S A L » Music Reviews

Den Of Thieves: Letters From The Tanzerouft

Will — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 00:13:43 +0000

Bands like Den Of Thieves seem to be few and far between nowadays. The Staten Island band plays an intense maelstrom of post-hardcore akin to bands like Avail and Silent Majority. In fact, if I didn’t know I would think this was yet another in a long line of bands from Tommy Corrigan (Silent Majority, Blood Red, Capital). The similarities are written all over Letters From The Tanzerouft. Much like Corrigan’s bands, Den Of Thieves are pulling from hardcore’s roots while adding more musicianship and an unmistakable emotional element to the picture. I like to call it arena hardcore cause it just sounds so emotionally charged and huge. Letters From The Tanzerouft is truly pummeling as the band pounds out ten songs in 26 minutes. Precise, raw and above all sincere, Den Of Thieves are showcasing the depth and reach of hardcore.

Unfortunately, It seems I continue to review bands that have just broken up. Den Of Thieves unfortunately called it a day a few months ago. Too bad though. In this political and social climate, bands like Den Of Thieves are always needed.

Genre: Punk/Hardcore

RIYL: Avail, Dag Nasty, Quicksand

Label: Exotic Fever

The Fable Romantis

www.myspace.com/xdenofthieves

13ghosts: The Strangest Colored Lights

Will — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 04:38:26 +0000

13ghosts are an eclectic band from Birmingham, Alabama that touch on numerous different styles. With two diverse singers and the band’s penchant to genre jump, The Strangest Colored Lights is tough to grasp without numerous listens. Touching on southern rock, country, americana, pop and everything in between, the band carves out a unique niche for themselves. The Strangest Colored Lights is a dark journey through themes as old as the deep south itself. Death constantly soaks into the album’s soul and adds a somber depth to the band’s ambitious songwriting. As it slowly twists and turns, the subtle beauty of the album recalls Mark Linkous and his work in Sparklehorse.

The band is nothing, if not diverse. “Beyond The Door” is more upbeat and has an almost power pop feel to it akin to The Posies. “Riverside” follows with a parade of horns the likes only seen on Calexico records. “Whip Poor Will” sounds like a jaunty Tom Waits-inspired number. No matter what spirits 13ghosts call upon on The Strangest Colored Lights, the band shows a remarkable range and a masterful finishing touch.

Genre: Indie/Americana

RIYL: Sparklehorse, Calexico, Tom Waits

Label: Skybucket

Riverside

Whip Poor Will

www.myspace.com/13ghostsband

Say Hi: The Wishes And The Glitch

Will — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 04:59:09 +0000

The Wishes And The Glitch is the fifth album by Eric Elbogen’s pop brainchild, previously entitled Say Hi To Your Mom, now shortened to just Say Hi. While I am fairly ignorant to the band’s history, I do remember listening to the band’s last album, Impeccable Blahs, a few times. The Wishes And The Glitch succeeds in keeping my attention at a greater rate than Impeccable Blahs ever did. Say Hi are doing the whole quirky pop thing full of sequencers and witticisms (if that’s not a word, I have now made it up). Being from Seattle and considering David Bazan (Pedro The Lion) and John Roderick (The Long Winters) guest on the record you figure Say Hi would be the next “it” band on Barsuk. Doesn’t that label release stuff like this every month now? Either way, my tolerance for this kind of stuff is not very high but Say Hi strike a nice balance that is somewhat tolerable. In fact, there are a number of great songs that scatter themselves throughout The Wishes And The Glitch. Still, by the end of the album, you get the feeling that Elbogen is trying a little too hard. And that’s never really a good thing.

Genre: Indie/Pop

RIYL: Death Cab For Cutie, Harvey Danger, Long Winters

Label: Euphobia

Northwestern Girls

www.myspace.com/sayhitoyourmom

Good Luck: Into Lake Griffy

Will — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 04:02:46 +0000

I picked up Good Luck’s Into Lake Griffy on the recommendations of several people who gave the band rave reviews. However, this is an album that really took its precious time making an impression on me. But, the more I listened to it the more I realized why that was the case. I think I was expecting a great pop/punk record and instead what I got was a damn pop/punk opera. When talking to Ian from Cheap Girls about this record I think he put it best when he said “it’s so accessible that you want to consider it a great pop punk record but there’s that insane fingertapping guitar, dual vocals, etc. it’s definitely unique.” He’s right too, the dynamics of the record are absolutely incredible. And the musicianship is just off the charts. So, those pre-conceived notions of Good Luck simply being a great pop/punk band are shattered while you listen in awe.

Good Luck is Matt Tobey from Matty Pop Chart/Abe Froman, Ginger Alford of One Reason and Mike Harpring of Body Hammer. Matt Tobey has a quirky, intriguing way of telling his stories. If you know him from Matty Pop Chart, then you probably know exactly what I am talking about. If not, imagine the endearing quality of say, John K. Samson of The Weakerthans or John Darnielle of The Mountain Goats. Lyrically and vocally, Tobey compares favorably to the two songwriting stalwarts. Just think more direct and more nasal. However, the unsung hero of the record might just be bassist Ginger Alford. Besides her booming bass lines, Tobey and Alford split most of the vocals as well. Alford also writes lyrics for four songs on Into Lake Griffy. There is a wonderful give and take chemistry between the two. To me, that is what propels Good Luck above Tobey’s work in Matty Pop Chart. Tobey and Alford strike a perfect balance on Into Lake Griffy and it pushes the album beyond boundaries as simple as pop punk.

I’m not sure what the future holds for Good Luck. Right now it seems the band is full steam ahead and if this record is any indication one would certainly hope they continue. Another highlight is the packaging as this self-released album matches the thought and care of the music just as much. Into Lake Griffy showcases all that is right with DIY music from head to toe.

Genre: Indie/Pop/Punk

RIYL: Matty Pop Chart, The Weakerthans, The Mountain Goats

Label: Self-Released

How To Live Here

Sleep With No Bad Dreams

www.myspace.com/wearegoodluck

Women: Self-Titled

Will — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 04:37:08 +0000

Where does one even start with such a complex band like Women? The band recorded their debut with Sub Pop artist Chad VanGaalen “over 4 months on ghettoblasters and old tape machines in his basement, an outdoor culvert and a crawlspace.” Perhaps those environments inspire the radically varied style of the album. The band moves rather freely from spacious pop to heavy drones of noise and feedback. Much like VanGaalen’s work, the band has a lo-fi, schizophrenic character to their music.

The tightrope between noise and beauty is one that has been walked several times this year and Women try their hand at it as well. And they perform the duties rather admirably and compare favorably to a band like No Age. With years of playing together, Women have hashed out a remarkable precision and an almost polished, yet sloppy approach. It is a dynamic that should not be taken lightly. The band just signed on with well-known indie, Jagjaguwar, to re-release this album. So, I imagine you will be hearing a lot about Women in the next few months and that is for good reason. Women should have all the indie boys and girls swooning (or whatever it is that they do).

Genre: Indie/Experimental

RIYL: Animal Collective, No Age, Chad VanGaalen

Label: Flemish Eye/Jagjaguwar

Black Rice

www.myspace.com/womenmusic

Lock And Key: Self-Titled

Will — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 04:50:35 +0000

The boys from Boston’s Lock And Key are back again but this time it is a bittersweet listen. Unfortunately, this self-titled affair is the band’s swan song. Lock And Key made the decision to call it quits last year but lucky for us that they deemed it necessary to document their final songs. Lock And Key play emotional post-hardcore in the vein of Hot Water Music, Small Brown Bike and Leatherface. Yeah, I know, we have all heard this sound played many times before. However, Lock And Key have always been a cut above the rest in regards to moving beyond their influences. The band’s material can often go toe to toe against those heavyweights. That certainly speaks volumes but it is the band’s sincerity and passion that carries the heavier stick. That continues here on their final release as Lock And Key let it all hang out. You can hear the emotion bleeding out from the speakers. The album is a unique listening experience as it seems as though many of these songs were written with the band’s demise already etched in stone. Much of the album touches on the trials and tribulations of a band simply trying to keep their head above water. Lock And Key are fighting to keep going and stay positive while battling negativity and frustration. It is a rare look into the true heart of a DIY band trying to carry on despite overwhelming odds. In the end, the band decided to hang it up and move on. Take nothing away from Lock And Key. They can walk away with their heads held high. On “Last Song” Lock And Key shout out exactly what I would expect. Never forget, never regret. Always in debt to all of you. Cheers Lock And Key, it was a fantastic ride!

Genre: Post-Hardcore

RIYL: Hot Water Music, Small Brown Bike, Leatherface

Label:Get A Life

Ad Infinitum

www.myspace.com/lockandkey

The Very Most: Congratulations Forever

Will — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 04:01:41 +0000

Who says Built To Spill is the only Idaho musical export worth a damn? The Very Most hail from Boise, Idaho and offer a healthy dose of mature indie pop with a little twee thrown in for good measure. With vocals that often recall Lou Barlow (Sebadoh, The Folk Implosion, Dinosaur Jr.) the band sounds comfortably familiar. The male/vocal interplay is a nice touch and the band has a penchant for crafting memorable pop songs with elegant instrumental flourishes. Indie pop has become a dirty word in my vocabulary over the last few years. With so much garbage crowding the genre, it sure is nice to hear a band that realizes the subtlety of a pop song is perhaps its greatest strength. Even if I don’t find myself reaching for Congratulations Forever that often, The Very Most are impressive and I thank the band for giving some hope to this jaded listener.

Genre: Indie Pop

RIYL: Sebadoh, Voxtrot, Belle And Sebastian

Label: Self-Released

Profoundly Imperfect

Good Fight Fighting

www.myspace.com/theverymost

Lindsay Minton: Past Is Prelude

Will — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 04:36:26 +0000

We first heard Lindsay Minton as she was fronting the extremely promising Tin Kitchen earlier this year. Unfortunately, the band went their separate ways. Luckily, Minton has forged on with a little help from some of her friends in Know Think, Communipaw, Each Other’s Mothers and of course, Tin Kitchen. What comes from Minton’s first solo effort seems more of a blueprint rather than a finished product. That is certainly not meant to diminish her efforts but just to state that Past is Prelude seems to showcase an artist in transition.

The instrumental “Snake Oil” opens up the album and is beautifully fragile in its spacious, yet rumbling approach. Minton’s aching vocals carry the weight of these songs. Lost is much of the angularity of Tin Kitchen’s off-kilter sound. Instead, Minton goes for a more measured, straight-to-the-heart approach. On songs like “Heart” the Rainer Maria comparisons that covered Tin Kitchen’s EP remain absolutely true here. Minton’s vocals, while not as polished, bare a striking resemblance to Rainer Maria front woman, Caithlin De Marrais. “Spills” is the crowning achievement as it showcases everything Minton’s songs can capture. There is a delicate simplicity to Minton’s songs that she is able to wrap into a familiar, yet powerful tone.

Past Is Prelude appropriately ends with another instrumental track cleverly entitled, “Interlude”. The song is laced with piano and other found sounds. For this listener, the title speaks to the transitioning style of Lindsay Minton’s current work. Much like her efforts with Tin Kitchen, Past Is Prelude brims with a raw potential that certainly deserves to be followed closely.

Genre: Indie/Emo

RIYL: Tin Kitchen, Rainer Maria, Jejune

Label: Self-Released

Spills

www.myspace.com/lindsaymintonmusic

Driving Music: Demo

Will — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 04:07:24 +0000

One thing you might have learned about me over the years is that I’m slow, almost painfully so. I really despise the fact that it sometimes takes me months to write about an album or an artist that has caught my ear. But, it it is what it is I guess. All that being said, if you send me something and it moves me, I’ll eventually get around to writing a little something about it. And that is certainly the case with Driving Music’s five song solo demo EP. The personal letter attached is dated March 31st, 2008 so I assume that I got this slice of ear candy sometime in April.

Driving Music is the solo project of Brazilian musician, Fábio Andrade. Oddly enough, Andrade’s vocals remind me a great deal of Nikola Sarcevic from the Swedish band, Millencolin. Perhaps English being their second language provides that comparison rather easily. But, there is much more to it than just vocals. Millencolin’s brand of power pop/punk is true to what Driving Music are going for. These songs lay somewhere between ultra pop-punk and power pop. Bands like Samiam, Sugar and The Lemonheads are all bantered around in the bio and for good reason. But, Andrade and Driving Music are able to establish a playful sensibility and undeniable energy all their own.

Andrade seems to almost brush aside the strength of his own songwriting by saying these are “songs that are happy to be just songs.” But therein lies the romanticism and optimism of it all. Driving Music is a beautiful and relevant term for what Andrade is doing here. These songs float by much like the scenery of the open road.

Genre: Power Pop

RIYL: Millencolin, Samiam, Sugar

Label: (Self-Released)

Epigraph

www.myspace.com/drvmusic

The Hold Steady: Stay Positive

Courtney — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 13:20:39 +0000

There are certain things that make you feel American. For example, complaining about slow service in French restaurants is one. Another may be thinking Europeans really love Stella Artois. How about swearing soccer isn’t football but really soccer? A less embarrassing and offensive way is to rock out to the new Hold Steady.

The Hold Steady released their forth studio album, Stay Positive, on July 15^th of this year. Like previous albums, it is a collection of songs about American kids and the booze, drugs and partying that their lives revolve around.

Stay Positive starts out strong with “Constructive Summer”, a song that exalts the summer drinking. Fans will be quickly reminded of Craig Finn’s wonderfully simple lyrical mastery. Thankfully that doesn’t diminish and is even fortified with the next track “Sequestered in Memphis”. It is easy to see why the band chose this song as the first single. It is the kind of Rock and Roll song that you’d be happy to be caught singing, almost like “Born to Run” in the 80’s. Unfortunately, the album never returns to the pop brilliance of those songs or Boys and Girls in America for that matter. Not to worry, the rest of the album is still worth weeks of consecutive play. “Slapped Actresses” pounds out rock style with fading choruses that conjures up visions of Archers of Loaf’s “After the Last Laugh”. The Hold Steady explore new musically directions with songs like “Both Crosses”. It has an empty, western feel, like something from Calexico or Nick Cave. The more moody songs like “Lord I’m Discouraged” are a good asset to the album but they just don’t quite hit you like “First Night” or “Don’t Let Me Explode”. It might be that the subject matter just isn’t as obvious.

The Hold Steady gets lot praise from critics and fans but who can complain (except for Will who still thinks Lftr Pllr is better, jerk!). Like previous releases, Stay Positive will remind people why they love American Rock and Roll. It might not be as strong as Boys and Girls in America but most listeners really won’t care. Oh, the band gets mad props for referencing “Double Whiskey Coke No Ice“ by the D4 (Dillinger Four! - Will.). Seriously, that is fucking awesome.

Genre: Rock and Roll

RIYL: Lifter Puller, Bruce Springsteen, The Replacements

Label: Vagrant

Constructive Summer

Stay Positive