31st May2011

Album Reviews: The Devil Whale – Teeth

by Ryan

Hailing from Salt Lake City, The Devil Whale are a rather low-profile band that have been cranking out formulaic indie rock since their debut from 2008, Like Paraders. After an EP in between then and now, the five-piece troop have dropped their sophomore album, Teeth. It is safe to say that guitarist, singer, and songwriter Brinton Jones, has continued the trend of writing thoughtful lyrics accompanied by layered, quirky instrumentation. This time around, Jones has ultimately found this style to be his niche, and the band being his brainchild, follows this equation almost mechanically.

Listen to “Barracudas”

Barracudas from Tonality Magazine on Vimeo.

The Pros

Let it be known that The Devil Whale have worked very, VERY hard on making this album. Every song from opening to close features flawlessly executed orchestration. No instrument is ignored here. Equality is spread amongst drums, bass, two guitars, and a wonderful keyboard. The production value compliments the elaborate working of each song by letting the listener know what each band member is doing, in addition to how well they are doing it.

As musically impressive as this album is, it is impossible to run through these tunes without noticing Brinton Jones’s insightful, often witty, and personal lyricism planted within each gem of a song. I find myself incapable of not feeling genuine bliss during the chorus of “Golden.” Yet, Jones can easily shift from sanguine refrains like, “Close your eyes and it disappears,” to deeply private confessions such as, “She’s only famous ’cause she slept with all my friends.” This discrepancy in moods illuminates Brinton’s expertise, and his ability to jump from Elliott Smith-esque downers to the brighter parts of a Clap Your Hands Say Yeah album.

The Cons

While Brinton Jones does his best to flaunt his talent for songwriting, the penmanship tends to run into foul territory on occasion. Syllable use seems uneven from time to time and a few too many slant rhymes come into play. By no means can the writing ever be considered amateur; like I said, it is quite impressive. However, some menial kinks can be found within his prose.

Apart from this, two songs on Teeth pull an almost pointless trick on the listener by holding on to the final chord, note, what have you; and droning on as such for what turns out to be a good fraction of the song. Specifically, the songs “Magic Numbers” and “Earthquake Dreams” take part in this unnecessary and minor offense, althought they are initially great songs. This doesn’t ruin anything, but it instead weakens their potential and leaves you wondering as to why they had to end that way.

The Verdict

I really must hand it to The Devil Whale. The crew clearly put a lot of effort into this release, exemplifying mature, yet playful lyrics that rival the great Ben Gibbard, as well as a cohesiveness as a band that resembles My Morning Jacket. The Devil Whale is archetypical in every sense of the modern indie rock scene, while simultaneously retaining a sound that defines them from the rest of the herd. Teeth is as promising of its creators as it is an enjoyable listen.

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28th May2011

JUST OPEN THE LINK AND BELOW THE VIDEO, PRESS “A”

by nickwan

No, that’s not just some stock photo of some random male model… That’s one of my friends, Jasper. He’s a finalist for the show “ControlTV”, which is some reality show I never heard of. Anyway, to support Jasper in his quest to be the next Mr. Reality, he’s asking all his friends to vote for him on this site. The person with the least amount of votes gets eliminated in 6 days. RIGHT NOW, THAT’S JASPER. SHIT.

This is how easy voting is:

OPEN THIS LINK BELOW

http://controltv.com/

Go to that website.

You might not even have to scroll, but if the video is too big for your teeny screen then scroll below the video to see the three selections: A) Jasper, B) Some dude or C) Another guy. PICK JASPER.

After about 10 or so seconds, it will clear and you’ll be able to vote again. Of course… you don’t have to… but we’re looking to get Jasper into this show. So PLEASEPLEASEPLEASE vote for him!

And if you were anywhere near paying attention to the video at all, you’ll notice that Jasper also spins under the name Flirtphonic in the LA-area. Check out his stuff at his SoundCloud page and a track below!
Flirting with the Dance Floor by Flirtphonic

Category : Complete Miscellany
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26th May2011

Live Reviews: Fitz and the Tantrums @ The Blank Club

by Blake

Fitz and the Tantrums are a groove-town band from LA. I had the privilege of seeing them tonight at the Blank Club in San Jose. They have been around for a little while, but picked up a lot of heat from their single “Moneygrabber”. It is the catchiest tune in the West.

Moneygrabber:

The Blank Club might be my new favorite venue. I have a problem with San Francisco shows. Sure, I go to them, but I don’t really enjoy stepping outside of the venue afterward. Finding parking in the city is a pain in the ass and you are always looking over your shoulder. It doesn’t help that the streets are painted with bum semen and guys are shitting on the side of the road. I know, my views sound jaded about the city, but it’s how I feel. Downtown San Jose was a new venture into a city I was unfamiliar with. I had never seen a show in San Jose’s club scene and didn’t even know they had a club scene.
What I love about The Blank Club is the ease of entry. Parking was right in front of the door. The meters didn’t need to be fed and I could walk to my car to drop off a sweater, sanitize my hands, or listen to that new David Bazan album (joking o_O). But really, we (Alex and I) were right in front of the club doors and walking in was extremely easy. The street were clean, no sketchy bums or addicts, and the people were more energetic than ANY show I have been to in the city. Believe that.

Also, these guys know how to pour a Guinness out of the draft. This was about +10 points to the night. It has been a while since a bar in the Bay Area has taken their time making sure the pour is right. It was absolutely delicious.

Fitz and the Tantrums came on stage and absolutely tore the place to pieces. They have this soulful, Motown sound that just slaps you across the face. The lead singer looks like a lanky David Bowie and his sidekick is a wonderful black woman who harmonized like an absolute master. Tambourines, keys, brass, and drums – this band isn’t filled with drugstore cowboys. These cats knew how to jam and were seasoned pros at the many instruments they played.

From their set they pulled out a cover of “Steady As She Goes” and “Sweet Dreams”, but even the tracks off of their debut LP were absolutely electric in the disco sense. Michael Fitzpatrick (lead singer) pulls off the Bowie look well and dances around like the most coordinated coke addict you have ever seen. He is a halfbreed of Space Oddity and revivalist preacher. His voice shudders like a madman when speaking to the audience and booms when he sings. It was boiling in that room, but he didn’t remove his sports jacket for a second. He kept that bitch on and rode the set out like a champ. There was not a single moment when he wasn’t giving 100% to the audience, and the other members of the band did the same. You can tell by the way a crowd reacts to a band based upon their genre and the sort of energy they are trying to pull out of their audience. In the case of Fitz and the Tantrums, they had the crowd roaring like hungry lions for more tunes. It was the most ravenous display of necessity I have seen a crowd exercise. There weren’t any shoe-gazers, and if you were, you would get a stern “Stand up, motherfucker!” from the band.

This is what the LA scene is all about, and I was happy to have such an amazing band come around to San Jose and kick the shit out of any other live band I have seen this year (exception made for Middle Brother). By the time they got to their single “Moneygrabber”, they had the audience in the palm of their hand – making everyone crouch down and break out into a rage for the final play-through. These cats know how to have a great time, and their music is absolutely masterful for the genre. A guy told me once, “If you make music, remember one thing, and one thing only: keep it sex…always.” Oh, they have plenty of rowdiness in them, and sensuality to boot.

You know how you feel when you see a really good soul band play in one of your favorite films? It was like that, but with all of the cheese removed. Seeing this band live was an absolute overdose on adrenaline and eargasms. You have a band, touring the US, who brought out one of the best shows I have ever experienced, and they did all of this in a small club in San Jose. If they swing by your neck of the woods, have a drink and enjoy the ride with Fitz and the Tantrums. They are up and comers who have the dynamics to make waves in the music industry, and unlike so many other bands, have the skill to make a really great album sound like a lo-fi mix after their live performance.

I don’t know what your plans are, or where you live, but do yourself a favor and have an electric parade. Jump aboard this soul train and I can guarantee you a show you will never forget.

Live Feed From Reno Show

Watch live streaming video from theknitreno at livestream.com
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25th May2011

It’s back — Wednesday Chat @ 5pm PST

by nickwan

Click here for a new window of chatting glory

Category : Complete Miscellany
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25th May2011

Album Reviews: David Bazan – Strange Negotiations

by Blake

David Bazan is a singer-songwriter known for his solo debut Curse Your Branches, but more stigmatized was his work in Pedro the Lion. I have seen this man in concert during his Branches tour and was really impressed. I was a big Pedro the Lion fan and I also grabbed onto his solo material like it was a gift from the gods. However, I can’t help but be perplexed by this constant religious battle that rages within his fan base. I really don’t care if he is a Christian, Atheist, Muslim, or Scientologist. You can’t help those who feel very affected by his conversion – like he turned his back on them. He immediately spits on some faces, and then dribbles onto his own bib.

The Opener

Wolves At The Door by David Bazan

Pros

The album opens with “Wolves At The Door” as Bazan defiantly spouts off “You’re a goddamn fool, but I love you” x12. He chose a very interesting way to introduce the album. Is he trying to scare his loyal religious listeners into adopting the new world order of Bazan? Either way, it was a thought-provoking song, but definitely an anthem of rebellion. “Level With Yourself” is on par with his first release’s second track. He likes to hammer in a nail with his intros and jump into jubilee on the second track. Others like “Virginia” and “Don’t Change” are heavy on Pedro (perhaps attributed to his backing band) with the same introverted lyrical symbolism. This is enjoyable if you really like his songwriting style or still need your Pedro fix. I have always preferred his more abrasive and poetic tracks. “Hard To Be” off of Curse Your Branches was one of my favorites from his debut for this reason – his lyricism matched the melancholy mood and it played through like a confession. It was bewildering and gorgeous. I will say that the title track, “Strange Negotiations” has elements that I really liked. His lyric scheme on it is a funky and dreary mix that breaks the monotony up a little bit. Sorry Bazanians, but the time has come. Set your Americano down, bookmark your Bukowski, and hear me out.

Cons

Instrumentally speaking, the album is a flat-line. The melancholy bridges from Curse Your Branches weren’t prominent and the emotion wasn’t there. I set such high standards for Bazan because I know what he is capable of. Curse Your Branches was 402’s Album Of The Year in 2009. His follow-up is noticeably weaker. When listening, I try to let the album wash over me and listen without even opening an eye. I let him tell his tale and then respond based upon that sensory experience. Curse Your Branches was an emotional album full of poetic landscapes and soul wrenching lyrics. Strange Negotiations isn’t a powerhouse. This year I have heard amazing folk from artists like Blake Mills (who I mention a lot this year for good reason). I have a lot of respect for artists who can tell a story or even translate abstractions into the musical medium in a “real” way. As I said earlier, “Wolves At The Door” serves as a great provocative intro, but the following tracks just let me down more and more as the 40 minutes ticked down. Even the closing track “Won’t Let Go” sang me out into an abyss – in this case, one that didn’t stare back at me. After giving the tracks multiple listens, I have come to the same conclusion: they don’t feel genuine.

Verdict

David Bazan is a very interesting artist. It seems like he wants to be a poet more than an actual storyteller, which is fine. Then he throws these curve-balls at his audience with profane tracks like “Wolves At The Door”. I’m not religious by any means, but it was distracting considering his past and the struggles he has had with Christians questioning his stance. David Bazan can be whoever he wants to be. Is he a freedom fighter for critical thinking? A provocateur? I suppose that is what makes him such an interesting person. He shrouds himself in mystery and rides the fine line of religiosity and being a self-indulgent spectacle. I am not making any judgment calls, and neither should you. I can say this: after a few rotations of his new album, I don’t think you will find what you’re looking for. This isn’t Curse Your Branches, nor is it artistic evolution. This is just a really shallow representation of what he is capable of. I left empty-handed and very disappointed. If you can find something to hold onto, good for you. I will try to forget he followed up such a beautiful album with such blandness. Everyone knows he can do better than this. Hell, David Bazan knows he can do better than this.

 

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24th May2011

Album Reviews: Unplugged and Reborn – Promise Me This Day

by nate

 

In the digital age of music, it’s now more important than ever to create a lasting first impression if you want to be noticed. Setting one’s self apart from the masses of brooding up-and-comers is much easier said than done. To gain momentum, new artists and bands need songs which not only catch the listener’s ear from the first play, but hold up over multiple listens. The Chicago-based trio, Unplugged and Reborn, have done just that with Promise Me This Day. The self-defined “Indietronic” band mixes the standard drum, bass, guitar lineup with synth-driven hooks and interspersed electronic beeps and boops. The end result makes for an album full of upbeat, catchy tunes.

Consisting of Andres Davila on lead vocals and guitar, Christina Hernandez on the bass, and Tony Grigorio on the drums, Unplugged and Reborn produce a ton of energy and sound for just three members. The album, spanning 14 tracks in just over 50 minutes holds a good amount of variation, with some songs displaying a heavy electronic influence, and others remaining more traditional.

In Their Own Words

The Pros

There is plenty to like about this album. The blending of electronic and traditional indie influences creates a unique sound unlike many other bands currently on the scene. The two opposing elements compliment each other very well, and nothing on this album sounds too forced. When listening to this album, it becomes apparent that this band went at it with everything they had. Whether or not the music appeals to everyone, it’s apparent that nothing was held back in the recording process. The use of Autotune was brief and well placed, and the album flowed very nicely from one track to the next.

The Cons

While this album has many distinct bright spots, it also has it’s share of lulls. Certain tracks are very memorable, but some get lost in the grand scheme of things. The vocals, though lyrically sound, can be a bit overpowering at times. While the incorporation of electronic influences in this album fits very well, the riffs themselves all tend to sound very similar. A deeper variation in these sounds would really make this album whole.

The Verdict

For a debut album, Promise Me This Day is beyond impressive. This band is brimming with potential, and a good glimpse into their caliber and unique style of musicianship can be heard on this album. The juxtaposition of organic instrumentation with electronic dance beats and synth riffs kicks this album up a notch. I would recommend Unplugged and Reborn to anyone looking for upbeat, catchy new music, and I look forward to more of this trio in the future.

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23rd May2011

Album Reviews: Sunday Lane – Bring Me Sunshine

by nickwan

I love it when artists are from Oklahoma because that always reminds me of the one band I know from there: Norman, OK’s Umbrellas. They are a indie-pop-rock band fronted by Scott Windsor (formally The Lyndsey Diaries) and I’ve been waiting for their return for awhile. It’s not so surprising that the state of Oklahoma is not a hot bed for new indie music at the moment… but Sunday Lane helps the cause. She sets up shop in Los Angeles now, but is native to Tulsa. Her album, Bring Me Sunshine, has that midwest twang to it. However, it’s predominantly an indie-pop feel to it all.

Check out “Won’t Go Back Down” below

The Pros

The album is very full and complete. There are full length albums out there that aren’t as full sounding as this EP. What is really nice is how consistent Sunday Lane’s style is. There isn’t a multiple personality syndrome on this EP. It’s so clear cut that she’s been doing this for so long that it’s hard to imagine this is her debut EP.

The lyrics and the instrumentals are all very radio-friendly. I wouldn’t be surprised to see a song like “A Little Hope” coming on after Train or Sara Bareille. I mean… mainstream radio just makes the most sense for this one.

The Cons

The first song, “How Long It Takes”, was so long that I actually zoned out part way through only to be mesmerized when I noticed we haven’t got to the second track yet. The rest of the album seems so quick and neatly written. “How Long It Takes” just dragged on for me. If I had to keep that song on the album, I’d start the album off with “A Little Hope” and slot “How Long It Takes” either second or third. But, if this was up to me, I’d axe the song completely. All other songs on this album could be singles.

Lyrically, it’s sort of vague story telling mixed with ambiguous topics. That would totally work with the whole radio-friendly angle, but for the indie-pop scene it is just a little… dare I say… shallow? I’m sure the songs themselves are very meaningful, but the lyrics just seem so generally applicable that it puts this image in my mind where you open a music program like GarageBand or FL Studio and there is a sample/demo song made by the company for you to see what the program can do. The lyrics are sort of like “stock footage”, with the exception of “Heavy Heart, Heavy Hands”, which reminded me a lot of Rachael Cantu.

The Verdict

Sunday Lane’s pop vibe is definitely suited very well for the upcoming summer. I mean, the album title is fairly telling. But I’m not so sure it changed my mind on summer tunes. Sunday Lane’s pop vibe was way more radio-friendly than a lot of the indie-pop that is coming out right now. On top of that, the singer-songwriter radio vibe is chalk full of acts like Christina Perri, Adele, and Sara Bareilles. I would find it pretty hard for someone like Sunday Lane to make her way into the niche… but she’s doing everything right so far. And this is only her debut.

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22nd May2011

If you are reading this…

by nickwan

We are not dead. So much for all of those billboards.

Also, I am laughing. Which would be the opposite of being judged by Ben Affleck with wings and some dude who claims he has been cast down from some ethereal place. Mainly because they would probably laugh at my lack of a vinyl collection and that I got LASIK surgery and got rid of my thick-rimmed glasses. Or is that some other group of people who cast down judgment……….

CAUSE I MISS YOU BABY, AND I DON'T WANNA MISS A THANG.

Lastly, if you are offended… why? You’re alive still. If you thought you were going to die because of some global earthquake or megagod turning the global warming knob up to 11, that shit didn’t happen. So you’re alive. Congratulations. No need for evangelical hate mail because NOTHING HAS CHANGED.

 

 

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21st May2011

The 402 Doomsday Playlist

by Adam Finley


World’s fucking ending TODAY, ya’ll! Some guy who also said the world would end in 1994 SAID SO! In anticipation, the Big Four here at 402 (Nick, Blake, Nate, and Myself) have put together the obligatory End Of The World playlist. Crank this shit at max volume and wait outside for a winged Ben Affleck to come down from Heaven.

Elvis Perkins – Doomsday

The Doors – This Is The End

Explosions In The Sky – Greet Death

Dashboard Confessional – Hands Down

Tool – Aenema

Frightened Rabbit – Heads Roll Off

REM – It’s The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)

Tangled Hair – Cardboard Hilltop

Aerosmith – I Don’t Wanna Miss A Thing

Rebecca Black – Friday

Good Old War – That’s Some Dream

Smashing Pumpkins – Doomsday Clock

And, of course—

Europe – The Final Countdown

Happy Rapture, World!!!

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20th May2011

Album Reviews: The Speed of Sound in Seawater – Underwater Tell Each Other Secrets

by nickwan

I love it when we catch a band really early in their life. The Speed of Sound in Seawater dropped Red Version EP in my lap around this time last year. There were many little nit-picky things that was holding their previous album back. It’s been a year of experience for everyone involved, so did their studio appearance change?

And before I continue, I would have to say these guys blew all other local competition out of the water last year. I was most entertained by these north California natives. Let’s hope the trend continues…

Here is the entire EP for your listening and downloading pleasure!


The Pros

There is much to be said about almost every aspect of this album. First off, the guitar work is incredible. This shouldn’t be a surprise if you’ve been experienced by these guys already. For those just tuning in, it gets much better. The entire sound of the band is so freaking TIGHT. One thing I loved about math rock bands like Botch was the ability to be so honed in together and attack with a wall of sound. Lately in the math-music scene, that aspect is lacking. Many times you have “math rock” bands who are really composed of one amazing musician and a bunch of supporters in the group trying to keep up. At times, very impressive. At other times, extremely frustrating. The Speed of Sound in Seawater takes a completely different approach. Every single instrument, from the vocals to the bass, from guitar to guitar to drums, are so appropriately matched it allows for a very nice listening experience.

I would find it important to see their developments from their last release. I critiqued their choice of vocal arrangement pretty heavily in my last article. This time around is much more… mature. Other words that describe what it is would be tasteful, appropriate, and thoughtful. But mature would be the most compelling adjective. The vocal inconsistencies are nowhere to be heard.  Whoever the lead singer is does a fantastic job. It’s the lighter version of Stuart Smith of This Town Needs Guns. Or the mathy version of Scott Windsor of Umbrellas. The gang vocals are a lot more fitting for the smooth-shredder style these guys are fitted out with. The defunct You, Me & Iowa were also math-pop and had very similar gang vocals on their studio takes. They were arguably one of the best bands I’ve seen.

This band ended up hooking up with producer Robert Cheek (RX Bandits, Tera Melos), which could explain the extremely clean sound of the EP. How much of a hand Cheek had on this project is hard to pin point, but my gut feeling tells me that this band obtained something more important than a producer over the past year… this band just needed time. It’s like a nice pair of jeans needed to be worn in. Or a new pair of shoes needed to be creased at the toe line. Instincts tell me that Cheek was more of the accenting flavor rather than the main dish. This pairing obviously worked wonders, however it was arranged. Let’s hope these guys stick it with Cheek on their next release.

The Cons

Hard to argue almost any point against Underwater Tell Each Other Secrets. I almost wanted to say there wasn’t enough variation on the album, but the entire album is marbled in a way where there is a really nice attack between mashing riffs and smooth indie pop. I get complexity and class with every bite. I would argue that I would like to see these guys out of their element a little more, mixing in maybe different instruments or even some sampling components, a la Adebisi Shank.

On another note about seeing these guys out of their element: previous releases have shown what they’ve done as far as mixing harder math-rock with a more mellow math-pop sound. If anything, this release of Underwater Tell Each Other Secrets is the outlier. They have honed it in. What comes next?

The Verdict

For every argument proposed a year ago, they have an answer. For every area they might have been weak in, they’ve grown stronger. It’s like trying to fight a final boss… it’s seemingly impossible. In this case, impossibly great. The tighter sound and tighter vocals upped the value of this band immensely. The only question is where do they go from here? What could they possibly do on the next album that is both fresh and unique to their sound that they haven’t capitalized on yet? I still have yet to see them live… but with this new EP out, I’m assuming they’ll be headed out this summer in a big way. This is math-pop 101, for those unfamiliar. The prototypical math-pop band. No question, this has my nomination for best of 2011.

 

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