From the Land of Ice, Bears, and Rock

I know I usually talk about the emotional associations I draw from the albums I love, but Red Fox Grey Fox’s album From the Land of Bears, Ice and Rock made in 2007 is perhaps the most emotionally resounding. This is because sincerity flows out of every note that is played to a point where everything just seems so overwhelmingly genuine. When this type of feeling resonates in the listener, the listening experience proves to be highly enjoyable and very real. They may be an acquired taste but once acquired, the taste is rewarding to say the least.

In terms of the band’s sound, this album can generally be identified with the indie genre while being paired with good old rock. A classic combination of instruments including the guitar, piano, bass, and drums serves as the foundation for what Red Fox Grey Fox accomplishes in the album. A component of the band that undeniably adds a whole new dimension to their capabilities as artists is how each member can interchangeably play all of the instruments that are used. The most defining characteristic of this band is the voice of Pete Miller whose falsetto voice can easily be mistaken for that of a woman’s at first. This aspect of the band is not interchangeable. The voice is far too unique to be imitated.

He both possesses powerhouse capabilities and range within his vocal limits that is both musically enchanting and engaging. If the seductive Sirens of Greek mythology could take chubby, bearded man form this is the voice they would sound like. The instrumentation is great, but I personally feel that it couldn’t stand without the vocals. Or maybe once you hear Miller’s voice you can’t go back. The only thing I wasn’t totally impressed with is the quality of some of the production value in terms of how the instruments actually sound. It might be a good thing though. Maybe the lack of some elements of perfected sound quality adds to the organic, down to earth aesthetic of the band. Overall, this album is one of the most frequently listened to albums in my collection. I definitely recommend this to people who can get over men sounding feminine in their music. 

I couldn't find the songs I wanted to include, so heres the only one I could find on youtube. Super indie right?

...And The Battle Begun

The album ...And The Battle Begun created by one of my favorite bands Rx Bandits was as astonishing to listen to the first time as it sill remains today. Although Rx Bandits have officially disbanded as of 2011, their albums and loving attitude towards music will continue to resonate with me for some time to come. They were previously based in Seal Beach, California and were comprised of Matt Embree on vocals/lyrics/guitar, Steve Choi on guitar/keyboard, Joseph Troy of bass, Christopher Sheets on trombone/vocals, and last but not least, Chris Tsagakis on drums. Their music truly reflects the confluence of creative capabilities that each member of the band had in abundance. Their style is definitely unique as it blends together rock, punk, ska, and reggae into what can only be called Rx Bandits. With this album, the band returned to more of the ska instrumentation while not exactly returning to ska itself. The trombone in this album is mainly used to highlight the underlying reggae progressions that most of their songs seem to include without overdoing it. Too much reggae is never a good thing. One of the bands and this album's defining characteristics is the flawless transitions from light and melodic sounds, to progressive jamming and instrumental music, to just purely cathartic, rock energy. With this being said, I think I like Rx Bandit's use of song structure the most out of all the bands I listen to (but don't quote me on that).

In terms of song consistency, this album overdoes it in the best way possible. I was amazed by how each song flowed from one another to the next so seamlessly. This musical excellence can be attributed to the band's high quality production value and their immense reserves of musical tact. Although I know that the band has ceased creating music, I will always keep a special place for them in my heart (iTunes).

Deja Entendu

As I have done with all of the other reviews on this blog, I will continue to review albums that have had some effect on me. Deja Entendu by the band Brand New is an album that I grew up with that has given me such enjoyment over the years and still does to this day. This album is heavy on the conceptual side and it is first seen with the deliberate title of “Deja Entendu” which translates from French to “already heard”. The contrast of the album title to the band name shows the ironic awareness that is present within the lyrics, song names, and even the actual music. This conceptual decision alerts the listener as to what the band is trying to achieve and to where the band knows it place within the contemporary music scene. The band’s intent is not to create a breakthrough work of art. Rather, they are trying to create an honest album with honest intentions.

Brand New is composed of lead singer Jesse Lacey, guitarist Vin Accardi, drummer Brian Lane, and bassist Garret Tierney. The four members converge their creative talents to create a well rounded and iconic sound that can properly be described as alternative rock music. The sound never quite leaves the room but I still find that it has a deep emotional impact, which is probably due to the poignant lyricism and affecting vocal work of Jesse Lacey. The song structure is simple yet it always seems to go unnoticed because of the artistry that the band seems to instinctively have. Essentially, the band embraces traditional music methods and attitudes and creates from them something beyond itself. This is why this album has always stood out from the rest. It’s the type of album in which every song seems a classic and every lyric a memory. This album will continue to grow with me and it will always have that special place in my life.

Sappynostalgia etcetcetcetc.

Although every song on this album is classic, these are a few of my favorites.

The Quiet Things That No One Ever Knows

Okay I Believe You But My Tommy Gun Don't

Plack Crack the Sky

Tiger's Jaw Self Titled

Tiger’s Jaw is a five-piece band from Scranton, Pennsylvania that has been prominently involved in their respective music scene since their debut in 2006. The album covered in this review is their second one created in 2008 which is self titled. The band members include Pat Brier on drums, Brianna Collins on keyboard and vocals, Adam McIlwee on guitar and vocals, Dennis Mishko on bass, and Ben Walsh on guitar and vocals.

This album’s songs are, for the most part, pretty simplistic in terms of how the listener initially receives them (in my case anyway). The band’s aim isn’t to create complex melodies that show off any miraculous talent (not to say that aren’t talented). Rather, they seem to mainly be interested in music for the expressive aspect of it.  This expressive element in their music is reminiscent of 90’s emo, which includes pioneering bands like Sunny Day Real Estate, Mineral, and Cap’n Jazz when teen angst was at an all time high. The combination of this type of sound with pop punk and indie, when combined with deliberate and powerful song structure, proves to be both catchy and emotionally affecting. They achieve this through anchored rhythm guitar, simple but memorable lead guitar riffs, electronic synth highlights, and emotionally charged dual vocals.  Ben Walsh provides the steady vocals and lyrical content while Adam McIlwee prvides the raw, emotional vocals that can come off as “whiny” when listeners hear him at first. The lyrics mainly revolve around the emotional experiences of relationships (not just romantic), but its not uncommon for there to be insights on the human condition which make them more dynamic. Listening about relationship troubles alone for a whole album could be tiring.

All in all, this is a fantastic album. I’m more than glad that I didn’t pass it off after my first listen. 

I Saw Water

The Sun

Somebody That I Used To Know

This review may stray from my standard format, but I just needed to get this one out. An extremely popular youtube video, which has received 85,000,000+ views, hasn’t left my mind since I first viewed it. The video is a music video for the song “Somebody That I Used To Know” by the solo artist Gotye featuring Kimbra. I don’t doubt the fact that most people are familiar with this song, its addicting as a song could possibly be and the video is more than successful in emotionally engaging the viewer.

At an intuitive glance, it is clear to see that the song and video is based around the concept of a break-up in terms of relationships. The conflicts that arise from the break-up process are what ultimately fuel all aspects of the song and video. This base concept is why I believe that the song has had so much success. It adds a dimension to the music video that allows it to be very relatable to society at large. Most people have had problems related to the content the music video, which is why an emotional chord with the audience has been struck. 

How the combination of the song and video strike such a chord warrants analysis. In terms of the song structure, the song begins with a simple melodic beat highlighted with light vocals which progressively grow in energy and variety of melody. The introduction of Kimbra’s section of the song creates a deeper dynamic between the two perspectives in the break-up situation, as the listener is now aware of the direct conflict between the two. After her section, the song climaxes as both vocal dimensions of the song fuse together through harmony and chords to create a deep profundity of emotional angst and heartache in which the theme of the song is further defined. The video is very successful in capturing the essence of the song. It blends animation and captured video as the break-up story is told. It has the two singers (and suggested couple) standing and reacting naked next to each other with an animated backdrop. The female character watches her past love in anguish as the male character cant bear to make eye contact due to his love, unrequited. Although the concept was whimsical, as described by the artist, the painting of the body serves to symbolize the universe that their love had created. The ending scene reveals that the female is no longer painted, as she is detached (but still a present existence) from her male counterpart in life and in love while the male is still covered in paint, unable to bear the break-up.

All in all, the music video is undoubtedly an artistic success and an obvious chord has been struck with the audience.  

Our First American Friends

When I was first introduced to Tubelord, I was immediately intrigued and the intrigue hasn't ceased for a second. The band is made up of four members all hailing from Kingston Upon Thames, England which serves as an interesting geographical location for music. Their geographic location allowed them to reinforce their sound due to their proximity to other similar sounding bands including This Town Needs Guns and Tellison. Every aspect of the band's sound seems enormously genuine and yes, unique. They fuse power pop, alternative rock, and whimsical math rock in an affecting way that seems so overwhelmingly precise and coherent that its hard to overlook. Its rare to find a band that utilizes each instrumental element of sound to its ultimate potential, and I can safely say that Tubelord exceeds at doing so.

The subtle ways that each fragment of sound plays off of the other provides endless entertainment in attempting to understand the artistic intentions of the musicians. Perhaps the most admirable quality that this band holds is their ability to effortlessly control the opposing tempos that may be included in a song. A piece can go from a highly energetic rhythm to a subtle and emotional so flawlessly to a point where the band's artistic integrity can not be denied. Another aspect of the band that interests me is the interchangeable talents that each band member holds. I've seen videos of the band collaborating and it is clear to see that the musical responsibilities of one facet of the sound can be handed over to almost all of the other band members. This is an inexhaustible resource for bands because it allows their sound to be dynamic and to evolve and for members to see eye to eye on artistic choices. The final aspect of this band that I enjoy so much is the lead singer Joseph Prendergast's vocal ability and the actual pitch of his voice. His lyrics are endlessly entertaining as they explore everything but the mundane while still remaining on a real level.

This album has an acoustic counterpart named One For The Grandparents which is equally dynamic and satisfying as the original while still being very different in terms of artistry and even structure. I am very interested to see the direction that the band chooses to follow. I can only hope that they man up and decide to tour overseas..

Stacey's Left Arm (don't be thrown off by the video haha)

                                                  He Awoke on a Bench In Abergavenny

Although I like every song on this album, these two will suffice.

American Art

I have recently been recommended this album by a friend so I haven't had a great deal of time to understand, appreciate, and analyze the album in its entirety. However, I have already become hooked and the album has been playing on repeat. The band's name is Weatherbox and the album that they have artfully put together the eponymous album American Art. Although it may seem a daunting task to  present your album "American Art", Weatherbox's youthful elements allow them to veer away from pretentious labels. In terms of my teenage mind, American Art can be seen in no other direct and immediate way than through this medium. It may not be perfect, but the album's title ultimately lives up to the music produced. 

 The band's style has definitely been heard before. I would describe it as a combination of punk rock with progressive and indie influences that are clearly seen. The aspect of the band that brings the sound out of a dull regurgitation of past styles is the emotionally charged vocals of the lead singer Brian Warren. In a review by Julia Conny she compares his vocals to that of Max Bemis (one of my favorites) in saying that his style, "is a defiant yet still vulnerable half-song/half-preach, and the howling compared to Bemis’ is undeniably similar". Warren's voice brings the music out of the drab and into the extremely dynamic sound that results from the fusion. The songs do sound redundant at times, but the album has enough musical greatness focused in some songs to carry the rest of the album with ease. A great deal of pathos is invested in the tone of the singer and the self-reflective lyrics reinforce the emotional engagement. All of these elements combined provide a unique sound that doesn't tire easily. The progressive elements of the band sound allow for this. I will continue to listen to this album until I cease to have the desire (which is unfathomable at the moment). 

Because this is one of the earlier albums (2007), I will continue to follow this band to see the improvements and contributions they will make to their sound. 

Drop the Mike (yes, the lead singer raps in this song)

Wolftank, Doff Thy Name

The Fiery Works I&II

A band that is increasingly becoming present in the music scene is Brooklyn based band A Great Big Pile of Leaves (the name may have to grow on you). From humble DIY recording methods, they have recently toured with big time contenders that include but are not limited to Saves the Day, Motion City Soundtrack, and The Appleseed Cast. AGBPOL first played at a local church near my hometown and I was struck dumb at the sound of them. Their set had professional quality and the music was exceptional. Pete Weiland's powerful yet trailing vocals matched with Tyler Soucy's technical yet soulful drumming proved to be an amazing listening experience. I caught myself in dance mode in no time. 

In general terms, The Fiery Works (I&II) has the musical consistency of a fusion between indie rock, jazz, pop, and undertones of blues. However, limiting this band to commonplace genres should be avoided. They have such a unique sound that is rare and almost unprecedented in my experience. Melodic guitar and vocals backed by unwavering rhythmic drums remain resolute throughout both albums. The only main difference between these two albums is that Pete Weiland chose to employ other band members on the second instead of performing on all parts but drums on the first. I can find only one song that I wasn't in love with. The pop aspect of the album sound allows it to be accesible to many different musical styles. If you don't believe this then you have to hear my mother screaming the words to AGBPOL songs on car rides. 

In terms of lyrics, Pete Weiland writes with a minimalistic and observational style that reveal common thoughts and behavior and even struggles. The songs are usually about experiences of simple fun which reinforce the band name A Great Big Pile of Leaves. Its almost overwhelming how many different elements of this band there are that I enjoy. 

I will follow this band with growing curiosity as the days go on. If they have the capacity to create such a fantastic album on a musical whim, then I feel that their sound is only going to grow and develop as they have already shown with Have You Seen My Prefontal Cortex? and BOOM!. 

The Mystery of the Brain (The Fiery Works)

Drought of Snow (The Fiery Works II)

Highly Refined Pirates

It seemed appropriate to begin my musical passion blog with one of my favorite albums from one of my favorite bands. The album title is Highly Refined Pirates and the band name is Minus the Bear. Although it has received little, if any, positive critical reception, it still holds a special place in my heart. To me, this is one of those albums that I grew up with and have attached many emotional memories to. Critics may say that Minus the Bear uses too many traditional and cliched musical dynamics in this album, but I see this album as a marking of time. It both characterizes the early "sound" of the band and serves as a fond memory in my late childhood. Its difficult not to listen to this album and immediately feel the rush of emotions that I have subtly attached to it. Music has so much power in this respect. 


In terms of actual analysis of the album, the album and band tend to embody the genres of math rock, electronic, and indie. This album fuses these genres in an affecting way. The complex time signatures, employed under the math rock influence, and the melodic additions of the myriad synthetic varieties prove to create a unique sound unlike the band's distinct components. The band creates existing styles and creates their own sound from them. Although they are constantly playing on the archetypes of these genres and the traditions of song structure as a whole, the complex combination of the three styles hits the listener in a strange way. On the surface, the music seems relatively simple and played out. However, looking under the surface reveals the complexities that makes Minus the Bear their own in a time of the band finding themselves. I feel that critics fail to see this and are only focused on their relation to other bands. From a compositional level, this album is overwhelmingly enjoyable to me. 


The writing and conceptual aspect of the album is also telling of my emotional attachment to it.  The writer and lead singer Jake Snider once said when asked about the album, "I was definitely more just writing about what people at that age do, what it’s kind of all about.....Not the going to work from 9-to-5 and whatever other bullshit you have to deal with. There’s some fun to be had, and I think that the escapism aspect of life at that age is what I was focusing on then, as far as I can remember." This parallels my childhood outlook on life in that my main focus was on the visceral aspects of life, having fun. In an even greater expanse of childhood fun, the song titles of the album are simply ridiculous. They tell nothing of the individual song concepts and are just supposed to be comical randomness.

All of the widespread elements of this album still allow for it to be a pleasure to listen to through and through. Although a critic can find rampant errors and common musical structures and attitudes in this album (I do recognize them) it still holds a special place in my heart. In a time when the band was finding themselves, I too was in the process (and still am). 

Minus the Bear - Highly Refined Pirates - Absinthe Party at the Fly Honey Warehouse