Ryan Langlois, 'Bandit' E.P.

Ryan Langlois, 'You Never Know'

Info: From San Francisco but currently residing in Boston, songwriter Ryan Langlois has just recently released his second E.P., Bandit. In his bio he refers to American alt-country group Dawes and Nashville band The Wild Feathers as influences, and upon checking them both out there's an Allman Brothers thread going on and it's a distinctly traditional American style of rock that we've all benefited from.

I'm a big fan of American country-rock and I've mentioned it before, one of my favourite bands of all time are Creedence Clearwater Revival, the kings of the hybrid genre, along with Marty Robbins, Johnny Cash's Folsom Prison Blues, The Louvain Brothers etc. and as Ryan himself says, he's immersed in The Rolling Stones, who we all know broke out of their early British rock sound and embraced Stateside blues, country and soul across multiple albums. 

When I first listened to the Bandit E.P. I was immediately reminded of a band that I was big into in school and then on the bounce later on in college, Nada Surf, and also a bit of namesake Ryan Adams' (Rock N'Roll), particularly on above track 'You Never Know'. Comparisons, comparisons, comparisons, all they are is a guide. Langlois' music is great honky-tonk electric rock, on 'Those Who Wait' the song is split in three parts, punchy electric guitar, followed by gospel, and back to roots in the final third. The title track 'Bandit' (below) is the Stones track on the E.P., at times Exile on Main Street and at other times well-structured contemporary folk-rock, and the guitar is delectable the whole way through. 

Ryan Langlois, 'Bandit'

Look / Like / Listen / Follow:

Website: http://www.ryanlangloismusic.com/

Bookface: https://www.facebook.com/RyanLangloisMusic

SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/ryanlangloismusic

Twitter: https://twitter.com/RyanLangloisMus

Memory In Plant, 'An Epic Triumph', E.P.

Memory In Plant, 'This Love'

Info: Hailing from Tel Aviv, Memory In Plant are a psychedelic indie rock band who are currently unsigned but have released a very interesting E.P. in An Epic Triumph. Admittedly I've never heard any Israeli music until now and am unfamiliar with the music scene, apart from Chaim Witz, who some of you may know as Gene Simmons, bass-player and singer with KISS. This set of songs has been a bit of an eye-opener for me though, when I think of experimental music recommendations in general I think there's every chance it could be either very bad or just average rambling, thankfully this is not the case here.

The above track 'This Love' is pretty special, like the post-punk sounds of The Fall, before briefly entering Chemical Brothers territory and pulling back out before the end to a Super Furry Animals b-side, I mean, what is going on here!? Wonderful and it works in such a short space of time. Following this is a Primal Scream / The Specials / Grizzly Bear mash-up on 'Shame On Me', I love the vocals and background on this track a lot, and again there's some SFA madness at the very end. Closing track 'Any Dancing' is also a highlight on the recording, Radiohead In Rainbows is happening here at the beginning and then we set off on a 6 minute industrial drum and bass voyage. By the end of the 6-track E.P. you're left wondering if Memory In Plant were cutting their trade in the U.K. or U.S. would they still be unsigned, I seriously doubt it.

Memory In Plant, 'Shame On Me'

Look / Like / Listen / Follow:

Website: http://memoryinplant.tumblr.com/

Bookface: https://www.facebook.com/MemoryInPlant 

SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/memory-in-plant

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MemoryInPlant

Able Archer, 'The Trouble With Strangers', E.P.

Able Archer, 'The Descent'

Info: Dublin band Able Archer just released their second E.P., The Trouble With Strangers, this week, as a follow up to their acclaimed 2013 release, Bullet. From the punk-rock punch in the face intro to the excellent 'Ghostmaker' (below), to the melodically calm and catchy 'The Warden', the band are able to crank it up and down with ease, and this is most appealing. On the aforementioned 'Ghostmaker' and 'Only Love' both tracks explode at the beginning and the pace doesn't let up once, the heavy downward strumming on the guitars, inexplicably rapid drumming and thick heavy bass leave you almost disorientated by the end of each track, a joy for any fan of late 80's / early 90's rock music, in particular Pearl Jam and (when they were good! RHCP's). Able Archer retain the energy but in a more low-key manner on 'The Warden' and 'The Descent' (above), both songs definitely veer toward a more modern sound but with a strange dash of Dublin bands from fifteen or so years ago, there's a little bit of early-doors Bell X-1 on 'The Warden' for example. 

Able Archer, 'Ghostmaker'

I listened to a few tracks from the first E.P. Bullet, and it's just as good as The Trouble With Strangers, it also leaves you a bit bemused why these guys aren't getting more airplay, but then you remember how 'safe' Irish radio is, there are some great shows, but as in the past, they're mostly in the off-peak slots. When you come across bands like Able Archer you realise how desperately we need another Phantom FM (pirate era) but that's a story for another day, for now, Able Archer just need to keep on rocking in the free world.

Look / Like / Listen & Follow:

Website: http://www.ablearcher.eu/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AbleArcherIreland

SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/ablearcherireland

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AableArcher