Covering all the Music You Didn't Know About Since '96

Young Livers evokes post-hardcore gritty dank guitars that drop bombs similar to seminal outfit Drive Like Jehu. “Of Misery and Toil” burns no bridges as they embark upon a steady diet of breakdowns, odd song structures, and tinkering with what we’ve all come to expect from post-indie rock outfits. Mid-range rhythms with some blasts of devastation that are few and far between remind me of a Far that doesn’t deploy a melodic singer (think Hot Water Music) and nods firmly in the direction of punk rock. Each song evokes an immediate attention span quadrant that scans the horizon looking for something better but comes up empty. I swear they are a few decades removed from the DC hardcore scene.

Kadman sounds like a mellow Pearl Jam album at times; often melodic and meandering (in a good way), extremely lonely and trying to find its feet. “These Old Bones” shakes off stereotypes with a vocally-led drive, sparse rhythm, coffeehouse centric guitars, and intriguing lyrics. An intricate and incredible album to say the very least. Another perfect notch on the belt for Baltimore’s best indie label, The Beechfields.

The group featuring Mrs. Miller and Mccabe, neither of which is the real name of either of the duo whom are properly referred to as Victor Krummenacher (Camper Van Beethoven, Monks of Doom) and Alison Faith Levey (The Loud Family, The Sippy Cups), performs stirring indie pop with an Americana twist. But refusing to be slipped into a specific genre cabinet, the group delves into Southern blues, folk, pop ballads, roots-rock, jazz, and pleasant acoustic. It’s foot-stomping fun that refuses to succumb to any industry pressure to sound like this or that. I love that. And you will too. Looking for the next big thing that none of your hipster friends have heard yet? Pick up “Time for Leaving” and you won’t be disappointed.

Peep a video for these indie pop rockers for the title track:

Lesson 1 for those of you in unsigned bands hoping to get review coverage and notice in the music industry – first impressions are key. And no I’m not just talking about the fact that the first 30 seconds of your first song should be killer (that’s a no brainer folks) but it’s the little things, like the look-n-feel of your packaging. Some bands subscribe to the notion that they should put airplane size bottles of booze in there (awesome and much appreciated, keep ‘em coming!), others have cute 8×10 press cuts (yawn, please no more brick wall photos, thanks!), and then the inventive take it from the very first look – what and how you pack your music that’s sent via the mail. Get Laid nailed it – excuse the pun. Not only did they use Simpsons stamps, which is universally noted as ‘awesome’ but they put their vinyl in a decorated package. Going that extra mile means the world and shows that you really REALLY want folks to open it up to see what surprises lay inside. “Pretty Weathered” is a female-fronted proto-punk, spazz, and crusty indie rock outfit that deploys intriguing stop-and-go guitar chugs while firmly nodding to their hardcore brethren. “Decca A.D.” is oddly a B-side but could be their lead track. Easily mistaken for D.C. era post-hardcore and dare I say, emocore, Get Laid is one up-and-comer that everyone worth their salt in the music biz and Regular Joes who just want to be in the know for the next best band. Love it.

Balmorhea is an acoustic quartet from Austin (where else?) releases yet another brilliant and stunning array of surreal music. Their ’09 album “All is Wild, All is Silent” received rave reviews and “Constellations” won’t settle to just ride on its coattails; instead the group reinvigorates itself with meditations on cosmos and the metaphysical worlds beyond our mental grasp. Beautiful piano tinkling that tickles the ear drum and serenades you with a wild array of emotions.

Balmorhea – Constellations

Obviously the album title tilts the subject matter on its collective axis, wondering what is out there amid the chaos. Colorful melodies harmonize with a core of musical accolades that easily put Balmorhea among some of today’s biggest rising stars. At times you’ll find yourself almost worn thin because each track is that daunting but once you deconstruct it, your mind and ears find yourself reinvigorated to the Nth degree. It boggles my mind that this group is still somewhat of an unheard of entity in the music world. They are clearly one of most inventive, talented, and cerebral groups to come out of the Austin, Texas scene, which is like saying someone is the best Rhodes scholar.

Sometimes cinematic soundscapes can seem elemental, almost dire and borderline snoozing – this is absolutely never the case with “Constellations” which constantly engages the listener in a new fashion as each tune progresses. Daunting, brilliant, and stirring – oh and did I mention, acoustic? Jaw dropping to say the least. Just watch their live performance on KEXP during SXSW for further proof:

KEXP live @ SXSW: Balmorhea – Coahuila from KEXP RADIO on Vimeo.

Or watch a short film…I mean is there anything Balmorhea can’t do? Dodge bullets comes to mind, but I think they could lull violent acts into submission!

Indie rock that’s busy bridging gaps and forging in the forest of dissonance and chaos, “Instant Everything” by Untied States (that’s not a typo English majors, thanks) is a whirlwind and cacophony of noise, both spazzy and delightful. Post-punk noise nuance is a great way to describe this Atlanta-based five-piece. Experimental jam sessions gone awry and hectic, lunging from unexpected to predictable seemingly in the same stanza of prose. I hear a lot of yesteryear Sonic Youth influences minus Kim Gordon but plus David Yow of the Jesus Lizard. Loud and abrasive guitar-centric noise machines Untied States write raw and authentic college rock anthems that are sometimes hard to follow but always pleasing to the appreciative ear.

Polish emo? You bet, and Keira Is You is in the vein of true emo, ala The Appleseed Cast, Engine Down, and perhaps even a little Sunny Day Real Estate. “Nothing Else Will Happen” casts its net far and wide with powerfully experimental nuances like children’s choirs, elements of New Wave, cello, and synthesizers. Indie rock should be a little challenging, now shouldn’t it?

Watch this video for “Madness”:

Sultry off-jazz vocals with the constructs of electro-pop and indie pop building a foundation, Panda Transport, a duo consisting of Kathy Compton and Thierry Holweck have been around since ’06. The duo found fame with their single “Transmission” off of their critically acclaimed debut “Plush Mechanique”, which was featured on Greys Anatomy. Having written their debut essentially through Internet-based collaborations, Panda Transport set out to do something more organic and intimate. Intelligently blending ‘found sounds’ (they sampled cicadas outside of Kathy’s yurt and car-door-slams became a new found kick drum) with personal and emotional vocals, light melodies, sweet harmonies, and future pop rhythms, “Monorail” builds upon the success of their debut and proves that they’re far removed from the dreaded sophomore jinx. Pop fanatics will covet the truly catchy nature of many of the tracks, while the more indie and experimental music junkies will drool over decomposing and digesting the varied musical tapestries that make up each track.

Blues-laden vocals retch out primitive emotions and observations of the art-punk world and its vibrant personalities on “To the Pouring Rain”, yet another superb addition to an already overwhelming catalog to small indie label Porto Franco Records. Seth Augustus sounds like a late career Tom Waits or even Leonard Cohen, straining to convey the imaginative thoughts streaming from his cortex into something even a drug-addled subconscious could piece together. The album sounds like the inspiration to half-a-dozen David Lynch flicks, sexy Americana folk with notes of early jazz and a more blues experimental Captain Beefheart. For you more modern music fans, look to a comparison of Ike Reilly with a more gravelly voiced narrative. Seth’s friendship, apprenticeship, and eventually his caretaking for the gravelly ill blind blues-man Paul Pena, noted for his superb “Big Old Jet Airliner” and the figure of an Oscar-nominated documentary, “Genghis Blues
”, is certainly felt throughout this excellent disc of fertile blues and art-pop landscape dubbed simply “To the Pouring Rain”. Outstanding and an essential pick for those looking for the next modern-day blues prophet.

The Honest Mistakes – Break Up

You know an album entitled “Break Up” just is going to be wretchedly raw, seething with exposed emotions, and crybaby lyrics about what could have been, revisiting past decisions time and again. Well it’s that, sort of, but not really. And after all, a band that features members who originally met in a band entitled CheapPaperbackRomance surely knows what it means to be ironic romantic self-doubting lovers. The band to no surprise given their name didn’t survive, however Chris and Joylene continued to play together from 2000 to 2004 under the name The Chris and Joylene Show. The group leans on the pop sensibilities of punk and indie rock but utilizes witty lyrics and strongly tasteful melodies to not sound like a big ole cliché. Do they succeed? Absolutely. Ironic lyrics coalesce with dynamic pop that pulls at heartstrings (but not too much damn it), hoping to add themselves as a strong entry in Baltimore’s underground indie pop scene. I hear a whole slew of influences which the band readily admits – Teenage Fanclub and Fountains of Wayne. The Beechfields Record Label, yet again, has another solid winner on their hands. With the release set to launch of the 5^th of January, can you think of a better way to usher in the New Year? I know my New Year’s resolution of listening to more awesome underground indie pop is already off to a great start with the “Break Up”.

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