Hey all. This past Sunday was a great day. I made it to the record store for the first time in weeks, and while I was there I found some fantastic new records. Of the few things I picked up that day, one of them certainly stood out above the rest, and that record is called “Throwing Knives” by a band named RADICAL SONS. When I found it in the record store I had no idea what I was getting into. The main reason I bought it was because it was from the St. Ives label, and it wasn’t too pricey. With that being said, I can’t stress enough how good of a feeling it is to buy a record without any prior knowledge of the band, and then totally fall in the love with the music. Radical Sons totally caught me off guard considering my situation, and I hope you guys can enjoy these songs as much as I did.
The record has two sides (duh), but one side is all studio recordings, while the other is all demo takes of certain songs. According to the description on the Insound website, these demo tracks were recorded right at home, and the record sleeves were designed by the band members themselves. As the St. Ives label on the vinyl says, “The artist alone is to blame for the appearance of their St. Ives record.”, so if there are any problems with your record, you know who to blame! But seriously, how could you get mad at these guys after making such an awesome record?
The band originally started back in 2008 with Ben Goldstein and Nick Risler when they still lived in St. Louis, and since then they’ve moved to Brooklyn, NY (no surprise there), and then they released their first record “Throwing Knives”, which is why I am here today. You can listen to three of the songs below, ripped directly from the vinyl itself. Some parts of the songs get noisy, other parts sound like tropical calypso music (the beginning of Planes & Trains), and other parts they just rock out, but they always manage to do all of these things while staying within the confines of their own sound. Hey, thanks for coming by again today, and as always, enjoy the music!
I’m So Sick of the 21st Century –
Throwing Knives –
Planes & Trains –
My Rating: 9/10 Genre/ Tags: Garage Rock, Noise Rock, Indie Rock Throwing Knives: Tracklist:
1.) I’m So Sick of the 21st Century
2.) River City
3.) Throwing Knives
4.) All Signs Show
5.) Planes & Trains
6.) Midnight Reducers (Demo)
7.) River City (Demo)
8.) All Signs Show (Demo)
9.) Planes & Trains (Demo)
10.) Scavengers (Demo)
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
Hey. Last night I came across this album, although I wish I had a lot sooner. The name of the band is Girls in the Eighties, and they hail from Nashville, Tennessee. Their first official release, “Teenage Royalty”, was put out in Feburary, 2010, and it was recorded in late 2008 in Nashville at a place called the Red Room. It features Chase on guitar, bass, vocals and other stuff, Matt plays the keyboards, and Josh plays the drums. While I don’t know a damn thing about Nashville or the Red Room, I can tell you about Girls in the Eighties.
The first thing I learned is that they have a lot of technical difficulties when trying to release new stuff, but that’s besides the point. Girls in the Eighties play noisy punk rock gems infused with a tinge of electronic elements/sounds that’s balanced almost too perfectly. It’s neither entirely electronic, and neither is it entirely noisy punk rock – it falls somewhere right in the middle. At times when listening to Chase’s vocals, I can’t help but think of the Smith Westerns, but that doesn’t go for every aspect of the music, just the vocals really. While you may not agree with that statement, one thing that is certainly true is that yesterdays really don’t mean shit. Woo! Such a triumphant listen! Nothing else matters when you listen to this song! You can listen to the first four tracks from the album below, so why not give it a shot? “Teenage Royalty” is an enjoyable listen from end to start, and it won’t hurt one bit, I promise!
Vacation –
Yesterdays Don’t Mean Shit –
Teenage Royalty –
Too Cool for This Crowd –
My Rating: 8/10 Genre/ Tags: Noise Rock, Pop, Punk, Shoegaze Teenage Royalty: Tracklist
1.) Vacation
2.) Yesterdays Don’t Mean Shit
3.) Teenage Royalty
4.) Too Cool for This Crowd
5.) Burn Your Riches
6.) Slow Motion
7.) Glory Fades
8.) The Duke Boys Anthem
9.) The Seconds After an Explosion
10.) No More Last Goodbyes
11.) Youth Experiment
12.) Future Years
13.) Strange Lights
Girls in the Eighties on Myspace!
BUY a copy of the “Teenage Royalty” CD right here!
Download “Teenage Royalty” right here! (This link was on their Myspace blog)
The world islet refers to a very small island with minimal vegetation and no wildlife. The band Islet is certainly none of these things, being as far away from the word small as you could possibly imagine. Their sound is huge, and it challenges you with something new around every corner, but the only problem is there isn’t much you can say to actually describe Islet’s sound. Many of the Islet descriptions around the web all seem to go to a similar place, saying things like “Islet shuns the web” and “They don’t even have a Myspace” and that “They evade all description possible”. While all of these things may or may not be true, it doesn’t necessarily seem to be hurting Islet much at all. Islet hails from Cardiff in the UK, and chances are their music is going to catch you so off guard you won’t know what the hell hit you.
The six track “mini-album” clocks in at just under a half-hour long, and it’s bursting with energy from end to end. The opening track “We Shall Visit” starts off sounding like you’re in the middle of a jungle somewhere participating in a ritualistic ceremony, being huddled around the fire while summoning the gods above you. In other words, it sounds like the music you would hear in a tribal gathering. The use of the tom toms and the click-clack of the rim hits work wonders for that primitive sound, not to mention all the subtle little chants and yelps you can hear in the background. There are even some crazy whistling sound effects that bring the song to an end. Immediately you’re throw into the next track, the ground shaking “Iris”. I don’t know the names of the members in this band, but there is a girl in this band, and she sings in this track. The only reason I know that is because of the pictures I’ve seen. This track features some noisy guitar work, and strangely enough, they actually manage to work a sort of “solo” into the madness. I’m not sure if that’s what you’d want to call it, but the bass and guitar go at it together and bring the noise full force, all on top of the relentless crash of the cymbal. Apparently they have two drum sets going at the same time in this band, which when watching live must blow any listener away. With that being said, this band better make a trip across the pond very soon to play their “tribe-rock” for us.
The following track “One of These Worlds” is dominated by a pulsating bass line throughout, and it all transforms into this huge, otherworldly jam session at the end, as everybody in the band would probably be going ape-shit on their instruments at this point in the song. The next track “Jasmine” could arguably be one of the more accessible songs on the album. They challenge you to get up out of your seat on this one and dance along to the beat. The singers howl over the mix like a frantic wolf in heat, as they never quite sing in this one. It’s mostly just howls and yelps. Towards the end the tom-toms get a nice beating, making that primal element of their sound come through once again. The next track “Holly” is definitely an intense one, but then again, they all are. A short bit past the halfway mark and you’ll hear some quick tom-toms rolls filled in with the rim shots again. Then the lead singer starts singing “Holly’s in your head, head, Holly’s in your mind,” all why the drumming goes seemingly perfect over the vocals. This is sure to keep you head swaying along with the beat. Be sure to listen to this one below. Last but not least would be the final track “Rowan”, in which they actually take a step back on the madness. This one is a bit more laid back and easy going as they finally give you a chance to catch your breath. That’s all for today, but be sure to listen to the songs below. They’re all great in their own way, so definitely check each one out.
Iris –
One of These Worlds –
Jasmine –
Holly –
My Rating: 9/10 Genre/ Tags: Experimental, Experimental Rock, Tribe Rock Celebrate This Place: Tracklist
1.) We Shall Visit
2.) Iris
3.) One of These Worlds
4.) Jasmine
5.) Holly
6.) Rowan
Friendo is a 3-piece band who hail from Calgary, Alberta, Canada. If you already know about Friendo, chances are it’s because Michael Wallace, drummer of the band Women, plays guitar and takes singer/songwriter duties in Friendo. This is his first time ever coming out from behind the drum set to take the necessary duties to be the frontman. He is backed up by band mates Nicole – who I am assuming takes the bass guitar – and then Henry, who holds down the drumming. It also happens to be Henry’s first time playing behind the drum set in any band, so most of these guys seem to be going into uncharted territory when it comes to making music. After listening to the record, you probably never would have guessed these kinds of things either.
They used whatever recording equipment they could find around the house for the recording process of this oddly named “Cold Toads” record, such as tape decks, four-tracks, and just about anything else you can imagine. The result? This wonderful new record that comes from the St. Ives imprint – a division of Secretly Canadian – in which each record goes through a very specific process, just read their Manifesto. With that being said, it’s absolutely appropriate that “Cold Toads” was released by St. Ives.
As for the music, “Their songs range anywhere from breezy, effortless jams, to pulse-pounding post-punk outbursts. The multi-instrumentalist members love to mix harmony with noise, creating their own seasonal landscape,” said in the artist description on their Last.fm page. One perfect example of Friendo mixing harmony with noise would be on the gem “Oversees” or the closer “Young Fellows”, while the song “Callers” definitely fits into the “breezy, effortless jams” category – although they’re not effortless in the literal meaning of the word. The track “New Sibley” is arguably a “pulse-pounding post-punk outburst”, so whoever wrote that short description did a hell of a job. Do yourself a favor and check out the songs below, because I think you’re going to like them.
Liner –
Callers –
Oversees –
New Sibley –
My Rating: 8/10 Genre/ Tags: Lo-Fi, Post-Punk, Noise Rock Cold Toads: Tracklist
1.) Counter/Time
2.) Liner
3.) Callers
4.) Oversees
5.) Hailey Omen
6.) New Sibley
7.) Young Fellows
Alright, so I’m pretty sure I know what you’re thinking right now. You Can Be a Wesley?? Yes actually, You Can Be a Wesley. That is the name of this band. And you better get used to it, because chances are You Can Be a Wesley are going finagle their way into your brain, and once that happens, it’s going to be too late. The damage has already been done.
You Can Be a Wesley hail from the wonderful city of Boston, and the band is made up of 4 members. Saara Untracht-Oakner takes vocal duties, and she is certainly a force to be reckoned with in this band. Her voice is that of a goddess – so clear and it stands out so well in the recordings that you may not even believe your ears at first listen. She is backed up by her immensely talented band mates – Winston, Nick and Dan – who all create Earth-shattering songs dominated by epic guitar licks and relentless, crashing drums. You Can Be a Wesley totally caught me off guard (I bought their LP on a whim, it was affordable I had no idea what I was getting into), and I hope they do the same for you.
“Heard Like Us” is a little over a half hour long, and it’s equally powerful and ambitious at the same time. The album kicks off on the instrumental track “6/8 Tengo”. Although it’s instrumental and you’re not getting the full YCBAW treatment just yet, this track still sets the tone for the rest of the album. It kind of hints at what’s in store for you later into the album, and they do a pretty good job with it. There’s a mysterious feeling mixed in somewhere in there between the ground-shaking bass lines. Next up would be the song “Stuck in a Battle”, and this is when full-throttle YCBAW begins.
The song starts off with a quick burst of happiness as everybody yells “Hey hey!” and there’s no looking back from there. You’re going to be a YCBAW fan shortly after. At least I think so. Saara’s voice hangs over our heads as she howls through the song, on top of hi-hat rolls and nasty guitar licks. For the last 30 seconds of the song it’s them straight up rocking out before the song comes to a close. Coming up next is the track “Kiddie Pool”, which they start out with a laid back intro as Saara continues to grace us with her wonderful voice. They kick it up right around the 1 minute mark as Saara sings “I remember it all”. This is one of the songs on the record that gives this band a sort of folk tinge, mainly due to the guitars. A bit past the midway mark and Saara is singing “Kiddie pool with a popsicle”, evoking summery childhood feelings of when you used to hang out in your backyard with your cousins without a single worry or care in the world. They continue on as Saara sings “And it stuck in my head”, possibly referring to one of her earlier childhood memories that she could never quite shake off, good or bad memories alike.
Skipping ahead to the song “Creatures”. The rhythm section kicks off this song, and shortly after they’re joined by the rest of the band. Saara then lets us know that she’s “been dreaming about creatures, coming from dunes on foggy beaches.” She claims that she’s trying to avoid them, but they just keep creeping on back. The song continues on like this for awhile until they change it up right around the 3 minute mark and they begin to pick up some momentum. They ride this momentum out until it can’t be contained anymore as Saara shrieks and the guitars and everything else comes at us full-throttle. Once that’s over they let us catch our breath again and take a step back on the intensity as the song comes to an end. Next up would be the folky goodness of the track “Make Up Your God”, which Saara urges us to do time and time again throughout the song. Her voice sways back and forth during the song – almost as if it’s riding a wave – and it’s enough to make you want to share this band with the world, hence why I’m writing this post. There are still two more songs on the album, but I’m running out of time. Be sure to listen to the songs I have for you below, this way you can decide if you feel the same way about You Can Be a Wesley. One thing we still don’t know – even after listening to the album countless times – is who the hell is Wesley? I guess that’s up for interpretation? Either way, fabulous stuff right here. Check it out below.
Stuck in a Battle –
Kiddie Pool –
Creatures –
Make Up Your God –
My Rating: 9/10 Genre/ Tags: Pop, Folk Rock, Indie Rock Heard Like Us: Tracklist
1.) 6/8 Tengo
2.) Stuck in a Battle
3.) Kiddie Pool
4.) Wildlife
5.) Creatures
6.) Make Up Your God
7.) Fourth Walls
8.) Rearrange the Sea
Here’s something that we’ve been waiting for for awhile now. It’s the first full length record from Italy’s own Vermillion Sands. The album was released a little over a month ago at this point (April 10th), and it was put out by the Alien Snatch! Records label. Up until this point, the Vermillion Sands were getting by simply by releasing a new 7″ every few months or so, but now we finally have a proper release from the gritty garage rocking 4-some that is the Vermillion Sands. Lead singer Anna Barattin fearlessly takes vocal duties all the way through the album, and is backed up by her band mates who plow through songs with galloping drum beats, tense bass lines and jangly guitars.
The album kicks off on the fast paced “In the Wood”, which originally came from the In the Wood 7″ that came out back in February 2009. This song gives you a good taste at what the Vermillion Sands sound like, and it works well as an opening track. It has a small piece of all the elements that Vermillion Sands have had in the past; such as Barattin’s nasally, heavily accented voice, crunchy guitars or the fast-paced nonstop action. The second track on the album, “Monsoon Blues”, is the first song on the record that wasn’t previously put out on a 7″ that we had covered. It’s a bit slowed down, which gives it kind of a menacing feel, almost like you’re in a room that’s spinning around without ever taking a moment to stop.
The next track “Wake Me When I Die” may be a familiar one. This track came from the first record the Vermillion Sands had ever put out, the outstanding Mary 7″, which is probably the most solid of all their 7″ records to date. Moving on to track four, this one is another brand new VS song. It’s called “The Last Day”, and it’s got those extremely tense bass lines and jangly guitars that we have mentioned before. The following track “Peter Peter” totally changes the mood completely from the last track. When this one starts off it’s going to sound like you’re hanging out in a barnyard on a farm somewhere, but one thing that is for sure is that this guy Peter sounds like he’s having a rough time. Lead singer Barattin sings “Once he used to have great fun, and now he’s coming with a gun.” Definitely keep your eyes peeled for this Peter guy – he doesn’t sound too pleasant, and apparently, he’s got a gun. Hell, he couldn’t even keep his wife. Either way though, this is an excellent track. Be sure to check this one out below.
Moving ahead to the track “Star Light Star Bright”, this song kind of follows a similar path of the song “Monsoon Blues”. It’s has that restless feel to it, not to mention the strained bass line and it’s relentless approach. It’s not a surprise that it’s the shortest song on the record considering how fast it is. Next up would be “Weary & Weak”, which takes a step back and gives you a chance to catch your breath, unlike the previous track. About halfway through on this one a noisy guitar comes in to shake things up for a few seconds, and then pops up again in the final minute before the song ends, all while the spaced out lead guitar hangs above your head and guides you through the song. Next track “Warm Up” starts off in familiar Vermillion Sands territory before moving into a ridiculously fuzzed-out guitar solo, which is sure to catch you by surprise. Skipping ahead to the last track “Ghost Song”, this one is in a department of its own. Barattin’s echoing, drowned out vocals sound as if she’s floating through space somewhere without ever coming back down. It’s got quite a different feel to it that wasn’t anywhere else on the album, which leaves you wondering where these Italian garage rockers are going to bring us next. Until then, we’ll just have to guess. Thanks for coming by once again, and please be sure to listen to the mp3’s below.
Wake Me When I Die –
Peter Peter –
Weary & Weak –
My Rating: 7/10 Genre/ Tags: Garage Rock, Folk Rock, Italian Vermillion Sands s/t: Tracklist
1.) In the Wood
2.) Monsoon Blues
3.) Wake Me When I Die
4.) The Last Day
5.) Peter Peter
6.) Razors
7.) Star Light Star Bright
8.) Weary & Weak
9.) Warm Up
10.) Sew My Heart
11.) Ghost Song
Mount Carmel is a fairly new 3-piece band who hail from the wonderful Columbus, Ohio. Almost exactly one month ago, their debut album, the self-titled “Mount Carmel”, was released by Siltbreeze Records, and ever since, it’s been stirring up quite a bit of excitement. Much of that excitement would be due to the albums raw, invigorating sound that brings people back to their days in the 60’s (or 70’s) of blues rock and when it was just beginning to make waves. With that being said, it sounds like this record was recorded straight out of the 70’s, which certainly gives it more of an authentic feel. Going by the Siltbreeze description of the album, chances are you’re going to hear “Peter Green-era Bluesbreakers, Cream and Ten Years After” in their sound (and they actually cover the song “Hear Me Callin” by Ten Years After). Fine by me! Bring it on!
The album kicks off on the track “Livin Like I Wanna”, and it won’t take long for you to figure out what direction this is going, especially if you read the paragraph above. Shortly into the song lead singer Matthew Reed joins in the mix, and it’s pretty much a done-deal after that. His howling vocals go a long way in giving these guys that 70’s rock sound, although most of that would be due to the instrumentation, but his vocals still play a major role in the sound. Not only are Reed’s vocals essential, but the guitar plays an even greater role. Throughout the entire record, the guitars have a beyond-satisfying raw and electrifying sound, complete with face-searing guitar solos and catchy, memorable hooks. Some of these earth-shattering guitar solos can be found in tracks like “Livin Like I Wanna”, “Still Listening”, “ZZ Breakers”, and pretty much all throughout the entire 40 minutes of the record. That’s no exaggeration either, every song has it’s moment – whether it’s the 3 minute drum attack or an onslaught of guitar solos and letting the good times roll – this album is bound to keep you listening. Why not find out for yourself and check out the songs below?!
Livin Like I Wanna –
Still Listening –
ZZ Breakers –
My Rating: 8/10 Genre/ Tags: Blues Rock, Psychedelic Mount Carmel: Tracklist
1.) Livin Like I Wanna
2.) Still Listening
3.) ZZ Breakers
4.) Sacksburg
5.) Hear Me Callin (Ten Years After cover)
6.) I Work While You’re Sleeping
7.) Studio Jam
Styrofoam Drone 