Artist of the Day: The Mars Volta

Have we covered The Mars Volta here before?  Perhaps, and that shouldn't be surprising, considering the avid fan base that the prog-rockers have accumulated.  Hell, this writer even considers them to be a favorite band of his, as they were pivotal in driving him towards one of his favorite hobbies--music.

And it is with a heavy heart that this very writer pens "The Mars Volta on hiatus," a handful of words he hoped he'd never have to write.  While they were only active for a decade, they leave a huge crater in the music world.  Rarely can a band be so off the wall and unapproachable, yet be so loved.  With roots starting in post-hardcore, the band quickly changed up their sound into a more progressive delivery.  With an insane amount of members, The Mars Volta always sounded huge.  Strings, brass, and a myriad of percussion create a bombastic sound that channels salsa, rock, and psychedelic into one beautiful modge podge.  Always challenging, the band released albums that nearly wore on one's patience, with wild concepts and long run times.  However, the fervent "catchiness" and complex writing always made it worth it.  Added to that, mastermind Omar Rodriguez Lopez always reserved his most brilliant production skills for each of the band's six albums.

The word hiatus is much more hopeful than a break up, but the band is tight lipped on getting back together.  And while Noctourniquet was a lovely album, it didn't feel like the swan song it should have been.

Album Review: Code Orange Kids- Love is Love//Return to Dust

Album Rating: B

Many months ago, I had the opportunity to see Defeater with Touche Amore.  Known as the biggest acts in the scene right now, they didn't disappoint with putting on a nice show.  Two fine bands, really.  Yet it wasn't the aforementioned hardcore heavy-hitters that drew me in.  Sure, the promise of a great performance wrangled me in, but it was the supporting band, Code Orange Kids that truly sealed the deal.

Artist of the Day: Fucked Up

Man, David Comes to Life was a damn solid album.  Dropping last year, the enormous concept record was a breath of fresh air; an intelligent and thoughtful hardcore punk album with a confounding yet refreshing story to tell.  With heavy themes, David Comes to Life was conceptually challenging, which is strange considering the incredibly welcoming tone of the album.

Live Review: Converge, Torche, Kvelertak, KEN Mode

How does one begin when putting to paper their thoughts on the greatest show they have ever seen?  Well, obviously with a sentence like that!  But in all seriousness, a mere day isn't a lot of time to digest a show as stunning as Converge, Torche, Kvelertak, and KEN Mode, but then again there's almost no amount of time that would.  For a few hours, the denizens of Columbus, OH were able to leave everything at the door and lose themselves to the chaotic and cathartic noise of the aforementioned bands.  It was a wild and frenzied affair that was both horrifying and beautiful.  The strange and unconventional bonding of strangers over some of the biggest names in the scene was a feeling that won't soon be forgotten.

Artist of the Day: Hop Along

It isn't often that we have a month like October, 2012.  Not only do we get Neurosis and Converge, but Coheed and Cambria and Bats as well.  Yes, it's almost too awesome to bear.  However, I had the grave misfortune of finally checking out Hop Along's debut, Get Disowned. 

Now, Get Disowned is an excellent album.  A really excellent album, actually.  And honestly, I can't even be mad at Hop Along for taking my attention away from albums I have been waiting years for.  There's something about the lovely mixture of female fronted folk rock with slight "punkiness" that really hits all the right notes.  The album is a first for the band, sort of, as it is more a reworking of the lead singer's solo act.  It is a brilliantly written, catchy, and full of wonderful hooks.  Lyrically, there are too many wonderful moments to name.  All of this adds up to an amazing album you should have heard months ago.

So am I pleased that Hop Along has me regretfully addicted?  Yes, and you should be too.

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Album Review: Converge - All We Love We Leave Behind

Album Rating: A-

At this point it’s a little redundant to open up a talk about Converge with a hyperbolic reference to the band’s legacy.  Yeah, they’ve been around for roughly 20 years and have been blazing trails ever since.  This is nothing new, as with each new release the band manages to sound fresh and artistically engaging.  What should be said, however, is the mystical ability the band has to refrain from making bad music.  It’s true.  For with each album Converge reinvent themselves, all while providing an exceptional and immense experience.  Since their inception, Converge have released eight full length albums, with each being incredible in its own right.  With their latest, All We Love We Leave Behind, the quartet once again proves why they truly are at the top of their class.

Artist of the Day: Torche

In exactly three days I will be witnessing what I believe will be the finest concert of my life.  It's a bit of a bold statement; blind judgement towards something impossible to predict.  However, the line-up is something anyone with even a passing interest in heavy music would love. Not only are metalcore legends Converge, highlighting, but lesser known bands such as KEN Mode and Kvelertak.  But if there's one band I can rely on to put out one hell of a fun show, it's gotta be Torche.

Artist Spotlight: Neurosis

For many, 2012's "Album of the Year" essentially dropped whenever Neurosis announced Honor Found in Decay.

Silly, but it's true.

You see, the metal act has been a legendary force to be reckoned with, influencing an entire subgenre (post-metal) and blazing trails all the while.  And as silly as it all seems, this crazy fandom, it's not difficult to see why so many cling to this band.  To be blunt, Neurosis don't know how to make bad music.  Really.  Since their inception, the band has only released one (or maybe two) recordings that one could argue aren't all that great.  After all, they've been around since 1985, releasing stellar album after stellar album.  Hell, some even argue that they continue to improve with age.  While that may not be the most popular opinion, even a cursory listen to their last two records will yield surprise at the band's ability to remain so relevant so many years later.  From folk to ambient to crushing metal, Neurosis are able to shift into many forms to fit their artistic visions.

Honor Found in Decay will no doubt be another marvelous addition to an already stunning discography.  It drops at the end of October, so keep this on your calendar.

Follow the band on Facebook here.

Jukebox: Modest Mouse - Gravity Rides Everything

It seems like I always get on the bandwagon years later than everyone else.  I had always like Modest Mouse, listening to their most critically acclaimed albums off and on.  But recently, The Moon and Antarctica has been hitting me hard lately.  Frankly, the more I listen the more I see it as one of the last decade's most brilliant albums; a spellbinding blend of indie and alt rock sensibilities that has very clearly influenced many acts since.

Yet there's one song that has me especially entranced: "Gravity Rides Everything." The song is addicting to say the least, but so phenomanally simplistic that one has to wonder what's so great about it to begin with.  With a simple guitar hook, the song features little in the way of incredible musicianship.  Despite this, the song grabs hold and doesn't let go.  The beautiful lyrics combined with the admirable pace makes for a very catchy song, although it doesn't seem entirely so.

"Gravity Rides Everything" is a wonderful song from an incredible, decade defining album.  For the uninitiated, this is absolutely, positively essential.

Stream the song after the jump, and follow Modest Mouse on Facebook here.

Album Retrospective: Mount Eerie - Lost Wisdom

Album Rating: A

A year or so ago I took a trip down Mount Eerie's Lost Wisdom.  While both a problem and a blessing, I haven't seem to have found my way back.  There's nothing special about this record, really.  It's Phil Elverum, and acoustic guitar, and the beautiful vocals of Julie Doiron. At 24 minutes, it breezes by at a brisk pace. It's lonely and it's cold. More intimate than most of his other work, but still at an arm's distance away. Yet despite all of this, Lost Wisdom has a spellbinding effect on the listener.

Artist Spotlight - Empire! Empire! (I Was a Lonely Estate)

I'm willing to own up to something when I'm wrong.  Sure I may not enjoy it (who does??) but when I mess up big time, I'll admit it.  Well readers, today is the day I officially announce my past indiscretions--I now love  Empire! Empire! (I Was a Lonely Estate).  There was never a time I didn't, but I had always passed up their emo-lite delivery as a cute, somewhat interesting novelty.  Sure what I heard was great, but I didn't feel the need to dive right in.  In today's Internet music scene this happens all too often.  When discographies are just a click away it's shamefully easy to pass something up after a cursory listen. After an evening with What it Takes to Move Forward I had a different outlook on the band.

After a brief discussion with a friend about what the album meant to him, I decided to give it a shot.  The album is gorgeous, emotional, and unfathomably engaging.  The lyrics, to be quite frank, are brilliant in their poetic prose, matching perfectly with the music.  I loved it, and for the past several weeks have found myself returning to it regularly. In an odd twist of fate, the band had a contest to get as many likes as possible for their facebook page.  After 500, they promised to post their entire discography for free.  At the dawn of my discovering of this band, every thing they've released thus far is at my finger tips.  Absolutely perfect.

So for all the uninitiated (trust me I was once just like you), give this band a shot.  You have absolutely no excuse.  Follow the link and thank me later.

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Artist of the Day - The World is a Beautiful Place and I Am No Longer Afraid to Die

How's that for a band name?  Without looking too deeply into it, one could glean that The World Is A Beautiful Place And I Am No Longer Afraid To Die is either an emo band or a post-rock band simply by the beautiful and lofty name.  Well in this case, both aren't too far off.

The band is very much an emo group, rooted deeply into the mid-'90s scene.  Looping guitars and soft but high pitched vocals are the order of the day.  It feels a bit like American Football, A Bunny's Caravan, and Moving Mountains, which is quite the list of influences.  Yet The World Is A Beautiful Place... make the sound their own, with a big emphasis on atmosphere and instrumentation.  With 2010's EP, Formlessness, the band solidified themselves as an up and coming band well worth keeping an eye on.  It's not difficult to see why either, as the excellent--albeit short--EP was filled with personality and poise far beyond the band's years.  Since then, a number of releases and splits have surfaced each showing a maturation and refinement.  Hopefully this all culminates in one hell of a debut album from a band that has something to prove.

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Album Review: Olafur Arnalds - Two Songs for Dance

Album Rating: B-

Icelandic contemporary artist, Olafur Arnalds just doesn't know when to slow down.  This is in no way a bad thing, really, as Arnalds has been making some of the most engrossing and lush music of the past five years.  With keys and strings hand in hand with a very minimalist delivery, the young composer has found a sweet spot between ambient and neo-classical that has gained a swath of new fans.  With is latest two song release, Arnalds has tried to do something a bit different.  While not even close to his best material, it is still an interesting look into the mind of such a young, brilliant artist.

Artist of the Day: Talk Talk

The talk of, er, Talk Talk always seems to be split into two conversations: old and new.  The old Talk Talk was a very successful pop band from the 1980's, who through a lack of funds, turned to cheaper synths to create music.  While this venture happened to be lucrative, it wasn't to the band's liking.  Thus, half way through their career, Talk Talk changed a bit into the act music fans now know as legendary.

To be fair, the band didn't do a complete 180.  The band's third album, The Colour of Spring was a transition of sorts, blending the pop eccentricities of the prior two, whilst pointing towards something grander.  Thus the band's penultimate album, The Spirit of Eden, was born.  Featuring bigger compositions with more featured instrumentalists, the album was a much bolder venture than the band's trite beginnings.  Yet despite the excellence of that album, it was their final record, Laughing Stock, that helped change music forever.

Laughing Stock is partially credited with the creation of the genre we now know as post-rock.  Featuring longer songs with a heavy emphasis on instrumentation, it is easy to see why so many people believe this.  It was an amazing display of creativity, with dynamic shifts occurring left and right, and genre conventions being torn to pieces.  20 years later it is still held in high esteem, with a recent vinyl re-release further stoking its brilliant legacy.

Artist Of The Day - BATS

Where have BATS been these past few years? Dropping their critically acclaimed Red in Tooth and Claw back in 2009, the band has released little in the way of confirming a new album. While three years doesn't seem like that long of a wait, for those who fell in love with the band's peculiar science filled progressive hardcore, the wait has been agonizing.

Red in Tooth and Claw is a sonic marvel that displays a mindblowing creativity and a unique sound. The thoughtful blending of post-hardcore with experimental rock creates a fantastic backdrop for the band's fascinating lyrical content. Filled to the brim with science references, BATS come off as a very intelligent group of guys, all without seeming too contrived or up their own asses. For those who are tired of your typical fare, Red in Tooth and Claw is a must have.

BATS are a rare breed, combining thoughtful songwriting and lyrics to make incredibly enticing music. Murmurs of a new record have been heard lately, so for our sake, let's hope they are true.

Listen to Red In Tooth and Claw on the band's Bandcamp page.

Jukebox: Converge - Aimless Arrow

For many, the word "excitement" is a laughable attempt at putting to words the anticipation that is building for the new Converge record.  Really, it's true.  The Massachusetts hardcore-punk band are considered royalty in their respective scene, with each release offering up more of the solid and abrasive sounds that fans clamor for.  With their upcoming record, All We Love We Leave Behind (which has sadly been delayed), the band has allegedly stripped things down.  One of the few criticisms of their 2009 release, Axe to Fall, was that it felt too bloated for its own good.  With a bevy of guests, the album at times didn't even feel like a Converge record.  It will be interesting to see how this "back to the basics" move works.

Album Review: Mono - For My Parents

Album Rating: B+

In order to start out this review properly, let's make one thing clear:  For My Parents is a Mono album, through and through.  Obviously, right?  Well, said statement is a painfully necessary one, as Mono have been an extremely divisive band these past several years.  Many have embraced their hyper-dramatic and emotive delivery, while a large group of detractors have heavily criticized the band for adhering too strongly to genre conventions.  Both sides are passionate, that much is true.  However, one's opinion hinders on how willing one is to forgive a lack of new ideas from an obstinate band refusing to progress.

Album Review: Giles Corey - Deconstructionist

Album Rating: N/A

It seems like with every Enemies List related post put here, the more and more I fall in love with the absolutely bizarre sounds that the label is able to create.  A safe haven for the "weirder" side of music, ELHR manages to put out music from a wide range of influences, with black metal, folk, electronica, and drone all rearing their heads.  With Dan Barret at the helm, critically acclaimed acts such as Have A Nice Life and Giles Corey are able to blend these seamlessly.  Last year, Barret released his "end of the world" folk record, Giles Corey, with a surprisingly reserved sound.  That is, reserved for the man responsible for Deathconcsiousness.   But with his newest release, Deconstructionist, Barret has traveled outside the realms of music into something much more experimental, and the experience is one not soon forgotten.

Artist of the Day: Circa Survive

By now the history of Circa Survive is written in stone: Anthony Green becomes disillusioned with the success of his old band, Saosin, prompting him to start Circa Survive (which has become even bigger than his previous band, oddly enough). Three critically and commercially successful albums later, Green and co. have become accustomed to setting the alternative music scene on fire.  From the post-hardcore infused Juturna to the more rock oriented Blue Sky Noise, the band has been progressing over the years by tightening their sound.  However, this has been a bit slow with each album seemingly similar to the last.  The band's latest album, Violent Waves looks to change that.

The band decided to record and produce the album completely by themselves, even going as far as to release it using their own funds.  Focusing on the energy found during their live shows, the band hopes to imbue a new vibe to their music.  And so far, the album looks to be shaping up to that vision.    More importantly is the new direction and willingness to experiment.  Violent Waves is easily the most experimental the band has sounded, and perhaps the least "Circa" sounding thing they have done.  Surprisingly this is absolutely perfect, as is sounds stunningly fresh.

Only time will tell if Circa Survive have made the right choice in their new endeavors.  Be sure to check out Violent Waves on August 28th to see how things pan out.

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Album Review: Om - Advaitic Songs

Album Rating: A-

For years, Om has been making deeply meditative music that transports the listener to a world of absorbing and bizarre sounds.  Thought of as the “thinking man’s” metal band, Om’s music is deceptively deep, and largely a tough sell to those unfamiliar with more contemplative songwriting.  From the band’s outset, the duo has featured long form compositions that take their time in giving the listener a payoff.  While this has been what has made the band seem “unwelcoming,” for fans this is what makes Om so appealing.  With all the weird eastern influences and droning soundscapes, Om is unique, giving listeners a one of a kind sound.  This is carried over into the band’s latest, Advaitic Songs, their most impressive outing to date.