The Rosebuds: Indie Sounds of the "Night"

The Rosebuds Night of the Furies - 4/5 Narks

The Rosebuds are back with their latest offering, Night of the Furies and they've added a new twist to their style. The husband and wife duo of Ivan Howard and Kelly Crisp, known for their folk/indie rock melodies on the stellar Birds Make Good Neighbors, decided an electronic touch would be the perfect complement. This added element makes for catchy hooks that bring an indie-feel to the dancefloor.

The lead single, "Get Up Get Out", is one of the stand out tracks that showcases the group's embrace of dance beats. The dark, yet danceable tune features Ivan suggesting a companion the opportunity to "get out" and experience something new and exciting. It seems as though the song could also be in reference to this new and welcome sound the Rosebuds experimented with on Night of the Furies.

Other favorites include the grandeur sound of "Cemetary Lawns", the sonic handclaps on "Hold On To This Coat", and the odd, yet foot-tapping "I Better Run". The cowbell infested track features Ivan as a one man choir on the chorus, while Kelly seductively speaks of family heirlooms and her need to escape (as far as I can tell).

The only bad thing I can mention about the Night of the Furies is the short track list. At 9 tracks, it leaves the listener eager for more. Maybe its the fact that I am used to most rap (not hip-hop) albums that boast bloated tracklists 19 to 22 songs deep. Those albums usually contain garbage skits and filler tracks that aren't worth more than one listen. Fortunately, the replay value of the Rosebuds music is very high, especially on this album.

In the Rosebud's bio, it states "we set about recording these and other stories right away and Night of the Furies is the result. It is a dark, sexy, danceable, nuanced, and sublime record." And they effectively did so, its just a shame there wasn't more of it.

The Rosebuds - I Better Run

The Little Ones - West Coast "Sing Song"

The Little Ones is an indie pop group from Los Angeles that has an penchant for writing addictive hooks over festive instrumentals. Though they have only begun to gain notoriety in the indie realm, they already have amassed a small following on the road, opening for the likes of Tilly and the Wall and the Kaiser Chiefs. They were recently blessed with the rotation of their singles on the Zane Lowe Show and given a spot on the NME New Music Tour across Europe.

Their Southern California background and '60's pop influence is fittingly similar to fellow West Coast alumni, The Beach Boys. On their first release, Sing Song EP, The Little Ones use handclaps along with traditional instruments to create catchy tracks reminiscent of Pet Sounds. "Cha Cha Cha" comes off as beachside guitar pop with a chorus featuring wave-like strokes that sound inspired by the Pacific.

I first heard "Lovers Who Uncover" on the greatest college radio station in the country, Impact89 FM. I managed to write down their name for further research, all while dodging orange barrels and orders from ornary, middle-aged "ruffers" at Michigan State University last summer.

The Little Ones - Lovers Who Uncover

Scott Matthews: More Than "Passing"

One of the best songs of last year was finally rewarded for its excellence. It wasn't a Grammy or American Music Award, it was an Ivor Norvello award. Until today, I had never heard of the awards, but it is well deserved in this instance. "Elusive" by Scott Matthews was given the prestigious British award for merit in songwriting and composing.

Scott Matthews is part of the wave of singer/songwriters from across the pond and has shown he can craft a great song in a variety of styles. His debut album, "Passing Stranger", covers America-esque storytelling ("Elusive", "Earth to Calm"), experimental rock ("Dream Song", "Eyes Wider Than Before", "City Headache") and even some bluegrass ("Passing Stranger", "Sweet Scented Figure"). The effort is very much worth checking out.

"Elusive" is a bare-bones tale of a woman who always seems to be just out of reach. Matthews' chilling voice reverberates over the subtle guitar strums and elevates later with the background vocals that could easliy be mistaken for a string section. On the chorus he states "She's elusive and I'm awake,/You're finally real, there's nothing fake./A mystery now to me and you, /Open my eyes and I'm next to you./She said my destiny lies in the hands that set me free." But he later realizes his love interest is only part of his past and may only be accessible through memories.

Scott Matthews will open for Snow Patrol at Freedom Hill Ampitheatre in Sterling Heights on August 6th.

Scott Matthews - Passing Stranger



**I posted both a zshare link and an audio player your your listening pleasure. Any comments as to your preferences would be greatly appreciated.

The Hood Internet: "Doe Boy" With A Backpack

I have to admit, I wasn't a huge fan of the rap/rock infusion craze that took over the past few years. The Linkin Park/Jay-Z collaboration was fine ("Points Of Authority/99 Problems" was my favorite) and the unauthorized Nine Inch Nails/50 Cent "In The Club/Closer" mash-up was a crowd pleaser, but neither were ground-breaking (see trendsetters Run DMC & Aerosmith).

But last week, on two occasions, I read about a forum where indie rock was blended with rap. My new musical passion, combined with the genre I grew up with and promoted countless times, no way? I thought I might have accidentally fell into the rabbit hole and was being messed with. With all the buzz, I had to check out the Hood Internet website. I found that all the hype was justified. Not only do most of the tracks intertwine perfectly, but there are Photoshopped pictures of these supergroups together (Whats not awkward about Project Pat standing next to The Avalanches?). So even if a Modest Mouse/Lil' Wayne album doesn't happen in the near future, at least you can imagine what it would be like if it did.

My personal recommendation (Three 6 Mafia hasn't sounded this classy since the Academy Awards):

Three 6 Mafia & The Hold Steady - Doe Boys And Fresh Girls In America

Common: Top Of "The Game"

I have pretty much abandoned rap on this blog. Frankly, there isn't much to get excited about anymore. There are an abundance of great producers, old (Timbaland, DJ Premier, Neptunes, Just Blaze, Kanye, etc.) and new (9th Wonder, Danja, RJD2, Hi-Tek, Cool & Dre), who craft eclectic and head-nodding beats, but there is a lull in the MC department.

The past favorites that I grew up with are still around, but their output has waned tremendously. Kingdom Come was better than most of 2006's offerings, but was nowhere near Jay-Z's best. 50 Cent has been basically phoning in his bars since his debut and his G-Unit cronies are just as bad (Lloyd Banks' The Rotten Apple was self-explanatory). Eminem has fell off the map (but due for a comeback), trading in lyrical lessons ("Stan" and "Renegade" to name a few) for club songs ("Smack That" and "Shake That"). Little Brother broke up after knocking out two classic hip-hop records (The Listening and The Minstrel Show). OutKast decided to make movies, instead of groundbreaking albums. Andre 3000's verse on "Walk It Out" is the best guest appearance in years, but just makes me want more. Lil' Wayne, TI and Kanye are leading the charge by gaining credibility and stellar album catalogues. The Carter III, TI vs. TIP and Graduation should only bolster their resumes in 2007.

The new crop of commercial rappers doesn't seem to bring much hope. Young Jeezy is a poor man's TI, with amazing production, but a horrible lyricist. Rich Boy was blessed with hit single (although overshadowed by Kanye's hilarious remix), but the album failed to yield the same results. The only bright spot is Lupe Fiasco, who had one of the best albums of 2006 with Food and Liquor. He is currently crafting the follow-up, with hopes of collaborating with Kanye and Pink Floyd (what?).

But is that it? Was Nas right when he titled his gem of 2006, "Hip Hop Is Dead"?

Fortunately, there is one rapper who has consistently defied that statement, and continues to impress with age. Common, one of Chi-Town's finest, has been on fire since hooking up with fellow Windy City alumnus, Kanye West. Their work on 2005's Be, resulted in one of the best hip-hop albums in years and best of any genre that year. Favorably, they decided not to mess with a good thing and continued their relationship on Finding Forever. Guest includes British songstress Lily Allen, D'Angelo, Will.I.Am, Dwele, posthumus production by JDilla. If the first single, "The Game", is any clue as to what is to come this summer, Common's 7th album could be his best.

Here is the first single and one of my all time favorite songs from Be:

Common ft DJ Premier - The Game


Common - Be

Feist: A Welcome "Reminder"

Feist The Reminder - 4/5 Narks

Whether she meant to or not, Leslie Feist's The Reminder is more than just a random album title. Budding songstress Feist, more than adequately makes a suggestion as to what mainstream music could be: clever, catchy, thoughtful songs, breezily sung over passionately arranged instrumentation. It doesn't even have to be classified as "indie". With her jump from a small, independent label to Interscope, it could easily be great pop music.

"1 2 3 4" (and its great video) has already jump-started the buzz with a persuasive plea to a past love. With folk guitar (maybe banjo) chords, jazzy piano and choir backing, Feist does her best to playfully woo her admirer. She explains why the relationship didn't work before with the old saying "put the horse before the cart." "The Park" sounds like it was genuinely recorded at that exact location featuring cricket chirps, a subtle wind, and slight vocal distortion (but never threatens the quality), as if you were hearing a well-trained street performer. The bluesy, "Sea Lion Woman" potently tells the story of a lady who has two sides to her, a shady temptress and an ideal wife. Feist's narrative is backed by hand claps and gospel-inspired chants of "She lied" and "She loved" after each bar that serve as warnings to potential suitors.

Feist is at her best when the tempo picks up on"I Feel It All" and "My Moon My Man". On "I Feel It All", her breath-filled approach at singing various lengths of stanzas relates to the moody subject matter (a uneven, if not hurtful relationship). This technique intertwines with the syncopated acoustic strums and returns unconventional, but welcome results. "My Moon My Man" uses the same intermittent, fluttering singing procedure, but with a hauntingly low-keyed piano and bass. Feist cleverly narrates this ode to a beau who has similar habits to a certain celestial body ("Take it slow/Take it easy on me/Shed some light/Shed some light on it please").

Feist's airy vocals are refreshing and a perfect fit for this folk and jazzed-infused treasure. The Reminder should be a hint to the mainstream of what pop music could be.

Feist - I Can Feel It All

Jack Penate - Soon To Be "Star"

Jack Penate is an up and coming musician from Blackheath, London and is gaining steam as he moves up the British music charts. His first single, "Second, Minute or Hour" lead the charge as an introduction to Penate's ska-inspired riffs, intertwined with tales of young love. His latest release, the exceptional Spit At Stars EP, and lively tour across England, continues to ensnare fans and followers (including BBC Radio One DJ Zane Lowe) along the way. The lead track, "Spit At Stars" frantically brings Penate's flair for rockabilly tunes to the mainstream. A jolly keyboard and kinetic guitar strums characterize this catchy ode/warning to pessimists.

Jack Penate - Spit At Stars