More Music from the Inbox, 03 August 2013: La Vega, Jesse Woods, Lenka, Baby Alpaca and Vial of Sound
By Scott Jones
Artist: La Vega
Track: “Do the Surfer Girl Limbo”
It’s always fun when a band can effortlessly pull off a revival of music from generations past. Taking their vibrato and tremolo cues from legendary acts such as the Ventures, the Surfaris, and the Chantays, a refreshing homage to hanging ten is just the kind of refreshment this summer needs. Their retro vinyl album cover is also a nice touch. The old question was “How low can you go?” My question is, how cool can this band get?
Sounds like: A killer ‘60s revival, only with audio formats superior to the 8-track.
Link/Listen/Watch:
Artist: Jesse Woods
Album: Get Your Burdens Lifted
Sometimes, loud music is good. Sometimes, soft music is good, too. And the acoustic lo-fi stylings of Jesse Woods produces an atmospheric vibe not frequently heard in heavier musical acts of this day and age. Instead, Woods prefers to channel his hometown roots from the capital of Texas. There’s an echo coming out of Austin, and it will ring true in the hearts and minds of those who love to reminisce about hot afternoons on the beach, watching the waves.
Sounds like: Relaxing cabin-in-the-woods-in-August vibes
Link/Listen/Watch:
Artist: Lenka
Album: Shadows
We all need downtime once in a while. Taking downtime with Aussie pop songstress Lenka means that we are transported back to a time where fashion was different; Polaroid snapshot hues were a little more pastel, and introspective singer-songwriters went against the grain a lot more frequently. However, production-wise, it may not have been as easy then to pull off what Lenka did on this record: Just listen to the opening moments of “Two Heartbeats.” That’s her unborn son’s heartbeat providing the backdrop to the song.
Sounds like: Classic female-fronted pop with technical advancements to make the listening experience more awesomely personal.
Link/Listen/Watch:
Artist: Baby Alpaca
Track: “Sea of Dreams”
Unlike the furry South American quadruped for which the band is named, lead singer Brian Kittrell is a clean-shaven gentleman whose vocals are also far more melodic. They echo at 360 degrees throughout the recording, with light accompaniment and plucked guitar chords that help suit the soothing mood. The lyrics in the song aptly reflect Kittrell’s familiarity with the travels of his youth, and for breaking free of artistic norms.
Sounds like: An indie rock adventure that takes you on a trip all by itself.
Link/Listen/Watch:
Artist: Vial of Sound
Album: Substance Organique Volatile
Retro works in mysterious and often awesome ways. This outfit harkens back to the dawn of electronic music, where Dr. Robert Moog’s inventions inspired Kraftwerk to record synthesized music with computers. Additionally, you could throw this into the 1984 Moroder version of Metropolis and its lyrics and high-powered digital energy would fit the futuristic storyline seamlessly. Throw this on while wearing shades. You won’t feel like a dummkopf.
Sounds like: The exciting, new dawn of an pioneering era in computers.
Link/Listen/Watch:
