Two new releases from 2 bands who are playing together at the Alabama Music Box Thurs Aug 11 !

On A Scale of One to Roadhouse by Kris Skoda
Monarchs’ “The Rise and Fall” Album Review

If Monarchs’ “The Rise and Fall” is their first full length record, you may or may not be able to expect world domination by record number three. Monarchs is the brainchild of Alabama-bred song-bird, Celeste Griffin, but is currently based out of Austin. The line-up is, to quote the band’s bio, ” some of Birmingham and Austin’s finest musicians”.

The first three songs evoke musically Florence & the Machine, which in this man’s opinion, is never a bad thing. Then the album arrives at track four, titled “Blvd” which is a refreshing old country tinged track (read as: GOOD country, which has been made scarcely for the past 20 years or so). This also marks the point of the album where it gets a little less upbeat and decidedly more alternative country. Yes people, Celeste of Monarchs takes a long walk down She & Him Road, and as a result, the majority of the album’s high points come out of it.

The hooks on the album arent to be soon forgotten, and may actually live in your car CD player for days on end given the chance. It’s easy to belittle another girl fronted indie-pop band, but what’s much more difficult is to distinguish yourself from the pack. Monarchs could quite feasibly be the next to do just that.

The hot jams on this album are “Miles Away”, “A Love Alive”, and “Spirit of the Rain”. You’ll have your chance to see all these live on Thursday, August 11 at Alabama Music Box with Edward Appleby and Austin’s Mother Falcon. I have a sneaking suspicsion a lot of these tracks might be better live too. Bottom line: 7/10 (with the potential reserved to become a 8/10 with repeated listening).

A Second Opinion by the Calcium Cowboy

This sounds like a fun band. There’s some great songcrafting utilizing soul, pop, maybe some southern rock, and blues.

Sonically, this record features strong and sultry vocals complemented by some piano keys being pressed, someone hitting drums with sticks, and maybe a truck-bed full of stringed instruments.
_The Rise and Fall_ rocks you, early in the album. Opportunities abound for a pogo. I didn’t care much for the pace. Really kinda dies at the end. But my favorite bands do that shit too. And then all of the sudden I realize I’ve been writing a dumb review for my first review in like forever.

The Monarchs put out something that is danceable, slow danceable, and something I can’t wait to see in a live setting.

Monarchs on Vimeo

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On A Scale of One to Roadhouse by Kris Skoda
Edward Appleby “Music for the Living, Vol 1”

Little is known about Mobile’s resident composer, Edward Appleby. Appleby is said to have opened for Interpol, Pixies, and Starflyer 59, amongst others. If you’re just now hearing of him, don’t be too surprised. His selection of shows is sporadic at best. Abandoned warehouses, amphitheatres, local music festivals, and the back room at Serda’s; none seem to make any difference to Appleby.

Typically, his music is a mix between acts like Arcade Fire and Death Cab For Cutie, and his evolving roster of musicians ranges from five to fifteen. On this outing, “Music For the Living, Vol 1”, he has opted more for showcasing his composing side. There are no lead vocals, only eerie choirs and the ebb and flow of the music. Let me be the first to tell you folks, he’s better this way than he’s ever been.

At times Appleby seems to be channeling artists like Sufjan Stevens and Sigur Ros. When he’s in these moments he’s quite good, and not just good, but reaching what I consider a broad range of appeal. Edward Appleby could be enjoyed just as easily by your grandmother (if she’s into classical), as by your hipster little brother. These songs could be just as at home in the soundtrack of a Wes Anderson movie as on your uncle’s dusty old record player as he reads.

The highs of the album come in songs like “Songs for the Summer 1 & 2” and “We Could’ve Built This In a Day”. If “Music For the Living, Vol 1” is about music, it is that much more about the films that seem to inspire it. Whether they be in a DVD or just in Appleby’s mind. Bottom line: I give Appleby’s finest work yet an 8/10 and a strong recommendation to click the link in this article where you can go and hear the entire album and let me know what YOU think. Try “Songs for Summer 2” and call me in the morning. But not really, I like to sleep in.

HEAR HERE

The Second Opinion by Greg Gulbranson

Edward Appleby apparently couldn’t wait until his upcoming full-length album to get some music out there, so he released “Music for the Living, Vol. 1,” an instrumental EP.
The title echos the naming schemes of minimalist compositions such as Steve Reich’s “Music for 18 Musicians,” and like Reich, Appleby is strictly wearing his composer’s hat on this EP, shedding his songwriting and leaving it for another time.
The music, to me, is really reads as minimalism-inspired pop. Go ahead and listen to “Floe,” part 2 of “Glassworks,” by Philip Glass, and then listen to “Songs for Summer 1” on this Appleby release. The influence of Glass really shines on this and many other pieces, but the difference is that at the end of “Songs for Summer 1,” it bursts into a sing-a-long and you find yourself bobbing your head – not possible on a Glassworks track.
The thing I really like about this release is that it gives one a good opportunity to feel out Appleby’s approach to composition, which I think goes something like this: take a musical idea, twist it around, dress it up differently, pump it up, break it down, and pretty much make it your bitch until all the tasty musical juice has been squeezed out of it. Best example: “Songs for Summer 2.” The entire tune is built around a single melody, which is spelled out for the listener plainly in the first couple of bars. Then the Appleby fireworks begin, and the result is a beautiful, Jon Brion composing for “Eternal Sunshine” -esque result. It’s pure cinema.
In the title track, “Music for the Living,” part II, it’s even easier to see the influence of Reich and the other minimalist composers. The difference, once again, is that Appleby will not allow the listener to not “get it.” The drama is always right around the corner, a climax waiting to punch you in the face and sprout chill-bumps all over your unsuspecting skin.
Anyway, yeah. A pretty good effort for what is possibly just a glorified collection of B-Sides from Mobile’s resident wunderkind. A great buy for those who want to pump this in their car when on a date to show how “arty” they are.