by Meredith Schneider | Oct 20, 2017 | wolf tracks
Today, Bloomington-based Diane Coffee released his latest 7″ via Polyvinyl, a work titled Peel which features his two upbeat, instrumentally robust tracks “Poor Man Dan” and “Get By”. Though “Poor Man Dan” feigns an upbeat attitude, the truth is that it is based on a dark urban legend from his neighborhood growing up. But unless you hone in on the vocals, you could never tell with the heavy Motown influence. His music is driven with a large horn section and incredible backup vocal ensemble, so you’d be hard pressed to find a track that wasn’t uplifting in one of its facets. But you find that you can’t help it when Coffee’s voice takes on that nostalgic edge, and you’re immediately taken back in time with each line.
Peel is available now. Keep up with Diane Coffee here.
by Meredith Schneider | Oct 20, 2017 | 5 to 7
Southern California-based alternative rock act DAVIS is still flying high off the critical acclaim and crowd reaction from 2016’s EP Crooked Finger. And – as you may remember – idobi Radio premiered his video for “Los Angeles” in September. (And he curated a playlist just for us to celebrate!) So it’s safe to say it took a few moments for us to sit down and pick his brain a little bit. But we did it, and got some good behind-the-scenes explanations, as well as a silver lining to the future of music. Check it out!
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What is the first song or album you ever remember hearing, and who introduced it to you?
Bob Dylan and John Lennon were the first artists that really spoke to me at a young age. “Subterranean Homesick Blues” and “Imagine” were the coolest sounding songs to me. Growing up, my Dad had a huge collection of vinyl. My family and I would sit in the living room and dig through his records and just play tons of music together. We listened to everything: Cat Stevens, Prince, Nirvana, Michael Jackson, everything! And everyone got a chance to pick out a record and add to the experience. It’s funny cause that’s basically what I do these days whenever I have people over to my house: I make a Spotify playlist and everyone gets a chance to add to it. Music brings people together. That’s what it’s all about. My favorite songs are always the ones that remind me of sharing an experience with family or friends.
What made you choose to pursue music as a career? Was there a defining moment?
I started a punk band in junior high and we got to play at high school parties. That was the best feeling ever. I knew from then on that I wanted to pursue music. Eventually I went to college and got a degree so that my parents were happy, but as soon as I graduated I started doing music full time. But writing songs isn’t just a career choice for me, it’s something I have to do. It fills my soul. It’s my purpose in life.
You have had quite a bit of attention surrounding your work as of late, including some stellar premieres under your belt. How does it feel, getting this type of positive exposure?
It’s rad. As a songwriter you always hope that people will enjoy what you’re offering to the world. I’m very thankful for all the positive energy people are giving me in return.
What was the production process like on your video for “Los Angeles”? Seems like you had a really fun time!
Yeah, it was! There was a lot of pre-production that went into the video. The director, Haley Reed, had a really unique way of filming it, using all kinds of weird projections and stuff. Her and I have worked together for all of my previous videos, and each time we completely change the process like we are starting from scratch. That’s what makes it fun. I like challenges and breaking the rules.
Just like my music, my videos are all about juxtaposition. One minute we might be filming in a huge studio with all this super posh equipment, and the next we might just grab a GoPro and shoot in an alley. Making this video was rad because I got to drive all throughout every pocket of LA.
The Crooked Finger EP has been out for a hot second. What has the reaction been to it? The songs from the EP are really best experienced live at my shows. They’re really fun tunes to play and people seem to really connect with those songs when they hear them live. Everyone loves to sing along to the song “Fuck You.” Which is awesome.
If you could have any superhero help you promote your favorite song from the EP, who would you choose and why?
I would say Thor, I think! He always lays down the hammer. That’s what I strive for with my music: laying down hammers. “Touch The Sky” is my favorite song off the EP. It’s a hammer.
Anything else you’d like to add?
Rock n roll is the future. Come with me. I’ll take you there.
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by Meredith Schneider | Oct 20, 2017 | wolf tracks
Today marks the release date of Brooklyn-based musician Channeling‘s (Andrew Osterhoudt) latest, an EP titled Bluffs which is comprised of his three tracks “Drift”, “Bluffs”, and “Doves”. A solid follow-up to his debut full-length Channeling, Andrew has taken the feelings of being content and of being out of control and somehow proudly made a space for them both. The piece is introspective, strangely light, and exquisite in sound.
It turns out that “Drift” and “Bluffs” were originally composed as a single musical piece, though they have been separated into two sturdy pieces. The instrumentals in “Drift” make you feel as though you are drifting in a cacophony of sound, with subtle changes in their sound as they largely exist in the same sound space throughout. Osterhoudt meant for the song to feel as though the listener were “floating somewhere unknown in a bog of electronic sounds,” and he was – not surprisingly – very successful in this. Toward minute seven, the track begins to sound less like static, and take on a more natural feel to it. It is at this point that the work transitions into second track “Bluffs”, which Osterhoudt admitted was “meant to create a sense of floating at sea, and eventually struggling against overpowering tides.” There is a nostalgic late 80s, early 90s feel to the keys, as the track is eventually drowned out by a static sound and the waves come crashing over you.
It is with “Doves” that we find our true heart. The last of the three tracks was recorded on the day of Prince’s passing, and, according to to Osterhoudt, “features the melody to ‘When Doves Cry,’ manipulated on a lo-fi sampler.” What an intense and wondrous experience, especially for fans of the late legend.
Bluffs is out now. Keep up with Channeling here.
by Meredith Schneider | Oct 19, 2017 | wolf tracks
They’ve been illuminating the crowd everywhere they go over the course of the last two years, and now UK-based alt-folk act Low Chimes – comprised of Marianne Parrish, Jack Page, Rob Pemberston, and Lachlan McLellan – is making their full length debut with recent album Illumine. The ten track release is an ethereal one, blending hard guitar riffs with light as a feather vocals, almost transforming its listener to another time, an entirely different place.
Initiating its kaleidoscope vibe with first track “Sleepwalking”, we are immediately hit with positive vibes, lines like “everything’s changing for the better” dancing around us as if floating on air. “Sulfer Silk” paints an already vivid picture in its wording, the texture of the instrumentals somehow adding a layer, as though it is the exact audio representation of the term. You won’t be able to help but to find yourself swaying your hips before the sprawling five minutes is up. “Dust Will Blow” is more of a toe-tapper than a hip-swayer, but the reverb follows the vocals around in a calm and beautiful manner, melting into the abrupt tempo change on “Away The Day”. Staccato notes and an almost glacial pace allow for the band to play with a bit of dissonance in composition, lending to Parrish’s delicate vocals in an incredibly complementary way.
It is with “Lacuna” that the instrumentals nab a little edge to them, seeming to swirl lazily out of a hard rock track into a slow buildup that hosts luxurious, rich vocals. And while “Taming Trance” is something we could see ourselves doing a nice round of restorative yoga to, “Electric Bloom” maintains an almost lazy surf vibe with its guitar parts and breezy chorus. Perhaps we’ve found the bite we need in eighth song “Blood Orange” with its jazzy melody and the way the words seem to counter the accompanying composition. When it comes to “Forget I Know”, we get lost more in Parrish’s vocal range than anything, but the album only finds its closure in fitting track “Final Farewell”, where chorus style vocals allow a build into a more alt-rock ending than its folk majority would lead you to believe. It’s as though they pass through all of the major genres represented in the album in one track, tying the entire album together with a succinct and fitting bow.
October
19th Oct – Edinburgh, Sneaky Pete’s
20th Oct – Kendal [Venue TBC]
21st Oct – Manchester, The Eagle
26th Oct – Winchester, The Railway
27th Oct – Bristol, The Malt House
28th Oct Stroud, The Goods Shed
December
5th Dec – London, Sebright Arms
6th Dec – Brighton, Hope and Ruin
Illumine is available now. Keep up with Low Chimes here.
by Meredith Schneider | Oct 19, 2017 | wolf tracks
Recently, Earth-based psych-rock collective Elephant Fire – made up of musicians Adam Wall, Steve Wall, Zac Colwell, and Dave Hellman – released their seven track full-length Natural Heart. Inspired by a six month journey into North America’s national parks, this album is a remarkable tribute to the beauty of the world around us, something that is easily noticeable from the very beginning with the first vintage punk-tinged track “Natural Heart”. “Come With Me” begins with a slower, more hard-hitting tempo, imploring you to “relax your feels and have some tea, come with me,” which sounds like a pretty neat idea to us, as we sit here writing this in the middle of the work week. (Looking around the office, completely unamused.)
Third track “Lovers In The Bike Lane” begins with that line exactly, then drags you into its groove with quirky bike bells and light, ethereal cymbals. Begging you to take him somewhere, anywhere, the track ends with a “ting” and throws you right into the keyboard-fueled intro of “Burn Me Up”. The keys end abruptly, and you’re pulled into a world of pure rock, as the sounds swirl you around through a fiery kaleidoscope of early love. And while “It’s Alright” begins with a cacophony of light instrumentals, the repetition of the line “It’s Alright” makes you realize that – even with the quirky sound effects that don’t quite seem as though they belong – everything is going to be A-OK.
“It’s Rising” has a little bit more of a dark undertone to it, though we wouldn’t necessarily call it dark. Wall’s vocals are breathy, more sultry in their conviction. There are parts of the track that make you feel like you might be losing your damn mind, but those are the pieces that make this such an incredible head banging track, so we’re all for it. And, just like that, “Karmic Siege” sieges the spotlight as the final track of Natural Heart, leading its listeners into a mid-tempo instrumental section that speaks to the hippie in all of us.
Our normally insatiable eardrums are pleased.
Natural Heart is available now. Keep up with Elephant Fire here.
by ImperfectFifth | Oct 18, 2017 | wolf tracks
On October 27th, we will get the undeniable pleasure of welcoming Pittsburgh-based pop/rock collective Donora‘s fourth full-length Sun To Me into the world. The trio’s most recent single – a light, fresh track titled “This Heart” – gives us a sneak peek into what’s to come, but we wanted to know more. So we sat down with the band to learn the ins and outs, while begging the important questions… like how do you get along with your sibling in a creative and professional environment?
Clearly, it’s something we have yet to master.
What is the first album/song you remember hearing, and who introduced it to you?
The first album I bought with my own money was the Lion King Soundtrack (not sure if that one counts). Around the same time my brother bought me the (What’s the Story) Morning Glory album by Oasis for my birthday. I think he bought it for me so that he could steal it and listen to it himself, but I ended up loving that album and still do! I wouldn’t let him have it.
Casey and Jake… As siblings, do you two get along, or are there kerfuffles? What’s the dynamic like?
We definitely get along! Jake is 5 years older than me, so there has never been that competitiveness or clashing that sometimes happens when siblings are closer in age. In fact, we weren’t all that close growing up (I think I was just his annoying little sister for a long time). But when we started playing music together that all changed. We’re pretty good at acknowledging each other’s strengths and our own weaknesses. Since we grew up in the same home, I think we also have a very similar style of communication, which helps keep us on the same page most of the time. Sure there’s the occasional kerfuffle, but at the end of the day we’re family.
“Sun To Me” feels like the track at the end of an inspiring movie, begging its audience to leave with light hearts and chase their dreams. How do you imagine people listening to it? I hope people indulge in this song Risky Business style. Music cranked, comfy clothes (i.e. pants off), dancing around their house, lip synching (or better yet singing along at the top of their lungs), just doing them. One person dance parties are the best.
What inspired that track, specifically?
Well this one started out as a love song. It’s about someone being a source of light in your life. But while we were recording this song, I was pregnant. I now have a 10 month old daughter and so this song takes on a slightly different meaning for me because of that. Actually, a lot of the songs on the album mean something different to me now than they did when we were first writing them.
You have admitted your fourth album is about love and the light music can bring to your life. We’ve certainly struggled with darker times lately, and were wondering what your go-to tracks have been in the past to keep your chin up?
One song that can always brighten my mood is
The Cure’s “Friday I’m In Love”. There’s something about that song that always just makes me feel happy.
What is your favorite track off the upcoming release? Any particular reason?
“So Simple” is one of the ones that changed meanings drastically for me throughout this process. It started as a song about the joy a simple smile can bring to your life. Then it morphed into a love song. Then while we were recording the vocals, I was 8 months pregnant and feeling my baby move, so I couldn’t help but imagine what it would be like when my child smiled at me. I can say now that it truly is extraordinary! I guess that’s why it’s my favorite on the album.
If you could collaborate with any artist on any medium, who would you choose and what would you create?
I would love to make a movie with Paul Thomas Anderson. I have always been fascinated with the story of his collaboration with Aimee Mann for Magnolia. We’ve done a little bit of film work in the past, and it has been so much fun. Trying to create the perfect mood for a specific scene is such a rewarding challenge!
What are you most excited about with the upcoming release of Sun To Me?
I’m just excited for people to finally hear it. We’ve been working on it for a long time so it will feel good to actually put it out there!
Anything else you’d like to add?
I think it’s important to be vocal about what you believe in and to stay engaged. But I also think it’s important to give yourself a break and forget about it all every once in a while. We hope this album can help provide that necessary escape!
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Get that necessary escape on October 27th, when Sun To Me drops. It is available for preorder now. Keep up with Donora here.
by Meredith Schneider | Oct 18, 2017 | wolf tracks
Hailing from Detroit and now residing and writing in New York, musician J. Cobb recently released a little taste of his upcoming album No Filter, a single titled “Another You” featuring Bo Napoleon. This song couldn’t have been produced with more finesse, Bo Napoleon’s crooning vocals laying smoothly on top of jazzy instrumentals. A complimentary track, it is sung in first person to a love interest, asking, “Where did he find you?” almost innocently. Then he follows up by confidently stating “Cuz he gon have to find another you.” Redemption is found in J. Cobb’s rap verses, discussing how he does and can treat this woman better than her previous significant other. A love note and a proposal all in one, though it’s just the beginning of our love story with J. Cobb.
“Another You” is available now. Keep up with J. Cobb here.
by Meredith Schneider | Oct 18, 2017 | wolf tracks
New Jersey’s 8-piece self-proclaimed “power mariachi” band Amigos, Amigos! – expertly comprised of Chuck Salamone, Nick Evans, Tina Aragona, Jarrett Walser, Mario Correa, Joe Christianson, Dave DeMair, and Billy Hughes – recently released their latest track “Birds” off their upcoming Music Box EP. A slow instrumental build reminiscent of early 2000s pop/punk, the track takes on an almost sultry feel to it when the vocals are introduced. It is in this sound space where the magic happens, and lyrics like “we could light a room without a single spark” paint a vivid picture for listeners. With subtle tempo changes, beautiful horns, and almost disruptive instrumental solos, “Birds” is a thrilling break from the every day.
Keep up with Amigos, Amigos! here.
by Meredith Schneider | Oct 18, 2017 | wolf tracks
Recently, UK electro pop/rock quintet The Ramona Flowers – comprised of Dave Betts, Steve Bird, Ed Gallimore, Sam James, and Wayne Jones – released not only their phenomenally upbeat single “Strangers”, but its accompanying official lyric video as well. A track about meeting a stranger and enjoying their company for a night or so, “Strangers” is a true “live while you can”, “feel alive and be free”-type of club anthem. Admits Bird, “It’s about when you meet somebody and that first sort of whirlwind of how great it is. It’s wanting to repeat it all again.” On the flip side, we can imagine a long-term and well-versed couple utilizing this song to spice up their love life. (But, really, who are we?)
The lyric video takes on the same mood as the song, the funk-tinged music and warmly backlit, white text make the entire situation feel like a disco. We’re ready to put on our (platform) dancing shoes and boogie into the night with this fresh track.
Keep up with The Ramona Flowers here.
