Bowery Beasts- Heavy You

When I was in my senior years in a small pathetic excuse of a high school, I fell into the “rejects” group. Being in the rejects group meant  that you didn't like pop music, football, remaining tanked for the entire weekend, shooting random marsupials and when you dated someone it was for longer than a week.

Not liking pop music meant that everyone in the group had differing opinions on what was great, and a few collective favourites. As the new kid on the block I was given a heap of music almost daily and quizzed about it twenty four hours later... If I didn't like the right bands I was ridiculed and mocked. This pressure made me hate music a bit as I was being pushed and pulled in every direction and not left alone to figure it out. It was only after resisting them that I found my feet and I can really appreciate music and really love it. I wish they would have left me alone to start with...

BUT!

On the other hand now that I have my own tastes and opinions I wish I could get those days back. Conversations about bands could last days DAYS and with my new found confidence in what I like and what is good it would be nice to argue with someone about it.

I had this yearning not that long ago after locating in my music library some un-reviewed brilliance. Bowery Beasts was a bit of a surprise for me, not only because I didn't know they were there but because it is like a shining two dollar coin on the footpath of music.

Heavy You is the Bowery Beasts debut EP and I hope there is more to come. This LA band plays really good rock 'n roll. I was quite surprised because whenever I heard the phrase “rock 'n roll” I was transported to some distant childhood memory of my dad's music... But now, I am thrown into the modern era that holds the smooth, sexy sounds that the genre is known for.

Its not just the guitar riffs that catch me, it is the lyrics, vocals, drums the whole set up makes you want to listen to more. The five songs in Heavy You just aren't enough.

I don't have a favourite song this album, which is rare for me, because I think they are all awesome.

It opens with “He Was Your First Tattoo” and instantly reminds me a little of Them Crooked Vultures-  has more rock than roll. Team this legendary sound with lyrics like-

“He was your first tattoo,
Never seen eyes so true
The was the first you knew
Never met a girl like you”

And you have a winner!

“White Diamond Babe” definitely pulls together the silky rock sound to create something really special. It is worth noting that when you are singing along to this music (as one does) you not only sing the lyrics you sing the riffs too...

“Today I saw my angel smile, (duh duh duh dummm dummm dummm)
It made me want to try. (duh duh duh dummm dummm dummm)
Today I saw my angel cry (duh duh duh dummm dummm dummm)
I could see you waiting right there, out on the sand, under the sun.
Twisting her hair, I could see her.”

I was really happy cruising around in my modern day rock 'n roll feeling, then “Young Rockers” took me back to my childhood and took Heavy You up another notch, which I thought was impossible. I think the change in sound comes because this song has more haze around it.

“Amulet” is completely different to any of the other songs, starting off with acoustic sounds and slowly building towards a peak of velvety riffs. Beautiful.

“Rock and Roll Queen” is the neat package at the end of the EP. Tying together all of the sounds of Heavy You, being sweet and having a quick line like-
“I want to roll a Rolling Stone”

My parents live 1300km (808 miles) away from me and I held the phone up to the speaker for 20 minutes because I thought this band was that great. They did too! Bowery Beasts bridges generation gaps with their smooth, beautiful sound. Heavy You is definitely an EP to get and they are a band to watch.

 --Koala

Buy here mp3: Heavy You

Priory-S/T

Since becoming a part of the Ripple Clan I have been given twenty six (give or take one or two) artists to listen to and I have only reviewed eight (this is the ninth). No, it isn't slack of me, the others just didn't click. Priory didn't click with me either. It snapped. So loudly my hermit crab hid in its shell. So loudly that there was a noise complaint put in by the neighbours. So loudly the stray cat that insists on sleeping on my car and getting it's foot prints everywhere didn't show up for a week. So loudly... Well, you get the picture.

This is Priory's debut full length release and it is self titled earlier they released an EP titled Cold Hands. They describe themselves as indie-pop/electronic-folk and are based in Oregon. They consist of four members- Brandon Johnson (vocals, bass) Kyle Deiker (acoustic guitar, keys, bells, falsetto), Rich Preinesberger (drums) and Greg Harpel (lead guitae, bells, keys) Priory is released in June this year.

The songs on the album are catchy, electronic, acoustic, brilliantly written and sung perfectly. It is important to note that despite their catchy, pop appearance some of the songs tackle some quite dark subjects.

“Worthy Dreams” is the first song on the album and it is mirrored with the last song. “smearD yhtroW” is the reverse of the first and it is an interesting way to tie things off. It sounds quite electric and is a happy, cheery way to start us off.

It is then followed with the clean, acoustic “Kings of Troy” being about a man who's girlfriend is constantly sought after by other men.

“Lady of Late” goes back into the more electronic sounds. It has catchy lyrics that are quite heavy.
“I was born, with a heart of stone
Till you came along, and you broke my throne
Now, Here I stand with your hand in mine
Still a humble man till the end of time”


“Alone”
“Don't look in my face, said the girl with a scar”
However, it is paired with really, really good music.


Following the electronic “Coal Mine”, “Red Sun” and the acoustic “Searching” and “Devil vs Heater” is “Cold Hands.” A song about two lovers dying in a car accident together.
“I was by your side when your hands went cold
When your hands went cold
You were by my side when my eyes went closed”


“Wait” has lighter content compared to the other songs on the album and it is accompanied by a mixture of acoustic and electronic sounds.
“I think I'm falling in love again,
Wait.
I think I'm falling out of love again”


“White Coats” a predominately acoustic song follows, then the reverse song, “smaerD yhtroW”.

Priory is a pretty fun album music wise as it is varied, interesting and well composed. The lyrics add a darker meaning that you sometimes have to listen a few times to really get. Over all, very good.


-Koala

Syd Arthur - Moving World

I had know idea who or what Syd Arthur was, but what I heard was not what I was expecting by any means. Moving World was another 'gift sent' to me by Ripple Music, and I really don't know what to make of it. It melds styles I previously thought un-meldable. Truly a conundrum of sound and style. I only label this as progressive rock because I don't know what else to classify it as, it is that much of an interesting mash-up of style.

I'm going to assume Syd Arthur is either a nickname or the band name, like Pink Floyd, Jethro Tull or Franz Ferdinand, a name that sounds like a person's, but is in fact the group's name (in my searches I discovered a theory that the band gets it's name from Syd Barret (original singer for Pink Floyd) and from The Kinks' album, Arthur (Or The Decline And Fall Of The British Empire), so that's kind of interesting. I say this because the singer has a very peculiar voice; At times making me think it is a female singing, and at others just a really odd male (the first draft of this paragraph was all about a female vocalist, then I did some actual research and learned the truth). It is really odd, I can tell that he's British, but other then that I am at a loss.

The music off of Moving World is an odd conglomeration of styles. I hear elements of funk, jazz, classic rock, singer-songwriter, soul, Latin, etc, etc. Each of the songs begins in one fashion and then heads into another at one point or another. Track two, "Pulse," begins with a bluesy classic rock riff, then moves into a funk/soul blend. The following, "Exit Domino," spends most of it's time with only the (odd) voice and a plucked guitar melody, but at parts it becomes much more involved with a semi-impressive drum-cymbal collaboration and a much more heavy guitar (but still not close to metal by any means). The best part of the song is towards the end when the vocals cut out and the guitar goes into a frantic solo-style with a keyboard/maybe-guitar over it all. It all builds into this crescendo and then dies suddenly and drastically, leaving only a single wailing guitar. Probably the best song on the EP.

Throughout it all there is that solo-songwriter style of a focus on vocals and guitar, with the rest of the instruments only getting the green light to truly perform when the vocals are dormant. The final track is the best example of this; "Hermethio" begins with a big band sound, with piano, flute, strings, moving drums and a couple of guitars, their only instrumental track. This song shows that the act can pull off some decent music, but the rest of the disc doesn't really support this theory.

All in all... um, I don't know. I don't have some witty way to wrap up Syd Arthur. The music is eclectic and odd... but good. The vocals are... weird to say the least. There are a few good moments on Moving World, and a couple decent songs. The band knows how to play, and how to write some compelling music, but there is something missing in their conception. If you are in market for something interesting and odd then Syd Arthur may be just your bag, give them a spin and let me know what you think.

--K-

Buy here

Meekos &Me- Anxious Little Turtles

The first thing you will notice about the new LP released by this LA based band is the fourteen song length. Now, I am no expert but fourteen songs is longer than the average LP, especially if they are of this quality. All of the songs are really good and the sound is built to suit the content. Due to their changing style and story telling it manages to keep you interested throughout the entire fourteen songs.

As I have mentioned, Meekos&Me is a LA based band. They are comprised of guitarist, songwriter and singer Joey Colando and classically trained cellist Danny Grab. Anxious Little Turtles is their debut release and gives a glimpse of the greatness that is to come. It is difficult to sum them up into a single genre as it is clearly a work of creative collaboration rather than a decision to make a folk band or a rock band.

“Entropy” is the opening of the album. With good acoustics and cello support and creative, clever lyrics it gets you ready for what is to come.
“I say I love you,
You say you love me.
But oh my god,
Its been way too long.
Strength divides the weak from the strong”


It is surprising how well the electric sound from the guitar and the classical cello work together in “Grove Street”, accompanied with soulful vocals and lyrics about separation. Tied together to make a neat package.
“We've got green plants in the garden
It was nothing before we stared
And I know that
So stop your whining
Get away from me, if you are crying.”


“Underwater Dream” is a song about a merman's love for a human and is recorded to sounds muffled and bubbly, as if you were underwater as well. It really shows of the duo's creative outlook on their music.
“I can walk on water, on the bottom of the sea,
And when I talk to you, you can't understand me.”


“Animals in my Room” immediately caught my attention because of the opening with the Kookaburra laugh and the other lyrics that refer to Australian animals,
“Kangaroos, Polar bears,
Owls with their crazy stares,
And I am scared”
This was released as the single and it is easy to see why. It represents the album well with its eccentricity that still stays between the lines of normalcy. 


“Mountains in the Rearview” has a “hillbilly” sound to it with banjo like sounds and the pitch climb that hillbilly music has. Additionally, interesting lyrics.
“I'm going home,
Because you're back home.
Every night we are the last to fall asleep,
We talk about music
And we act so casually”


“Steven and Kirsten” is one of those growing up and moving on songs that most people are going to relate to. It is lyrically well written with a country sound to it (think tambourines). I especially related to it as it is pretty much how I ended up moving to the city. Just decided to one day and packed.
“All she wanted to know,
Is why you move so slow,
All you have to do is pack and go”


Joey Colando's talent on the guitar is on showcase with “Fantasies and Fairies” being carried by his brilliant fingerpicking style. With creative lyrics it is another exceptional song.
“Fantasies and flying fairies
Are you insane?
Act your age.
You gotta act your age
These days”


 “Umbrella” opens with Danny Grab's cello solo then breaks into being rhythm based. The cello stills features largely in this song and has a really good sound to it.
“I saw you laugh a lot the other day
You looked so cute
Do you think you look any other way?”


“If I Don't” has a great acoustics accompanied by soulful cello which is perfectly matched for this love song.
“I'll be with you some day,
I will.
I'll be with you one day,
My heart always will.”


“Whistle” is another sweet acoustic song that has almost dark lyrics to it. Unexpected but brilliant.
“But I whistle everyday
Cause I have nothing to say.
I lose my mind with you
I will someday
Oh, one day.”


“Kid Things” another song that is percussion and cello dominated but it then opens to a surprising electric guitar climax. It was really enjoyable hearing it open up and explode like that.


“Whistle (reprise)” is the only song on the album that is not full length. Whistling to the tune of “Whistle” it is a sweet way to wrap things up.

Overall, a really creative album. It is enjoyable to listen to and I will be on the look out for their next releases. 


-Koala

www.meekosandme.com/

An Electrifying Edifice of Ebullient EP's Featuring Wheels on Fire, Lecherous Gaze, and The Queue,

Wheels On Fire – Cherry Bomb EP

Garage rock has always seemed like a broad, sweeping genre to me.  Spawning in the 1960s, it can range from anything to the raw sound of early punk to songs like “Louie, Louie”, a song that I could easily go the rest of my life without ever hearing again.  Thankfully, Wheels On Fire, hailing from Athens, OH, are clearly targeting the garage punk sound on their new EP, Cherry Bomb.  Using the same, fairly simple style found in the 60s, Wheels On Fire manage to bring a fresh sound to a garage scene that has been searching for someone to rise to the top, and they seem poised to do just that.

The EP opens up with “Black Wave”, which will immediately have you hooked right from the get go.  From an intro that slowly invites the listener in with a catchy guitar hook, then lyrics that will keep you riveted from start to finish.  The first time I was listening, I found myself repeating this song over and over,  which ended up becoming a recurring theme throughout the four songs.  The sound they invoke reminds me slightly of Black Lips songs like “It Feels Alright” or “Veni Vidi Vici”, with a distinct garage sound, yet a twinge of pop stirred in there, just to make it a little more interesting.

As far as this EP goes, the best song they offer up is “Broken Up”.  This song reminds me of mostly forgotten garage punkers like The Alarm Clocks or Banshees.  It just has that feel that makes you want to go digging through your old records combing for that Alarm Clocks 7-inch with “No Reason To Complain” and “Yeah” on it.  However, “Broken Up” kick a little more ass than either of those other songs, or any other song on this record, just by nature of being a little faster and slightly more aggressive.  I can not think of enough superlatives to say about this song, so just do yourself a favor and listen.  The last two songs, “Cherry Bomb” and “Go Give Yer Love Away”, are a little bit slower than the other two songs, but still essentially more of the same, still offering tons of energy despite the slower tempo.  I look forward to seeing what this band has to offer in future releases, not to mention hunting down their past stuff and giving it a listen through.

--Genesis

Lecherous Gaze - S/T EP

Lecherous Gaze's self-titled EP is a quick, four-track, fifteen-minute rocker, melding stoner rock and punkish themes. Actually I hear a bit of the classic era of punk hidden in there; British acts like The Clash and The Sex Pistols. It's partially in the muddled, over-exposed vocals, and part in the quick guitar and drum rhythms.

The EP seems to be split into two stylistic types; the first half - "Phaze" and "Sold" - fall solidly into the punk/stoner crossover I mentioned above. The licks are catchy and plentiful, the vocals are simple and quick (if not easily understood), reminding me of the 80s heyday of punk. The songs kind of blend into each other, and as I'm not a connoisseur of punk, not the high point of the disc for my ears.

The second half of the album - "Graveyard" and "R 'n' R Lust" - strike a different set of chords, ones more in my direction. "Graveyard" is a bluesy riff-heavy track, where the vocals are more intelligible. It is slower then the previous (although for the last minute of the song it speeds up drastically into a fade out) and gets your head bobbing with the energy behind the guitars.

The last track of the EP, "R 'n' R Lust" (I'm going to say that's short for Rock 'n' Roll Lust, based on the lyrics), is an old-fashioned 60s/70s rocker. It does contain a hint of the punk themes found int he first half of the disc, but this makes the song come off more as psychobilly then anything else. It's a nice ending to the should-have-been-a-LP EP.

Lecherous Gaze's debut EP shows the act's skills and potential. The four-song release crosses into at least three of the sub-genres of stoner rock, with great success in each. While I am a fan of the blues and rock 'n roll tracks more so then the punk ones, every song has some degree of merit. I've got one more track from the band, a Danava/Earthless/Lecherous Gaze three-way split, that I may just have to break into to see what direction that song is. I will be looking forward to their debut full-length, as the group shows major promise.

--Klepto

The Queue - Turn it up, Turn me on

Writing a perfect pop song is a lot harder than it may seem.  Sure there are some formulas to rely on, some old tricks to fall back on.  But if it was really that simple, that cookbook-ready to write a hit song, then everyone would do it.  No, in truth, there's a tremendous skill in making the hard seem simple.  Making the catchy seem routine.

Along those lines, The Queue have got it all lined up for their shot at radio domination.  They got the looks, they got the chops, and yes, they have the songs.  Turn it up, Turn me on is four perfect bite-sized morsels of pop perfection, each one with enough sweetness and meatiness to satisfy as rock and roll ear candy.  "Turn it up, Turn me on," begins the boys quest for the airwaves, literally, with a plea to turn up the radio and blast that Queue music around the world.   But without being too precious about it, the boys lace their plea with some truly tasty guitar chops and a non-stop feel good beat.  Sean Michael Mulligan is a perfect lead singer for their sound; modern sounding enough to catch the ears of the indy, but completely devoid of the annoying whine that seems to be so damn prevalent these days.   James Marshall Duich brings on some significant lead licks, while Mike Schiff and Aaron Bouslog make sure the song never lags.  Hey, this ain't rocket science, it's pop music, but I'll tell, The Queue manage to make the whole thing seem effortless.  This is the sort of feel good pop that makes the summer worthwhile. 

While "Turn it Up," is the title track here, it's not my favorite song on the EP.  I prefer the way-cool, downtempo, acoustic intro building to the explosive big hook chorus of "Settle Down Your Gun."  The subdued vocals work real well here, then the band cranks it up a notch to full-on psych-garage-pop mayhem a la Oasis, or preferably Grand Atlantic.  This is the song I'll be cranking this summer as I drive the convertible Ripple Ghia to the beach.  "God Save The Queen" draws on a Beatles-esque opener before launching headlong into their "American Woman"-inspired guitar riff.  Meaty and muscular.  This is pop music I can get behind.  A big lead guitar riff, a touch of garage-psych fuzz, and enough melody to keep the young ones singing for days.  Reminds me of some of my favorite songs from the Morningstars.   In a club, I'm sure this songs cooks.

"You Against Me," rounds the EP out with another Guess Who-vibed platter of gentle pop confectionery.   A nice nod to the breadth these cats bring to the table.

Check em out at: The Queue. 

--Racer

The Jezabels - Dark Storm EP

Somewhere between The Pretenders’ Chrissie Hynde and Heart’s Ann Wilson lies Hayley Mary, the lead singer for The Jezabels.  It is a nice place to be, especially when your band writes incredible lyrics and ably backs your beautiful, soon to be iconic, voice. 

The Jezabels are Aussies whose most recent release,  Dark Storm,  is the final five track EP in a trilogy that includes 2009 EP releases of  “The Man Is Dead” and “She's So Hard.”   Mary, along with guitarist Sam Lockwood, drummer Nik Kaloper and keyboardist Heather Shannon co-write The Jezabels’ material and do it extremely well.  It is a distinguishing feature of this band.  For example, visualize this imagery in the EP’s namesake song “Dark Storm:”

      Bright white Cockatoo, baby how I ponder your shadow. How you rip me off my feet, rape me of my time to sleep shallow.  And from the sky, she speaks to me and, through her melody, lingers. I said, :No, I don’t want your love, no, I don’t care anymore, Finger.

                                                                          *  *  *
The second song, “Mace Spray,” has gotten all the press as the “standout” song on the EP.  It has an exciting swell of instruments and pop sensibility.  Still, it is the combination Mary’s voice and the lyrics that make this band special.  Check out these lines:

          There’s a place in the town, a statue, she’d make me wait beneath, but its magnificent archways,       archways, that’s where I’d go to weep.  I’m right up onto the counter, showgirl, perfect the slow body-roll.   And break away from the anger, oh hoe, just got to let it all go.

                                                                            *  *  *
“Sahara Mahala” is the least accessible song on the EP.  It reminded me of something the 18th century writer of the poem “Kubla Khan,” Samuel Taylor Coleridge, would have written after an opium-induced dream if he had chosen to express himself in lyric rather than poem.

“A Little Piece” is a brooding, building piece of sorrowful, then powerful, orchestration.  Mary is again blessed with singing wonderful lyrics:

. . . Biting cold, thrashing, scolding, drown me under our street. Perfect hips, perfect hips she was, perfect lips, pieces of your heart splattered on the cliff.   We go home watch a movie.  Tell me can you feel the beat? Getting loose, getting loose she was, letting those feeling loose, she was, becoming a monster.

                                                                            *  *  *
The final song on the EP is “She’s So Hard.”  In my opinion it is better than “Mace Spray.”  Here, Mary sings a much more rhythmical and catchy tune with the band set on making this one the most accessible.  It is magical combination of beat, pop hook, and voice.  Yet, it also contains amazing lyrics:

        I will go out, steal birthday cakes from babyface.  I will go out, steal the piñata, if I wanna. All that really matters is love, but, if it’s all you really care about, then tough, I’m all out, for the war. I guess love wasn’t what I was looking for.

                                                                              *  *  *
Ultimately, The Jezabels are evolving from their humble beginnings in a 2007 Sydney University Band Competition.  They are on the right track.  With Mary’s voice and the bands’ writing a large following cannot be far off.

- Old School

buy here: Dark Storm

Two Royals by Penfold - Featuring The Last Royals and Royal Thunder

The Last Royals - Crystal Vases b/w Backseat Lovers

It’s sad, but my very profitable work as genealogist for the two royal families of New York may quickly be coming to an end.  You see dear waveriders, at the moment the future of these two grand bloodlines is in serious jeopardy.  Only one young man from each family is left to carry on each esteemed line.  In a bold stroke of luck for this writer the two men in question, Eric James and Mason Ingram, have decided to join forces in a musical venture appropriately titled The Last Royals.  I sincerely hope this title is in jest.  I’m not well suited for any other profession.

Now let’s talk about this musical venture, shall we?  These two debut singles taken from a recently released EP represent pop music near the summit of Mount Perfection.  Seriously, these songs are extraordinary!  The Last Royals describe themselves as ‘urban walking music’.  If that is true, you should expect to see people in downtown cityscapes either happily skipping along or walking at a quickened pace while undulating wildly.  I know that is how I would be transporting myself while under the influence of that soundtrack!

“Crystal Vases” is the first song on offer.  The vocals tell a bittersweet tale of a man admiring a vase that has survived a bad break up and now functions as an ashtray.  Would you think a song concerning this topic would be depressing?  While that is certainly a reasonable assumption, the music played behind this sullen tale makes it strangely jovial and celebratory.  The song is very well structured.  It gradually builds itself up from a humble guitar/vocal start, crescendos with added instrumentation to the chorus, then brings the energy level back down in order to build once again to the finish.  And then there is “Backseat Lovers”.  This synthesizer driven monster will have you bouncing off the walls!  I’m reminded of Cake at their funkiest.  The highest compliment I can pay The Last Royals is that after listening to these songs repeatedly, I’m most upset that I can’t have the instant gratification of immediately hearing more of their music.  Download these songs now!

Download Link - http://thelastroyals.com/

Royal Thunder  S/T EP

You know, sometimes it’s really not enjoyable being a royal appointee.  This is one of those times…but hey, it’s a job.  After having cut ties with my previous genealogist position in New York, I moved south to Atlanta where an old friend of mine put in a good word for me with the royal family of Georgia.  Upon my arrival I appeared before the court, ingratiated myself with the important parties involved, and thus became the new royal image manager.  The first order of business requiring my attention was to hear applicants wishing to become the ‘Official Thunder Manufacturer’ of the royal family.  Apparently the royals of Georgia were big meteorology buffs who already employed people in the positions of ‘Official’ lightning catcher, tornado chaser, hurricane designator, and cloudscape portrait maker.  ‘Thunder Manufacturer’ was simply the next position that needed to be filled.

And that waveriders is how I found myself sitting behind a table in an empty gymnasium, judging the merits of hopeful ‘thunder’ applicants, bored out of my skull.  You would not believe how many people took to the stage before me and simply yelled “BOOM!” as loud as they could.  It was stunning and baffling at first, but eventually it became mind-numbing.  That’s not to say there were no standouts, however bad they might have been.  First there was a one-man-band with two bass drums on his back and cymbals in his hands.  That guy was interesting.  Second, there was the smug DJ who simply laid his large speakers face down and played a series of bass tracks at extreme volume.  Yeah, no.  Lastly there was the old, manic traditionalist who brought in a thin sheet of metal which he expertly manipulated to produce the sound of a clap and several rolls of thunder.  Impressive, but not what I really wanted.  Thankfully Royal Thunder (how appropriate) eventually took the stage for their audition.

The three members of the band set up their gear onstage, tuned their instruments, and proceeded to demonstrate their power.  All seven songs from their EP, counting the introductory track, were played in order.  It was uncanny how easily the band’s music could be compared to an actual thunderstorm.  The introduction utilizes the female lead singer’s haunting voice to create the first hint of tension, as if you can just make out dark clouds forming on the horizon.  You can feel something heavy is approaching.  “Sleeping Witch”, the first proper song, simulates the cloud mass rapidly overtaking your postion and the rain pouring down.  “Mouth of Fire” and “Low” represent the brunt of the storm.  Thunder and lightning abound and the rain is being blown almost sideways from gale force winds.  “Grave Dance” quiets things down for a few moments, as if you are in the eye of the monster swirling around you, but before long the full force of the storm has returned.  “Hotel Bend” mimics the sound of the storm winding down, and the last song “Deacon” proves that one needs to be cautious no matter how quiet and seemingly peaceful things become.  Many storms throw one last round of brute force your way before finally leaving the area for good.

Okay, now that I’ve gone on perhaps too long concerning what the music reminds me of, it’s time to acquaint you with what the band actually sounds like.  As I mentioned before, there are three members in this band.  Mlny Parsonz plays bass and sings, Josh Weaver strums the guitar, and Jesse Stuber beats on the drums.  Together they create some haunting, groovy, doomy, muscular, beautiful tunes.  Instrumentally I often think of the mighty Black Sabbath, but the vocals are another matter.  It is a failing of mine that I can not come up with an adequate comparison for Ms. Parsonz’s exquisite vocals.  I’m certainly reminded of someone but I can’t quite put my finger on it, and for that I apologize.  What I will say is that the vocals are truly fantastic, and are definitely a highlight of the listening experience!

Obviously after listening to Royal Thunder I had found my new ‘Thunder Manufacturers’.  All of the remaining applicants were dismissed, and I hurried to inform my employers of the hiring.  They were going to be thrilled!

-- Penfold

Thulium – 69 EP

Damn it, I hate it when this happens!

Ok, here’s the truth.  I know music is going digital, but here at the Ripple office, we get so many cool CD and vinyl submissions that the digital promos tend to  . . .er . . . wallow on my hard drive for some indeterminate amount of time before I get around to playing them.   Sorry, that’s just the facts.  In the car, I play CD’s.  In my office I play vinyl.  I play digital . . . when?

Then something like this happens and I get all flustered.  See I just pulled up and hit the play button on this 3-song EP by UK band, Thulium.  I don’t have the slightest idea how long this set has been languishing amongst the 1’s and 0’s of my desktop.  A month?  Six?  97? 

What I do know is that I’ve been depriving myself of some killer music.  A hard band to classify, Thulium do it all on these three songs and do it with major aplomb!  “Running” kicks this affair off  with major adrenaline.  Copping a riff sequence that reminds immediately of the Sex Pistols, the boys drop into a monter TSOL/New Model Army type of gritty, poppy, guitar post punk madness.  Damn it!  This song smacks me upside the head and calls me Suzie!  Love the gruff voice, the bellowing bass line, those crunchy guitar chords.  Why haven’t I been listening to this for years?

Recently, (and often) I’d hailed the chops of Portland’s The Estranged, one of my favorite post-post punk, punk bands.  Let’s add Thulium to that list now.   Aggressive alternative?  Post punk metal?  I don't know what to call it.  Just play it..

But the boys prove right away that they’re no one song ponies.  “Craving” keeps the intensity at full throttle with their post-punk meltdown of jangling guitars, street gutter chords, step-infected vocals, and killer chops.  Just like “Running”, “Craving” wraps all this aggression into some mighty tight, hook-laden pop smarts.  Another pure winner.

The boys, who hail from France, England, Canada, and Hungary, cite bands like Audioslave, Nickleback, and Foo Fighters as influences, and I suppose so, but I hear so much more and less than that in their sound.  More, in the terms of aggression and punk attitude, less in terms of commercial bowing to the mainstream.  And certainly (thank God) no Nickleback.  This is pure, spittle rock and roll.

The EP ends with the piano and acoustic guitar driven “90 Days of Sorrow,” a beautiful downer of a ballad.  It serves to showcase the band’s scope and talent, even if it ends the EP in stark contrast to the blitzkrieg of the opening songs.

Personally, I can’t wait to hear more from these guys.  If this EP is a true testament to their talents, a full-length Thulium album will be eagerly anticipated around the Ripple office.

And it won’t sit on my computer for months.

--Racer.

http://www.myspace.com/thulium69

Suns - Close Calls In The US Space Program, and The Howl and the Many

“All right people, now is the time.  This is Flight Director Penfold speaking.  I need a go/no-go for launch when I call your area of responsibility.  (Meaningful Pause)  OK, Booster?”
“Go.”
“Control?”
“Go.”
“Electrical?”
“Go.”
“Guidance?”
“Go.”
“Telemetry?”
“Go.”
“Communi…wait…stop!  Astronauts, this is Director Penfold, what are you doing?!?”

I was greeted with six responses at once, one from each member of the band Suns who made up my astronaut crew, all boiling down to “nothing”.

“How did you manage to get instruments into the shuttle?”
This time all six remained silent.
“Do I need to explain again the seriousness of this mission?  It is the mission you signed up for, is it not?”
Responses included “yes”, “yeah”, “maybe”, “yes, sir”, and “think so”.
“Good.  Now I’m going to send up a launch pad technician to open the shuttle door and collect your instruments.  Seriously, how did you manage to get a drum set in there without anyone knowing, and how can you manage to play guitars with those thick astronaut gloves encapsulating your hands?  Alright, we’ve only lost a minute or too with this distraction.  We should almost launch on schedu…astronauts?!?!  Did one of you just hit the launch abort button?  Again?”

Dead air greets me on the radio channel, and the video feed appears to show the astronauts/band members looking from one to another, and then after apparently coming to a silent agreement once again beginning to play their instruments.  I tore the boom microphone I used to communicate with the shuttle off of my head and threw it on the ground.
“That’s it!  I’ve had it!  I told NASA that combining the arts and sciences in this manner was a bad idea!  But no one wanted to listen to me.  I quit!”

Feeling introspective?  Excellent!  I’ve got some music you need to listen to right this minute.  Suns is an experimental/indie band with keen musical sensibilities that are sure to titillate individuals seeking new rabbit holes to explore.  For the most part I don’t agree with the indie label being applied to this band, as I find that most every song simply has too much meat, too much latent power that makes regular appearances behind the vocals.  No, Suns will never be confused for a hard rock or metal act (although they do have two drummers similar to The Melvins), but there is undeniable musical weight being hoisted upon the listener on a regular basis.

Interestingly the production relates directly with the EPs title, or perhaps it’s the other way around.  The sound of the instrumentation is crystal clear, but I get the feeling that there was a filter of some kind laid over top of the music in order to make it seem somewhat ethereal, somewhat distant.  Often when I’m listening I make believe that I am in fact receiving an excellent feed of the band playing from orbit.  The vocals on the other hand are right up front in the mix, thus making them very powerful and potent.  To give you waveriders an idea of what to expect, the lead vocalist reminds me very much of Neil Young.  His voice is considerably more versatile, but the way he conveys his words and phrases is very similar, almost conversational.

The song structures are also seemingly tied into the EP title.  “Little Horn” is a bouncy number designed to prepare the listener for launch with alternatively spacey vocals and big powerful choruses.  “You Are On” picks the tempo up for lift-off shortly after it begins.  “Small Parts of Something Much Larger” reels the tempo back in slightly as the band sets to work after achieving orbit, and “Bright Lights” highlights the dreamlike state the band must be in while completing their mundane tasks.  The closing track “Don’t Do It” drastically shifts gears with the band producing an ominous soundscape to go along with some tortured, anguished vocals.  This song sounds exactly like astronauts who don’t wish to return to Earth, but know it must be done.  All together, five great songs.

This concludes the first half of this write up.  Continue reading to find out what else this band has up their sleeves.

 
Suns - The Howl and the Many

It was nighttime, and everything was illuminated under a full moon.  I had just finished pushing a medium sized dresser up against the cabin door in a last ditch effort to barricade it from the inside when the first loud thump of hardened flesh meeting wood rang out.  The sound was quickly followed by a guttural howl that was shortly answered by a few others.  The beasts were out there, and they wanted inside.  It was time to take inventory.

I was in a medium sized, newly fortified cabin in the woods with the six members of the band Suns.  Between us there were two pistols, a shotgun, a few rounds of ammunition, and three knives.  Inside the cabin we had found a fully stocked kitchen, but not much else.  For reasons beyond my comprehension our current dire straits had seemingly ignited the songwriting passion in the members of the band, and all of them were huddled together playing their instruments and sharing ideas.

The second Suns EP, entitled The Howl and the Many, differs in a few important ways from the previous EP.  Remember that filtered sound I referred to before?  It’s been thrown away in favor of a more organic, crisp sound that evokes sensations of warmth and liveliness.  Also all four songs (including the ballad “Gladys”) on this EP have a more rocking edge to them, especially when it comes to the drumming.  It feels like the drummers were given free reign to let loose and propel the band forward with greater force.  Finally, the four songs on The Howl produce feelings of happiness and contentment with far more regularity than the songs from Close Calls.  I can’t really pinpoint exactly why this occurs, but it is true.

The bottom line here is that if you are someone like me who occasionally needs a break from heavier music, but still demand music that can be very emotive, Suns is ready to accommodate your needs.  These songs will whisk you away from your worries and cares for just under forty minutes, taking you on a compelling journey full of interesting roadside attractions.  Have I mentioned that both of these EPs are being offered to the public at no cost?  Yes, that’s right, they are both free to download.  Basically, there is no reason why you should not check this band out if what I have said seems interesting.  Getting back to my present situation though, I think I overheard some disturbing talk coming from the guys.

“I wish there was an army of vampires to fight off these werewolves.”  I don’t know who said this, but I knew I had to stop this wishful thinking immediately.

“Hey, get your head out of your nether-regions!  We’re talking about werewolves outside trying to kill us, not some fantasy creature that only exists in stories!  I don’t know about you guys, but I want to make it out of this cabin alive.  Now for the love of all that is good put down those instruments and start melting down that silverware!  We can use the material to make silver bullets.”

--Penfold

P.S.:  Does anyone else think that the covers for the two EPs should be switched?  I think the band is playing a little joke on us, the good listeners.

Download music: http://www.sunsband.com/download/



 

City and the Sea - Leave A Light On EP

A while back, Pope and I talked about how cool it may be if every once in a while, we both reviewed the same album.  Two different opinions from the same site on the same work.  It may be cool to see how each of us responded to the album and as a waverider, you may find it helpful in deciding if you want to check it out or not.

But being inherently lazy, we never did it.

Until now.  Unbenownst to Old School and Mr. Brownstone, they each got a copy of this dramatic new album by City and the Sea, and both responded with . . . well, we'll let you read on.

The EP Leave A Light On by City and the Sea contains only four tracks and I can’t stop playing it over and over and over again.  If this EP, released September 21, 2010, had been on vinyl, by now I’d need a new needle and a new pressing - and I would immediately go out and get it.  It is available on CD but is also downloadable for free in high quality digital formats, so fortunately, I can listen and listen and listen without wearing it out (however, I sure would like to hear this one on vinyl.)

I love Leave A Light On.  I hear lots of original music.  I play lots of original music.  But, this - this is highly original World-Class Motown soul and kick ass rock.  The band started in 2006 as The Mississippi Kings, but then decided to change its name and sound.  Now, as City and the Sea says on their website biography, their sound is “Part Detroit, part steel town Hamilton [Ontario, Canada] and part Manchester, England.”  The four person nucleus of the band is: Nick Cino (lead vocals), Mike Ventimiglia (lead guitar), Dave Marini (bass) and Dano Stajduhar (drums). All four tracks are originals.  The writing and performances are amazing.  The EP was produced in Hamilton, Ontario by Glen Marshall (Feist, Apostle of Hustle) and Michael Keire (Dark Mean, Wildlife.) The band and producers have crafted four masterpieces.    

The EP starts with “Fool’s Union,” a gritty hard rocker that sports a struttin’ attitude and killer guitar and bass riffs.  The band provides lead singer Cino with high intensity background vocals that accentuate the power chord display. The tune out bads Bad Company, outdrives Bachman Turner Overdrive and is hotter than Hot Tuna.  “Fool’s Union” is not even the best track on “Leave A Light On.”   

The band turns to modern Motown and competes with Detroit’s best on the second track “Hundred.”  By adding a horn section (Scott Neilson on saxophone, and Ellis Marsalis-trained William Sperandei on trumpet) City and the Sea cooks up a soul blues with guitar parts as good as Eric Lindell and a sound that would make Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes melt. This isn’t even the second best track on the EP.

The third track is “Leave A Light On,” the song for which City and the Sea names the EP. It is an introspective, emotional, power rock ballad.  It is the kind of tune that will have you raising a fist and singing the tag line “Please leave the light on for me.” It is arena rock at its best.

The final song - last, but, certainly not least - maybe even best, is “Gimme Back My Soul,” a modern Detroit soul rock piece with a downright infectious riff. Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings have nothing on this City and the Sea tune. Even when the track is over I am still humming “Gimme Back My Soul.”

Then, comes the worst part of the EP - it is over.  In a little over twelve and a half minutes I fell in love and now it is over. I miss this music. City and the Sea, I want more and I want it now! So will you.


- Old School


Four dudes and kick ass music, what more do you need? City and the Sea shows how to rock n’ roll the good old fashioned way. They’re a little bit of everything and have that perfect mix showing soul, remarkable rhythm and loud guitars that totally have a Detroit/Southern rock sound.

Letting loose on the “Leave A Light On” EP, City and the Sea showcase soulful, bluesy country rock that was previously established on their debut album “Long Time Comin.’” Their passionate playful sound seems reminiscent of songs you have heard years and possibly even decades before, but somehow they aren’t. On their debut, they have been compared by some as a “Marvin Gaye meets the Rolling Stones” and I can completely see that.  However, I get more of a Kings of Leon, Black Crowes, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and Kid Rock (2007 to present) sound. They are a little bit country, a little bit rock n’ roll and a whole lotta soul.

The band is comprised of Nick Cino (lead vocals), Mike Ventimiglia (lead guitar), Dave Marini (bass) and Dano Stajduhar (drums). “Fool’s Union” sweet soulful sound leads off City and the Sea’s  Leave A Light On” . Call me crazy, but Cino comes across like Paul Stanley on the beginning part of this track and take the intensity one step further. It’s like Kid Rock, Marvin Gaye and Paul Stanley’s vocals are all combined into one exquisite voice.

They are complete badass rockers you can’t help, but want to sing along with them as though they are “already rock anthems.” Almost every time I listen to the songs off this EP I feel like I am listening to a modern classic rock song. As the lyrics point out, I feel “like a fool” saying that, but their “southern” spirit just overpowers me when thinking about this band.

Horns heat up the song "Hundred" and captivates listeners in a whole new way proving their versatility. They say heart no longer exists in modern music, especially rock. Obviously, those people have never listened to City and the Sea and are truly missing out on a passionate playful band. Their melodic music is fused together to create a simplistic splendid style all their own.

Pop penetrates this EP in “Leave A Light On” showing their softer side and a mature modern outlook on life. This is a great single and one of my favorite songs of the year. I hate do that in a review, but it’s just so sweet and sad. It’s an effective emotional song that leaves you on the edge of your seat building up until the very end. No doubt in my mind, City and the Sea definitely wear their heart on their sleeves and are damn proud of it! More modern rock needs to be like City and the Sea.

The EP concludes with “Gimme Back My Soul,” a pitch-perfect song that is irresistible from beginning to end. Each song, especially “Gimme Back My Soul,” are perfect examples of great music that should always be on the radio. They have captured my soul and should be checked out immediately.



--Mr. Brownstone

 There you have it; two totally unbiased opinions that make the same conclusion.  An album worth checking out.

Static People - Propaganda EP

In my teens I was kind of rebelIious.  I had a general disgust with the status quo (guess that hasn’t changed much) and was drawn to like-minded individuals and music that could give voice to my angst, such as Patti Smith.

I first saw Patti Smith in 1971 when she was reciting poetry in a small Venice Beach coffeehouse.  She railed against everything - the government, people, life.  A few years later she formed the Patti Smith Group and churned out some of the finest punk rock of the mid-70’s.  Her 1975 album “Horses,” that commences with Smith’s scream “Jesus died for somebody’s sins but not mine,” is still one of my favorites.

Static People released its first EP (which it calls on its MySpace page “Propaganda”) this April and it recaptures the definitive punk style of the mid-70’s Patti Smith Group.  The band consists of bassist Daedalus Howell, vocalist Dmitra Smith, drummer Mundo Murguia and guitarist Pascal Faivre. Static People is produced by Jason Carmer, who has also produced such notables as The Donnas, Third Eye Blind and Run DMC. The band members hail from wine country (or should that be “whine country”), Sonoma, California.  They write all of their own material and consider their influences to be the usual punk suspects - Siouxsie and the Banshees, The Clash, The Pixies, Sex Pistols, Radiohead, Bauhaus, etc. Although they fail to attribute their sound to Patti Smith,  you just have to listen once to Dmitra Smith to know that Patti Smith is truly the progenitor of Static People’s sound. (When I heard her I immediately thought the two Smiths must be related.  I haven’t found any information that confirms or refutes my conjecture.)   Even the band’s Facebook page espouses the anti-establishment anarchic position found in Patti Smith’s poems.  It states that one of their influences is “general disgust of government.”

The EP consists of five punk rants - “Save The Worst,” a pounding damnation of the “Save the World” evangelists that have gone before the present generation; “American Robot Mother,” a stab at the homogenous and consumptive nature of American society;  “Just Sink Down,” a driving tome about allowing oneself to devolve into the depths of darkness, despair and death; “Carrier,” an odd, slow, punk waltz poem about conquest, euphoria and relationship power struggles; and “You Know It’s There,” a highly processed, echo-laden, electronic homage about trust in knowledge rather than perception.  Each track has Dmitra Smith’s voice front and center, full of the same angst and derision that propelled Patti Smith to stardom.

You can catch Static People at gigs throughout the Bay Area and occasionally playing live on 87.9 FM,  San Francisco’s Pirate Cat Radio.  A video is in the works and should be released this December. If you are disgusted with the world as it is, and are looking for a safe outlet to scream about it, this may be your band.     

- Old School

April's End - Break Through Sorrow EP

Randy Newman once wrote a song called, “I Love L.A.” As someone who has grown up in Los Angeles their entire life, it seems like every waking moment is spent in the LA and Hollywood area. However, I always seem to have a New York state of mind. Maybe it’s because my family is originally from New York or the fact that the East Coast continues to make great music. Unlike the West Coast, they actually develop their talent before establishing their image and gimmicks. In any case, there is a new badass New York hard rock band that people should keep an eye out for, April’s End.

April’s End is a New York heavy hard rock band that fuses alternative and melodic lyrics to create a breathtaking blend of alternative metal music. Entertaining, energetic and ecstatic, lead singer Cyrille Robes commands the band with her powerful vocal range that demands to be reckoned with. Immediately, one can’t help, but think of all the female lead singers fronting current rock bands like Avril Lavigne and Hayley Williams of Paramore. However, Robes is reminiscent of a badass, bitchin’ lead singer with a killer band like Wendy O. Williams and the Plasmatics, Joan Jett & the Blackhearts and Amy Lee of Evanescence. Disregarding April’s End is a mistake.

Let me be honest. I initially brushed them off when I was handed their Break Through Sorrow EP, but after a few days passed I decided to give them a chance. I am so glad I did! Kicking off with “One Chance” the band blasts off with their hard rocking sound solidified by Danny Lysogorski’s drums. Reeling you from beginning to end, the amplified sound of Daniel Buquicchio’s guitar and JayR Castillo’s bass along with Robes robust voice, creates a stimulating song. Their abilities to pump up the listener make them a band worthwhile to check out. As a matter of fact I hardly could contain myself as I listened to this entire EP. I was just overwhelmed with energy.

“Push” just continues the steadfast energy emulating from this excellent EP. With catchy lyrics and a hard sound, it’s easy to understand why fans of heavy music like Killswitch Engage, Atreyu, and Bullet for My Valentine have appreciated the band. Their brutal, brash music makes it hard to truly classify them as they continue to waver back and forth between various hard rock and metal genres. Nothing solidifies a band’s intensity and integrity like not wanting to be labeled. Break Through Sorrow is consistently good like its predecessors. The fourth song “Tranquility” is the only song that seems out of place, but as the title suggests, it’s very relaxing and it calms your heart down before getting your blood pumping once again for the final track, “No Other Way.” At times “No Other Way” reminds me of Evanescence’s “Bring Me to Life.” It’s undeniable the similarities between the vocal ranges of Amy Lee and Cyrille Robes. Cyrille Robes is definitely someone to keep an eye out for and good things seem destined for April’s End.

-- Mr Brownstone

Below the Fall - S/T EP

Have you ever pondered what makes a band great? Is it years slogging away on the toilet circuit honing your craft playing covers to disinterested crowds…that seemed to work for The Beatles and Black Sabbath. Maybe it’s a case of constantly refining and redefining your sound by pumping out numerous demos until, at last, you get it right. Or maybe, just maybe it’s a little thing called chemistry. Below the Fall have come, seemingly from nowhere. As yet the band have yet to play a single gig, have released nothing prior to this recording and don’t appear to have been together for more than 5 minutes yet on this two track recording have, not only secured a label release through the newly formed Witch Hunter Records, have produced a release absolutely brimming with class, power and style.

Eschewing most of the current trends the band create and emotionally charged (but not emo) sound that draws heavily on bands such as Far, Deftones and Hundred Reasons (anyone remember them?). This is big on atmosphere, heavy of guitar and hypnotic of groove. Below The Fall are not out to show how clever they are on their instruments, there is very little excess fat in the structures and certainly no unsightly public displays of masturbation to contend with. Instead the band are solely about the tunes. Both tracks here, “Commissioner” and “Just Run Away” display a musical awareness and grasp on song writing that is as impressive as it is refreshing. The guitars weave subtle melodies around each other before coming together in orgasmic crescendos of heaviness, the vocals are clear, clean, precise and naggingly catchy. The apparent simplicity of the music allows the voice to carry the melody and drive it into your memories. As for the drumming, based on this display I would have assumed that drummer Alex had been playing for years but such is his innate skill, groove and flair it’s hard to believe he’s still a relative newcomer to this game…Dave Grohl watch your ass!!!

While I’m praising the shit out of the music on offer here I may as well mention the production. Most bands on their first outings may settle for a rehearsal tape or some shitty back street 4 track studio to get their ideas down. Not so Below The Fall. Despite being recorded quickly in a local studio this would be worthy of any major release…the guitars sound rich and full of depth, the bass underpins proceedings with a lovely weight and the drums snap and pound in all the right places. If you’d told me this had been recorded at Abbey Road I’d have no reason to doubt you.

At only two tracks this is very much a tease…I’ve just listened to it three times straight on my ipod whilst writing this and could easily go again…so I guess we’ll have to wait patiently for more in future. Hopefully the guys will get some decent gigs off the back of this excellent release and take this to a world in which I think they’re due to find a very warm welcome.

If you do want to grab a nice physical copy of this in its screen printed, environmentally friendly recycled sleeve it is limited to 150 copies in the first instance. Alternatively it is available as a “pay what you like” download from their Bandcamp page but I would strongly urge you to throw a few notes their way for this, it’s more than worth it.


--Ollie

http://www.belowthefall.com/

http://belowthefall.bandcamp.com/

http://belowthefall.bigcartel.com/

http://www.witchhunterrecords.com/

Ed:  By the way, we'd like to welcome Ollie to the Ripple family.  Main beast of Grifter, he joins Woody's Mighty High as Ripplers who rock.  Welcome aboard Ollie!

Die Antwoord - 5 EP

Only one band can say they are the hottest and best thing to come out of South Africa since Charlize Theron. That band is Die Antwoord, a hip hop/rap group that heavily relies on electronics or as they describe it, new zef gang$ta rap. Their name is Afrikaans for "The Answer.” The lineup is reminiscent of Salt-N-Peppa and Run DMC with two excellent emcees backed by a remarkable DJ.Die Antwoord consists of lead vocalist Ninja, Yo-Landi Vi$$er also contributing vocals as a hype-man similar to Flavor Flav of Public Enemy and DJ Hi-Tekspinning their beats (Note: Vuilgeboost aka Hi-Tek Junior spins for the band  occasionally). Over the past two years, the band has become a YouTube and Internet sensation with their music videos, especially their “Enter the Ninja” music video.

The best way to describe the band is they are absolutely addictive. Their viral hit song, “Enter the Ninja” kicks of the "5" EP and is a tease of what lies ahead for the group. The obnoxiously catchy song is filled with smooth rapid flowing lyrics. And if you’re still haunted by the song and want some more, a danceable remix of “Enter the Ninja” is included as the fifth and final track.

Their next song, “Wat Kyk Jy,” an Afrikaan slang for “what are you looking at?”, shows the gritty side of the band with a lazy rap. Yo-Landi and Ninja exchange in English and Afrikan between persistent hooks. Their unpredictable vocal choice, beats and lyrics is what makes this band so unique and remarkable. This is followed up by “I Don’t Need You,” an infectious dance song that is more of a rave/ dance song. It completely catches you off guard at first, but once you recognize Ninja’s rapping its quite enjoyable. Ninja’s monotone rhyming and spacey sound is extremely enticing in a weird way, but it somehow works on this
song.

“Enter the Ninja” is the song that catapulted them to fame, but it’s “Fish Paste” that will bring Die Antwoord more mainstream success and their careers to a whole new level. This is easily by far the most accessible song of the bunch and proves this band isn’t one of those bands who will disappear. Ninja, Vi$$ser and DJ Hi-Tek are having fun with their music and so should you. This particular song is reminiscent of a Drake and Kid Cudi song, but it’s a smoother, ridiculous fun song.

 Die Antwoord is a breath of fresh air to the rap industry and that cannot be emphasized enough. This EP is merely a warm up act to a revamped version of their debut $0$ album, which was previously released through Die Antwoord’s website. Their odd, eclectic sound is what makes them such a fantastic and exciting band to listen to in this current dreary filled rap music scene. The future looks bright. If you enjoy this band, also check out similar artists Jack Parow and MaxNormal.Tv.  -- Mr Brownstone

Extended Play Tuesday (on wednesday!): Tigger Clarkson, The Sweet Kill, The Doggs

Tigger Clarkson – The Balance EP

Pulling this EP from the stack and reading the artist name immediately conjured up some joke about Winnie the Pooh, but all humor was thrown out the window as I listened to this guys soulful approach on this four song mini epic. The first thing to know is that Tigger Clarkson can’t be pigeonholed into any particular genre. He uses elements of soulful R&B in his particular brand of rock n’ roll, but slips in little flourishes of jazz and funk, some heavy swamp blues, some alt-rock . . . mixing everything together to create one of the more enjoyable, and surprising, releases of the year. Opening track “Get Back To Me” refuses to have the listener walk away without swaying the hips or tapping the toes. Reminding me of later era Duran Duran with the soulful exuberance of Hall n’ Oates and sung by Seal, this song has all of those aforementioned elements screaming to be heard. It has a bit of a techno/electric feel to the drums, but the guitars mixed in have a touch of alternative distortion, which helps to give the sound some edge. Then, with the vocal performance, Tigger adds a vibe of that classic Philly soul sound. This is an addictive song and one that simply can’t be listened to more than once.

On the other side of Tigger’s songwriting spectrum, we have “Lies and Confessions” that I swear is a missing track from the latest Black Bone Child album. Stripped down and filled with a sludge-y swamp blues sound, this song is a rip roarin’ jamboree in some backwoods juke joint. Listen closely and you’ll hear the rain pitter-pattering one a hot tin roof while all inside the club are glistening in a coat of sweat. The bass drum is like thunder cracking in rhythmic time, the stuttering guitar lines like the rain crashing against the structure, the voice . . . oh Crom, that voice, is pure sexuality. Hot . . . steamy . . . filled with sultry swagger. “Blind Eye” and “Autokinesis” incorporate more of the 90’s alternative rock sounds, but Tigger does an excellent job of mixing in that rhythm and blues, and stuns the listener to comatose obedience with his voice. Can’t wait to hear a full length offering from this guy!  -  Pope 

http://www.myspace.com/tiggerclarkson

The Sweet Kill – Suicide EP

Now, I’m not one to normally celebrate my depression, or someone else’s depression, for that matter. But, in the case of The Sweet Kill, I might just twirl a noise maker around a couple of times. This 6 song EP looks to be a one man project and the brain child of one Pete Mills, who tackles the majority of the vocal duties and all of the instruments, with the exception of the drums. The songs contained within can be categorized as electronic, I guess . . . though I have a hard time with that classification because this stuff has a lot more soul than your traditional techno-infused electric music. Listening to this EP, I hear stuff that full on reminds me of the late 80’s, new wave polished goth scene. A scene made up of a lot of people who feared the sun and had a passion for dark clothing . . . and then get their freak on at some underground dance club with several hundred other like minded goth-y folk.

Every song on this disc has something to do with death. Suicide seems to be the ongoing theme, hence the title Suicide, but it’s not limited to self inflicted death. And throughout all the depressing subject matter, the music has a low end, danceable groove pushing it forward that one can’t help but feel the need to tap their toes or shake their ass to the thing. “Suicide Club” is an upbeat tune with a melody that immediately reminds me of New Order or Depeche Mode. That classic 80’s sounding electric drum and synth action makes me a little nostalgic and I find myself swaying in time with the rhythm. Mills’ voice has quite the range, powerful through the verses . . . in fact, a little gruff and aggressive, and then he shifts to a smoother quality in the choruses. He also does a great job of adding a little character to his performance by generating these little high pitched squeals in the midst of the more sultry lines, and I think this adds something fairly unique to the overall sound. “Night Terror Creeper” has a nice bass driven groove and the overall tone of this song has an ominous air. Mills does a great job of creating dark tension and still making it accessible.

“It’s A Good Day To Die” immediately makes me want to go clubbing in Europe. This song is full on up tempo and bouncy, and the overall mood of the song has a happier quality like all things are rosy. Then the chorus kicks in with its bubbly upbeat rhythm and rhyme, and we find out that today is a good day to die. If keeling over is this jolly, it’s no wonder why people commit suicide. They obviously know something that the rest of us have been missing. In all seriousness, I can’t help but love this song. The contrast of mood is cool with its darker lyrics and lighter musical style working in this odd yin-yang symmetry. This is a fun disc to be depressed to!  -  Pope JTE

http://www.myspace.com/thesweetkill

The Doggs – The Doggs EP

Imagine if Frankenstein, Dracula, the Wolf-man, and the Creature from the Black Lagoon suddenly got Mohawks, pierced their cheeks, formed a band and threw all night, raving bon-fire beach parties.  That’s a bit of a hint at what awaits you on this freakishly cool four-song EP from Italy’s  The Doggs.

Blending a way-mutated sixties beach vibe with old horror film panache and both nostrils full of punky snot, The Doggs EP sounds like what’d happen if Johnny Rotten fronted the Cramps.  Big, swooping, uber-cool, post-sixties bass lines lay down the backbone for the barely controlled phlegm that follows.  Toss in some of the coolest, avante-punk saxophone work I’ve heard on an album in ages and those Johnny Rotten vocals and we’ve got ourselves a winner of alt-suave-garage-beach punk.

“Underground Drain,” is a bit of an inauspicious start.  It’s got one helluva cool, sixties-spy film, bass line, some damn fine, swirling retro-beach organ, and that amazing sax wailing away.  It’s also got the vocal that serves as the band’s mission statement. “We came from the underground drain/no hope to save our brain/we came from the underground drain.”  But over all the song serves really as an intro to the freaky mutant crew you’re about to meet.  The EP really takes off with the next track, “Kiss My Blood.”  There, the full spittle of the Sex Pistols vocals rage in full effect.  Some choppy punk guitar, sex sounds, and driving bass push this song over the edge.  Here we get the full beauty of the rotten Cramps, in kitschy, ghoulish effect.  “No Lights,” is a monstrously cool, post-swingin’ sixties retro-instrumental with that damn sax positively setting the tone over some wild wah’d out guitar. The hole shebang riding across a mountain of a steady bass line.  While “Animal” brings back the punky rave-up with some tasty guitar licks and a super-swingin’ melody.  Johnny Rotten’s back to amazing effect.  . .  and did I mention that sax?  Seriously, this song is about as stylishly cool as you could imagine.  A lava lamp party for the punky undead.  Don’t miss it. -- Racer


www.myspace.com/thedoggs69