Room Thirteen – Crooked Palm
Genre: Indie Rock, Garage Rock
There are two sides to every story at least. To some, the 1960s in the U.S. were a time when hippies were busy showing the world a better way. They were interested in exploring their spirituality, their sexuality, and living off a non-existent budget.
To others, yes, the 1960s were dominated by the hippies. But, they were a terrible bunch. Beneath the tie-dye exterior, and the long, unwashed hair, strange ideas were brewing. Because that was what a lot of people believed anyway, it was easy for the prosecution to easily convince the world of the murders supposedly committed by Manson’s family.
Now, there’s something still hanging in the air from that era, and it’s not all pleasant. San Francisco in 1967 could have just as well been the stage for a thrilling horror movie. This is what Room Thirteen’s Crooked Palm digs into. You’ll never hear a mellotron the same way again. And, while the singing style could easily belong to that fable decade, you are unlikely to mistake this for the Mamas & the Papas.
Jamie Rhodes – Judith
Genre: Singer Songwriter, Indie Folk, Gothic / Dark Wave
Everyone talks about how inspiring the Velvet Underground was to a lot of young musicians. And, taking a peak even at modern acts, there’s no disputing that. Most of these bands should write Lou Reed and John Cale a check every time that they release something new.
But, what a shock must have it been to hear these songs live for the first time? I mean, of course, if you were one of the lucky dozens to be in attendance. The reality of those tunes, as most of the great songs built on strong foundations, is how they can deal with topics that are generally ignored by rock songwriters, or, indeed, in most conversations.
Jamie Rhodes Judith is a serious-minded song. These are the kind of words that if uttered at a dinner table would stop everyone from taking one more sip of their drinks. These are the kind of words that make you weep, take a sick day, but eventually, make the present better, or, at least, make living more intense. It’s a brave song and Rhodes sounds like he really means it. It won’t get him invited to many more dinner parties though.
