See ya.

No one checks this anymore. So its good to be able to type this out.

Im going to kill myself. Im done. im out. Im tired.

Im sick, and no one can tell me whats wrong. My wife doesnt even believe me.

I dont know how im going to do this yet. maybe overdose. Im not kidding.

So maybe one day someone will remember this blog, and what I used to do with it. and come across this, and figure out what happened. God knows I dont write anymore. I dont play music anymore, not that anyone ever listened to it.

Go ahead and talk about how selfish it is. I wont be missed, and if i am, it wont be for long. but thats not your choice anyway. its mine. Its the last fucking thing I have any control over. I dont have control over my mind or my body anymore. I have a say if i want to continue to suffer.

After 6 years, there is no light at the end of the tunnel. every day just gets harder and harder.

I remember telling Lindsey Merritt a long time ago when we were drunk, that i couldnt see myself living very long. I said Ive send my future, and its short. She laughed and drank, whle we listened to jeff Buckley albums on CD.

The truth is a thing we forget. I havent felt alive in a very long time.

The glory i have witnessed was just a sleight of hand.

Im parasitic.

And mostly, Im tired.

maybe i will record a few more songs that no one will give a shit about before i go. I think I have it in me to make just a little more effort, and maybe get some temporary relief.

And snarky wife, dont try to follow me. Youd probably make fun of me in the afterlife.

Its no wonder im running.

Fuck You Fuck You Fuck You Fuck You Fuck You Fuck You Fuck You Fuck You Fuck You Fuck You Fuck You Fuck You Fuck You Fuck You Fuck You Fuck You Fuck You Fuck You Fuck You Fuck You Fuck You Fuck You Fuck You Fuck You Fuck You Fuck You Fuck You Fuck You Fuck You Fuck You Fuck You Fuck You Fuck You Fuck You Fuck You Fuck You Fuck You Fuck You Fuck You Fuck You Fuck You Fuck You Fuck You Fuck You Fuck You Fuck You Fuck You Fuck You Fuck You Fuck You Fuck You Fuck You Fuck You Fuck You Fuck You Fuck You Fuck You Fuck You Fuck You Fuck You Fuck You Fuck You Fuck You Fuck You Fuck You Fuck You Fuck You Fuck You Fuck You Fuck You Fuck You Fuck You Fuck You Fuck You Fuck You Fuck You Fuck You Fuck You Fuck You Fuck You Fuck You Fuck You Fuck You Fuck You Fuck You Fuck You

Some Shit I was asked to Write About Ryan.

When I was asked to write something about Ryan Koch, many ideas immediately penetrated my brain. Perhaps I should write a small list of things. Observations that I feel make him unique. Not special or useful. Just Unique.

1. He smells nice
2. He is good with children and animals.
3. He has Impeccable fashion sense.
4. He has an unparalleled love for Motley Crue (this one is true)

I first met Ryan at the Rock House, where my band at the time was playing. Ryan was a serious mess of a person. Kind of like a homeless version of the singer from Creed. Now that I think about it, that guy IS probably homeless now. He shared with me his passion for his own band, Electric Park. Being a self-centered, self involved narcissist, I immediately offered to play guitar for his band on some tracks. He placated me with some ridiculous answer, which said “No thanks, loser” in a roundabout way. I almost immediately felt disdain towards him for dodging my act of subterfuge. In order to win him over, I would have to find another plan. Maybe show him my collection of celebrity mustaches. Magnum PI came to mind.
Over the years since, Ryan has somehow infiltrated my circle of friends. He shows up at many of the same places I show up. He is unaware that he is my nemesis. My Lex Luthor. Magneto. The Joker. That guy Spider Man is always fighting. I dont know, Im not a dork.
One day, he will feel my wrath, and kneel before me. He will realize that he is the living embodiment of those ASPCA commercials that are so sad. Until that day….bitch.

For reals though: Ryan has been there for me in so many ways over the past six years, it’s insane. He is always a phone call away from a favor, and rarely asks for anything in return. He has supported me through all of my musical endeavors. It has been great sharing the stage with him and his wife. Im proud to know him, and to call him a friend, even though our busy lives dont permit us to hang out as much as I wish. To say I admire him, doesnt scratch the surface. He is genuinely kind, and I know Im not the only person that feels this way about him.

It has been a real treat to watch is ongoing success in the community, and his professional life. He deserves it. He is a great father, husband, and friend. His good fortune is not luck, it is hard work and love.

He is an invaluable source to our music community, being a talented musician himself. He is an active part of our scene, and I have never heard anyone say anything negative about him. He goes out of his way through his radio show to promote the bands he loves and cares for. Using his radio show to help bands, He is also a mentor to many of us, teaching up and coming bands what to expect from the music world.

I can’t think of a better person. Well, maybe Brad Pitt. He does good things too. And The Gangam Style guy. What a catchy song.

I hate your Scene.

This started off much nicer, but the draft didn’t save, so now you’re forced to hear bitterness.

I didn’t make this blog for me. Not in the beginning. It was to write horror movie reviews. But then I got hired by a big company to do that. Afterwards, I made this a music blog, for local people. To gain exposure. Regardless of genre.

Ive lost interest. You have all forgotten who you are. Your egos have gotten in the way. It is so sad, to see talent go that way.

I have somehow became invisible to you all. That’s fine too.
What matters is you got what you want.

“This City Is Haunted” Is closed.

 

Obamabo- OBAMABOT Review

Oisin Daly is one busy guy. Hailing from Ireland originally, and settling down here in Savannah, you can usually catch Oisin downtown doing any number of things involving music.  Oisin can be seen playing guitar for his band Xulu Prophet on a pretty regular basis, playing laid back jams based around blues, funk, reggae, and rock. Xulu Prophet literally does a little bit of everything. It wouldn’t surprise me if I walked into one of their shows and they were playing some barn-burning country music. Like, I wouldn’t even flinch. It’s always been a pleasure to share the stage with these guys, and watch them grow over the years.

But there’s a whole different musical side to Oisin, and he has managed to make one hell of a mixtape/album out of it. The sounds on “OBAMABOT” are as varied and diverse as the band he plays in. And in some ways…even more so.

The focus here, is blending traditional instruments, with electronic music. Oisin has told me that some of these song ideas are new, and others date back years. So it’s safe to say that “OBAMABOT” has been in the making for a while.Over the years plenty of artists have attempted blending organic instruments with EDM . Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t.

“OBAMABOT” kicks off with some psychedelic electro dissonance, with a sample regarding technology, and how it affects us. It sets the tone for what youre about to get yourself into.

Everything kicks off with a elaborate track that builds, using drum and bass beats and an absolutely rocking bass line a la’ The Chemical Brothers or Crystal Method. Electric and Acoustic guitars compliment the mix. Like i said before, sometimes this kind of thing works, mixing organic instruments in, and sometimes it doesn’t. In this case it most certainly works! This will continue throughout the mix. The track ends with an awesome, off the wall, drum breakdown that makes for a great bookend to lead into the next track

I could sit here and talk about things track by track, but i wont. I would rather give a firm salute to the fact that Oisin manages to not follow any particular genre of electronica. He takes bits and pieces from everything. There are Trance beats, breaks, hints of Industrial, and some of my favorite moments are the down-tempo songs. In the down-tempo moments, there is either a firm melody, or a full on washout of atmospherics. Personally, I think this is where Oisin shines. The hard banging intro is great, but I thoroughly enjoy some of the lighter moments.

One of those moments happens at almost forty minutes into the mix, where Oisin blends guitars, with some amazing saxophone playing (played by Denton Schulz) . This is the stand-out track for me, and I actually found myself going back to that track over and over. It reminds me a lot of techno geniuses Orbital, or U.N.K.L.E

There’s some voice samples, which as a personal preference…I don’t care for. But they are used tastefully, and never to excess.

The production is top-notch. It would seem that Oisin is a pefectionnist when it comes to mixing and mastering his tracks. Ive listened to “OBAMABOT” on a regular stereo, and then put it to the test with my studio monitors. One of the most impressive things is Oisin’s ability to layer so many sounds, and it never sounds crowded or over-bearing. The cool thing about that, is that I notice something different upon each listen. Maybe a keyboard tracks wayyyy in the back that I didn’t hear before, or an arpeggiated lick that sits in the beat. This makes the re-listen value high. There is always something new to discover.

With all of that being said, “OBAMABOT” isnt going to be for everyone. It’s very eclectic, and lots of people just simply cannot appreciate instrumental music. I only have minor nit-picks regarding the album. Sometimes it becomes a little disjointed where i think it should flow together a little better.These moments are few and far between. But Like I said, a minor nit-pick.

Overall, this is a great effort. And to be really appreciated, I suggest you kick back with some headphones, and listen to it from top to bottom at least one good time.

Keith Baudry – Ghosts That Whisper Through Speakers Album Review

By Christopher Horton

Keith Baudry is one interesting cat. He writes short stories, poems, designs websites, sings, plays guitar, a voracious reader….it’s like his whole life is dedicated to art. I can definitely sympathize with that. He’s a disciple of art and culture. Chances are, if you see the unassuming bearded guy at your show, in sneakers, glasses and a beanie…standing in the back. He’s not just watching, he’s studying.  He’s at church.

We are definitely kindred souls.

I’ve had the opportunity to work with Keith more than once. As a matter of fact, I worked with him on track on this album: “Trip Horse”. We co-wrote, produced, and recorded the song in one evening at my home studio. On a whim, really. Because we were both in the mood to make something dark, brooding, and mechanical.

I also played in his band “Sister Beards” for a short while, which was straight Blues rock. He also had a project called “Spacedevilbutterfly”, which leaned towards electronica. So I know a thing or two about Keith and his style. It’s all over the place.

That being said, hearing this new solo effort from him is quite a surprise. I was excited to hear what he had come up with. Keith showed up at my doorstep, at 8am, CD in hand. Grinning ear to ear. I figured if he’s that excited about it, I should be excited too.

The end result is a medley of electronica, southern rock riffs, and an overall somber…and dark vision. I say surprising, because it is a huge departure from anything I have heard him do. I also had no idea that he was even making this album. But if I know Keith, he probably didn’t know he was making an album either. It just happened.

The album kicks off pretty noisy. The first track, “Wretched Egg” is an amalgamation of guitars and synth, with buried vocals that work almost as an instrument themselves,weaving in and out with the rest of the soundscape. The song is a great way to grab your attention and almost says: “Strap in fuckers, this is going to get weird”.

Next we go into blues guitar riffs ala’ The White Stripes. This second track, “Golden” is fantastic. This could have easily been a Sister Beards song. The sparse bluesy vibe is almost a trademark of Keith’s early work. Over the grinding riff we have Keith’s haunting vocals, perhaps speaking of lost love.

The next three tracks are straight electronica, including his two collaborative tracks with myself and Vincent Villain. “Trip Horse” is my contribution, which we purposely tried to make as dark as possible, and aggressive. It’s on the border of being a soundtrack to a horror film. As I described it earlier, dark and mechanical.

On the flipside, “Breathe”, his collaboration with Vincent, is almost the polar opposite. It has a sad feel to it, and the sounds used remind me of electronic genius like The Knife or Fever Ray. With altered vocals, layered with effects. Its very hypnotic, and to be honest, probably my favorite track on the album. I listened to it twice when I first heard it, because I didn’t want it to end.

If that’s not enough diversity, we also get a great stripped down acoustic version of “Cactus” by The Pixies. Keith manages to make a familiar song his own, a sign of artistic vision usually found in artists well beyond Keith’s short years of experience.

We go back to electronica with “Slowdown”, “Adore nothing, spit”, and “Adore Homonym”.  These come across as interludes, with some tripped out guitar dashed here and there. These are kinda live jams. Improv if you will. It gets really dissonant until we hit the last track…

“You Always Hurt The Ones You Love” is track 10. It’s just Keith and an acoustic guitar, stripped down with no effects. It’s short and sweet, and intriguing. It’s intriguing because it is almost the antithesis of everything else on the album. No keyboards or drum machines. No vocal overdubs. Just a room, a mic, and Keith. It’s a great way to end the album. The opposite of how it starts. Birth and Death. Light and Dark.

Keith is definitely on to something. This new effort shows that no matter who produces the track, or what instruments are used, Keith’s style is still stamped on everything. his unique, soulful voice helps to tie everything together. But with his lyrical imagery combined, he leaves his mark no matter what the vibe or genre is. That’s undeniable talent at work. The only negative criticism I can really give is sometimes the album sounds a bit unfocused. But when the focus is there, magic happens.

I honestly can’t wait to see what he comes up with next, or to work with him again.

You can check the album out on bandcamp: https://keithbaudry.bandcamp.com/album/ghost-that-whispers-through-speakers-b-sides-and-rarities

Broken Glow- “Filament” Review

By David Coooke

Savannah has always been one of the best kept secrets for having a very unique art and music culture and this album is the exemplar.  The entire album has a vibe to it that I think everyone can appreciate.  The music is straight up rock and roll each song takes you to a different place. The album has a diversity that is unparalleled in today’s sterile standards.  Having been recorded in analog (on tape) it clearly shows these guys pulled out all the stops to make this the best they could.

“Blister” is my favorite track. It is straight forward, with a catchy melody and an upbeat groove that just grabs your attention.  Second on my favorite list is definitely “Blue Dream”; it somehow captures the nostalgia of a good Saturday night in downtown Savannah.  It combines bluesy rock sounds with a bit more edge, that makes it very contemporary.

“Iconoclast” is definitely the heaviest song on the album with all of the ingredients that make a good jam: heavy drums, powerful guitar rhythms, and a soaring solo.

“Smoke” definitely shows the bands diversity as songwriters and musicians by having very great dynamics to it.  I seem to find myself singing the chorus every time I hear it.

Every song is different but something about the way everything is written its got some glue in there that makes it all cohesive  Writing albums is something that seems like a lost art, but these guys have certainly done well.

This isn’t a collection of songs. It IS an ALBUM and I strongly suggest you give it a listen in its entirety.  Every time I hear it, I hear something new. It just seems to flow together like a good book.  This is just great music- every instrument and every musician plays to the interest of the song.  Overall I’d give it a 10/10! Everything is solid. This is the kind of music the world needs.  This is the kind of music that makes every ten year old kid want to pick up a guitar and start a rock band.

Good job you guys!

*****David is a local producer, engineer, and musician here in Savannah. He currently operates out of Pepper Town Studios where he has worked with bands like PRIDEMEAT. HONESTLIE, and AWAKEN THE DAWN. He has a knack for really capturing the energy of a band in the studio. He is new to writing music reviews and we are happy to have him as a guest here at This City Is Haunted. David is a self-professed gear junkie and can talk shop with you all day. You can contact David by visiting his website: http://peppertownstudio.com/********

BBXF : “Parralell Points of View” Review

I have had the opportunity to review a lot of Savannah bands lately. So far, I cant say anything bad. It’s starting to piss me off. Can someone please submit something shitty? It’s starting to look like these bands are paying me off or something. I assure you, they dont…or I would have more guitars and a new motorcycle. But there is honestly some great music coming out. And BBXF is one I have been waiting to hear for a while.

BBXF have always been great musicians. At least since I first saw them. That was never the problem. While they gelled as a band, they did mostly covers. There’s nothing wrong with that, but when you are capable of doing so much more…

Ive been lucky enough to watch these guys from being just a weekend jam band that played covers and a couple of originals to becoming what they are today. They have spent the past two years honing their craft and what we have now is a full length album. They are one of those rare bands that you cant really pin down what their collective influences may be. Deftones? Pink Floyd? Led Zepplin? Chevelle? Who knows…depends on the song! I like that. You are constantly saying “What the fuck am I listening to?”

This album has been a long time in the making. I can remember hearing pre-mixes 8 months ago with Kevin. But the work has paid off.

Look. There is a serious and I mean SERIOUS lack of “Rock” bands in Savannah. By that, I mean most bands are metal, or punk, or some other type of genre. BBXF is a rock band through and through. Much like their current peers: Between Symmetries and Broken Glow. This is so refreshing to hear. BBXF is helping to fill a hole here in our scene. They rock, without ever getting into the abrasive territory. They are unassuming, without ego, and just want to rock.

Dont let that unassuming demeanor confuse you. This is the real deal. The easy going guys that you meet before the show, turn into rock stars when they hit the stage.

If you do meet them before a show, Kevin is a hugger. Just warning you.

There is a good mix of ballads, and all out rock songs on the album. Songs like “Gone” show that they really know how to craft an honest, beautiful song.  While tracks like “Bug Out Bag” are full on riff rock. There is something for everyone. We get to see a broad spectrum of style.

I have to say, that where they are at their best is the in-between songs. The ones that mix that great ballad-like song crafting with the hard rock influences. You can hear this on the track “It’s You”. Which may be my favorite track, because of the diversity. It shows the more mature skills that song-writers generally dont learn until several albums in. I cant stress this enough-rarely does a band nail down their trademark sound on the first try. It’s really an amazing feat.

I imagine that the lead single will be “The Haunted”, since a radio edit was included in my review pack. Like “It’s You”, it really showcases all of their sound. It also has a great hook on the chorus. This is a great track to lead-off with. It’s an introduction to the band’s over-all style.

I cant lie. I was blown away from the first track, “Truth Be Told”. Kevin Sorrell’s vocals are more confident than I have ever heard them live. He has a smooth croon that reminds you of Brandon Boyd from Incubus. But he isn’t afraid to get aggressive either, like on the second track “Chic”.

Zach Towns, however, can kiss my ass. Really. No one should be that consistently great at guitar. His solos are tasteful, and he knows when to back off and be the rhythm guy. I hate you. But I love you. I imagine that our relationship will be complicated from now on. Im ok with that. Sorry. Not sorry.

And now to kiss the rest of the band’s ass….I will talk about how solid they are together. Everyone is on their A-game. The rhythm section holds it down through all of the stops and starts, and there is some seriously melodic bass playing that you have to listen out for. The drums are never over-playing, which is amazing if you’ve ever know a drummer.

If you have a good drummer, you have a good band. But if you have a GREAT drummer, you have a legendary band.

But Im not just here to kiss ass. I do have a few criticisms. The main thing being the production. It’s almost too polished. There is a good deal of studio magic going on, but never to the point of it taking over the sound of the band. Like I said, Its a minor little complaint. I would prefer to hear them a little more raw, and less “radio ready/friendly”.  On the flip-side, I also know that they can pull off most of this stuff live, so the few areas where studio magic did its work, are really irrelevant. But hey, just personal taste.

But hey, the fact is they have a great sounding album, regardless of my personal taste. I think it will appeal to a great deal of personalities, and can easily cross genres. I hope this a sign that the Savannah scene isn’t afraid of rock bands, or bands that can appeal to a larger crowd.

Hipsters beware. The rock is coming in 2016.

The Album release party will be at The Barrelhouse South Jan. 8th with guests Broken Glow and Akilavue.

Between Symmetries “Movetur” Review

Between Symmetries new album “Movetur” officially drops on October 23rd. 

Between Symmetries is a new band to me. Meaning that I have not played any shows with them, or seen them live, or verbally/sexually harassed them. I have had casual Facebook chats with Adam, mostly about our love for semi-hollow bodied guitars (We both have some sweet cherry red Gibson/Epiphone guitars that increase your sexiness by tenfold when you don one. Try it out sometime, you will eventually get used to strangers bowing down at your feet). With that being said. I don’t know shit about these guys. Minus the fact the are very photogenic in front of palm fronds. And they look like they play a mean tennis game.

So I went into listening to ” Movetur” without having any idea what to expect, and to say I was surprised doesn’t even start to explain the first listening. I mean, I didn’t even know what genre they were. But I was really hoping that their sound didn’t involve anything that takes 15 words to spell out. Like “Post hardcore Batmancore dance party emo breakdown skull postpuppy fartcore jazz fusion industrial” I hate that kind of shit. There are only two types of music to me: Good, and Bad.

So I just pressed play, and went about my business (I might have been burying a hooker that day, or volunteering at the Salvation Army Soup Kitchen. Don’t judge me, I’m complicated), and I was pleasantly impressed after each and every song. Afterwards I went back and listened to their previous album “Atlas”. Which is totally different in my opinion. While I like “Atlas”, it’s easy to hear how much they have grown as a band since then. Which is weird, since “Atlas” was released this year as well. Real talk: I was blown away.

Which brings me to a little off topic, and serious point: There are some really great bands in Savannah right now. Maybe more than ever before, and I have been here 13 years. If you are not out there, going to see shows, you are missing out on a very important time period in the history of the Savannah music scene. There is so much diversity, and pro-quality local bands out there, it’s almost daunting. Being in a band myself, it motivates me to be on my “A Game”….which is how a positive music scene gets started. We all inspire one another to be better, and learn from one another. All of the bands I have interviewed or reviewed on this website has been my honest opinion. I have been blown away a whole lot the past couple of years. I feel lucky to be a part of this slice of scene-ness, while currently playing in Broken Glow (shameless plug. Buy our stuff plz thanx).

That being said, “Movetur” has inspired the shit out of me. Between Symmetries draws from a pretty deep well of influences, that at times are VERY apparent. But that’s not to say that they are copping any other bands style. They have managed to pick inspiration from the source material and make it their own. I hear so many different styles in their music. I hear some Sparta, Helmet, At the Drive In, Sonic Youth, Bloc Party, The Cure and in heavier moments maybe  Thrice, Failure, or Thursday. The entirety of “Movetur” sounds familiar, but then again, it sounds fresh at the same time. Let’s put it like this : They have a great palette of colors that are immediately recognizable, but once the colors hit the canvas, it becomes a painting you’ve never seen before.

Let’s get down to the music: The music is extremely well thought out. The riffs are memorable, and the production is top notch. The band recorded the album at Audio Boogie Studios in Brunswick, GA. With Levi Hamilton at the helm, engineering/producing.

The entirety of the album has a huge textured feel. A big wall of sound. There’s a lot going on, but it never gets sloppy, even in their more psychedelic moments. Their use of effects almost puts them in shoegaze territory, but then you get pulled right back in to the simple groove. Honestly, it’s hard to describe because of the immense amount of shit going on. Really. I’m getting frustrated. I swear, I’m good with words. But I just got done freebasing some Clearasil and eating a bag of Fritos with my cats in the bathtub, so maybe I shouldn’t write in this current mental state. Ill go snort some Pop Tart filling to balance things out.

The guitars weave in and out of pristine clean, and all out fuzz breakdowns.  Adam and Daniel play so well in tandem that sometimes what you hear sounds like one guitar track. I cant comment on how well they pull this off live, but if it’s even half as good as on the album…..that’s impressive. There are plenty of almost metallic guitar breakdowns, that are heavy as hell, but stay just outside the realm of being in-your-face abrasive. Tasteful, is a good word. The standout track for this borderline is “Poseiden”. The track walks a fine line between being metal, and hardcore. But like I said, it’s done very classy. To be honest, some of the most impressive moments is when things are understated, and psychedelic. And just to get music-nerdy, the chord voicings are sometimes dissonant and other times beautiful. (Editors Note: As a guitar player, I love hearing a chord and saying to myself “What the hell was that?”. I will have to watch their hands live and steal all of their cool ideas. Then I will get all the money. And Power. And a Pony)

Adam’s vocals are obviously influenced by post-punk. But he can move from subtle, to all out wailing. The only criticism I can give is there are a lot of missed opportunities for some great harmonies. But for the most part, its a single vocal track throughout, minus “A Eulogy” that has a choir of awesome overdubs. I will also say that you can tell that Adam is experimenting with his voice a good bit. And most of the things he tries works well. There is a definite change in his approach to ” Movetur” than their previous effort “Atlas”. There’s more confidence here.

The lyrics are all well written, and never stray into saccharine-sophomoric-land. There’s some real emotion behind every word, and some songs are ambiguous enough to make them mean anything you want. Deftones do this all the time. You make the song as personal as you want it to be.

Anthony Zeppetella and Jack Nave hold down the rhythm section, playing right in the pocket through all of the changes. And there are a lot of changes. I wouldn’t call Between Symmetries “progressive”, but they have some of those tendencies. Not everything is verse-chorus-verse. Jack has that growling, nasty-as-shit bass sound that can usually only be attained by cranking an Ampeg up all the way. Anthony is diverse as a drummer, keeping things at first listen kind of simple. But after a few times through the album, you start to hear some really great snare rolls, and little nuances that stick out (Pun Intended).

Which brings me to the next point…

The production is top notch throughout the album. All of the tracks “bleed” into one another, sound like one big song when listened to in order. This is almost a lost art these days, as most people put out singles in lieu of a fully realized concept of an album. The first track is a spoken word intro, setting the tone of the album. The standout track, and personal favorite of mine is ” Nero”. It switches from minor, brooding heaviness to a great hook of a chorus. Then you get slammed with a breakdown that eventually ends the track and moves seamlessly to my next favorite track “A Eulogy”. Eulogy begins with a beautiful and moody lead guitar melody, and vocals that will have you humming for days.

In closing: The songs are better crafted than they were on “Atlas”, and between the production and the song-writing, “Movetur” just plain sounds more…..grown up? Their sound hasnt changed per se, but it has been honed. It seems they are really coming into their own as a band. I really can’t wait to hear what they come up with next.

 You can order “Movetur” on bandcamp October 23rd: http://betweensymmetries.bandcamp.com/album/movetur

WEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!

Nowhere Child Interview with Kerry Walsh

By Christopher Horton

Nowhere Child started out with Kerry Walsh, in his spare bedroom, with a guitar and a computer. Around this time last year he started crafting the song structures that have now materialized as their first album “Under the Above”. He spent a short stint in IAMSOUND with me, and I got to see these songs start as a good idea, and turn into a full album. Kerry is a transplant from Atlanta, where he played in several different projects. But he started started working these solo song ideas at open mic nights at The Wormhole, working his way into the scene. I would sometimes play drums for him, sometimes people would play guitar with him, but there was never anyone permanent.  Soon he realized that he needed to be in a band again. There was only one problem….he needed a full time live band. Enter Johnny Hill (drums) and Stephen Sebulski (bass). Both are old friends and collaborators of Kerry’s.

I produced one track on the album.  With that exception, Kerry has really put in a lot of work on this album. Doing all of the mixing on his own, and learning about recording by himself the whole time (which isn’t easy by the way, try making a whole song by yourself, then learning the programs needed to mix it).

After a bit of woodshedding over the Summer, the band is ready to get some shows under their belt, and they have a finished album for everyone to hear. I caught up with Kerry to ask him a few questions before his Album release Party on October 10th at the venue where it all started for him, The Wormhole!

Nowhere Child started as basically a solo project. Tell me a little about what made you start it, and where the inspiration came from.

NOWHERE CHILD was originally the very last concept our old Atlanta crew came up with right before everyone died from an overdose and had little humans and left me with the hotel bill. So I carried on. Johnny ( our drummer) is 2nd GEN  in this circus . His big bro Stevie was my rhythm player for years . We are family.

Now that you have a full band, do you see your sound changing as you guys write new material?

Absolutely , it has already shaped itself into the monster we were hoping for. Naturally, in any band you have a concept for a record or a song. Pitch it to the crew. They have a idea of what they would like to do and VIOLA! All of my Justin Timberlake songs turn into nirvanatalicaknot ( Editors note: Thats a pretty good description of the sound.)

“Dead Flowers” is a standout track on the album. What’s the story behind the song? What was the songwriting process?

Dead flowers is something very close to my heart . I wrote that at my fathers grave.. It hurts from a deep place to play it. I had a fucked up childhood . It touches on the guilt, the hate, touches on the loneliness… I was raised in section 8 area of Atlanta . It was rough. I learned everything the wrong way. That song. That song is me begging a dead man to come back.. That song is realizing I’m following the same foot steps.. That’s why I had my daughter sing with me the last 4 bars…. Fuck… Fuck that song man.

You’re new to the Savannah scene, coming from Atlanta originally. What are some of the differences you see between the two?

I don’t know, man. I love Savannah and have shown a TON of love to the scene here. I think you got to be here for a long while or something before they really give a shit. Got to earn it or something. It’s kinda the same in Atl except you can spread out a lot more you know ? So for example: I thought there were all these venues in 912 but it’s just dudes naming their bedroom something that sounds like a venue and having house shows.. WHICH IS DOPE- except I’m not cool enough yet so I can’t play. Haha

What can we expect in the future from Nowhere Child?

Duuuuuuuuudddeee…. You ever seen Metallica’s documentary “Some Kind of Monster”?.

Thanks Kerry!! Check them out live October 10th at The Wormhole for Nowhere Child’s CD release party! While your’e there, get a CD!

Info: https://www.facebook.com/Nowhere-Child

Last Red Ransom – Snubnose Review

I first came across Last Red Ransom at the Wingmen Motorcycle club, where I was running sound for their show. I didn’t really know what to expect, as I had only heard demos from the internet at the time (Their debut: “Sleep Well Sweet Vanity). It’s safe to say, that I was completely blown away.

At the time, they were mixing electronic music, with bouts of guitar heavy rock. With dual vocalists Andrew Saint Woods, and C.K. Woods. They rounded out the live band with drummer Lance Adair, and bassist Zakk Morrow. They put on quite a show, and left a definite impression.

Just around the time I started wondering “What the hell are they up to?” I got a message from Andrew asking for this review. I quickly obliged.

The sound has changed a good bit, and for the better. It seems the band has taken some cues from Depeche Mode and Massive Attack for “Snubnose”. Not to mention Sneaker Pimps, Portishead, Hooverphonic, NIN and a whole myriad of gothic/industrial influences. They manage to take so many of these sounds, and make them fresh with their own spin.

The album kicks off with “The Electric Sky”, a great intro to what you are about to get yourself into. It’s a wild ride from here on out folks, strap in. “The Electric Sky” is almost a mantra, with repeating lyrics, and an infectious keyboard melody. Theres elements of all kinds of genres mixed together in this one song. You have Trance beats that lead to dubstep breakdowns. This is a continuing trend throughout the entire album. LRR doesn’t stick to one sound for very long.

“Burning Buildings” is a solid masterpiece. It’s brooding, and builds to a ridiculously catchy chorus. Youll be hearing the words ” I think I love you too much…” long after you hear the song. Hell, I’ve had it on constant rotation on my personal music playlist.

The albums flows nicely, and gone are most of the guitar driven elements of their previous sound. Not to say that the guitar is absent. But it takes a backseat on “Snubnose”. Gone too are the screaming vocals. Personally, I love what they have done here, and it seems like a natural progression from their other effort “Lanterns”.

Another stand out track on “Snubnose” for me is “The House”. Once again we have another melody that follows you, with a huge chorus that contrasts with the sparse verses. C.K ‘s voice really shines on this track. This song is just screaming for a remix, and I am sure there will be a few in the future.

“Welcome to America” is pretty straight forward with it’s tongue in cheek lyrics. It’s hugely atmospheric with a piano driving the main melody of the song. The NIN influence stands out here the most. The twist being Andrew’s solo, almost spoken vocals.

I was expecting a great album from LRR, but I didn’t know that I was going to be getting something so somber, and diverse. They cover a lot of sonic ground, while still retaining a signature sound that doesn’t sound contrived or forced. I especially love the way that the tracks “Giants” “The Living Trust” and “Etch” all seem to flow as one entity. I didn’t get to ask Andrew if this was a concept album, and meant to flow that way. But if it is, then you guys nailed it.

Al of the songs share an airy, melancholic vibe. The songs interweave and have a thematic, soundtrack quality to them. The lyrics are just vague enough for you to take your own interpretation of their meanings, and I personally love that quality in any band. There is an overall sexiness to their sonic landscapes that adds to the feeling that this is a soundtrack to an event left unknown to the listener. You don’t really hear much music being made like this these days, and while the style that LRR has undertaken can seem nostalgic, it remains independent from it’s more obvious influences.

I have an early copy of the album, so I cant really comment on the production. Andrew literally sent me an updated version of a song 24 hours after sending the original. The album already sounds great, so I can only imagine what it will end up sounding like once it has it’s ‘finishing touches”.

“Snubnose” is slated for release this month. Keep up with the links below for dates!

You can check out Last Red Ransom on their website: http://www.lastredransom.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/LAST-RED-RANSOM