by Meredith Schneider | Dec 18, 2017 | wolf tracks
New Jersey-based indie psych rock band Speed The Plough – comprised of John, Toni and Mike Baumgartner and Ed Seifert, joined by former STP bassist Dan Francia and drummer Ken Meyer – released their latest full length on December 8th. The album, titled …And Then, is comprised of ten tracks that dare to drag you into a soundscape that doesn’t altogether make sense in one grouping. From one track to the next, the group displays their musical prowess and keeps the listener on their toes with the variety of sounds they are able to create together.
Take “Crossing the Tizsa” for example. The lyrics are almost like a fairy tale or a beautiful children’s story, set over dark instrumentals that eventually lighten into a Renaissance-like tranquility. This makes sense, as it was found in a songbook of Hungarian folk songs. (John’s mom is the one who can be heard in the spoken word section, by the way. Props to her!) “Take Me” allows the album to take on a whole different persona, introducing itself with bass that would rival the best oughts’ pop/punk tracks. And while “Azimuth” has an unmistakable 70s vibe, perhaps driven by the keys that make up the melody, “The Bitter End” feels abrupt and intense in its disposition. By the time we reach fifth track “Marina”, we’re not sure what to expect, as Speed The Plough tends to switch up the sound on us from one track to the next. For example, “Marina” brings back that beautiful renaissance-meets-rock feel to it, almost as though it should be on an A/B Side with “Crossing the Tizsa”.
“By This River” is light as a feather, largely driven by simple and delicate piano chords. Its sound is slightly different from its predecessors as well, if not only for the fact that it is a cover originally done by Brian Eno. While we might expect “Why We Fall in Love” to be some sort of intense love ballad, it’s more of a quirky indie track with percussion that feels primal, and perhaps groups it back in that “far-off places, daring sword fights, magic spells” territory. (Guess that reference in the comments and you’ve got a new bets friend!) “The Bird Has Flown” is almost theatrical in its presence, notable for its robust piano chords and delicate guitar.
Last two tracks “Running On” and “Dark Continents” happen to have been originals from an earlier iteration of the band called The Trypes. These tracks hadn’t gotten the studio attention the band thought they needed to thrive, so these tracks happen to have a different, low-key, “vibing out” feel to them that really tends to invigorate as the last track fades out beautifully.
…And Then is available now. Keep up with Speed The Plough here.
by Meredith Schneider | Dec 7, 2017 | wolf tracks
Portland-based experimental musicians Spencer Doran and Ryan Carlile have found somewhat of a theatrical and entertaining sound together with their project Visible Cloaks. The duo utilizes “software-based composition rooted in randomization, MIDI-translation and chance operations” to achieve their sound, which takes you on a journey traversing delicate, primal yet futuristic, intense soundscapes in their new release Lex, which officially drops December 8th.
Beginning with “Wheel”, you slowly find that the gentle instrumentals make you feel like you’re almost spinning, with the tempo and way the weight shifts from emphasizing one note to the next. “Frame” is percussion-led, providing that primal, lush sound we often associate with far off countries. And “Transient” is the literal translation and embodiment of its title, which beautifully expresses itself at just over two minutes.
“Keys” is the first track to include any type of vocalization, though it is actually comprised of a made up language. Admits Doran, “The idea – building on ‘fourth world’ or ‘global village’ type concepts – was to create a projected language that was a fusion of many. The result was a very disorienting form of non-language that amplifies the lapses in meaning that occur with the inaccuracy of auto-translation software.” But we’re completely distracted by the beautiful wind chime-like feeling to the instrumentals. The title track – in direct contrast to its predecessors – is composed using piano-like sounds, which strangely adds a feeling of nostalgia to it. The duo expertly rounds it all out with “World”, an aptly titled track that really seems to nail it, including sound effects that resemble sounds you’d expect to hear from different cultures across the world mixed in with effects that sound more earthy and primal as well. (Can’t you hear the ocean in there?) It really puts the listener in a worldly mindset, to correctly transition into their day.
Suggestion: Meditation music.
Lex is out December 8th and is available for preorder now. Keep up with Visible Cloaks here.
by Meredith Schneider | Dec 5, 2017 | wolf tracks
At the end of November, Polish avant-pop duo Legumina released their debut album, a 11-track collection affectionately titled Something Pasty and Probably Yellow. But this album comes from a different place than many others come from, and it’s something we definitely took interest in right off the bat. Legumina is the marriage of two stunningly vibrant personalities who, as it just so happens, chose to end their romantic relationship quite some time ago. But in 2013, the pair of Mon Sadowska (vocals, lyrics) and Marcin Gręda (guitar, ukulele, electronics, laptop, earlier Letdown Dept.) chose to reconcile those differences enough to form a duo, and to create an album that seems to serve as both closure on their romantic past and as a new beginning for their artistic futures. It’s unique, well-written, and beautiful to a point that we have to make it known.
Beginning with light, staccato notes accompanied by strangely contrasting lines of voiceover, “(Not That) Yellow” makes you feel like you’re in a futuristic lullaby. Pair that with the slow, ethereal notes of “Berlin” and the twinkling sounds of “Probably June”, and Something Pasty and Probably Yellow starts out in this quirky, beautiful space that you would assume a She & Him album might steer toward. Once Sadowska’s vocals hit a track, even if it existed in another soundscape altogether, she immediately brings a fairy-like presence to it all. A fact that comes to us as incredibly quirky and endearing, especially with fourth track “Song of the Northern Pole” which – instrumentally, at least – does perfectly capture the way you assume being in the North Pole would feel. Fifth track “Swim Safety” plays a little more with dissonance in the intro, swirling into this impossibly gorgeous track.
As you reach “Parking Space Inequity”, you’re so used to the upbeat feel of its predecessors that you don’t quite expect the melancholic twinge to kick in at that point. With the pace of the lyrics versus the instrumentals, it almost feels like Legumina found their inspiration in aughts emo and punk music, but it’s been updated with an electro pop feel that slightly resembles trance music at a rave. While “Sink Sank Song” makes you feel like you’re actually inside a video game – which makes the song that much more fun -, “Short Guide to Palm Reading” is considerably less witchy than what we would assume from the title. We are 100% on board with the bizarre title of track 9, and totally agree with the sentiment that “Happiness Isn’t Happiness Without a Violin-playing Goat”. The name of the track itself made us feel like we were wandering back into that punk/emo inspiration, a la the long titles that Fall Out Boy and Panic! at The Disco have become known for. “Elementary” slows things down to a crawl – really returning to that lullaby feeling – and the band expertly rounds out the album with the track “Farewell Captain” (ft. Edyta Glinska) which audibly insists on the closure of the album. The audience feels a finite energy in this track, bittersweet in its delivery, much like the closure the duo found through the production of this album.
Check it out below, and let us know what you think in the comments!
Something Pasty and Probably Yellow is available now. Keep up with Legumina here.
by Meredith Schneider | Nov 20, 2017 | wolf tracks
Nordic indie pop artist Majken may now be based in Los Angeles, but she’s carried her whimsical, infectious musicianship over and lit up the soundscape with her debut album Dancing Mountains. Her quirky monotone is lightweight, and almost enhanced in the reverb that the album is bathed in. From first track “Dreaming of Franco” – which starts us off with summery, carefree instrumentals that house lyrics that meander from times of love to times of distrust in a past relationship – through moody, 80s trance track “Here And Now”, all the way until the end of “Dear You” – which brilliantly features Maxime Sokolinski – softness is magnified into this surreal musical journey.
While the album was conceptualized on a journey – and we can find elements of her surroundings of Paris, the Nordic Fjord, and Los Angeles in each song, really – the same unamused, delicate sound we have come to know and love of Majken’s voice ties all twelve tracks into this concise, wistful collection of fun. The good news for Majken newbies is that we can get a sense of how far she’s come with her music with just this first full-length, as a couple of the tracks featured – including “Where It All Begins” and “Dreaming Of Franco” – were originally included on her Deronda Hotel EP. With songs like “A Little More Time”, Majken’s sound takes on almost a She & Him vibe, while ultimately we find notes of inspiration from acts The Velvet Underground and The Kinks most endearing. “I Have A Dream” is a mixed bag of tricks, and quite possibly our favorite track off the album. So, if you’re looking to start on a positive note on this weeknight, that’s where it’s at.
Dancing Mountains is out now. Keep up with Majken here.
by Meredith Schneider | Nov 16, 2017 | wolf tracks
Polish alternative band Trupa Trupa – comprised of Grzegorz Kwiatkowski, Tomek Pawluczuk, Wojtek Juchniewicz, and Rafał Wojczal – released an eleven track collection titled Jolly New Songs at the end of October. Packed with intense attitude and reverb for miles, the album’s sound will keep you captivated as it trudges through first track “Against Breaking Heart of a Breaking Heart Beauty” until the last fourth, when it enters into an even darker soundscape and really thrashes into “Coffin”, which enters into the light, indie pop realm with its sound. By the end of it, you spiral into a feeling of falling, which is perfect because the third track is a frantic attention-getter that swirls into a dreamlike state-inducing trance track titled “Falling”. And while “Mist” is darker, led by percussion, the title track keeps a pleasant sound to the vocals, as though it’s staying on the polite end of the soundscape almost because of its title. That’s all well and good, until the song takes on an almost Tim Burton flare and spirals into a heavy instrumental cacophony that feels dangerous and inviting.
“Leave It All” is as melancholic in sound as the title would suggest, though the song itself leans more toward an off-kilter lounge band sound, though the theatrical nature of “Love Supreme” draws us into a Wizard Of Oz-meets-death march realm where Tim Burton’s antics feel slight and far away. “Never Forget” pulls us out of the darkness and plunges us into a dark alleyway, where we’re almost marching forward, decked out in combat boots and a leather jacket. “None of Us” reminds us of a dark and murky lullaby – perhaps for Satan’s children more so than anyone else – with guitar riffs that could swallow your ears whole. The tumultuous instrumentals in “Only Good Weather” remind us of the so-called reliability of the National Weather Service (ha!), replete with waning guitars and a swirling, psych rock bed of sound. And – if you ask us – Trupa Trupa did us a service making the crashing sounds of “To Me” the last track, as it, too, splinters into an uproar of crashing cymbals and intense rock vibes before leveling out and inducing a feeling of calm with its listeners.
Every emotion is palpable with Jolly New Songs. You just have to let it envelope you.
Jolly New Songs is out now. Keep up with Trupa Trupa here.
by Meredith Schneider | Nov 15, 2017 | wolf tracks
On October 27th, New York-based experimental group The U.S. Americans – comprised of Jeff Weiss (Vocals/Guitar/Percussion), Emerson Williams (Drums), Daniel Deychakiwsky (Bass/Guitars), and Roy Abraham (Guitars) – released twelve track full-length Greatest Hits to what we are sure has been nothing but thundering applause. Those of you who have yet to witness what we’re talking about are in for a real treat, as the very beginning of the entire album includes that fateful quote from Miss Teen USA 20017 when Miss South Carolina made herself – and probably our entire country – look really, really intelligent. You can’t argue that a good punk song speaks to the establishment, and where better to start than with the lack of common sense displayed by the majority? Plus, add that killer guitar solo we’re not sure we’ve witnessed a better record intro.
“Money in America” comes in rough, dark, and brooding in its instrumentals, with attitude for miles in the vocals. “Dance Song 17” brings the sound back to a more pop space, while “Innocent Fools” makes you feel like you’re in a funk jam session. And while “Manolo” hits like a 70s rock track – and trust us, we’re totally into it – “Movies” slows everything down to progress into intense guitar licks and a real metal twinge to them, a rock ballad that could stand the test of time if we let it reach notoriety of any sort.
“Fade Out” meanders on at a crawl, a little more 90s grunge/rock feel of melancholia about it. But “Storytime” seems to lighten up the narrative, showcasing a short story of less than a minute, and bringing us into more of a lighthearted headspace. “King Someday” brings The U.S. Americans back to their attitude-ridden antics, though the otherworldly references are fun in a modern-alien advocate-type of way. “Lazy Suzy” hilariously picks up the tempo more than its predecessors, making us actually feel like we should get up and dance over really anything at present. “FCK THE KGB” is pretty self-explanatory, a hard-hitting, no-holds, barred, pure punk track that completely rejects certain aspects of modern history, and understandably so. The U.S. Americans end the album in the most American way possible… with the guitar-driven track “Dentist Street”. A light rock – almost folk – feel envelopes the listener in a familiar warmth, as the waning guitar increases the magic of it all.
Greatest Hits is available now. Keep up with The U.S. Americans here.
by Meredith Schneider | Nov 13, 2017 | wolf tracks
On November 3rd, Kansas City, Missouri native and contemporary blues artist Samantha Fish released her latest work, an album titled Belle Of The West. Riddled with catchy hooks, beautiful melodies, and a flare for the dramatic, Fish has pushed the envelope slightly more than with her previous work, challenging her own sound at times and really coming at us with guns a-blazin’ with attitude, fun, and intensity that is a surefire reflection of what the live performance of this album will be like. Admits Fish of Belle Of The West:
To me, this is a natural progression. It’s a storytelling record by a girl who grew up in the Midwest. It’s a personal album. I really focused on the songwriting and the vocals and the melodies and the emotion, and on bringing another dimension to what I do. I wasn’t interested in shredding on guitar, although we did end up doing a few heavier things. I love the Mississippi style of the blues; there’s something very soulful and very real about that style of music, so this was a chance to immerse myself in that. It’s definitely a song record and an emotional record, and I’m really excited to play these songs live.
And we’re excited to see them live, as each of the eleven tracks could stand on its own with personality and attitude to boot. Take first track “American Dream” for example, with percussion that drives the track into an uplifting sound space, a song that has more attitude than its followup “Blood in The Water”, but is less confrontational. In fact, when Fish belts, “there is blood in the water” it seems like she is coming to this realization in a soothing environment, or that’s the way her vocals make us feel. “Need You More” picks up the pace slightly, making your heart ache with loneliness as Fish sings about her desire for love with a certain someone.
“Cowtown” is more about escapism from the mundanity of the every day no matter where you’re at, while “Daughters” is a dark reflection of a push and pull relationship with your roots. “Don’t Say You Love Me” brings back more of the strong belting we have come to know and love from Fish, really emphasizing the need to have things done on her own terms while she’s “playing with fire.” The title track once again lightens up the mood a bit instrumentally – though keeps the tempo slower – a somehow positive ending in the melancholically-delivered lyrics “she’s southbound for glory.” But nothing picks up like the pace and the mood in “Poor Black Mattie”, which brings out more of a southern flare than its predecessors, something we’ve come to expect and enjoy from producer Luther Dickinson (North Mississippi Allstars).
“No Angels” feels devious from the start, and we imagine that if Sons of Anarchy were still being made, this song would get placement in a heartbeat. “Nearing Home” has a positive title, slowing the album down to a crawl that a good last song would round out the album at. But this bittersweet track is only second to last, the track “Gone For Good” painting a more finite picture for us amongst standout guitar and smooth as butter vocals as the final in an eleven-track stunner.
Belle Of The West is out now. Keep up with Samantha Fish here.
by Meredith Schneider | Nov 10, 2017 | wolf tracks
Alluring Cardiff-based pop musician Martin Carr released his latest record, an elaborate 8 track journey for the tympanic membrane titled New Shapes of Life, at the end of October. Thrown into the album with its title track, we begin at a casual mid-tempo clip, vocals delivered with ethereal grace, not unlike we would experience from Sting or Thom Yorke. While not exactly preparing for the second track like it should, it sets a good sound quality standard for the album at large. “Damocles” has more of a vocal-induced gloss of mystery over it, while “The Main Man” slows everything down exponentially into more of a trance atmosphere. By “Future Reflections”, our heart rates have slowed down to better appreciate the crawling clip that this song proceeds at. With small hints of The Beatles and futuristic influences, this song flows “like water” through the speakers.
Fifth track “A Mess of Everything” has more of a melancholic feel to the vocals, but does progressively bring the tempo – and, simultaneously, mood – up a big to properly prep us for “Three Studies of the Male Back”. This track was made for a stadium tour or the headlining slot at a music festival. (Wink wink, nudge nudge.) It’s an atmospheric marvel, one which we don’t necessarily exit completely when the song ends. Seventh song “The Van” has an otherworldly, floating feeling to it, as it exists at a much slower tempo, in almost “crooning lounge singer” territory. And the big band feel to it just magnifies the ambiance. “The Last Song” is – hilariously – the last one on New Shapes of Life, and perhaps the most rewarding. The natural sound effects, lush instrumentals, and introspective lyrics almost leave a cliff hanger at the end of it all, positioned just like your favorite soap opera to cause anxiety until we hear the next batch of music from Carr.
But we will, instead, press “play” again and keep tabs on Carr here.
by Meredith Schneider | Nov 8, 2017 | wolf tracks
While the Barcelona-based psychedelic beach pop quartet The Zephyr Bones – comprised of Brian (guitar, vocals), Jossip (guitar, vocals, synth), Carlitos (bass), and Marc (drums) – was busy releasing singles from their debut album Secret Place, we clearly had our heads up our asses. But thankfully, we got a little taste of what’s to come just days ahead of its November 10th release. Packed to the brim with sparkling, nostalgic charm, we’re sure any number of the ten tracks on Secret Place will be on your permanent “good mood” playlist.
First track “Hurricanes” establishes that lazy, waning guitar sound we’ve come to admire in beach wave music. The vocals are layered, but almost fragile in the way they are delivered. That upbeat momentum continues into “Penny’s Week”, with its mesmerizing guitar riffs and and slightly-punk feel. “Juglar Child on the Carousel” might have one of the most odd titles we have heard in a while, but the track has a not-so-off-the-beaten-path 80’s synth wave aspect to it, which absolutely makes it the best song to premiere as the first single from the collection. It maintains a head-bobbing beat that revels in line with Bleachers and Grimes, almost catapulting you into fourth track “Las Olas”, which takes a contrasting acoustic path.
It’s with “I’ve Lost My Dinosaur” that an almost melancholic feeling overtakes the album. The song has this smooth, almost sensual, feel to the instrumentals, but the vocals are almost sad. That is, until mid-track when the tempo picks up and feels more frantic than anything for a stretch of time before heading back into its regularly maintained tempo-range. The title track begins with quirky, staccato notes that pull you into another sound space completely, as you experience the instruments almost fight for attention atop a bed of soft echoes. “Black Lips” exudes a little more edge in the beginning – Or is that the title talking? – but its overall feel is very “50s sock hop slow song” and we’re totally on board with that.
“September” slows the entire album down exponentially, and is one of those songs that really makes you appreciate the guitar as an instrument. We can imagine almost anyone sitting back in their chair, just reveling in the sounds that come from the speakers. (We suggest vinyl for this track to be totally nestled in the warmth of the moment.) “Telephone” is – without a doubt – a toe-tapper that eventually encapsulates you in fizzy, otherworldly bits of synth. For reasons unbeknownst to us, this is the one we have been playing on repeat. (Try to figure that one out for us, ok?) The Zephyr Bones have chosen to round everything out with tenth track “The Arrow of Our Youth”, which hilariously feels a little less throwback – despite its clear nods to the 80s and 90s – than its predecessors. Once again, the instrumentals take center stage and give you a feeling of being carried away.
Before the album abruptly stops and you cry a bit because you just didn’t want it to end. (Just hit “repeat all.” We get it.)
Secret Place is out November 10th and is available for preorder now. Keep up with the band here.
