Review: JEFF The Brotherhood - Heavy Days (Infinity Cat, 2009)

Jeff The Brotherhood are two brothers. Jake and Jamin Orall. Together they make psychedelic grunge and release their music under their family owned label, Infinity Cat. Now, I've been a huge fan of these dudes since 2007 and I can honestly say that their new album Heavy Days is probably my favorite album they've ever released.

The 9 tracks on Heavy Days are insanely catchy-as-fuck. The first time I listened to it, I turned the speakers as high as they could go. I'm sure I pissed off my neighbors but y'know, if it's too loud then you're too old. "Bone Jam" is without a doubt, the best track off the album. I'm really glad that they've been getting a lot of hype now. Not too long ago, they were mentioned in Entertainment Weekly! If you feel that 2009 wasn't a good year for music, go out and buy Heavy Days. I guaranteed you will love it.

[Jeff The Brotherhood Myspace]
[Buy Heavy Days from Infinity Cat]

Review: M. Pyres & The Skygaze Family Band - Apart The Echo (Patient Sounds, 2009)

Earlier in the year, M. Pyres graced our ears with his debut Consider Me, Ghost. It hasn't even been a year yet, and he's already made a new album, with the addition of the Skygaze Family Band. It may seem a bit rushed, but at least this isn't in the same situation as Thee Oh Sees' latest LP Dog Poison, where it just seemed like they got bored and needed some more dough in their pockets.

Apart The Echo is much different than M. Pyres' previous style. It ends up being more on the atmospheric side of the fence, and the ambient interludes are extended to the 4-5 minute range, as opposed to Consider Me, Ghost's quick one-minute-drone-quickies. The sound has also changed, it obtains a more roomy and live sound than before. As far as songwriting goes, the songs don't all sound the same like before, melodies and moods change. Although, it may not be as catchy as before, the songs are still fun to listen to and you can still find yourself humming to the tunes.

I've always been a fan of both sounds; the pop songs and the ambient songs, and I'm glad that Apart The Echo has an equal amount of both styles. Listening to the album as a whole is a bit of a challenge though; you'll often get lost in the sound, questioning what's going on. Listening to the songs separately works well though when it comes to understanding the album's structure. Deciding which album is better is a difficult task, but I can say that I, once again, give M. Pyres high marks.

[M. Pyres & the Skygaze Family Band Myspace]

[Buy Apart The Echo from Patient Sounds]

Review: Grooms - Rejoicer (Death By Audio, 2009)

So it has come to this. It's the end of the year, people are already making their top whatever albums of the year lists, consisting of the usual; Animal Collective's Merriweather Post Pavilion, Sunset Rubdown's Dragonslayer, but what is an album that is great but is an unexpected pick for a top albums list? Something that no one bothered to pay attention to in 2009, because let's face it; 2009 was a pretty bad year for music. Nearly everything lacked originality and the hottest music trends were what musicians were turning their heads toward. Well, I've found the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. After all of the time spent digging for something that will blow my mind, 2009 has given us our gift in return. It's Grooms' album Rejoicer.

Even a description so brief of the album should get you to buy it: think about all of your favorite 90's bands (Sonic Youth, Polvo, Pavement) and combine their sounds, but not only that, add a hefty amount originality to it as well. That is honestly what Rejoicer is in a nutshell, I guarantee it. Now, I'm not saying that Grooms are entirely original; nothing this year has been. But I am saying that you won't hear anything else like this, at the moment. There's a possibility that something in the future will have at least a similar sound to Grooms but--enough jibber-jabber.

Rejoicer is one of those albums that from the moment you hear that first guitar note, you know you are going to like this album. Every song has nearly 10-20 parts in them; every time the band switches gears it sounds like a completely different band, one of which you can't pinpoint. The guitar tone is great; it'll change from a Thurston Moore-esque tone and occasionally switch to Women-esque trebly arpeggios. Not only that, the notes being played are very reminiscent of Ash Bowie's style of guitar playing; bent and broken. It's evident that I'm playing favorites with the guitarist, but every member is an extremely talented musician. There is not one bad song on this album, not even one that'll spark neutrality. It's all mind-blowing, and for something to be consistently mind-blowing, it deserves very(x235) high marks.

[Grooms Myspace]

[Buy Rejoicer from Death By Audio]