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Tag: Drift Wood Miracle

The Jonah Project: Shiver-inducing emo-rock

thejonahproject

The Jonah Project‘s self-titled EP packs more emotional punch into 16 minutes than most emo albums can get into a 40 minute full-length. The quartet, headed up by Drift Wood Miracle‘s Bryan Diver and Jvno‘s Tristan McGee, tell the story of Jonah from the Bible in a powerful, moving way. The EP has four songs, one for each chapter of the book, and each shows off a different side of their sound.

“Jonah 1” is a keys-led piece that leans toward the wistful side of the emo spectrum. The band does ratchet up to some screaming guitar noise at the end of the track, but this one is more focused on the lyrics depicting why Jonah ran and his emotional response upon realizing that he can’t run from God. (It’s a little-discussed element in the story, at least when I was growing up: Jonah expects that God will forgive the people that Jonah hates if Jonah follows through on God’s call. Jonah doesn’t want that to happen, so he flees.) Diver’s vocals lead the way with some dramatic, memorable lines.

“Jonah 2” also opens up with keys, but Tristan McGee takes over lead vocals in a spoken-word format. I tend to hate spoken-word, but this fits over a roiling, churning instrumental mix that feels more like MeWithoutYou than bad stereotypes of spoken-word. The first time I heard McGee holler out in anguish “Salvation belongs to the Lord!” I got shivers. (Even more rare, I got shivers the second and third time. It’s intense.) The winding, syncopated opening guitar riff of “Jonah 3” powers one of the most inventive rock songs I’ve heard in a long time. It sort of feels like The Collection’s rhythmic background, only punctuated with stabs of electric guitar chords and overlaid with chiming, heavily reverbed, floating guitar notes. It stumped my expectations.

“Jonah 4” caps off the set with more interplay between acoustic guitar, chiming electric, chunky chords and even group vocals. The drums are particularly exciting here, as Aaron Allred somehow manages to keep up as the rest of the band whips through mood change after mood change in rapid succession. The lyrics evocatively draw the story to a conclusion, with Jonah struggling to grasp the concept of grace. The whole thing comes together brilliantly, showing off a quartet that’s astonishingly tight for being brand-new. They’re writing some new material, so perhaps we’ll get to hear more from this impressive outfit. If you’re into early ’00s Deep Elm emo (Brandtson, Appleseed Cast, Pop Unknown, etc.), you’ll love this EP.

Top EPs of the year

Here’s my recounting of the best EPs of the year that was.

1. Drift Wood MiracleBetween Three and Four. (Review) After a triumphant emo/punk debut, DWM built on their artsy sentiment and churned out a well-textured, complex, mature follow-up EP. Heavy and light intermingle in one consistent flow of music that honestly sounds like one really long track. The songwriting instincts are already incredibly well-developed, which makes me excited for their future work.

2. Afterlife ParadeA Million Miles Away. (Review) What can I say? It’s the best pop-rock EP I’ve heard all year: it’s basically Coldplay, U2, and Imagine Dragons in a blender. Haters gonna hate. Lovers gonna love.

3. Arctic TernHopeful Heart. (Review) Romantic in both the literary and literal sense of the word, these lush, gorgeous tunes blew me away with their arrangement and production.

4. Morgan MecaskeyLover Less Wild. (Review) One of the most ambitious releases of the year, Mecaskey attempts to cram dozens of ideas into a very short space. The resulting adventure is a National-esque indie-rock base packed full of twists and turns.

5. Smoke SeasonHot Coals Cold Souls. (Review) Like Morgan Mecaskey, a whiplash bullet train ride through multiple genres. Smoke Season leans more toward the alt-rock end of things for their remarkable tunes, ending up like a folkier version of Muse.

Honorable Mention: Death and the PenguinAccidents Happen. (Review) The first rush of listening to Death and the Penguin was an adrenaline jolt the likes of which I haven’t felt in a long time. Post-hardcore of the finest order.

EPs: Drift Wood Miracle / Midway Fair / Eoin Glackin

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Drift Wood Miracle impressed me from the word go, and every interaction I’ve had with them or their music since then has only grown that admiration. The Between Three & Four EP takes their disparate ideas (punk, artsy emo, acoustic singer/songwriter) and melds them into a cohesive experience that ranks with some of the best artistic rock music being made today.

“41 (Blue)” starts off with morose vocals over dreamy guitars (emo revival!) before seguing into a snappy acoustic singer/songwriter section; it shifts into an arty, woozy, vaguely psychedelic coda, then closes with traditional classical piano. If you’re scratching your head, no shame there. It’s only held together by force of Drift Wood Miracle’s collective will. The band then smashcuts into the raging punk/emo track “Typical,” complete with their quickly-becoming-signature sliding guitar riff style. The type of guitar work here makes me immediately think of verse/chorus/verse style of Brand New and Taking Back Sunday, but they subvert those markers of familiarity by not complying with that standard songwriting style. Instead, they throw riff after riff, never returning to any of them. You can make three or four songs out of the ideas in “Typical,” especially if you include the pensive guitar ballad at the end. If you’re not impressed at this point, this type of music probably isn’t for you.

In the rest of the all-too-short EP (12 minutes?!), we get a spoken-word French section, a squalling instrumental emo breakdown, group vocals over an acoustic guitar in a haunting melody, the drummer singing a song he wrote (!), more piano, complicated drum rhythms, and a towering post-hardcore wall of guitars. It’s a tour-de-force collage of sounds and ideas that all come together in a consistent mood. Drift Wood Miracle has come into its own here, asserting their innovative artistic vision with impressive maturity and clarity. Between Three & Four is a dizzying, astonishing performance that will make you want to play it over and over.

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Midway Fair‘s 2011 offering The Distance of the Moon at Daybreak leaned heavily on traditional English folk rhythms and melodies, throwing in some Springsteen-esque chug to cap it off. On their latest EP Most Distant Star, the band has grown into its sound quite a bit: the influences are still there, but they’re much tighter wound around each other. The result is a sharp four-song outing that gives me a feel for what Midway Fair is trying to accomplish as a band.

The opener/title track starts off with a strong piano riff and brash male/female vocals. By the middle of the first verse, they’ve introduced galloping drums to speedily pace the tune. They build the song throughout to a great, pounding high-point at about two minutes in, showing off their instrumental chops (those drum fills!), songwriting ability, and style. It’s a great song, totally appropriate to be the title track. The quartet keeps that energy and passion going through the rest of the EP, not letting any track drag. “Gone to California” features folk-style storytelling lyrics on top of a jaunty backdrop. “Ones and Zeros” incorporates some ’50s pop influences, while “Be What You Like” loops in some light soul and funk elements. It’s fun to see a band that’s comfortable with itself start to push the boundaries of its sound.

Midway Fair’s Most Distant Star may have started out as a folk EP, but by the end it morphed into a quick sampler of American pop music. Their tight instrumental interplay results in a light mood throughout: none of these tunes sound forced or heavy. If you’re looking for a fun pick-me-up today, look to Most Distant Star.

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Eoin Glackin also sounds like an amped up version of himself on his new EP Pretty Girl. While the title track is a smooth adult alternative cut in the vein of David Grey, the other three tracks are louder, faster, and fuller than Glackin has experimented with in the past. “Morning Take Us Easy” turns rumbling toms into a punk-inspired, push-tempo pattern in the chorus; the bass, guitar, and speedy vocal patterns follow suit, making this somewhat like a Frank Turner song or a Ryan Adams song on speed. There’s still harmonica and piano in there for sure, but this ain’t your usual laidback singer/songwriter fare.

“Ride It Out” expands the sound even wider, pulling in some widescreen soundscapes reminiscent of U2. Glackin gets a tenor howl going on against a reverbed guitar riff–I can totally see him throwing his head back and going full Bono on it. He fills out the EP with a punchy alternate version of “Rain Finally Came” from his previous album, using the drums and bass to once again help create the energetic vibe of the tune.

Sometimes an artist loses all their charm when they “go electric,” but Glackin is able to transfer his appealing aspects to the new situation and incorporate new tricks. His vocals are perhaps even more suited to the electric style than the troubadour folk he was previously doing. Pretty Girl is a fun, exciting EP that shows a new direction for Glackin that could pay off in spades.

Independent Clauses is throwing a party!

I didn’t do much for Independent Clauses’ 11th birthday, especially after having such a huge 10th birthday event with the Never Give Up covers project. (I needed a rest!) But now I’ve got something way cool to share with you that I can call our belated birthday gift to you.

Raleigh Little Theatre, Raleigh Brewing, and Independent Clauses are teaming up to host a Hopscotch Music Festival day show 12:30-6:30 p.m., Friday, September 5. I am absolutely stoked. If you’re in the Triangle, you should come hang out with us. We’ll have a poster soon, along with more details as they come available. I’ll keep updating this page.

There’s a press release and everything:

Local theatre, brewery, and blogger unite for local showcase

RALEIGH—Triangle bands Bridges, Drift Wood Miracle, and The Morning Brigade will be among the six bands that Triangle performing arts staple Raleigh Little Theatre will host during the Indie Carolina Hopscotch Day Show, 12:30-6:30 p.m. on Friday, September 5. Admission is free and open to the public.

The showcase is presented by Raleigh Brewing Company and Independent Clauses music blog. Raleigh Brewing Company will be on hand to pour their beers, while Independent Clauses author Stephen Carradini curated the bands that will play. Carradini will also be the master of ceremonies.

Folk artist Cancellieri, of South Carolina’s Post-Echo Records, and Raleigh folk act Grandiflora will also play. A final special guest is yet to be announced.

“Independent Clauses covers a wide range of sounds, so I’m pleased that we’ll have folk, indie-rock, and punk bands on the stage that day,” said Carradini. IndependentClauses.com features musicians and bands that are early in their careers, particularly ones with little to no press. Started in 2003 with a focus on then-local Oklahoma musicians, the blog has expanded to be national and international in scope without losing sight of the goal: covering early-career musicians.

RLT’s Stephenson Amphitheater will host the event, allowing music lovers to bask in the (hopefully) autumn weather and relax. Bring your own blankets and picnic, but not your own booze; the seating is open, but outside beverages are not permitted. Gussy’s Greek Food Truck will be parked outside the amphitheater as well.

LINEUP
12:30 Grandiflora (Raleigh)
Imagine if Bon Iver or Fleet Foxes featured a baritone vocalist.

1:30 Cancellieri (Columbia, SC)
Gentle folk fingerpicking with smooth tenor vocals: let it transport you.

2:30 The Morning Brigade (Chapel Hill)
Swirling, mysterious, full-band folk with male and female vocals.

3:30 Drift Wood Miracle (Durham)
Melodic, noisy punk/indie right in time for the emo revival.

4:30 Bridges (Raleigh)
Dreamy, shadowy indie rock with a bit of an electronic vibe.

5:30 TBA

Drift Wood Miracle’s emo-revival offerings are passionate and impressive

There’s a lot to be said musically and sociologically about why the emo revival is interesting, but spilling that ink here would do a disservice to Drift Wood Miracle. Even if DWM is the band that has me thinking about it, I think it’s more important to note that this quartet has instrumental chops, songwriting skills, melodic prowess, and the earnest passion to pull it all off. I caught their live show at Kings Barcade last Saturday, and the performance was electric.

The quartet features a relatively traditional setup: two electric guitars, a bass, and a drummer. One of the guitarists and the drummer trade lead vocals, which is only one way the band adds diversity to their set. The band does a great job of covering the acoustic/rock/punk/post-hardcore spectrum, as their set featured highlight moments or songs in each of those genres. They’re comfortable with fragile, gentle emoting and thrashing, technical post-hardcore. “My Condition” handles both extremes with ease, but they can express the emotions on their own as well; “Solum” is a beautiful, tender ballad that sounds like the work of a veteran group of musicians.

It’s one thing to make a racket with walls of amps and speakers, but it’s quite another to resist rock’n’roll and mic your 65-watt amps. The little amps that the members of DWM put on stage thrilled me for a variety of reasons: it nodded to the punk “make do with what you’ve got” ethic, underscores the lack of pretense in the band, shows that the talent here is not just a function of nice equipment/recording, and displays the youth of members. To be this talented while still be in high school is rare indeed.

Many emo bands can be less than energetic live, as the band just stands there. Drift Wood Miracle wasn’t going all Rites of Spring on us, but they definitely showed their passion for the music throughout the set: guitar waving, stomping around the stage, and some passionate jumps (not to be confused with theatrical “rock jumps”) made me feel like I could do more than bob my head to the music. It was a good feeling to watch a band be moved by their own music and then feel the desire to move with it too. This is by no means a new thing–I’ve been moshing and dancing and jumping and bouncing at shows for years. But Drift Wood Miracle got me into it, and that’s a thing worth praising.

Drift Wood Miracle’s rock/punk/emo is impressive and worth checking out. Appropriately, a guy in the audience was wearing a Brand New “Fight Off Your Demons” shirt (The hook in the raw “To Endeavor” contains a modified Brand New quote, even). If you’re into that Brand New/Thursday/early ’00s emo sound, you’ll love Drift Wood Miracle.

Max Bemis Forever: The Truth Hz/Drift Wood Miracle

I’ve never been a huge Say Anything fan, but from the songs I’ve heard, an indelible print has been made of Max Bemis’ voice. His way of melding singing, yelling, screaming, and talking into an idiosyncratic vocal style has stuck in my mind. The Truth Hz and Driftwood Miracle both incorporate elements of Bemis’ style into their music, so I thought I’d bring them to your attention in the same post.

The Truth Hz is a pop-punk band that musically hails back to the early 2000s, when chunky, low-end-heavy guitars were the ideal type. None of those airtight, treble-heavy six-strings that are so common in current pop-rock are included on Get Over It. This one is loud and proud. Layered on top of this beefy backdrop is Ryan Stoll’s voice, which incorporates the muscly singing-to-screaming section of Max Bemis’ voice.

Stoll puts a lot of emphasis on the tone and delivery of his words, which is another element that points toward Bemis’ work. Note how in the end of “The Truth Is…” Stoll modifies the tone and volume of voice to get the desired effect out of the words; it’s a strong tactic, and one that made this stand out to me. Stoll is a storyteller on top of being a songwriter, which is something that a lot of pop-punk bands miss. Even if the “plot” is loose, Stoll guides the listener through the song with the contortions and distortions of his voice. It’s just a ton of fun to listen to. And in pop-punk, where any minor tweak on the sound can be the difference between catching my ear and sound like everything else, having a confident, mature vocalist fronting the outfit helps a lot. Fans of summer music, you should be checking this out.

North Carolina’s Drift Wood Miracle does not play pop-punk; they play piano-led indie-rock. The band just released “Mountain,” the single off their upcoming album The 21st. Lead singer/pianist Bryan Diver leads the tune from near-silence to loud to near-silence again, before exploding into a roaring coda that sees him hurling his voice around in a very Max Bemis-ian, angsty sort of way. The lyrics are a cryptic but relatable story of personal struggle and failure, couched in metaphors reminiscent of Brand New’s work. I’m a huge fan of Jesse Lacey and co.’s early work, so I’m totally on board with a little bit of obscurantism in the lyrics. The tune is a fascinating one, and I look forward to hearing what the rest of the album turns out to be.

Drift Wood Miracle – Mountain from Gracie Diver on Vimeo.