by Meredith Schneider | Feb 1, 2019 | albums, review
February 2019 is off to a wild start, especially with today’s release of You Found Me, the full-length from Cody Votolato’s latest project JR Slayer. “JR Slayer in its current form is a sacred home for me,” admits Votolato. “It is a safe space to start new conversations with art and music and understand how I relate not only to it, but myself. Not one where I am trying to receive as much as I give to it, but one that allows me to fully realize myself while being able to step out of my comfort zone.”
Starting with the meandering pace – but huge impact – of “I’ll Never Leave You” featuring Jenny Lee, the album rolls into the slower, more delicate harmonies of “There is Nothing Else Around Me” before picking up for the slightly quirkier and more danceable “Half Lyfe”.
“Nothing & Nowhere to Hide” brings a more polished, pop sound with a vulnerable bed of lyrics, while “This Is Alone” really simplifies – and induces melancholy into – the soundscape. “I Think I Might Die” has, perhaps, the most directly morbid of titles in the collection, though at its core it is a simply beautiful love song. “In A Sea Of Anonymity” slowly layers itself, as the lyrics address fate and hope in a very wonderful way.
By this time, it’s clear that JR Slayer has a way of taking things that seem joyful, and sprinkling them with melancholy. On the flip side, he is fully capable of taking something seemingly negative and brutal (like the titles), and adding a flare for the positive. Either way, he’s managed a very tactical balancing act across the whole of the work, and we’re very impressed that it carries into “How Could Love B So Cruel?” with its lush and trudging instrumentals, and straight into the last track, “40 Extra Minutes in Heaven”.
If you don’t believe us, try it on for size. Either way, let us know what you think in the Facebook comments!
Keep up with JR Slayer here.
by Meredith Schneider | Jan 31, 2019 | snapshot, visual
On Saturday, January 26th, Madisen Ward & The Mama Bear took their hometown by storm with an incredible performance at The Truman in Kansas City, Missouri. Their opening act – Me Like Bees – was sure to entertain to the max, and to thank MW&MB for their kindness over the years. The night was incredible, and everyone seemed to be absolutely glowing. Get your peek into the event below!
Keep up with Madisen Ward & The Mama Bear here.
by Meredith Schneider | Jan 28, 2019 | albums, review
On Friday, acid rock trio Protovulcan – comprised of Deric Criss, Will MacLean, and Nick Ammerman – released a new 8-track EP titled The Split. From the very first chaotic chords of “Pine for You”, the listener is drenched in this gorgeous, layered rock n’ roll sound that stands out among the rest. Though Protovulcan’s songs are void of human vocals, we are provided muffled robotic ones, along with a heightened sense that the past and future met on this work of art. While “The Force Remains the Same” is a party song instrumentally, “Snake Legend” has a sound that seems to layer into itself, a kaleidoscope perhaps less so in any type of vintage origin, and more so in its progression. The texture alone is something to write home about, and this is one of our favorite tracks on the release.
“Waking Up Dinosaurs” lands itself in that psychedelic area that we assumed its predecessor would take us to, a bit belated but equally as impressive. “Purple Sky” is, in reality, a glittering, chaotic cacophony of sound for the most part. By the time “Celestial Slingshot” hits, the robotic vocals are so prominent that they lead the track, sounding like a clash between an electronic keyboard and a accordion. The Oscillator Bug Remix of the same adds more lightweight instrumentals into the soundscape, bringing it to an even higher ethereal level than the original. We’re especially smitten with the way they placed the two tracks back-to-back, so a layman could identify the differences and insane progression from one into the next. By track eight, we are being dragged back into “Purple Sky”, though this badass track is an Odd Nosdam Remix, so there are ver important details that have been manipulated from the original, making it a standalone track on its own and the perfect way to round out the EP.
Keep up with Protovulcan here.
by Meredith Schneider | Jan 25, 2019 | albums, review
New York City’s favorite rock band Sunflower Bean – comprised ofJacob Faber (drums), Julia Cumming (vox/bass), and Nick Kivlen (vocals/guitar) – just released their latest EP – King Of The Dudes – and we’ve got some thoughts. (Yes, we understand the level of our claim, but try them on for size if you haven’t yet and you just might agree!) Starting with the title track, the EP introduces some pretty great guitar parts before the vocals are even introduced. As the song sets the tone to the EP with its badass edge, the fact that it serves as such strong social commentary is simply entrancing. “Come For Me” is no exception, and preceded the release of the EP with flying colors, attracting the attention of the music industry in an intense and fun way.
“Fear City” has more of a 90s rock feel to it instrumentally, a sunshine-y disposition to start. but delves into nooks and crannies of vocals that don’t necessarily reflect that positivity. And that’s OK, because this band has somehow mastered a heightened use of distraction with their soundscapes, intricate and beautiful in their existence. Of course, Sunflower Bean pulls off a vintage flare with last track “The Big One”, leaving us all tapping our toes and feeling like we can take on the world.
Keep up with Sunflower Bean here.
by Meredith Schneider | Jan 22, 2019 | albums, review
KONGOS ‘ groovy appeal is almost enigmatic. Their fun melodies and the band’s chemistry might stem from the fact that the four-piece is comprised of brothers Johnny, Jesse, Dylan, and Danny Kongos. Now based in Arizona, the band released their latest full-length – a 10-track project titled 1929, Pt. 1 – on January 18th. “Something New” speaks of things we can all relate to, whether political, music-wise (And if you are, this new album hits that spot!), or in our relationships. With a percussion-led instrumental section, “I Am Not Me” is a self-reflective song, infused with a fun beach feel, despite its melancholic lyrics. While “Stand Up” has more of an ethereal soundscape, “Pay for the Weekend” reeks of rock n’ roll.
“Wild Hearts” slows it all down quite a bit, simplifying the landscape for us and injecting every line with the deepest intention of emotion we’ve yet to be exposed to. Ever. While “Real Life” speeds the pace up a bit, “Keep Your Head” is the obvious party track of them all, working guitar licks in and around a pop-rock vibe we are 100% on board with. “Everything Must Go” goes into a very obvious U2 direction. A ballad, if you will. “When You’re Here” breaks it all down into an easy breezy soundscape – worthy of the warmest of weather – and the album is rounded out nicely with the robust, intense sounds of “4543”. Quirky enough to keep our ears perked, we’re probably going to be spinning this title for the remainder of the day.
Keep up with KONGOS here.
by ImperfectFifth | Jan 21, 2019 | snapshot, soundtrack
Pickathon returns to the woods outside Portland, Oregon from August 2-4, 2019, with an initial lineup to be released January 21. Pickathon has built a reputation over the last twenty years as the best festival experience, combing groundbreaking programming focused on discovery, sustainable ethics, and a lineup that pushes the boundaries of genre. This vision is clear in Pickathon’s initial lineup, which brings together key headliners like Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats (Rateliff’s first time playing Pickathon and he’ll be bringing two different bands), Khruangbin, Mandolin Orange, Tyler Childers, Lucius, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Fruit Bats, and Mountain Man with a voraciously broad cast of other performers like well-loved Americana outsiders Caamp, Lambchop, and H.C. McEntire, doom metal band YOB, North African desert blues artist Mdou Moctar, new supergroup Bonny Light Horseman, Northwest indie royalty Damien Jurado, Laura Veirs, and Courtney Marie Andrews, returning favorite Julia Jacklin, psych soul outfit The Marías, Polaris prize winner Lido Pimienta, Congolese experimentalists Jupiter & Okwess, and word-of-mouth newer artists like Sudan Archives, Miya Folick, B Boys, The Beths, and Black Belt Eagle Scout, among many others.
The initial lineup shows the kind of deep curation and wide-ranging musical interests that have made Pickathon a key tastemaker event in the American music scene. It’s a lineup based on discovery, not draw, a diverse lineup intended to represent the best contemporary snapshot of music across more than a dozen genres. With many artists requesting to return each year, Pickathon has become a kind of pilgrimage for artists looking to renew themselves at a well of creative inspiration. Walking onto the festival grounds at Pendarvis Farm in the small town of Happy Valley, OR, you can see what draws artists back year after year. Pickathon is a riot for the eyes, a festival that takes a holistic view to the music. Each stage is visually spectacular, from the woven branches that make a towering shell of the Woods stage to award-worthy architecture of the Treeline stage, using renewable resources in a different array each year. The Mt. Hood Stage, the mainstage of Pickathon, was ringed with living gardens in 2018, and the festival makes use of rustic, picturesque existing buildings like the late-night-raging Galaxy Barn, or the interview-focused Lucky Barn. Each artist’s sets are curated specifically to each stage and the timing of the festival meticulously planned, all to inspire the artists to new heights and historic performances. An army of over 600 videographers and audio specialists record Pickathon, pushing for a spread of nearly 200 videos that will be released between festivals. It’s a wildly ambitious project that involves so many people because each person has come to realize that Pickathon represents our best vision for how music and community come together.
LINEUP
Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats
Khruangbin
Mandolin Orange
Nathaniel Rateliff
Tyler Childers
Lucius
Preservation Hall Jazz Band
Fruit Bats
Mountain Man
Caamp
YOB
Damien Jurado
Lambchop
Laura Veirs
Julia Jacklin
The Marías
Miya Folick
Sudan Archives
Bonny Light Horseman
Mdou Moctar
Courtney Marie Andrews
Lido Pimienta
Cedric Burnside
Town Mountain
Jupiter & Okwess
The Beths
B Boys
Our Girl
JJUUJJUU
Sneaks
Young Jesus
Sam Evian
Black Belt Eagle Scout
Flasher
Mike and The Moonpies
Nap Eyes
Soft Kill
H.C. McEntire
Helena Deland
The Cordovas
Lauren Morrow
Bodega
David Nance Group
The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys
Virginia Wing
Garrett T Capps
Martha Scanlan
Gold Star
Colton Turner
&more (Chill Moody & Donn T)
David Bragger & Susan Platz
Download 2019 Pickathon Poster here
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