Uh-huh. That’s right. Childish Gambino. And Beck. For those not too extremely familiar with Beck, you probably didn’t know that he did some rapping on some old tracks many, many eons ago. I, for one, did not know he raps. So this is a return to past days for Beck. Silk Pillow is a…
ay yo kenna
Released on: 21 May 2012
They’re from: Jensen Beach, FL
Sounds like: La Dispute on anti-depressants.
Hear it: Bandcamp
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Because I am a lucky duck, I’ve got in my possession the new Ghost Cat EP Cave Sounds. Those of you who keep track of my blog will remember I also reviewed their first EP Haunted Houses. While I can’t say a whole lot has changed from my original diagnosis of “punky, mathy, probably post-something,” Cave Sounds is a much more diverse effort. This time around, Ghost Cat rock a bevy of different volumes, structures— even genres.
While I would say that the four tracks that comprised Haunted Houses occupied roughly the same twinkly sonic timbre, Cave Sounds finds Ghost Cat stretching out— and we all know how flexible cats are. The difference between the slow-burning opener “Space Pope is Reptilian” and “Anything is Popsicle” is pretty damn vast. Whereas the former invokes a La Dispute sort of minimalism, the latter is the heaviest Ghost Cat song I’ve heard, with a downright insidious couple of guitar lines and this sort of The Fall of Troy-esque breakout at the 1:20 mark. For the most part, though, songs like the re-recorded “Marshmallow Teeth” and “Coffin Bachelor Party II-1” are Ghost Cat on cruise control, navigating their signature pop-punk-post-hardcore with deft, earthy guitar work and Jose Perez’s scream-tinged singing.
Singscreams? Screangs? I dunno, he makes the rawr rawrs come out all pretty-like.
I know I already mentioned La Dispute, but I gotta drop ‘em again if I want to talk about “Kat Von Wolfenstein,” because not only does the spare instrumentation and vocal delivery remind me of Wildlife, but the lyrical style, too— really, it’s more like if Jordan Dreyer fronted American Football.
I’m pretty excited about Cave Sounds. I’m diggin’ the increased energy and diversity in the songwriting. Whereas “Coughin’ Party” was the designated slow song on Haunted Houses, each track on Cave Sounds makes use of both busy sections and the spare, both dense moments of volume and those more vacant and placid. A good band is getting even better.
If my name drops make you salivate, if you know who Algernon Cadawaller are, if singscreams give you chills, or if you are a fan of poppy post-hardcore in general, these dudes are gonna be your catnip.
Released on: 17 December 2011
They’re from: Portland, Oregon
Sounds like: MSG for your ears, sprinkled on the finest broccoli florets and the choicest slices of stray cat.
Hear it: Bandcamp
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Released on: 30 August 2011
They’re from: San Marcos, Texas
Sounds like: putting your ear to a banjo and hearing the ocean.
Hear it: Bandcamp
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I must have a musical guardian angel who drops all these great bands in my lap like this. Allow me to introduce Equals, whose debut self-titled EP is blowing my mind. Part Always the Runner, part Toe, Equals play eclectic, electrics-infused post-rock packaged into tidy 4-5 minute tracks. And when I say eclectic, I mean glitchy samples breaking out into a surge of tremolo, followed up by some banjo, capped off with a sick Wurlitzer line.
Equals construct songs with Irepress levels of energy, working in grooves and smashing together chunks of song from entirely different sonic geographies into cohesive tracks that really stick. Some instrumental music laps at your toes or billows placidly; some of it is best suited as background music, but Equals keeps you engaged.
The opening of “Salvo” reminds me a lot of Boyfrndz, who I wrote about yesterday. It’s probably the most electric-tinged bunch of bars on the EP, but the electrics give way to acoustic guitar, of all things, and then both sounds combine into a neat marriage of acoustic and electric, which is then layered with a gorgeous wash of treated vocals. Standout tracks for me, though, are “Table Monster” and “Electric Blanket,” thanks to their diversity of sound.
“Table Monster” brings the groove right quick — definitely gives me Irepress vibes — then lumps on tremolo, which dithers into staticy ambience. “Electric Blanket” lives up to its title, opening with an electric drumbeat and a lone guitar line. The song rouses slow like sleeping in. It’s classic post-rock, but the electric drums lend the build up an unusual sort of energy. The crescendo is like flicking a light switch between sunny ambience and short, driving bursts of darker melody. And the bridge? Groovy, stuffed with great drum work, some Wurlitzer, nimble guitars. What’s not to love?
If you’re in need of some fresh blood in your instrumental folder— hell, even if you’re not, even if your hard drive is overflowing with music and porn, you gotta eke out some room for this EP, or y’know, just stream it first. Either way, Equals are excellent, excellent post-rock.
Keep these recommendations coming!
Released on: 25 February 2012
They’re from: Austin, Texas
Sounds like: the soundtrack to a Rube Goldberg machine.
Hear it: Bandcamp
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I’m gonna be up front with you guys: Boyfrndz does not inhabit a genre that I normally listen to. While I’m still being up front, I also have no idea what to call Boyfrndz. So I’m going to let them help. On their Bandcamp, their tags include: “electronic, experimental, fresh to death, new rock & roll, noise-pop, shoegaze, and spazz.” Hm…
You know what, I’m down with those.
Boyfrndz definitely exude a really chilled-out, shoegazey approach to noise-pop. The piecey, glitchy moments in “Human Suit” remind me of Baths, just without the occasional, head-scratchingly offensive vocal line. The songs sound bright and sunny— no, wait, they sound like a vacation. While there’s a lot going on in every song, I feel relaxed, like I can let the electric blips and static-laced bass wash over me in waves. I get the impulse to label themselves as “spazz,” but the songs don’t feel that spastic— And So It Goes… is more melodious than anything. Even an act like Glowbug is more spazzy.
However, I will absolutely concede that Boyfrndz are “fresh to death.” Fans of any genre, definitely bend an ear toward And So It Goes…, and heck, they’ve got a few EPs in their backlog that are just as good.
Thanks for the submission! I’ll be checking out Equals soon.
