Web Beat: Tomorrow at Dawn, Bolonium, Off The Comet, True School, Jim Love and Iluminado

As described online, Tomorrow at Dawn is a musical collaboration which began over 20 years ago between Colorado metal-heads John Lutzow and Jason Boudreau in Aurora. From Diablo to Devereux reflects upon this while also introducing aspects of jazz, world, and most notably flamenco and classical guitar to boot. Each track is so carefully crafted with guitars which strum furiously, but not without purpose. “The Charade” exemplifies the overall tone of the album, but as a whole there’s much more of an emphasis on diversity and intensity with each track offering completely new movements – the overall effect of which is best described as a long-winded story as told by the fingertips of virtuosos.

Any album art featuring an accordion displayed prominently has officially got my undivided attention. Bolonium’s first, self-titled album is one heck of a trip – the group is billing themselves as a comedy rock act (and the only band that’s “full of Bolonium”). Most of the lyrics are fairly tongue-and-cheek, but also surprisingly very self-aware. Musical treatment varies a lot song to song, and overall it’s a very pleasant experience that almost nobody would have expected. Bolonium definitely breaks out of the mold with their strange blend of uniquely stylized musical comedy. Even the group’s videos are a special kind of weird (in a good way).

Bass groove galore drives Off The Comet’s newly-released three-song set titled Strip It/Peel It to beautiful jam-band ecstasy as evidenced here on “(Pretty) Little Miss City”. The group’s foundation rests in classic blues musical cues, but there’s a certain diversion which happens on the way to the final product when a heavy does of classic Rock ‘n’ Roll makes constant appearances throughout the tracks. This song, as well as both “Cover Girl” and “Prime-Mate” are best served loudly, the dirty sound begs to be heard at levels some bar patrons might consider a bit too loud. Blues guitar solos top off the production brilliantly, and as the songs get close to finishing up things usually take that well-appreciated trip towards rock for a strong finish.

Boulder’s True School blends soul, electronic, hip hop, and some classic funk into “Just Chillin’”, the final track on newly-published If Only For a Moment. The funky sound is nothing if not classy as hell, with cool rolling bass bolstering life into a cool state of relaxation. Jazz makes its appearance most known with the never-overemphasized selection of classic brass accents which peek out behind the hills of sound. There’s so much going on across the album that it’s impossible to say anything other than “You’ve got to hear it for yourself.”

Jim Love presents The Ceiling’s Gone, a four-track EP featuring “Sick Man”, among other tracks. The singer-songwriter hit the nail on the head with this beautifully-produced folk offering, and Love’s voice perfectly compliments the sometimes strumming, wailing guitar focus. The stripped-down sound doesn’t feel so empty, especially considering all the instruments which aren’t there. Across the album “understated” is the name of the game, with subtle progression of each song with layers of musical expression lovingly placed with careful precision. Guitars work together to create the soundscape which plays backseat to emotional and harmonic vocal work. It’s a labor of love, and we’re lovin’ Love right now.

Flesh of Suns is the first album released by Denver’s Iluminado since their 2012 album Prime Cuts and it’s certainly a welcome addition to Colorado’s explosive music scene. Most notably, the sound is a clear blend of post-rock and math-rock, with trademark wall-of-sound being accented by furiously fast guitar parts in “Sun’s Blood”. Of the 10 songs slated for release, currently only three are available online but they certainly tempt imagination on what waits for listeners when the full album drops in just over a week. Additional tracks are very Minus the Bear, and when paired with the faster post-rock elements seems to fit the bill just right. Cerebral bands can be few and far between, but Iluminado is just that. Remember to check into their Bandcamp on the 19th to check out the whole offering online.