Jody Glenham seems to be challenging people to step up and act to set things on to a better path on “War On This World” by simply asking what we are feeling about and then what are we doing in the face of the challenges we are collectively facing. The song’s expansive and triumphant progression growing from quiet, even meek, gentle beginnings is like a metaphor for how a movement for positive change can snowball into an unstoppable force from humble origins and individual efforts that grow into global action. The dreamily melodic synth and guitar lines keep pace with the drums which seem to propel the song forward to emotional and sonic heights reminiscent in a way of Lower Dens’ way of getting under your skin in ways you welcome for their mood lifting and energizing effect even as the atmospheres are melancholic. Listen to “War On This World” on Soundcloud and follow Glenham and her band The Dreamers at the links provided.
Dean Manning’s metaphors and imagery on “Messy Time” are evocative and unusual and the dark, self-deprecating humor could have waxed maudlin about a relationship that has come apart and its aftermath but the tenor of the song is simply one of weary acceptance. Manning doesn’t place the blame for the breakup on anyone and acknowledges his own inability to perceive the signs that things were off. It’s a gentle song that sketches how one’s life can be turned upside down but everyone can come out at the end of that period essentially okay with no need for misplaced rancor. To help him to bring some subtle sonics to the song Manning brought in multi-instumentalist Justin Stanley who brought his skills to recordings with Prince, Leonard Cohen and Beck and Stella Mozgawa, the talented drummer of Warpaint. Fans of Low and Yo La Tengo’s more mellow moments will find Manning’s song charming and resonant. Look for the full record Sunday Mountain out on Manning’s label Cloudy But Fine on September 6. But for now you can listen to the song on YouTube.
With its new single “David Bowie,” Freedom Fry once again demonstrates its knack for letting stripped down but sonically rich music serve as a backdrop to a compelling and relatable, if unusual, story. In this case the narrator is someone who can’t help being a weirdo who goes through life dressed up like they’re out of the same science fiction glam universe as David Bowie during his Ziggy Stardust phase. But our storyteller is casually confused by people not accepting their normal because it suits them. And let’s face it, business casual or formal business wear is odd in its own right because it imposes a uniform standard of presenting oneself and thus conformity. In its way it is a form of psychological warfare to normalize behaviors and mindsets that deny your unique human qualities. The narrator of “David Bowie” sees no reason to adhere to such needlessly strict and destructive standards and rejects the laughter of those who have submitted to the will of conditioned and unquestioned behavior. This narrator sanely sets their own standard and speaks nothing of imposing one on others. It’s also a bit of a love song suggesting a like-minded companion has been found who too can shrug off the shackles of a phony sense of normalcy. If anyone was an avatar of making the world accept his eccentricity it was the likes of David Bowie, Prince and Sun Ra but Freedom Fry made David Bowie the icon this time out. Listen to “David Bowie” on YouTube and follow Freedom Fry at the links below.
In Munya’s “Dove” there is a bit of the same atmospheric character that makes music by Chromatics seem timeless and out of the current frame of cultural reference. As though, technological considerations aside, this song could have come out in the late 50s or in the mid-60s. The crystalline guitar, bird sounds and Josie Boivin’s vocals with the French lyrics seem to be coming from another place and another era. Like if Françoise Hardy got into making chill synth pop in the 1980s for a movie David Lynch made under a different name that wasn’t Alan Smithee but a secret cult movie to rediscover in future decades and one that embraced the romanticism at the heart of his films more so than the darkness. Whatever the inspirations or the aims of the song it is tapping into a complex array of emotions while seeming, on the surface, simple if otherworldly. Listen to “Dove” on Soundcloud and Boivin’s project Munya at the links below.
“Survive,” the new single by Canadian hip-hop duo Black Lion, features contributions from Testament and Ray Robinson. Ostensibly a hip-hop song with the beat structure and sampling you’d expect from someone selecting some tastefully atmospheric sounds to convey a sense of striving and hope against everyday challenges. But the mood and lush tone is more reminiscent of downtempo and trip hop. Maybe it’s the small details Rich Lindo and JR “Heny” Lindo place into the mix like Massive Attack did all over Blue Lines. Little tones and textures to give the beat an internal diversity that is the foundation for the vocal rhythm while also giving the listener that extra hook to draw you in to what the song has to say about maintaining positive mental attitude when too many things in your life including your own mind want to erode your effectiveness as a human to attain even the most modest of dreams. Listen to “Survive” on Spotify and follow Black Lion at the links provided.
“Boychoir” appropriately sounds atonal, troubled and desperate. Post-punk/noise rock band Hissing Tiles spent some time writing the songs for the album of the same name to explore one of the root sources of violence and social tension and that’s the principal of the masculine and how it manifests in negative ways in culture, belief systems and our own psychology whether we identify as masculine or otherwise. The feedback in the song is like the internalized narratives of what it means to be a “real” man and the social inducements to cling to those ideas regardless of the fallout and consequences we may not even see as negative but simply normal when in fact there’s nothing “normal” about mindsets that warp our perception and thinking and allows us to rationalize oppression. And yet isn’t it true that most people want to be pumped up about something and to be cheered on in their endeavors. The song suggests maybe taking a deep look into what we allow ourselves to be excited about and the manner in which we accept encouragement, to dissect our own pedagogy of desire and realize that we can change our will to perpetuate psychic poison. Listen to the lead track to Boychoir on Soundcloud and follow Hissing Tiles at the links below.
Chris Child & Micah Frank, photo courtesy the artists
“Peering At Dawn” sounds like what might happen if some artificial intelligence from Puma Punku or Göbekli Tepe had somehow made its way to the northeast of the modern United States tasked with creating theme music for the local environment only to be discovered by local explorers in the grotto where this artifact was hidden for millennia and documented its creations to sample through analog synths and old tape machines that occasionally warped the source recordings. It’s that enigmatic and seemingly out of step with standard reality. The same could be said for songs by Boards of Canada and Seefeel where alternate realities seem to blend and put the sounds out of time in their music. It’s reminiscent of weirdo, tripped out library music and thus the sense of having come from another time and place before the modern era but difficult to accurately place with its mixture of blurred tones and the background sound like generative sound replicating the sense of phosphenes. The song hails from Chris Child & Micah Frank’s forthcoming release Tape Loops Vol. 1 due out on 8/23 through Foil Imprints. For now, though, listen to “Peering At Dawn” on Soundcloud and follow Chris Child & Micah Frank at the links provided.
Caracol’s new track “Flooded Field” was written in collaboration with Illa J, the brother of J. Dilla. The song’s structure has well-arranged complexity with downtempo flavor and a reggae cadence with electronic steel drum accents. Its rich synth piano flourishes and splashes of rapidly expanding tonal wash suggest a sound palette drawn from 80s hip-hop production. When Illa J comes in the song exits the ethereal undertones and comes down to earth for a nice passage of vivid imagery to reinforce the message of the lyric “Your heart is a flooded field” and the sense of isolation the narrator of the song feels for the object of her love and a desire to bridge that emotional barrier. It is as though Illa J gives the critical clue to solve the emotional conundrum. The dynamics of the song as it shifts between vocals, moods, rhythmic flavors and an effervescent melody keeps it an interesting and rewarding listen beginning to end. Check out “Flooded Field” on Soundcloud and follow Caracol at the links below.
With “Kalemegdan,” Typewriter takes the language and sonic palette of current EDM and left field dance music generally to create a soundscape with saturated atmospheres and lush orchestration. As the track evolves it fuses a stretched pop melody and introspective moods to create an extended reflective moment like watching a section of a dream spool out behind you in slow motion for you to take in impressionistically and in vivid momentary details of peak significance as motes of memory and emotional attachments swirl about you to give context to the way your subconscious mind reveals to you and important bit of information, perhaps even a lesson, that cannot be conveyed with mere language. The song operates on that sort of dream logic as familiar elements of song are used in ways they often aren’t. To call it a dance track or a simply electronic pop song would miss the point of the way Typewriter is aiming for a synthesis of the two and more. Listen to the song on Soundcloud and follow Typerwriter at the links below.
Rolling Stones perform at Mile High Stadium on August 10. Photo by Dave Hogan.
Friday | August 9
Jay Aston’s Gene Loves Jezebel, photo by Ian Collins
What:The Alarm, Modern English and Jay Aston’s Gene Loves Jezebel When: Friday, 08.09, 7 p.m. Where: Oriental Theater Why: In the 1980s all three of these bands embodied the kind of highly melodic post-punk that articulated both the bleakness of an era and the hope that they and the rest of humanity would endure writing songs celebrating life and love and honoring the uncertainty, tentativeness and sometimes, yes, even gloominess that cast a pall over society with the impending threat of nuclear holocaust. Over thirty years hence we’re all in another period of doom hanging over the planet from, once again, the threat of nuclear war but also the collapse of our ecosystem and the rise of another wave of aggressive fascism throughout the world. Since these three bands have reconvened each has also been writing some of the best music of their careers and commenting on the times with songs that aren’t trying to capture past glory so much as writing music worthy of their legacy of not getting stuck in a rut. Modern English’s 2016 album Take Me to the Trees, Jay Aston’s Gene Loves Jezebel’s 2017 record Dance Underwater and The Alarm’s 2019 offering Sigma reflect not just the strength of the respective band’s original creative vision but also their growth as artists valid in the modern era.
What:The Yellow Rake 15 year anniversary night 1 w/Simulators, Moon Pussy, Charly Fasano, Brian Polk and Karl Christian Krumpholz When: Friday, 08.09, 8 p.m. Where: Mutiny Information Café Why: The Yellow Rake is a Denver-based literary and culture magazine that is celebrating a remarkable fifteen years in existence with performances from local bands Simulators and Moon Pussy and writers and artists Charly Fasano, Karl Christian Krumpholz and Yellow Rake founder Brian Polk. The celebration will run two nights beginning tonight at Mutiny Information Café.
What:Martin Atkins DJ sets and spoken word When: Friday, 08.09, 9 p.m. Where: Tracks Why: Martin Atkins who has been a major figure in post-punk and industrial music going back four decades (i.e. Nine Inch Nails, Killing Joke, Ministry, Public Image Limited) will do a DJ set tonight and perform some spoken word, possibly reading from his own body of work.
Saturday | August 10
This Will Destroy You, photo by Veronika Reinert
What:This Will Destroy You w/Brin When: Saturday, 08.10, 8 p.m. Where: Oriental Theater Why: This Will Destroy You is one of the better ambient post-rock bands. Mainly because its dynamics aren’t limited to the predictable builds and then inevitable catharsis like Sigur Ros without all the alien light and energy that imbues that band’s music. This Will Destroy You’s 2018 albums New Others Part One and Part Two finds the band further developing its textural elements giving its new set of soundscapes a depth of low end it didn’t lack but one that highlights the more ethereal melodies with a a evocative contrast in tone.
What:Rolling Stones: 2019 No Filter Tour When: Friday, 08.10, 6:30 p.m. Where: Mile High Stadium Why: Anyone not know who the Rolling Stones are? Use your search engine and learn about the iconic rock and roll band that fused a gritty, heavily blues influenced rock music and evolved it in various and fascinating ways for years with lyrics that often indulged in unusual, offbeat subjects and really a broad spectrum of human experience making their songs long term engaging and influential. Keith Richards’ autobiography Life is one of a handful of essential books written by a musician.
What:GYES: Arc Sol, Mainland Break, Slugger When: Friday, 08.10, 8 p.m. Where: The People’s Building Why: This edition of Get Your Ears Swoll brings to Northwest Aurora, Colorado experimental rock bands with a psychedelic loose edges.
What:Glasss Fest Day 1 When: Friday, 08.10, 12 p.m. Where: Rhinoceropolis Why: This two day event spanning roughly twelve hours each day brings together some of the most interesting of underground bands that often do not get much play at the clubs or more commercial venues. Which makes it an event worth attending to catch a slice of what you’re missing out on if you only go to venues that don’t book experimental music. Most of this stuff isn’t particularly challenging unless your idea of genius is mainstream pop music that is bland but has the veneer of quality or if you’re mainly only into one genre of music not represented. It’s an eclectic booking in a way that needs to happen in Denver and elsewhere more often. Schedule below. All times p.m. as if you needed to be told.
12:30 – DJ Zombie
3 – Grrrl
3:30 Kah Li
4 – Nothing is Everything
4:30 – MYTHirst
5 – Adam Selene
5:30 – Bios+a+ic
6 – Elle Green
6:30 – Sliver
7 – Bianca Mikahn
7:30 – Denizens of the Deep
8 – House N Complex
8:30 – Pearls & Perils
9 – Princess Dewclaw
9:30 – Abeasity Jones
10 – R A R E B Y R D $
10:30 – Catdog
11 – Techno Allah
11:30 – Savage Bass Goat
Sunday | August 11
Umbras Animas, photo by Tom Murphy
What:Glasss Fest Day 2 When: Sunday, 08.11, 12 p.m. Where: Rhinoceropolis Why: See above for Glasss Fest.
1 – Sobremarcha/Hepster Pat DJ Sets
3 – Umbras Animus
4 – Galleries
4:30 Wngdu
5 – Disposal Notice
5:30 – Sumguy
6 – Bowshock
6:30 John Gross
7 – Venus305 / DCC
7:30 – Lady of Sorrows
8 – Pythian Whispers
8:30 – Dead Characters
9 – Soulless Maneater
9:30 Sadbug
10 – Joohsup
10:30 – $addy
11 – Hepster Pat DJ set
Tuesday | August 13
Plume Varia, photo by Tom Murphy
What:Quits, Multicult (MD), Sliver and Equine When: Tuesday, 08.13, 12 p.m. Where: 3 Kings Tavern Why: Basically a noise rock show except for Equine who is probably doing a noisy guitarscaping sort of set. And Sliver who are basically a grunge color-by-numbers act. At least when it comes to their Layne Staley wannabe singer/guitarist. But they’re pretty alright in spite of all of that. Multicult is a Baltimore-based noise rock band in the vein of Shellac and The Unsane. Quits is a Denver band with a similar aesthetic and one that doesn’t skimp on the raw emotional outbursts.
What:Pure Bathing Culture w/Plume Varia When: Tuesday, 08.13, 7 p.m. Where: Larimer Lounge Why: Pure Bathing Culture started with Sarah Versprille and Daniel Hindman who are also members of experimental folk band Vetiver. PBC is more in the realm of dream pop but with a more organic base with vibrant and sparkling guitar work amid lush synths as well as Versprille’s warm vocals. The group’s 2019 album Night Pass is its first since being dropped from Partisan Records. And rather than a darker than usual album to reflect the process of the experience, Night Pass sounds like a band that kept going its previous creative trajectory of introspective, upbeat yet downtempo pop songs. Opening the show is Plume Varia who share a similar sensibility but whose sound palette is a little more dusky and with singer Cheri Cobbs’ vocals soulful and deeply evocative.
What:Matt Weston (Albany), Ryan Mcryhew and Ryan Seward When: Tuesday, 08.13, 7:30 p.m. Where: Rhinoceropolis Why: This will be something of an experimental improvisational show including locals Ryan Mcryhew better known for his work as modular synth and beats composer Entrance and avant-garde percussionist Ryan Seward. Both will join Matt Weston whose own left field percussion and electronics has brought him into collaborative spheres with the likes of Roger Miller (of Mission of Burma), Jim O’Rourke, drone legend Kevin Drumm, free jazz saxophone player Charles Gayle and Jack Wright, another master sax improviser.
Wednesday | August 14
Kamasi Washington, photo by Durimel
What:Herbie Hancock and Kamasi Washington When: Wednesday, 08.14, 7:30 p.m. Where: Mission Ballroom Why: Herbie Hancock probably needs no introduction as one of the most important artists in modern jazz as a composer, pianist and band leader. He played in Miles Davis Quarter, he was a pioneer of jazz fusion and funk, he has composed soundtracks, he had a 1983 pop hit with “Rockit” which fused jazz and hip-hop. His accomplishments are, frankly, to massive to list. Also on this bill is Kamasi Washington whose own role as a master saxophonist (he’s played on records by Kendrick Lamar, Thundercat, St. Vincent and others, no big deal), composer, band leader and producer parallels Hancock’s own. As a live performer Washington orchestrates the show with a subtle mastery that feels relaxed and informal due to the songwriting and the years of work already put in but which feels like watching a grandmaster at work. So go early to catch Washington and stay for one of the few living legends of jazz demonstrate his own musical magic.
Queen City Sounds and Art 
You must be logged in to post a comment.