Here we go...
This is a new 10” EP released June 30, 2014. I got my copy a
little early because I ordered it directly from the bands shop. There are four
tracks on the EP one of which is a cover track. The four tracks are tracks
13-16 on the deluxe download edition of you already have that version. The
tracks are an interesting electronic set of songs with lots of schmaltz. I am
having a lot of trouble getting into the music but it is still interesting.
The first track is the title track, Raw Exit. I really like
the jerky electronics with the slight echo. The smooth electric bass works well
to hook up the vocals and the drums with the synths jerkyness. I think that the
vocals really shine in the chorus more than in the verse though.
The second song is called Baby Blue. The bass is super funky
in this track with standard bass guitar and in some parts a playful synth bass
over the top of that. The drums are also a combination of samples and analog.
This gives an interesting feel for the two instruments. The other synth parts
are soaring but heavy but filling in the background well. The vocals add to
keeping the style of the group.
The next song is called Great Regret. This song kind of taps
into the 80s synth sound but still keeps the sound relevant for the time. I
think that it is not only the synth sound but the vocal style that link this
track to the 80s. I feel that there is something in her tonality with this
track that reminds me of the new wave sound of the mid to late 80s. It works
very well and is probably my favorite song of this set.
The last track on the EP is the cover of Leslie Gore’s YouDon’t Own Me.
The songs delivery kind of bothers me. I know the original song so well. The
slightly elongated and unmatching/unneeded pauses throw me out of the song. It
is almost as if she doesn’t know how to properly breathe in a song. I do like
the music in the song though. I like an electronic version of most songs and
the rework of the music fits well.
OK Go have a new album coming out through Pledge Music. As a
reward to pledgers, the band have put out a four song digital only EP that
contributors can download. The four songs will be on the new album but the
group wanted to share some of the songs early in this new EP. It was released
on June 17, 2014. When I talked about the new single having the album Upside
Out this was why. The new single was already associated to the new EP called
Upside Out and not yet to the new album called Hungry Ghosts.
The first song is called Turn Up The Radio. The song is not
so much new, sound wise for the band, but fits what you would expect from them.
It is a great pop song though that talks about turning up the music and
forgetting what is happening in your life and just losing yourself in the music
for a while. It is a great idea and I have done this many times.
The next song is the first single from the up coming album,
The Writing’s On The Wall. I had this to say about the track in Vol. 5 Episode
22, “The song smacks of early 80s sounds from Joy Division/New Order (Yes, I
know that Joy Division never really made it past the 70s but posthumous tracks
were released in the 80s). The song is
bass guitar lead with the guitars and synth adding to the songs background. The
vocals are almost on the same level as the bass, just a little bit above the
bass. This is a really great track that pays homage to a couple of my favorite
bands. I can’t wait to get my hands on this album.”
The third song is called I Won’t Let You Down. I hear The
Jackson 5 all over this track. It is a great style that I am happy that they
brought back. I like the strings from the disco era combined with the muted
guitar sounds and added synth parts to make it current. All of these things
combined with all of the members of the band singing in the song like The
Jackson 5 did on their big hits. It all works so well and makes me happy
listening to the song.
The last song is called The One Moment. This is a slightly
depressing track that could easily be a credits song to a “chick flick”. I only
say this because it is a song that is heart felt and makes you think about life
if you listen to the lyrics. It is a good song but a bit depressing while
trying to be uplifting at the same time.
This is a great intro to the upcoming album. Go contribute
to their Pledge Music campaign right now!
This is a five track EP released in 2011. It was released as
a CDr promo or 12” vinyl or download through No Pain In Pop. The groups sound is put together by the two singers’
love of the west coast sundrenched 60s sounds, the British invasion sounds and
the C86 sounds. These three sounds when combined give a very unique musicscape
that is absolutely delicious.
The first track from the EP is called Who Thought. It is a
bright and bouncy track that ended up as the single from the album. The guitar
work is absolutely amazing and the drums are just simple enough to be
complicated. The bass supports the guitars perfectly and links the drums to the
song the way that they should. The song works incredibly well.
The second song is called River Boat. The song is a slower
track and not my favorite on the EP simply because I am not a fan of the slower
song. It is still musically and technically interesting though.
The third track is called Shining Bright. This track is a
poppy track with dark overtones. The vocals and guitars have a bit of an echo
giving the song that darkness. The drums stand out a bit more because there are
no effects on them. This is the type of song that I would have listened to in
high school if it were around then. It is deep and brooding.
The next song is called You Still. This song is also a bit
slower but comes off a bit more musical with the vocal slides that the boys
pull off in this track. The music is a bit more simple I think because of the
need to focus on the vocal slides. This isn’t a bad think either. It is an
incredibly short track though.
The last song is called Drop Off. This song could have
easily been a single too. The song has that special something about it but it
is again a super short track. If it had been fleshed out a bit more I would
have easily been a great single.
That is all I have for now...
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