In Rotation, a listicle for music lovers, and seekers of new and different things to listen to. So, if you’re looking for new music, something different, or maybe music to suit your mood this week, here is the place to get a diverse offering each week.
In Rotation this week,we have a few first projects and side projects of more popular bands. There is a chaotic, Hardcore/Electronica act, a ’90s Emo/Indie Rock band, an ’80s/Darkwave/Electronica band, a soulful ’90s Alternative Rock/Melodic Hardcore/Psychedelic Rock band, and finally a Darkwave/Shoegaze/Electronica duo.
Not sure why there is so much Electronica going on this week, but in any case, let’s get this gloomy electronic musical rollercoaster under way.
Artist:
Neon Blonde
Album:
Chandeliers in Savannah
Unless you know Johnny Whitney’s music, and myriad other bands, then this album might seem odd to you. It is The Blood Brothers goes Electronica sans any of the members except Johnny Whitney, and it would have been unique unto itself, if Whitney did not eventually form and eventually break-up, a band called Jaguar Love.
Jaguar Love is a toned down version of Neon Blonde, but with more members. If you like Hardcore, Electronica, and most anything Johnny Whitney creates, give it a spin.
Artist:
Flake Music
Album:
When you land here, it’s time to return
As the moniker of the label that was on the album when this writer found it in the discount bin stated “Before there was The Shins…,” apparently, there was this band known as Flake Music. If you already love The Shins’ music, or at least the Indie Rock/Pop Rock scene that surrounds it, then your ears are peaked already. It is important to note ,however, that Flake Music’s …music differs somewhat sharply from their future successful act.
Ranging from the 90’s Emo of Mineral to The Get Up Kids, Flake Music carries with it a more distorted,grittier, Emo side to the music, despite the fact that the opening track sounds like The Shins.
There are elements that certainly show you they could eventually become The Shins, like how there is a track entitled “The Shins.” So, it is fair to say that if any of this interests you, or even maybe early Death Cab For Cutie, then you need to own this and take it for a spin.
Artist:
Black Marble
Album:
It’s Immaterial
Black Marble is a relatively new band, but to stumble upon and listen to their album before ever looking into them at all, their music would make you think they are from the decade of Joy Division, Depeche Mode, Sad Lovers and Giants, and the other Darkwave, Darkwave/Electronica, or other Post Punk bands that hail from that time period.
Sticking closer to a Shoegaze/Darkwave/Electronica combo they still manage to carve their own niche and sound from a well-worn genre that tends to never be too worn out for those of you that enjoy this kind of stuff.
So, all of you dark souls yearning for that decade and all its gloom, should give this a spin.
Artist:
Action Reaction
album:
3 is the Magic Number
Lyrically sharp and musically unique, 3 is the Magic Number is an under the radar epic that is only missing their pulse pounding Bang, Bang from an earlier EP.
There is some Alternative Rock and Psychedelia, for some reason The Who comes to mind, and a heavy dose of what Jason Gleason brought to his tenure with Further Seems Forever.
If you like Jason Gleason and his myriad bands, including Sunken Ships and Old Wives, you would be doing yourself a disservice to not let this have at least one spin. At least one.
Artist:
Have a Nice Life
Album:
Deathconscienciousness
Have a Nice Life proves that longer band names are apparently okay now, and that there might be shortage of names in general. Echoing, layered, dark, sounds all lie underneath this Shoegaze/Gothic Rock/Electronica band. The vocals, though ambient and dissonant, cut through the dark blend of drums, possibly guttural, distorted, Shoegazing guitars, and keys that is not normally part of a Darkwave, Gothic, or even your standard New Wave band.
However, not unlike the odd Yin and Yang contrast of their band and album name, Have a Nice Life’s music does. There are lyrics in there, but good luck separating the layers and layers and layers of noise and sound to find them.
Still, this is to be expected in Shoegazing. It is hard to nail down a comparison, but if any of the aforementioned genres interest you at all, it is worth one spin.
This concludes this week’s In Rotation music listing, and come back next week for another eclectic helping of the new, the old, and the weird in music. Thank you for taking a short journey into a vast collection of various genres that hopefully will give you something new to listen to this week.
Stay tuned or next week’s In Rotation.
[Images Courtesy Of The Respective Bands In This List]
