Album Review: Kurt Travis - Wha Happen?

Rating: A-

Kurt Travis has been on a bumpy ride the past few years. Getting scooped up as the replacement for Jonny Craig in Dance Gavin Dance for two albums, Travis was dropped as suddenly as he was hired. The pathetic drama that Travis was not even allowed to participate in aside, Travis found himself without a job, eventually to become the vocalist for another Sacramento band, A Lot Like Birds. However, in the void of time between acts, Travis recorded various solo tracks, many of which made their way onto his now defunct bandcamp. After the release of his debut with A Lot Like Birds, Travis took it upon himself to put together some of these songs as well as a few unreleased tracks for an EP titled Wha Happen? The EP is released through Doghouse Records on January 24th and is quite an experience.

Album Review: Rabbit Troupe - Treasures Are Miniscule

Album Rating: A-

Lately I have come to a conclusion that there is no better genre of music than dirty, loud, and catchy punk. It can easily channel any emotion just as good as any other genre of music, so why not do it via lo-fi recording techniques and blunt yet honest and effective lyrics? There's nothing that makes recordings more human and relatable than a couple of raw, untampered with tracks recorded in somebody's basement. Everything good about punk and music in general, from songs about heartbreak to songs soundtracking a drunken escapade, is presented in the latest output from New Jersey's Rabbit Troupe, in the form of a dirty fifteen minute EP, Treasures Are Miniscule.

Album Review: John K. Samson - Provincial

Album Rating: B

John K. Samson is no stranger to the music world, after all for years he's been a part of a little band called The Weakerthans...maybe you've heard of them?  Oh, and not to mention playing for Propagandhi during the 1990's.  Yes Samson certainly has had his fair share of time in the music business, but rarely has he displayed his prowess as a solo artist.  Sure he's been threatening it with a few releases here and there, but it hasn't been until now that we've been treated to a true full length album.

Enter Provincial, John K. Samson's take on the earthy folk displayed with his main band, taken to the extreme.  More important than how it sounds, however, is how it feels.  It's not often that we as listeners can observe the subtle emotions of the artist, but Provincial does a great job at creating an emotive piece of music whose atmosphere is unique to Samson.  This is where the album excels; a beautiful and touching work that reaches the listener via multiple layers.  Instant gratification is here, don't worry, but how much you put into the album is equal to what you'll get back.  On its surface is a nice folk record, but underneath is something much more absorbing and evocative.

The Daily Blair: New Muzik Monday!

Today I will recommend you some music that you might not have heard before. We will call it New Muzik Monday! Enjoy!

1. Diagrams - Black Light

Early Rating: B
Check It Out

Black Light is the most fascinating album I have listened to this year. The album is fascinating because it tries to do just about everything: it tries to be an album you can dance to and an album you can cry to, it tries to be an album that is mainstream while be an album that is groundbreaking, it tries to be MGMT while still being U2, it tries to be aggressive while still being graceful, and it tries to be everything without really ever tying itself down to one particular idea, structure, or genre. Black Light essentially tries to be everything while being nothing at the same time. Even though this idea may sound impossible and illogical, Diagrams are able to pull off on songs like "Black Light," "Peninsula," and "Night All Night." On these songs the band is able to combine many influences (they are able to combine the aggressiveness of MGMT with the awareness of U2,) they are able to have a mainstream sound that could still pass as indie (think Foster The People,) the songs are free (do not really have a particular structure, do not stick to one idea, and could not be classified under one genre,) and the songs are really catchy and have great instrumentation. On other tracks though the Diagrams music sounds like a total mess and it sounds like the band is trying to accomplish a little too much. Still something you should definitely check out.

Album Review: And The Giraffe - Something For Someone (EP)

EP Rating: B

Considering that he's released a pair of undisputed masterpieces and established himself as something of an alternative icon over the past four years, the lack of young bands willing to follow Justin Vernon's lead seems somewhat curious. Yes, the luscious and dreamlike folk that the Bon Iver mainman purveys is of the very highest order in both it's taste and it's sophistication, but that doesn't usually stop hordes of newer acts taking cue from the latest musical phenomena. No matter the reasoning, the relative lack of similar artists has meant that those that do exist haven't found their way blocked by saturation, and it's because of that that bands such as And The Giraffe sound genuinely refreshing rather than like tiresome also-rans.

Artist Spotlight: Vocal Few

Sometimes it seems that people are brought together simply so they can make beautiful music together. Matt MacDonald is known for making rock music with The Classic Crime, but working with his wife Kristie on The Vocal Few may have given us some of his best music. A dramatic departure from The Classic Crime, Vocal Few is simply guitars, keys, and absolutely stunning harmonies between the two lovers. Kristie's angelic voice fits perfectly with Matt's unique timbre, and She'll Be Right is probably the pinnacle of his singing career. While this EP was mostly created in order to assist in raising their brand new child and Matt still has The Classic Crime to focus on, hopefully there will be more Vocal Few releases in the future. It'd be best for the couple to do so, as Vocal Few easily has the potential to gain a following greater than that of The Classic Crime. The pairing between lovers is just too perfect.
She'll Be Right is currently available for streaming and purchase on the band's Bandcamp page, which you can find here.

Album Review: A Loss for Words/Such Gold - Split

Rating: B-

A Loss for Words and Such Gold come together for a 7" split through No Sleep and Mightier Than Sword Records. Though short, the release is great fun with a polished sound but a local band feel that fans of pop punk will definitely enjoy jamming out to.

Album Review: Red Orchid - Blood Vessels & Marshmallows

Album Rating: C+

Sanmeet Sidhu is the driving force behind Red Orchid - an experimental band, if anything. Red Orchid works on ever expanding their genre base, drawing influences from everything to progressive rock to post-rock, and stopping at quite a few good (and a few not so good) places along the way. The full-length debut fully shows each genre Sidhu borrows ideas from. However, the way he goes about it is both the best and worst part of the album. Although a creative idea to mash each of one's favorite genres into a unique musical sound, there's too much blending of ideas into Blood Vessels & Marshmallows, to the point of muddling the core of the album into too many different strains to follow.

Album Review: Jenny Hval - Viscera

Album Rating: A-

File under "Albums I wish I would have paid more attention to last year."  There's really no denying that Jenny Hval's Viscera should have not only made my end of the year list, but others' lists as well.  And sure, maybe too much stock is put into "The List," especially from self-proclaimed music critics such as myself, but recognition of an artist's work goes a long way in regards to promotion.  And believe me, this girl needs--and deserves--all the promotion she can get because Viscera is one of the freshest and most intriguing albums I have heard in a long, long time.

The Mars Volta - Noctourniquet

Although news articles and artist spotlights are supposed to be impartial, I cannot help but express my unfathomable excitment after hearing about the latest from my personal favorite band, The Mars Volta.  The last we heard from them was in mid 2009 when they dropped their fifth album, Octahedron, which was seen as their "acoustic album," although there was little acoustics used.  Since then the band has been mum on a release, aside from their typical "we've had our new album written for years!" schtick that continues to be more difficult to believe.  Yet here we are, three years later, and The Mars Volta have finally revieled details concerning their sixth album, Noctourniquet.

Not a whole lot is known about Noctourniquet, save for the track list, release date, and album cover.  And while that information would be enough coming from any other band, one cannot predict what The Mars Volta will do next.  They could reinvent pop, delve further into electronics, or even do death metal--there really is simply no way of knowing.  One could speculate, but chances are it would miss the mark.  After all, the jazz infused prog rock of Frances the Mute and De-loused in the Comatorium are a far cry from the alt-rock stylings of Octahedron.

My anticipation, interpreted by Cedric Bixler-Zavala himself

Yet it's the glorious uncertainty that always makes each release special; a fresh and exciting revelation that the listener is truly being treated to something new.  Noctourniquet drops on March 27th, and is definitely something to keep on radar.



Tracklisting:
1. The Whip Hand
2. Aegis
3. Dyslexicon
4. Empty Vessels Make The Loudest Sound
5. The Malkin Jewel
6. Lapochka
7. In Absentia
8. Imago
9. Molochwalker
10. Trinkets Pale Of Moon
11. Vedamalady
12. Noctourniquet
13. Zed And Two Naughts

Album Review: Matt Elliott - The Broken Man

Album Rating: B+

2012 has, by this writer's estimation at least, been a bit slow out of the blocks, but one thing that can't be argued with is that folk music has gotten off to a flyer. This week has seen the release of Swedish sisters First Aid Kit's stunning sophomore The Lion's Roar to virtually universal acclaim, and although it's passed somewhat under-the-radar by comparison, the same could be said of the new album from Bristol singer-songwriter Matt Elliott. I'll be honest, I don't profess to have much (if any) in depth knowledge regarding Elliott's expansive discography, nor that of The Third Eye Foundation, the electronic project that he was formerly involved in. I could fake omniscience, but I'd be made to look like a fool by someone who actually does know their stuff, so this review is very much from an outsider's point of view. What I can make clear, however, is that on The Broken Man his brand of "dark folk" works a treat, and makes for a record that's constantly rewarding and occasionally spellbinding.

Album Review: Spanish Prisoners- Gold Fools

Album Rating: B+

You always know what you want to be but you never are actually willing to become that person. The person who wants to have Spartan Abs for the New Year only goes to the gym for one day, the person who wants to recommit themselves to a religion gives up after one bad day, the Dad who is trying to become a better father gives up after he realizes that alcohol still exists, and the kid that says he is going to get better grades gives up after he realizes how hard it is to be a good student. You want to Brad Pitt until you realize being Brad Pitt requires taking the stairs, you might want to be Billy Graham until you realize that being Billy Graham requires trading your scarlet letters in for red letters, you might want to be a boy genius until you realize that you have to open a textbook, and you might want to be Bill Cosby until you realize that you have an absolutely awful Bill Cosby impression. We will always strive to be someone new but it is rare that we actually change into a new person because changing oneself requires work. Change is always on paper or up to perception instead of being seen in the eyes of other people.

Album Review: Big Deal - Lights Out

Album Rating: B+

It's been nearly thirty-five years since Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta graced listeners and viewers alike with their silver-screen performance of 'You're the One That I Want' on the 1978 film version of Grease; and while the overabundance of black spandex and flagrant expressions of desire seem more than a little cheesy in a modern viewing of the scene, the cutesy duet is wholly iconic in its own right.  This isn't to say that these tinsel-town lovebirds were the first to cash in on on the poppy pastiche afforded by the boy/girl combo; the jig is as old as pop music itself, they just so happened to make a statement of it.  Hence, it's pretty easy to see why so many couples have tried to follow in their wake since, ranging from Ross and Richie's 'Endless Love' to Jay-Z and Beyonce's relationship in general; and, on a lesser-known scale, manifest in such modern groups as Lemuria or appropriately-named She & Him.  Point is, if you're going to play the indie girl / melancholic boy card in 2012, you damn well better do it right.

Album Playlist: 1/23/12

There For Tomorrow - A Little Faster
(2009) (B+)

There For Tomorrow just feels criminally underrated to me. They're much better than the scene that they are associated with, and the bands that they tour with do nothing to remove those associations. A Little Faster shows that There For Tomorrow can create an extremely strong record, with not one weak song out of the eleven on the album. Maika Maile's vocals are powerful, and each of the band members' have tightened up their instrumental skills from the self-titled EP. With three ballads, a couple mid tempo anthems, and a bunch of uptempo rockers, A Little Faster is fantastic.
Key Tracks: "Stories", "Wish You Away", "The Remedy"
Recommended If You Like: Anberlin, Ivoryline

Album Review: Gonjasufi - MU.ZZ.LE

Album Rating: B

Gonjasufi (aka Sumach Ecks) has risen to the top in a considerably short time. Presenting us with his left-field entry album A Sufi and a Killer, Gonjasufi immediately found a sound that was all at once challenging and accessible. Splicing wispy, ethereal elements with his grimy vocals, Gonjasufi nestled into a cultural medium and exercised the dichotomy between restraint and release. Speaking of the title of his debut, Gonjasufi said, “The Sufi side of life has helped me with my killer side so I try not to attach myself to any label. There's a Sufi and a killer in everybody, man.” And that sentiment is apparent all throughout said album, specifically in the contrast between the more jaded, emotionally driven tracks (“She Gone”) and the happier moods set (“Klowds”). Choosing to produce his new album on his own (without the talents of LA producer Gaslamp Killer), MU.ZZ.LE takes a considerably different direction and focuses more on mood (on the surface, at least).

Album Review: Matt Pryor - May Day

Album Rating: B+

Matt Pryor, a name known to many a troubled 90's youth, has been fairly active as of late. Not only will The Get-Up Kids have up and coming tour dates, but The New Amsterdams will see a compilation, and a not-yet-announced project with friends of Pryor will see the light of day as well. However, the forward motion of this rolling stone begins with May Day, the second solo release in Pryor's solo, acoustic folk effort. Each of the songs has a heartfelt quality about them, and that's not just because half of the songs sound like lo-fi recordings from a dinghy room lit by a single, bare bulb, but more the bright, uplifting yet quiet, melancholy aspects that the songs seem to portray. Pryor's creativity comes bursting out of May Day with great gusto, impressive not only from an album written, recorded, and mixed in a month, but for any indie effort period.

MuzikDizcovery Recreations: Mansions - Blackest Sky

We're starting a new series here on MuzikDizcovery called MuzikDizcovery Recreations. Bands will be recreating their own tracks by changing the arrangements, tempo, or other things, or by covering a song in their own style. If you want to be part of this series, please email me at caseywhitman@muzikdizcovery.com, and we will work this out.


Before Mansions' show at Jammin Java on January 20th, Chris sat down with us to be part of the first edition of MuzikDizcovery Recreations. He decided to recreate the crunchy distorted guitars of "Blackest Sky" with a little keyboard, which you can watch below. You can also watch a video (taken from Youtube) of him performing "Blackest Sky" in the original way. Let us know what you think of the recreated version in the comments. Check out Mansions on Facebook here.

The Daily Blair: Spotlighting Vess

By now you guys know how much I love the last few minutes of Radiohead's "Paranoid Android," how much I love the songwriting on Bright Eyes I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning, how I tend not to have any clothes on anytime I hear anything off of Abbey Road, how much I want to cry anything I hear a song of the Antlers' Hospice, how Frank Turner single handedly made me question everything I thought I knew, how awkward it is when I dance to "Otis," and how much Ryan Adams reminds me of the new Facebook timeline.

Even though I love all of this music, it isn't really the reason I listen to music. We all know how good Radiohead is because we have been listening to them for years, we all know that Conor Oberst will make bulimic teenage girls go crazy for years to come, we all know how good of musicians three of the Beatles were, we all know that the Antlers will continue to make some beautiful and depressing songs, we all know that Frank Turner will continue to be the man,we all know that Jay-Z and Kanye will continue to inspire my rapping career (B-Hizzle,) and we all now that Ryan Adams musical career will be about as consistent as Mandy Moore's acting career.

Album Review: First Aid Kit - The Lion's Roar

Album Rating: A

When First Aid Kit emerged from the shadows with their Drunken Trees EP almost four years ago, you always got the impression that their name was set to stick around for the considerable future. Ok, that debut release and subsequent album The Big Black And The Blue did pass by largely without fuss, but such was the obvious talent at work it didn't take much working out that Swedish sisters Johanna and Klara Söderberg were destined for bigger things. As such, it comes as little surprise that they've pulled the stops with this sophomore effort, building expertly upon their strengths all while snuffing out what few weaknesses they had, with the end product being something of a modern folk classic.

Album Playlist: 1/18/12

Mae - The Everglow
(2005) (A)

The Everglow is a top five favorite album of all time to me. The entire record is perfectly flowing from one song to the next, and every single song is extremely memorable. "We're So Far Away" is one of the best piano ballads ever. Honestly, this record has zero weaknesses, though it doesn't hit me as hard as Everything In Transit and Leaving Through The Window do.
Key Tracks: This is not an album to listen to individual tracks to, but if you really want some, "The Everglow", "We're So Far Away", "Someone Else's Arms"


Recommended If You Like: Piano supported, guitar based pop rock. Really though, everyone should be able to love this album.

Check below the jump for one of my favorite records of 2011 by Those Dancing Days and Mayday Parade's comeback record.