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Tag: Indie

  • Nelson Comes To Visit by SuperDestroyer//Leave Nelson B

    Nelson Comes To Visit by SuperDestroyer//Leave Nelson B

    Album: Nelson Comes To Visit

    Artist: Superdestroyer//Leave Nelson B

    Released: August 23, 2024; Lonely Ghost Records

    I am going to be honest with you all. This is not a review I planned to write. Life is funny like that and sometimes, unexpected things happen when you least expect it. That is exactly what happened a couple weeks ago when a promotion post came across my socials making a joke about Hall and Oats if Hall was cool. That joke was enough to get me to check out the album. The album of course was “Nelson Comes To Visit” by Surrealist punk act, Superdestroyer and Leave Nelson B. Ever since then, I have been low key obsessed….. no wait I suppose now that I am publicly writing about it the obsession has leveled up to high key. I am not really writing this review because I want too; I am doing it because I desperately need to talk about this album with someone, and my friends and family have stopped returning my texts and phone calls.

    The thing that makes this album special is its big picture take on it’s sound, theme, and aesthetics. Everything from the music, art, and in the case of the special release, “green hill” variant even physical product work together to invoke a sense of nostalgia that almost transcends reality. “Nelson Comes to Visit” is an album that must be experienced as a whole package. I’m not just talking about a beginning to end listening session, though you definitely should do that. Each track comes with an unique piece of art that is reminiscent of early 90s JRPGs. This art really helps set the mood for the track and helps tell the story. This makes listening to the album on Soundcloud the optimal digital experience in my opinion, since each track is set to showcase the corresponding art. Something I assume Spotify can’t do. Of course, the absolute best whole package experience is the physical “green hill” variant that is a mock up of a SEGA cartridge and comes complete with an art and lyrics book. It is honestly something that is profoundly cool. So if you have a chance to pick one up, you should.

    It is quite hard to pick a selection of songs to talk about as they all are super cool, but alas that is a task I’ve given myself, so I will start with the first song on the album. “Start Screen” does a great job setting up the vibes and expectations. Like the rest of the album, it is a chiptune synthy bop with a great beat. It is the definition of what it says it is on the tin; 34 seconds that gets you jazzed up and excited for the adventure you are about to partake in.

    My favorite song on the album is “Snow” a song that crafts atmosphere as if it were trying to terraform Mars. The synth melody and the whirl sounds that opens the track all coalesce into making you feel encapsulated in a snow storm. The lyrics speak of falling in love and really pull together a metaphor of being encapsulated in love much is like a snow storm. It’s a feeling of eerily peacefulness with a hint of danger.

    There is as a pretty cool guitar bit in “Halloween City” that I think bares mentioning. The music is up beat and there is an effect used throughout that I’m not sure what it actually is but it reminds me of a duck and it’s pretty cool. The message of the song is also great and is about finding a person that sees you for who you actually are despite the ‘mask” you wear and more importantly they have always accepted you for your real you.

    Nelson Comes to Visit is such a unique and innovative take on electronic music and 90s nostalgia that it is hard not to stand mouth agape in awe while listening. It is a true magnum opus in how it executes its music, themes, and aesthetics. I bet that Superdestroyer continues to deliver amazing music, but it is honestly hard for me to imagine something this cool happening more than once in my lifetime. Anyway, thanks for indulging me, I’m off to fire up my Switch and play Earthbound while listening this album at max volume.

    This Review was originally posted on December 06, 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 Nelson Comes to Visit by Superdestroyer and Leave Nelson B digitally via Amazon Music

  • In Case You Missed It

    In Case You Missed It

    Volume 1

    DIY music is interesting in that it produces a situation where you both seemingly wait forever for your favorite band to release their next new thing, while a countless number of great musicians release new stuff at a breakneck pace that it seems almost impossible to keep up. This, of course, creates an interesting juxtaposition between hurry up and wait. It is with that in mind, that I will share a selection of great music that I wanted to cover when it was released but for whatever reason was unable to.

    Harper kill– A Taste of Harper kill– May 6 2024

    This 6 song EP by Michigan band Harper Kill is the prefect example of early to mid 2000s pop-punk being alive and well in 2024. Its upbeat and somewhat grim at times but still manages to be inspirational while shining a light on the realities of our times. The stand out song for me on this album is “Death and Taxes”. It’s an upbeat look at a world where you finally are free to do the things you like and no longer have uninspired and pointless responsibilities thrust upon you. The only catch is, in order to get to this world of freedom, you kind of have to die first. I think it is a scathing examination of our current society that operates without a concern for the hopes and desires of most individuals and how that’s not likely to change without something drastic happening.

    How I Became Invisible– Sadness is Rebellion– June 5 2024

    This particular 7 song album from Philly artist How I Became Invisible, didn’t get a full article because it is a collection of covers. I am very much a sucker for covers so I have to show a little restraint to ensure this blog doesn’t become a pure cover song publication. That being said, I will allow myself an indulgence every now and then especially for an album such as this. Each song stands on its own and is extremely well done. I particularly enjoyed, “I’ll follow the Sun” and the rendition of “1979” caps the album off in a way that makes a complete listen through more than worth it.

    The Galaxy Has Eyes– Sneaky Link– July 2 2024

    The Galaxy Has Eyes, is a high octane female fronted punk band from central Pennsylvania. If you don’t know about them, their newest single, “Sneaky Link” is a great intro. It’s packed full of more energy than any one song has the right to. Angry lyrics, fast guitar, and a baritone sax accompaniment gives you the feeling that you could punch a mountain.

    Apes of the State– What Am I doing with My Life– August 21 2024

    Folk has a very strong tradition of taking old melodies and setting it to new and relevant lyrics for the current day. “What am I doing with my life” by Folk Punk legends Apes of the State does just that by re-imagining a classic to ask the question I think everyone has asked more than once throughout the course of their life. April Hartman has an amazing self deprecation humor that comes out in the lyrics. It’s a great song. I honestly love everything about it especially the mandolin.

    The Sensations//Hans Gruber and the Die Hards– Tokyo Two Step – September 3 2024

    This wonderful EP is a split with Texas Skacore band Hans Gruber and the Die Hards and the Tokyo based ska band The Sensations. Hans Gruber’s track, “Trepanation” has bombastic horns and creepy lyrics that speak of spirits and possession. Next, they offer up a very good rendition of “I Put a Spell on You”. Both are fantastic especially considering this was released in the lead up to spooky season. This split was my introduction to The Sensations and I will tell you that I am very glad for it. The two songs they contributed to the EP are both simply amazing. They are upbeat, catchy, and packed to the brim with fast guitar. For me, they are a solid reminder of why I love Japanese Ska, something that I am ashamed to admit I may have forgotten about. The stand out song is “Magic Call”. It has everything I mentioned above plus a great guitar solo followed by a little horn piece that left me wanting more. This album really personifies why I like splits so much. You get a band you like to get you in the door and then you get a bonus band to fall in love with. In short, I came for the Hans Gruber, but I stayed for The Sensations.

    Brianna Carmel– I never said (a platonic love song), October 4 2024

    This new single from Brianna Carmel takes their page from a diary writing style to new heights. The ukulele driven indie sound that Brianna is known for is finely tuned here with a sense of bitter sweet honestly that is intensely refreshing. The message of the song is of mutual support, camaraderie and friendship and ends on a empowering note, stating “from the Valley to New Mexico, you got people behind you.” Interlaced with the final lyrics is a series of bell notes that accentuate the ending in an incredibly enduring way that rounds out the bitter sweetness of the song into something more hopeful. If you are not familiar with Brianna Carmel, this song is a great entry point to their work. I highly suggest everyone check it out.

    This playlist review was originally posted on November 12, 2024 on the former LFDH substack.