ChaosResolved
02-12-2006, 06:51 PM
Tracking the Trends: US Instrumental Rock
Starting a fresh new year, Tracking the Trends continues combing through the instrumental music scene with a fine eye to pick out all the best acts for proper discussion. The end of 2005 saw a large coverage of the growing UK experimental (http://www.decoymusic.com/vb/showthread.php?t=6377) scene which led into the Top 50 Instrumental Releases of 2005 (http://www.decoymusic.com/vb/showthread.php?t=6772), an article which hopefully brought many readers up to date on the instrumental scene and better sets the stage for a discourse on this blooming genre. Considering that the instrumental movement is largely an independent movement, it is sometimes difficult to discover noteworthy acts amongst the crowd. Tracking the Trends continues it's coverage of the finest independent acts the genre has to offer and begins the new year by starting a series of articles on the US instrumental scene.
Of course, several excellent US acts were covered in the top 50 releases of 2005. At the very least, 2005 was a big breakout year for US instrumental groups, as they saw a large increase in quantity and quality of releases. This is further noted by the US's presence in the top 10, nabbing the fifth, seventh, and tenth positions--This Will Destroy You--Young Mountain EP, Caspian--You Are the Conductor EP, and Saxon Shore--The Exquisite Death Of... respectively. The wealth of material does not end there; excellent releases were further put out by: Pelican--The Fire In Our Throats Will Beckon the Thaw (#13), Explosions in the Sky--The Rescue (#16), Subtract By Two--Agoniser Ecrire (#19), Tarantula AD--Book of Sands (#20), The Timeout Drawer--Nowonmai (#25), Red Sparowes--At the Soundless Dawn (#26), El Ten Eleven--El Ten Eleven (#28), From Monument to Masses--Schools of Thought Contend (#30), Byla--Blya (#31), Bright Red Paper--Bright Red Paper (#32), Aether--Apart EP (#34), Irepress--Samus Octology (#42), Tides--Resurface (#43), By the End of Tonight--A Tribute to Tigers (#44), Tristeza--A Colores (#45), Shelter Red--Masters of the Universe (#46), Brass Knuckle Surfer--The Art of Life (#47), Apse--Apse EP (#48), My Education--Italian (#50). If you're yet to discover any of these artists, please take the time to do so. Tracking the Trends:US Instrumental Rock assumes a familiarity with the aforementioned artists and continues to march forward through the United States picking out new artists to sink your teeth into.
The first edition of US Instrumental Rock presents five bands that are still relatively unknown outside their local venues, but hopefully this will not be for long, as they all have a talent at their craft that is surpassed by few. In this edition we formally present Hammock, Cue, Foxhole, Joy Wants Eternity, and Grails, citing their past successes as evidence to their greatness and looking forward to the gems they will present in 2006. Bands like this will make it a very interesting year indeed.
Hammock
Tennessee
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/trackingthetrends/hammock.jpg
Website:Hammock (http://www.hammockmusic.com/)
Music:Myspace (http://www.myspace.com/hammockmusic)
Marc Byrd and Andrew Thompson redefine the definition of the word beauty through their musical project, Hammock. Tucked away in Tennessee, Hammock is to the post-rock genre what color is to life--an essential artistic expression that permutes every idea or thought that has graced the recesses of one's mind. The duo's debut album is everything it could be, everything it should be, and so much more. Hammock is atmosphere. Hammock is space. Hammock is experimentation. Hammock is quiet, yet powerful and moving--so moving that it forces you to play it repeatedly. The songs wear down on the listener's emotional core until there is nothing left, and in that time of vulnerability, Hammock finally reaches a great epiphany--one renders all other forms of expression useless and leaves you in a state of deep tranquility. It teleports you to a simpler time, when you were a child, sitting in the planetarium listening to the deep sounds of space and pondering thoughts of another world. Hammock provides a mean for you to revisit that moment, and in that brief instance, we all remember how beautiful this world can be. Kenotic (2004) is a truly outstanding outing for this band, and must be one of the top albums of this century. Hammock released two pieces in 2005, Stranded Under Endless Sky and The SleepOver Series--Volume 1. Both are much more experimental than their predecessor and fail to relive the initial magic and glory of Kenotic, yet both are quite satisfying in their own right. The SleepOver Series is a minimalist endeavor which greatly accomplishes the goal it claims--invoking a subconscious coma through repetition and waves of ambience.
In true independent fashion, Byrd and Thompason have created their own label, Hammock Music (http://www.hammockmusic.com) to distribute their music and that of others. Kenotic is one of the better things to grace the instrumental genre, if not the music genre at large, in quite some time. Some days I find myself listening to "Blankets of the Night" on repeat and ignoring all my other responsibilities because it's just that addicting. Although Hammock currently appears content in exploring the confines of its experimental cage, hopefully future efforts see the band branching back out into the serene combination of ambience and post rock that harnesses the duo's magnificent approach to music and offers more of the brilliance that makes them so outstanding. Fans of God is an Astronaut will find Hammock irresistable.
Cue
Texas
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/trackingthetrends/cue.jpg
Website:Cue (http://www.cueaustin.com)
Music:Myspace (www.myspace.com/cueaustin)
As if there weren't enough instrumental bands from Texas that you should be paying attention to, Cue makes a strong argument to be added to that list. The list is long and pretty diverse, but when most people use "Texan" and "post-rock" in the same sentence, they throw in a comparison to Explosions in the Sky somewhere (damn, they're even from Austin too!). Luckily for Cue, they don't really have too much in common with their better known contemporaries. Instead, the band's 2005 album, Bring Back My Love, beckons a resemblance much more familiar to My Education, Detwiije or newcomers Bright Red Paper in it's adaptation of orchestral rock music. Violins are heavily used as guitars and drums steadily build up a solid foundation of support. On occasion the piano is called upon to infiltrate the mountainous sonic landscape, and the band is not one to skimp on cathartic moments. In many ways, it does an excellent job of preventing the album from wandering into the lull that accompanies most instrumental albums with heavy orchestral emphasis. Cue keeps it fast paced and interesting the entire way throughout; there's rarely a time to meander off course as the band dazzles over and over again. Although the band has been together now for five years, Bring Back My Love is the first release under its current lineup, but the music speaks for itself and this was an album that was worth the long wait. It's difficult to believe that anyone who's a fan of the post-rock genre won't be instantly enamored with Cue, for Bring Back My Love is an instant classic.
Cue continues the long standing tradition of excellent Texan instrumental music. I keep wondering when the state will run out of strong instrumental acts, but it seems like every few months I'm introduced to yet another Texan band which does not cease to amaze me. Bring Back My Love is probably one of the better albums you neglected to listen to in 2005 (I know that it was for me). Do yourself a favor and pick up a copy today, you definitely won't regret it.
Foxhole
Kentucky
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/trackingthetrends/foxhole.jpg
Website:Foxhole (http://www.foxhole.info/)
Music:Myspace (http://www.myspace.com/foxhole)
I must confess that I've never been too keen on Rachel's, so the birth of Foxhole's 2004 debut album, We the Wintering Tree was a breath of life for Kentucky. Within seconds of the opening of "The End of Dying," you can feel the impermeability of Foxhole. Guitars glide effortlessly over a low rumbling of drumbeats, leading straight into a chaotic bombardment of riffs and levelling cymbols. Through a series of segues and climaxes, "The End of Dying" navigates through epic structures to a quiet unwinding at the song's end with the help of the trumpet. Yet, this song is not quite the best representation of Foxhole's music. They don't really like to be loud, and they don't really like to be fast. Instead, they whisp through long corridors and tumble through bright meadows, often calling upon horns or bells to aid the traditional drum and guitar approach. We the Wintering Tree is a self-contained album, one that is friendly and warm and full of all the organic goodness that reminds the listener of a crisp autumn day right before the season gives way to winter. Still, in songs like "A Children's Canto" and "Dead Rimes" Foxhole ventures into darker corners of the globe and exposes the underlying aggression of nature. By the end of "Through Bone and Marrow," Foxhole have done more than enough to establish their presence in the post-rock world and even up the ante.
As one of 2004's most overlooked albums, We the Wintering Tree is a testament to Foxhole's talent and artistic creativity. The album moves with varying force, changing forms slightly from song to song in order to creative a diverse arrangement of compositions and sounds. Having recorded a selection of new songs at the end of 2005, Foxhole has plans for a 2006 release. From all indications, it should be a good one.
Joy Wants Eternity
Washington
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/trackingthetrends/joywantseternity.jpg
Website:Joy Wants Eternity (http://www.joywantseternity.com)
Music:Myspace (http://www.myspace.com/joywantseternity)
I had to include at least one instrumental band who was adhering to the traditional post-rock style, and Joy Wants Eternity fits the bill perfectly. The band creates lush soundscapes which become increasing epic through use of the pedals we've all come to know and love, those of the delay and reverb kind and complements the backbone of its technique with a rich organic feel that gets at least one or two references to the work of Mogwai and Explosions in the Sky. The first track, "For We Had no Road," is a harmonious adventure into familiar territory, showcasing strong compositional skills via multiple guitar layering and smooth application of sound effects. "Abide! Moment" is particularly cathartic, lurching forward with a slow, rhymic beat and building towards a monumentous crescendo complement of buzzing guitars and a driving anchored drum. "Of Dead Leaves and Waning Perfume" continues with a enchanting presence, fluttering guitars weave a pristine landscape into existence and capsizes the previous energy spilled forth by "Abide! Moment." Everything comes back again full force in "What Fell Down From the Moon Last Night," as Joy Wants Eternity sends this ep home the same way it began, in a glorious blaze of chaos. Must You Smash Your Ears Before You Learn to Listen With Your Eyes is a chilling recounting of everything that is going right in the post-rock world.
Must You Smash Your Ears... was self-released by the band in 2004 and went largely unnoticed much to my dismay. The band is currently looking to release it's debut album this spring (cd release show is march 3rd), but looking for proper label representation to bring its sound to a larger audience. As one of the West Coast's more promising acts, it's a shame that Joy Wants Eternity hasn't reached more ears; let's hope a record label snatches up this up-and-coming band and gives them a much needed boost.
Grails
Oregon
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/trackingthetrends/grails.jpg
Website:Grails (http://www.grailsongs.com/)
Music:Myspace (http://www.myspace.com/grailsongs)
Recently picked up by Robotic Empire (http://www.roboticempire.com), Grails shares a label with high caliber bands like Kayo Dot and Torche. Good bands keep great company, and Grails is no exception. The band's sophomore effort, Redlight is a smooth blend of traditional post-rock and turbulent experimentation. While there are "noise" aspects to the band's music, structurally speaking, the band keeps everything very focused and fluid. A wide sampling of instrumentation is used in the artistic endeavor, resulting in a signature sound that is as sharp as it is potent. Piano keys cascade over skittering drums, and strings screech over sharp guitar chords. Grails has an uncanny knack at musical precision, and although the songs on Redlight are not the longest instrumental songs you'll ever come across, they sure are as climatic as you'd expect from a more exhaustive piece of art. This band boils its art down to a finely controlled act, but it's one that they keep tightly sealed and way from sight as to present its mysterious form only in bits and pieces. As a listener, it's difficult to predict where Grails will inevitably take you, but as long as follow alongside the music, you can rest assured that it will be a dramatic experience.
Grails is looking to release a split with Red Sparowes immanently, as well as dropping their third album sometime this year. It's been a patient wait for fans of the band, but if the band's past work is any indication, it should be one of the year's top releases. Expect to see them on tour this year with some very good company, and if the opportunity presents itself, be sure to catch the live show.
~Jordan Volz
~~~~~~~~~~
Relative Links:
Top 50 Instrumental Albums of 2005:: (1-10) (http://www.decoymusic.com/vb/showthread.php?t=6772) (11-20) (http://www.decoymusic.com/vb/showthread.php?t=6773) (21-30) (http://www.decoymusic.com/vb/showthread.php?t=6774) (31-40) (http://www.decoymusic.com/vb/showthread.php?t=6775) (41-50) (http://www.decoymusic.com/vb/showthread.php?t=6776)
Tracking the Trends: Experimental British Rock (Part I) (http://www.decoymusic.com/vb/showthread.php?t=5080) (Part II) (http://www.decoymusic.com/vb/showthread.php?t=5512) (Part III) (http://www.decoymusic.com/vb/showthread.php?t=6377)
Tracking the Trends: Swedish Post Rock (http://www.decoymusic.com/vb/showthread.php?t=4442)
Tracking the Trends: Australian Underdogs (http://www.decoymusic.com/vb/showthread.php?t=4257)
Tracking the Trends: Ohio Alternative (http://www.decoymusic.com/vb/showthread.php?t=3348)
Starting a fresh new year, Tracking the Trends continues combing through the instrumental music scene with a fine eye to pick out all the best acts for proper discussion. The end of 2005 saw a large coverage of the growing UK experimental (http://www.decoymusic.com/vb/showthread.php?t=6377) scene which led into the Top 50 Instrumental Releases of 2005 (http://www.decoymusic.com/vb/showthread.php?t=6772), an article which hopefully brought many readers up to date on the instrumental scene and better sets the stage for a discourse on this blooming genre. Considering that the instrumental movement is largely an independent movement, it is sometimes difficult to discover noteworthy acts amongst the crowd. Tracking the Trends continues it's coverage of the finest independent acts the genre has to offer and begins the new year by starting a series of articles on the US instrumental scene.
Of course, several excellent US acts were covered in the top 50 releases of 2005. At the very least, 2005 was a big breakout year for US instrumental groups, as they saw a large increase in quantity and quality of releases. This is further noted by the US's presence in the top 10, nabbing the fifth, seventh, and tenth positions--This Will Destroy You--Young Mountain EP, Caspian--You Are the Conductor EP, and Saxon Shore--The Exquisite Death Of... respectively. The wealth of material does not end there; excellent releases were further put out by: Pelican--The Fire In Our Throats Will Beckon the Thaw (#13), Explosions in the Sky--The Rescue (#16), Subtract By Two--Agoniser Ecrire (#19), Tarantula AD--Book of Sands (#20), The Timeout Drawer--Nowonmai (#25), Red Sparowes--At the Soundless Dawn (#26), El Ten Eleven--El Ten Eleven (#28), From Monument to Masses--Schools of Thought Contend (#30), Byla--Blya (#31), Bright Red Paper--Bright Red Paper (#32), Aether--Apart EP (#34), Irepress--Samus Octology (#42), Tides--Resurface (#43), By the End of Tonight--A Tribute to Tigers (#44), Tristeza--A Colores (#45), Shelter Red--Masters of the Universe (#46), Brass Knuckle Surfer--The Art of Life (#47), Apse--Apse EP (#48), My Education--Italian (#50). If you're yet to discover any of these artists, please take the time to do so. Tracking the Trends:US Instrumental Rock assumes a familiarity with the aforementioned artists and continues to march forward through the United States picking out new artists to sink your teeth into.
The first edition of US Instrumental Rock presents five bands that are still relatively unknown outside their local venues, but hopefully this will not be for long, as they all have a talent at their craft that is surpassed by few. In this edition we formally present Hammock, Cue, Foxhole, Joy Wants Eternity, and Grails, citing their past successes as evidence to their greatness and looking forward to the gems they will present in 2006. Bands like this will make it a very interesting year indeed.
Hammock
Tennessee
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/trackingthetrends/hammock.jpg
Website:Hammock (http://www.hammockmusic.com/)
Music:Myspace (http://www.myspace.com/hammockmusic)
Marc Byrd and Andrew Thompson redefine the definition of the word beauty through their musical project, Hammock. Tucked away in Tennessee, Hammock is to the post-rock genre what color is to life--an essential artistic expression that permutes every idea or thought that has graced the recesses of one's mind. The duo's debut album is everything it could be, everything it should be, and so much more. Hammock is atmosphere. Hammock is space. Hammock is experimentation. Hammock is quiet, yet powerful and moving--so moving that it forces you to play it repeatedly. The songs wear down on the listener's emotional core until there is nothing left, and in that time of vulnerability, Hammock finally reaches a great epiphany--one renders all other forms of expression useless and leaves you in a state of deep tranquility. It teleports you to a simpler time, when you were a child, sitting in the planetarium listening to the deep sounds of space and pondering thoughts of another world. Hammock provides a mean for you to revisit that moment, and in that brief instance, we all remember how beautiful this world can be. Kenotic (2004) is a truly outstanding outing for this band, and must be one of the top albums of this century. Hammock released two pieces in 2005, Stranded Under Endless Sky and The SleepOver Series--Volume 1. Both are much more experimental than their predecessor and fail to relive the initial magic and glory of Kenotic, yet both are quite satisfying in their own right. The SleepOver Series is a minimalist endeavor which greatly accomplishes the goal it claims--invoking a subconscious coma through repetition and waves of ambience.
In true independent fashion, Byrd and Thompason have created their own label, Hammock Music (http://www.hammockmusic.com) to distribute their music and that of others. Kenotic is one of the better things to grace the instrumental genre, if not the music genre at large, in quite some time. Some days I find myself listening to "Blankets of the Night" on repeat and ignoring all my other responsibilities because it's just that addicting. Although Hammock currently appears content in exploring the confines of its experimental cage, hopefully future efforts see the band branching back out into the serene combination of ambience and post rock that harnesses the duo's magnificent approach to music and offers more of the brilliance that makes them so outstanding. Fans of God is an Astronaut will find Hammock irresistable.
Cue
Texas
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/trackingthetrends/cue.jpg
Website:Cue (http://www.cueaustin.com)
Music:Myspace (www.myspace.com/cueaustin)
As if there weren't enough instrumental bands from Texas that you should be paying attention to, Cue makes a strong argument to be added to that list. The list is long and pretty diverse, but when most people use "Texan" and "post-rock" in the same sentence, they throw in a comparison to Explosions in the Sky somewhere (damn, they're even from Austin too!). Luckily for Cue, they don't really have too much in common with their better known contemporaries. Instead, the band's 2005 album, Bring Back My Love, beckons a resemblance much more familiar to My Education, Detwiije or newcomers Bright Red Paper in it's adaptation of orchestral rock music. Violins are heavily used as guitars and drums steadily build up a solid foundation of support. On occasion the piano is called upon to infiltrate the mountainous sonic landscape, and the band is not one to skimp on cathartic moments. In many ways, it does an excellent job of preventing the album from wandering into the lull that accompanies most instrumental albums with heavy orchestral emphasis. Cue keeps it fast paced and interesting the entire way throughout; there's rarely a time to meander off course as the band dazzles over and over again. Although the band has been together now for five years, Bring Back My Love is the first release under its current lineup, but the music speaks for itself and this was an album that was worth the long wait. It's difficult to believe that anyone who's a fan of the post-rock genre won't be instantly enamored with Cue, for Bring Back My Love is an instant classic.
Cue continues the long standing tradition of excellent Texan instrumental music. I keep wondering when the state will run out of strong instrumental acts, but it seems like every few months I'm introduced to yet another Texan band which does not cease to amaze me. Bring Back My Love is probably one of the better albums you neglected to listen to in 2005 (I know that it was for me). Do yourself a favor and pick up a copy today, you definitely won't regret it.
Foxhole
Kentucky
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/trackingthetrends/foxhole.jpg
Website:Foxhole (http://www.foxhole.info/)
Music:Myspace (http://www.myspace.com/foxhole)
I must confess that I've never been too keen on Rachel's, so the birth of Foxhole's 2004 debut album, We the Wintering Tree was a breath of life for Kentucky. Within seconds of the opening of "The End of Dying," you can feel the impermeability of Foxhole. Guitars glide effortlessly over a low rumbling of drumbeats, leading straight into a chaotic bombardment of riffs and levelling cymbols. Through a series of segues and climaxes, "The End of Dying" navigates through epic structures to a quiet unwinding at the song's end with the help of the trumpet. Yet, this song is not quite the best representation of Foxhole's music. They don't really like to be loud, and they don't really like to be fast. Instead, they whisp through long corridors and tumble through bright meadows, often calling upon horns or bells to aid the traditional drum and guitar approach. We the Wintering Tree is a self-contained album, one that is friendly and warm and full of all the organic goodness that reminds the listener of a crisp autumn day right before the season gives way to winter. Still, in songs like "A Children's Canto" and "Dead Rimes" Foxhole ventures into darker corners of the globe and exposes the underlying aggression of nature. By the end of "Through Bone and Marrow," Foxhole have done more than enough to establish their presence in the post-rock world and even up the ante.
As one of 2004's most overlooked albums, We the Wintering Tree is a testament to Foxhole's talent and artistic creativity. The album moves with varying force, changing forms slightly from song to song in order to creative a diverse arrangement of compositions and sounds. Having recorded a selection of new songs at the end of 2005, Foxhole has plans for a 2006 release. From all indications, it should be a good one.
Joy Wants Eternity
Washington
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/trackingthetrends/joywantseternity.jpg
Website:Joy Wants Eternity (http://www.joywantseternity.com)
Music:Myspace (http://www.myspace.com/joywantseternity)
I had to include at least one instrumental band who was adhering to the traditional post-rock style, and Joy Wants Eternity fits the bill perfectly. The band creates lush soundscapes which become increasing epic through use of the pedals we've all come to know and love, those of the delay and reverb kind and complements the backbone of its technique with a rich organic feel that gets at least one or two references to the work of Mogwai and Explosions in the Sky. The first track, "For We Had no Road," is a harmonious adventure into familiar territory, showcasing strong compositional skills via multiple guitar layering and smooth application of sound effects. "Abide! Moment" is particularly cathartic, lurching forward with a slow, rhymic beat and building towards a monumentous crescendo complement of buzzing guitars and a driving anchored drum. "Of Dead Leaves and Waning Perfume" continues with a enchanting presence, fluttering guitars weave a pristine landscape into existence and capsizes the previous energy spilled forth by "Abide! Moment." Everything comes back again full force in "What Fell Down From the Moon Last Night," as Joy Wants Eternity sends this ep home the same way it began, in a glorious blaze of chaos. Must You Smash Your Ears Before You Learn to Listen With Your Eyes is a chilling recounting of everything that is going right in the post-rock world.
Must You Smash Your Ears... was self-released by the band in 2004 and went largely unnoticed much to my dismay. The band is currently looking to release it's debut album this spring (cd release show is march 3rd), but looking for proper label representation to bring its sound to a larger audience. As one of the West Coast's more promising acts, it's a shame that Joy Wants Eternity hasn't reached more ears; let's hope a record label snatches up this up-and-coming band and gives them a much needed boost.
Grails
Oregon
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/trackingthetrends/grails.jpg
Website:Grails (http://www.grailsongs.com/)
Music:Myspace (http://www.myspace.com/grailsongs)
Recently picked up by Robotic Empire (http://www.roboticempire.com), Grails shares a label with high caliber bands like Kayo Dot and Torche. Good bands keep great company, and Grails is no exception. The band's sophomore effort, Redlight is a smooth blend of traditional post-rock and turbulent experimentation. While there are "noise" aspects to the band's music, structurally speaking, the band keeps everything very focused and fluid. A wide sampling of instrumentation is used in the artistic endeavor, resulting in a signature sound that is as sharp as it is potent. Piano keys cascade over skittering drums, and strings screech over sharp guitar chords. Grails has an uncanny knack at musical precision, and although the songs on Redlight are not the longest instrumental songs you'll ever come across, they sure are as climatic as you'd expect from a more exhaustive piece of art. This band boils its art down to a finely controlled act, but it's one that they keep tightly sealed and way from sight as to present its mysterious form only in bits and pieces. As a listener, it's difficult to predict where Grails will inevitably take you, but as long as follow alongside the music, you can rest assured that it will be a dramatic experience.
Grails is looking to release a split with Red Sparowes immanently, as well as dropping their third album sometime this year. It's been a patient wait for fans of the band, but if the band's past work is any indication, it should be one of the year's top releases. Expect to see them on tour this year with some very good company, and if the opportunity presents itself, be sure to catch the live show.
~Jordan Volz
~~~~~~~~~~
Relative Links:
Top 50 Instrumental Albums of 2005:: (1-10) (http://www.decoymusic.com/vb/showthread.php?t=6772) (11-20) (http://www.decoymusic.com/vb/showthread.php?t=6773) (21-30) (http://www.decoymusic.com/vb/showthread.php?t=6774) (31-40) (http://www.decoymusic.com/vb/showthread.php?t=6775) (41-50) (http://www.decoymusic.com/vb/showthread.php?t=6776)
Tracking the Trends: Experimental British Rock (Part I) (http://www.decoymusic.com/vb/showthread.php?t=5080) (Part II) (http://www.decoymusic.com/vb/showthread.php?t=5512) (Part III) (http://www.decoymusic.com/vb/showthread.php?t=6377)
Tracking the Trends: Swedish Post Rock (http://www.decoymusic.com/vb/showthread.php?t=4442)
Tracking the Trends: Australian Underdogs (http://www.decoymusic.com/vb/showthread.php?t=4257)
Tracking the Trends: Ohio Alternative (http://www.decoymusic.com/vb/showthread.php?t=3348)