Reviews
Woodhands – Remorsecapade
Thursday, February 18th, 2010 by WLOY Staff
Look at that futuristic spider-monster blasting away at the western wild horses with a glimmering, flawless rainbow in the background. You heard me… look at it! So epic… and I can’t tell if the album cover has nothing to do with Woodhands’ album, or if it has everything to do with Remorsecapade. I honestly did a triple-take when I saw the names of the duo that created this synth and drums mish-mash. Ever heard of The Rural Alberta Advantage, the folky indie-rock band from Canada? Their drummer, Paul Banwatt, joined synth specialist Dan Werb to create an unlikely duo of electro-pop funkiness- Woodhands. This interesting combination led me to believe that Remorsecapade would be… well, interesting, to say the least. (more…)
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Maps – Turning the Mind
Thursday, February 18th, 2010 by WLOY Staff
Maps, the singular identity of James Chapman, release a mysterious flow of electronica into your head like a dark fairytale. Chapman’s voice slides through your ears and into your head like a melodic whisper. His voice is nowhere and everywhere at once. Most of the songs start with him singing with a calm electronic melody behind him, until it opens up with echoing vocal harmonies and shimmering sounds that generate “Turning the Mind.” This CD is interesting because each song seems to open up near the end of the track, which leaves you wanting more. (more…)
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Letting Up Despite Great Faults – Self-Titled
Thursday, February 18th, 2010 by WLOY Staff
Despite the complicated name of the band, this quartet delivers a simply sweet sound. Their self-titled CD resembles a fusion of Silversun Pickups and Postal Service with a lighter and dancier edge. When I put on the first track, “In Steps,” it took me exactly where I wanted to go: into a state of relaxation. The guitar is lathered across the electronic static and steady beat, which instantly melted away any stress I felt before listening. The voices and words seem to fade away, emphasizing the melody of the guitar. What I found interesting was that some tracks focused more on guitar than electronic sounds, and others seemed to be an equal blend of both. “Pause” carries on that relaxing feeling with humming voices and atmospheric guitar. The electronic sounds are so soothing that I forgot they were there. The track is quite mellow until it suddenly picks up with a strong synthetic dance beat that really caught my attention. (more…)
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The Insomniacs – At Least I’m Not With You
Thursday, February 18th, 2010 by WLOY Staff
If you feel lonesome on a late night, don’t worry, because The Insomniacs will be up with you all night long, singin’ the blues. From the first song on the album, “Lonesome,” the listener knows exactly what this band is about. The Insomniacs introduce themselves with a stylish organ along with jamming guitar riffs and harmonica solos all under the silky-smooth voice of Vyasa Dodson. This guy is a triple threat: piano player, singer and songwriter. If Michael Buble ever sang the blues and meant it, he’d fit right in. (more…)
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Andrew Bird – Armchair Aphocrypha
Wednesday, February 17th, 2010 by WLOY Staff
Imagine, if you will, the climax of gruesome plane crash. The plane dives lifelessly through the sky and back towards the earth as gravity begins to assert its strength. Now, picture this scene with a lovely beat to accompany it, complete with a violin, a piano, perhaps an optimistic tune with whistling, a choir, and maybe some horns and lively vocals to compliment. Armchair Apocrypha elicits a powerful feeling of contrast and contradiction as Andrew Bird has a knack for making the terrifying into beautiful, or the mundane into captivating. (more…)
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