The Appleseed Cast - Low Level Owl, Vol 1+2 [Post-Rock]

We could believe...

Artist: The Appleseed Cast

Release Date: October 23rd, 2011

Genre: Post-Rock, Emo

 

For Fans of: Explosions in the Sky, Moving Mountains, American Football

 

It hadn't occurred to me until now that I may of had responses on my "suggest an album" form that I had running on the side of my blog for a couple of months, so upon checking it out I had discovered there were over 30 suggestions which I hadn't responded to. Sorry guys.

 

Low Level Owl is a two part album by American post-rock group The Appleseed Cast. This album saw a heavy change in The Appleseed Cast's sound, where their looser emo sound was swapped out for more cinematic post-rock arrangements in the style of American Football and Explosions in the Sky. Low Level Owl isn't entirely an album that can be listened to at random, many of the tracks rely on fading cues from other tracks to carry itself as a singular experience, as trying to listen to many of these tracks in an isolated run can make them feel a little boring or empty.

 

This doesn't make it a bad album by any means, but it IS an album meant to be listened as a single experience. The aesthetic of the album focuses heavy on subtle melodies interlaced with loud and bold landscapes that give the album a beautiful feeling. The vocals on the album are very sparse, only used sparingly every few tracks in short passages. These instances give depth to the music in general as a heavy force in genuine intimacy. The album is worth listening to in a single sitting, as it is a beautiful and memorable one.

 

Stream/Download/Buy: Bandcamp

 

Just remember, a little support and a little word of mouth goes a long way! Don't forget to share this album with your friends and family and to support the artist! A free album a day keeps the doctor away or something like that.

katie dey - asdfasdf [Electronic/Folk]

You're on your own...

Artist: katie dey

Release Date: April 28th, 2015

Genre: Folk, Electronic, Noise

Recommended Tracks: don't be scared, fear o the dark, h o e, y o y o, you gotta get up to get up

For Fans of:  ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Do you like folk music? Do you like odd and quirky electronic noise shoved in-between? If you said yes, then Katie Dey's debut album is for you! If you said no, then get the hell out of here you loser. Asdfasdf  is a warm feeling electronic album that glitches and beep boops about through a heavy distorted folk filter. The choppy vocal cuts and clips that serenade the fuzzy melodies give way to an expansive soundscape that gives asdfasdf a unique feeling in... whatever kind of music Katie dey makes.

Stream/Download/Buy: Bandcamp

Just remember, a little support and a little word of mouth goes a long way! If you like what you hear then make sure to support the artist and share their work with friends and family! A little free music keeps the world spinning! <3

Grandview - Everything Between Paint and a Wall [Emo]

Just let me know you're there...

Artist: Grandview

Release Date: December 17th, 2013

Genre: Emo/Post-Hardcore/Alternative

Recommended Tracks: Seeking Out Gold, The Only Constant, To The Sun, 7, Saw the Sky, Shaper, Sitting on Gold

For Fans of: Brand New, The Wonder Years

Grandview were a special band in my eyes, not many other bands or artists had a sound similar to them and their songwriting was on point. Everything Between Paint and a Wall, what I refer to as their final album since the group is more or less inactive, is a beautiful album full and through. The lyricism dances around self-defeatism through a fine string of metaphors and uplifting grooves that gives the album an enriching backbone. The songwriting also incorporates a large number of lush melodies and subtle effects that help boost the power of the lyrics and keep the tracks original and fresh. I don't know if this band has anything new in the pipeline, but if they do then consider me stoked!

Stream/Download/Buy: Bandcamp

Just remember, a little support and a little word of mouth goes a long way! Make sure to share this album with friends and family because free music helps make the world go round! <3

Sonic4ever - Sonic Adventure 2 Greatest Hits Revisited [Musical Perfection]

SUPER SONIC RACING

Artist: Sonic4ever

Release Date: October 19th, 2014

Genre: UR2SLOWCORE

Recommended Tracks: Live and Learn, City Escape, Pumpkin Hill, Tails and Dr Eggman Fight but Dr Eggman dies in an explosion, Super Sonic Racing

For Fans of: True patrician music

This blog is officially shutting down as no other album will be able to ever top the quality of Sonic Adventure 2 Greatest Hits Revisited. Sorry guys.

Stream/Download/Buy: Bandcamp

Native America - Get Well Soon [Garage/Psych-Pop]

I know it had to be this way...

Artist Name: Native America

Release Date: January 21st, 2013

Genre: Garage Rock, Psychedelia, Pop

For Fans of: The Arctic Monkeys, Cage the Elephant, Tame Impala, The Districts

Recommended Tracks: Reminded, Personal Space, Living Room, Pictures, Bird's Eye, Earth Chattering

Probably the best way to describe Native America's sound would be if the vocalist of Cage the Elephant and the guitarists from Tame Impala made a band together and then cranked up the distortion to 11. For those who don't listen to either of those bands (go look em' up) basically this is an album with bright and poppy vocals with a heavy distorted and psychedelia backbone. On top of this, the album explores plentiful landscapes whether bright or dark (as seen in songs like Hush) which helps keep the variety high. It's a fun album and a well constructed one at that, worth the spin.

Stream/Download/Buy: Bandcamp

Just remember, a little support and a little word of mouth goes a long way! Make sure to share this album with friends and family because free music helps the world go 'round! <3

[NO LONGER FREE] death's dynamic shroud.wmv - I'll Try Living Like This [Vaporwave]

#Aesthetics

Artist: death's dynamic shroud.wmv

Release Date: May 15th, 2015

Genre: Vaporwave

For Fans Of: I don't know, I don't listen to vaporwave.

Recommended Tracks: Loving is Easy, CD Factory, 시원한 파도소리 좋아요, 내 마음은 떨고, Good Bye

Y'know. It's not everyday you run into a vaporwave release that surprisingly isn't tepid and inept bullshit riding off the coattails of a trend that should've died with Anthony Fantano's Macintosh Plus review. You see, I'll Try Living Like This is a pretty good album. Hell, it's an outstanding album and a far superior one in the vaporwave genre. What makes it's so great is how unique and vast it is in ideas and scope, something that is commonly absent from it's peers.

Now i'll stop knocking on vaporwave and just talk about whats so damn good about I'll Try Living Like This. This album, much like the artist's name implies, is dynamic. You find brief instances of pop, synthwave, electro, vaporwave, and plenty of other sounds within the dark and sinister buzz of crooked and choppy electronic melodies. It's a sound that intrigues and keeps attention through it's 12 track entirety while staying consistent despite it's usually inconsistent nature in association to it's genre. 

The only instances where the album begins to feel like a drag are in tracks where the primary vaporwave aesthetics take over and drag tracks on. Thankfully, the constant variety and curveballs of the core production helps keep this problem at a bare minimum. Despite my cynicism towards the vaporwave genre, make no mistake when I say that this album is an outstanding release and you shouldn't be afraid to check it out what so ever. Go ahead. Do it. I'm not judging you, ya filthy pig. 

Download/Stream/Buy: Bandcamp

Remember, a little support and a little word of mouth goes along way! Share this album with friends and family, free music helps the world go round! <3

[Non Bandcamp] Antarctigo Vespucci - Leavin' La Vida Loca [Pop Rock]

Is there a heaven in the sky for you and me?

Artist: Antarctigo Vespucci

Release Date: July 27th, 2015

Genre: Pop Rock, Surf Rock, Punk

For Fans Of: Fake Problems, Jeff Rosenstock, The Gaslight Anthem, Weezer, Greenday

Recommended Tracks: Impossible to Place, Living in Hell, Crashing Waves, I See Failure

Antarctigo Vespucci is something of a supergroup in my eyes. It's composed of Chris Farren (Fake Problems), Jeff Rosenstock (Bomb the Music Industry!), Benny Horowitz (The Gaslight Anthem), and sometimes Laura Stevenson. All horrible band names aside (seriously look up how they came up with the name) though, what Antarctigo Vespucci achieves is an insanely catchy and fun pop rock album with a depressing enough backbone to make it more intelligent and worthwhile than it's contemporaries. 

Chris Farren's depressing songwriting and his plucky, upbeat vocals blend in well with Jeff Rosenstock's morbidly cheery instrumentation. The two create a dynamic combination of energy and passion that makes each and every one of their tracks unforgettable. I would say more, but I think the record should just speak for itself. That, and because it's late as hell here and I can't be assed to write something semi-professional for once. 

Download Here: Instant Download
Stream Here: YouTube
Purchase Here: Vinyl only