BLONDFIRE – YOUNG HEART
This sister-brother duo happily released their second full-length album Young Heart. It was quite the journey to this point. Erica and Bruce Driscoll were born and raised in Grand Rapids, Michigan; however, it was their summers that molded their musical palates, as they spent them in their mother’s native Brazil. The duo, who now calls Los Angeles home, cites Antionio Carlos Jobim, Astrud Gilberto, and Caetano Veloso as some of their early influences.
Their musical journey started as the band Nectar which also included their older sister Monica. As Nectar the three siblings toured nationally. Erica and Bruce later developed the band Astaire, which grew in popularity after having an iTunes free download of L-L-Love. Not long after, while touring, the siblings received a cease and desist order on behalf of the estate of Fred Astaire threatening legal action. The transformation to Blondfire was set in motion. Erica describes how they came upon that offbeat name;
“We were driving around with friends and someone said ‘I smell a bonfire,’” she recalls. “We thought they said ‘Blondfire,’ and at first we kind of jokingly said it should be our name – but it stuck. We liked the fact that it was masculine and feminine at the same time. It represented who we are in a cool way.”
After leaving EMI, amid structural hierarchy changes, the band self-released their debut My Someday in 2008. In November of 2011 the Driscoll’s put out a new single ‘Where the Kids Are’ which was quickly picked up by Honda to soundtrack their 2012 Civic commercials. The duo continued to work on new music, expanding on their 2013 EP Where the Kids Are to complete Young Heart.
Young Hearts showcases the dreamy electro-rock sound they’ve honed in on. The catchy sound sticks to the brain like a saccharine tune on your tongue. The title track opens the record with an inviting soft harmony laced with Erica’s floating, airy voice. The next four tracks were all on their aforementioned 2013 EP. The drum, synth single ‘Where the Kids Are’ opens the door up to their musical prowess the siblings have developed. ‘Waves’ introduced us to Erica’s young Stevie Nicks’ sound with a song that could have snuck its way onto Fleetwood Mac’s Tusk. Leaving the Brazilian influenced acoustic guitar behind ‘Walking with Giants’ takes a welcome dance-pop turn on the album. Their ethereal vocals mix perfectly with the new instrumental setup, adding depth to their performance on the record. The second half of the album is anchored by anthem driven ‘We Are One’. As this album proves and as ‘The Only Ones’ states “it’s not over” for this sibling duo.
Top Tracks
Where the Kids Are
Life of the Party
Waves
The Only Ones
Walking with Giants
B Rating: 89
R Rating: 76
Overall: 82.5
Local Dates: Monday, April 14th The Sounds (headliner) with Blondfire and Ghost Beach
Like this album? Try….from 2013
Wild Cub – Youth
Royal Teeth – Glow
Cayucas – Bigfoot
The Colourists - Lido
TEMPLES – SUN STRUCTURES
Temples is part of the new wave of neo-psychedelic rock including Foxygen, Tame Impala, Diane Coffee, Of Montreal, and returning 90s staples Neutral Milk Hotel and Elf Power. These bands have rediscovered the sounds of 60s trip-rock and made it their own. Though they’re relatively new to the scene as Temples, band architects James Edward Bagshaw (guitar, vocals) and Thomas Edison Warmsley (bass) fit right in with the giant splash their genre mates turned into a tidal wave of followers that spans the globe. The band formed in Kettering, Northamptonshire in 2012 with the addition of Sam Toms (drums) and Adam Smith (keyboard, guitar), initially as a home studio project. In November of 2013 the group announced their debut album Sun Structures on Heavenly Recordings.
Coming on the heels of the American celebration of the Beatles first show in the US, the release of Sun Structures comes at a perfect time. There are similar elements at play as the Beatles ’66-’67 releases, Revolver, Sgt. Peppers, and Magical Mystery Tour. The album is strewn with guitar play similar to fellow English rockers The Byrds, but this long haired British foursome is a show all their own on their debut.
The album begins with the track that created serious buzz around the group when it was released in late 2012. ‘Shelter Song’ begins with classic psych guitar welcoming heavy systematic drums before joining conversational echoing vocals. There’s no doubt why this song catapulted Temples to the forefront of UK music headlines, garnering praise from the likes of Johnny Marr and Noel Gallagher. The songs that make up this album all do an incredible job of mixing together perfectly as the tracks build. The title track is tops out just above 5 minutes long, but you get entranced by it and by the time it finishes you feel like an hour has passed. ‘Keep in the Dark’ is laden with the simple guitar play and drumming that makes it reminiscent of the Grateful Dead. ‘Fragment Light’ brings the album to a close with a daydream evoking serenade.
The album somehow finds the space between hazy lyrics and crisp instrumentals to bring the acid rock jams to life. Throughout the 12 songs the lyrics span a wide assortment including conversational, narrative, poetic, and religious themes.
Top Tracks
Shelter Song
Colours of Life
The Guesser
Sand Dance
B Rating: 78
R Rating: 85
Overall: 81.5
Local Dates: No local dates announced
Like this album? Try….from 2013
Elf Power – Sunlight on the Moon
Foxygen – We Are the 21st Century Ambassadors of Peace & Magic
Diane Coffee – My Friend Fish
Of Montreal – lousy with sylvianbriar
Kurt Vile – Walkin on a Pretty Daze
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