So, there's still a section on Underketing for band members to write about their own recordings, and I am still the only one writing for it. Today, I'll introduce a recently published Me In The Bath album, "The Month", which is currently available trough Bandcamp or Slcnc Music.
If I had to sum up briefly, I would say, "No more pop" ! With the previous release, I had been more poppy than usual, and with this new one I wanted to go back to a more noisy, experimental sound, but nevertheless as always a little melodic. The previous release wasn't that pop, this was, to be true, noisy pop, but this new one is far more strange, awkward, and uses a lot of strange keys.
I wanted things to happen fast. On a morning, I started recording height drum tracks, all of them improvised. I added then height tracks of guitar, height tracks of bass, height tracks of voice, improvising each time. Then I had the album. It has only been a matter of hours.
I'm especially proud of "At Noon", "I Got Your Serial Number Baby", and "Such A Thing", which are well equilibrated between noisy pop and noise rock. But you may prefer other tracks on this release, depending on what your tastes are. In any case, I warn you once again, this is a strange, awkward album, and I would not recommend it to anyone.
I also like a lot the bass and lead guitar parts on "Rice". With this song I achieved something really different of what I use to do, and this is fine. The key is inspired by non-western music.
If you already heard things I produced, and if you like tracks like "Bots", you may like this release as well - it is less overdriven, but the spirit remains the same. If you like the poppy side of Me In The Bath, well, I'm not sure. There's still pop parts in this album, but it is generally speaking experimental and strange, bizarre. I would nevertheless suggest you to give it a quick try, just in case.
I'm, to be true, happy with the final result. This is not mainstream music, this is still enjoyable, I hope there will be people in this world to give this recording a try and listen to it. I cannot say if I did my best or not, but, being deliberate or accidental, the album is here, 8 excellent songs to wait quietly for the summer.
May 18, 2012
New paper books and ebooks available
There's new issues in our Paper and eBook version section.
First, Underketing Issue 3 is available on paper or in pdf for free download. This is the archive of the blog from February, 24 2012 to May 17, 2012.
Underketing Issue 2 and Underketing Issue 1 are still available, also on paper or as free pdf.
A second thing, Underketing archive edition 1 was published. It features Underketing Issue 1, Underketing Issue 2, and Underketing Issue 3, and is sold as an ebook (epub format) or as a printed book.
Useful links can be found at our Paper and Ebook version section.
First, Underketing Issue 3 is available on paper or in pdf for free download. This is the archive of the blog from February, 24 2012 to May 17, 2012.
Underketing Issue 2 and Underketing Issue 1 are still available, also on paper or as free pdf.
A second thing, Underketing archive edition 1 was published. It features Underketing Issue 1, Underketing Issue 2, and Underketing Issue 3, and is sold as an ebook (epub format) or as a printed book.
Useful links can be found at our Paper and Ebook version section.
May 17, 2012
tiny moon - Songs About Girls and Stuff
Are you in a hurry ? There's no need to keep on reading. Instead of that, you can go to tiny moon's Bandcamp and stream the release for free, as well as to download it if you provide an email address.
The noise-pop tag on Bandcamp is a pretty much crowed one. There's pure marvels in it like this "Songs About Girls and Stuff". I was lucky, I found this album almost by mistake, but when listening to it, oh, well, I knew I was lucky. If you are coming here to read what I wrote from time to time, you maybe heard of Me In The Bath and No Monster Club. If you like Me In The Bath, or if you like No Monster Club, it is not sure you will like this album too. But if you like both Me In The Bath and No Monster Club, then you are very likely to appreciate this album a lot.
If you already heard about Me In The Bath and No Monster Club, you can imagine how this music project sounds. If not, think about a mix of psych garage surf, lo-fi influenced noise pop and atonal, more noisy music. This album is a very good one, deploying a broad range of song-writing approaches, for a various result, never boring. I've been lucky enough to meet this masterpiece, I have now to spread a little the word about it, just because there's many people around who could enjoy it.
This album has its own energy. You may want to refuel at it, or not. For me, it has been refreshing, astonishing, and to sum up, I knew I found one more music project that is, according to me, just perfect, the kind of projects I use to write about for Underketing.
This release is simply excellent. Broken synths, overdriven lead vocals and choirs, lofi guitar, sometime drums and bass, an subtle mix of melodic, well known and more strange, experimental keys, undoubtedly a great song-writing and production masterfulness, not talking about how intense is the performing, the conclusions arises by themselves : this is a gem. The kind of gem you can rely upon me to tell the world about. Simply, basically, a milestone in history of music. According to me, and if you came here, I can suppose you have a kind of interest for the kind of music that is featured here.
So, it's time for you to decide : either you are going to click on the link at the top of this paper and listen to this release, or not. In both case, thanks for reading, but if I were you I would take just a few time, just a very little, little piece of time - since the album doesn't have many songs, and they are not very long - and give this album a listen. You are about to encounter one of theses albums that are insanely great, the kind of release that will make you wonder why you didn't hear about it sooner.
The noise-pop tag on Bandcamp is a pretty much crowed one. There's pure marvels in it like this "Songs About Girls and Stuff". I was lucky, I found this album almost by mistake, but when listening to it, oh, well, I knew I was lucky. If you are coming here to read what I wrote from time to time, you maybe heard of Me In The Bath and No Monster Club. If you like Me In The Bath, or if you like No Monster Club, it is not sure you will like this album too. But if you like both Me In The Bath and No Monster Club, then you are very likely to appreciate this album a lot.
If you already heard about Me In The Bath and No Monster Club, you can imagine how this music project sounds. If not, think about a mix of psych garage surf, lo-fi influenced noise pop and atonal, more noisy music. This album is a very good one, deploying a broad range of song-writing approaches, for a various result, never boring. I've been lucky enough to meet this masterpiece, I have now to spread a little the word about it, just because there's many people around who could enjoy it.
This album has its own energy. You may want to refuel at it, or not. For me, it has been refreshing, astonishing, and to sum up, I knew I found one more music project that is, according to me, just perfect, the kind of projects I use to write about for Underketing.
This release is simply excellent. Broken synths, overdriven lead vocals and choirs, lofi guitar, sometime drums and bass, an subtle mix of melodic, well known and more strange, experimental keys, undoubtedly a great song-writing and production masterfulness, not talking about how intense is the performing, the conclusions arises by themselves : this is a gem. The kind of gem you can rely upon me to tell the world about. Simply, basically, a milestone in history of music. According to me, and if you came here, I can suppose you have a kind of interest for the kind of music that is featured here.
So, it's time for you to decide : either you are going to click on the link at the top of this paper and listen to this release, or not. In both case, thanks for reading, but if I were you I would take just a few time, just a very little, little piece of time - since the album doesn't have many songs, and they are not very long - and give this album a listen. You are about to encounter one of theses albums that are insanely great, the kind of release that will make you wonder why you didn't hear about it sooner.
That was a week : May, 5 to May, 11 2012
After a while with nothing published here, "That was a week" is back with what has been posted :
-Underketing featured news about the newest cassettes issued by Dumpster Diving Lab label.
-Underketing also told you about the newest releases from the label Steak Au Zoo Records.
-Underketing featured a review of one of these releases, "Balaklava Boating" by the Russian music project Clathrus.
-and the site also featured, in its "More Reviews" section which is meant for reviews that wouldn't fit in the main "Reviews" section, a paper about "El Camino" by The Black Keys.
-Underketing featured news about the newest cassettes issued by Dumpster Diving Lab label.
-Underketing also told you about the newest releases from the label Steak Au Zoo Records.
-Underketing featured a review of one of these releases, "Balaklava Boating" by the Russian music project Clathrus.
-and the site also featured, in its "More Reviews" section which is meant for reviews that wouldn't fit in the main "Reviews" section, a paper about "El Camino" by The Black Keys.
May 11, 2012
The Black Keys - El Camino
Are you in a hurry ? If you want to, you can skip reading this review and start searching for this album, instead. Since it is a release from a major music label, it is likely to be featured on many streaming platform, digital shop, and at many physical shops. Alternatively buy links are provided at the end of this post.
This release came to me trough a very particular way, because I got the CD as a gift from a friend, a friend who knows perfectly what kind of music I like and enjoy. I was pretty much sure, then, that it would be the kind of release that would fit for an Underketing review, even before I listened to it. And once I did so, I realised I wasn't wrong.
Beware, this record is under heavy 60's and 70's sound influence, especially (but that's only my opinion) you may be able to locate in it some things that would remind you The Doors.
There's also some 80's and 90's aspects in this music, and a light Queens Of The Stone Age influence (among other ones) for the 2000's touch... Well, it is definitively a 2010's album, you know what I mean...
I like a lot the way it is produced, even more the way it is performed and written. Such pop and heavy blues influences are mixing so well, that I can say this release is undoubtedly a success. You know I usually do not review music from mainstream channels, and this is the first time I review an album coming from there that has been released recently - in the past when I used to write about a major/established indie release, it was one issued decades ago.
So then, if you came by the past on Underketing and read a few reviews I wrote, you may have guessed that I would not have reviewed an album that wouldn't worth it, major release, indie release or whatever. And this album has an huge value. I especially liked the way songs sometimes end abruptly, the great level of achievement in the performing and songwriting process, the great quality in arrangements and solos, well, to sum up this a great piece of music, that I would recommend to many people.
If you liked Queens Of The Stone Age previous releases, you can try this one without fear, you are likely to appreciate it. If you like The Doors, there's things in this album that may remind you them, with a little bit more heavy sound. If you like 60's sound, psych pop, surf and so on, there's also things in this release that could make you enjoy it.
Anyway, this band is getting somehow big these days, and you'll probably be sooner or later in a place where you will hear some of their tunes. Maybe. Depending on where you are living and to which place you use to go. But there's chances.
And maybe, at this time, you will remind how good I though this record was when I wrote my good old Underketing review, and you may listen in a more focused way.
I just add, quickly, that this release, naturally, due to the universe it belongs to, is produced very cleanly, much more cleanly than most of the albums that uses to be reviewed here. But nevertheless, this is not that kind of too loud and unbearable albums, things were done subtlety and the overall result should be enjoyable by the people who use to read reviews I write and like the albums that I like.
Now it's time for this paper to reach its conclusion. To be short, very good album, warmly recommended.
[Update Jan 2013 : the buy links, which were affiliates ones, are gone. I hope I now deleted any of them here]
This release came to me trough a very particular way, because I got the CD as a gift from a friend, a friend who knows perfectly what kind of music I like and enjoy. I was pretty much sure, then, that it would be the kind of release that would fit for an Underketing review, even before I listened to it. And once I did so, I realised I wasn't wrong.
Beware, this record is under heavy 60's and 70's sound influence, especially (but that's only my opinion) you may be able to locate in it some things that would remind you The Doors.
There's also some 80's and 90's aspects in this music, and a light Queens Of The Stone Age influence (among other ones) for the 2000's touch... Well, it is definitively a 2010's album, you know what I mean...
I like a lot the way it is produced, even more the way it is performed and written. Such pop and heavy blues influences are mixing so well, that I can say this release is undoubtedly a success. You know I usually do not review music from mainstream channels, and this is the first time I review an album coming from there that has been released recently - in the past when I used to write about a major/established indie release, it was one issued decades ago.
So then, if you came by the past on Underketing and read a few reviews I wrote, you may have guessed that I would not have reviewed an album that wouldn't worth it, major release, indie release or whatever. And this album has an huge value. I especially liked the way songs sometimes end abruptly, the great level of achievement in the performing and songwriting process, the great quality in arrangements and solos, well, to sum up this a great piece of music, that I would recommend to many people.
If you liked Queens Of The Stone Age previous releases, you can try this one without fear, you are likely to appreciate it. If you like The Doors, there's things in this album that may remind you them, with a little bit more heavy sound. If you like 60's sound, psych pop, surf and so on, there's also things in this release that could make you enjoy it.
Anyway, this band is getting somehow big these days, and you'll probably be sooner or later in a place where you will hear some of their tunes. Maybe. Depending on where you are living and to which place you use to go. But there's chances.
And maybe, at this time, you will remind how good I though this record was when I wrote my good old Underketing review, and you may listen in a more focused way.
I just add, quickly, that this release, naturally, due to the universe it belongs to, is produced very cleanly, much more cleanly than most of the albums that uses to be reviewed here. But nevertheless, this is not that kind of too loud and unbearable albums, things were done subtlety and the overall result should be enjoyable by the people who use to read reviews I write and like the albums that I like.
Now it's time for this paper to reach its conclusion. To be short, very good album, warmly recommended.
[Update Jan 2013 : the buy links, which were affiliates ones, are gone. I hope I now deleted any of them here]
Clathrus - Balaklava Boating
Hi. No time to waste ? You can stream for free, buy digitally, buy physically on tape (limited edition) this album from the label's Bandcamp. The label being Steak Au Zoo Records.
Got time to waste reading the whole paper ? Ok, let's continue.
You know how it goes, nowadays, many people are very solicited, continuously, by new music that wants to be discovered. The sad point being that, the most interesting music is sometimes not the one that will solicit you the most.
When I give a listen to something, the very first seconds are very important to me. In these very first seconds, I can have a preview of how the whole album will be, and I became over time a little experienced about this. And, while listening to the very first seconds of "Balaklava Boating", I knew I would write about it for Underketing.
Just because, in the very first seconds of listening, this release made me think of Sultor Nacle - an you know how much I am a Sultor Nacle fan, so this is for sure a good starting point. But wait, summing up the whole thing by saying "it sounds like Sultor Nacle" would be a big mistake, because the Clathrus project is doing things in its own way. To be true, what I would say more accurately is that some parts of Clathrus' music made me think of some parts of Sultor Nacle's work.
The comparison can be useful when talking about the production. While talking about it, Sultor Nacle's "Album No 1" sound a bit more rough than "Balaklava Boating", but there's many things in common in the way both albums has been produced.
Nevertheless, this comparison can only help to give you a basic idea about how good is this album. It has many qualities, and definitively deserves a listen. I especially liked the use of very vintage synth sounds on some tracks, or the quick slow downs/fast forwards that reminded me when I was playing with the speed control button of my 4-tracks tape recorder in the late 90's.
Showing a great sense of masterfulness in electronic music writing and producing, the release is pretty much good. I liked listening to it, just like I like spreading the word about it right now. Yes, this is experimental thing, but not that much, and the overall result is pretty much equilibrated, and this makes me thing that I have to listen a bit more to what is produced around the world nowadays, because I think the music scene, generally speaking, is evolving in the good direction, and that we get and will get more and more quality albums over time. I wouldn't always have said that ; a few time back the new music published in the world seemed doomed to become less and less interesting, but thanks to netlabels, microlabels and self-releasing artists, the trend is now for even better quality, continuously.
And this album is definitively the kind of quality albums that are released during the current period. So I would say, don't miss it, give it a listen, you are given an opportunity to discover a great album, I wouldn't have written about if it was not the case.
Oh, you are still reading, and did not scroll back to the top of the page in order to access the release ? It means I have now to display all my competency as a reviewer to make you stop reading and start to listen. But I don't know what I can say, now. I told you this release makes me thing of one of my favourite electronic music producer, I told you it was for sure a quality album, what can I add ? This is an excellent album. Go listen to it now, please.
Got time to waste reading the whole paper ? Ok, let's continue.
You know how it goes, nowadays, many people are very solicited, continuously, by new music that wants to be discovered. The sad point being that, the most interesting music is sometimes not the one that will solicit you the most.
When I give a listen to something, the very first seconds are very important to me. In these very first seconds, I can have a preview of how the whole album will be, and I became over time a little experienced about this. And, while listening to the very first seconds of "Balaklava Boating", I knew I would write about it for Underketing.
Just because, in the very first seconds of listening, this release made me think of Sultor Nacle - an you know how much I am a Sultor Nacle fan, so this is for sure a good starting point. But wait, summing up the whole thing by saying "it sounds like Sultor Nacle" would be a big mistake, because the Clathrus project is doing things in its own way. To be true, what I would say more accurately is that some parts of Clathrus' music made me think of some parts of Sultor Nacle's work.
The comparison can be useful when talking about the production. While talking about it, Sultor Nacle's "Album No 1" sound a bit more rough than "Balaklava Boating", but there's many things in common in the way both albums has been produced.
Nevertheless, this comparison can only help to give you a basic idea about how good is this album. It has many qualities, and definitively deserves a listen. I especially liked the use of very vintage synth sounds on some tracks, or the quick slow downs/fast forwards that reminded me when I was playing with the speed control button of my 4-tracks tape recorder in the late 90's.
Showing a great sense of masterfulness in electronic music writing and producing, the release is pretty much good. I liked listening to it, just like I like spreading the word about it right now. Yes, this is experimental thing, but not that much, and the overall result is pretty much equilibrated, and this makes me thing that I have to listen a bit more to what is produced around the world nowadays, because I think the music scene, generally speaking, is evolving in the good direction, and that we get and will get more and more quality albums over time. I wouldn't always have said that ; a few time back the new music published in the world seemed doomed to become less and less interesting, but thanks to netlabels, microlabels and self-releasing artists, the trend is now for even better quality, continuously.
And this album is definitively the kind of quality albums that are released during the current period. So I would say, don't miss it, give it a listen, you are given an opportunity to discover a great album, I wouldn't have written about if it was not the case.
Oh, you are still reading, and did not scroll back to the top of the page in order to access the release ? It means I have now to display all my competency as a reviewer to make you stop reading and start to listen. But I don't know what I can say, now. I told you this release makes me thing of one of my favourite electronic music producer, I told you it was for sure a quality album, what can I add ? This is an excellent album. Go listen to it now, please.
New releases from Steak Au Zoo Records
Steak Au Zoo Records is a French micro-label, originally based in Paris but that has now moved to Nancy. Its catalog is blending various styles and influences and is very international.
Here's a short list of their newest releases - I didn't checked for just any of them, but it seems they use to provide pay-to-download, physical copies in limited editions, and free streaming :
STKZ019 ARABIAN HORSES / GLINA split tape (out on 05/11/12)
STKZ018 PEARS "Sterling postures/Soft Plans" tape double album
STKZ017 MPALA GAROO/GOLDEN DWARVES "Great Turquoise Mess Age" split tape
STKZ016 NU DEPTH "SL4V3 2 †H3 R4V3" tape
STKZ015 CLATHRUS "Balaklava Boating" tape
STKZ013 LAFIDKI/ORPHAN I OLIVER split LP
To stream these release, to buy them physically or digitally, or just to get more information, please take a look at Steak Au Zoo Records' website, especially the "Catalog" section, or you can also head directly to the label's bandcamp.
Here's a short list of their newest releases - I didn't checked for just any of them, but it seems they use to provide pay-to-download, physical copies in limited editions, and free streaming :
STKZ019 ARABIAN HORSES / GLINA split tape (out on 05/11/12)
STKZ018 PEARS "Sterling postures/Soft Plans" tape double album
STKZ017 MPALA GAROO/GOLDEN DWARVES "Great Turquoise Mess Age" split tape
STKZ016 NU DEPTH "SL4V3 2 †H3 R4V3" tape
STKZ015 CLATHRUS "Balaklava Boating" tape
STKZ013 LAFIDKI/ORPHAN I OLIVER split LP
To stream these release, to buy them physically or digitally, or just to get more information, please take a look at Steak Au Zoo Records' website, especially the "Catalog" section, or you can also head directly to the label's bandcamp.
May 10, 2012
New cassettes from Dumpster Diving Lab
Russian label Dumpster Diving Lab, also known as DDL, has two new cassettes for you.
The first cassette is a split featuring Sindre Bjerga and Micromelancolie, it is a limited edition.
The second one is also a split cassette, featuring Inez Lightfoot and Sun Cycles. This is also a limited edition.
You can order straight from Dumpster Diving Lab.
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