Rated O

admin — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 08:24:00 +0000

Brooklyn’s noise rockers Oneida revel in not being able to be pinned down to a definition. They also are enormously motivated, as their newest offering, the triple album Rated O, can attest. While they have been classified as psych rock or krautrock, the influences on Rated O are wide ranging. The record gets started with a clear nod to Nigerian Disco Funk with “Brownout in Lagos,” and goes on to resemble the soundtrack to the soundtrack for a videogame from a dystopian future on “10:30 at the Oasis.”

The record captures Oneida’s hypnotic noisiness with plenty of loops, guitar hum, and feedback melodies. It also features bursts of vocals, though the function more as a layer of noise and atmosphere than singing, especially on “What’s Up Jackal” and “The Human Factor.” The band also reminds listeners they still know how to write a rock song on “I Will Haunt You.” Tracks on the album are long. About a third of them clock in at over ten minutes, and the epic feeling “Folk Wisdom” over 20, but it adds to the hypnotic nature, with one song displaying enough moods for an entire album, yet also carefully building on established melodies and themes.

Oneida certainly are not for the casual listener and Rated O’s triple album length requires commitment. However, the rewards for sticking around are great. Many bands set out to make multi-layered, atmospheric albums that show off their chops, but few succeed as well as Oneida.

Written by: Eleanor Whitney, October 14th 2009

Good Evening

admin — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 23:56:00 +0000

By Nite Jewel

Human Ear Music

Somewhere, there is an indie coming-of-age film that is just begging to be scored by Nite Jewel. Nite Jewel is the stage name of one Ramona Gonzalez, a songwriter and composer who hails from Los Angeles California. Using a multi-track cassette recorder, keyboard, drums and other various instruments, Nite Jewel’s music is reminiscent of that synthesized techno pop sound that reached its pinnacle in the 1980s. Good Evening, Nite Jewel’s newest musical endeavor, is a collection of ten songs that do not disappoint. The songs are a combination of hypnotic trance rhythms, steady dance beats and gentle female vocals. Most of the beats are slow but there is something infectious about them. You end up swaying, if not right out dancing to the music. Despite its being danceable, the music has a relaxing quality to it that makes it perfect background music for everyday activities. One can easily enjoy the music without being distracted with it as they go about their day working, cleaning, and reading. I cannot understand a word being sung in any of the Nite Jewel songs, but I’m not sure I’m supposed to. The soft, murmuring lyrics give the music an ethereal feel (This is most apparent in the track “Chimera”), which only adds to its appeal. Although I enjoyed the entire album, there were two songs that really stood out. The first was “Universal Mind” which possesses a constant, steady beat, but still maintains a beautiful tranquility throughout the track. The second song, “Artificial Intelligence,” is chipper and uplifting and boasts the kind of rhythm that people cannot help but clap along to.

Good Evening plays well as a whole, the songs seamlessly blending from one to the next. My one complaint is that the audio on the album is very soft. I had to turn the volume up considerably on my computer and in my car to hear it properly.

Written by: Victoria Kroeger, June 27th 2009