Music Industry Earthquake

Summertime Kids - Table Manners

2011-03-29T12:39:00.000-07:00

Artist Website: Summertime Kids
Netlabel Website: N/A

Track list:

1 - JV

2 - Know
3 - Storm the Station
4 - August
5 - Rain on My Parade

6 - Bed Time

Download links: [Bandcamp]

Gainesville native Nick Roberts (aka Summertime Kids) is the perfect example to show that expensive recording equipment and record label deals are not required to make great music. Recorded over the span of six months, Table Manners is a wonderfully written, relaxing and enjoyable album to listen to.

Every track on the album has a wonderfully calm feel to it. Right from the opening chords of JV, I felt like I was lounging outside on a warm sunny day, or driving through the countryside with the top down. The second track, Know, added even more to the mix, with Roberts' soothing vocals, slightly reminiscent of John Mayer minus the undeserved self-importance. Every track is beautifully written, and considering it was self-recorded, the quality of sound is quite impressive. Despite the album having such a chill, relaxed feel to it, the music still has enough drive behind it to keep it interesting and keep you listening to the end.

Stand-out tracks on this album for me were the opening two, JV and Know. My least favorite would probably be the closer, Bed Time. I wouldn't say it's a bad song, it just didn't keep my attention like the other songs did. One of my only gripes with Table Manners is that it is over far too quickly, clocking in at just under 20 minutes total.

I love finding new bedroom musicians who are not only technically competent, but also fun to listen to, and Summertime Kids is definitely one that I'll be adding to that list. I sincerely hope that this is not the last we hear from Mr. Roberts.

Invaluable - Searching, Waiting

2011-03-01T18:38:00.000-08:00

Artist Website: Bandcamp
Netlabel Website: N/A

Track list:

1 - Atencion!

2 - Kyle Goodwin

3 - Depth

4- 2003

5 - Nationalistic Ties

6 - Capital Log

Download links: [Bandcamp]

I'm not sure why, but it seems that for many punk musicians, the progression to folk/acoustic music is a natural choice. Greg Graffin, Nikola Sarcevic and Frank Turner have all released fantastic solo folk albums, even though they've built their careers on the punk bands that they perform with. Whatever the reason, acoustic punk is something I always enjoy listening to, and Searching, Waiting by Invaluable is no exception.

On Invaluable's bandcamp page, frontman (and only man) Keith Baillargeon warns listeners that there is "no polish here folks, this is about as rough as they get." Personally, I've heard far rougher demos with much less polish. Even though the solo acoustic guitar and voice seem to leave the overall sound slightly anemic at times, Keith's playing is highly proficient for the style of music, and his voice was instantly reminiscent to me of such great punk vocalists as Jeff Rosenstock, Tomas Kalnoky, and Brian Fallon. The solid, slightly rough tone of his voice lends itself perfectly to his music, especially the more up-tempo tunes.

While there were a couple of tunes that didn't really do much for me (specifically Depth and Capitol Log), I enjoyed listening to the EP. The song 2003 was by far my favorite track of the bunch, and I couldn't help but imagine what the song would sound like with a full band to flesh out the sound a bit. Overall, Searching, Waiting is quite a solid demo/EP, and Invaluable shows quite a bit of promise as a solo musician. I only hope that Keith gets the chance at some point to record some of these songs with a few more instruments added into the mix.

Culture Voyage - Electroecstasy

2011-02-18T08:12:00.000-08:00

Artist Website: Culture Voyage
Netlabel Website: N/A

Track list:

1 - Genesis

2 - Electroecstasy

Download links: [Bandcamp]

It's been quite a while since I've had a chance to update this blog with any new music, so let's get right to it. Today's choice is a short one (a single), but definitely worth listening to in my opinion.

While I couldn't appreciate it much at the time, I've developed a strong appreciation for 80's pop culture over the last few years. Something about that decade's music, movies, television and overall fashion seems to strike a chord with me, and really makes me sit up and take notice. It was for this reason that I fell in love with Neon Neon's Stainless Style last year when it was introduced to me (here's a sample if you're interested), and it's for this same reason that I've really enjoyed the newest single from Atlanta-based musician Culture Voyage, Electroecstasy.

Right from the get-go, the opening bell tones and warm crackling sound of a vinyl record grabbed my attention, and I the laser sound effects in the background were a nice touch as well. As the main riff entered, I suddenly felt like I should be heading over to Flynn's Arcade to play a few games of Space Harrier, or perhaps watch some Tales of the Darkside while wearing my Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles t-shirt. I also appreciated the beat underneath the synth notes, which really helps to drive the track and keep it from getting boring.

The next (and final) track on the single, Electroecstasy didn't entice me quite as much as Genesis did, but it was still quite a solid song, and similar to the first track in many ways (running synth notes, driving synth drum beat, cracking static in the background). Both tracks will give any 80's buff a double-dose of nostalgia.

You can stream the single and download it for free at the Bandcamp address listed at the top of this entry.

Be sure to keep checking back here for more updates. I'm not planning a set schedule for new reviews, but I do plan to update this more often.

Airplane Noise - Getting Down

2010-09-05T12:33:00.000-07:00

Artist Website: Airplane Noise

Netlabel Website: Back to Work Records

Track list:

1 - Go Ahead

2 - Last Night
3 - One Cup of Coffee
4 - I Will Always Win

5 - Goodbye

Download links: [MP3]

When recording an album, most bands pick a single sound and, for better or worse, stick with it throughout the record. However, that is not the case with Airplane Noise's latest EP Getting Down. I can't remember an album in recent memory that caught me as off guard as to what comes next than this one. During a song, I'd think that I had finally pegged what the next song was going to sound like. Most of the time, I wasn't even close.

From the opening bass riff, I imagined this EP to be another typical romp through the realm of indie pop-punk. A few seconds later, the synthesizer kicks in, bringing to mind a slightly poppier, more polished version of a Bomb the Music Industry! song. The next song, Last Night, followed along the same general path as the first song, but the third track is where the music takes a complete right-turn.

One Cup of Coffee opens up with a piano line that instantly made me think of the song Mr. Jones by Ben Folds, and then continued on by introducing not only drums and guitars, but also a harmonica! While some people might have found this off-putting, I actually enjoyed the change of pace, as the pop-punk was quickly becoming a slight chore to listen to. I Will Always Win continued on with the acoustic feel of the previous track (albeit at a more upbeat tempo and featuring the acoustic guitar rather than piano). The backup vocals in particular really stood out for me on this track, and blended quite nicely with the soothing lead acoustic guitar melodies. The final track opened as a slow acoustic number, which is why I was surprised to hear the return of the distorted guitars about halfway through the song.

Airplane Noise is a great example of a band that's able to approach their music from several different styles, not only keeping it fresh but also keeping the listener actively engaged, waiting to hear what is in store for the next track. The pop-punk tracks were okay, but in my opinion the standout tracks were the acoustic songs, and in particular, One Cup of Coffee. If you'd like to stream the EP, you can visit the band's website at the top of this article. I'm also planning to start offering a sample of each album I cover right from this blog for those of you that just can't be bothered to take those few extra clicks. Click the link below to stream One Cup of Coffee.

Stream "One Cup of Coffee"

Paul Baribeau - Unbearable

2010-08-03T20:46:00.000-07:00

Artist Website: Paul Baribeau
Netlabel Website: If You Make It

Track list:

1 - If I Knew

2 - Eight Letters
3 - How Could That Be True
4 - The Wall

5 - Rolling Clouds

6 - Blue Cool

7 - The Mall

8 - Poor Girls

9 - Black Strat

10 - Wild Eyes

Download links: [MP3]

While Paul Baribeau's unique, stripped down take on folk-punk certainly won't appeal to everyone (including some fans of the genre), his newest album Unbearable was recently offered as a free download through the indie/DIY website If You Make It, making it worth at least a listen or two.

For those listeners who haven't encountered Baribeau's work before, it's just Paul singing over his acoustic guitar. Most of his past songs (including the first few tracks from his previous album Grand Ledge) are played at an incredibly quick tempo, hence the "folk-punk" label. However, Unbearable marks several changes for Baribeau's sound; the overall tempo of the music being one of them. Right from the first track If I Knew, it becomes apparent that the feel of this album is decidedly more laid-back than his last full-length; with a more "rock" sound than punk. This isn't really a bad thing, and is actually quite refreshing, but fans of Baribeau's earlier music might mistake it as a lack of energy.

Another big change between Paul's last album and this one is the use of overdubs for the vocals. With Grand Ledge, it was a single vocal line and a single guitar line for every song. On Unbearable, several of the songs utilize a second vocal track during the choruses. Granted, most of the overdubs are just unison vocal lines, but it adds a bit of depth to the melodies, and makes it easier to stay focused on the music.

Track number four, The Wall brings about the last noticeable change between the two albums. The song opens up with Baribeau's signature acoustic guitar strumming, but also adds an electric guitar to play a few bars of melody before the vocals come in, and then also a little later in the song. This caught me a little by surprise, since every song of Paul's that I've listened to up to this point were just his voice and his guitar.

Other than the differences listed above, Unbearable still retains the simplicity and charm of Baribeau's past work. Most of the songs either focus on, or are indirectly about love, while other songs like The Mall and Rolling Clouds deal with activities that almost everyone did when they were younger, like riding bikes and going to the mall.

Even though Paul Baribeau's music might be considered "stripped-down" or "bare bones" by some, his easily relatable lyrics and charming vocals make Unbearable more than bearable to listen to.

Bad Religion - 30 Years Live

2010-07-21T00:19:00.000-07:00

Artist Website: Bad Religion

Record Label Website: Epitaph Records

Track list:

1 - Fuck Armageddon, This Is Hell

2 - Dearly Beloved

3 - Suffer

4 - Man With A Mission

5 - New Dark Ages

6 - Germs Of Perfection

7 - Marked

8 - A Walk

9 - Flat Earth Society

10 - Resist Stance

11 - American Jesus

12 - Social Suicide

13 - Atheist Peace

14 - Tomorrow

15 - Won't Somebody

16 - Los Angeles Is Burning

17 - We're Only Gonna Die

Download links: [MP3]

I adore Bad Religion. After discovering them through their songs in the video games Crazy Taxi and Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 I started grabbing all the music of theirs I could find. The fast-paced mosh pit-inciting guitar riffs, combined with intelligent lyrics covering a variety of social, political, and religious topics appealed to me in a way that, at that point in my life, no other music had. Needless to say, when I found out earlier this year that Bad Religion was releasing a live album in honor of their 30th anniversary as a band (for free!), I was incredibly excited. While the setlist isn't perfect in my opinion, the album is quite solid.

I think that choosing to open and close the album with songs from their debut LP How Could Hell Be Any Worse? was a great idea, especially with two of the more popular songs from the album, We're Only Gonna Die and Fuck Armageddon...This is Hell. Both songs represent the more raw, adrenaline-charged youth of the band, and while the original studio versions of the songs are classics, its nice to hear them redone by the band with 30 extra years of practice under their belts.

The album goes on to include several songs from their latest album, New Maps of Hell, including Dearly Beloved, an atheistic anthem, and Germs of Perfection, which showcases Bad Religion's trademark thesaurus-like lyrics. Also included are songs from Suffer, The Empire Strikes First, Recipe For Hate, and several others.

The sound is as good as you'd expect a live album to sound in today's industry. It's easy to tell that numerous studio touch-ups were made, especially in the "oozin-aahs" (backup vocals), but it doesn't detract from the overall listening experience. It was nice to hear some of their older songs performed with Brooks Wackerman, their newest (and in my opinion, most talented and energenic) drummer.

One of my only gripes with this album is the fact that, although it is supposedly a representation of their 30 years as a band, there are seven Bad Religion albums that don't have a single song represented, including The Process of Belief, my favorite album of theirs. I found this odd, because there are several songs from that album that have been staples of their live shows since its release in 2002. At the very least, the inclusion of either Supersonic or Sorrow would have been great.

This album is a must-have for fans of this group, and for people on the fence or who have never heard their material, this might be a good place to start, as there are quite a few of their hits on this album.

Just a quick note about the distribution of this album: 30 Years Live was originally released as a free digital download through Bad Religion's website. However, the album is no longer available through the band, and there is no hard copy available for purchase. As such, I've taken the liberty of uploading the album to Mediafire so people interested in listening can download it. If for some reason anyone from Epitaph Records happens to read this and wishes me to remove the download link, please send me an email letting me know, and I'll be happy to take it down.

until next time!

2010-06-03T13:28:00.000-07:00

As most of you can probably tell, it's been a while since I've posted anything in this blog. I've come to the realization that as much as I love writing and finding free music, setting a weekly deadline for a blog that I write in my spare time is only going to cause me to write about music that I don't really enjoy, just for the sake of meeting the deadline. Therefore, I've decided that I'm not going to be updating this blog as frequently as I have in the past, and instead update it only when I find something really special that I enjoy listening to or want to talk about in the music biz. When an update does occur, I'll be sure to post links on my facebook, twitter, and netlabel twitter accounts.

Until then, keep listening!

Dan Dectis - Deeply Superficial

2010-04-30T16:42:00.000-07:00

Artist Website: Dan Dectis at Bandcamp
Netlabel Website: Copyleft Records

Track list:

01 - Helios
02 - Nothing Serious
03 - Deeply Superficial
04 - Gloom
05 - Unreliable Narrator
06 - Morning
07 - No Words
08 - Go Slowly
09 - Cool Off
10 - Grandparents
11 - Stray
12 - On A Roll
13 - Away Again
14 - Solid State
15 - Because
16 - Mystical Forest

Download links: [MP3] [FLAC]
Stream/donation link: [Bandcamp]

I don't mind being honest with you all and saying that sometimes when I post a new album in this blog, it just feels like I'm going through the motions. Sure, I'm always happy to find new music, and I feel that every album I've covered here so far has its own merits that make it a unique listening experience, but often the albums just don't carry the "WOW" factor for me that make me listen to it ten times in a row like some of my favorite major-label artists. However, I can assure you that this is not the case with Dan Dectis and his debut album, Deeply Superficial. I met Dan through a private music community, where I found out that this album had become a hit on the popular website Reddit.com. Despite the fact that Dan agreed to become a part of my netlabel and graciously offer his music for free, I still purchased a copy from him because it's that good.

There's really no single tag that can describe this album. Part jazz, part ambient, part rock, and part singer-songwriter, Dan performs every instrument featured on the album, including guitar, organ, and saxaphone. One of the reasons why it's hard for me to classify his music is because each song is a unique piece of music from the previous track. While this can sometimes mean that the album is lacking in focus, nothing could be further from the truth in this case.

The album opens with the upbeat Helios, setting the tone with a very singer-songwriter feeling. However, the album then proceeds to go in an entirely different, darker direction with the ironically named Nothing Serious. Third in line is the title track, Deeply Superficial, with jazz so smooth it'll make your head spin. Gloom is the next song, and again it goes in a different direction than the previous three tracks, taking on a somber, ambient feeling with echoing saxophone tones laying a subdued backing for the electric piano.

If Deeply Superficial was an EP that was comprised of nothing but the first four tracks, I'd still consider Dan's asking price of $8 a bargain. However, you get a total of 16 amazing tracks on this album, and the quality of the recording is such that you'll think you're listening to a professionally recorded album.

Like I mentioned above, Dan's work is available for free through Copyleft Records, but if you really like what you hear (or you'd like to sample it before you download), head on over to Dan's Bandcamp page (link at the top of the article) where you can stream all the songs, and purchase the album in any bitrate for a minimum of $8.

It's A King Thing - Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo

2010-04-16T16:59:00.000-07:00

Artist Website: It's A King Thing

Track list:

1 - Old Hobbies

2 - Mush Mouth
3 - Baby Tantrum
4 - Everything Backwards
5 - Kira
6 - Bill Haverchuck
7 - Number One Option
8 - Vegetarian
9 - Hanging Out
10 - Wine and Ponies
11 - Tammy Faye
12 - Triple Jump

Download links: [MP3]

Hooray, another free indie album! Seriously though, I'm always happy to stumble upon new free music that isn't electronica (not that I don't like it, but it seems free rock/indie music is much more rare).

This week's album entitled Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo comes from the group It's A King Thing. On their website, they list their "sounds like" counterparts as "The first 2 Weezer albums, The Lemonheads, Nada Surf, Ben Kweller, Superdrag, The Shins, Guided By Voices." Unfortunately, the only one of those artists that I have listened to for an extensive period of time is Weezer so I can't agree or disagree with their other choices. I will admit that there were several points during the album that were reminiscent of The Blue Album and Pinkerton, if not in the songwriting, then certainly in the sound they managed to achieve. The distortion used on the guitars in Baby Tantrum could have come from Rivers Cuomo, and the 3-beat feel of Vegetarian reminded me of the classic Weezer tune My Name is Jonas. Other than those songs, however, I think it'd be a real stretch to draw any more similarities between the two groups.

The only thing I can think of that I didn't really care for in this album are the lead vocals. For the most part they seemed rather wispy and breathy, although I suppose that type of singing complements this kind of music better than someone with a really heavy tone.

I suspect that those of you who are certain that they don't like music that can be put in the "indie" genre are not going to get much from listening to this. You can tell the guys in It's A King Thing are fans of the genre and made this album specifically for people who also enjoyed their type of music. However, the tunes are easy enough to listen to and if you don't feel like actively analyzing the album, it makes a great background soundtrack for whatever it is you happen to be doing at the time, whether you're surfing the Internet or driving in your car.

Overall, not one of my favorite release, but I did enjoy listening to it several times through for this entry. If you aren't totally opposed to this kind of indie rock, give 'em a listen.

Free music news: Bad Religion planning to release new live album as a free download

2010-04-15T17:58:00.000-07:00

This post isn't really a review, but more an interesting bit of news that I thought I'd pass on to the few of you who follow my blog. As any of my close friends could tell you, I'm a huge fan of the punk-rock band Bad Religion. I've been a fan for years now and I own all of their albums. So when I found out through Punknews.org that not only was Bad Religion planning on releasing a live album to commemorate their 30th anniversary, but that they were also planning on releasing it as a FREE digital download, needless to say I was a tad excited.

My first exposure to Bad Religion came in the form of Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 (their song "You" was featured on the soundtrack) as well as the game Crazy Taxi. If you are even slightly interested in punk music you are already probably a big fan of this band, but if you've never listened to them before, I strongly urge you to put aside any preconceptions you might have and give them a shot. Their lyrics are a lot deeper and more meaningful than you might initially give a punk band credit for, and front-man Greg Graffin can certainly hold his own in the intellectual arena, having earned a bachelor's degree in anthropology and geology, a master's degree in geology, and a PhD in zoology. When not touring with the band, Graffin teaches several sciences courses at UCLA.

Tomorrow will be a normally-scheduled review!

Bad Blogger, bad!

2010-04-04T10:41:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone, sorry for the delay in the new review. For some reason Blogger wasn't letting me update the other day, but everything appears to be working now. I have the day off from work tomorrow, so expect the next review sometime tomorrow during the day. I'll make a facebook/twitter post when the review has been added.

Music that's actually worth buying: Souleye - PPPPPP (Soundtrack to VVVVVV)

2010-03-26T18:40:00.000-07:00

Artist Website: Souleye

Track list:
00 - Pending Silence (0:02)
01 - Powerup (0:03)
02 - Presenting VVVVVV (2:40)
03 - Pause (0:08)
04 - Pushing onwards (3:39)
05 - Path complete (0:09)
06 - Passion for exploring (2:52)
07 - Positive force (2:48)
08 - Predestined fate (2:11)
09 - Phear (0:17)
10 - Potential for anything (3:43)
11 - Pressure Cooker (3:27)
12 - plenary (game complete jingle) (0:22)
13 - Pipe dream (2:22)
14 - Popular potpourri (6:09)
15 - Positive force reversed (2:48)
16 - Waiting for VVVVVV (0:56)

purchase link: [PPPPPP]

Welcome to another installment of a series I like to call "Music that's actually worth buying." Today I decided to feature the album PPPPPP, which is the soundtrack to indie video game VVVVVV. The artist's name is Magnus Pålsson, but goes by the alias of Souleye.

I fell in love with video games long before I developed even a passing interest in music. By the time I turned three years old, I ate, breathed, and slept Nintendo. Nowadays, I feel like I've almost built up a tolerance for gaming, as it takes something really special to get me excited like I used to. Recently I started searching for smaller, low-budget indie games and came across VVVVVV, one of the most fun platformers I've played in a very long time. Not only was the game engaging, but the soundtrack was a blast to listen to as well. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that not only was the sountrack up for sale on the artist's website, but it was being offered at a very reasonable price!

I won't delve into the actual game this soundtrack complements, although at a price of $15, the game is well worth the purchase as well. The music is incredibly catchy and is guaranteed to bring out intense feelings of nostalgia in gamers who can remember when Sega made actual game consoles. The nice thing about PPPPPP is that even if you have never played the game, you'll still probably enjoy this album. This is a collection of some of the best chiptune songs I've ever heard, and at the criminally low purchase price of $4, you'd be crazy to pass this one up. If you are interested in listening through the album before you buy it, I found a channel on Youtube that has every single song on the album available as Youtube videos.

I have several favorite tracks on this album, with each one having a very different feel from the last. the song that plays during the opening title screen, Presenting VVVVVV is a very subdued tune, without a lot of complex melodies. However, the upper notes that start playing about a minute into the song take it to the next level (har har har). Pushing Onwards picks up the pace, while Passion For Exploring is often heard while the player is exploring the overworld within the game. However, I think my favorite tracks are Predestined Fate (numerous note runs building on top of a techno beat) or Potential For Anything.

If you are a fan of chiptune music, definitely give this a listen. If you are like me and love indie games or nostalgic 8-bit games, you must buy the game, then go buy the album. Together, it'll only set you back around $20.

Dubmood - Atari-Ska L'Atakk

2010-03-20T00:10:00.000-07:00

Artist Website: Dubmood
Netlabel Website: Jahtari

Track list:

1 - Exodus Ska-Dub
2 - Kick De Bucket
3 - Monkey Island
4 - Pressure Drop
5 - VodSka-Dance
6 - YDbug CD197 (feat. Goto80)

Download links: [MP3] [Stream]

I know, it's not technically Friday anymore, but I haven't gone to bed yet, so it still counts! Anyways, on with the article.

Of all the netlabels I've discovered since I started searching the Internet for albums to feature in this blog, this one is definitely one of the stranger (and more fun) labels that I've come across. Jahtari features a wide variety of reggae-infused dub/chip/electronica music, and of the albums I listened to, none of them stood out to me more than Atari-Ska L'Atakk by Dubmood. Honestly, up until now the thought had never crossed my mind that combining chiptune music with ska would be feasible, much less enjoyable to listen to, but Atari showed me what a trip it could be.

I might be slightly biased in this case, since I love ska music and enjoy hearing music genres being blended, but I challenge anyone to listen to this album and tell me there wasn't at least one song on there that they didn't like.

As I mentioned above, Dubmood has taken the beeps and boops of traditional chiptune music and assembled them into 1st-wave ska tunes from well-known groups like The Skatalites and The Maytals. The first track takes a few seconds to get into the music, but once I heard the first upbeat "guitar" riff, I was ready to get right up out of my chair and skank along with it. Somehow, Dubmood was able to take the energy and overall feeling of fun that I associate with ska music and transplant it into his own symphony of electronic noises. Since traditional 1st-wave ska followed rather rigid guidelines, most of the songs have a very similar feel to one another, and that appears to be the case with Atari-Ska L'Atakk as well. While this isn't really a problem for me, it does make it harder to describe each track in detail. However, one thing that caught me by surprise was the Tetris theme contained within track 5, VodSka-Dance. Favorite tracks of the album for me were

Unless you hate ska or chiptune, I imagine that you'll enjoy listening through this album at least once (or, if you're like me, a dozen times). I've included a "Stream" link along with the download link at the top, click it to open up a new page with the Jahtari music player of this album.

Ohhh, I get it, Jahtari. Like, JAH and ATARI. Hehehehehe...

Heart-Sick Groans - Gentlemen, If You Ain't Right, Get Right!

2010-03-12T15:02:00.000-08:00

Artist Website: Heart-Sick Groans at Myspace
Netlabel Website: unsigned

Track list:

1 - Three Day Blow
2 - Suddenly Molly
3 - In a Small Kitchen Song
4 - After Being Awake
5 - Streetlight Chase
6 - You Look Like Rain
7 - Why She Wanted to Stay at Home

Download links: [MP3, FLAC, and stream]

This week's album was brought to my attention from my good friend Dante over at All Around Sound. The name of the band is Heart-Sick Groans and their EP is entitled Gentlemen, If You Ain't Right, Get Right!

If I could sum up this album in only one word, it would probably be "charming." This is the kind of indie-pop you might expect to hear as the soundtrack of a feel-good teen movie like Juno, but the fact that it isn't attached to a movie or TV show shouldn't deter you from listening to it. The music is tight, and the melodies create a sort of musical river that I found easy to drift along with. That's one thing I really appreciate about music like this; whether you prefer to zone out while listening or pay close attention to the words and harmonies, you'll end up enjoying it either way.

The EP starts out on a happy guitar riff in Three Day Blow, which reminded me of lazy summer days. Suddenly Molly picks up the tempo slightly, and In a Small Kitchen Song raises the speed even more. However, at no point does the tempo of the music feel too frantic or out of control. The quality musicianship of the band members keeps the songs focused and flowing at the same time.

After Being Awake moves the music into a more ambient, shoegaze direction, using synthesizers and synthetic drum beats as opposed to the predominatly acoustic feel the album had up to that point. Streetlight Chase introduces a subdued horn section during portions of the song, while the vocals and guitars in You Look Like Rain brought to mind the works of George Harrison. The final song on the album is probably the most minimal in terms of instruments used and melodic variations, but in a way, it seems a fitting end to such a bright album.

This album was really tough for me to pick out a "favorite" track, because with most albums I'm immediately able to identify at least one or two tracks that I don't enjoy as much as the others. However, with this album, I enjoyed each track as much as the preceding one, and the songs flow so seamlessly into one another, that it almost seems wrong to place one on a higher level than the others. That, coupled with the fact that the EP barely breaks the fifteen minute mark means that you should listen through the whole album and decide for yourself. The album is available to download and stream from their Bandcamp page (which is linked to above).

Shatner's Revenge - Nowhere's Ark

2010-03-05T08:51:00.000-08:00

Artist Website: Shatner's Revenge at Myspace
Netlabel Website: N.O.P. Records

Track list:

1 - Memory Is No Fun
2 - Ghosts
3 - Shawwty (Or Hip-Hop Called, He Sounded Mad)
4 - Nowhere's Ark
5 - BRAIN!!!
6 - 'Dear Boz'
7 - Sherlock
8 - Shat's Last Stand

Download links: [MP3 and stream]

I first came into contact with N.O.P. Records after discovering a musical project called Brother Against Brother, which was fronted by the label's creator, Boz. I talked with him several times via Myspace messaging, and he told me about his label that he was starting up. This was several months ago, and N.O.P Records has since released several albums (six are available for download at the time of this article). I haven't had the chance to listen to all of them yet, but one of the albums that I listened to and really enjoyed was Nowhere's Ark by ska/punk outfit Shatner's Revenge.

I was a little late to the party when it comes to discovering ska (My first exposure to the genre came in the form of Catch 22's sophmore album Alone in a Crowd), but from the get-go I loved what I was hearing. I'm always on the lookout for new talented ska groups, especially since the peak of the genre ended over a decade ago. However, bands like Shatner's Revenge prove that ska will never truly die as long as there are talented musicians who are dedicated to playing it.

One of the things I loved about this album was its ability to blend 2nd and 3rd wave ska in a single album. This is apparent right from the first song, Memory is No Fun. The beginning and end are characterized by the distorted strumming of punk-influenced 3rd wave ska, while the middle section could have been ripped directly from a 2nd wave band like The Specials or The English Beat. The interweaving of different ska styles show the listener how much these guys care about the genre, and it kept me engaged, wondering what kind of sound I'd hear on the next track.

I also really enjoyed the quality of the recording on this album. The guitar is loud and clear when distorted, and crisp and clean when playing the traditional "up-beat" ska riff. The horns sound great together, but are still able to be distinguished from one another. My only complaint is that the bass-end seemed a little to low for most of the album, which made it hard to hear the bass guitar (the instrument I've always considered to be the driving force of ska music).

For standout tracks, my favorites were the opener Memory is No Fun, and the album's title track, Nowhere's Ark.

It's been quite a while since I've found new ska music that's made me wanna stand up and skank while listening to it, but with Shatner's Revenge, that's no longer a problem.

Music that's actually worth buying: Andrew Jackson Jihad - People That Can Eat People Are the Luckiest People in the World

2010-03-02T21:11:00.000-08:00

Artist Website: Andrew Jackson Jihad

Track list:
1. Rejoice
2. Brave As a Noun
3. Survival
4. Bad Bad Things
5. No More Tears
6. Bells & Whistles
7. Randy's House
8. A Song Dedicated to the Memory of Stormy the Rabbit
9. People II: The Reckoning
10. Personal Space Invader
11 . People

purchase link: [Asian Man Records ]

Let me start this entry off by saying that the album I'm about to talk about is NOT free. This is the first entry in a special series I'm calling "music that's actually worth buying". While I wholeheartedly support filesharing, I am not wholly opposed to purchasing music, especially when the price is right and/or the music is awesome. I figure that while there are tons of bands out there willing to give their music away for free, there are also some kick-ass bands out there who sell their music for next to nothing, and they deserve some exposure too. That being said, the first of these albums I'll be talking about is People That Can Eat People Are the Luckiest People in the World by Andrew Jackson Jihad.

I'm honestly not sure how these guys managed to fly under my radar for so long, but a few months ago I finally stumbled upon Andrew Jackson Jihad through one of the labels they release material through, called Plan-It-X Records (I'll probably end up doing another installment of this series on that label). I picked up this album, gave it a listen, and instantly fell in love. One part folk, one part punk, and one part D.I.Y., these guys have a little bit of everything I look for in bands. I think it's great when a band can have over 2.5 million plays on Last.fm, but they still play house parties.

To be honest, I was a little hesitant to feature this album since the purchase price is eight dollars (a little high for my tastes), but I figured eight bucks for an album isn't too bad considering how expensive most music is nowadays. While Andrew Jackson Jihad has several releases through Plan-It-X for five dollars per album, this album was released through Asian Man Records, hence the slightly higher price. ANYWAYS, let's talk about the music.

If you hold any sort of love for folk punk, then you don't need to read on, just go buy the album immediately. If you are unsure, the majority of songs feature acoustic guitar, upright bass, and either mandolin or banjo playing upbeat tunes with surprisingly dark lyrics. Subject matter includes rejoicing how the world will end up destroying you, Drug use, and describing the killing of an entire family. The juxtaposition of these lyrics with the frantic, fast-paced folk tunes is quite an interesting and pleasing mixture, and I think this band pulls it off beautifully. For those of you who require incredibly high production values in your music, you might be disappointed by the overall lo-fi feel of the album, but it works with this genre of music, and shouldn't be a complete deterrent.

My favorite track on the album is definitely Brave as a Noun, even though it is one of the shortest songs on the record. I love the melody and rhythm, and the lyrics are great too:

I’ve got an angry heart
Filled with cancers and poppy tarts
If this is how you folks make art it’s fucking depressing...

If you happen to find an extra eight dollars you're itching to spend, I'd recommend this album. If you'd like to preview a few tunes, here's a video from one of their live shows, playing the first two songs from this album.

Winter Shutdown - Chocolate Milk Everyday!

2010-02-26T21:08:00.000-08:00

Artist Website: Winter Shutdown
Netlabel Website: The Bomb.com Records

Track list:

1 - Filibuster
2 - ...As If They Were Monsters
3 - Paranoid
4 - Truckload of Assumptions

Download links: [MP3]

Hello fellow music fans, I apologize for not updating for so long, real life kinda got really busy, but I'm going to try to get back on track with this blog, because it's something I really enjoy doing. Expect from here on out to see updates every Friday (unless I'm away from a computer for some reason). Anyways, this week's album is called Chocolate Milk Everyday! and it comes from Maryland-based rockers Winter Shutdown.

At first listen, it'd be easy to write this album off. Recorded in a basement by the band in the span of two weeks, the indie production values are hard to miss. However, there are many redeeming qualities that make this album an enjoyable listening experience. For starters, guitarist/lead singer Max Schrack's voice is spot-on throughout the album, both in pitch and rhythm. His voice complements the band's style of pop-punk perfectly.

When an album is recorded in such a bare-bones style, it is crucial that the musicians involved are very proficient at their respective instruments, and it is apparent that the guys in Winter Shutdown are good at playing this genre of music, and what's more, they enjoy doing it.

Overall I really enjoyed listening to this EP, but if I had to nitpick (and what kind of reviewer would I be if I didn't?), there were just a few small things that stood out to me. There were several times when the drums and guitars seemed to lose their sync for several beats, and while it wasn't a deal-breaker, it was noticeable. Another thing that might be more of a personal preference was that I didn't love the sound of the guitars. This can be written off on the low-budget recording equipment, but it just seemed to be missing a little depth (although to be fair, I hear the same thing from almost every band when they first start out, and usually their sound fleshes out as they progress).

My favorite track was definitely Truckload of Assumptions, the most high-intensity song on the EP, and the sound reminded me of a cross between Bomb the Music Industry! and Blink-182.

A solid first album from a talented group of guys, I can't wait to hear more from Winter Shutdown in the future.

just a quick update

2010-01-16T20:58:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone,

As you may have noticed, I'm not updating this blog as frequently as I did when I first started it. With my work schedule being the way that it is, I don't have as many opportunities to search for new music, much less listen to and review it.

This doesn't mean that I'm giving up on this blog, because I know there are at least a few people that read it. At the moment, however, I'll probably be keeping up with my current pace of one new update a week (usually on Monday, time permitting).

Thanks for reading, and keep checking back for new free music!

Joe

We Swim You Jump - We Swim You Jump

2010-01-11T14:27:00.000-08:00

Artist Website: We Swim You Jump
Netlabel Website: Subroutine Records

Track list:

1 - Sharks

2 - Sparks Fade Out
3 - 1234
4 - Frames On The Wall
5 - This Thing Will End

Download links: [Bandcamp]

Over the weekend I was pleasantly surprised to stumble upon a new music discovery website, thesixtyone and spent several hours playing around on it. The site is like an RPG of sorts, gain experience from discovering/listening to music, complete quests, grow in levels, etc. One of the many bands I discovered and enjoyed through the website was We Swim You Jump, with their self-titled EP.

According to one of their bios, We Swim You Jump draws influences from Elliot Smith, The Posies, and Loney Dear, but I've never listened to any of those groups before. Basically, We Swim You Jump is a five-piece indie/rock band with folk influences. One thing I enjoyed about their EP is that no point is their music too indie or too folk. They manage to maintain a nice balance throughout the five songs, which not only will help to make sure that they don't alienate possible listeners, but also makes the listening experience a more entertaining and exciting one, since you aren't exactly sure what the next track might sound like until it begins playing.

The album opens with Sharks, a lighthearted, shoegaze-ish feeling song. Right from the get-go, I was quite impressed with their tight vocal harmonies, and the fact that while the vocals were crystal clear throughout, they were not overpowering the band. After the first track, the mood of the EP immediately shifts to a more heavy-handed folk sound in Sparks Fade Out. This was my favorite track of the record, due to the presence of a piano and backing string section, as well as the somber mood of the song. 1234 resumes the faster paced, rock feeling of the first track, and Frames on the Wall follows suit. This Thing Will End is the shortest track on the album, but is the perfect closer, and a beautifully written song.

A great band with a great EP. Download it from their Bandcamp page for free.

Bomb the Music Industry! - Scrambles

2010-01-04T17:43:00.000-08:00

Artist Website: Bomb the Music Industry! on Myspace
Netlabel Website: Quote Unquote Records

Track list:

1 - Cold Chillin' Cold Chillin'

2 - Stuff That I Like
3 - It Shits!!!
4 - Fresh Attitude, Young Body
5 - Wednesday Night Drinkball
6 - 25!!!
7 - $2,400,000
8 - Gang of Four Meets the Stooges (But Boring)
9 - 9/11 Fever!!!
10 - (Shut) Up The Punx!!!
11 - Can I Pay My Rent in Fun?
12 - Saddr Weirdr
13 - Sort of Like Being Pumped

Download links: [MP3]

--------------------------

Happy New Year everybody, sorry I'm a little late in getting back into the swing of things, but cross-sountry travel seems to have that effect on me. Anyways, here's the first review of 2010, hope you enjoy it.

--------------------------

I realize that I've dedicated several reviews so far to Jeff Rosenstock's various musical projects (including one BtMI! review), but I figured this was as good a time as any to review Scrambles, since it ranked at #2 in Punknews.org's Top 20 Albums of 2009 and #3 in the user-generated Top 20 list for Punknews.org (plus, this is my blog and I can do whatever I want!).

If you've listened to any BtMI! before (including their debut album which I've already covered), then you should have an idea what you're in for. The overall sound of the group has remained intact throughout their work, although Scrambles seems to have a little less ska and a little more acoustic to it (see Cold Chillin' Cold Chillin', Wednesday Night Drinkball, etc). This is not to say that I don't thoroughly enjoy the slight change of pace, and there are definitely enough catchy punk/ska tunes on the album to get my fix from. The punk songs that are present on the album, such as Stuff That I Like and Can I Pay My Rent in Fun? seem fuller and much more polished than songs in previous albums.

What I found to be a real treat was the accompanying information that Rosenstock provided on the album page on Quote Unquote Record's website. Not only does Jeff describe how the album came to be (I find it amazing that they were able to record a whole album for so cheap), but he adds a little backstory before the lyrics of each song to provide insight into their meaning. It was the song info that I found so useful, seeing as how Jeff's music always centers around personal feelings and experiences, and the extra information helps the listener relate more to the music. The only real downside that I can find with the album is that Jeff's style of singing sometimes make it hard to understand the words (although if you are listening along with the lyrics page open, you shouldn't have a problem).

It was tough for me to pick out my favorite tracks of the album, because like I mentioned above, Rosenstock did a wonderful job of drawing me into each song and making me care about each one individually. If I had to pick a few tracks to definitely listen to, I'd probably go with Wednesday Night Drinkball, 25!, and Gang of Four Meets the Stooges (But Boring). I'm not going to go into details about what the songs mean or the lyrics, because honestly you should read them yourselves, I don't think I'd do them the justice they deserve (The link is listed in the previous paragraph).

In conclusion, mikexdude over at Punknews.org said in his review of Scrambles that "Jeff Rosenstock is slowly becoming the only voice in punk that matters", and I'm inclined to agree with him.

Blog update

2009-12-19T10:31:00.000-08:00

Just a quick update to the ten or twelve of you who actually read this blog. I'll be traveling for the holidays and won't be adding any new entries until I return, which will be shortly after the new year.

Joe

Buffalo Buffalo Buffalo - Phobiaphilia EP

2009-12-18T20:15:00.000-08:00

Artist Website: Buffalo Buffalo Buffalo on Myspace
Netlabel Website: Copyleft Records

Track list:

1 - Bookend I (In The Beginning)
2 - Mayfly Life
3 - Fuck!
4 - All In This Together Now
5 - Hey Luanne
6 - Three Wonderful Nights
7 - Bookend II (In The End)

Download links: [MP3] [FLAC] [Torrent]

I have a love/hate relationship with singer-songwriters. On the one hand, any idiot can pick up a guitar, learn three chords and write a sappy love song. It's artists like these that make me want to recreate the infamous guitar stairway scene from Animal House. On the other hand, some of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard have come from singer-songwriters. Strangely enough, some of these talented artists don't utilize anything more complicated than the aforementioned three chords, and if they can make it work that way, then why add more? Such is the case of Buffalo Buffalo Buffalo and his debut record, Phobiaphilia EP.

The record consists of Byron Hulcher (the real name of Buffalo x 3) by himself, singing and playing his acoustic guitar. The music is a cross between the acoustic melodies of traditional singer-songwriters and the frantic strumming traditionally found in punk rock. In fact, Mr. Hulcher has said that he drew the inspiration for this album from listening to Plan-It-X records (a label that produces similar music). While some may initially think that the lack of backing instruments might leave a punk rock outfit sounding rather bare, in this instance it works beautifully. Each song tells a different story of love, loss, and hope, and the single acoustic guitar is more than enough to carry the message home to the listeners.

The opening and closing tracks (Bookend I (In The Beginning) and Bookend II (In The End)) aren't the strongest on the album, but are quite fitting considering their names. Each of the following songs deal with specific topics that all teens worry about and some actually experience. Mayfly Life discusses HIV, Fuck! is obviously about teenage anger and feeling isolated and alone, while All In This Together Now is about sticking with those close to you and persevering through good times and bad. Hey Luanne deals with teen pregnancy, and Three Wonderful Nights touches on drug use.

There are many reasons why people might not enjoy this album as much as I did, like Byron's voice, the fast-paced guitar riffs, or the subject material, but I fell in love with this album from the first listen. I can't tell you if the experiences the singer talks about really happened to him, but he performs them in such an honest way that I'd be shocked if they didn't. Here's to hoping that Buffalo Buffalo Buffalo decides to release a full-length in the future, and that it maintains the bare-bones, honest feel of Phobiaphilia EP.

Electric Sea Spider - The Thief

2009-12-14T15:23:00.000-08:00

Artist Website: Electric Sea Spider at Myspace
Netlabel Website: Mine, All Mine! Records

Track list:

1 - Rico's Theme
2 - And Start West
3 - The Looming Alleys
4 - Chinatown
5 - Snowfield
6 - Augustus Sebastian The Murderer
7 - Stethoscope
8 - Tear
9 - Arrowfrog
10 - Yolk (Cut Up Sounds From '66)
11 - Rubik's Cube
12 - Mollusk

Download links: [Torrent] [MP3] [FLAC]

"Electric Sea Spider makes his long-awaited return to mam!records with this amazing set of electronic tracks. Often mixing trip-hop, ambient and idm sounds, Electric Sea Spider has created an album that will keep you hitting repeat." -Blog entry from Mine, All Mine! Records

The Thief is the 93rd album released from veteran netlabel Mine, All Mine! Records, and the third release on said netlabel from Electric Sea Spider. As always, I approach any music labeled "Electronic" with a little apprehension due to my lack of exposure to it, but in this case, Electric Sea Spider has met and exceeded my expectations.

The album starts off fittingly enough with Rico's Theme, which is what I assume to be the "trip-hop" mentioned in the MAM blog description (I can't say for certain because I've never really listened to trip-hop, but if that's what this track is, then I like it). And Starts West is a little more familiar with what I've come to know as IDM from artists such as Xihilisk and Aphex Twin. While the percussion beat is quite impressive on this track, the floating, ethereal harmonies from above really give the piece direction.

The Looming Alleys might be my favorite track on the album. Certain songs such as this one have a way of completely taking me out of my element and transporting me to another plane of consciousness. I'm not sure exactly what distinguishes tracks such as this one from others like it, but I always appreciate finding a gem like this on a new album.

Chinatown utilizes some interesting choices of vocal sampling, while Snowfield relies on its engaging piano melodies rather than the traditional heavy percussion to provide the foundation for the song.

The rest of the album is just as much fun to listen to as the first half which I described, and although I am the type of person to usually skip around songs to find the ones I like, I didn't feel the need to do that at all with this album. Electric Sea Spider's The Thief is another wonderful example of the electronic genre, and a great album to listen to in almost any setting. A great work for newcomers and veterans of the genre alike.

Stagedivehighfive - Everybody Has Their Highs And Lows

2009-12-09T20:49:00.000-08:00

Artist Website: Stagedivehighfive at Myspace
Netlabel Website: Nite Owl Records

Track list:

1 - I Love You
2 - She Dumped Me..Finally
3 - Tragedies Happen
4 - Wreck Da Couch
5 - I Eat Bitches for Breakfast, Bitch
6 - Bloody Monsters

Download links: [MP3] [Stream]

Along with my woeful ignorance of IDM/electronica music until recently, I was also unaware that there were musicians out there making 8-bit music (think original Nintendo game soundtracks). Apparently this is not a rare occurrence either, as the act of using gaming sound chips to make music is big enough to warrant its own genre: Chiptune. While there are netlabels out there with their entire catalog being made up of nothing but chiptune music (and I'll probably touch on some of them in the future), today I focused my attention on the newly formed Nite Owl Records and their first proper release, Everybody Has Their Highs And Lows by Stagedivehighfive.

While this music may not appeal to everybody (I find it hard to envision drunken fratboys cruising the town with this blasting in their car speakers), I find it strangely charming. It might have something to do with my long history with Nintendo systems, but each track I listen to makes me nostalgic for classic gaming. For example, when I being listening to She Dumped Me..Finally, it immediately brings to mind the training sequence of the classic NES boxing title "Punch-Out".

This music is not all about the nostalgic factor though. If you sit and really listen to each track from start to finish, you'll hear a multitude of 8-bit noises being used as building blocks to construct each song. These songs can get extremely intricate, not only in song structure, but also in the number of noises utilized and how they are layered into the music.

While a few of the tracks such as Bloody Monsters and Wreck Da Couch have openings that are slightly grating and might deter casual listeners, other tracks like Tragedies Happen are incredibly easy on the ears and might actually bring a smile to your face (in fact, I'd go so far as to say the aforementioned Tragedies Happen is so well constructed that it could have easily been utilized in a video game soundtrack of the era).

If you've never listened to any chiptune music (or if, like me, you had no idea that it was even a musical genre), I'd say Stagedivehighfive is a great jumping-off point for people looking to get deeper into the genre. Go download the album, or if you would like to listen to it before you download it, click the button above listed [Stream].

Chef-Special - Hungry (EP)

2009-12-07T15:18:00.000-08:00

Artist Website: Chef Special Music
Netlabel Website: Unsigned

Track list:

1 - Colors

2 - Streetlight
3 - Slowdown
4 - Deadline (bonus)

Download links: [MP3 and FLAC]

I've taken the last few days off from blogging to really build up a list of talented artists, and I thought I'd start off with a wonderful hip-hop group from the Netherlands who call themselves Chef'Special. Their sound is very similar to the well-known instrumental hip-hop group from Geneva, New York, Gym Class Heroes. The fact that Chef'Special is based out of the Netherlands should not be a deterrent for anyone who is a fan of alternative hip-hop, or even those of you who normally turn your noses up at the sound of rap music.

Musically, the instrumentation on these tracks is incredibly tight. You can tell that the band put a lot of care into crafting their EP, and it definitely shows. Each track has a unique sound to it that really makes it stand out from the others (for example, the opening track Colors has a funky feel to it while Slowdown begins by showing the spirit of second-wave ska).

The lyrics, however, don't move me quite as much as their melodies do. You can click the song names on their bandcamp page (link at the top of the review) for the words to that particular song and judge for yourself, but personally I prefer a little more depth with this style of music.

Despite their possible shortcomings lyrically, the EP is still definitely worth a listen, if for nothing else than the groovy instrumentation.

Kudrow - Lando

2009-12-02T19:10:00.000-08:00

Artist Website: Kudrow
Netlabel Website: Quote Unquote Records

Track list:

1 - Commutilation!

2 - Blink-182 Reunion
3 - Favreau
4 - Brooklyn Pool

Download links: [MP3]

Listening to the debut 7" Lando from Jeff Rosenstock's new side project Kudrow is a slightly surreal experience for me. While the vocals are obviously reminiscent of Bomb the Music Industry!, the tone of the guitars and overall feel of the music makes me feel like I'm listening to a late-70's/early-80's punk band. The best analogy I can make think of is to imagine Jeff Rosenstock fronting a reformed Dead Kennedys.

Personally, I find the low-fi, old school sound of the EP quite refreshing and entertaining. As always, Rosenstock has boundless energy right out of the gate. From the initial line of "An eleven foot cluster lacking the camaraderie communities foster and the breakbeat drumbeat bleakly repeats our bleating, "I GIVE NOTHING! I ASK FOR EVERYTHING!"", the listener is swept along, tapping their toe, dancing, or doing whatever it is that they do to feel the music.

Since there are only four tracks on the album, it's tough to choose a standout track (not to mention they are all quite good). That being said, The first track, Commutilation! is definitely a fast, fun opening to the record. The next track dials it back a bit, but the opening guitar riff is catchy enough to keep the listener hooked. The lyrics of Favreau are my favorite of the four tracks, and the final track Brooklyn Pool sounds like it was ripped right from Weezer's Green Album.

If you are a fan of Jeff Rosenstock and his various bands, this is a definitely must have. If you haven't listened to him before or you don't care for ASoB or BTMI!, I'd still recommend giving this one a listen, since it is different enough from his main material to warrant a listen from haters.

Deathalizer - It Dwells Within

2009-11-30T13:48:00.000-08:00

Artist Website: Deathalizer (Bandcamp)
Netlabel Website: None

Track list:

1 - The Angel's Fall
2 - Suicide Lane
3 - Crawling Back In
4 - Crumbs From The Sky
5 - More Than Gone
6 - It Dwells Within

Download links: [FLAC and MP3]

I've never really considered myself a "metal head", although I do follow quite a few metal bands. While I'm not as big into Metallica as some of my friends, I understand the impact that they had on the metal genre, and I can identify them through their sound, which is very specific to their band. That being said, I had to double check the name of Deathalizer to be sure that I wasn't mistakenly listening to a Metallica album. The lead singer of Deathalizer sounds almost exactly like James Hetfield, the lead singer of Metallica, and while that isn't necessarily a detriment to this group's sound, it is almost impossible to not draw the correlation between the two.

Similarites to Metallica aside, It Dwells Within is quite a good album, provided that you have a strong interest in, or can at least stomach thrash metal. I can't really say that I found a stand-out track on this album, because songs in this genre tend to blend together for me (like I said, I'm not a metal head). However, I did enjoy the EP, brief as it was. The band's website is a Bandcamp page, meaning you can stream the whole album straight from your browser to see if you like it enough to download it. If you do, just click the download button and enter in a dollar amount (don't worry, you can put in zero dollars).

Bomb the Music Industry! - Album Minus Band

2009-11-27T09:40:00.000-08:00

Artist Website: Bomb the Music Industry! on Myspace
Netlabel Website: Quote Unquote Records

Track list:

1 - Blow Your Brains Out on Live TV!!!
2 - Does Your Face Hurt? No? 'Cause It's Killin' Me!!!
3 - It Ceases To Be "Whining" If You're Still "Shitting Blood"
4 - Big Plans of Sleeping In
5 - I'm A Panic Bomb, Baby!
6 - Sweet Home Cananada
7 - Funcoland vs. The Southern Electorate
8 - Ready... Set... No!!!
9 - "I'm Too Cooooool For Music"
10 - Pike St. - Park Slope (by Harvey Danger)
11 - "FRRRREEEEE BIIIIIIIRRRRD!!!!!! FRRRRREEEEEEEEE BIIIIIIIRRRRRRRRDDDDD!!!!!!!"
12 - Future 86

Download links: [MP3]

I'm a big fan of albums that can hook me right from the first song. Granted, that doesn't mean that I rely solely on the opening track to determine whether or not I'm going to enjoy it, but if the band can grab my attention that early on, there's a good chance that I'll stick around to listen to the rest of the album. That is precisely the case with DIY legends Bomb the Music Industry! and their debut album, Album Minus Band. From the first second of the opening track Blow Your Brains Out On Live TV!!!, you know exactly what you're in for. BTMI! is fast, dirty ska-punk, and while I understand that that type of music might not appeal to you, I've always had a soft spot in my heart for ska, as well as groups that truly embrace the spirit of DIY.

Several tracks utilize sound clips from various pop-culture outlets, such as a "Shaun of the Dead" quote at the beginning of Big Plans of Sleeping In and a bit of stand-up from comedian David Cross at the start of Sweet Home Cananada. What really intrigues me is the extent that Jeff Rosenstock (founder of BTMI!) takes the idea of DIY while recording his albums. For example, the song Sweet Home Cananada was apparently recorded using a built-in microphone on his computer.

There's really not much else to say about this album without delving into the background of the band, or their impact on free digital music (perhaps a future blog post?), so I'll finish with a few standout tracks on the album. Obviously the opening track is a good one, as well as I'm a Panic Bomb, Baby! and Ready... Set... No!!!

If you are interested at all in the free distribution of digital music (and judging from the fact that you're reading this right now, I'll guess that you probably are), do yourself a favor and look into these guys, as well as Rosenstock's label Quote Unquote Records. Whether you like their sound or not, Bomb the Music Industry! is a shining example of how you don't need to "sell records" in order to develop a highly devoted fan base around the world, and perhaps by listening to this album you might find out why.

Xihilisk - Instruction Manuals for Impossible Machines

2009-11-25T10:47:00.000-08:00

Artist Website: Xihilisk on Myspace
Netlabel Website: CXCRSIX

Track list:

1 - IDMisdead

2 - Sleep Patterns
3 - Argonaut
4 - Bloodshot
5 - Cocodamol
6 - Venice is Burning
7 - Aurora Rework
8 - Suitable For Vegetarians

Download links: [MP3]

Less than a year ago, I was under the impression that the electronic genre was made up of nothing more than obnoxious bass beats that were repeated ad nauseum over gigantic woofers in clubs. Then I discovered an electronic artist by the name of Xihilisk and a little "best of" compilation he had put together called FUCK THE RIAA! Seeing as I have no love for the RIAA, the title immediately grabbed my attention, and thought that since Xihilisk was kind enough to release his music for free I'd give it a listen (even though I wasn't expecting much).

The first track on the album was titled Argonaut, and to this day remains one of my all-time favorite electronic tracks. I did some scrounging around on the Internet but couldn't seem to find a public copy of FUCK THE RIAA!, so I decided to review another album which features Argonaut, Instruction Manuals for Impossible Machines.

This album really does run the gamut of emotions, starting with a jazzy feel in IDMisdead, and moving to an ethereal realm of electric guitars in Sleep Patterns. I realize that Argonaut is not going to be everyone's favorite track, but for me it holds that special moment of realization for me that just because some music is created digitally doesn't mean it can't be really good and stir powerful emotions in its listeners. For me, that track brings out a powerful feeling of wandering and loneliness, although I assume it'll be different for every listener. The rest of the album continues to delight as well, although starts to delve off into experimental with tracks like Venice is Burning and Suitable For Vegetarians. This is no problem for me personally, since it reminds me of the work of Buckethead, one of my favorite artists.

Overall, Instruction Manuals for Impossible Machines is a solid electronic album, and if you haven't given electronic or IDM a chance, check it out, you might actually be surprised like I was. All of Xihilisk's records are available on his myspace page via a blog entry, and you can also check out his netlabel which features other great artists by the link at the top of this post.

Isaac Graham - Empty Vessels

2009-11-23T16:08:00.000-08:00

Artist Website: Isaac Graham at Myspace
Netlabel Website: Copyleft Records

Track list:

1 - Photographs and Histories

2 - Gold And Steel
3 - Karl Marx And The Reds
4 - This Old Town
5 - Empty Vessels
6 - Superglue
7 - Columbus
8 - Heat Exhaustion
9 - Hurricane
10- When I Find Gold

Download links: [MP3] [FLAC]

Australian singer-songwriter Isaac Graham is the perfect example of exactly why you don't need a major record deal or fancy recording studio to make wonderful music. Using only a Tascam 8-Track recorder and a "cheap microphone", Isaac has created one of the best folk-rock albums I've heard in a long time. The closest comparison I can draw for his music is Frank Turner, and considering that Frank has a real record deal and a professional recording space, I think it's amazing that I'm able to make that comparison at all.

Right from the first track Photographs and Histories, Mr. Graham draws the listener in with a gentle acoustic guitar riff and his lovely vocals. Gradually throughout the song, the momentum builds as more instruments are added and doesn't drop at all (I had no idea there were that many words that end with "ees"). While there are definitely some rockers on the album (Karl Marx and the Reds, ironically enough, brought to mind Paul McCartney's Снова в СССР album), the majority of the album is perfect for fans of traditional folk music.

My favorite track of the album is definitely This Old Town, the perfect blend of hard and soft. The song keeps up at a great pace and refuses to lose energy, the lyrics are superb, and when the chorus comes in, the song actually seems to grow stronger every time.

At the time of this writing, Isaac has agreed to sign on to netlabel Copyleft Records, and although his artist page is not currently active, the download links for his album work just fine, and can be found at the start of this review. I eagerly look forward to hearing more from Isaac, and highly recommend anyone who even remotely enjoys acoustic/folk/rock music or Australian accents to give this album a listen.

An introduction

2009-11-23T12:59:00.000-08:00

Hello friends and music lovers. Welcome to Music Industry Earthquake, my little blog devoted to spotlighting independent musicians and bands who are signed to netlabels and/or give their music away for free.

I decided to start this blog because free digital music is something that I am fiercely passionate about, and there are too many misinformed people out there who think that music cannot exist if there isn't a price tag attached to it. Through starting my own netlabel, I discovered a treasure trove of music that was previously unknown to me, being given away freely by artists creating simply for the joy and pleasure of it. I was amazed that some albums (recorded from somewhere no fancier than a living room) sounded on par, if not better, than professionally recorded albums by major label artists.

What I'm hoping to accomplish from this blog (at least at first) is a new album description/review two or three times a week (at least when time permits), and occasionally I might throw in a personal blog entry on current events involving the music industry.

Music has become a commodity rather than an art, and nothing would make me happier than to see the music industry leveled, with the major labels being brought down to the ground (hence the name of the blog).

Anyways, here's to hoping that you find some new, interesting music through this blog, and if you happen to really enjoy what you hear, find a way to donate to the artists! They are good enough to give their art away for free, and deserve every penny they can get.

Joe Pow