We live in an interesting time when it comes to popular music; where genres and time periods can merge into single lovely expressions of one's own personal style. This is the case with Dizmation's "Aves Nocturna." From the (long but not too long) string opening harkening back to 18th century style, to the opening classic-synth arpeggios, to the folk-like vocals and abstract lyrics hinting at the college-rock of the 80's and 90's, there's a lot going on in this four-minute track.
The lyrics have a poeticism that appeals greatly to me, "from here on out we'll try a little harder, we can't let it get you down; I know we're always seconds from disaster; we can't let it show 'cause we live here..."
Dizmation is an artist that seems to thrive in the cracks of genre and style, I find his singing voice very pleasing and the lyrics are the selling point. If I had one gripe, I would have liked the strings to come back in a prominent way (they do play the same harmonies in the chorus) but I'm just being nit-picky. Have a listen to Aves Nocturna: 1, 2 & 3 here.
Thundering and pulsating rock lines pour energetically through the phrases of Shortcut 2 Infinity's newest release "I Know;" All of this accompanying buzz-saw gruff vocals. For fans of classic Motorhead or even Misfits, S2I is going to fit very comfortably in your collection. There's a kind of classic blues element to "I Know" of lost love and romantic desperation, something that most of us are at least passingly familiar.
What I like most about this track is the balance of intensity; there's the "in your face" portion of the song that smacks you like the tipsy girl at the bar who's butt you just slapped - there's also a suspension that seems more lifted in between verses. If you're curious, you can find their FB page here.
Fans of catchy rock ballads with soulful vocals and catchy rhythms will be happy for this one. Singer/Songwriter Arpicity has a new song/music video out titled "The Fear." For fans of Chasing Jonah or Artificial Joy Club, Apricity is a no-brainer.
The video is the other half of this story, it's a wonderfully entertaining post-apocalyptic narrative that has a mildly contrasting quality to the song. The visuals seem to draw heavily from television shows like "The Magicians" (which is a huge plus for me) and is very well acted/performed. I'm glad I came across Arpicity and her song "The Fear," it will be interesting to find out if she can keep these catchy songs and high production music videos up in later endeavors.
Modern poetry makes a profound appearance in the song "Ghost" by Mark Westberg. On its face, the song is a simple acoustic guitar ballad with passionate vocals sung by the writer. Dig a bit deeper though and the listener will find soundscapes of expertly timed reverb and precision chords which must have been an absolute joy to record.
Westberg's lyrics are thoughtful and very dream-scape-oriented; there's more than a little touch of 70's era glam to the style here but tempered with a literary flair that is very satisfying. Think Bernart de Ventadorn meets David Bowie and you've got a pretty cool picture.
One thing that I would hope people of all political stripes would realize is the unfair impact that the shutdown has had on young people the world over. And I'm (minorly) comforted to know that at least a few of said young people are speaking out.
I was lucky to get an advance copy of the California trio pop-punk band BlueDive and their debut EP titled "Bittersweet." The opening song "2020" is a youth-double-fisted-middle-finger to establishment control, which makes me really happy. "Andie" is a lovely torch-song, much in the vein of Blink 182, "Hurt Me" is raucous and energetic. Finally, "Peaches and Cream" with its beautiful jazz-guitar inspired is hypnotic. These guys are young but their talent proves that musicians of just about any age are capable of contributing something extremely worthwhile.
In another lifetime I was part of a band - not the solo creator that I am (along with other producers/composers) in this stage of my output. There is something so magical about playing with other musicians; the kind of telepathy that emerges when, after thousands of hours of practice, just a glance can indicate books of information on where to take a jam or a song. This was what I was thinking about when being exposed to Monotronic's new track "Livin' in a Lie," where they've dispensed with the standard chord-progression-loops idea so popular now, and have given us a truly organic and ensemble-driven song.
Of course, those who follow the "band" Monotronic, will be quick to tell me that the driving force behind its creativity is a gent named Ramsey Elkholy. I would still say that my analysis holds though.
The track itself is very rock in its approach but makes more than a few nods to funk and jazz with the occasional chromatic descending chords between verses. The swinging rhythm guitar is a big selling point for anyone who was a fan of George Clinton's endeavors. The vocals, while very aptly performed are processed in a kind of lo-fi approach (think all the college rock bands that used to sing through megaphones) and the lyrics cause me to shiver, just a little. Fans can stream the song here.
Some of you will remember CMT's review of Colorado-based The BRKN's song "Lost Boy..." It seemed like a good time to take a closer look at the EP from which that song comes. The eight tracks on "Come Outside" represent a fun and catchy, but somehow still cerebral approach to rock music.
The album opens up with "Calm Down" which features funky rhythm guitars and a squealing synth sound. The energetic and upbeat energy is a perfect overture for the following seven tracks. Just like on "Lost Boy," I appreciate the balance between punk and pop vocals.
"Therapy Session" opens with an FM-sounding electric piano sound followed by the signature distorted guitar. The verses interject between riffs and pulsating instrumental phrases. The backup vocals are a real treat as well, it's like, we're really good at this musicianship stuff, but we don't take ourselves too seriously either.
Track three on the album is "Be Cool." It's a swinging soundscape of synth pads and guitar grooves. While I'm loving the youthful brashness, there is part of me that's kind of hoping for a ballad at some point - but perhaps that's just my age showing.
We've already discussed "Lost Boy in a previous blog, so, I won't bring that up much now - but please check out that review if you're curious (it also has the music video - so, you're welcome). Instead, let's go to track five, "Lying All The Time." From the outset of the thundering drums and high-pitched guitar ostinatos, I thought immediately "At The Drive-In" (a la "In Casino/Out" era). As cool as the groove is, the song tends to rely on the band's biggest asset, which of course, are the vocals of their lead singer.
"Fake Love" is a funky interjection on this EP. The song has a very sexy vibe, that if it were a bit grittier could almost sound like an homage to NIN's "Closer." There is a bit more of a studio sheen with this track but features the same skill that I've been gushing over since I discovered this band.
When looking at track number seven, "Marilyn," there was part of me that was hoping "...Manson?" And who knows for sure, but the abrasive and dissonant chords that flow in and out of the track make me think that these gentlemen may have enjoyed some industrial music at some point in their lives. Again, the song seems pretty party-oriented.
Finally "Lovers" rounds out the album. We're back with the electric piano with some noodling on a high guitar. This one is a slightly slower and swinging vocal song for the first minute or so. This song really shows an intimacy that I knew these guys were capable of... It's nice to see (or rather, hear) their softer side.
On a final note - The BRKN is hands down one of the best new acts I've come across in a long time. If you're planning a summer drive, then I would say "Come Outside" ought to be top on your rotation. If they were ever asking my advice, I would offer that they consider more songs along the "Lovers" route, but as they are, they are absolutely worth the time and money it take to enjoy them.
