Zebras / E=MC Hammer - Parasitic Clones Under the Strong Arm of the Robotic Machine / Hurns (the First)

Name: ~Zebras / *E=MC Hammer
Album: ~Parasitic Clones Under the Strong Arm of the Robotic Machine / *Hurns (the First)
Year: 2009
Style: ~Post Punk, Math Rock, *Sludge-Metal, Prog
Similar Bands: ~Celebration, Braniac, Vexers, Sleater-Kinney*Melvins, Ceremony, Secret Chiefs 3, Evil Sword
"One-Word" Review: ~Future Neurotic Space Synth,
Based Out Of: ~Madison, WI / *Milwaukee WI
Label: Secret Records, FTAM, Sector 5 Records

Cover, Record, Insert

Back, Record, Insert

Parasitic Clones Under the Strong Arm of the Robotic Machine (2009)

1. The Machine 0:56
2. Me You God 3:10
3. Parasites 2:05
4. Eat Your Eyes 1:58
5. Tubes 2:12
6. The Spell 1:56
7. Robot Machine 2:54

Hurns (the First)

1. You In Checkers 6:14
2. United States of a Miracle 4:22
3. Operah for Poperah 5:00

Album Rating (1-10): ~8.5 / *6.0

Members & Other Bands:
~ Vincent Presley - Guitar, Vox, Synth (Window Smashers, Housecat-Sized Fennec, Logan 5, Those Poor Bastards)
~Lacey Smith - Vox, Moog (Window Smashers)
~Shawn Pierce - Drums
~Jacob Rust - Bass (Window Smashers)
~Shane Hochstetler - Recording
~Steve Somers - Cover Art
~KK Umhoefer - Graphic Design
~Daniella Maria - Photos
*P-Jaxxx (Peter Woods) - Bass, Vox (Bridges of Konigsberg, Galactic Cannibal, LOT, Phoned Nil Trio, xALLxFORxTHISx, SWWS, Raperies (Like Draperies), Mountain Language, Direct Hit! Coelacanth)
*D-Haxxx (Danny Friedman) - Drums, Zil-Bells, recording (Coelacanth)
*Trevor Sadler - Mastering

Unknown-ness: Never heard of either artist on this split record. I imagine it to be punky indie music, maybe a little noise and arty lo-fi production.

Album Review: The Zebras side is fun, energetic synth punk that drives fast and frantically with jittery nervous vocals, there is some math-rock bass and guitar. The E=MC Hammer side is sludgy, thick heavy plodding prog, occasionally with a lot of space. It is almost jazz-like, as the instruments create the mood and tones to paint the soundscape. Vocals take on personalities of different monsters: from that of a heavy, deep giant to yelling to screaming, whenever the mood dictates. Definitely some elements of Mr. Bungle, as the bandcamp page suggest.

Stand Out Track: ~ Me You God, *You In Checkers (2nd half) 

Links:
Discogs
Bandcamp Zebras music
Secret Records
Zebras Bandcamp
Shepherd Express article
Tone Madison
Adornments of the King interview
GetSongBPM
Record Release party post - Fanbelt
e=mchammer myspace

(the) Penelope[s] - Priceless Concrete Echoes

Name: (the) Penelope[s]

Album: Priceless Concrete Echoes

Year: 2009

Style: Indie Pop, Electronic

Similar Bands: New Order, Daft Punk, old Depeche Mode, Bryan Ferry, Human League, Joy Division, Air, the Drive soundtrack, Tricky, LCD Soundsystem.

One Word Review: Pleasant, Funky Synthetic Washing

Based Out Of: Paris, France - London

Label: Citizen, Module, Le Plan

Priceless Concrete Echoes: Cover, Notes, CD

Priceless Concrete Echoes: Liner Notes, Back

Priceless Concrete Echoes: Lyrics

Priceless Concrete Echoes: Liner Pictures

Priceless Concrete Echoes: Lyrics

Priceless Concrete Echoes: Liner Notes

Priceless Concrete Echoes (2009)

1. Stuck in lalaland (feat. Morpheus) 4:39
2. Demian (feat. Dierdre) 3:30
3. Licked by Love (feat. Morpheus) 3:46
4. Circle of Seasons 4:46
5. Saved (feat. Morpheus & Malka Spigel) 4:21
6. Joey Santiago 4:50
7. Sabotage (Beastie Boys) 3:58
8. Long Black Fly (feat. Morpheus) 5:02
9. The Heat Goes On (feat. Morpheus) 4:33
10. Concrete 4:04
11. Your Plan For Happiness 5:04

Album Rating (1-10): 9.0

Members & Other Bands: 

Axel Basquiat - Vox, Composition, Badd, Gutiar, Keyboard, Programming, Larsen, Lyrics, Mixing

Vincent Tremel - Beats, Keyboard, Sounds, Treatments, Programming, Larsen, Lyrics, Mixing

Morpheus (Samy Birnbach) - Vox, Writing Composition (Earth, The Gruesome Twosome, Minimal Compact, The Morphtwins, Oracle)

Dierdre Dubois - Vox (Ekova)

Malka Spigel - Vox (Earth, Githead, Host, Immersion, Intens, Minimal Compact, Oracle)

Arnaud Rebotini - Producer (Black Strobe, More, Sartrouville, Krell, Grand Crue, Swamp)

Benjamin Beaulieu - Drums (Animal Machine, Black Strobe)

Mr. Claude - Reworking, Mastering

Jean-Francois Sanz - Illustrations

Yann Le Marec - Sleeve

Peggy Baunay - Photographs

Oliver Martinez - Photographs

Unknown-ness: I've never heard of them, but from the names, and the liner notes, it seems like it will be electronic produced dance music (programming, treatments, etc) or rap (all the featuring spots). I like the simple design and yellow and blue color scheme, and it looked quite indie when I bought it. Plus the name comes into play too, sounding bouncy and fun, yet the album title sounds deep and complex. It will be interesting to see what is on this 25 cent album.

Album Review: The Penelopes are a French indie-pop band that incorporates electronic and disco into their mix. This record of theirs is listed as a side project collaboration with Morpheus, as he is featured on almost half of the album. They have been spreading out their talents lately, remixing other popular songs (Pet Shop Boys, Lana Del Ray, David Bowie, the Cure) and scoring films (La Contribution, Misunderstood) that were featured at the 2014 Cannes film festival. They use the vocals to carry melodies, but the effects surrounding and used upon them render them unintelligible. The music creates a general white washing feel of pleasantry over the listener, in a somewhat slow motion pace.

“Stuck in lalaland (feat. Morpheus)” shimmers as it begins with guitars and synthetic drums. A watery melody is added and “heys” punctuate the song. The vocals begin, and have a dark wave sense about them, although the song is quite cheery. A bass and drum breakdown slows the song almost to a halt, before monotone, computer-ish voices build the song back up, and accompanied by the repetitive melody, the song returns. The song ends with a dark wave beat.
“Demian (feat. Dierdre)” starts with a rolling alarm like keyboard hook. The smooth, pleasant female vocals throw a pop hook over the electric backing track, reminding me a little of Stereolab & Belle & Sebastain. The track really grooves like ocean wave vocals where the bass line functions as the undertow. The repetitiveness in the bleak breakdown sucks the air out of the song, and loses all momentum. So the beat is brought back, and the song returns to its harmonized, layered melody and pleasantness.
“Licked by Love (feat. Morpheus)” sets the tone for a futuristic driving song. The vocals remind me of Joy Division at first, and they have a very Peter Hook bassline, but they transition into something prouder and content. The synth beat is vibrating just beneath the surface, giving the song support to build from. Another synth alarm is added in the background, and it repeats over and over. The vocals are somewhat deep, and rather nasally.
“Circle of Seasons” starts with a steady cymbal beat, and a smooth running bass line. The wavering, deep nasally Male vocals are paired with female vocals that sound like they are strained in trying to reach for the microphone. At first, the song was trying to find its place, but it really comes into its own by the 2 minute mark as a steady driving duet. The song finishes out with the female vocals morphing into a cartoonish growl, singing “It’s so brutal” on repeat. The bass line and one hit drum beat finish the song out.
“Saved (feat. Morpheus & Malka Spigel)” is airy and spacey-futuristic, and feels like it is right off of the Drive Soundtrack. It grows in spirit, and blossoms in slow motion with a chorus of harmonized, ethereal vocals that are barely intelligible. This is one dimensional, feel good, waking up music.
“Joey Santiago” is named after the Pixies’ bass player. It brings back the funky fun, with a dynamic bassline harkening back to old school hip hop. Effects are added to the track one at a time, including bubbling synths, and shockwaves of sirens zooming from ear to ear. Miniature walls of sound crest and then fall away in this instrumental track. Synthetic power tools pick up the rising and falling melody and give a new take on the hooks.

“Sabotage” is a cover of the Beastie Boys hit. It takes the guitar and strips it down into a synthetic, 8-bit hook. The drums are synthetic pinpoints of percussion, rather than the crashing real sound. The original’s energy is frozen in this version, and a Tricky-like loopy trip-hop glaze is extracted with their version. Even the build-up of “Listen all-o-yall itza sabatoge” is muted here.
“Long Black Fly (feat. Morpheus)” has a heavy, static-zipper bass line, and the vocals are Parliment-funky. The static bass changes over to a richer, yunkier sound. And the pause and start up, accompanies with the “Ohs” reminds me of what it would be like for LCD Soundsystem to cover Funkadelic. A bit of chaos is created at the end with all the elements building up together, including yells, the chorus, the bass beat on repeat, and a soaring wall synth that is poised for complete sonic take over.
“The Heat Goes On (feat. Morpheus)” starts with synthesized vocals (SFA), and a cold-yet-pleasant, computer melody. The vocals then become drowned out in echo, and the synth elements rise up all around them, enveloping the vocals and drawing them back down.
“Concrete” fades up vocal chorus of “Ah-oh, oh-Ah-oh’s” with an accompanying vocal mixed low to create a minimal dark wave vibe. This reminds me a little of the Fad Gadget stuff I’ve reviewed earlier. The verse is reserved, but building energy, which lifts off into the chorus. The vocals are again the deep nasally style, that reminds me of Chuck Mosely (singer of FNM before Patton) “Your Plan For Happiness” is a smooth slice of futuristic synth pop, with spoken word dialogue like Pulp over the cruising melody. The sexy smooth French vocals, are juxtaposed against a female giggling uncontrollably. There is a New Order breakdown of synthetic industrial beats, and it picks right back up into the soaring synth-phony. It is a techno song that could theoretically go on forever, continuing jumping from tonal scale to the next before resetting and starting over. 

Stand Out Track: Demian (feat. Dierdre)

Licked by Love (feat. Morpheus)

Links:

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Discogs

Allmusic

Heum - s/t

Name: Heum
Album: s/t
Year: 2009
Style: Contemporary Jazz
Similar Bands: 80's TV Drama Themes, Vince Guaraldi
"One Word" Review: Charlie Brown Sad Sax
Based Out Of: Korea
Label: BIC Music

Heum - Cover, back and fold out

Heum - Inner Notes, Tray and CD

Heum (2009)

01. 그 극장의 마지막 상영 (The Theater's Last Show) 5:23
02. 花  (Flower) 6:14
03. 한 걸음에 두 계단 (two stairs one step) 4:12
04. Someday My Bassman Will Come 4:02
05. 일사병 (stroke) 6:50
06. 102 3:35
07. Psionic Storm 5:38
08. JJ 4:39
09. 우리도 아리랑 고개를 넘는다 (Going Over Arirang’s Head???) 4:35

10. Someday My Bassman Will Come (Soprano Saxophone Version) -  4:04

Album Rating: (1-10): 5.0

Members & Other Bands:

Choi Jung Heum - Sax

Lee Kwang Hyuk - Drums

Kang Yoo Hyun - Piano

Shim Young Joo - Bass

Carlos Manuel Navarrete - Album Art

Unknown-Ness: I’ve never heard of this band, and rightfully so, as it looks like they are from Korea. I liked the artwork, and finding it in a thrift store 50 cent bin pushed me over the edge to pick it up to try it. I’m just hoping it is something interesting, perhaps some experimental fun/noise stuff. But the packaging is a good enough sell for me.

Album Review: Instrumental Jazz is not my thing, and even though there are two songs with vocals, on the whole, this is not my thing, and makes me think of 80's TV show theme songs. So forgive me if I cannot make a well educated comparison for this album.

“The Theater’s Last Show” begins with a simple, klezmer –like sax, which is the primary instrument in this piece. There is a simple jazzy bass line in the background and minimal piano and drums. It is a fun, playful tune with an underlying sadness. Toward the end of the song, the sax takes a break, and the piano moves to the front, following the same ascending and descending melody. Around 410, the sad sax comes back, holding a final note for about 30 seconds

“Flower” has a twinkling piano intro, and is followed by a bluesy sax, painting a naive, yet slightly sinister picture. The tempo and momentum shifts, and the song graduates to a steady swagger as it progresses forward. A steady, toe tapping rhythm sections keeps the tempo moving forward. The true freedom to the song’s structure lies solely in the improve sax performance. In the verse, the sax feels like a slowed down Toejam and Earl Funkatron video game theme song.

“Two Stairs, One Step” starts with low, shady notes from a sax, and minimal piano played like a metronome, keeping the tempo. Light drums come in slowly, adding a bit of texture to the slowly developing song. The sax picks up the intensity and octave, yet the piano slowly plods along in the background.

“Someday, My Bassman Will Come” creates a smoky jazz club vibe with a low sax and tinkling piano that seem out of time with each other. This song has low vocals as well, nearly whispered. The vocals are replaced with the higher pitch sax, and the sad takes on a sad yet romantic shape. It reminds me of Stevie Wonder playing a slow Italian standard. The vocals come back in near the 3 min mark, and carry heavy sorrow with their quiet delivery.

“Stroke” is a bit of a driving jazz song. The bass and pianos create a repetitive ground, where each instrument overtakes the other. The sax has a confident sorrow in how it is played. Shortly after the 2 min mark, the bass has a chance to take center stage with a break out performance that sounds every bit as much as vocals as the vocals did before. Toward the end of the song, the sax answers, and brings the attention of the listener back from a bit of wandering time with a simple yet sharp melody.

“102” features a rolling sax melody played over minimal piano, and even more minimal bass. The start-stopping of the notes again make me think of a good many theme songs to office/city oriented tv shows in the 80’s. The melody is repetitive, but easy to follow along with, and does actually vary slightly as the song progresses.

“Psionic Storm” starts with a spastic multi layered horn, and a dark, brooding bass line, with wood block percussion that grows into the densest and complex drumming on the album (but is still not that complicated). This song feels the closest to a straightforward rock/pop song, thanks to the rhythm section. An organ is added to the mix, guiding the bridge along over two repeating, held notes. The organ gets moe complex, and create a somewhat psychedelic tone in the pit of this driving rock song. Past the 5 min mark, ti feels as if it could go on forever, then it just stops.

“JJ” sets out to reconcile the previous song, taking it back to the smooth jazz standards of piano and metronome percussion. This song features a soulful, R&B vocal between male and female vocals. It is kind of like a slowed down, less energetic version of Jamiroquai’s Virtual Insanity.

“Going Over Arirang’s Head(?)” has echoy bongo drums to start out, and it is a slow piano ballad. The sad sax is added in, and the piano sounds or stereotypical oriental melody.

“Someday, My Bassman Will Come (Soprano Sax)” returns us to the 4^th track, but rather than a smoky lounge, the sax carries the song along with a less somber mood. It is more reminiscent of daybreak than the dark tone the original song created. But the song comes to a very slow and drawn out conclusion with held notes and a final walk off into the sunrise.

Stand Out Track: JJ

Links:

BIC Music

Luminosity

mnet

Boogie Boarder - Pizza Hero

Name: Boogie Boarder

Album: Pizza Hero

Year: 2009

Style: Instrumental Prog/Indie

Similar Acts: Chomolodeon, Man Man, Mr. Heavenly, Holy Fuck, Cornelius

"One Word" Review: Surf Prog

Based Out Of: Brooklyn, NY

Label: Famous Class

 Pizza Hero - Cover and Back

 Pizza Hero - Inside Cover and Inside Back

 Pizza Hero - Pages 1-31

Pizza Hero - Page 32 & CD

Pizza Hero (2009)

1. Sparks 3:46
2. Bio Hassle 4:17
3. Pig Pile Part One 2:33
4. Pig Pile Part Two 4:24
5. Bummers Begin 4:09
6. Little Giants 4:58
7. Dirty Gary 0:59
8. USRA 4:48

Album Rating (1-10): 7.0

Members & Other Bands:

Cyrus Lubin - Drums

Willie Miesmer - Bass

Paul Gladstone - Keys

Unknown-ness: I don’t know anything about this band. Just saw the ‘zine in a thrift store 50 cent bin, and thought it was worth the look & listen. I’ve always been a fan of artwork to accompany the music: I think that’s just the way to fully experience the music: to take in visually what the artist wants to link to the audio. And this is why I don’t subscribe to the MP3 game. It’s easier and more accessible in general, but music loses a lot of its artistic value standing alone. So with a band called Boogie Boarder, plus a juvenile album name like pizza hero, combined with the cd inside a ‘zine, I’m really not sure what to expect. Perhaps something zany and experimental.

Album Review:  

With no musical credits in the liner note, it took some searching to find out any info on this Brooklyn band. The album is still available for purchase, and with their last album streaming on band camp from 2012 (recorded in Philly), it would seem they are a still active, mostly instrumental prog-like surf band.

“Sparks” begins the album with layers of fuzzy guitars Smashing Pumpkins-like guitars, and echos of other effects zooming about below. The hook repeats a bunch of times, building up momentum and releasing it after every cycle. It then returns the the prog like intro melody, with some deep echoing vocals. Single note prog rock on the electric guitar fills the bridge between “verse” melodies. This song insists on grooving head nods as the requisite dance move. An alarm like guitar played on loop carries the song out and into a low hum.

“Bio Hassle” is driven along by a catchy bass line, and “passing car” guitars are scattered (but in rhythm) across the surface. The chorus is a distorted vocal section that parallels the lead guitar melody. The song speeds up and slows down in a fun roller coaster of time changes, and again, has that progressive feel to the arrangement. Yet underneath of it, with the crashing fuzz and the chirping guitar, is the element of Surf that is not immediately recognizable, but is undeniably there. He song finishes up on a nice back and forth guitar section that feels like a reprise of the chorus guitar/vocal parallel.

“Pig Pile Part One” starts with a twinkling jangley guitar, that is part surf and part shoegazing. It meanders around, only giving hints to the catchy pure surf hook that is coming up. It really creates the image of the waiting for waves, and then the ocean sucking you out with the tide, and building to a fun carnival ride, taking the wave to the shore, then starting over again with the patient waiting. The layers are fun to peel back and examine one at a time: The pinpoint lead guitar hook, the bass answering the lead guitar, and the crunchy supportive guitar, All pulled together with a minimal drum beat. As the song moves forward, abandoning the initial melodies for bigger and more crashing sections, the intervals repeat, the momentum continues to grow and the speed builds. It then dumps us off right where the song begins with the guitar and echoing effects layered underneath. The last minute of the song builds a wall of sound until it falls away with a couple final notes.

“Pig Pile Part Two” has a back and forth guitar/bass cadence with crashing cymbals and the feeling of directionless meandering. The song speeds up and slows down on a natural cycle of its own, and again to the nature of video game music, could be played at an infinite hook, and adding in the theme of prog rock, with slight variations to those repetitions. The plucked guitar alarm-simulation melody starts out strong, but fades to the back with the soaring, echoing vocals, while layered over are head banging chord changes coupled with crashing drums. Then it stops abruptly.

“Bummers Begin” possesses a looping bass and rhythm guitar section with crashing cymbals added, as the bass line jumps up and down octaves in rotation. A minute later, the song transitions to a more driving Video Game sounding section of Mega Man proportions. Man Man “la-la-la-la” style vocals are added into the song, and the song restructures itself, and builds with ringing guitars and building fuzzed up guitars and running drums. A guitar replaces the vocal melody, and it feels very prog-like. At 3:30, it returns to the introduction loop of bass and one note played rhythm guitar.

“Little Giants” has a similar start to it as PPP1. Then the bass is added in in short call and response intervals, all the while, a shuffling drum beat keeps he song nervous and just a little jittery. This song really feels something out of Cornelius’ catalogue.  The song is very tight, with short sections played out in a well-crafted structure.

“Dirty Gary” is immediately a repetitive trip back into an early 90’s alternative world, with an In Utero sounding guitar riff.

“USRA” transitions without break, flattening the sound out, allowing a chorus of distorted vocals enter, overlaying the heavy guitar base. Once in a while the surf guitar element will be added, but mostly, this is a head down & banging, heavy guitar display. Nearing the end, the guitars and underlying support guitars speed up over hectic and chaotic drumming. They find a middle ground and set out in agreement, simplifying the melody and then changing it again to a more driving pace, allowing an organ in the background, and more distorted vocals overlaid. The organ carries out the song for a 30 second note hold.

Stand Out Track: Pig Pile Part One

Links:

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Famous Class label

Bandcamp - (album) Yikes

Allmusic

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