Tag Archives: Pop

Headphones, Poplar Trees, and Adam Brock

13 Jan

adam-brock-music-headphones-profile

In the liner notes of his summer 2013 EP, Adam Brock writes “Everyone finds solace in song, regardless of age and circumstance. I hope this music serves that purpose for some.” Keen statement from the young musician from Oregon. Brock, a multi-instrumentalist with a sensational ear for melody, is the best kept secret in the Pacific Northwest. Heck, he may be the best kept secret along the entire Western coastline. With a whispery vocal that he skillfully layers to the euphonious instruments that he plays, Brock is the sweetest sound in Indie that you are not listening to … but will be soon.

I know I lay down a lot of praise on this blog, but I know when I should particularly highlight an artist. Brock is that artist. He is also humble and unassuming, which is a major plus in my eyes. This is a dude who not only knows music but also puts time and effort into perfecting the intricacies of his tunes. His small selection of music from last year was quite impressive, and it is all available on his Bandcamp for free, so I totally suggest checking it out.

“Poplar Trees” is from his 3-track release in January of last year. The first 30 seconds are a bit deceiving because Brock immediately provides this mystical vocal track that sounds like other Pacific Northwest bands like Fleet Foxes. This, of course, is not a bad thing, for I am a bigger fan of folk harmonies than most, but it is not Brock’s predominant sound. The consequent electric percussion and keys is more of Brock’s scene, and oh my does he sound like a young Death Cab for Cutie, does he not? The early 2000s Indie Pop bleeds from the song. Then, the bottom falls out of it and the song is carried by a halcyon picked guitar and Brock’s sweet voice. It is as the ultimate blend, and it is done masterfully.

“Headphones,” released in June, also maintains that Ben Gibbard sound (almost a minimalistic Postal Service). There is also some Bright Eyes and the Shins thrown in for good measure. Brock knows what he is doing. In this piece he even adds a Velvet Underground-like string section (cello, viola, violin). Honestly (and why would I lie), Brock’s music is excellent. He displays ability far beyond his years. There is only one question I can ask: why is he not touring the U.S.? Let’s make Adam Brock more known.

Check out his Facebook and Website.

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Celebrate the Racoon Wedding

16 Sep

Racoon Dead on the Side of the Road

Add one more notch on Brantford, Ontario’s belt. The city is the birthplace of Wayne Gretzky and Phil Hartman, and it is where Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone. It also houses the six members of the rising Indie/Rock band Racoon Wedding.  Racoon can be spelled with one C or two. I thought I’d obviate the spelling lesson.

Racoon Wedding is the music equivalent of what I would expect a raccoon wedding to be like: electric eccentricity, amicable drunkenness, poppy humor, and, most importantly, horn-fueled raccoon love. So, yeah, that odd comparison holds true for the sextet from telephone city.

Come tomorrow with the release of the new LP, Racoon Dead on the Side of the Road, the band will have successfully depicted the joy of raccoon passion and friendship (which the name of the band implies) and the harsh inevitability of death at the hand of a metal box traveling at speeds no raccoon can match. Who knew that they were a concept band?

All kidding aside, I’ve grown attached to the bluesy, Dr. Dog/Kay Kay and the Weathered Underground quirkiness and musical whimsicality of Racoon Wedding. With some bands (and I could feel this prior to watching the buddy/buddy bacchanal video below), you just know that friends are making music. And not like friends until some success presents itself and then “I’m going solo” becomes an overplayed comment. Friends who are friends who happen to make good music and have fun doing it. This comes through in the tunes, and it is one heck of a positive with Racoon Wedding.

The band is haphazardly touring throughout Ontario, but I do hope this post helps give them some more play in the States. Fraternal harmonies, New Orleans horns, and pop rhythms, when mixed effectively tend to engender popularity, and I predict good things for Racoon Wedding in the future.

The opening piano riff plays like a more bluesy version of a Jukebox the Ghost piece. The lead vocal is course-grained with a hint of southern cooking. The harmonies come from all angles and are extremely effective. Throw in some drunken horns (in the best possible way) and a taste of jazz/ragtime/period drums and you have a great song. Make sure to check out the rest of the album. Here is some information

Facebook, Website

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To the Moon and Back with Topher Mohr

3 Sep

topher mohr

It should come to no surprise that musician Topher Mohr grew up in Michigan. His eclectic music, which aptly pieces together elements from several genres suggests inspiration, and what better motivation than the elaborate music history of Detroit? While Mohr is impossible to pigeonhole, his music did spark a thought. If Michael Fitzpatrick (of Fitz and the Tantrums) is today’s modernizer of old-school Motown hits than Topher Mohr is reviving the old art of tender crooning. It seems like a lofty proclamation until I introduce you to:

His gentle voice is soothing but subtly strong and passionate. His vocal is saturated with emotion, and the soaked feeling is easily identifiable in his airy guitar plucking. While Mohr does not have the dark, coffee-roasted voice of the traditional old-school, five-pack-a-day crooner, he does, however, revive the old sound and modernize it. It’s exciting to listen to him make an old standard like “Fly Me to the Moon” ring with a contemporary flair.

Beyond his black-and-white performance of “Fly Me to the Moon,” Mohr released his new LP Phlotilla earlier this year. Prior to the LP release, he toured the world with his friend Mayer Hawthorne, another artist who features an eccentric style of music creation. Mohr’s album focuses on vintage pop, and “Ruthless” stays true to the genre.

The rhythm is similar to Fitz’ Motown-inspired hits, but Mohr combines the rhythm with a Maroon 5 meets the 1980s melody. This combined with Mohr’s versatile vocal creates an intriguing hit that even has room for a clean guitar solo! It’s a moving piece and one of the strongest on the new album.

Find out more about Mohr (yes, I went there) at his Website. You can also check out his Facebook and Twitter.

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N8 ST9 Has Come Full Circle

28 Aug

N8 ST9

N8 ST9 (Nate Stein) has been on my radar for some time. The post-electronic artist mixes skilled instrumentation with dreamy electronica to create a delicate sound that, while heavy on the electronic percussion, is harmonious. Now, on the heels of his new album Full Circle, I believe it is a good time to introduce him to the readers of this blog. This aforementioned mixture is musically intriguing.

Perhaps most engaging about the new album is its vibe. Electronica and instrumentals sometimes conflict when haphazardly paired together, but N8 ST9 combines the two elements competently, thus creating a cool, euphonic atmosphere that surrounds the listener. The album is split between pure electronic instrumentals (like the two reviewed below) and pop-fueled tracks like “Light Up Myself,” which ST9 wrote for a close friend who is a recovering alcoholic.

Aside from the imprecation outburst to begin the song, “Light Up Myself” is a diverse song that has three distinct parts. The song begins with an ethereal guitar riff that transitions into a Paul Simon-esque verse with creative percussion, which continues even when the song shifts to a modern Indie rhythm. In only two minutes the song effortlessly shifts back and forth from different musical elements and inspirations. This is just accentuated towards the end of the song with the airy piano bridge fit with melodious vocalization. ST9 takes listeners through a musical parade, successfully evoking the ups and downs of his friend’s life.

The above two tracks are the diverse instrumentals I mentioned. “Intention for Bliss,” the opening track on the album, features the fluffy keys reminiscent of an Owl City song. “Watching” features more driving electronica (something I don’t usually go for). In this case, though, I am lured by the 80s beats that blend well with the melody ST9 successfully introduces to the listener.

It’s an impressive release for the young artist, and I am looking forward to listening to more of his music.

Check out the rest of the album and follow ST9 on his Facebook and Twitter

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NOVI is here to Make A Scene

6 Aug

NOVI

Back in 2011 when Los Angeles-based pop singer Novi released her debut EP Now I’m Here she raised eyebrows with her brazen, imprecation-filled single “Blackbirds.” Underneath the ribald lyric, though, was an artist ready to break out. NOVI, the moniker of Carolyne Neuman, is no stranger to success – her first release, “All the Way” was featured on One Tree Hill – but with the forthcoming release of her second EP Now I’m There I think it is about time that the country started learning more about NOVI.

Remember when Florence and the Machine first released “Kiss with a Fist” in 2008. The debut single went on to foreshadow the success of the band. I mention this track because I believe its brash nature best reflects NOVI. NOVI reminds me of a young Florence Welch – unconventional, fearless, and skilled. Those are three qualities that are particularly necessary if you want to succeed in the industry.

Now, NOVI’s music is different from Florence’s music. While Florence – besides from “Kiss With a Fist” – focuses on creating an ethereal atmosphere with her songs, NOVI mixes an in-your-face attitude with a touch of Lana Del Rey’s sun-soaked voice. The music itself covers the spectrum of effervescent and blunt to emotion-saturated and harmonious. One thing remains constant in all of NOVI’s music – it is good. Yes, this seems rather simplistic – especially in a review – but the music is diverse, stimulating, and, well, good. Let’s put it this way – once you listen to a track you want to continue exploring the esoteric world of NOVI. Let’s listen to two tracks from the new EP.

“Whisky and FireFlies” begins with an infectious whistle opening – much like “Good Life” by OneRepublic – and that bleeds into NOVI’s verse – which almost acts as a singing rap. The percussion carries the song into a Florence-like chorus. NOVI’s voice is deceptively good. The vocal play in the song is skillful.

“Make A Scene,” though, is where I see true star quality. While “Whisky and FireFlies” is a nice song, “Make a Scene” is a powerhouse – a true force that has mainstream and Indie attraction. The beat is ridiculous. The listener is fully drawn into the song from the start and NOVI helps suck the listener further into the piece with her eclectic vocal. The hook is potent. Featuring a Mika-like instrumental rise, the chorus is the song’s core. This is a 2:45 bundle of goodness, and, if it is any indication of NOVI’s future, much like Florence, it looks very bright.

 

Keep in tune with NOVI – Website, Facebook, Twitter

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