Piso Mojado--Piso Mojado
Piso Mojado just released their first full-length album. There's only one song on it, but it's over 30 minutes long. It's a self-titled album, sort of. There is an arrangement of strange numbers on the cover and it might be a secret code. The code might symbolize the mental gymnastics needed to work out the (at least) 27 parts of the song. Lead guitarist and singer, Joe Horn describes the band's style is "Math Prog. Rock with a hint of Waylon Jennings." The math is there. They can do complex equations with the formulas used to put the song together. But, please do not assume that the music isn't in perfect harmony with itself. That is the Tao of Piso Mojado.
The band manages to keep one song interesting for half an hour. The song is full of choruses and verses bobbing and weaving through each other, all coming from this one great source.
The song is full of differing tempos, intense volume contrast and multiple changes in rhythm and melody. All the while, the song is linked by a repeating theme. Their style changes from segment to segment, but always keeps a distinctive feeling. All the guys in the band have their own opinion about Piso Mojado's unique sound. After several pitchers of beer at Cricket's, Thomas Brown, Piso Mojado's bassist, explains the music in historical terms. He compares their vision to that of the Baroque. "Baroque music was really rhythmic and complicated. It was dependent upon intricate rhythms and melodies." Drummer Shane Brown added, "We do have a lot of melodies." Tom Brown continued "... and harmonies. They imitated machines in Baroque music. We imitate computers." Horn popped off with, "or Def Lepard."
The members of the band come from garage rock and punk roots--except for Todd Plum, rhythm guitar player who grew up around a Country Western band and picked up a guitar, at his dad's prodding, at age eight. Plum has great versatility and adds a lot of depth to the music. Horn can scream like none other. He can serenade and he can tell a story. He uses some ninja vocal techniques, pouncing gracefully from the calm and screaming from his guts. Horn admitted that he began singing when he was one. "I was also in Kiwanas choir and I'd sing like a little bird."
Underlying all of this is a rhythm section so tight that discerning different instruments is sometimes tough. The bass thumps along, twisting the rhythm at will and the drums stand out. Sometimes, the guitar blares and Horn screams about attacking "Jack the Machinist" with a staple gun. Sometimes, it stands alone a with simple ditty about stir fry during a loose, impromptu cover of "The Passenger" by Iggy Pop. Several times Piso Mojado's one song returns to a segment about hypochondria. Horn becomes excited, screams violently and perfectly on key and the revolution occurs repeatedly, each time gaining depth and breadth, until the whole album climaxes. Horn expels his soul through his lungs as he insists, "THIS ISN'T OVER YET!" several times. And then it ends.
Central Boise Library--Airwave Cycle
Airwave Cycle is an instant Boise classic. Twelve potent portions of brain candy. Sam Counsil, lead singer and keyboardist explained that Airwave Cycle has a theme. It's all about human relations, communication between lovers, friends and relatives. It's about the static between understanding and confusion. The drawing of the bike on the cover represents an "airwave cycle," too. The album consists of three movements.
It begins with the computer voice from a Commidor 64, "Start Transmission." A young, trained voice pops in. Counsil sings and a piano riff hops along. The little girl back up vocals of Andrea Berical chime, "airwaves! airwaves!" The progressive pop of Central Boise Library is as progressive as it is pop. Counsil explained that his influences are the "holy cosmic formation of a five-pointed star," including: 1. The Beatles 2. The Beach Boys 3. Frank Zappa 4. Pink Floyd 5. Miles Davis. And these influences are all there in the music. The pop hook, the back-up singing, the strange slant on melody, the simplicity, the phrasing.
The first movement ends in a cover of The Beatles' "Only a Northern Song," designated, "Only a Boise Song." The first movement is the beginning of a story, a change happens, things become cloudy and misunderstood. Communication is breaking down.
The next movement begins with MC Commidor 64 and "Romantic Dysfunction." The next few songs punctuate misunderstandings. The catchiest song in the movement is "Don't (Fall Down and) Spin Away." But, on "Cousin Martha" a duet between Counsil and Berical adds a nice conversational touch to the story about a trip to San Francisco and a misunderstanding between cousins. The upbeat verses and Lorie Brommand's guitar strumming bring to mind a go-go dancer wearing dayglo yellow. Everything is punctuated by the sharp drumming `a la Aaron Nattall. A story unfolds in an unconventional form as Counsil rambles a bit about Martha and cartoons. The second movement ends with the song "A Flying Fly." The Zappa influence comes through. It sounds a bit like a Native American war song, plus added pop.
Oddly, the last movement begins with a brilliant cover of a Zappa song, "I'm the Slime." Fittingly, the song is about television and the corrosion of humanity. Counsil sounds exactly like Zappa. It's uncanny. The band jams and the keyboards sound like an organ. The best part is the inclusion of MC Commidor singing like the giddy little computer that it is. Central Boise Library wraps up their musical commentary on human relations with a cover of "Coming Down" by The United States of America. And in the end it becomes clear that you just took a fantastic trip through airwaves and TV signals and had a disconnected, distorted, bird's eye view of modern communication via Central Boise Library.
Nada Brahma--Nada Brahma
Local world music gurus, Nada Brahma, have emerged from the studio bearing a 12-song album. The music is beautiful and groovy, it's organic and electric, it's finger picking on a sitar and jamming on the mandolin. It's ambient and trancelike, it's rockin,' pure funk.
"Uhuru" conjures the blackest magical sky, like a carpet held up by the stars; it rolls out slowly like a band of nomads wandering across the landscape. Chimes cast a spell and hand drums, like a camel in the desert, keep the story rolling along. Brad Nelson, guitarist, oud and sitar player, begins chanting like a monk and singing about wandering. The sitar tells an eerie tale of snakes and the African plains. If you've ever listened to Dead Can Dance, the sound is similar.
"Sometimes I wanna be alone." The song "Sometimes" captures the sentiment. The freedom of isolation, the joy of knowing one's self, the expression of self-realization. In keeping with the theme, the sitar breaks out alone and two voices speak of independence. The song is more mantra than groove.
"Two Fingers" starts out with a swing beat, and it really swings. In Squirrel Nut Zippers fashion Nada Brahma weaves a story about two notorious fingers, picking the guitar, "the sweetest sound," as Nelson picks the guitar and the bass thumps. It makes you want to jump. Then, the music stops just when you wish it would keep going, but only for a moment, long enough to consciously realize what a great song "Two Fingers" is, and then, in full force, it comes back swinging.
As if the music wasn't enough, bassist and mandolin master, Scott Tyler, came up with the great title to this bluegrass breakdown, "Sven the Groovy Viking." Allegedly, the song made Tyler dream of a Viking ship rowing on the high seas, fast and furious, and then, calm and tranquil. Tyler's mandolin picks out all of the tiniest details of the Seven Seas Sven sails from Scandinavia. The moss on the rocks of the distant shore, the sea gulls calling out and the echo of the waves returning their call, then, CRASH, the wind picks up and the sailors' hair becomes a flag of loyalty to the sea, the waves toss and rise and the music testifies.
"Sierra de la Luna" is a good example of Nada Brahma's own brand of rock. The guitar wails and the boys chant, "Sierra de la Luna." The song was written for didgeridoo by Aaron Maynard's daughter, Sierra. Nelson explained that Nada Brahma has begun to play more rock "out of necessity." They needed "hotter dance stuff." Guess it's always a good thing if you gotta rock. The album rocks as much as it soothes.
Vivisection Syndicate--Kansas She Said
Thomas Paul, member of the now-defunct Clock, is Vivisection Syndicate. Kansas She Said has been called "eclectic" and that is the album in a nutshell. The album ranges from bluegrass ballads to 30-second hardcore punk. Paul covers "Dress," the Madonna song, and writes soundtrack music for strange movies. There is great jazz piano in this album, as well as lounge music fit for any slinky bouffant waif in polyester sipping a martini. Paul calls this an album of "B-sides." They are old songs stuck in his head that had to come out, and we're glad they did.
The album starts out with a hoedown of sorts. "Sutures" is the introduction to this roller coaster of musical expression. Paul explained that he grew up in one of those families we all wish we were a part of, a family of musicians who would all sit around during the holidays and jam. Paul picked up a guitar when he was 11. The bluegrass influence is original, but Paul has done an excellent job escaping the confines of traditional music. The second song on the album is "punch you in the face" punk that comes swinging out of left field. Then, in keeping with the "Thomas Paul Variety Show," the third song sounds like the theme from a Bela Lugosi flick. Paul explains the mysterious and hallucinatory "Ginastera" is part of a symphony by Alberto Ginastera, a modern composer from South America. The entire album carries on this way through all 19 of its songs. Some favorites: Catchy tune, "How to Make an American Quit" is true to both pop and bluegrass. The title is a great play on words. It's pretty straight forward, but Paul's voice cracks just right and the guitar strumming is very alive, it almost breathes. It ends with a harmonica out. "Waltz: Cine," great art rock title if ever there was one. Strange, opaque organ playing, you can almost see the ghost at the Hammond, having a ball, 3 a.m. Along with another later track on the album, "Waltz: Cine" was written for a local movie soundtrack, but never used.
"Copper Mines" could almost be done a capella. Paul's double-tracked vocals are strong in this song. They are accompanied by a simple piano. This is Paul's favorite song on the album.
Past an underwater scene with a clarinet, "INTERLUDE (Signal to Noise)" picks up the tempo a bit. Straight jazz, expertly executed, lends a nice change of pace. A moment to collect your thoughts. The song "Tell It Like It Is" comes to mind. There is something reminiscent of MoTown about this song.
In "Wasted," alternative rock meets the Smoky Mountains. Oh, that's because it's a Mazzy Star cover. Paul pulls this song off beautifully with his slow, drawn out vocals.
Paul makes a very interesting tribute to Michael Jackson and later pulls out some of his newer material. These two songs, "Feign" and "Hibernaculum" sound like old Smashing Pumpkins, and there's no way around it. Acoustic trance pop. "Kansas She Said" incorporates some flamenco guitar playing, some downhome blues and a spy song before saying adieu. Eclectic.
Anjahl--Fallen
Tim Hammes is Anjahl. Together with one of Boise's best DJs, DJ Flow, Anjahl has managed to produce a rap album with the style of Dr. Dre and the class of KRS-ONE. Poignant and honest, Hammes raps about his life. He has been writing for many years and found an outlet for his words through music two years ago.
Hammes has lived in Boise most of his life. His raps are about the pain and anger, the love and friendship of his life in Boise. He composes on a keyboard and most of his music is piano music. Flow spins beats and scratches. Flow and Hammes have been working on the album for a year now. And it sounds like it. The music is catchy, but don't let it fool you, it has layers.
Anjahl is all about "real." He doesn't pretend to be anyone he's not. He doesn't do anything he doesn't feel. Hammes explains, "I present it and perform it the way I feel it." Fallen is a rap album. Hammes' style is pretty hardcore. Hard beats and hard raps, but with a sense of grace. He admits it's all about the words. It's the air of confession around the album that makes it such an anomaly. A poet emerges.
"Me and My Crew" is one of the lightest songs on the album. It's all about hangin' and having a good time. Flow makes his existence known a bit more on this song and offers a nice spin session. The bass is real funky.
"U Know I Want U" has all the components of a great summer song--driving down the road with the windows down, bass pumping and sex all over it. The chorus is a conversation between Anjahl and a girl with a phone sex voice. They talk dirty. The bass thumps. It's great.
"Rhyme Wars" is another of Hammes' high-energy songs. Flow is all over this song. The piano line is catchy, but not as catchy as the hook on "Bear Witness," which is the pop classic on Fallen. Almost a Michael Jackson song, plus rap. It's got that "Billy Jean" percussion, and good lyrics--"Bear witness, share my sickness, share my pain ... I'm like silences broke by the sound of silence."
The title track, "Fallen" is the thirteenth and last song on the album. It's about falling from grace and other apocalyptic subjects. It includes coffins, wolves, fairies and eternal darkness. Hammes leaves us with the thought, "Life is just a dragged out mental fight."
Lloyd--Lloyd
Who is Lloyd? We aren't really sure. The name Lloyd has two "L"s in it, though. Micah Sullivan explained, "I've always liked the letter "L," even when I was a kid I used to write the letter "L." Sullivan plays bass for the band Lloyd. Lloyd is a new local band. The members haven't been playing their instruments or playing together for very long, about a year. As viola player, Carrie Quinney explains, "people shouldn't expect refined musicianship. It's raw. It's simple." So, what makes Lloyd worth listening to? Two words: Damon Bradshaw.
To understand Lloyd, one must understand Bradshaw. He is a lot like Eeyore. To say he's a nihilist, a believer in nothing, is an understatement. His sarcasm and scoffing run deep. Bradshaw is the guitarist and singer/songwriter for the trio. The band is his vision, if you will. He is a rather jaded and depressed guy. But, he has a great sense of humor about it all. Here is the beauty: He writes little acoustic ditties about his angst and frustration. Strumming ballads to his enemies. Angry folk songs. He whines like he was born to whine. The overly dramatic lyrics and vocal inflections are hilarious.
"Monkey" is a song about a "bad little monkey." The chorus goes something like, "This bad little monkey's gone wild / but who really cares / who really cares ... Mon ... key ... Mon ... key." It is simple. Each tune has a different chorus. They all strum and bob along in 3/4 time. The lyrics and sarcasm are the key.
"The Law of Thermal Dynamics" is all about what would really happen if one were to float away into space. You know, we all just want to float away sometimes. Well, Bradshaw brings that dream crashing down, all while he strums on his guitar.
"Look at the constellations, now honey, close your eyes ... if you float into space, you'll explode ... just beware the terrors above, because in space, no one can hear you scream."
There are six songs on the album, but "Genuine Bliss" takes the cake. Bradshaw explains that he wrote the song after having sat in his room for days staring at the ceiling playing "The Saddest Song in the World" over and over again. His girlfriend was tired of hearing the sad song and asked him to write something "happy." Well, here it is, the most ironic and sarcastic song in the world. Bradshaw begins, "Genuine Bliss" in a sugary sweet voice, "It's such a beautiful day. Sun beams are on my back. Children and puppies frolicking. Beneath the trees, lovers holding hands." And then comes the chorus, "La la lalalalala la la la ..." And the best line, "Feed the ducks and ride a bike."
The album is short and funny. As Bradshaw noted, the lyrics are "influenced by death metal" and there is a song titled, "Sanctuary of Death."
We'll see you at the big show ...
Photograph (CD cover: ANJAHL - FALLEN)
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