Synic Selects Vol. XII - Working UnderCovers

 As most of you already know, I like to put up a new one of these compilations once every month, so the fact that we are now on Synic Selects Vol. XII means that this edition officially marks the one year anniversary of these compilation posts, and, more or less, the entire Synic Spins blog. What a fun year it's been. Since I just did a massive 2020 year-end reflection, I'll spare you the emotion-filled gooey crap. But I do just want to say another quick thank you to all of you readers, and all of the talented artists who have trusted me with reviewing their work for the public to see. It's truly humbling, and an incredible honor to be so warmly welcomed into the indie music community. Again, thank you.

A fun concept I had (not an ORIGINAL concept, but a fun one nonetheless) for this month's compilation is to just post a handful of my favorite covers by some of my personal favorite bands. But for the compilation marking my first anniversary, I had to give it a little something extra; something to set it apart from the rest. So to spare you from any further extra reading, after all everyone always skips the personal anecdotes at the beginning of online recipes, you probably skip these intros too, I give you Synic Selects Vol. XII - Working UnderCovers.

1. Soul Man - The Blues Brothers (Sam & Dave)

I have loved this song for a long time. I first fell in love with this song at a young age, and I was so naive back then I thought that The Blues Brothers were a real band, and not just a cover band from SNL skits. I discovered it on an old kids' show called Drake & Josh, where the title duo actually performs the song in a school talent show. When I first heard the same Sam & Dave, I thought it was in reference to the Van Halen frontmen, and certainly not a legendary blues duo.

2. Land Of Confusion - Disturbed (Genesis)

One of the many bands on here that most of you are expecting to see. Maybe you were expecting to see their more recent "Sound of Silence" cover? Nah. This one is it for me. "Land of Confusion" is in my personal list as one of the world's greatest songs of all time. A highlight from the Phil Collins era of Genesis, this track's legacy in my world of music was permanently slated when David Draiman and the guys put their spin on it. Imagine my jubilance upon seeing this performed live. A few times, actually; not that I'm bragging or anything.

3. Bad Company - Five Finger Death Punch (Bad Company)

This is one of the handful of songs that my sister showed me when I first got into 5FDP. It's one of their earlier covers, and remains to this day one of their best. It remains in my regular shuffle whenever I play my favorite Death Punch songs, and most definitely deserves a spot on this list.

4. The Green Manalishi (With The Two Prong Crown) - Judas Priest (Fleetwood Mac)

Probably my favorite Fleetwood Mac song, as long as it's not Fleetwood Mac performing it. I don't have much for emotional connection to this one, but I did see the metal gods play it live in concert, which was every bit as badass as you'd expect.

5. Pump It Up - Hurtsmile (Elvis Costello)

This song is one of many that I will point people to whenever I make the argument that Gary Cherone is one of the most underrated frontmen of the last 40 years. He did tremendous work with Extreme, successfully nailed Roth, Hagar, and his own material singing for Van Halen, and formed a handful of other groups in his days since. Here he covers Elvis Costello, and to say he nails it would be a criminal understatement.

6. Bad Romance - Halestorm (Lady GaGa)

Since their conception, Halestorm has been known to release a Covers EP in between every studio album release. With their wide array of covers, it was hard to pick just one. But since the guest post we did some weeks back about the new GaGa record, I've gained a newfound appreciation for the artist. To celebrate that, I went with Halestorm's cover of one of the Lady's best songs.

7. School Days - AC/DC (Chuck Berry)

AC/DC are definitely not known for their covers, since their first record in the early 70s they have stopped recording covers, so I had to really dig deep for this one. Obviously I picked the Chuck Berry one.

8. I Fought The Law - The Clash (The Crickets)

Again, no deep personal connection with this one. But it's always fun to drop the bomb on someone that a band's best song is actually a cover of someone else. Granted this may or may not be The Clash's best song, it's still one of them. And undeniably belongs on this list.

9. You Really Got Me - Van Halen (The Kinks)

Duh.

10. Mama Weer All Crazee Now - The Runaways (Slade)

There are so many versions of this song. More famously, it's one of the handful of songs that Quiet Riot ripped off of the better band Slade from the 70s. After about 600 line up changes, Quiet Riot is now a Quiet Riot cover band, who was basically a Slade cover band. Beside the point; I fucking love The Runaways. 

11. Anarchy In The UK - Motley Crue - White Punks On Dope (The Sex Pistols The Tubes)

When people think of a cover by Motley Crue, 99/100 fans would come up with "Smokin' In The Boys Room" before they thought of this one. But there's no way in hell I was gonna put that on this list. I actually turmoiled with this one though, but it was actually between this one and the Crue's version of The Tubes' "White Punks On Dope." Actually, you know what? Fuck it I'm going with my gut here.

12. Dirty Laundry - Nickelback (Don Henley)

I'm gonna drop a hot take here, and it's not the obvious hot take that Nickelback is actually better than people are willing to admit, because everyone knows that already. The hot take is actually that Dirty Laundry is the best song that any of The Eagles ever came out with, either during their time in the band or solo. Only because Funk #49 by The James Gang doesn't count. Anyway, this cover is killer. I only wish they'd play it live more often.

13. Folsom Prison Blues - Budderside (Johnny Cash)

This one is brand new, actually. Released just this past Friday. Budderside recently revamped their identity with a fresh new line up and a serious overhaul to their sound. What put the band on my radar is their tremendous, powerful and infection energy when they're on stage. I saw them open for LA Guns a few years ago, and believe it or not I would argue that these guys could have stolen the show if they had more of the songs from the new album as part of their setlist back then. They did play "Folsom Prison Blues," however, and upon meeting the band they assured me that it would appear on their sophomore album. They did not disappoint.

Synic Selects Vol. XII - Working UnderCovers Disc 2: Joan Jett Edition

1. A.C.D.C. - The Sweet

2. Tulane - Chuck Berry

3. Androgynous - The Replacements

4. I Love Rock n Roll - The Arrows

5. Crimson And Clover - Tommy James And The Shondells

6. Everyday People - Sly and The Family Stone

7. Star Star - The Rolling Stones

8. You Don't Own Me - Lesley Gore

9. Rebel Rebel - David Bowie

10. Roadrunner - The Modern Lovers

11. Light Of Day - Bruce Springsteen

12. Nag - The Halos

13. Bird Dog - The Everly Brothers

Synic Selects Vol. XII - Working UnderCovers

Disc 1

1. Soul Man - The Blues Brothers

2. Land Of Confusion - Disturbed

3. Bad Company - Five Finger Death Punch

4. The Green Manalishi (With The Two Prong Crown) - Judas Priest

5. Pump It Up - Hurtsmile

6. Bad Romance - Halestorm

7. School Days - AC/DC

8. I Fought The Law - The Clash

9. You Really Got Me - Van Halen

10. Mama Weer All Crazee Now - The Runaways

11. White Punks On Dope - Motley Crue

12. Dirty Laundry - Nickelback

13. Folsom Prison Blues - Budderside

Disc 2

1. A.C.D.C. - Joan Jett & The Blackhearts

2. Tulane - Joan Jett & The Blackhearts

3. Androgynous - Joan Jett & The Blackhearts

4. I Love Rock n Roll - Joan Jett & The Blackhearts

5. Crimson And Clover - Joan Jett & The Blackhearts

6. Everyday People - Joan Jett & The Blackhearts

7. Star Star - Joan Jett & The Blackhearts

8. You Don't Own Me - Joan Jett & The Blackhearts

9. Rebel Rebel - Joan Jett & The Blackhearts

10. Roadrunner - Joan Jett & The Blackhearts

11. Light Of Day - Joan Jett & The Blackhearts

12. Nag - Joan Jett & The Blackhearts

13. Bird Dog - Joan Jett & The Blackhearts

The Zia Fantasy - Minaxi

 Guys I'm not sure what kind of second-rate music blogger I am, but I have to make a confession here; I have never once in my life heard of the term "shoegaze." But after looking it up whilst listening to the Zia Fantasy EPs by Minaxi, I get it now. Indie-alt rock, with distorted guitars and blurred vocals. Knowing that now, Minaxi fits the bill perfectly. They described themselves to me as shoegaze, and what sort of blogger would I be if I didn't do a little research before writing a post? I have to at least pretend to be professional here.

Also in their description to me, they mentioned a resemblance to The Smashing Pumpkins. And again, this description is spot on. The EP opening track "Full of Love" creates the exact same feeling using very similar techniques as the Pumpkins' hit "Today." Putting these two tracks side by side, it becomes very obvious to listeners that this is where Minaxi has found some of their influence.

It's hard for me to really dig into this one, because the nature of shoegaze (from the brief skimming I did of some online references) is that it all is distorted and blends together. And one of the big things I always talk about in these posts is the mixing. And while I really don't love the mixing on this record, it's clearly a style choice and the artist did it this way on purpose. The two elements, however, that do really work well for me on this EP are the harmonies (another thing I always talk about) and the tone of the guitars. The guitar tone, when combined with the vocals and harmonies, creates an almost hollow feeling in the listener that I can't quite explain. It actually creates a unique amount of depth within a record with a seemingly one-dimensional method of mixing and mastering.

With every song closely resembling the next, this EP almost feels like a single 23-minute song with brief pauses every 4-5 minutes. But that's just the first in the trilogy of EPs. The second opens much different. It feels more unique to me rather than a direct draw from Smashing Pumpkins. What they do here in creating a sonic bridge from the indie alt rock world of the US to that of India is unlike anything I have experienced before, so to call it unique is a drastic understatement. 

The Zia Fantasy EPs - Minaxi

11 - 27 - 2020

Noor

1. Full of Love

2. Sehra

3. Bug

4. Leaving Feeling

5. Yellow Waving

Isra

1. Smile

2. Grace

3. Intezaar

4. B

5. Listen

Luna

1. Theresa

2. Thistle Toe

3. It's Got Me

4. Naina

Favorite Track: Smile

Least Favorite Track: Naina

I Love U In Real Life - Weekend Lovers

 Ladies and gentlemen, imagine for me if you will, a handful of bands such as Fleetwood Mac, The Mamas and The Papas, a sprinkling of the Seattle Indie scene, with some dashes of Debbie Harry, new wave, and a big ol' cupful of artpop. Now throw that whole strange assortment into a blender. What would you get? The Weekend Lovers.

The album opens with "Baby," a laid-back indie pop rock tune that immediately sets the tone for the whole record. Truth be told, when I was introduced to the band I was a little worried that I would absolutely detest their sound. They are inspired by some of my least favorite bands to ever exist. But I was pleasantly surprised. These guys are the perfect band to get into for the hipster college crowd who claims they love Fleetwood Mac, but they actually don't. Knowing some lyrics to "The Chain" doesn't make you a real fan, kiddo. Sorry, but the truth hurts sometimes.

Each track flows almost seamlessly into the next on this album, which is great if you're trying to relax and create a "vibe." Weekend Lovers are quite honestly the ultimate vibe band. There is an exciting tempo change just under halfway through the record, where we really see the blend of Seattle indie and artpop come to life. "Big As The Dark" and its chaser "Older" are probably the grungiest tracks on the record, and what a welcome addition they are. I only wish that "Big As The Dark" didn't open with such a loud, harsh high pitched alarm-like noise.

For the most part, every track on this record reminds me of some of Debbie Harry's vocals from Blondie, specifically on tracks like "Union City Blue," where you can tell the vocalist is really belting, but in the mix she is turned down so as not to create to heavy of a sound. Basically it's to avoid sounding like she's yelling, like Heart and The B-52's do. 

While the record does create a consistent chill grungy artpop vibe, I have to mention my issue with the way the album is mixed. Everything melds together because they are all the same level. Even the guitar solos blend into everything else. It's like listening to stonewashed jeans. Nice, but just mellow and faded. And this is a shame, because if you really dig into each track you can hear some really great elements there. The choruses are catchy, the vocalist has a great sound and talent, and the instrumentation itself compliments these vocals beautifully.

Full disclosure, and this will come as no surprise to any of you who have read my blog before, but I think my favorite element on this record are the harmonies. Especially prominent on the George Michael cover "Father Figure." They really shine (even the mixing) on the more upbeat and faster tempo-ed tracks on this record (looking at you, "Larvae Love.") They have some great potential here, and I believe if they polished and perfected their mixing they would have something truly special.

I Love U In Real Life - Weekend Lovers

11 - 6 - 2020

1. Baby

2. Me

3. 2Soon

4. Big As The Dark

5. Older

6. Lost In Face

7. Father Figure

8. Larvae Love

9. The Moon On Mars

Favorite Track: Larvae Love

Least Favorite Track: Baby

Set Me Free - Ooberfuse

Just in case you folks were wondering just how behind I am on knocking out all these requests, here's a great example for you. This single was brand spankin' new when the artist asked that I review it for them. That was January 22nd. Now here we are, well into March, and the band has since released another single on streaming services on February 12th. So yeah, I suck. But I'm just one person, and I promise I'm working on it! Kinda. 

Tonight I'm taking a look at the new single "Set Me Free" by musical duo Ooberfuse. It's a techno pop track of sorts, that actually creates an interesting depth of feeling within me as I listen. For a snappy pop song, it's surprisingly somber. Or, perhaps it's surprisingly snappy for a somber pop song. Don't worry, I'll explain. Though like all of my reviews, I encourage you to listen to the music yourself so my words make a little bit more sense as you read them.

Like any techno pop song, the track opens with some light percussion, and eventually the layers of synth and digital beats come in one at a time until the sound is thick enough to cut with a knife. This sonic build up is perhaps my favorite element of the song, as it does exactly what any good song intro should: it gets you head-bopping or toe-tapping before you even know what the song is really all about. 

The other element I really appreciate about this track, are the lyrics. They're much stronger than the repetitive swill that floods the radio today. I did use the world "flood" purposefully, as my favorite line from the song is "take a step closer til you really hear / living waters drowning my fear" That's some deep shit, guys. This is where the 'depth of feeling' I mentioned earlier comes into play. The synth beat inspires dancing, shots, having a good time. While everything about the vocals inspires the opposite. They're dark, they're emotional. They're wildly different than the music they're paired with. But it is actually in this sonic mis-match where the song finds it's footing and lands successfully. It's actually quite interesting and engaging when a song's music and lyrics are coming from two different emotions. I know I've mentioned him several times before, but Springsteen is actually the king of doing this. He'll have his audience dancing and head bopping along while he's singing about poverty, death, and disaster. (See "Roulette")

The one thing with this song that bugs me, and really it's me being nit-picky, is the vocal delivery. My biggest pet peeve in songs is when lyrics are whispered. The Romantics do it near the end of "What I Like About You," countless other bands have done it, and I hate it every single time it's done. In my opinion, there is no good time for whispering in music. So my issue with this track is that the vocal style sounds very breathy to me; almost as if the lyrics were whispered- on key- and the vox volume was then turned up to hide the fact that she's whispering. Maybe I'm way off base and this is her singing voice, in which case maybe I should apologize a little, as I'm not trying to shit on your entire existence as a singer. Hell, I can't sing for shit, so who am I to talk? But if this is just a style choice, I don't think it's working for me. She can find the right notes, but if she gave it some more throat power I think she would really have something here.

"Set Me Free" - Ooberfuse

1 - 22 - 2021

What Did You Mean? - Bmixx

 They say you never forget your first. And after tonight, I know that cliche is actually true. Because tonight is the night I dive headfirst into the world of hiphop. Before even listening to the song, I have to give Bmixx some credit. I don't know if he knows this about me, but hiphop is among my least favorite musical genres. In fact, I never listen to it. So the fact that he ignored this fact and requested a review anyway is very brave. So kudos to you, sir.

The track features a solid beat, which even I know is crucial in any hiphop song. And what's more is the pacing of the lines matches up with the beat quite nicely. He doesn't slack or trip on any of his words, and he's able to create a consistent sound throughout the piece, while also keeping it interesting when he breaks things up with the choruses here and there.

As a hiphop song, I must say that I didn't hate it. And I know that might not sound like much of a compliment, but if you know me and my opinion at all, you would see that it actually is a pretty big compliment. I listened to it three times before I even started writing this, and usually I can't even sit through a single listen of any hiphop or rap song. (Except maybe for old Eminem stuff, cause who didn't have an Eminem phase?)

The big thing that stands out, for me, is the lyrics and the message behind the track. Maybe the lines start out a little lazy in the beginning, when he rhymes villain with villain, but he certainly picks up from there. And the shining star of the track isn't in the complexity of the lyrics, but the relatability of them. He fell for the wrong girl, and he's left feeling like a shell of a man because of it. Who hasn't been there before?

So if you're looking for some hiphop, and you're someone who has ever felt anything, check out Bmixx sometime. He gets it. Cause like the rest of us, he's been there. And he's not afraid to talk about it.

Better Late Than Never - Out Of Spite

 Ladies and gents, I'm really excited to share this one with you tonight. I've had it in my inbox for quite some time now, and I am finally able to give it the attention it deserves. What happens when you mix alt-punk and metal, with just a sprinkling of new-wave? Well, out of spite, I'm not gonna tell you. Okay, that was a cheap joke. But it was right there, I had to do it.

A couple songs in, and it is very clear to me who they remind me of. Take your favorite classic Cali punk band, such as NOFX or Bad Religion (pre-90s BR) and put them in a bed with current hard rock band Budderside. Give it about 9 months, and you'd end up with Out Of Spite. The album opener reminded me a little of The Knack as well. Not strongly, but just a little. I know I've said this before, but the songs on this record fit right in with the soundtracks of the Tony Hawk games. And if he were to make a new one, I would want to see one of these thrown into the mix.

Admittedly, I was into their sound from the get-go. Each subsequent track added new flavors and variety. While I was immediately into their new take on modern punk rock, it was their eponymous theme song that really threw me for a loop. There are horns, even a dubstep interlude. (Remember dubstep??) I hated it back then, but I do think it has its uses. It's a fun inclusion here, but I am really glad it's not in every track. Punk-rock-ska-step just seems like a lot to take in, doesn't it? But it makes for a fun, danceable-yet-angsty headbanger here.

For some good old-fashioned punk chanting, or chant-punk if you're down to clown, check out the track "Carnival of Chaos." The layered vocals create a really cool effect here, even though all of the layers are just one guy (it is a one-man-band, after all) Spite still achieves the sound one looks for in punk flavored harmonies. Each voice is delivering the same (or similar) vocals, but it slightly different pitches, with the timing off on a couple just to keep things interesting. It's actually brilliant in its sloppiness, as it encourages listeners to chant along and feel like one of the band, rather than an audience member. This effect continues in other tracks, including the aggressive ska-inspired "The People I've Met."

There is a very consistent sound throughout the entirety of the record, and for a debut record I have to say that it shows quite a bit of promise. The artist sold himself to me as an "eclectic dance rock band," and while that is mostly accurate, I feel that is selling himself short. There's so much more going on here. It's more like eclectic-dance-ska-punk-rock that experiments with dubstep on rare occasion. While the dubstep was a fun addition, I believe the artist should direct his attention to the hard percussion, groovy bass and wild riffs featured in the tracks. I don't know where the artist drew his inspiration from, but it's working. 

An open letter to Out Of Spite: 

Embrace the punk, dude. It's WORKING for you. There's tons of good shit from the 80s to late 90s to draw inspiration from. For ska influence, I highly recommend The Interrupters. Cheers my friend, Synic.

Better Late Than Never - Out Of Spite

9 - 30 - 2020

1. The Hype

2. Serene Solanum

3. Out Of Spite

4. Carnival Of Chaos

5. The People I've Met

6. Gave It All Away

7. Past Dreams

Favorite Track: Gave It All Away

Least Favorite Track: The Hype

Resurrection - Mickey Homicide

 Ladies and gentlemen, tonight we dive into some musical new-old-stock together. What I mean by this is, the album we're looking at tonight - Resurrection by Mickey Homicide, was uploaded to streaming services just last year, however the songs were written and recorded back in the 90s. So there you have it: new old stock.

Some of you may remember a review I did back in December for an artist by the name of Reckless Velvet. Well he's back, this time as a member of Mickey Homicide, alongside singer Adam Webster, bassist Matthew Andrewartha, and drummer Daniel Noss to complete the fearsome foursome. What immediately excites me about this record is how reminiscent it is to 80s and 90s metal. What keeps me excited, are the different flavors and genres that we pick up along the way. The opening track, par exemple, "Collection of Fools" is essentially a metal-ized drinking song. And what fascinates my eardrums even further, is the undertones of swing that is present in their sound. It is the second track, "The Little Green Elephant," where the swing comes to the forefront and the metal waits until around the 2:00 mark to break back in. Green Elephant is bluesy and swingy, and makes me think of what it would sound like if Brian Setzer and the Stray Cats went metal. Some punk too, but mostly metal. Metal punk? Punk metal? The instrumentation is where the metal comes from, while the vocalists' showman-y style is what reminds me of vintage punk.

One note I have to make here, and it can be taken generally as an all-encompassing note, but it is more specifically concerning the track "Into My Room." I love the sound they were going for. The sexy and aggressive guitar tone is spot on, and the raspy-angsty vocals compliment these tones perfectly. What I wish they did differently, however, was turn the bass way up. The bass groove is the unsung hero of this song, and it deserves a spotlight. If they turned it way up so you could hear it over the guitars during the verses and bridge, then allow the guitars to come in over it during the choruses and solos, you'd have my pick for coolest song of the year. It's certainly still up there, but it just falls shy with that bass groove being lost in the mix.

To no one's surprise, the guitar work on this album is simply marvelous. The tone throughout the whole record, and the solos that are done are just the right mix of technical and soulful. What surprised me about this record, was the range captured by the vocalist. One minute he's reminding me of Irish drinking songs, then metal Brian Setzer, then a less-bothersome James Hetfield (See "Move Over Sister" for the best Metallica song not recorded by Metallica, with some guest vocals by Jim Morrison of The Doors.) There is so much range and variety on this record, it's a shame it wasn't released sooner. 

Resurrection - Mickey Homicide

9 - 6 - 2020

(Recorded in early 90's)

1. Collection Of Fools

2. The Little Green Elephant

3. Poor Little Hitchhiker

4. Into My Room

5. Sex Toy

6. She Doesn't Love Me

7. Move Over Sister

8. Underneath My Bed

Favorite Track: Into My Room

Least Favorite Track: She Doesn't Love Me

Holding On - India Dupriez

 Here's a fun one for you guys to check out. I know I keep saying that electropop is way out of my wheelhouse, but it keeps finding it's way into my inbox. But I'm NOT complaining. In fact, I love the challenge and the variety. Keeps things interesting and keeps my ears on their toes. Now that's a weird visual...

Tonight I have the new single "Holding On" from Aussie teen talent India Dupriez. It starts off the way any current great pop song should. Keep the girl's voice prominent and up front, start slow, throw in a couple effects or samples, and build from there. The track is built quite beautifully, actually. The writing, composition, and overall sound are damn near masterful. I mean no offense when I say this, and I'm sure she probably gets this a lot, but she is really quite amazing for a 17-year-old. I'll go one step further, though. You guys know my general distaste for modern pop, but something about this song really works and resonates with me. So I'll say that not only is this girl great for a 17-year-old, but she's even spectacular for a modern pop singer. Naturally my next statement is gonna be "I would love to hear this girl sing for a punk or metal band..." which is true, but hell I'd listen to anything this girl wanted to sing. She's that good. 

Her voice aside, the mixing and composition of this track are also shining stars here. The percussion and synths drive the song along and build up before the chorusses in the way that they should, but they change things up enough to keep things interesting. Something else I have to make mention of are the lyrics. The message behind the song is really quite beautiful, and it could not have come at a better and more relevant time. It's so much deeper and more powerful than the mindless drivel I hear in today's top 40. This girl has 4 singles available for streaming, and the day a full album gets released, I'll be one of the first listeners.

"Holding On" - India Dupriez

1 - 8 - 2021