Tag: Music

Moon Panda’s Dumb Luck: Rambling Review

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A lovely day with relaxing prospects doesn’t tuck you in. Dumb Luck, the new album from indie pop collaborative, Moon Panda, picks up the listener, dusts them off, and prepares them for an adventure that goes beyond the incredible. The music provides the kind of soundtrack to a fantasy where colors and movement slow to a flicker that matches the low tempo space pop. The entire dream sequence lasts for a brief 31 minutes, leaving me wanting more, but if that’s my only complaint…it’s worth every second. 

Their entire catalog has become my favorite chill music, and this new record is of the highest quality. Dumb Luck is a most worthy addition, as Moon Panda’s efforts remain a consistent expression that the group has mastered the craft at hand. Through three records, there’s not a single song to skip over.

Dry toned lo-fi drums act as a foundation to this excursion through a series of good dreams. These drum sounds are crucial in attaining that overall chilled out vibe. It feels like something that conjures nostalgia without sounding dated. The drums are centered in the mix, and everything else considers direction for the ride, but I can’t downplay how much I appreciate the drum sounds.

Airy guitars, soft synths, and the audacious groove of the walk-along bass lines puts a spring in my step that reminds me of comfortable weather and friendship. The instrumental segway in the final third of The Light feels like a trek through the desert where one discovers horizons beyond the self. 

Dumb Luck spends a great deal of time exploring fantasy. Lyrics from a song titled Fantasy makes declarations of, “You and me running free/Don’t owe anybody anything/Escape this world with me/It doesn’t have to be a dream” and suggests this fantasy is within reach, a delicacy where most fantasy is too fantastic to attain, Moon Panda suggests something else and extends a hand to make it real. 

The sentiment from Avalanche, “Sometimes I just need a friend” seems as distant (yet relevant) as any need. My personal favorite expression on this theme comes in Space Elevator, “If you choose your fantasy/I hope you choose me” seems freeing when coupled with the concluding line of the chorus, “I can only go up.” This all seems to suggest that while it’s nice to be thought of, I’m on this trajectory…all of which circles back to the idea in the song Fantasy that it’s all actually within reach. 

The record concludes with a song on gratitude for our time together titled, Loveflow. Lines like, “Keep me in your head/I’m in so deep with the small things/Thank you for all of it” resonates with me. 

In spite of the weight and challenges explored in the lyrics, I feel nothing but the possibility of hope in the music. These songs bring me joy, and I hope they’ll do the same for you. Dumb Luck by Moon Panda is worth exploring. I may stay here a while. 

Snakes of Russia and the Ghost Hat

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It all started with a ball cap. As I settled into parenthood, I maintained that silly itch to retain some of the fashion sense of my youth. While doom scrolling, I came across an artist on Instagram known as Xavier (@builtfromsketch) who makes lovely artwork if you’re into darker aesthetics. While looking over his watercolors, I noticed a simple black baseball hat with a little bed sheet ghost knitted on it. I decided to treat myself to a little consumerism, and it’s been a favorite warm-season hat ever since.

            Snakes of Russia came across my radar in autumn, 2023. They had just dropped an LP and went on tour with Not My God and Death Loves Veronica. The tour never came close to me, but that’s neither here nor there…so it made sense to spin the new Snakes of Russia record, True Surrender.

            It’s a dark, ambient collection of haunting tracks. Low tempo, huge beats, and the creepiest sounds the imagination could conjure, all of this lacking vocals, I immediately put this record into my “writing music” rotation. It feels like a soundtrack to a thriller or horror film that doesn’t exist. If you listen to it on headphones and go for a walk after dark, it’ll be no time at all before it’ll feel like you’re being watched or followed.

            Pivoting again, my youngest child constantly notices what I wear. From my work uniforms to casual day off clothes, it’s one of the details about me that he takes in and acknowledges. For now, I’m convinced it’s because he loves me…not to be confused with a decade from now when those observations will include a joke at my expense…but I digress, one thing he’s long noticed and likes is my ghost hat.

            Because my oldest child loves all things spooky, we’ve made our own warped version of hide and seek in our home that we only play after dark. We close the curtains, kill the lights save for minimal ambiance, and put on some spooky music to top off some proper atmosphere. From there, I throw a blanket over my head and chase the family around the house, occasionally hiding myself so that I can bait them into a jump scare. My youngest began to call this game, “Ghost Hat” as I resembled the figure on the hat. The name caught on with the rest of the family, and it stuck. Once we played this game a handful of times, it was determined that True Surrender by Snakes of Russia was the music for this game. If any other record is put on, the kids will protest, “that’s not Ghost Hat music!”

            All of that to say this dark ambient record has broken through and become a regular listen in my home with my kids. My son will even ask for, “Ghost Hat music” on car rides. I never expected Snakes of Russia to be so prevalent during family time, as I thought it to be a gem kept to myself for writing sessions, but here we are and I’m not complaining.

Snakes of Russia announced a forthcoming LP on the horizon. When I informed my three year old that there’s new Ghost Hat music in the works, he lit up with excitement that brings me joy. Death beats, forever!

[pictured:album art for True Surrender by Snakes of Russia]

Mogwai and the Bad Fire:Rambling Review

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Mogwai has served as a recent and important point of connection for me. My discovery of their existence took place in 2016, when they contributed to the soundtrack for Before the Flood, a documentary about climate change that included music by Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross, and Gustavo Santaolalla. I indulged in that record to an obsessive degree for a bit, as the soundtracks by Reznor/Ross are a favorite go-to for writing. I didn’t pursue Mogwai further at the time, which was my own loss. It was 2021 before they came across my radar again. My favorite living author is a Scottish writer named John Niven. He took to Twitter to praise Mogwai’s 2021 record, As the Love Continues, and so I followed up.

            Before finding success as a writer, Niven spent most of the 90’s as an A&R guy at a major label in England. He’s admitted that Mogwai is one of the artists he’s proud to have signed. This point of connection links my favorite musician with my favorite author, and while Mogwai’s work is distinct and uniquely their own, this association renders them all the more special to me.

            Their instrumental music speaks to me as most Reznor/Ross soundtracks do, as they lean toward instrumental post rock. The atmospheric movements are intertwined with waves of rhythmic and melodic exclamations that hit at the right moment to stimulate something in me…the right amount of melancholy tones and movements without being a total downer…just enough to reflect and lose oneself to a meditative state. Their new album, The Bad Fire burns without end, as there’s seemingly no source…the flames are maintained on something that feels supernatural.

            Predominately instrumental, on songs where there is a vocal part, it’s poetic beyond what’s expected in the commercial landscape. “My heart breaks with every beat you’re missing/Trying hard to find what is forgiven/Going back is all I have.” There’s a lot of advice on not looking back, but it’s a habit we do on a collective level. This song reminded me of that.

            My personal favorite is an instrumental titled, Pale Vegan Hip Pain. Other favorites are Fanzine Made of Flesh, If You Find This World Bad, You Should See Some Of The Others, and What Kind Of Mix Is This? These soundscapes build upon themselves and the resulting structure often feels like a wall of sound where I’d love to build a home.

            Their catalog is worth the deepest dive, and this record is a most worthy addition to their extensive body of work. Mogwai has definitely become an act that remains in constant rotation.

Mahashmashana: Rambling Review

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Earlier this year, little blips on social media had me under the impression that new music was on the way from Father John Misty. When the Greatest Hits record was announced that featured a new single, I dismissed any further expectations that we’d see more music anytime soon, much less within the same calendar year. I found the follow up announcement of a full length LP quite the surprise. Won’t find me complaining, as Mahashmashana satisfies an itch with which I’d decided to simply live.

I came for the bite. Tillman’s scathing criticism laid out in lyrical observation brought me to the table with his 2017 record, Pure Comedy, yet I stayed for love songs capable of moving me. The crossroads of those two topics are a profound return to form that is comforting…and yet this direction feels like a place I haven’t been before.

The songwriting platitudes of indie folk-rock coupled with the smooth sensibilities of 70s pop comes at an intersection where Tillman shines brightest in spite of the often bleak lyrical content. It’s the juxtaposition of his bleakness with the relatable warmth of love and enduring curiosity that encompasses an experience that is both magical and true to life in the same moment.

The opening track, Mahashmashana, speaks on romance where one lover has passed away. Our subject is said to visit her lover twice a week, yet it took me a couple listens to understand her visits were to mahashmashana, which roughly translates to ‘great cremation ground.’ The conclusion of this song brings me to tears, as contemplating the finality of all things becomes a weight that presses me for an emotional reaction. To hear Tillman describe that, “They have gone the way of all flesh/And what was found is lost/Yes it is…” is a sentiment that has overwhelmed me more than once.

The instrumental composition of Josh Tillman and the Accidental Dose offers remarkable movements, as dynamics are used in the mix to highlight the uncertainty that accompanies the use of hallucinogens. In a performative style that reminds one of Lou Reed, Tillman admits that he “was treating acid with anxiety.” It terms of musicality and overall flow, it may be my favorite song on the record.

One such complication that comes with the territory of hallucinogenic drug use is one of self-reflection that can result in growth, but often offers little more than lost innocence. At the conclusion of this track, Tillman states, “I ate an ice cream/dazed in the street/but it never tastes quite as sweet/again…” This imagery and realization of time having passed and something lost (ice cream reflecting innocence of youth?) is a daunting thing to consider when I was once convinced I’d live forever.

I learned a new word while listening to Mental Health. A panopticon is, “a prison design concept created by J. Bentham in the 1700s (that) places prisoners’ cells around the outside of a circular design with a guard tower in the center.” This description of a particular style of prison then narrows focus to reveal the entire prison is…you. The question of identity and individual purpose is presented with music that feels like a sonic throwback to the theatrical heights of the 2022 record, Chloe and the Next 20th Century. The reflection, “The one regret that’s really pretty tough/Is knowing I didn’t go nearly far enough” enshrines the mood swing of an accomplished artist who feels it’s never quite satisfying, “For the true endeavor of your soul/To find the edge and, baby, go, go, go.” Our collective experiences in a hyper-individualistic culture are examined here in a way that reveals as much about you as it does about myself.

The final song, Summer’s Gone, breaks my heart with each listen, and reconfigures it with the healing properties of gratitude that comes with memory. It’s difficult to reconcile with the notion that, “against your will comes wisdom/and forty more years left ahead.” But the conclusion is so wonderful, as we pivot to some kind of hope…some optimism for having the memory at all, “but you eat a peach/or you skin your knee/and time can’t touch me.” That final line emerges from the tragic weight of what has been lost, and pushes back against the reflections made in the song about eating acid and ice cream. From this final moment I find myself suddenly grateful for every memory upon which I can reflect. The ice cream was wonderful…the sun that warmed me was beautiful…and the time we shared…all memories to be cherished while I still possess the faculties to remember. The highlights of memory…the peaks we chase…whether it’s the embrace of a lover, or the taste of an ice cream we had in youth…the impact lingers, and while memory informs us that it just isn’t like it was before, maybe that’s the veil of youth over our early experiences…I’m not sure anymore, but I am confident that because it must end, life is worth living…even if summer is gone and all that keeps me warm now are the memories of a life I appreciate.

Mahashmashana is my favorite record of 2024. A combination of the various musical strategies Tillman has applied to his songwriting over the years, there’s nothing here that feels stale or recycled. From compositions to lyrical content, may Tillman never peak. This record is worth a spin.

Bellhead and the Good Intentions:Rambling Review

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Bellhead is a post-punk duo from Chicago that brings the dirtiest bass lines and danceable tracks in their newest EP, ‘Good Intentions.’ To me, the name of the EP comes layered in sarcasm, as the stories told through music are delivered with evil intent. Stalkers, sirens at sea, and pure nihilistic fun have brought me to understand the intent is not so comforting. Though elements of pop are embraced in the songwriting, the production maintains a minimalist approach that rejects fillers/unnecessary walls of sound.

The opening track Bad Taste introduces the EP with a four on the floor beat and low guttural vocals that describe the individual in question, “he says he’s a good man, doesn’t make it true” and “does he only want what he can’t have?” Even with the subject matter of stalking, I want to get up and dance to this. The chorus guitars contain an unexpected surprise that remind me of the atmospheric quality of various Nine Inch Nails tracks.

The second song opens with guitars that pivot to a different effect once the verse begins, and the mood is that of a classic horror movie. Into the Deep stirs a haunting narrative that conjures the imagery of water as destroyer. If the potential for surf rock is found here, we’re likely to drown. The bridge hits with spoken word and rounds out the song to something akin to hope as the siren is pursued.

Valentine is my personal favorite on the EP. The narrator seems to be pleading with a lover in what seems to be both romantic and tragic in the same breath. The music moves with a particular gothic sway that reminds me of Crying Vessel, and the lyrics are poetry.

Apathy kicks off with distorted guitars and asks ‘so what?’ in a nihilistic way that brings a smile to my face. The admission that ‘it doesn’t matter’ resonates in me a sing-along quality that makes this song an anthem. Crank this one for that righteous punk goodness.

The Love and Rockets cover No Big Deal is pure Bellhead fun. Their take on the song sounds like their own authentic work, which is what quality artists do when they seek to cover a song. The distorted bass shapes the song into something that fits in with their catalog perfectly.

‘Good Intentions’ closes with Drugstore Keri. This song tells the romantic tale where Keri is more of an enabler than love interest. The dirty bass makes for curled lips and movement on the dance floor. The concluding song feels like a cold drink of classic rock, and I love it.

This EP is worth a spin. If you enjoy post-punk songwriting grounded in the potential to dance, Bellhead is definitely something to consider. ‘Good Intentions’ will leave you craving more of the bad taste it’s gonna leave in your mouth. My only complaint is that I want more!

Josie Pace:Rambling Album Review

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Social media hasn’t been all bad. Sure, it’s disrupting the wide world and our little communities in dangerous ways that undermine our collective goods, but on occasion it connects people with quality art, so I’ve stuck around. I was wasting a bit of my life on one of those wretched platforms when I scrolled past a recommended artist. Josie Pace stood on a stage. She sported a mohawk, dark makeup, and a facial expression that told me I’d likely get punched in the mouth if I made eye contact. Her aesthetic appealed to me, and in the post she used hashtags like #postindustrial…so I searched for her music on the streaming service of my choice and went to bed. I wasn’t on board at that point, as image doesn’t always equate to good music.

My daily commute to work is forty-five minutes one way, so I tend to save new music for these routine car rides. It’s the most alone time I get in any given day. I went to put on some music before pulling out of the driveway and saw the record I had saved the previous evening, and knew I had to give it a spin.

lv0x10v5 kicked off with I’m Begging You-an absolute heavy hitting electronic song that had me convinced this was an excellent opening song. If the rest of the album kept up in quality, I knew I’d be hooked. Pace utilizes electronics in a way that I’ve wanted to hear but have never quite found until now. The record continues with booming hooks on every track. The songwriting style is authentic and incredibly human. Her voice is powerful beyond measure and compliments the music without overshadowing it. Mechanical synthesizers don’t rely on distorted guitars to fill the void…there is no void, as space is used with fluctuating precision. I’m utterly impressed with the production.

It’s hard to pin down a few tracks that stand out, as there are no bad songs on this record. There’s no filler. After multiple listens, I’m convinced that this is going to be a long-term favorite.

Josie Pace has revealed that she’s back in the studio, working on new material in 2023, and I’m excited. She’s earned my fandom. If you’re into industrial music with rock elements, check out Josie Pace. This is exciting and dangerous music.

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Sometimes you need a wake up call. My goodness, life has been so complicated this last year…good stuff, but nonstop. Alexander was born in November of ‘21 with extensive complications that had him flighted to the NICU where he resided for the better part of the following month. After much physical therapy and the attention of watchful eyes, he’s approaching his first birthday as though nothing ever bothered him.

During his stint at the NICU, we stayed at the Ronald McDonald House in Columbus. I tried to pick up a novel, but found myself unable to entertain such a distraction at that time. I all but stopped reading. 

I started to see a therapist, which was nice for a bit. It took six months on a waiting list to start seeing someone, and now every session gets canceled by the other party…so I’ve accepted the system isn’t there to help me. Healthcare is broken in this place. 

I tried to start writing again around the new year…and for a little bit, it worked. I plotted out a story that I’d been preparing to compose, and drafted about 25k words before I had a shakeup at the day job that took away the bit of writing time I was able to carve out for myself. It included a promotion and bit more of a work/life balance, so I’m in no position to complain about it, but I’m hoping to get back to this novel as it gets cold outside. 

We bought a house, too. That was exciting. With Alex entering our lives, we needed more space than our apartment afforded us. This event wouldn’t have taken place without significant help from family, as grinding our bodies against the corporate machine in this bootstrap culture is simply not enough. 

All things considered, life has been good…so of course I slipped into a moderate depression. My wife has gone through the ringer with the complicated birth and the postpartum depression. It’s all been so…difficult. But dare I say it’s getting better? I’d like to think so. 

In September I took Lydia to see our first live music experiences since the pandemic removed that occasional joy from our lives. Father John Misty was such a delightful treat and the band was so sharp, they exceeded my expectations and I felt as though I’d returned to a long abandoned well to find it still held the capacity to sustain these broken yet loving hearts. Twelve days later we saw Nine Inch Nails in Cleveland. That too, brought a peculiar and wretched sort of joy that isn’t exclusive to me. 

Father John Misty in Columbus, Ohio

I’m less than a week away from my birthday. Last year I conjured a list of goals to complete by the time I turn 40, and in the first year of the list I accomplished nothing…and yet…

The growing family with good health…the purchase of our first home…reminders of how art impacts our lives…how good do I have it? I’m waking up to find all the quality life has to offer in my possession. I’ll try to not let it slip through my fingers, but any attempt to control/retain a solid grip is in vain. Life will continue to take me up and down, and I’ll make do with any given moment, as I always have. This post is meant to be a personal update. This insight to personal matters is how I explain my absence beyond the occasional noise I make on social media. Still here…hoping to make something happen. 

Nine Inch Nails in Cleveland, Ohio

Ships in the Night:Latent Powers:Album Review

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Comforting electronic beats direct a ship of dreamy synths through the night in a way that convinces me I’ll live to see the sun again. I found ‘Latent Powers’ by Ships in the Night on a whim. Random scrolling on social media brought me to a record label that tends to deliver material I enjoy, and Cleopatra Records is one of those hubs. I saw a post, and followed my typical streaming routes to a record that’s been on repeat since it’s release. 

Every song offers the kind of quality promised on the official twitter account:music to cry and/or dance to. Medium tempos run the gauntlet of ten tracks, stimulating an atmosphere of blacklight, mist, and a lonely dance. It feels like a singular journey through a story of love and loss that you can apply to whatever narrative you want to give to these wonderfully delivered lyrics. The first three tracks that open the record are my favorite. ‘First Light’ breaks the ice with my heart and piqued my curiosity for more, as I felt something familiar in this new song. ‘When I Was Found’ and ‘Lost Times’ continued the trend of breaking my heart with each line, as the songwriting hits close to home with my own personal troubles. ‘The Fire’ utilizes a pulsating bass line that carries the song in a way that almost deviates from the dark wave sound and borders on what I’d call industrial, without abandoning the overall sound of the record. ‘It Goes Down’ offers an atmospheric tour of sorrow that builds a wall of sound off of pure minimalism, an impressive feat of audio production. The Echo & the Bunnymen cover of ‘The Killing Moon’ caught me off guard in the best kind of way. It edges on the conclusion of the record and once the chorus triggers that nostalgic reaction, a lovely reworking that stays true to the original captivates me. 

‘Latent Powers’ by Ships in the Night is a lovely dark wave record that deserves attention. For fans of Switchblade Symphony, Crying Vessel, or the new Halsey album, give this record a spin.

My Visit with the Goon Squad:Book Review

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In 2014 I was assigned the first five short stories (chapters) from Jennifer Egan’s A Visit from the Goon Squad. Having been involved with music, I found one instance in the text that I didn’t think was historically accurate, finished my studies, and moved on. It wasn’t until I had started playing with a band on campus that a peer redirected me toward Egan’s novel that I opted to give it another chance…and by another chance I mean I bought a copy and let it reside in my bookcase for a few years. I’ve since moved, got married, had a child, and have read quite a few other books. In 2021 I’ve started thinking about music again, and as I consider my options I decided it was time to give Egan’s Pulitzer Prize winner the chance it deserves.

On one hand, I wish I hadn’t waited so long. On the other hand, I needed this read now. It’s a moving book that captures the human element in a way that tends to be background noise in stories in orbit around the music business. A lineal narrative is withheld for time jumping aesthetics. Each short story is centered on a specific character during a particular moment in history. Some of these characters are vessels for highlighting someone else’s trajectory, and aren’t referenced again, but it’s through the glimpse each story offers that provides this point of contact that makes the world so real. Music producers and A&R people are more than two-dimensional figures for satirical abuse. Hopes and fears are presented through the veil of toxic personalities, and I find myself relating to these characters because of it. They’re imperfect people who ache with want, and I see myself in them. Between each fragmented chapter, I found myself taking a breather. I’d put the book down, sigh, and think, ‘damn…that’s good literature.’ I don’t feel that way with every book, so forgive my abuse of the five star system(it just so happens that I enjoy reading)…this novel is nothing short of absolutely fantastic.

With this read, I’m breaking the ice on a project that I’ve been considering for quite some time. This research is a starting point from which I hope to craft a novel, or possibly a series if I can make that much happen. It feels good to be inspired…that’s how good Egan’s novel is. I’m looking forward to her followup, scheduled for release in April, 2022, The Candy House.

Intruder by Gary Numan: Album Review

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If Edgar Allen Poe or Alfred Tennyson were alive today, had access to synthesizers, and made music of their poetry, I firmly believe they’d make Intruder by Gary Numan. The lyrical theme of the new record puts emphasis on what has been lost to circumstance in such a way as to ache with the particular sting of tragic romance that resonates with certain 19th Century poets. The end of the world reminds me of heartbreak. The hurt that is communicated is so clear and that transparency sounds authentic. There’s poetry in these songs. Collapse and distance are offered with genuine concern that makes the content relatable. The past is haunting to those who’ll have it, and I was struck again and again while listening to this album. Lyrics like, “sometimes when I’m dreaming I forget that you’re gone. Now when the wind cries, I remember you,” uses the simplicity of our shared human experience to cut as deep as anything. The end of the world has a lovely soundtrack. 

This new record is rich with dark electronic textures that eclipse all hope. It contains beats that are fine-tuned and tweaked to appeal to new fans while pleasing those who’ve been listening for decades. It’s contemporary sounding, which speaks to a desire to always be learning and applying it to the craft. It’s scarier than Numan’s earlier work, but that’s a wonderful thing. He’s changed quite a bit over time, which is the desired route of a quality artist who has had the longevity of his career. With that longevity comes a sort of freedom, so it seems this is the kind of music Numan wants to make right now, and it’s nothing short of fantastic.

Distorted beats mingle with authentic sounding pianos and strings with eerie intent that is often both high energy yet subdued at the same time. Sharp percussion hammers at the psyche while the music it holds up offers relief. The production is sleek, bright, and beautiful, an aspect that shines through the darker qualities of the record in a niche where production typically aims for something with a bit more dirt. For that, it stands out amongst its peers. I’ve been listening to the record on repeat since it dropped. I’m still impressed. The song Intruder is my personal favorite. It’s aggressive and angry, and the music reflects that without deviating from the production that shines through the shadows of the subject matter. It represents the tone of the record as a whole, as the dark beat carries soaring electronics to heights I didn’t know I could find in what I think of when I consider ‘industrial’ music, but the tracks don’t lie. It’s a heavy hitting industrial record with just enough pop elements to maintain a lure and a hook in every song. There’s nothing to skip on Intruder. Gary Numan is where it’s at.