To start today isn't actually Wednesday, its Sunday, I'm doing laundry and feeling sorry for myself, and for the first time in months I found something I think I might actually be able to write about.
Memphis May Fire, are a five piece post hardcore band from Dallas, Texas, and my god are they good. Admittedly my punk phase is long gone but today I really feel a connection with the hard hitting guitar riffs, pounding drum patterns vocals ripped from the throat of fallen angels. Don't ask what sparked it because that's too long of a story to include, short version is girl troubles. That being said MMF's 2011 album The Hollow is a work of fucking art, equal parts head splitting screamo angst that resounds around your heard and mind urging you to hate and soft emotion laden instrumental, almost electronic/post rock interludes. There really is an emotional part to this album, what first attracted me to it was my interpretation of the first few tracks as love songs, albeit love songs wrenched from deep within a tortured soul just past a bleeding heart. Its almost like the artists and I sat down and had a poetry session to script the past. The only problem with todays artists are the lack of reliable download links, so here is a link to the torrent I unfortunately had to use, or you could go on over to pop-to-core and bitch at them until they fix the Mediafire link. Either way this album is amazing and the quick fix to not being able to download it reliably is to go buy it!
Outline In Color, are a seven piece post hardcore outfit from Tulsa, Oklahoma, and they are responsible for my recent screamo splurge. I heard their track, My Other Car Is A Time Machine, in a montage that was for one reason or another inboxed to me on Youtube. That prompted me to listen to their debut self titled album for way longer than the songs lasted and then came the inevitable search around the internet for a reliable link, and (see the pattern here?) again I came up with a Torrent, that's it. But amazingly enough the torrent took maybe ten minutes and I was jamming away. For a debut album Outline In Color is amazingly thick and well produced, the tunes are driving and soul tearing, every section is played to the limit and past to create a package you'd be straight stupid to pass up. So grab that torrent above as a preview and go buy the album!
Hope you enjoyed today's post, apologies for the influx of torrents but blame the internet for being so full of holes. Please head on over to our Facebook page and give us a like, also apologies if the posts earlier this week were crap but don't blame me I haven't written them yet.
Alright folks here we are again, first off apologies for the lack of posts but (I say this every week) hopefully I'll be more on the ball this week.
So you remember the last installment of Mellow Monday? Probably not but if you did take the time to listen you would've heard Beautiful Fight by Kenton Dunson, which is an absolute landscape of lyricism and amazing production. Geeking out aside Kenton Dunson is a Maryland born intern... sorry... Rapper/ producer/ instrumentalist who quite his job at an investment firm early 2010 to focus on his dreams, and has been doing well so far. As I understand it he has two full length tapes out, Creative Destruction and the sequel Creative Destruction 2. (Hint: Both are available at his FB page, but big ups to ThisSongIsSick for putting it in the bright lights).
Creative Destruction 2 is a relatively short album, clocking in at around half an hour with nine tracks, all original (as far as I can tell), and all produced by a true artist. Its emotional, soulful, passionate, and true to form and I for one have a hard time believing its free.
Personally I feel I need to do all I can to get this man traffic. I wish I could quite my job and pursue music, forget about it all and chase my dreams, but it takes immense strength and belief to accomplish something like that. So from all of us here on the internet, power to you man, never let the spirit leave the music, or the music leave the spirit.
Lets kick into the next set here with a relatively new track from Brooklyn natives Small Black. As far as I can see Small Black are actually an electro/ synthpop group formed at the end of 2008 in an attic above a surf shop, but lets focus on one particular song. Two Rivers is a thick emotional ride across soundwaves and hypnotizing illusions, but most importantly it features Heems. Heems is one third of Das Racist and if you haven't heard any of their tracks then quickly remove yourself from existence! But I digress expect to hear more from Small Black and Das Racist in the future but in the meantime check out Two Rivers.
So you all know Kid Cudi, and you know he's kinda slowed down with recording these days, but did you know he's doing some down to earth writing/recording with Dot Da Genius? Apparently they aim to bring back vibrant, energetic punk rock with a twist, its supposedly going to be clean, yeah Cudi with no swears, we'll see about that. Anywho whatever they end up doing will draw attention for better or worse, I would say better, but check out the single, Brake, and expect the album WZRD out January 30th.
Frank Ocean, R&B at its finest. I think one of the biggest musical leaps of faith I have ever taken was when I gave his Nostalgia: Ultra mixtape a try. I had never really enjoyed the softer side of hip hop but Frank Ocean had one thing most artists don't, worthwhile Coldplay remakes. Shallow I know but this man has a voice that rends the walls of your heart and leaves you craving more. We All Try, will always bring a tear to my eye, but on to the newest track... Back. Back is a romantic real life story and on top of that it was produced by Dapo (yeah I've never heard of him either). So give it a try and open your mind, and if you're a cold hearted cynical bastard like myself then steel yourself and try not to notice those things called emotions.
Once again I hope you enjoyed today's post, hopefully I will be posting again soon, also expect to hear from The Buddha again soon enough and maybe in a couple months we'll have a track up ourselves. So check us out on Facebook and please support the artists more than you support the blog.
One month, truthfully longer than most people can see me being committing to anything besides an asylum. Aside from the obvious its been a good month, surpassing my expectations as we hit over 1000 views as of sometime yesterday (when I couldn't check the stats cause blogger was down). This has gone so well I thought we would do a special suggestion Saturday for our one month showcasing some great Canadian artists suggested by our readers. So without further ado let the celebration begin.
One rainy day while swapping music with an old friend of mine I was passed an album by Tim Hecker, contrary to popular belief I had never heard of his work or him for that matter. Upon doing a bit more digging I discovered that he was a B.C. born producer based out of Montreal, and the most interesting fact was that he had toured with Godspeed You! Black Emperor. It was an obvious branch off of the post rock that I was indulging in at the time, ambient. Not a term I use very often as, besides for Atticus Ross and some of Trent Reznor's work, I barely listen to it at all. I realize now that is my downfall. His work has been described as "structured ambient", "tectonic color plates" and "cathedral electronic music". Personally I would just call it mind wiping. This is the music you put on when you need to leave this place, and we all do sometimes.
This is a gem that I have been saving for today, my pick for the anniversary edition, KWES. I don't really know what it is that my caffeine addled mind loves about Rifle Eyes experimental musicians so much. Maybe its the blending of genres so the music never quite gets old enough to take it off your favorite playlists. Maybe its the driving hip hop beats layered with witty lyrics that not only drive your day forward but bring a smile to it. Maybe its the samples or hidden political undertones that make it so I can't stop checking to see if theres anything new dropping from these great artists. KWES is no different from the artists we've featured before, Dream Jefferson, Danny Deleto, and James Hancock. He takes his music as seriously as we should, and don't forget to actually listen to the words as they flit through your brain, you might learn something. Grab the album below and read a full album review by Lesson Six here.
Our last group today is on the complete other end of the musical spectrum, but thats what we do here. Hartford, a four piece pop-punk band from Ottawa, again props to Don for laying this stuff on me, as it isn't my piece of the musical cake. But as far as punk goes I understand that they are quite good, it just makes me wish my dad had left me warm coffee before he scooted off to Peterborough, not this drearily freezing sludge, so maybe I could have enough energy to properly appreciate this music.
I love these suggestion days, as it lets me post artists in the same article that have no right being on the same site let alone post. It amuses me to no end having an ambient producer, a political MC and a pop-punk band all kicking around. It makes it even better when they're all from the great white north. To risk being long winded thanks everyone who suggested music, and keep it up, as we love your feedback and there is nothing better than free music... well maybe if music came with coffee... Aside from that thanks again for checking in and your continued support as we enter into our second month of posting, and my sincerest apologies for blogger being down yesterday, if I could've this post would have been up then.
Today we're delving into a genre I mostly stay away from, not for lack of musical talent just a lack of interest. Until recently that is. A friend of mine at college linked me to a number of Pop-Punk bands, and inspired me to start getting back into the genre. So grab your skinny jeans and push your hair over your face, its the first Hardcore Humpday!
Our first band is Armed With Crayons, a four piece easycore band out of, get this, Loveland Colorado. Not sure if facebook is playing with me about that town name. This band is easily my favourite of todays selection, with witty lyrics and that infectious up tempo rock sounds its hard not to feeel better. Just when you think you've heard all that this band has to offer, they throw in a punk breakdown full of heavy riffs and, surprisingly, screaming. This change of style combined with my natural curiousity made it hard not to want to hear more. I will leave you to your own opinions as usual
Our second band today is Carridale, a five man band from Decatur. Their sound is a little heavier than Armed With Crayons, which is refreshing as pop punk can get a little repetitive after a while. I'm not sure what it is but most punk bands just have a talent for creating crazy titles for songs and filling their songs with an infectious smile. Even if that smile is a little lopsided. Head on over to Pop Punk's Not Dead for an interview with Carridale.
Our third and last band today is City Lights, another five piece easycore band from Columbus Ohio. The band blends a pop punk and hardcore sound, that is easily loveable. Despite being unsigned and not having a label they are doing great, selling over 5,000 copies of their last album without promotion. Thier style of do it yourself tours and hometown feel spread have created a loyal fanbase and recognition from many other musicians.
*Sorry about the procrastination today, its been a tough one. Shout out to Donny for the music today hope I didn't butcher anything too much, and to all of you readers out there thanks again. The blog is whats keeping me sane so thanks for making it everything it is.
