Susanna & the Grinders

Twine ★★★★★/5

 

This is amazing.  Susanna &the Grinders is a band from Sweden composed of Susanna Risberg and her brother Bjorn. Everything from the calm, floating, classic rock influenced guitar riffs and simple drum beats, to Susannas unforgiving, raw, and beautiful voice, all combine to create interesting and powerfully emotional music.  Risberg’s jazz background comes through in her vocal melodies.  If you want an identifiable new twist on the old bro/sis band act check them out.

 

http://www.susannaandthegrinders.com/

Battles

Gloss Drop ★★★/5

 

This album is really fun with upbeat popish and alt rock melodies that are all over the place and sometimes chaotic.  It is not easy listening and somewhat not easy to listen to, but its worth listening to.    There is tension in the music, as if some urgent message needs to be conveyed to the listener right now.  But unlike their first album this seems to have a plot, a plan, but it still manages to surprise and be unpredictable but without the, what can we do to top that feel.  It should be noted that their quirky cartoonish vocals have been replaced by steel drums.  It was a good decision.

Bobby

Bobby ★★★★★/5

 

This avant gard mellow band mixes a beautiful and sad fictional background with melancholy and complex melodies.  The seven musicians that create the collective known as Bobby each bring their own style and influences which causes the music to be layered, creating a deepness that many bands seem to miss entirely.  Bobby uses multiple pedal effects however, the use is reserved and not tedious, the musicians know when to back off and allow just an acoustic guitar playing a simple 5 note progression to shine through.  This is a band to nap to, to relax to, to just listen to.

 

http://www.bobbytheband.com/

Oy Vey

Botanical Curiosity ★★★★/5

This is Oy Vey’s first album, which was recorded in the lead singer’s home studio, creates an amazing first impression.  The band is composed of Bryce Aubrey (vocals and guitars) and Kevin Corcoran (keyboards and vocals), whose creative lyrics and energetic and fun melodies immediately puts the listener into a good mood.  “White Lies,” the second track on the album, has some arena rock influence thrown in but it’s fun, it’s catchy.  Each song can stand alone as a great single and would go well in any roadtrip mix.  Give them a listen and a look.

Balkans

Balkans ★★★/5

 

Frantic punk pop rock is a phrase which perfectly describes this 10 track LP.  Balkans, a fairly new band from Atlanta, Georgia, mixes simple riffs and grungy vocals with seemingly stream of consciousness lyrics.  This album and this band is fun and has a beautiful energy, but is not for those that like pretty  vocals and complex melodies.  The rawness vocals and the lyrics add to the bands charm and causes them to stand out from overly produced bands of the same genre.

 

 

http://www.balkansbalkans.com/

Gang Gang Dance June 24th

Eye Contact ★★★/5

Gang Gang Dance

Eye Contact is this Manhattan based band’s 5th studio album. It opens with Glass Jar, an 11 minute track which slowly opens and builds, very reminiscent of waking up on a lazy Saturday morning.  The album glides on from there, never reaching a huge crescendo, but the varying and interesting synth melodies and club beats mixed with some jazz percussion keep the very long album from becoming dull.  As far as vocals go, Lizzi Bougatsos, small high pitched, and sometimes bollywood type voice offers occasionally rambling, sensual, and calm lyrics.  This is not an album to listen to single tracks on, although long, the whole album offers almost a spiritual experience after listening to the quiet tracks.  This is an album that does not try to influence you but leaves you with your thoughts and musings and gently complements them. Check it out if you are caught in the lazy summer heat and want something engaging yet non-invasive.

Man Man show review by Tessa

Last Wednesday I made the pilgrimage to New York City to see a show.  Fellow DJ, Kazakhstan Dan of Shuffle the Playlist and I decided to meet up and see Man Man with opening act Shilpa Ray and Her Happy Hookers at the Music Hall of Williamsburg in Brooklyn.  I had listened to Man Man in the past and enjoyed their newest album Life Fantastic so for $20 it made sense to check them out.  We were not disappointed.

This may have been one of the best performances I’ve ever seen.

We were tipped off that this show might be fantastic while we waited in line, three women were going around asking if people wanted their faces painted and handed out kazoos.  So with war paint on and kazoos in hand we entered the venue.

Man Man’s sound is something that to describe seems like a nightmare:  Think punk, indie rock, xylophone, and the circus.  It’s weird as hell.

Shilpa Ray opened and it was a huge surprise, Dan and I had both listened to her album and weren’t enamored but her live performances are something not to be missed.  She walked out in a blue romper and a garland of orange lillies around her head and proceeded to belt out her songs with a voice much to large for her tiny stature.  It was surreal and amazing.  Check out her music, you’ll enjoy it.

After the first act, the black cloths covering ambiguous piles on the stage were taken away, they revealed the oddest set we had seen.  The instruments were obscured by random objects; part of a tricycle, a hockey mask, lights, florescent tubing, one of the band members brought out a television, turned it on and stepped back.  On the screen there was a morose looking fellow with a bloody nose.  He stayed there the entire set.

The band stepped out and the backdrop lit up to reveal a constellation pattern. The band started slowly, with “Feathers” but quickly picked up the pace with “Piranhas Club” and kept at that tempo until “Haute Tropique.”  Honus Honus, the front man,  donned on a sparkling green ring master’s jacket and stood and looked at the audience for the first time.  As he sang  he articulated each disturbing word with hand gestures and shredded paper.  After that interlude, the tempo picked up again. They played almost every song from Life Fantastic but also played old favorites like “The Ballad of Butter Beans” and “Engrish Bwudd.”   Shilpa Ray came out and joined the band and Honus in singing “Steak Knives,” which was beautiful.

 

In total the concert was amazing, it was a real performance.  Contributing to this idea was the band’s distance from the crowd.  They barely addressed the audience except for “Haute Tropique” and to shoot a confetti canon.  Most of the singing by front man Honus was to some invisible point on the stage right.

 

Go see this band.  Now.

Cults June 6, 2011

Cults ★★★★★out of 5

Cults

Sooooo good.  Rarely do I ever like a band this much, but I immediately want to go to all their shows and listen to this album again and again.  I have no idea who they sound like, a lot of bands mixed together melted together and made into something so good, interesting, fresh, and new.  It’s simple: guitar, vocals, drums, and some synth but it’s simplicity makes it: female and male vocals harmonizing and complimenting each other perfectly and powerfully.  Listen to it, make your own opinion, but LISTEN. TO. IT. NOW.

I love “Abducted”  and “Bumper”

 

http://cultscultscults.com/premiere/

Monday June 6, 2011

 

The Phoenix Foundation ★★★out of 5

Buffalo

Buffalo is The Phoenix Foundation’s fourth full album and was released in the fall of 2010.  Yeah it’s a bit old but it came in this week’s mail so I’m going to review it.  The New Zealand band’s sound is heavy on instrument with light unobtrusive vocals.  The album is soothing and upbeat but there’s a tinge of melancholy with sometimes psychedelic and prog rock explorations.  The music is catchy and would be great to listen to on a drive to the beach or anywhere else sunny.  My favorite tracks are “Bitte Bitte”  and”Flock of Hearts”

Check out the website and add this to your music playing devices:

http://www.iamthebuffalo.com/

Monday June 6, 2011

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. ★★★★ out of 5

It’s A Corporate World

This album, which will release on June 7th is worth listening to.  With soft but strong vocals, borderline ethereal guitars and fun lyrics the album engages the listener is all the best ways.  The album opens with “Morning Thought” which honestly sounds a bit like Wilco but more chill.  Don’t let it discourage you, form there the album builds and peaks with the title track “It’s a Corporate World” and “Simple Girl.”  But it’s not done there, the last few tracks are true gems, “Vocal Chords” makes you wanna bake cookies and dance.

Check out their website and get this album

daleearnhardtjrjr.com