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Posts in category unsigned bands

Moes Haven – Stromboli’s Alarm Clock

Mar06
2011 Leave a Comment Written by J-Sin

After all these years, I’m super stoked that Moes Haven is still doing what they do. Lo-fi creativity wrapped in bubblegum lyrics and a damn awesome amount of creativity, Moes Haven has a ton of accomplishments next to their name including a 24-disc album that runs an entire day, over 1500 songs to their credit, and a career that has spanned a decade and a half. Have they made tons of money? No. Are they super famous? No. So what. What Moes Haven is, is an awesome indie rock band that sheds all stereotypes and just flat out writes songs. Not everyone is a hit but you’d be surprised to find out that the vast majority of them are damn well-written singer/songwriter masterpieces. For “Stromboli’s Alarm Clock” they wrote 200 songs, choosing the most polished and then set about recording them. Matt Farley (keyboards, vocals) and Tom Scalzo (guitars) once again deliver a fun-filled album that begs repeated listens and most importantly inspires even an old jaded dude like myself to reassemble the DIY studio in the basement. Thanks guys!

Posted in music reviews

Death by Sexy – Curse the Curse

Mar06
2011 Leave a Comment Written by J-Sin

DC-based trio Death by Sexy got their name when Jesse Hughes of Eagles of Death Metal fame was playing a pinball machine at the Black Cat in D.C. and suggested the moniker to the group who was struggling with the first perennial question all bands have to suffer through. “Curse the Curse” is brand name rock-n-roll that doesn’t sweat the small stuff and could care less if the devil is in the details. Instead the group flaunts their grungy hard rock sound that reminds one of pre-“Nevermind” Nirvana. Big drums, big guitars, and big bass licks that smack each cheek (face or ass? You guess). The vocals aren’t trying to punish you with rock yelps but instead focuses on being as melodic as the Ramones. Fun high energy focused rock-n-roll in the local area that has a lot of humor and doesn’t take anything too seriously and to be honest shouldn’t be taken very seriously either.

Posted in modern rock, music reviews

The Atlantic Manor – The World Beneath This World Is Brightening

Feb26
2011 Leave a Comment Written by J-Sin

Rick Sell’s The Atlantic Manor continues to pave the way for DIY indie rock. While the band has always and unfortunately flown under the radar, the group always seems to be masterful when it comes to crafting the perfect pop gem. They have never sacrificed sound or quality despite being a self-avowed lo-fi artist. Now on their eleventh album, The Atlantic Manor has turned the page with a focus on surreal and cerebral music. Occasionally gravelly voiced, Sell (ironic last name much?) paints his canvases with self-portraits that are introspective and curious. A bevy of noises and oddities saturate each tune without being distracting, instead ladling up the pop feel and serving it to the folks fortunate enough to stumble upon them. I am gracious that I have had the pleasure to not only review the band but hear such terrifically built albums like “The World Beneath This World Is Brightening”.

Posted in indie, music reviews - Tagged , , , ,

Get Laid – Pretty Weathered

Jan24
2010 Leave a Comment Written by J-Sin

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.

Posted in indie, music reviews, punk - Tagged , , , ,

Jon Troast – Living Room

Jan03
2010 Leave a Comment Written by J-Sin

Jon Troast - Living Room

These are the endearing stories that makes being a music reviewer that much more rewarding. Jon Troast is a paycheck-to-paycheck musician who recently completed a 100 Concerts in 100 Days tour, performing in gracious people’s living rooms. The album is a melting pot of Americana, pop-rock, folk, and indie singer/songwriter fare. Blessed with earnest lyrics with working-collar melodies, Jon Troast’s “Living Room” is a testament that struggling musicians can get by if they try hard enough, self-promote the right way, and frankly get out there and perform in front of people. Oh did I mention he doesn’t plan on charging for his shows in 2010, but just will rely on album sales alone to get by? So what are you waiting for? Help a man out and be rewarded with gift of strong songwriting and the wordplay of a true traveling minstrel.

Watch a video of Jon playing at a barn:

Posted in folk, music reviews, pop music - Tagged , , , , , ,

Jes Falcon – Purest Falcon

Jan02
2010 3 Comments Written by J-Sin

Jes Falcon is the Worst Singer Ever in the History of Music

I wish I could have found the cover art for this album somewhere, because on it, Jes Falcon does his best Mick Jagger pouty lip impression and it prepares you for exactly how horrid “Purest Falcon” is. Well I hope the photo that I did find of Jes Falcon does it some amount of justice. Just go to his site for more hilarity and potential mockery. The “singer”/”songwriter” (that’s in heavy, HEAVY quotes) is based out of Amsterdam, I have one wee suggestion for Mr. Falcon – please find the nearest “coffee” shop and do a lot of drugs. I can’t emphasize the importance of this action for the rest of your “career”. And when you think you’re sobering up or gearing up to try to write more music just go back. You need to forget that your music ever existed and was ever written – I know I certainly hope to and quickly. I actually think I need to give my eardrums a bath in alcohol after listening to “Purest Falcon”. Maybe this was his idea of a joke? Now that X-Mas is gone, I’m bummed that I don’t have the opportunity to bestow what would perhaps be the world’s best gag gift onto anyone. Ah well there’s also next year!

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Rotten Bark – Chillin’ Out (Teenage Love Story) Part 1

Jan02
2010 Leave a Comment Written by J-Sin

Rotten Bark – Chillin’ Out (Teenage Love Story) Part 1

Dear unsigned bands, do NOT ever send your material, unsolicited or otherwise, requiring a signature. That will just piss off whomever is in receipt of your package. And to open it up to find a plea that they need help from people just like myself, is well, hilariously ironic. But despite the aggravation of my mailman giving me warning slip after warning slip regarding signature, I promised to listen with an open-mind. Good thing I did! Polish pop-punk that is in the vein of California sunny pop-punk you’d hear at any mall or skate park. The EP is short at only three-songs but very strong nevertheless, perhaps strong enough to even get them signed to an indie label at some point soon. The single is “Chillin’ Out (Retarded Knight)” and at sub-three minutes is perfect for the attention span deficit mall punk fans out there. The recording is spot-on, sounding extremely professional, and yes they sing in English; also their harmonies are ridiculously catchy with nice foot-stomping rhythms – pretty much everything that a great pop-punk band needs in their favor. Definitely not something incredibly new by any stretch but in this genre, does it really matter?

Listen to their cover of Blink 182’s “First Date” at YouTube. Is it really a surprise that they’d cover Blink 182 (that’s a rhetorical question for those of you sucking down the cough syrup a bit too much these days).

Posted in music reviews, punk - Tagged , , , ,

Moes Haven – It Takes a Lot of Guts! (to be this Obscure and Keep Getting Up in the Morning)

Jul19
2009 Leave a Comment Written by J-Sin

moes-haven_it-takes-a-lot-of-guts

If you’re an avid reader of Smother over the years, you’ll note that one year was spent reviewing a dozen albums by indie alternative rock outfit Moes Haven. Quirky pop tunes that laugh in the face of the serious. Found in the mail package along with the CD was a DVD of their new indie flick, “Monsters, Marriage, and Murder in Manchvegas” – a hilarious b movie set to the tune of horror thriller, peep the trailer here. But back to the music – this is a collection of some of the finest moments of Moes Haven, though why they didn’t include the track that they wrote for me is beyond me! Adventuresome songwriters that have somehow completely scared off that disease known as ‘writer’s block’. Awesome guys, awesome.

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Suzy Callahan – My Own Personal Watermelon

Jul04
2008 Leave a Comment Written by J-Sin

I’ve been wholly impressed by Suzy Callahan’s heartfelt and smart lyrical content ever since I was blessed enough to review her previous albums. She once again strips away expectations with bright and clever wordplay amid a modern day coffeehouse folk-pop album. Spiritually calculating and ethereal hooks comprise the vast majority of the songs contained on “My Own Personal Watermelon”, which was tracked in analog and digital in equal parts by producer Scott Tyburski. The title refers to the new seedless variety of mini watermelons that you may see at a grocery store. In fact this morning when I was at the store I saw some for sale and was tempted to buy one and munch away while listening to Suzy’s cute, poetic and tender tunes.

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