Reviews | Hard Pressed

Greys – Outer Heaven Review

Posted on April 26, 2016 by edwardlayland

Greys are a quartet from Toronto that have really come of age on their second album, ‘Outer Heaven’. They succeed in blending chaotic punk frenzy and expansive textures on ten well thought out tracks that are as engaging and reflective as they are furious and cleansing.

‘Cruelty’ begins with a slightly jarring intro and downbeat vocals, giving it a shoegazey feel, but the calmness is deceptive – the song is about a group of teenagers brutally killing their classmate – and is soon blown away by the rocky ‘No Star’. Another song inspired by last year’s Paris attacks, it’s punk rock vibe builds into an aggressive wrecking ball of wild abandon, the chaotic guitar sound pleasingly abrasive.

There’s plenty more where that came from too, ‘If It’s All The Same To You’ blends the expansive elements of their guitar sound with the aggressive approach, while the indie pop vocal melody makes for a catchy thrash around. ‘Blown Out’, which tackles the issue of depression within a relationship, has a similarly vibrant energy to the melody, though the dirty grunge riff and histrionic guitars hint at a deeper sense of disquiet.

There are multiple levels to this record and the band has succeeded in slipping all kinds of killer moments into its fabric. For instance, ‘Complaint Rock’ is pure punk rock and brilliant in its simplicity, but then an atmospheric interlude of crashing percussion and guitar lines offers some reflection before the bass kicks back in for a frenzied punk finale. On the other hand, ‘Strange World’ works in the opposite direction; the dreamlike opening of lazy chords and measured beats rolls along reflectively, while a background of feedback gives a slight air of disquiet that suddenly explodes with occasional bursts of screaming chaos – did not see that coming – it gets even more expansive and chilled thereafter, but a melancholy piano played over feedback finishes in style – sublime.

A particularly enjoyable aspect of this album is its variety, although they do have a kind of signature sound, they manage to explore different aspects of it in different ways. For example, ‘Erosion’, one of the standout tracks, takes a more measured approach, employing an atmospheric guitar sound, yet there’s a kind of urgency to the melody that takes a slightly darker feel as it progresses. Conversely, ‘Sorcerer’ is a furiously hard anger fueled track with a killer hook and a sludge punk feel, while ‘In For A Penny’ is upbeat and frenzied, but throws a curve ball with the twee melody of the midsection that is pure indie.

There is not one bad track on this record and it all draws to a somewhat disturbing finale on ‘My Life As A Cloud’. The use of a drum machine, in reference to the emptiness of technology, gives a dystopian feel to this atmospheric meandering and the long instrumental section rounds it all off with a real sense of disquiet, excellent stuff.

All in all, this is a cracker of an album – it’s punk, it’s rock, it’s indie, yet very individual sounding and infused with a sense of daring to the songwriting that gives it a freshness and energy that really set it apart. Superb.

9/10

‘Outer Heaven’ is out now and available here: http://store.carparkrecords.com/categories/greys

Kevin Morby – Singing Saw Review

Posted on April 19, 2016 by edwardlayland

It’s well worth immersing yourself in the deeply textured reflections of ‘Singing Saw’, the third solo outing of atmospheric folk rock from ex Woods bassist (and The Babies front man) Kevin Morby. The Texan singer songwriter proves himself a prodigious talent on this highly enjoyable collection of songs packed with subtle details that punctuate the album with sublime moments of musical brilliance.

‘Cut Me Down’ gets things off to an atmospheric start, the laid back folky vibe and intimate sound accentuating the subtle guitar lines and bluesy acoustics, while ‘I Have Been To The Mountain’ follows in more upbeat style. There’s an easy funkiness to the bass line and a swirling quality to the acoustic riff that make for a hypnotic groove; throw in some percussion, layers of horns and backing vocals and we have a very cool track.

The first half of the album is probably the stronger; there’s a dark air to the stark acoustic guitar underpinning ‘Singing Saw’, which is one of the stand out tracks. It slowly builds to a mechanical drum sound and guitar licks and is an unhurried richly textured gem, the spidery solo adding to the atmospheric seven minute sound scape. ‘Drunk and On a Star’ follows with more unhurried beauty and some nice touches of orchestration.

There is a slight change in direction half way through with the up tempo rocky riffing and Jesus and Mary Chain-esque melody of ‘Dorothy’. It’s cool enough though, with plenty of nice touches of piano and horns between the lines. ‘Ferris Wheel’ is slightly laboured by comparison and is a bit of a mid album lull of piano led reflection.

Prior to the country style meanderings of album closer ‘Water’ we get a couple of mighty fine, albeit slightly quirky, songs in ‘Destroyer’ and ‘Black Flowers’. The mechanical melody of the former gains another dimension when the strings come in, the lilting violin superb, and when the horns enter it takes on a vibe of free jazz to contrast with the piano monotony. Meanwhile there is a slight Oriental feel to ‘Black Flowers’, its easy acoustic picking underscored by an almost jaunty rhythm – instrumentally speaking it’s really quite lovely, delicate drops of piano punctuating the song as it subtly increases in tempo, growing ever richer; excellent stuff.

On the whole this is a fine record from Morby; it is beautifully executed and has so many layers, yet also allows individual passages to stand out in breathtaking style. Well worth exploring deeply to get to know it intimately.

8.5/10

‘Singing Saw’ is out now.

http://deadoceans.com/artist.php?name=morbykevin

Ben Watt – Fever Dream Review

Posted on April 8, 2016 by edwardlayland

On 2014’s Hendra, Ben Watt rekindled his solo career with a deeply reflective album of hauntingly beautiful songs. The writing, recording and subsequent touring caused the singer-songwriter to rediscover his voice and helped open up a rich vein of creativity to produce a flurry of new songs.

The resulting album, ‘Fever Dream’, is a loosely conceptual voyage musing on the ever evolving complexities of love and relationships, purposely progressing from a hard edged, almost difficult, atmosphere to a lighter feel of hope as the album develops. It builds on the template of the previous outing, both stylistically and in terms of personnel; Bernard Butler once again contributing sublime guitar work, while new double bassist Rex Horan adds a little extra depth.

The first single ‘Gradually’ kicks off with atmospherically bluesy guitar lines from Butler and is a spacious slow burner with a hard edge. The textured layers of guitar build intensely to give a gorgeous richness to the sound as Ben fires off an emotive vocal performance. The title track, ‘Fever Dream’, follows with an acoustic melody and understated touches from Butler, who seems to be plucking notes out of the air with ease. M.C. Taylor of Hiss Golden Messenger adds a subtle layer of vocals, while Watt seems to be stretching his voice a little more; an emotional edge also appearing on the brooding ‘Women’s Company’, with its killer hook to the chorus. Watt’s ability to work a hook is evident throughout the album, especially on the upbeat ‘Between Two Fires’, with its subtly shifting percussion, and on the otherwise melancholy atmosphere of ‘Winter’s Eve’.

The second half of the album is no less textured, but takes a noticeable turn towards a more relaxed vibe. ‘Faces of My Friends’ has rhythms reminiscent of Everything But The Girl and is a light but sophisticated pop song on how people’s lives intertwine as “We fall through the world like flakes of snow”. There is a similarly tropical feel to the rhythms of ‘Running With The Front Runners’, the double bass sound superb, though it contrasts sharply with the living on the edge lyrical content.

Watt has the ability to paint such vivid pictures with the everyday details of his words, ‘Bricks and Wood’ being a master class in simple yet descriptive story telling. Here he turns a drive to the (now ruined) family home into a reflection on the importance we attach to physical things, when it’s the untouchable memory that carries the warmth or pain. The song manages to retain that sense of hope underpinning the laid back reflection of previous track ‘Never Goes Away’, with its bluesy guitar licks and whispers of organ.

Although many of the songs capture a similar vibe, they are all distinctive in terms of style; none more so than closing track ‘New Year of Grace’. The delicate folk melody is spacious and airy, the guest vocal of Marissa Nadler providing beautiful accompaniment to this understated tale of enduring love. It’s a simple yet emotional note with which to finish.

The ten songs on offer here make for a quality listen, the space and richness to the sound with the altered tunings, reverb and blurred lines between the instrumental textures packed with sublime subtleties. As well as finding a little extra edge to his vocal, Ben Watt has once again proved himself a damn fine songwriter, repeated listens revealing ever more detail; in a nutshell – excellent.

9/10

Fever Dream is out now on Unmade Road through Caroline International.

Catch Ben, Bernard and Co. on tour during the coming months: http://benwatt.com/dates

Grant Lee Phillips – The Narrows Review

Posted on March 18, 2016 by edwardlayland

Grant Lee Phillips’ eighth solo album ‘The Narrows’ is a delightfully easy going listen; reflecting on hazy summers and country life. This record is a wonderful example of a singer songwriter deep in his niche, doing precisely what he does best, on these finely tuned tracks that talk directly to the humanity of us all.
The hopeful warmth to the cleansing waters of ‘Tennessee Rain kicks things off with an air of country tinged rock, reflecting Phillips’ California roots and new home of Nashville, whilst setting a comfortably familiar tone to the record. ‘Smoke and Sparks’ follows with an intimacy to the country style picking and a vocal reminiscent of Nebraska era Springsteen that gains depth from the clean touches of piano.

Phillips’ brand of country tinged Americana is real easy on the ear, as we are treated to an array of instruments offering a deeply textured canvas to these tales of life. There’s the lilting violin intro to the reflective slice of down home nostalgia of ‘Moccasin Creek’ that’s filled with a yearning we can all relate to. Then there’s the banjo riff underpinning the electric down home bar filler of ‘Rolling Pin and the rich pedal steel of ‘Taking on Weight in Hot Springs’, which muses on the pace of country life “Moving slower than molasses”.

The theme of life in the country underscores the album; recurring in ‘Just Another River Town’, which has “seen its share of life go down” and borrows heavily from country music traditions while avoiding cliché and keeping that laid back warmth. The shuffling rhythms of ‘Loaded Gun’ provide a little contrast though, as it goes “Flyin’, down the back roads” in a flurry of foot taps and hand claps.

‘Cry Cry’ offers up subtly rolling rhythms and an understated soothing vocal that really captures the comfortable feel to this album, which is also evident on the lovely guitar sound of the easy balladry of ‘Holy Irons’. Phillips’ ability to paint a vivid picture is at its finest on the sweltering ‘No Mercy In July’, which shuffles easily through its summer heat of sleepless nights and stifling days – “Shade’s no shelter on days like these”.

To be honest, there is not a bad track on the album, even the fairly predictable lovelorn lament of ‘Find My Way’ succeeds in sounding honest. In fact, the overall feel is so pleasant that it would be difficult to pick a winner. Besides those already mentioned, the reflective ‘Yellow Weeds’ adds a dash of melancholy and ‘San Andreas Fault’, which looks back on life in the shadow of the California fault line, finds Phillips stretching his voice with an emotional performance.

All in all, ‘The Narrows’ shows Grant Lee Phillips at his thoughtful best and is a fine example of good old fashioned quality songwriting. Ok, it’s not exactly innovative, but it’s a thoroughly likeable record of remarkable warmth – grab a beer, sit in your favourite chair and settle into its richly comfortable vibe.

9/10

Find out more at GLP’s official site:http://www.grantleephillips.com/

Kendrick Lamar – Untitled Unmastered Review

Posted on March 8, 2016 by edwardlayland

This surprise release of eight off cuts/demos from the ‘To Pimp a Butterfly’ sessions making up ‘Untitled Unmastered’ is testament to the genius that is Kendrick Lamar. Despite sounding more like a session than an actual album, there is plenty on display to justify Lamar’s multiple grammies and is a fine insight into the man’s creative process.
These untitled tracks almost never saw the light of day, but recent performances on late night talk shows and a tweet from Lebron James led to last week’s timely drop. As such, the lack of context means there’s something intriguing about these songs and makes for a challenging but interesting listen.

Seedy sex talk leads into ‘Untitled 1’ and a bass line Cypress Hill would be proud of. Kendrick proceeds to wax biblical, switching between judgement day and utopia; “I guess I’m running in place tryin to make it to church”; his urgent vocal is straight up smokin Lamar, tripping over itself to get the message across. A (much repeated) call of “Pimp, Pimp: Hooray!” leads into ‘Untitled 2’, which offers up Kendrick firing off all the vocal guns in his armour over an RnB groove to this free jazz fuelled cut.

There’s plenty of jazz peppered throughout the record, we get a cool vibe on ‘Untitled 3’ with its rhyming on race, philosophy and exploitation – “I shall enjoy the fruits of my labor if I get freed today”, while ‘Untitled 5’ goes back to the free jazz feel with a sublime bass line and cutting rhythms. When it finally kicks in, Kendrick’s flow is incisive contrast to the otherwise late night smoothness and is a badass piece of rhyme.

Sandwiched between, ‘Untitled 4’ feels more like an interlude, its reflective soul sounding more like a vague idea than anything concrete, but it’s intimate and seems to offer a little hope. ‘Untitled 6’ has a similarly soulful feel as it rolls out a bossa groove with a touch of funky soul. It’s swimming in the 1970s, like many of the samples on TPAB, and there’s an easy feel to the rapping on what is one of the most complete tracks on offer.

The dissonant darkness of the first of three parts on ‘Untitled 7 is reminiscent of funk carioca and its starkness would work well in the live arena. It cuts (too soon) into an atmospheric gangster rap that is another killer moment, but again, it’s just a moment. The following studio jam reiterates the message of 4 and gives a glimpse into the creative process, but just feels like a DVD extra. In contrast, the superb ‘Untitled 8’, aka Blue Faces and previously called Untitled 2, is as slick a slice of Lamar as you could hope to find and would slip easily alongside the likes of ‘King Kunta’ or ‘Alright’.

At worst, ‘Untitled Unmastered’ is a sublime companion disc of outtakes and off cuts for last year’s phenomenal ‘To Pimp a Butterfly’, but that would not be doing the record justice. Ok, it’s incomplete, imperfect and, at 35 minutes long, can barely be called an album, but even so, the creative rhymes and the variety of styles embraced here showcase just how far ahead of the game the sublime talent of Kendrick Lamar really is; quality.

9/10

So Pitted – Neo Review

Posted on February 24, 2016 by edwardlayland

Since Nirvana’s game changing mega stardom redefined alternative as the mainstream, most guitar based music has become somewhat stylised and, even in its most intense forms, there’s often more than the vaguest whiff of formula following. So, it is disconcertingly uncomfortable, but a welcome challenge, to happen across such an imperfect listen as the bruising So Pitted.

This quirky three piece from Seattle, who bonded over a love of mainstream alternative, are a loose combination of self taught musicians who swap instruments, take turns singing, play guitars through bass amps and basically flout all conventions to cook up an invigorating slice of sludgy rage. There’s an air of paranoia and disquiet to the band’s aesthetic that is captured in the angular rhythms and fuzzy guitars; ‘Neo’ boasting eleven powerful bursts of feedback fueled slop in the finest traditions of Sub Pop.

Album opener ‘Cat Scratch’ is all dirty disjointed riffing, clattering rhythms and drawled vocals, kinda like a hyper raw Mudhoney. ‘Pay Attention To Me’ is more urgent and is one of the more instant tracks, with just the vaguest hint of a hook, as the rudimentary bass line hurries along beneath the guitar slaughter. The jarring close to the track leads perfectly into the alarming riff of ‘Woe’ whose feedback tinged guitar lines are cutting and stark in compliment to the simplistic insistence of the vocal pattern, it’s horribly brilliant. This mechanical vocal technique appears on a few tracks, like the disjointed ‘Get Out of My Room’, which turns the intensity up to eleven, and the sinister ‘Feed Me’ with its waves of feedback tinged guitar bashing that wash over the listener.

‘Holding the Void’ has an angry urgency about it and a more indie feel to the guitars, though once again there’s some melody fighting for room in the ripping vocal. This is actually quite a versatile band and there are a number of influences on display, for instance, ‘No Nuke Country’ has a slight punky feel to its swirling rhythms and pounding riffage, while ‘The Sickness’ is very college radio with its the drawled vocal over the uptempo grungy thrashing.

To be honest, there’s not a bad track on Neo, everything works within the context, but it’s an intense listen with plenty of anger on display; ‘I’m Not Over It’ boasting heavy repetitive riffing and offering a rage filled vocal battering. ‘Rot In Hell’ is similarly upset as the throbbing hypnotic bass underscores the histrionic guitar lines. ‘Chop Down That Tree’ brings the album to a fitting end with two minutes of attacking riffs, attacking drums and attacking vocals that combine everything the band has to offer in a resounding finale.

Ok, So Pitted won’t be winning any awards for intricate technique or refined musicianship, but that is so not the point; what you get here is an intense display of noise filled abandon on these eleven cuts of raw emotion, which is precisely what good art should be about. Killer.
9/10

You can purchase Neo in various formats right here:
https://sopitted.bandcamp.com/

The Cult – Hidden City Review

Posted on February 6, 2016 by edwardlayland

The prospect of a new record from my favourite band can be a worrying prospect, because as much as I love The Cult, I am the first to admit that they don’t always hit the spot. Not that they make bad records, just that some material, despite its apparent quality, has left me cold – ‘Beyond Good and Evil’ being prime example. “Hallelujah” and “Praise the Lord” then for ‘Hidden City’, the follow up to 2012’s largely quality effort ‘Choice of Weapon’.

There must be something in the air, because like so many of their rock peers that have stayed the course, there seems to be a feeling of reinvigoration about Ian Astbury and Billy Duffy that has enthused the album with a dynamic reminiscent of their glory days. Maybe it’s down to the difficult times in which we live or as a reaction to the puerile aspects of social media that have so invaded everyday life, who knows? Suffice to say that many bands that have been going through the motions for so many years are now turning out work that stands up alongside their best – The Cult included.

‘Dark Energy’ is a no nonsense starter; it doesn’t get more basic than this, the upbeat drumming and straightforward insistent riffing, as Astbury comes into his own vocally, are meat and potatoes, but sure taste good. ‘No Love Lost’ then starts out with a slow burning riff that suddenly bursts into life, rocking in classic cult fashion – killer hook, killer track.

This is one of the most varied Cult records I have ever heard. We get dark atmospheric numbers, like the classy ‘In Blood’, its piano melody, light orchestration and brooding guitars underpinning a powerful song with a wonderful arrangement. In contrast there’s a track like ‘G O A T’, Greatest Of All Time, which is a down n dirty rocker that gives Billy Duffy the chance to let rip – man this record is rocking.

There are one or two tracks like ‘Dance The Night’ and ‘Avalanche Of Light’ which are fairly disposable, but their upbeat pop/rock is pleasant enough. Their blandness is more than compensated by the last two pre-release teasers. ‘Hinterland’ has that classic cult feel to the rhythm, and what a hook! It is stylishly executed rock with an up-to-date feel, great track – The Cult are on fire – especially Billy Duffy with a superb variety of guitar sounds, both to the riffs and in the soloing. ‘Deeply Ordered Chaos’ written in reaction to the Charlie Hebdo shootings, is similarly high quality, this tale of Euro empathy slow boiling in brooding fashion, with touches of orchestration adding drama beneath the clashing guitar sound as Astbury’s familiar baritone croons “I’m a European, blood for holy water/I’m a European Africa my mother”. Duffy is on top form with some lovely touches on lingering notes in the solo as the track gathers urgency on the highly charged finale.

Even so, there are still more high points on ‘Hidden City’, the synth fueled ‘Birds of Paradise’ featuring one of the most heartfelt vocal performances I’ve ever heard from Ian, while ‘Lilies’ is an unexpected gem with its touches of Spanish guitar; it’s totally different to what you might expect, but sounds fresh and highly accomplished. There is even more surprise on closing track ‘Sound and Fury’ which is an intense piano croon with a theatrical feel that rambles to an enigmatic close; inspired.

This is surely one of the most artistically diverse Cult albums; there’s a fearless edge here that has added a freshness to their sound and it’s great to see such a fine band pushing their creative boundaries on what is their tenth studio album. Bravo!

9/10

http://thecult.us/HIDDEN_CITY/

Barcamundi no Solar do Botafogo – Live Review

Posted on January 22, 2016 by edwardlayland

O Pré-Show
Nesta terça-feira, dia 19, O Solar de Botafogo, um teatro idealizado pelo ator Leonardo Franco com a filosofia da “Arte Total”, serviu do palco perfeito para a descolada banda niteroiense Barcamundi oficialmente comemorar o lançamento do seu primeiro CD. Disponível desde julho de 2015, o disco homônimo é um trabalho repleto de canções bem elaboradas, abrangendo vários estilos musicais desde folk até indie rock num som complexo e cheio de toques sutis de múltiplos instrumentos.

O Show
O Solar – carinhosamente chamado pelos seus admiradores – é uma joia rara na cena musical local, possuindo uma boa estrutura de som e luz e dois andares para acomodar a platéia. Portanto, com um espaço intimista e convidativo, e com o palco lindamente enfeitado com barquinhos de papel colorido, pendurados juntos com outros origamis e luzes brancas e coloridas no chão, foi o cenário ideal para o show. A sensação era de um grande encontro de amigos, reunidos com um único propósito: ouvir uma boa música juntos, e quem não conhecia a banda com certeza se surpreendeu positivamente com o talento dos seis integrantes.

O show foi composto pelas músicas do CD da banda, além de algumas músicas inéditas e ‘Bloco da Alegria’ da Gragoatá (com participação especial da Rebeca Sauwen) e ‘Rie Chinito’ do Perota Chingó, que, segundo eles, já consideram uma música própria, já que tocam em todo show que fazem, brincaram. Foi uma surpresa encontrar músicas inéditas e convidados especiais tão carismáticos – foram seis, no total – amigos de outras bandas que subiram ao palco, enriquecendo ainda mais o espetáculo.

‘Todo Dia’ foi a música de abertura do show e a sintonia entre os integrantes da banda era nítida com todos muito entrosados, as vozes da Gabriela Autran e do João Barreira se complementando de forma bacana. João lidera tranquilamente, desde sua postura até iniciativa em cima do palco, apresentando os convidados, enquanto Gabriela trás um toque feminino especial à banda, não deixando as músicas ficarem pesadas ou “frias” demais. Com certeza era a integrante mais emocionada com o lançamento do CD e agradeceu inúmeras vezes a presença de todos.

A canção ‘O Trem e O Pássaro’ foi muito comemorada quando começou e foi incrível a maneira como, através do olhar do vocalista, era possível enxergar a importância e o carinho que João tem por essa música em especial. Com Agnes Lima, alem de Thiago Cosenza, cantaram uma música inédita, ‘Ligeiro’, com letra forte, no qual a banda pareceu bem animada e muito entrosada com a convidada. ‘Silêncio ou Solução’, também contou com a participação da Agnes, e, a letra, do guitarrista Matheus Ribeiro representa a diversidade da banda; momento este que o João nominou como “loucura musical”. ‘Navalha de Occam’, com Nino Navarro também foi muito comemorada com muitos da plateia cantando junto. Sem dúvida os convidados foram um dos pontos fortes do show, uma vez que a Barcamundi estava muito entrosada com cada um deles; Thiago Cosenza marcou presença em várias músicas na percussão, enquanto Gregory Combat contribuiu com voz e alfaia na ‘Quem Vive Calado’.

As músicas são muito interessantes, com letras originais e de autoria dos próprios integrantes. A quantidade de instrumentos utilizados em cada canção é algo nunca visto antes, de uma originalidade sem fim. O talento que o Leon Navarro tem com instrumentos tradicionais e exóticos é de deixar qualquer músico brasileiro com inveja. Com a percussão do Gil Navarro e o baixo do Pedro Chabudé o som do Barcamundi é realmente complexo. Porém, como novos instrumentos aparecem a cada canção, o som – principalmente do Leon – apresentou algumas falhas, mas a banda mostrou seu profissionalismo lidando com a situação com muita tranquilidade.

Com a casa lotada, amigos e familiares prestigiaram o lançamento do primeiro CD, ouvindo atentamente cada música, com os fãs de carteirinha cantando junto com o João e a Gabriela. A reação de muitos aplausos era a mesma após cada canção e a plateia contribuiu muito para o show, gritando os nomes de suas músicas preferidas e comemorando o início de cada uma delas.

As canções ‘A Grama do Seu Jardim’ e ‘Se Você For Embora’ foram os grandes destaques da noite. A primeira foi muito aplaudida pela plateia com o piso inferior ficando em êxtase e até fazendo uma coreografia com as mãos. A muita comemorada ‘Se Você For Embora’, seguiu ‘Bloco da Alegria’ para fechar o show, também contando com a participação especial da Rebeca Sauwen e Fanner Horta na guitarra, e com a plateia toda de pé, cantando junto e aplaudindo durante toda a apresentação. Um, inclusive, abriu um guarda-chuva, em homenagem à letra:
“Eu vou usar o meu chapéu
Para evitar que minhas ideias se espalhem pelo céu
Ou vou usar um guarda-chuva
Pra guardar todos os meus sinais
Se você for embora vai chover demais”

O primeiro show do lançamento oficial do CD foi nada menos que um triunfo, consagrando o trabalho de qualidade feito por essa banda de talentos ecléticos. Basta olhar as fotos para sentir todo suor envolvido sendo merecidamente recompensado.

O Bis
É nítida a diversidade do background da banda, mas, o que mais impressiona é a inovação e a criatividade de cada música, onde a inspiração em bandas nacionais e internacionais é clara, porém a Barcamundi consegue escapar do clichê. A quantidade e diversidade de instrumentos utilizados entre uma música e outra é um dos pontos fortes da banda, no qual o espectador se depara com flauta, bongo, escaleta, entre outros. Sem contar os instrumentos tradicionais que “amarram” as canções. É admirável o trabalho que está sendo realizado pela Barcamundi e o primeiro CD da banda já pode ser encontrado no Spotify, iTunes e Deezer. Espero que esse seja o primeiro de muitos CDs lançados por esses seis talentosos jovens e que possamos ouvir falar mais sobre o sucesso deles fora do Rio.

Os Bastidores
Fiquei muito feliz em poder contar com a participação da Laís Vargas como meus olhos e ouvidos no show espectacular dos amigos da Barcamundi. O trabalho crítico dela, as fotos e ajuda em elaborar o texto foi indispensável e sem ela essa matéria não teria acontecido. Podem encontrar mais trabalho dela na plataforma “Medium” aqui:https://medium.com/@lais_vargas

Também gostaria agradecer João Barreira pelo convite para cobrir o show – tenho muito orgulho de poder ter participado de sua formação e fico muito feliz ver você e seus amigos trabalhando de uma forma tão admirável – parabéns!

https://barcamundi.bandcamp.com/

Noam Bleen – Noam Bleen EP Review

Posted on January 19, 2016 by edwardlayland

Formed in 2010, Noam Bleen is an Italian three piece with a love of heavy tube distortion. This self titled EP, dedicated to David Bowie, is a strong debut in the world of alternative rock and there is depth to its heavy nineties feel.

‘Underplay’ opens proceedings with some cool riffing and a strong hint of Foo Fighters, but it’s a well worked track and hits the spot. ‘Placebo Button’ is heavier, with a more alternative grungy feel, and is the standout track. It rocks pretty hard and there is a nice break for a downbeat solo, before exploring instrumental soundscapes on an epic finale. Great track.

The rest of the EP has a similarly heavy air, but the songs are well thought out and they seem to be trying to find their own niche. ‘Vent Your Spleen’ building in intensity and taking an instrumental twist, while ‘Specious Present’ is quite dark and disjointed. There are also a couple of short instrumental pieces in ‘Solivagant’, with its atmospheric synths, and the acoustic ‘At Dawn’ which is quite lovely; whether they might work better as intros within other tracks is a debatable point.

The only track which is maybe a bit superfluous is ‘Star’s End’, its down beat grunge by numbers not really going anywhere. I have the feeling that the band wanted to make an LP, but were a song or two short, so just put everything out as an EP, when maybe they could have held something back and kept it a little shorter; four or five tracks is normally enough to showcase a band’s strengths.

However, the EP has plenty to offer and Noam Bleen write interesting, highly enjoyable, songs that, despite giving away their influences, manage to walk their own path. With improved production they could get even more out of the adventurous side to their songwriting; I look forward to hearing what else they have up their sleeves.

7.5/10

Noam Bleen is a D.I.Y release available from January 20th.
https://noambleen.bandcamp.com/
https://m.facebook.com/noambleen?_rdr
https://twitter.com/noam_bleen

David Bowie – Blackstar

Posted on January 14, 2016 by edwardlayland

Finally got round to listening to ‘Blackstar’, which in the context of the death of David Bowie proved to be a cathartic yet delightful experience. In the current musical climate Bowie’s final (?) work stands out as profoundly daring, easily eclipsing much of what passes for popular culture nowadays. It is befitting that such an artist has been so experimental, creatively speaking, right to the end; producing a work that surely rates among his best.

“Ain’t that just like me?” (Lazarus)

There’s a great deal of musical history wrapped up among these songs, as if reflecting upon the five decades Bowie’s career has spanned. You can hear the echoes of time in the jazz riffing, the vocal melodies, the varied guitar parts and the electronic elements, further listens revealing ever deeper textures to the music.

The single, ‘Blackstar’, opens the show in dramatic fashion with pulsating break beats and repetitive vocals, the sweeping orchestration and piercing saxophone adding depth to the challenging opening section. The mid-section provides sharp contrast however, the familiar melody reminding me of the Space Oddity era, with its tempo changes and storytelling vibe as the insistent refrain worms its way into the subconscious.

‘Tis a Pity She Was a Whore’ follows with uptempo drumming and off kilter riffing of the horns, a very jazzy prelude to the laid back vibe of the intro to ‘Lazarus’. Hauntingly beautiful saxophone then soothes the discordant crashes as Bowie’s poignantly familiar voice subtly building the emotional intensity alongside skittering sax breaks that pull at the heartstrings. Under the circumstances the first person lyrics are emotive to say the least, adding greater dimension to this already sublime song, the atmospheric guitar lines reminiscent of The Cure. Superb.

‘Sue (Or In a Season of Crime)’ is not as easy to get to grips with, but it works in the context of the album; the dark jazz vibe and staccato guitars that ricochet off the irregular rhythms make it a challenging listen. The bright simple vocal melody of ‘Girl Loves Me’ soon takes an equally dark turn as the cello riff pounds along to elements of electronica and break beats pulsating beneath the surface.

The final two tracks make for more comfortable, yet deeply moving listening. Easy piano and smoky saxophone tease an introduction to ‘Dollar Days’ and the seventies tinged folky melancholia of this hauntingly autobiographical track. The saxophone swells like a bursting heart as David sings “I’m dying too” – it’s emotional stuff, the piano picking away slowly in the background before searing guitars segue into the rolling beats of ‘I Can’t Give Everything Away’, whose vocal melody is classic Bowie. The orchestration is beautiful as we get all the textures of David’s voice; the saxophone runs and Gilmour-esque guitar lines bringing the record to an optimistic close.

On Blackstar Bowie appears to have tossed the shackles that had contained him and allowed his artistic expression to flow in profoundly moving fashion. It is a challenging yet disconcertingly wonderful record, but somehow a fitting finale to the life of one of the most important entertainers of our time. Oh my.

10/10

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