Archive for the 'Alternative' Category

Chad VanGaalen – Soft Airplane (2008)

Published
by
smansmith
on August 28, 2008
in Alternative, Folk, Indie, New Album Alert and On iTunes
. 2 Comments

Welcome to the third release for this resident of Calgary, Alberta, Canada (my hometown currently) and my opportunity to showcase some “local” talent.  While I don’t’ exactly run into CVG along 17th Avenue or stay up jamming with the crew, I still like to think of him as a hometown artist that is out there doing his thing.

If you weren’t completely familiar with Mr. VanGaalen, previous albums “Infiniheart” in 2004 &  “Skelliconnection” in 2006 would be where to start.  Outside of their titles being quasi-words, they feature tracks that brought CVG to our (my) attention, most notably his welcome to Canadian Indie – “Clinically Dead”.  Both links for the albums above include a couple tracks from each album for your listening pleasure.  I think Infiniheart got all the press with it being his first release, but I also believe that I liked Skelliconnection more – increased growth to an eclectic sound of more keyboards, reverb (which continues on Soft Airplane as well) and his ever present just slightly too high pitched voice.

While those first paragraphs might leave you confused about who or what is Chad VanGaalen, I want you to know that when he is on, the brother is on.  From tracks like “Somewhere I know there is nothing” in ’04 to “Dead Ends” in ’06 to this year’s “Molten Light”, there lies some catchy songwriting, but not too catchy to find itself on a car commercial/teen drama.   While I don’t consider him a traditional singer/songwriter, I believe he has the talent for it, but he doesn’t fall into the “guy with a guitar” pigeonhole.  His inclusion of keyboards, wailing guitar (at times) and a dab of “instrument unknown” for good measure sets him apart.   I think his albums could actually make for an interesting installment at a gallery, and quite possibly have already done so…

Chad has been with Flemish Eye Records for a few years now (label with some other great Canadian acts such as “The Cape May” & “Women” that are worth a few spins to say the least), which is where you can purchase a copy of “Soft Airplane” upon it’s release on September 9th.

Get to know Chad below.

~Smansmith

 
 Molten Light from 2008's "Soft Airplane" LP [2:52m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 
 dead ends from 2006's "Skelliconnection" LP [3:54m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 
 Somewhere I Know There's Nothing from 2004's "Infiniheart" LP [4:15m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Evan Goodberry - The Middle of the World : Free album

Published
by
Olivier
on August 27, 2008
in Acoustic, Alternative, Folk, Free Download and Singer Songwriter
. 1 Comment

I’m sorry for being so late posting about both this album released in 2004 and this news written on Evan’s myspace blog this last January. Better late than never ; if you’re already addicted by Mr Goodberry’s soft-folk, smooth voice, you will surely forgive me !

The Middle of the World - free download (full album)
My full-length record, The Middle of the World, is now available in ZIP format on my website. Recorded in December of 2004 with the help of Mike Odmark, Steve Mason, and Andy Hubbard.

As usual, when an album is so good from start to end, it deserves just your attentive pair of ears ! Here’s the intro song :

 
 Under the Street Lamp - Evan Goodberry [4:01m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Thank you so much Mr Goodberry ! I wish I had some recent information to write down… but nothing for the moment… except that you can browse his myspace page for some unreleased demo.

Artist : Evan Goodberry
Label : none
Where to Buy : cdbaby.com / emusic.com / itunes
More Appetizers : myspace.com
You should also enjoy : Andy Whittle, Dan Blakeslee, Fraser Anderson, Colby Stead

The Easy Dream

Published
by
Olivier
on August 22, 2008
in Alternative, Americana, Indie, Rock and Unsigned
. 0 Comments

Formed in Manchester, England by Karl J Hall and Ian Robinson, The Easy Dream draw influence as much from the beat of the American heartlands as the post-industrial rhythm of their hometown. Nestling in Hall’s rough-hewn vocals lie lyrics distilling snatched glimpses of heartbreak, tender flashes of better days and searing social commentary. When matched with the music, The Easy Dream create a blend of troubadour soul, urbane country and bittersweet protest song. In a world where hope is hard to come by, everyone is looking for an Easy Dream.

quoted from their myspace page.. but I hope my friend will have the opportunity to joined those guys somewhere across the chanel, and keep us inform about a gig, an ep : they’re sound so good.
I’m not sure - you know this Manchester accent - that lyrics are recommended for any audience… If you enjoy bands such as Pela, Two Gallants, Okkervil River, Diacon-Panthers and need something that rocks, right-click and download ‘City of Industry’.

 
 City Of Industry - The Easy Dream [4:11m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Lindsay Mac - Stop Thinking

Published
by
Olivier
on August 20, 2008
in Alternative, Folk, Jazz, New Album Alert, Pop, Rock, Singer Songwriter, chamber pop and electro
. 1 Comment

Here’s the time for another exceptional cellist : Lindsay Mac. It Should be another summer effect, but I’m irremediably attracted by strings. I hope your screen his wide enough for displaying her picture, because I do not find a way to crop it !

With an amazing repertoire : from Rock to Jazz, from Jazz to Pop, and Pop to something dealing with modern country, and then through folk via electro-folk.. - let’s call it Alternative, Lindsay is a non-stop amazing artist. I’ve been listening all day long, before writing this post, to her first full length ‘Small Revolution‘, I was surprised each time the loop repeats !
No one makes me ‘fly’ with Peter Pan but Miss Lindsay Mac : an exceptional plucked insurgent cello player (she declined the classic way) ; gifted with a supreme (delicious, amazing and sometimes surprising) voice. Well, a complete performer who can count on a wide songwriting talent… add to these previous a (need to enlarge my dictionary) great ability for composing and dressing beautiful songs… (that’s enough !)
Well, you might have guess, Lindsay Mac is releasing her second solo album this coming september : Stop thinking, and except couple tracks I have no other information to share. So here are first song called Faith from this new opus and an ‘old’ favorite Lucy. Enjoy !

 
 Faith - Lindsay Mac [3:35m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 
 Lucy - Lindsay Mac [4:04m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Low audio quality, but what an awesome track : Barbies & Broncos !

Artist : Lindsay Mac
Label : Taiga Records / Golden Rod Distribution
Where to buy : CdBaby.com, Golden Rod Distribution, Itunes
More Appetizers : sonicbids.com, myspace.com
If you love Suzanne Vega, Tory Amos (listening to Lindsay reminds me to Tory last hit of mine : Parasol), Sinead O’Connor ( for the electro-acoustic wise-range), Elvis Costello (for many songs but especially the parallels between Veronica and Lucy… ) (hum), Joe Jackson (undoubtly)…, Lindsay Mac should be your next favorite.
You should also enjoy : Mieka Pauley, Amber Rubarth (reminds me to bog about her), Me

Ben Sollee - Learning to Bend

Published
by
Olivier
on August 19, 2008
in Acoustic, Alternative, Folk, Pop, Singer Songwriter, Soul and chamber pop
. 4 Comments

I’m a bit anxious today ; I’m eagerly awaiting for Kelley McRae new album to be released. 19th of August was the deadline. Yes, I know it was today. I’ve connected the amazon.com album page early this morning - a page i’ve been visited at least a thousand times these last days expecting any publishing errors allowing me to buy the precious digits… And, at about 7.30, the buy option finally displayed ! Hip Hip Hurray ! Youpi Ya Youpi Ya Yeye !!!! - it’s a translated version of my current ‘I’ve got it’ hymn !
I’ve filled up my cart, updated my credit card, (please, note the rhyme) and then a damned bastard (rhyme here too) message told me that French are - cowards - not allowed to buy mp3s from amazon.com.buzzard ?
So you’ll have to wait for my review, you’re lucky… dollars !

This is a chance for us to evoke Kelley’s fellow records label : Ben Sollee. It’s rare when i’m writing about someone who’s counting more than one hundred thousand of visits on myspace, so I’ll make it short : his album has been launched this last June… and along with Colby Stead’s last release, it’s one of my never ending loop these last months ! Stuck somewhere between the earth and the moon, Ben’s 11 tracks collection is a magical trip through folk and soul classics. Power to stings from end to start ; a delicious promenade ! So here’s the intro track from ‘Learning To Bend‘ :

 
 A few Honest Words - Ben Sollee [3:45m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Artist : Ben Sollee
Label : SonaBlast Records
Where to buy : Amazon ? ne… those are #@&astards.., Sonablast, Emusic.com
More Appetizers : Live Performances @ archive.org, Ben Sollee’s myspace
You should also enjoy : Chris Garneau, Colby Stead

Anthony Reynolds - British Ballads

Published
by
Geordie
on August 9, 2008
in Alternative, Indie, Pop and Singer Songwriter
. 0 Comments

Now for something completely different from me but still in my opinion Brilliant. I always meant to write about this superb album when i mentioned Anthony in the other artists section over at the Ray board but for some reason never got round to it. British Ballads came out in December 2007 so we are not talking about a new release here but it’s way to good to miss out on. I am listening to it again while i speak after recieving a bulletin on Myspace of a one off gig in London that Anthony has coming up and I’m reminded once again of what a talent Mr Reynolds is and what a classic album this is. I wouldn’t be surprised that if in twenty or thirty years time this album is picked up and seen as a lost classic, it certainly has that feel to it.

The first thing that struck me listening to this album and every time i hear it is how well produced it is by Julian Simmons. The arrangements at times suck you right in and have you immediately rewinding to have another listen. Piano, swirling strings and Anthony’s voice which is like a mixture of Scott walker, Elton John and David Bowie, soaring majestically above it all. I can’t work out if it’s an album for hopeless romantics or the manic depressed, perhaps both? Where the dead live is one of the most perfectly crafted songs i’ve ever heard and at just over 7 minutes long is for me the stand out track on the album finishing with Anthony giving his absolute everything over searing arrangements. A close second is The Disappointed which is laden with strings and piano and is just under six minutes of perfection. It’s an extremely poetic piece of work that you can find yourself getting completely submerged in but still coming away wondering what it was all about, like some sort of trip but not in a psychedelic confused way but more in a floaty, dreamlike way, like you’ve been hypnotised. I seriously cannot recommend this album enough and urge you to get a copy asap. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.



 
 Anthony Reynolds - I know you know [4:21m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 
 Anthony Reynolds - Where the dead live [7:08m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Balthrop, Alabama - God Loves My country

Published
by
Olivier
on July 8, 2008
in Acoustic, Alternative, Folk, Indie, On iTunes, Pop and Rock
. 0 Comments

I can’t resist writing this small post about a band i’ve just discovered Balthrop, Alabama. They’ve just released a new EP called : God Loves My Country !

In 2006, Alabama-born songwriter-siblings Pascal (singer, songwriter, and guitarist) and Lauren Balthrop (vocalist and keyboardist) moved to New York City to start a band and ended up founding a town. “Balthrop, Alabama” (population 11 or so) is their bustling folk rock township.
Musically, the band straddles the fine line between antebellum and antifolk, reconstructing indie pop with songs of love, dead people, and dead people in love. In 2007, they released their double-album debut, “Your Big Plans and Our Little Town,” on the nascent End Up label, to be followed up by a series of EPs, of which “God Loves My Country” is the first.

Connect their website or their myspace page and buy their material or jump to their upcoming show - they’ve got few dates with Dawn Landes - damned nothing has been written here about her ? . It should be an amazing experience !

 
 God Loves My Country - Balthrop, Alabama [4:35m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 
 Tell the Stars - Balthrop, Alabama [3:08m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Band : Balthrop, Alabama
Label : End Up Records
Where to Buy : cdbaby.com, itunes