Review: Triptaka - Second War

Triptaka - Second War
2007, Triptaka

Triptaka is from Seattle but has it's roots in Ontario, Canada. Graeme Cornies, Dave Kelly and James Chapple have spent significant time writing music for corporate America, but find their greatest challenge and satisfaction creating their own brand of industrial alternative rock music as Triptaka. Their debut album, Second War, is a theme album about humanity fighting to keep it's better instincts intact. The theme runs through both humanist and religious philosophies, with descriptions as stark as "spiritual war" or as benign as "selling out". Triptaka certainly doesn't sell out on Second War, a surprisingly supple (for Industrial music) album full of a positive message bigger than itself.

Triptaka sounds like an odd conjugation of the Dave Matthews Band and Nine Inch Nails. Lead vocalist Graeme Cornies sounds quite a bit like Dave Matthews on the opening track, Suspended, but there's a definite harder edge that runs throughout Second War. The title track is in the style of early Metallica, whereas Tamed takes a much more pop/dance flavor into the heavy drum and bass mix. Mother is a more organic, acoustic based sound that is pleasant to the ears but retains a lot of the repressed energy that runs throughout the album. The Source heads for more ambient musical currents, sounding more like the bizarre dream born of a meditation gone haywire. Falling Down returns to the heavy metal pretense with a song that rocks harder than most of the hard edge bands on the market these days. Second War closes with Don't You Think It's Time You Let Go?; a melancholy ambient number that has licensing written all over it.

Triptaka takes risks on Second War. Some work and some don't. What comes across more than anything is the courage to create in any direction that takes Triptaka's fantasy, regardless of the market at hand. This is why I think in the long run Triptaka will succeed in the music business. The courage and ability to create for and from one's own muse in the face of commercial pressures marks the sort of character and lasting confidence that tends to carry a mediocre band to success, and a good band like Triptaka to maybe be a great one. Only time will tell, but Second War is a good start.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Triptaka at http://www.triptaka.com/ or www.myspace.com/triptaka. You can purchase a copy of Second War at www.cdbaby.com/cd/triptaka.

Review: The Reel Banditos - Indochina

The Reel Banditos - Indochina
2008, The Reel Banditos

Hamburg's The Reel Banditos have meshed together trip-hop, funk with theatrical themes and an organic sound as social commentary on a war that's been over for three-and-a-half decades. The War in Vietnam still inspires raw wounds two generations later, and Ernesto Diablo and Butch Loco do their best to capture the facts and feelings of that conflict on Indochina. The album is in your face and provocative without being preachy, letting your imagination fill in the visuals while it carries the listener along a story line most of us are familiar with.

Instrumental rock albums are among the hardest to review, and some of the most highly subjective out there. Music with vocals allows the composer/performer to shape your perceptions and ideas through lyrical content. Songwriting is a highly filtered process when lyrics are involved, as the lyrics set what are essentially parameters for the music (or vice versa). Instrumental composers are extremely courageous, hardy folks who allow you into their mind unfiltered. You get the totality of their creation as they perceived it, without words or inflicted images to define or obscure original intent.

The Reel Banditos' Indochina marks that part of history in no uncertain terms; painting musical collages that speak to the heart of the listener rather than the mind. The creation and shaping belong to The Reel Banditos, the images inspired by the music belong to the listener alone. The ultimate measure of success is whether the listener is inspired by the music to begin to see the story as it unfolded, or is suggested by the subtle manipulation of sounds and silence to construct each movement or song.

If the purpose here was to build understanding/appreciation for the Vietnam era, then The Reel Banditos have overreached. If, as with many art forms, the purpose is to spark "something" in the listener, then I would say Indochina is a moderate success. The music is very modern. The occasional sound effects suggesting a phone or a helicopter are simply sonic garnish. The music is unique and original and worth listening to. My personal favorite track is Huey, which has a funky guitar working in tandem with electronic instrumentation. Also be sure to check out Poisoned Sky.

The Reel Banditos show an ability to mix rock and electronic music in a way that's more vibrant than many attempts I've heard. Ultimately I don't think it matters whether the themes or ideas you take from Indochina are the ones The Reel Banditos intended. The fact that you, the listener, take something from the experience is a palpable plus, and reflective of the talent, time and quality here. Indochina is a unique and interesting listen with real life to it. It’s a fine offering.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about The Reel Banditos at www.myspace.com/reelbanditos. You can purchase a copy of Indochina at www.cdbaby.com/reelbanditos.

Review: Peter And The Wolves - Love/Hate Thing

Peter And The Wolves - Love/Hate Thing
2008, Peter Foret

Peter And The Wolves have been rocking Ottawa and the outer environs since 1985. Band leader Peter Foret writes and plays music in a vast array of styles across several different bands. Peter And The Wolves’ latest release, Love/Hate Thing came out in 2008. It’s worth a listen.

Love/Hate Thing opens sounding like a 1970's jazz/pop/soul record. You could easily hear someone like Al Jarreau singing the opening track, Gravity. Love/Hate Thing (The title track) has a funky core with dancing synth and a great horn section. Peter Foret has a pleasant voice: not earth shattering but an easy listen. His mellow vocal style fits perfectly to the arrangements here. I Found A Love sounds like something out of the James Taylor catalog from the 1970's. Trail Of Tears is one of my personal favorites, an upbeat pop/funk piece that would have been right at home in about 1978.

The Chill steps forward into 1980's gritty funk, with some nasty guitar work on the edges. The best performance on Love/Hate Thing is the reggae driven Kiss Me You Fool. Foret's vocals get a little odd here. More specifically he seems to lose his ability to enunciate at points during the song. This is a minor point but it does draw attention away from the performance which is excellent. I Do will end up on mix tapes for those who are lucky enough to hear this CD. Color Me Gone is an upbeat outro, followed up by Carry Me Back, which plods into the finish line as perhaps the only true weak link on the CD.

Peter And The Wolves play a sugary blend of jazz and pop that is sure to be a crowd pleaser. It's not terribly challenging music but is fun to listen to. Foret shows flashes of brilliance as a songwriter, but spends most of Love/Hate Thing just being very good, which is more than good enough. This CD is definitely worth spending some time on.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Peter And The Wolves at http://www.peterforet.com/. You can pick up a copy of Love/Hate Thing at www.cdbaby.com/cd/peterwolves.

Review: Dare Dukes - Prettiest Transmitter Of All

Dare Dukes - Prettiest Transmitter Of All
2008, Starland Records

The best performers have at least some musical talent, a voice that is pleasant or interesting to listen to, great material and the ability to inhabit a song, soliloquy or role that transcends the stage or theater and calls us back to life through the performer/character's eyes. Many performers can do one or two of these things, but the transcendence of time and place is a magical talent that can not be taught or learned. Some people have it and the rest spend their lives struggling to figure it out. Meet Dare Dukes, a singer/songwriter based in Savannah, GA who plays and sings with the best of them, writes incredible songs, and brings characters, time and place to life so thoroughly through his songs you might forget even for a few minutes that it's a performance. The only other musician I've ever heard who could capture the brutal beauty of humanity in song in such precise tones is Randy Newman. Dukes' album, Prettiest Transmitter Of All is a series of aural portraits and soliloquys that capture restless souls, lost and misguided moments and the innate beauty and renewal of day to day life. It's stunning.

Prettiest Transmitter Of All opens with the Ballad Of Darius McCollum, a biography of the legendary New York City resident. McCollum, who suffers from Asperger's Syndrome, has been arrested numerous times over the years for attempting to steal trains or gain access off-limits portions of the New York City Subway system by posing as an employee or contract. The song depicts a man who loves trains, pure and simple. McCollum had memorized the system by the age of five and has posed as a NYCTA employee on numerous occasions (Interestingly enough the public's experience with McCollum posing as an employee has resulted in a much higher level of rider satisfaction than in dealing with actual NYCTA employees). Dukes has created a daring and apt musical picture that is part ode and part biograph.

Kick + Holler is a gorgeous composition built around acoustic guitar and strings. Lyrically Kick + Holler is a highly intelligent look at the human capacity to react badly to adverse situations. The melody is memorable and the song becomes something greater than the sum of its parts. Sam's Cathedral escaped me somewhat in that I apparently don't enough of the back story to get the context, but the composition here is ingenious. Dukes strips it down to just him and acoustic guitar until about halfway through. The rhythms he creates with just the guitar carry the song.

Lucas Goes To The Demolition Derby is a melancholy composition that is beautifully orchestrated. The title is a bitterly ironic as a metaphor for the inexperience and ineptness of young drivers. Dukes speaks on different levels to different listeners, depending on how deeply you listen. The ability to do just that through any medium is a profound gift, and Dukes uses it to full effect here. Bakersfield has a vaguely Michael Stipe feel to it, although it's not really Dukes' style to sound like anyone other than himself. Bakersfield highlights the human willingness at times to put ourselves into bad situations to recover something we've lost. From A Plane is a pretty little pop confection dressed up in acoustic and electric guitars, flutes and Dukes' enigmatic voice. The album closes with The Equipment Is Fine, a twisted look at people coping day-to-day with the darker aspects of humanity.

Dare Dukes is an abstract painter of human experience using the media of guitar and voice. He's found a voice in which he can frame various aspects of the human condition for others to view/hear. Dukes' viewpoint is perhaps not unique, but unusual enough to captivate the imagination. His ability to couch big ideas in small phrases and metaphors makes for a highly entertaining and thoughtful listen. His musical compositions are complex and unique and entirely fitting to the subject matter at hand. Prettiest Transmitter Of All is the output of a true American Primitive artist. His genius isn't so much in technique or in history but in the ability to tell you stories you already know from a perspective you've never considered. The fact that he does it so well is a bonus. Prettiest Transmitter Of All is a Certified Wildy's World Desert Island Disc. This is a unique and unusual gem folks. Don't pass it by.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Dare Dukes at http://www.daredukes.com/ or www.myspace.com/daredukes. You can pick up a copy of Prettiest Transmitter Of All at www.cdbaby.com/cd/daredukes, or you can download it from iTunes.

Review: Goddess Alchemy Project - Frequencies Of The Motherland

Goddess Alchemy Project - Frequencies Of The Motherland
2008, Goddess Alchemy Project

Goddess Alchemy Project is a West Coast artist collective that dabbles in music, dance, poetry, clothing design, multimedia and visual art. Their mix of stirring, haunting melody, artful lyrical content and genre-bending tendencies brings about an unusual and memorable listening experience. Their latest release, Frequencies Of The Motherland was financed by sales from their clothing line, al.KEM.y designs, and lives fully in the spirit of self-made, self-actualized magic.

Frequencies Of The Motherland opens with Genisis, a Delirium-esque meditation on the Metaphysics of the Goddess Alchemy Project. The presentation is not so much being versus becoming as it is transcendence, mixing spoken word, singing and effects over an ambient track with rhythms that simulate a single heartbeat growing into a sparse electronic loop. It's pagan rave at its finest. Secrets starts out in the same place but moves into a mild hip-hop patois. The transition to hip-hop continues on Groundbreak Kin. Goddess Alchemy Project thoroughly abandons ambient for hard core rap styles for much of Frequencies Of The Motherland. In the end Goddess Alchemy Project ends up much more like an urban Wilson Phillips or an earthy En Vogue than anything else.

Make sure to check out L.O.V.E., one of the more musical compositions on Frequencies Of The Motherland. L.O.V.E. has a catchy melody and great minor key harmonies. Other highlights are Diasporie Footprints and Transcendent Realms. The rest of the album left me a little lost. Goddess Alchemy Project is something of an artists collective, but Frequencies Of The Motherland comes across as a highly commercial attempt at musical ideology rather than art. There is some novelty here, but it doesn't carry the album, and despite some bright spots, the album just doesn't live up to expectations.

Goddess Alchemy Project is an interesting ensemble with some real potential. The vocalists here are above average and harmonize very well together. The reliance on repetitive music tracks and limited melodic reach make this recording sound somewhat canned, or at the very least produced to reach for radio exposure. All this manipulation seems to hide (and quite possibly impede) what may otherwise be a very vibrant project. Goddess Alchemy Project seems to find more musical footing on the ambient side of their musical heritage than on the hip-hop side. Frequencies Of The Motherland will find ears among hip-hop fans, ambient/electro fans or some followers of pagan philosophies/religions. I don't see this disc having a wide reach however.

Rating: 2 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Goddess Alchemy Project or buy copies of Frequencies Of The Motherland at http://www.goddessalchemyproject.com/.

Review: Doug Cash - Alisa Chronicles

Doug Cash - Alisa Chronicles2008, Doug Cash

Sacramento’s Doug Cash is enigmatic in presentation. He displays what appears to be a talent or touch for great pop tunes (Snowed) and a unique sound that mixes pop, reggae, Latin and folk styles. Lyrically Cash is a bit of a challenge for the listener. The lyrical content on Alisa Chronicles is simplistic and repetitive, the sort of bubblegum one might expect on a dance record. Songs such as Boy Crazy become cloying, and Manuel is cute in a novelty record sense. To Be Average has some good harmony work to it and start out well, but collapses under the weight of its own self-aggrandizing tone. Occupational Hazard is a bright spot here, written in an almost old-time Gospel style.

Alisa 2 has some of the best guitar work on the album, including some complicated runs and harmonics. It may also be the best written song on the album. Highfall is a clever acoustic bundle that shows off Cash's voice to full effect. Cash's voice is worthy of note, an extremely pleasant tenor that stands out more and more as the instrumentation strips away. The album closes out with Loneliest With You. The song is a bit awkward at times but poignantly talks about a past relationship that was both the most exciting and least fulfilling.

Doug Cash has real potential as a songwriter. There are moments on Alisa Chronicles where he approaches his potential, only to get sidetracked by what be a tendency to play around with things a little too much. My impression is that Cash is a writer who is constantly tweaking his compositions to get the perfect sound, and while this can have merits it can also be overdone. Alisa Chronicles is bright and airy and will definitely find some fans in the coffeehouse set, but probably isn't quite ready from prime time.

Rating: 2.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Doug Cash at www.myspace.com/dougcash. You can purchase a copy of Alisa Chronicles at www.cdbaby.com/cd/dougcash12.

Review: Jack Conte - Sleep In Color

Jack Conte - Sleep In Color
2008, Shadow Tree

San Francisco’s Jack Conte is either on the edge of the next wave of popular music or an eclectic, one of a kind phenomenon. Conte is one of the pioneers of VideoSongs, a mash up of live performance and music video that has become something of a tour-de-force on sites such as YouTube. Conte has two VideoSongs on YouTube that have combined for 1.3 million views. One is a mashup of Radiohead and Chopin, the other a mashup of Aphex Twin and Bright Eyes. There's no lip-synching or pretending to play over tracks. The sound is live and verifiable, the format unique to ever developing capabilities of the World Wide Web, and Conte is at the forefront. Building on this wave of excitement, Conte will release a new EP in January of 2009 entitled Sleep In Color. Sleep In Color is built from a marriage of classic instruments with modern sounds. Electronic/organic creations utilized synthesizers in addition to a World War II era accordion, an upright piano from the gold rush days, a glockenspiel, a '72 Wurlitzer Organ, a '74 Hammond Organ, drums and analog guitar effects. You have to hear this to believe it.

Conte appears to be taking pop songwriting and working it to the point of sonic/cognitive dissonance. Hollywood Endings starts out as a down-tempo pop piece with a strangely drawing melody built in minor keys. Conte’s voice is enigmatic and strange and very interesting to listen to, but all of the production and effects built around what is essentially a solid pop/rock composition become messy and hard to listen through. Likewise Like A Match. The song is a competent one, but gets lost in all of the layers here. The biggest saving grace here is the U2-like chorus. The Greatest Hoax moves more towards a pure electronica composition but still overdoes itself with effects, beats and layers. Now That’s Sacred is perhaps the most stripped down of the songs on Sleep In Color. The same general tendency to overdo is here, but has been scaled back some to allow what is a really pleasant melody shine through. Sleep In Color closes out with Carousel Waltz, which ends up sounding like a carousel in a scary funhouse. The perspective is warped just enough to make something comfortable and safe into something you’re not sure of.

Jack Conte appears to be a talented composer/musician. My sense is that there is a tendency for Conte to want to do too much to the songs he envisions. This creates finished products that are overdone or become harder to hear for all of the embellishments. Sleep In Color has a couple of bright moments, and shows real promise as a writer. You can’t be faulted for trying too hard.

Rating: 2.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Jack Conte at www.myspace.com/jackconte. You can check out Jack Conte's videosongs at www.youtube.com/jackcontemusic. You can purchase a copy of Sleep In Color at www.cdbaby.com/contejack3.

Review: Andrea Hamilton - Deciding What To Keep

Andrea Hamilton - Deciding What To Keep
2008, Andrea Hamilton Music

Kansas City native Andrea Hamilton moved herself to Los Angeles at the ripe old age of 18 to study music and pursue a musical career. Bringing with her an emotionally honest and positive songwriting style, she has never looked back In the time since she has recorded two studio albums and one live release, done half a dozen tours in the Western US, a handful of international dates, and has recently had one of her songs selected to appear in a documentary. Hamilton’s sophomore release, Deciding What To Keep, is a shot in the arm to a listing music industry.

Andrea Hamilton is like a bright, shiny penny you find in the street. She appears out of nowhere and is such a pleasant surprise you pick her up and take her home with you. Without pretense or affectation she offers up honest, open pop songs that will charm, touch and otherwise entertain you. Deciding What To Keep opens with Tonight It's Ours, a sweet song about the important things that people share. Busy is an anthem for Live Simply movement (See I've got a date with the ocean waves / I need to run through the park and play / Make up a dance and start dreaming / wake up believing that what life is really for / So I don't have time to be busy anymore). The tune is driven by quirky little piano hook and Hamilton's straightforward vocal style.

I'll Be Alright is a lovely ballad about loss and the strength to carry on. Lemonade sounds like something you might hear in a French Cabaret, and continues the positive outlook that Hamilton shows throughout Deciding What To Keep. With all of this positive, well-written pop material it can be hard to pick a standout track, but Only Love jumps ahead of the rest. Only Love is lyrically deep, melodically sweet and builds in tension and emotion like a love affair. Hamilton has the ability to build these little moments of pop perfection, and Only Love is the piece de resistance here.

Drop Everything And Run is one of several vaguely country flavored tracks on the album and again shows Hamilton's ability to craft highly memorable melodies couched in well-wrung arrangements. Incisive lyrics and a gift with the occasional turn of phrase make this a gem. Other highlights include Let It Go, the 1980's top-40 sounding How Do I Get To You, Truth Get Your Boots On and the exquisitely beautiful Don't Let Go.

Andrea Hamilton isn't so much an Americana artist as one who hasn't fully committed to pop or country. Let's hope she stays as ambiguous in the future. Hamilton displays an ability to craft beautiful, highly positive songs that embrace life and living. It's refreshing to hear the open, clear voice of a newcomer in a pop world grown cynical by success. Hamilton doesn't overreach or try to do too much in her songs. She just manages to capture perfect moments almost perfectly. What more can you ask for? Deciding What To Keep is an absolute GEM; a Wildy's World Certified Desert Island Disc, and hopefully the first of many more recordings Andrea Hamilton graces us with in the years to come.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Andrea Hamilton at http://www.andreahamiltononline.com/ or www.myspace.com/andreahamiltonmusic. You can pick up a copy of Deciding What To Keep at www.cdbaby.com/cd/andreahamilton3.

Review: National Ghost - National Ghost

National Ghost - National Ghost
2008, National Ghost

National Ghost is the product of several former Detroit-area bands. Formed in 2006, the original idea was just to get a bunch of guys into a room and see what happened. Well something clicked. Building from the soul/funk base that Detroit is known for, National Ghost branches out into a modern rock sound that is fueled by a love of the 1970’s and a desire for the now. On December 6, 2008, National Ghost will release their eponymous debut CD. Get in line, this one is worth waiting for.

National Ghost has a very earthy sound that's part Americana and part melodic rock. Lead vocalist Graham Strachan has one of those voices that is eminently familiar yet you can never quite pin down who it is he sounds like. On occasion you almost think you hear Jim Morrison, but then it's gone. National Ghost has an eclectic writing style that is very mellow and memorable. King Of The Thrill has a very laid back feel and a killer melody. The chorus here thrums and sways like nobody's business. Break You is a quiet missive that’s part admonishment and part admiration. Leavin' stretches back through time to the decade of sequin suits and long, slow guitar solos that last a week. Leavin' has some of the best guitar work on National Ghost and is full of funk. Be sure to check out The Distance Between Us, a consummate songwriter's song. Other highlights include Eye To The I, Show, Ring and The Gist (by far the funkiest song on the album).

National Ghost is a very talented group that has a real ardor for the sort of funk, soul and rock and roll that characterized the 1970's. This love pours itself forth into National Ghosts' songwriting. National Ghost is a very enjoyable listen and runs across several musical boundaries. There's something here for most everyone!

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about National Ghost at http://www.nationalghost.com/. You can pick up a copy of National Ghost at www.cdbaby.com/cd/nationalghost.

Review: Merle Haggard - Legendary Performances (DVD)

Merle Haggard – Legendary Performances
2008, Shout! Factory

Merle Haggard is a legend. Not your garden variety legend. Regardless of how brutally honest he’s been about his own life over the years, there’s a mythology that follows him like mist after breath on a cold morning. Haggard was in and out of detention centers/prison in his teens and early 20’s. He was at several of Johnny Cash’s San Quentin concerts as a mandatory guest due to a robbery gone bad. Cash’s inspiration plus exposure to inmates who would later be executed convinced Haggard to straighten his life out, and within a couple of years of his release Haggard was ascending the country music charts in the United States. Haggard remains revered even today for an outlaw streak that helped to revolutionize country music. The Bakersfield (California) sound, which Haggard helped introduce (along with artists such as Buck Owens) was alt-country’s answer to the over-produced honky-tonk then in vogue in Nashville.

Haggard was on to something. Between 1966 and 1987 Haggard racked 38 #1 hits, 4 Grammy Awards, 15 Academy Of Country Music Awards, and 6 Country Music Awards. Haggard was elected to the Nashville Songwriters Hall Of Fame in 1977 and to the Country Music Hall Of Fame in 1994. There will always be artists who try emulate Haggard’s style or his sound or his outlaw stature, but there will never be another Merle Haggard. Shout! Factory offers up a collection of 15 of Haggard’s most riveting performances from the heart of his career (1968 – 1983) entitled Legendary Performances.

Legendary Performances includes offerings from Country Music Holiday; Billy Walker’s Country Carnival; the Porter Wagoner Show; Pop! Goes The Country; the CMA Awards and an iconic performance of San Antonio Rose from Johnny Cash’s 1983 Christmas Special. Highlights include Mama Tried; The Fightin’ Side Of Me, Okie From Muskogee; Workin’ Man Blues and That’s The Way Love Goes. Truth to tell, there’s not a throwaway pick on the DVD. Haggard fans old and new will love this, and it’s refreshing to see an all-around performer in action. Many of the current denizens of Nashville stand to learn a lot from a guy like Haggard.

Rounding out what is already a musically gratifying experience are two superb extras. The first is an interview with Merle Haggard from 1981 that fans will love, and the second is his 1994 induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame. Shout! Factory did this one right. Hardcore fans will of course complain about their favorite song that was omitted from the collection (38 #1 hits plus an amazing deep catalog exist here), but for a basic best of collection that features some iconic performances, it doesn’t get much better short of doing a whole box set. Legendary Performances is aptly named!

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Merle Haggard at http://www.merlehaggard.com/. You can purchase Legendary Performances at Amazon.com or wherever music/music videos are sold.

Corey Crowder - Gold And The Sand

Corey Crowder - Gold And The Sand
2008, Tooth & Nail Records

Corey Crowder gets to the heart of the matter pretty quickly. Not one for guilded metaphors or shadowed imagery, Crowder breaks down the truth and beauty of small details in no uncertain terms, supported by melodies that make the ideas soar into you like light into the ground at the end of a rainbow. His latest CD, Gold And The Sand, is a raw, emotional affair that may shock listeners with it's unconstrained voice, but listeners will ultimately be glad they made the effort to listen.

Crowder sets the tone from the first notes of Southern Way with his big soulful voice. The song is a blues/rock/country hybrid with serious commercial potential and perhaps even that crossover chic that could place it both in modern rock and country circles. Love is a big anthem that’s part Edwin McCain and part Garth Brooks. Crowder seems to be able to center in on themes and sounds that have been done many times before; yet makes them his own rather than falling into cliché. Higher Ground is a dark bluegrass tune that is a first cousin to the blues and will rivet you.

Be sure to check out Leaving You, the sort of melancholy love song that has made Nashville what it is today. Likewise Helpless Heart, which is a big country/pop tune pull of good old fashioned pedal steel and some very modern layering to create a big, big sound. The song is full of soul and passion and is a must-listen. Crowder moves back into the blues/rock realm with Innocence, which has an almost 1970’s soul air to it. Other highlights include Changes, the honky-tonk Devils, I’ve Become Something and Lonesome Road.

Corey Crowder has this great, dynamic mix of sounds and styles that he’s interwoven into his own signature sound. The mix of soul, blues, country and rock creates the sort of giant cross-over potential that should have music marketers salivating into their giblets. Aside from being labeled as a product by the industry, Crowder can write and sing. Expect to hear a lot more of Crowder over the next decade or three. If there’s justice in the music business then this guy is really on his way to somewhere. Gold And The Sand is the sort of album that could launch him into the music world’s stratosphere.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Corey Crowder at http://www.coreycrowder.net/. You can pick up a copy of Gold And The Sand at Amazon.com or wherever music is sold!

Review: Rod Stewart - The Definitive Collection

Rod Stewart - The Definitive Collection
2008, Warner Brothers

Rod Stewart. There aren't many names bigger in rock and roll. From his early days with The Jeff Beck Group and The Faces to his long-standing solo career, most everything Stewart has touched has turned to Gold (sometimes Platinum). Rod Stewart is a two-time Hall of Famer, inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 1994 and the UK Music Hall Of Fame in 2006. With sixty-two (62) hit singles, including twenty-four (24) in the top ten and six (6) number ones, Stewart has spent a good part of his life on the pop charts. Stewart was also recognized by the World Music Awards in 2001 with its Diamond Award, indicating over 100 million records sold. It's not surprise that any greatest hits package would need multiple discs to properly represent Stewart's career. The Definitive Collection boasts two (2) CDs and thirty-one (31) of Stewarts biggest hits. It's a bargain but will leave hard core fans wanting.

Don't get me wrong. All of the hits are here. The Definitive Collection chronicles Stewart's career from the perspective of a life-long radio listener might know it. This is for fans, casual fans and newcomers who might like to get to know Rod Stewart a little. If you have all of Stewart's albums you won't find anything new here, but the sonic treatment provided to (especially) the older tracks might make it worthwhile anyway.

The set opens with Maggie May, perhaps the most iconic of Stewart's hits. Also included are such classics as You Wear It Well, Sailing, You're In My Heart, Young Turks, Tonight's The Night, Some Guys Have All The Luck, Forever Young, Downtown Train and Do Ya Think I'm Sexy. Throw in unplugged/live versions of Have I Told You Lately (That I Love You) and Reason To Believe and the previously unreleased Two Shades Of Blue and you have an incredible collection that will please fans old and new.

Rod Stewart's The Definitive Collection isn't really definitive. There is so much more great material in his catalog that could have been included in such a title. Nevertheless, this is probably one of the best balances of content and value you'll find anywhere this year. Stewart's legion of fans still goes crazy when he takes the stage. Years of performing have added an extra rasp to his voice and he's not as wild on stage as he once was, but he still has charisma to sell a song that is almost unrivaled in popular music. This is a great way to get to know Stewart's material, or a great reminiscence for a longtime fan!

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Rod Stewart at http://www.rodstewart.com/. You can purchase a copy of The Definitive Collection at Amazon.com or wherever music is sold.

Review: MC Envy - Do Not Approach These People

MC Envy - Do Not Approach These People
2009, NVP Records

London's MC Envy is breaking down barriers in hip-hop and R&B. The classically trained pianist includes live piano in his recordings and live shows as a foil to reliance on R&B beats and hip-hop/rap themes. MC Envy is a 22-year old up-and-comer riding the wave of popularity of home-grown hip-hop in the UK. MC Envy has been featured on the main stage at London Pride in Trafalgar Square as well as other Pride events in England. He's also begun producing for rapper Bigg Nugg and vocalist Kelly Mantle (Hollywood, CA). MC Envy's debut album, Do Not Approach These People was released in August of 2008 on his own NVP Records label.

The marriage of classical piano and hip hop was bound to make an appearance sooner or later, as sooner or later every genre-to-genre mix will be attempted, lauded, argued over, disparaged and eventually deposited in the $1.99 bin after a longer or shorter period of haut-couture preference. MC Envy uses his classical piano skills to illuminate his own brand of hip-hop/rap/soul music on Do Not Approach These People. The album opens with Please Don't Cry, built around a handful of piano arpeggios stitched together in something like a hook. MC Envy is capable with a rhyme and pleasant as a vocalist. I Am What I Am sounds almost baroque at its opening before devolving into a straightforward hip-hop tune.

I highly recommend Man In The Mirror, which is built around a somewhat more intricate piano part than heard thus far on Do Not Approach These People. The song itself is lyrically powerful and definitely worth some attention. Don't Wanna Mess continues with the genre-bending tendencies, opening with what sounds like an electric violin. One Life is the potential major dance hit here and would likely make major headway on the club scene. Also notable are Coming Out and Dance With Me.

MC Envy is riding the wave of popularity that hip-hop currently enjoys in the United Kingdom. His music is highly commercial in sound, intelligent in rhyme and bound to get (and keep) your feet moving. Do Not Approach These People is a serious attempt at fun. You'll dig it.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about MC Envy at www.myspace.com/mcenvylondon or http://www.mcenvy.co.uk/, where you can purchase a copy of Do Not Approach These People.

Kind Of Girl - Lonely In A Modern Way
2008, Cargo Records

Copenhagen’s Kind Of Girl is the latest female-fronted pop band to come out of Denmark. Led by effervescent lead vocalist Sissel (not THAT Sissel); Kind Of Girl comes off as The Cardigans meets Garbage. On their debut album, Lonely In A Modern Way, Kind Of Girl brings bubblegum to electro rock in a deliriously monochromatic fashion.

Lonely In A Modern Way is an avid conglomeration of eletro-pop tunes that have the potential to appeal across musical boundaries. Slave To Your Charms opens the set as a peppy piece of Brit-pop with some mildly grungy overtones. Meet You is a conflicted pop tune with dark undertones; a love song based in an almost manic longing that appears headed for a desperate end. Watch In Wonder has a very-1980's pop feel to it even while incorporating modern electronic sounds. Also notable are the darkly brooding The More and Poetry Boy.

Kind Of Girl sounds like the ultimate in pop branding for the aught-eight crowd. Tuneful with real melodies and strong construction, but reliant on electro-pop arrangements to convey lushly melodic pop tunes that don't quite fit in a specific pigeonhole. Vocalist Sissel is very listenable, with a pleasant sound, but doesn't quite grab hold of the listener the way you might hope on the CD. Kind Of Girl is an affable band with pleasant songs, but doesn't quite separate themselves from the pop pack with Lonely In A Modern Way. It's pleasant but not remarkable.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Kind Of Girl at www.myspace.com/kindofgirldk or http://www.kind-of-girl.com/, where you can purchase a copy of Lonely In A Modern Way.

Review: Genesis - 1970-1975

Genesis - 1970 - 1975
2008, Atlantic/Rhino Records

Genesis.

There are few bands in rock and roll that can create the sort of excitement Genesis can. Even 40 years after their founding, with multiple personnel changes and layoffs in between, Genesis tours and tickets evaporate into thin air. With over 150 million records sold worldwide, Genesis is one of the top thirty all time selling bands. Their material is as diverse and eccentric as you could imagine. Atlantic/Rhino has released a collection of five original studio albums under the title 1970-1975 containing 7 CDs and 6 DVDs, along with a bonus disc of unreleased material. It's a large scale re-packaging with includes remastering/remixing of the original stereo recordings on CD and then 5.1 Surround remixes on DVD. Also included is a disc of rarities not available elsewhere.

The albums involved are Trespass, Nursery Cryme, Foxtrot, Selling England By The Pound, and The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway. These albums mark the Peter Gabriel era of Genesis. Fans will argue about whether they prefer Gabriel or Phil Collins (with the occasional Ray Wilson sympathy vote), but no one denies that Gabriel was at the helm during Genesis' more experimental Progressive Rock years. Genesis was sometimes derided, particularly in Britain for musical elitism, purveying progressive art rock in the era when Punk Rock came alive. The stealing away of music from the working class was a common theme amongst critics, most of whom are long forgotten.

1970-1975 is your basic repackage. A few unreleased/live tracks are thrown in to make it worthwhile for hardcore fans, but that's your audience. The big price tag ($139.98) won't appeal to anyone else, particular in an economic environment like the one we are in now. While all of the albums here are great, start with something like The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway or Selling England By The Pound and then work your way backwards. If you're a die-hard and you have the extra cash this holiday season, then you'll be happy with 1970-1975. The set looks great and the sound is fantastic.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Genesis at http://www.genesis-music.com/. You can purchase 1970-1975 at Amazon.com or most major music retailers.

Review: Chris Huff - Death And Texas

Chris Huff - Death And Texas
2008, Help Us Find Food Records

Chris Huff speaks/plays a musical patois that is unique in popular culture. He's played/sung classical piano, jazz bass, folk and rock guitar, a cappella, opera, gospel, bluegrass... you name it; he's done it. And it's all here. Death And Texas is the ultimate "gumbo", where styles blend and fold into one another until the differentiated ingredients give up their respective identities to some new musical identify that has yet to acquire a name.

Listening to the opening track, Hey Now Now, I couldn’t get the vocal similarities between Chris Huff and Peter Gabriel out of my head. Huff could be mistaken for Gabriel on the virtue of his voice. Granted Gabriel has never been known to play Matthew Wilder style pop-reggae, but it could happen. Huff sets us straight on Oceans Never Freeze, taking us on tour of his eclectic musical mind. The song veers from big Max Webster style alt-punk to classic rock opus with some Beach Boys harmonies and New Music dissonance thrown in for good measure. Ghosts Of The Past and Lost In The Mausoleum continue the disintegration into post-modern sound. Each song starts with clear melody and slowly devolves to the point of sounds overlaying one another at random.

My personal favorite here is For The Trees, a dark and dirty blues/reggae hybrid. While For The Trees generally avoids the sonic cavalcade of sounds that become some of its countrymen, the Lo-Fi sound here is a perfect complement to the song itself. Neighborhood (Ain’t It Time) harkens back to the 1960’s as a strong period song. Then We’re Dead is fun little punker where Huff sounds vaguely like Ian Anderson on vocals. The album closes out with The Cause, which may be the most well-written song on the CD.

Chris Huff has some interesting divergences on his way to becoming a good songwriter. He has a strong sense of melody and song construction but is also enamored with musical deconstructionism a bit. Death And Texas is a fun listen; at times confounding, but ultimately worth the trip.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Chris Huff at http://www.huffmusic.com/, where you can purchase a copy of Death And Texas.

Review: Julie - An Act Of Communication

Julie - An Act Of Communication
2008, Baby Bird Records

Los Angeles based Indie-Rock band Julie makes music so fresh and authentic you'll do a double take. Julie is the long term culmination of a friendship between front man Ethan Blumenfeld-James and guitarist Dustin Bath that dates back to their high school days. Originally a drummer, Blumenfeld-James stepped out in front with the addition of Mark Milan, Jon Spence and Adam Alessi. The band has never looked back as they have discovered a chemistry that borders on musical alchemy. Their debut CD, An Act Of Communication, commits to the permanent record a sound that has wowed crowds in LA and promises to take Julie far beyond the confines of The City Of Angels.

An Act Of Communication opens with LA Kids, a vaguely Prog sounding anthem that is very catchy and very radio ready. Do Si Do is post-punk pop/prog mix that sounds like a Spacehog cover. You won't be able to sit still while this song is playing. Lead vocalist Blumenfield-James doesn't sound like Freddie Mercury, per se, but he has some of the same vocal personality. Julie slows things down a bit with Through Your Mind's Eye, a big Progressive sounding ballad that is more romantic nature than about romance.

One of my favorite songs on An Act Of Communication is Learn To Crawl. It has some funky instrumentation, intelligent lyrics, and a big stadium aura to it. Foggin' Up A Clear View continues down the path of quasi-symphonic Progressive rock yet manages to sound very modern. Be sure also to check out Lonely Streets, which has a very strong pop/rock element to it. I Couldn't Imagine takes an interesting turn for Julie, coming off as a big time Country/rock tune with some R&B roots. The song sways its way right into your head and won't leave. Other highlights include Un-Tongue-Tied; The Queen-like Long Way Down; Sippin' On Moonbeams and the eerily dead on cover of The Beatles Blackbird. My favorite tune on An Act Of Communication is Restless Hearts. This returns Julie to the territory as bands such as Spacehog, but has a strong pop sensibility and a highly memorable melody.

Julie is one of the more enigmatic bands I've come across this year. They march very much to their own drummer; big Prog song construction mixing elements of jazz, ska and country at times into a sound that is difficult to classify and even harder to put down. An Act Of Communication is the sort of album that will hook some new fans, and put a few potential fans off. It's eclectic and off the beaten path, but has enough touchstones there to have a real shot at big things. And the losses will be far outweighed by the new fans. An Act Of Communication is an incredibly brave, daring, outrageous and glorious album. A Wildy's World Certified Desert Island Disc for certain. Get your copy sooner rather than later.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Julie at http://www.julietheband.com/. You can purchase a copy of An Act Of Communication at www.cdbaby.com/cd/julietheband2.

Review: Randy Travis - Christmas On The Pecos (DVD)

Randy Travis – Christmas On The Pecos
2008, Image Entertainment

Randy Travis needs no introduction. He has been a household name in country music for as long as I can remember. 2008 sees the release of his first Christmas special on DVD. Christmas On The Pecos was actually recorded a couple of years back at (and in) the Carlsbad Caverns, but is just finding its way to the marketplace for Christmas 2008. Christmas On The Pecos includes a featurette on Christmas in Carlsband, New Mexico, focusing on the local traditions here. Another feature, Storytelling, shows Travis’ personable side, telling stories and joking with his audience.

The real attraction of course is the music, and Travis doesn’t disappoint. Christmas classics such as Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town; Winter Wonderland and God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen join Travis’ biggest hit: Forever and Ever Amen. Santa and his elves make an appearance, and then Travis pulls the biggest showstopper of all. He moves the show inside the Caverns themselves, for a knockout performance of Silent Night and Rock Of Ages. Add in a full choir and you get an amazing acoustic performance that will send chills up your spine.

Randy Travis is all class. I’d expect nothing less from a live performance, but Christmas On The Pecos has something special. Call it Christmas Magic if you will, but this is a definite keeper of a holiday show. Check it out.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Randy Travis at http://www.randytravis.com/. You can purchase a copy of Christmas On The Pecos at Amazon.com.

Review: Tom Bolton - When I Cross The River

Tom Bolton - When I Cross The River
2007, Tom Bolton

Melbourne, Australia’s Tom Bolton is something of a throwback in folk music. Bolton recalls to mind a time when folk music was about the song and the story within the song, rather than adapting a purely pop songwriting style to acoustic instruments. Bolton grew up in a family where music was always around, exposed to everything from Cat Stevens and Jefferson Airplane to R.E.M., David Sylvian and Nick Drake. Bolton’s third release, When I Cross The River is a celebration of original folk music in its purest sense. Together with double-bass master Richard Grace, Bolton weaves 12 witty and intelligent musical monologues for your listening delight.

When I Cross The River opens with the title track, a hauntingly beautiful bit of musical prose that seems evoke love, thankfulness and regret all at once. Three Hearts has a musical melancholy that stands in contrast to the happily regretful lyrics. Whose Army has a blues vibe to it that is both energizing and fun. The highlight of the album is the folk/country All I Can Do. It's a pure ballad with a simple, memorable melody, gorgeous harmonies and lyrics that touch the listener. Bolton seems to have a talent for wrapping mixed emotions into his songs. The sense of melancholy juxtaposed with a thankful spirit is a common theme on When I Cross The River. This could become trying, but for the most part Bolton avoids getting bogged down in the sediment of sentiment. Other highlights include the Celtic flavored Where You Wanna Go, the Americana themed Hold The Sun, or Sweet Days, a gorgeous acoustic guitar instrumental.

Tom Bolton has a talent for beautiful and interesting music with a melancholic flair wrapped around lyrics and ideas that often run counter to the music in their emotional weight. Bolton's lyrics are intelligent, his melodies instantly memorable, and his performances are spot on. When I Cross The River is a strong entry in the Folk Music market and should do very well for him. It's definitely worth checking out.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Tom Bolton at http://www.sensibletom.com/. You can purchase a copy of When I Cross The River at www.cdbaby.com/cd/tombolton.

Review: O.L.D. - I Live In A World

O.L.D. - I Live In A World
2008, Fake Record Label Records

Craig Elkins is known to fans as the former front man of Huffamoose, and has long had a reputation for honest, expansive lyrics that border on catharsis. Along with Larry Chaye De Gasperin he formed O.L.D. as an outlet for his more recent writing, much of which coincided with or was inspired by moving to L.A. a few years back. I Live In A World is a series of musical soliloquies developed from a time of upheaval and new opportunities in a life defined by family and music.

Everybody's Bitch describes the frustration felt by Elkins at being tied to the needs and requirements of others in order to support a family and develop himself. It's an anthem that most any working person with a family can identify with as it examines how difficult and yet seamless the transition from narcissistic individual to productive member of a family/society can be. The song itself is great alt-rock stuff: highly memorable and infectious. You'll be humming it for days, and singing it in your head every time your boss drops something new on your desk. The Cookie Song is a hilarious look at self-denial for your own good. It's full of a tense energy that is part desire for change and part longing for the comfort of old ways. It's a bit of fuzzy pop genius.

When The Gloves Come Off is built around a great guitar hook. By the time you get through When The Gloves Come Off you'll be convinced that Elkins has distinctive gift for catchy pop songs in a fuzzy/dirty jacket. There's an almost Beatles-like sense for melody lines that will stick in your head like good oatmeal on the ribs. The sound is a little bit messy, like a live a recording; reflecting the almost haphazard genius that seems to define Elkins' compositions. The title track, I Live In A World, reflects upon the sad state of modern society where being friendly to the wrong stranger can have bad consequences. This is particularly reflective of life in a major city such as L.A. or New York.

Truth to tell, there isn't a weak song on I Live In A World. Hey, Where Ya Goin'? sounds at first like an intervention with a family or friend until you realize Erlich is chastising himself. Lost Soul is a quiet moment against the fast pace thus far. Full of a lyric melancholy that is sad but distinctly beautiful, Lost Soul is one of the true highlights of I Live In A World. It's All Good Baby takes on a distinctly Americana flavor and serves as a reminder of what's important in the middle of the day to day maelstrom of life. The album closes out with I'm Always On The Wrong Side Of The Road; Let's Ride It and 3000, all strong songs.

O.L.D.'s I Live In A World is a surprising album. It took me a few listens to get into this one, but the effort was definitely worth it. It went from an album I wasn't particularly excited about to a personal favorite in the course of about ten spins. Craig Elkins is a distinctive voice, both as a singer and songwriter, documenting the slice of life he's been dealt in unusually honest and unrestrained terms. I Live In A World is a Wildy's World Certified Desert Island Disc, something I never would have imagined at first listen. Let O.L.D. surprise you too.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about O.L.D. at http://www.oldtheband.com/. You can purchase a copy of I Live In A World at www.cdbaby.com/cd/oldtunes or via download on iTunes.

Review: Joel Dobbins - Unreal

Joel Dobbins - Unreal
2008, Joel Dobbins

Joel Dobbins is a unique young voice, mixing wit and gravity in a manner not generally seen in an artist his age. Joel Dobbins’ 2008 release Unreal (his third) is an exciting and unique look at a young artist as he develops. This might be the sort of album you hang onto.

Unreal opens with At The Door, an upbeat musical plea to a lover on the edge full of both hope and angst. It's a highly radio-ready song that might play well to college radio. Half Past Noon is a Matchbox 20 type anthem with smooth, highly produced instrumentation and the mellow yet clear vocals of Dobbins on top. Break The Locks is my second favorite song here, and probably the track with the most commercial potential without sounding blatantly commercial. It's a great melancholy pop song. Midnight Conversation has the potential to be a gorgeous piano ballad but gets caught up in the programmed drums and effects that surround it. The Song I Have To Sing calls to mind 1980's Brit-pop bands as Dobbins blows the roof off with a great pop tune.

My favorite track on Unreal is Hypocrite, a tongue-in-cheek admission of imperfection. Dobbins finds the perfect mix of pop sensibility, alternative edge and rock and roll rebellion in this gem. Also notable are the obscurely beautiful Here In The Dark and So Happy.

Joel Dobbins has obvious song-writing talent, and a distinct sense of melancholy pop. Unreal gets a little too mired in the melancholy at times, but on the whole is a strong listen. Dobbins has a highly pleasant voice and we look forward to hearing his future projects. In the mean time, give this disc a spin.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Joel Dobbins at www.myspace.com/joeldobbins. Unreal was just released on November 5, 2008. As of the publication date of this review I could find no outlets online selling it. For the time being you can stream some of the songs off of Joel Dobbins’ MySpace page (Link above). You might try writing to Dobbins through his MySpace page.

Review: Everett Fox Band - Everett Fox Band

Everett Fox Band – Everett Fox Band
2008, Everett Fox

The Everett Fox Band is Everett Fox on vox/keys and Dave Salce on percussion. The New York City duo draws from classical, rock and folk for inspiration. The band’s eponymous release (their 2nd) arrived in 2008 meeting with much anticipation.

Opening with Beautiful World, the Everett Fox Band makes an untidy yet somewhat fun mess of U2’s brand of pop/electronica. The song is campy and undisciplined yet an enjoyable listen. Next up is Here I’m Walking, a song that is just way too formulaic for its own good. Conditional is an unusual tune with some unique harmonies and chord progressions. Much of Everett Fox Band was not dramatically distinguishable from a lot of organic/electronic music in the marketplace. The energy level here is way too low at times, and it’s a rough crowd.

The Everett Fox Band is a young band that’s still a little too inward focused to really interact successfully in the music marketplace. They’ll find an audience, perhaps even a highly dedicated following, but EFB would seriously benefit from additional personnel to up the creative tension and energy. There are flashes of what EFB does really well, but at this point they are merely flashes.

Rating: 2 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about the Everett Fox Band at http://www.everettfoxband.com/. You can purchase a copy of Everett Fox Band at www.cdbaby.com/cd/efoxband2.

Review: Desmond Pringle - Be Still

Desmond Pringle - Be Still
2006, Magnum Opus Entertainment

Desmond Pringle’s reputation as a Gospel balladeer precedes him. Pringle is something of a “rock star” in the Gospel world. The ordained minister and former record executive gives live performances that leave audiences stunned, whether with rousing Gospel choir style barn burners or soulful, passionate ballads. Pringle’s latest release, Be Still, is a dynamic gospel and religious experience.

Be Still encompasses the worlds of Pop, R&B, Funk and Gospel in a CD of Praise music with strong commercial leanings. Pringle has an affable voice that is warm, welcoming and strong. His delivery is pure televangelism, relying as much on the sort of pop-psychology, feel good worship style that fills pews at Pentecostal churches everywhere as on musicianship. This is worship music you can dance to, or dance music you can worship with if you want. It's all a matter of perspective.

Pringle brings a real pop sensibility to Be Still, along with a top notch band. His reputation as a balladeer is not lost on this reviewer either. He turns in primo performances on Everything To Me and the title track. His is a voice that would sell CDs and downloads in the millions in the pop world. In the long run this CD is destined to be strongly pigeonholed in the Contemporary Christian Music category in an R&B/Soul subset, severely limited the commercial potential for Be Still. It's certainly not for a lack of talent, spirit or dedication on the part of Pringle. I personally feel that Pringle is at his best as a singer on the ballads and slower songs. What little he loses on the get up and dance worship songs he more than makes up for in charisma and showmanship.

Desmond Pringle is the sort of a performer who can touch an audience and bring them along for a musical adventure. Be Still is a dynamic worship disc that should cross all sorts of denominational barriers, but is so blatantly worship oriented that it likely won't spread much beyond religious communities.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Desmond Pringle at http://www.desmondpringle.com/. You can purchase a copy of Be Still at Amazon.com.

Review: Dali Rocket - Incessant Love Tribunal

Dali Rocket - Incessant Love Tribunal
2008, Dali Rocket

Incessant Love Tribunal opens with The Death Of Dali, an acoustic guitar based piece with some of the most gorgeously ethereal vocal harmonies you'll hear in 2008. The song meanders through the first three minutes before breaking into a bass-led polarization reminiscent of the Barenaked Ladies The Great Provider. The vocalist sounds a fair amount like Jian Ghomeshi of Moxy Fruvous, and the overall mood is mellow drama with an insurgent energy just beneath the surface. Palm Full Of Stars opens with a series of synth overlays and effects that resolve into Michael Hedges style acoustic guitar work. Impositions is a snappy little quasi-acoustic pop song with a funky spirit and unforgettable chorus.

Veil Vale Vail is full of a relentless inner life that displays itself in contrapuntal rhythms and some generally dazzling acoustic guitar work. Walking Meditation carries on in a spirited manner, and is my favorite song on Incessant Love Tribunal. It's one of the happiest breakup songs you'll ever hear, and may be one of the best pure pop songs of the year. Other highlights include the Rush styled Quest For Quintessence, Michigan Morning II and the title track (which is my second favorite song on the disc).

Dali Rocket is highly unusual. This is a band of primo of musicians. The lead vocalist has a gorgeous, clear tenor voice that rises out of the period melancholy or meandering musings like a beacon. The harmonies are stunning as well. Dali Rocket does occasionally get bogged down on Incessant Love Tribunal, but on the whole its a great listening experience. Dali Rocket is a band with significant potential for both commercial success and a significant musical legacy.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn a little more about Dali Rocket at www.myspace.com/dalirocket. You can purchase a copy of Incessant Love Tribunal at www.cdbaby.com/cd/dalirocket.

Review: Shayna Zaid - Au Fait EP

Shayna Zaid - Au Fait EP
2008, Shayna Zaid

Shayna Zaid has quite the back story. Born to an American mom and Malaysia dad, Zaid grew up in Malaysia, leaving only when it became time to go to college. Zaid is something of a real celebrity in Malaysia, where she was nominated in that country’s 2007 ERA Awards for Best New Artist, Best Female Vocals and Best Pop Song. Shayna Zaid is also a television personality in Malaysia as one of the stars of the talk/variety show Speak Up. Upon arriving in the US Zaid began studies at Berklee, but quickly moved on to New York City to work on writing and recording. Her second release, Au Fait, arrives in 2008 with a sound you’ll be hard pressed to forget.

Au Fait opens with Just Because, a jaunty cabaret love song with a come hither attitude and a Cheshire grin. The arrangement is just slightly messy and wonderfully real in the cabaret style. Closer has a slightly more polished sound in a pop ballad that really features Zaid's esoteric vocal presence. Closer is the sort of ballad that sticks out in your mind after hearing it, and would have real commercial potential. It's You sounds like the sort of love song Sarah McLachlan might write. Zaid contrasts this with a voice that is closer to a throaty Norah Jones. I Remember is an almost upbeat acoustic ballad with great instrumentation woven around the melody. Take Your Time returns to the slightly muddy sound of the opening track.

It is in these muddy waters that Shayna Zaid shines brightest. Zaid has an earthy sound that is best practiced close to the ground in an organic or live sound. Zaid has a strong ability to emote and project her personality into songs, and the tracks on Au Fait live through her personality. Au Fait EP is an incredibly rich, brief introduction to Shayna Zaid, leaving the listener always wanting more. Shayna Zaid is one to watch.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Shayna Zaid at www.myspace.com/shaynazaid. You can purchase the Au Fait EP as a download through Amazon.com or iTunes. No word yet on a CD release. Also, several of Zaid’s songs from her previous release, Beyond Borders were featured on The Young And The Restless. These songs are also available as downloads from Amazon.com.

Review: Brian Kelly - Afterplay

Brian Kelly - Afterplay
2008, Skylight Music

Brian Kelly is a pianist and composer who trips lightly through the worlds of jazz, neo-classical and new age music. His early influences ranged from the likes of Beethoven to the Beatles, and these early influences continue to effect his compositional decisions even today. Kelly’s second CD, Afterplay, resides firmly in the contemporary jazz category. Supported by musicians such as Eric Crystal (Boz Scaggs, Omar Sosa); David Rokeach (Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles); Viviana Guzman and James Robinson, among others, Kelly has crafted a fine collection of contemporary popular jazz compositions.

Afterplay opens with River Rush, a modern piece that's almost more pop than jazz. The urgent melody line eats this song up somewhat in a downpour of themes. Smiling South is a Caribbean flavored piano tune full of big, catchy, ear-candy themes. New Vision is a light pop tune that incorporates Spanish Guitar, Latin rhythms and a funky bass line over a mellow piano bed. Snowflakes rising may be the highlight of the album, using what sounds like a dulcimer and piano mix in the opening to create an almost visual rhythm that's reminiscent of raindrops more than snow. Other highlights include the funky Flavor Seven; the title track Afterplay; Celtic Fire and Sunchaser.

Brian Kelly is a talented instrumentalist and composer. His brand of new age pop is catchy and comfortable without being cliché. This isn't elevator music but more the sort of upbeat mellow music that makes an environment or event more enjoyable and memorable. Brian Kelly has something to say, whispered just below hearing around the staves and measures he writes. Check out Afterplay, and listen.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Brian Kelly at http://www.briankelly.com/, where you can purchase Afterplay as either a hard copy CD or a download.

Review: Amber Ojeda - Amber Ojeda (Demo)

Amber Ojeda - Amber Ojeda (Demo)
2008, Amber Ojeda

Amber Ojeda is a singer and actress from San Diego, CA with a penchant for combining old school jazz styles with hip-hop and urban grooves. Her music has been featured on the TV show Dress My Nest, and on feature films All That I Need and Prayer Before Murder. Ojeda has a recurring role on Veronica Mars and has also had face time on Dress My Nest and promos for Starz TV. Ojeda submitted her self-titled demo for review.

The demo opens with So Lovely, a bare-bones urban groove designed to display Ojeda's dusky alto voice. The verses here are monochromatic and somewhat forgettable. Ojeda has a pleasant sound but plays very much to style here, almost constricting her voice to fit a certain mold rather than letting it range free. The listener gets the impression there is more there to be heard. Don't Rush continues in the slow jam vein, moving more into straightforward modern R&B with some neat jazz style piano underneath. Hype Love works the jazz base into a hip-hop arrangement that really is nothing more than something to sing over. The difficulty here is that the music is so generic that you could sing almost anything over it, as if these tracks could have been purchased from a producer who had nothing to do with the project. It's not so much song craft as karaoke. Very good karaoke, but karaoke nonetheless. Hype Love is something of a woo-girl song. It doesn't mean a lot to those who aren't on the inside of it, but would probably do well in the club scene.

Get To Know Me slows things down a bit and allows Ojeda to stretch somewhat. Here we get to see Ojeda at her most stripped down vocally. At its most basic presentation Ojeda's voice isn't perfect, but is full of sufficient color and texture to be enjoyable to listen to. Get To Know Me suffers from a lack of energy that shows up at times throughout the demo and never really establishes a memorable melody or hook. Love From The Band has a pop/R&B feel that approaches Sade type material and is the best track on Amber Ojeda. Here I Am plays with more tension than any of the other songs here, capturing some of the energy of the jazz foundation. Some unfortunate effects are used that provide a Chipmunk-like peripheral vocal are present here and detract somewhat from what is a capable melody and a strong performance from Ojeda. The closing track, Approaching You is the most commercial track on the demo, and might make some small waves on urban stations if push as a single.

All in all, Amber Ojeda has a good start. She has a pleasant, dusky R&B vocal style that should serve her well, although there are a lot of folks in the market in the same style that are more dynamic and more likely to get noticed first. The blending of pop/R&B with jazz is nice, but is more like placing puzzle pieces together than truly blending styles to create something unique. The arrangements here are very generic. Ideal for a producer's workload but not ideal for an artist trying to differentiate herself in the market. Amber Ojeda has potential. Her demo has some high points that are worth hearing but otherwise is too formulaic to really stand out.

Rating: 2.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Amber Ojeda at www.myspace.com/amberojeda. If you ask really nicely maybe she’ll sell you a copy of her demo!

Review: Alvin & The Chipmunks - Undeniable

Alvin & The Chipmunks - Undeniable
2008, Chipmunk Records

It's hard to know what Ross Bagdasarian, Sr. would think of the continued evolution of his Chipmunks. Since the re-emergence of The Chipmunks on television in 1983, the brand (and sound) has been continually updated to match the musical mood of the moment. Whether it was Urban Chipmunk (country); Club Chipmunk (dance mixes); the soundtrack to the 2007 motion picture or their latest release Undeniable, the Chipmunks have stayed almost-current with current musical trends.

One of the charms of the original Chipmunk recordings was the way in which they were created. Bagdasarian did all of the vocals himself, of his unaltered voice, and then replayed the recordings at differing speeds to create the Chipmunks' voices. Despite the manipulation there has always been something vaguely organic about the voices, allowing for at least partial suspension of disbelief. Somewhere in the last decade or so the process has gone entirely digital, using computers and vocal effects to try to recreate the original magic. As vinyl LP fans will attest, new technology isn't always an improvement. Such it is with The Chipmunks.

Undeniable definitely hits the flavor of the moment musically, but the Chipmunks voices sound like they've been digitally altered with electronic effects. For longtime listers/fans of The Chipmunks this may wreck the experience of Undeniable. I know I personally had a hard time squaring this recording with the past recordings of The Chipmunks. The album opens with the DeeTown remix of the theme song from the 1983 television series, including raps. This may go over well with new fans, but probably won't appeal as much to older fans. Shake Your Groove Thing highlights the electronic voice effect sound that I mentioned earlier. Additionally, the Chipmunks are singing background here. Generally if you're buying a Chipmunks album you're not doing so to hear someone else sing.

Livin' On A Prayer is actually an interesting vocal arrangement, but again suffers from the ultra-modernization of a classic sound. Thank You is a hip-hop/R&B radio anthem that again sounds like a computer is singing lead (and background) vocals. All The Small Things suffers from the same fate. The first song to really capture the original spirit of The Chipmunks is Ho Ho Ho. The Chipmunks (and David Seville) are now voiced by Ross Bagdasarian, Jr., and the repartee between the characters returns here somewhat, although Seville is more darkly grumpy than in the old days. The original version of We're The Chipmunks is more familiar, but still suffers from the vocal manipulation that abounds through the rest of the album. I will admit I was charmed by the cover of Time Warp, but would have preferred to hear this recording done before the era of computer based recording.

In the end, Undeniable is a decent effort that falls short of its potential on the basis of over-production and technology. While its certainly more time consuming, I have to think that a better overall product could be had by returning to the old way of recording the Chipmunks albums. Perhaps it lowers the profit margin a bit based on the time put in, but perhaps a better, more believable recording outsells the current version. As someone who grew up with the Chipmunks, I find myself disappointed.

Rating: 2 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Alvin & The Chipmunks at http://www.chipmunks.com/. You can purchase a copy of Undeniable at Amazon.com or wherever music is sold.

Review: Adam Balbo - 6 Outta 9 w/ Beats

Adam Balbo – 6 Outta 9 w/ Beats
2006, Adam Balbo

San Francisco’s Adam Balbo is a post-folk Dylan style songwriter with a hint of punk attitude and a skewed perspective on the world fueled by a declining culture and THC. There are no filters on his music – he says what he thinks in the way that he thinks it. His music is based in the folk tradition (guitar, harmonica) with the addition of the scion of 1980’s suburban teenage music, the Casio Keyboard. Balbo’s 2006 album, 6 Outta 9 w/ Beats, shows an artist with rough edges that have just begun to be smoothed by the practice of his craft and the subtlety of wisdom.

6 Outta 9 w/ Beats veers wildly between youthful extremism (Talkin’ Bush) to ironic depth (Let’s Feel Terrible Together). The opening track, Samba Blues, perhaps displays the heart of Balbo’s transition between boorish brandisher of a guitar and subtle, humorous incisor of social strata. (“I’m gonna hope against all hope that I’ve got a lot of liquor and plenty of dope to help me cope with this thing called the Samba Blues”). Also be sure to check out Rock Ballad, a tongue-in-cheek attempt at high irony. Other highlights include Noise In My Head; Long, Quick Tango and Let’s Make A Porno.

Adam Balbo is different. He’s unique. On 6 Outta 9 w/ Beats he’s probably not for everyone, but if you get it you’ll love it. 6 Outta 9 w/ Beats is anti-pop in it’s truest form: Completely unvarnished and unpretentious. As you listen along you never quite know where Balbo is going to go, but it’s a fun ride.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Adam Balbo at www.myspace.com/adambalbo. You purchase a copy of 6 Outta 9 w/ Beats at www.cdbaby.com/cd/adambalbo.

Review: Boz Scaggs - Speak Low

Boz Scaggs - Speak Low
2008, Decca/Grey Cat Records

Boz Scaggs was one of the most successful American pop recording artists of the 1970’s. Playing with the likes of the Muscle Shoals rhythm section, Duane Allman and Toto, Scaggs helped shape Pop music in the 1970’s. In the 1980’s he dropped out of sight, essentially abandoning the music business altogether. Twenty years later Scaggs returned as a musical curator of the Great American Songbook, releasing But Beautiful, Standards Vol. I. In 2008 he returns with Speak Low, a swanky, ultra-cool collection of standards.

Speak Low opens with Invitation, a dark and lonely soliloquy that fits perfectly with Scaggs' voice. The instrumentation here top notch and it sets the mood for this CD perfectly. Scaggs moves on to She Was Too Good To Me. Scaggs puts on his best crooner hat for this one and accomplishes a nice turn. I Wish I Knew is a gorgeous song no matter who sings it, and Scaggs basically couldn't fail on this one if he tried. Other great renditions here include Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me; Save Your Love For Me; Dindi and This Time The Dream's On Me. Also a notable and brave choice is Skylark. This is a somewhat difficult song to sing well, and Scaggs makes a game performance of it. It's great to hear an artist reach like this. While not perfect, it's better than many singers in the popular realm would manage.

Boz Scaggs is the consumate professional performer on Speak Low. This is bound to be a great choice as a holiday gift for older relatives who perhaps remember Scaggs from his younger days or still revel in some of the great American Jazz standards.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Boz Scaggs at http://www.bozscaggs.com/. You can purchase a copy of Speak Low at Amazon.com or wherever music is sold.

Review: Adam Balbo - Big Kid Now

Adam Balbo – Big Kid Now
2008, Adam Balbo

Adam Balbo made his way to San Francisco from Indiana via Beijing. You’ll have to ask him. Along the way he learned a lot about frying cheese, placing grand inductions and observations about life into his lyrics, and writing very cool modern folk-rock songs that are as reminiscent of Bob Dylan as anyone else I can think of. Balbo’s latest EP, Big Kid Now, is six songs of tongue-in-cheek post-pop culture reflections and winking hints at truth. Weaving his reflections and intuitions into his music like Warhol on canvas, Adam Balbo writes songs from his ID to yours starring acoustic guitar, the occasional Casio keyboard and Balbo’s eclectic voice.

Big Kid Now opens with the title track, a seemingly tongue-in-cheek of skills that seem to mark adulthood in our current culture and how empty many of them are. The song drips with an understated irony that is palpable and yet subtle enough to deliver its message without offense. The Snakeman is a brief treatise on I know not what, but it was highly entertaining. Monkey Goes To Breakfast opens with a keyboard part that sounds like it may be funeral music, and seems to be about the barriers that exist in human communication.

16-Bar Blues Love Song sounds like the sort of rant that might coincide with a good case of the munchies. The lyrics don’t necessarily make a lot of sense, but again are highly entertaining. Note To Self is perhaps the most interesting tune here. Even with Balbo’s brand of off-kilter lyricism, this is the closest thing to a (slow, melancholic) pop song on Big Kid Now. There is a deranged sensibility here (and Teddy Ruxpin reference) but the melody is actually quite lovely. It’s almost Pink Floyd like in its obtuse beauty. The EP closes out with Stain On My Shirt, what appears to be a musical metaphor for the sort of small social stigma that people use to feel superior in their day-to-day lives, and how little this all means. Perhaps I am reading too much into this one, but it’s a bit of genius.

Adam Balbo surprised me. I really didn’t like this CD on first listen, but it grew on me. I have a feeling that this disc has highly addictive properties that may need to be regulated in the long run. Big Kid Now is the sort of CD you almost laugh off until you find it has quietly overtaken your CD player and you’re listening to it relentlessly. I mentioned earlier that Balbo has a lot in common with Bob Dylan. Dylan was counterculture, but Adam Balbo travels at right angles to reality. He touches on reality once in a while on his way to the glorious madness he documents in his songs. The madness is us.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Adam Balbo at www.myspace.com/adambalbo. You purchase a copy of Big Kid Now at www.cdbaby.com/cd/adambalbo2.

Cantinero - Better For The Metaphor

Cantinero - Better For The Metaphor

2008, C L Hicken and Tinkle

Chris "Cantinero" Hickens has seen the ups and downs of a music career. The Birmingham, England native first came to America as part of alt-rock band Bigmouth. Hickens spent some time after Bigmouth's breakup working as a bartender, earning the nickname Cantinero from a co-worker. In 2004 he returned to music with his solo debut, Championship Boxing, which made a splash on NPR an in Amazon.com's Top-40. 2008 finds Cantinero releasing his second album, Better For The Metaphor. Metaphor was recorded while holed up in New York State's serene Catskill Mountains. The new setting appears to have gotten Hicken's creative juices flowing in a major way.

Cantinero has a gift for melody layered over mellow arrangements that are lively while staying laid back. My House deals with provincialism, using one's house as a metaphor for all personal differences whether ideological, religious, cultural or otherwise. My House perfectly captures the conceipt with which humanity views their own station in comparison to others. Go-Getter is a seedy exploration of the "do-anything-to-get-ahead" mentality. Go-Getter could easily be the theme sound of the rumored sequel to the movie Wall Street. Safe is a lyric treatise on governance by fear.

The most striking thing about Cantinero's music is the intelligence and depth of the lyrics. In combination with the fluid, melodic music he writes, Cantinero's creations are just short of breathtaking. Rare is the songwriter who can mix such an aesthetic sense with such deep lyric poetry. Other highlights include Goodbye Life, Medicated, Selfish, Long Way Home and Stay In Bed. Stay In Bed has a Barenaked Ladies/Stephen Duffy feel to it that is frantic and melodic at the same time.

Cantinero is unique. It is highly unusual to find a songwriter so equally gifted in both composition and lyrics, but Chris Hickens is just that. Better For The Metaphor is a high appealing album with a high potential for commercial success. Cantinero is off to a good start as seven songs will be featured on NPR's Roadtrip Nation's 2008 Season (airing beginning October in both the US and Australia). Better For The Metaphor is required listening. Don't pass this one by.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Cantinero at http://www.cantinero.com/, where you can buy copies of both Better For The Metaphor and Championship Boxing. He’ll even sign them on request!

Review: Valerie Mih - Meridians

Valerie Mih - Meridians
2008, Circular Dreaming

Valerie Mih is a musician's musician. The Pullman, Washington native spends time on both coasts; well known in both the San Francisco and New York City scenes as a solo performer, ensemble player, classical and jazz pianist, and practitioner of the healing arts. Mih blends elements of classical, jazz and new age into a musical tapestry that is part story and part dream. Her second album, Meridians, mixes four solo piano pieces with five multi-textured sound experiments to provide an ambient space for musical enjoyment, relaxation and perhaps even healing. With a virtuoso reputation and influences as diverse as Brian Eno, McCoy Tyner, Steve Reich, Monk and John Coltrane, you know it's got to be at least interesting.

I've heard a ton of CDs that fall into the new age/easy listening category that purport to be healing or instructive in some way, and it's the rare disk that doesn't disqualify its own claims. Valerie Mih's Meridians hasn't proved its healing qualities, but does nothing in the course of its thirty-nine minutes to make you think otherwise. What's most striking about Mih's music is the sense of movement. Classical-style piano pieces that are ambient in nature give the feel of the push and pull you might find on a body of water. This is not musical drifting in the sense of purely ambient fluff, but more like the deep and mystifying currents running beneath a wide river. There is no inertial violence here, just the relentlessly obstinate pull of the current.

Mih tells stories in the course of this flow, although they are perhaps too subliminal to be heard by the ear. Meridians is refreshing the way a good swim is on a hot day. Themes come and go throughout the album but do not crash about. New ideas seem to suggest themselves into your consciousness before they arrive. Highlights include Little One, Saturn's Rings, Flow and Interwoven.

Valerie Mih creates some magic on Meridians. The music flows like time flows around us. Never pushing too hard but always pushing, pulling and cajoling us to where we need to be. Valerie Mih provides us with a Master Class in the ability of a classical/new age musician with a tendency toward ambience can still find art and nuance and beauty within the subtle fabric of her song.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Valerie Mih at http://www.circulardreaming.com/. You can purchase a copy of Meridians at www.cdbaby.com/cd/valeriemih.

Review: Trouser - Factory Farm Songs

Trouser - Factory Farm Songs
2008, Lemonchester Music

Trouser is a conglomeration of longtime friends who have been Midwest US road warriors with various bands for better than a decade. Finally throwing in together as Trouser, Nick Brown (vocals, acoustic guitar, mandolin, hamonica); Geoff Lewis (drums, backing vox, keyboards); Robert Ericksen (guitar) and Chris Hines (bass) have culled a sound based in classic Americana with strict Midwest-rock sensibilities. Factory Farm Songs is the first true collaboration for these longtime friends and stands out as a beacon for fans of Americana music.

Factory Farms is a dark tune with bad intentions as it opens Factory Farm Songs. Factory Farms is a very tuneful exploration of characters impacted by economic hard times. The chorus will run through your head repeatedly despite of the tone of the song. Oh, Roxanne! is a joyful romp based on a heavy-acoustic guitar sound and a standout melody. In The Bathroom is a delightful bluegrass tune paralleling the process of flushing the toilet with a person's ability to thoroughly wipe the slate clean of emotion. It's a quirky, witty left-handed compliment of a song that is a laughable stroke of genius.

Hailey Parker has a dark ethereality to it that is reminiscent of Pink Floyd gone country-ish. It's a powerful, brooding song that might take a couple of listens to really dig into, but its well worth the effort. Under The Water has a much lighter aspect to it; almost musically optimistic and hopeful. Other highlights include the beautifully written Crack In The Door, the quirky Silly Little Apocalypse Song and the on the edge of unreal Lobotomy.

Trouser has a gift for unique and unusual songs full of beauty, wit, and a slightly surreal sense of the world. Their apparent ability to make serious music without taking themselves entirely too seriously is a gift that they see fit to share. The winner is the listener. Factory Farm Songs is a vital album that may fall short of radio but should become a fan/cult classic. This is the sort of CD you view with slight incredulity when you first come across and quickly come to the point where you just can't put it down. A raving good listen!

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Trouser at http://www.trouserband.com/ or www.myspace.com/trousertunes. You can purchase a copy of Factory Farm Songs at www.myspace.com/trousertunes.

Review: Duke Michaels - Welcome To DM Country/Purple Sky Outlaw

Duke Michaels - Welcome To DM Country/Purple Sky Outlaw
2008, Sawmill Records

Duke Michaels brings a unique mix of country and rock and roll to the table; a modern take on old country attitude and grit. A self-proclaimed warrior and storyteller, Michaels attacks songwriting with the tenacity of a trail rider and the grace of a horseman. His unique blend of rock and country is a smooth medicine answer to the ills of southern rock. The pioneer and modern day gunslinger (six string variety) offers up two co-debut albums, Welcome To DM Country and Purple Sky Outlaw on his own Sawmill Records label. According to Michaels, "The truth is in the tracks".

Welcome To DM Country opens with country/blues/rock hybrid Backwater Song. This is an immediately memorable tune with haunting violin cadences and a dark, brooding bass/guitar bed. Easy To Love continues on the same road, with some very sharp guitar work. Every Bit A Lady is a standout track for Michaels; a reverential ode to a significant other. Good Got Better brings a little bit of honky-tonk into the mix, swirling around a punk rhythm section. Other highlights include Five Years From Sundown, I Will Provide, I Love This Job and Angel.


Purple Sky Outlaw strips things down to Michael, his acoustic guitar, harmonica and the occasional acoustic support. There's a Dylan-esque atmosphere here, and Michaels does his best to lend lyrical gravity to some stirring songs. Bob's New Cup Of Brew sounds like a spirit of renewal. Horse Starts Running is an urgent musical missal on getting with the necessity of the moment. One Step At A Time is a classic country love song that is reminiscent of George Hamilton's If You Don't Know I Ain't Gonna Tell You. A Little Too Fast is a sweet country ode ready for a soundtrack. Michaels also covers Blues For My Father in a rendition that might be a classic on its own. Other highlights include Big Sky Town, Little Ol' Star, One Race To Run and Champion In My Heart.

Duke Michaels is an intriguing figure in the country world. He doesn't walk the Nashville line of pop-ready songwriters churning out hayseed bubblegum pop for the CMT set. Michaels writes thoughtful and thought-provoking songs full of real grit, love, loss and determination. He is a musical cousin of actor/singer Paul Gross. Both have voices that are slightly left of center and full of character, and both write in a country style that is out of vogue but nonetheless vital. Welcome To DM Country is a strong offering as a co-debut and should do much to establish Michaels as an artist of import. Purple Sky Outlaw, stripped down it is shines as a diamond in the rough. It's a thing of beauty to behold and solidifies Michael's position as a great songwriter and performer. You'll want Welcome to DM Country in your collection. You need Purple Sky Outlaw.

Ratings:

Welcome To DM Country - 4 Stars (Out of 5)
Purple Sky Outlaw - 5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Duke Michaels at http://www.dukemichaels.com/ or www.myspace.com/dukemichaels. You can purchase a copy of Welcome to DM Country at www.cdbaby.com/cd/dukemichaels. You can purchase a copy of Purple Sky Outlaws at www.cdbaby.com/cd/dukemichaels2.

Review: Matt Schwachman - Uncharted Territory

Matt Schwachman – Uncharted Territory
2008, MWS Recording

Boston’s Matt Schwachman has been getting heard a lot lately. From CMJ coverage to pickup on 125+ college radio stations to a song placement on One Tree Hill, Schwachman has been making his way around pop culture. Schwachman’s latest album, Uncharted Territory is acoustic pop/rock in the same category as John Mayer or perhaps even Jason Mraz! Schwachman is burning up the travel corridors of the Northeast US trying to promote Uncharted Territory. Here's the scoop.

Schwachman’s sound is best described as tuneful melodic rock, ala Coldplay or Radiohead. His vocals are very smooth, often in head voice range, and well delivered. The music has little or no rough edge to it. Destiny starts out the album with some off vocal effects laid over a bed that is more bass, drums and ambient keyboard than anything else. The chorus on Destiny is a rock chant (think Gregorian) mainly alternating on two notes. Dying To Feel Alive is more dynamic than Destiny, but holds onto a strong sense of melodic melancholy. Rise Above continues the ascent of Uncharted Territory, with a moderately commercial pop tune with a real sense of melody (but still retaining the maudlin aspect). Side Of The Road is an eclectic pop tune with some interesting instrumental work, while Soulmate is mix-tape entry here. Other songs of interest are Do You Know, See Through and Samantha.

Matt Schwachman falls prey to his own melancholy on Uncharted Territory. The music is well performed and fits loosely into the gap between Radiohead and Coldplay, but lacks the true pop sensibility of Coldplay while missing the ambient edginess of Radiohead. In the end, Uncharted Territory is a pleasant listen – mellow ear candy really; but after playing it several times the listener is left with no real strong impressions about Schwachman or the album.

Rating: 2 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Matt Schwachman at www.myspace.com/mattschwachman. You can purchase a copy of Uncharted Territory at www.cdbaby.com/cd/mattschwachman or purchase downloads through iTunes.

Review: The Stone Coyotes - VIII

The Stone Coyotes - VIII
2008, Red Cat Records

The Stone Coyotes are the sort of rock and roll trio that starts parties wherever they play. The Stone Coytes' brand of unpretentious rock revs you up and allows you to let go of the world for an hour or two while they inspire you with stories that transcend music and the human experience. Barbara Keith stands in on lead vocals and guitar. Her husband Doug Tibbles bangs the drums and stepson John Tibbles slaps the bass. This is a family outfit without an ounce of Hollywood veneer. (The family/band actually moved from LA to Western Massachusetts to get away from the Hollywood hype machine). The Stone Coyotes released their eighth album in 2008, aptly entitled VIII. If there's a more pure strain of rock and roll out there anywhere right now I'd love to find it.

Barbara Keith started out performing at Cafe Wha? in Greenwich Village, where the likes of Jimi Hendrix and Bill Cosby started out. Her self-titled debut in 1972 was a success and she recorded for MGM/Verse, A&M and Warner Brothers before taking herself out of the major label game. Along the way she wrote songs that have been covered by folks such as Tanya Tucker, Streisand, Melanie, Hank Snow and Lowell George. Her song The Bramble And The Rose is a folk classic. Doug Tibbles was a Hollywood writer, contributing to shows such as The Munsters, Bewitched, Andy Griffith and Love American Style. After his first day of editing for Happy Days Tibbles quit and went DIY with his wife, Barbara. Moving out east meant recording in their basement and writing songs at their own speed in the relaxed atmosphere of the Berkshires. A series of outstanding rock and roll albums with the occasional bit of country tartness has ensued.

VIII is no exception. Tomorrow Is Another Day opens the set sounding like something right of early 1980's FM radio (I found myself thinking of Is She Really Going Out With Him? throughout this song). Barbara Keith is in fine vocal form here, and the song will keep your toes tapping. Not Right Now has an acrid Blues-Rock feel to it that sounds like a stripped down AC/DC tune. The Lights Of Home is more of a country ballad with real heart and some excellent harmony work. Be sure to check out Trouble Down In Texas, a barrelhouse country rocker full of blues and beer and country attitude.

Brand New Car shows a funky side to Barbara Keith and The Stone Coyotes that is a pleasant surprise. A Charmed Life returns to a more straightforward Rock tune. Again there is this inescapable feel that a stripped down AC/DC motif is at work here. You could hear Angus Young screaming his way through this song quite easily if he were still with us. If I Knew How To Dance has a Ramones-like energy to it, wrapped up in a tune that still hasn't decided if it's a country-rocker or a punk anthem. Make sure to also check Kern River and The Grey Robe Of The Rain. The latter is the deepest and most artful song on the album, an exclamation point on a primo performance.

The Stone Coyotes know how to make rock and roll. They know how to tell a story and wrap it in the fine coat of musical magic. VIII is a standout album that should continue to add to their credibility amongst fans and win them new ones. There are several members of the rock and roll hall of fame who would listen to this album and if, being honest, state "We're not worthy". VIII is a Wildy's World Certified Desert Island Disc, a flash of genius, and what they heck are you doing still reading this? Go buy it!

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about The Stone Coyotes at http://www.stonecoyotes.com/. You can purchase a copy of VIII through their website using PayPal, or you can pick it up at www.cdbaby.com/cd/stonecoyotes9.

Review: Centrevol - Beggars And Thieves

Centrevol - Beggars And Thieves
2008, Centrevol Music

Centrevol took their brand of melodic rock across country in 2006 from their home base in Boston to Long Beach, California looking for the overnight LA success story. What they found instead were the trials and tribulations that face a new band in an overcrowded media market, spending much of their first year sleeping in one bedroom, with a hand-made triple-bunk bed. The band worked at odd jobs and fought LA traffic just to get to rehearsals. Never looking back or looking down, Centrevol kept the faith and kept clawing their way upward. The band's outlook is much different today. After winning the $10,000.00 grand prize of the Mai Rai Rumble, Centrevol had the resources to fund their full-length debut, Beggars And Thieves. Written mainly about their experiences in L.A. (including rabid bicycle poachers), Centrevol have found a soft edge against which they lay their brand of melodic rock and roll.

Beggars And Thieves opens with She Moves Me (Like A Song), sounding a lot like classic U2. Vocalist Pete Guinta has something of a Bono sound, and the music could fit in with late 1980's U2 catalog material quite easily. Flame and Fifth Avenue Dream continue on this track, although Fifth Avenue Dream has a little more punch than you might expect. Fifth Avenue Dream may be the most commercially viable song on the album. Centrevol changes pace with Lose Yourself, a gorgeous ballad about the value of integrity ("And if you sell your soul for a song / who will sing along?"). The song has gorgeous harmonies and a swaying melody line that sticks with you.

Pretty Machines has an unusual opening that sounds like something out of the Queen songbook before returning to the U2-style grand themes. Too Much To Ask is another turn at the trough of balladry and has the sort of pensive, angst laden song that tends to hold prominence on mix-tapes and teen comedies about love. Safety is perhaps the most frenetic song on Beggars And Thieves, moving along at a dangerous pace and turning out as perhaps the best rock song here. Other highlights include the bardic Beggars and Thieves, the melodic punk rocker Rumor and Dose Of Hope.

Centrevol is going to get tagged as a U2 clone. I don't think that can be avoided as there is a lot of similarity in their respective sounds. There is enough of a difference here to call them cousins and leave it at that. Centrevol is a highly talented group writing great rock melodic rock songs that sit on the outer edge of the pop wheel. Beggars And Thieves may have been a major hit twenty years ago. Today it will likely be an underappreciated yet still incredible album.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Centrevol at http://www.centrevol.com/, where you can purchase a copy of Beggars And Thieves direct from the band. The CD can also be purchased at www.cdbaby.com/cd/centrevol2.

Review: Boggie - Seeing Angels

Boggie - Seeing Angels
2008, Boggie Music

Boggie Dimitrova is very difficult to pigeonhole musically. The pianist, vocalist, music teacher and choir director is a musical dynamo that appears to have the ability to write and play in almost any musical style imaginable. Boggie writes, arranges and produces of all her music in her own home studio, and currently performs in the Greater Metropolitan New York area with regularity. She holds a Masters in vocal performance and has a unique vocal sound that is atypically beautiful. Her Slavic roots and accent help to form this sound, but her voice is singularly unusual; sharp yet enjoyable in a way that is simultaneously lovely and just slightly unsettling. Boggie's third album, Seeing Angels, is a low-key 1980's pop rock affair that displays strong songwriting/arranging skills, and a distinct sense for melodic interplay between voice and piano.

Seeing Angels opens with Thought About It, a swaying ballad that is lovely in composition. Thought About It is perhaps a bit cliché lyrically, but could easily fit on the soundtrack of a Brat Pack movie. Winter Blues is a gorgeous mellow blues tune that will make Norah Jones fans perk up their ears in interest. Drunk And Dizzy is an entertaining number that is reminiscent both vocally and stylistically of Nelly McKay. Seeing Angels is the first track to really embrace the 1980's radio sound. It's a sweet love song about the new feelings at the beginning of a relationship. The song is delightfully honest and unfettered with sappy cliché.

Tell Me About It may be the most commercial song here, turning from a cascading piano opening to a straight ahead rock ballad that is radio ready. Someday Somehow embraces a lite-jazz sound that doesn't quite work. Sunday Somehow is presented as an easy-listening, adult contemporary work that would really work better as a rock ballad. The song carries a lot of natural tension, but that tension is washed out a bit here by the easy-going arrangement. Cheesecake Blues is a tongue-in-cheek song about the narrator's favorite significant other. The song is well written and well performed, and destined to be a concert favorite.

Moonwalk is a darkly beautiful song. There's not a lot more I can say about it, just listen to it. To Dad is a sweet paternal ode that will hit home with listeners who have lost a parent or loved one. Other highlights include Summer Blues, Waiting, Inside My Heart and Can I Say I Love You. Boggie has certainly saved the best for last here. Can I Say I Love You is the sort of song that artists line up to put their own stamp on. It's quite conceivable that if Boggie never writes of performs again that she could make a living on the proceeds from this song.

Boggie slips seamlessly from rock to jazz to blues to neo-classical and back throughout Seeing Angels. She is an incredibly talented and versatile pianist and composer, with a distinct vocal sound that will make her instantly memorable. As with any particularly distinct vocalist (Kate Bush, Nellie McKay, Neil Young) there will be some who just won't get her voice, but it has a singular odd beauty and sweetness that gives real credibility to her daringly honest and open songwriting style. Seeing Angels is a very strong debut, and definitely worth your time.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Boggie, as well as purchase a copy of Seeing Angels at http://www.boggie.net/ or www.myspace.com/boggiemusic. You can download Boggie songs at www.itunes.com/boggie. Seeing Angels appears to be currently available only as a download.

Review: The Roundabouts - ...Nothing To See But The Sun

The Roundabouts - …Nothing To See But The Sun
2008, The Roundabouts

Toronto alt-rock duo The Roundabouts have a bit of a musical pedigree. Adriana Sgro (vox/keys) and Mike Steiner (guitars) were co-founders of Waiting For Lucy, who released the moderately successful Pictura on EMI Records. After the breakup of Waiting For Lucy, Sgro and Steiner continued to play and write together, and before long had enough material to think about recording again. Taking their name from a song on Pictura (a Roundabout is more commonly known in the US as a traffic circle), Sgro and Steiner were ready to go. The end result is …Nothing To See But The Sun, a wonderfully broad rock record with strong pop sensibility, great hooks, and the arching vocals of Adriana Sgro. It’s a treat!

Nothing To See But The Sun opens with the wonderfully poppy That’s No Lie; sounding like something The Cranberries might have written. Adriana Sgro is a much more laid back vocalist than Dolores O’Riordan and has a much more pleasant sound. Say I continues with a strongly pop oriented sound with a little more of a rock background. Every Now And Then is a gorgeous love song that has real commercial potential. Waiting In The Wings highlights another comparison often made about The Roundabouts. It has a No Doubt feel to it. While The Roundabouts do manage to sound both like Cranberries and No Doubt at times, the reminiscence is passing. The listener ultimately realizes that The Roundabouts are their own creation, borrowing from the pop lexicon of sounds as all bands do, but interpreting sounds into their own original brand.

Be sure to check out the repressed energy of My State Of Mind’s opening bars before it breaks out into pure neurotic epiphanies of sound. Also be sure to check out Perfect, my personal favorite track here. The Roundabouts extend their rock edge forward on Perfect in a blow off the roof performance that could make significant impact on radio if released as a single. Other notable tracks are Be Brave (She’s Not Here), The Game and the acoustic take on Every Now And Then.

Toronto has always been a seething cauldron for all that’s wonderful and all that’s awful about Rock and Roll. The Roundabouts come in on the upside with Nothing To See But The Sun. Outstanding writing and performance from Adriana Sgro and Mike Steiner, plus strong support from Dale Harrison (The Headstones) and Stan Miczek (Kim Mitchell, Sass Jordan, Honeymoon Suite) make for an outstanding debut for The Roundabouts.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about The Roundabouts at http://www.theroundabouts.com/, where you can purchase a copy of …Nothing To See But The Sun.

Review: Manze Dayila And The Nago Nation - Manze Dayila And The Nago Nation – Solé

Manze Dayila And The Nago Nation – Solé
2008, AS IS Entertainment

Manze Dayila was one of the Haitian refugees to enter the United States via a rickety boat at Miami Beach in the first half of this decade. Her story is as complicated as it is lucky, as many of those who entered the US in this fashion were returned to Haiti almost immediately due to repatriation agreements between the two countries. Whatever legal maneuvering may have occurred, Dayila remains in the US as a sign of the sort of social, political and artistic impact immigrants have continued to have in the United States since its inception. Her debut album, Solé, mixes West African rhythms, Haitia Vodou (Voodoo) themes, reggae spirit and western pop sensibilities into a delightful musical patois that is a thrill to the ears.

Solé opens with Kwi, an eclectic West African pop tune. For my readers the closest association I can give you is Paul Simon ala Rhythm Of The Saints. The music is wonderful intricate and tuneful, and Manze Dayila has a hauntingly beautiful voice. Simbi D’Lo offers up an electronic vision of traditional Haitian music, including some very unique rhythm work. That Feeling is full of the sort of pop/world interplay that informed and infused many of the Peter Gabriel sponsored Real World recordings. This song could work in the pop/R&B realm as is. Bennchoumy Elian offers the rhymes on this track with a sound very reminiscent of French rapper Ste. I Want To Be Free is an uplifting R&B/West African hybrid again featuring Elian with real commercial potential. Other highlights include Papa Loko, Ibo, Solé and Ikonodub.

Manze Dayila is a very talented songwriter/performer with a top notch band behind her. In Solé she has created one of the more accessible and boundary pressing World albums I’ve heard in some time. The music on Solé will appeal to fans of World music, but is western enough in flavor to appeal to popular music fans who may not normally go there. Manze Dayila will hopefully continue making albums for some time to come.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Manze Dayila at www.myspace.com/manzedayila. You can purchase a copy of Solé at www.cdbaby.com/cd/manzedayila.

Review: Manze Dayila - Change (The Barack Obama Song)

Manze Dayila And The Nago Nation – Change (The Barack Obama Song)
2008, AS IS Entertainment

While we don’t generally review single songs, Manze Dayila recently released Change (The Barack Obama Song) in the final days of the 2008 US Presidential Election. The song is an unabashed song of support for Obama’s candidacy, and retrospectively sounds like a celebration of Obama’s victory. The song centers around the Obama campaign’s central slogan (“Change We Can Believe In”) and is very repetitive yet jubilant. The song itself, as indicated, is somewhat repetitive, and sounds perhaps like the greater intent was to get a song of support out there rather than to take the time to craft something truly lyrically coherent. This is something of a departure for Dayila, whose other songs generally appear very well thought out and lyrically complete. Nevertheless the overall effect is a jubilant wall of sound in West African/Caribbean style that is entertaining and uplifting.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Manze Dayila at www.myspace.com/manzedayila. You can view the video of Change (The Barack Obama Song) on YouTube.

Review: SNAC - Songs For A New American Century

SNAC - Songs For A New American Century Vol. 1: Let Them Eat Cake
2008, Big Nose Music

Humor in music is not new, but there is a distinct difference between music with a sense of humor and novelty music. Songs For A New American Century Vol. 1: Let Them Eat Cake adeptly walks the line between the two with a spring in its step. Big Money opens the collection of twelve songs by lambasting the way that corporate and special interests have taken over our governance. When All The Earth Is Texas is a nationalistic ode to the Lone Star State. My God brings a bit of humorous religious fanaticism to the album while outlining one of the primary reasons for war in human existence.

Cool 2B Dumbb ironically celebrates the de-intellectualization of public discourse. The music throughout Songs For A New American Century Vol. 1: Let Them Eat Cake is mellow rock with world music influences and finely crafted melodies. SNAC is a collection of fine songwriters offering intelligent, sometimes funny lyrics and great hooks. The guitar work is excellent and builds a tight and highly listenable sound. The album closes out with Liberty Suite, a collection of three instrumental tunes that really show off SNAC's pop-rock sensibilities.

Songs For A New American Century Vol. 1: Let Them Eat Cake is a very pleasant listen: Smart, at times funny and always poignant. The musical compositions are well crafted and mellow. SNAC appears to have several songwriters who appear quite capable of entertaining. There's not really anything earth shattering here, but Songs For A New American Century Vol. 1: Let Them Eat Cake is definitely a pleasurable listen. Check it out.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Songs For A New American Century at http://www.bignosemusic.com/, where you can purchase a copy of Volume I: Let Them Eat Cake.

Review: Oneside - First, To Last

Oneside - First, To Last
2008, BOS Music

Oneside dares to be different. The Boston-based quartet plays from a love of Traditional American music, and this plays out throughout their full-length debut, First, To Last. While reveling in traditional country/folk styles, Oneside isn’t above updating their sound in the veins of jazz, rock, blues, funk, etc. The results are melodic, artful rock songs (with banjo!) that will soothe and challenge listeners as they wend their way through your consciousness to that deeper level that craves good, honest music.

The Letter opens First, To Last on a jaunty banjo-laden note. The Letter will have your toes tapping - you won't be able to resist its charm. Oh Sun continues in the energetic country/newgrass vein. Lisa slows things down a bit with a more traditional country sound. Vocalist Ned DeBary has a pleasant sound that is very easy on the ears, and eases the songs to the listener like a spoonful of sugar. Josephine has a CSNY feel to its haunting melody. Oneside finds themselves back in a country dance party groove on Got To Go; a highly commercial country/pop with traditional leanings and may well be the best song on First, To Last. Be sure also to check out Our Song, a peppy country tune that has Blue Rodeo leanings to it. Other highlights include Four Corners, Out Of My Tree, Into The Night, Last Radio and All Over Now.

Oneside has its roots firmly in country/newgrass but retains a certain pop/rock sensibility. Gorgeous melodies and strong instrumental arrangements make for a highly pleasant listen. First, To Last is a keeper that will satisfy fans of all styles of music. Country, folk and Americana fans will not be able to put this disc down.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Oneside at http://www.onesidemusic.com/, where you can purchase a copy of First, To Last as well as two other EPs from Oneside.

Review: She Swings, She Sways - Wasted Love Songs

She Swings, She Sways - Wasted Love Songs
2008, Authentic Records

From the home of Radar O’Reilly, Ottumwa, Iowa, comes She Swings, She Sways, an interesting Americana sextet you need to know a little more about. She Swings, She Sways has a very homey feel, like music you might play with friends sitting around a kitchen table on a Saturday night. It’s that at home feel that lends much of the charm to the band’s full length debut, Wasted Love Songs. Each band member contributed to the subject matter here. Stories of love lost or unrequited in the voice of Midwest sensibility and caution reach a crescendo of melancholy that approaches beauty. She Swings, She Sways tells their stories.

She Swings, She Sways has an easy on the ears, somewhat melancholy Americana sound that will set you at ease right off the bat. What I Wouldn't Do, the opening track, is one of the peppier tracks on Wasted Love Songs. This is a song with commercial potential even in spite of the traditional acoustic instrumentation. It's the sort of song that shows up in movie and television soundtracks. Don't be surprised if this song gets heavily licensed. Evelyn's Green is a lilting ballad with a gorgeous melody and a tactful send of lyric imagery. She Swings, She Sways comes off sounding like a cross between Jason Plumb and Toad The Wet Sprocket.

He Loves Me is an upbeat country duet between Cory Canny and Diana Garles. The low key vocals counter the emotional tension that runs through the song, and the Simon and Garfunkel-esque harmonies make for a sweet if slightly surreal sound. You Stole My Heart is pure sweet country balladeering. Other highlights include Highway, Sing To Me and Even So.

She Swings, She Sways has a very mellow, easy-going approach to their music that fans will find refreshing. Strong songwriting, outstanding musicianship and a knack for great hooks make Wasted Love Songs a sonic treat! This is a fine recording that deserves much attention.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about She Swings, She Sways at http://www.sheswingsshesways.com/, where you can purchase a copy of Wasted Love Songs.

Review: Leah Randazzo - At The Root

Leah Randazzo - At The Root
2006, Leah Randazzo

Northampton, Massachussets hides a secret gem in Leah Randazzo: An artist who claims to be a shy homebody who gets sassy behind the microphone. Luckily for us the secret is out. Leah Randazzo traipses across boundaries between jazz, R&B and pop with a big, beautiful voice that demands to be heard. Her songwriting is mature well beyond her twenty-four years, and best of all she’s still at the stage in her career where you can see her in small venues. Her debut album, At The Root, is a stunning display of her charisma, voice, and surprising maturity as an artist at such a young age.

At The Root opens with My Weapon, a funk-laden jazz number that displays Randazzo's raw vocal presence in all of it's multi-hued glory. Leah Randazzo sounds like Fiona Apple with better phrasing and tone. Her voice runs hot like a stove pipe and drips with wanton energy throughout At The Root. All I Need In You mixes Tower Of Power horns with an Al Jarreau style arrangement for a very listenable musical patois. Passes Me By goes for a slightly more traditional jazz arc built around bass, percussion and minimalist guitar. Randazzo is at her most sultry here in a performance that will melt your speaker wires.

Leah Randazzo has an air about her that speaks of smoky 1940's nightclubs updated with a 1970's jazz/funk ethos. It's when Randazzo full embraces the older part of her jazz mix that she is at her most successful. Turn To Grey is a fine example, dialing down the sensuality a bit to deliver a purely outstanding vocal performance. Other highlights include Sweetness, Ain't It Funny and Morning Song; but Waiting For Alex is perhaps the virtuoso vocal performance of At The Root.

Leah Randazzo is a young performer with a big, seasoned voice. Listeners will be mesmerized by her sound, and At The Root will likely become a favorite of many readers who give it a chance. Now is the time to get on board the Randazzo train. Her shows are still small and accessible. Someday you can tell your kids as you hear her on the radio or get ready to go see a show at various stadia that you once saw her in 2008 or 2009 in a small club of 50 people. Don’t wait too long. The secret’s getting out. Leah Randazzo is on her way.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Leah Randazzo at www.myspace.com/leahrandazzogroup. You can purchase copies of At The Root at www.cdbaby.com/cd/randazzo.

Review: The Josh Davis Band - Get Awesome

The Josh Davis Band - Get Awesome

2008, Authentic Records

The Josh Davis Band hail from Des Moines, IA, and bring with them some of the Midwest sensibility that Iowa is known for. Straightforward rock and roll with a bit of country twang is the rule here. The Josh Davis Band’s third album, Get Awesome, marks some changes for the band. New personnel and a new focus are in evidence, as the band seems to get their feet under them and are all moving in tandem in one direction for perhaps the first time. The results are positive.

Josh Davis has some good old rock and roll spirit running through his veins. Big guitar sound and bigger choruses wrap around lyrics about classic rocker themes. Coal Black Heart is a prime example, extolling the talents of a particular woman in contrast to her ruthless side. Tamborine Girl is similar, painting an aural picture of the sort of free spirit who always shows up at concerts (usually standing right in front of you). Messages From Mars slows things down a bit with an introspective song that after numerous listens I still haven't been able to figure out what its about.

For The Last Time Liza is a memorable tune; it’s an acoustic drop out that may be the best written song on the album. It becomes quite apparent that The Josh Davis Band really finds their footing in this stripped down setting. Other highlights include My, My Mary; Pocket Rocket and June.

The Josh Davis Band appears to embody some real songwriting and performance talent. When rocking out or when stripped down JDB finds real energy and essence in their music, communicating an authentic working class rock and roll mystique. Davis and band do get a little bogged down on the slower songs at times, like perhaps the focus just isn't there at times on the slower stuff. All in all, Get Awesome is an excellent offering. It's the sort of album that will be a long-term irregular play for most readers. Good enough to be memorable and desired listening, but perhaps not quite a staple.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about The Josh Davis Band at http://www.thejoshdavisband.com/. You can purchase a copy of Get Awesome from the Authentic Records website.

Review: Josh Charles - Josh Charles EP

Josh Charles - Josh Charles EP
2008, Josh Charles

Josh Charles is a Kansas City native who currently makes his base in Brooklyn. He started playing the blues in KC clubs as a teenager, and eventually came under the tutelage of none other than Dr. John. Charles has an eclectic musical style that is a wonder for the ears. Together with lyricist Ric Steele, Josh Charles has crafted six songs for the Josh Charles EP. This introductory offering is worth a listen.

Josh Charles makes music on a playground full of funk, classic soul, country, pop and even some jazz sensibility. His self-titled EP mixes all of these elements in a musical collage that is surprising and uplifting. Stars has a Garth Brooks country feel to it and an uplifting message about those who have passed on. Love, Work and Money has a funk heart that drives it right into your ears and down to your feet. You'll dance in spite of yourself. It Ain't Easy brings Charles down to earth with a Bill Withers style ballad, while Pickin' Up The Pieces shows Charles' Motown side. The Answer has an almost southern gospel flavor that seems to fit Josh Charles very well. Actually it would seem that Josh Charles might play almost anything well. I'd be equally happy to hear him singing jazz, blues, pop, country or gospel. The EP closes with I'm Always Here For You, a torch song if ever there was one.

Josh Charles has a voice that is warm and full of soul. He fits perfectly with this material and gives a performance that will light up rooms and melt hearts. The style here doesn't necessarily lend itself to pop radio, but signficant licensing and play on Adult Contemporary radio is certainly not out of the question. This is the sort of artist you might expect to never get so big they're not accessible, but be big enough to live very comfortable and continue to make music all of their lives. Josh Charles is that kind of singer and songwriter.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Josh Charles at http://www.joshcharlesmusic.com/. You can purchase a copy of the Josh Charles EP at www.cdbaby.com/cd/joshcharles, or you can purchase the download from Amazon.com or iTunes.

Review: The Who At Kilburn: 1977 (DVD)

The Who – The Who At Kilburn: 1977
2008, Image Entertainemnt

The Who At Kilburn: 1977 is a wonderfully misleading title. Not only do you get the Kilburn, North London show from December 15, 1977, but the highlights and bonuses from a 1969 London Coliseum gig as well! That's two DVDs and 138 minutes of The Who live! The Kilburn gig is legendary among fans of The Who. The show was invite only and was filmed for The Kids Are Alright. It was also one of the last times that Keith Moon performed live with the band. Bootlegs have circulated of this show for years, but The Who At Kilburn: 1977 has been digitally restored, remastered and is presented as a highly watchable professional product. Highlights of this show include Baba O’Reilly, Behind Blue Eyes, Pinball Wizard and Won’t Get Fooled Again.

The Kilburn show is a bit ragged, with a lot of the sort of energy you’d see channeled into punk music. Townsend was crazed on stage for this show, and Moon was at his most energetic. Even with the occasional flub (and there are a few), The Who were very much in form for The Kilburn show.

But wait. For all the talk about The Kilburn show, you also get footage from London in 1969. This may be the best part of the deal. 1969 saw The Who at the arch of their onstage energy and power. Included here is the first ever live, longform performance of Tommy. Other highlights include Young Man Blues, My Generation and I’m Free.

The set also comes with a very nice booklet including liner notes by Richard Barnes (The Who: Maximum R&B), Richard Evans (The Who’s Art Director), Alan Light (Spin, Vibe magazines) and Nigel Sinclair (movie producer, media icon). All in all this is a great bargain, and it must be driving fans of the band crazy to wait for the November 18, 2008 release date. Some folks won’t enjoy all of the camera work, as the angles do seem a bit off at times. It’s good to remember that whoever put this package was working with footage shot 31 and 39 years ago, respectively. Despite it’s flaw, The Who At Kilburn: 1977 is worth every cent.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about The Who at http://www.rockhall.com/inductee/the-who. You can purchase a copy of The Who At Kilburn: 1977 at Amazon.com

Review: Margot Blanche - Pages In My Diary

Margot Blanche - Pages In My Diary
2008, Oriole Entertainment

Margot Blanche’s influences are many and varied. Raised in Hong Kong, her website describes her as a French-Filipino NuSoul songstress. She grew up with the sounds of old time jazz on the periphery. Her musical loves gravitated toward pop soul (Whitney, Mariah) and she engaged in classical voice training from the age of nine. What Blanche does more than anything is break down barriers. She has found a way to mesh musical styles you would not think would go well (classic jazz and modern soul/hip hop). While some of this has been done before, it’s not been done Margot Blanche style. Her full-length DIY debut album, Pages In My Diary is revelatory and new. I hope you’re sitting down, and I hope you’re ready to get up and move.

Margot Blanche stands out in the world of popular music. She's part Madonna, part Suicide Girl and part Billie Holliday. Engaging in a stage show that borrows heavily from old-time burlesque, Blanche adds a sense for popular music sounds that are universally popular as well as a voice and composure that speaks of the best singers of the torch era. The music on Pages In My Diary is as changeable and moody as her varied interests might suggest. You're Here opens like a classic jazz standard before morphing into an R&B Slow Jam. Lonely Heart follows the same path, with Blanche's first sung lines emulating the megaphone style of the 1930's. The jazz horns that open the tune mesh with electronic beats in a surprisingly palatable mix of genres. At the heart of all of this is Blanche's voice, which is exceedingly pleasant with just a hint of edge to it.

The material on Pages In My Diary might indicate that Blanche's range is somewhat limited, but nothing could be further from the truth. The limited range displayed here is more stylistic than voice related. Check out some of the footage on her site from live shows to see what I mean. She uses every bit of voice she has to full effect with a silky, soulful sound that will turn heads. Leather & Lace is a classic jazz club style song updated for 2008. This is cutting edge pop music the way Like A Virgin was in 1985. Margot Blanche has that kind of presence on CD. Her vision of mixing classic jazz/nightclub sounds with modern pop is daring and refreshing and works much better than I would have originally thought. Her palpable vocal sensuality will sell an awful lot of records/CDs/downloads for the label that signs her and promotes her properly.

You Don't Know What Love Is takes a classic R&B style tune and laces it with a vulnerable air that weighs on the listener. Other highlights include Beautiful Soul, the 1960's throwback Superloverman (complete with LP background noise), Starry and At The End. At The End is Margot Blanche letting down her guard at the end of an unforgettable performance. Gone are all of the electronic beats and effects, pretensions or character portrayals. This is the singer at her most stripped down and vulnerable. Wow. At The End puts the entirety of Pages In My Diary into perspective.

Margot Blanche is a dynamo. There are many pop performers with talent. There are many pop performers with a shtick or character or public personality they pour themselves into and through. There are even a bunch of folks in the pop universe who can strip all of the pretensions away and just flat out give a great performance. It's not entirely uncommon to find folks who have two of the three above. Triple threats are rare indeed. Margot Blanch is a triple threat. Give Blanche the right support and promotion and you're looking at your next pop megastar. The music business has changed, and the days of the megastar may be behind us, but Margot Blanche is one to watch. Pages In My Diary is required listening, and a Wildy’s World Certified Desert Island Disc.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Margot Blanche at http://www.margotblanche.com/. You can currently download tracks from Pages In My Diary for free at Margot Blanche’s website. CD release information will be forthcoming at her website. Blanche is also gigging actively in New York City. From the videos on her webpage the shows are definitely worth a night out.

Review: Ping Trace - Traces

Ping Trace – Traces
2008, Mrs. Johnson Music

You take an IT guy from Virginia exposed to too much bad TV and throw him in the tank with a rock vocalist from Colorado. Together they play around with beats and sounds until they find something that works for them and they run like crazy with it. This is the genesis of Ping Trace. Sven and Lynnae offer up their debut EP, Traces, on Mrs. Johnson Music.

Traces comes across as a musical exercise in the old quadrant drawing technique you might have learned in high school. The theory is that if you take a picture and break it up into small squares and work on seeing/drawing the small squares you break the picture down into manageable pieces. This allows the artist to focus on the detail and perspective a little at a time rather than being overwhelmed by the objet d'art. Traces sounds like it may have been constructed in much the same fashion. A grid of beats and measures is established and then each measure is filled in distinctively. This approach creates a disjointed song structure that moves from sound to sound and sound set to sound set rather than creating a recognizable progression we might identify as a song or songs.

The songs on Traces likely will play well for relaxation or in a mellow club/rave, but there's not really a lot of life or personality that comes out in the songs. The vocals of Lynnae are sufficient when present, but don't really add any spark to Traces. The recording certainly lacks the vibrancy and sass one might expect. Don't get me wrong, the disc is an enjoyable listen, ideal for relaxation or background, but just doesn't live up to its potential. I am sorry to report that Traces just comes off flat.

Rating: 2 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Ping Trace at http://www.pingtracemusic.com/. You can purchase a copy of Traces at Amazon.com.

Review: Adrianne Greenbaum - Adrianne Greenbaum – FleytMuzik: In Kontsert!

Adrianne Greenbaum – FleytMuzik: In Kontsert!
2008, FleyMuzik

Adrianne Greenbaum and FleyMuzik are bringing Klezmer music back to it's European Roots. Wooden flute, hammered dulcimer and percussion are the prime elements here, providing a sound that's more reminiscent of 18th Century Europe than much of the Klezmer played today. The album has a Gypsy music feel to it that recalls its Middle-Eastern roots. FleytMuzik: In Kontsert! is a collection of 31 lives songs that will cut right to heart of history.

Adrianne Greenbaum is a master on the flute, renowned in both Classical and Klezmer circles. In Kontserti is her Master Class, providing both music fans and musicians with aural food for thought. The CD opens with Sher and an opportunity for Greenbaum to show off her virtuoso flute play leading into a lilting tune that sounds almost more like an Irish Jig than anything else. Dobridyen is full of melancholy sadness and speaks of generations of suffering. Freylekhs is a frantic run, almost sounding like a chase. Other highlights include Khosidi, Rivkele's Hora, Old People's Dance, Hangul and Rumanian Sirba.

Adrianne Greenbaum speaks to the heart of European-Jewish musical tradition. Klezmer as it was played several hundred years ago is alive and well here. FleytMuzik: In Kontsert! is a musical time-trip that is well worth the venture.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about FleytMuzik and Adrianne Greenbaum at http://www.klezmerflute.com/. You can purchase a copy of FleytMuzik: In Kontsert! at www.cdbaby.com/cd/greenbaum3.

Review: Cavashawn - Cavashawn EP

Cavashawn - Cavashawn EP
2008, Burning Man Music

Cavashawn has a rust belt intensity in their work ethic that fuels the cheerful intensity of their music. The Ohio born band base themselves out of Chicago these days, but carry with them an intense regional following they’ve built from years of hard work and passion. Also known for a time as Marking Twain, Cavashawn cooks up songs full of great hooks, gorgeous harmonies and a strong pop sensibility. Their debut EP, Cavashawn is an exciting introduction!

Cavashawn opens with Out Of My Mind, sounding like something Weezer cooked up while jamming with Matchbox 20. The song is built on some great hooks, strong harmonies and a highly memorable melody. It also has just enough rock attitude to set it apart from your typical radio/guitar pop. Madison is a rueful ode to an unreachable love with great pop/rock commercial possibilities. Thrill is a driving rock tune built on a walking piano line and lush harmonies. Thrill is best track on Cavashawn and the sort of tune that could make significant impact on pop/rock radio. The EP closes with the introspective Just Because. There's a definite resemblance to Matchbox 20 on this track.

Cavashawn brings a strong pop sense to commercially accessible guitar rock. An amazingly pleasant voice, great melodic reach and arching harmonies make this a delicious little sampler. If Cavashawn can deliver this type of material consistently over time it's going to be one long, successful career. Expect to hear these guys everywhere in the not too distant future.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Cavashawn at http://www.cavashawn.com/ or www.myspace.com/cavashawn. You can purchase a copy of the Cavashawn EP at www.cdbaby.com/cd/cavashawn.

Review: Brooke Miller - You Can See Everything

Brooke Miller - You Can See Everything

2007, Hickory Records

Brooke Miller hails from Prince Edward Island in Canada, which should tell you something about her upbringing. In case you’re not familiar, PEI was physically isolated from the rest of Canada until something like ten years ago. PEI offers a difficult, almost frontier lifestyle and residents tend to be hard working, resourceful, DIYers: Building their own homes, developing their own entertainments, etc. Miller grew up in the culture of kitchen parties, a Celtic/Scottish tradition passed down through the descendants of the sons and daughters of Ireland and Scotland in Eastern Canada. A kitchen party is essentially family and friends sitting around a table with food, drink, and whatever instruments people happen to own. These often turn into all night affairs. While the traditional Celtic sounds she grew up with don’t inform Brooke Miller’s music, it’s easy to see the effect this acculturation had on her songwriting. On her second album, You Can See Everything, Miller offers up ten songs full of the love of music and the art of storytelling that lies at the heart of the Celtic tradition.

You Can See Everything opens with World On A Whim, a tuneful country rocker that's hummable from the first bar. Brooke Miller has a unique deep alto voice that is not often heard in country music. Her voice is warm and beautiful without being pretty or sweet. There's a motherly quality to her voice that is both comforting and disconcerting at the same time. Two Soldiers is a prime example of this warmth. Miller's voice is both warm and gentle, yet wise and deep like the springs of time. Trouble Where You Seek It is a funky little rocker that will have your toes tapping and your feet wanting to get up and dance.

Miller slows things down a bit on Everywhere, a sweet and melancholy love song that you won't be able to get out of your head. You Can See Everything is a Classic AM pop tune on acoustic guitar. You Can See Everything takes a positive turn as a love song, showing an optimism that is all the more remarkable for its lack elsewhere. Having a pair of ballads out of here system, Miller rocks out Americana style of Country From The Dome Car, a pleasantly frenetic tune with real commercial kick. Other highlights include There You Are (Orchestral version), What Kind Of Move, Am Song and There You Are (Naked version).

Brooke Miller has a distinctive voice and songwriting style that will set her apart from the host of folk/country/Americana musicians currently out there. Miller is eminently talented as a songwriter and performer, and her voice is the sort that could lull you into listening to her all day long. You Can See Everything is an outstanding collection that is very much worth checking out. You'll kick yourself later if you don't give it a try.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Brooke Miller at http://www.brookemiller.ca/. You can order a copy of You Can See Everything from CCNow.

Review: Anis Hoffman - The Name Of This Album Is Self-Titled

Anis Hoffman – The Name Of This Album Is Self-Titled

2008, Anis Hoffman

Greensboro, NC native Anis Hoffman currently bases himself out of Boston, with a sound reminiscent of the 1960’s folk icons. Teaching himself to play guitar starting at the age of 15, the nineteen year old has developed quickly into a singer/songwriter with great potential. Hoffman’s debut CD, The Name Of This Album Is Self-Titled shows his youth at times, particularly lyrically, but illustrates a talented artist and songwriter rounding the last corner of youthful awkwardness into awakening.

Opening with Patriot Game, Hoffman comes off as a poor man's Bob Dylan. There is something to his style and sound that is reminiscent of Dylan’s but lyrically Hoffman comports himself as a young songwriter. What Hoffman has in the sense of an authentic sound gets somewhat muddled in a lyric awkwardness that may be part affectation but generally jars the listener in an uncomfortable fashion. All I Want comes across as something of a manic rant where stream of consciousness overcomes cogent thought. Bisbo sounds (musically) like something you might hear at the back of the Indigo Girls bus, but the lyrical ham-footedness of Hoffman turns this into a long listen.

Hoffman turns the corner on Another Moment Of Your Life, showing the potential he has as a songwriter and performer. Eraserhead maintains this new chutzpah that elevates Hoffman's rants into the rarified air of great songwriting. Unfortunately things generally fall apart from there. So Much Time shows some presence, but the rest of the album gets mired in sophomoric lyricism mixed with an overly expansive sense of the rhythm of a song.

Anis Hoffman has real potential. There are two or three tracks here that show how talented Hoffman is. If he learns to discipline that talent, to sharpen the focus of his songwriter's pen down to a narrow point he may achieve great success. For now he is entertaining and carries with him that air of what might be. The Name Of This Album Is Self-Titled is a worthy study of the artist and definitely worth a listen.

Rating: 2.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Anis Hoffman at www.myspace.com/anishoffman. You can purchase a copy of The Name Of This Album Is Self-Titled at www.cdbaby.com/cd/anishoffman.

Review: John Taglieri - Everything We Are

John Taglieri - Everything We Are
2008, Leap Dog Music

East Rutherford, New Jersey’s John Taglieri has built buzz the old fashioned way. He keeps putting out music and touring relentlessly. Along the way he’s earned the respect of industry pros, critics and fans alike. Taglieri’s fifth release, Everything We Are, is a revelatory statement about the power of pop music. This might be the one that vaults John Taglieri into the national consciousness.

John Taglieri opens Everything We Are with the title track. Everything We Are (A Toast) is a glorious pop/rock paean to friends, acquaintances and loves both present and future. It is a musical celebration of life and hope built within an absolutely infectious rock and roll shell. This is the sort of song that can capture public imagination on radio over a summer. At the very least most anyone who hears this song will find a time or place in their present or past life where it applies. It's purely optimistic and yet avoids cliche by being fresh and authentic. Taglieri continues the pop/rock perfection on Open Up To Me. If Taglieri had been making music in the mid-1980's when MTV was just starting he'd own his home state of New Jersey by now. Lonely Together is another pop rocker with extreme commercial punch. Taglieri's music isn't commercial by virtue of adhering to pop formulae so much as by being so bloody, infectiously good you can't get it out of your head.

Get You Back slows things down a bit for the requisite pop ballad. Taglieri sounds a little more prototypical here, and yet breaks the mold by avoiding lyrical sap in favor of optimistic pursuit of the object of his affection. John Taglieri cranks up the adrenaline a bit on Booty Call as the benefactor of a friend's calls who wishes for more than just the 3:00 AM calls. The song is sonically gorgeous with guitar work that if not complicated is tasty aural candy. The melody here is infectious to the point of contagion, and you will be humming this song for weeks. Living Without You goes for a slightly more stripped down sound and shows off Taglieri's voice against the sparse guitar/percussion opening verse. As always, the chorus is impossibly catchy and memorable, highlighting Taglieri's melodic and harmonic sensibilities in conjunction his seeming ability to always lay his fingers on the perfect hook. The bonus track Mac And Cheese has the same peppy/pop/rock sound that characterizes Taglieri's Everything We Are, in a pop confectionary ode to fake cheese powder and milk on elbow macaroni.

I'm a bit speechless, actually. John Taglieri displays a pop sense that is rare. He writes viable rock songs that are so contagiously fun you can't force them out of your head no matter how hard you try. Everything We Are is an absolute revelation and a reminder that you can make great pop music that's not inane and mindless. If Taglieri had come along at the start of MTV he'd own half the world right now. You don't want to miss out on this guy. No matter what the state of the music business he deserves a trip to the top. Everything We Are is a Wildy's World Certified Desert Island Disc. Check it out.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about John Taglieri at http://www.johntaglieri.com/. You can purchase a copy of Everything We Are at www.cdbaby.com/taglieri5.

Kottonmouth Kings - The Green Album

Kottonmouth Kings - The Green Album
2008, Suburban Noize Records

Kottonmouth Kings are revolutionaries in Indie Music. Don’t like the major labels? Start your own! How about your own clothing company. Put out ten albums over a nine year period while producing/releasing albums for as many as 20 other acts. Tour constantly. Is there time enough in the day? The Kottonmouth Kings have made the time. Along the way they’ve continued to make groundbreaking music that fuses rock, hip-hop and classic soul vibes. Their latest, The Green Album, continues in this vein.

Blaze Of Glory lyrically celebrates action and change yet is mired in a depressive and meandering arrangement. The rap celebrates overcoming a difficult start to life and yet is stuck in Sad-Sack Terziak mode. Rock Like Us turns the page with a more upbeat bit of musical trash-talk. The musical wrapping here is more sonic dissonance than support, but works for the dance club set. Trippin' has something to it that is memorable, capturing some of the energy that Kottonmouth Kings are capable of. Where I'm Goin' has a bit of a ballad feel to it, sounding much more mainstream than much of the material on The Green Album.

Be sure to check out Stand, which desperately wants to be an Americana tune. The chord progressions and lyrics suggest a much different arrangement lives on in this song with significant commercial potential. Freeworld is another song that wants to cross over into the pop/rock realm. Brother J grabs the mic on Freeworld to good effect, but this is another case where another arrangement suggests itself as a distinct possibility. Other highlights include What U In 4, Rainfall, Grass Is Greener and Plant A Seed.

Kottonmouth Kings have songwriting talent that wants, at times, to break out of the hip-hop pond they play in. Several songs here are potential pop/rock hits with the right arrangement. Stand in particular wants to express itself in a different way and just might make a huge hit for the artist who hears that other arrangement and helps it escape. The Green Album is definitely not recommended for the under-18 set, as most parents would not appreciate the constant drug references, but all in all it's a pretty decent album. I was pleasantly surprised.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Kottonmouth Kings at http://www.kottonmouthkings.com/. You can purchase a copy of The Green Album at Amazon.com or wherever music is sold.

Review: Smashing Pumpkins - If All Goes Wrong (DVD)

Smashing Pumpkins – If All Goes Wrong (DVD)
2008, Coming Home Media

I really don’t need to tell you much about Smashing Pumpkins. Billy Corrigan and crew filled the post-grunge void in the 1990’s with intelligent art-rock that has helped to define a generation of alt-rock musical sound. The band’s breakup several years ago was an emotionally devastating experience to hard core fans. Their subsequent reunion was a jubilant one. If All Goes Wrong, available November 11, 2008, chronicles a residency at The Fillmore in San Francisco, including a documentary, a fan featurette entitled “Voices Of The Ghost Children” and an interview with Pete Townshend of The Who.

Clocking in at 4 hours and 31 minutes, this 2-DVD set is everything Smashing Pumpkins’ fans could have asked for and more. The Fillmore Residency Concert (most of Disc Two) is vintage Smashing Pumpkins, right down to the devastating take on Zeitgeist. The concert also features five previously unreleased tracks (Peace+Love; 99 Floors; Untitled; No Surrender and Gossamer). A bonus on disc two features five songs from a Fillmore rehearsal on July 27, 2007 with two more previously unreleased tracks (Mama and Promise Me). If this was the whole package fans would be happy, but Disc One features a documentary on the making of If All Goes Wrong; the above mentioned featurette and the odd interview with Townshend.

I should mention that this collection is not for casual fans. Several of the songs here have been reworked from their original forms. Many of the songs in concert are stripped down/acoustic, and Gossamer becomes a jam that lasts for better than twenty-five minutes (without every losing it’s energy). This is just the sort of post-artistic exclamation point you’d expect from Smashing Pumpkins.

Smashing Pumpkins will always have a rabid and vibrant following. If All Goes Wrong is the truest testament as to why one could offer. As concert films go this is the cream of the crop. If your interest goes deeper than Bullet With Butterfly Wings, than this collection is for you. And if you’ve heard about them for years but never checked out the Pumpkins, start here.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Smashing Pumpkins at http://www.smashingpumpkins.com/. You can purchase If All Goes Wrong at Amazon.com or wherever music is sold.

Review: Black Suit Karma - Negative White

Black Suit Karma - Negative White
2008, Black Suit Karma

Conway, Arkansas' Black Suit Karma come looking for a fight. The tough and opinionated band don't heel well to their Red State roots. They also don't adhere to the DIY concept of killing themselves on the road. The band just came into full force in April of 2008; by July they were in the studio. Their debut CD, Negative White, combines Sabbath-style rockers with introspective, dark metal sensitivities, and announces to the world that Black Suit Karma is ready to rock.

Black Suit Karma hasn’t gone the traditional route of significant gigging together to build a buzz. Comprised of vocalist Norman Wilkerson, guitarist Tommy Johnson, bassist Rus and drummer Jeremy Parker, Black Suit Karma feel they’ve hit upon a unique convergence of people and talent and are destined to take the rock/metal world by storm. While the jury’s still out on the end result, there is no doubt there is a certain chemistry running through Negative White. Agony Of Solitude comes off the rails with a pulsing energy you have to hear to believe. Omega Horse has a sort of dark, brooding charm that won’t quite go away. Mosh, Fight Or F### is pure punk rock in metallic clothing. The class of the album is Lovers Or Leeches, which is both dark and fitting but also wildly commercial.

Black Suit Karma is a potentially explosive band. They do seem to get caught up in an alt-rock melancholy at times that seems to perhaps slow them down, but this may be more stylistic choice than deficit. Negative White should appeal to fans of later Metallica, Alice In Chains, Rob Zombie and the Misfits. While Negative White on the whole is not a purely commercial album, there are enough commercial earmarks here to push sales, and enough rock/metal credibility to establish Black Suit Karma as a force to be reckoned with.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Black Suit Karma at www.myspace.com/blacksuitkarma, where you can purchase a copy of Negative White.

Review: Jackie Morris - Money To Burn

Jackie Morris – Money To Burn
2008, Button Box Records

Jackie Morris has come a long way from her working class immigrant roots in Queens, NY, but it’s quite evident she’s never forgotten where she came from. Morris recalls her parents stories and songs as primary influences on her development and presumably her songwriting. Morris plays folk music that’s informed by a wealth of different styles, with lyrics that are in turn touching, funny, poignant and authentic. Morris’ 2nd album, Money To Burn contains 13 musical vignettes that will put you at ease right away. If you’re a Christine Lavin fan you’ll love Jackie Morris.

Money To Burn opens with Apache, a buddy song about one of Morris’ friends and her horse. It’s a surprisingly touching turn to start out the album. Solitary Socks is a witty ditty about a sock losing it’s mate. Bad News Train is a country-rock tune with a little bit of bite to it. This is a song that I could see being retooled and re-recorded to great effect by a country band. Morris’ delivery is very low key, but this could be one rockin’ country tune with real commercial potential. Morris ads a flamenco touch to Real Short Leash, and a honky-tonk styling to Everybody Needs Some Salsa. Be sure to check out Some Things Time Can’t Erase as well. It is the most touching song on Money To Burn.

Jackie Morris has a very understated delivery that might sometimes get in the way of some of her best material. Her voice is exceedingly pleasant and her presentation of her own songs is more than competent, but you can hear some of these songs straining at their folk trappings. This isn’t a reflection of any deficit on the part of Ms. Morris. Quite the contrary: Jackie Morris is a fabulous songwriter. She has given life to the 13 songs here, but several of the songs take on a life of their own. Jackie Morris will make a good living off of her own songs, but in the long run she may make an even better one based on what others do with her songs. She has a wealth of songwriting talent that can’t stay hidden for long. Money To Burn is exquisite.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5).

You can learn more about Jackie Morris at http://www.jackiemorris.com/. You can purchase a copy of Money To Burn at www.cdbaby.com/cd/jackiemorris2.

Review: The Del Ripleys - Leisurama!

The Del Ripleys – Leisurama!
2008, Riviera Music

Coming out of Rancho Del Blazo, Illinois, The Del Ripleys are the outgrowth of Bobby Rivera and The Rivieras. Led by guitarist Bobby Rivera and vocalist Pauline York, The Del Ripleys have built a sound that is one part Dick Dale surf-rock, one part rockabilly and 100% cool-daddio retro rock. The Del Ripleys’ debut CD, Leisurama! is a trip down memory lane stylistically, while maintaining enough of an edge (ala The Stray Cats or The Squirrel Nut Zippers) to seem new and interesting.

Most of the songs on Leisurama! clock in under three minutes, sticking with time-honored principal of the three minute pop song. Wheelhouse is a guitar-led instrumental that sounds like the Surfaris gone cowboy (or like something from the Pulp Fiction soundtrack). Lovin’ Up A Storm is our first opportunity to hear Pauline York on vocals. Her throaty vocal style combined with Rivera’s Chuck Berry style guitar part is the perfect combination here. Antidote is built around a delicious violin lead that interplays with Rivera’s guitar like leaves in the wind.

Hate To Love Him sounds like a 1960’s R&B tune built around bar chords and a shuffle beat. #9 Train is pure rockabilly, and again displays Pauline York at the top of her game. I should explain that her voice isn’t pretty, per se. It’s brassy and full of rich tone and ultimately a pleasure to listen to. She has a very distinctive sound that fits into the R&B/rockabilly sound without the screaming of a Janis Joplin or Michelle Malone. Other highlights include Too Busy, Yellow Moon, Satisfied and Final Straw.

The Del Ripleys know how to go retro. With an obvious love for bands like Dick Dale, The Surfaris and even The Statler Brothers, The Del Ripleys come up with a sound that is rich in music history and yet surprisingly edgy. Bobby Rivera, Pauline York and band have hit on a perfect synthesis of their sounds that creates something more than the sum of their respective parts. Leisurama! is a pleasurable listen from start to finish, and is definitely worth your time to check out!

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about the Del Ripleys at www.myspace.com/bobbyriveraandtherivieras. You can purchase a copy of Leisurama! at http://www.bobbyriveramusic.com/.

Wildy's World Holiday Gift Guide - Part II

We continue with our multi-part gift guide, running on Sundays throughout the holiday season! These are (mostly) albums we've reviewed here in the last year that would make great gifts for the music lover in your life (even if it's you!) We'll cover five each week, and you can't go wrong with any of these! As always, if you click on the artist/title, you'll be taken to the review of the album published previously on Wildy's World!




Hollyfelds are a band that in a perfect world would be huge. This album is a musician's dream, and Saratoga would make an outstanding stocking stuffer!



Kylie Edmond - Weak
Yes, it's just a 3-song EP, but you'd be amazed how much pop poignance can be sunk into three songs. Kylie Edmond is quickly building buzz in New York City, and don't be surprised if she makes the jump to national status within the next few years. In the mean time, this EP is a great introduction, and a must have for gift-givers.



Nate & Kate - Fame By Frame
A classic collection of Folk/Americana that will leave you awestruck. Nate Marshall is a songwriter to be reckoned with. With the right breaks he will leave his mark on the music business. He's not a bad juggler either. Your music fan will be very, very happy with this selection!



The Frantic - Audio & Murder
The Frantic are a post-punk rock outfit with pop leanings and tremendous song crafting ability. This is the perfect gift for your little rocker. Sharp, incisive lyrics, big guitar sound and a sense of humor to boot. A great gift!



Blue Rabbit - Separate
Baroque Rock at it's finest. Popular music with a classical feel. Orchestration includes cello and dulcimer, and three part harmonies that sound like angels from heaven. This is for the music fan who's heard everything. Show them they haven't. This might just be one of the best CDs of 2008.

Review: Various Artists - 100 Greatest (Spoken Word)

Various Artists – 100 Greatest

2008, Shout! Factory Records

100 Greatest is a 5-CD box set, also available as single CDs, offering up snippets of the The 100 Greatest Speeches, News Stories, Personalities, Scandals and Sports Moments of modern history. Each CD in fact has 99 tracks. The collection reflects a significant amount of research and editing done by the producers of this collection. Some of the snippets offered up here are as familiar as a high school civics lesson while others are more obscure but all relate in some way to significant moments in world history.

Over the course of 5-CDs (each compartmentalized into one of the categories listed above), you get to hear less than a minute from each of the selected events. This is great if you want a short audio quote for a ringtone or for a notification on your computer, but is equivalent to listening to 2 lines from a speech and trying to understand the climate/events that surround it. It’s impossible, and from a listener perspective the set is unsatisfying. Intellectually speaking it simply leaves the listener wanting more. Most of the material here is available on-line through sound files, and I am just not certain that this particular set (or even individual CDs) is really worth the expenditure.

The best CD in the set is the 100 Greatest Speeches, where at least some great quotes from history are captured on tape. Even one of US President-Elect Barack Obama’s speeches makes the collection (“We are the change we seek”). Also included are Ronald Reagan’s “Tear down this wall” speech, Martin Luther King’s “I have a dream” speech and timeless moments from Winston Churchill and JFK. This is not for history buffs though. They will likely be wholly unsatisfied.

Look, it was a nice idea. The concept is good. But there’s just too many things covered on each CD to provide much real substance from any one of them. This is the sort of CD set that people get as gifts and then rarely listen to. If you’re considering 100 Greatest as a gift for a family member or friend who’s a history buff or news-a-holic or what have you, give it some more thought before you buy.

Rating: 1 Star (Out of 5)

You can purchase 100 Greatest at Amazon.com.

Review: The Best Of Bond... James Bond

Various Artists – The Best Of Bond… James Bond
2008, Capitol/EMI Records

In the world of movies, they are a vast list of sequels and series. Series like Star Wars, Indiana Jones and Harry Potter all have explosive box office sales and rabid fan bases, but none of them has the longevity of the SIS (MI6) Commander. Bond has graced the silver screen 22 times (including 2008’s Quantum Of Solace). Bond is the creation of British journalist Ian Fleming, and has been the subject of several authors over time (Fleming passed away in 1964). Over the course of 22 movies (and 22 soundtracks), the James Bond line has developed a significant number of songs identified with various movies. The Best Of Bond… James Bond is an attempt to cull the best, or at least most recognizable of those songs into one collection.

The Best Of Bond… James Bond is not just a retrospective, but also something of a sociological study of the changes in popular music over the last 40+ years. The CD features artists as diverse as Shirley Bassey, Louis Armstrong, Chris Cornell, Paul McCartney, Duran Duran and Sheryl Crow (just to name a few). Many of these songs have been popular hits over the years, and most music fans will recognize much of the material presented here. Highlights include Duran Duran’s A View To A Kill, McCartney’s Live And Let Die, Bassey’s Goldfinger and two selections from John Barry Orchestra: the James Bond Theme and On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. You could pick most any song from the CD and substitute it in for one of the ones above. This is the cream of the crop from the 21 previous films, so there is much material to choose from.

James Bond is an enduring as the art of making movies. It’s hard to imagine the franchise ever going away. Each new generation rediscovers Bond and aside from one or two movies along the way, Bond never seems to lose steam. The Best Of Bond… James Bond is a worthy testament to the staying power of Agent 007. Music fans of all ages and ilks will find something to love here. Bond fans will eat this up.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about James Bond at http://www.007.com/. You can purchase a copy of The Best Of Bond… James Bond at Amazon.com.

Review: Soul Men - Original Soundtrack

Original Motion Picture Soundtrack – Soul Men
2008, STAX Records

Soul Men (the movie) will be released in theaters on November 7, 2008. It is the story of a fictional classic soul outfit called The Real Deal. Samuel L. Jackson (playing Louis Hinds) and Bernie Mac (Floyd Henderson) play the two backup vocalists to John Legend’s Marcus Hooks character. After the group disbands, Jackson & Mac don’t speak for 20 years, until the death of Hooks. At that point they are called upon to play a tribute show at The Apollo. Hinds and Henderson have 5 days of cross-country travel to bury the hatchet (or each other) before the show. Unfortunately this was one of Bernie Mac’s last projects before his untimely death earlier this year.

The soundtrack is made of classic soul and R&B music. From contributions by Isaac Hayes (Never Can Say Goodbye) and longtime STAX recording artist Eddie Floyd (I’ve Never Found A Girl (To Love Me Like You Do)) to updates by Anthony Hamilton (Soul Music) and Me'Shell Ndegéocello (Water), Soul Men is chock full of the sort of R&B that ruled the radio in the 1960’s. The most entertaining numbers here are the ones sung by Samuel L. Jackson and Bernie Mac. Both are surprisingly passable singers (whether that’s them or studio effects who can tell?), and their songs are entertaining. Boogie Ain’t Nuttin’ (But Getting’ Down) and Do Your Thing would both have been potential hits 30 or 40 years ago. Each song mixes the right blend of reverence and camp to be successful both as tribute and as original creation. Jackson and Mac also pitch in on I’m Your Puppet, with John Legend on lead vocals. I’m Your Puppet would fit nicely into the original STAX catalog.

Soul Men is true to the genre of music it’s built against. It would have been easy to lampoon classic R&B and soul in the same cartoonish sense as The Blues Brothers, but the creators of Soul Men decided to go for more nuance. The comedy on screen in the movie (Can’t comment either way, haven’t seen it) is backed up by a musical background of reverently performed classic sounds. This is a disc that fans of the movie will love, and it’s the sort of disc you could give to a parent/friend who loves classic 60’s R&B, even if they’d never see the movie. A class recording!

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about the movie Soul Men at http://www.soulmenmovie.com/. You can purchase a copy of the Soul Men soundtrack at Amazon.com. Be sure to check out some of the classic recordings of Eddie Floyd and Isaac Hayes as well. It’ll do you good.

Review: Paul Jeffery - Seven Shades Of Grey

Paul Jeffery - Seven Shades Of Grey
2007, Paul Jeffery

Paul Jeffery is a West Yorkshire, England based singer/songwriter who is known for his intensity onstage. The man literally is booked all the time. He's played for rooms in the single digits as well as for crowds in the tends of thousands, and he pours his heart into every single show. Jeffery is described as a musician's musician. With influences ranging from Springsteen to the Beatles, Jeffery has a distinct appreciation, and a talent, for songwriting, conveying ideas through music, and showmanship. His latest effort, Seven Shades Of Grey reinforces all that Britons know about Jeffery from his twenty-one years onstage there.

To put Paul Jeffery into terms that readers in the Western Hemisphere might understand, he sounds quite a lot like an intense Don Henley. That’s the first impression Jeffery makes. As you listen more closely and sink into the nuances of his voice, the Henley resemblance fades some, but not entirely. Paul Jefferey writes powerful pop songs full of emotional edge and distance. Money From The Satisfied Man fits into this category nicely, built from a wicked guitar riff and layered in piano, bass and drums. Gods And Angels is very powerfully written, primarily just Jeffery and piano. Paul Jeffery squeezes every ounce of vocal drama possible out of this song without it sounding like affectation.

Another strongly moving song here is Whatever Happened To Laura Jones. This is a prime example of the songwriting talent displayed by Paul Jeffery. This is the sort of song that just doesn’t get written anymore. There aren’t many artists with the right combination of musical talent and gravitas as a performer that can pull of this kind of story song. Other highlights include Through Heartache And Back, Seven Shades Of Grey and The Prisoner.

Paul Jeffery is relatively unknown outside of England, which is further proof that we do not live in a perfect world. Jeffery is the sort of talent who should be lighting up stages around the world. His mix of songwriting depth, pop sensibilities and intense yet easy song delivery make for a definite winning combination. Seven Shades Of Grey is definitely worth a listen.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Paul Jeffery at www.myspace.com/pauljefferymusic or http://www.pauljeffery.com/. You can purchase a copy of Seven Shades Of Grey at www.cdbaby.com/cd/pauljeffery2.

Review: Steve Lieberman - Overthrow The Government

Steve Lieberman – Overthrow The Government
2008, Steve Lieberman

Steve Lieberman is an artist who lives with Bi-Polar Disorder, an obsessive adoration for Jethro Tull and a very unusual view of the world. Lieberman’s brand of psychedelic rock is the emotive and logical overrun from a square peg trying to interface with the round holes of society. Steve Lieberman has been very prolific, producing 2-3 albums a year since 2002. We’re not sure how many albums Lieberman’s made, and we don’t know if Leiberman himself is sure, but there are at least a dozen for sale on his website. Lieberman’s latest (purportedly his 15th), Overthrow The Government, rocks out with its tzitzis out.

One of the most wonderful (and frightening) things about any Steve Lieberman recording is that there are absolutely no filters whatsoever. Lieberman pours whatever he thinks into his songs without care. His songs are at times hysterically funny, blatantly in your face and even mildly disturbing, often all at once. Lieberman revels in his own controversy, appearing happy to stir up the establishment in the vein of some of the great counterculture artists of the past (Andy Warhol, Holden Caufield, George Carlin). Lieberman is at his most entertaining when aiming for humor (Beyonce’s Beaver, Dinosaur Rockers May Have E.D., Famous When I’m Dead, I Wrote This Song 2 Days Ago). I’m Jethro Tull even has some of this spirit, although from listening to Lieberman over time I know Lieberman has a great love for Ian Anderson/Jethro Tull, so this song is more tribute than anything.

Lieberman does veer into the bizarre/disturbing on songs such as Radio Suicidal, People Who Died, I Wanna Be An Alcoholic and I’ll Overthrow The Government For You. These songs cross over into the area of “he’s still being funny, right?” Like I said previously, no filters.

Steve Lieberman upholds the long tradition of American Counterculture artists. He’ll shock you, make you laugh, and on occasion even touch you. He’s making music for himself, and he wants to be liked and listened to, but he’s not afraid to anger or offend his listeners. It’s as if he’s not so much concerned with what you think of his music. That you think about it is sufficient. Overthrow The Government is funny and disturbing, irreverent and at times manically serene. Just like the man.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Steve Lieberman at http://www.gangstarabbi.com/. While there you can purchase a copy of Overthrow The Government as well as many other fine recordings. We’re not promising you won’t end up on a government watch list for going there, but the site is very entertaining.

Wildy's World Holiday Gift Guide - Part I

This is the first of a series of installments to help you pick out some great music gifts for the one you love (even if that's you!) For today I've picked out 5 CDs we've reviewed in the past year that would make gifts for the holidays or anytime! The Wildy's World Holiday Gift Guide will appear on Sundays between now and the end of the holiday season! For each of the albums listed below, click on the artist name/title to see the full Wildy's World review, including links to the band's website(s) and ordering information for the album!

Julie McKee - What A Woman Shouldn't Do
What can you say? McKee is an artist, with a voice that leaves you hanging in midair, and intelligent, witty lyrics that will make you think, laugh and feel (sometimes all in the same song). McKee recently performed her first live dates in the US and was very well received in both New York and Chicago. McKee was also featured as Wildy's World's Artist of the Month for October of 2008. What A Woman Shouldn't Do is a stunning album and a must for any serious music fan.

Crooked Still - Still Crooked
Still Crooked is perhaps one of the finest blends of country, folk and Celtic you'll hear anytime soon. Led by the angelic voice of Aoife O'Donovan, Crooked Still bust out of Boston with some of the most down-home sounds of 2008. This is an album for traditional country fans, folk fans, musicians, and anyone with a keen ear for fine songwriting and performance!

Mike Ford - Canada Needs You, Volume 2
Moxy Fruvous alumni Mike Ford reached out with Volume 2 of Canada Needs You in June of 2008. It's a whimsical and wonderful look at elements and icons of Canadian history, told through musical vignettes that would make The Bard blush with pride. Mike Ford was Wildy's World's inaugural Artist Of The Month for September of 2008. Canada Needs You, Volume 2 is a must-have for any fan, and Mike Ford is the sort of guy you want to support once you've heard his music.

Marian Call - Vanilla
Marian Call is the sort of singer who completely disarms you. Whether it's the voice, the look, or the personality that just explodes out of everything she touches, you won't walk away from a recording or a show unchanged. Marian Call and her debut album Vanilla are the greatest export Alaska has produced since long before Jewel (spurious VP candidates do not apply). Marian Call is starting to make inroads in the US, particularly on the west coast, but this disc is a must have for any music fan. You won't believe your ears.

Woodward - ...But Your Kids Are Gonna Love It
Woodward is probably the best rock act to come out Motown in the last ten years. For fans of retro-sounding rock, this may just be the be-all, end-all rock album of the year. ...But Your Kids Are Gonna Love It will play as well to teens as to their parents (and sometimes even grandparents!) This is one of those albums you'll buy and still be listening to it ten years later. A must!

That's all for today folks. Join us next Sunday for the next installment of The Wildy's World Holiday Gift Guide! Reviews will resume tomorrow!

Be well.

Wildy

Review: Orion Walsh - Tornado Lullabies

Orion Walsh - Tornado Lullabies2008, Orion The Hunter

Orion Walsh has a story to tell about his debut CD, Tornado Lullabies. Written and recorded while living in his van in California, Tornado Lullabies reflects the contrast of desperation and hope across ten finely crafted rock songs. The Lincoln, Nebraska native returned home to put the finishing touches on his debut, where it was mastered by Doug Can Sloun (Bight Eyes, Rilo Kiley). Walsh brings a unique and daring perspective to everyday events on Tornado Lullabies by casting them into the musical wind and seeing where they land. You've got to check this out.

Tornado Lullabies opens with Legend Of Young Billy, which has a sort of hobo/busker folk quality to it. The song features great guitar work and outstanding vocals from Walsh. Throwing In The Towel has a hillbilly bluegrass sound to it that is very reminiscent of Luther Wright & The Wrongs. Starting Over On A Western Shore is perhaps my favorite song here, and most listeners will enjoy the lush folk of Melt With The Snow. Other highlights include Transient Blues, Tornado Lullabies and The War We Couldn’t Win.

Orion Walsh never picked up a guitar until after the death of his father in 1996. Walsh found an outlet for the loss and pain that became a permanent part of his person. This therapeutic approach to songwriting has led Walsh to develop a highly personal songwriting style that is both engaging and at times even discomfiting. He makes you think, he invites you to touch the raw essence of his emotions and run your fingers through its tendrils. Tornado Lullabies juxtaposes peace on chaos, or perhaps it’s the other way around. Either way, it’s music that dances on the edge between madness and genius and laughs at both. An outstanding listen

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Orion Walsh at www.myspace.com/orionwalsh or http://www.orionwalsh.com/. You can purchase a download of Tornado Lullabies through Amazon.com.

Review: Nikka Costa - Pebble To A Pearl

Nikka Costa – Pebble To A Pearl
2008, STAX

It might be fair to say Nikka Costa has led a charmed life. Growing up as the daughter of legendary producer Don Costa and God-Daughter of none other than Frank Sinatra, Costa was opening for headline entertainers at the age of 5 and at the age of 7 electrified a crowd of 300,000 in Chile. Costa spent her teens back and forth between Los Angeles and Europe while developing her career and rubbing elbows with the likes of Quincy Jones, Sly Stone and Sammy Davis, Jr. at her father’s studio. Costa has had a long and successful recording career, and now returns to the fore with her latest release, Pebble To A Pearl.

Pebble To A Pearl is a step away from the pure sugar/dance pop that pervades much of R&B these days, and looks to the roots of the genre. Nikka Costa plumbs blues, jazz and classic R&B sounds to create a sound that is both reassuringly familiar and strikingly on the edge. The album opens with Stuck To You, a classic bit of funk/soul that will have you dancing right from the get-go. Pebble To A Pearl is pure funk, with a beat you won’t be able to resist. Someone For Everyone is a sweet soul ballad with gospel accents. Other highlights include the funkafied Cry Baby, the highly danceable Keep Wanting More, Loving You and Bullets In The Sky.

Nikka Costa charms throughout Pebble To A Pearl with a mix of searing funk and soul influenced rock and roll, her fiery personality and electric voice. As time goes on it becomes more and more apparent that Costa is incredibly talented, and likely well on her way to being an icon of the music business. Pebble To A Pearl is a plateau, but don’t expect it to be the peak. Just when you think she can’t get any better she pulls out a performance like this.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Nikka Costa at http://www.nikkacosta.com/. You can purchase copies of Pebble To A Pearl at Amazon.com or wherever music is sold.