“There’s a reason that the culture of the 1980s is experiencing a resurgence right now. Just as there’s a reason that we’re in the early days of getting more build-up of 90’s nostalgia. …The pattern is this: pop culture is forever obsessed with a nostalgia pendulum that regularly resurfaces things from 30 years ago. There are a number of reasons why the nostalgia pendulum shows up, but the driving factor seems to be that it takes about 30 years for a critical mass of people who were consumers of culture when they were young to become the creators of culture in their adulthood.”

Well, that building-up of 90s nostalgia is on full display with Beat Awfuls and their new album PAWS.  It was told to me in the press release accompanying the record, Dave Vicini (the band’s founder and songwriter) is a big fan of The Breeders, The Velvet Underground, and Violent Femmes, which continues to track for that idea. Also, in those notes, “These songs are meant to linger, seductive like a pop hook, all while Vicini explores themes of disaffection, drug dependency and the realities of late-stage capitalism.” Which is not unlike the music and lyrical themes of many of those 90s rock bands. 

There are solid tracks on this record. Lyrically and musically. The guitar sounds, vocal deliveries, and the head-rocking, shoulder-swaying melodies take me back to those alt-rock days. Beat Awfuls’ (Allison Apperson, Russell Lacy, Kelly Queener, and Dave Vicini) PAWS, an acronym for “Post-Acute Withdrawal Syndrome, is good. I like it. It swarms me in a warm and welcomed nostalgia. I recommend it. So, grab your best plaid. Lace-up those doc martens, and give this record a spin.

The post Can’t repeat the past? Why, of course you can! BEAT AWFULS “PAWS” appeared first on Quip Magazine.

Well, the classic music reviewer trope is that of a person sitting in a small apartment with stacks of vinyl records, CDs, and cassettes strewn across the room. A typewriter or computer with a half-finished article in front of them, as a half-smoked cigarette balances on a nearby ashtray. Some music posters on a wall, and books about, or written by, musicians stacked on every shelf, and every table. The unkempt hair, the band t-shirt, the empty fridge except for an expired carton of milk, and what’s left of last night’s take-out. And with this visual, which you can probably smell through your screen, comes an air of superiority. A comical, nose-in-the-air attitude toward all those who haven’t heard of whatever obscure band the reviewer can think of. 

But, really, at its heart, reviewing an album or band is just one step removed from talking to a friend about what you’re listening to these days. Like this:

A friend asks: “Heard anything good lately?” 

 “I just heard this band called Widows Gold. Have you ever heard of them?” I reply,  

“No”. 

“That’s alright. I hadn’t heard of them before last week either. They’re a female-fronted rock band, from California. It’s husband/wife duo Ben Sauer [guitar] and Madeline Star [vocals], with Ian Zamora [bass] and Carson Ford [drums]. They are about to release their debut album called Love Drops” 

“That’s cool”.

“Yeah, Madeline’s voice, and the sound of the band, sound very familiar and completely new at the same time. After listening, I’m sure you’ll recognize the similar DNA in this music to some of the other rock bands of the past decade or two that you’ve liked listening to”. 

“Well, all music builds upon what’s come before. And, to paraphrase Newton, if one has seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants,” my friend replies. 

“Exactly. Y’know, I really liked the song, “My Time to Talk”.  Nice melodies, nice basslines, and guitar work. And a powerful vocal performance, that propels the music forward. It’s eight songs, and it’s a good piece of music to listen to, from start to finish.”

“Thanks, I’ll check it out,” 

“Do it! If you’re in the mood for some rock, I think it’ll treat you right.”

“Right on,” says my friend. “So, how’s this music review going? Are you enjoying the work?”

“What I like about writing album reviews is the introduction to new music. Discovering new bands and artists I’d never heard of prior to their album landing on my desk,” I say. 

“Now, to be honest,” I continue, “I often wish I hadn’t learned of a new artist. Often this introduction just makes me lament the state of modern music. But every so often, a band and an album come into view and you’re glad for it. A fresh wind sweeps in, to blow the stagnant air away.”

“Like Widows Gold?”

I nod. “Yeah. Like Widows Gold.” 

The post A conversational review of Widows Gold new record “Love Drops” appeared first on Quip Magazine.

I sat by the river, under a clear blue sky, on a warm summer day. The trees swayed in the warm air. The music of the branches played, as the wind swept through the leaves. Ah, Nature’s beautiful song. The river rolled and rippled nearby, while I stretched out on the grass, listening to Minoa’s new album, Forward, Backward, Start Again, out August 19th via Listenrecords.  The instruments blended perfectly with the weather, and her voice floated on the breeze. I heard her sing, “Laying by the gleaming river, breathing in the summer winds… We had no idea that we once had gold, something really beautiful, something special,” and I was hooked. 

Now, the press release that I received, which accompanied this new record, told me that Minoa’s (whose real name is Ina Kloss, and is an American-born, German singer-songwriter) album, “reveals an extraordinary sense of songwriting and melodies and wraps it up in an unconventional, yet recognizable indie-alt-pop sound”. Well, that all sounds like something, and I’m going to continue to pretend like I know exactly what indie-alt-pop is.

But really, I will tell you that, yes, I think this album does have great songwriting and melodies. I’ll also tell you that my favourite song, at the moment, is “Something Special”. There’s just something about it. Maybe it’s the most indie-alt-pop. Or maybe it’s the least. Whichever is better. But, the music, the performance, and the lyrics – talking about the river, finding poems, and losing time – are all just great, and really hit home as I sat there in the shade, among the trees, the breeze, the birds, and the bees. But I also think that this is one of those albums where a new song will become my favourite, with each re-listen. 

The album rocks and roars, and softly sway as well. There are ballads there to balance out the harder stuff. But what’s more, is that this is an album where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. 

The record ends with its first single. A song that asks why we can’t go back in time. I suppose, in reference to a romance that has come and gone. Or simply to those golden years. But the truth is, Minoa’s album does take you back in time. To a time when an album was made with its entirety in mind. Where the tracks are sequenced with intention, and with a complete story to tell. An album that’s meant to be played from start to finish. An album with a Side A and Side B. Forward, Backward, Start Again takes you back to a time when 5, 6, and 7-minute songs were the norm, not the exception. And that final song, “Wanna Go Back in Time” perfectly matches the vibe of the opening song, creating this lovely bookend. With that, I suppose it simply takes you back to the time you first pressed play on this album.

What else is there to say? Minoa’s album is well worth the listen. Take it out by the river. It’s good. It’s gold.

The post Minoa album review: “Forward, Backward, Start Again” appeared first on Quip Magazine.