Tune Yards - W H O K I L L ( 4AD )

W H O K I L L finds the wildly imaginative Merrill Garbus yet again utilizing African rhythms to drive these songs that are a perfect mix of pop, jazz, blues and an outsized amount of soul. The things that were most exciting about Tune -Yards   Bird-Brains are still present; the sparse production that let the soul of these songs breathe, a mixture of self recorded samples, and Merrill's voice without effects.  The centerpiece of these songs is  her amazing ear for making a melody out of even disparate sounds pieces of sound as on "Riotriot" and "Es-so". It is almost a given just two albums and one ep that Merrill could make any type of music she desired.

"Gangsta" starts and stops time and again and is accented by some nice jazz fills on bass and the crazy sax all make for a loud great mess.

 "Powa" is 100% raw Merrill. "Your heart, inside, it rocks me like a lullaby" she oozes. (video below)

The beautiful cascade of vocals on "Bizness" (the first single and a free mp3 download) gives way to Merrill's signature insistent pleading vocal style. There are some direct jazz touches in the vocals that then usher in the nice sax runs. "I'm the victim yeah, don't take my life away, don't take my life away".

The Mowtown girl group beauty of "Doorstep" finds Merrill taking old soul to a very new and fresh place.  "Well I try so hard to be a peaceful loving woman , I believe that love and understanding were the way, oh but how many gone before you listen to the cries, with my dead heart, how do I find my way through the truth and all the lies". So she writes some very deep lyrics at times.

I would dare anyone to listen to "You Yes You" (video below) and try not to dance. The loop effects on this track are especially nice.

This album has so many different sound textures and feelings because that's how Merrill writes her songs. You can feel exactly what she is feeling. It's amazing to think she could actually grow the sounds of Bird-Brains and still retain the individuality. On top of being a wildly talented songwriter and posessing an ear that many do not, she is in control of the whole process and has created a masterpiece of an album.  To date this is my most listened to album for the year and it's well deserved. I can never just listen one track.

 I was lucky enough to interview Merrill at the Chopin Theatre in Chicago off her tour of Bird-Brains. She was totally unassuming and accommodating. The gentle soul she sings about being in her music is the person who she is in person.  Also she performed a few songs that she was working on for W H O K I L L so I will post a few of those. See her live at all costs, it will be one of the best shows you will see. She is totally invested live. Thanks again to Merrill and Carolyn at 4AD for the interview.

Paper Dolls - Sparks (2011)

Paper Dolls are:
Jenn Malzone - songwriter, keyboards
Cathie Degler - cello
Brad Vaughn - bass
Sarah Ross - drums

Sarah and Cathie saw the original line-up of the band disband just as they were finishing their first album.  So they reformed in this configuration and got to work. The result of that labor is Sparks, which is a mix of the original line-up's darker material (gothic) and the pop sensibility of the current band.   The mixture of chamber and goth makes theirs a sound I haven't heard in a band from St. Louis before, and their interesting arrangements make them stand out.

"Middle Class Fashion" has a simple and undeniable little piano riff that runs throughout the song, while Cathie's cello and Brad's bass spar back and forth at the bottom end. The clipped nature of Jenn's vocals play along with the piano. Some small bursts of layered vocals are thrown in here and there, and the way that all of these elements figure into the arrangement is a nice change from the norm.

"First Draft" features more jazz influences as well as flourishes of weepy cello that make for an opulent vibe. I really like the staccato nature of Jenn's vocals and the piano that plays off that. That may be the bands signature sound, and what an enjoyable one to hear.

The unconventional song structures help Paper Dolls carve a unique sound. There is quite a bit of growth as a band from their first band line-up and this current line-up.  Sparks is the type of release that will have a significant influence on budding songstresses in an already burgeoning St. Louis music scene.



Download Sparks for $5 at their thesixtyone page. They have cd's available at their upcoming shows March 11 at Wash U, and March 26 at Lemmons w/ Blood Pony. I will be doing a review of the Blood Pony album as well, so that would be a great show to see.

Chaperone - Cripple King ep. (bandcamp name your price $0 minimum)

Madame et monsieur 's de Chaperone :
Shaun Paul
Miles Doornbos
Thom Des Enfants
Shaylah Kloska
Mark Sheridan
Mary Spadaro

In full disclosure the label below this post says the band is  "fun to drink with" which I have.  It was good to meet most of the band and get a feel for them. It beats doing a review of people I haven't met or seen(which is a necessity in these digital days).  I had already been listening to Cripple King EP before I met the band and Gabe from Dastardly. It is always a blast to talk to people who are as hopelessly smitten by music as I am. Now the serious part, the review...

The most immediate thing that struck me about this album is the "live" sound production here. The vocals are without embellishment and that makes this a more organic release. This album does it's business in less than 14 minutes. There is something to be said for not over doing bridges and choruses and just tell the stories succinctly like Chaperon does on Cripple King. This album has the feel of the country in it, not necessarily Country music but the laid back earthen vibe that come from people who do not dwell in cities. 

"Fed On Coal" is an upbeat piece of pop goodness that utilizes a simple driving drum beat that is punctuated by the dual lead vocals that give this a more immediate feel.   This song is instantly recognizable.

 The mono production on "Thomas"  is right at home with the music that is an update of fifties pop music  featuring the jangly guitar riff and the shouted chorus .

 "Witches and Sailors" instantly reminds me of a looser and edgier Grant Lee Buffalo. Really nice harmonies on this track.

The closer "Waltzing Topside" has a, take me down to the river to be baptised, feel to it. A perfect way to end this EP.

Thanks to the band, they have made this a name your price download. So if you have some dough to throw their way for the EP then please do. They deserve. If you don't, and still download the album for free, please share it with everyone you can in places like  fb etc. They will also be playing a show this Fri Nov 12th at Metro. I will be there please come on out, you may get a chance to share a drink with the band too.

Grip Tapes: Straight Outta NC

Grip Tapes is another label (based in North Carolina) that makes me look forward to listening to new music online every day. Their roster is Cassis Orange, The Alcazar Hotel, Veelee, Doctor, Gross Ghost, and Old Bricks. You can get FREE legal downloads of these and also choose to support them as well if you choose. As with many net-labels, the founders of this label tired of the way the music business ran, so they made their own label and rules. Cheers, I say.



Through my daily Bandcamp exploration/addiction I came across Cassis Orange who are named after a Japanese alcoholic drink.They are indie pop group from North Carolina comprised of Autumn Ehinger and her friends. Autumn lived in Japan for a while, which explains the band name, before returning to the states to live in N.C. She has put together an impressive first go on this ep. which is ebullient at times and yearning at others. "Listen Heartbeat" is the type of hook that you will not forget for quite some time. I love the drum breaks on this track. When things slow down a bit on "Oh So What" the songwriting comes to the front. "If you don't love me now , I'm never gonna love you back", Autumn says or maybe hopes rather. And so it is with matters of the heart. I have read recently that we are losing classic albums because people aren't holing up with uber producers for 12 months to produce so called masterpieces (which are mostly soulless anyway). The thinking is that self produced albums can't be classics. Thank god the musicians like Autumn have taken the music business back and it flourishes with albums like this one! Great hooks are great hooks whether backed by heavy hitter studio players or by a drum machine like on this album.

Princess Dinosaur - A Golfish and His Friends

Princess Dinosaur is Nic Newsham (Gatsby's American Dream) and Nick Vombrack (Dr. Manhatten). They created their debut album, A Goldfish and His Friends, while carrying on a long distance musical relationship between their homes in Illinois and Washington. The album was recorded in parts in both states.

A Goldfish and His Friends is a throwback to the 90's era of jangly guitar pop. It leans heavily on the hooks that made that pop music so irresistible. Princess Dinosaur remind me a lot of an updated version of Bluebottle Kiss where storytelling and melodies are most important. The lyrics are about relationships and how appearances aren't always what they seem.

The upbeat pace of "Yeah Sure" features guitars that are at home on a bright sunny day. The chorus is a sing along and the crescendo in the bridge works really well.

Things slow down a bit on"Steamy Dreams" and the echo effect and fading of howling from channel to channel drive home the point of a dream. "I know who you are, I know who you think you are.. I hate who you think you are", simple lyrics that say a lot.

"Electricity" has psych pop elements and some experimental instrumentation that are really interesting. It's a nice counter to the straight ahead pop.

Newsham and Vombrack have created a really nice debut album in A Goldfish and His Friends. The melodies are catchy and there are a few different sounds on this album.

Thanks to Rebecca at Betta Promotions for the heads up on this album.

Pretty Little Empire and Mimicking Birds Old Rock House St. Louis 8.8.10

I enjoy each visit to St. Louis each time I visit. On this visit I got to see good friends Pretty Little Empire play with Mimicking Birds (a day after their Lolla set) at The Old Rock House. The venue is a fully refurbished and still has some of the older touches left in tact. The sound was really good and a video camera in the balcony let you see the acts at the front bar television.

Pretty Little Empire's set sounded great and they were as tight as I have seen them as a unit. Members are Justin Johnson, Evan O'Neal, Will Godfred, and Wade Durbin. Their trademark high energy show brought a sizable crowd out who danced to their music. Luckily they played quite a few of their songs from their soon to be released 2nd album whose sound branches out more into indie rock while still having an Americana and Western overtones. They are a rare band in that Justin, Will and Evan all sing lead on songs to great effect. The different lead vocals work well with respect to the overall sound. PLE are already planning the recording of their 3rd album. In addition to this Justin plays in The Jump Starts a side project with Sarah Ross (from St. Louis band Paper Dolls). I always get to meet the families of the guys in the bands and that is a treat, as the people in St. Louis are always so nice.



After PLE's set the Mimicking Birds who are Nate Lacy, Aaron Hanson, Ian Luxton kept people enthralled with there trance like form of indie folk. Some things that were striking were Nate Lacey's easy vocals and interesting song subjects which you can find on their self titled debut album on Glacial Place Records. It was Nate's Birthday that night so the band led the crowd in a rendition of Happy Birthday. Nate's guitar work coupled with Aaron and Ian's backing made this set up a fuller sound than the original recordings that Nate put on line about a year ago. Those recording were loose but I think maybe more in line with how Nate envisioned these songs. There is no denying the effect of the songs when played live with the backing band.

I was fortunate to hang out at Will's place after the show with all the members of both PLE and Mimicking Birds and it is always refreshing when wildly talented people are accessible as well. I got the feeling the guys from Mimicking Birds are looking forward to recording another album and that maybe they look for the recording process to be a bit more in line with what they have thought their songs should be. I have had the fortune of hanging with the PLE guys a few times and always enjoy to hear what they are up to and what their current thought of PLE are.

Suns Mania! Double ep releases reviewed.

In full disclosure I am a big fan of the band Suns. I saw them at Lincoln Hall (my video below) through a gracious invite of Rebecca at Betta Promotions. I was amazed by their full sound created by a clarinet, mandolin, and also double drummer set up utilized by the band as well as soaring guitars. So I was attentively awaiting the release of their album or ep and was happy to hear that they released 2 ep's at one time.




The Howl and the Many and Close Calls in the U.S. Space Program can be download the for FREE HERE (Donations Accepted Too). After listening to them for the past 2 weeks I can tell you they are really good. They encompass indie pop, indie rock, chamber pop with hints of Americana. Each of these has it's own distinct feel. Both are propelled by the double drummer setup of Clinton Weber and Chris Pagnani who use mallets through a good chunk of the songs on toms. This makes for a low rumbling that matches the symphonic sound of these two ep's. Mikey Russell 's vocals put a bit of an Americana spin on these out-sized pop gems. The guitars of Nick Enderle and Mikey Russell make a wash of sound that is punctuated by Kody Nixon's smooth bass lines. Then there's Matt Lemke who is a jack of all trades playing rhodes, magnus, harmonium, synth, guitar.


The Howl and The Many is a bit more of a straight ahead indie album. From the rumble of "Everything Changes", the opener, to the closer "Four Winds" (video above) this ep is addictive. My favorite is the drowsy goodness of"Gladys". That ambling hook has been in my head for two weeks! Chants and howls and symphonic passes are abound. These four songs work really well together.


Close Calls In The U.S. Space Program is a bit more experimental than The Howl and the Many. The songs on Close Calls are moody and feature the signature symphonic sound that Suns will always be known for. "Little Horn" is my fave track on this ep, the low rumble of the toms and chants in the chorus are offset by many song breaks which make this song feel like 3 or 4 songs. There is attention paid by Suns to every sound on here. With headphones you hear every feint sound and gentle fade. They know what they want, and they achieve it on both of these ep releases.

So please download the ep's and donate if you can. At least help spread the word. People need to hear this band. Also, if you like live music you have to see them. They may be playing a gig at the Chopin soon. Stay tuned.

Blissfield Adrian - Metropolitan

Pop. Experimental. Good! This hit me right away. They join Chicago's rather large canon of musicians making interesting pop music. (Yawn, Maps&Atlases, Cast Spells, Netherfriends). This is a name your price download.

Oh My God video for "Bring Yourself"

Chicago indie band Oh My God have a new video out for their song "Bring Yourself" off their album The Night Undoes The Work Of The Day, of which I did an album review.

The video was created by Dan Bigelow who drew the concept and then moved those photos to the computer and then made an animated video for "Bring Yourself". This video appeals to music fans, animation fans and people who have a general enjoyment of art. I like some cinematic touches like the match action cuts. There is a nice story with the video, but I won't give away too many details and spoil the experience for you. Check out the links above for the video link as well as for Dan's site.

Cast Spells - Bright Works And Baton

Dave Davis of Chicago math rock stalwarts Maps And Atlases moves towards a more pop oriented sound with his side project Cast Spells album Bright Works And Batons. Maps had made a slight turn towards a more recognizable pop sound on their great album You Me And The Mountains. They had moved away from the jazzier elements of the album before, Trees, Swallows, Houses.

With Bright Works and Batons, Dave has created a vehicle to showcase his wry lyrical wit. His nasal delivery, which is a staple to many mid-western vocalists, ambles at times and races along at others. The music on this album might be best described as the Soundtrack music to a Wes Anderson movie. The melodies here are killer and are equal to the high bar set by the interesting lyrics and off kilter delivery.



The album opener "Glamorous Glowing", would sound at home in a Wes Anderson film. The track features toy piano, rolling tom-tom drums and hand claps. "There are songs that have been sung by the largest loudest lungs you'll find them all in the glamorous glowing... and you don't have to sing the last song, but we'll all just play along, and hum with bright works and baton you'll find them all in the glamorous growing" go the lyrics utilizing clever word play.

'While conversating with flowers we spoke up far too loud and got swept beneath the mower blades of the paralyzed old plow, I know it's not your fault, but it doesn't make no sense to put all your living relatives close to your deceased clan', Dave offers on "War Story Hellos". This could have a dual meaning as many of the lyrics on this album.

There is an emphasis on telling stories on Bright Works and Baton. With his off kilter pop sensibilities, Dave Davis delivers an album that is worth quite a few repeat listens. I look forward to seeing him perform these pop gems live soon.


You can purchase Cast Spells two ep's at their bandcamp page.