Volumen - ~Cries From Space *Erika EP

Name: Volumen
Album: ~Cries From Space
* Erkia EP
Year: ~2002, *2001
Style: Electronic Pop Punk
Similar Bands: Robbers on High Street, Dismemberment Plan, Captain Beefheart, Pixies, Tub Ring, Walkmen, Jonathan Fire Eater
"One-Word" Review: Synthy Space Pop Rock
Based Out Of: Missoula, MT
Label: Wantage

 Cover, Record, EP

Back, Record, EP

~Cries From Space (2002)

1. Daddy's Other Finger 6:31
2. Sexy Astronaut 3:49
3. Type O Girl 4:38 /
4. Long Haul 3:50
5. Metallia 2:16
6. Nymph...Blood...Wine 2:36
7. Snakes 3:23

*Erika EP (2001)

1. Erika 2:10
2. Face 2:20
3. Something for the Monkey 3:04
4. Foreskins Over Fargo 1:37

Album Rating (1-10): 8.5

Members & Other Bands:

• Volumen 1 Shane Hickey - Vox, Guitar, Megaphone (Professor 3d6)
• Volumen 2 Doug Smith - Vox, Guitar (Two Year Touge)
• Volumen Beta Bob Marshall - Drums, Cowbell (Bacon & Egg, Spanker, Prosciutto, Saved for this Dark Dawm, Bobokraft 2000)
• Volumen Bkawck! Chris Bacon - Synth, Vibes, Tambourine, Wurlitzer, Piano, Vox (Bacon & Egg)
• Volumen Squared Bryan Hickey- Bass (Bacon & Egg)
• Tim Green - Recording
• Greg Twigg - Cover Layout
• Josh Vanak - Themes & Designs
• Colin Hickey - Photos
• Daniel Webb - Flash & Enhanced CD work
• John Golden - Mastering

Unknown-ness: Never heard of Volumen. But based on their cover artwork and packaging, it looks like they are something like Man or Astroman meets the Faint...that is to say, Emo Math Rock

Album Review: Volumen are made of a complex concoction of musical sources...sometimes it is piano based pop, or loungy melodic music, or space prog, to Prince-like Devo, to power pop metal. Throw in the oddness of Captain Beefheart at times, and you are still nowhere closer to deciphering what they sound like. The EP that was tucked into the full album is much more straight forward synthy, dancy power pop-punk.

Stand Out Track: Long Haul

Links:
Discogs
Missoulian
Rate Your Music
Wantage
website
Facebook
Myspace

(la) Belle Aurore - Revolve

Name: La Belle Aurore

Album: Revolve

Year: 2002

Style: Lo-Fi Art Rock

Similar Bands: Hail Social, Doors, Moog Cookbook, Ween, Ghostwriters

One Word Review: Wobbly Minimal Psych-Sci-Fi

Based Out Of: Washington DC

Label: Matthew Lawrence Ritenburg 

 Revolve - Cover, Liner Image, CD

Revolve - Back, Liner Notes

Revolve (2002)

1. Carbonite 1:03
2. Juice Party Fun 3:02
3. Skybird 3:07
4. Serotonin Guests 1:33
5. Time Can Ghost 3:56
6. Time, Electricity, Sincerity 0:47
7. Remember That Letter 4:37
8. Thursday Years 4:04

Album Rating (1-10): 6.0

Members & Other Bands: (nothing in/on CD)

Matthew Ritenburg - Synth, Programming, Vox, ARP 2600

Unknown-ness: I've never heard of this band. I picked up the CD thanks to it's font and color scheme on the front. The fact that it was a radio station's cd also peeked my interest (WHHS is the oldest High School Radio Station, over in Haverford, right outside of Philly). The artwork is very "nerdy" consisting of computer fonts, and science and technology ideas written inside, so that, along with the lack of band members leads me to believe it is a guy (Matthew Lawrence most likely) and his synthesizer/computer program making short songs and a couple longer ones.

Album Review: The band name translates to The Beautiful Sunrise. Label name, Matthew Ritenburg is, in fact, the main/only creative force behind this 22 minute album. 

“Carbonite” begins with a few electro pulses that fade in and drift away. They are dark, and foreboding. A light drum beat is added in the background, and faint, strained vocals, reminding me of Hail Social start about halfway through the track. It is very minimal, and other than a few other swirls, the Doppler Effect sound of a truck passing, and echoing riffs, the song ends.
“Juice Party Fun” continues with the dark vibe, with more echoing, stretched single guitar notes. Heavier guitars are overlaid, and a digital jumbled voice spews moog-like mechanical nonsense. The guitar that follows has a slight echo, like something from a house dance track. But the ultimate feel is dark, disjointed prog, math rock. Sort of like Fantomas.
“Skybird” begins with a steadier southern bluesy stomp, and wobbly vocals like a minimal Doors cover. Soaring effects, and more echoing vocal effects create a psychedelic soundscape, reminding me more of Ween, thanks to the thick, electric guitar.
“Serotonin Guests” vibrates and jitters with wobbley synth notes, and watery space ghost sounds. Everything sounds like it is either revolving endlessly, or winding down. The song ends with the electronic moog-computer vocals

“Time Can Ghost” starts with simple tones, like Close Encounters of the Third Kind. The vocals are light, and second handedly added underneath. The notes, now coming from a guitar, are layered to make an early morning, hopeful, sun rise song. The digital tones are added back in, as if a breakdown from the positivity is necessary.
“Time, Electricity, Sincerity” starts with a bunch of chaotic sounds at the same second, trying to find their footing. There is squeaky feed back, telephone line hum, and a jam-style guitar.
“Remember That Letter” starts the exact same way as Carbonite, but this song is 4x as long. Once we pass the minute market, the vocals repeat, and the song slowly slinks along, taking pauses to reboot with a little more dark wave danciness…but only for a handful of seconds. The vocals come back for a third time, but with the dancy kick drum beat. Then the song decides to throw in a slowed up sludgy guitar focused breakdown. This slowly plays itself out until the fade away at the end.
“Thursday Years” tries to find its tempo in the beginning, with a stunted drum beat and echoing, vibrating chords strummed. The jazzy bass line is barely present, but adds a little depth. Wobbling trembling sounds like a spaceship taking off are thrown in the background at varying times. The song has a similar vibe as Time Can Ghost

Stand-Out Track: Juice Party Fun

Links:
Youtube Tracks

CD baby

Allmusic

Amazon

Myspace

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

Kisses and Hugs - Positive Youth 1994!!!

Name: Kisses and Hugs

Album: Positive Youth 1994!!! (or) Nothing Has Changed

Year: 1994, 2002

Style: Scream-o, Hardcore, Death Metal

Similar Bands: Die Kreuzen, Bleed

"One-Word" Review: Attention Deficit Screaming Death.

Based Out Of: Allentown area, PA

Label: Raw Sugar, N=K Record Conglomerate

 Positive Youth 1994!!! - Cover & Record

 Positive Youth 1994!!! - Back & Record

Positive Youth 1994!!! (2002)

1. CIV Lied 0:34
2. Genital Ban 0:29
3. Bad Blood Is Not What It's Cracked Up To Be 0:42
4. Under the Rug 2:33
5. Holy Shit 0:19
6. Old Hag 0:29 /
7. Fuck You Speclogics 1:25
8. Misplaced Suicide Notes 1:35
9. Giveaway 2:54
10. Upper Half Skin Pride 3:01
11. Kiss Me, Kill Me 1:26
12. Why Do You Insist I Need College to Validate My Life, Fucker? 0:16

Album Rating (1-10): 4.5

Members & Other Bands:

Bob - Bass,Vox, Kazoo 

Dug Polgardy - Guitar, Vox, Mandolin, Sax (Burning Ambitions)

Chris Strunk- Drums (Burning Ambitions, Fate of Icarus, Crucial Unit, Heathen Shame)

Gina - Engineer

Matthew Berland - Cover Help

Unknown-ness: I’ve never heard of this band. At least, I don’t remember hearing of this band, although I might have heard or even seen them at some point in my high school years. But probably not. It turns out that at least two of the members, were senior to my freshman in high school, and would have recorded this material a short time after their graduation. Funny thing is, I did not pick this record up at our local Q-Mart or other (non-existent) record store; I had to travel all the way down to New Orleans on vacation to find this in a dollar bin. It makes sense, because a quick read of the liner notes on the back explains how this was put out by a NOLA based label. Also explained on the label is that this is scream-o style music before that style was ever created to differentiate types of hardcore. So, sorry if you are reading this school mates, but I don’t predict that I’ll like it much, nor do I have a strong musical basis to compare and review this. So consider this a shoddy, naïve review to the genre and album at best.

Album Review: Let me just start out that this entire albums clocks in at right around 16 minutes. With many of the songs just screaming the lyrics you see written as the title, there is not much room to embellish this live listening review. I will cover most of the review here by saying it is loud, fuzzed out guitar and bass played under fast, sometimes unintelligible somewhat high pitched screaming. Anything different will be noted.

“CIV Lied” machine gun drums.
“Genital Ban” lyrics screamed in short burst segments.
“Bad Blood Is Not What It's Cracked Up To Be” two sets of vocals, second is deeper. This song is darker than straight scream-core.
“Under the Rug” has time breaks where, for 3 second pauses there is just bass playing a slow plodding melody. The pauses are longer toward the end, and a marching drum beat accompanies them. This is followed by a scream solo, and ends chaotically.
“Holy Shit” starts off with a nice build, and stops before it can even get started.
“Old Hag”

“Fuck You Speclogics” actually has the lyrics screamed in repetition in actual intelligibility. This is more death metal than scream-core.
“Misplaced Suicide Notes” has a slowed down stomping mid-section that is still full of energy, but is not as speedy as the start and end. This might have the most diversity per song length on the album.
“Giveaway” starts with a nice build and is a blend of screaming and growling. Intermixed with the screams are spoken word lyrics that punctuate the music with feedback pauses.
“Upper Half Skin Pride” is the longest track on the record, right around 3 minutes. The song is disjointed, made of sections and different time signatures, and it showcases more heavy hard core playing than the screaming vocals. Toward the end, there are electric waves of feedback that sound like light sabers.
“Kiss Me, Kill Me” is just relentless speed for about a minute and a half, with vocals that seem to tire themselves out. Then suddenly it breaks into a short mandolin section before throttling head first back into the speed.
“Why Do You Insist I Need College to Validate My Life, Fucker?” is a short, heavy stomp of just the title. The music does not even last as long as the lyrics.

Stand Out Track: Misplaced Suicide Notes
Why Do You Insist I Need College to Validate My Life, Fucker?

Links:

Interpunk

The Tartan

Zoom Info - Chris

Ride the Snake Records

Discogs

Melodig

Lehigh Valley Bands

Youtube: First 5 tracks

Jukeboxer - Man Throughout the Ages

Name: Jukeboxer

Album: Man Throughout the Ages

Year: 2002

Style: Ambient Electro-Pop

Similar Bands: Stereolab, Belle & Sebastian, Camera Obscura, Ambient Brian Eno

"One-Word" Review: Moog Pop

Based Out Of: Brooklyn, NY

Label: Memphis Industries

 Man Throughout the Ages - Cover, Record, Mail In Form

                                                                      Man Throughout the Ages - Cover, Record, Mail In Form
Man Throughout the Ages (2002)

1. Man Throughout the Ages 2:18
2. Even Little Stunts 3:59/
3. Won't You Sing With Now I Know My 3:21
4. Sea Chantey 4:39

Album Rating (1-10): 7.5

Members & Other Bands:
Noah Wall - Vox, Composer, Electronics, Guitar, Keyboard (Tall Firs)
Amy Jones - Vox (Tuffy)
Tim Barnes - Drums, Mastering (Silver Jews, Neil Michael Hagerty, Essex Green, Jim O'Rourke, Tower Recordings, Matt Valentine, Sonic Youth, Text of Light, Beth Orton, Wilco)
Ben Piekut - Pots & Pans
Guy - Mastering

Unknown-ness: I’ve never heard of this band. I do like the cardboard cover, and the imagery/artwork, so that was a nice start. Made in UK label does not mean much, but it feels exotic. It is only an EP, so not much of an effort to decipher. Overall, I was just interested in what this record had on it.

Album Review: Jukeboxer is basically just the name for Noah Wall, an extrodinary musician who can play many many instruments. One account said that he writes more in a classical structure than pop-song. Overall the songs feel earthy, yet electronic. Ambient, but full of direction. The vocals demand the listener’s attention.

“Man Throughout the Ages” starts out with a carousel style steel drum, and a fun, playful sing song melody. The female vocals begin, and are fey, polite, and acute. Tt sounds like something from Belle & Sebastian or Camera Obscura on the slower side. Or even Saturday Looks Good to me. The organ is very important to the song, tying it all together. There are male vocals layered below toward the end. The song just feels too short, but it is very precise.

“Even Little Stunts” feels like a chrismas carol in the beginning with sleighbell percussion. This quickly changes with the addition of electronic fuzz and grinding, screeching guitars full of feed back. The song restarts itself with a carousel organ melody, and what sound like a variety of bird chirps. The light, pretty female vocals, couples with the male vocals set back bring an elegance and direction to the melody, which is ever-evolving without the vocals. A chaotic arrangement of different sound effects are layered over and under the main driving rhythm of  marching drums. The end of the song just features melodic feedback and the closing in march of percussion.

“Won't You Sing With Now I Know My” has echoing watery guitars like deep chimes in the begging. Following this up are moog-like electro notes ascending, then descending. A rattle symbolizes a radio station change, and the eerie female vocals begin. It still has a Belle & Sebastian feel to it, perhaps visualized through an Aphex Twin filter. The song finds its groove and becomes repetitive to the point of droning on, like a loop entrancing the listener. The song ends with an emphasis on the main hill/valley hook present in the song.

“Sea Chantey” starts with a ringing untuned guitar chord that is slowly strum. A general ambient ringing fades in and out, like a lighthouse beacon slowly rotating. The mood is sullen and dark: sad and brooding. Then out of the darkness comes an acoustic guitar bringing a warbley racket ball like effect in the background and the song takes shape and direction with a slightly upbeat melody. The darkness is still there in this instrumental. The bass line is perhaps the most interesting, and immediately catching element of the song, even after other Atari Break Out effects are added, it still stands to be reckoned with. Those elements fade, as if our boat has passed the lighthouse, and interesting town, and is now back out to sea. I’m just using the sea as a point of description because of the title, but the sounds, the now lonely ambient drips that sound like underwater whale dialogue, lend themselves to life on the sea.

Stand Out Track: Man Throughout the Ages

Links:
Wikipedia
bandcamp
facebook
Noah Wall's page
Absolutely Kosher
discogs
Noah's Bandcamp
Forced Exposure

Chromatics - Cavecare EP

Name: Chromatics
Album: Cavecare EP
Year: 2002
Style: Post-Punk, Lo-Fi
Similar Bands: Enon, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Coachwhips, Glass Candy, Liars
"One-Word" Review: Distorted-Angular-Demos
Based Out Of: Seattle Wa
Label: Hand Held Heart

Cavecare - Cover & Record

Cavecare - Cover & Liner Notes & Trackless Record back

Cavecare EP (2002)

1. Cavecare 2:00
2. Steps 2:17
3. Arms Wither Away 1:37
4. Trnbrrd 1:22
5. Beach of Infants 2:35
6. Jesus 3:30

Album Rating (1-10): 7.0

Members & Other Bands:Adam Miller
Devin Welch - Guitar
Michelle Nolan - Bass (Straylight Run, Taking Back Sunday, Destry)
Hannah Blilie - Drummer (Gossip, Shoplifting, Sarah Dougher, Stiletto, Mr Yuk, The Lumpies, Vade, The Vogue, Soiled Doves)
Aaron Coyes - Recording

Unknown-ness: I’ve never heard of this band, but I love the cover art, the basic color scheme, the angular presentation, and the randomness of the logo. I realize it is an EP only, but I imagine it will either be good punk or angular rock.

Album Review: This EP is only on one side of the record, as the other side is just a trackless piece of plastic.

“Cavecare” starts with a dark thudding bass beat and constant drum beat. The vocals are completely distorted as if sung through an un-tuned TV set. But random angular guitar notes are played along with the side to side rhythm as the track ends.
“Steps” is more heads down & driving with a looping guitar hook, pounding drum & cymbal beat and more angular guitars in the bridge, which continue through out the song. The vocals are just as distorted and lo-fi as the first track, but altogether, this song is more cohesive.
“Arms Wither Away” starts with the distorted vocals and mid-pace drum beat. Then heavy angular guitars are added in a sing song manner.
“Trnbrrd” starts out musically just like The Yeah Yeah Yeah’s song “Black Tongue.” And at first the vocals sound like a very distorted Rolling Stones, but the devolve to something Enon would create. I wish this song were longer, it is a good little snippet.
“Beach of Infants” begins with distorted feed back guitars and a plodding, dragging drum beat. The vocals sound whiney in there distorted nature. There is a surprisingly uplifting guitar hook after the first verse, but the vocals come in and yell and whine over the slowish tempo.
“Jesus” has an echoing drum beat, and a dark, murky feed back-like bass line. The five note musical procession, almost like a military drum beat, marches on as the vocals take their own emo-screeching, distorted path over the repetitive music. It reminds me a bit of Early, Early Ween. I mean Synth Socks Ween.

Standout Track: Trnbrrd

Links:Last FM

Punk for Peace
ebullition
Discogs
Wiki
Pitchfork Links
Echo Park

allmusic

Lincoln - Mettle

Name: Lincoln
Album: Mettle
Year: 2002
Style: Quiet Folk, Country, Americana
Similar Bands: Bonnie Prince Billy, Neil Halstead, quiet Belle & Sebastian songs, Lewis & Clarke, later Gorky's Zygotic Mynci, Mazzy Star
"One-Word" Review: Hauntingly Minimal Winter Soundscapes
Based Out Of: London, England
Label: Narwhal Records, 3MV/Pinnacle, BMG

Mettle - Cover, Back, CD

Mettle - Liner Notes 1-2, CD Back

Mettle - Liner Notes 3-4, CD tray

Mettle - Liner Notes 5-6

Mettle - Liner Notes 7-8

Mettle - Liner Notes 9-10

Mettle (2002)

1. My Reasons Are My Own 5:51
2. Great Wall of China 5:11
3. Interlude #3 0:56
4. Crooked Smile 3:12
5. Interlude #5 0:51
6. Blood on the Streets 6:03
7. Ghost Cat 4:41
8. Interlude #8 0:45
9. Mettle 5:47
10. Interlude #10 1:35
11. Never See London Again 5:57
12. Common Ground 3:24
13. How the Hell 4:33
14. Interlude #14 1:40

Album Rating (1-10): 5.5

Members & Other bands:
Alex Gordon - Vocal, Guitar, Trumpet, Leys
Crum Hall - Drum, Percussion, Melodica, Violin, Vocal

David Hannam - Guitar, Clarinet, Harmonium, Banjo, Conductor (Culprit One)

Matt Dowse - Trombone, Fender Rhodes, Wine Glasses (Calexico, King Prawn)

Jum Freidlander - Bass, Trumpet, Wine Glasses, Art, Design, Photography

Tracy Van Daal - Vocal, Wine Glasses (Richard X)

Oliver Kraus - String Arrangement, Cello

Sophie Sirota - Viola

Howard Gott - Violin
Ali Friend - Upright Bass

Tom Hodges - Saw

Brian O'Shaughnessy - Overdub & Production

Sean Reed - Producer

Unknown-ness: I've never heard this Lincoln before. The problem is that I like the US band Lincoln, so I picked up this band with the same name, except they're from the UK. I remember listening to a little of it and putting it aside since it was not the band that I liked, but I cannot remember what this band sounded like. With all the instruments, and liner note of it being recorded in an open room, I'm guessing it is some kind of orchestral genre. Maybe I'll like this for different reasons? We shall see.

Album Review: “My Reasons Are My Own” begins with a sad, solemn piano. The vocals quietly start in, reminding me of Bonnie Prince Billy or Neil Halstead. They quiver and shake in their wispiness, and guide the slow melody, like snow falling outside a cabin window. A solidarity trumpet is added, and the song has moved to a quiet Belle & Sebastian song. The musical intermission brings a little peaceful country slide guitar to the front before returning for one last stanza. The song finishes out as quietly as it began, fading to the back.
“Great Wall of China” builds musically and orchestrally in the beginning, again like a frigid and frosty forest scene. The vocals are again, a faint whisper gently flowing with the melody. In the chorus, there is a female backing vocal, adding richness and emphasis to the lead. Musically, it reminds me of the quiet aspects from bands like Gorky’s Zygotic Mynci, Shout Out Louds, and Noah & The Whale.
“Interlude #3” is composed of a slowly building sunrise feeling.
“Crooked Smile” is more country than before, reminding me of later Gorky’s minus the accent. The vocals are shared guy/girl bringing that richness to the music. The horn section gives off a drunken lazy atmosphere. This song is sunnier and more down home, classic folk-country style. Perhaps Americana is the correct term.
“Interlude #5” starts with a sad bugle horn, and is added to with very minor supportive instrumentation for its short song
“Blood on the Streets” slowly sings along with female only vocals at first. The male accompaniment joins in and signals the song to start with another sunrise, awakening section. The song fakes moments where the pace might pick up, but it settles back into something consistent, and driving in its own swaying tempo. The songs feel longer than they are because they do drag, which is by design. The female vocals remind me a little of Neko Case.
“Ghost Cat” is an instrumental that continues the haunting, echoing, atmosphere, with only a trumpet to break through the sorrowful fog.

“Interlude #8” is a whirling echoing musical wind chime instrumental.“Mettle” slows down to a near halt with echoing slide guitar and piano chords played at a very methodically slow pace. This is very sparse and atmospheric. Near the end, the backing female vocals are added, sounding like it was sung in the round.
“Interlude #10” is another cold morning daybreak theme.
“Never See London Again” is a sad, minimal yet soulful female sung less-than-ballad. After about 2 minutes, more Mazzy Star elements are added, and the song becomes a slow country ballad.
“Common Ground” travels on the more folksy side of the genre map. It is still heavy on the slide guitar and there is a jangley guitar played sparingly in the background accompanied by some other string instruments, Cello I’d assume. The construction of these songs is not really structured with verse and chorus, they are much more free flowing.
“How the Hell” starts with sad horns and a melancholy forlorn feeling. There is a wind sound effect in the background, which is really a saw being played I believe. The female vocals, tinted with a sexy yearning, take over a little over halfway through, and the song really comes alive with a horn section, and an unprecedented strength in its composition.
“Interlude #14” ends the album with more singing saw and vocal syllables that start as nearly unintelligible, but grow in strength as the single musical idea, a reprise of How the Hell of sorts, is carried through.

Stand Out Track: My Reasons Are My Own

Links:

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Website
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(the) Holy Goats - s/t

Name: The Holy Goats
Album: s/t
Year: 2002
Style: Jam Blues Rock
Similar Bands: Black Crows, Rolling Stones, Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Led Zeppelin
"One-Word" Review: Americana-hippie-drug-jam
Based Out Of: Somerset, NJ
Label: Frontal Groovity Recordings

Holy Goats - Cover, inside, back

Holy Goats - Liner Notes, CD

Holy Goats (2002)

1. On Your Knees 3:04
2. Presence of Mind 5:12
3. Keep It Rollin 4:19
4. If I Could Speak My Mind 5:27
5. Nothing To Lose 3:29
6. I'm Still Missing You 6:43
7. Satisfied 4:11
8. Stray Cat Blues 5:23
9. Clear 4:02
10. Rock N' Roll Thru My Head 5:08
11. Same Old Line 4:59
12. See The Light 3:33

Album Rating (1-10): 5.0

Members & Other Bands:

Todd McCullough - Producer, Lead Vox, Guitar, Harp

Kurt Reil - Producer, Recorded, Engineered, Layout

Rick Reil - Producer, Recorded, Engineered

Deek Mason - Lead Guitar, Vox

Michelle Eckert - Bass, Vox (Angelica, Nektar)

Steve Crawley - Drums

Kristin Pinell - Recorded & Engineered

Chris Fuckin' Athens - Mastering

Andy Burton - Piano

Kelli Pachuta - Logo Artowrk

Janet Mason - Color Photos

Kimberlee Thompson - Live Photos

Unknown-ness: I’ve never heard of these guys. I got the CD from the friend with the extra CD’s he did not want anymore, and thought I’d like them. As for this one, it looks shoddy. The cover logo is ok, but it looks like the packaging was put together on a word document. The textured background under the font looks amateurish to say the least. The inner liner notes look like they are from the early 90’s when indie bands could barely put together a few bucks to design a CD, and nothing was known about how to do it. The band itself looks like a mix of hippie and country, which I must add is probably the worst possible mixing of genres I can imagine: extra long jamming country songs. I hope this does not waste another hour of my life too badly.

Album Review: So these guys are an Allentown/NJ area favorite, at least they were earlier this decade. Now the band still tours, but only the singer remains. The record starts with a jamming guitar and a rolling bass in “On Your Knees.” The vocals hearken back to 70’s drug rock. I read a comparison to Black Crows, and I can hear that in the music and vocal style. It fully rocks out with lead guitar solos and never rests. “Presence of Mind” takes an acoustic break. The vocals soar and fall, showing his range and the back up vocals bring a country edge to the music too. This style of music, even though it is done well, with slide guitar and steady, drudging pace, bores the hell out of me. There is no real hook; it feels like it is all verse and instrumental bridge after bridge. “Keep It Rollin” is a bluesy pub band song that kinda feels like a cargo train traveling across country. The pace picks up a bit as the vocals are introduced, and it shifts into second gear. I’m not a fan of the verse vocals that don’t really fit in with the music, they just roll along at their own pace, not guided by the music, and the tone shifts do not always make sense. The chorus is repetitive and flows with the momentum. A lot of the lead guitar makes it feel like a train as well. “If I Could Speak My Mind” is another country bluesy stomp, slower this time, but just as meandering. The guitar parallels and compliments the vocals after they sing the title verse as the chorus like it is a call and response with a guitar. “Nothing To Lose” is a higher emotional shrieking song that is upbeat, as opposed to “Speak My Mind.” It is full of the bluesy guitar work that is consistent with the rest of the album. It is repetitive and relies on the musical aspect rather than the vocals. “I'm Still Missing You” is an acoustic ballad with bongo percussion. It jams along with some wah-wah guitar work and just keeps going with section after section of musical wanderings.

“Satisfied” starts with a Monkee’s “Clarksville” like guitar, and is followed with Led Zeppelin like vocals. The backing harmonies are better and more interesting than the lead vocals, though. It is a bluesy and anthemic song. Like the title suggests, “Stray Cat Blues” evokes that exact kind of strutting image, but it is less on the blues side than the other tracks. At times it reminds me of “Sweet Home Alabama.” The song uses the stray cat as a metaphor for whomever he is talking about. But the metaphor feels generally lame. And like most of the rest of the album I’ve tired of it quickly. “Clear” begins with an eight note hook, and it evolves into something darker, with the guitar basically sounding like the Beatles’ “I Want You.” The lead guitar takes away from the song’s melody, with its distracting wail. The song is good, until it reaches the chorus, and it feels unplanned and rushed, basically out of character from the rest of the song. The song ends with dual guitars playing through the original 8 note hook. “Rock N' Roll Thru My Head” starts out with generic but good rock guitar work and supportive drums and bass. This is a very Black Crows song musically and vocally. “Same Old Line” presents nothing new. It is a staggering rhythm and bluesy 70’s care-free rock song. It is a little more disjointed than most. It limps along at an off-setting pace. It evens out with the pointless, seemingly never to end guitar solo. But it finally does finish, and a quick paced “See The Light” finishes the album with a cringe worthy harmony of vocals, which sound slightly off to my novice ear. But it could just be that it sounds too country for me to enjoy. The song does chug along at a steady fast pace, and his Chris Robinson vocals don’t let down. If you like that sort of style. Which I don’t.

Stand Out Track: Clear

Links:

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Band Mix

Generous Juice - Good Head in a Mad Society

Name: Generous Juice
Album: Good Head in a Mad Society
Year: 2002
Style: Metal, Rock
Similar Bands: Green Jelly, Korn, Limp Biskit, Zebrahead, Alice In Chains, Semisonic
"One Word" Review: terrible -juvie-metal-jam
Based Out Of: Van Nuys, Ca
Label: High School Records

Good Head in a Mad Society - Cover, CD, Back

Good Head in a Mad Society - Liner Notes & Tray Insert

Good Head in a Mad Society (2002)

1. 67 3:07
2. Screaming "o" 3:59
3. Regular Joe 4:56
4. Chinese 5:08
5. No Merci 1:18
6. Plasterd 3:24
7. Wonder Why 5:34
8. Complicated 4:24
9. Sinderella Story 4:30
10. Rich Boy 6:18
11. Empire 4:50
    (video of 67 on enhanced CD)

Album Rating (1-10): 3.5

Members & Other Bands:

John Bogosian - Produced

Mike Rozon - Mastered

Katherine Delaney - CD Design

Jacques de Groot (Lojac) - Artwork, Guitar, Vox (Royallush)

Kris Carpenter (Kristafari) - Drums (Royallush)

Kory Carpenter (The Kore) - Bass (Royallush)

Kelly Carpenter - Video Editing, Camera

Jason & Mishell - Camera

Depak Chopra - Narration on 67

Unknown-ness: I’ve never heard of these guys. I got this CD as part of my friend’s moving cd purge care package. From the looks of it, the cool artwork, it might be an interesting CD. Although with the stupid play on words and sexual meanings of “Good Head” “Screaming O” Sinderella” and stupid spellings of Merci and Plasterd, I can’t help but cringe at what could be here. 2002 means nothing, since there was so much music from that period. But I read a little about them, and it said they were Spiritual Punk, and that they recorded their first takes, making them a jam band. I can only cringe more at that thought.

Album Review: The album begins with “67,” apparently their single, since a video is also on this CD. Creepy narration begins with buzzing guitar, and guttural chanting of “This song is 67.” The narration continues throughout the song, and the metal guitars take over. Some sorta singing that reminds me of Presidents of USA making a song with Green Jelly begins, but nothing really ever takes complete control over the chaotic track. A dancing drum track starts “Screaming "o"” and soon after that the vocals, nasally whiny angsty voice is added, featuring a multipart chorus on sections. I have to admit, when the song started, I thought, “Oh hell, what is this shit.” And I still think that way about this after its run its course. It is very juvenile and literally refers to what you would imagine the title to reference. “Regular Joe” comes next, possessing a heavy, metal drum and guitar intro, and some jittery Korn like vocals. It reminds me of a bad Zebrahead song, and the band comes off as imagining just how cool they are to themselves. It’s pretty bad too. There are glimpses of a catchy hook, but they do a good job at abandoning that idea and playing crap. “Chinese” starts with stark flute sound effects in a soundscape of nighttime emptiness, the thick metal guitar and whining guitar parallel each other, but this staggering dark strut contains nothing catchy. I’ve gotta track ahead, its only 2:45 into the song. It sounds like he just gets angrier and the song quickens in pace, but nothing is added. It slows back down in the end, back to how it began, and ends. “No Merci” is a short ballad track, slow electric guitar strums and an actual melody in his vocals, even if it is a bit depressing. And it ends very suddenly. “Plasterd” starts with a good, driving pace drum & bass beat. The driving guitars are added, streamlining the song’s momentum. But the vocals, similar to Alice in Chains, come in actually adding to the appeal of the song. But then they succeed in ruining the song as it ends, adding unnecessary scream effects.

“Wonder Why” is a long country tinged drunk rocker. It staggers along in a cowboy cloud of inebriation. The chorus shows competence, but it dives back off the deep end after they are through. The chorus makes them sounds like about a terrible version of Semisonic. “Complicated” continues with the Semisonic sound, just adding heavy metal guitars. It could just as easily be a pop song, but they chose to cloud it in liquid guitars and pointlessly heavy riffs. The chorus takes me back to the Alice In Chains comparison, but it is not even close to as good. “Sinderella Story” starts nicely, with choppy guitar work used as a hook, and a much more rocking feel. The vocals are not quite as trying here, and follow a straightforward melody. This is a story-song, reminding me of something that might happen if Semisonic would get hold of an Oingo Boingo song ideas notebook and interpret the story through the eyes of a college frat boy. I’m just waiting for the moment when the song dives off the listenable end, and what might just do that. Even the mocking-vocal melody, and stupid lyrical “Girlfriend’s got a girlfriend” can’t sink the song yet. It successful ended without completely sucking. But they saved the suck for the next song, “Rich Boy.” Which is another sing-song, mocking vocal style song that slows down for the verse to a mesmerizing, make the spinning stop feel. The Green Jelly chorus picks up, even with an added vocal of a high pitch freak out vocal section over the chanting. There is a long ween-like jam out section, which is the only piece of a live ween show that I cannot stand. Oh, now they have to employ cursing for no real reason to the vocals, how creative. This song sucks. But it does not end before they bring back the embarrassing rich boy chant and stupid vocal overlays to end the song. “Empire” ends the record, with a Captain Beefheart style vocal, which persists through out the song, but it more aggressive than Beefheart ever was, and the song is the terrible parts of prog and metal jammed together. It also sounds like a poorly interpreted Tom Waits. The end cannot come too soon. There are some breakdowns and some theatrics presented in the song, with multiple vocal styles exhibited. The chorus actually has a bit of a catchy hook, but they bury it under the theatrics again. And it is not enough to save the song. The song fades out quite early and is an exasperated, long fade out that feels like it will never fully come.

Stand Out Track: Sinderella Story

Links:

Allmusic

High School Records

CD Baby

Royallush CD Universe
Royallush CD Baby