OPEN IT ADZY #2 - Seasick Steve - You Can't Teach An Old Dog New Tricks

OPEN IT ADZY is back! Apologies for not making one on Wednesday like I promised. This time I’m opening You Can’t Teach An Old Dog New Tricks, by Seasick Steve. ENJOY.

Lushfarm - Lushfarm

Released: 20^th September 2011

Label: Somewhere

Genre: ‘Early 90s Rock’

TL;DR: Nostalgic goodness. 7/10

Lushfarm is the new self titled album by…Lushfarm. Their sound, while a little bit scattered, as been narrowed down by singer Craig Taylor (thanks for the email Craig) as ‘early 90s rock’. It offers a slice of individualism with the rest of 2011s material by bringing back the qualities of the 90s, instead of the 80s, like so.many.albums have done.

If you like Smashing Pumpkins, Pearl Jam, Staind (no offence guys) and just some feel good solid rock songs; this is the album for you. It has moments of being loud, and quiet, fast and slow, straight forward and mysterious. It’s a good all rounder, making sure to put at least one piece of furniture in each corner of the room. But all decoration metaphors aside, this is a good album.

Mat Gibson - Forest Fire

Released: 3^rd October 2011

Label: Clubhouse Records

Genre: Acoustic

TL;DR: Pretty. 8/10

With glowing results from the right places, and some serious radio play, it appears that singer-songwriter Mat Gibson’s time is now. The reasoning for this comes in form of Forest Fire, Gibson’s upcoming album which will be released early October. It offers an intimate setting comprised of Gibson’s often doubled or harmonised vocals and his acoustic guitar, with the occasional slide or harmonica or other instruments either taking to the spotlight, or playing outside the walls of this personal aura.

Forest Fire certainly deserves the praise it’s received. Its simple mechanics produces a very individual performance out of Mat Gibson, as if he is literally playing to the listener, which allows for any listener to gain a different connection with it.

Rat Trap - The Western Boundary

Released: ^3rd March 2011

Label: Unsigned

Genre: Folk/Indie

TL;DR: Rad. 7/10

Rat Trap is a five-piece band from sunny California. Their influences range from Modest Mouse to Pavement to Cymbals Eat Guitars, and they bring a fresh take towards the genre of folk music. In their short career span of just over a year, they have released their debut album The West Boundary, and are opting to spread the news through the internet and word of mouth/blogs, and I’m glad to help.

The Western Boundary is a great debut, projecting a sound which fluctuates from Indie, to Folk, to post rock. This willingness to change genres throughout an album displays a certain confidence the band has in their and each others abilities, and also in their music. It certainly gives a jolt to a genre which is usually overlooked once people get their Dylan’s or Cash’s or Tallest Man On Earth’s out the way.

Thomas Truax Needs YOUR Help!

Singer-songwriter Thomas Truax has certainly had a terrible year. His father sadly passed away, which is already an experience worthy of deeming 2011 a bad year, but then he saw the breakdown of a relationship with his beloved Hazel, why she would break up with him we shall never know. To top it all off, Truax’s visa runs out in November and it looks like he will have to leave the UK and return to Berlin.

Truax will be playing a farewell tour in October; dates will be added at the end.

And The Giraffe - Something For Someone

Released: 21^st August 2011

Label: Unsigned

Genre: Dream-Folk

TL;DR: Something For Everyone more like. 8/10

And The Giraffe is the name of a two-piece band. Comprising of best friends Nick Roberts and Josh Morris and hailing from Gainesville, FL, the guys look to stick around and display their dream-folk sound for as long as they can. They have released their first EP, entitled Something For Someone, and it offers a splendid combination of Mogwai-style instrumentation and blanket it with James Morrison/Bon Iver –like vocals to create a sound which is something for more than just someone to hear.

My Jerusalem - Shake The Devil

My Jerusalem - Shake The Devil (official video) from My Jerusalem on Vimeo.

Lovely band My Jerusalem are back with Shake The Devil. A very pleasant track full of acoustic guitar, unusual vocals and overall is a wonderful listening experience. The way instruments seem to slide their way into the track sounds so natural, as if they have bled into the same blood stream. It is the first single to come from their new album Gone For Good, released on the 6^th of September on One Little Indian Records.

Poly/Western - Sevens

Released: 6^th September 2011

Label: TakeAimFire

Genre: Rock

TL;DR: Nice and Trippy. 7/10

Poly/Western are a three piece band hailing from Baltimore, comprising of John Rossman on vocal and guitar, Kresimir Tokic on bass, and Rob Jamieson on drums. With their slightly desert influences of Joshua Tree-era U2, Talking Heads and a little bit of Queens Of The Stone Age, they have created a sound which they themselves say is ‘rock enough for the rockers, hip enough for the hipsters, and stoney enough for the stoners.’ This is certainly a great description for it.

Sevens is the single from their upcoming EP, The Social Realm. It offers a quick bite of context to the above quote, and from I’ve read, it would sound amazing alongside the projected custom-made psychedelic visual display that they equip in their shows.

Tokic’s bass sounds deadly as it introduces the song in monstrous fashion, before sinking back into the depths of the music as the slightly Kyuss-esque sound of the guitar takes the reigns and reverts to a more desert-y sound instead. Overall, the track is very good, sounding like a radio version of a Tool song, except that I like this, and not Tool. It leaves a feeling appetite for more, and hopefully the EP will fill that.

Little Comments Interview #5 - Abolition

The fifth interview to be conducted EXCLUSIVELY at Little Comments is from hardcore band Abolition! 

How are we all today?

I’m great, thanks for asking.

Wavves - Life Sux EP

Released: September 2011

Label: Ghost Ramp

Genre: Lo-Fi

TL;DR:…..Wavves? 4/10

Wavves is back with a new EP. Entitled Life Sux, it features collaborations with Fucked Up, and also Best Coast. That’s right, the couple of Nathan Williams and Bethany Cosentino have teamed up to produce the track Nodding Off. It’s like a modern version of Ebony & Ivory for the hipsters. Lovely.

Featuring cleaner production counter balanced with a heavier sound. Wavves does little to keep a consistency with the sound they produced with their first two records, and a little from their third. The lo-fi goodness that hooked many fans and blogs alike is gone, and instead replaced with some fairly bland ideas. But hey, it’s an EP after all I guess.

Ed Sheeran - +

Released: September 2011

Label: Warner Music UK

Genre: Crap

TL;DR: No. 0/10

If there’s any good brought to the table of society by Ed Sheeran, it’s that it’s now generally acceptable to be ginger. But unfortunately, while people such as my girlfriend can now sleep a little easier, there’s something about Ed that just makes me take a strong dislike to him.

The A Team is the song which has skyrocketed him to close to the sun, which he and his fair skin must hate. But I literally have no idea what he’s going on about here, first it’s about a whore, then crumbling pastry, and now he’s on about not wanting to go outside because it’s too cold. Well Ed, stop hanging around dodgy women, put your pie in the oven at a lower temperature, and put on a bloody jumper.

Nishwasher - This Culture EP

Released: 2^nd December 2011

Label: ?????

Genre: Indie/Power Pop

TL;DR: Solid, honest tunes. 7/10

This Culture EP is the three song set from Nishwasher, a band who unfortunately emailed me with no links to their background or whatever. But hey, I work with what I’m given. I’m going to guess they’re a four piece band, with guitars and drums, maybe even bass, and it appears that a guy sings the songs too.

If there’s ever a time for a listener where they simply want to hear something that’s not too complicated, and is guaranteed to get them bobbing along and feeling amped up. Then look no further than here, what we’ve got here is three songs packed with feel good riffs and licks, what more do you need? Reverb? Pah!

Boots Electric - Honkey Kong

Released: 20^th September 2011

Label: Dangerbird Records

Genre: Alternative Pop

TL;DR: When brain-dead, it’s good. JUST DON’T THINK. 6/10

It’s the album that myself and other followers of the RekordsRekords forum have been anticipating for years, and after being told many lies as to the progression and release date of it, it has finally arrived, albeit a little later than we were told.

Eagles of Death Metal frontman Jesse Hughes has decided to take a break from the group and instead venture out on his own in the world of music, and under the moniker of Boots Electric, he has produced Honkey Kong, a set of ten tracks with limited EODM similarity crushed underneath a ton of dancefloor influenced pops and noises.

Honkey Kong is a great album when crossed with a lack of thinking on the listener’s part. It’s mindless fun that should not be taken too seriously, but the other half of my brain is a little peeved that Hughes has opted for a poppier sound rather than something a bit similar to Now I’m A Fool from EODM’s third album, Heart On. The EODM fan in me was hoping to hear more of the sentimental side of Hughes; instead I have to settle for tracks which sound pretty bland when compared to Jesse’s main band. Though, as a whole album listen goes, the songs enhance one another and there are a few catchy moments throughout.

Dubwiser - A Crack In Paradise

Released: September 2011

Label: Crash Records

Genre: Reggae/Rap/Urban

TL;DR: Good Stuff. 8/10

                           

Dubwiser are certainly a band to be considered legendary. Having played with the likes Madness, Lee Perry and The Mad Professor, in a range of venues from run down back streets to stadiums, they have been around long enough to be highly regarded by anybody who’s a fan of reggae music or a fan of music in general.

Instead of the standard four piece, Dubwiser has become a collective instead by inviting guests such as Miss Megumi, Dave Cozmics, Fusion, Nick Moorbath and Scrutineer to form new album A Crack In Paradise, a record which is diverse enough to proudly display the band’s sound of roots reggae and rap in flawless style.

AN IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT/REQUEST

 Hello my….little commenters? I dunno. Anyway, I need YOUR COOPERATION! There is currently a contest running called On The Rise, and the winner gets to be featured on the front page of Youtube! Exciting stuff.

The biggest music reviewing channel, and the internet’s busiest music nerd, Anthony Fantano, aka theneedledrop is one of the channels in this poll, and it would be great if you guys could click on the link below and vote for theneedledrop to make sure that he remains in the lead and WINS!

HERE! PLEASE DO IT! CLICKMECLICKMECLICKMECLICKME

Theneedledrop is my favourite reviewing channel and it would infact help the music reviewing community as a whole if it won. It would allow Anthony to get more hits on his videos, and expand his audience and subscribers, and could in turn lead to other channels gaining a few extra hits too. Maybe even Little Comments?

Anyway, please do it and I will hug you or something. CHEERS.

Neon Indian - Era Extrana

Released: 13^th September 2011

Label: Static Tongues

Genre: Chillwave/Dance

TL;DR: Why the need for reverb? 4/10

2010 was certainly a pivotal point in the career of Neon Indian mastermind Alan Palomo. His sound of low-fi dance music garnered a lot of attention from cult fans, then the blogosphere certainly helped by granting favourable reviews to the album Psychic Chasms, which attracted more and more fans to it. The track Deadbeat Summer was certainly considered one of THE songs for the summer, with its infectiously delicious beat and easy to dance to groove. 

Era Extraña is the album which follows on from the success of PC, and has definitely been one highly anticipated record. On a personal side note, Psychic Chasms was infact one of the very first albums I reviewed, for the website Zero Expectation, way back in November/December of last year, so I think it’s quite nice to come full circle and review this new set of material.

OPEN IT ADZY #1: Red Hot Chili Peppers - I'm With You

OPEN IT ADZY is a new series I shall add to Little Comments. It is essentially me revealing what’s inside a random album of choice from this year and saying a load of words hoping to entertain you. The videos will be uploaded on Youtube via my SoloFlights account, and obviously I will upload them here too.

This is nothing but harmless fun on my part, so don’t you dare take it seriously or become enraged by it. I just thought I could add something new and refreshing to the blog. I will link each article below, so enjoy.

Ashley Chittock - Ashley Chittock EP

Ashley Chittock – Ashley Chittock EP

Released: 6^th September 2011

Label: 313 Records

Genre: Acoustic

TL;DR: Beautiful. 8/10

Ashley Chittock is an artist who has been in and out of the local music scene for years, but he has returned once again, this time accompanied with Ashley Chittock EP, the first piece of studio material in this man’s career. Chittock mostly plays around the Southend area, having played the same gig as The Rundowns a few months ago.

The EP is full of great acoustic songs with solid riffs, great hooks and impressive lyricism. All of this is topped off with vocals which are nothing but great, and the occasional vocal harmonisations dabbled here and there only make this the biggest treat ever.

Little Comments Interview #4 - Kill It Kid

The fourth interview to be conducted exclusively for Little Comments is with Kill It Kid! Their second album, Feet Fall Heavy, is out now and is definitely one of my favourite albums of the year. I was fortunate enough to ask a few questions to the band.

 1.

How are we all today?

Peachy, halfway to Leeds having played a packed show in a steamy basement in Liverpool last night and watched some great bands.

Modestep - Sunlight

Released: 12^th August 2011

Label: Polydor

Genre: Dubsteppy

TL;DR: Blud diz is niice init 6/10

Sunlight (2011) is the new single from four piece band Modestep. It is the second to drop from their upcoming debut album, following on from lead single Feel Good, which saw the band feature on Radio 1’s A Playlist.

Sunlight offers everything that makes for a great summer track: good tune, good vocals, a very strong drop and the word ‘sun’ repeated many times over and over again. The lyrics offer little in originality but they do fit their purpose of creating a great pop hook for the mass audience to grab a hold to.

The drop allows the track to ascend from generic dance song into something more individual, this is also helped by the nice production of the track which prevents the sound from becoming claustrophobic and muddy. The closing parts of the track really lets loose on the drops and provides an extra last kick of life before it’s death. Very nice.

M83 - Midnight City

Released: 2011

Label: M83 Recordings

Genre: Dance

TL;DR: GREATNESS 9/10

M83 have released the first track from upcoming double album Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming. Basing opinions from Midnight City alone, this new album could be pop’s most ambitious sounding records in 2011, and leaves me feeling very excited for it.

The mix of anthem-worthy synthesisers and the hard hits of the synthetic drums create an exhilarating track. It seems to encompass the entirety of The Naked And Famous’ debut album’s inspirational mood and adds a whole lot more on it. The saxophone solo at the end just caps off a truly wonderful listen and one of my favourite tracks of the year. Look for the new album to drop via Muted Records on October 18th.

CSS - La Liberacion

Released: August 2011

Label: V2 Music

Genre: Dance

TL;DR: Bleh 4/10

CSS were definitely the defining band to form this great ‘fuck you’ attitude that took the music scene by the balls, and flipped it off. The nonchalant nature of their debut Cansei De Ser Sexy brought a lot of attention towards them, some bad, but mostly good as people everywhere were suddenly adopting the exact morals.

Five years later and CSS are stuck in a rut. Their highly anticipated sophomore album Donkey flopped more than a fish on land, their credibility only just held up by the success of their debut. But, three years on from their second album, La Liberacion looks to make CSS tired of being sexy once again.

It offers a lot of variation, with the band adopting a few extra genres into their arsenal. But while the change is exciting, the results are a little flat. The genres mixed with CSS’ punchy sound has resulted in very generic sounding tracks, as they contain beats which Ke$ha and Katy Perry and pretty much everyone else in pop have used time and time again already.

Jonathan Wilson - Gentle Spirit

Released: August 2011

Label: Bella Union

Genre: Acoustic

TL;DR: Not as good as Bon Iver. 5/10

Gentle Spirit is the second solo effort from singer songwriter Jonathan Wilson. It is more of a group record though as joining Wilson is Chris Johnson of The Black Crowes, a Jayhawk, some of the Steve Miller Band, and Andy Cabic of Vetiver, all of whom have a bit of experience in the music industry.

Gentle Spirit is a record which sounds exactly like Bon Iver, in terms of sound, instrumentation, song structure; even the album cover looks strongly similar to Bon Iver’s Bon Iver. While Bon Iver’s Piece de Resistance is obviously the vocals, Wilson’s effort lacks that and sounds pretty much faceless in comparison, and while it is bad to compare these two records, Bon Iver is currently the face of this genre, so it technically has to happen. Unfortunately for Jonathan Wilson.

Jedward - Victory

Released: Why God Why

Label: Money Grabbing, Ear Haters Records

Genre: Crap

TL;DR: HELP ME 0/10

Irish twosome Jedward are back with second album Victory, a second effort which totally needed to be released to quench the desires of every person ever. I’m wondering though, a victory of what exactly? Being the most unnecessary individuals on the planet? Taking full advantage of people at their worst and somehow making over a million pounds already?

Whatever the reason to celebrate a victory, this is an album which (THANK GOD) sees the couple dabble their hand in ‘writing’ ORIGINAL material! So we can finally listen to the talent that these two’s employed writers could write after hearing every big song in the mainstream world today.

The War On Drugs - Slave Ambient

Released: 16^th August 2011

Label: Secretly Canadian

Genre: Psychedelic Folk

TL;DR: Nice. 7/10

‘The lack of tremendous pop hooks is enhanced by the fluidity of the instrumentation, which ultimately trickles aside from the listener without their full attention.’

Slave Ambient is the sophomore album by The War On Drugs, a project originally founded by Adam Granduciel and Kurt Vile. Since the release of debut Wagonwheel Blues in 2008, the band have releases two EPs and seen the departure of Vile.

What is now the baby of Granduciel, he takes the record and the genre of folk into weird territory by layering synths and bubbling noises upon catchy acoustic guitars and pounding drums which make this on the cusp of an anthemic sound. The lack of tremendous pop hooks is enhanced by the fluidity of the instrumentation, which ultimately trickles aside from the listener without their full attention.

The sound is definitely one of the best of 2011. While the idea of returning the sound of the 80s to the modern decade has been the gimmick of 2011, Slave Ambient produces a crystal clear sound that could have been collected through spring water which has then been filtered. It is extremely clean sounding and sits neatly aside Destroyer’s Kaputt as the leading records of this 80s movement.

Psychostick - Space Vampires Vs. Zombie Dinosaurs In 3D

Released: 16^th August 2011

Genre: Humour-core

Label: Rock Ridge Music

TL;DR: Funny For Now. 5/10

‘…allow metal fans to join in the fun of bumping bums while the rest listen to Weird Al Yankovic.’

Space Vampires Vs Zombie Dinosaurs in 3D is the greatest title for any album in the world ever, and it is also the third release from Arizona-based quartet Psychostick. The band comprised of vocalist Rob Kersey, guitarist Josh Key, drummer Alex Dontre and recent addition Matt Rzemyk on the bass combine solid metal riffs with a wide range of stupid topics and parodies to allow metal fans to join in the fun of bumping bums while the rest listen to Weird Al Yankovic.

The record is very fun to listen to, and those bored of Weird Al can find solace with Psychostick. Topics about boobs, farts and MSN emotions really stretch the band’s target demographic to a broader audience, ranging from little kids to adults who are mentally kids. There are also parodies of Marilyn Manson’s Beautiful People, Drowning Pool’s Bodies and even a parody of internet sensation Antoine Dodson’s ‘Hide Yo Kids, Hide Yo Wife’, which extends its relevancy just a bit.

DeWolff - Orchards/Lupine

Released: 11^th January 2011

Label: REMusic Records

Genre: Everything from the 1970s

TL;DR: Amazing. 9/10

‘There aren’t too many examples of that happening today, with most of them happening on the odd live performance, but it’s great that DeWolff have captured the spirit of the 70s in the studio.’

Orchards/Lupine is the third studio album by Dutch three piece DeWolff. Their influences range from The Beatles, Pink Floyd, Cream, The Doors to Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, and White Stripes. Comprising of Robin Piso on organ and vocals, Luka Van De Poel on drums, and Pablo Van De Poel on guitar and also vocal duties, they look to bring back the distinctive sound of the 70s, rather than this year’s gimmick 80s revival music.

The record is definitely a strong contender for best album 2011. Not only does it succeed very well in reviving the sound of their chosen decade, it also sounds as if it could have been from that era too. It boasts very strong instrumentation that has occasional spots to shine, and at other times makes for an epic groove underneath the airy vocal parts. It sounds like something Cream or Jimi Hendrix or Zeppelin could have produced in their prime, so of course you’re going to love this.

Lil Wayne - Tha Carter IV

Released: To the Hounds

Label: Cash Money Records

Genre: Hippity Hoppity

TL;DR: Let’s all hug one another, kiss and make up and pretend this never happened. 1/10

This is not going to be a review solely focused on Tha Carter IV, the new album by Lil Wayne. Instead, I will review the ‘community’ of the music reviewing world, and wonder why on earth it has been because of this album that we witness it’s lowest moments.

Tha Carter IV is simply another Lil Wayne record and he’s barely done anything different to produce it. It retains all of the elements that gained him fans and possibly gained him a ton more haters, so in essence it’s not his fault. Fans are now realising that they can’t possibly like a record full of autotune, half hearted beats, shitty metaphors and are probably feeling angry because they fell for it with Lil Wayne’s previous records. Obviously I don’t like this album, so if you wish to run off disgusted, then please do so. If not, then continue reading. The actual review of Tha Carter IV is finished; it’s now time to discuss the recent events of the blogosphere.