After a somewhat mundane January, there are some definite developments coming your way in February. First off, we are beginning developments of a podcast, including songs on the Hollencomium Music Reviews. For those of you who do not know about podcasts, it is relatively simple to subscribe (on PC or Mac) and we will have part of the Pacifican website dedicated to showing you how to subscribe to the Hollencomium Podcast.

Secondly, the editing process will no longer be included in the article. And lastly, we have a week’s worth of new music to review.

Artist: P:ano
Album: Ghost Pirates Without Heads
Song: T. Hatch Says “Round Ev’ry Corner”
Genre: Indie Pop

P:ano has often been called lo-fi, but I donít agree with this at all. The band, while supplying somewhat leisurely pop music, should not be considered lo-fi or minimalistic. In “T. Hatch Says ‘Round Ev’ry Corner’" the band starts off with what sounds like a bass clarinet, as well as a plucking violin and an accordion, creating a song that is multifaceted and varying. The band’s light-hearted lyrics are delivered somewhat subtly, putting the music first and the singing second, which is very rare for a pop song.

Originality: 7.5
Catchiness: 6
Personal: 8.3

Artist: Test Icicles
Album: For Screening Purposes Only
Song: Square Circle Triangle
Genre: Indie Rock / Scream Rock

This is one of the more standard-fare songs that I have reviewed. The band does a good job of mixing typical rock elements and adding their own flair to them. The song starts off simply enough, with the headnodding drum and rhythmic guitar leading it off until the lead guitar and bass bust in. The song leads slowly up to the chorus, which, believe it or not, sounds like the Mad Hatter sitting around the unbirthday party yelling “we could do with some more poison” in slippery tongue English. It definitely has a punk rock feel, but a bit more Wonderland.

Originality: 4
Catchiness: 6
Personal: 6.5

Artist: Akron/Family
Album: Akron/Family & Angels Of Light
Song: Moment
Genre: Noise Folk

I want you to imagine that you are seven and you and your five friends stumble upon instruments galore. You know what these instruments do, but you you’ve never played them before. You and your friends start playing the hardest rock youíve ever tried to play. There is almost no rhythm with your nonsensical banging of cymbols and drums while your friends try to rock out on the guitar only to have sludge drip out of the amplifiers creating a muddle that no one could assemble into music. 

Then, magically, the music slows and you all play as if possessed. A slow chant starts to build from your mess. The trance is disturbing and you try to break out of this state, managing this task for seconds, upon which you break back into your banging and strumming before conceding to the Paganistic chant.

The chant turns into a rock rhythm with a clever guitar riff your friend busts out, only to be interrupted by a slow strumming rhythm of beautiful acoustic guitar. It all comes together when “This moment is over the idea that you / were the same when it started as when it is through.”

The journey of developing a musical sound, which usually takes decades, is performed in less than six minutes. It is probably the most dramatic build-up to date and Akron/Family do it all the justice your seven-yearold mind could wish for.

Originality: 8.7
Catchiness: 3.5
Personal: 9.1

Send to:

Read More
Name:
Title:
Comment:

The Pacifican Staff strongly believes in the Freedom of Speech, and will not censor comments unless deemed grossly offensive by an editor or webmaster.