Band Review: It's A Mountain

‘We really don’t have a genre, so don’t expect the same sound from every song’. This quote from the bio on their MySpace page is a fitting introduction to the entity known as It’s A Mountain. Active since May of 2009, It’s A Mountain channels its instrumental musings to Providence via Portsmouth, Rhode Island. The band takes its name from the rather steep path leading to the practice space they rehearse at.

      While there is a lot of truth in the above statement, they do list ‘various post-rock, ambient, and jam bands’ among their influences. In this sense, they automatically attain a degree of novelty. The Providence scene is generally known for noise and metal; post-rock influenced bands are something of a rarity.

     The band itself is a four-piece, and with the exception of Alex Klameth, who plays guitar, everyone is a multi-instrumentalist. With the exception of one line-up change, the band has consisted of Alex, Alex Perry on drums and synth, Alex Wasilewski on bass, guitar, mandolin, violin, and vocals, and Jacob Telford, on guitar, bass, and vocals.

     The music itself is a fairly lush affair. There is a fair degree of sensitivity regarding timbre, and layering of rhythms to create an orchestrated effect. ‘Journey to
Fog Mountain’, one of the tracks on their MySpace page, is a good example of this type of thinking at work. The track opens with an oscillating synth figure and some broad tones in the bass. As these elements coalesce, tremolo-picked guitar enters, presenting an introductory melody that has a haunting quality to it. As these elements build, the rest of the band kicks in, and everything breaks loose. The mid-tempo feel and the fundamentally riff-driven accompaniment, built out of a couple of chords, generate a feeling of wonder and quiet melancholy.

     ‘4’ is a fundamentally different affair. Built out of a delay-affected riff, this piece  moves with a higher degree of propulsive rhythm. While this tune is full of interesting ideas, as a whole it is less satisfying than ‘Journey to Fog Mountain’. There is something about the recording that sounds more like a rehearsal; it has less of a sense of confidence in the execution than the other. If the inconsistencies were ironed out, this would be another compelling musical journey.

     In general, there is a fairly close relationship between the recordings and the live show. The sense of energy loss usually encountered on a recording isn’t as noticeable. This probably has something to do with the fact that the recordings are essentially live demos. High-end production isn’t always a good thing.

     Jacob has explained that the band is essentially on hold, as the members are all attending different colleges, and the ‘Mountain has been laid to rest’, until such time that the band can get back together. So, that should be sometime next summer. For now, the band can be accessed via MySpace and Facebook. Here are the links. Check them out.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Its-a-Mountain/122607324431470

http://www.myspace.com/itsamountain

Artist Review: Katie Laub

      Hailing from Stuarts Draft, Virginia, located in the Shenandoah Valley, Katie Laub creates music that combines traditional, acoustic style folk ballads with modern electronic soundscapes. The end result is highly engaging, largely due to the fact that the songwriting serves as a nice relief to the at times abstract intensity of the electronic music.

     Her musical journey started with the piano; guitar, mandolin, and banjo followed. In the fall of 2010, she took a sound class through RISD, learning about sound programming and ‘other ways to approach noise making’. Though musically involved for most of her life, actively pursuing composition of any type is an activity that has only recently come to draw her focus.

     When the understanding is given that she lists traditional bluegrass music as well as Throbbing Gristle among her influences, things begin to clarify. Add John Cage and Godspeed You Black Emperor, and we have some philosophical insight as well as an indication of some kind of contemporary esthetic. For the uninitiated, John Cage left a body of work that raised questions about sound and silence, as well as the relationship between composer and performer. It is therefore fitting that a musician with such an overtly searching bent would list him among her biggest influences. Add in the fact that she was raised up in the Mennonite church, has blown glass, and is influenced by the idea of home and a longing for a simpler way of life, and this blend of old and new becomes much more clear

     There is something naturally authentic about her songwriting. Let us take track 7 of the SoundCloud site, ‘You Gotta Fly’, as an example. Accompanying herself on banjo, she sings effectively simple lyrics set to very diatonic, major key melodies,  harmonized in very traditionally standard ways. The end result is a solidly written and executed tune in a much older style. By the time she abandons spoken language for a series of melodicized ‘La la las’, you may find yourself wonderfully engaged in the music.

     The next couple of tracks highlight her experimental side. ‘No More’ and ‘Sparcile’ are intensely abstract and ‘out there’ compared to ‘You Gotta Fly’, but they are just as convincing in their way as ‘You Gotta Fly’ is in its; you have to be willing to actually listen to what she has to say. ‘Sparcile’ is particularly interesting because of the way it combines Katie’s untreated voice intoning against the isorhythmic and dissonant background. The last two tracks round out the proceedings nicely, as the long, searching experimentation of ‘Destination’ is met with the brief, extremely diatonic elegance of ‘Goodnight’.

     Katie Laub is a very talented musician.  Aiming to blend the old with the new, she is carving out her own path; while others have engaged in similar musings, there is a freshness to her approach that is thoroughly contemporary. Anyone interested in having their sensibilities stretched, and fans of such disparate musical entities as Controlled Bleeding and Pete Seeger would be well-served by investigating the sonic landscapes she creates.

Check her out at:

http://soundcloud.com/katielaub/sets/noise

     

Global Crash

Global Crash creates iridescent waves of rhythm. Conceived around 2008, and representing the culmination of a long exploration in the world of electronic music, this project represents the ever-unfolding musicality of Paul Holder.

      At present, there are two releases under this moniker; the first, ‘Fragility in Technology’, and now, ‘Echolalia’. After spending some time with the new album, I revisited ‘Fragility’. The advance in conception is astounding.

     If we turn to a dictionary, we see the following definitions for ‘Echolalia’:

1. Psychiatry The immediate and involuntary repetition of words or phrases just spoken by others

2. An infant's repetition of the sounds made by others, a normal occurrence in childhood development.

      Acknowledging the titles of the songs elicits a similar feeling, that of responding to the outside world, possibly through the naiveté of youth. ‘Baby’s Breath’, ‘Shimmer Reflection Underneath The Water’, and ‘Spectral’ are three of the nine tracks listed, and the names themselves imply some sense of reflected existence.

     The fact that this project was conceived of as an album with individual tracks is one of the reasons why it is a more satisfying listening experience than ‘Fragility’. ‘Fragility’ was essentially a collection of bright spots amidst an amorphous stream of unfolding sound; ‘Echolalia’ consists of individually conceived tracks that are generally well presented from start to finish.

      There is a wide range of variety within the scope of the project. On one hand, there is a track like ‘Until you’re numb’, which lies somewhere in the realm of trip-hop and ambient; a slowed down, jungle-esque beat wedded to a set of vaguely arrhythmic chordal and melodic ideas. The upper register ideas seem to float out of the churning rhythm like vapor from a fissure.

     On the other hand we have ‘Delicate Cadence’, which produces a completely different effect. In this case, the track evolves from the most minimal elements, and each instrument enters in a more leisurely manner. A major key vamp carries the body of the tune, and the effect is more uplifting. More rhythmically defined than pure trance techno, this track would be a great accompaniment to a beautiful sunrise in the woods or a cool down at the end of a show.

     The strengths of this recording lie in the realm of pacing, the unity of the ideas presented, and the variety of styles on display in the music itself. The end result is music that maintains a consistent point of view while diving into many areas.

     Go see this live. I have had the pleasure of experiencing this thing twice now, and the difference in effect is highly noticeable. Admittedly, DJ sets are generally a little less dynamic than a rock show. One guy scrunched over a G4 isn’t very exciting. What is exciting is the increased texture afforded by a superior sound system. On top of that, Paul has interest in various media, which is incorporated into the proceedings. He likes to project movies produced by a company dedicated to such things, and the accompanying visuals enhance the music in generally interesting ways.

Check him out at….

http://www.facebook.com/GlobalCrash

California Smile

     My introduction to California Smile was ‘Secret Message From Your Teeth’, given to me by Victor after meeting him for the first time at as220. “Postrock”! I thought. “You’re wrong”, said Cameron. “Keep listening.” And so I have. Cameron was right.

     “Listen to ‘Things Not Worth Saying’.” All of a sudden my attention was diverted…

“Was that a leading tone? Some kind of dominant relationship? This is awesome!”

California Smile is a highly complex musical entity from New England. There appear to be many musicians associated with this group, chief among whom are Victor Mansella, Michael Murphy, Jared LaFond, Jake LaFond, and Cameron Brennan.

     The fact that there is some ‘traditional’ thinking involved in the creation of this music is very fascinating. The linear motion (voice leading) and harmonic schemes have a classical bias in certain respects, but the framework is definitely clothed ‘in the now’. There are so many inferred influences, and there was one definite time when I was reminded of an instrumental, off- Broadway version of Queen.

     After this was ‘Roof Came Off House’. I had to reconsider my position yet again. This had a metallic-synth edge to it, with the same harmonic sensibility. Listen to that insane noise at the beginning of the first track and the way it dissolves into the band. There is, for me at least, something almost Schubertesque about them at times. Here, in ‘Sermons From Snakes’, the leisurely pace of the tempo and the broad, expansive quality of the melody line reminds me of the slow movement of the ‘Trout Quartet’ of Mr. Franz. This is to be taken in the most general sense.

      Concerning this album, I thought it was their newest release, until I checked the dates on the sleeves. ‘Things Not Worth Saying’ is later.

      This group excels at high musical drama, not in some ‘classical’ sense, but more in the sense of knowing how to build and develop an idea as a complete unit, and utilize emotional contrasts. In my opinion, this is due to their understanding of both pacing and the specific relationship that melodic rhythm has to metrical flow, to musical time in general. The end result has a very refined sense of ensemble, where that ‘band as one giant instrument’ effect begins to make itself felt. With the right sound engineer, this would be an awesome thing to experience live.

     On top of the European influence in the department of harmony, there is also an ‘orchestral’ feel to the band. The compositions have the quality of being composed and then arranged for the band. From talking to Victor, I was given that he did in fact attend music school, but didn’t feel it benefited him that much on many levels. Still, that kind of influence will have some sort of effect somewhere, even if it is not consciously perceived.

     After this, I was forced to go back to ‘Secret Message From Your Teeth’. This time I didn’t hear it being so post-rock; the nascent quality of the harmonic approach was more readily felt.

     This is a musical being that doesn’t fear change. ‘Variation on a Theme’ could possibly stand in as the group’s motto, if such things existed. ‘Constant Reinvention’ is another. This group presents music that is accessible while still being a positive challenge, music that is serious in its expressive intent while still being ballsy.

     In a recent conversation I had with Cameron, he told me that the band is planning to play sometime this month. Also, Victor told me that the band is currently at work on material for a new album and plan on debuting some of it this fall.

 Go check them out. They are yet another example of the best parts of the scene, awesome music made by people who love to play.

    

     Check em out at:  http://www.facebook.com/pages/California-Smile/122452896274?sk=info

http://www.myspace.com/californiasmile1

You're Under Arrest!

      You’re Under Arrest rocks. Coming from Boston, and playing hardcore tinged punk rock, you can very well guess that this band plays as if each song is the last thing they’ll ever perform. The fact that they’re a ‘co-ed’ rock band makes the whole thing even cooler.

      I first became aware of them at the Midnight Creeps show at Firehouse 13, back in the 9^th of August. Seeing how much dedication they put into their live show prompted me to want to write about them.

      The band is a five piece with a twist. In addition to the old school hardcore lineup of one guitar, bass, drums, and vocals, there is a second vocalist, named Amanda.  Though she isn’t present on every track, the presence of a female vocalist in the mix rounds out the proceedings nicely. Aside from Amanda, the rest of the group is comprised of Jaye, on vocals, John, on bass, Damien, on drums, and Mike, on guitar.

      There seems to be a trend in the underground scene in general. I noticed this to a degree with White Devils, though they’re a completely different musical animal. This is a tendency to mix influences from every aspect of whatever genre the band is working in. In other words, this band utilizes the entire range of possibilities in the ‘punk’ genre, to interesting effect.

      Take a song like ‘Shattering’, for instance. To draw a comparison to another Boston band, this tune smacks of Negative FX, or even Cro-Mags, which is still East Coast, even if it’s coming from New York.

      ‘The Murder Mile’, on the other hand, is more moshy, with tons of palm muting in the riffage. It is also one of the more complex of their songs, even though clocking in at roughly a minute.

      ‘Hard Times’ is straight up hardcore, simple and to the point. It also contains a lot of aggression, and should get people bouncing around at shows.

      ‘The Hard Goodbye’ has an anthemic, sing-along quality to it. I found myself singing the chorus while doing housework. I think most guys will take something personal from the lyrics of this one.

     Of all the songs featuring Amanda, my personal favorite is ‘Sick To Death’. She exudes a lot of personality on every song she’s featured on, but this one is rendered extra aggressive because of her. She lays into the vocals with force.

     In many respects, this bands secret weapon is rhythm. Seeing them live only serves to reinforce that impression. They are really adept at switching tempos on a dime, and, to reiterate, their command of subgenres lends a lot of variety to the songwriting. The sudden hardcore blasts in the middle of songs definitely caught my attention.

      If you think you’ll get anything more than an impression of the band from the recordings, guess again. In this instance, as with other bands, there’s a lack of energy in relation to the live show. While this is generally the case, it is very noticeable here. Also, they have a tendency to use the same guitar tone on every song. I am a fan of timbral variation, and think that a little more variety in tone settings would be a great addition. Then again, this is my personal bias, and taking this advice to heart might damage the personality of the band.

     In summary, if you like punk rock, and you like to lose your mind at shows, then check out You’re Under Arrest. The energy and dedication they put into the music they make is obvious, and they should be supported by everyone who loves aggro rock. Go see them. You won’t be disappointed.

Check ‘em out at:  

  http://www.facebook.com/pages/Youre-Under-Arrest-Boston/167262563284259?sk=info

Extraordinary Rendition Band

Extraordinary Rendition Band is a marching band from Providence, RI. Comprised of up to 25 members, they play ‘guerilla-style’ marching band music with intent to raising awareness and opening minds. The idea is expressed in their name, which is something of a double entendre. They have been active since 2008.

     Marching bands have a very rich history going back a very long time, growing out of groups of musicians who would gather to play at festivals. As time passed, this type of outfit became confined to the military sector, as the musicians were needed to help direct troop movements. Eventually the powers that be realized that this was an incredibly bad use of resources, and discontinued the practice.

      As of the current moment, marching bands are most strongly identified with football and events like the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade. This automatically sets ERB and other grassroots style marching bands apart. While operating from a point of view that is decidedly left of center, the spirit of the paradigm invoked still relates to the idea of civic function. In this sense, ERB are rooted in tradition, even as they seek to use that tradition in service to the present moment.

     A trip to their main website reveals that they consider themselves to be a ‘grassroots, guerilla-style marching band’. Membership is open to all ages and ability levels. They reserve the right to play for whatever causes they feel inspired to support. The point here isn’t to create something elitist, but egalitarian in its overall purpose. This is about music as a social activity that brings people together and builds a sense of community.

     Given that this is Providence, performances by the Band seem to carry an air of gleeful anarchy. At times, one of the instrumentalists might possibly break into song, the band falling right in line behind whoever is vocalizing. It appears that there is even a bit of choreography to round out the performances; that or some inspired improvisational movement.

      The band possesses a fairly varied songbook. Smooth Criminal, Mercy, Mercy, Mercy, A Las Barricadas, and Matador are among the tunes you might possibly hear at a given performance. “Get up, Stand up” undergoes a fairly unique treatment.

     At this point in time, I’ve only had the opportunity to witness this thing via Youtube. Luckily, the sound quality is passable enough that everything is fairly clear. The sense of ensemble is generally good; the interaction of the percussion is particularly good, and imparts some serious bounce at times.

     The biggest challenges would seem to lie in the realm of metric discipline; a clear understanding of where the downbeats are would seem to be the most fundamental requirement to achieve a strict sense of ensemble. Factor in the lack of a conductor and the need to actually perambulate and you have the makings of a potential musical disaster. Yet, somehow, the desire of the group prevails, and a way is found amongst the seeming chaos. The end result is a band that has disciplined itself through the usual rigor of rehearsal.

     Everyone is invited to join in. Attendance policy is fairly strict, and beginners, while definitely welcome, are advised to be patient in assimilating the material. At the same time, anyone who has any interest that may suit the intentions of the organization is welcome to join; there are possibilities for participation that are not directly music related.

     They can be found online at:

http://www.facebook.com/extraordinary.rendition.band

http://extraordinaryrenditionband.com/

White Devils

      White Devils play rock and roll. Sitting here with the jukebox on FaceBook blaring away, a living anachronism is invoked: Rock with an old-school, mid-sixties feel, recorded in a lo-fi way that captures the band somehow, transmitted via the internet, accessed through the mind of Mark Zuckerberg.

     Growing out of the West End, this band is a four-piece who have been active for the last few months. The line-up, as listed on FB, is Stimbot - guitar/vox, Jonas Parmelee - Bass/back vox, Richie Rebounds - Guitar, Matthew Donnelly – Skins.

     This music is permeated with references that strike at the very roots of rock history. The Rolling Stones and The Stooges are two groups that spring to mind. Possibly NY Dolls to a degree. The Velvet Underground gets a mention more in terms of the ‘spirit of the times’; at times they share a passing resemblance to an over-driven version of the band.

     Even in terms of their appearance, the throwback quality is there. In fact, the memory remains of the August 9^th show at Firehouse that in their respective mode of dress one could draw parallels to the various influences at work- punk, garage rock, indie, alternative. Normally the intent is to avoid this type of commentary, but the fact was so self-evident as to be striking.  

     In a very real sense, these guys are more proto-punk, harkening back to the roots of punk. This may seem redundant, but in the corner of the musical world they operate in, ‘Punk’ is still the aesthetic that is very much dominant.

     As mentioned already, the production on the FB jukebox is lo-fi by the standards of now. However, it is felt that this type of presentation is much more suited to the bands temperament than something glossy. I really think that a more polished production style would hamper them.

     The songs themselves are a generally memorable set. ‘The World Ain’t Round Baby, it’s square” got me all excited the first time I listened to it. And then I found myself singing the chorus later on at work. Jason knows how to walk the fine line between singing and yelling, and the rawness of his vocal tone adds some urgency to the melody.  Add to that a memorable hook in the chorus and a timeless quality ala “Time is on My Side” and I think this song will be listened to down the line.

     Moving through each song on the FB player moves to a different style of rock. Moving to the second song in the player, All In, we find an uptempo, hook-driven tune with something of a Stooges influence. Comparing this song to the first drives home the ever-present influence that timbre brings to bear on songcraft in electrified guitar music. Trading timbres with the first song would destroy everything.

     ‘Monday Night Girl’ is much more pop, with a catchy vocal hook; ‘No Protection’ is based on twelve bar blues. ‘My Weakness’ is another poppy number, but a style of pop that strikes me as being more in line with something from the soundtrack to Stand By Me.

     If there were any one area where things seem like they could be improved, I would posit the lead guitar work. There were a couple of times during the show where it seemed like Ritchie Rebounds was holding back to a degree, and this had a temporary dampening effect on the energy. The same thing appears on the recordings at a couple of spots. I don’t know what he is feeling shy about; he can play. There were interesting ideas in his solos. They just need to be pushed into the world with a little more confidence.

     All in all, White Devils is a talented group who put on a great show. Straight up, no frills rock and roll that will get you moving. Dig it.

White Devils can be found online at:

http://www.facebook.com/thewhitedevils?sk=info

http://www.reverbnation.com/WhiteDevils