Ed Schrader's Music Beat : Emperor's New Chair

The always incredible Ed Schrader's Music Beat has just released a video for 'Emperor's New Chair', taken from their second album 'Party Jail' (Upset The Rhythm).  If you're in the states don't miss this Baltimore minimal punk duo when they play a town near you soon!

Ryley Walker : Primrose Green

The striking thing about Ryley Walker’s new album is how close it comes to capturing his live performance, this isn’t simply committing songs to record; ‘Primrose Green’ depicts him.  Ryley Walker routes songs through the triumphs of traditional folk music whilst bringing his own kind of wildness to the table, giving way to something that stands out in finger-picking guitar today and stands with other present greats like Daniel Bachman and Cian Nugent.   Since the age of 21 Walker has been recording material after some hard grafting on his Guild D-35, he's put out records on Plustapes, Tompkins Square and Agenda.  Dead Oceans got behind ‘Primrose Hill’ and as charming as the title sounds it obscures a dark pull within these 10 new songs.  Recorded at Minbal Studios where Walker is based, Chicago, it is hard not to sense real penchant for pastoral sounds and a sense of breaking free from that too.  The album preceding ‘Primrose Hill’ called  ‘All Kinds of You’, stayed true to rustic folk and while this new LP leads neatly on from there it departs mainly with some Jazz elements brought to the fore by some musicians invited to perform;  Fred Lonberg-Holm (Cello), Frank Rosaly (Drums), Jason Adasiewicz (Vibraphone) and Anton Hatwich (Double Bass).   

Opener ‘Primrose Hill’ fittingly introduces his rambling approach and sharpened artist vision.  ‘On The Banks Of The Old Kishwaukee’ carries the familiarity of an age old ditty in how succinctly sage it is.  “On the banks of the Old Kishwaukee, I saw you there getting, getting baptized by your Daddy when all the love was there, have you heard the way they love you, have you heard their song, have you heard the way they hold you, when you’re right you’re wrong,” Walker delivers in his distinct vocal address.  It’s pretty clear Walker’s lyrics are sparked from personal experience, in this case seeing people being baptized in Rock River, Northern Illinois where he grew up.  Throughout ‘Primrose Hill’ one can’t help but feel Walker has this reckless itch to scratch and he gets there on my favourite song ‘Sweet Satisfaction’.  Changing things up Walker plays an electric guitar and it just gnaws its way through the softer sounds from acoustic instruments.  The freely roving tones chewing through the track add something exhilarating to the album especially as the song builds to its charged climax.  ‘Primrose Hill’ explores beauty and desperation driven by surviving in districts of American detritus, I said at the start this album captures Ryley Walker as he his – he’s clearly studied folk guitar exhaustively and after accomplishing playing it, seems like he wants to wrestle with it too.  Folk is what speaks to Walker but there’s an unrest, something unsettled and more savage at play and this is why he is an interesting figure, and this is why I can’t wait for you to hear ‘Primrose Hill’.

Boyhood : When I'm Hungry

Wow wow wow.   This record from Boyhood came out at the tail end of last year on Bruised Tongue and I’m kind of obsessed with it.  It’s hard to find out much on Caylie Runciman’s career so far other than she’s from Ottawa, has one other EP/Tape out on the same label and ‘When I’m Hungry’ appears to be her first full length album.   Comprised of swampy pop and noise explorations these 12 songs are shrouded in psychedelic weirdness.   ‘When I’m Hungry’ is predominantly an electronic record however,  ‘Heat’ allows guitar to the fore in the closest thing this album comes to traditional indie, and a song that could be considered straight up indie on here still exceeds expectation by delivering something adventurous and electrifying.  Runciman’s vocals get filtered through chewy haze alongside a freely ambling melody line pitting loud and quiet arrangements against each other, and if you think you’ve heard this all before just give it a listen and see how her treatment moves the goal posts of where these sounds can go.  As the album progresses it reveals songs made from pimped subterranean beats, blissed out vocals and spooked guitar work.  Runciman wrote/performed all the songs on here and the interplay between drum machines and a drum kit gives the album different grains to latch on to, checking out ‘Maintaining My Uncool’ followed by ‘Cheddar’ is a great example of that.  ‘Where I’m Going’ fittingly shows how Boyhood captures an immersive pop sound that is sunny as it is sunless , and closer ‘Post Poc’ best describes these shady undertones intermittently emerging throughout.  ‘When I’m Hungry’ is an intimate search of the curiously twisted parts of bedroom pop.  It’s this creeper slant touched by saccharine glamour that makes the LP prevail as a blood-tingling debut release; executed with a forward thinking approach ‘When I’m Hungry’ is effortlessly unpredictable, exuberant and captivating.

Bruised Tongue's Bandcamp is here where the album has a few more track's on it than Boyhood's personal page, copies of the LP are still available too!

SAUNA YOUTH : Distractions

Sauna Youth have always been a great band.  Exerting pulse racing punk rock in every bar, basement and house party in and outside of London.  Sauna Youth’s insatiable energy for playing shows has only served to refine their sound, and once it took shape there were no limits to where their songs could go as this new album attests.  When it comes to DIY in this city Sauna Youth have been a pivotal fixture in the scene for some years now, recording and releasing their own material up until debut ‘Dreamlands’ (Faux Discs/Gringo, 2012).   ‘Distractions’ (Upset The Rhythm) is the follow up to that album and it’s not just a follow up, it’s a game changer.  In approaching things from a new angle Sauna Youth’s song-writing has been elevated by experimenting with composing the album together in one room.   If it sounds different that’s because this is their first time in a recording studio, utilising Homerton’s Sound Savers with Mark Jasper documenting the 3 days Sauna Youth spent there in July 2014.  Desire, repetition and distractions are central to Sauna Youth’s impetus on this new record.  No polite po-going happening here, these tracks fully spin out of control with a beer can or two flying over-head.  Once “Transmitters” sinks its teeth in ‘Distractions’ doesn’t let go for 14 songs incorporating spoken word, experimental noise and undeniable punk joy.  Jen Calleja and Richard Phoenix’s vocals bring a brilliant androgyny to record - especially on ‘Monotony’.  Lindsay Corstorphine’s crunchy blown out guitar and Christopher Murphy’s rubbery bass come in from all directions with thrilling melodies channelling all kinds of rock greatness… and those beats!  Richard's immense rhythms are the backbone to it all along side Jen's howling sampler work.   They haven't ended there either, Sauna Youth re-arranged themselves as Monotony in a new project - where they switch instruments and song-writing duties which you can listen to here.    It's a voracious momentum that Sauna Youth has which sets them apart and shows how they keep going from strength to strength.  Sauna Youth have never stopped writing incredible songs, they’ve never stopped playing incredible shows, They've never stopped supporting London’s local music scene – I hope Sauna Youth never stop.

You can pre-order the album here

NOTS : We Are Nots

Memphis four-piece NOTS started releasing material in 2013 and follow two singles with their first full length recently on Goner.  ‘We Are Nots’ is forged from a penchant for wild synth punk polished over the course of touring.  The album packs the same punch as the singles whilst tightening the bolts with sharper production so every element comes to the fore with unflinching clarity.  NOTS sound strong and feverish with ferocious drive made up by Natalie Hoffman’s errant guitar, Alexandra Eastburn’s forthright synth waves, prowling bass lines from Madison Farmer and the dogged rhythms of Charlotte Watson.  The eleven frantic songs clock in at around 25 minutes opening with ‘Insect Eyes’, a demented cyber stomper setting the pace for the record.  ‘Reactor’ leaps out with its stormy approach and a chorus that high-jacks your brain, just try and stop spinning it in your head!  ‘Black Mold’ plays out unshakeable vocals, chugging guitars, melody heavy bass and siren synths making it another track stuck on repeat for me.   With tour dates approaching with Parquet Courts it feels like NOTS are already gathering momentum for whatever 2015 has to throw at them.   ‘We Are Nots’ is a radical force to be reckoned with making this a great album to lose your mind to.

More NOTS  HERE

Chris Brokaw : The Periscope Twins

 

Hissing and spluttering envelop the opening to Chris Brokaw’s ‘The Periscope Twins’ (12XU).  This latest LP from Brokaw is comprised of two 40-45 minute solo pieces mastered by Bob Weston, the first is noise and lead in track ‘The Periscope Kids Are Out on The Skids, My Love (Part 1 & 2)’ reveals the effect recent explorations of abstract forms with Stephen O’Malley (Sunn O))) ), David Michael Curry (the Willard Grant Conspiracy) and Alex Hacke (Einsturzende Neubauten) have had on his approach to industrial experimentalism.   The spine of Side A is a choked exhaust - trapping one as it veers on then off track alongside manipulated scarce and wild signals.  As this first piece nebulously spins out it becomes entirely mesmeric resolving itself by pulling back into focus with propelled spits and spurts.  Flipping over, Side B involves meditative electric guitar wanderings on ‘Skating Under Glass, Living Like A King’ and ‘Do You Really Want to Know What That Means?  Do You Really Want to Know What That Means’.  Balmy plucks and strums breeze across pale chirps in stark contrast to what was on the reverse of the record.  ‘The Periscope Twins’ rounds off just as immersive as it started swapping agitated noise for sublime trances of reflective guitar work.  The whole album was done in one take with no overdubs and the instinctive approach to the songs really show that.  Employing a sense of being hypnotized and absorbed by the songs in polar opposite ways makes ‘The Periscope Twins’ two sides of the same coin.  Clocking up 15 albums now Brokaw continues to push further, go deeper and totally thrill.

Hear some of the record and buy HERE