by Tiffany Czech | Oct 18, 2020 | albums, review
When Starwolf formed in 2016, they were creating music in rural Illinois, their sound of choice being funk/pop. Four years later, they have released their album, Astro Lobo, filled with other-worldly sounds and expressions.
Something that makes this body of wok stand out is the appearance of Tim Lefebvre on “Bad Feeling”. Lefebvre has worked with well-known artists from David Bowie to John Mayer, so his presence is welcomed. The track benefits from a catchiness that amplifies the message of losing oneself in fear and anxiety. Indeed, it is a standout on the album.
The title track happens to be the longest, reaching over six minutes long. With no lyrics, it is easy for one to create their own interpretation of what it means. Whatever the meaning, “Astro Lobo” lives up to the other-worldly name. And then comes the final track, “Real Love”. Following the theme of love that can be heard on various songs throughout the album, this song’s funk groove guides the lyrics about being in a healthy and real relationship. With this album, the funk roots of Starwolf’s music shines through on every song. The band have achieved the perfect blend of funk and pop that sounds like the quintessential 80s soundtrack with Astro Lobo.
by Tiffany Czech | Oct 15, 2020 | albums, review
It was time for the members of Old News to get more personal than they ever have before. That’s how their new album, Self-Acceptance Speech, came about. Using emo sounds hailing from the late 90s and early 2000s indie rock scene, the album tells stories of self-discovery and understanding. One of these stories can be found in the reflective rock track, “1917 Cherry St.”. Here, we find out about a significant location in the singer’s life, one that he finds himself looking back on. This leads right into “722 Harter St.”, a shorter instrumental that leaves details of the significance of this address to the listener’s imagination. The starry “Flicker” provides a similar experience. This track gives the feeling of a new beginning, perhaps following the self-reflection that takes place during the prior songs. The final track is “Sunday Suit”, a standout on the album that begins with a memorable guitar riff and is an anthem for those who feel they are hiding some part of themselves beneath, in this case, the church music.
Old News have taken the nostalgia of 90s emo rock and turned it into something of their own. Says frontman Beau Harris of the goal in creating this album: “In these very tumultuous times, I think many of us are turning inwards, and we wanted to contribute by giving people a message of healing and hope.”
by Tiffany Czech | Oct 12, 2020 | albums, review
For anybody needing comfort on a dreary fall day, singer-songwriter ALIX has you covered with her new album, Feel Better. Filled with whimsical sounds splashed with springtime melodies, Feel Better is a collection of songs about feeling free despite some of the curve balls life throws at you.
“Easy Living” takes you on a trip to sunny California with a list of things that bring her the most joy. With a vibrant guitar riff, it has earned its place as the album’s opener. “Golden” is both one of the catchiest and happiest songs. It serves as a celebratory anthem that gives the green light for you to feel content about the place you have arrived at in your life. It can even be a pep talk. Just like life, Feel Better doesn’t come without its share of gripes. “Let’s Leave”, with the Los Angeles based pop group, 1323, offers the perspective of somebody begging to leave the party she is at to find something more worth her time.
ALIX has delivered an album about feeling content with love and life. Whether it is wishing a past love well like the NEZZA assisted “Good”, or finding someone who makes you happy like on “Satisfied”, Feel Better promises to be your companion through it all. ALIX says of the feel of the album: “I wanted to keep the sounds light, comforting and positive to symbolize a lifestyle I want to be dedicated to. But I wanted to include the humanity of needing to talk through feelings and turn frustration into constructive growth.”
by Tiffany Czech | Oct 6, 2020 | albums, review
Gray may be a good way to describe 2020, or the color of the sky on a rainy fall day, but it is also the title of the new album from Byland. Led by Alie Byland, Gray gives full permission to pace around your bedroom on your first listen, unable to believe that each song blows you away as you pace your way through the 10-track release. The first of these is “Passed Me By”, which comes equipped with a gentle drum beat and chilling piano as we hear the story of a girl struggling with her newfound loneliness. “Mine” comes along later as the singer bravely admits that she is unable to give people as much as they seem to want from her. Then comes the haunting “Grow Old With Me”, which reaches its most impressive moment during the last minute as she admits that her anxiety and loneliness have taken hold of her life. The album closes out with “Did I Win When I Won”, a raw guitar track that sounds like a voice memo recorded on a cellphone. As the shortest song, it serves as a simple outro that leaves the listener wanting more.
Lyrically and sonically, every inch of this album is chilling and beautiful. By the end, you will feel invited to start listening from the top because you want to fully immerse yourself into every word and understand the emotionally complex world Byland have created. At its core, Gray is a very human album.
by Tiffany Czech | Oct 2, 2020 | albums, review
Portland, Oregon-based rock band Last Giant have just released their stunning new body of work Let the End Begin. With influences like Led Zeppelin and Thin Lizzy, the album acts as a bridge, allowing the listener to time travel back to the 1970s and 1980s rock scene. Here, we find songs like “Sunset Queen”, which relies on an infectious guitar riff to draw the listener in. The guitar paired with the catchy chorus melody and heavy drumming help make this one of the best songs on the album. The title track “Let the End Begin” ensures you don’t forget what you’re hearing by providing a memorable hook that has the potential to stay in your head for days after hearing it. It also makes clear why the album shares the same name as it defines just what it means for the end to begin. Each song has the ability to connect with the rock fan in a real way. Whether it’s the guitar solo in “Followers” or the commanding vocals in “Letters to Lennon”, there is no shortage of rocking out to be found.
Last Giant have created a modern rock and roll triumph. While many people depend on earlier decades of music to get their rock fix, they have made it clear that the current decade has more than enough to offer.
by Sadie Battle | Oct 1, 2020 | albums, review
It’s debut album time for London-based band Tempesst with their release of Must Be a Dream that was brought to life at Pony Recordings; the band’s label in Hackney, London. The ten track album is filled with generous servings of psych pop and stylistic nods to the band’s influences of Joni Mitchell, Al Green, Wings, and Electric Light Orchestra. The core of the band is made up of twin brothers, Toma and Andy Banjanin, who’s musical journey spans across the cities they lived in and life lessons they learned along the way. Rooted into a musical family and playing in a church band as teenagers, the brothers left Noosa, Australia for a short stint in Brooklyn, New York during the bustling indie scene of the late 2000s. Inspired and full of the DIY tactics and ideas they experienced, they took to London and began culminating the band, their label, and the album. Rounding out the lineup with guitarist, Swiss-American Eric Weber and old friends Kane Reynolds and Blake Misipeka, the keyboardist and bassist, Tempesst hunkered down in the studio they built while meticulously working on their sound. “These days artists are expected to do so much themselves and we have always been slight control freaks anyway”, states Andy. “DIY is part of everything that we do, so that extends to our label, the studio, the videos, all of it and really it’s just how the indie music scene has evolved.”
Must Be a Dream allows listeners to transport musically and explore dense, emotional themes, all while being comforted in the juxtaposed moments of sun-kissed melodies and angelic synths. “Better Than the Devil” stands as the opening track, where Andy on drums showcases a steady kick drum beat in the beginning before really opening up with the rest of the arrangement. The background vocals on the title track are church choir melodies that serenade the metaphorical idea of the song; that the perfect woman in front of you couldn’t possibly be real; couldn’t possibly exist in your reality. Tempesst dives into identity faceting in “High on My Own”, through judgmental lyrical undertones about other’s self-acceptance, and a contrasting upbeat feel that leaves the listener with hope of following one’s own path. Tackling the haunting struggles that love can bring, “Mushroom Cloud” dramatically lays out the spite and pain sometimes felt for the ones we fall deepest for. Toma’s simple chorus guides the listener through the struggle, and ends with a lyrical punch to the heart “When sorry’s a worn out sleight of hand / good love is a dried up wilderness / you’ll know where to find me / on the fallen horizon.”
Complete with harp instrumentation, and “oh la la la la la” vocals, “Walk on the Water” is a euphoric transitional track to different themes of the album. A mashup of vocal harmonies on top of deep instrumental reverb, “On the Run” holds stories of death, substance abuse, and the forever loss of innocence. Explains Toma:
It’s about a close friend who disappeared for a decade and returned as someone completely different, and it’s an ongoing trauma. When I connected the music to the lyrics to try and finish the song, it felt like it had a rolling rhythm, so the chorus fell into place from there. For me, this song carries a lot more emotional weight.
The final album tracks explore themes of modern day society in relation to getting older, boredom within the digital age, and the paralleling question of what life is supposed to mean through all of it. It’s the juxtaposing ideas of sound and song meaning in this debut album where Tempesst really invites the listener to their psych-rock wonderland – where storytelling and sweet melodies will meet you at every riff.
