Sunrise

Debuting off of San Francisco based Owl Paw’s newest six song EP, Carry On, the first single “Sunrise” is a swirling mix of harmonious vocal rhythm's, upbeat guitar licks and soothing hums. The step into the sunlight begins with the head bobbing movement of lead singer/songwriter Derek Schultz’s hand over the his acoustic guitar. Soon joined by the rest of the band as an electric note rings out over the sonic landscape. The band bops up and down as the song progresses. A lonely violin enters the mix, morosely leading the song up to its climax and continuing on throughout the peppy chorus.

“But if the sun won’t rise/The body can’t die again” is chanted in a glorious three way harmony. Highs, lows and mids are all there and executed in perfect unison. A trailing voice echoes the group, yet it lacks the muster to properly accent the line. Leaving a slightly sour tone in the listeners ear. Continuing on in basic pop structure, “Sunrise” ends on a delicate note.  In a desirous, desperate cry for happiness the band sings, “When all I want to see is the sunrise/I’m already running late.” Soothingly tugging at the strings of any listener. 

The folk/indie musings of Owl Paws have long been in motion since their inception into folk world. Their 2011 self titled release captivated listeners with its acoustic ballads and smooth vocal melodies. With the release of Carry On, out in August from Urban Scandal Records, the band continues this legacy with a more full bodied and polished sound. “Sunrise” is the culmination of this hard work and proves to be some of their catchiest and most polished tunes yet. 

Rating: 4/5

Carry On

        Owl Paws, the band that has captivated the hearts and minds of the San Francisco Folk/Indie scene, continues their enigmatic growth with the release of their newest album. A six song EP full of upbeat indie-folk musings detailing the intricacies of life and love, Carry On showcases the development of the band from a purely acoustic based movement, as seen on their self titled debut EP, to the finely tuned troupe heard on this record. From the ethereal atmospheric layers of “Hoot” to the eerie downward movement that is “The Seed,” Owl Paws demonstrates their improvement as a band and the scope of their song writing abilities. 

         The long time standby for the band entitled “Singing Strong,” is a sobering consortium of airy guitars and vocal melodies meeting in a solemn bliss. Featured at the end of Carry On, “Singing Strong” is an old classic reworked for a new audience. Singer/songwriter Derek Schultz’s booming yet tame vocals expand across the track with seamless execution as a calming guitar intro begins the track, soon accented by the light touches of an acoustic guitar. As Schultz coons and pores out his soul about the woes of searching for love, the beautiful and calming touches of Brooke Dabalos can be heard rising above him. While soft and endearing, they do seem to be a tad overdone. A slide guitar precisely cuts into the tune at the halfway mark, slicing its way through the airy sonic layers of the band as the acoustic guitar carries the song along. The drums make their entry into the song a tad too late with an awkward snare roll that almost eliminates the warmth of the song. An upbeat bouncy outro accompanied by a light piano proves to be a solid finish to the song. However, nostalgia for the acoustic version of old burns deep. 

        The single of the album “Sunrise” rises above the rest and with its bubble gum guitar lines, bright vocal melodies and delicate chord changes. Transitioning from the downtrodden minor verses to the infectiously upbeat major choruses with simplistic ease, Owl Paws demonstrates their innate song writing abilities perfectly on this track. “But if the sun won’t rise/the body can’t die again” hum Schultz and Dabalos over the thumping bass lines of bassist Tim Vickers, while a soothing violin massages the surface of the sonic landscape. Bound to be on stuck in your head on those bright sunny days, “Sunrise” and its strong pop structuring deserves to be at the top of any playlist. On top of this the driving velocity of “The Field” pumps up the listener, as it beats down on you like the friendly rays of the sun on a hot summer day. “The Seed” however does quite the opposite, as the dripping piano of Deballos and trickling guitar lines of guitarist/vocalist Colin Hayes brings to mind those introverted rainy days of winter. While the musicianship of the song proves to be impressive, the song is erratic and it is not until the halfway mark that a steady structure can be heard. The band breaks out into a depressing downward spiral, filled with cavernous harmonies and cooing ohs, breaking down the emotional integrity of any listener. A very dark piece from a naturally bright band. 

This natural feel is sadly brought down, through no fault of the band, by the mechanized production of the drums. Despite this, the clarity in the record brings its potential to the forefront. A stepping stone from their folky debut EP, Carry On, shows a vast improvement in the bands dynamics and song writing ability. Potential revealed and medium's expanded, it is obvious that Owl Paws has much to prepare for in the future. To be released in late August by Urban Scandal Records, it calls for the prospective ears of the masses and the critical ears of the obsessive. 

Rating: 3.6/5

Rin Tin Tiger

 Many may credit the harmonica as being an outdated instrument in modern music, lying in the musical graveyard between the lap guitar and the oboe. However, San Francisco’s Rin Tin Tiger has triumphantly resurrected the ol’ pocket piano for their 2011 self titled release and the results are nothing short of sublime. Recorded live at The Thrasher Warehouse with additional vocal overdubs provided by Kyle Lesley and mastered by Aaron Hellam (At Our Hells, Troubled Coast) at Castle Ultimate this folk rock EP is chock full of delicate guitar work and harmonious vocals beautifully meshed and intertwined through great musicianship. 

The winding cry of a lonely harmonica kicks off the album in style as it’s wake up call alerts the rest of the instruments and following suit, they form a joyous melodious march in “Ghost Door.” As the song picks up one begins to grasp the alt-folk stylings of Rin Tin Tiger, a semi-conventional mix between Bright Eyes, Bob Dylan and Neutral Milk Hotel, garnished with marvelous song writing and retrospective lyrics. The down home guitar work and vocals tinged with a slight drawl are sure to make any fan of folk-rock, modern or otherwise, tap their toes.

Musically Rin Tin Tiger represents the purity of a midsummers day and the emptiness of a cold winters night, minor and major and up and down are all given out on this album. Peeling away at their musical onion reveals themes of heartbreak, yearning and loss. The insidious tale of an empty soul searching for excitement and dalliance unravels in the mid-tempo floater “Spooky Spider.” As the guitar transitions from a cheerful Zeppelinesque finger plucking melody; backed by the simple thwack of the snare and haunting angelic vocals, to a melancholic mix of rolling drums, scrambled samples and agonizing vocals, the listener can hear and feel this listless lovers passion and want. A simple beat slowly builds up to an extended sequence of “Woahs” and concludes with guitar work borrowed from Mr. Page himself.

The previous songs eclectic variances represents Rin Tin Tiger’s self titled as a full. From the upbeat, dynamically charged “Greedy Traveler” to the morose “Sweetest Fruit” Rin Tin Tiger is like that cheese and cracker platter so desired at your company’s Christmas party, so many choices and you just want them all. This choice is made exceptionally easier for you as each song is just a savory as the last. While some songs may drag on slightly too long, their is enough action and change occurring to keep a listeners interest peaking for the whole 22 minutes of this semi-traditional indie folk-rock album.

Rating: 3.4/5