Showing posts with label justin. Show all posts
Showing posts with label justin. Show all posts
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Listen To New Singles From Avey Tare, Conor Oberst


The latest music from Animal Collective’s Avey Tare is probably the most straight forward music he has put out to date, though terms like “straight forward” have always been relative when applied to the music he makes. It’s still eons from anything considered “common” these days.

 Dave Portner is now living in California and is about to put out Enter the Slasher House with former Dirty Projectors member Angel Deradoorian and ex-Ponytail drummer Jeremy Hyman, under the name Slasher Flicks. The music for the group’s album, due in April, was recorded live using little overdubs. There’s Scooby-Doo/Saturday evening cartoon vibes all over “Little Fang,” a song that fellow Paw Tracks artists Dent May or Ariel Pink could have easily recorded, but thrown off just enough with Portner singing like he’s experiencing a full on sugar high at a carnival or a disco. A song like this could also easily fit in with Lindsey Buckingham’s cast-off 1984 solo album Go Insane.

 It’s interesting to hear Portner sing over rhythms that are not his own or fellow band mate’s Panda Bear. Hyman’s got a pretty straight forward kick going and instead of swaths of reverb and layers upon layers of sound, you can tell apart and count on one hand the number of tracks on this song.

If his 2010 solo album Down There was about hiding in the fog and being stuck in a rut, then this song is about going out, having a good time and taking off the masks, or putting them on. Cheers.


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 Conor Oberst, barely in his mid-30s, has led many musical lives. We’ve had almost 20 years worth of material from the Nebraskan wonderkid who used to frenetically strum his guitar and sing his lines in the form of a panic attack. With Bright Eyes having possibly put out it’s last album in 2011 (Oberst says he can’t listen to material from that era anymore), we’re being treated to a solo album, recorded in Nashville with Jonathan Wilson, who did stuff for Dawes.

 “Hundreds of Ways” sounds more like Paul Simon hunkering down to make some country music, though dominated by the wordplay of Conor Oberst. There’s the knobby basslines and horns as Oberst sings, “there are hundreds of ways to get through the day.” It’s an uplifting song, one that might turn off anyone who is used to the red-wine-and-cigarette-smoke depression of his early 00s material, but for Oberst it’s new territory.

 The musicianship is top notch (Dawes will be backing him for a tour starting in the spring). I really liked People’s Key and even his Mystic Valley Band stuff, which this resembles. Here’s hoping this isn’t Oberst starting to drift off into Dylan’s New Morning phase.

 

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Buffalo's Made Violent Releases Follow Up To "Wasted Days"


Back from Brooklyn after a few shows, including one at the iconic Union Hall, rust belters Made Violent have released their follow up to "Wasted Days." Now a three piece, Made Violent are no longer playing “those pop songs” that they were known for a couple of years ago. The current line up (Joe White - Bass/Vocals, Rob Romano - Guitar, and Justin Acee - Drums) has been playing together since November, and now they have two songs underneath their belt. They are no longer ‘that’ band that you would take home to meet your mom. “It’s different this time around, because we’re playing what we want to hear.” says Acee.

"Inside Out" is a vicious raw tonic all of it’s own. It is a drastic departure from the Strokes-esque "Wasted Days," and instead channels Fidlar and The Wombats. "Inside Out" takes off like the Challenger over Disney World, exploding into your eardrums like a yummy, whatever satisfies an eardrums appetite. The song hooks you immediately either by the vicious drums of Acee, or the wailing guitar of Romano. You can take your pick; both are equally infectious. While you are attempting to fight off this new epidemic, White belts out lyrics like:

Still stuck in the middle of this hell hole
where you think you’re living in a dream
Twist it around, does it make you proud
to wear me down til I’m inside out

“This is a more mature effort, we’re not writing pop songs that no one really cares about to begin with.“ says Acee. “It["Inside Out"] definitely showcases a different side, which is why we wanted to do it.” he added.“ Each single that will be coming out will be completely different.” Romano stated.

Made Violent will be releasing a song a month which will be accompanied by a live video, until they are ready to release a full album. “We’re not sure if it’s going to be an EP, or a full album. We’ve also talked about doing a split single, so who knows.” White added. In the meantime you can catch Made Violent on February 21st at The Waiting Room where they will be opening for Bear Hands.


~ Photo by Brett Mikoll
~ Video by Andy DeLuca

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Album of the Week: The Broken Vibes - The Broken Vibes II


How do you write and record a blues album? If you’re Buffalo/Houston band The Broken Vibes, the answer is easy...the interwebs (yes I said the inter interwebs). This method gives you the ability meet no where near the middle to record. The two piece (Pete Torrey Guitar/ Vocals and Dan Wilcox drums), which is half rooted in Buffalo (Wilcox) while the other half is based in Houston (Torrey), began the writing process through emails. This is actually how the two initially met in the first place, via a Craigslist ad (and no they didn’t meet through Casual Encounters). The two eventually met up in Cleveland, Ohio to lay down tracks with Adam Korbesmeyer (of the Cleveland band Nomads) who mixed and mastered the album.

 The ever imaginatively titled The Broken Vibes II, their sophomore effort, is a “Blues” album. The obvious comparisons that can be made are to The Black Keys and The White Stripes, and other duos that play Delta Blues. It also helps that Torrey’s voice channels the love child of Dan Auberabch and Kenny Wayne Shepherd. This however would be a somewhat lazy juxtaposition. A more acute observation would be Led Zeppelin, Junior Kimbrough, or RL Burnside.

 The Broken Vibes II plays like a mix tape from Rob Sheffield (Rolling Stones editor and author), except you don’t have to act all sad after listening to it. The opening track, "My New Thing," is a low and slow blues riffed intro met by a heavy three-four drum accompaniment. The ballad "All Down the Line," is a song that reminds you of an Indie-pop Pandora station if it wasn’t for Torrey’s gravely vocals. "Lost Without You" exemplifies why and how Torrey’s voice works perfectly with vocal effects. These songs come together to make the formula found throughout the record, and which gives The Broken Vibes II the perfect flow. It doesn’t fade away into the distance, nor does it burn out on the freeway, it just lingers on. The real gem on this record is the somber "Used to Be," which stresses the subtlety of Wilcox’s drum kit. As it plays on, Torrey’s voice gently seduces us, and we don’t even mind even though we didn’t shave our legs for this impromptu little romp.

 The Broken Vibes do us a few favors along the way, such as sparing us the fascist redundancy of guitar solos. We never exactly forget we are listening to a blues record, it just escapes our minds for a brief moment. This is a nice progressive departure from their self titled debut. They no longer appear to be trying to be The Black Keys. They are coming into their own, and it makes you curious what else they still have up their sleeves. When asked about his thoughts on the album Torrey said, “I'm shocked that we didn't get more spacey and weird on The Broken Vibes II.” I’ll be honest with you, I look forward to them getting a little weird.



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Buffalo Band Abroad: The Malones - Episode IV


It's been five days since the Malones and Aircraft departed our dear Buffalo, and as one can see, they're lonely already. I can't imagine they all slept this way, in their cutoffs and sneakers; but they were so hyped about the mirror over their hotel bed, they couldn't resist. Clockwise, starting from the left is Brandon (TM), Justin (AC), Elliott (TM), Ian (AC), Steven (TM), Tyler (AC), and James (AC). And if deductive reasoning escaped you, (AC) is for Aircraft and (TM) is for The Malones. Der.

That's one fine pile of man-candy, ladies...and gents. Come and get it! Boys, you can fend for yourselves.

Aircraft whipped up a nice pie of awesomeness the night of the Detroit Lager House show. They look pretty far out in this photo taken from behind- SHABOOIE!


Currently, the boys are safely resting in the generous home of a friend in Cincinnati, so they are well protected from the sketchiness of inner-city riff-raff. Their show at the Chameleon is tonight, so be sure to wish the bands broken legs, arms, necks- whatever makes you feel comfortable.




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