The Unmixed tape #9
Archives for Pop
Unmixed #8
The Unmixed tape #8
Unmixed #5
The Unmixed tape #5
Unmixed #3
The Unmixed tape #3
- Caterpillarmen (Döðludans)
- The Exit Strategy (Added by Subtraction)
- Shoppers (iv)
- Transmission Party (Beautiful Breakdown)
Ep. 36: Supercute!
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What would happen if Wesley Willis bred with Bjork? What quirky, schizophrenic, Supercute monster would spawn from their unholy commingling?
This is not a “Where Are They Now?: Toddlers in Tiaras edition”; this is not a Bratz Dollz supergroup; and, this is not that serious; THIS IS SUPERCUTE!
Supercute is a bubblegum pop band… sorta like Destiny’s Child but with a little less Destiny than Child… What’s strange is that the core group of performers are all young adults who dress to look young in what appears to be princess Halloween costumes made by four year olds. They sing goofy satirical tunes from an almost militantly pedantic perspective… that makes it pedantic as in “child-like”; but, not pedantic as in lacking in thought.
Maybe, rather than Wesley Willis and Bjork, this is the result of a torrid love-affair between Lady Gaga and Raffi. Either way, I’m terrified.
Supercute! on Bandcamp
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Ep. 31: Snowmine
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“Nothing lasts forever” is the recurring message I get when listening to Snowmine‘s Laminate Pet Animal. The layers of instruments, effects, and vocals repeatedly hammer home the idea that everything that comes also goes.
“Linear time is an illusion,” is what I keep reminding myself, trying to ward off the non-illusory sense of loss that comes when the album’s over. In my head, I’m always listening; my brain’s still trying to process it bit by digital bit. Is it anthemic folk rock? Hook-laden outsider art made from found pieces thrown away by Brooklynites along with cans of Blue Ribbon? Nope.
Memories fade, tastes change, but form can persist if it’s shielded from agents of decay. In pop music, some agents of decay are contracts, advances, award shows, chart listings, and smiling suits. That’s why finding great bands such as Snowmine is so rewarding. Albums like Laminate Pet Animal are beloved companions on long car rides and whilst doing chores. Though the idea of laminating a beloved pet animal seems morbid to me, the idea of saving a vacuum sealed copy of Laminate Pet Animal is appealing because I know that this band deserves to stay untarnished and fresh.
Ep. 22: Transmission Party
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Transmission Party is the solo project of a young musician from Millbrook, NY. His music is super catchy but not superficial or shallow at all. Though it’s pop-based and influenced by the British invasion and more modern indie groups, Transmission Party manages to forge a new sound with all these recycled materials.
When Transmission Party was submitted to The Unsigned through our Submit Your Music form, it really blew me away. Not only was this an incredibly well written and produced solo effort, but it was by a musician who lived only minutes away from me. I didn’t hear about it from local shows (of which there are precious few) but somehow managed to hear it through the vastness of the internet. It’s really an incredible testimonial to the power of the web in that it transmitted the party directly into my living room seemingly through mere happenstance. Since then, I have been singing the tunes off of the free EP, ’11, in the shower and throwing my own one-person parties with the music from a kid down the street whom I’ve never met nor heard in person. Strange. Good, but strange.
Check out Transmission Party’s website here and download the ’11 EP FREE!
Ep. 20: Endway
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Endway’s third album, Colors, is available now at Endway.com and features heartfelt tunes that have wide appeal. Even when the lyrical content of the song is melancholy the melodies are upbeat and fun. The band clearly loves writing, recording, and performing and it’s this palpable camaraderie that sets Endway apart from other bands of the pop-rock ilk.
From Boston, MA, Endway has gone from struggling rock band to a professional outfit with licensing success due to numerous features on the soundtracks of various television shows. Their tracks are very well produced and performed and you can tell that they are gearing up for charted success, photo shoots, and all the other features of a big-name band that’s been featured on MTV as they have been. Though I’m not a huge pop-rock fan, I found myself humming their melodies after giving the band a cursory listen; to me, that’s a sign that there’s something strong at the heart of a band and reason enough to spread the word. Similar rock bands don’t stick with me like that; but, Endway’s songs invite me to keep listening.
You can find ‘Colors’ at Endway.com, like the band on Facebook, and follow them on Twitter!
Ep. 15: Joy Valencia
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Joy Valencia is a singer/songwriter from Los Angeles, California. Heavily influenced by folk, R&B, soul, funk, and even cabaret, she’s just finishing up the production of her debut album.
Listening to Joy Valencia makes me think about what it would be like if Tank Girl and Tinkerbell formed a supergroup. It’s as though some pseudo-psychedelic pixie is panning around my head, whispering soft what-have-yous in my ears; but, I’m not complaining, not a bit.
Ep. 14: Melia
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Melia is a young punk-rock goddess from Rochester, NY. She started playing guitar 3 years ago and now fronts her own band and shreds on her Silverburst Custom Les Paul from dusk ’till dawn. Her music is polished punk in the same vein as modern Green Day and her recordings are well-produced performances.
Melia is not content trudging through the trenches as an underground gem and, in her case, I think that’s a good thing. She’s got the whole package in terms of her skills, writing, and looks; I’m sure she’ll hit hard when she’s noticed by industry suits, but I hope she stays true to the underground because that’s where longevity and artistry lives.
Check out Melia’s Facebook page by clicking here and learn more about her, see pictures of her band in action, and keep up-to-date on her upcoming gigs.
Ep. 6: Freak Mummy
Freak Mummy hails from Madrid, Spain. Their new album, Ombre Chinoise, twists and stretches from the intimate to the rock-tastic. There’s a passion to their music that alerts me in ways that would embarrass a lesser man :-p
I hear an element of Portishead in the vocals and some guitar parts, but Freak Mummy is nothing if not original, eclectic, and unique.
Please visit FreakMummy.com to buy their album from iTunes and befriend them on Facebook or Twitter. We’ve entered the age when independent bands can reach further than many signed bands could just a decade ago, let’s revel in it!
enespañol
(using Google translate)
Freak Mummy proviene de Madrid, España. Su nuevo álbum,Ombre Chinoise, giros y se extiende desde lo íntimo a laroca-tastic. Hay una pasión por su música que me alerta de manera que avergonzarían a un hombre menor ;-p
Oigo un elemento de Portishead en las voces y algunas partes de guitarra, pero Freak Mummy es nada si no original, ecléctico yúnico.
Por favor, visite FreakMummy.com para comprar su álbum de iTunes y hacerse amigo de ellos en Facebook o Twitter. Hemosentrado en la edad en que las bandas independientes puedenllegar más lejos que muchas bandas contratadas podríanapenas una década atrás, vamos a deleitarse en ella!
