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The Folky Skins of Anna Dobbin

15 Jan

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I have a great local release from the esteemed musical borough of Brooklyn, NY for you all tonight. Skins, an intimate 9-track release from singer-songwriter Anna Dobbin, is a delightful acoustic string of melodies with jazzy instrumentation and folky overtones. Most of all, though, it is the smooth Deb Talan-like vocals (for those Weepies fans out in the musical blogosphere) from Dobbin that carries this album, and, if you are looking for a serene soundtrack to listen to on this Thursday night, you have come to the right place.

Dobbin describes the album as a palette of a great variety of songs that she, with the help of a few other musicians, weaved together into a comprehensive piece. One of the reasons I am digging this album is its utter simplicity. Aside from the eclectic bassoon, which does fit perfectly mind you, the tracks are Dobbin, some light clickity-clack of a drum set, and the familiar sound of a comely acoustic guitar that is strummed creatively. Interspersed throughout the album is some lead guitar and keys, but it is done so tastefully that it does not shake the placidness the listener feels while first hearing this album.

Let’s take a listen to “The Trouble I Could Cause,” a quintessential Dobbin track (as my description above portrays). The song begins with a lightly strummed acoustic guitar next to flicked drum beat. Dobbin’s voice is filled with a blissful pulchritude that, while tranquil, still sounds worn. This piece specifically features some vocal layering that adds an echoing effect to the sound adding to the song’s power. The orchestral quality provided by the bassoon is refreshing and different; one might not think it would work, but just take one listen and you can hear how it does indeed help the song.

Another track that caught my attention on the album is a duet named “So Long” (co-producer and vocalist Austin Greenfield can be heard singing verses on the track). The acoustic features a segmented strumming pattern and trading vocals. It is as if Josh Radin or Peter Bradley Adams combined with JayMay or Ingrid Michaelson and the output was this piece. All in all, it is a pleasant song with consistently good vocals – controlled and calm.

Nice going! Listen to the rest of the album.  

D R E A M C O A T unveils studio performance of debut single, “Beautiful Kingdom”

13 Jan

D R E A M C O A T

Dreamcoat is a new act that hails from Melbourne, as do many of the artists that I cover here for the Music Court. Their debut single, “Beautiful Kingdom” is luscious and lingers, and watching them perform it live in studio shows them distinctly in their element.

I love how every vocal lasts a few beats. I love being soothed by the guitar strums. I love that the drums become much more than the spine of the song, becoming the heart and soul as well. This is the first that we’ve heard from Dreamcoat, and what a great first impression they have made. Their debut EP will be out in March, so we will hopefully hear more from them very soon.

“Beautiful Kingdom” is available for download on the D R E A M C O A T Blank Tapes page. For more information on Dreamcoat, visit their Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Soundcloud.

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GRRL PAL releases second installment of their song-a-month project for 2015

12 Jan

GRRL PAL

Vowel-averse GRRL PAL has embarked on a year-long mission to release a new song every month. Their most recent installment is NGHT, an in-your-face romp that at times sounds like it is imploding. The accompanying video watches the duo recline and dance intermittently as the sun sets.

Short licks of high vocals ring throughout the intro, and follow well into chorus, along with many other quirky noises that GRRL PAL has molded into a song. There are distinct similarities between this and Purity Ring, if Purity Ring inhaled a little helium. There is also a very subtle, yet handsome bass line that holds everything together with grace. And for these reasons this hyper-sweet jam is irresistible. Even if you’re not the type to spontaneously start dancing, “NGHT” will make you want to frolic with GRRL PAL in your front yard in the dusk.

Download “NGHT” for free on GRRL PAL’s Soundcloud page, where you will also find its predecessor, “Paradise,” also available for download. For more info on GRRL PAL, visit their tumblr, Facebook, and Twitter.

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The Harry Heart Chrysalis is ready to spread its wings

9 Jan

The Harry Heart Chrysalis

Does anyone miss Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros? They have the perfect name, with a perfect background story. After “Home” was featured in a commercial, they rose in popularity, and I’m sure had some people (me) shaking their heads at a band name that reminds of an egotistical power rock band. Alex Ebert plays the part of Edward Sharpe, a Messiah character he created in a story he wrote while in rehab. Decidedly not about ego, but rather a rebirth, (or resurrection, if you will) of Ebert during a dark and troubling time. I really admire Ebert, and treasure one of his solo tracks, “Truth.” (The version featuring RZA is also great, if only for the incredible, half-hearted rap-singing RZA does toward the end of his verse.) I found a song sonically similar by The Harry Heart Chrysalis, rhythmic and lyrically rich, though “Ninety Six” has a much different message.

The guitars give us our first impression of “Ninety Six”. The strums are quick and even, and the mandolin-like riff bounces with frontman Harry Heart’s vocals. Ebert has a similar sing-song rhythm, punching the lyrics at the end of each line. Where Ebert’s “Truth” battles inner darkness, “Ninety Six” embraces raw sexuality and insecurity. (Check out the lyrics via the Bandcamp version of the track.) Their previous efforts tended to be lighter than “Ninety Six,” which suggests that The Harry Heart Chrysalis is prepared to give us deeper meanings and more fulfilling stories. And with a name as mysterious as “Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros,” I think they will be well-received.

You can download “Ninety Six” for free via the embedded track above. Find more information about The Harry Heart Chrysalis on their website, Facebook, Twitter, and Soundcloud.

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Lyon to San Francisco, All the Girls, My Casiotone

26 Nov

Odessey and oracle

In today’s society of instant gratification, it can be hard to branch out your musical taste. Instead of giving new music a chance, we tend to just skip to the next track that is better aligned with a genre or style that we have connected with in the past. Lose that mindset right now, because unless you already operate on a hearty diet of chiptune and toy instruments, you won’t recognize the greatness of Odessey & Oracle and the Casiotone Orchestra.

This album is a little weird, but in the absolute best way. The first track,”2016,” is dripping with psychedelia and ambience, held up only be the melody of the vocals. That is only the beginning, though; what follows is a collection of endearing and occasionally somber songs, making good use of drones and casiotones. It can at times sound like Rennaissance fair music, but there is something deeper happening beneath the flutes and tambourines. The lyrics, though cohesive and organized, are sometimes spat out in run-on sentences. There is a strategy here, but it depends on every aspect of the music converging to make this vision come to fruition.

Taking their name from an album by The Zombies, this French trio is intent on emulating ‘60s psychedelia. Odessey & Oracle currently have a five song EP up on their Soundcloud, which is representative of the strongest tracks to be released on their full length effort with the Casiotone Orchestra. Once you buy the record, though, give your attention to the series of Inventions that weave between the other tracks. They are not the most staggering songs among the other gems, but I do feel the Inventions provide some much needed grounding for the album. This is a testament to a well-structured album.

Odessey & Oracle and the Casiotone Orchestra will be out 12/12 on Carton Records. You can pre-order the album here. Find more information on Odessey and Oracle on their website.

P.S. The title of this article is a nod to Crystal Fighters’ “Solar System.”

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