by Jane Lambert

LA RESISTANCE Play Second NYC Residency Show This Week! Release Covers EP

Covers usually never do a song justice, but LA RESISTANCE is out to prove you wrong. The band has just released a brilliant EP collection of covers titled The Candidate, that will surely make the way onto your Year End lists. The covers that appear on the album are sultry and seductive. From the opener “Lips Like Sugar,” from Echo and The Bunnymen to “Disorder,” by Joy Division, every track somehow outdoes the other. A great accomplishment to say the least.

For New York fans, the band are in them midst of a two week residency at the infamous ARLENE’S GROCERY on SEPTEMBER 28TH and OCTOBER 5TH.

**DOWNLOAD “THE CANDIDATE” FOR FREE**
http://www.laresistancemusic.com

Frontman Greg Summerlin offered some words on the album, which come from a very personal place.

“I wanted to pick a time period and a group of bands that had some sort coherency to them and also were major influences of mine. So, I decided to pick a group of bands from the UK that were really influential in the 80’s that I have become obsessed with at some time or other in my musical history. In my opinion, these are the five greatest bands in the UK from this era,” says Summerlin.

“Lips Like Sugar” – Echo and the Bunnymen

“I went to go see them in Atlanta a couple of months ago and left the show wondering how these guys are not considered one the greatest bands ever. Their body of work to me stands up with any of the great bands in rock history.”

“What We All Want” – Gang of Four

“To me, Gang of Four is one of the most original bands that came out of the 80’s post punk era. The guitar work on this song is incredible and Andy Gill had a great sound and really unusual guitar riffs.”

“Cries and Whispers” – New Order

New Order is probably the band out of this group that has had the most influence on the way I tried to make the La Resistance record, (Philosophy) sound.”

“Head On” – Jesus and the Mary Chain

“The way they just pushed the limits on the amount of reverb and guitar feedback they used influenced all kinds of shoegaze and other bands that came after them. But, they also wrote great pop songs and to me this is one of their best.”

“Disorder” – Joy Division

“This is one of my favorite songs of theirs because the bass riff is great, but the whole song is fantastic and Ian Curtis’ vocals and lyrics are haunting and really give us a great idea of what was going on his head at the time.”

TOUR DATES

OCTOBER 5TH10PM- ARLENE’S GROCERY- NYC

08.15.11

by Sedera Ranaivoarinosy

Tom Vek – Leisure Seizure

So yes, Tom Vek has been MIA for five years, bla bla bla… We can skip the story of his long, mysterious absence from the airwaves to get to what’s important: he’s back and still kicking butt.

His newest album, Leisure Seizure, which is already available digitally but will only get a physical release on September 13th, kept the essence of what made his first album special but polished it, making his sound more coherent. We’re far from the lo-fi vibe of We Have Sound, but that doesn’t mean Vek’s taken away what was gritty and interesting about his music; the better quality of the production actually makes all the subtleties of his arrangements shine through more distinctly.

We Have Sound played a lot with dissonance and Leisure Seizure is no different. From the electronic loops he integrates in his songs to flat tone of voice when he sings, he manages to find the right balance to make all his seemingly cacophonous elements fit together in a pleasing manner. “World of Doubt,” with its pounding drum, clashing guitar riffs and almost spoken lyrics is a perfect example of that skill.

“We Do Nothing” is like a condensed mix of all the good things from his first LP. There’s a little bit of “C-C (You Set The Fire In Me)” in it, some “Nothing But Green Lights” mixed in as well, which is a nice indicator that Vek’s taken all the years since We Have Sound listening back to the songs to synthesize the best things from his first album and build on them.

What he’s gotten really good at is creating a really hypnotizing ambient mood in his songs, no matter how slow or upbeat they are. You hear it as much in the single “A Chore” or the electronic “Close Mic’ed,” which both succeed in how repetition is used to move the song forward rather than become boring and redundant; it’s quite a feat.

All in all, Leisure Seizure is bigger and bolder than We Have Sound was. It’s more mature but it’s also more danceable. Tom Vek is definitely forgiven for having made everyone wait so long for this sophomore release.

06.14.11

by Goose

Sam Roberts Band – “Collider”

Brace yourself, this is the start of a new brand of music; this is groundbreaking. That was sarcasm. Collider sounds just like original Sam Roberts material, so Sam Roberts fans rest at ease. With the growing recognition of Sam Roberts work, it is a smart idea that Sam Roberts Band did not stem too far from normality. Fortunately, to avoid being banal, there are new worldly sounds on this album that will give a new texture to the music you have come accustomed to.

“The Last Crusade” is a funky bass-driven groove with fun intentions. Unintentionally or intentionally inspired by afro-beat, “The Last Crusade” is an ethnic rumpus that skillfully avoids being corny. Imagine this: you are bobbing your head to a firm beat when all of a sudden the Star Wars Cantina Band comes in with blistering horns. I kid you not, the horns mimic the jam band from Tatooine. Oddly enough, it fits. The song is a funky, fun, and cool little hymn. “The Last Crusade” has the Sam Roberts feel but the newly added funk gives it a little flare.

Sam Roberts knows how to make rock songs. Each song has something distinctive that makes you crave for a relisten. The soothing progression of “No Arrows”, the vocal harmonies on “Longitude”, and the dancey chorus of “Sang Froid” all make the album frequently worth an entire run-through. Not one song is bad which makes it an easy choice for a great unabridged listen. Even the single, “I Feel You”, which sometimes is a band’s weakest tune, has an explosive chorus and true passion. The tone is beyond powerful.

Collider is not going to blow you away with something you have never heard before. It is the same old style but that is good. Why change the style of an artist that is just now rightfully getting recognized? This album will leave a smile on your face, even if it is only for a short period. It is not a rehash, it is simply a Sam Roberts redux or now the newly formed Sam Roberts Band.

05.06.11

by ifjorissen

Album Review: Javelin – ‘Canyon Candy’

While Canyon Candy is a far cry from the hip-hop electro Javelin has bestowed upon us previously, it’s not something to miss. Inspired by the rolling tumble weeds and red clay encrusted jeans of the Wild West this brief album brings back snippets of that the Frontier used to be. Word is that this is the future soundtrack of an upcoming epic of the same name, directed by Mike Anderson. Previous fans of Javelin may be turned off by this album, it’s not electronically inclined and if anything, sounds vintage. However, Javelin’s master-sampling and melody-making skills were not missed. The album maintained a melodic sway the whole time, with twangy steel guitars and wavering vocals in replacement of synthesizers and funk samples. With most of the songs finishing between one and a half to two and a half minutes, one of this album’s qualities is certainly brevity. As soon as one song begins it suddenly seems to end, sometimes a bit too quickly. The use of samples in tracks such as “Strawberry Roan” and “Trembler” creates an authentic western sound, and adds to the overall reminiscent feel of the album. At the same time, tracks like “Colorado Trail,” and even “Strawberry Roan,” incorporate a little more of the beat that Javelin is known for. Javelin incorporated some western instruments too, I’m pretty sure I detected a steel guitar, and did I hear a jaw harp in “Love Gulch?” Standouts on this short album are “Estavez,” “Colorado Trail,” and “Streets of Laredo.” If you’re a Javelin fan who is open to an album unlike any of its predecessors, pick this album up. You’ll be amazed by their versatility and willingness to experiment. Available April 16th, 2011.

04.19.11

by gabe563

Album Review: Twin Shadow- “Forget”

To say that everything that producer and Grizzly Bear bassist Chris Taylor touches turns to gold would be a misstatement. It’s more like everything he touches turns into a hazy rainbow of indie genius. This is apparent on one of his record label’s latest releases, Twin Shadow’s Forget.

Twin Shadow is George Wilson, Jr., a gifted singer with a strange past and a penchant for constructing nostalgic, very danceable songs that some classify as chillwave. References to ‘80s new wave are easy to make while listening to his debut album, Forget, and Wilson is clearly a product of the modern indie scene. But that does not obscure how good this album is from start to finish.

Each song is infused with a mixture of synthesizers, shimmering guitars, drum machine beats, and catchy bass lines that are layered together to a precise, almost mathematical perfection. Chris Taylor stretches out the tunes, giving them depth and detailed flourishes that invite repeated listening. Every verse flows effortlessly into its chorus, and each song flows into the next. In this way, Forget achieves a feat that is rare these days: its can be listened to from beginning to end, and yet its songs are also effective individually. Lewis does borrow some sounds from the likes of Beach House and Grizzly Bear, from the drenched keyboards that threaten to fall out of tune on “When We’re Dancing” to the trippy picked guitar on the title track. But overall, Lewis has already found his own unique sound that usually takes some bands several records to find.

He does not falter as a lyricist either, even though, ironically enough, at times he sounds uncannily like Grizzly Bear’s Ed Droste. He draws on his aforementioned past to create poetic and at times romantic narratives that are not boring or overly abstract. In the funky “At My Heels,” he croons “I can’t come up with any reason why/A ghost is following me.” At times, there is a lot of the standard talk about heartbreak and former lovers, but it matches the ‘80’s dance pace and style, and most of the time the music is so good that we don’t care what he is saying.

But for all of the serious, meticulous song writing that went into this album, there is a certain simple playfulness about it. Lewis has a mature sense of melody, and he knows how to loosen up and let a hook dominate a song. He is committed to making accessible songs that beckon all types of listeners to the dance floor. Album highlight “I Can’t Wait” is flat out fun, and its chorus sounds a bit like Don Henley’s classic “The Boys of Summer.” During the catchy chorus he sings, “I cannot wait for summer/I cannot wait for June.” Don’t we all feel this way? If there is one thing that indie music could use a little more of today is the universality of modern pop music. Twin Shadow proves that, prior to common belief, this can go hand in hand with complex, intelligent song writing.

04.18.11

by ifjorissen

French Horn Rebellion Releases ‘The Infinite Music Of The French Horn Rebellion’

This Milwaukee duo’s debut album is not something to miss. This album explores a wide breadth of genres sonically. It ranges from 70’s and 80’s oriented dance to progressive synth lines and electronic funk. Wavering vocals, punchy bass lines and crisp synth lines pervade this album, linking it. While at times reminiscent of Phoenix, Daft Punk, and MGMT, the unique combination of crowd-friendly, catchy songs and those that are more introspective and nostalgic creates an album unlike any other.

The album opens with an upbeat, feel-good song, “Up All Night,” which rivets the listener with catchy melodies and synth lines. This dance-floor mentality is scattered throughout the album; tracks like “The Body Electric” and “What I Want” are riddled with guitar riffs, bass lines and vocals that stick. “This Moment” is a testament to the marriage of an 70’s or 80’s like riff with punchy electronic moments and a healthy dose of synth action, at the same time, snippets of French horn mingle with the other sounds in the track. “Running Through the Wild” opens with a cool symphony of electronic musings and melodies before taking off with lyrics like “running through the wilderness hunting for love.” This track is easy and fun to listen to, while at the same time it pushes the listener. It would seem they’ve struck the balance between the two perfectly. The seventh track, “What I Want,” is arguably the centerpiece of this album. This seven minute long track is anthemic and not unlike a rollercoaster. With fun and attractive synths and a wavering bass line, this song does not fail to please. With lines like “We can tell it’s not enough, just bring it back to what I want” and the tin of a melody in the higher register, this track provokes more than just the urge to dance.

As this album moves towards its second half, tracks like “The Cantor Meets the Alien,” “Mawson’s Peak,” and “Antarctica/ The Decision” show off the album’s more introspective side. These songs highlight the innovation between the two brothers, who seem fond of pushing the boundary between catchy and pensive. At the same time, “Broken Heart” is an electronic continuation of the same emotional tone of “Last Summer,” whose sentimental and mellow vocals ruminate on events past. “Broken Heart” merges the upbeat qualities of earlier tracks like “Up All Night” with lyrics a touch more introspective: “I’m so sick of it but I can’t help myself . . . and it breaks my heart.”
French Horn Rebellion has done a great thing with their debut album; their unique sound is both progressive and nostalgic, moreover, it’s superb. While at times it can seem a bit saccharine, usually it’s just plain cool. French Horn Rebellion has successfully married 70’s and 80’s-esque chord progressions and brass instruments with electronic funk. Through this, the pair of brothers has managed to create a sound and style completely their own.