Eclectic Vibes - July 2013

by Andrew Frey

Is July set to pop and sizzle or be froggy-soggy? Gotta value those sunny daze even more this summer with their quantities being slimmer than anticipated. This year the grass is greener on both sides of the fence, so stop mowing and go see some music instead.

Greeting Baroness
Seated on a blank stage armed only with their surprisingly beautiful melodic metal anthems, the revamped Baroness took hold of the Majestic Theater on 6/9. The band’s breakthru Yellow and Green double album in 2012 marked a revitalization of metal in an erstwhile worn thin genre and garnered the accolades of critics far and near. While humbly thanking the audience for general support during his injuries sustained in a late 2012 bus crash while on tour in England, lead singer/guitarist John Baizley mentioned they would be playing every song that the current lineup knew. (Which ended up being a reasonable, but not super long set.) Although I am certainly glad I attended their performance, which let me hear some of those stellar tracks played live, and confirmed the overwhelmingly hairless generic face of metal today,  I must admit I expected a teensy bit more of a stage show from them as a headlining act, but I could tell that they were just grateful to be alive and able to take their music to the world again. baronessmusic.com

Hawking Folk Psychedelia?
If you wade through the construction, on 7/25 at the Memorial Union Terrace you will find A Hawk And A Hacksaw, which is comprised of the duo of Jeremy Barnes (accordion) and Heather Trost (violin). They are known for performing traditional and original music steeped in Eastern European folk traditions. Most recently they have been touring as the live revamped soundtrack for the legendary 1964 film, “Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors” by Russian filmmaker Sergey Paradjanov, so one never knows what the show will consist of when it reaches us here. ahawkandahacksaw.net

Fit to Fete?
Are you ready to jump for joy in July? If so, La Fete De Marquette bangs it out from July 11-14 and hosts an awesome lineup, including Vieux Farka Toure on 7/11, Marcia Ball on 7/12, Savoy Family Cajun Band on 7/13 and Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars on 7/14 plus many more!


MICRO REVIEWS:
This Month's Rating Scale is from 1 is Micronic 10 is Macrophonic

ASG - Blood Drive

ASG - Blood Drive

ASG

Album title: Blood Drive
Record Label: Relapse
Rating: 8

Somewhere between the vocality and alt pop of Jane’s Addiction and the infectious sludge metal of Baroness is where ASG (Amplification of Self Gratification) find their strongest footings. This mega-riffing North Carolina crew knows how to pour on the body-waving grooves and mate them with melodic vocals to scorch your lobes.

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Maracatu New York - Baque de Brooklyn

Maracatu New York - Baque de Brooklyn

Maracatu New York

Album title: Baque de Brooklyn
Record Label: Nation Beat Music
Rating: 8

If there is to be an Ambassador of Maracatu, Scott Kettner, percussionist, band leader and drummer for Maracatu New York and Nation Beat would be a great choice. After years of study and immersion into this style, while living in Brazil he was able to become a master in the field and take the sound worldwide. Experience the evolution of this unique drumming style through the 12 tracks here and expect the unexpected when they slip in a great cover of Led Zepplin’s “Over The Hills and Far Away.” 

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Spiral Rhythm - Rise Up

Spiral Rhythm - Rise Up

Spiral Rhythm

Album title: Rise Up
Record Label: self-released
Rating: 9

Rise Up is the result of a successful Kickstarter campaign and so it sparkles and shines from community involvement. In fact, they were a favorite at the spirit festival (PSG) we attended over Summer Solstice. Their multifaceted pro-Goddess a capella pagan chants will warm your heart and soothe your soul as they are caressed with gentle percussion and the vibrancy of the many Goddessy voices that make up this 7 member group. Experience what these sacred space makers have to offer! 

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Valient Thorr - Our Own Masters

Valient Thorr - Our Own Masters

Valient Thorr

Album title: Our Own Masters
Record Label: Volcom Entertainment
Rating: 8

Balls-to-the-wall slip sliding stoner sludge metal from North Carolina has never sounded so good! Pulsing and pounding riffs and rhythms spiral and surge, blistering with unvarnished intensity and brilliance. Grab hold! 

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