Bikini Robot Army Music Review

Bikini Robot Army’s originally was a college band headed by Val Broeksmit along with Brandon Geiger and Matt Goldsborough. The three went their separate ways, but they continued to compile and record new music together. Much of their music was recorded from their homes across different states. This went on for years.

Today, they have 12 tracks and Bikini Robot Army is continuing to add more music to their library. Their new EP is very different. There are multiple influences in their music, some of which is comparable to music from the 60’s and early 70’s with a sense of modern electro funk, but with a familiar rock appeal. Some of these influences could be compared to David Bowie or even Moby.

The highlight of the EP is by far “Joe strummer's house take 2” by Bikini Robot Army. The song reminded me of hanging out in downtown LA at the roof top at The Standard. This is an exclusive club where music similar to Bikini Robot Army is often played to match the atmosphere.

Bikini Robot Army’s music is psychedelic with a touch of counter-culture music of the 60’s era with a visual of go-go dancers on mini-stages lifted high off the dance floors inside cages. This "hip" high energy style of music would be perfect for even the most popular clubs in New York, San Francisco, Chicago, and Los Angeles, but the rest of their music sort of falls off after, “Joe strummer's house take 2”.

After listening to Bikini Robot Army's other tracks, I felt let down with the rest of the music. One of the newest songs, "Desolation Row", a Bob Dylan cover had no alluring feature to it. It felt drab and gave no spark that compels the listener to want to press play again. One of the common traits that is heard throughout the EP is the word, “Cocaine”. There seems to be a fascination with the drug, because it is mentioned several times throughout in songs like, “Bitches and Blow”, “Never Going Back to LA”, “Joe’s Strummer’s House take 2”, and “Born Killa”. It can be annoying and with a feeling like this obsession is a bit overdone.

“Big Blues Jam That Will Melt Your Face” was strictly an instrumental. It could be a great piece, but some work on the arrangement during the guitar rhythms needs to be worked on to allow more cohesion. The other instrumental on the EP is, “Waa Ooo Waa”. There were no lyrics except some electronic programmed vocals with the words “Waa Ooo Waa”. For a performance at a local venue, this song may translate into a good song for a live audience, but this song does not translate very well on the EP. The electronic vocals pierce the eardrums and sounds like nails on a chalkboard.

Grading Bikini Robot Army, I give the song “Joe’s Strummer’s House take 2” a rating of 4 of 5 stars, but the rest of the EP, I give it a 3.

Find more of Bikini Robot Army on their official website and MySpace

The Finger Puppets "Hearing Things" CD review

The Finger Puppets is an alternative pop rock band from North Carolina. They offer an array of acoustic songs combined with rock melodies and with the elegant voice of Melissa Lee, she makes this band fit nicely with artists along the lines of Liz Phair, 10,000 Maniacs, Feist, Lisa Loeb, and Mazzy Star. With these kinds of comparisons, you may consider The Finger Puppets a 90’s retro band with similar style that fits during this era. The perfect example is the song, “Simply Yours”.

“Simply Yours” starts off with an acoustic riff, but nicely transitions into a lovely musical melody of beautiful notes and a not so complex lyrics telling a story about her boy and telling him not to try so hard, because,“…I’m simply yours” . This uplifting and happy song is reminiscent of works by Edie Brickell perhaps even Liz Phair.

Other songs were just as impressive include, “The Rain Came After” which I sense a bit of Americana-folk rock that was a nice change. “Stars” is also an enjoyable song. I was most impressed by the song introduction with use of sounds of children playing in the background. The Finger Puppets uses multiple layers complimented with background vocal sampling that made this song the standout track from their 10-track debut album entitled, “Hearing Things”.

The same thing cannot be said for all their songs. Songs like “Lie Awake” lacked originality and takes the listeners too far back into an 80’s sound that was a little cheesy for a modern song. Other songs still need some minor work, but overall there are at least six out of 10 songs worth pressing “play” again and again.

Composition 5

Production    5

Arrangement 5

Performance 5

Hit Potential  4

Review by Michael J

Listen to "Simply Yours" right here:

Find more of The Finger Puppets:

Official Website

MySpace

Purchase Hearing Things CD on Amazon.com 

and CD Baby

Critique Corner: The Answer by Joseph James McCabe

If John Lennon was still alive and making music with the Moody Blues, this is how they would sound like.

“The Answer” is not bad, in fact it is actually very good, but unfortunately for this style of music, it does not fit in any current radio market except maybe in the retro arena.

Much of the music from the album, 11:24 Reatoration are very similar with each other with cascading melodies of multiple cords of guitar, piano, basic percussions, and acoustics to make up the complex sound of McCabe’s work. However, the sound quality in some of his other tracks are in desperate need of remastering, not to mention that the use of vocal echoing is a tad bit overdone, perhaps misused in “Love is Here” and “God Does”.

Brimming on an indie rock style, Joesph James McCabe leans more towards a mid-60’s and early 70’s genre. Be prepared to be “wowed” then quickly falling into a bit of disappointed from other works. Overall, there is a missing element that holds this album from taking this artist from unnoticed to stardom.

I am curious how the rest of his musical works will pan out, because I see more good sounds coming from this artist.

Listen to more of Joseph James McCabe's work:

-by Michael J

Song Critique: "Tambourine" by Alta Mira

"Tambourine" is a delightful and enjoyable song that is perfectly constructed, performed, and well balanced.

Tambourine was submitted as a song critique by the band, Alta Mira from their debut album, Fables and Fabrications. In all honestly, there is not much to critique except to say, it did not feel like the song was four minutes and six seconds. I enjoyed it so much that I wished it was longer, so I could lose myself in the song a bit more.

The song starts with an entrance of the tambourine, followed with a soft introduction of a guitar melody, and then builds into a gradual climax with the mesmerizing and sultry voice of Joe D. Michon-Huneau. His amazing voice has the charisma in likes of Ryan Tedder of One Republic and Isaac Slade of The Fray, but with more power and intense emotion made with such simplistic lyrics about the frustration with his ill-tempered girlfriend.

Joe may not sound like the aforementioned artists, but he and Alta Mira have the potential to measure up along side these two famous bands and could easily be one of them and possibly earn the title of “Best Indie Rock Band of Year”.

"Free" by tHe AuDiOBoDiEs song critique

“Free” is an instant classic. Lead singer and percussionist, WYME has the ability to grab the attention of any listener with his smooth yet raspy Lenny Kravitz style voice that is no less than enjoyable. With the mid-range tempo, “Free” is the perfect formula for any relaxing and pleasant atmosphere.

It was difficult to find anything wrong with this song when it is so well written and performed without a single hitch. The recording was perfectly orchestrated, so remastering would be unnecessary.

As far as music placement from a commercial stand point, my personal assessment is “Free” would be a perfect song for an ending credit scene in a “liberating” major motion picture either as a closing song or perhaps towards the end when the protagonist of the film discovers his or her freedom.

For mainstream radio placement, “Free” could easily make its way up the Top 40 charts of a Pop radio station, including Los Angeles based radio station, KIIS FM or place highly in any national radio station for that matter, also make it in the Top 10 on the Billboard charts.

Overall, the song is a cohesive and a well balanced performance of poetry and creative musicianship.

Where to find tHe AuDiOBoDiEs:
MySpace