2011 Releases You Should Hear from Ball of Wax Artists

Posted on December 21, 2011 by Levi Fuller

Given the astounding length of our contributors list, I guess it shouldn’t be surprising that I can put together a list of 16 excellent albums and EPs that were released in the past year by artists who have appeared on Ball of Wax, but I was kind of surprised anyway. It was a joy to sift through my CD shelves/hard drive/brain and pull together this list, which is a pretty great cross-section of what makes Ball of Wax Audio Quarterly so great. (Odds are there are more, too; this is a prolific bunch, goldarnit, and my brain isn’t as reliable as I wish it were. My heartfelt apologies to anyone I missed.)

Read on below, then go listen to and/or buy these records – some are free, most are cheap – and give them all a good listen, and I’m sure you’ll agree. Continue reading →

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[glocal scene] Phil’s 2011 review

Posted on December 20, 2011 by Phil Heron

Upon turning over my calendar at the beginning of this month, it came to my attention that in a short time 2011 will be no more. 2012, and the possible end of the world, will follow. In the limited time we have remaining, allow me to go through a list of some of the things I’ve witnessed this year that have warmed the very cockles of my heart.

#1:  Hippi – Bottles and Cans.

This list starts with a tip of the hat towards 2012! Hippi is a chap who lives in the woods of Ontario, making music. He also happens to be Brock Zeman’s best mate, which is good because he has decided to produce Hippi’s debut album next year on his own Mud Records label. I love this song and the video.

Continue reading →

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2011 in Review: New Is New, Old Is New and Lulu Is the Future

Posted on December 19, 2011 by Jon Rooney

A couple of weeks ago I asked a friend what she thought would end up being the consensus album of the year.  A potent combination of aging, new fatherhood, acute self-absorption, and YouTube-fueled distraction kept me from really having a bead on the general musical zeitgeist in 2011.  Has this year seen an Arcade Fire or Animal Collective to lay claim to the defining, landmark release?  I randomly guessed that either Adele or P.J. Harvey might take the mantle, despite having yet to listen to either’s new album in their entirety. I guess much of the music stuff that really caught my attention this year was either only partially musical in nature (Bandcamp and SoundCloud becoming dominant services) or maudlin (Absolutely Kosher packing it in, Destroyer losing the way with Kaputt).  That being said, there was plenty of music I liked in 2011. Continue reading →

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For All the Girls: “Yvonne”

Posted on December 14, 2011 by Levi Fuller

The fickle-hearted playboy of Provo, Damien Fairchild (aka For All the Girls), seems to have a pretty good thing going: a seemingly endless line of girls to fall for, a knack for writing succinct pop songs about them, and a parade of talented video directors to make short films illustrating those songs. Not too long ago I shared “Phylicia” with you, which was all smiles and confetti and slow-mo-happy-times. “Yvonne” brings us a much darker vision, a black and white video that tips its beret to French New Wave and includes a brutal murder at the hands of Juggalos [oh, sorry, SPOILER ALERT!]. It’s well worth 90 seconds of your time.

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Album Review: Western Ghost House – Kaleidoscope Tower

Posted on December 13, 2011 by Jon Rooney

Western Ghost House – Kaleidoscope Tower (2011, self-released)

Western Ghost House‘s second release,  Kaleidoscope Tower, is a tasteful, thoughtful collection of songs from a young Austin band that evokes the likes of Calexico, Shearwater, and Papercuts. Brooding, cowboy-esque opener “Varicose Veins” gives way to the more uptempo “Branded,” a punchy, layered track marked by a driving beat and Jesse Pantoja’s warbling vocals. “October Leaves” has a bit of a Spaghetti Western epic feel to it, while “Perfume” is a bit noisier with some jagged guitar edges and cracked vocals. Much of Kaleidoscope Tower consists of mid-tempo, bleary-eyed guitar rock with a distinctive Southwestern flavor.  It’s a moody, satisfying album that rewards repeated listens and seems well-suited for long car rides.

Folks in Austin can check out Western Ghost House at their CD release show this Friday, December 16th at the 29th Street Theater.

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Submit to Ball of Wax 27

Posted on December 5, 2011 by Levi Fuller

The dust is starting to settle on the incredibly successful Volume 26 of Ball of Wax Audio Quarterly (though you can still get your copy right here), and it’s time to look forward to the next one. After a couple of really fun themed volumes, for Volume 27 we’re going to go back to where we started. No theme; just great music, celebrated with a release show at our old haunt, The Sunset Tavern. (February 23rd: mark your calendars!)

About that great music: it comes from you. Or maybe your reclusive friend who doesn’t use the internet. Or maybe that weirdo reading this over your shoulder. I love getting new songs from old friends and complete strangers alike, so just drop me a line or mail me a disc with what you’ve been working on, and I’ll check it out. The deadline for Volume 27 will be January 15th, though earlier is great too. Full submission guidelines – along with a couple more theme ideas for future volumes – are right here.

I can’t wait to hear what you’ve been working on.

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Animal Hospital Ensemble: What I’d Be Doing This Weekend if I Were on the East Coast

Posted on December 2, 2011 by Levi Fuller

Regular listeners to Ball of Wax Audio Quarterly should remember the mostly-instrumental gorgeousness of Kevin Micka’s Animal Hospital song “. . . And Ever” from Volume 17. Animal Hospital has always been a solo project, its many layers of rhythm and melody and texture created live by Kevin as he jumps back and forth from instrument to instrument, adding and subtracting loops like he’s competing in the musical version of Top Chef. I’ve seen it live, and it was truly wonderful to behold. His album Memory, from which “. . . And Ever” is taken, is a standby for me.

Seeing him perform these pieces solo was impressive enough, but Kevin has decided to raise the bar, by assembling a thirty-person ensemble to play the music from Memory live, reproducing live – and in surround-sound, positioned in a circle around the audience – the many loops and layers Kevin creates on his own with the help of modern technology. This group will perform two concerts this weekend, one in Pawtucket, Rhode Island and one in Boston, at my alma mater, MassArt. It’s been a while since I wished I were on the East Coast for any particular reason, but goddamn I really wish I could be at either of these shows. If you’re anywhere remotely in driving distance, I strongly recommend you go and send me a full report.

If, like me, you’re a sucker and can’t go, just listen and weep:

Animal Hospital Ensemble Set by Animalhospital

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[glocal scene] Old Man River Japan Appeal

Posted on December 1, 2011 by Phil Heron

Australian band Old Man River embarked on a heart-warming project earlier this year to offer disaster-stricken Japan some good tidings in the wake of their devastating earthquake. An old Japanese tradition states that whomever folds a thousand origami paper cranes will be granted one wish. Ohad Rein, leader of Old Man River, set out to do this with the intention of wishing Japan a speedy recovery from the events of March 11th 2011.

The enormous response saw people from all over the world folding one or more paper cranes to be sent to Japan with love. Last month, Ohad (through help from the Australian government) was able to personally deliver the origami paper cranes to the affected areas.

The website 1000cranesforjapan.net describes the project in full (with videos of Ohad’s visit to Japan).

 

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Drew Christie: Some Crazy Magic: Meeting Harry Smith

Posted on November 27, 2011 by Levi Fuller

Last Friday’s Ball of Wax 26/Tribute to Harry Smith’s Anthology of American Folk Music show was a blast. Huge thanks to all the great artists who played, to Greg Vandy (American Standard Time) and Devon Leger (Hearth Music), to the Columbia City Theater, and to everyone who came out and helped make it such a huge success.  Unfortunately, as far as I know, all of our plans for audio and video documentation fell through, so this might well end up being one of those “you had to be there” events. Personally, I am thrilled to have been there.

One highlight from the evening that I can share with you is Drew Christie‘s  video animating a story told by John Cohen about his first time meeting Harry Smith. Most first-person Harry Smith stories are hilarious and bizarre, but this is a singularly great one, and Drew’s animation brings it to life brilliantly.

Another way to get a small taste of the sounds and and creative energy from last Friday is, of course, to get your own copy of Ball of Wax 26, which you can do right over here. Limited edition and super-cheap, they make a great addition to your own music collection or gift for that special music lover in your life.

Thank you for listening.

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Album Review: Tito Ramsey – Hi Lo EP

Posted on November 15, 2011 by Levi Fuller

Tito Ramsey – Hi Lo EP
(2011, self-released)

I always find it fascinating when an artist chooses to make a stark stylistic change, making a sharp left turn in genre, feel, or instrumentation all at once rather than the usual gradual developments and shifts that happen over the course of most musicians’ careers. The results are often fresh and surprising, of course, but they can also reveal the consistent elements that lie at the core of who that artist is.

I first became aware of Tito Ramsey a couple of years ago, when he submitted a track, “Stay in Line,” which ended up appearing on Ball of Wax Volume 19. That song, and his set at the Volume 19 release show, were dark, brooding, and guitar-based. Through-composed songs took strange turns and threw unexpected chords and time signatures at you, but the general mood was introspective and intense. (None of which is meant to be a dig; introspective and intense is one of my favorite musical modes.) Continue reading →

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