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SONORAN CHORUS Lagoon Squad EP CITRUS CLOUDS In Time I Am GOOD FRIENDS GREAT ENEMIES Cautiously Poptimistic It seemed that no sooner had Leonardo DiCapricorn disbanded than Sonoran Chorus picked up the remaining pieces and became even stronger. The pieces in this case are Damon Dominguez (bass/vox) and Joe Allie (guitar/vox), who have now teamed up with Alex LeBlanc (guitar/vox) and Troy Penny (drums). If you loved Leonardo DiCapricorn you will probably love Sonoran Chorus more. The sound is a bit more mature, they have three singers, and they still hold tight to loud, fast rules and aggressive hooks. Lagoon Squad is their debut EP, and it’s six tracks of totally raucous, enjoyable indie rock. They’ve taken things up a notch sonically, as well, with Jalipaz of Audioconfusion on board. “Mt. Fuji” opens with a swelling guitar groove and a hint of surf that will immediately draw you in. The histrionic vocal madness is brilliant. Things slow down for only a moment with “Dogs,” until it explodes and Dominguez sounds like he’s about to lose his mind. “Hack” was one of two preview singles, and at just over four minutes it’s the longest song found here. LeBlanc takes vocal duties for what is one of the band’s finest moments. The other single, “Pike,” follows in its wake—the two songs together creating what is essentially the centerpiece of the record—and it is pure thrashing joy. “Lucy” appears as a bit of a surprise, slowing things down with a sentimental ballad for the first half before it becomes a straight-up garage-rock anthem in the middle, only to come back with a soft, sweet end. Lagoon Squad finishes with “Not Fixed,” which laments a wasted evening at an un-fun party and hiding at home alone. It comes across as the confession of a conflicted introvert, and it may be my favorite song here, because I can totally relate to every single word. If you dig psychedelic shoegazing music from the height of the Creation Records era, I’ve got the perfect record for you. Citrus Clouds is the newest project from Erick Pineda (guitar) of Tierra Firme, joined by his girlfriend, Stacy Huttleston (bass), and Anthony Jarero (drums), with all members offering vocals. Together they create a soundscape of beautiful feedback-laden pop songs that are as fascinating as they are hypnotic. One thing I must say is that Huttleston’s vocals are absolutely angelic, and this debut truly shows her talent as a musician. Whether she provides harmonies (“Dreamer”) or takes the lead (“In Time I Am”), her voice is magic. No matter who is doing the singing, the real star is the tapestry of sound these three present. Whether it is Pineda’s dizzying guitar, Huttleston’s thumping bass or the brilliant percussion of Jarero, Citrus Clouds create a sound akin to early My Bloody Valentine, taking a fascinating genre and truly owning it. “Anymore,” “Love Is” and “Forever Friends” are perfect examples of this, where there is as much noise as there is sheer beauty, woven together into moody mosaics accented by dreamlike imagery. There is more than just shoegaze going on here. Tracks like “The Colors” and “Day’s Glow” have a sense of Syd Barrett about them, if he had a more rock-oriented band accompanying him on his solo work. “Day’s Glow” especially stands out for its pop aesthetic and straight-out weirdness. It’s probably my favorite track here, for its more experimental approach in all regards. The finale, “Circus Fluffy Elephant,” is a grinning, unexpected, but somehow light and perfect finish. Through tragedy and triumph Good Friends Great Enemies have returned with their first record in over two years. It also happens to be one of the best indie pop releases of the year. A concise, majestic, magic album, it is best listened to from beginning to end to gain the full effect of its artistry. Some of the songs here are less than a minute long, and yet they are not link tracks, rather full-fledged compositions that express in 44 seconds a total depth of emotion. That is the case with the opener, “I Mean It.” Meanwhile, longer songs, like “Gonna Die” and “Similar Things,” get into jazz explorations that approach mild psychedelia. It is a quirky, fun and lively record and far more than I could have ever hoped for after Evan Bisbee survived a critical auto accident—but survive he did, and so thankfully so. Clearly, the members of Good Friends Great Enemies are lovers of music from all eras and all genres, yet there is a distinctive American feeling here. There are singles in the form of “Hot Sea Men” (go ahead and laugh, it’s all right), “Middle Class Kenny” and “Freshman Year (Song for Jack).” The finale is the epic-length (for them) pocket symphony “Contemptorary,” which is both cleverly titled and one of their finest compositions to date. Nothing here is accidental, and the arrangements are stunning. Whether it’s a swift old-time jazz number like the coy piano bounce of “Ike and Biz” or the thought-provoking rave-up rock of “Nunu the Great and Powerful,” every moment is perfectly constructed. Cautiously Poptimistic is the best thing that Good Friends Great Enemies have ever done, and it is one of the most cohesively crafted albums of 2015: charming, brilliant and unexpected in every way. 32 JAVA MAGAZINE Sounds Around Town By Mitchell L. Hillman
TOBIE MILFORD Listen to the Trees Grow DINERS It’s All True EP DAY BEFORE PLASTICS Explosive Sadness Listening to the music of Tobie Milford is something akin to treating your ears to a luxury item. He is one of the few local musicians whom I have referred to as genius. After hearing Listen to the Trees Grow, his first album in five years, I feel that sentiment holds true. Unlike in his debut, Milford is not exactly flying solo. He is joined by some of the best and the brightest classically trained musicians in Phoenix. This lineup includes Mark Michaud (percussion and recording), Chris Kasych (studio trickery) and the Downtown Chamber Series musicians Leslie Frey Anderegg and Megyn Neff on violin, Mark Dix on viola and Peter Lorenzo Anderegg on cello. Milford’s looping violin is no longer the centerpiece of his work, and he has now turned to concentrate on vocals and keys. The album shows his growth since the release of 2010’s Alyosha, not only as a musician and composer but also as a human being. This is some of the most high-minded music I’ve come across all year and beautifully arranged, which makes it clear why it’s taken five years for this album to follow his debut. I’d have it no other way, and I’d happily wait another five years for another installment of beauty, vulnerability and reflection through Milford’s stunning vision. I sincerely hope we don’t have to wait that long. Still, this is one album that may last through the ages— chronicling the terror and beauty of a man facing adulthood, whether in the opener, “Fear of Music,” in which he accepts music as his path, or “Doctor,” which tells the story of his mother’s wish for him to practice medicine. “Gepetto” is filled with self-doubt, and the majestic “Queen Isabella” tells stories of Milford’s own self-discovery. At times it feels like he is cleansing his soul on record, yet the sheer beauty and vision of his songs cleanse yours, as well. This month I’d planned on writing a feature-length review of Diners III, as I had been following the demos posted throughout 2015. The album isn’t ready yet, but Diners have offered up a five-track EP called It’s All True, with two super-solid singles, and it totally satisfies my craving for their brand of indie pop. According to Tyler Broderick, the EP was “mostly put together with songs originally intended for my upcoming album, III. Recording sessions were farther apart than what I had hoped for, but in the end I believe it was great practice in listening and in imagination!” That definitely comes across on It’s All True. The songs are short and sweet, while exploring more territory in sound than they’ve approached before. Just listen to the intro track, “Really Wanna Know,” and get lost in its wizardry for the 80 seconds. The single-worthy “Must Be Nice” sounds as if post–Pet Sounds Beach Boys had made a slightly snarky song about jealousy, and every second of it is an absolute blast. Meanwhile, “My House” sounds like postgrunge indie pop straight out of the mid-1990s—like a lost single on a K Records 45. “Only You” would be another serious consideration for a single and has such a childlike charm about it, perfectly summing up the total elation and yearning of a wonderful crush. The brief EP finishes with “Speaks to Me,” a song I wish was longer just so my ears could hold on to this record just a little longer. A beautiful, diminutive finale, it makes you crave more, and yet it totally sets the soul at ease. With Diners I’ll take anything I can get, and this 7-inch EP is a perfect pop gem. I hope that next year III will be released and I can dig into their sunshiney vibe track by track. Sounds Around Town By Mitchell L. Hillman Day Before Plastics has been one of my favorite live bands in Arizona since the release of their debut EP, Physical Garbage, well over a year ago. Their followup, Explosive Sadness, shows so much growth that it’s mind blowing. Their debut was one of my favorite EPs of last year, but now it seems like a mere shadow compared to the new album. This isn’t just about quality production but song writing, composition— everything. It’s clear the amount of shows they’ve played have benefitted them tremendously. The singles “Space Beach” and “Papaver” previewed the album nicely but couldn’t really show how it would come together so brilliantly in the end. The stunning “Electric City” starts the record, which is another single in the waiting, with a sound I never would have expected in their catalog. Stylistically, Day Before Plastics are all over the place, from explosive pop to indie rock to country tunes of sadness. In some respects, you wouldn’t even know this was the same band as in their debut. It seems to be their intention to create something of a schizophrenic contrast between songs, or even between the upbeat songs and their lyrics. Still, Explosive Sadness is filled with instant classics, including the aforementioned songs, but also the Dylanesque “Little Darling” or the live favorite “Dog” or the country-style flared finish of “Break My Heart.” The band has never sounded better, and their song writing has grown beautifully intense. This is the sound of a band coming into its own, and it’s fantastic to listen to. I can’t wait to see what’s next from one of the most talented crews in town. For more on these events and other highlights of the Phoenix music scene, check out Mitchell’s blog at http://soundsaroundtown.net. For submissions or suggestions contact him at mitchell@ soundsaroundtown.net JAVA 33 MAGAZINE
Page 1 and 2: 241 • DEC 2015 RACHEL BESS JORGE
Page 3 and 4: Happy Hour Monday - Friday | 7AM-6P
Page 5: HOLIDAY GIFTS THAT DAZZLE RON MAY I
Page 8 and 9: Painter of Darkness and Light By Am
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Page 12 and 13: Jorge Torres Curating the New By De
Page 14 and 15: took on his parents’ love of musi
Page 16 and 17: ARTS CHIP THOMAS at Chartreuse Gall
Page 18 and 19: Rag Collection and Food for the Hun
Page 21 and 22: ocotillo Heats Up Midtown | By Sloa
Page 23 and 24: xxx mass JAVA 23 MAGAZINE
Page 29 and 30: Art Direction: Jen Deveroux & Larry
Page 31: Sweetbleeders are a legendary Phoen
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Page 47 and 48: REGISTER for SPRING 2016 CLASSES

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