A&R: The Music Submissions

By Eve Marcellus


Birdmonster - Blood Memory
Birdmonster is a San Francisco-based band and Blood Memory is their fourth major release, coming out a year after their last full-length album, From the Mountain to the Sea. The songs have the unmistakable fine-tuned element of a band that's seasoned: they've recorded full-length albums, explored their sound, and toured the country and you can hear it. At the same time, nothing about the EP's eight tracks feel slick. There's a roughness that comes across through the edgy guitar hooks and barely strained vocals. It's reminiscent of the Replacements-influenced Alternative rock of the 90s, easily floating between folksy, morose acoustic tracks and songs with a more post-punk sensibility. Since they do it well, it comes off sounding both fresh and classic. All in all, it's a super-likable release from a band that seems to be evolving its sound and its skills rather than putting out more of whatever the kids are listening to this week.
As a bonus, swing by their website and check out their blog for a highly recommended "short history of heavy metal."

Sounds Like: A less precious version of early 90s Goo Goo Dolls.
Listen To: I Might Have Guessed (Mean Version), Forever Gone, Day to Day



Everyone's Talking - Dragonflies
Everything about Everyone's Talking's new album is high drama. From the first few notes of the first and title track, you know that no one is going to play any of this at a party--that's ok. This is a piano rock release, it comes with the territory. It goes without saying that the main element of their sound is the piano, not the most popular instrument to put front and center in this heyday of auto tune. However, they certainly don't abandon the electric, and it is used to somewhat an interesting effect. "War pt. 2" is a particularly enticing, if slightly nerdy, blend of digital and analog keys that would be quite at home on the score of the robot version of Braveheart. It is also the only song without vocals on the album. The vocals are high and a touch nasal, for the most part, and the lyrics mirror the instrumentals' seriousness. The tracks where they let some lightness in, and push the boundaries of their dark wave piano, are at least interesting to listen to, but when they don't--well.

Sounds Like: Evanescence, only with boys.
Listen To: War pt. 2, Dragonflies

Diggin' in the Crates: Gal Costas' "Sao Salvador"

By Noam Ofir
A few weeks ago while I was walking down the streets of Tel Aviv with a friend, returning empty handed from a record store I frequent, when I noticed this record store I'd never been to. As I began digging through the untouched collection, I found a bunch of dope Brazilian records in good condition (for only $2-3 each!!). I guess there isn't much of a demand here, because this was a steal.

One of the records was Gal Costas' Gal Canta Caymmi. In this record Costa is performing Dorival Caymmi, with the arrangements by Joao Donato.The whole record is chilled, groovy feel, making it feel like you stretch your toes on the beach. This song is called, "Sao Salvador," which Caymmi wrote originally about his hometown where Costa is from as well.

A&R: The Music Submissions

The Mean Jeans - Are You Serious?


The Mean Jeans are a Portland punk band. They are comprised of three semi-anonymous hard partying dudes who sound an awful lot like the Ramones. It's hard, though not unexpected, to imitate the sound of the band that birthed the genre. Where the Ramones sang about women and love sometimes, The Mean Jeans seem only to love drinking and putting drugs up their noses. Though the lyrics are spewing tales of self-destructive behavior, the songs are really catchy. They aren't taking this music thing too seriously, and they have the chops to make it legit. The band apparently came together after a move West from DC and is made up of super-skilled musicians. There is something a bit more intricate about the combination of hyper guitar riffs, super-strength bass lines and and plaintive vocals that works with and without moshing. Probably helpful, too, if they're going to be performing smashed.


Sounds Like: The Ramones, obviously.
Listen To: Stoned 2 the Bone, Steve Don't Party No More





Ada Fijal featuring Louie Austen - Take Your Time

There are a variety of things that can catch your attention in an inbox full of random music of varying quality. Sometimes it's clear and apparent talent, sometimes a catchy hook, and sometimes unquestionable suckiness. "Take Your Time" a new single from Polish singer and television actress Ada Fijal (aka Madam Retro) is attractive for a somehow worthwile combination of the three. The song, which is the first duet between Fijal and Louie Austen, is ridiculous upon first listen. Laugh out loud ridiculous. "You're hot like Pamela Anderson"? It doesn't even rhyme. It doesn't even try! But given a second it's kind of, dare I say it, catchy and fun. It's possible to get into if you're not offended by obviously Eastern Euro-club trash and if you've ever been seduced by Kylie Minogue b-sides.
Check it out (plus remixes omg!) here.

A&R: The Music Submissions

Bowerbirds - Upper Air
There are many, many things to love about folk music, one of which is that it is relatively timeless. Yes, it fell out of favor with the "hip youth" for a while there (at least for the most part). But luckily there have been dozens of excellent releases in the past few years that have revived the genre and made it possible for bands like Bowerbirds to find mainstream success.
The Raleigh, North Carolina three piece first caught indie/nu-folk buzz with the release of their 2007 album Songs for a Dark Horse. 2009's Upper Air exudes the same charm with a little more energy. The album is full of the kinds of earnest yet complex instrumentals that really show the care of the people who produced them. Founding members Beth Tacular and Phil Moore used a rotating cast of support to create the delicate, yet powerful cornucopia of instruments that support their balanced vocal harmonies. Their music sounds old fashioned and special without trying too hard, paying homage to folk traditions without seeming overly referential.

Sounds Like: A more delicate Blitzen Trapper
Listen to: Northern Lights, In Our Talons



Lookbook - Wild at Heart

On the opposite end of the spectrum there is Lookbook. The Minneapolis electro-pop band has a fairly serious following locally but is poised for even more national notoriety with the release of Wild at Heart. The album celebrates all that is wonderful about synths. Lead vocalist Maggie Morrison's voice is perfect for songs like, "True to Form" that update good 80s pop with just the right amount of grunge appeal. Even though Grant Cutler, the man behind the band's creative electro sounds, shows off his skill set with a full range of catchy dance beats he proves his range with more markedly subtle arrangements on the latest release. The title track on the album is a more subtle, melodic take on their dynamic sound, recalling Fleetwood Mac-esq classic rock more than drum machine-heavy New Wave. These are the kind of songs that will have people dancing and swaying just as much in their living rooms and at their high-energy live shows.

Sounds Like: Synth-pop for big kids.
Listen To: True to Form, Over and Over