Review: The Avery Set – Returning to Steam

The Avery Set: Returning To Steam (2009)

I recently joined Reviewshine. It’s a place where bands/labels/promoters can easily send digital promos to bloggers. I can fully recommend it, because I’ve been enjoying it a lot. The only problem is that even my tiny, unprofessional blog has gotten well over hundred submissions in the past two months and to be able to go through them all properly, I think I need to have more lives than a cat. Therefore it’s important to leave a good first impression and Nashville-based The Avery Set did just that with their excellent single Blown Away. After being blown away by this country-flavoured Jellyfish, I knew I had to download the whole album. The reason why the word Jellyfish constantly comes into my mind while listening to The Avery Set is that the singer/songwriter Chris Zehnder’s voice reminds me of Andy Sturmer. It could be just me, but to me their vocals sound so similar occasionally. Not that I mind at all. I freakin’ love Jellyfish and The Avery Set is certainly flirting with my heart so openly that I might not be able to resist their charm much longer and eventually will fall for them as well.  Returning To Steam is  full of country-tinged rock songs that range from playful and incredibly catchy to beautiful and instantly moving.  It’s not entirely flawless and there’s a few songs that I’m not that big fan of. Nevertheless, Returning To Steam is mostly very impressive effort and The Avery Set is able to provide enjoyable moments to both indie rock hipsters and alt.country followers. I might need to buy a physical copy as well..

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The Avery Set Website
The Avery Set at myspace

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The Genuine Fakes – I Don’t Want It

The Genuine Fakes is a wonderful power pop band from Sweden. They’ve had a lot of great songs on their myspace during the past few years and now their debut album is finally coming out. I don’t know when exactly, but hopefully before the end of the year, because I’m really looking forward to it. The single I Don’t Want It is out and available and it sounds pretty damn good to me. Reminds me of Popsicle and that is always a good thing.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnLhR8STW3Y]

The Genuine Fakes Website
The Genuine Fakes at myspace

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Micah Schnabel and some random stuff

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJ9-rxZwXZs]

I’m totally addicted to that song at the moment. You’ll find a couple of other new songs from samsamsamkim’s youtube profile. And search for a song called Jackson Don’t Worry while you’re at it. That’s another stunner that also has a small Big Star reference. I just totally love this guy. The solo album is a major candidate for onechord’s album of the year award and the upcoming Two Cow Garage album will (most likely) be equally wonderful.

Micah Schnabel at myspace
Two Cow Garage Website

What else. I’ve been a lazy bastard and I’ve spent my time watching the world cup (and obviously playing with the kitten and adoring the kitten). Therefore I’m way behind with all the news and review thingies. But I try to get some of the news up on the blog during this week. There are several things that needs to be mentioned (good things from The Good Times, Nopat, Delay Trees, Puskii etc).

I haven’t had the time to listen to much music lately… but when I have, I’ve been really enjoying the new albums by Teenage Fanclub, The Gaslight Anthem, Deer Tick, The Sadies and Nopat 7″ and Sweatmaster 7″. The Jayhawks’ Bunkhouse album is waiting for it’s turn. Same can be said about the new Pernice Brothers album and John Prine tribute that I bought from 8raita earlier today. I’m also eagerly looking forward to the new Chatham County Line album that should be out in about two weeks I think.

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Austin Lucas in Finland

Austin Lucas will play five concerts in Finland next week (at least hopefully, I suppose there might be some problems if he is planning to fly over and the volcanic ash continues to cause flight cancellations). He has toured here before so lot of you probably know how great he really is. I haven’t seen him live, because I didn’t know his music before last december. Then I heard his latest album Somebody Loves You and totally fell in love with it. Recently I bought that Bristle Bridge album he made with Chuck Ragan and it’s almost as wonderful. He is definitely a first class country troubadour. Unfortunately he is not coming to my hometown Turku this time around and if I’m true to myself I probably can’t afford to go to see him in another town. However, I’m good at lying to myself and in the end I might find myself from one of these places:

 
TUE 4/27 TAMPERE, Klubi
WED 4/28 HELSINKI, Belly w/ Jarkko Martikainen
THU 4/29 LAPPEENRANTA, Lucky Monkey’s w/ Mambohammer
FRI 4/30 JYVASKYLA, Lutakko w/ Presley Bastards, Deathbed, Lighthouse Project
SAT 5/1 HEINAVESI, Gasthaus
 
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9T3OUKXbnw]

Austin Lucas at myspace
Austin Lucas Website

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