The Suburbs - Hey Muse! (2017)

OFFICIAL: www.TheSuburbsBand.com
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Written by Lance Wright, posted by blog admin

The Suburbs may have never enjoyed the lasting success or exposure earned by near contemporaries like The Replacements and Husker Du, but their substantial talents carried them from the local Minneapolis scene to national notice and a major label deal that produced a number of memorable releases. The band fell silent in the 1990’s and the first decade of the 21^st century before original members Chan Poling and Huge Klaer resurrected the outfit with longtime saxophonist Max Ray in tow and some new additions that catapulted them back into critical and popular notice from their comeback release 2013’s Si Sauvage. Since that release, The Suburbs have gone a long way towards reminding audience and music buyers alike why they enjoyed such a strong reputation during their prime and are often lauded as one of the era’s best acts. Their latest release, a 10 song offering entitled Hey Muse!, revisits many of the qualities making them such a successful outfit while exhibiting genuine growth.

Few songs on this release will better illustrate how far Poling, Klavers, and their ideas about what this band can do than the title track and album opener. “Hey Muse!” has some genuinely impressive guitar work never opting to attempt dominating the song but, instead, adding lighting strikes of inspiration in the right places to make its musical mark. The lyrical content is particularly artful and given a further spin by Poling’s obviously engaged vocal. “Lost You on the Dance Floor” is another of Hey Muse’s marquee numbers and has a much more throwback feel than many of the other tracks on the release. The simplified backbeat keeps the song proceeding along a straight line and the mix of top line melodic instruments over the top of that steady beat is full of color and snap. Poling varies his singing approach some on this song to excellent effect and even gives the track an unexpectedly melancholy edge. “Je Suis Strange” is another of the album’s strong guitar based songs, but the band’s wont when approaching guitar is to utilize it in a more orchestral fashion than other acts. Its presence isn’t omni-present. The slashing six string fills give this song brief, controlled blasts of fire that make it all the more memorable.

“Unified Force” is another hard-hitting track making great use of the band’s musical arsenal. There’s some retro feel propelling this song forward, but it begins life with a strong brass presence before settling into a sleek, streamlined groove with much of the same straight-ahead percussion defining the earlier track “Lost You on the Dance Floor”. Guitar and keyboards are critical to success of the late album track “Cupid” and the loose, confident feel they conjure musically makes this an immensely likeable tune. Hey Muse! is a worthy addition to The Suburbs’ discography and shows their continuing commitment to producing compelling musical works that stretch the boundaries of their capabilities while still embracing the band’s long history.  

Quantum Split - America (2017)

OFFICIAL: http://quantumsplit.com/

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/QuantumSplitBand/

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/QuantumSplit

Written by Alonzo Evans, posted by blog admin

Led by Berklee College of Music student, musician, and singer Soliel Laurent and joined by Adrian Read on guitar, Ivan Hardy on bass, and Anthony Anderson on drums, Quantum Split is one of those once in a generation bands who emerge from near-obscurity fully formed and guided by a fiery creative vision. Laurent’s unique talents as a singer and interpreter of the band’s material – the lyrics certainly touch on themes of personal freedom and empowerment, but Laurent brings them to vivid, colorful life with her passionate bellow and abundance of chops. Her band mates bring the same combination of inspiration and skill to their role and guitarist Read, in particular, proves to be a compelling foil for Laurent’s singing. Their debut recording, America, may only contain two songs, but it carries the force of a full length release thanks to the gripping presentation they concoct for these two tracks. It makes a deep impact that lingers long after the last note fades.

“America”, the title song, has a current events sort of feel if, no other reason, than discontent with the current political situation is so omnipresent in nearly every medium. Laurent conveys that dissatisfaction and a generation’s resolute response to it with a varied vocal approach that imbues the song’s “narrative” with all the requisite drama. Anthony Anderson and Ivan Hardy provide plenty of punch from the band’s rhythm section, but it’s Adrian Read’s neo soul and funk stylings mingled with rock guitar posturing that really makes this musically distinguished. As hybrids go, it’s an interesting blend that the band credibly brings off from the first. “America”, despite the occasional stridency of its attack, never risks self indulgence and delivers a timely message fortunately possessing resonance transcending current events.

The second track “Runaway” shows off other facets of the band’s talents. Laurent can make some claim, based on this performance alone, that she’s a capable blues singer, but the vocal never slips too far away from the powerhouse rock workout that she gave her vocals on the earlier track. Adrian Read steps up to the plate in a big way on this track, as well, and his playing deftly straddles a line between emotive beauty and outright aggression. The rhythm section delivers once again and gives the song a strong foundation that’s nonetheless light on its feet and keeps things musically fluid. Its strengths are a little more diffuse than those on the title cut, but “Runaway” is still impressive throughout and has some of the same decisiveness setting the first song apart. Quantum Split embody the brash refusal to accept injustice and offer a clear, inspiring path for listeners to channel their discontent through music and make something greater from it. There’s little question after hearing this brief two song collection that their first full length, whenever we are afforded an opportunity to hear that, will be an impressive experience.

Russ Still and the Moonshiners - Still Cookin' (2017)

OFFICIAL: http://russstill.com

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/RussStillandtheMoonshiners/

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/rbstill2

Written by Alonzo Evans, posted by blog admin

Authentic southern rock here from the south, Georgia to be exact!  Russ Still and the Moonshiners are a force to be reckoned with, serving up a hearty stew of groove, grit and rock n’ roll gravitas missing from the spotlight for a long, long time.  The album’s 9 tracks follow an arc of peaks and valleys thanks to diverse composition and jammed out instrumental passages.  If you’ve come to move, boogie n’ swing, you’re at the right watering hole. 

A rocking initiative is set thanks to “Promised Land,” a track full of tasty licks, winding lead guitar figures and a bustling groove laid-down by the rhythm section.  On an album of this type, you need a hot opener and this one is in-the-red yet plenty melodic thanks to Still’s power crooning and the way the band keeps things lush.  “Long Way from Home” kicks off in acoustic throes before heading to the backstreets of Nashville with a tuneful approach to riffs and the electric guitar.  This sounds like country radio back in the days when rap and pop hadn’t touched the genre just yet.  “Glorine’s” has strong interplay between the ultra-soulful lead vocals and the back-ups, almost calling to mind a rock-oriented version of “Lucille.”  The tune’s about a lady, so that could be the connection.  Grand piano and acoustic grace sets off the spark in “I Can’t,” a more downbeat number where the boundaries of balladry are pushed and exceeded.  There’s stellar singing throughout and the increase in volume in the second half gives it a nice climactic finish. 

“Goin’ Fishin’” is catchy if a bit standard issue by the lofty standards set thus far, so “Juanita” spices things up by incorporate bluegrass-y, amplified guitar licks with excellent melodies in the verses and chorus.  It’s probably the catchiest tune on the record and it also has the distinct honor of sounding the oldest (in terms of the decade that birthed it).  “10, 000 Ways” treads similar ground to “I Can’t” and comes out fine as a result even if a bit of repeat and “Workin’ Class Hunter” is all riffs though it could benefit from more emphasis on the leads.  Closer “Run Away” is a textbook country rocker that gives a Texaco hat tip to the innovators of the genre. 

Still Cookin’ is a timeless entry into the southern/country rock genre.  The band is tight but still developing its very own songwriting blend that comes off strong more often than not.  There are more than enough great tracks, plenty of good and only or two that could use a little more in the instrumentation department.  Overall, this is a solid second outing. 

Donoma - Falling Forward (2017)

OFFICIAL: https://www.donomatribe.com/

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/donomatribe

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Written by Shannon Cowden, posted by blog admin

Eclectic, schizophrenic rock with odes to rural and rustic Americana is the order of the day on Donoma’s Falling Forward.  Two albums deep into their collective career this five-piece band themselves at the heart of a maelstrom; a maelstrom which can be defined as the band members’ own minds spinning violently out of control.  Produced like a late 60s/early 70s vintage hard rock masterpiece, unusual like 80s post-punk and sporting a refreshingly original approach to free-form song composition, Donoma’s twelve tune juggernaut hits more than it misses. 

The record begins with a triple shot gun blast of songs that are the definition of tough, intelligent rock.  “Sick” curls the toes like fermented moonshine, balancing potent flavors of gritty proto-hard rock, the early SoCal cowboy punk movement, outlaw country and cancerous Marlboro blues.  It’s a rousing introduction to the band’s work ethic and singer Stephanie Vogt’s punch-drunk, piss n’ vinegar gospel.  “Jack in the Box” could be a lost Steve Albini production; the band’s “giddy-up partner,” Hank Williams-inflected raucousness rubbed sandpaper raw by skronk-y, Big Black-esque clatter n’ pound.  If these songs have you cowering in fear of the next punch, the molten slow-blues of “Memory” and “A Change is Gonna Come (a reworking of the Sam Cooke classic)” will heal the wounds of the more turbulent material.  These juxtapositions run rampant through the album and for every cool-headed track, you get a couple of hardheads looking for trouble.  “He Loves Me Not” relies on the rhythm section and piano in the lead roles with the guitar adding atmosphere until the pacing kicks up later; the mission statement being to seamlessly splice cabaret, 80s goth/post-punk, country and hard-rock into one unique tapestry…this mission is a success by the by. 

They play Russian roulette with musical styles, revolvers and liquor on the immediately succeeding “Deep Beneath the Woods,” a tangled forest where dub, dark wave and psychedelic inspirations steal secret breathless kisses.  “Another Light” drops the mood from high noon into sundown as the country ramble remains present even when the tempos slow from a stagecoach chase to a drunken stumble.  This relaxing of intensity is busted wide open yet again by the furious squeal of “Splinter’s” cutthroat guitar lacerations and hoof breaking drum/bass interplay.  Vocalist Stephanie Vogt gets a huge chance to shine on the earthen heavy blues rock of “Unfortunate One,” where trace elements of The Groundhogs, The Brandos, Royal Thunder and Janis Joplin can be heard.  As the record winds to a close, the soft balladry of “A New Shed of Colors” and “Come with me” actually feel rather out of place; “Come with Me” is especially in need of vocals even if the arrangement is pretty enough.  “Otherside” delivers the snub-nosed blues rock goods with aplomb and a fever sweat.   

Despite a couple of minor issues with flow and a small number of slight filler pieces, Falling Forward is a retro feeling rock record possessing teeth, toughness and identity.  It’s a progression from the first album for sure and one can only wonder what ionosphere album #3 will launch Donoma into.  The sky is the limit from here.