album reviews – Page 2 – News on Shuffle

Wood Spider – Decadence

As I’ve mentioned before, sometimes I get suggestions of things to review from my friends. Usually these are bands I have never heard of before, but I always keep an open mind and if I dig their music I’ll gladly do a review for them. This time it was a pleasant surprise to see a name cross my virtual desk that I had already heard before: Wood Spider. Not only had I heard of them before, I remember seeing them live once and being really impressed. It turns out they had a new album that just came out in February, and I was more than happy to review it and give them a shout.

The album, which is titled Decadence, starts off slow but it is simply an extended introduction which builds to a more energetic piece. That is a recurring theme in this album. Throughout its entirety the energy starts slow and gradually builds, only to come back down and start the cycle all over again. Some people might find some of the more drawn out parts a bit strange, but I find it unique. It creates a sense of intrigue that finds me actively listening and wondering where it all is leading to, instead of simply putting it on in the background and only hearing a blend of sounds.

My final conclusion: If you want something catchy but predictable, this might not be for you. If, however, you want something new and experimental then enjoy the ride that Decadence takes you on.

Out of System Transfer – Same Rat, Different Hat

When I first heard Out of System Transfer live, I knew they were a different kind of band. For one thing, while a lot of bands can be described as “fun” and “high energy,” these guys take it to another level. This is something they demonstrate with their new EP “Same Rat, Different Hat”. Two songs in and you’ll already be exhausted from the dancing. Nothing gets me going more than hearing a blazing horn section, and these guys definitely have that. Oh, and if great music isn’t enough for you, the EP also comes with a fun zine which includes artwork and song lyrics.

For those of you who live in/near Brooklyn, you are lucky enough to experience this band for yourself live and in person TONIGHT. For those unfortunate enough to live too far away, FEAR NOT. You can still download the whole package from Bandcamp.

Middle Finger Salute – #Redux

Middle Finger Salute are a band from England that a friend of mine introduced me to recently. When putting out the call at the beginning of the year for possible topics to post about here, this was one of the first responses I got. The only reason I waited so long to finally do it is because they were scheduled to have an EP come out February 28th, which is what this review will focus on today.

When I first got this pitch I admit it was a band I had never heard of before. The friend in question has pretty good taste though, so I gave a listen to the song she sent me.

I fell in love pretty quickly and knew their upcoming EP would be worth listening to. I was not disappointed. The whole thing is high energy. It’s short, only 20 minutes, but that’s enough time to help most subway rides become far more enjoyable. Bonus: if people get too pushy you’ll have the perfect soundtrack in your ears while you push them back. Not sure that’s what the band intended, but the album is definitely a lot of fun and something I plan to give a spot on my already full iPod towards. There’s even an acoustic version of a song to slowly wind down as you get closer to home. Your choice if you just start the album over again and jam out in your living room. No judgment here because these tunes are infectious and definitely leave you craving more.

For more information on the band or to download the new album, you can go to their Facebook and Bandcamp pages respectively. As always, anything worth buying is worth sharing too, so please share this post (and the album) with your punk rock loving friends.

Six Strings and Gasoline

A little background before this review… My friend Jonny Swagger is in a band called “The Swaggerin’ Growlers“. That band started out as him banging out tunes on an acoustic guitar at his house. Recently, he decided to go back to his roots and strip some Growlers songs back down to a more acoustic sound.

I say “stripped down,” but it doesn’t feel like anything is missing here. Swagger mixes drums, harmonica, and guitar beautiful together, and does everything all on his own. The name of this one-man band with the power of 5 (which was the number of members in the Growlers at one point) is Tail Light Rebellion, and what started as a side project and experiment has become something better than even Swagger himself could have dreamed possible.

He shouldn’t have been surprised though. From the first few notes of “Six Strings and Gasoline,” the debut album from TLR, I fell in love in a whole new way with songs I had been familiar with for years. Usually I am very adverse to change, never liking when an artist remixes old songs they have in their repertoire, but I was thoroughly impressed (and even excited) by what is presented in SSaG. There is a life in these songs that you wouldn’t imagine possible from such a seemingly simple idea.

The obvious disclaimer here is that, like I said at the beginning, Swagger and I are very good friends (and have been for years). Having said that, I am honest to God impressed with what he’s done here, and proud to know him. Don’t take my word for it though. Listen for yourself. If you like what you hear (and live in the Boston area) you can show him your love at his homecoming show at the Midway Cafe on Sunday, January 19th. It promises to be a great show, and I’d travel from NYC myself if I didn’t already have plans.

Music worth traveling for, that’s what TLR can give you… and that is a very good (and rare) thing.

Music For Car Commercials

It’s been awhile since I’ve seen the Brooklyn-based indie rock band Libel, and I have to say they’ve grown a lot. One thing hasn’t changed though – from the moment I first saw them they immediately impressed me. The music was loud and fun and made me want to rock with them. This was something I could get behind.

The music itself wasn’t the only thing that hooked me in that initial meeting, it was also how much the band seemed to enjoy doing what they do. Clearly they have taken that to the next level with their album “Music For Car Commercials“. It has the usual pop/rock sound you would expect from an indie band, but it’s like they’ve taken that sound and decided to have fun with it. I talked to lead singer Gavin Dunaway and asked him exactly what he was trying to do with this album.

“We’re just trying to make music with no ulterior motives,” was his response. He went on to say, “I wanted to write songs about refusing to feel powerless in a world where control seems to constantly elude us.”

Based on our conversation I would say he was talking about commercialism and how sometimes a great band doesn’t get recognized until their song ends up in a car commercial or something similar. Pretty deep stuff, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t a light-hearted side to things. Mostly he wanted to “prove there’s still some life left in rock and roll”… and “wanted to make an album that defied subgenres”.

“I was hoping Libel could sound like something people couldn’t put their finger on.”

That’s the statement that hit me the hardest, because I can honestly say I spent half the record trying to decide who they reminded me of and coming up empty-handed. Maybe that’s because Libel has a unique sound, something familiar that is really it’s own thing. And that’s ok too. Not everyone needs to be a carbon copy of any one band or use some generic formula. If that’s you’re thing, fine. If not, there’s Libel.

Of all the songs in the album, I think my favorite was “Tomorrow’s Children,” which coincidentally is the song chosen for their music video.

Gavin’s wife Michela Buttignol was the creator of said video, and in my opinion she did a fantastic job.

As I said in the opening, I have always been impressed with what Libel has to offer. It may have been awhile since that first time, but I look forward to seeing if their live show has evolved as much as their music has. We’ll all have a chance to see for ourselves, as they have a show coming up this Friday, January 17th at Radio Bushwick.

Jukebox the Ghost – Safe Travels

It’s rare that I hold a memory of the first time I listened to an album (especially one I listen to often), but I remember exactly where I was when I first heard Everything Under the Sun, Jukebox the Ghost’s sophomore album, for the first time. I remember the feeling of excitement that came as I cycled through each new track. That might feel like a lot to live up to with the third album coming out now, but JtG did not disappoint.

To be fair, I already knew I was in for a treat after attending the band’s secret show at Rockwood Music Hall last month, but it’s still a different experience listening to an album in the order intended. A lot of people disregard this, especially with the introduction of the iPod shuffle and the like, but I always judge an album by its entire package. One of the things I have always loved about JtG is that they do not ignore this factor, even having some tracks flow directly into others. The example of that on Safe Travels is “Devils On Our Side/All For Love,” a beautiful and haunting song that will hit your insides in places you didn’t know existed.

While some elements of the band’s sound are similar to the older days, there have been some developments as well. There’s still fun piano pop, but with more electronic sounds added in some songs for a more eclectic sound. Other songs, such as “At Last,” are more like the pure piano driven songs you might remember from the first album Let Live and Let Ghosts. Then there’s their coda, “The Spiritual,” which is unlike anything they’ve done before. I could go on for pages, because the new album is really quite fantastic. I think my favorite, however, is going to be “Adulthood“. When played live, Ben introduces it as a song about how you can survive childhood and adolescence, but “from Adulthood, no one survives”. It’s a song about life that hit me like a ton of bricks when I first heard it because of how much I could relate. (Being 23 with no idea of where life is going to take you will do that). Really that’s what this band does with their music, though. It puts together a lot of really powerful and meaningful words and finds the music to match (when they’re not singing about the end of the world). That is what makes them special and has given them the edge to gain the level of success they have. It’s also why I’m sure this is just another step in a very long musical journey.

“Safe Travels” is available for iTunes pre-order today, and will be officially released June 12, 2012. The sold out album release is at Bowery Ballroom on June 22nd. A complete list of tour dates can be found on their website.

Jacob Jeffries – Tell Me Secrets

“Gavin DeGraw meets Ben Folds”. That’s how someone described Jacob Jeffries to me when trying to see if I would like him musically or not. The funny thing is, I’m not a huge Gavin Degraw fan. I like one or two songs but was never obsessed. I guess it always felt like a guilty pleasure for someone who largely listens to punk and ska. I love me some Ben Folds though (and other piano-driven bands, like Jukebox the Ghost), so I decided it was worth a shot. I’m glad I kept an open mind, because this album is happiness personified. The first song, “Worth The Wait,” is super catchy, which signaled to me I would probably enjoy what followed. Other songs might not be nearly as happy, but they remain upbeat or driven. It’s one of the reasons I love piano-driven music – it adds a whole new dimension to the sound that keeps things interesting. Even slower songs are likely to have some element that keeps you listening, although there are always exceptions depending on personal preference. In the case of Tell Me Secrets, the action does dip a bit at the top of the second half, but it picks up again at the end and still offers an overall enjoyable experience for the listener. I think my only issue was that “Worth The Wait” was possibly too catchy (if there is such a thing), and I really wanted just a whole album of that. Instead we got a wide range of sounds, which is not a bad thing at all. It might not have been what I expected, but it did show the artist’s talents in a variety of ways. Intrigued? Good. iTunes link for ya

My job here is done 😀

Florence + the Machine – Ceremonials

When I first heard Lungs, Florence + the Machine’s debut album, I was blown away. Here was this powerful voice rushing at me on a wave of drums and technically outstanding rhythms. This, I said, was someone who would be going places. Or so I hoped…

Now we are getting the second album, Ceremonials. Same strong voice. More new, interesting rhythms. Songs so catchy you’ll want to hear them again and again. At times the music can even be a soulful experience, like with the track “Lover to Lover”. I myself have had some very pure moments listening to previous work while out for a walk, feet in time with the drums. Can’t wait for the first really nice day that I get to walk with “All This & Heaven Two” playing in my earbuds. It sounds like a good one to be listening to while surrounded by nature.

Lungs got its fair share of play when I finally took that first listen. I am certain Ceremonials will follow suit. The second track, “Shake It Out,” was also the second single, and became an earworm almost immediately after I first heard it. I posted the video when it was first released, as a preview for the pending album. I also posted the first single, “What the Water Gave Me,” back in August. Clearly the anticipation for this album has been high. In my opinion, it did not disappoint.

Lights Resolve – Feel You’re Different

I’ve been following Lights Resolve since they first started in 2006. I’ve always loved their live show and what few recordings I could find on the internet, but longed for something more. Five years later and I finally get a full length album from this exceptional band. I know there are a lot of alt rock bands out there nowadays, so it might seem odd to give them such high praise. I challenge you to take a close listen, however, because there is definitely an energy in this band that separates them from the rest of the fold. I’ve heard it in their live show, and the album just solidifies it into a form that can be shared more easily. My only complaint is that some of my favorite songs did not make the final cut. If there’s any problem a band wants, however, it’s that the fans can’t get enough of their music. Feel You’re Different officially drops today, and their cd release will be tomorrow night at Music Hall of Williamsburg in Brooklyn. You can find more about the band on their website, Facebook, and Twitter pages.

Kate Miller-Heidke – Liberty Bell

From the minute Kate Miller-Heidke’s new album, Liberty Bell, begins, you know you are ready for a dance party full of electronic beats and interesting lyrics. Some of these elements were true of her first album, Curiouser, but, as much as I loved her first attempts at this, they seem to work better here. Miller-Heidke has clearly grown as an artist since she first introduced herself to the world. Where the first album had a few moments that were just a bit too weird for even me to get into, this album has none. My excitement grew with each new song. Things slow down a bit at the halfway point with “Let Me Fade,” but in a completely natural way. It then picks up again slightly with “You Got The World,” but not with the “full speed ahead” vibe the first half of the album had. This is ok, however, because the songs are still strong, albeit slightly more laid-back than the first half of the album (with the exception of maybe “The Flasher”). I strongly recommend Liberty Bell for anyone looking for music with character. As a sample, here is the video for “The Tiger Inside Will Eat The Child”.

Liberty Bell was released in the US Oct 11th on Sony Music Australia. You can find more information on Kate’s website, as well as follow her on Facebook and Twitter.