Dropping Daylight - Take a Photograph ep

Name: Dropping Daylight
Album: Take a Photograph
Year: 2005
Style: Rock, Emo, Nu-Metal, Chamber Pop
Similar Bands: Bush, Fuel, Fretblanket, Ben Folds, Fastball, Blue October
"One-Word" Review: Lite Gothic Nu-Metal
Based Out Of: Minneapolis, MN
Label: Octone Records, Sony BMG Music

Cover

Liner Notes, Back, CD

Take a Photograph (2005)

1. Take a Photograph 3:20
2. Save Yourself 2:41
3. Lucy 3:16
4. Till You Feel Something 3:07

Album Rating (1-10): 6.5

Members & Other Bands:

• Sebastian Davin - Vox, Keys, Engineering (Associated Mess Sui/e Generis, Breaking Benjamin, Paramore, Kidnap Kings, Attention, Hawthorne Heights, )
• Seth Davin - Guitar (Sui/e Generis, Kidnap Kings, Lucky Boys Confusion, American Scarecrows)
• Rob Burke - Bass (Associated Mess Sui/e Generis, Kidnap Kings)
• Jake Englund - Drums (Associated Mess, Sui/e Generis, Lucky Boys Confusion)
• Ian Allison - Engineering
• John Fields - Mixing
• Steven Miller - Mixing
• Bill Silva - Mgmt
• Brian Manning - Booking
• Jeff Biederman - Legal
• 7S - Art Direction
• Rhea Pappas - Band Photo
• Andrew Suggs - Video

Unknown-ness: Never heard of the band. Artwork & packaging reminds me of Postal Service or any complex emo-indie band. The EP comes with an extra "Surveillance Video for "Waiting Through the Afternoon," so i'll see if 2021 technology is compatible with 2005 media.

Album Review: They really want to be hard, but it is pretty non-threatening, frequently incorporating piano in, making a sort of chamber goth rock sound. The shout call & response is strong with this album, and emotional whoa's punctuate the record throughout. The songs can be catchy at times, but its produced in a manner not to my liking. Lucy almost sounds like a Ben Folds or Keane song.

The core of the band met in High School, and went through a couple band name changes before and after Dropping Daylight. Davin and Englund even went to Berklee College of Music.

Stand Out Track: Lucy

Links:
Wiki

Discogs

Allmusic
Degy Ent.
Rate Your Music
Tidal
Soundcloud

Dr. Strut - s/t

Name: Dr. Strut
Album: s/t
Year: 1979
Style: Smoooooth Jazzzzzz
Similar Bands: Brand X, Spaces, Roger Voudouris, Steely Dan
"One-Word" Review: your favorite 80's tv theme
Based Out Of: LA, CA
Label: Motown

 Cover & Record

Back & Record

Dr. Strut (1979)

1. Granite Palace 3:38
2. The Look in Your Eyes 4:36
3. Canadian Star 4:23 (Steely Dan cover)
4. More Stuff 4:57 / 
5. Blowtop 3:15
6. Soul Sermonette 4:30
7. Chicken Strut 3:22
8. Eddieisms 3:09
9. Who Cares 3:00
10. No! You Came Here For an Argument :57

Album Rating (1-10): 3.5

Members & Other Bands:

• Lee Young Sr -  Producer
• David Woodford - Sax, Flutes (Legendary Groovadelics, Swallow, Supertramp, Livingston Taylor, Michael Kamen, Aerosmith, John Cougar, Eric Carmen, Richie Havens, Sneaker, Bonnie Raitt, Sheena Easton, Robert Hazard, Jimmy Buffett, Juice Newton, Supertramp, Roy Orbison,Rod Stewart, California Raisins, Eddie Money, Natalie Cole, Ringo Starr, Alyssa Milano, Dan Hill, Johnny Mathis, Little Feat, Kenny Loggins, Michael Hutchence  )
• Kevin Bassinson - Keys (Legendary Groovadelics, Victor Feldman, Jackie DeShannon, High Energy, Peter McCann, Giants, Jermaine Jackson, Ollie Mitchell's Sunday Best, Jean-Francois Roulot, Pascal Bacoux, Miki Matsubara, Olivia Newton-John, Lynn Carey, Charlene, Barry Manilow, Jane Fonda, Mark Winkler)
• Tim Weston - Guitar (Legendary Groovadelics, Wishful Thinking, Cheech & Chong, Kerry Chater, Jackie DeShannon, Celebration, Tonio K, Peter McCann, Ollie Mitchell's Sunday Best, Bobby King, Robbie Patton, Jean-Francois Roulot, Miki Matsubara, Lynn Carey, Matthew Wilder, Victor Feldman's Generation Band, Daved Discos Dance Orch, Wishful Thinking, China Crisis, Fra Lippo Lippi)
• Peter Freiberger - Bass (Legendary Groovadelics, Wha-Koo, Batteauz, Kerry Chater, Tonio K. Peter C Johnson, Jackie DeShannon, Peter McCann, Danny Douma, Ollie Mitchell's Sunday Best, Jean-Francois Roulot, Miki Matsubara, Lynn Carey, Walter Murphy, Parachute Express, Mister Paradise, Dawn & Dupree, Hans Zimmer)
• Claude Pepper - Drums (Legendary Groovadelics, Silver Condor, Wha Koo, Tonio K, Bill Bergman, Earl Slick Band, Peter McCann, Ollie Mitchell's Sunday Best, Jean-Francois Roulot, Miki Matsubara, Walter Murphy, Josh Leo, Willie Dee, Dean Ray, Fra Lippo Lippi)
• Everett Bryson - Percussion (Home Boy and the COL, Danniebelle, Jessy Dixon, Rufus, Chaka Khan, Alpha Band, Teddy & Nanci, Bili Thedford, Ozone, Cecil Lyde, Dan Hill, Teena Marie, Cook Country, Miki Matsubara, Jim Mandell, Charlene, Chris Montan)
• Barney Perkins - Recording Engineer
• Caryl Woodford - Recording Engineer
• Roger Nichols - Mixing Engineer
• Bernie Grundman - Mastering
• John Banuelos - Asst Engineer
• Gary Goodman - Asst. Engineer
• Bill Glasser - Asst. Engineer
• Ron Wakefield - Product Coordinator
• Brenda M. Boyce - Product Manager
• Tim Bryant - Cover Concept, Album Designer
• Irma Newton - Cover Concept
• Ron Slenzak - Photographer

Unknown-ness: Never heard of this band...not sure what to make of the levitating instruments that we're sneaking a peak at with the slightly open door...are we catching the instruments in a compromising position? Is the idea that the instruments are a live while no one is watching (ala Toy Story). Moreover, what does that mean the music will be? I like the stretching of the joke to the back, where the song titles are on an Rx pad, like they are the medicine Dr Strut can dole out. My guess is that this is pub rock with a heavy inclusion of sax.

Album Review: Rather than pub rock- or any kind of rock for that matter- what is contained on this album is smooth jazz. These tracks come across as some sort of resume of 80's tv show themes (Cagney & Lacey, Knots Landing, LA Law, My Two Dads) that knew their moment of popularity was but a brief fleeting couple of years. The smooth loungy aspect of the songs makes them less appealing than say Brand X, or other jazz fusion bands, and overall, its not my thing. They were the flagship band for Motown's newly formed Jazz division & put out two records. Their third record was set to begin production right before Motown's Jazz division shut down. It was still recorded & released in Japan.

Stand Out Track: No! You Came Here For An Argument

Links:
Spotify
youtube full album
Discogs
ProgGnosis
rate your music
band to band
Canadian Star thread

Doctors' Mob - Sophomore Slump

Name: Doctors' Mob
Album: Sophomore Slump
Year: 1987
Style: Punk, Alt-Rock, College Radio, "New Sincerity"
Similar Bands: Live, Redd Kross, REM, Gin Blossoms
"One-Word" Review: Jangly-Punk
Based Out Of: Austin, Texas
Label: Relativity Records

 Cover, Sleeve, Record

Back, Sleeve, Record

Sophomore Slump (1987)

1. It's Up To you 2:10
2. Sinking Fast 4:08
3. Poison 3:30
4. There's A Way 3:08
5. Pat Blashill 3:03 /
6. Let Me Try 2:37
7. Gracious Brunette 5:08
8. C2 E 2:45
9. Wake Up 2:34
10. I Don't Know 3:22

Album Rating (1-10): 7.5

Members & Other Bands:

• Tommy (Ramone) Erdelyi - Producer (Ramones)
• Steve Collier - Writing, Music, Vox, Guitar (Big Boys, Sidehackers, Rite Flyers)
• Don Lamb - Guitar, Vox, Remixing (Street Punks, Rhyth, Raiders, Captain Crunch, The Psychedelic Mirage, The Reivers)
• Glenn Benavides - Drums (Buick MacKane, Alejandro Escovedo)
• Tim Swingle - Bass, Vox (Hand of Glory, F)
• Mike Stewart - Engineer, Remixing
• David Fox - Cover Photo
• Linda Earley - Back Photo
• John Hamilton - Cover Painting
• David Bett - Art Direction

Unknown-ness: Never heard of this band. Could be jangly just by the name and the year, however one of the band members has a Misfits shirt on, so that could make for more of a punk-like edge, also they look kinda crusty, so that may make for interesting music.

Album Review: Part of the "New Sincerity" musical movement (ragged clothes & melodic songs played heavily), but also embracing the sloppy Drunk Rock moniker (Show up Drunk, Show Up Late, Or Don't Show Up At All), this band was pulled in multiple genre directions from the speed of punk melodies and harmonies of power pop, and jangley guitars, kinda sounding like a raw Gin Blossoms. But at the base of it all, they were musicians making good songs. Theyt didn't do well with "next big thing" pressure and really just want to have fun. This is their second album, and they've said it is mostly left over material that didn't get recorded for the first.

Stand Out Track: C2 E

Links:
Allmusic
Discogs
Austin Chronicle '99
Ear Candy mag

Dirty Angels - s/t

Name: Dirty Angles
Album: s/t
Year: 1978
Style: Countryish Powerpop
Similar Bands: J Geils Band, Cheap Trick, Bad Company
"One-Word" Review: Docile Swamp Rock
Based Out Of: Bridgeport, Connecticut
Label: A&M

Cover & Record

Record & Back

Dirty Angels (1978)

1. Call My Name 3:28
2. Buzz Buzz 4:03
3. Friend For the Sake of Convenience 4:53
4. Tell Me 3:38 (was on their first album)
5. Fantasy 3:41 /
6. Lonely Heart 4:52
7. School Drag 3:15
8. Grown Up Wrong 3:23 (Rolling Stones cover)
9. Sweet Summer 4:41
10. Honey Honey (Can't You See) 3:25

Album Rating (1-10): 7.0

Members & Other Bands:

• Lew Futterman - Producer, Additional Recording, Remixing
• Ric Browde - Producer, Additional Recording, Remixing
• Charlie Karp - Producer, Guitars, Lead Vox, Additional Recording, Remixing (Buddy Miles, White Chocolate, Namedroppers, Joan Jett, Joe Perry, Ram Jam, Slo Leak, )
• David Hull - Producer, Bass, Lead Vox, Additional Recording, Remixing (White Chocolate, Aerosmith, Buddy Miles, Joe Cocker, Ted Nugent, Arthur Lee, Band-Aid, Joe Perry Project, Farrenheit, Modern Farmer, Pete Droge & the Sinners, Kat in the Hat, Monster Mike Welch, James Montgomery Band)
• Jimmy Maher - Drums, Percussion, Vox (Maxayn, White Chocolate)
• George Maher - Guitar
• Jack Kraft - Keys (Kraft & Alexander)
• Pat Ellington - Backing Vox (Martha Velez, Aurra, Motivation)
• Judy  Ellington - Backing Vox (Buster Bailey & His Orch, Charlie Barnet, Martha Velez)
• Joan Ellington - Backing Vox (Martha Velez)
• Dicky Simmons - Harp
• Montego Joe (Roger Sanders) - Percussion Art Blakey, Afro-Drum Ensemble, Brother Jack McDuff Quartet, Phil Upchurch, Dizzy Gillespie, Herbie Mann, George Benson)
• Tim Geelan - Engineer
• Larry Alexander - Additional Recording
• Richard Gottehrer - Producer
• Roland Young - Art Direction
• Chuck Beeson - Design
• Stan Evenson - Design
• George Marino - Mastering
• Gail Coen - Asst. Manager
• John Dworkow - Road Crew Chief
• Dan Chapman - Road Crew
• Steve Raccio - Road Crew
• Joe Horn - Bartender

Unknown-ness: Never heard of this band. Here is another design with a graph/grid pattern across the cover & back. The mannequin front and band in the same pose on the back says....something? That they could be anybody? The hair and aesthetic of the band photo screams pub rock, so i'm guessing it will be a variety of that.

Album Review: The band has ties to Aerosmith, growing up in the New England music scene. David Hull has been a long time fill in bassist on tour. Charlie Karp began his career along side of Hull, and has produced many commercial jingles for companies like Xerox and Twix, but passed away in 2019. The music here is power pop, with some pub and arena rock threads. Nice harmonies at times, and never aggressively heavy.

Stand Out Track: Call My Name

Links:
Discogs 
Pop Geek Heaven
David Hull Wiki
Charlie Karp Wiki
Charlie Karp bio
Rate Your Music
tripod fansite
2013 reunion article CT Post

Duke & the Drivers - Rollin' On

Name: Duke & the Drivers
Album: Rollin' On
Year:1976
Style: Southern Blues Rock, Blue-Eyed Soul
Similar Bands: Lynyrd Skynyrd, Allman Brothers, Brownsville Station, Foghat, J. Geils Band
"One-Word" Review: Soulful Party in a Bar Band.
Based Out Of: Boston Mass
Label: ABC Records

 Cover & Record

Record & Back

Rollin' On (1976)

1. I Need Your Love 3:45
2. I Ain't Particular 3:18
3. Love on My Hands 3:25
4. Check Yourself 2:52
5. That Kind of Love 2:33
6. Let Me Be your Handyman 4:08 /
7. I'll Take Care of You 3:58
8. People Sure Act Funny 2:41
9. Check Your Bucket 3:40
10. Rollin' On 8:45

Album Rating (1-10): 8.0

Members & Other Bands:

• Cadillac Jack (Henry Eaton) - Guitar, Vox (Thunderhand Joe & the Medicine Show)
• Rhinestone Mudflaps III (Ando Hixon) - Tenor Sax, Harp, Percussion, Vox
• Mad Mississippi Buffalo (Tom Swift) - Keys, Vox
• Bobby Blue Sky (Bobby Chouinard) - Drums, Vox (Orphan, Billy Squier, Alice Cooper)
• Koko Dee (John Smith) - Bass, Vox
• Sam Deluxe (Joe Lilly) - Guitar, Vox
• George Lilly - Engineer
• Steve Maslow - Engineer
• Earthquake (Greg) Morton - Engineer
• Butch Lynch - Engineer
• Deke Richards - Producer
• Peter Casperson - Personal Manager
• Mark Schremmer - Road Manager
• Dick Douglas - Road Crew
• Brad Berger - Road Crew
• Larry Weinles - Road Crew
• Tom Wilkes - Art Direction & Photography
• Joe Garnett - Illustrations
• Fred Valentine - Liner Portraits

Unknown-ness: Never heard of this band, but it looks like it will be a straight up country album. I like the jokey nature of the album title and the cover photo, where the band is really Rollin' On some poor dude under the truck.

Album Review: They have been around the Boston area since 73 or so, playing to huge supportive followers in the local bar scene. That turned to bigger shows and record deals, and they still play once in a while to this day (2020). They mix honky tonk with soulful blues in a fun, upbeat dancey way. All of their songs are full of a jovial energy that promises to be a great time live. Motown and J Geils band collide well on many of these tracks, and they have a sense of humor about themselves, with their gag stage names and word play of their cover art.

Stand Out Track: Check Yourself

Links:
Allmusic
Music Museum of NE
Facebook
Discogs
Website
Rate Your Music

Darts - Across America

Name: Darts
Album: Across America
Year: 1981
Style: Oldies, Doo-Wop
Similar Bands: That band that played your uncle's wedding, Pipettes, Martha & the Vandellas
"One-Word" Review: Grandpa's Youth Revisited
Based Out Of: Brighton England
Label: Magnet Records, Kat Family Records, CBS Records

Cover & Record

Back & Record

Across America (1981)

1. Think 2:36 (The Five Royals cover)
2. Reach Out, I'll Be There 3:24 (Four Tops cover)
3. Peaches 2:33 (Ikettes Cover)
4. Speedo 2:39 (Cadillacs cover)
5. Cover to Cover 2:47 / 
6. Sad & Lonely 3:17
7. Let's Hang On 3:13 (Manhattan Transfer cover)
8. False Alarm 1:42 (Re-Vels cover)
9. Hit & Run 2:26
10. Show Me / Do You Love Me 1:54 (Joe Tex & Contours Cover)

Album Rating (1-10): 6.5

Members & Other Bands:
Russell Shaw - Liner Notes
Tommy Boyce - Producer
Richard Hartley - Producer
Phil Chapman - Producer
Bob London - Mgmt
Doc Field - Kat Family PR
Mike McCarty - Art Direction
Simon Fowler - Photography
Kenny Andrews - Vox (Dave Kelly)
Nigel Trubridge/Horatio Hornblower (Rocky Sharpe, Razors)
Ian Collier/Griff Fender (Charly Bacher, Rocky Sharpe, Razors)
Rita Ray/Lydia Sowa (Mint Juleps, Rocky Sharpe, Razors)
Rob Davis (B-Real, Breakneck, Golden, Movement 98, Mud, Rob & Ray, Roly, Roy Peters & Friends, Stuntmasterz, Sweet Connection, Tak Tix, The Escort Agency, The Speech, Young Guns)
Henry Colclugh

Unknown-ness: Never heard of the Darts. Looking at the cover, it has the feel of a pub rock band...posing as well dressed travelers, and the art quality has an old-timey or hazy feel. The back offers a write up of doo-wop and a melting pot of many styles of music, so not sure what to think

Album Review: The majority of songs are 50's oldies and doo-wop covers. The band members and what they do is not listed anywhere (maybe i'm missing the sleeve). The back cover does not list the songs in the correct order,  It really feels like a wedding band, where each person  in the band is at ready with a different genre specialty, like a Swiss army knife of music. The write up speaks of their stage show being amazing energy and mostly sold out, which may or may not be artistic exaggeration. Their original Hit & Run combines the Sesame Street theme + Martha & the Vandellas Heatwave

Stand Out Track: Hit & Run

Links:
Discogs
Rob Davis WIki
Darts Wiki
Facebook page
Sound on Sound - Rob Davis inrterview
Louder than War
Darts official Charts
God is in the TV

Doug & the Slugs - Music For the Hard of Hearing

Name: Doug & the Slugs
Album: Music For the Hard of Hearing
Year: 1983
Style: Pub Rock, New Wave, Roots Rock
Similar Bands: Blasters
"One-Word" Review: Witty-Whimsical-Oddball Pub-Wave
Based Out Of: Vancouver, Canada
Label: Ritdong, RCA Victor

 Cover, Lyrics, Record

Back, Lyrics, Record

Music For the Hard of Hearing (1983)

1. If You Don't Come 4:00
2. Nobody But Me 3:16
3. Making It Work 3:27
4. Take It Or Leave It 3:10
5. St. Laurnet Summer 4:30 /
6. Who Knows how to Make Love Stay 4:00
7. Operator 3:00
8. Cover of Love 3:10
9. When the Doorbell Rings 3:20
10. She's Looking At Me 3:00

Album Rating (1-10): 7.5

Members & Other Bands:

• Richie Cordell - Producer
• Glen Kolotkin - Producer, Engineer
• Ron Cote - Engineer
• Doug Bennett - Vox, Album Design
• Simon Kendall - Keys, Basso Profundo (Marsys Playground
• John Burton - Elec Guitar
• Rich Baker - Elec & Acoustic Guitars
• Steve Bosley - Bass
• John Wally Watson - Drums
• Mr. Thick Productions - Producer
• Dee Lippingwell - Photography
• D.Baswick - Photography
• Wayne Jordan - Artistic Interpretation 
• Jeff Lesser - Pre-production, Arrangement ideas

Unknown-ness: I don't know this band at all, but based on the artwork & color scheme, it looks like really fun  new wave music...Even the band name & album title are quite silly. I have really high hopes for the music, based on the cover.

Album Review: So this comes across as light, silly new wave. Some songs sound like Americana Roots rock, particularly the vocals. They do an interesting, new-wavey cover of the Isley Brothers' "Nobody But Me." "Who Knows How To Make Love Stay" is a really fun bit of blue-eyed soul. Operator is a good driving Farfisa organ song, with a gruff Captain Beefheart supporting vocal. "She's Lookin At Me" is a fun piece of upbeat synth pop. D&TS were much bigger in Canada than here, with multiple to 40 hits. In their early days, they held massive themed parties wherever they could to draw up a following. To keep control of their music and releases, they made their own Ritdong label for production.  Band Namesake and vocalist Doug Bennett died in 2004 from liver cirrhosis.

Stand Out Track: Operator, Who Knows How To Make Love Stay

Links:
Wiki
Discogs
Rate Your Music
Music Ruined My Life
Canadian bands
Pique mag Obit

Death By Chocolate - Zap The World

Name: Death By Chocolate

Album: Zap the World

Year: 2002

Style: Retro Pop

Similar Bands: Pizzicato 5, Belle & Sebastian, Pipettes, Monkees, retro commercials

"One-Word" Review: Beatnik Psych Lounge, ya dig?

Based Out Of: London, England

Label: Jet Set

 Zap The World - Cover & Backs

Zap The World - Liner Notes & CD 

 Zap The World - Liner Notes

                                                              Zap The World - Liner Notes
Zap The World (2002)

1. Vox Wah Wah Pedal 1:06
2. Zap The World Chorus 0:17
3. Day Out 2:14
4. Bentley Corniche 0:15
5. Cut Out Girlscout 4:45
6. While I'm Still Young 2:19
7. Lime Green Fitted Blouse (w/ rounded collar & puce cuffs) 0:11
8. El Graphic 2:25
9. Bibi Gin 2:05
10. Bridget Riley 0:18
11. Artplay 5:17
12. AB&C Part 2 5:03
13. Cinammon Grahams 0:12
14. Zap the World 4:05
15. Swinging London 3:36
16. John Steed Swordstick 2:33

Album Rating (1-10): 7.0

Members & Other Bands:
Angie Tillett - Vox, 
Milky - Vox
Jerry Butler - Producer
John Austin - Producer
Matty Green - Producer
El Graphic - Design
John Zimmerman - Photography
Charles  Fox - Writer
Norman Gimbel - Writer
George Melly - Writer
John Addison - Writer
Mike Always - Executive Producer

Unknown-ness: I’ve never heard of this band, but just from the cover, I imagine it will be some sort of folksy, twee pop music album. I like the artwork’s bold rainbow of colors behind the never-impressed girl on the front reading a British book. This looks like a more bubble gum version of Belle & Sebastian covers, so I was excited to get this and see what it sounded like in a New Orleans thrift store.

Album Review: Apparently, this was a musical group formed by (some say the orchestrator of Twee music), Mike Always, who was a record label producer and produced a lot of music in the 80’s on Red Cherry and El Records. The album spotlights one former hotel chambermaid, and a network of producers and musicians to form this calculated product of sunny 60-70’s pop style covers and promotional bits. Only a few tracks of the tracks are full, fleshed out songs.

“Vox Wah Wah Pedal” is a cover of a commercial for Vox brand guitar pedals that the Electric Prunesdid in 1967.It features delicate British female vocals over the guitar playing for the minute long advertisement.

“Zap The World Chorus” is just a short :17 second taste of the harmonized vocal only section for the upcoming song.

“Day Out” is another delicate female song that takes the listener back to psych/lounge days of early 60’s beatnik music. The organ and vocals remind me of Pizzicato 5. This stylized piece is true to the minimal recording, jazzy drumming, and repetitive loungey guitars.

“Bentley Corniche” is a scripted ad for the car explained by the title. No music, but it is tongue in cheek, as it mentioning that it plays music recorded before 1971.

“Cutoutgirlscout” is a cover from Peter Cook & Dudley Moore’s comedy Bedazzled. It is retro 60’s guitar and keyboard music behind a few spoken word sections. Mostly instrumental, the song’s pace is pushed on by the side to side swaying rhythm guitar hooks and twinkling keyboard repetition. The cycle of music punctuated by the same vocal lines repeats through with little alterations of tempo changes.

“While I'm Still Young” is a cover from the soundtrack to the 60’s film “Smashing Time.” It begins with male Ba-Ba-Ba’s and punctuating guitar strums. The melody is more poppy than loungey. But the bass line keeps the song’s feet on the ground.

“Lime Green Fitted Blouse (w/ rounded collar & puce cuffs)” is a simple diary entry about the singer’s favorite shirt

“El Graphic” is an island loungey 60’s song with flute fludders that border on Cecilio & Kapono and Jimmy Buffett, and lots of harmonized male Ba-Ba-Ba’s. The wavering, echoing keyboard reminds me of BS 2000, but in a shiny and authentic 60’s way.

“Bibi Gin” is a psychedelic 60’s keys, guitar and snare drum musical section behind a shopping list of items spoken. After the first set of items is listed, an echoing lead guitar solos to end the track

“Bridget Riley” is the singers favorite artist, and she gives a little history lesson on her work.

“Artplay” is an airy and jazzy instrumental with vibes, echoing keys, and jazz drums and guitar. Very hip, dig? Just as it is about to end, the singer asks a questions, and it continues to wind down for an extra 20 seconds or so.

“AB&C Part 2” is a great, psych keyboard heavy reprise from AB&C from their first album. It is a different listing of things that start with the letters A – Z. There is a brief musical interlude between J and & and then R and S. It goes through A – J again at the end on repeat.

“Cinammon Grahams” is a journal entry, vocals only, on the singer’s favorite breakfast cereal.

“Zap the World” is a cover of the villain Witchie Poo’s theme song from the show H.R. Puffnstuff. It starts off with the Zap the World chorus, as heard on track 2, as harmonized male and female harmonies. This time it goes into the full song with hazy psych guitars and keys that sound like they were recorded in a warehouse via one microphone set away from the band. It is fun and bouncy, and works as an instrumental, but would benefit from vocals too. After 2:20, the spoken word lyrics are overlaid as ingredients for the villain to make a potion. This is followed up by the chorus. This cycle repeats with different recipes 3 times.
“Swinging London” is a motivating, driving 60’s child-like show tune. It begs for a dance routine, most likely with striped wardrobes and a parasol, as it begs for its listener to join the singer with a romp around London. The song ends, but a toned down instrumental version carries on for another verse-chorus combo to finish out the song.

“John Steed Swordstick” starts off with more male Ba Ba-Ba-Ba Ba’s. And some wah-wah guitar work with a real Monkee’s feel.  

Stand Out Track: While I'm Still Young

Links:

Pop Matters

Allmusic

Discogs

Pussy Rock

Siesta

Catching Butterflies

El Graphic

Ink 19

Mike Always interview 1998

Drunk - To Corner Wounds

Name: Drunk

Album: To Corner Wounds

Year: 1998

Style: Minimal Indie Folk

Similar Band: Smog, Sparklehorse, Leonard Cohen, Nick Cave, World/Inferno & Ween Slow stuff.

"One-Word" Review: Rustic-Frozen-Somber-Folk

Based Out Of: Richmond, VA

Label: Jagjaguwar

 To Corner Wounds - Cover, Liner Notes, Record, JagJagwuar Insert

 To Corner Wounds - Back, Liner Notes, Record, JagJagwuar Insert

Lyrics (by request) to Andrei Rublev

Full Lyrics: Now with a better phone camera!

To Corner Wounds (1998)

1. Carved Slope 2:35
2. Council's Lawn 4:29
3. Andrei Rublev 5:19
4. The Peeled Birch 2:17
5. Epoxy 2:56
6. As We Go Down Together 1:48/
7. The Bark of My Body 3:03
8. Spit 3:27
9. Rake 5:55
10. Bonitov 3:27
11. Montana Delight 1:26
12. Cold Eel 1917 2:51

Album Rating (1-10): 5.0

Members & Other Bands:

Rick Alverson - Vox, Guitar (Manishevitz, Spokane)

Via Nuon - Guitars, Bass, Slide, Banjo, Vox (Manishevitz, Bevel, Spokane)

J.T. Yost - Accordion, Piano, Harmonica, Magnus Organ

Russel Cook - Drums
Clancy Fraher - Producer, Engineer, Mixing, Cicadas, Bass, Vox, Tape DJ, Slide
Brent Lambert - Mastering
Cal Gardner - Clarinet
Steve Pletch - Drums
Joe Nio - Violin
Mr. Blasco - Flute
Bill Russel - Wurlitzer Organ
Kendra Feather - Vox
Patrick Kavanagh - Pennywhistle

Unknown-ness: I've never heard of this band. Picked up the record in a dollar band in a hipsterry record store. From the look of the record, I imagine it to be some sort of acquired taste, snotty chamber pop. But then again, they have a counter stuck-up name, Drunk. So I still think it will be ambiently modest in production, but might not be as pretentious as I’d imagine from the front & back old-timey artwork.

Album Review: “Carved Slope” starts with a lullaby of guitar and bass, with a cicada chirp in the background that fades in and out, giving the sense of nighttime out in a woodsy summer night. It feels like a somewhat progressive Ween song…like it might break into “right to the ways and the rules of the world”

“Council's Lawn” starts with a deepish, nasally vocal that sounds to be on live support. The slightly medieval musical accompaniment is dark, slow and steady with some woodwinds bringing a sad refrain. The instrumental end of the song is like an eastern European, Russian or Yiddish dance number.

“Andrei Rublev” also begins with sad, somber and quiet guitars. The same wavering vocals then begin in short phrased segments. I do get a similarity to a broken down, minimal slow World Inferno Friendship Society song. The strings come to the front of the song with an Irish style melody for a short segment. The song remains interesting the whole time, despite its lack of energy. It features many musical changes and melodies that keep it fresh.

“The Peeled Birch” with its plucked strings, and addition of organ bring the somber and rustic melody to life. It has a very rural country feel to it, as if it were the background music for a carriage ride from farm to farm on a bleak, cold, overcast day.

“Epoxy” continues the same sentiment, as if the album is one long, wintery, bleak track. The plucked string are like pin-pricks of cold. The flute paints a picture of a single human huddled for warmth playing in isolation.

“As We Go Down Together” begins with a single organ note and is already more upbeat than the rest of the album. The keyboard plays a looping melody that has some Welsh characteristics and is uplifting, even with the static found sound vocal track underneath, like samples of audio while flipping through tv stations. Thus, without vocals, it is basically an instrumental track.

“The Bark of My Body” begins side two with the slow, plodding tempo of near frozen joints trying to move but stumbling. The static vocals are layered underneath, and the Harmonica carries the supporting melody.

“Spit” contains the same fragile vocals we’ve had the whole time, but this time, they are “harmonized” by a second vocal. The side to side swaying is not as bleak as the rest of the album, but still does not posess any energy. This is an album to fall asleep to.

“Rake” has an eerie, wispy start, and blossums into a slowly building melody. This song really reminds me of something Ween would do, like the Argus mixed with Cold Blows the Wind. Half way through the song, the recorder/flute is brought in to accompany the melody, giving the song an Irish and Asian feel simotaniously. The melody is then replaced by a harmonica, and the rustic, mid west feeling is back. It is a melody that could repeat forever, but at one point it just ends and is bookended with the same eerie effects from the beginning.

“Bonitov” does noting to change the album’s mood, except its melody is carried along with a plucked banjo. The song has a bounce to it that is barely detectable, but I could hear this being the background to a slow & tedious Man Man song.

“Montana Delight” is a somewhat upbeat country and western song. It is a true campfire, jugband western song, rather than an awful radio developed twang monstrosity. But the song still carries an dark underbelly, mainly thanks to the fragile vocals.

“Cold Eel 1917” ends the album with the general album vibe of minimal slow, somber countryside funeral music. Like an old tyme funeral, the music does become more jovial, to celebrate life rather than just morn the loss of it. This song captures both excited and sad tones as the album comes to a close, making it representative for the entire album.

Stand Out Track: Montana Delight 

Links:
Jagjaguwar

I Hate the 90's

Discogs

sctas

Rhapsody

Jesse Poe
Allmusic

Durutti Column - Valuable Passage

Name: Durutti Column
Album: Valuable Passage
Year: 1986
Style: Ambient, Post-Punk
Similar Bands: Cocteu Twins, New Order, Joy Division, Soundtracks, Jesus & Mary Chain
"One-Word"Review: Lofty Dreamscape
Based Out Of: Manchester England
Label: Relativity Records, Factory UK, Important Record Distributors

Valuable Passage - Cover, Sleeves, Record

Valuable Passage - Back, Sleeves, Record

Valuable Passage (1986)
11. Prayer 3:21

12. Spent Time 4:09

13. Without Mercy (4-7) 6:44

14. Without Mercy (10-12) 7:04/

15. The Room 5:58

16. Blind Elevator Girl 10:04

17. Tomorrow 4:02

18. LFO Mod 6:21

Album Rating (1-10): 4.5

Members & Other Bands:

Manunagh Fleming - Cor Anglais, Oboe

Chris Nagle - Producer

Vini Reilly - Bass, Piano, Drum Programming, Guitar, Vocals, Producer (Ed Banger & the Nosebleeds, Morrissey, Pauline Murray & the Invisible Girls)

Caroline Lavelle - Cello

Bruce Mitchell - Percussion, Congas, Xylophone, Drum Programming (Alberto Y Lost Trios Paranoias)

Anthony H Wilson - Producer

Michael Johnson - Producer

Mervyn Fletcher - Sax

Richard Henry - Trombone (London Scratch Orchestra, Stan Sulzmann Big Band)

Tim Kellett - Trumpet (Olive, Simply Red)

Blaine Reininger - Violin, Viola (Falling Infinities, Tuxedomoon)

John Metcalfe - Viola (Duke Quartet, Kreisler String Orchestra, London Scratch Orchestra, Millennia Ensemble)

Phil "Snake Davies" - Sax

8vo- Design

Peter Saville - Design

Kevin Cummins - Photographer

Stuart Pickering - Producer

Unknown-ness: I’ve never heard of this band. And let me start with saying that I bought this album with only record 2 inside. The sleeve for the first record is there, but the record was not. So I can only review the second half of this double album. The design looks cold, desolate and synthesized. It reminds me of OMD’s early design: square, black and white.

Album Review: “Prayer” is actually the start to side 3, not the album beginning, but seeing as this is a compilation; the album is not created for cohesive play. But this starts out solemn and dark, and it reminds me of “Warning Sign” by Hail Social. It is frosty, magical, and dreamy. It is slow and meandering, with no specific direction. It feels like it could have been useful in 80’s soap operas, in some sort of sad, reminiscing montage. It ends in an uplifting synth keyboard clarity, as if the dreamer was about to wake up
“Spent Time” has New Order-ish bass line, but the icy synth in the background really dates the production style. There are hushed, whispery monotone vocals barely sung and mixed in the background, a bit like Joy Division. The song is very repetitive, so it feels like a long song.
“Without Mercy (4-7)” begins with a repetitive, two liquidy, echoing guitar hooks overlapping and some strings in the background. It sounds like slowed down Mega Man level music. A trumpet is added later on, further accenting the trickling, liquid feeling the song creates: like ice melting and the water running below the still solid surface. It feels like it could go on forever, but it eventually just fades out.
“Without Mercy (10-12)” starts with a trumpet salute to royalty walking into a thrown room. This too is in somewhat slow motion, but it feels like, to me, that it is telling the story of two young royals courting and dancing together after an evenings’ feast.

“The Room” has electric beam effects echo across the soundscape. And what sounds like a Theremin is played in the background, quite repetitively. More quiet, reserved vocals are added sparingly to the background, creating a delicate and futuristic lullaby. I’m recalling imagery from the Ice Palace in The Never Ending Story.
“Blind Elevator Girl” is a long instrumental song, beginning with another welcoming royalty hook on repeat. It begins to sound like a real pop or prog composition with steady drums, and horns, but once the drums disappear, they take the rock song template with them, and the song reverts back to a meandering thought that could coalesce at any time. This song is actually a little jazz-funky with its combination of bass, guitar and horn.
“Tomorrow” feels like a Ween guitar ballad at the beginning. It is folky, and acoustic sounding, while still in the presence of echo. Unwavering vocals lightly sing over the guitar and plucked string accompaniment. The somber voice is comfortable with dying, by admitting “tomorrow never comes.” And once the horn is added, the music takes on a sad Belle & Sebastian quality.
“LFO Mod” is a little more organic in its piano and shuffling synth background. It changes synth settings about a minute and half in to be more bubbly and liquid, and is accompanied by an acoustic guitar crying out a fluttering Santana melody. Later, a stereotypic sexy sax is layered over the warbling, watery keyboard. It is as if the background template is set, and guest instruments take their turns jamming out overtop, creating a different vibe with each transition. And it ends in a fade out.

Stand Out Track: Tomorrow

Links:

Wiki

website

allmusic

lastfm

discogs

Durocs - s/t

Name: Durocs
Album: s/t
Year: 1979
Style: Power Pop
Similar Bands: ELO, Supertramp, Bee-Gees, Robert Palmer
"One-Word" Review: Studio-Pop
Based Out Of: San Francisco, Ca
Label: EMI, Capitol Records

Durocs - Cover, Liner Notes & Record

Durocs - Back, Liner Notes & Record

Durocs - s/t (1979)

1. Hog Wild 3.21
2. Lie to Me 3.14
3. Don’t Let the Dream Die 4.39
4. We Go Good Together 4.08
5. No Fool No Fun 3.02/
6. It Hurts to be in Love 3.02
7. Seeker 3.51
8. True Love 3.19
9. One Day at a Time 3.44
10. Saving it All Up for Larry 4.35

Album Rating (1-10): 5.5

Members & Other Bands:

Scott Matthews - Bass, Drums, Guitar, Keyboards, Saxophone, Vocals, Producer, Arranger, Album Design & Concept, Inner Photos (Sammy Hagar, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Barbara Streisand, Glen Campbell, The Tubes, John Hiatt, the Profits)
Ron Nagle - Keys, Vox, Producer, Arranger, Album Design & Concept (The Mystery Trend, The Excorcist, Streisand, The Tubes, John Hiatt, The Profits)
Elliot Mazer - Producer
Larry "Lord" Blackshere - Vibes, Vocals (Background) (Sandals, Stoneground)

Phil Aaberg - Piano, Synth, Clavinet
John Blakeley - Bass, Guitar, Percussion
Steve Douglas - Saxophone (Phil Spector, Beach Boys, Ry Cooder)
Mike Fusaro - Engineer
Maurice Cridlin - Accordion, Bass, Percussion
Chris Michie - Guitar
Larry Reid - Vocals (King Richard & the Knights)
Eric Stein - Synthesizer

Chris Minto - Patches, Punches & Fades
Wally Traugott - Mastering
Michael Murphy - Cover & logo Design
Deacon Chapin - Liner Photo
Thatcher Nagle - Inner Photos
Cindy Ehrlich - Inner Photos
Ernie Fosselious - Inner Drawings
Greg Vander Leun - Inner Drawings
Paul Power - Inner Drawings
Kip Krones - Handler
Bob Brown - Handler
Greg Fischback - Legal
Linda Komorsky - Pork Administrator
Bruce Ravid - Rave Up
Roberta Van Deer - Angel Loop

Unknown-ness: I’ve never heard of this band. But from the pig’s ass on the front, I’m guessing that either they don’t take the music seriously, or they’re just going for a hog-concept album (which is what I’m kinda betting with the pink color scheme and the first track called Hog Wild) which is comedic in its own right. I imagine this will be fun music, and I like the little bit of style that you get from the picture of the two members on the back, around a diner table jukebox. I got this for a pound in a record shop in Camden Town, while on vacation in England.

Album Review: “Hog Wild” is a typical pub rock song, with a catchy power pop chorus. The instrumental bridge even includes a sax, as if the genre insisted on having one. The chorus takes over with the end of the song, repeating over and over, as if it were a song that could go on forever. It is a very catchy chorus, short and punchy.
“Lie to Me” has a smooth ELO style power pop sound. It has a continuously building melody, where the song constantly feels like it is going to evolve into a new music section, but always skips back to the beginning before it releases.
“Don’t Let the Dream Die” begins like a smooth power pop ballad with Air Supply like harmonies and a dreamy yet distant puffy cloud production. It kinda feels like it’s going to break into “Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me.”
“We Go Good Together” starts out like a soft Billy Joel jangely piano pop song with a little bounce. But the chorus has a smooth Bee-Gees or Beach Boys harmonized quality to the vocal minus the high pitches. This has a nice Beatleish building melody in the verse. Overall, it is just a generally pleasant song with no outspoken qualities.
“No Fool No Fun” has an overproduced smooth vocal quality that glides along with the melody, and feels stuck in the 70’s. It relies on its choral hook, and repeated it to hypnotism in the end of the song, where it becomes buried under a chaotic mass of shouting voices in some sort of brawl as the song ends.

“It Hurts to be in Love” starts with a melody that sounds like it is a cover of “My Boyfriend’s Back” the rhythm is that of a marching ELO pop song. This is the definition of a Power Pop song. The chorus just drips with guitar power to which the genre is indebted to.
“Seeker” feels like a southern rock song at it begins. Like it is trying to be Bob Seger or something similar. It has a very simple, repetitive verse, and an equally repetitive chorus. The stand out element, aside from the somewhat raspy, shouty vocals, is the sneaky bass line. Sax is added at the instrumental bridge, making it feel like pub rock again.
“True Love” is a glittery “downtown” style song with a sexy sax accompaniment and overproduced smooth vocals. It is a one dimensional song, good, but somewhat forgettable.
“One Day at a Time” is slow and meandering, sung over an 80’s synth keyboard effect. A bit like Air Supply minus the campy pop hooks. And it has a cheesy, uninterested fade out ending.“Saving it All Up for Larry” Brings back the rock with a pub rocking song with a very catchy falsetto vocal for the chorus. It feels very Supertrampish combined with Foreigner style music. It tries to rock out, but even the electric guitar sounds like it could be coming out of a synthesizer, kind of like the sound of Dire Straits guitars in “Money For Nothing”

Stand Out Track: It Hurts to Be In Love

Links:

Scott Matthews Wiki
Scott's Website
Nagle Wiki
Bad Cat Records
Rate Your Music
Vinyl Rip
Ill Folks
Allmusic

Dirty Children - Shut Off The World

Name: Dirty Children
Album: Shut Off the World
Year: 2004
Style: Hard/Adult Alternative
Similar Bands: Yeah Yeah Yeahs, L7, Tracy Bonham, Pat Benatar
"One-Word" Review: Ecclect-Eccentr-90's-TV-show-sountrack
Based Out Of: Los Angeles
Label: Noizy Ninja Productions

Shut Off the World - Cover & CD

Shut Off the World - Liner Notes & Back

Shut Off the World (2004)

1. Ididit 3:31
2. Insecurity 4:34
3. Glamorous Life 3:12
4. Gravity 4:17
5. Beautiful Freak 4:25
6. Scientist 4:02
7. Can't Get Clean 3:10
8. Keep Running 3:35
9. Money 3:26
10. God Got in the Way 3:43
11. Before it Gets Loud 5:17
12. Shut Off the World 3:34

Album Review (1-10): 7.0

Members & Other Bands:

Jay Gondiotti - Producer, Guitar, Bass, Mixing, Recording

Nadia Fay - Producer, Vox, Lyrics, Keys, CD Cover

Kenny Aronoff - Drums

Todd Wolf - Drums

Al Schmitt - Recording

Bill Smith - Recording

Andy Brohard - Recording

Eddy Schreyer - Mastering

Randy Wood - Photos
Kit Loose - CD Cover

Unknown-ness: I’ve never heard of these guys. From a quick glance at the fuzzy cover and grimy band name and glass half empty album title, I get the impression that this is a slacker grunge band similar to Alice In Chains. I expect lots of fuzzed out, distorted guitars, and an annoying vocal sound. The way the song titles are hand written out in different fonts is somewhat stupid too.

Album Review: “Ididit” begins with high pitch metal guitars, and a kind of Siouxie Sioux meets Karen O (of Yeah Yeah Yeahs) voice, just because it is a little sultry and it jitters up and down the scale. The entire song is driving, and to its credit, the repetitive chorus is a bit catchy
“Insecurity” is slower, but has something that closely resembles evil carnival melody, just played with the metal guitars. The chorus, however, is bland and heavier with fuzz, which I think detracts from the verse’s set up. The Karen O vocals are lost here, and replaced by a neurotic & eccentric Pat Benetar.
“Glamorous Life” starts of fun and bold with heavier and deeper guitars. From the get go it has a catchy melody that is easy and fun to follow. Of course, that is because it is a Prince cover. The vocals steadier until they reach the chorus. And then they try any and all possibilities of minute melody alteration. The vocals even attempt scream-o style briefly.
“Gravity” is a chugging guitar-ballad song that feels like it borrows the melody of the Police’s “Don’t Stand So Close To Me.” This song could be right out of the music venues from shows like My So Called Life, or early Buffy.
“Beautiful Freak” dives right back into the electric metal guitar, heavy alternative style. The vocals are monotone and spoken more than sung for the verse. The bridge brings a melody to the vocals, and then the chorus is eccentric again, and all over the place, but within the confines of the song and it does make sense in its unusualness. There is a little Sleater Kinney in the vocals, if they were much heavier and metal influenced.
“Scientist” feels a little like bluesy rock initially that gets converted into angular math rock quite quickly. The guitar line sounds like either “Beds Are Burning” or “Hash Pipe,” since Weezer stole the same bass line. I kind of like her section of the vocals that borrows from Mike Patton’s vocal stylings when she says “You know it doesn’t take a”

“Can't Get Clean” it sounds a little like Tracy Bonham, just louder and more chaotic. This is has a stomping dark metal riff to it, and plenty of controlled yelling vocals.
“Keep Running” is an ethereal song, with tinkling piano and other worldly humming. Then guitars are added softly at first, and crashing the new age scene with driving tempo and rushed Pat Benetar style vocals again.
“Money” has a typical pop-punk tempo, and the vocals are interesting again, in a Mike Patton sort of way. But the lyrics are just silly: “I love money and that’s enough” and “Its my money, do not touch.” The song ends in an orgasmic like vocal release. Ugh.
“God Got in the Way” is a 90’s TV show montage that just never happened. The lyrics are very visual, describing a very specific storyline. There is a rap-metal vocal section in the middle with applied megaphone distortion. The end of the song has a metronome stomping pace ushered on by the single guitar chord strumming.
“Before It Gets Loud” is a bold anthemic sounding song where the vocalist has some score to settle. It is not fast or angry, just fearless. It quietly ends with watery guitars and echoing simplicity
“Shut Off the World” is musically, on the other hand, angry and stomp-worthy. The vocals are jittery and unsure. It dips down in octaves and raises up to screaming as chaotically as the song will allow. It builds and builds in the final bridge only to let off right back into the same chorus we’re familiar with.

Stand Out Track: Glamorous Life

Links:

Website

Myspace

Music for Film/TV

CD Universe

Allmusic

Songwriter's Bios

Jay on IMDB

Nadia Fay's website

Nadia Myspace

Flava Puff - Nadia

(the) D4 - 6Twenty

Name: (the) D4
Album: 6Twenty
Year: 2003
Style: Garage Rock
Similar Bands: Datsuns, Hives, MC5, Mooney Suzuki,
"One-Word" Review: coked-up-gritty-classic-rock
Based Out Of: Aukland New Zealand
Label: Hollywood Records, Flying Nun Records

6Twenty - Cover, Back, CD, Tray
6Twenty - Inside, Back Cover

6Twenty (2003)

1. Rock N' Roll Motherfucker 2:00
2. Get Loose 1:56
3. Party 2:39
4. Come On! 2:23
5. Invader Ace 2:46
6. Exit to the City 3:40
7. Heartbreaker 4:28
8. Running On Empty 3:12
9. Ladies Man 3:47
10. Pirate Love 3:39
11. Little Baby 3:08
12. Rebekah 3:37
13. Mysterex 3:56
14. Outta Blues 2:28

Album Rating (1-10): 8.0

Members & Other Bands:

Bob Frisbee - Producer, Engineer, Mixing,

Andrew Buckton - Engineer

Malcom Welsford - Recording

Rich Mixture - Produced, Drums (The Rock n Roll Machine)

Cameron Rowe - Keyboard

Glenn Elliot - Photos

Eri Tanabe - Photos

Dion Palmer - Vox (True Lovers, A Place To Bury Strangers)

Jimmy Christmas - Guitar (Lugar Boa)

Vaughan Williams - Bass (Shocking Pinks)

Daniel Pooley - Drums

Unknownness: I never heard of these guys. This was a CD as part of the package from the same friend. Although I’m not a fan of the band name, and less a fan of using the same number+ written out number style for the album title, the cover looks like it has a lo-fi energy that is purposely applies. The guitar-as-a-gun imagery shows that they are a power guitar band. The song titles look like they are going to be high intensity. The only question is it going to be frat boy party rock or energetic, good time youths.

Album Review: “Rock N' Roll Motherfucker” is all that garage band rock is. It possesses loud, manic guitars riffing the same three (or so chords) and fuzzy lo-fi vocals “singing” at a nervous, neurotic pace. It is the perfect attach of self advertising its love for rock and roll while being rock and roll.
“Get Loose” has the same formula, except it has a repetitive chorus that pops. It feels more structured than the opening track, better suited for radio
“Party” begins with all drums: a rolling onslaught of rumbling percussion. The chorus is made up of the title, just chanted over a few times to the rhythm. It feels like a mutated, steroid infused Beatles song, where instead of innocent love, the topic is, well, a coked-up party. By the end of the song, the repetitious chorus becomes grating.
“Come On!” starts with steady drum hits, and evolves into a moderately fast pace song that is more Rolling Stones than Beatles. It has a very brit-pop guitar lick underneath the gritty façade.
“Invader Ace” has a Led Zeppelin hook in the beginning that is mixed with a song structure that is a lot like Motorhead’s “Stroker Ace.”
“Exit to the City” is a little more stripped down and structured party rocker. It’s not as manic as the rest of the record so far, but it is long way from a ballad, and still maintains the all night booze and broads party vibe.
“Heartbreaker” is a sleazy, well sung story lined transitional song. The guitars chug along as the song builds slowly. There is anger in the music, and the lyrics reflect a bad breakup. From the title too, this song paints the picture of a scorn, potentially vindictive author.

“Running On Empty” is a fun song, structured again like a 60’s British garage rock band, complete with the obvious car metaphor. The lead guitar is fun and very catchy, while the rest of the song just drives on.
“Ladies Man” sounds like its going to go right into “Flagpoll Sitta.” Then it gets into a slinky rhythm that is paralleled by guitar, drums, bass and keyboard. There is a Firewater song that sounds like this song too. It is a variation of the Sesame Street Theme and Green Day’s “Hitching a Ride.”
“Pirate Love” is all percussion at the get-go, then a positive sounding fuzzed out electric guitar follows up and the Brit Glam Pop sound takes hold. The song speeds up for the last minute as the instrumental break takes off. The song switches gears and finishes out the song with chanting the song title on repeat.
“Little Baby” has a rollercoaster melody: three chords up scale and then three more down scale through out the entire song. The instruments shift down in prominence for a section that features spoken/sung vocals that reminds me of the Realistics.
“Rebekah” continues with the same three chord melody structure as the last song, and it only feels like a variation of the last song. Like they couldn’t decide which way to use the melody, so they used it twice. This is the love song, done garage band style with volume and positive electric vibes.
“Mysterex” is a little more punk with its one------one-two drum beat and down-scale scrolling guitar. It feels like the Buzzcocks meet the Ramones. It is a very fun melody to follow, and is even punctuated with a Ramones “Oh Yeah.” It is just a little long for a true punk song. It has all the sections and musical nuances, it just uses them too many times. But the important thing is that it never ruins the style by throwing an unneeded section in the structure that would throw off the pace or change the mood.
“Outta Blues” is a quick rock song with simple structure and brings us back to the true sound of the band: Fast pace, simple chord changes, fuzzy production, and sung/chanted lyrics.

Stand Out Track: Mysterex

Links:

Wiki

Myspace

Grunnen Rocks

Last FM

New Zealand Music Net

BBC Music

Allmusic

Delorean - Subiza

Name: Delorean
Album: Subiza
Year: 2010
Style: Dance Pop
Similar Artists: Cut Copy, New Order, Hot Chip, Animal Collective, Junior Senior, Jesus Jones remixes, EMF remixes
"One-Word" Review: upbeat-etheral-dance-euro-pop
Based Out Of: Barcelona, Spain
Label: True Panther Sounds

Subiza - Cover (not included in my version)
Subiza - CD & Back

Subiza (2010)

1. Stay Close 4:32
2. Real Love 6:06
3. Endless Sunset 4:27
4. Grow 4:40
5. Simple Graces 4:18
6. Infinite Desert 4:52
7. Come Wander 4:20
8. Warmer Places 4:48
9. It's All Ours 4:33

Album Rating (1-10): 6.5

Members & Other Bands:

Nacho Alegre - Band Photo

Callan Clendenin - Design

Hans Kruger - Engineer

Tim Saputo - Design

Ekhi Lopetegi - Vox, Bass

Guillermo Astrain - Guitar

Unai Lazcano - Keys

Igor Escudeo - Drums

Unknown-ness: I’ve heard the name before, just from checking the local show listings, but I do not have any idea what they might be like. I’d imagine there are some geeky, indie band, inspired by the Delorean car from Back To The Future. This is a promotional copy that I got free at work, so I don’t have any artwork to go on. But the bio on the back says they are a Spanish band with rock & electronic influences. The more I read, the more it seems like this will be hipster party music.

Album Review: “Stay Close” immediately starts off with a tambourine dance beat and echoing, drippy keys and echoing vocal sounds. A techno beat fades up, but the effects blending together sound more chaotic than rhythmic. Then the main vocals begin, and they sound bold and confident like a brit-pop anthem. The quick fading in and out of the echoing vocal effects makes you feel like you are being attached by swooping birds. There is simply too much here overlapping.
“Real Love” enters with the music played backwards and a euro-dance track laid underneath. The Ahhh-Ahhh synthesized vocals are at the forefront, carrying the melody through the zips and pops. More ethereal lead vocals are used here as the song picks up and bounces with the bass and drum tracks. And frantic and chaotic as the music is, the overall mood is relaxed, patient, inviting and non-threatening. This sounds like an over-produced Pet Shop Boys track. There is a break in the music that resets the action, and giving a break to the driving beat, and features what sounds like seagulls quietly taking off. The melody comes back in reprise at the end, repeating until the song fades out instrument by instrument.
“Endless Sunset” starts out simple and ethereal, but driving beats, even a muffled industrial drum beat, push the happy song onward. Here the happy but monotone vocals remind me a little of New Order. But the song seems to sit there half-cocked, ready to take over as a dance song, but the song never fully kicks in. It ends feeling like the song was off in the distance the whole time.
“Grow” begins with the feeling of a remixed Lightning Seeds song. The production still features lots of echo, but has much more minimal and comprehendible production. It is more of a catchy pop song than the rest so far, but still relies on echoing distorted background vocals and ethereal uplifting dance music. After the vocals end with a minute to go, the dance music takes over and turns into a suds-fest dance party. The vocals come back and boldly follow the new dance rhythm.
“Simple Graces” starts with a little Motown loop, which is quickly abandoned for dance pop with odd accompanying sound effects. The melody is simple, almost to the point where it gets annoying, and is built upon as the song moves forward.
“Infinite Desert” the pounding, repetitive piano lays the framework for this dance-pop song. The vocal melody is annoying in its whiney, drawn out trajectory. And the repetitive, bouncy techno/disco nature of the music is lost on the vocal delivery; they seem contradictory for most of the song.
“Come Wander” possesses a liquid feeling with the synth mood setting loop in the background. The liquid feeling remains, but the echoing vocals take the song on a trippy, drug inducing direction, while the dance piano hook sobers up the song.
“Warmer Places” features a horn in the beginning which sounds like some sort of large electronic bird’s mating call. The chorus is built on echoing call and response vocals overtop a typical dance floor drum machine loop. The background effects also make you feel like you are walking around a casino with random slot machines beeping, bipping and beckoning to you with their looped winning noises.
“It's All Ours” has a muffled hammering beginning that evolves into a tribal conga rhythm. Twinkling bells are added as well as synthesizer single notes. The vocals actually sound a lot like Of Montreal here. Soaring synthesized strings in the background give it a classic quality. The song relaxes around 2:45 only to be rejoined by the tribal drums.

Stand Out Track: Grow

Links:

Myspace

Last FM

Wikipedia
allmusic
Pitchfork

Prefix Mag

Dusted

A.V. Club