David Kenneth Nance – Let’s Argue (Unread, 2011)

David Kenneth Nance – Let’s Argue
Unread 2011

Nance has played in a few different bands in Omaha, one of which was called The Prairies, who also did a tape for Unread a few years ago. Currently, Nance also plays in the Simon Joyner line-up with some of the other Prairies members. "Letters 1 & 2" starts off with a woman speaking in a southern accent saying, “This is the first letter that I wrote back home to mommy and daddy a few days after I’d moved to Nashville.” The woman continues talking about being homesick, Nashville, etc. as the music enters made up of what sounds like a harmonica, synth, bass, gentle feedback. The music is kind of in a droning fashion. As the spoken word finishes, some electric guitar and drums enters playing some garage/blues riffs. Unread describes it as “faux-country” and I also get a slight rockabilly impression. The electric guitar gets kind of wildly noisey and free-form towards the end of the song. There’s then some electronic synth wash droning bout for small period of time. "Joanie" has a similar garage rock vibe, except a bit more down tempo and with a swing feel. Once this finishes there’s strange kind of blown out synth in a droning fashion with some electronic pulses that could be a bass. It plays only for a very short time until more rock rhythms and sounds enter again, starting the third song, “Who Eats Who Now?”. "Nebraska Plains" has a softer feel with some background synths droning, rising up and down underneath some acoustic guitar strumming. "In Her Kingdom" features a pretty groovy jam in a psych rock kind of way. The song ends with what sounds like wind recorded and maybe some synth wash. Again, this is only for a short time until the drums and electric guitar start rocking away, seeming to be a musical theme throughout the album. This is "Leather In the Box", which features some more groovin’ garage jams. Overall a pretty groovy release I’d say.

Cassette for purchase: http://www.unread-records.com/releases/nance.html

The Debts - Fools (Unread, 2011)

The Debts – Fools
Unread 2011

The Debts consist of Dane Sybrant and Kevin Shaw and this tape was recorded in Omaha, Nebraska. "Of False Profits" begins with some lo-fi strumming on an acoustic guitar and some spoken-word-ish style lyrics but still in a singing voice. The lyrics are pretty grim and dark about metaphoric wrists being slit with a metaphoric razor (a guitar pick) and metaphorically hanging oneself with guitar strings…There’s a really bassy floor tom beating and a shaker in unison with the melody in the lyrics and guitar. "The Riverside" starts off a little more upbeat and groovier on the acoustic guitar strumming away. The lyrics continue in their horrific nature, “finding bodies by the riverside.” River’s Edge anyone? The floor tom and this time some bells enter in the chorus beating and shaking away. "Sermons and Serpents" begins with some rhythmic and groovy acoustic guitar strumming. More floor tom in the mix, seeming to be a pretty clutch percussion instrument for the tape. "Mama" starts off with the floor tom and just the sung lyrics, which I really like. There’s then some overdubbing and harmonies in the vocals. It’s the shortest song on the side, but its probably my favorite up to now.

The vocals on "Audrey" have a strange kind of resonance, maybe from the room the recording took place in. There is also some subtle bass-y rumbling in the background, it sounds like wind being recorded. At the beginning of "Bring Down the Hawks" there is some microphone movement/noise and the floor tom is this time somewhat distorted, along with the acoustic guitar. The song cuts short, transitioning into some found sound territory of a male speaking in a southern accent threatening another man and his farm. There is then some bizarre, suspenseful keyboards and bass that could have come from the television or an old movie. This also then cuts short, and what could be a violin or fiddle fades into "Talking Digital Blues." There’s some dripping water and chit-chat in the background. The song continues with some more acoustic work and lyrics singing, critiquing the digital age. The song ends with the low humming/buzzing of some machine until someone says, “Can you, like, shut that off?” That gave me a laugh.

Cassette for purchase: http://www.unread-records.com/releases/fools.html