Dawn Delayed

Dawn Delayed is an interesting band that specializes in alternative rock. They have a very fascinating sound that is coated with ambiance. The verses approach and almost-psychedelic sounds while the chorus brings the rock back into the mix. I believe that the band themselves best describe their sound:

If the music of Dawn Delayed was a movie, it would probably be a romantic thriller. This Helsinki-based four-piece rock band makes music that has a definite dramatic edge to it – at times it is even downright dark – but at the same time, it is somehow very warm and comforting.

Being the first band I have ever heard from Finland, they had the difficult task of making a good first impression, and they came through. This type of sound isn’t what I would normally listen to, but I certainly feel I could listen to Dawn Delayed. They seem to incorporate both a relaxing melody and the instrumentation of rock. Speaking of instrumentation, their recordings seem to be very balanced and clean. There’s not quite as many difficult things as I’ve seen in other bands but they use simplistic sounds to create an overall quality that many other bands lack. The drummer seems to be very original in his works which is fairly common with all alternative rock bands. The guitars have a good mix of styles while preserving the ambient sound of the band. The vocals from this band are great; I have no complaints.

Final Word
Dawn Delayed has a lot of potential in the future. You can check them out here. It takes a lot to really make it as a band and if the members of Dawn Delayed ever read this, I have one piece of advice for you: persevere. Persistence is key to a band’s success (or failure). Keep this in mind and continue rocking for both yourselves and your admirers. Best of luck.




-ishibustim

Falling From Grace

Falling From Grace is an alternative rock band from Australia that has already received some recognition. I listened to every song that these guys have on their myspace (http://www.myspace.com/fallingfromgracevictoria) because I could not hear enough of them. They have a good blend between the high energy anthems and the deep acoustic grooves. This band uses three guitar players and they do it well. Rather than two playing a single riff and one playing lead, they use all three to their advantage and the result is rather tasteful.

My favorite of the songs on their demo would have to be Crazy. I like how the intro is done with the acoustic/lead guitar. It’s a great way to start off the song; it draws the listener in. This song also shows their talent as a band. They sound very together and sure of their parts. I also like the singer’s voice in this song. It shows how extensive his range really is. As far as the drums and bass, I can tell they fall into a groove together because of the complexities of their rhythms working together. The true definition of a rhythm section is shown by this band: the drums and bass working together to add to the overall ambience and complexion of the band. Falling From Grace knows instrumentation.

Final Word
Falling From Grace seems to have been arranged by only the most godly of men. They have such a unique sound, which is often hard to find anymore. I believe that more bands should be like these guys. Only one problem: no download links. They do say that their demo is available for purchase at any of their shows, but I’m not sure if the half-day flight is worth it. Although it might be once they release a full album. I plan on bookmarking their page in my browser just to listen to them. Best of luck guys. You’ll make it, I’m sure.

[UPDATE] I have contacted them and they accommodated me since I live so far from them.

-ishibustim

Drive Like I Do...

Drive Like I Do… is an unsigned band from the United Kingdom. They have several recordings of their original works on their myspace page which can be found here. The first song I listened to was We Are The Street Fighters and I instantly liked what I heard. They have a very unique sound that seems to combine the instrumentation of classic rock while incorporating elements from alternative and punk rock. I also liked that the song had some comedic value with the line

Your ninjas are a joke...

which seems to reference the title of the song. The general feeling of the song is somewhat uplifting and has an almost "epic" sound that I tend to search for in most of the music I listen to.


After the first couple lines, I wasn't sure if I was going to like the singer's voice, but I found that I did like his style by the end of the song. The guitar and drums in this song are amazing. I like all of the breaks followed by the drum fills. Something else that really drew me into this song is how there are two guitars playing slightly different riffs but at the same time, complimenting each other. I noticed some rhythms in this song that tend to only be used by more skilled bands. One such rhythm is a simple quarter note triplet, which alone shows that they have a decent understanding of music theory to incorporate a rhythm that is often overlooked.


Final Word
These guys know their instruments and seem to be very solid as a band. It takes a lot to be a great musician and still sound together and balanced when playing with other musicians. I have seen many bands fail just because they can't play well together. That characteristic is one of the most important things a band can possess. I really think that Drive Like I Do... is a great band and will have much success in the future. Best of luck to our friends over the pond.



-ishibustim

Feels Like The First Time...

Welcome to Flip to Side B! I am very excited about this project and am going to go full force into it. I plan to find bands that are unknown to the public and listen thoroughly to them and then put in my 2 cents about their instrumentation and overall musical ability. After playing drums in the same band for the past four years, I feel that I can evaluate the depth and quality of the music presented to me. This is where the title of this blog comes in: if well known bands are 'A' bands, then the unknown ones are 'B' bands. It just happens to be that 'A' and 'B' sides were used for both vinyls and tapes in the earlier days of music. I will consistently post at least two bands up per week. If you have any recommendations for a band, please feel free to post a comment listing the band name and a link to where I can hear some of their recordings. Also feel free to post a comment if you wish to respond to my critiques. I want this to be a very interactive setting.

See You Soon!
-ishibustim