Current Plays

 Hello again. Perhaps this is the first time. If that's the case, hello. If its not, well then hello again. 

 Anyway! These are albums I've been listening to.

Prize Horse - Welder

   These guys are fucking incredible! I still don't really know much about them at all, except that they're from MN and a mutual friends local band just played a show with them. I generally don't like comparing bands to others, but the quickest description would be very Failure influenced. Interesting chords and arrangements, wonderful production, and vocals that will definitely not cheer you up. I obviously mean that with no disrespect. 

   It's important that a band makes their own statement, and these guys seem very genuine in their approach. They've got some obvious influences tonally, but they are paving their own way, much like the bands I believe to be favorites of theirs. That's so important to me as a fan of music. Think like the bands you love, don't play like them. 

   Brand new band to me, but I'm sure I'll be relistening a whole fuck ton more and have more awful descriptions of why I like them coming soon. 

Keaton Henson - Kindly Now

This has been the most listened to in the last few weeks. Looking back, it probably wasn't the smartest soundtrack for my mental health during a weird funk of a week, but it sure felt beautiful curling up in these sounds listen after listen. Just like the previous band - I am brand new to this artist. I have playlists that literally go on for days for "studying music" or whatever cheesy term Apple Music calls ambient classical - but this was one that actually hit the nail on the head. 

Again, more of this dude to be spoken of moving forward.

Ok. Back to hiding hard boiled eggs places. Chow

 - Novak

Most Listened to in 2021

Hi. 

 

I used to do these all the time at the beginning of a new year. I'm infamously pretty terrible at checking out new things, but there's always at least a handful of things that end up getting at least vaguely. That whole "handful" saying really depends on what the item being referred to though, ya know? If I was to say a handful of cantaloupes, that's really just one.. but if I said a handful of skittles, I guess 4 albums wouldn't really be a handful. Words are weird. 

 

Music always does a better job for me at least of explaining where I'm at mentally and emotionally. If these albums were ingredients that were mixed together, it would make something that was very gorgeous, complex, emotional, and for my usual music tastes, pretty upbeat. That kind of sums up where my brain has been going lately as a human being on Earth. It'll always think dark, complex shit is cool, but sunlight seems to be doing a lot more debuts in the things I'm attracted to.

 

 Ok. Here we go!

 

 THESE ARE IN NO ORDER!

 

Hayden Pedigo: Letting Go  

Ok, just a few seconds I said these are in no order but this is number one for sure. It's the most unlike anything I regularly listen to and would easily be the most listened to album of 2021, even though it came out near the end of it. I've probably blabbed in this silly blog about this at least twice by now. Although it's very much outside the typical genre of music I tend to gravitate towards, it very much makes sense that I love it. 

Music to me is so much more than simply arranging catchy melodies together and wearing something visually appealing. It's about channeling your emotions that the English language simply fails at doing fully. It's about challenging your mind and body and emotions themselves to make sure they're not just coming out the easy way, but that they're seen to their logical closure points.

That being said! This album (to me at least) sounds like he was getting his emotions out, but clearly trying to keep up his chops while doing it at the same time. It's really hard to blend the two of those naturally, and Hayden does it flawlessly. There is no such thing as a bad or boring Hayden Pedigo song.

Angel Olsen - All Mirrors 

 

This was one of the quickest favorites of the year. Optimistically browsing through KEXP's YouTube, this came up as a recommendation. Typically, the algorithm is slightly off. The bands are good, but don't seem to stick to me for very long. They do such a great job with each bands performance visually that sometimes you forget they're not great. This was anything but the case with this record.  

The songs instantly announced themselves in a powerful but catchy manner. There was some obvious emotion stitched throughout the entirety of the record. It never felt it was overdoing it. It sounded like she had her brain directly uploaded into the tracks. The stories were so clear, but still abstract enough to create your own personal narrative. Very, very amazing release!

Loscil - Plume

This is the best background noise record when blogging, cleaning, or anything else that requires a thoughtful instrumental accompaniment. It's actually on right now as I write up these posts. Very similar to the soundtrack to one of the very few games I ever got sucked into on my phone "Metro"it has a hypnotic, trance like vibe that you almost catch yourself tuning out, until it's off and you lose all focus on what you were working on. 

For fans of Stars of the Lid and all the many wonderful Brian Eno albums, I can't recommend this album enough!   

Beak - >>>

This is a band I wish I would've found 10 fucking years ago. With very subtle effects on all the instruments and relying more on awkwardly rewarding pleasant chords - these guys will blow your mind track by track. When I first heard them come on shuffle while I was at a previous job, I felt like a poser for not knowing which Can record it was. When I saw that the band was from the 2000's, I made a face of shock. My mouth was slightly open, my eyebrows went up. You know, shock. But it was a pleasant shock. 

This would be a close second if there was an order to these records. I am still just as obsessed with Beak as the first listen to them! Great, great band. 

 

Ok, now do yourself a favor and listen to one or all of these. What else are you going to do? 

- Novak

Hello, Today Is Thursday

 Hello. 

Ok, time for a photo and more words. Here we go!

Hayden Pedigo- Letting Go

   I really like this what this album sounds like. I listen to it a lot. The last few days, it's all I've listened to. You should listen to it too. The picture above these poorly crafted sentences is what the album cover looks like. 

-Novak

Failure - Wild Type Droid

Failure - Wild Type Droid 

    Whoa. Where do I even begin here? I have to first brag and say I knew this was coming out before all of you because the drummer Kellii was also recording drums for Medicated Robots album "The Lostile" for me while he was recording this record. This of course being because I am awesome and also have really good taste in food. Once he was done working on that masterpiece with me, he found some time to go back to making this album. Ok, back to business. 

   I had to do what I always do with favorite bands of mine and digest the album several times over before saying anything about it. Like all of their previous records, it took a few listens to really start hearing the details emerge from the material and for me to fall in love with it. The magic of Failure is how confident each JUST obscure enough parts slides around the mix. At first, the drums stick out as being super full and snappy. Then it's the buzzy, dirty bass lines that seem to be the most pleasing. Then the swirling guitars and synths make a smile turn into an ear to ear grin.

   Tracks like "Half Moon" are just fucking perfect. To me, this sounds like a songwriter who loves Scott Walker a ton. You can tell the intention is simply to write a beautiful, emotionally honest song - but it more than likely just sounds sad to most ears. This my imaginary friends reading this is what I strive to do with my own music the most. Words simply cannot explain all emotions, when I believe music truly can. Hearing Greg Edwards sing so clear and confident on this track made me so happy on first listen that I didn't even realize my eyes were soaking wet. I've been obsessed with his song writing and voice for over 15 years now, and I feel like I've been watching my best friend make his magnum opus, which would be Half Moon.

    I honestly wonder if it's difficult for these guys to focus on simply writing good songs with all the talent and experience they have. With Ken Andrews being the production wizard that he is and Greg having such a wildly diverse musical palette to pick sounds from, it's amazing they can actually walk away from material not just quickly, but as beautifully as they do!

     Anyway, it's like 3am and I need to be unconscious.

 - Novak

Current Plays

    Hi. It's been a while since I've wasted my own time in here. I haven't been sleeping very well lately and I really like these grapes I'm eating. Samoa is bummed I keep typing because she really likes my robe. Ok, now that we've got the small talk out of the way, here's what I've been listening to lately.

Belong: Common Era 

This is my current obsession the last few days. No stereo can play this album loud enough. At very first it sounds ugly and loud, but it quickly changes to gorgeous and complex. Each track announces itself pretty much instantly with all layers and instruments at once, which is a little odd for this style of music. It's mixed in such an interesting way for this style of music too. All the noise and abstractions are right up front, but the low end is just at the right volume to still instantly put you in a trance. I put it on to listen to one song and paint, but I always end up just closing my eyes and smiling while I bum out my entire neighborhood by blasting it at 1am.

Scott Walker- 'Til the Band Comes In

Scott Walker has more music to slowly digest than juggalos have Faygo stains. If you're new to him, I would suggest starting with this album. Track 4 off this album has quickly become one of my favorite songs ever. Catchy, triumphant, but still obscure enough lyrically that I have no idea what the fuck he's so happy about. I love songs that instantly announce themselves as "hits" without the lyrics being too straight forward. Scott is the master of that. The rest of the album is great, but nothing compares to that one track "Thanks for Chicago Mr. Jones." 

 

Hayden Pedigo- Letting Go

One of the most pleasant and beautiful sounding records I've heard in years. Instrumental finger picking classical guitars with the occasional ambient synth textures in between.  Perfect sunny day type of feel to listen to while sliding off the highway into a ditch this winter. "Tints of Morning" is just simply perfect. I can never hear it without smiling like a little kid. Hayden Pedigo is the man. 

Loscil - Plume

This is probably the most listened to album of 2021 so far. I put it on to clean or read and it stays on loop for the entire night without ever wanting it to end. Peaceful, but complex background music, but not too much of either. I put each of these albums on as I was typing up these little paragraphs and I just spent 3 tracks completely zoned out. 

This album was very, very kind to my brain during chaotic times. 

 

 

 

Ok, 4 albums is fine for now. Now go buy me some more grapes and listen to these!

- Novak

Interview With Skylar

Up next in the Monday morning interviews is one of my best friends and favorite people to make music with, Skylar. Skylar is not just a total joy to be around 24/7, but he's one of the most motivated and unique song writers in Cleveland. I had to pleasure to recently record his new band, Orefice Roth. We tracked one song a few weeks ago, and we start the next big batch of songs the middle of February! 

 

Here's a quick little nterview with the guy pictured below. 

 - What's the first band that made you pick up a guitar and start playing? 

Uhhhh general classic rock that I heard in a crate of records that my dad/uncle gave me

- What's missing in the local music scene? 

I don't know.

- How do you know when a song is finished writing? 

To me a song never has to stop changing, but if we’re defining finished as when I’m comfortable with playing it in a live setting or make an official recording of it ... it’s when it feels balanced and it feels like it does it’s job. Whatever that is for you

 

- What comes first in your song writing process? 

 It starts so many different ways

- Do you have any specific rooms, lighting, or rituals you gravitate towards when you're writing? 

Drink coffee, smoke some weed, and just float around the house in your pajamas strumming on a guitar. Have instruments everywhere. Always have one by you when you’re sitting on the couch watching tv.

Watch the Obese Studios instagram account for updates on when new material from this human will be available for you to hear!

Interview With Brain Cave!

Brain Cave

  Up next are the boys from Brain Cave. What started off as a simple recording session a few years back has turned into a solid team of creative friends supporting each other both musically and personally. These guys continue to challenge both themselves and my studio techniques each time they book a new session. 

I tossed a few questions over to drummer and Tiny God records founder Matt Ducey. Here are the words he said in reply to mine.

- When was your first practice and how did it go?

Mike and I got together for the first time in November of 2017. We had been working together and talking music for awhile and it seemed like a good fit. 

- How did you get hooked up with Jonathan Nuñez mixing your last release? 

We were lucky to open for those guys in the summer of 2019. Jon was excited about what we were doing and we knew he understood the vibe we were trying to achieve, so it was a no-brainer to have him work on the album.

- How does the song writing process typically go? 

Someone brings a riff, usually josh or mike and we just jam it out and see what it turns into. Sometimes I’ll get lucky and sneak one of my goofy riffs into the mix. We usually record everything in the practice room so we can spend the time away from practice listening to the new stuff and hearing new ideas, Usually by the second practice we’ll have a working version of the song that we can fine tune.

- How important are lyrics in this band? 

I love Mike’s viewpoint, i think our narrative is very strong in vision but open ended enough to allow people to take what they want from it. We all share some dynamic and powerful views of the world and the human condition and i think that comes across in a unique way.

- What's missing in the Cleveland music scene? 

Right now? Haha, probably shows but that’s unavoidable.

- What sets you apart from other local bands?  

I think we can play with anybody and leave an impression. We can be the heavier band on the more melodic bill. Or the weird band on the hardcore show. I think we prefer the latter. I think we’ve got some pretty tough parts under all of our catchy melodies, haha.
 

- Is there a hidden or deep meaning to the name Brain Cave? 

I guess it could mean skull? And skulls are always cool right? But originally i don’t think so. I vaguely remember us having a list of random words and we just made combinations until one felt right.


- Any plans for music videos? 

We have one, for “Trash United.”  Mike’s life long friend Nolan made it for us a few summers ago. He works under the name, Polygon. Check him out, he’s out in LA doing really cool shit. Would love to do more in the future.

- What's a snack the whole band agrees on? 

I think we’re definitely a chips and dip band. Hummus, salsa, anything handheld really.


- What's the next step for you guys?

Keep grinding, all things considered we’ve had pretty productive year. I think we’re writing cool songs and look forward to keeping it going.

Saturday, January 30th Brain Cave enters my studio, Obese Studios, to start recording their next release! Give them some love if you don't already on Instagram and keep your eyes in your balls for more cool shit by these dudes. 

Interview With Mullins!

Hello Hello Hello Hello 

     In a few days, it will be two solid years since I've posted an interview on here. Something has got me itching to get into all of your brains again, so we're starting a new phase! At this point, I'm deciding to keep all the questions music related, but that may change depending on how these all go.

First up, Brandon Mullins!

 

- What's the last show you went to before the shut down? 

I believe the last show I went to was Snowed in fest, most notably State Champs played. This was 12/19.  

- What's a band that progressively got better and better over time? 

Very hard to answer in a simple way, many bands have moved me over time. I could give one answer tonight and a totally different one tomorrow. Simple answer; the Deftones. I have consistently found that I’ve enjoyed what they have released in new material

  

- Do you have a certain genre of music you listen to on long drives?  

Music I listen to on long trips varies wildly but I can recall fond memories of pop punk road trips and also drum and bass heavy road trips.

- Do you own many vinyl records?  

I don’t own very many vinyl records

- What's a band that looking back you don't understand how you were so into? 

I was around for the rise of nu metal, and I do love me some nostalgic listens. I just don’t see how I got so deep into nu metal when a lot of it I would be mostly turned off by in this day and age. 

Now hang in there if you can until next Monday for the next interview!