Something Like Sound

The background on this post is a little strange, so let me begin by explaining. A few months back I found myself in Fort Collins at The Lowkey for a Julian Lynch show. Lush Cola (aka Weed Diamond’s Tim Perry) opened and I picked up a copy of his tape after the show. Tim also happened to give me a rather peculiarly wrapped CD with the word “Goodiez” scrawled across the disc.

Upon listening to the four track demo I determined this release to be some of my favorite material from Weed Diamond yet. For those familiar with WD, Goodiez is more along the lines of the Snowmelt/Oklahoma 7″, and less like Sweater Kids; the tracks are awash in surf-reverb (akin to Real Estate or Desolation Wilderness). For those unfamiliar… it sounds like music from a band with the name Weed Diamond.

In addition to Goodiez, two new demos have surfaced online via the Weed Diamond Facebook page.”Chalice” is a laid-back number, while “Field on Fire” is far more upbeat (definitely my favorite of the two). It’s unclear when WD will be back to playing shows and releasing records (as indicated by some rather cryptic Facebook posts). In any case, these new songs are certainly worth a listen.

Download: Goodiez | “Chalice” | “Field on Fire”

It’s no secret that one of my all-time-favorite musicians is Sufjan Stevens. With the exception of a few tracks and an orchestral album about the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway there hasn’t been much new Sufjan in the vein of his previous traditional indie-folk-pop records recently. That changed this last week with the release of All Delighted People, an EP that feels more like a full-length album.

Kicking off the EP is the orchestral original version of the title track, an 11+ minute track that showcases the musical developments Stevens has made since 2005′s Come On Feel The Illinoise! Each track unfolds to reveal a few familiar features (plenty of banjo, warm piano, plenty of horns and strings, etc.) in addition to markedly more experimental undertones.

News of this release came on the heels of details/ticketing for a Fall 2010 tour (tickets for the Nov. 2 Denver date may still be available). Currently this release is available through Bandcamp and will likely see physical (CD & LP) releases in late 2010. Stream the whole thing below.

In an attempt to class things up around here I’m starting a new feature series. It’s called “Classic Jazz” and will chronicle our personal favorite jazz records from the mid 20th-century. These articles will cover important history surrounding these recordings and their impact on modern music. First up is a record that is often found on my turntable: bossa-nova classic Getz/Gilberto.

I have almost no doubt in saying that everyone, at one point or another, has heard “The Girl From Ipanema.” While the song has become somewhat of a comic-filler piece (for use as elevator music, etc.), it’s difficult to deny the sultry charm of the 1964 recording. Images of a mysterious and beautiful woman walking down the Brazilian coast are conjured while Gilberto’s smooth classical guitar and Getz’s saxophone carry the tune.

However, while “The Girl From Ipanema” may be the most famous song on the record, it is certainly only the beginning of an LP that has been honored numerous times and maintains its place as a staple of jazz collections everywhere. Many of the tracks were penned by famed Brazilian songwriter/composer Antonio Carlos Jobim who also played piano on the recordings.

The marked Latin-flavor of Getz/Gilberto causes it to stand out from other jazz recordings of the same era. While Coltrane and Davis may have helped to further improvisational and bebop jazz, Getz managed to bring bossa-nova into vogue with the American public. One of the main features of Getz/Gilberto that causes it to stand out from other jazz albums of the same era is the fact that many of the songs are not merely instrumental; soft, smooth vocals from Astrud Gilberto wind their way through a few songs.

If you can get your hands on a vinyl copy I would suggest it over any digital format (a preference that holds true for any jazz record). Since this record was wildly popular in its day (and since Getz doesn’t often receive the same treatment as other jazz contemporaries) finding a copy at your local independent record shop or thrift store should be no problem.

Buy Getz/Gilberto: iTunes | Amazon

Listen via the Grooveshark widget embedded below.

Alchemy, in the classic sense of the word, is attempting to change common metals into gold. Alchemy, in the modern context, could be considered less chemical in nature and far more artistic. To take constituent ideas and combine them into something of beauty and value is the goal of most artists, musical or otherwise.

It is in this sense of the word that we arrive at the newest release from Dan Craig. Craig, who I first encountered when he was playing with Hearts of Palm, is a veteran on the Denver-scene with several previous solo releases. For Alchemy he mixed folk, pop, rock, and gospel into a record that speaks to the human experience on several levels.

The joyful tune “Sunday Morning” kicks off the record with big choruses and a choir; it is reminiscent of an old-fashioned revival church service blended with an upbeat Avett Brothers tune. A few tracks later is “Enough,” my personal pick for best track on this album; it tells of a brooding songwriter and the sting of loneliness.

“Holy Moses” stands out for its attention to the details of the Bible story and for its questioning hook.

“Is this the price of freedom? Because it doesn’t seem fair!”

Overall what is striking about Alchemy are the lyrics. Some are joyful, while others reflect on the nature of a broken humanity. “Company of Friends” combines both into a sing-along that admits personal mistakes while emphasizing the importance of friendship.

Alchemy will be released Friday, August 20 with a show at the Bluebird featuring A Mouthful of Thunder and Churchill. If you buy a ticket in advance you’ll save a few bucks and be eligible to pick up a free copy of the new record. Click here for tickets. Listen to “What Is This Alchemy?” below (via Reverb)

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Of all the records that have found their way to my inbox this summer there is one that continues to pique my interest and demand my attention. It is an album with substance, a collection of songs thoughtfully arranged to remain stimulating even after the freshness of that first listen has faded away. The album in question is the newest release from Fellow Citizens, a full-length/self-titled affair from a group that had previously only done EPs.

Fellow Citizens begins with “Cincinnati,” a song that feels as expansive as the American Midwest. It builds slowly into a grand chorus, leading into  ”On The Parkway,” the closest thing to a single that this record might possess. The lyrics float above the instruments as certain phrases stick with the listener.

“If you need a shoulder, well I’ve lost my limbs”

The first half of the record maintains this type of hazy, lyric-infused structure. Fellow Citizens is then punctuated by “Black Circle/Sky King,” an ambient-sound number that marks the beginning of the second half.

As the album continues each track blends seamlessly into the next. The songs are vast and spacious; layers of instruments ebb and flow as the songs build and relax. Lyrics are muddled by the walls of sound and only the melody manages to rise to the top. Closing song “Forget” marks a slight return to the musical theme from the first half of the record; this return manages to bring the record to a close in a way that reins-in vastness of the songs and leaves the listener contented.

Fellow Citizens is currently available at shows in the form of a limited-edition, hand-made CD; it will see a digital release in the not-too-distant future. A full list of upcoming show dates can be found after the jump. Listen to “On The Parkway” below.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

(continue reading…)

Somewhere between shoe-gaze and surf sits Candy Claws, a Fort Collins dream-pop band that has garnered national attention with their recent tour and newest record Hidden Lands.

Similar to the group’s previous record In the Dream of the Sea Life, the new disc was inspired, in part, by a book: Richard M. Ketchum’s The Secret Life of the Forest. I used the phrase “in part,” because the band’s own personal experiences living on the cusp of the Rocky Mountains also had a role to play in inspiring a record full of ambient dreamscapes and ethereal melody.

Hidden Lands is one of those records that can be approached in two ways: active listening or passive enjoyment. At the time of this review I have listened to this album at least 7 or 8 times and each experience has been different. Initially it was all fresh; previously unknown sounds floated through the room. Upon repeat listening I became cognizant of the whispery lyrics and finer details.

A certain ebb and flow winds its way through the songs; some are long, slow considerations of time (“In the Deep Time”) while others pulse with the life of natural things such as sunlight or trees (“Sunbeam Show” and several others).

In the end, there are certain tracks that stand out for one reason or another. “Sunbeam Show” has its majestic chorus theme and “The Breathing Fire” has spacey synth and surf beats that sound  like The X-Files meets Pet Sounds. “Sun Arrow” rounds out my shortlist of best tracks on Hidden Lands because it has a great part where plucked strings transition into fuzzed out guitar.

Hidden Lands comes out August 3 via twosyllable records. CD and LP versions of the album can be pre-ordered via the twosyllable webstore and the track “Sunbeam Show” can be streamed/downloaded below (via P4K). For more Candy Claws click here.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

I remember seeing Bad Weather California for the first time. They were opening for Young Coyotes back in January 2009 and I didn’t know what to make of them. Were they surf? Were they punk? Or, were they something else? After seeing them a few more times I’m still not sure how to classify them except by saying that they have one of the best live sets in Denver.

I picked up their CD Young Punks and it made its way into standard rotation on my iPod. While it is a good album, I always felt that the recordings didn’t really do proper justice as far as their live set was concerned. Fortunately for me, and anyone else seeking a more energetic and less-polished recording of Bad Weather California, the group recently released an EP of live jams called… you guessed it, Live Jammers.

Recorded back in March, when the band was unable to tour due to inclement weather, Live Jammers possesses the attitude, sound, and feel of a live set. It’s got a few standards (“I Don’t Know” always gets stuck in my head) and some new tunes that will presumably appear on a new full length (which will be produced by members of Akron/Family).

Perhaps the best part is that this EP is a free download. So hop over to the Bad Weather California Bandcamp page and get this release!

It has been several months since we’ve heard anything new from the Dualistics camp. But alas! Their brand of 90′s alt-rock inspired music has returned once again in the form of a new EP and a release show.

Album opener “The Optimist” stands out with its lyrics and production value:

“We are lied to all the time / say the word and I’ll feed you a line”

There are a couple songs on Crimson that might sound familiar, this is for good reason. “Last Call” was featured on the premier SLS compilation Colorado Sounds and “Sabbatical” was the b-side to the “Last Call” digital single.

Crimson is available as a digital download and will be released in physical form at the Hi-Dive this Saturday. The $6, 21+ show will also feature Mike Marchant’s Outer Space Party Unit and 200 Million Years (doors at 8).

Download “The Optimist” (for free) here.

Eric Peterson has managed to combine the things that artsy types love into one object: A 7″ vinyl record about Polaroid photos. Well, the latter item may only be an allegory for the fading nature of memory, I doubt he’s actually singing about light and chemicals being mixed into instant photographs.

Roger, Roll, the storied side-project from Peterson, has seen several forms and has always been somewhat of an amorphous musical outlet. For the Polaroid In Reverse 7″ Peterson recorded, played, and sang every part; for the live Roger, Roll, he has drafted the likes of Corey Teruya (Hello Kavita), Jeremiah Jones and Chris Durant (Sun Red), Emily Hall and Allison Sheldon (Dream Wagon), and Adrienne Short.

Pick up one of the super-limited copies of Polaroid In Reverse this Friday at the Hi-Dive. It’s an 18+, $6 show with openers Hello Kavita and the Lumineers (see the poster at the top of this post).

Listen/Download “Foreword” below.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Download (right click “save as”)

Are you ready for a pop quiz? The questions aren’t difficult, but shouldn’t be easily dismissed. Alright, let’s begin:

Question 1: “How much?” … Question 7: “Am I in love?” … etc.

While this may seem like a rather abstruse exercise, it will all make more sense after listening to Pop Quiz, the newest album from Portland-based The Ocean Floor. While every song on the record is a question, it is my no means an indication that every song is similar.

A certain jovial theme threads its way throughout the record, providing the overall theme and mood. As one question blends into the next, instruments change and the quiz continues. There’s jazz flute on “What’s The Dream?” like something you’d hear on an old episode of Sesame Street, and folk mixed with orchestral flutters of strings and horns throughout (perhaps similar to Sufjan Stevens). Toward the end of the record there’s even some more experimental electronic sounds and fuzzed out guitars.

The keystone of Pop Quiz comes in the form of “Am I?” It’s a jazzy number that begins softly and builds to a strong final chorus. I can imagine it as the soundtrack to a scene where two dancers waltz in the twilight of a summer’s evening.

Pop Quiz is available now via Electricity & Lust Records as a limited edition vinyl or CD. The Ocean Floor will be touring in the later part of the summer with several dates in Colorado (see full tour schedule after the jump). Listen/download “What’s The Dream?” and “Am I?” below.

“What’s The Dream?” (right click “save as”)

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

“Am I?” (right click “save as”)

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

(continue reading…)