Tyler, The Creator Releases Goblin, and The Internet Goes Morally Crazy

If you're enjoying reading through blogs about music on the internet, there's not a chance you've passed through the last few months without coming to some understanding about who Tyler, The Creator is. Ringleader of rap group Odd Future, Tyler, The Creator is no stranger to pissing off people's lyrical scrutiny and moral structures when regarding socially acceptable material in music. While it's true that music remains, and will always be, an instrument for self-expression to the artist's utmost intent, much of the internet and even fellow musicians have questioned whether Goblin is just a symbol for the world's leniency when regarding homophobia, misogyny, and other discrimination and hate language. If you're wondering what the fuss about Goblin's content is, here's a look at what prominent artist has taken a shot at Tyler's most recent work, and what lyrics are dividing the musical community between those who consider Goblin fun and harmless music, and those offended by the product.

Go Radio Full Acoustic Set

Surprisingly, I happened to be at an acoustic Go Radio set at the Best Buy in Union Square, New York City today. With this excellent opportunity, I took video of every one of the band's five songs, which can all be seen below. A quick show review will be up tomorrow.



Setlist:
Hold On
Singing With The King
House Of Hallways
Goodnight Moon (sound cuts off at 4:00)
Why I'm Home

Our Life Story - I'd Rather Change Than Stay The Same

When I get sent a new pop-punk band, I really need to be impressed in order to cover it. I've been sent too much boring, generic, and simply awful pop-punk and pop-rock bands, and it's gotten to the point where I simply ignore most of it. Our Life Story is a needle in the haystack. Their five song EP I'd Rather Change Than Stay The Same is only thirteen minutes long, but you will not find a dull moment in the entire thing. Aggression is the best description of the album, as the drums are brutal and intense, while the vocals are rough and scream-like at times, similar to Such Gold or State Champs. Though the first two and last two tracks are very similar and do blend together, it still makes for an excellent short car ride. The middle track "Clark St" places slower riffs behind an ambient background in a minute and a half long instrumental interlude. While these 90's emo influences only show up in this one track, they at least bring hope that they may be displayed more prominently in a future release. This band could easily break through to the upper tiers of the pop-punk scene. Those other pop-punk bands sending me emails should be a little worried now. With every band like Our Life Story that is sent to me, my expectations get higher and higher. You can stream two of the five songs on the EP on the band's Bandcamp page here.

Sin Fang

 

For a country of not even 320,000 people, Iceland has certainly produced an impressive number of exceptional musicians and artists who have charmed audiences internationally with their dreamy language, pastel soundscapes, and sweeping melodies. One of those artists is Sin Fang, the newest project of Sindri Sigfússon, frontman of Seabear and solo artist. Sin Fang at times sounds a bit like Jonsi’s critically acclaimed album Go might have if he hadn’t had genius composer Nico Muhly working with him. Other times, Sin Fang has a definite pop sensibility and “Slow Lights” could even be called “infectious” in a lazy, rhythmic way. Sigfússon’s latest album Summer Echoes explores acoustic guitar, electronic beats and bleeps, and choirs all while feeling characteristically Icelandic, taking the nation’s signature sound into genres it has rarely ventured as yet. Listen to Sin Fang's lush tunes here.

Mansions Offers Dig Up The Dead For Free

Not too much to say here, but listen to this album. You can read a review of the album right here, while you can read an interview with Chris Browder here. The album can be downloaded for free for the next few hours at the above link

Artist Spotlight: Puffin On My Side - Lech-lecha

As far as Italian instrumental music goes, Alessio Mecozzi is a pretty big name. Not only the founding member and guitarist for band Mokadelic, but he is the sole member and writer for Puffin On My Side, a primarily ambient post-rock project. The overall feeling of this album fluctuates between the mellow ambiance of something like Circadian Eyes or even something like The Album Leaf, to dark and brooding, similar to something like Seven Mile Journey, or Tides from Nebula. There are some really cool sounds that come out of this album, though, even if one thinks the demeanor consistency leaves something to be desired. For example, on "Hard city Heart", the synth drums and guitar blend fantastically well, to form a backdrop for the main, mellow piano melody, creating an absolutely and flawlessly amazing soundscape in that moment. That portion of the song makes the album for me, creating chords so powerfully moving that it really gives some sort of permanent feeling about the release. There are quite a few more really well-orchestrated moments as well, tying each song together in little delicate streams, creating some fluidity and connection between the varying feels between each song. Post-rockers and fans alike should check this one out, for a little dabble in expe itrimentation, raw emotion, and brilliant orchestration.

You can get pick up the release on the band's Bandcamp page here.
If you feel so inclined, you can contribute to the effort by picking up the hard-copy of the CD, and checking out their other releases, at their online store here.

Album Review: Moving Mountains - Waves

The key to the success that led the two founders of Moving Mountains, Gregory Dunn and Nick Pizzolato, and their first creation, Pneuma, to the eventual doorsteps of Triple Crown Records wasn’t innovative musicianship or clever lyrical work; it was synthesis of many different genres that worked collectively to make a product whose success totaled the sum of its parts. Pneuma not only embodied the elements of many post-rock influences with its instrumental ambiance, but it wore Dunn’s lyrical heart on its sleeve in a fashion similar to bands such as The Appleseed Cast and Empire! Empire! (I Was A Lonely Estate); it had atmosphere, passion, and the necessary aural missteps to keep its production flawed, earnest, and in line with the aforementioned artists. In the four years since Pneuma’s release, Moving Mountains' base formula hasn’t changed substantially, as the synthesis of different ideas and genres are there in theory, but the band replaces their past focus on instrumental bands and dancing around sensitive lyrical topics with a more brash approach that displays a whole new breadth of influences that have shifted Moving Mountains’ focus. Not only is Waves Moving Mountains’ first approach at a full length as a complete band (Dunn and Pizzolato wrote Pneuma together), it is a culmination of the band’s newfound aggressive, sonically faster sound mixed with Dunn’s more blatantly honest lyrical search for answers for life, death and other musings that make the record a successful break from most, if not all of his and Pizzolato’s past influences.

The Lonely Island Wants To Have Sex With Your Mother

Citizens of Muzik Dizcovery with a sense of class be warned: Turtleneck & Chain is not for those who refuse to giggle at ridiculous self-deprecation, intercourse with your friend's mother, and people who refuse to be fans of "Garfield Sex Music." The Lonely Island, consisting of Saturday Night Live member Andy Samberg and SNL writers Akiva Schaffer and Jorma Taccone, imploded with their first musically mediocre but somewhat amusing album Incredibad. Not every joke connected (or was even worth listening to), but the album rode its singles to a relatively surprising amount of success and there eventually came a time where the internet population couldn't go without twenty minutes of reciting lines of "I'm On A Boat," or posting a GIF from the group's "Jizz In My Pants" music video. It was crude humor at best, and Turtleneck & Chain continues the trend of aggressively terrible musicianship with a focus on bigger, better, arguably more ridiculous and even more juvenile jokes.

Album Retrospective: Say Anything - Baseball

Starting a new little feature today, and I'll see how the reactions to it are. I'm going to go over an older album, talk about how it is, how it has affected the band's future, and how it has influenced music in general. If you have any requests for an album retro, please post it in the comments.

Most casual fans of Say Anything think that ...Is A Real Boy is the band's debut record. Actually, Baseball was released all the way back in 2001, and was an extremely limited release, with only about 200 physical copies sold. There still is no other way to buy it other than those first physicals. Max Bemis also pushed this record to the side, never playing any songs off of it live until the band's latest headlining tour, in which they played "Colorblind". However, the record is definitely a great listen. Though it isn't even close to as strong as the band's three major label releases, it shows the listener how far the band has developed since the beginning.

The Wealthy West

The Wealthy West is the side project of Brandon Kinder (lead singer of The Rocketboys), and belongs to the wave of neo-folk “hickster” bands that have popularized the country/indie fusion.  The melodies are charming and melancholy, the instrumentation simplistic and polished, and the lyrics sensitive.  “Home” shows off Kinder’s ability to write a killer melody and present it in an accessible package, while “Love is Not Enough” is a dark, cautionary song.  In many ways, The Wealthy West sounds like that one guy who sits on that one corner in your town with a guitar and a harmonica, but Kinder’s debut EP is polished an packaged in such a way that guarantees that these quiet little songs won’t leave you alone.  Listen to The Wealthy West on Facebook here.

Balance and Composure - Separation

Fans of Balance & Composure have been eagerly awaiting a full length release for quite some time now. After releasing two mature EPs and arguably the better side of a split with Tigers Jaw over the last three years, Balance and Composure finally appeased fans with news of Separation, comprised of twelve tracks.

Upon first listen, however, it's quite possible avid followers of Balance & Composure will be disappointed. Moving towards a more streamlined sound definitely contributed to a loss of "oomph" and raw emotion from the band's music. However, this more concentrated approach does give Separation a sense of cohesiveness and focus, attributes vital to a successful album.

Record Reflections: Inspirative - Memories Come Rushing Up To Meet Me Now

I'd downloaded this album a couple of months ago, and somehow forgot to listen to it. Getting back to it, though, was fantastic, and quickly made me regret not looking at this earlier. Bangkok-based band Inspirative released this record pretty quietly, but despite that, it's risen up to match up against some hard-hitting names in post-rock. Unfortunately, even after delving, not a lot of information is available about the band, but the sheer influence the record has speaks for itself. Tracks like "Flame Trees" and "He's Gazing At You From The Black Mirror" definitely reflect the Sigur Ros and Mogwai influences, with long, drawn-out yet moving buildups in the songs. Meanwhile, "Military Parachutes" takes on a much softer, more delicate sound, consisting mostly of piano and soft guitar.

Album Review: Tides From Nebula - Earthshine

Every now and again, a new and very memorable name in post-rock surfaces, and really sticks as a sound and name to be remembered. In this, Warsaw is lucky to have Tides of Nebula, because this band is golden. I'd never heard anything of them before this record, but after listening to it, I don't know if I want to hear anything else. The artistic, emotional feel of this album is so fantastic throughout that it's hard to draw away from it.

Haunting, puzzling, aesthetic throughout, the feel of the album stems from the first song, "These Days, Glory Days". Ethereal melodies float through a discordant ambiance, steadily growing and stretching, eventually forming into a buildup and a cathartic chorus of awe-filled, cloudy harmonies. A calm, pensive bridge leads up to a reprise of the chorus, and then an egression of that powerful, moving melody begins to dissipate into slower and slower moving, separate tunes of their own, eventually fading away.

This Is My Suitcase

Combine Say Anything, Panic! At The Disco, Foxy Shazam, and Jack's Mannequin. Add a few scoops of classic rock guitar solos. Blend together. Congratulations, you have now described This Is My Suitcase. Their newest free EP Four, The Birds, shows influences from every single one of those bands, and pulls it off very successfully. The songs are all piano led, but don't confuse this band for being a straightforward pop-rock band. There's a quirkiness contained within the band, as moments of mellow, poppy Jack's Mannequin turn into insane Foxy Shazam like shouts and guitars, such as in "At Least The Geese Survived". The lo-fi feel and the band's willingness to add some experimentation to the tracks may keep the band from being accessible to mainstream audiences, but This Is My Suitcase created a unique sound for themselves that should easily win over people looking for something new. You can stream and download the EP right here on the band's Bandcamp page.

Album Review: I Can Make A Mess Like Nobody's Business - Gold Rush

With his latest album, Gold Rush, Ace Enders of I Can Make a Mess Like Nobody’s Business embraces his younger side again.  After his previous album The World We Know, which was an episodic, ambient conceptual album, Gold Rush feels informal, energized, and even a little silly. Ace Enders has been in the scene news quite a bit lately over concern surrounding statements about the doubtful continuation of his musical career, but with the support of fans and a Kickstarter account, Gold Rush is both something of a miracle and a community effort.  Whether for this reason, or accidently, but fitting nonetheless, the album feels very intimate.  Acoustic guitars, egg shakers, and bongo drums give the feel of a jam session, or a show in your living room, rather than an electrified studio piece. But if this is a jam session, then it’s the best jam session you’ve ever heard. 

You, Me, And Everyone We Know - Things Are Really Weird Right Now

Things Are Really Weird Right Now is such a suiting title for the situation going on for the band right now. What was expected to be a little EP to tide us over has turned into You, Me, And Everyone We Know's possible final release. But I'm not here to talk about this beaten to death situation, instead I'm here to talk about the band's final four songs that they may ever release. These songs definitely are different than the majority of Some Things Don't Wash Out, but the songs definitely fit as classic You, Me, And Everyone We Know. The production is a lot less slick than the full length, but fans of the older Party For The Grown and Sexy sound will enjoy the rawer feel of the new tracks.

Johnnyrook

I found this band and I was immediately impressed. Unfortunately I pushed them aside and they've sat unnoticed in my music library until today. If you were ever a fan of Emery's In Shallow Seas We Sail, then Johnnyrook should be the next band you check out. Johnnyrook seem to have more of a heavy influence but hold back a bit by keeping the vocals clean and producing a sound that is a blend of rock and indie. Their lyrics are packed with emotion and fortunately, never come off as overly depressing. James Kuzma's vocals are almost flawless and are clearly a high point for the band. Check out their song "Computer" to see (hear) exactly what I mean. The band has three releases under their belt. Each release is a progression in the band's career and this can only mean good things for Johnnyrook's future. All of their music is available on their Bandcamp page.

tUnE-yArDs

It's unfortunate that the internet, while a gateway to diversities in all forms of art, has managed to cultivate a crowd that will look at Merrill Garbus, the woman behind tUnE-yArDs, mistake her eccentricity for convoluted madness, and make her work out to be unworthy of recognition because of its queer sensibilities. While it's true that Garbus' latest work, w h o k i l l, is by no means an easily accessible piece, it is arguably one of this year's finest examples of combining a thoroughly entertaining pop sound with an eclectic spin.

Artist Spotlight: Desert of Hiatus

The small, ambient project of Kevin Gwozdz, Portland, Oregon-based Desert of Hiatus released an album about a week ago that I downloaded and started listening to today, having a pretty long day and needing something to relax to. By the end of the listen, I was amazed that the album was over - it was a fantastic, calming experience that I've rarely had with music today, and one that will definitely allow this album to stick with me for a long time.

Gwozdz has a way of shaping his ambient music that makes it unbearably beautiful: he structures his album to that each song has it's own little flair and feeling, but those piecewise emotions, when all synced together, create an event that takes computation in order to really understand what's happened. The Meaning isn't Gwozdz's first crack at this either - his self-titled EP, consisting of a three-part song "New Rose, A Dead Flower" is equal in depth and hypnotic melody. I hope it keeps coming, they were both wonderful listens.

You can pick up both of his releases at his Bandcamp here.

Jordan Gable

Forget about Christofer Drew and listen to Jordan Gable. Gable steps up the acoustic/pop sound we're used to hearing from Drew and makes much more tolerable songs. Don't get me wrong, Nevershoutnever! is great but I feel like he appeals more to preteens and kids in their early teens. Gable's sound is more mature and his voice reaches heights that are controlled and rarely drift into an ear pitching whine. On older songs all the instrumental arrangements are done by Gable himself. Now that Gable has joined forces with drummer and percussionist Ryan Winnen, we might hear songs similar to his latest single "Crashing" on his next release. You can watch Gable's latest video for his new song, "Crashing", here. You can keep yourself updated with his Facebook page.