Pool Kids - Music to Practice Safe Sex to (2018)

Florida based Pool Kids feel like a unique voice in a sea of pretenders...plain and simple. It's approached I would say largely from a singer-songwriter perspective and that is largely because main guitarist and vocalist Christine Goodwyne is the primary composer (along with Caden Clinton on drums).

So what of the songs themselves? well they toe the line pretty expertly between modern emo mixed with throw back indie rock elements and math rock/post rock dynamic sensibilities. The truly impressive bit here is how expertly these elements are all balanced. Songs like "They Only Care About My Fills And Not My Feels" really showcase this in spades. A pretty bombastic emo opening  dives straight into a jagged math bridge before chilling out in comfort for some indie crooning finishing with a cool little two guitar interplay. Caden's drumming should also really be commended here for sure. There is measured restraint and respect to the songs while coloring more intense portions with a bit of flair and technicality that allows the pieces to flex where they need to.

So we could pretty much close up shop and call things a day here buuuut the true winner here isn't even the instrumentation or composition. I make no secret about my gripes and groans of the math rock genre as a whole (indulgent instrumentation, lazy song composition ect) Which is why I am so happy to hear their special attention to vocals. Christine uses a diverse range and an attention to proper vocal hooks that really draw you into these songs even further. "Patterns" really catches this in its stripped down form, drawing special attention to the lyrcial content. These are intensely personal moments mixed with casual observations that feel like they could resonate with a variety of people.

I cant really say enough about how this really elevates the songs and has been in near constant rotation in my daily listening. I know I say this a lot but there is literally something here that anyone with even a passing interest in music should enjoy. Pool Kids set a true standard that other bands in this space should be taking heavy notes on. Beyond excited to see what the future holds for this sensational group.

Glomus - Circle (2018)

Circle is a well produced and slick first effort from Glomus, a three piece hailing from Tennessee.  On showcase is a very cohesive blend of post-rock structures with the beating heart of math rock and prog mechanics.

I will say composition’s can feel a bit crowded and more suited for a 3 minute jaunt than most songs 4-7 run time but that might be more personal preference. A few added dynamic variations would help the instruments breath and flesh out the proceedings. Tempos generally hold the same clip and a little mix up would give character. Knit picky? You bet! But only because the good points far out way.

This is ground that has been well worn..sure.. but there are more than a few moments that will catch your attention, from some surprisingly inspired bass riffage to more than a few impressive drum fills and restrained yet tasteful delay pedal work.  You can tell there is a lot of heart and chemistry between these three and on the same token of my crowded comment above, I also think its damn impressive to have this full of a sound with a three piece (maybe I can’t truly agree on where I stand)

Clearly focused on some of the heydays more popular math rock stalwarts, you can’t blame Glomus for finding a voice with the early 2000’s crowd. Bands like this are fewer and farther between so it was excellent to dive into this album a few times.

The end result is this is heads and tails stronger than most releases I hear from well established artists let alone from a debut album.  With a second album I can really see this group finding a clearer voice and refining what makes Circle in itself a worthwhile listen for any fan of the genre or instrumental music in general.

BEL — Quando Brinca (2017)

Band: BEL
Album: Quando Brinca
Release Date: 03/27/2017
Listen and Purchase here: Bandcamp
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Opening with a squelching bass & keyboard groove drawn from the wells of Stevie Wonder, "Bem-Vindo" sets the tone for a gorgeous album of funky and spacious electro-pop from vocalist Bel Baroni. Across the eight tracks of Quando Brinca there's a clear effort to take popular, traditional forms and mutate them ever so slightly, whether by choice of instrumentation or disrupting expected repetitions in favor of a brief solo or gentle dissolution.

And when that last keyboard lick fades into oblivion, get ready to hit replay.

AnimalJam (2018)

Post hardcore blended with the heart of pop-punk and prog rock sensibilities is where Texas based AnimalJAm’s debut release can be found lurking.

I understand there is a bit of this type of music going on these days (in the vein of Dance Gavin Dance, Hail The Sun ect) but where these groups opt often for technicality and raw power, AnimalJam keep things memorable with excellent guitar interplay and a varied vocal approach that goes down smooth.

It’s a perfectly concise release that doesn’t over stay its welcome at 5 tracks. I have to say as well this is pretty well produced and highlights some of the more anthemic moments.

Acid Priest — Drop Out (2018)

Band: Acid Priest
Album: Drop Out
Release Date: 6/05/2018
Listen and Purchase here: Bandcamp
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Clocking in at a crisp ~18 minutes, Drop Out hits high note after high note with its potent brew of chunky riffs, blasts of thrash, and a dash of Kyuss-loving harmony. Sometimes words just get in the way of understanding, so pack a bowl, take a hit, and queue this shit up.

(For that little bit extra, maximize your vibe and start reading Abbadon's epic comic, Kill Six Billion Demons.)

Dags! — Flaws & Gestures (2018)

Band: Dags!
Album: Flaws & Gestures
Release Date: 6.22.2018
Listen and Purchase here: Bandcamp
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I'm a little rusty when it comes to writing this sort of thing, so bear with me.

Dags! is a band I had no awareness of an hour ago, so whatever their history may or may not be, I haven't got a fucking clue. But this album gripped me immediately: a concise collection of earnest, emotive, and confident songs that blend elements of UK Maths (e.g. TTNG, Enemies, etc...) with those of some of my favorite "post-Indie" American groups of the past decade (shit like Hawks & Oxen and Piles & Piles).

Production is crisp and clear, with a great live air that suggests this was a well-practiced band ripping through their tunes in a small room together. The vocals are tuneful and tasteful, captured raw and on the verge of cracking, as they navigate a labyrinth of anxiety and curses. Instrumentation is dense but never burdened by virtuosity, focused more on rhythmic interplay and texture, rather than the discursive knots of guitar found in many of their forebears.

THIS IS THAT GOOD SHIT.

By the looks of things, they operate out of Italy (presumably they're Italian?) and are about to start a tour, so if you like what you hear make sure to hit up a show.

Sloth & Turtle - Sloth & Turtle (2018)

Its been a bit of time away from here and often that’s for the best. I haven’t been..too incredibly impressed with a lot of the newer things on deck as of late…until….

Sloth and Turtle came to my attention via the math rock reddit page in video form. From the moment I heard the opening riff of title track “Toys” I was hooked.  To say this has been on constant rotation would be a vast understatement but there are a lot of pieces to this group that deserves individual attention in what makes this post-rock loving math rock group work so well, let’s take a look.  

Post rock has always been a great place to draw influence in the math rock realm. Plain and simple, it lives and dies by the calculated structure of its song craft and lends itself well to often wordless math rock groups, enter Sloth and Turtle. That very statement exemplifies why these songs work so well. These pieces move in a way that feels…organic. Motifs as well as chord progressions are revisited in different ways throughout the duration of a song. This is huge in cementing a feeling of identity in each track easily avoiding the dred post-rock “build up-crescendo-conclusion” bore fest. Each section flows from one to the other without sounding forced in anyway and that is the mark of a group that truly values and spends time on song craft.

To speak to the angular elements, rest assured they are tastefully implemented. There’s an awful lot of tapping in these songs and that’s primarily due to the play style of guitarist Nico Molinari. It’s a true testament to his playing that it always comes of melodically interesting and usually very memorable in their rhythm, though Nico’s guitar licks wouldn’t be half as vital if they weren’t being supported by second guitar Jaime Alan Wosk. Jaime’s play style provides at times a suitably atmospheric blanket for Nico’s tapping (like on the previously mentioned “Toys”). To their credit they each mix up riffs, post-rock twinkles and dueling tap-stravaganza’s (as on the bridge of “Telemachus”).

None of these guitar heroics would be hitting home however if not for the rhythm section on deck here of Brian Kincaid and Linden Reed on bass and drums respectively. Kincaid as his lead guitar counter parts uses a few different styles when approaching his bass work. Chunky drones are as common as more complex tapping by Brian’s nimble work. As for Linden’s drumming, a personal soft spot being a fellow drummer it always warms my heart to see some restrained and precise playing. Fills are just technical enough but Reed’s main lick’s are the star here. Fantastic hi-hat work is something few really hone in on but its plainly obvious in his kit work. Low-tom beats mixed with a solid amount of snare to rim shot variations…drool.

Speaking as a whole there are many moments of technical excellence here in this album to satiate the most fervent of math rock fans but also just as many beautifully melodic moments to appeal to any fan of instrumental rock in general.  Are these guys pushing the very boundaries of these oft played genres? No. But let’s be honest, when it’s done to this level does it really matter? I challenge anyone to name drop a band in this space doing this any better or even just as good. For my money Sloth and Turtle are a group that should be not only listened to with apt attention but a band to watch for future releases. This is not something to miss out on..period.  

http://slothandturtle.com/

(also..side note.. that production? Holy fuck its insanely gorgeous. Just listen to that snare snap..sweet mother)