It seems like bands with tons of groove and melodic sensibilities for days are a dime a dozen lately. But they don't always also come complete with tasty techy noodling like British band Novelists. You know what that means, don't you? Oh yes, it's Tech Tuesday!
Novelists aren't a tech death band, or a band that's driven exclusively by instrumental prowess like Scale the Summit or CHON. But their djenty sound certainly has some interesting spice to its riffage -- more like a Monuments or The Safety Fire. All of these comparisons getting to you yet?
OK then, let's let Novelists speak for themselves. Join me in jamming the band's latest track "Echoes", taken from their debut LP Souvenirs, which conveniently drops this Friday. I know that shreddy solo in the middle is guest work from one Pierre Danel, but damn if it doesn't get "Echoes" the Tech Tuesday nod on principle alone. Check it out kids.
Showing posts with label CHON. Show all posts
Showing posts with label CHON. Show all posts
Wednesday, 11 November 2015
Monday, 12 October 2015
Wednesday: Mestis - Pura Vida
Regular readers should by this point have picked up on the fact that I dig instrumental music, and they may have heard me talk about Animals as Leaders a couple of times, so it should come as no surprise that I'm excited to hear about the upcoming full-length debut from AAL guitarist Javier Reyes' side project Mestis.
Even better, Polysemy will be out in less than a month. Better still is the fact that we can all have a taste of the new material in the form of first single "Pura Vida", which even features some guest guitar work from members of another proggy instrumental outfit, CHON. It's a track that manages to be a little heavy and a little chill at the same time, with lots of interesting guitar stuff going on but none of it too over the top. Mestis has always been a somewhat different beast than Animals as Leaders, and Polysemy sounds like it could be a big step forward in the evolution of Javier and Mestis. Check it out if that sounds like it could be your thing.
Even better, Polysemy will be out in less than a month. Better still is the fact that we can all have a taste of the new material in the form of first single "Pura Vida", which even features some guest guitar work from members of another proggy instrumental outfit, CHON. It's a track that manages to be a little heavy and a little chill at the same time, with lots of interesting guitar stuff going on but none of it too over the top. Mestis has always been a somewhat different beast than Animals as Leaders, and Polysemy sounds like it could be a big step forward in the evolution of Javier and Mestis. Check it out if that sounds like it could be your thing.
Tuesday, 21 July 2015
Monday: CHON - Perfect Pillow
Not a huge Stryper fan but could still use a Funday? Well then let's keep it going with a Monday Funday heaping helping of chill from your friends in CHON.
I'm sure you're all super CHON experts by this point, but let me lay it out for those of you who've just gotten here: the guys in CHON are experts at crafting bright, melodic, and very technically proficient instrumental prog (well, mostly instrumental...) with loads of jazzy overtones. Their latest effort, the mixed LP of new-and-reworked-old material Grow, was released back in the spring, but songs like your Monday Funday tune still creep into my playlist on the regular.
"Perfect Pillow" is your perfect example of CHON's game, and a perfect example of why, while the tracks on Grow that do have vocals aren't hurt by them, there's absolutely no need to mess with success.
I'm sure you're all super CHON experts by this point, but let me lay it out for those of you who've just gotten here: the guys in CHON are experts at crafting bright, melodic, and very technically proficient instrumental prog (well, mostly instrumental...) with loads of jazzy overtones. Their latest effort, the mixed LP of new-and-reworked-old material Grow, was released back in the spring, but songs like your Monday Funday tune still creep into my playlist on the regular.
"Perfect Pillow" is your perfect example of CHON's game, and a perfect example of why, while the tracks on Grow that do have vocals aren't hurt by them, there's absolutely no need to mess with success.
Saturday, 16 May 2015
Friday: CHON - Splash
We're heading into the weekend once again, and in Canada it's a long weekend, so let's go with some shreddy-yet-mellow instrumental prog to ease you into this three-day celebration of the birth of Queen Victoria. And when I say shreddy-yet-mellow instrumental prog, your mind should immediately come up with a short list of acts I could be talking about, and the purveyor of your Friday song should be at or near the top of that list.
California's CHON have been heavily promoting their new album Grow, so your Friday song isn't the album's first single or anything, but it is the first video as far as I know. It's a fitting visual treatment, too: a fun-filled, sun-filled day outdoors to go with the fun, sunny, jazz-flavoured melo-shred of latest single "Splash". Give it a listen, and immediately brighten up your weekend a bit.
California's CHON have been heavily promoting their new album Grow, so your Friday song isn't the album's first single or anything, but it is the first video as far as I know. It's a fitting visual treatment, too: a fun-filled, sun-filled day outdoors to go with the fun, sunny, jazz-flavoured melo-shred of latest single "Splash". Give it a listen, and immediately brighten up your weekend a bit.
Monday, 9 March 2015
Saturday: CHON - Can't Wait
I know it's only been a couple of weeks since the last time I featured a song from CHON's new album Grow, but in the interests both of keeping it mellow for your belated Saturday song (just play this on any Saturday when you need some chilling to happen) and of keeping you abreast of the latest and greatest out there on the internet, it's time for more CHON.
The occasion this time is not only the proliferation of their latest single from the forthcoming Grow, "Can't Wait", but also the proliferation of their latest single with... vocals? Yes, everybody's favourite jazzed-up instrumental pop-prog band has some of them word things on their new record. But it's not the end of the world -- it's not even the first time they've done it -- so go ahead and have a listen and see what you think before deciding out of hand it's not for you.
The occasion this time is not only the proliferation of their latest single from the forthcoming Grow, "Can't Wait", but also the proliferation of their latest single with... vocals? Yes, everybody's favourite jazzed-up instrumental pop-prog band has some of them word things on their new record. But it's not the end of the world -- it's not even the first time they've done it -- so go ahead and have a listen and see what you think before deciding out of hand it's not for you.
Tuesday, 17 February 2015
CHON - Story
You like guitar-driven instrumental pop-prog, right? Of course you do! So sit tight, because CHON and I have got you covered.
The San Diego-based band with the name that's all in caps recently let the cat out of the bag regarding the release of their debut LP on Sumerian. Grow will be hitting stores and streaming services towards the end of March, but you don't have to wait that long to see if you might dig any of the new material because there's already a song and video out to accompany all that tasty pre-order goodness.
"Story" is, to my hear, pretty standard CHON fare -- in the best possible way. Interweaving guitar lines eschew empty wankery in favour of intricate melodies, and some tight drumming just adds that much more to the already decidedly jazzy flavour. If "Story" is any indication, Grow could be the feel-good prog record of the year. Check it out.
The San Diego-based band with the name that's all in caps recently let the cat out of the bag regarding the release of their debut LP on Sumerian. Grow will be hitting stores and streaming services towards the end of March, but you don't have to wait that long to see if you might dig any of the new material because there's already a song and video out to accompany all that tasty pre-order goodness.
"Story" is, to my hear, pretty standard CHON fare -- in the best possible way. Interweaving guitar lines eschew empty wankery in favour of intricate melodies, and some tight drumming just adds that much more to the already decidedly jazzy flavour. If "Story" is any indication, Grow could be the feel-good prog record of the year. Check it out.
Sunday, 15 June 2014
CHON - Puddle
When I said yesterday that things were going to get proggy, I meant it. I'm going to chill your Sunday song out a bit though, and go with something from San Diego (mostly) instrumental act CHON.
I could really go with anything from CHON's catalogue here and be relatively sure I was pointing you towards something cool, but since the boys recently did a session at the Audiotree studios I think it would be only fitting to wow you with an example of their virtuosic performance in a live setting.
What better place to start, then, than the start? "Puddle" is a track originally from the band's 2013 EP Newborn Sun, but here it's the phenomenal opening salvo to a truly impressive set. Nimble-fingered, serpentine guitar lines and high-energy drumming are vaguely reminiscent of The Fall of Troy, and yet technically transcend even the lofty heights set by that seminal post-hardcore outfit.
All that technical prowess is mixed with laid-back grooves and a very chill feel to produce something that's not pretentious in its musicianship. This is another occasion where I'll say that if you're at all into instrumental music, you owe it to yourself to discover CHON. I guarantee you'll be glad you did.
I could really go with anything from CHON's catalogue here and be relatively sure I was pointing you towards something cool, but since the boys recently did a session at the Audiotree studios I think it would be only fitting to wow you with an example of their virtuosic performance in a live setting.
What better place to start, then, than the start? "Puddle" is a track originally from the band's 2013 EP Newborn Sun, but here it's the phenomenal opening salvo to a truly impressive set. Nimble-fingered, serpentine guitar lines and high-energy drumming are vaguely reminiscent of The Fall of Troy, and yet technically transcend even the lofty heights set by that seminal post-hardcore outfit.
All that technical prowess is mixed with laid-back grooves and a very chill feel to produce something that's not pretentious in its musicianship. This is another occasion where I'll say that if you're at all into instrumental music, you owe it to yourself to discover CHON. I guarantee you'll be glad you did.
Saturday, 22 February 2014
Friday: CHON - Sketch
In case you've been wondering and/or butt-hurt about the number of bumped-back Songs of the Day there've been in the last week or two, I'm putting the blame on the fact that I'm up to my old tricks as a teaching assistant again this semester and have been in the thick of the tedious business of marking archeology midterms. Yeah, poor me.
Anyways, that hasn't stopped me from trying to keep this Loud Noises plate spinning, and I'm not going to let it start now. So: song time!
For yesterday we're going with "Sketch", the second song to be released from the forthcoming EP Woohoo! by instrumental jazz-proggers CHON. If this kind of thing excites you at all (ie: instrumental jazz progginess, noodling, and general mischief) then CHON is a band you should probably know if you don't already. They'll brighten your afternoon for sure.
Anyways, that hasn't stopped me from trying to keep this Loud Noises plate spinning, and I'm not going to let it start now. So: song time!
For yesterday we're going with "Sketch", the second song to be released from the forthcoming EP Woohoo! by instrumental jazz-proggers CHON. If this kind of thing excites you at all (ie: instrumental jazz progginess, noodling, and general mischief) then CHON is a band you should probably know if you don't already. They'll brighten your afternoon for sure.
Wednesday, 22 January 2014
CHON - Knot
I've considered featuring today's band before, but for whatever reason I've never gotten around to giving them their day of song. Tonight I intend to rectify this glaring oversight.
Jazzy tech band CHON come recommended from varied corners of the interwebs, from Heavyblogisheavy to Plini himself. Everybody seems to dig this proggy outfit from San Diego, and with good reason: their stuff is intricate and complex while still being replete with laid-back grooves.
What better time to finally make good on my intentions to let you know about CHON than now, given the upcoming release of the band's EP Woohoo early in February? That's why tonight's song is "Knot" the first song released off of Woohoo. It's a quick, jazzy look at the kind of thing CHON is all about.
Jazzy tech band CHON come recommended from varied corners of the interwebs, from Heavyblogisheavy to Plini himself. Everybody seems to dig this proggy outfit from San Diego, and with good reason: their stuff is intricate and complex while still being replete with laid-back grooves.
What better time to finally make good on my intentions to let you know about CHON than now, given the upcoming release of the band's EP Woohoo early in February? That's why tonight's song is "Knot" the first song released off of Woohoo. It's a quick, jazzy look at the kind of thing CHON is all about.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)