Pretty Little Empire have seamlessly blended ambient and post punk elements into their tried and true formula to remarkable results on their third, and self titled release, out on Extension Chords Records. The band members only want to make the best music they can. So egos are set aside and allow for multiple people to sing lead and form songs. This isn't always the case with bands. I have been fortunate to have seen PLE play shows (since 2009) for all three albums. I have also got to talking to them at the shows and ask about their growth as a unit. So the maturity on Pretty Little Empire
is not surprising one bit. They are achieving sounds on this album that would be impossible if this were a "one man band".
The post punk punch of "Talking Loud"
features some lyrics we all would like to utter to someone we know, "I don't want to waste another day, contemplating all the shit your saying, you have proven to me once again, that we never were the best of friends..." . The break two thirds of the way through the song add some depth to this song.
The guitar parts on "Master Plan" is like a long lost friend from the late 80's. I've been singing this songs lyric "There's no master plan, for the things we don't understand"
for weeks now. The organ they have on this track is a really effective for the mood of this song.
As a personal patron of waltz timed songs, I wholeheartedly endorse the simple and effective beauty of "Patina".
The Latin accents on "Out Of Control" are a great counter point to the crashing guitars in the song. Best of both world!
Evan sings lead on the country tinged "Nest" and makes you when he will have an album of acoustic originals up on bandcamp?
The guys picked a great album closer with "You are the one", a sprawling song that features a blissful buzz and catchy melody and heartfelt singing by Justin that sums up the band's sound at this time.
I scheduled a family vacation earlier this year to St Louis and our whole family got to see PLE play at the art museum there. Even outside in the hot sun the songs were something to behold live! So I implore you to g to their album release show this Sat Oct 19 at Off Broadway.
Get tix HERE.
Tom Schraeder is back again with Chicago, I Love You, another fine musical love fest that will play out over 22 venues. There is something for everyone in this years show. CILY is FREE 10-day arts &
culture festival between Oct 10-20 celebrating Chicago's music, art,
photography, film, literature, & comedy. Some of my favorite Chicago acts of the past few years are playing Tom Schraeder, Teenage Rage, Sarah Holtschlag and The Crosscuts, Magicks, Gia Margaret, Rows of Arrows, Angelina Lucero, Woodrow Heart and so many more acts I am looking forward to seeing for the first time. I'll have another post covering the Chicago, I Love You show that i'll be a co sponsor of. Thanks again to Tom for including me and putting on this testament to the vibrant and varied nature of the Chicago arts scene! Linked above is the CIYL facebook page, follow along there or on twitter to keep up an all of the shows going on this year!
Lapland's self titled album is awash with great melodies and jazz influences, which comes as no surprise seeing as Josh Mease is Lapland. Josh's great first album, Wilderness made it on my year end list in 2009. This Lapland release shares similarities to Wilderness with respect to the melodies and jazz influences and dream like state of the music, but on Lapland Josh has branched out with some electronic touches which work to great effect with his signature style.
Some electronic bright sounding parts show up right away on album opener "Unwise". Like a lot of Josh's songs,"Unwise" goes for a bigger picture sound. Less is definitely more and the chord changes really make the difference.
"Overboard" showcases Josh's vocal style, featuring some sweet harmonies and a lounge instrumentation.
The slow waltz creeper "Aeroplane" is an addictive little track, whose melody will stay with you for quite a while. A true accomplishment for a song.
The experimental waltz timed instrumental "Fountains" is Josh's new experimentation at its best. A perfect off kilter change up that is perfectly placed.
The chord changes on "Metal Lung" are great. Have you ever heard a Sergio Leone influenced jazz pop song? Love this song a bunch.
Lapland marks some departure of sound for Josh Mease while still retaining the core that makes me love his songwriting, musicianship and singing/melodies. This album will be on my year end list again!
Come see Josh tomorrow night (18+) show at Schubas Chicago. He will be coming in from New York. See him tomorrow, I will be there!
The guys are back again and will be playing Beat Kitchen tomorrow night. Here's the official EVENT. I have been over the moon for their music for many years now and am fortunate to call them friends. Their newest release Darkling. I Listen finds their sound expanding and becoming more layered. They are fun guys to talk to and you can maybe ask them about the photo above, which I requisitioned from the fb page. They are coming from The Netherlands so by all means see them tomorrow, don't wait till next time! Also on the bill are Imaginary Cities and The Great American Canyon Band.
Doors at 7:30 (*pm start), 17 and up to enter, $10.
For me, the most effective means of making a year end list is to put up the albums I listened to the most. So here those albums are. As a voracious down-loader of Creative Commons releases I say thanks to all those artists for releasing those albums as a CC release. Most of the albums on this list are CC albums and are featured on Dedicated Ears Legal Free Album/EP List. Thanks to all of those who follow me on FB and Twitter and check out my posts.
1. Santigold - Master Of My Make -Believe(Atlantic, April 21, 2012)(Philly)
Wildly addictive songs. Have had this on repeat since it's release. This
album is loved by my 5, 4, and 1 year old kids who asked for it again
today in the car and sang and danced.
2. The Black Atlantic - Darkling , I Listen (January 13, 2012)(Beep Beep)(Netherlands) Fell in Love again with this band all over again with this album. Geert, Simon, Kim and Mathijas have stretched their sound in
more aggressive and louder ways while still maintaining the beautiful
melodic core that makes the band's sound pretty unique.
3. Hemmingbirds - The Vines Of Age (September 25, 2012)(Chicago, Illinois) This time around there are more nuanced sounds that comes from having a
full band who all contribute to the overall sound. There are the
dalliances with experimental and psyche rock and sometimes straight up
noise that add quite another element to the bands core of hook laden pop
songs.
4. Jump Starts - What Hides Inside (November 10, 2012)(The Loud Label)(St. Louis Missouri) The overall sound on What Hides inside has added new musical flavors,
country, Latin and post punk, without losing the tight identity that
this Jump Starts duo has crafted.
5. Lupe de Lupe - Sal Grosso(Popfuzz Records, August 20, 2012)(Belo Horizonte, Brazil) Makes you yearn for the 90's again. Such big guitars as on "Há Algo de Podre no Reino de Minas Gerais" , a punk infused riot of a song.
6. Adrian Jaurez -Marimba (June 21, 2012)(La Plata, Argentina) An ideal electro-pop release. Layered at times and simpler at
others but always keeping a pulse on an indie ethos. The buoyant track"Festin" is on of my favorite tracks of the past year.
7. LATRISTIC - The Greyest Shade (March 8, 2012)(Washington) From the up tempo crunchy guitars in the opening track "It's Alright"
to the beautiful title track with it's strings this album has really good song after really good song.
8. Frank Ocean - Channel Orange(Def Jam Records, July 17, 2012)(New York)
R&B singer who oozes sexuality while breaking R&B taboo about the subject matter of some of these songs.
9. Brendan Losch - Low (April 10, 2012)(Chicago, Illinois) Woozy indie folk songs. "Son Of A Gun" is on of my favorite tracks of the year.
10. Rex or Regina - Attractors (February 8, 2012)(Gainesville, Florida) Old school styled shoe-gaze. "Climbing Trees" is my favorite track.
11. THORN AND SHOUT - Thorn and Shout (September 17, 2012)(Maine) Primitive outsider folk music that is striking. "Name & Noise" is raw and immediate sounding. So very good.
12. Mutts - Separation Anxiety (August 2, 2012)(Chicago, Illinois) Bottom end fueled experimental blues on acid. Mutts expanded their sound with this album and better for it.
13. The End Of The Ocean - "In Excelsis"( June 29, 2012)(Columbus, Ohio) Dense post rock. Love their guitar tone and the change of tempo.
14. Dastardly - Bury Me in the Country (January 21, 2012)(Chicago, Illinois) My absolute favorite, antagonistic vaudeville punk release from Chicago, this year! Uplifting this lot of songs is not. You will smile though.
15. dusthoney - Coma Home (March 31 2012)(Philly) This is one of 4 full lengths she released this year. Of her album she says on her Jamendo page "as if written by a girl with a head injury that made her sad all the time." Then I must have brain damage too because I love this album.
16. Lobo Marino - Kite Festival(June 25, 2012)(Richmond, Virginia) Cathy group of songs. The melody from "Golden Flea" still will randomly come to my mind.
17. Yo maté a tu perro - Yo maté a tu perro ep(February 24, 2012)(Mexico) Noisy shoe gaze. "Casa" is my favorite track.
18.
Big Blood - Old Time Primitives (April 5, 2012)(Maine) More beautifully haunting experimental folk music from Big Blood. The
bands from the Maine area have made this style of folk their own.
"Leviathan Song Pt.1" is my favorite track.
19. swarbles - the hoursongs (July 25, 2012)(Maine) Pretty folk songs featuring a banjo. "perigee love song in three quarters time"is a wonderful song.
20. Collages - Memory Trash (July 7, 2012)(Chicago, Illinois) Electronic pop with island flavors. "What Is Now." is the standout track for me.
21. Blake Fleming - Time's Up (September 18 2012)(New York) Percussionist Blake Fleming recorded this all percussion album that keeps these songs to 3 and 4 minutes long. Awesome idea and some great African inspired playing.
22. Nadine Carina - Little Bits EP (September 1, 2012)(Liverpool, U.K.) Experimental midi pop.
For this installment Tom Schraeder and I each pick two bands to come up with this cool line up this Saturday the 15th at Lilly's . It will be a $6 cover, 21+ to enter, and 1st act at 8:30. Gavin and Maggie (Bears Of Blue River), Teenage Rage, Sarah Holtshlag and D.O.C (featuring members of His Ego and inchworm) will be playing Saturday. I have been fortunate enough to have Sarah, Gavin and Maggie an Teenage Rage play show for me before so I can attest that this will be a really good show. Thanks again to Tom and Lilly's for making these great shows possible. Thanks to the bands playing this show as well! Be sure to check out other shows at Lilly's, as Tom is booking there now!
Come on out on Dec 12 to Yellow Book (1007 N California) to see Virginia based Lobo Marino. I have featured them on Dedicated Ears compilation album on Bandcamp and will have their wonderful albumKite Festival on my year end list. On said album is one of the most infectious hooks you'll hear in their song "Golden Flea". Also on the bill will be Chicago's Bowl Of Dust and Odd Folk.I'm really looking forward to seeing all three bands. Starts at 8 so don't be late. Official show page HERE for details!
From he official release for this show :
If you'd like, arrive early to participate in a healing meditation circle to summon Divine Feminine Goddess Energy and open up the night.
Potluck foods are encouraged and appreciated! Get creative with your inner Momma-Daddy and show some hospitality for the touring bands!
Dedicated Ears Legal Free Album List features musicians from 53 counties and 48 U.S.states. This list grows daily. I am at 1500 posts and more posted every day. Styles featured, indie, pop, folk, Latin, rock, alternative, prog rock, math rock, pop, songwriter, classical, jazz, metal, doom, stoner, gypsy, African, Brazilian and too many more to count! Also a list of net labels and my favorite music sites.
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