Hundred Waters - The Moon Rang Like a Bell (2014)

Between legs of extensive touring both here and abroad somehow Los Angeles via Gainesville art pop collective Hundred Waters found time not only to put down roots long enough to rest and heal but to craft and hone the collection of songs that would become The Moon Rang Like a Bell, their much anticipated debut self-titled effort.

The Moon Rang Like a Bell is far-cry from more of the same, both out of necessity and artistic intent. In gospel-tinged opener "Show Me Love", Hundred Waters shift away slightly for the genreless mass of their past selves and seem fully committed to conveying their influences a bit more clearly here. Or as clearly as the foursome are bound to be - there's no a-ha moments of definite artists/bands the band are paying homage to but merely psychic impressions of more focused and intentional incorporated vibes where they were currently lacking.

Hundred Waters have returned leaner and the new batch of songs reveal a far more elevated use of electronics. Where Hundred Waters obscured the line between electronic and organic sounds like a musical ouroboros, the distinction is far clearer here, the beats heavier, and surprisingly enough the booming, occasional dub undertones of Hundred Waters snuffed out almost completely.

One of the delights of the Hundred Waters album can be found in its pacing - finding the pitch perfect balance between atmospheric reveries and much more straightforward pop dalliances. Where Hundred Waters glistened with cosmic radiance, The Moon Rang Like a Bell sets its sights a bit lower; where the debut recalled the celestial and ethereal, the sophomore effort strives for more earthly pleasures - aiming for much more visceral responds than mere awe. While it's debatable if one album has more textural inlays than the other or is more accessible than the other, there's no denying the newer work doesn't allow itself to simply revel in its own beauty fusing it monumental music passages with an ever present forward motion and occasional dance-inspiring energy.

It is often the case of musicians creating music as art to create impenetrable or alienating works but that's never been Hundred Waters' Achilles heel. Hundred Waters are an all inclusive group of talented songweavers and its that openness that aids them on their follow up - where Nicole Miglis vocals threaten to get swallowed in the bray in such a way where their meaning might not be readily apparent, Hundred Waters ensure that there's plenty of other elements to clutch onto. Always making sure to give Miglis her due, there's certainly an abundance of sounds to distract the casual listener not necessarily from her vocals whose melodies ring clear as bell but the very meaning they're trying to convey.

The Moon Rang Like a Bell is an excellent follow up to an formidable debut. Hundred Waters' return manages to keep them sounding like one-trick ponies while establishing a justifiable development of an already impressively unique sound - essentially the hope for every band but Hundred Waters do so with celebrated finesse and awe-inspiring vision.



Hundred Waters' sophomore full length The Moon Rang Like a Bell is available on OWSLA now.

Listen: Cymbals Eat Guitars - "Jackson"

There are plenty of reasons to get excited about Staten Island rockers Cymbals Eat Guitars triumphant return. It's been three years since sophomore effort Lenses Alien was loosed upon us and well, it's about time, no? On "Jackson", the first single and album opener of their upcoming third record LOSE, Joseph D'Agostino makes rather quick work of reintroducing fans old and new to his nuanced delivery. Always striking the right balance between his brainy brand of songwriting and pitch perfect vulnerability, that's certainly at work here on "Jackson". D'Agostino's vocals are at the forefront of the brewing tumult, agile and serpentine while the track simmers and stews. "Jackson" is notably restrained and D'Agostino's vocals are truly the highlight, far more mobile than many of the bands parts.

That's not to say that the rest of the foursome or even D'Agostino's own guitar work aren't pulling their weight rather his vocals function not unlike their own instrument - separate and elevated from the din, reveling in their own intensity that often occurs before everything else follows suite. That's not an entirely new development but it's certainly of note as the instrumental achieves an introspective openness. "Jackson" surges forward with an melancholy air but it's far from a mopey affair - not quite full on balls to the wall rebelliousness but far from tame.

"Jackson" shows that Cymbals Eat Guitars still have the goods - providing interesting narrative choices with rock 'n roll grit. "Jackson" raises the emotional stakes without diminishing any of the band's well-earned badassery. A surefire sign of good things to come.



Cymbals Eat Guitars third album LOSE is out August 26th on Barsuk Records.

Listen: Sondre Lerche - "Bad Law"

One of the pitfalls of Norwegian singer/songwriter Sondre Lerche's pop-fueled oeuvre happens to be his strongest strength: his knack for upbeat pop numbers. It's manages to cloak the occasional foray into darkness and the abundantly negative. So much so that he needed an album like Phantom Punch to really prove his mettle; a declarative statement of maturation, loud and messy, monumental in its fervor. Since then, Lerche's been more subversive - the lyrics to some songs hidden underneath chipper pop melodies and stellar arrangements so that you really have to root around to discover them in Heartbeat Radio and his self-titled record.

Whether that was intentional or not, Sondre Lerche might very well be done with all that. Make no mistake, he's not abandoning his infectious brand of songsmithery but in latest single "Bad Law" and probably on upcoming full length Please, Lerche's letting the kinks in his armor show. "Bad Law" is inarguably catchy but rightfully embraces the chaos - filled with riotous flourishes in its dancey plod. But not even Sondre Lerche's groovy floorfiller can obscure the track's darker taint - the tell of a crime of passion, where love goes off the rails and surges right into unhealthy territory. It's a new arena for Lerche's love songs to duke it out in and it's pretty inspired. Lerche finds the perfect balance between his available choices - funky grooves granting levity to a rather dark tale of passion exploded with musical choices that certainly serve the narrative. The man's still a masterful songwriter if "Bad Law" is any indication, Please will see Lerche plumbing darker depths without wholly abandoning his sweet, tuneful pop. It's going to be a long wait until Fall.

Listen: Cold Specks - "Absisto"

If you were expecting more of the same on the follow up to London based singer/songwriter Cold Specks, you're in for quite the surprise. "Absisto", the first single from her follow up to 2012's I Predict A Graceful Expulsion is a cacophonous reinvention of sorts. A tumbledown of Al Spx's more pleasantly pliant sound, the tumult is quite appealing: placing her brassy vocals alongside brass calls and serpentine guitar riffs. Like presenting a lot of her characteristic sound in a funhouse mirror, Cold Specks warps and distorts the basic framework of her songwriting but essentially is the same artist at its core, capable of the powerful emotive surges albeit with a far more fiery delivery this time out. Clearly not afraid to fiddle around with her sound to achieve a refreshing alternative, it bodes very well helping Cold Specks avoid a slump.



Cold Specks' sophomore effort Neuroplasticity is out August 26th on Mute Records.

Listen: Steve Sobs - "Some Nights Last A Lifetime"

It might be my fascination with guitar wizardry and the fact that not too long ago I got the chance to see William Tyler weave some of the magic in the flesh that made me identify with "Some Night Last A Lifetime", the closing track from Brooklyn artist Steve Sobs aka Eric Littmann most recently released record Heavy Heart. Where the first single "Ugh" was an artful blend of synthetic and organic sounds with Littman's voice forging the dividing line - human but removed from too much emotion, instead "Some Nights Last A Lifetime" is heady rush of instrumental guitar. Littmann's distant drawl replaced by free form ambience - a layer of repetitive chiming electronics forming the base while guitars warble and bend atop; twangy but not quite reaching countrified dustiness. "Some Nights Last A Lifetime" is essentially another mood piece - trading the nostalgia of "Ugh" for a fleeting sense of aimlessness that never truly resolves itself, at least not all pleasant and tidily - Littmann ringing dolor from his instrument and transfiguring a beguiling clarity of ideas from a veritable sea of them.



Steve Sobs' Waaga Records debut Heavy Heart is out now.

(via Stadiums & Shrines)

Listen: Dyev - "It's Time They Know"

I'm a sucker for a good mystery. So when a link to Wilmington, Delaware artist Dyev showed up with little to no information, I was intrigued. That he had been written about by my pal Connor over at I Guess I'm Floating well, that just cemented my interest.

One of instantly noticeable things about Dyev is the seamless blend of a multitude of layers with a definite pop sensibility. That he can obscure the level of complexity of the song's construction with a laid back vibe is all the more impressive. "It's Time They Know" is all heart-pounding percussion and downright celebratory group vocals; all wide expanses, jittery clustered harmonies, and effortless cool. It's one of those songs that manages to nail it's lead hook and just bears down on what works. Not in a repetitive way- the inclusion of some samples makes sure it's not four minutes of basic consistency but it's the kind of tune that makes you marvel at it's construction; ponder its various gears and the thought process of its creator. While I doubt Dyev is willing to break apart his process any time soon, it certainly adds to the intrigue. "It's Time They Know" is so brightly-tinged and spacious, it completely throws the notion of bedroom pop. There's no introspection here - Dyev is ever the mysterious extrovert captivating by virtue of his pure ingenuity. Here's hoping it's not too long before more surfaces but if that's what the man needs to create so be it.

   

Listen: Grandma Sparrow - "Existential Mothersnakes"

With the release of the debut record from Joe Westerlund's Grandma Sparrow cleanly on the horizon, those who haven't had the chance to see Grandma Sparrow's wildly brilliant and artfully comedic live show get a bit of the unique experience in bits and pieces. First was "This Is My Wheelhouse" and album ender "Farewell Bolero" and today, arguably one of my favorite tracks gets its time in the spotlight: "Existential Mothersnakes". There's little explanation for the track itself or how it fits into the story of Grandma Sparrow's Piddletractor but that has very little to do with the enjoyment of it.

In fact a lot of the lyrics even in the context of the live show are eyebrow-raising, head-stratchers and the delivery is subtler on the album edit but there's no denying it's an infectious pop jam nevertheless. Grandma Sparrow and his cohorts go full out - there's strings, brass, soulful backing vocals that run counter to Westerlund's understated delivery, it's got pretty much everything you could ask for as Westerlund challenges the listener's sense of ear-catching. It's the kind of song that gets stuck in your head even as you're not exactly sure what you're singing a long to. Essentially making it the adult equivalent of those catchy children's infotainment shows.



Grandma Sparrow's debut Grandma Sparrow & His Piddletractor Orchestra is out May 20th on Matthew E. White's Spacebomb Records. The album is now streaming in full over at Spin so go ahead and take a listen.