All posts by j. walkos

listen, reviews

Tobacco – Maniac Meat (Review)

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Tom Fec, the mastermind behind O&B Best Of 2009 alum Black Moth Super Rainbow, is back with his other project. Tobacco is a psychedelic, glitch-pop, one-man supergoup that’s one acid trip from the loony bin — in a good way.

With Maniac Meat, Fec continues the electro buzz-saw sound he created on his first full-length, Fucked Up Friends. Shying away from the ambient, slowed-down grooves of Black Moth Super Rainbow, Maniac Meat is, well, meatier. The more robust, aggressive sounding effort leans on Beastie Boy-ish beats and tons of synth layers.

Lending an air of prestige to the proceedings, the one and only Beck (who Fec has said produced his favorite album ever, Mellow Gold) appears on two tracks. Continue reading…

interviews

Poetic Memory: The Miserable Rich (List)

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When I listen to Brighton, England’s The Miserable Rich, I feel like I should be chasing a wheel of cheese down a cobblestone street somewhere in the South of France.

Well, not all of their songs make me feel that way. The song I speak of is called “Somerhill” — off the band’s excellent Of Flight and Fury LP — and it just has that old-timey, European feel to it. Their sound is typically referred to as chamber pop, but after a deeper listen, the plucky folk influence begins to shine through. If you’re a fan of Beirut or Fanfarlo, The Miserable Rich are a must-listen.

The band’s swirling, whimsical orchestral arrangements can feel lighter than air, but it is front man James de Malplaquet’s sincere, quivering croon that keeps the songs from floating away. De Malplaquet decided to create a list of the things that keep him grounded. His Poetic Memory is below. Continue reading…

interviews

Poetic Memory: Red Wire Black Wire (List)

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Red Wire Black Wire are originally from Connecticut but now call the hip streets of Brooklyn their home.

Drawing from a palette of new wave influences that includes Depeche Mode and The Human League, the six-piece use synth-heavy, melancholic rock songs to paint a surrealistic picture of life in the big city. The success of their first LP, Robots and Roses, has helped the band build up a solid fan base in New York. Red Wire Black Wire are currently preparing an as-yet-untitled EP of remixes and B-sides for release this year.

Lead singer Doug Walters recently gave us a peek at the music that has shaped his band’s sound. His Poetic Memory is below. Continue reading…

art/books/film, interviews

Poetic Memory: Sparrow and the Workshop (List)

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Sparrow and the Workshop are the latest indie folk offering from across the pond. Comprised of Jill O’Sullivan (vocals/guitar), Gregor Donaldson (drums/vocals), and Nick Packer (bass), the Glasgow three-piece churn out soft, ambling ballads with ominous undertones. The lovely Ms. O’Sullivan was kind enough to provide us with a list of some of her favorite musically inspiring films:

This is a list of films I have seen throughout my life that have inspired me to go out and either a) buy the soundtrack, or b) buy music by nearly every artist on said soundtrack. I also think people might like to check these films out. This is by no means a list of the best movie soundtracks ever, because I haven’t seen enough films to have anything resembling authority on the matter. Okay, so here is the list in no particular order…

To find out how O’Sullivan gets from Jim Jarmusch to Winnie Cooper in four moves — after a quick stop in Finland — check out her Poetic Memory below. Continue reading…