Artist Feature: Hyperpotamus

Originally published May 28, 2009 in Redefine Magazine.
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Instead of renting a practice space or spending all of his time fine-tuning his sound in a garage, basement or bedroom like most artists, Spanish musician Jorge Ramírez-Escudero, better known as Hyperpotamus, chose to take his rehearsal sessions to a place where thousands of people could hear him. Before he ever played a proper show as Hyperpotamus, unsuspecting passengers of Madrid's underground metro system witnessed the development of a musical project that would soon move up the ranks to formal music venues and internationally-acclaimed festivals.

Public transportation terminals around the world all have their share of percussionists, violinists, dancers, and singer-songwriters with guitars. However, one man utilizing nothing but his voice, a microphone, and a loop machine to create a type of layered acapella music that can easily be confused for the works of a group of vocalists, is sure to turn heads.

With a self-released full-length album and appearances at 2009's SxSW, Ramírez-Escudero is now more likely to be seen performing in more conventional settings. He has since upgraded to using four microphones, but says that his days in the underground metro played a big part in making connections and exposing his music to people who normally would have not had a chance to hear it.

After being in a variety of bands as a drummer and pianist since the age of 15, which included a shoegazer post-rock group called Abner, a collaboration with an electronic musician named Strand, and an electro-rock band called Kodama, Ramírez-Escudero decided to free himself from the constraints of shady record labels and heavy musical instruments. He started a project that would be simple to tour with and set up wherever his heart desired.

With a vocal styling that combines beat-boxing and soulful melodies with unexpected wails, Hyperpotamus overlaps and loops the sounds he creates solely with his mouth to create full songs, simply with the touch of a loop station's foot pedals.

When one undertakes a project as different as that of Hyperpotamus, it's difficult to predict crowd reactions. Ramírez-Escudero reveals that while some people would take pictures of him, others simply laughed at his expense.

"You had your typical acne-ridden thugs who didn't really know what to make of what I was doing and gave me ‘that look.' But you learn to not really pay attention," he says.

Others were so moved by the music that they would ask Ramírez-Escudero to sing "Happy Birthday," or they would decide to express their appreciation through breakdancing. Eventually people started offering Hyperpotamus gigs, but one of Ramírez-Escudero's favorite memories is that of a drunken Polish woman who insulted those passing by because they were not stopping to listen and pay respect.

"Anything can happen, but that's precisely the thrill," Ramírez-Escudero says. "You're exposed to such an extent that you become 100 percent vulnerable. It's a public space, and you have to deal with it."

After dealing with a dishonest record label, Ramírez-Escudero says, he acquired the thick skin needed for performing in Spain's underground metro. In fact, Spain's tangled web that is its music industry is what prompted him to quit his band Kodama; the band released an album, but its label's founder pocketed the gig money that was supposed to be used for promotion. Ramírez-Escudero quit Kodama in 2006, while the rest of the band continued to work with the label. Days later, he could be found performing as Hyperpotamus.

Upon first listen, Hyperpotamus sounds similar to something out of an Animal Collective album. Sounds seem to bounce around a dreamy, vaulted atmosphere. However, unlike bands like Animal Collective, which are notable for their creative use of electronic sounds, Ramírez-Escudero uses vocal lines to fill in the spots where a piano melody or cymbal crash would usually be heard.

Describing a purely acapella musical project with no distorting guitars or bizarre electronic samples almost sounds archaic, but the twelve songs on Hyperpotamus' album Largo Bailón, which means A Long Dance, positively push the boundaries of experimentation.

With influences that include Michael Jackson, Fugazi, Belgium artist Jacques Brel, African and Cuban music, and Ukrainian choirs, the simplest way to describe Hyperpotamus is a jumble of vocal sounds. Although that is not to say that the music has no structure. The arrangements are complicated and timed precisely, requiring a very well-trained ear and strong sense of rhythm.

Ramírez-Escudero, who started playing piano when he was 5 years old, says that his songwriting process varies from song to song. Sometimes he will write something on guitar or piano and then convert it into vocal lines. Random street sounds are also forms of inspiration and may be translated into the songs in vocal form.

"Dinamo Dominó," the second track on Largo Bailón, actually creates the image of a bustling street in the downtown area of some hip city. The song begins with the soft repetition of the song title's two words, which sounds like the chattering of people in outdoor cafes. Other vocal layers are quickly introduced and start resembling the sounds of an upbeat man humming a sunny melody while walking down the sidewalk. About midway, the song slows down and dips to two layers with Ramírez-Escudero singing a few lyrics in Spanish. The song then expands back to its original multiple layers.

All the other tracks are just as interesting and engaging. Listeners could spend hours picking out the layers. Lyrics are not found on every song, but when they are present, they add a soft, sensual touch. "Sunshine Juice" is an example where lyrics in English dominate and are used to move the music along in a seductive way.

Ramírez-Escudero produced and recorded Largo Bailón in a friend's studio between April and December of 2008. He teamed up with childhood friend Julián Martin to mix the album and released it on February 28. It was completely self-financed and can only be purchased at shows and through PayPal on the Hyperpotamus' MySpace page. He is proud of his work and to have made the money to cover the album's expenses in just two months, without any label help.

"Being self-released, I have control over absolutely every tiny aspect of the album," Ramírez-Escudero says. "For better or for worse, it's my responsibility. I'd love to have someone else do the dirty work, but I reap all the benefits and I'm happy with that."

While he does not completely rule out the possibility of working with another record label in the future, he does not put any pressure on himself to strike a deal, he says. The whole point of Hyperpotamus is to have fun and not take everything so seriously.

In a live setting Ramírez-Escudero does a great job at showing how much he enjoys playing music. While he was in bands, he shared the spotlight with other people and it was easy for him to hide behind his drum kit. However, he looked very natural commanding center stage during his United States debut at this year's SxSW in Austin. One performance, which took place in the lobby of the Hilton Hotel, came close to showing what it would have been like to see Ramírez-Escudero perform in Madrid's underground metro. There were plenty of people gathered around the stage, but numerous passerbyers stopped in their tracks as soon as they heard the music and saw him moving from mic to mic, adding the vocal layers and controlling the loop station.

Even as he concentrated on monitoring the music through headphones, instead of monitors, he bounced around to the beats. His motions were part robotic and part gymnast as he stretched out his arms and swung his legs in the air.

"With Hyperpotamus it's just me. No props," he says. "So I better do something about it and quick. My shows have become more physical, nothing really thought-out or rehearsed. It's just what I'd do in the privacy of my home. No kidding."

While the songs are set compositions, Ramírez-Escudero says that he sometimes throws some vocal improvisation into the live mix if inspiration hits him. He also puts an incredible spin to beloved songs, such as, The Beatles' "Strawberry Fields Forever."

Ramírez-Escudero says that SxSW was an amazing experience and he was able to make connections with various people in the music industry, including someone that booked him a show set for August in Los Angeles. Although he has already toured in Spain, Portugal, Holland, Germany and Morocco, he is excited to return to the United States. He is also set to perform at a major festival called Bratislava this summer in Slovakia.

"In Spain, there comes a moment where my music just can't move on," he says. "Basically because there's no space or audience for my music. It's as if you have to excuse yourself for dedicating your time to making ‘non-profitable' music. ‘Get a real job,' they'd say, while in the U.S. it's much more understood and respected."

Ramírez-Escudero's love for traveling will certainly help him spread his music on an international level. Having an international banker as a father and being born in Japan allowed him to travel the world at an early age, before settling with his mother and brother in Madrid.

"Needless to say, you learn a lot about people, different cultures, and you grow up to be more of an independent and adventurous type," he says. "I love spending fifteen hours in a plane after having stopped at a German airport for a flight connection, a sausage, and a beer... then picking up a rented car and hitting the road to God knows where."

Artist Feature: Ceci Bastida

Originally published May 11, 2009 in Redefine Magazine.
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As a 15-year-old growing up in the turbulent border town of Tijuana, Mexico, Ceci Bastida began playing in a ska/punk band called Tijuana No! in 1989. Like most politically-conscious bands, their musical influences included The Clash, Madness, and Bob Marley. It was not until after the band's 12-year career and seven years of touring as the keyboardist and back-up singer for Grammy-winning artist and former Tijuana No! member, Julieta Venegas, that Bastida started opening her eyes and ears to a wider set of musical genres, which helped shape a promising solo career.

Now based out of Los Angeles, Bastida is working with a number of musicians and producers to fine-tune her debut, full-length album. Always an active songwriter, she is enjoying the fact that she now has full control over the music. After so many years of working with Tijuana No! as one of the main songwriters, vocalists, and keyboardists, she is stepping out of the ska/punk world and experimenting with different sounds. With Tijuana No!, songwriting was more of a collaborative effort among band members, which she enjoyed, but compromising was also a big part of the equation.

"If you are a band, you are set to work as a band, and sometimes you have to do things that you don't love," Bastida says.

Tijuana No! grew into a very influential band with lyrics focused on politics such as immigration issues and the Zapatista movement in Chiapas, Mexico. The music was primarily in Spanish, although there were some covers in English, and the band toured many parts of Latin America. At a young age, Bastida learned the dynamics of the music industry as one of the first women to have such a heavy influence on Latin rock music.

Bastida's solo work still has remnants of Tijuana No!'s punk aesthetic, especially in the way of powerful energy and passion, but the music is more refined and based on dance rhythms, crossing over into the indie pop category. She continues to sing predominately in Spanish; however, with a full rock band behind her and a mix of instruments, which include trumpet, trombone and Bastida on melodica, it is difficult to confine her music to one genre. Bastida also incorporates electronic elements into her music and on occasion collaborates with a handful of hip hop producers.

Although she writes her own music, Bastida works very closely with her band, she says. Since the band records and performs live with her, it is beneficial that they know the songs inside and out. The band is pretty much a set unit, with Dave Green on guitar, James Bairian on bass, Louis Castle on keyboard and trumpet, Argel Kota on drums, and Danny Rukasin on trombone. She has known Green and Kota for many years through their respective bands, and Green introduced her to Bairian, who also serves as the man behind the board during the recording sessions.

Bastida's album entitled Veo La Marea, which translates to I See the Tide, was recorded at Hangar 1018 in Los Angeles and produced by Bastida, Green, and a Los Angeles team called the Gifted, she says. It was set to be released last year, but the process of finding an adequate form of distribution has postponed the release. Bastida has been speaking with a few labels and has also considered releasing the album herself. After all, she did go the self-release route a couple of years ago with her 3-song digital EP, Front BC. There is no set release date for Veo La Marea, but Bastida is confident that 2009 is the year.

In the meantime, Bastida is taking advantage of the extra time and has been revisiting the collection of songs, she says. She is still recording at Hangar 1018, working with some new songs that might end up changing the album's original tracklisting.

"I decided that it was a good idea to continue writing even though the album was done," Bastida says. "I didn't think that because the album was complete, I should just stop."

Two of the new songs that will be added to the album are collaborations with Brooklyn producer XXXChange, who did a lot of work with Spank Rock. XXXChange sent Bastida the tracks and she wrote and recorded the lyrics. One of the end results is a dark, electro-pulsing, sultry song called "Controlar."

Adding even more variety to the album, Bastida also worked with Rakaa Iriscience, of the hip hop group Dilated Peoples, on a bilingual song called "Cómo Será." Bastida's enthusiasm for diversity truly stands out, and it is fortunate that her voice, which is almost raspy, but silky at the same time, delivers regardless of the type of music.

"I don't put pressure on myself to come up with a certain amount of songs, but I do think it's important to keep experimenting and see what happens," Bastida says. "But at one point, I'll stop, [if] I need to. You can revisit an album forever, work on it and always find things you would change, but it's also important to stop and move on. Once that happens, I'll continue to write, but with a different mentality, ready for something new."

Bastida credits her desire to experiment with music to her wide listening habits, she says. Compared to her teenage years, she now listens to more types of music, including everything from folk to electronic. At SxSW, she noted experimental musician Michacu and hip hop artist K'Naan as two of her favorite performances from the week.

While touring with Venegas, who she has been friends with for 20 years, Bastida started exploring and rethinking music, she says. She learned how to be a better musician technically, and after supporting Venegas from 2000 to 2007, Bastida started focusing on her own music.

"I was working on her music and I loved it, but I was missing that creative process," she says. "I needed for that part of my brain to be active again."

With Tijuana No!, the music's message was always more important than the technical musicianship, Bastida says. Therefore, her solo music has carried a different outlook.

"I didn't want everything to be perfect, but not messy either," she says.

Fans of Tijuana No! will recognize Bastida's voice in her solo work, but all of them may not like the new sound. Bastida says that there have already been a few fans that have expressed their discontent with her more upbeat music, but she does not let that affect her evolving sound.

"When you're younger, you kind of freak out and want people to like you," she says. "I'm glad that I don't sound like I did 15 years ago."

Some may not be able to get past the more polished sound, but giving the music an honest listen will reveal some definite edge. On the first night of SxSW, Bastida packed Flamingo Cantina with her magnetic set. Her stage presence, whether she was just singing, playing the melodica, or pounding a hand drum, delightfully hit the audience in full force, like a high-powered rocket. Trombone and trumpet helped lift and push the songs in unexpected ways, as members of her band added energy with back-up vocals. Even without a proper album release, many people in the audience sang along with the songs.

The performance was part of the Billboard en Español showcase. In hindsight, it was a bit unfortunate that Bastida was lumped together with solely other Latin artists who attract a small, distinct population of SxSW attendees. While Bastida sings in Spanish, her music carries a strong exuberant vibe that is capable of crossing language boundaries. Santa Monica's influential KCRW caught on to Bastida's music a few years ago, but she hopes more people will be open to her music whether they speak the language or not.

"I grew up in Mexico and all of my friends listened to bands that sang in English, and even though some of them didn't speak the language, it didn't matter; they still loved it."

Album Review: O+S - O+S

Originally published April 22, 2009 in Soundcheck Magazine.
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O+S
O+S
Saddle Creek

The self-titled debut album from O+S requires patience. It is not a quick and easy listen. The emotions are too thick for digesting in a hasty manner. The music is not ultra somber or serious, but listeners should prepare to spend time with the album while it grows and expands.

O+S is composed of longtime friends Orenda Fink (Azure Ray and Art in Manila) and Scalpelist (aka Cedric LeMoyne of Remy Zero), who both grew up in Birmingham, Ala. The project started with Fink’s musical artist residency at the Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts in Omaha, Neb. For the project, she traveled from Omaha to Alabama to Haiti, collecting field recordings with the hope of sewing them into loops. LeMoyne joined to help with instrumentation and electronic landscapes.

While the end result does not utilize the Haitian culture in a revolutionary way, it is nonetheless a beautiful collection of soft, sleepy melodies. The calm rhythms and heavy bass are perfect for solitary late nights of reflection. Fink’s voice is chilling and refreshing. The music is lovely in a very simple, antique way, but it has its wear and tear.

“New Life” and “Survive Love” move at such slow pace that it is almost frustrating. They sound similar to Azure Ray songs but lack the dynamics that made the latter so charming. There are soft, little details in the background of each song, but one would be hard-pressed to pinpoint the origin.

Haitian vocal rituals are awkwardly placed at the beginning of “Toreador” and “We Do What We Want To”. Without knowing the story behind the field recordings, they sound out of place. They are not used in an interesting way and do not mesh well with the fuzzy beats and Fink’s whispering vocals.

However, the field recordings are not noticeable on most other songs, and the album’s highlights are the songs rooted in simplicity. “The Fox” has a sweet, humble sound, only utilizing guitar and vocals. Delicate humming and harmonies surround a story about love gone astray. “Permanent Scar” has more layers, but is a stunning track with great movement, staggering guitar and bits of sharp electronic sounds.

The O+S debut is a long road with a few bumps, but rich factors indicate that the uncertainties will clear with time.

Album Review: Fol Chen - Part I: John Shade, Your Fortune's Made

Originally published April 14, 2009 in Soundcheck Magazine.
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Fol Chen
Part I: John Shade, Your Fortune's Made
Asthmatic Kitty

In the same manner as all the great superheroes who lead double lives, Fol Chen travels with a mysterious aura, being careful not to reveal too much about itself. Promotional photos show band members covering their identities with cardboard faces, and their biography only reveals that they are out to stop John Shade’s plague of mischief. Not much is known about Shade, but whoever he is, his sinister antics and dark, swift silhouette is felt running throughout Fol Chen’s anomalous, electro-pop debut, Part I: John Shade, Your Fortune’s Made.

Hailing from the Los Angeles district of Highland Park, Fol Chen comes off as a group of quiet intellectuals. Knowing that catching Shade will be difficult, the band equips the album with a wide range of tactics. Songs, such as, the opener “The Believers” and “The Longer U Wait” are full of eerie tension. Raspy female and male vocals sound aloof, but as the songs build up with ghostly horns and hammering percussion, it is obvious that the band members are plotting a grand move. They are the keepers of a dark secret that they only divulge with small hints.

The band sounds best with its uninhibited characteristics in songs such as “No Wedding Cake” and “The Idiot”. Clean vocals and bouncy synth create a lighthearted façade. On “Winter, That’s All”, the sound is a bit more industrial, but cascading drums, which are immensely engaging, provoke dancing and never lose grip of the listener’s attention. “Red Skies Over Garden City (The Balled of Donna Donna)” also is a bit more airy, but strings and whistling instruments in the background produce complicated layers, similar to the changing tempos of The Fiery Furnaces.

While the upbeat tracks are fun, there still is a strong sense of detachment from the rest of the world. However, the lyrics tend to be quite personal and create balance. Intimate thoughts and confessions are most notably shared on “Cable TV”: “I thought that I knew what love was / then I saw you dancing in your underwear, too / And I think of you / when I think of you baby / my heart just triples in size”.

Fol Chen creates the bizarre feeling of a blurred dream and sometimes feels a little too devious. If the band sticks with songs such as “Cable TV” and the other danceable tracks, it can remain interesting and clever without compromising its hero status in the battle against John Shade.

Album Review: Various Artists - Dark Was the Night

Originally published April 14, 2009 in Soundcheck Magazine.
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Various Artists
Dark Was the Night: Red Hot Compilation
4AD

The 20th installment in the compilation series by the Red Hot Organization tempts listeners to choose a favorite track early on, but with plentiful talent, each song after becomes a strong contender for the top spot.

With The National’s Aaron and Bryce Dessner as curators, Dark Was the Night brings together some of the most notable indie rock artists from the past decade to support Red Hot in raising awareness about AIDS prevention, which the organization has been doing for 20 years. Named after the song “Dark Was the Night” by blues artist Blind Willie Johnson, the compilation is inspired by traditional folk themes.

The dilemma of choosing a favorite track is most severe on the first disc of the two-disc compilation, also available as a triple vinyl set and digital download (iTunes offers an extra track from Beach House). Indie royalty, such as Feist, Arcade Fire and Spoon, span across the entire compilation, offering original compositions, covers, and compelling collaborations, but the stand-out tracks predominantly are bundled on the first disc.

From the euphoric opening by Dirty Projectors and David Byrne to Antony and Bryce Dessner’s simple cover of Bob Dylan’s “I Was Young When I Left Home”, the first disc displays indie rock’s delightful dynamics. Furthermore, Yeasayer’s passion and dreamy atmosphere on “Tightrope” encompasses the mix of landscapes.

However, between two collaborations, Feist is one of the more radiant stars of Dark Was the Night. She and Death Cab for Cutie’s Ben Gibbard team up for a beautiful cover of Vashti Bunyan’s “Train Song”. Gibbard’s reflective vocals and Feist’s higher-pitched voice fit together like puzzle pieces. On “Service Bell”, Feist’s voice is even more stunning, supported by Grizzly Bear’s delicate-but-vivid instrumentation.

Although the first disc is difficult to follow up, the second still is a worthwhile listen. My Morning Jacket’s “El Caporal” and a cover of Shuggie Otis’ “Inspiration Information”, performed by Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings, throw diversity into the mix.

The horns on Jones’ cover are pure bliss, and her soulful voice is the compilation’s only source of funk. The 31 tracks show a lot of variety, but they are limited. With the exception of a few songs, the overall energy does not travel far from a tranquil state. A few roaring peaks would have been ideal, but considering the cause, that small shortcoming hardly is crucial.

Album Review: Origami Ghosts - Short Momentum

Originally published April 14, 2009 in Soundcheck Magazine.
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Origami Ghosts
Short Momentum
Hand to Media

John Paul Scesniak, founder of Seattle’s Origami Ghosts, did not learn to play the guitar until his late teens, but the quirky lyrics of the sophomore album, Short Momentum, make it seem as though musical ideas have been floating in his head since he was a kid.

Scesniak has a childlike imagination, which makes a wonderful partnership with the band’s wacky and colorful approach to pop music. His words could paint the pictures to a children’s book, while also provoking thought.

On “Rearranging Furniture” Scesniak sings, “If I was an iguana, you’d wish you could be a chameleon / You could hang out with all my pretty green friends / And then you’d know a lot about me”.

The nature metaphors also dominate on “Thai Frog”, “Trees they fall like spring does into summer when I’m in winter / I like the sound the trees make when they are first discovered”.

Scesniak bends his vocals to afflict different emotions, but instead of coming out obscure and pretentious, his voice and music create a warm and humble atmosphere. At times, the vocals sounds similar to Ben Bridwell of Band of Horses and Carissa’s Wierd, while at other times, he sounds like a male version of Kimya Dawson. Scesniak is not afraid of showing his curiosity and love for exploration, as displayed on “Story?”, “Where do thoughts go when you forget them?”, he asks.

Vivid lyrics make Origami Ghosts a contender for being labeled a straightforward pop band, but cello and fuzzy guitar add some edge. The cello sits around the edges and creates a tone similar to that of Cursive and Joan of Arc – although Origami Ghosts does not necessarily sound like either of those bands.

Likewise, if the band were stripped down to its bare bones, it would sound a lot like Death Cab for Cutie and The Shins, but the styling of Origami Ghosts is more lighthearted and zany.

Album Review: Iran - Dissolver

Originally published April 14, 2009 in Soundcheck Magazine.
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Iran
Dissolver
Narnack Records

On Dissolver, Iran peels the volatile exterior layers that were formed on its previous noise rock albums and starts to reveal a tender core. A longtime project of multi-instrumentalist Aaron Aites and TV on the Radio guitarist Kyp Malone, Iran sweeps through the fuzz and unveils its ability to write songs that are conventionally pleasant.

Music fans last heard from Iran in 2003 with The Moon Boys, which followed a self-titled debut in 2000. Both were full of buzzing, combusting, and crashing sounds that carried engaging melodies. Dissolver holds on to a bit of the noisy aesthetic, but it is not exactly a middle ground between the blatant experimentation and straightforward pop.

Produced by TV on the Radio’s David Sitek, Dissolver is not a bad progression to a cleaner sound, but the change might be too much too soon for some fans. “Digital Clock and Phone” is the only track that truly channels the sharp clamor of previous albums, but it sounds like an ordinary jam session, rather than a mind-bending track.

Instead of concentrating the noise rock on single tracks, Iran sprinkles it in the background of each song. On opener “I Can See the Future” and “Buddy”, the band gets close to a middle ground without sounding jarring. Distorted guitars add gritty sounds to otherwise clear songs, whereas, bluesy piano adds a soft touch to “Buddy”, which is driven by whirling guitars.

On “Airport ’79”, warped sounds take a back seat to the smooth melody and instead of dominating, they complement the vocals by swiftly traveling in the backdrop. However, on “Baby, Let’s Get High One Last Time Together”, screeching sounds in the background distract from the melody and sound disconnected.

While there are a few similarities to TV on the Radio, Dissolver shines when it pushes Aites’ vocals to the forefront. Previous albums made it hard for listeners to take notice of his pleasant voice, which seems to ooze out emotions with grace and ease. He rarely applies exertion, but when there is a spike, for example on “I Already Know You’re Wrong” and “Evil Summer”, it creates delightful dynamics.

Dissolver might not be the album for those set on getting a release that echoes The Moon Boys and Iran, but it seems as though Iran still has a few more layers to break through, and it will be fun to see what the band comes up with next.

Album Review: Yes Nice - Yes Nice

Originally published April 14, 2009 in Soundcheck Magazine.
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Yes Nice
Yes Nice
Self-released

On Yes Nice’s debut full-length album, the Canadian band is close to perfecting the art of the serenade. With warm melodies and lyrics for lovers on cloud nine, the self-titled album is an easy and fun listen for any occasion and mood.

The music and gentle vocals show the utmost sincerity with charming lyrics, such as those found on the opening track, “When I Saw the Sun Going Down”.

“I believe in the words you sing”, affectionately says lead vocalist Nathaniel Wong.

Simple guitars carry a 1960s rock vibe, as well as, a touch of vocal styling similar to those of Jack Antonoff of Steel Train. The album does not stick purely to soft tempos. The songs’ dynamics and adorning of violins and xylophone maintain the listener’s interest.

The four first tracks on the album focus on the tenderness of love, but starting with “Sous La Lune”, which translates to “Under the Moon,” the band seems to have a little more fun. The track is sung in French, pushing romanticism to another level. The melody is mid-tempo and sweet. The tambourine and concertina make listeners feel as though they are sitting at a café in France.

The next track sends Yes Nice to Argentina for the song “Tango”. The violin and percussion make the song sound very dramatic, just like the dance. The lyrics are spoken, and segments of chamber chanting add a touch of Italy.

The band gets really silly on “Hay-Ay-La-Ma-Hay-Ah”, a track with high-pitched group vocals, and “Children Talk With the Old People”, which incorporates a darling children’s choir for the chorus.

Yes Nice is that sweet guy who secretly has a crush on his female best friend. He is kind, silly, and always says the right things, but fails to get past the best friend stage.

However, unlike that type of guy, Yes Nice has the potential to be more than just a cutesy band that sings about love, dreams and moonlight.

Album Review: Yes Nice - Yes Nice EP

Originally published April 13, 2009 in Soundcheck Magazine.
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Yes Nice
Yes Nice EP
Self-released

Yes Nice, from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, can be fittingly described as being made of sugar and spice, and everything nice. However, the proportions of violin-infused indie rock, sunny 1960s pop, and funky bass lines on the band’s self-titled EP are slightly off-balance.

There are some great songs on the EP, and it is livelier and more varied than the band’s full-length, which also is self-titled. However, there are too many ideas for squeezing into the eight tracks. Yes Nice is capable of succeeding in many styles, but the young band, which has been together for a little more than a year, still is trying to hone in on its sound.

Yes Nice is at its best when it focuses on its winsome and mystical sound with violins, xylophone and handclaps. The opening “Flame Intro” does just that. It would be hard for a listener’s ears not to perk up with the simple but catchy sound of handclaps, accented by soft violins. The violins are reminiscent of other young bands, such as Ra Ra Riot, but are less dramatic.

The violin intro bleeds into the delicate “The Flame”. The male lead vocals harmonize sweetly with female vocals and complement the crispy sounds of fire and fireflies at the end of the song.

“Pizzicato” and “Good Old Days” are two songs where Yes Nice really shines. “Pizzicato” is an instrumental track that easily could have been arranged by Kaki King or Sufjan Stevens. Strings, shakers and xylophone help create a calming image of rhythmic, dripping water. “Good Old Days” is a fun, cheerful track that starts with the chorus, which is about the sun, flowers and time. About halfway through the song, the tempo dips down and builds back up to the entrancing guitar.

The EP’s imbalance is shown on “Demons”. The vocal style remains as soft as it is on the other tracks, but a guitar part sounds like a combination of classic rock and modern rock bands, such as Incubus and Red Hot Chili Peppers. It throws off the mood that the other songs created.

“Anywhere With You” also mixes in a different style; in this case, it is a funky, reggae sound. The latter track is more seamless and holds on to the enchanting factor with violins and xylophone, which sound like buzzing bees.

An EP is a good place to experiment with styles, and with a little more work, Yes Nice will find its ideal recipe.

Album Review: Loney Dear - Dear John

Originally published February 24, 2009 in Soundcheck Magazine.
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Loney Dear
Dear John
Polyvinyl Records

Unlike 2007’s bubbly Loney, Noir, the latest album by Swedish songwriter Emil Svanängen, aka Loney Dear, is emotionally strenuous. Listening to the soft, indie-pop songs is somewhat of a cleansing experience where the artist and listener sort through an array of emotions and get rid of doubts, regret, envy and grudges. Dear John has its ups and downs, which make it easy for listeners to wander off the trail, but those who finish the journey are rewarded with sweet satisfaction and high spirits.

Dear John starts on a high point with the sparkling “Airport Surroundings”. Svanängen’s voice is soft, but confident. There is a sense of urgency, like being caught in a rainstorm without an umbrella. The instrument layering builds up like a raindrop that is traveling quickly and about to burst. The strings on “Everything Turns to You” sound like thunder, adding to the high tension.

An escape from the storm is found on the third track, “I Was Only Going Out”, but the tempo abruptly slows down, as though Svanängen had the wind knocked out of him. The confidence found at the start of the album starts to peel and reveals vulnerability.

The middle part of the album is a little fuzzy and emotionally tiresome, but dashes of peppy whistles and synthesizer club beats try to keep the listener’s attention. The sun starts to shine on “Summers” with shimmering percussion and na-na-nas. However, clouds quickly conceal the sunshine with hollow organ on “Distant Lights” and the sedated “Harm/Slow”.

The last hint of unsettledness allows for a quick launch to optimism. The emotional transformation is liberating, and the last two songs flow with more ease. Dear John illustrates that with the good comes the bad, but in the end, everything will be fine.