Indie Rock
Review: One Hundred Year Ocean – “Where Were You While We Were Getting High?”
One Hundred Year Ocean – “Where Were You While We Were Getting High?”
Released: July 8, 2013
Label: Broken World Media
Purchase: Digital | Pre-Order Vinyl Available Soon
One Hundred Year Ocean officially today release their new four track EP Where Were You While We Were Getting High?. Oasis fans unite! Based out of Willimantic, CT, OHYO is the solo work of Derrick Shanholtzer-Dvorak from TWIABP. The band is “usually made up of close friends and weirdos” and creates an indie rock emo sound with musical influences such as Modest Mouse, The Hold Steady, and Cursive. The EP was recorded by Chris Teti at Silver Bullet Studios in Burlington, CT and mastered by Jon Markson.
The first track on the EP titled Hospital Town, is a slower paced with a long repetitive intro leading to melancholy filled lyrics thematically about giving up. The refrain “I hope there is a hell / and I hope we don’t forget to lose it all” gives off an eerie tone with a slight glimmer of hope. Soco Amaretto Bud Light Lime, the second song, which I hope is in reference to the Brand New track, picks up the pace of the EP. Quick twinkly indie melodies and two verses containing philosophical questions and obscure nature imagery portrays the adeptness of this outfit at songwriting. The track then leads nicely into a Modest Mouse sounding instrumental bridge with a medley of synthesizer, guitar and percussion before closing out.
In Apples, the trumpet leads the start of the track with the drums and guitar following. For some reason, I just love OHYO‘s use of the trumpet in this EP it just seems to fit seamlessly. Lyrically, I really hope the band members don’t drink each other’s urine, but if that’s the secret behind these songs, then maybe more bands should be drinking each other’s piss. Despite the short length of this track, just above one minute, it’s one of the more cheery numbers with lines such “Don’t worry about the rent, this month isn’t over yet.” and “We were electric like the summer / And I said to my brother / ‘Next Halloween let’s be each other and stay that way forever'” providing a sense of optimistic realism.
The last track, Magnetic Curses is a personal favorite on the release, combining the beloved trumpet and Derrick Shanholtzer-Dvorak’s lyrical mastery. With a crescendo leading to “So where is our hope? / Or when do we get paid? /’cause I’ve been so broke” and a wail of emotion, it brought me back to that tear-jerking scene in 50/50 where Joseph Gordon-Levitt loses it in the car. This song is self-deprecating just without the humor, but it speaks to the listener and creates the mood that not many other genres can.
With more mature songwriting and a refined sound, delving into various corners of indie, emo, and pop Where Were You While We Were Getting High? is definitely worth a listen and is one of my favorite releases this year so far. Streaming now on their Bandcamp with pre-orders of a one sided 12″ available later from Broken World Media pick this album up. There is a name your price basis download here. For more information check out their Facebook and catch them on their US tour starting in August.
Standout Tracks: “Soco Amaretto Bud Light Lime”, “Magnetic Curses”
9.0
Track Listing:
1. Hospital Town
2. Soco Amaretto Bud Light Lime
3. Apples
4. Magnetic Curses
Review: Nations Afire – “The Ghosts We Will Become”
Nations Afire – “The Ghosts We Will Become”
Released: July 2, 2013
Label: Hardline Entertainment
Purchase: Digital | CD
Nations Afire, an ensemble composed of music veterans from the groups Rise Against, Death Stereo, and Ignite, have recently released their debut album, The Ghosts We Will Become. No stranger to their music scene in California, the rock band seeks to spread their sound to a national–and global–level.
And perhaps that goal isn’t without reason either; with strong riffs and vocalist Nik Hill’s powerful, rough vocals (somewhat reminiscent of less nasal-y version of Alter Bridge‘s Myles Kennedy’s singing voice) that blend together well, nearly every song in the album possesses the headbanging energy people want. The songs without the hard rock gusto are no slouch either, instead choosing a more emotional approach, from comparatively heavy Nine Lives to entirely acoustic Even The Blackest Heart Still Beats.
Certain parts of the album, however, are weak. “I am an army coming through/I am a zombie over you/I can’t believe it, I want it so bad” in I Am an Army feels almost half-assed, and the opening line “And the wolves cry out again” in Wolves’ chorus seems to always drop the energy of an otherwise consistent song. Another issue with The Ghosts We Will Become is that it sounds too similar to the punk rock and hard rock scene. The beginnings of I Am an Army and One Perfect Day, for example, sound just like an intro from a song by Rise Against. The lyrics also read similar to Rise Against or Anti-Flag. Although the sound itself is more than satisfying, there aren’t any curve balls or segments that stand out as unique, which makes the album sit in the shadow of already established bands of the same genre.
Nevertheless, as a band’s debut album, The Ghosts We Will Become is a very strong start, and it is a positive indicator of Nations Afire’s talent and where it can go from here. As long as the band continues to develop their own sound and find its niche in the wildly popular rock genre which they jump into, it will no doubt end up in the spotlights.
7.5
Standout Tracks: “Occams Razor,” “Even The Blackest Heart Still Beats,” “Pick Up The Pieces”
Track listing:
01. I Am an Army
02. The Ghosts We Will Become
03. Nine Lives
04. One Perfect Day
05. In Absentia
06. Occams Razor
07. Even the Blackest Heart Still Beats
08. Pick Up the Pieces
09. Break Your Fall
10. The Legacy We Leave
11. The Concussionist
12. Wolves
Watch: Pixies – “Bagboy”
Frontman of Pixies, Black Francis stated about the new song, “The lyrics, coincidentally, were composed at a Starbucks Coffee in Harvard Square in Cambridge, about a hundred feet from where, 25 years ago, I composed some of the lyrics to an old Pixies song called ‘Break My Body.’ Twenty-five years later, some Starbucks in Harvard Square…I thought that was kind of interesting. The music for the song has been around for a few years. There are some demos I made with Joey and David a few years ago in Los Angeles, related to a film idea that still has yet to see the light of day, although work on the music continued. So a lot of the musical idea had been kicking around for awhile. It’s pretty simple, kind of a blues-based, two-note kind of thing, really.”
Listen: Gogol Bordello – “Lost Innocent World”
Watch: Arctic Monkeys – “Do I Wanna Know?”
Arctic Monkeys are set to release their fifth album entitled AM on Monday, 9th September 2013. The album will be available on CD, Vinyl, and digitally, with pre-orders available now from Domino Records. The album was produced by James Ford and co-produced by Ross Orton at Sage & Sound Recording in LA, and Rancho De La Luna‘s Joshua Tree. The album was engineered by Ian Shea and mixed by Tchad Blake. The first single off of the new release titled Do I Wanna Know?, a psychedelic rock number, is available to watch below and purchase from iTunes.
Tracklisting:
1. Do I Wanna Know?
2. R U Mine?
3. One For The Road
4. Arabella
5. I Want It All
6. No. 1 Party Anthem
7. Mad Sounds
8. Fireside
9. Why’d You Only Call Me When You’re High?
10. Snap Out Of It
11. Knee Socks
12. I Wanna Be Yours
Review: Liger Tea Party – “Sorry, We Aren’t Great”
Liger Tea Party – “Sorry, We Aren’t Great”
Released: June 23, 2013
Label: Unsigned
Purchase: Digital
Liger Tea Party is an unsigned band from Shanghai, China composed of clean vocalist/guitarist Dawson Chen, guitarist Charles Wang, drummer Edward Pan, and bassist/unclean vocalist Keith Yeo. The band just released their debut EP, Sorry, We Aren’t Great, but the members of the band have been in the Shanghai music scene for years in various different outfits. Sporting a sound that is hybrid of pop punk and hardcore (similar to A Day To Remember), Liger Tea Party has already rocked many venues around Shanghai, and their charismatic energy is familiar to their fans.
The EP itself is a current collection of their complete songs recorded at Dbstudios Shanghai. They possess a strong upbeat atmosphere that rivals veterans like All Time Low and The Wonder Years, with addictive crowd-pleasing chants. The unclean vocals are also, almost surprisingly, welcoming and a sublime addition to each song. Finally, their lyrics aren’t bad at all, definitely not reminiscent of some of the shallow writing present in certain contemporary artists, including some bands in the same relative genre. Our Editor-in-Chief, Harri Gibson, when asked about Liger Tea Party stated, “Damn, this band is a dream!”
The problem keeping Liger Tea Party‘s songs from being perfect in Sorry, We Aren’t Great seems to be the fusion of the vocals. In the EP, there are three voices who perform at different points, and while they are all unique individually, none of them appear to befit the songs’ instrumentals incredibly well. Similarly, in the EP Dawson’s clean vocals don’t mesh perfectly with Keith’s screams but that could be corrected easily and definitely isn’t evident in their live shows. The overall result is massive potential that screams to be better. The songs are incredibly good and very much worth a listen if you are into positive energy and gung-ho music. Stream the songs below and check out their Facebook page.
Standout Tracks: There’s only three, listen to them all!
7.5
Listen: The Smith Street Band – “Bigger Than Us”
The Smith Street Band‘s new 10″ EP titled Don’t Fuck With Our Dreams is set to be released on August 9th, with pre-orders available now from Poison City Records. After completing tours of Australia, China and the USA, the four piece outfit recorded this new EP at Melbourne’s Sing Sing Studios with Matt Voigt. It will be released just prior to the band’s national headline tour with Joyce Manor and Cheap Girls. The pre-orders are available in sky blue, black, mustard and chlorine coloured vinyls or in CD form. Everyone placing an order today will go in the draw for one of 50 tickets to a special launch day show in Melbourne on August 9th and the first 100 orders will also receive a limited edition sew-on patch. You can listen to one of the tracks titled, Bigger Than Us off of the upcoming EP below.
Review: We Are Monroe – “Self Titled EP”
We Are Monroe – “Self Titled EP”
Released: January 14, 2013
Label: Unsigned
Purchase: Digital
The Montreal based band, We Are Monroe at the start of this year released their self-titled EP. It opens up with the track, Give Me Some… which right off the bat demonstrates their signature style of commanding vocals and post-punk guitar work. The fast paced guitar riffs and bass licks accompanied by frontman, Pat Gomes’ vocals create a catchy tune. Next up is Modern Day Gentlemen, stylistically similar to songs by Interpol and The Bravery, allows the listener to really understand and identify with the intricate melodies and percussion encompassing of the genre. The powerful vocals in the chorus highlight the undeniable passion for music that the band has. At times the pace is picked up, but this calmer listen really supplements the rest of the EP.
The third track, Old Orchard once again demonstrates the post-punk rock component of the band. It’s a personal favorite of mine, as you can fully hear the range of the vocalist, and each instrumental component is perfectly crafted to create a coherent standout track. Finally on the EP, there is Tear Yourself Apart, a perfect closing song. With a soft start up and an end that provides a bang, it allows a great finish to a fantastic EP. With intriguing powerful vocals, and catchy melodies, this self-titled EP should be appreciated due to the evident vision that was implemented into its creation. Fans of indie, post-punk, and rock will truly love their musical genius and hopefully help this band continue to grow and produce more music. Check out their website, Facebook page and Soundcloud for more information, and stayed tuned for an interview with the band in the coming weeks.
Standout Tracks: “Give Me Some…”, “Old Orchard”
8.0
Stream: Adventures – “Clear My Head With You”
In anticipation for their upcoming EP release Clear My Head With You, Pittsburgh based indie-punk band Adventures have announced a summer tour and are currently streaming their EP in its entirety. The band’s new EP, Clear My Head With You, is scheduled for purchase on June 18th via No Sleep Records.
The band consists of Jami, Reba and Joe from reputable Deathwish Records hardcore band Code Orange Kids, who along with friends Kimi and Dominic fuse their punk and hardcore roots with indie-punk riffs and duelling vocals for an intense, emo-esque charged sound. Pre-order a copy of the new EP either digitally or on 7″ vinyl here and catch the band live this summer in the following places below. Check out their Facebook page for more details.
Tour Dates:
June 10 – Barnesville, OH – 611 N Chestnut St.
June 11 – Chicago, IL – Gnarnia House
June 20 – Vancouver, BC – Zoo Shop
June 22 – Seattle, WA – El Corazon
June 23 – Portland, OR – Laughing Horse
June 24 – Redding, CA – Pastry House
June 26 – San Francisco, CA – Submission Art Space
June 27 – Fresno, CA – CYC
June 28 – Pomona, CA – American Legion Hall/Growing Up Is Dumb Fest
June 29 – La Jolla, CA – Che Cafe
June 30 – Mesa, AZ – The Underground
July 1 – Albuquerque, NM – The Gasworks
July 2 – Okalahoma City, OK – Bad Granny’s Bazaar
July 3 – Kansas City, MO – Art Closet Studio
July 5 – St. Louis, MO – TBA
July 6 – Ashtabula, OH – West End
Listen: Coma Cinema – “Posthumous Release”
Coma Cinema‘s new album Posthumous Release was officially unveiled today despite a prior intentional leak. The album has been in the works for three years encountering various problems such as sickness, heartbreak and broken instruments. After recieving a message from Brad Petering of TV Girl inviting frontman Mat Cothran to go to LA, it was then recorded within nine days. Brad Petering and Jason Wyman produced the album and it was mastered by Warren Hildebrand from Foxes in Fiction. Rachel Levy of RL Kelly also contributed her wistful airy vocals to the album.
From Mat Cothran’s tumblr about the release, “I spent a lot of time in los angeles walking around by myself thinking about how my life had come to this. I was born in a shitty town, and I was born poor, from trailer park to project to parking lot to apartment. Somehow i was in Los Angeles making a record, it didn’t make sense I didn’t know if I deserved it. As it is don’t give up on your fucking dreams, I’ve done so much in my life but you’re capable of even more. Never listen when they tell you you can’t. It simply isn’t true. I hope everyone likes the record, the response thus far has been amazing and I’m so thankful to have all you folks along for the ride. I’m not sure what happens now to me or this project, I might take a bit of a hiatus from the world. But I’ll be around, and I’ll be back to see you. I love you, thanks for taking care of me.”
The album as expected features many standout tracks such as White Trash VHS, Bailey Jay, Survivor’s Guilt and Posthumous Release. The song, Posthumous Release was adapted from hmm…I Was Born written by Justin Blackburn and Noel Thrasher. Being Cothran’s fourth album under this moniker, a maturation of his sound organically has occurred both lyrically and instrumentally. In comparison to his other releases, the album is a much more hi-fi ordeal, sonically allowing all the melodies and his soft vocals to be heard precisely. Even breaths can be heard being taken on a personal favorite track from the album, Partners in Crime. This in turn removes the beloved constant tape hiss signature to much of his work, but allows the synths and guitars to shine through. Pick up the record digitally from the Bandcamp page for free or for a donation. For a casette version of the album you can purchase it over at Orchid Tapes, and as a vinyl from Fork & Spoon Records. Stream the album in its entirety below.
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