Blitzen Trapper

Blitzen Trapper is a strange enigma.  They have a sound unlike any other band.  It's a mixture of timeless, somewhat southern sounds, but interlaced with electronic melodies that are both calming and exciting.   Some songs would fit well in a Western movie soundtrack, while others could be part of a dark film noir.  Their music is light, but filled with heavy messages.  As you listen to a folky, upbeat song, you might suddenly realizing he's singing about murder.

The lyrics are often thick metaphors. An entire song can be a strange allegory that one can never fully interpret - the meaning behind the song will change with your mood.  Likewise, they use a lot of imagery in their lyrics: heaven and hell are common, and the wilderness, storms, wild animals, infinity, creation.  These shifting meanings talk about the search for redemption, but looking in the wrong places.  Of life altering journeys; or a man who's tongue is replaced by a flower and can only speak truth, but a truth that kills those who hear it (The Man Who Would Speak Truth).

Lead singer, Eric Earley, is equally hard to pin down.  He masters the story telling style, like you hear in a lot of traditional country.  Often times he sings with a raspy forlorn voice.  Sometimes he'll also half speak, half sing in a energetic monotone voice, like you'd hear from Cake or other laid back 'alternative hip-hop' artists.  He also plays a variety of instruments, including banjo, keyboards, harmonica and rhythm guitar.  This band has a style for everyone,



VII  (2013)
This latest album is probably the best to check out if you've never heard this band before (Furr would also be a good first album). It has a Brokenbells meets bluegrass country feel.  Interestingly, it has a bit of funky musical style, but this certainly ain't no disco. Like most of their albums, it still carries the dark undertones and lyrics that are a contrast to the more upbeat tunes.  They use a lot of banjo, an instrument that is usually associated with happy music.  It's backed by frequent but low key electronic noises.
Feel the Chill is one of my favorite tracks from this album-you can listen to it below (there is no video, just the album cover).  Upbeat and catchy...but with lyrics that talk about death.  Shine On is also a good song to check out.  The album starts stronger than it finishes, with some of the later songs getting just a little monotone.

American Goldwing  (2011)
This album is pure Americana.  Earley sings yearning but hopeful lyrics, with a the music that is folky rock and a little upbeat.  The songs go back and forth between rustic rock and banjo picking, with plenty of harmonica throughout.  It features more use of the piano/keyboard and, like all their music, lots of swooning steel guitar.
Check out the title song, American Goldwing for a nice mellow folky song and Street Fighting Sun for a peculiar rocking song.


Destroyer of the Void  (2010)
This album is more like a classic rock album.  It's got an old British rock feel, with lighthearted tunes and almost a mandolin style.  The vocals are more prominent here than the other albums and the music more minimal.  Because of this, Destroyer has a lot of storytelling.
Check out Laughing Lover for an upbeat choppy song, or The Man Who Would Speak True for one of their strange metaphorical tales.


Furr  (2008)
Black river Killer is incredibly haunting.  It's that sort of song that gives me the chills.  There are a lot different interpretations, but I feel it is about a man lost and depraved...searching for salvation, but the only thing that makes him feel clean is the darkness.  The blackness keeps him alive.  The song opens with the story of how he was blamed for the murder of a girl.  I'm thinking this is referring to his lost love, and getting blamed for her death was what pushed him into this wicked state.  He has lost himself, and in his corruption he seeks a way into heaven through murder.  Maybe his redemption lies in helping others find theirs.  And though he is not surprised when he cannot find the light, he still searches for reprieve in the darkness.  See the music video for this below:  it captures the mood of the song perfectly.
The rest of the album is a mixture of mournful and hopeful melodic folk rock.  Gold for Bread has a similar theme, about running and trying to find one's way, but is more hopeful than Black River Killer.  The title song Furr is a tale of a man who becomes part of a wolf pack.  A happy, if strange, story.

Wild Mountain Nation  (2007)
More of an indie folk/pop album, which I don't mean as in insult because this is their first 'good' album.  The style in some songs reminds me of the band Of Montreal, and that sort of early hipster folk.  But this flow is punctuated by weird upbeat tunes with a lot of distortion and tracks that are crowded with as much noise as possible.  It goes back and forth between banjo style music to electronic keyboard tracks with vocals that are hard to understand sometimes.
The first track, Devil's A-Go-Go is a quick paced song that features a lot of distortion.  I also like the track Sci-Fi Kid, which features a lot of electronic music.   Nothing heavy, mostly just melodic tones and keyboard.  The words are pretty vague, one could interpret just about anything in these strange lyrics.  Alternatively Country Caravan is a relaxing, folky country song


Field Rexx  (2004)
Starts out really noisy, kind of indie rock.  Shifts through a really soft rustic rock in the middle.  Maybe a bit experimental, but very mellow.  The album would be more coherent without the beginning noisy songs.


Blitzen Trapper  (2003)
In hindsight, you can see the different elements of what they would become.  The eponymous album is a little bit of an old school pop style, and even electronic keyboards once in awhile.  But taken by itself, the frequent use of a sliding guitar makes it more of a weird country rock with some of the songs ranging into a post punk, slightly Brit rock style.  Though still a lot of slow melodic songs too.  Their wide range of styles is present, but since a lot of it has yet to be refined and polished, it makes the album a bit disjointed and all over the place.  This also includes heavy country elements considering I wouldn't actually call it country.  Whiskey Kisser is the best example of a hipster's song comprised entirely of country music style.

The Flaming Lips - With a Little Help from my Fwends

The Flaming Lips have a long history and have put out many albums over the years.  They have built a decades long musical career spanning their psychedelic pop albums, to their old grungy songs, to stuff that's just too weird to make any sense out of it. This album combines all three aspects and they recruit some equally strange musicians to help them record a cover of Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band.
Some would call it taboo, to cover such a prestigious album, but this is not an attempt to recreate the original.  It is meant to expand on it.  To create something that makes you appreciate the original even more.  This album won't be for everyone.  Certainly not for those who will let a remake ruin the original for them.  But if you give this one a close listen, it'll give you a new perspective.  Most of us have heard The Beatles songs too many times to count.  But if you listen to the remake you'll hear underlying tones that are twisted and emphasized in ways The Beatles never could.  Going back to the original after you listen to this album, you might notice this underlying complexity that your brain had mostly ignored because you've heard the songs too many times.


The Flaming Lips' 14th studio album, With a Little Help from my Fwends, features lots of familiar and new friends to create yet another confusing, experimental, sometimes messy sometimes beautiful creation.  Some of it's not so entertaining, but between the strange electronic tunes that are both poppy and experimental, to  the haunting, far-off psychedelic rides, there is something here for any fan of weird music.

The album follows the same track listing, so it starts with the intro Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.  It has a thicker, more chaotic sound to it.  The vocals start normally, but by the end of the song are ran through a high pitched distorted voice synth.  A squealing guitar solo ends the song.  It's the sort of strange sound we've come to appreciate from The Flaming Lips, and they're helped by My Morning Jacket, Fever the Ghost, and J Mascis.

With a Little Help from My Fwends features the calming voice of Wayne Coyne with a screeching echo from one of the guests: Black Pus and Autumn Defense.   A pretty straight forward cover, considering the source. Nice touch on the first line: when Wayne sings "What would you do if I sang out of tune?", he is using an auto-tuner.

Perhaps the best cover on the album, Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds features guest vocals from Miley Cyrus.  Yes, you read that correctly, Wayne and Miley are good friends and have collaborated on a few songs.  She sings a sweet tune with versus that follow the original pretty closely, but then the chorus hits with a intense yet pretty crashing that we've seen before from The Flaming Lips (such as in the song Pompeii am Gotterdammerung).  It's close enough to The Beatle's version that it still sounds beautiful, and weird enough to still be The Flaming Lips.
Check out the video below.  Miley is amazing and the perfect choice for this song....
Also, you probably don't want to watch this video at work.

Getting Better features a gruff voice who I think might be the singer from Dr. Dog.  Chuck Inglish and Morgan Delt also help in this song.  He sings a deep voiced even tune like in the original, with some more outlandish backing vocals, including Wayne with a few random high pitched shrieks.

Fixing a Hole is listed as being performed by Electric Worms, which is Steven Drozd and Wayne Coyne's side project that is even weirder than The Flaming Lips.  Wayne sings into a echoing synthesizer to create hollow voiced lyrics.  It is an eerie effect that shifts and bends as the tune progresses.  The only music is a simple guitar and an occasional deep bass sound.

She's Leaving Home features another female singer, probably from the band Phantogram.  Also listed are guest musicians Julianna Barwick and Spaceface.  It's a pretty song, but there's not a whole lot to say beyond that.   The piano is accented by electronic noises, but like the original, it has a simple beat.  Since they're going for pretty, the weirdness is somewhat subdued.

For the Benefit of Mr. Kite is one of the more twisted songs on the album.  Puscifier (again, they don't list who does what so I'm guessing on the vocalist) is a gruff singer and he's backed by psychedelic keyboarding.  The keyboard notes don't actually hit any exact note, it quivers and if you listen closely it can mess with your brain.  Odd music comes and goes, along with other strange sounds, such as slightly crazed laughing.  This all creates a light but apprehensive mood.  Like a spooky circus in a horror movie before anything bad has happened. 

Within You Without You features Birdflower and Morgan Dent.  Birdflower is "just a delusional couple of freaks," according to Wayne, "never in reality."  They sing a haunting tune that matches the original perfectly, not so much in musical methods but in the atmosphere the song creates.  It is a meditative tune that relies on a perfect balance of all of the different parts.  The tone of the vocals pulls you in with a slight echo.  The electronic music is low key through the vocals but rises and takes over the song for a minute about half way through.

When I'm Sixty Four is another strange one.  The vocals alternate between a relatively normal singer and a heavily distorted second singer or they'll occasionally sing at the same time.  After every few lines, a weird tone will rise, or a few contorted sounding horns will blare.  The tune, featuring Def Rain and Pitchwafuzz, is psychedelic but fairly simple.  The tune purposely drags along, noticeably slower than the original. 

Lovely Rita is another great song from this album.  It is upbeat and happy, giving you that perfect blend of both bands, with some help from Tegan and Sara and longtime friends Stardeath and the White Dwarfs.  It begins with a heavy bass beat which gives way to a throbbing electronic pop beat.  Tegan and Sara provide the singing that is light and perfect.  It's as catchy as the original; the musical bridge features swirling electronic sounds and occasional sounds that are almost like distorted  hiccuping and/or little dog yipping. 

Guest musicians Zorch, Grace Potter, and Treasure Mammal help with Good Morning Good Morning.  I think it is sang by Grace Potter; it features lots of strange vocal manipulations.  Sometimes her voice is so twisted you can't understand the words, other times the backup singers all join in to create a piercingly lovely tune that is upbeat with epic crashes.  There is a lot going on at once, and then when the music cuts out, the vocals get extremely glitchy until the beat starts up again.

Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (reprise) is stranger than the intro.  Foxygen and Ben Goldwasser join in here, and Foxygen sings with muffled voices that will switch between speaker sides.  Music is provided by guitar and keyboard and jam aimlessly for a nice strange musical bridge.

Finally, Wayne joins up again with Miley in A day in the Life, with some help from New Fumes.  Wayne starts by singing the somber first half, backed by a piano.  The song transitions to a simplistic elecrtonic beat and Miley joins in to sing the verse that starts "Woke up, dragged a comb through my hair..." Wayne's somber singing finishes the last chorus.  Apparently this song doesn't have a chorus, but it ends with the beat building up and then suddenly going silent.

The Faint - Doom Abuse

I just meant you needed help in the head

Try it if:
You've heard of The Faint before
You've never heard of The Faint

Skip if:
Weird indie rock music bothers you


I'll start out by saying that The Faint is probably my favorite band.  It's hard to pick a number one...but really no one else can top them.  So if you read any bias here, just take that as a sign that you should listen to their music.

The Faint had been largely dormant over the last several years, with the different members scattering across the country to focus on family, side projects, and such.  Late last year, they all came back together in Omaha and without even planning it, realized they had rediscovered their desire to make more music as The Faint. Unlike Fasciinatiion, which took several years, Doom Abuse was created in only a couple months.  They posted several weird cryptic pictures on Facebook featuring the legs from the album cover photoshopped into other backgrounds.  Then, after years of silenced, they announced a new album and tour starting only a few weeks later.

The album is a mix of old and new.  It's sure to find favor with old fans and first time listeners.  There are hints of their early indie punk roots combined with weird new electronica techniques they haven't used before.  The last album was produced meticulously; this time they wanted something that was raw.

Doom Abuse opens with 'Help in the Head'.  It's driven by Dapose's (aka Michael Dappen) heavy bass guitar, in similar style as many of their old songs, such as 'Agenda Suicide'.  The whole band echos the chorus in an old punk rock style.  It's a quick paced, slightly darker song and was also their first release.  'Mental Radio' follows and features a weird hollow keyboard beat played by Jacob Thiele.  It continues the weirdly upbeat but slightly dark sound.  The lyrics are a hodgepodge of metaphors that are all over the place, making it difficult to find a single message.
The music gets even darker with 'Evil Voices'.  They've been playing this song live for a little while, so some of their fans have already heard it.  The song follows a heavy bass guitar again, backed by a haunting keyboard tune.  Todd Fink's vocals switch between synthesizers, sometimes giving him an evil sound, other times giving him a panicked, harsh tone.  He sings about the voices that haunt his dreams and keep him lost.

'Salt my Doom' is a tumultuous track.  Clark Baechle has a driving drum beat that is the only semblance of order in this fast paced song.  The overwhelming instruments nearly drown out the vocals.  It's more chaotic than anything else they've done, featuring distorted sirens and other strange electronica sounds supported by a bass guitar that is all over the place, making it hard to pinpoint the individual instruments.

'Animal Needs' is the first big departure from their previous repertoire.  The only hint of their normal sound is a short guitar chord that sounds just a little bit like the guitar in 'The Geeks were Right'.  Otherwise, the tune is a dark synth track with chanting vocals.  It bears a little resemblence to bands like My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult, maybe mixed with The Birthday Massacre, but faster.  Like a modern goth band recreating 80's synth music, but heavier and more polished.  There are two voices singing at the same time, I can't tell if one might be a female singer, or if one of the other members stepped in.  For that matter, I can't even decide if the main voice is Fink's.

'Loss of Head' blends the previous song's 80's synth with their more natural style.  It contains some of the clearest vocals, which sing of nostalgia induced loss-his memories are the phantom limbs that give him hope and then crushes it.

'Dress Code' is...weird.  It's full of weird keyboard tunes broken by even stranger electronic noises.  The vocals are highly distorted and merely name off random things throughout the song.  I'd like to make sense of it, but I'm not sure if there is anything deeper.

'Scapegoat' is easily the poppiest, most upbeat song The Faint has ever produced.  Of course, it's not a normal pop song, it's still The Faint.  The guitar leads, followed closely by the keyboard.  The beginning of the chorus interrupts the flow (in a good way) with a bunch of crashing electronic sounds.  The matching, choppy vocals sing an insult to someone claiming to be innocent.
This song ends with an incredible transition into the next song.  After static humming, it sounds like the song picks up again, only to be taken over by the bass guitar as 'Your Stranger' starts.  Apparently the bass player wanted to prove he can play some great choppy music as well.  It's almost as quick, but at the same time heavier due to the bass.

They continue the quick pace with 'Lesson from the Darkness', but true to the song name, it gets darker. The keyboards bring back the gothic synth sound.  Most of the time it stays in the background, but several times he plays a haunting tune you'd hear on a sweet but dark gothic song.

'Unseen Hand' is one of those songs that they create where it's both slow and dancy at the same time.  It's uncanny how they are so skilled at such a weird combination. I think it's his slow voice combined with the dark but quick bass that gives it this effect. There are more weird electronic sound effects in this track.  I feel like I'm repeating myself by saying that, but it's hard to describe such crazy sounds; they're electronic clicks, with what sounds like electronic instruments trying to speak in a human voice.

Finally, they close the album on a mellow track with 'Damage Control'.  The keyboards are again at the forefront, giving the song a little bit of energy that Fink quickly stifles with a somber voice sang through an echoing synth.


Overall, another incredible album from a great band.  It's available on Spotify, so check it out.  They'll be playing in Omaha in June at the end of their tour, so get your tickets early!

The Sheepdogs - 3 album discography

If you like:
CCR
The Doors
Van Morrison
Steve Miller band

Skip this one if you don't like:
Classic rock
Blues rock



The Sheepdogs is a modern day classic rock throwback.  It's an old fashioned bluesy rock band, though there are hints of modern influences, especially in the first album.  But for the most part, the sound has remained constant over three albums and sets a retro tone reminiscent of old school Canadian and American southern/blues rock bands.
The guitarist, Leot Hanson, sounds like something you'd hear from Steve Miller Band.  The vocalist would fit in alongside their fellow countrymen CCR.  Overall, the band also has some similar styles as Van Morrison and The Doors, too. 
The vocals are a big part of their retro sound.  It almost sounds like singer Ewan Currie uses old equipment to match their old sound.  They might use other lo-fi techniques (using digital methods to give it an older sound), or it might just be his voice alone.  The rest of the band, including bassist Ryan Gullen and drummer Sam Corbett, frequently provide back up vocals.

Combine all of that, and a focus on melody, harmony and groove, and it makes for a great sound. 



Trying to Grow 2007

While it's still primarily classic rock sounding, there are a couple songs that sound more like post-punk Brit rock than anything else.  "Hang on to Yourself", for one, is catchy and the backup vocals repeat the same line throughout.  Even the theme (keep your love to yourself) seems Brit pop.  "You Never Listen" also has this style, especially in the guitar playing.  While it's not that far off of their main style, it shows that they can pull from other influences.

The best song on this album is "Heading Down".  It's a classic sounding rock song with a choppy piano.  Check here to listen.

"Tonight" shows a more haunting, gloomy side.  It also has quite the picking guitar solo in the middle.  Similarly, "Shine On" is a slower classic rock melody with a psychedelic tint, especially in the guitar solo.  It reminds me of the Animals' song "House of the Rising Sun" with the mournful singing.




Learn and Burn 2010

This is their best album by far and is packed with jamming songs.  It starts out with "The One You Belong To", a good song for listeners who like a strong guitar.
It blends into "Please Don't Lead Me On".  Here, the modern Brit sound from the last album has been replaced by a slight Beatles style, though still heavily framed by their North American influences.

"I Don't Know" is straight up old fashioned rock.  It's a contender for their best song overall, and has a CCR influence.  "I Don't Get By" is also a great song, it features swooning guitar and a picked guitar, giving it a western sound.
There is influence from The Doors in this album, noticeably in "Learn and Burn", which is a mellow smooth song.  "Right On" might also demonstrate some of their influence.

"Southern Dreaming" is a lighthearted song with electric guitar picking.  The vocals are scarce on this song and it makes for a good feeling song."Rollo Tomasi" is their Van Morrison influenced song.  While his voice is nowhere near as suave as Morrison's, the horns and piano create a classy sound.

"Catfish 2 Boogaloo" is a more rocking, jamming song.  I'm putting this song up because, while there are better songs on this album, this track will appeal to just about anyone.

The Sheepdogs 2012

Their latest, self titled, album stays consistent with the previous one.  One major difference is in the guitars.  They use more distortion and so it sometimes has a newer feel to it.  "Feeling Good" is a great song that features some of the distortion.  Overall, even though the first couple of albums featured numerous guitar solos, they just seem more prominent in this album.

"Alright Ok" is a good song that is more traditional rock.  Similarly, "The Way it Is" hits just a little harder than most of their songs.

Some of the songs show a heavy blues influence, such as "Ewan's Blues" and "Is Your Dream Worth Dying For?"
I can hear some of The Rolling Stones in "While We're Young".

Obviously they have a long history of rock n roll to draw from, and they stay true to their roots while maintaining a new sound.

Check out this music video for "Feeling Good", apparently inspired by the movie Team America.

Wakarusa 2014 - 3 of 3

This is, without a doubt, the best festival lineup I have ever seen.  Without further ado, here is the final lineup release for Wakarusa 2014.



The String Cheese Incident
Wakarusa has a lot of big name festival bands this year, and one of the biggest of all is The String Cheese Incident.  It's quite impressive that we'll get to see this band that announced their retirement seven years ago.  Luckily for us, they've continued to play a few festival shows each summer.  True musicians can never just walk away from their legacy.  This bluegrassy jam band has been playing for awhile and they leave an awestruck crowd in their wake.  Many say they are the best live band to see, so I'm excited for my first chance to catch SCI.

Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros
It's been fun watching this group's rise over the last few years.  This band creates a unique gospel rock sound.  They feature Alex Ebert (no one in the band is actually named Edward)  and Jade Castrino, a folky duo that compliment each other well.  They're capable of creating catchy folk pop songs or surreal haunting melodies.  They're rather hipstery, but you don't have to be embarrassed to like this band.

Infected Mushrooms
This Israeli duo has been around for awhile, well known in the scene but never really famous like some new DJs have become.  They're primarily dubstep, but they've been around longer than the dubstep movement, so there is a wide range of influences.  One of the guys even does vocals for some of their songs, giving them an occasional industrial rock sound.  But they won't shy away from throwing down some raving trance either.  I've kind of forgotten about these guys, and now that I've revisited them, I remember how much I used to like their music.  This will be one of the big electronic shows on the mountain this year, so check them out beforehand.

Adventure Club
This is a technopop group, unique for being more of a dubstep based technopop where most groups like this are more of trance style.  At first, I thought the singer was part of the group, due to similar vocals in some of their songs. But then I heard Karen O from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, so it appears that they primarily mix a lot of indie pop songs, mostly with female singers.

EOTO
This is sort of an experimental electronic group was born out of what was supposed to be the end of The String Cheese Incident.  They've played a ridiculously large number of shows after SCI went into their slowdown.  It's some decent, slightly down tempo music, but it doesn't do a whole lot for me.  I can see where they're coming from, but at the same time I wonder how popular these guys would really be if it wasn't for their predecessor. 

3LAU
3LAU is a trance DJ that mixes pop songs.  His style is the definition of trance, in my mind, though he does experiment with some technique that is more often found in womp.  If you're a fan of radio pop music, you'll recognize some Miley and Britney in there.

Claude VonStroke
This is a minimilist DJ, he makes music that is sort of experimental.  He uses a lot of steady high pitched beats that are almost MIDI beats.

Vintage Trouble
A southern rock band.  The singer has silky smooth voice to the point that he's practically an R&B singer.  But it works pretty well.  They throw some blues in there too.

The Werks
Smooth dreamy electro jams, not unlike STS9 but perhaps more a little less electro and a little more chill rock-heavier on the guitar, occasional vocals mixed in with jams.

Minnesota
This is a sweet melodic, slightly psychedelic mixture.  It seems like a mixture of trance and bass, going back and forth between the two styles.  A unique mixture that he's brought here to Lincoln with many live performances.

Black Joe Lewis
Black Joe Lewis is a dirty southern rock band with some horns and a singer with a rough screamy voice.  On some songs they have a touch of funk, others have a touch of rockabilly.  Overall a lively sound.

Reignwolf
A more traditional southern rock sound, but the guitars are heavier than any of the other bands on this list.  This gives it a driving, hard rock sound.

J Roddy Walston and The Business
These guys are a indie rock band with some folk and southern influences.  The music is upbeat and light while the lyrics are a bit darker.  The combination sets up a mood that they're reckless and paying the price for it, but life is more fun that way.  Check them out, you'll know right away if you like it.

Poolside
This is a discoy technopop, but a different sort of technopop - it's easy listening and relaxing.  Groovy and has a heavy jam band influence as well

The Dirty Guv'nahs
Another talented rock band.  This one has more of a classic rock sound.  A touch of southern rock but really just more of a contemporary rock band.  They have faster based rock songs and a few ballads.  For instruments, they employ a violin and steel guitar.

Nahko and Medicine for the People
Before Wakarusa started releasing their lineup, I was going to create a full blog for these guys.  Nahko makes a Hawaiian tropical music that is close to being reggae, but not quite.  There are some other unique influences as well.  A Native American sound permeates some of their songs, others have a shamanistic tint.  His accent is soothing and uplifting.  It works very well with his style of socially conscience music.  This band will certainly become more popular very soon, you can mark my words on that one.

The Pimps of Joytime
This is a funky band, sort of a throwback of groovier times, but they also use some electronic elements.  The groove is supplemented with some hip hop that will find favor even with people who don't like that genre.

Keys N Krates
More chipmunk trap?  This is an electronic style that uses a lot of odd sound effects.  Notably, the voices are all distorted to sound high pitched.

Ott
Ott produces music that can be both ambient and intense.  Sometimes it's a slowed down psychedelic trance style, but he'll throw in just a little bit of womp.  Nothing like dubstep, but just enough to make his music a little more potent.  And for good measure, there's some tribal/worldly sounds thrown in as well.

Wick-it the Instigator
This is a hard hitting style of drum and bass, it's wompy and a little industrial.  Fans of Bassnectar will find some good tracks from this guy.

Dopapod
 Groovy jam band sound, a little bit of electronica from the keyboards, but more oldschool than anything.  Although a few times they get full on electronic.

Aaron Behren and the Midnight Stroll
Aaron Behren is the singer from Ghostland Observatory.  I can't find much else besides one song on soundcloud.  It's a weird rock song.  Better than most of Ghostland, but no where near as good as their best songs.  Apparently his former band is on hiatus, but they have said they will be back.

The Funk Hunters
This is a group of DJs that mix a lot of really funky music.  Sometimes their music is borderline electro jam, but they're mixing the music, so it can also have a little bit of womp to it.  The grooviest DJs that I've heard.

Fort Knox 5
Fort Knox 5 is another DJ funk group, but they also play shows with a band.  They have a wide range of remixes and styles, from reggae to worldly to hip hop.  Their range and instrumentals probably puts these guys ahead of The Funk Hunters.  They're a little less womp and more hip hop, and they do it very well.

Stickybuds
This is some dubstep that is more dub than...step.  By which I mean there is a big focus on reggae style music within his electronic beats.  Some of his tracks mix old funky songs.  He seems to do a lot of collaborations which tend to be a bit more glitchy. 

Mike Love
Traditional reggae, choppy beat, old school keyboards.  Any fan of reggae will appreciate his simple style.

Air Dubai
Air Dubai is a alternative hip hop group from Denver.  They seem a bit out of place on the Waka lineup; they're decent sounding, but it seems like something you'd hear on the 90's alternative station.  It's like a poppier version of The Flobots, though they're a lot more versatile. 

Twiddle
This is some watered down ska/reggae, more alternative, a little bit of funk.  The guy has a unique singing voice.  Choppy tropical beats and a hell of a guitar player gets pretty funky at times.

The Weeks
A post grunge alternative band, also reminds me of the 90s.  Could also be described as indie rock.  Calm singing in the verses so that he can tell a story, with louder, raging choruses.  The band has some similarities with Murder by Death, and the singer has the same accent/style as the singer from Bare Naked Ladies

The Ben Miller Band
I always get this band confused with someone else and assume they're a Jack Johnson wannabe.  But they're not.   They are actually deserving of a much higher spot on the lineup, because these guys are awesome.  Their southern rock sound mixes a little grunge and the singer's voice puts just a hint of sarcasm in his words.  Listen to them, you'll be glad you did.

SuperVision
Hip hop mixing DJ,  heavy on the synth.  Tracks without lyrics are almost psychedelic. Pretty lights label

Freddy Todd
A hard hitting DJ, a little more industrial.  Heavy bass, but doesn't have a lot of style

Space Capone
Pure disco throwback.  Groovy tunes and a superfly singer will swing it.  If you want to relive the 60s at Waka, make sure you hit up this show.

The Tarlatans
These guys have a rustic rock sound.  A little gritty, but mellow at the same time. 

Atlas Road Crew
Folky country band.  The guitars are a little too heavy to be called traditional country.

Coyote Union
Alternative country rock.  All the way at the bottom of the list, yet they still have some catchy songs.

Wakarusa 2014 - 2 of 3

-some people embraced last year's Swamparusa

Wakarusa has now released two-thirds of their lineup and it is looking amazing.  Still a lot of repeats, but these include a lot of the best performers the festival has ever had.  To help you endure these many cold winter months before Waka 2014, they've created another Spotify playlist: Waka2014 Round 2

Here is a description of each band on the second lineup release.  Don't just take my word for it, listen to them all, because there are lots of good ones, even down in the fine print.  But here's a guide to get you started.

Bassnectar
Lorin needs no introduction to anyone the least bit familiar with electronic music. His hard hitting beats start with a lot of drum and bass, but his free flowing form will incorporate all styles of electronic dance music.  He was there as the modern EDM movement was born and pulled in fans from all genres of music.  His shows are particularly nostalgic for us Lincoln people.  He started playing shows here that would draw a crowd of 30.  Since then he's played to crowds 1000 times bigger than that!

The Flaming Lips
No matter how great the lineup, The Flaming Lips is one act that always stands out. Their always evolving shows feature more craziness and wonder than can ever be put into words. From Wayne Coyne's giant hamster ball that he rides out into the audience, to an army of teletubbies, to swinging a baby around by the umbilical cord, this is my number one show to see this year. In my last post, I said Michael Franti & Spearhead is what Waka is all about. And that's true, but if MF&S is about the people, The Flaming Lips is about the magic of Wakarusa. Their wild psychedelic rock show could go in any direction, so don't miss it!

John Butler Trio
This years obligatory adult contemporary band. They do have a ton of fans, so I'll probably get a lot of flak for this review...but at least it's not Jack Johnson.

Rusko
A dubstep DJ, not as hard hitting as Bassnectar. Relies more on technique and melodies, but there is some good wompiness in there too.

Xavier Rudd
Folky with a slight tropical/reggae sound. Most of his music tends towards the acoustic, but a he has a couple faster, more rocking songs too.  Xavier sings with a soft accent that works well with the relaxing music.  It's a nice mellow listen whether he's playing his harmonica or his didgeridoo.

Walk off the Earth
This band first started getting famous for playing song covers on YouTube, especially Gotye's 'Somebody that I used to Know'. Their style is reggae based but they have an epic pop sound that incorporates many other influences.  The band has both a guy and girl singers, and both sound great.  This allows for them to do a lot of covers, but they have some good originals as well.  They create their wide range of style with a lot of different instruments, or they'll go without and the whole band will sing a Capella.

Wookiefoot
Last week, as I was listening through the first lineup release, I had a thought: how long til we have a reggae/bluegrass blend? Well as far as that goes, here is something that goes way beyond anything I could have imagined.  Wookiefoot tends towards being a reggae band, but in addition to some bluegrass, they throw in some pretty legit hophop as well.  And then I keep listening and I hear some Celtic music, complete with bagpipes!  Then a couple songs later and there's even a bit of wompy electronic.  The common theme on these lists have been blending genres, but this band is ridiculously good at it.  I'll be seeing them on the mountain, for sure.

Iration
Iration has some pretty catchy reggae songs.  They have a straight up modern sound with a choppy ska beat.  The tunes are nice and upbeat, a touch of alternative rock, but more reggae than not. They, like the next band, are from Hawaii, but Iration has since relocated to California.

The Green
Another reggae band, The Green's style is a little bit smoother and flowing.  There is much less of a prominent ska beat, compared to Iration.  Iration might be said to have more of the California reggae style (though likely they developed that style before moving there), whereas The Green has more of the flowing tropical sound associated with Hawaiian music.

Murder by Death
Murder by Death is sort of a post grunge indie rock band.  But that doesn't quite tell you enough.  Their music is haunting and the singer is gritty; maybe it's more like a old western saloon rock sound. The band includes a violin, which is pretty unique for a rock band like this, and it adds a very wistful and gothic tone to their music.

HeRobust
I think this would fall under the category of trap music. It's like drum and bass, though not as hard hitting.

The Floozies
Sort of a DJ jam band combo. They mix other songs, but they'll also play some instruments, like an electric guitar, for some pretty groovy tunes.  It's chill and danceable at the same time.

The Mogli's
This is some catchy and upbeat indie rock.  It  has a beat like you might find in some late 90s alternative rock band.  It's all about making friends and creating memories.  The lead singer has a lot of energy in his voice which should translate to a lively show.

Robert Delong
Robert Delong makes his own style of techno rock.  The beat is very much electronic, kind of wompy house music.  He makes all of the music himself, so there aren't any other instruments.  His singing is more of an alternative rock sound.  Unlike so many other musicians who attempt this combination, he actually pulls it off well without sounding cheesy.

The Revivalists
These guys have a dusty alternative rock sound, but their style is really hard to pin down.  Some songs are mellow, some a little bit of western style with sliding guitar and harmonica.  Some songs use horns; another is more of an exciting space rock jam. Good sounds all around, and my favorite new discovery from this lineup release.

Gigamesh
Gigamesh mixes technopop style music.  It's very disco, quite funky, and exceedingly dancy.  He is a DJ, but you can't tell when you're listening to the music.  He mixes songs so that it sounds like it was created by a band.

Orgone
This funky band will rock out instrumentals reminiscent of the 70s and 80s.  Just when you're getting into their grooves, their singer joins them on stage. She blasts out some soul singing that is absolutely amazing.  You'll forget which decade you're in when you get lost in their funkiness.

Random Rab
This is some easy chill electronic music.  It's a pretty style of music with some ambient singing on most of the tracks.  It is nice and relaxing but at the same time slightly psychedelic.  It's the kind of thing you save on your iPod because you know there will be a point when this will be the absolute perfect music for your mood.

Fortunate Youth
This is a reggae band with a choppy ska beat style.  They're more roots (traditional reggae) than some of the other reggae bands on this list, though they will still break out a little bit of electric guitar.  They use a keyboard to help create their choppy beats, instead of relying only on guitar.

Andy Frasco and the UN
Andy Frasco sounds a lot like one of the first bands I reviewed for this blog- Here Come the Mummies.  He has the rough sensual voice and the band features a funky sax and horn section.  He's my new guess as to the mysterious band members of The Mummies.  Either way, his fast paced music is entertaining and he is sure to put on a fun show.  Definitely another band I hope to check out.

Ill-Esha
I think this also falls under the category of trap.  However this is more melodic than some of the other trap music I've heard.  A slower pace, some glitch. I wasn't too sure about the genre, but I've always been quite sure that if you look into a genre enough, you will always find good music.  However, she blends a lot of styles, and is considered one of the pioneers of glitch hop (glitch + trap music).  She mixes some unique songs, like one with a lot of string instruments.

Govinda
Govinda creates a worldly ambient sound.  There are a lot of different styles in the individual songs.  Some are predominantly dubstep, some chilltronic, and more.  It is worldly, in the sense that he mixes in tracks from foreign styles of music, specifically Indian tunes.  He also is a classically trained violinist, and uses the instrument frequently.  But where other artists (ie Lindsey Stirling) use the violin for it's intensity, Govinda uses it more for style; it's a compliment to the music instead of the focus.

Tourist
Tourist makes a dreamy, pretty electronic music. It's definitely a good music to chill with, but not a lot of variation in style.

The Magic Beans
This is a folk acoustic band.  They play a lot of covers, or at least the album on Spotify appears to be a cover album.  However, based on the songs they have available on their website, they're much more of a jam band without very much singing.  Might have to assume they got the wrong band on the playlist, so we'll say this is a funky jam band.

Fruition
Fruition is a folky bluegrass band.  The bluegrass side is kind of dampened and the banjo player is not as prominent as the acoustic guitar.  The band features a girl and guy singers, both are strong folky singers and are best when singing together in the same song.

The Silent Comedy
This is a folky rock band with a lot of energy.  Sometimes they play with a bit of a vaudeville/Americana style sound.  They include a wide variety of instruments, so they touch a lot of different genres.  Apparently they are known for putting on shows with a lot of excitement and energy, which has gained them some devoted fans.  Will probably be a good band to check out.

Manic Focus
There are a lot of electronical blends here.  There is some pretty funk chilltronic, some drum and bass that alternates with nice melodies, and a lot of other styles.  It's weird how he pulls off a chill dubstep sound.  His tracks are well crafted, maybe the best new DJ that I've found on the Waka lineup releases.  A good reminder why one should check out the bands in the fine print.

ProbCause
A hip hop DJ with glitchhop beats.

Caroline Rose
She is a bluesy folk-country singer.  Her tunes tell a story and she's got some of that country outlaw attitude.  This gritty Americana will please anyone who likes a strong female singer/songwriter.

Wheeland Brothers
This band is clearly trying to emulate Sublime.  The lead singer tries very much to sound like Bradley with his inflections and sound effects.  They don't shy away from comparing themselves to others, but it's not Sublime they talk about.  They self-describe as sounding more like "the new Sugar Ray".  Any fans of the Cali punk-reggae style needs to give these guys a listen.

Indubious
Indubious is more of a dub style reggae band compared to other bands announced.  Reggae dub is, basically, reggae with electronica (I could go into the history and evolution into dubstep...but you all have access to Wikipedia).  While heavy on the dub, they still maintains some of the traditional roots reggae.  A nice mixture and a must listen for any reggae fans.




There are a lot of great bands here for you to check out.  Start listening to these acts now, and you will be glad you did so you join the band and sing out your favorite new songs at Wakarusa 2014.

So who are your favorite new discoveries?

Wakarusa 2014 - 1 of 3

The first section of Wakarusa bands were announced last week.  A lot of these bands have been there before, but there are a lot of good acts down in the fine print, so even if you've seen the headliners before, there are many reasons to go back.  Wakarusa was so kind as to link a spotify playlist with a couple songs from each of the bands.  From there, it's easy to go into the band's profile and listen to whatever albums they have available.

So here are some 'mini-reviews' of the first third of the bands that will be at Wakarusa.  You should definitely check out these bands for yourself, but here's a guide to get you started.  If you have spotify, you can simply click here to listen to Waka 2014 Round 1.

Sound Tribe Sector Nine (STS9)
These veterans of the festival circuit are extremely popular and have a lot of obsessive fans.  It's funny because a lot of people don't get into this band until they see them live.  Then they're hooked. This electronic jam band should not be confused with the type of techno that comes from a DJ. Having multiple musicians creates a layered sound that is intense and relaxing at the same time.  Their jams combine a lot of electrical elements that are blended too well to stand out.  Considering all of their shows got rained out last year, they will undoubtedly play two or three sets at Wakarusa.

Umphrey's McGee
These guys have a bit of funk, slightly psychedelic and alternative jam bandy sound.  In other words, they blend a lot of styles.  Like STS9, these guys have toured a lot and have collected a large following at festivals.  You might have noticed the countless posts on Waka's Facebook page asking for these first two bands.  They have some great guitar playing and get into some pretty lengthy jams.  In many respects, they are a modern Grateful Dead.  Look for them to play a couple sets and it certainly wouldn't be unusual for them to join STS9 on stage.

Lettuce
This is one funky band.  They play mellow grooves that are mostly instrumental, but every few songs might have lyrics.  To create their jazzy sounds, they incorporate a lot of sax and horns, complimented with keyboards and guitars.

Michael Franti & Spearhead
In many ways, Michael Franti is what Wakarusa is all about.  Coming together to have fun and to create a culture where we all care for each other.  There is no ignoring the problems of the world with this guy, but just when he has you on the verge of tears, he'll break out a song to remind you that it's a still a great world when we all get together to make it that way.  His reggae based music combines a lot of rock, some hip hop, and even a little bit of electronic.  When performing live, he gets the crowd going like no other.  He'll take his guitar and run out among the people and make it absolutely impossible to leave with anything but a happy feeling.

Dr. Dog
This is a bluesy southern rock band.  The singer has a rough but charming voice that also gives them a bit of a folky sound. They've been around for over a decade and have played Waka before, so definitely a band to check out.

Papadosio
They are kind of like STS9 but way more chill.  While still relying on electronic quite a bit, their jams are a bit more spacey and relaxing.  They have vocals the flow seamlessly between jams.

Cherub 
This duo is sort of a glam technopop group.  They have some good songs but kind of cheesy sometimes.  Not that I mean that in a bad way - they pull it off.  They use a high pitched singer who is supported by distorted backup vocals.

Boombox 
Another must see for sure.  These duo plays smooth jazzy electronic and prides itself on being able to read the crowd.  They call themselves rock & roll, because labels just don't do them any justice.  Their funky jams flow well with the lead singers voice.  Really, his voice is just another funk producing instrument that adds another layer to their suave tunes.

Moon Taxi
They create a style of dreamrock that has a touch of the pixies' influence.  They are mellow and very easy listening.  This is the first band on the list that I wasn't familiar with and I'm definitely happy to have discovered them.

Turnpike Troubadours
This is a country band.  They use a lot of the fiddle and a bit of banjo.  Not to be skipped over just because they're country, but they play with a lot of traditional country style.

Nicki Bluhm and the Gamblers
Another country band, this time with a female singer.  She's got a little bit of soul and a little bit of outlaw attitude.

Alvin Risk
Dubstep. What was that chipmunks last name? I ask because most of this guys songs distort the singers voice until it sounds like a chipmunk.

The Knocks
This group mixes whole songs, usually containing lyrics, with a heavier beat.  The electronic combination is usually some sort of house or trance.  It's decent; makes for some exciting tunes and allows for a lot of different styles of music to be 'electronicized', but you can only take this style so far.

Phutureprimitive 
Psychedelic techno that rivals Shpongle.  But where Shpongle is mostly tribal/worldly sounds, this is more of an industrial and glitch style that fades in and out with pretty melodies.  He's really good at messing with your brain by creating layers and layers of constantly shifting tracks.

Break Science
A bit wompy.  There are a lot of dubstep musical technique but it might be too slow to be considered dubstep.  One tends to head bob back and forth while listening.

ill.gates
He plays some glitchy dubstep.  There are some interesting tracks and he has some unique musical techniques.

The Hood Internet
This is a hip hop mixing DJ, will use different background electronic beats, some mellow, some more dubstep style.

Moon Hooch
They have a couple sax players and a percussionist, and thats it.  Each sax is a different kind (maybe alto and baritone? Not sure which types).  It's catchy and fun and moves at a quick pace.

Leagues 
Some mellow indie rock.  The lead singer sounds like the guy from Edward Sharpe, but the tunes are much less hipstery, good stuff.

Wild Child
Girl/guy duets that is very sweet sounding.  They're kind of an Of Monsters and Men imitation, but even more hipstery.

Uncle Lucius
Melancholy southern rock sound.  His songs tell stories and are heavy with metaphors.  A lot of traditional southern rock guitar, but is supplemented with a sax. Some songs get heavier on the blues or southwestern country styles.  Another band I hope to check out.

Mountain Standard Time
They have an alternative bluegrass style, though the banjo player isn't very prominent considering they're mostly bluegrass.  Most of the songs are pretty choppy tunes and feature a few heavy piano solos.  The lead singer has a mellow voice that evens out their sound.

Mountain Sprout
This is the band that really got me listening to more bluegrass.  They're hilarious, vulgar, scurvy, redneck hippies.  Their own words, not mine. The song 'Screw the Government' is awesome.  You should check out this dirty bluegrass, even if you think you don't like that banjo music.  Their fiddle player is as great as he is dirty, and trust me, he is shabby.

Dirtfoot
Rough hippy southern rock.  Good stuff;     Considering the style of music, it seems odd, but they have a heavy use of sax and xylophone and it works very well.  Gives the southern rock style an exciting mood. They have some banjo but wouldn't quite be considered bluegrass.  The singer's scratchy voice contrasts the sax quite well.

Mike Dillon
He plays instrumentals that sound like they should be in commercials or movies.  The songs feature a variety of instruments.  The few songs with lyrics are just weird and kind of awkward.

Rusty Shakle
This is sort of a pop punk of bluegrass.  It's catchy and cleaner.  Sometimes they're using more of a violin than fiddle (they're the same instrument, just different ways of playing) and the violin even gets a bit celtic sounding at times.  Definitely not a bad thing, but probably not for purists...then again, if you're a purist you're probably one of those people bitching on waka's fb page all the time.  They're certainly not afraid to throw in some random instruments once in awhile, so worth checking out.

Treetop Flyers
This band is mostly on the acoustic side.  It's mellow and very folky with a bit of classic rock.  The singer sounds a little older and gives the tunes a more authentic sound.

Thriftworks 
Very downtempo glitchhop (glitchy techno, ambient, experimental).  Most of the tracks have lyrics, but the voices get very distorted.  Interesting but not all that exciting.

Buku 
I'm not even sure how to describe it.  Not sure what type of electronica this would be considered.  It has some elements of trance, but it's slower, almost a bit glitchy, a lot of weird repetitive sounds, gets pretty old fast.
(edit: My friend Chad informs me this is trap music, electronic that evolved from the southern rap and 'getting crunk' style)

Up Until Now
Also hard to describe, but in a good way.  They combine a lot of styles, but it's too melodic for dubstep, too smooth to be glitch, not terrible enough to be trance.  This group features David Murphy from STS9, and there are some similar styles, so definitely check out if you like those guys.




So what bands are you most excited to see on this lineup?  What new bands have you discovered that you're most excited to see?