Apsylon: Dreaming of Yesterday

Finding a unique album is becoming increasingly difficult in today's culture. Most albums seem to rehash the same music over and over again. In the case of Apsylon, that is not the case; their musical influences obviously stem from a mixture of rock, classical, and Celtic folk music, all of which they manage to blend beautifully. On their album, Dreaming of Yesterday, each song pulls you in, wrapping you up in a blanket that is both unfamiliar but comforting. “Serenade” acts as a beautiful introduction to the album, with soothing tones that give you a preview at what to expect as far as the rest of the album goes. “Dreaming of Yesterday,” the title-track of the album is more jazz-driven, sounding like it could be part of a musical score for a James Bond film. Each note is carefully crafted to perfection, while still retaining a rawness that is so greatly valued. The song features sneaky, calculating music with blunt and honest lyrics delivered by powerful vocals. Moving through the album, it seems even more influences seem to show themselves, including an almost-Latin influence on the guitar featured in “Lena,” a song powerfully driven by a narrative that has you imagining a music-video in your head. “All I Think About” is the song I can practically hear on the radio; it's the love song that the Beatles never got the chance to make, the song a lot of modern artists couldn't pull off, and the song that you hope to hear on your Valentine's Day Mix. The vocals are raw and the song is sweet, each note making you bob your head. It's the kind of song that you want to dance around to like a crazy person, singing, “All I think about is you,” while practicing your “signature” rock-star pout. Of course, the album finishes off beautifully, showing it's classical influences on “Prelude.” The whole album is a fantastic display of artistry with a unique sound. Dreaming of Yesterday is well-done and the musicianship of Tedy Madl, Jenny Brooks, Peggy Baldwin, and Marissa Mendenhall is something to celebrate for definite. Mendenhall's vocals are easy to recognize; they are all her own, a true original. If you're looking for an album to change your opinion of the music of today, go and purchase Dreaming of Yesterday. You won't be disappointed. Click here to preview the whole album.

The Blue, The White, & The Red--Clashing Colours

by Lauren-Olivia "Liv" Simister

Clashing Colours is an Australian quartet, previously known as “Dear Lucy.” Currently comprised of Lorcan Waugh (vox/harmonica/piano), Tommy Sheehan (guitar/vox), Lane-Harry Muir (bass/guitar), Luke Poidevin-Martin (drums), Clashing Colours have become known for being talented, both musically and lyrically. With a vast discography, Clashing Colours have progressed from being your average unsigned band to articulate, dedicated musicians who are worthy of much respect.
On September 10th, Clashing Colours released their new EP, “The Blue, The White, & The Red.” The album, a fantastic showcase of the abilities of the members seems to fit right in with the band’s catalogue of previous albums (“All In The Name EP,” “Slow EP,” “Send My Love To The Morgue,” “The Definition of Heartbreak,” “Expression EP,” and “Find My Way EP”).
The album starts off with a familiar song to Dear Lucy/Clashing Colours fans, “Fathers,” which has been revamped, but is still a fan-favorite. Opening the album with this track could have been a risky choice, in that it could have made the album seem like a remix of some sort; however, Clashing Colours seemed to know what they were doing, as it caught the ears of many listeners (old and new). While “Fathers” is almost a plea for a date with a man’s daughter, as well as a request of understanding, the album moves beyond the teenage desperation of parental-comprehension to more mature themes as it progresses.
Track two is a sonnet-esque love-song called “The Daily Dose,” a short-and-sweet, melodious tune that manages to ease the listener into “The Blue, The White, & The Red.”
Generally, the new album has a more classic-rock sound to it than the other works. Take, for example, the song “Devil In Disguise,” with a title that can only be described as an Elvis reference, is a tongue-in-cheek, heart-break anthem. Another example would be “Find My Way,” which is rich in soulful guitar and soft vocals one would expect to find in their parent’s record collection, as if desperate to be savored.
“The Blue, The White, & The Red,” is an impressive album that seems to present many themes, as well as styles, but in a tasteful way.
As expected with both a dynamic and a well-seasoned group of artists, there is a live track. However, Clashing Colours presents a cover of the Cream song, “Sunshine of Your Love,” that really brings the album to a stunning close. The rendition is beautifully done, and well-executed.
You can stream the album for free on Clashing Colours’ Purevolume page, and you can purchase the album on iTunes and Amazon. If you purchase the album via iTunes, you will receive a bonus track called “Heaven Is Too Crowded.”
Also be sure to check out Clashing Colours’ on the Planet Stereo Artist page!