With the eccentric musical flair of Grizzly Bear and a penchant for 60s pop psychedelia, DAMEDAS is about ready to take the Los Angeles scene by storm. Founded in 2007 by musician Felipe Damedas, DAMEDAS has just recently expanded to include a full group of musicians…and words. The transformation from instrumental to lyric-laden psych/pop was not a difficult for the foursome.
What is perhaps most striking about DAMEDAS is its clear appreciation for the roots of rock n’ roll. The art (above) is reminiscent of the Beatles, and, class-style portraits aside, the music bears a neat resemblance to Beatles-style psychedelia – infectiously effervescent, heavily melodic, and elusively organized. Let me explain:
“All I Need is All I Have” is a tight single by DAMEDAS. The music is crowded with drenched harmonies, twangy guitar, and spondaic percussion. The instrumentation combines a wall of sound approach with portions of sincere quiet. Although I already made this comparison, I can best describe the music as a mix between old and new psych/pop. While the synth fits in with newer Indie Psych/Pop, the sing-song swooning melody is much like late 60s psych/pop. Excellent track!
I’m going to go out on a limb and start this post off with a guarantee. If you like creative pop/rock music, you will enjoy “Goodbye Serenade” by The Rebel Light. It’s that simple. It doesn’t matter if you are from Montauk, New York, Yucaipa, California, or anywhere in between or across the seas; if you like pop/rock music, you will like “Goodbye Serenade.” Why am I so confident?
“Goodbye Serenade” is structured to be successful. The song is effervescently focused on a catchy melody that is accentuated by several instruments like the piano, trumpet and the xylophone. It fits into the rare category of mainstream Indie, where the song is accessible enough to be dispersed to a wide range of audiences but still maintains a strong taste of Indie musicianship mixed with an enviable DIY enthusiasm. Also, the song is a waltz. Yes, I’m not lying, it is in three. Immediate kudos right there to The Rebel Light.
The Rebel Light released its debut EP last year, which was independently recorded and mixed. Vocals for each song were recorded in a bathroom and the drums were tracked in a wood shed. The band is made up of two brothers from Montauk, New York and a cousin from Yucaipa, California. The Rebel Light is currently based in Los Angeles.
“Goodbye Serenade,” as is expressed in the praise above, is my favorite piece off of the EP. The video paired with the song was also created by the band, and it provides a spine-tingling trip into history. This historical waltz flashes images and video as the song builds in the background. The strength of this song resides in its climactic chorus; a true diapason of harmonic instruments mixed with potent vocals. It has an empowering effect on the listener. The song is puissant. The melody is delightful. It all meshes well. The Rebel Light may have a big hit on its hands.
Oren Lyons is a Native American faithkeeper who is widely recognized for his advocacy for indegenous rights. Oren Lyons is also a band, whose nostalgic mix of cinematic Western symphonic rock is a musical “return to the land” and a true pleasure to listen to.
Oren Lyons formed this past January in Silver Lake, California, a Los Angeles neighborhood known for its modernist architecture and hipsters. It combines the work of composer and multi-instrumentalist Gueorgui Linev with guitarist/producer Peter Potyondy, singer Kristianne Bautista, violinist Dannon Rampton, drummer Randy Wagner, and bassist Ian Anderson.
The end result of this combination is an ambient sound that refreshingly transforms the genre of progressive rock into a calm, ethereal, dream-like sequence of delicate string arrangements, soft vocals, and excellent rhythm. “Forever Found,” the band’s debut single, can be streamed on their website. The effort reminds me of Rome, the 2011 album written by Danger Mouse and Italian composer Daniele Luppi, featuring Jack White and Norah Jones. That album featured musicians who recorded spaghetti western soundtracks in the mid-60s. “Forever Found” is cut from the same mold, a track that could have easily found itself on a Western sountrack, and this old-fashioned styling is far from outdated.
The song begins with strings that fall into percussion and an introductory bass line. The bass work in this song is notably good. With a name like Ian Anderson, you almost certainly have to be talented. Kristianne Bautista’s voice can be best described as haunting. It elegantly dances with the music, oscillating with the strings skillfully. The song continues to rise, taking a step up for the second verse, and this leads to exciting string work. The strings are certainly one of the main elements of the song, and they do carry it. I must say though, when the song descends at the 2:40 mark, Peter Potyondy’s guitar introduces a new element to the piece, providing it with an infectious folk-esque riff. The ending is wonderfully constructed. It also provides the listener with a most important conclusion – I want to hear more!
Alright! We finally begin the devoted new band profile binge that I have been discussing for the past two weeks. And what a great way to kick it off with an alt/rock band that is using its late 90s throwback style to promote a good cause throughout May. Let’s talk about the band first and then we will go into what they are doing.
Decoded was born from a chance encounter between singer/guitarist Derek Jordan and producer Davey Julson-Rieley. Rieley has done mixes for a whole slew of bands including Dropkick Murphy’s, Skillet, Rise Against, and LCD Soundsystem. They put together a project of players, called themselved Decoded and are set to release their debut EP The Split this Spring.
Some of Decoded’s other material is a little rawer and grungier, but this is an excellent example of what solid vocals laid over a poppy alt/rock track can do. The reason I label “Open Season” and Decoded as a late 90s throwback is because this type of compact and precise alternative music latched on and engaged a whole scene for a few years. The song begins with a light riff over a heavy guitar, accentuating the riff which ensnares the listener. Jordan’s voice effortlessly sounds over the verse leading into a chorus rich with vocal swings and harmonies which fall almost immediately back into the verse. The fills during the verse – collapsing drums and firm electric – are excellent and the competent bass carries the verses with ease. After the third chorus, Decoded plays with the listener and toggles the audio in dueling guitars manner – which I like – and I love the end because it teases the verse. Great piece.
So what is Decoded doing that I find honorable? They are taking their residency at AMPLYFi in Los Angeles and sponsoring a campaign called Rock For A Difference Los Angeles! Every Thursday in May the band will share the stage with other acts in order to sponsor a different non-profit organization a night. It is charitable and a great use of a residency! Do you live in Los Angeles? Get out to one of these shows!
Here’s a list of the Los Angeles organizations that will be featured and on what dates:
“Pumped Up Kicks” joins our countdown in the #2 spot despite being initially released as a single in 2010. The song was later released on the album Torches in 2011 so it is eligible for our countdown. Think of the countdown as the MLB Rookie of the Year award. “Pumped Up Kicks” did not play enough games to destroy its rookie eligibility. It, though, is certainly not a rookie song, but rather a deep glance at school shootings set to a contrasting fluffy melody. The song (and excuse my French) is a classic example of a mindf*ck.
“Pumped up Kicks,” like many great songs, was written in a few hours. Mark Foster, leadman of the group, wrote it soon after the band of three started up in 2009. The band is as follows:
Mark Foster (vocals, keyboards, piano, synthesizers, guitar, programming, percussion), Mark Pontius (drums and extra percussion), and Cubbie Fink (bass and backing vocals)
Foster, at the time, was using his multifarious musical talents writing commercial jingles at Mophonics in Log Angeles. Since he initially believed he was writing a demo he recorded all parts of the song and the song ended up going out just like that. So, pretty much, the song is an extended, very productive, morbid jingle. Another contradiction, yes. The song actually does pick up on some noticeable jingle elements, especially at the end where the song finishes off with a light Noah and the Whale whistle. A real hipster whistle.
So why is this contradictory song written by a jingle writer from Los Angeles so insanely good. Take a listen. Is it because of its lyric, its insatiable catchiness, its muffled vocal? I think the song’s popularity and goodness comes from a mixture of all of these elements, and, its absolute cleverness (or as Foster proclaimed – a “f*ck you to hispters).
The song is about a boy who finds his father’s gun and has thoughts of going on a murderous rampage (probably at school). Unfortunately, such a comment is not absurd, but rather a stark reality in our world today. Columbine-like rampages do not happen often, but they happen, and it is downright frightening to think that such a thing could/does occur. The lyrics strongest point is the chorus where Foster and the band sing:
All the other kids with the pumped up kicks, You better run, better run, outrun my gun.
All the other kids with the pumped up kicks, You better run, better run, faster than my bullet.
They sing this lyric over and over again, implanting it in the listener’s head. This does two things. First, it hopefully helps achieve the main message that Foster wanted people to take from the song. The song, in his eyes, is an attempt to quell such events by encouraging families and friends to provide love, support, and friendship to children who may seem isolated or violent.
The song is also witty and clever. You see, the first few times I found myself listening to the song I couldn’t quite make out the chorus. Then, one day as I was driving and listening, I found myself singing “you better run, run, run, outrun my gun” and I stopped. What did I just say? The song is a giant f*ck you to hipsters because it is a true hipster song (whatever the hell that is). It is adorned with vocal effects, strung-out keys, constant rhythm, an excellent bass, and that whistle finale. And it is utterly catchy and infectious. So you dance to the song and sing the lyric and then feel terrible for singing it.
In a way this also adds to the song’s overall effect. If Foster wanted to make people even more aware to the potential dangers of lovelessness and youthful alienation, then he did a pretty good job with this song.
The Music Court 