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Spider Legs. Wild Powwers
Wild
Powwers is singer/guitarist Lara Hilgemann, bassist Jordan Gomes, and
drummer/singer Lupe Flores. The band released its fifth album 'Pop Hits
& Total Bummers Vol. 5' on the 5th of July. This is an alternative
pop song that is powerful but also hard to put my finger on. Nothing is
straightforward, with exception of the singing. The three instruments
play parts that fit in the harmonic sense but each comes across as if on
its own planet. This makes Spider Legs harder to listen to. Wild Powwers
makes me work for my listen. The beginning is easy to follow. Slowly but
surely parts seem to change, become more difficult. The chorus is not
one to sing along to easily. I immediately knew I wanted to write on the
song but got seriously confused along the way. See what you think.
Today
we have some country and folk on the blog as well. Recently Wild Remedy
debuted with the single of this EP on this blog. Here is the five song
EP. Amy Russett, Colleen Roberston and Shay Mahoney, from Ottawa and
Montreal, breath life into the "hey-ho" genre, though they opt for only 'ho', that petered out about ten
years ago. The three women sing together adding strength to their
individual voices. Think boygenious, Mouth of Babes or Worry Dolls and
then add a lot of enthusiasm. They sing as if they have nothing to lose,
yet a world to win. The basis of the song is an acoustic guitar and a
(kick) drum. From there, the song can be expanded, it is the singing
that always is in the middle, the focus point. You will find most songs in an uptempo rhythm
for folk songs. When the tempo does go down a little in 'Wild Remedy',
the voices steal the show even more. Together with producer Nate Hardy
the trio found the right additions to its trio and probably live sound,
without being pressured into something that it is not. Wild Remedy is a vibrant
singing trio of (indie) folk songs with a country tone here and there
for good measure. Songs From Home is a very welcome surprise, where
boygenius will have to watch, as far as music is, the competition.
This song is a lot heavier than what is usually found on the blog. Elephant Tree plays a sludgy, psychedelic kind of rock. A deep and dark riff lies at the heart of Try. At the same time the song has a clear melody. The vocals are recorded with an effect on them, making them sound trippy and psychedelic. The "go" deep in the mix from the chorus to the second verse, shows how enthusiastic the band is. Even the best band may need a pointer every once in a while as well. The guitar solo plays some notes I did not see coming and so does the chord change in the instrumental part after the solo. It all makes the song stand out. The deep dark growl from the rhythm guitar at the end is a befitting ending. Yes, Try is on the blog because I tried as well. The album, 'A Handful Of Ten', is the band's first in 10 years. Its two previous album are to be re-released on the same day.
Last year, POM made it to the list of my favourite albums for 2023. A Great Escape is the first release since 'We Were Girls Together' on route to a to be released EP later in 2024. Fans will recognise the sound immediately. That tremendously energetic punky rock sound. The band opts for the moniker fuzz rock. I certainly add the word pop, as it oozes out of A Great Escape like fresh water from a well. POM managed to find another optimistic sounding guitar riff at the beginning of the song, before holding back for the first verse. Liza van As can sing the verse with ease over bass and drums accompaniment, with a few keyboard notes coming in in the second half. In the second verse more keyboards are added, making the single sound a bit spacey. The chorus is one of the better POM has released so far. Think 'Exoskeleton', that good. With A Great Escape POM proves that its best songs were not a coincidence. The world is going to enjoy this band a lot more in the future.
Summertime
is announced as a cover. So I sat down expecting another cover of the
famous American songbook standard by Gershwin. Not The Dogmatics. They
play Summertime written by Richie Parsons and played by his band
Unnatural Axe. The Dogmatics play the song with reverence. Drummer Tom
Long kicks the song into life with a great drum intro. The band falls in
repeating the chord sequence accented by the lead guitar, with just a
note, perhaps two. That's enough in the verse. Jerry Lehane's voice is
rough and serious. He "can't wait for the summertime", when all the
college kids have gone home once again and the city is for him to love
his baby. And of course for The Dogmatics and all these other great
bands in Boston to start playing to their own crowd. "Summer's here and
the time is right for dancing in the streets", to The Dogmatics'
Summertime. I'm sure Bowie and Jagger and all the others who sang the
song, didn't see that one coming.
Massachusetts. Jensen McRea
Boston
is in Massachusetts, so it's a small step from the previous single in
this post. Despite singer and songwriter Jensen McRae is from LA. A new
name to me, but not to Erwin Zijleman. He reviewed her debut album 'Are
You Happy Now?' in June of 2022. Listening to this single I can
understand why he would fall for a singer with little edge to her voice
and the rich music behind her. Massachusetts reminds me a little of
'Fast Car', Tracy Chapman's number 1 single of over three decades ago.
This song is far more than a girl with guitar though. Behind Jensen
McRae more happens than my ears can keep up with during the
introduction to the song. From a modest beginning, explaining the title in the first
words, the song is slowly but surely built out as more and more
instruments join the song, harder and harder to keep them apart. The lyric lines are not necessarily connected
to one another but do tell a story of some kind that is interesting to
follow. A nice introduction to this new singer, for me that is.
Five
song EPs are almost a mini album. Do they deserve their own post or is
it more befitting to be ranked among the singles? The short answer is
here, as that leaves more room for albums. American Ocelot deserves a
spot as its self-titled debut EP sounds as if it could have been made
around 1968 by an alternative early rock band, had they had the recording
technique bands now have that is. American Ocelot, named after a wild
cat, sounds simply so good, with a special spot for singer and band
leader Joanie Lynch, who is dreaming her dream in music and has formed
her own band with Sara Billingsley on vocals and percussion; Kevin James
on lead guitar; and Charlie Sullivan on bass. The music varies from
alternative rock to garage rock. 'Non Participant' is a very good
example of this. Lynch's vocal may not be the best here, the context and
band make up more than enough. Non Participant is a fantastic dirty
rock song. 'Secret' also is but a little more punky. American Ocelot is
an EP containing a nice variation of songs that shows the different
sides to the band. Where some bands overdo diversity, American Ocelot
presents a nice fit. Its EP is a great introduction on route or so I
hope, to more in the future.
This
is totally mysterious and so intriguing. Gia Ford lays down a mood that I'm immediately sucked into. On route to her debut album, 'Transparent Things ', out
on 13 September, she's out to make a deep impression with this single.
Oh, of course, something in the mood sounds immediately familiar, but
who cares. Something Radiohead but also a name I can't get my head
around, I think triphop from England but ?? A song that has the exact same mysterious atmosphere and then
exactly that piano sound. Expertly the drum and bass come in for the
second verse, making the sound bigger. The pre-chorus brings the song
down and then comes the chorus itself. Gia Ford plays her listeners with
her seductive, yet solid voice. For her debut album she was able to
work with producer Tony Berg (Phoebe Bridgers). The collaboration pays
off. I am no little wanting to her 'Transparent Things'. If she's able
to maintain this level of music making, it may well be a winner.
It's over four years ago that I reviewed 'Neighbours Burning Neighbours', a three song single. After that there was a solo album and duo album by Alicia Breton Ferrer but then things went quiet. In the meantime another band from Rotterdam took over the alternative post punk torch: Tramhaus. Come summer 2024 and this other Rotterdam band is back and on on track. As always completely without even searching for a form of compromise to whatever convention except for making noise in abundance. I can control my volume here in my home, live this will be devastating to the quality of ageing ears. Familiar Place fully works though. All through the near dissonant notes and chords the song comes through. There is a superb use of dynamics, putting air into the song, while allowing for the moment that when the band really lets it rip, it comes across double. Familiar Place is a single that will not make it to a lot of radio stations but is a great promise for album 'Burning Neighbours' slated for 13 September.
Above, POM presented its new single, here are Mattan Records label mates The Vices with a new single as well. With Wrong Ones the Groningen band goes for their alternative rock side. And rock Wrong Ones does. With a stark rhythm, great dynamics and wild abandon that is unleashed in the chorus, the band shows its capable of rocking. Just listen to the intro. The guitar plays the lead and drops away for the start of the verse. The Vices keep playing with the dynamics all through the song and where another band would put in oohs and aahs in the background, The Vices opt for an electric guitar playing harmonies replacing the vocals. To think that The Vices come out of the band Ten Years Later and that I received an LP to review from the boot of a car years ago (and did). The Vices by now has a tour in the U.S. under its belt. With a song like Wrong Ones only more doors will open.
Wout de Natris - van der Borght
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