As our pleased ears have told us, bands that form with members from other influential bands are usually victorious. In regard to these sometimes-called “supergroups”, one reputable name is Jonathon Donahue, whose short but praised presence in both the Flaming Lips and Mercury Rev make him a rare example of a musician treading between two of the most acclaimed acts in a given genre and time period. The Rassle contains four members that can relate somewhat to Donahue, at least in his juggling of work between two bands that some consider chronologically suitable rivals. The Rassle, which focuses on reviving the post-punk sound, has extreme chemistry despite the members’ mixed backgrounds. It is probable that this instant chemistry was a result of The Rassle’s make-up and experience, which includes former Virgins affiliate Erik Ratensperger, Marc Solomich of The Takeover UK, and Reed and Blair Van Nort of Young Lords.

The Rassle formed after a long acquaintance and a short history of playing shows together, mostly at random venues in New York City, soon forming the name The Rassle. “It’s a slang word,” Blair Van Nort says on the name. “Reed and I are brothers and we come from a small state in the south called Texas and we used to joke about rassling when we moved to New York many years ago.  Things like: “Rassle me up a 40 when you’re at the bodega.” Or, “If you don’t clean up your room I’m gonna rassle your ass.” We just thought it was a funny word but also loaded with enough context to make it a good band name,” he explains. “And we also liked that people might not be familiar with the word, so they could apply their own contextual imagery without the words defining the band first.  Kinda like when we were kids and heard about Oasis.  We didn’t think about what a stupid band name it was, ’cause we had no idea what an Oasis was.”

With the age of technology at its prime, we are frequently seeing bands take advantage of it by setting up extensive MySpace pages, twitters, blogs and websites. Characteristically, The Rassle’s Myspace page is vague and has a sense of humor to it. With Biggie Smalls and Little Richard listed as their musical influences, and a minuscule amount of friends, first-time viewers might question the band’s legitimacy. “We’re still so new,” Erik Ratensperger says on their lack of Internet partake. “We only launched these songs a few months ago, but it’s nice to see such a positive response so early.  This is definitely not a side project; when we started this, we didn’t know exactly how it was gonna go, but we quickly realized that something was there.  It was pretty magical, it just sparked and we decided go full steam,” Ratensperger finishes, before Reed Van Nort quickly pipes in, “Who’s on MySpace anymore anyways?  I think as Seth Meyers put it: MySpace: The Abandoned Amusement Park of the Internet.”

So with Young Lords and Virgins influences present, should we expect a similar type of listening experience from The Rassle?  “This is an entirely different band,” Ratensperger boldly states. “I think the music we are making now is a lot better than what we did with Young Lords,” Blair Van Nort adds. “But we are older now and have learned a lot more about making music and we have a clearer vision of what we want to see when we reach the light at the end of the tunnel.” Though they aim for a fresh style, the band incorporates a cumulatively equal style in the songwriting process. Ratensperger sees the process as mutually beneficial. “It’s a collective effort.  It’s really nice when we’re working on something and everyone’s just bouncing off each other with different ideas on what might make a song move,” he said. “But because this is still so new, I think we’re also still learning the process as we write and record more songs.  It also usually also involves a few cold ones and Doritos.”

Being an unsigned band fairly new to the music scene, The Rassle decided to take the initiative and recorded a few demo songs on a cheap microphone in their apartment. “From the beginning we decided to throw the kitchen sink at these songs,” Blair Van Nort says on his band’s loose recording process. “We had all been in bands that got pigeon-holed into these genres and styles and we were super reluctant to allow this new project to be defined by his or her dogma. So we tried adding and subtracting lots of different sounds and instruments until we found the parts we felt added up to the highest degree of sonic purity. But ultimately you know we were super limited by our tools since we made these songs at our apartment using Garage Band and Pro Tools Lite, but I think it turned out great. We stumbled into something so much more honest and true to ourselves being cramped in our tiny apartment but dreaming big.”

With a few rough songs, some upcoming shows in the New York/ New Jersey area, and an optimistic attitude, The Rassle have already began their journey of taking over the indie rock world. “We just really wanna make music that inspires other people,” Blair Van Nort says on his band’s goal. When asked for a few last words, the guys summarize in a few of their own lyrics. “Celebrate the days!” Blair exclaims, as Reed pipes in, “If it’s all you got!”

RIYL: MGMT, The Virgins, The Takeover UK, Young Lords, Black Kids, Mystery Jets, Good Shoes, The Maccabees, The Pigeon Detectives, The Teenagers, The Strokes, Passion Pit, Klaxons, Two Door Cinema Club, The Kooks, The Clouts, Blonde Acid Cult, Dear Future, The Redwalls

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The Rassle – Wild Ones

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The Rassle – Born Free

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The Rassle – Celebrate the Days

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Official Web Site

MySpace

The post Interview with The Rassle appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.

The answer for the riddle below was revealed to be C-O-R-K, but only in a figurative sense for short-term satisfaction. It is entirely metaphorical. As for what the island really is (which will not be answered until the finale), I believe I have an answer that can be explained using science (even if it is applied in a futuristic sense):

So…What Is the Island? It’s described as a four-letter word. There’s your first clue! Shall we play Hangman? There are no A’s or E’s in the word…Wanna buy another vowel? Okay, but you only get one.

Another thing I can tell you: The island has to exist, according to my sources, and more importantly, someone has to protect it. It’s important to the world outside.

The metaphor used was: C-O-R-K

But as for what the island really is, that will not be revealed until episode 15 or later. The big reveal? A moon. Not the earth’s moon, but a moon. Using plausible science, I explain why below.

Before you read this theory, please view this video for essential reference:

according to Marvin Candle, a casimir effect occurs when two of the same person or animal are present simultaneously on the island. this arises several implications now that many individuals are existing concurrently in the two timelines present for Season 6, perhaps someday bound to converge and trigger this casimir effect. after all, everything that rises must converge.

as far as the casimir effect goes, use the following as reference but further research is encouraged so you can grasp this theory: “Exotic matter with negative energy density is required to stabilize a wormhole. Morris, Thorne and Yurtsever pointed out that the quantum mechanics of the Casimir effect can be used to produce a locally mass-negative region of space-time, and suggested that negative effect could be used to stabilize a wormhole to allow faster than light travel. This concept has been used extensively in science fiction.”

as you can see, the casimir effect opens up all sorts of opportunities once light-speed comes into play, the most obvious being the futuristic potential of space and time. especially considering that time travel and wormholes have already been exposed on this show, LOST is clearly not reluctant to apply futuristic ideology for explanations.

Before I answer some of the island’s biggest mysteries, I urge you to check out one more video. For basic background, it is Contact‘s interpretation of wormhole travel: “When the pod travels through a series of wormholes, she (Jodie Foster) is separated briefly and can observe the outside environment. This includes a radio array-like structure at Vega and signs of a highly advanced civilization on an unknown planet. She finds herself in a surreal landscape similar to a childhood picture of Pensacola, Florida, and approached by a blurry figure that resolves into that of her father.”

Most importantly, you can notice how “bumpy” the ride is:

the similarities are obvious, as is the technology and scientific terminology used. 03:10 reminds me of Locke staring into the smoke monster. Once a tropical island emerges around 04:00, her dead father comes in at 5:30 (almost looking like smoke!). I think we can safely say that Contact may have been a slight influence, and considering the planet she traveled to through a wormhole resembles an island-like moon, this isn’t that unbelievable. LOST obviously has different components at work, but as far as the wormhole travel to the moon goes it will be revealed very similarly.

to be concise, the island being a moon answers several major questions:

How come everyone ends up back at the island when they try to sail away from it?
Simple: the island is located within a sphere. Now, obviously considering Sawyer was back in a few days after attempting to leave, the sphere is not very big. What is a celestial body that is not big enough to be classified as a planet, but can still potentially sustain life? A moon. And imagine that… a four-letter word that uses just one vowel that is not ‘A’ or ‘E’! Nothing in the clue states that the vowel is USED once, only that we GET only one to use. perhaps one is all we need (just like the earth only was given one moon, but that is all it needs). if the answer to the actual riddle is C-O-R-K, it will be too metaphorical to disregard this proposal or any for that matter. it will be explained in metaphorical terms what the island is shortly and C-O-R-K seems like a good candidate. it is the perfect method of providing a hyped-about revelation without actually revealing anything.

Why do the food drops keep occurring, without a plane in sight?
DHARMA food drops kept occurring because the food automatically drops precisely on the “wormhole” (via fixed coordinates), sending all these items beyond light-speed to their respective locations on the island/moon (thus falling from the sky). Faraday’s experiments with time on the island further enforce this theory. theories that conclude 108 minutes on the island equaling 1 earth day also remain possible with this theory, but is not essential. What is known, though, is that time on the island is not the same as on earth. What other scientific explanation is there than for it not to exist on earth?

OK, so how does one get to the island on this apparent moon?
Think back to the time Juliet was taken to the island for the first time. She took the submarine with the others, but was knocked out with sleeping meds to avoid being conscious on a “very bumpy ride”. The others have obvious knowledge of the wormhole’s coordinates, and this explains how certain privileged people (Richard, Friendly, etc.) are able to travel to and from the island with ease. when Juliet was sleeping, the submarine entered the wormhole and was transported faster than light-speed to the island’s location, which plausibly could be anywhere in the universe (and on any moon in the universe). also remember: the “coordinates” that Ben gave Michael and Walt were essentially the directions to the wormhole that lifted them off this moon using light-speed, placing them in a convenient location on earth relative to the wormhole. they basically left the island where they entered it: the “wormhole” between earth and the island.

Why does the island “have to exist”?
it has to exist due to obvious effects on the gravitational pull of earth or planets that earth depends on, especially considering a wormhole to that specific part of the universe is present already on earth. the island/moon DOES exist in the newly created alt-timeline, the entry point is just elsewhere or it may not even been created yet. that’s their purpose in this alt-timeline… to come together and accomplish this task. the writers have said Aaron will be “extremely important” to the show’s plot, so he may certainly have something to do with opening it. The writers also claim the alt-reality is vital and important, so I foresee either both parties converging (i.e. father Jack coming face-to-face with non-father Jack on the island) or using this reality as a means to mend this now-disrupted entry point. Again, more exposition on the back-stories of Jacob/MiB are required for elaboration, as the motivation of Jacob for creating this alt-reality out of “the incident” remains unclear.

But wait, it showed in the S6 premiere that the island sunk. How can it still exist?
The island did not sink. This is evidenced by there being no known casualties in the alt-timeline, but even more so by the casimir effect and “The Incident”. the incident, which caused the wormhole to implode (in the alt-timeline), deposited all material on the island from that “moon” to the place of its respective wormhole on earth. it literally came down from the sky and fell into the ocean, just like the food drops, into the original place of the now non-existent wormhole. except now, it was dropping into water instead of where land originally was. the actual scientific implications of “The Incident” are too ambiguous right now to properly theorize, but I imagine it had some role in disrupting the wormhole.

Scientific fact: Regions of negative energy are required to stabilize and keep a worm hole open. “The Incident” somehow effected the island’s “abundance of negative energy” (Marvin Candle Quote) to the point of it closing or weakening the wormhole. the island still exists, but most items (the foot statue, cabins, etc.) were drawn to the wormhole just like items in the electromagnetic hatch. “The Incident” will eventually be explained using references of wormholes, the casimir effect, and the incredibly unique properties of negative energy and electromagnetism on the island.

How does time travel play into all of this?
I’ll let science do the talking for this question:

Worm holes are a feature of classical general relativity, but to create them you have to change the topology of space-time. That might be possible within a theory of quantum gravity. To keep a worm hole open, regions of negative energy would be needed. Misner and Thorne have suggested using the Casimir Effect on a grand scale to generate the negative energy.

Thorne has found that if worm holes can be created, then they can be used to construct closed timelike loops in space-time which would imply the possibility of time travel.
//math.ucr.edu/home/baez/physics/Relativity/SpeedOfLight/FTL.html#20

Also for elaboration on wormholes: Worm holes are shortcuts through space-time from one place in the universe to another which would permit you to go from one end to the other in a shorter time than it would take light passing by the usual route.

So what are the explanations for Desmond, Henry Gale, Yemi’s brother, Naomi, and others arriving on the island?
Henry Gale likely came by accident, similar to Desmond. These people entered the wormhole without knowledge… Desmond passing out was similar to Juliet, Oceanic passengers, etc. directly prior to arriving on the island. Naomi obviously came in purpose with Widmore’s crew, and knowing Widmore he has the resources to obtain the coordinates of the wormhole. He was looking for this around the same time as his daughter, who sent a crew to the Arctic to find the island’s entry point. We can probably go deeper and say Jacob intervened somehow in bringing certain people to the island, but this current theory is regarding what the island is. Tackling Jacob/MiB is a whole different thing.

OK, but I thought humans could not physically handle traveling beyond lightspeed…
Again, in applying futuristic research they are able to. Warp drive simulates the results of an object or person traveling orders of magnitude faster than the speed of light, but the effect is such that the object or person actually stands still, encased in a warp “bubble” that transports the space around the ship to another location. Sound familiar?

How did this wormhole get there?
This is up to the writers and it may correlate to further reveals of Jacob/MiB, but they could even resort to saying it is too old to even attempt to grasp. A pre-historic explanation for something like that would be fine as long as larger mysteries are answered. Natural phenomenons are one thing, but traveling smoke monsters and defiance of earthly physics are not. To say that even Jacob does not grasp the wormhole’s history would not be unrealistic. Chances are though, they have something up their sleeves.

Where does the island’s infertility work into this?
Oddly enough, the details of this have changed for the island over time. Juliet was brought to the island to help make birth possible. When she was shown a picture of a 26-year-old woman’s womb on the island, she thought it was that of a 70-year-old. Also remember she told Sun that Jin’s sperm count was 100x the norm on the island, whereas off the island he did not have enough sperm to conceive. I am not sure how this can concisely relate to the moon theory, since whether or not one can conceive appears to depend on the time of the island (they were able to conceive at some point, with many exceptions), but this study from NASA is very interesting:

As you can see, difficulties in conceived on a micro-gravity environment are abundant. Keep this in mind: The only three known methods of creating a micro-g environment are to travel far enough into deep space so as to reduce the effect of gravity by attenuation, by falling, and by orbiting a planet. when Juliet said sperm count increased 100x on the island, keep in mind she had never seen sperm behave in outer space or microgravity. Mis-identifying the vigorous speed of some sperm cells as the normal speed of MANY sperm cells is highly probable as a result, especially when the medical tools Juliet is using is from the 1970s.

Please do not assume that I am definitively saying the island exists in micro-gravity. that example was just used to show how differences in gravity, regardless of how slight they are, unarguably effects the ability to conceive. as to what the alterations in gravity actually are, the finale should elaborate on that. For proof of gravitational anomalies on the island, the lamp post station attempted to locate the island by identifying a certain gravitational anomaly.

Regarding micro-gravity: A micro-g environment (also µg, often referred to by the term microgravity) is one where the acceleration induced by gravity has little or no measurable effect – gravity itself does not change. consequently, the effects we see as viewers are minimal and only shown through experiments in time like the ones farraday did.

I am not even saying it is micro-gravity for sure… IT just seems like the most plausible. What I’m trying to emphasize is that even minor changes in gravity can dramatically effect the ability to conceive.

So, how can you explain how Locke could walk and Rose’s cancer was cured?
These are reactions caused by entry upon this specific type of wormhole. When Oceanic went through this wormhole, the people on the plane had to deal with the wormhole’s effects.  an explanation for the lack of fertility could ALSO be that components of one’s body are altered upon entering the wormhole. cancer can be cured, broken limbs can be mended, your sperm count increases 100x, and a woman’s womb increases in age by 40+ years (further elaborating upon the differences in time). check out this quote to reinforce this: “This symbol is a womb, it’s a gateway, a doorway, it’s the symbol of new life. It’s a symbol of something that can get you from one dimension to another and this just opens up a whole can of worms(holes) of thinking and possibilities.”

the same being said, the differences in gravity (along with the island’s unique electromagnetic and negative energy properties) may also play a role in the occurrence of these “miracles”.

Any other reasons to believe this crazy theory?
Remember when Locke and Ben turned the pinwheel? They dropped about 20 feet underground to do so, encountering a startling change in climate. I would like anyone to name me a place on earth that changes the climate from TROPICAL to TUNDRA after one descends 20 feet. Also, the moon theory answers why planes NEVER fly over the island, why there are never seasonal changes, and what exactly that white light is when one turns the wheel. When Ben ends up in Tunisia, he is laying flat on the ground. Think back to the foot statue now on the bottom of the sea. When it was deposited as a result of “The Incident”, it underwent a procedure very similar to Ben in that it was meant to end up safe on the ground somewhere, but instead ended up on the bottom of the sea where that land (the island) was supposed to be before being moved. And what moved it? The pinwheel moves the wormhole, and “The Incident” obstructs it.

One of the biggest indicators of this theory’s legitimacy is Faraday’s experiments. Recall when he looked up at the island’s sky and remarked on scattering light, saying light did not scatter properly on the island. This, in addition to obvious differences in time between the island and the earth, suggest that the island is located differently than earth is in relevance to the sun and moon. Also take a look at the official DHARMA logo below:

Come on man, how is an island on a moon considered science?
It is science when you look at it from a futuristic perspective (which is often done in shows like these to build the mystery). when you consider the true scientific possibility of a wormhole existing and leading people to anywhere in the universe, anything is possible. to say that a moon exists somewhere in the universe that can house human life is not an actual fact, but it cannot be scientifically disproven (scientists claim 30+ known moons are potentially habitable). this is my point here… I have always watched this show assuming that all aspects could NOT be scientifically disproven. Some aspects like the smoke monster, the lighthouse, non-aging seem absurd, but when these futuristic possibilities arise the audience should regard new scientific breakthroughs and studies.

What can this theory NOT explain?
To tell you the truth, it can answer a lot. But it still does not answer one major question: Why are these people on the island? What the island is has minimal bearing on Jacob and MiB, since they realistically could have been children in the year 23AD who arrived on the island via the same wormhole that everyone else did nearly 2000 years later. I cannot yet theorize on Jacob or MiB because the information involving them is so thin, but after Episode 15 I imagine that things will be a lot clearer.

If Episode 9 does reveal the riddle’s answer to be a “cork”, do not disregard this theory or others entirely. Knowing Lost, it will be a metaphorical explanation that will just tease viewers until it is actually explained. The most definitive explanation, though, must involve elaboration on the Jacob/MiB backstory, so it is easy to see why they will wait until the finale for such a revelation. Considering that the origins of the smoke monster and whispers are also to be revealed around finale time, their cohesive explanations are contingent on the other-worldly (literally) components and unique energy properties that have yet to be fully exposed.

The post LOST: Island on a Moon appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.

One of Kill It Kid’s more noticeable trends is their ability to gracefully develop coarse melodies into sprawling emotional epics, as much in their vocal performances as their fury of instrumentation. Turpin and Steph Ward, a pianist and fellow vocalist, create some of the greatest vocal interplays you are bound to hear this year. The five-piece took their name from Blind Willie McTell, a Piedmont blues legend, and Turpin’s vocals pack a similar sense of rawly invigorated passion that is widely associated with the gritty blues-rock of today that is clearly influenced by the bare styles of blues in the past. Ward complements Turpin’s coarsely powerful vocals well, opting to contrast his vocals with a simultaneously angelic and rapturous croon. In the midst of their most powerful duets, it almost sounds like a clash between good and evil. Both vocalists are damn good here though in a qualitative sense though, as if the highly impressive mixture of strings, guitars, and furious percussion was not enough. The group’s blues leanings may lead some to assume they are from the States, but like Bruce Peninsula they show that blues does not have influence strictly on American artists. Kill It Kid hail from the UK, the members growing up around the areas of Bristol and Bath and meeting at the latter’s Bath Spa University. With influences both foreign and native, they have released an album that should amass them a large fanbase with an expansive array of excellent songs that showcase their musicianship, songwriting, and ingenuity in masterful form.

Now that Kill It Kid are signed to one of the UK’s most consistent labels in One Little Indian, success seems imminent. They released their debut single, “Send Me an Angel Down”, in May and have been generating hype ever since. Sporting a graceful arrangement of strings by the talented Richard Jones, “Send Me an Angel Down” was a pretty interesting choice for a single when one considers its depth and structural ingenuity for a debut single. But this is the stuff I love to see out of a young band, taking a risk and choosing to showcase the best representation of their songwriting over one that is potentially the most radio-friendly. This marvelous track grows from a sullen Turpin croon and a soft string accompaniment into one roaring with guitars and percussion, erupting shortly after Ward makes her subtle but important vocal appearance. How the strings gradually go from leading fiddle to collaborating with the guitars and rhythm section is a marvel to witness, as is how both the vocal deliveries of Turpin and Ward tend to variate as the track progresses with youthful glee. It shows that this is a band not afraid to take innovative steps in unveiling their most sincere and forbidden emotions. For a debut album, it is something rare and extraordinary.

For a sound so distinctive and fulfilling, Kill It Kid could have easily provided little diversity in their songwriting and still have resulted in an enjoyable album. But for a group with their apparent ambition, these are inaccurate expectations. “Private Idaho” is one of the few moments where Ward stars with her lead vocals, proving herself to be just as effective as Turpin in the right circumstances. She obviously does not fit as well in the bluesier arrangements, but a nice country-folk number like “Private Idaho” or the dance-room country shuffle of “My Lips Won’t Be Kept Clean” show Ward at her best. The latter is an enthusiastic and fun track, which contrasts some of the album’s strongest material. “Burst Its Banks” plays extraordinarily with the contrast between anthemic string ballads and high-powered guitar anthems, often transitioning unexpectedly but in a way that is unconventionally cohesive. The effort works with extreme precision, specifically the key-aided chorus where both Turpin and Ward relay one of the album’s best moments over a series of twinkling keys and brilliant strings. The string solo that proceeds that is also a spectacle, a technique echoed in the equally powerful “Ivy and Oak”. With its consistency and wondrous array of great moments, Kill It Kid is easily one of the most memorable debuts of 2009 for me. Any fans of folk, blues, or Americana should be in bliss with this album; its confidence and vision is extremely rare for a band of Kill It Kid’s youth.

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Kill It Kid – Burst Its Banks

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Kill It Kid – Send Me an Angel Down

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Kill It Kid – Private Idaho

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Official Site

MySpace

BUY

The post Kill It Kid! appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.

One hit wonders are certainly a fascinating concept. An artist with the fortune of executing one brilliant idea can live quite a luxurious lifestyle with minimal work, even if most artists who instead release numerous albums that are all enjoyable often end up barely scraping by. Sure, most of us can agree that the music industry does not reward its inclined occupants based on effort, but what is the deciding factor then? Most of the time, it seems to be based on chance and commercial reception more than anything else, which hinders the ability that independent music has to emit originality and selflessness. The effect may be indirect, but the hordes of artists that compete for the one breakthrough single that earns them a cool million or two inherit an ideology that proves detrimental to the values of artistry in general. Striving for monetary success is an ideal that has been firmly enforced in society, even if its tendency to overlap into business, sports, and the arts has caused aspects like effort, commitment, and morality to lower themselves within the hierarchies of success. Independent music, though, seems to retain selfless intuitions for success. It seems to prevail momentously in the arts, mainly because the results affect its followers on an emotional level.

Existing within this realm of independent music in a form that is too transparent for their evident talents, The Kingsbury Manx are a fine example of a group that have never been deterred by the allure of cheap ambition. Their four albums, all released this decade, have shown the North Carolina-based quartet to be a band that values consistency just as much as they do radio-friendly accessibility. It would be hard to select any of their four albums as their best, as their lush mixture of throwback pop and country (with tinges of psychedelia and rock) has remained a successful concoction that has never grown tiresome or uninspired on any of The Kingsbury Manx’s releases. The group’s history is pretty traditional, as they follow a long line of schoolmates-turned-bandmates that met in middle school, separated for a bit in college, and then reunited to infuse their artistic compatibility. For college, the four members all stayed within the boundaries of North Carolina, with half attending UNC-Chapel Hill and the other two studying at Wilmington. Both The Kingsbury Manx’s adoration for their home state and their unintimidating demeanor is indicative on their MySpace, where their celebratory response to UNC’s NCAA win is profiled in a plethora of photos. It looks like the MySpace for a high school sports fan rather than a professional band, but it fits surprisingly well with The Kingsbury Manx’s unpretentiousness and artistic values.

The Kingsbury Manx’s rise to success has been slow but steady, seeming to escalade slightly with each successive release. Their four albums came within the span of 2000 to 2005, demonstrating a rapid sense of workmanship in addition to the consistency that eventually resulted in a sizable fanbase by the release of their previous album, The Fast Rise and Fall of the South, in 2005. Four years has probably seemed like a lifetime to fans that were accustomed to The Kingsbury Manx’s quick releases of LPs and EPs, but it has certainly paid off with the release of their fifth album, Ascenseur Ouvert!. Their sound has always been accessible, mainly because of the influence that British ‘60s pop has had on them. The Kinks, The Byrds, and even Pink Floyd’s lighter fare have a prominent influence on The Kingsbury Manx’s fusion of blissful chamber-pop and ‘60s psychedelia. Beginning with their second album, Let You Down, The Kingsbury Manx have explored more ambitious moods and styles in addition to their accessible vein of pop. Each album has appeared to involve more modernistic styles like alt-rock or Americana, but their admiration of ‘60s British pop remains prevalent. On Ascenseur Ouvert!, the four-piece have used their decade-long experience and growing stylistic ambitiousness to present an impressive release that capitalizes on both their British influences and native American roots.

As a whole, Ascenseur Ouvert! is accessible from the get-go due to an approach that uses both the group’s conception of familiar pop music and an album format that features short-but-sweet tracks that rarely exceed four minutes. These never seem to waste even a second of time though, as the lush vocal harmonies and melodic assortment of keys and acoustics make tracks like “If You’re on the Mend, I’m on the Move” and “These Three Things”. The infectious “Over the Oeuvre” is more brisk with its pulsating keys and trickling synth line, but the vocals of guitarist Bill Taylor and drummer Ryan Richardson are serene and whimsically delightful enough to make even chaos seem uncharacteristically relaxing. Save for the budding strings of “Minos Maze” and the subtle orchestral usage in “Shoulder Stories” and “Well, Whatever”, the album never strays far from a familiar and consistent stylistic territory. The aforementioned tracks with orchestral implementation tend to echo contemporary chamber-pop acts like Field Music or Belle & Sebastian in their approach, occasionally resulting in even greater heights than on throwback Brit-pop efforts. Even on those though, the album reaches sweeping heights that rivals all of The Kingsbury Manx’s previous efforts. They may not have reached household-name status yet, but their consistency should pay off after Ascenseur Ouvert! is warmly received. Not everyone needs a one-hit-wonder to achieve success; for The Kingsbury Manx and most enduring artists, their eventual recognition will arise from consistency and durability.

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The Kingsbury Manx – Well, Whatever

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The Kingsbury Manx – If You’re on the Mend, I’m on the Move

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The Kingsbury Manx – Over the Oeuvre

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Odessa Records

MySpace

BUY

The post The Kingsbury Manx appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.

I often find March to be one of the dullest months of the year. Apart from the allure of St. Patrick’s Day and March Madness, there is little to get excited about. The weather sucks, the workload for classes is nearing its peak, and my inability to pick a decent bracket frustrates me to no end (damn you, Memphis and Pitt). But hey, classes are over about a month from now and baseball starts next week, so things could be worse. In a month where good music was vital in improving somber moods, several artists prevailed with some excellent material. From familiar faces like The Veils and Röyksopp to up-and-coming hype machines like Micachu, Tesla Boy, and Julian Velard, several artists made March a month to remember with a handful of releases that are sure to appear on my year-end list. The ’80s electro of Tesla Boy and the cabaret-pop of Julian Velard suggest some sort of throwback theme, but wildly successful attempts at innovation from Micachu, The Veils, and others make it a compilation that presents material derived from both nostalgia and contemporary innovation. I consider it to be an excellent fusion.

01. The Veils – The Letter (post)
02. Richard Swift – Already Gone (post)
03. The Deep Dark Woods – Polly (post)
04. Röyksopp – The Girl and the Robot (post)
05. Tesla Boy – Spirit of the Night (post)
06. Julian Velard – Jimmy Dean & Steve McQueen (post)
07. Micachu – Golden Phone (post)
08. The Mint Chicks – I Can’t Stop Being Foolish (post)
09. Chris Robley & The Fear of Heights – A Memory Lost at Sea (post)
10. Home Video – I Can Make You Feel It (post)
11. The Gift Machine – In the Middle (post)

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The divergence of folk music has been a common observation among fans of independent music for the past decade or so. Whether one most prefers the interpretation of Eastern European folk by the likes of Beirut and Gogol Bordello, the imaginative and somewhat historically narrative folk of the Decemberists and Sufjan Stevens, or the amusing usage of the term “freak-folk” that describes the likes of Devendra Banhart, Joanna Newsom, and Akron/Family, the genre inarguably remains as one of the most domineering styles of utilization for independent artists due to its high level of flexibility and room for creativity. A decline in the popularity of contemporary British folk music has been somewhat noticeable over the past several years, but it certainly does not coincide with a decline in quality. As previously featured British acts in the vein of Tunng, Hush the Many (Heed the Few), and Richard Hawley have shown with their variety of respective styles like experimental-folk, fusions of chamber-pop and folk, and traditional folk, there is no reason to have any fear regarding the cultural state of the genre. Such proficient interpretations propelled their releases into being a few of my personal favorites from their respective years. To add another one to that list, Jonquil is the most recent British folk group to showcase their talent in dazzling form.

Unlike many other British folk acts who can be easily grouped into either a form of traditional and experimentally unconventional, Jonquil are resoundingly unique in the fact that they tend to incorporate both qualities. They have the same narrative edge of traditional British songwriters in the vein of Billy Bragg and Bert Jansch, but their musical and structural tendencies tend to fall within a realm that is more comparable to experimental artists like the aforementioned Beirut and Tunng. With their lyrical and vocal approaches recalling a more nostalgic feel, the fact that their music often remains modernistic and synchronized creates a uniquely enthralling sound that has brought the group critical acclaim ever since the release of their first album, Sunny Casinos, in 2006. The debut received praise from most of those who heard it, but a limited release caused the group to not truly see their first signs of deserved success until the release of their second album, Lions, the following year. Originally consisting as a collection of home recordings by lead singer and songwriter Hugo Manuel, Lions went on to establish the six-piece as one of the most promising acts in their local Oxford music scene. It proved to be a successful departure from the more atmospherically enabled Sunny Casinos, a release that contained some impressive production and innovative ideas but failed to show the group’s high level of songwriting in its true light.

After the group expressed their mutual desire to stylistically transcend into a more exuberant form of songwriting that proved more infectiously demonstrative of their ability to combine elements of traditional folk with experimental interpretations of pop music, success started to come almost immediately. The decision to make a stylistic transition also had to do with the reception Jonquil was receiving live when playing Sunny Casinos, as the members felt that a stylistic shift would result in a more excitable and engaged demeanor from the audience. “It was very much a product of the studio,” Manuel said of Sunny Casinos in an interview. “As soon as we started trying to reproduce that on stage, we realized it wasn’t really what we were after.” As heard from the self-titled track on Lions, it is very easy to notice the poppier demeanor that the group had chosen to undertake. They are clearly one of the few groups out there who are able to make an accordion progression irresistibly infectious, as the mixture of Manuel’s sonorous vocals, his accordion, and an abruptly emerging rhythm section creates a sing-along of sorts that certainly coincided with Jonquil’s ideology to make their performances more entertaining. “Our shows are all about having fun and we wanted to reflect that in our music,” Manuel said of Lions. As you can see with the album’s title track alone, the transition was certainly a success.

Now that they have had over a year to get accustomed to their stylistic alteration, many wondered what would be next for the young six-piece from Oxford. Their new EP, Whistle Low, is the first indication of that, showcasing the most confident and consistent stylistic focus from this tactful group yet. The opener, “Whistle Low”, sees Manuel’s vocals take a fluid approach over handclaps and the swift progression of an acoustic guitar, later to be complemented by an electric guitar and subtle whirring of synthesizers. “In the shade where no one knows, in the shade he whistled low,” he sings, sounding remarkably like XTC’s Andy Partridge in the process. The XTC comparison here may catch some off-guard initially, especially those who heard the first and second albums, but the style is certainly a stroke of success. The second section of the song is tranquil with two multiple guitar progressions, one electric and one acoustic, occurring concurrently as the vocal approach becomes more sporadically involved then before. “Putting Names to Faces” is also an outstanding effort for some excellent uses of percussion and structural shifts. Just shortly after the two-minute mark occurs, a hushed melody led by a harp-like instrument emerges that re-establishes the sheer beauty of the track. “Night Time Story”, as the name indicates, is a lush ballad that sees Manuel’s gentle voice soothed by an intricate acoustic progression, a simplistically reflective electric guitar, and a series of strings that surface at the conclusion to wrap up yet another beautiful effort.

For the seven songs presented on Whistle Low, it is quite remarkable that there is not one misstep to be heard. Though it only spans slightly more than 20 minutes, there is a prevalent sense of capitalization contained within the short duration; the group’s constant expansion of songwriting ideas is ceaselessly impressive, even on tracks like “Water is Yours” and “Parasol” where they opt for the more atmospheric ideals of their first album, Sunny Casinos. In fact, tracks like these add to the overall feel of an EP. Due to the short duration but exceptionally high level of songwriting presented, I can’t help but feel a bit teased. If anything though, it has made me even more excited for the eventual release of Jonquil’s third album.

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Jonquil – Whistle Low

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Jonquil – Lions

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Jonquil – Putting Names to Faces

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The evolution of a band can be a fascinating development. We all know that lineups are often changed due to personal differences, but it is a very sensitive situation when a group of regularly amiable individuals are forced to clash over the style and substance contained in their material. A fill-in musician becoming a full-time member when an original member leaves is common and is hardly noticeable in appliance to accustomed stylistic displays. However, when a band is comprised of members who are all skilled and confident enough to attempt an “enhancement” of a previous style, disagreements seem nearly imminent and separation begins to seem more plausible. Originally a lo-fi acoustical duo, Firekites may have had initial doubts concerning an expansion upon their sound and performance. Founding members Tim Mcphee and Rod Smith had a desire to keep their acoustical blend of pop, folk, and jazz as the focus, but they also felt that bringing a bit more to the table was vital toward crafting the sound they truly wanted. Veterans of their local music scene, the experience gathered by the Australian duo throughout the years as varying performers allowed them to select a proper group of musicians who felt very similarly. Even though they may not have known it at the time, such musical kinships are a luxury that only few songwriters are granted with.

Gathering Jane Tyrrell, Jason Tampake, and Matt Blackman as their members of choice, Mcphee and Smith set forth the second stage of Firekites in an abandoned coffee house/disco hall combo by the name of The Bowery. A landmark in their native Newcastle due to it being the first of its kind there, The Bowery fit the duo’s liking for its history and sense of intimacy as the first place for the new lineup to get underway.  With many initial sessions taking place in the abandoned location, it only made sense for the group to eventually name their debut album The Bowery. Proud of their roots and the album’s enriching stages of development, the title served well. The final stages of production also saw Richard Pike (Pivot) contribute some electronic elements, with Ben Howe later joining as the drummer. While I have featured a handful of great Australian artists over the past few years (Eskimo Joe, Ancient Free Gardeners, etc.), there have not been many with a consistent focus on lo-fi folk and pop. Most of the material I hear from the country is rooted in alternative-rock , and even though I know that such experiences are merely determined by a small sample size, hearing Firekites is a breath of fresh air nonetheless.

The evidence can be provided by the instrumentation on their album alone, but it is quite clear that the ensemble of Firekites are studied musicians with a passion for the sound they are prescribing. So many groups these days look to increase their level of recognition by providing a comparison to a popularized genre; Firekites undoubtedly have no intention of deceiving their listeners with such false descriptions. They mention jazz as having a considerable influence on their songwriting, an aspect that manages to be an occasionally prevalent treat that enhances their sound in both structural and melodic form. Whether it be the subtly empowering rhythm section in the haunting instrumental “Paris” or the guitar progressions in the graceful “New Year Has Spoken”, the uses make themselves evident without jazz being the main force at work. It is in their masterful approach of folk and pop that makes Firekites’ debut so impressive; their studied jazz approach simply makes the semi-conventional folk approach enthralling and more uniquely invigorating. With such aforementioned tracks providing a clear description of their talent, Firekites have the prowess to compose an entirely instrumental album with success, though the varied mix of vocal performances are another striking aspect that will make the overall result of The Bowery that much more memorable when it drops on August 19th.

There are few tracks that demonstrate beauty in such instantaneously gripping form as “Autumn Story”, an effort that sees Firekites at their best. An acoustic guitar serves as the melodic backbone, supplemented by handclapped percussion and a stunningly fervent use of strings. Throughout its duration, the track builds upon a simplistic acoustical progression until all three melodic forces collaborate to create an astonishingly dramatic effect. The first bridge sees the guitar become more ambitious in its tonal structure, with the increase in dexterity cueing the entrance of strings. Each proceeding verse sees the instrumentation increase in complexity, though never to a point where it becomes too difficult to recall the structural techniques of the preceding elements. Mcphee controls the vocals here, as with most of the male parts on the album. His delivery is somewhat reminiscent of Paul Simon’s gentle croon, with the highly melodic backing of constantly transitioning acoustic guitars making that comparison even more justifiable. On tracks like “Same Suburb, Different Park”, Jane Tyrrell provides female vocals that are just as comfortably soothing as Mcphee’s. This one particularly is in duet form with Mcphee, a nice choice considering both of their somewhat analogous deliveries. The music itself is also a nice indication of their electronic additions, mainly evident in the rhythmic additions in the middle of the track. Jazz and electronica are the two genres that are implemented mainly behind the scenes, though involving them with the Firekites’ predominantly steady grasp of folk and pop proves to be extraordinary for the band’s sound.

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Firekites – Autumn Story

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Firekites – Paris

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Firekites – Same Suburb, Different Park

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For any inquiries regarding the stylistic leanings of The Asteroid No. 4, the only bit of information one would likely require is that the six-piece were involved in a Spacemen 3 tribute in 1998, contributing a cover of “Losing Touch With My Mind” to a tribute album. Appropriately enough, that was also the year they released their debut album, Introducing The Asteroid No. 4. Apart from the simultaneous string of releases immediately proposing a definite proclamation of sorts in regards to their sound, it gave them the beginnings of a fan base who were very much enamored with the band’s stylistic preference. After all, when you get off on the right foot by releasing a striking cover of a band with a cult following, there will be more than a few of those ears willing to give your debut album a listen. Set on the stylish mixture of space-rock and neo-psychedelia, they released Introducing The Asteroid No. 4 to the delight of fans’ expectations, revealing a collection of strong songs that capitalized on the group’s blatant admiration for the likes of Spacemen 3 and the space-rock sound that they influentially produced. Flash forward 10 years and The Asteroid No. 4 is preparing to release their fifth album, one that definitively proves to be their best yet.

Based on the time of release and reception of their 5 albums, the career of The Asteroid No. 4 is starting to bear a resemblance to Pulp. Releasing a handful of albums in the early ’80s with little recognition or praise, Pulp went on to release a string of classics in the mid ’90s to later become one of the most influential bands of the decade. Now, The Asteroid No. 4 have attracted a generous fan base throughout the years, but never enough to truly make sense for their ambitious nature. With the release of These Flowers of Ours: A Treasury of Witchcraft and Devilry occurring over ten years after their debut, it looks as if widespread critical acclaim is finally in store for the Philly-based sextet. Their previous album, An Amazing Dream, was their most successful album – both in terms of reception and content – and These Flowers of Ours: A Treasury of Witchcraft and Devilry follows it up very nicely, drastically improving upon what some believed to be The Asteroid No. 4’s creative peak. Clearly, These Flowers of Ours: A Treasury of Witchcraft and Devilry exhibits the best the band has offered in terms of songwriting and production, resulting in the album that they were aiming for since 1998. Though bumps in the road have occurred, The Asteroid No. 4 are a testament of determination and an unwillingness to throw in the towel when a creative decision falters.

It is ironic in a sense that the biggest failure of The Asteroid No. 4’s career will likely end up being a vital creative contributor. Prior to An Amazing Dream and subsequent to Introducing The Asteroid No. 4 and King Richard’s Collectibles, they released an album by the name of Honeyspot. The 2003 release saw the group lean more toward styles of country and Americana, leaving fans and critics alike with mixed feelings of disappointment. Recognizing the animosity, they worked on An Amazing Dream for the next three years, returning to form with the style that bought them a sizable fan base in the first place. Now These Flowers of Ours: A Treasury of Witchcraft and Devilry is another stylistic continuation, seeing the group at their most ambitious and consistently successful. Now that most classics of space-rock appear to be in the past, The Asteroid No. 4 appear intent with excellent tracks like “Hold On” and “I Look Around” to be one of the few artistically capable acts still in the style,  a result of both confidence and innovation. The beauty of such efforts is that, unlike many other bands in the genre, they do not sound like generic tributes with rehashed ideas. Additionally, tracks like “Flowers of Ours” have a touch of Brit-pop to them, making the mixture often downright irresistible.

Consisting of all multi-instrumentalists, the lineup in The Asteroid No. 4 is eclectically impressive on record (I can only imagine their live performances being great). Scott Vitt, the lead vocalist, provides gently fervent vocals that materialize as a fusion of Jason Pierce, Kevin Shields, and Michael Stipe. On a track like “Hold On”, where a swirling mixture of droning guitars collaborate with the whimper of a harmonica, he treads more in the appropriately designed Pierce/Shields territory. On the other side, with a more pop-oriented effort like “Flowers of Ours”, the resemblance to Brit-pop is notably prevalent with the jangly guitars and infectious lead vocal melody. Psychedelia takes full force in the dreamy sitar-like musings of “Hei Nah Lah”, while an epic track like “War” sees the group’s ideas expand into an emotive jam where Vitt cries out for tranquility over a soothingly distorted guitar progression. Then you have “I Look Around”, a track that wears a ‘60s pop influence on a sleeve with an organ-aided guitar solo that serves as the bridge between contrasting choruses, all set within a conventional callback method. With the heavy doses of reverb and distortion mixing fluidly with Vitt’s tranquil vocals, it surprisingly contributes to the cohesiveness of the album while being individualistically stimulating. On These Flowers of Ours: A Treasury of Witchcraft and Devilry, this can be said for the majority of tracks, as the impressive nature of this release has led me to regard it as a precursor to The Asteroid No. 4’s nearly imminent breakthrough.

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The Asteroid No. 4 – Flowers of Ours

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The Asteroid No. 4 – I Look Around (Rain Parade cover)

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The Asteroid No. 4 – Hold On

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Whether it was sparked by sheer curiosity or one of the several documentaries bearing its name, many of us have asked our parents at one point about their possible participation in the Woodstock Music and Art Fair of 1969. Perhaps it is the image of our straight-laced parents passing around a joint to the sounds of the greatest artists of the ’60s that entertains our minds so much, or maybe it is the thought of a 3+ day-long festival where “peace and love” were central themes instead of “parking and concessions”. Regardless, the event is considered one of the most important in the history of American music and most people under the age of 50 are reliant on fuzzy videotape and photographs to provide an idea of how influential it really was. For any actual residents of Woodstock, New York, I imagine that the history is inescapable. Considering that Woodstock is generally synonymous with quality music, I always wondered myself how thriving the music scene in that area of upstate New York actually was. As it turns out, the current music fans appear to be as passionate as their forefathers; check out any of the artists on the local record label, Woodstock MusicWorks, to see for yourself. Stoney Clove Lane is one of the handful of local artists on the label that has really impressed me and, though the members do not look quite old enough to have been participants in the legendary festival themselves, they clearly would have fit right at home on stage in their hometown 39 years ago.

While Stoney Clove Lane has been reputable in Woodstock since the release of their debut album, Bernstein & The Kid, in 2003, it appears as if they are about to receive some well-deserved widespread recognition due to the release of their third and newest album, Stay With Me. Named conventionally after the road bearing a similar name, Stoney Clove Lane is guided by two main members, Jeremy Bernstein and Adam Widoff. As the guitarist and lead vocalist, Bernstein writes the lyrics while the multi-instrumentalist Widoff writes the music and plays everything else, ranging from organs and drums to bass and slide guitar. The two are hardly modest when describing their most recent release, calling it the “strongest collection of tunes” they have put out. After listening to it for the past few days, I have to agree wholeheartedly. Though the catchy folk-rock appeal of Bernstein & The Kid and the poignant fusion of country and pop of their second album, Down Rent War, provided for plenty of enjoyment, Stay With Me sees the band at a creative peak in which their structural and melodic tone never suffers from being overly repetitive or predictable. From sweeping ballads like “Tonight” and “Gone” to brisk interpretations of traditional rock in the vein of “Castles Fall” and “Chasing Rainbows”, the 14 tracks keep the listener constantly amused, even if several styles sound remarkably familiar.

Apart from Stoney Clove Lane’s classic-rock repertoire fitting in very well with their geographical standing, the talented duo are able to produce a sound that should draw comparisons to the likes of Neil Young, The Byrds, and The Band without lacking in their own version of ingenuity. By blending elements of blues, folk, country, and purely initiated rock ‘n’ roll, they utilize genres that tread within a frame of familiarity. However, as a track as capable as “Castles Fall” could tell you, Stoney Clove Lane excel in even the simplest of circumstances. Bernstein’s vocals are comparable to Neil Young on tracks like “Lonesome Road” and “Ontario” throughout the album, but “Castles Fall” sees him revert to a haunting delivery that is more reminiscent of Richard Manuel during his prime in the late ’60s. The track is initially guided by an extremely basic guitar progression as Bernstein ruminates about how all things must come to an end, all in suave melodic elegance. The verse chugs along in traditional form but the chorus is where “Castles Fall” becomes irresistible. Upon its emergence, Widoff throws a stark organ under a more intricate guitar progression, contrasting well with Bernstein’s quivering vocals to establish a somewhat cinematic feel. “But you’re not here at all to watch my castle fall and turn to dust,” he sings during the second chorus, shortly followed by a concise bluesy guitar solo that summarizes the aforementioned touch of romanticized pain in immensely enjoyable form.

After listening to a bustling track in the vein of “Castles Fall”, giving a track like “Tonight” a spin should prove indicative of Stoney Clove Lane’s stylistic diversity, especially for an artist of their naturalized stylistic preference. This one has more of a country edge to it, backed by the gentle strumming of an acoustic guitar over the sound of crickets chirping in the distance. Along with the concluding “Gone”, it is the most prevalent ballad on an album full of varying tempos and tonal guidelines. “No more blue skies, the well has run dry, I’m all alone,” Bernstein sings, capitalizing on the melancholic atmosphere to a commendable extent. The chorus complements the bare verses extremely well, featuring a variety of sparkling keys that supplement the acoustical melody to an ardently invigorating effect. “Chasing Rainbows” may serve as an ideal single choice, drawing immediate comparisons to The Allman Brothers with a twangy mix of expressive country and folk-rock. As a whole though, Stay With Me is a brisk collection of accessible tracks that should appeal to fans of classic rock. Considering that a large demographic is still drawn to the allure of such a style, the quality presented on Stay With Me should open Stoney Clove Lane to new horizons of success.

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Stoney Clove Lane – Castles Fall

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Stoney Clove Lane – Chasing Rainbows

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Stoney Clove Lane – Tonight

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Though they seem to be in the minority these days, some songwriters are just better off writing songs on their own. In addition to having more helping hands available in the process of writing and recording material, bands can provide a stable source of personal and artistic support for a lead songwriter who may be in dire need of it. However, they can also provide the exact opposite in disrupting an artistic vision in order to provide for their own weaker version; gathering up a group of talented musicians who hold a similar vision as the lead songwriter is an arduous feat that is often determined by chance. This level of cooperation can vary from artist to artist and it certainly has nothing to do with their congeniality or morality, but simply how well they work together with other people when writing music. For most artists, the discovery of whether or not they work most efficiently in a group or isolated environment is determined after attempting both circumstances. Finding success in the first group or project one forms is extremely rare, often only achieved by individuals who exceed standards of creativity. After all, a colossal success is rare to come by when a failure has not preceded it.

Gary Levitt has spent over a decade in various projects, gaining experience while witnessing the highs and lows of being both a songwriter in a group and solo project. In fact, as far as being a member in a band goes, Levitt has experienced life in a quartet, a trio, and a duo. He has seen a reasonable share of success from each of them but none has reached the recognition or level of potential that his solo project, Setting Sun, has provided since the release of his debut album, holed up, in 2002. Levitt’s first foray came when he was situated in New York during the ‘90s. Consisting of a revolving lineup, he served as one of the founding members of The Kung-Fu Grip. The group remained in New York four 4 years and toured frequently throughout the East Coast before making their way out to San Francisco. While there, they cut out all excess pieces and reverted to being a tightly focused trio. Around the same time, Levitt met Erica Quitzow and they formed the indie-pop duo Heavy Pebble together. Along with The Kung-Fu Grip, Levitt started making a name for himself on the West Coast with several releases and a busy touring schedule. When Levitt felt that he had the confidence and experience necessary to try his hand at something new and on his own, both groups disbanded and he formed Setting Sun.

After secluding himself in an apartment with some gear and two cheap microphones, he emerged in 2002 with holed up, Setting Sun’s debut. It showcased Levitt’s reverence for lo-fi folk and pop music, with an acoustic guitar often guiding the way over alternating crescendos. Holed up caught the attention of Virgin recording artist and Furslide frontwoman Jennifer Turner and she invited him to London to play guitar for her band Inner. He stayed for a bit and wrote two songs for their debut album, lovetheonlyway, before returning home to resume work on his solo material. Upon his return, the release of holed up had captured an increasing amount of attention to coincide with Setting Sun’s rampant tour as a three-piece. Around the same time, Levitt also began performing solo every night with his acoustical charm. His second album, Math and Magic, followed in 2005 and capitalized upon the potential that holed up displayed. Produced by Richard Chiu, it was a more expansive release that saw Levitt’s songwriting embrace a more polished soundscape. Despite their differences though, both albums hold up and one can easily find the enjoyment in the lo-fi charm of holed up and the evolutionary blend of folk and pop in Math and Magic.

For his third and most enjoyable album to date, Levitt has assembled an impressively wide array of experience to produce a sound that fulfills all expectations that were provided by the potential of his first two albums. Set to be released on June 10th, Children of the Wild features 11 tracks that show Levitt’s best songwriting to date. The urging thump of “No Devil me no More” provides exceptional use of the cello, with an underlying bass line and forceful percussive response complementing the experimental string use even more. The track features collaborator and label-mate Erica Quitzow on vocals, a role she reprises for a handful of very memorable tracks throughout the album. The true standout of the album for me though is “How Long”, a magnificent track that concurrently manages to be romantically touching and exceptionally infectious. “I hope you feel the same, feel the same, as you’re whistling my name,” Levitt sings somberly, backed by an impressive acoustical progression and steadfast rhythm section. “How long, how long,” Levitt and Quitzow sing in a duet during the chorus, providing a beautiful rendition that may even soak the eyes. Comparisons to The Magic Numbers and folk-pop groups of the ’70s are prevalent and certainly welcome in this case. The track manages to remain in the conventional realm of folk with amiable elements of indie-pop peaking through, mainly through the vocal execution and use of strings.

“Carry me Away” is one of the most straightforward tracks on Children of the Wild but it still manages to feature an ardently impressive chorus in addition to being a further display of Levitt’s lyrical prowess. As the song’s topic of romantic indecision wears thick, Levitt’s repeated sentiment of “enchanting, romancing you” is one that he fulfills extremely well through his delicately crafted songwriting. He now resides in upstate New York but the word is beginning to spread quickly. When Children of the Wild is released in a few weeks, I strongly recommend it as being one of the most straightforwardly enjoyable folk albums of the year so far.

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Setting Sun – How Long

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Setting Sun – No Devil me no More

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Setting Sun – Carry me Away

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