Foreign causes are often distinctive enough to warrant recognition on their own. Food is probably the most common instance of this, with the international food industry comprising for a substantial bulk of food sales in the US. After all, restaurants that are in contrast to burger joints and other casual American delicacies offer more than just food. Atmosphere is just as important, and for exotic eateries it can be the difference in retaining a customer or turning them away. There is the actual product and then the appearance, which can either relate to the appearance of the product or the atmosphere in which the product exists. Such distinctions surprisingly overlap into the music industry as well, with the allure of a foreign product being comparable. Audiences become consumed by how songwriting techniques vary from country to country, how these international musicians present their work, and how prominently their influences are displayed (in addition to who their influences actually are). It is a change of pace, and for that audiences may become more lenient or even ignore them altogether due to their foreign status. After all, culture shock can be intimidating and this relates to numerous areas, including food and music. Although their name suggests otherwise, Foreign Born are simply a bunch of guys from Los Angeles. However, their music implies a more collective fusion of influences that makes their presentation distinctive enough for the title.

While Foreign Born’s style shows accessible shades of indie-rock that would be receptive toward most contemporary fans, the diversity presented on their second album, Person to Person, is more indicative of an eclectic fusion of influences, both domestic and international. British rock is certainly a prominent influence for this talented four-piece, citing the Happy Mondays and Echo & the Bunnymen as stepping stones for their guitar-based sound. This British style of rock is fused with classic American songsmiths like Bob Dylan, Townes Van Zandt, and Harry Nilsson. Their catchy mixture of concisely implemented guitar licks, frantic percussion, and other conventional attributes of art-rock does not exactly coincide with the folksy singer/songwriter musings of Dylan or Nilsson, but their simultaneous ability to combine memorable musical accompaniments and engaging lyrical content is something that combines the broodingly infectious form of British post-punk that dominated the ‘80s and the interpretively heartfelt lyrical content of traditional American folk songwriters. To combine characteristics of two separate genres with differing geographical origins is risky for a young group, but Foreign Born looks to finally prevail with a new album that blends their large assortment of influences beautifully.

To avoid the factor of intimidation that applies to most music with a variety of inspirations, Foreign Born’s new album, Person to Person, has the distinction of treading within a familiar style while exploring new territory in each song. Their first album, On the Wing Now suffered from a lack of cohesion despite some worthwhile standouts, serving as an example of a young band with heaps of potential but a lack of focus. Despite this though, they were proclaimed as one of the most promising groups in the LA area and earned some generally positive reviews. The most prominent aspects of the album included Matt Popieluch’s soaring vocals and Garrett Ray’s outstanding drumming ability. Foreign Born held the distinction of being a group with a capacity for anthemic heart-pumpers, and this is hardly different on Person to Person. If anything, this strength is capitalized upon even more with the expansion of the group’s instrumental repertoire, featuring an assortment of woodwinds, strings, brass, and synths. From the twinkling of synths in “It Grew on You” to the exotic, Lennon-like use of strings in “See Us Home”, there is plenty of eclectic musicianship on Person to Person. This is where the importance of Ray shines more than ever, as he is often the only steady force amongst a flurry of impressive instrumental additions. With an astute ability to turn even the simplest melodies into an intricately empowering force and the overly complex efforts into a more accessible format, Ray is largely responsible for restraining the group’s lofty ambitions to a point where their material is accessible and instantly rewarding.

Staying true to their summery interpretation of indie-pop, “Early Warnings” is a great demonstration of the group’s cumulative melodic capacity and Ray’s largely complementary role in modifying some good songwriting to make it excellent. The lead guitar has the type of twang that one would expect from Little Joy, The Shins, or any other conventionally accessible indie-pop group, but the subtle variations within the track make it a treat that would benefit from a variety of listens. Listeners with a tendency to focus on the percussive elements more than anything (drummers mainly) will likely find themselves impressed at the track’s end, as Ray has a tendency of restraining his percussion when vocals or instrumentation are at full force and knocking out an impressive solo when instrumental minimalism requires it. This results in a plethora of diversity throughout the album, both structurally and stylistically. The feel-good nature of “Early Warnings” benefits heftily from this, as the verse’s lack of frantic percussion complements the unavoidable entry of it in the chorus extraordinarily. “Blood Oranges” also offers an excellent build-up, primarily found in a stunning rhythm section led by Ray and bassist Ariel Rechtshaid. “Anthemic” was a word used often to describe Foreign Born’s debut, and Popieluch’s vocal performance here remains indicative of that as well. On the Wing Now was impressive for a debut album, but Person to Person exceeds it on most fronts in being the summation of Foreign Born’s underrated depth and potential. Merely avoiding the sophomore slump is an achievement in itself, to make an album that trumps an already-impressive debut in several ways is a rare spectacle that is hard to rival.

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Foreign Born – Early Warnings

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Foreign Born – Blood Oranges

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Foreign Born – It Grew on You

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It is difficult to criticize naming a band after a fruit. The edible sensations encompass a distinctive color and familiar taste, all while serving as a delightfully refreshing treat that caters to a broad audience. Most people do not just tire of enjoying fruit one day; I have never found myself taking an extended break from apples or oranges, or refusing to eat fruit because of dietary or political concerns. Unlike meat, there are no vendettas against the harmless nature of fruits. I personally enjoy both herbivorous and carnivorous food selections, but the universal amiability of fruits is something that is hard to deny. When brainstorming band names, I am sure the four guys from Pomegranates had something similar in mind. The name already allowed for a specific color to represent any band logo, t-shirt, or memorabilia, but even more importantly it proved indicative of a style that coincides with the familiarity of contemporary indie-pop but exposes it in a way that is refreshing and memorable. Like the fruit they so effortlessly elude to in their namesake, Pomegrantes’ music is a delightful entity that retains both its familiar and refreshingly new qualities to result in something irresistible and wholesomely accessible. It also helps that their CD case seems to smell vaguely of pomegranates, even if my mind is just playing tricks on me at this point.

In addition to their tastefully modernistic sound, Pomegranates run among a crowd of current bands that appeal to the music blogosphere in a big way. They are just as receptive toward the power of music blogs as the bloggers themselves; they note on their MySpace that reaching #11 on Elbo.ws’ blog aggregate is one of their proudest accomplishments. Listening to Pomegranates, it is hard to blame them for valuing this demographic so importantly. Groups like Islands, Wavves, French Kicks, and a countless number of others appear indebted to blogs for their well-deserved but arguably overblown status of success, primarily because they all tread in stylistic waters that are ambitious enough to be classified as avant-garde but also accessible enough to appear on most radio stations without a hitch. The specifics vary from artist to artist, but Pomegranates certainly appear to be on the verge of a breakthrough with the flexible indie-pop presented on their second album, Everybody, Come Outside!. The instrumentation rarely alternates between songs, with an assortment of guitars and keys often leading the way, but it only goes to show Pomegranates’ songwriting strengths even more prominently. Their style of indie-rock is by no means eclectically impressive or groundbreaking, but the things that they do with such familiar components are what separates Pomegranates from most of their contemporaries.

Like most groups of a blog-friendly indie-rock vein, the vocals in Pomegranates are vital to the success of their songs. Since influences seem to play a larger role than innovation in their style, it seems mandatory in these types of groups for the vocals to encompass proper ardency and harmonic flexibility without resorting to the clichéd components of drenched reverb or pitch modification. In Pomegranates, Joey Cook’s lead vocals are comparable to Phoenix’s Thomas Mars, although Cook retains a warmer and more sincere presence that appears to owe more to ’60s British pop in the vein of Ray Davies than modern-day indie-rock. There is plenty of angst in “Jerusalem Had a Bad Day” that is eerily reminiscent of Modest Mouse’s Isaac Brock and “384 BC” delivers some Conor Oberst-like drama-folk, but the bulk of Everybody, Come Outside! finds Pomegranates sitting in territory that benefits more from chirping guitars, twinkling keyboard melodies, and frantic percussion. Some eclectic qualities are certainly displayed on the album, but the direction of lead single “Corriander” coincides more with the brisk interpretation of summery indie-rock that proves more synonymous with Pomegranates’ radio-friendly contemporaries. This does not mean it is by any means generic though, as the song benefits from some fluttering guitar work and serene atmospherics that are contrary to the simplistic expectations surrounding most of today’s indie-pop.

With a bubbly bass line, hushed vocals, and a plethora of slick guitar progressions, “Corriander” accessibly establishes Pomegranates’ glistening style. The style itself traces back to early ‘90s alt-rock in the retrospective vein of Yo La Tengo and even Sonic Youth, with the larger emphasis on pop being indicative of current trends in music. Pomegranates keep these influences in mind with all the French Kicks’, Strokes’, and Phoenix’s in the world, allowing for a very enjoyable fusion of early ‘90s alternative with modernistic indie-pop often controlling the concise song structures and instantaneously enjoyable harmonies. “This Land Used to Be My Land” shows off some ambitious guitar work and recalls the days of British ‘60s pop music, despite for a chorus that allows Cook to heighten his pitch and resort to the twinkling of keys and lucid guitar work. “Svaatzi Uutsi” is also worth noting, serving as a tidy and stylistically fulfilling instrumental that plays like an enjoyable intermisson on the album. Varying influences interweave themselves subtly into the song structures, whether it is the prominently explosive power-pop and subtly rhythmic post-punk on “Southern Ocean” or the traditional acoustical folk interlaced with an exotic far-eastern melody on “Sail (Away with Me)”. With summer about to arrive, Pomegranates’ Everybody, Come Outside! is an excellent album for the season, bustling with illuminating melodies and excellent songwriting that allows Pomegranates’ style of indie-pop to flourish with each passing song. There are no particular songs on the album that will make Pomegranates the next Strokes, but Everybody, Come Outside! contains utmost consistency throughout that will likely place them among the same tier as groups like French Kicks and Phoenix. Great pop music with slight stylistic variations is what these groups do best, and Pomegranates is no different.

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Pomegranates – Corriander

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Pomegranates – Southern Ocean

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Pomegranates – Svaatzi Uutsi

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Ever since the emergence of California-based surf-rock instrumentalists like The Surfaris and Dick Dale & the Del-tones in the early ‘60s, it has become an overused practice to describe pop music originating from California by using adjectives like “summery” and “breezy”. When The Beach Boys popularized the format by adding some of the best vocal harmonies in the history of modern music, the stylistically evolving use of surf-rock had reached its pinnacle and evolved into something that was more characteristic of the era’s irresistible display of pop music. Later proving to be a trademark of popular music in America, the legacy of surf-rock continues to thrive to this day, even if such aforementioned adjectives make the genre appear much more linear than it truly is. Such lazily worded assumptions attribute to a challenge that many California-based pop songwriters face. In separating themselves from the stereotypes of surf-rock and ‘60s pop in general, stylistic desperation often becomes prevalent in attempts to diversify themselves on a critical stage. Many artists succumb to how easy it is to be too generic within a very receptive style, but others choose to capitalize on the fundamentals of traditional Californian pop music while simultaneously involving other styles that derive far from the coast of the Pacific Ocean.

At their heart, Carl Jordan’s songs recall a form of infectious simplicity that would have most fans of ‘60s pop quite enamored. His works are instantly memorable and highly melodic, two components that contemporary pop music often shuns for rampant displays of creativity that often turn out to be overwhelming and detrimental to the accessibility of a given song or album. Jordan’s California origins aside, his songs are essentially what many would envision when told of a contemporary indie-pop act from California. His vocals are smooth and tranquil, backed by a revolving array of acoustic guitars, bass, and twinkling synths. While his playing style is too lively and his instrumental arsenal is too focused on real-time rhythm sections and guitar progressions to be grouped within a vein of electronic-pop, his fusion of technology into his sounds allows his songs to flourish even more vividly. This brightly effused interpretation of electronic and acoustic pop is not the most stylistically startling or innovative in the world of contemporary pop music, but Jordan’s project, The Western States Motel, reaps most greatly from one very important aspect: the songwriting. Though his new EP, Painted Birds Flying in the Orange Mirror Sun, contains a mere five songs, there are enough hooks and flawlessly executed moments to compensate for a full-length album.

Not very surprisingly, Jordan apparently wrote most of his lyrics to his self-titled debut album while he overlooked the Pacific Ocean. Alternating between San Francisco, Monterey, and Santa Cruz, his musical career at that point proved to be as reliable as his residence at the tie. Passing freely between friends’ apartments, he took any sort of hospitality to heart as he continued to pursue his musical intents of releasing something under his name. This opportunity came in January of 2007, when he released The Western States Motel under Firebird Field Records. Recorded in a spare bedroom with a few cheap but sentimental items (a $15 acoustic guitar was one), Jordan used his experience from a few recording classes he took at UC Santa Cruz to construct a debut album that proved to be surprisingly memorable for someone with such low financial means. Quality music has a funny way of getting out though, regardless of how much extra cash the artist has in their back pocket. In fact, it can occasionally prove even more respectable if an artist is able to produce exposure without any extraneous expenses at all. For someone with such a DIY mentality close to their heart, Jordan’s songs contain a plethora of both melodic and instrumental alterations. Any questions regarding his skills as either a songwriter or multi-instrumentalist should immediately be put to rest upon hearing either his debut, new EP, or by attending one of his shows (which are backed by a full band, staying true to his expansive repertoire as a tactful multi-instrumentalist).

After Jordan’s original intent to make The Western States Hotel a project designed specifically for scoring local films was relinquished upon the release of his self-titled debut in 2007, he began to recognize that writing pop music was an arguably more accurate embodiment of his influences and aspirations. After all, the album proved so enjoyable that praise among peers and several publications (Spin, LA Times) prompted Jordan to begin working on a continuation to the debut. Like his debut, the process for creating Painted Birds Flying in the Orange Mirror Sun was long and required quite a bit of patience. 18 months resulted in five songs, but these five songs are definitively the best material that Jordan has put out. The excellent “Oh World” is led by an acoustical arpeggio during the verses, complemented by a sprinkling of high-pitched synths at the end of each measure. With its slick incorporation of both electroncia and acoustical pop, the chorus sits somewhere between the indie-pop flair of The Shins and the melodic amiability of Coconut Records. “So many days that just got lost in a haze,” he sings wistfully. “I should be changing my mind. I should be changing my ways.” The track treads no experimental territory, but there is no need for it either way with such brilliant usage of synthesizers and acoustic guitars.

The utterly infectious nature of “Oh World” remains synonymous with Jordan’s pop-oriented DIY intentions, as is also seen on a track like “A Moment in the Sun” where he employs a ‘60s vibe on his keyboards over automated, electro-like percussion. The chorus sees him transition to power-pop territory as a distorted guitar and synthesized strings establish yet another stellar hook on a release full of them. A fascinating instrumental snippet occurs around 01:50 for about 15 seconds, seeing two very snappy synths collide over a bustling rhythm section. This moment in particular reminded me of electronic experimentalism in the vein of Matmos’ recent Supreme Balloon, though the rest of the track and album consists of amiable pop that should be extremely likable upon first listen for many of those exposed to Jordan for the first time. Additionally, the opening “Stampede” deserves a mention for an excellent utilization of those aforementioned synthesized strings during the chorus. The track is also an excellent display of Jordan’s structural tendencies, with “Stampede” being the most varied he has released. As it transitions from a solely acoustic melody to a grandiose string-aided chorus and then back again into a series of dramatically differing melodies that consist of alternating instrumentation, I could not help but get excited about the potential of this young songwriter. Before one of his tracks appears on some esteemed teenage drama and pushes him into some well-deserved exposure, get a grasp of Carl Jordan’s songwriting prowess. You certainly will not regret it.

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The Western States Motel – Oh World

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The Western States Motel – A Moment in the Sun

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The Western States Motel – Stampede

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With acclaimed artists like Belle & Sebastian, Franz Ferdinand, and Mogwai becoming highly reputable names over the past few years, even the youngest of indie-rock fans are beginning to recognize the Scottish town of Glasgow as arguably the most productive city for new and talented musicians. While one would be able to make a compelling argument for other cities being more active in relevance to music-related quantities or other financial matters, the music scene in Glasgow has always been recognized as ceaselessly exciting due to the sheer amount of stylistic variety. There are no forms of stereotypical rock ‘n’ roll, hip hop, or country to be expected from the city’s most successful artists, but rather a smörgåsbord of different artists who achieve success from stylistic methods that differ dramatically from one another. Whether one prefers the epic post-rock of Mogwai, contemporary indie-rock in the vein of Franz Ferdinand and The Fratellis, or varied legends of their craft like Aztec Camera, Teenage Fanclub, and Orange Juice, Glasgow is a city where musical tastes are not a variable factor in an equation for artistic enjoyment; one will find some form of localized satisfaction regardless of their preferences, as the city offers a plethora of artists suited for a wide array of tastes.

Though Glasgow serves up plenty of artists who take their style from no geographical archetypes, Frightened Rabbit happen to be a band that American and British fans will have a difficult time differentiating from the form of indie-rock that they have grown accustomed to. I mean that mainly as a compliment too, as the four-piece sees substantial success from a generally accessible methods of successful indie-rock songwriting that rely on overlapping vocal melodies, driving guitar progressions, and steadfast rhythm sections in similar forms to that of western indie-rock staples like Modest Mouse, The Shins, and even the Arcade Fire when their early releases propelled them into a state of cult-like fanaticism. Like fellow Glasgow-based contemporaries Belle & Sebastian, Frightened Rabbits’ broad sense of ambition remains admirably prevalent, yet they allow enough room for such aforementioned classifications of indie-rock conventionalism too be classified more appropriately as independent futurists. Founding members Scott and Grant Hutchison probably meant for their craft to be delivered in such a familiarly comforting form as well, as the brothers have shown a noteworthy amount of potential since they formed the group in 2004. With Scott as a guitarist and Grant as a percussionist, the two originally began writing songs and preforming them for family members. Upon the urging of friends and family, they eventually decided to pursue the project full-time. Guitarist Billy Kennedy joined the group in 2006, with bassist Andy Monaghan making his debut with the band earlier this year.

When Frightened Rabbits started work on their second album, The Midnight Organ Fight, the four members found themselves in a position that was quite unfamiliar to them. For the first time in their musical careers, they had others apart from their families and friends in Glasgow who recognized their talent. Because of their critically acclaimed debut, Sing the Greys, in 2006, Universal decided to pick up the album and re-release it in the U.S. and U.K. last year. Now, after playing at a variety of American shows and festivals like SXSW in a coinciding effort with their re-release, they have amassed an overseas audience that is very respectable for a band with merely one album. On an artistic standpoint, The Midnight Organ Fight also proves to be the first opportunity for the group to rework any of the minor flaws that dragged Sing the Greys down. Considering that it got in the hands of many people, they likely had plenty of critiques to work off of. Well, whichever method they chose to use, The Midnight Organ Fight is a significant step-up from their impressive debut. Produced by Peter Katis (he was behind the first two Interpol albums and the two most recent albums from The National), it represents an improvement upon both aspects of production and the songwriting.

The four members of Frightened Rabbit also consider The Midnight Organ Fight to be the most personal piece of art they have released. “This album [The Midnight Organ Fight] is a lot more intense than the first one. There’s a lot more blunt imagery,” Scott Hutchison said, alluding to the somber feelings of suicide, depression, and regret that lingers throughout the album. Still though, Scott considers optimism to be a proud component of his band’s lyrical output. “I always feel that no matter how morose the subject matter, there’s always a way that we – as a group – find of putting a positive slant on it, whether it be a depressing lyric put to a really pleasant melody or just a positive spin in the end. I hope people don’t feel depressed when they listen to our music.” With the abundance of hooks, fleeting melodies, and underlying instrumental additives, I doubt Scott has any reason to worry about listeners feeling down. Take the opening “The Modern Leper” for instance, an infectious tune whose success owes a significant amount to Hutchison’s distinctive Scottish accent. In stark contrast to Glasgow-based bands like Belle & Sebastian or The Jesus and Mary Chain, their accent is enjoyably evident and adds a uniquely enjoyable flavor to the result. Despite the lyrics foretelling the impact that ignorance has on societal limitations, melodic elements like Hutchison’s genuine yelp during the song’s bursting chorus can’t help but remind listeners that hope always has a chance of prevailing in the end. And on Frightened Rabbits’ gratifying Midnight Organ Fight, the sense of hope has turned simply into an element of great expectancy; instead of treading in unfamiliar waters, Frightened Rabbits’ newest effort commendably shows them as a band comfortable with their own stylistic delivery.

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Frightened Rabbit – The Modern Leper

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Frightened Rabbit – Fast Blood

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Frightened Rabbit – Head Rolls Off

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In the often fascinating field of archeology, success requires the ability to embrace the past in order to advance the future. All forms of advanced technology have a preceding influence, whether it be in an intricately designed blueprint or simply a bright idea. These rooted influences are highly sought after, with even a slight spark of interest in a location leading to an entire excavation team. In simpler terms, archeology is classified as the study of ancient cultures through excavated material remains and a prime reason for even bothering with the past is to learn and embrace a time where ideals and daily life proved to be radically different. Who knows — a leftover idea from the past may even help mankind in the future. In 1995, Nick Jaina was a budding archaeologist studying in college on the coast of California. Little did he know that the traditional mindset of an archaeologist would help in his musical career. It proved to be an ironic twist of fate, though if one gives a listen to Jaina’s material, it is clear that he does not have any doubts about the occupational flip-flop. After all, like his previous job, his ability as a musician beckons the use of past influences in order to create a modernistic sound that is successfully original and enjoyable. Who knew that such radically differing occupations would have a similar mindset?

After discovering a valuable abalone cross during one of his first excavations at San Juan Bautista Mission (the one in Hitchcock’s “Vertigo”), Jaina figured he would quit the business while ahead. Pursuing a more music-oriented passion, he started playing around coffee shops in San Francisco, later moving to New Orleans and writing a jazz opera after quickly honing his skills. While there, like any up-and-coming musician, he paid the bills by additionally serving as a face painter during Mardi Gras. After relocating to Texas and becoming a regular at the folk festivals there, he somehow made ties with The Be Good Tanyas and became their part-time drummer. After spending time strumming in the coffee shops of San Fran, face painting the drunk tourists in New Orleans, and gaining valuable music experience in Texas, Jaina finally found a steady home in Portland, Oregon in 2001. While housesitting for some friends who were touring in Europe, he took advantage of the recording studio in their house and spent a month recording his debut, The Bluff of All Time. Over the next few years, Jaina produced several albums by the likes of Kitchen Syncopators, Gill Landy, Orangestick, and The Maybe Happening, all while continuing to release his own material.

There is a very interesting aspect to Jaina’s newest album, Wool, that is both haunting and effectively admirable. Being a blatantly piano-led album, the actual piano used throughout the album originally belonged to the late and legendary Elliott Smith, with Jaina being the last person to play it before it was sold to a museum in Seattle. With Jaina taking hold of the piano and guitar in addition to his delicately hushed vocals, Wool saw further instrumental collaborations from friends who added glockenspiels, strings, and percussion. The result is a beautifully interwoven effort, featuring lyrical content that echoes its supplementing instrumentation by depicting elements of human loss, He perhaps puts it best by stating that the lyrics are “as economical as the words in children’s stories, as emotional as journal entries, and as deep as the Bible”. The instrumental aspect of the songs, as Jaina also declares, are all “ballads and lullabies”. Though the slow and fragile pace will not appeal to listeners who yearn for immediate excitement through rapid progressions and boisterous yelps, Wool will certainly appeal to a niche that recognizes quality as a form of emotional sincerity, regardless of volume or tempo.

“Maryanne” serves as a very appropriate opener, with Jaina’s use of keys being displayed in their most absorbing form. His knack for melody is wholly impressive, with the lavishly eloquent use of Smith’s old piano paving the way. Jaina’s voice appears delicate but such an endearing indication does not stop it from revealing his most forthright observations. “This is a tune for Maryanne, died at birth in her grandfather’s hand,” he ardently sings out, “If she were here now she wouldn’t understand the notes we are playing, the words we are saying.” Immediately after the preceding opening line, Jaina introduces the hook by implementing a series of fruitfully effervescent keys as he echoes, “To her it would be just  la-da-da-da-da,” over a reflective melody. Using the character of Maryanne as a sympathetic figure of sorts, the song provides an insightful look at the innocence of children at birth, with the unavoidably vile aspects of the world awaiting them despairingly. His vocals interchangeably become reminiscent of Chris Martin and Paul Simon, with the likeness to Martin being startlingly prevalent in the string-aided “Power”. With the squeaking of a rusting bicycle serving as a fitting underlying effect, “Bicycle” also proves effective in relaying the diminishing of natural innocence through fragile keys and ethereal vocals. Jaina plans to release another album this summer with a full band and, if the quality displayed on Wool is any indication, it should be a great one.

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I suppose the commercialized nostalgia of the 80s unfortunately causes us to remember all those plastic synth acts who achieved success through one hit singles and predictable hooks, making the accomplishments of truly impacting bands like The Smiths, R.E.M., and The Go-Betweens go by unfairly overlooked. Sure, all three of those bands maintain an overwhelming fan base and are given numerous nods from contemporary bands who proclaim them as vital influences, but it remains that modern media remains largely focused on the 80s as a decade of has-beens and formulaic approaches, instead of the artists who actually achieved success to their own substantial degree even after their prominent peaks. With all of that rubbish, it is always a pleasure to see modern bands like The Assistants remember the artists that made the decade more memorable than most people take for first glace. Whether you consider the approach a form of optimism or realism, The Assistants blend together classic influence from the college-rock, power-pop, and jangle-pop that made the overlooked artists of the 80s so lasting and memorable.

I was a bit surprised when I found out they were from Ontario, Canada. The vocals of both Kiley Meehan and Ciaran Megahey sound more European than they do Canadian, resembling a somewhat fainter version of The Housemartins’ Paul Heaton or the great Edwyn Collins. Both Meehan and Megahey also give off the impression of envisioned melancholy, giving off that same form of tortured insecurity that untouchable (and deceased) vocalists like Ian Curtis and Billy Mackenzie gave off through quivering bitterness and social angst. Not only do the vocals ring a distinctively British bell, but the shimmering guitars relay wholesome riffs that act as appropriate melodic counterparts to the captivating vocal melodies delivered by the vocal duo, reminding me of a now sadly impossible Robert Forster and Grant McLennan revival. In fact, if The Assistants were unable to write their own songs, they could probably make a living as a Go-Betweens cover band. Luckily, they have a skill in songwriting that is actually comparable to Forster-McLennan, displaying enough diversity to hold their own on their enjoyable self-titled debut album, The Assistants.

The Assistants can sift through a guitar-oriented track bursting with energy like “Planet News” and then transition toward a subtle acoustic track like “In My Dreams” in a style that makes it look easy. The lyrical content is predictably and romantically downtrodden, as lines in “Planet News” like “with every bridge we burn, it’s a longer way down” echo the sentiments expressed in their brooding musical presentation. It is easy to recognize in tracks like “Planet News” and “Taste It” that the five-piece is particularly fond of glistening guitars and concise rhythm sections, with both Meehan and Megahey acting as the guitarists behind the bass-percussion section of Tim Munro and Adam Boyle. They are nicely rounded out by keyboardist Ildiko Kaszas, who makes her most noticeable appearance in the infectious key-laden chorus of “White” and “Consent”, a throwback closer to the album that incorporates catchy synths and glorified guitar riffs. “And Then Again” and “The Fall” both sound like they could have come off of an unreleased Lawrence Hayward compilation, with slurring vocals over distorted visions of obsolete paradise being so blatantly prominent that a chill is viable to run up your spine. Though the ten tracks on The Assistants breeze by rather quickly, each song leaves a lasting impression through eerie vocal resemblances, impressive guitar production, and tight rhythm sections.

The more I listen to The Assistants’ debut, the more I seemingly fall in love with it. Though it may be because I am a huge fan of both The Smiths and The Go-Betweens, I believe that my feelings are justifiable enough to influence a personal belief that The Assistants have the appropriate amount of ability to truly make something of themselves this year. The Assistants was released in early February and for some reason I have yet to hear anything about it in the blogosphere, on the radio, or by word of mouth. Honestly, it perplexes me. I could sit here and make comparisons to great bands like Orange Juice and The Go-Betweens who made their mark several decades ago, but The Assistants still spout off enough ingenuity to separate themselves from the legions of followers that flood the music scene today. Fans of The Go-Betweens, The Smiths, Orange Juice, Felt, and R.E.M. are surely to find The Assistants’ first release to be one of the most remarkable debuts of the year, just as how I feel. Though critics suffering from two hours of sleep and general bitterness will likely call The Assistants about twenty years too late, I could personally care less. This is enjoyable material, no matter the circumstance.

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The Assistants – Planet News

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The Assistants – Taste It

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The Assistants – The Fall

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The Arctic Monkeys hardly need any introduction. The four lads from Sheffield have already established themselves as one of the most popular rock bands of the decade. Whether you are a fan or not, it is difficult not to admire the feats that the Arctic Monkeys have accomplished. Most of us know by now that their debut album, Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not, is the fastest-selling debut in UK history and it would be safe to assume that it will eventually be one of the records that people will look back on in twenty or thirty years to gain perspective on what defined this current decade of music, being a commercialized mixture of post-punk and indie rock (which many critics love to coin “art-rock”). Personally, while I always found several of the band’s songs to be good natured and directly catchy, I never saw it as anything groundbreaking. While it will obviously never be remembered as the Nevermind of this generation, Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not and the Sheffield four-piece still deserve proper credit for seizing a contemporarily infectious style and writing stellar songs by implementing this “art-rock” craze successfully.

Admittedly, this site has hardly made any mention of the Arctic Monkeys since their media-frenzied inception about two years ago. That is purely intentional too, as my goal remains to provide people with new artists that would otherwise be overlooked. Generally every web site has written about the Arctic Monkeys before and there is little left to be mentioned. I also doubt that they would be able to consume any more attention before their egos would be liable to explode. Yes, I find the debut enjoyable like many others and I found it perfectly reasonable that it sold so well, as this is exactly the type of music that people are buying currently. In the early 90s we all loved long-haired guitar players with husky voices who delivered anthemic grunge and alternative rock-oriented choruses over heavy distortion. Now, witty (and often British) vocalists snarling confidently over swift riffs and tight percussion is all the rage and as I see it, there is nothing wrong with it at all. Styles change along with media perception and individualized taste. It does so dramatically every ten years or so and it should come as no surprise. So, what are my vague words trying to get across? Simple. If you enjoy something, keep listening to it and do not let overexposure impact your artistic tastes. In doing so, you will be more likely to participate in this thrilling contest which features one of the most popular bands of the decade…

We are grateful to be giving away a free copy of the Arctic Monkeys’ new 12″ single, “Brianstorm”. It is the first track and debut single off of their enjoyable sophomore album, Favourite Worst Nightmare; a record that surprisingly avoids the expected sophomore slump by delivering twelve infectious songs that I personally consider to be overall more enjoyable than their debut. As most debut singles are, “Brianstorm” is one of the more enjoyable heavier tracks on the album. Being an accurate depiction of Alex Turner’s always whimsical vocals and the backing band’s precise execution of repetitious hooks, it certainly warrants several listens. While my personal two favorites on Favourite Worst Nightmare have always been “Fluorescent Adolescent” and “505”, “Brianstorm” is certainly a credible opener and lively example of the band’s youthful swagger. The “Brianstorm” single has already topped the UK charts at #2 with respectable positions on several worldwide charts. In case you were wondering, as the band told NME, the subject of the song (Brian) is about a mysteriously drawing young man that the band met backstage at a gig in Osaka, Japan. The very hectic video for “Brianstorm” can be viewed here, perhaps featuring a bit of a “Clockwork Orange” influence. So, how do you win this four-song 12″? It is quite simple…

To win: Whether or not you see this as an exploitable method to gain members on our NEW FORUMS is up to you, though I do admit it would be nice to have some active discussions on there. Anyway, all you have to do is register and reply to THIS TOPIC with the name of your favorite Arctic Monkeys’ track. It can be from any album or set of demos. I will e-mail the winner on May 24th (next Thursday) and ask for contact details. The 12″ will then be shipped to you free of charge. The track listing for the 12″ is below and one of the songs, “Temptation Greets You Like Your Naughty Friend”, features guest vocals by Dizzee Rascal.

1. “If You Found This It’s Probably Too Late” – 1:32
2. “Brianstorm” – 2:50
3. “Temptation Greets You Like Your Naughty Friend” – 3:27
4. “What If You Were Right The First Time?” – 3:02

Arctic Monkeys – Brianstorm

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There seems to be this rash generalization that all music bloggers are either failed musicians or bitter artists. I’m not sure where that thinking originated, though I would guess that it is from those who do not realize that writing about music online is done primarily for the sheer enjoyment. Oh, and about the “failed musician” ideology… in this case, it couldn’t be any more wrong. Some may recognize Spike Priggen as the owner of Bedazzled!, a veteran music blog that has served readers with quality material for years now. Others may recognize him as Michael “Spike” Priggen, a musician who has been consistently active since the early 1980s, dabbling largely in new wave and punk. Born in New Haven, Connecticut, Priggen moved to New York City in the early 80s to form his first breakthrough band, Blue Period, while studying photography at the School of Visual Arts. Blue Period found great local success, later changing their name to the more recognizable the Hello Strangers. Locating to Boston in 1985, he played bass with the cult Boston band Dumptruck. Upon his return to New York, he reformed the Hello Strangers and played with a variety of side projects, including the Pussywillows, Caroline Know, the Liquor Giants, and the Streams. As you can see, in typical power pop fashion, most of his bands began with “the”. The Hello Strangers found a good amount of success for Priggen, who worked with members of the Go-Betweens, Yo La Tengo, and Blonde Redhead throughout their careers. They are primarily known for their 1987 release on the Incas label, Goodbye. Priggen also played in the UK with members of Orange Juice, including Edwyn Collins and Malcolm Ross. In addition, under the name of Patrick Prophette, he scored the soundtrack to the indie film Chutney Popcorn with Adam Lasus in 1999. Lasus later went on to be the mixer of several of Priggen’s albums. Priggen released his solo debut The Very Thing You Treasure in 2001, drawing rave reviews from all types of media with the album’s irresistible hooks of power pop goodness. Though his solo career started at the older age of 37, it came after years of enriching musical experiences, which explains the extreme maturity of his three solo albums. So, with that mini-bio in hand, anyone who dares to call Priggen a “failed musician” must be absolutely blind or, more naturally, deaf.

His latest and third solo album There’s No Sound In Flutes! was released last August and it continued his consistent trend of demonstrating likable pop influences. The songs are all catchy, coherent, and extremely radio friendly. Priggen’s use of multi-instrumentation is quite impressive in addition to his experienced production capabilities. With that in mind, all songs were written and produced by Priggen, being truly a one-man-band. Check out “Hideaway” for a perfect example of Priggen’s pop sensibilities. Over the distinctive lead guitar, the bright strings, and the lively rhythm section, comes the undeniable melody of a man who has been crafting catchy songs for nearly thirty years. “You got a lot of nerve to say the things you say about yourself,” Priggen bursts out as he exposes one of the album’s greatest hooks, “’cause you never even give yourself one little chance”. As usual, Priggen’s songs deal with heartbreak and despair in a typically upbeat form. The Morrissey-esque title of “Everyone Loves Me But You” is played off under similarly jangle pop circumstances. “Ever since you put me down, all my dreams are coming true,” Priggen muses optimistically and half-sarcastically over a bright array of keys and guitars “I can’t help it if everyone loves me but you”. One reviewer dared to call Priggen’s style “twee”, though I see none of that rubbish here. Priggen’s delivery is strictly power pop and alternative. There are no cutesy cliches or flawed faux pas; Priggen’s style is direct and consistent. “Little Star” is one of the few ballads on the album, also being arguably the most emotionally charged. Initially working over a sole set of twinkling keys, strings and percussion eventually lift the emotional peak as Priggen launches himself into a popular question that many musicians ask: “How can I be precious when you bought me for a song?” As uncanny as it may be, we all know that some people may get closer to some musicians just to have the entitlement to say a song was written about them. Priggen’s exploration into this topic, along with the usual dramatic flairs for heartbreak and romanticism, highlight an extremely enjoyable album from the underrated music entrepreneur.

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Spike Priggen – Hideaway

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Spike Priggen – Everyone Loves Me But You

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Spike Priggen – Little Star

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Official Web Site

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The post Spike Priggen: “Musician, Blogger, Pop-Culture Archivist” appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.

The amount of time it takes to record an album varies dramatically from artist to artist. Some are like Ryan Adams, sometimes releasing several albums per year. Others tend to be more in the mold of a Scott Walker, releasing one new album about once every ten years. Whether or not the time involved can define a perfectionist, it just goes to further emphasize that every artist has a different way of creating their own songs. As far as releases between albums go, Ideal Free Distribution tends to be taking after the Scott Walker route, an artist they ironically list as one of their primary influences. Their self-titled debut album, Ideal Free Distribution, is finally being released ten years after the band formed in 1997. Originally a mere trio, the Kentucky-based group has evolved into seven consistent members. Their story is a very simple one of determination and hard work. The original trio consisted of Eric Griffy, Tony Miller, and Craig Morris, three friends who were all fans of 60s pop and psychedelia. They all decided to take after The Beatles (like most bands do) and record on a basic four-track to get things started. In Griffy’s bedroom, the three wrote dozens of promising songs, eventually performing them for several audiences in their hometown of Benton, Kentucky. The three described half of the songs as brilliant and the other half as absolutely horrible, which if accurate, is still better than most active contemporary artists. The band depicts the following years as a period of song solidification, with the three primary songwriters drastically improving the solid songs and abandoning the lackluster ones. In 2003, they finally started to consider their debut album’s final track listing. They also added four musicians to the mix, being Joe Drury and guitar, Mike Grote on drums, Marci Schneider on mellotron and castanets, Shelly Morris on vocals and percussion, and Samantha Herald on accessory percussion and vocals. Their big break came when Robert Schneider (of The Apples in Stereo) stumbled upon Ideal Free Distribution’s demos and fell in love with them. That does make perfect sense, as both artists seem to have very similar influences, being particulary fans of past decades and musical movements, from psychedelia to British invasion. Schneider helped the band get signed to Happy Happy Birthday To Me Records, a rising label in Georgia. In addition to his promotional help and playing live with the band (as seen in the photo above), Schneider mixed and pre-mastered the album with Jason Nesmith. It sure helps to have friends in the industry.

Schneider’s love for Ideal Free Distribution is certainly understood. It’s actually quite easy to fall in love, as the influences stem from the bands that people stereotypically are forbidden to dislike. Whether it’s The Beatles, The Zombies, or The Byrds, the influences that Ideal Free Distribution borrow are as clear as day. Mixing together a variety of psychedelia, folk, and traditional 60s British pop, their debut album is an easy listener. To gain full enjoyment of the album, full attention isn’t even required, which in some cases is just the right medicine for a rough day. The melodies sung by Tony Miller are rich and colorful, filled with soothing variability added by a calmative tone. “Apples and Oranges” serves as a musical tranquilizer, taking the listener through some vividly chromatic musical time machine. The beginning is led by a few organ-like keys and a steady bass line, later complemented by a few solo acoustic strums before a bridge of building percussion. Miller’s vocals are eerily reminiscent of Rod Argent’s, fitting unsurprisingly well with Ideal Free Distribution’s droning style. The chorus is pure psychedelia, as Miller stretches out the “A” in “US of A” for the majority of it. The result, as simplistic and predictable as it sounds, turns out to be extremely enjoyable. “Saturday Night” is certainly more driven and aggressive. If Ideal Free Distribution turns into some full-fledged psychedelic band in their latter careers, this will be the type of song that defines their “early career”. With a few guitar licks and solos guiding the way, Miller’s delivery is more straightforward and pop-oriented than usual until a series of keys and a complementary guitar solo make for a memorable bridge. The keys are of a similar nature to that of “Apples and Oranges”, with the organ aspect recalling that distinct psychedelic nature. You can check out the music video for “New Madrid, 1811” by clicking here. It’s another enjoyable song that focuses on Miller’s vocal “whoo”s and “bop”s over repeated guitar distortion and more alluring keys. Other highlights on the album include “Someone’s Gonna Die” and “Mr. Wilson”, which is most likely a tribute to one of their heroes, Brian Wilson. Ideal Free Distribution was released last Tuesday and I recommend it to any fans of British pyschedelia or rock in the 60s or 70s. While their originality is nothing more than a throwback, their songwriting certainly stresses an impressive amount of natural skill.

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Ideal Free Distribution – Apples and Oranges

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Ideal Free Distribution – Saturday Drive

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Ideal Free Distribution – New Madrid, 1811

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Some bands just sound better when it’s raining outside. This is a fact, particulary in mind of those dark and moody bands of the 80s. One group that comes to mind are the Associates, the influential duo of vocalist Billy Mackenzie and multi-instrumentalist Alan Rankine. Like many talented twosomes, their relationship eventually became volatile and Rankine departed after their classic Sulk album in 1982. The two albums Mackenzie and Rankine recorded, however, are both considered classics that touched two aspects of great originality. One was Mackenzie’s extraordinarily powerful vocals, which had the ability to transition flawlessly between four octaves. The other was Rankine’s formula for precisely dark songwriting, with unexpected hooks and diverse instrumentation. Though Mackenzie continued the Associates after Rankine’s departure, the two albums produced afterwards (Perhaps and Wild and Lonely) did not reach the prestige of The Affectionate Punch, Fourth Drawer Down and Sulk, which is my favorite album out of the five. Rankine’s three albums as a solo artist were a nice display of talent, but it felt out of place without Mackenzie. The Associates’ most recognizable song is ‘Party Fears Two’, which has recently been publicized due to a fanatastic cover by The Divine Comedy. ‘Gloomy Sunday’ is a demonstration of Rankine’s ability to craft vaguely effective hooks, all while using Mackenzie’s vocals to the fullest ability. “Little white flowers will never awaken you,” Mackenzie’s lyrics are staples of desperation and pessimism, “not where the black coach of sorrow has taken you”. Plus, Morrissey reportedly had a crush on Mackenzie, resulting in the rumor that ‘William, It Was Really Nothing’ was written about Billy Mackenzie.

Associates – Party Fears Two

Associates – Gloomy Sunday

Associates – Nude Spoons

The Smiths – William, It Was Really Nothing

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The critic who called Scritti Politti‘s Green Gartside “a voice that’s eternally 14 years old” should give themselves a pat on the back. Almost twenty-five years after the debut of Scritti Politti (Songs to Remember), Gartside hasn’t skipped in a beat in his songwriting and his charming child-like vocals remain the same. If anything, Gartside has expanded on his traditional 80s pop songwriting method, now creating songs that focus on fulfillment and happiness, most likely due to his somewhat recent marriage with Alys Gartside. The musical aspect of his new album White Bread, Black Beer contains songs similar to his synth-based 80s career, such as ‘Throw’, but songs such as ‘Dr. Abernathy’ and ‘Snow in the Sun’ show Gartside’s new admiration for acoustic and power pop elements, with ‘Dr. Abernathy’ sounding almost like an XTC tribute. White Bread, Black Beer was actually nominated for the Mercury Prize this year, quite an accomplishment for an artist who was considered to be washed up a few years ago.

Scritti Politti – Throw

Scritti Politti – Dr. Abernathy

Scritti Politti – Snow in the Sun

Official Web Site

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Orange Juice were one of the most influential post-punk bands to come out of Scotland, even while finding little commercial success during their peak in the early 1980s. Though they only made the UK Top 40 with one song (‘Rip It Up’), Orange Juice found a new audience with last year’s release of The Glasgow School, which is a compilation of their best tracks on Postcard Records. It is one of my favorite reissues in recent memory, with twenty-two undiscovered classics. The release was close to the time that Edwyn Collins, lead singer/songwriter for the band and respected solo artist, suffered a stroke and was in the hospital for months. Luckily, Collins survived though his condition is in a state of major recovery. According to his official web site, Collins has had to re-learn all aspects of life: from walking and talking to writing and reading. Collins is recovering though, and even recently attempted to go back into the studio a few months ago. Even after finding it was still too early to begin writing music again, it was an encouraging sign. Along with Billy Mackenzie and Morrissey (both above), Collins had one of the most powerful voices of 80s. I would recommend his brilliant solo album, Gorgeous George.

Orange Juice – Falling and Laughing

Orange Juice – Simply Thrilled Honey

Orange Juice – Love Sick

Official Web Site

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