Ark People

Ark People are an artful and skilled bunch. The arrangement of all of their songs is something to marvel at. While listening one doesn't easily stray to other things going on around them. The compelling instrumentals are the first thing that draws you in. 'Song D' starts off upbeat and then when the vocals come in, an up down tempo comes along. The up down becomes a signature of the song throughout the tune. All of their songs have this drawing in quality. They catch you from the first moment you start listening and keep you. Vocals accompanied with the instrumentals are a great match.

Tempo and musicality are a great strength of this band. They seem to always have the perfect mix of instrumental tempo along with lyrics. Everything complements everything else so perfectly. You can tell they are well versed in many different instruments and have been making music for a long time. Their music above all else is unique, after listening you'll remember it. You will be able to name them as the artist every time their songs comes across your path. You will be able to recognize from the first few bars if a new song you're hearing was done by them. After listening one feels satisfied, because in the end it is so much more then just notes and cords, they put a lot of themselves into the music, which makes you put a lot of yourself in while listening. Ark People are classic, and hopefully will be around for a long long time. I personally can't wait to hear what they come up with next.

Ark People (myspace)

Monster Eiffel Tower

For a change of pace, we now turn to Monster Eiffel Tower. Although they have a powerful sound, it doesn't leave you feeling defeated. Their sound at times is heavy, but doesn't drag and stays upbeat. 'Dock War' is a great example. The first minute and a half or so build up with that heavy feeling, then the song glides into the upbeat vocals. They don't completely abandon the original concept of the track, but rather take bits and pieces and build off of it. Balance is always a big part of whatever music you are making, but especially in their genre. They do a great job of keeping every thing in line. The louder parts without making you have to turn the volume down. The different parts each have their job, and do not cloud the overall sound. Unlike many who often find something they like and just run with it all day long, each part has it's moment and then without a exhausting the tune, backs down. Their tracks are some that you can absolutely feel yourself dancing to. Energy come out of every guitar riff, and solo.

'Monolith' brings a smile to my face. The lyrics and harmonizing are well constructed, like most things Monster Eiffel Tower does. Each song had distinct riffs and hooks, and they don't fall into the generic genre many similar songs do. 'Skyscraper Halo's lyrics combined with Andrew Kennedy's voice is a winning combination. His voice also has an endearing ring to it. Something you can't quite put your finger on. They do a great job of having their instrumentals compliment their lyrics. A story is created with a style that makes you lean in and listen, and nothing is better then a story that interests you.

I can only wonder what they listened to growing up. The best thing for me is when you can tell a band is doing what they do because simply, they enjoy it. It's not some inflated, ill fated ego trip, or the "thing to do" at tat moment, it's what they love. And no matter what the genre is, even if it's not one you usually listen to, you can't help but enjoy it. Their spirit radiates through their music.

Monster Eiffel Tower (myspace)

Datarock

This upcoming 21st we here at Drop Magazine were lucky enough to score some tickets to see Datarock. Sure to be an amazing show, at the Bowery Ballroom in New York. If you are in the area make sure to check it out. If you miss out on the fun no worries, we'll be posting a very detailed review of the show. It'll be like you were standing there listening to 'Computer Camp Love' with us.

Datarock (myspace)

Flashguns

Flashguns area a catchy band, the type you would go see again and again at your local spot. After listening to their songs a few times through, you'll be singing along every time you hear the chorus's chime. 'Good Witch, Bad Witch' (a song that's title sums it up pretty well) starts off strong with a catchy guitar line, greeted by synth. The different parts have a symbiotic relationship feeding off of each other and never letting the others down. Flashguns area a band that performs well above the standard set for most bands of their youth. Age in music is either used as an excuse for poor playing or a testament to just how capable young musicians are. If more young bands took time to really get to know their instruments and sounded as good as Flashguns, I would say the future of music would be something to look forward to.

Song content doesn't fall short of instrumentation. It's always refreshing to listen to a song produced by fairly young people and not have to wonder if they are talking about a person or a pet. 'Locamo', a tune filled with "o's" is so addictive that every time if comes across your iTunes library, you will find yourself singing along, even if you don't realize it at first. 'House of Flowers' is a lighter tune then the others, a nice easy build up to the lyrics, where once you are in the meat of the song you will find it quite enjoyable, and somewhat relaxing.

Instrument wise, Flashguns does a tight job. All parts are well represented, and have their moments. The base lines(Olly Scanlon) are simple, and keep the tracks moving along and alive. The guitar parts(Sam Felix Johnson) are prominent, without being loud of bossy. He doesn't fall into the trap many guitar players his age do, which is in their minds loud and fast equals good, which we all know too well, isn't usually the case. Their playing doesn't fall flat and blend together in a pile of loud whatnots. The Drumming i upbeat and doesn't drag. Giles Robinson obviously has been playing long enough that he is able to add complex bits here and there, without overplaying and mucking things up. And last but not lease, keys(James Wright), the icing on the cake. The overlaying synth lines add that something that makes it, it. The pinch of salt in the recipe. All in all Flashguns are well worth the listen.

Flashguns (myspace)

Madam Lee

Having seen this local band several times, I can safely say, I much prefer them to many others content wise. A muggy night in Brattleboro at the Tinder Box can be a hard thing to deal with, and usually the crowed thins out because of the stifling heat. But Madam Lee kept everyone there and dancing, a great feat. Madam Lee having been together for a good chunk of time (5 years) and play very well with each other. They know their instruments and fellow band mates well enough so no one part overpowers any other. There were only a few times where balance became a noticeable issue. This was not due to their lack of listening to each other, but to their volume, when getting louder they were also mixing in more intricate parts. This caused a rushed feeling, and you had to really listen in order to hear exactly what was going on.

Malcolm Donaldson (lead singer and bass) writes the majority of the songs they play. Unlike most singer/songwriters at his age his songs are well composed, and are not based on immature/trivial subject matter. Malcolm, a well rounded musician, plays the bass in a way that supports the bottom, it's not trying to override or take control of the music. He keeps his lines simple, engaging, and steady. Adam Kyle (lead guitar) had some stunning moments, during their set. He played every bridge and transition well with little to no flaws. At time I heard some predominant blues influence, which was refreshing. Even in the parts that didn't sound as clean as they could have been, you could still get an idea of what he was going for. The confusion was mostly due to mixing as I said. Lee Mohr (drums) was a driving force, with great energy coming from him without being overwhelming. He knows how to consistently support them without dragging behind. You can tell Lee is thinking about what he is doing, but his thoughts aren't clouding what is coming through.

The set started off really really strong, from the first song they drew the crowed in. 'Much Too Much' is strong in all departments. 'Bound To Be' filled with lots of guitar rifts and steady drumming, With lyrics such as:

"The odds they wrote. Were just played into the hoax.
Just to feed into your greed. Begging to go broke.
You spun the wheel even more. Just for a little relief.
The odds they wrote Were just played into the hoax.
Just to feed into your greed. Begging to go broke.
You spun the wheel even more. Just for a little relief"

There is a winning combination of content and catchy playing. Malcolm wanted me to issue a disclaimer: "Although my lyrics are probably depressing as fuck it's not a reflection on the Madam Lee lifestyle" Madam Lee's lyrics are one of the most distinctive parts of their music. 'Coincidence' is a song where lyrics and instrumentation go hand in hand. This song shows just how comfortable they are with each other. Throughout the event nothing felt uneasy or hurriedly put together at the last minute. All in all Madam Lee is a band that has the best of all worlds and puts on a great show.

Madam Lee (facebook)'Coincidence' - Madam Lee
'Much Too Much' - Madam Lee
'When You Come Home' - Madam Lee
'Bound To Be' - Madam Lee
Lyrics to the above songs

Cars Can Be Blue

It’s a muggy June evening, and we girls of Drop Magazine are cross-legged on the side walk talking to Georgia-based band Cars Can Be Blue. The streets of Brattleboro, Vermont are fluttering with tourists and locals alike. The background noise on this recording is, at best, fairly noisy, but what can we say? The interview is interrupted by cell phone calls, old friends, new fans, and one friendly dog, but that’s okay, too; Cars Can Be Blue churns out music flooded with personality, spontaneity, and humor, and we quite like that the setting and atmosphere of this particular interview seems to reflect that. We learned about how Nate’s mother reacted to the phrase “deep dicking”, how Becky made the leap from musicals to composing songs like 'Dirty Song' (perhaps you can guess what that one is about), and how a girl whose first guitar was spray-painted and stringless and a boy who was not allowed to have a drum set ended up in a band together playing guitar and drums, respectively. We suggest you take a listen; close your eyes, and you can basically see the dusk-dusted streets of good ole’ Bratt, noisy music oozing from the Tinderbox, Nate and Becky sitting out front, ignoring each other like pros.

Thanks to Cars Can Be Blue for this interview.

Cars Can Be Blue (myspace)
Cars Can Be Blue Interview

7 Dollar Taxi

These youths from Switzerland, are very appealing in the sense that they look like kids that would walk down the halls of your school. Their personality appeal is a contributer to why they have had as much success as they have had. Talent and personality are two of the most important things in my mind. If you have the right amount of reliability and talent then it's a winning combination. That's what they've got here. They're not just another commercial band thrown together to make cash, they seem to genuinely enjoy the music they make, and each others company, which makes them more enjoyable for the rest of us.

While gathering ideas for this review, I had several of my friends listen to 7 Dollar Taxi. The only complaint from them was the fact that they would be going about their normal business, and then the chorus from 'Do The Robot' would spring into mind. Filled with "You Know" and "I Know" galore, it is a hook that is sure to stay with you. Their songs have an interesting balance of pop appeal, and a rock-esque tempo. 'Red Lips' is a tune that is enjoyable for everyone, lyrics that will keep your attention, and instrumentation that doesn't over shadow anything, but supports the track as a whole. The balance in this band shows just how well they work together. Nothing is dragged down or covered up, all parts have a clear voice and there is no struggle. They are strong and assertive tunes, and never sluggish, always light on their feet. 'Jurassic Heads' is a good example, it's sound is what you will hear on a best of album many years from now. If 7 Dollar Taxi keeps on the track they are headed, their sound will have people talking about them for years to come

Do The Robot (Megatron Remix) - 7 Dollar Taxi

7 Dollar Taxi (myspace)