Indie Update

Here’s a rock band for you, featured on the aptly named drive thru records

Or should we say, "Here was a rock band…..?"

Originally formed in 1999, The Early November wrote and recorded what many thought was music that sounded experienced beyond the actual years of the individual members. At the height of the band’s popularity and song writing powers, the group recorded The Room’s Too Cold (2003) and, with the addition of a third guitarist, The Mother, The Mechanic and The Path (2006).

A sample of the songs on these two collections:

Beyond the interesting title, "Sesame Smeshame" (The Room’s Too Cold) combines straightforward rock drums and guitar with an icing of ballad. Nice touch.

"Decoration" from The Mother, The Mechanic And The Path, is inventive and equally strong, though with a slightly different atmosphere about it.

The Early November announced an "indefinite hiatus" in March 2007, something that caused a bit of confusion for fans. Singer/guitarist Ace Enders will cover the U.S. in October with Kings and Queens featuring Ace Enders. This tour prompted one fan to comment that Enders may be leading people to believe that The Early November is back. "I wish it were true," he wrote.

In addition to Enders, The Early November included Jeff Kummer – drums; Sergio Anello – bass; Joe Marro – guitar; Bill Lugg – guitar. Earlier members of the group were John Dubitsky, Steve Nakovich, Mike Klemash and Jim Sacco.

The Early November on MySpace

Tags: indie, independent music, music, the early november, indie music

Low-volume listening music is hard to come by among the angst-ridden twenty-somethings nowadays. However, many bands have found a way to create songs that are very listenable, while still giving vent to some of the anger and frustration that often guide the young.

While technically not a song by a "band," Ryan Huston’s "Tired," is certainly young enough in its focus and is, like many new songs today, a necessary plea for attention. Though just as strong musically, "Daydream," with its breath-filled vocals, is a nice love song, as is "Thank You," both from Right Songs For No One (2005).

Huston is billed as an acoustic-focused performer, providing the guitar and piano to go with the small amounts of percussion and other sounds added to recordings. He is currently working on a new collection of songs, represented by "When You Think Of Me." Huston shows that his production ideas are getting stronger, as the military-style snare drum provides a perfect background for the double meaning of "fight" in this tune.

The majority of his fans communicate by just saying hello and asking how Huston’s day is going. The singer-songwriter projects a slightly different view with the black-and-white photo tied to his unreleased CD. Time will tell what direction is best for this 23-year-old artist.

Ryan Huston on MySpace

Tags: independent music, music, indie, indie music, ryan huston

Fighting the typical, Mute Math continues to explore just a few feet beyond the "traditional" alternative rock of recent years. To get one of the more obvious events out of the way early on - the performance art of the "backwards" video is becoming legend among Mute Math fans. It has been called "television history." But this may be just the beginning for the New Orleans-based musicians.

What may open additional doors for the band is the ability to combine keyboards and electronic touches with rock drumming and pounding guitar playing. While certainly not alone in experimental rock performance, Mute Math does make use of such items as Keytar, The Atari and Rhodes piano in their often-unusual stage show.

The band has its seed in the 2001 conversation between two members, Paul Meany and Darren King. Meany moves around among instruments, alternately playing Rhodes piano, bass, keyboards and guitar in addition to singing. King is primarily a drummer, though he adds electronic sampling and programming to his credits. Greg Hill (guitar, vocals) and Roy Mitchell-Cardenas (bass guitar, upright bass and bass drum) complete the experimental combination.

The current tour for Mute Math begins at the venerable Fillmore in San Francisco and moves on through Arizona to the Midwest (Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska). Shows in October cover the east coast, including New York, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia. Florida, Texas and Georgia are also on the itinerary.

Mute Math on Myspace

Tags: indie music, mute math, indie, music, independent music

For many music fans in this period, their favorite band is like no other. But, there are a few listeners who are amazed at how difficult it is to separate one band from another in the 21^st century.

This difficulty comes not from too little talent. It doesn’t come from a over-abundance of equal talent. No, the primary reason for this difficulty is that the musicians don’t seek enough; don’t go a step or two beyond the usual or traditional.

Daphne Loves Derby stands slightly apart in the indie/alternative music world, along with a handful of other groups. Sure, this is excellent, pop-sounding music, in some ways. But it features great vocals from Kenny Choi (with support from David Sparks). In addition, the guitar applications and unusual fill sounds actually attract the listener.

"Stranger You And I" from Good Night Witness Light moves quickly from a rock beginning to those chime/guitar chords and hint of strings in the background. "Cue The Sun" from the same collection is rock/folk ballad strengthened by poetic lyrics. (After all, the band includes lines from the Robert Frost poem, "I Have Been Acquainted With The Night" among its influences.

The Kent, Washington group includes Stu Clay - drums; Kenny Choi - vocals/guitar; Spencer Abbott - lead guitar; David Sparks - bass/vocals. Fans can hear them on tour beginning October 4.

Daphne Loves Derby on MySpace

Tags: indie, music, indie music, daphne loves derby, independent music

Now, coming to the stage, from Boston, Massachusetts – Pixies!

Wait a minute, I’ve heard of these guys. I’ve even seen photos, like, you know, on the album cover. They don’t look anything like pixies, and, they sound like they’re an English pop band. Weren’t they big a few years ago? What’s up with that?

One complex answer might be sufficient for those who are new to the Pixies sound. This group of experienced pros has been around, off and on, for a couple of decades (yeah, 20 years). The real run of success and Pixie-mania was from the late 1980s to about mid-90s. But, according to some accounts, the steaming life of top musicians broke the group into its four pieces – Frank Black, Joey Santiago, David Lovering and Kim Deal.