Hear Here: February 21 - February 27

Baobab (Phil Torres & Whitney Trettien)

After a few weeks of Hear Here downtime due to that pestering obligation known as "school", it's back in full effect with an incredible week of shows.  From a sold out Tame Impala show at Cat's Cradle to a couple of highly anticipated local outins from personal favorites like Baobab and Naked Gods, there's a wide array of awesome live music for you North Carolina folks to check out.  Thankfully the shows are relatively spread out throughout the week as well, so for once there's little worry about missing one show for another or attempting to breaking the laws of time and space and being in two places at once.  Diversity and excitement is abound in the Triangle this week, so let's get to some shows!

Show of the Week: Baobab w/ Virgins Family Band @ Local 506 in Chapel Hill, NC on Friday, February 22

Album Review: "Desert" by The Dead Tongues

The Dead Tongues released Desert on February 9
at The Cat's Cradle

Ryan Gustafson is a songwriter that I'd only heard of for years, but until Hopscotch 2012 I had never actively listened Gustafson.  Big mistake.  While I'm glad I made sure my first experience with the talented songwriter was a live show, I wish I'd hopped on the train earlier.  After releasing Donkey in 2009, Gustafson hopped around from notable projects like Max Indian, The Light Pines, and Mandolin Orange all the while working on instrumental tracks of his own under the moniker The Daughter Is Ambiguous.  However, 2013 marks the return of Gustafson's solo work, and this new Dead Tongues release is something truly special.  It's clear that Gustafson's break in songwriting allowed him to develop a sense of purpose within his songs, everything feels as raw and personal as it did on Donkey, but it feels far more dynamic than Gustafson's previous release.

Each track has a defining voice, driving the album down a road that contains many exciting peaks and curves, but ultimately arrives at the same comforting sense of sincerity that drew the listener in to begin with.  Ranging from alt-country anthems to expansive six minute tracks like "Milestone" that careen effortlessly through a wide-open musical pallet, Desert is a unique album that can truly connect with listeners through powerful lyrics and gorgeous instrumentation.

Gustafson's lyricism is something that can't be emphasized enough, while each song remains entirely enjoyable musically, the textures and feelings that are brought out through Gustafson's raw approach to songwriting is what makes The Dead Tongues the powerhouse they are.  Tracks like "Depression" boast a bouncy yet rustic approach both melodically and musically, but from the opening lines it's clear that this song contains much more than a catchy hook.  "I get in depression/Like you get into cars driving you home/Like she got into cutting/And I got into drinking on my own".  One of the joys of this album is that each song contains these lyrical gems, these moments where you feel like a veil has been lifted between you and the musicians and you can truly connect with their music.  Tracks like "The Desert" and "No Intentions" feel like sincere statements that can evoke the memories of a particular place or time, sonically they contain memorable melodies and lyrically they draw upon feelings of self reflection and aimlessness that many can immediately connect with.

Virgins Family Band debut "Honeylion" on The Bottom String w/ a new Bottom String Session

Honeylion by Virgins Family Band was released on
February 8, 2013.  The band will be celebrating
their album release on February 22 at Local 506
with Baobab.

Virgins Family Band are one of the most surprising acts to come from the Triangle in recent memory.  As I was scouring the web for local shows I found the Baobab double album release show with Virgins Family Band and knew that I'd be in for a treat.  However, when I first listened to Honeylion there was a visceral reaction that I wasn't expecting.  Their sweet harmonies and unpredictable melodies make each listen through an experience in which you can peel back new layers and find new moments in this music to connect with.  Ranging from frenetic soul to jazzy indie rock, Virgins Family Band have a sound unlike any other band in the state.  It's one of those bands where you can genuinely start to realize the depth of the Carolina talent pool, because seemingly from out of nowhere I've grown incredibly attached to this band.

Honeylion is as strong a statement that any band can wish to make with a debut, they've crafted a sound that's entirely unique and filled with melodic masterpieces.  Tracks like the album's opener, "Moon Breath" display the dynamic breadth displayed within this 8-track album.  Powerful rhythms drive these tunes, and they're capable of changing direction on a dime and delivering a brand new addictive melody that's filled with adventurous originality.  The best part about Honeylion though is that it always leaves you guessing, Virgins Family Band combine elements from jazz and pop music in a way that creates an inviting yet still complex soundscape that's filled with gorgeous musical moments that create for an invigorating listening experience.  The entire album is packed with fantastic musical endeavors, from the croons of "Eyes Like Troubled Dreams" to the shiver-inducing shouts that close the album in "Lily Molusco", Virgins Family Band display a mastery of dynamics and pacing.

Honeylion feels like a truly cohesive piece of work, it's difficult to not listen to this all the way through as each track beckons the listener to continue on.  The flow of Honeylion is as smooth as the title implies, this release is filled with seamless transitions and brilliant resolve.  Honeylion soundtracks my winter days and will soon do the same for my spring, mostly because it's a ubiquitous piece of music that truly feels timeless.  Honeylion has given Virgins Family Band my complete attention.  They're one of the most talented acts I've seen from North Carolina in years and I take great pride in being able to debut their first full-length.  Check out the Bottom String Session I filmed with the band below and purchase their album Honeylion on Bandcamp:

Debut: "Tell-Tale Heart" by Villa Verde

As we get closer to the release of The Bottom String Compilation Vol. 1, I can barely contain my excitement for this thing.  Some of my favorite local artists have contributed tracks to this compilation, and I've also found new favorites as well.  The best way to spread some of that excitement is to let you guys hear some tracks from this thing!  Last week I debuted "Love is Loathing" by Ghostt Bllonde, and this week I've got yet another track for everyone to hear.  This one is from Villa Verde, a band out of Wilmington that I met at Kings back in December.  When I started to think of bands to include on this compilation I went back to finally listen to Villa Verde and found myself pleasantly surprised.  After contacting the band they decided to contribute an unreleased track for the compilation.

Villa Verde recorded "Tell-Tale Heart" last May, shortly after losing their lead vocalist and guitar player, but bassist Joshua Sullivan took on vocal duties.  After recently adding Corey Blackburn (of Museum Mouth and Fractal Farm) on guitar, Villa Verde has become a trio yet again, but one that's refined their sound, adopting jaunting rhythmic changes that are contrasted with smooth vocal melodies.  "Tell-Tale Heart" builds slowly but surely, taking an ever-changing dynamic approach ranging from soft-spoken restraint to anthemic choruses.  Villa Verde is a young band that's filled with potential, as they continue to evolve and find their footing we can hope to hear great things from this group.  Sullivan said the band is growing to be "more math minded, kind of like old Maps and Atlases, but still with plenty of indie rocking".

With a new lineup and a new year, I expect to be hearing a lot more from Villa Verde, they're a part of an emerging Wilmington scene that's being fueled by many of the folks that are included on this compilation.   I'll be dropping news soon about the release date and track listing for The Bottom String Compilation Vol. 1, but for the time being check out this awesome new track from Villa Verde:

Debut: "Love Is Loathing" by Ghostt Bllonde

Artwork by the wonderfully talented
Dan Barbour

As January draws to a close we're getting closer and closer to the release of our first compilation, "The Bottom String Compilation Vol. 1".  Drawing from acts from Wilmington to Charlotte, this compilation will boast a wide array of unreleased or newly released tunes from some of the most promising acts of 2013.  With Ghostt Bllonde preparing to play at WKNC's Double Barrell Benefit Day Party on Saturday, what better time to debut the first track from our compilation?!

Our first Ears to the Ground piece covered this brand new band that's risen from the ashes of Coastal Vision, but the two acts couldn't be farther apart in their approach.  Ghostt Bllonde takes a rough around the edges approach to traditional pop sentiments, resulting in a lo-fi brand of garage punk all their own.  Ghostt Bllonde is one of the first bands I sought out for this compilation, the band has a knack for catchy melodies and blistering hooks that linger in your head and "Love Is Loathing" is a perfect example of that.  Check out the track below:

Hear Here: January 25 - January 31

Finally, Hear Here has returned!  In case you're not familiar with our old series, Hear Here is a weekly feature that highlights all of our favorite upcoming shows around North Carolina with a strong focus in the Triangle.  This week is absolutely packed with phenomenal shows, from indie legends to rising stars, the tobacco state sees one of the strongest day-to-day schedules we've seen in a while.  From the frenetic garage masterpieces put out by the prolific Ty Segal to the transcendental folk tunes of the reclusive Jeff Mangum, there's a bit of something for everyone within this batch of shows.

Show of the Week: Jeff Mangum w/ Tall Firs @ Brooklyn Arts Center in Wilmington, NC

Ears to the Ground: Dirty Art Club

When I first heard Dirty Art Club I was absolutely blown away.  The psychedelic influenced electronic music of this Charlotte duo was filled with enough soul and groove to compel a head bob at the very least, but its nuances and textural depth is where the band shines.  Hexes, the band's most recent EP, explores a multitude of sonic landscapes, each one containing equal amounts of chaos and serenity.  These tunes are meticulously structured yet smoothly flowing, they beckon the listener to dig deeper and explore everything this electro-psych duo has to offer, which as we find is quite a lot.

Drawing mostly off of samples, Dirty Art Club brings a hip-hop style of production to the electronic game and produces incredible results.  Each track has a strong sense of rhythm that remains anything but static, and that makes it that much easier to lose yourself in this adventure of an EP whose only fault is that ending too early.

Before the 2012 release of Hexes the band dropped a full length Heavy Starch in 2011 and they'll be continuing their streak with yet another EP in 2013.  It's only a matter of time until this duo explodes, each year has proved to be more productive for Dirty Art Club and 2013 opens up a plethora of possibilities.  Phonosaurus Records out of Quebec already caught on, signing the group last year and releasing Hexes in July, the group was also featured on Vice's The Creator's Project where the band gave a sample-by-sample breakdown of the track "Black Acid", and were featured atop Noisey's "Best Beats of 2012" to end the year on a massive note.  With a new frontier before them in 2013 this trip-hop group can take their tunes to unseen heights.  Hopefully they make their way towards the eastern part of the state sooner rather than later, as their music would be a fantastic live experience.  Filled with deep 808 kicks and spastic percussive rhythms, these smooth beats could take the reigns over a massive dance party that would be foolish to miss out on.  Hop on the Dirty Art Club train soon, because I wouldn't be surprised if it takes off this year.

Check out the stellar title track from Hexes below: