A Far Off Reason - XXXXXXXXXX (2012)

Math Rock via France 

post-rock type builds going on here as far as layering but very much math rock oriented. The horns and strings that are featured really help flesh the sound out as well. No down time on this one all kinds of action. 

xxxxxxxxx

Our Brother The Native - Vows (2011)

Perhaps a little off the beaten path but grab your favorite walking staves and I will show you something that you will really enjoy.

Our Brother The Native appears to be the bulk responsibility of one Joshua Bertam hailing from Ann Arbour Michigan. A rotating cast of players help flesh out the rest.

Ambient yet busy with a strong pop sense. Group vocals play a large roll as well as a heavy percussion aspect. Structurally songs take twists and turns like a frantic orchestra. Instruments fly in and out oboe, strings, guitar who the hell knows half the time. Amidst this growing business there is a electronic glitch component that skews the proceedings even further with a cavalcade of samples. So what we get essentially is progressive baroque glitch pop? Now if I was just reading that I would say "well I need to hear what the hell that sounds like" You really should. This is some carefully crafted enjoyable musics right here.

Vows (2011)

Denver - Joan Rivers (EP) 2012

Another Flip-tastic math flecked release for you folks so pull your socks up.  Denver is a group that despite their hilariously hair cut malfunctioned cover are an incredibly serious band when it comes to the tunes. With three songs they certainly waste no time getting down to the nitty. This is some chilled out yet musically complex indie rock with a serious crush on math rock (its a reciprocal crush)  What I found with these guys to be a stand out attribute are that these songs are structured very intelligently. Your not dragged along so much as each turn and twist of the sections just make so much sense i actually fist pumped at one point.....ok twice. Also of note THE VOCALS! this is not some last second add on or that their best friends brother wanted to sing on a few songs. Honestly its done tastefully and reminds me of something you'd hear in some really amazing indie pop rock. The fact that the singing is used only when needed yet still remains such a huge presence is more than a couple feathers in their caps. Lastly the instrument choices on display are numerous, AGAIN without clubbing you over the head. I've said this before but a lot of groups will add a "non rock" instrument to "color" their pieces and it ends up sounding forced. It goes without saying but the piano, strings and (marimba?) really flesh out these beautiful pieces. O and by the way this is their first release, pretty surprising with the level of polish on the ground. After all that do I really need to say "hit the link" wait I guess I pretty much just did.


Joan Rivers EP

Mr. Maps

WHY ISN'T ANYONE TALKING ABOUT THESE GUYS?!

Mr. Maps are an Australian instrumental band that focuses on some sort of orchestral math rock lite.  Highly calculated and expertly produced, this is an excellent release that gives just as much room for piano and stringed instruments as the usual rock arsenal.  A pretty unique release as far as im concerned in the realm of odd timed flim flam.

Wire Empire (2011)

Ra Ra Riot

Metaghost showed me an artist named Wes a while ago, a friend he had met while on a semester abroad in japan. Wes was writing some cool music and had a band back home in Syracuse NY. Metaghost shared his myspace with me in an email from japan; the page was full of cool demos that went on to become parts of various songs in Ra Ra Riot. The best example is track at the top of his myspace (which to my surprise still exists). It is his demo version of Can You Tell. Check it here at his myspace:

johnny six pack

When Wes returned home from japan, he got right to work with his band and they released The Rhumb Line. He had a sweet group of musicians waiting for him in Syracuse. Ra Ra Riot is a six piece band; bass drums guitar, a violin and a cello, and Wes. They were the right group to flesh out the great things Wes was writing, and their input changed everything into one tight math pop outfit. The guitar bass and drum mostly hold things down tight rhythmically, but the strings add such great contrastingly rhythmic harmonies to the rest of the song that a great depth appears in their pop sensibilities. Here is the Ra Ra Riot studio version of Can You Tell, from The Rhumb Line. I highly recommend you hear Wes' version of Can You Tell before watching this video, just to note how the song changed with the ideas of the rest of his bandmates.



The Rhumb Line doesnt let up; the are some quieter moments, and some very catchy tracks, and the entire album is so well arranged. This is from The Rhumb Line, another standout track, Oh, La.
Oh, La
After The Rhumb Line blew up and they were launched into the music business, they rented a nice house in an apple orchard to record their follow up. The seclusion did them well. Although the formula did not change in their sophomore effort, they carried on quite well after the devastating loss of their drummer John Pike after he drown while on tour for the Rhumb Line. John Pike has been missed greatly, but the band has only grown closer with his passing, and continue to make great tracks like Shadowcasting, off The Orchard.



the rhumb line
the orchard