Sky Orchid - Oculus (2017)

OFFICIAL: https://skyorchid.net/

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/skyorchidofficial/

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/skyorchidband

Written by Jay Snyder, posted by blog admin

Brothers from Kansas, Gabriel (vocals, guitar, keyboards) and Daniel Traknyak (drums and percussion) have been playing together for over a decade now.  Though their journey has included other band members at different times, they’ve now settled on a duo formation and the name, Sky Orchid.  Oculus is their debut and some of the music dates back to at least seven years ago.  This is obviously a labor of love for this familial twosome and as a result the music benefits from chemistry, collaboration and cohesiveness. 

Opener “The River” has huge, soulful vocal melodies balancing atop a rumbling foundation of tom drums, ambient keyboards and a crescendo of soaring singing brushing shoulders with sturdy electric guitar riffs.  It’s an atmospheric trip that dig in deep with its pulsating musical core that favors a low frequency bass throb over a minor-key romp fronted by the guitar.  “Sneakers” dwells in an ebbing, flowing wash of dub with a twinkling guitar intro giving way to programmed beats, washes of synth and vibrant vocals.  Electronically distorted snare enters midway through as the music ascends to symphonic, baroque rock with a foundation of guitar/drums that returns the tune to organic waters.  This difference split makes for a nice division between distinct vibes and in certain segments both the digital band and the rock band personas meet in a glorious melding of mindsets. 

“In the Fire (Part 1)” grooves on ripping post-rock guitar chords, taut backbeats and stellar harmony-intensive vocals that sounds like a less slacker-rock inspired version of Radiohead.  Not that “slacker-rock” is a band thing but this stuff feels more positive while never dropping into down mode.  Dynamic rises of sizzling guitar voltage and rocked-out snare beats give this number some much needed juice during the rock-solid choruses.  Saving the symphonic layering for the finale, “Wildfire” is a slow-burning scorcher of acoustic guitars, minimalist percussion and killer R & B leaned vocal styling that really scores a direct hit right in the eardrums.  Adopting a punk-rock pacing “I’ll Stop the World (Part 2)” is a high-energy merger of new wave and rock n’ roll with excellent atmospheric guitar licks, slower musical breaks highlight the fast parts and a lot of variety packed into its less than 4 minutes of playtime.  The molten crawl of “Lex” drapes its guitar work in a healthy supply of reverb/delay as it cautiously, deliberately ratchets up to a noisy finale; a far cry from its dark, downbeat beginnings. 

The oldest composition from the brothers’ repertoire “Breathe Easy” makes lyrical references to Bob Marley and even employs funky guitar lines that wouldn’t be out of place for reggae.  Intersecting these diving grooves are runs of heavier riffing, punk-laden speed-up and tuneful indie guitar licks.  “Take It All” flirts with Sublime’s patented style while the bleary-eyed and piano driven gothic swagger of “Yesterday” proves a fitting lead-in to playful noisy rock closer, “Fortify.”  Sky Orchid is given a smashing introduction to the music scene at large with Oculus.  Utilizing multiple styles and a no-holds barred song composition ethic, the 10 tunes all told here keep you guessing as to where the influences are coming from.  Points for originality in 2018 and this album is certainly worth a pick-up.       

Rhett Repko - Thnx For The Ride (2017)

OFFICIAL: http://www.rhettrepko.com/

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/rhettrepko/

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/RhettRepko

Written by Drew East, posted by bog admin

Rhett Repko’s latest release, an EP entitled Thnx for the Ride, opens with the title song and announces the collection’s arrival in a big way. The recording of the opener has a visceral quality capable of grabbing a listener’s attention and holding it while mixing up styles in a satisfying way. Despite the obvious rock slant of the EP, many of the seven songs feature a strong underpinning of acoustic guitar and ride fiery performances from each band member. “Thnx For The Ride” moves from an energetic stomp into ska-like passages with confidence and the shifts are never jarring.

The EP’s second song, “Please Don’t Laugh”, is a more straight-forward number establishing an early groove, but the band and Repko never sound anything less than energetic and there’s palpable commitment behind each line. The vocals for Thnx For The Ride make good use of harmony vocals without ever overdoing it, but what really stands out by the third song is the emotional tenor of his voice. None of these tracks aim to remake the wheel, but Repko’s singing lives out each one of them for the listener and it makes an impact. “It Ain’t Coming From You” is a great example of his voice’s transformative powers. It’s another great rock track married to a Repko lyric and vocal tinged with just the right balance of bitterness and heartache.

“Maybe I’m Weak” has jolting vulnerability, but there are undercurrents in Repko’s writing for discerning listeners to uncover and his vocal does a nice job, once again, getting under the skin of the song and dramatizing it for his audience in a gripping way. Repko and his band demonstrate, once again, their talent for turning on a dime musically with the track “And I Told Her So”. The song whips through some nifty tempo changes, never breaking a sweat, and lead guitarist Stefan Heuer even unleashes some torrid wah wah licks near the track’s conclusion. This rock song has a sinewy vibe during much of it upping the intensity.

The second to last track “Learn Your Name” has some strong riffing counterpointed by vocal harmonies softening the song’s otherwise lightly abrasive touch. Much of the punch in this song, thanks to its structure, comes from the rhythm section. Drummer Tom Bryant and bassist Dan Gallagher make quite a tandem throughout the entire EP, but this is one of their peak moments.

The EP concludes with “Make Me Right. It’s, arguably, Repko’s most impassioned vocal performance on the EP, befitting its status as closer, and the lyrics contain the same penchant for self-examination powering many of the earlier songs. It brings Thnx For The Ride to a charged ending few listeners will find unsatisfying. You’ll be challenged to not love this release, front to back, as Rhett Repko gets better with each new studio recording.

Joshua Ketchmark - Under Plastic Stars (2017)

OFFICIAL: http://www.joshuaketchmark.com/
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/josh.ketchmark

Written by Laura Dodero, posted by blog admin

A longtime collaborator and sideman for many important and legendary musicians, Joshua Ketchmark has made his way in the modern music world based on work ethic and talent. It’s little wonder that his first effort at a solo album, Under Plastic Stars, turns out to be such a satisfying effort – these songs are long gestating gems further energized by his obvious commitment to the material. Ketchmark’s work definitely falls in the singer/songwriter category, but he’s much more storyteller than confessional would-be poet. Make no mistake, however – the twelve songs on Under Plastic Stars are noteworthy for their intelligence and often jaw-dropping eye for detail. There are a couple of moments when Ketchmark is definitely appealing to a potential mass audience and Under Plastic Stars needs at least one more uptempo songs at the expense of one of the slower numbers, but this is an album nonetheless full of riches.

“We Were Everything” starts the album off on a bold foot. Rather than going for the gusto and ushering us into his musical world with some sort of brisk, rollicking number. Instead, Ketchmark begins things in an introspective mood and the song throbs with emotion while never seeming too overwrought. The muted percussion and memorable melodies powering “Every Mystery” perfectly frames one of Ketchmark’s songs of yearning and he invokes the required emotions, once again, without ever straining for effect. “Let It Rain”, the album’s third song, is another number when there’s an obvious concern with establishing a musical mood and Ketchmark succeeds spectacularly without ever hamming things up too much. The clear discernment driving his performances is one of the key elements setting him apart from the pack and it comes through in every song.

“Hereafter” is one of the album’s more musically forceful numbers, but doesn’t deviate from the same patient tempos defining the earlier songs. The electric guitar is the difference maker here and Brad Rice’s guitar has an almost painterly touch with its ability to add color to the song. “Sweet Surrender” is, far and away, the album’s best ballad or the closest thing to it and should exert widespread appeal with both devotees and casual music fans alike. The piano is the straw that stirs the melodic drink here and Ketchmark plays off it quite beautifully, but bass player Dave Webb and drummer Kenny Wright make their mark as well. “!7” is another fine peak on the album and its finest character portrayal – Ketchmark shows deft touches throughout that other songwriters simply wouldn’t include and it makes for a more engrossing storytelling experience. “Losing Control” mixes the tempos up a little and it comes nicely as the band gets to unleash at something more than a slow match and they breeze through those respective parts of the song with the same loose limbed precision we hear elsewhere. “The Great Unknown”, as well, shows a more energetic pace and Ketchmark offers up one of his best vocals on the album to close it out. Under Plastic Stars isn’t a flawless effort, by many means, but Ketchmark’s first solo foray is rewarding in every way.

Black Bluebirds - Like Blood for Music (2017)

OFFICIAL: http://blackbluebirds.com/

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/BlackBluebirds

Written by Daniel Boyer, posted by blog admin

It’s difficult to pin one stylistic label for Minneapolis’ Black Bluebirds. Their album Like Blood for Music has a sharp fatalistic point of view on many of its songs, but chief songwriter Daniel Fiskum imbeds those adult messages in pleasing and recognizable structures sure to win a significant audience. The dominant mode for much of the album is hard rock, but Black Bluebirds never embrace the same tropes we hear from paint by numbers riff rock. Black Bluebirds, instead, employ a stylized vision of hard rock incorporating more acoustic textures than you might expect and a second de facto lead vocalist with singer Jessica Rasche. The juxtaposition of her voice with Fiskum’s intense near drone gives many of the songs a distinct flavor of their own.

“Love Kills Slowly” sets up everything that follows with a keen ear for drama and substance alike. Fiskum and Rasche’s voices weave together with a strong effect and it never sounds too overwrought or affected. The contributions from guitarist Simon Husbands is important, but never mars the arrangement with undue histrionics. The lean fierceness of “Strange Attractor” contrasts well with the opener and shows another side of the trio’s hard rock identity without veering too far from what we hear in the opener. Fiskum has a stronger vocal presence here than we hear in the song “Love Kills Slowly”, but Rasche’s singing hovers just below the surface of the mix and fills the song with her spirit. “Life in White” is the first significant shift in the album’s sound. The incorporation of acoustic guitar into their musical DNA comes off seamlessly and Foskum’s synthesizer lines support the guitar work quite nicely. The light jangle of the six string is slightly offset by the theatrical, declamatory tone of Fiskum’s voice.

There’s a light punk spirit driving “Battlehammer” on, but the sound is predominantly hard rock and the band builds quite a head of steam from the beginning. Drummer Chad Helmonds is responsible for a lot of this, but Husbands lays some colorful guitar over the top. “Soul of Wood” is, arguably, of the best hard rock moments on Black Bluebirds’ Like Blood for Music. There’s no doubt the band is a convincing hard rock outfit and their ability to manipulate their sound in surprising ways sets them apart from the pack. It seems improbable, but the band turns their hands towards a ballad of sorts with the track “Don’t Fall in Love” – the blending of such a deliberate tempo with lyrical piano and impassioned vocals from Fiskum and Rasche alike make this one of the album’s more memorable, albeit unlikely, moments.

The finale, “Legendary”, bears some superficial similarities to the aforementioned tune in terms of tempo, but the similarities end there. Black Bluebirds strip away a lot of the storm of sound we hear with earlier songs in favor of a much more economical, yet cinematic, approach. The song definitely wants to conjure a mood for listeners and invoke atmosphere far more than show off chops to no appreciable end. Black Bluebirds’ Like Blood for Music is a fantastic moment for the modern indie music scene and the three piece shows immense promise for the future. Daniel Fiskum and Jessica Rasche are an unique singing tandem and they’ve only begun to explore their potential together.