Bring this back?

 Okay I need to do something with this site.  I think I have a little time over the next week or so to give something a listen and write it down.  I challenge myself!

Changes?

 Site has been dormant for far too long.  Not sure people care or miss it or what...but its about that time....

Hey~

 What do ya think about dusting this site off??!

FDF Volume 5 Issue 391 – Do Make Say Think - & Yet & Yet

Artist - Do Make Say Think
Album - & Yet & Yet

Released - March 18, 2002

Its been a long time since I’ve done one of these, but have the chance to listen to music at work right now and outside of catching up on the “new” stuff I’ve gone back to explore some.

This is the 3^rd release from Do Make Say Think.  & Yet & Yet is not a wild departure for the band.  Long atmospheric builds with horns, and strings giving it fuller layers.  They are mellow on much of the release and it’s a welcome presence.  As I listen at work nothing was jarring, it sort of filled the background and would catch my attention here and there as things would build, or a time change would embrace me.

It’s a perfect record for a late evening, early morning reflection listen.  Fitting for the state of the world right now.

The bands last studio record was “Stubborn Persistent Illusions” released back in 2017.  The band can exceed 8 “active”members seemingly all the time and many side projects have kept the band busy.

FDF Volume 4 Issue 390 - ZZ Ward - Til the Casket Drops

Album – Til the Casket Drops
Artist – ZZ Ward
Key Players – ZZ Ward vocals, guitar, harmonica and keyboards.  For additional musicians credited check here

Produced by – (Many, see the Wiki link here )

Release Date – October 16, 2012

Overview – This is the debut album from the LA via Oregon/Pennsylvania singer.

FDF Comments (aka the Songs) - “Till the Casket Drops” opens the 13 track album, it sets the bar high with Ward having a charming growl to her voice.  Its heavy, but fitting for the track. “Put the Gun Down” has a great driving beat to it, but when you listen you can really hear a strong piano line.  Ward is in fine form, with a solid vocal range that seems fitting for the blues based rock she is performing. After listening you can understand why this song charted the highest for her, its just a great track.  “Blue Eyes Blind” keeps up with the driving vocals and “Home” circles back to focus a little more on her, but has the first blips of noticeable backing vocals.  Crying Wolf features Kendrick Lamar.  There is a heavy acoustic guitar progression and the tempo has that hip-hop drop feel too it.  It is more a melodic R+B flavored tune than we’ve heard so far on the record.  Lamar is given a full verse and the song winds down after with some moody organ runs and slow bass fills.  Save My Life has a Christmas song feel at the intro and transitions in to a great 60’s soul revival track, while “Last Love Song” is the piano ballad of the record.  “Lil Darlin” features the O’Mys and this is another slower track with more of that dark barroom blues.  Just a bass groove with piano fills and emotive vocals.  Ward keeps it on point and the songs have a particular feel to them that make them easy to digest. ‘Move Like U Stole It” is a prime example.  Simple tempo, yet it drives and she sings with a grit making it more compelling.  “Criminal” is another track that really showcases Wards vocals.  Again, the piano and bass take up a major portion musically but if you close you eyes you can see her doing this in a small room with all eyes fixed on the stage.  We get back to a bit more of the up-tempo style on “If I Could Be Her” and we change gears quickly for “Charlie Ain’t Home”.  The album concludes with “365 Days”

Where are they now?  Ward is still active writing and performing.  Released her second album “The Storm” in 2017.

FDF Overall Take/Was it worth dusting off?  I am not sure what had me purchase the record to begin with honestly.  It has sat on my shelf for a few years now with little attention paid to it.  It is not something I’d grab right away but there are some decent tracks on here.  Maybe toss it on over a summer BBQ and see what reactions it gets.

Links, find out more, follow em, and buy it

Wiki Page
Official Site
Facebook
Twitter

Buy It!

FDF Volume 4 Issue 389 - dada - American Highway Flower

Album – American Highway Flower
Artist - dada
Key Players – Michael Gurley – guitar and vocals.  Joie Calio – bass and vocals. Phil Leavitt - drums
Produced By – Jason Corsaro and dada
Release Date- September 30, 1994

Overview – This is the second album released from the California based trio.

FDF Comments (aka “the songs”) – The 58 minute, 13 song album opens with “Ask the Dust”.  Right away Leavitt gets over on the ride cymbal as Calio walks the bass over it.  The song has a “Police” feel to it with the bass and drum, and the guitar is almost the third instrument you hear, even though Gurley gets around it pretty well on the track and towards the end really steps up, leading to the fade out.  The band is tight and has great harmonies on “Feet to the Sun” and it rumbles forward with one of the singles “All I Am” and the infectious harmonies on the chorus really stand out.  The tension that slowly builds in the latter part of the track really gives it a punch and once again Gurley shines on guitar. “Scum” begins with just acoustic guitar and solo voice and then switches to an electric guitar quick burst.  By the second verse there are strings and a fuller “feel” but there are no drums.  By the third verse the drums return, and the song swerves in and out of electric and acoustic.  Leavitt gets to call the shots as “Pretty Girls Make Graves” opens.  The kit sounds thunderous and the ringing guitars are a great touch.  The vocals are a bit subtle, but as the chorus approaches the band swells to a much fuller sound. Almost “per the norm” there is a great little guitar solo.  The band likes to mix up the use of electric and acoustic guitars again and “Gogo” is evident of that.  “Feel Me Don’t You” is a heavier track and the band settles back a little on “Real Soon”, but that is short as come the second verse the bands opens up with that ‘big’ sound they seem to be able to generate with ease and as the track continues the frantic vocals add to the aura.  “S.F. Bar ‘63” has some vocal effects that make it feel different.  Musically it is what you’ve gotten used to thus far.  We mellow it out on “8 Track” and get back to the vibe of the record on “Green Henry”.  Hey, this track has that cymbal that goes “sploosh” when you hit it after all and the great guitar work resurfaces.  Settle down spell check the next tune is “i”.  A little more laid back track, yet still complex musically enough to be interesting.  The record closes with “Heaven and Nowhere”, again with a  great guitar solo to close it out.

Where are they now? -  The band is currently doing a 25^th anniversary tour.

FDF Overall Take/Was it worth Dusting Off? – I’ll be honest, I did their debut record on this site ages ago. See for yourself ( Here) This was just something I knew I hadn’t listened to in a long while, and it’s a lot of fun. These guys are great musicians, the songs are fun…it’s just a “good” record.

Links, find out more, follow em, buy
Wiki Page
Facebook
Twitter
Buy It!

FDF Volume 4 Issue 388 - Pelican - The Fire in Our Throats will Beckon the Thaw

Album – The Fire in Our Throats Will Beckon the Thaw
Artist - Pelican
Key Players – Trevor de Brauw – guitar. Bryan Herweg – bass. Larry Herweg – drums. Laurent Schroeder-Lebec – guitar.
Produced By – Greg Norman (Mix and recording), John Golden (mastering)

Release Date-  May 22, 2005

Overview - This is the second full length release from the Chicago based band Pelican.

FDF Comments (aka “the songs”) - The seven track, 58 minute album opens with “Last Day of Winter”.  After a slow 30 second build up the band all comes in.  The guitars are clear and right up in the mix with the bass and drums holding it tight.  The band locks in to a repeated riff for a bit and then breaks off in other directions with a few looser moments before pulling back in.  The good 3 minute interlude is met with the band thundering back in as one.  The track ends with an acoustic guitar that almost feels like an entirely new song.  The acoustic guitar set up “Autumn Into Summer” quite well as it too takes a little more of an atmospheric approach at the intro.  It has almost a “slint” like feel to it with minimalist chords and light drum fills.  The slow build finally seems to reach a point around the 3 minute mark where the band is ready to take off some and when it does the wall of guitars give pause for a giant exhale…the band just fires it off.  The latter part of this song is what I personally think is the “sound” of Pelican.  Perfect roll in to the longest track on the album “March to the Sea”.  Released on an ep a few months prior this a “shorter” version (still over 10 minutes long).  The big giant riffs of this track need to find that right TV/Movie soundtrack moment.  All killer stuff, that even have the bass brought up for some melodic fills.  The listener gets to exhale with the shortest track “.”  Dual acoustic guitars and very light percussion is used on this track.  “Red Ran Amber” is a return of the big riffs and the band wastes little time in getting rolling, and holding to it as well. The track is the second longest on the record and the final few minutes found the band really on to something, you almost want to start all over again (like I did) just to hear it again.  “Aurora Borealis” is a shorter song (in terms of this record) but conforms to the feel of the record.  It is a really solid and “to the point” track.  We close out the record with “Sirius” another fine example of the bands capabilities.  Just big riffs that pull you in and leave you ready for a “replay”.

Where are they Now? – The band is still active.  Lebec left the band in 2012 as part of an amicable split.  They continue to record, with their most recent release being an ep in 2015 called “The Cliff” and the band tours and will be part of the US version of the DunkFest which took place earlier in October of 2017.

FDF Overall Take/Was it worth Dusting Off? – There is no denying I love myself some good old instrumental “rock” music.  Pelican was one of the first “heavier” instrumental bands that I discovered and they never seem to disappoint.  They pace themselves with releases and touring so you have a lot of time to marinate on the records.  This is a great starting point for new listeners.

Links, find out more, follow em, buy

Buy It!
Official SiteWiki Page
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