CD Review: Karisa Wilson - Little Girl

Karisa Wilson - Little Girl
2008, Frogirl Productions

Karisa Wilson is a classically trained violinist who never really picked up a guitar until a couple of years out of college. Since that time she has developed a musical style that meshes Latin, jazz, blues and soul influences into classic folk music. Her debut album, Little Girl is something of a musical revelation.

Karisa Wilson likes to keep her musical options open. Dancing through Little Girl changing musical styles like Celine Dion changes outfits in a concert, Wilson weaves a magical story in music and verse. From the Latin jazz introduction (Promenade) to the wailing call of Adore to the bluesy Old Dog, Karisa Wilson keeps you on your toes. She combines a powerful voice with gorgeous acoustic arrangements and intelligent lyrics to offer up a palette full of many colors, influences and timbres.

Open Chord Lullaby is perhaps my favorite song on the album, sporting a very memorable melody and a mix of sass and sensibility that is highly intriguing. Other highlights include Indiana; Luke's Song and What Do We Do Now?

Little Girl is a very strong debut album and an ample introduction to Karisa Wilson. I suspect she'll be offering up recordings for many years to come.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Karisa Wilson at http://www.karisawilson.com/. You can purchase a copy of Little Girl at www.cdbaby.com/cd/karisawilson.

CD Review: Gary E. - Now & Then

Gary E. - Now & Then
2007, Electric Shadow

Gary Edelburg is a fabulously talented multi-instrumentalist whose primary instrument is the Trumpet. He has studied under Lee Konitz as well as at Berklee School Of Music. His prior credits include work with several bands as well as composing music for PBS documentaries. His second release, Now & Then, displays a penchant for reserved musical theatrics and a conservative approach to composition that is classy and distinct.

Now & Then opens with Partly Sonny, featuring Ken Schwab on Rhythm guitar. Schwab breathes a funky life into this tune, while Gary E. channels Chris Botti channeling Sonny Rollins. Ken Schwab is a definite asset to Gary E. throughout Now & Then, appearing on three of the seven tracks. Schwab brings a tension into the songs he's involved with that Gary E. seems to consume and feed off to great effect. Return Of The Toads Of The Short Forest is mellow dinner music and stands in counterpoint to the Zappa tune from whence the title comes. This is a pleasant listen but at times lacks the tension/energy seen elsewhere on Now & Then.

The title track, Now & Then, also includes Schwab on guitar, and the funk is engaged again. This is an example of the musical soul mates at their very best. There is just something about the pairing of Gary E. & Ken Schwab that lifts them, individually and collectively, to a higher musical plane. Gary E's interpretation of Wade In The Water is reverent and inspired, riffing on the melody line to a bed of jazz/funk construction. Wade In The Water qualifies for the label Lite Jazz and would do well on radio stations that embrace that format.

Heading Home is the third and final song that features Schwab and is a change of pace from the other two. Heading Home has more of a Jackson Browne ethic to it. Gary E is reserved here, and Schwab's guitar playfully dances around as it teases the trumpet into fuller recognition. Fuse is Gary E. solo, and has an ethereal yet electronic flavor that is almost reminiscent of Delirium (were they to play Jazz). This is true for approximately the first minute of Fuse, after which the song devolves into a chromatic morass of dissonant sounds. Fuse then evolves again into the main theme, which is about as mainstream jazz as you can get. The aural picture is one of extreme conflict that is played out in the music as it careens from harmonic comfort to cognitive and musical dissonance (and back again).

Now & Then closes out with Wild Mountain Thyme, a traditional tune arranged by Gary E. This is far and away the most beautiful track on the album. The liner notes indicate Gary E. arranged Wild Mountain Thyme, but rather than try to recreate it he chose to step out of the melody's way and let it be what it is. This is the mark that distinguishes a good musician from a great one.

Gary E. possesses a distinctive vision that comes through in his music. It is a pursuit of beauty in simplicity; allowing the notes and the spaces in between to speak for themselves. On his own he is an impressive writer/arranger/instrumentalist; in conjunction with Ken Schwab on guitar he comes a magician who spins instrumental yarns that wrap you in their staves and carry you along. Now & Then speaks to both the simplicity and the beauty of music, with a little funk on the side.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Gary E. at http://www.electricshadow.com/. You can purchase a copy of Now & Then at www.cdbaby.com/cd/garye2.

CD Review: Josh Rouse - The Best Of The Rykodisc Years

Josh Rouse - The Best Of The Rykodisc Years
2008, Rhino Records

Josh Rouse was a "military brat" who was born in Paxton, Nebraska and wound up settling in Tennessee. The lifestyle of a military family is one of regular moves, many schools (for the kids) and vague or incomplete social ties. It's the sort of lifestyle that can breed artists and musicians quite easily: kids who find it easier to stay in their rooms and play the guitar than continually going out to meet new people. I don't know if this was quite the circumstance with Josh Rouse, but it would explain the volume and quality of songs he's written over the years. Rhino Records decided to memorialize the best of Josh's recordings with Rykodisc in 2008, and the double-disc The Best Of The Rykodisc Years is the end result.

Josh Rouse has a penchant for mellow, slightly depressed sounding songs, but manages in spite of this to always imbue a high level of energy into each one. This is a very difficult skill to master, yet for Rouse it seems almost natural. Rouse does manage the occasional hook-filled folk/pop number now and then, such as Late Night Conversation. Another mid-tempo song that jumps out from this set is Dressed Up Like Nebraska. This is my favorite song from the set thus far. Under Cold Blue Stars brings an electronic sound to the collection as is an unexpected yet delightful change of pace.

Ugly Stories is a mellow-pop classic, and 1972 does all it can to convince us that the true singer-songwriters aren't all gone. Other highlights include Rise; Winter In The Hamptons; A Night In; Sad Eyes and Princess On The Porch.

Josh Rouse started out as Indie, went to a major label, and is now Indie again. Along the way he seems to never have lost the power and freedom that is evident in his songwriting. Josh Rouse's easy deliver allows him to deliver significant ideas that slip in past your defenses and wallop you at just the right moments. The Best Of The Rykodisc Years is a must-own collection of the best of Josh Rouse. See how he shines.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Josh Rouse at http://www.joshrouse.com/. You can pick up a copy of The Best Of The Rykodisc Years at Amazon.com or at most major music retailers.

CD Review: Sunday Speedtrap - You Can't Outrun The Radio!!/Confessions From The Heart

Sunday Speedtrap - You Can't Outrun The Radio!!/Confessions From The Heart

Seattle suburbanite Chris Eric is the literal and spiritual heart and head of Sunday Speedtrap. A local folk artist in Everett, Washington for the past fifteen or so years, Eric has quite the following locally. Performing both solo and with a band (Sunday Speedtrap), Eric has managed to release 5 CDs in the past ten years. His band, Sunday Speedtrap has released two albums, both of which we are reviewing today.


Sunday Speedtrap - You Can't Outrun The Radio!!
2005, Canucmysng?

You Can't Outrun The Radio is a lo-fi collection of American and Country/Rock tunes with a very mellow disposition. It is a pleasant listen but lacks the sort of spark that turns a good listen into a great one. The songwriting, musicianship and vocals are all solid, but nothing really jumps out here as special. Standing By Your Side displays some of the energy I was looking for from Sunday Speedtrap, as do One Touch and Pretty Little Girl. Pretty Little Girl is the best track on You Can't Outrun The Radio.

Sunday Speedtrap - Confessions From The Heart
2008, Canucmysng?

2008's Confessions From The Heart shows some significant steps forward for Sunday Speedtrap. I would presume that the additional three years of playing together has helped something to click for Sunday Speedtrap. Follow My Heart is a mellow alt-country rocker in the vein of Blue Rodeo. The Life I've Led is also a strong entry, with a pleasant melody and a little creative tension apparent. All And All is a bit of a rocker that is a pleasant change of pace from Sunday Speedtrap. Other highlights include Spirit, Dance With Me, Do You Believe and I'm Going To The Dance.

Sunday Speedtrap is a band that has experienced considerable growth in the three years between You Can't Outrun The Radio!! and Confessions From The Heart. Musically strong from the first, they've shown definite improvement as a unit. Vocals and songwriting have both shown significant growth in the meantime. I would strongly recommend Confessions From The Heart. If you really like the disc or a completist pick up You Can't Outrun The Radio!!, but it's not up to the level of their sophomore release.

Ratings:

You Can't Outrun The Radio!! - 2 Stars (Out of 5)
Confessions From The Heart - 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Sunday Speedtrap at http://www.sundayspeedtrap.com/ or www.myspace.com/sundayspeedtrap. You can purchase a copy of You Can’t Outrun The Radio!! at www.cdbaby.com/cd/chriseric3. You can purchase a copy of Confessions From The Heart at www.cdbaby.com/cd/chriseric4.

CD Review: The Smith Bros. - Restless

The Smith Bros. - Restless
2008, The Smith Bros.

The Smith Bros. have a love of melodic power-pop with big hooks and great harmonies. Their sound is reminiscent of 1970's AM music and 1980's pop rock. They've been compared to Teenage Fanclub and Fountains Of Wayne, although there would appear to be strong influences here from The Beatles to Van Morrison to a host of 1980's Brit-Pop bands. On 2008's Restless, The Smith Bros. offer up 14 melodic gems.

How Wrong You Are is a jangly rocker that could almost be a Gin Blossoms tune. She's Under My Skin is a silly little love song in the British tradition with big harmonies in the chorus and a memorable melody. Restless opens with an American influenced guitar hook and resolves into a strong harmony-based gem. Other highlights include the guitar-heavy Every Day Gets Better, You Did It All, Indecision and My Great Regret.

If the Everly Brothers came up through the musical ranks twenty years later and were from Britain, they might sound quite a lot like The Smith Bros. (who are from Ohio, by the by). Restless is full of memorable melodies, soaring harmonies and hooks galore. This may be one of the most sonically pleasing recordings of 2008, even if it probably isn't quite hip enough to have significant radio impact. The Smith Bros. are a band to respect and appreciate and go see live as many times as you can. Restless is a little sample for home listening and comes highly recommended.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about The Smith Bros. at www.myspace.com/thesmithbrosmusic. Restless is a forthcoming release. Keep checking The Smith Bros. MySpace page for release dates and purchase information.

CD Review: John Stein - Encounterpoint

John Stein - Encounterpoint
2008, Whaling City Sound

John Stein is the sort of guitar player you build a band around. As former bandleader or sideman for the likes of David "Fathead Newman" and Lou Donaldson, Stein has proven himself to be a versatile and dynamic jazz man. For all great artists there are always songs that get held back for someday, when the perfect band or gig comes along. Rather than wait for the day to come along, Stein put together the band in the fall of 2007 for a weekend session in Boston. The result is Stein's 7th album, Encounterpoint. It may just be his best thus far.

Encounterpoint opens with Jordu, written by Duke Jordan and popularized by Clifford Brown; the melody literally jumps off Stein's fingers. What becomes apparent very quickly is that Stein has put together a super group of incredibly talented musicians. Stein's band includes drummer Ze Eduardo Nazario (Brazil); keyboardist Koichi Sato (Japan) and bassist John Lockwood (South Africa). There isn't a piece here that isn't played with expert delicacy and fabulous musical interplay. Check out the exquisite Line Drive where Sato takes center stage. Other notable tunes are Roundabout, Trois, and Carlos Jobim's Dindi.

John Stein is a virtuoso on jazz guitar. Encouterpoint is jazz as it is meant to be played -- vibrant and full of life. The creative sparks fly all over the place on Encounterpoint, as Stein raises his game to yet another level. It’s definitely worth the time to listen to.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about John Stein at http://www.johnstein.com/. You can pick up a copy of Encounterpoint at Amazon.com.

CD Review: Deep 6 Holiday - Awake At The Funeral

Deep 6 Holiday - Awake At The Funeral
2008, Deep 6 Holiday

Tyler Azelton (vox, piano) and John Graves (bass) are lifelong friends, wife and husband and the heart of one of the most unique bands to cross my desk in 2008. Tyler Azelton has been performing since the age of three and had steady exposure to classical, jazz, Broadway and Opera while growing up. It wasn't until hear twenties that Azelton started listening to rock music. Consequently when she began composing rock music convention went out the window. In 2003, Azelton returned to Los Angeles after living in a New York City Hallway and began playing with Graves. Cut forward five years and we come to the release of Deep 6 Holiday's debut CD, Awake At The Funeral. Awake At The Funeral is a highly personal and eclectic album that you won't be able to put down.

Tyler Azelton might just have one of the best voices in popular music. Her ability to change sound, tone and emotive quality on a dime is almost singular. Her dusky, smoky alto is something to behold. She is the type of singer who could carry a bad song and make the worst song you've ever heard listenable. From a piano perspective she has some similarities to Tori Amos in writing style, although I have to say that Hazelton practices what Amos is perhaps capable of. It's hard to believe that Azelton has the concentration to just sing over what she's playing, much less sing well. The piano compositions here at times are so complex it's hard to imagine she's writing in the popular realm.

Water leads off Awake At The Funeral and serves as a chilling introduction to Azelton's voice and Deep 6 Holiday's dark yet enlightened sound. The piano part here sounds a little like something from a Tori Amos tune, but the composition is incredibly unique and circular without sounding in any way repetitive. Strong is more of a straightforward pop/rock tune but again eschews traditional ABABC song construction. Falling For You is a darkly sensuous tune and will keep you on the edge of your seat. It's Not Me makes you wonder how Azelton can manage to sing along to the obviously complicated piano part she's playing. Other highlights include Anastasia, the jazzy Breathe, the gorgeously orchestrated Empty Casket and the operatic Greta.

Finally, there is one song on Awake At The Funeral that deserves the sort of praise reserved for Beatles Love Songs. Will You Remind Me is primarily Tyler Azelton and her piano, and is far and away the highlight of highlights here. This is not a rock tune as it is presented here, but is the sort of song that could rise up most any chart in the popular realm. Expect Will You Remind Me to be licensed six ways to Sunday before long. This song is a classic.

Deep 6 Holiday is the most wonderfully enigmatic band I've had the honor to review in 2008, and Tyler Azelton might just have the best voice in popular music. Add in tremendous songwriting and a completely out of left field Zeitgeist and you have an album for the ages. Awake At The Funeral would make Deep 6 Holiday incredibly rich and famous in a perfect world. At the very least it should serve to help Deep 6 Holiday build a significant enough following to guarantee their on-going existence for a long time. Awake At The Funeral is definitely a Wildy's World Certified Desert Island Disc. Don't pass this one by.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Deep 6 Holiday at http://www.deep6holidaymusic.com/. You can purchase a copy of Awake At The Funeral at www.cdfreedom.com/artists/deep6holiday.

CD Review: Dylan Kight - The Nightbirds Revolt

Dylan Kight - The Nightbirds Revolt
2008, Aztec Ballroom Records

The Nightbirds Revolt is a pleasant album consisting of fourteen moderate tempo rock tunes that tries mightily but fails to get off the ground. Dylan Kight seems to have a fine melodic sense, but the delivery here lacks significant energy or emotion. What could be a strong album becomes a pleasantly generic yet forgettable listen. There are a few songs here worth mentioning, but generally more for what they might have been than what they are. A Running Rose has a great melody and would soar if Dylan Kight displayed an emotional connection to the song. Daydream Deferred brings a little life to The Nightbirds Revolt, but once Kight starts to sing it all falls apart. Kight's voice is pleasant enough, but he tends to sound like he's going through the motions here.

Be sure to check out Ballad Of Clarence Marshall and Arcadia. These are both songs that with the right treatment could be downright outstanding. I have to believe that Dylan Kight has more to offer on the performance side, and perhaps his energy and interest comes through more in the live environment, but I just don't hear it on the CD. It's unfortunate because Kight is actually a pretty decent songwriter. The Nightbirds Revolt is worthwhile for the material, but the performance aspect is just there.

Rating: 2.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Dylan Kight at http://www.dylankight.com/. You can purchase a copy of The Nightbirds Revolt at www.cdbaby.com/cd/dylankight2.

CD Review: Bill Grady - A Room Called Home

Bill Grady - A Room Called Home
2006, Godorobot Records

Bill Grady is a resident and product of New York City. He and his music embody the smart sophistication and raw primal qualities needed to survive in Gotham. Mixing in elements of disparate musical styles, Grady creates spasmodically wonderful musical alliterations. His 2006 release, A Room Called Home is a minor miracle.

A Room Called Home is a delightfully edgy and enigmatic folk album. The CD is primarily Bill Grady and his guitar, and comes across as a personal live performance. Grady reminds me of what might happen if Jason Mraz and Ani DiFranco had a child together. In fact I am not certain this hasn't happened already. Bill Grady has a rapid-fire lyrical style reminiscent of Ani and a melodic sense reminiscent of Mraz. Check out Sandpaper Or Suede to see what I mean.

On Secret Grady shows a more refined style. This impressive ballad is a thing of beauty and calls to mind some of Elton John's best story-songs. Don't Be Shy finds Bill Grady accompanying himself on lip-trumpet in a bit of good-natured fun. Other highlights include Do Bei Lei Lo; Yours, truly; the jazzy Bye Bye Farewell; Walkabout and Carry You.

Bill Grady walks to the beat of his own drummer. His songs are full of interesting melodies and spry lyrical spins and turns. A Room Called Home is an effecting debut that will bring you to big highs and dramatic lows while covering the entire gamut in between. Strong recommendations all around for Bill Grady and A Room Called Home.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Bill Grady at www.myspace.com/billgrady. You can purchase a copy of A Room Called Home at www.cdbaby.com/cd/billgrady.

CD Review: Moscow - Moscow

Moscow - Moscow
2008, Moscow

Moscow is a 4-member all female alternative rock band from Los Angeles. Their sound is halfway between Hole and The Cure, a sort of semi-depressed slow-core drone that ebbs and flows from song to song. Their self-titled debut CD will be released in 2008 independently and may find a niche with goth and new-wave fans.

I'll be honest; this is not a disc where you spend a lot of time talking about highlights. That's not a knock on the disc; it's just the style of music. The intent here is more of a consistent musical focus that spurns dynamism for a grinding (if not terribly heavy) motif. This is mellow rock rave music with a dark but not evil heart. Shadows and shading dominate throughout, and sudden tempo changes invade the music at odd times to create a sonic disturbance that is almost emotional. Favorite songs here are Scissors; Snow; The One and 2AM.

Moscow is not for everyone. It is slightly disturbing and rhythmically atypical of its genre. Moscow finds the movement in minutiae and odd time signature changes. Vocal dynamics and chord changes are left for occasional moments rather than as integral parts of the song, and melody is nearly an afterthought to the consensus of musical inertia, but Moscow are unique and interesting in their failure to comply with the rules and dictums of pop music. One gets the sense that this is truly a case of marching to a different drummer rather than being different to be different. Moscow’s self-titled album is an interesting study with unusual choices that will find its mark with enough fans to keep Moscow making music for some time.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Moscow at www.myspace.com/thisismoscow. Contact Moscow through their MySpace page for purchase information.

CD Review: Steve Brockley - Steve Brockley EP

Steve Brockley - Steve Brockley EP
2008, Steve Brockley

Steve Brockley is a folk singer/songwriter with the meanest finger-pick guitar style I've heard in some time. The Montreal, Canada resident has a punk Arlo Guthrie aura about him. He displays a distinct talent for story telling set to music and writes gorgeous backgrounds for his musical poetry. On his self-titled Steve Brockley EP, Brockley offers up 4 outstanding tracks in the form of introduction.

Late Night Nancy would seem to describe the arc of a nonpareil dysfunctional relationship and is a classic story song. Gold seems to play on the same themes as Robert Frost's Nothing Gold Can Stay. The melody is memorable and Brockley's voice brings a homey feel -- you can picture sitting around a kitchen fire in Appalachia with the warmth of fire, grog and friends. Dress Me Up continues in the vein of classic story songs and adds in a blues accent. The EP closes with Nickels and Dimes, which includes a guitar played in a blues style that mimics slide guitar. This is musically the most interesting song on the disc and my personal favorite.

Steve Brockley should be big draw on the folk circuit in the coming years. He's the kind of performer who could take a place like Falcon Ridge by storm. I highly recommend this EP as a classic example of roots music. A must-have!

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Steve Brockley at http://www.stevebrockley.com/. Contact Steve through his MySpace page if you’re interested in purchasing a copy of his self-titled EP.

CD Review: Todd Lorenz - Twenty Aught Eight, Volume 1 and Volume 2

Todd Lorenz - Twenty Aught Eight V. 1 & V. 2
2008, Todd Lorenz

Todd Lorenz is an acoustic based singer/songwriter whose musical ancestry lies in blues, rock, folk and bluegrass. The native of Southern California has made his was to Monroe, WI by way of Phoenix but has continued to make music and play out whenever possible. After releasing 5 solo albums and fronting several Southern California bands, Lorenz has set a new goal for himself in 2008. Between January 14, 2008 and January 12, 2009 he will post one new song each week to his website, http://www.toddlorenz.com/. These songs will be available for free download, and will later be available for sale on 4 CDs, each of which will represent one quarter of a year. The project is called Twenty Aught Eight, and volumes 1 and 2 will be available shortly.

Twenty Aught Eight is an acoustic project made up primarily of Todd Lorenz and his guitar. One would expect that the pressure of releasing one song per week would create a barrier to strong, consistent songwriting, but the recorded evidence is quite to the contrary. Twenty Aught Eight V.1 and V.2 contain consistently strong songwriting and plus performances from Todd Lorenz.

Volume One opens with Three Chords And The Truth, with Lorenz sounding a little like Johnny Cash. This song is quite catchy and stays with you after the CD is over. Rock Me has a rockin' blues feel to it, again as if done by Johnny Cash. Trouble No More may well be the class of Volume 1, and could be a bit of a working class anthem. Moonbeams is a lovely country/folk instrumental ballad. Other highlights include The Meanderin Hound; Ain't No Greater Sorrow; Beauty Of Our Lives and Lost In Pain.

Volume Two includes the powerful anti-war song Bring 'Em Home. The message here is a hammer that comes across in sometimes awkward, sometimes oblique fashion. It's not as poetic as you might expect in a song, but lyrically is perhaps closer to actual thoughts than the finessed word could capture. Next up is perhaps the best song from the first two volumes of Twenty Aught Eight - Walk On By. Other highlights include Perfect Pleasures; Talkin' 'Bout It; Leave A Light On; Two Step and Soothe My Soul.

Todd Lorenz isn't the prettiest voice in music. His lower register sounds very much like Johnny Cash. His upper register is idiosyncratic and unique. Whatever flaws exist in his voice make him more interesting and listenable rather than detracting from the musical experience. The song quality is in general lower than you might expect from Lorenz just becauseof the volume, but he finds some real gems along the way. I liken this to being given a look inside an artist's sketchbook where the failures have been given equal opportunity alongside potential masterpieces. Lorenz bravely offers up a years worth of catalogue in what becomes a study in the process of composition and creation. Todd Lorenz is a unique and brave artist who warrants further attention. The Twenty Aught Eight project is highly recommended listening, and is as fine example of the raw creative process as we've had the pleasure to hear here at Wildy's World.

Ratings:

Volume 1: 3 Stars (Out of 5)
Volume 2: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Todd Lorenz at http://www.toddlorenz.com/; where you can download his weekly offerings from the Twenty Aught Eight project for free, or purchase CDs of previously released Twenty Aught Eight songs in the not too distant future.

CD Review: Leigh Jones - Music In My Soul

Leigh Jones - Music In My Soul
2008, Peak Records (Concord Music)

Leigh Jones has big friends and supporters. The Southern California native has managed to impress both Berry Gordy (Motown founder) and Al Bell (Stax Records) that she has something special. That’s no small potatoes in the world of Soul and R&B music. This high school classmate of Josh Groban has the world at her feet musically, and the potential to make it hers. Her debut album Music In My Soul was released on September 9, 2008.

Music In My Soul is something of a creative Pangaea. On the one hand you have wonderfully written songs such as the bluesy I'm Leavin' You, the gorgeous Free Fall, the jazzy Sick Of Fools and the cabaret tune Goodbye. Jones shines on these tunes as smoky-voiced alto with a beautiful sound. Leigh Jones' vocals soar on Music In My Soul, making good songs great and even partially rescuing some of the lesser material. A few songs don't work as well for Jones, including Words You Never Say (You rip me open like a Hostess Cupcake / down to the creamy filling). Aside from being one of the most unintentionally funny lyrics in pop music in a decade, this song is more of a venue for Jones to engage in coloratura runs and drop Shakespeare references than to sing.

Singing is what Leigh Jones does well, and it's markedly clear that with the right material she can be downright mesmerizing. Music In My Soul is uneven with some songs that are definite keepers and some that would be best left behind. Jones herself makes a fair effort on all the songs here, but some are just not savable. Leigh Jones is an ample talent with a bright future. We here at Wildy's World hope to hear more from her in the future.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Leigh Jones at www.myspace.com/leighjonesmusic. You can purchase a copy of Music In My Soul at Amazon.com and most major music retailers.

CD Review: Kill Bosby - On Thursday We Leave For Home

Kill Bosby - On Thursday We Leave For Home
2007, Kill Bosby

Concept albums have a long history in Rock and Roll, from the glorified (The Who's Tommy) to the reviled (Styx' Kilroy Was Here). Bands always take a tremendous risk in taking on concept albums. This commitment limits the range of material to a band in its writing and can cause musical strains trying to fit music and ideas together. Kill Bosby is a brave little band. In On Thursday We Leave For Home, Kill Bosby has crafted a succinct and musically interesting narrative based on the Twilight Zone episode of the same name.

Kill Bosby uses this story to highlight their use of tight harmonies, jangly guitar pop and soaring choruses to navigate the narrative. Today Is... begins the story with a musical vignette that suggests tedium turning to resolution and the stark excitement of Captain Benteen's castaways at being saved from their exile. DNA exudes the control crisis Benteen suffers on his way to extending his own self-imprisonment on V9-Gamma. The guitar and keyboard on this track have a distinctive 1980's feel to them.

Free is straight forward guitar pop and may be the most commercial tune on the album. Satellites & Submarines is probably the best song on On Thursday We Leave For Home. The combination of interesting dueling guitar hooks and lofty harmonies creates moments of musical beauty in the form of a vaguely maudlin song. The EP closes with I'm Leaving, a hopeful yet vaguely troubled epilogue to the television tale.

While the subject matter here is a bit unusual for rock and roll, the songwriting and execution are right on. Kill Bosby manages to break a Twilight Zone episode into five musical vignettes that managed to illuminate the story without overpowering or over-explaining it. On Thursday We Leave For Home is great pop music with a melancholy twist. This is required listening, particularly if you are a singer/songwriter who's ever struggled for writing ideas. Kill Bosby proves that the most mundane or esoteric ideas can be musical fodder when re-imagined from the right angle.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Kill Bosby at http://www.killbosby.com/ or www.myspace.com/killbosby. You can purchase a copy of On Thursday We Leave For Home at www.cdbaby.com/cd/killbosby.

CD Review: Willie Mack - Headlights and Tailpipes

Willie Mack – Headlights And Tailpipes
2007, Open Road Recordings

Texas’ own Willie Mack plays rock and roll country songs that would make Charlie Daniels proud. With a pop/country voice that is made for radio and strong songwriting, Willie Mack seems positioned to be a big thing in country music. His 2007 release, Headlights And Tailpipes is full of highly commercial yet musically interesting songs.

Headlights and Tailpipes opens with Gonna Get Me A Cadillac, with a driving bass line that will have you up and dancing immediately. The song "." is full of delicious innuendo and probably won't make Sarah Palin's iPod play list any time soon but sure is a fun listen. Headlights and Tailpipes is the perfect road tune, guaranteed to make that long road trip pass in a jiffy. Other highlights here include Another Sky; the honky tonk Love You I Do; the religious themed TGIF and the deliciously devious Sumpin' Sumpin'.

The class of this album is Golden Years. For any of you who are parents this song will have special resonance. Aside from being a wonderfully written and touching song, it is extremely marketable on the commercial side, most likely for licensing (movies/commercials).

Willie Mack has a sound that is very classic country rock and yet retains a spark of originality. Headlights And Tailpipes is a classic debut CD with strong commercial sensibilities, great arrangements and the sort of melodies you'll be humming for days. Headlights and Tailpipes easily crosses stylistic boundaries and find a disparate batch of followers for Willie Mack.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Willie Mack at http://www.williemack.com/ or www.myspace.com/williemackmusic. Unfortunately Headlights and Tailpipes is currently only sold in Canada. You can spend $35 plus shipping to buy the import through Amazon.com, but I would recommend going to one of the Canadian retailers such as CD Plus where you’ll get it for about half the price.

CD Review: My Federation - Don't Wanna Die

My Federation - Don't Wanna Die
2008, Eye Industries

I have heard the future of British Rock and Roll. It sounds something like the progressive past of rock and roll melded with a Beatles-esque sense of melody, harmonies the Beach Boys would be proud of and enough energy to pogo dance for hours. Intrigued?

My Federation is from Brighton, England, and may have created one of the most infectious albums of 2008 in Don't Wanna Die. The album opens with the title track, a minimalist Prog Rock tune with an amazingly catchy chorus. This has first single written all over it and sounds like it would translate well into the clubs with the right remix. Open My Eyes sounds like Simon & Garfunkel wrote a tune with the Moody Blues and again has an incredibly virulent chorus.

My favorite song on the album is What Gods Are These. The mix of 1970's rock effects, a vocal performance that will send shivers down the spine of any Tom Waits fan and yet another chorus you can't shake from your head make this a potential commercial bonanza. This is the sort of song that in the right market and time could be a number one hit. It All Comes Clear changes tempo by falling into a Radiohead-inspired muse. The listener is then thrown out of their temporary reverie by Nothing To Say, a stark change of pace that sounds as Beatles inspired as it probably is.

Other highlights include the frenetic Honey Bee; the sonically diffuse new wave sounding Party Offender; the infectious Tom Tom (earphones recommeded) and Honey For The Soul. Truth be told, there isn't a weak track here.

My Federation walks on similar retro ground as Wildy's World alums Tally Hall and Woodward, but takes their retro muse in a slightly different direction. Hummable melodies combined with atypical song construction; strong harmonies and a definite ear for strong hooks and great lyrical turns make My Federation the total package. Vocalist Lee Muddy Baker could front most any band, anywhere, anytime. Don't Wanna Die is the sort of album to build a career around. This isn't any ordinary debut, it's a Wildy's World Certified Desert Island Disc. That title is well deserved.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about My Federation at www.myspace.com/myfederation or http://www.myfederation.com/. You can pick up a a copy of Don't Wanna Die through Amazon.com, although you might be able to find it for cheaper if you hunt around the internet.

CD Review: Lisa Lindley-Jones - White Shadow E.P.

Lisa Lindley-Jones - White Shadow E.P.
2007, Eye Industries

London’s Lisa Lindley-Jones engages us in seemingly free-form folk songs that are musical stream of consciousness songs. Bare bones instrumentation and Lindley-Jones' enigmatic voice will either hold you on the edge of your seat or turn you off completely. That's not a knock on Lisa Lindley-Jones, I just sense that she will be an acquired taste. Those who have or acquire the taste will love what she does, but some just won't get it. Her debut, White Shadow E.P. charts course for unusual territory in pop music, and may just turn out to be highly rewarding.

StepBack frames Lindley-Jones' voice against a musical backdrop of soft pastel chord changes and cascading melody. Her voice is not one I would describe as pretty, but has a beauty to it that is both striking and severe. Killing Song is a morbid musical poem that is vaguely unsettling. Let It Slip is a song full or pretty harmonies that seems to be a romantic come-on song. This is probably the best song on the disc. The EP closes with Lazy, which has the energy to match the title.

Lisa Lindley-Jones has an unforgettable voice and a unique, quirky writing style. She has definite talent as a songwriter, but these songs kind of wither on the vine at times. For all that is interesting or unusual in this set, the energy level throughout is a half-step above breathing. Even the occasional change in dynamic would spice up the disc and let it fly. White Shadow E.P. is interesting as a stylistic study and shows distinct potential from Lisa Lindley-Jones, but may be hard pressed to find a significant audience.

Rating: 2.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Lisa Lindley-Jones at http://www.lisalindleyjones.com/. You can currently purchase the EP as a download through Amazon.com.

CD Review: Corinne Gooden - All My Days

Corinne Gooden - All My Days
2008, Corinne Gooden

Born in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Corinne Gooden grew up surrounded by natural beauty. As a young singer/songwriter and producer, some of that beauty has woven its way into her songwriting. Gooden's 2008 debut, All My Days is a lushly orchestrated yet understated beauty.

Corinne Gooden's earliest musical heroes were bands like Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd and The Allman Brothers. Over time she developed for some of the finest singer-songwriters of the 1970s and 1980s (James Taylor, Joni Mitchell, Patti Griffin, etc). It was these later influences that have helped inspire and inform her songwriting. All My Days is full of intimate story songs that rely as much on the patchwork narratives as on the verdant orchestrations.

All My Days opens with You've Got Me, a radio-ready track if I've ever heard one. It's also a great introduction to Corinne Gooden's voice which is full and deep in a way you might not expect. It's a beautiful voice that I could picture just as easily handling blues, jazz or soul in addition to pop/rock. All My Days (title track) is a wistful look at loss. Anything At All is so full of palpable longing it will leave you breathless, and Come This Far marks the fall from grace of a relationship once held dear.

Other highlights include the gorgeous Leaving A Life, the upbeat Goodbye and the fall afternoon sunshine of 17th Street. And don't miss the last song, Last Chance (In the Moonlight). This stripped down number goes with a basic finger-picking style to provide texture and rhythm as a counterpart to Gooden's voice. It may be best musical afterthought you'll hear this year.

Corinne Gooden is going to be compared to artists such as Patti Griffin and Joan Baez. Her voice is an incredibly distinctive and beautiful deep alto. It will shock you with deep textures not unlike a late season red wine and you'll never forget it once you've heard her. All My Days is a shockingly good debut as it displays song craft and maturity well beyond Gooden's age or experience. She is a consummate story teller and a talented composer. This is a must own disc, and I would say it's just the beginning for Corinne Gooden.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Corinne Gooden at http://www.corinnegooden.com/. You can purchase a copy of All My Days directly through her website or at www.cdbaby.com/cd/corinnegooden.

CD Review: Michael Feinstein - The Sinatra Project

Michael Feinstein - The Sinatra Project
2008, Concord Music Group

Frank Sinatra is a legend. He never had the greatest voice in popular music, but he was a showman par excellence. There was no one in Sinatra's time (and perhaps no one even today) who could sell a song like Frank. His conviction and delivery were perfect every time, even in his elder days. For this reason any sort of tribute to Sinatra brings big risks for an artist. Get it right and you will be lauded, but miss a beat and there are millions of Sinatra fans and pundits there to tell you when, where and how many times you fell off the Sinatra pedestal. Michael Feinstein has been making great music for years and certainly has the sort of resume required to try a tribute. Now we have The Sinatra Project from Feinstein, released in September, 2008 by Concord Music.

Feinstein chooses some Sinatra classics but also mixes in some lesser known tunes. He wisely avoids songs that have become iconic (My Way, Come Fly With Me), but gamely tries to bring the sort of energy and delivery that Sinatra embodied. Depending on how you look it The Sinatra Project is either an unbridled success or a fair attempt. If you're looking for someone to recreate the magic of Sinatra, then this isn't it. I'm afraid there might not be anyone in popular music that can do that. If you're looking for a faithful reading of Sinatra tunes that tries to capture the zeitgeist without trying to BE Sinatra, then this is a great album.

Feinstein has some real moments here. All My Tomorrows/All The Way seems to allow Feinstein to capture that Sinatra magic for a few minutes, and may be the most inspired tune on the disc. The Song Is You is another highlight and captures some of the Vegas-era swing that Sinatra personified. The Same Hello, The Same Goodbye was a pleasant surprise as well. Other highlights include Begin The Beguine; I've Got A Crush On You; You Go To My Head and At Long Last Love.

Michael Feinstein isn't Frank Sinatra, but is a capable singer who manages to catch some of the Sinatra sizzle at points throughout The Sinatra Project. His orchestra is top-notch and the arrangements are perfect. Fans of Frank Sinatra will enjoy this, but if you haven't heard him play, I'd refer you to Frank first to get acquainted. The Sinatra Project is a strong recording and one that should do well for Michael Feinstein. Frank would approve.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Michael Feinstein at http://www.michaelfeinstein.com/. You can purchase a copy of The Sinatra Project through Amazon.com or through most major music retailers.

CD Review: The McKrells - Cosmic Hayride

The McKrells - Cosmic Hayride
2005, Thorntree Music

Kevin McKrell has built a reputation as a world class songwriter and performer over many years of hard work, a handful of recordings and thousands of live shows. As the charismatic lead singer/songwriter of The McKrells he has toured the world and had his songs played by artists from The Furey Brothers to Michael DeAngelis. The McKrells presented a blend of Celtic and bluegrass donned "Celtic Newgrass", and they had an ability to charm most any crowd any place they went. Their most recent (and possibly final) album is Cosmic Hayride, which offers an outstanding performance from the McKrells.

Cosmic Hayride opens with Always, a song that is so representative of the McKrells sound it could be their signature song. It features the extraordinarily tight play of the band and the unmistakable voice of Kevin McKrell. The fact that it is a silly little love song in the Beatles tradition (if they played bluegrass) is pure gravy. No Good Reason is an ode to staying in a bad situation in spite of your self. I also enjoyed Big Lazy River, an Apalachian style folk/country tune that you can't help but be drawn into. This melody will stick in your ears like a fly in honey. Other highlights include the frenetically banjo laden Cosmic Hayride, Snowbound (featuring Craig Vance on vocals), the traditional ballad Black Is The Colour and For Emily.

The absolute pinnacle of this album is A Ghost In This House. This is the sort of song musicians find out about and want to record for their own albums. It's a heartbreaking song of loss, surpassed in its sense of loss only by a jagged-edged beauty. This is The McKrells, and Kevin McKrell in particular, at their zenith.

Whatever the future of The McKrells, they leave behind a catalogue of great songs and unforgettable performances. If The McKrells are over, then Cosmic Hayride is a subtle exclamation point on their time together and a must for your music collection.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

If you want to learn more about Kevin McKrell and The McKrells, check out http://www.kmckrell.com/. You can purchase a copy of Cosmic Hayride at www.cdbaby.com/cd/mckrells7 if it is currently in stock. Otherwise you can purchase the album as a download through iTunes.

CD Review: Sara Milonovich - Daisycutter

Sara Milonovich - Daisycutter
2008, Sara Milonovich

I first became aware of Sara Milonovich during her stint as violinist for The McKrells, a Celtic/bluegrass band from Saratoga Springs, NY who were well-known on the Celtic music circuit and were legends locally. Milonovich always managed to exude an energetic and sweet stage presence while ripping it up on the violin. I never really got to hear her sing anything other than background vocals however. In the summer of 2008 Sara Milonovich released an EP in the Saratoga/Albany, NY region as a preview for an upcoming full-length album. The EP is called Daisycutter. It proves her status as an incredible Celtic/Country violin player but also introduces Milonovich as a capable vocalist and front-woman.

Country Life opens the set as a banjo driven, Celtic influenced country/rock tune. This tune was my first introduction to Milonovich as a lead vocalist and I have to say it's impressive. She has a rich, full sound that is pleasant to listen to but also carries an edge that can as easily be cutting or vulnerable, in turn. Fiona's Breakdown and Wither Canada allow Milonovich to show off her fiddle skills in amicable fashion. When Sara Milonovich is on her game she's in the same league as Natalie MacMaster on violin.

Last Dance is a gorgeous country ballad that will have you on the edge of your seat. Willie Taylor is an interesting turn. This Celtic tune mixes a dark violin bridge that sounds middle-eastern and also draws in jazz-style woodwinds. It's a stunning musical choice and works very well after the initial adjustment (of the listener). Northern Cross comes across as extremely personal; nearly confessional in Milonvich's rich alto. The most poignant and moving event on Daisycutter is the cover of Peter Gabriel's Here Comes The Flood. Sara Milonovich was born to sing this song, or so it would seem. Her rendition encompasses all of the loss and loneliness the song implies and is overpowering in its emotional weight. I should add that I sat and listened to this in the wake of the September 2008 fiscal crisis and so the song had an added poignancy.

Sara Milonovich is the sort of musician we love here at Wildy's World. Here is a small, incredibly talented independent artist plying her trade in a small market in the Northeast. The music and talent she brings to the world around her are more than worthy of the larger stages of Nashville, New York and LA (and all the stages/clubs between here and there). Milonovich is the sort of artist record execs should be lining up to sign (and she's far from the only one we've reviewed here thus far). Daisycutter is an amazing debut, and means we will anxiously anticipate the forthcoming full-length release. There's no doubt, Daisycutter is a Certified Wildy's World Desert Island Disc.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

If you want to learn more about Sara Milonovich check out http://www.saramilonovich.com/. The full length album will be released under the band name Daisycutter. If you’d like to pick up a copy of Sara’s hand produced EP, check out http://www.celtictreasures.com/. You won’t find the CD on their site, but they do sell it in the store. If you call them I am sure they’ll be happy to mail order a copy to you.

CD Review: John Mellencamp - Life, Death, Love And Freedom

John Mellencamp - Life, Death, Love and Freedom
2008, Hear Music

In a career spanning twenty-five plus years, John Mellencamp has seen the highs and lows of the music business. He's been a struggling artist and he's also been on top of the pop world. This parallax view of his own career has provided Mellencamp with perspective that many artists never begin to grasp. On his 2008 release, Life, Death, Love and Freedom, Mellencamp embraces a blues-informed Americana style to compel his ideas.

Sounding like a middle-American Bruce Springsteen, Mellencamp takes what has always been a prodigious talent for songwriting and sharpens his craft a step or two further. The album opens with Longest Days which just might be my favorite Mellencamp song ever. If I Die Sudden is a close second, with great acoustic blues guitar and charismatic vocals. Don't Need This Body is a Dylan-esque folk ballad and is very enjoyable. Other highlights include Without A Shot, Mean and A Brand New Song.

John Mellencamp has never lost his edge. His songs still evoke strong imagery and highly memorable melodies. Life, Death, Love and Freedom is a musical departure for Mellencamp, but he's managed to maintain the same delivery and level of quality he's known and loved for. Life, Death, Love and Freedom is highly recommended listening.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about John Mellencamp at http://www.mellencamp.com/. You can purchase a copy of Life, Death, Love and Freedom at Amazon.com or at most major music retailers.

CD Review: Stacee Lawson - Deranged

Stacee Lawson - Deranged
2008, Destroy All Records

Listening to Deranged the first time reminded me of the first time I heard Jess Klein sing. Huntington, Virginia’s Stacee Lawson has the same sort of edge and urgency to her voice. The musical arrangements on Deranged as pure modern rock with the occasional nod to a 1970's hard rock sound. Run picks up on this retro sound as an envelope for Lawson's urgent vocals. This song is highly commercial and should do well as a rock single. Mr. Love has a bluesy feel to it and discusses longing from a distance.

Lawson also delivers a delicious cover of Edie Brickell's What I Am. It's a straightforward interpretation that's faithful to the original but very well done. Other highlights include Come Back Down and Hangin' On.

Stacee Lawson is a pop vixen with a rough edge. Deranged is a worthy debut album that establishes Lawson as a burgeoning artist with room to grow. Deranged is very much worth a listen or two, particularly if you like the mix of edgy and sweet in rock music. I suspect Lawson has a bright future in music, and Deranged is the first step.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Stacee Lawson at www.myspace.com/staceenl08. Deranged will be released on September 30, 2008 and is currently available for pre-order through Amazon.com.

CD Review: Rhoda Nkojo - Rhoda

Rhoda - Rhoda
2008, RKW Media

Uganda born, Washington D.C. raised Rhoda Nkojo grew up with a musical cornucopia at her fingertips. With exposure to Pop, jazz, Broadway, R&B, hip-hop and West African Rhythms, Rhoda has an unusually broad range of influences. Rhoda is known for stage work with New York City's Harmony Theater Company, as well as for providing vocals for New York's Loose Booty. In the meantime she's managed to acquire a JD from George Washington School of Law. Despite all of this she's managed to record and her debut album, Rhoda, which hints at many of these influences but stays strongly in the R&B/hip-hop realm.

Rhoda has a lovely voice, full of interesting textures. Technically she is proficient, occasionally falling prey to some sloppy runs but generally quite good. The material here is fairly generic R&B. It's a good listen, but Rhoda never quite distinguishes herself from the massive pop/R&B markets. My favorite track is I'm Nobody (Without You), which seems to bring out the best in Rhoda's voice. Fallin' is also a strong entry and opens the album. Other highlights include I Remember You and Check'd Out.

Rhoda (the person) is a talented singer with a sweet sounding voice. There as a few minor flaws here and there that are more a matter of training and breath control than an issue of talent and are easily rectified. Rhoda (the CD) is a pleasant debut that shows some promise, but never really establishes Rhoda as a musical force. You can hear the elements of a good performer on Rhoda, but they don't quite mesh the way you might hope. That aside I believe this recording has real value, as I believe it is a stepping stone to where Rhoda is headed rather than a culmination of her talent and work. It's the sort of first album fans may be buying for exorbitant prices on eBay a few albums down the road. Rhoda has that kind of potential.

Rating: 2.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Rhoda at http://www.rhodankojo.com/. You can purchase a copy of Rhoda at www.cdbaby.com/cd/rhoda.

CD Review: Peter Moore - One Ride

Peter Moore - One Ride
2008, SineAppleSap Records

Peter Moore is one of the most accomplished and enigmatic songwriters to come out of the Boston music scene in the last twenty years. As songwriter for Think Tree and later Count Zero, Moore has been a cult hero to a couple of generations of Boston music fans while reaching far beyond the confines of Beantown. Moore was also the lead singer and keyboard player for Blue Man Group's Megastar Would Tour from 2006 until 2008. He might not sound familiar, but if you've ever played Guitar Hero I, II or Rock Band then you've heard songs from his band Count Zero. In 2005 Moore decided to develop and release a solo album based on material he'd been writing. 2008's One Ride is the culmination of this effort, and it's something you really ought to check out.

If Heaven Ever Knew calls to mind some of the great XTC records I listened to growing up while memorializing a crush. Drop'n Trou' is likely to be a cult classic with its 1970's vibe and comedic look at The Next Step. Drop'n Trou' is in competition with The Romance as favorite tracks here. Other highlights include Wicked Lies and all of the musical interludes whose titles begin with "Cycle".

Peter Moore takes a lot of risks on One Ride and most of them work. As a concept album about the life cycle of a relationship it lacks a little bit of cohesion, but as a collection of songs it's great listening. Moore plays virtually all instruments on One Ride and does all the vocals. He will no doubt continue to build his own part in musical history as part of his many projects, but be sure to take note of One Ride.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Peter Moore at www.myspace.com/petermooremusic. One Ride is an upcoming release. Keep checking Peter Moore’s MySpace page for release dates!

CD Review: Hills Rolling - Something Delicious

Hills Rolling - Something Delicious
2008, Whiskey Child Records

Hills Rolling (aka multi-instrumentalist Trey McGriff) has a way of insinuating his music into your mind. There's something catchy and edgy about his sound that sticks around your subconscious and yells, "Boo!" every so often. This Mississippi born and bred Atlanta resident has had quite the couple of years. He's gained sponsorship from Jagermeister, gained exposure through MTV's Real World - Denver, XM Satellite Radio, NPR and various Comcast channels. He's also opened for the likes of Journey, Foreigner, Paul Rogers, Molly Hatchet, Slightly Stoopid and Kenny Wayne Sheppard. Now comes the latest infectious release from Hills Rolling, Something Delicious.

Something Serious has a very familiar sound and feel to it. It's a comfortable disc but not a groundbreaking one. I Wake Up opens Something Delicious with a driving acoustic rock sound that resolves into an ethereal bridge to nowhere. I Need It sounds a bit like the Foo Fighters playing a Beatles tune. I rather enjoyed After All These Years. This is probably the most commercial tune on Something Delicious, but lyrically comes across as slightly sophomoric. Tearing You Up Inside is the class of the album and may be the best song McGriff has written to date. Perfect Escape closes out the set with driving electric guitar and is reminiscent of the good days of Collective Soul.

On the whole Something Delicious is a decent album. Hills Rolling has some good press out there and I expected to be blown away upon listening to this. It didn't happen, but it's a good rock album with a few weak spots and some great musical moments. Something Delicious is the sort of music you keep around for an occasional snack. I don't see it being a regular item on the menu but once in a while you'll just have to hear it.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Hills Rolling at www.myspace.com/hillsrolling or http://www.whiskeychild.com/. You can pick up a copy of Something Delicious at www.cdbaby.com/cd/hillsrolling2.

CD Review: RJ Cowdery - One More Door

RJ Cowdery - One More Door
2007, RJ Cowdery

RJ Cowdery is a darling of the US Folk Music circuit. Based on Columbus, Ohio, Cowdery broke through in the mid-1990's. Life got in the way for a few years, but in 2007 she returned with the critically acclaimed One More Door. The album itself was recorded live with members of Public Radio's Mountain Stage band. The Todd Burge produced album features Don Dixon on bass, who has previously produced artists such as R.E.M., Marti Jones, Kim Carnes, Hootie & The Blowfish and Marshall Crenshaw, amongst others.

Cowdery has a very straight-forward voice with just a hint of country twang. There is a plain beauty in her singing that is instantly recognizable and constantly subdued in the words she sings. The album opens with These Ties That Bind, showing how the gifts of filial love become the promise of our tomorrows. This song has a great melody and great hooks and could easily play to both pop and country audiences (think Indigo Girls at the top of their game with a country accent). One More Door is a regretful look back at lovers who've gone their separate ways.

State Of Mine has the chance to be a real country hit. It's a "don't let the door hit you on the way out" sort of a song, and couches its frustration in wit ("It's a matter of time and a little bit of wine / that keeps me feeling fine in this state of mind"). It's a thinking person's get lost song. Now And Then is a sweet recollection of youth and is sure to be a long time concert favorite for RJ Cowdery. Other highlights include Too Fast, There She Goes and Hold On.

RJ Cowdery is likely to be much appreciated to anyone who actually hears her. She's managed to be lauded at Folk Festivals including the Rocky Mountain Folks Festival; the Folk Alliance Official Showcase and Falcon Ridge. One More Door is a quintessential American folk album, and has several songs that will fit nicely into The Great American Songbook. If folk, country or singer-songwriter genres appeal to you then One More Door is essential listening. If you're looking to broaden your horizons into one of those areas then this is a great place to start.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about RJ Cowdery at http://www.rjcowdery.com/. You can pick up a copy of One More Door at www.cdbaby.com/rjcowdery2.

CD Review: Gee Davey - She Sells Smiles

Gee Davey - She Sells Smiles

2008, Gee Davey Productions

Named for the catch phrase from the old cartoon Davey and Goliah, Gee Davey has spent the last several years being one of the hardest hitting bands on Long Island. The band had a critical and college hit in 2006 with Sparticle but was unable to tour. 2008 sees the return of a revamped Gee Davey with She Sells Smiles, a six song EP with a more pronounced pop sensibility and a new lead singer (DJ Pearlman).

She Sells Smiles starts out with Say Another Prayer, a modern rock bruiser with punk roots. Last Song opens with a great guitar hook and an extremely commercial sound reminiscent of the Foo Fighters. Beautiful You is a gorgeous rock and roll ballad and sounds a little like early Pearl Jam. Trial By Self is my favorite song on She Sells Smiles. It finds Gee Davey musing in the acoustic realm and highlights just how talented these guys are.

If you like poppy modern rock with eclectic rhythms and inventive instrumental turns , Gee Davey is a band you need to check out. She Sells Smiles is an extremely solid release that should garner Gee Davey significant attention.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Gee Davey at http://www.geedavey.com/. You can purchase a copy of She Sells Smiles at www.cdbaby.com/cd/geedavey4.

CD Review: Bob Pressner - Summer In Illusionland/More To America

Bob Pressner – Summer In Illusion Land/More To America

Bob Pressner makes his living on the meat and potatoes of classic rock music. Pressner is a pleasant vocalist who writes interesting and pleasant songs that are relatively generic to the genre of classic rock. He recently moved to Florida to pursue his passion of making music full time, and has released an album (not reviewed here) of songs dedicated to/inspired by The Beijing Olympics.


Summer In Illusionland – 2007, Bob Pressner

On 2007's Summer In Illusion Land, Bob Pressner seems to settle more comfortable into the singer/songwriter mold. One Voice is a positive, hopeful message that is particularly relevant today. Matters Of The Heart is a self-deprecating look at the composer's own love difficulties. High Maintenance Woman may be the best song on the album, and has kind of a Chris Isaak feel to it. Other highlights include The Gift Of Love, Sing For The Sunrise and Keep Your Love Strong. As sometimes happens; I like the second half of this album more than the first..

Summer In Illusion Land is a strong sophomore effort and is in essentially the same league as More To America. Bob Pressner continues to build a catalog of interesting and pleasant songs that make for great listening and would probably fill a fun evening on stage. Summer In Illusion Land is definitely worth a listen.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

More To America – 2006, Bob Pressner

I actually like this disc, but there's not much here that makes it really stand out as special or unique. Pressner does show a talent for lyrics at times. He has a succinct yet full-circle writing style that is typical of your good singer-songwriters. In fact the more I think about it Pressner is really a singer-songwriter in the garb of a 1980's guitar-rock guy.

Breath Of Fresh Air is a fun tune with interesting lyrical turns and a memorable melody. Ibiza Man is a fun dance/rock tune complete with saxophone and a bit of ironic wit. See You Fall is my personal favorite on More To America as it fits more to the singer-songwriter persona I see in Pressner's music, and the arrangement here is perfect.

As with Summer In Illusion Land I liked the album more as it progressed (particularly the second half). On the whole, More To America is a solid album but it gets progressively better as it goes. Bob Pressner is a talented songwriter with great musical story telling skills and a strong sense for turns of phrase. Definitely worth a listen.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Bob Pressner at www.myspace.com/bobpressnerband. You can purchase More To America and/or Summer In Illusion Land through http://www.bobpressner.com/.

CD Review: Gilday - Gilday

Gilday - Gilday
2008, Eight Lights Music

New York City’s Gilday has quite the Indie history in New York City, playing with bands such as Sheltercock, Gapeseed and Kill Your Idol), but on his solo debut has has some major help. Starting with producer Don Casale (Dionne Warwick, Iron Butterfly, Janis Ian, etc.), Gilday managed to attract some heavy musical hitters. Helping out are Richie Cannata (Billy Joel), Mario Staiano and Gerry Sorrentino (Savoy Brown) among a cast of many others. Gilday’s self-titled debut not surprisingly is a highly professional and market ready disc.

Gilday is an interesting figure. He sounds a little like Adam Duritz at times, and has occasional pitch issues, but is competent. The band itself is top-notch, playing a brand of pop/Americana that is pleasing to the ear. Check out Raining In New York, one of more commercially viable songs on the album. Other highlights include My Own Song; The Time Has Come; Hold On and Fire In My Eyes.

Gilday has a great sound that moves back and forth between rock and country while touching all points in between. He has an eccentric sound that will be instantly memorable. You'll either love his voice or not. Gilday ultimately is a pleasant listen without being exceptional. A solid effort.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Gilday at www.myspace.com/gildaymusic. You can purchase a copy of Gilday at www.cdbaby.com/cd/gilday.

CD Review: Gwen Hughes - Instead Of Light

Gwen Hughes - Instead Of Light
2006, Fairfield Records

Imagine if Tina Turner and Cassandra Wilson somehow combined genetic material and a child was born of the experiment. She might well sound like Gwen Hughes. Hughes delivers a powerful and compelling performance on her CD Instead Of Light.

Instead Of Light is full of interesting song choices and arrangements. Her cover of Time Of The Season is beautiful to hear, although a bit slower than you might imagine it. She opens the set with Born In Bethlehem, a blues laden take on the gospel standard. Also of note are the sensuous Come To Me and a cover of Led Zeppelin's Whole Lotta Love (combined with You Need Love). Come To Me is a beautiful take, while the Zeppelin cover is slowed down to the point of being almost painful. Other highlights include Prizefight and Ev'rytime We Say Goodbye.

Gwen Hughes is an exciting talent. Although Instead Of Light would suggest that her vocal range may be somewhat limited, Hughes rings everything she can out of the voice she has. The result is highly entertaining and enjoyable. Instead Of Light is great cabaret jazz perfect for an old style supper club, an uptown club or just lounging around at home.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Gwen Hughes at http://www.gwenhughes.com/. You can purchase a copy of Instead Of Light at www.cdbaby.com/cd/gwenhughes4.

CD Review: Lexx Luther Vandroz - World Dominatrix

Lexx Luther Vandroz - World Dominatrix
2008, Lexx Luther Vandroz

Big bad blues inflected guitar rock is back. Wilmington, Delaware’s Lexx Luther Vandrozz swaggers out of the darkness, guitar in hand, ready to do battle with the forces of pithy pop. This alter-ego of popular Wilmington band Cadre builds a sound around big guitars, a Hammond B3 Organ and one of the tightest rhythm sections this side of the Mississippi. Lexx Luther Vandroz' debut album, World Dominatrix is currently being prepared for release. You'd best be ready.

Lexx Luther Vandroz could musically stand up with many of the icons of early 70's hard rock/heavy metal. The fact that they unleash a riotous sense of humor at times in their music in no way diminishes how hard these guys rock. If anything, the willingness to not take themselves too seriously raises the bar just a notch higher. The six song EP opens with Deep Contact, a heavy metal slow jam if ever there was one. Mike Tyson On Cocaine is one of the funniest new songs I've heard this year, and is musically a second cousin to Walk This Way (I suspect this was intentional). Make sure to check out Flash Or Trash and Gravity Shifting as well: Both songs are guaranteed to knock your socks off.

Lexx Luther Vandroz brings the chutzpah back to rock and roll. World Dominatrix is twenty-three minutes of in your face Rock N Blues. Put this disc on your shopping list, particularly if your stereo goes up to eleven.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Lexx Luther Vandroz at www.myspace.com/vandroz. You’ll have to contact the band through their MySpace page for release dates and purchase information.

CD Review: Bob Pepek - From The Let Go

Bob Pepek - From The Let Go
2008, Bob Pepek

Bob Pepek grew up wanting to play punk rock. His earliest musical experiences included bands like Green Day, and he started out on a $37 JC Penney guitar strumming for his life. Twists and turns abound in life, and on his 2008 debut, From The Let Go, Bob Pepek displays songwriting craft that far exceeds the usual expectations of punk rock.

From The Let Go is upbeat and energetic acoustic rock (think Sister Hazel or Train). Bob Pepek shows real promise as a songwriter, displaying a strong sense of melody (and great harmonies!). From The Let Go opens with Just One More Word, a melancholy air about spending the night alone with unrequited love. The tune is hopeful and hopeless all at once and is utterly amazing. This is a song that most any lovelorn teen (or anyone who's ever been one) can identify with, and has a universal angst that could make it a very popular song indeed.

A Little More revisits a long-lost relationship with a peppy tune that will get stuck between your ears. Open Your Heart is a lovely ballad that will be definite mix tape material. Redundancy brings a fuller sound to From The Let Go and is a decent song, but not as enjoyable as the more stripped down tracks that came before. This Promise To You returns to the bare acoustic sound that dominates From The Let Go. Pepek seems most comfortable (or at least at his best) when it's just him, guitar, a few voices and scant supporting instrumentation. This is part songwriting and part his natural sound. The one song on From The Let Go that went to a fuller sound became somewhat muddy. The rest? Amazing.

Bob Pepek is a name you should be hearing more of over the next few years. I would not be surprised if he builds a fairly steady following over time and if we're still hearing new music from him 20 years from now. For the time being, From The Let Go is a strong entry into the pop music discography. It's definitely worth a listen, so check it out!

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Bob Pepek at www.myspace.com/bobpepek. Bob Pepek does not currently have sale information on his MySpace page for From The Let Go, so you’ll have to send him a message and ask!

CD Review: The Laurie Berkner Band - Rocketship Run

The Laurie Berkner Band - Rocketship Run

2008, Two Tomatoes Records

Laurie Berkner is the most popular children's artist in the United States for one reason: she's real. Berkner has an ability to speak to children in her music without condescending to them, all while making music that parents enjoy as well. The Laurie Berkner Band's 2006 DVD (We Are...The Laurie Berkner Band) sold 4 million copies if you need a gauge of success. Laurie Berkner released Rocketship Run in August, 2008, her first CD of new material in six years. The disc contains 20 songs developed with Adam Bernstein and Susie Lampert (The Laurie Berkner Band), and should maintain Berkner's status as the Madonna of the kindergarten set.

Laurie Berkner started out as an elementary school who moonlighted as an alt-rocker. Putting her two diverging professional paths together turns out to have been sheer genius as she has achieved success far beyond what she might have imagined at the beginning. Rocketship Run mixes folk, rock, ska, blues, conga, samba and even an Irish jig to create a musical stew that is vibrant and varied. The kiddies will be able to sing along with this disc in no time (as is usually true with Berkner CDs), and you'll soon know the album front to back from continuous replays.

Highlights include the title track, Rocketship Run, which has already been featured in a Noggin video. Other great tracks include Mouse In My Toolbox, Jump and Fly, Pigbasket, Winter Lullaby and Fast And Slow (The Rabbit And The Turtle). As always Berkner's voice is pleasant and full of light. Rocketship Run continues Berkner's very appealing and intelligent children's albums. Our kids love her, yours will too.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Laurie Berkner at http://www.laurieberkner.com/. You can purchase Rocketship Run through a link of Berkner’s website, or at major music retailers such as WalMart, Barnes and Noble and Target.

CD Review: Future In Plastics - Future In Plastics

Future In Plastics - Future In Plastics
2008, Future In Plastics

Future In Plastics sets course for a post-punk, stream of consciousness lyrical style that fits their energetic yet unfocused musical compositions. Imagine Living Color crossed with the B-52's and you have an idea of the sound promulgated by Future In Plastics. This is great music to slam dance to, otherwise it's a bit hollow. Dead Sea Rolls includes some interesting guitar work, but is lyrical babble. Better Living Through Chemistry opens with one of the best bass riff's this side of La Via Strangiato, but otherwise falls prey to its own disorganization. Death Valley similarly has difficulties, although its infectious beat makes it very danceable.

Future In Plastics is a young band. They remind me something of a group of guys I went to high school with who put out an album back in the early 1990's to no fanfare and smaller sales. After struggling for years in the Indie scene they've built a solid reputation and a side gig as Graham Parker's backing band. They're called The Figgs when playing their own material. Future In Plastics show some of the same talent and tendencies of the early Figgs material. Whether they follow the same path depends a great deal on perseverance (and a little luck).

Rating: 2.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Future In Plastics at www.myspace.com/futureinplastics. You can purchase the EP at www.cdbaby.com/inplastics3.

CD Review: Steven Rodriguez - The Simple Things

Steven Rodriguez - The Simple Things

2008, G-Music

The Simple Things is just Steven Rodriguez and acoustic guitar. There is no denying that Rodriguez has a great voice and is adept on the acoustic. What's missing here is a backing band. The songs are decent but there's nothing earth shattering here -- no "Whoa." There is potential however. Rodriguez comes across as a young songwriter here with a lot of talent, but who would benefit from the creative tension that a band can provide. Songs like I Give In and The Simple Things show the talent that exists. It's just a question of a little more seasoning and maybe someone to bounce musical ideas off of.

The Simple Things is a valuable snapshot of a developing artist who may turn into an outstanding songwriter before he's done. Vocally and musically he's there. Keep your eyes and ears on Steven Rodriguez. He's one to watch.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Steven Rodriguez at www.myspace.com/stevenmrodriguez. The release of The Simple Things is forthcoming. Keep checking Rodriguez’ MySpace page for a release date and purchasing information.

CD Review: Kelly Richey - Carry The Light

Kelly Richey - Carry The Light

2008, Sweet Lucy Records

Kelly Richey’s guitar playing has been compared to the likes of Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughan. Kelly Richey and her band have also earned a reputation for unforgettable, high energy shows. Her latest release, Carry The Light carries on the sound that Richey is known for.

Carry The Light opens with Leave The Blues Behind, a tasty blues rocker that serves as a great introduction to Kelly Richey for those who have not heard her before. I Want You is another strong entry, sounding like something that might have come from an old Led Zeppelin album. I also particularly enjoyed Run Like Hell and Carry The Light. The highlight of Carry The Light is No More Lies. Richey sounds a bit like Melissa Etheridge on this song, which rocks like nobody's business.

Carry The Light is a great entry in the Blues/Rock universe. Kelly Richey has created a sonic pleasure that should endure the passage of time and provide several crowd pleasers to her live performances for years to come.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Kelly Richey at http://www.kellyricheyband.com/. You can purchase a copy of Carry The Light at Sweet Lucy Records.

CD Review: Hit Or Miss - Seasons Come And Go

Hit Or Miss - Seasons Come And Go
2008, Hit Or Miss

Harrisburg, PA's Hit Or Miss combine the piano driven bravura of Ben Folds, the post-punk energy of early Green Day and the melodic sense of The Refreshments to deliver genre-bending post-punk pop delights. Their debut EP, 2008's Seasons Come And Go is a sonic treat and a great introduction to the band.

Hit Or Miss is Andy Zeller (vocals/guitar/piano), Travis Lehr (Drums) and Warren Gaughen (Bass). As a power trio Hit Or Miss manages to create a wall of sound much bigger than the collective part might seem to account for. Whether on the Foldsian Ifs, Ands or Buts; the straightforward rock of This Is My Life or the slow grind of Take It Slow, Hit Or Miss seem to be more the former than the latter. Hit Or Miss even seem to hit ballads solidly where they live, as shown on the track We Gave It All. By far the highlight of the disc is the track entitled "Acoustic Bonus". Taking away all distortion and effects just proves how talented Hit Or Miss really are.

Hit Or Miss is in a great position to keep pushing the envelope. With a full length release due in 2009, Hit Or Miss is a name you'll be hearing a lot about. For now, Seasons Come And Go is a great introduction!

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Hit Or Miss at www.myspace.com/hitormiss717, where you can purchase a copy of Seasons Come And Go.

CD Review: Christian Brown - When It's Perfect

Christian Brown - When It's Perfect

2007, Christian Brown

Born in Fairbanks, Alaska, Christian Brown moved to Cedar Falls, IA when he was seven. This move brought about his indoctrination into American popular culture, and Christian quickly fell in love with the alt-rock sound of the mid-1990’s. Trading in his saxophone for the piano, Christian quickly turned to creating his own songs. Come 2007, Christian Brown released his debut album, When It’s Perfect.

When It's Perfect isn't, but it's pretty good. Christian Brown plays big jangly piano pop in the vein of Ben Folds, often with an incessant punk-polka beat. The CD opens with Here We Go Again Anyway, an ode to revisiting old relationship mistakes. A Mile Above A Small Town is self-denigrating look at loser-hood, complete with horn section. Just Need is a must-hear peppy little love song with an ironic twist. My favorite song on the album is Baby Call Me Names, which has a frantic punk energy to it. Other highlights include Such Fun, When It's Perfect and The Biggest Favor.

Christian Brown has enough similarities to Ben Folds to avoid the unique label, but differentiates himself enough to be original. As a songwriter he's adept with room to grow into exceptional. Not to overkill the comparison but he shows the same sort of rough edges that Folds showed on his groundbreaking self-titled debut with the Ben Folds Five. When It's Perfect is an enjoyable listen with memorable songs and an energy that grabs hold of you. It's definitely worth a listen.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Christian Brown at www.myspace.com/christianmbrown. You can purchase a copy of When It’s Perfect at www.cdbaby.com/cd/christianbrown.

CD Review: The Pimps Of Joytime - High Steppin'

The Pimps Of Joytime - High Steppin'

2008, Wonderwheel Records

Brooklyn's The Pimps Of Joytime shatter musical boundaries on their snappy debut, High Steppin'. Mixing soul, funk, hip-hop, electronica and turntables, The Pimps Of Joytime create a primordial stew of grooves, beats and jams that will have you dancing until the early hours of the morning.

Led by the eclectic Brian J, The Pimps Of Joytime fire up songs as diverse as the slowtronic She-Do, the low-riding Long Ride, the mambo of Bonita and the island beat of Tea Time. The lyrics are thoughtful and socially conscious, the grooves are unstoppable, and the beats are sharp and defining. What we have when we get done is a non-stop party of 14 tracks worth getting down and dirty to.

The Pimps Of Joytime are part of the leading edge of new musical hybrids based in hip-hop and soul. High Steppin’ is the sort of album people will look back on in a few years and point to as a starting point. It doesn’t shake the foundations, but it certainly is the first step to wearing them away.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about The Pimps Of Joytime at http://www.thepimpsofjoytime.com/ or www.myspace.com/pimpsofjoytime. You can purchase copies of High Steppin' at Amazon.com. Please note that The Pimps Of Joytime will be releasing a remix album entitled Funk Fixes & Remixes sometime this fall. It will include three new tracks and is exciting and danceable as High Steppin' (3 Stars Out of 5).

CD Review: Elza - Gettin' Free

Elza - Gettin' Free
2008, Bebop Records

Elza is a product of the world. Growing up splitting time between her mathematician/musician father in Germany and her visual artist mother in South Carolina, Elza learned early to appreciate music and culture. With that background and exposure to different cultures through travel, Elza has always managed to march to her own drummer. On her fine 2008 EP, Getting’ Free, Elza breaks down a wall or two.

Gettin' Free is about letting go of inhibitions. Elza lets go of not only inhibitions but also pop music boundaries as she dances on the edges of pop, reggae and R&B. A fair description of Elza might be Sheryl Crow with soul. They write about similar themes and Elza does have a similar vocal tone. Gettin' Free starts out on the fringe with the title track and This Is Love (complete with Island beats). She does move to the center of straightforward rock with My Romeo; Boys, Boy, Boys and Heat. What moves the album along is Elza's voice, which is distinctive and sultry and everything you'd want to match the material she sings here.

Other highlights include La La La; Charleston Corner (hello Norah Jones), Wide Open and the honky-tonk flavor of Cheap Apple Wine. You & Me Now is the most poignant and lovely song on the album, and makes for a great Americana/Country song. Gettin' Free is a bit uneven and seems to lack some of the cohesion one expects from an album, but there are some great songs here. And even the average material is made better by Elza's voice. This is a strong effort and deserves to be herd.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Elza or purchase a copy or downloads of Getting’ Free at http://www.elzamusic.com/.

CD Review: Donavon Frankenreiter - Pass It Around

Donavon Frankenreiter - Pass It Around
2008, Lost Highway Records

Laguna Beach’s Donavon Frankenreiter is a musician, a pro surfer and a family man. The passion and drive of all three pursuits come across on his third album, Pass It Around. Produced by multiple Grammy Award winner Joe Chiccarelli, Pass It Around features appearances by G. Love and Ben Harper.

Pass It Around opens with Life, Love & Laughter, an upbeat tune that's understated and seems to be an answer of sorts to Sheryl Crow's All I Wanna Do. Understated is a great way to describe Donavon Frankenreiter. He's a strong songwriter with a very mellow sound, but there is a certain vivacity that runs through his music like blood in the veins. Even in quiet moments that energy is always pressing outward. Too Much Water has an almost 1970's sound to it, like Dave Matthews singing with the Doobie Brothers.

I highly recommend Come With Me. It's a great song with great potential for radio and for licensing. It also happens to be the best song on Pass It Around in this writer's opinion. Other highlights include Mansions On The Sand, Sing A Song and the title track. The most effecting thing about the album though is Frankenreiter's voice. He's sort of a blue-eyed soul version of Dave Matthews or John Mayer. Great stuff.

Donavon Frankenreiter has a unique sound that is both familiar and new. He's a plus songwriter with a very retro sound pointing back to the 1970's, but updated enough to be modern. Pass It Around is a strong release and should help him build a solid fan base.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Donavon Frankenreiter or purchase a copy of Pass It Around at http://www.donavonf.com/. Or, you could win a copy through Wildy’s World. We have two copies to give away. Just be one of the first two respondents to WildysWorld@gmail.com to be able to tell us the names of Donavon’s two sons and you’re a winner (this contest is limited to American and Canadian readers). For Canadian entrants, please be sure to answer the bonus question, what is 1+1?

CD Review: Melissa Ferrick - Goodbye Youth

Melissa Ferrick - Goodbye Youth

2008, Right On Records

Melissa Ferrick has been the next big thing for better than ten years. A singer-songwriter in the image of Melissa Etheridge or the Indigo Girls, Ferrick has grown from the excitable and vibrant songwriter I remember from the mid 1990's to a mature and accomplished songstress. On her latest release, Goodbye Youth, Melissa Ferrick finds the perfect mix of her brash songwriting style and a tempered grace.

Goodbye Youth is a collection of eleven songs that are mostly Melissa and her guitar. The set opens with Heart Beat, a sultry and sensuous come on. Goodbye Youth is a coming to terms of sorts about the passing of time and the changing priorities it brings. This has a Dylan-esque quality to it and is one of the best songs I've heard Ferrick write. Be sure to check out the cover of Bush's Glycerine. I actually enjoyed this stripped down version more than the original.

I'm Going To Break Your Heart runs a close second to Goodbye Youth as one of the best songs Melissa Ferrick has written. Other highlights include the mildly jaunty Hypocrite, When Thom Sings (Lake Effect Snow), House On Fire and John's Field. Finally, make sure you check out Getting Over You. This heartbreakingly beautiful musical soliloquy should be a staple of Ferrick's live shows for as long as she continues to play.

Melissa Ferrick has weathered the years of being rock and now folks next... with style and grace. Rather than burn out like many young artists who live on the cusp, the fire and passion Ferrick openly displayed at the beginning still burns inside like the hot coals at the heart of a fire. Goodbye Youth is intensely moving and alive. It is by turns passionate, remorseful, taunting, sensuous and pugilistic, all tempered by a state of grace that is the gift of experience and perspective. Musically it is Melissa Ferrick's best recording to date. Goodbye Youth gets the highest recommendation we can give as a Certified Wildy's World Desert Island Disc.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Melissa Ferrick at http://www.melissaferrick.com/. Goodbye Youth is available as a digital download through iTunes as of September 16, 2008. If you want a CD copy of Goodbye Youth you’ll have to go to one of Ferrick’s shows, as that’s the only place (currently) to buy one.

CD Review: Jenn Friedman - Open Book

Jenn Friedman - Open Book

2008, Jennifer Friedman

New York City native Jenn Friedman walks the path that starts where Tori Amos and Maren Ord meet in the road. Rich piano-based story songs and Friedman's gorgeous, reserved alto voice paint musical tableaux that are as visually entrancing as they are sonically moving. Open Book also thrives on intensely personal and intelligent lyrics to complement the musical stories that spring from Friedman's fingers. Mourn is a prime example of the songwriting acumen here, and could stand up as a cherished song in Friedman's catalog across numerous albums and years. Alibi is beautifully orchestrated and captures some of the coloratura of Friedman's wonderfully textured voice.

Be sure to check out Wayward Child, a beautiful ballad about the interminable draw of a bad boy to a good girl. The melody here is gorgeous and the harmonies divine. The lyrical progression is full of imagery as lush as piano and strings that lay beneath. Thomas is also very much worth a listen. Thomas has already risen to #3 on the Overplay UK charts and has strong commercial potential elsewhere.

Jenn Friedman sneaks up on you. She's neither flashy nor trashy, and doesn't represent the pop tart imagery of many young singer-songwriters. She lulls you in with lushly Spartan arrangements and a quiet alto. Once you settle in and really start to listen you are struck by the quiet conviction and gorgeous shading in that voice, and as Friedman's lyric story-songs roll over your conscious mind you are filled with the sense of wonder a great musical or movie experience always brings. Open Book is like dreaming awake, and Friedman is the conductor on a magical tour. Make sure this is one Open Book you read deeply.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Jenn Friedman at http://www.jennfriedman.com/. You can purchase a copy of Open Book at www.cdbaby.com/cd/jenn2.

CD Review: Laws Of Attraction - Where I Belong

Laws Of Attraction - Where I Belong
2008, LOA Music

Laws Of Attraction is Laurene Palmiere and Scott Dionne, a Calgary based duo with a bent for passionate country. Hailing from Campbell River, BC and Halifax, NS, respectively, the duo traveled a long distance just to find one another. Their debut album Where I Belong is a treat.

I have to start by saying I love Laws Of Attraction's sound. Vocalist Laurene Palmiere has an amazing, lush sound, and the songs are well written. This is mellow country all the way. The sound is a bit generic for pop-country, but it's a pleasant listen. Where I Belong opens with The Road I Left Behind, which shows off great organ and guitar work and a strong backing band. I'll Wait opens with a guitar hook that is very similar to the one that opens The Waltons' Middle Of Nowhere. I don't know if this were intentional or not, but it made a neat connection between Laws of Attraction and The Waltons (Jason Plumb).

Letting Me Go is almost soulful, right down to the swanky violins. The absolute highlight of Where I Belong is Talk Away The Night. This is a potential major hit for Laws Of Attraction (as always) with the right breaks. Other highlights include These Days, Where I Belong and Courage.

Laws Of Attraction has a nice easy sound. They hearken back to 1980's country a bit, where melancholy and a more mellow sound predominated. I think Where I Belong may have a difficult time garnering significant attention from radio, as their sound is a little mellow for the ADD tendencies of the day, but songs like Talk Away The Night will always find a niche. As long as Laws Of Attraction can continue to write and perform songs of this quality, they'll have a following for however long they keep making music.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Laws Of Attraction and purchase a copy of Where I Belong at http://www.lawsofattractionmusic.com/. If you are purely of the digital age you may download individual tracks or the entire album though iTunes.

CD Review: Tim Young Band - The Cost

Tim Young Band - The Cost
2008, Not Fade Away Records

Tim Young Band is the house band at Manhattan's Vintage Bar & Restaurant, after recent extended gigs at Club Siberia & Bellevue Bar. The Tim Young Band plays a clean brand of acoustic rock with Americana influences that is perfect for the dinner and early evening set. The Cost is a mellow classic rock album with strong songwriting and tight arrangements. It's not feel good music per se, but you'll feel good listening to it.

Tim Young started out as a solo performer and had the band grow around him beginning in 2002 when he released his debut album No Stranger. Young is an everyman performer who appeals to the working set and the business set equally. His music is a little too straightforward for significant radio play in today's fractured and micro-controlled media market, but it's a great listen that's family friendly and worth taking the time for. Highlights include The Cost, Kerouac, Drifting Cowboy and Hanging In. My personal favorite is Remember which has a roots rock feel and recounts an early date at a Nirvana concert.

Tim Young Band's The Cost is a strong effort and a pleasant listen. It's not going to knock your socks off, but it's a steady record you'll find yourself returning to from time to time. Good stuff.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Tim Young Band at http://www.timrocksweb.com/. You can purchase a copy of The Cost at www.cdbaby.com/cd/timyoung3.

CD Review: Lil' Clip - Novice Of Perfection

Lil' Clip - Novice Of Perfection
2008, Sickman Records

Lil' Clip (Creative Lyricist Incredible Producer) is just what popular rap needs. This fifteen year old classically trained musician is busting out of Los Angeles with his own brand of positive hip-hop. His debut album, Novice Of Perfection will be released on September 23, 2008 on Sickman Records. This is the sort of album that could cross over into the pop world and begin to move commercial rap in a more positive direction.

Novice Of Perfection varies in style from Eminem-esque style raps to rhymes that are reminiscent of old DJ Jazzy Jeff records. Lil Clip's music focuses a little more on melody and musical construction than a lot of hip-hop records, and will be enjoyable even for folks who do not generally embrace hip-hop. Highlights include Livin' In The Now, Cruising, Rollin and the melodious Make It Better. Also make sure to check out Sick On, which may well be the break out hit from this outstanding debut.

Lil' Clip is announcing to the world that he is a force to be reckoned with. Novice Of Perfection is the sort of debut that may well lead to a significant career in the music business. If you are looking for the latest thing in hip-hop, Lil' Clip is whom you seek.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Lil' Clip at http://www.lilclipmusic.com/. Novice Of Perfection will be released on September 23, 2008 and will be available though CDBaby.

CD Review: Allan Lopes - White Picket Fence

Allan Lopes - White Picket Fence
2008, Plaid Star Records

Occasionally an artist comes along that wins you over just on honesty alone. I'm talking about someone who comes across in their songs as so real and so personal that you can't imagine how they would be different in person. This happens a lot with singer-songwriters of a highly personal nature, but the true singer-songwriter has almost thoroughly disappeared from the country music scene. Now here comes Allan Lopes, winner of the Colgate Country Showdown in Colusa, California, who is released his debut EP, White Picket Fence, on Plaid Star Records. You've got to check this guy out.

Surprisingly enough, Lopes leads with the weakest song on White Picket Fence, Waste Time. This song has a great chorus, but the verse is awkward. It is a solid introduction to Lopes easy country voice and open faced delivery. White Picket Fence is a feel-good motivational song about picking up the pieces and starting over. Get your tissues ready (or hankies, if so inclined) for Pictures. This song is heartbreakingly beautiful; discussing the ultimate family heirloom and how one generation tries to better the one that came before.

Singing With You is a great ode to country greats such as Hank Williams, Garth Brooks and Waylon Jennings. The song concept here could have gone either way - endearing or terminally hokey. Lopes delivery is so heartfelt it would win you over even if the lyrics weren't ones that almost anyone can identify with. I could see this song becoming the de facto theme of a show like Nashville Star. High School Days is the country answer to Springsteen's Glory Days. It's the sort of song that will inspire someone to buy another round on a Saturday night.

Allan Lopes is an exciting young talent who may help carry the country music vanguard beyond the current trend of country pop-tarts. His deference to old time country and rock/Americana forms makes for an exciting listen. White Picket Fence is a must for country fans, and may even be a hit with folks who tell you they don't like country.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Allan Lopes and catch some streaming audio at www.myspace.com/allan10. You can purchase a copy of White Picket Fence through Plaid Star Records.

CD Review: The Simple Things - The Simple Things

The Simple Things - The Simple Things
2008, The Simple Things

Straight from the art galleries and dinner parties of San Francisco come The Simple Things. Their self-titled debut may be one of the more intriguing releases of 2008. Eschewing drums and guitar, The Simple Things go with vocals, piano and bass. In the world of popular music this would be considered either gutsy or foolish. A lot depends on whether a band has the chutzpah and talent to pull it off. The Simple Things do.

The Simple Things started out as the duo of Kaitlin McGaw (vox) and Raymond Ruiz (bass). In 2007 Michael Gallant brought his jazz and classical based piano talents into the now burgeoning trio. The Simple Things as we hear them now were born. Gallant and Ruiz seem to have found a musical chemistry that creates a perfect base for the glorious alto voice of Kaitlin McGaw. McGaw is part Natalie Merchant and part Margo Timmons (Cowboy Junkies) but manages to sound like no one other than herself.

What The Simple Things possess more than anything else is a penchant for gorgeous, sometimes heartbreaking melodies, and a minimalist approach to instrumentation. Having realized that silence is also a musical note, The Simple Things speak musically only when necessary. The result is a collection of 10 starkly beautiful and longingly passionate songs. If you are a fan of The Brothers Creeggan (Barenaked Ladies side project) you will love the musical arrangements here.

My favorite track on the disc is Cold, a sultry jazz invitation that is the ultimate answer to Barry White. McGaw gives every ounce of her voice on this song and melts some speaker wire in the process. What's Good For Me is a theatrical jazz/soul statement of terms that drips from the heat. The Simple Things turn more plaintive on tunes like The Moon Is Torn; one of the quieter and lovelier moments on their debut. Other highlights include Flying Horses; Gone, Gone and It's Still Light Out.

I can't recommend this disc highly enough. The Simple Things aren't going to see pop radio or charts, but I would suggest that in the jazz world and on XM and NPR they'll build huge followings. For music purists it doesn't get any better than this. The Simple Things is a gorgeous and deep debut, a Wildy's World Certified Desert Island Disc, and one that I suspect will be on my regular personal play list for some time to come. If you give them a listen I'm sure they'll be on yours too.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about The Simple Things at http://www.wearethesimplethings.com/. You can purchase a copy of The Simple Things at www.cdbaby.com/cd/kaitlinmcgaw.

CD Review: The Milling Gowns - Diving Bell Shallows

The Milling Gowns - Diving Bell Shallows

2008, The Milling Gowns

The Milling Gowns are New England’s answer to The Cure gone Baroque. A unique drawing together of almost neo-classical composition and singer-songwriter with more self-possessed melancholy than one person should hold. Their full length debut, Diving Bell Shallows was released on September 5, 2008. Check it out.

I've been very conflicted about this album. Musically it is inventive and has gorgeous composition. If I could strip away the vocals and have this as an instrumental record I would listen to it repeatedly. My issue as a listener is that I have a very hard time with the vocalist. Between a very nasal sound and a Robert Smith-like self-wounded sense of depression I found the CD difficult to get through. I'm not knocking it, and I know there are folks out there to whom this sort of sound appeals, but I am not one of them.

The composition is wonderful, with interesting arrangements including small scale orchestration and lots of instrumental interplay. Lyrically the CD is split between high brow poetics and occasional verse based in teen angst and construction. Highlights include Macaw, Violet Wrist and Lily Of The Mouth.

The Milling Gowns consist of a group of outstanding instrumentalists, strong writing and great musical chemistry. Vocal issues aside, this is an outstanding ensemble. On the vocals side I think it's a matter of sounds that appeal to the individual listener. This one didn't appeal to me in spite of really wanting to like The Milling Gowns. With a different vocalist I'd really enjoy them. You may well like them as they are. Diving Bell Shallows itself is a record with a lot of potential.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about The Milling Gowns at http://www.themillinggowns.com/. You can purchase Diving Bell Shallows through www.cdbaby.com/cd/millinggowns2.

CD Review: Matthew Sweet - Sunshine Lies

Matthew Sweet - Sunshine Lies
2008, Shout! Factory

It seems hard to believe that Matthew Sweet's Sunshine Lies is his tenth album release. I remember hearing Girlfriend back when I was in college and thinking that it was okay, but not really giving it too much thought. What no one realized back then is that Matthew Sweet was on the cutting edge of what would become modern rock once the whole Grunge movement bought Starbucks stock and retired to the suburbs. I'll admit that I haven't always been too high on Matthew Sweet, but I have to acknowledge that he has influenced and paved the way for many artists now in the popular realm.

One of the things I respect about Sweet is that he goes where the music takes him, rather than trying to force his own will on it. I admit that over the years this has sometimes taken him in directions I haven't enjoyed, but he is musically true to himself. Sunshine Lies (previously with the working title Rock Bottom) is a joyous revelation. Matthew Sweet is reborn in the same vibrant energy and jangly, hook-filled pop that filled much of his early career.

My absolute favorite song here is Byrdgyrl, with a soaring chorus and a melody I am still trying to shake. I also enjoyed the filthy guitar hook that opens Flying. Room To Rock is classic Sweet and should become a concert favorite. Other highlights include the gorgeous melody and harmonies of Feel Fear, the guitar rock swagger of Let's Love and the laid back Back Of My Mind.

Sunshine Lies may be the best album Sweet has put out since 100% Fun. The album is full of vibrant energy, jangly guitars, luscious melodies and the occasional schizophonic turn you've come to expect from Matthew Sweet. Sunshine Lies is going to make Matthew Sweet very sought after for the foreseeable future.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Matthew Sweet or purchase a copy of Sunshine Lies at http://www.matthewsweet.com/.

CD Review: A Traveler's Guide To Mars

Ian Tescee - A Traveler's Guide To Mars
2008, Ian Tescee

Colorado's own Ian Tescee (pronounced T-C) is a maestro of space music. Eschewing the usual formless, melody-less new age spread favored by many space music composers, Tescee actually builds his compositions around strong melodies and rhythms. His fourth album, A Traveler's Guide To Mars has the distinction of being the soundtrack the Mars planetarium production at Carnegie Science Center's Buhl Digital Dome in Pittsburh, PA.

Ian Tescee is a space junky with distinct musical talent. Aside from his compositions he has produced projects as diverse as Phil Keaggy's Acoustic Sketches and Jag Panzer's Ample Destruction. His compositions are filled with an inner light and grace that are unusual in electronic music. It's as if Tescee's love of his subject matter and the music shines through the synthesized sound he creates. Highlights on the album include Dust-Red Sky, God Of War, the New Wave SpaceTourist Mars and The New World.

A Traveler's Guide To Mars is niche music of a sort, but is diverse enough to appeal to fans of electronic music, fans of Prog Rock and even new age buffs. Ian Tescee waits a long time between CDs, but A Traveler's Guide To Mars was very much worth the wait.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Ian Tescee as well as purchase a copy of A Traveler's Guide To Mars at http://www.musicphrenia.com/ or http://www.iantescee.com/.

CD Review: Doctor Sparkles - Monkey Swing Monkey Doo

Doctor Sparkles - Monkey Swing Monkey Doo
2008, Doctor Sparkles

What do you get when you cross a ukulele and monkey doo? How about one of the best swing albums of the year? San Francisco's Doctor Sparkles, that over the top MD of uke swing, comes out swinging with his sophomore effort, Monkey Swing Monkey Doo. Cabaret Jazz is a serious art form, and must be undertaken with a light heart and a sense of humor. Doctor Sparkles appears to have found the right formula.

Come on, you mean he really plays a ukulele? Quite well, thank you. Doctor Sparkles is one mean uke player, and has a great cabaret/stage voice. There's an obvious sense of humor here, not to mention some first class jazz. Monkey Swing Monkey Doo is a real treat. Songs such as The Anahata display the charisma of Doctor Sparkles, not to mention the first class band he has behind him. The Golden Age Of Swing is a reminder of the roots of much of America's popular music for the last half-century. You'll need to check out the island swing of Gotta Dance, the freewheeling Monkey Love and the Gershwin-esque Just One Thing.

Other highlights include the politically pointed Another One Percent, Always Be There and the Elvis Presley inspired Fling Poo At The Zoo. Doctor Sparkles combines classic swing and early rock sensibilities in the same way Louis Prima and many other 1950's/1960's Vegas performers did. This is an exciting album that will play well to crowds of all ages. So step up and Fling some Poo.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Doctor Sparkles at http://www.doctorsparkles.com/. You can purchase a copy of Monkey Swing Monkey Doo at www.cdbaby.com/cd/doctorsparkles2.

CD Review: The Hippocrites - In Rock N Roll We Trust

The Hippocrites - In Rock N Roll We Trust
2008, The Hippocrites

The Hippocrites hail from New Haven, Connecticut. The band is comprised of Jesse Como (guitar/vox) and Thomas Friedmann (guitar/vocals/organ). They are a young up and coming band with a release due this fall on Dirt Floor Records. In Rock N Roll We Trust is a demo they are using to get heard, and if you can land a copy it’s worth the effort.

In Rock N Roll We Trust is a snapshot of a band with strong roots in classic and jam rock. Falling somewhere in the divide between Bog Seger and The Counting Crows, The Hippocrites have an instantly familiar yet enigmatic sound. Hurricane is pure Silver Bullet Band, whereas Rock N Roll has more of a 1990's sound to it. A Little More Time is an enchanting tune that reminisces about falling in love on a summer's night while asking for more time to make things work. The cricket sounds are great theater but do become a bit distracting after a bit. This is unfortunate because the song itself really doesn't need the effects; it stands up quite well on its own.

In Rock N Roll We Trust is an uneven three song EP that gets better as it goes. The first two songs sound rather like someone else, whereas on A Little More Time The Hippocrites seem to really find their own sound, and it's a good one. I strongly recommend the Hippocrites as a band to keep an eye (ear) on. A Little More Time is definitely required listening.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

For more info on The Hippocrites check out www.myspace.com/thosehippocrites. Keep checking back for a release date on their to-be-named full length debut. In the meantime, if you were to send them a message through MySpace you might be able to talk them into selling you a demo (It’s worth a shot).

CD Review: The Break And Repair Method - Milk The Bee

The Break And Repair Method - Milk The Bee
2008, Bluhammock Music

The Break And Repair Method is Matchbox 20’s Paul Doucette, along with a cast of friends and musical associates including Matt Beck (Matchbox 20); Moon Unit Zappa; Nina Gordon (Veruca Salt); David Levita (Alanis Morrissette); Roger Manning (Beck) and Rusty Anderson (Paul McCartney). Doucette took a brief recording/touring break by Matchbox 20 to create and record songs of his own, and what a result. Milk The Bee will be released on September 16, 2008, and you have to hear this.

Milk The Bee is full of gorgeous, light and airy pop songs that put a bounce in your step and a smile upon your face. The album opens with This City (Is Bound To Do Us In), an infectious tune that dances along to a violin/piano duet. You Won't Be Able To Be Sad is a classic pop song in the 1980's tradition that has serious potential as a single. The Break And Repair Method stylistically makes me think of the Beatles with Ben Folds sitting in on piano at times like this.

Now We Become Part Of It is one of my personal favorites here, with a lilting melody and a deceptive swing beat. Life Gets Beautiful is perhaps the best pure pop song here with its relentless beat and a melody that will not quit. There isn't a weak song on Milk The Bee, but among all the good songs is one that rises far above: The Most Somebody Can Know is the sort of song they build movies around. It's contemplative and mellow, and you'll find yourself putting your CD player/computer/MP3 player on continuous playback for just this song.

The Break And Repair Method is the sort of band you might overlook on one casual listen. Doucette has a penchant for feel good happy music wrapped around a vague lyrical melancholy, but the melodies stick with you like oatmeal on a cold winter's day. The lyrics are smart and subtle, and the performance is tight. A few listens in you realize just how good Paul Doucette really is. Milk The Bee is destined to be a prized favorite in your collection and is a Wildy’s World Certified Desert Island Disc.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about The Break And Repair Method at www.myspace.com/thebreakandrepairmethod. Milk The Bee will go on sale on 9/16/08 and is available through Amazon.com.

CD Review: BLVD - Music For People

BLVD - Music For People
2008, BLVD

BLVD is the marriage of Colorado's MC Souleye and San Francisco electronic mavens BLVD. The trio has become four as MC Souleye ads his rhythmic poetry to BLVD's breaktronic sound. Music For People, BLVD's groundbreaking debut will be available on September 29, 2008. If you want to be on the forefront of a new musical experience, this is the place to start.

Recorded live in studio, Music For People captures the energy of a live show. You can't help moving to this music. Even the rhythm challenged will be moved by BLVD. Music For People is party music, or feel good music, or workout music, or whatever you want it to be. It's lyrically safe for young rap fans (parents will approve). Highlights include 108 Rose Petals, Stamina, Sounds Of Blvd and Alignment. The messages throughout are positive, the music is bright and energetic, and the band itself is more than just samples.

BLVD is a talented concatenation including MC Souleye, Dylan McIntosh (Drums/samples), Tripp Bains (Bass) and Curtis Sloane (Electric Guitar/samples). Music For People is just different enough and full of sufficient talent to make a dent in urban and pop radio. Don't be surprised if you hear a lot more of this band in the coming months.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about BLVD at http://www.blvdsource.com/ or www.myspace.com/blvdsource. Music For People will be available on BLVD’s website and at live shows as of 9/29/08.

CD Review: Donna Lewis - In The Pink

Donna Lewis - In The Pink
2008, Peruzzi Music

Donna Lewis rocketed to international stardom in 1996 with the hit single I Love You Always Forever. The Cardiff, Wales pop sensation racked up top pop honors on charts all over the world, and became the first artist to rack up one million spins on US radio with a single song. Lewis would release one more album (Blue Planet) in 1998 and work with several producers (Trevor Horn, Souled Out, Splattercel) on side projects before taking time out to be a mom. Donna Lewis was away for a long time, but in 2008 she returns with In The Pink on her own Peruzzi Music label.

Lewis still has great pop sensibilities, but working with different producers over time, as well as the experience of motherhood have both mellowed her and broadened her horizons. Donna Lewis has a very sweet, pretty voice with just enough texture to call attention to itself. That being said it's not a voice that will bowl you over, and much of the vibrant energy we heard a dozen years ago just does not seem to be in evidence here. The eleven songs on In The Pink are decent enough tunes, and Lewis has always been a pleasure to listen to, but the energy level is very muted.

There is one exception. Shout is a great pop tune. It's mellow but with an undercurrent of excitement. The dynamics still don't quite meet the subject matter of the song, but it is definite step in the right direction. In general, while I hate to say it, it sounds like Lewis is just going through the motions here. The songs are average, but a great singer can breathe life into average songs. Donna Lewis has that ability, but something just doesn't click on In The Pink.

All that being said, In The Pink is decent. It's a gentle, unobtrusively pleasant listen. It's just that it could have been so much more.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Donna Lewis at www.myspace.com/donnalewisofficial or at http://www.donnalewis.com/. You can purchase a copy of In The Pink at Amazon.com.

CD Review: Power Of Country - See You In Rock And Roll Heaven

Power Of Country - See You In Rock And Roll Heaven
2008, Union Records

Portland, Oregon's Power Of Country remind me heavily of one of my favorite Alt-Bluegrass bands, Luther Wright And The Wrongs. There is a definite old-time country feel to a lot of their material and a strong rock sensibility as well. 2008 sees the release of Power Of Country's third album, See You In Rock And Roll Heaven. It's a winner.

Power Of Country throws down the gauntlet with Ain't Goin' Back To Jail, a punk-country tune with a driving chorus that will have your feet tapping. Love Machine is a humorous country rocker with some great guitar work. Love Me In Chains keeps the mojo rolling as a worthy urgent recollection. Different Seeds is a little more in the popular country realm (but not in the prepackaged, overproduced sense holding sway on Music Row). My personal favorite here is Trashville Rag, which shows off some great guitar action and tight playing as a band. Even in slower moments, Power Of Country is a more than competent band. Songs such as Father, Mother, Son and The Ballad Of Charlie Sad show a little more of the traditional country sound that Power Country does so well.

See You In Rock And Roll Heaven is a real treat! The mix of rock and roll/rockabilly with traditional country sounds and occasionally an almost punk rock attitude is a head-turner and definitely worth checking out. Power Of Country don't so much walk the line between genres as stomp all over them and then kick them a few times for good measure. This band is a pleasant surprise. Don't pass them by.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

To learn more about Power Of Country head on over to http://www.powerofcountry.com/, where you can purchase a copy of See You In Rock And Roll Heaven.

CD Review: Alyssa Graham - Echo

Alyssa Graham - Echo
2008, Sunnyside/Walrus Records

Alyssa Graham is a world-traveler both physically and musically. With a strong base in Jazz, Graham embraces the tides and tendrils of Pop and Brazilian rhythms. Having visited every continent but Antarctica, Graham has an organic relationship with the sounds and rhythms she incorporates into her music. The result is a synthesis that goes composition and becomes creation. Alyssa Graham's sophomore release, entitled Echo, was released in July of 2008, and you have to hear this.

I could take several pages alone to expound upon Alyssa Graham's voice. She has this amazingly smooth alto that is warm and inviting and will draw you into a song. On Echo she personifies its namesake from Roman mythology. Voice aside, Graham has put together a crack band capable of moving from style to style and mood to mood without a second thought. Echo is one of the more sonically satisfying albums I've come across in 2008.

There is a story behind one of the songs on Echo that is quite intriguing as well. Involved Again was originally written for Billie Holliday by the great Jack Reardon. Unfortunately Holliday passed away before she had the chance to record Involved Again, and the song was locked away for half a century. Upon hearing Graham's debut CD, What Love Is, Reardon realized that the right voice had finally come along. Reardon contacted Alyssa Graham, and Involved Again is likely destined to be a jazz standard.

Echo is a wonderful album. Graham pulls off material that many other artists wouldn't contemplate. Pictures Of You is one of the loveliest ballads you'll hear in 2008. Echo is a wonderfully introspective and intense song about the ghosts of love lost. Graham's cover of I Burn For You is more sensuous and glowing than The Police original. She also covers Simon & Garfunkel's America with a version that might be even more melodically expressive than the fine cover done by Yes several years back. Other highlights include Once Upon A Summertime and Izaura.

Alyssa Graham has tremendous potential commercially, both in Jazz and Adult Contemporary circles as well as in the world of licensing. She's the sort of artist who could have been commercially successful anytime in the last forty years. Don't be surprised to see that she becomes the sort of artist that other artists line up to work with. Echo will linger with you long after the CD stops spinning. A Wildy's World Certified Desert Island Disc it is.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Alyssa Graham at http://www.alyssagraham.com/. You can purchase Echo through Amazon.com or as a download through iTunes.

CD Review: ISM - Urgency

ISM - Urgency
2008, STM Records

ISM is one of the many great bands to emerge from New York City's eclectic and vibrant rock scene. ISM has undergone a metamorphosis in the past year, uncovering a deep well of great new material. The result is Urgency, a must-hear CD.

ISM sounds like a Zooropa era U2 spinoff. Vocalist Andre Mistier even sounds a great deal like Bono at times. The music is a mix of pop/rock with the some electronic shading. Urgency is a classic rock song with a dance beat that is contrapuntal to the depressed/morose lead vocals on the verses. The refrain lifts the song up to flight level before falling off the precipice to Robert Smith style malaise. Give It Back is a little more driven and thoroughly enjoyable. The anthemic Fly might be the highlight of the album.

Other highlights include The Only One, the beautifully disturbing Ash And Rose and Postlude. ISM carries the same distant swagger about it that many of the great rock bands have. There's just enough of a depressive neurosis about the album to inspire a new generation of new wave fanatics, and the music is energetic and wild enough to make the transformation into techno dance mixes a real plausibility. Urgency is the anti-commercial commercial album you've been waiting for, if you're into such things.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about ISM at www.myspace.com/ism. You can pick up a copy of Urgency at Amazon.com.

CD Review: Taddy Porter - Monocle

Taddy Porter - Monocle
2008, Taddy Porter

Stillwater, Oklahoma’s Taddy Porter brings back the days of the Blues Rock Gods. The quartet is comprised of Andy Brewer (guitar/lead vox), Doug Jones (drums), Joe Selby (lead guitar/vox) and Kevin Jones (bass). They have a reputation for a big rock sound and strong live shows. Their 2008 release, Monocle, is a must hear.

Monocle is an interesting conglomeration of blues and rock with a grunge attitude. Appearing to draw from influences such as ZZ Top, Bob Seger, Hendrix and Led Zeppelin, Taddy Porter is firmly in the classic rock/blues camp. The songwriting is strong, the guitar playing sufficiently hot and the production top-notch. Highlights include Mean Mix, Day Dream, Time, Satisfied Customer and Character Assassin.

Monocle is classic 1970's FM radio fun with just a hint of modern edge to it. You could plug these guys into a music festival with classic and arena rock bands and they'd be right at home. Taddy Porter is great music for the weekend, for in the car, or just sitting around on the deck on a summer night.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Taddy Porter at www.myspace.com/taddyportermusic. Monocle is currently only available at Taddy Porter shows, but is forthcoming to both CDBaby and iTunes (for download). If you absolutely must have it before then, message the band through their MySpace page and I’m sure they’ll work with you.

CD Review: L.P. - Ruff Demos

L.P. - Ruff Demos
2008

L.P. has generated a lot of positive publicity to date, in part due to a lot of push from her record label. The question becomes whether the buzz is for real or whether it's just ground noise intended to sell records. Wildy's World was provided with a four song sampler from her upcoming album decide for ourselves. The outlook is mixed.

L.P. has a voice that is reminiscent of Cyndi Lauper at times, with a sultry, pouty sound in the lower register and an upper register that's just a bit rough. It's not a pretty voice, but an interesting and enjoyable one. The material on the preview is up and down. Good With You is a fairly prototypical alt-rock ballad that is listenable but doesn't really distinguish L.P. from the open market. Cling To Me is a little more interesting, with electronic versions of baroque instruments on the opening and throughout the song. Kill The Pain is generic pop rock song that again, is pleasant, but does little to distinguish L.P. in the marketplace. SMF will garner attention as it steps back to a slightly more acoustic approach, and because it firmly qualifies the album for a Parental Advisory sticker.

SMF is actually a decent song. While I have no objection to the use of profanity in principle, I think how it is used (or overused) can detract from a message. SMF (Stupid Mother------) is a bit gratuitous and repetitive, giving the impression that the point is the shock value rather than the story behind the words. I obviously can't tell about the rest of the album from four songs, but I don't get L.P. as a strong entry into the market. L.P. has a voice that should do well for her, but the material is average at best, and the sound is just a little too much like so many other things already in the marketplace.

Rating: 2.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about L.P. at www.myspace.com/lprock. You can currently purchase the single Good With You on iTunes.

CD Review: Nelson Jenstad - The Essential Robinhood Lanes

Nelson Jenstad - The Essential Robinhood Lanes
2008, Nelson Jenstad

I generally avoid kitsch whenever possible. On first listen to The Essential Robinhood Lanes I was reminded of a friend of my parents whom we would visit when I was little. The gentleman had an old organ in his living room and would play it whenever we came over. The opening notes of Nelson Jenstad's CD brought back flashbacks to those interminable visits -- I started to twitch and feel an uncontrollable urge to run. I literally forced myself to listen to the rest of the disc out of courtesy and respect for the artist if nothing else. Along the way something interesting happened: I started to find the recording just slightly charming. Not that I'd admit to it under oath, mind you, but The Essential Robinhood Lanes has a kitschy, homey quality about it that is endearing.

We're not talking about anything particularly involved or musically challenging here. This is your basic 1970's era organ recording with some electronic beats added in to provide rhythmic spice. Nelson Jenstad has a knack however for taking an utterly familiar and overdone genre and putting a fresh spark into it. Highlights include To Ribbons, Just Your Imagination, Spin Down and Ludwig.

The Essential Robinhood Lanes works well as space age dinner music, and occasionally as a mild electronic/dance tune. There's nothing earth shattering or truly innovative here, but it is a fun listen. Nelson Jenstad certainly has a good ear for interesting new nuggets to be drawn out of an old form.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

To learn more about Nelson Jenstad, head on over to http://www.njmp.webs.com/. To purchase a copy of The Essential Robinhood Lanes go to www.cdbaby.com/cd/nelsonjenstad.

CD Review: Andrum - Andvakar

Andrum - Andvakar
2008, Allur rettur askillinn

Iceland’s Andrum is very difficult to classify. You could make comparisons to Fumbling Towards Ecstasy era Sarah McLachlan and not be totally off the mark, but it's not quite right either. Andvakar is made up of meandering piano-based songs that occasionally venture into the rock arena but never quite break out of the melancholy air that pervades Andrum's music. Hugurinn Reikar spends its first five minutes in solemn contemplation of itself before breaking into a Cranberries-esque bridge full of big guitar sound to bring the song home. Pictures is 10+ minutes of quasi-optimistic mellow rock in the spirit of Pink Floyd and gives room for Jona Palla to show off her magnificent voice. Nozinan is another highlight, with a guitar part as relentless as ocean waves beating against the shore, Jona Palla dances about on top of those waves like a sailboat in a light breeze.

Andvakar is a strong entry into the ethereal rock realm. I am not 100% sure if this band knows where they are going yet, but it should be an interesting journey. Andrum strikes me as the sort of band that might play together and put out a few albums and somewhere along the way find the perfect chemistry in one song that carries them for the rest of their careers. It's more a question of when than if.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Andrum at www.myspace.com/andrummusic. You can purchase Andvakar directly through Andrum’s MySpace page or by going to www.cdbaby.com/cd/andrum.

CD Review: Kristoffer Ragnstam - Wrong Side Of The Room

Kristoffer Ragnstam - Wrong Side Of The Room

2008, Bluhammock Music

There is no brief explanation for Kristoffer Ragnstam. Soundbites can't capture the glorious oddity he is in the rock world. This native of Sweden has been all around the world and is at home most anywhere he goes. He's been called the Swedish Beck, but even this might be selling him short. Kristoffer Ragnstam may be the most esoteric and original songwriter of his generation. Building on that resume is 2008's Wrong Side Of The Room, written primarily on tour with Debbie Harry in 2007, or from material developed on that tour.

Whether it's the detached dementia of Stop On Top, the surreal Heard About My Own Death On The Radio, the new wave 2008 or the guilded machismo of the title track, Kristoffer Ragnstam holds court in a world of musical glee. High energy experimental rock is the beginning of a description, but doesn't get to the heart of the dichotomy Ragnstam creates between functional melodies and deconstructionist composition. I found myself in awe listening to Wrong Side Of The Room.

Kristoffer Ragnstam is a special talent. His ability to consume musical styles and sounds, digest them and the recast them as something new and original with an air of familiarity is rare but not unheard of. The inventive genius he shows in constructing songs from found musical flotsam and jetsam is the rarest of musical gifts. Wrong Side Of The Room is a rock and roll cornucopia, and a Wildy's World Certified Desert Island Disc. Dig in.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Kristoffer Ragnstam at http://www.ragnstam.se/ or www.myspace.com/ragnstam. You can purchase a copy of Wrong Side Of The Room at Amazon.com.

CD Review: Michael Phillips - Songs From A Quieter Stream

Michael Phillips - Sounds From A Quieter Stream
2007, Michael Phillips

Michael Phillips is a musician and movie maker from South London. Sounds From A Quieter Stream, his 2007 release, is a collection of eclectic guitar based tunes you have to hear.

Sounds From A Quieter Stream is firmly in the bare-bones singer/songwriter tradition. The majority of songs on Sounds From A Quieter Stream are just Phillips and his guitar. I found the songwriting to be quirky and offbeat, and perhaps just a bit young. Phillips tells stories that are straightforward and sometimes humorous, but lacking finesse and succinctness. There is a slight whine to Phillips' singing that is reminiscent of Michael Stipe. I am not sure if this is natural or vocal style, but it made it more difficult to listen to the disc.

As a guitar player Phillips is quite talented, and he is a strong writer when it comes to the music itself. Check out Shady Places And Big Hats as a prime example of what I am talking about. Other highlights include Seven Shadows, Tall Ship Tune and Waiting Observing.

Michael Phillips is quite talented as a guitar player and composer. I'm not a huge fan of his lyrical style or his voice, although the latter is purely a matter of taste and I entirely invite you to discount my opinion on that point. Sounds From A Quieter Stream has its highs and lows, but the highs are very much worth hearing.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Michael Phillips at www.myspace.com/electrifyingpans. You can purchase Sounds From A Quieter Stream at www.cdbaby.com/cd/phillipsm.

CD Review: Val Emmich - Little Daggers

Val Emmich - Little Daggers
2008, Bluhammock Music

Val Emmich understands the art of war. In the end all battles come down to hand-to-hand combat, and it is in that setting that the ultimate message is sent from one side to the other. On Little Daggers, his sixth release, Emmich has crafted a collection of ten energetic pop/rock songs with deep and sometimes disparate lyrical currents. Each of these little daggers is designed to prick at your conscience or your thought process, but I promise you no blood will be drawn.

Little Daggers opens with The Lucky Ones, a bouncy, feel-good pop anthem on the outside while having a melancholy lyrical turn. Get On With It sounds as impatient as its name. Hurt More Later may be the class of the album -- an introspective and peppy look at the downside of love. Emmich moves on to a lilting waltz in Darling Denise. Other highlights here include Wake Up Brand New, the frenetically acoustic Down and the emotional rebirth of Catalyst.

Val Emmich reminds me of one of my favorite songwriters, Jason Plumb. Both have a distinct melancholy that runs through their songs even where the music is full of pep. Emmich keeps his songs compact and concise, all the better to drive the points home. Little Daggers is a thing of beauty. Listen in.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Val Emmich at http://www.valemmich.com/. You can purchase a copy of Little Daggers through Amazon.com.

CD Review: Lisa Coppola - Wisdom From The Pain

Lisa Coppola - Wisdom From The Pain

2008, Any Other Name Music

New Jersey's own Lisa Coppola has already managed to make her mark on the music business in several ways. From being featured in Billy Joel's All About Soul video and singing backup for him on Saturday Night Live, to performing background vocalist duties for the likes of Marshall Crenshaw, John Eddie, Glen Burtnick (Styx) and Mitch Malloy, Coppola is a known commodity. Her latest EP, Wisdom From The Pain was released recently and is a strong declaration of her Nashville intentions. Lisa Coppola is an Indie Artist whose name you should know.

The disc opens with When You Were Mine. Penned by John Waite and Anthony Krizan (The Spin Doctors), When You Were Mine is a perfect country/adult contemporary tune that I would not be surprised to hear licensed in the near future. This song could be competitive on the country music charts with the right publicity or break. Temporary Heartache is a country/blues hybrid with real appeal. This might be the most commercially viable song on the disc, and it sure is a fun listen.

Your Love Is Like A Rodeo is the most purely country tune on the disc. It almost sounds like Coppola changed her voice somewhat on this song to fit that country mold. This is almost a mistake as it takes Coppola out of her sound, but she's such a good vocalist that she pulls it off. Wisdom From The Pain is a country ballad full of regret and is quite touching. This is another song I wouldn't be surprised to hear licensed, although I would suggest it's not as radio-friendly as a couple of other tracks here. The EP closes with Make This Moment (To Love Again). I actually didn't enjoy this track much. Once again it sounds like Coppola changes her voice to fit the song, rather than making the song her own, and this time it doesn't work as well. I think that ultimately this song is just plain weaker than the rest of the material on Wisdom From The Pain.

So in the end we have an EP that is 3/5 stupendous, 1/5 good, and 1/5 I didn’t enjoy. That's a pretty good ratio overall. Wisdom From The Pain is a strong indication not only of the talent of Lisa Coppola, but also the weaknesses she may succumb to from time to time. On the whole definitely a worthwhile listen. I would not be surprised if Coppola ascends the mountain that is Nashville one of these days and declares it her own.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Lisa Coppola at http://www.lisacoppola.com/. You can purchase a copy of Wisdom From The Pain at www.cdbaby.com/cd/coppola2.

CD Review: Stephanie - Stephanie

Stephanie - Stephanie

2008, FiSH Records

Ft. Worth Texas' Stephanie has been described as Jennifer Lopez meets Hillsong United. Whatever comparison you wish to make, she may be the biggest thing to come along in Contemporary Christian music since Jars Of Clay. I say this because her debut CD, entitled Stephanie, is probably the most commercially accessible Contemporary Christian Record I've heard since Flood.

Born in Miami, FL, Stephanie felt moved to write and record Christian songs after a personal epiphany in 2001. What is so interesting about this CD is that just based on the music alone there are 3-4 songs here that would have strong chart potential on commercial radio. This is unusual in the Contemporary Christian Music market where many artists struggle between message and music. For the most part Stephanie doesn't appear to struggle to make the music fit the words (or vice versa).

Wake Up Arise is a wonderful southern rock tune that will have your toes tapping within the opening bar. Through Christ is an early Bon Jovi-esque rocker that is irresistible. The Rain is a modern rock ballad that would be at home on the radio any day of the week. Now I Know shows the ability of Stephanie to emote in a slow song and outlines the sweetness and strength in her voice.

Back To The Rock is a driving rock tune you have to hear. Still Be Praising You is a love song that sounds like it could have come from a Broadway show. It's one of the rare songs here that gets a bit trite lyrically, but the melody is so gorgeous you can overlook it. The album closes with Bless Those Beside Me, my personal favorite here. This is the sort of song that has potential to become an anthem for Stephanie, and I have no doubt it will be sung in churches all over the country.

Look, not everyone who reads this blog is a Christian. We don't make any judgments about such things here. But even if you normally don't listen to Contemporary Christian music or have interest in the subject matter, this is a CD to listen to. Ignore the lyrics if you'd like, but this is a gorgeous pop album in its own right. If you do adhere to the Christian faith, then this disc is for you. It has the benefit of playing well across generations, and doesn't fall prey to many of the lyrical clichés or irregularities that often occur in CCM. I've debated this, but there's really no argument. Stephanie is a Certified Wildy's World Desert Island Disc. They don't get much better than this.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

For more information about Stephanie check out http://www.iamstephanie.net/, where you can purchase a copy of Stephanie.

CD Review: Olio - Living The Dream

Olio - Living The Dream
2007, AD4 Records

Los Angeles based Olio is an unusual conglomeration. It's a power trio made up of a film composer, a DJ, and a director of music arts. Influenced by everything from Classic Rock to Classic Soul to a hint of country here and there, Olio has created a sound that is at once recognizable and accessible, while managing to be new and different. The disc submitted to Wildy's World are ten songs from the project entitled Living The Dream which will eventually be 15-20 songs long. If this disc is any indication, Living The Dream should be a juggernaut.

I'll be honest and say that comparisons to Queen will be in order on several tracks. The musical construction has a quasi-symphonic construction that is similar in style to bands like Queen, Yes, Styx, etc. One Last Goodbye is one such song with tight instrumentation, non-traditional construction, and even a reggae bridge. Bad Apple is a delicious guitar rock song that sounds like Nuno Betterncourt is playing lead guitar. I invite you all to check out Soccer Mom, an entirely politically incorrect neo-punk tune that could gain particular prominence in the current political environment if re-recorded as "Hockey Mom".

Four Letter Word is a great 1960's flavored tune with a bit of tongue-in-cheek flair. Here We Go (featuring Young Crew), which is currently a house song for the New Jersey Devils Hockey team, is an up and at 'em anthem you have to hear. Other highlights include Completely Beautiful and Working For America.

Olio isn't simply a sign of the revival of the classic rock sound; they've actually managed to create a classic sound that is new without stepping into the land of cliché. This is music with incredible commercial potential. It's fun to listen to; it's articulate, and it's musically complex and rewarding. Living The Dream is a self-fulfilling prophecy, and shows incredible promise when it is completed. I have debated whether this is Desert Island material, only because it is incomplete, but it's certain that even the ten songs here stand up on their own as a great work. So yes, Living The Dream is a Wildy's World Certified Desert Island Disc.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Olio at http://www.oliomusic.com/. You can currently download the tracks from Living The Dream for free there.

CD Review: Todd Rundgren - Arena

Todd Rundgren - Arena
2008, HiFi Records/MPCA

Todd Rundgren has been doing this a long, long time. Album after album of original material has come and gone to various levels of critical and commercial success. In that time he has taken in a load of influences and on Arena appears ready to give some of them back to us. Writing tunes that sound like Yes, Pink Floyd and AC/DC in addition to some classic Rundgren stylings, Arena is a shockingly good album.

Mad opens Arena sounding like a Big Generator-era Yes tune, while Afraid sounds like Lawrence Gowan-era Styx. Gun opens with a great bass hook and is a fairly typical classic rock radio song. This is currently my favorite song on Arena. Courage is the sort of song that was FM Radio gold back in the 1970's and early 1980's. Strike sounds like an AC/DC tune, with Rundgren mimicking Angus Young on the chorus. It's a lot of fun to listen to. Other highlights include Today, Mountaintop and Panic.

Todd Rundgren is always full of surprises, and Arena is no exception to the trend. Longtime fans will love this collection, and I wouldn't be 100% surprised if Rundgren attracts some newer, young ears into his cadre. Job well done.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Todd Rundgren at http://www.tr-i.com/. Arena will be available on September 30th, 2008 through most major music retailers, including Amazon.com.

CD Review: Chris Blake - Wave

Chris Blake - Wave
2008, Cumulonimbus Records

Los Angeles' Chris Blake just might be the next big thing. Hearing the songs on his second CD, Wave, is like hearing songs you know you heard once long ago; They're familiar to memory, new to the ear, and most welcome in their melancholy reverie.

Let's skip the preliminaries and talk about Mean It Now, which should sell several million downloads or singles or whatever else you can burn it on to. This is the single most sadly beautiful song to come across my desk in 2008. It's that rare coming together of meaningful subject matter, a gorgeous melody and the perfect arrangement. This song which is destined to be licensed for half a dozen movies or TV shows over the next decade.

Now that we have that out of the way we can talk about the rest of Wave. Words like brilliant and genius and watershed come to mind. Chris Blake has created significant buzz in the blogosphere and it is easy to see (and hear) why. Party On The Last Iceberg is rock tune with a hip-hop beat that will stick in your head for days. This song has strong commercial potential and may do well as a crossover. Trains is a plaintive watercolor of a song painting one of life's little moments that often pass without much thought. The chorus here soars like the realization contained within the song, setting up yet another song that you're likely to hear licensed out in the next year.

Mean carries a primal melancholy air that is underscored by the relentless see-saw guitar part. All of this leads up to How Journey Saved My Life, a tongue-in-cheek homage to a beneficial side-effect of the pop titans. Other highlights include Lullaby, Life On Land (I Jettisoned), Someone Else and The Race.

Chris Blake is a rare talent. His songwriting skills are envious: he is as lyrically adept as he is musically brilliant. Wave is the sort of album you want to take a sick day on Friday for so you can stay home and listen to it all weekend. No doubt about this being a Wildy's World Certified Desert Island Disc. Get in on the ground floor folks, because this star is going to fly high.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Chris Blake at www.myspace.com/chrisblakemusic. You can purchase a copy of Wave at www.cdbaby.com/cd/chrisblake2.

CD Review: Crystal Kid - Crystal Kid

Crystal Kid - Crystal Kid
2008, Crystal Kid

Crystal Kid is brothers Frank and Charles Torrealba. The Calgary, Alberta duo grew up in Brazil and has spent time traveling the Americas; along the way they have been influenced by a multitude of sounds and styles. Crystal Kid released their six song self-titled EP in 2008 and have been touring in its support.

Lead vocalist Frank Torrealba is strong and vibrant song who is instantly recognizable as a front man. The songwriting on Crystal Kid is strong and the performances energetic and engaging. Come Dance is a driving rock tune vaguely reminiscent of The Tragically Hip. Sorry is a bit fluffier but still substantial. Don't Slow Me Down would be the class of the album, with In A Little While a very close second if it weren't for The Distance Between Us, which is the sort of song that songwriters buy mansions with. Drive is the big guitar rock tune that could put Crystal Kid on the map of Modern Rock stations, and would have strong commercial success with the right placement.

Viscerally, Crystal Kid is a surprisingly good rock band. On first listen I was pleasantly surprised but not terribly moved -- as I listened more I started to realize just how talented these brothers are. I shudder to make the obvious reference, but this is the sort of music the Gallagher brothers (Oasis) set out to make but got too caught up in themselves to complete. With the right breaks, Crystal Kid could be that kind of band.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Crystal Kid at http://www.crystal-kid.com/. You can purchase a copy of Crystal Kid at www.cdbaby.com/cd/crystalkid.

CD Review: Joseph L. Young - Pathways

Joseph L. Young - Pathways
2004, Joseph L. Young

Boise, Idaho’s Joseph L. Young is a musician, composer and sound engineer who happens to play some of the most innovative Native American flute music going. He’s also quite accomplished with a tin whistle and a saxophone. In 2004 he released his solo debut, Pathways. Check this out.

Pathways is a haunting collection of Native American flute songs that is both peaceful and provoking. Joseph L. Young has a particular knack for melody and arrangement that takes this far above and beyond your typical flute recording. Young's panache also suggests a theatric bent, like many of these songs might have walked off the soundtrack of a movie. Full of dark and disturbingly beautiful melodies, Pathways will stick with you long after the final notes have faded away. Highlights include Touch The Earth, Autumn, Dusk, Shaman's Dream and Through The Mist.

While many traditional Native American flute recordings sound mournful, Joseph L. Young's compositions reflect the melancholy of a nation that has lost itself over many generations but still holds the hope of their grandfathers. Pathways is a haunting and beautiful reminder that music doesn't always need to be a wall of sound to blow us away.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Joseph L. Young at www.myspace.com/mjoeyoung. You can purchase a copy of Pathways at www.cdbaby.com/cd/jlyoung.

CD Review: Captain Kneal And The Noisemakers - Captain Kneal And The Noisemakers

Captain Kneal And The Noisemakers - Captain Kneal And The Noisemakers
2008, Captain Kneal And The Noisemakers

Cleveland’s Captain Kneal And The Noisemakers are an incredibly inventive guitar-oriented rock outfit that mixes ambient guitar effects and rock arrangements to create avante-garde instrumental creations. These creations are direct descendants from the sort of tight and off-beat arrangements made famous by Andy Summers. Captain Kneal And The Noisemakers' self-titled EP is five songs deep in music that is highly unusual and creatively unique.

Drawing on the sort of progressive punk the Police practiced in their early days, Captain Kneal And The Noisemakers make a statement about ethereal guitar rock. You will either love or hate this album, I don't think there's any in-between. Highlights include Lake Effect Snow, N.F.S, and Captain Kneal. Check out Captain Kneal And The Noisemakers, particularly if you play guitar. You'll get a kick out of this.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Captain Kneal And The Noisemakers at www.myspace.com/clevelandnoisemakers. You can purchase a copy of Captain Kneal And The Nosiemakers at www.cdbaby.com/cd/ckatn2.

CD Review: Ross Christopher - The River Child

Ross Christopher - The River Child
2008, Ross Christopher

Ok, this is big. Not big as in its going to sell 10 gazillion copies (probably not), but big as in artistically and musically unique, unusual and satisfying. Ross Christopher is not a name I'd heard before (nor likely have you); but this might just be one of the more eclectically exciting albums to grace the market in 2008. Ross Christopher's The River Child soars at times like Radiohead, rages like Spirit Of The West and has a bare emotional component similar to Ben Folds' recordings.

The River Child opens with Two, sounding like something Jay Semko might have dreamed. The River Child has an airy brilliance to it that is disturbing and wonderful all at once. Blinded My Eyes (Wasting) delivers an ethereal rock sound that skates the chasm between Radiohead and late Pink Floyd. Be sure to check out Little White Anger, which seethes in its own discordance. Other highlights include Whispering Lilies, Amazing Grace and Perfect Sound.

Ross Christopher marches to the beat of his own drummer, not managing to sound exactly like anyone in particular while giving definite nods along the way. The River Child is the sort of album that folks may look back on in several years as a watershed moment, but I have a feeling it may not get the attention it deserves because it is eclectic and brilliant and just too good to be recognized for what it is. This is a Wildy's World Certified Desert Island Disc without doubt. Whatever else you check out musically in 2008, make sure Ross Christopher is on the list. You'll thank me. You'll see.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Ross Christopher at http://www.rosschristopher.com/. The River Child is due for release in September/October 2008. Keep checking about at Ross Christopher’s website for more specific release info.

CD Review: Twilight Dementia - Twilight Dementia

Twilight Dementia - Twilight Dementia
2007, Jennifer Mendiola and John Krauss

Washington D.C.’s Twilight Dementia is a deliciously eclectic CD that runs the gamut from Evanescence style stark hard rock to jazzy alt-funk without missing a beat. The urgent and sensuous voice of Jennifer Mendiola shines throughout the entire album, and the dark and electronically enhanced musical arrangements make for a stunning debut. Good Enough mixes gorgeous harmonies, a stark melody and layered song construction for a solid rock piece with a dance groove. No Way Out breaks out the crunchy rock guitar sound that you know hides in the heart of Twilight Dementia, playing off against a funk-lite verse.

Be sure to check out the cover of A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall. It's quite different than the original and very much worth a listen. Other highlights include Twelve Oceans, Gimme Shelter and Aftermath (my personal favorite).

Twilight Dementia has one of the more unique sounds I've heard. Navigating from ethereal to chilling and back like a pendulum appears to be second nature. Their debut album is a darkly pleasant surprise that will be a sonic joy to the ears. Lyric hounds will have a ball picking apart some of the imagery here. Make sure to check out Twilight Dementia.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Twilight Dementia at http://www.twilightdementia.com/. You can purchase a copy of Twilight Dementia at www.cdbaby.com/cd/twilightdementia.

CD Review: Steve Haggard - Love Conquers All

Steve Haggard - Love Conquers All
2008, Wild Oats Records

Steve Haggard is a rare talent in country music these days. Eschewing the pop and circumstance that tends to flow freely from Nashville like waste water into a river, Haggard mixes a blend of country, rock, blues, rockabilly, folk and Americana that is uniquely original and accessible. On Love Conquers All, his sixth release on Wild Oats Records, Steve Haggard raises the bar a notch higher with a wonderfully warm roots album that is not to be missed.

Haggard has a warm country voice and easy delivery that make him a pleasure to listen to. He has built a superb backing band that I'd put up against most any outfit in or out of Nashville. Steve Haggard is a musical maverick in much the same light as Lyle Lovett. Songs like If She Only Had A Heart, Cheating County Blues and Gonna Make A Believer Out Of You show off the more rockabilly side of Steve Haggard's muse. Haggard shows a quieter side on Trust In Love, Might Have To Die (To Make You Miss Me) and Renegade. Haggard also pulls a pleasant surprise with a superb cover of Forever Young.

Mysterious Ways Part III and Part II are an interesting tandem of songs as well. These might be the most commercial of songs here, with identical music but different lyrics. I am not sure whether one is a continuation of the other or whether these are alternative song ideas, but they work, and I would not be surprised to hear either song in a movie or on television in the coming year.

Steve Haggard is not someone I was familiar with before the early part of this year, but I have quickly gained significant respect for him as a musician. The aforementioned Lyle Lovett is one of my absolutely favorite songwriters (along with names like Billy Joel, Randy Newman, Gordon Matthew Sumner (Sting), Ron Hawkins and Jason Plumb. I don't know if Steve Haggard is quite in that class, but he certainly belongs in the conversation. Love Conquers All is what country music aspires to when it's not busy selling the latest pop sensation to MTV. Steve Haggard is what Nashville dreams longingly it could still be.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Steve Haggard at www.wildoatsrecords.com. Love Conquers All is a forthcoming release. Keep checking back at Wildy Oats Records website for further information.

CD Review: Shwa - Greatest Hits Volumes 1 and 2

Shwa - Greatest Hits Volumes 1 and 2

2006, Shwa Losben

Greatest Hits Volumes 1 and 2 opens with the crunchy So Cry, a catchy pop/rock tune that captures the desire to help a friend through loss of a relationship. Here And Now has a stream of conscious lyrical style and an acoustic base that reminds me somewhat of Toad The West Sprocket. Let Yourself Out has a melancholy feel to it that suggests the instructive title is less than emphatic.

Shwa Losben has an interesting vibe. The vocals are pleasant and have just a touch of that Michael Stipe whine to them. His is certainly a distinctive voice that is immediately recognizable. Greatest Hits Volumes 1 and 2 is just a brief treat, but enough to see that Shwa has strong pop songwriting chops and carry a song without difficulty. This is a strong introduction and hopefully a sign of things to come.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Shwa at http://www.shwamusic.com/, where you can purchase numerous tracks for download. Shwa also has three CDs available through CDBaby.

CD Review: Zebrahead - Phoenix

Zebrahead - Phoenix

2008, Icon Records

Zebrahead was something of a pioneer of rock/rap conglomeration, choosing this mix rather than the reggae-rock preferred by most other SoCal bands of that time. The band has maintained a strong presence on the national music scene and won significant critical praise. Zebrahead has also managed in that time to build a respectable, rabid following of fans. 2008 sees the release of Phoenix. A rebirth it is.

Phoenix is post-punk/pop nirvana. Zebrahead maintains the vivacity of early Green Day with great big hooks and power pop choruses. Mental Health is a potential smash hit, as is Hell Yeah! Death By Disco has a bit of that Beastie Boys machismo in the verse before resolving into a great rock and roll chorus reminiscent of 1980's rock and roll. Other highlights include Ignite; The Junkie And The Halo; Brixton and Two Wrongs Don't Make A Right, But Three Rights Make a Left.

Zebrahead rocks out on Phoenix. Phoenix is reminder of how much fun rock and roll can be. There's no pretension or false humility here, just good old fashioned blow out the speakers playing. Zebrahead has been doing this for quite some time without losing the energy and life they brought to their first record. That's rare in a band, and shows that Zebrahead love what they do just as much now as then they first started out. Phoenix is a must-hear.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Zebrahead at http://www.zebrahead.tv/, where you can purchase a copy of Phoenix. You can also find Phoenix at most major music retailers.

CD Review: Starsky - Everyone Has A Story...

Starsky - Everyone Has A Story...
2008, Starsky Music

Starsky is an Ayr, Scotland acoustic rock outfit cut from the same mold as The Pat McGee Band. Touches of Americana rise up here and there. Vocally he has some Fleetwood moments, particularly in the harmonies. Everyone Has A Story is a non-threatening pleasant listen with thoughtful lyrics and pleasant acoustic-guitar based arrangements. This is one of those albums that I enjoyed but at the end there aren't real particular high points or low points I can point to.

I did rather enjoy the songs Storm, Including Me and In The Morning. Going Nowhere injects some nice bluegrass fiddle into the mix, and Home might have the best staying power of songs on the album. The material on Everyone Has A Story is really decent, it just doesn't stand out the way it might. I can see where the material here has significant live potential, and it may just be a matter of the live energy not coming out in the studio.

Starsky is a talented lad. Starksy has an extremely pleasant voice to listen to. Everyone Has A Story... has good material that could/should be great and just doesn't quite get there. Nevertheless it's still good, and a pleasant listen.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Starsky at www.myspace.com/starskymusic. You can purchase a copy of Everyone Has A Story… at www.cdbaby.com/cd/starsky.

CD Review: Jeff Griffith - If It Ain't One Thing It's Another

Jeff Griffith - If It Ain't One Thing It's Another

2008, Arrowhead Records

Country radio went down the path to polished pop music perhaps fifteen years ago now. Banished were the banal whiny songs that dominated country music since the late 1970's. Long forgotten was the classic country sound of artists such as Vern Gosdin, George Jones, Waylon and Hank Jr. That classic sound resurfaces every so often, however, when an artist with the mettle to carry the mantle of classic country comes along. Jeff Griffith is just such an artist. His debut CD, If It Ain't One Thing It's Another is a paean to the great country sound of the past.

Produced by Nashville legend Joe Stampley, If It Ain't One Thing It's Another captures the warmth of Griffith's voice on material that is perfectly placed. Griffith is an engaging singer/performer who could an audience rapt with just the sound of his voice. The album opens with It Ain't The Clothes That Make The Man. This song is a perfect snapshot of the sound and style that Griffith puts forth on If It Ain't One Thing It's Another. This song would sound perfectly at home in a honky tonk or even on the Grand Ol' Opry stage. Other highlights include the tear jerker She Reminds Me of You, Holed Up In Some Honky Tonk, Fishin' Fever and the title track.

Jeff Griffith brings back a country sound that puts many modern country artists to shame. If It Ain't One Thing It's Another is a fun listen with great vocals and outstanding musicianship. If you like country music this isn't just a must have. If you've never really given country music a try this is the place to start. Jeff Griffith has that certain indescribable something that raises If It Ain't One Thing It's Another from a great album to the sort of album that gets declared a Wildy's World Certified Desert Island Disc.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Jeff Griffith at http://www.jeffgriffith.net/. You can purchase copies of If It Ain’t One Thing It’s Another at Best Buy or at Hastings Music.

CD Review: Gary Paul Bryant - WildLife

Gary Paul Bryant - WildLife

2008, Take Home Music

Gary Paul Bryant has developed a reputation as a top new age/jazz pianist. His music blushes with the grandeur of classical composition and rushes with the life-blood of jazz and New Orleans style blues. On WildLife, Bryant's 10th album, we are treated to thirteen tunes that would make the likes of Grusin, Isham and Lanz stand up and salute with respect.

WildLife opens with the title track, a taut and uptight new age bit of expressionism that explodes into jazz glory halfway through. Elephant In The Room explores Eastern sounds and rhythms in a composition that is sonically interesting even if quite limited. The fabulous No Possum In My Pond sounds like Herbie Hancock on a mind-altering substance, and Cue The Moose is a pleasure. Other highlights include the expressive Licking A Low Tide, the dark Storm On Sucia and The Grand Stampede.

WildLife is a dynamic collection of new age/jazz that is rewarding for the listener. This is not your typical dinner music, but is as intellectually stimulating as it is pleasant to listen to. Gary Paul Bryant has created a memorable album that should not only hold a prized place in your collection, but may well spawn several licensed movie compositions as well.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Gary Paul Bryant at http://www.garypaulbryant.com/. You can purchase a copy of WildLife at www.cdbaby.com/cd/gpbryant9. You can also find the CD at Walmart Stores or as a download on iTunes.

CD Review: Derek James - Stray

Derek James - Stray
2005, Derek James Music

Derek James started out in Australia, and made it to Manhattan by way of France, all as part of his dream of being a performer. He is an eclectic songwriter who crosses musical boundaries as easily as crossing the street. He is often compared to the likes of Jack Johnson, Coldplay and Tom Petty. James’ 2005 debut CD, Stray, is a wonderful debut and introduction.

Stray is a bright, breezy breath of fresh air that deserves greater attention that it has received in the 3+ years since its release. My favorite song here is What's That Sound, a Beatles-esque silly little love song. Summer is a gorgeous bit of musical poetry that is as lyrically expressive as it is lovely. Pretty Lady is mix tape material and would be a great pick for a movie soundtrack. Stray closes out with There Is The Sun, an upbeat, breezy folk-rock tune that will get stuck in your head and stay there.

Stray is the sort of album that makes you want more from an artist. Derek James has this easy voice that is a pleasure to listen to. He is a strong songwriter and performer, and I strongly recommend Stray for my readers' listening pleasure.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Derek James at http://www.derekjamesmusic.com/, where you can purchase a copy of Stray.

CD Review: Woodfish - Breathe

Woodfish - Breathe
2008, Meanfish Records

Woodfish is one of the more unique bands I've heard this year. Mixing jazz and funk with straightforward rock and the occasion Zeppelin-esque turn, Woodfish has an incredibly dynamic sound that makes you look forward to Saturday night. Woodfish's Breathe EP is sharp and funky and full of great songwriting and tight, tight, tight musicianship.

Bamm Diddley opens the set with a cacophony of sax, strings and percussion only to resolve into a funky/jazz mix that is incredibly addictive. Love Another takes a slightly darker turn into P-Funk Category with a guitar opening that would make Jimmy Page weep with envy. In My Eyes is a soft ballad in the vein of Edwin McCain. Losing My Mind opens with some of the hottest bass playing you'll find south of Jim Creeggan, and Breathe is a rump-shaking party machine packed into 3 minutes and 15 seconds. There's a slight resemblance in substance and style here to another one of my favorite bands, Cowboy Mouth. The attitude and musicianship are there, and the frantic musical style is ever-present.

Woodfish might be the hottest party band you could ever hope to find. These guys could light up a dance floor like no one you've heard or seen. Forget the DJ. Woodfish has got the mojo for Friday and Saturday night. Chalk Breathe up as a party favorite, or an anytime favorite. If it were longer I'd call it a Desert Island Disc. Either way, it's 5-Star material.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Woodfish at http://www.woodfishmusic.com/. You can download a copy of Breathe through iTunes.

CD Review: The South - You Are Here

The South - You Are Here
2008, Bluehammock Music

Classy Brit-Pop isn't dead after all. South's 4th album, You Are Here is a breath of fresh air amongst all of the post-punk pulp that masquerades as modern rock. The South manages to make music that is firmly routed in the styles of disparate influences while embracing a modern edge. Shades of The Moody Blues, The Kinks, Badly Drawn Boy, and The Beatles waltz through You Are Here and hang out for moral support along the way.

You Are Here is a study in mellow rock with an edge. This is a very difficult dynamic to pull off -- most bands fail horribly. The South seem to be the exception however, having crafted perhaps one of the finest pop/rock albums of 2008. Highlights include the symphonic mélange of Wasted, lead single Better Things, the headphone phonics of Tell Me and the highly danceable She's Half Crazy.

The South returns Brit Rock to the lofty place it held in the 1980's, with economical and memorable melodies, profound harmony and a mellow yet energetic vibe. You Are Here is one of the better albums I've heard in 2008, and should make end-of-year lists on both sides of the Atlantic. Put this on your to-do lists, folks.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about The South at www.myspace.com/southofficial. You can purchase You Are Here at Amazon.com.

CD Review: Pat Zyduck - Never Wanna Meet Another You

Pat Zyduck - I Never Wanna Meet Another You
2008, Pat Zyduck

Pat Zyduck hails from Fond Du Lac, Wisconsin, and is the son of a professional guitar player. Listing Chet Atkins as one of his greatest influences, Zyduck has a sense for well-crafted and intricate guitar playing, particular in the finger-pick style. 2008 sees the release of Pat Zyduck’s debut CD, I Never Wanna Meet Another You. Make sure you’re sitting down.

I Never Wanna Meet Another You is a fine folk album full of some well-written songs, great musicianship and some out-of-sight finger-pick guitar playing. Zyduck has this great gravelly voice without significant range, but he manages all he needs vocally with what he has. Despite any limitations its a very comfortable voice to listen to. The CD opens with Yesterday, a memoriam that is starkly beautiful and unsettling. I Never Wanna Meet Another You is full of regret at the time spent in a broken relationship. Rain is a beautiful musical metaphor that is impressionistic in its color and timbre. Other highlights include Why, Jammin' in "D" and Make It Out Alive.

I Never Wanna Meet Another You is the sort of folk album that inspires unusual fervor in that particular musical community. Zyduck combines a fine lyrical sense with outstanding guitar workmanship and a "comfort food" voice. I Never Wanna Meet Another You is recommended listening for all of my readers, but particular for fledgling songwriters. Pat Zyduck writes with grit and a sense of reality that folks like Bob Dylan and Ron Hawkins are known for. Don't pass this by.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Pat Zyduck at www.myspace.com/patzyduck. You can order a copy of I Never Wanna Meet Another You through Pat Zyduck’s MySpace page. Instructions are here.

CD Review: Paul Stephens - Windshield Memoirs

Paul Stephens - Windshield Memoirs

2008, Woodshed Recordings

Paul Stephens plays a feel-good brand of country that is refreshing and familiar. It reminds me of recordings released several years ago by Paul Gross (Due South) and David Keeley (Broadway's Mama Mia). Stephens even sounds a bit like Gross vocally. 2008 sees the release of Stephens' Windshield Memoirs on Woodshed Recordings. Get your kickers on and get ready to whoop it up!

Windshield Memoirs opens with the rockin' Small Packages, a testament to the idea that opposites attract. This is a radio-ready hit waiting to happen. Nashville Rain sticks to the country formula, but as played by Bruce Hornsby. Cowgirls and Cowboys has some of that southern rock feel to it. It's a little more rock and roll than country, but quite enjoyable. I highly recommend Catching Feelings, which is another strongly commercial song on Windshield Memoirs. Other highlights include Nothing I Can Talk About, Herrin, They Have It All and the tearjerker Annie's Ashes.

Paul Stephens has a pleasant voice with a medium timbre that is easy to listen to. He's a plus songwriter who has a keen ear for melody. In Windshield Memoirs he has released a solid debut with a couple of strong commercial possibilities. I strongly recommend Windshield Memoirs in part because of what it is, but also in part because of where I think it might lead. Stephens has the makings of a great songwriter about him, and a delivery and style that will endear him to audiences in person or otherwise. Windshield Memoirs might just be the start of something wonderful.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Paul Stephens at http://www.paulstephens.com/. You can purchase a copy of Windshield Memoirs at www.cdbaby.com/cd/stephens4.

CD Review: Michael Stollaire - Holy Avenger

Michael Stollaire - Holy Avenger
2008, Platinum West Records

Michael Stollaire has a late 1970's/early 1980's flair about him. He writes songs with a great classic guitar rock sound and awesome guitar solos. His 2008 release, Holy Avenger is very representative of this. Its 16 chunky songs of great classic guitar rock sound.

Stollaire is not my favorite vocalist, but his voice is sufficient for what he needs on Holy Avenger. The songs themselves are musically well written, and will attract guitar aficionados like honey attracts bees. Lyrically Stollaire is a little more challenged, as occasionally the lyrics will sound more awkward than at-ease. In general everything flows pretty well. Highlights here are Little Princess, One Love and Here Comes The Light.

If you are a guitar player or guitar fan who likes classic/arena rock sounds, or even some of the 1980's hair bands then you'll probably like Holy Avenger. It's enjoyable music that fits perfectly into a road trip or backyard barbeque. It's not my favorite CD, but it's not trade-in material either. Michael Stollaire is trying very hard to chase a dream with Holy Avenger, and his work is a reminder that the journey is more valued than the destination.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Michael Stollaire at www.myspace.com/theankhproject. You can purchase a copy of Holy Avenger at www.cdbaby.com/cd/mstollaire2.

CD Review: Kick In The Eye - Sea Of Bitterness

Kick In The Eye - Sea Of Bitterness
2008, Aftersound

Vancouver, BC seems to have a very dynamic live music scene that is capable of producing all styles of musical expression. Kick In The Eye is a glorious marriage of punk rock music with hippy counter-culture themes. Throw in the occasional modern rock confection and you have Sea Of Bitterness, Kick In The Eye's 2008 release.

Sonically Kick In The Eye is closer to punk than anything else. Melodies and vocals prize authenticity over accuracy and the songwriting is just a bit bumpy at times, but that's where the punk comparison ends. Punk Rock is based in profound rejection of authority and assimilation, whereas Kick In The Eye seems to embrace the modern dogma of Politically Correct rebellion. This contradiction is found a in a lot of pop culture at the moment and undermines the punk spirit and rebellion that is rock and roll.

That being said, Kick In The Eye makes enjoyable music, but are perhaps not as nearly counter-culture as they might think. Highlights include Red Army Overdrive, Back Off, Anytime and Bounty Killer Blues. Marian Lochrie's vocals sound like those of a young child, adding an ironic bite to the songs here that is not intended but is nevertheless notable.

Kick In The Eye presents themselves as being thoroughly anti-establishment, and yet site influences or beliefs that are as stringently marketable fascist movements as the movements they aspire to contain or sabotage. While much of the message Kick In The Eye looks to convey has merit, the arguments themselves are often built on the same marketing tactics and half-truths that they deplore. This takes power from the music and leaves us with a pleasant album that is vaguely impotent in message.

Rating: 2.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Kick In The Eye at http://www.kickintheeyemusic.com/. You can purchase a copy of Sea Of Bitterness at www.cdbaby.com/cd/kickintheeye4.

CD Review: Erick Macek - Just Right

Erick Macek - Just Right

2008, Erick Macek

Erick Macek is a great pop songwriter. It's clear from the opening notes of Just Right, his second CD due out in September 2008. Depending on the song Macek can sound like a 1970's Singer/Songwriter or a current day troubadour. Apparently one of the adherents top a modern less-is-more school of songwriting, Macek uses bare arrangements to display fine lyrical ability and strong melodies.

Hard To Call My Home is a great, upbeat tune. Aries Man is a songwriter's song. Macek is apt at developing a compelling narrative in under four minutes. Home Is A Sweet Song and Be My Answer are major mix tape material. Also be sure to check out Just Right, Papa, Be Mine and Live, Love and Learn. Just Right certainly is. Erick Macek has crafted a powerful and beautiful album that should be a harbinger of great things to come.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Erick Macek at www.myspace.com/macek. You can download Just Right for the ridiculously cheap price of $2.28 at http://amiestreet.com/artist/erick-macek/.

CD Review: Daniel Christian - I Am Merely Sand

Daniel Christian - I Am Merely Sand
2006, Popidirigible Recordings

Cornhusker Daniel Christian has a smooth, clear pop voice that is an absolute pleasure to listen to. His songwriting explores themes of faith, humanity, philosophy and loss. I Am Merely Sand is a collection of ten thought provoking songs that are as marketable as they are substantial.

I Am Merely Sand opens with New Rising Sun, an guitar-based story song that shows off Christian's voice and apt songwriting. ...Unto Herself has a quirky new-wave feel to it that is quite enjoyable. Estella is a lovely piano ballad with a very old fashioned manner to it. There is a Beatles feel to this song that is undeniable, and it may be the class of the album. Daniel Christian certainly finds ways to surprise you along the way.

Take Oceans, for example; a light and lilting pop tune that sounds like it could be a theme song for the upcoming season of the television series Lost. Other highlights include Flashlight Tag, Sometimes It's Time, Lazarus Man and Picture Me. Also be sure to check out Water From The River, a step into a more modern sound for Daniel Christian.

I Am Merely Sand has strong religious overtones and a philosophical bent that are undeniable. There is significant substance in the songwriting here that is reminiscent of some of the best songwriters in pop/rock music. Daniel Christian is a musical voice in the wilderness, leading an inquiry which is its own reward.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Daniel Christian at www.myspace.com/danielchristian. You can purchase a copy of I Am Merely Sand at www.cdbaby.com/cd/danielchristian.

CD Review: Inca Maya - Inca Maya

Inca Maya - Inca Maya
2008, Inca Maya Music

Inca Maya can't seem to figure out if they are The Ramones, The Bee-Gees, Parliament, Extreme or Robert Cray. The Jacksonville, Florida band is relatively new, just starting to play live in the last year. Nevertheless singer/songwriter Matt Grondin and drummer/lyricist Michael "The Sultan" Cansler have been writing songs together for five years. Bringing Shane Platten (bass), Andrew Block (guitar) and Chris Spies (keyboards) into the fold, Inca Maya had a significant amount of material to work with. Inca Maya's self-titled debut is a bit of musical ADD, running all over the musical map at a moment's notice.

Inca Maya is a provocative and creative success, yet stylistically is something of a nightmare. Inca Maya try to appeal to everyone on their self-titled debut, and unfortunately may end up appealing to few because of this. It is admirable for a band or artist to be able to play anything well (and Inca Maya does), but it makes it difficult to build a band identity or a consistent sound that fans will identify with. It's unfortunate that this is true, because the album is quite the masterpiece. Opening with the tantric rocker Where You Are, Inca Maya starts us down a road of musical discovery so vast it loses cohesion. Moving through reggae/rock (Insomnia), 1970's jazz/soul rock (Destinado), Crunchy punk (Let It Roll) and sonic layered mellow rock (Temple Of Stone), Inca Maya makes more stylistic changes in the first five songs that most bands make in five albums. Highlights include Where You Are, Ghosts, Salvation and The Simple Things.

Artistically and musically Inca Maya is a great album. Musicians will love it. Many people will have a hard time listening to it as an album because of the grossly disparate styles. I would think that significant critical acclaim is due Inca Maya, followed by less than stellar sales. It's just too good and too varied to be too commercial. I am not sure if this was the intent of Inca Maya, or if it was an attempt to please everyone. If it was the latter then I am afraid it may have failed. If the intent was to create an artistic and musical masterpiece, then well done. You nailed it.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Inca Maya at www.myspace.com/incamaya. You can purchase a copy of Inca Maya at www.cdbaby.com/cd/incamaya2.