Ryker Jones Review [Performer Mag]

Ryker Jones – The Tragedy of the Memory

For those who think classical and rock music are mutually exclusive, Ryker Jones’ “The Tragedy of the Memory” is proof that they can work together. Indeed, they can have a passionate and sensual love affair. A refreshingly unique blend of classical guitar and richly textured indie rock, “The Tragedy of the Memory” fluctuates between acoustic minimalism and soaring walls of sound. Enveloped in it all is Jones’ whispery vocals, sometimes recalling a less ragged Elliott Smith, often layered in warm intricate harmonies.

The diverse array of songs range from the jovial strumming and Beach Boys harmonies of Why You Walk Alone to the mournful waltzing Help Me Continue, in which Jones’ sprightly classical guitar is nowhere to be found. Jones’ dexterity on the guitar is showcased in the album’s only instrumental piece Canon, a beautifully arranged tapestry of classical guitar melodies.

Sometimes simple and to the point and at times abstract, Jones’ lyrics are consistently strong. In Help Me Continue, words and phrases repeat like a broken record (“Would you tell me, would you tell me…”), evoking the desperation of a break-up victim who is literally falling apart. System’s ever-repeating string of lyrics succinctly encapsulates a stifling uninspired society: “System is valuable to ensure immunity to ensure security…No choice now it has been proven that there is no need for novel thoughts at all.”

Occasionally, as in the last song Tomorrow, words are lost in the sheer density of instrumentation. Only at these moments does one wish there wasn’t so much going on. Nevertheless, this one-man-band has successfully created an unconventional and vibrant blend of old and modern sounds. www.myspace.com/rykerjones.

-Brodie Jenkins

Swim Party Review [Performer Mag]

Swim Party
Pixie Dust on the Blood Range

Produced by Swim Party and Jacob Feinberg-Pyne
Recorded by Mario Quintero
Mixed by Jacob Feinberg-Pyne
Mastered by John Golden

Infused with dreamy textural guitar and punchy reverb-drenched vocals, Swim Party’s new album dips a tentative toe into the indie sea but never musters up the courage to dive. The precariousness of Eric Tremblay’s voice, which weakly channels Isaac Brock of Modest Mouse, is charming at the outset. As Tremblay wavers from note to note, the listener waits for him to take off with a sly smile …and waits…and waits… Pleasant anticipation turns to chagrin, however, as the vocals float endlessly in an unmelodic abyss. Tremblay’s guitars attempt to make up the difference, swelling into instrumental cacophonies that drown the vocals rather than lifting them out of the monotony. Worse are the painfully slow break-downs that halt songs like “Parliament of Rocks” and “Who Even Are You” in their tracks to drag the listener through a rambling cymbal-heavy quagmire before climbing back into repetitive verse.

“The Kids are a Drag” is one of the best tracks of the bunch, boasting the closest thing to a chorus and a tangible melody, which Tremblay sings with conviction. Rich harmonies give the song a powerful boost, endowing the vocals with some strength against a wall of jangling guitars. Instrumentally, the piece is beautiful, erupting into a cinematic mini-symphony reminiscent of Explosions in the Sky. Yet the song lacks direction, meandering from one disjointed section to the next without fully capturing the listener. One is given a glimpse of Tremblay’s vocal potential in the last song, “I’d Rather Be a Mountain King,” which finds him in a surprisingly low register. Here, Tremblay discovers his strength – the dry shaky tenor gives way to a strong smooth baritone, confidently riding each note. The overlapping layers of his voice undergo a hypnotic call and response pattern but stop there, interrupted by an assaulting battery of drums and spacey guitar. Tremblay’s voice disappears in the din with the exception of distant “ahhh”’s in the background. Thus, the song feels divided, half vocal-centric and half instrumental.

Though Pixie Dust on the Blood Range has its moments, the album tends to wander in an aimless storm of sound. The energy and diversity of Swim Party’s EP “Sewing and Blood” seems to have disappeared with the loss of former member Nadia Shihab, who left the band to pursue research in Turkey. Though he plays the guitar and sings, Tremblay is unable to strike a balance between the two. His vocals are simply unable to carry the sheer intensity of the instruments. Hope can be found, however, in the two strongest songs on the album, which provide a taste of what the band can and hopefully will become in Shihab’s absence. (Self-released) http://www.myspace.com/swimparty

-Brodie Jenkins

Juliette Commagere Review [Performer Mag]

Juliette Commagere - Queens Die Proudly

Juliette Commagere’s solo album “Queens Die Proudly” certainly stands out from the recent slew of sparse acoustic indie albums breathing fresh air into the music industry. From Commagere’s girl-next-door voice to the synthesizer-heavy instrumentals, the album drips pop and even ventures into Broadway musical territory. The chorus of “Hearts,” for example, adds an unexpectedly dramatic wash of reverb-soaked choral harmonies behind Commagere’s voice, which fades into an Enya-esque echo effect. Barely an authentic instrument can be heard as the singer’s “love of Tangerine Dream-esque arpeggiators and synthesizers” is fully indulged. Though Commagere fancies “these songs as simple statements that try to evoke a certain melancholy and feeling of isolation that no matter what never seems to go away,” the result is disappointingly emotionless, even plastic.

The lyrics, spoken so crisply by the singer, come across like a young adult’s melodramatic, sometimes nonsensical, attempt at poetry. The last track, for instance, strives to tell the painful tale of a young woman leaving a destructive relationship behind. But Commagere fails to reach deeply into the emotion of the song, lolling redundantly on the surface:

I, I need to get away

I hold you back, I bring you down

There’s only tears when I’m around

I, I need to run away

I don’t know where I’ll go or how

But a different person I’ll become…

Paired with the coldness of an all electronic backdrop, the poor lyrics are glaringly obvious. Void of tangible warmth or softness, the song does little to touch or draw in the listener. In her press release, the singer puts up an angsty front: “I don’t want to say this record was inspired by a deep depression, but fuck that—like every other asshole out there—it was.” Unfortunately, the “deep” depression she describes translates musically into more of a forced attempt at Evanescence-esque Gothicism than the bearing of an artist’s soul.

Commagere’s bell-like voice provides a comforting remedy to the synthetic atmosphere, and her vocal prowess is exemplified in the layers of impressive harmonies woven into a number of tracks. “Skyscraper” is one of the most interesting of the group, beginning with a choir of layered Commageres, languidly intertwining in effortless harmony before moving rather jarringly into verse.

But the album as a whole is a far cry from being “a little bit Kate Bush, a little bit Bjork with some Chet Baker,” as Commagere wrongly aggrandizes her project. Over-produced and under-felt, the music craves soul and honest emotion. Perhaps Commagere should ditch the synthesizers next time and dig a bit deeper.

(Aeronaut Records) http://www.myspace.com/juliettecommagere

-Brodie Jenkins

Niko Vega Review [Performer Mag]

Nico Vega – Nico Vega
Produced by Linda Perry and Tim Edgar
Mixed by Tchad Blake

Juliette and the Licks and the Noisettes are among the kickass female-led rock bands to recently explode from the woodwork. Joining the ranks of rockers, Nico Vega should make popettes like Colbie Caillat and Sara Bareilles quiver in their boots.

Lead vocalist Aja Volkman’s pipes have been compared to Karen O’s of the Yeah Yeah Yeah’s, but her effortless transitions between sultry smoothness and growling scream-yells respectively reflect Chan Marshall of Cat Power and Brody Dalle of the Distillers. A lesser voice would drown in the wall of electric guitars, fierce drums and orchestral synth melodies that fill up the majority of the album’s space. But Volkman soars on top of it all with astounding authority.

Before signing with Myspace Records, the band was already drawing L.A. crowds with their energetic shows characterized by Volkman’s theatrical and oft-scantily clad performances. Like their onstage dynamic, Nico Vega’s 2008 self-titled debut refuses to settle, with songs swooping and diving between gritty and gentle, edgy and poppy. Burn Burn is one of the cleaner tracks, welcoming listeners into the album with a hail of drumbeats and Rich Koehler’s crackling surf guitar. Gravity is arguably the catchiest of the bunch, with its bouncy melody and the chorus’ sassy and infectious “Nananananananana!”

The band took the name Nico Vega from their ex-drummer’s mother, who the members laud as a “modern American saint.” This theme is expanded into a general “for the people” attitude that Volkman claims is at the heart of her lyrics. “I like to celebrate individuality and equality,” she says. “It’s important to be who you are.” Though spoken with good intentions, Volkman’s cliché statements mirror the mediocrity of her lyrics, which are easily lost in the album’s denser, more frenetic tracks. But in a song like Iron Man, in which the sweet acoustic guitar and fragile melody cry out for poignancy, the lyrics are frustratingly void of depth and tangibility.

One cannot question, however, the sheer awesomeness of Volkman’s voice and Nico Vega’s truly unique and diverse sound. Melodically, the songs are vigorous, surprising and expertly crafted. Their energy and innovation will undoubtedly catapult Nico Vega beyond L.A. fame. (Myspace Records) www.myspace.com/nicovega

–Brodie Jenkins