York’s own glamorous (they’ve got great fashion sense) yet hard-hitting rock act Honeytone Cody are on the verge of breaking away from Yorkshire and into the national spotlight. With their intricate progressive rock sound, the Cody crew have been making some waves around the county for a number of years.

The band’s strong visuals and avid social networking has made them a hit with alternative music fans from around the country, and their collectively razor-sharp wit makes pretty much everything that they post worth a listen or a read.

The trio have new songs out every few months (they work together at an alarming pace) and a reputation that has painted them as ultimate professionals able to make a good impression, rock a frickin’ room, and destroy your ears at the very same time.

Honeytone Cody’s material will open your mind; whether you’re into pop, rock songs, or metal, there’s something to offer within this sound for all takers. Particularly enthralling is “Radioactive Tease”, with its great tribal drumming and Queens Of The Stone Age-styled riffs. Definitely worth your time if you, like anything and everything from The Cure to Garbage via The Pixies. This is great material that deserves much more attention.

RIYL: The Cure, Joy Division, Sleater-Kinney, Queens Of The Stone Age, Garbage, Sleigh Bells

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After delivering several albums with flashes of brilliance but a lack of consistency, mr. Gnome have taken their biggest stride with Madness in Miniature, their third full-length album. Their previous two carried a common plague, where style reigned over substance as memorable hooks failed to form with over-active arrangements or superfluous stylistic pursuits. When mr. Gnome were at their best, it usually involved post-rock explosives with vocalist Nicole Barille stretching her exceptional vocal range to the limits. Both her guitar work and drummer/pianist Sam Meister’s technical skill were always apparent, but sometimes the songs struggled in letting loose and allowing melodies to reign over virtuosity.

Madness in Miniature is a different story. Standout “House of Circles” manages to inject freak-folk into a frenzied alt-rock arsenal. Barille’s voice ascends from a moaning whimper into a confident snarl, both accompanied by a backing vocal harmony producing a ghostly yet ethereal effect; the banshee-like ‘ooh’ing is a perfect fit. A clashing between the folk-leaning verses and explosions of alt-rock guitars comes to full fruition slightly past the three-minute mark. Introduced by an epic percussive build-up that marches along in a bluesy White Stripes fashion – and complemented by a quivering Barille, who puts in one of her best vocal performances yet – the conclusion to “House of Circles” is a rampant stunner that embodies mr. Gnome’s energy and structurally innovative tendencies.

“Bit of Tongue” is structurally comparable to “House of Circles”, mainly in the evolution of softer folk verses into loud guitar-based propulsions. It’s a tactic employed throughout the album, avoiding repetition with an eclectic display of stylings in the verses, often containing offshoots of softer folk and pop.  The verses on “Bit of Tongue” float with the whimsy of ‘70s AM-pop , and also with hints of contemporary artists like Marissa Nadler and St. Vincent. Barille projects a presence quite similar to both, especially with the variation in her vocal delivery. The introduction of distortion at the two minute mark increases the tempo, allowing Barille to show off her astute abilities in reflecting rhythmic movements. Despite having such a powerful voice, her willingness to occasionally back down and let the music dictate her vocal intensity – instead of vice versa – results in some of the most memorable moments on the album.

Several interludes, most at less than a minute long, provide intuitive atmospheric flair for Madness in Miniature. “Fly Me Over” is most indicative of this. Placed between the intense “Bit of Tongue” and the straightforward rush of blues-infused power-pop contained in “We Sing Electric”, its serene and nearly religious feel provides brief serenity between two songs containing a constant rush of ideas and twists. It helps that its ending sounds like it would complement the setting of a secluded temple in a Far East mountain range. Even as “We Sing Electric” sounds initially like a straightforward rocker, by the end of the song the tremendous number of ideas is apparent. It sounds like a two-parter despite being under four minutes.

While the first few tracks show Madness in Miniature as a continuous fusion of lighter rock elements with thunderous post-rock eruptions waiting at every turn, the second half of the album contains some efforts that could be considered ballads – at least by mr. Gnome’s standards. The aptly titled “Winter” utilizes crystallized keys and high-pitched note sequences, delivering something that sounds like the alternative equivalent of Sally Shapiro’s similarly arctic-sounding work. The wavering use of tremolo in the backing keys also deliveries a dream-pop vibe typical of Beach House, especially with Barille now alternating between a soft-spoken quiver and emotive proclamations. “Now I feel so ordinary,” she sings before an absolutely gorgeous conclusion, marked by the first use of heavy percussion in the song. It’s a stunning track that fully represents mr. Gnome’s growth. Never before has the duo’s songs resonated with such rich atmospheres and beautifully interwoven hooks.

After this delicately gorgeous ballad, the immediate blast of guitars on “Wolf Girls” may catch some listeners off guard. This somewhat abrasive art-rock trip begins with a bizarre and somewhat repetitive series of animalistic noises and straightforward power-punk verses, but like most songs on Madness in Miniature it evolves into something fascinating. The guitar work in the final two minutes is some of the best on the album, with the hypnotic organ-like accompaniment at the tail-end begging for continued expansion well past its four-minute length. Well, that is until the listener is introduced to the excellent “Outsiders”, a rollicking folk-rocker with hints of Alamo-styled folk. Tempo shifts are hardly noticeable at this point in the album, as listeners have become accustomed to it. But there are no greater tempo-related moments throughout the album than “Outsiders”, to which Barille adapts flawlessly in a vocal performance that rivals “House of Circles” for best on the album. On a triumph of a release like this, rivalries like this are indicative of a generous outpouring of ideas, most of them striking.

MP3: mr. Gnome – Winter

mr. Gnome – House of Circles

mr. Gnome – Bit of Tongue

mr. Gnome – Wolf Girls

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Feathers are four girls from Brisbane creating infectious lo-fi dream-pop. While some of their songs are lively and upbeat, a large number are darker and based on harmony rather than rhythm. Hunter’s Moon is an album full of different moods and well-executed hooks, not to mention some great vocal performances that are far from gender-specific.

I’m generally a fan of music where the singer’s gender is indistinguishable, like the recently featured Black Partridge. Upon my first listening of “Darklands” I did not realize it was an all-girl group. The poppy guitar deliveries are reminiscent of bands like Girls and Malajube, and the vocals tout a similar punch as well, but the gender was still enjoyably indiscernible. The majority of Feathers’ songs are hazy pop gems with plenty of replay appeal and “Darklands” is no exception.

Feathers utilize many intricately evolving harmonies that resound with an art-rock punch. This tactic helps to give them a full sound, almost as if their voices are making up for the absence of an orchestra. “Early Morning” begins with a collective voice. The song is much slower than tracks like “Darklands”, with a chill intentionally drawn-out vibe, whereas “Cruel For Love” applies a rhythm section reminiscent of post-punk greats like Joy Division.

I look forward to seeing what Feathers release next. A comfortable and dazed album is always in high demand for those lazy days, and along with the likes of Beach House and Toro y Moi this group could be your next best bet.

RIYL: Beach House, Joy Division, Girls, Malajube, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Sleater-Kinney, Twin Sister, Grizzly Bear, Wild Nothing, Best Coast, Beach Fossils, Cults, Tennis

MP3: Feathers – Darklands

MP3: Feathers – Cruel For Love

Feathers – Early Morning

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by Daniel Levine

There are occasions in the girl group canon when the genre, so wholly given over to the ephemeral, will unwittingly create something briefly sublime. These moments are so fleeting that they often won’t even encompass the entirety of the track. They flare up briefly, brilliantly, only to fall back into the pattern of immediate and temporary gratification they were created for. The first 13 seconds of “Tell Me That You Care” by Elaine and the Shandells, the first gentle harmony hit in “Tell Me” by The Termites, the brief periods in “Sally Go ‘Round The Roses” by the Jaynetts – where the vocals recede in the mix and the organ’s car-horn riff give the impression the music was coming from a distant apartment building – are a few apt examples.

San Francisco’s Grass Widow manage to coax some of these moments on their most recent LP, Past Time. Though their M.O. hasn’t changed drastically from their 2009 eponymous self-release, the sound was distinctive enough to merit this further exploration. Hooks and melodies drift in and out of the mix, and even if individual songs aren’t in a hurry to distinguish themselves, the atmosphere they create collectively entrances the listener.

Grass Widow’s essential tension is one of competing timbres, those of the drawn out, interweaving vocals and the insistent menacing bass lines courtesy founder Hannah Lew. Tension is ratcheted up by the slightest addition to their sparse instrumentation. It builds and builds until slinking childlike vocals provide welcome release, only to begin again. Dynamics are skillfully engaged and augmented by the ever present element of discord in the vocals and arrangement of instruments.

Their sound is a restructuring of the jagged edges of 60s pop music; its subconscious elements seem in constant danger of derailing. Something in both the meandering melodic tendencies of The Shaggs and the aggression lying beneath the surface in surf guitar speak to something far beyond their intended reach. Grass Widow realize this tension and let it derail, allowing for a certain catharsis.

In the music video for the album’s sort-of single “Fried Egg”, a de-saturated haze is given to the film stock, the video itself feeling aged and loose like a home shot super 8 or scopitone. This suits the atmosphere of the record to a tee.

However, for all the atmosphere provided, the band still has yet to give the songs, and thereby the record, a tangible shape. Standout tracks show huge promise, and have been scattered throughout the group’s still young career. The highlights on Past Time are “Uncertain Memory”, with its spaghetti-western bass line, and “Fried Egg”, which has the most pronounced vocal hooks on the album.

7.5/10.0

RIYL: Sleater-Kinney, The Shaggs, Vivian Girls, Christmas Island, The Mantles, Mika Miko, Thee Oh Sees, Eternal Summers, Woven Bones

Grass Widow – Fried Egg

Grass Widow – Shadow

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I have no complaints about post-punk fetishism. If an artist justifies their attempts to replicate the dark, grumbling moodiness of bands like The Chameleons UK or Joy Division, then listeners are generally treated to polished songwriting that parallels styles arising from primitive psychedelic-rock. Post-punk, shoegaze, and indie-rock show frequent tributes to early forms of psychedelic-rock – like that of 13th Floor Elevators, The Beatles, and The Byrds – and often serve as a gateway for older listeners struggling to identify with modern indie-rock sensations in the vein of Phoenix or Vampire Weekend. Recent notables – like the post-punk of Twin Shadow, Tamaryn’s shoegaze, and Beach House’s mixture of both – find success among young and older listeners alike because their music offers some classic familiarities while staying faithful to the “indie-rock” tag that permits contemporary production techniques. An all-girl rock group from LA by the name of Warpaint looks to be joining that venerable list with their outstanding new album, The Fool.

The ethereal guitar tone fuzzy bass in the gripping “Undertow” resembles the spacey guitar work of artists like The Smashing Pumpkins or The Cure, particularly on respective albums like Siamese Dream or The Head on the Door. The increase in hi-hats around the 02:30 mark signals a snazzy twist, with the lethargic pacing of moody guitars transitioning to a quicker flurry of angular guitar chords. “Runnin’, runnin’, runnin’,” Emily Kokal repeats, “from the troubles.” The howl that complements the plea here is pretty spine-tingling, as is the percussively involved conclusion. Tracks like this and the fluttering arpeggio-led “Warpaint” remind me distinctively of Deerhunter, who produce an unrivaled blend of indie-rock and post-punk that does not confine itself to the stereotypes of either. Comparisons to Fleetwood Mac are not far off either.

The ambition of Deerhunter and Warpaint fit as well in alt-rock as they do in shoegaze or post-punk, and that is simply because both have an infinite grasp of psychedelic-rock concepts. The intricate layering of guitars, stop-start percussion patterns, and flashes of synth allow infectious hybrids to be bred that remain indebted to quality songwriting. The quality is enough to allow the existence of a subtle vocalist, who employs mood and pacing over ferocity and flexible pitch. It seems natural in a style like this, where the tonal resonation that houses the songwriting in question reigns supreme. This is one the main drawing points of The Fool, which certainly has something for everyone from the lush balladry of “Baby” to intricate rock efforts like the exceptional “Bees”.

“Bees” is an immediate standout on the album for its interesting percussion, which sets itself apart from the other efforts by opting for rhythm that sounds more sample-based than the organic presence of other efforts. This serves as a decoy though, and we see why during the chorus when a grumbling bass erupts over new drums that are more aligned with post-punk expectations, in being simplistic but aptly concise. A middle-eastern melodic theme is somewhat consistent throughout as well. The high-pitched guitar lick at the tail-end of each verse is reminiscent of the jangly guitar work of Sonic Youth and Yo La Tengo, two more influences that are clearly at play throughout The Fool. It is hard not to love the transition from high-pitched plucks to lower ones as the bass line becomes more boisterous over an eerie set of “dah-dah-dah”s from the variety of talented vocalists in Warpaint. There is alteration between Emily Kokal and Theresa Wayman on the vocal front, but it hardly matters on who it is since both show mastery and similar tonal recognition.

“Shadows”, one of Wayman’s vocal offerings, works with a phased acoustic guitar to usher in a ghostly serene form of indie-folk. A little trickle of piano signals the bass-led tremolo and drum-line percussion as Wayman’s vocals soar with vigor familiar to fans of Hope Sandoval. “The things you once told me, the thoughts you once gave me,” jump-starts an excellent chorus featuring grainy piano chords and subsequent percussion that shows outstanding pace as usual. Wayman’s hollers and yelps that conclude the latter part of this track is also notable, as is the balmy bridge that leads to a chaotically brilliant final 45 seconds.

Moments like this comprise the bulk of The Fool, which will certainly be one of the most talked-about albums of the year by its end. There is little stylistic innovation here, but the sheer charisma and innovation of the band is extremely present. Simply put, their songwriting is a homage to post-punk and shoegaze without containing stylistically superfluous aspects that artistic admirers of these genres often fall victim to. There is absolutely no filler to speak of on The Fool, which is as sharp as any rock album of 2010. It is an album that is going to get absolutely gushing reviews once it reaches a broader audience. A free preview of The Fool on Hype Machine this week will not hurt those chances at all. Check it out below:

RIYL: Deerhunter, The Cure, Smashing Pumpkins, Fleetwood Mac, Sonic Youth, Yo La Tengo, Sleater-Kinney, Twin Sister, Best Coast, Dum Dum Girls, Tamaryn, Beach House, Twin Shadow, Glasser, Blackbird Blackbird, Marissa Nadler, Beach Fossils, Zola Jesus 13th Floor Elevators, The Beatles, The Byrds

Warpaint – Bees

Warpaint – Undertow

Warpaint – Shadows

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