New Music – Showbams

Modest Mouse – Strangers to Ourselves // Community Review

March 17, 2015 by The Bam Team 1 Comment

Modest Mouse – Strangers to Ourselves //

We loved the batch of singles released in the marketing efforts to promote Modest Mouse’s first album since Bush was Pres. But does the long player hold up to the hype?

BAM TEAM RATING:

Eight years between albums can feel like an eternity for any band, but it’s particularly long when you consider that Modest Mouse haven’t taken more than four years to release any of their previous LPs. Frontman Isaac Brock has been through a lot in that time, from a frightening moment in 2007 that left him bleeding profusely from his face to a number of run-ins with the law over the years. Strangers to Ourselves, the band’s sixth studio LP, reminds us why Modest Mouse remain one of the most essential indie-rock outfits over the last two decades. With a run time of nearly an hour, the substantial 15-track Strangers has all the makings of a classic Modest Mouse record with experimental touches sprinkled throughout and a major guest spot from one of Brocks’ longtime friends, James Mercer, who lends a hand in the singing department. As most Modest Mouse fans should be used to by now, it’s an album that requires patience and a willingness to dig deeper than just its singles (see “Lampshades on Fire”), yet one that also proves to be quite rewarding in doing so. -Josh Herwitt
3.5 BAMS // Top Song: “The Ground Walks, With Time in a Box”

Eight long years! Modest Mouse sure took their time with this one. And the marketing campaign has been in full swing for weeks, slowly releasing singles. I’m really enjoying this album and it’s classic Modest Mouse to my ears (that wailing guitar sound — you know the one I’m talking about), but it would have been incredibly hard to live up to the hype that I had built up for it. Although the album drags at times, it’s a joy to hear and there will be many people lining up and salivating at the chance to hear these new tunes live. -Steven Wandrey
4 BAMS // Top Song: “The Ground Walks, With Time in a Box”

There are musical and thematic aspects of all of their discography in this one album. You have the fucked up party anthem “Lampshades on Fire.” You have the unfortunate fact of human impact on the planet with “Coyotes.” You have references to the Wild West and misanthrope “God Is an Indian and You’re an Asshole.” In all, this album feels familiar yet fresh, which is good because I tend to wear out my Modest Mouse albums. -Bridget Stagnitto
4 BAMS // Top Song: “The Ground Walks, With Time in a Box”

This 15-track return to form has a handful of grand slam singles (“The Best Room,” The Ground Walks, With Time In A Box”) along with just as many stinkers that linger beyond the moment they inhabit (“Be Brave,” “Pistol (A. Cunanan, Miami, FL. 1996” in particular). The sequencing makes for a jarring first listen that smooths out as more time is given for the work to acclimate. Strangers to Ourselves fits snugly into the Modest Mouse canon, especially with so much time since the last set of new tunes — and even more music is on the way with a second album allegedly coming soon (which might include a Big Boi collab). The biggest accomplishment here is Modest Mouse pushing their aesthetic boundaries (for better and worse), firing up a passion that continues to drive the group forward. -Mike Frash
3 BAMS // Top Song: “The Best Room”

What do you think of Modest Mouse’s Strangers to Ourselves? Keep the conversation going below with your quick review or comment. We’ll hook you up with a free pair of tickets to your choice of show this week in San Francisco if we like your reply.

Write to ShowbamsSubmit@gmail.com if you’d like to write for Showbams and contribute quick reviews.

Next Co-Review: To Pimp A Butterfly by Kendrick Lamar

Filed Under: Community Review, Featured, New Music Tagged With: Community Review, Modest Mouse, Strangers to Ourselves

Will Butler – Policy // Community Review

March 10, 2015 by The Bam Team 1 Comment

Will Butler – Policy //

You may already know him as a founding member of Arcade Fire, the multi-instrumentalist that runs around the stage with the energy and passion of a hype man — oh and he’s Win Butler’s little brother.

Will Butler has now stepped into world of solo artistry with his debut, Policy.

BAM TEAM RATING:

This is not an Arcade Fire album, though we hear Will’s characteristic sound infused throughout. One aspect that sets this album apart from his “bread and butter” act is the overwhelming eclecticism that is pervasive throughout Policy. What’s so refreshing is the deep passion that the younger Butler brother pours into this rock record that is equal parts shiny-pop and equal parts scrappy-indie all in the same breath. Sure, sometimes I feel like there’s a little less focus (see: thematic nature of Arcade Fire) being honed in here, but this allows each track to be its own island. -Kevin Quandt
3.5 BAMS // Top Song: “Take My Side”

There are some bright spots, but this album would’ve gotten far less attention were it not for a certain dose of nepotism. It’s an enjoyable listen, but the album feels light and doesn’t venture far under the surface of what you hear upon its first listen. Butler should stick with his brother where the end product reaches much more deeply into our emotions. -Steven Wandrey
2 BAMS // Top Song: “Anna”

Each track off of Will Butler’s eight-track album carries a different sound all on its own, which is difficult to pull off while still being coherent. From pseudo-punk on “Take My Side” to an 80’s vibe on “Ana” and doo-whoop hooks on “Witness,” Policy flows articulately from beginning to end. The album is laced with witty lyrics, including “Please don’t cry / Your crying it ain’t gonna help” (“Take My Side”), “Hey little Ana you’re the one / Rising before the lazy sun” (“Ana”) and “I will buy you a pony / We can cook it for supper / I know a great recipe for pony macaroni” (“What I Want”). The overall tempo ebbs and flows serenely also, starting off with a upbeat tempos, dipping a little bit into a melancholy state on “Finish What I Started,” as it cruises back up to its upbeat nature before getting lifted up after the super-slow-tempo “Sing to Me” to end with a feel good vibe on “Witness.” -Nikki DeMartini
4 BAMS // Top Song: “What I Want”

If his album Policy is any indication, Will Butler is a tightly-wound guy, but he doesn’t take himself too seriously. This tone serves as both a strength and his biggest weakness — there is a clear apathy around creating a through line, which overall gives Policy a disjointed feel. This collection offers a rockabilly, wonky romp that exudes shades of Arcade Fire elements, including Butler’s vocal style and what sounds like Régine Chassagne supporting with her angelic layers of singing. About half the tracks are rather transcendent, including “Anna,” “Son of God” and “Witness,” but much of the brief long player is incohesive and messy, including the aimless “Finish What I Started.” Still, the gems are worth savoring. -Mike Frash
3 BAMS // Top Song: “Anna”

What do you think of Will Butler’s Policy? Keep the conversation going below with your quick review or comment! If we like your reply, we’ll hook you up with a free pair of tickets to your choice of show this week in San Francisco.

Help us decide which album Showbams will community review next week.
Watch videos from our two options this week, then vote.

Write to ShowbamsSubmit@gmail.com if you’d like to write for Showbams and contribute quick reviews.

Tobias Jesso Jr. – “How Could You Babe” from Goon

Modest Mouse – “The Best Room” from Stranger to Ourselves

Houndmouth – “Sedona” from Little Neon Limelight

Filed Under: Community Review, Featured, New Music Tagged With: Community Review, Policy, Will Butler

What do Modest Mouse’s 5 new songs say about the upcoming album?

March 4, 2015 by Mike Frash 4 Comments

By Mike Frash //

The Pacific Northwest’s premier indie act hasn’t put out a new material for eight years, but Modest Mouse is set for a thundering return on March 17th with their sixth studio album, Stranger to Ourselves.

The marketing campaign behind the new material has been substantial, which isn’t too surprising when you look at their discography. The first five full length albums from the group averaged 15 songs each — and wouldn’t you know the new long player has 15 tracks.

And in the lead up to the album launch, we’ve already been treated with five new songs. They’re all solidly in the range from good to amazing. Modest Mouse has shared a variety of different sounding tracks — all within the group’s established wheelhouse — hinting at a depth of musical exploration that we expect from Isaac Brock and company. The lyrics seem to coalesce about doomsday prophesies that focus on our own undoing (read: climate change) over zombies or aliens.

Based on these singles, Stranger to Ourselves could be a top-shelf album in 2015 — but that might all change once the full album is released. Let’s break down the first third of the new Modest Mouse album in the order new tracks have debuted.

1. “Lampshades n Fire”

Released: December 15th, 2014
First Reaction: It’s as anthemic as Modest Mouse gets, Brock’s voice sounds the same as before and it looks like they’re brining the rage. The song contains that out-of-the-side-of-your-mouth spiteful, punk edge yet is packaged nicely for the masses.
Most Memorable Lyrics: Spend some time to float in outer space / Find another planet, make the same mistakes/ Our mind’s all shattered when we climb aboard / Hopin’ for the scientists to find another door
Rank: 4/5 BAMS
Takeaway: If you haven’t heard this song on your local alt-rock station or channel yet, just wait.

2. “Coyotes”

Released: January 19th, 2015
First Reaction: It’s a ballad, and it contrasts “Lampshades On Fire.” Sounds like a bit of a filler song.
Most Memorable Lyrics: And we say: “We’re in love, with everything.” / And we lie, we love to lie.
Rank: 3/5 BAMS
Takeaway: It’s a long-form fib, getting at the underbelly of some collective facade of happiness.

3. “The Best Room”

Released: February 2nd, 2015
First Reaction: Modest Mouse is back!!! The song structure is sophisticated, but it’s easy to relate to and it has a healthy dose of crazy.
Most Memorable Lyrics: These Western concerns are all I ever really learned to be concerned with / But don’t you, don’t you know it’s hard / Feeling tired every time that you try?
Rank: 5/5 BAMS
Takeaway: The album’s penultimate song is about Isaac Brock’s UFO encounter, it took 20 years to make, and it might be one of the best songs of the year by anyone. It gets better each time I listen.

4. “The Ground Walks, With Time in a Box”

Released: February 16th, 2015
First Reaction: This is my new jam and should be the second radio single for the album.
Most Memorable Lyrics: Our predecessor left this box / And somethings clawing around / I think it really wants out
Rank: 4.5/5 BAMS
Takeaway: The convergence of driving instrumentals (including that super catchy guitar lick) and the grim lyrical outlook of everything going in the wrong direction juxtapose each other, yet hint at some kind of cause and effect.

5. “Of Course We Know”

Released: March 3rd, 2015
First Reaction: The way this lyrically-indecisive cut seamlessly progresses into a floaty, pleasurable wall of sound makes it masterful stuff.
Most Memorable Lyrics: The streets are just blankets and we sleep on their silky corpse / Covered up by them, why would we ever want to wake up?
Rank: 4/5 BAMS
Takeaway: Giving some epic, post-rock bliss to end the album is a solid way to to wrap up what might end up being an epic collection of songs.

Modest Mouse’s Stranger to Ourselves will be out March 17th via Epic.

01. Strangers to Ourselves
02. Lampshades on Fire
03. Shit in Your Cut
04. Pistol (A. Cunanan, Miami, FL. 1996)
05. Ansel
06. The Ground Walks, with Time in a Box
07. Coyotes
08. Pups to Dust
09. Sugar Boats
10. Wicked Campaign
11. Be Brave
12. God Is an Indian and You’re an Asshole
13. The Tortoise and the Tourist
14. The Best Room
15. Of Course We Know

Filed Under: Album Preview, Featured, New Music Tagged With: Album Preview, Modest Mouse, Stranger to Ourselves

Purity Ring – another eternity // Community Review

March 3, 2015 by The Bam Team 1 Comment

Purity Ring – another eternity //

The duo behind Purity Ring, Megan James and Corin Roddick, conducted an AMA on reddit today where we learned their collaboration with Danny Brown (“25 Bucks”) was a Twitter connection that transpired via “long distance.” We learned “Fireshrine” took five months to create. James also responded to a question about music streaming and Spotify:

music streaming services seem to be a sort of question mark right now, a number of artists are deciding not to put their music on them which is a decision i fully respect and sometimes contemplate. however, we are at a point right now where it seems more beneficial for us to have our songs up on them and we are generally more interested in having as many people enjoy our music however they can.

And in response to the criticism online regarding the new record being too “poppy,” Roddick responded, “from the beginning we’ve always been trying to write pop music.”

BAM TEAM RATING:

When Purity Ring dropped singles “Obedear” and “Fineshrine” in 2012, the Canadian duo comprised of vocalist Megan James and multi-instrumentalist Corin Roddick was quickly on its way toward being the next big thing in synthpop. Their debut full length Shrines climbed high up the charts, clocking in at No. 32 on the Billboard 200 with a No. 2 ranking on the “Dance/Electronic Albums” list and earning critical acclaim across the board. Following up such immediate success with even more remains a tall task for James and Roddick, who play with a variety of futuristic sounds and bouncy hip-hop beats throughout their second studio album another eternity. And while many of the LP’s hooks (see “begin again” and “flood on the floor”) are strong enough to find their way into Top 40 playlists, James’ childlike vocals can only grab your attention for so long. That isn’t to say that this is sub-par work from the Edmonton outfit, but the novelty that came prepackaged with Shrines has clearly worn off. -Josh Herwitt
3 BAMS // Top Song: “stranger than earth”

We’re in a time and place where glitch and dance minimalism have taken over the aesthetics of pop music, and Purity Ring’s self-described futurepop crested that wave just as this trend began to form in 2012. But what do we have here? another eternity is shinier, more accessible and injected with familiar EDM qualities that help beef up the pop-intensity for the summer festival masses. Grander, glossier, hypercharged with less subtleties than Shrines, it’s so damn easy to digest — in fact, it’s too easy to swallow. A majority of the tracks, including “bodyache,” “push pull” and “begin again” will likely be picked up for film, television and corporate advertising over the next few years, and it will work for them. Purity Ring’s second record is just a tad too sugary-sweet and overproduced for my taste, but their live show might benefit from it. -Mike Frash
3 BAMS // Top Song: “bodyache”

The new Purity Ring album is strong. Megan James’ vocals glide effortlessly over the lush, synth-heavy instrumentation provided by partner in crime Corin Roddick. I appreciate the lack of abrasive beats and spastic sounds that can sometimes be so prevalent on electro-dance albums. Purity Ring is offering a more steadfast approach, keeping a pace that is just right for a coding session (which is what I was doing while listening to the album). I almost get the sense that this is a sort of concept album but not based on the lyrics — it’s more about the pulse/rhythm. -Andrew Pohl
3.5 Bams // Top Song: “begin again”

What do you think of another eternity? Keep the conversation going below with your quick review, take or comment on Purity Ring’s latest record. If we like your reply, we’ll hook you up with a free pair of tickets to your choice of show this week in San Francisco.

Help us decide which album Showbams will community review next week.
Watch videos from our two options this week, then vote.

Write to ShowbamsSubmit@gmail.com if you’d like to write for Showbams and contribute quick reviews.

Matthew E. White – “Rock & Roll is Cold” from Fresh Blood

Will Butler – “Anna” from Policy

Filed Under: Community Review, Featured, New Music Tagged With: another eternity, Community Review, Purity Ring

Father John Misty – I Love You, Honeybear // Community Review

February 10, 2015 by The Bam Team Leave a Comment

Father John Misty – I Love You, Honeybear //

The enigmatic Father John Misty has returned with his second album (well, 12th album technically). Share your own quick review in the comments below to win free tickets to shows in the Bay Area this weekend (leave your email when you comment!).

BAM TEAM RATING:

Father John Misty’s 2015 AOTY contender explores a man who has found true love and a mind mid-metamorphosis, and it succeeds based on J. Tillman’s ability to teeter-totter his known sardonic wit with his emerging, earnest genuineness. Subversive storytelling is the glue in Tillman’s music (‘Save me white Jesus’), but the lyrics bite within a hodgepodge of Americana song structures, from orchestral (“Bored in the USA”) to western saloon (“I Love You, Honeybear”) to digitized R&B (“True Affection”) and scorching rock akin to Arcade Fire (“The Ideal Husband”). Elements of duality are ever present — there’s the traditional singer-songwriter format versus FJM’s lyrical shenanigans, the all important and impossible mix of parody and sincerity, and of course there’s the Josh Tillman versus Father John Misty mythological persona exercise. Not knowing if he’s projecting a complete picture of himself, or if he’s simply reflecting a mirror on contemporary society (while not letting his listeners in on the joke) might be what is most appealing about FJM — that he never fully reveals his true self. The strength of a classic record can be seen in how it closes, and the back third of I Love You, Honeybear is a sublime thing of beauty, with “Holy Shit” resonating strongest — “and no one ever really knows the real you, and life is brief / but what’s that gotta do with this black hole in me.” -Mike Frash
4.5 BAMS // Top Song: “Holy Shit”

In the last three years, Father John Misty has become one of the most intriguing characters amongst indie circles. And that’s what Joshua Tillman continues to play rather convincingly on his second FJM album I Love You, Honeybear. On the folk-driven, 11-track record, Tillman proves to be quite a self-loathing satirist, as evidenced by song titles like “The Night Josh Tillman Came to Our Apartment” and “Bored in the USA,” not to mention the tongue-in-cheek, yet cynical nature of his lyrics. But if 2012’s Fear Fun was Tillman’s chance to rediscover himself after releasing more than a handful of solo albums to little fanfare prior to conceiving the enigmatic FJM character he assumes these days, then Honeybear sees him sharpening his chops as a folksinger and naturally, a vivid storyteller. This isn’t an album that you can just put on once and call it a day; it’s one that takes time to become acquainted with but only gets better with each and every spin through. -Josh Herwitt
4.5 BAMS // Top Song: “When You’re Smiling and Astride Me”

Welcome to the big time Father John Misty, or should we call you Josh Tillman? Father John Misty’s new record I Love You, Honeybear drips with whit and sarcasm, a kind of self-loathing that could only come from a red wine-soaked narcissist from Los Angeles. As much as you might not like that description, his formula is genius, and it only builds upon what he did with Fear Fun, his previous record and debut of the Father John Misty persona. You’ll laugh and scoff at times, but you’ll be keenly curious and want more, like I did. Don’t miss this one. -Kevin Raos
4.5 BAMS // Top Song: “The Ideal Husband”

Filed Under: Community Review, Featured, New Music Tagged With: Community Review, Father John Misty, I Love You Honeybear

TV On The Radio – Seeds // Community Review

November 19, 2014 by The Bam Team 2 Comments

TV On The Radio – Seeds

TV On The Radio is responsible for one of the best indie records of all time with Dear Science, and their follow-up Nine Types of Light was largely underrated. So, how does the groups’ fifth LP Seeds — their first as a foursome — hold up?

Leave your own quick review as a comment below to win a pair of free tickets to our SF Shows of the Week. Under your review, write which show you are interested in attending.

• Cold War Kids with Avid Dancer: November 21st (FRI) @ Fox Theater Oakland
• Fred Falke with Midnight Magic: November 22nd (SAT) @ Mezzanine
• Chris Robinson Brotherhood: November 23rd (SUN) Great American Music Hall

BAM TEAM RATING:

This is a solid addition to TVOTR’s incredible body of work, with running themes of lost love, second chances and the transitory nature of modern relationships. Focusing heavily on “the feels,” lyrically the album plays out as a series of questions experienced through trials and error, in the context of an internal dialogue happening between a lover and the objects of his affection. A much more pop-driven album than TVOTR’s previous electronic and punk rock full lengths, Seeds is a polished product drawing formulaic inspiration from contemporary R&B and dance records. Top tracks include, “Careful You,” “Happy Idiot” and “Right Now,” which sonically alludes to the emotionally stunning “Family Tree” off of 2008’s Dear Science. It’s my favorite track hands down and personal pick for track “most likely to be remixed into a club banger” by the first DJ smart enough to pick up on the gem. -Molly Kish
3 BAMS // Top Track: “Right Now”

With expectations at an all-time high after the release of Nine Types of Light, TV On The Radio had to know that following up one of 2011’s best albums would be no easy task. But the Brooklyn-based art rockers can certainly be proud of what they have devised on their fifth studio effort Seeds. Serving as the group’s first record since the death of bassist and keyboardist Gerard Smith, the 14-track LP remains its most diverse yet as TVOTR flirts with funk (see “Quartz” and “Right Now”), synthpop (see “Careful You” and “Seeds”), indie rock (see “Happy Idiot,” “Winter” and “Lazzeray”) and something in between them all (see “Test Pilot,” “Love Stained” and “Trouble”). While lead vocalist Tunde Adebimpe continues to captivate listeners with one of rock ‘n’ roll’s most unique voices, Dave Sitek shows once again that he’s the brains behind the band, not only recording Seeds at his Federal Prism studio in LA, but also serving as its producer. Even though TVOTR has always proved to be more than a respectable act in the studio, it’s no secret to their fans that they still excel most in a live setting. -Josh Herwitt
3.5 BAMS // Top Song: “Careful You”

WOW! TV On The Radio have released the album that the world needs right now. Right out of the gate, Seeds delivers the tasty and eclectic sounds that the band has been known for throughout their previous albums. Within the first three tracks, you’re seeing just how dynamic and cool this band can be. Through the album you are presented with a soulful, delightfully progressive set of songs that also fall on traditional arrangement in a way that totally works. Perhaps not the best album you’ll hear all year, but VERY GOOD!! -Andrew Pohl
4.5 BAMS // Top Songs: “Could You”, “Careful You”

On their fifth full album release, TV On The Radio failed to hit the high water mark they’ve set for themselves. This isn’t to say the album is terrible by any means, but the songs run together blandly and only three or four of them really stick out to me. I can see myself being a little bored at the live show if they strung a few of these together, patiently waiting for a blissful earlier cut. -Steve Wandrey
3 BAMS // Top Song: “Winter”

Filed Under: Community Review, Featured, New Music Tagged With: Community Review, Seeds, TV on the Radio

Run The Jewels – Run the Jewels 2 // Community Review

October 28, 2014 by The Bam Team 2 Comments

Run the Jewels – Run the Jewels 2 //

It’s thrilling to see Run The Jewels become more than a one-off project. El-P & Killer Mike clearly recognize they are stronger together, as they’ve now released their second record in two years — and once again, Run the Jewels 2 has been given away for free. Between this and inspiring a crowd-funded all-cat remix record of Run the Jewels 2 (we can’t wait), it’s safe to say El Producto & Michael Render get the internet and the king-making power they will continue to have by embracing and entertaining fans online.

What do you think of RTJ2? Leave a comment or quick review below to win free tickets to shows in SF.

BAM TEAM RATING:

So often sequels don’t deliver, but ascending hip hop stars Killer Mike & El-P have simply progressed their brilliance as Run The Jewels one year removed from their first collaboration. So what’s the difference this time? From the top, Michael Render manages to set a higher bar for pumped up aggression, there’s more social activism laced throughout, more special guests (that don’t ever distract) and a handful stand-alone gems. Like a championship baseball team, the songs in the two hole through cleanup hitter serve the biggest impact, wreaking instant classics with masterful experimental production from El-P that emits new surprises with subsequent listens. RTJ have peaked awareness with the best PR campaign of 2014, using crowdsourcing and social media as a weapon while capturing our love of cats to a point of absurdity — something that ideally signifies these future headliners’ brand of fun, weird rap. -Mike Frash
4.5 BAMS // Top Song: “Oh My Darling Don’t Cry”

Hip-Hop duo EL-P and Killer Mike drop an aggressive release with their sophomore effort, Run the Jewels 2. It’s unapologetically in your face with dark, grimy beats and fervent lyrics that will raise the hairs on your middle fingers. They immediately set the tone on the second track, “Oh My Darling Don’t Cry” as EL-P boasts “Fuck the law, they can eat my dick” and don’t look back, following with collaborations from Zach De La Rocha, Travis Barker, Isaiah “Ikey” Owens (RIP) and Gangsta Boo. While there’s an angst on this record that will inspire the meanest of mean mugs and an underlining “fuck you” anthem that gives it elements of rock n’ roll and punk rock, it’s smoothed out by genuinely thoughtful compositions. These dudes aren’t just careless pissed off amateurs; they’re pissed off veterans that demand respect. If they don’t get some recognition after this record, then real hip-hop, as we know it, is doomed. -Anthony Presti
4 BAMS // Top Song: “Lie, Cheat, Steal”

One of the best hip hop albums of the last few years sees its follow up with Run The Jewels 2, starring nearly 40-year-old men Killer Mike and El-P. As unlikely as it sounds, these two are making some of the most progressive rap around. While not quite hitting the mark of their debut release, RTJ2 is a solid effort and the bass heavy production is sure to get heads nodding and trunks rattling unnecessarily loudly. -Steven Wandrey
3.5 BAMS // “Oh My Darling Don’t Cry”

Show me two rappers having a better time than El-P and Killer Mike. I dare you. They return along with producer Little Shalimar in tow for their second full length as Run The Jewels and up the ante on all that was awesome from their free-to-download debut. RTJ2 drips with brash aggression and trunk banging beats but equalizes with tones of seriousness that keeps the record diverse. El-P and Killer Mike are beyond skilled on the mic and when they get in a flow like this, just sit back and enjoy the show. Definition of a damn fun record. -Dale Johnson
4 BAMS // Top Song: “Oh My Darling Don’t Cry”

What do you think of RTJ2? Leave a comment or quick review below to win free tickets to shows in SF.

Filed Under: Community Review, Featured, New Music Tagged With: Community Review, Run The Jewels, Run the Jewels 2

Caribou – Our Love // Community Review

October 25, 2014 by The Bam Team Leave a Comment

Caribou – Our Love //

The newest album from Dan Snaith as Caribou, Our Love (Merge), debuted on October 7th, and three members of the BAM team weigh in below with quick reviews.

What’s your take on Caribou’s latest? Leave your own Quick Review or comment below — if we like it, we’ll give you your choice of show ticket giveaways this week in SF.

BAM TEAM RATING:

Ah, welcome back to the fold Mr. Snaith, we have missed you. Caribou has returned after about a half-decade absence with the stellar release entitled Our Love. Dan Snaith has traded in some of psych-rock chops (as heard on Andorra) for a more electric-leaning album that is sure to please most palettes. We hear some influence from forward-thinking beat producers smattered in for good taste and are taken to lush landscapes that swell with beauty. The manner in which Snaith traverses styles is simply refreshing and leaves you wanting more née you finish the 10 tracks. -Kevin Quandt
4 BAMS // Top Track: “Silver”

Though this kind of music is not really my cup of tea, I really enjoyed listening to the latest offering by Caribou (aka Dan Snaith). It comes on strong and carries you along for a smooth ride. There were a few lulls in the momentum, and like a lot of electronic/house albums it can be a bit repetitive, but overall I think it album makes for great driving music. -Andrew Pohl
3 BAMS // Top Track: “Can’t Do Without You”

What we have here is one of the most addictive albums of 2014. Our Love keeps deep house in its front pocket with steady beats per minute and an introspective mantra-centric lyrical conceit, but it’s also exploratory in nature, finding success in consistantly building toward intense, euphoric plateaus. A steady flow of pleasant sounds ascend into impacting transcendence with “Can’t Do Without You”, “Silver”, and “Your Love Will Set You Free”, and you must give Snaith extra credit for the masterful pacing and song sequencing — there is never a ‘skip ahead’ moment. Like most classic albums, it opens up and becomes more pleasurable with subsequent listens, even though this collection of songs is mostly presented in poetic simplicity. -Mike Frash
4.5 BAMS // Top Song: “Our Love”

Filed Under: Community Review, Featured, New Music Tagged With: Caribou, Community Review, Our Love

Foxygen – …And Star Power // Community Review

October 14, 2014 by The Bam Team 1 Comment

Foxygen – …And Star Power //

Foxygen released their third long player in three years on October 14th. But is their newest record, …And Star Power (Jagjaguwar), any good?

Leave your own quick review in the comments below for a chance to win two tickets to one of our SF Shows of the Week (options below)…

Read the BAM Team’s reviews of Foxygen’s latest, and contact us if you’re interested in writing for Showbams.

BAM TEAM RATING:

Foxygen’s sophomore release …And Star Power finds the band transporting their weirdo AM radio sound into new cosmic territory, but ultimately getting stuck between stations in the process. Starting off with the appropriately named A-side “The Hits”, Foxygen crafts some of the best warped, soft gaze pop this side of Ariel Pink with songs like “How Can You Really”. However for the majority of the record, Foxygen forgoes the weirdo lyricism and just-weird-enough-to-work pop sensibilities that made their prior two releases so memorable. Foxygen shows off their adept ability to recreate the sounds of iconic, off kilter pop of yesteryear on songs like “Hot Summer”, but rarely pull out any engaging song structure to give skeletons to their limp amoebas of psych sound. Unfortunately, Foxygen’s …And Star Power ends up getting lost on a less interesting pirate station than finding home between forgotten hits of the past and a late night broadcast of Coast-to-Coast. -John Venanzi
3 BAMS // Best Track: “How Can You Really”

If you would have told me that Foxygen would never put out another album and slip into obscurity, I would have completely believed you. Edgier and more punk rock than We Are the 21st Century Ambassadors of Peace & Magic, Foxygen follows their excellent 2013 album admirably here with a washed out, seemingly Velvet Underground-inspired album. This leads to a gripe with the album: sometimes it just feels like you’re listening to a sum of influences and it loses freshness after repeat plays. The album surely drags at times (24 track albums usually do), though there’s nothing glaringly bad about it. Hopefully these guys stick around, tone down the on-stage theatrics and keep making albums. -Steven Wandrey
3 BAMS // Top Track: “Flowers”

Striving to strike a balance between polished pop and eclectic experimentalism, Foxygen’s latest album …And Star Power falls short of hitting the mark. Though I don’t know if the intent is there, the album plays off much like a rock-opera, but still lacks a level of flow that should go along with it. Nothing on the album really grabs me, and I’m not all that sure I would want to listen to this passively or actively. A few stand out tracks unfortunately cannot save this album. -Andrew Pohl
2 BAMS // Top Track: “How Can You Really”

WIN 2 FREE SHOW TICKETS BY SHARING YOUR OWN QUICK REVIEW:
Leave your own quick review below as a comment. Write no more than five sentences, give your own BAM Ranking and pick your top song. If you’d like to win two tickets to one of these shows, simply write the name of the show you’d like to win under your review. View our SF Shows of the Week.

• Rubblebucket: October 15th (WED) @ The Independent
• J. Roddy Walston and The Business: October 17th (FRI) @ The Independent
• Sinkane: October 19th (SUN) @ The Independent

Filed Under: Community Review, Featured, New Music Tagged With: ...And Star Power, Community Review, Foxygen

Flying Lotus – You’re Dead! // Community Review

October 7, 2014 by The Bam Team 4 Comments

Flying Lotus – You’re Dead! //

The Bam Team quick reviews Flying Lotus‘ fifth full-length record, You’re Dead!, released by Warp.

Leave your own quick review in the comments below for a chance to win two tickets to one of our SF Shows of the Week…

The author of our favorite quick review will win a pair of tickets to their choice of show (options below). Read the BAM Team’s reviews of Flying Lotus’ latest, and contact us if you’re interested in writing for Showbams.

BAM TEAM META-RANKING:

The rapidly-reaching-prolific producer, Stephen Ellison, popularly known to us as Flying Lotus, dropped one jazzed-out slice of off-kilter beat science in our laps the past week in the form of You’re Dead! First off, this release, even style of music, is not going to be everyone’s cup of tea, but once you embrace the janky beauty infused into the release, there is a trove of rewards as you get sucked a little further down the rabbit hole. We see Thundercat, Niki Randa and Kendrick Lamar aid FlyLo; the latter lending his supreme talent to standout track “Never Catch Me”. There’s a slight disjunct feel to the whole album as it stylistically bounces around both time and space. -Kevin Quandt
3.5 BAMS // Top Track: “Never Catch Me” (Featuring Kendrick Lamar)

The guitars are grimy, the beats spastic, the samples supremely random and Snoop Dogg shows up to drop a semi-vintage verse. To say You’re Dead! by Flying Lotus is all over the place is the understatement of the year, but it would be a mistake to label Lotus’ dazzlingly-layered, jazz-groove opus as a mess. It’s actually kind of a banger, in a perfectly Flying Lotus way.

Pulling infinitely different tempos, genres and instrumentation together in truly unique ways to create music that challenges the listener in ways that few producers do. On You’re Dead! he ups the jazz influence (especially drums and bass) to create an album that has vintage flair but New Age touches.

The obvious highlight of the album is “Never Catch Me” featuring Kendrick Lamar, who destroys the track as has become the norm for the Compton native, stepping to the mic with his usual ferocity and bravado. Lamar can do no wrong right now, and he soars perfectly with this Flying Lotus track.

The album flows from short interludes to full-fledged songs and at 19 tracks, feels a bit bloated towards its end. But there is enough variation and interesting twists and turns throughout the way to make it worth repeated listens. -Dale Johnson
4 BAMS // Top Track: “Never Catch Me” (Featuring Kendrick Lamar)

Flying Lotus captures all of his alter egos on You’re Dead!, locks them in a cage (his brain) and feeds them healthy doses of Adderall and jazz. His influences are all over the musical spectrum, paying homage to his Coltrane roots and animated hip-hop misfits like Quasimodo (aka Madlib) and MF Doom. The album exists in a cartoon dimension with short, mostly instrumental songs that are intangible, yet keep the listener clinching on to the subtle beauties that fade away within seconds. It’s strange, uncomfortable, edgy and breaks the mold of everything that is safe in hip-hop, or music in general. Thank goodness for artists like Flying Lotus that keep it weird. -Anthony Presti
3.5 BAMS // Top Track: “Never Catch Me” (Featuring Kendrick Lamar)

• The King Khan & BBQ Show: October 8 (WED) @ Great American Music Hall
• Sondre Lerche: October 9 (THUR) @ The Independent
• Bahamas: October 10 (FRI) @ Slim’s
• Christopher Owens: October 11 (SAT) @ Great American Music Hall

Filed Under: Community Review, Featured, New Music Tagged With: Community Review, Flying Lotus, Warp, You're Dead!

Thom Yorke – Tomorrow’s Modern Boxes // Community Review

September 30, 2014 by The Bam Team Leave a Comment

alt-j – Tomorrow’s Modern Boxes //

Radiohead frontman and iconic dancer Thom Yorke turned an otherwise normal Friday into a worldwide listening party last week with the surprise release of his second solo record, Tomorrow’s Modern Boxes.

Distributing the eight-track collection through a BitTorrent paygate for six bucks, Yorke has gone beyond his criticism of modern music streaming by attempting to change the game. The album was downloaded 116 thousand times in the first 24 hours, with over 500,000 total downloads so far. So, is it any good?

Click here to get Tomorrow’s Modern Boxes.

BAM TEAM META-RANKING:

Thom Yorke is marveled as a musical superhero, and although his solo works are somewhat predictable, his reverence for sustaining and creating a practical business model for artists on the Internet is greatly respectable. Tomorrow’s Modern Boxes, inspired by this very concept, is like an anesthetic. It’s hypnotic and easy to get lost in, and at times has the listener popping in and out of consciousness with its moody, lo-fi beats and enchanting vocals. It lacks some of the catchier tracks (“The Eraser” and “Black Swan”) from his last effort, The Eraser, but overall it’s a pleasant surprise and should hold over most Radiohead fans until their next album. -Anthony Presti
3.5 BAMS // Top Song: A Brain In A Bottle

Thom jumps straight out the gates on this stealthy release. His ever-evolving love for bass-laden electronic music is clearly evident within the first minute of Tomorrow’s Modern Boxes, and doesn’t let up in this sublimely paced mini-LP that is sure to wet the whistle of Radiohead and Yorke fans, alike. Shifty samples are layered over warm keys and haunting piano segments – a pairing that Thom and co-producer, Nigel Godrich, have become extremely fond of in the past decade or so. Yorke’s past adoration for Aphex Twin combined with his current love for artists such as Mark Pritchard, Actress and Pearson Sound are clearly defined in this futuristic amalgam. Can we expect these elements present in the impending Radiohead release? One can only hope…. -Kevin Quandt
4 BAMS // Top Song: Guess Again!

It’s no secret that Thom Yorke has a thing for electronic music. The Radiohead frontman, after all, has been known to stage a surprise DJ set from time to time, including one in LA as recently as last month. Quite fittingly, the unanticipated release of his second solo record late last week via BitTorrent Bundle comes as quite a surprise after news surfaced just a few weeks ago that Radiohead had begun work on their ninth studio album. But if Radiohead’s new material ends up sounding like what Yorke delivers on Tomorrow’s Modern Boxes, then we may not have as much to look forward to as we think. Minimal in nature, the eight-track album sees Yorke and producer Nigel Godrich playing with both sound and song structure as glitchy dance beats pave the way for strange and amorphous melodies, but it’s under these circumstances that Yorke’s experimental propensities can sometimes get the best of him. -Josh Herwitt
3 BAMS // Top Song: Nose Grows Some

The percussion-driven polyrhythm & syncopation from The King of Limbs and Amok continues to evolve here, but Yorke’s voice is treated more as an accompanying instrument in his second solo effort. Yorke is experimenting with technology and modulation techniques about as much as his marketing and distribution, and it plays mostly as a dreamy soundscape mirrored against spicy, digitized freak-out exhileration. Full of rewarding moments, Tomorrow’s Modern Boxes induces spaced-out bliss along with a deflated back third of the record — except for finale “Nose Grows Some,” which is one of the best songs in the litter. -Mike Frash
3.5 BAMS // Top Song: The Mother Lode

Following the pattern begun with The Eraser, Thom Yorke continues with laptop whirls, blips, and even less melody. Relying more heavily on groove, Tomorrow’s Modern Boxes carries the same general attitude as both its predecessor and Radiohead’s recent direction. The album feels redundant and its flow monotonous, satisfying but not thrilling or electrifying. -Steven Wandrey
3.5 BAMS // Top Song: A Brain In A Bottle

Thom Yorke’s latest solo album comes at you like a commuter train, at a moderate but reliable pace… and this is not a bad thing by any means. Though it doesn’t re-invent the wheel, the steady, hypnotic rhythms and characteristically tasty vocals make this a very pleasant album to listen to. I can easily see many of the cuts standing on their own in a club setting, just as much as I can see the rush to remix them with more break beats. Well done. -Andrew Pohl
3.5 BAMS // Top Song: Guess Again!

Leave your own quick review or comment below.

Filed Under: Community Review, Featured, New Music Tagged With: Community Review, Radiohead, Thom Yorke, Tomorrow’s Modern Boxes

alt-J – This Is All Yours // Community Review

September 23, 2014 by The Bam Team 1 Comment

alt-j – This Is All Yours //

Breakout English indie rockers alt-J’s heavily anticipated sophomore release is now out, and you can listen to it below. This Is All Yours is as divisive with the BAM Team as it is across the board.

What are your thoughts on alt-J’s second album? Leave your own quick review in the comments below for a chance to win two tickets to one of the following shows in SF this weekend:

Hercules and Love Affair (Live) + Tensnake this Friday 9/26 at Mezzanine
The Orwells this Saturday 9/27 at Slim’s
Simian Mobile Disco this Saturday 9/27 at Mezzanine

The author of our favorite quick review will win a pair of tickets to their choice of show, and will be notified on Thursday, September 25th. Read the BAM Team’s reviews of Aphex Twin’s latest below, and contact us if you’re interested in writing for Showbams.

BAM TEAM META-RANKING:

With their second album, alt-J continue to explore familiar, lush and ambient textures. Less poppy and overstuffed with ballads, the album feels less powerful than An Awesome Wave and drags during some stretches. While the soundscapes are beautiful and the arrangements still interesting, the album leaves you a little unsatisfied. It’s worth a listen, but not many. -Steven Wandrey
2.5 BAMS // Top Song: Left Hand Free

This Is All Yours burns slow in the first 15 minutes or so before breaking down the door with “Every Other Freckle” – a song that beckons to the brilliance of An Awesome Wave. The genre-bending trio slowed things down a bit, going a bit more inward, crafting something more haunting than we’ve heard from them prior. The pace and overt studio trickery (see: “Hunger of the Pines”) tends to distract, even detract, from this becoming the critical success that their debut was, but fans of the freaky Englishmen are sure to revel in this fresh batch of tunes. -Kevin Quandt
3 BAMS // Top Song: Every Other Freckle

alt-J certainly bring it on This Is All Yours – it being a swirling mix of electro dub pop, folk and alt-rock — creating an album that serves as a worthy sophomore effort to the out-of-left-field-breakthrough An Awesome Wave. The newest effort is at its best when the British indie rockers lead with their guitars and deftly layer the electronic elements on top (“Left Hand Free”), but they aren’t afraid to flip the script leading to some skippable tracks (“Arrival in Nara”) but also the truly epic, Miley Cyrus sampling dub-groove standout that is “Hunger of the Pine.” alt-J still need to figure out exactly who they are, but it’s a pretty entertaining ride listening to them try. -Dale Johnson
3.5 BAMS // Top Song: Left Hand Free

This Is All Yours is a tough nut to crack. The sophomore release from alt-J is a smooth and casual jaunt through a complicated soundscape, inducing images of a jungle adventure to a downed alien spacecraft. Shifting tempos and scattered instrumentation prove to be a difficult distraction. It listens like a cryptic riddle that entangles your brain in auditory confusion and denies you access to the answer. -Scotland Miller
3.5 BAMS // Top Song: Hunger of the Pine

Given that alt-J are a band that is hard to pin down stylistically, on their sophomore release This Is All Yours, they opted to go with consistency rather than pivoting. Much like their debut album, each song has unique qualities that force the listener to engage with each track individually. I like a good challenge. -Andrew Pohl
3.5 BAMS // Top Song: Left Hand Free

It was only a little more than two years ago when alt-J first opened our ears to the folktronica grooves that surfaced on their debut full-length record An Awesome Wave. Yet, even with a prestigious Mercury Prize firmly stamped on its résumé, the Leeds-based band doesn’t let itself get too comfortable on This Is All Yours. While alt-J has quickly gone from quartet to trio after the departure of founding member Gwil Sainsbury earlier this year, they haven’t toned down their experimental tendencies all that much. “Left Hand Free” could pass as their most pop-centric hit to date — unless you count the homage they pay to Miley Cyrus a few songs later on “Hunger of the Pine” — but the 13-track album offers plenty of uniquely eccentric moments that we’ve grown accustomed to from alt-J. Whether it’s lead vocalist Joe Newman pronouncing that “Love is a pharaoh and he’s boning me” on the hypnotically beautiful “Nara” or reciting more sexually-charged lines like “I’m gonna bed into you like a cat beds into a beanbag / Turn you inside out and lick you like a crisp packet” on the ensuing cut “Every Other Freckle,” This Is All Yours continues where An Awesome Wave left off, further cementing alt-J’s place among the other great indie contemporaries across the pond. -Josh Herwitt
4 BAMS // Top Song: Nara

alt-J looks to lead the pack of brilliant music coming from the UK, separating themselves from their peers with this unique and thoughtful concept album. This Is All Yours is ambitious and arousing, a carousel of instrumentation that sends the listener into whatever utopia their mind lusts after. alt-J doesn’t abandon their typical platform of worldly and primitive sounds featuring tribal rhythms and chants juxtaposed with obscure guitar riffs, medieval woodwinds and balanced electronic accompaniments. It’s pretty safe to say there is no other current band that sounds like alt-J. -Anthony Presti
4 BAMS // Top Song: Every Other Freckle

• Hercules and Love Affair (Live) + Tensnake this Friday 9/26 at Mezzanine
• The Orwells this Saturday 9/27 at Slim’s
• Simian Mobile Disco this Saturday 9/27 at Mezzanine

Filed Under: Community Review, Featured, New Music Tagged With: Alt-J, Community Review, The Is All Yours

Aphex Twin – Syro // Community Review

September 22, 2014 by The Bam Team 1 Comment

Aphex Twin – Syro //

Aphex Twin makes his return on Warp with his new album Syro. This is Richard D. James’ first Aphex Twin album since 2001’s Drukqs.

Have an opinion on the new Aphex Twin album? Leave your own quick review in the comments below for a chance to win two tickets to one of the following shows in SF this weekend:

Hercules and Love Affair (Live) + Tensnake this Friday 9/26 at Mezzanine
The Orwells this Saturday 9/27 at Slim’s
Simian Mobile Disco this Saturday 9/27 at Mezzanine

Stream or Buy Aphex Twin’s Syro.

BAM TEAM META-RANKING:

THE ULTIMATE ANTITHESIS OF THE CURRENT EDM SCENE
Richard D. James has been practically an enigma for the last decade, hiding out in a small Scottish village of 300 and releasing no new music as Aphex Twin since 2006. But the long layoff hasn’t changed the fact that he remains one of the most unique and influential electronic producers in the game today. Serving as his first Aphex Twin record in nearly 13 years, the 12-track, 64-minute Syro shows the 43-year-old UK native reintroducing his signature, ambient-leaning sound that many IDM fans gravitated to in the early 90’s. Some of James’ best material on Syro comes early on, from his club-oriented mixes like “minipops 67 [120.2]” to the techno funk he crafts on the ensuing “XMAS_EVET10 [120]” and “produk 29 [101].” Still, these aren’t beats designed to make you sweat your ass off — if anything, the cerebral nature of James’ work makes him the ultimate antithesis of the current EDM scene. -Josh Herwitt
4.5 BAMS // Top Song: produk 29 [101]

WHAT A GEM!
After so long away, it’s a joy to have another Aphex Twin album that exceeds my high expectations. Using many of the same tricks that he’s always had in his bag, James still manages to make the album sound fresh. The bleeps, bloops, tweaks, and pops make an hour go by quickly. Hopefully he puts together a tour focusing on this new material. -Steven Wandrey
4.5 BAMS // Top Song: XMAS_EVET10 [120] (thanaton3 mix)

THE FUTURE OF ELECTRONIC MUSIC?
Upon first hitting play, hearing Syro almost felt like a highly evolved alien language — you could tell the orchestration was sophisticated and purposeful as intricate melodies bounced around a cacophony of techno, break beats and drum & bass. But with subsequent listens, the patterns and emotive complexity begins to reveal itself. Similarly, song titles look as though Richard D. James’ cat walked across his keyboard, but the non-linear coded names suitably reflect the amalgamation of wide-ranging electronic elements. Propulsive and unpredictable yet somehow familiar, this album is an insane, rewarding journey that succeeds based on the master craftsmanship of taking all the the individual parts to make a Frankenstein that you want to dance, party and reflect with. Let’s hope this is the future of electronic music. -Mike Frash
4 BAMS // Top Song: CIRCLONT6A [141.98] (syrobonkus mix)

EQUALLY AMBIENT AND INFECTIOUS
It’s a challenging album to listen to, which is both good and bad. If you’re not already a fan of electronic music, this may not be a great primer, but it does have some tasty tracks. Equally ambient and infectious. -Andrew Pohl
3.5 BAMS // Top Song: 4 bit 9d api+e+6 [126.26]

TYPICAL AWESTRUCK COMPOSITIONS
For his first album in 13 years, Richard D. James didn’t try to outdo himself. He simply played to his strengths and created a comfortable record that picks right back up where he left off. Syro sucks you in with his typical awestruck compositions and reveals the fact that James is now a veteran of his craft, like a grandfather of drum n’ bass telling timeless stories through his music. -Anthony Presti
3.5 BAMS // Top Song: 180db_ [130]

• Hercules and Love Affair (Live) + Tensnake this Friday 9/26 at Mezzanine
• The Orwells this Saturday 9/27 at Slim’s
• Simian Mobile Disco this Saturday 9/27 at Mezzanine

Filed Under: Community Review, Featured, New Music Tagged With: Aphex Twin, Community Review, Syro

New Music: Death from Above 1979 – The Physical World

September 9, 2014 by Josh Herwitt Leave a Comment

Death from Above 1979 – The Physical World //

Top Tracks: “Right On, Frankenstein!”
“Virgins”
“Crystal Ball”
“Government Trash”
“The Physical World”

Album Highlights: It’s hard to believe that it has been nearly 10 years since Death from Above 1979 unleashed their signature dance-punk sound that would make 2004’s full-length debut You’re a Woman, I’m a Machine such a groundbreaking success. Ever since then, it hasn’t exactly been smooth sailing for the Toronto-based duo. Less than two years after finishing You’re a Woman, I’m a Machine, Sebastien Grainger (drums, vocals) and Jesse F. Keeler (bass, synths, backing vocals) went their separate ways, citing both musical and stylistic differences for the band’s breakup. Yet, it would take five years before Grainger and Keeler — also of MSTRKRFT fame — would even speak to each other again, let alone play music together. So, while their reunion in 2011 certainly excited old fans and converted others, it wasn’t until this past July that DFA 1979 finally released new music, enlisting “Trainwreck 1979” to serve as the first single on The Physical World. With Keeler’s gut-rumbling bass line paving the way for Grainger’s melodic yelping and thunderous drumming, it’s a track that employs all of the DFA 1979 essentials their admirers should be used to hearing by now.

But for as strong of a first offering as “Trainwreck 1979” is, especially when you consider how long it has taken Grainger and Keeler to get back in the studio, the rest of The Physical World is worthy of just as much commendation. If anything, it deserves more. After all, the 11-song LP has all the makings to be considered one of the best albums of 2014. From top to bottom, it’s loaded with head-banging, yet danceable punk riffs that make DFA 1979’s sound so unique, even almost a decade later. In fact, just trying to pick out the record’s top tracks can be a difficult endeavor in of itself. Of course, you won’t find a much better one-two punch on The Physical World than the thrashing “Right On, Frankenstein” and the subsequent “Virgins,” on which Grainger croons, “Where have all the virgins gone?” to open the song’s chorus. Still, what may be most impressive about DFA 1979’s follow-up to You’re a Woman, I’m a Machine is the fact that there are no throwaways here to speak of — only some choice cuts that stand out slightly more than others (see “Crystal Ball,” “Government Trash” and the album’s title track for instance). And with the kind of chops that Grainger and Keeler unload on The Physical World, DFA 1979 supporters really can’t ask for much more.

Album Lowlight: As electrifying as DFA 1979’s songs can be both in the studio and in a live setting (read our review of their recent warm-up show in LA here), they’re definitely not for everyone. Though punk has never been a genre that this music writer has taken a great liking to, there is something about DFA 1979’s stripped-down style that makes them as intriguing as any two-piece out there right now. Despite plenty of outside pressure to make a new album (Grainger actually told NME in June that the media and the band’s fans were the impetus for writing The Physical World in the first place), DFA 1979 has proven once again to the (physical) world that it only takes two talented dudes to create some seriously bone-crushing, blood-pumping tunes.

Takeaway: There will be many DFA 1979 fans who will have a difficult time deciding whether they prefer You’re a Woman, I’m a Machine or The Physical World more. At the end of the day, that’s not a bad problem to have. Instead, it should serve as further evidence that DFA 1979’s sound can stand the test of time. Because if Grainger and Keeler decide to never make another album together again, they can at least know that the music has never suffered as a result of their own personal strife.

~Josh Herwitt

Filed Under: Featured, New Music Tagged With: Death from Above 1979, New Music, The Physical World

New Music: Interpol – El Pintor

September 9, 2014 by Josh Herwitt 2 Comments

Interpol – El Pintor //

Top Tracks: “All the Rage Back Home”
“Anywhere”
“Ancient Ways”
“Tidal Wave”

Album Highlights: As indie music continues to draw more and more from the electronic revolution that dominates the current landscape, New York post-punk revivalists Interpol have quietly fallen into veteran status while still doing it their own way. But that doesn’t mean things haven’t changed for frontman Paul Banks and his bandmates. Shortly after recording its fourth full-length, self-titled album, the band announced the departure of founding bassist Carlos Dengler. Reforming as a three-piece with Banks taking over on bass and working with well-known British producer and mix engineer Alan Moulder (Arctic Monkeys, The Killers, Nine Inch Nails), the group’s fifth studio effort El Pintor — the title serves as an anagram of the band’s name — also features guest appearances from Brandon Curtis of Secret Machines, former Beck keyboardist Roger Joseph Manning, Jr. and Rob Moose of Bon Iver. And though the four years between albums stands as the longest gap to date for the band, what we hear on the 10-track LP off of Matador Records, which includes three bonus tracks via iTunes (“The Depths”) as well as Target (“Malfeasance” and a live version of “Slow Hands” from the Brixton Academy in London) after being recorded at NYC’s Electric Lady Studios and Atomic Sound, proves to be well worth the wait.

From opening rocker “All the Rage Back Home,” it’s clear that there’s still plenty of chemistry between Banks (vocals, guitar, bass, production), Daniel Kessler (guitar, piano, production) and Sam Fogarino (drums, percussion, production) since receiving critical acclaim for their 2002 debut Turn on the Bright Lights and their 2004 follow-up Antics. Punctuated by Kessler’s frenetic, yet exquisite riffs, the album’s lead single debuted at No. 37 on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart last month before more recently ascending to No. 31. And as one of the best offerings we’ve heard from Interpol in quite some time, it’s undeniably deserving of such applause.

That’s not to say that the rest of El Pintor doesn’t warrant any as well, however. Rather, it boasts some other outstanding cuts, including the guitar-driven “Anywhere,” in which Banks dreams of escaping to far-away places with lyrics like “The ocean … I could go anywhere! I could go anywhere!” There’s even the ensuing “Same Town, New Story,” which sounds like nothing the band has ever written before — an exciting proposition for any longtime Interpol fan. With three more gems (“Ancient Ways,” “Tidal Wave” and “Twice As Hard”) rounding things out, El Pintor holds up from start to finish and even more, is one that Banks, Kessler and Fogarino can be proud to call their own.

Album Lowlight: There is something that remains uniquely distinct about Interpol’s sound, and while that most often has worked in their favor, you could certainly argue that their sound hasn’t evolved by leaps and bounds since Turn on the Bright Lights. At the same time, that doesn’t mean what the band brings to the table here doesn’t work. What’s impressive about Interpol is that despite the potential sonic limitations they face, each album fits suitably within the context of their overall body of work. Interpol may never top the praise and success they received in the early 2000s, but El Pintor gives us a good reason to remember why they remain an important fixture in today’s indie rock scene.

Takeaway: It will be interesting to see what comes of Interpol’s lineup after they tour this fall in the U.S. and this winter in Europe. Will their new three-piece setup in the studio work for the long haul, or will they bring a new bassist on full time and allow Banks to return to solely his rhythm guitar duties? For as integral as Dengler was to the band’s songwriting process and its public image, you wouldn’t even know on El Pintor that he’s no longer playing in the band — a true testament to the job Banks has done in filling those shoes for at least the time being.

~Josh Herwitt

Filed Under: Featured, New Music, New Music Tuesday Tagged With: El Pintor, Interpol, New Music

The Top 10 summer anthems of 2014

September 2, 2014 by The Bam Team Leave a Comment

Written by Kevin Quandt & Krystal Beez //

With Labor Day in the rearview mirror, the days are getting shorter and most students are heading back in school. So what better time than now to identify this year’s most iconic summer jams?

These 10 sun-drenched summer anthems run the gauntlet from pop songs you couldn’t escape to indie gems that deserve even more attention as we head toward the end of 2014.

What are your favorite summer anthems from 2014? Tell us below in the comments.

Future Islands – “Seasons (Waiting on You)”

Yes, we all know and love the dance moves of a one Mr. Samuel Harrington at this point. However, once that spectacle wears thin (unlikely), the music of Future Islands is truly amazing, with a lyrical depth that could be lost on a new or casual fan. “You know when people change / They gain a piece but they lose one too” is a pretty damned insightful line for a previously underground new-wave band. Yet, now that they have grown by leaps and bounds in 2014, it’s anyone guess as to how far their stock climbs. -KQ

Iggy Azalea – “Fancy” (featuring Charli XCX)

Both Iggy Azalea and Charli XCX seemed to be everywhere this summer. Charli was featured on The Fault in Our Stars soundtrack and Iggy released her newest album The New Classic — But “Fancy” was destined to be a summer anthem. With that beat and catchy lyrics like “I’m so fancy / Can’t you taste this gold?”, plus a music video throwback to the movie Clueless, it is no surprise that we all got a whole lot fancier this summer. -KB

Nico and Vinz – “Am I Wrong”

Though originally released in April 2013 when the act went by the name Envy, this track became a massive export for the Norwegian duo known as Nico & Vinz in the summer of 2014. The late success of this song was credited to it’s airy guitar vibe coupled with startling pop vocals peppered with just enough danceability to be remixed by every producer under the sun. “Am I Wrong” also holds the record for the most ‘Shazammed’ song of the summer, not to mention it’s been played on Spotify well over 100 million times. It’s hard to deny that this track was one of the most popular songs of the summer…I mean, am I wrong? -KQ

Lana Del Rey – “West Coast”

The hypnotic and moody “West Coast” is the perfect accompaniment to a bonfire on the beach on a warm summer night. And despite the fact that I’ve never heard anyone in California say, “Down on the west coast, they’ve got a saying / If you’re not drinking, then you’re not playing,” it’s still a beautifully dark song that shows off a new side to Lana Del Rey, and a moodier side to summer. -KB

Caribou – “Can’t Do Without You”

Though this summer hit wasn’t slathered all over popular airwaves, it did however, make the summer playlist of many savvy music fans. Dan Snaith’s return to the studio, and the stage, has been welcomed with enthusiasm, and this premier new track had all the elements to thrill. Rolling waves of warm, bassy synths lightly pummel the listener into one seriously psyched-out coma. Each element fits neatly into the other – a characteristic Snaith honed on his previous release, Swim. His subsequent return to stage received accolades at FYF Fest, and his devoted fans are hoping for a tour in the near future. -KQ

Sia – “Chandelier”

“Chandelier” celebrates (and regrets) those classic moments of summer debauchery, contrasting feelings of uncontrollable angst with the unconscious process slowly losing control. But if the original is too moody for you, don’t fret. The Plastic Plates remix of “Chandelier” kept us on the dance floor all summer long. And when that chorus comes in, Sia’s powerhouse vocals hit hard. This was one that we were all belting out after we’d had a few: “I’m gonna swing from the chandelier, from the chandelier / I’m gonna live like tomorrow doesn’t exist, like it doesn’t exist.” -KB

Lorde – “Tennis Court”

While Lorde’s ‘honeymoon’ in the industry is now over, the young Kiwi has proven that she is no one-hit-wonder. Once the dust from “Royals” and “Team” had settled, “Tennis Court” off of Pure Heroine took the spotlight this summer. This song found, and continues to find, a comfortable home on various FM outlets as its dreamy adult-contemprary vibe exhibits a wide range of appeal. The track was further bolstered this summer by a stellar remix by the fellow Oceanian we all know as Flume. -KQ

Sam Smith – “Stay With Me”

Sam Smith is a force to be reckoned with. “Stay With Me” starts as piano-soul and then builds to a gospel chorus that displays the British crooners powerful and soulful voice. As many have pointed out this year, “Stay With Me” has a strong resemblance to Tom Petty’s “Won’t Back Down”, but the similarity has mattered to few as “Stay With Me” is one of those songs that can bounce around the brain for hours. It’s interesting to note that Sam Smith’s collaboration with Disclosure, “Latch”, was released in 2012, yet this was another song of the summer in 2014 due to Smith’s meteoric rise in popularity. Also, Smith lit up the airwaves as the featured voice on Naughty Boy’s “La La La”. If you hadn’t heard of Sam Smith before summer began, you know him now. -KB

Calvin Harris – “Summer”

Besides the obvious inclusion due to the the title, “Summer” quickly rose to be the club anthem of summer 2014. Similar to fellow mega-hit, “Feel So Close”, we see Harris returning to the vocal duties on his own track, which has shown to be successful. Sure, it’s not the most ambitious track of the summer, but it’s hard to ignore the far-reaching nature of the club hit, especially in a time of massive growth in popularity for the lifestyle surrounding club culture. Oh yeah, Calvin was also named as Forbes’ highest paid “Electronic Cash Kings” making some $46 million dollars in the past year. -KQ

Ariana Grande – “Problem” (featuring Iggy Azalea)

Ariana Grande is no stranger to summer anthems. Getting her start on Broadway and Nickelodeon, Grande stepped on the scene last year in a big way with “The Way”, and she’s at it again. This time she teamed up with Iggy Azalea as the two delivered “Problem”, which blends together Grande’s many influences and her Mariah-esque vocals quite smoothly. This record-breaking summer anthem of 2014 is likely the most popular song of the year. -KB

Filed Under: Featured, New Music, New Music Tuesday Tagged With: Ariana Grande, Calvin Harris, Caribou, Charli XCX, Disclosure, Future Islands, Iggy Azalea, Lana Del Rey, Lorde, Nico and Vinz, Sam Smith, Sia, Summer

Five emerging artists you need to hear

August 5, 2014 by Krystal Beez 6 Comments

Written by Krystal Beez //

Get familiar with these five emerging artists.

1. ELLIPHANT

Who: Ellinor Olovsdotter

Origin: Stockholm, Sweden

What she’s about: Inspired by Scandinavian pop and the Jamaican-influenced dance scene in Sweden and Denmark as well as London’s dubstep scene, Elliphant’s music is a global potpourri of electrifying rhythms and powerful, yet raw, chants. “Down On Life” is her most “traditional” song, while her more recent singles, “Only Getting Younger” and “Revolusion”, resemble the efforts of her Mad Decent associates M.I.A and Maluca much more. Elliphant is currently on tour supporting the fabulous Charli XCX. Catch them both at Slim’s in San Francisco on Saturday, October 25th. Get your tix here.

File next to: M.I.A., Mapei, Maluca.

Follow: Facebook. Soundcloud. Twitter. Spotify.

2. SEINABO SEY

Who: Seinabo Sey

Origin: Stockholm, Sweden

What she’s about: Seinabo Sey is of both Swedish and Gambian descent — a fact that is reflected in her music, which is an accessible blend of Swedish pop, R&B and African rhythms. At just 23, Sey made a big splash across the blogosphere with her debut single “Younger” and is currently recording her debut album in Stockholm. With crisp production coming from fellow Swede Magnus Lidehall (Mapei, Veronica Maggio), Sey’s powerhouse vocals are always the focus of each track. Hopefully we get more tracks from this emerging pop/soul artist in the very near future.

File next to: Ella Eyre, Marlene, Mapei.

Follow: Facebook. Soundcloud. Twitter. Spotify.

3. ZELLA DAY

Who: Zella Day

Origin: Arizona

What she’s about: Zella Day first appeared on the scene a few years ago with her sparse and organic cover of The White Stripes’ “Seven Nation Army“. Since then, Day released the single “Sweet Ophelia” and began drawing comparisons to Lana Del Rey. The Arizona native picked up a guitar at a young age, capturing inspiration from the Arizona scenery, Western films and personal experiences to create a raw sound that doesn’t really fit into one specific genre. Currently, Day is in the studio working on her debut EP, and if her single and B-side “1965” are any indication, then we can expect some charming indie pop to hook us. Until then, check out her newest release “East of Eden” below.

File next to: Lana Del Rey, Broods, Betty Who.

Follow: Facebook. Soundcloud. Twitter. Spotify.

4. SNAKEHIPS

Who: Oliver Lee and James Carter

Origin: London, England

What they’re about: If you need a more laid-back soundtrack for the summer, then look no further than Snakehips. The London duo make music at that sweet spot where the 90’s R&B of yesterday meets the technology of today. They’ve topped The Hype Machine charts with remixes of Banks, Wild Belle and The Weeknd, and they are getting ready to take over. Think Disclosure, but at reduced speeds. Check out their newest single below, featuring the always lovely vocals of Sinead Harnett, who has previously been featured on tracks by Rudimental and Disclosure and is another artist to watch out for in 2014.

File next to: Disclosure, Cyril Hahn, Kidnap Kid.

Follow: Facebook. Soundcloud. Twitter. Spotify.

5. ZHU

Who: Steven Zhu?

Origin: Current location is California (LA/SF)

What he’s about: Zhu is the mysterious producer behind the Outkast mashup “Moves Like Miss Jackson“. You won’t find any pictures of him on his website or on Facebook. His EP Nightday is out now on iTunes, and you can listen to it on Soundcloud. Zhu issued the following statement about keeping his identity hidden: “Many are wondering why I chose to release my music anonymously. I am my own ghostwriter. As a society, we become more attached to the creator than to the creation. Music is faceless. My music is for a new generation—one in which people appreciate art for its intrinsic value—Generation WHY.” His chill, deep house and “letting the music speak for itself” vibes have got people intrigued, and he is set to be one of the biggest breakout acts in 2014. And now you know everything there is to know about Zhu — for now.

File next to: Moon Boots, Disclosure, Duke Dumont.

Follow: Facebook. Soundcloud. Twitter. Spotify.

Which emerging artists are you most excited about? Let us know in the comments below!

Filed Under: Editor's Picks, Featured, New Music Tagged With: Ellinor Olovsdotter, elliphant, New Artists, New Music, seinabo sey, snakehips, zella day, zhu

New Music: The Black Angels – Clear Lake Forest

July 22, 2014 by The Bam Team 1 Comment

The Black Angels – Clear Lake Forest //

Top Tracks:
“Tired Eyes”
“Diamond Eyes”
“The Flop”

Album Highlights: Clear Lake Forest is a super solid album from start to finish. One gets the impression that they purposefully set up the track listing to mirror a good acid trip. The album takes you through highs and lows — both sonically and lyrically. Opening track “Sunday Evening” quickly draws you in with its poppy verses and snappy chorus. Songs like “Tired Eyes”, “Diamond Eyes” and “The Flop” bring with them a darker quality but remain infectious. As the album moves on, we come upon the drone-pop ditty “The Occurance at 4507 South Third Street”, which sets the listener up perfectly for the remainder of the album. Coming back down, we come to “The Executioner”, which advises the listener that “If it feels good, do it again!” Finally, we close the album with “Linda’s Gone”, which appropriately brings you back down to Earth gently but without completely taking you out of your haze.

Album Lowlight: Where The Black Angels excel in creating a dreamy, psychedelic wall of sound, I do believe that they tend to borrow a bit too much from their influences. As with many of the neo-psych rock bands, there is a tendency to reproduce the sonic quality of a vintage 60’s LP. Considering the strength of the songs themselves, that is all well and good, but sometimes it’s best to leave the past in the past.

Takeaway: Those familiar with The Black Angels’ body of work will be pleasantly surprised by their latest offering. It’s a quick seven-track album, with each track leaving you in acid-laced reverie. There is very little in the way of “dead air” on this album, and even with borrowing much from their forefathers, the production quality is top notch. The album starts off very strong, carries you along for a sweet ride and ends on a mellow note … just like a good bourbon.

~Andrew Pohl

Filed Under: Featured, New Music, New Music Tuesday Tagged With: Clear Lake Forest, New Music, The Black Angels

Five female-fronted, emerging UK acts you need to hear

July 15, 2014 by Krystal Beez 2 Comments

Written by Krystal Beez //

With the Fourth of July in the rearview mirror and the taste of independence fresh in my mouth, I thought it would only be fitting for us to get familiar with five emerging artists from the United Kingdom. While listening to the artists below might make you a quasi-traitor, at least you’ll be a renegade with some good music.

1. ELLA EYRE

Who: Ella McMahon

Origin: West London, Britain

What she’s about: You may recognize her name if you listened to Rudimental’s amazing album Home. She was the sexy and husky voice belting out proudly on their No. 1 single “Waiting All Night“. She also collaborated with Wiz Khalifa and Naughty Boy on the track “Think About It“. But now, Ella Eyre is out on her own with a debut EP entitled Deeper. Ella attended the famous BRIT school for performing arts and was runner-up for the Brit Critics’ Choice Award, losing to Sam Smith. At 21 years old, Ella is just getting started. Her debut single, “Deeper“, really emphasizes her sultry voice and her R&B/soul influences. Sadly, there’s no release date for her debut album yet, but no need to panic. You can catch Ella’s San Francisco debut at Popscene on Friday, July 25th. Samsaya and local artist Anya & the Get Down support. You do not want to miss this! Tickets available here.

File next to: Zella Day, Sam Smith, Kiesza

Follow: Facebook. Soundcloud. Twitter. Spotify.

2. CAMDEN COX

Who: Camden Cox

Origin: London, Britain

What she’s about: Camden Cox is signed to Little Boots’ label On Repeat, and her debut single, “Kinda Like”, is future pop coming to fruition. She recently released an EP with only one drawback — it needs more new songs by Camden Cox.

File next to: AlunaGeorge, Sky Ferreira, Tove Lo

Follow: Facebook. Soundcloud. Twitter. Spotify.

3. ELLI INGRAM

Who: Elli Ingram

Origin: Brighton, Britain

What she’s about: Elli Ingram is a name that’s been buzzing around the UK music scene after she released the beautiful track “When It Was Dark“. Since then, Ingram has collaborated and toured with electronic duo Chase and Status, and she released two EPs. The UK songstress’ soulful vocals and R&B/hip-hop style have her drawing comparisons to the likes of Adele and, more accurately, Amy Winehouse. Both of Ingram’s EPs — Sober and the more recent release The Doghouse — demonstrate her powerful, soulful vocals as well as highlight the skill of her production team, Felix Joseph and Aston Rudi. Start with “High Love” and “All Caught Up“, and soon you’ll be addicted to the music of this talented young lady. And if you enjoy a good cover song, watch Elli’s jazzy cover of Kendrick Lamar’s “Poetic Justice“.

File next to: Sampha, Laura Welsh, Amy Winehouse

Follow: Facebook. Soundcloud. Twitter.

4. IYES

Who: Josh Christopher and Melis Soyaslanová

Origin: Brighton, Britain

What they’re about: IYES (pronounced “eyes”) are another girl/boy duo breaking out this year. The duo met at a party while in school and started making music together. They put a track on Soundcloud called “Lighthouse” and took over the blogosphere within a week. Since then, they’ve done a number of remixes as well as released their debut single “Til Infinity“, a lovely track of minimal electropop. More recently is the song “Toys“, which is labeled as a demo but actually feels like a polished and full track, and sees Christopher taking on more of a vocal role as the duo sing back and forth in almost an XX type of way. Again, if you enjoy a good cover song, check this one out.

File next to: MS MR, ASTR, Sohn

Follow: Facebook. Soundcloud. Twitter. Spotify.

5. CLEAN BANDIT

Who: Jack Patterson, Luke Patterson, Grace Chatto and Milan Neil Amin-Smith

Origin: Cambridge, Britain

What they’re about: Now let’s combine elements of classical music along with dance music, house and UK funky, and you get the brilliance that is Clean Bandit. Their debut album, New Eyes, was released last month, and it features their No. 1 single “Rather Be“, starring the exquisite guest vocals of Jess Glynne, another emerging UK artist to keep your eye on. Clean Bandit are signed to the Black Butter Records label, home to the likes of Rudimental, Gorgon City and Kidnap Kid. Clean Bandit are going to be doing big things, so remember the name. Be sure to see them perform live at The Fillmore for their SF debut on Saturday, September 27th! More info on tickets here.

File next to: Gorgon City, Route 94, Le Youth

Follow: Facebook. Soundcloud. Twitter. Spotify.

Which female-fronted emerging artists from the UK are you most excited about? Let us know in the comments below!

Filed Under: Editor's Picks, Featured, New Music Tagged With: British, camden cox, classical, clean bandit, Dance, Electro, Ella Eyre, elli ingram, iyes, New Artists, New Music, pop, R&B, Soul

New Music: ANTEMASQUE – Self-titled

July 15, 2014 by Josh Herwitt Leave a Comment

ANTEMASQUE – Antemasque //

Top Tracks:
“I Got No Remorse”
“In the Lurch”
“Drown All Your Witches”

Album Highlights: Control freak or not, Omar Rodríguez-López has certainly kept himself busy since the breakup of The Mars Volta. The former TMV bandleader/guitarist teamed up with Le Butcherettes vocalist/guitarist Teri Gender Bender and former TMV drummer Deantoni Parks to form experimental alt-rock outfit Bosnian Rainbows in 2012, and earlier this year, he joined forces with former Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist John Frusciante and Swahili Blonde drummer Nicole Turley to release Kimono Kult’s debut EP Hiding in the Light (read our review here). While rumors of a TMV reunion surfaced in February when Rodríguez-López and former lead singer Cedric Bixler-Zavala started speaking to each other again after going their separate ways for a couple years, fans were eventually informed in early April that there would be no reunion, but instead, a new project from Rodríguez-López and Bixler-Zavala dubbed ANTEMASQUE. Featuring RHCP’s Flea on bass, the rock ‘n’ roll legend is not considered to be an official member despite letting Rodríguez-López, Bixler-Zavala and former TMV drummer Dave Elitch use his recording studio and being included in the band’s teaser video that dropped three months ago.

What came out of those sessions at Flea’s studio is the groundwork that makes up the supergroup’s 10-track, self-titled debut, which fuses the frenetic punk-rock elements of Rodríguez-López’s and Bixler-Zavala’s first band, At the Drive-In, with the prog-rock roots of TMV. The album’s first single “4AM” kicks things off in a hurry, as Bixler-Zavala shouts his way through the upbeat, yet short-lived track that sees Rodríguez-López use a guitar effect reminiscent of The Cure’s Robert Smith during the song’s verse sections. The ensuing number, “I Got No Remorse”, picks up the pace even more thanks to Elitch’s drumming, making it easy to see why the ATDI comparisons will come fast and furious for ANTEMASQUE. “In the Lurch,” on the other hand, bridges the gap between progressive rock and punk rock better than any other tune on the LP, with a breakdown midway through that lets Flea’s groovy bass line shine through.

But unlike any song on the album that precedes it, “Drown All Your Witches” takes a much different approach, with Rodríguez-López exchanging his electric guitar for an acoustic one. Surprisingly enough, it stands as one of the album’s top tracks, even if Bixler-Zavala’s lyrics are still relatively cryptic, as he demonstrates in this verse: “All I ever done is hold a love as this / I’m used to just watching without a sound / On that day with our backs against the wall / Is that how you drown all your witches?” It’s not long, of course, before we’re transported back to the charging punk that rounds out the rest of Antemasque, as we come to discover with “People Forget” and “Rome Armed to the Teeth.”

Album Lowlight: As excited as ATDI and TMV fans should be to see Rodríguez-López and Bixler-Zavala back together making music, Antemasque doesn’t come anywhere close to topping ground-breaking albums like 2000’s Relationship of Command and 2003’s De-Loused in the Comatorium that thrust both bands into the mainstream spotlight. That’s not to say that this record is completely unlistenable, but it’s far from complete. “Ride Like the Devil’s Son” has the potential to be one of the album’s best offerings, but it falls flat when the chorus kicks in. “50,000 Kilowatts,” meanwhile, serves as another departure from the punk-prog concoction that dominates most of Antemasque, but its pop/rock vibe and cookie-cutter formula sounds rather contrived. On the whole, it’s hard to ascertain what the band’s identity truly is, as it mixes prog, punk and alt-rock over the course of just 35 minutes.

Takeaway: Although fans of TMV will likely find Antemasque too straight-forward for their liking, more traditional punk enthusiasts may be able to get behind what Rodríguez-López and Bixler-Zavala have put together here. It’s worth nothing that Elitch’s work on the skins is absolutely exquisite throughout, driving the music forward while also lying back at certain times when it’s appropriate. There’s no doubt that Rodríguez-López, Bixler-Zavala and Elitch are all talented musicians, but you’ll want to keep your expectations to a minimum before hitting the play button.

~Josh Herwitt

Filed Under: Featured, New Music, New Music Tuesday Tagged With: Antemasque, New Music

Modest Mouse – Strangers to Ourselves // Community Review

Will Butler – Policy // Community Review

What do Modest Mouse’s 5 new songs say about the upcoming album?

Purity Ring – another eternity // Community Review

Father John Misty – I Love You, Honeybear // Community Review

TV On The Radio – Seeds // Community Review

Run The Jewels – Run the Jewels 2 // Community Review

Caribou – Our Love // Community Review

Foxygen – …And Star Power // Community Review

Flying Lotus – You’re Dead! // Community Review

Thom Yorke – Tomorrow’s Modern Boxes // Community Review

alt-J – This Is All Yours // Community Review

Aphex Twin – Syro // Community Review

New Music: Death from Above 1979 – The Physical World

New Music: Interpol – El Pintor

The Top 10 summer anthems of 2014

Five emerging artists you need to hear

New Music: The Black Angels – Clear Lake Forest

Five female-fronted, emerging UK acts you need to hear

New Music: ANTEMASQUE – Self-titled

FESTIVALS

Ohana Festival will celebrate 10th anniversary with Eddie Vedder & Friends, Tyler Childers & Pearl Jam booked to headline 2026 lineup

Coachella keeps the twists & turns coming with 2026 set times revealing Jack White, Kacey Musgraves as latest surprise guests

After debuting three years ago, Darker Waves Fest returns to unleash 2026 lineup with Morrissey & The Smashing Pumpkins standing atop

Just Like Heaven slides back to summer for sixth year as The Strokes, LCD Soundsystem, TV Girl & Chromeo carry festival’s 2026 lineup

Outside Lands follows the trend, unloads 2026 lineup earlier than ever with Charli xcx, RÜFÜS DU SOL, The Strokes, The xx & more

SHOW REVIEWS

What the world needs now is more Fcukers & their sold-out show at The Observatory only served as further proof

Silversun Pickups come out swinging with power & precision to kick off their ‘Tenterhooks Tour’ for a sold-out crowd at The Observatory

On their first major headlining tour, Say She She make no secret at The Belasco why the ‘discodelic soul’ group’s music is for everyone

The Mars Volta reaffirm at Pasadena Civic Auditorium that they aren’t resting on their laurels these days & we love them just as much for it

Lord Huron make their hometown fans at Kia Forum see how they’ve gone from burgeoning indie-rock band to newly minted arena act

PHOTOS

Tyler Ramsey & Carl Broemel showcase their beautiful collaboration ‘Celestun’ at Lodge Room just a few weeks after the album’s release

STS9 take over The Bellwether in LA for two nights to celebrate 20 years of ‘Artifact’ & the release of their new album ‘Human Dream’

Grammy winners Portugal. The Man deliver their love letter to Alaska at The Wiltern with Electric Guest, Hanni El Khatib as special guests

THE LATEST

BAMMING

Like on Facebook

Follow on X