Ittō - Ittō

This is massive.  This is punk. This is Ittō from Chicago. They play screamo

Screamo? yea like when you mix emo music and screaming. Hmm that doesnt sound much better. Rest assured however that this is not what you may be thinking. This is some technical hardcore punk with screamed/shouted vocals intermixed with some spoken word.  The starts and stops are very welcome to hear but you'd be a little hard pressed to claim this fully under the math rock banner. These songs are just completely unhinged rock music with a dynamic punk spirit. If anything that I just quickly typed out sounded even marginally interesting then I suggest you make a visit. Very Very Good.  


http://ittochicago.bandcamp.com/

Volcano Kings - "11 Ways to Avoid Death in Trash Can City" (2012)

Picture yourself as a character in a grainy, black and white '50s crime thriller. Are you the private eye? The seductive woman who is mysteriously intertwined in the proceedings? The befuddled chief of police reaching for straws? The innocent man wrongly accused? Or the true perpetrator?

The Volcano Kings create music from the darkest, smokiest secret room behind the cigar lounge where only the richest, most powerful members of society are welcome. Organ, piano, twangy guitar, bass, and inventive percussion scream, weave, and bounce their way through bombastically catchy songs, with sparse vocals and samples sprinkled throughout. There aren't huge variations in feel or style throughout this album, but the album manages to remain fascinating through catchy melodies, interesting timbres, and good songwriting.

This album rules. Go forth and listen.

Volcano Kings - "11 Ways to Avoid Death in Trash Can City"

Young Holt Unlimited- Soulful Strut (1968)

I have been listening to a lot of Kool and the Gang lately, and while driving as I listened to their Greatest Hits album, a random song popped into my head, nostalgic and specifically from my childhood, when my family would go on long drives listening to Oldies 103. They played all the hits from the 50's and 60's, and a lot of my pop music background began on these long car rides. I heard a lot of great classics, but the memory of Soulful Strut by Young Holt Unlimited came back as I was listening to an instrumental section of one of Kool and the Gangs tracks.

Young Holt Unlimited began as a trio with bass, drums and piano writing all the tunes. They then began pumping out hits as a backing band for few studios, adding a horn section as they backed singers and all the while writing their own instrumental albums. Soulful Strut, the track and album, were their high water mark, and oh what a great mark. Soulful Strut is just one of those feel good summertime tracks that never gets old. The rest of the album is proving to be just as wonderful. Blam; heres that big hit if you forgot about it (with some random Charlie Chaplin to accommodate):



soulful strut

Joseph Mancinelli - The North Star

This biz is awesome. No clue why this isn't more popular. Stop reading and go check it out. NOW!



Wait you mean you want me to tell you about it? Just go to the bandcamp brodangs.

The North Star

Closure in Moscow - First Temple (2009)

      Feel as though this is something I should have been contacted about from someone. Very very well executed amalgam of post hardcore lite with dramatic vocals. Not a stone out of place.  The stand out elements to me which set these Aussie's apart from other similar ilk is pretty inspired instrumentation and above average guitar riffs. Certainly some non standard scale's being thrown in the mix coupled with nice rhythms.

      If i had to throw out some bands that these guys sound like I'd say a alternate universe where Fall out Boy and Fall of Troy give birth.....Fall out of Troy?

First Temple (2012)

Case of the Missing Links

Hello Everyone. Below is a list of links (no shirt) that have only appeared on the facebook group page....its kind of a lot. I dont want to penalize people for not having/checking/knowing facebook so I will grace you with some goodness. Happy clicking guys there are some serious choice groups going on here (many)


Wot Gorilla?
math-pop, excellent vocals. british

NGOD
post hardcore math rock, awesome vox. british

Mother Night
gritty math rock and stomp.

Corelia
prog tech metal, djent with varied vocals.

Isaac Bear
jam-funk math rock

Hannibal Montana
post math

Alarmist
battles -esque jazz math

Pan
party math

Lower Definition
alt math core with vocals

Solar Powered Sun Destroyer
alt post hardcore

Roma
screamo post hardcore math

Lord
instrumental post king crimson metal

Concentric
Acoustic Tech Metal. Instrumental

Milo Takes Baths
Hip Hop. get this now

Post Madonna
MATH ROCK. amazing

Stations in the Valley
Acoustic indie math rock. vox

Shield Your Eyes
Straight up old school flavored math rock with some nice screamy vox

Something Like Banter
wha what?

Kusudama
jazz core :)

Grass is Green
math rock with vox.

Delicious Death
post hardcore lite math rock
super chill. super nice

Papier Tigre
math rock, elctro

Princess Music
Math Folk

SleepMakesWaves
post metal math

Zola
math pop rock

California Smile
prog rock

4/26 Hi Donna Here, Cattle Drums, Racebannon (live Ithaca NY, The Haunt)

     To say that I don't get out much to shows like I used to is a vast understatement so when I do it has to be something worthy of the scheduling shifting and lack of sleep it involves. Hi Donna Here was the only group I was unfamiliar with playing a rather short set of hard rock inspired instrumentals that were pretty easy going. Headliners Racebannon very much brought their A-game and showed us the many sides of their wierdo metal alt noise jams with Mike Anderson screaming like a crazed demon (thats a good thing)
     Now onto Cattle Drums (commence gushing) Last time I saw these guys they were a 5 piece and playing songs from their deput ep "the boykisser sessions" and while i was impressed they seemed to still be trying to find a foothold in something concrete. They currently play with one less member these days and gained a new drummer. The results of which has seemingly allowed guitarist Gulab Singh to unleash his inner guitar god and lay down some seriously inspired riffs. math-rock meets alt punk with some delightful finger picking as well. Lets of course not forget about Sam Judd (vocals) as the rock is being layed down behind him he easily careens through poetic ramblings that have just the right amount of emotion and word play with the screams.
     It should be noted as well that after their set  Sam and Gulab completely at random layed down a nasty instrument cover of Converges "Cutter" As shown in the picture above. If that sounds completely out of place it honest to god wasn't at all.  It's this kind of evolution and unpredictability that have me chomping at the bit for a full length...like yesterday.


Thanks to Bubba from Ithaca Underground for putting this on BTW :)

http://cattledrums.bandcamp.com/

http://hidonnahere.bandcamp.com/album/hi-donna-here-ep


http://www.myspace.com/racebannonrocks

Dr. John- Locked Down (2012)

I do not know much about Dr. John; I have been listening to his latest album, Locked Down, for the last few days, and I am just now skimming his wikipedia, checking out his long career and quickly discovering that he was the man responsible for the song In The Right Place from 1973. Before listening to that track again now, I really only remembered it by his deep, gnarly vocals. It is a great track; its got a decent sized band on it to play some nice James Brown style r&b/ pop, with horns and a tight rhythm section, and some surprisingly interesting arrangements.

I have missed the majority of this mans catalog, and with Locked Down forming my impression of what kind of music he plays, I am quite interested to look deeper into his work. Locked Down is a very solid release from this funky man; a keyboardist/ singer/ songwriter in trade, he recently got together with singer/ guitarist Dan Auerbach from the Black Keys to play on and produce the album, and Dan brought in some of the Dubtown records crew to flesh out the arrangements. I am especially digging the middle of the album, where the r&b/ pop style starts including some sick afrobeat action. Check track 5, Getaway:



locked down

Pulseve - Magnet EP

Had ran into these guys awhile back and perhaps did not give them a fair chance. Thankfully an email from them allowed me to dive back in.  Hailing from Italy, Pulseve weave a pretty unique blend of Post-rock, progressive tones, math rock attack and a surprising amount of atmosphere. I've said this before and I will say it again, there is a serious lack of darker tinged math rock in today's musical landscape. Hearing those dark ambient progressions is simply music to my ears not to mention that bass guitar tone is flipping sensational. Another item of note is the fact that this is a two piece which is even more impressive considering the mood they can strike with limited personnel.

From their site:

"Torino based duo (drum+bass) blends silence and rage, nightmares and daydreaming, feet digging the ground / hands air floating. 2011 debut EP “Magnet” belches out cannibal affairs, earthly desires and blackmailed toreros. Gravity is dancing on tightropes.

pulseve is:
Diego Franchino, drums
Maurizio Veglio, bass"

Magnet EP 
 

Community of Living Things - Various (2011 - 2012)

Community of Living Things is one Jonathan Markson. Having stumbled on his bandcamp through a series of back roads I was very pleasantly surprised and intrigued.  It seems that Markson has been putting out a couple songs every month since June of 2011. The range of material runs the gamut of indie pop, electro indie, mathy pop and instrumental rock. Some pretty excellent music going on here and as I have yet to go through everything so far what I have heard has certainly left an impression. Its just nice to see a level of heart and passion being put forth by one person.

Community of Living Things

You Slut! - Medium Bastard (2012)

La dernière fois sur beaucoup d'épées


Our over sea's riff barons are back with their brand new math rock release Medium Bastard. It has everything you've come to expect larger than life riffs, face bending time changes, excellent production and what has always made them a favorite the "fun" factor.  This time out there seems seems to be a larger division between the meaty metal influenced chaos and the more intricate fair which sometimes works in their favor. I still love the juxtaposition of the two going back and forth and on some they do just that. It feels like it has been forever since "critical meat" and its clear they have crafted a more involved song writing style. Thankfully as well you wont find any recycled riffs here.  What I felt like with the last release was that only time would tell if these riffs would truly stick and I'm getting a good feeling that they will.

The Nine Lives of the Parachute Tester - Joe Banana and His Bunch

Three piece indie math lite group with a lot of potential. These guys have fairly straight forward structures but truly excel with excellent vocals and some pretty inspired and sprightly drumming.  All in all these three songs showcase their strengths incredibly well with my only minor gripe being that I wished the girl would sing more. I can truly appreciate a group that puts actual time into their vocal contributions because lets face it a lot of math (or even indie rock groups for that matter) have a very slap dash approach to writing lyrics and vocals melodies. As stated this is not at all the case here. Best of luck to these guys and very excited to see where a full length will take them.

Joe Banana and His Bunch!

The Samuel Jackson Five - The Samuel Jackson Five (2012)

Previously on plentyofswords...

_________

Our Norway Post-Rockers finally return after 2008's stunning Goodbye Melody Mountain. Always Samuel Jackson Five one up's themselves with each release and continually stands ahead of the pack.  This time around we find them more willing to branch out and even to add vocals to a few of the songs (as much they had hinted at before the release)  The standard's are there for sure gorgeous lead lines, technical songwriting (without using the p-word...prog) and interesting juxtaposition of instruments. It does seem that the jazz elements of past have taken a bit of a back seat to my dismay. However the quality of the songs are not effected by this. Is this the best SJ5 release? ehhh i wouldn't be so sure to say and honestly each one before has always taken a bit to sink in for me. Know this though that there isn't a person out there that shouldn't give it a crack. There really are so many things to love about these guys.

Samuel Jackson Five (2012)

Kinder

Rarely does music get plopped into my lap that makes me truly excited. When I opened my email to find a bandcamp link to Peru based Kinder, I was floored. This is a perfect amalgamation of indie rock, experimental, electronic and math elements. Flawlessly executed and jammed tight with little room for another instrument to even play a note in edge wise. Its high energy rarely lets up and even then it seethes with such forward movement you wait on the edge of your chair to see where its going to take you next.



Kinder
Link fixed. 

Bear Baiting - EP

Heres the skinny. 2 bass guitars and programmed drums playing instrumental post rock math metal noise gaze. With some very excellent production it seriously sounds like those bass guitars are going to invade your chest cavity. The shoe-gaze element gives it a nice counter balance to the unfolding metalesque songs. CHECK IT.

                                         extra points:

                                         awesome cover art :)
Bear Baiting EP

Bellow Below - EP

Fairly new Scottish 4 piece that plays an interesting mix of vocal led alt. indie mathish pop? Again just one of those things that you've gotta taste and see. The EP covers a lot of ground in a short amount of time and always seems to head in some very interesting directions. Some of the vocal melodies and harmonies are pretty left field but can also be stunningly beautiful in another moment. Sounds a bit like Pharaohs if they were a bit less happy and never stayed in one place for too long in a song? I dont know tough call they are truly their own beast. I have to say though that I was immediately struck by these guys on first listen and it honestly just keeps getting better with each listen. If this isn't on your radar.....lets just say it needs to be.  

BANDCAMP FOR THE DOWNLOAD

Snaarj

Alto and tenor saxophones interweave lines in and out of one another while a (dare I use the term)"funky" bass holds down the festivities. The drummer mixes some devilish poly-rhythms while still keeping it delightfully tasteful. Snaarj claims a number of different genre identifiers in their Bio and would like to be tagged as "sax pop" I however feel this doesn't really do them justice. Sure the indie rock spirit is there but these guys seem more progressive rock driven than maybe they'd say. All genre finger pointing aside this is some wonderfully composed music from four friends how clearly love what they do. There seems to be a growing number of bands latching onto this sort of setup and many die by the sword. Snaarj has one song up on their bandcamp from this year (Husky Plus) that seems to sum up in short order what to expect. The live album also shows that there are others to come that are just as excellent. I wait with eager palms outstretched for whats to come.

SNAAAAARRJJ!!

Punch Brothers- Who's Feeling Young Now? (2012)

A few years ago I heard an NPR interview with Chris Thile, discussing the album he wrote in the wake of a relationship that had ended. I knew nothing of him, or Nickel Creek, or his new band, Punch Brothers. It was an insightful interview, and I picked up and loved their debut album, 2008s Punch. Then, as I do, I sort of lost track of them, hearing a few things but not picking up their follow up, Antifogmatic, or searching them out for news or upcoming shows.

Then in February, I see a review for their third album, and a link to the first track, Movement and Location, and I got my socks knocked off, put them socks back on and they just clean got knocked off again. Punch Brothers have moved way beyond the bluegrass/ folk/ classical style I remembered from Punch and have gone into truly outstanding territory. They are a standard bluegrass outfit: mandolin, guitar, upright bass, violin and banjo and utilizing 4 part vocal harmonies. The pop sensibilities of the group have come to fruition, while never hiding the roots and skills that each of their 5 members have. Hearing them do an instrumental version of Kid A is especially interesting, seeing how an acoustic outfit would pick apart and preform such an electronic track; Who's Feeling Young Now is full of swagger; and I must post the video for Movement and Location for all you Swordsers. It is a doozy:



who's feeling young now?

Jason Lowenstein - At Sixes and Sevens (2002)

Any Sebadoh fans in the house? eh? a couple? alright well then some may or may not be familiar with Mr. Lowenstein here one time drummer of the iconic Lou Barlow fronted Sebadoh. If your still scratching your head (which you shouldn't be) Barlow played/plays bass in Dinosaur Jr.  Back to the task at hand, Jason's first solo effort is an interesting sort. This is pretty rock n roll through and through but with an excellent grasp of the guitar with some punk rock tones and at times pretty intricate lead lines. 90's sounding for sure with a less pop centric guided by voices level of song writing. draw backs? this release is front loaded like a mother. Anywho there is something for everyone going on here. dig in or......dig dug?

At Sixes and Sevens (2002)

Zucchini Drive - Being Kurtwood (2006)

 Zucchini Drive is an electronic Hip hop duo from Brussels and Sweden. My taste in such fair is pretty selective so if your surprised don't be these guys are very excellent. Lyrically at times they can be easy to dismiss but this is more than made up for with emotional beats and an interesting lo-fi aesthetic.  I wasn't sold on first listen years ago it did take a couple passes but in the end it was worth it. Like i said those these beats are pretty creative often utilizing acoustic guitars and having a decidedly old school flavor. Its possible that this isn't for all parties but it's worth a shot if any of what I just said perked your ear.


Zucchini Drive - Being Kurtwood (2006)