Thursday, August 31, 2017

Umi: Dynamic instrumental rock band from Minnesota

So ever since seeing this local instrumental rock band open for The Reign of Kindo (Jason Richardson) on Sunday, and picking up the Flash Drive they had available with all 3 of the releases they have that are on their bandcamp page which are embedded below (the 2nd one, Tiny, Little Light which is free to download by the way).

I have been checking these studio recordings the last few days, and have in some ways been blown away.

The use of dynamics and intricate instrumentation and production is very clear.

Their music is bright, energetic, epic, and even somewhat diverse. Sometimes slow, sometimes moody, other times technical. The contrast and interplay of the guitars and drums really works well. And the piano, which I suppose may be 1 of the biggest things that makes them stand out from many of the instrumental rock bands out there.

There's at least 1 or 2 bands I'm still not remembering who they reminded me of, with their use of piano with post-rock/jazz etc. But I guess just to make a couple of comparisons.

1 being the early Tangled Thoughts of Leaving aka the Tiny Fragments EP especially. The subtle at times, yet goose-bump worth piano melodies that create such wonderful mood and atmosphere is present.

The other I want to say some of the earlier God is an Astronaut, I recall having some similar kinds of moments to the music from Umi.

But also someone like Pat Metheny of course (or more recently, The Super Pilots/Mike Linden), largely per the happy and bright tone, and even jazzy element.

I need to work my way through their stuff more to fully grasp how great this band is, but at a minimum, I think they are the both the best new band from Minnesota I've discovered since at least Words for Penga in 2015? and also maybe more so, the best instrumental/post band I a may attach myself to since Nordic Giants back in 2014.

I wonder if they could catch on the way I wondered about Brice Plays Drums or Lehto and Wright. Their music is both THAT GOOD and also it seems THAT ACCESSIBLE.

But, I also feel/felt the same way about the great Minnesota local band NOMIA. But...no dice really. If they remain a local treasure in MN, I can't really complain. But their music does seem appealing enough many may be sleeping on it.

oh, 1 other band who I wonder if they know or could play a show with: Put Down the Muffin. Instrumental proggy jazz from Minnesota would seem a group whose audience could enjoy.

https://www.facebook.com/UmiMinnesota/


World of Color [EP]
 rel August 27, 2017


1. Droplet 04:30
2. In The Fog 05:58
3. World of Color 03:08
4. Ruin 06:00
5. Voyage 05:49


Tiny, Little Light [EP]
rel May 16, 2016

1. Warmth 01:57
2. After Warmth (ft. Jakub Żytecki) 05:02
3. Violet (ft. Plini) 06:47
4. Sunshine 09:55



Umi
rel August 24, 2015

1. Umi 06:32
2. Broken Ice 03:01
3. Oshun 04:15
4. Ika-Roa 02:16
5. Colorless (feat. Jared Waln) 04:46
6. Glass Fish (feat. Dustin Korth of By The Thousands) 06:05
7. Big Wave 03:04
8. Leaf Boat 04:30
9. Flow 03:35
10. Islet 02:16
11. Torrential 05:58

King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard?

From my twitter:

checking some . Not bad, retro in a cool way. Surprised though I can't find any comparisons to

I will try to check out some albums from them soon. I'm wondering

Pepe Deluxe >> King Gizzard

like

Burst >> Mastodon


but regardless, I am liking some of their music. The vocals though and guitar work are where Pepe differs. At least it got me to revisit Queen of the Wave and remember what a masterpiece it is. We'll see if King Gizzard (KG?..hard time using those 2 letters unless it's myself and Kevin Gilbert..or maybe Kyle Gass/Tenacious D). lives up to even half the hype. I worry their albums may meander or be hit and miss/not so focused. But maybe 1 or 2 of them will work start to finish.

Small Leaks Sink Ships - Golden Calf (2016-2017)

8/31/17 12:02PM

"Psychotic Opera" video.

l8tr for me.

 

8/7/17 6:00AM

Release Date shows October 12 there. in digital and VINYL.

https://smallleaks.bandcamp.com/album/golden-calf-2



1. Creepin'
2. Dancing Devil 04:42
3. Airplane Junkyard
4. Dear John Connor
5. Subtle Sadness
6. Psychotic Opera
7. Drug Lord
8. Not Counterpoint
9. Tethered Wires


new video for "Dancing Devil" ..surreal. The thing with the canoe reminds me of part of Cloud Cult's The Seeker. 

The blindfold obviously means something. Something about the world she's in being different when she can't see? I dunno. I wonder if the album may add more, maybe it's a bit of a concept album like Face Yourself and Remove Your Sandals seemed to be?



By the way, my Antipode 7" did arrive like a week ago, and I should have a new video coming soon, FINALLY, lol. I have a spot to film it and the rest of the recent vinyl I have got. Likely tomorrow sometime, or Wednesday at the latest.


6/3/17 9:15 AM

article of "Cross Chatter" the b-side on the new Small Leaks Sink Ships 7" single "Antipode."

The band on the song

"“The song ‘Cross Chatter’ seems to wrestle with the idea that no matter which side you stand on, both social and political, humanity would rather point the finger at one another instead of taking responsibility for one’s own actions. The track reiterates the fact that, ‘it’s all the same.'”


We’re pleased to bring you the premiere of Small Leaks Sink Ships’ new song “Cross Chatter” (listen below). The track is taken from the band’s forthcoming album Golden Calf, which is scheduled to be released at the end of summer 2017 on Lefse Records.

"Dancing Devil" and this song are both awesome, and with my love for their last record Face Yourself and Remove Your Sandals, I'm pretty excited about Golden Calf.

"End of the Summer" Suggests September of course, so maybe by the 3rd or 4th week of September or early October, it comes out within my Calendar Year for albums ending of Halloween.

Wednesday, August 30, 2017

New Series: RIYL/FFO

Not sure how these will go and how much will be rehashed from older entries (probably more than I am anticipating, but so be it).

I think I am going to do as less or sometimes more as possible to make some entries, namely about progressive college rock, and a somewhat definitive to me/my taste/knowledge

Recommended if You Like
For Fans Of

The Reign of Kindo and Mew shows recently kind of hit me, that that is what I and this blog can often be about. But these entries will be more focused/specific.

Yes, most if not all the recommended bands will have been mentioned and even featured in the past in here, but at least these are a bit more condensed and a 1-stop shop if you like 1 band, who also to check out, etc.

Timing/How Many? I'll see I guess. I don't want it to get too much in the way of my goal to finish the Albums Calendar project, but hopefully it won't too much.

Also it very well could carry on over to YouTube (maybe minus much of the props/physical items to show).

Godspeed You Black Emperor - Luciferian Towers (2016-2017)

8/30/17 12:50PM
1st/opening track "Undoing A Luciferian Towers" is up.

l8tr/tomorrow for me.


7/13/17 6:06PM
Link

Release Date is September 22nd.

Lol at some of the political descriptions in this and the image below, but if the music is good, it won't matter. At least the vinyl is being pressed on recycled material, which fwiw, Cloud Cult almost may approve of.

I am not sure how much to expect though as their last record from 2015, 'Asunder Sweet And Other Distress, had more than enough drone/doom work for me to enjoy. The crescendos, when they work, make this band standout. And they were surreal live. But their approach at times focuses a little too much on slow, dissonant, chords that drag on more than I usually love. And I often suspect the hipsters who claim to be huge fans, probably latch on to them, also claim to love a lot of the boring Doom and Drone Metal, lol. Which to me, isn't really good Metal unless it is coming from Black Sabbath or a few other exceptions.

But this is their 1st album of new music I think, since they ended their hiatus about 7 years ago. Which might mean something (good or bad I guess).

4 songs, 44+ minutes.

Godspeed You! Black Emperor to Reportedly Return with New Album 'Luciferian Towers'

1. Undoing a Luciferian Towers
2. Bosses Hang
3. Fam/Famine
4. Anthem For No State

cst126 Godspeed You! Black Emperor to release new album, Luciferian Towers



Ne Obliviscaris Fall 2017 USA/CANADA Tour

I finally should be able to see Ne Obliviscaris live! Tuesday November 14th at The Amsterdam Bar and Hall in St.Paul.

Thankfully not at The Cabooze (not my 1st choice of venue)

And they are HEADLINING.



















FB

URN NORTH AMERICAN TOUR DATES w/ Allegaeon
NOV 1 @ Bottom of the Hill, San Francisco, CA
NOV 2 @ Whisky A Go Go, Los Angeles, CA
NOV 3 @ Beauty Bar, Las Vegas, NV
NOV 4 @ Loading Dock, Salt Lake City, UT
NOV 5 @ Globe Hall, Denver, CO
NOV 8 @ Studio Seven, Seattle, WA
NOV 7 @ Dantes, Portland, OR
NOV 9 @ Rickshaw Theater, Vancouver, BC
NOV 11 @ Dickens, Calgary, AB
NOV 13 @ Park Theatre, Winnipeg, MB
NOV 14 @ Amsterdam, St Paul, MN
Nov 16 @ Reggie's, Chicago, IL
NOV 17 @ Foundry, Cleveland, OH
NOV 18 @ Mavericks, Ottawa, ON
NOV 19 @ Foufounes Electriques, Montreal, QC
NOV 20 @ Sonia, Boston, MA
NOV 22 @ Le Poisson Rouge, New York, NY
NOV 24 @ Blind Tiger, Greensboro, NC
NOV 25 @ Masquerade, Atlanta, GA
NOV 26 @ Haven, Orlando, FL
NOV 28 @ Gasa Gasa, New Orleans, LA
NOV 29 @ Rail Club, Ft Worth, TX
NOV 30 @ Acadia Live, Houston, TX
DEC 1 @ Come & Take It Live, Austin, TX
DEC 3 @ Club Red, Phoenix, AZ
DEC 4 @ Constellation Room, Santa Ana, CA

Tuesday, August 29, 2017

The Year 1983 Albums Calendar and Rankings

1983, like with Baseball Cards, was really maybe the 1st Calendar year I have memories of music. Songs on the radio and maybe even Friday Night videos. Some others came the next year in 1984 certainly, and '83 didn't have Michael Jackson nor Prince, but it had both many of my nostalgic favorites like Lionel Ritchie, Duran Duran and Huey Lewis and the News, and many I came to love like The Police's Synchronicity and obviously Marillion's debut album Script from a Jester's Tear.

And while that album I won 't deny is very influenced by Peter Gabriel-Genesis, it still has a lot of great songs/songwriting on it. Garden Party, The Web and the title track were always my favorites. But I can't lie, among Marillion's catalog, it is only in the middle which maybe says more about my love and the quality I see in their history.

I guess looking at the calendar and rankings, 1983 had a lot of enjoyable albums from Metal to Pop to early prog. I guess I wouldn't say it's Top Heavy, but at the same time it is not without depth for at least nostalgia if not just artists putting out good albums or with multiple good songs. Even The Pointer Sisters who I just saw live last week, put out an album with a few 80's Pop classics.

How it fares compared to the rest of the decade? I kind of suspect it won't be at the top, but definitely not at the bottom at this point. Nostalgia points and depth as opposed to say 1981 or 1979 which at this point I see as 2 of the thinnest years for albums in my taste. 1983 though, I don't see as quite as thin though.

1, Marillion - Script for a Jester's Tear
2, The Police - Synchonicity
3. Tears for Fears - The Hurting
4. Queensryche - Queensryche [EP]
5, Peter Gabriel - Plays Live 
6. Pat Metheny - Travels
7. Huey Lewis and the News - Sports
8, Duran Duran - Seven and the Ragged Tiger
9. David Bowie - Let's Dance
10. Dio - Holy Diver
11. Metallica - Kill'Em All
12. Genesis - Genesis
13, Iron Maiden - Piece of Mind
14, U2 - War
15. Lionel Ritchie - Can't Slow Down
16. Pink Floyd - The Final Cut
17. XTC - Mummer
18. Madonna - Madonna
19. The Pointer Sisters - Break Out
20. Savatage - Sirens
21. Yes - 90125





Neil Young - Trans.jpg
Neil Young - Trans
rel January 3, 1983

Def Leppard - Pyromania.jpg
Def Leppard - Pyromania
rel January 20, 1983

Christopher Cross-Another Page.jpg
Christopher Cross - Another Page
rel January 31, 1983

Jfrontiers.jpg
Journey - Frontiers
rel February 22, 1983

U2 War album cover.jpg
U2 - War
rel February 28, 1983

Schon and hammer here to stay.jpg
Neal Schon and Jan Hammer - Here to Stay
rel February 1983

Spandau Ballet True.jpg
Spandau Ballet - True
rel March 4, 1983

 The Hurting orig.jpg
Tears for Fears - The Hurting
rel March 7, 1983

NileRodgersAdventuresInTheLandOfTheGoodGroove.jpg
Nile Rodgers - Adventures in the Land of the Good Groove
rel March 11, 1983

 Marillion - Script for a Jester's Tear.jpg
Marillion - Script for a Jester's Tear
rel March 14, 1983

A close up of the breast a dark jacket, with one quarter of a remembrance poppy on the top left corner, and a selection of British military service medal ribbons along the bottom edge
Pink Floyd - The Final Cut
rel March 21, 1983

Knopfler-Local hero.jpg
Mark Knopfler - Local Hero
rel March 1983

Savatage Sirens original cover.jpeg
Savatage - Sirens
rel April 11, 1983

Flashdance.soundtrack.jpg
Various Artists - Flashdance
rel April 11, 1983

A train trestle covered in thick kudzu with "R.E.M. / MURMUR" written in blue
R.E.M. - Murmur
rel April 12, 1983

Violent Femmes.jpg
Violent Femmes - Violent Femmes
rel April 13, 1983

David-bowie-lets-dance.jpg
David Bowie - Let's Dance
rel April 14, 1983

Weird Al Yankovic - Weird Al Yankovic.jpg
Weird Al Yankovic - Weird Al Yankovic
rel May 3, 1983

Iron Maiden - Piece Of Mind.jpg
Iron Maiden - Piece of Mind
rel May 16, 1983

DioHolyDiver.jpg
Dio - Holy Diver
rel May 25, 1983

 Queensryche - Queensryche EP cover.jpg
Queensrÿche - Queensrÿche [EP]
rel May 1983

Talking Heads - Speaking in Tongues.jpg
Talking Heads - Speaking in Tongues
rel June 1, 1983

Plays Live - Peter Gabriel.jpg
Peter Gabriel - Plays Live
rel June 6, 1983

Police-album-synchronicity.jpg
The Police - Synchonicity
rel June 17, 1983

TheFugitive.jpg
Tony Banks - The Fugitive
rel June 1983

RT Hok.jpg
Richard Thompson - Hand of Kindness
rel June 1983

Principle of moments.JPG
Robert Plant - The Principle of Moments
rel July 11, 1983

Cover shows a bright red pool of blood-like liquid and a stonemason's hammer laying next to it. A blurry hand is behind the hammer and looks like it just let the hammer go. This square image has a bright red border. A stylized Metallica logo is on top of the border, and the album title "Kill 'Em All" is at the bottom in a similar red color. All are on a black background, and the cover has a significant black border around the square.
Metallica - Kill 'Em All
rel July 25, 1983

Asia - Alpha (1983) front cover.jpg
Asia - Alpha
rel July 26, 1983

Good For Your Soul Album Art.jpg
Oingo Boingo - Good for Your Soul
rel July 26, 1983

Madonna's image with her right hand placed on her right cheek and with the left hand, she holds on to a number of chains wound on her neck.
Madonna - Madonna
rel July 27, 1983

1983-Level 42 - Standing in the Light.JPG
Level 42 - Standing in the Light
rel August 1, 1983

Punch the Clock (Elvis Costello and the Attractions album - cover art).jpg
Elvis Costello and the Attractions - Punch the Clock
rel August 5, 1983

BillyJoel AnInnocentMan.jpg
Billy Joel - An Innocent Man
rel August 8, 1983

XTC Mummer.jpg
XTC - Mummer
rel August 30, 1983

Future Shock.jpg
Herbie Hancock - Future Shock
rel August 1983

Huey Lewis and the News - Sports.png
Huey Lewis and the News - Sports
rel September 15, 1983

 IQ - Tales From The Lush Attic.jpg
IQ - Tales from the Lush Attic
rel September 1983

Genesis83.jpg
Genesis - Genesis
rel October 3, 1983

Richieslow.jpg
Lionel Ritchie - Can't Slow Down
rel October 11, 1983

ShesSoUnusual1984.PNG
Cyndi Lauper - She's So Unusual
rel October 14, 1983

Melissa album.png
Mercyful Fate - Melissa
rel October 30, 1983

Bay of Kings cover.jpg
Steve Hackett - Bay of Kings
rel October 1983

PointerSistersBreakOut.jpg
The Pointer Sisters - Break Out
rel November 6, 1983

U2uabrs.jpg
U2 - Under a Blood Red Sky
rel November 7, 1983

90125album.jpg
Yes - 90125
rel November 7, 1983




Image result for stewart copeland - rumble fish last.fm
Stewart Copeland - Rumble Fish
rel November 8, 1983

Walk-into-light-album-cover.jpg
Ian Anderson - Walk into the Light
rel November 8, 1983

Seven And The Ragged Tiger.jpg
Duran Duran - Seven and the Ragged Tiger
rel November 21, 1983

Jaco Pastorius - Invitation, album cover.jpg
Jaco Pastorius - Invitation
rel December 1983

Dreams Less Sweet (Psychic TV album - cover art).jpg
Psychic TV - Dreams Less Sweet
rel December 1983

Scenario album.jpg
Al Di Meola - Scenario
rel 1983

Untitled
Happy the Man - Happy the Man 3rd: Better Late ...
rel 1983


Pmg - travels.jpg
Pat Metheny - Travels
rel 1983

Image result for moraz bruford Music for Piano and Drums youtube
Moraz and Bruford - Music for Piano and Drums
rel 1983

Eddiemurphycomedian.jpg
Eddie Murphy - Eddie Murphy: Comedian
rel 1983

Untitled
Nathan Mahl - Parallel Eccentricities
rel 1983

Image result for Yo Yo Ma - 6 Unaccompanied Cello Suites
Yo Yo Ma -The 6 Unaccompanied Cello Suites
rel 1983