
Aaron Shover – Nothing In Particular
Genre: Lo-fi Rock, Indie Rock, Garage Rock
I’m not sure that the 1960s ever truly went away. Like King Arthur or the Terracotta Army, they’re just sleeping and waiting to rescue us all when we most needed. Well, this might be an appropriate time.
You see, it seems to someone looking back on that fabled time that the 1960s included a lot of naivety and hope. It had would-be pop stars becoming cult leaders and religious chiefs dreaming of singing on a charting single.
This also meant that, as far as I can deduce, the period was home to many people who used to travel with guitars strapped to their shoulders, writing their own colourful songs and playing them to whoever might take up an interest.
There aren’t many songwriters these days who sound like they’re playing and coming up with songs as a way to find some bit of magic in the world. Aaron Shover’s “Nothing in Particular” is a gently psychedelic jingle jangle tune recorded within the most lo-fi of conditions. But it also sounds like Shover is calling out to the 1960s and looking to access some of their magic. Wouldn’t be surprised if there was an answer back.
Dream State Empire – Spirals
Genre: Alternative Rock
It used to be a much more innocent time. And, by the same token, things used to get wilder too. Blame it on an afterglow that we can’t get over, but the past seems much more appealing. That’s especially true if you’re a rock fan. This is not just because rock music is failing to generate the same kind of interest on the charts. It’s mainly because it fails to generate the same kind of visceral reaction in the people who hear it.
The tools are all there—sharp and ready to use. Even though the players have become more technically proficient, they fail to find the right ways to use them to make a splash. Where are guitar riffs that grab your attention from the get-go? Where are the howling vocalists who inspire something primal in their audiences or the precise drummers who sound like cavemen unleashed onto the world?
Dream State Empire’s “Spirals” retains some of the manic, unhinged energy of pioneering rock music. It’s designed as a crowd pleaser, as something around which audiences can gather and coalesce as one. While Dream State Empire is a group looking to incorporate some artful gestures into their music, the strength that they are capable of delivering is the most impressive. They have their hands on the right tools, and there’s no telling just how they are going to use them.