Despite the name, despite what you think a band will sound like the moment you read the band's name, whether you are the type of person to judge a book by its cover, Dead Orchids’ album Things From the Fire Pt. 2 will have you at the edge of your biting tongue. Fires burn even after someone tries to smother the flames. Whatever Denver, Colorado is burning up, this four-piece band made up of Danny K, Robyn H, Joe Hodgson and Joe Jennings, from the past to the present, this mixture of post psychedelic, pure rock n' roll blues devils has nothing to fear. Nothing. When you wish as a music listener to come across a new discovery, we want a sound that will get us at the edge of our seats. We want an album that holds up, besides just the standard single that rotates on the radio. Dead Orchids delivered that type of album.

Besides being divided between whether or not you should go out and get some sun, or spend the day playing this record as loud as you can from your house, I must comment on Danny K and his guitar playing as well as his mixing of the album. I can only offer my applause since this album sounds better than most high standard recordings. But who wants crisp and clean anymore. Rock n' roll in essence is making a comeback, but honestly it has always been hidden, just waiting for the right individuals to come together and to make the sounds break through.

Evergreen Studios in Denver sure saw a hell of a lot of talent while Dead Orchids unleashed their grip on “Blue Elvis,” which become a favorite track of mine on this album.  A track that combines gritty guitars, explosive drumming and infectious vocals. A song like "Goodbye" explodes with a visceral explosion that made we wonder how awesome it would be to see these guys live. The anthemic "Black widow" is one of the strongest tracks on the album which could be considered a little slice of merica as the song soars with power and energy.

A polished Louisiana blues brings a clear vision to the track titled “The Wolf.” If teeth could be sucked into a vinyl groove, you'd promise to wager a bet on who could finish the deed to satisfaction first without breaking a sweat. What I like most is that this band is not afraid to show that this is an emotionally driven album. That's exactly what music is about. Throwing in emotion to make the listener embrace the effects you've put forth and therefore creating the presence of brilliance should be recognized.

The Troublez With Gender by Tyrone Macintosh has to do exactly with what the title says. The title is inspired by Macintosh’s inquiry into gender’s relationship within culture and society. The expectations that society may put on a man and the damage this may cause are only some of the questions he ponders on his latest release. His music is filled with avant-garde experimentation, which feels quite original in a day and age when being so is a feat within itself. The four songs on the EP revolve around a clarinet that provides the primary melodies of the songs which is then covered and manipulated by electronics. All the songs here are original enough to compete with the likes of a band like Xiu Xiu, Scott Walker, or even John Cage.  

The EP opener “A Sad Face is Good for the Heart” contains a oscillating synth as well as a kick drum, which provides a bed for the clarinet and vocals to dance together. The clarinet often trails behind the vocals creating a unique, cascading quality that was extremely unique yet enticing. What's most impressive about this song is even though this sort of composition may feel like alien territory to virgin ears there was still enough of a pop sensibility to have a hook. Underneath the experimentation was a pop song. “Are We Men or Machine” explores how culture can feed alpha male stereotypes into boys at a young age and the consequences that can occur because of that.  Macintosh’s voice here is what makes the song work as he finds a way to combine singing and talking. His deep almost hypnotic voice at times slowly sprawls across the mostly ambient music. “You Made a Mistake” dismisses any sort of percussion and is similar to “Are We Men or Machine” in that his singing style is similar. My favorite song on the EP was “Judas Iscariot,” which contained piano and when combined with his moaning vocals and what sounded like a typewriter made for one haunting affair.

After listening to this EP I felt similar to the way I felt after listening to A Promise by Xiu Xiu. I felt a bit creeped out and disturbed but at the same time impressed with the emotional layers that this type of music was able to uncover in me. It’s an interesting journey and will not be for everyone. With that said the music is original, often times entrancing and will leave a mark.   

King Friday is on a roll or maybe they are just that good as songwriters. King Friday’s previous releases This is Supposed to Be Fun and Let Him Eat Cake (Song of Birds) were lacking something. No, not incredibly memorable songs that sounded like a throwback to some of the best songwriters from the 60’s and 70’s because it had that but it was lacking one thing - drums. King Friday’s latest release entitled I Wanna Hold Your Gland” contains drums which give the songs a more of beatles-esque feel than a Paul Simon vibe that was present on their previous releases. The songs here are just as catchy, well thought and memorable as their other albums. If there is one issue I had with the album it would be that with the drums weren’t as clear as they could have been which muddied up some of the songs. I would have loved to hear these songs with the drums recorded in a professional studio. Besides that the vocals sounded clear and vibrant while the acoustic guitars sounded crisp. The songs are short but manage to feel like fully fleshed-out ideas - something that was sometimes missing in their previous releases.

“Baptize My Brain” is a catchy opener that exudes a playful, poppy feel that could easily be playing in the background as older men frolic in fields. Why they are doing this, I have no idea but this song would be playing. “All Right With You” is a song that would sound right at home playing on the radio aside “Penny Lane” in 1967. It has an instant classic type of vibe that gets stuck in your head before you know it. Possibly my favorite song on the album was “Fol-de-rol,” which was a dynamic, inspired song that seemed to have an almost perfect balance of sincerity  and melancholy. Another highlight was “So I’ll Be” which seemed to hit all the right points. The vocals were a standout here as the lead singer’s voice dripped with warmth and seemed to eloquently soar when the chorus hit. The album ends with “Daze” which is an introspective song but doesn't feel inappropriately heavy with the rest of the album.

So after three great albums in less than a year where does King Friday go from here? If I were their manager I would suggest getting in a professional studio to polish their sound. King Friday have an undeniable talent that is far and between these days and hope they continue to impress with their stellar songwriting and craftsmanship. 

Sally is taken from the perspective of a lovelorn girl. Or at least for this Brooklyn-Queens based band, that consists of Kristen Gudsnuk (lead vocals, glockenspiel, melodica, and tambourine), Jordan Cooper (guitar, accordion, back-up vocals) and Will Kastner (drums and percussion.  Sally’s EP We Are In A Car, details the lifelong assumptions of past relationships. To driving with your crush and you don’t want to say anything in case a car crash ensues. We’ve all had those fluttering stomach moments with its pop oriented melancholy.  What I liked most was how Jordan Cooper exactly described what the six-song EP should feel like – as if you had just watched a movie or in another respect that book that somehow captured the ways we tend to torture ourselves when it involves others. Crushes, loves and foremost heartbreak, that hard conclusion is allowing ourselves to move on. “Friends and Foes” shows the more attuned side to constructing a valuable anthem. Bands nowadays don’t necessarily have the gusto to attempt a drum pounding, three-chord guitar extravaganza. Plus it’s been a while since college rock has made a bit of a comeback since the prevalence of all the dance music. 

The album opens with the infectious "We Are In A Car" which is just about as perfect of a summer song you could ask for. The vocals melodies draw you in almost immediately as they sound recognizable, attractive, and unpretenious. Either way I was hooked after my first listen. They obviously know their sound as the next song is entitled "Summer Song" utilizes clean guitar with simple yet highly effective chord structures. The songs on this EP never arch the 3 minute mark which is absolutely appropriate for the type of music. With that there isn't a dud on the album.

The story about Sally is a pretty intriguing one, while Jordan technically wrote majority of the songs for a solo project, he felt that they more or less symbolized and would work better with Sally. So if you are into stories, concepts and the individuality of appreciating the thought process that went into making this EP, then by all means give We Are In A Car a shot. And plus who doesn't appreciate the use of multi-instrumentalists.

Kevin Stewart aka The So Long Showdown describes himself as “self-taught, metalhead (but not metal writer), retro gamer, small Midwestern town victim, husband and father of two, '80s child, over-caffeinated, hypochondriac. In a nutshell, 6'3" of pure tattooed awkwardness, with glints of success and blinding supernovas of failure.” The reason I mention this is because his latest effort entitled Radio Tower starts to make sense after knowing a bit more about him.  Radio Tower is a collection of 12 songs that were recorded over the last six years and they sound like 8-bit video games melded with power punk, acoustic ballads and heavy metal.

Listening to the album in its entirety is more like listening to a bunch of singles rather then a journey that has an end. This isn’t a bad thing and conceptually can work as we saw with Les Savy Fav’s Inches a couple of years back. Stewart has mainstream tendencies that can cause some concern when listening but there is enough originality here that I was able to look past them for the most part. The one thing you have to appreciate listening is how good the recording sounds. It is incredibly produced, almost over produced at times. It’s a professional sounding album that has a quality to it that a lot of indie albums lack.

The album starts with “Advisors,” which sounds like a mix between a sea shanty and a power pop ballad from the 80’s. No, I'm serious?! What’s even odder is the song works. Immediately switching gears on the second song entitled “Cellar King” which is a mish mash of video game music and heavy pop, which becomes a pretty vicious onslaught of sounds. There’s even a hip-hop breakdown in the middle of the song that somehow doesn't sound that out of place. It was clear to me at this point that Stewart didn’t give a rat’s ass about the cohesiveness of the album but it wasn’t until I heard the next song “Knock ‘Em Dead” which is primarily an acoustic ballad with some accompaniment that I realized that this guy might be the next big thing. With so much cross pollination of genres I felt like this is already becoming the norm for a lot of mainstream acts. How often do we see hip-hop artists incorporating rock elements in their songs? Or electronic artists like James Blake incorporating elements like r&b vocals into his tracks? Quite often I’d say. While Stewart may have more luck simmering down a bit and refining one style than incorporating everything under the sun, I have to admit it caught my attention. Stewart has created a genre-bending album that has its fair amount of highlights that sound professionally produced.

Formed in the early fall of 2012 Watershed Drag just released their sophomore album entitled Radiations which mixes elements of metal, 80’s glam rock and even math rock. The songs here are a mixed bag that sound like they are a bit out of time. The recording and sounds felt misplaced almost like I was listening to a Yes album at times. Guitars are the primary instrument on most of these songs but there are also a lot of synths present as well. The EP consists of five songs that all hit around the five minute mark and create a pretty decent flow listening to the album all the way through. Overall, the songs mostly fall into a favorable category songwriting-wise and often excel because of the technical ability of the players. The lead guitar playing is technically proficient and the metronome timing of the drums is spot on. I enjoyed Amy Fehrenbach’s vocals which had a distinct 80’s diva feel to them and sounded absolutely  appropriate for the music that was being played.

The album opener “Wolves” can’t sound much more retro. The bass sprawls as layers of vintage synths permeate the air leaving plenty of room for the vocals. It isn’t until about the two minute mark that we hear a shredding lead guitar and the intensity of the song raises a couple of levels. “Skyward’ abandons any discretion and starts with an onslaught of heavy metal riffs and airy synths that stop on a dime before a delicate piano riff begins to accompany Fehrenbach’s vocals. The catchiest and best performance by Fehrenbach was “The Ghost Of Winterfell.” That being said this was also the song that contained the most genre hopping. I have to say I was a bit taken back when I heard something that could be considered death metal change almost instantly to progressive 80’s glam rock. Perhaps the finest moment of the entire album is the last minute of “Affectation” which sounds like a powerful rock opera. 

The album takes inspiration from a number of different genres and while does it not completely succeed at melding them together at times showcases talented musicians, good songwriting and a solid attempt to meld  a number of different genres

Holler-Folk? I was unaware this genre existed but apparently this is how The Ghost Of Paul Revere describe themselves. I think you can describe it as a mix of bluegrass, folk, and older country music from the 50’s and 60’s. The notion of “Holler” is a tip of the hat to the old field hollers that workers would sing in unison that were used to get through the work day. After listening to their latest entitled North you start to understand why they used this term. The first thing that jumps out at you is the vocals in these songs. They are soulful, harmonized, and would often probably sound just as good without any musical accompaniment. 

Remember that movie with George Clooney called “Brother Where Art Thou?” – the kick ass Coen brother film that had a great soundtrack? The music here has a similar type of vibe and a very innate emotional center that will never be able to replicated by computer software ( at least not in the not too distant future). Banjos, mandolins, and acoustic guitars create beautiful cascade of strings on a song like “Wolves” while other songs are a bit more sparse such as “Kodiak.” The strings are gorgeous and played by talented musicians but ultimately serve as a background to the stellar vocal performances.

The first track “San Antone” starts with the line “I lost my heart in the heat of San Antone” in which the delivery immediately drips with heart and emotional reverence. I would have been fine with the song repeating the intro for three minutes but instead they opt to speed up the song which is something that will make even the most callous of individuals feel the unbridled joy of Holler-Folk. Second at bat is “Grandpa’s Chair” which takes things up a notch. It is a soulful number that contains some harmonica and mandolin. Other songs like “Mountain Song” have poignant lyrics about the sweat and blood poured during the vigorous days of living of the land. The album ends with “Spirit” which felt like a walk back home after a long day’s worth of work. It’s a song that revolves around the human condition and ultimately leads to the salvation of the soul. Simply put North is an album that shouldn't be missed.

Crompy began this album, The Karmic Loo, more than ten years ago. It has 18 songs on it, most of them three minutes long, which makes sense because there is a British 60s psychedelic pop thing going on and the length of a pop song back then was somewhere around three minutes long. Some of the songs are four or five minutes long, reflecting versatility and modern pop sensibility. Did Crompy really need ten years to craft this quite frankly great debut? Probably not, but it's here, it's now. Also Crompy is a New Zealander. Take that for what it's worth, but when it's regarding psychedelic pop, it's worth quite a lot. The Karmic Loo covers a bunch of topics that range from misanthropy, the throes of young love, the cosmic unfairness of life, comedy and love, love, love, LOVE. Crompy has a nice little petulant growl going, sometimes it makes a song awesome, like in the power-pop opener "Fight to Live" and other times it pushes the track into gushy waters, like in "Live! Love Life!”. It's a distinct sound his larynx makes, like an old man who knows he's grown up but doesn't want to be. Whether it works or not, it does create an attention-getting tension in the songs, which makes for interesting listening during The Karmic Loo's merry moments.

The production is excellent as far as letting all the sounds breath. Each instrument is given its own space for exploration in the track, and the tracks are built with Crompy's voice, not for it. The music as a whole primarily retains a soft, silly folk approach, sometimes suddenly becoming riotous. Indeed some of the more delicately arranged numbers can shift into an Elephant 6 outtake with no warning. Throw in the odd schizophrenic studio touch, and this album has plenty going for it musically. Crompy's lyrics straddle that line between the pleasant pop mechanics of decades past and being so shamelessly saccharine it's sickening. In “Telegram,” Crompy accuses you that "You've been sending me purple butterflies again my love/you've been sending me messages from turtledoves.” He walks a fine line but manages to pull it off for the most part.

The songs as individual components are not boring. But listened to one after the other for nearly 20 tracks, the sound gets a little too familiar. Is that even a factor in reviewing an album since everyone can just shuffle their stuff across the board? At some points Crompy even starts recycling melodies and song structures. "Rohita Bonita" recalls the same nursery rhyme tactics Crompy displays in "Amy.” So did Crompy need ten years to make this album? It doesn't sound like it. What it does sound like is a man having fun with the musical ideals of Syd Barret, Roy Wood and whoever was leading The Pretty Things in songwriting. As far as debuts go, Crompy has already established a sound recognizable as his own and one that begs to be explored further.

When did people from South Carolina get into industrial beats? The easy part would be calling this an instrumental hip-hop album, because, well, it's what it is, and getting away with it. But the numerical rating I've given to this only begins to scratch the surface of my thoughts for Imagery, So Dark. Julian Mentch prefers to toil near the dangerous side of things. His world is powerful and confrontational. There's a relaxed approach to music making here, and yet the tracks shiver with energy. "Murdered Imagery" gives off the air of a futuristic speakeasy, bursting with saloon-style piano riding neo-noir fuzz and being supplemented by a choir from more pure parts. The "I'll bleed you slowly" aesthetic is achieved by running the sounds through makeshift microphones. This is the definition of a bedroom album. Hell, Mentch isolated the guitars in a bathroom so he could record them at high volumes. The lo-fi approach was done more out of necessity, but the syrupy tones work with the music.

There are 11 tracks (12 including the 30-second opener), of bizarre and wonderful tape and sample experiments. He sets these back to foggy beats and live instrumentation. The samples and synthesizers sound disjointed or like they're being asphyxiated, and there's usually some evil electronic background grind like in "Water from Glaciers.” Yet the music as a whole possesses an almost narrative flow. Especially when Mentch enters jazzier territory like in the urban decay of "God Noise,” the labored layers of noise and dead-leave detail of melody leaves little question of how on the fly this music was conceived. Mentch chooses left-field samples, some which are downright alienating, but boy does he know how to use him. "Pure In Form" cuts off a preacher's "Up on High" and puts the bite through the blender. The result is a jarring but jazzy gospel hymn for the modern Manson. Relaxed beats played against reversed guitars and international music samples only add to the dreaminess. Note also the Arctic machinery on "Pain" with sawed-off bagpipes. Some songs lose steam: "Drapper" the closer sets up stoner metal riffs over cavernous beats, and I suppose the intended effect is to frighten but it comes off plodding and trite.

There's a calm depravity found throughout Imagery, So Dark, a willingness to confound and the biting feeling that Mentsch knows a thing or two more than you about how rotten life is and this is his way of letting you know.  The music knows how deep it can take you, and Mentsch is sane enough to pull off the riskier moves that are often the pitfall of new MCs. As it, he's setting himself up for a fruitfully barren career.

Every week we mention a couple of artists that are worth your time to check out that were not featured in our weekly reviews.