Night - "Satellites"

Where I live the weather has become more comfortable and when I'm out with my dog at night I look up at the stars and hear a soundtrack that complements my mood.  Recently I was introduced to a band that has captured the soundtrack of my life from the worst to the best days perfectly.  A sound that just makes me think and has an almost therapeutic feel.  "Satellites" is a debut album from a band called Night that completely alters your mind set after just one song.

Instrumental bands always have a tough time conveying their message because, of course, there are no vocals to tell you what to think or feel.  Night has a great way of having you interpret their songs for yourself and it makes it more personal to your life and what you're currently going through.  Wether you lost someone close to you or just made a new life long connection, these songs will empower you to rethink about your life and wonder why you listen to the radio rather than embarking on a new adventure with sounds like "Satellites."  The echoic and spacey feel from the guitar is almost like mind surfing until the distortion picks up and reminds you that there is more to this music than chords and rhythmic bass lines.  The drums in this album are very driving towards how the song is perceived due to the different techniques and genres coming from behind those sticks.

"Satellites" is a reminder of how much music can inspire the thoughts of people when they just listen and enjoy the ride.  Like a painting, this music is free to interpretation and allows for something as  simple as a long drive to become more than just a destination but a pilgrimage into ones self.  This soundtrack of the human soul is alluring and inspiring to say the least.  Give "Satellites" by Night a chance to give you that gift.

Find them on Faceboook!!
www.facebook.com/night717

Not Scientists - Destroy to Rebuild

I always like finding a cool indie-punk band, especially when they come from my homeland of France. Not Scientists are the kind of band who have managed to fuse two disparate genres and make a brand of punk that is accessible and powerful, something that can touch the heart and show the eternal power that a four on the floor beat and only a couple of chords can have. With Destroy to Rebuild Not Scientists have been able to create something distinctly human that will capture your imagination and show you a bright new future for punk rock. 

The thing is, this record has stellar production and great singing. They come together alongside some tight songwriting to create something that is truly memorable. There is a sense of hope that dominates Destroy To Rebuild, it shows us a way forward in the darkness, through the thorns of despair Destroy To Rebuild provides hope on the other side. Not Scientists are the kind of band who will allow you to explore new soundscapes of a sort you might have never experienced otherwise. It simply speaks the greatness of this band, not just as a musical force, but as craftsmen of a sound greater than themselves.

Never too ferocious but not afraid to bite, Not Scientists have come far from their punk roots to create something almost transcendent. They sound beautiful and powerful, musicians who are crafting a brave new world before us to give us the means we need to triumph. Destroy To Rebuild is indie-punk in its finest form, speaking to the power of a band who seem destined to take on the world. These guys have it figured it out, and I look forward to hearing more from these soul touching rock and roll masters.

Find them on Facebook!

https://www.facebook.com/notscientists

Monks of Mellonwah-Turn the People

I have covered Monks of Mellonwah quite a bit in the past, and with good reason. These award winning Australians have some innovative and magical alternative rock magic. Their new full length Turn the People is actually made up of a trilogy of EP's they put out in 2013. So where does that leave us now? Well, quite frankly, this is essentially the best alternative rock debut that I have heard in many years. The mysterious Monks of Mellonwah have an aura of power around them that can not be dissuaded, and that is what will allow them to truly triumph.

I especially enjoy how cinematic so many of these songs are. There is a sort of otherworldly power to tracks like Escaping Alcatraz. With Turn the People Monks of Mellonwah transcend their records forty six minute run time and instead come out to make something that goes beyond. The music of Monks of Mellonwah reaches out and rubs against the soul. With strangely anthemic pieces, like the legendary Pulse Turn the People draws you in, and if my listening is any indication, it will never let you back out. The lush and majestic soundscapes that give this record so much depth capture my heart in a way that few records can. Do not be dissuaded, my metal brethren, by the 'Alt rock' sticker so often applied to this group, theyy are so much more.

So, if you want the sort of record that will drive right into your heart and give you a new way to look at an entire genre, then Turn the People is the album for you. Already having been featured on MTV, Discovery Channel and Fox Sports this band knows how to sell their brilliant brand of rock and roll magic. Music lovers across the globe will be talking about Turn the People decades from now. This is Monks of Mellonwah's crowning achievement so far and their is no way that they will falter given the momentum they've already built up. Prepare your ears dear readers, this is Monks of Mellonwah and by Thor is it good.

Find them on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/monksofmellonwah

Marla Mase-Half Life

Marla Mase may very well be this generations Lou Reed, and I mean it. With powerful, varied and moving spoken word music that somehow goes beyond what you think music should be Marla Mase has an impressive approach to sound. Deeply personal and incredibly beautiful, her new EP Half Life is evidence of the power that her fans have always known she had. Marla gets what she wants to do and executes with a perfection that none of her peers can claim to have. Not a lot of spoken word artists really capture the imagination like she does. This may be because Marla isn't entirely spoken word, there are strange and triumphant sung passages that add a lot of flavor and keep things interesting.

On top of all of this, her backing band is clearly excellent, they help to provide lush soundscapes and vivid solos for the mysterious tones of Ms. Mase to dance over. The diverse sounds found throughout this record is impressive and helps to give the entire affair a much more interesting vibe, bringing in diverse genres and keeping things fresh throughout. These New Yorkers have taken a clear artistic step from Speak Deluxe with this latest release, and I like it. Who knows what this mysterious modern rock genius will do next?

Find them on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Marla-Mase/170044966351982?fref=ts

Gumshen

Gumshen is the kind of unique genre bending band that the world could only do with more of. You see, Gumshen have got it in mind to create a sound that mixes indie, electronic music and progressive music to get something new, exciting, and well, totally unheard of. Their is something unique and powerful going on here that (pardon the pun) must have taken a lot of gumption to pull off. The way that Gumshen craft their songs is unique, the electronic elements that abound throughout the music give the entire thing a very unique flavor and make me curious to hear more from this band. The entire structure of their latest release Progtronica defies expectations, from the stunning beginning in Bell Ringer to the masterful closing track Fragile We Are Castles. Gumshens soundscapes are impressive and diverse, making you fall in love with the type of music that you simply don't get enough of. An incredibly successful fusion of diverse genres I am excited to hear what these guys put out in the future!

Find them on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Gumshen/8012797314?fref=ts

Mark Mccabe-A Good Way to Bury Bad News

At first I was kind of dreading reviewing Mark Mccabe's new record, A Good Way to Bury Bad News. Mccabe's music is a sort of very melancholic acoustic rock that comes off with a sort of funeral doom vibe. And I must say, now that I've finished listening to it, I have to say, I think I'm in love. I've had a bit of personal tragedy recently (My cat died) and I've been having difficulty dealing with it. Yet somehow, this new record from Mark Mccabe has proven to be the best way to bury my own piece of bad news and for that, I am eternally grateful.

The magic of this record is largely in the power of Mccabe's voice. It's just so plain sad there is no escaping the sheer depression that A Good Way To Bury Bad News invokes. This guy knows how to write music that reaches out to the heart, it may not be technical or flashy, but by god, it is above all else beautiful, and in the state of mind that I have right now, that is exactly what I need. A Good Way to Bury Bad News seemingly gambles everything on the emotional power of the music and it comes off as a masterpiece. A masterpiece to the point that, with five days left until I write my best of list for 2013 Mccabe has come storming forth as a dark horse.

In closing, if you're hurting and down, if you've had some sort of unfortunate event hit you recently well, this is pretty clearly one of the best remedies you could ask for. Mark Mccabe understands your sadness and reflects it in his music, somehow validating the inner darkness that we must all deal with at some point or another. Almost a tearjerker at times (yes it's that emotional) Mark Mccabe has given me new hope for the acoustic rock genre, he gets the music in a way few others do, his crushing songs are somehow vaguely triumphant making you feel better as you toss another shovelful of dirt into the bad news' grave, and once the internment is complete, there is hope.

Find him on Facebook!

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mark-McCabe/103322833043952?ref=ts&fref=ts

Khamsin

And now for something completely different, Khamsin is an emotional and beautiful ambient indie rock band from Clarksville. Their sound is powerful in all of its atmospheric glory. The thing is, Khamsin are not necessarily here to create songs as much as they are to craft intricate and beautiful soundscapes. That makes it all the more jarring when they rip these soundscapes apart on songs like God Is Place You Will Wait For Your Whole Life. The internal power of this band is stunning and the way that they are unafraid to craft sounds that are wholly their own is pretty inspiring. I've never heard anything quite like Khamsin and I suspect it will be a while before I hear anything like them again. So, if you're looking for an innovative and majestic band whose sound dwells more on the power of the music than that of the song Khamsin is something you're going to want to check out (And maybe even help fund their Kickstarter) I for one am excited to get more than these measly four tracks!

Find out more about them and their Kickstarter on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/KhamsinBand