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.

Black Note Graffiti - Volume II: Without Nothing I'm You

OFFICIAL: http://blacknotegraffiti.com/

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Written by Frank McClure, posted by blog admin

This is a little bit harder of a review to write than most. You aren’t likely to hear the songs on Black Note Graffiti’s second studio release, Volume 2: Without Nothing I’m You, performed like this ever again. The reason is that, after recording this album, the Ann Arbor, Michigan based four piece added Gabrielle Bryant on vocals. The songs, undoubtedly, will continue to be incorporated into the band’s live set, but they will take on a distinctly new quality with Bryant’s presence on vocals and the chemistry she finds with long-standing singer and second guitarist Ricardo Ortiz. It’s a pivotal time for this band. The eleven songs included on Volume 2 are the band’s strongest yet and it is clear that Black Note Graffiti are a band well on their way towards realizing their potential and, undoubtedly, drafting a female voice to join the band as a singer will transform and, likely, further elevate their art.

They may bring intelligence to hard rock/metal and alternative rock guitar workouts, but they bring the firepower and thunder as well. “No Love Lost” is, indeed, shorn of all sentimentality and is one of a few songs on Volume 2 where the guitars and rhythm section whip up a hard-edged swagger any rock band with ears would covet. “Such is Art” is a little more finessed than the first song, particularly in regards to its lyrics, and singer Ortiz impressively tailors his voice to the song’s demands. Drummer Kurt Keller and bassist Adam Nine often figure as the band’s less than secret weapon with the assertive performances they serve up that, thanks to their good sense and production alike, understand their place in the band’s mix. They also provide all important bedrock ballast for the album’s songs which allow Ortiz to stretch as a singer while the playing can take any direction it likes knowing the two can ably hold down the bottom end.

“Castles” harnesses thumping hard rock drums into a jagged guitar-driven alt rock body and gradually wins the audience over despite being a slow-starter. The guitar sound, warm yet unforgiving, redeems the deliberate tempo and Ortiz hits listeners hard with a desperately emotive vocal. The song “Bars from the Cages” dispenses, for the most part, with any glimmers of hard rock posturing in favor of a more atmospheric and moodier guitar focused arrangement. The vocal emphasizes a more theatrical side of their presentation as well. “Shadows” continues the move away from outright metal and hard rock towards guitar heavy riff music that’s coupled with astonishing variations of texture. The movement of this song from a highly artful introduction into its explosive guitar and rhythm section pyrotechnics is one of the album’s indisputable high points. The strongest part of Volume II continues with the album’s moodiest number, by far, “Why We Trust” and the seeming portentousness of the song title isn’t reflected at all in this intelligently written piece. It grapples with big themes and questions in a decidedly talented way. The dark dance between bass and guitar opening “Relapse” is the ideal sonic preamble for the song as a whole and ranks among the album’s best songs. Volume 2: Without Nothing I’m You may already be consigned to be a bit of a curiosity in the band’s discography, but there’s no question the songs have a tremendous amount of life in them. Black Note Graffiti are a band with their eye on the future and looking to grow in any positive way.

Dust of Days - Analog Mind Bender (2017)

OFFICIAL: http://dustofdays.com/

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

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Written by Jason Hillenburg, posted by blog admin

Dust of Days’ Analog Mind Bender is the first release from this New Jersey based band since 2013’s EP Ethers and Embers and poises them to ascend the ladder to the next rung of widespread visibility. The dozen songs included on the release are definitely personal in nature, but drummer and vocalist Frank Lettieri Jr’s songwriting touches enough on universal human experiences that it further opens the band’s potential while still surely satisfying Lettieri’s inner need to write and communicate. Lettieri, obviously, reworked and refined this material until he was certain that it was ready to go and the mere three days it took for the band to cut the collection further testifies to that fact while recalling the way iconic bands worked during rock music’s infancy. Dust of Days are certainly big on guitars, but the six string isn’t the only story on this release. Dust of Days, likewise, incorporates unexpected instrumentation that never sounds out of place and repurposes traditional elements in exciting new ways.

Scott Silvester’s subterranean bass lays down a thick groove for the title song and opening cut “Analog Mind Bender” that alternates with the band’s two guitarists, Mike Virock and Jim McGee, striking a rousing note with the song’s melodic axe work. There is a ringing quality, akin to a bell, recurring throughout the song that gives it an added melodic lift. There is no such melodic lift present in “Aurora”, but there is a certain amount of finesse. Dust of Days goes back and forth from a full on vocal to spoken word during the verses, but Lettieri imbues the verses with memorable theatricality in his delivery that, nevertheless, doesn’t overreach. “Mustang” has a similar spirit driving it along. Lettieri is afforded a chance here to show off his emotive chops and doesn’t disappoint even if one moves away from this tune feeling like its potential peaks aren’t exploited enough. “Little Angel” excels largely on the backs of the fine rhythm section playing of Silvester and Lettieri’s drumming. It’s a song full of light and shadow as it moves back and forth from stripped back bass and percussion driven verses with massive guitar flourishes.

“My Dear” comes off as a more fully realized version of “Mustang”, albeit about very different subject matter, and it hits home with memorable emotional force. The guitar work from McGee and Virok is more nuanced here than ever before on the release and uncover a bluesy, elegiac eloquence in this performance. They make another 180 degree stylistic turn with the raging cut “The Circus” and its post-punk ferocity doesn’t diminish the same intelligence behind this tune that powers so many of the other cuts. “Death Vibrations” has some of the same punky spirit as the previous song, but there’s a more tempered edge to this than we hear on “The Circus” and more of a focus on Lettieri’s singing and lyrical content. Analog Mind Bender provides a thrilling listening experience throughout its duration and one of the most fascinating moments comes with the penultimate track “The Shore”. This haunted soundscape is carried by hazy piano, hushed vocals, and some surprising contributions from strings. It’s the most illustrative moment on the release showing off their capacity for surprise and shows that this is a band developing at an exponential rate despite the time between new releases.