From their home in Peterborough, ON to a recording destination in Paris, the ever-expanding universe of Fire Flower Revue has effectively captured an exciting essence on their newest album. There’s a lot of experimentation in their 13 songs, ranging from bongos to accordion to opera samples to Bollywood. The tinkered with electro-pop bits and bites are present, tying everything together, lest it feel confusing. “The Structure,” “Doo Wap Hearts,” “You Are Only Good at Leaving” ― faster dance songs just waiting to be remixed ― and the romantic “Hedge Rows” are strong, while “Larger Dogs” is slower and pleasing to the ear, but not as pleasing in meaning. And yet, Jarret Prescott, Meg Kendrick and company find their playful side in 54-second breather “Whirley” and the toy piano-based “Gloc.” The album features a wide range of guest vocalists and, at times, feels tired, but is an imaginative, trippy, valid achievement. (Independent)
Here’s another one to add to your chill-out play-list. Californians Cambria Goodwin and Van Pierszalowski emerged as a simple bedroom recording project, and that fact is evident in Threadbare. Mid-tempo, ghostlike vocals adorn an album that represents a time of loss and getting back on one’s feet. It’s one of those records that brings you back down to earth. Songs such as “My Will is Good,” “Oslo Campfire” and “In the Meantime” glow with personal growth, but sadness sets in later. The acoustic guitar is their weapon of choice, but percussion via shakers and bells is also key to the experience. Goodwin’s voice is chilling, and her hums fly through the album, while Pierszalowski effortlessly provides support. Since inception, they’ve added a few more instrumental members. Violins on “Tree Bones” and the humble sound effects on “Threadbare” provide comfort. (TBD)
When Scott Sosebee moved to NYC, he most likely didn’t know that in six years, the move would affect him enough to write an EP subtitled “a comedy in five parts.” The notion of his band has been around for about ten years now, but Sosebee had been busy with countless bands in Georgia, as well as tragic injuries after falling from a trapeze rig. Now, he’s better than ever and has focused on his boy problems for this EP. Sosebee turns problems into play in songs such as “The Perfect Guy,” which jauntily details fictional romps around the city, and the collar tug of “How to be a Stalker.” Sosebee brings a light baritone, one he’s still finding ways to push to its limits. Trumpets, trombones, “sha la las” and a common beat from a list of backup musicians definitely help the EP. Together, they’ve all found a way to laugh at the past and make enjoyable music out of it. (Independent)
There comes a time in any rock critic’s life when a band that they used to look upon fondly, who had since broken up, moved around but brought two of the members back in a new light. In my case, this comes to The First Joke. (Ironic, no?)
I grew up in Buffalo, New York. Halfway through my high school years I found my place in the local music scene as a reporter for NeXt inthe Buffalo News. I interviewed a ton of bands (and pretty much all of them have since broken up as well, but I’ll occasionally see people when I go back home, everyone’s doing well) but every single band looked up to the slightly older band, This Day & Age. Everyone was so charmed in their presence. I knew a girl that listened to their album every night before falling asleep. I found myself at many of their shows singing along with more oomph than I usually do at live shows. (Once, they played at Media Play-ha!- and they stopped short. I was still singing. Embarrassing.)
This Day & Age broke up a year into my university life, at the cusp of becoming something really big right after the release of their second album, The Bell and the Hammer. I don’t think I saw their last show (although memory is failing me right now, anyone care to fix this?) but I did make it to a show of theirs at Club Infinity in October 2006. It was bittersweet.
In the past few years, three of the members ended up in a band called the Reign of Kindo. I never really followed them. I was so busy learning new Canadian music. I regret such, but I am redeemed in the formation of The First Joke & Other Matters. Made up of the singer and drummer of TDAA, Jeff Martin and Steven Padin, they bring back what we all loved: the low-key late-night coos. What they didn’t bring from TDAA was the gut-wrenching yet still subtle wails, but you know what? That’s perfect. The First Joke shows how they’ve grown in music and their life paths, and those of us who knew TDAA still have those great memories.
The First Joke will be releasing their first album independently on January 19th. All of me wishes that it was just a few weeks earlier, when I’ll be home for the holidays. To have that kind of reunion would be great, and I’m sad I’ll miss out when it finally does happen in Buffalo. Hopefully Jeff and Steve will take this far or at least really put their love into it. These new songs show a lot of promise, like “Runway,” which will encourage your humming reflex to pick it up immediately and “Page in Book” is an example of the sweet harmonies Jeff & Steven have created for years now. It’s good to hear Steven taking more singing leads, such as in “Winston Was Here.”And in “Perelanra,” they’ve got a lil Latin flair.
Jeff revealed this information about the few of the songs on their blog: “a fun little fact about a couple of the songs.. i wrote the song “page in book” about this guy who realizes a bit too late of the damage he has done to his relationship. steve then showed me the music to what is now called “winston was here” and asked me to write lyrics for it.. (i did).. it then became the hopeful outlook of winston (the character from “page in book”) on the day after his wife leaves him, as he begins his new life.”
But hey, I’ll like just about anything these guys do if you couldn’t tell already. Definitely check The First Joke out, and pray they’ll get bigger and come to Canada one day.
The Reign of Kindo are still in formation, even making a new album, and you and I will do well to check them out too.
This sophomore release from this Cincinnati, OH-based band is incredibly optimistic and often catchy. The band are made up of two males and one female, with a flare for computer-generated snares and the banjo. When Margaret Darling leads a song, they tend to use beats that sound like they are waiting for a helicopter to lift off, whereas when Mike Ingram leads, things slow down. This album is a proud effort and songs such as opener “Winter 04″ and the calmer “Losing Light” showcase their collective talents, and many interesting instruments, but they would be better served bulking up their folk background and toning down the obvious electronic percussion. Keeping the pace fun and light is effective, but the banjo and drum machine need to work harmoniously. They do so to the brim in “The Push.” But what comes after “The Push” is ultimately a shove. (Eurodorable)
Though iTunes may categorize this band as “easy listening,” don’t lump them into the same category as Sade or Kenny G just yet. This debut album from duo Xian Hawkins and Jenny Owen Youngs is a beautiful stroll through a balanced mix of female and male vocals, as well as modern instrumentation. But as any stroll does, the album has quick turns, where it takes on a rock overtone to keep things interesting. The duo enlisted the help from Alberta Cross’s Alexander Ericson, the Antlers‘ Michael Lerner and string instrumentalist Eve Boltax. In just eight songs, it’s soothingly poetic yet captures the ears. Often, it’s hard to decipher Young’s lyrics, and they could have done a little less with the computerized sounds, but those problems are washed over in comparison to the warm dual vocals in “Small Hours,” guitar in “Billowing” and the mixtape-worthy ten minutes of “The Comb” and “Photograph.” Everlasting and graceful, this album will soften any hard edges one’s iTunes might have. (Trysquare)
We might as well have the ’90s brought back to us right before the end of the decade, and who better than the ladies in Japan’s 28-year-old, yet newly reformed, Shonen Knife? They’ve got the formula down, from the individual instrumentation (great for Rock Band) to the lyrics, as in “Deer Biscuits,” where new vocalist Naoko sings that they smell like soy bean flour, or “BBQ Party,” which encourages a healthy dose of junk food. You can see the kids bopping around in their Hawaiian T-shirts and razor caps covering up iced tips. However, there’s an undertone of grunge, with Naoko grating her voice in “Pyramid Party,” and her electric guitar. But there’s also the friendly driving force of Ritsuko’s bass and Etsuko’s drumming right from the get-go in first song “Super Group.” Finally, it’s worth mentioning that they have a fun, beach-flavoured cover of a Paul McCartney and the Wings song, “Jet.” (Good Charamel)
All right, it has to be said: front-man Benjamin Grubin’s voice sounds as if Justin Timberlake was born some five years later, with one heck of a taste for indie pop. Is that a problem? No, but it makes for some interesting mental images while listening to this band. With that aside, Hockey’s debut album is extremely catchy, coordinated, dance-favoured rock, especially “Work, “Song Away” and “Preacher.” However, this album gives way to the feeling that it might take a bit longer to make a lasting impression, especially with random folk-themed song (where Grubin loses Timberlake and tries to nail down personal hero Bob Dylan) “Four Holy Photos” in the middle. (Capitol)
The Dudes Blood Guts Bruises Cuts
By Jessica Lewis
This title has proved to be incredibly bad luck for the Calgarian band in the recent past, as they’ve suffered numerous bike-related injuries, which even had a couple members in the hospital. They’re blaming the title, obviously, but it’s in good musical taste to argue that, hey, rock’n'roll is tough, and if anybody can get through it to record another solid album, it will be these Dudes. Even though songs like “Girl Police” and “Pretty Lies” are more than suited for radio airplay, they’re in good taste. Vocalist/guitarist Dan Vacon brings a twang of soulful blues to the rock powerhouse of Bob Quaschnick, Brady Kirchner and lively drummer Scott Ross. Vacon’s conversational tones in songs like “Ghosts We’re Buried On” bring the band back down from radio to local bar level, but they prove they can bring the party wherever they go no matter how damaging it might be to them in the long run. (Load)
Lee & Willbee are three friends ― Lee Chameleon, Markus Willbee and Patrick Roche ― who live in Chicago, Salt Lake City and Seattle, respectively. The namesake rhythm section hail from the now-defunct La Makita Soma. Chameleon’s quiet, ghostly vocal tones often lia flip the switch from raspy to smooth, which helps him weave in and out of the subtle, cascading, guitar-picked notes, feedback-based bass, quick paced drums and high octave piano. Their lyrics are notable as well, such as on “Little Palamino,” but it’s totally worth it to hear the passionate confession of “fornication cures a broken heart” in last song “Typhoid Mary.” (Lost in the Woods)
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