Our Own Ghost City is an album full of off key time signatures, twinkling guitars riffs and rife with melody. On paper this sounds grand but in practise is quite a tiring effort.

Repetition is what brings the album down, I often found myself struggling to determine where one track ended and another began a trait all too familiar with this style of music. In style, the album sits neatly somewhere between the technical ability of Minus the Bear and the melody of Biffy Clyro, something that unfortunately, my brain immediately flagged as something I wouldn’t enjoy, especially with the latter comparison as it crosses the border into cheese territory.

Skill seems to be the key attribute of the band; Our Own Ghost City is a very technical affair with choppy, angular guitars and odd time signatures that are executed with a huge amount of finesse and ability, just not in a manner that I enjoy.

And it’s this that divides me, single (We all) Talk With Knives is a perfect example of how the band can get it right, a short and catchy track that manages to hold my attention, not too complex and not too plain, maybe a sign that I’d be more suited to listening to an ep than album.
In short, Our Own Ghost City isn’t the most original album of late, it does get certain things right, but for me the majority of it is too nondescript. It’s definitely enjoyable in short listens but alas something just doesn’t sit right with me.

Helen Earth Band – (We All) Talk With Knives from One Bad Landing on Vimeo.

Sometimes it’s hard to determine whether a band rerecording material is either a cop out or for better, in Castevet’s case it’s the latter. Hindsight has served the band well in this instance; as the entire record has been rerecorded and expanded via 2 new tracks.

When I first heard the original release of The Echo & the Light I was greeted with many emotions, the main one being disappointment. Weak production was my main issue; the songs showed promise but lacked the magic they presented on their debut Summer Fences. Thankfully this has been restored in the band rerecording the record. The sheer clarity given to the songs in their newly recorded form is staggering to say the least, the entire record shines with the new coat of polish especially the duelling riffs contained in the closing break of Bike Notes as they are now fully distinguishable and sound better than ever. Also the band didn’t just stop at rerecording, there are even extra riffs thrown in for good measure that do nothing less than improve what’s already there.

Normally in a case like this any extra tracks are effortlessly tagged on at the end of the record, but not fearing any recourse, Castevet have dared interfere with the original running order. Switching out opener Narrow Hallways to Six Parts Summer was a decision well made, allowing the beauty of the opening riff to captivate its audience and reel them in before the expectancy of familiar songs. The removal of the introduction to Narrow Hallways goes hand in hand with this decision helping keep this sense of urgency and pace.

Those expecting Summer Fences pt2 will be sorely disappointed though. The song writing has radically developed since their debut with the band dabbling in various other genres, the 2nd new addition to the record, Model Trains even tries it’s hand at a bit of pop punk while Lautrec shows the band at their heaviest in an epic jam much like Roadside Monument. And that’s what draws me to this record so much, Castevet know how to vary their music, there’s never too much of anything at one time that will bore you. It constantly chops and changes, keeping you on your toes, the pace is varied and the balance between twinkle and destruction on tracks like Cities & Memory is a beauty to be a part of, even the twiddly riffs make perfect sense as they slot into the songs like they were made for each other in perfect unison.

Six Parts Summer

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Dude Japan are a band that seem to improve with every release and the fact the initial demo was of such high calibre must be a clear indication of where the band now lie. The progression since said demo is impressive to say the least, from the static hiss of the indie pop to the fully fledged Indie Rock present here.

Simple Living follows on from their split with Weed Hounds continuing a sound that is now fully realised, ditching the 4 track in favour of a more refined studio approach. Not really a coincidence for saying the ep was recorded during the same sessions.

Not only are there higher production values, but the song writing of the band has changed dramatically, rather than carrying on the indie pop found on the demo, the band have ventured out into more of an early 90’s indie rock sound. The whole ep is scattered with nods to the giants of Indie Rock, opener The Seattle Freeze (has come to NY) comes to life with a verse I’d normally associate with a band like Seam, whilst the Na Na Naaas of the later bridge lend heavily from Scottish Indie Rockers Urusei Yatsura. Slacker Ballad Wasted & Unwanted also tips it’s hat to the messy beauty of bands like Lou Barlow’s Sebadoh, a wonderfully fuzzy song that’s full of bum notes and sloppy riffs that still manage to sound majestic.

Somehow Dude Japan has managed to encapsulate the sound of 90’s Indie Rock in a mere 6 songs, something that can be considered no small feat in today’s climate and completely restores my faith in modern Indie Rock. BUY IT.

The Seattle Freeze (Has Come to NY)

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Rok Lok Records

The Riot Before’s sophomore effort presents us with an album that’s varied in style and full energy and whilst being a thoroughly enjoyable record, isn’t without it’s faults.

Rebellion seems to find the band in a situation whereby they’re not 100% on what kind of album they are producing. Given the recent popularity of bands such as the Gaslight Anthem and Lucero, many others are now choosing to try and blur the lines between classic rock with their punk rock roots. In the case of The Riot Before it works but takes a little time to do so.

Great things are promised on opener The Middle Distance, setting the scene for a punk rock album that will alleviate you from the current run of weak & disappointing punk bands. It’s messy beginning with almost Shellac like bass thuds, soon gives out to the urge to move full swing into full on punk rock.

The album’s first stumble comes in the form of next track Backstage Rooms, a song that kills the momentum gained by The Middle Distance and marking the first of a handful of songs that favour a more of a slower traditional rock sound. This is a common occurrence throughout the record and despite the fact that I cannot critique the songs themselves as there’s nothing inherently wrong with them, my beef lies in the aforementioned positioning of said tracks.

As the album progresses, this classic rock influence shines through more and more to the point that it becomes intertwined with the heavier punk rock numbers, a practise that works far better than the stand alone songs. Had the album taken this approach as a whole then it would have much more of a continuous flow to it.

Rebellion is definitely an album that’s best enjoyed in hindsight, on first listens I struggled to get on board with due to the fact that it seemed to fall in line with bands like The Gaslight Anthem, but on further listens, there’s far more to it. There’s heart, energy and passion in this record and it’s this that elevates it above the rest of the crowd, despite it’s initial stumbles.

The Oregon Trail

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I’ve spent most of the last year pretty much moaning about the decline in great indie rock and then out of nowhere, two quality releases land on my door step with Wonderswan’s I Wish I Was Deep Instead of Just Macho being one.

IWIWDIOJM was recorded entirely on 4 track, something that is reflected in the production of the music, something that shouldn’t deter you however, as it suits it to a tee. Deep amongst the tape hiss and tinny production are some brilliant songs that benefit from its lo-fi-ness, adding a splash of authenticity to its sound.

Whilst there are 8 tracks in total on the tape, only 4 can be classed as ‘songs’ so to speak. The others serve as musical interludes between tracks, sloppy yet brilliant tracks that sound straight out of the rehearsal room. This shows the band on a more experimental and freeform level, a nice companion to the poppy main body of songs.

Wonderswan pay homage to some of the best bands of the genre on IWIWDIOJM (even the abbreviation is a mouthful), bands such as Seafood, Dinosaur Jr and the more tuneful aspects of Sonic Youth, the latter being more prevailing in the instrumental ‘jam’ tracks. All these influences combined produce an end result that’s a gutsy effort to try and rekindle what appears to be a dying style, a rawkus mixed bag of material to try and disrupt the current state of over polished indie rock.

Not only is this a great release, the packaging is somewhat special too. A lot of effort has gone into the packaging (much like all Sea Owl releases), a paper sleeve that folds out into a beach changing hut, all sealed with a nautical piece of string. Knob on.
The tape is currently available from Sea Owl

A mixture of style is presented here on the bands first 7″ all of which fall into some sort of indie niche. First track A Headache is notably the shortest and loudest track on the ep, opening on a set of controlled palm muted chords before bursting into a bellowed chorus with lyrics presenting the struggle of a bands search for fame.

Big Breath features many of the aspects found on A Headache, familiar picked palm muted chords, a bellowing vocal and a twinkling xylophone only executed in a much more upbeat and poppy manner. The curve ball is thrown when the song drops all of this as it disintegrates into a chorus made primarily of a frantically strummed pattern of octaves before returning to it’s pop beginnings.

Closer Bloooooood (hah! copied and pasted from itunes for maximum accuracy), continues on this bounding path, a jaunty keyboard number that takes all of the musical aspects found in the first two songs and combines them into a happy go lucky pop song that has a tendency to get nasty every so often.

Given that this 7″ is the bands first release it feels more like a demo than a full 7″. The way in which the tracks progressively build upon the previous song’s foundations make it seem more like it’s the band trying out different variations of the same song as opposed to being separate fully fledged songs, something that will hopefully be addressed in further releases.

It’s pretty safe to say that while Adventure isn’t going to blow your mind, it will provide you with 10 minutes of some great indie rock, especially if you dig earlier Saddle Creek material.

On a label with the name Either/Or Records, you’d be mistaken into thinking that the ep to follow would be a rather nice & sparse acoustic indie affair, however you couldn’t be further from the truth. Instead you’ll be treated to some of the most passionate punk rock you’ve heard in a while.

Springfield’s Maker show true signs of promise on their début for Either/Or Records, playing fast punk the way it should be. Pop punk is another genre that over the years has become over saturated with bands relying far too much on having a catchy chorus and an appeal to the general pop crowd, hence why placing this CD in my player was so much of a pleasure, short blasts that both pummel and please the senses.

The first two tracks fly by without even noticing, both clocking in around the 1:30 mark, but it’s when the ep hits it’s two ‘main’ songs that things really take flight. The force that opens I-91 soon drops into sheer melody with the aforementioned riff, whilst closer Stand By Me takes the more relaxed approach, dropping the intense pace for a more thought out hook laden number.

Whilst the PR points at hints of The Movielife, the closest comparison that comes to my mind are the long forgotten Silent Corporation, a band that whilst had minimal output, recorded a handful of the best pop punk songs of the decade. A fine balance between melody and aggression and I’m a sucker for the simple riffs both bands apply, you only have to listen to the riff at 1:08 of I-91 to be pulled under.

The ep is not without it’s faults though, despite some songs breaking the tired mould, other parts fall into typical clichés such as a return of the usual opening track that begins with tinny production before swelling into the full production (for reference points see: Propagandhi – Potemkin City Limits, Transit – Stay Home and After the Fall’s – Fort Orange), and the later songs do tend to stray into the cheese territory every now and then.

I-91

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It’s finally time for session 2 in the Sessions @ Snug series!
Thanks go out to both bands for stopping over during their hectic tour (if you count this session then both bands played 3 gigs that day!), Robbie and Rich for recording the damn thing (extra thanks to Robbie for editing it!) and to Biff for the lovely shaky cam footage of Grown Ups. My only regret being that I didn’t anticipate Doyle facing away from the camera during Grown Ups set. Oh well!

Evan of Into It. Over It. was also kind enough to record an ‘exclusive’ of sorts, a version of a song called No Sleep ’til Humboldt from his new band Stay Ahead of the Weather. Listen to it just below.

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Enjoy!

Grown Ups

Three Day Weekend

Grown Ups – Three Day Weekend from Basic Text on Vimeo.

Weed Science

Grown Ups – Weed Science from Basic Text on Vimeo.

Into It. Over It.

22 Syllables

Into It. Over It. – 22 Syllables from Basic Text on Vimeo.

Anchor

Into It. Over It. – Anchor from Basic Text on Vimeo.

Portland

Into It. Over It. – Portland from Basic Text on Vimeo.

The Bullied Becomes the Bully

Into It. Over It. – The Bullied Becomes the Bully from Basic Text on Vimeo.

(Note: This week heralds another new contributor in the form of Leigh, a man full of wit and experience in local music. Formerly of Mexico 86 and Constanza, he now plays in the ‘sometimes active’ The Making Of…)

Sharks need to be constantly moving forward in order to function; they do not sleep very long, if at all, otherwise they will sink to the bottom of the ocean and ultimately perish. In short, advance ever forward or die a lumbering death in the depths of your surroundings.

The comparison with Liars is somewhat obvious but carries validity nonetheless. Now five albums into their career, they show no signs of treading water, avoiding progress and sinking to an early grave. The body of work they’ve crafted and constructed since arriving on the crest of the post-punk revival in 2001 is astonishing at best but really appreciated when you consider not what they’ve been but the journeys made between each album and furthermore, where they could possibly end up next. They take great joy in constantly striving to try something new, seemingly allergic to staying still and occupying any comfort zone they may discover on the way.

A huge part of Liar’s appeal is their sense of environment. Every album they have recorded has a sense of location ingrained within it – be it the clattering post-punk sound of New York which occupies their debut or the Berlin-inspired witchcraft palettes of ‘They Were Wrong So We Drowned’.

This new album sees no exception to this rule with Los Angeles providing the backdrop for these tales of anxiety and tension. Much has been made of the band’s decision to decamp to live in some of the city’s less desirable locations but when this attitude produces such songs as ‘Scarecrows On A Killer Slant’ (written about a shooting on singer Angus Andrew’s doorstep) it seems a deft inspirational move by the band to immerse themselves in such urban danger. This is not a band who do things by half, lest we forget.

Amid the tension and mayhem, there is a definite sense of refinement and discipline that may have been lacking from the band’s previous outings. Where previous albums have displayed abrasive elements of sonic schizophrenia and drawn-out industrial rhythms, ‘Sisterworld’ sees Liars bringing several new elements to the mix – see the edgy string arrangements on ‘No Barrier Fun’ or the reverb-drenched motorik of ‘Proud Evolution’ (“A sense of dread in our heart/And we wish the sense would fly away”), a song that could easily slip onto a Deerhunter album.

For the listener, those initial steps into the mythical ‘Sisterworld’ may seem slightly unnerving at first approach but investing some time there and soaking up the sights and sounds on offer is definitely recommended. As for the band, who knows what destination on the horizon they’re heading for on the next leg of their journey. Wherever it is, we can rest assured it’ll be worth a visit.

Scissor

Flying in the face of tradition, Everyone Everywhere’s self titled debut opens with a big Fuck You to current indie rock by daring to crack out a wah pedal and actually put it to good use in Tiny Planet, allaying fears that the band had taken on the spirit of the (thankfully) long dead Kula Shaker.

Everyone Everywhere are a band who know how to utilise their riffs. Rather than fall into the trap of becoming a band that relies on technical proficiency over decent song writing, Everyone Everywhere instead treat them as part of the song rather than them being the song itself and layer them over a bed of chords recalling more traditional indie rock song writing as opposed to bands of late.

This is the attribute that really sets them apart from aforementioned bands, as things have become somewhat tired in a scene whereby artists come to rely on showing off their abilities instead of what matters, writing amazing songs.

The band also seems to have opened up the song writing to a lot more influences this time round too, you only have to look at a track like Raw Bar OBX 2002 which, upon playing, feels like your bedroom has become an indie disco but then descends into a jam session with a glorious, circling riff that ends up laid over a haze of feedback and crisp distortion.

Brendan’s wit and charm also manage to shine through via the lyrics with plays on words and familiar situations. Paper Work, Music Work’s monologues about the things you do in front of the mirror when you think no one is watching is a particular favourite that most people will find they can relate to, even the absorbent qualities of Tofu are discussed on Blown Up Grown Up. There are even lyrics that will make the inner nerd in you cry out in joy with lines like “I wish the world was open source”.

Whilst most of the lyrics are quite nonsensical and slightly quirky (take them out of the song and you’d have a sheet of random phrases) they suit the music to a tee. Who’d have thought that shouts of “I’ve got bigger fish to fry, the swordfish kind” would have fit in so well with the goings on around it?

Fld Ovr is a track that seems to vent frustration at the state of the current literary situation with the recent adoption of “text speak” amongst many, dropping vowels in favour of shorthand is a spot on example of how the randomness of the lyrics can still retain a general theme and get the message across.
Musically it’s one of the stand out tracks on the album too, recalling back when Joan of Arc could write a song instead of a “piece” a lá Post-Coitus Rock.

You’d think that given the repeated listens that I’ve had of this album would yield some imperfections, some faults that I could hone in on and at least exploit but alas I am still yet to find one thing that I can gripe about. The only thing that comes close to being a bugbear is that I now truly see the Piebald comparisons of yore and in places Brendan is a dead ringer for Travis vocally.

It’s the little things about this album that make it so great, the little things you pick up on over time. Every time you find a new favourite lyric, a new favourite riff, whatever, it’s just full of things that make you want to come back to it.

I think I’m at a point whereby I’m going to go all out and say that this is my favourite album released so far this year. My attention span seems to have all but vanished over the last few years due to the amount of false hope I’ve had for other bands, but the mere fact that it’s a month on and I’m still hammering this record is a positive indication that it’s a keeper.

I honestly believe that Everyone Everywhere are no flash in the pan. In a matter of years they’ve produced a brilliant demo ep, a flawless 7″ and now a cracking lp, here’s hoping that the next release isn’t too far away!

And for those wanting to sample the full album prior to release then the lovely folks at Tiny Engines/Beartrap PR are hosting what I believe to be Indie Rock’s first music Easter Egg Hunt in the form of the Blog Tour. There’s some awesome blogs involved, so take some time out and have a read of them as you stop by.

Raw Bar OBX 2002

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