Album Review: Dirty Gold ‘ROAR’ EP
Labor Day Weekend is upon us, signifying the end of all things summer. State Fairs, music festivals, fireworks, lake house boat cruises can all now be seen from the rear view. At Thought on Tracks, we are not ready to let go. In our stubbornness we have decided to share an album that we believe ranks among the summer’s best. Blogosphere tested, Thought on Tracks welcomed, Enter: Dirty Gold.
West coast shaking, heart breaking, San Diego representing tweens Dirty Gold have taken the idea of a summer theme to heart and executed with waves crashing behind my ears. I thought I only had room for the Smith Westerns on the Tiger Bear tour, I’m thrilled my musical capacity proves me wrong.
Dirty Gold’s debut ROAR EP was released in April and they have ridden that wave into the summer months. While the title ‘California Sunrise’ might seem like an obvious, simplistic, and maybe even loosely thought out name, the result tugs at your board shorts. The sound is their take on 1960s surf vibes mixed with modern day pop hooks. Listen to “Sea Hare.” I can imagine Bruno Mars salivating, wishing he could own this song and upstage these kids. Their simple, smooth identity is what draws me to Dirty Gold. Complexity is the last thing I want on my mind while chilling on the beach. So drink a beverage this weekend and blast this album as we all say sayonara to the sweet sounds of summer.
Stream and buy ROAR HERE.
Written by Brett McGrath.
Album Review: NM Kjeldsen ‘The Black Bear’ EP
I write about music for stories like this. An idea turns into a project, the project transforms into a story, and this story gets shared to those fortunate enough to be within earshot. The audience for Indianapolis musician NM Kjeldsen is smaller than in should be. I was unfamiliar until a special exchange with a co-worker on a Friday afternoon. I would later learn that this all made too much sense.
Neil Kjeldsen is someone who embraces his passions and directs them towards a vision. Although, I have never met Kjeldsen I also know that he is extremely appreciative of all of those that helped make ‘The Black Bear’ EP possible. His promotional website reads more like a thank you card than a “BUY MY ALBUM NOW” listing. Kjeldsen stands in the background and places his inspirations before himself.
This extremely admirable approach helps convey Kjeldsen’ message in a five-song EP entitled The Black Bear. Months in the making, the painstaking effort bares the mark of a perfectionist. Kjeldsen is responsible for every instrument on the album and mixing them into one. The Black Bear comes across as something much more dense than just a handful of songs. The lyrics project like a short story with the last few pages ripped out of the book’s spine.
Kjeldsen leaves a low dissonance at the end of his songs. The search for resolution is what captivates me about each track. On my favorite song “Red & Round” Kjeldsen pleads:
If this is my future then I give up
I’ve been let dry empty my cup
I want to be weak but enough is enough
This message of forthcoming uncertainty paired with the sound of frail loneliness broadcasts a major theme in The Black Bear. The song’s ambiguous ending leaves me to question whether this is all that we’ll hear from Kjeldsen? These open-ended questions are a good thing for not only the audience but also NM Kjeldsen. Standing in the background is what made this possible in the first place. Support local music and purchase The Black Bear EP on his bandcamp site. Only $3!
Written by Brett McGrath.
***Word on the street is that Kjeldsen plays in some coffee shops in Fountain Square. Please alert the Thought on Tracks team to any upcoming performances. We will pass the word along.
Mountain Man: ‘Made the Harbor’ and Video Session
Sometimes you miss an album. An album that suits you so well, you wonder why friends haven’t beaten down your door, music in hand, forcing you to listen. Since starting this blog, my friends have developed a tendency to constantly test my knowledge of the latest bands, despite my willingness to admit wholeheartedly and unabashedly that I do not know everyone. Nor will I ever. The endless opportunity for discovery remains one of the most beautiful aspects of music, or any art form for that matter.
My ability to “keep up” with the latest and greatest, if anything, has been hindered by the launch of Thought on Tracks. Writing takes time. I fail to understand how Sean Moeller has time to accomplish even half of the work that drives his phenomenal music project Daytrotter. Thank you for your lack of sleep and dedication, sir. We are all indebted.
A 2010 release from Brooklyn’s Partisan Records recently slipped beneath my ocular radar. Mountain Man’s Made the Harbor. Holy shit, y’all. Don’t let the band’s name cause confusion. This trio is all woman. Three glorious voices weaving impeccably as they break new ground upon song structures that have a timeless, almost religious feel. Had the church choir sounded anything like Mountain Man, I may very well have entered the priesthood.
I missed Mountain Man’s July 23rd performance at Radio Radio. Out of town for a wedding, I hadn’t bothered to look into a group that I heard nothing about. Then a few days ago, LaundroMatinee released a couple of videos from a private recording at Big Car Gallery. Mountain Man’s songs hit like lead bricks, weighted with fresh takes on traditional American parlor music. They play like a more intimate Typhoon, a Portland band that has recently found my affection.
Download Made the Harbor. Spin it on vinyl. Steal it from your neighbor. Do what you must, but do not let this album pass you by. I already regret the few months that it escaped my ears. Also be sure to download Mountain Man’s stunning Daytrotter Session taped last October, available for free HERE.
Written by Rob Peoni
Thought on Tracks 