by Meredith Schneider | Sep 21, 2017 | wolf tracks
This week, self-proclaimed “Echo Park Pop” artist Luna Shadows unveiled her cover of Brand New’s “Jesus Christ” via Billboard, but we’re still swooning over her most recent original release, “Tokyo”. Lightweight – with that synth tinge to it that we have come to expect from Luna Shadows, with instrumental layers that have obvious Japanese pop influence. As she sings about springtime in her crystal clear, light as a feather voice, we imagine we are in a garden, surrounded by cherry blossom trees as their blossoms break off in the light breeze and fall around us.
Keep up with Luna Shadows here.
by Meredith Schneider | Sep 20, 2017 | wolf tracks
While you were busy soaking in the last days of summer, Ann Arbor, Michigan’s avant-rock outfit Throwaway – comprised of members Kirsten Carey and Nicole Patrick (MI) / Oliver Dobrian (CA) – was busy releasing their latest video “Family Cry”, the intro to which is slightly terrifying. Despite the cringeworthy red glow, the masks that make the subjects of the video faceless, and the white noise in the background, the strangest – and most intriguing aspect – of the video is the text that scrolls over the visuals, which doesn’t always make sense. You will find it almost impossible to keep up with the wording while simultaneously listening to the lyrics.
“Family Cry” will entrance you from beginning to end thanks in part to its director, Chicago-based performance artist Corey Smith. The colors, words, and acted scenes will confuse you, but there is a sense of thrill to it all when the song’s tempo-changing, unique, garage-tinged experimental rock backs it up.
Keep up with Throwaway here.
by Meredith Schneider | Sep 20, 2017 | wolf tracks
In collaboration with Margrét Seema Takyar, Masma Dream World (Devi Mambouka) has concocted a focused, beautiful, but almost anxiety-inducing world that will have you questioning your reality and comfort at the same time. Swedish designer Tove Berglund had the right idea with the costume design, which is simple but bold and highlights the beauty – and perhaps fear – of its subject.
An interesting aspect to the video is that Devi invited Tove to collaborate on this performance project in 2014, after being inspired by weave culture. Tove spent hours weaving the outfit (blond hair) onto Devi’s body, and Margrét then applied her vision of light and dark space in the visual representation of Devi’s dance.
While the track is experimental and plays with simple percussion and sound effects, Masma Dream World mesmerizes with movement – jerky, concerning, yet wondrous. Check out the video (just released today!) below, and let us know what you think in the comments!
Keep up with Masma Dream World here.
by Meredith Schneider | Sep 19, 2017 | wolf tracks
On Friday, Nashville’s intensely talented Whoa Dakota (Jess Ott) released the first step to her sophomore effort – a debut full-length titled Patterns, a follow up to 2015’s I’m a Liar EP -, the album’s coveted title track. “Patterns” is a groovy, nostalgic tribute to the 90’s in its composition and feel, a buoyant lead in for your fall season. It’s not always you find an artist whose vocals expertly complement instrumentals, especially one who hasn’t yet released a full-length. But Whoa Dakota brings every element to the forefront in a very clever and divine way. So take a four minute and nineteen second break to put a little more bounce in your work ethic today, with this sweet narrative on breaking “Patterns”.
Keep up with Whoa Dakota here.
by Meredith Schneider | Sep 18, 2017 | wolf tracks
Just weeks before their debut album release in October, Brooklyn’s rock outfit The Fluids – comprised of Michael O’Donnell, Nick de Molina, and Cooper Formant – has been busy garnering attention with their new track “Creatures.” Strikingly dramatic in its instrumental composition, “Creatures” bleeds 80s experimental pop and modern good vibes. Let yourself get lost in “a wonderful vibe” as the seasons change. (This song gives off such a magical feeling, it might just clear up your autumn allergies!)
No Kidding! is out October 27th. Keep up with The Fluids here.
by Meredith Schneider | Sep 15, 2017 | wolf tracks
This week, Hopeless Records‘ star children – the guys of pop punk band New Found Glory – released not only the next music video in their stream of assets from latest album Makes Me Sick, but a fun behind the scenes video as well. Tropical, vibrant, cheesy, amazing. Though there is absolutely more of an island vibe to the tempo and instrumentals in “The Sound of Two Voices”, the fact that it’s still Chad Gilbert’s high pitched punk-tinged voice keeps it 100% NFG, 110% of the time. And it definitely could just be us, but does part of this video remind you of a modern version of the dance scenes in Back To The Future?
New Found Glory kicks off their fall tour soon. Check out the dates to find out which show you’re going to!
by Meredith Schneider | Sep 14, 2017 | wolf tracks
For those of you living under rocks, everyone’s favorite turn of the century alt rock band continues to put out killers. The most recent gem – a music video for their track “Over And Over Again” (published September 7th) – is as quirky as the cowbell that introduces the song. And Bert McCracken’s signature vocals dance in a strangely melodic and ethereal way – as his range truly surprises people every single time – over the instrumentals, which are pure pop rock at their core. The simple video filled with blank space for much of it really gives your eyes a lesson in contrast, while the guys dance and act out absurd and visually pleasing storylines.
The video for “Over And Over Again” is a true amalgamation of The Used’s wide range of talent, continually catapulting them into the bright future of alt rock.
Keep up with The Used here.
by Meredith Schneider | Sep 13, 2017 | Uncategorized
My name is Meredith, and it’s time to kick start this musical journey for you guys. Imperfect Fifth came from an idea that popped into my head several years ago, when I was working in a law office having already lived what seemed to be an entirely different lifetime working in entertainment in New York. Imperfect Fifth was during the days before I was the Editor in Chief of Impose, it came at a time when I had way less of an idea of what I was doing in the industry, and crazily allowed my voice to be inhibited.
Through my last few years career-wise, I’ve discovered I don’t want to lose that voice that I have. I don’t want to lose the zest for music that keeps my heart pounding out of my chest. I don’t want to lose my integrity among the mess. I want to bring clear, positive messages to the world through music… and I want to write the words to justify the feelings that music gives us. I want to work with like-minded, brilliant people who are dreamers, but who are willing to put in the legwork to make those dreams a reality. I certainly have encountered that passion over the last few years, but especially in the last several weeks. So I’ve decided to see where this goes, and I hope you’re all kind of diggin’ it.
I’ll admit there will be some kinks to work out. I purchased the domain only Monday (yeah… two days ago) and didn’t get it verified to start building out until yesterday… right about at the point I locked myself out of my apartment with no keys, no money, no phone, and a pizza I had made fresh, sitting on the coffee table for Schmidt to devour. Right when I was ready to dig in (and not miss my TODAY deadline), I had to walk a mile to my sister’s house (Thank goodness she lives so close!), and try to get her attention with no doorbell installed and no phone or car outside to ease her mind into realizing it was me.
Basically I banged on windows and doors and yelled into her mail slot and open windows until she wasn’t afraid I was a robber anymore.
Eventually – with the help of my neighbor’s email address and some patience – I got back in. And yeah, I may have missed some good coding time, but I actually feel really good about introducing a site called “Imperfect Fifth” in this way. Imperfect, but still with something to say. That’s why I took my time with it today, and why I’ll be optimizing it as I go. It’s a learning process for me, because I’m doing it all on my own.
For now.
I say that because this sucker will grow. Quickly, like the sunflowers we used to brand it with for the first phase of its life. And I will embrace the community that has nurtured and supported me the last few seasons of my life, and we will continue to – in small steps – make the industry and our community a better place to reside. One piece of art at a time.
P.S. Ma! Dad! Happy Anniversary! {{definitely chose to launch today because of the importance of 9/13 in my life}}
**For more info on the name selection, check this sucker out. If you want a snazzy video like mine, head over to Elephant Social and find out all the cool things Erin can do with you! And if you’re still on the fence about me, find out all you need to know at meredithschneider.com!
by Elizabeth Schneider | Sep 12, 2017 | wolf tracks
The notorious rock collective Kings of Leon dropped their new album Walls last fall. Being a massive fan of the band myself, I needed help getting more objective opinions on the piece. So, in the dimly lit dining room of my parents’ house after a dinner of fried chicken, my immediate family (and grandmother) sat down to add our two cents about the work. (This is one of my favorite posts from my Impose days.)
The first track of the album, “Waste a Moment”, allows swirling guitar to bring in a good little melody. It’s the uptempo single you may have heard on the radio, lending itself to the typical sound Kings of Leon is known for. But after that first track, the band seems to have attempted to deviate from their norm, nabbing bits and pieces from different genres to make the album into a diverse, warm body of tracks to feast your ears on. For example, when second track “Reverend” begins, you immediately notice the vintage 70’s feel to the keys, a mid-tempo track that starts slower as lead singer Caleb Followill reaches for octaves we didn’t realize were in his range, providing a hazy, more ethereal sound to his vocals during entire stretches of the song.
While “Around the World” may begin with a lightweight guitar riff, there is a solo that is borderline earth shattering awaiting your ears. It definitely makes us want to pack our bags and escape to a place unknown. “Find Me” comes in deeper, and gets straight to the point. 44 seconds in, Caleb starts to sing and the song loses some of its momentum by reducing the instrumentals for his vocals. The song gives off the impression that he is singing while he’s driving a car, and the momentum picks back up during the chorus. “Over” has a darker feel to it with the deep, consistent guitar riff. Sounds like The Killersblended with some David Bowie, something my entire family picked up on. (I will note that my grandma claimed it had a Phantom of the Opera feel to it.) We all agreed that Caleb’s vocals sound blatantly different on this track, although no less beautiful.
The song “Muchacho” proves the notion that when you add castanets to a song, it automatically becomes more vibey. Slightly reminiscent of some of our favorite R.E.M. tracks, Caleb’s voice is delivered at an even deeper range, if that’s possible. It’s slower, with a very tropical disposition and a tempo that reminds us of Bruce Springsteen‘s “Brilliant Disguise”. (Which was a brilliant move on their part.) Percussion leads in to “Conversation Piece” slowly, with lyrics like “take me back to california, to those crystal neon signs” allowing the listener to reminisce on days past. The song is low key, like the majority of the album, and could easily be played in the background of a back road drive with your significant other during the autumn months.
“Eyes On You” brings the tempo back up, the instrumentals noticeably reminiscent of some of our favorite Weezer tracks. The song deviates to a punk spectrum, although the way the melody is composed is actually very beautiful and works perfectly with Caleb’s scratchy bravado. “Wild” brings the album back to a warmer instrumental composition, and we’re led to a place of relaxation. The album rounds out with its title track, which sets in at a glacial – but incredible gorgeous – pace. Simple instrumentals allow the vocals to be highlighted moreso than its predecessors. Lyrics like “I can’t get there on my own / You can’t leave me here alone / I’m just trying to do what’s right / A man ain’t a man unless he’s fought the fight” make this a very introspective and personal piece. It’s a delicate way to end the album, and slows your heart rate down immensely. “Walls” can be summed up as an existential piece that leaves you questioning life, love, and your own pursuit of happiness.
As you may have noted, our evening included quite the roundtable discussion. As fleeting as it was, we all maintained the opinion that the album is experimentation at its finest.
Walls is available now.
**This review was written with the help of:
Elizabeth & Stephen Schneider
Patricia Streng
Erin & Tim Zimmerman
