Penny and Sparrow: Struggle Pretty

In January last year, I wrote a post about a band that I was completely blown away by on first listen. Penny and Sparrow is back with their second album as of Tuesday!

A good friend of mine introduced me to the Austin, Texas duo and on first listen, I had chill bumps. Second listen evoked tears. I knew I was hooked at that point. I’ve been listening to that album since. I follow them on Facebook and when I realized a new album was out two days ago, I bought it without a second thought. I’m just now getting  a chance to listen to it.

Serial Doubter really kicks the album off (after the intro track Jeffrey Alan) with familiar vocals deposited over increasingly dense instrumentation. The song has an easy-going tempo, but with drums that rock the hammock like a slow breeze.

Bread and Bleeding and Thunder really showcase the Mumford and Sons influence stylistically with the hyper guitars and trumpets or violins, respectively. The soothing vocals that you’re used to come in and somehow melt over the abnormally rapid instrumentation and create a totally new dynamic.

I am absolutely in love with Rattle. This was one of the first two songs the band released in the lead-up to the new album and I fell head over heels for this one. It sounds like the beautiful beginning to a thunderstorm – you know what I’m talking about, when everything gets really still and there’s just a bit of wind blowing but you know something more is on its way so you have a heavy feeling deep inside. I don’t want to rattle and I’ve got no plans to let myself be tossed away, but this muscle could never lift a thing without you anyway. This band writes such gorgeous lyrics that sometimes I’m left speechless. They’re some of the most beautiful lyrics being written in music right now.

Reeth is the song I’ve been waiting for this entire album thus far (and this is nine tracks in). This sounds like a direct upgrade of the sound from Tenboom and it’s absolutely stunning. The guitar is so delicate that it almost feels like a balancing act trying not to tip over onto the vocals. I found myself holding my breath to listen a little more intently two different times.

The album wraps up with the entirely a capella Fantine. It seems a strange choice for a last song, but the lyrics serve better with nothing to distract from their impact. They’re stark and serious and darker than I was anticipating. So before I go saying you make a bad lover, I think that I’ll let you kiss me. I can not in good conscience wear white. If I’m honest, my wedding dress needs to be black. I’ve seen too much skin in the souls that live in it, I fear I’m the bride you give back. you take and you give. You give and you take.

Penny and Sparrow are some seriously talented musicians. I have no idea why more of you aren’t listening to them. Stop everything and do it right now.

 

Key Tracks
Reeth (track 9)
Rattle (track 4)
Fantine (track 12)

5 songs I can’t get enough of: April 7, 2014

1. Beat Up Car by Taking Back Sunday

I know I’m totally bias since this band is my favorite band in all the lands, but this song makes me feel things deep inside. Not only do the escapist lyrics appeal to me (So if you’re interested, I’ll take you anywhere. I’ll buy some beat up car, we could get out of here. I’ll take you anywhere that you wanna go), but the vocals are stronger than ever and when the chorus hits, I feel the tunes in my soul. This is the most perfect song for this time of year as it’s beginning to warm up to spring – roll those windows down and blast this song and feel like you’re flying.

 

2. Yellow Paper by Royal Teeth

Since Spotify recommended this band to me a few days ago, I haven’t been able to get enough of them. I’m obsessed with their entire debut full length Glow (listen to this album now before you do anything else), but this song gets me every time. It’s slower than most of its surrounding counterparts, but it’s so sweet and mellow. The two sets of vocals are so smooth in this song that they almost melt completely together. It’s beautiful.

 

3. Haunt On by The Stationary Set

This is the title track from an album that I’ve listened to way too many times to count. Even when I was first jamming to this song, I wanted to sing along so badly that I’d throw in the words I knew and just ad-lib sounds for the rest. I can feel the passion in this song and that is something to take notice of. This song slowly builds on itself and about three minutes in, if you’re not feeling this song on a personal level, I’m worried about you. I love how the build up takes most of the song, then the band goes all out for a bit and then after some heartbeat-ish drumming, it’s over. Just, ah. So good.

 

4. The Boy Who Wouldn’t Hoe Corn from The Broken Circle Breakdown Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

I just want to go ahead and say that this is not my normal style of music. I know I live in a small town in Southwest Virginia, and I know my area is ripe with bluegrass, but I’ve never really gotten into it. If you’ve seen this film, this will make sense to you. I guess that’s what does it for me – having seen the film and knowing the emotional impact this is going to give you in the film, this song is just perfect. The male vocals start it out, with some light banjo picking and after a bit, female vocals work in until everything picks up and you have a howling good time. But for real, all the instruments come together in such a beautiful arc that it’s hard not to at least appreciate it. (Also, I know I’m a music blog and not a movie blog, but this movie is one of the best movies I have ever seen – check it out)

 

5. Memoria by Fairweather

I just discovered this band a couple of days ago and if you’re in need of some new rock tunes, check out this self-titled album that just came out last week. This song in particular is my personal favorite from the album – probably because of the pulsing drums and insanity of the guitar workings. This band isn’t all prim and proper polished kind of rock, so turn away if that’s something you look for. I love the sounds that make me feel like I’m at a rock show – as if I could close my eyes and envision it surrounding me.

 

What are you all listening to right now?

The 1975: The 1975

New release day is one of my favorite days of the week.  Is it just me, or are the albums you’re excited for all released on the same day – or at least in close vicinity to one another? Then you have a cluster of albums you can’t wait for and you can’t decide which one to listen to first. That was my morning on this Tuesday. I finally decided to have a go with The 1975’s debut album first and I was certainly not disappointed with my choice!

I told you guys on the last post that I was absolutely obsessed with a couple of songs from these dudes. One of my best friends sent me a track a few weeks ago and they’ve been on my constant rotate since. At that time, all Spotify was offering me was one EP – which, don’t get me wrong, was fantastic, but I needed so much more. Today, the alt rock  band from Manchester finally released their debut disc – with sixteen tracks!

The first song, The 1975, is a quiet lead-in – you’re interested, engaged, you’re in there. The band pulls you in and straps you to the roof of their vehicle right off in track 2 with The City, a song that I played on repeat from the EP. This jam is the perfect way to open up this album – it leans more to the indie rock side of the band and keeps things calm in case you still needed to get a feel for what you were listening to.

I still can’t get over what a good tune Chocolate is. If you haven’t listened to this song, please drop everything right now and get on board. It won’t get out of your head, but I swear it’ll be a fun ride.

I decided today that this band sounds like lace if it were crumbled up, melted down, and transformed into a sound. Talk! is the perfect explanation of that. Sometimes there are spaces that feel so airy and peaceful, like you’re drifting along a cloud, and then sometimes the chorus kicks in for denser parts that are the real meat of the sandwich. Sometimes there’s a scratchy feeling, but the overall composition is glorious.

Settle Down is one of my favorites on the album that really shows what this band is capable of reaching. There’s a fun, funky vibe to this song that monopolizes everything else going on in your life at the moment that this song is playing. If you don’t drop everything just to listen to this song, you’re lying. The lyrics are particularly captivating in this one: You’re losing your words, we’re speaking in bodies, avoiding me and talking about you. You’re losing your turn, I guess I’ll never learn, cause I stay another hour or two.

I was completely blown away by She Way Out. The guitar on this track gave me chills throughout and everything meshes together so well. If this song isn’t part of their live show, there’s a problem somewhere.

Pressure is rocking my world. This song almost feels like you’re hearing it from behind a curtain, but it’s so perfect with everything that’s going into the song and the lyrics are just minimalistic enough to not overpower the music or vice versa.

The album wraps up with Is There Somebody Who Can Watch You, an eerily soothing song with nothing but incredible vocals and a divine backing piano. This song is haunting in the most beautiful of ways. I know it’s me that’s supposed to love you, and when I’m home, you know I got you. Is there somebody who can watch you? Is there somebody who can love?

This album is wonderful. Hands down the best album I’ve listened to in a long time. And don’t forget, this is the band’s debut full length. I can’t wrap my mind around it. There is not a single song on this album that I want to skip over. The only down side to the album? I just found out the release from Target has five bonus tracks. Looks like I’ll be buying it a second time…

 

Key Tracks
Chocolate (track 4)
Settle Down (track 9)
Is There Somebody Who Can Watch You (track 16)

5 Songs I Can’t Get Enough Of

1. Sweater Weather by The Neighbourhood

This song has been on repeat since I discovered it. I literally cannot play this enough. At home, in the car, at work, in the shower. I love all versions of this song. It’s a slow, seductive beat with just a slight bounce in its step. It’s soft enough to jam to if you’re feeling mellow, but there’s enough to the song that you can sing it at the top of your lungs if you’re feeling it (which I usually am). I love the whole album (I Love You), but this track has stuck out to me since day one.

2. Chocolate by the 1975

Upbeat and poppy, this song brings some beautiful English blokes to the forefront. I’m going to be honest – most of the time I have no idea what the lyrics actually are (even after Googling them),  but you better believe I still sing along in a slurred, lisp-ish kind of way. This jam reminds me of what Oasis would be if they were thrown into a blender with some obnoxious bubble gum pop and what resulted was the best smoothie you’ve ever tasted. I’m anxiously awaiting their newest album.

3. Explode by Patrick Stump

When FOB went on their hiatus, I was angry and resentful, so I mostly ignored all of the members for a good time. That included the time period when Patrick Stump went solo. Spotify recommended the album to me a few days ago after I’d been listening to some questionable tunes and some Fall Out Boy and I gave the album a listen and this song nearly made me fall out of my chair I was dancing so much. The rest of the album is all right (Patrick, you’re better with the band) but dude, this song blows the roof off of the building.

4. The Mother We Share by CHVRCHES

I know this is total hipster stuff, but really, this jam is hard to shy away from. There are some sick beats happening and then this slightly Ellie Goulding-ish vocal comes in and all hope is lost for you resisting this jam. I usually don’t like music like this, but something about this song is too catchy for its own good.

5. Electric Feel by MGMT

I always freak out when this song comes on Pandora when I’m in the shower and I never actually listened to MGMT in excess until a few days ago. This is the one song I keep coming back to, though. When I’m not listening to it, I’m thinking about it. When I’m not thinking about it, I’m listening to it. This is a perfect song to turn on at 4:56 when you need that little extra boost to get through your work day. You’ll be lost in the solar beats and and soothed by the gentle rocking motion until you’re ready to walk out that door in peace after a long day. Seriously, I love this band.

I have these songs on a playlist to themselves on Spotify and I just listen to them over and over again at work. You’d think I would get sick of em, but they’re just that good.

What song(s) can you not get enough of right now?

The Apache Relay: American Nomad

I think sometimes, everyone gets lost in the hustle bustle of life. Things are pushed back in place of seemingly more important things, or important things lose their meaning because of unforeseen circumstances. I’ve had such a hectic schedule at work lately that I haven’t been able to write on the blog as much as I would like. I apologize for that – hopefully after today, things will calm down again. But what really led me to thinking about that was my day yesterday. I had the pleasure of attending the Bristol, VA/TN Gentlemen of the Road Stopover that was organized by Mumford and Sons. When I first heard rumors that they were coming to town (I live near Bristol), I couldn’t believe it. When they announced the Stopover was going to be here, I really couldn’t believe it. While it was a long, hot day almost entirely in the direct sunlight, it was bliss. At one point while Mumford was playing, I looked up at the lights and realized that was what I loved most in life. Nothing compares to being packed in a crowd of people who are fans of the band you’re seeing and you’re screaming the lyrics together as one.

If you don’t know much about the Stopovers, it was basically a let’s roll into town and invite all the local stores, vendors, restaurants, etc. out to one hell of a day where we bring 15,000+ people into one small area. It was fantastic. It also meant that Mumford needed bands to play the other slots during the day since it was set up as a festival of sorts, which also gives added exposure to other bands. My friends and I got to Stage 1 and had the pleasure of hearing The Apache Relay play first. And while it was a change in schedule and they were originally slated to play Stage 2, boy am I glad they played Stage 1. With a thirty minute set, they had excellent, unique sound and a phenomenal stage presence. They were also very kind as a whole – I got to meet a few of the members and they were gracious and took time to speak to us and thank us. After this experience, I knew I had to listen to their album. And this is what the real point of this post is.

Their 2011 disc American Nomad starts off with Can’t Wake Up, a song they played live when I saw them yesterday. It’s a slow starting track that has all the potential for an explosion on stage that has an even better end result than the build-up. The song is easy going, but chock full of beautiful noises. Michael Ford Jr.’s voice was so captivating live and translates just as well on recording. His voice is gentle and smooth while remaining powerful when the time comes. He has incredible control over his vocals in the live show, even when the song takes over and major rocking out is required.

Mission Bells slows it down in the most delicate of ways. This band has a great knack for using the tambourine to their greatest advantage. It was busted out many times yesterday during the two sets I saw them do. I also should mention here that Kellen Wenrich’s fiddle playing is superb and this song showcases that (also the man has mad dance moves).

Lost Kid was my favorite song that I heard them perform and it remains my favorite on the disc. The drumming really kicks it up a notch in the beginning of this song before the song really comes at you full force with an array of instruments backing the drumming creating perfect harmony and a wonderland in my ears.

I also had the fortune of seeing Watering Hole performed twice. This song shows real blues influence at the core. Ford’s vocals are as spot-on as ever in this track. Maybe it’s the influence of seeing it twice live, but I think this song out of all of them may perfectly show the band’s pure talent from every corner. Everything is so wonderfully meshed together in this song that it takes a couple of listens to really hear all the instruments working as one and as a whole.

The album wraps up with Some People Change, a slower song that is a beautiful wrap-up to a great album. This track is calming and peaceful and again makes excellent use of a good tambourine. The guitar and the fiddle stand out in this number, lulling so quietly and perfectly it was almost as though to put you to sleep.

As I expected, the album was as great as the live show that these guys put on. I was impressed yesterday after I saw them, and I remain impressed right now after listening to this album. There’s something special in this band that needs to be noticed. Incorporating folk, indie and blues styles into a rock music blender, The Apache Relay create some tunes that you won’t soon be able to shake. I’m going to be listening to this for a while. (And here’s an incentive: Amazon has this record for $5!)

 

Key Tracks
Lost Kid (track 6)
Watering Hole (track 7)
Can’t Wake Up (track 1)

Beautiful Small Machines: The Robots in Love EP

Pandora really is one of the best tools for finding new music. Lately, I’ve had a hard time switching from the Indie Dance station (take a listen to this one if you haven’t before, it’s so much fun). I was listening the other night and found a song I instantly had to seek out so I could listen to it over and over. The song was by a band called Beautiful Small  Machines –  made up of Bree Sharp and Don DiLego, who met up ten years ago while working on a solo album for Sharp. After scrapping the tunes they were working on for her fourth solo album, they formed Beautiful Small Machines. We’re going on a trip with The Robots in Love EP.

Counting Back to 1 is the song that begins the EP and the song I fell in love with on impact. This number is so up tempo it’ll be hard to contain your feelings and energy. Even on my first run through this song, I couldn’t resist swaying and singing along. For the first time in months, I Googled this one for the lyrics. There are electronic sounds used, but they’re used so sparingly and only used to really enhance the music that’s already there. The sounds aren’t used to block out any lack of talent – in fact, the drumming is amazing and the vocals from Bree Sharp are just as soft as you would expect in any indie song. It’s fantastic and I am obsessed.

Robots in Love follows in the same vein. Great fun lyrics, music that you have to move to. There seem to be less electronic sound effects placed into this track. The band remind me of a female-fronted Hellogoodbye when they were still putting out quality tunes.

Super Conducter is so much fun it almost rivals the first track. The drums are so heavy in this number that it feels like you should constantly be clapping. Right before the triumphant end of the song, the band blasts into a brass ending that feels like robots are controlling the sound in your world. The lyrics live up in this one, too. I’ve got the frequency to turn you on.

So Long to U slows things down a bit, showing Sharp’s vocal talents in raw form, backed only by slow drumming, acoustic guitar, and sound effects. This band proves not every electronic act is completely void of any actual talent.

The EP wraps up with Servo Manual Chapter 1 (Mandroids on Whiskey), a track that really feels like you’re at an outdoor concert somewhere on Mars. This song seems to take on a robot as first person singing or making music. It’s an interesting song, probably something that won’t lose your attention any time soon. It’s very different, as one would expect considering it largely sounds like a robot singing I want to be in love with you. As different as it may be, it remains on track with the album and is a great way to end things.

I was impressed when I heard Counting Back to 1 on a whim while listening to Pandora, but this EP only makes me more excited for this band and for the music that they’re producing. It’s unlike a good majority of what I listen to on a regular basis and it’s something I can plainly hear the talent in and enjoy it all the while.

 

Key Tracks
Counting Back to 1 (track 1)
So Long to U (track 4)

Bon Iver: Bon Iver

Continuing with the Grammy theme, another big winner that I haven’t tuned into yet is Bon Iver. I saw their performance on SNL and was completely floored by the two songs, so it was really no surprise to me that they won two awards on Sunday night. This is an album I know I needed to have a listen to, so their self titled disc from 2011 is going to be the post of the night!

Perth explodes into your ear drums right off the bat and you know this is going to be something different. The vocals are soft and graceful with a higher pitch than most. There are so many instruments molding together, taking good use of their relationships, but shining on their own. There’s really great drum action happening all through the song, leaving an edge to the quiet vocals.

Relaxing, mesmerizing, entrancing. I wrote these words down while I was listening to Holocene for the first time. Usually, when I feel upset or angry, I tend to listen to angrier, harder music, but Bon Iver is so calming that you almost feel as though you’re just laid back, floating on water and clouds. I’m sure this would calm down even the angriest of humans.

Since I don’t know that much about this band, a good Google search was in order. Apparently their band name is derived from the French phrase meaning “good winter” or “have a good winter.” That seems fitting considering the tone of the music. The entire album feels like I could just get lost. It feels almost starkly quiet – like I would envision a scene of snow in a forest that wasn’t touched by human life. For those of you who don’t know, I write this as I’m listening so I can have a more honest reflection on the album. I got so lost in the album that I forgot to mention a couple of songs.

Wash. is so beautiful that I can’t resist writing about it. Stark piano notes open the song over the fragile vocals. Violins chime in to add to the whimsical mixture of instruments. The stark piano notes continue throughout the whole song, which is interesting juxtaposition wise. Having that pitted against such fair vocals is a dynamic that has to be dealt with carefully or one of the sides could be over powered. Bon Iver pull it off perfectly.

The album wraps up with what is possibly the strongest track on the album, Beth/Rest. The vocals are more up front in this song instead of hanging toward the middle ground. The guitar also makes more of an appearance in this song than in others, along with a saxophone and more piano work.

The instrumentation on this album is really what blew me away. There are so many different sounds that are mixing together to create such truly beautiful music that it’s hard to wrap your head around. If you’re anything like me, you’ll get lost in this album in no time. This is such a perfect album to throw on if you’ve had a long day or a stressful day or a joyous day. No matter your mood, it’ll mellow you out and bring to light some truly gorgeous mixing of musical instruments that will uplift your mood and carry your troubles away.

 

Key Tracks
Wash. (track 7)
Beth/Rest (track 10)
Holocene (track 3)

Tommy & the Tangerines Squeeze Colorado with Whimsical Tunes

Tommy & The Tangerines, a six-piece band from Colorado, is lighting up the scene, one Denver/Boulder club performance at a time. A band that identifies with many different influences, they’ve been together since the summer of 2010, but listening to their five-track EP, you’d think they’d been together for years.

The band formed when brothers Matt and Ian Hendrick were searching for a new lineup after a previous group had disbanded. They met up with vocalist Mic C, clicked, and later added Ben Batchelor (drums), Laura Stratton (keyboards), and Patrick Coleman (bass).  “You never look at it at the time, but now it all seems so serendipitous,” says Matt Hendrick.

Tommy & The Tangerines’ 2011 disc Main Squeeze starts off with Sam I Am, a track that feels light and fluffy during the first few chords and the feeling doesn’t end when the vocals kick in. The instrumentation swirls together as beautifully as the vocal combinations do, made possible by lead vocalist Mic C and Matt Hendrick, who supplies vocals and guitar.

Face follows and is by far my favorite song off this five track EP. It has a bluesy feeling to it in the guitars, but as the song progresses, it turns to something in the indie/pop realm with a dash of blues on top. The guitars are top notch in this track, courtesy of Matt and Ian Hendrick. The drums kick in from Ben Batchelor and the keyboards supplied by Laura Stratton solidifies the song like super glue.

Better Off Dead hits right in the middle of the EP, taking down the blues feeling and replacing it with a song with the most pop feeling of the five tracks. This song has more bounce to it and you’re sure to be dancing before you’re even aware of it.

Great Mistake, the band’s newest single, is an upbeat track with almost a country/folk feeling. The keyboards shine in this song and make me wish that more bands stepped up to the plate with this instrument. Patrick Coleman’s bass line is the backbone of this song, keeping a steady groove for me to nod my head to. I also can’t help but mention that this band knows how to write lyrics that are catchy and still flow with the song: Oh, I’ve been drinkin far too much this evenin, thinkin bout the one that got away. Oh, I’ve been sleepin far too much this morning, oh I’ve been sleeping far too much today, just dreamin bout the one that got away.

This band has something within them that sets them apart and that becomes evident after five tracks. What do they think gives them that extra sparkle? “We just want to put our music out into the matrix as it appeared in its genesis – straight forward, high energy and familiar. I don’t want to strip down or edit things to death just because I’m concerned about what a handful of elitists think,” Hendrick says. “When I was young I loved music for its pure connections, somewhere along the line I became a cynic, too, and now I’m trying to just get back to basics. When I write a song now I don’t over analyze it I just let it breathe for a while before going back to it, then if it still works we’ll keep it. I’m done thinking art is for a small group that gets it. I just want to write songs that have a beginning and an end and have a simple catharsis or story within that a lot of people can identify with.”

This album shows a wide spectrum of the groups’ talents, both individually and as a band. Hendrick says they all have a wide variety of influences. “We grew up with a very diverse music collection. We respect musicians who take their art seriously whether writing songs or playing their instrument. The band has a huge spectrum of influences from different Genres. If we had to say one I would say the Beatles. Everything in pop and rock is derived from them in some way.”

Coming up for the band in 2012 are more shows and a new album. “We are fundraising right now for an album which we hope will be released in this year. We have over forty originals that we will choose from to make this first full length release. Fans can expect better production and some varying styles.” They’re currently touring around Colorado.

“We just want a real time experience. To connect with fans and have them at a show singing with us is the most we can ask for. We aren’t trying to save or reach the world. It’s been tried and with quite more success then we will ever have. If we make a great record together that also will be a sense of accomplishment.”

You can catch Tommy & The Tangerines on Facebook, Twitter, or at their official website (which also lists tour dates). Be sure to click these links if you’re in/around Colorado and check these guys out live!

 

And for the quintessential Back to the Music interview questions –

What is the top played song on your iTunes (or other music playing program that you use)? Top played album?

I would have to say, “Face”. It’s a more throwback soulful tune that a lot of people enjoy. Its off our one and only release Main Squeeze.

What is the strangest thing on your iTunes or the one your band mates would be most surprised to see on your iTunes?

It would probably be off Mic C’s ipod. I know he’s got some The GEMZ tracks (the all girl teen bop group) on their that he likes to blast in his convertible down busy streets. He likes attention. I don’t ride with him anymore.

What song would you most like to cover? What would you do differently with the track?

That’s a good question…..There are many different answers from all the members.  Mic C wants to do a version of Don Mclean’s “Vincent” only not so sappy and with a full rock band.

The Joy Formidable: The Big More EP

Apparently my subconscious is gravitating toward Europe lately. Tonight’s album is from a band who is not only from England, but is female-fronted. We’re taking a listen to the recent EP from The Joy Formidable – The Big More.

This is a five track EP, featuring a live track, a cover, a remix, and a first-time recording. Do I know which songs go with which labels? No idea. This is my first listen of the band, and with Cradle, it was a decent first impression. My iTunes is listing this as Alternative, but it’s kind of DanceElectronicRock. Ritzy Bryan’s vocals are so in sync with this kind of music, though, it meshes perfectly like a puzzle.

I don’t care quite as much for the Cradle (Fang Island Remix), but that’s okay. Remixes are always hit or miss.

Anemone is a slower track – and apparently this is the live favorite that has been recorded for the first time. For nearly two-thirds of the song, there is little instrumentation over Bryan’s voice, then things kick into higher gear for a rousing choral performance.

The live track is Whirring, which I’m not going to lie, I started without realizing this was the live one so I kept pausing the song because I thought someone was outside screaming and/or being murdered. When I finally realized that this was merely a crowd on the track happening in my headphones, I relaxed into the music. Though this is a longer track (coming in at 10 minutes and three seconds), it’s done right. Like I already mentioned, the crowd is present, which is necessary to me for a live track. There is plenty of celebration of Rhydian Dafydd and Matt Thomas’ musical abilities before Bryan kicks in with her lead vocals. I found myself nodding my head before I even knew it. The drumming near the end of the song is out of this world.

By process of elimination, I realized that the last track on the EP, It’s Over, is the cover song. A little Googling proves to me it is – and it’s a cover of Roy Orbison, which is a really interesting artist for this band to cover. Before I finished the track, I made sure to listen to Roy’s version – and while Joy Formidable doesn’t massacre the song by any means, it isn’t completely on par with the original. Quite interesting to listen to the versions back to back, though.

This five track EP is enough to bring The Joy Formidable to my attention and makes me want to check out their full length efforts. And this band does know how to do live tracks, I can say that much.

 

Key Tracks:
Whirring (Live) (track 4)
Cradle (track 1)

We Were Promised Jetpacks: In The Pit of the Stomach

I seem to be randomly choosing rock bands from Europe to review lately. Tonight’s band is apparently no exception as they hail from Edinburgh, Scotland. Before reading a recommendation, I had never heard of this band. I read that they were like Gaslight Anthem and Arctic Monkeys, but that they didn’t really sound like either. The mention of those two bands was enough to interest me, so I figured why not take a go. We’re going to listen to In The Pit of the Stomach from We Were Promised Jetpacks.

I think whoever wrote that recommendation was exactly right – this band has echoes of bands like Arctic Monkeys, but they don’t really sound like it. They have echoes of a lot of bands, but there is no real one band that I could pinpoint to give you a clue as to what this group sounds like. I like to give people at least a general ball park guess of what a band sounds like – if you like Band A, and Band B, you’ll like This Band kinda thing – but I really can’t here.

What I can do is describe the sound. It’s a slow, mellow rock, with instrumentation that seems to almost drown out or over power the vocals. We Were Promised Jetpacks is a four piece band consisting of vocals, guitar, bass, and drums, yet the vocals are the least showcased instrument of them all – or at least that’s my first impression. Circles and Squares and Medicine come in and are a slow roller coaster ride through. It’s enjoyable, but not nearly as memorable.

The third track comes in with echoes of White Stripes. Through the Dirt and the Gravel is a more promising track. There are the same vocals-being-out-shined, but it works in this track. I almost feel as though the vocals are trapped inside a glass jar as the guitars and drums play on.

Act on Impulse is one of the better tracks on the album. It almost feels as though I’m being taken on a journey through a musical outer space – almost reminiscent of Band of Horses here.

While the guitars and drums are winning the battle in these songs, its not to say they’re not sounding great in their own respects. The guitar playing is so nicely blended that I can just sit back and listen instead of focusing so much on the rhythms. Boy in the Backseat is one of those songs where you lose yourself in the music.

The album wraps up with Pear Tree – a song that has a darker feeling to it than the majority of the album. The bass guitar really comes through on this track in an interesting way.

While it’s not really my cup of tea (or coffee), I can respect what this band does musically. Is it something I’m going to start listening to regularly? Probably not. Would I recommend it to someone for a change of pace? Sure thing.

 

Key Tracks:
Act on Impulse (track 4)
Pear Tree (track 10)
Boy in the Backseat (track 8)