The Maccabees 'Given To The Wild' album review (for kevchino.com)

The UK’s favorite lads the Maccabees are back with their highly anticipated new offering, Given to the Wild. With such fine efforts given previously in Colour It In and Wall Of Arms, the band set the bar quite high and have failed to disappoint.

There’s no question Given to the Wild differs greatly to their previous offerings and is a much more intricate album. The tracks have a lot more depth and weight to them involving an eclectic range of instruments, lots of layering, and some great production. The album has an almost esoteric sound, like the whole band went on a month-long Yoga retreat to find themselves, and what they found was utterly creative and inspiring.

The first single from the album, “Pelican” is pretty much the only solid-sounding rock song present. It’s punchy, poppy, and has the Maccabees’ usual edge to it. The remainder of the tracks play like a soundtrack that run into one another in a dreamlike state, ebbing and flowing across a rich musical landscape. The starting track, “Given to the Wild (Intro),” opens almost like a soundtrack with minimal vocals and soft instrumentals, leading into “Child,” which starts off slow, but eases into a faster finish with the band’s signature disco drums and high-paced guitars.

“Glimmer” does just that, with sparkling guitar riffs and floating melodies, followed by the eerie and macabre “Forever I’ve Known,” which features less of the higher-toned vocals you hear throughout the album and more of the old English-accented vocals we’re used to. “Went Away” is one of the more electronic-sounding tracks on the album, an upbeat piece with good solid drums and sweet dripping guitar melodies. “Go” is another electronic-based track with nice fades, interesting bass lines, and some beautiful guitar solos.

Given to the Wild is by far the most complex album produced yet by the Maccabees. It takes you places you never thought they’d go, and they do it well. But one can’t help feeling they’ve lost a little of their musical innocence on this album, which was part of their allure and charm on previous albums. The vocals and guitar effects are much more heavily produced, and the little simplicities of the previous two efforts that brought them such critical acclaim have been lost. That said, all bands must grow up at some stage, and the Maccabees are surely one you can take home to Mum. They have definitely matured beyond their years musically and created an album already fit for the top ten of 2012.

Tasseomancy 'Ulalume' album review (for kevchino.com)

I sat down to review Tasseomancy’s latest effort, Ulalume, alone in my house at night. Possibly a questionable idea. A melodic and beautifully haunting epic, the album could almost double as the soundtrack to a weird, twisted psycho-thriller, perhaps set in an abandoned mental hospital or ancient graveyard, or a once enchanted forest now taken over by the Dark Lord.

Formerly known as Ghost Bees, Tasseomancy consists of Canadian twins Sari and Romy Lightman. Ulalume is their second full-length release and tends to move on from their earlier, more acoustic-based arrangements into experimental, ambient, and brooding tones laden with the sisters’ uniquely sweet and harmonic vocals (not unlike those of Karen O or perhaps fellow Canadian songstress Feist).

“Heavy Sleep” features a nice, slow, tambourine-soaked drumbeat, and eerie and intense keyboards with high-pitched ethereal vocals floating over the top. “Diana” has a choral, almost hymnlike sound to begin with, then transcends into a harmonious chorus backed by 60s-style keyboards and light acoustic guitar. “The Darkness of Things” is the only track containing male vocals, with an angelic female accompaniment—a sweet and light track conveying that there is perhaps a light through the darkness. “Night” starts off lighter and happier also, but then draws you into the dark night with heavy guitar breaks and menacing riffs.

Named after the Edgar Allen Poe poem “Ulalume,” wherein a man finds himself following the night sky and wrestling with his jaded heart, only to find the moon and stars have led him to his long-lost love Ulalume’s grave on the year anniversary of her death, it’s no wonder this album is as haunting as it sounds. Though it may not be a crowd favorite at parties, I must give credit where credit’s due. Ulalume is a creative and uniquely original work and a fine second effort from the Tasseomancy twins.

Cass McCombs 'Humor Risk' album review (for kevchino.com)

A well versed and well traveled Californian, Cass McCombs has recently released his latest effort 'Humor Risk'. This is an amazing feat considering his fifth LP 'Wit's End' was released a mere 7 months ago.

We are left to wonder whether the release of 'Humor Risk' is simply an attempt to sell off leftover scraps and editing suite cuts from his last album, due to the rapidity of it's release and it's dismal quality. It features some lovely guitar melodies here and there and tracks like 'Robin Egg Blue' contain some nice instrumental layering, but the song tends to get lost in the layers and on a whole the album is dreary, drab and goes on and on and on and…

Opener 'Loves Thine Enemy' and 'The Same Thing' are definitely the only 2 tracks worth listening to with their sweet indie-pop tones. 'Mystery Mail' would get a look in also if it didn't go for 7 minutes and 50 seconds. It starts off well with a good rock sound and some nice hooks but ends up sounding like a record stuck on a needle. Basically the album peaks at the end of the first track and it's all downhill from there. I think the biggest low is when McCombs squeezes an extra line (and a bad one at that) into the last line of 'To Every Man His Chimera'.

The album is drab, dreary and uninspiring. McCombs lyrical masturbation coupled with the albums lack of definition and bad production makes for some displeasing background music at best. The songs are bland and go on for too long, the lyrics are slow and draining and I for one will never be listening to this again.

Faces On Film 'Some Weather' album review (for kevchino.com)

Avid exploration and conquering new worlds does not come easy these days. With the world being so overpopulated and intertwined the only real place for exploring new and wild frontiers is music, and that's just what Boston act Faces On Film have done. Based on a recurring dream of lead singer and guitarist Mike Fiore their latest offering 'Some Weather' is a cross country caravan ride of heartfelt lyrics and musical excellence.

With sultry bass lines and drum fills, guitar riffs laden with sweet country twang, 60's influenced keys and Fiore's eerie crooning vocals, likened to those of Jim James (My Morning Jacket), the album eases you through a musical landscape unlike any other. Loosely based on a dream Fiore had of being an explorer, crossing uncharted territories and discovering new lands, the songs seem to follow his journey in a sense, starting off heady and striking before mellowing out into a deep heavy hearted tone.

Stand out tracks are definitely openers 'Knot In The Vine' and 'Moon's Row' with their striking guitar chords and almost tribal drum beats, followed by melodic ballad 'Harlem Rose' which melts like treacle over the ear drums. 'Great Move North' also impresses, exuding such sexiness and feeling it's almost like a prom dance number sung especially for those making out in dark corners. And with the addition of tribal sounding drum beats and jingling bells on tracks such as 'Make Nice' and 'Garrison' the album truly gives the feeling of crossing quiet eerie plains by caravan convoy at night.

Beautifully written and exceptionally executed this is a sure fire favorite you will never tire of listening to.

The Strange Boys 'Live Music' album review (for kevchino.com)

If indeed you can, imagine if The Strokes grew up in Texas… The results may have sounded a lot like Austin band The Strange Boys. With an ever-present country twang, quirky crooning vocals, surly guitar riffs and a side of harmonica all rooted solidly in old blues and R'n'B the band offers up an eclectic range of tunes on their latest effort 'Live Music'.

Opening with a cute piano-based pop ditty entitled 'Me and You' the album is off to a promising start. Tracks such as 'Punk Pyjamas', 'Omnia Boa', 'Mama Shelter' and 'My Life Beats Me' follow through with an upbeat country feel and great blues guitar riffs which show that not all country/blues artists' baby's have left them, nor are they down and out - at least not all of the time. And 'Omnia Boa' has a fantastic locomotive drum beat that makes you feel you've just hopped a freight train heading straight to the Mississippi delta.

Other tracks like 'Walking Two By Two', 'Saddest' and 'Over The River & Through The Woulds' follow a true slow surly country style, and the vocals on 'Right Before' are reminiscent of a lowly hound dog howling his blues at the moon.

I've never been averse to a bit of country and The Strange Boys certainly breathe some much needed new life into the genre. It may take a few listens, but 'Live Music' is a good little album bringing the old school to the new school with it's mix of blues piano, gritty country tones and subtle indie twists.