Blues Rock is one of the healthiest genres for this generation and will continue to be; “Blues Rock” being an operative term because it takes more work to find rock with out blues than with. Thanks to the first wave being the 60s with The Rolling stones, The Beatles (Revolver era), and of course (oh of course) The Jimi Hendrix Experience, it hasn't really had time to slow down. Dire Straits in the 70s, (later) Queen holding it on a thread in the 80s, jam bands like Blues Traveler with a 90s revival, and without question the 00s blues duo explosion (Thank you so much, The Kills, Black Keys and White Stripes). So now that we are in the 10s, what is the status of the genre and how does this apply to Stray Suns?
Simply writing off any band past the 60s straight blues rock is an insult to the genre. Somehow this genre has been able to keep copycats and simplifiers in the background in ways other forms of rock have failed. Thanks to the big three duos (mentioned above) every two piece band thinks they’re a prime blues rock group and every classic rock band thinks they’re Jimi Hendrix. Keeping my rant at bay, I can successfully say Stray Suns is ready to meet the expectations of their predecessors. Every new blues rock bands needs to meet a set of requirements (most of these apply to other genres as well.
Stray Suns Report Card ([x]=check [_]=nope (you don’t have to read this)
1. Originality: there are many different styles to pull from but you need to know the difference between copying and influences [x]
2. Clear Influence Outside of Blues: (the White StripesAC/DCd the hell out it) [x]
3. Actual Emotion: fake whininess is the reason why music gets simplified too much to handle [x]
4. Disrespect the Hell Out of Your Inspirations: Do you really think music would go anywhere if we stuck to any “rules”. [x]
4. Screw Rules: Blues is as much of a statement as it is a form of music but it’s creators didn't care if anyone liked what they did, they just expressed their feelings strait to record. [x]
This is that part you put in your press kit v V Stray Suns is a blues rock band and there is no question about it but they also managed to take the heart of grunge and crush in between their guitar strings. At times Jake’s vocals sound creepily similar to Eddie Vedder’s and every once in awhile you’ll hear a Stone Temple Pilots sounding riff sneak its way into the mix. Live they play out like you would expect jam bands like Blues Traveler would. Thanks to all the 90s influence is part of the reason that their version of Blues Rock is so hard to pin down and that’s what I’m looking for to start off the next decade of blues rock. I’m definitely a fan and that’s saying something because I’ve only heard them live and the three demos they’ve put on soundcloud. After seeing them live and knowing that they have more songs I have to ask... WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?
A very special thanks to Austin for introducing me this amazing album. I feel much more confortable and close with this band now that I have listened to this album. If you’re thinking that you don’t like hip-hop so you won’t like this album, please think again. This album is strongly suggested to anyone wo likes «music».
8.4/10
9. Mutemath - Odd Soul
I think its the perfection of this album... I don’t know what makes me listen to this album over and over, but whatever they did, it’s creative and fun. I remember seeing a commercial on youtube about Odd Soul and I thought it sounded nice, so I just typed «Mutemath» in youtube and... well... W-O-W. These guys have a bunch of fun music videos, you have to check it out. Anyways, great album, special band and addictive songs.
8.4/10
8. tUnE-yArDs - W H O K I L L
Never thought that experimental R&B would sound so refreshing! A girl from New England bassicaly just popped out of nowhere and exploded our minds with her music. I really like what I hear from this album; layering of tracks, warm percussions, african texure, a bit pop but doesn’t effect the originality... I’m looking forward to hear some more of this band.
8.5/10
7. St. Vincent - Strange Mercy
So I don’t have lots to say about this album, but I’ll just use this excuse to thicken my paragraph. I’m hearing indie, but at the same time, I’m hearing demolished math rock. Witch sounds perfect, and the mix of that style with her vocals is very powerful. Awesome album.
8.6/10
6. Florence + The Machine - Ceremonials
First of all, Florence *is the Machine. Just these expressions coming out of the album like that is so strong, I really felt like something was lifting me up as listening to it. Very indie pop, amazing vocals, catchy rhythms... It has it all to be a valuable album. I’m really impressed of this album, and think I will still remember it in 20, 30, 40 years from now.
8.6/10
5. M83 - Hurry Up We're Dreaming
An album to remember, remarkable sounds, and these vocals floating around my head repeating itself makes it very easy to fall in (instead of using instruments) because it never gets anoying. /mu/ seemed to love this album and thats where my love for it began, so thanks /mu/!
8.8/10
4. Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues
Marvelous album with breath taking songs. Very solid songs, easy to jump in, extremely personal lyrics, and about five cups of wonderful. Every song on this album is fantastic to the point it made me cry. All in all, tremendous album, very satisfying.
9/10
From Austin: "Didn't get it, at all"
3. Radiohead - The King of Limbs
«open your mouth wide» said the dentist, well Radiohead blasting with another album, and as we know, always staying true to its sound. One rule we need to know about them and their albums is to never repeat the same style. They always have changed and as they grow older, I feel like they’re concentrating more and more on the instruments and how it could sound in so many other ways. Like the beat in «Good Morning Mr. Magpie» that is pretty much the same thing all the way, but you can take the beat in so many different ways because the guitars are pushing it forward and always repeating itself... Now remember, «The King of Limbs» is an album following «In Rainbows» witch is still very alternative rock, so this doesn’t mean they can’t put the «r» in «rock» anymore. It just means that they have matured and so does every sound they used on this album. Very Promising album.
9.3/10
From Austin: "Yeah you guys can say what ever this isn't on my list because I thought it was disappointing :("
2. Bon Iver - Self Titled
It really bothers me when people just listen to this album and say its not like the albums before because the instrumentation is much more complex, thats not a valuable reason to hate on an album. This self-titled album is their true masterpiece and it has such a deep meaning that no other album this year can possibly match it. If Justin Vernon wanted to sing all of them alone with his guitar, he could, but he decided not to, and that decision leads us to this. The instrumentation in it just makes me want to cry (good thing). Well first of all, most of the instruments are out of their nature, like the sliding guitars sounds like saxophones, and the violins are not really in place, and whammy pedals on trumpets and all these instruments that just ends up sounding like gadgets witch makes it sound more lively really... who wants to sound perfect when you can just make things different and still sound beautiful? Its closer to reality anyways. But even all of that doesn’t stop Bon Iver from sounding like themselves. They still keep their terrific indie sound. Exciting album, I hope you’ll show it to your friends too, don’t keep all the magic for yourself!
9.7/10
From Austin: "Lets not fight but I hated this thing"
1. James Blake - Self Titled
I am sure that this album is worth more than being #1 here. As I listen to this album, everything around me disappears. So much is placed into this album that it hurts, not that theres too much things going on, just that I never even thought something could replace a way someone feels. When we’re listening to James Blake’s self-titled album, we’re feeling what he’s feeling so much he puts life in there. It’s just a brilliant album from a brilliant guy. I, as a musician, was trying to understand the album, and I did these studies on his songs and I just could not figure out what was happening, but I just knew it was so beautiful and true. I spotted that the song «I Mind» sounded like The Beatles’s «A Day in the Life» at the part where lennon says «turn you on» and where james says «I Mind» at the very start... Just a quick remark. The guy just bassicaly told us through his album that there was electronic music and his music. I know his album is electronic, but COME ON, he invented a brand new style... he did his thing and his only, there is nothing or no one that can possibly do that, because he has the future of music in his hands. Pure genius album by an intellectual man who performs just amazingly with his unbelievably brilliant musicians!
take note of the drummer’s clappy finger thingy... Took me a while to figure out that one.
