Sleeping People – Notruf

Sleeping People started in the early thousands. I guess their initial claim to fame was that they had ex members of the instrumental math rock band Rumah Sakit. They also once had a member of The Dirty Projectors on gutiar. Anyhow, they seemingly disappeared after the release of their last full length “Growing” in 2007. I personally wasn’t sure what happened to them. As most of you could tell from my blog, and if you’ve ever spoke to me in real life, I enjoy math rock. At least some certain facets of the genre. I personally have become bored with the recent fad or whatever you call it that was essentially spurred on by Tera Melos and bands of that ilk. Its like kids who were into math rock listened to them and Maps & Atlases(Trees, Sparrows, Houses era anyway) and started bands emulating that style of Math Rock. You know what I mean. Extremely spazzy drums and guitarists tapping so much that something often gets lost in the translation. Not taking away from those 2 bands. I love early Tera Melos and Maps & Atlases. But I always appreciated the style as done by the likes of Don Caballero, Lynx, and Sleeping People. Sleeping People, more so than the other 2 aforementioned bands, seemed to really try their hardest to blend Math Rock and one of that genre’s predecessors Progressive Rock. Riffing that was clearly influenced by King Crimson. Not only that, but they themselves making reference in a song title (Fripp For Girls) to their love and influence from that band. Over the years they have released some really great music. Even through changes in member personal. Which can often really mess up a band. So after “Growing” and years of nothing, here comes “Notruf.” If there was ever proof that Sleeping People had prog influence and tendencies, this album is it. The album is only 2 songs. But they are awesome. Truth is, I've been listening to this album nonstop this past week and went out and bought the vinyl today. I’m glad they didn’t break up. And I really hope that they put out more albums. I think everything they have put out is spectacular. And I’m glad bands like this still exist in a math rock world that has definitely changed since their birth.

Download The Album Here
Please buy it if you like it!

Tenebre – Self Titled EP

I realize I haven't written anything for this blog in a while. In a minute as the youths say. I'm sorry. Shit still sucks in my life. And sadly, I'm still listening to ALOT of the same stuff I've already written about. But listen I LOVE Tenebre. I wrote about their full length a long time ago. The band just does it for me. This is their latest release. Its great. You can listen to it here FOR FREE! You can also buy the album from that site in record and digital form. DO IT!

All Of Them Witches - Where's The Song?

Sometimes one of my biggest complaints with modern math rock, is that its too fucking busy. Too much B.S. with poly rhythms and other things that you have to be fairly knowledgeable with music to understand. Don't get me wrong I'm all for musicality. I just think there is also something to be said for being accessible. That having been said, I have to say that one of my main reasons for loving All Of Them Witches is specifically because they are busy. What? Yes that's right. Let me explain. Unlike alot of math rock bands that just stop sounding cohesive when they get really busy, All Of Them Witches always stay together. And unlike alot of these math bands out there, I can relate this to certain local acts & writers especially, the parts never feel like they are just thrown together. I hate that shit. This is the band's first release and it encompasses 10 tracks of awesomeness. Its very rare that you can find a new on the scene band so tight and so good, that can belt out songs, and all of the songs feel like they spent an eternity writing and getting solid. But once it is mentioned that guitarists Vic Lazar and Phil Freedenberg spent years playing together in the Buffalo, NY band Knife Crazy, it makes perfect sense how they are able to gel so perfectly. The set up is the same. Phil playing clean, tapping guitar lines for the majority. While Vic is wailing and sometimes using distortion and other effects to change the mood. Drummer Cameron Rogers is the odd man out in this equation, though you would never know that listening to the band. I will be honest, I had never heard of Cameron prior to hearing All Of Them Witches. So for me, hearing and seeing him play was like a slap to the face. The guy is a OUTRAGEOUS drummer. Zach Hill-esc drum fills, Lightning fast single footed kick work, and keeping everything together while simultaneously taking it apart and coming at it from new and different angles. One thing I really love about his playing is, as good as he is, he knows when to just lay back and just chill on the kit. There is something to be said for that, and honestly, it helps the band alot. I really love this band and I love this album. Phil was nice enough to give me a copy, and I am very grateful. I've been listening to it in the shower pretty much everyday. haha. As far as first releases go, this one is top notch above most. I hope the band will stay together and continue to put out more great music.

The album I got was a pre release. I didn't upload it because I'm sure the band has plans to release it in the future with some rad artwork and all that. For now, Please go to the band's myspace page. Add them, watch their videos, listen to their music.

The Cancer Conspiracy

I liked this band from the second I heard their name. (The band name comes from the idea that there is a conspiracy to keep a cure for cancer hidden. This is perpetrated by members of the pharmaceutical community who would lose unimaginable amounts of money if there was a cure. The real money comes from constant treatment. Lots of expensive drugs for a long time, if not for the rest of that patient's life, makes a pharmaceutical company more money than a one off treatment that gets rid of the disease for good. The pharmaceutical companies use their influence in Washington and in the media (newspaper, tv, magazines, etc.) to keep treatments that could be a threat in the dark. That's the story. Go watch the movie "The Beautiful Truth" or the short Film "A World Without Cancer" for more information on the concept.) But then a awesome thing occurred, because besides just agreeing with what their name references, their music was right up my alley. Its always sort of been acknowledged that math rock took serious cues from progressive rock. But for my money, The Cancer Conspiracy might be the first band that can be both genres simultaneously. Its strange to say, but you can definitely hear it track to track. More so on the full length albums. Fripp guitar influence can be heard on some tracks. But I have to say that I'm sick of reading reviews of mathy bands and always hearing King Crimson mentioned. In this case, its actually accurate. But i don't dig name dropping that band unless it actually fits. end mini rant. I would suggest this band to ANY fans of progressive rock. I would also suggest any fans of instrumental math rock checking them out. Like the majority of what i listen to, they aren't together. They haven't been for a long while. The album "Ω"  wasn't released till years after they had broken up. The bassist went on to be in Daughters which doesn't mean anything to me.

Self Titled EP & The Audio Medium

Ω

Buy them if you like them

Oh, Canada (Part 5): Weights & Measures

I've decided that since I do write in this blog fairly consistently, I would revive my old Listen To This Once series "Oh, Canada". What better way to make a comeback then with one of my faves.

I owe alot to Matlock Records. ALOT. It all started with me finding out about Rockets Red Glare, and went from there. North Of America, The Plan, Kepler, and of course Weights & Measures. Of all of those bands, Weights & Measures really stick out as being different. The Canadian underground sound was highly influenced by the emo/screamo sound of legends/grandfathers Shotmaker. Later bands like Okara and Blake would take that basic idea, and add mathematical elements making a sound similar, yet unique, to the Drive Like Jehu mathy screamy post hardcore sound. Alot of Canadian bands would continue following that sound and style for years after. What Weights & Measures seemed to do was to take the Mathy portion of the equation, without fully leaving the post hardcore sound. What you end up with is a unique math rock band. I cant honestly think of another band that really sounds like this band. They aren't prog influenced like The Cancer Conspiracy. They aren't spazzy like Hella. They aren't non coherent like Don Caballero could sometimes be. They play together well and they rock. And not in that dumb meatheaded "I'm going throw the horns up brah!" way. Their drummer now plays in The Arcade Fire. I don't know the conditions for which this band broke up, BUT, if it has anything to do with him leaving to be in that band, well, I think people know what I have to say to him. haha. If you like instrumental math rock bands, give a listen to these guys. They were fucking great and utterly unique. 

Download their discography album "Invest In The Death Of Weights & Measures"

Bozart - Bunge

Before I was in Ladies & Everyone, I didn't listen to instrumental bands. Jazz and classical were it. The first band I can remember seeing that was instrumental was the band Number 2, from Syracuse. Before I started Ladies & Everyone, I played in the band Amorous Radio. We played alot of shows with alot of great bands. Its unbelievable looking back because there was such a stigma connected to us in Syracuse. Scene politics was all that mattered then i guess. I'll tell people now how we covered Fugazi and wanted to cover Unwound and I'll get "I could never see that band covering those bands, I could see them covering Get Up Kids..." And that honestly shows that, people didn't like us, based off of what the band was before I joined. But i digress. 

The first time i remember playing with Number 2 was in Ithaca. I feel like we were in the downtown area. I cant remember the name of the venue. But really, it was just a art gallery. It was super tiny. The show was in the basement. As weird as it sounds, I cant really remember much about that show. I cant remember our set. Maybe we didn't even end up playing. I have no clue. I do remember being upstairs sitting with our equipment with Anthony (yes, he was in Amorous Radio too. That band began our run for how many bands we could do together. haha.) I remember being sort of bummed because it was a shit show. There weren't that many kids there. We had to lug all of our shit like a block to the venue. And at that time, some shitty nu metal band was playing. Who i think the crowd was there to see, because I dont remember many people being there after their set. Anyway, that band played and Rossman and Vonpless decided to go check out the next band. A little while later they started and i remember both anthony and i looking at each other and saying, this sounds pretty awesome. Rossman came up a lil while later going on about how great they were. so we went and watched. it was awesome. it was like the best proggy parts from Rush songs back to back. We quickly befriended them and played more shows. A year or so later, Anthony and I started Ladies & Everyone as a side project, and the rest is history...or so they would have you believe.

When Ladies & Everyone decided to stay instrumental, I started to listen to alot more bands in that vein. Our first show we got compared to Don Caballero, who at that point, i had never heard of. And its just snowballed from there. Ive become alot more knowledgeable on the genre then when i first saw Number 2 play. Through the years I've stayed friends with the guys in Number 2. A few years ago Bob, their drummer, offered to help my solo project Kalechex play a show. It didn't pan out, but while i was over at his house practicing, he showed me the band Bozart. Who Number 2 had always referenced as one of their main influences. I immediately thought the band was outrageous. The only sad thing about it was, it took away a little bit of the mystique that Number 2 had for me. Cause the band bares alot of resemblance to Bozart.

Bunge was the first album i heard by the band. And its awesome. Guitar & drum mathy metal-ish duo. "Set Aside" is easily one of my all time favorite instrumental tracks period. Somehow or another the band has stayed under the radar. Not alot of people have heard of them. I think they are very original and stand out against their musical peers. I think if you like any kind of  mathy instrumental music, you should hear this band, and more specifically, this album.

Download it here

Buy it if you like it

Knot Feeder - Light Flares

(I'm not going to go into the details of this band because I already wrote about them once on here. You can view that post here. )

This album is as great as I expected it would be. The instrumental math rock quartet has their shit down. Not that its really a surprise all things considered. Hard hitting and heavy and other times bringing it down and having a cello or glockenspiel join in. One surprise for me listening through, was that a couple of songs have singing in them. It works for those songs and whats cool is, they don't feel out of place. I'm really excited on this band. And this is only their first album. I hope they continue to put out good music.

-matthew st.

p.s. Look forward in the near future to a interview with Mike Banfield from Knot Feeder once I can get my shit together enough so I wont seem like a giddy school girl talking to him. haha.

Here's an archive file of a few of my fave songs off the album

I highly recommend you buying yourself a copy

You can get it here directly from the band

You can also listen to the track "You Are My First Choice (To Be Thrown Out The Window)" from the album on Knot Feeder's Myspace Page

Adebisi Shank

High energy dancy mathy type instrumental music from Ireland. Often some thing happens in their songs that reminds me of the 8bit glory days of yore. For me, their songs are like that old slogan for Lay’s potato chips. Substitute "eat" with "listen" mind you.  I really cant think of a band that they sound like. But I will say that my description of what they sound like is pretty accurate, so if that’s intriguing to you, have a field day. 

-matthew st.

This Is The EP Of A Band Called Adebisi Shank

This Is The Album Of A Band Called Adebisi Shank

Buy them from a independent record store if you like them

Better yet, head over to Adebisi Shank's Myspace Page and buy from them directly.

BA-NA-NAs

BA-NA-NAs is a 3 piece instrumental math rock band from Somerville, Mass. I just heard this band recently. Which is surprising. Because Paul Joyce from Lynx plays bass in the band. And I've always tried to keep up to date on his projects. Anyhow, check them. Some of the stuff I've heard reminds me of the more melodic side of Lynx. For fans of instrumental mathy bands. 

-matthew st.

listen to songs @ BA-NA-NAs Myspace Page

this fellow has some live videos of them

Knot Feeder

This band is a super group for anyone into instrumental math rock. Its headed by Mike Banfield, one of the founding members of Don Caballero.  You should be interested right off the bat with that little tidbit. Considering he sort of disappeared from music after the release of “What Burns Never Returns.” Their drummer and guitarist come from the band Tabula Rasa and their bassist is from the band Southpaw. All from Pittsburgh. What can be expected of their sound? To me, its reminiscent of a less “Che’d” Don Cab. “For Respect” era plus the good, actual cohesive, musical ideas from “What Burns Never Returns.” But who cares what I think, listen to them for yourself. 

-matthew st.

You can listen to a couple of songs at Knot Feeder's Myspace Page.

Here is a short clip of them in studio recording their album "Light Flares" with J. Robbins.

And here is a live video from their record release show last month. 

(Pretty sure it was taken with a cell or something. Dont mind the video quality, just listen to the music. haha.)

Lynx

Lynx was a four piece instrumental math rock band from Boston that ended up moving to Chicago and then broke up. They were only around for a couple years. Short lived, but very good. Their guitarist, David Konopka, went on to be in Battles. I’m sure that’s how most people hear about this band. Fuck, its how I heard about them honestly. But personally, their bassist Paul Joyce’s musical track record is much more impressive to me (I’ll be reviewing at least one more of his bands in the near future). Anyway, they’ve been compared to bands like Oxes, Don Caballero, and even Tristeza. So definitely give them a listen.

-matthew st.

Personal LP Highlights:

-Prynx

-Explosive Diarrhea

-Look At That Table And Make It Spin In Your Head

Lynx EP

Lynx LP

Both of these releases are from now defunct record labels. They arent made anymore and you probably cant get them. You can always check your local independent record store though.

This fan myspace page has unreleased songs and a full live show! Get into it!

37500 Yens - Astero

So oh hey France, when the fuck did this happen? And I guess the better question would be, why was I so late to notice this? It seems that somewhere along the line, all of these instrumental mathy guitar/drum duos popped up all over the country. I’m going to be talking about the band 37500 Yens, but I have a feeling that in the future I will do a review of another French duo, Cheval de Frise.

Of these French bands I have recently heard, I can honestly say that 37500 Yens is probably the most heavy and aggressive. This record opens up with a dissonant guitar arpeggio that becomes the building block for the rhythmic guitar and drum interplay that punches in and asserts itself for the remainder of the record. This band sounds more like A Minor Forest hopped up on super cool then it does Hella. Jumping from here to there, but never sounding overly bombastic or riffy. From the first song on, you’ll realize that though 37500 Yens is only guitar and drums, they use loops and samples to fill in space when it is needed. Even a saxophone pops up to spread some free jazz love. “Astero” ends with a moment that is the complete opposite to how the record begins. Almost as if the whole album is a build up to that moment. Listen for yourself.

If you are into A Minor Forest, Don Caballero (Mike Banfield era), Hella, Tera Melos, or pretty much any heavy mathy instrumental bands, I highly recommend this album.

-matthew st.

Personal album highlights:

-Carnard Boiteux

- The Sullivan's Quartet

Download the album here

If you like this album, please try to buy it from your local independent record store

37500 Yens @ Myspace

Tenebre - In Everything Give Thanks

I’m digging into my secret stash for this one. This band was a myspace find for me. They were in the top friends of Animal, my friend’s band, and I randomly checked them out. Boy am I glad I did. Historically, I’ve probably listened to this album more at work than any other album. And working in a daycare, you have lots of opportunity to listen to music.

Tenebre does something very cool musically on this album. I always considered math rock and post rock to be on different sides of the same coin. But Tenebre’s music is kind of a blend of both genres. Which I didn’t think was possible. The band has the mellow vibes of post rock. With some songs having an undeniable jazz influence. But guitarist Max Foreman is often playing his guitar like he’s right out of Chicago. It’s easy to see why these guys refer to Don Caballero and Owls as influences. But don’t pigeonhole this band as just another tappy, pull off happy instrumental math band. They create crazy amounts of atmosphere on this album. With help of the dynamic drumming, courtesy of Daniel Pearce, and the upright bass skills of Patrick Taylor. Yes, that’s right, their bassist plays an upright bass! How can you not check this out now?

It’s very rare that an album exists that you can see people of opposite interests enjoying. This album is, at times, mellow without ever getting boring and other times interesting without ever getting overbearing. Overall, “In Everything Give Thanks” is a really good record start to finish, which tends to be rare nowadays. If you like to just chill out and relax, or love bands with interesting guitar work, this is a band you need to know. How often do you get to make such an oddly grouped statement? Haha.

-matthew st.

Personal album highlights:

-The Story of a boy on a Ladder

-Libelle

-Painting Walls

-A Call From Jane

Download the album here

if you enjoy this album, please buy it from your local independent record store

or you can buy the album online

You can hear more music from them at their myspace page