Atlanta quartet Debutaunts recently emerged from the sweaty, claustrophobic venues of the underground rock scene triumphantly, with a record deal in their hands. Combining the distinct musical talent of all four members, Debutaunts brought forth a unique album, Why Can’t We Have Fun, that has since exploded the minds of music gurus everywhere.

Partnered with Grammy nominated producer Matt Goldman, Debutaunts created an album that has quickly become an oxymoron of sorts. Why Can’t We Have Fun has successfully broken musical boundaries that are set up solely for cookie cutter bands whose lives revolve around dirty garages and second-hand instrumentalists. Debutaunts have nearly done the impossible by meshing the sounds of psychedelic 60s rock with today’s alternative rock genre. Every song is golden on their album, and every song has a new and different sound that everyone is sure to fall in love with.

Debutaunts‘ new album is a unique collection of songs that have skewed the lines between progressive rock and pop music, while throwing electric beats into the mix. It’s almost as if they took every type of music that each band member loved, threw it into a mixing bowl and then layered it onto one full length album. The result is a unique sound that Debutauts can call their own, a new genre of music that pairs together the wonderful hippie-like tunes of the 60s and the new age music of today. Throwing together these genres have made gold for Debutaunts. With songs so catchy they should be illegal, Debutaunts have crashed into the music scene and are sure to stay around for a long time. Their album is a truly magical production with its electric effects and alternative rock lyrics. Debutaunts have created an album with an indie feel that still sounds like electric club music that [...]]]>

Debutaunts‘ new album is a unique collection of songs that have skewed the lines between progressive rock and pop music, while throwing electric beats into the mix. It’s almost as if they took every type of music that each band member loved, threw it into a mixing bowl and then layered it onto one full length album. The result is a unique sound that Debutauts can call their own, a new genre of music that pairs together the wonderful hippie-like tunes of the 60s and the new age music of today. Throwing together these genres have made gold for Debutaunts. With songs so catchy they should be illegal, Debutaunts have crashed into the music scene and are sure to stay around for a long time. Their album is a truly magical production with its electric effects and alternative rock lyrics. Debutaunts have created an album with an indie feel that still sounds like electric club music that everyone loves.

I’ve noticed a lot in recent times that there’s been an interest within many genres to bring back the lost sounds of a certain era and apply them in a new way. The sound, or at least interpretation, of psychedelic rock has only really found one or two embodiments to show its power in current music. MGMT is one of these bands, who took their already wonderful pop/synth/rock sound, and applied a layer of psych to it on their sophomore album Congratulations. The second band, which has far less exposure, is Tame Impala.

The band hails from Perth, Australia and released their self titled studio EP back in 2008. When I first got a hold of it, after it floated around the internet for a few months, I was both excited and wary of their sound. On one hand, I was really glad to see that psychedelic rock was getting some representation in modern music (this is before Congratulations,) but I was also concerned that they might simply be on  some sort of nostalgia kick, just some band that would borrow the usual psych hooks and themes and simply apply them to their sound. After tracking back through most psych rock that I knew, I found that yes, it certainly did connect with the usual sounds found in previous psych rock bands, but it really went the extra mile in being an embodiment of a sound they certainly have placed their own spin on. There’s certainly all of those sounds you would find on pervious psych rock records, but there’s things there that you would only ever really hear today, like some break-neck drumming, and synths that twist through tracks like it’s nobody’s business. One thing that really jumped out at me about the EP was the style in which it was recorded. This is where the band has really strived to keep a 60s sound for their music. To put it plainly, that record seemed to have been recorded in a cardboard box, and it not only complimented the music, but I can imagine the music actually being worse if it didn’t use the intriguing recording style that it did. On Innerspeaker there’s a far crisper sound, but it doesn’t take away from the sound, and their tone is maintained.

There’s plenty of purely improvised soloing, and the band plays off one another perfectly. It seems like they’re a wonderful combination, and when they break away from the song structure on many tracks is when some really great stuff happens. Some fantastic guitar tones come in different flavors and riffs, but they all come from that era of rock, which really shows their consistency. The vocals aren’t very varied through a lot of the songs, but it doesn’t seem to be too much of an issue. The reverb placed over the frontman’s voice only compliments the music, and it’s easy to find yourself humming along to the music. The ghostly nature of the vocals and even the instruments themselves really [...]]]>

I’ve noticed a lot in recent times that there’s been an interest within many genres to bring back the lost sounds of a certain era and apply them in a new way. The sound, or at least interpretation, of psychedelic rock has only really found one or two embodiments to show its power in current music. MGMT is one of these bands, who took their already wonderful pop/synth/rock sound, and applied a layer of psych to it on their sophomore album Congratulations. The second band, which has far less exposure, is Tame Impala.

The band hails from Perth, Australia and released their self titled studio EP back in 2008. When I first got a hold of it, after it floated around the internet for a few months, I was both excited and wary of their sound. On one hand, I was really glad to see that psychedelic rock was getting some representation in modern music (this is before Congratulations,) but I was also concerned that they might simply be on  some sort of nostalgia kick, just some band that would borrow the usual psych hooks and themes and simply apply them to their sound. After tracking back through most psych rock that I knew, I found that yes, it certainly did connect with the usual sounds found in previous psych rock bands, but it really went the extra mile in being an embodiment of a sound they certainly have placed their own spin on. There’s certainly all of those sounds you would find on pervious psych rock records, but there’s things there that you would only ever really hear today, like some break-neck drumming, and synths that twist through tracks like it’s nobody’s business. One thing that really jumped out at me about the EP was the style in which it was recorded. This is where the band has really strived to keep a 60s sound for their music. To put it plainly, that record seemed to have been recorded in a cardboard box, and it not only complimented the music, but I can imagine the music actually being worse if it didn’t use the intriguing recording style that it did. On Innerspeaker there’s a far crisper sound, but it doesn’t take away from the sound, and their tone is maintained.

There’s plenty of purely improvised soloing, and the band plays off one another perfectly. It seems like they’re a wonderful combination, and when they break away from the song structure on many tracks is when some really great stuff happens. Some fantastic guitar tones come in different flavors and riffs, but they all come from that era of rock, which really shows their consistency. The vocals aren’t very varied through a lot of the songs, but it doesn’t seem to be too much of an issue. The reverb placed over the frontman’s voice only compliments the music, and it’s easy to find yourself humming along to the music. The ghostly nature of the vocals and even the instruments themselves really make the music envelope itself around you, so it certainly helps to listen to it on some big speakers, or bassy headphones.
One thing that really really impresses me about the album on the whole is the massive, funky, infectious bass guitar that runs through many of the tracks. It brings a whole new layer of funk to the record, and it just makes the whole psychedelic sound even more accessible and enjoyable.

Basically, what I’m trying to say here is, you need to listen to this record. If you miss the days of The Seeds, The Doors, The Byrds then Tame Impala’s Innerspeaker is certainly something you want to be pumping through your headphones or speakers very soon. Pick it up, have a listen, be amazed. This is Tame Impala.

Foals, the Oxford indie/math rock boys, burst onto the UK music scene in 2008 with their incredible debut Antidotes. Their unique blend of electro, rock and math rock sensibilities crafted a really fresh sound and quickly placed them as my favorite band ever since. I’ve been eagerly awaiting Total Life Forever, so read ahead to see if it was worth the wait, and if it can stand up against Antidotes.

Blue Blood “Blue Blood” really sets a tone for the rest of the album. Yannis’ echoing vocals and the larger emphasis on funk, in combination, really gives you an idea of what the rest of the album is going to sound like. It’s not aggressively sporadic like a few of the songs off of Antidotes, and this feeling of careful funk is sprinkled throughout the rest of the album.

Miami Funnily enough, “Miami” actually sounds like the kind of song I would associate with the same city, I don’t know what it is, but I get the feeling. Anyway, “Miami” breaks away from the reserved feeling of “Blue Blood,” but the element of funk is brought forward even more by the heavy bass line running throughout.

Total Life Forever The album’s title track begins with some really great harmonies from the whole band. Backed by an especially enjoyable bass riff, it’s certainly going to get your head bobbing. This great beat is interrupted though, somewhat disappointingly, by a pretty uninspired chorus that feels out of place within the song itself.

Black Gold If you thought there wasn’t enough of the harmonic pickings from the original album in the first three tracks of Total Life Forever, “Black Gold” is your fix. Some especially enjoyable muted riffs run through the first minute or so of the song, and it’s when we hit the chorus that Foals break into their first spacey interlude. Horns cry out in this section, and after the second round of the chorus, the song falls into a nice spacey feel accompanied by some nice ambient synth. This comes together for the last two and a half minutes in a lovely, crash and droned vocals doused finish.

Spanish Sahara Nearing the mid-point of the album, Foals go in a completely different direction to anything you’ve heard from them before. No synth, no bass, only intercutting guitar chords for the first two minutes. It’s really quite good, and it’s nice to see Foals trying to apply their sound in new tones. After the two minute mark, beeps of a keyboard and light taps on a crash come together in a massive wall of sound alongside Yannis’ chorus vocals. Then all of a sudden it’s gone and we’re back to the quiet emptiness of the first two minutes. Again we go through a verse, accompanied though by those familiar beeps and chords, and once again, the wall of sound approaches, but this time it all collides for a beautiful payoff of swirling sound and the whole band breaks into a wondrous jam. Its’ really something to behold, and nothing you’ve heard from Foals before. [...]]]>

Foals, the Oxford indie/math rock boys, burst onto the UK music scene in 2008 with their incredible debut Antidotes. Their unique blend of electro, rock and math rock sensibilities crafted a really fresh sound and quickly placed them as my favorite band ever since. I’ve been eagerly awaiting Total Life Forever, so read ahead to see if it was worth the wait, and if it can stand up against Antidotes.

Blue Blood
“Blue Blood” really sets a tone for the rest of the album. Yannis’ echoing vocals and the larger emphasis on funk, in combination, really gives you an idea of what the rest of the album is going to sound like. It’s not aggressively sporadic like a few of the songs off of Antidotes, and this feeling of careful funk is sprinkled throughout the rest of the album.

Miami
Funnily enough, “Miami” actually sounds like the kind of song I would associate with the same city, I don’t know what it is, but I get the feeling. Anyway, “Miami” breaks away from the reserved feeling of “Blue Blood,” but the element of funk is brought forward even more by the heavy bass line running throughout.

Total Life Forever
The album’s title track begins with some really great harmonies from the whole band. Backed by an especially enjoyable bass riff, it’s certainly going to get your head bobbing. This great beat is interrupted though, somewhat disappointingly, by a pretty uninspired chorus that feels out of place within the song itself.

Black Gold
If you thought there wasn’t enough of the harmonic pickings from the original album in the first three tracks of Total Life Forever, “Black Gold” is your fix. Some especially enjoyable muted riffs run through the first minute or so of the song, and it’s when we hit the chorus that Foals break into their first spacey interlude. Horns cry out in this section, and after the second round of the chorus, the song falls into a nice spacey feel accompanied by some nice ambient synth. This comes together for the last two and a half minutes in a lovely, crash and droned vocals doused finish.

Spanish Sahara
Nearing the mid-point of the album, Foals go in a completely different direction to anything you’ve heard from them before. No synth, no bass, only intercutting guitar chords for the first two minutes. It’s really quite good, and it’s nice to see Foals trying to apply their sound in new tones. After the two minute mark, beeps of a keyboard and light taps on a crash come together in a massive wall of sound alongside Yannis’ chorus vocals. Then all of a sudden it’s gone and we’re back to the quiet emptiness of the first two minutes. Again we go through a verse, accompanied though by those familiar beeps and chords, and once again, the wall of sound approaches, but this time it all collides for a beautiful payoff of swirling sound and the whole band breaks into a wondrous jam. Its’ really something to behold, and nothing you’ve heard from Foals before. This by far is one of the best tracks on the album.

This Orient
If there was going to be one radio friendly song on Total Life Forever; it would be “This Orient.” Foals return to a sound much like what you would find on Antidotes, but they keep to true enough to the current sound of Total Life Forever for it to be at home on the album. This is for the better, as “This Orient” has an amazing electronic, harmonic swell about it that makes it seem far more meaningful and soulful than something like “Cassius” or “Red Socks Pugie”. Yannis’ usual wail has been excellently replaced with a more morose drone, and backed up by the boys, it suits the track perfectly, even when contrasted against its largest musical swells of crash and synth.

Fugue
A 49 second interlude after “This Orient.” “Fugue” can’t really be judged as a song… It’s really just some piano chords with blasts of samples that seem to be intended to represent technology itself, with static and beeps abounding.

After Glow
Signaling the inevitable closing of the album, “After Glow” is a little bit uninspired throughout its verses, but after hitting the chorus, Yannis’ lyrics are really nice, and the general tone changes to a nice ambient feeling which is nice to listen to, but its infrequency is quickly remedied by the last three minutes of the song. Some fun little “ooohs” and “heys” penetrate through a great jam the band gets going, and some especially nice guitar plays through this section. Trust me, there’s plenty of funky beats to be had here.

Alabaster
“Alabaster” is probably one of my least liked songs of the album, at least for as long as I’ve been listening to it. I don’t feel as though there’s anything that really defines it from other songs on the album. Apart from some pretty interesting drumming from half-way in, there’s not too much to see here.

2 Trees
“2 Trees” enjoys the same light feel that “Blue Blood” started off the album with. At about one minute and forty seconds in, some really great tremolo picking comes in to make things interesting, and from three and a half minutes, it all falls away into a spacey, ambient keyboard section that, when the drums and tremolo come back, melds quite well together to make for a nice finish.

What Remains
A consistent beat carries throughout “What Remains,” and with a nice wail coming back into Yannis’  vocals it starts off strong, and when tribal drumming and exaggerated bass join the mix accompanied by plenty of ‘whoas’ from the band, it becomes a very aggressive punchy song, and a great way to finish off the album.

Total Life Forever shows a far more mature and changed Foals. Yannis’ lack of wail in his voice in all but one track shows Foals’ ability to write songs that can also support a serious tone. If there’s a word that could describe Total Life Forever it would be ‘serious’. The careful funk and ambient synth that infects your ears while listening really brings you are to the music, and tears you away from the sound Foals established in Antidotes. All I have to say here is that Foals have shown they can truly make some welcome changes to their already amazing sound. Make sure you pick up this album.

It’s always possible to have too much of a good thing. A lot of bands can produce good albums as duos or trios, decent albums with four or five members, and discordant, odd sounding albums with a serious attention span problem with any more than six members. Enter River City Extension, an eight member band from New Jersey. I got my ears and mind ready for eclectic cacophony, a crazy mix of too many instruments that did not know quite how to work together. As it turns out, the same way you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, you shouldn’t judge a band by the number of members. Not only is River City Extension an incredibly tight group of musicians who do in fact know how to give each instrument a fitting place, they do it better than a lot of bands with half the instruments. Feast your ears on this great debut album from a band I hope to see much more from. Comes out May 11 via XOXO Records

THE UNMISTAKABLE MAN I’m not a big fan of instrumental tracks on albums, but this song, musically, draws me in with the beautiful duet of cello and horns, and it sounds sort of ominous with the announcement of the bombing of Pearl Harbor in the background. It sets up an oddly depressing mood but it perfectly leads in to the next song.

FRIENDS & FAMILY I love the seamless transition from the previous song, it’s quite well done. The song starts off with just an acoustic guitar and the vocals, which have just the perfect amount of edge to the voice, especially on the louder parts. The drums and horns come in together and the song slightly speeds up, adding an instant build up. The lyrics of this song are amazingly easy to relate to and I know we’ve all been in this state of thought before, or maybe are currently. It’s a pretty fun sounding song about a serious topic and it instantly drew me into the record and made me want more.

SOMETHING SALTY, SOMETHING SWEET Starts off with a very fun acoustic sound with a light amount of cello before the entire band comes in and keeps the fun going with a great drum beat and horns. This is certainly a standout track, one that will get stuck in your head for at least a few days. This song makes me want to see River City Extension at a house show, I bet it’s just a bunch of fun. I love the end of the song with the multiple vocal layers, it adds a nice element to the mix. The ending cello brings the energy down ever so slightly for the next song.

SOUTH FOR THE WINTER This song brings about a change of pace, starting with slow acoustic guitar and mellow vocals. The feedback noises create a slight buzz of anticipation, foreshadowing the blast of energy that comes from seemingly out of nowhere. “Sometimes all I want is a job and a [...]]]>

It’s always possible to have too much of a good thing. A lot of bands can produce good albums as duos or trios, decent albums with four or five members, and discordant, odd sounding albums with a serious attention span problem with any more than six members. Enter River City Extension, an eight member band from New Jersey. I got my ears and mind ready for eclectic cacophony, a crazy mix of too many instruments that did not know quite how to work together. As it turns out, the same way you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, you shouldn’t judge a band by the number of members. Not only is River City Extension an incredibly tight group of musicians who do in fact know how to give each instrument a fitting place, they do it better than a lot of bands with half the instruments. Feast your ears on this great debut album from a band I hope to see much more from.
Comes out May 11 via XOXO Records

THE UNMISTAKABLE MAN
I’m not a big fan of instrumental tracks on albums, but this song, musically, draws me in with the beautiful duet of cello and horns, and it sounds sort of ominous with the announcement of the bombing of Pearl Harbor in the background. It sets up an oddly depressing mood but it perfectly leads in to the next song.

FRIENDS & FAMILY
I love the seamless transition from the previous song, it’s quite well done. The song starts off with just an acoustic guitar and the vocals, which have just the perfect amount of edge to the voice, especially on the louder parts. The drums and horns come in together and the song slightly speeds up, adding an instant build up. The lyrics of this song are amazingly easy to relate to and I know we’ve all been in this state of thought before, or maybe are currently. It’s a pretty fun sounding song about a serious topic and it instantly drew me into the record and made me want more.

SOMETHING SALTY, SOMETHING SWEET
Starts off with a very fun acoustic sound with a light amount of cello before the entire band comes in and keeps the fun going with a great drum beat and horns. This is certainly a standout track, one that will get stuck in your head for at least a few days. This song makes me want to see River City Extension at a house show, I bet it’s just a bunch of fun. I love the end of the song with the multiple vocal layers, it adds a nice element to the mix. The ending cello brings the energy down ever so slightly for the next song.

SOUTH FOR THE WINTER
This song brings about a change of pace, starting with slow acoustic guitar and mellow vocals. The feedback noises create a slight buzz of anticipation, foreshadowing the blast of energy that comes from seemingly out of nowhere. “Sometimes all I want is a job and a god and a wife.” I feel like those lyrics are really sophisticated coming from people in their twenties, and that’s a thought that continues for the entire album. These guys are how old? Really? It feels like they haven’t been playing together long enough to play this well together. After a close listen with headphones I realized that in the beginning there is a faint drumbeat, almost like a heartbeat, which I think is a really nice subtle touch. There’s a point where it quiets back down and for a second I think the song is over until it jumps back into the energetic piece of the song, remaining there until it leaves just the vocals, ending the song with beautiful harmonies.

OUR NEW INTELLIGENCE
This shows off the eight-piece’s ability to be wonderfully cohesive and have a stripped down sound, even with all of those instruments in the mix. Each instrument has its place, nothing is overdone. It starts off with clapping in a beat that will certainly end up stuck in your head, then comes an equally catchy acoustic guitar. The multiple vocals on this song are really special. About halfway through, it gets a bit of a split personality and made me wonder if I had somehow not realized that the song had changed. The middle part of the song sounds like something out of either a pirate movie or saloon scene in an old western. Then it transforms into just piano, vocals and drums before it goes right back to the beginning of the song with twice the intensity.

IF I STILL OWN A BIBLE
I love the lyrics of this song, I just wish I liked the music a bit more. It starts of really slow and takes over a minute to sort of fake a build up that doesn’t happen until the song is almost over, and even then, it’s very short and noisy and fades right back into nothing but the acoustic guitar and feedback noise that doesn’t belong in the song.

ADRIANNE

There’s a big need for energy after the previous track, and it’s definitely found in the loud drum introduction that kicks off the song and the slide guitar and horns that follow. My favorite element of the song is how the vocals show off the edge in his voice, as he yells a bit more than he does in any other song, and that’s a feature that I really love about the vocalist. This song is also a great example of the way they have easily incorporated horns into rock/folk songs, where most songs with horns, the horns seem to intrude. I think my favorite part of the song is the middle where everything is acoustic and the vocals are the most prominent element.

MEXICO
This song is a great example of how River City Extension manage to stick out as something different in a sea of sameness. The horns here certainly create a Latin type of feeling. What I’m guessing is a djembe (type of drum) adds a great layer of sound and adds to the Latin atmosphere. I love the steady rhythm and faster pace of this song.

TOO TIRED TO DRINK
This is another song where the vocals have a lot of edge to them, which I love. It also has some of the best lyrics on the album, presented with just the right amount of angst behind them. Once the very busy intro is over, the verses don’t have much going on. A little thing that bothers me about this song, and mac users beware, that ‘new mail’ sound is IN the song, your computer is not lying about new mail. You have no idea how many times I checked my dock before I realized that it happened at the same parts of the song every time.

HOLY CROSS
This is another song with brilliant lyrics whose music doesn’t allow me to fully love it. The saloon piano sound’s repetition starts to get old really fast. I do like the “ba ba da ba ba”s at the end of the song, and the way that a few vocal layers intertwine. The ending spoken sample makes it end like nothing else on the album and I appreciate that.

TODAY, I FEEL LIKE I’M EVOLVING
“Today I feel like I’m evolving, taking two stairs at a time. Learning to love you and to keep you as a staple in my mind. Well, I never met a woman so afraid she’d never grow out of a girl.” This is the first slow song on the album that pulls its weight as a slow song. It’s got the sentimental sounding lyrics, acoustic guitar, soft snare, cello, banjo, and harmonious gang vocals. It’s a slow song filled with content, not a song lacking content to the point that it becomes slow. Even as a softer song it’s one of the best on the album and one of the songs that stick out on first listen.

LETTER TO LAINIE
Although  don’t like the piano, it sets up a great vocal melody. At this point, do I sound like a broken record when I say I like their lyrics? Sorry, but their lyrics are definitely their strong suit. I normally think banjos sound cheesy, but it sounds amazing in this song, almost like a banjo was invented for “Letter To Lainie.” This is probably the best song for singing along to other than “Today, I Feel Like I’m Evolving.” Some of the elements of this song sound really old timey, like the saloon piano sound and the horns. I’d love to know who their direct influences are, because I have a feeling that they’re all effortlessly incorporated in River City Extension’s own sound.

WAITING IN THE AIRPORT
I wonder why this is the last song on the album…it’s not a very strong ending and the song isn’t memorable to me at all, and after the first listen, I don’t want to listen to it again.

Basically: This album had a lot of potential to be a 5/5 album, but a few of the songs lacked energy but weren’t slow enough to be counted as “slow songs,” so they ended up feeling like something was missing. It’s not that the songs are bad, it’s just that, I guess when you have eight members capable of creating this really big sound and it doesn’t happen, it feels empty. The faster and more energetic songs on this album have a style that I would love to hear more of in the music world today, but, I’ll just wait until River City Extension’s next album because I have a feeling that currently, they’re the best at what they do.

Best track: “Our New Intelligence.”

“Strange Terrain” “Strange Terrain” is a powerful and appropriate opening track for the album, which is filled with great little lyrical analogies and, of course, Anthony Green’s tremendous vocal abilities which are evident throughout the song. I think the song is one of the more ‘catchy’ ones on the album, with quite a simple progression and structure throughout. It kind of avoids having any extreme experimental edge, yet it has enough to make it not sound like a pop song. It is quite a safe song, but hey, it works, and that’s what matters in the end.

“Get Out” This song has a great groove throughout the verses and is in a sense harder than the previous track “Strange Terrain”. This song illustrates some of the better guitar work on the album, with little solo breaks bursting out every so often, hinting at more of a progressive and experimental style to the track. I think this is one of the more energetic songs on the album which achieves a hard yet groovy sound, while still keeping it approachable to people who dislike heavier styles of music.

“Glass Arrows” I really love the guitar at the start of this song, and as soon as I heard it, I had high hopes for this track and it did not disappoint. The song has a chorus that will stick with you while you continue to listen to the rest of the song. The vocal work on this track is great, however I think that this is one of the songs where the actual music outdoes Green’s vocals. I’m not saying his vocals aren’t good on this track, they are awesome, however I think this is a shining example of the talent of the instrumentalists within the band.

“I Felt Free” I think this song is similar to “Strange Terrain” in the sense of safety. It is not too experimental or progressive, which could bring about new fans. Simply, this song would be a great single in promoting the band and unleashing them upon a new audience. By the end, Green’s voice seems to shine over the music and makes the track seem much more colourful than it was at the beginning.

“Imaginary Enemy” “Imaginary Enemy” [...]]]> The third album from Circa Survive can be seen as their big chance to show that they can do it better than other progressive rock bands. For me, I have always thought Circa Survive were great but not awesome. They have released some standout songs, however they always manage to somehow get lost while my iPod fills up with new music. The few extremely memorable tracks like “The Difference Between Medicine & Poison Is In The Dose” surface somewhat now and then, but few others do. I really think that this album has defined Circa Survive as one of the best at what they produce, and I don’t think I will be losing them within the thousands of songs on my iPod again any time soon.

“Strange Terrain”
“Strange Terrain” is a powerful and appropriate opening track for the album, which is filled with great little lyrical analogies and, of course, Anthony Green’s tremendous vocal abilities which are evident throughout the song. I think the song is one of the more ‘catchy’ ones on the album, with quite a simple progression and structure throughout. It kind of avoids having any extreme experimental edge, yet it has enough to make it not sound like a pop song. It is quite a safe song, but hey, it works, and that’s what matters in the end.

“Get Out”
This song has a great groove throughout the verses and is in a sense harder than the previous track “Strange Terrain”. This song illustrates some of the better guitar work on the album, with little solo breaks bursting out every so often, hinting at more of a progressive and experimental style to the track. I think this is one of the more energetic songs on the album which achieves a hard yet groovy sound, while still keeping it approachable to people who dislike heavier styles of music.

“Glass Arrows”
I really love the guitar at the start of this song, and as soon as I heard it, I had high hopes for this track and it did not disappoint. The song has a chorus that will stick with you while you continue to listen to the rest of the song. The vocal work on this track is great, however I think that this is one of the songs where the actual music outdoes Green’s vocals. I’m not saying his vocals aren’t good on this track, they are awesome, however I think this is a shining example of the talent of the instrumentalists within the band.

“I Felt Free”
I think this song is similar to “Strange Terrain” in the sense of safety. It is not too experimental or progressive, which could bring about new fans. Simply, this song would be a great single in promoting the band and unleashing them upon a new audience. By the end, Green’s voice seems to shine over the music and makes the track seem much more colourful than it was at the beginning.

“Imaginary Enemy”
“Imaginary Enemy” is the second single from the album, and I think is a good choice as the second single. It is a good mix of their musical styles which produces a song that I would call progressive pop, because it’s much like the ‘safer’ songs on the album but is a bit harder and more experimental, especially with help from the guitar work (especially in the solo, about three quarters of the way through). The song finishes with a great little ambient piano bit and leads extremely well into the next track.

“Through The Desert Alone”
I think this is the best build up and start off to any of the songs off the album. The ambient sound from the last song which crosses over slowly builds and builds, until it bursts out with amazing vocals and catchy muted guitar riffs followed by a duel of riffs which sounds amazing. The chorus is brilliant and memorable. The brilliance continues to grow for the duration of the track, which includes a heavy (for lack of a better word) breakdown, which is extremely well done, and is a great end to the first half of the album. This is definitely my favourite song, because it combines all the right elements and is presented in a way that is outstanding.

“Frozen Creek”
A change in pace, this story of a lonely house with a pebble driveway, starts with a very calm chord progression which is accompanied with extremely well executed vocals from Green. The ballad’s chorus is really beautiful, especially the melodies of the guitars and vocal which intertwine in a way where none are drowned out, and all are equal. I think this is another one of my favourites on the album, which is almost the complete opposite of my other favourite track “Through The Desert Alone”.

“Fever Dreams”
One of the more true experimental songs on the album, “Fever Dreams” brings us a delayed guitar, joined with a fast chord progression from an acoustic guitar, and an almost tribal sounding drum beat. With all this going on the vocals manage to flow alongside it in a really cool way. I have to say this song is one of the more interesting songs on the album, due to it being so diverse. I think it’s a great example of some of Circa Survive’s more experimental work.

“Spirit Of The Stairwell”
This is the token slow and sad song on the album and in a sense more of a ballad than the track “Frozen Creek”, featuring, pretty much the acoustic guitar and the vocals, along with a few parts of electric guitar (which mainly is used as an ambience element). It’s quite a sweet song, and is probably the most relaxing track. It doesn’t try to be anything it isn’t by having some grand build up to a big load of irrelevance. It stays true to itself which is what I like about it.

“The Longest Mile”
This is a really cool song, another one of my favourites. It has a more typical Circa Survive sound like some of the songs off their second album “On Letting Go”. It is one of the faster paced songs, which has really cool sounding drums, especially at the beginning of the song. The vocals however are the highlight on this track, which again demonstrate Green’s ability as a vocalist. I like the uplifting sense of the song, where the message is really nailed home by the end.

“Compendium”
I think that this track is a perfect ‘intro’ almost to the final song on the album. It starts off really quite beautifully and then is filled with space noises and a faster pace, which is beautiful in a different sense. The production on the track is really well done, and as I said before sets the scene nicely for the album closer.

“Dyed In The Wool”
The song to me seems like it should be in the soundtrack of an independent film, about teenage love and filled with dark comedy. You know the kind of films I’m talking about. I think “Dyed In The Wool” brings the album to an end awesomely, it basically leaves you feeling happy and reassured of the beautiful things in life.

Basically: All in all I think that the album starts well, but by about half way through it just excels into a truly awesome example of progressive music. I like how there is a good mix of slow and fast, and experimental and safe, because having only one specific style of music on the album would not make it a Circa Survive album. Although many people were unsure of what the album was going to sound like, or were unsure in which direction they were going to take with it, I think that many people will (after a few listens) really begin to dig this awesome effort from Circa Survive.

BEST TRACK: “Through The Desert Alone”

Sally Seltmann shouldn’t really need an introduction, but here it is. You know that song in the iPod commercial that we all looked up and downloaded immediately? The one by Feist called “1,2,3,4”? Sally Seltmann co-wrote it. But the awesomeness of that song really pales in comparison to Sally Seltmann’s first debut album under her own name, Heart That’s Pounding. Now, that’s my introduction and that’s all I am going to say before I jump right into the forty-eight minute sonic journey of joy that is Heart That’s Pounding. Heart That’s Pounding will be available on April 6th!

“HARMONY TO MY HEARTBEAT” Immediately, I noticed Sally’s angelic voice. The prominent British accent makes it sound even more beautiful for some reason. There is a very nice, subtle beat that lets her voice and the rich piano shine. Something that I found in this song that continues throughout the rest of the album is very inspiring lyrics. Sally uses her voice as a backing instrument, intertwining harmonies with the rest of the music. She just might end my odd long running aversion to female singers. No, I don’t have any clue why most girl singers make me want to turn off whatever is playing. Yes, I know why Sally Seltmann doesn’t have that effect: well, it’s probably because her voice is amazing? Just a guess.

“SET ME FREE” I love the piano driven melody. For some reason this feels reminiscent of Queen. It’s a very lighthearted song and I can definitely imagine this playing during 1970s movie summers filled with bike rides and lemonade. Oh, hand claps, how I love thee. During the chorus, a lot of the instruments sound like it could have been part of “Singing In The Rain.”

“ON THE BORDERLINE” A very upbeat yet sad beginning. This song contains some words of wisdom that everyone could do well to follow. If it weren’t for the lyrics I wouldn’t like this song…musically it is forgettable, lyrically it is brilliant and I just can’t help but sing along. “Get yourself up, get yourself out of bed, this is a new day, this a new day today” Who hasn’t needed to give themselves that pep talk? Sally takes something that everyone goes through and says it so simply and beautifully.

“BOOK SONG” The introduction of this song sounds like an instrumental backing piece in an indie movie. This is probably my least favorite and least interesting song on the album. I’ll just leave you to listen to it on your own.

“DREAM ABOUT CHANGING” This is certainly a standout track. It’s my favorite so far and it will be a great song to sing and clap along to live. Lovely steady beat made by both drums and clapping, making this song one of the most energetic on the album. I wish there were more songs like this on the album but I guess the rarity makes it even more special.

“HEART THAT’S POUNDING” Not the song I would have chosen as a title track. It’s very slow but has a nice piano [...]]]>

Sally Seltmann shouldn’t really need an introduction, but here it is. You know that song in the iPod commercial that we all looked up and downloaded immediately? The one by Feist called “1,2,3,4”? Sally Seltmann co-wrote it. But the awesomeness of that song really pales in comparison to Sally Seltmann’s first debut album under her own name, Heart That’s Pounding. Now, that’s my introduction and that’s all I am going to say before I jump right into the forty-eight minute sonic journey of joy that is Heart That’s Pounding.
Heart That’s Pounding will be available on April 6th!

“HARMONY TO MY HEARTBEAT”
Immediately, I noticed Sally’s angelic voice. The prominent British accent makes it sound even more beautiful for some reason. There is a very nice, subtle beat that lets her voice and the rich piano shine. Something that I found in this song that continues throughout the rest of the album is very inspiring lyrics. Sally uses her voice as a backing instrument, intertwining harmonies with the rest of the music. She just might end my odd long running aversion to female singers. No, I don’t have any clue why most girl singers make me want to turn off whatever is playing. Yes, I know why Sally Seltmann doesn’t have that effect: well, it’s probably because her voice is amazing? Just a guess.

“SET ME FREE”
I love the piano driven melody. For some reason this feels reminiscent of Queen. It’s a very lighthearted song and I can definitely imagine this playing during 1970s movie summers filled with bike rides and lemonade. Oh, hand claps, how I love thee. During the chorus, a lot of the instruments sound like it could have been part of “Singing In The Rain.”

“ON THE BORDERLINE”
A very upbeat yet sad beginning. This song contains some words of wisdom that everyone could do well to follow. If it weren’t for the lyrics I wouldn’t like this song…musically it is forgettable, lyrically it is brilliant and I just can’t help but sing along. “Get yourself up, get yourself out of bed, this is a new day, this a new day today” Who hasn’t needed to give themselves that pep talk? Sally takes something that everyone goes through and says it so simply and beautifully.

“BOOK SONG”
The introduction of this song sounds like an instrumental backing piece in an indie movie. This is probably my least favorite and least interesting song on the album. I’ll just leave you to listen to it on your own.

“DREAM ABOUT CHANGING”
This is certainly a standout track. It’s my favorite so far and it will be a great song to sing and clap along to live. Lovely steady beat made by both drums and clapping, making this song one of the most energetic on the album. I wish there were more songs like this on the album but I guess the rarity makes it even more special.

“HEART THAT’S POUNDING”
Not the song I would have chosen as a title track. It’s very slow but has a nice piano melody. I like the verses a lot more than the chorus of this song, but “what’s the use in loving if you’re not loving like you think you’re gonna die if you don’t see a loved one?” is a brilliant part of the lyrics that really make me like this song. This song gets more and more theatrical sounding as it goes on, which is really cool to hear.

“I TOSSED A COIN”
One of the most beautiful vocal melodies on the album! “I wear my heart on my sleeve, I used to lose it on the breeze,” I love this song. This is my favorite slower song on the album and the vocals just could not be more beautiful and vulnerable sounding. “Shoo-be-doo-bop,” I feel like I’m at a Sadie Hawkins dance from the 50s, or at the very least, watching an episode of Cold Case having to do with one of the dances.

“HAPPY”
I’m not really liking the sound of the keyboard sound on this one, but I do like the melody. This song is a great example of how Sally uses her voice as a backing instrument as well. I don’t like the pauses as the chorus approaches. I love the ending, though, “I just want to be happy,” is such a haunting part of the song.

“THE TRUTH”
This is also sort of forgettable so I will just leave you to it as well.

“SENTIMENTAL SEEKER”
I don’t like the piano sound on this song, but it has a very pleasant melody. I feel like the verses are a little bit long, but I really like the “sentimental seeker” vocals and the way they work with that part of the song, and that part also has some lovely harmonies.

“5 STARS”
Almost makes me want to give this album 5 pluses, just to work with the name of this song…subliminal song naming? Once again, I love the way the piano and Sally’s vocals work together, and it’s another great example of how Sally uses her voice for so much more than simply singing. There are some male harmonies on this song that add another layer that I wasn’t expecting but was pleasantly surprised about.

“DARK BLUE ANGEL”
I love the acoustic guitar sound of the beginning, and I love how this is a guitar driven melody that still incorporates beautiful piano. This song is the perfect ending because it has a lot of elements from the songs that came before it, but maintains its own sound. This is a close runner-up for best track, except that the synth toward the end is completely unnecessary. I still love the male harmonies, and this song makes me wish Sally Seltmann had released two albums at once.

BASICALLY: Sally Seltmann has the voice of an angel and the music to keep it modern and interesting.
BEST TRACK: “Dream About Changing” or “I Tossed A Coin.”

Before I even heard a note off of Change In The Neon Light, comparisons like The Cure mixed with Interpol made me scoff. Yeah right! To begin with, 90% of the time, when I hear comparisons about a band, they are wrong. Most comparisons fall short of expectations, regardless of who is being named, but The Cure, Interpol? It just isn’t possible. Who is going to live up to that reputation? I almost didn’t want to listen to this album because I was dreading disappointment, but then I listened, and I got my answer: Veil Veil Vanish. They live up to that reputation and even hold their own. Had I heard this on the radio with no introduction, I would have thought that The Cure put out a new, less slit-your-wrists-y album. (Now, since most of The Cure’s discography was well before my time, the only Cure comparison I can go off of is Disintegration, which I grew up listening to.)

“CHANGE IN THE NEON LIGHT” “Change in the Neon Light” definitely starts off like a track off of The Cure’s Disintegration with its airy synths and thumping bass line. There is a simple guitar riff that helps add a solid and interesting pattern to the ebb and flow of the synths. I was immediately taken aback by singer Keven Tecon’s voice…it’s very distinct and sounds a lot like a more powerful, less whiny Robert Smith. Nothing in this song really takes center stage, every element works together as a complete unit, and when the vocals come in the song flows very well and sounds almost as if it is trying to move you along. By far, the best part of the song is around 3:29, when the slow and quiet allows a darker, more prominent guitar to come in and give the feeling of a build-up, making you anticipate what is about to come.

“ANTHEM FOR A DOOMED YOUTH” Still feeling the buzz of anticipation created by “Change in the Neon Light,” the lighthearted opening of “Anthem for a Doomed Youth” takes you in a more cheerful direction than you expected to go without letting you down. Then, in comes the distorted bass that helps make this a stand out track. I love the use of noise here and there, not overdone or bothersome….it’s just right for that ethereal (ugh, I hate using that word) feel. Add in some “oh oh oh”s and hand claps and you’ve got a formula to be one of my favorite songs. The clapping in this song really sounds more like an extension of the drums and not cheesy like they can sound in some times. The acoustic sounding guitar during the chorus really adds another layer to the song that you didn’t even realize was needed but can’t imagine it not being there. The vocals on this song are flawless and great to sing along to.

“EXILE CITY” This song is sort of forgettable to me. I do like the introduction and I love the music, but [...]]]>

Before I even heard a note off of Change In The Neon Light, comparisons like The Cure mixed with Interpol made me scoff. Yeah right! To begin with, 90% of the time, when I hear comparisons about a band, they are wrong. Most comparisons fall short of expectations, regardless of who is being named, but The Cure, Interpol? It just isn’t possible. Who is going to live up to that reputation? I almost didn’t want to listen to this album because I was dreading disappointment, but then I listened, and I got my answer: Veil Veil Vanish. They live up to that reputation and even hold their own. Had I heard this on the radio with no introduction, I would have thought that The Cure put out a new, less slit-your-wrists-y album. (Now, since most of The Cure’s discography was well before my time, the only Cure comparison I can go off of is Disintegration, which I grew up listening to.)

“CHANGE IN THE NEON LIGHT”
“Change in the Neon Light” definitely starts off like a track off of The Cure’s Disintegration with its airy synths and thumping bass line. There is a simple guitar riff that helps add a solid and interesting pattern to the ebb and flow of the synths. I was immediately taken aback by singer Keven Tecon’s voice…it’s very distinct and sounds a lot like a more powerful, less whiny Robert Smith. Nothing in this song really takes center stage, every element works together as a complete unit, and when the vocals come in the song flows very well and sounds almost as if it is trying to move you along. By far, the best part of the song is around 3:29, when the slow and quiet allows a darker, more prominent guitar to come in and give the feeling of a build-up, making you anticipate what is about to come.

“ANTHEM FOR A DOOMED YOUTH”
Still feeling the buzz of anticipation created by “Change in the Neon Light,” the lighthearted opening of “Anthem for a Doomed Youth” takes you in a more cheerful direction than you expected to go without letting you down. Then, in comes the distorted bass that helps make this a stand out track. I love the use of noise here and there, not overdone or bothersome….it’s just right for that ethereal (ugh, I hate using that word) feel. Add in some “oh oh oh”s and hand claps and you’ve got a formula to be one of my favorite songs. The clapping in this song really sounds more like an extension of the drums and not cheesy like they can sound in some times. The acoustic sounding guitar during the chorus really adds another layer to the song that you didn’t even realize was needed but can’t imagine it not being there. The vocals on this song are flawless and great to sing along to.

“EXILE CITY”
This song is sort of forgettable to me. I do like the introduction and I love the music, but the vocals just don’t stick in my head. If I hum this song later during the day, it’s the catchy guitar hook and not the vocals. I think if it were a bit shorter I would enjoy it more. I really like this one, it’s just nowhere near their full potential in my opinion. I like the faster pace of this song, and it really sounds like Robert Smith is singing with a different band.

“MODERN LUST”
The introduction of this song really amps up anticipation, and once again, Veil Veil Vanish doesn’t disappoint. The drums on this song immediately make it stand out. “Don’t think you get to go” gets stuck in my head constantly. Out of all of the songs on the album, “Modern Lust” is the one I want to (and do) put on repeat. I don’t know what else to say about this song… the synths are great, the drums are great, the vocals are great, the guitar is great, the bass is great….it’s definitely the best track on the album.

“PHARMACEUTICAL PARTY PLATFORM”
Starting out very reminiscent of Disintegration, this song ends up being a bit darker sounding than the rest. I think it’s the vocals (they sound like they’re longing for something) coupled with the really minimalist guitar that add to making it sound darker. The vocals on this song are some of the best on the album, and I absolutely love the synths on this song. The vocals on this song definitely make it one of my favorite tracks on the album, but the verses outshine the chorus. This song gets better as it goes along, so by the end I am really loving it every time.

“SECOND HAND DAYLIGHT”
The drums keep this song interesting, although it’s not one of the most enjoyable songs on the album. It has a fun beat but all the backing instruments kind of seem muddled like they’re fighting for attention during the vocals. I do like the vocal harmonies and the lyrics of this song, and during the chorus the instruments all seem to find their place and work very well together. The chorus, “it’s too late…” gets stuck in my head a lot, but it doesn’t seem to fit with the rest of the song…I can never place what song is stuck in my head when it happens.

“THIS IS VIOLET”
Starts out very dark and heavy sounding, much louder than the rest of the album. Once the introduction moves into the verse, it’s not as dark, heavy, or loud, but it is a lot faster paced than the rest of the album and I can’t understand any of the words. The guitar during the chorus is very frantic but fitting, and this song really flows from one pattern to the next, unlike a few of the songs that could use a bit of work on the transitions.

“DETACHMENT”
The intro of this song is kind of deceiving to me and it doesn’t fit in with the rest of the song. I really love the introduction but don’t quite enjoy the rest of it. The introduction gives way to a beat that I didn’t see coming at all, and I don’t really like it when music throws me off. The chorus and the introduction go together well, but the verses just don’t fit.

“WILDERNESS”
This song doesn’t have a very strong start but I definitely love how it progresses. The guitar on this song is simply brilliant and I love how laid back this song is.

BASICALLY: If you like The Cure, there’s a giant chance that you will like Veil Veil Vanish. It’s an entire album of mostly stand out tracks, and it’s a ridiculously refreshing style these days.

BEST TRACK: Modern Lust.

When I first got my hands on Auternus’ new album, Changing Seasons, I looked over the artwork and I knew instantly that Auternus would be another band looking to impress upon everyone that they are another embodiment of extreme; I expected… well, lyrics, for one thing. I expected heavy, driven, intricate guitar work, crushing drums, and to be screamed, or growled at. I was actually looking forward to it, despite myself; I was ready to rock out with… ahem. Pardon me.

I was disappointed. In our society, we are told to cut the fat. Don’t have two, when you’ll be fine with one. If you have more than you need, give it away, don’t waste it. These teach us one thing: if it’s not needed, leave it out. Auternus embodies this teaching. They don’t need lyrics, don’t need to beat their audiences over the head with a musical riot, they don’t even need your undivided attention. Instead, their music fades into the background, and out of focus, it lets you concentrate on whatever it is you need to do, such as clean the kitchen, or write an album review. When normally I would write this in silence, I am currently enveloped in their impressive ten-minute song “Chase the Sparrow.” When I tried to turn it off to work, it felt like they reached out to me, saying ‘it’s okay, do your thing, we’ll just hang around.’ Changing Seasons doesn’t seem to mind if you walk away for a moment; it just wants you to know it’ll be there for you when you get back.

To give your undivided attention to Auternus’ album seems almost to defeat the purpose for the majority of its duration. “Slow Motion,” does a terrific job of being instantly memorable, driving just enough to set the pace for the rest of the album and still make you really- to be honest- want to do something to occupy your mind. It is most certainly one of the heavier songs on the album, the guitar work shows off a grind-whine that doesn’t at all sound as bad as those words would portray; it fits quite nicely with the haunting, and later, the determined-sounding vocals that I still do not understand after many times listening to it.

The second track, and the first of the seasons, is short, really short. It clocks just under a minute and a half, and is honestly not so much a song, as a multi-layered sound that does nothing more than vibrate, and in the end, fizzle away into nothing. If you need something to meditate to, put the next few tracks on repeat. To its credit, it is a great transition into the next track, “Summer,” of which, there isn’t much to say except that if you are sitting cross-legged, doing some deep breathing, and introverted thinking, put it on, it’s great for that.

You will probably notice that the tracks are not exactly laid out as they are in the album, that’s okay. Just go with [...]]]>

When I first got my hands on Auternus’ new album, Changing Seasons, I looked over the artwork and I knew instantly that Auternus would be another band looking to impress upon everyone that they are another embodiment of extreme; I expected… well, lyrics, for one thing. I expected heavy, driven, intricate guitar work, crushing drums, and to be screamed, or growled at. I was actually looking forward to it, despite myself; I was ready to rock out with… ahem. Pardon me.

I was disappointed.

In our society, we are told to cut the fat. Don’t have two, when you’ll be fine with one. If you have more than you need, give it away, don’t waste it. These teach us one thing: if it’s not needed, leave it out. Auternus embodies this teaching. They don’t need lyrics, don’t need to beat their audiences over the head with a musical riot, they don’t even need your undivided attention. Instead, their music fades into the background, and out of focus, it lets you concentrate on whatever it is you need to do, such as clean the kitchen, or write an album review. When normally I would write this in silence, I am currently enveloped in their impressive ten-minute song “Chase the Sparrow.” When I tried to turn it off to work, it felt like they reached out to me, saying ‘it’s okay, do your thing, we’ll just hang around.’ Changing Seasons doesn’t seem to mind if you walk away for a moment; it just wants you to know it’ll be there for you when you get back.

To give your undivided attention to Auternus’ album seems almost to defeat the purpose for the majority of its duration. “Slow Motion,” does a terrific job of being instantly memorable, driving just enough to set the pace for the rest of the album and still make you really- to be honest- want to do something to occupy your mind. It is most certainly one of the heavier songs on the album, the guitar work shows off a grind-whine that doesn’t at all sound as bad as those words would portray; it fits quite nicely with the haunting, and later, the determined-sounding vocals that I still do not understand after many times listening to it.

The second track, and the first of the seasons, is short, really short. It clocks just under a minute and a half, and is honestly not so much a song, as a multi-layered sound that does nothing more than vibrate, and in the end, fizzle away into nothing. If you need something to meditate to, put the next few tracks on repeat. To its credit, it is a great transition into the next track, “Summer,” of which, there isn’t much to say except that if you are sitting cross-legged, doing some deep breathing, and introverted thinking, put it on, it’s great for that.

You will probably notice that the tracks are not exactly laid out as they are in the album, that’s okay. Just go with it, there is method here, cats and kittens.

Next up is “Somber Victory”.  At first, it doesn’t feel as though this song is going anywhere, much like I’m sure this review feels to you. For half of the song, it doesn’t go anywhere, it’s comfortable there, and keeps on exactly how it wants to until very nearly halfway through, very melodic, very repetitive, but not so much that you notice it. As I told you, halfway through the song, Auternus turns up the intensity bit by bit. At first, it’s simply a change in pace, it’s very easy, but strikes you masterfully, just as it should. From there, “Somber Victory” slowly cranks the dial to the right, encouraging you to scrub that last-night’s-dinner pan just that much harder, and you can’t help but obey. This track masterfully cranks up the intensity of the album, and still maintains the ambience of the work.

The beginning of spring hurts your ears in much the same way the biting cold does outside, in the beginning of real spring, although I deal with early springtime much more eagerly than I do with this song. If I have one real complaint about this album, it is this track. It will leave a ringing in your ears if listened to with any volume whatsoever. You’ve been warned.

I’ll finish the seasons, and finish the review with the ten-minute epic, if you all don’t mind? Good.

“Winter,” the best season of them all is simply one more song to meditate to, it starts out with what sounds like panpipes, and maintains a charming minimalist approach throughout.

Chase the Sparrow. Stop reading this, and just listen to it. I won’t even write anything about it to allow you time to do so. Just close your eyes and let your imagination go nuts on this one. You’ll thank me in just over ten minutes…….

See?

To tie up the Changing Seasons experience into a nice and tidy little package, it’s like an Enya album that speaks to my inner angry white guy.

I will close with a word to Auternus. Thank you for “disappointing” me, it’s been a pleasure.

The opening title track, “Ain’t No Grave”, is very dark and ominous sounding. The production of this traditional spiritual song is reminiscent of an earlier Johnny tune, “God’s Gonna Cut You Down”. It’s quite an appropriate beginning for this album, as Johnny sounds somewhat apprehensive regarding what’s to come. Next we have Sheryl Crow’s “Redemption Day”. What an honor for her to be included on this album! She has been around a long time by industry standards, but compared to legends like Johnny, Tom Paxton & Kris Kristofferson, she is but a mere babe! Johnny’s plaintive vocal highlights the questions that the lyrics ask us to ponder. Kris Kristofferson’s “For The Good Times” seems almost an odd choice. It’s kind of a break-up song, but in this instance, it’s so much more; “Don’t look so sad, I know it’s over”. Could you make me cry a little harder, Johnny? The answer to that is “Yes!”

Following that is the only Cash penned tune, “I Corinthians 15:55″. When the cello kicks in, it’s almost too much. This song is Cash’s way of telling us that he’ll be alright once he gets to Heaven. The 5th track, Tom Paxton’s “Can’t Help But Wonder Where I’m Bound,” is the point where the mood lightens a bit. The songs are on the same level as far as the sadness or happiness of the lyrics, but the arrangement and the vocal sound hopeful by the end of the track. It seems that Johnny isn’t questioning where he’s going at all. He knew. The message of the 6th track, “Satisfied Mind”, is probably one of the most important of the collection. Possessions will only do you so much good if nobody loves you. It’s almost as if Johnny has set you down in his lap, giving you fatherly advice. The way Johnny’s voice cracks when singing “I Don’t Hurt Anymore” is heart wrenching and beautiful. I can almost believe him, but the pain of his life & loves and his facing of the inevitable can all be heard by anyone who truly listens.

“Cool Water” is a warning for us to take care; care of the environment of our Mother Earth and our surroundings and our inner environs- our souls. It was written by Bob Nolan, a true cowboy known as the Poet Laureate of the West. It’s unfortunate that Nolan passed in the 80′s. I am sure he’d have been proud to have his words included in Johnny’s last message to the world. “Last Night I Had The Strangest Dream” was penned by Ed McCurdy. It has been recorded in 76 languages and became the official theme song of The Peace [...]]]> First things first- HAPPY 78th BIRTHDAY, MR. CASH! The unusual release date of AMERICAN VI Ain’t No Grave, February 26th, is a tribute to the birth of the Man in Black. It’s so hard to believe that this is it, all we’re ever going to hear from an American Icon.

The opening title track, “Ain’t No Grave”, is very dark and ominous sounding. The production of this traditional spiritual song is reminiscent of an earlier Johnny tune, “God’s Gonna Cut You Down”. It’s quite an appropriate beginning for this album, as Johnny sounds somewhat apprehensive regarding what’s to come. Next we have Sheryl Crow’s “Redemption Day”. What an honor for her to be included on this album! She has been around a long time by industry standards, but compared to legends like Johnny, Tom Paxton & Kris Kristofferson, she is but a mere babe! Johnny’s plaintive vocal highlights the questions that the lyrics ask us to ponder. Kris Kristofferson’s “For The Good Times” seems almost an odd choice. It’s kind of a break-up song, but in this instance, it’s so much more; “Don’t look so sad, I know it’s over”. Could you make me cry a little harder, Johnny? The answer to that is “Yes!”

Following that is the only Cash penned tune, “I Corinthians 15:55″. When the cello kicks in, it’s almost too much. This song is Cash’s way of telling us that he’ll be alright once he gets to Heaven. The 5th track, Tom Paxton’s “Can’t Help But Wonder Where I’m Bound,” is the point where the mood lightens a bit. The songs are on the same level as far as the sadness or happiness of the lyrics, but the arrangement and the vocal sound hopeful by the end of the track. It seems that Johnny isn’t questioning where he’s going at all. He knew. The message of the 6th track, “Satisfied Mind”, is probably one of the most important of the collection. Possessions will only do you so much good if nobody loves you. It’s almost as if Johnny has set you down in his lap, giving you fatherly advice. The way Johnny’s voice cracks when singing “I Don’t Hurt Anymore” is heart wrenching and beautiful. I can almost believe him, but the pain of his life & loves and his facing of the inevitable can all be heard by anyone who truly listens.

“Cool Water” is a warning for us to take care; care of the environment of our Mother Earth and our surroundings and our inner environs- our souls. It was written by Bob Nolan, a true cowboy known as the Poet Laureate of the West. It’s unfortunate that Nolan passed in the 80′s. I am sure he’d have been proud to have his words included in Johnny’s last message to the world. “Last Night I Had The Strangest Dream” was penned by Ed McCurdy. It has been recorded in 76 languages and became the official theme song of The Peace Corps. One last plea from the Man In Black for us to all cut the crap and learn how to co-exist in harmony.

Then, the last song… quite an odd choice, “Aloha Oe”. But, “Aloha” can mean either “Hello” or “Goodbye”. I believe this was Johnny’s way of telling his fans who loved him “Goodbye”, while at the same time telling the love of his life, June Carter Cash, “Hello Honey, I am on my way!” With the exception of the opening track, the production and simplicity of the arrangements adds poigniancy to the message from the Man In Black. Keeping in mind that he knew these were probably going to be his last recordings, he made sure he hit all of the important points; Keep the Faith, don’t be greedy, fighting is a waste of time, take care of the Earth, appreciate the small things and most of all, Love those around you with all you’ve got. In the end, all you truly leave behind is memories, and what a rich assortment of memories his musical legacy is made of.

We’ll miss you- Godspeed, Mr. Cash!

[By Mary Frakes]

It’s available tomorrow…do you believe in them?

PONATURI Immediately starts out with tons of energy. It suddenly slows down a bit but the intensity is not lost. It’s the sort of intensity that is contained, like it were trapped in a small space, vibrating and waiting to be unleashed. Then, the energy returns, but it slows back down before you know it. What could be stop and start is gracefully ebb and flow in this instrumental song.

CITIES OF THE INTERIOR I didn’t even notice that the song changed, it flows very well into this song. Very nice, haunting guitar melody. Electronic sound is strangely fitting. This song is so airy and haunting it almost makes my skin crawl. I really wouldn’t like listening to this album alone at night, it just feels like it would make me very paranoid and you’d find me in the morning with all the lights on. There are soft vocals in this song, and they almost don’t fit, they’re so unexpected. This song is over five minutes long, but it isn’t one that just drags on after the second half. It keeps the energy through the whole song, even during its pauses and slow sections.

SHIRAKASHI I’m not a fan of vocal filters, ever, so it really automatically ruins any chance of my liking a song when they are used. So far, I am thinking that this would be a really good album to write a movie around so that it could be the soundtrack, the instrumentals on this album are amazing. The guitar almost sounds Brand new-ish to me. The ending guitar riff sounds similar to the riff that opened the album. WITH A LINE GRAPH I CAN TELL THE FUTURE The odd clicking sound it starts off with is not working for me. Finally, vocals I can hear that aren’t heavily filtered! The words are sort of hard to understand, though. There is a very complementary smooth violin sound. I really don’t like the clicking. Thank goodness actual drums kick in. The full band starts in slowly building the song up, adding a keyboard sound and distorted guitar. I like the vocals at the end of the song the best, but I’m not sure I like the abrupt ending. The rest of the album flows so effortlessly [...]]]> Let me just tell you, the bio that came along with this album was just the album cover with the words “THEY CAN’T HURT YOU IF YOU DON’T BELIEVE IN THEM.” It’s so creepy looking, I can’t even begin to explain it. The first few tracks continue that feeling. The album is beautifully presented, and if you open the cover you could hang it up as art, because it already looks like framed art. They Can’t Hurt You If You Don’t Believe In Them is an almost an hour long sonic stroll through what feels like space and time because of it’s airy sound. It’s a great sophomore effort and I can’t wait to see what Post Harbor comes out with next.

It’s available tomorrow…do you believe in them?

PONATURI
Immediately starts out with tons of energy. It suddenly slows down a bit but the intensity is not lost. It’s the sort of intensity that is contained, like it were trapped in a small space, vibrating and waiting to be unleashed. Then, the energy returns, but it slows back down before you know it. What could be stop and start is gracefully ebb and flow in this instrumental song.

CITIES OF THE INTERIOR
I didn’t even notice that the song changed, it flows very well into this song. Very nice, haunting guitar melody. Electronic sound is strangely fitting. This song is so airy and haunting it almost makes my skin crawl. I really wouldn’t like listening to this album alone at night, it just feels like it would make me very paranoid and you’d find me in the morning with all the lights on. There are soft vocals in this song, and they almost don’t fit, they’re so unexpected. This song is over five minutes long, but it isn’t one that just drags on after the second half. It keeps the energy through the whole song, even during its pauses and slow sections.

SHIRAKASHI
I’m not a fan of vocal filters, ever, so it really automatically ruins any chance of my liking a song when they are used. So far, I am thinking that this would be a really good album to write a movie around so that it could be the soundtrack, the instrumentals on this album are amazing. The guitar almost sounds Brand new-ish to me. The ending guitar riff sounds similar to the riff that opened the album.

WITH A LINE GRAPH I CAN TELL THE FUTURE
The odd clicking sound it starts off with is not working for me. Finally, vocals I can hear that aren’t heavily filtered! The words are sort of hard to understand, though. There is a very complementary smooth violin sound. I really don’t like the clicking. Thank goodness actual drums kick in. The full band starts in slowly building the song up, adding a keyboard sound and distorted guitar. I like the vocals at the end of the song the best, but I’m not sure I like the abrupt ending. The rest of the album flows so effortlessly together.
THE END OF SOMETHING GREAT IS COMING
This is a very quiet song, with spare guitar and a talking background vocal. I love the rain sound. A very nice interlude.

ALIA’S FANE
This almost continues being an interlude and is another very slow moment on the album. Until high energy kicks in. Keeps up with the haunting guitar and smooth sounds. The keyboard toward the end doesn’t quite fit with the rest of the song and is kind of discordant, but it is quickly replaced by heavier guitar that picks up the energy in the song. However, the keyboard comes back and it still doesn’t fit. It’s actually really distracting.

AUGUSTINE
Anything would have sounded good after the keyboard going on and on. The haunting guitar seems to be Post Harbor’s strong suit. They also really know how to work the build up. I really like the repetition of the guitars. The vocals almost remind me of Copeland, but I still don’t like vocal filters.

CAVES, HOLLOW TREES AND OTHER DWELLINGS
I think this is the best song on the album. Heavy vocals, probably more vocals in this song than on the rest of the album combined. Haunting guitars, nice build ups, it’s everything they’ve mastered wrapped up into one song. I like moments like these when they stop tinkering and start jamming.

FOR EXAMPLE, THIS IS A CORPSE
Once again, I didn’t even notice the song had changed. I love the flow. This song started out as a continuation of the song before it, until it slowed down but still kept the heavy vibe. These are my favorite vocals on the album, very impactful. This song takes all of my favorite things about the album and combines them into one track.

INTRO
Very interesting choice of putting “Intro” last. Starts off with birds singing and piano here and there. Starts out very happy but then some of the piano notes make it sound darker. A nice ending, but I feel like it could have been a little bit better if there had been more music and more of their haunting vibe that the rest of the album had.
Bottom line: This is sort of one fifty minute jam session. The only major problems I see in this album are that some of the songs are just too long and that there is a heavy use of unnecessary vocal filters. The album has a very spacey vibe to it, and I think they should continue with that sound on their next album, but please, lose the vocal filters and add some more raw and natural vocals and I think it could be much better.