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The Cape May
Glass Mountain Roads

Here’s another great album that got lost in the shuffle. The Cape May gives you a moody soundtrack of not-quite-post rock that calls to mind the subdued angst in Pedro the Lion and Bedhead matched with some of the complexity of the artsy Chicago rock scene and the more complex denizens on Touch and Go. Oh, and by the way they’re yet another Canadian band - seem to see a lot of good bands from Canada that play this type of music.

The focus is on dreamy soundscapes and musical textures rather than bang-em-out 4 minute pop gems. Needless to say, it might take a few listens to get really comfortable with the album. However, their occasional Built to Spill prog-like excursions don’t leave you with the uncomfortable feeling that they’re out to try to prove some musical theory. I find that happens sometimes with bands that play this type of music.

The experimental stuff is heavily tempered by a layering of instruments like various strings, accordian, keyboard and theremin. The acoustic leanings of the band sort of remind me of Norfolk and Western at times. Vocally, I hear the aforementioned David Bazan along with something like Thom Yorke plus maybe Jason Molina. This is a solid, interesting CD that earned its place in my CD collection the hard way through repeated listening.

Listen:
Spring Flight to the Land of Fire
Copper Tied

On Itunes:
Glass Mountain Roads

Visit:
The Cape May website
Flemish Eye website

by Palebear | No Comments

Ah yes, the blurbs are back. Did you know there is some truly wonderful indie music from the Baltimore, MD and surrounding area? Here are just a few:

1. Warning - Monarch (Madder Rose meets Rilo Kiley, hint of Tengo)

2. Colored Lenses - The Seldon Plan (Posies and Nada Surf and Fanclub)

3. Heartbeats - Thrushes (Jesus and Mary Chain meets Loquat and Cat Power)

4. A Better Way - Private Eleanor (Amanset, a little Posies)

5. Apple Orchard - Beach House (early Elk City, Mazzy Star, Cat Power)

by Palebear | No Comments

Beulah
Silver Lining

The Target Commercial indie music parade continues with the band Beulah, one of my all time E6 faves. I always get so distracted by the music that I forget what the actual commercial features… in this case, I just remember in the beginning it’s a teacher drawing a bunch of things in crayon or chalk on a wall that he then walks through as a classroom.

But anyhow, the important thing is that it’s them all right - the song being played is “Silver Lining” off The Coast Is Never Clear. It’s got the trademark trumpet indie pop lines, simple guitar groove and splashing drums that make them such a great band.

You know - the crazy thing is that earlier I’d heard an Apples In Stereo track for Target too, but I completely forgot about it until I heard the Beulah one! I’ll have to post about that one later…

by Palebear | No Comments

Eulogies
S/T

Man, before I begin: do NOT go about making the U.S. Post Office workers angry at you if you care about receiving your mail. I dunno what happened, but it turns out they were “holding up” all my incoming mail. I didn’t issue a hold on it or anything. They just didn’t want to give it to me!

So today, when I went in, some kind soul at the Post Office probably realized the error made and I was literally swamped with packages dating back two months ago. Not that I was complaining about having the flood of CDs reduced to a trickle lately - it’s been difficult with the shoulder/back injuries to do much computering and reviewering. But anyway, whew glad they finally decided to give me my mail. OK- back to the review:

I have to admit that I didn’t care so much for Peter Walker’s solo stuff. I’d gotten his Young Gravity CD earlier and just never got into it. The songs on that album seemed to have a lot of promise but just didn’t seem to grab me. I didn’t really feel the Wilco/Neil Young comparisons either.

However, Walker has a new band called Eulogies that DOES seem to add the missing musical puzzle pieces in the form of bandmates Chris Reynolds and Tim Hutton. With the addition of those guys, the songs sound nice and full and Walker’s voice nestles itself nicely into the music. At times, the songs remind me a little bit of labelmates Sea Wolf (minus the strings, of course).

Even though I know Walker is a sometimes folksy/mellow singer-songwriter, some of the best songs by Eulogies are the ones that have a driving beat like “Suicide” and “Under The Knife”. The bass on that latter song is pretty cool and reminds me of indie instrumental bands like El Ten Eleven and Scenic. Other tracks like the excellent “Can’t Relate” have hints of Grandaddy and Sparklehorse embedded deliciously in the mix. There is some serious goodness here - I’m going to have to go back and revisit Young Gravity just to make sure I wasn’t napping when that particular CD was dropped in my player.

Visit:
Eulogies website
Dangerbird

by Palebear | No Comments

Hey. Given the following “bands”, which would you be the most inclined not to end up clawing your eyes out from experiencing hideous auditory pain:

1. Pat Benatar
2. Kool & The Gang
3. John Kay & Steppenwolf
4. Joan Jett and the Blackhearts
5. Teena Marie
6. KC & The Sunshine Band

I only ask because this is the “Plethora of Entertainment” lineup coming to my home town’s super spectacularrrr Summer Jubilee where they block off the street and have free, Yes, FREE ENTERTAINMENT hooray hooray break out the beery cowbell, every Saturday from July 7 to August 11. Ugh ugh ugh.

I guess, if you pointed a loaded banana at my head, I would vote for 4, 1, 2, 6, 3, 5 in that order. Or better yet, I’ll just have self-actuating crapola music earplugs installed in my head for when I roll anywhere near Main St.

Boy do I live in a shitty music town suburb.

Added: Ah, I forgot to mention another interesting thing about where I live - it just happens to be the city of residence of Phil Spector. In fact, the Pyrenees Castle is about 3-4 minutes away…

by Palebear | 5 Comments

Fionn Regan
The End Of History

Beautiful, clear fingerpicking is what originally drew me to Fionn Regan’s The End of History release. Added arrangements with strings and sparse, brushed drums kept me going starting with “Hunters Map”, a sort of spaghetti western style song meeting up with Iron and Wine. Great vocals and melodies rounded out the arrangements and continued throughout the album making this a very good folksy alt-country offering.

On tracks like “Hey Rabbit”, Fionn reminds me of James Booth a little bit - there’s a definite dramatic tinge in his voice. Other songs like “Put A Penny In The Slot” remind me of a super indie folk band I like called Ponies In The Surf. Overall, the songs are extremely strong, not watered down like some of the folk and country stuff that passes through the doors, and it’s been spending a considerable amount of time in the stereo over here. I think Fionn is Irish… this debut record is out on the Lost Highway label in the U.S, but on Bella Union elsewhere.

Listen:
Fionn Regan Myspace

On Itunes:
The End Of History

Watch:
Be Good or Be Gone

Visit:
Fionn Regan’s website

by Palebear | No Comments

Tullycraft
Sweet

Man, I was sitting in the waiting room watching the dreary teevee at the orthopedist the other day when I heard the music for a commercial for Weinerschnitzel - and I just couldn’t believe it. I mean, a surprising number of indie bands have showed up in commercials - what with music sales going kaput, I say more power to them if they can make a few bucks without completely selling out (hint: hey bands, stop giving the evil corporations your most popular tracks - I mean YOU Peter, Bjorn and John).

But anyhow, Tullycraft was the last band I thought I’d hear in a commercial - let alone a big fast food player like Weinerschnitzel. But yep, there was the track called “Sweet” from Tullycraft’s Old Traditions, New Standards being played as background music for hot doggian shenanigans. It’s the one where the lyrics keep going “Cause you’re sweet, you’re so incredibly sweet.”

I’ve got nothing against the twee-popsters giving up their music for a commercial - they deserve it. I’m just surprised (sorta pleasantly) that the agency behind it was willing to use their music - I mean c’mon if you know Tullycraft, they’re not exactly showcasing their perfect in-tune vocals. They’re positively lo-fi by many standards. But I love ‘em anyhow. Just surprised that an agency would feel the same.

Interestingly, immediately after this commercial I was treated to a 90s flashback - I heard Elastica being used for a Saturn (?) commercial. That was a bizarre feeling - to have two alt bands in a row on TV commercials. Man, at this rate I’m going to try write some songs myself with commercials jingles in mind… since there’s certainly no money to be made by actually selling CDs (grumble, grumble).

by Palebear | 2 Comments

Arctic Sleep
Mare Vaporum

Back in the day, KXLU used to occasionally play this insane, minimalist song by a band called Slug that consisted of a single sludgy distorted chord being played over and over some standard Velvet Underground drumbeat for about 15 minutes with no vocals. For some reason, instead of switching the radio station, I’d sit there mesmerized in the car while the beat quite literally went on.

Arctic Sleep ain’t exactly like that, but there are moments when I thought they were similar. Likewise, their EP Mare Vaporum wasn’t exactly the music I’d listen to everyday but held me oddly captivated. The music is extremely distorted space rock / shoe-gaze, but there are different stylistic and melodic elements here that make it stand out. It’s sort of like Pedro the Lion or early Sebadoh being played by Flying Saucer Attack. The deep ocean distortion doesn’t flay you alive, but instead caresses you with kindness. There’s another band who I saw a few times that they sort of remind me of called Ativin. The 5 atmospheric tracks on the EP have really made for some lovely listening in this sweltering heat of late - turn on the A.C., and turn up the Arctic Sleep.

Visit:
Arctic Sleep on Myspace

by Palebear | No Comments

Hey, sorry all for the lack of posts and reviews lately. I’ve had to go to see an orthopedic doctor to try and fix the shoulder and back problems that have been plaguing me for about 2 years. As part of the solution, I really need to prioritize down my computer usage - and so all the sites that don’t “pay the bills” are going receive much less attention in the coming months. I hate to keep harping on it but Palebear is probably the TOP site that I spend time on and the BOTTOM site as far as revenue goes. Yep. Something is seriously wrong in this Denmark of indie music reviewing…

So, sorry. But you gotta roll with it. If you have sent in CDs or emails please don’t be offended if I don’t review it. I very well may have liked it, but every review written takes a big chunk out of the “shoulder” quota computer usage.

by Palebear | No Comments

You know what? I’m going to have to apologize in advance to Dappled Cities for getting up on the rant-box within their review. Sorry guys, the album IS very good - and unique sounding. Ironically, what I wanted to say is that I do read quite a few music mp3 blogs around the net and it seems like more and more you read a review where the content has almost nothing to do with the actual music and more to do what the author had for lunch, or what shirt his girlfriend was wearing that day which reminded him so poignantly about the band he’s talking about. I say ironic, because I guess that’s what I’m actually doing in this review!

Many Mp3 blogs have those short Seinfeldish reviews, and then they end with 1 or 2 sentences saying, “nice album, they’re playing at BlahBlah Bar, check it out HERE (linking to many online MP3s). For that pittance of actual music coverage, they get a reamload of CDs in the mail from the major indies for free. Uh, not that I don’t get a few CDs for free myself.

Every so often, I go through this existential, fatalistic, gloom-n-doom reasoning about the site - wherein I say, why do I even bother talking about these bands? (Have you guessed yet that today is one of those days?) Surely, everyone is just going to go to read the insightful reviews at Bitchfork or StereoDum if they really want to know about a band. And if they just want links or free music, all they need to do is look at any of the more popular indie blogs out there. No one needs indie blogs that actually try to write more than a piddling few sentences about a band, right?

EXACTLY RIGHT. Over the past year or so, I’ve come to the conclusion that if you can’t beat them, then join them. So I’ve been sort of cutting down on the length of the reviews. But you know what? I just can’t bring myself to completely suck out like the majority of review blogs out there. Every now and again I feel like spouting. Hence, the split focus of this blog between reviews and personal “issues”.

If you’ve been any kind of reader of this blog, you’ll remember that I’ve had this sort of conversation with myself many times (working from home has the unfortunate consequence of encouraging discussions with either the cat or the washing machine). I feel like that Al Franken character that talks into a mirror to reassure himself that everything is hunky-dory. He’s talking into the mirror and going “It’s OK to write short reviews. The bands AREN’T going to contact you with hate mail. The readers aren’t going to go over to read Bitchfork instead - and you know why? Because people LIKE me.”

I think it’s just that every so often, I need to physically remind myself by writing it down in the blog that there’s no need to feel bad about writing 1 or 2 piddling sentences about a band and calling a review. I’m sure the majority of the college kids writing blogs are more concerned about the next after-show boozer party than that. More power to ‘em I guess, it sure helps keep you writing post after post.

Did I also mention I have been having extreme shoulder issues from a non-ergonomic work environment, and that writing for Palebear is often to blame? Yeah - suffer for your great work…

Keeping this reviews site semi-personal has been helpful, especially on those days when anything is liable to set me off in a spiral of musical depression. I keep saying I’ll try to make more personal posts more often, but I keep getting caught up with the number of CDs coming in.

Anyhow, back to Dappled Cities. This must be the longest review they’ve ever received that isn’t directly about their music - or not. Their release “Granddance” on Dangerbird is positively Arcade Fire-ish, especially on tracks like “Colour Coding” and “Watercourse”. Over tracks like the great “Work It Out” are sort of like Danielson’s Trumpet song - they have that sort of ringmaster showmanship vibe. The instrumentation is great, as are the overall dynamics. Er, are they from Australia or are they just touring there?

Visit:
Dappled Cities website

by Palebear | 2 Comments