Left Unsigned

We Are NOT From France???

2010-06-18T19:28:00.000-07:00

I suppose this is one of those instances where just a bit more research would have done me a world of good. Let me explain... you see, I only looked to Mr. Meeble’s MySpace profile when I wrote my original entry on the band. On that page the band claims to be from France. But, upon scratching the surface just a bit more - visiting other of the band’s sites, etc. - I discovered that they are truly from Arizona. I feel a bit dopey for not knowing this before writing about them. I feel even dopier for having to now retract my retraction about not caring for unsigned, contemporary French bands. As it turns out, France is once again safe to trash - at least in terms of their music.

I can’t help but wonder, though, had I realized Mr. Meeble was an American-born concoction, would I have been as impressed with their output. I mean, when you have very low expectations, anything even half-way decent sounds great. I’ll have to ponder this a bit more. Which will require more caffeine. So I’ll ponder it later and probably write a bit more at that point, as well.

What I will say for now is that Mr. Meeble (AKA Devin, Michael and Blain - if, indeed these are their real names and the photos [and one drawing] of them at MySpace actually represent real people) is/are intriguing me more and more with their slippery slight of hand. Works pretty effectively for College and/or Indie band cred... time will tell if this turns out to be an effective tool for connecting with those outside this rather selective group of Ironophiles.

Recent Developments and Updates

2010-06-16T09:26:00.001-07:00

Apparently my recuperating puppy is feeling himself again. Despite having his belly laden with a series of bright purple stitches, he still managed to jump over the 3.5’ fence surrounding his sleeping pen during the night and escape into my partner’s office. Not bad for a sickly little ankle-biter.

Today is one of those days when I find myself lacking the will to sit down at my computer and spend an hour or two composing some wonderfully insightful, well-crafted mini-essay about some random band or musician or other. I just don’t have the drive... at all.

I’d much rather open up my music or film editing software and immerse myself in one of several projects I’m working on at the moment. So, instead of writing something in support of some other person or group of persons I’ve never met, never plan to meet and in whose career(s) I have no vested interest, I will instead regale you with tidbits of what I’m currently up to.

I recently completed a video for the instrumental version of my song “Demeter,” which features a compilation of clips from Nosferatu. I’ve posted it to Youtube at the following link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-SW8G-qklI
I’m finishing up work on a cover of Joy Division’s song “The Kill.” I’ve got all the tracks complete, just need to get the vocals recorded the way I want them and then I’ll make a video and post the whole thing on Youtube. Hopefully that will be up and running in a week or so. I will actually appear in this video.
Still slogging through a video project with LC Messinger for her song “Say Something.” The schedule for that has been pushed back a bit while LC deals with the passing of her dog Rudy. I can testify from recent experience with my own infirm pooch that we can grow so attached to our pets that losing them can be as catastrophic as the passing of any other family member. So best wishes to LC and we’ll get that video posted ASAP.
I’m also beginning work on another video project, this one for my song “Labor Day.” I did a bunch of filming up on the Russian River a couple weeks back and am currently figuring out how to stage and edit the final piece. The river itself will figure prominently in the video, and I may make an appearance or two myself.
I’m working on several new songs and remixing some of my older ones in preparation for an upcoming release of some sort or other - probably a 5-7 song EP. Once I’ve got a better sense of a release date I will post an update here.

That’s about it for now... Back in a day or so, once my critical muse returns from her/his (hopefully) brief hiatus...

The Perils of Pip

2010-06-16T09:24:00.001-07:00

Puck (L) and Pip (R)

As I began working on my blog this morning I was distracted by a cry of alarm from across the house. One of my Boston Terriers, Pip, had been developing an infection on his stomach where he’d had an operation a few months back. We began giving him antibiotics and warm compresses yesterday after taking him to the vet, but when he woke up this morning the infection had begun to abscess. It looked really bad, probably worse than it actually was, but the site of it caused my partner a great deal of distress, hence the alarming cry from the dogs’ sleeping area.

I gave up my attempt at writing - just as well as I was really not very focused at the time - and we took Pip back to the vet. Long story short, we were given a choice of returning home with him and taking a wait and see approach (waiting and seeing for what, I’m still not sure - I don’t think it could have gotten much worse without being life-threatening and I had no idea how to make it better) or to have him go under the knife to fix the problem. We chose the latter. So now Pip is at the vet, awaiting surgery, and I am home, biting my fingernails.

Pip has been a bit sickly since the day we first met him. He was carsick the whole trip home from the breeders. He developed a hiatal hernia a few weeks afterward, which mandated emergency surgery and several weeks of recovery. Since then he’s developed a series of infections along the area where the surgeon stitched him up. Despite all this, he is one of the most delightful, playful, loving animals I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. His brother, Puck, isn’t half bad, either. I feel very lucky to have them in my life.

I realize this entry has nothing whatsoever to do with the subject matter of this blog, but I wanted to get a blog entry out today and I’m too worried about Pip to write anything else worth reading. I suppose I could write a song about the situatioin - I tend to do that whenever things are stressful in my life, hence all the ditties about fights, breakups, nervous breakdowns and midlife crises. Yes, I do, in fact, perceive the world as my own private catharsis machine and anybody lucky enough to read my blog or listen to my music as my personal confessor.

Not to worry, though, I haven’t forgotten about the Scottish bands I promised to write about this week. As soon as Pip’s home and safe I’ll pick up where I left off.

Peace,

Stuntman Mike's 10,000 Lives

2010-06-09T05:37:00.001-07:00

I first wrote about Glasgow band Stuntman Mike this past January after discovering them on DJ Bluetone’s webcast from Scotland. If you missed that blog, you can click here or simply read the following excerpt, as it’s more to the point:

... I can’t gush enough about Stuntman Mike... one of those

bands that manage to make pop music which stings a bit - with

catchy, memorable hooks that, while easily digestible, go down

more like really strong, black espresso than the way-too-sugary

soft drinks we’re typically served. Each song takes off from the

first note and races ahead, pulling one along by the viscera.

They’re loud and driving, with lots of pounding drums, thumping

bass notes and searing vocals. And for a quartet their sound is

surprisingly rich and full, their recordings incredibly well-produced

and their live performances faithful to their studio work...

Now I often write these blog entries in the wee hours of the morn - say between 4 and 5am. As a result, my observations are sometimes insomnia-driven and born upon a hazy wave of semi-somnambulism. In other words, I sort of sleepwalk my way through much of this and, once in a while, upon waking, realize that some of my initial observations, while sincere at the time, were also a bit baseless. In other, other words, I often find myself scratching my head and musing aloud: “What the hell was I thinking?”

Not so, in the case of Stuntman Mike. And, although it is roughly 5:14am as I write this, I’ve been awake since 3am, so I’m definitely in at least marginal control of my reasoning faculties and steadfast in my affirmative stance as regards Stuntman Mike. Indeed, after listening to the band’s music for the first time in several months, I can easily say that I continue to stand by my initial assessment of the band’s appeal and musical acumen.

This is especially true of their recently released single, “10,000 Lives,” a song that I’ve listened to dozens of times and still find it as compelling and listenable as I did from the first. If you question my opinion, I invite you to visit Stuntman Mike in MySpace-land and judge for yourself. For that matter, you might look to Youtube for further evidence of my assertions. Then, you may click on the following banner link and download “10,000 Lives” from iTunes.

Is Mr. Meeble xenophobic or is their album title just a ploy for attention?

2010-06-04T06:00:00.000-07:00

A few months back I posted several entries re: French musicians (if you choose to click on this link, read only the sections in RED to follow the thread). I was a bit harsh with my unrestrained criticism which, to be fair, was pretty accurate. What I found most uninspiring about many of the unsigned French acts I encountered was a detached tone of ennui that pervaded the majority of vocal stylings - like a viral infection that’s caused one to become suddenly bored and unconcerned over the music, the lyrics and the whole music performance experience in general mid-song. To be fair, French is a very nuanced and lyrical language that, I believe, lacks the drama and punch necessary to really finish off a good rock, pop or post-punk-type song. Where I found French most effective was in the Goth mode (if you follow the link above I touch on this briefly).

Having said - or written - that, Mr. Meeble is one French act that’s figured out how to maneuver around this language issue by simply avoiding the need to sing much of the time, focusing instead upon what most of the French bands seem to do best: generate dreamy and moody musical sculptures from simple melodies interwoven with layers of resonant harmonies and extramusical sounds topped off with dubbed in, often conversant, vocal samples. On the occasions when Mr. Meeble music does incorporate vocals, they are sung in English, which I humbly feel is more effective than French. I realize my critique of French vocals risks reflecting a bit of Xenophobia (or would that simply be Franco-phobia?) on my part. But, cultural bias or not, I can only report on what does or does not resonate with my personal tastes. While on the topic of Xenophobia, I must warn any suffering from an overdeveloped sense of post-colonial guilt or a profound drive toward rigorous political correctness in all communications and correspondences, that the title of the band’s debut release Never Trust the Chinese is bound to offend. But, needless to say, it is an attention grabber.

I enjoy listening to Mr. Meeble immensely. They remind me of Tortoise in places, Mogwai and even Moby in others. The band members themselves cite Massive Attack, Radiohead, Bjork and the Cocteau Twins among their many influences. They are a bit industrial, a bit electro-pop and an even larger bit ambient - one of those rare bands that can take a simple progression of several notes and play them over and over for several minutes without ever becoming tedious or boring.

You can listen to song samples and learn more about Mr. Meeble at the band’s Reverb Nation and MySpace sites. You can also purchase music at Amazon and iTunes by clicking on the links below.

Amazon.com iTunes

My Russian River Vacation

2010-06-03T09:44:00.000-07:00

Been out of town the past two weeks. I went to San Francisco to see my dentist - yes, I travel 500 miles twice a year to get my teeth cleaned. Long story, don’t ask. I also spent Memorial Day weekend up at the Russian River, which is a resort area about an hour or so north of the Golden Gate Bridge. I used to dislike the River area quite a bit - it’s a bit rundown, lackluster and populated with a fare share of aged hippies and up’N’coming meth-heads. I only went because a good friend invited me to her “chalet” for a weekend BBQ with several old friends I don’t get to see very often. Know what? I ended up having a spectacular time. Best I’ve had in a very, very long time. So, as I said, I used to dislike the River, but now I think it’s one of my favorite places in the world. But enough about that.

I’ve got so much to catch up on... First of all, I’ve got about 10 bands/acts to share, I’ve got music of my own to work on (which is still on hold until I figure out how to get all my studio devices to play well with my Mac - damn you Apple and your silly Snow Leopard!) and I’ve got a video to finish with LC Messinger. BTW, in my last entry I mentioned that we were putting together a video for LC’s song “Girl.” While that may be a reality some day, for the present we’ve decided to work on her song “Say Something,” instead. That should be ready for viewing in a couple of weeks, provided I can get my video editing software to cooperate. I also collected some great footage of running water and reveling tourists while on vacation that I plan to use in a video for my own song “Labor Day,” which will commence production as soon as I’m finished with LC.

In terms of unsigned musicians, I’ll work on a new blog entry later today and should have that out in the morning. And I’m planning an expose on bands from Scotland for next week. I’ve already written about some of these in earlier entries - June, Stuntman Mike - and with DJ Bluetone’s assistance, I’ve come across more Scottish acts that, fingers crossed, will find themselves with a larger audience and lots of cash and fame sooner than later.

So, until next time...

LC Messinger, aka When Girls Collide

2010-05-18T08:47:00.000-07:00

I’ve been meaning to write about LC Messinger of When Girls Collide for quite some time. She’s been a good friend for many years and is the person most responsible for reigniting my own musical fire after convincing me to record some guitar tracks on her Hit Me With Your Tailwag CD a few years back. Since I began writing this blog I’ve been waiting for some news from LC to share with y’all. Problem is, she’s been so busy producing Brian Lambert’s debut CD Spell For Happiness this past year that she hasn’t had time to do anything particularly noteworthy on her own.

Well, now that Lambert’s CD is complete, Ms. Messinger is back in the studio working on remixes of some of her previously released material, along with a new video for the song “Girl” from her Wasted Ladies album. Actually, LC and I are collaborating on the video, which, fingers crossed, will be hitting YouTube and other online venues mid-June. I’ll keep you posted as the process progresses.

Messinger has been making music for some time now, most notabley with her band Unknown Gender in the early-to-mid-80s. UG was a pioneering all-girl post-Punk band that once dominated the European music scene, particularly in Germany and Scandinavia.

Unknown Gender

Over the past decade or so Messinger has been developing her solo act When Girls Collide. Although LC once characterized WGC as Industrial Cabaret, since moving from the San Francisco Bay Area to Austin, TX three years ago, her sound has evolved into what she now describes as “KD Lang on acid in a barnyard full of loud animals” and “Spaghetti Western guitar meets a warehouse rave.” In truth, LC’s sound is difficult to pin down. It is eccentric, eclectic, whimsical, occasionally atonal and often just plain weird. Her songs are typically rhythmic and danceable, spilled across a musical landscape colored with electronic doodles, unexpected guitar tweaks, percussive blips and unnerving vocal mutations. As for her voice, it is filled with an androgynous ambiguity that is at times smooth and smokey, others brazen and screeching. She is also a formally trained multi-instrumentalist, most notable for her innovative guitar work.

Currently, WGC has three song collections available at Amazon and iTunes. You can also sample LC’s music, including a few of her new remixes, at her MySpace and Reverb Nation sites.

Amazon.com iTunes

Amazon.com iTunes

Thursday Morning, Filled with Thoughts of Shame and Supplication

2010-05-13T19:39:00.000-07:00

OK, so I admit it, I haven’t been the most consistent blogger these past couple of months... I’ve had the best of intentions, but between my ongoing health problems, continual computer issues, work and social demands - as well as a tediously endless list of other impedances to my personal and creative time and energy - I have failed to live up to them. And I know that you’ve noticed, whoever you are... because, according to my various site counters, you’ve stopped visiting my blog almost entirely.

This makes me very sad, but I have only myself to blame. I’d like to promise that I’ll make my blog a greater priority in the coming days and weeks, that I’ll post frequent new entries and that they will be full of insightful observations and droll repartee. But the best I can do is promise to try. I’m still embroiled in computer issues that have prevented me from recording any new music - or even working on production of already recorded material. As music production is my #1 priority, I need to get that house in order before dwelling here in blog-land. I feel a polemical diatribe re: Apple Computers and M-Audio studio recording products brewing in the next day or two... But I won’t bore you with my woes any longer this morning.

What I will do is leave you with a video clip that proves I don’t spend nearly enough time trolling around YouTube for the many compelling oddities and spectacles available there. I had to find out about young Greyson Chance through a friend on Facebook. This kid is so amazingly talented that I just had to repost his performance below. Two things I want to mention up front:

First, When I watched this yesterday for the first time I read a viewer comment claiming the performance was a bit shaky in places. I tried to go back this morning and find the exact quote, but sifting through the millions of comments proved to be that old futile needle and haystack cliche. But I wanted to reply to this ridiculous observation anyway:

The kid is in the 6th grade. He’s like what, 11 or 12 years old? Give me a freakin’ break - shaky in places, sheesh! He’s a goddamned savant. I’d argue that perhaps about 0.001% of anybody living today could come even close to displaying this sort of talent, and that's without limiting him to just children his age. I’d like to say something even nastier to the unlearned buffoon who posted such moronic drivel, but then I’d be just like every other jerk on the internet with a computer and a personality disorder. So I’ll leave it at that.

Second, I fear for this very talented young man’s future. The entertainment industry eats kids like him for breakfast and then spits them out, post-puberty, into drug rehabs, jails and tabloid feature articles. I don’t need to belabor the point... just go rent Amadeus if you want evidence of the long, tragic history of the exploitation of young prodigies.

But beyond that, happy viewing!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxDlC7YV5is

Sean Burford

2010-04-30T11:33:00.000-07:00

For my second installment of local desert musicians/recording artists I’d like to present Palm Springs resident Sean Burford. Burford is a multi-instrumentalist who brings a variety of influences and styles (industrial/electronic, psychedelic, progressive, classical, lounge blues/jazz, even a hint of bossa nova here and there) to his music, which he adeptly blends into something fresh and original. His songs, like so much of the music that really grabs my attention and that I find comment-worthy, are both complex and accessible, full of irony and humor, yet also haunting and ethereal.

Before my unfortunate pinched nerve incident while in Austin last month, Sean and I exchanged emails re: his musical approach. Here’s how Sean describes his work:

“My music project, Hymnself, consists of a post-religious prophet who connects with the cosmos to deliver the message of the universe. Because of this connection, the one that communicates with the stars and all matter develops human emotions. As a result of this, our chosen voice begins to stretch the boundaries of egotism. Seeking inspiration from various mediums including nature itself, my hope is to create an experience that will develop into a harmonious and a heck of a good time. This will only be so if those that seek enlightenment do so with an open heart and open mind.”

According to his Reverb Nation bio, Sean has been writing and recording for over 15 years. He used to build guitars from old car speakers, fishing line and 2x4s and recorded his music by overdubbing on multiple 2-track tape decks. He was trained as a brass instrumentalist, but is pretty much an autodidact in terms of his multi-instrumental performance and recording skills.

From what I understand, Sean does not currently have any music available for sale, however he does provide free downloads at his Reverb Nation page.

Gram Rabbit

2010-04-28T07:44:00.000-07:00

And now, as promised weeks and weeks (and weeks) ago, my long-awaited homage to the Mojave Desert music scene:

I begin my expose of talented musicians living and working in or near my adopted hometown of Palm Springs, CA with Gram Rabbit, a band from Joshua Tree that is quickly becoming my favorite (relatively) unknown local band. Mesmerizing, both musically and visually, GR masterfully blend and bend genres - from Country Rock, to Post-Punk Pop, Electronica and Psychedelia - into their own signature sound that is equal parts ironic, irreverent, haunting and cinematic. On their MySpace site they describe their music as “other, other, other,” citing influences which include “... jesus, the devil... the desert... the easter bunny... aliens... witchcraft, secret societies... sand in my high-heels, the number 333.”

Though I have yet to experience Gram Rabbit in a live performance, from what I’ve seen of their videos, I could best describe their act is frenetic, multi-media, post-apocalyptic psycho-cabaret. Again, the band’s visual program is as eclectic and audacious as their music.

Vocalist Jesika von Rabbit, GR’s audio-visual focal point, fuses her Dale Bozzio meets Emmylou Harris vocal style into rich layers of instrumental and extra-musical sounds that are as stirring as they are whimsical. Though it might be a stretch, I keep thinking of GR’s music as sited - in the same way one might describe an art installation or a work of Architecture as being intrinsically tied to a specific place or locale. Each note, utterance and drumbeat reminds one of the stark, desolate, often lonely emptiness - yet simultaneous sublime richness - of the Mojave. At the same time, their songs possess a universal accessibility that refuses to confine itself to the a purely desert milieu.

OK, I’ve gone on drooling long enough. I highly recommend checking Gram Rabbit out at one of their online venues [MySpace, GR Website, etc.]. And, if you are so inclined, you can click on one of the links provided here to purchase their music at Amazon.

I'm Back... 2

2010-04-21T09:38:00.000-07:00

One more thing I wanted to mention. One of my prime reasons for writing this blog has been to attract attention not only to other struggling, unsigned musicians, but also to garner some of that attention for my own musical endeavors. But guess what? For some inexplicable reason, I’ve got gobs of people reading my blog, but very few sampling my songs. I mean, would it kill you to at least listen to a tune or two, even if just to pacify my endlessly insatiable ego?

Also, since last November I’ve noticed that my blogging has been stealing precious time and creative energy away from my songwriting. So I’m doubly screwed as nobody’s listening to the marginal songs I’ve already recorded and I have little time or energy left to make better ones.

In addition to all that, I’m not earning any money through my current monetizing strategies - seems along with not having time to listen to my songs, none of you has the ability to click on an ad once in a while! [Disclaimer - that last statement was not meant as an inducement to click on any Google AdSense ads if you were not already inclined to do so. I singed a contract specifically stating I would not encourage use of the AdSense program simply to bolster my own earnings, so that’s not what I am doing here. Honestly. Simply sharing an observation is all.]

So here’s what’s going to happen from now on. I will back off a bit on the in-depth analysis of the bands I write about so that I have more time for my other work. I will pump up my monetizing strategies by focusing mostly on bands that have CDs and downloads available for sale (and asking that you click on the links I provide to access Amazon and iTunes if you intend to purchase said music) and I will begin requesting donations. Finally, I will start pushing my own music on you with merciless regularity.

Thanks for your support. Oh, and please check out some of the links I’ve provided on the homepage of my website, spsmyth.com.

Peace, Love and Dreams of Income...

I'm Back...

2010-04-21T08:18:00.000-07:00

Finally returning to work today after over a month of convalescing from neck, shoulder and arm pain. I have this condition where, from time to time, bones in my neck rub against certain nerves, irritating them and causing considerable pain on either side of my upper body. I have occasional flareups, but for over 5 years have been able to control them with exercise and over the counter pain meds. Apparently, I irritated the nerves in my neck with all the driving I did from California to Texas and for some reason those nerves got a little more irate than usual. In fact, this time around the problem was so severe that it left me almost completely immobilized and forced to take large quantities of narcotics to manage the pain.

I honestly don’t know how opiate addicts do it. My hat is truly off to them. I mean the Vicodin was great for the first couple of days (or at least it would have been, had I not been in so much pain that I couldn’t really enjoy it), but then my doctor put me on this drug called Norco. Norco is the same thing as Vicodin, only the narcotic - Hydrocodone - is twice as strong with only about half the amount of Acetaminophen (Tylenol). Don’t understand how it all works, exactly, but I do know this, without that extra Acetaminophen, Norco makes me feel just really, really awful - dizzy, nauseated, sedated, mentally confused and just sort of icky all over. I couldn’t decide which was worse, the pain or the pain medication.

Now the reason my doctor switched to this drug was because she was concerned that I might begin abusing Vicodin, which is pretty addictive, and which, because it has more Tylenol, can damage one’s liver in larger amounts. So instead, she gave me a stronger drug, which, as I see it, pretty much guaranteed a higher degree of certainty for physical, if not emotional, dependency. Great thinking, huh? I think she did it precisely because she knew it would make me feel sicker and thus less likely to abuse it. Thanks Doc! Funny thing is, I found that if I took a Tylenol pill along with my dose of Norco, the unpleasant side-effects went away, so I ended up filling my liver with Acetaminophen after all!

And now I’m having these wonderful drug withdrawals, with the shaking and the nausea and that feeling that I’m seeing the world through a long, dark tunnel and, of course, that fun panicky sensation all over. All I can say about all this is just say no to drugs, stay in school and never, never trust your doctor. Oh, and that it really is true that flying is safer than driving.

OK, just needed to vent my considerable woe. I’ve got so much to write about - stuff I’ve been thinking about for the past month while out of service - and will try and catch up over the next few days. Provided, fingers crossed, that my neck and arm continue to feel better.

Kill The Drama 2

2010-04-15T14:56:00.000-07:00

While I’m on the mend I figured I’d point you toward independent music journalist Ana Barbu and her blog site Uncovered Sounds. I really enjoyed her recent article on Kill The Drama. Happy reading!

ps. KTD’s album Close Friends With Sharp Knives is available from Amazon and iTunes:

Please Stand By...

2010-04-15T12:21:00.001-07:00

While it has been my intention to resume posting new blog entries for the past several weeks now, I have continued to be unable to do so as my neck, shoulder and right arm continue to be of little use. I am getting better each day and hope that I will be up and writing again early next week. I apologize for the lack of new content and promise to redress that ASAP.

Thank you for your patience and continued support.

Rehashing Old Business...

2010-03-29T14:44:00.000-07:00

I’ve been back in Palm Springs for almost a week now and still having lots of neck, shoulder and arm pain. The upside - relatively cheap and powerful drugs. Unfortunately, I’m still not up to snuff re: my typing skills. So, I decided to repost some older reviews of some of my most favoritist artists for the next few days, just in case you missed them first time around.

Hopefully I’ll be back on the horse in a few days and ready to pummel you with new material.

Patrick Doval (originally posted 11/27/09)

Digging through my Myspace Friends’ Friends I found this recording/video artist named Parick Doval and instantly fell in love with his sound. So much so that I went right to itunes and purchased his two collections: Deliverance and Fractured. Very retro-eighties proto/pre/post - or whatever - goth, psychedelia ala early New Order, Cure, Siouxsie, etc. His videos likewise possess that same naive early MTV quality - they dare to be artsy as opposed to the banal, unabashed lifestyle porn that most video ‘artists’ currently strive to embody.

I especially appreciate his use of the bass as a musical instrument (rather than as a tool for irritating one’s neighbors at 3am - Uh oh, am I showing my age here?).

He’s unsigned, and his recordings are, as with most unsigned artists and their very limited budgets, a bit raw. But I think that actually works in his favor, lending his music that uncluttered, underproduced sound that made bands such as Bauhaus and Joy Division so distinctive.

Standout songs:

Ashes of Life: Reminds me a lot of post-Joy Division-New Order (when they were still fresh and original). Although Patrick’s vocals foil the comparison, being more dramatic and vibrant than Bernard Sumner’s deadpan monotone. The video is also a lot of fun. Can’t get the freakin’ song out of my head.

Don’t let me go: Sounds like it could be a lost track from some early Cure album, say Seventeen Seconds or Pornography. Extremely haunting and moodily melodic. Another one I can’t stop thinking about.

Many Faces: More aggressive and Industrial than the others. Reminds me a bit of Gary Numan’s more recent work.

Also:

Empty Road

Turbulence

Caged

OK, no matter how much I write here, it won’t do justice to Doval’s music. I urge you to check him out. Really great, compelling material.

For more info on Patrick you can visit these sites:

http://www.myspace.com/patrickdoval

http://www.reverbnation.com/patrickdoval

http://www.youtube.com/user/patrickdoval

Download Patrick Doval at

Back to the Music

2010-03-20T07:03:00.000-07:00

I was still stuck in my hotel room most of the day yesterday, so I don't have a lot to share re: the SXSW festival. But I wanted to write at least a little something about music this morning because, since writing about my pinched nerve, my Google AdSense has begun only displaying ads re: health issues, especially nerve injuries. And that's sort of creeping me out right now. I hope that simply providing a header with the right keywords will remedy that : /

I'm Really bummed at the moment that I missed so much of the festival - I'm certain my neck/shoulder nerve issues arose due to my insistence upon driving from SoCal to Texas - next time I'm going to bite the bullet and fly.

Once my shoulder and arm are back in working order I do plan to devote a blog entry to my other interesting experiences here in Austin, such as the afternoon I spent at the local Urgent Care unit and the hours upon hours wasted in my room watching the news coverage re: the healthcare debate. And, of course, the local news coverage of the festival that's been so near, yet so far away, will find its way into my blog, as well.

I am feeling much better today and am planning to spend the day with some artist and musician friends of mine here in Austin. And I will definitely get downtown, at least for a while, to experience these final two days of the festival today and tomorrow.

S.

What a Pain in the Neck!

2010-03-19T08:23:00.000-07:00

Last time I checked in here I was on my way to Austin and the SXSW festival. I've been in Austin since Tuesday 3/16, but have yet to actually make it downtown for the festival. I apparently pinched a nerve in my neck and have been laid up in my hotel room in considerable pain since my arrival. Finally went to the E-room yesterday and got some killer drugs which, while not alleviating all my pain completely, are definitely helping me quite a bit. It's been very difficult to type with my neck and shoulder hurting, which is why I haven't checked in sooner.

I will get down to the festival today and tomorrow and will comment on what I find down there as soon as I'm able.

Thanks for your patience and support!

S.

SXSW Vol. 1

2010-03-15T18:23:00.000-07:00

Why am I sitting with my laptop (on my lap-top), on a bed, in a weathered - though recently painted - prefab oak furniture and retro-British horse and hound print-drenched room at the Best Western off Highway 10 in Sonora, TX? Aside from sitting out the most relentless downpour, the most garish flashes of lightening and the loudest, window-rattling-est, room-shaking-est thunder I've heard/felt in all my many (many) days?

Well, I'm on the third day of a four-day driving trip from Palm Springs, CA to Austin, TX for the musical leg of the SXSW Festival. Why am I doing this? Well, because I've never been to the festival and, from what I understand, it's the place to be for any and everybody interested in contemporary music.

Oh, you want to know why I'm driving. I get it.

Well, not sure I have a sane answer to that question. Especially now, as I sit here, hobbled by this uniquely nasty storm. I suppose the long and short of it - in that order - is that I find the need, at least once a year, to venture out into the desert wilds of the American Southwest, accompanied by little more than my ipod, my thoughts and as much luggage as I can fit into my Beetle's 2'x2' trunk, in order to keep my head clear and my creativity flowing. As I'm way overdue for that, I figured I'd take advantage of this opportunity to get out and do some of that well-needed head clearing. And I'm morbidly afraid to fly.

I do it from time to time - fly, that is - when I absolutely have to. I flew to Orlando, FL last year about this time for an academic conference. I considered driving there, as well, but decided that would just be insane. However, driving more than half that distance for this year's voyage seemed perfectly lucid two days ago. Now, not so sure. Particularly as I contemplate the return trip. But I'll fret about that come next Monday.

For now, I'm looking forward to getting into Austin tomorrow - as soon as the weather permits - and setting up my temporary HQ at the Austin Marriott near the airport. I'd originally booked a hotel downtown, where I'd have been able to walk to all the major venues with ease, but there was some sort of technical mixup and now I'm stuck out by the airport. No need to finger point in terms of whose to blame for the snafu, although I'm certain it was the Marriott hotel chain's fault and not mine. But honestly, I'm just happy to have a place to stay. A vacant and affordable hotel room is a rare find in Austin at the moment. So I'll withhold my complaints to the management until after the festival's conclusion - don't want to rock the boat just yet - never know when another "accidental" techno-glitch my occur and leave me afloat and stranded with nowhere to stay at all.

I'll check in with you all again once I'm settled in Austin. After that, I intend to send out periodic dispatches from the field as the week progresses. As I'm disinclined to spend days on end deluged by major industry folks - there are already too many others willing to do that - I plan to spend my time exploring some of the more tangential, and, I expect, compelling venues that will undoubtedly emerge from within the city's alternative underbelly. Also, I couldn't afford festival tickets.

So, until then, pray for my safe deliverance from the perilous abyss of rural Texas into the milk-and-honey promised land of greater Austin. I'll sleep better tonight knowing somebody's looking out for my best interests.

S.

Ethan Caleb

2010-03-11T09:19:00.001-08:00

Victoria, BC singer/songwriter Ethan Caleb is arguably the youngest artist I’ve written about to date - from what I can tell, he’s still in high school. Nevertheless, I find his music extremely compelling. His compositions and lyrics are highly sophisticated, especially for a songwriter of his age. This tension between youth and sophistication infuses his work with an unsettling, haunting poignancy - a wide-eyed naivety foiled at every turn by a pathos-filled, world-weary sadness - that isn’t easily left behind once the music stops.

His songs are minimal, in most cases featuring a single instrument and Ethan’s distinct choir boy in a piano bar vocals. He cites Leonard Cohen as one of his primary influences and includes a cover of Cohen’s “Suzanne” on his Reverb Nation site. His style is clearly influenced by Cohen, but his approach is fresh and original, just the same.

He’s posted a handful of songs to MySpace and Reverb Nation. Of these, I find myself repeatedly drawn back to “After the City,” an eccentric acoustic guitar and vocal piece that is emblematic of his emerging style.

In addition to Ethan’s solo work he sings for a band calling itself The Shenanigans, also from Victoria. Judging from the song sample on The Shenanigans’ Reverb Nation site, Ethan is not only a talented singer and songwriter, but also a very powerful and versatile rock vocalist, as well.

Briefly...

2010-03-08T11:41:00.000-08:00

OK, I’m going to be really lazy today and just provide a few links on several bands/musicians I’ve been listening to this past weekend. I’ll get more in-depth on each in the coming days, but for now this is all I’ll say...

I like them all for very different reasons and each appeals to vastly different tastes - from folk to rock to post-punk to emo. I’m not gonna say which is which, you’ll just have to visit their sites and figure it out yourself.

BTW, Meghan Tonjes’ music is available at Amazon.

Brain Lambert 2

2010-03-06T12:23:00.000-08:00

The following is a partial re-post of an entry I made back in November. I’m posting it here and now for those who missed it the first time around and to let you all know that Brian’s debut album Spell for Happiness is currently available at CDBaby.

“... Emerging as a unique voice from within the exuberant Austin, TX music scene, Brian Lambert began working with musician/producer LC Messinger last year when ‘mistaken as a Jehovah witness, [he] knocked on the door of Crush M Records.’ The synthesis between Lambert’s Americana and Messinger’s ‘KD Lang on acid in a barn yard full of loud animals’ approach is quirky, odd and unsettling. Which, from me, is a ringing endorsement.

Initially, I wasn’t sure what to make of the sound. The first track I heard, a demo titled ‘Spell for Happiness’ [which would be re-mixed and issued as the new album’s title track], was an eccentric, blues/folk tune - a stripped down acoustic guitar and vocal - that sounded as though it were pressed on vinyl and played back through an ancient Victrola. But it grew on me the more I played it. Which is true of each song I’ve heard since. As I write this I am listening to Brian’s latest posting at his Myspace page,‘Didn’t Want You to Want Me.’ Again he appeals to past musical styles - in this case late ‘60s Blues Rock ala Hendrix and the Doors - but here Messinger’s production augments basic guitar, base, drum and vocal tracks with a melange of atonal electronica that confounds one’s ability to dismiss this as derivative or to pigeon-hole Lambert as retro-this or that.

Brian has a very strong, versatile voice. He describes himself on his Myspace page as ‘A cross between Bob Dylan, Jeff Buckley and David Byrne.’ While this may be accurate, such comparisons are useful more as marketing soundbites than as a complete description of Lambert’s oeuvre. In truth, Brian has his own fluid and distinct vocal style, one that compliments his unique approach to musical de-&-re construction...”

Spell for Happiness was produced by LC Messinger and is being released under Messinger’s Crush M Records label. Other releases from Crush M Records include multiple albums from Messinger’s own solo project When Girls Collide. WGC CDs and MP3s are available at Amazon.com and iTunes.

Back to Palm Springs (sort of)

2010-03-04T15:16:00.000-08:00

Well, as I’m still waiting to hear back from a number of Palm Springs area folks with info I might be able to share with you, and as I have a ton of others I’d like to write about, I’ve decided to stop holding things up and move on to the next bunch of acts I’ve been putting on hold. In the meantime, I’m still planning to interview Sean Brown (aka SA!NT) and I’ve been in touch with Zinema and plan to see them play in the next week or so. As soon as those things happen, or as soon as I hear back from one of the others on my Palm Springs list, I’ll write more on the subject. For now, if so inclined, you can visit any of my local favorites in their respective web territories (listed below).

Sean Burford (aka Hymnself)

Gram Rabbit

Latest album Cultivation available at Amazon.com

Owen Willingham

Cognitive Dissidents

Cinematic Chaos

Sean Brown (aka SA!NT)

Zinema

Van Richter Records

Various artists available at Amazon.com

SP Smyth

Pazz Kluger

2010-03-02T13:56:00.001-08:00

I’ve decided to put my expose on Palm Springs bands on hold for the time being in order to focus on a musician from New York recording and performing under the moniker of Pazz Kluger. Pazz was the first person to leave a comment on my Reverb Nation fan site last week, so I thought I owed him the courtesy of listening to his music and commenting back. I was truly impressed with what I heard and let him know so.

Subsequently, we sent messages back and forth for several days and then finally did a phone interview this past weekend. This was my first such musician interview since starting my blog last Fall, so I’m pretty much learning how to do this as I do it. Yes, that was meant as an up-front disclaimer.

During our hour +/- conversation we spoke of a shared passion for early ‘80s proto-goth and post-punk music from bands like Joy Division, Bauhaus, The Cure, etc. I found it fascinating that somebody much younger than I would be drawn to such music. (For the record, I was a teenager in 1979 when Joy Division and the Cure released their debut albums and Bauhaus put out their first single - all on vinyl). I was impressed with Pazz’s knowledge of this era and his aptitude for capturing its essence within his own oeuvre. He spoke at length of his respect for former Joy Division frontman Ian Curtis and his willingness to “lay it all on the line” and “expose his soul” for his art and audience. Pazz said he seeks to emulate this approach within his own work, which he characterized as driven primarily by the experience of loss.

In addition to the aforementioned, Pazz cited bands such as TSOL, The Smiths, Nick Cave, Camera Obscura, The Specials and even Johnny Cash as influences. Although he never indicated to me that he drew inspiration from The Psychedelic Furs, when I compared his voice to that of Richard Butler’s he took it as a compliment and seemed genuinely flattered.

Pazz was trained as a graphic designer and I find a pop-art, even painterly quality to his work - a clarity of purpose that is repeatedly thwarted through layers of disjunction and ambiguity. He describes his process as organic and even DIY. As I listen to his songs I find myself hearing the ghostly voice of Andy Warhol, when asked why his Campbell’s Soup Can paintings featured flaws and running paint, replying “...well, an artist must drip.” I believe this is the key to understanding what Pazz means by DIY - that one must allow songs to be what they are as they grow and mature, leaving all the inherent rough edges, stops & starts and even flaws intact, rather than polished over and prettied up.

Pazz told me that he worked on his current eponymous release for about a year and a half, recording in his basement after work and off hours from family duties. He self-produced the entire project, writing all songs as well as performing all instruments and vocals. He is rehearsing with his new band at the moment and will begin touring about the New York/New Jersey area in the coming months. He has also begun work on a new album which will feature his current lineup.

You can find Pazz at MySpace, Facebook and Jango among several other locales, although I suggest you visit his Reverb Nation page first, as he has links to his other sites posted there. I further urge you to check out his music. Of his songs, my particular favorites are Forfeit of Life (which puts me in mind of late ‘80s Love and Rockets), Karma Stay Away, Sins, and Locked. Although I’ve got to admit I like them all and have found they only get better with repeated listenings.

Pazz Kluger is also available for download from Amazon.com.

SP Smyth

2010-02-26T12:31:00.000-08:00

As part of my ongoing coverage of Palm Springs area musicians I’m focusing today on SP Smyth, an artist so local he lives in my house. Yes, it’s true, I’m my own best audience, so why not be my only critic? Honestly, I’d love to write about somebody else, but I’m still impatiently waiting to hear back from the other local talent. Until then, I’ll promote my own career.

There isn’t a whole lot new to report on since my previous blog entries. I’m still unsigned, unknown and willing to get on my hands and knees and beg for any sort of recognition.

On that front, I’ve decided it’s time to get out and start playing live, which is something I’ve been dreading as I get serious stage fright - the sort where I’ll be in the middle of a song and forget the next chord, notes, words or even where I am. I know this sort of thing gets easier through repetition, so I’ve got to just get out there and play. I’m looking for other musicians to collaborate with, which has been one of my main motivators for familiarizing myself with the local scene. We’ll see how that goes. I bought a new amp and a beautiful Eric Clapton edition Fender Strat, should the performance opportunity arise.

I’ve also been remixing/remastering (as well as re-recording guitar parts for) several of my songs in preparation for a home-made EP I plan to distribute gratis when I visit Austin, Texas for the SxSW Festival next month. I feel far more comfortable in the studio than on stage, so I’m actually making a lot of progress in that arena.

For more info and for song and video clips you can visit me at any or all of the following:

Thanks in advance for your patronage and support. I’m always open to feedback, especially the sort that’s filled with praise and encouragement.

SA!NT

2010-02-18T10:17:00.001-08:00

I mentioned in my last blog that I’d be focusing on musicians from the Palm Springs area for the next few entries. To that end, I sent out a brief inquiry yesterday to several local bands asking for any info they might want me to share. The first person I heard back from was Sean Brown (aka Sa!nt). So he’s won the coveted honor of being my featured artist today.

The first thing I have to say about Sean is that he’s got an amazing voice. Although I have a pet peeve regarding YouTube videos that feature musicians playing guitar and singing from their bedrooms, I have to say that in Sean’s case the video he’s posted to his Reverb Nation and MySpace sites actually highlights what a truly powerful and versatile singer he is. I wish I could sound that good without all my studio effects - hell, I wish I sounded that good with them!

As for his studio material, I’m very excited about what I’m hearing in terms of composition and production. But most importantly, his songs are the sort that keep me wanting to hear more. I highly recommend giving him a listen and judging for yourself.

If you’re in the Palm Springs area and would like to see Sean live, he’ll be performing at Shenanigans this Friday night with his band Drop The World. I’m still waiting to hear back from Sean re: showtime. I’ll post that as soon as I know.

I’ll be writing more on Sean in the next week or two. We have a tentative interview scheduled and I’ll have more detailed info afterwards. In the meantime, check out his sites, watch his videos and listen to his music.

Coachella Music and Arts Festival

2010-02-16T09:31:00.000-08:00

I was sitting in my office/recording studio this past weekend, ruminating over my age (birthday was Saturday) and how I so often feel isolated and marginalized living in Palm Springs - a community where golf, real estate and who’s died recently rein supreme among conversations held by retirees guzzling vodka around the clubhouse bar during cocktail hour (which, so far as I can surmise, begins about noon and lasts until bedtime - which can be as early as 7pm for the eldest of the elderly statesmen and women). I moved here three years ago for the weather - which is glorious, by the way - neglecting to realize that I’d be the youngest non-golfer, non-drinker, non-retired writer/musician in town. Hey, at least I’m surrounded by celebrities, even if most of them haven’t worked in several decades.

While sitting at my desk in this lamentable, self-pitying state, I stumbled across Reverb Nation, one of many great websites set up for social and professional musician networking, and opened an account. After doing so I found I ranked number 10 on the Palm Springs area Reverb Nation charts. I’ve since gone up to No. 5. Still a little unclear about the rating system, but I’m climbing the charts, so who cares, right?

So what has Palm Springs angst, Reverb Nation and my local chart standings got to do with the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival? Well, Coachella is not only the title of the festival, it’s also the name for the valley Palm Springs shares with the City of Indio, where the Empire Polo Club hosts the festival each April. Since moving here the festival has been my bright, shining star from within a dark, dismal nighttime world of loneliness, despair and social pariah-hood. The festival has represented that one time each year I’ve been able to surround myself with music forged after 1950 and people whose parents are likely decades younger than my nearest neighbors. The Coachella Festival has been my only reprieve, my one chance to break free of those bonds of banal social tyranny.

That was until my fateful stumble across Reverb Nation’s website a few days back and the discovery that other musicians lived nearby - writing, recording and performing on a fairly regular basis. I went to some of their respective sites, listened to their songs and, in a few cases, was blown away by the talent. There were other, less enchanting encounters, but let’s focus on the positive for the moment. I found, for the first time in several years, that I was not alone, that I didn’t have to bite my nails and count the days until mid-April and the salvation promised by the likes of Jay-Z, Muse and Gorillaz. That I could, at long last, reach out to my town-folk and find among them like minds and common musical tastes.

In the spirit of my recent epiphany, I plan to take several days out of the next couple weeks to share some of the local talent I recently discovered on Reverb Nation with you, my faithful, though somewhat limited readership. Yes, I realize I’ve drawn you into my grim web of deceit here by invoking the name of the Coachella Festival, precisely two months prior to its commencement, and then redirected your attention toward a group of unknown unsigneds and thus, by proxy, to my own musical endeavors. But I firmly believe, in the long run, you’ll thank me for introducing you to some of the Coachella Valley’s finest music - music you won’t hear at the festival, but probably should. And, I promise, the next time I mention Coachella in one of my blog’s title headings, I will actually focus on the festival.

So here’s the lineup, in no particular order:

Probably won’t get to all of these immediately, but you can click on the band’s links above in the meantime.

Format Adjustments

2010-02-13T12:13:00.001-08:00

I haven’t posted anything all week because I’ve been sick - yet again. I’m like a giant petri dish for visiting germs this winter. So far I’ve had the stomach flu, some other achy flu, two colds and an ear infection. I was beginning to think I had strep because my throat’s been sore for almost a week and a half. But feeling much better today, which is great news, since it’s my birthday.

So for today I just want to share a quick note:

I’ve decided to make some minor format adjustments. From now on I will include bands recently signed to indy labels and bands already signed to what I like to think of as boutique labels - ie, labels either set up by the band in question to promote their own music, or labels that represent only one or two acts. I’m doing this for two reasons.

I’m interested in promoting bands that self-distribute, whether through companies such as CD Baby or through their own “vanity” labels.
I keep a running roster of bands I plan to write on each week, yet lately I’ve been finding that by the time I get around to focusing on them, many have been snatched up by labels. So, in the interest of the work I’ve already put into researching said acts, I will go ahead and write a brief bit about them anyway. However, if such bands find themselves signed to major labels, I figure they’ve already got a huge publicity machine ready to promote them, so I’ll just cross them off the list.

I will still focus primarily on unsigned bands, and when I diverge from this path, I will be sure to make note of it in my blog entries.

I will have new bands to write about early next week, so please be patient with me as I recollect myself and get back to work.

Many Thanks,

Louder Than Love

2010-02-03T19:30:00.001-08:00

I was contacted by Louder Than Love’s publicist, Nicole, last week with a request to review their act on my blog. I’ve been really fortunate that, to date, I have only received such requests from bands I really like. I’m not looking forward to the day I have to turn somebody away, but trust me, I’ll do it in a hot second if I don’t like their music or feel their style isn’t a good fit with my blog format (whatever that might be).

Louder Than Love is a five-piece from Vancouver, BC. with a sound that’s a melange of good ol’ Seventies Blues Rock and ‘80s/‘90s Seattle Grunge topped off with a vocal style influenced by the pop harmonies of The Beatles. The recordings from their premier release Dark Days are among the most sophisticated and professionally produced I’ve yet heard from an unsigned band. It’s clearly only a matter of time (I’m thinking months, perhaps weeks) before they’re snatched up by some major label and splattered all over the web and across the covers of myriad glossy print mags. But let us enjoy them as the precious, independent voice they are at the moment and lament the inevitable over-saturation later. For the record, I do realize that for 99.99% of all rock bands such attention is among the top-most of priorities, so far be it for me to wish to persuade them otherwise.

While all the members of Louder Than Love are clearly proficient and professional musicians, the band is, for the most part, a showcase for the songwriting and performance talents of lead singer/guitarist Paul Lambert. Although the band’s press emphasizes Lambert’s jazz guitar prowess, I find his playing style more roadhouse-blues influenced, with a raw (although just this side of refined), heavy Telecaster sound that’s a mashup between late ‘60s Jimmy Page (before he discovered the Les Paul) and much of the later work of Stevie Ray Vaughn. Add to this Lambert’s vocals - in a league with grunge legends Layne Staley, Scott Weiland and Eddy Vedder - which are unexpectedly deep, resonant and ragged for someone of his slight (best as I can tell from their live video clip) build and youthful good looks. This disparity between his appearance and vocal chops enhances Lambert’s mystique and charismatic appeal as both musician and stage presence.

The band cites Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Alice In Chains, Rage Against the Machine, Stone Temple Pilots, Steely Dan, Miles Davis and The Beatles as primary influences. I’d have to add Deep Purple, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Dio era Black Sabbath, a bit of the Doobie Brothers and even Gregg Allman’s work from the early ‘70s to that list. I’ll openly admit that I’m far more knowledgeable regarding latter-days Blues Rock than Grunge, so forgive me if I hear more of the really ancient than the merely very old in the band’s musical roots.

While all the songs on their new release are outstanding, my favorites include:

The title song, “Dark Days,” a very catchy, moody and eclectic song that, whether intentionally or not, seems to play on Neil Young’s lyric from “Hey, Hey, My, My.”

“Just Like You,” has a sound slightly reminiscent of the Doobie Brothers’ classic “Black Water.”

“That Ghost,” which sounds a bit like some of Soundgarden’s more melodic offerings mixed again with hints of 70’s Blues Rock.

“Never Going Back,” a hard-driven pop song with a robust mixture of acoustic and electric guitars and ultra-deep bass tones - my favorite among the band’s heavier tunes.

There is more to learn about Louder Than Love at their MySpace site and/or their website. Dark Days is available for download from iTunes and CDBaby, where one can also purchase an actual Compact Disc.

Yes, I Do Take Requests

2010-02-03T19:29:00.001-08:00

So I thought it might be fun if I took up a whole blog entry writing about what I’m trying to achieve here. Not that I expect a whole slew of readers to care much, but I’ve got this stuff swimming around my head and feel the need to share.

I began writing this blog in order to motivate myself to research and learn about the world of unsigned music - both in order to be better versed on the future of the music industry and as a means for connecting with other unsigned artists. I also needed an outlet for my endless, all consuming need to express myself. Lucky you, huh?

I’ve been trained as a visual arts writer. I hold an MA in Visual and Critical Studies from the California College of the Arts in San Francisco - a program which emphasized the use lots of arcane academic references and opaque, murky and, in my opinion, needlessly obtuse jargon in order to express what I’ve always found to be pretty simple ideas. After several years of performing this thankless task I realized that I really suck at writing about art and decided I’d rather gear my analytical skills toward music, for which I harbor a lifelong and deeply running passion.

I don’t actually know a lot about the music world, per se - I sort of learn as I go here - which means I end up doing many hours of research in order to explore and explicate what I feel is really going on with the musicians and bands I choose to focus on. I also don’t think of myself as a music reviewer, but more as a critical analyst. Further, I don’t write in order to gratify my ego or impress readers with how droll or clever I can be with a turn of phrase or wry remark. I really want to connect with my subject matter and then endeavor to help others do the same.

Now, if it appears I’ve been lavishing excessive amounts of praise on the bands I’ve been writing about lately that’s because I’ve recently adopted a policy of only reviewing acts I really enjoy listening to. I tried my hand in the past at writing about bands I didn’t care for so much and, although the bad review or two generated more readers, it stirred up a lot of negativity around my site which I have neither the time nor desire to foster. Ironically, the day after I decided to dispense with the negative stuff, Kill the Drama got ahold of my very positive review of their music and spread the word amongst their fans. Since then I’ve increased my readership exponentially. It’s been heartening to discover that negativity isn’t the only thing attracting attention these days.

On that note, in recent days I’ve begun receiving requests from bands and their publicists to write about their acts. In keeping with my new policy, I’m only accepting such invitations if the bands in question meet my general criteria (see above). Fortunately, I haven’t been asked to write a review on the other sort yet. So yes, I do take requests, but, unless you pay me huge gobs of cash (and it would have to be a lot because I’m not easily bought), I will reject requests if I don’t think the music is appropriate. But please keep the requests flowing in. Although I have a log-jam of bands I’m trying to get to at the moment, this won’t always be the case - and sometimes it really simplifies my life if you seek me out instead of the other way ‘round.

So happy reading. I hope you keep coming back and telling your friends about my blog. I don’t make any money doing this, so it would be great at least to know I’m not toiling in complete oblivion.

Stuntman Mike

2010-02-01T07:08:00.000-08:00

I began writing this entry on Stuntman Mike last week, but then developed an inner ear infection, which left me hearing everything as though it were filtered through wads of cotton. I didn’t think it wise to attempt listening to and reviewing music in this condition, so I set the project aside until this morning, when my hearing miraculously returned.

I want to begin here by expressing how amazed I’ve been the past couple of weeks by the number of really outstanding unsigned bands DJ Bluetone has been giving voice to through his webcasts. I am in his debt for opening my eyes and ears to them. Prominent among these has been Stuntman Mike, a band that, as with many other acts Bluetone’s been spinning, hails from Scotland.

Stuntman Mike, like Kill The Drama, has such a tight, commercially viable sound that any attempt to comprehend why they are not major label material simply boggles the mind. I like to think this is because the corporate music industry is going down the same route print media has the past few years - losing ground to independent voices on the internet, responding by playing it safe and only investing in the most banal, polished and packaged “sure bets” while leaving the really interesting innovators to build their own independent careers. After suffering through the first hour of last night’s Grammy Awards show (or as I like to call it, the ‘if we create a spectacle loud and extravagant enough we’ll be able to distract our audience from realizing how really, really bad our music is’ show), I’m hopeful that the recording industry demigods are experiencing the twilight of their reign. Which would be wonderful as, in my less than humble opinion, the entrenched music interests pretty much ruin everything they lay their greedy, unimaginative hands upon.

OK, off my soap box and back to the matter at hand. I can’t gush enough about Stuntman Mike. To again compare them to Kill the Drama, they are one of those bands that manage to make pop music which stings a bit - with catchy, memorable hooks that, while easily digestible, go down more like really strong, black espresso than the way-too-sugary soft drinks we’re typically served. Each song takes off from the first note and races ahead, pulling one along by the viscera. They’re loud and driving, with lots of pounding drums, thumping bass notes and searing vocals. And for a quartet their sound is surprisingly rich and full, their recordings incredibly well-produced and their live performances faithful to their studio work.

The band cites influences ranging from Muse and The Police to Metalica, Foo Fighters and even Elvis (although whether Costello or Presley, I can only surmise). I would add U2 to that esteemed list, especially as regards Billy Mulholland’s deft use of guitar delay effects that echo (pardon the pun) the best of The Edge’s early work.

In addition to their MySpace site, you can find Stuntman Mike’s music and videos on Youtube and at their own JustinTV Channel. They’ll be playing live at the Vale in Glasgow on Saturday, February 13 (which, if anybody is interested, also happens to be my birthday), broadcasting live on DJ Bluetone’s channel (and possibly their own channel as well - I’ll try and clarify that ASAP). They also plan to release their first single, “10,000 Lives,” March 1^st, which will be available on iTunes.

Finally, I can pretty much guarantee you will hear them today on DJ Bluetone’s webcast from 1-4pm US Pacific time, 4-7pm Eastern.

June

2010-01-27T19:54:00.001-08:00

I first heard Scottish band June on DJ Bluetone’s webcast last week and was immediately captivated by their sound - full of solid, gut grabbing rhythms and waves of guitar chords both lush and jagged, topped off with the sublime and screeching vocals of Jen Bain, the band’s lead singer - a post-punk chanteuse to rival the best of them.

According to Gareth Burnett, the band’s drummer, June has only been performing together for about three months and had their first live show just two weeks ago. I find this nearly impossible to believe. Prior to learning of their nascent status I’d have sworn they’d been together for years. Recordings posted to their MySpace site are taken from live sets and are, as such, a bit rough around the edges. Still, their songs are well-crafted and sophisticated, their performances tight, consistent and full of what I can only describe as (I know it sounds oh, so cliche) raw power.

I loathe comparing bands to one another as I feel it does more to limit, than to enhance, one’s experience of any particular body of work. And I frankly find relying too heavily on such comparisons to be just plain lazy. At the same time, it is an undeniably useful way to provide a frame of reference for those reading about music they have not yet heard. So, as a necessary evil I provide the following (qualified) comparisons:

“Bring You Down” reminds me of Yeah Yeah Yeahs (and, I sheepishly admit, a bit of early Divinyls), particularly as regards Bain’s audacious vocals. The song “Numb,” a retro-late-60s Blues/Rock homage, hearkens to songs such as Led Zeppelin’s “Since I’ve Been Loving You” and Janice Joplin’s version of “Summertime.” “Breathe into Me” puts me in mind of Sonic Youth in places and a bit of early Siouxsie and the Banshees in others.

Among the influences the band members themselves cite are Nickelback, Rage Against the Machine and Paramore. I’d have to agree that the comparison to Paramore is spot on. However, I actually prefer June’s unpolished verve to Nickelback’s “well produced,” manicured rumblings any day. More and more lately I’m finding hard rock music that’s been refined and processed in a recording studio about as useful as a campfire someone’s poured cold water over, let sit for several hours, and then had the nerve to claimed it as an excellent place to warm one’s hands.

As for future plans, June will be backing up London-based band NIXA on Feb 1st. They then plan to have a new EP available by April and a new album by summer. I also expect DJ Bluetone to play more of their recordings in the future, so you’re likely to find them there, as well.

DJ Bluetone Webcast Today

2010-01-25T12:56:00.001-08:00

Don't forget to check out DJ Bluetone's webcast on Justin TV today 1pm Pacific, 4pm Eastern.http://www.justin.tv/djbluetone#r=B3

2010-01-22T10:49:00.001-08:00

I’ve got a few updates today on some of the bands I’ve written about in past blog entries:

LC Messinger (aka When Girls Collide), informed me that Crush M Records will release Brian Lambert’s premier CD Spell For Happiness mid-February and Brian will begin touring Texas for the first phase of the CD’s promotion.

Patrick Doval is working on a new album, so far he’s got one song in the can and a second in production.

kill the drama has 15 new songs ready to begin recording spring 2010. The album, tentatively titled The Burning Streets, should be ready by the summer.

Ryan Wirth (aka Psykids Army) is working on 6 new songs for a live performance, writing tracks for multi-instrumentalists to play live in a pre setup environment. He plans to have players moving through the audience while performing songs. He has 2 songs complete so far. No date set as yet for performances to begin. I’ll let you know where and when as soon as I know.

Desert Owls will be launching three new releases Friday, March 19^th, 2010 at Casa Del Popolo in Montreal: WHO?, the band’s debut EP will be available online, at retail stores and @ Casa del Popolo the night of the performance. The “GOGOGO” mini-disc single will be available throughout Montreal in all Distroboto machines. New video for the song “WHO?” will be available on Youtube as of the March 19^th.

That’s about it for now. I’ll keep posting updates as they arrive.

Oh, and if I’ve left anybody out, please let me know.

Also, if you’d like me to write about your unsigned band/musician/act, etc. just send me an email at psmythsongs@gmail.com.

DJ Bluetone - The Aftermath

2010-01-20T08:38:00.001-08:00

Hope you got a chance to watch DJ Bluetone’s webcast on JustinTV Monday. If not, you can visit his archive at this link. Even so, one must sit in on at least one live show. Just isn’t the same without the streaming chat.

I was also elated that he played three of my songs this past show - “Patient,” “Labor Day” and “Land.” I’ve only been posting music for public consumption for a couple months now - never heard any of my songs broadcast from anywhere other than my home computer. I received some great listener comments and was extremely flattered to be included in the company of the other acts Bluetone chose to play. He promised to give me a spin on his next webcast as well, so please tune in and show your support next Monday from 9pm to Midnight BST - 1pm on the West Coast, 4pm on the East.

Among the artists he played, I wanted to mention a few that I found exceptionally worth a listen:

Ipanema

Stuntman Mike

The Viragoes

June

The Dirty 9s

I will definitely be writing more on these bands in the near future.

More Bluetone

2010-01-18T09:30:00.001-08:00

Got my mother visiting from out of town, which is why I haven’t been blogging the past few days. She’s here ‘til tomorrow, so today’s post will be very brief.

In fact, I have only this to say:

Don’t forget to check out the DJ Bluetone webcast today on JustingTV beginning at 9pm British Summer Time - that’s 1pm Pacific, 2pm Mountain, 3pm Central, 4pm Eastern in the US. Anywhere else in the world, you’ll have to work it out for yourself. Sorry. The show runs 3 hours and, rumor has it, Bluetone will be playing some of my music today - so I have a vested interest in increasing his audience.

So please, take a few minutes out of your busy day today and support us poor, starving musicians and those who are devoting their time to our cause.

DJ Bluetone

2010-01-13T06:17:00.000-08:00

Over the past weekend I made contact with DJ Bluetone, a Scottish DJ (VJ?) who hosts his own show on JustinTV (Monday nights - or afternoons if you happen to be stateside). Like me, he focuses on promoting unsigned bands he’s found on MySpace. I’d intended to catch his premier show this week, but got my British Summer and Pacific Daylight Times a bit mixed up. Fortunately, he does archive his program, so one can still catch Monday’s broadcast here.

As I write this I am listening to (and periodically watching) the archived show. It’s quirky and kitschy, a bit rough around the edges, but worth a watch. DJ Bluetone sits in what appears to be a room in his home, surrounded by images of amplifiers and a mirror ball (and an intermittent sword-carrying dominatrix), spinning music, commenting on the songs and artists, conducting live video interviews - and occasionally humming along with the tunes. There are a few technical glitches, which, for me, add to the charm of the experience. Promoting unsigned acts (as well as being part of one) is a labor of love (definitely not profit). One must do what one can with lots of determination and very little funding.

DJ Bluetone’s got great taste, plays a wide variety of sounds and will introduce you to music you’re unlikely to hear in any one place (unless you have the patience to sift through all the unsigned acts on MySpace, which I highly recommend, if you don’t have a job and never leave your room).

If you’d like to hear your music featured on DJ Bluetone’s show, he encourages you to contact him at his MySpace site. I also encourage any and all who read this to support DJ Bluetone and check out his show.

He begins spinning at 9pm BST - 4pm on the American east coast and 1pm in the west, again on JustinTV. You can also follow him on Twitter.

Frequency Theater

2010-01-07T14:51:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, Nate Butler, aka Frequency Theater, requested that I listen to his music and review it on my blog. This being the first time I’ve received such a request, I was both elated and daunted. On the one hand, I was flattered that Nate thought so much of my writing. On the other, I worried I might not like the music and would have to either write a negative review about somebody who’d been very nice to me, or lie and make only really positive comments I didn’t actually believe.

Thankfully, I didn’t find the need to do either. In fact, after sampling a couple tracks at Frequency Theater’s MySpace site I went to iTunes and downloaded the debut release, Fly Gallery. Fly Gallery is a powerful, driven and passion-filled collection, full of extramusical surprises and artfully layered sonic tiers which I’ve found more intriguing through multiple listenings.

In terms of musical style, as with many artists, it would be far too easy to categorize FT within some easily digestible genre (say, Electronica or Industrial), then carve away what’s a bit different and allow that to dangle out there as the one identifying factor making this act stand apart from every other that’s doing roughly the same thing. In this case that different ‘something’ would be Nate Butler’s upbeat lyrical approach - a style that stands in flagrant contrast against a backdrop of troubled and downward gazing cohorts.

Frequency Theater’s own website rhetoric describes the act as one that “strives to inspire the audience to believe in themselves, to push to become their best version of themselves and to doubt their doubters.” Further, a review also posted at the site quips: “Music fans wondering what Trent Reznor might sound like on a happy day, look no further.” In all honesty, after first reading these I feared the songs would be too simplistic and naive or vapidly didactic. (Yes, alas, I am one of those who often confuses woe with depth). And honestly, who wants to hear Trent Reznor on a good day? Isn’t it his job to suffer for our listening pleasure? And what is one to expect after such a comment? July Andrews singing “I want to f*ck you like an animal?”

But these songs are not simply a sea of loud samples and bangs with cheery, Pollyanna lyrics floating on top. Indeed, aside from the song The Charismatic, I found the lyrics subtle, complex and enigmatic - driven by the same intensity and misgiving one might expect of the more nihilistic offerings from Trent Reznor or Robert Smith.

What I do find most compelling in all this is Nate Butler’s daring to rub that industrial angst against the grain a bit by infusing that rage with a bit of hope, conjuring something fresh and new that is brash and nuanced; full of anguish and inspiration.

Beatnik Jr.

2010-01-05T09:41:00.001-08:00

This is my first entry of the New Year... I guess I must have overslept or something and missed the first four days. Actually, I’ve been working on my own music this past week, a task I’ve neglected lately in favor of promoting my older material and writing about great unsigned acts, such as my favorite of the day, Beatnik Jr.

Beatnik Jr. is an enigmatic band from LA with that rare ability to experiment without being so dissonant as to appeal to only a small sliver of listeners. As one of five finalists for the 2009 Hard Rock Ambassadors of Rock Battle of the Bands, Beatnik Jr. proved it possible to appeal to a popular audience while simultaneously maintaining a high degree of originality.

Their genre is a bit difficult to pin down. According to the band’s own press releases “Fans have referred to Beatnik Jr.'s music as sounding similar to Radiohead, The Faint, The Postal Service, Queens of the Stone Age, Foo Fighters, and even The Beatles.” I would also add The Flaming Lips and at times Death Cab For Cutie to that list - the latter particularly in regards to lead singer John Maro’s vocal style.

Still, I lament the need to compare one band to another, especially in this case. I think it suffices to say that Beatnik Jr. manages to genre blend, to beg and borrow and to innovate all at the same time. Their songs are full of sonic surprises set to uptempo pop-beats and melodies, resulting in a sound that is both fresh and familiar. Their recordings are tight, well-produced and endlessly listenable.

For more on Beatnik Jr. you can read Liberty London Girl’s blog and visit the band’s MySpace page. They also have five tracks available to download from iTunes.

And since you’ll already be checking these guys out at MySpace, you might as well stop by My MySpace page to see and hear what I’ve been doing lately as well : ) [That’s meant to be a sheepish grin, BTW]

MySpace vs. Blogger

2009-12-31T05:59:00.000-08:00

[The following may appear at first to have little to do with unsigned bands - that is until you consider the importance of social networking outlets for band promotion (and thus viability) in the current global music marketplace and how restrictions upon such effect this, our most underrepresented and vulnerable class of musicians]

Yesterday the Powers That Be at MySpace informed me they are blocking all links back to my blog site - leftunsigned.blogspot.com. Here’s how they explained it:

We've recently discovered that BlogSpot pages are being used by spammers to send spam, so all links to that site have been disabled.

Although you or your blog may not be associated with or linked to spam or spammers, to protect all MySpace Profiles from spam, phishing, and online scams, all links to BlogSpot are blocked.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. Thanks for keeping MySpace a safe and secure place to socialize with friends.

Sounds pretty final, huh? I'm kinda new to social networking (and most other electronic media, as well), so help me with the logic. The folks managing MySpace are concerned about receiving spam, so they block OUTgoing links? OK, so perhaps you can't block the incoming without doing likewise to the outgoing? Again, not really up to snuff on all this, so perhaps this is true. I simply don’t know. But what I don't get is this: can't a person wishing to spam, phish or scam do so freely from pretty much any site on the planet with the ability to broadcast from one server to another? So why not block every single link coming in or going out? Absurd, right? Well isn't it just as absurd to prevent MySpace users from providing links to their own blog sites? Isn't there possibly some other means for "keeping MySpace a safe and secure place....?"

Strangely, while researching this issue I found that some MySpace users were informed of this blockage as far back as March, others, like my self, only within the past week. I also found I was not alone in my suspicions that MySpace was hiding behind the guise of SECURITY to gloss over what might, in reality, be a case of blanket CENSORSHIP.

I mean is it remotely possible that this has anything at all to do with corporate anomy between competing media conglomerates News Corp (recent acquirer of MySpace) and Google (owner of Blogger)? After all, isn’t it common knowledge that both entities have been engaged in a winner-take-all competition for information-world dominance for a while now? (Perhaps ‘common knowledge’ is a bit of a sketchy source to site here. For more evidence of this contention follow this link and draw your own conclusions). For those who don’t know, News Corp. is owned by Rupert Murdoch, who also owns Fox News – so you know fairness and ethical behavior are not at the top of the MySpace list of priorities. Not implying here that Google is run by a consortium of altruistic and on high angelic types… just wish these Olympians would keep the rest of us helpless mortals out of their fray.

More Self Promotion

2009-12-29T11:28:00.000-08:00

I received a note a few days back from Ryan Wirth (of Psykids Army) thanking me in the most gracious of ways for the review I wrote on his song collection Story. It couldn’t have come at a better time as I was feeling pretty low over the whole Chicken Head incident. Seriously, it was really great to know that somebody was reading the positive reviews as well as the negative. I was beginning to think I’d be relegated to writing hack-jobs for eternity in order to keep my readers. I have had other positive responses in the past – Brian Lambert, Patrick Doval and the Desert Owls all sent their appreciation my way. What troubles me, though, is that none of their fans followed suit. I mean, why is it that people only seem willing to put finger to keyboard when they have something mean to say? (Although I have to admit I was pretty dour re: the RCHs, so I guess I got what I gave).

All in all, I have to say that I am grateful for any response, positive or negative. And as far as The Radioactive Chicken Heads go, I owe them a huge debt of gratitude. They’ve been really good sports, considering all the crap I gave them. And since they posted my review link on their Facebook page I’ve had over 100 new blog readers and 400+ new visitors to my music sites. Not saying they were solely responsible, but they didn’t hurt. So if any of you Chicken Heads are reading this… let me know where to send the Champagne.

As far as bad press goes, I only hope some day my music will become noteworthy enough to attract negative criticism. Nothing’s worse than being ignored. But for now I’ll have to settle for the remarks my prose elicits, both genial and hostile.

The Radioactive Chicken Heads Redux

2009-12-24T14:26:00.000-08:00

A few days back I wrote a review on a band of musicians who dress up as puppets and call themselves The Radioactive Chicken Heads (you may read the piece here if you like). The band is extremely over-the-top and in your face and I felt that I should respond in kind with a certain degree of humor that was both brutal and hyperbolic. The band subsequently posted a link to this review on their Facebook and MySpace pages, which led to a noticeable upsurge in my blog readership for a day or two.

The Chicken Heads referred to my blog post as a “Hilarious bad review!” (I found this description flattering as few people actually find my humor very funny - let alone hilarious). As it turns out, though, a handful of Chicken Head fans didn’t find my review amusing at all. Most of these confined their comments in this regard to the band’s fan pages. However, several folks left comments at my blog and on my MySpace newsfeed (well, actually on the Chicken Head’s newsfeed, but, since we’re “friends” and all, I received the comments as well). My favorite of these was left by Happy Fun Bonko Slut (you may read comments here). Basically Happy disagreed with me and told me, quite pointedly, that I was a bad critic. I asked an arts writer friend of mine what she thought and she concurred that I had not quite explained why I took the Chicken Heads to task. While I preferred my friend’s rather more gentle criticism delivery to that of Happy’s smash and dash approach, the point was well taken... I obviously didn’t take the time I might have to completely flesh the Chicken Heads out.

So, just to clarify, when I first listened to the band I enjoyed their music, but then I watched their videos and their appearance on the Tyra Banks show and had a change of heart (for the sake of brevity I’ll let you visit their site and watch the clips for yourselves). Now if you could think of their music for a moment as a house of cards, where each card is a necessary and vital component to the whole construction, each supporting the other in a very precise and balanced, yet delicate, even tenuous manner... and then you add that one last card, the one that you really don’t need at all, and it’s weight causes the whole thing to come crashing down... well that’s how I felt about the band after watching them perform: The costuming - in fact the whole spectacle - was just one card (or even a deck or two) too many. And the qualities I had at first enjoyed in their music collapsed under the weight of all the excess.

I do find them amusing (in the same way I find Glenn Beck crying on Fox News amusing), but I don’t think they are a good band. Now if they dropped the costumes and let the music stand on its own, I might feel differently, but as things stand, I just can’t get past the visuals. I could say otherwise if that would make their fans more comfortable in dealing with opinions that differ from their own, but that would make me a liar.

I hope that clears things up a bit.

Perhaps if I could amend my previous review in any way, I would change the conclusion, in which I stated that there isn’t anything remotely interesting about the Chicken Heads once you get past their name. If that were true, would I still be investing any time or thought into their act? In truth, the more I get to know of them, through their fans and just thinking and writing about them, I find myself appreciating the humor (albeit of a rather dark variety) inherent in the unapologetically low-brow nature of the Chicken Heads. Yes, they did push some buttons in me, mostly regarding the garish and grotesque nature of the capital consumerist phantasmagoria they so brazenly embrace behind the guise of punk rock icons I firmly believe represent the polar opposite. But that’s just show business.

So, I hope that was a more thorough analysis and that I have, at least in part, placated some of my more outspoken critics. And if not, that’s what the comments page is for.

Have a merry and happy whatever it is you celebrate!

Nothing New Today

2009-12-22T13:32:00.000-08:00

Sorry for not posting anything the past few days... down with the flu. I'll have something new tomorrow, fingers crossed.

Survey

2009-12-19T07:08:00.000-08:00

Today I will be very brief. On several occasions now I have received feedback from friends that my blog has been running a bit too long and is difficult to get through. However others have suggested that my shorter entries have been too bereft of information.

I’d really like to get the opinions of anybody reading my blog (in any of its many locations) regarding this issue. Are my blogs too long? Am I conveying the sort of information you find interesting? Am I boring you and driving you away? Are there other suggestions you could make regarding content, subject matter, etc.? Please be kind in your remarks, I break easily!

You may reply to: psmythsongs@gmail.com

Or simply leave comments on this page

Thank you, one and all in advance for your assistance.

Double Elvis

2009-12-18T12:16:00.000-08:00

Very pleased this morning to return to France and eat my words regarding my previous comments about no good unsigned French musicians. Case in point, Double Elvis, a band from Bretagne that blends a melange of Techno-Industrial, Post-New Wave, Darkwave and retro ‘80s Pop with message songs that, with the exception of “Virginia Tech,” make their point without being too pedantic or heavy-handed.

I am reminded of New Order, The Cure, Camouflage and even late ‘80s Xymox, as well as some early Shoe-Gaze bands like Kitchens of Distinction and the Chameleons. At the same time they are fresh and original, with a rich, lush sound and an assertive vocal style that is at times reminiscent of Billy Corgan, at others of David Bowie and, in more subtle moments, of Chris Martin of Coldplay.

Their songs are sung in English, which I suppose makes them more accessible. I can’t deny that the acts I find most appealing from the French-speaking world are those who do sing in English. Personal prejudice? This actually confuses me because I love the French language. But for some reason I find French rock vocals detached and disinterested much of the time. Too much ennui and nuance, perhaps? Not like those raucous Germans!

Standout songs include “Sea of Ashes,” “The Art of War” and “Perdido Street” - a rich, dreamy ballad that is my absolute favorite. As I alluded to above, the song “Virginia Tech” bugs me a bit. It’s one of those songs in the tradition of Paul Hardcastle’s “Nineteen” in which news soundbites become the lyrical, narrative content of the song. I don’t like “Nineteen” at all, so I guess this is just my personal bugaboo. I hate being assailed with news reports in musical arrangements - I just think it’s a too easy and overstated way to make one’s point. But enough about that, there is plenty more to this band that I find truly interesting and compelling. I wish them gobs of success and hope I can find some downloads soon...

Kill the Drama

2009-12-16T10:56:00.000-08:00

I’ve only been thinking and writing about the world of unsigned musicians for a very short while, so that probably explains my continued mystification with what sort of acts do and don’t attract record label attention. Case in point, Kill the Drama, a self-described alternative-progressive rock band from Pittsburg, PA. with a significant following whose sound treads paradoxically between emotional rawness and flawless polish.

According to different sources, Kill the Drama first took the Pittsburg stage somewhere between 2005 and 2006, quickly gaining local acclaim and amassing a sizable fan base. They released their first CD, Close Friends with Sharp Knives in 2007, re-releasing it to electronic venues such as iTunes in 2009, where it enjoys a solid 5-star listener rating.

They are a bit more pop-driven than I typically prefer, but you’d think this would be a desired selling point. Their songs are memorable and catchy, neither overly simple nor needlessly complex. Their videos are professionally produced, their studio recordings rich and full of depth and texture. Of the songs I’ve listened to, “Sunshine” is by far my favorite. It appears to be their most popular song, as well, garnering in excess of one million plays on their MySpace site.

Bryan Laskey, the band’s vocalist, delivers his pathos-driven lyrics with a force and passion reminiscent of Muse’s Matthew Bellamy. Guitars are rough and distorted, drums are full of symbol crashes, and bass riffs harken to early pioneers of progressive rock such as Yes’ Chris Squire and Geddy Lee of Rush. I’ve also read comparisons between the band’s sound and that of groups like Smashing Pumpkins and Placebo. According to the band’s Wikipedia page, Ben “Skinny” Solnik, their original bassist left in 2008 and was replaced by Marios “Mars” Papachristou. The band subsequently announced last month that they had replaced “Mars” with a new bassist, Chris "Oz" Olzewski (makes me wonder if repeatedly hiring bassists with nicknames might not be such a good idea).

My biggest regret over writing about bands like Kill the Drama is that I don’t have more readers and thus the power to affect any change to their current unsigned status. Although I’m sure they’ll do just fine on their own.

Shameless Self-Promotion

2009-12-15T07:32:00.000-08:00

Originally Posted at PsmythSongs.com December 14, 2009

I’ve decided to make some changes to my blogging habits. First of all, writing seven days a week is simply unrealistic - it requires several hours each day to find new acts, listen carefully to their music, dig up biographical info and write something that I hope is pithy, insightful and informative.

So from now on I will post only 3-5 new entries per week, depending upon my other schedule demands. I have also decided that I will periodically spend some time promoting my own work. Which only seems fair, seeing as I came up with this whole blogging idea to gain more visibility for my stuff in the first place...

OK, about my music. I write, perform, record, mix and master all my songs, by myself, in my puny recording studio that also doubles as an office. I like to describe my sound as Gothic Americana. Influences range from ‘60s and ‘70s psychedelia to ‘80s, 90s and beyond goth, grunge, dance music, Johnny Cash, Ennio Morricone, and a whole slew of other genre’s/musicians/composers. I realize this appears a bit unfocused, but if you listen to my songs I think I kinda pull it all together... maybe??? I try to write about flowers and puffy white clouds, but it just doesn’t work. No, you’ll discover little of what one might describe as uplifting in my lyrics - unless you find inspiration in surrendering to the capricious and unpredictable laws of an indifferent, if not hostile universe. I know I do.

Anyhow, in the interest of time (I really need to work on a few songs today...) and my flagging attention span, I’d like to leave you with these few words of hope, inspiration and yes, sadly, desperation:

Please visit any and all of the following sites, listen to my music and watch my videos - and leave ratings and comments. You see, even negative remarks can be very helpful and constructive... I just need feedback!!!

Leftunsigned.blogspot.com

Facebook.com/psmythsongs

MySpace.com/psmythsongs

Youtube.com/ssmyth1a

iLike.com/artist/SP+Smyth

Thank you all. And may the forces that be bless you if you choose to visit my sites and punish you mercilessly if you do not.

The Radioactive Chicken Heads

2009-12-15T07:28:00.000-08:00

Originally Posted at PsmythSongs.com December 12, 2009

OK, now time for The Radioactive Chicken Heads, a band I think is just plain awful... and I don’t believe they’d disagree, as awful appears to be what they’re striving for. Equal parts Dead Kennedys/Stooges wannabes, Gong-Show rejects and Banana Splits [or possibly HR Puff-n-Stuff?) cartoon character puppet-things (if you’re too young to remember any of these cultural references... I envy you).

You’ll find a short clip of their appearance in a talent contest from the Tyra Banks show posted to the band’s MySpace page. They lost the competition... by a significant margin. I dare you to convince me they intended otherwise. They are so bad, it has to be on purpose.

I’m still trying to figure out just exactly what they’re trying to do here. I mean, I understand the whole costume gimmick. And they aren’t all that bad musically (if not tediously derivative). But I believe they’re whole act is tied to a premise that if you create a ghastly enough spectacle, fans will buy your silly merchandise - which is also available at their site.

The only reason I’ve even chosen to write about these guys (and one gal, I believe - she’s the one with the tomato for a head) was because I was shamefully drawn to their sensational nome du plume. It’s too bad there isn’t anything remotely interesting once you get past the name.

Vermillion Lies

2009-12-15T07:26:00.000-08:00

Originally Posted at PsmythSongs.com December 11, 2009

No, it hasn’t escaped my notice that for the past few weeks I have almost categorically ignored female musical acts in my blogs. I did devote one post to Simone White and I briefly mentioned Jen Gloekner (at the very end of my narcissistic love fest “All About My Self”), which is doubly ironic, as both performers actually have recording contracts. So today I shall endeavor to rectify, in at least some small way, my past transgression of only writing about unsigned men.

I found Vermillion Lies among Amanda Palmer’s MySpace friends. Which is precisely the sort of company you’d expect them to keep. As with Palmer’s other band, The Dresden Dolls, Vermillion Lies is a modern cabaret duo - although in this case the band consists of two sisters (Zoë and Kim Boekbinder). And unlike the Dolls, they are a bit more folk than punk.

According to their bio they have performed in venues “From Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada to Moscow, Russia and Braga, Portugal.” They describe their songs as “ranging from lyrical folk ballads to raucous circus marches.” Their performances, both in their studio recordings and live acts, are full of vigor and whimsy. They routinely employ antique instruments and typically non-musical devices (a barbecue grill for percussion, for example) in their songs.

I can’t say they are my favorite act of this sort. I still prefer the Dresden Dolls hands down, but they are definitely worth paying attention to. BTW, each sister recently embarked on respective solo projects. I’ve included links below to each of their sites.

Kim Vermillion - Boekbinder

Zoe Boekbinder

The What The F*cks

2009-12-15T07:22:00.000-08:00

Note: This is a censored version of the original post... The band does not actually use an asterisk in place of a "U" in their name... I removed the "U" just in case the folks at Blogger consider such expletives as constituting adult material... If you'd like, you can visit PsmythSongs to read the band's name intact. SPS.

Originally Posted at PsmythSongs.com December 10, 2009

A couple of weeks ago I wrote a very brief piece about unsigned musical acts from Argentina. Somehow I missed today’s featured band - The What The F*cks (or TWTF) What can I say, I’m learning as I go. Anyway, I found these guys during one of my daily “trawling for new MySpace friends” exercises. When I saw the name I thought ‘you know, I don’t even care if they suck, I’ve got to have a blog entry with this band in it - for the name alone.’ But guess what, they don’t suck.

Their music isn’t anything stupendously groundbreaking or original... just sort of good old toe-tapping acoustic rock and roll with an overtly Latin savor (o sabor?)... I wish I had more book-learning as regards the history of Latin American music - I should, since I rip it off on a regular basis - but I don’t. So the only insight I can really offer here regards my personal, visceral responses to their songs (Sorry I don’t have more to offer. However, anybody interested in furthering their knowledge of Argentinian Rock can start here).

From the first time I listened to this band I found myself smiling and wanting to think good things about the world... which, trust me, is a very odd and unusual state of affairs. And I don’t think I’ve ever seen or heard a band have more fun while performing. At the same time, their melodies really get under one’s skin in that catchy, haunting, I’m gonna find myself humming this while I do the dishes this evening but won’t remember where I heard it, sort of way.

I do speak a bit of Spanish and could probably translate some of their songs’ lyrical contents given enough time... but honestly, I rarely write about lyrics at all, simply because I don’t have the time such explication requires (I already spend way too many hours on this blog as is). What I can do is tell you that the first song on their site, “Que Bajon” (loose translation: What a Slump) I believe has something to do with salad and ham.

In all honesty, I know less about these guys than I do about Argentina and it’s music, other than that I really like their songs... There is scant biographical info on their MySpace page and, after minutes of surfing the web, I found little more, other than a Facebook fan page and postings for shows and appearances in Argentina.

In fact, for all I know, these guys could be some shamefully regarded, hack cover band with a sensational handle they use to the gain attention of silly American blog writers with little knowledge of Argentinian culture or Latin American folk or pop musical genres or modes in general. In any case, I highly recommend The What the F*cks and hope they’ll deliver more music to us soon...

Psykids Army

2009-12-14T09:10:00.000-08:00

Originally Posted at PsmythSongs.com December 9, 2009

I’m beginning today’s blog entry with a friendly disclaimer:

I have two 6-month-old Boston Terrier puppies who are the cutest, most playful, loving, smart, cuddly (blech... enough already) creatures on the planet, who also like to bark at the wind, shadows, the furnace, lint... Well, last night they did this from about midnight until, well, right about now - which is roughly 7:06 am. So I’ve had zero sleep and my mind is a bit sluggish. So I’ll do my best to be coherent and insightful and to do justice to this morning’s topic - not the easiest of tasks on my good days.

So this morning we have another unsigned artist I found on MySpace a few days back called Psykids Army (aka Ryan Wirth). Here is yet one more instance where I find myself questioning the malignancy of the gods when it comes to who does and does not get access to recording contracts. I mean, there are so many major and indie label acts out there generating gobs of just absolute crap and yet time and again I find myself listening to artists such as Mr. Wirth who are producing some really sophisticated and wonderful music - you know, the sort of music that might edify rather than drive one to drink a forty and put a cap somewhere or another.

I hate to gush and all that, but I absolutely love the Psykid sound and I think Wirth is an amazing composer and musician. He describes his style as “moving photography.” I’m not certain if he is referring here to a conceptual motility of fixed images or to the poignancy of such (perhaps both/and?). His songs are moody, melodic, languorous daydreams. His voice, a breathier, somewhat less angst-ridden reminder of Conor Oberst, floats atop lush layers of soft, clean guitars (a bit David Gilmore here, a bit Buckethead there [I’m thinking Colma and Electric Tears]), glowing synthesizers and industrial percussion. And yet there are moments, particularly within the song “Confusion is Always There,” when I am, strangely enough, reminded of Sonic Youth, even though most of the song is acoustic.

The narrative arc of Wirth’s current song collection, Story, is reminiscent of Doves (particularly The Last Broadcast), with each song supporting the others thematically. Story is present in its entirety at his MySpace site and available for free download. I hope he gets this out into the paying marketplace soon - he’s clearly put his heart and soul into it and deserves some remuneration.

I wish I had some biographical info on Wirth, but, like so many of us unsigned types, who’s only real selling point is the mystique of our own obscurity, he provides few if any personal details on his MySpace page (nor could I find other online sources for such information).

OK, my work is done here... off to nap now.

Wild Indians(sssss)

2009-12-14T09:02:00.000-08:00

Originally Posted at PsmythSongs.com December 8, 2009

Despite a politically incorrect appellation (particularly piquant to my friends in AIM), I am nonetheless compelled to devote a paragraph or two to Wild Indians (AKA Wild Indianssssss, AKA Jon Powell), an apparently one-man-act from Baltimore. I found Wild Indians completely by accident during what I will refer to from here on in as my ‘quest for a good unsigned French band period.‘

I can’t help but draw tangential comparisons between Wild Indians and Brian Lambert, whom I wrote about in November. With vocals both labored and maudlin, reminiscent at times of Death Cab For Cutie’s Ben Gibbard and at others of early ‘70s Bowie, Powell melds avant-garde Americana with retro post-hippie folk pop. His recordings are minimal, mostly acoustic, rough, raw and a bit shaky - although he deftly maintains that elusive balance between unpolished and just plain sloppy.

I find everything I’ve heard from Powell/WI (which consists solely of the tracks housed at his/their MySpace site) compelling, provocative and stirring in that just-short-of-unsettling manner. However, the song that keeps me going back for more is the cymbal-crash-driven ballad, "Heavy in the New Ages." It is here that Powell sounds most like Bowie, adroitly paying homage to the past master’s plaintive falsetto.

I wish I had more information to provide here, however WI’s MySpace site is distressingly laconic and I could find no further info on the web. If more becomes available in the near future I’ll be sure to share.

Belgium

2009-12-14T08:59:00.000-08:00

Originally Posted at PsmythSongs.com December 7, 2009

I’m accepting recent events as a collective sign from the musical universe that I haven’t spent enough time listening to work hailing from the French-speaking world. Let me explain. I approach each of my blog entries by visiting a MySpace friend and then clicking randomly on their friends until I find a few unsigned acts. I continue this way until I discover something I feel moved to write about. Well last night the first act I clicked on was a guy from Belgium named Paul Léonard, recording under the name the mechanicalbrains. Although he only has two songs posted to his site, I really enjoyed them, especially the second one titled “Hurt.” I sent Monsieur Léonard a note asking for more tracks... I haven’t heard back, but hopefully he’ll add some by the time others visit.

From Leonard’s site I followed links to several other Belgian acts and found a lot of really great stuff there. I mean really great. If you’d like to hear more from the land that brought us Rubens, van Eyck and Magritte, you can explore some of the links below.

And now, back to France (because that horse looks like it’s still twitching a bit). I believe I know why I’m having such difficulty finding good unsigned bands there. I’ve noticed that many acts list themselves as signed to indie labels, then neglect to mention the label’s names. Could it be that many French musicians would rather list themselves as indie than as unsigned? Is there perhaps some shame in not having a record label? Or could it be that I’m encountering a moment of linguistic slippage, a difference (or differance, if you will) between what is meant by words such as indie and unsigned across similar, yet divergent, cultures and languages? (BTW - if you haven’t read Derrida’s writing on linguistic issue, I’d rush out and get a copy of Of Grammatology, it won’t clarify anything - ever - but I wanted to appear all smart and educated for a moment). What I’m trying to say here is that it’s possible at least some of the bands listing themselves on MySpace as signed actually aren’t and that I should share some of their music on this forum after all... n’est-ce-pas?

OK, I promise not to mention France again until tomorrow, or maybe the day after, when I’ll finally share some of what I really like from there, unsigned or otherwise.

And now for the Belgians, in the order they show up on my friend list:

(N)AUTONE

7EVENPM

Next Exit To Nowhere

Bambi Kramer

Nogaro

The mechanicalbrains

Nightmare of the Elf [part 2 (part two)]

2009-12-13T06:43:00.000-08:00

Originally Posted at PsmythSongs.com December 6, 2009

{continued from Nightmare of the Elf [part 2 (part one)]}

Disclaimer: I wrote this and the previous post on a Saturday morning between 4 and 6am... I hadn't had much sleep and might have strayed into my own waking nightmare of sorts during the composition of said posts. I considered not including these entries here and then decided that I must be true to my art and share anything and everything I happen to spew forth while under the influence of the muse. Also, I think I thought I was being drolly irreverent at the time... in retrospect, I think I was just plain obnoxious... I left a message with the Elfs to get their opinion of the piece(s). They did not respond... However, I have not attempted to contact France. (Honestly, though, I'm a complete Francophile, so don't let the vitriol and bitterness fool you - it's all meant in good humor... seriously).

So here now, for your reading pleasure, I present to you Nightmare of the Elf [part two (part 2)]:

... As to the Pose Punk reference... either this term is so new as to confound every source I could find, it was simply made up by those in Elf land, or it is a hybrid of the terms Post Punk and Poser Punk (both terms arguably aimed at those who don Punk Rock trappings without engendering the sensibilities of the Punk Rock milieu). I’ll go with the latter... The point here is this... anybody who thinks they’re punk rock today isn’t. I’m actually old enough to have witnessed the death of Punk Rock first hand... it happened sometime around the very early ‘80s. So anything that calls itself Punk today is, by definition, Pose(r) Punk. Wait a second, that wasn’t my point at all. Here’s my point: I could have figured all this out on my own without any “research,” but I wanted to be certain there wasn’t some novel, creative way the term Punk was being twisted and perverted to suit the greedy motives of some mad marketing geniuses too unoriginal to coin new terms and too heartless to let the old ones RIP already.

So anyway, after listening to Nightmare of the Elf and reading a bit of their meandering rhetoric, I’ve concluded that pretty much everything about them is designed to confuse, confound and decentralize meaning, definition, textual contextualization... terribly PoMo, PoCo, PoFoucault... or was that Derrida? No matter. The real point, after all, is this...

I wasted yet more valuable time this morning on useless research. So thank you, Elf, like the French, you’ve been both edifying and annoying. So much to love and so much more to drive you out of your F*ing skull trying to figure out why you wasted thousands of dollars and 10 hours of turbulence and the threat of contracting swine flu due to bad air circulation just to end up in a country where most everyone wants to spit on you... and not in that gratifying, fun way folks like Johnny Rotten used to do “back in the day...” but in that “get out of our f*ing country you stupid American swine, with all your tourist dollars and bad taste, and deplorable uncouthness, and... and... your many tourist dollars (or would that be francs?) kind of way. (rollover this link to follow the thread...)

Fat ass... gonna buy you a donkey-ee-ee...

Nightmare of the Elf [part 2 (part 1)]

2009-12-13T06:18:00.001-08:00

Originally Posted at PsmythSongs.com December 5, 2009

So what I wrote yesterday about French bands sucking was meant to be confined to a very limited group of French musicians - those both unsigned and in possession of MySpace sites. I honestly came across a glut of really great French bands, particularly of the Goth variety, who, sadly, had recording contracts. I also loved most of what I heard from the France-based Manic Depression Records. I know, I know, I have transgressed my golden rule of only writing about unsigned musicians in the past... but I’m trying to keep this from becoming a habit. I’m not a complete purist, but I do like to maintain recognizable boundaries. So, to clarify, my critique was not of French music in general, nor of the French people nor of the entire country of France, but of the tiny sliver of French musicians who do not have record deals whom I was able to access given my limited knowledge of how the internet actually functions.

Now... about my ignorance of contemporary music jargon and genres. I mentioned yesterday that Nightmare of the Elf describe themselves as Pose Punk/Dork Wave. I further intimated that I had no idea what that meant. So I Googled both phrases and here’s what I found... Last term first:

According to the online Urban Dictionary, Dorkwave is defined as (in addition to manipulating one’s penis in some strange sort of greeting or salutation):

A dance muisc [sic] subgenre and its associated subculture that

spans dance-rock, indie-techno, electro-punk, monkey-acid,

boot-gazer, and any muisc [sic] that would get one called a

"freak","fag", "squid", etc. Dorkwave is like a movement without

the bother of all the meaning.

by Michael Doyle May 8, 2005

I still can’t say if this accurately describes Elf, since after about an hour of investigating the Dorkwave “movement” I still don’t know what the f*ck it is other than a few guys from Detroit with DJ setups and really, really bad music who, at least in TV interviews, were unable to articulate even minutely what they were doing - other than making money off young adults dancing to their parent’s old vinyl records... I think the term is more an advertising slogan than an actual musical trend. If you can enlighten me further, please do...

{end of Nightmare of the Elf [part 2 (part one)] return tomorrow for..... Nightmare of the Elf [part 2 (part two)]}

Nightmare of the Elf [part 1]

2009-12-13T06:15:00.001-08:00

Originally Posted at PsmythSongs.com December 4, 2009

So I murdered over three hours this morning scanning the web for notable French musicians to write about. Problem was, the only unsigned bands I uncovered sort of, well, sucked.

So I gave up on my Parisian pipe dream and returned to a land much closer to home yet in many ways just as foreign: That’s right, the San Fernando Valley, home to both the (straight) porn industry and a frightening band of noise-makers who call themselves Nightmare of the Elf. I can’t really tell you much about them you won’t learn yourself by clicking on the link above. Suffice it to say this band is really different… from anything - at least that I’ve ever heard. They describe themselves as “The Greatest Pose Punk / Dork Wave band EVER!” I’d definitely have to agree - if only I knew what that meant.

When I listened to the first of three songs posted to their site, “Fat Ass Gonna Buy You a Donkey,” all I could think was “what the hell is this shit?” But after multiple listenings I’ve decided it’s either one of the strangest, funniest, most disturbing and most brilliant pieces of horrifying a-cappella codswallop I’ve ever listened to or, well, I guess that’s exactly what it is. I love it so much I’m afraid of it. And now I can’t stop humming its haunting, yet trite melody… fat ass…gonna buy you a donkey-ee-ee, gonna buy you a donkey-ee-ee, gona buy you a donkey...

I’m sorry I wasted so much time searching for the French indie scene today but thrilled that that experience left me too weak and exhausted to hit the pause button once I’d begun listening to Elf. In any other state of mind I’m sure I would have fled after the first note or two. So thank you, France, you’re the best!

Rant

2009-12-12T03:43:00.000-08:00

Originally Posted at PsmythSongs.com December 2, 2009

This morning, as I reviewed some of my recent blog entries, I couldn’t help but notice what I can only describe as a palpable lack of objectivity and criticality. It’s true, I prefer to focus on what I feel is working with any given artist and their oeuvre (and lavish praise upon them in the process) and to veer from what I may find lacking, boring or outright irritating in their work. I have also made a concerted effort to seek only those musicians who really get inside me and shake things up a bit (even if their instrumental technique, song writing adeptness or production prowess might suffer from a minor lack of mechanical or critical perfection). Today, however, I’m going to be really mean and nasty about something that really irritates the hell out of me - both to demonstrate that I am willing and able do such a thing (and with unmitigated abandon) and to provide some balance to what has otherwise been a big love-fest between myself and some of my favorite independent musicians.

So here it is: I was searching on Youtube yesterday for more unsigned musicians/video artists to write about, thinking I would find the same vast talent pool I’ve found lately on MySpace. Instead, I discovered what I would characterize as a lot of absolute crap. I mean seriously bad, awful, terrible, hateful garbage. I’m not going to name names, but here’s what I will say to those making such abominations: Just because you own a guitar and a web cam does not mean you have a right to make a music video. Especially if you find it necessary to do so while sitting on your bed.

I know, I know... if I hate this sort of thing so much, why not just ignore it, right? Well, here’s why:

1. There are a great many monumentally talented, hardworking and devoted musicians writing and recording sublime songs and producing compelling videos who go lamentably unsigned.

2. The excess of detritus being expelled from so many of those I discovered on Youtube who call themselves ‘unsigned artists’ only makes it more difficult for those with real ability to achieve recognition above the relentless din of mediocrity.

3. I loathe people who take no pride in what they do. I mean seriously, could you even try to make it look like you care?

4. Finally, I think any and all of these wannabe recording artists are shooting themselves in the foot by demonstrating to the world (and anybody with the will and resources to grant them a record deal) that they don’t care enough about their public images to even try to be interesting. There may be some real talent out there, but, quite frankly, if some unknown hack writer like me can’t be bothered to take the time to sift through the trash, no record executive is going to, either.

Whew, I feel much better now. I also feel more resolute in my quest to find those truly talented and rigorous unsigned artists and to help them tout their wares. And if I tend to privilege strength above failing, well, I guess that’s just my thing. If you don’t like it, go write your own blog about touchy-feely bloggers who bug the sh*t out of you. (BTW, I have no problem using profanity, but for some reason I find the [expletive deleted] versions of such words really f*ing funny).

Desert Owls

2009-12-12T03:37:00.000-08:00

Originally Posted at PsmythSongs.com December 2, 2009

Rummaging about the Myspace archives this morning I discovered this Canadian group calling themselves Desert Owls. A posted message to the Coachella Valley Music and Art Fesitval’s site reads “... hopefully we’ll get to play your festival one day.” I figured they must be real indie, since one normally hires a manager and publicist to carry out such solicitations. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find an MP3 to download at itunes. Which is too bad, because I would have happily parted with the $.99.

I find their music terribly catchy, despite its being far from my usual taste. They describe themselves as Punk / Thrash / Trance, commenting that their music sounds like “our parents are disappointed.” It’s always inspiring to find unsigned musicians with ample senses of humor.

The band blend in-your-face dissonance with melodious, toe-tapping pop. I’m reminded of the more aggressive offerings from early Pixies, “Something Against You” or “Debasers,” say. Could I have found a more recent band to compare them to? I suppose so, although aside from my friend Dyami’s band Poor Man’s War, I haven’t listened to a lot of this sort of music. So yes, I’ll date myself and trace this band back to the source of all things rough and wonderful... In all honesty, though, a band like Desert Owls is to Pixies what Yeah Yeah Yeahs is to The Pretenders.

I wish I could say something critically negative about their songs... I don’t want to come across all wishy-washy and sycophantic. But if I didn’t like them I’d have moved on. Which is what I typically do for about an hour each morning in search of something compelling to write about. OK, I don’t love every single song, but those that I do, I like quite a lot.

My favorites, in this order are: “Go Go Go,” “Who,” “The Transitional Stereotypes of the Comm” and “The Letter E.” I suspect there may be more to that third title - something cut off due to limited space..? Or not.

If they do play Coachella some day I’ll make sure to go - since I only live about twenty minutes away... although on festival days it still takes about an hour through slogging traffic to get there.

Patrick Doval

2009-12-11T08:31:00.000-08:00

Originally Posted at PsmythSongs.com November 27, 2009

I especially appreciate his use of the bass as a musical instrument (rather than as a tool for irritating one’s neighbors at 3am - Uh oh, am I showing my age here?).

Standout songs:

Many Faces: More aggressive and Industrial than the others. Reminds me a bit of Gary Numan’s more recent work.

Also:

Empty Road

Turbulence

Caged

OK, no matter how much I write here, it won’t do justice to Doval’s music. I urge you to check him out. Really great, compelling material.

For more info on Patrick you can visit these sites:

http://www.myspace.com/patrickdoval

http://www.reverbnation.com/patrickdoval

http://www.youtube.com/user/patrickdoval

All About... Myself

2009-12-11T08:27:00.000-08:00

Originally Posted at PsmythSongs.com November 26, 2009

I couldn’t decide what to write about today - too many Thanksgiving festivities leaving little time for the countless hours of research this blog requires. So, after much internal debate (most of which took place between the kitchen and my office during my first caffeinated beverage of the day) I decided to write about myself. Shameless, I know, but I guess that’s the first thing you should know about me.

I have been composing and playing music since I first failed to learn the violin in the second grade. A bit later I began playing guitar and found that more suited to my skills and attention span. I wowed my junior high student body with a rendition of “Stairway to Heaven” while in the eighth grade. I left such an impression that at my last high school reunion, when introducing myself to one of my fellow alums, he said “Oh yeah, you’re that guy who played ‘Stairway to Heaven.’”

I spent most of high school in my bedroom, practicing. I wrote a lot of songs, mostly with my friend Geoff, all of which I have since forgotten. After high school I gave up on my dreams of musical stardom and tried a lot of other things instead. I worked some odd jobs - some that were really odd - returned to college to study architecture, left without completing my degree, worked in interior and lighting design, went back to school and finished my degree, stayed in school and got a master’s, and then realized I was over-educated and unemployable. So I retreated into my burgeoning home music studio and picked up where I left off in my teens, writing and recording songs. Some folks, including my former songwriting partner, have commented that my music reminds them of proto-alternative music from the early ‘80s. God, I hope I’ve grown artistically since then...

So now I spend most of my time (literally) in my home studio writing and recording new material. And I live in utter and unqualified bliss. Well, I suppose I would have to qualify that by saying that I would be even more blissful if I could build a nice, solid fan base. And then maybe get them to send me cash for my endless, if blissful, toils. This is where you come in.

As I have found, most people visiting my website go right for the blog. Which is great. I love writing, and if that turned into a full-time gig, I’d be almost as blissful as I would if the music thing worked out. But seriously, there is other content here... so please check out the rest of my site. I have lots of material - about three CDs worth - and can post more songs if that will entice you.

So here’s where the really shameless part comes in - OK, probably not as shameless as Jan and Dean singing “Buy, Buy, Buy Our Album” during their come-back a few years ago (am I the only one who saw that commercial? [and really, that was more pitiful than shameless]) - since I don’t yet have anything ready to sell, I only ask that you keep visiting my site, check routinely for updates, and tell your friends, family, coworkers, gym partners, the people at the dog park and anybody else you might know - even if it’s just to say hello - to check out my site, as well.

OK, that’s all I got. Oh, and check out Jen Gloeckner’s Myspace page. Very haunting and beautiful music. I believe she has a self-produced CD coming out in February.

Peace, Love and Turkey...

Brian Lambert

2009-12-10T16:03:00.001-08:00

Originally Posted at PsmythSongs.com November 24, 2009

Brian Lambert is a musical iconoclast, boldly invoking the ghosts of distinct and revered genres, only to dash them against one another, where they refuse to comfortably cohere. The resulting synthesis is something like a mad shuttle ride down an unevenly lit mineshaft, descending through rocky strata of American musical history, terminating in an upside-down, inside-out wonderland where one might join Alice and the Hatter for afternoon tea. And it’s well worth the trip.

S P Smyth

I wrote the above at the request of LC Messinger of When Girls Collide, who is in the process of producing a CD for Brian Lambert. The quote pretty much describes my experience of Lambert’s music to date. Emerging as a unique voice from within the exuberant Austin music scene, Lambert began working with Messinger last year when “mistaken as a Jehovah witness, [he] knocked on the door of Crush M Records.” The synthesis between Lambert’s Americana and Messinger’s “KD Lang on acid in a barn yard full of loud animals” approach is quirky, odd and unsettling. Which, from me, is a ringing endorsement.

Initially, I wasn’t sure what to make of the sound. The first track I heard, a demo titled Spell for Happiness, was an eccentric, blues/folk tune - a stripped down acoustic guitar and vocal - that sounded as though it were pressed on vinyl and played back through an ancient Victrola. But it grew on me the more I played it. Which is true of each song I’ve heard since. As I write this I am listening to Brian’s latest posting at his Myspace page,“Didn’t Want You to Want Me.” Again he appeals to past musical styles - in this case late ‘60s Rock and Roll/Blues ala Hendrix and the Doors - but here Messinger’s production augments basic guitar, base, drum and vocal tracks with a melange of atonal electronica that confounds one’s ability to dismiss this as derivative or to pigeon-hole Lambert as retro-this or that.

Brian has a very strong, versatile voice. He describes himself on his Myspace page as “A cross between Bob Dylan, Jeff Buckley and David Byrne.” While this may be accurate, such comparisons are useful more as marketing soundbites than as a complete description of Lambert’s oeuvre. In truth, Brian has his own fluid and distinct vocal style, one that compliments his unique approach to musical de-&-re construction.

At this moment I do not have a solid release date for Lambert’s CD, but it is coming soon. I will post updates as I receive them.

Note: Although I have a long-standing friendship with Messinger, I have never met nor even corresponded with Brian - despite me efforts to Friend him at Myspace.

Unsigned in Argentina

2009-12-10T15:57:00.000-08:00

Originally Posted at PsmythSongs.com November 25, 2009

The photo above comes from the Myspace page of the independent recording artist(s) from Buenos Aires known as Noise Reduction. J. Cruz (who randomly contacted me after I joined Twitter last week), is presumably a member of Noise Reduction, however my Spanish is a little rusty and his Myspace page is a little vague. Suffice it to say (write?) that since connecting with Cruz and Noise Reduction I have been investigating other unsigned musical acts hailing from Argentina - all of whom I found on Noise Reduction’s friend page. Since I couldn’t possibly review every single unsigned Argentine act, and I don’t even have enough space here to provide details of any single one of them, I would like to bring their music to your attention and hope you go investigate for yourself. I picked the acts at random and weeded them out based on two criteria: 1. were they unsigned 2. did I like them - at least a little. So here’s what I found. The names appear in no particular order. Click on any of them to visit their Myspace pages.

Happy listening.