“Rorschach” by Typhoon – A Song Review

     Highbrow made acceptable, but without compromising. That’s how we would introduce a follow Indiehead to the music of Typhoon. We don’t know if the band would consider it complimentary; we hope so. Truth is, we have only praise for this Portland-based, eleven-member band (eight “core” members).

     It appears that concept albums are making a comeback. Or maybe it’s just coincidental that a number of songs we've favored lately are tracks on concept albums. Typhoon will release “Offerings” on January 12, 2018, via Roll Call Records. The fourteen tracks are divided into four movements - Floodplains, Flood, Reckoning, and Afterparty. Each movement represents a mental phase of the protagonist, as he realizes that something is wrong, struggles through the chaos of his situation, moves into acceptance, and then succumbs to his fate. “Rorschach” is the second track on “Offerings.” The song is intended as a view of “the age of information and collapse of meaning.”

     “Rorschach” caused us to rethink our understanding of the term “song texture.” Typically, we use “texture” to refer to the cooperation of components at a particular time – a vertical stacking of contributions (vocal and instrumental) having different tempos, pitches, melodies, and/or other characteristics. At times, “Rorschach” is highly textured, as strings, percussion, guitars and layered vocals simultaneously make their marks. At other times, the instruments seemingly take turns, as if on a partitioned carousel that allows a stationary listener to only hear the music from partitions currently aligned with her. For example, this “horizontal texturing” starts around the 1:49 mark.

     Typhoon will tour in early 2018 to promote “Offerings.” The tour schedule is included at the bottom of this post. One stop is at The Independent in San Francisco on February 13. We caught Typhoon’s show at The Independent in 2013. The stage isn’t large, so getting everyone onto the stage was a challenge. The members are Kyle Morton (lead vocals, piano, guitar), Toby Tanabe (bass, vocals), Dave Hall (guitar, vocals), Shannon Steele (violin, vocals), Pieter Hilton (drums, vocals), Alex Fitch (drums, vocals), Tyler Ferrin (horns, guitar, piano, vocals), Devin Gallagher (percussion, ukulele, vocals), Jen Hufnagel (violin, vocals), Ryan McAlpin (trumpet, vocals), and Eric Stipe (trumpet, vocals).

     “Rorschach” by Typhoon – A Song Review

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wearetyphoon/

Website: http://wearetyphoon.com/

Bandcamp: https://wearetyphoon.bandcamp.com/

Lyrics of “Rorschach” by Typhoon

Eyes on the screen

We have all the information now

But what does it mean?

Reason’s a tease

Drank up all that hemlock

Here I am just reading the leaves

And left wondering

What happened to the life we lost

That got lost in the living?

And all this fiction makes me nervous

Turns out it was blood spilled on the canvas we admired

Just like some Rorschach painting

The film in your brain—it edits to remember, keeps the figure in the frame

It's a sacrificial violence, all those passed over in silence then cast out with the blame

And I’m trying to stay sane—meanwhile, the river of forgetfulness, it starts spilling the banks

Caught in a lie and instead of fessing up, we'd sooner just go out of our heads

I’ve been holding up my end when I should have doubled down on my own atom bomb shelter instead

Oh, oh, how you gonna hold on?

How you gonna hold on?

How you gonna hold on to everything?

Oh, oh, how you gonna hold on?

How you gonna hold on?

How you gonna hold on to your memory?

Oh, oh, how you gonna hold on?

How you gonna hold on?

How you gonna hold on when you know that you can’t?

2018 TOUR DATES:

01.10 - URBAN LOUNGE - SALT LAKE CITY, UT (TICKETS)

01.12 - GOTHIC THEATRE - ENGLEWOOD, CO (TICKETS)

01.14 - THE WAITING ROOM - OMAHA, NE (TICKETS)

01.17 - TURF CLUB - SAINT PAUL, MN (TICKETS)

01.18 - MAJESTIC THEATER - MADISON, WI (TICKETS)

01.19 - THE METRO - CHICAGO, IL (TICKETS)

01.20 - EL CLUB - DETROIT, MI (TICKETS)

01.23 - LEE'S PALACE - TORONTO, ON (TICKETS)

01.25 - PARADISE ROCK CLUB - BOSTON, MA (TICKETS)

01.26 - UNION TRANSFER - PHILADELPHIA, PA (TICKETS)

01.27 - MUSIC HALL OF WILLIAMSBURG - BROOKLYN, NY (TICKETS)

01.31 - 9:30 CLUB - WASHINGTON, DC (TICKETS)

02.01 - CAT'S CRADLE - CARRBORO, NC (TICKETS)

02.02 - TERMINAL WEST - ATLANTA, GA (TICKETS)

02.03 - EXIT IN - NASHVILLE, TN (TICKETS)

02.06 - THE MOHAWK - AUSTIN, TX (TICKETS)

02.08 - THE CRESCENT BALLROOM - PHOENIX, AZ (TICKETS)

02.10 - MUSIC BOX - SAN DIEGO, CA (TICKETS)

02.11 - TERAGRAM BALLROOM - LOS ANGELES, CA (TICKETS)

02.13 - THE INDEPENDENT - SAN FRANCISCO, CA (TICKETS)

02.16 - THE CROCODILE - SEATTLE, WA (TICKETS)

02.23 - CRYSTAL BALLROOM - PORTLAND, OR (TICKETS)

02.24 - RICKSHAW THEATRE - VANCOUVER, BC (TICKETS)

02.28 - THE DEAF INSTITUTE - MANCHESTER, UK (TICKETS)

03.01 - BROADCAST - GLASGOW, UK (TICKETS)

03.02 - THE LEXINGTON - LONDON, UK (TICKETS)

03.07 - LE PETIT BAIN - PARIS, FRANCE (TICKETS)

03.08 - BOTANIQUE - BRUSSELS, BELGIUM (TICKETS)

03.09 - PARADISO - AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS (TICKETS)

03.10 - KNUST - HAMBURG, GERMANY (TICKETS)

03.13 - VEGA - COPENHAGEN, DENMARK (TICKETS)

03.14 - MUSIK & FRIEDEN - BERLIN, GERMANY (TICKETS)

03.15 - FLUC - VIENNA, AUSTRIA (TICKETS)

03.16 - GARE DE LION - WIL, SWITZERLAND (TICKETS)

03.18 - ROYAL - BADEN, SWITZERLAND (TICKETS)

03.20 - ARTHEATER - COLOGNE, GERMANY (TICKETS)

“Pearls Deep” by Black Gold Buffalo – A Song Review

     A discussion about “Pearls Deep” is the musical equivalent to the expression “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” The first 30 seconds, as well as the final 30 seconds, should be given attention, but it’s the content between those “covers” that is gripping.  In particular "Pearls Deep" is a gem when the percussion goes beyond merely maintaining the beat, and joins the other instruments in demanding the listener's attention.  

     The track is from Black Gold Buffalo, a London-based band. Quoting the email submission:

  “‘Pearls Deep,’ the first single from Black Gold Buffalo's long-awaited debut album, is [available]. Originally formed in East London in 2012, the band released a few almighty bangers, kept things low key for a few years, and then seemingly disappeared again. A line-up change, a move to the South East Coast and with lots of time spent writing under their belts, the reformed four-piece are ready to release their debut full-length, due out in March next year. The self-titled release tackles obstacles young people face growing up in London, watching a colourful and vibrant city change, become increasingly more expensive and bland in the process.”

     The members of Black Gold Buffalo are Keziah Stillwell (vocals), Hannah Holland (bass, production), Marc Hayward (guitar), and Joy Joseph (percussion).

     “Pearls Deep” by Black Gold Buffalo 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/blackgoldbuffalo/

“Slide” by LPX – A Song Review

     LPX is a Category 5 swirl of strength and power. That applies to her song releases and is even more accurate in describing her live performances. We grabbed an opportunity to see LPX when she opened for Haim at the Fox Theater in Oakland. Too often, gig-goers are easily distracted until the headliner hits the stage. That was not a problem at the Fox. Embedded at the bottom of this post are two videos from the evening (they are not from our camera – Thank you “AdmiralNeeda”). The cover of Le Tigre’s “Deceptacon” is included to show the energy LPX expends during a performance, while her track “Tremble” is included because it was our favorite song of the evening.

     LPX dropped another single from her six-track EP “Bolt In The Blue,” which is scheduled for a January 12, 2018 release. It’s another Powerhouse Pop track. She took a melancholy theme and made it dance. “Slide” is about a relationship that has the promise of greatness, but the other member is willing to “let it slide.” LPX adds voice inflections to the melody to emphasis the emotion.

     LPX is Lizzy Plaginger, who is the MS member of MS MR. “Slide” was co-written with and produced by Jenny D (Jenn Decilveo). 

      “Slide” by LPX 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IAMLPX

Website: https://www.iamlpx.com/

Lyrics of “Slide” by LPX

I'm not acting my age

I've been playing a spade

Playing it over and over again

I don't wanna feel pain

But I want you

Our hands trapped in a wire

I could call you a liar

I get no relief when I call you a name

But it's hard not to cave

When I want to

No one ever warns, no one ever warns ya

No one ever warns, no one ever warns ya

No one ever warns, no one ever warns ya

The sweetest love in life

Cuts you like a knife

Ripping your insides

Leaves you paralyzed

Can't believe you let it slide

Let it slide, let it slide

We could've had the world

But you let us burn

Like a curse

Can't believe it doesn't hurt

For you to just let it slide

Let it slide, let it slide

Like sand inside of Vaseline

There's friction in the space between

I'm just picking a fight

‘Cause I want you

Attached to who we used to be

Like lead balloons that weigh on me

Hard to erase what I feel, do I need to?

No one ever warns, no one ever warns ya

No one ever warns, no one ever warns ya

No one ever warns, no one ever warns you now

The sweetest love in life

Cuts you like a knife

Ripping your insides

Leaves you paralyzed

Can't believe you let it slide

Let it slide, let it slide

We could've had the world

But you let us burn

Like a curse

Can't believe it doesn't hurt

For you to just let it slide

Let it slide, let it slide

The sweetest love in life

Cuts you like a knife

Ripping your insides

Leaves you paralyzed

Can't believe you let it slide

Let it slide, let it slide

We could've had the world

But you let us burn

Like a curse

Can't believe it doesn't hurt

You just let it slide

Let it slide, let it slide

Ohhhhh!

Ohhhhh!

Let it slide, let it slide, let it slide

Let it slide, let it slide, let it slide

Ohhhhh!

“Bad Art & Weirdo Ideas” by Quiet Slang – A Song Review

     Is it a “cover” when the second release is by a member of the original? In 2015, Beach Slang released the song “Bad Art & Weirdo Ideas.” Now, the frontman of the band heads a project called Quiet Slang. Appropriately, the project released a quieter version of the song. James Alex is supported by piano and cello.

     Regardless of whether it is a cover, we are happy that the project dropped “Bad Art & Weirdo Ideas.”

Lyrics of “Bad Art & Weirdo Ideas” by Quiet Slang

The sound of your heart

Is wired to break

Too fucked up to love

Too soft to hate

The hum of your lung

Is my favorite thing

And the air you shove out

Into my mouth

I've always felt stuck

Alone or ashamed

The gutter's too tough

The stars are too safe

I'm always that kid

Always out of place

I try to get found

I've never known how

I'm tracing the lines

On your handsome face

The scars on your arms

The shape of your veins

We are not alone

We are not mistakes

Don't whisper now

We're allowed to be loud