Experimental Pop « Knox Road

River Tiber releases The Star Falls EP

There’s a little bluebird sitting on my fire escape. For a while, any movement I made turned him into a goner. But now I can approach the window and he’s prepared for my presence. He cocks his head ever so slightly to the side, but keeps his eyes affixed on me. I wonder […]

Lee

Akudama returns from hiatus; preps release of new self-titled EP

We’ve had many favorites come through Knox Road over the years, taking enormous pride (even if it’s not ours to take) in seeing great results. So when Akudama, a highly-championed KR band, went on hiatus last year, it stuck a fork in our hearts. The band had other projects (most notably Penguin Prison […]

Caitlin

Beware and Be Grateful and be happy because Maps & Atlases’ new album is extraordinary

The latest record from Maps & Atlases, Beware and Be Grateful, opens with just the tiniest sample of sound that seems like it could be taken from an episode of Twin Peaks, then fades directly into a song that has the bones of at least three other songs wrapped up in it. This amalgam of sorts is entitled “Old & Gray” and covers the opening throes of love in daydream doodles all the way through the hope of having someone stand by you until you reach the decrepit gray of old age.

Maybe it’s just because I’m in my early twenties trying to figure out life, love and the universe, but it seems to me these questions are woven into this album, and not answered but probed, examined and bemoaned with a care that is inspiring. The quilting of different sounds and marriage of styles contained in this record is outrageous and wonderful. Without fear and without discrimination Maps & Atlases take the best parts of every genre and every sound and mix it into one big beautiful mess. An angular jam of circuitous pop energy and lyrics of ancient innocence and juvenile sin.

Dave Davison’s voice glimmers through the opening song like a guiding light, though it is surrounded on all sides by walls of sound. Beats, pianos, acoustic guitar strums, electronic sounds of all glorious shapes and sizes and a variety of harmonies appear at different points, only to fade into themselves and out again. Oh, and I’m still only talking about the first track.

Maps & Atlases “Old and Gray” by Barsuk Records

Continue reading Beware and Be Grateful and be happy because Maps & Atlases’ new album is extraordinary →

Lee

Jonquil & Keep Shelly in Athens (but mostly Jonquil) @ Glasslands

By superstar contributor Caitlin White

[photo by Tom | GoldFlakePaint]

It seems that everything Hugo Manuel touches turns to gold. From Chad Valley to Jonquil, I am head over heels for this man’s voice, in its myriad of forms. Manuel switches effortlessly between a soft lullabye vocal and the lovable British yell singing that still sounds harmonious, and I got to see this first hand last night at Glasslands. However, Manuel’s pipes aren’t the only thing that made their performance lovely, the entire band was so talented I just stood there dumb struck for a while wondering why I’d never taken the time to really delve into this band before. They seemed to have a really good vibe as a band and worked well together, which sometimes isn’t present in a band that has other solo projects and offshoots involved or that has changed members throughout albums as Jonquil has. This collaborative spirit was even echoed in guitarist Robin McDiarmid’s red guitar in almost the exact shade as Manuel’s keyboard.

Jonquil – “Get Up” [MP3]

Glasslands wasn’t as packed when Jonquil opened, I didn’t make it in time to catch the act who played before them, New Moods, but I arrived right as Jonquil began with “Real Cold” and was surprised that I could work my way right to the front. Maybe the elite music-conscious hipsters of Williamsburg themselves are a bit behind on this Brit pop gem! I’ve never felt more sorry for the in-crowd missing the double trumpet grandeur of Jonquil on “I Know I Don’t Know”. It was truly amazing, both trumpeters switched between trumpet and another instrument, one unknown contributor on a sampler along with the horn and bassist Sam Scott switching between his bass and trumpet.

Continue reading Jonquil & Keep Shelly in Athens (but mostly Jonquil) @ Glasslands →

Lee

Elise Vatsvaag

It’s been a while since I’ve posted some straight up female singer/songwriter stuff, so I’m excited to have stumbled upon a goodie last weekend in Elise Vatsvaag. Vatsvaag, out of Norway, is releasing a new (free) song on the 10th of every month for her album, This Is Not My Music. I took a […]

Lee

Hands gears up for release of "Hold", provides new, instrumental MP3 "Tonight"

So, that happened quickly. Remember when I profiled L.A. duo Hands a couple months ago and said “watch for big things soon”? Well, uh, I wasn’t expecting this soon. They’re on top of several playlists, notably with their glorious single “Hold”, which will be released in physical format February 26 on German label […]

Lee

Jonquil

Hailing from Oxford, UK, Jonquil mixes experimental pop with folk to create a different sound on each song. “Lions”, one of the songs on their recently released (November 18) Whistle Low EP, sounds eerily similar to Shearwater (a band many of you might be more familiar with) yet “Whistle Low”, the title […]