Bellafea - Cavalcade

After roughly four years Bellafea has finally returned with their brand new debut album in hand titled Cavalcade. Just released at the beginning of June through Southern Records, the band spent two years of that time off between the release of their EP Family Tree and now recording the nine songs that make up Cavalcade. The time has proved to work in the bands favor though as the album is simply a great piece of work that should have fans of nineties inspired indie-rock smiling from cheek to cheek.

It’s not really a surprise to find that Bellafea is based out of Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Although I’d say their sound doesn’t necessarily reflect that as much as some might want you to believe. Sure there are parts that can be picked out of the scenes past, but Bellafea are looking to continue to push it forward and I’d say Cavalcade does well in separating them from the past just as much as it intelligently takes from it. There will always be a special place in my heart for the jagged and tumbling guitar sound that made up a lot of the past decades prime indie-rock, Bellafea work within that territory to present a lively set of songs that are bursting with noisy free falls for Cavalcade. At the same time though, and this was a more so particularly on their previous EP Family Tree, Bellefea contain a small beauty within their music that is mostly due in part to singer/guitarist Heather McEntire. With vocals that have no trouble meeting the expectations of the bands varying moods, whether it be a cacophony of strings and guitar or just the power dual punch of bassist Eddie Sanchez and drummer Nathan Buchanan. It doesn’t matter as McEntire’s voice fits the bill for each and every moment on the album.

Bellafea – Depart (I Never Knew You) [MP3]

For anyone that is interested in picking up Cavalcade then head on over to Amazon to do so. It definitely comes recommended.

Caterpillar...

Coming out of Philadelphia during the early 90’s was the band Caterpillar, who would go on to release three albums up until the end of the decade. Like many great bands during the time, Caterpillar are all too often forgotten these days with their first couple records showing up in bargain bins and going for a couple bucks on Amazon marketplace. However, as that all too true saying goes, “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure” (yeah, it’s kind of corny I know). As I hope turns out to be the case for some out there after previewing some tunes below.

Starting out in the early 90’s with a single on Compulsiv records the band soon after found them sharing a split single with indie stalwarts Superchunk on the Simple Machines label. That in itself kind of gives an idea as to where Caterpillar's sound lied, although not nearly as straight forward as them and with every bit of pop punch. Don’t look into that too much though, as Caterpillar's sound was a fairly all over the place one, full of quirky and odd tunings and often going back and forth between up front rockers to a more sleepy and laid back sound with songs about dirt, rocks, and fossils.

Anyway, the band returned to the Complusiv label in 1994 to release their debut full-length A Thousand Million Micronauts, which showcased the bands interesting brand of indie-pop nicely. They followed that up with a split 12’’ with Zen Guerilla in 1995. In 1996, once again through Compulsive, the band released their second album Macdorium Chlorium Chloe. The band had one final album released posthumously in 1999 through the Tappersize label titled Peace, Love, and Popularity. Personally my favorite of the three, but I am sure arguments could be easily made for the other two albums as being their best…so I won’t go that far to say that. Anyway, the album seemed to contain everything that made Caterpillar so interesting and fun to listen to with strong hooks and the unexpected odd rhythmic twists that really seemed to define indie-rock in the 90’s.

A Thousand Million Micronauts:
Caterpillar – My Buddy Ballantine [MP3]
Caterpillar – Prismatic Core [MP3]

Macdorium Chlorium Chloe:
Caterpillar – Betty Ann and Vinny [MP3]
Caterpillar – The Great Evolvo [MP3]

Peace, Love, and Popularity:
Caterpillar – Serious Thrill [MP3]
Caterpillar – HBK [MP3]

For those that are interested in picking up releases from Caterpillar, their first two albums can still be found fairly cheaply on Amazon. For anyone that is looking to pick up Peace, Love, and Popularity it still seems to be available through Tappersize Records. As always, enjoy and definitely pick up some records if you like what you here.

Monthly Mix: June 2008

End of the week and nearing the end of the month. That means it’s time for the monthly mix for June. It’s been a month of hot weather here in the Midwest along with the vicious thunderstorms that come with. Anyway, don’t know if the mix reflects any of that or not…highly doubt it. As always the case with the mixes, if you find yourself enjoying some of the songs on it then go out and track down some albums and whatnot. All the artist names have been linked to a place of purchase wherever it’s applicable. With that said here is the mix and enjoy!

01 – Milk – You Must be Saved
02 – Black Taj – Cold Comfort
03 - Café Flesh – Plumber
04 – Joby’s Opinion – Natty Bohemian
05 – Shit and Shine – Kuss Mich, Meine Liebe
06 – Hurtmold – Smootz Da Police
07 – Shots Fired – My Friend
08 – Chug – Flowers
09 – Big Bear – 8
10 – Smashing Orange – All Girls Are Mine
11 – Ricaine – Handbook of Manual Dexterity
12 – Overstep – Tug of War
13 – Car vs. Driver – Spiraling
14 – Descartes a Kant – My Sweetest Headache Waltz
15 – Aleuchatistas – Good Question
16 – Flood – Forget the Whatever
17 – Gorch Fock – Brazillian Whack Job
18 – Festering Rinyanyons – Junkfood Pussy
19 – Black Mayonnaise – Descent/Impact

Download (.zip file)

Dirty Old Man River...

After the Chicago based Drunk Tank came to an end around 1992 or so, Julian Mills went on to form the even darker and dirge driven Dirty Old Man River not long after. While the band was together they released three pretty solid albums (Self-Titled, The Saddest Movie Screen, and Ageless respectively) through Radial Records. Interestingly enough, joining Mills for the last two albums was Ben Miller (brother of Mission of Burma’s Roger Miller) on stereo pre-prepared guitar.

While Dirty Old Man River traveled down the same dark murky paths of that of Mills’ previous band, they were still two completely different beasts. This wasn’t the same raucous guitar attack that Drunk Tank was. Still though, one of the center points of the band was the raspy and chilling grate of Mills’ vocals. However, picture those to the backdrop of a menacing piano and the random clinks and buzzes, that of which remind you of the sounds that a larger older house makes when you’re sitting alone in it late at night trying to convince yourself it’s nothing but the house itself. Dirty Old Man River operated on the same level of “spooky” I suppose. Doing away with most melody in favor of the tension mounting random oddball noises and bringing together the seedy red lighted sound of a late hours dive bar. Dirty Old Man River is essentially what “creepy” music should sound like. It’s basically every long drunken walk home alone in the dark you’ve ever taken…

Dirty Old Man River:
Dirty Old Man River – Katy Did [MP3]

The Saddest Movie Screen:
Dirty Old Man River – Ghosts on the River [MP3]

Ageless:
Dirty Old Man River – One More Round [MP3]

For those looking to pick up any of the releases from Dirty Old Man River, I believe all three of the albums are still available through Amazon, both used and new. So definitely pick one, two, or all three of these if you enjoy what you here!

Appollonia - Among Wolves

Appollonia are a three piece currently based out of Bourdeaux, France that have just self-released their first album titled Among Wolves. The album follows up a five song demo that the band recorded in 2006, and to their credit for being such a young and relatively new band Among Wolves is a pretty solid record. This is coming from someone who generally is a bit picky when it comes to bands that are molded around the post-rock/metal deal. However Appollonia, who have only been around roughly a couple or so years, are already pretty well ahead of the game.

On Among Wolves the band does an admirable job in avoiding some of the genres largest clichés by mixing in some hardcore elements that ultimately keeps the songs concise and the listeners on their toes. One of the things that makes Among Wolves stand on its own against the number of similarly styled releases out there right now is Appollonia’s refreshing dynamics throughout the record, which as mentioned before keeps things from falling victim to repetitiveness. For a debut, Among Wolves doesn’t fail to impress and there is definitely reason to believe that the best is ahead for the band. Fans of Year of No Light, Overmars, Cult of Luna, etc should and will likely find something to like about Appollonia’s debut.

Appollonia – Sunset Boulevard [MP3]

For those looking to pick up Among Wolves, head on over to the bands MySpace to do that and to check out some more tunes from the band. Enjoy!

Matt Bartram - Arundel

I didn’t even realize it until I sat down to type this, but this will be the second time I’ve written about a solo artist from a notable shoegaze band in just barely over a week. This time we get an album from Air Formation singer/guitarist Matt Bartram titled Arundel, which was released this past May on the Drifting Falling label.

For Bartram, and many others that take on a solo record, it’s a chance to expand and freely experiment with a certain sound. In Bartram’s case, the Flying Saucer Attack influence that was occasionally hinted upon within his work in Air Formation is let loose here on Arundel. This is a much more ambient and hazier affair for sure, taking on some psychier elements in the area of Spacemen 3 or Medicine but not to the same extremes of either. Like FSA, Bartram’s work here on Arundel often functions heavily with a pulsating rhythm underneath multiple layers of feedback and fuzz that inevitably sucks the listener into its warm and cozy wrappings. That it has such an effect says plenty about Arundel as a whole. Helped along by Bartram’s soothing vocals, which are surprisingly not completely buried in the mix of things, is a nice touch and a wise choice for someone that generally has such a quality to their voice. Fans of Air Formation should find this release intriguing and anyone interested in a lulling more ambient focused shoegaze sound should definitely check out Arundel.

Matt Bartram – Leave by Nine [MP3]

For those looking up to pick up Arundel, it can be had over at Tonevendor. Definitely pick it up if you’re digging the tune above, much more where that came from. It’s a solid album.

Pupille - La Música de Moda

Four albums in 10 years, the Tarragona based Pupille have consistently been putting out melodically twisting and precise instrumental rock during that time. The band is back this year with their fifth album titled La Música de Moda, which as been put out by Bcore Disc out of Barcelona, Spain.

Being a five piece can sometimes be misleading, Pupille aren’t a band that produce a large wall of noise or use that number to power the listener into submission. Instead, and one of the things that makes Pupille so impressive and a pleasure to listen to, is that each one of the members can be picked out of the melding and winding sound. Thanks to the extremely talented work of each member, it makes La Música de Moda a fantastic treat to listen to on a larger home stereo. Getting a chance to hear the three featured guitarists float in and out from one channel to the other just never gets old throughout the seven songs that make up the album. Bouncing off one another effortlessly and complete with smooth transitions that lead to the next guitarist’s arrangement, there is plenty contained within the album that make repeated listens a definite must. And that is not taking into the account the wonderful music that all of this ends up creating.

Pupille – La Comedia Hungara [MP3]

For those interested in picking up La Música de Moda then head on over to Bcore Disc to pick it up. Fans of finely executed instrumental rock shouldn’t pass this one up, a fine piece of work.