by Meredith Schneider | Dec 28, 2018 | albums, review
As if the cover art weren’t enough to draw you in – HELLOOOOO Earle Rock Studios -, Holy White Hounds‘ sophomore full-length release is absolutely extraordinary. Blending in the signature “eff you” style that they established with 2016’s Sparkle, Sparkle, Say It With Your Mouth is an established alt-rock adventure, with high stakes energy from beginning to end. While first track “Thirsty” insists that “I’m not excited,” the intense lead-in would say otherwise, as “Lucid Kid” establishes an energy that we’re ready to bump from now into the summer months. “Perpetrator” feels like the perfect addition to “Guitar Hero,” catchy as all get out with a visual that will keep your mind reeling.
The quirky name of the project can be found in the lines of “No Teeth”, while “Big Heavy” boasts the perfect sound to be played during an NFL game. (Shameless plug.) While Dean struggles with his perspective in “Trifection”, the attitude continues – complete with a whole different level of percussion – in seventh track “Violence”. This one is a real banger, so make sure to allow plenty of space to move around when you press “play” on it.
Dave Keuning joins in on the fun with “What I Am”, and “Burnt Tongue” speeds things up even more than originally anticipated, guitar licks and a beat that doesn’t just pull you in, but drags you in by your shoelaces – or bootstraps, or whatever gets you going – and does not let go. The drums set the scene for “The Void”, coming in with bass that sets one of those “walking like a badass” vibes for the remainder of the track. (AKA add this to your life soundtrack and when you’ve got to raise that confidence, play it and strut your stuff!)
If you are really paying attention to the lyrics instead of just the mood the soundscape sets for you, you’ll notice a variety of emotions, stemming from personal anecdotes that have been woven throughout the work as a whole. Dean’s vocals drag more of that emotion out of us, highlighting moments of darkness and a questioning mentality while we all learn how to feel through it. “Tracy Free” is one of those introspective tracks that really entices you to think, though the title of its follow-up, “Aids Chimp”, kind of detracts from the weight of the words.
But that’s what we’ve come to respect and love about this band. They can sing about some dark, dark shit and keep this weightless feel to it all, and you can tell that they are a ton of fun live simply from listening to a few lines from Say It With Your Mouth, if you haven’t yet been graced by their live performance tactics. “New Blood” will further enforce the theatrical nature of the band, though they may be the last to admit it. With bits of comedy mixed in with self realization and that clear, gorgeous edge, we’re big fans of this album as a journey, and are stoked you get to hear it from beginning clear through “Thirsty Outro”.
Say It With Your Mouth is available now. Keep up with Holy White Hounds here.
by Meredith Schneider | Dec 27, 2018 | albums, review
Songstress Sophie Strauss recently released a new 8-track album filled to the brim with poetic intensity, a sense of self shining through that we have been craving lately. From Americana-tinged “Drive Down Mama” to the pop-infused “Aphids”, through the smooth atmospheric sounds of “Dog Fight”, Strauss’ work maintains an ethereal, playful soundscape that improves the mood of the room, regardless of the title and topic. “Text” gets slow and sensual, while “Sweetboy” contains primal percussion that would make anyone swoon. “I Was” is filled with reverb, a tinny effect that reflects the leading and ending quote.
“Joan of Arc” gets a little more military-feeling with regards to its percussion, apropos to the fact that the song is named after one of the greatest women warriors in known history. Listen closely to the lyrics, as it gets a bit vulnerable and we emerge with our hearts aching, though in a fulfilling and intensely emotional way. Sophie ends the album in “Aphids (Solo)”, a beautiful tribute to a picturesque and incredible memory.
Keep up with Sophie Strauss here.
by Meredith Schneider | Dec 18, 2018 | albums, review
Chicago-based art rock trio Arthhur – comprised of Mike Fox, Matt Cian, and Luke Dahlgren – released their fourth record on December 14th, and we’re really digging it. The 6 track tape is titled Lost In The Walled City, and is packed to the brim with attitude and a certain, unexplainable je ne sais quoi, if you will.
The title track hits hard, revving us up for the disco-laden rhythm of “Kinky Post-It”. (Yes, that’s the name of a song.) “Astral Fortnight” speaks to our higher beings, upbeat and ready to party, while “Choc Electronique” is something we would totally enter a dance contest with, as it would seem a little out of left field though the instrumentals are insanely catchy and could inspire a new line dance, if we’re being honest.
“Large Party” kicks it off with a series of sound effects and continues in the same artsy, experimental way, something we would definitely mosh to at a live show. Arthhur rounds it all out with “Get Fermented!” which is a track we’re into just from the mention of the title. Its smooth, enticing soundscape lures you in to a night of – if you’re lucky – consequence-free bad decision-making.
Keep up with Arthhur here.
by Meredith Schneider | Dec 12, 2018 | albums, review
Folk pop duo Fox and Bones – comprised of Sarah Vitort and Scott Gilmore – lays the groundwork for a fun, adventure-filled album from the very first lines of Better Land‘s initial track “Little Animal”, which boasts the feeling of a mid-album track, tempo having already had time to build. But this duo hits the ground running with every track, establishing its energy and diction separately than its predecessor. While “Love Me Like a River” brings the album into a deeper soundscape, “Roots” has a soulful anthem feel to it. “Roads” slows everything down exponentially, poetic in that fact, as they focus on the little details of spending life on the road.
“Reckless” sets a very different tone than “Tricky Love”, which happens to be one of our favorite tracks on this collection. The title track brings the tempo back up, definitely a staple on the album. “Strange” takes on ballad form, while “Pin Up” brings more twang to its instrumentals, setting a simple, beautiful tone to it. “Any of it With You” brings the positivity back in, establishing a sense of energy to work hard with what time you have left. Eleventh and final track “Welcome Home” is a head bobber, absolutely your next staple on long road trips as you search “for that spark.”
Test the new album out for yourself below!
Keep up with Fox and Bones here.
by Meredith Schneider | Dec 7, 2018 | albums, review
Pop-punk collective The Travoltas – comprised of Perry Leenhouts, Erik van Vugt, Jochem “Skokie” Weemaes, Wouter “Woody” Verhulst, Michel “Mikk” Meeuwissen, Daan van Hooff, Tim van Doorn – is coming at us hard this holiday season with their self-titled, 14-track full-length. With their quintessential pop/punk sound, the quintet has taken on a 60’s pop flare – much like that of The Oneders – that will get your toes tapping from the very first lines of “I Can’t Say No”, through to the very end of fourteenth track “Thing”. And though “Snowball” clearly nods at the cold weather of the days upon us, the soundscape feels very island-vibey, and we’re all for it. While “Work of Art” continues at a similar clip, “Ghost of Your Love” is slightly darker instrumentally, mirroring its name. They up the jazz factor with “Mail Ya To Australia”, and then get back to a pop/punk, Weezer-y vibe with “If You Could Be the Star”.
Seventh track “Making Out” once again occurs at a pretty quick pace, a notable love song, while “Blame My Baby” slows it down, and has a very Fountains of Wayne feel to it (in only the best ways). “Crying Shame” has a misleadingly upbeat instrumental piece, though the vocals tear through you and evoke the emotion fitting of its title. From the low lows to the very highest of highs, “Tower of Strength” comes next to bring the party levels back up. “I Was Dancing in a Lesbian Bar” and “Did I Lose You at I Love You?” have, perhaps, the most insightful titles, boasting catchy hooks that will easily get trapped in your head. “Hurry up!” has way less energy than you’d expect from its title, but that fact doesn’t detract from its endearing nature in the slightest. The Travoltas round out the album quite well with their quirky, hit single-worthy track “Thing”.
If you aren’t a fan of the band after reading our positive thoughts on their self-titled work, you might try giving it a spin. Actually, do that anyway. It’s quite the experience, and we’re big fans.
Tracklisting
01. I Can’t Say No
02. Snowball
03. Work of Art
04. Ghost of Your Love
05. Mail Ya To Australia
06. If You Could Be The Star
07. Making Out
08. Blame My Baby
09. Crying Shame
10. Tower of Strength
11. I Was Dancing In The Lesbian Bar
12. Did I Lose You At I Love You
13. Hurry Up!
14. Thing
Keep up with The Travoltas here.
by Meredith Schneider | Nov 21, 2018 | albums, review
Kansas City, Missouri-based garage rock psych pop band Eggs on Mars – comprised of Brad Smith (vocals, guitars, keys), Justin Longmeyer (bass), and Mason Potter (drums, percussion) – recently released a 10 track album titled Mama Pancake. As absurd and wonderful as the title is – and the name of the band – the album itself is so much more. First track “Sod is Good” is all types of amazing, from the realness of the track’s name to the calming mood that passes over us as we dwell in its slow, mellifluous glory. While “Placeholders” speeds up a bit and gives us a very 60s psych punk vibe, “Many Minds” brings more of a 90s feel to it. “Red Haired Darling” slows it all down a bit, a love song for all of the red headed beauties in our lives.
“Doing Fine” gives off a bit of a melancholic feeling sonically for the first half, and the title isn’t quite convincing if you ask us. It gains momentum, though, and leads pretty nicely into simplified instrumentals with “Not to Regain”. The sentiment given off in the lyrics of “A Song” makes it feel a little more than “just a song”, while “Don’t Listen” speeds it up, giving us something fun to move our hips to. “Prayer for a Troubled Son” continues in that vein, a fun guitar riff to keep us on our toes throughout.
Eggs on Mars rounds out the album with “Meet Me in Hannibal” – Hannibal is a small town in Missouri where Mark Twain grew up, for those of you wondering – and anyone who has been carried away by a long(er) distance relationship can relate. It’s a beautifully bittersweet love song, slowly and carefully concocted to give us starry eyes as the music fades.
Mama Pancake is available now. Keep up with Eggs on Mars here.
by Meredith Schneider | Nov 19, 2018 | albums, review
At a very important time, Kansas City-based alt garage rock band The UK’s – comprised of Noah Bartelt (Lead Vocals/Guitar), Scott Combs (Guitar/Vocals), Katelyn Miles (Bass), and Tarquin Eugene Kellough (Drums) – has released a 5-track EP, affectionately and poignantly titled American Way of Death. From the very first, melancholic sounds of “Why Don’t You Go” – which hits a stride that makes you want to add it to your “walking the streets of the city like a badass” playlist – through the 60s punk-influenced soundscape of “Wake Up”, all the way through third track “AWOD” which follows suit, there is an electricity that makes you realize that incredibly underrated music comes from the midwest. (Hello, Holy White Hounds and Mess!)
Cut to “The Poison Squad” and you’ve got a track we could easily find ourselves barbecuing to on a chilly autumn day, dancing to at a sweaty basement party, or driving to down the Kansas City streets. It all comes to a head with fifth and final track “Other Team”, which brings in that fun, vintage, upbeat feel again. If you’re not careful, you just might find yourselves on the ceiling too…
Keep up with The UK’s here.
by Meredith Schneider | Nov 16, 2018 | albums, review
Chicago-based shoegaze/pop collective Lightfoils releases new five track EP Chambers today, and we’ve got your first listen below! (Or fourth, or fifth, or twelfth… who’s counting?) The five-piece – comprised of Zeeshan Abbasi (guitar), Jane Zabeth (vocals), Cory Osborne (bass), John Rungger (drums), and Neil Yodnane (guitar) – wastes no time getting into the psych feels with the kaleidoscope intro to first track “The Bitter Over”, which layers into a cacophony of sound that seems to envelope your senses. “Duende” brings the same level of otherworldly vocals to it, a little more depth to the guitar parts than its predecessor. While “This Time Is Up” brings with it a punk garage band instrumental soundscape, we’re still left wondering how Zabeth can reach such insane places with her vocals. But I digress.
“Summer Nights” might, at first, make you feel a little bitter about the warm evenings being long behind us, but it also provides that whirring nostalgic feeling that makes it feel like summer might not ever end. (And it doesn’t have to if you don’t want it to!) Last track “Honeydew” brings with its title the same lust for warmer months, though we know we can relive those nights with this as the backdrop any time we damn well please.
Pick up this EP. It’s well worth it.
Keep up with Lightfoils here.
by Meredith Schneider | Nov 16, 2018 | albums, review
The world has waited since 1997’s RAPT to hear a follow-up from folk singer-songwriter Rebecca Blasband. Having spent some time producing sound design and music for television and film, she clearly has a knack for what works with her audience, a fact evident within the tracks on Here. Rebecca wastes no time, jumping right into gorgeous ballad “Love Is”, getting a little more primal with the percussive instrumentals. The title track seems to slow the pace down a bit, a lot more introspective than its predecessors. While “Walking On Water” is a song you could see yourself singing around a fire with your closest friends, while “Who The Hell is Peter Brown?” might get a little more attention at a karaoke bar. (It’s got an edge to it a crowd can’t deny!)
“Those Happy Days” picks the pace back up of course, quirky and fun in its existence, while “Ghost Song” slows it all down a bit more, getting very real with lines like “Sometimes I think I’m just gonna disappear / Waste away / In thin air.” If you feel a little out of control of your life right now, this track will resonate in its entirety. “Way Of The World” is a slap of reality, while “Gotta Work It Out” reintroduces that edge we fell for earlier. “Target” is soulful, psychedelic and perfection in most situations, though you might want to be careful about playing the beginning of it while driving. “Long Distance Love Affair” rounds it all out in a bittersweet and beautiful way, as mention of a long distance love affair brings a level of melancholy to an already meandering and blues-y song. It’s the perfect end to the album, as it makes us all feel a little detached by the end of it.
Here is available now. Keep up with Rebecca Blasband here.
