Eclectic Vibes - January 2009
by Andrew Frey
Minneapolis' Heatbox
HEATED UP BY HEATBOX
Dec 3 at the Cardinal Bar on a Snowy Wednesday
If I counted correctly, 16 disco balls decorate the dance floor in the Cardinal Bar. However, that was not the point of note this evening.
Amidst the amazing white trees bedecked with red lights and red balls which flanked both sides of the small stage was a lone performer, plying his trade.
Heatbox is a vocal side show anomaly. He creates his songs each night by sampling and resampling his voice and then playing the triggering footbar like an organist. Raps n rhythms, melodies and more were displayed on this evening of wonder as the artist routinely performed vocal stunts for all to witness and regale in.
Later in the set some folks that looked an awful lot like Harmony Park regulars (where Heatbox often plays) brought with them an LED Hula Hoop to sparkle up the evening. And sparkle it did when reflected in all those disco balls like some kind of fractured psychedelic dream. We did however enjoy the dream to the fullest before we went into the white night.
MICRO REVIEWS:
This Month's Rating Scale is from 1 - Pathetic thru 10 - Superlative
Almah - Fragile Equality
Almah
Album title: Fragile Equality
Record Label: Blistering Records
Rating: 8
Well flavored and maturely tempered power metal featuring former Angra members. Robust guitar solos are intertwined with pulsating rhythms and urgent vocals justifying the quality and caliber of this melodic power metal fury.
(3931) Page Views
Almah online:
• Website • Wiki
• Download Fragile Equality from Amazon
• Purchase Fragile Equality on Amazon
Cribshitter - Cry A Little Rainbow
Cribshitter
Album title: Cry A Little Rainbow
Record Label: Medicated G Records
Rating: 9
Wow! 30 tracks of hilarious musical debauchery and mayhem. Madison brews them eclectic and this is right up there. Careening from poppy punk to country then retro electronica plus various other tangents du jour, all with a squinter of a rainbow in their eyes…
(4068) Page Views
Cribshitter online:
James Eisele - Coming Into A New Age
James Eisele
Album title: Coming Into A New Age
Record Label: Self Released
Rating: 7
Sly, cool, and swinging jazz temptations are blown about by the blues guitar backbone this artist is known for. At some points I think I am listening to some forgotten Burl Ives record or something.
(3647) Page Views
James Eisele online:
• Website
Faces Of March - Confessions
Faces Of March
Album title: Confessions
Record Label: Kurfew Records
Rating: 8
Even though this female fronted gothic tinged power metal outfit sways a bit heavy on the commercial side for me, they throw down some catchy tunes, decent ballads and a tight vision of their future. Onward!
(3690) Page Views
Faces Of March online:
• Website
• Download Confessions from Amazon
La Otra Banda - Cuatro Tunes
La Otra Banda
Album title: Cuatro Tunes
Record Label: Sanjonero records
Rating: 7
A trio of musicians originally from Venezuela, now slowly transplanting to Madison, bring us a teaser of their world beat amalgamation of South American melodies purposely infected with global influences.
(3773) Page Views
La Otra Banda online:
• Website
• Download Cuatro Tunes from Amazon
New Monarchs - Blueprints
New Monarchs
Album title: Blueprints
Record Label: Soup Bowl Records
Rating: 7
This Minneapolis duo generally generates dreamy electronic drone-scapes with nice genre flairs blistering into eruptions of trance, industrial, ambient and dance. Perfect for late night drives to nowhere.
(3911) Page Views
The New Monarchs online:
• Website
• Purchase Blueprints on Amazon
Pelican - City of Echoes
Pelican
Album title: City of Echoes
Record Label: Hydra Head
Rating: 8
Chicago born, hard hitting massive expansive rhythm-scapes filled with anxious doom and a crusty chagrin. Not all is lost though, as the musical twists and turns afford some blissful vistas via dynamic plateaus and sonic soliloquies.
(3465) Page Views
Pelican online:
• Wiki
• Download City of Echoes from Amazon
• Purchase City of Echoes on Amazon
Laura Reed & Deep Pocket - Live At Tree Sound Studios
Laura Reed & Deep Pocket
Album title: Live At Tree Sound Studios
Record Label: Treeleaf Music
Rating: 8
Recorded live for Pandora’s Music Genome Project, this soulful high energy crew, lead by energetic South African born female vocalist, blasts their way through a saucy selection of material, displaying their song talents plus banter and anecdotes to round out the experience.
(3524) Page Views
Laura Reed & Deep Pocket online:
• Website
• Download Live At Tree Sound Studios from Amazon
• Purchase Live At Tree Sound Studios on Amazon
Siebenburgen - Revelation VI
Siebenburgen
Album title: Revelation VI
Record Label: Blistering Records
Rating: 6
Impending gothic doom gives way as a firestorm of melodic black metal is unleashed upon the listener. The vocals are more growled and gritty than screamed and there are nice female vocal flourishes. Even though it is well done, evokes sinister ambience, etc. black metal has become kinda stale at this point.
(3691) Page Views
Siebenburgen online:
• Website • Wiki
• Download Revelation VI from Amazon
• Purchase Revelation VI on Amazon
Televangelist And The Architect - There’s A Song In There Somewhere
Televangelist And The Architect
Album title: There’s A Song In There Somewhere
Record Label: Undetected Plagiarism
Rating: 6
Rampant with artistic flair, these slightly droll folk rockers force out a slurry of simple yet downtrodden melodies and meandering story lines for us to follow.
(3528) Page Views
The Televangelist And The Architect online:
• Website
Various Artists - Made In Iceland
Various Artists
Album title: Made In Iceland
Record Label: Iceland Music Exporrt
Rating: 7
Perhaps the chill weather of January makes you think of Iceland. If so, this compilation showcases 15 rising Icelandic stars. Quirky indie overtones pervade, but a nice overview of offerings for sure.
(3519) Page Views
Various Artists online:
• Website