Philadelphia’s Dr. Dog has been through the indie rock trenches, surviving for over a decade as a revolving cast of musicians, while somehow keeping a consistent sound and continuing to explore new sonic territory with each release.
Seldom do a banjo and a synthesizer find parallel roles throughout an album, but that is the case with North Elementary frontman John Harrison’s debut as Jphono1 with Living Is Easy. He blends harmonica, acoustic guitar and banjo with whirring synths, droning organs and programmed beats to create mellow tunes that could complement a sunny drive or a rainy day indoors. Jphono1 allows Harrison to add a bit more experimentation to his sound while giving his music a more intimate feel.
Exciting things are happening for Wilmington’s alt-country Onward, Soldiers, who recently put the finishing touches on its second album, Monsters.
Five towering racks of analog audio equipment loom over the occupants of the small, stuffy studio control room at ElectroMagnetic Radiation Recorders in Winston-Salem.
Five towering racks of analog audio equipment loom over the occupants of the small, stuffy studio control room at ElectroMagnetic Radiation Recorders in Winston-Salem, NC. The unassuming studio, a small, dumpy building with boarded windows, holds a history much more glamorous than its physical appearance, including the recording of several of the Avett Brothers’ early albums.
Even though Deer Tick has put out its fair share of heavier, up-tempo rock songs in the past, it was best known for its slower, more acoustic-laden ballads. For its fourth full-length, Divine Providence, it delves into its inner punk while revealing the darker side to the rock star lifestyle.
When a new Wilco album comes out, it’s impossible to know exactly which direction Tweedy and company will go. The band could stick to its Americana and alt-country roots that made up early albums like Summerteeth, or they could draw on its later ambient, shoe-gazing influences to release an album that consists mostly of noise — and both could be equally brilliant.
