Devin Davis released his debut LP, Lonely People of the World Unite, to a decent amount of fanfare. It got some blog coverage and was featured in some other online publications, but I still feel it didn’t get as much publicity as it deserved. Since I didn’t have a blog back when it was released, I feel its my delayed duty to share this older album so that you might familiarize yourself with Mr. Davis before the release of his upcoming and currently untitled album due out later this year.
Today I take a slight deviation from our usual featured artist style and instead focus on one song.
Last year while on tour David Bazan was closing his solo set with a cover of Leonard Cohen’s famous “Hallelujah.” The song is probably one of the most covered in modern history, but David Bazan’s version is the absolute best…
Sounds Like: The space between how things are and how they should be.
Sorry I’m late to the party guys, I just found out about this brilliant group from Halifax. Wintersleep released their third album, Welcome To the Night Sky, in October of last year and I must say it is one of the best albums I’ve heard in several months. I was unassumingly looking for new bands when “Weighty Ghost” started to play. Ten seconds into it I thought “this is a great opener,” by the time Paul Murphy’s vocals had piped in I thought “this track is incredibly well grounded in it’s writing,” and by the time the chorus was asking “have you seen my ghost?” it was clear that I was listening to one of the greatest songs of 2007. Needless to say, I promptly bought the album and scrutinized the rest of the songs. There are ten tracks; each is unique, most are memorable, and a few are what I consider instant classics. My only complaint about the LP is that on a few tracks I couldn’t make out the lyrics and wished the vocals had been boosted slightly. It’s hard to describe exactly what makes Welcome To the Night Sky so good because it is a disc that has the ability to evoke unique emotions even after repeat plays. What I liked most about it is that the album feels effortless; although not every track is as superb as “Weighty Ghost,” none of the songs make me feel as if the band was trying to create something that makes everyone say “look at how great we are.” Ironically enough, they made an album that you can’t help but take notice of.
Why They Don’t Suck: Like an anthem for those feeling displaced and discontent, Welcome To the Night Sky voices the questions and cries of this modern generation so eloquently that it feels as if Wintersleep is trying to speaking for you and you’ve been invited to sing along.
Sounds Like: A flag blowing in the wind against a sunset.
Their music is the kind that you play really loud either when you need to be inspired or you just accomplished something and want to bask in the glory of what you did. I wouldn’t say that Sleeperstar has an extremely unique sound, but I would say that they blend what they have better than other bands with their sound. Having only been together for a short time, they are already making big impressions and selling/giving away their EP like wildfire. Touring with the likes of Andy Davis recently, they have made some friends in places and are working on recording more songs to make a full CD but only time will tell when that actually occurs.
Texas Rain.mp3 (removed at artist’s request)
Why They Don’t Suck: Sleeperstar is one of those bands that seems to consitantly produce songs with catchy riffs and perfect hooks. After listening to one of their songs, don’t be surprised if you get it stuck in your head for a while. I found myself in the same position so don’t worry, it is normal and you will be alright. I promise.
Sounds Like: a few hours after it’s rained and everything is still wet but the ground is bright in the sun’s reflection.
It isn’t often that thoughtful lyric show up in a band that almost exclusively utilizes a big sound like Starrfadu often does, but that is exactly what they’ve done with Our Thoughts Were Elsewhere. It’s one of those albums that you could easily listen to without hearing a word and still enjoy it, but if you listen for even a few minutes you realize Austin Hartley and crew have something to say. Commentary on the state of our modern world and the human condition run throughout the album, sometimes with disenchanted lamenting such as in the poetic “Thoughts of Modern Men” while other times there’s a hint of hope in the music like in the uplifting “Let It Out.”
Thoughts of Modern Men
Why They Don’t Suck: All-in-all, And Yes… Our Thoughts Were Elsewhere makes for a really enjoyable listen which becomes even more rewarding when you take the time to focus in on the inspired lyrics.
Sounds Like: keeping a sense of humor even after you’ve messed up more times than you can count.
I’ve been a fan of Pedro The Lion for a few years now so of course when I heard the band was breaking up I was dismayed. I thought the breakup would mark the near total end of both David Bazan’s and TW Walsh’s musical careers. Thankfully it’s done just the opposite, sparking new independent creativity in both men which has totally blown me away. While I feel that Bazan’s EP shines a little brighter, The Soft Drugs produced an excellent EP which deserves all the more credit for being released independently. Walsh’s voice is honest and clear, and the band has the ability to create some well-defined rhythm. Even though the album was released over a year ago I feel The Soft Drugs got it exactly right when deciding how to produce and publish their first EP; self-distribute and offer it for free.
Why They Don’t Suck: If you were a fan of Pedro The Lion and haven’t yet heard of this band you owe it to yourself to give In Moderation a listen, it’s definitely a set of tracks that grows on you the more you listen. They’ll be in the studio April so I’m treating this EP as a stopgap till both Walsh’s and Bazan’s full discs are released.
Sounds Like: If the Arctic Monkeys ever bred with German electro-beats, the Kilians would be dubbed modern-day, musical purebreds.
The kind of band you like to just crank out your car on summer days, this up and coming group has tunes to make your head spin. Their first self-titled EP, “Jealous Lover” punches a drum opening that makes your foot tap like mad until the guitar rifts pummel through. Lead singer Simon den Hartog (straight out of Germany. Don’t worry- they sing in English) has a unique edge to his voice that most bands can’t balance very easily as this group’s lucid sound eases the intense verve Simon exudes. For a more low-key mood try “Fool to Fool” or shake that lethargy off with a dose of energy in “Fight the Start.”
Why They Don’t Suck: Whether it be harmonicas, hot British accents, or the occasional reggae upbeats, this band has a versatility to suit any music lover. The inevitable rockstars are destined to reach coasts across the pond someday as their music looks great, feels great, and sounds even more killer. Gutentag.
Devin Davis released his debut LP, Lonely People of the World Unite, to a decent amount of fanfare. It got some blog coverage and was featured in some other online publications, but I still feel it didn’t get as much publicity as it deserved. Since I didn’t have a blog back when it was released, I feel its my delayed duty to share this older album so that you might familiarize yourself with Mr. Davis before the release of his upcoming and currently untitled album due out later this year.
Today I take a slight deviation from our usual featured artist style and instead focus on one song.
Album: Welcome To The Night Sky
Album: To Speak, To Love, To Listen
Album: And Yes… Our Thoughts Were Elsewhere
Album: In Moderation EP
Album: Kill The Kilians