Quick thoughts on Manhattan Murder Mystery

Well if you read my blog or just talk to me about music you know I am obsessive over the local band Manhattan Murder Mystery and they have some news I would like to share with you. Well they are going to be rocking a residency on Monday nights at the Spaceland Satellite this December and as you should know it's free to get in on Monday nights so if you can get there you should. Plus they have a new EP coming out that they are releasing with the first night of their residency. Listen to this new song off the EP and fall in love with what might be Matt's catchiest guitar hook yet... City Hall by Manhattan Murder Mystery

Oh and plus the boys over at Thrillhouse Productions are coming out with music video for MMM's Owen Hart and here is a sneak peak preview of said video.

Manhattan Murder Mystery - Owen Hart Teaser from Thrillhouse Productions on Vimeo.

Death to Anders - Don't Give Up EP

Well out of the new music that has been released in the past month what I have been listening to the most is the new EP by Death to Anders released on October 25th, 2011 entitled Don't Give Up which you can pick up on their bandcamp page.

What continues to impress me with their music is the impressive guitar playing and the standout track to me, "Grizzy", comes out with a rollicking guitar riff that has a bigger sound than you get from a lot of local acts and reminds me of how a Queens of a Stone Age or Foo Fighters might open up their rock anthem single off of their latest release.

So the rest of this five track release doesn't fail to impress either. You cannot listen to anything by Death to Anders without noticing lead vocalist Rob Danson's unique and amazing voice. He hits so many interesting notes both musical and emotional while singing that can only be done by him. Even when slowing it down on the title track of the EP "Don't Give Up" the strong songwriting and unique sound that Death to Anders have carved themselves in the Silver Lake indie rock scene showcases their talent and songwriting is at an all time high on this latest release. I for one cannot wait for what comes next from Death to Anders because if 'Don't Give Up' is any indication of what lies ahead for this new lineup much and more great music is to come. So if you have the chance pick this up and go see them live for a great show as well.

I hope this embedding of my favorite track grizzy works for your listening pleasure.

Thrice House of Blues Anaheim 10/9/11

Wow so it has been much too long since I updated this, do to outside circumstances it is going to continue to be difficult to get out and review shows. Although I do want to continue to write about music and the Silverlake/Echo Park music scene in general and they are quite a bit of new music out there that I want to talk about and will start posting up soon.

Now onto a show I have been looking forward to for a while I think I bought my ticket to this show the morning it went on sale 6 months ago. Well the first opening band was O'Brother and were my least favorite of the three openers. They had hard atmospheric rock sound to the band and I liked some of their heavy moody guitar and bass lines but drumming really wasn't doing it for and seemed to simplistic and just not quite what I wanted. So that really pulled me out of the band in general.

The second band, Moving Mountains was my favorite of three opening bands. They had a sound that harkened back to older Thursday and 'Artist in the Ambulance' era Thrice with a good mix of melody and hard riffs. They were just a solid band and the vocalist really impressed with very strong screaming vocals that he was able to transition back to his melodic singing without any problems. Definitely will be picking up at least their newest release to dig a little deeper into their sound.

The third band up, La Dispute the first couple songs sounded exactly like I was listening to At The Drive In. It was really uncanny how the lead singer of La Dispute sounded like Cedric Bixler-Zavala in both sound and style of singing. Later in the set their songs had an even heavier quality then At The Drive In ever did and it was kind of nice hearing that particular style of post-hardcore music again. Their energy onstage while playing was fantastic, particularly the lead singers, which helped win me over into liking their music. I am definitely interested in checking out more of their music.

And then Thrice came out and probably never sounded better than they have on this tour, though I think I believe that statement is true every new time I go and see them. They opened up with Yellow Bellow, the opener off their latest album and the wicked hard baritone guitar riff that opens the song rocked the house and got the pit going strong, fast and hard early. Then they really kept it rocking hard with the next three songs 'Promises', 'All The World Is Mad'(which guitar riff sounded even more sinister in mood this tour than last), and 'The Weight'. Their next song 'In Exile' was a nice break from all the hard rocking of the opening of the set and my body and vocal chords thanked them for the nice little break. Next up was one of my favorite new songs 'Call it in the Air' which soaring chorus sounded like it was meant to be played for a big live show. Then the floor went crazy as soon as the super heavy opening riffs for 'Silhouette' started and continued through tto the next song Cold Cash and Colder Hearts which had thrashing and screaming my lungs out along with the some older tunes. After that was time again to slow it down again and get into more atmospheric rock they have been doing since their album Vheissu. First with 'Circles' where the ending guitar solo was just perfect and just penetrates you even more listening live than what you can experience at home. After that came two new tracks 'Treading Paper' and 'Words in the Water' which I hope 'Treading Paper' because a live staple for years to come as it hearing it live really took another level. Well it took it to the same level as what 'Of Dust and Nations' is as in a live setting and when it gets to Teppie guitar solo at the end of the song it just mind-blowing how in awe of their musicianship and everything really about Thrice that I am in love with. 'Firebreather' was just explosive and putting it as kickstarter for the epilogue of their set to only go into "The Earth Will Shake" and it's epicness is just insane. I really enjoyed the extra touch of having the some of the guys from the opening bands come out and add to percussion during the "chain gang" part of 'The Earth Will Shake'. Their set ended was 'Anthology' of the new album which is a great way to end it as it a song in sound that really sums up everything that is the Thrice sound, being melodic yet hard and showcasing great musicianship.

The encore rocked my life. Then went old school with playing one song off of each of the first two albums. And they weren't songs they have played in quite some time. I was so happy that they played 'Phoenix Ignition' it is easily my favorite song off of their first two albums and one I have never heard live as I didn't make it to one of their shows until the Vheissu tour. And this being in front of the hometown crowd Dustin and Ed Breckenridge just had the biggest grins on their faces as the whole building was singing the opening to 'Phoenix Ignition' and went it kicked into the guitar riff the floor went the craziest it had been the whole night and continued the utter insanity all the way through the next and final song of the night, 'To Awake And Avenge The Dead'.

This was an absolute magical night to remember. And really their is no experience that compares to shared communal joy of seeing a band you love with hundreds of other people that love the band just as much. So as I finish this up I am envious of all those that are enjoying their second night at the House of Blues Anaheim tonight and already cannot wait until the next time their next tour.

Thrice - "Major/Minor" review

Well I am going to try writing my first album review, I thought about doing it for any of the three great albums that came out last week which I might post some quick thoughts on later still. But before I get sidetracked, what I am really here to ramble on about for this post is the seventh studio album by Orange County rockers Thrice called 'Major/Minor'. Now if you didn't know Thrice has been in the ring as my favorite band since their fourth experimental post-hardcore rock record 'Vheissu'. While I enjoyed their early efforts as an OC hardcore band it wasn't until they left that familiar sound of shredding and screaming and experimented into a more atmospheric genre defying rock band that my fandom really took hold. And they really proved that with their next release 'The Alchemy Index' which is four separate EP's that just blew my mind with how great their were. They followed that up with an album that was a much more straightforward album, 'Beggars' that could fit in with any indie-rockers record collection. That brings us to the current record which has keeps the vibe of the last record but also feels much bigger and rocks way harder then their last few efforts from start to finish. As I listen to it for already probably the 20th odd time since coming out last Tuesday I think I have enough of a handle on this album to talk about it.

It opens up with 'Yellow Belly' that brought back the baritone guitar from the Fire EP with a dirtier sound then used on those songs, really just a hard, dirty, grimy tune all around that setups up the harder tone of this record well. I don't want to talk about every song so I am going to move on to 'Blur' just because it kicks off with such a blast from the past with such a high tempo if not the all-out shredding of their first three albums that it is great to hear them kick it up a notch like that again. Lastly on a single song basis I have to talk about 'Anthology' by far my favorite track on the album. It is a great representation of what Thrice's sound is. Their is a great beautiful melody to the track all the while having a heavy vibe to it. And the riffs by Teppei Teranishi on guitar are a soaring and beautiful star of the track.

So Riley Breckenridge on the drums puts in a superb effort that really stuck out to me while listening. He really is a driving force to this album on drums and it is his best work behind the kit on any of their albums in my opinion. As always Dustin Kensrue as a singer and lyricist continue to shine. I love how his voice have matured over the years in this band and he really gets after it in this album. Their is a real passionate weight and grittyness to his singing and he really howls with rage throughout the album. Couple that with his wonderful lyrics like this from the opening track.

You were built for blessing but you only make them bleed, but you don’t care, you don’t care.
And bruises are but shadows of the blackness that you breathe but you don’t care, you don’t care.
The light that's left inside their eyes is darkened day by day but you don’t care, you don’t care.
The presence pulls the color from the world til all is grey
but you don’t care, you don’t, you don’t, you don’t.

Those along with the rest of the lyrics throughout the record give for a much darker tone in their sound on this effort. Another element that drives home the darker feel is the overall strong songwriting and instrumentation throughout 'Major/Minor. Their songs have a great atmosphere to them that really know how to let a song breathe when needed or at other times have a dense hard rocking sound that never feels cluttered. Their really isn't an element of this band that I do not enjoy, which brought about another stellar effort with this release. The three tracks that are highlights in particular for me are 'Yellow Belly', 'Call It In The Air', and 'Anthology'. The third of which I have embedded from soundcloud. Let me know what you think...

Thrice - Anthology by Vagrant Records

Wed. 9/14/11 - Jeremiah Red & The Silent Comedy

Went to a show within 15 minutes of where I live, what a novel concept. Though I still couldn't make it to the Continental Room on time to be able to see Kopecky Family Band which I heard some friends say were quite good. And I feel bad because they came all the way from Nashville so not like I will easily get the chance to easily see them again. Well onto what I did see. So the first band I was there to see perform was Jeremiah Red and they unleashed an explosive set of southern style rock that I could really get behind. This was some serious no bullshit rock n roll that was exactly what I wanted and actually had the majority of the Orange County bar scene engaged in the show. The lead guitarist had some very impressive guitar parts that really drove the songs. I also loved the passion and soul that came through the band while they were singing. I am definitely looking forward to checking them out again and again.

The other band I saw that night was The Silent Comedy who are a band from San Diego and also are in the Southern Rock genre or style or whatever. A little less rock and a little more melody then Jeremiah Red but still a damn good show was put on. And when they needed to rock out they did it full out and really ended on a high note with the lead singer/bass guitarist out in the crowd that really pushed their set over the top and you couldn't help but want to stomp or clap or do whatever along with the song, just be a part of the this special moment that they created while playing the hell out of a great a song. Along with the lead in the crowd they had their banjo(who was also on the mandolin or guitar for certain songs) player standing on the divide that separated the crowd from the stage towering over us and making it seem larger than life and just adding to the overall atmosphere of rocking balls to the wall out. Though I can't believe I got this far and haven't mentioned the keyboardist, who was excellent, and whose parts were the main driving force of most of the songs and gave them a really fun vibe that made you want to move your feet. I am a little mad at myself that I walked out of their without grabbing one of their records but my friends that I was with were ready to head home so off we went. I highly recommend if you see The Silent Comedy playing somewhere you should check them out.