Miles Davis - Kind of Blue

In honor of the man himself's birthday, we at Sound Chaser have prepared a special review for you.

Kind of Blue-
The best-selling Jazz album to date. A masterpiece that is more than just a bunch of songs collected on an album. Indeed, it's much more than that. Kind of Blue is exactly as it details- a kind of blue. A kind of blue that everyone else perceives differently. Your blue isn't my blue, but I can surely tell you the blue that most see on this record is the most beautiful shade of them all. In fact, it's turned into the best selling record of its kind...and for good reason.
If any single element that composes this record were to be missing, it would remove the spirit. Every soul that laid a hand on their instrument created a truly magical atmosphere. Every hit from Jimmy Cobb pounds on your heart and soul. Every pluck on the bass by Paul Chambers leads you into a unique trance. Every key danced upon by Bill Evans leaves you swinging to the rhythm, and every note spurted by Davis colors the soul a different shade of blue.
From the haunting melody of "So What" to the soft emotional ballad that is "Blue in Green"... this record is, in a sense, manipulating. Jazz is hypnotic. Somehow it seems the fabric of music was torn by the beautiful material produced on this album. Miles and the crew accomplished the feat of making you create your own visual spectrum by listening to this record. Millions of albums were sold and millions of albums changed people.
Miles would continue to change lives, and jazz, through music on later releases, but Kind of Blue was obviously the bait that pulled people into his trance. Kind of Blue was and is one of the most influential and important albums of all time by one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century.
This masterpiece isn't just audible, but visible, in the way you can sense the musicians doing what they do best...making you feel. And that, my friends, is the beautiful thing about music- the ability to create and feel new moods with each track.

Happy birthday to Miles Davis, and may he rest in peace.

-Ethan Blackburn

(Track Review) Cave Needles - Small World

Welcome, welcome, to Sound Chaser's first ever track reviews! For our very first one, I'll be looking at Cave Needles' track "Small World"-

Cave Needles is an independent psychedelic beach rock group based in Michigan. "Small World" is off their upcoming self-titled record due June 28 of this year on GTG Records.

So far, there are three songs revealed from this upcoming record on their Bandcamp. Listening to the three, I am a tad discouraged for the record, but for a good reason.

On first impression, the song is complete for a typical track of this genre; catchy chord progression, guitar sounds, lo-fi drums, etc., but listening again and again, there seems to be something off and odd about the music I'm listening to.
Perhaps it was the almost inaudible vocals and quiet bass. The drum and lead were so overpowering, I couldn't understand one word of what the singer was saying, which is honestly disappointing. The bass can be hardly noticed seeing it's mostly only root notes being played and not a very varying bassline at all.
Or perhaps it was the lack of...experimentation. The song is built on the typical indie rock formula- soft guitar and lo-fi drums with interesting vocal effects. These elements of the formula do add up for a catchy enjoyable listen, but when you compare it to the other available tracks on the album, why not change it up a little? The song felt like it was controlled and planned with no experimentation at all, as if it was written in a minute based off of every other beach rock ballad.
Maybe it was a mere coincidence that these three songs sound a tad too similar, and the other tracks on the upcoming release will be a bit more varied, but why not change up the effects and add some substance? Create your own formula. You have the opportunity and potential, seize it. Be something the world hasn't seen.
But on the positive note, the catchy riffs and progressions are enough to keep me interested for a future release. I will most definitely listen to it if it is streamed. And hell, I have hope it will be great.
Create a substance and formula never seen. But remember, this is just my opinion.

-Ethan Blackburn 

Ray Manzarek - The Golden Scarab (1973)

Shortly after The Doors released their whimsy 1972 album Full Cirlce, the band split apart and went their separate career ways. Krieger and Densmore went to join I believe the Butts Band, while Manzarek went his different ways. He debuted with this, then followed it with The Whole Thing Started with Rock & Roll Now It's Out of Control and went to form a new band, Nite City, and finally record his last solo album for then, 1983's Carmina Burana, then onto other collaborations with different artists. This debut and the others have been unfortunately ignored in post-Doors history with the members, in my opinion.

The album begins with an obvious latin percussion-influenced track, He Can't Come Today, first starting with what seems a little childish drum melody but then progresses and evolves throughout the song. The song ends, and next comes what could possibly be my favorite track from the album.

Solar Boat starts as a soft slightly mellow possible fender...riff, to say. Then it turns into a classic Manzarek jazzy progression and instrumentation. The lyrics are well-written with references to earlier Doors songs and philosophers, possibly in memory of Jim Morrison.
The song slowly fades into a poem at the end, and the rougher third track Downbound Train starts, a heavy slightly jazz song, then the song ends and turns into another latin percussive track- the title track.

The Golden Scarab is a rather happy kind of song, with...out there instrumentation and strange- but good strange lyrics, and strong latin percussive sequences.
Next, the funky track The Purpose of Existence Is? ensues, with jazzy styles similar to that heard on Downbound Train, then progresses onto the next, The Moorish Idol.

The Moorish Idol starts out a little rough, but then a low but nice synth starts throughout this lovely instrumental, adding a nice touch.

We have Choose Up or Choose Off start, another rock-like track, then it moves onto the awkwardly titled Oh Thou Precious Nectar Filled Form (or) A Little Fart, a folk kind of song, then the first two bonus tracks go, but they aren't worth noting. Last but definitely not the least plays an instant classic, Bicentennial Blues.

Bicentennial Blues starts out with another possible Fender electric "riff", then turns into a latin style that reminds me of Santana. In the middle of the song, a familiar bass line and solo occur, which is actually a copy of Light My Fire with a latin kick, then the catchy opening Light my Fire riff plays and back to the song it goes, ending with a bang.

The untapped genius of the post-Doors work of Manzarek is rather depressing. Perhaps it was the failure of Other Voices and Full Circle that lead the Doors into a curse of underground solo and band work. Nevertheless, the trilogy of solo albums Manzarek put out were classics waiting to happen, but they didn't quite surface as much as they should have. 

But music is never measured in how popular it is, or at least shouldn't be. Manzarek's keyboard playing left a footprint in the world of rock and became an inspiration for others even today.

His death should not make his memory fade away. The feud of Densmore, Manzarek, and Krieger was a nasty unnecessary one- one that tested the relationship of musical brothers. Music isn't a profit income, it's a feeling, and this issue broke apart not a band, but a family.

Among Manzarek's work, you should check out his other two solo albums-

-The Whole Thing Started with Rock & Roll Now It's Out of Control

-Carmina Burana

Manzarek later went on to produce two albums with Nite City as mentioned, and died May of 2013. He shall always be remembered. 

ATOMS - SANDS

     

     Some may recall that Cryptic One's album FYSM earned itself a well-deserved spot on Sound Chaser Reviews' Top 50 Albums of 2013. What many may be unaware of is that Cryptic One is also a member of the Hip-Hop group ATOMS, whose new album, SANDS, I would be foolish to leave un-reviewed.
     Indeed, my piqued interest did not go unsatisfied. The album is a solid piece of work, to say the least. The production choices are creative and daring, with a surprisingly effective mix of organic and synthetic sounds, perfectly exemplified in the title track, in which an organic, almost acoustic-sounding beat and organ sounds are juxtaposed against infectious synthesizer melodies that wouldn't be totally out of place in an EDM track.
    The album is an engaging experience, but one of depth and dimension as well, as flows and production remains diverse enough throughout the album to from the laid-back, easy-groovin' "Transmissions from Talakad" to the more harsh, aggressive-sounding "Kapoof!." The group also delves seamlessly into darker territory with "Star Clusters," utilizing sparse, minor piano samples and suspenseful strings, building a mood more effectively than most rap tracks that I can think of.
    The group excels on SANDS where any Hip-Hop album should. The beats, production, flow, and lyrics are all engaging and interesting, drawing you into the music and keeping you there. ATOMS' Cryptic One made our top albums of 2013, and with this release, he's likely to find himself a spot on the best of 2014 list with the rest of the group.

-Andrew Oliver

Sinai Vessel - Profanity

     

     For a band that gets pegged with the "Math Rock" moniker, Sinai Vessel sound extremely personal. I've listened to the band before, and like revisiting an old friend, there's an almost overwhelming sentimental quality to the music. From the very first chords of "Cats," Profanity just exudes emotion and feeling.
    I could go on to describe the album musically, as would be the usual process, but I feel that to focus on this may distract from the true genius of this album: That being, the band's sense of intense emotional appeal, they're ability to to make you feel, whether you want to or not. The music, and the feelings that bleed from it, paint images in your head as you listen. It's impossible not to be moved here by the sounds of vulnerability, longing, and desperation. We can all relate in one way or another.
     On Profanity, Sinai Vessel creates more than just a musical work to listen to and get through. This transcends the casual listening experience, and becomes one of emotional, perhaps even spiritual significance. I imagine your reaction will be different depending on who you are and given your own experiences, but regardless of the listener, you'd be hard pressed not to be touched in some way by the band material here. Certainly one of the much brighter spots of 2014 so far.

-Andrew Oliver

Music, Memories, and Family

       Many a musical journalist have written about music as a means of bringing people together: friends, family, lovers, and enemies. Music is a language shared by all peoples and classes the world over. Sure, it's no new concept, no ground-breaking revelation, but nonetheless, it's something I come back to as one of my favorite things about music. It proves further how it transcends being an art form and becomes a phenomenon, something to do with other people, something to share and enjoy with the ones you want to get close to.
       I remember when I showed my little brother a jazz song for the first time. The song was "Dixieland Jazz Band One Step" by the Original Dixieland Jazz band, a very early jazz tune. Getting to see his reaction, best described as "amused," was a moment I'll never forget. He was so completely tickled by the goofy trombone slides (glissandi), and made totally giddy by the wild clarinet playing that, to him, was "going crazy" compared to the rest of the band. Watching someone that I love, someone so young and new to so much in the world, react in such a joyous and mirthful way to a song was a treasure few other things could replicate.
       This is how music is most special to me. It starts with a song, just a tune written by people you (most likely) do not know, but around a song, a phenomenon is created, a unique and totally wonderful moment in time, a memory that can stick forever, and the catalyst for that moment, for that beautiful memory, is just a song. One little song can make such a big difference to someone.
      Music is an art, of course. A beautiful, wonderful, diverse, and gorgeous art, but it's role as a powerful social happening should never be downplayed. I think of music as a fine art, for sure, but to me, what's more important is the personal, emotional connection music can create between people. To this day, I never listen to jazz music without thinking of that awesome little kid laughing himself silly over the Original Dixieland Jazz Band.

-Andrew Oliver
The song:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mW7rldvqN1w

New Video by Hello Phones!

New York's premium Electro Dance Punk band Hello Phones, whose album Future City made Sound Chaser's Top 50 Albums of 2013, have released a new music video for their song "Dream," and guys, let me tell you, it's every bit as stylish as their music itself. Music videos such as this can often be made to distract one from sub-par music, but this is not the case here! Both the song and video are top-notch, as we've come to expect from Hello Phones in the past. Here's to many more great songs and videos from such a promising act!
-Andrew Oliver

Check out the video here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9szRmSd50g