Band/Artist: The Seas
Album: Give up the ghost
Hometown: London Kentucky
In late 2009, Michael Sliter, Logan Powell, Jeremy Williams and Richard Sester would form the super group The Seas, a band containing past members of groups such as Shotgun XII, Peter Dragon, Goldfish Theory, and The Simpletons.
On August 30, 2011, The Seas released their debut album, “A Separation.” Recorded, mixed and mastered at Groove Studio in Berea, KY, “A Separation” showcased the musicianship and creativity of the group, with a strong Industrial / Progressive Rock feel, with hints of NIN and Depeche Mode throughout. The Seas quickly earned the reputation as a phenomenal live act, opening for such bands as Trivium, and on January 17, 2014, were announced as the 1st place winners of the 8th Annual Clear Channel – Lake Cumberland Battle of the Bands. The Seas also won the Greg Denney Memorial Musician’s Pick Award while their drummer, Richard Sester, won the J.R. Sroufe Memorial Drummer of the Year Award.
The Seas had arrived, and every musician in the state of Kentucky quickly noticed.
So, lets fast forward to 2015. The group recently announced their follow up album, "Give up the ghost" will be released August 30, just a mere 7 days from now. BUT, the guys was kind enough to send over a copy of the album for review just minutes ago. So, without any further delay..........Here is what you can expect on 8-30-15.
Give Up The Ghost is labor of love for this band. You can really feel the band went in the studio with a mission: To make the best record possible and waylay everything in their path. This is a group that has put many hours into each track to ensure its perfection, a group that has grown as songwriters and musicians by leaps and bounds, a group that has set the standard for any band that follows from this point onward.
Lets start with the Production. This is a CLEAN recording that has had many hours of producing, mixing, and mastering. There is a magic quality here that very few studios can mimic, but as we all know this starts with a great band. Give Up The Ghost is a full on tour de force that has all the elements of greatness: Incredible chorus’s, mind boggling time signatures, exceptional song writing, and raw emotion that that make you cry and smile with shear joy all in the same moment. This album is not a collection of separate songs, it’s a story that you become a part of as the listener. Each track seamlessly transitions to the next, with builds that take you to the top of the hill, then back down to a whisper. Listening to Give Up The Ghost is an experience that forces us to let go of the wheel and let these guys drive us to the destination. There are only 2 albums in my collection that has this effect on me: Miles Davis’ Kinda Blue and Radiohead’s masterpiece OK Computer. The Seas have painted their very own Mona Lisa here and created something that will stand the test of time for many generations to come.
The album kicks off with the aptly titled "Battlecry". The Seas waste no time, within seconds they hit you full force. This song builds, until it finally explodes at the end. This is a rare quality the Seas have really honed over the years, and its obvious through this whole track. Then, we go "Across the Sky", literally. This 6 minute plus epic track takes you right in the middle of "Battle" as noted in the previous track. Again, the Seas hit you full force within seconds. This track has a fantastic chorus that really sticks in your head, then they take it down to a whisper, while throwing insane time signatures at you, but what I have really noticed here is the Seas make odd meters feel VERY organic, instead of the stiff meters we hear in most bands this genre. They allow the song to Breath. But, don't get too comfortable, because at 4.38 they drop the atom bomb on you. VERY powerful and reminds you why these guys are in a league of their own. We flow into "Broken Bones / The Hunter" next. Here, the guys just lay down a solid meat and potatoes groove. The mood continues on with "Premonition", an eerie interlude into "Mistakes". This is really the perfect single here, as it embodies what this whole album is about. Lush, Shoe-Gaze-ish vocals, piano, and dynamics that change at the bat of an eye. Great track that really gives you insight to what Give up the Ghost is about. Heterochromia is next, a track that is very different for The Seas, but in a great way. This song really explores a lot of territory, and is the perfect set up for "Give Up the Ghost". This is a phenomenal track, with a little punch of fusion jazz even. Lots of emotion vocally, and enough time changes to make Dream Theater or any of the 100s of Djent bands take notice. And, dead in the center of the track, we even hear hints of late 80s Depeche Mode. One thing at the point in the album is you realize how much this band has grown since their last release. This is a band that has the sole mission of making great music, and its obvious here. Moving on, we have "All of our Weight", a beautiful song that again shows the growth of the group as songwriters. We charge on to the awesome soundscape "'Starring at the Sun", with some intense guitar work and emotional vocals. A very epic track that really starts the lead up to the end of the disc."Into the Fray" is next, and amazing soft piece of piano based music that builds into "Down". This is a really nice place for this track, and like Across the Sky, these guys take you through numerous time signature changes and heavy awesomeness. This song screams epic masterpiece, and when we finally catch our breath, they throw in Sherona....Yes, that song....Or maybe not. Yes, it is a cover of the 80s classic, but these guys own this track here and take it a totally different direction than you could ever imagine
If you was wishing for "A Separation part 2 ", Think Again: Give up the Ghost has come to set the bar even higher than anyone could ever imagine and firmly anchor The Seas as a force to be reckoned with.
The Music Guy
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Album: Pet Sounds
Hometown: Cali
This is the most important album of all time. Yea, that’s a huge statement, but very true. I personally didn’t get exposed to this album until a few years back, but when i heard it i completely understood why Paul McCartney praised it. This is a masterpiece. When Brian Wilson heard Rubber Soul by The Beatles, he said that he was going to make the best album ever. Well, during these sessions he did just that. He produced an album that set the bar high for everyone else, including The Beatles. Its been said many times over that if the Beach Boys wouldn’t have recorded Pet Sounds, The Beatles would have never recorded Sgt Pepper, which I agree 100%. These 2 bands inspired each other tremendously. It would have been interesting to hear Paul and Brian work together as a unit!
As far as stand out tracks go, there really isn’t no weak songs here. The whole album is great. Get it ASAP and enjoy!!
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Band/Artist: Phil Collins
Album: No Jacket Required
Hometown: England
This is an album that defined the 80s. The sound, the fun lyrics, the whole package screams mid 80s, but in a good way. No matter what kind of music you listened to, you probably owned this during that time. It has that appeal that crosses genres. And, as everyone reading this knows, Phil was in Genesis prior to going solo. Mainly handling drum duties during the Peter Gabriel period, he stepped into lead vocalist position in the later 70s when Peter went solo. He was already a well respected drummer, but during this time people got to hear how great of a singer he is.
I bought this cassette right after it came out, and listened to it non
stop. Since then, i have owned it 2 other times, and listening to it
right now. This whole album is amazing. My favorite songs, if i have to
pick them, is Long way to go, Take me home, One more night, and Only you
know and i know, but i actually love every song on here. A classic album by a great musician.
Music Guy
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Album: Heavy Reverie
Hometown: Cincinnati, Ohio
Now, here's something that any fan of 70s guitar rock should love. Chris Robinson of The Black Crowes said they are the best rock and roll band out, and by listening to their 5th release, it may be hard to argue that fact. These guys have been touring heavy the past few years and have really become a staple on the rock circuit. From the first listen, there is no denying the Joe Walsh influence here, but we also hear hints of early Cream and Zeppelin to boot. This is one of the few retro bands that's got it right, and hopefully 2014 will bring these men the success they deserve.
http://www.buffalokillers.com/
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Album: Palm Sunday
Hometown: Asheville NC
Some groups follow trends, while others take chances and find their own sound. Rbts Win has been doing just that for several years now. Each album was different, you could hear that the group was experimenting with different sounds. All great bands do just that, then, they release a epic album that defines them. Palm Sunday is EPIC. The album, from start to finish, is amazing. Every track is great. I have not stopped listening to this, and their cover of The Smiths "There's a Light" is probably in my top 5 cover songs ever. Its actually far better than the original. Rbts Win nailed it here. Top notch vocals, amazing lyrics, and insanely catchy songs make this a must have for anyone that appreciates great music.
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In my opinion, this was one of Miles best albums, right beside Kind of Blue. The mood of this album is very similar to Kind of Blue: relaxing, exotic, experimental, all wrapped up on one masterpiece of a recording. Miles would follow up with In a Silent Way, then Bitches Brew. Those was good albums, but there is a certain magical quality to these recordings. Drummer Tony Williams is on FIRE on this album, playing the ride so hard that you would think its his last day on Earth. The Hancock / Carter / Williams lineup is amazing here. If you are new to jazz music, look this one up for sure. This album will really change your whole view on what music can be.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7cYMj8WSPY
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Band: Superdrag
Album: Headtrip in Every Key
Hometown: Knoxville TN
This isnt a new cd. In fact, it came out in the later 90s. But man, has this has stood the test of time. This is just one of those albums that is perfect, from start to finish. If you are new to Superdrag or just heard "Sucked Out" a few times, then i highly recommend picking this up. I don't have a favorite song here, as the whole album is amazing. Only thing i might recommend ( though its very hard to find ) is check out the radio version of "Do the Vampire". I actually prefer that version over the one here.
It really makes me sick in some ways when i listen to this, for the simple fact it really is such an epic album that would rival anything the Beatles put out, yet its not near well known as it should be. I will describe it this way: Its like that trail you hike, where you know about this awesome cave. Only a few know about it, but its so great and beyond description that you wish everyone could see it.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2Fncb6umq8
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Thought i would share this label with everyone. If you love 70s rock ( ZZ Top, Black Sabbath, Foreigner, etc ) this is the site for you. These guys are an independant label that focuses on getting good bands and their music to the people. I cant say enough about these guys, so you need to go check them out!
http://www.grooveyardrecords.com/index2-.html
Band: The Lees of Memory
Album: Sisyphus Says ( to be released summer 2014 )
Hometown: Knoxville TN
O.K., ill warn you in advance: This is going to be a long review. Being a
huge fan of Superdrag, I was interested in this as soon as I found these
guys on the net. You automatically know this is going to be good, but this
really surpassed my expectations on so many levels. This
is 2014, and the 2 songs from their EP sounds entirely brand new, but yet is really familiar
to any hardcore Superdrag fan. This has that same magic as Headtrip in Every Key. It’s that tempo that we love, the
layers of beautiful distorted guitar, the huge build, and the awesome vocals.
Except here it’s even better. Here, you have two guys that have been there, done
that, and now just completely focus on writing and recording great songs. I GET
where these guys are 100%. There comes a point as a musician, where you don’t
want music to be a business or a job, but something you enjoy like you did when
you started. And we hear just that in these songs. I have a gut feeling this may be the best release of 2014. On a side note, I have also heard another track from this album through a good friend, and i will say that it may be the best vocal performance Ive heard from John Davis, and that's saying alot.......
http://theleesofmemory.bandcamp.com
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