Tuesday, August 16, 2016

Blinding, Blind, Blind and Blind – Song Recommendations

      Recently, there were three gentle email nudges relating to the term “blind.” For two, the word is found in the song title. The third relates to the band name. We did some homework and discovered a fourth recommendation.
     “Blinding Lights” is a single by Ten Tonne Heart. The email alert came from Joe Brine of Pavement Media. The band takes a minimalistic approach to its Facebook page and website, but “Blinding Lights” speaks for them.
     The song is a contradiction. The melody is energetic and has a positive feel. But listening to the lyrics is far less upbeat: “Jenny, I don’t believe we will last another winter; your hair is falling out and, darling, even the bones in your face look thinner.” Is this a metaphorical reference?
     “Blinding Lights” is our only exposure to Ten Tonne Heart, but there is good reason to be excited about the London-based band. The song has a good use of a synth hook, a number of almost seamless changes in pace/tempo, and attractive vocal layering in the final minute. 



     Blind Pilot has graced the posts of Indie Obsessive in the past. Their latest release, “Umpqua Rushing,” includes a slow build that extends through most of its second half.
     Blind Pilot is on tour to promote the album “And Then Like Lions.” Among the stops is an October 26 stop at the Fillmore in San Francisco. The members of the Portland band are Ryan Dobrowski, Israel Nebeker, Kati Claborn, Luke Ydstie, Ian Krist, and Dave Jorgensen.

Website: http://www.blindpilot.com/


     Almost every song sounds better when played loudly. But that’s more true of some songs than others; and “Blind” by Port of Spain is one of those to which the statement is particularly accurate. Listening to the first minute at a high volume, the low frequency instrumentation vibrates the chest cavity while the higher octave vocalization seems to penetrate the upper body.
     Port of Spain is a Sydney, Australia band comprising Amy Rose and Julian Ainslie.


      The Hand That Wields It is the project of Brian Byrne of Long Island, NY. We have always been fans of some anguish in the vocalization, since it adds texture. The anguish meter isn’t near its maximum during “Blind or Shade,” but it’s well above the norm.

No comments:

Post a Comment