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‘Albums’ Category

  1. Seattle’s The Cave Singers

    July 2, 2011 by Steph

    The Cave Singers

    The three man band from Seattle better known as The Cave Singers deliver soulful folk at its best in their latest release, No Witch. Out earlier this year, No Witch is the band’s third and strongest album yet, prompting them to tour alongside fellow Seattle folksters, Fleet Foxes. Utilizing the rhythm of the audience’s hand-clapping, Marty Lund’s sizzling percussion, Derek Fudesco’s melodic guitar and Pete Quirk’s enveloping voice to bring it all together, The Cave Singers deliver passionate and memorable live performances. I highly recommend catching a show in their ongoing tour, which includes a performance at this year’s Newport Folk Festival.

    Listen to “Swim Club”:

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  2. Sutja Gutierrez’s White Ponycorn In My Room EP

    June 19, 2011 by Kaitlin


    Spanish musician Sutja Gutierrez integrates opposing forces of dark and light, hard and soft to create his latest EP White Ponycorn In My Room. Acoustic guitar, distorted with synths and other noises, accompany his melodic voice in a simultaneously happy and uneasy way.  Mellow jam, “Borderline (Hell, I’m The)” and ending lullaby “Oh, Say Good Bye (Outro)” illuminate Gutierrez’s softer side, while “I Don’t Want To Be Alone (Reprise)” and “Another Room (Called Doom)” exude the musician’s fascination with darkness and distortion. Gutierrez’s echoed lyrics and indie pop instrumentals create a sound comparable to Portishead meets Thom Yorke. The record is being sold for $1 on his bandcamp with all donations funding Gutierrez’s US tour.

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  3. Manchester Orchestra’s album Simple Math

    May 10, 2011 by Steph

    For those of you who haven’t already streamed it in full on the album’s website, this is an album review of Manchester Orchestra’s upcoming album Simple Math, released today.

    If you’ve been wary about Manchester Orchestra’s follow-up to their sensational 2009 album Mean Everything to Nothing, fear not. If you love the band for Andy Hull’s hold-nothing-back emotion-filled vocals, the raging guitar breakdowns, swelling strings, and all-around finely crafted and dynamic style, you will not find this album lacking. For the most part, Simple Math takes the essence of Mean Everything to Nothing, boils it down, and molds it into a new shape on these ten tracks, with a few exceptions.

    The album opens with “Deer.” It begins with minimal electronics leading into a basic guitar melody. The lyrics seem to be autobiographical, apologetic, and despondent. Each verse is about something else falling apart. “I acted like an asshole so I could keep my edge on you”, then “I acted like an asshole so my albums would never burn. I’m hungry now and scraps of dirty dirt.”

    If “Deer” is an apology, “Mighty” is a “fuck you.” A shredding intro and demanding vocals from Hull, “Mighty” comes through kicking and screaming with noisy riffs over a string melody.

    “Pensacola” is the first song of the album that sounds out of character for Manchester Orchestra. The melody intro bears a striking resemblance to a band I grew up with called Melee—incredibly upbeat, almost entirely in a major key, very dynamic, making use of some brass and a shout-chorus, and for the most part is completely optimistic. “I did it all for you.”

    After the completely M.O.-style “April Fool” and “Pale Black Eye” comes the track recently premiered on their Facebook, “Virgins.” The haunting chorus of youngsters coupled with the minor keys creates a dark and eerie mood. “We build this house with our with our hands / and our time / and our blood.” This is certainly one of my favorites on the album.

    The title track of the record, “Simple Math,” is the seductive rock ballad equivalent of an R&B “undress me” song. “Leave It Alone” slows down into a sincere and earnest guitar and orchestral track with the vibe of Mean Everything to Nothing’s “100 Dollars.” “Apprehension “ provides some classic piano-interspersed indie-rock and “Leaky Breaks” closes the album with a quiet sensibility and echoing vocals, letting the album trail off slowly with this 7+ minute track.

    Simple Math has all the ingredients that you could expect from Manchester Orchestra and then some. Mixing up the formula a bit to provide some originality, “Deers” and “Virgins” are probably the most stunning on the record. If you’re a Manchester Orchestra fan, you’ll surely love this album and if you’re not, then maybe these ten tracks can change your mind.

    Pick up Simple Math on Amazon.

    www.themanchesterorchestra.com

    Written For: The Audio Perv

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  4. Eastern Conference Champions’ Speak-Ahh

    April 26, 2011 by Steph

    Former Philly, now Los-Angeles-based Eastern Conference Champions release their forth full-length Speak-Ahh today. This album is clearly a more developed and well-rounded sound than last year’s Santa Fe EP, yet John Ostrander’s mumbled and passionate wail alongside Melissa Dougherty’s soft backing harmonies is still uniquely ECC. The music rides on heavy drums from Greg Lyons, strong and groovy bass beats from Melissa and noisy chords from Ostrander with a result that is indie rock at it’s core.

    For me, it’s track two, “Hell or High Water” that caught my attention. Completely cinematic in it’s subtlety, it struck me while I was driving on the highway during sunset. Its absolute sadness, yet completely beauty is striking, opening with a minimal echoing piano melody, and leading into a weaving dance between drums, piano, and drum machine. Josh sings hopeless lyrics like “All I can say in defense / is may we should have taken the chance / I guess you were right,” leading into an upbeat bridge about numbing with household drugs. The heaviness continues in tracks like the sorrowful “Patience,” and the confident yet sad “Offkilter,” proclaiming “If love is easy, I’ll break your heart.”

    “Hell or High Water”

    The heaviness isn’t consistent or dragging on Speak-Ahh, with lighter tracks including the passionate and anthemic “Attica” and “Sunshine,” the noisey and groovy “Hurricane,” the bass-heavy chorus-laden “How Long,” dance-inspiring “Bull in the Wild,” and folky “Attica.”

    The ten-track full length Speak-Ahh is a polished and well-balanced album, drawing on every emotion and blending them into raw folk-tinged indie rock. It’s bands like Eastern Conference Champions that make the LA music scene so vibrant.

    Buy Speak-Ahh

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  5. Givers’ Debut Album In Light

    April 26, 2011 by Steph

    Givers’ debut album In Light is set to be released June 7th. You’d never know that this quintet was from Lafayette, Lousiana–their pop sensibility infused into reverb-laden indie rock slots them perfectly alongside East Los Angeles mainstays Local Natives, Grouplove, and Lord Huron (which comes as no surprise knowing that the album was mixed by Ben Allen [Animal Collective, Deerhuner, Cee-Lo] and Chris Coady [Beach House, Grizzley Bear]).

    After tinkering indie-pop opening track “Up Up Up,” the album segues right into the dirtier and musically intricate “Meantime.” It’s then followed by the folk-infused “Saw You First” and “Ripe.” “Ceiling Of Plankton” and “In Your Eyes” are driven by a catchy afro-pop beat the it slows down a bit for the ballad “Go Out At Night.” The album closes with the passionate and catchy “Words” whose bridge and outro touch on a Japanese influence.

    In Light showcases a wide range of influences, while maintaining consistent to their own style of catchy indie-pop. It’s no wonder that they’ve been asked on tour by The Dirty Projectors and Ra Ra Riot. The hype around the band has already been buzzing and with this debut album, it will no doubt continue to grow

    Check out the folk-infused electro-pop “Saw You First”:

    Tour Dates…

    (more…)

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  6. White Sea is Multi-talented

    April 22, 2011 by Steph

    My first introduction to White Sea was an EP of remixes called This Frontier. I knew then that I liked Morgan Kibby (the life and soul of White Sea), with party tracks infused with sex noises like “Ladykiller,” the hauntingly beautiful and dangerous “Cannibal Love,” the upbeat pop track “Mountaineer,” the intricate Japanese-inspired instrumental song, “Oljato” and the groovy radio-ready “Overdrawn.”

    I then caught Morgan, along with her violinist beau, performing these eletro tunes on the rooftop of The Blind Pig at SXSW. When the tracks sounded identical to the album versions, I was thoroughly impressed and longed to hear more. It wasn’t until I saw her at The Satellite two weeks ago that I even realized that the remixes were not her only forte. Rocking out with a full band, Morgan’s voice was amplified in a whole new light, not to mention her sexual energy radiating from the stage.

    Less than a week later, I am introduced to three White Sea remixes, on totally separate occasions. The Britney Spears and Naked and Famous White Sea remixes I received from two separate acquaintances and RCRDLBL sent me her Lord Huron remix. Not only does she put out amazing original material, but she can remix with the best of them.

    Since they’re all completely different, I’m including a video for her “Ladykiller” as well as streams for all of the remixes. Some of them are downloadable and I highly recommend it!

    Catch White Sea tomorrow at tomorrow at the Echoplex with Jamaica, The Chain Gang of 1974 and DJ Jorf (Passion Pit) feat Papercut
    8:30pm /$10 adv; $12 dos / 18+

    Streams and video below…
    (more…)

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  7. The Gay Blades’ New Album Cuts Deep

    November 11, 2010 by Mary

    With a fitting title, “Savages,” The Gay Blades’ second album takes no reservations. Out last month, the new album produced by Dean Baltulonis (The Hold Steady, Lissy Trullie, Goes Cube) is a natural progression for lead singer/guitarist James Dean Wells (AKA Clark Westfield) and drummer Quinn English (AKA Puppy Mills) to something of deeper substance since their last album, “Ghosts,” and for good reason, too. Within the two years between their first and second albums, the duo from the East Coast toured relentlessly and dealt with the untimely passing of Wells’ brother Ian Savage Wells, whom the album is named after.

    For a two-piece group, though, not only do Wells and English compensate musically, but they also have some pretty catchy tunes. Wrought with a range of emotions, this album shows off a variety of levels not present on their previous work. From the sexy, strutting song “Mick Jagger” to the lonely cry of “Why Winter In Detroit?” to the desperate and cynical “November Fight Song,” the album’s tracks take a series of emotional turns, one right after the other.

    Overall, the upbeat collection of new songs is a definite treasure from The Gay Blades and shows some great leaps and bounds in the songwriting department. For more info on “Savages” and to sample tracks from the album visit http://www.myspace.com/gayblades.

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  8. Oak & Gorski’s upcoming album Love Destroyer

    October 20, 2010 by Steph

    Oak & Gorski by Melissa CastroAfter I tell you about Oak & Gorski, you’ll be wondering why you haven’t heard of them before. Oak & Gorski (formerly Ken Oak Band) is about to release their fourth studio album Love Destroyer, they raised $13,368 in 30 days on Kickstarter, they’ve toured the US ten times and are currently in Asia on their first overseas tour, and their music has been placed in the hit movie She’s The Man, Lifetime’s “A Nanny Secret,” and CSI:NY.

    Now you’re wondering how you could have possibly missed them, right? This dynamic cello and acoustic guitar duo have created their unique genre of “cello rock.” Ed Gorski’s  strong, soulful, and twangy vocal styling brings an americana vibe to the duo. Ken Oak’s cello-playing along with his soaring harmonies balances the music perfectly and makes it clear why the two have been performing together since 2005. Their influences range from Ryan Adams, to Depeche Mode, to the Indigo Girls and the diversity is incorporated into Love Destroyer simply and beautifully.Oak & Gorski by Melissa Castro

    On the opening track of Love Destroyer, “If I Could Tell You,” Gorski’s vocals bring the record to a field of tall grass and the smell of home cooking. The track swings into harmonies for the chorus that bring together the sweet and sultry into a warm and soothing concoction. “Mountains,” the second song on the new record, is my favorite. It opens with finger-picking of an acoustic guitar and immediately breaks into the harmonies of Oak and Gorski. The solid Americana folk influence is the most present in this song. And with the song about the beautiful landscape of the blue sky and mountains, it’s easy to imagine that these guys migrated to Los Angeles from some beautiful places. “New York” sings a love song to the the majestic bustling of this crazy city. It paints a contrast to the previous track “Mountains” and illustrates the beauty they find in all landscapes. “New York” is followed by the title track of the album “Love Destroyer.” This song is the most “rock” you’ll find on the record with the intro of the staccato bass notes of the cello breaking into the minor key haunting of the acoustic guitar. Although the song sounds upbeat, the lyrics are tinged with regret, singing “I’m a love love love destroyer / There’s got to be someone better for ya.” The record closes with the lullaby of “Burn the Bridge.” Singing promises to a lover and reeling in the listener, this track is another showcase of vocals and acoustic guitar picking laid over the sweeping cello. This song is seemingly influenced by country pop songs like Brad Paisley and Allison Krauss’ “Whiskey Lullabye.”

    Love Destroyer shows originality while showcasing the duo’s talent and promises that although the duo are already on their fouth album, Oak & Gorski are just getting started. While they consider themselves “cello rock,” you’ll love Oak & Gorski if you enjoy americana, folk, and country pop. They’ve already shared the stage with popular artists Sara Bareilles, Meiko, Gary Jules, Mumford & Sons, Greg Laswell, and Far East Movement and it clear that with the release of Love Destroyer, they’re not going anwhere.

    You can pick up Good Advice, Bad Advice now or wait until December 14th for Love Destroyer.

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  9. Murdocks’ album Distortionist

    October 10, 2010 by Anna

    Franklin Morris is a man with a lot of angry things to say.  After having endured unemployment, divorce, and a slew of other defeats, who could blame him?  While Morris faced such challenges, his Austin-based band, Murdocks, suffered along with him.  Amidst the devastation of being dropped by its record label, the band also struggled with maintaining a functioning lineup.  However, with the recent release of their album, Distortionist, it’s safe to say things are certainly looking up for this indie-rock trio.

    The album begins with “OMG,” an upbeat, anthem-like track that introduces the high-energy sound that characterizes the entire record.  While distorted guitars dominate the song, they do not drown out the catchy bass line that finds itself perfectly balanced with the unpredictable guitar solos.  Several memorable tracks follow, including “Tongues,” a song which maintains the fun, punk rock sound of the first track.  However, this song’s lyrics delve deeper into the band’s (mainly Morris’) personal struggles as the vocalist sings about infidelity amidst the familiar sound of wild guitars and heart-pounding percussion.  “Tongues” is followed by “Die Together,” perhaps the most catchy track on the record. A killer bass line drives the song while the arrogant attitude in Morris’ vocals compliments its lively sound.  “Black Jesus Knocking” makes great use of the bass-driven sounds before it, boasting of the most intriguing intro on the album.  In this track, the band’s angst and frustration takes full form as its vocalist sings, “I am the rage of everyone.”  If this track isn’t forward enough about Morris’ anger, then the album’s last song, “Windower” sets things straight.  A slower, more mellow sound accompanies the vocalist’s accusations of lying and cheating, ending the album with one last vent of pent up indignation.

    This record certainly does a great job of maintaining the energy with which it begins.  Although such energy can sometimes border an exasperated, tiresome sound, the band’s ability to create an album in which tracks follow seamlessly after one another is definitely deserving of commendation.

    Rating: (2.5/5)

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