Something Like Sound

Background: 1090 Club has been a busy group. Since I first saw the band two years ago, opening for Waking Ashland, they’ve toured extensively and put together a brand new record called Natural Selection. When I first saw 1090 Club, they caught my attention with their non-traditional setup and distinct sound. Of all the indie bands out there, 1090 Club is one of the few groups I know of that employs extensive piano and violin, while shunning the bass guitar.

After seeing 1090 Club again last week (this time opening for The Appleseed Cast), I noticed that something about them had changed: they had intensified and focused their sound. A few days later our music blog “Something Like Sound” was contacted by the band’s label with an offer to review the yet-to-be-released record Natural Selection. The record is an exciting mix of rock, indie, and pop that will appeal to fans of The Get Up Kids, Modest Mouse, and similar acts.

Best Song: This is really a toss up, there are a number of great tracks on the record. Narrowing it to two, “ITSON” and “Happiness” stand out and help establish the first half of the album. “ITSON” has some of the catchiest lyrical hooks I’ve heard on an opening song in a while, in addition to the in-your-face beats and instruments that kick open the first track. “Happiness” is another hard-hitting mix of violin, guitar, piano, drums and vocals. With a good dynamic, this track uses layering to emphasize lyrics during verses and instrumentation during the chorus.

Song To Skip: Ironically, a song titled “Skipping” is the track to skip. It’s not that it’s a bad song, it simply is more laid back than the rest of the album, wandering between heavy instrumental interludes and reverb-laden vocals. The hard-to-follow format of the song causes it to blend into the back end of the album.

Final Thoughts: After seeing 1090 Club perform with intensity and vigor, it’s nice to see that their sophomore release lives up to the sound of their live show. They definitely have an easily accessible, yet distinct sound that will certainly take them a long way in the music world.

Listen to “ITSON” right here!

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Special thanks to 1090 Club and Noel at SideCho Records for helping us bring you this early review

Natural Selection comes out March 24, 2009

The Appleseed Cast, a progressive post-rock band from Lawrence, Kansas, started out over 10 years ago. During the late 90′s The Appleseed Cast found themselves a part of the historic mid-west emo scene, grouped with the likes of The Get Up Kids and Sunny Day Real Estate. However, they are no longer even vaguely emo. Those familiar with the current national indie scene would not be far off to compare the group’s current sound to that of Explosions In The Sky. For those who don’t speak hipster, that means “heavily instrumental music with cutting edge rhythms, melodies, and harmonies.”
Expectations ran high last Saturday as The Appleseed Cast came to Denver to play at the Hi-Dive. A preview of the show ran in both Westword and The Onion, and was lauded as a highly recommended concert from both newspapers. Needless to say, there was an air of anticipation as things got underway at the Hi-Dive.

Now for the concert itself. Up first was a local group, Rabbit Is A Sphere. Their pop sound was catchy and tinged with occasional experimentation. The highlight of their set came when the group’s lead guitarist began using two slides to achieve a unique sound.

Following Rabbit Is A Sphere was the 1090 Club, a pop-indie group from Billings, Montana. The best way to describe 1090 Club is intense. Their piano and guitar driven songs were complimented by violin and a good mix of vocals.

Finally it was time for what everyone was waiting for: The Appleseed Cast. By this point in the night, the venue was packed (and I’m fairly certain that it was sold out). Ripping through song after song, they played for over an hour and a half, only stopping for five minutes to take a quick break. Focusing primarily on their newer material, The Appleseed Cast played songs from their 2006 release Peregrine and the newly released record Sagarmatha. The group’s intense and skillful delivery of “Here We Are (Family In The Hallway),” “The Summer Before,” and “Fight Song” stood out in a strong set.