Somewhat lost in the shuffle of the big Jon and Kate breakup and unrest in Iran came the news Tuesday that pioneering '90s rock band Sunny Day Real Estate will reunite for a fall tour. SDRE is widely credited/blamed for creating emo, but trust me, this is a great band that hasn't played together since 2001. And for whatever it's worth, bassist Nate Mendel is a Foo Fighter.

The band will reissue its first two albums, "Diary" and "LP2," on Sub Pop in September in time for the tour, which hits Philly on Oct. 1. In the meantime, SDRE singer Jeremy Enigk has released a new solo album, "OK Bear." You can listen to one of the songs from his album below.

Jim James of My Morning Jacket fame has revealed that he'll release an EP of George Harrison covers in August. Apparently, James recorded these back in 2001 a few days after the Beatle died. Check out one of the tracks, "Behind That Locked Door," below.

Obits is a Brooklyn band I'm not very familiar with, comprised of members from some other bands that were apparently great but I also had never heard of. Anyway, I really like their song "Two-Headed Coin," so check that one out below as well.

Finally, Sonic Youth has released its newest noise/pop assault, "The Eternal." The lead single, "Sacred Trickster," can be streamed here, too.

Jeremy Enigk "Mind Idea"

Jim James "Behind That Locked Door"

Obits "Two-Headed Coin"

Sonic Youth "Sacred Trickster"

Fans of indie rock rightfully creamed themselves when word came down that members of Vampire Weekend and Ra Ra Riot were working together on a side project called Discovery.

Discovery's debut album, simply titled "LP," is out July 7. I have a copy, and my early impression is "ehh." Like a lot of listeners, I had pretty high expectations, considering VW and RRR have both been putting out unique, catchy songs for a few years now. But sometimes the reverse of the cliche is true and the whole is worth less than the sum of the parts -- especially with supergroups (exceptions: CSN, CSNY, Damn Yankees and Blind Faith).

The duo -- VW synth guru Rostam Batmanglij and Ra Ra Riot singer Wes Miles -- is an interesting combo for several reasons. Miles' voice is a lot like VW's Ezra Koenig, so that means some of these songs sound like VW songs. That said, the collection is so heavily synth-laden, that even when Discovery uses VW-like tropical beats, it has its own identity. That is impressive.

The opener, "Orange Shirt," is a fun, uptempo track with Miles singing the lead.

Listen to "Orange Shirt" here.

By track two, "Osaka Loop Line," we're greeted by Auto-Tune-treated vocals, which is surprising, and to some fans, off-putting. Here, because the track is so busy and skitchy, it works.

From then on, Auto-Tune is in place for the majority of the album, including "Can You Discover?," a creative remake of Ra Ra Riot's hit "Can You Tell?" Re-tooling a source band's song for a new project is a unique idea, and while the original is much better, "Can You Tell?" will never be played in a dance club. "Can You Discover?" might be.

"I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend," with guest vocals by Angel Deradoorian from Dirty Projectors, is even more clubby. And the aforementioned Koenig makes a guest appearance on "Carby," where is voice gets the Auto-Tune treatment.

"LP's" songs are not as strong as VW or RRR songs. But, paradoxically, if Discovery is promoted right -- like if Batmanglij is caught canoodling with Leighton Meester or something -- these songs stand a much greater chance of mainstream pop success than the bands these guys play in full-time.

 

 

 

“The Living Room Sessions,” the debut EP from Scranton indie/pop outfit No West, finds a band with remarkable potential as songwriters and performers, where heartfelt vocals meet layered guitars and sometimes complex drums.

Like many young bands, much of the material is inspired by love and feelings, but No West smartly avoids the trap of falling into worn-out emo clichés. Part of that is because of direct, plainly delivered vocals.

“A Tale of Him and Her” is a relatively epic, driving track, with some fancy drum work. “Snowy Roads and Midnight” has mainstream radio potential.

The best tracks, though, are the last two, “Hope To Sleep (White Car)” and “Scene Fitting Snowfall.” “Hope To Sleep” opens with squiggly synths and people talking in the background, setting up a feeling of disconnect. Its melding of quirky sounds with pop songwriting is reminiscent of The Southland, an underappreciated band out of Los Angeles. The drums are simple, the vocals are textured and the guitars are understated (more on that later). “Scene” builds from simple guitar, synths and simple, emotive vocals. The track may sound cinematic and complex, but it is more layered than it is complicated. It’s a tactic used successfully by bands like Coldplay and Snow Patrol, so No West is in good company here.

If there is anything negative to say about “The Living Room Sessions,” it is minor. Namely, the guitar work is at its best when it’s simple. When there are forays into fancy fretwork, it doesn’t fit the song; it can sound a bit like Joe Satriani sitting in with Thriving Ivory, and no one wants that. Also, the snare drum is cranked a little too tight in spots, which is fine on a 311 album, but not here.

All small kinks that will be worked out as the band progresses and works with a producer — “The Living Room Sessions” was self-produced.

As satisfying as these six tracks are, they can’t help but make you look forward to grander things for No West, already a band with a penchant for the epic.
 

I saw two shows locally last week that are well-deserving of mention. On Thursday, Reed Foehl, based in Colorado, played an impressive CD-release show at the River Street Jazz Café, and Holy Ghost Tent Revival on Saturday returned to The Bog, where the Greensboro, N.C., band has developed quite a following.

Foehl’s show was opened by Charles Havira, who was backed by Mike Miz on guitar and Cabinet’s Dylan Skursky and J.P. Biondo. The musicians meshed together beautifully, delivering clear-minded versions of Havira and Miz selections as well as a (Bob) Dylan tune or three. Foehl played what could be considered a low-key set, but his vocal abilities and songwriting prowess were on display, if you cared to pay attention. A few Neil Young covers sweetened the deal.

HGTR, which has played The Bog before and often shares shows with Scranton’s And The Moneynotes, brought a high-level of energy to its well-attended two-set show. Many in the crowd were repeat offenders, familiar with the music, which has elements of vaudeville, rock and ska, thanks to heavy use of trombone. It was the third time I’ve seen HGTR, and the band never fails to entertain.

This weekend should prove equally diverse and pleasing for local music fans, with Robes — from Wilkes-Barre and based in Philadelphia — playing shows at Café Metropolis, Corner Café and the Mayday Festival in Kirby Park, Bob Alunni and Nicole Erin Carey at The Bog on Saturday and a local Blues Review at the Jazz Café on Sunday. If none of those catch your interest, check out more shows here and here.

About the Author

Education
Penn State University, University Park
Bachelors degree: Journalism, English minor
Saint Joseph's University, Philadelphia
Masters of arts degree: Writing studies
Manchester University, Manchester, England
Communications

Selected Publications
The Weekender, LexisNexis Securities Litigation, ESPN.com, The Associated Press, Philadelphia Daily News, Philly Edge, Universitywire.com, The Daily Collegian

From
Pittston

Resides
Scranton

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