Album Review: Timber Timbre- Hot Dreams

        Timber Timbre have released four studio albums before the release of Hot Dreams. The first two albums from this Canadian group, Cedar Shakes and Medicinals, are deep into the sound of very lo-fi folk/ americana music. Their self-titled 2009 album saw a drastic change in tone and overall sound. The first two albums felt like a sad man sitting around the campfire singing songs of woe on his 35 year old guitar. The 2009 release felt like a ghost whispering to you in a church. With a new found love for reverb and cinematic scale, Timber Timbre jumped into a sound that felt much more like what they wanted to produce. And if that album wasn't creepy enough, in 2011 Timber Timbre released Creep On Creepin' On. It's very rare for an album's title to match the feel and mood of the record as well as this one does. With an even bigger scale then Timber Timbre and a new found sexiness to the music, during 2011 this was one of my favorite records of the year, and since then, I've only come to enjoy the album more and more with every listen.
        The 5th studio album from Timber Timbre lives up to the hype I've surrounded it in. And like Creep On Creepin' On, Hot Dreams' music and tone lives up to the name. Hot Dreams signifies for Timber Timbre a settling in with a sound. Now when I say this, I don't mean it as a bad thing. The first four records from Timber Timbre all felt like different bands were making them, even with Taylor Kirk's brooding voice front and center in all of them. From Creep On Creepin' On to Hot Dreams feels like the most natural transition from the band to date. When listening to Hot Dreams I feel like I'm listening to the band that created Creep On Creepin' On, and with this record, Timber Timbre has evolved from the weird creepy man in the shadows to the band very much like in the music video for "Hot Dreams", Timber Timbre on this record feel like those guys that play smooth music in the strip club.
        From the first moments of Hot Dreams, the one word to describe the feeling is cinematic. I feel like I'm listening to the soundtrack for an 1970's horror b-movie, equal parts terror and sex. Timber Timbre have used their continually evolving love towards reverb and big sound to create A record that, even in a year of an onslaught of great releases, that will stand with the best. I highly enjoy the ever so slightly (and I do mean "ever so slightly") lighter sound with the new addition of sexiness and smoothness to the music. I also enjoy small return of an influence from folk/ americana. The evolution of Timber Timbre's sound has me listening to this record, and again, very much like after there last release, wanting to hear the next album right now. Although, that does not mean that this is a record without it's flaws. The songs on this record keep me involved for the majority, but there are points on this record where the lyricism is not as strong as Timber Timbre usually writes. Songs like "Grand Canyon" (even though I like the return to the folk/americana roots) and "Low Commotion" can for me at least begin to feel somewhat lyrically lacking. Now that being said, I enjoy both these tracks very much, and I wouldn't cut them from the record. I just feel that these songs sometimes lose my interest for little bits at a time.
        Overall, I loved Hot Dreams, The continuation of their creepy sound with a new sexy flare. Although this new flare was probably my favorite thing about this album, in the end it also weirdly is my least favorite part of the record. Creep On Creepin' On was a record that was completely about the terror and creepiness of the music, and it kept me intrigued from the first second to the last. Although, this new flare makes songs like "Hot Dreams" a contender for song of the year, I keep wanting to return to Creep On Creepin' On. Maybe this is just me being a mega fanboy of their last record. Nevertheless, I love this new record. It currently sits with my favorite of the year so far. And my biggest hope for Timber Timbre is that after four great, heavily under appreciated albums, this album will make it's way into the ears of many people, and that it gets the acclaim that not only this record, but the band deserves.

8.75/10      

Peaces, Godspeed, and Stay Golden

  -Evan

Swans- "A Little God In My Hands"

        One of the last things I posted on this blog before I went on hiatus was my review of Swans' masterpiece of a record The Seer. It's been so long since that post that Michael Gira and the gang have recorded a new album entitled To Be Kind (due out on May 13th). The first song released for the record is titled "A Little God In My Hands", it features plenty of creepy, thought provoking lyrics that we've come to expect from Swans, a soundscape that is somewhat reminiscent of Rain Dogs era Tom Waits, and an overall eerie, claustrophobic feel. And I love every single moment of it. Also, just to entice you into buying this album more, special guests include Annie Clark (St. Vincent)!!!! I'm incredibly excited to hear the entirety of this record, The Seer was one of my favorite records I've ever heard, and with 2014 already producing some incredible albums so far, I wouldn't be surprised if this record is absolutely incredible. Check out the single below and put some money in the piggy bank to go and pick up the triple LP on May 13th, I know I will.

Peaces, Godspeed, and Stay Golden
 -Evan

Daily Squeeze 10/5/12: JP Haynie

Hello Squeezelets, how has your day been? Today the Daily Squeeze comes from local Utah act JP Haynie. I found JP while searching through bandcamp for new music and stumbled upon his fantastic 2012 LP "The Sand". Only after hearing the album did I discover that he was a local, and I decided to purchase this LP on vinyl. Whether or not you order the LP doesn't really matter, what matters is that this has to be one of my favorite albums of the year and when you guys listen to it you will think the same. JP uses an incredible folk sound along with beautiful lyrics (mostly lyrics that are very influenced by the beautiful landscape of Utah) to win over not only your ears but your heart. Please go and give this LP a listen or two, it is very worth the listen and if you like it enough you can buy it digitally for 7 bucks and if you really love it (like I did) you can buy the multicolor vinyl pressing with a beautiful 24 pg. lyric book.

JP Haynie's Bandcamp

Peaces, Godspeed, and Stay Golden,
 -Evan

Saul- Monolith EP

What's up squeezlets, do you guys remember our friends Coyote Fever? Well, they're now going by the name Saul and they just released an awesome EP entitled Monolith. Please go pick it up, it's only 4 bucks for some really awesome music, and who couldn't use more amazing music.
Buy Here: http://saullives.bandcamp.com/album/monolith

Peaces, Godspeed, and Stay Golden
- Evan (facesplosion)

Swans- The Seer Album Review

Good day squeezelets, Im back with another album review. This time it's the review of The Seer by the post-punk/post-rock legends Swans. If you have not heard this album yet, go listen to it immediately. Their is currently no better way to spend 2 hours. 10/10

Peaces, godspeed, and stay golden.
-Evan

Frank Ocean- Channel Orange Album Review

Hello Squeezelets, here is my first review in a while. Hope you enjoy!
Peaces and Godspeed to you all.

-Evan

Evan's Favorite Albums of 2012 (so far...)

Hello Squeezelets, I would like to take this time to dearly apologize to you guys for not posting anything in the past few months. But here is my list for favorite albums of the year so far. Again sorry for not posting, I'm going to do my best to start posting things again.

Much Love,
    Facesplosion (Evan)


Peaces.

Music I Really Liked In The Time I Was Gone!!

This video is older than the Explosions review, notice, I have new glasses in the Explosions review.

Nas - The Don (Single) Review

Perfume Genius- Put Your Back In 2 It Album Review

Finally Back with another review. YAY!!!!!!!!!!!

Peaces.
  Evan.

Sharon Van Etten- Tramp Album Review

What is up people of the internet, this video has been up on youtube for a day or so but now i'm finally placing it on the blog. Not a whole lot left to say. Peaces.

-Evan

Leonard Cohen- Old Ideas Album Review

Hello peoples, I am deeply sorry about not getting any thing up in the past couple of days. But here is a review for you guys. You all know who Leonard Cohen is and for the people watching probably know that this album was coming out and also was one of my most anticipated of this year. I love Leonard and this album certainly didn't disappoint.  8.5/10

-Evan

Gonjasufi- MU.ZZ.LE Album Review

"Holy Crap! Two different album reviews posted on the blog in one day what could be better?" says The Random Squeeze's hugest fan at the finding of yet another album review posted on The Random Squeeze. "Well mr. fan, what could be better is a link to Gonjasufi- MU.ZZ.LE here: http://www.thefader.com/2012/01/19/stream-gonjasufis-album-mu-zz-le/".

Then the eager fan said "man only if only Evan had a youtube channel". Well I do, Check it out here: http://www.youtube.com/user/facesplosion.

Alexander Spit - These Long Strange Nights Review

Hi Guys! Carl here reviewing a new mixtape that just dropped.

San Francisco born rapper Alexander Spit's new mixtape (~45 min.) is filled with smooth, clever rhymes that glide effortlessly over silky, suggestive, jazzy, dark, complex beats. A lot of these songs made my ears feel like they were having an expensive spa treatment. I really, really enjoyed the first three tracks for this reason. They really had a unique, unusual sound unlike anything I had ever heard. However tracks 4 and 5 were a disappointing mess. They were very cluttered sounding and reminded me of a two year old banging on pots and pans pretending to be a drummer. Luckily, the album made a quick turnaround with the track Six Days Remix, which had a very eerie sample that reminded me of 1970's psychedelic rock mixed with Beach Boys, blended together seamlessly to resemble something you would hear on an album like Plastic Beach. After that track, it was just one song after another of one of the best hip-hop mixtapes I have ever listened to . I do however wish that Spit had used the phenomenal beat at the beginning of Shawn Kemp throughout the whole track. All that aside, this is truly a magical mixtape. I would try to pick out my favorite tracks but I'm too impressed with the mixtape as a whole to even try. Just go listen to the whole damn thing. This mixtape gives me hope that there's still real hip-hop out there. It tells me that change IS good.

8.5/10

The Act of Estimating as Worthless Album Review

To start out the band i'm reviewing today is a folk band from New York, with a band name that's as beautiful as the music sounds. The Act of Estimating as Worthless has just released there debut album, Amongst These Splintered Minds/ Leaden Thoughts Sing Softly. This album is just under the 40 minute mark and for those nearly 40 minutes I am happy to say that I was sucked into the world of this album. This is a folk album that takes great success in using simple vocals and instrumentals. My favorite part of this album for me was the instrumentals. The guitars set the mood for each of these love inspired songs and the Neutral Milk Hotel sounding trumpets and the beautiful violins pulled everything together as far as the sound of this album. When I first dove into this album the one thing that bothered me was the Moldy Peaches style vocals. After a few more listens through the album the sometimes off pitch harmony grew to be just yet another thing I liked about this album. Through the voices of Zoe Grant and Matthew Van Asselt come out beautiful love lyrics that in some points on this LP can get quite creepy. I would recommend this to most everybody, especially if you're in love with such bands as The Moldy Peaches, Neutral Milk Hotel or The Microphones. I'm really excited that something this good could come out this early this year and I'm excited for whatever this band decides to do next. I'm going to give this a 9/10 as the first Freshly Squeezed music (that will be the Random Squeeze's favorites) of this year and ever.

check their bandcamp to see if you liked it as much as I did: http://theactofestimatingasworthless.bandcamp.com/

-Evan