Backseat Dreamer: Sean Neuse

Have you ever had the experience of lucid dreaming? Lucid dreaming is being aware that you’re dreaming and being able to control your dreams to a certain extent. From what I understand, it can often allow for a much more vivid and unique experience. I have personally never had a lucid dream, but I think I got an idea of what it might be like from listening to Sean Neuse’s own waking, aural lucid dream. By no strange coincidence, Sean Neuse goes by the recording name Backseat Dreamer, and his recent release The Colors of Dreams, They’re in You is filled with soaring synths that could very well cause your own waking lucid dream.

I know that last paragraph used the word “dream” a lot, but stick with me. I’ll try to avoid it for a while. Instead, let’s focus on the groove of the album. From the beginning of very the first track, “Moment in Time,” the warm, flowing vibe of the old-school synth keyboards and the pulsating, thumping rhythm of the percussion will simultaneously relax you and make you want to get out on the dance floor. Some songs, such as “For Starry Eyes,” definitely lean much more towards the relaxing side while others, such as “Consider,” lean more towards upbeat and danceable.

One thing that is always consistent throughout the entire album, with the exception of the short instrumental track “Hold Me Awake,” is Backseat Dreamer’s soft, echoing voice. I’ll admit, his style of singing bugged me at first, but I think that might have been caused by my expectations of an entirely instrumental electronica album. But I quickly realized that his voice, with it’s distinctly 80′s styled nasal crooning, fit in perfectly with the instrumentation and further enhanced the dreaminess of the music.

And one thing you’ve already heard me mention a few times already is how much of an old-school vibe this album gives off. It almost sounds like The Colors of Dreams is a collection of music from the 1980′s that has been rediscovered 20 to 30 years in the future and repurposed for our contemporary tastes, so there is a certain nostalgic quality to Backseat Dreamer’s tunes.

So if you’re looking for something dreamy, something relaxing, something catchy with a nice beat, or just something that will give a nice sense of nostalgia for the synth pop of the 80′s, then you should definitely check out The Colors of Dreams, They’re in You by Backseat Dreamer.

Purchase The Colors of Dreams, They’re in You by Backseat Dreamer at Stickfigure Recordings, Amazon, or iTunes!

Backseat Dreamer – Moment in Time
Backseat Dreamer – Consider
Backseat Dreamer – Real Inside You

Also make sure to check out Backseat Dreamer on Facebook, last.fm, and Stickfigure Recordings.

Fjord Rowboat

Fjord Rowboat is a band that takes the word “wall of sound” to a whole new level with elements of dream pop and shoegaze fused together to create lofty aural scenes in their most album, Under Cover of Brightness. Granted, dream pop and shoegaze have a lot in common (mostly that dream pop was a direct influence on shoegaze), but there is much more alternating and mixing between dream pop’s docile nature and shoegaze’s more aggressive yet equally atmospheric tendencies with this band than is traditionally the case.

For example, Under Cover of Brightness has a sound that is raucous and aggressive, but is at the same time calming with an ethereal nature to it. Some songs are more aggressive, some are more calming, and some songs, such as the first track “Even You Out,” alternate between both or meld them together into one complex structure.

This contrast in mood stems in part from the guitars that continuously echo over each other in layers as both an ever present, distorted hum and as the rapid, gentle plucks of the guitar strings. Two songs that seem to contrast each other the most in this regard follow one right after the other: “The Other Side of a Dream” and “Cottonwood Glacier.” Whereas the former track has guitars that fiercely grind and growl, the latter one has a sound as if the wind is gently playing the higher notes of the guitar as it blows across the strings. In fact, the very beginning of “Cottonwood Glacier” almost reminds me of the beginning of “Maps” by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs.

The one thing that really stands on Under Cover of Brightness from the very beginning of the album is the sheer amount of reverb used. I guess that’s one of the key elements of making atmospheric rock with that epic wall of sound quality to it. But the reverb especially stands out in the lead singer’s vocals, not to say that it’s a bad thing. In fact, the echoing of the lead singer’s voice combined with the fact that it often sounds he’s calling out with great emotional power from a distance mixed with the towering wall of instrumentation puts the image in my head of the band playing in the clouds. And I’m not talking about those big billowy clouds that completely obscure the sky. I’m talking about a hazy mist of clouds that still allows the sun and the blue of the sky to shine through. So as I listen to Fjord Rowboat, I picture their music echoing and soaring through the sky as they play it, floating high up in the misty blue. And much like the clouds, their music has a certain haze to it, but it isn’t an impenetrable mass of noise of chaos that prevents you from seeing the clear beauty behind it. No, the haze has a beauty all of its own.

Speaking of skies and such, enough of me blowing the hot air. Just do yourself a favor and listen to Fjord Rowboat. Their a great band with a hard rocking, ambient sound that are most definitely worth a listen if not a lot of listens.

Purchase Under Cover of Brightness by Fjord Rowboat at Bandcamp, CD Baby, iTunes, or Amazon!

Fjord Rowboat – Even You Out
Fjord Rowboat – The Other Side of a Dream
Fjord Rowboat – Cottonwood Glacier

Also make sure to check out Fjord Rowboat on Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, and Last.fm.

My First Earthquake: Rebecca Bortman (Vocals & Lyrics), Andre Salcido (Drums), Dave Lean (Guitar), Chad Thornton (Keyboards, Bass & Songwriting)

Looking for some fun, cool tunes for the Summer? Look no further than My First Earthquake’s most recent EP, Crush. This band has a peppy electronic pop sound with a harder rock and roll tinge that makes for some addictive listening. And not only is Crush a nice little collection of catchy tracks, but it’s also completely free!

My First Earthquake is also a band whose members have interesting pasts. Lead singer and lyricist Rebecca Bortman is a visual designer who has worked with such electronica acts as DJ Amplive and Mercury Rev’s bassist, Anthony Molina, who coincidentally produced Crush and their previous album, Downstairs. Chad Thornton, the band’s keyboardist and bassist, had given up on rock and was working at Google designing Gmail’s chat feature until he met Rebecca Bortman. And before My First Earthquake, guitarist Dave Lean was an engineer at Apple who helped design the hardware for the iPod and the iPhone. And drummer Andre Salcido was in a band that played with GWAR, Royal Crown Revue, and toured Europe.

But now they’re all together, making great music. And My First Earthquake has a sound that simultaneously reminds you of new wave bands like Blondie and modern acts that harken back to those days like Mates of State and Office. As a result of this mesh of styles, Crush has this playful giddiness mixed with a buzzing distortion that comes from 80′s influenced synth, punk guitars, and modern indie pop’s happy-go-lucky and slightly experimental sensibilities all coming together. Add cleverly quirky lyrics, such as the first verse of “Ice Queen,” which goes:

You go out on a Tuesday night
You go grope and pout.
I stay in and curl up
with Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman.
You come home smelling
Unlike your own cologne.
This romance is growing inverse
To my pant sizes..

and you get something so endearingly offbeat and amusing that I bet you’ll be listening to this EP’s four tracks on repeat.

So if you’re looking for some fun, interesting music to listen to over the summer, maybe while you’re picnicking, cooking out, going to the beach, or whatever you’re doing this Fourth of July (at least for all you American readers), then Crush is definitely something worth checking out. It’s also probably worth your while to check out their previous two albums: Downstairs, which costs only $5, and Tremors, which is a free EP like Crush.

Download Crush by My First Earthquake completely free at Bandcamp!

My First Earthquake – Pick Up Stick Up
My First Earthquake – Neon for You
My First Earthquake – Masada
My First Earthquake – Ice Queen

Also make sure to check out My First Earthquake on Twitter, Facebook, and MySpace.

Have you ever heard of Jolie Holland? Well, you should have. Not only is she an incredible musician with an amazingly soulful voice and style that harkens back to the pre-WWII days of blues and folk, but she was also one of the first musicians I wrote about way back in the early days of Radio KRUD.

Now I’m not really here to talk about Jolie Holland, but about another musician who reminded me of Jolie Holland and her quaint, folksy style: Kacey Johansing.

Kacey Johansing: Singer, songwriter, guitarist, and pianist

For one thing, Kacey Johansing has that same, old-timey soul in her voice that is reminiscent of great jazz vocalists like Billie Holiday. But there is something a little subtler about her style, so it doesn’t really stand out so strongly as having that old-fashioned quality to it unless you listen closely. She has a slight, unconventional cadence to her singing voice similar to that of Jolie Holland’s or Billie Holiday’s, a cadence that exudes an ethereal, evocative aura that captures the listener in its delicate dreaminess. You can also detect a soft quavering when she sings, which makes her voice even breezier as it flows across your ears.

Now Kacey Johansing’s music may have a sweet sense of antiquity about it, but Many Seasons also exhibits the characteristics of great pop songs. Take Many Season‘s title track for example, which is filled with soaring pop melodies. It begins with a simple yet catchy piano riff that continues throughout the entire song with slight variations as hauntingly tuneful guitars begin to wail with the whale songs of cellos. It’s reminiscent of the epic pop stylings of the Beach Boys in songs like “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” and “God Only Knows” and more modern tunes like “Brick” by Ben Folds Five.

There are also songs like “Oh, Brother” that are incredibly catchy and loveable in a very traditional, sing-songy sense. From the merry tune of the organ to the joyful, happy-go-lucky whistling after each verse, this song is just a pleasure to listen to. Along with playful, loving lyrics from Kacey Johansing directed to her brother, it’s hard not to come away from this song with a warm feeling in your heart, maybe even a happy tear in your eye.

Then there are more somber songs that still manage to be very pleasant experiences. “Same Old, Same Old” is one such song; it starts off seeming to be incredibly minimalistic with just Kacey Johansing’s vocals softly crooning, “If you stick around, your old habits will wear you down,” backed by a very basic rhythm guitar progression. But as the song continues on, the melodies and instrumentation continue to build until the song reaches a point where it starts to go into full-on rock and roll mode with energy ablaze à la “Bohemian Rhapsody,” but then the track pulls the tone back down again. It’s almost like the song is trying to reach a huge climax that ends up fading away after the rise in action. Given that the song seems to follow the theme of consistently being stuck in an emotionally distressing situation and that these moments of increased musical energy come after the chorus, which goes, “Sometimes I get upset. It helps me forget. Sometimes I get off track. It can bring me back,” it’s like the song itself is evoking these feeling of getting upset and off track only to return to that troubling, as the song title puts it, “Same Old, Same Old” state.

Man, I just took a look back at that last paragraph and realized that it was pretty substantial, at least from my perspective. Do you want to know why? Because Kacey Johansing is an incredible singer, lyricist, composer, guitarist, and pianist and has released an incredible album that evoked a lot of thoughts and feelings out of me. That’s why you should give Many Seasons a chance: it’s an infective, thought-provoking album.. So check it out and keep an eye out for future work by Kacey Johansing. She’s a true talent.

Purchase Many Seasons by Kacey Johansing at Porto Franco Records or her website!

Kacey Johansing – Many Seasons
Kacey Johansing – Oh, Brother
Kacey Johansing – Same Old, Same Old

Also make sure to check out Kacey Johansing at Porto Franco Records, MySpace, Twitter, and Facebook.

Hunter Sagehorn (Guitars), Tommy Krebs (Drums), Joe D. Michon-Huneau (Vocals), August Sagehorn (Bass)

Let’s move on to some really good indie rock from four guys from Albany, New York called Alta Mira. Their sound kind of reminds of both Modest Mouse and Pinback. Overall, their newly released self-titled album generally has a bit more of a smooth, relaxed quality to it while still rocking out and glowing with energy despite its laid back nature. It’s the difference between full-on headbanging heavy metal style and just nodding your head while you’re really getting into the groove of the music.

Take a song like “Sinker/Or” that is simultaneously is a very light and gentle sounding song, but also has a quick, peppy pace to it that will keep your feet tapping. Even “Slumberjack,” one of most consistently heavy hitting tunes on the album, has a steady, chill feel despite the continuous, machine-like pounding of the synth and percussion along with the guitars that grind and howl at the song’s energy soaked crescendos. And many times, such as in the songs “Tantrum” and “Mother, Child,” the band will build up from a very small, simple beginning and continuously play that game with the listener where they pep up the song, bring it back down, and then liven things up even further than before until they go in for the big, spirited finish that really closes out the track in a very memorable way.

Aside from Alta Mira’s well crafted and intriguingly arranged songs, one of the main elements of their music that really stands out throughout the entire album is lead singer Joe D. Michon-Huneau’s impassioned and soaring vocals. Although the music generally has that more laid back feel, this vocalist always brings an emotional force to it that always seems to scale the energy up a notch or two. In fact, do you know how you can sometimes picture how someone physically sings based on their voice? The way this guy projects his voice with such intense emotion, especially in “Buglight” and at the end of “Tantrum,” I just picture him shutting his eyes tight and losing himself in the music, gripping his mic tight, and pushing out his chest with his head tilted slightly up as if to cry out to the whole world. Maybe that’s not really how he sings. Maybe he just kind of stares at his feet while he sings (à la the shoegazers of yore), but with the exuberant force of his voice, it’s hard not to picture something more.

So basically, if you’re looking for great indie rock that isn’t just a whole bunch of noise but that you can still rock out to, or if you’re looking for band with a great lead vocalist, or if you’re looking for some interesting and engaging song structures in your rock music, then I suggest you take a listen to Alta Mira. I’m definitely keeping an eye out for them in the future.

Purchase Alta Mira’s self-titled album from iTunes or Amazon!

Alta Mira – Sinker/Or
Alta Mira – Slumberjack
Alta Mira – Tantrum

Also be sure to check out Alta Mira at Indian Ledge Records, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, MySpace, Blogger, and other locations.

And just as a random aside, I dig the names of the brothers who play guitar and bass. Hunter Sagehorn sounds like the name of a mighty, mystical hunter from a fantasy, Lord of the Rings type of book, and August Sagehorn sounds like a rare, medicinal plant somewhere in a deep forest.

Or just Micmacs if you’re not French, because that’s the name of the newest film by Jean-Pierre Jeunet, who also directed Amélie (if you haven’t seen it yet, stop reading right now and watch it), about a man and his friends who decide to destroy two large weapons manufacturers.

But this is a music blog, so why am I telling you about a movie? Because it has an interesting and quirky soundtrack, much like the one you may remember from Amélie. Not only are there original compositions by Raphaël Beau, but also works by Max Steiner lifted from the soundtrack to the classic Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall film noir The Big Sleep as well as a couple other random, weird numbers.

Raphaël Beau

One thing I can tell you about this soundtrack is that it is definitely very French (well, at least the parts by Raphaël Beau); it has a silly oddness to it that only a French composer can manage to extract. There a lot of tracks with those types of accordians that make you feel like you’re sitting outside a café in Nice looking out over the French Riviera. You can also hear a lot of tinkling, silent film era styled piano playing. Some of these tracks sound so nostalgic and offbeat that it’s not hard to picture Charlie Chaplin or Buster Keaton performing black and white slapstick comedy while listening to them.

Another strange and unique aspect of the music is the heavy use of environmental percussion. Sounds such as cash registers, slurping through straws, and breaking glass are used throughout many of the songs. At the same time, these sounds are played in a very monotonous, machine-like manner. Seeing as the plot of the movie involves weapons manufacturers, I’m guessing this industrial sort of percussion is very intentional. Also, the use of these familiar sounds in such a repetitive manner in contrast with the quirky silliness of the rest of the music gives the whole soundtrack this sort of surreal, otherworldly feel. Based on what little I know of the movie and what I know about Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s previous works, I think that was probably the goal. Job well done.

And in contrast to the offbeat nature of Raphaël Beau’s work, Max Steiner’s compositions have an epic, dramatic feel to them. Fully orchestrated works that, despite their short length, are packed with emotion to rival the works of the classical masters. I mean, what the hell can I say about Max Steiner? The man’s a legend and had an immeasurable impact on how film soundtracks have been composed since he started.

Anyway, Micmacs definitely has a unique and engaging soundtrack. If you like listening to interesting musical scores from movies, then is something you might want to look into. It’s “non-stop madness” and it came out May 25, just a few days before the movie, which comes out tomorrow, May 28.

Purchase the soundtrack to Micmacs by Raphaël Beau & Max Steiner at iTunes or Amazon!

Max Steiner – Ça Cartonne (It Rocks)
Raphaël Beau – Cartoon
Raphaël Beau – Micmacs à la Gare (Micmacs at the Train Station)
Max Steiner & John W. Morgan – L’Homme Canon (The Canon Man)
Raphaël Beau – Train Bleu (Blue Train)

As you can plainly see, the audio files are streaming instead of being available for download. Unfortunately, the submitter asked that I not allow the files to be available for download after I agreed to write about the soundtrack. In the future, I will try to only accept submissions where downloads will be allowed… or if I just really like your music.

Oh, and for some reason, the titles of the tracks that were provided for me are in French even though they will be translated into English for the American soundtrack release. Mais ce n’est pas grave pour moi parce que je suis un demi Fran&ccedillais. By the way, I translated the tracks into English in parentheses.

UPDATE

In the end, I just removed audio files because people were still able to download them even though I tried to make them available as streaming only. If you want to hear samples of the tracks, just go to iTunes or Amazon. I’ll avoid this problem in the future.

Twin Tigers: Forrest Hall (Guitarist), Aimee Morris (Bassist), Matthew Rain (Guitarist/Vocalist), Doug Crump (Drummer)

Do you miss the good ol’ days of distorted alternative rock when bands like Sonic Youth and Pavement were at their peak popularity? Well reminisce no more, because the Twin Tigers are here. Just mix those chaotically catchy tunes of old school alt rock with the dreamy, atmospheric shoegazing sounds of My Bloody Valentine and you probably have a pretty good idea of what kind of band we’re talking about here.

Even though the Twin Tigers clearly have similarities to bands of the past, they have definitely carved out a distinctive, new sound of their own as heard in the recently released Gray Waves, which is their first full-length album. And like any good album, it starts off with an incredible track. “Passive Idol” begins with the distinctively slow, ambient buzz of distorted guitars. Suddenly, there is drastic shift in vibe from that shoegazing kind of sway to a pounding, crunching number that will get your head banging. Back and forth this song constantly flows from the slower, quieter sections into the contrasting hard rocking moments and vice versa. This dynamic keeps “Passive Idol” lively and interesting. And throughout the track, you often have that psychedelic hum of distorted, shoegazing guitars in the background. You basically get all of the best elements of Gray Waves compacted into one introductory song that lets you know you’re in for one hell of a ride.

One of the things that made bands like Sonic Youth and Pavement stand out in the first place was their willingness to embrace the imperfections, noise, and just plain chaos of music. The Twin Tigers certainly seem to embrace this idea, especially in songs such as “Sexless Love.” From beginning to end, the track is almost a non-stop, blare of grinding and screaming guitars that exemplifies the beauty found in the bedlam of alternative rock. Not only that, but some of the choral breaks are noticeably off key, yet they’re off key enough where it works within the chaotic context of the song and ends up sounding perfect. If these vocals were on key, then they would probably sound completely wrong.

And it didn’t really occur to me until just a little while ago, but one of the tracks off of Gray Waves is the titular track from their EP Automatic. It’s understandable why they would want to reuse the song: it’s damn good! The strong riff that plays through the verses and a catchy chorus could keep this track looping on your MP3 player. And I don’t know how normal it is for crazy, wild alt rock to get stuck in your head, but this song just might. Hell, I wouldn’t be surprised if a lot of the tracks from Gray Waves got lodged in your brain for after a few listens.

Basically, what I’m saying is that Twin Tigers did a great job with Gray Waves and they’re definitely a band to keep an eye on in the future. And if you’d like to see them in concert, they’ll be touring with Interpol and The Hold Steady over the Summer. I’ll be including tour dates at the very end of this post if you want to catch them.

Purchase Gray Waves by the Twin Tigers at Old Flame Records, iTunes, or Amazon.

Twin Tigers – Passive Idol
Twin Tigers – Sexless Love
Twin Tigers – Automatic

By the way, that EP of theirs I mentioned earlier, Automatic, is available digitally as a free download at Old Flame Records. You just have to sign up for a mailing list. You could also buy the EP for a buck at Amie Street if you feel like showing a bit of financial support.

Also be sure to listen to the Twin Tiger’s excellent live Lounge Acts performance at woxy.com.

And check them out on MySpace, Twitter and Facebook too.

Oh, and if the Twin Tigers suddenly start sounding like goth metal and you become confused, it’s probably because the last track of Gray Waves finished and iTunes moved on to Type O Negative. That’s what happened to me at least.

Tour Dates
May 22 – The Social – Orlando, FL
May 23 – The Social – Orlando, FL
May 25 – Live Wire Music Hall – Savannah, GA
May 26 – 40 Watt Club – Athens, GA
May 27 – Variety Playhouse – Atlanta, GA
June 19 – Taste of Randolph Street Fest – Chicago, IL
June 21 – Water Street Music Hall – Rochester, NY
June 22 – Town Ballroom – Buffalo, NY
June 23 – Mr. Small’s Theatre – Pittsburgh, PA
June 25 – Crocodile Rock Cafe – Allentown, PA
June 28 – People’s Court – Des Moines, IA
July 1 – Bogart’s – Cincinnati, OH
July 2 – House of Blues Cleveland – Cleveland, OH
July 5 – Blue Note, Columbia, MO
July 8 – 40 Watt Club – Athens, GA
July 10 – The Music Farm – Charleston, SC
July 14 – Ram’s Head Live – Baltimore, MD
July 20 – Lupo’s Heartbreak Hotel – Providence, RI
July 21 – Toad’s Place – New Haven, CT
July 23 – Northern Lights – Clifton Park, NY
July 24 – Chameleon – Lancaster, PA

There are a lot of reasons why I write this blog. Most of them are pretty simple: I love to write, I have a tremendous passion for music, and I have a huge ego that makes me think that people care about what I say. Okay, maybe not so much the last one, but one of the main reasons I love doing Radio KRUD is that it exposes me to all sorts of interesting and unique artists that I probably never would have discovered on my own. And of all the musicians that have submitted music to me, none stand out more than Downliners Sekt.

Downliners Sekt

Hello Lonely, Hold the Nation is the fourth release by Downliners Sekt and is the first in a three-part series of EP’s. And just like the band’s previous efforts it is no less interesting and unique; it’s a collection of experimental, electronic soundscapes that goes more for mood and atmosphere and less for catchy tunes. There has always been an element of that in this band’s work, but ambience seems to be more the overall goal than an underlying theme in Hello Lonely.

Having said that, Hello Lonely does have some interesting beats and song structures, most noticeably in “Inside Maverick’s.” The steady beat of the percussion and the repeated, distorted electronic noises create a dynamic rhythm that keeps you engaged in the darkly moody, yet calm atmosphere of the song.

But there a couple things that always impress me time and time again about Downliners Sekt. One is how they are always willing to distribute high quality, innovative music for free from their website. They were doing it a couple years before Radiohead and Nine Inch Nails made it trendy… not that I really have anything against Radiohead or Nine Inch Nails. But what strikes me even more is how each release manages to be so unique from all the rest, and yet there is that familiar Downliners Sekt sound present in each album. Only really talented bands can pull that off: drastically changing their already great sound without completely messing up the vibe they’ve already settled into.

This all points to a couple things. One, Downliners Sekt is just a damn good band that needs more exposure. Two, it is possible for a talented band to create great music without a major record label sticking its noses in their affairs, which I guess was the whole point of Downliners Sekt releasing their music for free in the first place. Their whole existence is to point out, “Hey, we’re happy outside the grasp of the music industry, you can be too.”

So why not go support Downliners Sekt by listening to their music and even providing them a donation? Or you can even buy Hello Lonely, Hold the Nation in vinyl format. To do so, just visit the band’s website or contact them yourself.

Download the full album!
Or download individual tracks:
Downliners Sekt – U Gumbu
Downliners Sekt – Dirty Meinz
Downliners Sekt – Inside Maverick’s
Downliners Sekt – Negative Green

You can also find Downliners Sekt on MySpace, Twitter, and Facebook.

About two and half years ago I wrote a post about Amber Ojeda. That’s the only post I can think of off the top of my head that I was ever really displeased with or that ever sparked controversy with an artist. I recently got back in contact with Amber and expressed my interest in revisiting her music so that I could portray it in a more positive light. She was surprised by my efforts to reconnect with her after so long, but was all for the idea. So here we go…

Amber Ojeda

Amber Ojeda is a talented singer whose primary musical roots are in jazz, but she is equally as comfortable recording and playing music in the styles of R&B and hip-hop. In fact, a number of her songs will flip-flop from one genre to the other. For example, the short album I took a look at in my original post is mostly R&B and hip-hop in nature. It includes really catchy songs such as “All I Need (Money Mix),” which includes a thumping beat and a supporting male rapper, and “Love from the Band,” which is an R&B song with jazz-like drum fills and a lilting piano that loops throughout the song. Just a quick note, those two songs quickly became personal favorites of mine and can almost always be found on my iPhone. And “All I Need (Money Mix)” has become a favorite song of mine to drum along with since I can always come up with some inspired beats while listening to it.

I’ll provide downloads of those two previously mentioned songs for a limited time at the end of this post as always. Listen to those two songs and compare them to this live performance of “Love from the Band” from YouTube.

Sounds a little different doesn’t it? Whereas the recorded version of “Love from the Band” had a quicker pace, faster and more prevalent percussion, and a more thumping bass, the live version wasn’t so heavy on the drums and was therefore a little lighter, a little smoother, and there was also a saxophone and I’m guessing a little improvisation added to the mix. There’s a clear division of styles between the two versions of the one song even though there is some clear jazz influence in the recorded version. As to which version is better, I couldn’t say. I guess it really depends on what you’re in the mood for; they’re both really good, so it’s really up to a preference of jazz versus R&B.

As for what Amber Ojeda has been doing more recently, well, she’s still working on new material. You can check out a couple of her more recent songs, “Lady Like” and “Broken Is Broken,” at No Samples. The most recent of these two songs, according to Amber herself, is “Broken to Broken,” which is a relatively simple yet catchy R&B/hip-hop song. The focus is mostly on Amber’s vocals and the story of a broken relationship, hence the title. It’s interesting to actually hear Amber rap a little bit as well. Of the two songs on the site, I honestly prefer “Lady Like” simply because the acoustic guitar in the background adds a little more musical complexity that you can sink your teeth into. But don’t get me wrong, they’re both great songs that could easily become incredibly popular if given the right exposure.

Amber also informed me that she’s just finishing up a series of winter shows at Angel’s in Santa Monica where she has focused on performing jazz. In fact, you can catch her this Sunday, March 14 from 8:30-11 PM if you’re in the area. If you can’t make that show, then you can see her live at the Dakota Music Lounge, also in Santa Monica, on April 23 at 10:30 PM. Hopefully, you’ll be lucky enough to see a mix of both R&B and jazz if you go see her live.

Also make sure to check out Amber Ojeda at MySpace, Facebook, and YouTube.

Amber Ojeda – Love from the Band
Amber Ojeda – All I Need (Money Mix)

Hey all you Radio KRUD fans (if such a thing exists anymore)! Rival Dave is back from a hefty hiatus. I’ll have to admit that I got really bored with the whole format of the thing, which is why I couldn’t bring myself to update for so long. I’m going to try and change up my writing style a bit so I can rediscover what I originally loved about the whole KRUD thing and avoid falling into that rut again.

So to start with, I guess I should get to a band that quickly became a personal favorite of mine after they submitted music to me a few years ago: The Passive Aggressives. Not only are they an incredibly talented group with a unique sound, but I feel like I owe a debt to them. When they sent me a second album to review, I found the standard promotional material slipped inside the CD case, but wasn’t I surprised when my previous post about the band was quoted alongside reviews from magazines and other more traditional media outlets.

With flattery like that, I feel guilty for getting to their album Conflict Resolution practically two years after it was released. At least I can hope that that any hype, no matter when it comes out, is always beneficial. And, like I said, I owe the band for thinking enough of my post to quote it in their promo material.

So here we go…

The Passive Aggressives: Jose Santiago (Vocals, Guitars, and Percussion), Keren Gaiser (Lead Vocals, Percussion, and Keyboards), Damian Lynch (Vocals, Bass, Ukulele, and Percussion), and Tim Dayner (Vocals, Drums, and Percussion)

First of all, let me say that The Passive Aggressives seem to have come a long way in such a short amount of time between their self-titled EP and Conflict Resolution. They, of course, still have that heavy-hitting, crunchy, and bass-laden sound they established in their EP, which is evident in songs like “Soundtrack to the Voices in My Head.” I’m actually listening to Conflict Resolution on my PS3 as I write this post (my PC isn’t putting out good sound write now, so my PS3 is my best bet for good sound output), and when I looked back to the TV as that track started, the visualizer was of a hilly landscape rushing towards the screen. It was a strangely appropriate image what with the fast pace of the song, the deep, pounding drums, the motor-like buzz of the guitars, and the frantic, sometimes snarling, vocals. It’s not hard to imagine yourself jetting down a long stretch of highway, watching the scenery fly by with “Soundtrack to the Voices in My Head” blasting out of speakers.

But The Passive Aggressives have also shown with Conflict Resolution that they are capable of producing soft, emotional songs that rock just as hard, such as “Slice It Away.” This is one of those songs where it’s hard to tell exactly what message or story the lyrics are supposed to convey, which is a good thing. The lyrics are clever, emotionally evocative, and they leave the listener thinking and coming up with their own interpretation. The beginning line, “I open up my eyes to find pills at my fingertips,” along with lines like, “This present situation is mostly self-inflicted,” and, “Head that’s been aching for days, so much that I can’t see straight,” would make one think that this is just a song about struggling with drug addiction. Then there are lines about “flashing headlights,” “traffic copters circling,” and “floating through a spiderweb of shattering glass,” which is a really clever image, by the way. So did the person in this song just get into a car crash and fly through their windshield as a result of drugs and alcohol? I’m guessing so. But no matter what your interpretation is, it’s a great song that you will want to listen to several times over.

Then there’s weirder songs like “Lulla-Bye Nation,” which kinda sounds like… well, a lullabye. I don’t know who of you will recognize this other song, but it reminded me of “Darlin’ Ukulele” by Jolie Holland since they’re both catchy, simple little tunes with minimal instrumentation (i.e. a ukulele and a xylophone). “Lulla-Bye Nation” sort of digresses from the sound and style of the rest of the album, but The Passive Aggressives are by no means a traditional rock band, so it’s a strange fit with the inherent weirdness of The Passive Aggressives (not that weirdness is a bad thing, mind you).

Speaking of weirdness, The Passive Aggressives even do a cover of “Happy Together” by The Turtles. I’ll admit that when I first heard this song, or when I first hear most covers for that matter, I was immediately dismissive. “What the hell have they done to this classic pop song?” That’s what I thought to myself. But eventually I had to realize that there’s nothing wrong with a unique interpretation of a song, no matter how thoroughly it’s ingrained into our cultural unconsciousness. What’s especially unique about this cover are the odd vocal harmonies. Keren Gaiser takes the lead with her sultry singing and one of the other members (I honestly don’t know which one) harmonizes in a deep, breathy voice. The contrast between the two vocals is so great that it puts you off at first, but they end up working really well together once you get into the song. Add onto that strange vocal mix some grinding guitars, a thumpy, funky bass, and a trippy guitar solo and you get a cover of “Happy Together” unlike any other you’ve heard before.

So to summarize Conflict Resolution and The Passive Aggressives as a whole: funky, crunchy, thumpin’, bumpin’, sometimes mellow, always rockin’, and definitely weird, but weird in the best way possible.

Well, that’s about it for this post. Hopefully, I can keep up with a decent pace with the posts in the future. Keep reading and providing feedback.

Buy Conflict Resolution at CD Baby,
Amazon, or iTunes.

The Passive Aggressives – Soundtrack to the Voices in My Head
The Passive Aggressives – Happy Together
The Passive Aggressives – Slice It Away
The Passive Aggressives – Lulla-Bye Nation

Also make sure to check out The Passive Aggressives on YouTube and MySpace.