{"id":3161,"date":"2010-11-01T17:10:20","date_gmt":"2010-11-02T00:10:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/reviewermag.com\/press\/?p=3161"},"modified":"2010-11-01T17:10:20","modified_gmt":"2010-11-02T00:10:20","slug":"indie-takeover-one-cd-and-two-seven-inchers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/reviewermag.com\/press\/2010\/11\/01\/indie-takeover-one-cd-and-two-seven-inchers\/","title":{"rendered":"Indie Takeover: One CD and Two seven-inchers"},"content":{"rendered":"

Aloud
\nExile<\/em>
\nLemon Merchant Records
\nwww.allthingsaloud.com
\nReviewed by Kent Manthie<\/strong>
\n What to make of Aloud? Hmm\u2026it\u2019s not your everyday pop-rock-hip\/hop-emo-nu-metal CD but a horse of an entirely different color. More oriented toward hippie groovin\u2019, folkified, laid back mellowness, Exile<\/em>, their newest release has some interesting routes less traveled in the average music of today.
\n Aloud consists of two principals: Jen de la Osa and Henry Beguiristain. Jen sings, plays guitar, piano, organ, synths, percussion, glockenspiel and \u201cadditional production\u201d while Henry also sings, plays guitar, bass, mandolin, piano, synths, percussion and \u201cadditional production\u201d. Also helping out on Exile<\/em> is Daniel Daskivich, who, besides producing the disc, also played drums on the CD as well as the bass on \u201cExile in the Eight\u201d. Besides these three, there are also a handful of other friends and acquaintances that helped out here and there on one track or another.
\n The opening cut, \u201cBurning Bright\u201d has a little bit of Elliott Smith\u2019s melancholy to it, but then the next song, \u201cBroken Hearts\u201d, sung by Jen is a darkly sentimental reflection on what could be any one of a million disappointments, but is probably about one in particular. \u201cExile in the Eight\u201d brings things up a little, with a more upbeat and rock steady beat to it.
\n All the varied instruments the duo experiments with really do come together well to present a unique backdrop to these two\u2019s articulate vocalizing and the more you listen to it, the more involved it gets, starting out from a very simple acoustic folkiness to a more country-rock style a la The Flying Burrito Brothers\/Gram Parsons, not that whiny depressing head-in-your-beer country, but the more hippy idealism that peaked in the late 60s. But Aloud are nothing if not an original sounding band: there\u2019s nothing \u201cretro\u201d about them, even if they use regular instruments for the most part and don\u2019t create all the sounds with a computer program they still crank out some fresh, new material that stands up on its own. -KM<\/strong> <\/p>\n

Japandroids
\nHeavenward Grand Prix<\/em> (7\u201d)
\nPolyvinyl Records
\nwww.polyvinylrecords.com
\nReviewed by Kent Manthie<\/strong>
\n This new seven-inch for the new single, \u201cHeavenward Grand Prix\u201d, by Vancouver\u2019s Japandroids, an electrifying, dynamic duo that makes indie rock with guitars, bass and drums and some synth-pops here and there for texture – all the sounds that make \u201cRock\u201d \u201cRock\u201d, serves up two new tracks – the aforementioned single and one \u201cB-side\u201d: \u201cShame\u201d.
\n Of the two cuts, I have to say, I really find \u201cHeavenward Grand Prix\u201d very catchy, with an infectious groove to it and an \u201cuber\u201d, sensible, realization of musical fantasies and that is why it\u2019s no doubt the \u201cA-side\u201d (well, there aren\u2019t any \u201csides\u201d anymore, but you get it). That isn\u2019t to say \u201cShame\u201d isn\u2019t also a great new tune – it starts out flailing its arms a little and struggling for balance, but \u201cShame\u201d quickly catches its wind and pulls together a tight, crisp, head-bobbing rock song. The subject of said song isn\u2019t anything deep, just a ditty about how one guy feels \u201cshame\u201d, regret and whatever, over the girl he lost and probably the way he lost her\u2026it could be autobiographical, or it could be some sort of really complicated metaphor, which I doubt, so I\u2019d have to guess autobio. or a fictionalized sketch.
\n Listening to my favorite of the two songs, \u201cHeavenward Grand Prix\u201d, the subject is ore \u201cgirl dumps sensitive, poetic guy\u201d to a song about a blissed out relationship, \u201cYou and I\/High\u2026\u201d is one of the repeated choruses; that and \u201cWe don\u2019t have to be like they are\/In our Heavenward Grand Prix\u201d – that, to me, sounds like this couple have a chemical bond to one another – in more than one way (?) Not being sure if it\u2019s metaphorical or not, I don\u2019t know if he means that this girl is the best and he only wants to get high with her or if it\u2019s a little deeper, meaning that when they\u2019re together they both get a symbiotic, synethesic high. Either way, it\u2019s unique in that it isn\u2019t overtly cynical, angry or filled with faux (teen) angst.
\n One can only hope that this isn\u2019t just a one-off single issue and that it is only a preview of a new album in the works, as I was (and still am) into Post Nothing, their latest release. But I think we\u2019re about due for a new one – \u201cwe\u201d, as in their \u201canxiously awaiting public\u201d.
\n You could check out Polyvinyl Records excellent website, www.polyvinylrecords.com or check out Japandroids on www.MySpace.com\/Japandroids or www.japandroids.com for more information and a convenient way to buy it. -KM<\/strong><\/p>\n

Joan of Arc
\nMeaningful Work<\/em>
\nPolyvinyl Records
\nwww.polyvinylrecords.com or www.joanfrc.com [sic]
\nReviewed by Kent Manthie<\/strong>
\n Just out from our friends at Polyvinyl Records, out of Chi-town, the lovely and talented Joan of Arc have just released a seven inch with two new songs on it: \u201cMeaningful Work\u201d, the \u201ctitle track\u201d of the seven inch, backed with \u201cThe Thing in Things\u201d.
\n My favorite is the former (\u201cMeaningful Things\u201d): it is just a typical, catchy JOA tune with wry lyrics, hip, contagious melodies and that jaded, skeptical attitude all intact. That isn\u2019t to take away anything from the second tune, \u201cThe Thing in Things\u201d- it isn\u2019t some throwaway B-side, but rather another new Joan of Arc song.
\n One thing, though, that I noticed about these new songs is how they recall a little of the \u201colder\u201d JOA stuff – and by \u201colder\u201d, I\u2019m talking stuff from the mid-90s to the mid-2000s, up to and including Boo Human!<\/em> It\u2019s not that I didn\u2019t like Flowers<\/em>, the release after Boo\u2026<\/em>, but it\u2019s just that that CD seemed to mark a little bit of a change and that isn\u2019t surprising, given the sort of \u201copen-door\u201d policy, wherein they\u2019ve had several different lineups in their illustrious career and if that\u2019s not confusing enough most of all them play in other bands as well, which is what last year\u2019s Joan of Arc Presents: Don\u2019t Mind Control<\/em>, a CD compilation of solo tracks from different solo artists that play in or have played in JOA, like Cale Parks, Jeremy Boyle, Mike \u201cOwen\u201d Kinsella and some of the other bands that have interchangeable members with JOA and others, like Euphone, Ghosts & Vodka, Cairo Gang and Pillars & Tongues, just to name a few. To tell the truth, after that came out I was a little worried that maybe that release was spelling the end of JOA (oh no!) – but my spirits were elated to see that they\u2019re still at it and hopefully this seven inch is only something to tide us over until the next big Joan of Arc production comes out (and I can hardly wait!) – KM<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Aloud Exile Lemon Merchant Records www.allthingsaloud.com Reviewed by Kent Manthie What to make of Aloud? Hmm\u2026it\u2019s not your everyday pop-rock-hip\/hop-emo-nu-metal CD but a horse of an entirely different color. More oriented toward hippie groovin\u2019, folkified, laid back mellowness, Exile, their newest release has some interesting routes less traveled in the average music of today. Aloud consists of two principals: Jen […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[573],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3161","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-music"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1953,"url":"http:\/\/reviewermag.com\/press\/2010\/02\/09\/something-borrowed-something-blew\/","url_meta":{"origin":3161,"position":0},"title":"Something borrowed, something blew…","author":"Kent","date":"February 9, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"Ape Survival of the Fittest Barred Records Reviewed by Kent Manthie Canada\u2019s Ape has just released their first full-length CD, not counting the very limited demo they made, but not for the public at large, although, those who get into Ape will, no doubt, find themselves looking for it. 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On this new CD,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "music"","block_context":{"text":"music","link":"http:\/\/reviewermag.com\/press\/category\/music\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":19713,"url":"http:\/\/reviewermag.com\/press\/2023\/06\/20\/cd-review-don-luster-sings-only-human\/","url_meta":{"origin":3161,"position":2},"title":"cd review: Don Luster Sings, Only Human","author":"Reviewer Rob","date":"June 20, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"","rel":"","context":"In "cd review"","block_context":{"text":"cd review","link":"http:\/\/reviewermag.com\/press\/category\/cd-review\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"DON LUSTER SINGS, ONLY HUMAN, cd front cover","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/reviewermag.com\/press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/don-luster-sings-cd-cover-copy-1000px-72dpi.jpg?fit=1000%2C989&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/reviewermag.com\/press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/don-luster-sings-cd-cover-copy-1000px-72dpi.jpg?fit=1000%2C989&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/reviewermag.com\/press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/don-luster-sings-cd-cover-copy-1000px-72dpi.jpg?fit=1000%2C989&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/reviewermag.com\/press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/don-luster-sings-cd-cover-copy-1000px-72dpi.jpg?fit=1000%2C989&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":377,"url":"http:\/\/reviewermag.com\/press\/2007\/10\/05\/pj-harveys-white-cchalk\/","url_meta":{"origin":3161,"position":3},"title":"PJ Harvey's White Cchalk","author":"admin","date":"October 5, 2007","format":false,"excerpt":"PJ Harvey White ChalkCD review by Sterling Preston With White Chalk, PJ Harvey sets down the rock guitar and learns to play piano. But don\u2019t be discouraged by the alleged disappearance of her usual raw electric power. Simply put, it hasn\u2019t gone anywhere. This album retains the elements of intensity\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "archive"","block_context":{"text":"archive","link":"http:\/\/reviewermag.com\/press\/category\/archive\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":3477,"url":"http:\/\/reviewermag.com\/press\/2010\/12\/25\/exile-on-kettner-nope\/","url_meta":{"origin":3161,"position":4},"title":"Xmas Exile On Kettner","author":"admin","date":"December 25, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"Exile On Kettner Blvd? Nope. Christmas, 2010 by Reviewer Rob It was Christmas Eve tonight and apparently I hadn't felt I'd had enough alienation and self-loathing recently because I went by one of the only places I knew that were open, The Casbah on Kettner Boulevard, hoping for a little\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "music"","block_context":{"text":"music","link":"http:\/\/reviewermag.com\/press\/category\/music\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/reviewermag.com\/press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/12\/exile.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2219,"url":"http:\/\/reviewermag.com\/press\/2010\/03\/17\/here-are-a-few-new-releases-to-whet-your-palate\/","url_meta":{"origin":3161,"position":5},"title":"Here are a few new releases to whet your palate:","author":"Kent","date":"March 17, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"Aloha Home Acres Polyvinyl Records, 2009 Reviewed by Kent Manthie Well this is a nice surprise. Aloha has finally come into their own, so to speak. Home Acres is the third CD I\u2019ve reviewed, which is when I got hip to the band. On previous CDs, Aloha seemed to be\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "archive"","block_context":{"text":"archive","link":"http:\/\/reviewermag.com\/press\/category\/archive\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/reviewermag.com\/press\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3161","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/reviewermag.com\/press\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/reviewermag.com\/press\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/reviewermag.com\/press\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/reviewermag.com\/press\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3161"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/reviewermag.com\/press\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3161\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3162,"href":"http:\/\/reviewermag.com\/press\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3161\/revisions\/3162"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/reviewermag.com\/press\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3161"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/reviewermag.com\/press\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3161"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/reviewermag.com\/press\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3161"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}