WRUV Reviews

Extra Arms serves up an album of upbeat and building rock with a slight coastal feel on “In Parallel”. Layers of crunchy guitars over indie drums creates a slightly dream like and mellow feel. Although as mellow as it is, Extra Arms still bring it all to the table with songs such as “Race to Sleep”, “Powerlessness”, and “For What God Allows”. This is definitely an album that grows on you with ever listen until the melodies are stuck in your head with no way out. Rating 8/10

FCC: CLEAN

PLAY: 2,4,6,10

RIYL: The Horrors, Black Jet Radio

Listen to “Race to Sleep” by Extra Arms

Marco Panella gives an album of slow, layered, and slightly dissonant songs with “In the Age of Batteries”. Best described as a dissonant version of The National, Panella delivers ballads with interesting lyrics often delivered over a slurred beat and off time guitar. His low and slow lyrical delivery fit the mood of the album perfectly and help to create a universal feel throughout. Rating 7/10.

FCC: CLEAN

PLAY: 4, 7

RIYL: Calvin Johnson, The National, Howe Gelb

Marco Panella’s Official Website

Recorded over an eight-month period, Kevin Konak & Vlada Pejkovik released their self-titled EP: Pilots at Sea, on July 20^th 2011.  Recorded in their homes (London & Belgrade) the album features electric guitar, bass, keyboards, and vocals.   But, they are not a classic rock band, anything but the sort.  Although Konak’s voice sounds similar to They Might Be Giants’ John Linnell, his deep lyrics create a melancholy sound and feeling of nostalgia that echoes throughout the album.

FCC: Clean

Pilots at Sea

RIYL: The Postal Service, Death Cab for Cutie

Recommended Tracks: 2, 5

Kathleen Edwards has turned to Justin Vernon (Bon Iver) to co-produce her fourth album, Voyageur.   Although the album does showcase Edwards’ well known folk-pop sound, she also introduces a fresh new style.  Smooth piano, acoustic guitar, and souring electric pads transform Edwards’ sound to an exciting new level.  The title is perfect, as the album takes its listeners on an emotional journey through Edwards’ moving vocals.  This impressive album also features Norah Jones and Justin Vernon.

The album will be released on January 17, 2012.

Voyageur

RIYL: Regina Spektor, Dar Williams

Recommended Tracks: 2, 4, 5 and 8

Recent side project of Laura Cortese, The Poison Oaks are an experimental alternative-pop group based out of Boston.  Laura Cortese, the vocalist, is a prominent musician in the New England post-folk scene.   Pine was released as a 7” record on October 18^th, 2011.  The Poison Oaks are made up of a varying number of members (between four and fifteen).  The album features electric guitar, banjo, fiddle, and Cortese’s catchy female vocals.  The majority of the album is upbeat and fun (except the second track, London Devil).  Definitely check these guys out if you are interested in pop sound infused with experimental ideas.

FCC: Clean

Play: 1, 3

RIYL: Meiko, Feist, Ingrid Michaelson

Pine by The Poison Oaks

San Francisco Indie Punk band Ghost Knife deliver a dose of raw punk with their latest release “Kill Shelter, Yes!”. Full of gritty vocals to the point where it sometimes becomes hard to understand the lyrics, there’s  a real garage rock feel to the album. Explosive choruses keep it catchy underlined by the typical (but still fresh) power chords and distortion heavy punk guitar. Rating: 7/10

FCC: 1,5

PLAY: 7,9

RIYL: The Ventures, The Pixies, The Thermals

Listen to “Soft Bullets” by Ghost Knife

Electric/acoustic boy/girl duo:  two guitars, two voices and a touch of synth. Sparse, raw, jagged and emotional with wall-of-sound lush. The stripped down character helps perfectly convey the intimate nature of the deeply personal songs, all shaded with innocence, insecurity and wonder. In just fifteen minutes, the adorable pair cover a lot of ground, from the upbeat catchy single ‘Chair’ to the atmospheric ‘Mai Joy’. Track 4 is a cover of Big Star’s “Thirteen”.
PLAY: 2*, 3, 4, 1
RIYL: TEAM ME. YOU ME & US, BEACH HOUSE
Locked Up by Big Deal

Avant-garde works for wind instruments, most composed in the 90’s, although Varese’s “Octandre” was composed in 1923. Try sampling due to length.

File: Classical/avant-garde collections: Aventure Ensemble

Forceful works for piano and keyboard sampler or baseballs and mitt struck on keys and strings. Trk 2 less dissonant.

File: Classical/avant-garde composer: Gosfield

Contemporary works for a variety of instrumental combinations:, solo piano, horns and piano, piano trio. Abstract and flowing. Either sample or try trks 3-8.

File: Classical composer: Diemer