“Desterilized” by Doombird – A Song Feature

     This might be our first post that leads with praise of the bass. In “Desterilized,” the bass serves its typical function as a rhythm instrument, but does so in a leadership role. The song is the work of Doombird, a band based in Sacramento, California. They pride themselves on creating a hybrid of live instrumentation and electronic sounds (organic vs inorganic or analog vs digital). The battle is won by live instrumentation/organic/analog in the song “Desterilize.”

     The members of Doombird are Kris Anaya (guitar, vocals), Joe Davancens (synths), Ben Edrington (guitar, synths), Cory Phillips (bass), Kris Anaya (guitar, vocals), and Fernando Oliva (drums).

     “Desterilized” by Doombird

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

Website: http://www.doombird.com/

Bandcamp: https://doombird.bandcamp.com/

“Eternal Ride of a Heartful Mind” by Piqued Jacks - A Song Feature

     The song begins like many pleasing ballads – vocally strong and well-phrased verses that establish a relationship context. But “Eternal Ride of a Heartful Mind” has a high-performance transmission with two unanticipated gears. Slightly more than one-minute into the track, the song from Italy’s Piqued Jacks shifts its vocal delivery from a calming description to a forceful questioning in which driving is used as a metaphor. The combination of the two vocal deliveries is effective.

     The second unanticipated shift is instrument-based. The guitars show versatility in following the vocal stylings during the first three minutes. Then, a brief guitar solo worthy of the best Guns N’ Roses commands a change in the focus of the listener. Following the solo, the instruments release control of the song, but the heightened awareness of the power of the instruments remains.

     “Eternal Ride of a Heartful Mind” is a single from the album “The Living Past.” The Piqued Jacks describe themselves as “a band of brothers who grew up together in the countryside of Buggiano, near Florence, Italy.” It’s unlikely that they share parents, but it is difficult to determine because they consistently use nicknames. The four members are E-King (vocals, keys), Penguinsane (guitar, backing vocals), littleladle (bass), and HolyHargot (drums).

    

     “Eternal Ride of a Heartful Mind” by Piqued Jacks

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

Website: https://www.piquedjacks.com/

Bandcamp: https://piquedjacks.bandcamp.com/

Lyrics of “Eternal Ride of a Heartful Mind” by Piqued Jacks
Although your mind is under siege

And their advice is misconceived

Please keep your heart out of the fight

Or truth will not be worth the ride

They say it was a rash choice

Not everybody sees the point

Life may lead the way

Love will give you shape

Let’s hit the road

It’s winding down

Have we lost control?

Are the seatbelts on?

Should we slow, slow it down?

Are we going too fast?

And she said:

As fast as our feelings

When distance tries to pull the strings

Cling on to something real within

‘Cause you were told you’re not alike

We both know opposites collide

(Let the river flow

Let it roll

Through your soul)

Maybe this will be too much

It’s just a temporary crush

Life may lead the way

Love will give you shape

Let’s hit the road

It’s winding down

Have we lost control?

Are the seatbelts on?

Should we slow, slow it down?

Are we going too fast?

And she said:

As fast as our feelings…

Grow

Till we cannot even shout

Do you expect to fall?

Is the warning light on?

Should we slow, slow it down?

Are we going too fast?

And she said:

As fast as our feelings

As our feelings grow

Let’s hit the road

It’s winding down

Have we lost control?

Are the seatbelts on?

Should we slow, slow it down?

Are we going too fast?

And she said:

As fast as our feelings grow

Free my head, bring me up, take away my breath

I would do it again and again and all over again

Every curve

Every blur

Every swirl

"Things Are Changing" by Gone Gone Beyond – A Song Feature

     “Things Are Changing” is a soulful delivery of optimism and resolution. And it’s likely the historically best song inspired by one of “Aesop’s Fables.” The lyrics reference the hedonistic grasshopper and industrious ants in the fable directed to the virtues of hard work and planning for the future. At the bottom of this post is the story connecting the song and the fable, as well as Disney’s 1934 animated adaptation of the tale.

     The intro to the song from Gone Gone Beyond is a solidary piano that defines elegance and establishes the song’s pattern of punctuating an almost joyful short sequence of notes with a sustained lower frequency chord. The pattern telegraphs the vocals that soon enter, where optimism is punctuated by a determined resolution: “Things are changing, for the better this time. I’ll do better this time.” In the background is the sound of strings (synth?).

     Gone Gone Beyond is the brainchild of composer/producer David Block (aka The Human Experience) and multi-instrumentalist/singer/songwriters Danny Musengo (Iowa/NYC), Kat Factor (Santa Cruz), Mel Seme (Cuba/Barcelona) and Paul Weinfield (NYC).  The band is comprised of classically trained artists that bring with them a diverse perspective on sound. Their unique formation of all multi-instrumentalists, singer-songwriters from around the globe, makes for a dynamic listening and live experience. The band is constantly collaborating with other songwriters and guest musicians inviting in new flavors to their multifaceted sound.

     "Things Are Changing" by Gone Gone Beyond [We thank the kind folks at TAG Media Group for their patience in providing the link to the Soundcloud stream.]

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

Website: https://www.thisisgonegonebeyond.com/

A note about the song by singer Danny Musengo:

Last year around this time I was talking to my therapist about a cartoon I saw as a kid, The Grasshopper and The Ant.

Even as a child I worried I was the grasshopper... playing music and gallivanting about while the ants prepared for the long winter ahead.

I explained to my therapist that I had just split with my girlfriend, left my apartment, left my job and to top it off... I had given up the one thing that kept my lifelong existential crisis at bay... alcohol. The long winter had indeed come and I was feeling more and more like the grasshopper in the story.

My therapist just looked at me knowingly and asked "Have you ever watched the cartoon until the end?" I hadn't.

"...the ants realize their lives are dull without the grasshopper and his music... so they invite him in to play for them."

This was both a relief and a revelation.

Later that night Dave and I were in the backyard taking a smoke break from a frustrating recording session. We sat silently staring at the stars for some time before Dave suggested that we put away the song we were working on and write a new one. It was 3am.

We got up and walked back down into the studio. Dave sat at the Rhodes, pressed record and started playing the giant chords you hear at the beginning of the track.

They reminded me of the story from my therapy session.

I approached the mic and started to sing.

The whole song came out in one long breath. No edits. No doubling back.

Just one clear cut message from God to the grasshopper.

Assuring him...

Thing are changing ... for the better this time 😉

Big love to Slava "Mindex" who helped with some production and mixing on this one!

“Symmetry” by Runabay – A Song Feature

     Runabay takes a multi-level view of the concept of symmetry in its song of that title. “Symmetry” is interesting on three levels – scientifically, emotionally and melodically. Each level evidences Runabay’s investment in and commitment to the song.

     Scientifically, Runabay gives a nod to Public Service Broadcasting by incorporating two snippets of a 1964 lecture by physicist Richard Feynman. During the intro, the snippet is subordinate to a gentle acoustic guitar hook, as Feynman rhetorically asks for a definition of symmetry. Around the three-minute mark, the observation is that the universe cannot be experimentally studied. Unlike songs from Public Service Broadcasting, the historically significant speech does not play a major role in “Symmetry.” But the snippets do add to the attractiveness of the single.

     Emotionally, “Symmetry” is a mature and intelligent exploration of trying to right the wrong after hurting someone you love. Runabay explains, “It’s a story of redress and reconciliation, whereby an intended transformation through a course of actions seeks to put right a wrong; bringing symmetry and harmony back into the relationship.”

     Melodically, the band’s investment in the song is apparent from start to finish. Runabay has two advantages that few bands possess in enhancing the impact of an already attractive melody. There are at least four members who are ready to contribute to the vocals, some sources list all six members. Runabay has the songwriting skills to draft beautiful three-part harmonies and the vocal skills to grip the attention of listeners when the harmonies are presented. Equally important is the advantage of having a cello player who provides contrast and often tension within the soothing melodies.  

          Runabay is an Indie Folk band from Belfast, Ireland. The members are John McManus (vocals/guitar), Gary Graham (guitar/vocals), Gerard McHugh (vocals/percussion), Michael McKinney (bass/vocals), Declan McCartan (cello/vocals) and Rory McAuley (drums/vocals).

     “Symmetry” by Runabay

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

Website: http://runabay.com/

Bandcamp: https://runabayband.bandcamp.com/track/symmetry

“My Amazon” and “Amazon” – Cyber Monday

    The shopping-conscious segment of the population looks forward to Cyber Monday after Black Friday. We are near oblivious, but we recognize Indie opportunities. So, we make this music-based dash to Amazon.

     “My Amazon” is a single from Lost Woods. They are an Indie Rock group in Adelaide, South Australia. The members are Peter White, Tom Baird, Sam Baird, Miles Sly, and Lucas Sly. Don’t judge “My Amazon” until after hearing the group vocals near the end of the song. In addition to Miles and Lucas Sly, the group vocals are provided by Josh Allen, Tushar Singh, Juling Smythe, Ariya Gabell, Gabrielle Ballard, and Brayden Leske.

     “My Amazon” by Lost Woods

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

Website: http://www.lostwoodsmusic.com/

Bandcamp: https://lostwoodsmusic.bandcamp.com/

Lyrics of “My Amazon” by Lost Woods

Staring at these walls

With this mind like dough for days

Only rising to their successes

Then I’m on a roll again

Thoughts bleed beyond my pen

The fast or famine of my emotion

If I could be just understood

It’s not vacation from occupation

My need for validation is a bore

If I could let it all fall

And not worry about the pieces

I never thought this would be my goal

Travelling my amazon

To feel more

Free but exposed

My chest is bare

A distant memory of floating on

A real day has come

Looking for a crust

But now I’m trying to bake the bread

We all wanna be that baker in this Drury Lane

If only, I could choose my own unbeaten track of discovery

And then I think

“Try to impress yourself for a change”

If I could just be understood

It’s not vacation from occupation

My need for validation is a bore

If I could let it all fall

And not care about the pieces

I never thought this would be my goal

Travelling my amazon

To feel more

Free but exposed

My chest is bare

A distant memory of floating on

A real day has come

[Bridge, then repeat]

[Group vocals]

Travelling your amazon; It's your call where to go

They may tell you what to do, how to feel or what should be done

It’s all up to you (and what you want)

Even if you trip and fall (just don’t lose heart)

There’s no need to fear what’s to come

Travelling my amazon

To feel more

Free but exposed

My chest is bare

A distant memory of floating on

A real day has come

     “Amazon” is a single by Pastis from Helsinki, Finland. The band members are Markus Nymalm (vocals, guitar), Emil Inberg (guitar), Sakari Palmroos (guitar), Henrik Vuoksenmaa (bass), and Kalle Valkama (drums).

      “Amazon” by Pastis

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

“Matter” by Leif Erikson – A Song Feature

     “Matter” is the mirrored image of our long-ingrained approach to considering music. Clearly, the vocals support the instruments, rather than the reverse. The voice is pleasing and the lyrics are interesting. But even during the verses, the mixing refuses to move the instruments to the back seat. The richness of “Matter” is in its soundscapes and its instrumental nuances, such as the use of a piano keyboard “glide” to signal a change in tempo (down-tempo at 3:10 and up-tempo at 3:49).

     Leif Erikson is a London band named for the Icelandic explorer. The members are Sam Johnston, Oliver Wright, Tom Leader, Greg Austin, and Giles Robinson. They have been friends since their early teens.

     “Matter” by Leif Erikson 

Facebook: https://soundcloud.com/leaferiksonmusic

Catching Up – SubmitHub Misses

           SubmitHub is a site that allows artists and their reps to reach out to bloggers, video posters, and labels. There is a 48-hour time limit to respond to the artist. Sometimes we will enjoy a track sufficiently to move it to the “Maybe” area of SubmitHub, but we don’t fully appreciate the song until after the 48 hours has expired. Here are some examples of blogworthy submissions that we missed until after the 48-hour window closed.

     Native is a Swiss vocalist/songwriter, who is now living in Los Angeles. His song “Slowly Fading” was featured in an Indie Obsessive post in August 2018. His most recent release is “Restless.”

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

      Streets of Roya is the performance name of Michael Wespi, a second vocalist/songwriter who is based in Los Angeles after life in Switzerland. Quoting content regarding the latest track:

  Streets of Roya’s new single "Sleepwalking" is their most intimate offering to date, located somewhere between desperation and restlessness. Never quite drifting off into hopelessness, the song is driven by its pulsating drums and atmospheric sounds. The singer’s voice is the fundamental element, taking the listener on a trip into a wonderfully melancholy world and really defining the band’s deep and thorough Indie / Alt-Pop sound. Productionwise, the band tried to recreate the protagonists battle against his loss of reality, which you can really hear in the details of "Sleepwalking."

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

Website: http://streetsofroya.com/

       Tender Glue is the project of Tom Gluewicki.  As for the act's name, Tom explains that it has to do with an old friend. "There was a girl, her last name translated to “Tender” in English and when I was younger, I used to be called “Glue”. So one day, I texted her a message saying “We’re going to be Tender Glue” and I stuck with it after we stopped playing because the name could mean nothing and everything." Tom is originally from Poland, but currently resides in Brooklyn, NY.

     “Into Walls” by Tender Glue

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

Website: https://tenderglue.com/

Bandcamp: https://tenderglue.bandcamp.com/

      All Types of Kinds (ATOK) also hails from NYC. Theirs is an eccletic mix of music spanning various genres and textures - band with vocals and harmonies from all four members. They are Ray Rubio (guitar), Billy Conahan (guitar), Berk 0rzer (percussion), and Rocco Stroker (guitar).

     “Lucky One” by All Types of Kinds

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

Seaside, Ruby Fields, and Micra - Free Friday/Saturday (“FL&R”)

     Free and Legal Downloads? Yes, at least temporarily. Bands often temporarily permit free downloads of their releases.  The end of an offer may be based on the expiration of a set period of time or on a limited number of downloads.  But at least for now, here are songs that qualify as Free, Legal and Recommended (FL&R) downloads.

     Finding songs that can be legally downloaded is easy. The difficult task is to find legally downloadable music that we recommend. Our plan is to post at least one FL&R song each Friday/Saturday.

     Each of today’s tracks is available via Triple J Unearthed, the outstanding Australian site.

     Seaside is Darcy Dexter (vocals, guitar), Josh “Froggy” O’Neill Hammer (guitar), Tom Ketelaars (bass) and Chris Mellross (drums). They were formed in late 2016 and have since released two EPs and several singles that display their diverse Indie sound. They are based in Byron Bay.

     “Golden Girl” by Seaside (If your browser doesn’t show the download arrow, go to the Triple J site and click the download arrow (triplejunearthed.com/Seaside).

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

Bandcamp: https://seasidetheband.bandcamp.com/

     “Ruby Fields is from Cronulla. Her Facebook page identifies her band as Ruby Fields (vocals, guitar), Brad Heald (bass), and George Georgiadis (drums).

     “Dinosaurs” by Ruby Fields – To access the free download, go to the Triple J site and click the download arrow (triplejunearthed.com/Ruby Fields). 

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

Website: http://rubyfieldsmusic.com/

     Micra is Bulgarian vocalist Ivana Kay and Australian multi-instrumentalist Robbie Cain. Their bio states:

  The pair, now based in Sydney, met by serendipitous fortune at an Unknown Mortal Orchestra show after the ticketing Gods coincidentally sat them next to each other. That chance meeting blossomed into a musical kinship which, after a coffee meeting and a jam in a friend’s Sydney basement, led to the formation of Micra in early 2018.

      “Plastic” by Micra – To access the free download, go to the Triple J site and click the download arrow (triplejunearthed.com/Micra).

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