myspace music monday: SumKid

When I was contacted by email last week by hip hop artist, SumKid, he made a very astute observation.  He said, “Just at first blush, it looks like you guys might be primarily into Alt. Rock, but I get the feeling you’re genuine lovers of good music…and I think I have some of that.”  Well, Sum’s feeling is right.  We are genuine lovers of good music here at Audio Overflow.  Whether he “has some of that” or not, I’ll leave up to you to decide.  Here are my thoughts:

SumKid

Songs

Sum’s myspace page has several songs, and samples of songs for you to check out.  The very first one on the playlist is named, “Chuck Norris On Drugs.”  (My undying love of Chuck Norris “facts” compels me to mention that Chuck Norris is literally on top of drugs…his boot that is.)  Sum does a sort of back and forth on the track, calling out and then answering himself.  It’s hard to explain.  The lyrics are a little silly to be completely honest.  A lot of them just seem like random statements like  “I chop off my legs so I can kick you with the nubs.”

“Pretty Girls With Flyers” is much cooler, with a cool, hip groove accompanying Sum’s deep seductive vocals.  His rapping sounds a lot more like talking, sort of in an “A Witch’s Invitation” kind of way (very few people will get that reference).  It’s a short song, but very effective.  The refrain of “Pretty girls with flyers, man they get away with murder” is really driven home, and – well – I agree.  “King Kong In A Suit” has a really cool beat and features some of Sum’s more explicit vocals.  I definitely like the line, “What Kanye’s doing, I did in ’03,” and the whole feel of the song.  It definitely reminds me of some older Outkast tunes, which is a huge complement in my book.  It’s also the first lyrically impressive song that I’ve yet to hear, which is also nice.

“Paranoid” is easily the best, most “real” track on the page.  Sum goes over a bunch of subjects here: his upbringing, people he doesn’t trust, his inner turmoil (“When will I find my peace?”), and it all works.  It never feels like he’s trying to do too much, which is really surprising.  “Devil Shoes” has an unbearably hip beat, complete with organs and jazz flutes.  At this point I’m highly impressed with the amount of pop culture references that Sum is able to cram into every song.  From Chuck Norris to Theo Huxtable, Marlon Brando or the Ninja Turtles, everything is fair game and makes for a very entertaining and interesting listen.  This is a pretty catchy track (“Boom Boom.  Click Clack.  Least he coulda done is wipe his shoes on the mat.”).  “September” is Sum’s most mainstream-sounding song.  The easy-going beat gets mixed up a bit in the chorus, and I found it to be pretty effective.  Again, really cool lyrics.
Conclusion

My apologies to Sum.  Though I do enjoy some hip hop, the artists that I actually like are few and far between.  My lack of in-depth knowledge of the genre definitely has a lot to do with my lackluster write-up of his music.  The bottom line is that I think Sum is a pretty talented MC.  His rhymes are inventive and different in a genre that is too often populated by the complete opposite.  There are a few missteps to be found on his myspace page, but for the most part I’m fairly impressed with what I’ve heard.  I highly recommend that you check it out, especially the tracks “September” and “Paranoid.”

Links

Sum’s myspace page

Google results for SumKid

myspace music monday: The Cyanide Valentine

Talk about perfect timing.  I’m sitting at my computer, getting ready to start my weekly scouring of myspace in search of an artist worth listening to.  I check my email –nothing of note– go to check my sites (Engadget, Pitchfork, The Superficial), and then decide to swing back by my email once more.  What’s waiting for me but an email from Jake Zavracky, lead vocalist and guitarist of Boston-based The Cyanide Valentine, asking me to review a downloadable copy of their new album, The Three Sides of The Cyanide Valentine. Unfortunately, it has always been a policy of Audio Overflow to not review non-physical copies of CDs.  But I downloaded it, liked it, checked out their myspace page, and then decided to feature them on today’s myspace music monday.  It’s funny how things work out…

The Cyanide Valentine

I was informed  in my brief correspondence with Jake that “it isn’t emo despite what everybody seems to expect from the name,” to which I responded to myself, “Yeah right, these guys are totally going to be emo.”  But I was proven wrong from the moment I headed over to the band’s myspace page and began hearing the first song, “Neanderthals.”  The band’s sound is heavily electronics-based, and gives off a sort of Cibo Matto circa Viva La Woman vibe.  Of course, I’m also hearing a distinct Radiohead influence as well, perhaps even just a touch of Flaming Lips (though I’m far less sure of myself on that one) and Death Cab.  The song is perfectly executed by everyone in the band.  Jake’s vocals seem a little out of place at first, but by the time that the chorus rolls around and he’s shouting, “They won’t make us crawl, they’re all neanderthals,” he’s right at home!  Kate Papineau provides backup vocals here as well, and she sings very delicately, never giving it more than she should.  Overall, the song is flawless.  Really.

“Nosferatu” is another great song, utilizing a funk disco groove to great effect, complete with Bee Gees-esque “aahs” in the background.  Jake sings, “You may be invincible, but inside your heart you’re dead.”   Just as “Neanderthals” was virtually perfect, “Nosferatu” shows a band who is completely focused with a clear direction.  Everything is so perfectly executed, so polished, that it becomes difficult to not get into it.  The refrain of “Inside your heart, you’re dead,” is simplistic, but equally effective and poignant.  The band set the song to a video about the infamous Jonestown Massacre and it winds up being a surprisingly decent match for the tragedy.  

“Sugar Coma” is an all-around softer song.  Here, Jake swoons, “Give me just one kiss before I am washed up on the shore,” over soft, minimalist synths and guitars.  It’s not my favorite song on the site.  It’s far from bad, it just doesn’t really hit the spot for me.  The final song on the band’s myspace page is called “Milk in the Gutter,” and it’s another softer, more somber song.  This one is a bit more effective though.  While Jake may have been trying to convince me that The Cyanide Valentine is, in fact, not an emo band, something tells me that a lyric like “Smear my blood all around like the lipstick and makeup that touch your mouth,” isn’t going to work in his favor.  Still, the song is a nice, touching track that is (again) well-executed by the band.  It ends with some very cool, spacey peripheral vocals that I absolutely love.  I guess if there’s a good last-impression to leave on someone who may visit your myspace page, that would be it.

Conclusion
The conclusion is this:  head over to cyanidevalentine.com and download their album.  Listen to it.  Prepare yourself to hear a lot more from this band.  It’s inevitable.  Their music is unbelievably polished, undeniably irresistible, and unquestionably talent-ridden.  I don’t consider myself a lucky person.  Quite simply, things don’t always go my way.  But I consider myself extremely lucky to have decided to recheck my email less than a few minutes after The Cyanide Valentine’s Jake Zavracky emails me about his band.  And you should consider yourself lucky that I have good enough music sense to write about them and introduce them to you.  You’re welcome, by the way.

Links

The Cyanide Valentine’s myspace Page

The Official Site (+ Free Album Download)

Allison Pharmakis’ myspace Page (Photographer: above band image)

myspace music monday: The Sailor Sequence

Why hello there. How are you doing today? Me? Oh I’m fine. Thanks for asking. It’s Monday, so that means it’s time for yet another myspace artist. Who do we have today? Hmmm….

The Sailor Sequence

Today’s band comes to us from Olathe, Kansas, as if you know where that is. The Sailor Sequence (not The Helio Sequence, apparently) have a very solid, straightforward adult alternative/soft pop sound. As much as I hate to say it, the genre of music I equate it most with is contemporary Christian. But don’t stop reading there! This group of guys are loaded with an immense amount of talent that goes far beyond my mediocre genre-placement exercise. To put it bluntly, if you were to skip out on listening to The Sailor Sequence, you really would be missing out.

Songs
The first song on the band’s myspace page is entitled “Why Would You Bring,” and features some very cool electronic programming and gentle guitar plucks. It’s an instrumental, so don’t expect some inescapably cool vocal melody to pop in, it never happens. What does happen, quite unexpectedly I might add, is a loud, thudding synth line that sounds entirely out of place. When I first heard it come in, I literally thought that something was wrong with my computer’s speakers. It’s unfortunate, because the rest of the song has a very mellow Dntel-ish vibe going on that is completely ruined by the time this part of the song comes along. Still, it’s a good introduction to the band.

“Find Yourself” finds lead singer, Dave, noting, “When there’s nothing left to hide behind, that’s where you’ll find yourself,” in the chorus which is another brilliantly produced piece of music . By now the Contemporary Christian influence is at full force, so much so that I found myself combing through the lyrics to find something that was blatantly religious. While the song is definitely inspirational, it’s ambiguous in it’s religiosity. Again, the song is very calming and relaxing and the band fully displays their talent here. “Light From the Window” keeps the same style as its predecessor, adding in some uptempo, glitchy drum synths, light guitars, and perky bells to accentuate the near-flawless vocals. The song’s coda adds layers upon layers of instrumentation, building quickly and forcefully before collapsing just in time for Dave to gently sing, “The curtains pull back and there is no sound.” It is quite the beautiful ending.

“Around the Corner” is another instrumental track, this time being lead by an acoustic guitar and a less glitchy, more traditional electronic drum beat. Unlike the instrumental song that precedes it, however, this one is chill throughout and the guys do a good job of not overdoing too much of anything. It is approached gently, and it sounds fantastic! The page’s last track is called “Anchor” and at this point I’m completely convinced that these guys have at least a tiny bit of affiliation with Christianity, or Contemporary Christian music. It’s an inescapable comparison and if they aren’t, they should really consider it. They are way better than a lot of the stuff that’s out there.

Conclusion
I’m actually pretty impressed. Though I’m not the hugest fan of the genre with which I have (perhaps unfairly) assigned The Sailor Sequence to, I haven’t really heard anything that I’m completely turned off by. And even if I was, these guys still have too much talent to care. If you’re into calming, atmospheric pop music, I think you should check out The Sailor Sequence. You could definitely do worse.

Links
The Sailor Sequence’s myspace Page
YouTube Page w/ a few live performances

myspace music monday: Projekt A-Ko

We’re back, once again, in Scotland this week. However, unlike last week’s artist, this week’s manages to rock your socks off while sounding both old and new, all at the same time! Ladies and germs (oh, how I miss the 3rd grade), I present to you, Projekt A-Ko.

Projekt A-Ko

Despite a name that would lead you to believe that you are about to listen to a late 80s hip hop group, Projekt A-Ko in fact has more in common with indie music from the early 90s. More often than not, the sound that the band creates is something that is surprisingly raw, yet somehow a lot of fun to listen to. I’ve made myself clear on numerous occasions that I’m not the biggest fan of this particular style of music (I really do hate Sonic Youth, after all), but most of what I’ve heard from this band so far is very good, and I strongly encourage you to give them a listen.

Songs
The first song “Supertriste Duxelle” is an unapologetic dog pile of distorted guitars and second-hand vocals. The whole early-90s indie rock aesthetic is in full force as each member of the band gives everything they have to make the music louder, nastier, better. It’s very Pavement-ish. Yet despite my so-so feelings towards that band, I find myself strangely compelled to like every second of this song. It’s a very cool, very raw rock track.

“Hey Palooka” boasts a similar sound, complete with infectious guitar riffs, missed notes, and enough distortion to make you question whether or not you’re listening to the final version to the song or just some back alley cassette that’s been recorded over one too many times. As is typically the case, it could possibly polarizing. But for those who are able to look past it all and dissect the song down to it’s brilliant little parts, it’s hard to be completely turned off.

“New Confusion” and “Ichiro on 3rd” follow the same path that their predecessors traveled, the latter, however, is a bit more gentle; with a relatively quiet verse and a sing-along chorus. In fact, it isn’t until “Our Teenagers Need Healthy Touch” that the band’s really mixes things up, or rather, slows things down. The result is really a mixed bag. While the instrumentation is a tamer, though no less impressive version of itself, the vocalist’s lack of a refined voice weighs pretty heavily. When the band is playing louder, dirtier songs, it fits in perfectly. Here, it just sticks out like Kanye West at a hockey game (“sore thumb” just doesn’t suit me). Fortunately, the band cranks things back up for their page’s final tune, “Otaku Blues,” a catchy and undeniably impressive song that features what is arguably the best vocal performance on the site (complete with gentle female vocals complementing all the surrounding madness).

Conclusion
Overall, I’m pretty impressed with what I’ve heard so far. The band definitely does an amazing job of recreating the sound of indie music in the early 90s, and bands like Sonic Youth, Pavement, or Sebadoh (all cited as influences, mind you) would be proud. The fact that I have found it to be rather enjoyable surprises the hell out of me, due to the fact that I really do loathe a lot of those same artists. For that reason alone, I can’t help but recommend that you check out Projekt A-Ko and decide for yourself. The band also has a limited edition split 7″ record with another band named Horowitz that releases today. It features 2 songs from each band (sadly, none of the ones mentioned here though). What’re ya’ gonna do?

Links
Projekt A-Ko’s myspace Page
“Nothing Works Twice” Fan Video
“Otaku Blue” Download
Horowitz’ myspace Page
Buy Projekt A-Ko/Horowitz Split 7″ Vinyl

myspace music monday: Nick Mckerl

Good day to you fine people out there amongst the series of tubes! I am thy seeker of obscurity in the form of audible enjoyment. Thou mayst call me thine writer of blog posts, or Cale. I have no preference as to what I am called, as long as I am called something. This week, you could perhaps call me “desperate,” which, after last week’s rather uneventful myspace music monday should come as no surprise. So this week, I have not found you an artist who is without flaw or quirky, but rather one that shows promise despite some glaring weaknesses. Enjoy!

Nick Mckerl

Nick comes to us either from Paris or Glasgow. His profile says both, so it’s difficult to determine. Based on his English skills, I would guess that he is based primarily in Scotland. Now, Nick’s skill as a vocalist is debatable. He can, at times, sound an awful lot like Ben Gibbard, which is a huge complement in my book. There’s also other times when he’s an unabashed Tom DeLong wannabe, complete with varying levels of bad hair-dos and emo sensibilities.

See what I mean?

With that being said, you’d really be doing yourself a disservice by not listening to the first song on his page, entitled “Regulating Air Traffic.” It not only shows Nick’s talent as a musician (he plays everything himself), but also his talent as producer. This stuff literally sounds like it has been done by someone who has been producing for years. It’s a rich, layered song that is constantly evolving and always interesting. Unfortunately, there’s not any way for me to download the song and upload it to Audio Overflow, so you’re forced to visit his actual page if you wish to hear it.

His lyrics are strange, and more often than not it seems as if the music is at the will of what is penned. In other words, it feels like this is poetry that a song has been written to after the fact. Sometimes this can be good, and other times it just doesn’t work. “Regulating Air Traffic” is an instance in which this plays out to our favor. “Bluebird?” Not so much. Due to his unquenchable need to sound mimic Tom DeLong, I can’t recommend listening to any song other than “Regulating Air Traffic,” unless you suffer from bulimia and need some sort of motivation to vomit (ouch).

So why then did I feature Nick Mckerl? Well, I do think that there is a lot of talent hidden underneath all the teenage angst nonsense. There are a lot of electronic things going on in all the songs, as well as some pretty cool guitaring and pianoing (trademarked words, I’m afraid). He’s definitely a talented musician. It just seems that a lot of that is going to waste. If he stopped crying for a few minutes and wrote something that didn’t make 15 year old girls crave the razor, I think that he could be a very entertaining and impressive artist. “Regulating Air Traffic” is proof of this. Until then, though, we are left with hope that such a thing will occur. The sooner the better…

Srsly?

Links
Nick Mckerl’s myspace Page

Please, for the love of Dog the Bounty Hunter hook me up with a sweet myspace artist to cover. I’m hurting here. If you happen to know of one, leave a comment below or email Audio Overflow at audiooverflow@gmail.com. Thx!

myspace music monday: Past Artist Update

No, that’s not the name of an artist. You see, I logged onto myspace today, fully prepared to find the next big thing in music. Lo and behold, I am treated to a big helping of suck. Unable to find a single artist of note after about an hour of browsing, I decided to call it quits and instead revisit some past artists that I’ve featured. We’ll see who has updated their page with new songs, and I’ll rank them according to my own personal tastes. Sounds fun right?

Who’s Updated?

Well, The Beams were the last band I featured before breaking for the holidays and they have since added two new songs to their page. Neither of them deviate from their “Hey, we’re kind of like The Killers” approach to music-making. “Chemical Wisdom” is an unrelenting and upbeat dance rock/new wave track with group vocals and a really nice groove. The vocals are a little “meh” in my opinion and the song does go on for far too long, but if you’re in the mood for a pure rock out session, it should be a good fit. Their second new song, “Watch” is just a mess. The guitars are way too prominent in the mix and far too skittery to feel infectious. The lyrics can be a bit humorous, but the song itself is completely uncatchy and borderline unlistenable. Skip it.

Of course, the group I most wanted an update from was Teacups. Alas, they have failed me. They did, however, get to open for Jose Gonazalez in New Zealand, which I’m sure was a great honor for them. I just hope that turns into some added exposure for them, because they need to be heard. Check out this sweet picture.

Swede-supreme, Sebastian Orre added two new songs to his page. The first, “Koschka” is a simple, but charming song. Staying true to his past music, his lyrics are very simple yet somehow poignant. He sings, “You saw me walking. Not much for talking, no.” Clearly Sebastian. Clearly. The second song is called “Walking” and features some really excellent production. His accent adds a certain amount of innocence to the already childhood memory-inducing song. Again, the lyrics are simple but still effective. It may be the best song of his that I’ve yet to hear, which is a great thing. Both of these new songs show more depth from his songs that I previously reviewed, especially when it comes to adding layers on top of one another.

Ranking Them

So who do I like best out of all the artists I’ve featured on myspace band monday. Well if you read last week’s feature the answer would be pretty clear. But to see where all the other artists stack up, just cast your gaze downward.

8. Thomas Dybdahl
7. Bicycles and Gravel
6. The Beams
5. Sebastian Orre
4. Teacups
3. The Eastern Sea
2. ContraNova
1. Hanne Kolstö

I know that you’re a lazy bum and all, but you should really consider checking out all of the above mentioned artists. They are all pretty diverse and unless you only consider Linkin Park, 50 Cent, and Nickelback to be valid musicians, you should find something to your liking.

And hey, make my job easier by recommending a myspace artist for me to feature for next week. Otherwise, I’m not entirely sure what I’ll come up with.

myspace music monday: Hanne Kolstö

It’s always a hassle trying to find a good artist to post for myspace music monday. Generally speaking, I don’t browse artists in the United States for two reasons: 1, they suck, and 2, they sound like every other crappy American band. So on today’s stroll through the not-so-wonderful world of myspace, I came across a fairly unique and talented artist from Norway. Her name is Hanne Kolstö.

Hanne Kolstö

Now the strange thing about this week’s artist is that she’s not really a solo artist as much as she is a singer that does a lot of work with different bands and groups. She does, however, have her own myspace page, and this is how I came across her. So what I’ll do here is direct you to her best songs, across several pages, and hopefully you’ll find something to enjoy. I know I have!

Songs
The first song you should definitely check out is a song called, “A Long Way,” on her own myspage page. The song begins very softly. Hanne’s voice is strong, very commanding, but at the same time smooth and chilling. She sings, “He walks a mile to see her smile, to wake up with her by his side,” over what sounds like an accordian or harmonium. By the time the first chorus is over, more instrumentation has seeped it’s way into the song. Looming synths, and electronic flutters blend perfectly with a deep, thudding bass and techno strings. Horns swell gently in the background before leading a soothing interlude. It is an absolutely stunning song! I’m so disappointed that I can’t download it, because it really is beautiful in several ways.

Song two is from her work with an electronic group called POST. It’s called “LINK.” Here she alternates between singing in a slightly jazzy tone and a straightforward, uninteresting voice. Her voice works well with the production of the song, though there are one or two moments where she seems to overpower everything else going on. I guess that’s just to be expected though with a voice like hers. The song’s coda is pretty forgettable. It’s as if the group couldn’t find a decent way to end the song, so they just started making a bunch of noise for a few minutes. Pretty poor.

“Broken” is another POST song, but this time the electronics are much more minimal. Hanne’s voice is absolutely charming here, singing, “One day I’ll be broken. Hope you can fix me.” There are very slight synth bells working behind everything else, and it makes a delicate, but gorgeous sound. The bridge rolls around with a distorted synth lead, and for a while I was worried that they’d once again venture into noise-pop territory. Fortunately, they restrain themselves and the song never runs away with energy or poppiness. The fact that this is actually a live track is nothing short of amazing! It sounds perfect!

The final song you should listen to is called “Let You,” and it’s really very cool sounding. It’s from a demo she recorded with another group named Love:Fi. Hanne’s voice hovers somewhere in between Shara Worden and Bjork over very airy and raw instrumentation. The electronic instrumentation, once again is very subtle, yet cool, and utterly flawless. By the end of the song she’s finally broken out of her shell, singing triumphantly over a raw electric guitar and pounding drums. Surprisingly, her voice is just as good here as it is anywhere else and it really displays her range as a vocalist. Hear for yourself.

Conclusion
I am 100%, absolutely blown away by Hanne’s talent as a vocalist. Though the groups she associates with are sometimes a little less than complimentary, they are far from terrible and still above mediocre. Of all the artists I’ve yet to cover on myspace music monday, Hanne Kolstö is the best I’ve yet to hear! I really do hope that I hear her voice somewhere down the road and recognize it immediately. Surely, I wouldn’t be surprised if something like that happened. She’s that cool, that unique!

Links
Hanne’s myspace Page
Love:Fi’s myspace Page
POST’s myspace Page
Shogun’s myspace Page (More traditional rock music…also very cool)

As always, if you have an artist in mind for myspace music monday, leave me a comment below and I’ll check them out.

myspace music monday: Bicycles and Gravel

So, funny story. Today at around 1:30pm I have a choice to make. I can either sit down and write this week’s myspace music monday, or I can go on a bike ride. Well it was 65 degrees and blue skies around that time, so I chose the latter. I return home at around 2:30, only to find that I locked myself out of the house. I then proceed to spend the next four hours out in the increasingly cold weather in nothing but a t-shirt and shorts (because my cell phone is inside too and neighbors aren’t home) until someone can let me in the house. That’s why I’m a little late with today’s update. And that’s also why I happened to choose the following band.

Bicycles and Gravel

Bicycles and Gravel is a unique little indie band from the mecca of indie music, Athens, GA. Their music is very raw, but at the same time not too messy for it to be enjoyable. At times they can sound like Built to Spill. Other times, they pop it up a bit and can sound completely unique. Either way, the band has a very refreshing sound, and it makes for a very interesting listen.

Songs
The first song on the band’s page is called “Good Mornings.” The song is bookended by two extended ambient sections made up of a few low-fi conversational recordings and looming synths. It’s a very cool sound, though it does run a bit long in the outro. Once the song proper starts, you’ll get a better idea of what you’re going to be hearing (aside from the Godspeed You Black Emperor-esque stuff). Vocals are really hit or miss and unabashedly amateur, but it hardly matters in the context of this joyful and hopeful song. When the vocalist sings, “Let’s get back to what matters here,” it hardly effects you. But then it’s repeated again and again like a mantra, and it starts to sink in. It’s a beautiful sentiment, accentuated by the simple, yet beautiful instrumentation.

“Hold On” is a much more different song, with more assertive drumming and a completely off the wall trumpet that completely steals the show. The dense instrumentation eventually drops out, giving way to group vocals (think Polyphonic Spree) and hand claps. They sing, “The weather couldn’t have been better to take flight. So climb on my back and hold on. The air is so thin. Your lungs will get used to it.” As soon as that line is uttered, the song again comes crashing on us (literally, crash cymbals are used very effectively here). It’s an awesome song. Listen for yourself.

The next song, “Lighthouse,” is pretty forgettable. The band tones things down for the first time and when everyone is subdued, the vocals become less forgivable. It is worth noting, however, that there the song’s coda is filled with guitars that make the band sound a little like Built to Spill. Don’t get too excited. You can definitely tell the difference, but there are bits and pieces of it in there.

“A Song for Rooftops” keeps things at a slow pace. The lyrics take center stage here as everything else remains peripheral for the most part. The vocalist’s voice once again takes its toll, cracking and struggling to hold any note that’s out of his limited range. At the same time, though, he seems to be channeling early Wayne Coyne; embracing the badness and parading forward. I don’t know if I agree with the choice or not, but the song itself ain’t bad. There is a definite difference between a flawed singer who embraces his flaws and one that pretends they aren’t there. This guy seems to have figured that out pretty well.

“Where Songs Go To Hide” wraps things up with another slower-paced song, albeit a poppier one than its predecessors. It’s lyrics are unusual, if not brilliant. In the mother of all run-on sentences, the vocalist sings, “A spider has crawled on arm, and inched its way into my ear, and spun its way in, and poisoned all of my thoughts and left its cobwebs there to rot, and left me with no brain.” The song reminds me a lot of “Bad Days” by The Flaming Lips, which I’ve always had a soft spot for despite its awfulness.

Conclusion
It’s clear to me that I prefer Bicycles and Gravel a lot more when they’re rocking out and not succumbing to their folksier side. The band has a lot of talent spread out, but the vocals will need a bit more work before I go ahead and give them a full endorsement (as if they care). But for the time being, there are some good songs to be found on their myspace page. And if you like the sample I’ve provided, please go check it out and support their music.

Links
Bicycles and Gravel’s myspace page
The Branch Collection
Buy the God Don’t Like Poetry EP
Another Opinion

myspace music monday: The Eastern Sea

Well after a month or so without myspace music monday, it has returned! I can’t say I’m too fond of that because, truthfully, I absolutely despise filtering through all the nonsense on myspace in search of a single artist that doesn’t suck entirely. But here I am, putting my own feelings aside for the sake of you, the reader. You’re welcome.

The Eastern Sea

Today’s myspace artist is The Eastern Sea, the “brainchild,” as some would say, of Matthew Philip Hines. Now, at the risk of sacrificing journalistic integrity (which I really don’t care about to begin with), I must admit that I personally know Matthew. We went to high school together and I played a show with him (as The Eastern Sea) in May of 2006. However, I’m not introducing you to his music to promote it for him. I’m doing it because I like it, and you should too!

The Eastern Sea covers a wide array of sounds. In the past, I’ve even heard smidgens of electro-pop on the group’s myspace page. At the time of this writing, however, the collection of songs on the page definitely lean towards the folksier side of things. Matthew is a very talented songwriter though, and this genre of music is definitely a better fit to his talents. I keep on hearing Okkervil River in these songs, so perk up if you’re into that (you should be).

Songs
The first song on the page is called “The Line,” and it’s undoubtedly the best one available on myspace. Right off the bat, you’ll notice that Matthew doesn’t have the strongest voice on the planet. It cracks occasionally, and it sounds more boyish than anything else. But there’s more in there too. It’s earnest and raw, and there’s even a small resemblance to Ben Gibbard at times. The lyrics, as per usual, are amazing. Matthew sings in a fragile falsetto, “On my judgment day they’re gonna hear me say ‘ The Devil’s in my way!'” and I can’t help but think of how genius that one line is.

The second song, “Wine Into Water,” is more of an experimental lo-fi track. A recording of a solemn televangelist (I think) is playing as Matthew plays the piano and sings in the background. No, literally in the background. It sounds as if he set a microphone up on one side of the room and played on the other side. The song isn’t bad, but the way it’s presented is a little off-putting.

In “Robert,” Matthew sings of a guy whose name is…well, you know. He sings, “Robert you’re the greatest! You’ll always be the man!” and I’m not sure if he’s using a little tongue in cheek there. The rest of the song’s lyrics would lead me to believe that that is indeed the case. It’s a really catchy song, with bluegrassy guitar picking and really cool, distant harmonies. Again, Matthew’s songwriting skills shine here. The song ends with another audio sample (he uses them a lot).

“Dreams” is a charming, if not depressing, piece of music gold! It’s slow-moving melody and brilliant melancholy reminds me of Loney, Dear. There are hints of that electro pop that I mentioned earlier towards the end. The song doesn’t bust out into an electronic breakdown or anything, but he does put some stutters and effects on his vocals. It’s very Notwist-ish. Loney, Dear and The Notwist in the same song? That’s awesome…

“The Best Kind of Friend” really emphasizes that claim I made of The Eastern Sea sounding like Okkervil River. It’s a musically darker song song than anything else on the page, with a driving acoustic guitar that never really lets up. Matthew’s assertion that “The best kind of friend is an old friend” is undeniably true, and yet it strikes me as something that not everybody could write. Personally, I’d probably spend hours destroying my brain trying to think of a poignant line. Instead, Matthew takes something so obvious and makes it seem foreign and beautiful. In the end, that’s really the brilliant thing about him as a songwriter. His lyrics are deceptively simple. All the lines I’ve quoted thus far aren’t constructed by some lyrical wordsmith, but they have just as strong as an effect on you. It’s good stuff.

Conclusion
Listen to The Eastern Sea. Matthew Philip Hines is an absolutely incredible songwriter, and he’s not too bad of a singer or instrumentalist either! I’ve known it since the first time that I heard one of his songs and it was reinforced when I first saw him play live just as it is here: Matthew, if not The Eastern Sea, is going places with his musical endeavors if he chooses to do so. The amount of artistry and subtle genius contained in every song I’ve ever heard him do is too great to not share with the world. And the last time I checked, I made comparisons to Okkervil River, The Notwist, Ben Gibbard, and Loney, Dear. That alone should be enough reason for someone to notice.

Links
The Eastern Sea’s myspace Page
theeasternsea.com (Hasn’t been updated in a while)
Stand Out (from A Goofy Movie) Video
An Entire Set (Pt. 1) Video
An Entire Set (Pt. 2) Video
An Entire Set (Pt. 3) Video
An Entire Set (Pt. 4) Video

Do you have a band in mind for myspace music monday? Send us a tip at audiooverflow@gmail.com or by leaving a comment in this post. See you next week!

myspace music monday: The Beams

It’s Monday, and that means it’s time for another installment of myspace music monday. Each week I’ll present to you a different unsigned or indie artist’s myspace page in the hopes that you’ll enjoy what they have to offer. This week’s myspace artist is a band from Cape Town, South Africa. Ladies and gentlemen, I present The Beams.

The Beams

The Beams hail from Cape Town, South Africa, rocking a sound that is seemingly familiar yet fresh. Influenced heavily by 1980s British rock, the band does their best to recreate the magic and intensity of the music period, and even achieve this a few times. If I were to make a comparison to a more notable band, The Colour is the first one that comes to mind, but The Smiths or Joy Division are not far behind. If you’ve ever found yourself listening to and enjoying any of these artists, keep reading. The Beams may be just the new band you’ve been looking for.

Music

The first song on the site is as mellow as the band gets (here at least). Paul Maree’s lead vocals are, as the page states , “somewhere between Robert Smith and David Byrne.” They’re not nearly as strong, but they’re in the general area. The music is pretty straightforward upbeat rock, and nothing about it is too incredibly whoah-inducing. But it’s all very tight, and the band really seems to have their stuff together. Despite the averageness of the song, it still manages to be somewhat enjoyable. Perhaps it’s just my own love of the genre, but it’s hard to listen to the song and feel like it wasn’t worth my time. My only real complaint is that the lyrics are somewhat unspectacular, or even easy, and each line of the verse is followed by a soft, but distracting “yeah.” It’s completely unnecessary and borderline annoying.

Next up is “Your Majesty,” a song that picks the tempo up. Paul’s vocals are all over the place here, and I can’t say that they work well at all. It sounds as if he’s trying to let loose and just have fun with it, but he’s doing so at the expense of the song. The song is also lacking a strong hook, which is completely inexcusable for a pop song. Paul singing, “I could’ve been, I could’ve been, you know I could’ve been with you,” isn’t really doing it at all. But the song isn’t entirely lacking. Every second of the song is filled with fun, cool guitar riffs (courtesy of guitarist Boško Popovac), and there is even an awesome synth line that runs throughout most of the song. It really makes it worth listening to.

The last song on the page (yes, there are only 3) is called “Two Degrees,” and it is unquestionably the best. Paul’s vocals are as great, letting loose as he did in “Your Majesty,” but they fit with the song this time. He also adds in some falsetto during the verses, and I’m not complaining. The guitars on the song are just as, if not more, amazing. Boško’s infectious composition is an absolute joy to listen to. The lyrics are a bit simplistic again, but the song is so enjoyable that you’ll have a hard time caring. When Paul is shouting, “I need something to pick me up, now put me down!” during the chorus, you’ll be too busy dancing to even worry about the lyrics. My only complaint about the song is that the last chorus feels tacked on. It’s the most fun part of the song, but it just seems unnecessary. Overall though, “Two Degrees” is a fun track, and the reason I decided to write about the band today. Maybe you should listen to this one first.
Verdict
The band has talent. Anyone who listens to their songs can tell you that. A lot of the songs on the site don’t represent that fact as well as they could, but it doesn’t change the fact itself. If anything, The Beams show a significant amount of promise that will hopefully be realized as they continue to grow as musicians and as a band. Their sound is unbelievably marketable and fun to listen to, so there’s hope that we’ll be hearing an improved version of the band in the future. Before that happens though, they’ll need to work on their songwriting skills in addition to making their hooks even more infectious than they already are. That’s my opinion at least. If you like what you hear, the band recently (like 2 or 3 days ago) released an EP. You’ll have to ask them where to find it though, because I don’t see it for sale anywhere online. It’s probably one of those things you can only get live…darn.

Links
The Beams’ myspace Page
Download “Two Degrees”
Video Interview w/ Bass Player Amrik Cooper

Do you have a band in mind for myspace music monday? Send us a tip at audiooverflow@gmail.com or by leaving a comment in this post. See you next week!

All The Beams photos provided via myspace.com.