Mini-reviews/ Free Music Stub

Some random gatherings for you all, since I've been slacking.

Toby Dammit

First up is Toby Dammit. Mr Dammit is a symphonic percussionist (am I losing you yet?) with a penchant for experimental/classical workings. He's worked on several soundtracks, toured and recorded with Iggy Pop, and has even worked for the likes of Rufus Wainwright. If you're in the mood for some strange (and strangely relaxing) instrumentals and you want to work your way away from synthesizers for a spell, try out Toby Dammit. He's got four tracks available for download from his MySpace, and more available on his website (links below).

Toby Dammit's MySpace

Toby Dammit's 'Sounds' Page

The Morning Benders

Moving on, we've got some light indie pop rock coming from The Morning Benders. Aside from the obvious good solid musicianship and songwriting (I wouldn't be writing this otherwise), there's nothing particularly striking about this band, but you should definitely check them out if you're a fan of The Kooks, or, say, The Beatles. And speaking of The Kooks, after The Morning Benders' debut LP drops on May 6th, they'll be touring behind The Kooks in various parts of the country. So if you hadn't heard and you're interested in that, be sure to look it up on the band's site (or blog, links below). Unfortunately for us, I was only able to find one mp3 for download by the band (that's Antonio's forté, not mine). Enjoy it, along with the tracks you can listen to on the band's MySpace!

The Morning Benders - MySpace, Official Site, and Official Blog

Edit: There are two tracks available for download on this site ! Enjoy!
[Note: Make sure to right-click and 'Save Link As' on their song links.]

The Last Shadow Puppets

In other exciting indie rock news, Alex Turner (of Arctic Monkeys fame) has unveiled his new project's first single! The band is called The Last Shadow Puppets, and the single is titled The Age Of The Understatement. Fans of Turner's more well-known band absolutely must check this out, and I'd recommend it to non-fans too. The song itself, for obvious reasons, is not available for download, but the video for the single can be downloaded in various format and quality combinations. Everything you need to know (and can know, at this point) can be found at the band's MySpace! Check it out, spread it around.

The Last Shadow Puppets - MySpace

That's all for this post, kiddos. Let me know in the comments how you feel about this post format (preferably in comparison to previous posts) so I can figure out exactly how I should go about this!

The Bedlam in Goliath

Okay, so this review is late, but if you're reading it, you obviously wanted another view of this album. Here goes.

The Bedlam in Goliath will not be shocking to long-time fans of The Mars Volta. It serves as a perfectly logical follow up to Amputechture. That being said, this album is amazing. Better than Amputechture, even. In fact, I'd be willing to say that whether you're a long time fan of the Volta, or maybe you've ever liked 10 seconds of their music and couldn't stand the rest, you will like The Bedlam in Goliath.

The album manages to be every bit as frantic as its predecessors (minus the horrible Frances the Mute), yet manages to finally form a cohesive chaos. Omar pulls it all together again, as producer and writer for the album, and he pulls it together well. Cedric's vocals are as spirited as ever, though it seems as though Omar finally realized that he, as producer, can do whatever he wants to the vocals at any time. There are a lot of interesting moments in the album where Cedric's vocals become a snarling amalgamation of the spiritual and the digital. Or as I like to think of it, Cedric becomes infested with a demon... Don't ask.

The lyrics are brilliant, and for the most part, it seems like Cedric's lyrical writing has expanded by great leaps into the direction of the coherent! I never saw this coming, not in a million years. This may be the album's greatest triumph. I, for one, never guessed that Cedric could write anything meaningful-sounding without reducing himself to the usefulness of a ten cent psychic medium. The lyrics on this album don't just flow, they are gorgeous. There are touches of the romantic and wistful on tracks like "Cavalettas" and "Tourniquet Man" (my favorite track, also the shortest).

Speaking of time, you know exactly what to expect from this band if you've ever heard an album by them. The Bedlam in Goliath runs a spectacular hour and 16 minutes, none of which is filler. Sure, there are a few long, drawn out breakdowns, but we accept this, and on this album more than the others, we embrace this. The Mars Volta has nearly turned the breakdown from a mere musical fascination reserved for instrumental aficionados into a full-fledged spiritual moment, one that the music could not be complete without. For the most part, it seems, though, the filler has been eschewed for momentous pieces that actually enhance the songs, rather than bring them to a standstill.

Again, this album is amazing, regardless of your past affinity for the band. I can only say so much, and still not be able to convince you. Go buy this album, now. At very least, borrow it from a friend. You won't regret it. Oh, and listen to the track "Ilyena" in the player on the right, as a special treat.

'It's only a matter of time and space, before I become your epidemic'

4.75/5.00

Explosions In The Sky

Explosions In The Sky
(Austin Texas)

Think-Explosions In The Sky are practitioners of the underrepresented , almost unheard of, Post-Rock Genre. As Wikipedia puts it: "Post-Rock makes use of 'rock instrumentation' for non-rock purposes". What that boils down to is Four Sons of Texas, Three Guitars, One Drum Kit, No Vocals and hours of soaring, emotionally charged music. The idea of instrumental music being emotional may feel strange at first but once you hear EITS, one immediately understands. 

Forming in 1999 Explosions In The Sky originally went under the moniker "Breaker Morant" but after playing their very first show on July, 4th the band decided on its current name after watching the fireworks that night. After four albums the band is still going strong and due to a constant touring schedule the band enjoys a very dedicated fan-base.

Try- Day Six, Yasmin The Light, and Welcome(,) Ghosts

 

Total Downloads- Several Live Performances, Mp3's off all four albums, and a Free Online Album. 

EITS Official Website including Album MP3's as well as an online album.:
http://www.explosionsinthesky.com/albums.html

Link to the first ever preformance/recordings:
http://www.kvrx.org/locallive/performance.php?pid=183

Other Live Preformances, via I.A.:
http://www.archive.org/search.php?query=Explosions%20in%20the%20Sky

Burning Idiot Noise

Burning Idiot Noise (Brighton, United Kingdom)
Psychedelic / Punk

Think- This British four piece composes noisy, slow, repetitive, sex music. Good for that all night weed infused dance party or like I said hot hot sex. Actually that might pan out on only one of the tracks (the back half of The Calculus) and the rest are more geared towards what is known as chillage.

Try - The Calculus

Total Downloads- 8

http://www.myspace.com/burningidiotnoise
http://www.burningidiotnoise.co.uk/

The Wintermitts

The Wintermitts (Vancover, Canada)
Indie

Think- Whoever had the Idea to put a droning accordion blaring at the top of nearly every single Wintermitts song was a fucking genius! The Wintermitts are full of all sorts of good vibrations and witty humor all under the guise of some very sweet sound droning instrumentals. The main vocalist Lisa Monique seems to float between English and Canadian French as though she doesn't know which she prefers but that is to no Ill effect. God bless Canadians, their free health care, and The Wintermitts. Thats it.

Try- Petit Monstre and Heartbeat

Total Downloads- 6, three from the new full length Cascadia Falls and
three from the stylistically different Alouette EP.

http://www.myspace.com/lisemusic
http://wintermitts.com/