<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss version="2.0"
	xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/"
	xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/"
	xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"
	xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom"
	xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/"
	xmlns:slash="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/"
	>

<channel>
	<title>menomena Archives | Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog</title>
	<atom:link href="https://www.obscuresound.com/tag/menomena/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
	<link></link>
	<description>Indie Music Reviews, New Tracks &#38; Albums</description>
	<lastBuildDate>Thu, 03 Nov 2011 00:07:56 +0000</lastBuildDate>
	<language>en-US</language>
	<sy:updatePeriod>
	hourly	</sy:updatePeriod>
	<sy:updateFrequency>
	1	</sy:updateFrequency>
	

<image>
	<url>https://www.obscuresound.com/wp-content/uploads/cropped-OSCircularLogo22-1-32x32.jpg</url>
	<title>menomena Archives | Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog</title>
	<link></link>
	<width>32</width>
	<height>32</height>
</image> 
	<item>
		<title>Rare Monk&#8217;s Astral Travel Battles</title>
		<link>https://www.obscuresound.com/2011/11/rare-monks-astral-travel-battles/</link>
					<comments>https://www.obscuresound.com/2011/11/rare-monks-astral-travel-battles/#comments</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Mike Mineo]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 03 Nov 2011 00:07:14 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Features]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[akron/family]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Built to Spill]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Cap'n Jazz]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[headlineos]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[man man]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[menomena]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Minus the Bear]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Modest Mouse]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pixies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[The Dodos]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[The Unicorns]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[tUnE-yArDs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ugly Casanova]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Why?]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://obscuresound.com/?p=7020</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Rare Monk resemble a mix of Celtic punk, avant-garde rock in the vein of Man Man, and southern gypsy-pop complete with quick-moving strings and snarling vocals. For a more concise comparison, think Modest Mouse with an extra shot of caffeine.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.obscuresound.com/2011/11/rare-monks-astral-travel-battles/">Rare Monk&#8217;s Astral Travel Battles</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.obscuresound.com">Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-7022" title="rare monk" src="http://obscuresound.com/wp-content/uploads/rare-monk.jpg" alt="" width="541" height="360" srcset="https://www.obscuresound.com/wp-content/uploads/rare-monk.jpg 541w, https://www.obscuresound.com/wp-content/uploads/rare-monk-163x109.jpg 163w, https://www.obscuresound.com/wp-content/uploads/rare-monk-105x70.jpg 105w, https://www.obscuresound.com/wp-content/uploads/rare-monk-300x199.jpg 300w, https://www.obscuresound.com/wp-content/uploads/rare-monk-180x119.jpg 180w, https://www.obscuresound.com/wp-content/uploads/rare-monk-350x232.jpg 350w" sizes="(max-width: 541px) 100vw, 541px" /><strong></strong></p>
<p><object width="100%" height="81" classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="src" value="http://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F27036134" /><embed width="100%" height="81" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F27036134" allowscriptaccess="always" /></object> <span><strong><a href="http://soundcloud.com/obscuresound/rare-monk-shoot-me-down/download.mp3" target="_blank">Rare Monk &#8211; Shoot Me Down</a></strong><br />
</span></p>
<p><strong>Rare Monk</strong> resemble a mix of Celtic punk, avant-garde rock in the vein of Man Man, and southern gypsy-pop complete with quick-moving strings and snarling vocals. For a more concise comparison, think Modest Mouse with an extra shot of caffeine. Considering the high-throttle burst of energy their second EP <em>Astral Travel </em>projects, it’s not surprising that a few of its songs were recorded at a brewery. Oregon’s Ninkasi Brewing Company, which has a <a href="http://special.registerguard.com/csp/cms/sites/web/special/encore/24830199-47/ninkasi-book-beer-music-says.csp" target="_blank">history</a> of supporting their independent music scene, accommodated the Portland-based five-piece. The infectiously upbeat nature of the material makes it apt drinking music, but the group’s further reaches into elements of psychedelia, jazz, and funk makes their body of work much more than candidates for a party playlist.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.groopease.com/landing?c=7C3W1R5C" target="_blank"><strong>GroopEase</strong></a> is currently offering the EP at $3, a 50% discount. It expires in two days, so make sure to grab it now. Opening track “Shoot Me Down” is an enjoyable embodiment of what to expect: a voice highly reminiscent of Isaac Brock showing great ferocity over a dexterous array of punk-tinged guitar riffs, southern-cooked string solos, and an indestructible rhythm section that serves as the backbone to such frenzied instances of experimentally fused rock.</p>
<p>“Shoot Me Down” is greatly infectious, but listening to the rest of <em>Astral Travel Battles</em> is vital to get a feel of the group’s overall talent. The outstanding &#8220;Teak&#8221; is demonstrative of their lyrical chops, approaching non-pretentious political commentary through metaphorical imagery. The music is fast-moving and exciting here, as it is throughout the entire EP, but Rare Monk’s wide arsenal of genres makes it hardly feel like one big blur. Epic closer “Somnifero” implements jazz and funk with surprising effectiveness, resulting in a rock-jazz-funk hybrid that the five-piece should pursue more with their next release. Whichever stylistic direction they choose to pursue, Rare Monk seem poised for success.</p>
<p>Pick up the EP for $3 on <a href="http://www.groopease.com/landing?c=7C3W1R5C" target="_blank">GroopEase.</a></p>
<p><em>RIYL: Modest Mouse, Man Man, Built to Spill, Why?, Pixies, The Unicorns, Minus the Bear, Cap&#8217;n Jazz, Ugly Casanova, Menomena, Akron/Family, The Dodos, tUnE-yArDs</em></p>
<p><em><a href="https://www.facebook.com/raremonk" target="_blank">Facebook</a> / </em><a href="http://www.groopease.com/landing?c=7C3W1R5C" target="_blank"><strong>BUY</strong></a></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.obscuresound.com/2011/11/rare-monks-astral-travel-battles/">Rare Monk&#8217;s Astral Travel Battles</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.obscuresound.com">Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog</a>.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
					
					<wfw:commentRss>https://www.obscuresound.com/2011/11/rare-monks-astral-travel-battles/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
			<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
		
		<enclosure url="http://soundcloud.com/obscuresound/rare-monk-shoot-me-down/download.mp3" length="178" type="audio/mpeg" />

			</item>
		<item>
		<title>The Spies Conduct a Televolution</title>
		<link>https://www.obscuresound.com/2010/09/the-spies-conduct-a-televolution/</link>
					<comments>https://www.obscuresound.com/2010/09/the-spies-conduct-a-televolution/#comments</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Josh Taylor]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 03 Sep 2010 17:00:15 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Features]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Arcade Fire]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Built to Spill]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Cold War Kids]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Dr. Dog]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Free Energy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[menomena]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[New Pornographers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Okkervil River]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Rogue Wave]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Spoon]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tapes n' Tapes]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ted Leo and The Pharmacists]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[The Black Keys]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[The Hold Steady]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[The Thermals]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[TV on the Radio]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[White Rabbits]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wilco]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://obscuresound.com/?p=4889</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Josh Taylor takes a look at an overlooked album by an LA-based band, The Spies. Showing influences like Spoon and The Hold Steady, the quartet's infectious songs and burst of energy resulted in their satisfying sophomore album Televolution, which they released last year. With five years of playing together, it is no mystery why the The Spies’ sound is so tight and consistent.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.obscuresound.com/2010/09/the-spies-conduct-a-televolution/">The Spies Conduct a Televolution</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.obscuresound.com">Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-4893" title="The Spies" src="http://obscuresound.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/rif1.jpg" alt="" width="455" height="240" /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">by Josh Taylor</p>
<p>Imagine being at an indie/rock show at a trendy Los Angeles venue. Then, all of a sudden, everything flashes back to the ‘90s. This is what I first thought as I listened to <strong>The Spies</strong>’ newest release <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00344DVRS?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=obscuresound-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=B00344DVRS" target="_blank">Televolution</a>. </em> What better mix could you get than that? As a huge ‘90s music fan, and equally being a fan of the current indie/rock scene, this band reminds me of why I started listening to music in the first place. Honest lyrics, catchy hooks, and an overall good time. <em>Televolution</em> is the furthest thing from the sophomore slump that most bands worry about during their second album release. It is a quality album with one great song after the next.</p>
<p>The Los Angeles-based quartet was initially a collaboration between two Philadelphia friends, Leo Francis and Mark Matkevich. Francis had moved to LA in hopes of becoming the next big musician and Matkevich, like most that move to the City of Angels, got into acting. Francis and Matkevich eventually got back into the studio to work on Francis’ solo album, which solidified the idea of forming a band together. Later they added Adrian Barrio and Dylan Giagni to complete The Spies’ lineup.</p>
<p><em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00344DVRS?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=obscuresound-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=B00344DVRS" target="_blank">Televolution</a> </em>is the band’s follow-up to the 2007 release of <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0013R63UA?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=obscuresound-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=B0013R63UA" target="_blank">Old Ghosts</a>.</em> With ten solid tracks, there is not much room for disappointment. The album opens with a booming piano and a pounding kick drum, followed by a unique bass line and captivating guitars. The band is well aware of how to keep the listener’s attention track after track.</p>
<p>The album’s title track,<em> </em>“Televolution”, is an interesting song. With lyrics like “Let’s start a revolution baby, and take off this disguise, let’s get with evolution baby and it really isn’t much of a surprise,” and “the revolution will be televised, televolution.” Despite the conventional rhyming, the band has more of a message than typical Los Angeles indie-rockers.</p>
<p>“National Pastime” is probably the highlight of the band’s album. It has a Wallflowers-meets-John Mellencamp feel. It could have easily been the theme song to any WB show from the ‘90s and even a current CW sitcom. Speaking of WB sitcoms, does anyone remember Dawson’s Creek? The Spies’s vocalist/guitarist/keyboardist Mark Matkevich had a small part on the show (Drue Valentine anyone?) This is the song that the suits would consider “the radio hit.” I myself will agree with that. I can already hear it on the radio.</p>
<p>Having a catchy chorus is key if you are going to get anywhere near radio today. This was in the back of the band’s mind when they recorded “Radio Caller”.  By simply repeating the word “miscommunication” the band has you singing along by the second chorus. I do love sing-alongs.</p>
<p>“You’ve Got Some Nerve” serves as the albums mid-point. The song has quite a groove to it, which you can easily imagine being played in a smoky bar scene in the next big-budget Hollywood movie. This song has dual vocals that really complement each other well in the chorus and throughout the remainder of the track.</p>
<p><img decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-4894" title="the spies" src="http://obscuresound.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/rif2.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="240" /></p>
<p>Another one of my favorites off the album is “Paper Trail”. This song has the perfect balance of guitars throughout the song and the vocals are convincing. The backing vocals are also a strong part to the bridge. It talks about the blue-collared life, the blandness of working a 9-5, and having the same boring day over and over; it is the feeling like you’ve accomplished close to nothing. One of my favorite lines is, “The hand is dealt so place your bets, with whiskey mouth and cigarettes. The paper trail is running out, I’m a working man.”</p>
<p>The Spies have a tightly concise sound that can that can only be explained by hours of practice and years of dedication. Francis and Matkevich display their vocals across the album together in a perfect blend of harmonies and overall accompaniment of one another. Dylan Giagni is a seasoned drummer who uses unique fills to give each song the overall fullness it needs to make this album a professional release, and not your ordinary DIY demo. Bassist Adrian Barrio is also not new to the music world. You can tell from his bass lines that he does not lack in originality or talent, for that matter. The keys make for a nice background; they help guide the song through without stealing the limelight, similar to how Coldplay incorporates the instrument into their sound.</p>
<p>The closing track on <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00344DVRS?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=obscuresound-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=B00344DVRS" target="_blank">Televolution</a></em><em>, </em>“It Comes in Waves”, is the perfect ending to an impressive album. The build-up to the first verse sets a great atmosphere around the song. The tone of the keys and the melody used throughout the verses is one of my favorite portions. Giagni’s drums sound like a marching band, with crashing cymbals and thumping drum hits. “You aren’t the only one, it comes in waves.” These are the lyrics that replay throughout the song to reiterate the song’s overall theme.</p>
<p>With five years of playing together under their belts, it is no mystery why the The Spies’ sound is so tight and consistent. With the release of <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00344DVRS?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=obscuresound-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=B00344DVRS" target="_blank">Televolution</a></em>, this band should have no problem taking the Los Angeles music scene by storm and attracting a few A&amp;R reps to their shows. Well, if they even exist these days.</p>
<p><em>RIYL: Spoon, White Rabbits, Wilco, New Pornographers, Menomena, Ted Leo and The Pharmacists, Cold War Kids, TV on the Radio, The Hold Steady, Arcade Fire, Tapes n&#8217; Tapes, Built to Spill, Dr. Dog, The Black Keys, Okkervil River, Free Energy, The Thermals, Rogue Wave</em></p>
<p>&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;</p>
<p><strong><a href="http://mineorecords.com/mp3/spies-you.mp3" target="_blank">The Spies &#8211; You Got Some Nerve</a><br />
</strong></p>
<p>&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;</p>
<p><strong><a href="http://mineorecords.com/mp3/spies-nat.mp3" target="_blank">The Spies &#8211; National Pastime</a><br />
</strong></p>
<p>&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;</p>
<p><a href="http://wearethespies.com/" target="_blank"><em>Official   Site</em></a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.myspace.com/leofrancis" target="_blank"><em>MySpace</em></a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000QKMZS4?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=obscuresound-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=B000QKMZS4" target="_blank"><strong>BUY</strong></a></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.obscuresound.com/2010/09/the-spies-conduct-a-televolution/">The Spies Conduct a Televolution</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.obscuresound.com">Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog</a>.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
					
					<wfw:commentRss>https://www.obscuresound.com/2010/09/the-spies-conduct-a-televolution/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
			<slash:comments>4</slash:comments>
		
		<enclosure url="http://mineorecords.com/mp3/spies-you.mp3" length="3544252" type="audio/mpeg" />
<enclosure url="http://mineorecords.com/mp3/spies-nat.mp3" length="4215599" type="audio/mpeg" />

			</item>
		<item>
		<title>Pop Winds</title>
		<link>https://www.obscuresound.com/2010/08/pop-winds/</link>
					<comments>https://www.obscuresound.com/2010/08/pop-winds/#comments</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Mike Mineo]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 13 Aug 2010 19:35:55 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Features]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ambulance LTD]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Animal Collective]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Annuals]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Aqueduct]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[band of horses]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Earlimart]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Enon]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Fruit Bats]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Local Natives]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Maritime]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[matt pond pa]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mellowdrone]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[menomena]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Minus the Bear]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pinback]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[pop winds]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Rogue Wave]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sea Wolf]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Stars of Track and Field]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[The American Analog Set]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[The Helio Sequence]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[The Rosebuds]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Vampire Weekend]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Viva Voce]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://obscuresound.com/?p=4797</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Continuing the surge of experimental-pop from Montreal, Pop Winds excel in diverging colorful psychedelia and indie-rock to create a sound that is familiarly addictive, yet still relatively incomparable. On &#8220;Owl Eyes&#8221;, the trio&#8217;s vocals combine for multiple harmonies over squirts of brass and synth arpeggios, the wide variety of synths sliding and squirming all over their creative palette to create a sound that is more majestic electro-pop than 16-bit SNES tributes. It would be fairly easy to compare Pop Winds to Animal Collective&#8217;s more accessible works, recently &#8220;My Girls&#8221; and &#8220;Summertime Clothes&#8221;, simply because they specialize in similar arsenals and</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.obscuresound.com/2010/08/pop-winds/">Pop Winds</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.obscuresound.com">Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-4798" title="pwind1" src="http://obscuresound.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/pwind1.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="250" /></p>
<p>Continuing the surge of experimental-pop from Montreal, <strong>Pop Winds</strong> excel in diverging colorful psychedelia and indie-rock to create a sound that is familiarly addictive, yet still relatively incomparable. On &#8220;Owl Eyes&#8221;, the trio&#8217;s vocals combine for multiple harmonies over squirts of brass and synth arpeggios, the wide variety of synths sliding and squirming all over their creative palette to create a sound that is more majestic electro-pop than 16-bit SNES tributes. It would be fairly easy to compare Pop Winds to Animal Collective&#8217;s more accessible works, recently &#8220;My Girls&#8221; and &#8220;Summertime Clothes&#8221;, simply because they specialize in similar arsenals and are able to show their experimental chops while keeping it initially engaging.  But it would be more justified to name The Helio Sequence instead, as Pop Winds certainly show more pop than psychedelia through song structures that are traditional and somewhat restrained, even if percussive and melodic elements travel with greater ambition than most pop groups.</p>
<p>An obvious appreciation for brass infusion into electronica is shown in both &#8220;Owl Eyes&#8221; and &#8220;Drowning in the Dark&#8221;, but unlike the pathetic abundance of unnecessary brass solos (which even the likes of Junior Boys are guilty of), these are additions that expand the initial composition into an even more worthwhile state. The three members of Pop Winds &#8211; Austin Milne, Devon Welsh, and Kyle Bennett &#8211; are adept at collaborations and certain mutual appreciations like this show their chemistry well, as they tread just the right line between automated-sounding electronica and completely organic pop music. The 8-bit drum machines or samples that are often used as percussion only work because the other arrangements are so impressive, with &#8220;Drowning in the Dark&#8221; taking on its own evolutionary form through glittery synth arpeggios and &#8220;Owl Eyes&#8221; seizing the concept of anthemic with a chorus bursting with exuberant yelps, brass, and synths. It can really get you going, like most tracks on the trio&#8217;s newest album on Arbutus Records, <em>The Turquoise</em>.</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-4799" title="pwind2" src="http://obscuresound.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/pwind2.jpg" alt="" width="240" height="240" /></p>
<p>&#8220;Feel It&#8221; is most dependent on the brass, as it actually serves as the lead melody initially. This is of course not the case for long, as fluttering synths eventually align themselves perfectly with the trio&#8217;s vocals (which &#8211; as stereotypical as it sounds &#8211; does sound like a meshing of Panda Bear, Brandon Summers, and Fred Schneider). But as the trickle of synths quickly descend and ascend, the success and originality becomes apparent. The afro-pop vibe here is extremely noticeable as well, especially when the vocals cry out &#8220;No! no! no! no!&#8221; in a rhythmic combustion that could be likened to Paul Simon. Of course, since electronica aligns with afro-pop and indie-rock in the most seamless of ways, the comparisons will be a bit more contemporary than Mr. Simon, even though he remains an integral influence today with this emerging hybrid. Pop Winds is one of the few artists that enable this formula to sound fresh. The other artists are all brand names in indie-rock at this point, and if they keep it up I would not be surprised to see Pop Winds achieve the same status.</p>
<p><em>RIYL: The Helio Sequence, Menomena, Animal Collective, Rogue Wave, Annuals, Vampire Weekend, Ambulance LTD, Earlimart, Fruit Bats, Pinback, Stars of Track and Field, Matt Pond PA, Aqueduct, Minus the Bear, Local Natives, The American Analog Set, Viva Voce, Enon, The Rosebuds, Mellowdrone, Sea Wolf, Maritime, Band of Horses</em></p>
<p>&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;</p>
<p><strong><a href="http://mineorecords.com/mp3/pwind-fee.mp3" target="_blank">Pop Winds &#8211; Feel It</a><br />
</strong></p>
<p>&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;</p>
<p><strong><a href="http://mineorecords.com/mp3/pwind-owl.mp3" target="_blank">Pop Winds &#8211; Owl Eyes</a><br />
</strong></p>
<p>&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;</p>
<p><strong><a href="http://mineorecords.com/mp3/pwind-dro.mp3" target="_blank">Pop Winds &#8211; Drowning in the Dark</a><br />
</strong></p>
<p>&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;</p>
<p><a href="http://www.arbutusrecords.com/" target="_blank"><em>Arbutus Records</em></a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.myspace.com/thepopwindshttp://www.myspace.com/thepopwinds" target="_blank"><em>MySpace</em></a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.arbutusrecords.com/shop.html" target="_blank"><strong>BUY</strong></a></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.obscuresound.com/2010/08/pop-winds/">Pop Winds</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.obscuresound.com">Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog</a>.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
					
					<wfw:commentRss>https://www.obscuresound.com/2010/08/pop-winds/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
			<slash:comments>5</slash:comments>
		
		<enclosure url="http://mineorecords.com/mp3/pwind-fee.mp3" length="5500634" type="audio/mpeg" />
<enclosure url="http://mineorecords.com/mp3/pwind-owl.mp3" length="4639752" type="audio/mpeg" />
<enclosure url="http://mineorecords.com/mp3/pwind-dro.mp3" length="5656993" type="audio/mpeg" />

			</item>
		<item>
		<title>Librarians of Present Passed</title>
		<link>https://www.obscuresound.com/2010/04/librarians-of-present-passed/</link>
					<comments>https://www.obscuresound.com/2010/04/librarians-of-present-passed/#comments</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Mike Mineo]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 13 Apr 2010 11:17:32 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Features]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[album]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Animal Collective]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Built to Spill]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Candy Season]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Candy Stranger]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[capriciousness]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Clinic]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Echo and the Bunnymen]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ed Droste]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Explorers Club]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Fruit Bats]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Grizzly Bear]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hail]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[island jam]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leonard Cohen]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[menomena]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mogwai]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Radiohead]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[song]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Stars of Track and Field]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[The Depreciation Guild]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[The Flaming Lips]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[The Helio Sequence]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[The Turtles]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[The Zombies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Trey Curtis]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://obscuresound.com/?p=4329</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Librarians are certainly different than the professionals they take their name from. Their recent material finds solace in its own untidy ambition as opposed to systematic convention, a flexible ideology that allows their plethora of influences to shed their skins most appropriately. Their second album, Present Passed, will likely be one of 2010&#8217;s breakouts due to this newly infused mentality, which was somewhat absent on their debut, Alright Easy Candy Stranger. While receiving plenty of praise, the lack of attention their debut received can be chalked up to a feeling of complacency that resonated throughout the album. Whereas with their</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.obscuresound.com/2010/04/librarians-of-present-passed/">Librarians of Present Passed</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.obscuresound.com">Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-4330" title="libra1" src="http://obscuresound.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/libra1.jpg" alt="" width="375" height="240" /><strong> </strong></p>
<p><strong>Librarians</strong> are certainly different than the professionals they take their name from. Their recent material finds solace in its own untidy ambition as opposed to systematic convention, a flexible ideology that allows their plethora of influences to shed their skins most appropriately. Their second album, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002ZQMDK2?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=obscuresound-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=B002ZQMDK2" target="_blank"><em>Present Passed</em></a>, will likely be one of 2010&#8217;s breakouts due to this newly infused mentality, which was somewhat absent on their debut, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000QZT5U0?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=obscuresound-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=B000QZT5U0" target="_blank"><em>Alright Easy Candy Stranger</em></a>. While receiving plenty of praise, the lack of attention their debut received can be chalked up to a feeling of complacency that resonated throughout the album. Whereas with their debut it seemed as if one memorable twist in a song was good enough, <em>Present Passed</em> finds a band taking less pressure off themselves in regard to writing a song that will get them noticed. This excellent album finds albums full of adventure and capriciousness instead, even with short two-minute interludes like “Island Jam” that fit wonderfully in the midst of a subtly complex album full of varying atmospheres and styles (from tropical-tinged pop to brooding folk). Complexity is not usually so discreet, but as Librarians&#8217; songs evolve and flourish in a surprisingly cohesive narrative there will be cause to replay several songs for the sheer reason of so many enjoyable things going on. For pop music this readily accessible, it is an incredibly rare thing.</p>
<p>I notice even already that it does not take much to sell people on <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002ZQMDK2?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=obscuresound-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=B002ZQMDK2" target="_blank"><em>Present  Passed</em></a>, especially those enamored with widely-received artists like Radiohead and Animal Collective that tread deep waters of innovation while still retaining radio-friendly melodies and structures. The latter two artists have little resemblance in their approach, but they often find themselves in the same sentence due to their impact on respective “generations” of music, so to say. They have continued in a style that coincides with their introductory demeanor a decade ago, but also fit seamlessly within what is relevant today. Radiohead have proved durable for nearly two decades, and now eyes are on artists like Animal Collective to follow suit. There will always be creative artists like this, but the question will always be how they adapt to stylistic expectations surrounding music at the time. Radiohead have plenty of bands that sound just like them, whether they bear resemblance to the riveting alt-rock of <em>OK Computer</em> or more glitch-oriented key-led pop of <em>Hail to the Thief</em>. To a lesser extent, the same can even be said for a relatively young artists like Animal Collective and Ariel Pink, who have re-ignited interests in bedroom recording based in both synths and guitars. As a result, it is natural that they fit in with a scene fueled by their influence.</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-4331" title="libra2" src="http://obscuresound.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/libra2.jpg" alt="" width="435" height="240" /></p>
<p>Librarians&#8217; <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002ZQMDK2?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=obscuresound-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=B002ZQMDK2" target="_blank"><em>Present  Passed</em></a> seizes upon the expanding classification that psychedelia has been granted lately. As electronica becomes more accessible and acceptable due to the aforementioned artists, utilizing synths is becoming more recognizable in a style known mainly for echoing guitars, placid rhythm sections, and studio innovations. Librarians fit naturally within this range of psychedelia, as their resourceful use of instrumentation from their orchestral flourishes to stabs of synths comes off exuberantly under the rich melodic croon of Trey Curtis, who somewhat resembles the rich tenor of Grizzly Bear&#8217;s Ed Droste and is able to similarly transition from somber and retrospective to infectiously upbeat. The tone of the album shifts from track to track, in a cohesive manner of course, but still enough to make track-by-track comparisons somewhat futile. Lead vocalist Trey Curtis shines in an effort like “So What”, where the suave accentuation at each chorus&#8217; end is part of the song&#8217;s majestic melody. “It&#8217;s like you&#8217;re always there when I need someone to talk to,” he sings in this moment. “I want to call your name and make everything new.” It is easily one of the band&#8217;s more accessible, coherent, but it sits alongside other tracks that are certainly more on the side of unconventional.</p>
<p>“Wait &amp; See” and “Cranberry Palace” is essentially one song divided into two because of its excellent transitional effect, which sees the hurried and rhythmic jungle-pop of “Wait &amp; See” collide with the serene psychedelia of its counterpart. The latter is particularly beautiful in its reminiscing of &#8217;60s ballads and conclusion of falling synth arpeggios, while “Wait &amp; See” should find great response in fans of Animal Collective&#8217;s fusion of high-pitched synths that resemble exotic woodwinds with gauze-y layers of soothing synth. The relaxing effect takes effect once “Cranberry Palace” emerges, and this part of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002ZQMDK2?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=obscuresound-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=B002ZQMDK2" target="_blank"><em>Present  Passed</em></a> plays particularly well. “Candy Season” is also a very likable effort, employing a structure that finds evolving rhythm sections unfold over a brisk acoustic guitar loop. The build-up contained in song&#8217;s latter half, which is ushered in by a twinkle of keys, is easily the track&#8217;s most melodic moment, though the first half&#8217;s sugar-rush analogies are just as memorable. It serves as a nice summary of <em>Present Passed</em>, where most tracks begin with soaring harmonies and infectious rhythms before evolving into atmospheric, psychedelically coherent forms of post-rock that coincide perfectly with the success of artists influenced by these collection of artists that differ in style but not in approach, that being of staying true to one&#8217;s origins and molding the expectations surrounding them as a result.</p>
<p><em>RIYL: Grizzly Bear, Radiohead, Animal Collective, The Turtles, The Zombies, Clinic, Echo and the Bunnymen, Mogwai, The Helio Sequence, The Depreciation Guild, Leonard Cohen, Menomena, Fruit Bats, Stars of Track and Field, Explorers Club, Built to Spill, The Flaming Lips</em></p>
<p><!-- wp_ad_camp_1 --></p>
<p>&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;</p>
<p><strong><a href="http://mineorecords.com/mp3/libra-sow.mp3">Librarians &#8211; So What?</a><a href="http://mineorecords.com/mp3/samami-you.mp3" target="_blank"><br />
</a></strong></p>
[audio:http://mineorecords.com/mp3/libra-sow.mp3]
<p>&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;</p>
<p><strong><a href="http://mineorecords.com/mp3/libra-cra.mp3" target="_blank">Librarians &#8211; Cranberry Palace</a><a href="http://mineorecords.com/mp3/samami-you.mp3" target="_blank"><br />
</a></strong></p>
[audio:http://mineorecords.com/mp3/libra-cra.mp3]
<p>&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;</p>
<p><strong><a href="http://mineorecords.com/mp3/libra-wai.mp3" target="_blank">Librarians &#8211; Wait &amp; See</a><a href="http://mineorecords.com/mp3/samami-you.mp3" target="_blank"><br />
</a></strong></p>
[audio:http://mineorecords.com/mp3/libra-wai.mp3]
<p>&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;</p>
<p><em><a href="http://www.postfact.com/" target="_blank">Postfact Records<br />
</a></em></p>
<p><a href="http://www.myspace.com/librarians" target="_blank"><em>MySpace</em></a></p>
<p><strong><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000QKE94C?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=obscuresound-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=B000QKE94C" target="_blank">BUY</a></strong></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.obscuresound.com/2010/04/librarians-of-present-passed/">Librarians of Present Passed</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.obscuresound.com">Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog</a>.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
					
					<wfw:commentRss>https://www.obscuresound.com/2010/04/librarians-of-present-passed/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
			<slash:comments>4</slash:comments>
		
		<enclosure url="http://mineorecords.com/mp3/libra-sow.mp3" length="5049582" type="audio/mpeg" />
<enclosure url="http://mineorecords.com/mp3/samami-you.mp3" length="4461289" type="audio/mpeg" />
<enclosure url="http://mineorecords.com/mp3/libra-cra.mp3" length="2793133" type="audio/mpeg" />
<enclosure url="http://mineorecords.com/mp3/libra-wai.mp3" length="3679723" type="audio/mpeg" />

			</item>
		<item>
		<title>Trekking at Ramona Falls</title>
		<link>https://www.obscuresound.com/2009/07/trekking-at-ramona-falls/</link>
					<comments>https://www.obscuresound.com/2009/07/trekking-at-ramona-falls/#comments</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Mike Mineo]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 23 Jul 2009 10:15:14 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Features]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[acoustic]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[barsuk]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[electronic pop]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[electronica]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[indie]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[knopf]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[menomena]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[mp3]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[pop]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[solo]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://obscuresound.com/?p=3088</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Attempting to juggle two musical projects is like being forced to decide between two best friends. Each one provides great collaborative moments and a level of comfort, but the subtleties are often what determine the final decision. How durable the relationship has been, the amount of changes undergone to maintain relations, and even accustomed tones of voice are all subtle components of a friendship that devise the strength of a relationship’s backbone. Since music is often a process that is undeniably collaborative for most of today’s artists, the decisions regarding who to work with and what to work on are</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.obscuresound.com/2009/07/trekking-at-ramona-falls/">Trekking at Ramona Falls</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.obscuresound.com">Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-3089" title="rfalls1" src="http://obscuresound.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/rfalls1.jpg" alt="rfalls1" width="381" height="240" /></p>
<p>Attempting to juggle two musical projects is like being forced to decide between two best friends. Each one provides great collaborative moments and a level of comfort, but the subtleties are often what determine the final decision. How durable the relationship has been, the amount of changes undergone to maintain relations, and even accustomed tones of voice are all subtle components of a friendship that devise the strength of a relationship’s backbone. Since music is often a process that is undeniably collaborative for most of today’s artists, the decisions regarding who to work with and what to work on are grounded in a very similar decision-making process. And like friendships, there is often pressure to focus all of one’s energy into a singular force. No one enjoys being a spare tire. For Brent Knopf, one-third of the creative power behind acclaimed indie-rockers Menomena, his ambitions are much too lofty to exist in a musical world full of singular demands and mind-numbingly consistent expectations. Menomena&#8217;s third album and Barsuk debut, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000LP6KKS?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=obscuresound-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=B000LP6KKS" target="_blank"><em>Friend and Foe</em></a>, was released nearly three years ago to glowing reviews, most of them praising the trio for taking accessible indie-rock into uncharted fusions of punk, noise-rock, and funk. Knopf has been with Menomena since the beginning and from their unknown status into one of prestige, leaving a sort of allegiance that is hard to shake off even if your fellow band members are supportive of a solo side project.</p>
<p>As Knopf attempts to simultaneously juggle his primary project (Menomena) and solo project (<strong>Ramona Falls</strong>), one cannot help but imagine how he is able to produce quality work with the pressures of both projects looming over him. Menomena have been in the studio for nearly three years preparing the follow-up to <em>Friend and Foe</em>, while the debut release from his new solo project contains 11 tracks that contain the depth and focus that fans of Menomena are accustomed to. To say that he has been busy over the past two years would be an understatement, as the development process for an album is grueling and time-consuming (unless you can whip a classic out in a week or so, like The Beatles did numerous times). But Knopf has kept his focus despite the struggles involved in simultaneously being a force in both projects, the struggles being not just the actual physical tasks of songwriting and recording but also the stress that one must feel if friends or band members are not supportive. However, even by simply listening to their music, it becomes fairly evident that the members in Menomena are all mature enough to respect the songwriting process and one’s own individualistic means of expression. For an artist like Knopf, this support makes his solo material flourish even more.</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-3090" title="rfalls2" src="http://obscuresound.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/rfalls2.jpg" alt="rfalls2" width="360" height="240" /></p>
<p>It takes a mature artist to admit a preference toward one specific project. It is always difficult to though, almost like telling a good friend that there will always be someone more reliable and fulfilling than them. But music is not always like life; music is much more flexible. Knopf admits that he initially kept his stronger material saved for Menomena, primarily because he believes in the power of collaboration. It only took a matter of time for Knopf’s own solo material to reveal otherwise though. While Knopf remains true to Menomena and continues to work on their new album, he has transformed his solo output into something of equal effort, satisfaction, and time. With his solo alias being named after one of his favorite childhood hiking trails, Knopf&#8217;s Ramona Falls has released a debut that is reflective of Menomena’s innovative tendencies while remaining completely original in style and tone. Like his initial work, Ramona Falls’ <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002H3EU7M?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=obscuresound-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=B002H3EU7M" target="_blank"><em>Intuit</em></a> reveals a sophisticated vein of Knopf’s pop music that is enriched by everything from delicate piano progressions to the screeching of synchronized samples. He remains a pop songwriter at heart, but his interweaving and acoustical and electronic components are a gift for all listeners, especially those that are already Menomena fans.</p>
<p><em>Intuit</em> sports plenty of guest appearances (The Helio Sequence, Mirah, Loch Lomond…) but Knopf is clearly the main audible force. What is amazing about this album is how polished he makes something sound with such little means; the majority of <em>Intuit</em> was recorded in DIY fashion with little aid from the studio. “I Say Fever” boasts a messy arsenal of interweaving guitars that seem to enjoyably crash and burn over the delicate twinkles of keys, while “Salt Sack” takes advantage of edginess by constantly alternating the rhythm section in accordance to Knopf’s melodic variations. These do not sound like DIY efforts, but Knopf’s ability to turn even the simplest of ideas into something extraordinarily grandiose should be unquestioned by now. Even the tracks that do sound lo-fi – like the build-up of acoustics in reverb in “Bellyfulla” or the stripped-down “Diamond Shovel” – are excellent additions to an album reigned supreme by constant innovation. “I Say Fever” is not quite minimalistic, but its evolution from a bluesy guitar progression into an epic with roaring guitars and squealing brass is boisterously impressive. Rarely has the birthing of stylistic fusions been so enjoyable.</p>
<p>With a croon that possesses the same nasally excellence and sincerity of a Michael Stipe sound-alike, Knopf also delivers a countless number of hooks in tracks like “Melectric” and the astonishing “Russia”. The constant use of keys makes this comparison even more apt, as the warble of acoustics and keys in the opening “Melectric” paves the way for brilliant bursts in rhythmic and vocal content that are quite reminiscent of similarly influenced ‘80s alternative-pop acts, even recalling Celtic folk in the process. “Russia” may be the best thing he has written, featuring musical snippets more abundantly than a conventional structure. They all combine to form something beautiful though, complete with string arrangements and revolutionary percussion. To say the least, it is the most epic three-minute song you are bound to hear. Knopf’s talent is extremely evident throughout <em>Intuit</em> but one must not forget how important his gifted support system and multifarious focus was toward this outstanding album’s final result.</p>
<p>&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;</p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #0000ff;"><a href="http://mineorecords.com/mp3/rfalls-rus.mp3" target="_self">Ramona Falls &#8211; Russia<br />
</a></span></strong></p>
[audio:http://mineorecords.com/mp3/rfalls-rus.mp3]
<p>&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;</p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #0000ff;"><a href="http://mineorecords.com/mp3/rfalls-isa.mp3" target="_self">Ramona Falls &#8211; I Say Fever<br />
</a></span></strong></p>
[audio:http://mineorecords.com/mp3/rfalls-isa.mp3]
<p>&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;</p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #0000ff;"><a href="http://mineorecords.com/mp3/rfalls-mel.mp3" target="_self">Ramona Falls &#8211; Melectric<br />
</a></span></strong></p>
[audio:http://mineorecords.com/mp3/rfalls-mel.mp3]
<p>&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;</p>
<p><a href="http://www.ramonafalls.com/" target="_blank"><em>Official Web Site</em></a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.myspace.com/ramonafalls" target="_blank"><em>MySpace</em></a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002H3EU7M?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=obscuresound-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=B002H3EU7M" target="_blank"> BUY</a></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.obscuresound.com/2009/07/trekking-at-ramona-falls/">Trekking at Ramona Falls</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.obscuresound.com">Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog</a>.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
					
					<wfw:commentRss>https://www.obscuresound.com/2009/07/trekking-at-ramona-falls/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
			<slash:comments>6</slash:comments>
		
		<enclosure url="http://mineorecords.com/mp3/rfalls-rus.mp3" length="3884366" type="audio/mpeg" />
<enclosure url="http://mineorecords.com/mp3/rfalls-isa.mp3" length="5359762" type="audio/mpeg" />
<enclosure url="http://mineorecords.com/mp3/rfalls-mel.mp3" length="5138244" type="audio/mpeg" />

			</item>
		<item>
		<title>Rachel Taylor Brown Spends Half Hours With the Lower Creatures</title>
		<link>https://www.obscuresound.com/2008/02/rachel-taylor-brown-spends-half-hours-with-the-lower-creatures/</link>
					<comments>https://www.obscuresound.com/2008/02/rachel-taylor-brown-spends-half-hours-with-the-lower-creatures/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Mike Mineo]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 19 Feb 2008 12:01:05 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Features]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Al]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[album]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Albums]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[amp]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[artist]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Bea]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Bo]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Caretaker]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Cat]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Che]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Christ]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Creature]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[debut]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Dept]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Di]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Don]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Eat]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[feature]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Feel]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[film]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[God]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[guitar]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Guitars]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ho]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[I]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[indie]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Joy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Li]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Lou]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Love]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[M]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[man]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mark]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[material]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[menomena]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[mineo]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[mp3]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[music]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MySpace]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Nation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Nature]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Nice]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[NY]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Obscure]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[obscuresound]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Official]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Paris]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Person]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[pop]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[producer]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ray]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[READ]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[record]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Richard]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Rock]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ros]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sam]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Site]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[song]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[songwriter]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sound]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Stephen Malkmus]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Style]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[talent]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[time]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[US]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[War]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wild]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[work]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[year]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://obscuresound.com/?p=1763</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>It takes courage to recognize and reflect upon past mistakes, especially if the circumstances were difficult to describe or overcome. It takes even more courage to share such incidents with the general public, with the intrepidness often intentionally resulting in effecting others&#8217; lives for the better. For 8 years in the early stages of her adulthood, Rachel Taylor Brown was a recluse, hidden away from society because of a nervous breakdown and a subsequent stage of depression. Unlike many young adults whose origins of depression trace back to their own personalized superficial issues, the main issue that drove Brown was</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.obscuresound.com/2008/02/rachel-taylor-brown-spends-half-hours-with-the-lower-creatures/">Rachel Taylor Brown Spends Half Hours With the Lower Creatures</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.obscuresound.com">Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img decoding="async" src="http://obscuresound.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/rtbrown.jpg" alt="rtbrown.jpg" /></p>
<p>It takes courage to recognize and reflect upon past mistakes, especially if the circumstances were difficult to describe or overcome. It takes even more courage to share such incidents with the general public, with the intrepidness often intentionally resulting in effecting others&#8217; lives for the better. For 8 years in the early stages of her adulthood, <strong>Rachel Taylor Brown </strong>was a recluse, hidden away from society because of a nervous breakdown and a subsequent stage of depression. Unlike many young adults whose origins of depression trace back to their own personalized superficial issues, the main issue that drove Brown was an issue completely unrelated to her personal image. To channel her thoughts into a maintainable atmosphere, she resorted to one of her true loves in music and songwriting. In addition to her commendable melodic skill, she began writing lyrics that reflected her musings on mental frailty and sociological renunciation. Music broke Brown free and brought her to where she is today: a flourishing singer/songwriter with a future as bright as the sun. Instead of letting her depression consume and develop her into a sheer waste of space, her talents have unraveled at the hands of society&#8217;s innermost demons.</p>
<p>Brown is the type of songwriter that, regardless of the underlying musical content, delivers song after song of complete and utter fascination. This traces back to her ability to analyze the actions and possibilities of human nature, doing so entirely with an unbiased mindset. Her lyrical content delivers a variety of topics, with politics, religion, and history incorporating themselves seamlessly alongside the constant etchings of sociological analysis. It is this thought process that led to the name of her fourth album, <em>Half Hours With the Lower Creatures</em>. Taking its name from a marine biology textbook published in 1918 that Brown found at her favorite bookstore, she immediately found it to coincide with her impending lyrics. &#8220;That title sort of said everything to me about who we are,&#8221; Brown said, referring to society as a whole. &#8220;We always have to be at least one rung up the ladder from something else, even if it&#8217;s a jellyfish. It&#8217;s the history of humankind, one-upsmanship. It&#8217;s the disease that leads to things like war.&#8221; She does certainly have a point, but why mess with something so customarily accepted like human nature? Once again, her courage prevails. &#8220;I&#8217;m curious about motivation and why people do the things they do, partly due to my own personal history and pathology,&#8221; she said. &#8220;I think my songs tend to reflect a preoccupation with injustice and the underdog, but with some humor, too.&#8221;</p>
<p><img decoding="async" src="http://obscuresound.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/rtbrown2.jpg" alt="rtbrown2.jpg" /></p>
<p>Since her debut with 2001&#8217;s <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/search?ie=UTF8&amp;keywords=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FNot-Stare-Rachel-Taylor-Brown%2Fdp%2FB000CAF8LO%2Fref%3Dsr%5F1%5F3%3Fie%3DUTF8%26amp%3Bs%3Dmusic%26amp%3Bqid%3D1203384199%26amp%3Bsr%3D1-3&amp;tag=obscuresound-20&amp;index=blended&amp;linkCode=ur2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325" target="_blank"><em>Do Not Stare</em></a>, Brown has come a long way in terms of lyrical and musical depth. Encompassing an approach that was more lo-fi with less variation than her recent material, <em>Do Not Stare</em> was loaded with potential but failed to execute as well as Brown&#8217;s most recent releases. Her next album, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/search?ie=UTF8&amp;keywords=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FJonah-Days-Rachel-Taylor-Brown%2Fdp%2FB0007VF1XI%2Fref%3Dsr%5F1%5F1%3Fie%3DUTF8%26amp%3Bs%3Dmusic%26amp%3Bqid%3D1203384199%26amp%3Bsr%3D1-1&amp;tag=obscuresound-20&amp;index=blended&amp;linkCode=ur2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325" target="_blank"><em>Jonah Days</em></a>, in 2005 saw an expansion in songwriting and collaboration, as Brown began working with other musicians in the creation process of her own work (Grammy-nominated harpsichordist Richard Egarr was the most prominent at the time). The year 2006 marked the biggest transitional period for Brown and her music career. In addition to signing with a new record label (Cutthroat Pop Records), she began working with a full-time producer for the first time. That producer was <a href="http://obscuresound.com/?p=1722" target="_blank">featured</a> once before on this site too as the producer of Little Beirut&#8217;s excellent <em>High Dive</em>. Indeed, the work of Jeff Stuart Saltzman appears to be growing, and there is certainly nothing wrong with that. He has produced acclaimed albums by the likes of Stephen Malkmus, Menomena, and Sleater-Kinney, with his ability to produce an up-and-coming independent artist like Rachel Taylor Brown in addition to those headlining acts being very commendable. He produced her third album, the much improved <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/search?ie=UTF8&amp;keywords=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FOrmolu-Rachel-Taylor-Brown%2Fdp%2FB000GETZT2%2Fref%3Dsr%5F1%5F2%3Fie%3DUTF8%26amp%3Bs%3Dmusic%26amp%3Bqid%3D1203384199%26amp%3Bsr%3D1-2&amp;tag=obscuresound-20&amp;index=blended&amp;linkCode=ur2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325" target="_blank"><em>Ormolu</em></a>, in 2007 and also manned the controls for the most recent, <em>Half Hours With the Lower Creatures</em>. Brown sings his praises too. &#8220;Meeting Jeff was like coming home. He&#8217;s become a trusted friend,&#8221; she said. &#8220;I feel lucky to know Jeff, let alone work with him.&#8221;</p>
<p>Considering that the opening track, &#8220;Hemocult/I Care About You&#8221;, is a 7-minute experimental epic that is the result of complete improvisation, a few toy pianos, and a garbage can, <em>Half Hours With the Lower Creatures</em> immediately comes across as Brown&#8217;s most ambitious album yet. The trend continues too, as her constantly entertaining lyrical output is supplemented by a variety of styles ranging from &#8217;60s pop to arena rock. The album&#8217;s most exciting track is &#8220;Stagg Field&#8221;, a catchy indie-rock snippet that shows Brown at her melodic best. With additional guitar work from the <a href="http://obscuresound.com/?p=1436" target="_blank">frequently</a> <a href="http://obscuresound.com/?p=1722" target="_blank">mentioned</a> Chris Robley, the song&#8217;s strengths rides on the infectiousness relayed by the halted progressions between Robley&#8217;s guitars and Brown&#8217;s keys, with the chaotically engineered percussion adding to the song&#8217;s intensified rush even more. &#8220;Mette in Madagascar&#8221; recalls well-natured &#8217;60s pop with a flimsily enjoyable piano progression. It is later picked up by a variety of samples and an explosive addition of guitars, establishing the transition from soft &#8217;60s pop to experimental rock in impressive form. The lyrical content concerns Brown&#8217;s aunt, a missionary who went to Madagascar and sent Brown letters frequently. &#8220;I&#8217;m trying to contrast the sweet little old lady with the damage done in the world by such sweet little old ladies and nice people,&#8221; Brown said, once again emphasizing her focus on the altering effects of human nature. In comparison, the biblically laced &#8220;Abraham and Isaac&#8221; relays the tale about a father who agrees to kills his son because God told him to. A controversial topic? Sure, but Brown&#8217;s lyrical tellings make it wildly entertaining as usual.</p>
<p>If you haven&#8217;t noticed already, every track on <em>Half Hours With the Lower Creatures</em> has a unique story behind it; &#8220;You&#8217;re Alright, Sorla One&#8221; is a song about Alzheimer&#8217;s Disease from the perspective of a brooding caretaker, &#8220;Passion&#8221; is a swipe at the reportedly melodramatic Mel Gibson film, and &#8220;Another Dead Soldier in Fallujah&#8221; was written when Brown watched a family lose their son in Iraq on Christmas Day. &#8220;I just kept thinking of how they would dread Christmas for the rest of their lives,&#8221; she reflects. &#8220;I cried the whole time I wrote that song, because people are so beautiful and so awful.&#8221; While her perspectives may tend to be too dramatically reflective for some, there is no doubting the genuine touch of sincerity that Brown pours into each one of her songs. When <em>Half Hours With the Lower Creatures</em> is released on May 6th, fans of her ardent portrayals should be quite pleased with the budding Portland-based songwriter.</p>
<p>&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;</p>
<p><a href="http://mineorecords.com/mp3/rtbrown-sta.mp3"><strong>Rachel Taylor Brown &#8211; Stagg Field</strong></a></p>
[audio:http://mineorecords.com/mp3/rtbrown-sta.mp3]
<p>&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;</p>
<p><a href="http://mineorecords.com/mp3/rtbrown-met.mp3"><strong>Rachel Taylor Brown &#8211; Mette in Madagascar<br />
</strong></a><br />
[audio:http://mineorecords.com/mp3/rtbrown-met.mp3]</p>
<p>&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;</p>
<p><a href="http://mineorecords.com/mp3/rtbrown-abr.mp3"><strong>Rachel Taylor Brown &#8211; Abraham and Isaac<br />
</strong></a><br />
[audio:http://mineorecords.com/mp3/rtbrown-abr.mp3]</p>
<p>&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;</p>
<p><a href="http://www.racheltaylorbrown.com/" target="_blank"><em>Official Web Site</em></a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.myspace.com/racheltaylorbrown" target="_blank"><em>MySpace</em></a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/search?ie=UTF8&amp;keywords=rachel%20taylor%20brown&amp;tag=obscuresound-20&amp;index=music&amp;linkCode=ur2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325" target="_blank">BUY</a></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.obscuresound.com/2008/02/rachel-taylor-brown-spends-half-hours-with-the-lower-creatures/">Rachel Taylor Brown Spends Half Hours With the Lower Creatures</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.obscuresound.com">Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog</a>.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
					
					<wfw:commentRss>https://www.obscuresound.com/2008/02/rachel-taylor-brown-spends-half-hours-with-the-lower-creatures/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
			<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		
		<enclosure url="http://mineorecords.com/mp3/rtbrown-sta.mp3" length="5087736" type="audio/mpeg" />
<enclosure url="http://mineorecords.com/mp3/rtbrown-met.mp3" length="4498184" type="audio/mpeg" />
<enclosure url="http://mineorecords.com/mp3/rtbrown-abr.mp3" length="5087165" type="audio/mpeg" />

			</item>
	</channel>
</rss>
