Categories
New Album Review

“DEPART” by Origami Angel Review

Origami Angel is a emo-rock duo out of Washington, DC. Lead Vocalist and guitarist, Ryland Heagy, and drummer, Pat Doherty, have released perhaps their must ambitious release to date.

“DEPART” unlike their past discography, is entirely heavy rock and screamo. This fast paced, three track release is nothing but exhilarating.

The three tracks, “JUDGE”, “FAWN” and “FOE” are compact. Each falling just under two minutes, this set is a ridiculously big step for Origami Angel in such an unaburdly short duration.

This release could give someone whiplash from how different it is from the rest of their discography. There have always been dabbles of rusticity and grunge throughout the duo’s predominately emo sound.

It is refreshing and exciting to hear a band delve into a new genre with so much confidence.

I think many bands and musicians fear taking steps into new genres; many stay within their most familiar box. There are so many avenues and platforms of criticism that artists face through social media, it makes sense why many choose to stay within one genre their whole career.

I commend Origami Angel for taking the leap.

Categories
New Album Review

“Slowing Down” by The Backseat Lovers

The Backseat Lovers have grown into quite the success in the past few years. Their 2019 album, “When We Were Friends” skyrocketed their popularity with tracks “Kilby Girl”, “Pool House”, “Maple Syrup”, and “Watch Your Mouth”.

Especially at NC State, this indie rock band grew into a fan favorite after their performance at 2022 Wolfstock at the end of last semester.

This band has a lot on the horizon as they prepare to release another album, “Waiting to Spill” on Friday, Oct. 28 2022. In preparation they have been releasing a series of singles throughout the last few weeks.

The Backseat Lovers’ most recent single, “Slowing Down” caught my attention.

If you have listened to “When We Were Friends”, you know that the key to their musical success it their ability to hit emotional and musical cues with such unanticipated power.

Opening track, “Watch Your Month”, is a prime example of this. They build intensity and groove through this track with an almost stairstep approach. They wait for the right moments to add more to each track and chose to retreat at the perfect moments to compliment.

“Slowing Down” builds upon this technique with a refreshing approach. They are taking a more subdued and relaxed identity, letting the overlapping waves of instrumentals build the intensity rather than increasing the volume of the vocals.

This track shows a lot of the confidence they have acquired over the years. It no longer sound like they are trying to prove themselves– they know they have a successful sound and are now comfortably exploring it.

The Backseat Lovers have such a talent for crafting lyrics for the listeners. It’s very easy to connect to their songs. Especially in this track the lines felt deeply genuine, as if he is speaking to you:

“The sound of laughter
Echoes from a few doors down
The sound of pressure
Is getting louder
Whisper in my ear
That you need me”

I honestly was not expecting much from their album after listening to the other singles “Close Your Eyes” and “Growing/Dying”. However, the complexity and tones in track speaks promise for the upcoming album.

I have high hopes for “Waiting to Spill”. I hope The Backseat Lovers continue to explore this more subdued tone. I’ll be looking forward to all they will be releasing Oct.28

Categories
Playlists

Five Songs for October

The long-awaited fall season has officially arrived.

As we enter October we enter into a new state of mind, pacing of schoolwork and new music. To celebrate the arrival of the season, I have compiles five new releases that fit the refreshing, crisp atmosphere of fall beautifully.

I find my music feed fills with folk and folk adjacent genres when fall arrives. The five songs I have selected are primarily folk, with a dabble of indie rock and indie folk

“A Lifetime to Find” by Trampled by Turtles

Trampled by Turtles have continued to make a name for themselves in the folk and bluegrass world with each and every release. They have been releases a series of singles throughout the past months, and this track happened to come out Sept. 30.

This track simply has just a pleasant sound. It is clear in discography that these guys are extremely talented on the strings, it’s nice to hear them slow down their complex musical lines and really make the vocals thrive.

There are few things more fitting for fall then a refreshing folk release; I hope you all enjoy their new releases as much as I do.

“Nullify” by MILLY

Milly is an excellent indie rock duo who just released their second album of 2022, “Eternal Ring” Sept 30.

The entire album is just a nice solid indie rock album for the season. This track in particularly stuck out to me due to the revolving theme of routine.

Especially for college students, around this time it is easy to feel like classes and daily routines are our entire life– it’s important to break this routine state of mind every once in a while to reflect on and do the things you love. This song highlights exactly that.

“Me and My Shadow” by The Ghost of Paul Revere

I discovered The Ghost of Paul Revere while hunting down songs for my radio show, Saloon Tunes, last semester. If you are looking for a solid folk and bluegrass band, this is the one for you.

I quickly fell in love with their unity. These gentlemen harmonize beautiful together. It is easy to hear how much they enjoy making music together.

They released a new album, “Goodbye”, Sept. 2. It is by far their most moody collection of songs. I think this album has some really excellent highlights, but it felt a little disheveled compared to their previous releases.

The richness of the vocals in this track is incredible, I honestly wish the background backed off more to let the vocals shine.

Nevertheless, I felt this band fit the fall energy quite well. Fall is often a time of reflection, and this song really embodies self reflection and growth.

“francis” by Origami Angel

I was very excited to see new releases from Origami Angel. Origami Angel is an emo-rock duo from Washington, DC.

They released not one, but two sets of singles Sept. 30. This one is off their more relaxed indie rock set, “re: turn”. Their juxtaposing set, “DEPART” is three screamo tracks. Expect a seperate blog reviewing “DEPART” in the near future.

This track is such a nice change of pace for Origami Angel, who historically have been tapping into emo and emo-adjencent genres. Lead vocalist, Ryland Heagy, transforms his voice into such a gentle sound. The sound he achieves here is very reminiscent of the early releases of Turnover.

The evolution that is embodied within this track and their newest singles truly fits the transformation of fall.

“Hell Time One” by Brittle Brian

I have only recently started listening to Brittle Brian, who just released their first album, “Biodiesel” Sept. 15 of this year.

Her voice is simply enchanting in this track. I selected this one due to it’s melecony undertone and decomposing composition that is very reminiscent of the season. As the song processes it seems to dissolve into a free flowing structure, the vocals fading into the building backtrack.

Her voice really reminded me of one of my favorite singers, Adrianne Lenker. Fans of Big Thief and Adrianne will certainly enjoy this upcoming solo female artist.

Categories
New Album Review

“DECIDE” by Djo Album Review

Djo has picked up a lot of popularity over the past three years after his 2019 release “Twenty Twenty”. There is no doubt he will continue this trend with his newest album, “DECIDE”, released Sep. 16 of this year.

I think there is common trend among artists such as Djo, who is otherwise known as actor Joe Keery. Multi-talented and multi-expressive artists are simply enchanting.

Being able to express themselves through acting, directing, writing, or visual art only strengthens their ability to sing, perform, and compose. In “DECIDE” Joe Keery’s theatrical nature is really prominent– featuring various forms of spoken word and unusual audio clips.

Track Highlights

Generally, this album is really solid. In any release there will always be stronger songs than others, but I was really pleased by the composition of the entire album. It’s entirely very expressive and cohesive, while maintaining diversity within the tracks.

It’s starts off song with tracks “Runner” and “Gloom”. “Gloom” is certainly one of my favorites off the album. Although it doesn’t particularly have any experimental hooks, the proliferation within the lyrics and vocals sets an anticipation and excitement for the entire album.

“Undress you with my eyes, I’m ready to go / I measure up to you, I’m ready to go / I smoked my cigarettes, I’m ready to go”

The tone set in the first two tracks leads the listener to expect pretty vanilla indie pop songs for the remainder of the album, but I was happy to see Djo diverge from that sound immediately in some of the elements in “Half Life”.

Djo is really exploring audio collage in tracks “Half Life”, “Change”, “Is That All It Takes”, and “Go For It”. It’s clear Djo is pulling from multiple sources of inspiration.

He is also seen tapping into a 90’s sound, similar to artists such as Jamiroquai, in track “I Want Your Video”.

While also exploring more electronica genres, perhaps pulling inspiration from Daft Punk in tracks such as “Climax”.

I really appreciate his ending tracks, they conclude “DECIDE” in a perfectly theatrical and ominous tone.

It’s refreshing to hear Djo continue to build strength in his musical composition and vocals. I was impressed by his range of musical textures and variety of inspiration. I’m excited to see what he will be releasing in the future, I’m sure this album will continue to push him towards major success.

Categories
Music News and Interviews

New Singles by Bendigo Fletcher

Bendigo Fletcher is a lovely Americana, indie folk band out of Louisville, Kentucky.

They have an upcoming EP, “Wing Dig” coming out Oct. 21. In anticipation to this release they have release two singles, “Pterodactyl” and “Strange Encounters”.

What I find to be so enchanting about this band is that they have glimpses of so many sounds within them.

They are still such a fresh band, their musical identity has yet to form fully. It is prominent in their latest album, “Fits of Laughter” that this band has so much versatilely. Upon listening to the first beats of the songs on this album it is difficult to believe they all emerge from the same artist.

This unpredictability and mystery to Bendigo Fletcher’s sound is what is so intriguing to me. They have the ability to expand far beyond the box of the modern indie folk sound.

I lot of this flexibility stems directly from the lead singer and songwriter, Ryan Anderson. His fantastical lyrics and rustically delicate voice are difficult to compare. Their track “Evergreen” is an excellent example of his uniqueness. Out of nowhere he pulls out a vocal technique reminiscent of classic rock bands such as the iconic Led Zeppelin. This stripped vocals this this chorus fits perfectly with his lyrics:

“For between death and the baby’s breath / We are all perennial majesty in the daily shine”

All to say I was excited to see what Bendigo Fletcher would be bringing in their newest releases.

The New Singles

I think a lot can be communicated in the first few beats of a song. The first couple measures dictate so much of what the song will set out to achieve.

Having a successful first few measures is like having a solid foundation to a building. Without a good foundation, why continue building? In other words, why continue listening to the rest of the song is the first five seconds are uninspiring?

I don’t believe these two tracks have successful beginnings. They sounded like any other indie folk band and any other indie folk song. This this very disappointing knowing the musical potential of Bendigo Fletcher.

However, “Strange Encounters” really built up my anticipation. The second half of the track is very intriguing– featuring clashing harmonies and great vocal work. This track, although not one of my favorites by them, certainly sets a good tone for the album to come.

“Pterodactyl” was less successful in my option, it holds a really low energy throughout it’s entirety and gives no musical hints to the album to come. It is a pleasant track, ideal for the fall season, just not my hope for Bendigo Fletcher.

Conclusion

I will be anxiously awaiting Oct. 21 to see what sounds they will bring to “Wing Dig”.

Regardless if they bring classic folk or classic rock into this release, it will undoubtedly be a great album for the fall and winter season.

I hope you all are having a great start to the chilly season, I hope to share more excellent fall music will you all shortly. Stay tuned.

Categories
Band/Artist Profile Music News and Interviews

“Ouroboros” by Suave Punk Song Review

Suave Punk is a great representation of modern indie roots. Suave Punk is Justin Kim, a fella who decided to sit down in his bedroom with a borrowed guitar, amp, and laptop and make some mystic music.

Since 2018 he has released an array of singles and an EP. Suave Punk’s discography is filled with heavy guitar riffs, relaxed vocals, and elements of shoegaze, grungegaze, and dream pop.

His most popular single, “Heat Death” caught my ears in 2021, and since I have been keeping up with his releases.

This new single “Ouroboros” did not disappoint; however, didn’t necessarily provide any new elements to his musical arsenal. I love seeing growth through releases, and although there wasn’t much experimentation in this track it’s clear his musical confidence is blossoming.

I really appreciated his lyrics in this track. He has a great voice and a great tone for the genre pocket he is fitting into. In his past work he really veils over the vocals with heavy strings and drumming, but I’m glad to see more of his lovely voice poke through here.

“I’m an ouroboros
No matter which way I go
I’m always trying again”

This theme of incessant self judgement fits excellently with the musical beats. The backdrop is repetitive, active, and grows throughout the track. This track is unified, succinct, and bold.

“You’re not safe from what you’re building
You’re not safe from what you do”

This track is definitely one of my favorites from Suave Punk. It provides a glimpse into the mind of Justin Kim, who up until this release has been allusive and understated.

It is great to hear more confidence in his voice, sound, and themes– I am looking forward to the releases to come. I’ll be waiting for a full album, till then, keep rocking Suave Punk.

Categories
Music News and Interviews

“Bull Believer” by Wednesday Song Review

It is always a good day when Wednesday releases.

Wednesday is an indie rock band from our very own Asheville, North Carolina. Wednesday is made of Karly Hartzman lead vocalist and guitar, guitarist MJ Lenderman, bassist Margo Shultz, drummer Alan Miller, and pedal steel player Xandy Chelmis.

It feels incorrect to put this band in the box of “indie rock”; they have tapped into noise rock, psychobilly and in there latest album, country. “Mowing the Leaves Instead of Piling ’em Up” is a 9 track cover album that was released March 11 of this year.

I could write an entire review of this extraordinary album. It features covers ranging from “She’s Actin’ Single (I’m Drinking Double)” by Gary Stewart, to “Perfect” by Smashing Pumpkins. Each track taking on a new life through Wednesday.

Their discography truly never disappoints. They bring so much presence with each and every release.

The New Single

The first thing I noticed about this track is that it is a hearty 8 minutes and 30 seconds. I adore a long track. I especially love a long track with good placement, and although this is not in the context of an album, “Bull Believer” arrives with the announcement that Wednesday has signed to record label Dead Oceans.

Dead Oceans has released many influential artists including Mitski, Phoebe Bridgers, and Toro y Moi.

Musically, this song is weighty. One aspect I really respect and admire about Wednesday is the authenticity of Karly Hartzman’s vocals and lyrics. They have no intention of altering their sound for the eyes of the public. Especially in this track, the vocals are stripped and raw.

Stylistically, the vocal bring such rigidity and dominance. The conclusion of this track has an almost wail-like quality. Karly Hertzman is not only providing a voice that is powerful and real into the indie rock world, but begins to break down the expectations of female voices in the music industry. Wednesday captures beauty through sheer musical power.

I want to take a moment to appreciate the lyrics of this track. I adore Wednesday’s metaphorical nature. Their previous releases have had a level of elusiveness to them, and this track is no exception:

“Comfort fools us into faith
Then fate pulls us away again
A corpse with a spirit
Got out of my bed today”

With each release Wednesday takes another step towards a stronger and stronger sound. Their musical prowess and experimentalism astounds me. They has achieved such a unique presence in their music. I look forward to new music to come under Dead Oceans; I sincerely hope this new label encourages more of what is happening in “Bull Believer”.

Categories
Band/Artist Profile

Profile of the Week: Sprints

Sprints is a garage punk band from Dublin, Ireland. 

I first discovered this excellent band when creating my very first set for WKNC. As my right of passage into the WKNC realm, my DJ mentors assigned me to make a punk set. I had no idea where to start. Besides the classics, I didn’t listen to many punk bands I felt particularly passionate about.

When I started listening to Sprints that quickly changed. Punk quickly became one of my top genres and this band opened me up to many other female-lead punk bands.

Sprints is Karla Chubb, songwriter and lead vocalist, Colm O’Reilly on guitar, Jack Callan on drums and Sam McCann on bass. All of these musicians individually bring a lot of power.

Discography

Naturally, the first track I heard by Sprints is “Little Fix”, their most popular track, and rightfully so. This song has so much lyrical and vocal power.

“So tell me, doctor, how do you fix / A problem they don’t seem to think it really exists? / Should a stupid little girl / Ride backseat of a car / Wearing shame like a shawl and her body like a scar”

They have such a weighty sound. Karla Chubb provides such authentic rusticity and grunge to their music. 

This band is also relatively new, forming in 2019. Although they have released some of their best music in 2022. Including their newest single, “Literary Mind”.

“Literary Mind” single cover art

In 2021 they release the EP “Manifesto”. This EP was filled to the brim with rusticity. Particularly in the opening track “Drones”, I loved their use of guitar in the backing track. Their is a rich exploration of noise making within “Manifesto”.

The track “Swimming” off of “Manifesto” is my favorite compositionally. The opening strings are simply zesty. The vocals are really stripped to compliment the more rigid backing. This is a track I would love to hear live in the middle of a pit.

They have yet to release a full album, but I am sincerely hoping 2022 or 2023 is the year. This band certainly has a lot on their horizons.

Categories
Blog Miscellaneous

Overcoming and Appreciating Creative Block

It is important to not only listen to your body but also your mind.

A quick disclaimer, I am not a psychologist or a doctor. I will be speaking from my own experiences with creative block and from observing the effects it has had on my peers.

As a college student in a creative-oriented major, I face creative block quite frequently. However, many students outside creative fields are met with creative block without realizing it.

Creative block is often defined as lack of inspiration. It can be associated with burnout, where there is a void of motivation altogether. 

In my experience the symptoms of burnout are overshadowed by creative block. 

Burnout often has a clear solution: rest. Creative block is more ambiguous.

You may find yourself asking, “Will I ever have another good idea?” or “Am I ever going to be able to create again?”. Creative block does not have a simple solution or does it have a distinct end; leaving the individual with doubt and insecurity. This doubt often pushes individuals to keep working until they find some creativity again.

However, I truly believe creative block can be a beneficial step in a design process.

Creative block is a signal to stop, stand up, and unplug. Most of all it is a signal to experience something different or new.

Taking a Break

This is not as easy as it sounds. Between the pressures of professor expectations, deadlines, and competitive peers; taking a break sounds impossible at times.

When a break feels impossible is the exact moment we should be taking a break. I am not encouraging to ignore work altogether, but rather to redirect one’s productive approach.

Building in breaks is seen to increase productivity and communal health.

Went we take breaks we are not only performing a different activity but we are experiencing different sights, smells, and feelings. This passive presception can contribute to our creativity immensely.

I believe when we experience something new we are charging our creative battery.

Redefining Rest

In college there is certainly a culture of pulling all nighters for the sake of studying or finishing an impeding project. 

I would like to highlight that everyone has there own circadian rhythm and ideal work periods— so I am not dismissing all nighters. However, I do think overworking and  lack of proper rest is a direct contribution to creative block.

Proper rest means more than just 8 hours of sleep.

It’s very important to make time for the things you enjoy. Although academics are a priority for college students, it is vital to recognize that life is more than academics.

Whether that is sports, games, reading, tuning into WKNC, meditating, etc.

To maintain a healthy mind and therefore a creative thought process, we must have compassion towards ourselves.

Conclusion

It is clear that creative block can plague the music world and beyond.

Although it is difficult to wait for your favorite musicians or bands to make a new release; it is important for everyone to take their time completing a creative project.

In my opinion, some of the best music is created through overcoming creative block and taking lots of time. It often leads to new sounds, new explorations, and a happier performer.

So next time you are faced with creative block, try to avoid beating yourself up or doubting your abilities, but rather thank your brain for telling you to take a break. Go take a break.

Categories
Playlists

Six Songs for Studying

As NC State approaches their fourth week of the semester, the first wave of exams and tests approaches.

Testing and exams never fails to stress me out and I know I am not alone in this sentiment. To ease some of the anxiety and stress that builds up over study time I have compiled a few of my favorite focus tracks.

When studying, I find myself gravitating towards jazz and relaxed indie artists. Although, I included a mix of genres in the following tracks.

I hope you all enjoy.

“Cashmere” by BADBADNOTGOOD

This one is such an ideal instrumental to sit down and begin a study session. BADBADNOTGOOD is a fantastic jazz ensemble that provides rich compositions and excellent collaborations with other artists.

If you enjoy this track I recommend checking out their other works. They have some excellent upbeat tracks such as “To The Floor”, their newest single featuring Lil Silva. The other tracks off their album “IV” are great for raising energy after a long study session.

“Restless Song” by Shadow Community

Shadow Community is a project by Mid-Air Thief, a folktronica musician from South Korea. This song in particular evokes such an airy, light feeling. There really is no real way to describe their music. It is mesmerizing, complex and light.

“The Final View” by Nujabes

This track has a lot of nostalgia linked to me for me. Nujabes had such a gift for bringing so many powerful genres together. In this song in particular there are such graceful elements or hip-hop, jazz, and lofi.

I had a very difficult time picking just one Nujabes track to put on this list. Here are a few honorable mentions I simply cannot ignore, “Horn in the middle”, “Luv (sic)“, and “flowers”.

“Attempt” by Far Caspian

I think Far Caspian has one of the best voices to listen to while working. I typically prefer instrumentals when studying, but he has such a lovely gentle sound. His album “Ways to Get Out” was one of my favorite releases in 2021, it was a great stress reliever for me.

“Julia” by Yellow Ostrich

This is a track for those that enjoy studying to songs with lyrics. Yellow Ostrich is melding indie rock and folk together in this track. It is a really ideal indie study track due to its relaxed tone.

“Mirage” by Orion Sun

Although short, this track has so many elegant elements. Orion Sun has such a beautiful voice and genuine sound she brings to each and every track.

Listening to her music never fails to ease my nerves. Her albums “A Collection of Fleeting Moments and Daydreams” and “Hold Space For Me” are filled to the brim with musical elegance.