Stars of Track and Field

So I’m slow, it took me weeks to figure out why I was so instantly taken with Stars of  Track and Field’s dreamy atmospheric guitar based sound.

Yep it’s their dreamy atmospheric guitar based sound. Like I said “slow”

The band consists of

Jason Bell – Guitar/Vocals
Kevin Calaba – Vocals/Guitar/Keyboards
Daniel Orvik – Drums/Samples/Programming

Now some of you will have spotted that there isn’t a bassist there.

Well done.

The story goes, when Stars of Track and Field found themselves without a bassist a couple of years ago, the  didn’t follow the typical steps to find a replacement. No want-ads were placed; no attempts were made to recruit from other bands and nobody within the group switched instruments. Instead, the band opted for the path less travelled: they went digital.

AT this point Stars of Track and Field becomes a totally different band, they now try and merge the old school  analog and the digital today.

Do they succeed?  I think so.

One listen to “Centuries” blend of vinyl-sampled kick drum, digital handclaps, reverse cymbals and keyboard arpeggio which builds to the song’s crescendo of electric guitar feedback, layered vocals and live drums.

Want more? Have a listen to “Movies of Antarctica” as it swings between a clinical digital minimalism and awesome guitar and drums wall of sound.

Yum

This is the video of  “Movies of Antartica”

Highly Recommended

Websites at http://www.myspace.com/starsoftrackandfield and http://www.starsoftrackandfield.com

Freak Kitchen

Freak Kitchen is a heavy metal/hard rock band from Sweden, they fired up in the early Nineties and kept the same line up until 2000 when the rhythm section was replaced.  Their music is melodic, rich, harmonically complex and full of interesting approaches to time.

Lyrically they mine the usual targets – capitalist society, conformity, racism and the attitude of huge record companies.

Freak Kitchen’s style of music is influenced by many genres besides the traditional heavy metal, ranging from jazz to pop. The band described their third album as “A corny little heavy-pop-rock-Latin-world-jazz-avant-garde-metal-blues-record”.

Now before you press play on “Chest Pain Waltz” over at http://www.myspace.com/freakkitchenmusic I suppose I should give you a language warning, I would suggest the headphones on for this one if you are listening at work. I truly love the guitar work on this track, there are bits of Zappa and the solo wouldn’t be to out of place on fusion jazz album.  The rhythm section just stand up and drive this song. But the really spiffy bit is that you can hear every word (and don’t forget this  Swedish band) and understand what the song. The production reminds me of the kind of attention to detail that you find on a Stelly Dan album.

Freak Kitchen – Hatefull Little People (Live)

There is a lot of interesting material available from these guys. Dont miss it becasue of the “metal” label. They are having a ball.

Highly Recommended

Websites at http://www.myspace.com/freakkitchenmusic and  http://duggup.com.au/?p=2137

Brock Zeman

Brock Zeman is another one of those artists that I have no idea how I found him, I am just glad I did. His song “The Train In Me” off his album “$100 DIFFERENCE” is a gem. It sounds like John Mellencamp and Steve Earle should have written it.

Brock is another American story teller (ironic as he’s Canadian but let’s not let geography mess up a good story, they are next door neighbours), and he has a lot going for him. What appears to be a ton of good songs, with great stories, really memorable melodies and a very cool sense of humour (Listen to “Killer In The Corn” over at his MySpace site- the solo alone is priceless).

Hype from the site…

Over the past five years Brock Zeman has elbowed his way into the independent music world. The 27 year old singer-songwriter of Carleton Place Ontario has already released 6 albums and toured Canada and the US extensively averaging 250 to 300 dates a year. His signature roots style, has been praised by critics for the maturity of his vocals, the depth of his storytelling and his impressive live performances.

He was first discovered by Canadian Country Hall of Famer Keith Glass (Prairie Oyster) who went on to produce his first 4 releases. By the time of his 5th released Brock was picked up by Busted Flat records out of Kitchener Ontario, and in the past five years Brock has become known as one of the most prolific, hard working artists to fly under the radar.

Here is a video of a house concert performance of “The Train In Me”…

There are more songs over at http://brockzeman.com/ and http://www.myspace.com/brock_zeman. Head over and have a listen, it’s really good stuff.

Highly Recommended (and I love his guitarist Dan Walsh as well)

UPDATE

I spotted a couple of live recordings over at Archive.org, there is a concert from November 2008 at  Gruene Hall in New Braunfels, Texas
The band line up was Brock Zeman Acoustic Guitar, Vocals – Dan Walson Acoustic Guitar, Vocals  – Blair Hogan Bass, Vocals

This is fabulous stuff. Have a listen stream it. Just be aware its over two hours of concert.

They are from Austin, Texas and play a brand of American traditional music inspired by bluegrass mixed liberally with elements of European folk and the traditional American string band.

They are loose and lovely, raucous and rude; watch The Electric Mountain Rotten Apple Gang play Sally Ann live as they busk at the Maker’s Fair.

Their website is at www.myspace.com/electricmountainrottenapplegang where you can here more songs and view other videos by this band.

The Electric Mountain Rotten Apple Gang is Adam Kobetich- vocals, clawhammer banjo, three finger banjo, Amanda Kitchens- vocals, accordion, guitar, Patric Fitzsimons- vocals, mandolin, Daniel Edwards- flattop guitar, vocals and clawhammer banjo, Andrew Pressman- doghouse bass, vocals and Sick!- fiddle, backing vocals (Can’t work out if this last bit is a person or a comment, so we will leave it there – enjoy. Jools)

No Age

They were right.

So lets run down the checklist.

Guitar? Check.
Drums? Check.
Yep – That’s it. Just the two instruments.

No Age is a two-person noise pop group consisting of guitarist Randy Randall and drummer Dean Allen Spunt. The band is based in Los Angeles and currently signed to Sub Pop records. They take their name from the title of a 1987 SST Records instrumental compilation, which Spunt discovered while working at Aron’s, a record store in Los Angeles.

Their strong ties with the Los Angeles underground community centered around the Smell and their DIY ethic is a throwback to the 1980′s strong hardcore and punk underground, and, indeed, that inspiration shines through on much of their music.

They have released two full-length albums, toured extensively in support of them, and are strong advocates of the All-ages Movement Project, an organisation that connects youth to each other and the arts through independent music.

If the NO AGE stuff I have been listening to is indicative of what they do live, then this band are a sure bet to outgrow the Los Angeles underground scene and with their “take no prisoners attitude” get a wide spread and appreciative audience.

Highly Recommended

Manu Chao

Manu Chao is a great little find, he has been entertaining my head for a couple of months now.

He is a French Latin folk singer of French and Spanish (Basque/Galician) origin.  He moved to Paris as a very young child, when his parents decided to escape the dictatorship of Francisco Franco.

During the Eightie’s, Manu Chao experimented with a number of different genres of music, including punk and rockabilly, before starting his band Mano Negra with his brother Antoine and some friends. His “stage name” in Mano Negra was Oscar Tramor. Mano Negra played a combination of rock, punk, rockabilly, ska and Latin music, and became wildly popular in Europe and South America.

After the breakup of Mano Negra, Manu Chao began to perform as a solo artist. His music is even more experimental than that of Mano Negra, with an even heavier focus on Ska, Rai and Latin Music. He plays the guitar, and is usually accompanied by a band called Radio Bemba Sound System, which includes horns, keyboards and various world musical instruments.

Manu Chao’s lyrics touch on a variety of issues, from the mundane and even silly (“King of the Bongo”) to love, poverty and world politics. He sings in at least seven languages: French, Spanish, Portuguese, Galician, English, Arabic and Wolof, often in the same sound (you have to love compulsive over achievers).

Manu Chao is decidedly left-wing, politically, and is very critical of various governmental regimes around the world, including the Bush Administration.

From Youtube, Manu Chao – Welcome To Tijuana

Think Punk Afro Carribean with a really solid backing.

Recommended

Websites at www.manuchao.net/ and www.myspace.com/manuchao

Lindsay Buckland

I first ran into Lindsay Buckland years ago when he was busking here in Melbourne, his music would stop me cold every time and more than once I was late for a meeting or would miss the tram because of him.

Lindsay plays dulcimer and we aren’t talking simple folk accompaniments here (altough I am sure he can do them brilliantly. No siree, we are talking electric, amplified, signal processed, digitally looped and spat out dulcimer. And it’s brilliant.

Here is some hype from his site…

Lindsay Buckland is internationally renown for his legendary street performances around the globe. Undisputed as the worlds foremost electric dulcimer player, Lindsay has successfully crafted a unique original melodic sound emanating from a simple folk instrument, the Appalachian dulcimer.

Merged with the latest electronics he has been at the forefront of contemporary world music & composition over the past decade.

His multi-cultural audiences and mass appeal, to such a diverse age group are testament to the popularity of his infectious style of music. As a result his CD’s have sold in numbers previously unheard of for a totally independent recording artist.

Now that’s all very cool and to hear what he can do head over to http://www.myspace.com/lindsaybuckland and have a listen to his studio work and then have a look at this video of one of his street performances from YouTube.

I love his music and always seem to have a few of his tracks on the MP3 player. One of my faves is of one of his older albums, “Eclipse Of Common Sense”. Have a listen to “Trans Amazonian Highway

I haven’t seen him in Melbourne for a while but it would seem he is playing all over the world now (our loss – their gain).  If you should see him busking, make sure you stop and have a listen. You won’t regret it.

Highly Recommended

Websites at http://www.myspace.com/lindsaybuckland and http://www.lindsaybuckland.com

Dear and the Headlights

Dear and the Headlights are a very cool indie rock band I was lucky enough to hear over at the NPR Second Stage Podcast (seriously have a listen).

The track I heard was “I’m Not Crying. You’re Not Crying, Are You?” and in places it sounds more like an song that an English band would have done rather than a band from Arizona. The big problem is that it doesn’t really prepare you for the  sheer manic energy from frontman Ian Metzger’s vocals and the wonderful thrash guitars in the other songs.

Highly Recommended

Websites at http://www.dearandtheheadlights.com/ and http://www.myspace.com/dearandtheheadlights

Water Method

Have you ever discovered that you have been listening to a band for a couple of weeks and then suddenly realise that you have no idea how you found them? Meet  Water Method, I honestly don’t know how these guys ended up on my playlist, not a clue. Don’t get me wrong, I am having a ball listening to them, just no idea where they came from.

The songs are really simple, uncomplicated indie rock. Have a listen to “Earshot”, it is just a gorgeous piece, I love the guitars.

Here is large lump of stuff from their website

Water Method’s roots trace back to a Kindergarten classroom in Massachusetts where future drummer Mark Migdal and future guitarist Brian O’Connor bonded over Top Gun. Flash forward twelve years to Mark’s high school graduation where Brian and Mark jam for the first time with bass player and songwriter Jared Lipof (Mark’s older brother John’s friend). Water Method is born. Another three years and one instrumental album later Mark, Brian and Jared meet Jennifer Hall, opera singer and wanna be rocker, at a Mardi Gras party at John’s house in LA (Mark lived there now too). Jen joins the band and they start recording their first album with vocals. One small glitch, Brian still lives in Massachusetts and Jared lives in Oakland. Jared moves to LA, but Brian is in school and can’t make the move. He flies in periodically for recording sessions, but Water Method wants to play live. Enter Joe Lorigo, guitarist, another friend of John who also happened to be in the short-lived cover band Colonel Mustard with Jen and Mark. In 2004 the finally fully-formed Water Method begins rocking LA live at such venues as The Mint, The Joint, Molly Malone’s and The Roxy. Every once and a while all five members get together for a super show. Most recently Saturday, September 23rd, 2006 for the release of their second full-length album Uncle Snackbox and his Phantasmagorical Ripsnorter. A wide range of artists from the Beatles to Led Zeppelin, Elliot Smith to the The Mars Volta, Ella Fitzgerald to Fiona Apple influences their high-decibel, melodic rock.

You have to love rock and roll, really.

You Tube video of “Lovely Day”, it’s a cute clip…

Highly Recommended

Websites at http://www.myspace.com/watermethod and http://www.watermethod.net/

David Eugene Edwards

One of the more amazing things that shows up every so often in the NPR RSS feed are there “Desk Concerts”. Basically it’s what the name implies, a performer comes in sits at a desk and then does three songs (sometimes more , sometimes less). NPR videos the performance and it goes up on the website. Just brilliant.

For the last week or two I have been listening to their recording of David Eugene Edwards otherwise known as Woven Hand.  You can checkout the concert at NPR, Woven Hand: Tiny Desk Concert. The simple format just makes the performance shine.

On tour with a full band, Woven Hand’s David Eugene Edwards went solo at Bob Boilen’s desk with his mandolin-banjo hybrid, a unique instrument made in 1887 by luthier August Pollman. He performs his fiery Americana, as well as a plaintive take on Bob Dylan’s “As I Went Out One Morning.”

I honestly can ‘t think of  a better entry  to Woven Hand’s music than this wonderful performance. Woven Hand’s music plunders stuff from  alternative country, post-rock, punk, industrial music, folk rock, old-time music and native American music and probably a smattering of everything else they have ever heard.

Video of “Whistling Girl” (what a great song)…

Their music has been described as  dark, gloomy, dreamy, organic and atmospheric. They left out intriguing, interesting and just plain wonderful.

Highly Recommended.

Check the band out at http://www.myspace.com/wovenhand