Bay Area based experimental folk rock singer/songwriter, Todd Umhoefer, better known as Old Earth has given us the pleasure of premiering his brand new EP entitled ...until they're called. If the name of his collaborative music project doesn't give you an idea of the sound of his music, we can surely report that this new Old Earth release is rootsy, earthy and folk rock based with strong elements of avant classical music.

The album features four other musicians, mysteriously referred to as, Burnett, Fritch, Lopez and Moen bring an eerie "Sleepy Hollow" style of depth to the three track EP. There are a couple creative elements that we like: first thing is that the three songs are composed to musically play into one another, making the EP one long 12 minute track. We also like that Umhoefer collaborates with a female vocalist, as mixed gender collaborations seem to be cropping up in the local folk scene these days. We've recently seen Travis Hayes work a female voice into his new music and we think it's cool.

Old Earth is a polished but not self serving solo project that has a lot of sincerity and even more portential. He's got the "knowing" vibe of Neutral Milk Hotel and is willing to take creative risks

Enjoy Old Earth's ....until they're called in its entirety below via bandcamp.com

Beauty Pill's new album "Beauty Pill Describes Things As They Are" was released last Tuesday, April 21 via Butterscotch Records. The album comes 11 years after the band's last release and after band leader Chad Clark survived a rare and typically fatal heart disease. It's a deeply personal political album that combines the experimental side of indie rock with wholly new layers of electronics, beats and samples. Check oiut the video for "Dog with Rabbit in Mouth Unharmed."

Remants, the latest album from Cambridge/Boston’s The Living Sleep, is one of the most calming, beautiful collections of sounds I’ve heard all year. The tracks that incorporate viola and cello are the most impressive, reminding me of a more modern, less-stuffy version of chamber music--something you’ll actually want to listen to for more than twenty seconds.

The piano melodies are wonderfully arranged throughout the entire record, each played more delicately and deliberately than the last. When accompanied by the strings (ex: “The Last Serenade”), the result is a soothing composition capable of dissolving even the most stressful of days.

For updates about The Living Sleep, check out their Facebook page.

-Dan McMahon (@dmcmhn)
Photo credit: Adem Dayıoğlu

Yeah Great Fine hasn’t released any new music for quite some time, and their single release at The Liquor Store on SE Belmont was a perfect snapshot of the articulate, experimental beauty that can only be found in the swells and lulls of math rock. 

Glass Knees played first, drawing the small crowd in with simultaneously melodic and hard-hitting jams, soaring synths blended with highly technical drums and guitar. They closed out their set in a very unique way, by inviting the entire audience to use an assortment of small percussive instruments to play along with the band, which might sound hokey, but made the audience come alive.

By comparison Mothertapes played a much slower set, starting out with exactly what you’d expect from a two-piece: pure rhythm. But as their set progressed they developed lilting melodies that built upon themselves through unexpected guitar effects and vocals. Watching their live show feels very much like watching a scientist discover a new element: every piece is so calculated, so intentional, and symmetrical—everything you crave from an evening of math rock.

Yeah Great Fine closed out the night and the two new tracks they premiered displayed an element of refinement that their previous EP and album lacked. That isn’t to say the new songs aren’t as energetic, but rather, they have focused their energy, which can be hard to do with six members, but somehow, even on the small stage in The Liquor Store basement, they pulled it off, with an air of playfulness that had the entire crowd completely captivated.

Check out Yeah Great Fine’s new singles, “Ketsu” and “Stallion” on Bandcamp. AND, check out Katie Summer's photos of Yeah Great Fine, Mothertapes and Glass Knees from their show Wednesday night at the Liquore store. 

-Sarah Eaton 

Treefort Music Fest 2015 was an absolute whirlwind. In their biggest and unarguably most successful year yet, the festival had non-stop fantastic musical curation throughout the entire long weekend. Waking up each morning with a gnarly hangover, the only admirable thing to do was to pop into Big City Coffee for a heartstopping breakfast burrito and a few cups of coffee while checking out the festival schedule to figure out your show and drinking route for the day, then, hit the ground running. Check out our photo recap, including shots of Viet Cong, Foxygen, Built To Spill, Yahct, And And And, Aan, The Domestics, Bed., Wooden Indial Burrial Ground, Grandparents and more. Photos by Drew Bandy, Adam Smith, Jessica Pierson and Grahame Bywater.