More New Tunes from Case Studies

CaseStudies5.1Long have we supported Jesse Lortz, ever since his early days with Dutchess and the Duke; he’s since moved on, working on his new project Case Studies. He seems so much more comfortable stepping into the light on his own, with a great drawl to his voice, evoking every last drop of emotion.  The song’s built around the backbone of a piano, but the solo guitar work near the end of the track really emphasizes the accomplished range of Lortz as a songwriter.  His new album This Is Another Life will be out on June 11th via Sacred Bones.

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New Americana Jam From Case Studies

CaseStudies_1At this point it’s probably not fair to refer to Jesse Lortz as the guy who used to head Dutchess & The Duke, but rather as the main man behind folky rock group Case Studies.  After debut release The World is Just a Shape to Fill the Night dropped a couple of years ago, it was clear that Lortz was ready to move on to bigger and better things.  Today marks the first new music since that release in the form of this new driving rock, almost bluesy tune “Driving East, and Through Her”.  I’m into it.

Fans should mark their calendars on June 11th for the release of new album This is Another Life via Sacred Bones.

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Led Er Est – The Diver

Rating: ★★★☆☆

One would imagine that the temperature and the greater environment of New York City would have a huge impact on the band’s coming out of the scene there, and listening to The Diver, you’re assumption would be right.  Led Er Est have constructed their second album, this time on Sacred Bones, with a very metallic cold sheen, further propelling them into the minimalist electronic scene.

“Animal Smear” opens with a very quick paces electronic rhythm, soon joined by a dark guitar line.  It’s vocal presence is a bit difficult to completely grasp at first, with Samuel Kklovenhoof’s voice maintaining a sterile echo that is present throughout.  For all intents and purposes, the record begins simply, not pushing the group’s sound too much further than Dust on Common, their first effort. However, there’s a pop sensibility that soon emerges for the group, which may garner more attention in the long run.

Your first glimpse at a progressing sound comes via “Kaiyo Maru.” The opening beat is a little bit basic, but the effects of implemented keyboards combined with Kklovenhoof’s voice give the track a softer pop underbelly.  If you could turn up the bass just a hint, and sharpen the dully synthesized drum beats, you might just have a glorified hit.  Interestingly, other tracks such as this one exist, such as “Iron the Mandala,” portraying the softer side of the band.  A great deal of The Diver seems like the band is just on the verge of pushing beyond their cold minimal sheen, yet they never take that full plunge over the edge; they choose to evoke emotions with the bare necessities…and the more I’m involved with the listening process, the more I see that it works.

Led Er Est‘s restraint in the overall production of the album demonstrates that their willing to remain subdued in light of the resurgence in bright electronic pop.  Listening to title track, “The Diver,” there’s an emptiness to the song.  I keep imagining myself walking through some large industrial landscape, one that’s been left barren and destroyed.  It’s a haunting number, and when followed by the impending doom of “Bladiator,” you begin to understand the dark sentiment that establishes the mood of the entire album.  It’s the perfect background music for a cold moment in life; one that doesn’t necessarily require the chilling weather of NYC in the winter.

The Diver, for me, finds Led Er Est in the middle ground, balancing somewhere between cold industrial electronic and dark pop.  Personally, I dig the entire thing as an album, but my ears definitely lean closer to the speakers during the poppier moments of the album.  Seeing as the group hasn’t been around for too long, you can see as this record as a band finding their way through the darkness in their music.  Perhaps in the future there’s a darker side, but I’m hoping for a little bit of light to continue to shine through.

Zola Jesus – Conatus

Rating: ★★★½☆

Say what you will about Nika Roza Danilova, her newest album under the Zola Jesus moniker is far from anything associated with goth.  If anything, Conatus is coated in her operatic vocals, touched off by electronic glitches and made beautiful by moving rhythms.

“Swords” begins our foray into the world of Conatus with bleak glitches and Danilova’s haunt drifting far off in the distance.  It’s not the most affecting opener, but it sets up the entrance to “Avalanche” perfectly.  The electronics are altered from their edgy glitch into moving beats.  Nika’s voice takes the forefront here, and it’s exactly as a Zola Jesus record should be, allowing her voice to conquer the hearts and ears of listeners.

“Hikikomori” is the first track on effort where the beats kicks in just a little bit more, and the vocals meet them effectively.  This track is the sort that stands out, both for its minimal approach and its beauty.  You’ll be hard pressed to find something so moving, yet so simple. It’s similar to its successor, “Ixode.” Rhythmically, the song could easily be placed in some dingy bar off the beaten path, but the vocals do well to make the song a bit more artful, rather than letting it slide into kitsch club music. All this is aided by the backing vocals that echo in the distance, giving a softer edge to the track.

But, there are some tracks that could easily be seen as more club friendly hits, if clubs were willing to spin less generic music. “In Your Nature” utilizes a more emphatic dance groove as the skeleton before Danilova completely lets her vocals take over.  Such tracks are meant to be enjoyed while sipping a heady brew, and Conatus, is frankly full of them, demonstrating that Zola Jesus is truly beginning to push the limits set upon Danilova since her first effort.

While the entirety of the album can get a bit thick, making the record difficult to listen to for prolonged periods of time. However, Nika’s voice is so spectacular that she’s allowed a bit of misstep with redundant backing music.  For instance, one listen to “Lick the Palm of the Burning Handshake” and you, too, will be assured of the strength of her vocals.  If you’re not convinced, you can also see the ballad, “Skin,” another remarkable performance. With a voice like hers, she can pretty much do anything she wants with the corresponding music, so who knows where she’ll go next.

For now, Zola Jesus continues to grow, slightly altering the sound, crafting music that perfectly fits the vocal genius of Nika Danilova.  Conatus might way you down at times, but every track on here is filled with careful touches to emphasize the power of the vocals.  You’ll find yourself playing this on cold days, on rainy days and all those days in between; such is the power of the latest effort Zola Jesus.

New Track from Case Studies

Long did I champion the work of the Dutchess and the Duke, but as they’ve gone away, at least for the time being, I’ve been anxiously awaiting the release of Case Studies, the project of former D&D frontman, Jesse, which I caught wind of via our friend Toby over at Finest Kiss. Case Studies will be releasing The World is Just a Shape to Fill the Night via Sacred Bones on August 16th.  Listening to this, you’ll notice that Jesse seems to have a darker tone in his voice, and the female vocal accompaniment seems less like a counterbalance and more like an added instrument to give the song some depth.  His voice always carries the focus for me, and this track is no different. Hope this does well.

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Download: Case Studies – The Eagle, or the Serpent [MP3]

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