Bandcamp Picks of the Week 6/28/17
It’s back! You can stop your worried waiting! Bandcamp Picks of the Week triumphs once again!
Buddha Trixie – STOP THE SPACE AGE
Genre: Psychedelic Rock, Space Rock
Favorite Tracks: “Stop the Space Age,” “Nobody Hangs Out,” “It’s Not the End”
A band’s first full-length, independent album release is simply not supposed to sound this good. It’s not simply that Orange County/San Diego rockers Buddha Trixie got access to some serious studio equipment, but they also clearly have put in the work as songwriters to put together such a complete record at such a relatively early stage in their career. This is a big, ambitious album, literally trying to invoke the feeling of space travel over the course of its 12 tracks. It’s easy to tell Buddha Trixie got their start as a jam band, as many of the tracks comfortably clock in at over four minutes in length and don’t follow more traditional rock structures. That’s not to say that this is an inaccessible wall of noise; quite the opposite, these are clearly guys who know how to vary their songs across an entire album to create a record that’s satisfying as a whole. There are plenty of songs that aren’t afraid to really roar, but also a lot of more pensive and quiet tracks such as “It’s Not the End” that really give the album its sense of scope. It’s also satisfying to hear an up-and-coming band that’s clearly drawing influence from Pink Floyd, Ziggy Stardust-era David Bowie, Queen, and Soundgarden, rather than just referencing the rock acts of the last 15 years or so. These are boys to keep an eye on; their output can only rocket upwards from here. [Carter Moon]
They Might Be Lifeless – S/T
Genre: Metalcore
Favorite Tricks: “Obstruct,” “It Depends on You,” “Mr. Greene,” “The Last Song Has Sung”
There’s a lot of over-produced, juvenile, and wretched metalcore flooding the same spheres that nu-metal once flourished in. It seems like Rise Records just signs any act that walks in their door these days, all of whom tarnish the name of a genre with plenty of potential in it. So when a new metalcore band from Florida actually comes out with a promising full-length debut, people should take notice. The guitars of THEY MIGHT BE LIFELESS feel free and crisp rather than blocky and chugging, and I quite like how the clean vocals and more melodic guitar notes, usually a low point for modern metalcore, are distant and fading in the mix. Lyrically it’s very on the noise in its angst, but there’s an ominous tone to the music that works in their favor. It’s a great example of how a little hint of tangible, immersive atmosphere can change the way one views lyrics, and turn what would otherwise be a frustrating absence of details into a piece of the musical puzzle effectively portraying panic and desperation. While far from flawless (I have no idea who let the clean vocals on “Lights” get to the final draft), the attention paid to mood means a lot and could blossom into something truly amazing. If you liked the clear yet anguished aesthetic of Gojira’s last record, you can find something similar here. [Blake Michelle]
