It’s always great when a band reaches out with a personal email full of detail. That always catches my eye and gets me intrigued.
This evening I received an email just like that from Maddy Little of the band We Wander. Hailing from Mississauga, Canada, the band have taken that folk sound we all know and love and amped it up with some indie vibes. Starting with just Maddy and her acoustic guitar, the band has since expanded their line-up to include Camilo Martinez on bass, drummer Jacob Rondeau and Christian Orozco on violin. With a good few singles under their belt already like ‘Bridges’ and the stunning ‘Can’t Save You’ the band are gearing up for the release of their latest track, ‘Pouring Out’.
The track opens on a solemn violin and lone strummed guitar. When Maddy comes in on vocals you take a sharp intake of breath. She really has the most beautiful voice. I love how the violin and Maddy seem to be singing to each other. The chorus is so uplifting and life affirming. The contrast between the more downbeat verse and soaring chorus is really effective.
This track also features really powerful drums and some neat mandolin dominating the higher register.
On their Facebook page the band say “Pouring Out is about being afraid to speak your mind. Being worried that you’ll say the wrong thing and everyone will hate you.” That comes across in the lyrics like, “It’s pouring out, all on the ground. These thoughts of mine keep making sound, and I can’t seem to tie them down. Don’t think out loud I know, I know.”
I really enjoyed this song and after checking out the bands YouTube channel I really love the previous songs they have released. There’s also a great live session on there too. While we await the new single, you can catch the video for ‘Can’t Save You’ below which will get you in the mood perfectly.
‘Pouring Out’ is out on 23rd of October and you can pre save the track here. Follow the band and find out more here.
It’s not often that the video for a song opens the door to discovering a band for me. That is exactly what happened when I seen the video for ‘Loner’ by garage pop punks Dehd. The Chicago trio—bassist-vocalist Emily Kempf, guitarist-vocalist Jason Balla, and drummer Eric McGrady weave a heady mix of surf rock, shoegaze and heart wrenching balladeering. Honest to a fault their lyrics are an open book. Their previous album, Water, dealt the aftermath of the break up between Kempf and Balla. Their latest album, Flower of Devotion, moves to what comes next. The healing, the processing of that loss and ultimately the rediscovering of yourself.
The album kicks off with the pounding “Desire”. As an intro to the band you couldn’t ask for a better song. The contrast between the sheer versatility and power of Emily’s vocal lead contrasts beautifully with Jason’s cool as you like delivery.
Emily takes the lead on “Loner”. Her voice is this bands secret weapon. It’s so dynamic. Jason’s guitar tone and Eric’s simplistic and steady drumming being the other key components. It has that reverb swamped feel of late 60’s crooners but it feels modern at the same time. Context is everything. Check out the video for this one here.
‘Haha’ is a short ditty patently about the break up. “All I know is I love you. All I know is cry, cry, cry” sings Kempf in the choruses and Balla responding “Well I loved you with all that I had”. There’s no masking the emotional wounds in obtuse lyrics here. That is the power of this album, its direct route straight to the heart.
‘Drip Drop’ slows the pace with Jason taking the lead and Emily’s textured backing lifting the choruses. A trick that is employed equally as effectively on ‘Month’ following. Patently a lot of work has gone in to finding the perfect balance between these two unique styles of singing. It has certainly paid dividends.
This vocal interplay is mixed up further in ‘Disappear’. With Emily singing a slick counter melody to Jason’s slacker drawl it’s a perfect pairing. With that trio of tracks done we are treated to ‘Flood’ and Emily showing us what she capable of. The way she enunciates the title sends shivers down your spine. Jason too, is on fire with glorious and atmospheric guitar work.
The open wounds of the now broken relationship are laid bare in the next track ‘Letter’. It is essentially an open letter to any future girlfriends of Balla’s and plays it clever by couching that within a beautiful melody.
‘Nobody’s almost spoken lyric leads to a euphoric chorus about the search for someone or perhaps the search for yourself again. Constantly asking “When will it be mine” Emily uses her full vocal range to keep you tuned in. Time is also a factor in the next two tracks.
‘No Time ‘is a song out of time. This wouldn’t sound out of place on a Blondie setlist circa 1976 on stage at CBGB’s. The song has an energy and power that is derived both from Jason’s frenetic guitar and Emily’s impassioned delivery. ‘Moonlight’ on the other hand is Jason’s finest moment on the album. The switch of rhythm between verse and chorus is so clever and catches you out every time.
We haven’t spoken about Eric McGrady yet. His steady and minimalist drumming is the glue that holds these two fractured souls together. It’s with some surprise that we now hear him take the mic for his self-penned song ‘Apart’. An ode to aging he delivers it with an honesty and directness his band mates must be envious of.
The album closes with ‘Flying’. Once again acknowledging the end of their relationship and having to move on isn’t always easy.
Flower of Devotion is one of the most cohesive albums I’ve listened to in a while. The album has a stripped back to the bone sonic palette, leaving the vocal performances to do the heavy lifting. Luckily Dehd are adept in this area with three talented vocalists, each with their own unique style. The key thing is, no matter if they are singing about the break up of their relationships their voices will be in love forever.
Flower of Devotion is out now via the groups Bandcamp page and all good record shops.
You just know when an email from the good folks at Dirty Filthy Records drops into your inbox you are about to hear something special. This gem of a label has provided me with some of this years’ highlights with releases from Soden and Par Asito. They are now about to release Depopulation an EP from Acid Roulette. The band, hailing from Austin, Texas, trade in a unique brand of acid psyche rock and like it loud!
The EP opens with the pounding riff centred epic ‘Deathsect’. With lots of nods to Led Zep this track absolutely explodes out the speakers. The groove on this track is absolutely addictive. As openers go, they couldn’t have come out stronger.
After the pace and ferocity of the opener we move into the hypnotic ‘Dividing Slander’. We are through the looking glass now. Centred around a Sabbath like riff and drum pattern this track weaves so much into its run time. Some absolutely stunning lead guitar work acts almost like a second voice. Again, the band hit a groove that keeps you in rapt attention. Love this song!
We take the pace down a notch for the languid and serpentine ‘Lonesect’. Even though we are operating at half the pace the bands playing loses none of its ferocity. Which leads to some interesting pay offs, particularly in the chorus section with its almost tender lead vocal melody playing against the jagged attack of the backing.
The EP concludes with ‘The Truth’. The vocals are at their most potent here. Aryn really does bring the chaos as advertised. What was also notable on this song was the dual, harmonising guitar lines. That really added something different to this track. The deafening finish come all too soon and we close out on a mysterious voice in the static.
Whilst this EP has been available digitally on the bands Bandcamp page for a while now you can pre order a vinyl copy from Dirty Filthy Records from October 2nd. I would advise you move fast because records of this quality sell out fast.
I am a huge fan of post rock. Bands like Mogwai, Explosions in the Sky and Godspeed You Black Emperor create amazing soundscapes that you can lose yourself in. This is why I was so pleased when I was asked to listen to Italian post rockers A Good Man Goes to War.
Hailing from Turin, Flavio Amelotti and Fabrizio Paglia have been in bands for well over a decade. They finally joined forces in 2019 and began crafting their sound. The result is their debut album The Sounds of a Large Crowd. Let’s dive in.
Opening the album is a track called ‘Improvising’. It opens on a low-key piano riff before insistent and ever building guitars join in. There is a lot of thought to dynamics, here and throughout the album. When we do reach a crescendo it is so satisfying. You know because you feel it. That’s what great music does.
‘Reflections’ follows with an almost sci-fi, blade runner soundtrack vibe to the intro. This is then engulfed by the powerful drums that are a signature of this band. They really smack those tubs. The guitars fall into two camps here. One a chiming strum and the other a fuzzed-out drone. Its almost like a call and response song between them. The piano underpinning the whole song gives it a sense of direction and purpose. It really is an amazing track.
‘All the best memories’ opens with the drums picking out the time from an almost jazzy pattern. Once the ascending/descending guitars come in we are back in familiar territory. Then comes the bass. Its huge. A wall of fuzz. This underpins the final minute of the song as the guitars soar to new heights. Breathtaking.
As if sensing our fatigue, the band take the pace down a notch for ‘The Bravest Moment’. This song is utterly joyous. After the slow pace of the intro the guitars and drums barrel along lickety split and you cannot help but smile. Mid song there is a dip where we can catch our breath before heading headlong into the final stretch. There is some nice use of panning which makes headphone listening exciting. Check out the video here.
‘This Cold White Sky’ paints a devastating image in your mind. One of ruined landscapes and the search for life. Its almost as if all the joy from the previous tracks falls away as some terrible event takes place. As always, the instrumentation is exemplary and brings home the feeling of utter desolation. It’s a very moving piece.
‘You Have to Leave Something Behind’ grows from the aftermath slowly blossoming sounding brighter and brighter as it moves closer and closer to the end. It almost feels like this is the second half of ‘This Cold White Sky’. They complement each other so well.
The album closes on ‘Lifeless Architecture’. This song feels final. The drums play a punctuated beat throughout like a series of full stops. The guitars build and swirl around, almost euphoric, that they lead the way to the end. But ultimately, it’s the low buzz of the strings that sees us out.
The band say that they aim to build soundscapes to create a sense of synaesthesia for the listener. That couldn’t have been more descriptive of my experience. I would heartily urge you to find forty minutes in your day and lie down with headphones on and let this album take you away.
The Sounds of a Large Crowd is available now from the groups Bandcamp page.
When life hands you lemons what do you do. That’s a question bands all over the world were asking when the spectre of Covid-19 reared its ugly head. Australian gazers trillion were no different.
Like many other parts of the world, trillion’s members had been under lock down. But the drive to make music remained strong. trillion’s members wrote and recorded their parts for each of the five songs on their new Move to You EP, separately, at home.
The EP kicks off with the 100-mph sonic assault of ‘Soft’. This track is instant. You are immediately hooked in with the harmonised vocals and the fierce battle between the frenetic drums and the riffs……..oh the riffs!! This is a track I’ll still be listening to in a years’ time and it will still feel as fresh. Check out the video below and see what I mean.
‘Out of Your Mind’ follows. This is a denser affair with squalls of feedback layered guitar over a squelchy wah lead. It’s a great blend of gaze and psyche. I got completely lost in this track, floating along on its ethereal vocal line and insistent bass.
‘Don’t Be Sorry’ is a fuzzed-out pop song hung around a cool guitar riff. The vocal interplay on the songs title is gorgeous and will have you going back in for another listen.
‘It’s All I Need’ feels almost discordant as it begins then the song emerges as the vocals kick in, making sense of the maelstrom. I really love how they handled that. Clever stuff. The maelstrom is never far away though and it is used sparingly to add a real feel of menace and threat. This is a very accomplished piece of songwriting.
The EP comes to an, all too soon, ending with the barn storming ‘When it Comes to You’. This is gaze gold. The glide guitars on here are next level. As the song develops you get an idea of what this band are capable of. This is an intense listening experince. I mean that in good way. It demands you pay attention and soak up everything that’s going on.
As the band say themselves “While recorded in isolation, the resulting songs are anything but bleak. Each song presents how we work together to create crashing walls of sound that are at once densely layered whilst also artfully delicate and balanced.”
Trillion’s ‘Move to You EP’ is available now on Bandcamp and other streaming services. Click here to choose your platform.
Funeral Lakes are a Canadian folk-rock duo with hearts fit to burst. Sam Mishos and Chris Hemer started the band in the spring of 2018, self-producing music in their apartment in Vancouver and now in Toronto. They deal in politically and socially charged lyrics set against the most dynamic of instrumentation. Their eponymous debut album was released to widespread acclaim in 2019 and now Funeral Lakes return with the Golden Season EP.
The EP kicks off with ‘Eternal Return’, a song which rails against the misery inflicted by the lies of our politicians. This is a builder and I really like how this song takes its time to get going. You really feel like you are being taken along for the journey. By the time the closing section erupts you are feeling as justifiably angry and righteous as the group. I defy anyone not to fall in love with Funeral Lakes on the basis of this song alone.
‘Earth Falls’ is next up. A song with so much heart and yet so much restrained sadness at the inevitably of the destruction of our environment. “Earth falls and then begins again. Our home is all we ever had” just speaks volumes to me. I love the interplay between Chris and Sam on the vocals here. Some really nice call and response stuff in the verses. The false start to the chorus is a neat twist too.
The closing track is entitled ‘Power Trip’ and features Sam on lead vocals over a really scuzzy fuzzed out guitar riff. Tackling the subject of the white hetero-patriarchy which dominates our society it careens at breakneck speed. Sounding quite different to the other two tracks, I’m not sure if this a detour for the band or them setting out down a new musical path. Either way, we win.
There is no doubt that Funeral Lakes will be getting Arcade Fire thrown at them by lazy reviewers as a point of reference but not here. I can hear the creativity of Talking Heads, the restrained ennui of Sparklehorse even the madcap irreverence of The West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band.
I cannot recommend this band and EP highly enough. The Golden Season EP is out now from Funeral Lakes Bandcamp page and can be streamed from this list of platforms.
Bursting out the speakers comes Ten Million Lights with the first track from their upcoming Shine So Bright EP release. “Myanmar” is an absolute classic in the making.
Hailing from Portland, Oregon these shoegazers have a penchant for catchy hooks and imaginative lyrics. If you like your gaze on the heavy side, you’ll love what Ten Million Lights are doing here. Driving bass and drums support a fuzzy, grungy riff fuelled assault on your senses. Lyrically we are off to outer space, through a black hole to seek assistance from the reptilian people. Any band that can fit the line “Praying mantis come and save us reptilian son” into a song deserves our undying admiration.
Static Sounds Club has had a sneak peek of the upcoming Shine So Bright EP and I am pleased to report you are in for an absolute treat when it is released on Friday October 2nd.
Can it be nearly two years since we first heard “Impossible Stuff”, Carla’s last full-length release. That was a real statement of self from the Glasgow pop artist extraordinaire. I’m now sitting here with her brand-new release,” Weirdo”, just soaking up the lush soundscapes. Carla has a sound all of her own and on this release, she has really amplified every aspect of her musical personality to eleven.
Of the album title Carla says “I’ve often been told I am weird – like that’s a derogatory word, let’s be clear – normal doesn’t exist. The things that make me weird are the things that make me, me.” I think we can all get on board with that.
Album opener “Get Lost” is pounding dancefloor filler. With a nice call back to the opener from her last album “we’re still dreamin’ on the run”. There’s an undercurrent of 80’s style production running throughout this album that is particularly prominent in this track. I suspect that was deliberate. A statement of intent if you will.
“Heart So Hard” maintains that synth heavy groove from the opener splashed with hooks galore. With a chorus that is left spinning around in your head after the first listen, this is Carla pulling out all the stops.
Some really cool swirling and panning on the intro to “Spun Out” sets the mood for the song. This is classic Carla. Defiant lyrics, that warm yet epic synth sound that has followed her from Teen Canteen into her own solo work and really thoughtful arrangements. I have developed a bit of a soft spot for this song.
When I heard that Glasgow rapper Solar Eye was appearing on the album, I was scratching my head. How was this going to work? I needn’t have worried. Dave Hooks’ lyrics work so well against the backdrop of a pop banger. This track really cements Carla’s reputation a collaborator supreme. This is a theme that continues into the album.
Honest and from the heart lyrics are something Carla has form for but “Never Knew You” really is the most open and emotionally generous I have ever heard her. “’Never Knew You’ acknowledges the pedestal you can place someone on – what you hope they will be – and what happens when they crash down from that height.” As always, she has cleverly couched this song in a stunning pop anthem but it’s the lyrical content that has cemented it as my album highlight.
We take it down the gears a bit for ‘Signing it in Blood’. The best way I can describe this song is, imagine the song at the end of your favourite eighties coming of age movie. You know, the one where our leading lady gets her dance at the prom. This track wouldn’t sound out of place on the Stranger Things soundtrack. Yeah, that good.
“Beautiful Boy” bounces out the gate with a skipping off kilter rhythm. Retro synths build in to form a luscious, pristine backing. Oh, and that chorus. Simplicity itself executed to perfection. I once said that Bis had “more hooks than a fisherman’s dingy”, this applies to Carla too. And how.
And just to cement that opinion “Over You” Has that big eighties production vibe but taken to the next level. This deserves to be played at high volume in a club.
The title track features a team up with Glasgow rockers Honeyblood. Fuzzed out and delirious its an absolute stormer. Check it out for yourself here.
“Catch Me If I Fall” really caught me unawares. It opens really sparsely and has a similar vibe to her previous work. Then out of nowhere the track opens up into this widescreen pop opus. This is where great song writing and production magic come together to create something magical.
The album closes with “Coming Up Daisies”. There’s something about this song that has that cinematic soundtrack feel. The cascading synths, the unusual chord change in the verses keep you paying attention. The reverb-soaked chorus is the very definition of lush pop. What a way to close an album.
I really love it when artists evolve their sound without losing the core of what makes them unique. With “Weirdo” Carla has undoubtedly brought her A game, building on her previous successes. Moving forward is the name of the game here. No time to dwell on yesterday. This is going to feature in a lot of end of year polls, mine especially.
“Weirdo” is available now from Carla’s Bandcamp page via Olive Grove Records.
Last year I had a very clear winner for my album of the year. It was Keith in Ballachulish by The Dawdler. It remains a firm favourite of mine to this day getting regular spins on the turntable. The Dawdler is songwriter John Edgar from Newcastle-upon-Tyne. You may be familiar with his name from bands such as Okay Champ, EAT FAST and Nately’s Whore Kid Sister. In these bands Johns music is slightly more on the heavy experimental side. His music as the Dawdler is something more fragile, meandering and unique.
John returns with a new single ‘Lava Lamps’. It is a beautiful track full of the gentle and intensely emotional melodies that his previous work has been lauded for. The song, however, couches a darker, sadder story. In 2015, Johns friend, Ewan, took his own life. Not so long ago he wrote this song about him. More broadly, it’s about grief, loss and mental health issues.
Suicide and mental health are huge, devastating issues. Services that work to help those in need and raise awareness in society need support. I’m sure most people reading this will have been affected by mental health issues and/or suicide in some way.
John wants to use the song to try to raise as much money as possible for the mental health charities/services Mind and Breathing Space.
While we await the release of this amazing track here’s ‘Sylvie’ from his debut album which has the most apt lyric “Give the demons hell, bloody tooth and nail”.
Bursting out of El Paso, Texas come Eep with their debut album Death of a Very Good Machine. This is a band with a story to tell, a message for the listener. One which repeats throughout this album. A message bore out from the life experience of founding member Rosie Varela. Quite simply, that message is, don’t give up. Ever!
The album opens with the majestic lead single ‘Hogar’ Spanish for Home. This is a love song to Rosie’s husband; Justin and you can feel the love that has been poured into every second of this track. The song is punctuated with some exceptional drumming from Lawrence Brown which rises and falls with the dynamic production. Rosie’s angelic voice floats above it all reminding me of Liz Fraser in her prime.
After that pacy start we take it down a gear for the brooding ‘Canal’. There is an almost volcanic feel to this song. Like something is there, underneath, just waiting to erupt. The vocal interplay between Rosie and Serge is magical and at times reminds me of early Sigur Ros. The call and response is really eerie and beautiful at the same time.
After a short segue we emerge into the title track pulsing and fully formed. The circular vocals from Rosie, Ross Ingram and Sebastian Estrada are wonderfully disorienting, leaving the listener giddy by the time the song peaks and sputters out on a flourish of static and feedback.
There’s no time to waste as we launch headlong into the swaggering grace of ‘When It Was Over’. I love how the guitars weave together forming a sonic sea that the song sails effortlessly over. There’s something infinitely comforting about this song. I defy anyone not to feel immediately soothed and relaxed after listening to it.
Next up is the second single from the album ‘Outlast You’. This is a storming out and out rock song bathed in reverb and fuzz-soaked guitar. A song written as a retort after Rosie was told that she was too old to form a band. This monster of a track blows that misconception out the water. Everything is supersize here. The riffs are huge, drums pounding, vocals are dominating. Rosie especially owns this song. I can see this being a live favourite with the fans.
After the frenetic rush of the last track we relax into ‘Breathless’. This is where we see Eep playing to their real strength, working as a team. With Serge Carrasco and Ross taking the call and response of what I’d call the core vocals, Rosie brings her mellifluous and glacial vocal in on top. This creates a wonderful structure to hang the song on. Add to the mix some beautifully reverbed, chiming guitars and some world class drumming and you have a perfect song. This has become my album highlight after many listens.
The quality remains sky high as the ghostly intro to ‘Can’t Keep Hurting’ appears. There’s something about this track that will keep listeners interest for many many plays. Is it the exquisite guitar parts, clever bass and drum interplay, the way the chorus just sneaks up on you? I just don’t know and I’ve listened to this track a lot. All I know is every time I play it, I get lost in its many layers and am always surprised when it segues into the final track on the album.
‘Closer’ with its minimalist and charming production brings the albums to an end in a perfect way. After the head spinning complexity of the previous tracks the counter play between the grounded guitar line and Rosie’s subdued vocals really help us decompress and absorb all we have heard.
In Death of a Very Good Machine Eep have given us all hope. A belief that despite all the obstacles life puts in our way that the good will out. This album deserves a place in your home, in your heart. If you let this music in you will be rewarded hundredfold with each listen.
Death of a Very Good Machine is available from the Eep Bandcamp page digitally, on CD and Limited-Edition white vinyl.
Static Sounds Club 