A&R: The Music Submissions

This week we have two bands that have strong female vocal leads. Hopefully, this is a refreshing change after the past few weeks, which have been rather intensely boy-focused if you've been paying attention. It was certainly welcome to find them in the inbox at least.

Lowenbad - Bricks for the Naysayers
Portland band Lowenbad describes themselves as a "beautiful concoction of soul, rock, and hip-hop. Combining rock guitars, soul singing, hip hop loops, politically slanted lyrics and esoteric beats". The beautiful part clearly comes from lead vocalist Holly Cole, whose sultry voice lends the "soul singing" aspect that does sound lovely over the hip hop beats. Every once in a while, the guitars and simple drum beats veer into Evanescence territory, which is too bad since the songs where the band leaves thing a bit more "raw" are the strongest. Cole clearly has the ability to deliver a tune, which lends an interest and complexity to the music that is lacking in many of the other elements.

Sounds Like: For some reason, Dido. Maybe before she went solo.
Listen to: Another Measure, Bricks


Hey Young Believer- Invisible by Day
I am completely willing to forgive local band Hey Young Believer for their lack of complexity. Their new album is chock full of the kind of fun music that cute people will be bounce-dancing around to at live shows. Vocalist Lilly Wolfson sounds lovely on each and every track, but most of the time her vocals are so much the focus that it is hard to tell (or care) who and what is doing the backing music. Songs like "Yellow Roman Candles" show the band stretching its instrumental legs a bit more, and is one of the more agreeable on the album. I hope that future releases will showcase the obvious skill of this band with a little bit more risk-taking, maybe something weird. Bay Area kids can and should check them out Monday November 9 at Tiny Antennae Have Large Receptors.

Sounds Like: Letters to Cleo
Listen To: Playing the Grand Design, Walking Over You

New Moon Just Keeps Making Itself Relevant

By Eve Marcellus
Twilight hysteria is alive and well, y'all. And while this certainly has it's disadvantages (Robert Pattinson over-saturation, the books and movies keep coming out, etc.) something good has to come out of it eventually. And, finally, something may have in the New Moon soundtrack. While the last go round tween fans were dazzled by songs from bands whose appreciators tend to be of a similar demographic, the New Moon soundtrack reads like a who's-who of contemporary greatness. The Killers, Muse, and Death Cab for Cutie. Thom Yorke, Bon Iver with St. Vincent, and Lykke Li. The iTunes download even has a bonus track by Lupe Fiasco. Seriously! Even though the sheer association with such a cultural spectacle is probably enough to keep the usual listeners of many of these mega-talented artists away, it should not be so.

To listen to some of the music, check out the MySpace Page, or the official website.

Perezfest 2k9 or Ladyhawk at the Fillmore (9/30/2009)

By Eve Marcellus

All Photos By Patrick Kelly

It is with most sincere apologies that I state that this is yet again another Perez Hilton-related post. As part of the "Perez Hilton Presents Tour," last Wednesday the enigmatic and adorable Kiwi singer known as Ladyhawke (aka Pip Brown) took to the venerable Fillmore stage. For full disclosure, this was my first time at the Fillmore, which is an awesome venue. It is a little striking that the lineup of shows for the next several months is eclectic enough to include everything from Foreigner to Matisyahu to Dinosaur Jr. to five nights (yes, five) of the Black Crowes.With the exception of Brown and her London-based band's extremely satisfying performance, it was a strange and awkward evening.

A&R: The Music Submissions

By Eve Marcellus

Katatonia -Night is the New Day
Katatonia is a Swedish goth-metal band whose upcoming Night is the New Day is their eighth studio album. The band has been together and making music since the early 1990s. When discussing the recording studio the band choose for the album this is literally what their website describes: "Broken glass, blood on the walls at the front door to the building and threatening messages written on the elevator. Even excrement and urine on the floor in the basement makes you wonder if the caretaker is a serial killer himself." Right. Well, whether or not that story is true, one would assume the outcome of such, let's say, inspiring surroundings would be one bad ass album. And in it's own way, it sort of is. There is an obvious skill that comes from almost two decades of hard rocking, and many tracks on Night is the New Day seem to show that off. Unfortunately, nothing remarkable seems to be happening. The combination of a lack of lyrical complexity and a surprisingly high number of slower, quieter songs doesn't quite grab you by the heartstrings or inspire but a few headbangs. Whether or not this album is "possibly the greatest heavy record in the last 10 years" as their website touts, it's certainly not something to seek out if it's not your "thing".
 

Sounds like: You know, Swedish metal, right?
Listen to: Forsaker




 
Hockey- Mind Chaos
Plaid shirts? Check. Floppy hair? Also, check. A mustachioed band member? Oh heavens yes. So Portland, Oregon's Hockey is totally a hipster band. They are also making fully infectious, totally likable dance music and making it well. According to their website, they started making music people could have fun to at the parties they played. With Mind Chaos, they have certainly succeeded. Instrumentally, the synth is mostly the star of the show, often recalling either late 70s disco rhythms ("Learn to Lose") or 80s new wave on "Song Away". The vocals end a bit of a harder rock edge to the music and the lyrics, which range from witty to complex to tongue-in-cheek and self-aggrandizing, seem like a real bonus when so many contemporaries seem to treat them as an afterthought. "Too Fake", the single, stands out as the star of the album, recalling such recent blog hits as The Teenagers "Rich Girls", but not one track on Mind Chaos disappoints. That's reason enough to throw a party, isn't it? Hockey's finishing up a few more U.S. tour dates with Portugal. The Man before heading to Europe.

Sounds Like: Arctic Monkeys, The Killers (Hot Fuss)
Listen To: Too Fake, Wanna be Black