Twelve Thousand Armies - The Mirth These Days
TWELVE THOUSAND ARMIES
The Mirth These Days
(MoRisen)
A spinoff of North Carolina band the Talk, Twelve Thousand Armies takes a similar tack in updating another era's guitar pop for the aughts. While the Talk dwells on the new wave, however, TTA swirls flavors from the mid-80s New South pop explosion into its batter. Echoes of the dB's, Let's Active and Guadalcanal Diary give resonance to leader Justin Williams' snappy songs, though his touch with ballads like "We Buy Broken Gold" owes more to 60s British pop. Very nice stuff indeed. Michael Toland

Indie-Music.com
Quote: "Popping better than The Shins, but with a lullaby swing."

By Genevieve Will
Wielding the formidable songwriting and vocal talents of Justin Williams (The Talk), Twelve Thousand Armies debuts the release The Mirth These Days. Fusing unforgivably catchy pop with songwriting so quality it may rival The Beatles', Williams produced the album with the skills of Charlotte's local musicians and had it mixed by Brian Paulson (Beck, Superchunk). Delivered is that ever-sought-after sound; the CD that plays, sometimes for months, without another ever touching your stereo.Layering comfortable guitar bits under that voice - slightly roughened by a bit of gravel - with head nodding beats and the occasional vocal harmony, Williams emerges with a sound not only entirely different although still as remarkable as The Talk's but also completely apart from the drab monotony of recent release.Popping better than The Shins, but with a lullaby swing "Everyday is Getting Better" finds my accolades, and the sad-parental-helpless vibe of "We Buy Broken Gold" mirrors Pink Floyd. For the upbeat pop jam that seems to be Williams' ideal, "Touch and Go" surely holds that classic perfection songwriters long wistfully for.

Enigmaonline.com
New Music Reviews

Twelve Thousand Armies "The Mirth These Days"

Twelve Thousand Armies The Mirth These Days blasts off with “Everyday Is Getting Better” a George Harrison, Guided By Voices compromise that shakes and delights. This soft attack sound has been attempted by many artists but is perfected by TTA.
Glimmering tambourine and glimpses of Moog put this one in the smoky college bars and should put it in the smoky college charts. After all the songs are extremely pleasing. Soft rolling choruses, rattling drums and open-ended guitar squeals are pressed into an echo effected production that is not too dreamy. The acoustic guitar work and distorted bass tones is well wrought and well timed. Even though the album goes a little trance now and then Twelve Thousand Armies breaks it up with quick choruses and heart string pulling.

The terrain is hilly for Twelve Thousand Armies. Nice rolling songs washed in warm fuzziness. This record is best digested while cleaning house, driving or writing. Depths as low as The Jesus and Mary Chain, peaks as high as Television, TTA build nice pop sequences.
The Tom Collins Daylight Tonight Terminus Records
The Tom Collins presents Daylight Tonight. The Atlanta based trio has completed their third studio album. And quite miraculously this is their third successful attempt at combining sloppy-soul rock and shimmering harmonies into Zeppelin-esque high tempo stompers that satisfy.
Blues in its core Daylight Tonight never bottoms out. The band is capable of shaping the the corners of the songs into fashionable bumpers instead of blunt white blues breaks. Vocals are forward in the mix, but thankfully nothing is over sung. Adding to the classic casing of the album is a mild raspy big winded tone provided by Fran Capitanelli. Even and seamless, Capitanelli peaks on “Last Mistake”. The album plays out like a live show, and the weariness found in the last fifteen minutes of the record adds to the sincerity of the project. Guitars are almost too good. Too good to tell if it is twenty takes in the studio or simply great.
The Tom Collins are most likely on their way to crafting a hit. They ride the line between Fastball and The Black Crowes. Distinctly southern and distinctly familliar in song writing. Schooled in vintage this trio has the kind of skill needed to break through. Check out www.thetomcollins.com to get samples from Daylight Tonight.

Mugison Mugimama! Is This Monkey Music? Ipecac
Mugison is the new bleeps and blips beat poet on Ipecac Records. This watery album has no discernable direction or mood. It is a snowballing volume of paranoia, noise and illumination. Walk in and out of beautiful string arrangements and computer crackling explosions.
Production. That is what this paragraph is usually about, but my head is in a knot. It’s nice production. So many wel-balanced layers and intricate twists, it’s pointless to explain. Subtle and underwater most of the time. There is an Icelandic connection to the arrangements. Spacey and windswept. The filters layered over shaky vocals are stabbing and bright. Two finger walking piano and paper sounding drums in “What I Would Say In Your Funeral” won’t prepare you for the criminal “Sad as a Truck”.

This one may not be for the progressive metal meddlers out there. Ipecac Records have gone much farther than their benchmark thick heavy sounds. Mugison is the artist to prove heavy can be soft and tired is still alive. He will also destroy what an album is conventionally thought of.
- Thomas Martin