Four years ago two friends and I decided to start a band. My friend Jason played guitar. My friend Paul was going to play bass – he just didn’t know it yet. Your inference is correct: no, Paul did not know how to play any instrument at the time we decided to form a...
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Archive for April, 2008
How Not to Start a Band
Voluntary Mother Earth-Unacceptable Vegetable
(http://www.myspace.com/voluntarymotherearth) Voluntary Mother Earth – Unacceptable Vegetable Self-released Eccentric, hilarious, absurdist rock from Tokyo. What do you get when you mix powerful rock with funk and hilarity? A tomato, actually – which is, more specifically, an Unacceptable Vegetable. This album from (http://www.myspace.com/voluntarymotherearth) Voluntary Mother Earth is insane and satirical, but also has a strong...
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Venna–Venna EP
(http://www.myspace.com/venna)Venna – Venna EP (http://www.commoncloud.com) Common Cloud Records Impeccably written acoustic folk/pop led by comfortable, beautiful female vocals. The only female-fronted band I’ve ever really been able to connect with was Sixpence None the Richer. Leigh Nash’s voice had a comforting timbre to it that made me a believer almost instantaneously. I routinely fall...
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Tut Tut-The Heart Goes Nine
Ironpaw Records Ukulele-based pop with unique instrumentation and songwriting. Alexander Abnos plays three types of ukulele, guitar, piano, bass, drums, and more on The Heart Goes Nine, his album under the name Tut Tut. With all of these instruments, plus strings and brass to boot, Abnos’ songwriting shines in a unique way on this...
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The Transmissionary Six-Cosmonautical
(http://www.rodeosatellite.com) The Transmissionary Six – Cosmonautical (http://www.tarnishedrecords.com) Tarnished Records Soothing indie/folk that errs on the side of lethargy. Accurately summing up The Transmissionary Six’s new album Cosmonautical can be difficult. Lying somewhere between indie and folk-rock, the album is a low-flying and relaxed aural experience. Cosmonautical proves that soft rock did not die with...
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Scott Reynolds and The Steaming Beast–Adventure Boy
www.scottreynoldsmusic.com, www.myspace.com/steamingbeast Suburban Home Records (www.suburbanhomerecords.com) Snappy pop rock whose lyrics burn with life questions and are punctuated by memories. On his Myspace page, Scott Reynolds takes almost four hundred words to explain just what Scott Reynolds and The Steaming Beast is. The closest approximation Reynolds arrives upon for labeling the talented, cross-genre conglomeration...
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An Entirely Successful Battle of the Bands
When people hear the phrase “The Battle of the Bands” all sorts of images pop into a person’s head. I think those of us a little older may think back to high school going to support our friends in garage bands trying to break the chains of mediocrity. If we are honest sometimes we...
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Life is Good
April. April april april. Aaaaaaapril. I’m so tired of April. I wish it were June. In June, we’re going to have some incredible new things to debut for you here on Independent Clauses. They will drastically change the way people view Independent Clauses (hint hint). But that’s really the only reason that I’m trying...
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Lazuright–Silver Side Alien Zoo EP
(www.lazuright.com)Lazuright – Silver Side Alien Zoo EP Self-released German rock that will keep you wanting more. Originating from a small town called Tuttlingen, Germany, Lazuright will definitely find themselves near the top of my list for the year’s best releases with Silver Side Alien Zoo EP. The EP is only 5-song release, but it...
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Fate Arising–Reflections of A Lost Reality
(www.fatearising.com) Fate Arising – Reflections of A Lost Reality Self-released Rock with instrumental skill despite some vocal issues. Upon first laying eyes on the cover art of Fate Arising’s album Reflections of A Lost Reality, one might expect something with a deep, dark sound and angry, growling guitars. This is not so much the...
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