New independent music labels and old friends provide the catalyst for this months comprehensive DaveCromwellWrites reviews. Heading down unfamiliar paths can often lead to surprisingly pleasant discoveries. At the same time, checking back in with previously covered artists whose work continues to burn at a high level confirms those original impressions. Taking all of that into consideration, we now dive in to the mid-February 2022 reviews.
Finding their way into the DaveCromwellWrites universe is Kool Kat Music label's new release “Wish I Could See” by Cheap Star. Fronted by Swiss-French musician Remi Vaissiere (who wrote, sings lead and plays guitar on all the songs) there is a distinct 'Americana/Powerpop' vibe running through it all. This is in large part due to the artists long-time relationship with seminal late 80's/early 90's Posies frontman Jon Auer. Brought in to produce and mix the record, Jon also plays a variety of guitars and keyboards on nearly all of the tracks. The Posies connection doesn't end there as respected drummer Brian Young (a member of that band during their major label years from 94-98, before moving on to The Fountains of Wayne and then The Jesus and Mary Chain) delivers outstanding percussion on every one of these new songs. The star cast doesn't end there however, with Brendan Benson (The Raconteurs), Gary Louris (The Jayhawks), Matthew Caws (Nada Surf), Roger Joseph Manning Jr. (Jellyfish) and the legendary Mitch Easter all contributing to a number of tracks. With that tantalizing introduction, what follows here is track-by-track commentary on each and every song.
There's an easy, slow shuffle groove on opening track “Lifetime,” with chiming guitar figures and prominent deep-thump drumming. Over that hypnotic pattern, Remi's sandpaper-soft vocals introduce a stream-of-conscious story recounting “looking for a sign,” being “happy as a child” alternately tempered against “love hurts” and how “you're gonna learn in your lifetime.” Precision harmonies emphasize and punctuate dramatic moments, as do additional layers of sonic enhancements that feel like strings (but could be keyboards or even extended note guitars). Follow-up cut “Flower Girl” comes on quicker right from the outset, with it's driving progression and orchestral FX'd guitars. Poetic lines surrounding the need for the songtitles subject matter, whether “in the dark” or “singing with me in the park” defines an elusive object of desire. Rhythmic changes emerge early and subsequently repeat, emphasizing a descending pattern that offsets nicely against the initial straightforward pattern. Additional lush vocal layers of “I want you” on the song's outro create one more romantic pop element.
“You Don't Want To Change” builds off a solid percussion backbeat with acoustic guitar and piano notes delicately intertwining over top. Remi's vocals come across in a more intimate manner, with less effects and a deeper level of sincerity. “Do you ever get that way?” he asks on the first change, followed by “I'm happier somehow.” The initial sentiment “I just want to take you back” ultimately morphs into a repeated “I just want to take it back.” Piano becomes more prominent as the song progresses, defining a rising melody leading out to the ultimate conclusion. Fourth track in and the album title piece, “Wish I Could See” launches off some heavily echoed tom-tom drums, twangy guitars and good-timey handclaps. “On another day, in another town” kicks off a story of searching curiosity, guiding towards a hooky chorus “I wish I could see - on the other side – I wish I could see.” While coming in at a brisk (and radio pop friendly) 2:21 in length, the artist manages to drop in an ambient instrumental breakdown before an unanticipated “will you marry me” choral vocal coda.
“Holding On” turns up the nostalgic charm with it's descending guitar pattern, syncopated snare drum beat, tambourine rattle and Roger McGuinn/ByrdsRickenbacker-style chime. “You never tried enough – you never had the force,” serves up just one lyrical snippet pointing towards somehow falling short. Dual layered lead and sugary background vocals (especially on the chorus) create an idyllic sensibility. A tasty (if ever so brief) guitar solo emerges two-thirds of the way through, providing additional weight to the pathos running through this entire composition. “Move Away” leans more on a traditional chugging rock and roll rhythm, while pitching vocals down into lower, measured pace delivery. “I – never take it easy – never throw you away – for you I try” serves up the opening lyrical foray. Heavier guitars join in with subsequent passes, as do piano notes descending with gentle counter melodies. Ghostly background vocals emerge with a melodic purpose of their own, creating an almost soulful feel to the proceedings. The final ten seconds serves up guitar feedback and scratching noises for an unexpectedly odd closing.
More than one could hope to expect is packed into the one minute and 46 second “Under The Synapse.” Another impressive, straightforward drum pattern kicks it all off, as bass-heavy guitar rumble rides roughshod over top. While references to nerve impulses and neurotransmitters may have factored into some of the lyrics (and at the very least the song's title) an audible hook of the line “that's ok with you” is clearly discernible. Ten seconds (or so) of mandolin strumming on the outro adds a nice finishing touch. Home recorded acoustic guitar and distorted Rhodes keyboards figure prominently on “In Your Head.” With a tambourine rattle keeping time on each snare shot, an inverted, angular riff serves up the tracks primary melody line. The vocals are softer and more intimate, with background harmonies used more sparingly (though just as effectively) on the end of key words (“head, heart”) and over the outro guitar solo.
“Slow Down” opens with Remi's voice and acoustic guitar only, creating a pensive ballad effect. Once the drums kick in the track immediately morphs to power-ballad, with banjo accompaniment adding a slight southern country feel as well. “I've been dreaming that you were right – about the place I call my own – the things we've never shown” is how one key harmonic passage goes. The final half-minute features a blistering guitar solo from the iconic Mitch Easter, adding one more glorious element to this emotional piece. The albums final (and longest) track “What It's Like” builds off of a staccato drum pattern, shaker percussion and snaking guitar suitable for a detective story. “You don't understand, what it's like” serves as the essential harmonized vocal hook. The final minute lays out a tasty blend of deep bass, synths and electric guitars for a fitting coda to this wonderful album.
Listen to these songs and find out how to acquire this album here:
The music of Dead Leaf Echo is no stranger to this site, having covered their recordings and many live shows for over a decade. Notwithstanding some personnel changes one could hardly be surprised at over that length of time, the current lineup has been relatively steady the last few years. Recently completing their first Latin America tour, a new six track EP is now available. “Milk.Blue.Kisses.And.Whalebone.Wishes” is the mysterious and poetic title, serving as something of a hybrid to the songtitles on it. A full track-by-track review follows below.
Opening cut “Milk.Blue.Kisses (Foil in Motion)” dives right in with swirling guitars, hard-edged bass and deep-echo stare drum shots, forging the same impeccable slow-build pageantry The Cure so masterfully generated on their “Disintegration” album. While emotive vocals commence, the undulating wash of gazey ambience continues to swell, extending across the entire sonic space. Like most gazey dreampop, lyrical content tends to serve more as another instrument, rather than traditional storytelling vehicle. However, based on the overall songtitle, there's something romantic going on here, with the audible reference to “your body” being a “perfect foil in motion.” An icy, rising texture adds further weight to the overall measured pace, leading out to its conclusion.
Follow up track “Blue.Unto.You” applies echo-fx on single struck guitar notes to emphasize an initially angular pattern, while choruses wash all around. It's ambient, mysterious and delicate all in one, with a particularly engaging bending guitar tone for good measure. Those ethereal moments are soon met with harsher percussive strikes, establishing a center-point for additional higher-pitched intonations. The singular guitar textures return, this time with a three-note descending pattern, that shifts upward on the second pass through, culminating on a resonant full guitar chord. As one might expect on a fully instrumental composition over four and a half minutes in length, increasing amounts of subtle aural elements emerge.
Bright shimmering atmospherics, jagged tom-tom rhythms and a driving bass-guitar undertow power along third entry “Kisses.Silence.” The contrast of higher register sheen against a pulsating bass and drum rhythm expand its auditory depth-of-field for maximum advantage. While some glistening notes are held for extended periods, other rising melodies emerge, while additional bass-guitar patterns snake off in other directions. A change section develops past the midway point, where electronic “voice” approximations accent rhythmic changes against cymbal-oriented percussion. With bass guitar tones emphasizing Simon Gallup-style “gothic rock,” instrumental passages are set free to float over top.
Tambourine shake, plucked bass and chorused guitars introduce center-album positioned “And.Projecting.Windows.Of.Ice.And.Misconduct.” Deep tom drumming commences on the second passage through, providing an alternate percussive rudder under distinct melodic changes. Moving away from above-reviewed tracks Cure references, the feel here is more early Cocteau Twins, and the extended vocal-less ambience of those recordings. Midway through, forceful snare drum shots and tom fills thunder across and lead into a ringing bell texture. More percussion is layered on with urgency, while a bassy counter-rhythm modulates back and forth. As things get more cymbal-heavy, it all rises to an celestial apex before a subtle tempo change advances to its conclusion.
“Whalebone” continues the frosty sonic luster, probing deeper into Robin Guthrie and Harold Budd-style atmospherics. A lovely melody emerges amid the roil as ghostly percussive clacks rise and fall inside of it. Majestic guitar chords are strummed slowly and with purpose, further advancing a haunting melody. It all adds up to an elevated sensation encompassing an opulent audio experience.
Check out these tracks, including how to obtain the entire Dead Leaf Echo catalog here:
Previous features about the band on this site can be found here - here - here - here - here and here.
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In March of 2021, Austin, Texas heavy-groove blues-rockers The Dizzy Bangers received a detailed analysis here on their current-at-the-time track and video for “Under The Sorrow.” Nearly a year later the band is back with a brand new song “Painted Bruises,” showing off an advanced level of musicianship and lyrical mastery within the heavy rock genre. Once again the DaveCromwellWrites audio annotator finds itself aimed directly at the heart of this creative release, for another worthy review.
Glistening guitar chord open the track with a gentle touch, before a busy melodic bass and cymbal accents join in. Those quieter moments are short-lived as fuller band instruments mark out a forward progression via syncopated full-trapset percussion, rumbling bass and snaking lead guitar lines. Initially hushed vocals convey lyrics depicting a manipulative seductress who can “hypnotize even the best of you.” Shifting into higher register for subsequent vocal lines suggest a level of mania encountered, and how there's “nothing you can do.” Hitting the first chorus is a powerful shot with all three musicians coming down hard on this hook that goes “no she'll never pay for anything she's done - yeah she'll get away with everything she's done.”
With additional verses unfolding, the story reveals a struggle with someone who “don't sleep for days” and is “hearing things again.” As friends implore you to “walk away man,” because you're dealing with an “evil one” who's “will be done,” the mind control takes hold “when it's all a blur.” An intense rhythmic instrumental break rolls out here at the song's midway point, with strident guitar licks alternating against drums and bass throttle. The rhythm section thunders hard as guitar leads soar over top. Classic blues-rock power trios come to mind at this point, with those guitar lines executing a fluid style, while adding a growling edge to the tone. The same qualities that legendary musicians like Leslie West and his band Mountain electrified audiences with back in the 1970's.
Reverting back to that initial soft-vocal style on the final verse lines “from a steel cage looking out, how could this ever be,” morphing once more to higher register harmonies and eventual song title line reveal. The final chorus explodes with a combined vocal passion and rhythmic intensity that brings to mind early-2000's era power-rockers Deftones (who are still going strong today). Specifically where heavy, locked-together shifting drums, bass and abrasive guitar rhythm provide accents, hooks and emotional center. Emphasizing superior chops with intelligent, thought-provoking lyrics.
Covering shows and artists in New York City (and surrounding
areas) is constant source of sonic and visual stimulation. It's why I live
here. However, I sometimes wonder what it might be like to live in other
regions of the USA. More specifically, what are the underground and alternative rock music
scenes like there?
Sure, I know about Austin - having attended a number of SXSW
festivals.
California has always been on my radar as a dominating force since
the early 1960's. But - what about a place like Las Vegas?
Engaging in a bit of research, I discovered a thriving rock
scene bubbling under the surface, similar to what goes on in New York,
Philadelphia, Boston, DC, Chicago, Minneapolis and Austin.
Local hard rockers Microdot have a sound that leans towards
the powerful armageddon-fueled force popularized by genre leaders like Tool. The
guitar chords are flanged and crunchy, while lead vocals are delivered with a
foreboding sentiment.
Listen to "Eternal Youth" for a prime example of this:
Down The Boulevard present a quicker urgency with their hard
rock style. "Alibis" comes at the listener with an almost frantic
approach. "How could you look in to my eyes - while smiling through your
alibis," is the accusatory lyrical refrain.
Systemec delivers a heavy industrial sound that pays homage
to purveyors of this genre like Rob Zombie and Prong. "Skywind" more
than capably plunders this semi-mechanized sound, while showing a lyrical
cleverness as well. Using the time-honored "sky" metaphor, the lyric
"watch the sky slip away" can easily be morphed into "watch this
guy slip away." Heady stuff.
As one can see, simply scratching the surface shows a
thriving underground of rock bands in a city that is mostly known for gambling
and more "traditional" forms of entertainment.
A road trip to check
it all out live and in person is soon to be on the itinerary.
And so we come to the final day that is this marathon known as the South By Southwest music festival.
After being out to the wee hours of the morn, Sunday doesn't really begin in reality until the early afternoon.
For the second year in a row, the Sunday restaurant of choice was Guero's
Texting back and forth for the entire time in Austin during this week (after the obligatory social networking messaging during the months leading up to) - a meeting was finally had between myself and fellow MOG writer "mama" (who also goes by the name Lisa).
Captured for the MOG-o-sphere, this photo had to be taken.
The traveling roadcrew having a breezy early-afternoon meal and beverages. Lisa, yours truly, LG, Ana and James fuel up for more musical exploits.
Into the bowels of the beast one more time, we headed over to the open all day party at Beerland to catch the punk-glam-psych sounds of Brooklyn's own Xray Eyeballs.
OJ, Carly and Liz had the Xray-rock going full tilt on this day.
Amusingly, the drummer played as a mysterious shrouded phantom.
OJ and Carly front the band with the classic boy-girl tandem of alternating lead vocals.
Liz adds quite a bit to the overall sound by way of backing up on rhythm guitar and keyboards.
A perfect way to spend the last afternoon in Austin
Xray clatter to make your head and heart shatter
Another performer of note was a synth driven act from Kentucky going by the clever name of Idiot Glee. An actual solo act with appealingly textured machines, the set was impressive as we observed from the comfort zone of Xray Eyeball's merch table.
Now there was anticipation building for a return engagement of last year's stand out Sunday night performer - Vockah Redu.
Always exhibiting a flair for the dramatic, Vockah had Beerland whipped up into a New Orleans bounce frenzy.
When familiarity is not doing it's job (breeding contempt) - it may actually make the heart grow fonder.
Such is the case with an artist I knew nothing about a year ago, but this year found me looking forward to the performance.
Duly impressed with the Beerland show, we literally followed him over to his next scheduled show at The Mohawk nearby.
Which then became the final stop on this years South By Southwest extravaganza.
A fitting end to a week that takes over two of them to recap.
The Sweet Tea Pumpkin Pie Showcase at Casa Chapala was in high gear now.
Taking the stage was Austin's own UME. My third Ume show this week.
To say they killed it one more time would be something of an understatement. As you can see the crowd was pretty into it.
Lauren Langer Larson is a whirling, shredding, human dynamo.
Once again revisiting the view from behind Rachel's drum kit. The playing was even more ferocious on this afternoon.
Lauren and bandmates ripped through hellaciously paced set of all their best songs.
Eric Larson drives the rhythm section with a cool presence and understated leadership qualities.
Of the three shows I saw, this may have been the most impressive. Lauren took it to another level and blew everyone away with her brilliant guitar playing and high energy performance.
Ume proved once again they are the class of Austin and all the SXSW festival.
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Another band I had been hoping to catch live came to fruition when the lovely Lilies On Mars took to the stage.
Lilies on Mars weave dreamy guitar and synth lines, hypnotic vocals and psychedelic sounds into gorgeous pop and abstract songs, with words of reality and dreams.
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The band consists of Lisa Masia and Marina Cristofalo, who met over ten years ago in Sardinia, and now reside in London.
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Another band I'd been waiting to see live again, were my friends The Sunshine Factory
Having been through some changes since I first got to know them a few years ago (and name me a band that hasn't been through "a few changes") - the current model now sound better than ever.
Now a full permanent member of the band, young bassist Sally Robertson adds important sonic and visual qualities to an already appealing musical presentation.
Of course the central force of The Sunshine Factory is frontman, lead vocalist, guitarist and instrumental songwriter Ian Taylor
Their show on this afternoon was nothing less than spectacular.
In addition to their classic dreamgaze sound, they put on a magnificent light show.
Responsible for this great lighting - and the songs lyrics as well - its the bands silent member - Robert Taylor
Stars dapple off of Sally's frame
They have a wonderful album out now - "Sugar" - and I highly recommend it.
What followed this was something that resulted from a combination of factors. One, it was St. Patrick's Day. Two, it was a Saturday. Three, it was later in the day. People had been drinking (and doing God knows what else) all day long. That included the so-called "sound man." Not the good guy I mentioned earlier on this day (Hanford) - but a particularly cement-headed individual who became less coherent and more abrasive as the day went on. It was reported that he apparently was trying to shake down the bands for additional "soundman fees" - or they couldn't play. One such scheduled band (you can see their name on the chalk board earlier on) was Austin's own Bloody Knives. When they were at first allowed to take the stage - then told they had to get off for another band - they set up on the side - and part way into the next set - started blasting their own sounds from the sidelines. A ruckus ensued and after some tense moments (give or take people's perceptions of the events) - this particular party was shut down.
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But being as it was Saturday Night - the party must go on! Now in the late night terrain of beyond unofficial events, we found ourselves at a place called the 21st Co-Op.
To my eyes the whole place looked like a scene out that recent frat-party-gone-out-of-control movie Project X.
Still, there was some quality music to be heard.
One of the main reasons for being there was to catch local band Cool Serbia
Fronted by former Ringo Deathstarr guitarist Renan McFarland, they played a spirited set of raucus rock n' stomp that was most appropriate for this moment in time.
A power crunch three piece unit. Big sounds from this homegrown Austin trio.
Bassist Raz handles the vocal duties, with more than capable results.
Encouraging "crowd participation" - the mic was positions so anyone who wanted to come up and "sing along" (i.e. shout unintelligible nonsense) was afforded this opportunity.
At one point near the end of their set, Raz was laying backwards on the floor, throttling his bass in an ecstatic rock star pose, when one festively sodden individual tripped and fell right on his face.
Asking Raz about the effects of this afterwards, he seemed to brush it off as "no big deal."
Another reason to be at this particularly odd location so late on Saturday Night/Sunday Morning - was to see and hear the joyous sounds of Brooklyn's own Dive
Much like the parent band that spawned them - Beach Fossils - they make a joyous sound that just makes you want to move your feet.
Two intertwined guitars - steady bass and drums. It's happy music for people who just want to love the sounds.
Good vocals too. They are a band who's music I enjoy a lot.
But - since this was a "Project X" type -party - it too ended with a kerfuffle - and the declaration that "this is being shut down!"
Though I wanted to see the next band - and was disappointed not to have on this occasion - I would get one more opportunity the following day.
Dave Cromwell has been writing about music since the dawn of the internet age. In addition to the steady flow of features here on this site, he has been a regular contributor to The Deli Magazine (both Print and Web) since 2010. With numerous Print Issue cover features and weekly contributions on the Deli website, scores of artists have received the Cromwell point of view. Along with ongoing contributions to this site and The Deli Magazine, Dave has written for Dingus, My Social List, The Waster, Spin and Rolling Stone magazines.
