Pet Ghost Project; A Sonic Boomerang That Grows Louder With Each Pass

I have been touting the genius of Pet Ghost Project since the inception of this music soapbox. I love Justin Stivers like a brother, and am getting to know his bandmates Justin Gonzalez and Jake More a bit better every day. I consider myself lucky to know them and even luckier at how much faith they placed in myself and Jenn months ago.

What makes Pet Ghost Project so special? A lot, actually. What you get from them is a stunningly honest messages weaved throughout layers of sound that draw on everything from classic jazz, to surf rock, to indie pop. There's a line in what you would call "experimental noise" and "music," and Pet Ghost Project knows exactly where that line is. They push it as far as it can get without ever crossing the boundary. Everything, no matter how crashing and pounding and intense it gets, remains harmonic and melodious. They know when to push, when to pull, when to break. They let you go for a moment or two, then come right back at you with songs that go from thought-provoking to heart-wrenching, but never give you a cushion to land safely on.

I can say with all honesty, that nearly everyone who has sat down and put in a CD from Pet Ghost Project has come away completely transfixed. They create music that is unique and truly special. And we are so proud that Justin had the faith in our passion to to sign on and allow us to promote his creations. We're watching him finally catch on. We watch him get excited by every review, and every bit of deserved praise. And we know it's only a matter of a bit of time before he won't be able to keep up with it all. We've got so much in the hopper for Pet Ghost Project, so look for some big announcements coming soon. Until then, Justin, Justin and Jake were kind enough to put together a smashing cover of Pavement's "Box Elder" to promote the showcase this Saturday at Cameo. Grab it below!

Listen: Box Elder (Pavement Cover)
Listen: I Throw Away Pennies, from "The Great Satisfactory"
Listen: Violent Dreams, from "Cheer Up ~ It's Raining"
Listen: The Consequence of Thinking, from "Idiot Brain, Genius Heart"
Listen: They Built a City in My Country Mind, from "The Wordless Conversation"


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On Another Note

Swimming in Speakers; Sonic Fluid That Spills from the Soul

Chris Clarke certainly knows a good thing when he hears it, and hearing Meadow Eliz sing for the first time was no exception. The story of these two came to be "Swimming in Speakers" is an adorable tale of happenstance and persistence, and could be a blog entry all it's own.

Over the past few months, I've gotten to know Chris quite a bit after falling quite hard for Swimming in Speakers' music. What catches you off-guard about them, is the underlining innocence beneath their extraordinary talent. If you listen to their EP, you'd never know that most of the tracks were captured in just a couple takes, which speaks volumes about a) how well they work together and b) how talented they are. From the undeniably catchy "Serve them Well" and "In Knowing," to the moody and insightful of "Near My Ear" and "Evergreen," these two have created a sound that is accessible to everyone.

Chris is an incredible multi-instrumentalist and uses Meadow's voice (we'll get into that in a moment) as the lead, often layered, never compromised. He knows exactly how to complement it, when to push other sounds, when to hold back. There's a rich, but delicate aspect to what they create, and I haven't quite figured out how they've achieved that. There's so much depth that it makes your head, well, swim. The effects he adds create a mood, but never take away from the focus of the songs. He and Meadow push each other and are musical siblings.

Meadow's darling voice, at one listen, is a drug. It turning the listener into putty as she bends, lifts, stabs, and caresses with her voice all so effortlessly. To compare her to Harriet Wheeler or Caroline Crawley is not a stretch in the least, and she might be better than both. She has that certain quality that separates her, a tonality that sets her apart from the many talented sirens out there. And, I'm told, she plays a hell of a guitar.

Both Chris and Meadow have a theater background. Both have a very distinct personality, even from each other. But they work frighteningly well together, and I hold great hope for a good career from them. Even more so, I cannot wait to see what they do live.

Listen: Swimming in Speakers - In Knowing

Swimming in Speakers on MySpace