Harri Gibson
Interview: The Front Bottoms
The Front Bottoms recently released their highly anticipated sophomore album, Talon Of The Hawk to critical acclaim. You can read our review of the album here. I got the chance to talk to Brian Sella, vocalist/guitarist of the band, just before he and the rest of The Front Bottoms head off on their nationwide tour of the US beginning on June 1st. You can pick up the record in vinyl, digital or CD form and read the full interview below!
Your highly anticipated new album Talon of the Hawk came eight days ago, how excited were you to share it with the fans? Where did the album name come from?
Extremely excited!! We are super proud and stoked for people to hear it. The name came from our imaginations.
How has the addition of two new members, Tom Warren and Ciaran O’Donnel, impacted the band’s sound compared to the self-titled? How did you choose them?
We didn’t choose them… they’re handsome friends of ours. They added a edge to Talon of the Hawk that made the sound fuller than the self-titled album.
So you chose to work with a producer and record in a studio for this album, how did that experience go?
It was a great experience, one that all of us are glad we got to be involved in. The record sounds the way it sounds because of the circumstances we recorded it in.
Where did the inspiration come from for the songwriting process?
A lot of the inspiration for this record came from the road and the experiences we have had over the past two years.
Oh, I see. So while on the road what bands do you all listen to in the van?
A lot of different stuff. Off the top of our heads: Foxy Shazam, Built to Spill, K.D, The Menzingers, Bad Books, Modest Mouse, Cheap Girls, Tigers Jaw..
On the topic of touring, after your month-long tour of the United States, what’s next?
We plan on touring a bunch more. Just keep on keeping on.
Any last words?
Just a big thank you! Rock and roll.
Premiere: Air Marshal Landing – “You Used To Be Me”
Lost In The Sound is honored to premiere Canadian indie rock band, Air Marshal Landing‘s debut album, You Used To Be Me. The three piece independently are releasing the record on June 4th after more than three years of writing, re-working and recording. In the Fall of 2011 the band travelled to Gibsons in British Columbia to record the album at The Farm Studios with Nygel Asselin. Watch their humorous public announcement of the LP here.
From the band about the album, “You Used To Be Me is a product of three great friends, ones that like to try and make our three-piece band sound closer to a 10-instrument assault. You’ll also find some subtle genre hopping over the course of the record. Must hop! Can’t stop!”
The album although primarily revolving around the indie rock genre, also draws in a variety of different musical stylings making the album an enthralling experience. Listen to Air Marshal Landing‘s You Used To Be Me below with our exclusive stream of the album in its entirety. If you want to pre-order the album you can do so on iTunes here and download their earlier releases on Bandcamp. Tell us what you think about the album in the comments below, and check out their Facebook, Twitter and website for more information!
Watch: Field Mouse – “Tomorrow Is Yesterday”
Review: The Front Bottoms – “Talon Of The Hawk”
The Front Bottoms – Talon Of The Hawk
Released: May 21, 2013
Label: Bar/None Records
Purchase: Vinyl | Casette [Sold Out] | Digital | CD
The Front Bottoms’ sophomore album Talon of the Hawk integrates the addition of two new members, Tom Warren (bass), and Ciaran O’Donnel (keys/trumpet/guitar) to play alongside Brian Sella (vocals/guitar), and Matt Uychich (drums). The album gives off a more band orientated sound, instead of simply a two piece bouncing off of each other’s energy. However, Sella’s familiar stream of consciousness implicit lyrics are very much so still present, alongside Uychich’s punchy drumming.
The first track from the release Au Revoir (Adios), is the most similar sound-wise to their self-titled and provides a nice transition to the fuller band sound which kicks off near the end of the song. Twin Size Mattress encompasses everything about The Front Bottoms; the repetition of a familiar melody throughout, and figurative lyricis. Sella loudly singing, almost yelling, “I want to contribute to the chaos, I don’t want to watch and then complain, because I am through with finding blame; that is a decision that I have made” enforce the sentimental connection that is almost guaranteed with each song. The track, Santa Monica incorporates the use of trumpet and synth melodies, and is reminiscent of their earlier song, Father as Sella promises”to be stronger than your Dad was for your Mom.” Funny You Should Ask, a personal favorite, is one of The Front Bottoms’ distinct obscure love songs, that provides an esoteric view of relationships. The lyrics, “Honey, you got to learn that love is simple, just like mud, if you play the dirt, and I’ll play the water, all we got to do is touch” leading to the refrain, “Because I was young and I thought I didn’t have to care about anything, but I’m older now and know that I should” provide a sense of realism differentiating the band’s style to others. Backflip, a fast paced anthem of regretting tattoos, good vibes and Sella’s familiar breathing techniques, shows the progression of the band sonically despite sticking to similar thematic ideas.
Talon of the Hawk may not have as many standout tracks as the self-titled, but in hindsight the bar was set so high that it would have been almost impossible to create two perfect albums in a row. This being said, due to the immense talent of the band this album does stand testament to their ability to continue to create captivating songs that will be adored by fans. After spending the last two years touring, (shown in their recently released music video for Twin Size Mattress) The Front Bottoms will begin their journey of touring again starting June 1st with a national tour. You can purchase tickets for the tour here and stream the album in its entirety via Noisey.
Standout Tracks: “Twin Size Mattress”, “Funny You Should Ask”, “Backflip”
8.5
“I just want this to mean something to anyone even if they don’t know who I am.”
Track listing:
01. Au Revoir (Adios)
02. Skeleton
03. Swear To God The Devil Made Me Do It
04. Twin Size Mattress
05. Peach
06. Santa Monica
07. The Feud
08. Funny You Should Ask
09. Tattooed Tears
10. Lone Star
11. Back Flip
12. Everything I Own
Listen: The World Is a Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid To Die – “Whenever, If Ever”
Ketch Harbour Wolves Release “Queen City: Volume One”
The album was recorded entirely over the winter of 2013 and was mixed by Laurence Currie at Sunnyside Studio (Wintersleep, Hey Rosetta, In-Flight Safety) and mastered by Noah Mintz at Lacquer Channel (Broken Social Scene, Hayden, The National).
Here’s what the band had to say about the album, “The content of the Queen City albums attempt to create a map of songs for Toronto arising out of specific sites within the city (Leslie Spit, Prince Edward Viaduct, Toronto Dominion Centre), weaving together history, mythology, and personal reflection into a dream-like cinematic narrative.
The title of the album refers to one of several monikers that Toronto has gone by since its foundation in the early 19th century. And yet the city shares this title with many other places throughout North America making it general and specific at the same time. Toronto serves as a backdrop for universal human emotions (love, death and longing) and Queen City: Volume One is a reminder that each of us has similar dreams and desires, no matter the location.”
The album is available stream from their website, Bandcamp and SoundCloud. For more information about the band be sure to check out their Facebook, and Twitter.
Tracklisting:
1. Pulled from the Wreckage
2. The Good Blood
3. Signs Were Everywhere
4. Should Have Learned
5. The Angelus
6. Through a Glass Darkly
7. 1992
8. The Beginning
Watch: Air Marshal Landing – “Little Town”
Air Marshal Landing’s debut record You Used To Be Me is set to be released on the 4th of June. In preparation for the release, the track Little Town is available to download on a “Name Your Price” basis from their Bandcamp page, alongside a music video which you can watch below. The video was directed by Michael Schmidt and includes, “one of us dressed in drag, one of us twirling an evil moustache, and one of us failing to be a hero.” Little Town, an indie number, contains a mention to Death Cab For Cutie’s Summer Skin alongside incorporating the surprising use of a melodica at the beginning. The electric guitar riffs accompanied by synchronised percussion give off The Strokes vibes and make you want to “dance back to where you came from!”
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7At526aLco]Listen: Way Yes – “Tog Pebbles”
MP3: Way Yes – “Macando”
Tracklisting:
01. Colerain
02. Money Field
03. Don’t Give Up
04. Macando
05. Get Healed
06. Rhythm of the Ants
07. Blood Line
08. Tog Pebbles
09. Piranha
10. Holy Drop
Donate: Tristâme – “Common Ground”
“In a crisis that has left 70,000 plus dead, countless more injured and over one million refugees fighting to stay alive, it is imperative to find a common ground and to gather all efforts to decrease the level of suffering.”
The New York Based, Syrian born, singer-songwriter Rami under the moniker of Tristâme, has released a four-song charity EP titled Common Ground. His hopes are to inspire others to take notice of the civil war that still grips his homeland, Syria. The genre of Common Ground is alternative atmospheric rock and was co-produced, recorded, and mixed by Jonathan Jetter at Right Angle Recording in New York.
In Rami’s own words about the release, “Suddenly music became a refuge from all sense of powerlessness and helplessness that I and many Syrian friends have felt. It became a gateway from all the negativity in the news and provided an opportunity to channel my energy into something positive – a cathartic experience that in the end would provide help to fellow Syrians in need.”
Common Ground is available to stream below and can be purchased from CD Baby or iTunes with all proceeds from the sales going towards organisations helping Syrian refugees. For more information check out Tristâme’s Facebook and Twitter pages.
Single: AF THE NAYSAYER – “Imagerial Denouement (feat. Myka Nyne)”
Artist: AF THE NAYSAYER
Release Date: April 23, 2013
Label: ReSERVED Records
Producer AF THE NAYSAYER teamed up with Myka Nyne of Freestyle Fellowship to produce Imagerial Denouement a tribute to Japanese producer Nujabes. The track combines a jazz base, looped drum machine samples, and harmonic tones, accompanied by Myka Nyne’s rap verses. Originally an instrumental, which you can stream below, produced before Nujabes death, the track has now been transformed into a pioneering musical eulogy. AF THE NAYSAYER stated, “The title is a play on words of his song Imaginary Folklore. This song was my tribute to Nujabes, because he has such a large influence on my work.” ReSERVED Records is offering the digital version (iTunes), and a 7″ limited-edition vinyl or a poster of the cover art by Wes Sumrall for a special price on their Bandcamp page.
Rating: 8/10
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