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May 13, 2013 | 10:30 AM | By

Embrace the fuzz-punk with Philadelphia’s Mumblr and their new Nutter EP

MumblrA week or so ago, Mumblr dropped their new four song EP Nutter. For those who love fuzzed out guitar riffs sprinkled with nasty bass tones, thriving drums, and a Weezer-esque vibe will enjoy this release. (DISCLOSURE: The Key’s intern Kyle Rossi plays in Mumblr, but we’d like them regardless. -ed.) With four songs, and the longest song being roughly two minutes and thirty seconds, they pack a significant amount of depth into this EP. Not to mention the rock. Oh, boy, the rock.

Mumblr started out as a cooler, punkier version of Modest Mouse when they released their first EPs Rectangle and Rectangle Pt. 2, which were re-recorded and condensed into their White Jesus EP. Then they took a small turn toward the more emotional side when they released their split with Dark Orange Oriole Carving. Now, with Nutter, Mumblr fully embraced the fuzz punk. Each song is visceral, driving, and plain fun. They still bring the jams with this release, and embody the high energy, as well as musicianship, they have had on each release. But Nutter is faster and more raw than any of their previous releases. And it fits them completely. The four songs on this EP fully captures the energy they bring to their live set. From the first song to the last song, Nutter wraps ears inside several layers of heavy sounds and a static, but full atmosphere of sound.

Give Mumblr’s new EP Nutter a listen. Then give the rest of their material a listen. Then learn the words. Then go see them play. They are a great time. Below, check out their song “Space God” off of Nutter.

FILED UNDER: Album Reviews, Artist Profiles, Artists, Recordings, Scene, Mumblr, Nutter, split with Dark Orange Oriole Carving, White Jesus EP
May 3, 2013 | 1:00 PM | By

Unlocked: The Key’s Review of Grandchildren’s Golden Age

Grandkids

Much like a track runner, Granchildren see the benefit of getting off the block with the burst of energy that will maintain you through the finish line.  Momentum is key to Golden Age, the new album by Grandchildren, out May 7th on Ernest Jenning. The album is big in scope and big in sound, though not maximalist. The album explores quite a few variations of their orchestral pop, while being a more cohesive compared to the band’s debut album Everlasting . For example, the percussion is brought to the forefront on the album and is constantly apparent – though never overwhelming – and never close to being redundant.

Awaking the album is the pulsing and humming “Sunrise,” with it’s tribal percussion, distant keys and ascending vibraphone. From the start you can hear the complexity of the arrangements, which flow into each other like bodies of water meeting and growing as an ocean. Without slowing down much the album progresses to the dreamy title track “Golden Age” and then into one of the standout tracks, “End Times.”

As you reach the middle of the album it opens up into a different kind of album where, instead of combining all the ‘essential’ parts of Grandchildren, like they did to begin the album, they explore the various directions their arrangements can go. This begins with the jumpy, precautionary track “No Way Out” which is highlighted by an idiosyncratic clapping part, otherworldly falsetto and wandering horns.  The atmosphere completely shifts for the next song to a gentle, calming surrounding, with something magical in the air. The light strumming, distant drums and lead singer Aleks Martray’s soft, and comforting voice all compliment each other in the beautiful song. Rounding out the middle of the album is the cinematic “Into Gold” which blooms in front of you, and does so elegantly.

The back of the album is less easier to define musically. “You Never Know” is one of the most restrained moments of the album. It shows the band’s musical chops, but does so in a different light.  On this album there are various moments where the songs can go in different directions, either going big or pulling back on the reins.  This album succeeds because, despite their large size and ability to go bigger, they choose to restrain compositions as a way to let them breathe.  The band, on their previous album, were working on defining their sound. Equally important to a band having a sound, though, is having a “voice” and a “vision.” On Golden Era, Grandchildren continue to evolve and mature their sound, while finding focus in their songwriting, arrangements, and studio performances.

Grandchildren celebrate their record release tonight at Johnny Brenda’s with support from The Lawsuits, Laser Background, DJ POW POW (Man Man’s Chris Powell).

FILED UNDER: Album Reviews, Artists, Recordings, Grandchildren, Unlocked
April 23, 2013 | 5:09 PM | By

Unlocked: The Key’s Review of Bad Braids’ Supreme Parallel

Bad Braids' Megan Biscieglia / Photo by Elizabeth Lennox

Bad Braids’ Megan Biscieglia / Photo by Elizabeth Lennox

I didn’t set out to write a “walking” review of Bad Braids’ Supreme Parallel, but once I started I couldn’t stop finding the, uh, parallels, between the songs and the scenes around me. The second record from local singer-guitarist Megan Biscieglia’s dark art/folk project is a longtime journey of ritualistic storytelling and gypsy-like instrumental concoctions. There is a vein of solitude that runs deeply through the album, making it best experienced alone. For me, it was while walking through my neighborhood on a damp, overcast Monday morning when no one else seemed to be out in the world. Suddenly, my surroundings became foreign and open to interpretation, and my imagination went wild running through the songs on the record.

It hit me during “Clover,” (the third track off of the group’s intimate second record), that I was experiencing some form of serendipity. I passed a church on Hewson street just as a pickup truck drove by with a bed of bright, fresh flower arrangements. A funeral. Cars blocked the street with nobody in them, just tiny orange flags fluttering from their antennas. “Clover” is an eerie outcast of a song. It’s sounds like being a stranger passing a stranger’s funeral. It’s a different kind of lonely, with recurring Braids’ collaborator Paul Christian on organ creating haunting, church-based harmonies.

“Ships” dives deeper into that solitude, suggesting the idea of tiny vessels in the mind that can take you far away. You can embark on your own wild adventures without actually going anywhere. I pass a place called the Penn Home, which is carved out like the White House with red, white and blue flags and ribbons wrapping around every window and a well kept green yard out front, between right and left wings. It’s not until I see a tiny wooden sign on the corner of the building advertising “three meals daily, laundry and housekeeping,” that I realized I let my imagination sail away for awhile, maybe a little too far.

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FILED UNDER: Album Reviews, Artists, Recordings, Bad Braids, Unlocked
April 20, 2013 | 1:00 AM | By

75 Songs Big: Download The BIG Comp. Emphasis on BIG.

Young Statues

Young Statues

April 1st saw the release of a compilation of Philly bands so vast in musical talent, genre, and absolute immense length, it’s dizzying. The BIG Comp was released on Lame-O records. It includes Seventy five bands/seventy five songs, and musically has something for everyone. The compilation showcases some big names, while giving local Philly bands a chance to strut their stuff. In essence, The BIG Comp fulfills the promise of its name: BIG in spirit, BIG in length, but most importantly, BIG in the sense that every band on the compilation showcases a wide mix of musical styles. The BIG Comp is available through Bandcamp for five dollars or more. Below, sample some of the songs.

FILED UNDER: Album Reviews, Artists, News, Recordings, Scene, Lame-O Records, Philadelphia, The BIG Comp
April 12, 2013 | 11:55 AM | By

NAH release new album, Difficult

4094282924-1Michael Kuhn has been busy as hell. Between his solo project, NAH, and his band 1994!, he has toured the UK and Europe, and released two new albums and a mix tape, most (if not all) of which was recorded while on said tour – and all of this was accomplished since January. And despite the seemingly rushed processes, none of this new material disappoints. Kuhn seems to have an infinite supply of trashy, mathy drum beats, as well as a whole bunch of odd samples that sound like they were stored on an ancient hard drive built out of wood and nails. He really has no reason to stop releasing this stuff; it’s all so original and innovative, it would be best for all of us if he would just keep on making this stuff forever. Here’s to hoping for that. The new album is totally free (while free downloads last), as well as almost everything else on NAH’s Bandcamp page. While you’re at it, go download the new 1994! EP, which is also free – another reason why these guys are killing it right now.

FILED UNDER: Album Reviews, Artists, News, Recordings, 1994!, NAH
April 11, 2013 | 1:00 PM | By

Sister City, not Sister Act, but almost the same thing. New album rules.

SCThis album was released this week and I just started listening, but it is something beyond awesome. Sister City hits, and hits hard, with its new full length release Small Talk. There are an extreme amount of catchy riffs, emotional harmonies, the lyricism is clever and being just a two piece, they bring the noise, sounding more together than a full band. And their sound is all over the place, but staying within the same catchy indie, sometimes emo, and rock sound.

The songs show an evident influence from pop-punk / indie bands most people growing up with the style of music will be able to recognize. On their Facebook page, some of the musical influences they cite that show profoundly in their songs are Weatherbox, Cursive, Bomb the Music Industry!, and Brand New. There are times in their songs when the vocalist sounds shockingly close to the latter’s Jesse Lacey. Which is great, because the vocalist is something to note. He has a great voice that is versatile. In order to be a band that spans genres, you need to have a voice that can cover the mood in the melodies. Adam Linder, vocalist and guitarist (as well as bassist on the records and songwriter for the band) is able to capture an array of emotionalism and power in his voice. When his voice needs to be sad, it traverses soundscapes of melancholy; at times when the jams are upbeat, his voice changes accordingly.

This kind of versatility is worth nothing, because a good or bad vocalist can make the band, or break the band, in this case it absolutely makes Sister CIty. The lyrics coincide, as well, with what is great about this band. With clever lines like, “I actually don’t have anything to say today / I actually don’t have anything” or “But when I taught myself to walk again / I respectfully declined the chance / And planted myself stubbornly instead / And I stared at the ground / And I found myself imagining / That it meant something profound / So I made meaning out of everything I found,” it’s easy to tell the words are thought out, rather than some of the diluted lyrics in the indie/emo/pop-punk, what have you, scene which all blend together.

What is even better, they put the album up for free on their bandcamp. You can also buy their music, and they have a bunch of cool little incentives to do so: if you spend 50 dollars, singer-guitarist Adam Liner will personally write you a song on any subject the buyer chooses; if you spend 25 dollars, Adam will cover a song that you choose, although he says “Be reasonable.” It’s an interesting method to promote an album, and if I had 25 dollars and am permitted to be vein for a moment, I would totally give these dudes the money so I could get them to cover “Daughter” by Pearl Jam because most people don’t even know how catchy the riff in that song is. Hell, if I had an extra 25 dollars, I would get them to cover it again, only slower, for my dubstep project I don’t, and will never have. Excluding my self-indulgent tangent, this album was great, and it’s free online, and if you have the money you can get handwritten lyrics from the album written by Adam, and a letter which he says “tries to make small talk.” That’s not only a play on the full length name, but it’s adorable. So give these guys a listen.

Below, check out “Today Was My Day to Die and You Ruined it” off Sister City’s LP Small Talk.

FILED UNDER: Album Reviews, Artist Profiles, Artists, News, Recordings, Scene, Philadelphia, Sister City, Small Talk
April 9, 2013 | 10:00 AM | By

Tinmouth’s new One More Revelation EP has arrived

3620995292-1Tinmouth’s rock/blues inspired EP has arrived today, accompanying a small release show this evening, and an official release at a later date. If I were pressed to make a distinction, or a comparison to another band in order to give an idea of what the new EP sounds like, it definitely has a Black Keys vibe. Not as heavy in terms of the Black Key’s blistering guitar, but attributes of the honest, soulful sound are reminiscent. Simultaneously, Tinmouth has elements completely uncharacteristic of blues-rock.

To be bold, Tinmouth’s EP sounds like emo/blues, which is unorthodox. Blues, like emo, is sad, melancholy, and the two in theory could be best friends, but it is odd to think about considering the modern emo and blues bands. But it works with Tinmouth. They have the Black Key style, but at times they warp into a sort of Sunny Day Real Estate aesthetic, which, again, is unorthodox, but it works.

Other times the style is fun and upbeat. Overall, the EP One More Revelation is an eclectic display of musical talent and fusion of genres. As mentioned before they will be playing two shows to celebrate the inception of their new EP. The first one, this evening, will be a smaller, intimate show at The Dive Bar on Passyunk Ave.; the Facebook event page can be found here. The second show, Tinmouth’s official record release show, will be on 5/4 at The Balcony bar at The Trocadero.

Below, check out “withered on the vine” off Tinmouth’s new EP One More Revelation.

FILED UNDER: Album Reviews, Artists, News, Recordings, Scene, one more revelation, Tinmouth, Troc Balcony, withered on the vine