Hello this is actually a first for me this is the first really "indie" band I ever reviewed because I got this email asking me to review this album and I said alright sure ill do it as soon as I'm done with the stuff I'm doing now and now I'm finish so here we are and by the way if you know anyone who wants me to review any independent music email me and the music ill get to it.
I was talking to Zach about the band and he said: "Well, the band -- Heidi Klum's Bangs -- is my brother (his name is Dylan; he's 17 years old) and me (my name, of course, is Zach [Beck]; I'm 22 years old). Dylan plays drums, keys, orchestral bells, and marimba. I write the songs and sing the words and play guitar, trumpet, keys, and orchestral bells. We're from Mountain Home, Arkansas, which is a really small town that has . . . like . . . a Wal-Mart Supercenter, a bunch of retirees, and a building that used to be the roller rink but is now a doctor's office or a dentist's office or something, and that's pretty much itt. Dylan and I have been making music together as Heidi Klum's Bangs for about 18 months now, but before that -- like 3 or 4 four years ago --we had this awesome, like, post-rock /experimental / ambient (for lack of a better term) called Thee Children of Light, but that was pretty much just Dylan messing around on Fruity Loops. Not that it wasn't good; it was excellent, I think. We recorded an EP called On the Horizon, which I still have on my iPod, but I don't think anyone else has ever heard any of it. And I knew literally nothing about music at that point, so it was mainly just Dylan noodling around. I didn't come in until the last 15 seconds of the EP and that was only to sing the chorus of that folk song Shortnin' Bread. But that doesn't really have anything to do with this. Haha."
Ok so I was interviewing zach "beck" of HKB and he told me about this albums influences: "This album is called Palace Pier and we recorded and produced it ourselves over the course of eight months in our basement. I think it could probably best be described as indie folk or psych folk, but who am I to say? I try not to classify the music that I myself make, but I was really influenced by Elephant 6 -- esp. Neutral Milk Hotel -- and other bands like Beirut and The Antlers and Sufjan Stevens, and I think maybe that shows up a bit in the sound and feel of the album."
He explained: "Well, Palace Pier is definitely a story/theme album. The songs are all interrelated and interconnected, but I won't try to explain what the album is "about" because obviously any work of art means something specifically to each individual person, so it's entirely not my place to try to say "this means this," and anyway, when I write songs, I generally try not to think about what the song means or what it's about. I focus more on how do I feel? and how does this make me feel? and, of course, there is always a scene or a set of images that are in and that flash across my mind, so mostly I just allow myself to be absorbed by the image and the feelings that accompany it and then open my head and mouth and let the words come out. But the theme of the album sorta has to do with the transience of things sorta like coming to grips with the undeniable certainty of the passing moment and striving to find some way to keep it with you."
He also told me that he also had a book influence his lyrics "I was rereading Virginia Woolf's To the Lighthouse and was quite moved and inspired by just how beautiful that novel is and how beautifully it is written and I would say that it's probably responsible at least a fair amount for a lot of the sea imagery in the album and the usage of the sea as a symbol representing the passing of time and the distance between two people or two points in one's life and so several of the songs came out during and soon after that, and things were just sorta coming apart in my life as well, and I was really preoccupied with everything changing and passing and disintegrating, and I guess I wrote the album to try to come to grips with all that and comfort myself a bit with the thought that the present is the present and soon to be the past but is not the future, and the bad things that happen eventually slip into distant memory and are forgotten but that we can always hold onto the good things and the feelings we have or have had if we always keep them with us in our minds and hearts and refuse to give them up or forget them. And Palace Pier is a pier in the seaside town of Brighton, England, and is a bit of a reference to someone who resides there and who inspired a lot of these songs and is involved in the scenes in my head and in dreams I had and other stuff, too, but that a whole nother story, so . . . yeah . . . we won't go into all that here. Hah. The goal of the album was to try to make something beautiful and meaningful and to connect with someone in some way, shape, or form, and make him or her feel something. Basically we're just striving to put some good into the world."
Well now that you all know about the roots of this great band now its time for some notes on the albums songs... If you want the album its here please be generous at least put $1 if you have a credit car
1. The window: in the beginning there's a ring. Then more rings and sounds of a beach or park. Then the tings of a xylophone start with the drums. "One" and a totally new sound is created the acoustic guitars starts and then the drums and xylophone. Ok the lyrics are pretty strange " painted waves. Changing shape. That smooth tattoo. Pulsing through. The beams of light. In soft cascade. To silver night. Let's watch it fade." The lyrics are gone but the music doesn't stop. In fact the drums get more and more explosive. The drums seem crazy and out of beat but once the horn starts the drums sound organized and the xylophone just sounds great in the background. The slowing down of the song gives way to...
2. Salt shaker: acoustic guitar strums and a xylophone plays. The guitar starts undergoing a change. The lyrics and vocals remind me of pavement song. Wooo this song gets better with every layer of instruments with horns and xylophones and the drums. The great thing about the album is that I have the lyrics. The song collapses after he says "looooouuuuudddd" and then it starts back again. Just as great as the first part.
3. Leigh: horn, acoustic guitar start off, the chill piano and the awesome drums go on being crazed and psychedelic. While the lyrics talk about being at a carnival with a girl called Leigh. The song is very cool. Reminds me of the flaming lips except the lyrics aren't depressing. The song is fun and cool and I enjoy this songs grand feeling.
4. The sea runs red and gold: keyboard and xylophone attack. The lyrics are always about love for some reason im not complaining though. The horn is great and the twinkling awesome "ahhhh" feeling takes over you when listening to this great album. The instrumentation amazes me and the back ground keyboard sound always present is just perfect.
5. Skye: the vocals start by themselves. Xylophone starts keyboard drones and a familiar park/beach scene is heard.
6. Ten years before: guitar. Acoustic. Vocals start and lyrics about a girl again. The familiar sound the xylophones the drums the guitar and the ever present keyboard plays. What band obtains a unique sound as quick and good as them?
7. On the quay: "and again and again..." the cold acoustic guitar plays a sad heart break song. The feeling of hurt is beaming around and the voice of disappointment is felt. Tears fall and streams dry the feeling of sadness is felt but in the best way it could be told. At 4:08 the song changes to fast strumming acoustic and the sadness is slowly fading away.
8. Spinning eye: a tv blip pops up. Vocals start I can feel a someone still loves you boris Yeltsin happiness and the female vocals make the song alot better. The calmness the quick song ends so soon. The song is so great could be my favorite.
9. The horizontal drawing near: lo-fi keys play of both keyboard and xylophone while the drums play. Tje vocals are great. The guy might not have the best voice in the world but his voice is confident and he uses his voice very well.
10. In midstream: horns. Strum. Acoustic. Vocals start and acoustic continues. The lyrics say " I saw you staring out in midstream. And I saw the water trailing around your knees. And I felt love move inside of me. Silence unbroken and the past has claimed the scene" the song continues after the vocals end and its a good savory instrumental.
11. Brighton: seagulls. The same daydream of a park/beach scene continues on to this song xylophone and all.
12. Palace pier: the beaming ting. Acoustic syarts againg and his vocals start. Another love song and the grander the drums the bigger the atmosphere of the song.
13. The lighthouse: this is a long song. Acoustic starts. He talks about love in general then moves on to a girl. The horn is great it is loud and doesn't steal the show but it stops when the vocals start and starts when the vocals end. The drums start late but when it does the atmosphere of the song expands and gets grander. The song makes me think about how this band has a great sound and without electric guitars or a bass guitar. Clear skies and bright sun that describes the atmosphere.
Wow this album is great this is an independant band but it seems so good they should get more listeners and this is the best acoustic only album I've heard this year. I don't just recommend you listen to the album I urg you and insist you do it. Amazing sound amazing vocals. I can't classify it but its grand and full of love.
I was talking to Zach about the band and he said: "Well, the band -- Heidi Klum's Bangs -- is my brother (his name is Dylan; he's 17 years old) and me (my name, of course, is Zach [Beck]; I'm 22 years old). Dylan plays drums, keys, orchestral bells, and marimba. I write the songs and sing the words and play guitar, trumpet, keys, and orchestral bells. We're from Mountain Home, Arkansas, which is a really small town that has . . . like . . . a Wal-Mart Supercenter, a bunch of retirees, and a building that used to be the roller rink but is now a doctor's office or a dentist's office or something, and that's pretty much itt. Dylan and I have been making music together as Heidi Klum's Bangs for about 18 months now, but before that -- like 3 or 4 four years ago --we had this awesome, like, post-rock /experimental / ambient (for lack of a better term) called Thee Children of Light, but that was pretty much just Dylan messing around on Fruity Loops. Not that it wasn't good; it was excellent, I think. We recorded an EP called On the Horizon, which I still have on my iPod, but I don't think anyone else has ever heard any of it. And I knew literally nothing about music at that point, so it was mainly just Dylan noodling around. I didn't come in until the last 15 seconds of the EP and that was only to sing the chorus of that folk song Shortnin' Bread. But that doesn't really have anything to do with this. Haha."
Ok so I was interviewing zach "beck" of HKB and he told me about this albums influences: "This album is called Palace Pier and we recorded and produced it ourselves over the course of eight months in our basement. I think it could probably best be described as indie folk or psych folk, but who am I to say? I try not to classify the music that I myself make, but I was really influenced by Elephant 6 -- esp. Neutral Milk Hotel -- and other bands like Beirut and The Antlers and Sufjan Stevens, and I think maybe that shows up a bit in the sound and feel of the album."
He explained: "Well, Palace Pier is definitely a story/theme album. The songs are all interrelated and interconnected, but I won't try to explain what the album is "about" because obviously any work of art means something specifically to each individual person, so it's entirely not my place to try to say "this means this," and anyway, when I write songs, I generally try not to think about what the song means or what it's about. I focus more on how do I feel? and how does this make me feel? and, of course, there is always a scene or a set of images that are in and that flash across my mind, so mostly I just allow myself to be absorbed by the image and the feelings that accompany it and then open my head and mouth and let the words come out. But the theme of the album sorta has to do with the transience of things sorta like coming to grips with the undeniable certainty of the passing moment and striving to find some way to keep it with you."
He also told me that he also had a book influence his lyrics "I was rereading Virginia Woolf's To the Lighthouse and was quite moved and inspired by just how beautiful that novel is and how beautifully it is written and I would say that it's probably responsible at least a fair amount for a lot of the sea imagery in the album and the usage of the sea as a symbol representing the passing of time and the distance between two people or two points in one's life and so several of the songs came out during and soon after that, and things were just sorta coming apart in my life as well, and I was really preoccupied with everything changing and passing and disintegrating, and I guess I wrote the album to try to come to grips with all that and comfort myself a bit with the thought that the present is the present and soon to be the past but is not the future, and the bad things that happen eventually slip into distant memory and are forgotten but that we can always hold onto the good things and the feelings we have or have had if we always keep them with us in our minds and hearts and refuse to give them up or forget them. And Palace Pier is a pier in the seaside town of Brighton, England, and is a bit of a reference to someone who resides there and who inspired a lot of these songs and is involved in the scenes in my head and in dreams I had and other stuff, too, but that a whole nother story, so . . . yeah . . . we won't go into all that here. Hah. The goal of the album was to try to make something beautiful and meaningful and to connect with someone in some way, shape, or form, and make him or her feel something. Basically we're just striving to put some good into the world."
Well now that you all know about the roots of this great band now its time for some notes on the albums songs... If you want the album its here please be generous at least put $1 if you have a credit car
1. The window: in the beginning there's a ring. Then more rings and sounds of a beach or park. Then the tings of a xylophone start with the drums. "One" and a totally new sound is created the acoustic guitars starts and then the drums and xylophone. Ok the lyrics are pretty strange " painted waves. Changing shape. That smooth tattoo. Pulsing through. The beams of light. In soft cascade. To silver night. Let's watch it fade." The lyrics are gone but the music doesn't stop. In fact the drums get more and more explosive. The drums seem crazy and out of beat but once the horn starts the drums sound organized and the xylophone just sounds great in the background. The slowing down of the song gives way to...
2. Salt shaker: acoustic guitar strums and a xylophone plays. The guitar starts undergoing a change. The lyrics and vocals remind me of pavement song. Wooo this song gets better with every layer of instruments with horns and xylophones and the drums. The great thing about the album is that I have the lyrics. The song collapses after he says "looooouuuuudddd" and then it starts back again. Just as great as the first part.
3. Leigh: horn, acoustic guitar start off, the chill piano and the awesome drums go on being crazed and psychedelic. While the lyrics talk about being at a carnival with a girl called Leigh. The song is very cool. Reminds me of the flaming lips except the lyrics aren't depressing. The song is fun and cool and I enjoy this songs grand feeling.
4. The sea runs red and gold: keyboard and xylophone attack. The lyrics are always about love for some reason im not complaining though. The horn is great and the twinkling awesome "ahhhh" feeling takes over you when listening to this great album. The instrumentation amazes me and the back ground keyboard sound always present is just perfect.
5. Skye: the vocals start by themselves. Xylophone starts keyboard drones and a familiar park/beach scene is heard.
6. Ten years before: guitar. Acoustic. Vocals start and lyrics about a girl again. The familiar sound the xylophones the drums the guitar and the ever present keyboard plays. What band obtains a unique sound as quick and good as them?
7. On the quay: "and again and again..." the cold acoustic guitar plays a sad heart break song. The feeling of hurt is beaming around and the voice of disappointment is felt. Tears fall and streams dry the feeling of sadness is felt but in the best way it could be told. At 4:08 the song changes to fast strumming acoustic and the sadness is slowly fading away.
8. Spinning eye: a tv blip pops up. Vocals start I can feel a someone still loves you boris Yeltsin happiness and the female vocals make the song alot better. The calmness the quick song ends so soon. The song is so great could be my favorite.
9. The horizontal drawing near: lo-fi keys play of both keyboard and xylophone while the drums play. Tje vocals are great. The guy might not have the best voice in the world but his voice is confident and he uses his voice very well.
10. In midstream: horns. Strum. Acoustic. Vocals start and acoustic continues. The lyrics say " I saw you staring out in midstream. And I saw the water trailing around your knees. And I felt love move inside of me. Silence unbroken and the past has claimed the scene" the song continues after the vocals end and its a good savory instrumental.
11. Brighton: seagulls. The same daydream of a park/beach scene continues on to this song xylophone and all.
12. Palace pier: the beaming ting. Acoustic syarts againg and his vocals start. Another love song and the grander the drums the bigger the atmosphere of the song.
13. The lighthouse: this is a long song. Acoustic starts. He talks about love in general then moves on to a girl. The horn is great it is loud and doesn't steal the show but it stops when the vocals start and starts when the vocals end. The drums start late but when it does the atmosphere of the song expands and gets grander. The song makes me think about how this band has a great sound and without electric guitars or a bass guitar. Clear skies and bright sun that describes the atmosphere.
Wow this album is great this is an independant band but it seems so good they should get more listeners and this is the best acoustic only album I've heard this year. I don't just recommend you listen to the album I urg you and insist you do it. Amazing sound amazing vocals. I can't classify it but its grand and full of love.
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