Joshua October & The Wool: Karaoke EP

As a performer, I have learned that while on stage, a subtle spark can start a roaring fire.  Joshua October & The Wool accomplish this flint and steel foundation by starting off their Karaoke EP with the subtleties of a head-turning, breath taking rendition of the classic Somewhere Over the Rainbow.  This 8-bit Casio keyboard version of the timeless piece gently tugs on the ears and hearts of listeners; preparing for them for the no-holds-barred journey that lies ahead.

The Shreveport, Louisiana act uses simple lo-fi keyboard-created beats, to add some danceable-sass to the 5-song indie innovation; songs like On The Beat are reminiscent of early Of Montreal demos (Tim, I wish you were Born a Girl). October bee-bops edgy but almost comical lyrics on Hater’s Parade, dynamic and entertaining.  Pretty Child opens with a seductive groove inspiring a sauntering shuffle, interrupted by an abrubt, “cuz I am the Devil! Baby what’s your name?!” Beside the kazoo melodies, the highlight of the album is that it is astonishingly carried entirely by bass guitar.  You read correctly, only 4 strings were strummed, tapped, sweeped (not swept), and slapped on these recordings.

Recorded by Kyle Craft of the up-and-coming-band Gashcat, definitely contributed to the “filthy south”, indie sound with influences of hometown heroes Neutral Milk Hotel. The sampled rain storm on the final track titled April 28^th may entice fans of production goodies, like those from bed-room-recording artists like SeaWolf.

The rest of The Wool: Dave Sheep, Sherley Sheep, and Pat Sheep contribute greatly to the live experience. I’d recommend anyone to take the opportunity to experience the Joshua October & the Wool show-in-a-box live, you’ll be left dumbfounded. 

This veteran side-man (check out Joshua October’s contributions to Her Sweet Autumn Misery’s“Embers”) shines as an anti-folk underdog on the Karaoke EP.

The Karaoke EP is available for download at: http://thewool.bandcamp.com/

Carolina Story: Home

What happens when two singer-songwriters fall in love, get married and settle down? Well if you call touring across the country together “settled down” folk romance duo Carolina Story have the answer.  The newest album from Ben Roberts and Emily Olson Roberts, simply titled “Home” spins tales of road rambling in songs like 53 days, "Each others eyes and songs you sing keep you moving on, the traveling road is long... because home is where you are"  Showcasing Ben’s Arkansas-gravel voice, Someone, Else laments a Ray Lamontagne vibe complete with sliding pedal steel guitars and harmonica.  Creative rhythms, often emphasized by handclaps, tambourine, and suitcase stomps can be found supporting grooves throughout the album.  Catchy melodies in The Morning Bird add just enough pop pizzazz to this assembly of Americana gems,  that even a die-hard Adele fan will be whistling along.  With harmony vocal chemistry that would give the Civil Wars a run for their money,   the soft and simple ballad In the End closes the collection quietly, leaving the listener a lesson to digest and the longing desire to leave Carolina Story’s "Home" on repeat.

 "Home" and other Carolina Story albums are available on iTunes at: http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/home/id483301212

or visit Carolina Story at their web-home http://www.carolinastory.com/

Dubb Nubb’s Sunrise Sleepy Eyed

 

There is a lot of freedom and maturity associated with an American youth turning 18.  The Dubb Nubblettes are on their way to becoming all grown up and Sunrise Sleepy Eyed is proof that at least their songwriting is progressing by leaps and bounds.  This, their 3^rd studio album, is 11 songs of quirky vocals, acoustic instruments, and breath-taking lyrics.

One would think after performing give-or-take 20 shows with these twin sisters (now + 1 more sister), I would tire of these songs, not so.  Every night I would look forward to singing along, “Tell me ‘bout my clouds, hangin’ over me,” on the moody, Karen O –vibed song.

The ukulele driven “Don’t Ever Find Me” gives the impression of Delia Rainey’s solo tunes as Dee Bird, but after the first verse drums and additional vocals spice up the short remainder.  This song is beautifully heartbreaking.

Delicate guitar playing by classically trained Hannah Rainey creates character for “Gravestones”.  The song crescendos to an anthem-like chorus, “I have nightmares about gravestones!” accented by staccato snare drum hits and a touch of cello from special guest Cecilia Miller of Knoxville, TN.  Cello is also a mainstay on the catchy “Tennessee Mountains”, the opening track of Sunrise Sleepy Eyed, previously released as part of the Shiny Mountain Split 7”.

An obvious Bob Dylan influence shows itself in story songs like “Johnny” and the chilling “Solider”.  The girls spin tales with their entrancing melodies; any assumed allusions to teen angst aside, these songs craft such imagery that the listener becomes emotionally attached to the fictitious protagonists.

The biographical story of a grandmother’s young romance adds the oldest Rainey sister, Nicky, to the mix as lyric-writer of “Kindergarten Wedding.” The hook of the song played by percussionist Amanda Rainey, on the beloved bell-kit affectionately named Glocky.  (Previously released on the Family Portrait Compilation).

The album finishes strong with a hometown tribute to the city of St. Louis, titled “Mound City Baby.”  The modest ringing of a single guitar string beneath biting vocals personifies the decay of the city “watch ‘em shiver, watch ‘em shake, oh this city’s gonna break,” all the while building with charm and a powerful sense of identity, “I’m a mound city baby, I was born and raised in the gateway, I’m a muddy river baby, and I’m comin’ home.” (also available as part of the Feels Like Coming Home Compilation.)

Sunrise Sleepy Eyed is undoubtedly the best effort yet by this young family of musicians. Every song is a single, standing strong on it’s own, combined forming a genuine collection that warrants listen after listen.  The sun is just rising for Dubb Nubb; there is a bright future ahead.

This album and more can be downloads, name-your-own-price style at:

http://dubbnubb.bandcamp.com/

O'Brother's Garden Window

Be careful when entering your Google search; this isn’t the O’Brother from the hill-country, jailbreak, George Clooney movie.  The Atlanta band O’Brother’s new album “Garden Window” delivers gospel of a different sort through driving anthems and melancholy interludes.  With its share of reverb-splashed “ooooo’s” and “ohhh’s”, over-driven bass, gargantuan drum crashes, and the noise of 3 interweaving guitars, “Garden Window” shows the cohesiveness of the musical team on an deeply intellectual level.

Ethereal guitar moans swirl throughout the repertoire creating a bed for chanting melodies and the bellow of lyrics.  The beats of “Easy Talk” a’la MuteMath quickly break to crushing four-on-the-floor pounding.  These driving moments, reinforced by Isis-esque sludge-chords of octives set to make listeners’ chests rumble are juxtaposed with delicate guitar breaks and vocal crooning of almost theatrical proportions.

Eerie sounds and structures reminisce a neo-gothic era, Rasputina comes to mind… Beetlejuice. Beetlejuice! BEETLEJUICE! However the outfit keeps within the realm of southern indie comrades, Colour Revolt, fellow-Georgians Dead Confederate, and a cameo from Manchester Orchestra’s Andy Hull (who also produced the album). Another cameo adds yet another timbre to the pallet from which the album’s soundscape is built, the plucked strings and siren-like vocals of harpist Timbre Cierpke.

Never a boring moment, O’Brother takes advantage of all spectrums of dynamic, seeming like the only major key moment of the album the resolution of “Cleanse Me” alludes to clear skies ahead, but to no avail as screams and howls follow like monsters on a dimly lit path.

Dark like Brand New’s “The Devil and God are Raging Inside of Me,” yet ever looming anticipation of what is yet to come, a faint hope, “Garden Window” is an epic journey. The album ends with the requiem of the odyssey, “Last Breath.”

“If God is an acronym, Giver Of Damnation, why even bother with the concept of man?”

Prepare yourself for an hour, that seems like a lifetime, as O’Brother takes you by the hand and leads you through the Garden Window.

Wavorly: The EP

The Wavorly EP

11/11/11

-By: Cory Taylor Cox

With a 4-year wait after Conquering the Fear of Flight, Mississippi Pop/Rock band, Wavorly will finally deliver the follow-up that fans have been begging for on November 11.  That’s right on 11/11/11 Wavorly will release a 4 song EP simply titled The Wavorly EP.

Moving in a different direction from their previous album, released on Flicker Records, the Christian alternative imprint of Sony BMG, the new, independent record is intended for more of a general market than the religious niche.

Produced by Jasen Rauch, former guitarist of the band Red, and Grammy Nominated producer Rob Graves, the EP is stacked with a quartet of radio-ready rock anthems. Engineer Paul Pavao mixed the new recordings; his credits include Hollywood Undead, Fireflight, and even Lady Gaga.  With an increased yet tactful use of sample-beds, one might even compare the catchy songs to prominent urban-to-rock crossover collaborators like Timbaland’s vamps with OneRepublic  

Opening track “Caught in the Middle” starts with a bit-crushed beat beneath lively strings, quickly reinforced by driving power chords from guitarist Seth Farmer.  New to the outfit, drummer Teddy Boldt’s quick hands flash through fills during the song’s bridge.

Wavorly may be targeting a broader demographic but keep all good intentions intact with the uplifting ballad “Carry You.” Frontman Dave Stovall’s voice soars during the encouraging chorus,  “I’ll take the world off your shoulders…” with his signature tinge of rasp adding to the earnest emotion of the powerful lyrics.

Founding member, Matt Lott’s bass holds down the groove during the verses of “One More Try” before the chorus erupts. The song ends with a stomp, clap, tambourine combo beat sure to get heads bobbing before the parting synth and vocal embellishments.

The 4-song experience concludes with the eerie “Part That Won’t Let Go.” Ryan Coon’s keyboard melodies remind the listener of Nintendo’s 1980’s classic Legend of Zelda.  The seamless connection of each member’s instrument builds this final number to a moody, epic masterpiece leaving listeners with just enough taste in their mouths to want more.

 The Wavorly EP is available on iTunes.

 Wavorly will be playing Nashville's Rutledge on Monday Nov. 21  w/ Run Kid Run for a duel CD release show! Also featuring Stephanie Smith.

The Paranormals

            Birmingham bred and Nashville re-united, The Paranormals muscle their way through riff-driven rock and roll.

            Genre classifications may box them into the category of “new rock” alongside acts such as We Are Scientists, The Caesars, Arctic Monkeys, or The Kooks; but don’t let the chronological implications of the adjective fool you, the music made by The Paranormals is timeless.

            Though only in their early twenties, each member of The Paranormals is already a performing veteran.  Heath Hendricks, bass, and Jarrod Randall, guitar, both formerly of Florence, AL’s The Evergreen Express and drummer, lead vocalist David Sutton of Birmingham’s East End Lights and various other Nashville outfits started playing music together years ago in high school.

            Now the trio perks up ears with a no-frills sound, comparable to monochromatic duos the White Stripes or Black Keys.  Breaks within the songs demand the attention of listeners while bare-bones vocals are strung along over tempo-preserving bass drum hits.   Singing in the spaces, The Paranormals have an asset the afore mentioned do not, a melodic bass line to hold down the fort while guitars and drums embellish with grit-teeth and primal pounds.

            Sutton’s voice quips the eccentricities of Modest Mouse, quick phrasing and playful inflections.  But he attributes much of the bands sound to regional band, the Drive-By Truckers.  However each member of The Paranormals contributes to the vocal spectrum; Randall and Hendricks mimicking call and answer lines creating dialog within the songs, along with “ooo” and “ahhh” harmonies.   Sutton, never short on words, provides conversational banter between songs, while the three demonstrate proficiency vocally and on their instruments with a confident chemistry.

            The Paranormals are most reminiscent of the reconfigured super band Them Crooked Vultures, featuring members of Foo Fighters, Nirvana, Queens of the Stone Age, and the immortal Led Zeppelin.   Harnessing both full, fuzzy tones and songwriting with more hooks than a gulf coast fishing boat, whether you’re superstitious or not, watch out for The Paranormals. 

Julien Baker, Elizabeth Wise, and Holly Cole & The Memphis Dawls at Otherlands Memphis 2/25/11

            With a voice and skill far surpassing her age, high school sophomore Julien Baker captivities listeners even before her sound check is over.  Warming up with a Bill Withers standard “Ain’t No Sunshine,” young Julien sings with rich, soulful inflections.  After taking a step back from their first points of astonishment, listeners realize Baker is playing more than just simple chords on her acoustic guitar; technical and tasteful grace notes embellish her playing style as her fingers work the fret board.  Moving across multiple tempos and keys, Baker showcases her songwriting pallet; the slower songs are what caught my attention though, walking up and down chords note by note, intellectual lyrics and analogies like: “If you are the laces attached to my soles, then turn me around and string me solely to your arms,” baffle the crowd.  Two questions, how much does she practice and what literary masterpieces is she reading to inspire such profound songwriting?

             Uprooted from Virginia, Elizabeth Wise followed, accompanied on upright bass by Memphis local Alex Uhlmann.  Wise riled-up the audience to the point of yelps and whoops with her Bonnie Rait style roots music.  On one feature a saxophone was brought into the mix for a jubilant jazz number where Wise sang a short scat over thumping bass lines.  Wise brought out her guitar slide to close her set further demonstrating her rustic techniques.

            On to the headlining act, Holly Cole & The Memphis Dawls; who doesn’t love an all-girl string band?  Recently elected Hottie of 2011 by the Valentine edition of the Memphis Flyer newspaper, Cole sings haunting melodies through painted lips.  For such a pretty face, Cole can make the most awful grimaces at times, singing with an indescribable passion; these expressions are easily excused, actually making the songstress all the more real and charming.  Cole is accompanied by Jana Misener (Giant Bear, Sultana) on cello and Krista Wroten (Yazoo Shakes, Black Max) on violin and accordion, the two also contribute vocals padding a thick landscape of harmonies.  A mix of alternative country and indie folk, the Dawls’ genre resembles that of Cat Power or Midwesterners Murder By Death.  The debut of new song “Hickory” ended with a choir of hums from the three and reverberating boot stomps.  Breaking the sobering, pensive atmosphere initiated by their songs, when the last note resounds the girls crack smiles and glare at one another, joking and giggling, reminding watchers that adorable alternatives exist behind the grim hymns promenading through the repertoire of these southern sirens.