More Music from the Inbox, 09 March 2013: Blackout Beach, Dear Rouge, Akron/Family, The Bicycles, Deb Oh and the Cavaliers
Artist: Blackout Beach
Album: Blues Trip
The right mindset is here for a retro garage blues sound, and that’s exactly what Carey Mercer has done. The studio production, however, isn’t as raw as say, early White Stripes material to give it that Delta feel, but that doesn’t take away from Mercer’s “Blackout Beach” persona possessing an old soul.
Sounds like: Art-rock at the crossroads.
Link/Listen/Watch
Artist: Dear Rouge
Album: Kids Wanna Know
Husband-and-wife teams in music today aren’t nearly as common as they were back in the days of John and Yoko, Sonny and Cher, or even Kermit and Miss Piggy. But one thing is for sure, they all have that certain dynamite connection that allows them to bring out the best of each other in sound. With the energetic duo of Drew and Danielle, you just wanna reach towards the sky high enough to touch a cloud.
Sounds like: Danceable daytime rhythms once the sun has reached its hottest.
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Artist: Akron/Family
Album: Sub Verses
This band can THINK. Which is always a plus before a band PLAYS. The tune below illustrates a collection of musicians who want to get into your head, and make YOU think. A rotating backdrop of droning sound and pounding drums ensure this happens to the listener. Also, the length of the song is a key factor in getting the message across; if it takes an above-average length of time to get the message across, it’s probably worth your time. Just look at what it did for Zeppelin.
Sounds like: A merry-go-round of percussion at night. And the horses have come to life.
Link/Listen/Watch
Artist: The Bicycles
Album: Stop Thinking So Much
Choosing to stay retro while adding modern touches for a unique musical spin is nothing to scoff at, especially when sampling this light-hearted Torontonian act. They employ carefully-crafted ‘60s California melodies combined with the rising crescendos of West Coast folkies The Fleet Foxes in brief, but succinctly delivered little tunes that make you smile. And if you need another reason to smile, just look at those baseball uniforms!!!
Sounds like: Beachwalking, flower-power happiness with a melodious message.
Link/Listen/Watch: Stream at Soundcloud
Artist: Deb Oh and the Cavaliers
Album: Hieroglyphs
Ms. Oh’s song “Primacy” contains insightful and mature lyrics, coupled with a fantastic voice that never wavers, even with the ever-intensifying chorus as the song progresses towards the end. A fact that may seem surprising with one gander at her album cover, which displays a far more peaceful-looking persona than the one you hear on record; almost as polarizing as her journey from NYC to Alaska.
Sounds like: A powerful, indie backbeat with the power of an Olympic weightlifter strong enough to hold up all of the musical love going on.
Link/Listen/Watch
