HEY. I’m finally writing reviews. Since I’ve listened to all of this stuff on my iPod every morning at work, I haven’t listened to it volume by volume. So I’m going to do my review alphabetically, in two parts. I’ll do a paragraph or so for everybody, but I’ll sum up my thoughts at the end and enclose a one sentence review in bold. Expect part 2 sometime tomorrow.
Andrew Miller – Bharata: This was nice and chill. Definitely could see this in commercials or movies. The production is great, the (I’m guessing) vocal sampling is awesome, and the little electronic noises floating around in the background really give the song replay value. It drifts between being totally mellow and subdued sinister-ness. [chill-ass tune, very enjoyable and trippy enough to keep things interesting.]
Audio Adrenaline – I’m not the King: Ok, I don’t know who did this, since I’m figuring it’s an Audio Adrenaline cover. At any rate, this was rad. I had friends in high school who were really into AA, and I remember this song. This is a really gnar re-imaging of it. Super gritty cover, and I’m really digging the super fuzzy low end of your guitar tones. Vocals are really, really well done. This got me bobbing up and down. [A gritty reboot that keeps things catchy.]
Brad Adams – Mr. Brew: HAHA. This is mad fun. It makes me want to chug beer. On the real. I’m at work right now, but… after work, I am getting a brew. And I may very well put this on while I down it. This really is super fun, and definitely an outlier in any of the RT material I’ve ever heard. [Get your lager and lederhosen and get ready to feel just wunderbar.]
ClassiCal – Sefirah EP: Majorly enjoyable! It feels like a mix between Air and Pink Floyd. Ideally, I’d want to listen to this album while curled up in four cozy blankets while watching 3 feet of snow accumulate outside. I know that it has the sounds of babbling brooks and birdies, but I’d still like to cuddle up with this. That’s how I feel about this album, really. It’s cozy. I like how towards the end of Unknown Knowledge, the bird sounds kind of meld into some of the higher tones, like they’re mimicking each other. Nice touch. [A wah-filled crystal wonderland of bright tones and muddy beats.]
Daniel Clark – Songs Relevant to My Life: Ah, you’ve got a great sound going on here. It feels like it fits nicely between the Smashing Pumpkins more ballad-y stuff, the band Snowing, and this old band from the Kokomo, IN area named Away With Vega. I love the first track, with the overdriven guitars striking out clustered chords. It’s Mine has this really cool feel to it, like a slicked back Dead Meadow. And the last track, dude. I’m so stoked you made this. It’s seriously badass. I love the screeching electronic buzz mixed with the snaky distorted riff, especially the section from 2:12 to 2:44. [Three really interesting tracks that each pull off a different sound, allowing the tracks to grow progressively darker until it all falls away in a sonic swamp.]
David P. Larsen – Faded Form: Let me start off by saying that I’m not normally a fan of spoken word albums. That being said, yours is the best I’ve head. I know everyone has said this, but your voice fits this style REALLY well. I also really appreciate that just because you didn’t have “melody” at the forefront of this album, there’s still a lot of really great stuff going on musically, constantly. The vocal chorus towards the end of the first track is freaking beautiful. The trumpet and bass solos in Shades of Miles were excellent, and the organ in the background has just enough tremolo to give it a sense of movement without jerking it around. I love how the last track just builds and builds into a short little line of badassness. Great lyrics and music here, man. [A spoken word album that has great musicianship and a feeling of cathartic release.]
Dick Reynolds – Record Time Shizz: I don’t know the original versions of the first and third tracks on here, but I really enjoyed them. They felt a lot like the old Swirlies EPs from the nineties. I dig this really fuzzy, shoegaze sound. Your cover of Those to Come is just super duper pleasant. The whistling is a nice change, the dreamy guitars throughout the whole album really make this a relaxing listen. [Covers done by fuzz pedals drifting down from the sky on a rainbow rope]
Eric Cripe – JabberJay: Eric, I want to start off by saying thank you for giving me such a thorough review a few weeks ago. I was cracking up the entire time, so really, thanks man. I’m sorry I won’t be able to go as in depth with yours. ANYWAY, I immediately noticed how your voice sounds awesome on this album. It’s got a nice folky vibrato to it. I like the little tiny sounds in between the tunes, muffled by the rain. Mike, everything on here sounds extremely clean, so thumbs up on the production. I remember seeing a few people on here saying that this album would be cool to hear with more instrumentation. I agree, especially with Come On Out. It’s got a definite White Stripes feel to it. I’d love to hear this with a nastily distorted guitar and some caveman style drum smacking. All in all, this is gnarly. Next time you come to Muncie, bring your set and we’ll jam a few of these tunes! [A rainy collection of acoustic tales that bleed epicness and sincerity.]
Eric Putnam – Listen: The first track sounds like it could be in a major film during a scene where two lovers have finished a fight and are looking at things really pensively. In other words, the tones here gave me a distinct feeling of emotional value, which is really an excellent feeling. I’m a little bummed that there are only two songs here, because both are pleasant as heck. [Nicely arranged instruments and vocals to feel emotions to.]
F.E.A.R. – Why?: Where do you even start when reviewing these recordings? Everything here is so crazy and off the wall. The production is huuuuge. I’m listening to this on mixing headphones and it sounds like I’m in a giant cavern with a gang of self-aware Casio keyboards, KMFDM, and Trent Reznor all playing as loud as they can at the same time. And it fucking rules. I really wish I could point out something specific here, but all I can say is that this album is a [mighty little beast of production and trippy-as-hell effects, like dropping an entire sheet of acid on your way to Hell.]
Girlbeard – Girlbeard: This sounds amazing! I mean, Record Time usually produces some pretty crazy stuff, but this is crazy in that it’s an entirely legit, sounds like it was done over the course of a few months pop punk album. I can’t really get into specifics here, but I really dig what’s going on in this album. The drums and bass have a NoFX feel to me, and the guitars and vocals fill everything else out nicely. I think this may be the most coherent, closest to a legitimate LP I’ve heard from Record Time yet. [A full-length, slick-sounding-as-hell energetic listen (with heart), reminiscent of NoFX, Saves the Day, and Bad Religion.]
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