Tag Archives: Album Review

Listeners may rediscover Priory’s debut LP for the first time

19 Jul

There is something instantly familiar about the songs of Portland indie/folk quartet Priory, despite the fact that the band’s recently released self-titled album is the group’s debut full-length. It’s not that their sound in any way plagiarizes other great records past, although parallels could perhaps be made to contemporary indie darlings like Local Natives and Arcade Fire; rather the members construct their parts in a way that is comforting, as if this were the type of music the listener wanted to hear without even knowing it beforehand. This feeling of rediscovery, of dusting off a favorite record with the wisdom of experience and distance from the first listening, is one that permeates the twelve tracks that make up Priory.

 The instrumentation on this record is, in great part, what makes the band’s songs so classic in their appeal. Going beyond the standard pop-rock fare of guitar, bass drums, and vocals to incorporate glockenspiel, keys, and even some programming, Priory still manages to give each instrument sufficient space in which to perform. While modern bands that label themselves as “experimental” often believe the quickest way to make their music stand out is by layering as many sounds on top of one another simultaneously, Priory takes a more effective approach by allowing each individual piece room to breathe; in this sense, their music is much more orchestral in its arrangement.

The song “Kings of Troy” opens with Kyle Dieker’s delicately-picked acoustic guitar underneath the dual vocal melody of Dieker and lead vocalist Brandon Johnson which is both earnest and youthful in its delivery; additional instrumentation, including bass, electric guitar, and bells, is only brought in when the song calls for it and steps aside when it is no longer needed. The digital Postal Service-esque opening rhythms of “Lady of Late” pulse with computer precision throughout the front half of the song before morphing into a more natural, live-sounding performance of glockenspiel, crunchy bass, and drums that lag behind ever so slightly, although not because of a sloppy performance; taken in context, it is clear the band is really just playing with their sonic palette.

Through Priory’s game of musical chairs, Johnson’s vocals on “Searching” bring the listener to one of the record’s emotional peaks. His melody doubling the lone guitar line beneath it, Johnson is most vulnerable as he reflects, “I’ve been searching for my mother / I cannot explain why she’s so cold / I’ve been searching for my father / I cannot explain why he grows old.” Composed while bordering on frailty, the vocal performance on this song highlights the qualities one wishes to see in good art: honesty and humanity. As Johnson sings and we listen, the emotional experience is genuine.

The band closes the album with “smaerD yhtroW,” a nod to album opener “Worthy Dreams.” Where the latter is ethereal and delicate, the former drones with the effect of white noise, in part because the melody and lyrics of “Worthy Dreams” are now playing in reverse and as such are present yet somehow slipping away. With the cinematic nature to Priory’s music, the listener may even imagine the end credits rolling on the album’s mini-narrative, a sense of completion being brought to the listening experience. Like so many records that call to mind one of the four seasons, Priory is without a doubt a summertime record but not in the sunny, coconut-oil-smelling, day-at-the-beach sense; appropriately enough, this is a summer evening album, perfect for opening up the back door to one’s porch, pouring a drink, and dragging your lawn chair outside to gaze up into the expanse of darkness, filled with nothing but so much space.

 

by: Chris Pagnani

 

Rockabilly in Today’s World: JD McPherson Talks Shop with Reviewsic

23 Jun

JD McPherson is unique not because he sounds unlike anything to ever be part of the music world, but because he sounds like nothing that exists in the music world today. As far as we know he is the only musician today who channels Little Richard on a regular basis and plays rock n’ roll the way that it was played when it took its first steps into popular culture. Songs about shaking it and pretty women may sound like a formula for the latest hip hop hit, but McPherson has taken these familiar themes and classed them up with a bit of saxophone, piano and swingin’ lingo like “scratching circles on the ol’ dance floor”. A high school art teacher in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma is probably the last person you’d suspect to be behind such a rollicking tribute to old school rock n’ roll, but that is exactly who JD McPherson is by the light of day. In his record, Signs & Signifiers  McPherson tips his hat to the likes of Fats Domino, Jerry Lee Lewis and Sammy Davis Jr. with soulful songs chock full of jaunty piano, velvety runs and twangy guitar. However, the allure of McPherson isn’t simply in his nostalgic novelty- this guy can seriously sing and his backing band is nothing short of spot on in every track. Simply put: Signs & Signifiers is probably the most appealing record we’ve stumbled upon in quite some time.

Check out a video of McPherson and the band below and click “continue reading” to read the complete interview we conducted with him this past week about his music, influences and where he sees himself in the next year.

 

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Emblems Talks New EP, Influences and Plans for the Future

20 Jun

Forming as the concept of a band in 2008, Chicago’s Emblems has since maintained a revolving door of musicians. At its center is singer/guitarist Matthew Stevens, who’s independently written songs were the stepping-stone to the band as it stands now, featuring Stephanie Popoca, Matt Schoeffler, Kristi Ditsch and Luke Mowcomber. With one self-titled EP under their belt, the band is currently at work on a new EP, which they expect to have out within the next few months.
Reviewsic’s first experience with Emblems came not from a recording, but from a live show and personally, we think that is the order in which to do things when it comes to this band. When we caught the band at Schubas a few months back they had our attention the second they took the stage thanks to their intriguing instrumental line-up of everything from guitar to violin to keys to trumpet. A charming bunch, the level of earnestness and charisma these five encompass on stage just didn’t ring as clearly for us on their Emblems EP. While opening track “Morning Breath” comes with an appealing violin section and the pleasant tinkling of xylophone, other songs such as “Power Lines” and “From The Clouds” fell a little flat. We wouldn’t say that they’re bad songs- they certainly come with a level of appeal and seem well thought out- they just didn’t resonate much with us. Emblems is one of those records that is nice, but doesn’t do a whole lot in the way of making an impression. However, having had the experience of seeing these five live we have faith in their potential and look forward to seeing what they do with their second release.

Keep reading to check out an interview the band did with Reviewsic these past few weeks and to learn about their influences, the bands they wish they had gotten into earlier in life and what plans they have for the next year.

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Talking Shop with The Wealthy West’s Brandon Kinder

17 Jun

 Folks in Austin, TX may know Brandon Kinder from his seven years in the making stint with The Rocketboys, but being the prolific man he is, Kinder has another project up his sleeve. This little solo endeavor came about when Kinder began to amass a number of songs that he liked, but just didn’t fit the sound of his full band. Enter The Wealthy West, Kinder’s personal project that has opened new opportunities for him both as a songwriter and a performer. “These songs are just a small reflection of that side of me. I have some recording gear, and so I’d recorded all of these different songs, but never really played them live. I’ve also never really played “solo” like this, so it’s been a lot of fun playing these songs for people and learning how to perform with just a guitar and my voice.” (Brandon Kinder)
Kinder released the debut Wealthy West EP back in March, a self-titled set of 5 tracks. The Wealthy West reminds us a little of Matt Pond PA and Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly. pairing its honest narration and heart-on-its-sleeve lyricism with a slight twang and warm, folksy melodies. Songs about love, self-confidence and home all come together to introduce Kinder as an earnest guy that just wants to share a few of his thoughts with you. Harmonica, the soft drone of an accordion and a touch of female accompaniment make “Home” a favorite of ours from this EP, but when it comes down to it there isn’t a song out of these five that we can say we dislike. The Wealthy West certainly doesn’t reinvent the wheel when it comes to this style of music, but Kinder definitely has put some more air in the tires.

Check out Brandon’s tunes yourself with a free download of “Love is Not Enough” from The Wealthy West EP

Make friends with The Wealthy West on Facebook and look for the EP on iTunes.

Brandon Kinder, the warm velvety voice behind The Wealthy West, recently took some time to answer a few questions for us via email. Keep reading to learn more about Kinder’s music, what he’s been listening to, and where he sees his music going in the next year.

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“Fishin’ For Woos” with Bowling for Soup’s Erik Chandler

14 Jun

Recently celebrating the release of their 11th album, Fishin’ For Woos, Bowling for Soup is settling into the first leg of their supporting US tour and getting into position to do what they do best- smother their fans in pop punk.  Back in 94’ three bands broke up, allowing Bowling for Soup to arise from the wreckage and start their jaunty tryst with fame. “Since then it has been the most amazing ride. The past 17 years have taken us to places that we never believed we could go. And then you look around and realize it’s 17 years later. We’re truly lucky to be able to do what we do.” (Erik Chandler).
The newest release from these four epitomizes what, in our opinion, Bowling for Soup has always been about: having fun. A little tongue in cheek and a lot smart-assed, Fishin’ For Woos touches on relationships of both the romantic and platonic persuasion, full of sweet little love stories and nostalgia. Its questionable whether or not this record was merely written to suck in pop punk hungry early teens that weren’t around for the hypnotic lure of “1985” or purposely juvenile for the fun of it, but either way Fishin’ For Woos is a pretty good time. The iTunes version of the album includes a wonderfully ridiculous song that serves as a fan boy’s love letter to Megan Fox, citing the reasons she’s lovely and better than any other celeb hottie with lines like,  “Its not like I don’t understand/ the ass of Kim Kardashian/ it’s power’s beyond anyone’s control/ but I thank god every day/you’re always one click away/ and no one else will ever know what we’ve got”. If that’s not brilliant songwriting, well then, we just don’t know what is. If you’re looking for something you can unplug the analytical side of your brain with or perhaps searching for a way to channel your inner middle-schooler, this is certainly the record for you.

Bowling for Soup bassist Erik Chandler recently talked with us about the music he’s been listening to, the venues he’s loved playing and the way the band has changed over the nearly two decades they’ve been bopping around together.

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Dead Stars and “The Wasted EP”

7 Jun

Brooklyn band Dead Stars have been catching their breath from all the hubbub of SXSW and the late April release of their newest effort, The Wasted EP. Put out digitally on April 26th, the record will also soon be seeing a vinyl release, giving listeners plenty of options for taking in the fuzzed out -sound these guys make.
Formed by cousins Jeff and Jaye Moore in 2008 along with their good friend John Watterberg, the trio quickly fell into their niche with a Dinosaur Jr.-esque fuzziness to what are otherwise tried and true rock rhythms. Dead Stars and The Wasted EP are a little taste of what certain crowds (you know, the ones who weren’t busy listening to Ace of Base) will remember fondly as the sound of the early 90’s, rich with deep, throaty vocals and broad strums of fuzzy guitar.  Reviewsic favorites off this 5-track release include the spiraling guitar of “Killing Time” and the surprisingly upbeat melody of title track “Wasted”.
The EP can be found on Bandcamp and iTunes and collectors should keep an ear to the ground for the announcement of the record’s vinyl release sometime in the near future.

 The men behind the music recently indulged us in a little email interview- read on to learn more about Dead Stars, The Wasted EP, and what bands are in their “Top 25 Most Played” list on iTunes.

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Spirit is the Spirit Take Us to “Mother Mountain”

2 Jun

Despite having just released their last EP, Mother Mountain, less than 4 months ago, Kansas band Spirit is the Spirit are already back to crafting their next batch of songs. As seems to be the nature of bands bred in the Midwest, the members of this Lawrence based band have known each other for as far back as kindergarten, playing in various musical outfits with one another over the years until eventually the line-up shuffled to be Spirit is the Spirit. With this incarnation roughly a year in the making, the six-piece band has zeroed in on a floating, ambient kind of sound, full of lush electric guitar and a folksy easiness in their loping vocals. Mother Mountain’s opening track, “Sing/Dance/Run/Chant” is pretty literal in its title, unfurling its five minutes of bassy “oh’s” slowly with static filled shuffling before falling into a rhythmic pace that had us bobbing in our seats from the first listen. Tracks like “Oh, Speckled Bird” bring to mind bands such as As Tall As Lions and Annuals, delivering a sweet, sleepy eyed sound that felt warm and familiar. While these Kansan boys may not be reinventing the wheel in terms of indie folk, they certainly add a little air to the tires, playing soothing and smooth, their songwriting coming off as naturally as their EP’s earthly name would imply it would.

Check out Mother Mountain on Bandcamp

 A few of the boys from Spirit is the Spirit amicably agreed to talk shop with us via email, where we talked about their influences, how they’ve grown as musicians and the bands they wish they had listened to earlier in life.

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Monument captures youthful spirit with Goes Canoeing

26 May

Remember when you first discovered indie-rock and post-punk back in the ’90s, back before everything went neon and musicians started to look like models posing with guitars rather than playing them? This was the music you were exposed to you by an older sibling or friend, the type of bands whose releases you’d never find in big-box chains like Best Buy or Target and had to obtain via mail order, and the excitement of these discoveries was always indescribable; afterward, you’d sit in your room listening for hours, feeling like you’d just stumbled upon the New World. Lucky for us, the members of Monument, too, remember those same experiences, and they’ve captured them on their recent full-length, this year’s Goes Canoeing.

Despite their music being an obvious nod at iconic Midwestern acts like Polyvinyl Records darlings Cap’n Jazz and Braid (back before “emo” became a derogatory label), there is something about Monument’s sound that, while recalling a bygone era, still feels fresh. Perhaps it’s their rough-around-the-edges delivery, one that makes the listener feel as if he is catching the band playing as a part of a house show bill; during “No Sleep, All Play,” it’s not hard to picture being packed shoulder to shoulder with friends in a basement, spilled beer on your shirt, ears ringing from all the treble, and still feeling like the whole world is unfolding just for you as the band rasps, “Hey, this is our time / this is our time right now.” Perhaps it’s the dual guitar performance provided by Anton Kropp and Gabe Marquez on songs like “Breakfast” that, while providing angular, off-kilter harmony lines and furiously finger-tapped leads, still somehow seems accessible and “punk rock” enough for the listener to be able to pick up an axe and do the same.

Collectively, Monument’s music possesses a sincerity and youthful exuberance that is all too absent in today’s scene. It is the urgency of their delivery that says to the listener, “We are four friends playing these songs, not to get rich, but because we have to and can’t imagine anything else.” It is that kind of sentiment that can’t be successfully faked. The strained vocal howl of Marquez and bassist Dan Doggett on “I’ve Got Some Plans,” recalling Tim Kinsella (of Cap’n Jazz and Joan Of Arc fame) and also the much-beloved Small Brown Bike, is equal parts wistful and hopeful, and the listener must nod his head in agreement: there is no place he’d rather be either. And, as he ventures upstairs from the basement and out onto the lawn where people are having a smoke and socializing while waiting for the next band to set up, there is something about the nighttime atmosphere that is just as hopeful.  Even though it may be getting late, even though there is work tomorrow, as Monument reminds us, “We’ll sleep when we’re dead.”

By: Chris Pagnani

Listen to Monument Goes Canoeing on Bandcamp

The Hussy Do It Fast and Dirty- Talking Shop with the Garage Rock Duo

25 May

From the 40 second brevity of the aptly titled, “Peace, Bro” to the broad sweeping of the slowed down “Demon Clause”, Madison’s The Hussy have taken 21 minutes and made the most of their time in their recently released LP, Cement Tomb. Bratty beats like “Odd Duck” and “Pavement” carry a playful sense of “We’ll play however the hell we want and fuck you if you don’t like it.”
A hodgepodge of various garage rock styles fill up this record’s 13 tracks, but when it comes down to it they all carry a consistent sense of brash enthusiasm, making the motor-heavy songs mix with the more surf-inspired and making even the slowest of its songs seem fast. Despite being composed of little two minute or less snippets, Cement Tomb still manages to come off as a polished full-length, never seeming half assed or too quick to the finish line. The snarls from both members of this guy-girl two piece are nasally, reckless and chock full of sass. Chicagoans can catch The Hussy’s wild child ways live at the Empty Bottle tomorrow, May 26th.  Half Acre is presenting and joining them on the stage will be The Growlers and The Stranger- show at 9:30 21+ $8.

Download or Stream These Tracks from Cement Tomb
“Sexi Ladi
“Pushin’ My Luck”
“Have A Say”


Read on to check out an interview with Bobby Hussy and Heather Sawyer.

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Sunshine Cadavers’ The Solipsist a paradoxical success

24 May

The inherent contradiction of Sunshine Cadavers’ moniker is, in a way, a rather appropriate reflection of the group’s sound: you’re never quite sure what to expect. Sometimes jazz, sometimes progressive, sometimes At The Drive-In, and many times all three at once, this Michigan group crafts songs that not only evolve from one song to the next but that also reinvent themselves numerous times throughout the course of a single track. With the band’s recent EP, The Solipsist, it’s obvious that the members are thumbing their noses at the notion that art can’t be whatever the creator wants it to be, even if the sum of its parts doesn’t “make sense.”

The album takes its name from the label given to one that believes only the self exists, that nothing else can be proven. Whether this sort of self-absorption is meant to mirror each of the band members’ noodly and experimental playing styles or perhaps the auditory trance the listener finds himself in while participating in the “experiment” (and with as intricate as these compositions are, he must be willing to participate) is unclear; what is clear, however, is the band’s lack of concern for conventions, which makes Sunshine Cadavers’ release an experiment worth participating in.

While the group’s individuals pieces are not at all uncommon (keys, bass, drums, saxophone, and vocals), it is the way these components are mixed together that give Sunshine Cadavers its unique sound. Opening track “When Bodies Rise” opens up with a groovy exchange between a slick sax line and funky keys, but the band soon makes way for a more traditional walking bass line that anchors the tune as saxophonist Joseph Dugan’s vocals peek their head in; Dugan’s performance here is part spoken word artist, part Cedric Bixler-Zavala (ex-At The Drive-In / The Mars Volta) and comes across as cool and confident as the instrumentalists’ playing. Still, the most interesting characteristic of the vocals is their scantiness, as they are not at all the focal point of the music and instead are used sparingly and sometimes not at all, as is the case on instrumentals “Finger Theory” and “Neptune’s Nonsense.”

What is most refreshing about this band, beyond their genre-bending arrangements, is that while all members have the ability to really play, they show they have nothing to prove and will each take the spotlight only at the appropriate moments, giving each performer his own opportunity to shine. The aforementioned “Neptune’s Nonsense” starts off with a more subtle sax melody before the song’s middle section rips open with a fiery solo from Dugan after which he slinks back into the background. “Turn Into a Wolf” features an understated instrumental duet between the keys and bass before keyboardist Chris Smith whips out a rapid triplet-note assault on the ivories; the song then crescendos to a tension-filled climax, at which point Dugan’s vocals make their only appearance for the last 20 seconds of the track as he shouts the song’s title.

It will be exciting to see what new boundaries Sunshine Cadavers can press through on their next release. With The Solipsist, the playing is tasteful, yet experimental, and the band’s music can easily appeal to fans of both Coltrane and The Bad Plus. Is there a limit or blueprint for what this quartet might produce in the future? In short, no, and above all, that’s what makes Sunshine Cadavers a group deserving of your attention.

By: Chris Pagnani

Check out Sunshine Cadavers on Bandcamp

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