Lars Rüetschi

Lars Rüetschi

        Born in Switzerland and raised in Rio de Janeiro, Lars Rüetschi is a brilliant and talented musician that dabbles in rock, jazz fusion and world music. For almost two decades, Rüetschi has been active playing for different musicians. While Rüetschi has appeared on several albums over the years, he’s also managed to crank out several digital singles.

            Most of Rüetschi‘s work is influenced by the samba and bossa nova music, both of which he grew up listening to. Listening to his music, you can certainly here that influence. Take “Mediterana” for instance: it’s a very Brazilian sounding sound with some soothing flamenco-like guitar playing. Speaking of which, Rüetschi is an impressive guitarist. This is showcased in all of his music, especially the echoing “Nostalgia.” The song features Rüetschi playing at an impressive speed. Not only is it melodic but it’s also very calming. If any hint of rock can be heard in his music, it would be the piano-driven “Talking.” Half-way into the song, Rüetschi plays a solo that could be mistaken as a lost outtake from a late-1980s Pink Floyd album. The similarities between Rüetschi’s playing and David Gilmour’s are quite astonishing.

            Lars Rüetschi is well worth checking out. With independent music being mostly dominated by alternative and lo-fi band, Rüetschi sticks out for his sound alone. It’ll be interesting to see what he comes up with next. 

You can purchase his music by clicking here, which will direct you to his Amazon MP3 store. 

The Shivers- "Charades" album reissue review

The Shivers

Charades

The Shivers’ debut album Charades is receiving a special tenth anniversary reissue on vinyl for a limited time only. What’s that? Who are the Shivers? Apparently, they are a band that was formed in 2001 by musician Keith Zarriello. Charades received some positive reviews but the band is otherwise unknown. Believe it or not, they are still together; though they are currently a two-piece band. Until being approached to review this album, I had never heard of the band. I’ve also read that this tenth anniversary reissue is an abridged and resequenced version of the album, clocking in at 37 minutes (when the original album clocked in a little over an hour). Nevertheless, Charades is an interesting album.

            The album begins with the bizarre title track, which features tape loops and other sounds. This leads into the haunting “L.I.E.” The acoustics are pretty good even for a song that is very minimalist. The rest of the album is pretty eclectic while still maintaining a lo-fi sound. The Shivers can be a pretty strange group at times. The catchy “SoHo Party” features strange lyrics that aren’t worth repeating while the autobiographical “Roses” remembers “albino children on the street.” The Shivers can also write some solid alternative rock songs. The folky “Kisses” has a Velvet Underground vibe going on while the grammatically incorrect “I Could Care Less” features blending vocals and guitar riffs. Another highlight is “Violence,” which is another indie sounding track but has a unique hip hop feel to it.

            Whether or not you’ve heard the original album, Charades is worth a listen.

Click here to pre-order the album.