Saturday, February 27, 2010
Stereo Moon Like The Morning Sun Does (Kill Mommy)
Behind Stereo Moon is Emm Smith, a self-taught musician from Ontario, Canada. A singer-songwriter from God`s grace. The album Like The Morning Sun Does was already recorded at the end of the 90`s, except the opening track I Would For You Dream. The first time Like The Morning Sun Does was published 5 years ago, while at the moment it is issued under the Sicily-based label Kill Mommy which main focus has set up on a mix of blues, lo-fi garage, rockabilly, and alt-folk.
All of those 24 tracks aligned here are recorded with help of loaned 4 and 8-tape trackers. As so usual to the singer-songwriters the lines of acoustic guitar and vocals are the main instruments upon which the excitement is established in suggestive and diverse song manner. Although guitar sound is paramount, it does not sound in the anemic way just not being a decorating and forgery one - a drowning into tape hisses does add some kind of confidence and charm; moreso, there are also presented some electronic-experimental angles and weird out-of-context samples. A rough yet warm soundscape. As you even know the North Americans have been insurmountable in their credibility within this area. Smith does use natural room reverbs, though, there are 2 tracks (Everybody Love Someone; Read Between The Lines) for which Emm Smith locked himself into the bathroom to put guitar strings against the edge of a sink, and letting float out the sounds of pure gold. By the way, he even regretted more songs would have recorded in there.
By checking out Emm Smith `s blog you can see the successive keywords of his concept in the title: love, be loved and trip out. Anyway, the lyrical side will fix upon it. This lyrics seem to be about longing, escapism, love and lovelorn varying with weed topics. Moreover, this subject was going for something that would heighten his blissful experience. Because of this he tried to fill up those tracks with as many ideas he could. The lyrics are undoubtedly on the ball - beautiful, inside-watching, sometimes mysterious and downtrodden (Grow Up is going up to illustrate the collision between the memories of past and recent situation).
However, my purpose is instead of any kind of intoxicants to promote music, especially good one, only. Like The Morning Sun Does is undoubtedly a DIY/home recording masterpiece. There are a lot of excellent examples - some of them will especially scratch your soul and bear upon your consciousness, replacing some truths and clichès, on the other hand, I am not intended to shout them out - everyone ought to find out for him/herself the gems of the talented hippie musician. In fact, it is true, Emm Smith has more stunning moments to yield in comparison with (early) Devendra Banhart, for instance.
Download it from here
9.3
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Clinker Open See EP (Opera Dog Productions)
Europe faces against immigration problems nowadays. Refugees from the Third World, mainly from Africa, are searching for new living places by different reasons. For the Europeans have not been left anything but to choose between the two sides - to be for it or against it. Having been in to express empathy or showing up their dislike. On the other hand, we must take into account the fact it has mainly been the side effect of the White World expansive foreign policy and the weight of colonial history alongside with all kind of related rewards - the ruination of economic situation, the mutilation of natural environment, severe local wars during the Cold War in purpose of encompassing a larger part or reshaping the spheres of interest. The basic needs of the native people have been suppressed by the secondary needs/wishes of the Western peoples. Indeed, the recent situation can be seen as if a karma wheel is inevitably getting upon us - the cause-effect relationship is still being relevant.
Peter Jordan & Co. have made their firm decision in favor of empathy. Open See EP is inspired by Jim Goldberg`s photo exhibition of the same name, which main purpose was to reflect the experiences and sentiments of asylum seekers. Clinker uses even the phrases of the refugees in their lyrics. In comparison with their previous oeuvres Londoners have increased part of the wind instruments and backing vocals, though, while diminishing the role of synthesizers and electronics. The 4-track issue is wrapped with heartsore undertones of indie soul/soft rock and epic chamber pop numbers while nothing lose about their angular songwriting. Clinker has always shined with such albums containing of grandeur numbers - One Hell to Another and Will This Never End (Ood Song) will for sure complete this list.
Download it from here
9.2
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Garden On A Trampoline Life Of The Mind (CLLCT/Grey Noise Media)
One of the passants regarding an important, mainly USA-based environment Collective Family (CLLCT), James Eric decided last year to abandon the role of a singer-songwriter diminishing the chorus-based concept instead of introducing himself to more innovative-oriented music. In the first place, as a sign, he compiled the best of album We Got This Far - Best Of Eric James and chose out a quake-referencing name. The new self-named album of G.O.A.T was sharply set up against his previous, mainly smoothly driving indie pop. Such a behavior does not seem peculiar in similar situations because of huge attempts by the artist to make up a clear distinction between the two projects, between the past and the future. The 31-year-old Chicago musician did play with diverse genres. Dominated by the moulds within electronic pop and downtempo, which were a little variated by post-rock and ambient sequences. Some infiltrations of sound collage techniques shined through, though, as well. His soundscape was tumultuous, sometimes swinging mood music, a pleasant kind of muzak. Some sporadic DIY-overthrows only built up DIY-near natural attractiveness.
In the beginning of this year Eric released with Patrick Ripoll the joint release I Split On Your Grave (CLLCT) and issued the set of his B-side songs named Found Sounds: B-Sides 2009. Both of albums revealed the American in the wake of his excellence. The first was demonstrated by melancholic grip on barely perceivable post-rock tunes and the second was acoustic indie pop moving more close to the middle of more pop structures and his previous designation too (by the way, the guitars got back their previous dominant positions).
However, Life Of The Mind is back in the wake of his first album tracks. However, the recent one has a more circumscribed shape, all of those distinct structures have obviously less concern on creation of an electronically bleary milieu which gathering around the listener. Though, it abounds even in more diverse directions. Piano accords and glockenspiel will lead up into the following 10 tracks, and 42 minutes as well. Mannerism is hemmed by an epic rock concept. Next Dreams Are Real Good (you can rest now) is a mixture of spoken word, sound effects, stomping bass sounds, ambient, post-rock, and electronic pop/downtempo at that too. A kind of clumsiness and enchanting mist move hand in hand, underbearing the overall impression. Help is a modern classic number through its grandeur poses. I Can`t Sleep So I Dream Of You will continue in similar vein of the previous tracks which is accompanied by dreamy trumpet flows (in the embodiment of Tim Bales`s live recordings) in accordance with Miles Davis`s spirit though not for any long interval - it will be ended by a fine electronic introspective. By the way, the track contains of a noise sample by Isis. Not Young, But Restless is one of the highlights - the sounds which coming from remote distances, while creating powerful and convincing synthetic sound walls - which are conducted by a dateless motive - will make up your day. It is followed by an solitary acoustic track (Now I Sleep Tonight). Interplay between a guitar and a piano. The one and a subsequent one as being silent interludes do make little impact in the background of this concept which will set up the consciousness of the listeners getting wait for sheer experiences more and more. The Next Day Looks Brighter Than The Last is a beautiful melodic instrumental rock. The Night Is Awake will also be on similar path, although having a greater emphasis set up on a modern classic arrangement. In the ending track (NB! The tracks within the zip-folder at Mediafire do have different order of succession) The Reverse the synths, a bouncing drum rhythm and a spoken word line will be lifted up to the forefront conceptually nearing very close to the aesthetics of Holy Fuck, Fuck Buttons, Errors, The Octopus Project, and other similar artists as well. Undeniably one of the albums of the year.
Download it from here
9.4
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