Review: The Mercy Alliance - Some Kind of Beautiful Story

Songwriter Joe Rathbone had lived in several big cities along the East Coast, hanging his hat in towns like Philadelphia, Nashville, and Atlanta. But there was something about his new home place of Washington, D.C., that simply called to him, awakening his muse and drawing him into a place of reflection and creativity. And with the help of a few old friends, Rathbone has brought those reflections to life with the September 9th release of The Mercy Alliance’s Some Kind of Beautiful Story.

Those friends include Rathbone’s longtime drummer and collaborator, David Lopez, who smooth rhythms have played foil to Rathbone’s crunchy guitar tones. Also along for the ride are some featured percussion parts from former Counting Crows drummer Steve Bowman, bassist Brad Jones, and David Henry’s string work providing the final cherry on top. Helping to keep it all together is producer Thomas Johansen.

Sonically, Some Kind of Beautiful Story toes the fine line between indie pop and rock with touches of Americana thrown in for good measure. Opening track “Washington” is a solid collision of all three, Rathbone’s sweeping composition rich and breezy, his vocals warm and accessible with gentle notes of hope throughout. In contrast, “Angel of Mercy” segues fully into indie rock mode, Rathbone’s guitars gritty throughout, grinding against a melodic lyric and kicking percussion while “All For the Love of You” keeps those hardcore guitar licks flowing, accenting them with some compelling string work.

 

Some old school rock textures and a moody vibe color “Moving In Time,” Rathbone and company evoking some tension with minor chords as “This Is How They Know” lightens the load, bright tones and some tasty drum work and percussive notes, with more of Henry’s strings bridging things together. “I Can’t Do It” is a simmering pop rock gem, Rathbone’s guitars playing just along the surface, their textures willing the track to just the edge and being brought back by swells of strings and his own smooth vocal delivery before “Libertine” allows him the opportunity to let the cat out of the bag, delivering a funky groove that really shines. It’s a rich, bluesy jam that showcases his flexible vocals and creative guitar work and is one of the album’s clear highlights.

“Save Me” finds things drawn back into a mid-tempo flow, Rathbone delivering some solid falsetto notes and pleading tones across lines of reaching guitar and Lopez’s consistent backbeat. And perhaps saving their greatest creative moments for the last, The Mercy Alliance close out their latest offering with “Drifting In,” a track that offers up a plodding yet engaging path, guitar feedback echoing thoughts of static reflected in the lyric as a myriad of textures build in the background. It’s a track that closes without any real resolution but, for some reason, that seems to work here.

Joe Rathbone and The Mercy Alliance have conceived of an album that is right in their wheelhouse, allowing for each component to shine while still contributing to the whole. At the forefront are Rathbone’s well-crafted lyrics and vocals, crooning throughout these nine tracks with purpose, while his guitar playing shows stellar creativity and musicianship, giving the rest of the members a launching point. And they build upon that and have crafted a worthwhile listen in Some Kind of Beautiful Story, a listen that will no doubt have many going back for more.

For more info on The Mercy Alliance and Some Kind of Beautiful Story, visit www.facebook.com/themercyalliance.

Review: Hello Echo - Echo

Today’s musical landscape is littered with a plethora of indie rock bands, each trying to develop and to promote that certain something that will help them rise to the top. All you have to do is screen through obscure music site after music site to see the incredible breadth of bands, all fighting to stay above water with gimmicky names and clever tricks. Yet, for rising act Hello Echo, there’s no need for tricks, gimmicks, or over-the-top antics; they simply let their music do the talking.

The band was formed when vocalist and guitarist Sean Aylward, who’d spent two years recording and touring with Apollo Sunshine, headed to the West Coast and began working on some solo material. A chance meeting with Mike Silva (drums, vocals) and Mike Sarno (bass) while on a surfing excursion in Baja, Mexico, led to an impromptu jam session and an explosion of chemistry which the trio couldn’t deny, leading to the birth of Hello Echo. Their debut release, Hello, grabbed great reviews and that’s something that’s bound to continue with the release of their sophomore project, Echo.

Drawing from a template that does recall acts like Modest Mouse and The Pixies, Hello Echo still crafts music that is altogether their own, bridging together elements of rock, folk, surf, punk, and blues, stirring it together to create a savory gumbo.

“Growing Old and Sleeping” kicks the party off to a shuffling start, the arrangement simple and almost sing-song like before giving way to the garage rock of “Country” with its big bass lines and gritty vocals. “Watch Through the Lines” connects a lot of dots, with a funky island groove in the bass lines while a rocking guitar riff rages over the top while “Coffee Cups” hints at some old school rock influences with its melodic jams and radio ready sound.

“Under a Spell” is appreciably funky, a swirly guitar line weaving its way through the composition with some creative flair which gives way to the plaintive Americana folk of “Tumbleweejy” and its sweeping strings and plaintive piano tones. In contrast, “Lion” is a slow builder assembled around Silva’s tight percussion and ambient tones that gradually develop while “A Drop is an Ocean” is a good, old fashioned blues rocker, Aylward’s guitar work and vocals well suited to the task.

Keeping listeners on their toes, the band then delivers the lighthearted island-tinged jam “Big Sur,” bright and simply beautiful before seguing into the ambling “I Wore it Too,” a track that hints at island tones with a plodding drive and smooth harmonies. “Don’t Add It Up” shifts gears back into the more creatively eclectic, blending harmonica, strings, guitars, and more to deliver a subtly moving soundscape before closing the record out with “And We Both Know,” a track that is gentle and moving.

On Echo, Hello Echo continue to impress, delivering hefty slices of creativity alongside solid musical chops and a poignant delivery. The result is an album that you want to hear again and again and there’s no better compliment to give than that.

Review: A Is For Atom - Song For You EP

The best source material for an artist clearly comes from real life and on his second EP under the moniker A is For Atom, New York transplant Mike Cykoski mines his personal experiences for five songs of bittersweet melancholy. While his first recording dealt with the pursuit of love and the deep desire for a relationship, Song For You deals with the other side of that equation, having loved and lost and learning to deal with the consequences. To accomplish this task, the artist draws deeply from the well of experience alongside some powerful literary allusions that work well in his intelligent indie rock digs.

Cykoski's no newcomer to the music world, having been part of a successful Denver band on the cusp of breaking big but, when those streams ran dry, he drew inspiration to pursue a solo career after auditioning for none other than Gavin DeGraw.

“That was the trigger on the path to becoming a solo artist,” Mike reveals. “I was in his apartment and he played many songs on the piano; they were all so good and he impressed me. It was right before he flew to LA to do the showcase that got him a record deal.”

Inspired by a passion for songwriting, Cykoski embarked on his own journey, taking classes at NYU and at Julliard, constantly learning and making the connections that would lead him in developing his own sound and musical signature. That sound has drawn him favorable comparisons to acts like The National and The Flaming Lips but it's still one that is very much his own. And on Song For You he continues to nurture it along, drawing together an eclectic soundscape to stand alongside his cerebral lyricism.

Song For You is undercut throughout with an element of pain, a bittersweet thread running throughout the five tracks even when the musical accompaniment suggests otherwise. "Load Up on Guns" gets things moving forward first, the bright, singalong composition contrasting with the almost militaristic and war-tinged lyric, Cykoski singing about the pain and loss felt through relationships. He brings in some interesting electronic elements to lend something unique while a persistent backbeat presses things forward.

The title track follows and is easily the most accessible and compelling of the bunch. Here Cykoski layers his solid vocal against a subtle backdrop, an almost jazz-influenced hit of guitar running throughout and helping to hammer home the power of the lyric. That lyric was inspired and drawn directly from the artist's life, being the last thing his ex-wife said to him, that he had never wrote a song for you. The poignancy of the lyric permeates the track and even when he employs some dissonant keyboard notes alongside, it rings true.

"Bombs Away" is a bit more upbeat, insistent guitar bridging the track through and through while the lyric builds upon the metaphor of an "all or nothing" approach to love, more war-themed imagery playing into the artist's songwriting. The melody is lighthearted but the lyric heavy as he sings, "War is hell," speaking of the difficulty of love and relationships, the guitar blazing a trail to emphasize the point. Such language carries along on "India" as well, inspired by the experiences of the artist's father and his work at a missile silo during the times of the Cold War. The pressures of the potential dangers and catastrophes inherent in such a position lend themselves powerfully to Cykoski's lament of love and loss, framed in a solid indie rock wrapping.

"The White Dress" is the artist's most cerebral track as he places himself in the shoes of Emily Dickinson's lover, attempting to pen letters back to the legendary poet. The arrangement, driven by piano and infused with flourishes of trumpet and more, is undercut with a sense of pain, the task of matching his lover's words clearly impossible but his task is driven ahead by that love in spite of the circumstances. Infused with plenty of literary references, this one is no doubt one of Cykoski's finer tracks on the EP.

Mike Cykoski's latest, Song For You, is a solid blend of creative instrumentation and solid songwriting. The EP's five songs draw from deep wells and present a somewhat sad but still hopeful look at love and life. And doing so with arrangements that continue to be interesting after the initial listen, Cykoski shows himself to be a force to be reckoned with and is hopefully a voice we'll be hearing from again soon.

Review: Carry Illinois - Siren EP

The best kind of artist is one that performs from a creative space that is altogether his or hers, tapping into experiences honest and personal. Up and coming artist Lizzy Lehman is such an artist.

“I write about my life, and my perspective of the world surrounding me. My songs are more local than global, but the themes are universal,” the Austin-based artist shares.

Lehman’s musical experiences began like most, singing and performing in school but it was when she hit college that she really took to the craft, meeting a gifted guitar teacher, engaging in songwriting head on, and finding a community of singer-songwriters that she could connect with and learn from, drawing her deep into the folk music scene.

And those experiences, combined with her keen talent for both songwriting and singing, have led the artist to some of the highest thrones of the Austin music world, seeing her perform on such legendary stages as Antone's, The Cactus Cafe, The Parish, Cheer Up Charlies, and the Mohawk while also having the opportunity to travel and open for Gregory Alan Isakov at George's Majestic Lounge in Fayetteville, Arkansas. She’s already recorded a solo EP, performed with The Blackwells, and now finds herself fronting her own collective, Carry Illinois.

The band draws from a different palette than Lehman’s more traditional folk leanings, opting for a more indie rock vibe that leans heavily on Americana flavors. Joined by fellow musicians Nick Droz on bass, Rudy Villarreal on drums, and Darwin Smith on guitar, Lehman and company invoke the inspirations of singer-songwriters like Carole King, Brandi Carlisle, and Joni Mitchell while putting their own unique spin to things, delivering five stirring tracks on their debut EP, Siren.

“Weakest Limb” gets things off to a strong start, an ominous and dark tone coloring the track, and the better part of the EP, with solid, thudding drumbeats and a moody guitar line running throughout as Lehman’s voice is haunting, contrasting uniquely with the surprisingly hope-filled lyric at its conclusion. The title track follows hard after, a beat pulsing like a heartbeat opening things up with Lehman’s electronically distorted vocals carrying the track forward. An industrial meets folk arrangement unfolds, distorted elements melding with smooth and soulful strings in an instrumental jam that is at once unsettling and engaging.

Lehman’s folk leaning make themselves known on the lighter feeling “Jackson Square,” her vocal soaring above a plucky banjo line and brooding guitar while “Nothing to Despise” brings together the best of both worlds. More banjo fills provide texture throughout the track while Lehman employs more vocal distortion, giving her voice even more texture, as the track layers itself with atmospheric guitar work. “Good Farewell” provides the EP a perfect ending, acoustic guitar and Lehman’s stark voice leading forward, accented by just the right touches from her band. It’s a track that reminds one of the darker tracks brought forward by the Man in Black and that is high praise indeed.

And Carry Illinois’ Siren EP is a collection of songs that more than earns its praise in spades. Lehman and company deliver nuanced, layered textures of sound that honor the traditions of folk, Americana, and rock while combining them all at the same time into a musical gumbo that is good for the soul. Dark, brooding, yet also uplifting, Carry Illinois’ Siren EP is one you won’t want to miss.