October Grapevine

Grapevine will be a new feature we’re going to try to do on a monthly basis. It will contain info about things we come across and would like to share with our readers. Most times, it will feature bands or songs that make an impression on us. Some will be new, some may be old but we’ve just found them. We don’t do reviews. These are songs (or some other media) that we like and why we like them. It may be the recording, the song style or feel, the instrumentation, arrangement or the attitude. We may also look at videos, photos or whatever excites us at the time. Who knows how it will evolve?

First Up:

Spielbergs – ‘Five On It’

Great recording, sounds kind of lo-fi style, but with all the instruments a clear part of the mix. Vocals are mixed in low enough that they have an instrumental feel, another instrument in the mix. The kind of songs I listen to cruising around backroads with the windows open singing along. Love the guitar crunch. This song is from the album ‘This Is The End’ and hearing the whole album straight through is a great listen. Some songs add a little shoegaze feedback guitar to the mix.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JmseAxj3RkU

Second;

 Strand of Oaks – ‘Weird Ways’

The songs starts with vocal and just some background guitar. Really makes you listen to the lyrics. Excellent clear vocal sound. When the band kicks in the song goes up a notch without losing the vocals. Really like the clean drum sound. The song structure works with the interlude in the middle and the kick back in to the song. Super headphone music.

I’m adding a second song from the same album ‘Eraserland’. If for no other reason – the sonics of the slide guitar. Why do I so love melancholy?

Finally:

The Devil Makes Three – ‘Chains Are Broken’

My reason for this song is pretty obvious. Live. In. The. Studio. Acoustic. Does it get any better than that? So simple, so beautiful. If you can pull someone in using that format, you got it going. This version sounds a bit darker (and I do love darker) than the album version that has drums and more production. Second guitar part bites a little better on the studio version. Pretty cool that it kicks in both versions.

Hey, if you like this too, let us know.

Inspiration Point

The idea of an ‘Inspiration Point’ always reminds me of standing on the edge of a canyon and looking down at the beautiful scenery below. Or shouting in to the canyon and hearing an echo come back. Here’s an In The Studio version of our indoor inspiration point (Episode 6):

We also have three new ‘Messin’ With The Music’ songs in production and hope to have something out soon.

Messin’ With The Music Part 3 – Death Party

Time for another addition of ‘Messin With The Music’. Last post we spoke of our love for dark, swampy ‘Southern Gothic’ styles of music. So as we were thinking of what to ‘mess with’ next I naturally thought of one of our all time favorite bands, The Gun Club. We’ve visited them before – you can find our cover of ‘Ghost On The Highway’ on our SoundCloud site. The recording of this one has followed our same Messin’ philosophy – minimal takes, minimal mics, recording tracks straight through. The difference was this song was begging for electric guitar, lots of crunchy distortion and tons of reverb. We kept it minimal with bass, hand percussion and vocals (you’ll also hear a howlin’ surprise visit from Bonnie and Samantha).

We’re already working on the next tune in the series and it’s another bit of a sharp turn. For now, turn down the lights, crank up the volume and enjoy The Gun Club’s ‘Death Party’.

End Of Year Influences

With a new year unfolding I thought it would be a good time to present some more bands that released albums in 2018 that I enjoyed and got the gears in my brain turning.

First, Parquet Courts ‘Wide Awake’. The song reminds me of much of the ‘post-punk’ funk I enjoyed from the 1980’s, like Talking Heads first forays in to that style.

 

I’d recommend getting the full Wide Awake CD. They play a variety of styles on the album, all of them really well done. Also really enjoyed the song ‘Total Football’. I still buy full CD albums. First, I like hearing the songs in wav format as compared to MP3s. Second, support the bands you like.

Another great album from last year was Holly Golightly and the Brokeoffs ‘Clippety Clop’. An album of stripped down covers and traditionals many of them with that old time ‘Southern Gothic’ feel. Like hand pluckin’ an acoustic guitar sittin’ on a tombstone in a cemetery at twilight (and yes, I already know I’m a bit odd). First song is ‘Horses In The Mines’.

They also do a cover of the traditional ‘Two White Horses’. You can find an early version of the song by The Two Poor Boys on YouTube. Here’s the Brokeoffs version:

As I listened to it, it seemed familiar from somewhere else. Beck did a wonderfully spooky rewrite version of it on his Guero album. He kept the basic tag line of the song and wrote his own chords and verses to come up with ‘Farewell Ride’. For years musicians have worked from old traditional songs. Wonderfully done shivers.

‘Till we meet again.

 

 

 

Camp Cope – How to Socialize and Make Friends

Discovered these gals in one of my magazines I subscribe to.  This Aussie trio is up and coming and all of their songs are great… the song featured here is one that really spoke to me.

Enjoy!