Category Archives: Album & EP Reviews

FIRES – Echo Sounds EP

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FiresThis second EP by alternative rock duo Fires is possibly one of the finest sounding self-released discs you’ll ever hear.  Producer J. Robbins (noted for his performances with Jawbox and hardcore punks Government Issue and production work with post-punk/alternative bands Jets To Brazil and Jawbreaker) brings out the absolute best in this band during every second of these five performances.  With a sound worthy of any major label release, the guitars are ringing and sharp, while the bass has an almost equal share in the end mix, adding a meaty bottom end.  Put simply, there is nothing about this release you’d ever guess was DIY.

Of course, it takes more than a good producer/engineer to create an enjoyable record, and luckily, Fires’ material has the balls to match. They not only have the weight behind their arrangements, but also a great sense of atmosphere and melody lurking within.  Listening to the angular rhythms of ‘Sent’, it’s hard not to think of so many great nineties alternative records, but in 2012, Fires’ approach sounds more than a mere throwback – they manage to make their brand of post-hardcore sound vital.  The bass takes the lead with a big sound and during the chorus sections, the guitars have an equally full presence and the use of occasional ringing leads adds a flourish that’s unfussy, but ultimately necessary.  Danny Nicolletto’s vocals may be an acquired taste for some; his lead voice is rather high – slightly reminiscent of those from cult alternative band Tubelord – but it’s a style which works for him and a style which suits this particular track well.  ‘Execute’ is much harder musically, with slightly discordant guitar chords providing the intro.  Once the rest of the instruments pull together for the chorus, things appear more settled.  Overall, a hugely energised three minutes, made even better by James Scott’s immense bass sound during the second verse.

‘Blackout’ and ‘Blood on Black’ both highlight more alternative rock chops (both enjoyable and superbly played), but it’s ‘Amour’ which stands alongside ‘Sent’ as this EPs most striking tune. Showcasing Fires’ softer side, the guitars settle into a simple tune constructed of clean toned notes – the kind favoured by Slint, usually before throwing themselves headlong into a world of sludge – while the vocals and understated drumming conjure up a somewhat ghostly atmosphere.  The louder sections allow room for another warm bass part, and although you’ll undoubtedly expect it all to somehow reach that seemingly inevitable noisy climax, against the odds, it never does.  While it could be seen as a dramatic shift from Fires’ usual sounds, it’s no less enjoyable once you tune in.

The excitement and sheer class delivered by ‘Echo Sounds’ is almost equal to Jawbox’s  1996 self-titled disc and Sense Field’s ‘Killed For Less’ and ‘Building’ releases – three discs from which Fires appear to pull influence without ever sounding like clones.   It may be short, but it’s a disc not to be missed.

June 2012

SINK SWIM – Elements EP

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‘Elements’ is the five song debut EP from LA based band Sink Swim.  Their solid mix of pop-punk, emo and alternative rock (with a stronger leaning towards the latter) already guarantees the band will have an audience, since the end result sounds a lot like other bands of a similar ilk. While almost instantly familiar, these guys are musically really tight, with the bass playing being particularly noteworthy.

From the beginning of the first track ‘Beneath Our Sleeves’, there’s a strong feeling that this still young band is incredibly professional, especially considering their relative lack of recording experience. Following a brief drum roll, the band crash in at a high speed; the chiming guitars being the first thing to hit the listener, before a brilliant rattling bass makes its presence felt.  In the alt-rock/emo tradition, the lead vocals have a fairly light style, but they are presented with some great backing harmonies to round things out. By the time the chorus rolls around, the lead vocal utilises much longer notes (tempered with plenty of studio filters), things are a little smoother and more alt-rock than pop-punk. The end result – still with multi layered vocals and maximum jangle – makes for a more than reasonable opening statement.   ‘Losing Sleep’ is punchier all round – again retaining that great bass sound (courtesy of great studio skills from Bob Curtin at RiseUp Recordings).  If you can tear your ears away from that brilliant bass, the guitars shift between pop punk rhythms and solid alt-rock chiming, providing a solid base for another filtered vocal. Topped with an enjoyable chorus, sounding as if written with the live circuit in mind, ‘Losing Sleep’ is the EPs best track.

While the next two tunes don’t break too far from a familiar formula laid down by those first two numbers, ‘Breeze’ warrants a special mention since it’s quirkier rhythmic elements stand out, while the staccato guitar riffing is of a kind which never goes out of style.   Although the chorus isn’t as instant as it could have been, the whole package is very accessible.  Between this track and ‘Losing Sleep’, the EP is worth checking out [but then only if you are already fond of alt-rock/emo-ish stuff, of course… Sink Swim are probably unlikely to win over those who remain so far unmoved by the sub-genre].

The closing number, ‘Last Year’ slows things down.  While it’s mix of acoustic and electric guitars (again, very much in a ringing style) and emotive voice with a crying edge doesn’t make it hugely different from the tunes which have gone before, the extended arrangement shows a slightly broader musical range.  Thanks to a very multi-layed sound, bought together (again) by really live-sounding bass work, it’s near-six minutes doesn’t drag, even though this could have just as easily clocked in at half the length.  This is testament to strong musicianship and equally strong melodies.

With five brilliantly produced tracks boasting strong performances throughout, ‘Elements’ is a debut EP which has a very professional air.  If you’ve ever had a passing fancy for Something Corporate, Relient K et al, it is likely Sink Swim will hit the mark for you too.

June 2012

UNDERGROUND MAN – Knows Me Better EP

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Occasionally something completely unexpected appears in the Real Gone review pile.  This debut EP by Brooklyn performer (The) Underground Man is such a release.  It appeared with little information attached and even a visit to the official website drew a near blank – just a splash page featuring a hat-adorning silhouette, plus Bandcamp stream to the EP.

So, what is it about? Just who is the Underground Man?  What does he want?

The EP is comprised of five acoustic-based songs, played a twangy, late ’50s style, replete with underplayed harmonies.  There’s something about this release that sounds like it could’ve had roots in a side project from The Magnetic Fields’ Stephin Merritt.  Maybe it’s the cheeky New York edge; maybe it’s the blatant disregard for popular musical whims and fashions. It’s in the attitude as opposed to the end result: it’s not the work of Merritt of course (to begin with, this performer lacks Merritt’s rich baritone) but, just maybe, the amiable retro qualities present here may appeal to his devoted fan base.  Then again, they can be a demanding bunch, so maybe not.

The songs themselves are enjoyable in an old-fashioned (or rather post-modern take on old-fashioned) way, with the harmony-driven ‘Goodbye Look’ being the pick of the bunch.  The one-two shuffle and simple vocal suggest a love for the iconic Buddy Holly, while the recording really highlights the hard sound of guitar strings.  Just as charming, ‘It’s Not True’ mines a similar musical past as the best works of She & Him. In fact, after a couple of spins, it’s near impossible not to imagine Zooey Deschanel singing alongside whoever this unnamed man may be.

The remaining three cuts are enjoyable and represent more retro fun – suitable for either late night listening or wandering the streets with your portable device.  ‘Hey Love’ is upbeat, almost early Beatles in its execution, with some pleasing live-in-the-studio elements and ‘Trouble Follows Me’ wins through with a busy guitar break and lackadaisical mood, despite not being as strong overall.  Interestingly, the slow title cut – and lead track – is perhaps the weakest, never really tapping into Underground Man’s full potential.  After a wobbly start it never quite recovers, but doesn’t lessen the impact of the release too much.

Hear this mystery man’s take on fifties pop and pop-culture for yourselves: the EP is available as a free download via the Bandcamp widget below.

June 2012

KING LOCUST – Musk

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The first thirty five minutes of King Locust’s 2010 release ‘Musk’ uses downtuned riffs for maximum impact.  While the core of their sound borrows from a lot of nineties grunge and alternative music, there are a few later influences – namely a few post-hardcore ones – cutting through their best songs.  It’s true there’s more than a hint of Alice In Chains scattered throughout this album, but as it progresses, it becomes obvious there’s far more to this band’s take on nineties revivalism than just recycling a few old fashioned grunge riffs.  Some of the end results may not always be entirely original – such is the nature of any kind of revivalism – but ‘Musk’s first half results in an incredible level of heaviness.

One obvious standout, ‘Sand’, comes loaded with a huge swaggering riff, hugely weighty but never totally leaden.  Imagine ‘Dirt’ era Alice In Chains with a huge Melvins-style echo on the drum kit and you’ll have some idea of where King Locust are coming from.  There aren’t any overtly catchy hooks to be had, but to be fair, the weight behind the riff is everything.  To begin with, ‘Mea Culpa’ hints at a lighter and fuzzier mood briefly, but beyond the intro, the riff takes on a slow and fairly uncompromising tone.  While this dominates most of the four minutes, the first verse offers a contrast with a more alternative approach, and an atmospheric vocal which sounds like a Dutch Travis Meeks.  No such luxury for the second verse, however, where King Locust favour another heavy riff to back up a dual vocal: one voice adopting a metallic growl, while the other indulges in unsettling shouting.  It’s hard not to be reminded – at least in passing – of alternative metallers Craw with their brand of Helmet meets Tool ugliness.

By the time the sledgehammer ‘Guesthouse’ hits its stride, it’s surprising how strong King Locust’s riffs are.  While the verses still have a grunge edge, any earlier Alice In Chains-isms seem safe in comparison.  Once again, looking beyond the grungier moments, the heavy end on the chorus showcases more of a Page Hamilton/Helmet approach, as the riffs take on more post-hardcore intensity.  The guitars cranked to eleven meshing with an unsubtle drum line and a shouted vocal of “smash my head against the wall” shows King Locust at their most intense and uncompromising best.  Bringing the first half of the album to a thunderous close, ‘So Lonely’ stokes up the bottom end yet again, and as such, all guitar work takes on a mantle which would challenge ‘Blues For The Red Sun’ era Kyuss. While that brings a certain stoner and doom-like pace, beyond that, King Locust are still firmly within the grunge camp as opposed to stoner rock.  This is cemented by slightly nasal vocals – given extra weight by a harmony voice – which, when combined, makes no secret of King Locust’s love of early Alice In Chains yet again.  Still, there’s precious little wrong with having such a seminal influence.

Just when you think you’ve heard all their tricks, by the midpoint, King Locust don a very different musical hat, for ‘Musk’ is very much a disc of two halves.  The second half brings a bunch of experimental – and often acoustic based – instrumentals which sound like the bastard offspring of the Alice In Chains ‘Unplugged’ album colliding Sonic Youth’s experimental collages.

It goes without saying that the first half of the disc comes with the broadest appeal with regard to everyday listening.  The second half is still enjoyable in its own right, since the downtuned acoustic guitars and percussive arrangements make for some interesting, alternative late night musical backdrops.  The semi-wandering nature of the eight untitled instrumentals provides an excellent contrast to the band’s noisiest tendencies.  While King Locust are a great “all out” heavy riffing outfit, there’s someone within the ranks pushing their musical boundaries, occasionally achieving results which are just as interesting in their own way.  The closing piece, in particular, makes an instantly good impression by combining a Led Zeppelin rooted riff with a downtuned edge, and then pitching that against a much cleaner rhythm.  It’s more direct than most of King Locust’s instrumental works, it must be said, but it purposely brings the disc a slightly more upbeat finish.

King Locust twists their love of Alice In Chains and other classic grunge-based influences into something a little darker than most of their predecessors on occasion, thanks to an equal love of a lot post-grunge metal-based acts.  The bottom line is – in terms of nineties revivalism, at least – ‘Musk’ is more than enjoyable enough…especially when cranked through a decent set of speakers.

This rather split personality disc is being offered on a “pay what you want” basis, which can be obtained from the widget below.

December 2011

ESA LINNA – She’s Not A Human Being EP

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Esa Linna began his recording career as bassist with the Finnish pop punk band Time Flies in the 90s before moving on to a grungier direction with the relatively short-lived 86 Yourself. In 2012, as well as being a member of the Finnish language band Itämaa, he released ‘She’s Not a Human Being’, his first solo single and EP of the same name.

Power pop enthusiasts will be keen to note that for the title track, Linna enlists the help of a cult hero: one-time member of Jellyfish, Mr Roger Joseph Manning Jr, steps in to lend a hand on keyboards and backing vocals. That lead track is certainly the EP’s strongest offering; the guitars are sharp and the backing vocal harmonies are lovely, as Esa and his band (also featuring Itämaa bandmate Seppo Pohljolainen on drums) power through a well-structured pop-rock tune. Manning contributes a world of swirling organ fills during the second half, which definitely strengthens the overall arrangement.

’20,000’ days slows things down a little, presenting a wall of chiming guitars. A mid-paced approach recalls the works of Big Star and Belshill’s finest Teenage Fanclub, which, for many, will be a very welcome sound. Like the opening track, it’s all musically solid, but it’s as this track progresses, the weakest link becomes more obvious… While Linna is a reasonable songwriter and a great arranger, he’s not always a great singer. His voice is a little flat throughout, which, when applied to this kind of classic sounding pop/rock, just weighs everything down a little. Looking past that, the guitars hold their own throughout, while the tinkling pianos are a welcome addition. The softer ‘Piece of Me’ relies more on a semi-acoustic arrangement, and here, the vocals seem far more suited to the music. On the occasions the lead vocals wobble, they’re bolstered by cleaner harmony vocals to give things a bit more of that necessary lift. While vocals aren’t necessarily Linna’s strong point, it should be noted that he’s a handy man to have around if you need instruments played on your own release: on this track, he’s a veritable one man band, playing bass, guitar, mandolin, banjo, cello, keyboards and percussion instruments!

Just when you feel you’ve got this EP’s pop/rock sound and influences sussed, Esa throws a massive curve-ball. A curve-ball so wide, in fact, it could end all proverbial curve-balls. Closing this EP, the rather ugly ‘Meat Market’ attacks the listener with treated vocals, harsh electronic sounds and meaty beats. If you can make it past all that – and Esa’s throwaway claims of “here at the meat market, we’ve got some low prices” – there are some crisp, ringing guitars at play, but they’re often second fiddle to everything else. ‘Meat Market’ may (or may not) represent a reasonable slice of electronica, but if you came here for pop/power pop, it’s not going to float your boat, whether or not it’s intended as a humorous afterthought. It’s likely that Esa doesn’t care whether people like this track of course, he’s already got Roger Manning Jr on board elsewhere, so that’s always going to be a relatively big draw.

So, then, the ‘She’s Not A Human Being EP’ is a bit of a mish-mash; a release that paves the way to bigger, more interesting musical experiments. As a standalone release, it is, perhaps, best viewed as a curio. A curio featuring a one-time member of the legendary Jellyfish, but a curio nonetheless.

May 2012