Posts Tagged ‘Philadelphia’

HOP ALONG – ” Live On KEXP “

Posted: June 13, 2015 in MUSIC
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Hop Along performing live in the KEXP studio. Recorded May 29, 2015.

Songs:
Texas Funeral
The Knock
Waitress
Tibetan Pop Stars
Powerful Man
Sister Cities

Hop Along has often been dubbed Philadelphia’s best kept secret. But for much longer? I really Don’t think so, with a superb collection of songs the new album should see them as rising stars.

Get Disowned, Hop Along’s first full-band album which they self-released in 2012, came out of seemingly nowhere to be one of the most staggeringly perfect records of the year. Ten songs that were as catchy as they were strange. The Philly four-piece can pull off this amazing trick where they make a lyric instantly stick in your head without needing to tether it to a traditional verse-chorus-verse structure.

Part of what makes Hop Along’s sound so unique is the brother-sister anti-chemistry of drummer Mark Quinlan and guitarist/singer Frances Quinlan. Mark, who grew up pounding away for heavier hardcore bands, and Frances, a student of the Jeff Magnum style of make-it-weird-until-it-works songwriting, meet somewhere in the middle. Sometimes they’ll bring things down to a hushed whisper, before pushing levels beyond breaking points, and weave the two extremes together at break-neck paces. And it’s all glued together with Frances’ inimitable voice—raggedy and raw, with a wild, untameable streak. Never duplicating, always unpredictable.

As a result of their musically mutated DNA, Hop Along could hold their own alongside just about anyone. And they have. They’ve been jammed onto bills with everyone from The Thermals to Fucked Up to Paint It Black.

Naturally, the “secret” of Hop Along has gradually gotten out over the last few years and by the time they were ready to work on their follow-up sophomore album, Painted Shut, they had a long line of industry suitors, out of which, Omaha indie staple Saddle Creek Records emerged victorious. If the album’s first single, “Waitress” is any indicator, Saddle Creek got a steal.

“Waitress” is everything that makes Hop Along great, distilled down into three and a half minutes. Frances’ idiosyncratic lyricism is on full display and as each minute of the track passes, the band seems intent on upping their own intensity, crescendoing until the song hits a tipping point. And then it just ends. A perfect way to tease an album.

This is all a long-winded way of saying this: There is no one out there like Hop Along. Not even close. And Painted Shut might just end up being the best album of the year.

HOP ALONG – ” Painted Shut “

Posted: June 11, 2015 in MUSIC
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Hop Along has had multiple lives. First conceptualized as a freak-folk solo act by Frances Quinlan, it progressed towards a fuller sound with the addition of Mark Quinlan on drums, Tyler Long on bass and Joe Reinhart (Algernon Cadwallader, Dogs on Acid) on guitar. Emerging as one of music’s most unique songwriters, the captivating vignettes Frances has weaved tell vivid stories of desperation and weary awakening. Her powerful voice is a spellbinding entity all it’s own, celebratory and raw, and one that can’t be shaken away. Their new album, Painted Shut, (out on May 5, 2015 via Saddle Creek Records) is their 2nd full-length (preceded by Get Disowned in 2012). However, this release marks their first time creating as a full-formed entity, arranging everything as a group. It was co-produced, recorded and mixed by John Agnello (Kurt Vile, Dinosaur Jr., Sonic Youth, etc.) in the great cities of Philadelphia and Brooklyn, and incidentally finished in the shortest span of time the band has ever made anything.

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Like their debut, Painted Shut is a series of accounts, a procession of fleeting characters. However, it diverges from its predecessor in its close-up, controlled approach (most of the album features the band recording live), Painted Shut is a grounded, less merciful image of many struggling adults in a severe landscapes.

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• Sophomore album and Saddle Creek debut from Philadelphia’s Hop Along
• Produced by John Agnello (Sonic Youth, Dinosaur Jr., Kurt Vile)
• One of the most anticipated albums of 2015
The concept of added value is on full display on this album. You sense that “Hop Along”, a band of indie folkies from Philadelphia, would be a decent rock outfit but not necessarily one marked out for special attention. The extra dimension is the voice of Frances Quinlan. She has a raspy and often strained delivery. Indeed, there is the feeling that sometimes she is struggling to meet the higher notes, yet it is her voice imperfections that make it perfect. Quinlan injects a dynamism and energy into these songs that charge at the listener and threatens your balance. Listen to the opener “The Knock” or the wondrous “Sister Cities” and marvel how in 2015 most of the best rock albums are led by bands fronted by women (See also Courtney Barrett and Speedy Ortiz).

“Painted Shut” is the band’s second album and the songs across its all too brief 41 minutes impress like a smart interviewee in a new suit. In tracks like “Powerful Man,” we also see that Quinlan is not afraid to bare her soul and, in this case, deep regret. It deals with an incident that occurred when she was eighteen years old and failed to intervene when she witnessed a father beating his young son after school. The hurt in her voice is tangible not least to her teachers indifferent reaction. The song, despite its raw subject matter, is nevertheless a slice of pure pop gold. The same judgement applies to “Texas Funeral” a quiet/loud anthem full of choppy chords and ramshackle beauty. Other tracks like “Waitress” show that the band have studied “In an Aeroplane over the sea” diligently, in short “lo-fi but lush”. Throughout Quinlan’s band comrades provide solid support although to hear her “go acoustic” on “Happy to see me” showcases an extraordinary talent who these musicians must treasure and nurture.

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Hop Along have enough special ingredients to rise above the indie crowd and surgically strike in territory occupied by some of the most popular new US bands. They have recently supported “War on Drugs” and time in the company of the great Adam Granducial can do not harm. “Painted Shut” really is a very good album, full of gold medal songs and a singer to die for. ​

CREEPOID – ” Shaking “

Posted: May 28, 2015 in MUSIC
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Philly-based four-piece Creepoid the band consist of vocalist/guitarist Sean Miller, bassist Anna Troxel, drummer Patrick Troxell, and lead guitarist Nick Kulp. Their third album, “Cemetery Highrise Slum”, is out on June 23rd via Geoff Rickly’s Collect Records, Check out the debut single release “Shaking,” a trembly-voiced slow jam that sees their addictingly romantic shoegaze sound at its most jagged and tormented. It’s feels like the ideal soundtrack for any late-night moment when you’re feeling buzzed and alone and down in the dumps, but according to Miller, it’s about a very specific kind of loneliness.

“For me, this song represents a longing for the past, As time goes by, you start to notice many of the people you grew up with have cashed in their chips and given up on themselves as individuals or critical thinkers. Perhaps the shimmer has gone from their eyes and they resent you for keeping yours, maybe they’ve remained the same and it’s you who has changed. Regardless, the path you all shared at one point is undeniable, and the memory of it comes with an everlasting sense of fondness that is simultaneously unforgettable and unattainable. I will always love the place where I grew up, even if it’s only for what it once was or what I perceived it to be at the time. That fond sadness is at the heart of this track.”

The GOODBYE PARTY – ” Crossed Out “

Posted: April 12, 2015 in MUSIC
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Previously playing in and around Philadelphia pop-punk trio The Ambulars, member Michael Cantor’s new solo album ‘Silver Blues’, released as The Goodbye Party, has a soft, sun-kissed, Brian Wilson feel to it. It’s a lilting college-rock dream that deserves to be a sleeper hit in 2015. Cantor started releasing home-recordings as The Goodbye Party. This solo project he would later fully flesh out to create his first full length album under that project, Silver Blues. A true labor of love, Cantor recorded most of the album himself, aided by drummer Joey Doubek (Pinkwash). Learning about recording and production as he went, he spent the better part of a year closed up in a makeshift studio, augmenting his album with cassette and analog 4-track recordings.

The result is an album that exists within its own universe, one that weaves in and out of itself, floats and sinks, held together by its own internal logic. Silver Blues is full of lush orchestral strings, built on top of degrading cassettes and feedback and ecstatic power-pop anthems that bleed out into vocal dirges.

SHEER MAG – ” Hard Lovin “

Posted: April 11, 2015 in MUSIC
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Photo: Press/Marie Lin
Like a more lo-fi Strokes playing T Rex covers, Sheer Mag’s recent self-titled EP was one of last year’s most thrilling listens. Frenetic guitars merge perfectly with singer Christina Halladay’s OTT personality, and she has perhaps the best voice in rock since Beth Ditto stepped up to the mic.
Philly’s Sheer Mag makes scruffy power-pop accessible enough to transcend the record collector set. They hit that sweet spot between low-frills classic rock a la Thin Lizzy and AC/DC and the energetic insolence of early punk, and make it sound as vital and exciting as ever through great songwriting.

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NOTHING – ” Something In The Way ” Nirvana Cover

Posted: April 7, 2015 in MUSIC
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Nothing’s cover of ‘Something In The Way’, off Robotic Empire’s second Nirvana tribute release. “Whatever Nevermind” sees a diverse range of bands covering the “Nevermind” album in full.

Instead of their trademark whitewash of guitar layers, NOTHING opts for a starker approach to the somber classic, with piano and vibrant vocals up front in Will Yip’s beautiful mix.

On April 18th, Robotic Empire will release their second Nirvana tribute, “Whatever Nevermind”, which features a number of bands covering the 1991’s iconic album “Nevermind” in full (for those of you somehow wondering, yes, this is the record with the naked baby on the cover). Here we premiere a cut, which sees Philadelphian band Nothing taking on “Something in the Way,” one of the album’s more somber tracks.

nothing-somethingWEB3

Nirvana nostalgia may feel like it’s a bit played out these days—we’re at the point where we’re getting critical essays about the critical essays about the critical essays about what the Seattle band means—but that doesn’t take away from Cobain and company’s incredible influence. The fact that in the year 2015, nearly two decades after Kurt Cobain killed himself, crews of young musicians are still regularly coming together to pay tribute to his work is nothing short of moving. In Nothing’s cover, the band proves themselves worthy. Vocalist Brandon Setta delivers, his trembling tenor voice—above a slow building burn of guitars by Dominic “Nicky” Palermo and piano by Mikele Edwards—somehow carrying the weight of the deeply emotional song, driven by nonsensical lyrics weirdly full of a titanic amount of self-analysis. Cobain was the expert of looking inward and trying to figure out just what the fuck was going on in his head. He made music because he needed to—not necessarily because he wanted to.

SHEER MAG – ” Button Up “

Posted: March 17, 2015 in MUSIC
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Philadelphia’s Sheer Mag came walking straight out of a garage with its debut EP late last year. Their recordings sound like they were pulled from a 10-inch dug out of a pile of Thin Lizzy albums, power chords and reverb everywhere. Now, they’re back with another 7-inch EP due later this year from Katorga Works.

On first single “Button Up”, the five-piece ups the production value, but only so that it can emphasize the scuzzy guitar chords that run amuck all over the track. Don’t be scared by having to dig through all those thorns, because underneath is a full stroll of a bass, a simple ticky-tack of a drum, and a hidden gem of a surfy guitar line. Check out the sheer magnitudesheer mag

 

GIRLPOOL – ” Jane “

Posted: March 15, 2015 in MUSIC
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Girlpool

Quickly rising Philadelphia-via-Los Angeles duo Girlpool gave their self-released debut EP a re-release on Wichita Records last year, and now they’re set to put out their first full length on the label. It’s called “Before The World Was Big“, and is due out on June 2nd. Their first single “Ideal World” is out now and you may recognize this one if you’ve seen them live. 

Girlpool are touring this year, including a run opening for Waxahatchee that hits NYC . They’ll also be at SXSW this month, where they’ll play a few shows including Speedy Ortiz and with  Metz, Mitski, Chastity Belt and more.

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CHEERLEADER – ” Demos “

Posted: March 6, 2015 in MUSIC
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Philadelphias Cheerleader have me so excited for what else is in store for us in 2014 after hearing their three great demos “New Daze,” “Do What You Want” and “Dreamer” over on Soundcloud.  I highly recommend jumping on the bandwagon now (be one of the first to recommend them to your friends) and streaming the greatness

SECRETLY CANADIAN – ” Songs Ohia ” Full Unsung Special On Folkadelphia

Posted: March 6, 2015 in MUSIC
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Today is the 13th year anniversary of the album by Songs Ohia ‘Didn’t It Rain’

Last night WXPN in Philadelphia aired the first of it’s Folkadelphia Unsung specials focusing on Jason Molina and Songs: Ohia, specifically ‘Didn’t It Rain’, which was recorded in Philadelphia in 2002.

Listen to the whole show here: http://bit.ly/xpn_songspecial_blog
Hear covers by local Philly artists: http://bit.ly/xpnfolk_sohspecial_covers
Hear the originals on Spotify: http://bit.ly/xpnfolk_songsoriginals

PLEASE Donate to MusiCares in honor of Jason Molina:www.grammy.org/musicares/donate

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Welcome to the first chapter of Folkadelphia’s new project that we’ve gotten in the habit of calling Unsung. In the history of music, there are many unsung artists and albums that we firmly clutch close to our hearts. These artists create the kind of music that we wish other people knew more about or cared more deeply for. We wish that we could share with others our exact feelings about how we’ve been touched and affected by some musicians. We want to show them the light. We want to sing these musicians’ unsung song for everyone to hear. With this series, we hope we can provide a way for people to connect with music that has been influential beyond its commercial impact and, perhaps, appeal. It’s never too late to find a new favourite band and honor their legacy and discography.

For this first part, we focused on what has become one of my favourite albums: Songs: Ohia’s Didn’t It Rain, which was recorded in Philadelphia in 2002. I never knew Jason Molina nor did I ever see him perform live while he was alive. I came to his music pretty late in the game too, just a handful of years ago during my college radio stint, but I always knew there was something special there. He could create these staggeringly beautiful portraits, often just with his words, his voice, and an acoustic guitar. He could also blow you out of the water with these epic guitar-heavy unabashed rock-and-roll tracks. But he always had a dark, brooding, introspective thematic quality I found appealing. I always pondered on the fact that while his lyrics felt so personal and tied to Molina himself, they were universal, they spoke to me, they spoke to others. I guess that’s just the hand of a master songwriter. He certainly was that and a lot more too.

During my years at college radio with my self-imposed solitude in the stacks and the listening room, I stumbled upon most of the Songs: Ohia and Magnolia Electric Co. catalouge. The album I was drawn to, but never felt like I could deal with or easily absorb was Didn’t It Rain. It felt like it was in its own little bubble, a perfect world that I was peering in at, perhaps as if through a glass darkly at the time. Secretly Canadian, Molina’s longtime record label, recently reissued the album with bonus tracks and demos, and it was just last year I finally revisited the record. Something must have clicked. Maybe it’s my age, my position in life, my mourning for the late songwriter, or it was just that time, but I fell for Didn’t It Rain‘s charm. It’s charm is that is without charm; the album is a bare bones affair, stripped of sleekness, studio magic, and flair. It was recorded live in a room in Philadelphia with a handful of people, some strangers to each other, and committed to tape with almost no overdubs or editing. This sounds a lot like some of the straight up folk records I admire from the early years of recording technology. Didn’t It Rain ends up being a snapshot in time, a near-perfect capture of creativity firing on all cylinders. You don’t always need walls of sound to impress, sometimes you just need a simple chord and a harmony, followed by silence to make an impact.

thanks so much to Folkadelphia for all of this article please check out their wonderful and informative site

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