Tag Archives: indie pop

Brianna Gaither and the lasting resonance of ‘Vanity.’

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Tracklisting:

1. Be Brave 03:48

2.I Won’t Rest Until 04:10

3.I Can’t Make It Grow 03:24

4.Wings of Wax 03:52

5.Sweetheart 02:55

6.Our Side 04:07

7.Seven Days After Hello 04:46

8.Psalm 57 04:55

9.Let Yourself Be Led 04:41

10.Vanity 03:17

a0348199050_16Category: christian pop indie pop

In 2011, singer-songwriter Brianna Gaither released her debut album Love is Patient. I got my copy via Noisetrade which is a great site if you are looking for fresh independent artists. I really love the album. For anyone who stumbled upon her albums after a terrible relationship, loss or pain, that album was (and still is) a friend’s comforting hand on a weary shoulder.

It took six years for her to release a follow up called Vanity. With her amazing range and expressive delivery(both as vocalist and instrumentalist), Vanity is worth the wait. This album is a testament to what Oklahoma can provide musically.  In fact she wrote 10 songs, in 10 months, with 10 different, Oklahoma-based producers. You can learn more about it by reading this Q & A and her decision to take this path.

Although Vanity presents her big Indie Pop or Adult Contemporary influences, you can feel her other influences with each track, from quieter ballads to arena friendly sweepers. This album also presents the power of collaboration and how different ideas can bring forth something fascinating and fresh. I noted this with the track I Won’t Rest Until which is totally different from anything she has every done as a songwriter. The big drums, reverb and insistent chorus can sweep you off your feet.

Vocally, I do miss some stretches that she did in Love is Patient. I miss those high notes in ‘Find You’. There’s also the heavenly sonic tides of Faithful among other things. But then again,  Vanity offers what’s missing in the first album, which is sonic exploration. In I Can’t Make it Grow,  she showcases her prowess in chamber music. The instruments play in and out of the recording like imagines from a half forgotten dream. It’s a gorgeous track that stretches and leaps into your subconscious.

And like Love is Patient, she makes sure there is at least one unique track in the list. Such as Psalm 57. It is a powerful song. I consider myself as spiritual rather than religious and this is the kind of song that can really touch you regardless of your belief. It doesn’t preach but embraces you like a pair of glowing wings.

Oftentimes when I want to do something productive, I need a to be emotional in order to get things done(as in the case of blogging). And the urgency is also dependent on the intensity of that emotion. I wonder if her two albums were dictated by emotional impulses rather than the discipline to set down and really ‘work on the music.’ But whatever or however she makes her music, her efforts got them where they are today. If you’re an avid follower of her music as I am, you do know that in 2011, she injured her wrist. It is a big no no for artists who play the piano. I can imagine how hard it must have been for her to let go of her music for a while. She found work in a local tech company. Wow think about it: Technology and Songwriting. That’s Brianna Gaither for you!

In a way Vanity could be conceived as a sort of experimental album. I do have this curiosity when it comes to making albums. Oftentimes artists choose one producer to work in that particular album. And because of this, the producer lives a mark on the musical process even though the songs were primarily crafted by the artist. And Vanity gave us the answer. It is indeed an interesting decision that yields variety in the total musical collection.

One thing I admire about Ms Gaither’s musical career is the impact of her music outside of her identity. You could say that Vanity is the album for our times-the ‘anti-me’ in this generation of entitlement. And rather than focusing on herself as an artist, she is aware of the responsibilities that we as people with voices have to the greater world. That we are not just serving our egos but also the consequence of our actions and for me this is good enough. You can get your copy of Vanity via the following:

https://briannagaither.bandcamp.com/album/vanity

https://www.amazon.com/Vanity-Brianna-Gaither/dp/B01N29SI4A

http://noisetrade.com/briannagaither/vanity

We Singing Colors: The Coolest Band To Come Out Of Bucharest!

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Band bio:

We Singing Colors is an Indie-pop band from Bucharest.

In 2014 has released the first album “Made of wool, made of heavy metal”.

The band played all over Romania, in the Republic of Moldova, Bulgaria, Spain and India.

Their songs were featured on independent radio stations in USA and Canada as well.

Links:

Concerts: http://bandsintown.com/WeSingingColors

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wesingingcolors

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wesingingcolors

Bandcamp: http://we-singing-colors.bandcamp.com/

Itunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/we-singing-colors/id793269354

 

If Romania has to offer something in the indie-pop world, then it has to be We Singing Colors. Their music is composed and recorded around the acoustic guitar, keyboards, bass and drums. In 2014, they released their debut album “Made of wool, made of heavy metal”. They are well-received in Romania, the Republic of Moldova, Bulgaria, Spain and India. They also have listeners in North America and their songs are played the USA and Canada.

Songs from Made of wool, made of heavy metal” have universal appeal and I think, with enough exposure and constant touring, they will get mainstream success. Songs like Far, far, far and Destiny will appeal to fans of acoustic folk while their other songs (which are complex and atmospheric) will find admirers in the wider musical spectrum.

I am enjoying their music videos viua YouTube!

Big thanks to my Romanian pal Ionut Proca for introducing the group to me. You should check them out. They are really the coolest band to come out of Bucharest!

Add them on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wesingingcolors/

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Everywhere Around Here by Canadian singer-songwriter Layne Greene Is A Thing OF Beauty.

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Recorded and Mixed at The Farm in Port Howe, Nova Scotia by Dale Murray
Mastered in Mineville, NS by J. LaPointe at Archive Mastering
Produced by Dale Murray
All songs written by Layne Greene (SOCAN)

Everywhere Around Here by Layne Greene


Everywhere Around Here
by Layne Greene

credits
released 04 April 2015

Layne Greene – Vocals, Guitar, Keys
Bryan MacDonald – Guitar
Alex Lank – Drums, Keys
Dale Murray – Bass, guitar, Backup Vocals
Christina Martin – Back up Vocals
Fleur Mainville – Fiddle
Devon Greene & Adam Johnson – Backup Vocals

Graphic Design by Kyle DeCoste
Photo by Kelsey MacLennan

I was so happy the day I received a copy of Everywhere Around Here by Canadian singer-songwriter Layne Greene. Instead of jumping in front of the computer and blog about it, I decided to hold the urge and go on with my life for almost two months to see if the novelty wears off. So these things happened along the way:
I take it everywhere.

I got two physical copies and one digital copy of the album. I am displaying the two copies in my book shelves because I love the packaging. But I take the digital copy where ever I go-to the gym, the beach and the park. Right now I am listening to it inside Starbucks while writing this blog. Lane Greene’s music has a way of soothing me when I am stressed. The songs also make me feel like I am in a safe environment. The drums, bass, guitars and other instruments have that sparkling but soft quality. I love the production as I think this is truly represents his music.
Every time I listen to it, I notice new things.
I love it when an album reveals to you something in pieces. Unlike most young singer-songwriters that sound generic, his approach is mature and diverse. Fiddles, glockenspiel and other folk instruments make themselves heard in Everywhere Around Here. This dude is really enlightening and you could spend hours and hours with his talking about genres and history of music and he has a lot to say about them. He loves what he is dong and he knows where he is going with his career.
He knows his assets and limitations.
He knows he is not Ryan Addams or Neil Young so he doesn’t try to be. When he sings, he does so within his range. He also uses his voice as an instrument, layering them, harmonising them making something awesome out of the ordinary. He is not a rockstar type but an artist who likes to make music as a lifetime career.
All nine songs are worth hearing.
The album has nine songs. Some of them already appeared in his previous EPs. I think he has more than five of them out before he was twenty-two. But these songs have undergone many arrangements. They have also experienced the stage as performing live is what he likes to do. I remember the many time he busked under harsh weather and people loved what he’s doing. My favourite is Quiet Places because the song has a good beat and it builds up this wonderful thing. But there are songs worth noting like Iron Town which has a special meaning to him. The current single is Look Out. You should see the video because it’s really amazing!
Layne is special.
He is a fantastic artist. He fascinates me endlessly and I love to chronicle his career. I think I will do so until I am old. I hope this post will urge you to listen to Everywhere Around Here. Get it and support this dude. There is no one quite like him.

Patetico Records has released Broken As We Are by Panophonic

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Broken as we are by Panophonic


Broken as we are
by Panophonic

That cool indie label Patetico Recordings has released another album that will turn dream pop heads. Broken As WE Are is the new album by Panophonic. It still has that same ‘analog flavour’ as the other Panophonic albums. This means that when you listen to the songs, each one sounds like it’s from a cassette table released in the 80s. And I think that’s the kind of sound the band have tried to emulate since their first album. I think this work. There are those of us who have this nostalgic cravings for all things 80s.

The album starts with a slow track called Your’s to Keep. This one ends with a great electric guitar solo. Served Cold follows with this great drum pattern. It’s raining outside and this is a good soundtrack. If you like early 80s Goth stuff then you will appreciate this one. Especially if you are a big fan of The Joy Division.

The title track Broken as We Are sounds trippy. In fact it reminds me of any Siouxsie and the Banshees song from the late 80s – early 90s. They exploit dissonance in a good way adding something to the bare atmosphere which feels like you are walking in an abandoned warehouse late at night. Nothing Left is quite a surprise as it uses the keyboard as the accompaniment. You would not suspect the singer is American than Brit. The somber melody can really haunt your dreams like any scene from a Sandman comic book.

Understanding Emptiness has that hypnotic drum beats. Perhaps they are channeling The Cure. This is another ‘thriller/suspense’ candidate for any TV series. You know where the main character looks like Johnny Depp in Edward Scissorhands. Haunt My Dreams is too dissonant for my taste but I am sure when you are in the mood for something dark and depressing then this will suit you. Sweetness and Light is another slow scorcher that borrows heavily from Ian Curtis/Joy Division style, while Until the End takes you out from your stupor into a slow dance under the rain. The keyboards are like flapping butterflies tugging at your pained heart.

The Great Manipulator is another nod to the great Gothic/New Wave bands of years gone by. The upbeat As I Rise closes the album. Broken As We Are is a satisfying musical journey into moods, feelings and decades. This is potent and beautiful , all from the awesome Panophonic.