Apparently this
Los Angeles-based songwriter has been at it for quite some time (and he has a
fan in Mark Mothersbaugh) but this is the first I’d heard him. For starters,
the guys got some serious style, think
Bryan Ferry or Bowie (who he slightly
resembles) and he sure knows how to construct a fine pop song. He’s got a tight
trio here with him on vocals/guitar and bass while Mark Stepro handles the
drums and Tyler Chester is on keyboards and they definitely make the most of it
all. Opener “Dirty Clouds” sets the mood but they really nail it on the arty “Easy Meat” while “Dentures” is a dreamy
piano number (thinks Sparks minus the bombast). They add a little more rock to
the proceedings on the hooky “On Foot” and do not miss the gorgeous title
track. In addition all being excellent players White is a terrific lyricist,
tossing out lines you wouldn’t expect (“Do me a favor and don’t show up in my
dreams tonight….” from the final track “Monrovia” or “That’s all well and good
when you’re traveling by ass…” on the title track). If I didn’t already mention it like seven
sentences ago, White is a pop craftsman of the highest order. Don’t fight it, give
in to the songs on The Tender Age. If
you let them take you places you will indeed see a whole new world. www.wardwhite.netwww.wardwhite.bandcamp.com
I like discovering new bands, or at least, new-to-me bands and Laughing is one of them. This quartet hails from Montreal and have released a few singles but this new single is gonna be released on their forthcoming debut LP, Because it’s True, which will be out in June.
True, on my first listen I did hear an influence of a certain Scottish band (initials TFC) with a similar breezy, seemingly effortless approach, but the more you listen, and more of Laughing’s talents will be revealed. It looks like members Josh, Andre, and Cole all split time between guitar, bass, and vocals while drummer Laura is the glue that holds it all together.
“Bruised” is one of those songs that once it gets going, you can’t help but nod your head. Something tells me that this debut album is going to spin a few heads so get a leg up on those folks and listen to “Bruised” a few times a week until said debut is released.
It’s been five long years since the last Pernice Brothers album. I had the pleasure of hearing some of these songs performed at Kiki’s House of Righteous Music in Madison last November. I’m still amazed I was finally able to check off another artist on my bucket list, especially in such an intimate venue. But back to the new album. Joe wrote and produced all of the songs on the album. He’s joined by Michael McKenzie, Liam Jaeger, Patrick Berkley, Michale Belitsky, Peyton Pinkerton, and we can’t forget brother Bob Pernice. The album kicks off with the title track, “Who Will You Believe.” Jangling guitars, beautiful harmonies, and soaring guitar solos that seem like a track right out of early REM’s songbook. “So, don’t cash out ‘cause some rumor says it’s over. Look here, I stagger, but I swear to God I’m sober. Who will you believe? Who will you believe?” Next up is “Look Alive,” my favorite on the album. It’s a beautiful, upbeat piano-driven, indie-rocker complete with strings and horns! ”At best a shaky maybe. Strumming the old banjo, baby. Snuffing out a torch that was held for me. I wish I could sing that song… The one that makes the ordinary extraordinaire.“ Track 3, “Not This Pig,” is a short foot-tapping number complete with dreamy keyboards and howling guitar solos. Next is “What We Had.” A slower, sad acoustic guitar number with trickles of echo-laden guitar bits. And the lyrics add an extra punch to the sorrow. “I can see the way it’s playing out. It’s a comedy of errors, but it’s sad. I think of what we had. It’s hard to watch good love go bad.” In comes more explosive guitar jams that eventually leave as the song drifts off. Track 5, “December in Her Eyes,” if I recall, Joe introduced as a 60s Motown song that he said to imagine strings and horns. It’s a beautiful, sad song, and yes, those gorgeous strings and horns are way upfront on this one. “We’ve been friends for so long, I would tell you that I might break down and cry. I hope you can find her and find out ‘cause I swear I don’t know why she’s got December in her eyes.” “A Song for Sir Robert Helpmann” is a short, highly orchestrated instrumental dedicated to the Australian ballet legend. “Hey, Guitar” is the fastest rocker on the album. Searing guitar solos and a bopping rhythm section highlight this one. Next up, “A Man of Means,” is a flashback to Revolver-era Beatles. I’m thinking “Taxman” with its heavy bassline and chiming guitars. Track 9, “I Don’t Need That Anymore,” features another Dagger favorite, Neko Case. When I first heard this performed at Kiki’s, Joe, strapped only with an acoustic guitar, did a hilarious version by tilting his head when he sang “the Neko part.” Couldn’t wait to hear the full-blown version with Neko, and it surely doesn’t disappoint. Next up, “Ordinary Goldmine,” also captures the vibe I felt at Kiki’s. Not sure if he sang this at our set. Love the repetitive ending. “Tell me where. I swear I’d be on-time.” Track 11, another acoustic beauty, “How Will We Sleep” is one to move any listener to tears. It’s not just the beauty of his acoustic guitar, the lyrics really grab you, especially me. “Growing old seemed like death to me when I was young. Now I want to grow old. And I want to belong. Oh, how will we sleep to the crash and the clang, as the hell-bent hell fires burn on in our names? How will we live: By the dove or the blade? Will we keep our eyes closed as the dream slips away?” The album ends with “The Purple Rain.” Dedicated to the loss of his cousin to cancer. The emotional lyrics say it all, “Here’s a man one heartbeat from a ghost. Here’s a vein, it spiders coast to coast. One thousand quiet cuts, and I do believe we’re close. Been bleeding out for years and years and years.” Dedicated to one of the many people close to Joe that left this earth recently. Joe’s heartfelt vocals, acoustic guitar, swelling strings, and gorgeous choir truly add to the sorrow of this piece. ERIC EGGLESON
The Haircuts- Words To Remember Me By (self-released)
This is a digital-only release from Ryan Marquez and his friend Teresa Daniels. If you follow the indie pop scene, you’ll know Marquez’s resume being in The Apple Orchard, Umbrella Puzzles, etc. Daniels was apparently in Seashells and Two if by Sea (which I was unaware of).
These are old bedroom recordings from 2005-2006 where both of them sing, play guitar and drums (Ryan adds some casio, too). It was a long distance collaboration with tapes being swapped back and forth. Most of these tracks appeared on small-run CDRs and such so it’s all new to me. The songwriting is pretty much split 50/50 and there’s a few covers, too (Belle & Sebastian, Oklahoma Scramble, and Eric’s Trip).
It’s mostly jangly indie pop though some of the tunes add liberal amounts of haze and fuzz. A few of my faves here include “It’s In The Stars,” “5 MPH,” “Summer,“ “Umbrella Day,” “My Favorite Shadow,” “Good Times,” and plenty more (plus I loved all three covers).
20 songs in all and it’s a "name your price” purchase so you really can’t go wrong! Buy and buy again!
Mythical Motors- Upside Down World (Repeating Cloud)
Mythical Motors’ Matt Addison seems like a restless sort who is always locked away in his studio creating. And yes, of course I mean creating songs.Lots of them (probably at all hours of the night). The guy’s had a motherlode of releases since he started releasing records as M.M. and he doesn’t seem to be keen stopping anytime soon (good, don’t!).
This new record, Upside Down World (with the cover art drawn by his young daughter) might be Addison’s most consistent set yet. At 14 songs in 27 minutes, he doesn’t waste a precious second and hammers home one cut after the other. Some glisten, some soar, some float away, and a few end like there might be a little too much dust on your record needle (hey, that’s a compliment).
Cuts like “Take A Trip,” “Kick the Waves,” “Over Titan River,” and the brilliant title track and drive it home like a Ken Griffey Jr. home run straight over center field (or Dave Kingman if you will, when he used to knock ‘em out of Wrigley Field and down Waveland Ave).
You get my point here, Addison is on a real roll here. Longtime fans are already on their 10th play and it’s a perfect place for M.M. newbies to start as well!
I know what you’re thinking, this Hinely character is reviewing another Club 8 single?! What’s his problem? Well, I wouldn’t have to if the band didn’t keep releasing terrific singles.
As I mentioned previously, this band, the Swedish duo of Johan and Karolina, has been at it for three decades. The interesting thing about this song is that it could have been on their debut (1996’s Nouvelle) or their most recent LP (2018’s Golden Island), that is how consistently excellent this band is.
The guitars do their bouncy two-step while the rhythm (drum machine) is keeping up and Karolina’s vocals are the icing on top. Don’t miss this new one or you’ll feel like a ….yup, sucker (everyone reading just walked away in disgust after that last line).
The Tyde (ie: Darren Rademaker and whoever he feels like playing with, on this record it is brother Brent on bass, Ben Knight on guitar, Ann Do on keys, and Ric Menck on drums) has been around since about the turn of the century- their debut LP, Once, came out in 2000. They/he has released a bunch of terrific LPs in these past few decades (including a brand new one called Season 5) but this one is still my go-to.
Rademaker and his brother Brent were both in the noisier further (among other bands), but both went in more melodic directions. Brent with the countrified Beachwood Sparks and Darren with the more melodic, 60’s jangle pop of The Tyde.
Right from the start this wastes no time in diving into an unheralded gem! The opening cut “A Loner” has some gorgeous 12-string guitar that slides right into the just-as-good “Henry VIII’ (again, more of that classic jangle on this one), but this ain’t no twee music (and I love twee).
“Go Ask Yer Dad” opens with a good bit of noise and then offers more of that warm melody and “Crytal Canyons” adds some organ to the proceedings and I hear a bit of a Felt influence on that one. Keep listening or you’ll miss other classics like “Blood Brothers,” “Memorable Moments” and “Shortboard City.”
Rademaker has delivered on every album but this is the one that holds a special place in my heart. For a different kind of surf music (duck)dive into Twice (and again, do not sleep on the new album either).
Love Child, the NYC trio of Will Baum, Rebecca Odes, and Alan Licht (later joined by Brenda O’Malley after Baum left) could’ve just been a footnote in history but thanks to the 12XU label fans old and new will be turned onto the band’s great grit rock that was all over the indie world in the late ’80s/early ’90s. Though it was basically Licht on guitar, Odes on bass, and Baum/O’Malley on drums there was some musical chairs instrument switching going on and on the vocals, too that always made for an interesting stew.
Ken Katkin’s Trash Flow label released the band’s debut single back in ’90 and sang the band’s praises to anyone within earshot. When he took over Homestead Records (from Gerard Cosloy, who ironically runs the 12XU label that is releasing this collection), he continued on, releasing the band’s two terrific LPs, Okay? and Witchcraft and another single. In addition to select cuts from those records, there are also songs from a Peel Session, a KSPC radio session, and more for 26 songs in all.
The charm of these recordings is Licht’s 6-string wizardry, a possibly self-taught genius who plays what he feels like when he wants to while the rhythm section hammers it all home with real hammers. Many of the songs don’t even hit the two-minute mark and those that do barely go over it though a few songs even go over the 5-minute mark and the album closer is the genre-defying “All is Loneliness” close in over eight minutes (I think they invented the word raga for cuts like this).
Cuts like “Wait and See, “He’s So Sensitive,” “Cigarette Ash,” “Crocus Says” and “Fortune Cookie” are just a few wired/wiry cuts that any band would be proud to call their own (“Willpower’ too). In other words, it’s not too late to ride the fiery breeze of Love Child!
A pal sent me this song and I hadn’t heard of this Canadian gent before; but looking at his Bandcamp page, he’s got plenty of stuff out dating back a little over a decade ago so I was asleep at the wheel.
This song is from a forthcoming album, Eternity Mongers, which is out this Friday (April 19th). This song sounds like a good bit of slacker rock that’s catchy as hell and with lots of stuff going on (he and his band play it all including adding flute, sax, clarinet organ, and more plus cool backing vocals). The chorus goes something like this- “They used to call it growing up…but now we know there’s no such thing…..”
It also reminds me a little of the current crop of loopy, fun Aussie bands out there doing this kind of oddball pop.
I like it and will be looking for this full-length (you will too).
Brazilian Adriano do Couto has released a few singles in the past few months, all very good. This new one, “Hiding to Nothing” is a thoroughly pleasant mid-tempo cut with jangly guitars, whirring synth, and do Couto’s pleasing vocals.
If you like any of the stuff that labels like Sarah, Sunday or Creation released, then you’ll be ok with this.
I’m not sure if he’s gearing up for a full-length or is more just releasing stuff when the mood and inspiration strikes him. Regardless, this is music to fly kites or perhaps to crank at your local park while you’re having a picnic (for one). Solo is better.
fanzines