Joe is reigning king of the mix tape. While most of us have grown lazy (just look at our sporadic podcast output), Joe still makes mixes — most often on CD-R these days — with little more impetus than capturing a theme or mood: spring songs, road songs, grading papers songs, cooking songs, songs featuring a particular girl’s name… The latter prove to be the most difficult (unless your name happens to be Baby), which is why Utah Carol’s latest album, Rodeo Queen, reminded me of Joe. Among the 13 rich country pop songs we have “Kimberly Smiles,” “I’m Sorry Maria,” “Sam’s Ranch,” and, featured here, “Ruby” and “Come Back Baby” (see, they even have Baby covered). Utah Carol, named after a traditional song about a cowboy who dies trying to save his friend from a stampede, are in fact the Chicago-based JinJa Davis and Grant Birkenbeuel. They take country and pop influences with equal weight, producing precious harmonies, delicate instrumentation, loping rhythms, and memorable lyrics. Hit record, Joe.
Mezzanine Owls
I haven’t listened to this album much because I CANNOT STOP listening to track number four, “Lightbulb.” Seriously, it’s a problem. You know how some songs reel you in when you first hear them and you develop a temporary addiction to them? I fall for all the hooks: the layers of guitars thicken, leading up to the vocals, then drop out only to build up again until they pull all out all the stops at the chorus…”Can’t you see it sucks the life out of me…” I wish I could figure out the next line! It’s a good thing Alisa’s out of town with the girls, because she’d have pulled out her hair by now. She doesn’t have much patience for my obsessive compulsive disorder when it comes to my latest pet sounds. This song also makes me wanna pull out some Ocean Blue (anyone remember them?) and revisit that band. There’s a lot more meat to the Mezzanine Owls though. Sometimes I don’t repeat “Lightbulb” soon enough the beginning of track five, “Graceless,” leaks into my head. The play between the fuzzy guitars and the tambourine recalls The Jesus and Mary Chain. I’m not sure when I’ll be able to snap out of my funk here, but the rest of the album sounds promising.
If you’re in the L.A. area Mezzanine Owls are playing Spaceland on Tuesday, and the Bordello on Thursday as part of a Syd Barrett night with the Pity Party, Irving, and Midnight Movies.
The Metasciences
The Metasciences = super-duper lo-fi, boy-girl, brainiac geek-themed pop. There are folks out there who love this already, without even downloading a track, and you know it. The entire Pencils Down album is available for free download (of course) and a fine interview with the band (Ruth Barabe and Daniel Kibbelsmith) is up at songs:illinois. Now get back to work on your dissertations!
The Muggabears
Now I understand NYC is all cleaned up these days. I personally have walked in Central Park more than once over the past few years without getting mugged, despite the best efforts of television dramas like “Law & Order” to keep me paranoid of being mugged upon setting foot within any of the boroughs. So perhaps it was destiny that three friends from Norman, Oklahoma, with a band named the Muggabears would move to NYC. The band’s website describes them as a “structurally-mutilated brand of noise-pop featuring blissful interplay, sonic experimentation and song destruction,” going on to refer to influences from early 90’s indie rock like Pavement and Sonic Youth. I’ll add Superchunk, Some Velvet Sidewalk, and even Polvo while we’re listing early 90’s indie rock influences. “The Goth Tarts” is from their new EP Night Choreography out on April 24th, and the other two are from their 2006 EP Teenage Cop. Wasn’t there a Law & Order franchise called Law & Order Teenage Cops?
Hooray for Earth
Given the season, it’s appropriate that “Simple Plan,” one of my favorite songs of late, could be described as triumphant. Don’t get me wrong, ain’t nothing preachy about Hooray for Earth. Though you could say they’re on a bit of a mission. They appear determined to make every one of their songs sound freakin’ epic. They start with the big-guitars-meet-big-synths sound—then proceed to send it skyward and never look back. “Simple Plan” is a classic example. For the first 20 seconds it rumbles through low-gear grunge, then bursts into a glorious, spiraling new wave anthem that would make Icicle Works blush. “So Happy” picks up the pace, like Self jettisoning in an escape pod from his bedroom studio. Their self-titled debut is worth it if only for the ridiculously catchy (as proven by the track’s popularity on iTunes) vocal hook from “Everything We Want”: “Put on your makeup, I want to get out.”
Tobias Hellkvist
Tobias Hellkvist is a Swedish singer/songwriter/guitarist who came to me by way of Efterklang, whose sweetly melancholy “Step Aside†Hellkvist treats with great charity on his own cover. His winsome yet penetrating vocals might remind you of Iron & Wine, as will his gentle acoustic melodies. Likewise his instrumental tracks hang in the air like autumn leaves. Sorry, MySpace seems to have made it next to impossible (at least to my limited abilities) to directly link to their MP3s anymore, but after downloading “Step Aside,†head to Hellkvist’s MySpace page and give your day an extra dozen minutes of sublime reflection.
Northern State
Northern State, while not typical of most bands, does have a typical experience: little band writes some good stuff, tours like crazy, goes big, gets written up in Rolling Stone and Spin and the rest, gets signed to a major label, tours some more, then bolts from said major label and gets back to doing their own thing. These ladies from Long Island have been working with Chuck Brody (Shitake Monkey) and the Beasties’ Adrock on their new album, which has them moving from hip-hop to a more Luscous Jackson-like vibe. New songs can be heard at their myspace site, but check out this oldie with the best ever rhyme from Prynn about her Native American ancestory.
Beat Hive Winners
Thanks to everyone who participated in our Beat Hive contest. These artists put a lot of creative energy into these contest tracks. We hope you like the tracks as much as we did. Here are the results:
Grand Prize Winner:
Andrew Newton, Five Sounds With Leaves
A devout Canadian currently living in LA, Andrew creates music by cutting samples and putting them into completely new contexts. He’s currently producing for Project Blowed, as well as doing a lot of live music with his own mixed-media anti-war/anti-imperialist collective called Amar (art-music-activism-resistance).
Song: The Dispossessed
Artist Site
Runners-Up:
Felix Miklik, Transalarm Recordings
Based in Chicago, Felix currently has dance tracks rotating on XM radio. In addition he composes and produces music for brands such as NIKE, Adidas, MTV, the NBA, AMD, Spike TV, Paramount Pictures, Motorola, Abbot Labs, Moosehead Beer, and Hazordous Sports.
Song: The Future
Artist Site
James Harris, Zebulon
Currently a film student at York University, James’s music is emotive, interesting, and often complex electronic music ranging from the chilled soundscapes of ambient and downtempo music, to more upbeat and psychedelic trance/club tracks.
Song: Pulsations from the Hive
Artist Site
Eddie, eMinor Music
An incorrigible audiophile living in Libertyville, IL, Eddie has diverse tastes and a hungry mind. His current work reflects too many interests and influences to list. “I leave that interpretation up to the listener. I’ve just got all this stuff in me and my job is to let it out.” At this time, Eddie calls it “LaptopFolkPop.”
Song: Nevermind Blue
Artist Site
Derek Hecksher
We don’t have bio info for Derek, but we were able to grok that he’s from Alright, Oklahoma.
Song: Beat Hives! Use Lotion!
Artist Site
Honorable Mentions:
Tim Porter, InfiniteAero
From Northville, Michigan.
Song: Darker Deepness
Artist Site
Karl G, More Powerful Astronaut
From Hood River, Oregon
Song: No Backstage Pass
Artist Site
Congratulations to the winners! The grand prize winner and the runners-up will receive a Best of BeatHive Loop Collection, along with a 12 pack of CDs from 3hive. Winners, please send your mailing address to kennyd [at} beathive.com to get your prizes.
Ford & Fitzroy
Here I was, sitting down at the computer, relatively late at night, at least for me, wondering what on earth I was going to do about 3hive, when into the suggestion box came an email suggesting Ford & Fitzroy. One quick listen and my problem was solved! So enjoy the crisp, psych pop with the pleasantly unsteady vocals. Not to be confused with this guy.
The Fatels
Sure, the UK’s The Fatels are starting to get some buzz, as they say in the biz, but boy I am a sucker for their distinctly London-eque, pounding punk/post-punk pop. Especially refreshing is knowing that only three people made all this racket! More downloads available on their sites below.