Posted in Featured

Review: Ambassadors – “Litost”

Ambassadors – Litost

Litost

Released: January 16, 2012
Label: Unsigned
Purchase: iTunes

I am surprised by the absence of publicity for Ambassadors and their most recent record Litost. In 2006, the band started to get going, when unfortunately their keyboardist Casey Harris ended up in the hospital, needing a kidney transplant to survive. During that time, the members separated temporarily and Sam Harris went on to write much of what is now Litost.

This release appeals to indie rock fans as it provides both calm tunes such as Litost, and head nodding tracks like Unconsolable. The standout feature from this album is the raw emotion implemented in the songs, as I have always been a fan of vocalists who mean the words that are being sung. Once word spreads about this album, people will acknowledge this underrated band, and help propel them to the recognition they deserve.

 

Standout Tracks: “Falls”,“Unconsolable”,“Lay Me Down”

8.0

Tracklisting:
1. Weight/Lightness
2. Falls
3. Unconsolable
4. Litost
5. (O Death)
6. Lay Me Down
7. Caged Animals
8. Bodybag

Live Review: fun. @ Boston, MA’s The Orpheum (02/01)

Bands: fun., Andrew McMahon
Location: Boston, Massachusetts’s The Orpheum
Date: February 1, 2013
All pictures by Avery Fiftal for Lost In The Sound

fun. at The Orpheum
You may know fun. simply as the band that sings “We Are Young” or maybe you know them as the band that had 3 songs in the Billboard Top 100 in 2012 and who had their second full album, Some Nights, recently go platinum, but this band has much more humble beginnings than this.

fun. was formed in February 2008 after Nate Ruess’s former band The Format split. Fun. was formed when Ruess brought in Andrew Dost and Jack Antonoff from Anathallo and Steel Train, and they released their first album, Aim and Ignite, in August 25, 2009. This album took off in the alternative music scene getting recognition as a progressive and amazingly written pop album. The next year, fun. set off on their first North American tour with the band Jack’s Mannequin.

Two years later and the song “We Are Young” started changing this band’s life. On March 7, 2012, Fun’s single “We Are Young” reached the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and their sophomore album, Some Nights, took off from there and they have been continuously touring since.

Now, fun.’s back on tour and this time they brought out Andrew McMahon (ex-Jack’s Mannequin and Something Corporate), and I must say; this was a show to remember.

Andrew McMahon opened the show with a mix of classic Something Corporate songs along with his soulful Jack’s Mannequin tunes. Though not many people in the crowd seemed to know many of McMahon’s songs due to the fact that he was added to the tour after it was sold out, he seemed to capture the attention of many prospective fans. As McMahon’s first solo tour the few fans in the crowd were greatly anticipating what was to come about, and I must say, as a fan myself, I was thoroughly impressed. With everything from “Dark Blue” to “I Woke Up In A Car” we were able to hear Andrew McMahon’s journey over the last 10 years. It was simply amazing to be able to see McMahon perform live for the first time as a solo artist and be able to see his growth all in one performance.

Next, it was fun’s turn to play to the full house at The Orpheum. They opened with “Out On the Town”, a bonus track from Some Nights and you could feel the excitement of the crowd completely radiate throughout the room. Dedicated fans of fun. screamed the lyrics along with Ruess and as the set progressed, you could feel the amazement and astonishment of the crowd grow as more and more well known songs were performed. “Some Nights” and “We Are Young” got screaming whoops and a rowdy singalong from every head in that crowd, while the lyrics to songs such as “Barlights” and “The Gambler” flowed out of devoted fans alike.

Fun. put on a show that was thoroughly impassioned and impressive to new and old fans alike. Their like show all in all proved why this band has taken off so well in the last year. Everything from Ruess’s extraordinary stage presence to Jack Antoff’s staggering guitar solos to Andrew Dost playing everything from piano to stealing Ruess’s famous gold microphone, it was a show to remember. And the Boston Celtics jerseys weren’t a bad touch either.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Review: Castlecomer – “Danny’s Den”

Castlecomer – Danny’s Den

Castlecomer Album

Released: March 30, 2012
Purchase: iTunes

Forming in late 2010, Castlecomer finally unveiled their debut release on March 30th, 2012 and did not disappoint. Armed with their high-energy shows, combined with their flawless five part harmonies, Castlecomer are one of the most exciting indie bands that Australia has to offer.

Castlecomer began their journey as a band by posting videos of both original songs and covers on YouTube including Mumford and Son’s The Cave, and Passion Pit’s Take A Walk. These fantastic videos led to fans around wondering, and near begging them to release an album.

On March 30th Castlecomer finally released their six song EP entitled, Danny’s Den. Tracks include songs that are found on their YouTube channel, as well as songs that have not been heard before. The EP is not what was first expected, as on YouTube all of the songs were played acoustically with a strong focus on the harmonies, however on the album there is a lot more use of electric guitars and drums, but this does not take away from their harmonic melodies. Even though it was different to what I was accustomed to, it was still successful, selling 1,200 hard copies, and 1000 digital copies. These five boys from Sydney are starting to make a name for themselves.

Fans, much like me, are eagerly waiting the next EP to be released, as they have only posted more covers such as Coldplay’s Till Kingdom Come and The Lumineers‘ Ho Hey. But they haven’t released any new material, so no one knows what to expect. Luckily there shouldn’t be a long wait as they have already finished the recording for the second EP, and it is due for release sometime in early 2013. If you enjoy indie folk bands with spot on harmonies, Castlecomer is a band to look out for. Check out their Facebook and YouTube pages!

8.5

Review: Beach Fossils – Clash The Truth

 Beach Fossils – Clash The Truth

Peter-Campus1small1-720x720

Released: February 19, 2013
Label: Captured Tracks

 

Beach Fossils sophomore record Clash The Truth is set to be released on February 19, 2013. Following their self titled release in 2010, Beach Fossils became well known for their catchy Jingle Jangle styled guitar riffs in songs like “Sometimes” as well as their electrifying stage presence. After several members moved on to side projects, Dustin Payseur began writing Clash The Truth  “determined to capture the urgency, human flow and spontaneity of the live performance.” This goal for the record  has shown to be a trouble for many bedroom recording styled bands. Many lo-fi bands have spectacular albums, but the dreamy and somber melodies don’t  always translate to a live show.  Yet with this presence of urgency, Clash The Truth doesn’t lack in energy throughout every track.  The excitement in the tracks give off a punk rock experience with a shoe-gaze styling.

The progression of Beach Fossils sound in Clash The Truth is near perfect, they translated the lo-fi bedroom recording style to a well tuned studio project. I initially had some fear that their highly praised vibes would lose their originality, yet the album beautifully captures Dustin’s vision. Clash The Truth is much more instrumentally complex than the records before; with each track standing out more individually, yet still creating one complete record. This is most prevalent in songs like “Sleep Apnea” that bring in a more acoustic presence whereas “Caustic Cross” has  more energy and power in the guitar. Another great addition to the album is the development of the drums. The drums are much more established in the album, “the drums were recorded live in a room with Dustin on bass to give the album a driving and energetic force.” In previous records the drums have a presence but appeared to be very simple,  I never found myself mesmerized by the beat.

While this album is one of my favorites, and well deserving of a listen, there are some weaker points to the album. Oddly enough, I felt the title track along with the previously released track “Shallow” didn’t live up to the rest of the album. When Shallow was first released a year ago, it wasn’t as enchanting as songs like “What A Pleasure”. It generated no anticipation or excitement for the rest of the album. The title track is a nice melody that eases into the rapid pace of the album, yet I felt a lack of connection with the song. It has a catchy aspect to it, yet that wasn’t a highlight for me.

Following the release of Clash The Truth, Beach Fossils will begin touring through the US and Canada. All of the tour dates can be found on their Facebook Page. The song “Careless” is available for free Stream or Download below.

8.0

Standout Tracks: “Sleep Apnea”, “Crashed Out”, “Generational Synthetic”

Tracklisting:
1. Clash the Truth
2. Generational Synthetic
3. Sleep Apnea
4. Careless
5. Modern Holiday
6. Taking Off
7. Shallow
8. Burn You Down
9. Birthday
10. In Vertigo [ft. Kazu Makino]
11. Brighter
12. Caustic Cross
13. Ascension
14. Crashed Out

Interview: Blu

A little over five years ago, a still unknown rapper named Blu teamed up with Emanon producer Exile to release his debut album Below the Heavens, a record that captivated the hip-hop world and is still recognized as one of the few modern rap classics. Fueled by his sincere storytelling ability and a certain way with words, the Los Angeles rapper soon became a West Coast legend, landing a spot in XXL’s 2009 Freshman Class, teaming up with esteemed producers like The Alchemist and Madlib, securing a deal with Warner Bros. before defecting back to the more welcoming underground, and delivering two of the most thought-provoking verses on The Roots‘s How I Got Over. Along the way, the mysterious-yet-highly-respected poet and wordsmith also found himself experimenting with a lo-fi and experimental sound, stepping away from the soul-filled boom-bap beats he came up on and tackling work from experimental producers like Flying Lotus.

Despite such a star-studded resumé, Blu has remained much of an enigma for most mainstream audiences, while still becoming one of the most celebrated lyricists of all time, as well as my own all-time favorite rapper. To get a glimpse into his life and his artistry, I spoke to Blu over email and asked him about the many projects he’s currently tackling including the Give Me My Flowers While I Can Still Smell Them release with Exile due out September 4th, the Bombay-produced solo album Good to be Home, and even reflected on Below the Heavens and j e s u s.

First off, you and Exile will be releasing the remastered Give Me My Flowers very soon. How are the studio dynamics between you two nowadays?

Well, we just cut a great tune last week, so great I wish it made the album but it will most likely be on my upcoming solo record. Right now, we are gearing up to hit the road. It’s been a while since we killed the road last and we are looking forward to a chance to do that again.

Below the Heavens recently celebrated its fifth anniversary. How do you feel about it looking back? Do you ever think of revisiting the Below the Heavens sessions? I know you told Complex you had around 75 songs recorded.

Evil politics behind those sessions, I wish I was the me aster behind those masters!

Bombay will be producing your new solo record Good to be Home and I haven’t been able to find much information about him. Can you give us an idea of how the album will sound production-wise?

Dope, phat, like a phat tape, phat soul, big.

What about lyrically? What themes are you aiming for this time around?

Cali man, so much inspiration there; it’s a record mirror the album I ever made called California Soul, an underground tape.

Are you interested in pursuing another record deal with a major in the future?

Yeah possibly, but right now it’s fun running shit down here!

How about those films you were planning on releasing?

Soon, come June.

Your recent single “Kiss the Sky” had a Lupe vocal sample on it and he once called you “the only emcee in the game that scares me.” Have you kept any contact with him? Will we ever see any new material from All City Chess Club or has that project already been abandoned?

Most likely, we talk every now and then but Lupe is killing the electro-rock sound and we killing that lo-fi soul map, so it’s like whenever we get on the same page, we will be definitely making something special. Jesus!

You, Sene, and ANTHM recently teamed up for “Young Leaders”. You’ve worked with both artists individually, is anything else in the works?

Yeah, we got a group called “RakimKRSOne&Chuck” — of course ANTHM is Chuck.

It sounds like you’re extremely busy with new projects right now. Can we expect a full RælBlz project in the future?

Yes, titled GRO produced under the moniker, GODleeBarnes. SD cassette shit!

You’ve also mentioned a new solo record with The Alchemist. Could you speak about that?

No.

Fair enough, what’s your songwriting process like?

I use a pen.

What happened to the No York band?

They fell off, and Todd finally got a girlfriend.

Your father is a reverend and you talk about your views on religion quite often in your music. From “A Man”, it appears you disagree with the institution of organized religion. What do you think needs to change? Do you and your father agree?

No, but yes. He sees me clearly, better than any fan would, coming from a more divine perspective, respectively, and I respect him to the utmost for upholding some high morals and values in Christianity and his faith.

How does the j e s u s LP play into this? Can you explain the “j e s u s” song?

It’s what I felt like telling “Jesus” in 2011 bro. I may make another song to him next year, GOD willing!

What constitutes success to you?

Respect.