Broken Quote - Foreshadowing Sunlight

Broken Quote – Foreshadowing Sunlight
2014, 563026 Records DK

The Band
Broken Quote is a multi-instrumentalist, writer and producer from Houston, Texas who has been creating music since he was a small child.  A self-taught musician, Broken Quote showed a distinctive ear early on.  While the lack of lessons would be a roadblock to some, it became an open playing field to Broken Quote.  Broken Quote credits influences such as Bjork, Eyedea, Beck, Radiohead, John Cage and Parliament Funkadelic, among others.  His musical milieu continues to grow and evolve, but his current sound is something of a stew of ambient funk, trip hop, electro rock and acid jazz.

The Album
Foreshadowing Sunlight, a five song EP, is Broken Quote’s first release.

The Buzz
Broken Quote is all about minimalist atmospherics.  Electronics and ambient sounds are the core of the sound on Foreshadowing Sunlight, but the focus is less musical than it is of painting collages of sound. 

Spotlights
“Late Night Ocean” has an intriguing rhythm and life all its own.  The overall effect is more distracting than cohesive, but there is a musical statement to be made here.  “Glass Ceiling” is similarly unsettling.  Angst-filled piano gives way to a slowly growing cacophony of rhythm, as Broken Quote seeks to unsettle all who would listen.

Footlights
The energy throughout Foreshadowing Sunlight is minimalist by intent, but the effectuation is downright painful at times.  Angst and ennui are the core emotions, and those vibes are imparted to the listener like a cudgel.  Effects very often rule the day, covering the gaps that are left behind by songs that are thought out and through, but often not fully.

The Rating: 2.5 Stars (Out of 5)

The Songs
Ghost Crowd
Late Night Ocean
Glass Ceiling
Sparks Water The Seeds
Mispronounce

Where to Go
www.brokenquote.com.

Abbie Barrett & The Last Date - The Triples: Volume 1

Abbie Barrett & The Last Date - The Triples: Volume 1
2011, Beige Bomber Records

Abbie Barrett grew up in New York City attending private schools. A professional career and upward mobility were the clear goal. Even through college, Barrett was on target. But once free from formal education, Barrett jumped around from town to town anything but. Eventually landing in Somerville, Massachusetts, she first picked up a guitar and began writing down the songs that kept running through her head. This was a watershed moment, both a continuation of her rebellion against the expectations she was raised with, and an embrace of the person she would become. Drawing on influences as disparate as Pink Floyd, Radiohead, Neil Young and Aimee Mann, Barrett continues to write songs about underdogs, unsung heroes and rebels. Along with her band, The Last Date, Barrett recently released the first in a series of EPs called The Triples.

The Triples, Volume 1 opens with "Here To Stay", a low-key, but high energy rock n roll fight song that's part Chrissie Hynde and part Sara Bareilles. Featuring a memorable chorus, the song shows off Barrett's distinct voice, which is distinctly beautiful but contains a formidable toughness that's not to be ignored. "On The Range" is a drearily ethereal spaghetti western in song. Barrett's voice and the vocal harmonies of her band help to create a distinctive sound that is both uplifting and haunting. The EP closes with "Draw Me In", an elongated and smooth ballad that sounds like Hope Sandoval singing along to Pink Floyd. The ultimately sad feel of the song holds its own unique beauty, and avoids the neuroses that pervade "sad pop" music.

Abbie Barrett is a distinctive voice in Indie Pop music. Together with The Last Date, Barrett has created three memorable and likeable songs that run the gamut stylistically. The Triples: Volume 1 is a wonderful introduction to an artist who shows a lot of promise. This EP will ensure that careful listeners are likely to be waiting for the release of the other two volumes in the series.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Abbie Barrett & The Last Date at www.abbiebarrett.com or www.myspace.com/abbiebarrett.  The Triples, Volume 1 was scheduled for a November 8, 2011, but as of this review does not appear to have made it to market yet.  Keep checking Barrett's website for release details.

Escape Directors - The Crowded Room

Escape Directors – The Crowded Room
2011, Escape Directors

Bergen County, New Jersey melodic alt-popsters Escape Directors  first showed up in Wildy’s World back in July of 2010 with their debut album Ladders.  With an understated musical sensibility and a penchant for great songwriting, the band was off to a great start.  Now, with the 2011 well under way, Escape Directors hit back with a new EP, The Crowded Room.  Escape Directors maintain their musical sensibilities on The Crowded Room, showing a penchant for big, arching melodies, but struggle a bit with consistency this time out.

The Crowded Room opens with "The War Outside", a gorgeous sonic experience steeped in strings.  The piece is mired in the same sort of maudlin musical heart that afflicts occasionally afflicts Coldplay and Radiohead, but soars at times in piques of harmonic joy as hope and drudgery intermingle and fuse.  After such a splendid start, "Set Fire To A Crowded Room" is something of a letdown.  Not bad in and of itself, the song simply doesn't fare well in the shadow of its predecessor.  "The Distant Past" is a fair effort, neither exciting nor boring, but holds down the middle of EP in solid form.  "Long Flights" begins an ascent for Escape Directors, blending a big guitar sound with ethereal pop to show flashes of what the band is capable of.  Escape Directors bookends The Crowded Room with "Money Changes Everyone", once again capturing the soaring grandeur and pure sonic essence they opened with.

The Crowded Room starts and ends with the sort of musical magic Escape Directors are capable of creating.  The middle of the EP is a bit soft, although "Long Flights" does surprise with a slightly edgier sound that is a welcome treat.  While The Crowded Room is a bit uneven, it certainly represents the potential that Escape Directors continue to build on in fine form.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Escape Directors at www.escapedirectors.com or www.myspace.com/escapedirectors.  The Crowded Room is available from Amazon.com as a CD or Download.  The album is also available via iTunes.

Kingfin - Get Involved [EP]

Kingfin - Get Involved [EP]
2010, Kingfin

UK rockers Kingfin draw their influences from bands such as The Clash, Nirvana and The Ramones, but with healthy doses of Radiohead and Pink Floyd thrown in as well. The band, who take their name from a bad guy in the game Super Mario Galaxy is starting to garner global attention, with radio placements in Canada, the US and back at home based on their debut EP, Get Involved.

Get Involved opens with "Hollywould Smile", a diatribe against television shopping and the ease at which such TV networks talk people out of their money. There's a modicum of anger here and the arrangement is suggestive of punk origins but more refined. "Dirty Little Secret" takes to task someone for their role in infidelity as the third wheel. It's a wakeup call delivered over a simple arrangement heavy on drums and bass with guitar providing angry accents. "Living Hell" is a slinky, blues-influenced rocker that's a lot of fun to listen to. This song probably works best on stage, but it will get your toes tapping no matter the setting. Get Involved closes with "Sweet Sixteen", an angry monologue about a teen girl with an over-sized sense of entitlement.

Kingfin seems to have some of the punk anger but little of the lash. The four songs offered on Get Involved are enjoyable on their face, but the aural treat becomes plain with repeated exposure. Some of this is certainly presentation, and it seems likely that these songs would fare better on stage with the flow of live energy than in the studio. Get Involved is enough to get you in the door as a listener. What Kingfin does next will tell whether listeners stick around.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Kingfin at www.myspace.com/kingfin01.  Get Involved is available digitally from Amazon.com or iTunes.

Portico Quartet - Isla

Portico Quartet - Isla
2010, Real World Records

Four lads from England leap miles beyond their peers with a sound so fresh and new it turns heads. The Beatles? The Stones? Wrong genre. The band that sparks such interest amongst musical cognoscenti these days is Portico Quartet. Staying mostly acoustic in an era of electronic excess, Portico Quartet creates somewhere in the seams between pop, classical, world, new age and jazz. Portico Quartet started out busking on London's South Bank, but quickly rose to prominence, earning a Mercury Music Prize nomination in 2008. Much of their distinctive sound can be attributed to the Hang, a melodic percussion instrument similar to the gamelan. Portico Quartet returns on today with Isla, produced by John Leckie (Radiohead, Stone Roses, Spiritualized).

Isla opens with "Paper Scissors Stone", a driven jazz breakdown with something of a progressive rock attitude. Jack Wyllie leads the way on saxophone, but Nick Mulvey builds ambience with the Hang; the sound is complete with a swirl of flutes and percussion. It's an intriguing opening that's a bit like Kenny G with machismo. "The Visitor" is wrapped in a veil of mystery; giving a sense of paths traveled and decisions made that is both familiar and foreign. "Dawn Patrol" features a vibrant bass line from Mike Fitzpatrick that drives the piece like a heartbeat. All of the other instrumentation here, while vital, is simply playing off the rhythms Fitzpatrick creates.

"Line" finds Portico Quartet branching out into more ethereal ground with a meandering and ambient exploration of muse. Obscure and melodic, "Line" has the rambling new age sensibility that suggests not so much a complete melody as Portico Quartet's capturing a few minutes in a timeline that may well go on forever. "Clipper" paints an aural picture of bouncing over waves; falling out of form in a breakdown that explores pure sonic exploration over structure. "Life Mask" is seven-plus minutes of melodic contemplation in a sparse yet pretty arrangement. The presentation here perhaps overstays a bit, but is no less welcome. "Isla" is full of an urgent energy, blurring the lines between jazz, world, pop and classical in a tuneful dance that runs deep in inner tension. "Shed Song (Improv No. 1)" is an eight-plus minute exploration in ambient jazz and rhythmic experimentation. Pro-forma structure leads to extensive noodling over the mirror-glass surface of water-like instrumental swells in a performance that will delight those with more avant-garde tastes. Portico Quartet closes with the somewhat more channeled "Su-Bo's Mental Meltdown", a bonus track that sticks to the same boundless exploration but does so over a vibrant and vaguely funky bass line. The boys from East London are more aggressive in their pursuit of a serious groove that could lead to a dynamic and commercially successful remix in the hands of the right DJ.

Portico Quartet is a refined musical taste; a band that will attract musicians, dreamers, experimenters and the sort of electronic music fans who always wondered what it would sound like if Pete Namlook worked in an acoustic environment. Portico Quartet goes where they wilt on Isla, leaving no question as to their talent, and no answers as to their motivation; meandering through styles like a butterfly crossing yards. If you can keep up it's a rewarding listen.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about the Portico Quartet at http://www.porticoquartet.com/ or www.myspace.com/porticoquartet.  Isla is available from Amazon.com as a CD or Download.

Escape Directors - Ladders

Escape Directors - Ladders
2010, Escape Directors

Wayne, New Jersey quartet Escape Directors walk the fine line between the Indie feel of Death Cab For Cutie and the more polished sound of bands such as The Killers, The Fray and even Radiohead. Taking a less in your face approach than most pop/rock outfits, Escape Directors will sneak up on you with songs that insinuate themselves into your mind and then won’t let you go. This tendency is very much in evidence on Escape Director’s debut album, Ladders.

Ladders opens with "Car Crash" a well-written song of regret that's delivered in a low-key fashion but with a lot of power. The song is incredibly tuneful, and Escape Directors come across sounding like a slightly more muscular version of Toad The Wet Sprocket. "Heart Defeats The Home" is an unglamorous look at adultery. Escape Directors craft strings around the base arrangement to build tension and bring resolution, while Steve Carter's vocals and the band's harmonies tell a story of love, betrayal and regret. "Fall Together" is a solid pop/rock effort with a melody that practically sings itself to you; the sort of song you'll be inclined to hit repeat on many times over.

Bravado rules the day on "When You're Gone", where the narrator tries to convince the one who cut him loose that he'll be alright. As the song progresses you realize that he's actually speaking years after the event when she has very much moved on, and it's clear he never has. "Chicago" is a song of unintended consequences and the beginning of a life on the run. It’s a fun listen with a dark underbelly that will draw you in. The centerpiece of the album, however, may just be "Mrs. Davenport", an incredibly catchy kiss-off song. Written in a compact and subdued arrangement, "Mrs. Davenport" is graced with a melody that screams for your attention. It's a brilliant bit of songwriting with a quiet pop flavor you can't ignore. "Margaret Marion" is a love ballad to someone who has passed on sonically inspired by Radiohead. The theme continues into "Take Me Back Home", where the narrator looks forward to a time when he will be reunited with his love in the afterlife. It's a beautiful sentiment wrapped up in a gorgeous arrangement consisting of acoustic guitar, piano and cello.

Escape Directors might not grab your attention. They're not a flashy bunch, but the songwriting is quietly amazing. Crafting melodies in the irresistible tradition of British rock n roll, Escape Directors have created a first class pop/rock album in Ladders. The comparisons to Toad The Wet Sprocket and Radiohead are spot-on, as Escape Directors build song after song out of distinctive melodies and energetic but understated arrangements that get under your skin and whisper quietly into your mind. Don't miss this one.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Escape Directors at http://www.escapedirectors.com/ or www.myspace.com/escapedirectors.  Ladders is available as both CD and Download from Amazon.com.  The album is also available from iTunes.

Ross Riskin - Keep Moving

Ross Riskin - Keep Moving
2010, Ross Riskin

Ross Riskin is a 19-year old singer/songwriter from Orange, Connecticut with perfectionist tendencies and an ear for melody. Influenced by artists ranging from Third Eye Blind, Weezer and Death Cab For Cutie to Radiohead and Coldplay, Riskin's style is a melting pot of late 90's and early-oughts alternative rock as interpreted through a singer-songwriter motif. Riskin recently released his sophomore EP, Keep Moving, and is currently burning up the I-95 corridor promoting the EP and spreading his sound.

Keep Moving is a thematically complicated but musically simple breakup album. Riskin features a pleasantly imperfect voice in a nearly talk-sing style in unadorned arrangements throughout the album. Riskin starts off with a musical treatise on grief, with a musical prologue "In The Future" featuring the moment of separation and followed quickly by denial; "Get You Back" and justification "Something Better Than Me". Riskin promises his return on "With The Sound", although it’s unclear if his intended is listening; there's still a disconnect running through the narrative here that suggests that the narrator isn't dealing with the reality of moment.

"In Motion" is a declarative of the tendency to over-compensate after a loss, moving too fast or too far in order to simply not think "I'm in motion / I can't stop now / I don't know how to slow my speed down". The song is lyrically awkward but honest, showing more heart than art. "For You And Me" keeps things simple, and is the best pure songwriting on the album. Up until now Riskin has written in a young voice, whether intentional or not. Here there is an economy and sharpness to his songwriting that is a significant advance. "The Ghost" makes use of significant reverb to color the song in haunting ambience, but Riskin reverts to his young writing voice in a bout of over-simplification that simply goes on too long.

Riskin turns to hope on "Could You Be Mine", a song less of destiny than opportunity that is a mix of love and mild obsession. The song sounds well-intentioned, but there's a thread of inevitability that runs through Keep Moving that seems manufactured. "Shine" is a more mature outlook on a relationship that is as doomed as it was in the opening song; it's a negotiation with fate and human emotion that Riskin isn't about to win that expresses distinct hope but is colored in the same reverb of "The Ghost". Riskin closes with "In The Past", finally putting everything behind him, but still trying to justify the path he's walked.

Ross Riskin delivers a series of tunes as personal as journey entries done up in minimal instrumentation on "Keep Moving". The song is full of human emotion, frailty and self-delusion, but it's an honest sort of self-delusion that we all engage in from time-to-time. Riskin sticks to bare-bones instrumentation, letting the lyrics speak for themselves in a brave and measured relaying of the sort of mistakes we all make while learning the ropes of relationships. Musically, Riskin may benefit from collaboration, as several of the songs here would flourish with a slightly broader musical canvas, but the stark arrangements on Keep Moving work well in their own right and in their context. This album will leave you curious about what else Riskin has to offer.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Ross Riskin at http://www.rossriskin.com/ or www.myspace.com/rossriskin. Keep Moving is available as a digital EP from Amazon and iTunes.

Bend - The Helpless EP

Bend - The Helpless EP
2009, Yoav Erez

Bend was born in Tel Aviv, Israel; the brain child of songwriter/keyboardist/lead vocalist Yoav Erez. While all members past and present have contributed to the sound of Bend, it’s inarguable that Erez has been the prime mover behind Bend, from founding the band to moving it to New York City to its musical direction. Elements of English icons such as Queen, Coldplay and Radiohead can be heard, but Erez' banging piano style will draw as many comparisons to Ben Folds as anyone else. Current mainstays on the New York City Indie circuit, Bend have documented their sound on The Helpless EP.

The Helpless EP opens with "Unpredictable", a funky rock tune full of eclectic piano stylings (ala Ben Folds) and a sense of energy and purpose that are infectious. Vocalist Yoav Erez has quite the range and a pleasant enough voice to overlook the occasional messy run on the fast-paced vocal lines of the song. "Stronger Than Me" is a lyric Elton John-meets-Radiohead moment that's surprisingly appealing. "Helpless" has an abject beauty that blooms into quintessence on a chorus full of hope and grace. "Changing Of Tides" a six-minute ballad with ethereal, new-age sensibilities blended into a gentle pop arrangement that's part Ben Folds.

Bend gets in touch with their folksy side on "See It Clear", a mellow rock gem with real vibrancy woven into the seams. The song takes on a life of its own, with a deep-seated urgency that's almost palpable wrapped inside a pretty melody that sounds like something Paul McCartney might have doodled one rainy afternoon. The Helpless EP closes with "Do It With You", a sweet love song that seems like it should be destined for a whole lot of mix tapes. The vocal levels are a bit off in this recording, buried a bit too deep in the instrumentation, but that's the only complaint that seems evident. This is a tune that will get your head bobbing, a near-perfect little pop gem that will insinuate itself into your brain and stay there for days.

The Helpless EP is a pleasant surprise; the sort of recording you might tend to blather on to friends about until they check it out for themselves. Even if it's just to make you stop, don't be surprised if most of your friends find the charm of Bend's EP too much to resist. Pure pop melodies in reserved arrangements that allow the simple beauty of the songs free reign are the order of the day, and Bend serves them up with aplomb. Even the apparent over-use of vocal masking software can't overcome the simple, infectious beauty of the songs on The Helpless EP, although hopefully Bend will see their way past such tricks in the future.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Bend at http://www.bend-music.com/. The Helpless EP is is available as both CD and Download from Amazon.

Evan Bliss - ShhhPOW!

Evan Bliss - ShhhPOW!
2010, Holster Records

Former The Low Life front man Evan Bliss re-united with his old band Evan Bliss & The Welchers this year to release his second solo album, ShhhPOW! Writing in a sharply post-genre collection of styles, Bliss will recall for listeners such acts as Maroon 5, Ray LaMontagne, David Bowie and U2 on ShhhPOW!, while blending rock, soul and even a dash of reggae in the process.

ShhhPow! is a solid effort full of singer-songwriter songs with a quirky pop edge that's part Train and part Radiohead. Bliss has a voice that will stick out in your mind; it works very well on some songs but occasionally comes face to face with his limitations on ShhhPow! Bliss carries on either in spite of or oblivious to such concerns, delivering the songs as he hears them. The effort is generally successful, with highlights such as the thoughtful "On Live And Life", the Train-styled "Fleiss", and the Radiohead-essence of "Awake". Bliss is particularly enjoyable on the gritty R&B-based rocker "Passerby"; the wagon-train country-punk intensity of "Come Shine" and the messy but enjoyable "Shotgun Ho-Down". Make sure you stick around for "Pula Aena", a stirring gem stuck at the end of the album that features the African Children's Choir and voiceovers telling what the group is and how it came to be. Bliss is at his vocal best here, and the choir very accomplished on backing vocals.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more: website, MySpace

Buy: AmazonMP3, iTunes

Review: King Washington - Grenadine

King Washington - Grenadine
2010, King Washington Music

Los Angeles quartet King Washington come ready to rock, but they're in it for the aesthetics as well. All four members are seasoned vocalists, and the harmonies flow freely throughout the band's album Grenadine. You'll hear influences ranging from The Talking Heads to the Beach Boys, with health dollops of Bowie and Radiohead thrown in for good measure. A heavy emphasis is placed on the construction of songs, treating them not just as vehicles with a message but as works of art.

Grenadine opens with "I Get By", featuring a strong 1960's vibe with strong nod to The Beatles. It's a great opening tune that will get stuck in your head, and you may even find yourself wondering if someone finally unearthed a new Beatles track that lay hidden for four-and-a-half decades. "Angela" keeps the same feel in a highly danceable number with strong vocal harmonies and an iconic lead vocal from Tyson Kelly. King Washington slows things down a bit with "Live On", a sweetly arranged tune about stopping to smell the roses. The song features great lyric guitar work inside a layered arrangement. Things take a darker turn with "Why", a melancholy, pensive song that has a nice melody but is a bit too drawn out for its own good. "The Cobbler" is likely to be a concert favorite; an upbeat tune that's out of the box and full of joy. Grenadine winds down with an Oasis-like melancholy wine on "The World". The repetitive nature and passive nature of the song don't tag it as a natural closer, and the song feels out of place on the EP.

King Washington clearly have a sound that is going to draw serious music fans; they also have a sound that may drive some away. Grenadine features a band that is of two minds and trying to figure things out. At their best, King Washington creates magical fuzzy pop songs the likes of which haven't been heard in some time. At their worst, the band becomes mired in their own melancholy and misses the connections they are so capable of making. Grenadine is a mixed experience with more pluses than minuses; it's worth checking out for King Washington's finer moments.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about King Washington at www.myspace.com/kingwashington. Grenadine may be purchased digitally from iTunes.

Review: Throwing Seven - Hope Forgets To Breathe

Throwing Seven - Hope Forgets To Breathe
2010, Planet LA Records

Los Angeles stalwarts Throwing Seven push their melodic power rock to the masses with the release of their debut album, Hope Forgets To Breathe. Regulars in clubs across Southern California, Throwing Seven create a sonically dense three-guitar sound and wrap it around emotionally impactful lyrics. Lead by the monomonous lead singer Jude, Throwing Seven looks to take things to the next level with Hope Forgets To Breathe, after spending the past couple of years playing major festivals including the Vans Warped Tour.

Hope Forgets To Breathe opens with "Push", a stripped down and tightly controlled Modern Rock anthem built around a compact arrangement, rapid-fire drumming and the needful vocals of Jude. "Push" has radio hit stamped all over it; the sort of song that can catch fire at the right time and get a lot of spins quickly. The bass player puts a funk stamp all over Push and carries it over into "Four For Free". "Four For Free" sounds a bit more typical of a modern rock band, but Throwing Seven sticks with the compact style, letting their musicality take precedence over volume or speed. "When The Lights Go Out" finds Throwing Seven retreating into more stereotypical sounds for their genre. The energy and originality of "Push" and, to a lesser degree, "Four For Free" falls by the way side. "Black Maria" restores the energy in a virulently angry track that's worth hearing.

"Saturday Night Soldier" finds Throwing Seven opening up with a more metal-oriented sound without giving up their compact, New Wave sound. The guitar sound is bigger, the drums faster and meaner, but Jude retains his Pop-metal credentials on a serious face-melting tune. "Let It Bleed" finds Throwing Seven amping up the energy in a serious guitar rock anthem worth paying attention to. Throwing Seven turns down the amps on the opening of "Lotus", building through the first verse into a full-bore rocker full of layered guitar and a highly variable rhythm section.

Throwing Seven creates exciting Rock N Roll on the surprising Hope Forgets To Breathe, building in enough rock credentials to survive in a market like LA but with enough musical heart to export their sound outside The City of Angels. Throwing Seven isn't the sort of album that truly breaks a band; it's more the one before that sets the band up to the breaking point. What Throwing Sevens do next is ultimately up to their creative process.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Throwing Seven at www.myspace.com/throwingseven or http://www.throwingseven.com/. You can download Hope Forgets To Breathe through iTunes. Hard copy CDs are available directly from the band at live shows. If you can't make it to a show but want the CD, message the band through MySpace. I'm sure they'll be happy to help you out.

Wildy's World - Sunday Singles - February 28, 2010

Katia - Girl Like Me
2010, Katia

Katia's first single, Girl Like Me is generic pop with a capital G. The song is a pleasant listen, consisting of a solid light dance beat and an affable melody, but the vocal line is a mess of computerized effects, from reverb so heavy at times it’s dizzying to electronic effects that might be corrective in nature. The mix of heavy vocal production and moderate production values may speak volumes either about Katia or about the producer. Either way, it's a pleasantly innocuous track that doesn’t make a strong impression.

Rating: 2.5 Stars (Out of 5)

www.myspace.com/katiamusic

Darlingside - Surround
2010, Darlingside

Surround plays a little bit to formula in a world where Radiohead and Coldplay influence a lot of artists. LV has a very pleasing tenor voice, and the strings offer interesting accents to the song. The melody is a bit predictable but not one you're likely to find yourself singing along to. The song is decent enough, particularly as part of a larger project, but doesn't have the chutzpah to be an attention-getting single.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

http://www.darlingside.com/ www.myspace.com/darlingside

Craymo - Passion For Fashion (PFF)/Happy Birthday (remix)
2010, Craymo

Craymo's Passion For Fashion (PFF) is a catchy dance tune. On a personal level I didn't enjoy it, but I can see how it might catch on in the club scene, particularly with the right remix. Happy Birthday is hokey and fun as well as danceable. This one sounds great for a kid's birthday party.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)
http://www.craymo.com/.

Review: Gills And Wings - Gills And Wings [EP]

Gills And Wings - Gills And Wings [EP]
2009, Gills And Wings

Gills And Wings was born in Miami Beach, Florida, from the songwriting partnership of Danny Reyes and Santiago de la Fuente. The pair moved to Virginia Beach to work with guitarist Alex McCallum (Jason Mraz) and added bassist Matt Hulcher and drummer Andrew Hackett in the process. Together, the quintet has gone to create music with the ethereal air of Radiohead or Coldplay and the glam of Bowie or Queen. Gills And Wings, the band's debut EP, serves as a throwing down of the gauntlet to the next generation of rock stars. Gills And Wings have arrived.

Breaking out of the gate with the sort of melodic glam Queen was known for, Gills And Wings breaks the glass with Rebirth Of A Nation. Guitarist Alex McCallum even captures some of Brian May's signature guitar sound, and vocalist Danny Reyes is a fair approximation for the vocal style of Freddie Mercury without being a sound-alike. Rebirth Of A Nation is about changes in the US and is delivered in sarcastic overtones, contending, perhaps, that the "rebirth" in this case may not be for the better. Catastrophe falls into the category of "mellow glam"; Reyes' voice drives this angst-filled number about letting your mouth get you into trouble. Solitude carries the same sort of heavy Baroque feel, but is perhaps a bit less accessible than the rest of the EP. On The Dealer, Gills And Wings offer up the viewpoint of a flawed man doing his best to show broken people love of a sort. The vocal performance is chilling, and the song is compelling for both its humanization of a social archetype and willingness to step outside of the politically charged conventional view. The song is amazing, showing a rare gift for capturing a person, place or moment in song. Gills And Wings closes with Circus, an infectious Pop/Glam number that will get stuck in your brain and stay there for days.

Gills And Wings have a sound with enough Prog and Glam in it to be considered Retro but are fresh enough to fly fans of Modern Rock and Pop. You'll hear Freddie Mercury comparisons regarding MLV, and they aren't unfounded, but Reyes lays himself out in his voice in a way that is highly personal and rarely found in a vocalist who is simply mimicking another. Gills And Wings have a very bright future. The self-titled EP is a great start.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Gills And Wings at www.myspace.com/gillsandwings or http://www.gillsandwings.com/. Gills And Wings [EP] can be downloaded from Amazon.com or iTunes.

Review: Chasing Kings - The Current State Of Our Future

Chasing Kings - The Current State Of Our Future
2009, Chasing Kings/BMI

Malibu, California's Chasing Kings have their origins in a friendship that started in sixth grade. Matt Schwartz (vocals/keys/guitar) and Drew Beck (guitar/vocals) began writing together in their early teens and moved to Malibu in 2006, where they added Nick Sandler (drums) and Mike Goldman (bass/vocals). All still in their teens, Chasing Kings bring their brand of remarkably mature and polished Pop/Rock to their debut EP, The Current State Of Our Future.

Chasing Kings open with a tremendous piece of dark, brooding Pop music in Empathy. The melody here is certain to keep you interested and make you want to dance. The Current State Of Our Future is a song written loosely about the future from the perspective of someone who has little idea how they might fit into it. The song shows both the naivete and cynicism of youth, certain about what's wrong but not really having a clue about what might be right. It's an intriguing tune with a light airy chorus masking a dark well of melancholy and uncertainty underneath. An Empty Handshake is a diatribe against the social habits of society, particularly in a celebrity-based business such as music. Falsehood is called out in an arrangement the recalls Radiohead. This Town was somehow both driven and bland at the same time, but Chasing Kings recovers nicely with Dark Sunglasses. Dark Sunglasses opens with delicious interplay between guitar and keyboards and has a lurking pop sensibility that will make you nearly want to dance. Chasing Kings closes with All My Life, an adequate closer that seems a bit anti-climactic in light of some of the other material presented here.

Chasing Kings shows a real aptitude for writing peppy yet emotionally-loaded rock songs with stirring melodies and a Radiohead/Coldplay ambience. The Current State Of Our Future is a bit uneven at times, but an intriguing introduction to a band with a bright future.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Chasing Kings at www.myspace.com/therealchasingkings or http://www.chasingkings.com/, where you can purchase a copy of The Current State Of Our Future on CD. Digital versions are available from iTunes.

Review: The States - We Are The Erasers EP

The States - We Are The Erasers EP
2009, Groove Collective Records

Brooklyn’s The States is a power-trio with an ambient feel that may draw comparisons to Radiohead or even Coldplay, but The States never quite let go of their power chords. Singer/guitarist Chris Snyder, drummer Joe Stroll and bassist Pete Connors have grown up through their music. We covered The States sophomore release, The Path Of Least Resistance just last year, and found The States to be charming rockers with an ability to right choruses that soar through the air. In September, 2009, The States released their third album; an EP entitled We Are The Erasers. In the year that’s passed since we last visited with The States, a distinctive maturity has crept into their songwriting. The results are a pleasant surprise.

The States open with Our Time Is Up, a vibrant Rock N Roll tune that's a bit opaque in meaning but has the sort of urgent energy and sound that makes for a surefire Rock Radio hit. The Flight is a song about feeling lost in a world where dreams haven't panned out and responsibilities have taken over. There's a wistful feeling here, longing for the trappings of youth. The anger and frustration pops up on all the wrong places, "I'm running ragged again, I only turn on my temper for my best friends.” It's a strong song about the disaffecting quality of traversing the divide between immaturity and adulthood. Erasers takes to task a society that has learned to bend and shape itself through things like plastic surgery and drugs. As the prevalence of these things grows, what is to stop an eventual collective consciousness from making these decisions for others, and does it happen already? Erasers is both commentary and warning about the potential for the Jones to keep up with you. Bodies finds The States embarking through the lands of dramatic and heavy rock. It's not the strongest tune on the disc but is certainly an interesting listen. The States close with Brightstars, which seems to be about searching for meaning in the wake of a friend's suicide or death. It's a gorgeous and touching tune full of angst, fear and even hope. Chris Snyder serves up his best vocal performance on the disc as a closer.

The States continue to impress. We Are The Erasers shows the same grit as on The Path Of Least Resistance, but there's a more mature authorial voice coming through the songs. It's the sort of step forward you might expect from a band on its way to greatness.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about The States at http://www.thestatesonline.com/ or www.myspace.com/thestatesonline. You can download We Are The Erasers from iTunes. CD copies do exist, but don’t appear to be available online. Contact The States through their MySpace page if you simply have to have one!

Review: Zac Mac Band - Don't Look Down

Zac Mac Band - Don't Look Down
2009, Night Train Records

Boston-based quartet the Zac Mac Band knows a thing or two about stature. Maine-born lead vocalist Zac McIntyre towers over audiences at 6'10", wowing concertgoers with not only his size but his musical talent. The Zac Mac Band has been giving Beantown audiences their fill of ambient pop for the last couple of years. In 2008, Zac Mac Band released their debut EP, Under The Radar to positive reviews. For 2009, the Zac Mac Band looks to expand on it with the full-length Don't Look Down, which includes tracks from the EP plus six brand new tunes.

The first thing I noticed about Don't Look Down is that Zac Mac Band has pulled even more inward on their sound. The search for an Ambient Pop/Rock feel has run so deep that Zac Mac Band has nearly divorced themselves from the energy that made their sound work on Under The Radar. The tracks that appear both there and on Don't Look Down have been smoothed and glossed over since their original recordings to a point where they seem to lose their drive. MySpace Heartbreak and 15 Songs On The Radio are the most obvious examples; both songs were mellow but had this core of fun energy that lit them up like a Jack O' Lantern for listeners. Both songs in their current form are so polished and clean they've lost their essential liveliness.

Highest Level opens the album on a pleasantly mild pop note. It's a moderate opening that's fairly consistent with what's to come. Roll Me Over sticks with the mellow pop sound but comes to alive on the guitar solo. Ultimately, that guitar solo is the biggest sign of life on the disc. Stepping Stone is a decent melody that goes on too long given the overall energy level. Perhaps the best track on the disc is Darcie, a sweet love song that rests neatly in the womb of mellow Pop but exudes passion. Don't Look Down closes out with Trap; one of the better melodies on the disc that still suffers from a lack of real conviction.

The verdict on Don't Look Down is that it's ultimately pleasant but monochromatic and without a lot of life. There's absolutely nothing in the world wrong with ambient pop; groups like Coldplay and Radiohead have made big careers from different sides of the same virtual coin. The difference with those bands is the energy level and conviction that comes through the music. Zac Mac Band has the sound down, but they haven't figured out a way to channel real personality through the songs on CD. It might be a different experience in a live setting, but that energy just doesn't emerge on Don't Look Down.

Rating: 2.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about the Zac Mac Band at http://www.zacmacband.com/ or www.myspace.com/zacmacband. You can purchase a copy of Don’t Look Down from CDBaby.com.

Review: 7 Worlds Collide - The Sun Came Out

7 Worlds Collide - The Sun Came Out
2009, SIN/Sony Music

'Tis the season for benefit albums. Oxfam International is the beneficiary of the collective 7 Worlds Collide's release, The Sun Came Out, recently released by Sony Records in Australia, the UK and in North America. 7 Worlds Collide is a loose collaboration between The Finn Family (Tim, Neil, Sharon, Liam and Elroy) and artists such as Jeff Tweedy (Wilco), KT Tunstall, Bic Runga, Phil Selway (Radiohead), Johnny Marr, Don McGlashan, Glenn Richards and others. The Sun Came Out comprises 24 songs across two CD's, mixing the magical and the mundane into a generally enjoyable listening experience.

Highlights abound on The Sun Came Out, starting with Jeff Tweedy on You Never Know. This is what it would sound like if the Beach Boys played Americana music; Great harmonies, a strong melody line and a cynical narrative about each generation's tendency to think they are the last. KT Tunstall and Bic Runga's Black Silk Ribbon is stark and mysterious, as if two miscreant angels were singing together to hold back the night. Don McGlashan gets into heavy socio-religious commentary on Girl, Make Up Your Mind. The song admonishes someone to think for herself, using a series of Judeo-Christian beliefs or stories as examples of things "they" will try to convince her of. What's most funny about the song is that it preaches independent thought while strongly implying his disapproval of the ideas put forth. Phil Selway gets into the action with lead vocals on two songs; The Ties That Bind Us and The Witching Hour. The Ties That Bind is great, nuanced songwriting with an ambling melody that draws you along. His songwriting on The Witching Hour is equally strong and enjoyable, and his voice is a pleasant listen.

Glenn Richards teams up with Johnny Marr and Neil Finn on Duxton Blues. This is one of the quiet surprises on the album. On first listen it's very straightforward and somewhat gentle, but there's a tremendous amount of musical energy being expended beneath the surface here. Richards' voice is affable, and the harmonies and arrangement are nearly magical. My favorite track on the disc is KT Tunstall's Hazel Black. I could listen to this tune on replay all day long. The song and arrangement are great, but Tunstall's voice puts this over the top. Not to be left out, Bic Runga turns in a great vocal performance on Change Of Heart; using her mellow, subtle voice to illuminate the nuance and emotion in the song. Ed O'Brien kicks in with the best pure Rock tune on the album, Long Time Gone, and Glenn Kotchke and Phil Selway channel Bill Bruford on 3 Worlds Collide. The Sun Came Out closes with The Water, a collaboration between Sebastian Steinberg (vocals), Neil Finn, Glenn Kotchke and Johnny Marr. Steinberg has a pleasant voice, and the meandering tune is a great wind down for the album.

These sorts of collections usually walk a tight rope; and most fall inevitably to the net below. The conglomeration of so many talents in support of a good cause generally incurs the stepping on of toes and tension that alters the creative process. To listen to The Sun Came Out, 7 Worlds Collide managed to avoid these pitfalls. There's some up and down in the quality of individual songs, but not unlike you would find on any normal album from a group of talented musicians as those who comprise 7 Worlds Collide. All-in-all it's a great album, and a chance to hear some well-known artists in a slightly different milieu than normal. KT Tunstall and Phil Selway standout from a standout crowd here, but there isn't a bad track out of the twenty-four. If you're looking for some great new music and want to do something good for someone else in the process of acquiring it, then think seriously about 7 Worlds Collide's The Sun Came Out. It's a great listen.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about 7 Worlds Collide at http://www.7worldscollide.com/ or www.myspace.com/7worldscollide. You can purchase The Sun Came Out as either a CD or download through Amazon.com.

Review: Suddyn - Dark Lights

Suddyn - Dark Lights
2009, Suddyn

Two brothers from Montauk, Long Island meet two Irish guys... what sounds like the beginning of a joke is actually the genesis of one of the hottest rock acts in Ireland that's building a significant buzz here in the US. With a sound that mixes elements of Queen, Radiohead and U2, Suddyn has racked up three Top-30 singles in Ireland as an Indie act and has already accumulated more than 150 adds in the States from their debut EP, Dark Lights. With a tremendous reputation for their live shows and a glam mentality that's too little seen in Rock N Roll these days, Suddyn shows no signs of slowing down.

Dark Lights opens with Holding Up The Backdrop, a maudlin Modern Rock tune with theatrical ambitions. This is probably great radio fodder but is a bit weak as an opening tune to the EP. Generation, on the other hand, has a darker, more intriguing tone that would probably serve better as a lead song (although not necessarily a lead single). The first two songs on Dark Light suggest a strongly melancholy songwriting style and both are focused heavily on the downside of a relationship. Side Arm opens like a traditional Glam Rock ballad, with vocalist Alan Steil accompanied only by piano. Side Arm focuses on a relationship gone bad, asking for a cessation of hostility and remembrance of what once was. It's a very well written tune and is likely a showstopper live. Dark Lights winds down to Closing Spaces, a song about running away rather than losing; you could almost call it an anthem for cowardice, where it's easier to run than to try. It's an interesting choice and seals Dark Lights in an envelope of melancholy.

Suddyn makes interesting choices on Dark Lights, investing their energy in the darker emotions of loss, regret and fear. It is perhaps music for the times, and hearkens back to a sound and style embraced by bands such as The Cure and The Smiths (although The Cure at least accompanied their lyrical pathos with irrepressible melodies). At the end of the day I'm ambivalent about Dark Lights. There are things here I like (the song construction, the vocalist, the instrumental work), and Side Arm is particularly well-written, but much of the EP just fell a bit flat for me. It's like the energy that Suddyn is so well known for in their live shows simply didn't carry over to the EP. That's unfortunate, because as dark and depressing as they may be, the songs here are actually quite good.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Suddyn at www.myspace.com/suddyn. You can purchase Dark Lights as a download through iTunes.

Review: Gumshen - Super Buffet

Gumshen - Super Buffet
2009, Gumshen

Gumshen is a Seattle quartet with serious rock credentials who choose to delve just a bit deeper. Working in elements of Jazz, Funk and Hip-Hop, Gumshen has hit a creative goldmine, generating three EPs in two short years. Their latest, Super Buffet, finds Gumshen on a path of distinctive musical creativity tempered only by a paucity of lyrical depth.

Super Buffet opens with Start Of Something Good, an alt-Rock tune that apparently brought about some creative issues in the lyric-writing process. The highly repetitive nature of the song detracts from a not unpleasant rock arrangement that sounds like it may have been recorded in one take. Lost Disguise reveals an outright ambivalence toward lyrical progression even while building a decent melodic and harmonic progression into the song. The lyric issue is befuddling, as Gumshen almost appears to place statements together without regard for their connectivity. That's not suggest that the lyrics are random, but there is seemingly a shattered sense of thought behind the first two songs. Gumshen opens up the throttle on Guts, building around a vicious guitar riff another song that is sonically pleasing and lyrically puzzling. Gumshen steps out of the lyrical woods on Gone Too Soon, speaking in terms that make sense in a highly enjoyable Elton John-ish arrangement. There's still a tendency to go off the tracks here and there as Gumshen appears to make lyrical choices at times based on rhyme and rhythm rather than narrative, but on the whole it is much easier to follow Gone Too Soon than the prior songs on the EP. Super Buffet closes out with Down Like Me, spearheaded by another vicious guitar riff you won't be able to get out of your head. Once again, repetition, rhythm and rhyme seem to take precedence over conveying understandable thought, but the music is very enjoyable.

Gumshen's Super Buffet is a tasty treat, musically, that often times just doesn't live up on the lyric side. As a listener you get the feel that the words are second class citizens, chosen more for their sound than for their meaning. Gumshen proves this isn't always true on Gone Too Soon, a moving and powerful tune with an eye for a bleak future hoping to motivate the present, but otherwise you might expect to get a bit lost for meaning amongst the rhythm and rhymes of Ron Hippe's vocals. Super Buffet is nevertheless musically intriguing and worth checking out.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Gumshen at http://www.gumshen.com/ or www.myspace.com/gumshen. You can purchase Super Buffet as either a CD or a download from CDBaby.com.

Review: Dune Tran - Heart Anchors

Dune Tran - Heart Anchors
2009, Dune Tran

Edmonton, Alberta, Canada native Dune Tran relocated to San Francisco in 2001. Getting a late start on a music career, Tran never learned guitar until the age of 21, and piano until she was 24. Tran has wasted no time putting her skills to use, spending some time singing backup vocals for San Francisco’s Leilujh before taking the solo route. 2009 sees Tran’s hard work come to fruition with the release of her debut album, Heart Anchors.

Heart Anchors has some great moments, from Tran's Tori Amos-inspired piano playing to the occasional sprinkling of gorgeous pop moments. Tran sings with raw emotion and a sweet voice with just a bit of an edge. On songs like All, Tran has an essential likability that comes across in the music. All is a sweet love song, ready for mix-tape exposure, but on the vocal side Tran shows the occasional big flaw (like pitch issues here and there). One gets the idea that Tran doesn't care, she just enjoys singing. That joy is infectious enough that the listener will overlook some of these small things and really get into the songs. Silence is a gorgeous and emotionally raw bit of personal biography about a relationship that's caught in between two phases. On songs like Daydreams, Tran proves herself to be an apt painter of human emotion in song, laying out the emotional landscape of a relationship in musical forms you can understand.

Tran's loveliest composition on Heart Anchors features Tran, piano and cello. Fading Into Black has a stark beauty and loneliness woven into the instrumentation that is more telling than any lyric. Elements of Tori Amos and Sarah McLachlan can be heard here, but Tran sinks into an original voice that is between those two and yet not of either one. Trans says goodnight with the bruising piano driven song Safety Nets. Fans of early Tori Amos will dig this song, which is extremely well-written aside from any stylistic similarities. Other highlights include Love Underwater and Cannot Reach You.

Dune Tran's Heart Anchors is an intriguing if uneven first effort. Tran show obvious influence from artists such as Tori Amos and Sarah McLachlan. Her best moments come when she plays out those influences into something of her own style. Where Tran tries to be a bit more mainstream the songs lack real personality and fall a bit flat. Dune Tran's voice has a sweetness to it that hides an edge you can never quite put your finger on. My suspicion (and hope) is that this is just the beginning for Tran. There's a lot more music in there, and over time she'll hone her skills further. For now, Heart Anchors is a great start.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Dune Tran at http://www.dunetran.com/ or www.myspace.com/dunetran. You can purchase a copy of Heart Anchors at www.cdbaby.com/cd/dunetran.