If you're an avid reader of Muzjiks, you're already aware of my adoration for Menomena's Mines ; indeed, I consider it the current frontrunner for album of the year. Like all great albums, it not only functions as a cohesive unit, but it also reveals itself gradually over time with repeated listens yielding continued rewards. The layering of melodies and timbres, the musicianship (see: drumming), the vocal harmonies (see: the climax of TAOS), the cryptically universal lyrics akin to the work of Thom Yorke—it's all bloody brilliant. Now, what you may or may know about this [...]

Another line from 500 Days of Summer which made me think of Ramona Falls. I was fortunate enough to see Ramona Falls perform their second show ever at Café Du Nord. At the time that their debut CD came out I was about as deep in depression as I could get. And in the famous theme of misery loving company, I listened to it over and over. It's a pretty dark CD over all but really good. Ramona Falls - Going Once, [...]

Ακούγοντας το Russia των Ramona Falls και, σχεδόν ενθουσιασμένος, ψάχνοντας για περισσότερες πληροφορίες για το συγκρότημα, ομολογώ ότι δεν περίμενα τόσα αποτελέσματα στο google. Αυτό που αγνοούσα βέβαια είναι ότι ο Brent Knopf, ο εγκέφαλος ή καλύτερα το μοναδικό μέλος του "συγκροτήματος" είναι επίσης και μέλος των πολύ πιο γνωστών Menomena . Οι Menomena ομολογώ ότι δε μ'έχουν απασχολήσει ιδιαίτερα, και ίσως να προσπερνούσα και το προσωπικό project του Brent.. ένα καλό τραγούδι όμως, όπως ακράδαντα πιστεύω, πάντα τον βρίσκει το δρόμο του [προς τα ηχεία μου τουλάχιστον]. Και το Russia είναι κάτι [...]

DOWNLOAD: Ramona Falls - Russia (MP3) Ramona Falls is the new band by Brent Knopf of Menomena . In August, he put out his debut, Intuit , on Barsuk. That record, as mentioned a while back , has guests that include Mirah and The Helio Sequence . A track from it is posted above, and the entire album is currently streaming at Barsuk . Menomena is [...]

Have you ever listened to a song and wondered how the artist wrote it? What comes first, the lyrics or the chords? For a lot of songwriters it's a chicken or the egg type of thing; it's hard to distill the essence of a piece of art down to scenario in which it was created. So that makes this video, where Brent Knopf shows you just how he pieces together the Ramona Falls song "Going Once, Going Twice," that much cooler. Very few songwriters have an ear for melody and composition like Knopf does, and whether he's [...]

Intuit , the debut record by Ramona Falls, is out this week on Barsuk. With that in mind, Brent Knopf has posted two videos to celebrate the release. video: Christopher Frogken Recording Process dates: 8/21 – Los Angeles [The El Rey] 8/23 – Costa Mesa [Detroit Bar] 8/25 – San Francisco [Café DuNord] 8/26 – Ashland, OR [Where? House] 8/28 – Seattle [The Crocodile] 8/29 – Portland [...]