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Tag: Acoustic

  • Bri Earned the Power of Self Respect by Brianna Carmel

    Bri Earned the Power of Self Respect by Brianna Carmel

    Album: Bri Earned the Power of Self Respect

    Artist: Brianna Carmel

    Released: May 24, 2024; Self Release

    Brianna Carmel is one of the hardest working people in DIY that you might not have heard of.  I think that is a shame. Their roots lay deep in the Sacramento DIY scene and they are a member of the bands “Blooming Heads” and “Little Tiny Knife” as well as having their own solo project. So with the release of their new EP I hope you take a moment to get acquainted with their work.

    This EP is pure Ukulele driven indie rock with a little bit of chiptune and a punk attitude sprinkled in as a treat. It’s a fun listen even if the lyrics get a little heavy at times. The name “Bri Earned the Power of Self-Respect” is a reference to Scott Pilgrim vs the World and it is very fitting for the namesake song as well as the album as a whole. In honor of this, and if y’all will indulge me, I am now going to review every song in this EP as if it were the chapter of a Manga because aside from giving off Scott Pilgrim vibes, the EP tells a story that lends itself well to this style of review.

    Chapter 1- My True Self (Stupid, A Mess, Etc.)

    The story begins and we find our hero full of self doubt, fear and worry. They worry that they might not have what it takes to truly thrive. Things are starting out pretty low for our hero

    Chapter 2- Fool Me Once

    I am not going to sugar coat this one folks, things are looking pretty bleak for our hero. They just ran into a pair of absolute villains who I’ll call the 2 evil dudes and it did not go well. Despite this, our hero did learn some things about themself that will likely come in handy later.

    Chapter 3- Bri Earned the Power of Self Respect.

    This is definitely our hero’s plus ultra moment. They have finally leveled up got the power they need to get control of their life and become the person they always wanted to be.

    Epilogue- One Year Later/Born Again

    Turns out even with a superpower, life is still hard, but now our hero has the confidence and tools they need to work through that struggle. They know that eventually everything is going to be okay. Someday.

    Oh, if you were wondering, my favorite song is the title track. Turns out my praise can be bought with a chiptune, engaging vocal performance, and an empowering message. Honorable mention also goes to “One Year Later/Born Again”. I think it is all too easy and very common especially for the sake of telling a complete and finished story to fall into the trap of pretending that all anyone needs is that one moment of standing up for themselves. After that everything automagically fixes itself. This song manages to avoid that trap by clearly stating the reality that working towards your best life will always be hard. Yet it still ends beautifully on an extremely hopeful note.

    Everything about this EP is top notch! The emotionally raw storytelling of this EP really makes it stand out. It is definitely one of those EPs that you must listen to from beginning to end to really soak it in completely. It is very self reflective and sometimes brutally honest. Definitely the sincerest EP I’ve listened to so far this year.

    This review was originally posted on May 30, 2024 on the former LFDH substack.

    If you like the album I reviewed here and want to support the artist as well as this blog please consider picking up the album via this affiliate link—> Purchase Bri Earned the Power of Self-respect by Brianna Carmel digitally via Amazon Music

  • Songs Offline by Eichlers

    Songs Offline by Eichlers

    Ablum: Songs offline

    Artist: Eichlers

    Released: February 01, 2024; Self Released

    Spotify

    If you are anything like me, you have probably said to yourself something along the lines of “man, Ike seems like a cool dude. I bet we would have a great time sitting around a campfire making s’mores and singing songs”. Songs Offline gives listeners a taste of that experience albeit parasocially. It is Hyper Ska superstar Eichlers, acoustic guitar in hand, laptop powered off, and raw in a way that is unique; yet still filled with all the wit and charm for which he is known.  

    First off, this album features a brand-new song called “3rd Ring”. It is a great song about loneliness and the anxiety of reaching out for connections. It is a real sleeper hit that leaves me torn between wanting a hyper ska version but also not wanting one because it is hard to imagine that this song isn’t perfect as is. The rest of the album at its root is a selection of previously released songs given the acoustic treatment but leaving it at that is doing it a grave injustice. For example, “Nickel City” as originally released is an earnest and sincere celebration of youth spent with friends. However, the tone to the acoustic version is much more somber. It leaves you with a longing for the good times long past, not in a regretful way but rather in a joyful sadness kind of way. It really pulls at the strings of my old, jaded heart. The next song the really suck out to me on the album was “My Checkered Future”. The Songs Offline version obviously still has the same self-deprecating humor and upbeat attitude that led me to declare it my theme song. I have spent countless moments belting out the words. What you get from this version is a reduction in tempo that makes the song infinitely singable and with a chilliness that makes it so cool. It has near perfect vibes if I am being honest. My only real criticism of the album is the lack of Reade Wolcott in “2 of Us”. Given the scope of the album, it makes sense that Ike would go in solo on the song, but without Reade the song lacks the duet aspect that really made the original something special. Perhaps there is potential for redemption in this department at the next Badtime Records Show. A team-up between Ike and Reade live on stage for the acoustic rendition of this song would be truly epic. Oh, one last thing, in “Oh My God” when the piano hits it is amazing. I kid you not when I first heard it, I bit my lip and inhaled. It took me aback that much.

    Song Offline is a definite hit that really showcases the range and talent of Eichlers. I honestly hope that this album is not one off and that we can expect more original and revised acoustic songs from Ike in the future.

    P.S. If you have any information regarding the whereabouts of Evil Eichlers please contact me. Only you can keep the scene safe from mythical tricksters.

    This review was originally posted on February 17, 2024 on the former LFDH substack.

    If you like the album I reviewed here and want to support the artist as well as this blog please consider picking up the album via this affiliate link—> Purchase Songs Offline by Eichlers digitally via Amazon Music