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.

Blue Apollo - Light Footed Hours + Circles (2017)

OFFICIAL: http://blueapollomusic.com/

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

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/BlueApolloMusic

Written by Laura Dodero, posted by blog admin

Formed in the summer of 2014 by drummer Jeremiah Jensen and guitarist/vocalist Luke Nassar, the duo started writing songs together and thus the groundwork was laid for a new project called Blue Apollo.  Through the gradual process of band changes and development they signed up bass player Rodman Steele as well as lead guitarist Jean Paul Labastida.  Sadly, Jean Paul’s tenure didn’t last but the band was able to settle on a permanent line-up; a trio configuration that recorded 2017’s Light-Footed Hours EP.

Calling upon deliciously 90s influences like Midwestern space rock, pop punk, indie rock, emo and whatever else they can get their hands on, Blue Apollo are a tight knit unit all over these 6 songs.  “Walls” is the dipping, diving opener full of craggy guitar work that usually lays down a rhythm riff, splinters off into winding tapestries of spacey melody and even sends Nassar on a hot-blooded solo frenzy before the proceedings some to a close.  Throughout Jensen peppers the mixture with cranking beats heavy on the tom/snare flurries making sure time stays locked down while Steele smothers the percussive pop in a blanket of crystal clear low notes.  Luke also handles the lead vocals and his standout melodies just drip with passion and good taste as the song goes careening into a pretty explosive finale.  Though it halts the tempos and pacing about a half-step, follow-up number “Feeling Right” cooks up some stew-y, muscular grooves that’s all about fluid, spiraling bass grooves ripping and rollicking through a haze of indie jangle pop with pretty piercing melodies while Jeremiah produces a sneaky aural bushwhack thanks to some steadfast stick work on the snares.  The kick-off triplet concludes with the riff-y grooves of “Therapy.”  On this jam the rhythm section breaks off a chunk of slinking r & b, giving Luke plenty of room to set alight some grooving rock riffs. 

The album’s second half is much more subdued than the first, although it’s no less compelling.  “Avalanche” is a moody piano and vocal piece that takes a leisurely couple of minutes to pile on any additional layers.  Once textures are carefully sprinkled over Blue Apollo’s orchestral indie-pop platter, the song explodes into an indie-kissed, pop-rock extravaganza brimming with tranquil melodies and harmonies.  “Meant to Be” is almost the mirror image of “Avalanche” if you replace the piano with guitar and branch off from there.  Album endnote “Circles” takes the rocked-out indie groove of the first three tracks and alchemically mingles it with the tranquil ballad mix of the previous two tracks; effectively creating a harmonic merger of the band’s many different ideas and sound combinations. 

Light-Footed Hours is a phenomenal debut with 6 great songs that work as a front to back listen as well as collection of 6 individual tracks each with their own personality.  It’s pretty much safe to say that Blue Apollo is an experimental indie band that isn’t afraid to draw influences from a vast array of different musical genres.  This is well-worth a listen for all fans of upper echelon indie-rock. 

Shofar - s/t (2017)

BANDCAMP: https://shofar.bandcamp.com/releases

BROADJAM: http://www.broadjam.com/shofar

Written by Laura Dodero, posted by blog admin

Shofar is as likeable as they come. Rarely does a band show such a talent for crunchy guitar rock balanced out with an equally attention-grabbing melodic bent. The native Minnesota quintet has a couple of releases already under their belt, but they’ve been inactive as a recording unit for some time now and their self-titled EP release represents the band’s first officially released recordings since 2005’s Turn. Larry Hagner is the band’s primary artistic force, serving as both songwriter and lead singer, but the six songs on this release make it abundantly clear this is a group effort in every important sense and Hagner’s collaborators help him realize his ambitions for the material without ever compromising or obscuring his voice. This EP is as fine as any release in 2017, indie or mainstream, and is certain to build momentum for a memorable 2018.

They waste no time grabbing listeners by the ear. “Running’ is a visceral, urgent tune with rambunctious guitar pyrotechnics and hard-hitting drumming. It’s one of the harder edged tunes on the self-titled EP, only lightening ever so slightly with a more measured approach during the verses,  Despite the weighty subject matter, the track’s built from a beguiling set of changes and much more melodic than the opening number. Guitar is still a prominent instrument in the mix, but there’s a distinctly different feel than listeners experience with the first song. The drummer is consistently strong throughout the EP and one of its high points surprisingly comes with the song “Shades of Grey” because, in essence, it acts as a sort of counterpoint to the lighter strains of its guitar attack and emphasis on melody. Larry Hagner’s vocal on the song “Hands Down” rates as my personal highlight for the EP’s singing performances. It’s the straightest rock tune, both musically and lyrically, on the release and has some charged transitions that linger in the memory, What a song.

There’s no real drop off with the next track. “Countdown” unflinchingly tackles the literal end of the world for its subject matter and sets it alongside a sensitive, piano-focused arrangement for memorable contrast. It’s the song with the lightest touch on Shofar’s new recording but shows their uncompromising spirit without resorting to power chord guitar heroics. Shofar’s personal beliefs artfully shine through on the EP’s conclusion “The Coming” and it’s both entertaining and illuminating. There’s a little of the hard hitting guitar attack we’ve heard on earlier tracks, but it has a more experimental and dream-like edge than anything else they’ve included on the EP. This release should bring Shofar back in a big way while also whetting the appetite for a future full length hopefully to soon follow. This is vital music full of conviction.

Man Called Noon - Everybody Move (2017)

OFFICIAL: http://mancallednoon.com/

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

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/ManCalledNoon

Written by Pamela Bellmore, posted by blog admin

The punchy pop sprightliness underpinning even the rockiest moments of Man Called Noon’s Everybody Move incorporates other strands without ever coming off as too cluttered or overreaching. The three song EP is short, but covers an astonishing amount of musical ground within that short space of time and never fails to crackle with life. Everybody Move’s songs reach an impressive maturity level while remaining condensed musical efforts that never risk self indulgence. Man Called Noon achieves a specific sound for the release, as well, that has across the board consistency and a warm, organic quality despite the numerous effects applied to the instruments. This is a physical rock band with a modern aggressiveness in their attack that deserves widespread attention. They’ll likely get what they’re hoping for with the release of Everybody Move.

The title song is a masterful piece of musical construction that never bites off anymore than it can chew, stays centered on the guitar, yet marries that approach to an expansive and melodic sound quite unlike anything else on the release. Power pop rock wouldn’t be a misapplied description for what they do here, but there’s also a coarse lyricism accompanying some of James Marino’s lead guitar that’s straight out of an alt rock playbook. They harness impressive vocal energy with three distinct voices offering something to the band’s presentation, but lead singer Anthony Giamichael sets the tone with inspired, uplifting vocals never straining to catch the audience’s ear. “Kiss Kiss Bang Bang” has a certain amount of lasciviousness in the lyric, but never so much that the song comes off as puerile. Instead, it’s a physical and rollicking stab at something akin to pop funk,, with an emphasis on the latter style, while Marino’s guitar work throws some slashing rock licks in for added measure.

Man Called Noon ends Everybody Move with the track “One Last Ride”, closer to an out and out rock song than anything else on the EP while still retaining the band’s commercial elements in good stead. The melodic content is crisp and largely handled by James Marino’s guitar while Giamichael’s lyrics get an excellent all around vocal treatment to end the release on a biting high note. This Chicago based band has already made a name for themselves as an explosive and entertaining live unit, but there’s little question that the turn their development takes with this release likely represents their definitive sound and further refinement from here will only make them a more potent band for years to come. It’s an occasionally raucous, always intelligent EP release and positions Man Called Noon as one of the brightest rising talents in the indie band scene.

Michael Askin - Road by the River (2017)

REVERBNATION: https://www.reverbnation.com/michaelaskin

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

Written by Frank McClure, posted by blog admin

Following up the momentum established by his 2015 solo release Ignore the Evidence, singer/songwriter Michael Askin continues to push an impressive career forward with his third EP, Road by the River.  Though only 5 tracks long Askin makes the most of the EP’s relatively short runtime by employing extremely thoughtful songwriting, great playing featuring a very nice balance of varying instrumental textures and solid melodic vocals that lament on loss, heartbreak, etc. 

The title track sets the tone as sweeping acoustic guitars thread together multiple melodies via a couple of guitar lines while the bass lines provide a somber push and the drumming vaults across lively snare patterns that keep the tune moving energetically forward.  Michael’s vocals shine brightly throughout and when the chorus strolls through there’s some nice double-tracked harmonies added to soothe the ears.  Overall, it’s a lush composition draped in organic folk and country shades that are an absolute beautiful joy to behold.  “Nashville” opens with a heartland acoustic country guitar line set against hickory cured, smokehouse melody vocals from Askin.  Gleaming steel guitar runs pretty up the musical backdrop and the song seasons the tuneful country/blues with some popping percussion, rocked out guitar riffs and driving bass lines during its second half that keeps the structure constantly evolving.

A sweeping unplugged lick intros “Sun Going Down,” a downturned blues-leaned cut that sounds tough and dirty even at its most melodic.  Electric lead squalls pile atop the chopping acoustics as Askin’s voice embraces a gruff attack element.  Heavy riffs and howling organs further the molten, 70s hardened blues textures and the end result is a composition that could appeal to fans of Leslie West and Alex Harvey.  A folky lead-in groove laid down on the acoustic sends “Hard to Make a Living” back down the aural dirt roads of Dylan and more recently Iron and Wine.  Minimalist drum work providing a simple beat, fuzzy background guitars and another dose of Americana organs give this serenity jam a real set of musical legs to run on as it heads off into a glowing orange sunset in the wild American West.  Closer “Last Train” also adopts these similar country n’ western folk influences by kicking off with a begotten acoustic guitar riff upon which Askin’s vocal melodies drift wayward in a ghostly, breathy melody that’s instantly infectious.  Again Michael’s use of the organ is some of the best by any modern artists and it enhances this track with a soft orchestral grandeur that wraps around the smoldering guitar lines and campfire lit vocals.  The organ work also gives way to some unusual 80s sounding synthesizers that take the tune in an entirely different direction altogether. 

Fantastic work all around by Michael Askin on Road by the River; quite frankly the writing on this EP is so good that it eats like a satisfying full-length.  Each of the 5 cuts has its own merits and multiple nuances to reveal as you listen to the music more and more.  Anyone into alternating acoustic/electric folk, country, blues and rock sounds would do well to add this release to their collections.