Mohn - Walk Among The Scene

Mohn - Walk Among The Scene
2015 / Sunshine Coast, Australia

Though Mohn may fall outside the realm of what I generally listen to, I found myself drawn to the glum, floating feeling created by his music. The slightly lo-fi, hazy production adds to the charm of the relatively minimal beats, often consisting of steady hip-hop drum patterns guided by glossy keyboard strokes, all amidst ambient and dark soundscapes fluttering in the background. These mostly instrumental tunes (there are occasional vocal samples, such as in the first track, but there is no actual vocal performance from Mohn as far as I can tell) are downtempo and unassuming. My favorite moments on a lot of these tracks sound the way laying in bed at night and taking a deep breath feels; unfortunately, many of those tracks flounder under their own lack of direction. Though the faster beats and jazzy chord strokes of tracks such as "13am" prevent me from likening Mohn to muzak or the work of ambient artists such as Brian Eno, Walk Among The Scene is still relaxing and enjoyable as background music. Though it is the longest track on the album, "First to Last" seems to give the best indication of Mohn's sound and aesthetic, as it sounds like the soundtrack to a modern interpretation of what might be playing in Edward Hopper's 1942 painting, Nighthawks. That may simultaneously be the greatest compliment and summation I can give of Mohn's work. Walk Among The Scene is far from perfect and, though it may not be the most engaging or beautifully composed body of music, the gloomy, opiated vibes on tracks such as "First to Last," "Papers," and "Cut & Repose" are enough to warrant a listen, at the very least.

FFO: I'm not especially familiar with producers or similar artists so I can't offer a particularly accurate recommendation list, but I hear similarities (either in relation to production or tone) to Ricky Eat Acid (early works) or a darker, simplified, and instrumental Moby or Aim. 

Mohn on Facebook

Lil Dowager - Attorney at Law

Lil Dowager - Attorney at Law
2013 / Oakland, CA

Noisy and percussive guitar playing pierced by occasionally modulated, consistently shrieked vocals (think a harsher version of Presents-era Jeromes Dream) delivered in concise albeit jarring songs, most hovering around a minute in length. Interesting rhythms (with an especially nice dance groove midway through the third track) and a solid bass performance keep things rooted amidst swirling distortion and general chaos. That being said, the audio samples used add little to the overall presentation of the music, though they do provide a momentary rest from the otherwise relentless instrumentation. All in all, Lil Dowager is a breath of fresh air in a saturated punk scene plagued by bands that are afraid to be weird.

FFO: Daughters, Jeromes Dream, Usurp Synapse, Scowler

Lil Dowager on Facebook

Band Spotlight: 6:37

(Photo courtesy of Last.fm user KeithMichael)

6:37 was an instrumental band featuring members of Deer Leap, Early Birds, Call Her Alaska, and Our Last Night. Their sound was far more comparable to the first three of those bands. Their post-rock sound is reminiscent of the more delicate and pretty sections of bands such as Explosions in the Sky, Mogwai, Caspian, etc. The mood never gets too dark or sad, always moving with an uplifting swing, the notes bouncing and melting off the necks of their guitars. You can really hear Keith (guitarist from Deer Leap)'s influence here, as the tone and playing style is very similar to other projects he has been involved in. Sadly, all that remains of their legacy is a six song demo, but thankfully it's excellent, building and twirling until the final eleven-minute epic, "Last Song." 

Here's a Youtube video of the fifth track on the demo, "The Busy World Of Richard Scary."




DISCOGRAPHY
Demo | Download or Download

Band Spotlight: Magnolia Nelson's Self-Inflicted Cruel Advice

(Photo courtesy of Morgan Williams)

I first heard Magnolia Nelson last August, when they released "Sixteen Holes," the first song on this album, as a single. Immediately drawn to the familiar and comforting dream-pop sound that the band had, I eagerly awaited seeing their live performance. Fortunately, I was able to see them perform twice over the following months, and each time, I saw the band reinvent itself. 

The first live performance was at a college art space and, as the set progressed, the music became an increasingly enveloping wall of fuzz and the musicians flailed with a Sonic Youth-esque reckless abandon. It was less nervous and calculated than the single had led me to believe, even without a live drummer. The band appropriately covered "You Made Me Realise", performed well, and I was comfortable acknowledging them as a reputable upcoming shoegaze band.



The second live performance was in a small basement, as part of a mixed-bill show occurring in the midst of a terrible snowstorm. Here, I saw the band strip away the noisy, immense wall of sound and show that they are delicate. Performing as an acoustic duo, this second set clearly highlighted Kyle Coen's pained but talented vocal abilities; once again, my impression of Magnolia Nelson had changed.

True to form, the band's first proper release surprised me again. In short, Self-Inflicted Cruel Advice is charming. Released on Immolation Records, these five songs continue to reshape what the band is capable of. Rather than creating a harsh wall of noise, Self-Inflicted Cruel Advice drapes a blanket over the listener, tucking them in and allowing them to melt into their surroundings. Shoegaze bands have a remarkable tendency to surprise and immerse listeners by experimenting with the different layers and textures within a song; this album's production, noticeably more lo-fi than the single, gives the band precise control over this. The overall feel is soft and delicate, with the fuzz of the instruments more washed-out than abrasive, but even minor adjustments to the tone of a guitar, such as the middle of "Bone From Wire" or the lead in "In Spurts", can completely change the feel of a section. Although I do personally prefer the huge, brain-ripping noise promised by bands such as My Bloody Valentine, Self-Inflicted Cruel Advice is still powerful in how gentle and intimate it is, establishing itself as a promising debut from one of the more interesting new bands in New England.

EDIT: Unfortunately, I just learned that they actually broke up, leaving this album as their first and likely last venture as a band. For shame, but c'est la vie.



OTHER LINKS
Facebook
Tumblr
Stream/Download Self-Inflicted Cruel Advice (Bandcamp)
Download Self-Inflicted Cruel Advice (Mediafire)

Band Spotlight: Open Heart's Dead City

(Photo courtesy of the band's Bandcamp)

Dead City, the first official release by Open Heart, was released today for free stream and download. I was originally introduced to Justin Polce, the brainchild behind Open Heart, through his other band, Riffs, and when he mentioned he had a new album coming out, I was more than happy to help spread word. Dead City is an interesting project because it was performed, recorded, and produced entirely by Polce, along with taking the cover photo himself and handling the layout. This individual focus allowed Polce to shape the project into exactly what he wanted it to be and the songs have a cohesive and consistent feel to them because of it. As a post-rock album, Dead City strays from the norm by having the majority of the songs hover around the two-minute mark. Rather than having lengthy and epic tracks that crescendo, climax, and come down again, Polce uses individual tracks as short vignettes into ideas or emotions. Furthermore, the album has a pretty even flow throughout so the short track length actually helps for the album to feel like two or three larger sections or songs. I do personally wish there were larger, more crashing and "huge" elements to the songs, but that's not what Dead City seems to be striving to attain. Rather, this release exposes the delicacy and intimate nature of post-rock, and it's beautiful.



OTHER LINKS
Tumblr
Twitter
Instagram
Stream and Download Dead City (Bandcamp)

Band Spotlight: Blockhead

(Photo courtesy of tomlowell.wordpress.com)

Blockhead was a great pop-punk/punk band from Manchester, NH that I unfortunately don't know too much about. Thankfully, Notches is (sonically) a pretty close spiritual successor to this band (even though they don't share members), but I digress. I never got a chance to see Blockhead perform, although I recall seeing many flyers for shows at the Dover Brickhouse and Slaughterhouse 5 along with Georgian back in the golden days of Myspace. This is actually the exact flyer I was thinking of, pretty cool that I found it again. As you can see, homies played with a lot of bands I've already warmly mentioned about on this site, like Cowboys are Indians and Pathos.

(Photo courtesy of tomlowell.wordpress.com)

Anyway, the 2008 Demo is pretty unremarkable, just sounds like young bucks playing pop-punk. I should mention that when I say "pop-punk" I mean bands like The Ergs, not Man Overboard or whatever else it is that qualifies as pop-punk now. The split with Georgian shows a dramatic jump in quality for Blockhead, both in terms of song-writing and audio fidelity. That, and I'll Leave This Behind, which is undoubtedly their finest and most realized work (although, re-listening now, the kick drum is driving me crazy), are both excellent testaments to catchy and melodic punk that was paved by Osker, Dear Landlord, etc. There's probably a dozen closer comparisons that I could make (vocals are far less gruff than Dear Landlord) but unfortunately I'm out of my element here. They released their music through John Wilkes Booth Records, a NH-based label that was (is?) operated by one of the dudes from Billy Raygun. Seriously, all those dudes formed the tightest circle of legit pop-punk bands. And like true punx, Blockhead's tunes are free, so grab 'em.

DISCOGRAPHY

I'll Leave This Behind | Stream/Download

Split CD/Zine with Georgian | Stream/Download

2008 Demo | Stream/Download

OTHER LINKS

Facebook (Inactive)

Bandcamp

Band Spotlight: Via Fondo (Zegema Beach)

(Photo courtesy of the band's Facebook)

Via Fondo, hailing from Sweden, is another fantastic new band being helped by Zegema Beach Records and Truelove Entertainment. Unlike La Parade, Via Fondo is very distinctly rooted in screamo, drawing influence heavily from European heavyweights such as Raein, La Quiete, and Suis La Lune. The guitars are lightly distorted and carry a strong sense of melody, oftentimes choosing spacey, reverb-drenched instrumental passages to carry the lengthy songs into new directions. Although Fast is only three songs long, each has enough going on that they never feel stale or repetitive. It's not unusual for moments of delicate beauty build into proper head-banging territory, while the end of the first track, "Not yet," has a soft, almost eerie, spoken outro.

(Photo courtesy of Zegema Beach Records)

In what seems to be typical Zegema fashion, the packaging and presentation for the release is top-notch. Each 12" package is decorated with clean yet effective artwork, while the records themselves are clear with a screen-printed B-side (not unlike Descubriendo a Mr. Mime's most recent LP). It's quite beautiful and fans of the genre owe it to themselves to check out the band and grab a copy of the record while they still can. I know I'm personally very eager to see what the band does next.

Preorder: http://www.zegemabeachrecords.com/distro/via-fondo-fast-12

Via Fondo Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/viafondo

Via Fondo Bandcamp: http://viafondo.bandcamp.com

Zegema Beach Bandcamp: http://zegemabeachrecords.bandcamp.com/album/fast-12ep

Band Spotlight: La Parade (Zegema Beach)

(Photo courtesy of the band's Facebook)

For those of you who are unfamiliar with the work of Dave Norman, Dave is a recent acquaintance of mine and a newfound friend for whom I have the utmost respect. His blog, OpenMind/SaturatedBrain, is, in my opinion, the best music discovery blog that is still active or relevant today. His posts are informative, well-written, and contain download links to the very best music in the emo/hardcore/punk community. Basically, if you enjoy aggressive or emotional music, his site is the perfect resource. Meanwhile, Dave also keeps busy running Zegema Beach Records, a young but consistently excellent label that clearly values the bands it supports.

In an effort to simultaneously support a friend and the great bands he works with, I plan on having a series of posts promoting the work Dave does over at Zegema Beach; after all, it's more music for more people.

Today's post focuses on the new La Parade CD/12" LP, Voces Del Exilio. Hailing from Spain, La Parade plays a highly melodic form of post-hardcore with effectively sung vocals. The second track on the LP introduces a more raw and aggressive side to the band, with more distorted instrumentation and screamed vocals.

Download: http://www71.zippyshare.com/v/14096713/file.html

Preorder: www.zegemabeachrecords.com/distro

La Parade Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/laparadeband

La Parade Bandcamp: http://laparademusic.bandcamp.com/album/voces-del-exilio

Zegema Beach Bandcamp: http://zegemabeachrecords.bandcamp.com/album/voces-del-exilio

Enjoy, and be prepared for more posts about our friends' labels and bands in the future!

Band Spotlight: Mural

(Photo courtesy of the band's Facebook)

A few years ago, a large number of bands, friends, strangers, and curious passerby gathered in a cramped yet homely barn in Derry, NH for Hopscotchoria. A myriad of emo, post-hardcore, folk, post-rock, and other bands played. It rocked. A year later, Hopscotchoria II happened, which was possibly even better than the first (I hope that I never forget the set that Pathos played), but the festival then fell by the wayside when the main organizer, Bill, moved to Chicago. Fortunately for the people who attended one of these two events, they were introduced to a number of hidden gems in the music scene; Mural is one such gem.

I think the closest comparison I could make would be to one of their contemporaries, New Hampshire beloved Deer Leap, although Mural tends to be more reserved with their music. It's what most people would describe as "indie rock," with some light post-rock elements thrown in (comparable to Moving Mountains?). The bright guitars are lead by multiple vocalists who often support each other with balanced harmonies, all supported by a simple but driving rhythm section. Unfortunately, I think that the Summer Demo is their only recorded release; fortunately, it's a remarkably polished demo and leaves me hopeful for more.

Below is a video of them playing at UNH. One excited Youtube user commented, "Best band to come out of NH in a very, VERY long time." While I don't necessarily agree with this, I think Mural is very aware of what they want to do and they're good at doing it. Although the quality of this video isn't great, I think you can still understand the scope of this band's live performance -- their sound translated very well live.

I haven't thought about Mural in years, but a visit to their Facebook page reveals that they are, in fact, active as of earlier this year; hopefully we'll see some new music or performances from them in the coming months.

DISCOGRAPHY

Summer Demo | Stream | Download

OTHER LINKS

Facebook (Active)

Bandcamp

Band Spotlight: She Died Real Pretty

(Photo courtesy of Last.fm user "ImBettingImNotX")

She Died Real Pretty (2005-2006) was a short-lived band from Derry, NH that played fast-paced and ferocious screamo, that, although it was oftentimes fairly sloppy, was not unlike well-known heavy-hitters such as Orchid or Isodora Crane.

A few years back, I was speaking with one of the members and they shed some light on the rumored 7" split that was supposed to happen with I Wrote Haikus About Cannibalism in Your Yearbook. Apparently, both bands had tracks recorded and were ready to move forward with the split but the label that was going to put it out decided to axe She Died Real Pretty because their lyrics, which centered around the events of 9/11, were too conservative and disagreed with the label's views. Whether this story is true or not, I'm not sure, and there could very well be more to it than this -- either way, it's a shame that the split never happened because that would have surely solidified this band's place in screamo history, for whatever that's worth.

Although I'm not sure about the other members, I know one of the guitarists of She Died Real Pretty went on to play in a phenomenal band called Alessa. Though I never got a chance to see She Died Real Pretty, I was fortunately able to see his follow-up band multiple times. Alessa, who will soon have their own spotlight post, played an incredibly dark and heavy form of hardcore/screamo, pierced by agonizing dual vocals and dissonant chords. Although unrelated to She Died Real Pretty, the band family tree extends further, as Alessa's bassist also played in Pathos and Maintain Radio Silence. Pathos played a similarly dark style of music although they were largely instrumental, save for a few performances where they experimented with a vocalist. Maintain Radio Silence was more reserved, playing post-metal reminiscent of a less technical Russian Circles. One of the first shows I ever went to was with мища and Pathos in a dilapidated yet crowded barn; it was blistering loud and absolutely jarring, causing a lasting impression on me and instilling a renewed fascination with the genre.

Below I have She Died Real Pretty's 5-song EP, Carpe Diem is Dead, up for download. However, I don't have any of their other material (I believe there are at least 10 other songs), so if anyone has more information about that or any links, I'd appreciate the help. This first video is of "Industry Sets In," a song that is not on Carpe Diem is Dead, however, the second song video, "Requested Anesthesia," is on the EP.

"Requested Anesthesia" is the final song from the band's 5-song EP, Carpe Diem is Dead.

DISCOGRAPHY

Carpe Diem is Dead | Download

OTHER LINKS

Alessa | Bandcamp

Maintain Radio Silence | Bandcamp

Pathos | Myspace (Inactive)

Band Spotlight: Machine Language

(Photo courtesy of Last.fm user jakeemccoy)

Aside from having a particularly great band name, Machine Language was a short-lived (ended around 2010, maybe?) but important punk/hardcore band in the New Hampshire scene. The vocalist, Ryan (who now plays guitar and sings for Pleasure Gap), had a desperate yet powerful presence behind a microphone and used his time in the band to deliver misanthropic pessimism in soul-crushing waves. Meanwhile, the instrumentation is frantic, dark, and apocalyptic -- something that pissed-off New Hampshire bands are all too comfortable expressing (the end portion of "We Make Evil People," posted below, is a particularly strong example of this).

Members were also fairly involved with the local scene, playing in numerous other bands such as Armor For The Broken and Jive, and were known to eschew the typical "pay-to-play" norm that was unfortunately such a standard practice around New Hampshire a few years ago. Ryan also handled the band's graphic design work and aesthetic, creating the artwork for Still Living as a project in an art class we took back in the day.

Despite being the band's only completed output, Still Living plays out as a fully-realized and accomplished album, cementing the band as one of New Hampshire's hidden gems. Highly recommended.

DISCOGRAPHY

Still Living | Download

Demo 2010 (Raise That Flag You Bastard!) | Stream

OTHER LINKS

Facebook (Inactive)

Myspace (Inactive)

Band Spotlight: Cowboys Are Indians

(Photograph courtesy of Last.fm user "mecc")

Cowboys Are Indians was active from 2006 until 2011, playing a riff-heavy form of punk/hardcore, with the vocals alternating between desperate screams and gruff, hoarse shouts. They were originally a four-piece but, after losing their bassist, continued as a three-piece with no bass. Both guitars are almost always distorted and incredibly thick, very reminiscent of similar hardcore bands from New Hampshire, though they have more of a wild, rockin' edge that places them closer to the likes of Transistor Transistor than Bravo Fucking Bravo (both of whom I plan to cover in future posts).

This band was especially awesome because they never charged for their digital files, always offering them for free download, hosting them on websites such as Mediafire and Zippyshare themselves. Even their physical merchandise was always being sold at very inexpensive prices; excellent ethic and fantastic talent to back it up.

While their S/T CD and Constantly Fucked LP are largely the same stylistically, with S/T's tracks such as "This Town Is Dead And Boring" and "Sam'song" providing excellent examples for how the band's sound would continue to develop, other tracks on the CD show some different sides of the band that aren't reflected on the LP. For example, the song "Thumbs Down" has spoken vocals that remind me of "Institutionalized" by the Suicidal Tendencies or even of  a more aggressive Sinaloa. 

Meanwhile, "Seven-Ate" has a far softer intro, opening with misleadingly peaceful and melodic guitar chords, providing an almost ballad-esque feel before the song explodes into typical Cowboys Are Indians territory. The split with Giant Fucking Mirror is a single track, a sixteen-minute-long noisy and loud live recording of the band playing through a few songs from their S/T and the Cassettes on Fire split, namely, "Champagne Taste On A Beer Budget," "Hey Man,""Sunday Sauce," "Seven-Ate," and "Robots." It's unfortunate that there aren't any songs played that are exclusive to the split, but it's nice to have a recorded version of the band as live performers.

Here's a video of "Seven-Ate" from the S/T CD:

Although I think I may personally prefer the S/T, Constantly Fucked was certainly a high note for the band to end on. A day or two after Constantly Fucked was first posted, I remember downloading the album and putting it on a CD so I could listen during the car ride to a show that weekend. I have a distinct memory of listening to the album as my friend and I drove to the show, enamored by what I was sure would become an important album for the band. Unfortunately, the band slowed down and, ultimately, stopped. With Constantly Fucked as their final release (thus far), the members have since moved on to other endeavors, although I don't think there was ever an official "break-up" or "end" to the band announced. Considering that these members were all very close friends, I don't think they would or will ever officially end.

Nowadays, one of the members continues to run CUT & PASTE, a fantastic blog that focuses on punk, hardcore, crust, power violence (basically, all forms of aggressive and cathartic music) that he keeps updated fairly regularly. Another member runs Bookhouse Records, whom I have endless amounts of respect for. Homie has been doing what I'm trying to do here for the past few years, operating a label out of his bedroom, playing in punk bands and self-releasing splits with friends. Some of the members of CAI now play in a surf-punk band called Baluga and a garage punk band called Squid. A split cassette was released between the two bands on Bookhouse.

Here is a video of them playing a house venue in Manchester, NH called The Hive (a venue that unfortunately no longer exists):

DISCOGRAPHY: 

S/T CD | Download

Split w/ Giant Fucking Mirror | Download

Split w/ Cassettes On Fire | Download

Constantly Fucked LP | Download | Stream | Purchase Cassette (Bookhouse) | Purchase 12" (Bookhouse) | Purchase 12" (BEAR Records)

OTHER LINK(S):

Bookhouse Records | Blog | Store (Active)

Cowboys Are Indians Facebook (Active)

Constantly Fucked | Cowboys Are Indians Blog (Inactive)

CUT & PASTE | Music Blog (Active)

Band Spotlight: Maudslay

(Photo courtesy of Last.fm user "Sayshalala")

Maudslay is a band that has proven to be nearly as mysterious as the supposedly haunted state park they're named after. In an age where nearly everything is accessible online, there is virtually no trace of Maudslay -- no live footage, no blog, nothing. All we're left with is a Myspace page and a couple of photos, yet the pedigree of this band's roster alone is enough to warrant a listen. Sharing members of bands such as L'antietam, Deer Leap, and BDRM EYES, Maudslay is a little-known emo band that is revered by the few people fortunate enough to have seen them perform live.

The majority of Maudslay's songs were mid-tempo and fairly catchy, with the instruments often playing off one another, the guitars intertwining with complimentary melodies. It's very clear to hear how members of L'antietam would be involved with this project, as the guitar work in songs such as "John Lennon" sounds like a less-aggressive and clean adaptation of their earlier work, when they still were more angular and riff-oriented. Meanwhile, the vocals are airy and uneven, charmingly unpolished, fulfilling the emo standard. He can be a little too-pitchy at times (particularly some sections of the song "Skyscrapers and Sheds") but it works for the most part. If I were to compare the vocal delivery to a modern band I'd say they sound very similar to Sore Eyelids. Seriously, compare these:

"Panama Canal" - Maudslay

"365 Days of Nothing" - Sore Eyelids (vocals start at about 0:30)

Anyway, my personal favorite song, "Mostly Swim In Veins", features a more peaceful approach, reminiscent of bands like Sharks Keep Moving and My Winter Nerve. If you're unfamiliar with either of those bands, both of which deserve your attention, I strongly recommend listening to them at some point.

I think of Maudslay as a band that fit neatly into the "emo revival" spectrum, with twisting guitar work played over punchy drums, songs that are very rhythm-based, and vocal melodies that are loose but not abrasive. A short-lived hidden gem of the New Hampshire scene.

Quick aside: Two of the associated bands I mentioned, L'antietam and Deer Leap, have already broken up (actually, I think Deer Leap still exists, they're just inactive). Fortunately, last I heard, BDRM EYES is still around, although I don't think they've played a show in a while. I've seen them play twice now and both times they were very enjoyable to watch. The guitarist and bassist switched instruments mid-way through the set and it created an interesting dynamic.

Anyway, Maudslay:

DISCOGRAPHY: 

Collected Discography (Contains S/T, Gauche, and Fall) | Download

OTHER LINK(S):

Myspace (Inactive)

Band Spotlight: Green Bastard's King Creature

(Photograph courtesy of Green Bastard's Facebook)

Durham, NH'S Green Bastard released a new 2-song demo today, titled King Creature. Ever since they released their first demo in the summer of last year, I've been eagerly awaiting to hear more from Green Bastard, curious how they would grow and develop. It is with great pleasure that I can say their latest offering improves on the heavy, thick stoner-metal sound that they established on their first release.

Opening track "Usurper King" begins with a thickly-distorted guitar riff that repeatedly drones for a few minutes, reminiscent of many other bands in the genre a la Electric Wizard or Bongzilla, before the song fully kicks in and everything is amplified tenfold. The effect is expectedly crushing and powerful and then, in the final third of the song, the bass leads the track into a sped-up, thrash territory, where the vocals are screamed (if this is still Spencer, he has transitioned well from the deep, Sleep-esque singing he used on the first EP to this new style).

The second song, "Zant," is more similar to Green Bastard's first release, featuring the same sung vocals that they originally had. However, this offering has more of a heavy rockin' feel, more similar to bands such as Red Fang than Sleep.The vocals have the perfect amount of dirt in them to compliment the fast and groove-heavy instrumentation until, again, the song sees a change in the final third; now, the instruments take the lead, playing a brooding and crushing bridge before ending with an instrumental repetition of the song's verse.

The new demo is short but executed wonderfully, smoothly blending elements of metal and rock n' roll to advance the band a logical step forward -- be sure to keep track of Green Bastard on their Facebook to stay updated with their future shows and releases, as they deserve the support.

Band Spotlight: The Brave Little Abacus

Although many people are quick to dismiss New Hampshire as a state that lacks a music scene or one that lacks notable bands, I've found that there are many excellent bands that are oft forgotten about. Unfortunately, the majority of these bands have come and gone, under-appreciated during their existence, yet their absence deeply missed by those who remember them. In an effort to provide some more exposure for these "local legends," per se, I've decided to offer some posts showcasing their music and history, providing a brief spotlight on bands that I think were/are quintessential to the punk music scene here in New Hampshire.

Based on the mutual love that Mike and I have for them, it seems only natural for The Brave Little Abacus to be the first band that is covered.

(Photograph by Richard Gin)

TBLA is a band that was active from about 2008 (I may be incorrect about this) until 2012.

Equal parts off-putting and enticing, TBLA played a strange form of emo that blended everything from chiptune and video game samples to frantic instrumentation and sloppy, carefree vocals. Their frontman, Adam Demirjian, often left listeners divided; while some people are fans of his off-key and whimsical delivery, others (myself included, upon first listen) found it to be too strange for casual listening. This is a band that exploded with energy and was truly ahead of their time; I don't think there will ever be another band that can recreate the sound that this band was capable of.

Thankfully, largely due to the limitlessly connectivity of the internet, I've seen a surge of interest in this band in recent years. As the modern emo community expands to a larger audience and to younger listeners, I've seen more and more people post about this band, upset that they're finished. It's reassuring to see that excellent bands such as this one can live on thanks to the digital realm.

Their final release, Okumay, saw the band leaving on a high note and is the only item in their discography to be pressed as vinyl; Quote/Unquote Records, which is purely donation-based, deserves all the attention they can get for making this physical release a reality.

Here is a video of their final show at the Vic Geary Center. Thankfully, for those of us not fortunate enough to have been present, the video is of excellent quality, both in terms of audio and visuals.

Bands like this one are rare. They don't exist too often and they need to be appreciated while they're around. Adam says something very important in the above video, about fifteen minutes in:

"This show basically had what I think was everyone in this band's dream line-up...it's not that it had, you know, your favorite band of all time, or the greatest five rock bands in terms of guitar technique and nuance, I mean, the Heartbreakers didn't come...but it had every band that we've played with that, over our four-and-a-half/four-and-three-quarters of a year long career, paid attention to us completely outside of the internet, completely outside of the occasional acquaintanceship at a show. What it was was an attention to detail in a friendship that you usually only find in the intimacy in a one-on-one relationship. You can all rent American Hardcore or read Instrument or, you know, read some book by some member of some old DIY band where they talk about community, but you have no idea what it is until you've actually experienced bands calling you on the phone, telling you what they thought of your record, asking you to come over and listen to it with them, and having an actual musical relationship...These are bands we played with because, afterwards, we'd have the most intoxicatingly beautiful conversations that we've had with anyone in our lives…"

Wow.

DISCOGRAPHY:

Demo? (2008) | Download

Split with Matt Aspinwall | Bandcamp (Free Download)

Masked Dancers: concern in so many things you forget where you are | Download

just got back from the discomfort -- we're alright | Download

Okumay | Download | Purchase 7" Vinyl | Quote/Unquote Records

OTHER LINK(S):

Tumblr (Inactive)

In other news, there is a show happening in Manchester, NH at the New Hampshire Institute of Art on November 30th; it's free so there's even more incentive to attend. I'll be there with some of the posters that I mentioned earlier in the week. This is a poster for the event, created by Tyler Soucy (who is also hosting the show):

Old Gray plays music that could most easily be classified as post-hardcore, blending elements of post-rock, hardcore, and "indie" rock (excuse my bastardization of genre classification).

Roosevelt is a band that plays rock music very similar to what you'd expect from bands on labels such as Count Your Lucky Stars, Topshelf Records, etc. Fans are likely familiar: off-kilter vocals, group chants, guitar work that is smooth and features a lot of legato hammer-ons and pulls-offs; standard fare among bands of this ilk. I had the chance to see them open for a show with Calculator and some other bands this past summer and they performed well.

Magnolia Nelson is the band that I'm personally most excited to see here. Part of the recent resurgence of dream-pop bands bursting out of the New England (Massachusetts in particular) music scene, Magnolia Nelson features all the staples of the genre - programmed drums, reverb-drenched vocals, fuzz-driven guitars - and does it well. I'm curious how accurately their recorded sound will translate to a live setting.

Band Spotlight: Chalk Li's Frontier

We are excited to present the second planned No Guidance release - Frontier, by Chalk Li!

Be sure to check out Chalk Li on Facebook and Bandcamp.

Furthermore, in the days since we've posted about Youth Funeral's Symptom of Time EP, we've received numerous emails and messages with overwhelmingly considerate and positive reviews and blog posts about it. As a member of the band and a member of the No Guidance Collective, it is incredibly humbling to see such kind things said about this new venture and I am unbelievably excited for the physical release of this EP and for future releases.

Funeral Sounds : "..This is a powerful release, the quality of the recording definitely stands out. The vocals are all passionately strained and talent-fully delivered. Guitars and bass mesh together perfectly on top of some innovative drumming, and I’m excited to see more from both Youth Funeral (sounds) and this new record label No Guidance..." (7.3/10)

I Would Have Stolen You A Whole Orchestra : "Real screamo fans, this is one you need to hear..."

Figureheads : "...“Lush” follows up the stop-start ending of the first track with quick fretwork that shines due to certain tonal choices and thanks to the assistance of some raw distortion it sounds more like the extremely technical hardcore of Florida’s Capsule…"

The Elementary Revolt / Manic Compression : "…Overall, Symptom of Time makes for a chaotic, volatile, and discordant listen. Highly recommended!"

Keep posted for more information!

Band Spotlight: Chalk Li

Today has certainly been a remarkably exciting day over at the No Guidance HQ! Earlier in the day, we posted the stream and download to the debut Youth Funeral EP, Symptom of Time. For those of you who missed it, it's available on Youth Funeral's Bandcamp page or for stream below.

Now, we are pleased to reveal the first track from the new Chalk Li EP! This first track, titled "Knew," shows Chalk Li further refining and expanding upon the punk and emo sound first shown on display on their previous EP, their self-titled.

This EP is going to be the second cassette release by the No Guidance Collective! We will post more information and photos of both the Youth Funeral and Chalk Li cassettes as we have them.

More about Chalk Li: As part of the new wave of bands revitalizing the emo sound that was made popular in the 90's, Chalk Li sets themselves apart from their peers by eschewing angular "twinkly" guitar riffs in favor of a more melodic and structured approach, as a mixture of hoarse and clean vocals are guided by a tight rhythm section and dual guitars that harmonize and supplement each other as they weave in and out of fluid and carefully-measured passages.

Recommended if you enjoy: Title Fight, Giant's Chair, Sunny Day Real Estate

Be sure to also check out Chalk Li on Bandcamp and Facebook.