Pet Genius - Pet Genius
Recorded and Mixed by Kurt Ballou
Mastered by Nick Zampiello at New Alliance East in Cambridge, MA

It seems that everything Stephen Brodsky touches turns to gold. His off-kilter project Pet Genius' debut full-length, released on Hydrahead, is no different. Hardly reminiscent of Cave In, it is fitting that Brodsky, under alias "Stophen Bredsky" for PG, adopts a new name for a new sound — one that is arguably more versatile than Cave In's hardcore/smooth croon bipolarity, falling somewhere in a land between the soundscapes of stoner metal, psych, experimental percussive, and driving rock.
This self-titled effort embodies an overflowing sound, in which unlikely combinations allow for texture and melody to interact while each retains its own, loud say. The intro track, "Doomsday," features Brodsky's voice front and center - clear, dynamic, and unapologetic. To say his range is impressive is an understatement: he travels between head and chest voice naturally, sometimes singing in a soft, yet precise soprano, sometimes in a straight rock bellow, sometimes in an effortless yell-into-scream. His vocals often parallel the melody of gritty guitar, highlighted by thick basslines and drums. "Doomsday" is a powered preface to the calmer "The Visiting Dynamiter," which is sweet and of a slower-tempo, but by no means less pleasing. The latter becomes ironic when the listener hears Brodsky's Beatles-inspired tenor chiming "blow up the bridge" over and over again.
Interestingly, the album takes a sharp turn just beyond its halfway point, marked by the entirely instrumental ditty "Emit Fo Deeps Eht Esare." The title is well-suited, as the song consists of backwards drums alongside electric guitar scales. It is short and simple, becoming a kind of interlude, as well as an introduction for the subsequent, inextricably-linked "Erase the Speed of Time." This mirrored combo nearly halts the album's garage-rock pace, at which point Pet Genius metamorphoses into something slightly evocative of Cave In's Moons of Jupiter EP — slower and more serious, with vocals that seem both awestruck and contemplative. This change exists for only a few songs, and before the listener is able to chew over or even swallow the digression, we are back into it: the red-blooded rock that had been pumping through the album's first half.
Pet Genius ends with the poppy, almost childlike "Scrapyard King," which weaves low guitar riffs around accents of single toy piano notes. Brodsky ends strong as ever, leaving the album cleanly yet apathetically, as if this were something created organically in a hazy-headed night. By the end, the listener may begin to understand the band name: it may be genius, or effortlessness, or both — entailing less responsibility than a child but just enough for a pet. (Hydrahead Industries)

www.myspace.com/petgenius

-Taylor Bratches

Andy Santospago - Tiny Problems
Produced, recorded, and mixed by Andy Santospago at Secret Sound Labs
Mastering by Eric Masunaga at Modulus Studios

As one of the primary songwriters in Cambridge-based The Vinyl Skyway, multi-instrumentalist Andy Santospago has been treating lucky Bostonians to sophisticated, candy-coated pop for the past four years. To those familiar with The Vinyl Skyway’s sound, the opening chorus of harmonized ladada‘s and doodoodoo‘s on Santospago’s new solo album Tiny Problems shouldn’t come as a surprise. But the 11 tracks that follow this 35-second opener are sure to widen a few eyes and win over a few newly devoted fans.
Seemingly obsessed with the pre-MTV age, Santospago manages to touch damn near every pop subgenre from the 1960s and 1970s over the course of Tiny Problems. The impressive span of instruments that pop in and out enhance the style of the song in which they each appear, like the banjo and slide guitar in the AM country shuffle “Dust Cloud in Central” or the barroom piano and mandolin in the Kinksy pub sing-along “If They’d.”
Vinyl Skyway bandmate Michael Hayes has his hands in a lot of this album, but there’s a reason it’s billed as a Santospago solo album, He carries most of the load. Equally as impressive as the breadth of styles he explores is his ability to mold a beautiful pop song within each of them, from the funky Middle Eastern electro-pop of “Gateway Drug” to the bouncy Syd Barrett folk of “Point of Reference.”
Most impressive is “All Too Easy,” a song that turns back the clock even further. With its shuffling rhythm, tinkling piano, and soft bed of sampled strings and flute breaks, the song would sound more natural drifting out of a creaky Philco radio with the aroma of cigar smoke and stale whiskey permeating the background.
Recorded and mixed in Santospago’s home studio, the album’s modest, unpolished sound adds a thread of commonality to a group of songs that might otherwise have been a bit too varied to swallow. It also helps that none of the songs extend beyond the 3:30 mark, making Tiny Problems a quick, albeit rewarding, listen.
Santospago is a talented songwriter with impressive versatility. Until the Vinyl Skyway serves another album of ear sweetener, Tiny Problems is a welcome diversion. (Self-released)

www.andysantospago.com

- Brett Cromwell

The Superpowers - Revival Time
Produced by Adam Clark & Jason Waddleton
Recorded by Craig Welsch and Joshua Driscoll at Wellspring Sound in Acton, MA
Mixed by Craig Welsch at Hillside Sound in Brighton, MA
Mastered by Jeff Lipton at Peerless Mastering in Newton, MA

To complement their well-oiled on-stage performance, The Superpowers (formerly known as the Boston Afrobeat Society) have served up their first full-length album, Revival Time, in the same hard-hitting fashion. From drum-driven dance grooves to beautiful mellow ballads, the 10-piece instrumental unit offers a modern and original aesthetic to the Afrobeat spirit.

The Superpowers are unmistakably influenced by the music of Fela Anikulpo Kuti, yet they often bestow elements of psychedelia and hard funk as well. At the core of their sound are pulsing polyrhythms that groove tighter than a sailor’s knot. Much credit goes to drummer/band founder Adam Clark, bassist Ben Miller, and percussionists Matt Donnelly and Samba Cisse, who seamlessly intertwine complex, yet complementary rhythmic figures to create impenetrable grooves. As the track name indicates, “Cosmic Spiral” is a perfect showcase of this twisting sonic interplay.
The four-man horn section also shines throughout, offering funky breakdowns, explosive solos and flowing, organic melodies that flawlessly stream in and out of the rhythm section’s layered feels. The biting tenor sound of Drew Sayers is most memorable on the album’s opening title track and “S.L.D.R.” Impelling solos by trombonist Alex Asher and alto-saxophonist Nick Videen further prove that there isn’t a single weak link in this band.

Throughout the nine-track album, The Superpowers’ fluency in various world styles is quite apparent. In the collective spirit of the music, the compositional duties on Revival Time are spread among various members of the band as well. The composers clearly share a comprehensive musical vision with each other and the rest of the ensemble. From beginning to end, listeners can hear the tasteful and precise musical execution of this fully functioning machine. (Pub Records)

www.myspace.com/thesuperpowers

-Sam Merrick

Lazy Magnet - He Sought For That Magic By Which All Glory And Glamour Of Mystic Chivalry Were Made To Shine -Or- Is Music Even Good?
Recorded at home on 1/2 inch open reel and cassette 4 track
Mastered by Allen Douches at West West Side

This record’s two tremendous titles convey a surprisingly accurate idea of what Lazy Magnet is all about. The second title is short and straightforward, delivering a simple, probably ironic sentiment. The first is ridiculously ambitious, flamboyant, and mindfully overblown. One seems to have nothing to do with the other, yet both refer to the same 19 tracks. It’s up to the listener to decide how they relate, to make sense of the juxtaposition. On HSFTMBWAGAGOMCWMTS or IMEG, Lazy Magnet mix and match genres, transitioning from one to the other mid-track with the subtlety of a tape splice or, as is more likely, a Ctrl+V. “Masters of Science Fiction” begins as a lazy country romp, replete with lap-steel and bluegrass harmonies. On top of this comes a second verse that is so vocally distorted by feedback that it entirely overwhelms the rest of the track. This is followed by some lunatic ranting about an “alien over-mind” before the whole thing plops into an early Pink Floydian black hole with delayed vocals. “Weird Bummer of a Spiritual Shield” begins as ambling math rock that builds to DragonForce speeds before instantly transforming into a vocoder-driven mid-tempo disco number a la Giorgio Moroder.
Not every track contains such right-angle transitions. To their credit, Lazy Magnet know when to leave a track alone and let it stand. For instance, simply as a melancholic piece of chamber music, “Doomed Chambers” shines. But each track is so drastically different from the one preceding it that HSFTMBWAGAGOMCWMTS or IMEG maintains a sense of dramatic urgency from start to finish. With Lazy Magnet anything can happen, and all of it is executed with enough musicality and conviction that it is always interesting.
Underneath the CD tray of HSFTMBWAGAGOMCWMTS or IMEG are headshots of 16 individuals that one can only assume are members of the band. The record certainly sounds like the product of more than a dozen minds. Think of it as Broken Social Scene on Salvia. (Corleone Records)

www.myspace.com/112503

-Jon Carter

Mobius Band - Heaven
Co-engineered by Emery Dobyns, Done Piper, and Eric Spring

Wikipedia defines a Möbius band as “a surface with only one side and only one boundary component.” This seems totally unfair. One side? Mobius Band may stick closely to their chosen electro-pop genre, but as the group soundly demonstrates on its new Misra-released Heaven that particular musical classification offers more than one facet to explore. And “one boundary component”? What does that even mean?
But seriously, folks. Heaven is a really good record, offering tight, crisply-produced pop songs couched in remarkable circuit-bent synth textures that range from the bubbling opener “Hallie” to the M83-worthy lushness of the penultimate track, “Black Spot.” Mobius Band started out in a small Massachusetts town, but two of the three members now live in Brooklyn. Somehow, Heaven actually sounds about two-thirds “New Yorkish.” Beyond their clear similarities to fellow plaintive electro-poppers like Postal Service and the Notwist, Mobius Band seem to have acquired an ear for the alt-pop trends of their new home. The plaintive croon of the vocals recalls a less Ian Curtis-y Interpol, especially when coupled with the sort of chugging, single-note guitar lines, (re: the chorus of “Tie a Tie”) that Interpol favors. There is a touch of The Walkmen in the often sprawling, synth-driven intros, and there’s a bit of The Strokes in their lightly swung, driving rhythms and occasional, bouncy unison guitar-vocal lines.
But perhaps the NYC ennui is most apparent in the measured cool of the singing. The detached, languid approach usually works well, especially when undercut by particularly wild-sounding synths. But when the record drags, as it does in several spots, it would be nice to hear the singer push his voice instead of sitting in the same mid-range comfort zone. (Misra Records)

www.mobiusband.com

-Jon Carter

The Forms - The Forms
Engineered by Steve Albini

The Forms’ long-awaited sophomore effort is a pristine slice of Steve Albini magic, reminiscent of a less-morose Chris Crisci bred with late-era Don Caballero. The Forms throw in just enough prog-rock to keep the critics at bay, and plenty of polished guitar arpeggios to placate their (doubtless) droves of Pitchfork-fellating teenage fans. It is clear that they have evolved far and above their significantly sweeter debut, Icarus, displaying a much richer aural palette. Opener “Knowledge In Hand” and its immediate successors all have terrifically radio-friendly hooks while showcasing the band’s technical proficiency and ability to pull off the indie-impossible: good vocals that don’t sound like hipster castrato. “Blue Whale” unfurls in a pleasant dissonance of swelling riffs, finally answering that long-ignored question as to what The Appleseed Cast would sound like with a lot more words.
Nonetheless, from here on out, the songs end with an unsatisfying abruptness, prematurely fading out what could have been a glorious, flowing, Neutral Milk Hotel-meets-Mellon Collie tapestry. For instance, “Blue Whale Continued” cockteases with its potential for a “Russia, My Homeland” piano interlude, but sadly ends in a matter of 17 seconds.
The Forms is proof that you don’t have to sacrifice power for melody; it is, in fact, possible to fluctuate between thick, jaunty riffs and daydreamy shoegazer pop without sounding like a disaster. And if the band doesn’t make the mistake of resting on their laurels, in a few years they will ripen to progressive supremacy. It’s unclear how many more configurations of heartfelt power ballads the indie world can handle, but The Forms are certainly worth keeping track of. (Rebel Records)

www.theforms.org

-Alexis Ong

The Break Mission - As Much Light As It Will Take
Engineered by Bill Wathen at Smash Studios and EMW Studios in New York
Mixed by Tom Polce
Co-Produced by Jeff Knowlton, Matt Russell and Bill Wathen
Mastered by Dave McNair

It’s going to take a ton of light to blind listeners to the similarities between The Break Mission’s “You Still Can” and Coldplay’s “Clocks.” If you’re in a band that can’t write good original material, take this piece of valuable advice: steal melodies from obscure songs off an old Echo and the Bunnymen record. With production this good, you might be able to sell a couple thousand records before people catch on. Don’t steal the most recognizable pop riff from five years ago and pretend like everyone and his mother aren‘t going to pick up on it. The sad thing is, The Break Mission’s version of “Clocks” isn’t that bad. The album’s opener, “You Still Can,” blasts open a tremendous sonic fissure in the album’s soundscape; reverbed drums and layers of delay-drenched guitar hit as hard and forcefully as Doves did at their most atmospherically epic. The song loses steam, though, with the predictable major chord glory of the chorus, where vocalist Jeff Knowlton sounds more like James Blunt than Chris Martin.
“A Trampled Year” follows with some engaging drum variation, and dynamic changes between the few parts of the song. The song is too short, though, and sort of awkward in that it’s pristinely produced yet compositionally incomplete. “Old Buildings“ is easily the album’s best track, an unexpected indie-folk twist with chord progressions wary of resolving. Here, Knowlton’s voice is dry, upfront, and in a lower register. The song is intimate and meanders along in a charming fashion, hinting at the impressive level of restraint of which the band is capable.
Unfortunately, the rest of the album blurs together, dwelling too long in that all-too-familiar resonating -maj7 chord intimacy. Coldplay’s songwriting always treaded the dangerous line between subtly evocative and majorly boring, and The Break Mission’s songwriting leans too often on the latter side of that equation. It’s a shame, because the album sounds so good — fantastic even — thanks to the spacey delays and perfectly EQ’d layers of atmospherics (see the glimmering “Outside and Below” and the thickly layered “TUK”). But generally, the sonic pyrotechnics seem like attempts at covering up tepid songwriting. (RoHo Records)

www.thebreakmission.com

-Adam Arrigo

Damon & Naomi - Within These Walls
Produced by Damon & Naomi
Engineered and mixed by Damon Krukowski at Kali Studios
Mastered by Alan Douches at West West Side Music

While the sounds that compose Damon & Naomi’s latest release Within These Walls are literally quiet enough to remain unheard outside even the thinnest of walls, they are also impressive enough to generate buzz far beyond the recording room.
The Galaxy 500 members’ (Damon Krukowski and Naomi Yang) new creation is otherworldly yet familiar, minimal and somehow orchestral at the same time, as the album features many guests on varied instruments, including their current tourmate Michio Kurihara of Ghost. The first song, “Lilac Land” opens slowly, with Naomi’s airy voice front and center. Her vocals teeter between angelic and ghostly, slightly reminiscent of a higher-pitched Nico. Alongside Naomi’s croon is Damon’s minimal electric guitar - both augmented by a background of drums and muffled strings. If the listener isn’t already pleasantly surprised by the quiet orchestral elements in the song’s negative space, he probably won’t be expecting the introduction of soprano sax towards the close of the track, a nice addition that allows for a sense of climax and resolution.
The same taut guitar weaves itself into the following track, which again features Naomi’s lullaby soprano, though this time with wisps of background vocals. Because Naomi’s vocals are in the forefront (Damon too offers vocal contribution towards the album’s latter half) while beautiful, sparse arrangements thrive nearly silently in the landscape behind, the listener needs to be mindful of the lyrics, which are often poetic or allegorical, thanks to the Harvard-educated couple’s love for literature. And this lyrical subtext matches the musical subtext - the tightly arranged, textural sounds that seep into the listener’s subconscious from the backdrop are what distinguish Damon & Naomi, not only from other folk/alternative duos but from other artists in general. Having given birth to this project in 1991, there are flecks of Portishead and My Bloody Valentine sediment, but the album retains its own independence. Perhaps what characterizes Within These Walls is the appearance of minimalism, as there is so much happening beneath the surface.
The album closes with the haunting fairytale ballad “Cruel Queen,” squeezing itself between high-pitched oboe squeaks and suppressed trumpet. Between varied instrumentation, top notch production, and consistent, subterranean arrangements that are simultaneously thick and thin, Within These Walls is a creation of wonder and beauty all its own. (20-20-20 Records)

www.damonandnaomi.com

-Taylor Bratches

Fang Island - Day of the Great Leap
Recorded by Seth Manchester
Mixed by Keith Souza
Mastered at Machines With Magnets by Mike Viele

A video on Fang Island’s MySpace page sums up the band better than any words could: they are playing to a packed classroom of exuberant, bouncing kindergarteners. Alongside it is a “sounds-like” description that reads “everyone high-fiving everyone,” and a list of influences that include “friendship [and] summer.”
These facts should alert you to everything you need to know about this relatively young Providence five-piece. It isn’t long into the first few minutes of Day Of The Great Leap (during the appropriately-titled first track, “Anthem”) that you feel like those kindergarten kids. Fang Island’s anthemic brand of power emo combines the best parts of several related genres: the manic energy and fist-pumping, heart-tugging melodies of pop-punk; the technical prowess of math-rock; and some truly shredding metal guitar solos. It’s all there, replete with (mostly) wordless chant-along choruses, and delivered with a stadium-level intensity that can move - physically and emotionally - even the most jaded indie rocker.
A few songs start out slowly, following the classic “tension and release” model, but for the most part, these songs are nothing but release. The Island frenetically paces relentless riffage and by the end of a song, you feel as out of breath as if you’ve just had a good run, with the same runners’ high, even if you haven’t been dancing around the room like a kid.
The album’s mid-fi recording, handled from start to finish by Machines With Magnets, neither adds nor detracts from the band’s sound, but higher production values could certainly make them sound bigger. Despite their album’s title, Fang Island aren’t doing anything new. But they’re certainly doing something very, very well. Day Of The Great Leap is an immensely fun record, and that’s a rare thing. (Self-released)

www.myspace.com/fangisland

-Nadav Carmel

Hats and Glasses - Hats And Glasses EP
Recorded by J
Mixed by Supriya
Mastered by Jim Demain

Boston-based Hats and Glasses is a band that sounds familiar, yet is still difficult to pinpoint. But that’s OK; their precise yet carefree style does not beg to be categorized — its authenticity speaks for itself. Whether Hats and Glasses are pop, garage-rock, post-punk, or something else entirely, their debut self-titled EP is accessible and satisfying. As much as their recent release evokes the let-it-be feeling of not wanting to tamper with something innocently good, it also calls listeners to actively involve themselves in the music.
The first song, appropriately named “You Don’t Talk,” is a danceable opening, in which the band’s full-fledged, up-tempo sound is introduced. Jangly, tambourine-saturated percussion and electric guitar notes jabbing at the off-beats makes for an appealing first impression, suggestive of a less raspy Black Keys.
Skip ahead a bit and the album winds into the track, “November, Stupid People, Pay the Man,” a song that, with nearly five minutes of enjoyable rhythms and even more enjoyable tempo changes, feels a bit more whole than the preceding songs. While the potential sarcasm of the title is unclear, the listener may find himself singing along to guitarist/lead vocalist Tommy’s clear, repeated bellow: “I don’t understand why you don’t pay the man when he calls.” Despite the overall foot-stomping jollity of the EP, the songs at times — especially those that sandwich “November” — begin to bleed into one another.
But this is forgotten, or at least forgiven, by the time the listener reaches the second-to-last smash track entitled “Winston.” Perhaps the hit of the album, the song embodies an immense catchiness, while still sounding fresh. The chorus sports vocals that harmonize between low and high pitches, the baritone of which is matched by a heavy, lucid bass line.
Though the EP seems to end a bit abruptly, and while the production could be much better, the musicianship and writing make these hang-ups seem minor. Hopefully, Hats and Glasses can pick up where their EP left off with just as much authenticity. (Bodies of Water Arts and Crafts)

www.myspace.com/hatsandglasses

-Taylor Bratches

Pending Disappointment - New York Penn, NY
Recorded By Ray Jeffrey at Liberty & Union Recording Company in Taunton, MA
Mastered by Eric Baird

As can be expected from any record bearing the Midriff Records label, New York Penn, NY kicks and delivers with a saturated orchestra of guitar, electrified and distorted to the point of “noise.” Pending Disappointment seem more able to get their point across than the average noise-rock band, though, using this sonic texture as a vehicle and not an exclusive hallmark of their sound.
The band wastes no time getting up to speed on this record. “Held Taught (This Assassin Has Piano Wire)” plainly states the general sound and idea of New York Penn, NY — loud, smart and charged up with energy both social and personal.
There is a little something more to most of the tracks on New York Penn, NY, as if the band shares not just a mutual taste for explosive noise, but a feel for structured song - even if the sound is that of an ultimately deconstructed recording. Tracks like “You’re Still Hanging Around” seem to lean more towards the idea of noise-rock anthem, with strong melodic statements buried in the sonic fireworks of Pending Disappointment’s sound. Other tracks, such as “This Administration,” bring a solid punk feel to the proceedings, with some ringing mid-level guitar chords that add an extra swagger to the band’s overarching sound.
The shouty post-punk re-appropriations will bring inevitable comparisons to peers such as The Beatings and possibly even Kudgel, but the band has a slightly different flavor, a more personal take on things. Pending Disappointment turns the focus directly on the listener. The ultimately damning “I’ll Leave You Behind” takes the record to a new personal level, serving as the band’s quintessential anti-love anthem. The protagonist spits out condemning statement after statement — stretching out the lyrics to make sure the point is well received, taking a good two or three extra measures to say, “You will follow any guy with a tattoo and extra cigarettes.”
New York Penn, NY has taken a while to make it out of the studio and into recorded format, and it seems almost needless to say that the result is not a disappointment, but a weird form of distorted triumph over the soft and disingenuous of the world. (Midriff Records)

www.myspace.com/pendingdisappointment

-C.D. Di Guardia

D. Gross - Pirate Love Songs
Recorded, mixed, and produced by The Peruvian
Mastered by Ron Harrity

Portland has turned out yet another gifted acoustic blues-folkster with D. Gross. Former member of the now-disbanded Los Federales, Gross has just released his debut solo recording Pirate Love Songs. The 12-song collection is a bare bones offering of well-crafted tunes. Gross performs the whole album himself with just a guitar, harmonica, a banjo, and the breathy country twang of his unique vocal style.
His stripped down approach to recording serves as a platform for Gross’s varied stylistic range. His songs stretch across the blues-folk spectrum with numbers like the beautifully bittersweet “Came and Went,” the dark and moody “Crooks,” or the rhythm-and-country groove of “Sumac.”
D. Gross also shows substantial talent as a lyricist. From start to finish, the lyrics speak in vivid, edgy metaphors dealing with both nature and industrialization. “Like a train on its side / I’d like to ride,” Gross sings on one track; “Gonna take me a lesson from the trees,” he sings on another.
While the songs are thought-provoking to say the least, listeners don’t have to try too hard to just sit back and enjoy the ride. As the lyrics swirl from foggy valleys and bear country to kerosene-fueled fires and wind machines, Gross’s guitar work is always pleasingly atmospheric and the arrangements are kept short and sweet. The overall effect results in rich and unique songs that beg for repeated listening.
It’s always refreshing to hear a distinct and original voice from the singer/songwriter arena. Cheers to D. Gross not only for his originality, but also for his accessibility. (Squirrel Music)

www.myspace.com/danagross

-Reuben Torrey

Peter Dixon - Shady Planet
Recorded, mixed, and mastered by Eric Kilburn at Wellspring Sound in Acton, MA

Shady Planet, the debut solo effort from Concord, Mass.-based Peter Dixon, is a curious intermingling of lounge, world folk, and orchestral jazz, scripted across an eccentric and ambient soundscape. With this collection of down-tempo, electronic grooves, the former Combustible keyboard-player has succeeded in spreading his wings musically and carrying off unusual arrangements with quirky, stylish elegance.
The album’s tone never stays in one place for too long, rocketing from a Bossa Nova swing into roots rhythm breakdown. Dixon liberally borrows from a wide spectrum of genres, and relies on prudent layering of instrumental textures to achieve his unique sound. The titular track sets a tone for oddity and introspection, launching into a machinist march, soon to be accompanied by tempered steel guitar melodies and the synthesized howling of intergalactic ghosts. “Moss Points” provides a clever dialogue between the ominous ruminations of a church organ and a jovial accordion’s jig.
Dixon makes heavy use of winds and brass, pushing their parts to the forefront of tracks such as “Slinky” and “Joan Divisible”.
Despite the album’s darker tones of experimentation, light-hearted flair shines through the interplay between spoken word and clarinet on “Sunda Strait,” while “Mastic Shirley” beautifully captures the ironic whimsicality of a ‘60s sitcom theme song.
The shimmering production provides a flawless instrumental blend that further enhances Dixon’s intricate arrangements. With its peculiar bounce and intriguing musical transitions, Shady Planet hits high notes in all the right places, giving listeners an engaging experience outside the status quo. (Self-released)

www.petermdixonmusic.com

-Nathalie Levey

Pablo Picker - 171 Nails Counted Then Dropped
Produced, recorded, mixed by Pablo Picker
Mastered by Stephanie Guyot at the V Room in NYC

Pablo Picker’s sophomore album, 171 Nails Counted Then Dropped, is no-holds-barred, soul-bearing testimony to the raw talent of this rising star. In traditional singer/songwriter fashion, he thrives in a signature style of melancholy minimalism, working primarily from vocals and guitar/piano, sometimes interlaced with sweeping cello or trumpet lines. With the release of 171 Nails Counted Then Dropped, Picker delivers a solid album of heartfelt, gracefully crafted compositions.
The evocative simplicity of Picker’s vocal delivery radiates with sincerity, lifting each song into full flight. The stand-out track, “Statues,” allows him to showcase his enchanting tenor to its fullest capacities, while belting out his unnerving refrain, “You told me it would change / And I believed every word you spoke / But I dreamt we were statues / Built never to move / But you know we were people / Shining and sinking in love / One thing I know / Some things I know / Some things they get lost”.
Generally, Picker lets his lyrical content take center-stage, touching on dark contemplations about heartache and broken dreams. “I Won’t Be Alone,” employs a simple three-chord progression underneath its riveting message of tenacity and faith, with poignantly understated results.
The ghostly poetry of “Blood,” perhaps a reference to our country’s international affairs, draws the listener into its gentle cries of warning: “Where is your army? / You know this will cost you / You cannot just stand there with your hands tied.“ (Self-released)

www.pablopicker.com

-Nathalie Levey

Hello Mahalo - Dawning Days
Recorded and engineered by Ray Jeffrey at Liberty & Union Recording Company in Tauton, MA
Produced and mixed by Hello Mahalo and Ray Jeffrey at Q Division Studios in Boston, MA

It takes about three seconds after turning on Dawning Days to realize that this Providence-based band is not the happy-go-lucky group that might be inferred from their moniker. Rather, what you hear is that of a bumping, funk rock band with dueling guitars, a powerful rhythm section and a dynamic vocalist with haunting lyrics. The timbre of Justin Joyce’s voice bolsters the power of the ensemble with a sound that merges 311’s Nick Hexum, Bradley Knowles on “Son,” and even a little Michael Franti. Joyce sings with conviction, and is supported by excellent harmony vocals during the band’s anthemic choruses.
The band’s songs follow a similar form to that of latter-day Red Hot Chili Peppers, with gyrating, riff-driven verses and deliciously catchy choruses. In between these sections are ripping solos, head bobbing breakdowns, and carefully arranged bridges that elevate the sonic contour of each song into powder kegs of poppy explosiveness.
The album’s title track is the album’s center point - not only in its impressive coda, but within its ominous main guitar lick that complements the gloomy lyricism. The main import of the song seems to revolve around the lament of watching the sunrise, waving goodbye to the peacefulness of the night, which in turn, ushers in the chaos of the day. The song intensifies towards the end with driving rock snare hits, wailing guitars, and aggressive vocals that repeatedly warn, “Everyone, everyone’s gonna find out!”
It almost sounds as though Joyce is preparing us for the impending global takeover of Hello Mahalo. And with such a bevy of talent, power and confidence, you should watch out, because they just might. (BandStandLive Records)

www.hellomahalo.com

-Michael Oliveri

Muy Cansado - Amuses Bouche
Engineered by Marky Mahem at Mahem Sound
Mastered by Matt Azevedo at M Works in Cambridge, MA

Muy Cansado’s new EP Amuses Bouche starts with a display of guitar artillery that sounds like no less than 17 guitars rattling off the non-standard-yet-familiar chord changes of “Kiss the World.” Lead vocalist and guitarist Chris Mulvey rails on the microphone like a modern day, not-so-stoned Bob Dylan and bassist Lisa Libera chimes in with a decidedly more melodic counterpoint on back-up vocals.
The back-up vocals are an item of interest on Amuses Bouche; sometimes lead vocalist Mulvey is not singing a melody so much as hinting at one. Libera, on the other hand, has a highly musical voice and often finds herself acting as the song’s melodic centerpiece. This vocal interplay creates an interesting vocal juxtaposition that teeters on the edge of harmony and discord. It is a fun exercise, switching listening concentration back and forth between the point/counterpoint of this wonderfully melodic record.
While Mulvey and Libera fuss back and forth on the vocals, drummer David Fine makes a non-vocal contribution to the record in the way of solid beats that keep things going. The trio really hits its stride on songs such as “The Other Night,” a bumping one-two semi-shuffle; Fine rumbles along and keeps things interesting on the percussive side, while Mulvey stretches his voice to new lengths for the occasional refrain. The entire deal is also permeated - as is every other song - by the articulate bass work of Libera, a four-stringed force to be reckoned with. Her bass lines drive more than a few of the songs on Amuses Bouche, as the guitar performance is mainly centered on roiling chords. Libera’s bass provides a stable main riff over the distorted churn of Mulvey’s guitar. The EP ends with “Soul Song,” a standout vocal performance by Mulvey demonstating his talent for writing subtly evocative lyrics and singing them with just the right amount of dynamic gusto. With an EP this good, one has to wonder what a full-length would sound like. (Self-released)

www.myspace.com/muycansado

-C.D. Di Guardia

Nicky Click - I’m On My Cellphone
Recorded and mixed by Jeff Landrock

Was anyone looking for a follow-up to No Doubt’s “Spiderwebs,” perhaps updated for the mobile age and performed by a girl who sounds as if she was playing with a not-entirely-full deck? If so, look no further than Nicky Click’s I’m On My Cellphone.
This record fosters both initial and continued confusion. Nicky Click’s voice is either precociously charming or hideously annoying. The songs are either insanely clever or inanely pointless. Nicky Click is such a little trickster that it is hard to decide one way or the other.
This record is entirely deceptive, mostly thanks to Ms. Click’s bizarre vocal delivery. Her voice is comprised of a soft series of quirks, often multi-tracked into an army of Nickys. Most of the lyrical content seems pulled out of the wave of late ‘90s / early ‘00s wave of musical video games along the lines of Parappa the Rappa and UmJammer Lammy. Click seems like a character ripped from one of the sillier dance levels on one of these games. When she celebrates the fact that “They didn’t get my chocolate éclair,” it is unclear as to whether or not this is some veiled sexual reference, or maybe just a not-so-veiled dessert reference. From the general tenor of the record, the answer is probably “dessert.”
Click is refreshing on many levels, though. Her music lacks any sense of self-conscience that may come with being the undisputed weirdest female person on the block. Click’s performance is self-assured and confident, a twisted, hornier M.I.A. Click calls herself out by name multiple times on the record, raps over her own homemade beats, and more or less presents herself as the self-avowed creator of the until now unheard-of feminist DIY dance movement. Love it or hate it, you should at least hear the album that is no doubt perplexing music reviewers everywhere. (Crunks Not Dead)

www.nickyclick.com

-C.D. Di Guardia

Farm - Gray Birds
Recorded at the Dojo, in St. Albans, VT
Produced by Farm
Engineered by Ben Maddox.

One thing this experimental folk rock trio possesses beyond their obvious talent, is patience — a rare attribute in our 2:45 second, cluster-fucked MTV generation. Farm has a clear vision of how their songs want to sound, and exhibit an impressive level of restraint in their songwriting and arrangements. Gray Birds‘ compositions ebb and flow with mellow sincerity as they gently sail through simple song forms. Supporting the tunes are inventive arrangements that augment each song’s acoustic core. In “Boomtown Basement” the band meanders through the song’s sparse instrumentation, steadily building the sonic foundation for the lush vocal harmonies that eventually enter. When the song comes together, the results are wondrous and unexpected.
An interesting aspect to this band is that each band member plays every instrument and each takes on lead vocal duties. If their individual vocal qualities weren’t so endearing, this could lead to problems. But Jedd Kettler (“Old City”) sounds like a young Bruce Springsteen, Ben Maddox (“Bad Oasis”) has a timbre akin to Lou Reed and a little bit of Bono, and Joshua Givens (“You Can’t Be The Dog”) has a soulful cry like Dave Pirner of Soul Asylum fame (remember them?). When harmonizing with each other, though, the end result is a lush, unified voice.
But does this multiplicity of lead singers and polygamous instrumental interaction reduce the effect of Gray Birds? Are we missing an identifiable soulful creature to latch onto? No, all voices are endearing and quickly embraceable. The only downside to the album is its length. With so many songs, it’s a tough album to devour. Luckily, Farm’s best strength is consistency, and thanks to their musical restraint and complex arrangements, Gray Birds is the kind of album that exponentially rewards listeners patient enough to give it the time of day. (Self-released)

www.myspace.com/farmtheband

-Michael Oliveri

18 Wheels of Justice - Deceive Them All
Produced by Todd Harris and 18 Wheels of Justice

As a band influenced by the likes of Pantera, In Flames, and Fear Factory, Deceive Them All is a work similar in mood, texture, and overall feeling. That feeling would be irreconcilable hatred, malice, and torture. If you haven’t become accustomed to growling vocals in metal, 18 Wheels of Justice is not going to be an easy transition. Singer Steve Justice uses this style to reinforce his affliction. Justice’s vocals are almost completely indistinguishable to the untrained ear. His melodies are demonic, his screams brutal, and his hostility unrivaled.
The guitar work is aggressive and if nothing else provides an excellent ear training exercise in thrash metal. Guitarists Todd Harris and Steve Abajolie use a number of speed picking techniques and drummer Sam Pothier complements them with double-bass work on almost every song. “The Trooper” showcases Abajolie’s impressive lead work, complemented by the tightness of the band’s unwavering rhythm section. At times, it is difficult to distinguish any rhythms because of the sheer speed of the songs. If you’re not paying close attention, the songs tend to move like a whirlwind. Perhaps the most memorable song title is the second to last track “I’m Going To Beat You For What Seems Like A Ridiculous Amount Of Time.” This title pretty much sums up what the band is about: raw, musical ferocity that isn’t afraid to bask in its unrelenting brutality.
If you’re just getting into death metal, 18 Wheels of Justice is a solid band. They are tight, work well together, and have all the elements of extreme metal and should be respected within the death/thrash community. (Elephantine Records)

www.18wheelsband.com

-Michael Aceto