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Independent Clauses Posts

Boss Tweeter

I’m at a loss to describe Boss Tweeter. It sounds somewhat like this: Classic Rock + Math Rock + Grunge + Guitar Rock + Emo + Blues + Surf Rock. Since I like all of these genres, I’m quickly falling in love with Boss Tweeter, although I can’t tell you what genre they actually play.

In this EP, they’ve matured substantially. They’ve refined their songwriting skill exponentially, improved their vocal performances, added drums to their sound, and refined their already amazing lyrics to a razor edge since their last demo came across my desk. Case in point: Not even Radiohead can get away with raving “The point of this exercise is simply to reveal the true nature of humanity like a gunshot in your peripheral vision” as BT does in “Untitled”. Boss Tweeter simply has the best lyrics in rock music today. Put all their elements together, and what results is one kickin’ album.

They’ve only written two new songs for this demo (“Mistress” and “Untitled”), with the other 5 being demo songs retooled. The two new songs are undoubtedly the best songs on this album, though. “Mistress” is the rocker that was missing from BT’s repetoire: not too fast and not too slow, just mid-tempo rock. Both the vocals and the guitars deliver a raw, passionate feel to this, which is fantastic. If “Mistress” rocked, then “Untitled” rocks harder. This is the best song BT has ever written, as it sees Ball ranting and raving a political, cryptic, prophetic poem over angular, fractured math-rock riffs. The intensity that is captured in this song is just amazing, as the guitars will pump your adrenaline, and then the vocals will haunt you.

The rest of the album plays out well, as all the old songs have been retooled to fit drums and tweaked to sound better. They’re very good, but the two new songs really are the jewels here. One highlight is the acoustic last track “Land of Forgotten Sun”, which reminds you that remorse is still alive and well in music today.

Altogether, Boss Tweeter is one of the most talented, creative, genre-bending bands since Nirvana. They are ready to rock your stereo right now. They’ll be rocking your radio soon, so get this album and have a collectors’ item when they become dangerously famous.

Links: http://bosstweeter.tripod.com

Mistress features guitar, bass, drums, the first song ever by boss tweeter to do so. The vocals are raw and appealing, adding a different feel to this. The harsh, attacking vocals are very interesting. Good shown on mistress. “Untitled” sees Ball ranting and raving a poem over a dual guitar attack which invokes serious post-rock vibes, certain passion invoked. ‘two decisions, equally condemnable, equally regrettable, but either a prize nonetheless’ the delivery is haunting, pained and shiver-inducing. Lyrics are emotional, political, prophetic, and altogether amazing, not resisting any irony to be provoked, no contradiction left unturned, and no metaphor or simile left unexplored. The drums give their sound much more clarity and feel than their previous work. This just feels much better. Even without bass (as in ‘untitled’) their sound is much more full. Hellbent, one of the best songs off their last album, is even better with driving drums.

Vendetta Red

Ok, ok. So, Vendetta Red’s debut album “Between the Never and the Now” is a bit old. To the extent of about 6 months old. But, it garners my vote for most underrated album of the year. Why? It’s thoroughly original, of course.

Vendetta Red is angry. Very angry. Angry enough that about 5 tracks that end in an all-out miasma of screaming, slashing guitars and other noise. But that’s only half the picture. About half of these songs are in a major key. Their singer is so spot-on perfect that songs like “Shatterday” and “There Only Is” resonate around not just a chorus, but a single haunting line. The vocals span almost two and a half octaves, bringing an amazing amount of drama and intensity to this.  Their screaming is just amazing, bringing a fearful emotion to songs such as “Stay Home”, where singer Davidson screams “She said son! He didn’t mean it! There’s something wicked on the inside!” It looks so cliché, but it will give you a shiver. The lyrics here read like a gothic diary, where death, gore, pain, and abstract poetry abound.  Some are fantastic, such as the aforementioned “Stay Home”, a burning, pointed-finger expose at child abuse. Others have meanings that are unrecognizable, such as the morose “Ambulance Chaser”, and others are anger filled rants (The dangerously bridge-burning “Por Vida”). The songs themselves range from the neo-punk “Opiate Summer” to the hardcore madness of “Por Vida” to the dark, moody emo of “Lipstick Tourniquets”. Most fit in the major-keyed anger-rock vents of “Seconds Away”, and they are fantastic.

You need this album. This is one of the most exceptional albums released this year, and it’s under the radar. VR is on Epic, people!!! It’s not like this one’s a hard one to find. If you like the word emo, this will make it onto your top 10 list.

Read, Listen, Buy: www.vendettared.com

Stellas

I hate it when good bands make live albums, cause live albums usually suck. No matter how good the live show is, the goods just can’t get transferred into CD form. And that’s with the major label people. Independent live CDs are scary affairs….very scary.

Don’t get me wrong; the Stellas have an infectious, fun live show.  The female fronted power pop/punkish vibes they so blissfully exude lead me to hold high opinions, despite previous knowledge of live albums.

This CD is actually two concerts in one, a live concert at the legendary CBGB’s in NYC, and another at the sadly not-so-legendary Green Door. The better of the two is definitely Green Door, as a hometown crowd and some guest backup vocals help them out immensely. The CBGB concert is crowd-dead, and there just seems to be no energy in the band. As all the CBGB songs are doubled in the Green Door part of the CD, you should just skip the first part.

The Green Door section is pretty good. The Stellas go for a harsher set of vocals than on their studio album,  drifting in and out between poignant, perfect melodies and harsh, raw moments. It’s a bit odd if you’re acquainted with “Umbrellas”, but not too bad at all for newcomers. There are two new songs, both of which sound intriguing enough that you want to repeat them. Tyson Meade, vocalist from the Chainsaw Kittens, is featured in some songs, and sadly, he doesn’t fit their sound at all, except on the spectacular version of “Just What I Needed/Da Da Da” whose darker tone fits the occasional screams dropped in by Meade perfectly and induces shivers. Besides that song, he pretty much overpowers everything, and ruins the few songs he is present in. That aspect of this album is very unfortunate.

There’s nothing much else to say about this. It’s a very average live CD, as most of the songs stick to the way they were written. I’d personally check out “Music for Umbrellas” or a live show over this CD. Whichever way you do it, check out the Stellas. Their power-pop pizazz is just too good to pass up.

Fighting Jacks

The Fighting Jacks are on Tooth and Nail. The Fighting Jacks are only about 3 years old. The Fighting Jacks are one freaking lucky band. Barely 3 years old, and on a highly respected label. That’s quite amazing. Therefore, I’m expecting amazing things from them.

Well, they have some amazing moments, and some not-so-amazing moments. The Fighting Jacks play a frenetic, quick paced fusion of pop punk ideals and emo leanings. They play with a pop punk speed and structure, but they have dark riffs, screams, and other hallmarks of an emo band. Despite those commonplace, sellout labels, FJ is decidedly anti-mainstream. Most of their music doesn’t even have a catchy melody or a catchy hook. That’s something to be lauded in this day and age. One negative phenomena FJ suffers from is such: when they hit a vein, they drill it dry, resulting in a rush of short, sound-alike songs that could function as one song (the equally uninspired songs Farewell Senator, Commons and Robbers, and Glass Table). There are some pure gems, don’t get me wrong. The wispy, fading “…Of a Dear Friend”, the punchy “Photobook”, and the purposely dissonant “Chercher” all command inventive intros, emo songwriting substance, fist-raising crunch, and a powerful command of FJ’s trademark sneering, sarcastic vocals. In fact, I like more of this than I dislike.

What we have here is yet another band overshooting their capabilities. They are capable of some amazing rock songs, but instead of starting out small, they busted out of the gate with a full-length. This is only their second release by themselves (another was a split), and they just need to refine their sound some more. If I were to pick the 6 best songs off this 12-song album and put them out as an EP for them, it would be one of the best debuts of the year. It’s just that the other 6 songs all sound the same. If you like emo with a refined edge (Thursday, Finch) this will be a great addition to your collection.

Read: www.fightingjacks.com
Listen: www.mp3.com/fightingjacks
Buy: www.bestbuy.com (sells it for 8 bucks….not bad!)

Castle Oldchair

I could tell Castle Oldchair was going to be a bit odd as soon as I opened the package. The art is drawn a bit oddly, and the liner notes are printed backwards (you need a mirror to read them….I tried it). Also, in the finished copy of this album, there will be a blank CD-R included, encouraging people to burn this and give it to a friend, family member, enemy, etc, etc. It’s grass-roots independent in the highest sense of the word.

Castle Oldchair is completely indie pop. Everything about his sound is laid back, upbeat, mellow, and fun. Led by an acoustic guitar and accompanied by an array of instruments that includes violin, synthesizer, and distorted vocals, this is quite an eclectic piece of work. There are some tracks that are only guitar, bass, and drums, but they are the minority here. Most pieces are layered, harmonic, and surprisingly full-sounding pieces of folk art-pop that are made for the purpose of making music. Because of the down-home feel, all the songs have a homely, not-too-loud feel. The vocals here are clear and consistent, yet a bit held back, creating a warm, endearing feel to the music. The lyrics that are put forth are a bit off-kilter, like the rest of Castle’s sound. They often contemplate deep thoughts, but they wrap the thoughts up in odd stories or surround them with non sequitur statements. This is especially evident on “Joanne Creasy”, a melancholy, stark song with passing references of religious depth. Another standout track is the lush, Cake-like “Speaking of Diamonds”.

This is Sunday afternoon music. Mellow, happy, and simple-sounding, this is an amazing album to just chill to. It has an abundance of artistic and technical merit as well, but this doesn’t deserve to be picked apart. Castle Oldchair should be taken correctly: enjoyed while lazing around, avoiding work on a bright, sunny day.

Read: www.castleoldchair.com
Listen: www.castleoldchair.com
Buy: www.castleoldchair.com

Barton Gill

Don’t ever let Barton Gill hear you say that funk is dead. He’ll bust out a funk song that he just wrote and prove you wrong. This CD is a battle between 70’s funk music and Modern Era rock music. It’s an odd mix, but it provides some good results.

Most of Gill’s work is lead by acoustic with electric accompaniment. This is especially evident on the rock tracks, all of which are veritable epics of songwriting skill. “Farther From”, the rocking centerpiece of this album, features a haunting melody, innovative guitar lines, and an infectious amount of charisma. Those qualities are apparent all over the disc, from the modern rock of “Reach Out” to the moderate tempo closer “Lovely Armageddon”. Even in his funky pieces (the aptly titled “Funky Fresh”, “Believe”, “See You Now”) good songwriting is evident, as none of them are too harsh on the ears. Only one is ‘true funk’ though, the rest are hybrids, which improves things even more. The vocals aren’t too harsh on the ears either, as they are crooning and mellow in some places, pulsing and emotive the next, but always strong and sure. “Farther From” is the most obvious choice for “Best Vocal Performance”, but “Reach Out” isn’t too far off.

Barton Gill has one foot firmly in the past, and one foot firmly in the present. His songwriting skill is top-notch, though, giving these seven songs life where there shouldn’t be life, and interest where no interest is due. A songwriter with a functioning internal editor, a good voice, talent, and variety is definitely something to watch for, and Barton Gill fits all those categories very well.

Read: www.clearchannelnewmusicnetwork.com/artist/bartongill
Listen: http://artists.iuma.com/IUMA/Bands/Barton_Gill/
Buy: N/a

StanXa

There have always been not enough emo Christmas songs. Maybe everyone’s too happy on Christmas to write an emo song, which, as we all know, are mostly depressing. Still, emo Christmas songs are cool, and I thank Stanxa for bringing along the best one I’ve ever heard.

“(Caught In The Headlights) On a Christmas Night” is indicative of Stanxa style: A long, drawn out emo masterpiece of complete melodicity and volume.  Their guitars are either flowing or crunching, the bass is thumping, and the singer is either crooning in his overtly British, melodic voice or nearly screaming. In fact, one of the three spine-tingling moments of this album comes when Tom Lennard screams “Your world has gone, cloud eats the sun” during the chorus. Another gut-wrenching moment is the end of “You Bring The Heart, I’ll Bring The Stake” where the two guitars play one of the prettiest duets I’ve heard in a long time. The third and final moment is during the all-around best song: “Wound”. The grunge-fueled masterpiece features a fantastic drum intro (the drumming throughout this album is top-notch) and a massive, heaving grunge breakdown that thrilled me.

This is some good hyper-melodic British emo. It could be better, as one track (Love Bites) is a dud and the rest all seem vaguely familiar, but overall, this is worth it. Highly entertaining, Stanxa is a sure bet.

Read: www.stanxa.co.uk
Listen: www.mp3.com/stanxa

Buy: N/a.

Orizon

These days, it seems that the only place modern rock exists is on the radio. I can hardly find any of it underground. It could be that it doesn’t exist, or I’m just looking in the wrong places. Either way, Orizon is the first independent modern rock group I’ve heard in a long while.

Their songs flaunt modern rock flair without shame. “Black Box” has a distinctly Trapt feel to it which resounds throughout the album, although “Black Box” shows it most. While they are modern rockers, they don’t hesitate to slow down, as “Breathe Deep” has a nice long intro that smacks of sadness and introspective views. Don’t call it emo though. It’s not. The best song here, the quiet yet lithe “One Good Reason”, has a stellar vocal performance, unassisted by the screams they sometimes use. It feels like New-School Juliana Theory (“Love” Era….you know, the non-emo album).

How we rate this depends on what your standards are. The usual standard is: Would this get play on a modern rock station? The answer to that is a resounding yes. They are just rebellious enough to fit in well with the watered-down metal of today’s radio. But my standard has always been “Will you want to listen to this again?” The answer to that is a bit less resounding, but still yes. The funny thing is: The quieter stuff is better. But when all is said and done, Orizon is a modern rock band that’s straddling the line between powerful and beautiful, and both work.

Read: www.orizonmusic.com

Listen: www.orizonmusic.com

Buy: www.orizonmusic.com

Will Rock For Jesus

Will Rock For Jesus is a compilation of a bunch of Christian rock bands, if it wasn’t inherently obvious by the title. It hardly warrants an introduction.

This cd was put together by the pop-friendly Word Records, and it shows, completely. If there are three words to describe this, they are: radio-ready, catchy, and upbeat. In fact, even some bands that are normally consistently rock (Denison Marrs, Seventh Day Slumber, and GS Megaphone) have contributed (errr, had songs chosen for them) that are more poppy than average. In fact, the only two hard songs here are the emo-rock stylings of Cool Hand Luke and the nearly metal EastWest (an odd inclusion on this pop-filled disc). That’s not to say that harder is better. Sometimes you just need a good pop song. The best candidates for this are actually near the end of the album. “She” by Radial Angel is a jubilant, shameless pop/rock love song, and it’s infectious as the flu. You just have to feel happy after hearing it. A little more on the melancholy side is GS Megaphone with “Beautiful World”, a rocker that has definite Our Lady Peace vibes. And with a slightly more dark feel is Number One Gun with “On and On”, which, despite having a cliché name, is a nice light emo song.

Well, this hardly lives up to its name. For most people, this just isn’t worth the time. But for some people who like an occasional upbeat song in your White Stripes/Thursday-dominated CD cases, this just might do the trick for ya.

Read: www.wordrecords.com
Listen: www.wordrecords.com
Buy: N/a

Mono Vs Stereo

Everyone complains about compilation albums. It’s true that they are sometimes sub-par in their choice of bands. In fact, I don’t think there’s ever been a perfect comp. All comps have at least one song that must be skipped. This comp is the inaugural release from new label Mono vs. Stereo. The label promises to be an emo/hardcore/art rock label, as those genres are the most highly represented here.

Every comp needs some star power to get people hooked. Mono Vs. Stereo’s ‘lead’ is Matt Thiessen and The Earthquakes. As solid proof that leads work, I will confess that I got this strictly for the beautiful, emotive piano stylings of Thiessen’s side project (His day job is heading up the fantastic punk band Relient K).  This is only Thiessen’s second published track, but with “Poison Ivy” he firmly solidifies the notion in my mind that he is one of the best blokes ever to plunk the keys. His trademark of culture-soaked, emotive, tongue-in-cheek lyrics and beautiful, flowing voice command respect in this song. The song itself is about a rocky breakup, but it’s portrayed so elegantly in both lyric and melody that it is the best break-up song I’ve ever heard.

Even though Thiessen is obviously the hook, he’s the last track. The rest of the album is not that quiet at all. The first three bands (The Evan Anthem, House of Heroes and Embraced) provide the best that emo has to offer. Mono Vs Stereo’s own The Evan Anthem has the first track, entitled “Goodnight, Good Fight”. It’s a highly melodic, catchy brand of rock/emo comparable to Full Collapse-era Thursday. House of Heroes contributes their brand of punk/emo, which is comparable to Brand New. The chorus is completely anthemic, and I can hear the crowds screaming it now. Embraced shows up with “Saratoga” which is a rocker that showcases their trademark screamo. There are 4 other screamo bands here (Boywunder, Colson, Showdown, and Uriah Omen), but Embraced clearly shows the most strength and consistency out of them all. With crunchy, ear-pleasingly dissonant riffs and a clear sense of direction that the others lack, it’s easy to see why. The weirdest song offered here is the poppy guitar rock of The Connotations, who are somewhat akin to Fountains of Wayne except for the fact they scream some of the vocals over their keyboard inflected “We Are Trouble By the Truckloads”. It works surprisingly well. Also worth checking out are the tunes from Marcco (a laid-back tune which echoes the work of Sixpence None the Richer, only in a minor key with a male singer) and Andy Zipf (an art-rocker who could draw comparisons to the work of Kevin Max).

On the whole, this is an average comp. Both the beginning and the end are extremely strong, but the middle is a hit-and-miss affair. It’s definitely worth the money though, as it holds the gem of “Poison Ivy”. Mono vs. Stereo is clearly a label that will grow into something phenomenal over time, as they have their talent meter set to “Stun”. It’s not set on “Kill” yet (Deep Elm and Tooth & Nail are about the only two labels that can boast that), but I feel it definitely will be soon.

Read: www.monovsstereo.com

Listen: www.monovsstereo.com
Buy: www.monovsstereo.com