Spring Offerings
BY BURAK ŞAHİN (IR/IV)
burak_s@ug.bilkent.edu.tr
Listening to some new bands and their songs can be good for you during midterm exams. I would like to introduce you to some little-known but great bands that I've just discovered: Day Joy, NO and Wake! Owl.
Day Joy
This band, which consists of Michael Serrin and Peter Michael Perceval, is an Orlando-based folk band. After their digital 7" "New Ordinary," Day Joy released their "Animal Noise" EP. Instead of my words, here's how they describe themselves on their bandcamp page (http://dayjoy.bandcamp.com/): "Day Joy's music began from friendship and humble beginnings writing on the porch late at night in dreamy Orlando FL. It moved into the living room where it has developed into the lush and layered recordings you hear now with the help of some modest recording equipment and a little bit of liquor." Their suitability is reflected in the tracks and on the EP cover, too. The songs "Bone and Bloody" and "Animal Noise" can be your soundtrack to a day that passes in peace and quiet. You won't be disturbed while listening to "Destroyer" and "Talks of Terror," which can be considered as experimental tracks, with their howling melodies. Instead, you'll enjoy hearing different things. Day Joy's sound resembles dream pop/folk, say many of the reviews of their EP on blogs/websites, but don't decide until you've listened to this enthusiastic duo.
NO
Talking about a new band with reference to a well-known one is kind of a trend in terms of describing a band's sound. I don't like it very much because it doesn't show much respect to new bands' efforts, but I'd like to use it here in a positive manner. The Los Angeles-based band NO immediately reminded me of The National, one of my favorite bands. "NO is a five piece 'post hymnal-anthematic' indie rock band from Echo Park, Los Angeles. In July 2011 a group of friends got together in a small house on Mohawk Street. Using whatever gear they could find they recorded a collection of songs they had written together throughout the past year on various neighborhood stoops, in bedrooms, lounges and balconies" is how they introduce themselves on their website (http://nomusicfor.me). The band has released their first EP, "Don't Worry, You'll Be Here Forever," and shot an amazing music video for the "Stay With Me" track. They're already listed in NME's "Best New Bands from Outside the UK." NO tells stories in their tracks in a simple and casual way, but they have more to tell for sure, so keep following them.
Wake! Owl
I guess Spring somehow leads me to folk bands. Wake! Owl (or maybe just Wake Owl without an exclamation mark -- I'm not sure) is another folk band, but from Vancouver, Canada, which probably should have reminded me of snow and cold. The band is fronted by Colyn Cameron, with his beautiful voice. Wake! Owl released their debut EP "Wild Country" in November 2011, but I discovered them last month on one of the blogs I follow. The EP has five tracks (which can be listened to on their bandcamp page, http://wakeowl.bandcamp.com/), with an acoustic sound and also a violin. "Grow" and "Wild Country" in particular show Cameron's vocal and lyric-writing talents. "These five songs were written over the past 7 months. After spending time with them, re-working and editing parts, they were brought into the studio for recording and further musical arrangement. I am very grateful to have had the opportunity to work with Producer Dave Meszaros and some very talented musicians building them into what they are on this EP. It was one awesome time!" says Cameron.