Elin Palmer: Postcard [Album Review]
20 October 2009 Written by Fense No Comment Tags: denver, elin palmer, sweden
http://www.fensepost.com/main/2009/10/20/elin-palmer-postcard-album-review/
Swedish folk musician turned Denver resident, Elin Palmer varies her song-craft between orchestration and experimentation. Her songs mesh the two arenas of folk, often dabbling in a fairly sizable amount of pop as well. Palmer’s brilliance is partly due to her mystic voice — the Swedish accent is truly what does it. But wherever the unique instrumentation dominates, sheer brilliance ensues.
Title track “Postcard”, and epic closer “Whaleboat” find Palmer developing that interesting balance between the two sounds (orchestral and experimental). The former, as the opening song on the album, acts as an introduction to a sound both fresh and rewarding. The latter concludes Postcard with an almost anthemic climax; about as much as you can expect from an album that is dominated by folk.
“Time” and “No Use” are equally as intriguing; Palmer adds a lovely waltz-ing accordion in each that creates a very harmonic effect. Violin and cello are the focus in “Stora Stoular”, where Palmer slips into her native tongue (a guess, as I do not speak the language). The same happens in “Duvardar” with a more rewarding result.
The power behind Postcard is truly no surprise. Palmer strikes out on her own for the first time after playing part in several fairly well-known acts, from Devotchka to Crooked Fingers. This debut solo effort is well worth every moment, and Palmer has the ability to become just as familiar a name as the groups in which she’s performed.
Elin Palmer: Postcard [mp3]
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
'Prize Country' considers musical integrity, chance to tour the real prize
http://www.pittnews.com/article/2009/10/18/prize-country-considers-musical-integrity-chance-tour-real-prize
'Prize Country' considers musical integrity, chance to tour the real prize
| | More By Liz Keeney / For The Pitt News
published: Sun, 18 Oct, 2009
photo credit: Courtesy Prize Country
Ice cream, not mainstream success, is the band's real 'Prize.'
Prize Country
With Git Some
The Smiling Moose
Oct. 19
Interested in the type of music that concerns itself with staying up late, having fun and raising some hell? Not a big fan of the T-Pain or Britney Spears brands of popular music? You might want to check out Prize Country.
Harkening back to the decades-old formula of loud, fast and rowdy, Prize Country has made a name for itself by playing good old rock ‘n’ roll.
Prize Country — composed of Jacob Depolitte on guitar, Aaron Blanchard on guitar and singing lead vocals, Joshua Northcutt on drums and Jon P. Hausler on bass — has been playing its boisterous music out of Portland since 2006.
A stark contrast to the pop-rock and hip-hop sound currently spinning on top 40 radio stations, Prize Country has made a name for itself by playing heavy, raucous and fast-paced rock ‘n’ roll.
According to Blanchard, the band’s music is “loud and intense and urgent, a little bit of everything.”
Unlike many of its musical contemporaries, Prize Country makes music for music’s sake, Blanchard said: No formula, no copied beats, no forced
lyrics.
Inspired by classic rock giants such as Led Zeppelin and the The Doors, Blanchard said the band “listens to different things, so our sound is a little varied,” and that the result is a culmination of “just loving and listening to music.”
After meeting Blanchard in Salt Lake City, Depolitte moved to Oregon to form a band with him. Soon after, Hausler, a bartender at Depolitte and Blanchard’s favorite bar, joined the lineup, and Northcutt completed the roster.
Beginning in 2006 with “Dead Kingdom,” the band’s self-released debut album, Prize Country has completed seven albums, including its upcoming release, “With Love.”
Blanchard said it’s easy to write songs because band members “know what everyone sounds like.
“Our songwriting processes is very organic,” he said. “After beginning with a few simple guitar riffs, it’s a natural progression to write the rest of the song. Lyrically, we’re a whole different ballgame. We try to be a little tongue-in-cheek.”
Instead of the over-processed, techno-infused studio rock that has dominated the airwaves for the past several years, Prize Country pumps out a more bare-bones sound.
“We initially wrote songs that sounded better recorded, but after touring, we came up with stuff to play live,” Blanchard said. “Everything ends up being a little faster.”
Prize Country said it enjoys playing live, and that has kept the band on tour for the majority of the year.
Despite the band’s busy schedule — with more than 50 shows on each tour — Blanchard said, “Touring’s not easy and it’s not always fun, but all you have to do is think about it for five minutes, and you see that it’s all worth it. We’re really killing two birds with one stone. We love music and we love to travel.”
And the fans love the band for it.
“We often see a lot of the same faces,” Blanchard said. “You make a lot of friends along the way, so you always want to be invited back.”
But Prize Country isn’t just interested in putting on a good show. It’s really the love of music that drives it. Blanchard said the band isn’t interested in making money or hitting the big time.
“[Prize Country] doesn’t want to fit in,” he said. “The industry right now isn’t complementary to what we do.”
He said the band enjoys touring and that conforming to the industry standard isn’t worth giving that up.
When asked about how Prize Country fits into the music scene right now, Blanchard said, “I don’t think we do, and I’m happy about that. We do what we do. We care about music. We have control, and I can’t imagine someone telling us what to do.”
Check out the band's Myspace page.
'Prize Country' considers musical integrity, chance to tour the real prize
| | More By Liz Keeney / For The Pitt News
published: Sun, 18 Oct, 2009
photo credit: Courtesy Prize Country
Ice cream, not mainstream success, is the band's real 'Prize.'
Prize Country
With Git Some
The Smiling Moose
Oct. 19
Interested in the type of music that concerns itself with staying up late, having fun and raising some hell? Not a big fan of the T-Pain or Britney Spears brands of popular music? You might want to check out Prize Country.
Harkening back to the decades-old formula of loud, fast and rowdy, Prize Country has made a name for itself by playing good old rock ‘n’ roll.
Prize Country — composed of Jacob Depolitte on guitar, Aaron Blanchard on guitar and singing lead vocals, Joshua Northcutt on drums and Jon P. Hausler on bass — has been playing its boisterous music out of Portland since 2006.
A stark contrast to the pop-rock and hip-hop sound currently spinning on top 40 radio stations, Prize Country has made a name for itself by playing heavy, raucous and fast-paced rock ‘n’ roll.
According to Blanchard, the band’s music is “loud and intense and urgent, a little bit of everything.”
Unlike many of its musical contemporaries, Prize Country makes music for music’s sake, Blanchard said: No formula, no copied beats, no forced
lyrics.
Inspired by classic rock giants such as Led Zeppelin and the The Doors, Blanchard said the band “listens to different things, so our sound is a little varied,” and that the result is a culmination of “just loving and listening to music.”
After meeting Blanchard in Salt Lake City, Depolitte moved to Oregon to form a band with him. Soon after, Hausler, a bartender at Depolitte and Blanchard’s favorite bar, joined the lineup, and Northcutt completed the roster.
Beginning in 2006 with “Dead Kingdom,” the band’s self-released debut album, Prize Country has completed seven albums, including its upcoming release, “With Love.”
Blanchard said it’s easy to write songs because band members “know what everyone sounds like.
“Our songwriting processes is very organic,” he said. “After beginning with a few simple guitar riffs, it’s a natural progression to write the rest of the song. Lyrically, we’re a whole different ballgame. We try to be a little tongue-in-cheek.”
Instead of the over-processed, techno-infused studio rock that has dominated the airwaves for the past several years, Prize Country pumps out a more bare-bones sound.
“We initially wrote songs that sounded better recorded, but after touring, we came up with stuff to play live,” Blanchard said. “Everything ends up being a little faster.”
Prize Country said it enjoys playing live, and that has kept the band on tour for the majority of the year.
Despite the band’s busy schedule — with more than 50 shows on each tour — Blanchard said, “Touring’s not easy and it’s not always fun, but all you have to do is think about it for five minutes, and you see that it’s all worth it. We’re really killing two birds with one stone. We love music and we love to travel.”
And the fans love the band for it.
“We often see a lot of the same faces,” Blanchard said. “You make a lot of friends along the way, so you always want to be invited back.”
But Prize Country isn’t just interested in putting on a good show. It’s really the love of music that drives it. Blanchard said the band isn’t interested in making money or hitting the big time.
“[Prize Country] doesn’t want to fit in,” he said. “The industry right now isn’t complementary to what we do.”
He said the band enjoys touring and that conforming to the industry standard isn’t worth giving that up.
When asked about how Prize Country fits into the music scene right now, Blanchard said, “I don’t think we do, and I’m happy about that. We do what we do. We care about music. We have control, and I can’t imagine someone telling us what to do.”
Check out the band's Myspace page.
Bluesy BAcksliders' Album Rockin' Fun at Any Price
FROM http://www.swamprecord.com/
What if FM contemporary radio programmers in the 100 largest cities in America were human beings and not actually "programs" themselves?
What if they decided that any music played on their stations would have to be at least 51% non-Pearl-Jam-derived?
What if no songs longer than three minutes would get airplay?
Remember when you could tune in your town's Top 40 station and hear The B-52s, Chrissie Hynde, Debbie Harry, Heart, and even DEVO? Sure, these artists had songs over three minutes, and the stations mixed in plenty of doggy do-do in between. But how great was it to hear "Back on the Chain Gang" coming from your (or your older brother's) car radio? Not every singer had to sound like Eddie Vedder (or the 1980 equivalent, say, Roger Waters). Really Pearl Jam's okay. But radio used to let guys like the The B-52s' Fred Schneider and DEVO's Gerald Casale do their schtick-- on Top 40!!
So who cares, right? Internet beat the dead radio star, previously killed by "video", presumably. But THe BAcksliders' music, begs another question: What happened to rock bands that sound so good that you want them to be, not only on your iPod, but in the ethers all around you? In the frequency-modulated radiation. It's not nostalgia here, it's physics. (continued above right)
(continued from below left)
Maybe it makes me a crotchety old man that I would love to jump up and call someone's attention
to THe BAcksliders' "Things" playing on Y-100. The point is that THe BAcksliders, from Dallas, Texas, would be all over FM radio, all of the above "what ifs" having been answered. But it's fantasy, and the reality is that WHYI-FM should now be known as "Why-100" instead. Green Day. Green Day is as good as it gets on that station. And, hey, Green Day is pretty darned good. But, yeah... they're the titanium ceiling of quality modern music on commercial radio.
But let's stop picking on easy targets like Why-100 and bands like Creed, for example. "BTW", do you know how long Creed songs are? Ten of the thirteen songs on their ingeniously-titled album "Greatest Hits" are four and a half minutes or longer. "Rock and Roll" by Led Zeppelin clocks in at three minutes, fourteen seconds. You can listen to both "Whatever Happened To..." and "No Reply" by Buzzcocks in four and a half minutes. Does Creed just have so much more to say? Or do they simply play lonnnggg, shiiittty, sonnngggs? But we digress. Joyfully, but we digress.
The Details, for Doubters and Devils: Considering THe BAcksliders' stripped-down, guitar-bass-drums approach, they display a surprising variety of styles. "Last Call" and "Twisted" are satisfying blends of fine country-rock and punchy, New Wave-pop in the manner of Blondie and Pretenders. When they're in that heady domain, it's hard to imagine wanting to listen to anything else. "Bitter Days" revs up the blues, burning past 33,000 rpm, and making you want to be wherever they're playing tonight. Ultimately, what makes THe BAcksliders fully essential is the often velvety, always powerful voice of Kim Bonner and the songwriting. Bass player's great, drummer plays hard, confident, sometimes good-and-sloppy. The guitarist/ 2nd singer has the best of country blues and blues rock in his veins, and the dual lead vocals work great together and individually. Each BAckslider is a 100% perfect fit, and I'll give Kim Bonner 110% for her contribution. The sum is 500% rock-n-roll.
Oh, and all the songs on "Thank You" are under three minutes long, by the way. They all churn, and rock, kick, and jump. They add up to the best album of 2009. A little under twenty-three minutes of rock-n-roll done right. Downloadable for the price of... well... nothing. Have a fun autumn-- the weather's great and the album of the year is free for all. Get it while
the gettin's good. -- A.S.
What if FM contemporary radio programmers in the 100 largest cities in America were human beings and not actually "programs" themselves?
What if they decided that any music played on their stations would have to be at least 51% non-Pearl-Jam-derived?
What if no songs longer than three minutes would get airplay?
Remember when you could tune in your town's Top 40 station and hear The B-52s, Chrissie Hynde, Debbie Harry, Heart, and even DEVO? Sure, these artists had songs over three minutes, and the stations mixed in plenty of doggy do-do in between. But how great was it to hear "Back on the Chain Gang" coming from your (or your older brother's) car radio? Not every singer had to sound like Eddie Vedder (or the 1980 equivalent, say, Roger Waters). Really Pearl Jam's okay. But radio used to let guys like the The B-52s' Fred Schneider and DEVO's Gerald Casale do their schtick-- on Top 40!!
So who cares, right? Internet beat the dead radio star, previously killed by "video", presumably. But THe BAcksliders' music, begs another question: What happened to rock bands that sound so good that you want them to be, not only on your iPod, but in the ethers all around you? In the frequency-modulated radiation. It's not nostalgia here, it's physics. (continued above right)
(continued from below left)
Maybe it makes me a crotchety old man that I would love to jump up and call someone's attention
to THe BAcksliders' "Things" playing on Y-100. The point is that THe BAcksliders, from Dallas, Texas, would be all over FM radio, all of the above "what ifs" having been answered. But it's fantasy, and the reality is that WHYI-FM should now be known as "Why-100" instead. Green Day. Green Day is as good as it gets on that station. And, hey, Green Day is pretty darned good. But, yeah... they're the titanium ceiling of quality modern music on commercial radio.
But let's stop picking on easy targets like Why-100 and bands like Creed, for example. "BTW", do you know how long Creed songs are? Ten of the thirteen songs on their ingeniously-titled album "Greatest Hits" are four and a half minutes or longer. "Rock and Roll" by Led Zeppelin clocks in at three minutes, fourteen seconds. You can listen to both "Whatever Happened To..." and "No Reply" by Buzzcocks in four and a half minutes. Does Creed just have so much more to say? Or do they simply play lonnnggg, shiiittty, sonnngggs? But we digress. Joyfully, but we digress.
The Details, for Doubters and Devils: Considering THe BAcksliders' stripped-down, guitar-bass-drums approach, they display a surprising variety of styles. "Last Call" and "Twisted" are satisfying blends of fine country-rock and punchy, New Wave-pop in the manner of Blondie and Pretenders. When they're in that heady domain, it's hard to imagine wanting to listen to anything else. "Bitter Days" revs up the blues, burning past 33,000 rpm, and making you want to be wherever they're playing tonight. Ultimately, what makes THe BAcksliders fully essential is the often velvety, always powerful voice of Kim Bonner and the songwriting. Bass player's great, drummer plays hard, confident, sometimes good-and-sloppy. The guitarist/ 2nd singer has the best of country blues and blues rock in his veins, and the dual lead vocals work great together and individually. Each BAckslider is a 100% perfect fit, and I'll give Kim Bonner 110% for her contribution. The sum is 500% rock-n-roll.
Oh, and all the songs on "Thank You" are under three minutes long, by the way. They all churn, and rock, kick, and jump. They add up to the best album of 2009. A little under twenty-three minutes of rock-n-roll done right. Downloadable for the price of... well... nothing. Have a fun autumn-- the weather's great and the album of the year is free for all. Get it while
the gettin's good. -- A.S.
Blessed with a voice that matches Emmylou Harris for sly
Jessie Torrisi
"Bruler Bruler"
BY JOSH RUFFIN
read here too!
Jessie Torrisi
"Bruler Bruler"
Release date: October 28
Wild Curls
myspace.com/jessietorrisi
AUGUSTA, GA - So here’s the skinny: Jessie Torrisi is a former New York drummer and present-day Texas-based siren of grit, hunger, loss and the eternal search for the Why and the What. Blessed with a voice that matches Emmylou Harris for sly, lust-tinged smokiness and rivals Neko Case in the gorgeous-as-hell-but-can-chop-firewood-all-day department, Torrisi obviously knows her way around not only every back alley saloon that’s ever been littered with heartbreak and bad decisions, but also a few low-lit jazz haunts. To put this in perspective, Case posed for the cover of her last album on top of a hot rod, brandishing a broadsword as if she were about to invent decapitation. Had Torrisi posed for the same shot, the car would’ve been dustier, and she’d have done it in heels.
Regardless, the actual album art features her jumping on the bed, so you get an idea of the dichotomies we’re dealing with here; there IS a certain wink-and-a-nod vibe to “Bruler Bruler,” but one characterized by a degree of transparency. And it has to be; as poppy, catchy, and lilting as some of these songs may be, a mixture of sideways smiles and melancholy is what lies at the core of the album. She may bemoan a lack of love on “Hungry Like Me,” but turns right around on the cabaret-tinged dive-bar tune “Cannonball” with lines like “I wanna dive into your skin/I wanna dive in like a cannonball.” A wilting flower this woman is not.
Salvation is woven throughout, but only at the periphery. The album’s most peaceful track, “Brighter Side,” sounds like something a country gospel group would have written after being stuck in a cabin on the Northwest coast during rainy season with nothing but a record player and a dusty copy of Joni Mitchell’s “Blue.” Simple to accept and tough to unravel, “Bruler Bruler” should very well speak to everyone, but that’s not because Jessie Torrisi knows who you are—it’s because she knows who she is.
"Bruler Bruler"
BY JOSH RUFFIN
read here too!
Jessie Torrisi
"Bruler Bruler"
Release date: October 28
Wild Curls
myspace.com/jessietorrisi
AUGUSTA, GA - So here’s the skinny: Jessie Torrisi is a former New York drummer and present-day Texas-based siren of grit, hunger, loss and the eternal search for the Why and the What. Blessed with a voice that matches Emmylou Harris for sly, lust-tinged smokiness and rivals Neko Case in the gorgeous-as-hell-but-can-chop-firewood-all-day department, Torrisi obviously knows her way around not only every back alley saloon that’s ever been littered with heartbreak and bad decisions, but also a few low-lit jazz haunts. To put this in perspective, Case posed for the cover of her last album on top of a hot rod, brandishing a broadsword as if she were about to invent decapitation. Had Torrisi posed for the same shot, the car would’ve been dustier, and she’d have done it in heels.
Regardless, the actual album art features her jumping on the bed, so you get an idea of the dichotomies we’re dealing with here; there IS a certain wink-and-a-nod vibe to “Bruler Bruler,” but one characterized by a degree of transparency. And it has to be; as poppy, catchy, and lilting as some of these songs may be, a mixture of sideways smiles and melancholy is what lies at the core of the album. She may bemoan a lack of love on “Hungry Like Me,” but turns right around on the cabaret-tinged dive-bar tune “Cannonball” with lines like “I wanna dive into your skin/I wanna dive in like a cannonball.” A wilting flower this woman is not.
Salvation is woven throughout, but only at the periphery. The album’s most peaceful track, “Brighter Side,” sounds like something a country gospel group would have written after being stuck in a cabin on the Northwest coast during rainy season with nothing but a record player and a dusty copy of Joni Mitchell’s “Blue.” Simple to accept and tough to unravel, “Bruler Bruler” should very well speak to everyone, but that’s not because Jessie Torrisi knows who you are—it’s because she knows who she is.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
portland's mercury covering THE VERY FOUNDATION
DON OF DIVISION STREET, CELILO,THE VERY FOUNDATION, THE MALDIVES
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) There will be two sides to the Portland music scene on display this evening. The first, and easily the most important, will be a gathering to remember Celilo drummer Kipp Crawford—hit by drunk drivers in the early morning hours of November 4—that will take place at Mississippi Station (3943 N Mississippi) at 6 pm. Following that, next door at Mississippi Studios there will be music. Lots of Portland music. In addition to a set from Crawford's bandmates in Celilo, the Very Foundation will perform material from their Portland-centric This Restless Enterprise recording. Chances are if you're a local musician, your mark is felt on the collaborative flair of This Restless Enterprise, which ranges from shuffling, contempletive indie numbers to the strut of "Runaway to Tokyo," which shares both sound and inspiration with Curtis Mayfield's "Move on Up." EAC
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) There will be two sides to the Portland music scene on display this evening. The first, and easily the most important, will be a gathering to remember Celilo drummer Kipp Crawford—hit by drunk drivers in the early morning hours of November 4—that will take place at Mississippi Station (3943 N Mississippi) at 6 pm. Following that, next door at Mississippi Studios there will be music. Lots of Portland music. In addition to a set from Crawford's bandmates in Celilo, the Very Foundation will perform material from their Portland-centric This Restless Enterprise recording. Chances are if you're a local musician, your mark is felt on the collaborative flair of This Restless Enterprise, which ranges from shuffling, contempletive indie numbers to the strut of "Runaway to Tokyo," which shares both sound and inspiration with Curtis Mayfield's "Move on Up." EAC
“This Restless Enterprise” review
http://metrospirit.com/index.php?cat=1993101070394080&ShowArticle_ID=11011111092868484read it here
Issue #21.16 :: 11/11/2009 - 11/17/2009
The Very Enterprise
“This Restless Enterprise”
BY JOSH RUFFIN
The Very Enterprise
“This Restless Enterprise”
Available soon
myspace.com/theveryfoundation
AUGUSTA, GA - It’s not a good time to be an indie rock band. Ultra-arty, ultra-hip outifts like Fleet Foxes, Grizzly Bear and Band of Horses have spent the last couple of years forging a monopoloid dome comprised purely of pitch-perfect, just-challenging-enough pop-rock, so much so that any other indie band, whether or not they sound like any of the aforementioned, are forced to deal with that consequence of comparison. As a result, most groups have to accept their perpetual “under the radar” status and generally deal with it by languishing as the topic of miasmal conversations during smoke breaks at a Xiu Xiu show.
Luckily, The Very Foundation decided “f*** that noise,” figured out how to rock, and released one of the year’s most acerbic, borderline misanthropic indie albums. Believe us when we tell you, this Portland-based duo is not here to give you the warm fuzzies, though the first six songs on the album—“My Sweetest Defeat” and “Run Away to Tokyo” highlights among them—are as likely to get heads nodding as they are eyes glazing. After the comparatively stark, lyric-less “Signs and Wonders,” (which sounds like a remix of the Jesu tracks off this year’s Envy split) though, is when we get cause for celebration, as tracks like “This is What We’re Asking For” and “My Angel, One Last Time” possess the most seamless fusion of vitriol and simple pop pleasure this side of “Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright.”
Though vocalist Michael Lewis has an unfortunate tendency to sound like a less-robotic version of Interpol’s Paul Banks, he eventually finds his stride during the hushed verses of “Silk and Stilettos,” evoking something between a Bon Iver rasp and a Nick Cave sex-ooze. But let’s not get petty; this is sharp, serious, and just out-and-out spectacular stuff. Plenty of bands channel their romantic side, but rare is the group that feeds it Jager shots and slips out the next morning while it’s still in the shower. Kudos, fellas.
Friday, November 20, 2009
Elin Palmer – Postcard
Elin Palmer – Postcard
Category: Music In My Ears — dryvetyme @ 07:00
Elin Palmer
Postcard
Self-Released; 2009
I have more than a few friends who would be turned off at the following comparison, mostly because their proclivities regarding folk and indie music are mostly of the highly traditional and/or purist strains. But when I heard the songs of Postcard by Elin Palmer for the first time, I immediately conjured up images of Joanna Newsom and Owen Pallett making a baby together and raising their child on a healthy diet of classical music and left-of-center folk singers from the ‘60s and ‘70s. If that fabrication makes no sense to you, dear reader, let me put things another way – this native Swede has concocted a delectable indie-folk record that features her elegant soprano and her prodigious skill on the violin and nickelharpa (an ancient, traditional Swedish instrument) alongside strings, piano, accordion, and an excellent percussionist.
What makes this woman’s commendable combination of folk and world instrumentation so noteworthy is that she manages to accomplish this while never bowing to hipster caprice. Palmer’s music is quirky without being weird or obtuse (even as she occasionally sings in her native tongue), and it’s pleasingly quaint without being an odd or sugary anachronistic throwback. Part of me feels that it’s her lovely vocals thankfully refusing those easy stylistic crutches – she has a strong voice with just the right amount of lilt, one that never reaches for histrionic heights and only breaks out its ethereal qualities when absolutely necessary.
Admittedly, given this blonde chanteuse’s pedigree and track record as a multi-instrumentalist recording for the Lee Lewis Harlots, 16 Horsepower and M. Ward, there are plenty of DeVotchKa and Sufjan Stevens reference points with this eight-song record. But on the whole, the only weak songs in my estimation are “Duvardar” and “No Use,” which are each hampered by a rather staid, blasé gypsy-ish waltz tempo, despite trying to charm your socks off with melodies that come straight out of a blissful fairy tale.
Palmer, to my delight, never seeks to evoke anything remotely resembling bluegrass, freak-folk, alt-country, or something else chic and trendy. Moreover, there is nothing bulbous, bloated, or overtly anthemic present with this music, as instead we’re graced with a display of remarkable restraint and compositional acumen. Led by the title track, “Stora Stoular,” and “Balloons,” Postcard is a simple, pretty folk-pop record created by an extremely talented musician and her classically trained friends that’s so very lovely to my ears.
read here
Category: Music In My Ears — dryvetyme @ 07:00
Elin Palmer
Postcard
Self-Released; 2009
I have more than a few friends who would be turned off at the following comparison, mostly because their proclivities regarding folk and indie music are mostly of the highly traditional and/or purist strains. But when I heard the songs of Postcard by Elin Palmer for the first time, I immediately conjured up images of Joanna Newsom and Owen Pallett making a baby together and raising their child on a healthy diet of classical music and left-of-center folk singers from the ‘60s and ‘70s. If that fabrication makes no sense to you, dear reader, let me put things another way – this native Swede has concocted a delectable indie-folk record that features her elegant soprano and her prodigious skill on the violin and nickelharpa (an ancient, traditional Swedish instrument) alongside strings, piano, accordion, and an excellent percussionist.
What makes this woman’s commendable combination of folk and world instrumentation so noteworthy is that she manages to accomplish this while never bowing to hipster caprice. Palmer’s music is quirky without being weird or obtuse (even as she occasionally sings in her native tongue), and it’s pleasingly quaint without being an odd or sugary anachronistic throwback. Part of me feels that it’s her lovely vocals thankfully refusing those easy stylistic crutches – she has a strong voice with just the right amount of lilt, one that never reaches for histrionic heights and only breaks out its ethereal qualities when absolutely necessary.
Admittedly, given this blonde chanteuse’s pedigree and track record as a multi-instrumentalist recording for the Lee Lewis Harlots, 16 Horsepower and M. Ward, there are plenty of DeVotchKa and Sufjan Stevens reference points with this eight-song record. But on the whole, the only weak songs in my estimation are “Duvardar” and “No Use,” which are each hampered by a rather staid, blasé gypsy-ish waltz tempo, despite trying to charm your socks off with melodies that come straight out of a blissful fairy tale.
Palmer, to my delight, never seeks to evoke anything remotely resembling bluegrass, freak-folk, alt-country, or something else chic and trendy. Moreover, there is nothing bulbous, bloated, or overtly anthemic present with this music, as instead we’re graced with a display of remarkable restraint and compositional acumen. Led by the title track, “Stora Stoular,” and “Balloons,” Postcard is a simple, pretty folk-pop record created by an extremely talented musician and her classically trained friends that’s so very lovely to my ears.
read here
Thursday, November 19, 2009
BUSY WEEKEND IN PORTLAND
FRIDAY NIGHT
AMADAN, THE BEAUTIFUL TRAIN WRECKS, SASSPARILLA
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) In honor of a decade of falling from grace with God—and having superior dental work to Shane MacGowan—Amadan are throwing a bit of a party. Ten years is a long time to stay in a band and avoid the inevitable pull of adulthood, so like all shows from these Irish punks, expect copious amounts of whiskey and sin, like a gloriously drunken Peter Pan syndrome. Leaning heavy on the tempo and vocal delivery of westernized pop-punk, Amadan's sound is hardly authentic—unless Fat Wreck Chords has a Dublin branch we don't know about—but still utterly sincere. Never has the sound of cirrhosis sounded so good. EAC
Friday night!
PRIZE COUNTRY, RAT EYES, LOOM
(Satyricon, 125 NW 6th) Judging by the crowd at the Crystal for a reunited Jesus Lizard, there clearly is a market for smart '90s nostalgia (a glorious time when words like "Killdozer" and "Unsane" made sense), which is good news for the boys of Prize Country. ...With Love might be an album with a cuddly title, but as singer Aaron Blanchard ferociously screeches "You're my girl, my girl tonight" (from "Regular Nights"), you get the feeling that's more a threat than an invitation to future romance. Schooled on the Albini sound and attitude, ...With Love stomps along mercilessly, a volume-swelling mass of pounding drums, rolling bass, and hissing guitars for days. If this is the sound of love, I'd be curious to hear what Prize Country's idea of hate sounds like. EAC
SATURDAY NIGHT
DON OF DIVISION STREET, CELILO,THE VERY FOUNDATION, THE MALDIVES
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) There will be two sides to the Portland music scene on display this evening. The first, and easily the most important, will be a gathering to remember Celilo drummer Kipp Crawford—hit by drunk drivers in the early morning hours of November 4—that will take place at Mississippi Station (3943 N Mississippi) at 6 pm. Following that, next door at Mississippi Studios there will be music. Lots of Portland music. In addition to a set from Crawford's bandmates in Celilo, the Very Foundation will perform material from their Portland-centric This Restless Enterprise recording. Chances are if you're a local musician, your mark is felt on the collaborative flair of This Restless Enterprise, which ranges from shuffling, contempletive indie numbers to the strut of "Runaway to Tokyo," which shares both sound and inspiration with Curtis Mayfield's "Move on Up." EAC
AMADAN, THE BEAUTIFUL TRAIN WRECKS, SASSPARILLA
(Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) In honor of a decade of falling from grace with God—and having superior dental work to Shane MacGowan—Amadan are throwing a bit of a party. Ten years is a long time to stay in a band and avoid the inevitable pull of adulthood, so like all shows from these Irish punks, expect copious amounts of whiskey and sin, like a gloriously drunken Peter Pan syndrome. Leaning heavy on the tempo and vocal delivery of westernized pop-punk, Amadan's sound is hardly authentic—unless Fat Wreck Chords has a Dublin branch we don't know about—but still utterly sincere. Never has the sound of cirrhosis sounded so good. EAC
Friday night!
PRIZE COUNTRY, RAT EYES, LOOM
(Satyricon, 125 NW 6th) Judging by the crowd at the Crystal for a reunited Jesus Lizard, there clearly is a market for smart '90s nostalgia (a glorious time when words like "Killdozer" and "Unsane" made sense), which is good news for the boys of Prize Country. ...With Love might be an album with a cuddly title, but as singer Aaron Blanchard ferociously screeches "You're my girl, my girl tonight" (from "Regular Nights"), you get the feeling that's more a threat than an invitation to future romance. Schooled on the Albini sound and attitude, ...With Love stomps along mercilessly, a volume-swelling mass of pounding drums, rolling bass, and hissing guitars for days. If this is the sound of love, I'd be curious to hear what Prize Country's idea of hate sounds like. EAC
SATURDAY NIGHT
DON OF DIVISION STREET, CELILO,THE VERY FOUNDATION, THE MALDIVES
(Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) There will be two sides to the Portland music scene on display this evening. The first, and easily the most important, will be a gathering to remember Celilo drummer Kipp Crawford—hit by drunk drivers in the early morning hours of November 4—that will take place at Mississippi Station (3943 N Mississippi) at 6 pm. Following that, next door at Mississippi Studios there will be music. Lots of Portland music. In addition to a set from Crawford's bandmates in Celilo, the Very Foundation will perform material from their Portland-centric This Restless Enterprise recording. Chances are if you're a local musician, your mark is felt on the collaborative flair of This Restless Enterprise, which ranges from shuffling, contempletive indie numbers to the strut of "Runaway to Tokyo," which shares both sound and inspiration with Curtis Mayfield's "Move on Up." EAC
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Elin Palmer steps into spotlight as she's about to step out of town
Elin Palmer steps into spotlight as she's about to step out of town
By Ricardo Baca
Denver Post Pop Music Critic
Posted: 10/15/2009 01:00:00 AM MDT
Palmer is bound for Nashville and Brooklyn. ( Todd Roeth )
You might not know Elin Palmer. You might be unfamiliar with her stark beauty, her delicate nature, her extreme talents and precise playing. Heck, you might not know how to pronounce her first name: EE-lin — a very common Swedish name, like Maria in the United States.
That said, you've likely heard the Sweden-born Palmer sing or play. She is one of the most accomplished, storied accompanists in Colorado rock history, having performed with local acts the Fray, DeVotchKa, 16 Horsepower, Munly and the Lee Lewis Harlots, Wovenhand and the Czars — not to mention national acts M. Ward and Crooked Fingers (and the latter's frontman, Eric Bachmann).
After devoting seven years to the Harlots and pinch playing in studios and on tours during the past decade-plus, Palmer is stepping into the spotlight — and moving on. She will release her debut solo album, "Postcard," with a big show at the Hi-Dive on Saturday.
Not long after the show, Palmer will be on her way to Nashville, where she'll write and record for six weeks before moving on to her new home in Brooklyn, N.Y.
We spoke with Palmer about her reasons for leaving town, her Scandinavian roots and her solo music, which is a lush, multicultural take on indie rock that re-energizes the genre.
Q: When did you start working on "Postcard"?
A: I started to record with Bob (Ferbrache) a year and a half ago. That's when I first thought about starting my own project. We didn't have a full record together when we started recording.
Q: It sounds like you worked with a lot of different players and voices.
A: We had a bunch of different players come in. We have five different bass players on the record. We wanted this person to play this part, and we wanted some string bass, and sometimes I'm playing bass, and sometimes we tuned down a cello — like on the song "Paint."
Q: Why tune a cello down? Did you like that particular timbre?
A: No, I was writing the song at home, and I didn't have a bass there.
Q: What inspired you to step out on your own?
A: I was touring with Eric Bachmann and DeVotchKa, and right around then Tom (Hagerman of DeVotchKa) put out his own record — and Eric was touring for the first time as a solo project. I went on tour with Eric, and I learned a lot from him and Tom. It inspired me to try my own thing. I liked collaborating with people and adding to their music, but I wanted to see what happened if I wrote my own songs.
Q: When you play live, there's a gorgeous, foreign instrument you tend to favor.
A: Yeah, the nyckelharpa is a Swedish instrument that predates the violin. I started playing it when I was 9. I usually write songs on it. I used it some in Munly's band and on the Wovenhand record "Mosaic."
Q: You sing a couple of songs on "Postcard" in Swedish. What determines a song's language?
A: There are two songs in Swedish. And it wasn't conscious. It has more to do with whatever was flowing in whatever language. Sometimes I'm thinking in one language over the other, but it depends on what I'm reading that day or what I'm thinking. If I'm making a song, I try not to limit it by what language it is.
Q: Why leave Denver now that you're ready to move forward with your solo work?
A: I just need to get out of Denver. I've been here for a long time, and I need to inspire my music in a different environment where I can create stuff. In Nashville, I hope to do some recording. And my boyfriend is in Brooklyn. But eventually I want to move back to Sweden — but first I need to get my "in" there as far as the music world goes.
Q: Do you have a plan?
A: I don't have a concrete plan, but at the same time I do. As far as doing the music thing in Denver, I've maxed it out here. I've played all the venues and everything. So the move is more personal. I need to be in a new environment.
Ricardo Baca: 303-954-1394 or rbaca@denverpost.com
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Elin Palmer
Swedish- influenced indie rock, CD release show. Hi-Dive, with Sissy Wish and Andrea Ball. Saturday. 9 p.m. $6. hi-dive.com
http://www.denverpost.com/headlines/ci_13562178
By Ricardo Baca
Denver Post Pop Music Critic
Posted: 10/15/2009 01:00:00 AM MDT
Palmer is bound for Nashville and Brooklyn. ( Todd Roeth )
You might not know Elin Palmer. You might be unfamiliar with her stark beauty, her delicate nature, her extreme talents and precise playing. Heck, you might not know how to pronounce her first name: EE-lin — a very common Swedish name, like Maria in the United States.
That said, you've likely heard the Sweden-born Palmer sing or play. She is one of the most accomplished, storied accompanists in Colorado rock history, having performed with local acts the Fray, DeVotchKa, 16 Horsepower, Munly and the Lee Lewis Harlots, Wovenhand and the Czars — not to mention national acts M. Ward and Crooked Fingers (and the latter's frontman, Eric Bachmann).
After devoting seven years to the Harlots and pinch playing in studios and on tours during the past decade-plus, Palmer is stepping into the spotlight — and moving on. She will release her debut solo album, "Postcard," with a big show at the Hi-Dive on Saturday.
Not long after the show, Palmer will be on her way to Nashville, where she'll write and record for six weeks before moving on to her new home in Brooklyn, N.Y.
We spoke with Palmer about her reasons for leaving town, her Scandinavian roots and her solo music, which is a lush, multicultural take on indie rock that re-energizes the genre.
Q: When did you start working on "Postcard"?
A: I started to record with Bob (Ferbrache) a year and a half ago. That's when I first thought about starting my own project. We didn't have a full record together when we started recording.
Q: It sounds like you worked with a lot of different players and voices.
A: We had a bunch of different players come in. We have five different bass players on the record. We wanted this person to play this part, and we wanted some string bass, and sometimes I'm playing bass, and sometimes we tuned down a cello — like on the song "Paint."
Q: Why tune a cello down? Did you like that particular timbre?
A: No, I was writing the song at home, and I didn't have a bass there.
Q: What inspired you to step out on your own?
A: I was touring with Eric Bachmann and DeVotchKa, and right around then Tom (Hagerman of DeVotchKa) put out his own record — and Eric was touring for the first time as a solo project. I went on tour with Eric, and I learned a lot from him and Tom. It inspired me to try my own thing. I liked collaborating with people and adding to their music, but I wanted to see what happened if I wrote my own songs.
Q: When you play live, there's a gorgeous, foreign instrument you tend to favor.
A: Yeah, the nyckelharpa is a Swedish instrument that predates the violin. I started playing it when I was 9. I usually write songs on it. I used it some in Munly's band and on the Wovenhand record "Mosaic."
Q: You sing a couple of songs on "Postcard" in Swedish. What determines a song's language?
A: There are two songs in Swedish. And it wasn't conscious. It has more to do with whatever was flowing in whatever language. Sometimes I'm thinking in one language over the other, but it depends on what I'm reading that day or what I'm thinking. If I'm making a song, I try not to limit it by what language it is.
Q: Why leave Denver now that you're ready to move forward with your solo work?
A: I just need to get out of Denver. I've been here for a long time, and I need to inspire my music in a different environment where I can create stuff. In Nashville, I hope to do some recording. And my boyfriend is in Brooklyn. But eventually I want to move back to Sweden — but first I need to get my "in" there as far as the music world goes.
Q: Do you have a plan?
A: I don't have a concrete plan, but at the same time I do. As far as doing the music thing in Denver, I've maxed it out here. I've played all the venues and everything. So the move is more personal. I need to be in a new environment.
Ricardo Baca: 303-954-1394 or rbaca@denverpost.com
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Elin Palmer
Swedish- influenced indie rock, CD release show. Hi-Dive, with Sissy Wish and Andrea Ball. Saturday. 9 p.m. $6. hi-dive.com
http://www.denverpost.com/headlines/ci_13562178
jessie torrisi on FEMMUSIC
Brûler, Brûler by Jessie Torrisi
Jessie Torrisi’s debut album feels like a warm blanket on a cold night. It is familiar, welcoming and fulfilling. Torrissi, a sometimes journalist and drummer with a hoard of NY bands, brings a sweet Southern drawl to an album filled with facets of love and journeys. Labeling Torrissi is hard to do. She is America, country and seems to elicit both Patsy Cline and Bonnie Raitt at the same time.
The album is filled with a mixture of fast moving tracks and slow moving ballads. Your foot doesn’t stop tapping during “Runaway Train” and “Cannonball.” The luxurious visuals painted during “Breeze in California” fill the senses. It is a personal favorite and demonstrates a passionate love of lyrics. The biggest disappoint to the album is it is so short when more songs are begged for.
It is cliché to say this is an album to own and cherish. It is natural and soft and will keep your ears as warm as your soul. Cuddle up with it, and someone you care for. Torrissi is touring so see her and scream for more songs, more albums and more from this new voice. For more information visit www.jessietorrissi.com
http://www.femmusic.com/CDrevs/jessie_torrisi_bruler.htm
Jessie Torrisi’s debut album feels like a warm blanket on a cold night. It is familiar, welcoming and fulfilling. Torrissi, a sometimes journalist and drummer with a hoard of NY bands, brings a sweet Southern drawl to an album filled with facets of love and journeys. Labeling Torrissi is hard to do. She is America, country and seems to elicit both Patsy Cline and Bonnie Raitt at the same time.
The album is filled with a mixture of fast moving tracks and slow moving ballads. Your foot doesn’t stop tapping during “Runaway Train” and “Cannonball.” The luxurious visuals painted during “Breeze in California” fill the senses. It is a personal favorite and demonstrates a passionate love of lyrics. The biggest disappoint to the album is it is so short when more songs are begged for.
It is cliché to say this is an album to own and cherish. It is natural and soft and will keep your ears as warm as your soul. Cuddle up with it, and someone you care for. Torrissi is touring so see her and scream for more songs, more albums and more from this new voice. For more information visit www.jessietorrissi.com
http://www.femmusic.com/CDrevs/jessie_torrisi_bruler.htm
ELIN PALMER IN THE ONION
http://www.avclub.com/denver/articles/elin-palmer,33999/
by Patrick Lee October 13, 2009
It's hard to imagine better traveling music than the eight songs on Elin Palmer's new album, Postcard. While the expansive, orchestral tracks would do wonders for even a short drive to Fort Collins, the album's folk frontiers are better suited for riding the rough seas to Norway on a dragon ship. Grand without excess and full with a possibility of new places—like Palmer's native Sweden— the music often stands in stark contrast to the lyrics, which are crystals of a much darker nature. It's strange to hear Palmer sing lines like "This moment is fading fast" and "I don't feel like I will die in this cold, dark house" over music made for exploring forests and making paper airplanes, but that's the eccentric way the former Munly & The Lee Lewis Harlots contributor unravels it.
Live, Palmer saws away on a Nyckelharpa, a rare and old Swedish instrument that looks like a cross between an abacus and an elf's woodworking tools—and it's the instrument's intense, optimistic bowing that grounds Postcard's symphonic pop arrangements. This musical oddity and other clever choices in instrumentation make for brief but transfixing guest appearances—notably the low pianos on "Paint," the 8-bit bleeps that sparkle on top of "House," and the ropes of accordion that join verse to chorus on "Time."
Postcard captures the whale chasing, sea shanty sound bands like The Decemberists bring to the table, but where Colin Meloy needs 45 Scrabble-worthy words per verse, Palmer opts for simple eight or 10-word phrases that get great mileage through her warm, understated voice. Palmer steers clear of the prog-rock bash-fests or jammy eight-minute codas typical of waltzy neo-folk, and the resulting work is brief, modest, and very successful—an audio postcard from cold but green foreign lands. Grade: A
by Patrick Lee October 13, 2009
It's hard to imagine better traveling music than the eight songs on Elin Palmer's new album, Postcard. While the expansive, orchestral tracks would do wonders for even a short drive to Fort Collins, the album's folk frontiers are better suited for riding the rough seas to Norway on a dragon ship. Grand without excess and full with a possibility of new places—like Palmer's native Sweden— the music often stands in stark contrast to the lyrics, which are crystals of a much darker nature. It's strange to hear Palmer sing lines like "This moment is fading fast" and "I don't feel like I will die in this cold, dark house" over music made for exploring forests and making paper airplanes, but that's the eccentric way the former Munly & The Lee Lewis Harlots contributor unravels it.
Live, Palmer saws away on a Nyckelharpa, a rare and old Swedish instrument that looks like a cross between an abacus and an elf's woodworking tools—and it's the instrument's intense, optimistic bowing that grounds Postcard's symphonic pop arrangements. This musical oddity and other clever choices in instrumentation make for brief but transfixing guest appearances—notably the low pianos on "Paint," the 8-bit bleeps that sparkle on top of "House," and the ropes of accordion that join verse to chorus on "Time."
Postcard captures the whale chasing, sea shanty sound bands like The Decemberists bring to the table, but where Colin Meloy needs 45 Scrabble-worthy words per verse, Palmer opts for simple eight or 10-word phrases that get great mileage through her warm, understated voice. Palmer steers clear of the prog-rock bash-fests or jammy eight-minute codas typical of waltzy neo-folk, and the resulting work is brief, modest, and very successful—an audio postcard from cold but green foreign lands. Grade: A
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Nice understated melodic pop.
http://www.babysue.com/2009-Nov-LMNOP-Reviews.html#anchor95467
The Very Foundation - This Restless Enterprise (Advance independently released CD, Pop)
Nice understated melodic pop. The Restless Enterprise features plenty of sparse, smart pop tunes. The album features guest musicians from other bands: The Decemberists, Blind Pilot, Oh Darling, Blue Horns, and Upsidedown. We didn't receive the entire package on this one so we'll keep this brief. The folks in The Very Foundation write and record credible, memorable pop with smart lyrics and inventive melodies. Plenty of really nice sounding stuff here...
The Very Foundation "This Restless Enterprise"
read here
The Very Foundation
This Restless Enterprise
Matador
The Very Foundation settles on a mellow yet confidently candid acoustic sound with their sophomore release, This Restless Enterprise. Michael Lewis and the uni-monikered Bevan craft bright yet laconic pop songs with back-up from the “Restless Orchestra,” including members of The Decemberists, Oh Darling and Blind Pilot.
“Runaway to Tokyo” is the standout number, mixing a cop show-style horn section with Bevan’s exhortations on running when you’re in a bind.
The backing band and the divergent day jobs of its members ensures a good amount of stylistic fluidity, while the core duo of Lewis and Bevan keep the album firmly on track and accessible.
This Restless Enterprise teases at the theme of fornication—its pros, cons and fallout, most notably in the wittily deadpan “Pornography”—without beating the listener over the head with an epic unifying theme. Settle into the groove too much, though, and you’ll be in for a bit of a jolt with the album’s latter half. Fans of The National and The Long Winters should definitely give this relaxed and sometimes surprising record a spin.
4.5/5
—Tom Llewellin
Monday, November 2, 2009
Fresh Music at the Good Price: Free!
read here
By Lauren Carroll
Carroll.quadnews@gmail.com
Print this article
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Published: Monday, November 2, 2009
Updated: Monday, November 2, 2009
What’s better than a MP3 player of cool, new music? How about if all that new music was free and 100 percent legal? It’s not an oxymoron. It’s the main philosophy of the No. 1 Web site for independent new music, NewBandDaily.com
Santiago Vega started NewBandDaily.com with a simple idea;-- help music fans find great new bands and help up-and-coming bands get their music to fans. “I started New Band Daily out of frustration,” Vega said. “ As all other music lovers, I had to spend a considerable amount of time browsing through literally several dozen of online and print publications just to find new acts, not to mention find good music that’s free and legal.”
The Web site initially launched in April 2009 as a forum for bands, but after the demand for music, NewBandDaily.com recently re-launched with an interactive, completely free MP3 download from the featured band . “We foot the bill ourselves,” Vega said. Subscribers don’t have to worry about hidden fees or the dreaded Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) lawsuit. Vega worked closely with publicists, managers and bands to be able to offer free music for the Web site’s subscribers..
The Web site couldn’t be easier to use. As a fan, all you need to do is enter in your e-mail address, select your favorite genres of music and wait for a band biography paired with a free MP3 in your inbox. Since signing up for New Band Daily, every morning has been like Christmas morning, with a new MP3 right in my inbox, specifically tailored to my tastes. October was a good mix of American and international bands. By far, my favorite discovery was on Oct, 27. I was introduced to Naïve New Beaters, a cool indie rock band from France, with a bit of a pop and electronic influence to create a new sound.
New Band Daily also has a link for bands and artists to submit their band information and an MP3. “We started thinking about how to also better serve the independent music community,” Vega said. “The more you better address and serve consumers’ needs, the better service you also provide to music artists.”
By Lauren Carroll
Carroll.quadnews@gmail.com
Print this article
Share this article
Published: Monday, November 2, 2009
Updated: Monday, November 2, 2009
What’s better than a MP3 player of cool, new music? How about if all that new music was free and 100 percent legal? It’s not an oxymoron. It’s the main philosophy of the No. 1 Web site for independent new music, NewBandDaily.com
Santiago Vega started NewBandDaily.com with a simple idea;-- help music fans find great new bands and help up-and-coming bands get their music to fans. “I started New Band Daily out of frustration,” Vega said. “ As all other music lovers, I had to spend a considerable amount of time browsing through literally several dozen of online and print publications just to find new acts, not to mention find good music that’s free and legal.”
The Web site initially launched in April 2009 as a forum for bands, but after the demand for music, NewBandDaily.com recently re-launched with an interactive, completely free MP3 download from the featured band . “We foot the bill ourselves,” Vega said. Subscribers don’t have to worry about hidden fees or the dreaded Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) lawsuit. Vega worked closely with publicists, managers and bands to be able to offer free music for the Web site’s subscribers..
The Web site couldn’t be easier to use. As a fan, all you need to do is enter in your e-mail address, select your favorite genres of music and wait for a band biography paired with a free MP3 in your inbox. Since signing up for New Band Daily, every morning has been like Christmas morning, with a new MP3 right in my inbox, specifically tailored to my tastes. October was a good mix of American and international bands. By far, my favorite discovery was on Oct, 27. I was introduced to Naïve New Beaters, a cool indie rock band from France, with a bit of a pop and electronic influence to create a new sound.
New Band Daily also has a link for bands and artists to submit their band information and an MP3. “We started thinking about how to also better serve the independent music community,” Vega said. “The more you better address and serve consumers’ needs, the better service you also provide to music artists.”
THE FAMILY CURSE
http://metrospirit.com/index.php?cat=1993101070394080&ShowArticle_ID=11012810093013756
The Family Curse
"White Medicine"
BY JOSH RUFFIN
The Family Curse
"White Medicine"
Release date: Nov. 3
frcollective.com
AUGUSTA, GA - Dude…The Family Curse are f***ed up. This is the kind of shit that happens when you take a CD-R mix of Melt Banana, the nasty side of Godflesh, pre-David Yow Qui, and the long-lost Captain Beefheart-composed soundtrack to Tron, dip it in a mixture of government-engineered cocaine and Pixie Stix, then jam the disc into an iBook and run the whole thing through the Unreal III gaming engine. Their singer sounds like Joanna Newsom and Julie Christmas head-butting it out for territory, ram-style. Your local record store has a backroom “acid trip” section, subdivided into “good trip” and “bad trip;” this album is in both. If the Crank series ever makes it past a fifth installment, this is what you’ll hear in your head, sprinting after you down into the very moss-ringed sphincter of madness itself. And I, um…you know, I think it’s awesome?
Actually, that only applies to about 90% of White Medicine; “Teen Challenge,” “Laughing My Way to the Bank,” and “Like Lightning” are all schizoid gutchecks of electro-laced noise-punk from somewhere outside our solar system, sent here to invade your brain and make you do all manner of regrettable things while wearing nothing more than pink sneakers and a smile. It’s the curveballs, though, the other 10%, that make the album worth buying instead of downloading; the 13-minute “Back in the Water” is less a song than an experience, with a massive god-stomp of a bassline segueing into free-form dronescapes, all while MGN Tweed rants and yowls like she’s upset about getting into heaven. Later on, “Exodus from Birds in the Night” is striking in its soft touch, invoking a field recording of hippies from the eighth dimension.
Never has a band sounded like they’re having so much fun while simultaneously reaping a hundred different whirlwinds. What a beautiful massacre.
The Family Curse
"White Medicine"
BY JOSH RUFFIN
The Family Curse
"White Medicine"
Release date: Nov. 3
frcollective.com
AUGUSTA, GA - Dude…The Family Curse are f***ed up. This is the kind of shit that happens when you take a CD-R mix of Melt Banana, the nasty side of Godflesh, pre-David Yow Qui, and the long-lost Captain Beefheart-composed soundtrack to Tron, dip it in a mixture of government-engineered cocaine and Pixie Stix, then jam the disc into an iBook and run the whole thing through the Unreal III gaming engine. Their singer sounds like Joanna Newsom and Julie Christmas head-butting it out for territory, ram-style. Your local record store has a backroom “acid trip” section, subdivided into “good trip” and “bad trip;” this album is in both. If the Crank series ever makes it past a fifth installment, this is what you’ll hear in your head, sprinting after you down into the very moss-ringed sphincter of madness itself. And I, um…you know, I think it’s awesome?
Actually, that only applies to about 90% of White Medicine; “Teen Challenge,” “Laughing My Way to the Bank,” and “Like Lightning” are all schizoid gutchecks of electro-laced noise-punk from somewhere outside our solar system, sent here to invade your brain and make you do all manner of regrettable things while wearing nothing more than pink sneakers and a smile. It’s the curveballs, though, the other 10%, that make the album worth buying instead of downloading; the 13-minute “Back in the Water” is less a song than an experience, with a massive god-stomp of a bassline segueing into free-form dronescapes, all while MGN Tweed rants and yowls like she’s upset about getting into heaven. Later on, “Exodus from Birds in the Night” is striking in its soft touch, invoking a field recording of hippies from the eighth dimension.
Never has a band sounded like they’re having so much fun while simultaneously reaping a hundred different whirlwinds. What a beautiful massacre.
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