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On third LP it’s anything but Luck for Tom Vek!

9 June 2014 By jesse Leave a Comment

tom-vek-announces-new-album-luck_300_300_80_s_c1

On Luck, Tom Vek’s third long player, the London-based artist manages to effortlessly connect the dots between all of his projects and previous albums to make an album that’s both cohesive and progressive.

Maybe it’s to be expected on a Tom Vek LP, but first track “How Am I Meant To Know” like on predecessors (“Hold Your Hand” on Leisure Seizure, “C-C (You Set The Fire In Me)” on We Have Sound) is just jarring and discordant. It could be a test by Vek on each outing: if you can survive this track then you’re prepared for the rest. If you can survive those first 3-4 minutes without skipping then you’re in for a treat….and honestly, to truly experience any album these days you have to listen all the way through.

“Sherman (Animals In The Jungle)” is next and is a hybrid of Vek’s collaboration with DJ Shadow in 2011 with his token sound adding more post punk guitar to the electronic aspects with a low end that just constantly grooves. Elsewhere, the clothing designer and app-innovator continues to expand musically on tracks like “Ton Of Bricks” that starts with a singular synth line until the guitars and percussion rise to a crescendo turning the song into a futuristic version of The Police.

Throughout Luck, though, there’s not one misstep. From “Broke”, which takes beats not unlike those found on We Have Sound to the next level, to the guitar-driven/bass heavy drone of “A Mistake” Vek has produced yet another masterpiece that manages to top his earlier work.

Other highlights (But really, each track is its own highlight) include “The Tongue Avoids The Teeth”, another jangly guitar-driven anthem with a smooth beat, and “Pushing Your Luck” which builds to an unbelievable jam led by Vek’s uncanny vocal delivery.

Luck is out today overseas and on June 10th in North America through Moshi Moshi Records. Pre-orders are available here, here, and here.

Filed Under: Album Reviews, Music, New Releases Tagged With: "Sherman (Animals In The Jungle)", Luck, Moshi Moshi Records, Rock And Roll Fables, Sleevenote, sleevnote app, Tom Vek, tom vek new album

Video View: Tom Vek “Sherman (Animals in the Jungle)”

29 April 2014 By jesse Leave a Comment

tom-vek-announces-new-album-luck_300_300_80_s_c1

It’s no secret that Tom Vek is one of our favorite artists over at RNRF so when news came that his third album was almost upon us, we kinda freaked. We also freaked when a release date for Luck was locked down (June 9th) and then freaked some more when “Sherman (Animals in the Jungle)” was released a short time again.

Now comes the video and guess what we did again? Yeah, we kinda freaked, and once you hear the tune you will too.

The track is a great post-punk little ditty with a fuzzed out bass and some great wailing guitar lines that seem to take inspiration from the track Vek recorded with DJ Shadow some time ago (“Warning Call”). The video is equally exciting when Vek’s uncanny voice cuts through the swath of sound as he shimmies and shakes wearing a self designed shirt no less!

Make sure to follow Tom Vek on Facebook for more info and check out pre-orders for Luck here and here. And if you like what you see here, check us out on FB here.

 

 

Filed Under: Music, New Releases, Video View Tagged With: Luck, Rock And Roll Fables, Tom Vek, tom vek luck

14 for ’14: A Rock And Roll Fables guide to new music in the new year!

14 January 2014 By jesse Leave a Comment

Eagulls-Eagulls

If I follow this thought process, 2025 is going to be a very long post. Anywho, there’s some new music coming out in 2014 that I really think you should pay attention to. Here goes nothing (No particular order, by the way):

1. He Is Legend (Untitled/TBC)

What kind of a band releases the most amazing album of their career and then disbands? He Is Legend, that’s who! But never fear, HIL is back and has been diligently working away on the follow up to 2009’s It Hates You between bouts of touring which should see the light of day this year. Will it live up to its predecessor? With a new song teased to be dropping imminently, we’ll soon have our answer.

 2. Tom Vek (Untitled/TBC)

Um, have you heard Leisure Seizure? If you have then you’ll know why I’m so excited for the third full-length from Tom Vek. The progenitor of Brit-hop makes music in fits and spurts but when it’s finally released it is so worth the wait.

3. Breton: (War Room Stories/February 3)

First single “Envy” has been on a steady rotation in RNRF offices since it was released late last year so the full-length that includes this masterpiece is easily high up there on our most wanted of 2014 list. I can safely tell you, though, that the whole of War Room Stories is brilliant as well. Watch this space for a review soon.

4. Prong (Untitled/TBC)

There is a lot of metal that we’re looking forward to in the new year and Prong is always a proven force of brutality. Their last, Carved Into Stone, managed to capture the entirety of Prong’s illustrious catalog on a single album. Will the follow up be more of the same or a step beyond? Here’s hoping it’s the latter.

5. Maximo Park (Too Much Information/February 3)

“Brain Cells” is the only song you need to hear in 2014 to prove that Maximo Park is not fucking around. Barely a year and a half after the phenomenal A National Health, Too Much Information sounds like an instant classic from the two or three songs released so far.

6. Reverend & The Makers (Thirty Two/February 24)

No song hit me like “Bassline” and the Youth-produced (He, of the mighty Killing Joke who might releasing a new rekkid in 2014) @reverend_makers album in 2012. Friends of Alex Turner who sound like an electrified Happy Mondays, Rev & co. is back with another one that’s sure to rule and first single “Your Girl” is the proof.

7. Nate Newton/Max Cavalera goodness (TBC/Throughout 2014)

Let’s see, there’s the just announced new Cavalera Conspiracy album which will have local boy Nate Newton on bass duties, the Max Cavalera, Greg Puciato, Troy Sanders Killer Be Killed supergroup, oh, and a little band called OLD MAN GLOOM featuring Newton, Aaron Turner, Caleb Scofield, and  Santos Montano all with albums out this year. Three for one. You’re welcome.

8. Dog Fashion Disco (Untitled/Spring)

Another band that soon disbanded after releasing what was probably the best of their career up to that point, Maryland’s Dog Fashion Disco is back and at it again with their first new record since 2006’s Adultery. Recording begins later this month. Adultery was, hands down, the band’s best which means the follow up can only be better.

9, Primitive Race (Untitled/TBC)

The only industrial album you need to seek out in 2014! The brainchild of Chris Kniker, this veritable supergroup features Raymond Watts (New PIG in 2014 please?), Burton Bell, Chris Vrenna (In some capacity although he’s since left the group/recording project), Graham Crabb of Pop Will Eat Itself, Luc Van Acker, Kourtney Klein…the list goes on. There’s an EP on the way along with, hopefully, a full-length. Follow them on Twitter and Facebook for the latest additions and news.

10. Nachtmystium (The World We Left Behind/ Spring 2014)

The final Nachtmystium album! Blake Judd is sure to go out with a scream and not a whimper when he puts the final nail in the coffin of his black metal/prog band. “Voyager” was released towards the end of 2013 and gives a little taste of the upcoming long player which sounds more like the experimental Assassins: Black Meddle , Part 1 than 2012’s Silencing Machine.

11. Marriages (Untitled/TBC)

Emma Ruth Rundle and the boys are back with another slab of female-fronted Isis-like shoegaze post rock. It’ll be epic and you should buy it.

12. Crowbar (Untitled/TBC)

Kirk Windsrein left Down to focus on Crowbar so you know he means business especially when it comes to their 25th anniversary. 2011’s Sever The Wicked Hand was a refreshing return to form melding the New Orleans sludge of ’93’s Crowbar with the sonic brilliance of Odd Fellows Rest so frankly, the sky’s the limit for this one.

13. Combichrist: (We Love You/March 25)

Aggro-industrial at its best, Combichrist is destined to deliver a wallop on their latest if first single “From My Cold Dead Hands” is even an inkling of an indicator of where the rest of We Love You is headed.

14. Eagulls (Eagulls/March 4)

This is kind of cheating because I have this one but if you’ve heard “Nerve Endings” or “Tough Luck” already then you know that this post-punk outfit means business. The rest of Eagulls is no joke. You’ve been warned.

Also worth your time in 2014 are new albums from: Guster, White Noise Owl, Mastodon, Hank & Cupcakes, Slipknot, Fear Factory, Godflesh, and Bells Into Machines featuring Paul Barker and Chris Connelly

Filed Under: Music, New Releases, Rock And Roll Fables Tagged With: Bells Into Machines, Breton, breton band, Chris Kniker, Combichrist, Crowbar band, Dog Fashion Disco, Eagulls, He Is Legend, Maximo Park, Nate Newton, Old Man Gloom 2014, Primitive Race, Prong, Tom Vek, War Room Stories

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