CD review - Sills & Smith, Uncertain Vista (2011)

Split personality: we will, we will rock/folk you!

Uncertain Vista sprawls for 60 minutes and 21 songs, allowing enough room for the two or three bands playing to each show off their signature sounds. Of the collection, I prefer the indie rock centered band the most, but the musicianship is strong across the board. Of course, it's not a collection of bands, it's just the split personalities of Sills and Smith, jumping between indie/alt rock and Americana (Canadian style)/folk.

This dichotomy would have worked better if they had split the album accordingly, but the songs jump from sound to sound, sometimes disconcertingly. When the appropriately named Ominous fades down from its dark. chaotic tension into the delicate slide intro of Water, it's hard to shake the dissonance.

Despite the roller coaster sequencing, there is a streak of continuity on Uncertain Vista tied to the lead vocal sound, the balanced song arrangements, tight harmonies, and the exceptional bass work.

The first three songs start out on the indie rock side, with A Writer's Retreat creating some beautiful music. The see saw rhythmic start features some harmonic note textures that contrast nicely with the wide open flow of the chorus. The electric guitar is wonderful, creating a counterpoint of sounds that balance the structured arrangement of the other instruments. Similarly, on Inside/Outside, the electric guitar adds character, largely by being less anchored to the Police-like main guitar figure.

Spiraling Down's shift to a more Americana feel is the first indication that Uncertain Vista was veering for other targets. The repetitive melody lines and swaying rhythm is pleasant and the lead has a nice Roger McGuinn feel. But it's out of step with the earlier songs.

Picking some favorite moments, Crux of the Matter is a strong alt-rocker with a power pop edge. The driving beat lays down a foundation for a John Entwistle bass line that melodically toys with the groove. The psychedelic guitar solo drifts through the break leaving little flecks of golden fuzz. On the folkier side, the aforementioned Water has a gentle folk rock vibe. The arrangement is simple, but allows enough room for the slide guitar accents in the spaces left by the hesitant acoustic guitar. The vocal harmonies are solid, matching the laid back feel. The imagery and lyrical flow is smoother here than some of the other songs.

It's good for a band to have an eclectic range of songs. Sills and Smith's musical talent and skill at arrangement shows off their versatility. With better song sequencing or judicious editing, Uncertain Vista would have been a stronger offering.

Drop by ReverbNation and give Sills and Smith a listen.

September singles

This month, I offer three different musical paths into your head and gut.

Infected Mushroom - Pink Nightmares (release planned 2012)

Psychedelic trance duo Infected Mushroom have been on my radar for a while after a tip from a friend and his son. Unfortunately, the band's last album, The Legend of the Black Shawarma, was two years ago. Last month, they dropped a first taste of a planned 2012 release, Pink Nightmares. Over the coming months they plan to release more tunes from the new album, but the densely layered hypnotical weave of Pink Nightmares offers a sense of where they might be headed.

The song starts off with glitchy trance groove with just a touch of break in the beat. Impersonal and mechanical, it builds a dark tension that matches the desperation of the vocals. The song opens into a dreamier, floating section that sets up a nice hyperactive reprise into the original glitch flavored groove. The accompanying video is very disturbing, with a plot line suggesting child abuse and karmic vengeance. It illustrates the song well, but Pink Nightmares stands just as well on its own.

I'm looking forward to the eventual album release.

Pujol - Stuff (from the upcoming EP, Nasty, Brutish, and Short)



The thrashing pound of Stuff hits a 1980 punk sweet spot. Simultaneously simplistic and richly layered, the 1:39 song bridges high energy, garage rock a la the Wipers and the bouncy new wave of XTC. Driving guitar, drums, and bass lock into the center, but an undercurrent of guitar fill sneaks into the right channel to challenge the track's foundation.

Appropriately ironic, the lyrics mock the consumerist underpinnings of any purist scene:

I must be consistent with what I believe in
Or I live a lie

Daniel Pujol has put out numerous projects, including Jack White's Third Man Records. His low-fi, fuzzed out sound fills a perfect visceral niche in my musical life. Simple rock and simple lyrics for complex times.

Nasty, Brutish, and Short is due out October 18 on Saddle Creek Records.

The Golden Awesome - A Thousand Nights and One Night (from the upcoming Autumn, releasing November 15)

The Golden Awesome create a balance somewhere between psychedelia, shoegaze, and dream pop. A Thousand Nights and One Night shows off their sound: thick and and throbbing, evoking strobe lights diffused through dense, smoky rooms. Unlike Pujol's fuzzy guitars, the Golden Awesome's edge is blunted and ragged as they echo through the song. The harmonized female vocals drift through the track, leaving reverb-scattered trails.

The band's sound is consistent through the several songs I heard. Like the ringing drive of a maxed out band playing in a small club, foggy with herbal smoke, the noise batters your ears at 2 am. Too tired to even nod in time to the music, you wearily smile and let the waves wash through you.

Autumn is due out November 15 from M'Lady's Records.

Concert review - Me and Heath

25 September 2011 (Hodi's Half Note, Ft. Collins CO)

Man, it must be awesome to be a rock star. Cruise into town with your crew, hang out at bars, and lay out some tunes for the adoring fans...earning big bucks along the way. Pretty much everybody who's ever toured is laughing cynically at this point. The guys in Me & Heath know the reality of cancelled gigs, long drives, odd venues, and small audiences. Sunday night at Hodi's Half Note was lightly attended, but that didn't keep the band from making the most of it and playing a couple of great sets.

It helped that they pulled some enthusiastic hometown fans. Front man TJ and guitarist Heath are both from Greeley. They moved out to Los Angeles, where they connected with the rest of the band. This tour through Loveland, Ft. Collins, and Denver is the first time they've made it back to Colorado in a few years. The band seemed happy to reconnect with old fans and meet some new ones. The show had good energy and the band spent most of their breaks out with the crowd.

With no opening act, Me & Heath played two full sets before wrapping up a little after midnight. Their music blended a number genres: laid back funky beats, soulful singing, strong indie rock grooves, and a little bit of rapping. With the exception of a small set of crowd pleaser covers, they focused on their original music, including the songs from their EP, 3X a Charm.

L.A. is a tough music scene and Me & Heath showed the kind of polish a band needs to compete there. TJ had a riveting stage personality as he played acoustic guitar and provided most of the vocals. He was in constant motion as he mugged for the crowd or threw himself fully into each song. His voice was a key part of their sound, with a touch of Michael Jackson soul and G. Love's funk. At the same time, his playing anchored the three guitar line up. He and Heath setup counter rhythm strums while Jaxon laid down lead. Other times, he let Heath and Jaxon both stretch out. Between songs, TJ came across as a class clown, generally keeping the mood light.

The rest of the band didn't surrender the stage to TJ, though. In particular, Jaxon's easy going banter meshed well with TJ and his lead work was solid with a little flash. The bass player, Nick, contrasted with other guys with his hair metal look and high attitude rock posing. But it added to the show and his bass playing was very strong, both up front on Wise Crack or supporting on Call Me Out. Aside from playing guitar, Heath laid down the occasional rap vocal. He had good flow and I'd like to hear them slip more of that into their mix.

Me and Heath had a sound that evoked Maroon 5, Dave Matthews Band, and even a bit of older Red Hot Chili Peppers, but the vocals were more rooted in the kind of tightly controlled, tense Michael Jackson soul. With a touch of rap to update the vibe, it was a good sound with enough room to fill out the two sets without getting stale.


More photos on my Flickr.

CD review - Opeth, Heritage (2011)

Opeth rejects metal roots for prog rock exploration

Opeth frontman Mikael Åkerfeldt has spoken about his mindset leading into Heritage: I don't think I could have written another metal Opeth record right now. I was done. I had saturated that style. With Watershed and Ghost Reveries, (it) was as good as it gets in that style. It was time to move on. And the new album has proven to be challenging to hardcore Opeth fans.

Heritage is much more keyboard focused than their earlier work and the music seems rooted in retro prog rock/art rock. While many of the songs retain the signature harmonic tension of classic Opeth, the death metal growled vocals are gone. These changes force the listener to decide whether to contrast it with "classic" Opeth or to judge the album on its own terms. While it's not a cultural touchstone like Dylan going electric, Heritage has proven to be Opeth's most polarizing release.

The album opens with the title cut, Heritage. It's a moody piano-centered piece that explores a simple melody. Understated and jazzy, it unwinds slowly, creating a thoughtful reverie. The progression features a nice pause that adds a touch of tension. When it comes around at 1:24, the song just hangs in space, defying gravity. It's a beautiful moment that sets the tone for the rest of the album.

Fitting with the dynamics of the album, Opeth follows this soft moment with something edgier. Rather than diving into metal, though, The Devil's Orchard is anchored in an early King Crimson sound. Steven Wilson's production work shows that he's been immersed in King Crimson's back catalog. The winding riffage and rhythmic drive set off a theatrical vocal. The opening section settles into a dynamic shift into a spooky instrumental segment. Where the older Opeth material would have focused on guitar, the keyboard shines instead. There are still plenty of guitar textures, but they're in a supporting role.

The rest of the album has plenty of interesting explorations, some of which click like I Feel the Dark's journey from thoughtful trippiness to harder edged post rock (some strong Camel moments). Others are less successful, like Famine's sound sculpture start that evolves into a series of shifts. This latter is promising, but the sections don't coalesce. The ambient start is overtaken by a rising percussion that sets a groove, but then the groove is abandoned for a tentative piano line. This in turn is overtaken by a frantic guitar riff that sets up a driving progressive rock groove reminiscent of Yes or Styx. The song continues to run through other changes before returning to the opening sound sculpture sound. Many of the parts sound interesting alone or even in contrast to another section, but the collection feels haphazard and unplanned.

Even if Heritage overreaches, Opeth should be commended for taking the risky step away from everyone's expectations. On it's own terms, the album largely succeeds. I'll leave it to the fanboys to argue about how Heritage fits into Opeth's larger body of work. I'll raise a goblet of smoky chipotle mead in their honor, though.