Catching Up #3
I am almost there, but then again when I stop at the PO Box there will be a large new stack.
Justin Bell and the Lazy Susan Band - Something Else Entirely
Besides the Soul Asylums, Replacements and other bands that supposedly constitute the raw Minneapolis sound. There is also the Gear Daddies, Semisonic and Jayhawks that drive that country-ish rock Minneapolis sound. Justin Bell and his band fit comfortably in that fray, for no better or for no worse.
Savage Aural Hotbed - the Unified Pounding Theory
You can't really explain this band in song or style terms. Think beats, but not from the computer. Think about these guys pounding on anything and everything creating soundscapes of rythym and percussion. The name of the CD says it all.
The Honeydogs - amygdala
I don't know how Adam Levy does it, he writes songs that are somewhat Beatles influenced but still all his own. He has put quite a few albums and keeps on rolling along. This new CD is as solid as all the previous ones and with the right attention might bring him back to the forefront of local music.
The Winter Blanket - Golden Sun
Quietly staggering through slow sparse rythyms, Winter Blanket are warm without being too hot. They coined the term "Sparhawkian" on their one sheet which I am sure I will have to use on any upcoming "Low" influenced bands. If you like it slow and deliberate, not happy or sad and enjoy sipping a cup of hot cocoa on a winter day this is a great CD.
Big Ditch Road - The Great Dissent (or) How Quantum Physics Saved My Life.
This band has transcended it's more rootsy sound and on this album sounds more may I say slow grungy. Maybe that isn't a good term to use, but hearing old R.E.M. style melodies mixed with a dirty guitar tone and rock and country backbeats is sounding nice to my ears.
Aviette - Until We Hear From Dave
It's incredible when I finally hear bands, that I have heard of but not heard and already have a preconceived notion about them. Aviette while melodic in a Pixieish way doesn't worry about not making any noise, with buzzing and off key guitar lines that seem to fit nicely into their beats and basslines. After my first listening, I think Aviette has a another new fan.
Carp 18 - Bug Rump - Joe Fahey - Tote Bag
Joe Fahey pulled off double duty releasing two cds at once, one a solo album and the other a Carp 18 CD. One of the cool things about Carp 18 back in the day was that they use to send out a funny little newsletter called catch of the day. Sort of like a pre-onion news letter in which the fake stories revolved the band. Anyway the CD they started in 1999 was never finished, and in the meantime while it sat, Joe started writing his own songs as well. So now its 2006 and he finished both of them and fitted them with very nice full color booklets and lots of unusual pictures. These albums probably won't create any sort of huge local buzz, but now that I get older sometimes nostalgia and humor can sway my opinion.
briandavid - Up Down Sideways
Listed as Acoustic Stomp Pop/Rock on his one sheet, briandavid is another one of those local artists that is in the category of having talent and a good sound but would cater to more of pop college crowd then to the undebelly of the music scene.
The Revamps - Love To Lose
I have talked this band probably too much already about how they went from a crappy low production value demo with some ok songs on it to a highly polished and well produced indie rock record. You have to at least give this one a listen and let me know what you think.
msrp - one hundred fold oragami meteor
Somewhere in between driving techno and the local key word electropunk msrp have some cool music which might stand out a little because the vocals are a little different then the rest. I really enjoy the music, the vocals might take longer to get use to.
Sexual Chocolate and the White Boys - Pure Poison
A little funky and not in my realm of music knowledge, so I will digress from forming any type of opinion.
Laura Hartley - Self Titled
Laura Hartley has a great voice, you can hear it on this recording. The electro pop backing music and her stunning vocals however don't really make this a very interesting record. Maybe if you over 40, single and trying to score you can pop this in right before you hit the button to start up the flames in the fake fireplace, it might make more sense.
Aaron Kerr - Arco 71
Never knowing this was a cello heavy classical/experimental/improvisational CD, much to my suprise it was. I might put this on at a party just to have people think "he has very eclectic taste in music" An interesting and different collection of pieces, if your into that sort of thing.
Wire Hangers - Sinister Campfire Music
When you get a homemade CD package - with it looks like a spray painted CD. You never know what your going to get. Wire Hangers are an average lo-fi acoustic group with some average songs. They aren't bad, just not yet good.
My Valkyrie - Self Titled
Mark Holland has been playing music around town for quite awhile now. Nothing he has done musically that he recorded has really impressed me that much, including this CD. Holland does make up for it abit by being an entertaining live performer. My Valkyrie sounds like a watered down indie rock band to me, but hey I have been wrong before.
Traveled Ground - from the rafters
Roots music and bluegrass music has made quite an impact on the local music scene. It was only a matter of time before someone watered it down a bit. While this CD has the instruments and chord progressions of country bluegrass and roots music it doesn't have the heart or grit of something real.
Chill 7 - Buzz's Fat Tire
Another CD out of my spectrum of musical knowledge. Jazz, Funk and rock rolled all into one I guess.
Well there goes another batch of opinonated ramblings and brief descriptions of local releases. More to come soon.
Justin Bell and the Lazy Susan Band - Something Else Entirely
Besides the Soul Asylums, Replacements and other bands that supposedly constitute the raw Minneapolis sound. There is also the Gear Daddies, Semisonic and Jayhawks that drive that country-ish rock Minneapolis sound. Justin Bell and his band fit comfortably in that fray, for no better or for no worse.
Savage Aural Hotbed - the Unified Pounding Theory
You can't really explain this band in song or style terms. Think beats, but not from the computer. Think about these guys pounding on anything and everything creating soundscapes of rythym and percussion. The name of the CD says it all.
The Honeydogs - amygdala
I don't know how Adam Levy does it, he writes songs that are somewhat Beatles influenced but still all his own. He has put quite a few albums and keeps on rolling along. This new CD is as solid as all the previous ones and with the right attention might bring him back to the forefront of local music.
The Winter Blanket - Golden Sun
Quietly staggering through slow sparse rythyms, Winter Blanket are warm without being too hot. They coined the term "Sparhawkian" on their one sheet which I am sure I will have to use on any upcoming "Low" influenced bands. If you like it slow and deliberate, not happy or sad and enjoy sipping a cup of hot cocoa on a winter day this is a great CD.
Big Ditch Road - The Great Dissent (or) How Quantum Physics Saved My Life.
This band has transcended it's more rootsy sound and on this album sounds more may I say slow grungy. Maybe that isn't a good term to use, but hearing old R.E.M. style melodies mixed with a dirty guitar tone and rock and country backbeats is sounding nice to my ears.
Aviette - Until We Hear From Dave
It's incredible when I finally hear bands, that I have heard of but not heard and already have a preconceived notion about them. Aviette while melodic in a Pixieish way doesn't worry about not making any noise, with buzzing and off key guitar lines that seem to fit nicely into their beats and basslines. After my first listening, I think Aviette has a another new fan.
Carp 18 - Bug Rump - Joe Fahey - Tote Bag
Joe Fahey pulled off double duty releasing two cds at once, one a solo album and the other a Carp 18 CD. One of the cool things about Carp 18 back in the day was that they use to send out a funny little newsletter called catch of the day. Sort of like a pre-onion news letter in which the fake stories revolved the band. Anyway the CD they started in 1999 was never finished, and in the meantime while it sat, Joe started writing his own songs as well. So now its 2006 and he finished both of them and fitted them with very nice full color booklets and lots of unusual pictures. These albums probably won't create any sort of huge local buzz, but now that I get older sometimes nostalgia and humor can sway my opinion.
briandavid - Up Down Sideways
Listed as Acoustic Stomp Pop/Rock on his one sheet, briandavid is another one of those local artists that is in the category of having talent and a good sound but would cater to more of pop college crowd then to the undebelly of the music scene.
The Revamps - Love To Lose
I have talked this band probably too much already about how they went from a crappy low production value demo with some ok songs on it to a highly polished and well produced indie rock record. You have to at least give this one a listen and let me know what you think.
msrp - one hundred fold oragami meteor
Somewhere in between driving techno and the local key word electropunk msrp have some cool music which might stand out a little because the vocals are a little different then the rest. I really enjoy the music, the vocals might take longer to get use to.
Sexual Chocolate and the White Boys - Pure Poison
A little funky and not in my realm of music knowledge, so I will digress from forming any type of opinion.
Laura Hartley - Self Titled
Laura Hartley has a great voice, you can hear it on this recording. The electro pop backing music and her stunning vocals however don't really make this a very interesting record. Maybe if you over 40, single and trying to score you can pop this in right before you hit the button to start up the flames in the fake fireplace, it might make more sense.
Aaron Kerr - Arco 71
Never knowing this was a cello heavy classical/experimental/improvisational CD, much to my suprise it was. I might put this on at a party just to have people think "he has very eclectic taste in music" An interesting and different collection of pieces, if your into that sort of thing.
Wire Hangers - Sinister Campfire Music
When you get a homemade CD package - with it looks like a spray painted CD. You never know what your going to get. Wire Hangers are an average lo-fi acoustic group with some average songs. They aren't bad, just not yet good.
My Valkyrie - Self Titled
Mark Holland has been playing music around town for quite awhile now. Nothing he has done musically that he recorded has really impressed me that much, including this CD. Holland does make up for it abit by being an entertaining live performer. My Valkyrie sounds like a watered down indie rock band to me, but hey I have been wrong before.
Traveled Ground - from the rafters
Roots music and bluegrass music has made quite an impact on the local music scene. It was only a matter of time before someone watered it down a bit. While this CD has the instruments and chord progressions of country bluegrass and roots music it doesn't have the heart or grit of something real.
Chill 7 - Buzz's Fat Tire
Another CD out of my spectrum of musical knowledge. Jazz, Funk and rock rolled all into one I guess.
Well there goes another batch of opinonated ramblings and brief descriptions of local releases. More to come soon.
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