Blog: Comfortcomes.com

Seeping acoustic touches and a slow building gravelly vocal echo leads the way in this musing echoing single, 'River Sisters' from Parisian quintet, Syd Matters. Heart-wrenching lyrical poetic longing of the Simon & Garfunkel variety draws you into their reflective cause: "It's not the sound of the waves I miss; it's the shape of it." Soothingly gritty backing vocals and a well filtered, low-key digital kick gives the tempo a needy nudge, as the world appreciating and pondering steps up a notch. [...]

Foraging gospel indie-folk with a trickling acoustic lead is twisted into this stirring foray. An "embrace the day" message is delivered in Murdoch's laid-back, but earnest King Creosote banging into Nick Drake veined vocal manner. Longing, yet uplifting is the overall impression given off and it adds contrast to this thoughtful first single to be extracted from the potentially hazy and meandering, 'Towards The Sun' full-length.

Formed in 2004, this band are classed as post-punk and modern classical-influenced. Compared to Roxy Music and Scott Walker (a loose comparison, I feel) they are a little cheesy sounding....of the twelve tracks on here, Breathing and Generation That's are the two strong songs. The vocals are pleasant enough on the ear,but rather predictable,making the music sound like background music in a store. I would personally prefer to hear the instrumental without vocals, from this band,on this album. The piano is excellent and makes me think of David Gray's piano style. Not an album I would buy, [...]

OK. So we're already two months into 2011 and albums are starting to pile up (figuratively; half of said albums are in the popular mp3 format). Mark Adams, guitarist/vocalist of California groups, The Westsiders and Rancho Deluxe, has been hard at work writing and recording three albums to be released this year. I've got reviews for two of them. The first, One Time Spaceman , is set to be released digitally next week and physically next month. This one's the most rock and roll of the three. It's lyrically based blues with a pre-British Invasion [...]

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Much has been said about The Seldon Plan as of lately. But not near enough for a group that covers so many different aspects of indie rock. From their 90's influenced sense of alternative pop, to their more modern take on becoming stagnant indie rock scene. This Baltimore based group of ageless rockers know that the past always influences the future. They understand that there is not always a need to create anything more than good ole fashion rock and roll that with roots in the past. Frontman Michael W. Nestor has been making waves [...]

This month Esperanza Spalding became the first jazz musician ever to win the Best New Artist GRAMMY award. Her acceptance speech may have been the first time that many viewers had ever heard the 26-year-old's voice, and apparently the fact that Justin Bieber wasn't the person gracing the stage was the cause of a collective fit of rage by preteens everywhere. The world is lucky to have been introduced to Spalding, an accomplished bassist, vocalist, arranger and composer. Growing up in a rough Portland neighborhood, Spalding first took interest in music at [...]

Alanis Morissete blindsided by the dark undertones of PJ. Harvey, is the initial impression given off by Natasha England, 'Darkside'. Mood implanting backing digitalism takes on a low-key and mildly harrowing stance, sitting off England's delivery of her troubled by love lyrics. Only two tracks into this explorative electronic album and England ably assisted by the adept production of Logan, switches the tempo by adding a soulful glide and some muffled vocal distortion. Imparting shades of grey to an otherwise black and white tale of love's ability to set you free, 'Come'. The album then slows down and [...]

The rampaging Brighton remix masters seek to show they can create impetus and irresistible drive from the off rather than instilling it into the material of others. Revving distorted beats and thumping bass-lines gives 'The Way I die', drive and bite. However, this isn't matched by the trite lyrics and slightly limp vocal delivery that makes the track uneven. The Prodigy use their remix to input more grind and gruel to the rhythm and attempt to illuminate the pleading mortality accepting lyrics, but still the tune lacks consistency between the rhythmic drive and lyrical delivery. [...]

22 year old Londoner James Blake studied popular music at Goldsmiths College,London and was recording songs in his bedroom in his school/college days. The genre of his music encompasses electronic/dubstep and ambient. A new,exciting figure in the ever growing group of electronic composers, he has only been active since 2009.His self titled album, released on 7 February 2011 comprises eleven tracks, including the single Limit To Your Love (best track). James Blake is, first and foremost, a classically trained pianist with a warm booming voice which catches the listener's attention straight away. However, that [...]

An acoustically revved up instrumental and a forlorn, slightly beleaguered Jesse Malin veined vocal lag, is how Dinosaur Jr's J Macsis choose to advertise how he is going to make a name for himself on the solo scene, 'Not Enough'. Self reflective lyrics are delivered in a weary, yet engagingly poised manner and heart seeps through when the main man starts to plead a little about losing that loving feeling. Mascis has an endearing ruggedness that means there'd still be interest in this single even if he didn't have an illustrious past.

The DIY ethos epitomising pairing of Marie France and Lucy Catherwood continue their fuzzy disco, dance, industrial and electro edging approach through the disjointed, yet fiendishly driven new single, 'Fearless'. Shades of Queen Adreena, Ladytron and Client all blur into an independent spirit extolling vocal display that's littered around a hanging, fuzzy electro backdrop. Zapping spacey interludes and distorted vocals aid the eccentricity on display as the song builds up heart, intensity and distorted rhythm. A chilling cinematographic outro' aids the mood implanting touch and, a stirring offering is closed out. Video Vilain possess range, quirkiness, belief and [...]

They confused, disgruntled and stoked up listeners with their emo topic tackling and tumultuous synth laden, eponymous album of 2008. Now, two years on they use soulful backing on top of twisting beats that step up to the Pendulum level of intensity. It sets things up for the bemused drawl of Patrick Nisley. Who communicates his annoyance and displeasure with a stirring stammer, at times, over those who dwell in Obama's country: "Stupid American trash... I get my facts from the T.V.; believe in everything I read. [...]

The colourful pop instrumental bounce that has seen R.E.M. command the airwaves consistently over the years, is given a place on the bench. Now that Stipey and co' are starting to sow the seeds of intrigue for their forthcoming new album, 'Collapse It Now'. If latest single 'UBerlin', is anything to go by? Then R.E.M. are entering sombre, sobering acoustic led period. Stipe's clear vocals possess a tired lag that helps the mystical vocals hit home, as a message of resilience is given out. R.E.M.'s current mood maybe an inner foraging and reflective one, but it is also [...]

Femme vocal grime of the Katie Jane-Garside meets Charlotte Gainsbourg and Bjork at a Bram Stoker theme night ilk, litters the oblique spare guitar twisting instrumental for opener, 'I Know You Now'. Singer, Corinna Repp uses her haunted and harried style to make her determination the focus, with hovering soulful backing and seeping ambience providing a worthy distraction. More overall mystique and jungle percussion rhythm shows up early the broadness of this evergreen Oregon collective, 'The Felt Sense. Aching backing vocals also help to set the stage up for the clearly searching lead vocal cascade, before a percussive rattle wrenches [...]

After returning from a trip I maybe put together a photo album. Or at least put the pictures on my computer. Duke Ellington was in the habit of composing suites in reflection of the places he visited. Latin America, the Virgin Islands, England (the queen particularly), all these visits were commemorated by Ellington not in a measly photo album, but in music. One of the most beloved of these is called Far East Suite. It was 1963 when Duke Ellington and his band set off on a fourteen week tour of the Mideast. This was their first tour sponsored [...]

VERY psychedelic/shoegazey/West Coast sound on this EP,which I wasn't expecting to like as much as I did on listening.Its polished and rather addictive. Secret Colours are a five piece from Chicago( four men,one girl),and this is their second album,released 6 Jan 2011.vIt is intense and dense, with lovely rich guitars and richer harmonies,and a powerful punchy tone to the whole package,but nonetheless highly melodic. One of the nicest albums of the New Year,this one should sell very well to those afficionados of the West Coast sound,which enjoyed a revival last year, and should convert many [...]

Welsh band The Joy Formidable will be bringing their extraordinary live show to venues all across the US this Spring. Tour Dates 3/22 Atlanta, GA @ The Earl 3/24 Durham, NC @ Coffeehouse @ Duke Univ. 3/25 Washington DC @ Black Cat 3/26 Albany, NY @ Valentines 3/28 Providence, RI @ The Met 3/29 Boston, MA @ Brighton Music Hall 3/30 Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda's 3/31 Princton, NJ @ Terrace Club @ Princeton Univ. 4/1 Harrisburg, PA @ The Abbey 4/2 Toronto, ON @ [...]

Parenthetical Girls: The Common Touch from Parenthetical Girls on Vimeo . Parenthetical Girls present a video accompaniment to the song "The Common Touch," as directed by Guy Wagner (guywagner.com), choreographed by Allie Hankins (part-and-parcel.com) and danced (badly) by Parenthetical Girls. This recording appears on the limited edition EP entitled "Privilege, pt. II: The Past, Imperfect," now available via Slender Means Society

Morning After Girls "The General Public" from Xemu Records on Vimeo . Upcoming track from the new album by Australian psych-pop rock outfit

Video for the song 'You'll Never Pay For The Farm', taken from Gang Of Four's new album 'Content'.