the big tease...

genre: rock, indie, alternative
artist: Jay Trainer Band
album: Jay Trainer Band EP
featured tracks: While the World Burns Down, Miss You Well
label: Briar Patch Records
street date: June 29th 2010

According to VivaLaMainstream, Jay Trainer Band is somewhere between Van Morrison and Santana-- and that is exactly the sound these California musicians are going for. Jay defines his style as "a negotiation of... quiet, almost jazzy tone[s] to booming thunder, in any given moment." Yup, that sounds like Van Morrison + Santana, with a generous helping of Jay Trainer secret sauce.

The EP is a teaser for the upcoming full length album, to be released this fall. And let me just say... if the album is as good as the EP (and obviously it will be), then I'm ready for summer to end right now. The EP is Jay Trainer's 3rd release overall, but his debut release with the band. While his previous studio work has received much praise, his live shows receive even greater applause-- performances are described as "raw, personal, and uninhibited." In other words, not to be missed.

And now on to the music.

While The World Burns Down starts off with a moody riff and slow, smooth vocals before segueing into a contemplative guitar solo within the first minute of the song. Jay emotes passion and depth throughout the length of the song both lyrically and musically, which is truly the power that melds the complex elements of this song together.

Miss You Well characterizes a vibe distinctly different from that of While The World Burns Down. While The World Burns Down seems to carry a political undertone; conversely, Miss You Well is an upbeat take on "the one that got away." It's like Jay is saying "yeah, she's gone-- but damn, when she was here she was so, so good." Miss You Well delivers more epic guitar solo greatness, a big helping of "saying-exactly-the-right-thing-at-the-perfect-moment" (for lack of a word to summarize), and even serves it up with a side of brass. Yum.

in summary: if you're looking for musical and lyrical depth, complexity, and wonderfulness... you need this EP.

stream now at the myspace

gigi

genre: indie-pop, showtunes
artist: Gigi
album: The Hundredth Time b/w Some Second Best
tracks: The Hundredth Time, Some Second Best
label: K Records

According to the band's myspace, over forty artists collaborated on the original release from which these two tracks have been selected (average that number over fifteen tracks, and you get about three guest artists per track! That's almost as many guests as your modern day, run-of-the mill rap single. Just saying). A quick listen will fill your eardrums with a symphony of sounds that surely requires all of those guest artists. On their debut album (Maintenent), Gigi aimed to replicate 50's & 60's classic pop by utilizing some recently acquired vintage plate reverbs, and a full collection of strings, brass, and harmonies. What's more interesting is the fact that the singers and musicians (yes, all of them at once) crammed themselves into the studio to run through the songs "just a couple of times" before recording-- and there was no re-recording. Consequently, the tracks have retained the qualities that let us know music is still made by real people (i.e., an occasional missed cue...although... I certainly didn't hear any).

Bottom line: If you're in the mood for some tight harmonies and perfectly timed crescendos, Gigi is what needs to be coming through your speakers. The lyrics in both tracks carry an element of wistfulness, but the drumline and brass section forces your lips to curl upward and elicits an overall hopeful sentiment. Gigi has certainly succeeded in transporting me back to the 50's... what's this thing I'm typing on?!

perseus noble

genre: alternative rock, "electro psychwave"
artist: perseus noble
album: perseus noble
featured tracks: walk by, shift your eyes
label: galapagos4
street date: 6/15/10

These four musicians met by chance after a lunar eclipse in 1992 and formed a "musical system to reconcile the miscalculations of modern science." They share a unique philosophy and a quirky personality that materializes to a funky and fulfilling sound. Perseus noble is currently based out of Chicago, but truly discovered their sound under the sweltering sun of the New Mexico desert.

Shift your eyes is a soft, sweet symphony of gentle percussion and loving lyrics. It ends too quickly-- which may be the point, as the lyrics clearly indicate a yearning for something lost.

Walk by carries a similar tender undertone of affection and desire that makes you want to fall madly in love with someone for the sole purpose of truly understanding what they're singing about... and once again ends too quickly.

Stream now. Fall in love immediately.

more macro than miracle

genre: alternative, alternative folk
artist: the witch and the robot
album: on safari
featured tracks: a crocodile song, giant's graves
label: ATIC records


The witch and the robot hails to us from the lake district in the UK (don't know where that is? GoogleMaps indicates it's in the middle of nowheresville) and their sound is "hypnotic, funky fresh." Plain and simple. The bassline in giant's graves sucks you in with it's quirky Jonn Paul Jones-esque rapture... then the percussion starts and you just can't help but tap your feet with the beat. Enter vocals, and with them comes a full-fledged addiction that is best remedied by...well...listening to the rest of the album.

It's a stellar combination of lyrical complexity (St. Thomas Aquinas has his own song), solid rhythmic guitar, entrancing hooks & riffs, and Gogol bordello like percussion. In a word: entrancing.

STREAM NOW at myspace

Jeremy Jay

genre: pop/alternative

artist: jeremy jay

album: splash
track(s): just dial my number; this is our time
street date: may 25th 2010
label: k records


The reviews have him pegged perfectly. He's cute, romantic, sweet, a dreamer, a deep thinker. Jeremy matches his poetic thoughts with upbeat riffs and subtle but emphatic drumming to create a symphony of awesome that might remind listeners of Bloc Party, Elefant, or the Arcade Fire. Listening to this album is kind of like drinking Sangria on a hot day-- it just works.

stream the featured tracks on the myspace
like him on facebook
check out his youtube channel