Tag Archive for 'Artist Review'

Virgins Put A Fury In The Wind


March 5, 2008
foggy ruins of time

Artist Review

Virgins is one part gentleman poet Silly Rob Childish. and one part live wire guitarist Maxwell Lewis?. And they are making my Microsoft Word grammar check go crazy. But I digress. Rob Gray and Max Golding have been making music under various forms for awhile now, but they came together last year as Virgins, playing shows, jamming in studios and just plain blowing heads in Santa Barbara.

Rob Gray is a poet through and through and words explode explicitly and are exquisitely annunciated (Sometimes told with a drunken swagger). Images of history and our culture flicker out and about his mouth and you’ll find yourself holding your breath to listen to every word. And these words are given ten shots of cocaine by Max Golding’s insane fingers. It is as if someone knocked over a telephone pole and the poetry electrocuted your insides and especially your brain.

“Champagne And Snow” is perhaps their flagship song; I’ve seen it performed twice, heard it on three albums and it is different every time. Like old Jazz artists they tend to play around with the structures making for some fascinating takes on the same song. One thing that carries through in every version of this song is the electricity and fury put into it. Gray is practically spitting these images of orgiastic decadence (a reflection of Isla Vista perhaps?), failed dreams, utmost disappointment and a killer Fall Out Boy reference. Golding’s fingers fly like a wild night on a Las Vegas strip à la Fear And Loathing…

“How I Am” is one of the best examples of Gray’s ability as a spoken word poet and this time around Golding backs it up with a fitting level of tension. It’s visceral seeing it live, but it still hits you even in the recording.

Virgins are doing some of the most original music out there today. If you even think for a second that it comes with a level of pretentiousness, once you listen you’ll understand that they are coming from a very human place. It’s the part in us all that longs to try and encapsulate all our pain and joy into words and music. Virgins are making headway into that territory quite gloriously, well as glorious as the human experience can be.

Mp3s:
Virgins-”Champagne And Snow,” the Demo Two version
Virgins-”How I Am”

Links:
Virgins on myspace
Minus The Masses Records, get all their albums for free here!
Silly Rob Childish. on myspace
Maxwell Lewis? on myspace

Prance About In The Woods With Kate Micucci


February 19, 2008
foggy ruins of time

Artist Review

I don’t know how people can achieve that “cute” sound, but when I listen to Kate Micucci I begin to realize that there is much more to it than playing ukulele or singing about animals. Armed with ukulele, guitar and piano, Kate, now residing in LA far from the woods of New Jersey where she grew up, manages to write and play songs with an amazing range of versatility, humor and humility. As for making silly comparisons, her voice sounds like a more sober, less slutty version of Jenny Lewis’s voice. Again, simple comparisons aside, Kate has a lot going on. She is also acts (has had some minor roles in various sitcoms), makes sandcastles, and draws funny comics. More and more in our society there is a growing legion of artists that do it all and are exciting and interesting in all that they do. I don’t think being a pure musician or a pure actor, etc. etc. isn’t logical or even feasible anymore and Kate is one case that this is so. However the main focus here is her music and I don’t know if she has plans for an album or anything, but the five songs on her myspace run the gamut from the hilariously cute, “Dear Dear” to the pretty and classic, “Walking In Los Angeles” to the melancholy motivator, “Just Say When.” Using just her voice and minimal instrumentation, Kate Micucci is more than just a musician she’s an artist.

Mp3:
Kate Micucci-”Walking In Los Angeles”

Links:
katemicucci.com
Kate Micucci on myspace
Hilariously cute video for “Dear Deer”

Pat Regan Knows How To Sing Them Blues And Capture A Crowd


January 16, 2008
foggy ruins of time

Artist Review MP3 Quickie

Pat Regan (who attends USC) is a guy who knows how to win over a crowd and write some damn fine simple folk/blues songs that will get in your head. He’s like Paul Baribeau with a sense of humor, or Shakey Bones but not as drunk. Humorous comparisons aside, Pat Regan wants to play for you and your friends and has a lot of great gems to offer.

“I Don’t Understand” is potential hit-making material. A song about the awkwardness of burgeoning sexuality and society’s obsession with it, Pat Regan knows that he doesn’t know, but finds solace in that it just has to be this way. He understands that it is a natural part of growing up and all the live journals and myspaces and magazines are going about it the wrong way.

The single strum electric guitar song might be a sub-genre all on its own, but I’m moved every time. “In The Shade” even features a lonesome, perfectly accented harmonica that kills you when it echoes in after the choruses. I haven’t listened to it enough yet to get the lyrics, but I’m already moved beyond comprehension.

Pat Regan drove up to Santa Barbara to play at my (Existential Hero’s) farewell show and I requested “People Who Never Played For The Chicago Bulls” because it’s hilarious. Pat with his amazing stage presence started asking people to shout out other people who haven’t “played for the Chicago Bulls.” He did some impromptu rhyming to Prince and Shaq and in general kept everyone dancing and smiling.

A newer song, “We Got The Science,” contains the great line, “Natural causes aren’t causes worth dying for.” It is a satire on our society’s obsession with youth to the point that eventually we will cure death. It’s a Vonnegut-like waltz that is more prophetic than we’d all like to believe.

Pat Regan has an amazing infectious presence that I saw unfold before me in my old apartment and I think it carries over extremely well to his recorded music as well. You’ll be moved and moving at the same time.

Pat Regan-“We Got The Science”

Links:
Pat Regan on myspace

Rachel Doe Makes Beautiful Music In Her Spare Time


January 9, 2008
foggy ruins of time

Artist Review

Rachel Doe

When I was first introduced to “lo-fi” music, Rebecca made me listen to Blanketarms, Tinyfolk, Super Famicom and a lesser-known artist named Rachel Doe. Listening to her now reminds me of my first year at UCSB and the endless possibilities that were in front of me. Her voice is strong and simultaneously soothing. Her more traditional music background reveals itself often; usually weaved in and out of the simple forms of acoustic folk-pop. Like her voice, this creates contradictory feelings that are perfect for a freshman struggling to find a foothold in a giant university. She hasn’t “released” an album or EP of her music yet, every few months or so I’ll just be happy to discover a new song on her myspace (Today I found a cover of Feist’s “So Sorry”).

The song “Claptrap” is an early classic back when I was introduced to her in ’06. Containing sketches of desperate warning, the song almost seems operatic. The guitar is messy, but it echoes fiercely. She even manages to make the phrase “ASAP” melancholy, which is quite a feat.

“Sisyphus” is a downright strange, mysterious song. Sung in a rather low register, it feels peaceful during the verses, but jumps out at you with intensity during the verses (Kind of a deconstruction of the grunge song format). Again, Rachel’s lyrics appear like flashes of ideas and feelings. Things like Valentines Day, unions, a Greek myth, and complementary colors all swirl around you never quite forming something concrete, but leave you with a desire to investigate further.

“Gorgey Porgey” is one of the sweetest songs that someone could write about another person. The chorus is simple and infectious, the chords themselves feeling perfectly familiar and with the lines repeating over and over again, “I think you’re gorgeous, baby baby,” you could swear she’s singing about you. Or you want her to be singing about you.

Rachel Doe is a perfect example of an artist making beautiful music that nobody might ever hear. She isn’t in it for anyone else, no glitz and glam of the collective like all of us here. Regardless, she is someone who should be heard and I hope she will start making music more often.

Rachel Doe-“Sisyphus”

Links:
Rachel Doe on myspace

Love & Kindness Mean A Lot More Because Of Fragile Fawn!


January 2, 2008
foggy ruins of time

Artist Review

I’m sure we have all thought to ourselves when hearing a new band/artist, “I can’t believe I haven’t heard of them ‘til now!” And although Oak Park’s Fragile Fawn hasn’t been around that long, I’m still beating myself up for not discovering them sooner. Comprised of a boy/girl duo, Dani and Clarke, they create intricate, but joyous pop songs that’ll make you want to hug strangers and love those around you a whole lot more. As far as I know they have one EP that isn’t really available (Dani and Clarke disband during the year due to college), but the songs I’ve gotten off their myspace (a few from the Kindness EP and a few from the shows Josh put up over at 5…4…3…2…fun!!) are simply inspiring.

My favorite so far is “Love To Love To Love,” a bouncy little number peppered with piano, tambourine, and handclaps. A spry guitar weaves in and out of Dani’s affectionate and assured vocals that give a poignant backbone to why our dreams must be our reality. “Kindness” takes on sort of a jazzy pop quality where Dani’s voice becomes more delicate, but very confident in singing Fragile Fawn’s Mantra, “Our kindness will always create art.” Labeled as a demo under their myspace, “Indian Giver” is simply epic and I can’t imagine how it could any more finished. Cool breakdowns, surprise synths, double-tracked Dani, Clarke jumping in often, bongos & tambourines, even a Hawaiian slide style part; this song has it all and more!

I really hope Fragile Fawn create more music, because they are starting a revolution and kindness is their weapon.

Mp3: “Love To Love To Love”

Fragile Fawn on myspace
Create Recordings
Modern Love: Dani’s blog