Love Your Abuser from Lymbyc Systym is the “established” recording of this group. According to their marketing material there’s something new in the air. It’s called Field Studies and it’s described as a “new split album” with This Will Destroy You. Look for it on Magic Bullet Records. It promises to be exciting, because the mix was taken care of by “John Congleton, whose credits include Modest Mouse, Explosions In The Sky, Paper Chase” and many more, according to Lymbyc Systym.

I have listened to “Fall Bicycle Album Leaf Remix,” and instrumental by way of keyboard. This is nice listening music, soothing. There are some understated shuffle-beat rhythms that add to the song in a good way.

Those not familiar with Lymbyc Systym might check out “Astrology Days” (2007 Mush/&Records. This tune is different, yet it’s the same. New listeners – don’t expect great changes from one tune to another. That’s why the term shoegaze is in their PR material. There are only so many ways to look at your feet.

“Truth Skull” (2007 Mush Records) is a bit different, at least at the start. There is a short piece without a beat, but that doesn’t last long. This song is a bit more laid back, if that’s possible. “Carved By Glaciers” is good music as well (2008 Magic Bullet) but somehow it’s the same again, only different. Yet, it’s rather good.

The boys say this is “experimental, club, shoegaze music by mike & jared. Good enough.

They must be doing something in the correct way, because after completing several concert dates in Texas and Oklahoma, Lymbyc Systym is making its way through the northeast, including Brooklyn. Then it’s off to the great Northwest – British Columbia, Seattle etc.

The limbic system (actual spelling) is a set of brain structures with functions such as emotion, behavior and long-term memory.

Lymbyc Systym on MySpace

[tags]lymbyc systym[/tags]

It’s a bit uncomfortable starting a review/commentary on a young artist whose marketing material makes an instant comparison to Bob Dylan and Elliot Smith. Now it may be that he sounds similar, so maybe he is flattering Dylan by imitating.

Or, Jacob Waters, from Haverford, Pennsylvania, may indeed be the new Bob Dylan. I mean to say that music critics and industry types have been looking for such a creature for decades. (Hint – he doesn’t exist). Why not let Jacob Waters just be Jacob Waters?

OK, now that’s out of the way. Waters is folk/acoustic of the indie persuasion. He lists such influences as, surprise, surprise, Dylan, John Lenon, Elliot Smith and some more bands/individuals that I will leave to your imagination. The name Neutral Milk Hotel is intriguing.

Waters sings, plays guitars, harmonica, bass, keyboards, mandolin and additional percussion. He’s a one-man band on a do-it-yourself label. His Web material indicates he has been playing in and around eastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey for a few years, and has caught the attention of local listeners. His second collection of tunes is called Blue-Eyed Son.

Songs such as “The Best” and “Prayer” sound nice on first listen. I’m going to need some time, alone, to really hear what this young guy has to say.

Jacob Waters on MySpace

[tags]jacob waters[/tags]

Here’s something different. Maybe not completely different, as Monty Python’s guys said, but Hang Jones (it’s singer/songwriter Stephen Grillos) is an effort to make the western ballad popular without reaching out to the glitter crowd of Nashville and L.A.

Fiddle, guitar and simple rhythm, along with titles such as “Caroline,” “Comin’ Round” and “Arm Yourselves” help him a lot. Harmony on “Caroline” is nice. These are all on The Ballad of Carlsbad County.

Same nice harmony on “Comin’ Round.” Now “Comin’ Round” is a happy kind of song, country and foot-stompin’ in all it’s glory. Grillos says about the “concept” album. He liked a couple of the songs best when he first wrote a few for this collection, then “got excited” about making other songs fit into a concept. I guess it works. It will probably take the new listener a few times around to get the whole story pieced together.

You can find out this guy and his San Francisco shows on www.myspaced.com/hangjones or on www.hangjones.com.

Grillos does the vocals, guitar and mandolin, while Matt Cunitz is responsible for the CD’s upright bass, pump organ and some vocals. Also making a major contribution is Mayumi Urgino – fiddle, vocals.

Grillos lists among his influences Townes Van Zandt, Steve Earle, Tom Waits, The Stones, John Hurt, Bruce Springsteen, Tim Easton, Rev. Gary Davis, John Mellencamp, Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley, Blind Blake, Charley Patton and John Lee Hooker. I do like that list!

Listeners can download free MP3s from the website.

Hang Jones on MySpace

[tags]hang jones[/tags]

No kidding?!!? Really?!!? Huh?!!?

OK, enough joking around. This experimental group is serious stuff man. Truly, “Masochism in the Trade” scared the crap out of me when I first started listening.

Why, you ask? First of all, because they are working out of Austin, which is one of the great music cities in the world. But, the fright doesn’t come from a Halloween-type scare. It’s more of a goose bumps thing, when I hear young folks pressing against the cellophane walls. Check out “Sleeping with Skeleton Keys.” I liked the description of “goth, chamber-rock and pure insanity” from The Onion. That’s about it.

Now, some reviews (even in Austin) have not been quite as favorable as the band would probably like. Yes, the lead singing is non-stop. One reviewer called it “exhausting fury.” But isn’t discomfort one of the goals for experimental bands, whether from vocals or instruments?

So, this group is indeed avant-garde. Get over it! I wouldn’t expect a soothing rock ballad or some of the great Allison Kraus vocals after I’ve heard a sampling of the tunes from Death Is Not a Joyride. If you can’t hang on to the side of the wagon for experimental music, then let go.

I wouldn’t rate this my favorite driving music, but it’s good to know someone is trying this out.

Death Is Not a Joyride on MySpace

[tags]death is not a joyride[/tags]