Mew- No More Stories..(etc) 2009

i found this Danish trio a year or two ago while rocking some Pandora, and had to stop everything to check into what the hell it was i was hearing. although they are studio fiends and im not sure if they have a bigger band for live shows, No More Stories is a tight rock/pop album with great hooks. it goes many interesting places with a distinct, purposeful layout of songs, some rocking the fuck out with a huge sound, while others will be nicely composed minimal tracks with just piano and vocals. they start things off with a proper bang, after an intro track, with their single Introducing Palace Players, and a few tracks later comes Repeaterbeater, below. a bit artsy fartsy vid but aww yeah.



no more stories..

metaghostin' Vol. IX - If I saw double once, then again.

If I saw double once, then again. - 43' 26"
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Side A - What's cooler:

1. The Microphones - "Here With Summer" / Don't Wake Me Up (1999)
2. The Weeknd - "The Birds (Pt. 1)" / Thursday (2011)
3. RX Bandits - "White Lies" / Mandala (2009)
4. Penpal - "Bed Bugs" / Postscript EP (2011)
5. Genesis - "Chamber of 32 Doors" / The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway (1974)

 Side B - An Eclipse or a Syzygy?

1. TV on the Radio - "Playhouses" / Return to Cookie Mountain (2006)
2. Stateless - "Visions" / Matilda (2011)
3. Gavin Castleton - "Swim Good (Frank Ocean x Portishead Mashup/Cover)
4. Mister Metaphor - "The Sunset Song" / This Is How the Day Goes (20XX)
5. noumenon - "Pimpin' Zenith (Pt. 2)" / Split 7" with Rooftops (2009)

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Don't you guys hate when albums are shoddily sequenced? I know people mostly just be listening to their tunes with complete disregard to context, but goddamn do I get salty when I put on a record and things just be arbitrarily jammed together like a motherfucker ain't never eaten a PB & J sandwich. I used to buy Mars Volta LPs, and the first thing I would do is rip it and re-sequence, because those dudes are basically retarded and put their ballads next to their helicopter sound effects.

Gotye- Making Mirrors 2011

I give thanks to the folks in Happy Body Slow Brain for turning me onto this Australian multi-instrumentalist known as Gotye. They posted a link promoting his 3rd release, 2011s Making Mirrors, and after reading into it a bit I found the first single, Somebody That I Used to Know; the artistry and lovely melodic building that shows in the track had me hooked immediately. He's got a killer Peter Gabriel impression going on in that chorus, and the neat rhythm section and acoustics work really well with minimal electronica and nice vocal layers. Ive listened to it about 6 times since i first heard it; thats my first hint at being onto something that I will love, when i cannot get enough of it until it i have integrated it into being a part myself.



making mirrors

Kimbra- Vows 2011

Keeping on the Australia kick, after digging into Gotye, i checked in on the lovely lady, Kimbra, who lends her voice to that Gotye single above, and was pleasantly surprised with her solo work. Shes got some really good production on her album, but what won me over on her was a series of Sing Sing Studios live performances up on the youtubes. In them, she performs 4 or 5 tracks from her album Vows with a slick band that help her to lay down some live looping for her more intricate vocal showcases from the album, but also works to strip the songs of their more glossed over details. Seeing her with a 4 piece band kicking out tracks like her single, Cameo Lover, give it a much more jazzy, motown sound that the electronic version from the album conveys, until that chorus kicks in. That chorus is straight motown no matter how you cut it. Dig her live version of Settle Down, track one off Vows.

Hella

  2 piece intricate math-rock

Updation: Tripper (2011)
A long awaited return to form for the group now stripped of their full band format. The guitar's are actually darker than previous releases and rely more on Hill's drums for technical support. Structure wise I wish I could say that its just as crazy as earlier releases but time away must have calmed their restless nature. It's actually a welcome progression for the group even though I really loved Spencer's take on that video game guitar sound. Very interested to know other peoples take on this.

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What do you get when you take two gentlemen that have been playing together since high school and add an enormous amount of technical skill? Well it appears you end up with Sacramento Cal. own Hella. Their sound is always a furious attack of off time video game inspired mayhem. Anyone who is even remotely familiar with the genre knows that these gentlemen are at the top of the pack.While there are groups that try and crib their sound, they are singular in composition and skill. Past incarnations of Hella has swelled their numbers but they are almost always better stripped to core members Spencer Seim and Zach Hill. Hill's drumming is almost talked about more than the actual group and even a focus of division among some. There is nothing standard about his playing style. Seemingly an almost disregard for any traditional 4/4 beat structure and even if payed close enough attention plays out of time with Spencer's guitar in select places. Listen and Enjoy.

Hold Your Horse Is

Special Others - PB

To breath easier sometimes you just need a group that's going to:

A) Be good at their instruments
B) Have fun
C) Not challenge you so much intellectually (sounds not so fantastic but you cant tell me you don't enjoy some nice car ride music)

Special Others from Japan cram jam a lot delicious berries in the pie. This is fast paced Jazz Rock that isn't going to put you into a "prog-coma".  Emphasis on Jazz here folks and a spritz of Jam and Funk for good measure. There are vocals that sprout up but they are far and few between. Just plain good and good for you.

PB

Dave Holland Quintet: "Not for Nothin'" (2002)

I can't say enough good things about this record. Dave Holland is among the best jazz bandleaders of all time. He got his start playing some crazy shit with Miles Davis, but has grown increasingly refined over the years.

This album is chock full of richly complex instrumental songs, like most albums posted on this blog. But the Dave Holland Quintet tells stories with their music better than most singer/songwriters.

The instrumentation is fairly unique. Robin Eubanks makes some crazy noises with a trombone. Chris Potter shreds saxophone like no other (what do you expect from a Steely Dan alum?). The band is rounded out by vibraphone, bass, and DRUMS. And the drums are nothing short of incendiary. Billy Killson ROCKS IT. In fact, I was given this album by my drum teacher when I was first learning jazz. So much for goofyass swing patterns!

Get yr mind sucked through the paper towel roll jazz tube thing by downloading this album here.

Penpal - UPDATE -

90's revival emotional math nostalgia core....or something of that nature.  Very laid back and easy to love. When former members of Marquette parted ways and the two guitarist moved away from one another, they started sharing musical ideas back and forth. Thus Penpal was born. Great for a drive or other such nightly activities. Don't miss out :)

Penpal

......AND! new EP! you'd be a be a fool to pass it up. Not to mention the guys from Penpal are telling you to download it and if that's not reason enough for you to stop stroking your facial hair I don't know what is.

Post Script EP

Volcano! - Paperwork (2008)

If hipsters went to music school and formed bands instead of grabbing laptops and drowning everything in reverb, it might sound like this fun avant-math-pop band from Chicago. The second track "Africa Just Wants to Have Fun" is a whimsical mathy romp not to be missed. The vocals are a little polarizing, a strange lovechild of Ted Leo, Thom Yorke, and Rufus Wainwright. They pirouette above the angular guitar riffs like a footrace through a junkyard full of broken glass. I am failing to properly describe this band, but hey, you can't win 'em all!

Paperwork

Pretend - Bones in the Soil, Rust in the Oil (2009)

It's hard for me to wrap my head around this band for a couple reasons. Lets get this out of the way first off, the guitar's are pretty boring.  That's heavy criticism I know especially when your talking about a genre thats fairly reliant on awesome off time guitars ( yes, math rock. what flip else do I talk about? :) They are light, airy, repetitive, occasionally aimless, lacking in dynamic's but they do get the job done not from lack of skill. Why even mention them then?
DRUMS!
This dude is seriously carrying all the weight on his back and its obvious to all because the production has him front and center. The reason I pick them apart is they have the potential to be soooo good. At times they really are good and everything comes together so nicely that you forget the past 4 minutes but then its back.  Below is the full length and 3 demo cast offs from an upcoming release.

Bones in the soil, Rust in the oil

demo

Diane Cluck - Oh Vanille

Slight change ups are always for good reason around this part of town, Diane Cluck is worth the notice.  Folk music has certain unfounded stigma's that seem to follow this most "academic" of musical genre's. Charges against? uninspired acoustic guitar music for old people that are bored and boring. You know where this is going. In every way these songs excel at giving hope to people that have written of Folk as such. Cluck has a wonderful sort of throw back voice that she has undeniable control over and isn't afraid to use. Acoustic guitar is played with a fairly unique rhythmic voice with interesting progressions to match for the genre. Folk is fat with female artists all trying to do the same things as one another. Diane distance's herself in every way and you don't need to be a fan of the genre to enjoy. Stand out track has to be "Easy to Be Around" I could try to sit here at 2:00AM and explain feebly how amazing this song is but let me just say that Diane harmonizing with herself is just too flipping tight for words. Any fan of music should be more than down and will be able to find at least something to enjoy here.

Oh Vanille

Enemies - We've Been Talking (2010)

O now this is some classy stuff right here my friends. I had for a time sat on an earlier two song EP of theirs
(Bits of Parrots / Feed me Seedles) which was extremely well done post-rock style math-rock. Having seen that they had a full length release I listened and was extremely impressed. These boys from Ireland have a dynamic sound going that is much more interesting post rock than the math end of things. That in fact does not stop it from being compositionally complex and mature.  What I enjoy most is that no sound is wasted everything instrument going on however small plays an integral role in setting the mood. I suppose I could prattle on and on about how solid every single one of these songs are...but I'm not going to. Instead let me just say that it's in everyone's best interest to listen or be sad.  


We've Been Talking (2010)

Fiasco: Native Canadians (2008)

I've only had this record for a short time, so it hasn't fully sunken in yet. But at first listen its pretty gnarly. The record is fairly spazz-tacular. Super tappy, kinetic, and aggressive. The interlocking guitar and bass parts manage to stay away from most annoying cliches and say something original and interesting. The songs themselves aren't the most cohesive, but the band captures a certain sound that ties everything together. Production is thin, but this actually lends a distinctive character to the album as opposed to being super annoying. The dudes are young, and one of them is the offspring of Steve Buschemi. So that's something.

Check it HERE.
(Edited by twinz)
and the Fiasco bandcamp with free download of "God Loves Fiasco"
http://thefiascoband.bandcamp.com/album/god-loves-fiasco-2

Bygones - by- (2009)

Both Nick Reinhart  (guitarist of Tera Melos) and Zach Hill (drummer of Hella) are at the top of the mathy heap when it comes to their respective instruments. It was really only natural when the two decided to start playing together and we are graced with this excellent release. What is refreshing is that both musicians have adapted to each others playing style in such a way that brings out the best in both players. Zach's detractors have always pointed out "pointless and endless" fills but with Bygones he really reigns it in nicely while style managing a chaotic and inventive presence on the kit. Nick plays with a very riff based style which actually turned out to be an evolution of his style and carried over directly to Tera Melos's newest release Patagonian Rats. Its a great album with lots of chemistry between the two players.  The pop vocalizing makes some of the more labyrinthine passages more palatable and just adds a great element in its own right.

By (2009)

Polaris - "Family" (2004)

Have I got a treat for you!

Well, only sort of.

Polaris is a Japanese band that's uh... quite dissimilar from everything else we post on here. I can't find too much information about them, though I know they're rather prolific. They apparently formed in the last decade after the dissolution of a group called Fishmans, continuing on with that band's style of dub-influenced pop. "Family" is maybe their 3rd album, but again, I'm not too sure, as information in English is sparse. Oftentimes it sounds like an aggressive mash of Jamiroquai and the Dave Matthews Band. And yeah, I know, that's like the musical equivalent of synthesizing AIDS and cancer.

But somehow it still works. Give it a chance, even if the first couple tracks don't stick.

Polaris - "Family" (2004)

(Note - Apparently this album just got remastered and re-released in June of this year. This is NOT that version.)

Meniscus - Absence of I (2007)

Post Metal can be a tricky sort of mistress...you see she's been around the block awhile and her "tricks" aren't all that original anymore.  Seriously look at all the acts that sound exactly like Isis. Australian group Meniscus take a familiar approach with some welcome variations. For one its pretty ambient and jazzy at times. Sure these Aussie's get heavy handed with the metal chug but this is certainly more tech than it lets on. I'm fairly certain they have just released a new album with a new drummer this year but I am woefully unfamiliar.

My apologies for not posting as frequently. I am in the throws of purchasing my first home so bear with my sporadic posting habits.

Absence of I (2007)

metaghostin' Vol. VIII - Don't Be Such a Dissonancy

Don't Be Such a Dissonancy - 50'34"
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Ornette Coleman : "Skies of America" :: US Congress : ?
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1. Sonic Youth - "'Cross the Breeze" / Daydream Nation (1988)
2. Zvoov - "How Dare You How Dare Me" / Everbrown EP (2011)
3. Brontide - "Limestone Ink" / Sans Souci (2011)
4. Soft Machine - "As If" / Fifth (1972)
5. Natsumen - "Septemujima" / Endless Summer (2005)
6. Blue Cranes - "Here Is You, Here Is Me" (Ethan Rose remix) / Oversea Orbits (2010)
7. Massacre - "Carrying" / Killing Time (1981)
8. Zevious - "The Noose" / After the Air Raid (2009) 
9. Kayo Dot - "The Awkward Wind Wheel" / Blue Lambency Downward (2008)
10. Dysrhythmia - "Will the Spirit Prevail?" / Barriers and Passages (2006)

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P.S. - Natsumen got a new record coming out next month, ready to cure all your impotence issues.

City of Ifa - Blue Shoes (2011)

I had stumbled on this Orlando, Florida three piece awhile ago with their first EP. Very raw, lots of young talent, technical and very directionless. It was soon cast off into the void that is many albums that cross my ear holes. Fast forward a few releases and City of Ifa are a band in contention for the best Fall of Troy esque group. Truthfully this is not fair to say but the comparison is apt in a few general ways. They both travel in that riff driven post-hardcore math rock with soaring vocals. I'm here to tell you however that Ifa is heads better than the now defunct Fall of Troy (and who really cared much about their last release anyway?) These are highly technical rock songs with clear structural goals and if your small tender brain can wrap your head around the sweet ass twisting riffs well your in for a treat.  Surprisingly great vocals going on as well again. HIGH recommendation on this one folks.  I know no one has anything better to do on a Sunday anyway sooooooo listen away.


Blue Shoes (2011)

A Minor Forest - Inindependence

Classic and classy is how this early 90's San Francisco based math rock group could be described. Like their peers of the moment they subscribed to the darker end of the math rock color wheel. Rhythms are where the group stands out the most and drummer Andee Connors does a great job keeping everything reigned in. With only a few releases this three piece tends to get less praise than is deserved for sure. Can get a bit noisy in spots but alas twas a mark of the times and doesn't really hurt at all. In my opinion A Minor Forest bears a closer resemblance to our modern math rock than other groups of the Albini decade so if nothing else its worth a look.


Inindependence

37500 Yens - Astero (2007)

Bonjour! comment êtes-vous aujourd'hui spadassins? Er umm sorry cant help but slip into french when we have the excellent 37500 Yens from France gracing us with their brand of excellent math rock. Well I guess to be fair we have some other prevalent elements getting thrown in the lions den. You've got some clear love of hardcore as well as more low key ambient styles. The feeling is almost like an update to early 90's Louisville stalwarts when they are chilling out on a nice slow groove. Wordless and complex when they are in "hardcore" mode. You would think by the description that the guitar would be a titch forgettable but actually stays both rhythmic and melodically present throughout the duration of the album, a surprising achievement if you ask me. Unfortunately this is the extent of their releases a sad state of affairs. You need not be a francophone to dig into this dish.

Astero (2007)