The Ocean Tango

I want to recommend that everyone listens to The Ocean Tango's album at http://oceantango.bandcamp.com/album/the-ocean-tango. It's another pop album that I don't think anyone should miss out on.

More updates coming very soon!

- E

Emmett and Mary - S/T

Emmett and Mary is a very large band from Johnstown, Pennsylvania that plays indie folk music. They have been working on their debut album, S/T, for quite some time and I have been listening to an advance copy for a while and thought I needed to review it.

The band is relatively new and is led by Brandon Locher and Christopher S. Bell along with members of dozens of other bands from their label, My Idea Of Fun. Just for fun, I'll show the list of people who performed on the album and what they did:

Brandon Locher (Emmett Karson): Story, Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, Drums, Hammond B-3, Omnichord, Micro Korg Synthesizer, Harmonica, Percussion, Piano, Field-Recordings, Sequencing and Sampling, Digital Editing and Audio Manipulation
Christopher S. Bell (Linus Mansfield): Story, Vocals, Sequencing and Sampling
Rod Fisher (Lee Fisher): Vocals
Amanda Ross (Josephine March): Vocals
PK Harmon (Ken Lugar): Vocals
Laura McAllister (Mary Lugar): Vocals
Mike Miller (The Ghost of Henry Vaghn): Accordion, Vocals
Matt Miller (Zeke Morgan): Bass Guitar, Electric Guitar, Mandolin, Percussion, Banjo, Screams
Dane Adelman (Peter Watts): Vocals, Timpani, Upright Bass
Cory Savit (Andrew Strayer): Vocals, Vibraphone, Suzuki Melodion M-36, Timpani, Upright Bass, and Banjo
Olivia Locher (Annette Karson): Vocals
Kathleen Boyle (Casey Whipkey): Vocals
Sean Jackson (Mitchell Graft): Vocals
Chris Kupchella (Greg Hood): Sitar, Electric Guitar, Ebow, Glockenspiel, Vocals
Casey Hawk (The Ghost of Joan Foster): Vocals
Ryan Brisini (Leonard Kenny): Gang Vocals
Renee Saylor (Leila Bennett): Vocals
Kate Davis (Paige Hughes): Clarinet, Vocals
Joe Messina (Jack Vargas):: Boss. Dr. Groove DR-202 Drum Machine.
John Livingston (Chas Weller): Piano
John Thorell (DJ Gordon): Cello and Viola
Dave DeStifano (Dalton Applebee): Congas and Bongos
Huckleberry Sawyer (Doyle Finely): Spaghetti Western Guitar, Drums, and Synthesizers
Eli Gantos (Kevin Mansfield): Congas
Bud Jackson (Lucas Mills): Congas and Bongos
Matt Wagner (Benji Tate): Trumpet
Annie Rummel (Leann Kenny): Flute
Ben Sackmar (Jim Fisher): Drums
Berry Bonds (Clay): Doo-Wop Vocals, Trumpet
Rachel Adams (Tara Mansfield): Glockenspiel
Cody Wallat (Charlie Nolan): Drums

I'm curious how long it took to record this album, because I am certain that all of those people didn't fit in Brandon Locher's bedroom at once.

As for the album itself, it is definitely not for everyone. It is a Lo-fi production, which means you will hear some static in the recording and sometimes won't be able to tell what the singers are saying. But that style of music is something I really enjoy.

In fact, S/T is a lot like the Bicycles album, Oh No, It's Love, in that its song writers' vision was completed without the help of any label or producer. There's a respect that is deserved when you complete something without anyone's help and that is exactly what is going on with this release. The originality of the album and love trump any complaints one could have about its lo-fi sound.

Tragically, Emmett and Mary may never be huge stars or receive any radio play, but they have still created an folk album as good as Bob Dylan's Subterranean Homesick Blues. You can listen to the whole album below on their last.fm before it becomes available in September or visit their website for more information.

Listen to Emmett and Mary's S/T on Last.fm
Album information and website

Mister Fusty Releases Connect EP for Charity

Connect EP by Mister Fusty

Today one of my favorite pop artists Mister Fusty (the pseudonym of musician Rob Gibson from Whitley Bay, England) is releasing their latest 5 track EP. I got to have a listen to the album ahead of time and I've been anxiously waiting until today to release this review. Not only are the songs great, but the EP can be purchased for $5 from his Soundcloud page (which can be found at the bottom of this article) and all sales of the EP will go to two charities, Cancer Research UK and The World Society for the Protection of Animals.

Rob explains, "My wife ran the Race For Life last year, and hopes to do it again this year and I thought it would be a nice idea to get people who listen to Mister Fusty to sponsor her by way of this EP. For non-UK Fusty listeners I decided to give the other half of the money to an international charity as well, the World Society for the Protection of Animals. My musical exploits are a hobby and labour of love really, so any money from sales that come my way I'm happy to pass them on to a good cause."

Mister Fusty considers Brian Wilson, Burt Bacharach and The Beatles as influences for his sound and this is evident in his compositions and production techniques, but he also uses the computer to achieve some of the effects used by newer artists like Stereolab, The High Llamas and Air. In other words, it's a mixing pot of every great artist of the last century.

With such a great list of influences its no wonder that Mister Fusty's 5th release oozes such class. Each song on the EP reveals Rob Gibson's mastery in his home studio. Each song sounds fantastic and is mixed perfectly. I know that Mister Fusty's last album, Over The Rocky Mountains, was mastered by Jimmy Ether, but there is no indication that anyone other than Rob Gibson worked on this album and it sounds fantastic!

Each track relies heavily on electronic and synthetic instruments for the backing tracks, (with the exception of Peacock Teardrop, which features some great guitar playing) and has Rob himnself singing lead on every track (except Uptown Connection), often doubling his voice to make great vocal harmonies like on Your Stupid Plan. He also applied a considerable amount of reverb, which is completely in fashion right now, but it certainly isn't overdone, in fact, the reverb on this album sounds really great and helps the synth instruments to sound more life-like.

Mister Fusty's Connect EP is another instant classic; the best album I've heard since EXPO's She Sells Seashells. But come to find out, Mister Fusty and EXPO are colleagues! I recommend that any fan of pop music go buy Mister Fusty's Connect EP now and help fight cancer, animal abuse and bad music. It's really a win, win, win!


Listen/Buy on Bandcamp.com
Myspace
Website

The Man From Another Place's First Video

Hello everyone,

The greatest thing that I listened to last year was The Loneliest Cowboy EP, the debut release from The Man From Another Place; brain-child of Scottish composer Daniel Hirst. I really love The Loneliest Cowboy EP so much that I listen to it for inspiration when it comes time for me to start recording my own music. It really is like every band that I love combined into one simple package. It has the compositional skill of a Heavy Blinkers song with the catchiness of a Beach Boys tune, without any vocals, which, in my opinion leaves room for you to ponder on the meaning of the songs with just your own imagination as reference.

The video stars Ron Smith and Abbra Smallwood and is directed by Justin Hannah, a director from Lexington, KY. The description of the video reads "Alone in the darkness, a man is haunted by a memory, warm, shimmering and beautiful". I couldn't agree more, so I am happy to share his first of what I know will be several, music videos. =]



myspace | website

EXPO - She Sells Seashells

For the past week I have been binge listening to a record that brings some long-awaited new life into a genre of music that is probably too difficult for most musicians to ever want to take on. I'm referring to the genre called "Orchestral Pop". EXPO has made an album worthy of comparison to some of the greatest pop albums of the last decade (or maybe 4 decades). I'm telling you, this album compares to some of the best albums by Sean O'Hagan of the High Llamas or Jason MacIsaac and The Heavy Blinkers.

There is a certain beauty and skill needed to create a perfect pop song, and EXPO's chief song writer John Lane proves that he has the chops time and time again to create incredible songs throughout the 13 tracks on the album. And what great songs they are! I was so happy to hear the huge variety of instruments used on this album and the great percussion sounds too. It's so impressive to hear the difficult rhythm patterns in Good Good News and Out of The Millions.

Maybe the only real weakness to the album is the lack of any one clear lead singer or set of singers. Almost every track has a different singer or group of singers who collaborated with John Lane for the album which makes me think either John has no confidence in his own voice, or maybe he really is just good enough to know that his voice doesn't fit. Luckily though, he chose some of the best singers he could to feature on the album - my favorite being Christian Lipski who sang on the song Katy Why (the album's first single track and a fantastic pop song).

Despite the varied singing on the album it is clear that each song belongs together and each track flows together nicely as well. The production value of the album is also top notch. When making an orchestral pop album so many things can go wrong, but She Sells Seashells not only does everything right, it does everything perfectly. For an instant classic, feel free to check out She Sells Seashells right here:

http://expo.bandcamp.com/

And visit their myspace here:

http://www.myspace.com/expoh

NEW HEAVY BLINKERS SONG

The Heavy Blinkers return with a Christmas song from their highly anticipated new album "HEALTH".

"Silence Your Drum" is the new Christmas song from The Heavy Blinkers and the first glimpse at their forthcoming double album, Health. The song is the story of the fabled little drummer boy, as told through the perspective of Joseph & Mary. The song features lead vocals from Jenn Grant, backed by the group's trademark orchestral arrangements.

Recently named one of "The Greatest Bands You've (Probably) Never Heard' by Spin magazine (July 2009), The Heavy Blinkers long awaited 5th album, Health, includes contributions from renowned artists such as Sondre Lerche (Astralwerks) and Sean O'Hagan of the High Llamas (Drag City). When will this album be released?!

MP3: "Silence Your Drum" from HEALTH:
http://www.pigeonrow.com/HeavyBlinkersSilenceYourDrum.mp3



Video for "Silence Your Drum":



I'm convinced that this is not really a Christmas song at all. It's more like asking the question "What if the Little Drummer Boy had annoyed Jesus and his parents instead of making them joyful with his snare?" It seems that after traveling through the night with his drum our drummer boy just can't ever do enough for the baby he is trying to impress. It seems The Heavy Blinkers don't like to look at the bright side of the situations they sing about, even Christmas.

However, the story Jason MacIsaac invents in the song is very poetic and fully thought out. I'd also like to mention how beautifully the Heavy Blinkers new vocalist Jenn Grant is (I'm not quite sure if she is their full time lead singer yet, but when you sing lead on more than 3 songs you might as well be the lead singer). But it is the production of this single that makes it shine as bright as it does! It just sounds amazing; the balance between the vocals and instruments of the music is as precise as a Mozart Symphony (and perhaps just as big).

It goes without saying that the music in this song is more spectacular than most other songs that try to pass themselves off as Christmas singles. The Heavy Blinkers have put together something great this Holiday season that will regrettably get far less listens than it deserves. I'm amazed to believe that The Heavy Blinkers still keep getting better, even after the loss of founding members Andrew Watt and Ruth Minnikin.

It's clear that Jason MacIsaac is what made the Heavy Blinkers so wonderful on their first 4 albums, and from the looks of things, he will continue to lead his Heavy Blinkers until they are bigger than even Christmas itself.

Silence Your Drum is a bit unexpected, but a very exciting peak into what could be the best album of 2010, The Heavy Blinkers' "HEALTH".

myspace | label

Album Review: Camera Obscura - My Maudlin Career

I want to give you an introduction to the next few entries, just so you can get a full understanding of what I'm doing. After doing a lot of album reviews and after getting quite a few requests for me to listen and review new releases from their labels, I've become backed up with albums to listen to and review.

The truth is, it's tough to write down how you are feeling at the computer, so I had to do something else. One notebook, iPod (plus headphones), and pen later, all I needed was time.

So now at work, I'm going to write in my notebook (then arduously type it out later), and explain how I feel, paper-and-pen, honestly about these albums. I'm going to write a review of each track individually, and then a summary of what I thought about the album as a whole. I want to really be fair.

So grab a listen to each album on last.fm and read on.


CAMERA OBSCURA - MY MAUDLIN CAREER

1. French Navy - This song is totally pop. I really like the string melodies in the middle of the song. The repeating introduction motif is really powerful too. Very good singing as well; it's no wonder it's a hit.

2. Sweetest Thing - This is probably my favorite song on this album. The strings are just totally appropriate, and that chorus! It's a totally joyous chorus. I would trade my mother to have written that.

3. You Told A Lie - The A Cappella beginning of this song reveals the massive amount of reverb used to mix this album. The pre-chorus used to mix this album is pretty interesting though. It's just a country shuffle mostly.

4. Away With Murder - A rather slow foxtrot with a pretty depressing lyrical focus. I do think the guitar licks and keyboard riff in the background of the mix are rather pleasant, but too mellow. Overall it's just too mellow.

5. Swans - I think this song is rather popular too. I know this is supposed to be a first listen, but this album came out a while ago. I kind of think the guitar/marimba riff in the beginning sounds childish. I can't get over that.

6. James - The band Rocketship released a song in 2003 called James, sung by a girl about a persistent unwanted lover named James. Coincidence? Both songs are endlessly monotonous ballads. I'm sick of ballads.

7. Careless Love - I love the beginning of the song with the strings and clarinet playing that descriptive melody together. The guitar and organ give nice counterpart in the verses.

8. My Maudlin Career - There's a nice piano riff in this song that I like to hear. The lyrics are pretty humorous and smooth too. Maybe this song is a little long and drawn out. This is a middle point for sure.

9. Forests and Sands - The reverb is huge. Everything sounds pretty far away. Overall, the song is sweet and floats by on it's own, but nothing seems to make this song stand out or startle me to write anything interesting.

10. Other Towns & Cities - One guitar, one voice. Three tons of reverb. I just don't know what else to say. It's just boring.

11. Honey In The Sun - All of a sudden, things are fast and happy again. But is it too little too late? I think so. The verses are guitar-focused with little variation, and the chorus is just a variation of the riff the saxophones plays in the very beginning of the song. Then they repeat it all over again. "I can't go for that." - Hall & Oates


OVERALL REVIEW

Camera Obscura as a band are doing better than ever. They have a very respectable 3 albums and a slew of EPs, and My Maudlin Career shows the lead singer, Tracyanne Campbell, taking bigger risks and leaving behind a lot of the cheer they seemed to have before.

happy songs sell records, but sad songs only sell beer. Fortunately Camera Obscura will sell more albums than a lot of bands this year, but listeners of My Maudlin Career may be purchasing a lot of beer too.

website | myspace

Bikeride - The Kiss

The Kiss is the 5th album from Bikeride. Recorded inside lead singer Tony Carbone's home on a recording machine from the 1970's, The Kiss is Bikeride's very best album.

For starters Bikeride needs to be praised for their use of bizarre instruments and interesting song construction that isn't used nearly as much as it should. On the song Your Lips and You has Didgeridoo, Davul and everything they can to make it sound as Arabian as possible. Also, the song A Dancer's Feet Are Not So Neat has some of the very best pedal steel playing in a pop song ever, and it should, seeing as how Sheryl Crow's former pedal steel guitarist is who they chose to play on it.

Of course the album is filled with more pop hooks than you could imagine. Worth mentioning is the great vocal reprise and pedal steel riff at the end of the previously mentioned A Dancer's Feet Are Not So Neat. The bonus track Siamese Twins is also unbelievably catchy.

Also worth mentioning is the exceptional mixing. As I read on their blog "It was mastered in the same room and on the same equipment as Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon, biggest seller of all time. Maybe some of it will rub off on The Kiss." It most definitely did. Every song just sounds really great. Good job to Kevin Bartley at Capitol Records.

The album has a few trouble spots in the middle where the songs just aren't as original or moving. I also never liked Bikeride's habit of putting several silent tracks of varying length to eventually reveal a secret track or two. Just don't do the silent tracks; no one listens to them or cares about them.

Sadly, Tony Carbone died last March and left behind a really gorgeous daughter and wife. The band hasn't updated their myspace or anything yet, but I think its safe to say the band won't be them same without Tony. Who knows what the future is for Bikeride, but as for The Kiss, it is one of the best pop albums of the new millennium, but slightly haunting how it echoes his absence.

Myspace | Label | Buy it

Update and reviews

Hi there! It's been a long time since I've felt like blogging. For a few reasons, mostly being that I don't feel quite as passionate as I did before. The internet is a wonderful place where you can voice your opinions on just about anyone and you can probably find a group of people who will agree with you.

Another reason being that I am legitimately a pretty busy person. I make music myself and I am now making music for a television program on the PBS channel. I am a very big fan of Joe Raposo and this is a dream come true for me, so I try to put as much of my energy into my artistic endeavors as I can.

Finally, a few people have asked me why I never provide links to download music without paying for it. My first thought to that is that there are so many other music blogs out there that already do this, but I've always just cared more about journalism than piracy and I've cared more about music than uploading files online. (See my Beach Boys blog for evidence of this). Then, my second thought is that I am one of the few rather small blogs (not counting websites like pitchfork) that actually interview artists that I really love on the telephone. I spend days and sometimes weeks researching things and really gathering my thoughts to do my updates and interviews and I would hate to lose the respect that I think I earn from my favorite artists by insultingly sharing music that I have no permission to share after complimenting them by speaking to them.

I hope you will always want to get to know small artists better by reading about them, and then choose to support them if you really like them. Having said that, I hope I will be able to do a lot more interviews and reviews (which are the things that I care about the most) on my blog.

I'll start right now with some quick reviews on some of my favorite new albums.


The male member of this band, Johan Angergård, is also a member of one of my favorite Swedish bands, Acid House Kings and the girl at his side is Karolina Komstedt, from another beautiful band, Poprace. This supergroup of soft indiepop have released several albums together over the last 13 years, but their most recent album, The Boy Who Couldn't Stop Dreaming is their best to date. Slightly religious toned, the album is still gentle and beautiful. If you enjoy bands like the Submarines or Acid House Kings this is for you. (myspace)










The debut album from the Italian group Fitness Forever is nothing short of a masterpiece. The band is now signed to the brilliant Spanish label Elefant Records and rightfully so. Personal Train is loaded to the brim with strings, horns, bells and vocals that create a symphonic sound that even surpasses the best Beach Boys arrangements. The band's song writer Carlos Valderrama describes the band as his challenge to create pop perfection and it is extremely clear that he has created nothing but perfection with this beautiful album. (myspace)










This album came out a while ago, but I don't care because I still like it. The theme of this update is mostly extremely gentle orchestrated music and The Postmarks are just about the most beautiful band I know of today. Their singer Tim Yehezkely (yes, a woman) has the best female voice since Karen Carpenter passed away. This album just screams class, with jazzy arrangements and lush production it stands in a league its own. It is just impossible to explain why this album is so much better than all the others who attempt to copy their sound. The only way to know is to listen. Heart break never felt so good. (myspace)

The Very Most - Spring

One of my very favorite albums last year was The Very Most's second album, Congratulations forever (maybe you forgot about when I interviewed Jeremy Jensen, the band's lead singer and song writer?).

Well anyway, The Very Most are back in a big way, with a new EP released on Indiecator records. But please don't let those 2 letters "EP" make you think that this release is somehow less important than their full length last year. The nearly 14 minute EP is filled with all kinds of new sounds that show the promise for something that very few bands in this new millennium are showing - Growth.

Much in the same way that the Beatles were constantly evolving, The Very Most are expanding and experimenting in exciting new ways. In fact, every song on this EP has some form of strange percussion used. I'll just name a couple off the top of my head: Woodblocks, Vibraslaps, Scrapers, an army of Tambourines, Egg Shakers, and a lot of things I don't even know. The amount of percussion on "Spring" is really delightful and an extremely welcome addition.

However, all the experimentation in the world can never make a "bad" song "good". It should be mentioned that all the songs on the EP are extremely well written pop songs and fit very well together. The album is extremely enjoyable and pleasant and for the rest of my life I will associate this release with memories of spring. The band is actually making an EP for every season this year and I am confident that they will keep very true to this theme and do something that (as far as I know) no other band has done yet.

Probably the prettiest song on the EP is the third song "The Only Pretty Ring Time". The band sings an ode to the beauty of their home city Boise, Idaho and mentions how strange it is that their city is called the City of Trees. But I really just can't explain how great every voice on this song sounds. It really is wonderful.

Also, their label has commissioned a few remixes of some of the songs on the album. These remixes are also a blast and are all done so well. They make a very lovely companion to the EP and you can listen to the remixes for free on their label's website.

The Very Most are extremely committed to music and despite the speed that they release their records, they still put so much effort and joy into their work. "Spring" is the beginning of a new era for The Very Most and they have invited us to spend a year with them... A year?

I think I will be spending a lifetime with the Very Most.


MYSPACE | LABEL | BUY THE EP

I Found Love

Below is a positively perfect cover of the song "I Found Love" originally performed by The Free Design on their 1968 album You Could Be Born Again. This cover was done by the English band Trembling Blue Stars on the tv show YO GABBA GABBA. Check out their myspace!






i found this here

The Glasses - Story Problems

I just found this wonderful album from an artist named Will. Inside this disc are 10 perfectly crafted pop songs that makes me excited for West Coast indie pop again.

Story Problems is a beautiful album and its being offered for free on their website. I really suggest you take a listen to it and don't be afraid to fall in love with a new group.

http://www.story-problems.com/Home.html

The Heavy Blinkers - The Night And I Are Still So Young

The Most Brilliant Pop Album since 1966's Pet Sounds.

The Man From Another Place - The Loneliest Cowboy EP

In 1990 there existed a television drama called Twin Peaks. In that show was a character called The Man From Another Place. However, after the show's cancellation in 1992 many years have gone by, but that doesn't mean this obscure bit of television knowledge has gone completely forgotten.

Just recently a musician from Scotland has released his first EP, The Loneliest Cowboy, under the name The Man From Another Place.

What resides inside this 5 song, 16 minute EP is an exploration of the styles of some of the great pop composers of the 20th (and even 21st century). Clearly evident in TMFAP's music is the influence of Burt Bacharach and Brian Wilson in their prime. Not to say that the songs are not unique in their style, but TMFAP isn't afraid to show his appreciation for the classics.

He describes his songs as "Soundtrack Music To A Lost Film" and I think that is both a good explanation of the premise for the EP, but also a visual guide. The music really could be put to film, as the piano chords repeatedly belt out a melody in a relaxed 4/4 tempo, strings and horns play a melody over it creating complex sounds that are both beautiful and intriguing. The Loneliest Cowboy brings tons of ambition and a well needed new face to the world of orchestrated pop.

This EP is on par with all of the best pop albums I've ever heard (including SMiLE and The Night And I Are Still So Young). With such a great EP, I hope The Man From Another Place can release a full length album with this much enthusiasm and creativity.

I recommend this highly.



Myspace

The Lexingtons - Trouble