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the kidameln lo-fi
is an eclectic and cool album from way out there on the indie prairie.
It evokes a rich mix of alternate rock and hard pop with some very
mellow twinkly quiet moments sprinkled in between.
kidameln's debut album delivers a lot in a seemingly short half hour.
It's got an incredible variety of flavors over the 9 songs, all warmly
delivered with great feeling in that indie diy home demo style. There
is an obvious meshing together of diverse influences. After the first
listen I could hear evidence of Dinosaur Jr, the Smashing Pumpkins,
and even Concorde Dawn, but then when I looked at the artwork I was
surprised to find a New Model Army logo in the collage inside, so
go figure.
There's no definition of who does what, which is kind of cool, but
the art at least reveals who kidameln are. Michael Brennan [Seven
dials/ Hussman/ the Feds/ and soon to be released solo project Phonoss],
Warren Lawson [Pottery/ Puppichuk/ the Feds], Daniel Gannaway [Daniel
Gannaway] and [the Now Awol] Stan Leboy.
Apparently the kidameln lo-fi is a bunch of sketches, and if that's
the case, I can't imagine what they'd have done if given the time
and more resources. Sometimes though limitation creates beauty and
I think this is the case here.
Ratchet 4 Drill
Out now on truly independent
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> Interview @ AllAboutSurf
Check out an interview with kidameln and a review of the kidameln lo-fi.
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> review @ Indie-Music.com
Reviews: Kidameln ~ The Kidameln Lo-fi
Posted on Saturday, March 05, 2005 @ 10:00:32 EST
Topic: Reviews
Artist: Kidameln
CD: The Kidameln Lo-Fi
Home: New Zealand and Others
Style: Laid-back Poignant Radiohead Surfer Grunge
Quote: "Remote vocals layered over acoustic guitar plunged into a subterranean pool of bass."
By Genevieve Will
Like an upbeat Seattle grunge band, with all the darkness you love without the attitude that killed the genre, Kidameln fuses contributions from band members in different locales to produce one of the most notable collaborations witnessed lately. Evidenced by depth of instrumentation powered by an unusual vibe, Kidameln possesses a strange cohesion, driven to the even stranger by the sheer distance between band members. Remote vocals layered over acoustic guitar plunged into a subterranean pool of bass make for a release unlike most, and with a name like the Kidameln Lo-Fi, this album stretches the lip of the genre melting pot.
Although the particular roles of Kidameln’s members remain somewhat hazy, the smoke sometimes drifts enough that at least their names can be seen: Michael Brennan, Warren Lawson, Daniel Gannaway and Stan Leboy. Based on his solo release, the isolated vocals definitely belong to Gannaway, but the rest I can do no justice. Can I just say, nice percussion? Despite the mystery, it’s evident these four have a certain solidarity that not only allows them to join forces from a distance but also transmit that crucial harmony into their music for the same laissez-faire flow one usually attributes to a far quieter sound.
While the kida lyrics generally make a solid stamp on the mind, many of the choruses remain a bit repetitive and mildly weak. Complex in instrumentation, vocals, and much of actual lyrics, the Kidameln Lo-Fi seems simply to have grown tired of too much life on the beach when it comes to choruses like “I’m in love with her.” Songwriters know better than that. Faintly over-literal, not unlike some others.
Furthermore, it pains me to the innards of my gut that lines like this surface on the same album as both “won’t be a blinded sheep or compromise my soul,” and “like a storm in a tea cup night after night.” While writing catchy pop, keep it uniform. But don’t steal lines from Ashlee Simpson and sidle them up next to good old-fashioned songwriting. Clearly, I hope, it’s obvious Kidameln can write; the injections of lyrical sucrose dwell problematically only because the rest of the album is wholly nutritious.
Particularly dark, “[Make My Breath] Sour” confirms not only that these boys can string a few decent words together, but also that they know a bit more than acoustic guitar ... like hard-core rock-out electric-chic. A favorite of mine, “[You’re] Just a Loudmouth” features nicely hard-hitting beats, and a simultaneously upbeat but dark feel. |
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00 tracklist:
01 hysteria
02 one day
03 i'm in
04 sour
05 see me smiling
06 hey ho
07 serious
08 loudmouth
09 circles |
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> Download / Buy the kidameln CD:
>> kidameln @ CD Baby
>> kidameln @ Apple iTunes >> kidameln @ Rhapsody
>> kidameln @ facebook
>> kidameln @ myspace
>> truly independent
>> michael brennan
>> warren lawson
>> daniel gannaway
>> stan leboy
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> kida friends
>> More Core Audio
>> Phonoss
>> ELECPHONIC
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> kida pics
>> click here for some kida pics
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> kida surf clips
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> New ELECPHONIC Album!
TRIPLEPHONIC

ELECPHONIC's got a new album out!
> elecphonic.com
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> New Daniel Gannaway Album!
JOINED LIKE NOTES

Daniel's got a new solo album out.
> danielgannaway.com
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> New Phonoss Album!
Rushcutters

Michael's got a new phonoss album out. Atmospheric and moody!
> phonoss.com
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