Deer Tick | Divine Providence Review

Deer Tick is an indie folk rock band that has been making a good impression for the past few years on a number of discerning ears. Shit that rhymed, which in fact is rather apropos when talking about a band that in the past have produced very impressive narrative driven songs. Their 2010 album Black Dirt Sessions contained a number of deep thought provoking tracks such as the wildly emotional Goodbye, Dear Friends and The Sad Sun. Tracks like these turned the atmosphere of this album into something powerful and memorable. For the new album Divine Providence, Deer Tick has gone in a different direction, perhaps as a result of having to perform the deep and soulful tracks of Black Dirt Sessions over and over again during their last tour. In the new album the tone is far lighter, this album demonstrates the more playful side of this band, leaning on a more bar background friendly subject matter; namely, drinking, playing and much too much of both.

Chevy Express is by far the best track off of this new album. It’s with tracks like Chevy Express that Deer Trick really hits their stride; the lyrics are thoughtful and paced in a style that just sucks you right into a world of their creation. Then there is the booze ballad, Let’s All Go to The Bar on this album. It is more of a fun track that embodies the spirit of a good night of heavy drinking out without any omissions or apologies. Divine Providence is a welcome lighter addition to the Deer Tick catalogue.    

Clem Snide | Taking A Look at Journey

The three piece based out of NY City has released yet another album for the forlorn heart. About a year ago Clem Snide released Meat of Life, an album which for all intents and purposes was a delightful smalts fest. The Meat of Life may just have the most sappy, heartfelt song made in the last ten years called Denver. Sweet Jesus that song is sappy but in the best possible way, when you can sing a song about how he knocked up an under aged girl and then confess this wildly horrible action to your long time love. What a song. Their latest album called is a tribute to the legendary band Journey but it bares all the marks of this band, it’s an extension of their creative force.

Not unlike the project created by Beck, to recreate some amazing albums from the past but with current artists, Clem Snide has taken on the lofty challenge of reimagining some of the most recognizable songs within our culture. This band’s rendition of Journey’s Any Way You Want It is the love song of the summer, if the summer wasn’t already over. It’s slowly paced and tightly executed and has a softness the original version just wasn’t intended to have.  If you are looking for some sentimental 80s throwback Journey goodness, then this album is for you.

Rodney Dangerfield would be proud.

Bombay Bicycle Club | A Review of A Different Kind Of Fix

Bombay Bicycle Club is an English indie band that has released a new album called A Different Kind Of Fix. This latest album has a definite penchant for the dream pop vibe.  Some might think that the band has taken a new direction, stylistically, if they had only listened to their last album Flaws. You see 2010’s Flaws album was essentially an indie folk album laced with acoustic guitars. That is not the case, with the band’s first album there was more than enough electric guitar and catchy pop hooks. That being said, A Different Kind Of Fix is more of a return to form and it is quite impressive.

Like any good album A Different Kind Of Fix has some standout tracks. The first track off of this album How Can You Swallow So Much Sleep is a slow burning one that nicely reintroduces you to the band with this delicately driven song. The second track, Bad Timing, feels like a mixture between the Foals and Silversun Pickups. The last real standout is the track Beggars, it features some excellent pacing and percussion. The album as a whole is rather good, but the tracks mentioned above are the real highlight and make this album more than just another one of those indie albums that should have stayed an idea of a would be artist.    

Team Genius | Taking a Look at Pop Song

The term pop song is often associated with a style of music that is over played on the radio and has no real enduring substance. Then there is the flip side of the whole idea of a pop song, in that it’s popular, and popular for a reason. The reason behind why good pop songs are popular should have little to do with how much advertisement they receive and more to do with how well they capture and reflect the spirit of the age. That brings us to Team Genius. The band was formed in New York City some time in 2007 and they have a unique talent, they are: “really good at making big catchy pop songs.” The six members of the band have set out to release several EPs over the course of 2011 and 2012; the first of which is titled Pop Songs. This EP, which came out August 23^rd, consists of four tracks that put out a sort of playfulness and energy that would capture the hearts and minds anyone fortunate enough to hear them. At some points the band feels like a fusion of the Ramones and Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, but when the keyboard takes center stage in tracks like Home you are reminded that Team Genius have their own identity. For a relatively new band, they certainly have found a groove when it comes to their sound; it’s fun, catchy and filled with great hooks. Essentially, what you would look for in any good pop music. And if this was Team Genius’s goal, mission accomplished.

You can check out Team Genius’s music at their band camp web page here. 

The Matrimonials | About Their Album New Jams to Slam In Your Jam Box

The four boys who make up The Matrimonials are set to release their new album New Jams to Slam In Your Jam Box. Before we get into anything about the band, let’s just study the title of the album for a moment.  At first glance one might think that the new album’s title is just terrible and poorly thought out. New Jams to Slam in Your Jam Box doesn’t exactly roll of the tongue.  But you would be forgetting one thing, in order to appreciate the music of The Matrimonials’ you need to put yourself in a playful mindset. Think back to when you were a teenaged dirt-bag and then read the title of the album again. Jam Box is obviously referring to something else, what else is referred to as a box and can be slammed?

After the immature part of you stops chuckling at the pussy joke in the album’s name and you start to listen to what this foursome from Baltimore have produced you just might be impressed.  Consisting of mostly rattle and hum punk rock tracks The Matrimonials have a familiar tone with rough lo-fi edges. This band isn’t about creating ornate introspective indie folk rock pieces that can comfortably be played in the background of your local Starbucks. No The Matrimonials sing songs like Ryhthym and Booze, a song that touts a bantering conversation with an abused liver and the person philosophy of many people, that life is better when you’re fat and full of booze.     

That is essentially what you get with The Matrimonials, a playful, energetic style of music with wonderfully juvenile undertone.  However, this album does lack some of the magic from the last one. There is no Taylor Swift type of song on New Jams to Slam In Your Jam Box, which is slightly disappointing. 

Now here is a video of the band having a sophisticated talk on politics. 

Stephan Drunk

The Matrimonials | Myspace Music Videos