Vulture Kult - Don't Let Rock N' Roll Ruin Your Life

Released: September 15, 2012

The Canadian prairies are, in the opinion of this West Coast son, like the barren mouth of hell.  Flat expanses of nothing for as far as the eye can see.  There are no mountains.  So it's no surprise that the prairies are also home to some of Canada's more aggressive bands; they need to express the darkness growing within themselves through the magic of song like Julie Andrews, but with rock and/or roll.

This is never more apparent than on Don't Let Rock n' Roll Ruin Your Life, which is the second full-length from Saskatoon riff rock duo Vulture Kult.  They bill themselves as "rock n' roll for the modern age" and they're not kidding around.  This album is like Black Sabbath's Paranoid remodelled without all the fluff; just two dudes riffing hard and fast and howling songs like Ozzy about drinking ("Cyanide Hand Grenades") and the devil ("Welcome to the Land of the Dead").  There are hints of other styles that pop up here and there to keep things fresh like the southern rock flair on the guitar lines in "Avenue H", and the percussive style throughout the album sounds like the Stooges.  The two closing tracks also stand out, as the creepy ambiance of "Movie of Me" recalls Pink Floyd, and the instrumental "Checking Out" is like a sad surf rock song.  But on the whole, this is a rocking affair that aims to make you "Go Loose".

Vulture Kult just came off a small Western Canada tour in support of Don't Let Rock n' Roll Ruin Your Life which kicked off from their album release show on Sept 15. It looks like things are only looking up for them as they continue the shake the prairies with their modern brand of straight ahead rock and roll.

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Time And Energy - Strange Kind of Focus

Release date: November 16, 2012

If someone put on Strange Kind of Focus at a party and told me that it was just two guys, I would call that person a liar because there is a ton going on in this record, far too much for just two guys and their four hands.  And then I would have to apologize because it is mean to call people liars and also because, lo and behold, Time And Energy are comprised of just Jorge Rios and Brennan Roach, both billed as playing "instruments".  Technically they do list their looping pedals (Boss RC 50, RC 20, RC 2 and a Line 6 Modular) as members but since Skynet isn't active yet, they don't count.  Yet.

Hailing from the heart of Orange Country, California, Time And Energy play a roaming experimental melange of alt-rock, pop, jazz and funk that eschews standard song structures.  They're like a slightly more restrained and mellow version of the Mars Volta.  Though they don't employ recurring choruses, they retain a strong sense of melodic flow and nicely varied instrumentation.  "Thought Forms" for example takes the bass line for a walk while the keys dance circles around the soft soulful vocals, then a dash of cowbell before the keys take the forefront with spacey frills around a melodic vocal melody reminiscent of Morning View-era Incubus, which settles into a snappy drum beat and an A.C. Newman vibe that fades into dissolving synth wave outro.  Each song on Strange Kind of Focus is just as schizophrenic (with the possible exception of "Tree Salad"), and yet they still feel like cohesive works individually, which speaks to the skillful musicianship of Rios and Roach and how well they work together as a unit.

While Strange Kind of Focus isn't due to be officially released until November 16, Time And Energy have been building an impressive amount of buzz off it already.  You can hear a full stream on their bandcamp page, and if you like it they've offered it as a pay-what-you-want download as well.

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EndAnd - The Adventures of Fi in Space

Released: June 26, 2012

EndAnd are a punky noise rock trio from Brooklyn, growing up within the King Killer Studios community along with friends Generator Ohm.  This release compiles two of their previous EPs: The Adventures of Hi-Fi in Space, which has five sharply recorded studio tracks; and The Adventures of Low-Fi in Space, consisting of four fuzzy DIY style songs.

The Hi-Fi portion of the record kicks off with "Far In Between", trading off driving guitar lines reminiscent of Green Album-era Weezer and verses echoing The Cure.  After the upbeat opening track, EndAnd slow things down a bit with "Labor Force" which has an even stronger 80s vibe initially, which juxtaposes very well with the aggressive break and shouted bridge at the end.  While each song on Hi-Fi brings its own particular flair to it blending styles and eras, the standout track is definitely the first single "Commando", from the flashy guitar riffing to put Jack White to shame, to the gruffest vocal delivery on the album and the rock solid drumming keeping everything together.  It's just a shame that "Commando" wasn't released at the peak of the Guitar Hero craze because it would have been a perfect addition to the playlist.

Low-Fi sets itself apart right away with "Dawi", opening with slowly strummed discordant guitars and a repeating feedback loop that resolves into an off-kilter melody that wouldn't be out of place in Nirvana's discography.  "Legend" continues with the slower pacing and darker harmonies, and though "Sweet" is more melodic the wall of menacing distortion layered underneath keeps in from being particularly uplifting.  "When and There" closes out the album in almost shoegazy, sprawling style.

As a package, The Adventures of Fi in Space is a great introduction to a young band who clearly have a strong sense of place amid the current milieu of the rock canon.

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Generator Ohm - Upon the Me Om I

Released: September 2012

In the words of Neil Young: "Rock and Roll can never die".  Around the world there are communities growing and thriving and keeping Rock and Roll alive.  One such community has risen up in Brooklyn around King Killer Studios, who are rapidly becoming a force to be reckoned with.  Generator Ohm is at the forefront of King Killer's roster, and with the release of Upon the Me Om I they are making their contribution to a musical tradition passed down since the 1950s.

The album starts strong kicking into "Lemming Shuffle" with upbeat bouncy bass lines and some snazzy high hat action laying the groundwork for very grunge inspired vocals which rush forward up to the half timed bridge.  The rest of Upon the Me Om I never quite matches the urgency and cohesion of the opening track, but this feels intentional following the ebb and flow of the album as a whole as the band push themselves in different directions.  There is a lot of experimentation going on while still retaining the general framework of a rock band: from the pseudo hip hop break in "Smoke Eater" to the psychobilly feel of the bridge / solo of "Youth in Arms", from the brooding and spacey "Lynarco's Men" to the early 90s Chili Peppers vibe on "Marginal Hop".

There's a lot of good here, but it could benefit from being more concise.  At close to fifty minutes, it is a tad too far out of my preferred sweet spot of a thirty minute record, especially since there are moments where certain parts feel like they drag on too long.  That said, this is a very strong first release from a band that is just getting started.  Keep an eye out for great things coming from them.

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