Wolfmother - Cosmic Egg

Wolfmother exploded onto the music scene in 2005 with their self titled debut album, creating a buzz that spread across the world and forever embedding the song "Woman" into my subconscious. The album eventually went platinum and Wolfmother went on to win a handful of awards, including a grammy for Best Hard Rock Performance in 2007. Four years later the weight of success started to take its toll and bassist Chris Ross and drummer Myles Heskett left the band citing the old standby 'irreconcilable differences', we see this all too often with musicians burdened with fame too early in their careers. Lead vocalist and guitarist Andrew Stockdale was left holding the bag.

After a brief hiatus, during which Stockdale almost renamed the band White Feather [insert eye-roll here], Wolfmother returned with three new members and a new album, Cosmic Egg. I'll be the first to admit that when news of a new Wolfmother album surfaced I was, to say the least, a bit skeptical. While Stockdale is a great singer and guitarist I was not at all convinced he could hold together the shattered pieces that were Wolfmother. Well I am happy to report that Wolfmother is alive and well, still assaulting your eardrums with the same stadium sized power riffs and gritty baselines we have all come to love.

Newcomers Ian Peres (bass/keyboard), Aidan Nemeth (guitar) and Dave Atkins (drums) slip seamlessly into the band, picking up exactly where the original trio left off. In fact the new Wolfmother sounds so much like the old Wolfmother that most people wont realize the line-up has changed. While this could be the death toll for some bands it works nicely in this case, everything you liked about Wolfmother is still here and in some cases slightly improved. There are still power ballads and guitar shredding, but the acoustic guitar also makes some appearances along with with a handful of great slow-burning tracks.



But enough of the back history, on to the music. Cosmic Egg starts out in familiar territory with "California Queen" and "New Moon Rising", classic Wolfmother guitar riffs and pounding bass lines. With a quick tempo and heavy drumbeat "Rising" seems especially primed for heavy radio play. Things ease up a bit with "In The Morning", a great rock ballad begging for an arena full of fans holding lighters and swaying to the music. The title track "Cosmic Egg" throws some welcome bluesy guitar licks into the mix adding another weapon to the bands already expansive music arsenal.

One of my favorite tracks on the album is the slow-burning "Far Away", another great ballad utilizing an acoustic guitar paired with heartfelt lyrics. "I believe that love is gonna last forever", Stockdale sings, "but it's all within my mind". A surprisingly deep song that deals with the subjects of loss and the girl that got away. The six minute closing track "Violence Of The Sun" is another high point on the album. A slow building epic full of melodic keyboards, distortion and lofty guitar riffs that end the album in style.

In other news, Stockdale recently recorded a song with Slash for the guitar god's forthcoming solo record. He is in good company with Dave Grohl, Iggy Pop, Nick Oliveri, Flea, Fergie and Maroon 5 singer Adam Levine also featured on the album. And as for Wolfmother, they are currently on a U.S. tour through the fall with a European tour following this winter.

White Denim - Fits

The Austin trio that is White Denim has done it again with the release of their third full-length album Fits, a dizzying collection of pulverizing drums, screaming guitars and howling vocals... and that's only the first 5 tracks. The band experiment with changes in song structure, pace and style creating a dizzying array of sounds and influences leading the listener on a musical journey full of genre hopping, mind bending fun. White Denim stitch together tidbits from every musical genre and time period, combining the experimental pop of the 60s with the blues-rock of the 70s, and create something new in the mix. A down to earth band, White Denim still record in drummer Josh Blocks' caravan instead of a recording studio, creating a full on garage jam session feel.

The album is basically a 50/50 split, with the first part comprised of swirling, fuzzed out rock and the later reflecting a mellower, restrained take on White Denims' genre twisting music. "We saw a pretty clear division emerging in the songs we were recording for this album", says front-man James Petralli, "From that came the idea to sequence it like an LP with a 30-second pause in the middle where you could imagine getting up to flip the record over".

The band kicks of the album in high gear with "Radio Milk / How Can You Stand It", a 60s flavored psychedelic whirlwind of bluesy guitars and vocals overlaid with a killer bass line by Steve Terebecki. This track is a good indication of the direction Fits is going to take you, with multiple genres and time shifts layered over turbulent guitar rhythms and pounding cymbals. The album continues with the swirling distortion of "All Consolation" before presenting the listener with the hard blues vibe of "Say What You Want", a good contender for 'Best Song' on the entire album. Keep an ear out for Josh Block dishing out some seriously great drum work throughout, definitely the most proficient member in the band.

Things slow down some on the second half of the album with the beat poet lyrics of "Paint Yourself", keeping a nice jazz vibe with some hand claps and percussion rolls. "You're always looking at yourself", Petralli howls, "deciding what you do not want to see". While not a band known for terribly creative lyrics, White Denim take some big steps forward with this short gem. The jazzy waltz of "I'd Have It Just The Way We Were" keeps the mellow feel going before jumping back into some vintage funk-rock with "Everybody Somebody", a near perfect piece of garage rock.

If you've made it this far your reward is the slow and soulful 70s inspired "Regina Holding Hands", one of the most polished songs on the album. Complete with smooth guitar rhythms and warm background vocals, "Regina" feels like it was plucked out of some 70s lounge. An impressive track from a band that never sounds like they are trying to be 'retro'. Of all the songs on Fits, this would be the one track that could hook potential new fans. The album ends with the lo-fi acoustic finger picking of "Syncn" and the great guitar hooks of "YoYo", leaving the listener with the uncontrollable urge to start all over again from the beginning.

One of the more adventurous bands out there, White Denim has been creating their own brand of retro garage rock since early 2005. Slowly gaining attention through word-of-mouth and extensive touring, playing with no obvious agenda beyond having a good time. There is some great music to be found with White Denim, if you have an open mind and can handle the abrupt style shifts. "We set the tempos high," says Petralli, "and set off."

Malajube - Labyrinthes

Malajube are a four piece french/canadian indie-rock group hailing from Montreal who have been slowly building buzz in the U.S. for their instrumental interludes and stylistic mash-ups. They already have a large following in the UK after 2006's multi award-winning album Trompe-l'Oeil and despite commercial pressure they continue to make music only in their native French.

The band shifts between psychedelic rock, indie-pop and 80s synth creating an eclectic mix of beautiful tracks that make Labyrinthes an album that easily transcends the language barrier. This is an album full of addicting guitar tone and swirling keyboards that will easily pull the listener in. The music, according to the band's keyboardist Thomas Augustin, "talks to people".

A good indicator of where this album is going to take you is the opening track "Ursuline," a six-minute epic full of all the quiet piano and experimental guitar riffs the rest of the album will soon throw at you. Vocalist Julien Mineau uses his melodic voice and addicting guitar tone to great effect creating an incredibly enjoyable sound, even if you don't know exactly what he's singing about.



As you will soon discover keyboards and pianos are an important part to Malajubes' sound, humming in the background of tracks like "Porte Disparu" and "Luna," giving their sound a hint of ELO at times. While most of the album is very mellow, songs such as "Casablance" and "333" ramp things up a bit giving the album a good balanced feel.

According the frontman Julien Mineau the album is knotted with a "ribbon of religious imagery" which explores the continuing cultural presence of Catholicism in Quebec. The province of Quebec is about 83% Catholic and Malajube do not seem to be big fans of organized religion. "You rent and sell your soul / because you want to live forever", translated from the hard hitting "333", "I know that one day / I'll be eaten by bugs". Not that you need to know the meaning to enjoy this great album, but it adds another dimension to the music and for me helps understand these four musicians a little better. To be sure this is a band I will be following for some time to come.

Bonus: The video that launched Malajube into indie-rock stardom in 2006. "Montreal -40°C".

Blitzen Trapper - Black River Killer EP

The release of Furr in 2008 launched Blitzen Trapper into the indie rock spotlight, landing the Oregon-based experimental folk-rock band at the top of many international music charts. They received a two-page feature in Rolling Stone and were ranked #13 on their 'Best Albums of 2008" list as well as being named as supporting acts for Wilco and Fleet Foxes during their UK tour.

In August Blitzen Trapper released the Black River Killer EP, a collection of previously unreleased tracks that up till now fans have only been able to hear in concert or on one of the bands self released CDRs. While the CDRs were cheap and low quality this new EP is professionally recorded so don't let fears of low quality stop you. The EP contains six new songs and of course the title track "Black River Killer", a Johnny Cash-syle murder ballad fans may recognize from 2008s Furr. Despite being on the short side, we're talking 17 minutes of music people, there are still enough well-written songs and cool lyrics to make Black River Killer well worth a listen.

There really are some great songs on this EP, from the distorted harmonica blasts on "Silver Moon" to the finger picking greatness of "Black Rock". Its really hard to pick a favorite track, but I tend to gravitate toward "Going Down", a great piano-driven piece that sounds like something Ringo Starr might have recorded after waking up after a hard night. "It's loose lips sinking ships tonight", lead singer Eric Earley tells the listener, "This girls a cluster of light / Drips I think of lipstick burnt round fingertips". I can't help but compare this song to early Beatles or ELO, Earley's aged voice working perfectly with the guitar almost makes you forget that this is a group of 20-somthing guys from Oregon.



And of course there is the aforementioned title track, Black River Killer, a macabre tale written from the perspective of a murderer after the towns people have discovered his latest victim. "They found a girl's body in an open pit / Her mouth was sewn shut but her eyes were still wide / Gazing through the fog to the other side". The song continues with a great western/gothic tale that charts the killers encounters with the law and his journey seeking redemption. It's a great song that brings back memories of watching old western gunslinger movies with my grandfather when I was young.

Black River Killer is a great collection of songs that show off the full musical gamut Blitzen Trapper is capable of. An interesting blend of folk/country/indie rock with bits of Johnny Cash, Tom Petty, David Bowie and the Beatles sprinkled all over the place. It's easy for any true fan of music to find something they like in the mix. And if you do like what you hear make sure to check out Furr, I can guarantee you wont regret it.

As a bonus here is Wilco and Blitzen Trapper performing "California Stars" in Dublin. Enjoy!

www.blitzentrapper.net/
www.myspace.com/blitzentrapper

Harlem Shakes (RIP) - Technicolor Health

The cover of Harlem Shakes new EP, Technicolor Health, depicts a rainbow over a desolate city street in a serious state of disrepair. This image illustrates the kind of clear-eyed optimism that the New York quintet radiated in their music and is a perfect introduction to a great album. Infused with bits of jazz, soul, and Latin rhythms, Harlem Shakes stirred up all kinds of buzz back in 2007 when they released their debut EP, Burning Birthdays. After hitting the road for a series of tours with bands like Deerhoof and Vampire Weekend, Harlem Shakes teamed up with producer Chris Zane (The Walkmen, Passion Pit) in the summer of 2008 to record their last album Technicolor Health. Yes kids, that's right, I said last. But well get to that later.

The albums title comes from the novel "Mysteries in Pittsburgh" by Michael Chambon, a coming-of-age tale set during the early 1980s in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The phrase 'in our Technicolor health and high spirits' served as inspiration for the band during the creation of the album, a difficult time for the bands members. In a world full of cynical indie rock, Technicolor Health is refreshingly positive from start to finish. Full of catchy hooks, synth washes and clever writing that keeps telling the listener that things are looking up. The track "Strictly Game" perfectly sum up the feel of the album with the great lyrics "make a lot of money, take a lot of shit, feel real bad, then get over it, this will be a better year". The album stresses leaving the negative behind and looking toward tomorrow, a great listen for anyone having a bad day/week/year.



Throughout the record the band never rests, constantly switching time signatures and tempos, adding quirky instrumental embellishments, and simply playing their hearts out for the entire 37 minutes. Lead singer Lexy Benaim puts his high-pitched vocals to good use, injecting emotion into the songs leaving the listener feeling that the band has actually lived what they are singing about. Brent Katz, who has been with the band since their early dance club days, uses drums and drum machines to give the songs their poppy upbeat feel. Kendrick Strauch (keyboard), Tod Goldstein (guitar) and Jose Soegaard (bass) all give solid performances as well as providing all the back up 'oohs' and 'aahs'.

Technicolor Health is full of hopeful hooks and high harmonies combined with witty wordplay and an irresistible energy. There are plenty of great tracks that I can talk about, from the great album opener "Nothing But Change Part II" to the almost folk tracks "Strictly Game" and "Niagara Falls". While "Strictly Game" has the most hit potential, "Sunlight" is clearly the standout track on the album, an upbeat song using drum machines, synths and acoustic strums to create a indie-pop gem that you will be humming for weeks. Also making an appearance on the new album is Harlem Shakes long time live staple "TFO" (a family-friendly acronym for "The Fucking Ocean"), the song that served as my first introduction to Harlem Shakes.

And now for the bad news, despite producing one of the best albums of 2009 Harlem Shakes broke up earlier this month. A bit ironic considering the overall positive nature of their songs. However there is some good news, Shakes' guitarist Todd Goldstein is currently working on a side project called Arms, which will re-release their first album, Kids Aflame, in the US digitally on October 27th. I haven't heard it yet but I remain optimistic that it will be great.

Julian Plenti - Is...Skyscraper

It will take most people all of 5 seconds to realize that Julian Plenti is in fact the unmistakable voice of Interpol front-man Paul Banks. Hidden under a bad haircut and horrible satin shirt, Banks is fooling no one. However he is playing the pseudonym to the hilt going so far as to give interviews in character, insisting that journalists refer to him as 'Julian' and making any reference to Interpol forbidden. The problem is that despite being a fairly good album, Banks has delivered a solo debut that will sound inescapably to most people like a solo record of the guy from Interpol. It is his voice, that unmistakable, near-mono-tonal singing that destroys any attempt to distance Plenti from his Interpol past.

That said, Is... Skyscraper is actually pretty good if not all that original. The album has two very distinct styles of songs. The first of which is the uptempo indie rock sound we all recognize as Interpol, complete with all the catchy rhythms and angular guitars of Banks 9-5 band. Tracks such as "Only If You Run", "Games for Days", and "Fly As You Might" all sound like they could be Interpol demos.

Then there are the softer, moody tracks full of symphonic touches such as the horn filled "Unwind" and the nice acoustic lullaby "On The Esplanade". One of the most impressive tracks, "Skyscraper" is a soft string-led mood piece filled with haunting undertones. Another must listen is "Madrid Song", a slow and beautiful piece utilizing piano and strings over the haunting lyrics "come have at us, we are strong".

When all is said and done Is... Skyscraper ends up being a mediocre attempt to stand apart from his Interpol past. It seems that Banks, or Plenti, is forgetting that solo albums are a time for artists to forge their own creative innovations. Given the effort Banks put into his appearance and the dedication to stay in character, it's too bad that his music didn't take on an equally drastic change. In the end the problem is that no matter what Banks does his solo songs are always going to sound like Interpol b-sides, his voice is just too distinct.

http://julianplenti.com/

Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest

Thanks to an early leak of their new album and a pair of late-night television appearances, Veckatimest has become one of the best-reviewed indie rock albums of 2009. In fact the song "Two Weeks" had become one of the most downloaded songs on the net long before the actual album had even been released. Usually when an album is getting this much hype this fast it has more to do with clever marketing and less to do with the album actually being good. I have been smacked in the face with this grim reality one time too many in the past few years. However I must admit Grizzly Bear's new foray into psych-folk-pop is a solid album and most definitely worth the hype.

Originally a solo project of singer Edward Droste (Department of Eagles), Grizzly Bear officially became a bleep on the radar in 2006 with the release of their first full album Yellow House. Throwing into the mix Christopher Bear (drums/percussion), Daniel Rossen (vocals/guitar) and Chris Taylor (multi-instrumentalist/sound mixer), Grizzly Bear received universal praise for their dense arrangements and winding song structures. They've toured with TV on the Radio, Feist, Paul Simon an even had an opening slot on the second leg of Radiohead's In Rainbows tour. In Toronto, on their last show of the tour, Radiohead guitarist Jonny Greenwood praised Grizzly Bear on stage calling them his favorite band.



With the release of Veckatimest, Grizzly Bear has once again offered up an album of well crafted music full of sweeping melodies and lucid pop. They have honed their sound so well that it is amazing to think that this is only their 2nd full length album. All four members of the band sing, with Rossen and Droste trading lead vocals almost song for song. From the seductive guitar riffs of the albums first track "Southern Point" to the swirling psychedelic instrumentation of "I Live With You", there are plenty of stand out tracks to keep your attention.

If you haven't already figured it out, the best track on the album is the stunning "Two Weeks", a pure indie-pop masterpiece that will jump inside your head and refuse to leave for weeks. Starting with a simple repetitive piano note before Rossen and Droste jump in with their addictive vocal harmonies, singing about relationships over a plucky bass line. Keep an ear out for the swooning voice of Victoria Legrand (Beach House) who provides a wordless backing chorus that perfectly compliments Rossen and Droste voices. This is by far the most radio-friendly song on the album which explains it immense popularity.

Grizzly Bear are currently in the middle of a North American tour, which includes a stop at the Blue Note in Columbia, MO on October 1st. Tickets are $20 in advance/$22 the day of the show.

http://www.grizzly-bear.net
http://www.myspace.com/grizzlybear

Edward Sharpe - Up From Below

One of the more unusual music acts to come out of LA, Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros is a retro folk-rock revival of psychedelic-tinged tunes that will rattle around your head for weeks. Having not been alive during the age of 'Peace & Love' I find the pounding rhythm and folksy arrangements a refreshing change of pace in todays indie-pop soaked airwaves.

Their debut album, Up From Below, is full of communal music mixed with interactive clapping and addictive sing-a-long lyrics. The big, open-hearted anthems radiate uplifting vibes and take the listener back in time to an era when people weren't soaked with cynicism and irony. The album is a great throwback to a time of love, peace and a sense of community whilst introducing an array of instruments including trumpets, xylophones, harmonicas, accordions, pianos and tons of procussions and whistles.



Sharpe is the alter ego of Alex Ebert, formerly of the new wave indie rockers Ima Robot, who seems to have regressed to the state of a flower-child. Along with his 10 or 12 other band members, The Magnetic Zeros seem to be more like a family of gypsy musicians than a band. Traveling around LA in an old panted bus, complete with a driver named Cornfed, the album was recorded as a group effort over the corse of a year on a analog 24-track tape machine from 1979. There are several gems on Up From Below, from the pop sing-a-long "Janglin" to the melancholy "Desert Song".

By far the standout track on the album is "Home", a Cash/Carter inspired duet between Ebert and girlfriend Jade Castrinos. A great song that is already getting praise on college radio station with lyrics such as, "Home, let me come home/Home is wherever I'm with you". The best part of the song is the story Ebert tells of the time Jade fell out the window and almost bled to death while smoking the cigarette she feared would be her last in the back seat on the way to the hospital.

The band is now working on a series of short films based on each of the albums 13 tracks. The first of these films, Desert Song, was released in early June and will soon be followed by the second installment, Kissed Over Babylon.

http://www.edwardsharpeandthemagneticzeros.com/
http://www.myspace.com/edwardsharpe

Arctic Monkeys - Humbug

In 2008 Arctic Monkeys' frontman Alex Turner got together with The Rascals' Miles Kane and the Simian Mobile Discos' James Ford to form an awesome side-project called The Last Shadow Puppets. Haven't heard of them? Go download their album The Age of the Understatement. No seriously, if you haven't heard the album you can't read the rest of the review. It's Ok, I'll wait...

Heard it? Loved it? Ok, then we can move on. The album went straight to number one in the UK album charts with the help of Owen Pallett (Final Fantasy, the band not the video game) who was brought in to arrange strings, brass and percussion for the album. You may be thinking to yourself "Why do I care about the Last Shadow Puppets or this Final Fantasy guy?", well smart guy its because this side project ends up being very important to the evolution to the Arctic Monkeys sound.

I'll be honest, when the Arctic Monkeys first exploded onto the scene I didn't really understand what all the fuss was about. Sure they had some catchy songs but they were nothing extraordinary, just an extension of the cookie cutter alt-rock sound that was all the rage. To a degree the Monkeys started to drown in the deep waters already flooded with more distinctive bands such as Franz Ferdinand. They really didn't catch my attention till the release of their second album, Favourite Worst Nightmare, where they started to experiment with a slightly harder edge to their song writing.

With the release of their new album, Humbug, the Monkeys sound has matured into something more experimental, with a darker sound and bleaker subject matter. Produced by Queens of the Stone Age frontman Josh Homme, Humbug is an ambitious album that borrows more from The Last Shadow Puppets and Queens of the Stone Age than their previous albums. The album opener "My Propeller" has Hommes' fingerprint all over it and would be perfectly at home on the Queens last album along side "Turning the Screw".



There are some great tracks on the new album, pay close attention to the sleazy bass lines and fuzzy guitars of "Secret Door" and "Fire and the Thud," the second of which has backing vocals from sultry Alison Mosshart (The Kills/Dead Weather). Both tracks sound right at home with the new blues/indie rock sound spreading with such bands as Band of Skulls and IO Echo. Mosshart and Turner, who are both signed to Domino, have worked together before when she performed with The Last Shadow Puppets on "Paris Summer" for their EP My Mistakes Were Made for You.

The album ends with "The Jeweler's Hands," a slow burning song that echos with Turner's more orchestral sound found in Last Shadow Puppets albums. Arctic Monkey fans may be disappointed at the lack of radio friendly songs on Humbug, with "Potion Approaching" and maybe "Pretty Visitors" being the closest to the old albums sound. However in many ways Humbug is a stronger album than their previous efforts, delivering a richer and more complex music experience. Turner has evolved as a singer while Jamie Cook (guitar), Matt Helders (drums) and Nick O'Malley (bass) all give solid performances. It's obvious that maturity has spread through the band, taking them to new and darker places that get better with repeated plays.

www.arcticmonkeys.com
www.myspace.com/arcticmonkeys

And in case you still don't know who The Last Shadow Puppets or Alison Mosshart are...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5_c8qH9cZo

Band of Skulls @ Fubar 8/24/09

Arriving hours before the concert began, my friend Matt and I pulled up next to Fubar around 7pm on a Monday night to find all three members of Band of Skulls standing on the sidewalk not more than fifteen feet from where we parked the car. They had a couple guitars and were about to head down to a nearby restaurant for a quick bite before the show. We waited the appropriate non-stalker-ish time before we followed. At that point neither I nor my friend Matt had the courage to attempt contact, so we sat a few tables over from the band and had a drink. After a short time we walked back down the street to Fubar where the show was later going to take place.

Walking inside was a bit of a shock to the system due to the fact that there was hardly anybody there. A few people were tuning some instruments as we walked past the stage to the back of the room where the '21 and over' section started. After inquiring at the bar I discovered that the Skulls would be playing around 10pm, meaning we were very very early. Deciding the time should be used wisely I threw away my earlier plan of staying sober and decided to get another drink. This is the point where I was introduced to Sol, quite possibly the best Mexican beer I have ever had. Best described as a better tasting Corona with a hint of vanilla, Sol is now one of my favorite beers.

We listened to an acoustic one-man outfit serenade the total of 5 people in the room for awhile before deciding to go wandering. After getting our hands stamped we walked outside to an empty street and noticed that the members of Band of Skulls were now relaxing in a booth at the front of the empty bar. At this point I was hit with the honest truth, no one was coming to this show. We had left Springfield early and flew down the highway to St. Louis expecting a packed and maybe even sold out show. Instead we stumbled onto a rare opportunity, to see a great band in a very intimate, low key setting before the rest of the world caught on to how good they really were.

After a short adventure around the historic district of St. Louis in search of a sharpie we returned to Fubar. I took in the last few songs of a band Matt described as "Modest Mouse meets Fallout Boy," before deciding to go make contact with the members of Band of Skulls. I picked up an LP of Baby Darling Doll Face Honey for $15 at the merch table and walked over to the bass player for Band of Skulls, Emma Richardson, still sitting with her band mates in their booth. The best way to describe her reaction to my autograph inquiry would be... exhilarated amazement. With an excited "Of course!" she ripped the album out of my hands and started tearing the plastic wrapping off. She pulled a folded poster out of the sleeve that I hadn't even known was there and asked my name before signing it.

The poster was a large reproduction of one of Emma Richardsons' paintings. As she handed the album to guitarist Russell Marsden I asked her about the painting and the album cover. It was indeed from her gallery "Meat Me At The Butchers," but as she informed me, had been cut in half and mirrored for the cover which she wasn't too happy about. Matt showed up shortly with his own purchased LP to be signed, which Emma again tore the plastic off in search of the poster. After all three members had signed our LPs we talked a little about their tour so far and the fact that we had drove two hours to see them. "We wanted to catch you before you get so big that we'll have to pay $80 for a ticket to a stadium show," I told them. "That would be great," Russell replied,"not that you have to pay $80 but that we would have lots of people come to see us." He continued to tell about how they had played an early set at Lallapalooza and mentioned how few people had showed up. I wanted to bring up the alarming lack of people at the current show but didn't have the courage.

Band of Skulls played a powerhouse of a set to a not so packed crowd of 23 fans. It was pure rock n' roll with driving guitar riffs and deep bass grooves. Many small venues suffer acoustically from their design, but Fubar sounded very good with the small exception of the low volume of Emmas' mic. They played most of the songs from their new album including "Light Of the morning," "Fires," "Blood," and my favorite "Cold Fame." They ended the show with the song "Impossible" and walked off the stage while the sound system replayed the last few fuzzy guitar cords over and over. A great ending to an amazing show.

After the show we went back over to the other bar where the band was meeting with all the fans who had come to see them play. They signed albums and posters and listened to fans profess their love for the new album. I was able to overhear a middle aged man tell his story to Emma about how he was there to get a autograph for his son who was a giant fan but couldn't be there because it was a school night. We were able to talk to Emma a little about their show and the importance of artist having sharpies at shows, after which I gave her the one we had quested for earlier. The 70s band Heart came up in our conversation and I was amazed to learn that she had never heard of them. Later I mentioned this fact to their drummer Matthew Hayward. He laughed and scolded Emma, "What!? You've never heard of Heart!" after which two girls at the table started to sing "Magic Man."

As a joke Emma and Matthew both signed a small poster with personal messages for one of my co-workers, Beth, who loves Heart. Emmas' message was about how she didn't know who Heart was but was sure they rocked. Matthews' message was "Beth!! You like Heart!? I like Heart! Lets get together!" (It is also funny to note that when I gave Beth the poster the next day she was listening to Heart in her office.) We left St. Louis near 1am to begin our long trip back to Springfield, the car ride spent listening to Band of Skulls and talking about the show.

Band of Skulls - BDDFH

First off, no Band of Skulls is not a black metal band. They are in fact a solid alt-rock trio from Britain who just released their first album, Baby Darling Doll Face Honey, which is a great album considering it was recorded only months after the band was formed. Seriously there really isn't a bad song in the 16 tracks of fuzzed-out guitar riffs, rock duets and smokey lyrics. Its also interesting to note that the album was recorded at Courtyard Studios in Oxfordshire, the same studio where Radiohead recorded some of their early albums. That doesn't really have a bearing on the quality of the music on BDDFH but for a giant Radiohead fan like myself its a nice piece of trivia.

The UK trio consist of Russell Marsden (vocals/guitar), Emma Richardson (vocals/bass) and Matthew Hayward (drums). All of which are contributing writers for the band which is why BDDFH feels like a mixed bag at times. Influences are all over the map including southern-rock, blues-folk and acoustic-pop. Listening to this album is almost like a crash corse in music history with hints of Zeppelin and Heart to more modern bands like Kings of Leon and Dead Weather. In fact sometimes if your not paying close attention it's easy to confuse Band of Skulls with one of Jack Whites side projects. Marsden seems to be doing his best at times to emulate White in both his vocals and his southern/bluesy guitar playing on songs like "Death By Diamonds And Pearls."

Richardson ends up being the standout member of Band of Skulls with her emotion and vocal talent on tracks such as "Blood" and "Patterns." The sensitive, acoustic guitar ballad "Honest" is one of the best songs on the album. Her beautiful and soothing voice echos that of Alison Mosshart (The Kills/Dead Weather) and is only enhanced when joined by the vocals of Marsden on "Fires." On top of being an amazing singer and bass player, Richardson is also a very talented painter. Two paintings from her recent exhibition "Meat Me At The Butchers" have been used as covers for the digital and CD releases of BDDFH. Her paintings are abstract works that she says could be human innards or muscle.

The album closes with the elegant "Cold Fame," a melancholy indie-rock ballad featuring Marsden on vocals. A very emotional song with standout lyrics:

What's the point of fame if it's been abused?
What's a kid like me even got to lose?
Here I am on your bed again,
it's too big for the room it's in.
Wash your face and mouth just a little bit,
Everybody knows that you're good at it.
Nothing hurts like an answer phone,
drinking some, waking up alone.
Maybe if I try just a little more,
I can take myself from this dirty floor.
Walk through buildings of elegance,
just like you are intelligent.
But still I fall from grace with this microphone,
How'd you find yourself if you never roam?
Certainly I'm indebted baby, certainly, certainly...

Already receiving rave reviews from their show at Lollapalooza and joining the ranks of bands like Muse and Radiohead on the 'New Moon' soundtrack, Band of Skulls is set to explode in the coming months. They are now touring the U.S. and Canada for the second time with a stop at Fubar in St. Louis August 24th, which is just close enough that I might try to pop over and catch them. Because lets face it good music is worth loosing sleep over.

http://www.bandofskulls.com/
http://www.myspace.com/bandofskulls

Blindfold - Faking Dreams

Blindfold is a London based 4-piece indie rock band created by the Icelandic composer Biggi Hilmarsson, also the creator of the amazing band Ampop. Although comparisons to bands such as Radiohead and Sigur Ros are unavoidable the best way to describe Blindfolds' sound is epic, ambient rock. Building up songs with slowly-progressing guitars and Tom York-esc vocals they create beautiful, haunting music.

Their new album, Faking Dreams, is already winning praise in the UK press but is having trouble finding a foothold with American audiences. It's hard to understand why when you listen to the fantastic tracks "Faking Dreams" or "Don't Think It's A Sin". The instrumental track "Wait", which begins slow and builds up to an array of guitar-plucking ambiance, is a great indicator of the immense talent this band contains.

If Faking Dreams sounds like your kind of drug I would highly recommend Hilmarssons' other music project Ampop. The name of the band is a fusion of ambient and pop which perfectly describes the sound of this Icelandic three man group. Their last album, Sail to the moon, came out way back in 2006 but has only improved with age as far as I'm concerned.

While their earlier music leaned toward an electronic/systhesiser sound, the piano plays a important role in their later albums and the tracks tend to have more of a classical feel. Keep an ear out for the songs "Two Directions" and "Spring", both are great examples of this bands ability to blend rich orchestrations with finely-crafted pop numbers. My personal favorite song is "Youth", on the album My Delusions, which is just as good as anything I've heard from their Icelandic neighbors Sigur Ros.

http://www.myspace.com/theblindfold
http://www.myspace.com/ampopband

Sunset Rubdown - Dragonslayer

Easily one of the busiest people in indie rock, Spencer Krug gives other great singer/songwriters such as Jack White (White Stripes/Raconteurs/Dead Weather) and Damon Albarn (Blur/Gorillaz/The Good The Bad and The Queen) a run for their money when it comes to the sheer multitude of bands and side projects he is attached to. From Swan Lake to Wolf Parade, Frog Eyes to Fifths of Seven, I honestly don't know where he gets the energy. In June Krug released Dragonslayer, the new album from his other indie rock side-project, Sunset Rubdown.

A collection of lush piano tones, distorted vocals and psychedelic sounds, Dragonslayer is a big improvement over Sunset Rubdowns' previous release, Random Spirit Lover, which was a dense mix of squealing guitar and dark electronica harps and keyboard. I don't mean to say that isn't a good thing sometimes, but Dragonslayer is more approachable to the average listener and is likely to be compared to the likes indie rock favorites The New Pornographers or Arcade Fire.

Dragonslayer focuses on mixing piano and keyboard melodies with Krugs' melancholy vocals. Songs such as "You Go On Ahead (Trumpet Trumpet II)" and "Silver Moons" are hauntingly beautiful and will stick with you long after your ipod is turned off. At the same time songs like "Idiot Heart" amp the album up a little with echos of The Killers glueing you to your headphones. Back-up vocals are handled by another Canadian indie rocker, Camilla Wynne Ingr (formerly of Pony Up), who creates a great balance between her lively, confident voice and Krugs' weighty, emotional lyrics. The rest of the band is filled out nicely by Michael Doerkson (Bass, guitar, synthesizer, drums), Marc Nicol (bass, kalimba, drums) and Jordan Robson-Cramer (drums, guitar).


Despite containing only eight tracks, Dragonslayer still feels substantial when you take into account the album ends with the ten minute "Dragon's Lair", a slow-moving epic with some of the most head scratching lyrics I've heard in quite awhile. "I got confetti in my eyes, I was held up at yesterday's parties, I was needed on the congo line..." Either these are words of a crazy man or a genius, I'll let you be the judge of that.

At the end of the day it must be said that Sunset Rubdown is making some of the most interesting music out there today. Combined with all the other great Canadian bands gaining strength in the U.S. (Metric, Broken Social Scene, Arcade Fire, Final Fantasy, Feist) it makes you wonder what they put in the water in Toronto.

www.sunsetrubdown.net
http://www.myspace.com/absolutelysunset

IO Echo - Self-titled EP

You may not recognize the name but odds are you have heard at least one song by newcomers IO Echo. Their song "Doorway" was featured in the new Palm Pre commercial that has been all over television screens for the past few months, not to mention being shown in theaters before several summer blockbusters such as Star Trek and Harry Potter.

When I tell most people about a new band the first response I hear is "Who do they sound like?". First off, I hate this question. New music should be evaluated on its own merit and not on the random comparison to another band you may or may not like/love/hate. Second, it's really hard to answer... how do you label a band like IO Echo? Indie rock? Goth rock? Experimental Rock? In the end all you have to know is that they are an amazing blend of catchy guitar riffs and thumping bass lines.

The driving force behind the music is the bands vocalist, IO (a.k.a. Joanna Gikas), who composed the majority of the songs that make up the bands self-titled EP released back in May. The bands name is derived from the Greek translation of her name, Joanna, combined with the word Echo. It's hard not to make comparisons to Alison Mosshart (from the Kills) or Siouxie (from Siouxsie and the Banshees) when you listen to the lyrics of songs such as "Addicted" or my personal favorite the cover of the Beatles "I Want You(She's So Heavy". In addition to singing, IO also plays rhythm guitar and keyboards. The rest of IO Echo is comprised of Leopold Ross on lead guitar, Paul Rinis on drums and Salvatore Romano on tambourine and keyboards.

Originally from Washington, D.C., IO came to Los Angeles to form IO Echo. While they are still unsigned the band has been gaining momentum collaborating with The Von Bondies and She Wants Revenge as well as touring with OK Go and opening for Nine Inch Nails.

According to a interview on rebellezine.blogspot.com IO Echo describe their sound like:

"being in a motel room at 4am and the people in the room to your left are having loud sex while the people in the room on your right are listening to songs of praise on a transistor radio"

Anyone who knows me well will tell you that the one thing that gets my attention is a smart, sassy indie rock female singer/songwriter. One thing is for sure IO will have my attention for the foreseeable future.

http://www.io-echo.com/
http://www.last.fm/music/io+echo
http://www.myspace.com/ioecho
http://twitter.com/ioecho