Sky Orchid - Oculus (2017)

OFFICIAL: https://skyorchid.net/

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/skyorchidofficial/

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/skyorchidband

Written by Drew East, posted by blog admin

Kansas blood brothers Gabriel and Daniel Traknyak have spent years assembling their debut full-length, Oculus.  Though a few of the tunes were composed during the actual album sessions, others were cultivated over years and years of playing together with the groovy soul/funk/blues of “Breathe Easy” dating back the farthest at 7 years of age.  With only two men behind this project they still put out a ton of sound and make up for the lack of additional instrumentalists by knowing their musical abilities inside and out; applying them with the passion and prowess of seasoned industry pros. 

Some of the material is dark and dreamy, other times they indulge in genuinely uplifting fare and they even break it down acoustic whenever the situation calls for such tactics.  The pushing, pulling dirge of “The River” starts the record off and it’s overflowing with electronic-smattered beats, rolling tom drums and a haunting piano hymnal.  Gabriel’s guitar doesn’t enter the equation till the end with some electric riffing but his stellar melody vocals lift this piece to great heights.  “Sneakers” starts off much of the same way but catapults itself over the introspective buzz and hum with a midsection alive and riff with hard-edge guitar riffs, industrial rock’s machine-syncopated madness and a bombastic vocal performance that really cuts to the meat of the song’s matter.  “In the Fire (Part 1)” makes use of trembling, glimmering clean indie-rock guitars and rollicking drum pulsations for a tune that plays off much like “The River’s” lighter and brighter younger brother.  There’s enough variation to separate the two tracks from one another and this one really shines bright with its melodic and harmonic qualities with numerous counterpoints between the different instruments.  Stripping down to a smoky acoustic duskiness,

“Wildfire” harnesses shades of country, folk and blues for one of the most poignantly unique sounding jams heard on the entire record.  The brothers switch things up yet again with “I’ll Stop the World (Part II)” and its fuzzy, riff-dusted punk grooves and etherized gothic rock textures.  It’s a super catchy track that’s lively and worth a spirited sing-a-long or three.  “Lex” burns the atmosphere in a campfire of swirling, ember-lit guitar melodies, surreal keyboards and another striking vocal performance.  “Breathe Easy” and “Take It All” kick off the dust off some blues and quirky, grooved out rock and rhythm n’ blues that’s all soul, sweat and swagger.  “Yesterday” sends us back to a watery grave of reverbed and delayed-affected ruminations, while closer “Fortify” remains a modicum of the same bleak, ambience. 

Sky Orchid really has it going on throughout this record.  Oculus simmers with drippy textures, layered grooves and unpredictable structures.  The material on this album is varied and dynamic with many unique ideas firing off in every single direction.  Folks that are into the trippy post-rock of the 80s and experimental 90s groups, though they add many of their own ingredients to the brew that makes Sky Orchid a sonically unique proposition that all died in the wool music fans should easily enjoy!

Black Bluebirds - Like Blood for Music (2017)

OFFICIAL: http://blackbluebirds.com/

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/BlackBluebirds

Written by Laura Dodero, posted by blog admin

Black Bluebirds, coming out of the Minneapolis area, prove they are expert at pouring old wine into new glasses thanks to their invigorating mix of adult and highly personal themes with traditional musical structures handled with more than the usual amount of skill. The ten song Like Blood for Music is never formulaic – instead, Black Bluebirds prove themselves to be orchestrating textures and mood in such a way no two songs sound exactly alike while each maintain an individuality helping to make this an unified experience from the first to the last. Keyboardist, singer, and songwriter Daniel Fiskum definitely emerges from this album as being a truly formidable talent, but Black Bluebirds is far more than some sort of glorified solo project. Instead, guitarist Simon Husbands and drummer Chad Helmonds bring a great deal to the table. There are other important contributors outside the three piece, particularly guest vocalist Jessica Rasche, and their additions to the album make it all the more powerful of an experience.

If Like Blood for Music were an academic exercise of some sort, the opener “Love Kills Slowly” would be the album’s thesis of a sort – it lays out much of the same thematic path Black Bluebirds follow over the course of the album’s remaining nine songs. It might prove to be a bit deceptive for some listeners. They lay out a distinctly hard rock course with this tune and, while echoes of this approach abound throughout the band’s music, it isn’t a defining aspect of what they do, but rather part. Daniel Fiskum’s lyrics are ideally suited to a musical setting and show obvious care, but he has an intelligent flair to each of the album’s ten lyrics that few writers in this vein can boast.

Later songs like “Strange Attractor” and “Battlehammer” are, arguably, closest in musical approach to what we hear with the opener, but there’s never any sense of the band repeating themselves. Much of Like Blood for Music is devoted to more cinematically minded pieces like “Life in White”, “My Eyes Were Closed”, and “House of No More Dreams”. The second and third of those songs, in particular, are obviously keyed to be the album’s showpieces in this regard and show how adeptly the band mixes the dissonant hard rock edge in their music with more near orchestral approaches. The diversity is carefully modulated and never sounds too far afield of the band’s initial impulse and it’s equally praiseworthy how the three piece can make very adult themes accessible for even those who haven’t experienced such things. The hard rock edge is often present in Black Bluebirds music but, even when it isn’t, there’s the same sort of intensity brought to bear we readily associate with that sort of sound. Like Blood for Music is one of the best offerings in this style I’ve heard in quite some time and opens up the future nicely for this band going forward from here.  

Rejectionist Front - Evolve (2017)

OFFICIAL: http://rejectionistfront.com/

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/RejectionistFront/

Written by Mike Yoder, posted by blog admin

Rejectionist Front has scored some important appearances on compilation recordings and shared the same stages as legendary acts like George Clinton and P-Funk, Joan Baez, and Tom Morello, among others in an obvious confirmation of their growing status in the modern music world. Their music doesn’t necessarily remake the wheel, but it takes up the mantle of intelligent hard rock and adds distinctive multi-part vocals to their songwriting mix that set them apart from the pack. They also share the rare distinction of never overextending things the way some acts in this vein do – instead, Rejectionist Front specializes in songs that never run on too long yet contain a vast musical world within relatively contained space. Evolve is a wildly expressive and musically satisfying ride that their existing fans will embrace and new listeners will admire a great deal.

The album begins with “Ride” and it’s one of the near anthems on Evolve from a band who could likely turn out “call to arms” songs in their sleep. The passion coming across through Michael Perlman’s singing and the backing vocals from bassist Tony Tino and guitarist Lincoln Prout play an important role in planting this first song deep in listener’s memories. The near progressive guitar textures of this first cut give way to a clearer rock and roll edge from the second tune “All I Am” and it’s much more of a vocal performance resting on Perlman’s back with strategically placed secondary singing along the way. This is one of the rhythm section’s best performances from Evolve and has a free-wheeling, barnstorming quality that the band revisits and refines in later tunes as well. Rejectionist Front’s strong lyrics stand out on the third song “Savior” and the vocals enhance them quite a bit with their fierce yet musically aware phrasing. Prout’s guitar work makes a number of songs on Evolve soar higher than they perhaps might have with a lesser player, yet has a sense of restraint uncommon to lead players in this genre that strengthens the song’s impact.

There’s a slightly lighter air surrounding the track “All Is the Same” and Perlman’s voice recalls Eddie Vedder’s delivery, but never slavishly. There’s some great backing vocals too that dovetails well with the near jangle that Prout’s guitar adopts for significant periods of the song. They toy with another near anthem on the album’s sixth song “Reclaim” but, as before, Rejectionist Front stays away from the sort of histrionics typifying most songs of this type. The personal stakes informing the band’s socially conscious material is one of the factors that set them apart from many of their generation. Prout’s six string playing is especially good on this song. The single “Flush” has been accorded a video as well and there’s a strongly commercial quality to the song that makes it one of the more appealing cuts on Evolve. The second to last song on the album, “Resurrection”, has a wildly inventive arrangement that plays well in its spartan and heavier iterations. Their mastery of bringing dynamics into their songs is notable from the opening to beginning of Evolve and there’s not a moment of filler to be found on the band’s second studio release.

Slow Burning Car - Defection (2017)

OFFICIAL: http://www.slowburningcar.com/

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/SlowBurningCar/

Written by Mike Yoder, posted by blog admin

Defection, Slow Burning Car’s fourth album, is a ten song collection aggressively putting this Los Angeles band over as one of the more cutting edge rock/metal acts working today. The band’s four musicians are obviously extraordinarily talent and play without any obvious ego trips, but they are clearly talented songwriters as well who thread influences into their work that further enhance their penchant for the personal and physical. These are songs capable of engaging listeners mentally and, naturally, physically. The muscular movement of the band’s music conforms to certain expectations we have about this style, but they prove themselves equally effective at twisting arrangements in unexpected directions and bringing the listeners with them. This is an album that cannot be denied and Slow Burning Car is definitely intent on winning over new fans to their work so, despite its idiosyncratic air, the songs never fails to strike an accessible note.

Much of Slow Burning Car’s accomplishment with this release rests with their ability to mix up their musical approach, yet retain compelling coherence. Defection’s first half is largely devoted to big, brawling guitars. It begins with thenotic riffing behind “Alpha Duplicor” colored with just a hint of electronic flair to give the song a distinctive modern bite. The band’s guitar sound is current, but their sense of what constitutes a good riff is very much a throw back to older acts and the mix suits their aims quite well. “Soul Crimes” unleashes the band’s aggression in a more pronounced way as the uptempo charge of the song comes at listeners without compromise. There’s a genuine punk spirit you can discern along the edges of their musical attack, but the musicianship remains at a high level throughout. Bassist and lead singer Troy Spiropoulos excels with his vocal every bit as much with a barnstormer like this as he did on the more moderately paced opener. The unusual tempo and herky-jerky movements of “The Orb” allows Spiropoulos’ bass playing a chance to step into the spotlight and he also serves up a simmering, yet understated, vocal that dovetails well with the song’s subject.

“The Sunday Derby” is another idiosyncratic band achievement and another rhythm section centered tune. There’s some particularly jagged electric guitar inserted into the song’s mid way point and second half, but six string heroics aren’t what powers this song musically. It shifts through different textures, as well, to supremely compelling effect. “You Can’t Stay Here” dispenses with any frills and gives listeners probably the closest thing to an all out rocker on the album and definitely taps into a rambunctious punk rock spirit. The album takes on a much different tone and even an experimental edge the rest of the way – it’s largely devoted to acoustic sounds that never follow a predictable path with the exception of the album’s penultimate number, “Polar Warden”, an eight minute plus near ambient workout heavy on electronica and sans vocals. It’s a bold risk to take so late in the release, but Slow Burning Car gamble and it pays off quite handsomely. The finale “Clouds” is best considered more of a coda – after the explorations of “Polar Warden”, casting it in any other mold feels anti-climatic. It’s a graceful close to the album however that underlines many of the band’s strengths. Defection easily qualifies as one of 2017’s most interesting, varied releases in this vein.

Thomas Abban - A Sheik's Legacy (2017)

OFFICIAL: http://www.thomasabban.com/

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/ThomasAbbanOfficial/

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/thomasabbanofficial/

Written by Mike Yoder, posted by blog admin

Thomas Abban and his maniacal debut A Sheik’s Legacy is the kind of album that you know if going to be great from the very track.  This multi-instrumental prodigy (aged only 21) pulls out all of the stops on opener “Death Song,” wandering through dreamy ballad waters of acoustic guitar, psychedelic keyboard signals and mixed percussion sounding like tabla mixed with a standard kit before smashing into crazed vocal histrionics and throbbing, deadly precise guitar surgery.  The motifs are many and none of them paint a clear picture as to where Abban draws his influence; according to the scant information online given by the artist himself, he’s very much a classical music fan and it’s without a doubt there is a sense of arrangement to this song and the rest of the album that transcends basic “jamming.” 

The hard-hitting passion of Abban’s vocals and the overwhelmingly expressive of his crazed ear for time-signatures lend “Symmetry & Black Tar” an unrelenting barrage of emotional earworms.  Galloping, full-throttle drums are heavy on the tom/kick patterns as the guitar work runs country music through flamenco mysticism and even an esoteric Celtic pulse that one might find on a prime Pogues’ record.  Thomas’ voice embraces wind-whipped falsetto and grainier blues hues as Abban rips out maniacal guitar tapestries that break stylistic barriers with a sledgehammer.  Those tempos get more harried, frantic and angular as the song races towards a monolithic climax that proves to be a pitch perfect set-up for the bulldozing, Clapton-esque riffing (circa Cream and Blind Faith) of “Fear.”  “Fear” is riff after riff piled high atop of a molasses-y rhythm that slowly uncoils its python-like death grip into a lightning fang strike of increasingly complex drum/bass progression.  Again, Abban who sequenced the album himself places the most appropriate track in succession, this time manifesting in the form of “Aladdin.”  The groove is a touch looser not QUITE as heavy as “Fear” but it’s not far removed either.  His chord choices and phrasings, powerhouse riffs and slamming rhythms still will nevertheless knock the paintings off your wall and shake a few molars from your gumline.  If you find it odd that Abban is the only musician I reference, don’t be surprised when you pick up the album and find out that he played every instrument but two on the entire record.  Even crazier, he wrote, sang on, produced, mixed and arranged every single bit of the album himself.  The magnitude of such a feat, so early in a musician’s career is nothing short of mind-blowing. 

A smoldering, slow-burn blitz seethes through “Time to Think” and its lonely, desolate acoustic guitars, whistling melodies, blaring organs, guest musician played flutes and fuzzy electrified riffs deliberately stack the song up to the sky, bit by glorious bit.  “Horizons” is a less intense, subtler take on his ambitious track layering; this time piano and a wall of acoustic guitars providing a softer yet no less commanding fortress of audio might.  Abban’s songwriting literally overtakes the mind, usurps the eardrums and engages the palette, no matter what manner in which Thomas presents a song.  Be it the castle conquering, riff-y black magic of “Uh” and its snubnosed groove, the pop sensibilities of “Sinner” and “Irene,” “Don’t You Stay the Same’s” well-travelled Dylan licks or “Echo’s” long climb from an acoustic well to high-temple, 70s-soaked progressive rock… Abban leaves no stone unturned on A Sheik’s Legacy.  He takes everything wonderful about the 60s/70s and then applies his own 2017 spin on the material which sounds like nobody else playing rock n’ roll in the current musical climate; a highly recommended album from an artist we should keep an eagle eye on.