway. This time it’s a band called Deep Sht, and it sounds like we have another one-man bedroom pop band on our hands again. Deep Sht is the moniker of a man named Tom Watson, and his Myspace says he’s from London in the United Kingdom. He plays sluggish, drowned out pop music that sounds like it could lean a bit towards the “shitgaze” sound, and it’s quite awesome. Other words like “slowgaze” and “slowcore” could be used to describe the minimally awesome blissed-out sound that is Deep Sht. Every song from this 7″ EP could qualify as a highlight, but some of the hazy, euphoric goodness still stands out before the rest. Tracks like “Hector” and the spacey, far-out ones like “Weird You” and the final track “No No Mr. Greenspan” are all certainly worth hearing. Watson sings in them all, and his voice sounds like a buzzing wasp in the mix that is at some points very hard to understand. Sometimes he whispers, and things get a bit eerie. Find out for yourself by listening to the songs below! Farewell, and good luck if you’re hoping to grab a pair of these beauties today!
Hector –
Weird You –
No No Mr. Greenspan –
My Rating: 8/10 Genre/ Tags: Lo-Fi, Shoegaze, Slowcore Weird You: Tracklist:
1.) Hector
2.) Other Peoples Lives
3.) Loose Lips Sink Deep Shit
4.) Weird You
5.) No No Mr. Greenspan
If you’re a reader here at the Styrofoam Drone and you’re also a member of the website Last.fm, why not join our fabulous group? It’s still pretty roomy as we’ve only got 33 members and almost no activity whatsoever, so why not join and take place in the non-action? It’ll be fun, I promise. It’s a great way for all of us to get together and talk about stuff and suggest stuff and things of that nature. So follow this link and join our group!
Hailing from somewhere out of the Czech Republic comes Mon Insomnie. Mon Insomnie is the name of a one-man bedroom pop outfit, and that’s about as far as I could get when it came to finding some information on the band. I couldn’t even figure out the lead singers name, but I did figure out the record label – Monster Heart Records. While they don’t quite have any physical releases to buy just yet, they seem to be in the process of getting that ready for us.
Going by the Mon Insomnie Bandcamp page, there is only a handful of music to listen to, with some of that being from their first 7″ record. The 7″ is three songs long, and it’s definitely worth a quick listen. The songs all evoke a longing feeling whether you like it or not – like you’re trying to reach out to something you just can’t grasp. The first two tracks, “Barbed Wires” and “Keep Love” definitely fall into the same vein, but the last track “They Left Me Here Where No One’s Around” is somewhat haunting, and more of an instrumental piano track that’s bound to paint a picture in your head. For some reason it reminds me of playing Resident Evil or something like that. But you should listen to these songs – head on over to the Bandcamp page so you can download them too!
Barbed Wires –
Keep Love –
They Left Me Here… –
My Rating: 6/10 Genre/ Tags: Lo-Fi, Singer/Songwriter, Bedroom Pop Barbed Wires 7″: Tracklist:
1.) Barbed Wires
2.) Keep Love
3.) They Left Me Here Where No One’s Around
Banned Books are a band hailing from the Philadelphia/ South Jersey area. I saw their record “Mission Creep” in AKA Music one day, and didn’t really have the money to buy it, so I just kept their name in mind til I got home. I ended up buying the album online, and I’m glad I did. These guys mainly play a crazy sprawling mess of heavy blues rock driven guitar, but then there are times on the album when you’re just thinking, “What is going on here?” They completely change things up and never give you a chance to see what’s coming next. I think that’s why I like them too much, too. It’s the element of surprise that can make music so interesting sometimes, and these guys use it to their advantage. One song will be completely guitar driven (Mission Creep), and then they’ll go into a dancy, electronic jam like “Anti-Anthem”. Definitely worth hearing.
The album starts off on the opening track “The Alarm”, and I think this one serves nothing more than being an opening track. It’s a near-instrumental start to the album, and it more-or-less gives you a sense of what the rest of the album could be like, although you’re probably still not entirely sure what’s going to come later on. This is just the magical pathway that leads you to the rest of the madness that is “Mission Creep”.
Following up would be the self-titled “Mission Creep”, and this is when you’ll first see what Banned Books are all about. Heavily distorted blues rock influenced guitars take control of this one, and they don’t really let go until the song is over. They pause for a bit about 3/4 of the way through to give us a chance to catch our breath, and then they go at it again for the last 40 seconds. Because that track took on a more guitar driven sound, this next one is going to catch you off guard. It’s a crazy fast paced song dominated by lots of little sound effects like hand claps, tambourines, squeeks, and whatever else you think you hear. Singer Zane Kanevsky whispers at points in the song, giving it an almost creepy feel, all while the use of the restrained guitar and keyboard guide us through. Suddenly the next track “Wilderness Area” starts out of nowhere, and now we’re back in familiar territory…at least for now. The bluesy guitars come back for the start of this one, being much more in line with the song “Mission Creep” we heard earlier. For the last half though, they take a step back on the intensity and lazily ride out the rest of the song (It’s parts like this that make me think why this album had a “FFO: Animal Collective…etc” sticker on the front).
Skipping ahead to the fun track “Summer Death Camp”, this one again features some heavy guitar. Lead singer Zane Kanevsky sings about “roasted marshmellows and cyanide”…interesting! I want to go to summer death camp! It sounds like a blast, right? This song changes completely about halfway through though, so don’t get too excited about death camp. I’m not even sure what to say about that second half; it sounds like breaking glass and like the world as we know it is crashing down right beneath our feet. Suddenly summer death camp doesn’t sound like much fun anymore! But it’s okay, because the next song “Anti-Anthem” can make you happy again.
Every time I think this album can’t get any more different, it does. This song starts off like it’s coming completely out of left field with it’s icy, shimmering sound effects and dancy, fast paced drum beat. The last half of the song, (whether Banned Books like it or not) , turns into a hell of an anthem with singer Zane Kanevsky wailing “This is not the voice of your generation/ You’re just another overnight sensation,” over the mix. They use minimal guitar in this one as this is definitely a song of its own on this record. Fantastic stuff right here. The album ends on the oddly named “Black Knot of Plum or Cherry”, and again this one starts out completely different than any other song from the album. I’m not too sure I agree with this song in regards to everything else we just heard on the album, but still worth hearing and even worth buying (they only pressed 300 copies of “Mission Creep”)! Definitely looking forward to hearing new stuff from these guys as well, it should be interesting. Follow the link at the bottom if you wish to buy the LP, and be sure to check out the songs I have for you below, I think you’re going to like them.
Mission Creep –
Wilderness Area –
Summer Death Camp –
Anti-Anthem –
My Rating: 8/10 Genre/ Tags: Blues Rock, Experimental, Electronic Mission Creep: Tracklist:
1.) The Alarm
2.) Mission Creep
3.) Supernatural Mongoloid
4.) Wilderness Area
5.) Trophy Wife Sings the Devil’s Fanfare
6.) Summer Death Camp
7.) Anti-Anthem
8.) Black Knot of Plum or Cherry
Not too long ago I initially came across the band Pure Ecstasy. In discovering Pure Ecstasy, I came across another band from the same record label as Pure Ecstasy, and their name would be SILVER PINES. They both have released something on the Light Lodge imprint, and if it wasn’t for Pure Ecstasy, I don’t think I would have come across this gem of a band.
Silver Pines come from the same place as Pure Ecstasy, (which would be somewhere in Texas), and they actually share some band members. Jesse Jenkins and Austin Youngblood from Pure Ecstasy also play in the Silver Pines, and if you’re asking me, Silver Pines is like the next step up from Pure Ecstasy with a few elements added to change things up a bit. They play deliciously hazy and atmospheric slow summer jams, all being drowned out, layered and as frothy as can be. Stefanie Franciotti takes vocals duties in Silver Pines, and that’s probably the most noticeable difference between them and Pure Ecstasy.
Their debut LP “Forces” is a dazed out journey across an endless beach, and it all begins on the first track “Timefather”. Franciotti voice hangs perfectly over the mix, being as moody as possible, but at the same time completely laid back and relaxed. It’s almost like she’s trying to sing you to sleep as all the little subtleties in the music come and go. Towards the end with about a minute left in the song, the guitar beings to squeal and swirl away, becoming a textured wall of sound that you probably didn’t see coming at first listen. Next up comes the darker ambient song “Polar Bear Music”, and while I’m not entirely sure this goes along with things a polar bear does, I can tell you that this one becomes another textured and layered mess of a song, with crashing cymbals and scorching guitars – except this one is instrumental.
Following up this song is the moody “Maypearl”, which is about as slow as it gets on “Forces”. The bass line shakes the ground below your feet as Franciotti’s vocals float above the song, and they even bring in the keyboards for this one. During the final minute of the track a crunchy guitar solo comes through to melt our faces, and before you know it it’s time for the next song, “Payasito”. This one is probably the most welcoming and accessible song on the album, as the joyous guitars that introduce the song continue on as it builds up more and more and gets louder and louder. The numbing guitars swirl around towards the end as they evoke a heavenly landscape that beckons you to jump in and just float away. Great stuff right here. Following that song would be the slow, strung out track “Travelin’ Bones”, filled with a bunch of subtle sound effects, tambourine hits, and Franciotti’s beautiful, comforting voice. Next up comes another instrumental track, and it’s strangely called “Fortress of Daughters”. The drums are ridiculously drowned out, giving you the sense that they’re being played from miles away. They echo like crazy in the beginning, and then everything else comes in midway and we’re in the midst of another textured Silver Pines wall of sound that they’re so good at doing. I’m not exactly sure why, but I don’t have the next song that should be the final track, “Old Sky”, so I guess this is where I’ll end for today.
One last thing: The Philadelphia Flyers MUST win tonight, or else they’re fantastic run in the post-season will finally come to an end. We’ll see what happens. Either way, thanks for a great season, and possibly the most exciting post-season I have ever seen in my 18-or-so years of watching ice hockey. See ya tomorrow!
Timefather –
Maypearl –
Payasito –
My Rating: 8/10 Genre/ Tags: Shoegaze, Dream Pop, Ambient Forces: Tracklist:
1.) Timefather
2.) Polar Bear Music
3.) Maypearl
4.) Payasito
5.) Travelin’ Bones
6.) Fortress of Daughters
7.) Old Sky
Silver Pines on Myspace BUY the LP directly from LIGHT LODGE
Pure Ecstasy previously posted on the Styrofoam Drone: Easy 7″ – Voices 7″
Silver Pines on Discogs – They have a cassette tape that I’d like to get my hands on!
Here is the first release to be put out by the band WOUNDED LION. They released another 7″ record as well, and you can check that one out right here. Sadly, both of those 7-inchers are now out of print, but the good news is that Wounded Lion recently released their first full-length record from In the Red Records, and it came out back on April 27th. The LP is a fantastic debut release for the band, and it sets them on the right path for things to come down the road. They tackle the garage rock sound with flying colors, and they do it with their own little sense of humor that I found to be just fantastic. Parts of the album get noisy (Carol Cloud, Silver People), other parts get goofy, and they manage to stick to their own formula throughout the entire record (various crafty guitar hooks and riffs). They don’t hesitate to throw in their knowledge of obscure Star Wars references either! How awesome! That’s certainly not something you see everyday in music; a Star Wars reference. Touche, Wounded Lion!
The record kicks off on the first track “Hungry?”, and I’m not quite sure what they’re curious about in this one, but a playful and friendly opening track nonetheless. This one sort of sets the tone for the rest of the songs to come. Following up would be one of their 7-inch songs, “Creatures in the Cave”, and it’s a nice little gem packed with some chicken-scratch guitar work towards the middle, and they ride it out all the way until the song comes to an end. The scratchy, distorted guitars you hear in this one dominate the rest of the record, especially this track. Next up comes the hilarious track “Dagobah System”, which is definitely an obscure Star Wars reference. The planet Dagobah is where the master Jedi Yoda resides, and Luke Skywalker is sent there to complete his training as a Jedi. In the movies, you see all sorts of crazy aliens and creatures in the swampy mudlands of Dagobah, and Wounded Lion don’t waste any time referencing these crazy creatures. Lead singer Brad warns us to look out for “crazy shit” and “people with asses for faces”. They don’t hesitate to be a bit silly in this song, and certainly throughout the entire album.
Skipping ahead to “Carol Cloud”, this song is yet again full of crafty guitar hooks that dominate the album from beginning to end, and chances are these hooks are what’s going to keep you coming back for more. This one gets a bit noisy towards the middle as the relentless guitars crunch and scratch their way through to the end. Skipping ahead to the track “Pony People”, they whip out the keyboards for this one, and they certainly don’t forget to bring along their humorous attitude, talking about centaurs and the asses of horses. Skipping ahead to the track “Silver People”, they tend to get a bit noisy again in this one. Once again dominated by catchy guitar hooks, a bit past the middle of the song they tear shit up with more scratchy guitar work, as they continue to reference Coors Light throughout the entire song. This song seamlessly moves into the next track “Omar Walk”, and while we don’t know exactly what an “Omar Walk” is, they still continue to rock out and bring forth the noise. This one gets crazy at the end.
Last but certainly not least on the album is the track “Crunchy Stars”, and it’s a great title for a track based on the sounds of this record. A heavenly lead guitar guides us through on this one, with a nice little guitar solo being introduced by lead singer Brad as he yelps out “guitar!” Shortly after the song comes to an end, it leaves you wondering where this band might go next. Definitely a solid, valiant effort from our friends Wounded Lion, and hopefully we can look forward to something bigger and better from them down the road. While humor is almost always a good thing, sometimes it can be a bit overbearing (and that’s probably why some people won’t like this record), so we’ll see where LP #2 takes us. Did I mention these guys remind me of Camursi? Thanks for coming by, and have a fantastic day.
Creatures in the Cave –
Dagobah System –
Carol Cloud –
Crunchy Stars –
My Rating: 7/10 Genre/ Tags: Garage Rock, Pop, Psychedelic Wounded Lion: Tracklist:
1.) Hungry?
2.) Creatures in the Cave
3.) Dagobah System
4.) Hunan Province
5.) Carol Cloud
6.) Hangin in Ancient Circles
7.) Belt of Orion
8.) Pony People
9.) Black Socks
10.) Silver People
11.) Omar Walk
12.) Crunchy Stars
Wounded Lion on Myspace
Wounded Lion on In the Red Records BUY the Wounded Lion LP/CD directly from Midheaven Mailorder BUY the Friendly 7″ directly from Midheaven Mailorder
When I was surfing around the web trying to find some information about this band, I didn’t get very far. Most of the descriptions across the web are just copy-and-paste descriptions that seem to be used in every necessary place you could think of. The description I am talking about can be found on their Myspace page, and even on their Last.fm page. Unfortunately for me, this is all I know about the band, so just regurgitating the material certainly isn’t fun or entertaining to read.
So this is the Ills in a nutshell: Their name came about as a joke after they made their first song in September 2008, and since then they’ve gained momentum, found their own sound, and began playing shows in their hometown of Bratislava, Slovakia. Fun. Now here they are today putting out their most recent EP after putting out their first one back in September of 2009. I haven’t listened to the first EP, but the latest one is a beautiful, thought-evoking album in which they force you to paint a picture in your head to go along with the music. Along with that, their music also creates an environment, (known as a soundscape/dreamscape to some), and it’s as dreamy and lethargic as you could hope for and the second track “Vulnerable” is a prime example of this. The following track “To Go Through the Silence” also fits into this category as well, until about halfway through they suddenly kick things up and the cymbals crash until we’re at the end of the song. The opening track “Immense” is a bit different from these other two, and you can hear it for yourself right below. The final 7-minute track “Broken Wheel on the Ambulance Car” is more electronically dominated than the rest of the songs, resulting in an electrified atmosphere present throughout the entire song. You shouldn’t waste any more time listening to what I have though – download the EP through the link below and find out for yourself! Happy listening!
Immense –
Vulnerable –
My Rating: 6/10 Genre/ Tags: Instrumental, Post-Rock, Shoegaze Lost Trams EP: Tracklist
1.) Immense
2.) Vulnerable
3.) To Go Through the Silence
4.) Broken Wheel on the Ambulance Car
The Ills on Myspace
Download the “Lost Trams” EP right HERE directly from the EXITlabel
Download their first EP right HERE
Styrofoam Drone 