Artist Of The Month: The McKrells (March, 2009)

The McKrells have changed significantly over the past few years, but still at the heart of the band is lead singer/songwriter Kevin McKrell. The McKrells were essentially the house band in Saratoga Springs, NY’s The Parting Glass for years. Aside from their home base, the McKrells played everywhere from little pubs in the Irish Countryside all the way up to Carnegie Hall. Kevin McKrell, Chris Leske and Craig Vance combined their respective songwriting talents to create one of the most distinctive hybrids of Celtic and Bluegrass around. These days Leske and Vance had moved on, but one-time member Rick Bedrosian has returned to the fold, as well as Kevin’s daughter Katie McKrell, and the McKrells continue on perhaps a little bit closer to the Celtic heart that’s always run through their music. McKrell’s songs have been recorded by the likes of The Furey Brothers, Seamus Kennedy, The Woods Tea Company, Hair Of The Dog, North Sea Gas, Pat McKernan and The Kingston Trio.

Watch out in the coming week, we’ll have a review of The McKrells’ latest offering, Traveling Man. (We’ve also previously reviewed Cosmic Hayride, as well as one-time McKrells violinist Sarah Milonovich’s Daisycutter.

You can find several of The McKrells’ releases at CDBaby.com, both as CDs or downloads, but if you’re really going to appreciate The McKrells you need to see them live. Keep checking back for more information as the month progresses!

Review: Spirit Of The West - Spirituality: 1983 - 2008

Spirit Of The West – Spirituality: 1983 – 2008
2008, Rhino Records (Canada)

Spirit Of The West celebrated their 25th year in 2008 with the release of Spirituality: 1983-2008, a 2-CD collection of some of their best material from across the years with two new songs thrown in for good measure. Spirit Of The West has traversed Canada many times over the years, and to a lesser degree the United States and Europe. Starting out as a Celtic folk group, the sound has evolved over twenty-five years into a more refined pop/rock/Celtic blend, but Spirit Of The West never forgot their roots. Where you are a long-time fan of Spirit Of The West, a passing acquaintance, or even if you’ve never heard of them before, Spirituality offers much to enjoy and needs to be on your “get” list.

For the fans of Celtic and Scot songs, Spirit Of The West brings much from their glorious past to Spirituality. Doin’ Quite Alright, The Crawl, The Old Sod and Home For A Rest all fit the bill quite nicely. Home For A Rest has been consistently ranked by Canadian music fans as one of the top Canadian New Rock songs of all time. Of course, Spirit Of The West had a distinct social conscience in their music as well. Political, their first real hit, is an amazing song about the imbalance in a relationship caused by an insecure or controlling partner. Long time fans will be happy to know that the original version of Political (from Labour Day) is offered here. (Putting Up With) The Joneses is a tongue in cheek look at the sort of damage socioeconomic elitism can lead to; even touching on the social taboo of Eugenics.

Spirit Of The West happens to have written one of the most amazing songs I’ve ever heard, and it’s included here. Take It From The Source takes on bigotry and hatred with a velvet glove lined with iron. The pen is mightier than the sword by far in this moving and powerful personal answer to one of the darker elements of human nature. Take It From The Source, like Spirit Of The West themselves, should be a lot better known than it is.

You can hear the progression from Celtic folk group to rock band occurring throughout Disc One of Spirituality, with Save This House being the first sign that something’s afoot. By the time we get to songs like Goodbye Grace, D Is For Democracy (Scour The House) and Big Head, Spirit Of The West have achieved a true pop rock sound while still heavily influenced by their Celtic roots. Disc Two completes the transition, with five tracks from the Michael Phillip Wojewoda produced Faithlift ((And If) Venice Is Sinking; Sadness Grows; Bone Of Contention; Death On The Beach and Is This Where I Come In). Faithlift was Spirit Of The West’s best selling album with a fair amount of cross-exposure on soundtracks, TV, etc. The instrumentation and arrangements still suggest their roots, but the production values are the pure pop genius Wojewoda has long been capable of.

Unplugged continues the run of social commentary in an upbeat song about Euthanasia and the right to die. Delivered with a wry smile, Unplugged has deep philosophical roots in the right of individuals to determine their own fate. Wishing Line and Our Ambassador find Spirit Of The West at the nadir of their pop/rock sound, almost wholly distinct from where they started out. The album was Weights and Measures, and while offering up songs wholly in the rock realm, Spirit Of The West offered distinct nods to the “old” sound with Canadian Skye and Rites Of Man.

Spirituality also features two brand new tracks, the moody Winter’s Now The Enemy and the raucous Another Happy New Year. The two tracks reflect the two musical aspects of Spirit Of The West wonderfully well. You’ll find yourself wrapped up in the tension and beauty of the former and wanting to dance to latter (preferably with some Guinness or some grog).

Spirit Of The West has built a vibrant and varied catalog over the last quarter century. Too prolific and profound to ignore, the band continues to be a hit at live shows across Canada. The days of endless touring long behind them, Spirit Of The West are content continuing to make great music their way; in their own time and fashion. They still tour, and will commence a tour of Eastern Canada with Great Big Sea on March 11, 2009. While Spirit Of The West was a major label act at one time, they have always carried themselves with an Indie Spirit, and their music is a testament to that. Spirituality is a collection of some of their best moments, but there is much good material not represented. (Noticeably absent is anything from their fine album Open Heart Symphony, as well as my personal favorite song from Faithlift, Sincerely Yours), but a collection of this sort should inspire you to look (and listen) deeper; leaving some nuggets behind for the ardent listener to be rewarded with. With all that’s here, Spirituality can be nothing other than a Wildy’s World Certified Desert Island Disc. It’s an absolute must-have.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Spirit Of The West at http://www.sotw.ca/. You can purchase Spirituality at CDUniverse.com. You will find it Amazon.com but will pay $15 more. Be sure to check out Spirit Of The West’s web page and particularly the individual members’ blogs on that site. John Mann, Geoffrey Kelly, Hugh McMillan, Vince Ditrich and Tobin Frank all have long musical histories that include solo albums or albums with other bands as well numerous guest appearances over the years.

Review: Speck Mountain - Some Sweet Relief

Speck Mountain – Some Sweet Relief
2009, Carrot Top Records

Mellow spunk is the word I would choose for Marie-Claire Balabanian, lead vocalist of Chicago-based ethereal rockers Speck Mountain. Traversing the mellow vocal styles of Margo Timmons and Hope Sandoval, Balabanian paints each song with a sweet and sincere vocal brush burgeoning with anima and attitude. Add in the spacey jangle of Karl Briedrick’s guitar and the mournful wash of Kate Walsh’s keyboards and you have the recipe for a glorious work of downtrodden pop magic. Speck Mountain’s latest release, due March 17, 2009 is Some Sweet Relief; it brings new life and vibrancy to the world of moody, introspective pop music.

Shame On The Soul opens the album on the spindly legs of Briedrick’s plaintive guitar while Balabanian comes in over the top sounding like a cross between Timmons and Stevie Nicks. Balabanian and Briedrick are co-story tellers here, with Briedrick handling the unspoken or unspeakable on his guitar. You’ll understand once you hear it. The song is stunning in its simplicity and stark beauty. I Feel Eternal is one of the more optimistic sounding songs on the CD; the hopeful guitar lead soaring through a gentle reverb that suggests a dreamlike quality. Balabanian meets this with a pragmatic and sonically gorgeous vocal performance that may be the best on the CD. Some Sweet Relief has a very repressed blues feel to it that is buried deep in an Americana/Folk arrangement.

Dreamlike qualities abound on Backslider, built on the laconic keyboard of Walsh and ethereal, wordless vocals. This serves as an introduction to Backsliding, a striking piece of sad beauty. Balabanian is the queen of all she surveys here, and rings every bit of pernicious melancholy from the song she can manage; Other highlights include Twinlines and Sister Water.

Speck Mountain is an immensely talented group of musicians pursuing a sound that has to be done near perfectly in order to succeed. The sort of melancholy, ethereal pop music created by Balabanian, Briedrick, Walsh, et. al. can die a slow death for many reasons, but Speck Mountain make you want to travel the back roads of sullen, downtrodden pop with them. Some Sweet Relief is pop alchemy at its finest, creating golden moments for your listening pleasure. Expect Speck Mountain to be with us for some time to come.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Speck Mountain at www.myspace.com/speckmountain. Some Sweet Relief is due out March 17, 2009. Keep checking Speck Mountain’s MySpace page for availability information. Also note that keyboardist Kate Walsh has departed the band since the recording of Some Sweet Relief, and so there is a new keyboardist, Claire “Cub” Haley, as well as a new drummer, Christopher Dye.

Arcane Roots – Arcane Roots
2009, Arcane Roots

Surrey, England holds hidden Rock N Roll treasure (but not for long). Melodic rock trio Arcane Roots can’t stay hidden under a bushel forever, not with the magical sound heard on their self-titled, 3-song EP. Vocalist/guitarist Andrew Groves has the smooth, melodic vocal sensibilities of Chris Martin and an almost Andy Summers-ish sense of musical construction. Adam Burton (bass) and Daryl Atkins (drums) deliver a rockin’ rhythm section and some serious backing vocals to what may be some of the most gorgeous and aggressive melodic pop/rock heard on either side of the Atlantic.

Opening with Rouen, Arcane Roots sounds like a cross between Coldplay, Led Zeppelin and The Police. The divergent musical strands of heavy, melodic and punk rock is startlingly new sounding and very well done. Groves’ vocals soar over the song like a transcendent phoenix, falling into flames at the end. On the second track, Nylon, Groves cements his position as one of the more unique and memorable voices in Indie Rock. An Easy Smile turns quickly from a garage rocker into an art-rock monster full of melodic grace and fits of musical chaos. Laughing in the face of standard song construction, Arcane Roots piece together musical lines so disparate they have no choice but to work. The result is something on the level of musical genius.

Arcane Roots brings Progressive Rock back into the mainstream, mixed with elements of Punk, Alternative and Melodic Rock. The musicianship here is outstanding – it has to be. A lesser band couldn’t pull off the brave musical choices execised on Arcane Roots. Andrew Groves should be the next vocal superstar out of the UK. Arcane Roots is currently planning tours throughout Europe for the summer of 2009, but it’s only a matter of time before they look out across the Atlantic and see a market that hungers for a band like them. Outstanding.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Arcane Roots at www.myspace.com/arcaneroots or http://www.arcaneroots.com/. It appears that Arcane Roots (EP) is either a demo or only locally available at this time. Bug them through MySpace and perhaps they'll sell you a copy. You won't be sorry.

Review: Omar Alexander - Soulare

Omar Alexander – Soulare
2008, Omar Alexander

Latin music has metastasized in popular culture, no longer only a distinct genre but also an influence that creeps into Pop, Rock, Folk, Dance, Hip-Hop and other genres. Latin Rock has existed for years, but has failed thus far to overtake the popular music scene in the United States. That may be about to change. Omar Alexander, the New York City-based bilingual singer/songwriter has released Soulare, an album set to explode into the social consciousness of the music world.

Alexander mixes Latin, Funk and Rock N Roll on Soulare while singing in both English and Spanish. Soulare opens with Bandolero, one of the most infectious rock songs I’ve heard this year. This melody has been with me since I first heard it. I'd sing along if I knew Spanish, but trust me, this one won’t go away. Mueve rocks out in a highly danceable number that is as infectious as you can imagine. Alexander sings with the fire of a gospel singer and rough hewn voice that is sure to effect hormonal fluctuations in his female listeners.

Alexander slows things down a bit on Changes, an R&B ballad with serious chart potential. He returns to good old Rock N Roll on the frenetic Adelante. This song is built on a viral guitar hook and Alexander’s honey/whiskey vocals (don’t forget your dancing shoes). This was my favorite song on the disc, and I think it may also have significant commercial potential. Other highlights include Abandon El Amor, the upbeat funk-laden rocker Shine and Tranquila. Be sure to check out the bilingual cover of the Bob Marley classic No Woman No Cry.

Omar Alexander may be the voice that carries Latin-based rock to the head of the mainstream. His voice is immediately recognizable and unforgettable. The songs on Soulare are infectious and there is a certain mojo to this recording that seems unlikely to fade over time. I don’t know if it will happen with this CD or one that follows, but if Omar Alexander keeps coming with this type of material he’s going to catch on in a big way. Make sure you check Soulare out.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Omar Alexander at http://www.omaralexander.com/ or www.myspace.com/omaralexandersoulare. You can purchase Soulare as a download through AmazonMP3.

Review: Leopold And His Fiction - Ain't No Surprise

Leopold And His Fiction – Ain’t No Surprise
2008, Native Fiction Records

San Francisco band Leopold And His Fiction brings a plains sensibility to garage rock. Led by Daniel James (vocals/guitar), a Detroit native, Leopold And His Fiction has been compared favorable to The White Stripes. While there is something to this comparison, Leopold And His Fiction digs a little more heavily into the soul of 1960’s garage than The White Stripes ever dared. Jangly guitars and Lo-Fi effects highlight the raw sound and Dylan-esque mood Leopold And His Fiction put forth on their sophomore CD, Ain’t No Surprise.

There is nothing polished about Leopold And His Fiction; nothing refined. Ain’t No Surprise is raw Rock N Roll ripped right from the soul and social consciousness of James, Micayla Grace (bass/vox) and Jon Sortland (drums/vox/organ). Songs like Hawk Eyes and Come Back (Now That I’m Here) underline the raw energy Leopold And His Fiction are capable of, while Broke has an almost Jim Morrison-like aura over it. The best track on the disc is Ain’t No Surprise. James has pieced together lyrics worthy of Bob Dylan and a straight ahead folk/rock arrangement that is infectious and memorable. A close second is Katie Mae, a delicious little bit of rockabilly that you won’t be able to resist. Other highlights include Sun’s Only Promise, Mean Ol’ Train and Pretty Neat.

Leopold And His Fiction don’t fit easily into one demographic or genre slot. If you’re a fan of classic garage rock with a penchant for plains sensibility and a back-roads Americana feel, then Leopold And His Fiction are for you. Quirky and dirty with the dust of thousands of miles of road, Ain’t No Surprise will lull you with its earthy feel and worm its way inside your head. It may take a few listens, but this disc will charm you.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Leopold And His Fiction at www.myspace.com/leopoldandhisfiction or http://www.leopoldandhisfiction.com/, where you can purchase a copy of Ain’t No Surprise.

Review: Inkbat - Under The Clothes EP

Inkbat – Under The Clothes EP
2008, Inkbat

Inkbat is a Chicago based quartet with a distinct love for 1960’s and 1970’s nostalgia. Born of a high school class project back in 2003 between vocalist/guitarist/keyboardist Ryan Whitney and drummer Charlie Dresser, Inkbat became a night and weekend project into college and beyond. Dylan McKenzie later chimed in on guitar and vocals, and Mark Brussy rounded out a killer rhythm section. Inkbat released their debut EP, Under The Clothes, in December of 2008. They are gigging in around Chicago and the mid-west US in 2009 in support.

Inkbat leads off with ’82, a highly rhythmic guitar rocker with a disco beat and a melancholy feel. Go Darling is more of a frenetic alt-rocker and probably the most commercial song on the EP. Under The Clothes is very understated, but perhaps a minute too long at 5:14. All The Same is a mellow bit of musical melancholia that sounds like Pink Floyd being sung by a cabaret singer/band. It’s actually a quite wonderful effect that underlines what may be the best writing on the EP. Inkbat saved the best for last on Under The Clothes. It is, perhaps, a harbinger of things to come.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Inkbat at www.myspace.com/inkbat.

Review: Leon Live - Childhood [EP]

Leon Live – Childhood [EP]
2008, Summertime Records

Wow. Leon Evans in a Welsh singer-songwriter with guitar in hand and heart on his sleeve. Hailing from the town of Aberdare, Leon Live writes and performs emotionally honest diary entries set to music. There is no attempt at song craft or obfuscation; Leon Live simply gives his heart and mind in each and every song. The result is an incredibly nuanced, human experience in music. Leon’s debut EP, Childhood, is proof.

Childhood opens with Child Of Hell, a sharply pointed and poignant song about the unseen power a broken home can inflict on a child. Leon Live pulls no punches in painting a brutally honest portrait of the pain and confusion such things can incur. All of this is delivered in an upbeat acoustic rock arrangement in a vibrant rock voice. Blinded heads toward a southern acoustic rock sound (ala Pat McGee) in a song of pure desire. This one is very catchy and would play well to adult pop radio. Your Tears Are Mine is a beautiful guitar-based Americana tune that sounds a bit like Blue Rodeo. Memoirs Of A Dreamer has a thoroughly memorable melody that you don’t be able to shake. You’ll be humming this one for days. Leon Live closes out with Home, a down-tempo Americana tune you’ll have on replay. This is the class of the EP. Don’t be surprised if this song gets picked up by other artists to record.

Leon Live has a distinctive sound that will get your attention, and he’s a good enough songwriter to keep it. A strong, occasionally raspy voice fits perfectly with Leon’s songs, and the arrangements are top notch. Childhood is a keeper.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Leon Evans at http://www.leonlive.co.uk/, where you can purchase a copy of Childhood.

Review: Grand Army - Toys Of Chaos

Grand Army – Toys Of Chaos
2009, Grand Army

On first listen I was inclined to dismiss Boston’s Grand Army as typical pop fodder with a very good vocalist out front, but the more I listened to Toys of Chaos, the more intrigued I became. While the songs are fairly straight forward pop music, there are some wonderfully dark hues running through the songs. Vocalist Alicia Racine is in fine form on songs such as Mike T.V., I Still Love You, Insects and Given The Circumstances. Save You is a definite highlight, informed by some serious funk in the bass and piano parts. The absolute star of the album however is Addict Of Me. This bizarre and otherworldly bit of musical flotsam sets the tonal sanity of Racine’s voice against a divergent musical backdrop that’s based more on a form of musical impressionism than standard structure.

Grand Army writes mostly accessible pop music shaded in dark hues and midnight tones on Toys Of Chaos. Living in darkness produces the occasional distortion of reality, and Toys Of Chaos is no exception to this rule. Toys Of Chaos is worth checking out but it won’t catch on with everyone.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Grand Army at www.myspace.com/grandarmy. No word on availability of the CD yet, but if you’d like to purchase Toys Of Chaos, contact the band through their MySpace page.

Review: Gisele Scales - 2 Think

Gisele Scales – 2 Think
2008, Gisele Scales

Sydney, Australia’s Gisele Scales is no stranger to European audiences. Her song Mother Egypt, with the band Vega, soared to the top of the European Pop charts. She’s also recorded with the likes of Midnight Oil, Eurogliders and Jeannie Lewis. The vocalist and electronic violinist released 2 Think in 2008, full of sizzling fiddle runs and big dance beats. What struck me most about this CD is that it is amazingly one dimensional for an artist of Scales’ talent. The violin here is more of an accent than an instrument; the album is so over-produced that any real sense of musicality has been reprocessed into an unrecognizable state. This is a heavy electro-dance album more in the line of Kraftwerk than of fellow electric fiddler Lili Hayden. Many of the songs here will do well on the club scene, but much of the album lacks the musical soul I was expecting.
Scales shows flashes of virtuosity (Can U Love 1 Another), but in generally becomes a slave to the beats and production. In the end it is what it is, a dance album made up of mass produced beats, rhythms and electronic sounds that is certain to do well on the club circuit, but there’s no challenge or stretch for either Scales or the listener. 2 Think had the potential to be so much more.

Rating: 2 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Gisele Scales at www.myspace.com/myspacecomgiselescales or http://www.giselescales.com/. You can purchase 2 Think at www.cdbaby.com/cd/giselescales or download it through iTunes.

Review: Derek Byrne – Seize The Moment

Derek Byrne – Seize The Moment
2008, Derek Byrne

Derek Byrne has three great loves, his family, music and Ireland. After spending six years touring with Riverdance, and several more with his band, Eider, Byrne has settled down into a solo career. Byrne released two solo albums in 2008. We were lucky enough to receive Seize The Moment for review. Seize The Moment is a rare album that builds into something more than just recorded muse; It’s an experience. Derek Byrne sings and plays as If these songs run in his life’s blood. The Milwaukee, Wisconsin (originally Kildare, Ireland) based singer/songwriter gives his all on the twelve songs presented here. Whether it’s outstanding instrumental work (Eidirian, Blue Eyed Canyon, Running On Fumes Theme) or amazing vocals, Byrne is on top of his game.

There are two songs on this album that are other-worldly, they’re so good. Seize The Moment is a beautiful song about keeping love alive in light of all the responsibilities and pressures that day to day life places on our shoulders. It’s a message we would all do well to stop and listen to from time to time, and the song itself is timeless. Expect this to be picked up and covered again and again by other artists. Likewise The Beautiful Truth; a paean written from father to daughter, filled with all of the love and emotion that relationship classically encompasses. A stone would failed to be unmoved by The Beautiful Truth. Both of these songs are special in that they represent a feeling or relationship in a fashion that is iconic and archetypical while remaining incredibly personal and touching. The musical arrangement for each is amazing.

Of course the rest of the album isn’t so bad either. Byrne is an amazing instrumentalist, and that runs through all of his songs, but Eidirian is a particularly representative piece. Rhythm Of Falling is a starkly honest song that is all heart and very memorable. Save Tara is a gorgeous a Capella piece that you’ll have to hear to believe. Red Is The Rose marches to a martial beat in a classic performance. Other highlights include My Land, Hawaiian Pigeon Breakdown and Marie’s Wedding.

I’ve never heard of Derek Byrne before this, and I am utterly amazed that a singer/songwriter this talented could stay effectively hidden from the world for this long. A gifted lyricist as well, Byrne represents the human heart in his music like no other songwriter I’ve heard, all done up in classic Celtic/folk arrangements. Perfect is, of course, unattainable, but for the 12 songs on Seize The Moment, Derek Byrne comes as closes as it’s possible to come. Seize The Moment is, of course, a Wildy’s World Certified Desert Island Disc. Make this CD part of your collection.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Derek Byrne at http://www.derekbyrnemusic.com/. You can purchase Seize The Moment at www.cdbaby.com/cd/derekbyrne2.

Review: Clara Bellino - Embarcadero Love

Clara Bellino – Embarcadero Love
2006, Clara Bellino

Clara Bellino melds the worlds of American and European popular music styles like few others have. Memorable melodies, infectious rhythms and a wry sense of humor are the earmarks of Bellino’s material. Born in Paris, France, Bellino spent a number of years performing on the West Coast of the United States, even landing a role as a singer in the 1993 film, Steal America. These days, Bellino performs to support her 2006 release, Embarcadero Love. Recorded while living on a houseboat at Embarcadero Cove (Oakland), Embarcadero Love has a free and easy feel that’s full of life, love and a forceful sense of humor.

Bellino studied music in Conservatory for ten years in France, and was introduced early on to jazz and classic American popular music artists by her father. These influences inform Bellino’s musical choices, as does a progressive socio-political mindset that comes across in her lyrics. Bellino opens with Tout Est Fini, a French language pop song with an infectious dance beat. Swordfishtrombone is an abstract musical piece built on colloquial humor. It’s a fun listen. Peaceful Solution draws on a modern R&B sound to deliver a pop culture re-working of the Prayer of St. Francis Of Assisi. It’s catchy and poignant but alternates a peace-oriented chorus with preachy verses.

Something Cool is a classic song. Bellino dusts off her jazz roots in a song of mistaken intentions. The subtle shift in attitude of the protagonist here is the stuff of movies (or at least sitcoms). Potential Criminal is a sardonic take on the perceived social status of a naturalized US citizen (or perhaps any US citizen in this day and age). Other highlights include Game Up Big Pickle, Big Picture and Goodnight Baby.

Clara Bellino delivers intelligent lyrics in smart, focused pop music that mixes elements of American glam-pop with the more refined sensibilities of Europop. I suspect Embarcadero Love would get mixed reactions from American audiences as an inherent European sense of superiority is woven into the fabric of the CD through Bellino’s cutting sense of humor. European audience may likewise hold the CD in contempt for its distinct American influences. This probably means Bellino is hitting some truth on both sides of the ocean. Embarcadero Love is a strong pop record and definitely worth investing a little time in.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Clara Bellino at http://www.clarabellino.com/. You can purchase a copy of Embarcadero Love at www.cdbaby.com/cd/bellino.

Review: Canadian Invasion - Three Cheers For The Invisible Hand

Canadian Invasion – Three Cheers For The Invisible Hand
2009, Old Janx Spirit Music

Philadelphia’s Canadian Invasion comes calling with their latest release, Three Cheers For The Invisible Hand. Smartly sardonic lyrics mix with mellow-rock arrangements to create a subdued listening environment. Lead vocalist Andy Canadian and gang have traveled the East Coast of the US for the past couple of years, sharing the stage with the likes of David Bowie, The Rolling Stones and Lou Reed. Their songs strive to reflect the lifelessness of suburban living, where the soul has been ripped quietly away by separating residents from both the action of the city and the vibrancy of nature.

Anyone who publishes under the name Old Janx Spirit Music gets points for chutzpah but can they carry the name? Canadian Invasion has perhaps met their objectives too well. Lyrically strong, the music is not without energy, but reflects the hum-drum angst of suburban living all too well, forming a sort of musical monotone that stretches across the CD. The sound is pleasant and works for the individual songs here, but the lack of significant sonic variation across the CD makes for a listening experience more memorable for what it’s not than what it is. Even the occasional moment of sonic violence or turmoil would spice this up and provide some ebb and flow to the sound; they are not to be found.

Nevertheless, highlights abound. Tomorrow and Tomorrow is a great musical arrangement, though subdued. Americana/Country accents flavor this song nicely. One Hand Claps The Other is the closest thing to a real change of pace, featuring s new wave flavor and a vibrant energy level, but still produced in that very subdued, repressed sound that dominates the album. Neighbors, the final track, is the absolute class of the album. It gives hope that whatever might come next from Canadian Invasion might provide more spark.

Canadian Invasion is a very talented band, that much is clear. Three Cheers For The Invisible Hand has solid to plus songwriting and a couple of truly inspired moments, but falls victim to a uniformity of sound that makes it seem less than it is. It seems as if Canadian Invasion was going for a specific sound, with continuity, for the album. If so, they outdid themselves. It’s a pleasant listen, but it will be too easy to tune out because of that consistency.

Rating: 2.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Canadian Invasion at http://www.canadianinvasion.org/. You can purchase a copy of Three Cheers For The Invisible Hand at Amazon.com.

Review: Jeneen Terrana - Just Me

Jeneen Terrana – Just Me
2002, Bitesized Records

We previously reviewed the exquisite My Creation from Jeneen Terrana And The Howl Brothers. She must have liked what we wrote because she sent along her earlier album, Just Me. Terrana is based in New York City these days, but started out singing in her home town of Buffalo, NY. She has a disarmingly honest and personal songwriting style that will leave you on the edge of your seat. I was very curious to hear what Terrana was like before her association with The Howl Brothers. One word: Wow.

Just Me opens with Good Folks, a quirky and shadowy guitar based tune about keeping up appearances. More specifically, keeping up appearances for your parents when your world maybe isn’t quite what they might have imagined for you. It’s wonderfully well-written; an honest and distinct story song filled with gloaming shadows. Up next is Are You Still In, an amazing song about showing your true self to someone in a relationship. Are You Still In is a fearless baring of flaws that is not so much based in vulnerability but a pragmatic, “I am what I am, can you deal with it?” perspective. It’s a starkly honest and powerful song.

Someone Has Been Loving You shows the same fearless approach. Terrana is confronting a lover who has not been faithful in a candid and pragmatic fashion that is far more devastating than anger. The end result is not set in song, but the foundation has been irrevocably shaken from its moorings, and Terrana is almost clinical in the diagnosis. Up next is F*** You, perhaps the best kiss off song you’ll ever hear. Based in true events, Terrana is ruthlessly honest in a peppy country/folk format. I bet this song is a trip live in concert. Goodbye is a delicious little acoustic blues piece about getting out of a relationship that doesn’t give you what you need. It’s a nice change of pace and a more subtle take on the subject covered in F*** You.

Cutting The String once again goes to the topic of breaking away. One suspects that perhaps this album was written around the time Terrana made the break from Buffalo to New York City, as the theme of breaking up/breaking away and starting new runs heavily through Just Me (hence the title). Cutting The String is lyrically dense and confessional in nature, a rough musical sketch that is beautiful in its earthy simplicity. I’m Fine turns the corner on leaving; a hopeful declaration painted in gorgeous harmonies and a buoyant vocal line against a neutral-to-melancholy musical arrangement. Terrana closes out the CD with a stunning rendition of O Sole Mio, displaying a range and theatric touch different than that displayed in her own material. Goosebumps is the word.

In going back to the earlier disc in Terrana’s catalog I expected to hear a developing artist who would turn into the one we heard on My Creation. Instead we find an artist fully formed, striking in her candid and confessional songwriting. The voice is the same; wonderfully nuanced and subtle but capable of striking power and grace. Just Me is every bit as good as My Creation. The development seen isn’t so much a growth in skill or prowess but a widening of stylistic choices. Just Me is a Wildy’s World Certified Desert Island Disc, and Terrana is just the second artist to have two albums gain that distinction. Get this disc.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Jeneen Terrana at http://www.jeneenterrana.com/. You can pick up a copy of Just Me at www.cdbaby.com/cd/jeneen.

Review: The Portraits - Timescape

The Portraits – Timescape
2009, Sensory Pulse Records

The Portraits defy easy definition. The duo, comprised of Galway’s Lorraine Reilly (guitar, vox) and Bristol’s Jeremy Millington, s one of the most unique and haunting acts to come across this desk. Compared favorably to The Beautiful South by one producer, The Portraits are something of an Art-Pop band based in stirring guitar/piano arrangements laced with doses of cello, flute, trumpet, world instruments and electronic sounds. Reilly and Millington met while teaching on The Isle Of Wight. Moonlighting quickly turned into a full-time pursuit; crafting vocal harmony arrangements that fall somewhere between a Brian Wilson wall of sound and a chamber choir. The Portraits recently released their sophomore effort, Timescape. As the Portraits grow together they continue to break new and breathtaking musical ground.

Jeremy Millington brings a warm and pleasant voice to The Portraits as an accent to his ingenious piano creations, but Lorraine Reilly is the vocal wunderkind of the duo. Reilly delivers her vocal lines in a sweet and amber-hued voice that is pleasantly unforgettable. The arrangements, in general, are complex and intriguing, and no aural detail is overlooked. The album opens with Poppy Song, one of The Portraits new forays into electronic music. It’s a great introduction to Reilly’s voice with great harmonies and some solid trumpet work, but is probably the most lightweight track on the CD. Songs like Autumn and Shield are more musically aesthetic, crafted in the rise and fall of musical tides for the sake of sound. Bitter is more socially conscious, dwelling on a variant of The Golden Rule.

Precious Red is the star of the album. The song is achingly beautiful in arrangement, and anyone out there who’s ever lost a loved on will find pieces of that person in this song. Real World would be a favorite on most any other album; it’s a sardonic look at what happens as people transition from carefree youth to responsible adult, and the clashes that occur between those still in the former world and the newly “minted” adults. Other highlights include the ethereal See Through You , Virtual and Fame.

The Portraits can’t be called a pop band. They’re not Rock N Roll. The best description for them might be something like Chamber Pop. Steeped in elements of classical construction, The Portraits write pop songs that are intelligent, multi-faceted and inordinately above the pop throng. The pairing of Lorraine Reilly and Jeremy Millington has resulted in a rare bit of musical alchemy that is too good to ignore, and probably too good to ever be truly “popular”. Timescape is like a dream from which you awake disappointed that the dream is over. Luckily, all you have to do is push play...

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about The Portraits and even purchase a copy of Timescape at http://www.theportraits.info/.

Review: The Hip Abduction - Move (EP)

The Hip Abduction – Move
2008, The Hip Abduction

Florida’s The Hip Abduction draws on the life experience of band members who have lived in the Caribbean, Micronesia, Ecuador, India, New York City, Washington DC and various other points on the East Coast of the United States. Jazz, Funk, Reggae, and Rock mix wonderfully well on The Hip Abduction’s new EP, Move.

Move opens with Sacred Life, a delicious mix of Funk, Rock and Reggae that will get caught in your head semi-permanently. Your feet will tap in spite of themselves and insist you get up and move. Your Upside Down is also very danceable and catchy, infusing elements of jazz into the aforementioned musical ménage. The Hip Abduction slow things down a tad for a mellow mix of Reggae and Jazz that is memorable. Moonshine is a funky bit of Island/Latin Jazz that is irresistible. The Hip Abduction closes the set with Gringo, another impossibly catchy rock hybrid you just can’t stand still for.

The Hip Abduction has an ability to create incredibly catchy, danceable songs you won’t be embarrassed to tell people you listen to. If you took the musical approach of the Dave Matthews Band, added some funk and real jazz and a Latin rhythm, you’ll have an idea of what you’re going to hear. The Hip Abduction is even better than you’d imagine. Move is a tremendous introduction to a band too viral and catchy to go away.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about The Hip Abduction at www.myspace.com/thehipabduction or http://www.thehipabduction.com/. No word on availability of the CD yet, although there is a non-working link to purchase the CD on The Hip Abduction’s home page.

Review: Sarah Tracey - Cards On The Table E.P.

Sarah Tracey – Cards On The Table E.P.
2009, Sarah Tracey

Sarah Tracey brings torch music into the twenty-first century with the subtlety of an axe slicing through butter. Encompassing the earthy tones of Billie Holiday and Kay Starr, the stratospheric reach of Judy Garland, and the va-va-voom appeal of Anne Margaret, Tracey steps right out of another era with a bang. Born and raised on Chicago’s North Shore, the classically trained pianist quickly found that city’s love for jazz and blues. While her songwriting style is definitely influenced by her classical background, Tracey writes the soundtrack to a modern day, black and white film noir on Cards On The Table (EP). Hold on to your hats.

Cards On The Table appears to have been recorded live without an audience. The ambience of the recording would suggest that the attempt was made to capture an unshaped, live performance it its pure raw energy. If so, this approach has worked magnificently. Sarah Tracey opens with This Plum, a sultry torch song about the draw of forbidden fruit; alternating between pure desire and a sort of emotional sadism. Up next is Cards On The Table, an open heart appeal using poker as a metaphor. The arrangement has a bit of French Cabaret Jazz in its heritage, like something you might hear in an old black and white private detective flick. Heart On My Sleeve is a primo performance from Sarah Tracey, who just seems to get better and better as the EP progresses.

For I Want To, Tracey steps back a bit to deliver an electric performance based in the heartbreak of unrequited love. This is far and away the best track on the CD, and Tracey sells the song with all of her heart and soul. How Does It Feel is a wonderfully dark song of base devotion and wanton thoughts. Sarah Tracey sings this song like she’s lived it, assuming the role of the protagonist like slipping on a glove. As a sort of musical/spiritual redemption, Sarah Tracey comes up from the depths of jazz era depravation for Why Should I Be Blue? The promise of love rises and falls with the ebb and flow of Sarah Tracey’s voice while the listener dangles on the edge of his/her seat.

Sarah Tracey is a classic performer. Her voice is distinctive and warm and smoky with just a bit of an edge to it. She own her genre like only the best can. The material here is perfect for her voice and musical aspect, and Sarah Tracey makes the most of the six songs presented on Cards On The Table. It’s a definite must-hear for vocal jazz enthusiasts or anyone who loves a great vocal performance.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Sarah Tracey at http://www.sarahtracey.com/ or www.myspace.com/sarahtracey. No word on availability Cards On The Table, although you can stream the songs on Tracey’s MySpace page.

Review: Patrick Coman - Used Records

Patrick Coman – Used Records
2008, Patrick Coman

Patrick Coman is a singer/songwriter who draws comparisons to folks such as Neil Young, Gram Parsons and Ryan Adams. The Nashville native recently relocated to Berlin, Germany and released a 4-song EP entitled Used Records. Coman sings with a certain amount of soul and an imperfect voice (ala Neil Young), but hits all the right notes when it comes to touching the listener.

Coman opens with Streets Of Berlin, an ode to his new home that is both dark and hopeful in a wonderful acoustic guitar arrangement. Up next is Amsterdam, a heart-on-the-sleeve folk rocker featuring some excellent guitar work. Used Records is a song about the powerful connections we form with the music we love and the parallel between those connections and those we feel to people and places in our pasts. It’s an incredibly poignant song that’s a little off the beaten track philosophically but nonetheless based in truth. Maria is a stark commentary on the apathy of The Lost Generation (Well I’m walking down this low and lonesome street again / with the echoes of my parents’ revolution / between the bottles and the pills now there’s no need to get your thrills / from tearing down those old folks institutions).

Patrick Coman continues to build a following in Germany, where the hunger for protest music inspired by its 1960’s forebears is much stronger than here in the United States. Coman has a lot to say, and does so cogently in lovingly crafted arrangements that serve as perfect musical vehicles. Used Records is a strong release that deserves to be heard by many but probably doesn’t have a lot of commercial bite in the current music market. One might guess, however, that Coman is a pleasure to see live. I recommend Used Records highly as a disc worth checking out, but also recommend that if you happen to be near one of Coman’s gigs that you make the effort to get there.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Patrick Coman at www.myspace.com/patrickcoman or www.nimbitmusic.com/patrickcoman. You can purchase Used Records in digital format from Coman’s MySpace page as well as through iTunes and Rhapsody.

Review: Oxcart - The Equation

Oxcart – The Equation
2008, Oxcartmusic

Oxcart comes blasting out of Portland, Oregon with their 2nd studio album, The Equation. Released in 2008, The Equation inherits its characteristic style from influences such as Nirvana, Queens Of The Stone Age, Pink Floyd and The Flaming Lips, with just a pinch of Spacehog thrown in. Recorded in the studio of Windham Hill violinist Billy Oskay, The Equation was recorded and produced almost entirely on vintage analog recording equipment, helping Oxcart capture a more organic sound than is possible on purely digital recordings.

Equation leads off the set; a rough and ready alternative guitar rocker with dark undertones. Office is a jazz/acid-rock fusion piece reminiscent of classic Pink Floyd. Gambler, Pt. 1 has a very heavy guitar rock sound, whereas Gambler, Pt. 2 has a sparse electronic sound that reminded me oh James Young/Jan Hammer’s Prisoner Of War. Explosions is a unique and disturbed composition that holds the interest. Genesis is a Floydian transition with some spoken word accoutrements. Teatherball is a punk rock anthem made for pogo dancing a pit jumping. What becomes clear, and quickly, is that Oxcart has an identity crisis.

Oxcart has so many directions musically that they seem to have a hard time developing any sort of coherent, consistent sound. It’s obvious that their influences and musical tastes are very divergent, but rather than trying to meld something new out of these sounds Oxcart tries to cover all the bases. In a single-based retail download environment this may be a way to maximize sales, and it may appeal to the band, but it’s not going to find wide commercial appeal. It’s obvious that there are some very talented musicians here, and the diversity of sound is great, but even Oxcart sounds like they occasionally get a little overwhelmed with all of the changes. Consequently The Equation is a musical Tautology. It is what it is, but the various parts never quite meld together to make something greater.

Rating: 2.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Oxcart at http://www.oxcartmusic.net/ or www.myspace.com/oxcart. You can purchase a copy of The Equation at www.cdbaby.com/cd/oxcart2.

Review: Dangerous Kid - The Day Has Come

Dangerous Kid – The Day Has Come
2007, Maxfun Music

Dangerous Kid formed in 2005 in Washington, D.C. as an outlet for singer/songwriter’s Jay Rapoport’s piano-fueled alt-rock songs. The Berklee School Of Music grad moved the band to New York City in 2007 and celebrated y releasing their debut CD, The Day Has Come. Containing fourteen songs of piano rock, ala Ben Folds and Billy Joel, The Day Has Come is a dynamic and colorful representation of the range and vibrancy of Rock N Roll piano. Supported by Matt Dosberg (bass & acoustic guitar); Paul Withers (drums) and special guest Steve Herrman (trumpet) of Lyle Lovett’s Large Band, Rapoport plays and sings for all he’s worth.

The Day Has Come opens with Moving On, a straight ahead rock tune with a driven rhythm section and lots of piano accents. This is a decent opening but is probably my least favorite track on the CD. The Billy Joel influence shows up on Give It All Away, where you can tell that Rapoport has listen to a lot of early Joel. Comparisons aside, it’s a great rock song that should be a concert favorite for Dangerous Kid. Cue up the mix tapes for Fall At Your Feet; a song of devotion and pedestal placement that will melt hearts. There aren’t many songwriters doling out love songs like this these days; get this placed on a movie or television soundtrack somewhere and Dangerous Kid won’t be able to press CDs fast enough to meet the demand. Wow.

What Did I Do is a personal favorite, and upbeat yet dark rock song that is the perfect remedy for a fight with your significant other. This one will stick out in your mind and the melody just won’t go away. You Should See The View again shows the influence of early Billy Joel, particularly in the piano part. Rapoport is at his very best here. Dangerous Kid gears up next for the melancholy schmaltz on Make The Night Last, a pure singer/songwriter tune, circa 1975.
Someone’s Son is a wonderful song about the truths of war that often don’t hit home until it’s too late. Love Me Tonight is another great song in the style Billy Joel played before he really hit it big. Rapoport displays a keen ability to turn a phrase here on top of writing excellent piano-based music. Rock Star calls back to a time when glam and Rock N Roll went hand-in-hand. The song is a tongue-in-cheek display of the power of stardom, both over self and others. Dangerous Jam is a fun musical breakdown that skirts the edges of jazz and allows the band to just hang loose for a few minutes; it’s a fun listen. Dangerous Kid closes out the set Never Too Late, an incredibly poised and thoughtful song about hope.

Dangerous Kid is a victim of how good they are. True songwriting and performance talent is often relegated to the second tier of a music industry more concerned with marketing a look or fashion than good music. Twenty years ago Dangerous Kid would have had a major label deal and all the backing they could desire. They’d be playing stadiums by now instead of clubs. This is a band that deserves to make it to the big time, based on Jay Rapoport’s songwriting and vision, and the support of one of the tightest rhythm sections on the East Coast. The Day Has Come is an essential disc. If you are a Billy Joel or Ben Folds fan then you’re going to love this CD. If you’re a fan of great and varied songwriting, then give Dangerous Kid’s The Day Has Come a spin. You’ll be happy you did.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Dangerous Kid at http://www.dangerouskid.com/. You can purchase a copy of The Day Has Come at www.cdbaby.com/cd/dangerouskid2. You can also download the album through iTunes.

Review: JoyFocus - Cyber Suburban Electric Rock Circus

JoyFocus – Cyber Suburban Electric Rock Circus
2009, JoyFocus

Illinois duo JoyFocus are back with their follow-up to 2008’s Ultra Catchy Atomic Pop Interlude – Volume 1, with Cyber Suburban Electric Rock Circus. Aside from a penchant for multi-syllabic, tongue-twisting album titles, JoyFocus writes amazingly dynamic and varied Rock N Roll songs. Rikk Currence and Holly Joy raise their game to a new level on Cyber Suburban Electric Rock Circus. Don’t miss this.

One of the best ways to live forever is to be immortalized in song. Such songs range from dirges to joyous celebrations of the life lived. I have to say that if I were ever to be so lucky as to be immortalized in song, I would hope it would be a song as dynamic and wonderful is Audrey Is Gone. It’s a soaring rock tune with harmonies that run halfway between Wilson Phillips and the Wilson sisters (Heart). Seriously, this one of the most moving (lyrically and musically) tribute songs I’ve ever heard. Princess Samantha is a positively themed pop/rock song about the social forces that encourage loneliness and the benefits of abstinence. Grey Day My Way (War Of Me) is a great, peppy rock tune with a socio-religious theme involving right choices and living.

Prayer is perhaps the best song on the album. Think classic U2 sound where the Christian philosophy is right out front instead of woven into the fabric of the song, and you have an idea of what Prayer is like. Salvation is a big rock/pop song about escaping the entrapments of thee world around us into something greater. JoyFocus scores big with a cover of The Eurythmics’ Here Comes The Rain Again. Other highlights include Halos & Flames, All That You Need and a reprise of Audrey Is Gone to close out the album.

I Had the opportunity to review JoyFocus’ previous release, Ultra Catchy Atomic Pop Interlude Volume 1, back in June of 2008. While that CD has some great things going for it (4 stars), it was clear that JoyFocus was still looking for a final element to their sound. It’s safe to say that on Cyber Suburban Electric Rock Circus JoyFocus found what they are looking for. Even with strong Christian themes, this may be one of most dynamic pop/rock albums to come across my desk in quite a while. JoyFocus is a musical force to be reckoned with, delivering a positive message through big, hook-heavy pop/rock songs that just won’t leave you alone.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about JoyFocus at http://www.joyfocus.com/. You can download Cyber Suburban Electric Rock Circus exclusively through iTunes.

Review: Spygirl - Pieces Of Evidence

Spygirl – Pieces Of Evidence
2008, Spygirl Music

Vancouver’s Spygirl took eight long years to release their second disc. Their self-titled debut hit shelves in 2000. The band went through some changes over the years, but re-engaged with producer Tom Rothrock (Beck, Badly Drawn Boy, Sloan, Elliott Smith, James Blunt) to release 2008’s Pieces Of Evidence. Born of a longtime collaboration between vocalist Koralee Tonack and multi-instrumentalist Jane Gowan (no idea if she’s related to Styx’ Lawrence Gowan), Spygirl started out as Time Waits. The band is a collection of incredibly talented musicians, and Tonack’s voice is amazing.

Pieces Of Evidence opens with Come Out To Play, a down-tempo song about coming out of your shell and letting go of your fears, yet it sounds mired in a deep melancholy. Where Did Those Stars Come From has an almost ethereal, Mazzy Starr quality to it. Feeling Fine is ambivalence personified; a self-affirmation that is without real energy or life. The vocals and harmonies here are gorgeous, but the energy just isn’t there. Feeling Fine is, unfortunately, a microcosm of Pieces Of Evidence. Well constructed songs fed by pretty harmonies, a lead vocalist with a great voice, and little or no energy to drive it. Mellow and ethereal music are fine, but even mellow music has life and vitality to it. Spygirl comes across as a very talented outfit that just isn’t challenged by or interested in what they are playing. This is unfortunate because there are some wonderful elements here. And Spygirl even tries to make a late save with Be Lost and Weight Of The World, but it’s too little too late to hold on to the listener. The final track, Dust, is a reserved story song where Koralee Tonack really comes to life on vocals. It’s really a worthwhile performance, but most listeners won’t stick around that long.

Rating: 2 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Spygirl at http://www.spygirlmusic.com/ or www.myspace.com/spygirlspygirl. You can purchase a copy of Pieces Of Evidence at MapleMusic.com or as a download through iTunes.

Nicky Swann – Burning Bright E.P.
2008, Nicky Swann

Hailing from Kingsteignton, Devon, England, Nicky Swann has deep roots both in the country and in the brand of acoustic folk music she writes and plays. Long of a successful cover duo, Swann became a songwriter quite by accident. Left without a guitarist and unhappy with potential replacements after her duo dissolved, Swann took it upon herself to broaden her guitar skills from the three chords she knew. In no time at all Swann was back on the circuit and writing her own material. The time since has been full of local awards and recognition, and Swann has begun to set her sights on a larger audience. Nicky Swann recorded and released her debut CD, Burning Bright (EP) in 2008. Without distinct popular flair, Nicky Swann offers up honest, from the heart folk music in the spirit of Lucinda Williams and at time Bonnie Raitt.

Burning Bright opens with Good Advice, an incredibly poignant story song about the daughter of a highwayman who warns her away from his ultimately fatal lifestyle. It’s a Greek tragedy set to music in a melancholy Country/Americana arrangement that is sonically gorgeous. Wheels Keep Turning is a song of hopeful melancholy about second or new chances and the passage of time. One Step Away is a little more upbeat, played in a more traditional Country arrangement. It’s a song about the dynamics of a relationship that is very intelligent and tuneful. This is not your typical Country/Folk fare, but a classic song that would be welcome in Nashville in almost any age of Country music. Time Stands Still is a passionate plea for a relationship not to end. It is one of the most heartfelt and personal performances I’ve heard on CD in some time.

Nicky Swann is a lesson in accidents and fate. If you do what you love and do it well you’ll be given what you love to do. The fact that the latter isn’t always exactly what you might have expected is irrelevant; or maybe it’s the point. Nicky Swann cocooned herself after the breakup of her old due, and emerged from that hibernation as an amazing songwriter. Burning Bright is a thing of beauty; a Wildy’s World Certified Desert Island Disc, and an instant classic.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Nicky Swann at http://www.myspace.com.nickyswann/. You can pick up a copy of Burning Bright (EP) at www.cdbaby.com/cd/nickyswann2.

Review: Jupiter Rising - The Quiet Hype

Jupiter Rising – The Quiet Hype
2009, Chime/Fontana Records

Jupiter Rising made quite a splash with their debut album, 2006’s Electropop. Music from the album is in regular rotation in television shows, commercials and sports arenas everywhere. On March 17, 2009, Jupiter Rising returns with their sophomore effort, The Quiet Hype. Vocalist/Producer Spencer Nezey and vocalist Jessie Payo grace us with an eclectic mix of electro/dance pop, soulful ballads and even the occasional stab at social commentary. A 2009 tour is in the works.

The surprising choice for lead single from The Quiet Hype is Falling Away, an up-tempo dance/pop tune that is certainly accessible and fun to listen to, but hardly the best candidate for a single here. Tres Cool, the likely second single, should have gained the first spot. The only justification for holding Tres Cool back is that it’s a perfect summer hit. Expect to hear it everywhere this summer; it’s a can’t miss single. Guarded could make for an interesting release. Although not as dynamic as Tres Cool, it has interesting vocal triad harmonies very reminiscent of Wilson Phillips.

Flip My Switch is bound for the hard core dance club scene. That it lacks in subtlety it make up for in pure glam and raw sexuality. The Quiet Hype is a personal favorite, as it lets Payo show off her vocal skills in a more relaxed setting. While still heavily produced, Payo gets to play with some seriously constructed harmonies. Payo has a perfect rock/pop voice with just enough edge to be memorable. Over Again is another mover and shaker. It’s a great pop tune, heavily produced but none the worse for wear.

L.A. Girls is a fun listen, trashing the gimme-gimme culture of Los Angeles (“Prada Bag, Gucci Shoes, Louis V, Jimmy Choos”). Other highlights are Follow Me, Snakeskin and When The Bass Drops.

Jupiter Rising isn’t exactly bubble gum pop, but they don’t hide their heritage in that realm either. Mixing elements of Pop, Hip-Hop and Rock, Jupiter Rising has created a highly entertaining dance album in The Quiet Hype that should gain significant commercial traction. And if it’s not the most intellectual music in the world, who cares? Who wants to think while they’re dancing?

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Jupiter Rising at www.myspace.com/jupiterising or http://www.jupiterisingmusic.net/. The Quiet Hype hits shelves on March 17, 2009, and can be pre-ordered through Amazon.com. If you just can’t wait you can download Tres Cool and L.A. Girls through iTunes. And be sure to check out Jupiter Rising’s website. They’re running a remix contest for the song L.A. Girls that could get you some face time on Jupiter Rising’s web and MySpace pages.

Review: The Supervillains - Massive

The Supervillains – Massive
2008, Law Records

The Supervillains are back. Following up on their popular 2006 release, Grow Your Own, the Orlando, Florida Ska/Punk quintet are back with Massive, their most refined and accessible album to date. Produced by James Wisner (NAS, Justin Timberlake, Shakira); Massive features appearances by Slightly Stoopid’s Kyle McDonald and Inner Circle’s Kris Bentley.

Massive opens with You Got Me, sounding a great deal like Sublime. The Pit hearkens back to the early days of The Mighty Mighty Boss Tomes, in a pure Ska/Punk extravaganza. Home Again is a wonderfully catchy Pop/Punk hybrid with great harmonies happening between the two vocalists. My favorite track on the CD is the surprising cover of Billy Joel’s Movin’ Out (Anthony’s Song). Aside from the reggae beat this cover is amazingly faithful to the original and very well done overall. St. Thomas is another curveball from The Supervillains; a honky-tonk style ode to the fringe benefits of a visit to the U.S. Virgin Islands. Other highlights include Overdose, Iru Kanji and Snow White.

The Supervillains are a highly entertaining Ska/Punk outfit with a serious penchant for chemical relaxation. For this reason the album is one parents might want to think twice about before buying it for your child. That being said, The Supervillains might be one of the better Ska/Punk hybrid bands going. Massive certainly could be, there’s enough commercial fodder here to keep The Supervillains in consistent radio rotation until at least mid-fall. It’s a great listen.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about The Supervillains at www.myspace.com/therealsupervillains or http://www.thesupervillains.net/. You can purchase a copy of Massive at Amazon.com.

Review: Joy Ike - Good Morning

Joy Ike – Good Morning
2008, Joy Ike

Pittsbugh, Pennsylvania’s Joy Ike is a musical late bloomer. The 25-year-old singer/songwriter just started writing and performing 3 ½ years ago, but is already considered the gem of the Pittsburgh music scene by both insiders and outsiders. The Nigerian born former publicist has acquired a reputation for lyrical depth and social conscience while delivering strong pop arrangements reminiscent of folks like Corinne Bailey Rae, Norah Jones and Fiona Apple. Ike’s second album, Good Morning, was released in 2008 to rave reviews in and around the Pittsburgh area, as well as some on the national scene.

Good Morning opens with a brief vocal intro, a Capella, that displays just what a gorgeous and warm voice Ike possesses. Ike steps out of a reverb chamber into real time like an angel stepping from your dreams into the now. You spend the next twelve songs hoping she won’t leave. Strongman is a piano-driven pop song with hints of soul, like an interesting hybrid of Tori Amos and Alicia Keys. Warriors Get Your Gear On is a wonderful, lyrically dense pop song projecting a somewhat serious perspective on a light and airy pop arrangement. Remember is a gem of a song, sounding like a soliloquy from a Broadway Pop musical. It’s a song about saving the world, or having the courage to try.

Jacob & Esau is a peppy, funk-tinged piano pop tune that sounds like Tori Amos stylistically and is wonderfully vibrant. Unconditional is a song of longing and devotion; certain mix-tape material in a piano-pop format. You’ll want to make time for the melancholy flavor of City Lights and the regretful beauty of Oh I Fight. Other highlights include the hauntingly beautiful and powerful Love Is; Hey, Where Are The Kids; the gospel-tinged The Least Of These and Hope. Hope is very similar in ideals to Rent’s Seasons Of Love, though different in style.

Joy Ike is the real deal; a singer/songwriter with something to say and ample to talent to deliver it. A warm and inviting voice wrapped up in strong and generous piano-driven pop/rock arrangements is the general recipe for Ike, who may be the best thing to come out Western Pennsylvania in a decade or more. Good Morning is an exciting introduction. Nice to meet you, Joy Ike, we hope to hear much more from you.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Joy Ike at www.myspace.com/joyike or http://www.joyike.com/. You can purchase a copy of Good Morning at www.cdbaby.com/cd/joyike2.

Review: The Greens - Broken Science, Vol. 1

The Greens – Broken Science, Vol. 1
2007, The Greens

Morgantown, West Virginia’s The Greens have been rockin’ Appalachia for more than five years now with an intriguing blend of Rock, Soul and Boogaloo. Andrew Tuck, Ben Sweeney and Nathan Yoke have formed an incredibly tight band over time that is always producing new material. The Greens sent along Broken Science, Vol. 1, one of their EPs from 2007 for review.

Broken Science, Vol. 1 opens with 10-4 Good Buddy, a well-constructed classic guitar-rock jam. Up next is All Over, a funky, R&B laden rocker with a serious groove going on. Crazy Thomas is my personal favorite on the disc. The Greens come across sounding a bit like Cowboy Mouth on this tune. The Greens Shows that same New Orleans style spunk on Swamp Queen, a Creedence Clearwater Revival sound-a-like that should be a concert favorite. I also highly recommend Penny, built on one of the most vicious guitar riffs you’re likely to hear.

The Greens Mixes blues, rock, R&B and a little bit of Louisiana swamp gas for an eclectic sound that is distinctly recognizable and unique. Broken Science, Vol. 1 is likely to be a niche record, not for lack of talent or interesting sound, but as a victim of the current trends in what some call musical taste. This is, unfortunately, the sort of CD that tends to fall through the cracks for all the wrong reasons. Don’t let it. It’s a great listen.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about The Greens at http://www.thegreensmusic.com/. You can purchase a copy of Broken Science, Vol. 1 at CDFreedom.com.

Review: Jono & Friends - Misty Roses

Jono & Friends – Misty Roses
2008, J. Frola

Jono Frola has led something of a charmed life. The one time rock club manager, advertising jingle writer, actor, songwriter and singer has travelled all over in pursuit of his various muses. Appearing in films such as Making Mr. Right, Tweeners and Natalie In New York. His jingles have been featured in spots or campaigns for Sports Illustrated, Pan Am Airlines and International Harvester. In 2008, Frola released Misty Roses on CD. Let’s take a look.

Misty Roses opens with the title track, a schmaltzy Bossa Nova that’s played as smooth as silk. I Was Wrong is pure 1970’s AM radio material. The gentle R&B groove here should be full of soul, but Jono just doesn’t provide that feel in the vocals. Jono makes the most of his cover of The Beatles’ While My Guitar Gently Weeps. He extracts some lovely sounds from his guitar, but the energy just isn’t there. It’s a melancholy song, but there was a spark to the original (and to several covers I’ve heard over the years) that is simply absent here.

Island Dreams has more energy, with a delicious Bossa Nova beat underneath it all. Dazed also shows a bit of life, and the cover of Randy Newman’s Marie actually reflects some inspiration on the part of Jono & Friends, but about half of the album falls prey to its own listlessness. Jono himself is a passable vocalist, but pitch problems do appear on the mastered recording. This is (almost) always a dubious choice. Misty Roses is meant to be a romantic album, but romance requires energy, and about half the time Jono & Friends just don’t have it here.

Rating: 2 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Jono & Friends at http://www.jonofrola.com/. You can pick up a copy of Misty Roses at www.cdbaby.com/cd/jonofriends.

Review: Scythian - Immigrant Road Show

Scythian – Immigrant Road Show
2007, Imagramaphone

If you’re looking for first class Celtic music then we’ve got an album (and band) for you. Scythian, a band of Ukrainian descent based out of Washington, D.C., may just be the hottest thing going on the Celtic circuit. With three vocalists, two fiddlers and more spirit than entire jug of punch could provide, Scythian storm the stage or the studio; wherever they happen to be playing. Classical musicians who started busking for fun, brothers Danylo (guitar/accordion/vox) and Alexander Fedoryka (violin/mandolin/bass/vox/harmonica) teamed up with Josef Crosby (violin/bass/vox) and Mike Ounallah to form one of the most dynamic Celtic outfits going. Scythian’s latest effort (their third) is Immigrant Road Show. You won’t be able to put it down.

Immigrant Road Show opens with Immigrant Stomp, a lively Irish Jig featuring some of best fiddle playing I’ve heard in a long time. Try to sit still through this song. Just try it. Hills of Donegal is a great listen; very lively and full of energy. It’s a bit of a modern take on a classic Celtic song; talking about wanting to turn Donegal into a Vegas-style fortress. This would not be a popular idea with traditional Celtic fans but is still a great listen. Jacobites is done in a dynamic arrangement that is full of tension and life. It’s a great rendition. One of my personal favorites on the album is Highway 81. There is a very 1930’s or 1940’s cabaret style to the arrangement that is endearing. The violin fills and complementary lines are well done to the point of brilliance. Vocalist Danylo Fedoryka’s easy style is perfect for this song.

Boyko Dream is done in a gypsy style that invokes dark and daunting images. There are also elements of a middle-eastern sound here that are very intriguing. Boyko Dream ends up as a huge jam with each member trading solos and egging the others on. Tuesday Morning is a Celtic themed rock song with real legs. This will get your feet moving and would have real commercial potential with the right placement. Final Reel is a master class in Celtic ensemble playing. You’ll dance, you’ll laugh, you’ll call for another pint. Classic. Technoccordian is a stab at Celtic hip-hop; complete with MC.

Kesh Jigs is a wonderful opportunity for some Irish dancing. Great for a dance hall or a kitchen party, just make sure to keep the Grog flowing. I Will Go dips into the Scottish songbook for a revolutionary song from the era of William Wallace (or thereabouts). Stop The Show throws you violently back into one of the most frenetic jigs I’ve heard; I got dizzy just listening to the dueling fiddles of Josef Crosby and Alexander Fedoryka. Make sure you check out Follow Me Up To Carlow and Fields of Athenry, but put aside some time to appreciate Gypsy Fiddle. We got an idea of what the two fiddlers were capable of on Stop The Show, but this piece is amazing.

Scythian is the real deal: an old school, grab your shillelagh Celtic band. So many bands mix Irish musical heritage with Bluegrass, Rock or World Music these days that it is a pleasure to hear a band going the old school route. The sound is sweet. Another pint or two while you listen; Immigrant Road Show is a treat for the ears. It’s a Wildy’s World Certified Desert Island Disc and a must for your collection.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Scythian at www.myspace.com/scythian or http://www.scythianmusic.com/, where you can purchase a copy of Immigrant Road Show.

Review: Jana Mashonee - New Moon Born

Jana Mashonee – New Moon Born
2009, Miss Molly Records

Jana Mashonee is a voice to be reckoned with. Her soulful, stannic alto is full of vibrato and swirling hues that capture the listener’s attention. She’s a performer for whom you’d gladly buy a concert ticket even if she was singing the phonebook. An award winning (7 Nammy Awards, 1 Grammy nomination) Native American (Lumbee Indian) singer, Mashonee aims for greater popular exposure with her latest CD, New Moon Born. With a mix of Soul, R&B, Latin, Native American and pop styles, Mashonee appears to have found a winning musical combination.

New Moon Born opens with Osiris’ Star and an incredible vocal line from Mashonee. The lyrical depth is more than you might expect from your typical, pop-oriented album; but nothing else here indicates that Mashonee is typical. There are some samples of fairly typical pop fare such as Solid Ground, Used To Be In Love and Water’s Edge. At the same time there are some real stunners on New Moon Born. For Just One Night is a gorgeous, affecting performance featuring some delicious minor key vocal harmonies. The Spanish version, Una Noche is even more powerful. Miracles spices things up with a funk-filled bass line and a dance beat guaranteed to get your feet moving. Sunday Morning shows Mashonee working in her upper register and sounding remarkably like Paula Cole.

So far, so good, but Carousel is the song you came to hear. Jana Mashonee shows signs of a big, powerful voice all throughout New Moon Born, and on Carousel she lets it run with vigor. Carousel is classic Soul/R&B ala Aretha Franklin (or more recently, Melinda Doolittle). Mashonee can belt with the best of them and delivers an absolutely stunning performance here. If she can do on stage what she does on CD then she has the potential to be a legend.

Jana Mashonee is already an icon. She is a sterling musical representative of The First Nations of the Americas, melding Native American and Latin sounds with traditional pop music in a fashion that has few forebears. Her powerful, hue-filled voice is instantly memorable and recognizable; resounding in the listener’s mind like a lucid dream. Mashonee delivers the songs on New Moon Born with a passion that burns right out of your speakers, and she’s impossible to overlook. New Moon Born has the potential to be a breakout recording.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Jana Mashonee at http://www.janamashonee.com/ or www.myspace.com/janamashonee. New Moon Born will be released on January 20, 2009. You can order copies or digital downloads through Amazon.com.

Review: The Divorce Papers - The Last F***ing Song You'll Ever Hear

The Divorce Papers – The Last F***ing Song You’ll Every Hear
2009, Poorboys Productions

Miami, Florida based The Divorce Papers are breaking it down. Barriers, that is. Swimming firmly in the rock/punk/alternative based full of big, loud, distorted guitar solos, heavy strummed bass and a punk attitude as big as the state of Florida, The Divorce Papers have wed their musical futures to an infusion of hip-hop genes into the mix. The resulting first EP, The Last F***ing Song You’ll Ever Hear is telling.

The 2-song EP opens with The Last Song, an interesting hybrid of pop, alternative rock and even a little bit of hip-hop. The sound is unique and fresh, although the mix on the EP was very poor (I had to turn it up to way above normally healthy levels just to hear it). There’s nothing pithy here; The Divorce Papers project a great punk attitude and a willingness to take chances. A little classic guitar rock style is evident as well as The Divorce Papers allow themselves to bask in some old school guitar solos along the way. Daze is more of a hip-hop influenced song but over a distinctly Rock N Roll base.

Don’t expect sonic excellence here, that’s not what The Divorce Papers are about. This is about Rock N Roll, pure and simple. The Divorce Papers are a band that would sound equally good in a cinder block garage or a dynamic sound space. It’s hard to tell a lot about a band from just two tracks, but this is a good start. The pop/rock world is continually reinventing itself by melding styles and breaking down walls between genres. The Divorce Papers are no different, but they might just be unique enough to catch on.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about The Divorce Papers at www.myspace.com/thedivorcepapers or www.last.fm/music/The+Divorce+Papers, where you can download these tracks for free.

Review: Lisa Jaeggi - Demo(nstration)

Lisa Jaeggi – Demo(nstration)
2008, Lisa Jaeggi

Brooklyn-based singer/songwriter Lisa Jaeggi describes her style of music as skateboard acoustic soul. The daughter of Swiss and Japanese parents grew up in the suburbs of Washington, D.C. and attended Guilford College in North Carolina on her way to New York City. In spite of referring to Justin Timberlake as a genius in her media bio we still think she’s pretty cool and talented. Jaeggi’s CD Demo(nstration) is self produced and very compelling. Let’s check it out.

Jaeggi draws from disparate influences including Lauryn Hill, Citizen Cope, Jack Johnson, Sam Cook and Bob Marley; it’s fair to say that you should leave your expectations at the door. Jaeggi marches to her own drummer and you’re better off just trying to keep up with her rather than getting bogged down in pre-conceived notions. Jaeggi opens with Oh Lady You Shot Me!; a gritty folk-pop song reminiscent of Fiona Apple. Up next is You Can’t Spell Believe Without Lie, a lyrical wonder supported by just Jaeggi on guitar. Empirical Science is performed in a talk-sing style similar to that practiced by Nellie McKay but with a darker depth. Men-Like Gods is a compact and catchy song that would greatly benefit from additional instrumentation. The recording offered here is great for a demo, but this song begs for a fuller sound.

Vendetta is a bit of acoustic hip hop that wants desperately to be a big time Rock N Roll anthem. This may the breakout song that Jaeggi needs. With a good band behind her this could become a monster. The CD also includes Tell His Mother, Somebody Else and The Bard, all of which are fine compositions but perhaps not as dynamic as the rest.

Lisa Jaeggi is lyrically brilliant, mining every day topics like a true story teller. Jaeggi finds that nugget in a topic that either you didn’t think it, or finds a different light to shed on it than you might have considered. Vocally she exudes a strong, warm voice that stands up to anything you’ll hear on the radio. The musical arrangements on Demo(nstration) are spare, with Jaeggi providing guitar or keys are need. The base arrangements are excellent, but some of the material here would definitely benefit from the fuller arrangements a band could provide. Pay attention to Lisa Jaeggi, you’ll be hearing from her again. Talent like this doesn’t stay hidden for long.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Lisa Jaeggi at www.myspace.com/lisajaeggi. Perhaps you can talk her into selling you a copy of her CD, Demo(nstration). It’s worth having.

Review: Jaime Garamella - Upside Downer

Jaime Garamella – Upside Downer
2008, Dogburn Records

Jaime Garamella is a Brooklyn-transplanted singer/songwriter originally from Bston. Along with his band, The Spanish Channel, Garamella produced and recorded his debut CD in 2008, Upside Downer. Combining the quirky song craft of Elvis Costello and Ben Folds with the stylistic vigor of Ryan Adams or Fountains Of Wayne, Garamella dazzles with eight songs full of gorgeous melodies, arena rock style harmonies and memorable instrumental arrangements.

Upside Downer opens with The Wishing, a compact rocker than opens up with soaring harmonies and new wave keyboard accents. This song is radio ready today, and would get a lot of attention in the right market/demographic. Tiny Voices has some of the most striking harmonies on the CD, buoying a positive message with jangly guitars. It’s a very distinctive composition that could only come from Garamella. Upside Downer is a wonderful song that is probably 25 years too late for its maximum commercial potential. Delicious minor triads in the harmony make this one stick out in your head. Still a potential hit even today.

Me & You is a refreshing surprise amidst all of this great Rock N Roll. A bleakly beautiful song of love and sorrow, Me & You captures the angst of love lost more perfectly than any photograph ever could. The last track on the disc is of particular interest. A Weak Heart juxtaposes physical heart problems with the pain of a broken heart. The song is a bit of a downer and displays Garamella’s willingness to take chances musically. It is the primary reason why I am convinced we’ll still be talking about Jaime Garamella in ten or twenty years time. Other highlights include Devil’s Advocate, Odyssey and Pompeii.

Jaime Garamella writes pop gold in a musical age when such things are extremely undervalued. Garamella is the sort of artist who could make it in most any era of music because he has the ear necessary to breach the imaginary walls of musical culture and taste. Upside Downer is a brilliant album. Even if Garamella never records again, he’l be remembered for this album.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Jaime Garamella at http://www.jamiegaramella.com/ or http://www.myspace.com/jamiegmusic. You can purchase a copy of Upside Downer at www.cdbaby.com/cd/jaimegaramella. Downloads are available through Digstation.

Review: Low Red Land - Dog's Hymns

Low Red Land – Dog’s Hymns
2008, Low Red Land

Yet another expatriate band from Boston, Low Red Land relocated to San Francisco and took up a heavy touring schedule. A dynamic songwriting style has garnered them significant attention and gains them new fans at every show. In the same musical vein as folks like Lucero, Fugazi and Crazy Horse, Low Red Land exploits unfluences ranging from Rock to country to folk to hardcore. Their debut album, Dog’s Hymns, hit shelves in 2008. Their reputation as a big rock band precedes them; let’s see how Dog’s Hymns plays.

I found Dog’s Hymns to be a very experiential album. In a case like this it becomes less important to talk about specific tracks than it does to discuss the general mood, affect and experience of the album itself. My initial impression is that Low Red Land is in some ways a throwback to the AOR Era of music (not in sound, per se, but in style and approach). The closest comparison I can come up with for Low Red Land is Canadian legends the Rheostatics. Vocalist Ben Thorne sounds like Glen Phillips of Toad The Wet Sprocket, and this easy vocal approach is set up against the vibrant rock sound of the band. My personal favorite track is Hunt Song. Big guitar and a driving rhythm sell this rocker with a distinct pop sensibility. That is the other thing that sticks out about Low Red Land; their pop sense. Even the most rhythmic rock tune has a light and airy feel about it like it has been kissed by the pop gods. Dog’s Hymn is an off-center example of this quality. Also a potential winner is Landmark. Battles goes the Americana/Rock hybrid route, sounding like Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers but with a fuller sound.

The most unusual song on the CD is Goodnight Moon; this extremely inventive composition makes use of unusual and distinct chord progressions to alter the soundscape; sufficiently capturing the attention of even the most casual listener. Other highlights include Better Angels, Wovoka and Duke.

Low Red Land is a little out of the mainstream sonically, but has such a delicious sense of pop musicality that they might just pull the mainstream their way. Dog’s Hymns displays the type of unique song craft that is both the bane and boon of popular music. Make sure you take a few minutes to check out Low Red Land online. Not everyone is going to like it, but I am betting more will than won’t. A strong debut.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Low Red Land at http://www.lowredland.com/. You can purchase a copy of Dog’s Hymns at www.cdbaby.com/cd/lowredland2.

Review: Marc Gunn - What Color Is Your Dragon?

Marc Gunn – What Color Is Your Dragon?
2008, Mage Records

Marc Gunn is known the world over for being one of the biggest promoters of Celtic music in the business. His “Irish and Celtic Music Podcast” (3,000,000 downloads on iTunes) and “Renaissance Festival Podcast” are popular downloads on the World Wide Web. He is also known as the lead vocalist of the Brobdingnagian Bards, who have frequented Renaissance Festivals and Fairs for a number of years now. He is a regular performer at Dragon*Con, the largest Sci-Fi and Fantasy fiction convention in the world. He was even tapped to headline a Lord Of The Rings Oscar night party. Late of Austin, Texas, recently relocated to New Orleans to be part of the city’s musical renaissance. Gunn sent us a copy of What Color Is Your Dragon?, his 2007 release to check out. So what are we waiting for?

Gunn has certain themes that recur throughout his music that shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone. Much like the guys from Big Bang Theory, Gunn is fascinated with The Lord Of The Rings, Star Wars, Harry Potter, dragons and innuendo. All of these subjects are delivered in the classic style of an Irish or English bard, the sort who would travel from town to town in Medieval times to bring news, stories and songs to the working and farming classes in exchange for food, drink, lodging and perhaps a few coins. Gunn kicks things off with the humorous Don’t Go Drinking With Hobbits; implying that the pint sized anti-heroes of J.R.R. Tolkien’s classic series might just drink you under the table. A Rabbit For Halloween is an interesting tale in music about rabbits, witches and brooms. It’s highly entertaining and a perfect example of the Bardic style Gunn lives by.

Samwise Gangee is another trip to Tolkien’s Hobbiton. It’s very well done but likely to appeal only to hard core Tolkien fans. The Virgin Diet (How To Have Fun Losing Weight) is absolutely hilarious, although perhaps not entirely PC. Dub this style Geek-Folk if you want, but this is the sort of song that used to earn Bards their bread and butter. How Do You Tell A Woman You’re In Love is an interesting turn, with Gunn sounding vaguely like Gordon Lightfoot. It’s a solid tune that sounds like it could have its genesis in a Renaissance Fair musical production.

From the drinking game category Gunn comes up with the Pleasant Pheasant Plucking Song. This tricky bit of musical alliteration is ripe for slips of the tongue that would send the censors into fits of apoplexy. It’s a party song that gets more and more debilitating the more you miss, but the highlight of the record is Lusty Young Sith. In classic bard style, Gunn tells the story of a light saber battle that’s full of sexual tension and innuendo. Each stroke and thrust of the ensuing battle is lovingly detailed here. If I Were A Horse takes on another function, winning the award for the most creative use of the word snot in a song. It’s an entertaining ditty, particularly after a flagon or three.

My other favorite from the CD is The Last Chicken Of Dublin, which details the dangers of running a-fowl of authority. This song is entertaining and bold without going over the top. Gunn visits Tolkien’s world twice more: The Nazgul Song and Gollum Blues. Both are fun to listen to but are likely to be a bit much for non-fans of The Lord Of The Rings. Gunn takes one amusing and off-beat crack at opening up the Harry Potter narrative with a song in the voice of the son of Professor Lupin and Tonks: My Father Was A Werewolf. This one will appeal to fans of J.K. Rowling’s classic series as it is faithful to the spirit of Harry Potter without being stale. Other highlights include Monkeys Over Mongolia, Pig’s Song and I’ve Saved The Earth.

Marc Gunn pulls this music off as more than just a novelty act because he sells every note of every song. There is a fair bit of novelty value here, but Gunn is a serious musician who chooses to have fun with his material. What Color Is Your Dragon? Is a lo-fi classic, getting at the Celtic roots of folk music like few others in the genre. This CD will appeal heavily to Sci-Fi and Fantasy Fans, SCAdians and other Renaissance Fair folken. Beyond that, anyone who likes singer-songwriter styles may recognize this is it in its rawest, most basic form. Even if you’re skeptical of the subject matter, sit back, relax (as you might) and give it a fair listen. Marc Gunn will charm you, make you laugh and perhaps even make you think. Somewhere along the way magic happens. What Color Is Your Dragon? Is a classic; a Wildy’s World Certified Desert Island Disc. Don’t pass it by.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Marc Gunn at http://www.marcgunn.com/. You can purchase a copy of What Color Is Your Dragon? at www.cdbaby.com/cd/gunnmarc5.

Socks For Dinosaurs – Miracles And Magic
2008, Socks For Dinosaurs

Socks For Dinosaurs is the brainchild of Kevin Cosgrove. Based Maryland, Cosgrove sought to build a musical community by recording an album of songs he wrote for friends to sing. The other goal of Socks For Dinosaurs was to build a signature sound without being tied to one particular style. It would appear that the goals of Socks For Dinosaurs have been met. Socks For Dinosaurs debut album, Miracles And Magic, is very distinctive and instantly recognizable.

Miracles And Magic opens with Here In This Moment, an avante-garde rock recording in the spirit of The Rheostatics. The lead vocalist on Here In This Moment even sounds a bit like Martin Tielli. The song itself is quite a pleasant listen, although the peripheral instrumental flourishes can get a bit distracting. Brazil plays on the edges of Latin Jazz. The melody line is quite listenable but the arrangement seems a bit out of time with the melody and lyrics. The odd placement/arrangement of instrumental soliloquies does end up mudding the musical waters a bit, although it seems that is perhaps the intent here. Tired explores the dark waters of sleep deprivation in an arrangement that wants to be beautiful but never quite crosses that line. Dark, minor key secondary melody lines ive this an almost disturbed sound that sticks out in the mind.
Is Love Real asks the age old question not in the dulcet sweet tones normally heard but in dark and disjointed minor keys; juxtaposing love and attraction as opponents rather than components of a whole. Weary Angel is a tribute that is sweet and full of sentiment that attempts to capture the melancholy grace of a classic country tune. In this instance Socks For Dinosaurs succeeds, although the running together of violin and pedal steel guitar in the bridge creates more dissonance than appealing sound. East Coast Land is an odd arrangement that sounds like it escaped from a 1970’s jazz vault. The melody and base arrangement are at least interesting, but there’s just too much going on in the periphery to allow a subtle intrigue to develop.

Change is as close as we get to a truly marketable tune, drawing on 1970’s soul and funk influences. This duet has some real highlights but still gets caught in Socks For Dinosaurs’ tendency to overproduce the songs presented here. It’s as if melody and harmony are never enough; like a painter who draws a perfect flower but then continues to add embellishment and effects until the perfection and even the character of the original is lost. The incessant tendency to tinker to make the music sound perfect to the creator is one that comes up often in music as well as other art forms can be the quick path to musical peril. Tar River follows somewhat the same path, coming across as a transitional piece from an off-off-off-Broadway show. Late At Night closes out the set in a select piece of jazz noir. This is the most enjoyable track on the disc, as Socks For Dinosaurs seems to pull back just a bit and let the song breathe.

Socks For Dinosaurs is afflicted with an inability to let their songs be songs. The endless push for the perfect sound or note or phrase turns art into a mercurial pixilation of notes and silence; devolving from song into minutiae devoid of real personality or character. While there are a couple of bright moments on Miracles And Magic, in the end it was a difficult listen. Technically brilliant performances just get lost in all of the detail and enhancement; squeezing the intended spirit from the music. This will appeal to a narrow demographic of jazz fans but isn’t likely to find much traction outside of that small group.

Rating: 2 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Socks For Dinosaurs at www.myspace.com/dogsofrebellion. You can purchase a copy of Socks For Dinosaurs at www.cdbaby.com/cd/socksfordinos.

Review: Linda Kay Burk - Sunshine Is Love

Linda Kay Burk – Sunshine Is Love
2009, Singing Bird Productions

Linda Kay Burk is a singer/songwriter from Rocklin, California who writes uplifting and calming songs for children. When not writing songs she is active in various programs working with and serving youth. Burk released her third album, Sunshine Is Love in January of 2009, entitled Sunshine Is Love. It’s eleven songs of sweet and mellow children’s songs sure to strike a chord with parents as well.

Sunshine Is Love opens with Butterfly, Land On Me, a song of discovery and wonder seen through a child’s eyes. Heaven Is All Around Me isn’t so much a religious song, as you might imagine, but a metaphor for being surrounded by love and beauty. The arrangement includes piano, acoustic guitar, strings and woodwinds. It has a daydream-like quality to it and sounds like something you might hear in a 1970’s Disney movie. Sunshine Is Love continues in the children’s/folk vein in which Burk primarily writes. Its an extremely pleasant melody and a positive message. This song could almost be a child’s prayer. Moms out there will want to catch Just Like You. Get the tissues ready for this one.

One of the true highlights of the album is She Planted The Seeds; a parable and tribute of sorts to motherhood. In the same vein, I Have A Little Child In Me is sweet, but at times lyrically awkward. Dancing In The Clouds is a sweet song that again sounds like it might have been from an old Disney film. Sleepytime Bear is an ode to a child’s favorite nighttime companion. Written with the cadence of a lullaby, Sleepytime Bear is touching and gentle. The album closes out with instrumental versions of Sleepytime Bear and Sunshine Is Love, where the melody is played by woodwinds.

Linda Kay Burk provides us with an old fashioned children’s album in Sunshine Is Love. This is mellow, feel good stuff that will appeal to some parents and children, particularly those of gentle disposition. Musically, Linda Kay Burk is extremely talented, writing musical arrangements that could be use in motion pictures. As a whole it’s a solid children’s album, but right or wrong its way out of tune with popular culture. Children who have been exposed to the modern culture scions like Disney and even Thinkbright or PBS will find this un-engaging. Families who eschew television and pop culture interference in their children’s lives will likely find Sunshine Is Love is charming and sweet. Through it all, Linda Kay Burk has created a gentle and kind children’s album whose sweetness and grace is insistent. It’s just a question of finding an audience who will listen.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Linda Kay Burk at http://www.songsofsingingbird.com/. You can purchase a copy of Sunshine Is Love at www.cdbaby.com/cd/lindakayburk3.

Review: Garrett N. - Instrumentals And Oddities

Garrett N. – Instrumentals And Oddities
2008, Garrett Newman

Amidst the snowy slopes and frozen ropes of Aspen Colorado flourishes instrumental artist/composer Garrett N. Drawing on influences ranging from composer Lalo Schiffrin to early Pink Floyd to George Benson, Garrett N. manages to never repeat himself in a musical world built on Ambient sounds and punctuated rhythms. His debut album, Instrumentals and Oddities is fourteen tracks of music to relax and explore to.

Eorche 2 leads off the set with distorted guitars and a bass melody against the backdrop of a slow, steady beat. Entrancing and dark; this is the perfect mood setter for the album. Masterpiece is as musically obtuse as Pink Floyd ever was, and is very much in the spirit of recordings such as Umma Gumma. Billie J. is one of the stronger tracks here as well; built on a Drum N Bass base with a sonic wash of keyboards, live electric guitar and various effects. AquaCave is perhaps one of the most prescient representations of motion in music you’ll find. You can actually envision yourself drifting down through water like a tendril.

4567 Down! Is intriguing. The song hints at structure while moving through deep and murky soft-core Industrial waters. Cloaked confused me a little on first listen, as I thought Garrett N. was using a dulcimer for a few minutes, but it sounds like a very unique picking style on standard guitar. Lateprod1 is a danceable song that sounds like it should be on the soundtrack of a Tim Burton movie. Garrett N. pulls out a wonderful jazz/funk/electro hybrid on The Thought Had Crossed My Mind. This one has real commercial/club potential. The album closes out with Cheap Unleaded, an odd spoken word/noise track that is in the essence of some of Pink Floyd’s weirder stuff.

Garrett N. mixes old and new sounds on Instrumentals and Oddities to come up with a sound and style that is distinctly his own. You’ll hear the occasional nod to Pink Floyd here, as well as a few pieces that are more cinematic in scope, but in general Garrett N. is writing for himself. The result is a wonderful electronic patois that will keep you coming back for more. Instrumentals And Oddities is a must listen for an aspiring electronic musician or fan. Even folks who don’t normally take to the electronic side of the staff will find much to like here.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Garrett N. through his GarageBand profile. You can purchase a copy of Instrumentals and Oddities at www.cdbaby.com/cd/garrettn2. You can also access Garrett N’s music through outlets such as Amazon.com or iTunes.

Review: Comandante Zero - 2008E.P.

Comandante Zero – CO08.E.P.
2008, Comandante Zero

Brooklyn’s Ken White and Dan Freeman comprise Comandante Zero, A Drum N Bass fueled electronic rock duo who each have roots in the Boston area. The duo has worked as the rhythm section of Virgin Records’ artist Xavier in Europe and the US and has shared a stage with the like of the Brazilian Girls and The Juan Maclean. Comandante Zero has also taken to the modern approach of funding their recordings, asking their fans to chip in. Today we’re taking a look at their three song EP, CO08E.P..

Opening up with Give It Up (Receive and Transmit), Comandante Zero lay on the catchy dance beats early on. This one is ready for the clubs; set to get you moving. Sudden Entropy is mildly rhythmic and lacks the energy of Give It Up. It does have an interesting keyboard selection that will remind listeners of a certain age of a videogame named Pong. The Future Comix is my favorite track; sort of a Drum N Bass-lite. Its highly rhythmic with an excellent groove. It’s just the thing for loft party or a rave.

Comandante Zero eschews the whole “it’s not cool to be good at your instrument” culture. Top-notch musicians with a fan’s sense of what works, Comandante Zero are the real deal. Listening to this CO08E.P. makes us very excited here at Wildy’s World to see what 2009’s Slouching Toward Babylon (their next album) will bring. Great stuff.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Comandante Zero at http://www.comandantezero.com/.

Review: Illicit Still - Monsterz Of Rock

Illicit Still – Monsterz Of Rock
2009, Illicit Still

Illicit Still is a tribute band from England that pays homage to the golden age of heavy metal. Everything from AC/DC to Motorhead to Van Halen is in play, and Illicit Still plays them with gusto. Illicit Still releases Monsterz Of Rock in 2009 highlighting some of their favorite tunes from the 1970’s and 1980’s. Let’s check it out.

Illicit Still is led by Mal The Voice, who growls his way through the five songs here effectively and passably. Mal is a decent singer for the style, but is victimized somewhat by the material. There are certain songs as a singer you just don’t tackle unless you can come close to the original or unless you’ve found your own original read on the song. Illicit Still is extremely faithful to the original renditions, and Mal just doesn’t have the range to match Bon Scott or David Lee Roth at their most dynamic. Illicit Still opens with Motorhead’s Ace Of Spades. It’s a solid, straight up cover, but the mix is way off, making it sound like the band is 100 yards behind the singer. Up next is Twisted Sister’s Shoot ‘Em Down. The rendition is faithful and clean, but once again Mal The Voice just can’t pull off the electricity Dee Snider was capable of.

AC/DC’s Highway To Hell is much the same story. Thin Lizzy’s Whiskey In The Jar is more within the range of Mal The Voice, and the faithful rendition sounds like the original than any of the other tracks here. Illicit Still closes out with Van Halen’s Panama. Here the gap is widest, as while both Mal The Voice and guitarist Stevie Peps Laing are faithful and talented, neither can quite capture the Zeitgeist of the original.

Illicit Still is a great cover band. On a Friday or Saturday night, if your taste runs to metal and Illicit Still is playing the local pub then they’d make for a fine evening of entertainment. They’re good, but don’t really stand out significantly in a market glutted with cover bands. Monsterz Of Rock is a decent listen, but in general these covers just don’t stand up next to the originals.

Rating: 2.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Illicit Still at www.myspace.com/illicitstill. We’re not sure if Monsterz Of Rock is to be a commercial release or a demo. Keep checking back to Illicit Still’s MySpace page for further info.

Review: The Skinny Millionaires - Sampler CD (demo)

The Skinny Millionaires – Sampler CD
2008, The Skinny Millionaires

Newport, Rhode Island’s The Skinny Millionaires aim to make old sounds new on the sampler CD from their forthcoming self-titled debut. Mixing elements of folk and punk behind a vocalist who tries gamely to sound like Bob Dylan. Led by vocalist Mr. Mike and violinist Meghan O’Connor, The Skinny Millionaires craft a unique and eclectic sound that works well at some points yet founders at others.

The album opens with Rare Bird, in an interesting gypsy-folk style, with a palpable energy and drive that’s Dylan-esque. Up next is the exceedingly bizarre Night Of The Creeps. As this song becomes more symphonically engaged it becomes more of a mess. My favorite track on the CD is Too Dark, a wonderfully mellow folk tune. Other highlights include Keep Dyin’, Come On and Be Okay.

The Skinny Millionaires mix elements of classic folk and punk rock in their sampler CD. It works at times and at other times it falls apart. On the whole it’s an interesting disc with passable vocals from Mr. Mike and some amazing violin work from Meghan O’Connor. The Skinny Millionaires present an interesting listen on the sampler CD. It will be interesting to see whether they can expand on this for the full-length release.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

To learn more about The Skinny Millionaires, check out www.myspace.com/theskinnymillionaires.

Review: Redfish - De Profundis

Redfish – De Profundis
2008, Redfish/SOCAN

Based in Okanagan, British Columbia, Canada, Redfish are expanding their reach far beyond their home base. With album sales stretching as far across the globe as China, folks are starting to catch on to this dynamic band in a big way. With the soaring musical ideals of U2 and the quirky grit of The Tragically Hip, Redfish brings a unique sound to the table that is guaranteed to catch your ear. Redfish’s latest release, De Profundis, mixes commercial flavor with the sort of heady and interesting rock sound that is a sure recipe for success.

De Profundis gets off to a mixed start on Look On. This is a great guitar rock song, but the vocal effects on the song make it impossible to understand Edward Hagman, turning a great song into a good song. Breanna is one of the highlights of the disc. Co-written with Grammy winning producer Randy Cantor (Ricky Martin, Fugees, Bon Jovi) and Dennis Matkosky (who previously wrote Maniac for Michael Sembello), Breanna is the sort of dynamic rock song that gets eaten up on commercial radio. Big harmonies and a little flare for glam come across in a song that sounds like it might have come from a collaboration between The Tragically Hip and 54-40. Citizen is a call to action song (“We al came awake in a state of disgrace”) that is poignant and powerful.

Redfish take an ironic turn with the cover of Eric Burden & The Animals’ Sky Pilot; a song that could easily have been written regarding a recent U.S. President. Be sure to check out Anteroom, a big guitar rocker with blues in its heritage and some really funky guitar work. Also on the menu is All Your Life; opening with a Hendrix style guitar soliloquy, All Your Life is the song on De Profundis with the greatest commercial punch. Other highlights include At The End, Talk To Me and Lonestar.

Redfish have created a sound that is both stridently independent of commercial trends and yet with significant commercial potential. De Profundis has significant breakout potential with the right push or breaks. British Columbia has become a hotbed for dynamic and original sounding rock music, and Redfish is at or near the head of that movement. De Profundis is a must-own CD.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Redfish at http://www.redfishmusic.ca/ or www.myspace.com/redfish. You can purchase a copy of De Profundis at www.cdbaby.com/cd/redfish2.

Review: Scott Krokoff - A Better Life

Scott Krokoff – A Better Life
2007, Hypochondriac Records

If more tax attorneys quit their jobs and played music the world would be a happier place. Yes, Scott Krokoff is a tax attorney. Working for some of the most prestigious firms in the New York City, Krokoff gave it all up to pursue his first love of making music. With a highly palatable singer-songwriter sound reminiscent of folks like James Taylor and John Mayer, Krokoff offers up his debut album, A Better Life, for all to hear.

Scott Krokoff’s sound is smooth almost to the point of too much at times. Don’t get me wrong, I really enjoyed the album, but by the end I wanted Krokoff to take some risks with the sound. Krokoff is a heart-on-my-sleeve songwriter who writes about love and love alone (mostly). The first nine tracks on the album are consistently polished songs about love, losing love, desiring love or Sparrows. Sparrows is an intriguing song, by the by. It’s an amazing acoustic guitar arrangement and a melody so sweet it will stick with you indefinitely. Songs such as A Better Life, Tomorrow’s Coming and Glimpse Of Your Face effectively represent what I think of as “phase I” of A Better Life.

By the time Krokoff got to Holy Fire I was ready for a change, and Krokoff served it up with an Eagles style country/pop hybrid. It’s a gorgeous arrangement and another melody that won’t quit on you. Autumn Sky sticks with the Eagles-reminiscent sound, and is my favorite track on the disc. The song has great vocal harmonies and complementary vocal lines and sounds inspired here. A Better Life closes out with Do You Wanna Play, the most energetic song on the disc. This song will get your feet moving with its mix of funky piano and horns.

Scott Krokoff is a very talented songwriter. He has a commercial touch that may allow him to break through the radio wall in something like an Adult Contemporary format, but as an album the sound is just too uniform. I really enjoyed several of the songs here, but the dynamic didn’t change much until the last song, leaving the base impression that much of the material here sounds the same. It doesn’t in fact, but varying sound and style across an album is one of the ways to keep the listener engaged. As it is A Better Life is a pleasant listen, but also the sort of one that can be relegated to the background a little too easily. Scott Krokoff shows here that he’s good enough to challenge his listeners. Hopefully he will next time around.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Scott Krokoff at www.myspace.com/scottkrokoff. You can purchase a copy of A Better Life at www.cdbaby.com/cd/krokoff.

Review: Dan Crisp - Far From Here

Dan Crisp – Far From Here
2008, Est. 1954 Records

Dan Crisp is a product of Bournemouth, England, following in troubadour singer/songwriter spirit with a distinct pop sensibility. In his career he’s already managed to work with the likes of Malcolm Toft (Beatles engineer), Martin Barre (Jethro Tull) and members of both Fairport Convention and The John Martyn Band. Crisp released his full-length CD, Far From Here, in August of 2008 while touring England with Martin Barre. These days he’s touring with a three piece band consisting of himself, Drummer Robin Guy and John O'hara on Piano, Accordion and anything else with keys on it.

Dan Crisp has that hook-laden, pop crooner thing going ala Hootie & The Blowfish or Edwin McCain. If you had told me he came out of the same South Carolina bar scene I would not have been the least surprised. His melodic and pop sensibilities will amaze you on Far From Here. The album opens with Hollywood, a wonderfully melodic tune with intelligent and well thought out lyrics. Crisp proves durable on A Lighter Shade Of Grey. This is an incredibly mature and poignant song, with that same British sense of melody that has fueled some of the greats. I Could Love Someone is a Celtic flavored love song that is a must-hear. The Irish Jig interposed over the traditional style folk/pop arrangement is a bit of genius that doesn’t entirely sound like it’s going to work when it starts, but it does.

Far From Here hit on the rocks just a bit. The instrumentation here is amazing; perhaps the best on the album, but in this particular song the vocal energy just didn’t match what was going on below. Still a great listen, but it sounds a little out of time because of the energy differential. Shine On Me will knock your socks off. It’s a mid-tempo, feel good song with some serious electric violin work. When You Come Back To Me is probably the class of the album. This is a love song the likes of which you find on mix-tapes, dedications, etc. It’s a “second chance” song that you won’t forget. Other highlights include Beautiful & Deadly, Journey’s End and the bluesy A Light That Never Fades. A Light That Never Fades is my second favorite on the album. With the right arrangement could become a major commercial rock anthem (although I suspect I would personally prefer it as presented here).

Dan Crisp has serious long-term commercial potential as a singer and songwriter. The melodic and pop sensibilities he shows on Far From Here are striking. Names like McCartney and Davies spring to mind. This is one of the most enjoyable pop records I’ve come across thus far in 2009, and makes me very much look forward to whatever else Crisp has up his sleeve. Make sure you check out Far From Here. It will be very much worth your time.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Dan Crisp at http://www.dancrispmusic.com/, where you can purchase a copy of Far From Here.

Review: Tokyo Penguin - Demo

Tokyo Penguin – Tokyo Penguin
2008, Tokyo Penguin

Tokyo Penguin is the pairing of Toshi Nakayama and Chinatsu Uehara, two Japanese expatriates who met at a New York City acting class. Borrowing from the worlds of J-Pop, Broadway, American pop, electronic, Motown and anything else they can lay their hands on, Tokyo Penguin create a menagerie of sounds you have to hear to believe. Debuting at CBGB’s DownStairs Lounge in 2005, Tokyo Penguin has received accolades from both Eastern and Western audiences. Tokyo Penguin submitted a demo for review.

Tokyo Penguin is one of the most eclectic groups we’ve heard here at Wildy’s World. Their demo opens with Boogeyman, which is pure club kitsch, a very danceable tune with a frenetic beat. It sounds like The B-52’s on acid in a hall of mirrors. The Fish Monger is about a possibly unhealthy fascination with a fish seller, sung by the Lollipop Guild. Wanton Girl is an interesting mix of electric and acoustic sounds that samples eastern trills amidst Drum N Bass and distorted guitar. Astounding is an alt-rock gem with electronic elements and occasionally dissonant harmonies. Mandala/Mandala is the only song here that doesn’t quite work; it becomes something of a sonic mess. Oh! Oui Oui is definite club material. I can see this doing very well in that environment as it is an obsessively mindless song about hooking up. Ying Yang is an interesting track. Chinatsu Uehara is actually quite a competent rapper, whereas Toshi Nakayama is more flamboyant and over the top ala Fred Schneider.

Tokyo Penguin’s sound will be familiar to fans of J-Pop, and draws on enough Western influences to hold interest of American audiences. The B-52’s comparison is apt although Tokyo Penguin might even be more eclectic. With the right song or moment Tokyo Penguin could be huge. More likely they will develop a very strong and loyal if not overly large following that will keep them making music as long as they want. An intriguing listen.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Tokyo Penguin at www.myspace.com/tobetobepenguin or iacmusic.com/tokyopenguin.

Review: The Eastern Gate - Seraphim

The Eastern Gate – Seraphim
2008, The Eastern Gate

Hillsdale, Michigan’s The Eastern Gate is a quintet of college friends who played together throughout their college experience; cutting and releasing an album in January, 2009, Seraphim, as their “final act” together. As fate would have it, the band shot into the Top-200 downloads on Amazon.com within hours and hit #1 on Amazon’s Movers and Shakers chart. Now the band is adding dates in and around their home base, and I would imagine reconsidering whether they really want to give up on The Eastern Gate just yet.

If you enjoy bands like The Tragically Hip, The Psychodots (Bears) or Our Lady Peace then you will find a lot to like here. The album opens with Whirlwind, in the style of Our Lady Peace. It’s a solid rocker with fair commercial presence. Still Sailing On is a key track, it’s a very active, driven tune, although the mix isn’t ideal. Come Along is more orchestral in composition/arrangement. It is a soft and sentimental track that displays some of the expanded range of the band. News is and upbeat blues rocker built around some tremendous violin fills and a great hook. Suspend Me and Rock N Roll Nun are my two favorite tracks on the album. Suspend Me sounds pretty much like The Tragically Hip with a violin player, whereas Rock N Roll Nun is very much in the mid-western style of The Psychodots (The Bears without Adrian Belew).

The Eastern Gate might just be kissed by fate. Their sound isn’t necessarily one that will be embraced by all listeners, but it might have enough appeal to take them a long, long way. Their eclectic, big rock sound with Celtic and Blues elements is unique and interesting and fresh in the music marketplace. Seraphim is very much worth checking out.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about The Eastern Gate at http://www.theeasterngate.net/ or www.myspace.com/theeasterngatemusic. Currently, Seraphim is most accessible in digital formats from outlets such as iTunes, Amazon.com, or Napster. Hard copies are currently available at shows and will soon be available through http://www.amiestreet.com/.

Review: Felicia Finley - Great Mood For A Tuesday

Felicia Finley – Great Mood For A Tuesday
2009, Bentley Productions

Broadway fans have been familiar with Felicia Finley for some time now. Starring roles in The Wedding Singer (Linda) and Elton John’s Aida (Amneris) gained her significant attention and respect in the Broadway community. You may have also seen Finley in the Spike Lee films 25th Hour, Summer Of Sam and He Got Game. Anyone who’s heard Finley’s voice on stage had no question about her ability to sing, but it’s always curious to hear how Broadway performers cross over into the pop/rock world. On Valentine’s Day of 2009, Finley releases Great Mood For A Tuesday in select markets, with digital releases hitting on March 14, 2009. One thing is for certain: Felicia Finley can rock.

Finley serves notice write from the opening notes of Satin Soldiers; a dynamic, Classic/Prog Rock tune with some very impressive guitar work. Finley makes use of a powerful and wide-ranging voice here to establish that she’s not just a Broadway diva trying to fake a rock image. The backing vocals here remind me of something you might hear on a classic Styx album, but Finley will make you forget anyone else is singing. Finley switches gears a bit on Stories. This is a Big Rock Ballad, complete with big guitar solos and some great harmonic acoustic guitar work as well.

My House Tonight will catch your ears. It’s a classic “bad girl” song; incredibly catchy. My House Tonight is built on a classic Rhythm N Rock base with dynamic vocals like only Finley can deliver. You won’t be able to get this out of your head. If this song gets released in advance of summer, with the right push it could be everywhere. I think this is the type of rock song music fans are hungry for and it could be huge. Great Mood For A Tuesday, the title track, was the song on the album I enjoyed the least. It’s a decent song and well sung, but it just seemed out of place among the other songs offered here.

Closin’ Time is a catchy, furtive tune. It reminded me, musically, of something you might hear on a Shaw/Blades album. Closin’ Time has a very mellow center to it, in spite of the big chorus. It’s crying to be a country tune. Tired Of Losing Sleep caught my attention on the first listen through; it’s a bit of the beaten track, musically. The song allows Finley to display some of the softer, darker tones in her voice. Perhaps it brings out the Broadway side of her just a bit – it’s a very theatric song without sounding like it came from a show. Blanket was a fun listen, although a bit generic. There’s some great harmonica work in this one. The album closes out with Fire Escape, a heavy Rock N Blues tune built on some blistering guitar work. This song is a Wow, all the way around; an exclamation point to end the album the way it started, rocking hard.

The vocal discipline required for performing on Broadway is often quite different than the training one might take to sing Rock N Roll. While the line has blurred some over the years with the advent of rock musicals, it is still unusual for a Broadway performer to cross over to Rock or Pop without difficulty. Folks like Adam Pascal and Idina Menzel have done it with varying degrees of success, but Felicia Finley may have turned in the most dynamic and amazing Rock performance of any Broadway baby in the past decade. Listening to her voice, it would actually be quite electric if she and Pascal were to sing together at some point. I digress. Great Mood For A Tuesday is a classic album. The energy is great, the musicianship strong and the vocals are downright amazing. Get it. Listen to it. You’ll love it.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Felicia Finley at http://www.feliciafinley.net/ or www.myspace.com/feliciafinley. You’ll be able to order copies of Great Mood For A Tuesday on her website starting February 14, 2009. As an aside, I highly recommend you check out the material Finely has streaming on her MySpace page. If these are any indication then her live shows must be absolutely amazing. You can also hear Finley on soundtracks for The Bubbly Black Girl, Happy Days - A New Musical and Forbidden Broadway 2001: A Spoof Odyssey.

Review: Zweiseitz - Zweisetz (Caroline Seitz)

Zweiseitz – Zweiseitz

2008, Caroline Seitz

Caroline Seitz hails from Bristol, Southwest, England, and creates some of the edgiest folk-electro music you’ve heard. Working with producer and college mate Kostia Rapoport, Seitz breaks new ground with sonic enhancements and derangements provided by Kostia. Performing and Zweiseitz, Seitz has created a highly interesting and unusual CD in the 4-track EP Zweiseitz. Hang on to your hats.

My Greatest Invention kicks things off in fine and weird fashion. This song, seemingly about falling in love with a robot, is incredibly frenetic. Zweiseitz comes off as a cross between Tori Amos and Bjork in a song meant to be humorous but perhaps serving as a harbinger of things to come. The Web is ethereal and strong; A fractured Tori Amos style composition that takes off into the electronic atmosphere thanks to producer Kostia. Make The Tape Rewind finds Kostia taking Seitz’ song and turning into something incomprehensible. The vocal and electronic effects here render Seitz’ diction unrecognizable; it’s a “because I can” type performance that actually undermines the song. To make up for it, Seitz leaves us with the gorgeous Forever In Disguise. If the purpose of Make The Tape Rewind was to hide the artist, then the ironically named Forever In Disguise finds Seitz there alone with her piano; heart on her sleeve. The song is slightly disjoined and disturbed – vulnerable and filled with the conflict of humanity.

Zweiseitz introduces herself to the world with her self-titled EP, but the recording sounds more like a process of finding herself musically. It’s obvious, particularly from Forever In Disguise, that Caroline Seitz is an incredibly talented songwriter, and a unique and memorable performer. In collaboration with producer/programmer Kostia, she has become quite enamored with surrendering her creations to the alterations and permutations of a producer with strong electronic proclivities. I would say that this EP is musically out of balance. It’s not bad; it has quite a lot of promise in fact, but Seitz and Kostia appear to still be finding the balance between her acoustic creations and the electronic faces he overlays them with. It would be my hope that they continue to explore the conjoined worlds of electronic and acoustic music as they may find themselves a very powerful creative force once they find their balance. But I also hope that Seitz continues to offer up the occasional stripped down performance as well. They’re very much worth waiting for.

Rating: 2.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Zweiseitz at www.myspace.com/zweiseitz. We were unable to find any online outlets selling Zweiseitz, but feel free to contact the artist through her MySpace page for purchasing information.

Review: Wish You Well - Well, Weird & Warped

Wish You Well – Well, Weird & Warped
2008, Wish You Well

From Cornwall, Southwest, England comes Wish You Well, an eclectic band featuring the omnipresent Aidan on guitar. Dave Wells (drums); Rachael Allen (bass); Dexter Wyatt (bass) and Joe Kingston (bass) round out the core of a rotating mass of musicians that make up Wish You Well. Wish You Well has made a name for themselves over the past few years playing large festivals all over England. Aidan has gained notoriety as one of the top unsigned guitarists on the scene, and Wish You Well continues to grow in sales and name recognition. Their latest recording, Well, Weird & Warped, is a fiercely independent record, striving to distance Wish You Well from artistic comparisons.

Well, Weird & Warped is a hard to classify entry into the Rock N Roll library, offering a mix of Grunge and Garage with the occasional Jam Band spirit. It’s a very Lo-Fi recording, so much so that it’s not something you would expect to see marketed. The guitar work is interesting and varied, but Aidan and crew obviously write for themselves. I’ve not seen the live shows that are spoken of so well in music circles, but I thought this recording lacked the discipline and production to make it really viable. Wish You Well has some good moments, notably the opening track, One Off Special. This track finds Wish You Well sounding like a weird conglomeration of Nirvana and 60’s band The Knickerbockers.

On the other end of the spectrum, In The Garden Of Maiden Bower, this sounds like the musical version of naval contemplation; noodling or jamming without real energy or spirit. In between are songs such as B Movie, Office Food Fight, Ice Man and Get Out, Be Safe, Be Seen. All of these tracks have some potential, but miss out on fulfilling it from the aforementioned lack of discipline and production values. As presented, Well, Weird & Warped is very much a niche recording. There are folks who enjoy this sort of Lo-fi material. Some will call it experimental rock, but there’s really nothing experimental about it. Aidan and Wish You Well have found and established their sound, but choose to present it in a fashion that obscures what is here to be heard. It’s the musical equivalent of having a great candidate show up for a job interview in cut off jeans and a ripped t-shirt. It will appeal to some, but the employer probably won't hear it.

Rating: 1.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Wish You Well at www.myspace.com/wishyouwellband. You can purchase a copy of Well, Weird & Warped through Corporation Records.

Review: Steven Farro - 3 Song Demo

Steven Farro – 3 Song Demo
2009, Sound Oasis

Steven Farro is a lyricist/songwriter/band manager from Effingham, New Hampshire looking for collaborators. He submitted his 3 Song Demo for review. Not a lot of information was submitted here so we’ll do our best.

The demo opens with Too Old To Rock N Roll. This is sort of like “Glory Days” revisited. The song features a great guitar hook and a strong pop sensibility. It’s a bit tongue in cheek and sounds like something Kim Mitchell might crank out while he’s sitting around having a beer. It’s a fun listen. Giver Of A Broken Heart is schmaltzy, Broadway Rock Opera material. The unnamed female vocalist on this one is amazing. The demo closes with My Baby Text Me Goodbye. This mildly humorous novelty material, akin to some of the stuff you might have heard on Dr. Demento. It’s another fun song to listen to set to a great pop/country arrangement.

Three songs is tough to judge, but Farro does have a knack for turning phrases. There’s a certain quirky pop sensibility here that might work with the write composer, although Farr may be best suited to writing lighter fare (based on the material presented here). You can stream the songs from the demo at www.myspace.com/stevenfarro.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

Review: One Step Away - One Decision

One Step Away – One Decision
2008, One Step Away

Andover, Massachussets quartet One Step Away has taken the Boston music scene by storm, winning the Boston Music Festival’s Alternative Rock genre in 2008. Led by the lyric rock lead vocals of Adam Carrington, One Step Away blasts away with a heavy rock sound that borders on Prog and 80’s hair-metal sounds with big guitar solos, big choruses and an arena-ready sound. Their debut release, One Decision, debuted in December of 2008, just seventeen months after the bands inception.

One Step Away opens up with In This Moment, a wonderfully musical and melodic hard rocker that contrasts the melodic musical chaos of Terrence Healy’s guitar work and the lyric nature of Adam Carrington’s voice. This is an incredibly dynamic rock song that will grab you by the shirt and won’t let you go until its done. Over The Edge is a big, bruising guitar rocker that sounds like Metallica with Slash sitting in. Run Away is a driving rock song that’s perfectly positioned for Modern Rock and Hard Rock radio formats. It’s the most blandly commercial song on the EP but still a pleasant listen. The Space Within is amazing introspective and reserved in comparison to the first three tracks, and displays some of the range One Step Away possesses.

One Step Away is a rising dynamic force in Boston. It’s easy to see how they could be the next big thing from the Boston scene to rise to national prominence. Time and sales will tell, but One Step Away looks to have a very bright future. One Decision is a great intro.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about One Step Away at www.myspace.com/1stepawayband or http://www.onestepawayband.com/, where you can purchase a copy of One Decision.

Review: Nikki Kelly - Nikki Kelly

Nikki Kelly – Nikki Kelly
2008, Nikki Kelly

Nikki Kelly is a singer/songwriter and filmmaker based in Albuquerque, New Mexico; one of those artists whose creative urge can’t be satisfied by just one outlet. With a reputation for being silly or strange (self-professed), Kelly writes intriguing and witty folk/pop songs. The child of two music lovers (her father was a blues musician), she has some similarities to Canada’s Sarah Slean, although not quite so solidly ensconced in European musical themes. Her debut CD, Nikki Kelly, displays influences ranging from Tom Waits to Mazzy Star and even Feist, but in the end it’s all Nikki Kelly, unvarnished and unrestrained.

Nikki Kelly is something of an acquired taste, I believe. She has some great moments on her debut CD, Nikki Kelly, but also some moments that may leave listeners scratching their heads. Kelly starts off on a great note with the song Franklin, where she seems to be singing to a baby and trying to get inside the baby’s perspective of all that’s going on around him. The song is cute and fun and warm. Do Do Do is a sweet little love song. It comes across as young but amiable. Nikki Kelly has quite a sense of humor, it would seem. It infuses and illuminates her songs like a nightlight, casting as many shadows as light. Apt. 10 has an ironic sense as Kelly sings about singing someone else’s song to the tune of 4-Non Blondes’ What’s Going On.

How Do You Say is one of the highlights of the album, although not for the faint of heart of ear. It’s funny, angry and brazen all at once, and one of the best ways I’ve heard to learn how to swear in Italian. This song has a definite Tom Waits vibe to it. Bored is mildly humorous – the sort of thing you might have expected at a Jewel show early in her career. It leads into Dark Country, which is probably the best pure songwriting on the album. Starkly honest and vulnerable, Kelly brings out a sonic beauty in this one.

Many of the songs on Nikki Kelly are less than two minutes; ideas turned into jingles and songs on a moment’s notice, perhaps. Nikki Kelly suffers for these bits of musical flotsam. There is real songwriting talent here, and Kelly certainly draws on it, but Kelly is still fascinated with being cute and funny. Fans of Meryn Cadell and early Barenaked Ladies will get a kick out of Nikki Kelly, but the contrast of paths is an important one to pay attention to. One became irrelevant and the other is still substantially around. Which path will Nikki Kelly choose?

Rating: 2.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Nikki Kelly at www.myspace.com/nikkikellymusic. You can purchase a copy of Nikki Kelly at www.cdbaby.com/nikkikelly.

Review: Leslie Sanazaro - On Your Roof

Lesie Sanazaro – On Your Roof
2008, Leslie Sanazaro

Leslie Sanazaro is one of St. Louis, Missouri’s best kept secrets. Touring extensively over the past couple of years, Sanazaro has started to gain some minor name recognition outside of her home base. The Cuba, Missouri native released her second CD in 2008, On Your Roof; A mix of rock, folk and jazz that is guaranteed to perk up some ears in the Indie music world and beyond. The former leader or co-leader of bands such as Polaris, So Say We All and piano duo the Spinets casts her own strong yet principled voice out for all to hear. It’s safe to say that St. Louis’ secret isn’t safe for long.

Leslie Sanazaro is very hard to peg, musically. Vocally she sounds like a mix of Dolores O’Riordan, Tori Amos and Feist, all mixed up into one. Her voice is enigmatic, perhaps even iconic. It’s not a pretty voice, per se, but has a distinctly abstract beauty that can be in turns both charming and alarming. Musically very inventive, Sanazaro conveys her musical ideas in soft phrases and nuanced structure. Sanazaro is an extremely mature and subtle songwriter, very literate and intelligent in her lyrics while putting her heart on display for the world to hear. On Your Roof opens with Hot And Cold, a song of devotion and boundaries; hope and caution. This is glorious songwriting that will stick in your mind long after the CD stops spinning. For You is a classic love song. Lyrically sweet and thoughtful, the way love songs are meant to be. No schmaltz, no cliché, just intelligent thoughts and feeling laid out in song and poetry with a brave heart and a reserved spirit.

On Your Roof is a song full of abstract romance. It seems to be about love and the little moments that drive it and make it work. Sanazaro definitely found a bit of magic in this song. Put On Your Shoes is the greatest non-blues blues song you’ll ever hear. It sounds like a blues tune, it should be a blues tune, but it never quite crosses that line. You’ll understand when you hear it. The CD closes out with Healthy Obsession, a sweet and smart love song.

Leslie Sanazaro has a sound that is unique. She will stick out in your mind. Hers is one of those voices that will always be immediately recognizable. This doesn’t hurt someone trying to ascend the ladder in the music world. It doesn’t hurt that Sanazaro has a talent for wonderfully arranged and written pop songs with literate, subtle and approachable lyrics. Sanazaro has the talent and the charisma to do very well for herself, and On Your Roof is a great introduction. A definite must-hear.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Leslie Sanazaro at http://www.lesliesanazaro.com/ or www.myspace.com/lesliesanazaro. You can purchase a copy of On Your Roof at www.cdbaby.com/cd/sanazaro2.

Review: Denim Road - Denim Road

Denim Road – Denim Road
2008, Denim Road

If you’re looking for a great mix of classic rock, R&B and classic Motown sounds, all wrapped up into something familiar yet refreshing, then follow Denim Road into their home town of Cincinnati, Ohio. A six-piece band with more musical experience than you can shake a stick at; Denim Road melds new sounds out of old, classic ones and captivates audiences along the way. Whether it’s playing covers or original material, Denim Road finds a little bit of magic every time they pick up their instruments. The band formerly known as Soul’d Out has been around for eight years. Guitarist/chief songwriter Jim Zuzow and vocalist George Harp have been the core of the band since its inception and they have surrounded themselves with some seriously talented folks. George Harp was the vocalist for the second incarnation of Starcastle in the early-to-mid 1980’s. Percussionist Craig Ballard has more than four decades under his belt in the music business, getting his start with Cincy favorites Cincinnati Joe & Mad Lydia. Kevin Ross (drums) has done time with I.C. Hot and Warsaw Falcons. Rounding out the band are Gary Grawe (keys/vox); Robbie Lewis (bass/vox) and the inestimable Jim Zuzow on guitar. In 2008, the band finally released their debut CD, Denim Road.

Denim Road are strongly influenced by the Motown sound, from soulful vocals to quasi-STAX style horn arrangements, there’s no doubt to what era and sound Denim Road pay homage. Sweet Soul Revival kicks things off with a Morris Day moment, and then an interesting thing happens. While the style and lead vocals are strongly influenced by Motown, Denim Road’s vocal mix comes across sounding like classic Journey. Listen to the harmony vocals on songs like Ready To Fall, Blue Highway and Follow Your Dream, and then go listen to Journey’s Wheel In The Sky. It’s a bit uncanny how much they sound alike. Probably my favorite song on the CD is the title track, Denim Road. This is classic 1970’s funk/soul at its best. Perfect Heart is also a pleasurable listen, with Latin Jazz guitar styling in an intensely melodic musical setting. Other highlights include Talk To Me and Burbank’s Blues.

Denim Road are a classic cover/party band who have transitioned to writing and performing their own music. Vestiges of the party band live on in their sound, and at times the listener isn’t sure whether the unusual hybrid of styles/sounds is simply Denim Road’s musical identity or left over vestiges of cover songs past. What is clear is that Denim Road has a very unique sound that shows real signs of having melded into something entirely its own. Denim Road is definitely worth a listen.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Denim Road at www.myspace.com/denimroadband or http://www.denimroad.net/. You can purchase a copy of Denim Road at www.cdbaby.com/cd/denimroad.

Review: David Martinez - David Martinez

David Martinez – David Martinez
2008, David Martinez

Corpus Christi, Texas-based David Martinez has developed something of a following over the past few years. Significant touring of the U.S. Northwest and West Coast have helped Martinez build a critical buzz as well as develop some very helpful contacts. In 2008, Martinez released his second CD, entitled David Martinez. Produced by Leroy Miller (guitarist - Smash Mouth, Hog), David Martinez is 10 songs of acoustic based folk/rock. Nine songs are all Martinez, and Leroy Miller helped revamp one of the tunes, but it quickly becomes clear why Martinez has generated so much attention.

David Martinez has ups and downs on his self-titled debut. He seems to get a little lost on some of the mid-tempo songs (The Otherside, Waiting), but has a real ear for upbeat folk/pop music. Can’t Find You is incredibly catchy with something of a Del Amitri vibe. What You Need is a great party song. It’s the sort of song that if it hits at the right point in spring it will stay on the radio all summer long. Walk On Air is another good one; an upbeat love song with some funk in its genes and some pretty excellent guitar work. Visions is something of a surprise, falling more into the AOR/Rock category. Great harmonies and a big chorus make this a very memorable tune.

Martinez does well with songs like the opening track, Heal, which sounds like it has Hootie and the Blowfish in its ancestry. Sweet Sister walks the line; a schmaltzy ballad that’s a bit overdone and cliché but has an honest quality that’s endearing in spite of all that. There are a few songs here where Martinez just sounds lost, like perhaps he had a great lyric or chorus or hook that he built a song around but never found the passion for the whole of the song that he did for its genesis. Nevertheless, six songs out of ten are very much worth hearing. The rest aren’t bad, but won’t stick with you either (that’s not a bad ratio).

David Martinez sounds young, and has a fair amount of talent. His voice is just a bit left of center and memorable. He won’t blow you away with his vocals but he is pleasant to listen to. Martinez seems to find moments of true musical inspiration at times on David Martinez, generally in the more upbeat folk/rock tunes. Fans of Pat McGee band, Hootie and the Blowfish, Del Amitri and the like will definitely dig David Martinez. All others should at least hear a song or two that catch their interest.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about David Martinez at www.myspace.com/davidmartinez. You can learn more about Producer Leroy Miller at www.myspace.com/leroymusic. You can purchase a copy of David Martinez at www.cdbaby.com/cd/davidmartinez2.

Review: Burn Halo - Burn Halo

Burn Halo – Burn Halo
2008, Rawkhead Records

Burn Halo front man James Hart is familiar to many Rock fans from his days heading up 18 Visions. When 18 Visions disbanded, Hart decided to pursue a musical project that encompassed his individual musical vision. Working with songwriter/producer Zac Maloy, Hart penned what would become Burn Halo’s debut. The album, also called Burn Halo, was scheduled to be released in early 2008 by Island Records, who unexplainably changed their minds, so Burn Halo will be released on Hart’s own imprint, Rawkhead Records on March 10, 2009. The recording features support from Daniel Adair (Nickelback), Chris Chaney (Jane’s Addiction) and Neil Tiemann (David Cook), with a special guest appearance by Avenged Sevenfold’s Synyster Gates.

Burn Halo opens with Dirty Little Girl, a rocking wall of sound with more life and hard edge in it than 99% of the stuff you’ll hear on the radio these days. This song might just be too hot for radio. Save Me is a huge guitar filled rocker that sounds like it’s a half step between 18 Visions and Metallica. The verses are heavy enough to please longtime fans and the chorus is commercial enough to break hard in Modern Rock and Metal formats. Here With Me has a little less of the slash and burn style to it, with Hart feeling out his pop sensibilities in very successful fashion. The most impressive thing about Burn Halo is the ability to rock hard but maintain a melodic pop mystique that is next to impossible. The best comparison I can think of goes all the way back to the glory days of Guns N Roses.

Every pop-metal album has a pre-requisite of at least one love ballad or one melancholy song about the one who got away. Too Late To Tell You Now fits in perfectly. This is perfect power ballad material with big guitar on the chorus, great harmonies and a cadence that will stick in listeners’ minds. So Addicted and Dead End Roads And Lost Highways are fairly typical Modern Rock fodder, although both carry Hart’s excellent grasp of pop timing and melody.

Lest you think Burn Halo is going soft, Our House is strong enough to rip it right off the foundations and may be the best overall song on the disc. Falling Faster revisits the prerequisite ballad requirement in one of the better power ballads you’re likely to hear in 2009. Anejo rocks in a frantic, pedantic fashion and has some amazing guitar work. Back To The Start is my favorite part of any hard rock album, when it occurs. A primarily acoustic tune that not only lets the melodic sense of the band shine through but also displays how truly talented the musicians are when all of the effects and distortion are stripped away. Burn Halo closes out with Gasoline, a melodic throwback to the sort of hair-metal anthems that dominated the airwaves in the 1980’s.

Burn Halo knows how to rock. James Hart has a wonderful melodic sense and an ability to craft these amazing pop songs with the hardest of edges. Breaking out from the safety of 18 Visions was a risk, and it was one well taken. Burn Halo looks to establish itself as one of the more talented rock outfits on the market. Burn Halo hits shelves on March 10, 2009. Look for this band, and album, to be everywhere in 2009.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Burn Halo at www.myspace.com/burnhalo. You can pre-order a copy of Burn Halo at Amazon.com.

Review: Owl Farm - Owl Farm

Owl Farm – Owl Farm
2008, Owl Farm

Owl Farm is an unsigned quintet from Kingston, Ontario, Canada. Drawing from Psychedelic, Punk and Melodic Rock influences with the occasional blues infiltration, Owl Farm creates primarily instrumental music that is varied and interesting. Their self-titled debut EP, Owl Farm, is a creative musical venture you’ll want to check out for yourself.

Owl Farm opens with Balzac, a series of guitar rock vignettes that morphs from rockabilly to Southern Rock to Grunge in something of a guitar rock history lesson. Starter builds in intensity as it seesaws from Prog to Grunge/Pop and back throughout; an interesting composition that makes use of some familiar chord progressions in ways perhaps you hadn’t thought to try them. Good Sense is an electronic composition based on a simple bass line/beat as served by a programmed keyboard. Owl Farm vocalist J-P makes his first appearance here in minimalist fashion. I have to say that this song was just a bit bizarre and is more like performance art than composition. 45 Seconds To Lobster is a punk rock soliloquy about food as escapism, one supposes. Again, amusing but bizarre.

The Lobster Stomp has a very garage sound and was likely as fun to play as it is to hear. Don’t expect to make much sense of it; it’s a musical romp for its own sake that periodically deteriorates into greater levels of madness before returning to its usual mundane level of insanity. E.R.T. is the closest thing to a sensible rock song on the disc, alternating between a repetitive and bland verse and a slightly less repetitive and bland chorus. Only in the logical drift of the occasional bridge does Owl Farm flirt with its usual chaos. Owl Farm complete makes up for anything resembling normal on Invisible. This is my favorite track on the album; a pure punk rock tune with almost Police-like minimalism (ala their early albums).

Owl Farm comes across as something of an art-rock band on the coincidentally entitled Owl Farm E.P. Energy is expended, crazy chord progressions are played, mad ideas presented and in the end a good time is had by all. Not everyone is going to get this disc, but if you were ever a fan of bands like The Dead Kennedys, Husker Du, Black Flag or any of the other punk denizens of late 1980’s college radio then you’ll love this disc. Owl Farm exceeds those bands for musicality on occasion, probably just to rebel, but their hearts are in the right place.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Owl Farm at www.myspace.com/owlfarmband. You can purchase the Owl Farm EP in digital format from Zunior.com.

Review: Lelio Padovani - Chasing The Muse

Lelio Padovani – Chasing The Muse
2007, Lelio Padovani

Lelio Padovani is a guitar player and teacher originally from Parma, Italy. With a life-long love of guitar influenced by the likes of Eric Johnson, George Lynch, Vinnie Moore and Joe Satriani, Padovani has developed a sound that ranges from sweet and melodic to hard-rocking alternative. Padovani’s fourth release, Chasing The Muse covers the entire spectrum, but focuses primarily in the soft rock/muzak range.

Chasing The Muse is a collection of eight songs written in an almost ambient classic rock style. Padovani’s guitar is the vocalist here, providing melody lines in the form of solos and flourishes against a bed of keyboard, bass and percussion. The opening track, Invitation, sounds like guitar work you might find on a Tommy Shaw/Jack Blades album on in a slower song from the post-DeYoung Styx catalog. Chasing The Muse is more of an Eric Johnson hybrid; the Rock N Roll version of elevator music, if you will. Rainy is a wonderfully moody composition featuring melodic guitar work, whereas Light And Shadow is more of an 80’s arena rock tune that begs for a vocalist to be added. Other highlights include New Day, Ballet and the alt-rocker Better Days.

Lelio Padovani steps forward with the highly entertaining and well made album Chasing The Muse. Guitar players will love this disc as Padovani makes the rounds of Classic, Alternative and Melodic Rock styles, always with that air of ambience close by. A few of the songs here scream to be more than just instrumental pieces. It would be interesting to see what Padovani might do in an ensemble format with a good singer and a strong rhythm section. The possibilities are staggering.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Lelio Padovani at http://www.leliopadovani.com/. You’ll have to contact Padovani directly through his website to get ordering information, as I was able to find no online outlets selling his CD.

Review: Josh Weinstein - Love & Alcohol

Josh Weinstein – Love & Alcohol
2009, Randomlogo Records

Josh Weinstein is a philosopher/poet who happens to play amazing piano (plus whatever else he can get his hands on). The New York City based resident of the world has carved out a sound that’s part Tom Waits and part Ron Hawkins with a healthy dose of lyrical content ala Charles Bukowski. With the grit and tragedy of life lived a half-step off the streets running through his songs, Weinstein opens listeners’ eyes to a world of dark actions fueled by good intentions. Weinstein will release his third album, Love & Alcohol in the Spring of 2009 (date not yet available). With Love & Alcohol, Josh Weinstein may fully establish himself in critical circles as one of the most talented songwriters the US has to offer.

Josh Weinstein takes great please in exposing the seedier aspects of life on Love & Alcohol. The result is fourteen songs of less than the best of intentions against the backdrop of some deliciously dirty blues arrangements. Weinstein the songwriter wallows in the imperfections of his protagonists, steeped in love, addiction, desire and loneliness. Weinstein the singer/musician delivers an inspired performance that should gather significant critical acclaim. Every New York captures the street-wise grit of another era in New York City. You can almost imagine Kurt Weill’s Mack The Knife (ala Bobby Darin) frequenting the sort of clubs this song would have been played in. One More Blues features some inspired guitar work, and Weinstein absolutely lives the song as a performer. This is the sort of performance that gets considered for awards.

She Rolls Jaunty uses a pair of windshield wipers as the primary percussion in a bit of sonic genius. The piano hook at the center of this is amazingly catchy. The arrangement expands to include strings in a slow building crescendo that falls away at times to reveal just Weinstein and piano. Song A Drunk Man Sings is a bit of levity framed by some viscious harmonica work and a filthy bass line. Tennessee is one of the more memorable tunes on the disc, built on a great piano hook and a “March of the elephants” style bass line. The workman’s chorus is also a nice touch. She Do Not Listen is a “moment” song. Amidst all of the action and controlled chaos from which Weinstein’s songs spring, She Do Not Listen is a moment of quiet composure. It’s a wonderful song that illuminates a side of Weinstein we had yet to see on Love & Alcohol. Other highlights include F**k Is F**k and Trying To Find The Crime.

Josh Weinstein has found a voice that while not unique in popular music is certainly a refreshing break from the norm. Populating his songs and characters in the same fashion as Randy Newman, Weinstein illuminates the darker side of human nature in tunes full of the beauty and angst of the human spirit. It’s a musical street’s eye view of the world that is difficult to capture and even harder to convey in song. Weinstein is a bard in blue, and Love & Alcohol is the set list he plays from. It took a few listens to really get into this one, and now I can’t put it down. Make sure that Love & Alcohol is on your to-do list.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Josh Weinstein at http://www.joshweinstein.com/ or www.myspace.com/joshweinstein1. Love & Alcohol is due in early Spring of 2009, but an official release date has not been announced as of the date this review was published. Keep checking back to Weinstein’s website for release information, as well as both CDBaby and Amazon.com, both of whom have carried his two prior releases. In the meantime you can stream some of the new songs at his MySpace page (above).

Review: Brett Mitchell - Small House

Brett Mitchell – Small House
2007, Brett Mitchell

Saginaw, Michigan native Brett Mitchell is creating a fair amount of buzz in the mid-west. Honest, insightful songwriting buoyed by a great melodic sense lift his second album, Small House, to soaring heights. Compared to the likes of Marshall Crenshaw and artist Georgia O’Keefe, Mitchell certainly makes an impression on listeners. With a talented backing band (The giant Ghost) consisting of Rick Manges and Scott VanDell (revolving lead guitarists), Mike Cramton (percussion, formerly of Robert Bradley Blackwater Surprise) and Bill Hall (bass), Mitchell crafts a sound that is at once familiar and original.

Small House opens with Born Too Late, a fun little rock anthem regretting the accident of birth known as time. It’s a hindsight is 20/20 song with a great hook and a melody that will stick in your brain. Small House is a wonderfully melodic pop tune with an almost virally infectious sound. Friend takes on a darker, more acoustic sound on its way to a moment of pop near-perfection. Mitchell opens things up a bit on New Disease, an infectious guitar-rock tune you’ll want to put on continuous play. Hypocrite is another personal favorite, infusing funk and soul into an amazing pop creation. This is the best song on the album, but several others are close (Small House, New Disease).

OCD is a deliciously demented waltz you have to hear to believe, while Night Glasses is a lovely epic story in music that highlights Mitchell’s ability to tell dark stories in the world of mostly peppy popular music. Mitchell reaches down deep and serves up Consider Me Gone, a Bob Dylan sound-alike. You’ll also want to check out Neighbors, Good Intentions and Onion.

Brett Mitchell brings a wonderfully melodic sense to his songwriting that is almost British in nature. Mitchell’s distinctive voice and organic arrangements combine to create songs that are literally works of beauty. Small House is a wonderful surprise and very much deserves to be heard. If you make just one foray onto the World Wide Web this week to check out new music, make sure Brett Mitchell is at the top of your list.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn all about Brett Mitchell at http://www.brettmitchellmusic.com/. You can purchase a copy of Small House at www.cdbaby.com/cd/brettmitchell2.

Review: Brent Amaker And The Rodeo - Howdy Do

Brent Amaker And The Rodeo – Howdy Do
2008, Gravewax Records

Brent Amaker And The Rodeo bring a gothic style to classic country music on their second album, Howdy Do. Amaker sounds like a cross between Phil Harris and Johnny Cash with inertial melody lines that don’t require significant vocal stretches, or outright spoken word parts in place of vocals. Formed from the remains of various Seattle area bands in 2005, Brent Amaker And The Rodeo have found their sound on Howdy Do, focusing on sparse instrumentation (guitar and two-piece drum kit) and Amaker’s iconic voice.

Howdy Do opens with I’m The Man Who Writes The Country Hits, sounding like classic Johnny Cash updated for today. When Love Gets To A Man continues in the classic vein with a cynical eye on the concept of love. Howdy Do is a fun classic country romp full of double entendres and barely disguised intentions. Girls Are Good is Amaker’s ode to Gloria Steinham (check it out to see what I mean). Knock You Out is a song that many readers will identify with, even if from daydreams. There is someone in your life you’ll want to dedicate this one to. The highlight of the album is This Is The Gun. It’s the catchiest, most interesting composition on Howdy Do. Other highlights include They Make Cowboys In Montana, Walkin’ In My Sleep and My Cheatin’ Wife.

Brent Amaker And The Rodeo bring country music back to its most basic, bare-bones form on Howdy Do. The stylistic comparisons to Johnny Cash abound, from the singing style to the bare instrumentation to the fact that Brent Amaker dresses all in black. These songs are simplistic, yet have a rough and tumble nature that make them endearing. Amaker will shock and surprise you throughout the thirteen songs presented on Howdy Do. We found it very entertaining, although it is probably only an occasional listen going forward.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Brent Amaker And The Rodeo at www.myspace.com/brentamakerandtherodeo or http://www.brentamaker.com/. You can purchase a copy of Howdy Do at www.cdbaby.com/cd/barodeo.

Review: Tamara Lewis - Living Down River

Tamara Lewis – Living Down River
2008, Tamara Lewis

Seattle’s Tamara Lewis is a singer/songwriter whose writing is informed by twenty years as a psychotherapist as well as her own struggle with a decade-long serious illness. Writing primarily in a folk style with country and blues influences, Lewis opens her heart to listeners with no quarter asked. Supported by Max Cohen (Dar Williams), Pat Donohue (Prairie Home Companion), Murl Sanders and a cast of extremely talented musicians, Lewis delivers ten songs of passionate folk on her second CD, Living Down River. You’ll hear hints of influences such as Alison Krauss, Patsy Cline and Nanci Griffith, but Lewis’ distinctive voice and lyrical style will leave a marked impression on listeners from opening note to last.

Living Down River opens with I’ll Come Home, a song about being able to find and stay in your center even when darkness descends on your life. Lewis’ voice is strong and soothing; the perfect complement to the lyrics when you realize that she’s singing as much to herself as to you. Better Day is a country lullaby for a bad day; full of the vulnerability of someone who has lost control of their life, it is one of the most poignant songs you’re likely to come across. There’s a sad yet hopeful beauty here that is magical. Don’t Look At The Mountain is in a southern gospel style that infuses bluegrass instrumentation. It’s an incredibly enjoyable listen.

That Leavin’ Sound is a class country song of heartbreak sung in intelligent and vibrant terms. Tamara Lewis sings this song as if she’s feeling every wrench of her heart. Try not to be moved. Big City Blues goes to the other end of the spectrum. It’s a smart look at city life and is probably the most fun song on the album. With My Eyes is a special moment. It addresses fidelity and attraction in an honest and bare fashion that is refreshing. Cold Coffee, Warm Beer is a humorous look at how to handle running into an ex-boyfriend written in the spirit/style of Christine Lavin. Key Of Lonely is the keynote song on Living Down River; a gorgeous piano-based ballad about a relationship that doesn’t work despite best intentions by both involved. The album closes out with Living Down River, a haunting song full of home style wisdom and haunting harmonica.

The talent of Tamara Lewis is abundantly clear. In songwriting she is able to drop the filters that we live with every day and just stand alone in her songs. Steeped in an honesty that is almost unsettling, Lewis finds human insights in her songs like a prospector looking for gemstones. The listener is enriched in the process, but one gets the impression that is Lewis who is most healed by her search. Living Down River is a sonically gorgeous album that is smart, occasionally witty and just plain good. Spend an hour with Tamara Lewis. You’ll be happy you did, and you’ll go back again.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Tamara Lewis at http://www.tlewismusic.com/ or www.myspace.com/tamaralewis. You can purchase a copy of Living Down River at www.cdbaby.com/cd/tamaralewis2.

Review: Boney James - Send One Your Love

Boney James – Send One Your Love
2009, Concord Records

Boney James is prolific. Thirteen albums in seventeen years, including four RIAA certified gold albums, four #1 albums and three resulting Grammy nominations is quite a track record. James cut his teeth touring and doing session work for the likes of Morris Day, The Isley Brothers, Randy Crawford, Ray Parker Jr. and Bobby Caldwell. Boney James is for all intents and purposes the founding father of urban jazz, and has influenced an entire generation of jazz musicians. His latest release, Send One Your Love, is a theme record based on the sort of music Barry White and Marvin Gaye made their own.

Send One Your Love opens with the smoothe sounds of Wanna Show U Sumthin’. Breaking down the barriers between jazz and pop with a slow jam vibe, Wanna Show U Sumthin’ makes a great listen. Send One Your Love is a bit lighter, set in an exquisite arrangement full of layered sounds. Stop, Look, Listen comes back to an acoustic base that seems to work best with Boney James’ sax. Don’t Let Me Be Lonely Tonight is pure soul, featuring newcomer Quinn (Atlanta, Ga) on vocals. Quinn has pipes that rank up there with Seal, and this arrangement works to feature his distinctive voice perfectly. City Of Light is one of my favorite tracks here. Boney James is inspired on this one, dancing in and out of the arrangement like the life of bees.

Boney James has been around for a long, long time, and continues to please old fans while making new ones with each release. Send One Your Love will not disappoint existing fans and is accessible enough to spread the gospel of Boney James to a new generation. Send One Your Love is great listening.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Boney James at http://www.boneyjames.com/. You can pick up a copy of Send One Your Love at Amazon.com or wherever music is sold.

Review: Sleeper Cell - The Time Is Now

Sleeper Cell – The Time Is Now
2008, Sleeper Cell Recordings

Drawing on influences ranging from Tupac Shakur to Eminem, Sleeper Cell blasts out of Indianapolis, Indiana with their debut recording, The Time Is Now. The album opens with a sample of Franklin D. Roosevelt’s “This Day Will Live In Infamy” speech on the title track. Whether or not intentional, the use of an event that signaled the coming out of the United States as a world power is a strong and pointed message in a song about Sleeper Cell’s self-introduction to the world. Sleeper Cell seems to struggle with its own best intentions throughout The Time Is Now, at times expressing deep yet subtle socio-political commentary while at other times falling prey to the stereotypical conventions of Gangsta Rap. Move Forward is a song about survival and can be heard on many levels given the current economic environment. This is one of the things that makes Sleeper Cell so unique and concurrently so frustrating. In one verse you might think they’re talking about life on the streets and in the next it may sound like they’re talking about life in the boardroom. This could be intentional, and if so it shows signs of lyric genius. The ability to essentially tell a parable that applies to both the street and the boardroom with the same moral is a rare gift. But given some of the more mundane material presented here it is hard to know whether these moments are cases of transitive genius or pure luck.

Just for the record, we’re leaning toward the transitive genius argument, but it’s still open for discussion. Best Effort addresses the corporate race to the top in street vernacular, exhorting listeners to give their all but not to forget themselves along the way. Once again the song could apply to many different settings and speaks to an ability that is uncanny. The backing vocals provided Lynda Sayyah are amazing. We don’t know much about here, but suggest that if she hasn’t already considered recording some material of her own that she do so. My Mistress takes a turn for the more mundance side as Sleeper Cell falls into a stereotype that diverges from the path they’ve chosen thus far on The Time Is Now. The trend continues through Pay For What, Husslin’ For Mine and Time Flies.

I’m Not The One stays with the stereotype somewhat but at least shows a little more depth. It also makes use of some interesting dialogue samples of Steve Carrell from The Forty Year Old Virgin. Always On The Grind returns to some of the higher minded intellect that Sleeper Cell shows early on. Blame The Game adds some funky guitar work to the mix in one of the more personal and well thought out rhymes on the disc. Respect is a song that anyone who’s ever worked for a living can identify, like an apt epilogue to the movie Office Space. Get Paper expresses the thought that rhymes are the motivation for Sleeper Cell, not money or notoriety. Based on the material here I would guess it’s at least partially true. What’s Your Profession would seem to support this idea as well. The set closes out with I Don’t Matter, a big Drum N Bass rhyme.

Sleeper Cell create some moments of genius on The Time Is Now. They also fall prey to their own baser instincts at points on the album. This is a group with real potential to lift Rap Music back up to the level of art form that it once was. Sleeper Cell believe they’ve grown as artists in the four months since the release of this album. Based on what I Hear on The Time Is Now I’m willing to take that on credit. Sleeper Cell has the ability to reach for higher concepts in street terms and speak to a slew of fans for whom they hyperbole of profanity and base concepts generally turns them away from rap. At their best Sleeper Cell are masters or rhyme and reason. It will be curious to see what comes next. For the moment, The Time Is Now is an outstanding debut.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Sleeper Cell at www.myspace.com/sleepercellcrew. You can purchase a copy of The Time Is Now at Underground HipHop.com.

Review: The Snake Charmers - Been Gone Too Long

The Snake Charmers – Been Gone Too Long
2008, The Snake Charmers

Houston’s The Snake Charmers were snake bit by Hurricane Ike. Their latest album, Been Gone Too Long, was just shy of completion when Ike hit Texas. Consequently the album never saw the light of day until 2008. Husband and wife team Marie Angell (vox/keys) and Will Blumentritt are joined by son Eric Blumentritt on drums and Larry Meeker (guitar) on one of the tastiest blues/rock albums of the year. The set opens with Ain’t Nothin’ But The Blues, a slow mover that gives listeners an opportunity for Marie Angell’s voice to really sink in. Full of dark undertones and a weight that is palpable, Angell has a unique sound that works extremely well with this brand of Blues-based Rock N Roll. No Mercy gets things moving with southern fried rock and a vibrant bass/rhythm combo. Can’t Trust A Heart opens with a one minute plus fugue on guitar that’s reminiscent of Pink Floyd. Angell’s in her best voice here, coming off as a cross between Nancy and Cassandra Wilson. Big Big Love allows The Snake Charmers to let down their hair and have a little fun on an old-school Rhythm And Blues rocker.

I Wanna Do Right finds Larry Meeker doing his best B.B. King imitation on guitar. The piano fills here help to fill out the atmosphere perfectly for Angell’s vocal performance. Move On Blues is built on a walking bass line that won’t quit and some great guitar work. You’ll also be certain to enjoy Just A Little Kiss and tongue-in-cheek (I Wanna Be A) Hoochie Mama.
The Snake Charmers are the sort of band that is perfect for a small club on a Friday night. It’s music you want to listen over drinks with a couple of good friends. Marie Angell is a capable vocalist and the rhythm section is strong, but the real star of the band is Eric Meeker. The rest of the band is compact and talented, but Meeker raises their game a notch or two with some inspired fret work throughout Been Gone Too Long. If you’re not familiar with The Snake Charmers, this is a great introduction.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about The Snake Charmers at http://www.snakecharmers.net/. You can purchase a copy of Been Gone Too Long at www.cdbaby.com/cd/snakecharmers.

Review: Girl Goes Electric - Girl Goes Electric E.P.

Girl Goes Electric – Girl Goes Electric E.P.
2008, Girl Goes Electric/Wonder Bro

Vancouver’s Girl Goes Electric is a new world band. With roots on the World Wide Web and in a corporate coffee house there is nothing old school about the band. Girl Goes Electric is comprised of singer/songwriter Susan Dixon and keyboardist/programmer Adam Percy. Dixon has been entertaining audiences for several years with honest songwriting, a razor sharp wit and a knowing smile. Adam Percy previously held keyboard/programming duties for Toronto’s Acid Test. He’s also done tour/recording duties with Econoline Crush and Bif Naked. On the Girl Goes Electric E.P., Dixon provider Percy with new and exciting musical themes to landscape while Percy draws Dixon out of herself to create full, vibrant songs that traverse the electro-acoustic landscape.

Rough With My Body opens as an invitation and exhortation. The narrator is happy for the implied attention but also displays an emotional vulnerability that is exceedingly human in pop music. The song has a great groove to it that would allow it to pass into the club scene without difficulty, but could also be stripped down into a straight up rock or even folk arrangement with ease. Come As You Are is a bit more wanton in its desires but is also a bit more repressed musically. This sonic ambivalence is both disturbing and intriguing and leaves you wondering about the true intentions of the antagonist. Just Drive is a stark and poignant look at bad choices as they might look in the middle of the night. Dixon’s voice has been enhanced with effects here to provide a dreamlike quality to the vocal that magnifies the “bad dream” feel of the subject matter. One Inside Another is an upbeat pop song with electronic flourish that’s a solid continuity piece leading into Pin-Up Girl. Pin-Up Girl has a burlesque quality beyond the mere suggestion of its title. The musical arrangement is dark and full of a jazz/funk feel that frames the song perfectly. Best of all, Susan Dixon does her best vocal work here; breaking out of the shell that she’s been hemmed into over the first four songs. Here the performance personality Dixon is known for simply runs off the speakers in waves.

Girl Goes Electric is an interesting marriage of electric and acoustic, although the arrangements here seem to use Dixon’s acoustic-based writing as a mere guide as Adam Percy whips up an electronic world for each song to inhabit. The songs are edgy and interesting and bordering on truly unique, but I almost think I would have enjoyed them more if there were a bit more balance between the electronic and acoustic elements. Susan Dixon is at her vocal best on the last track, but at times seems trapped within all of the electronic framing Percy creates. The individual parts here are great, and the sum is really quite good, but the balance might benefit from a little tweaking. Nevertheless, the Girl Goes Electric E.P. is a great introduction to the duo!

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Girl Goes Electric at http://www.girlgoeselectric.com/. The Girl Goes Electric E.P. is available in digital format from outlets such as iTunes, eMusic and Amazon.com. CDs will be available in the near future through http://www.girlgoeselectric.com/.

Review: Fiona Joy Hawkins - Blue Dream

Fiona Joy Hawkins – Blue Dream
2008, Little Hartley Music

Fiona Joy Hawkins turns heads every time she sits down at the piano and starts to play. The Australian composer/pianist mixes classical themes with jazz and world sounds and rhythms in a form of musical alchemy you have to hear to believe. Her latest recording, Blue Dream, is remarkable to listen to, and the supporting cast is indicative of the sort of respect Hawkins commands in the industry. Produced by William Ackerman (Founder of Windham Hill Records); Blue Dream features guest/supporting performances by Luka Bloom, T-Bone Wolk (Hall & Oates), Heather Rankin (The Rankin Family), Eugene Friesen (Paul Winter), Jeff Haynes (Pat Metheny) and Jeff Oster.

Blue Dream plays like a cross between ballet and musical theater. Lyric in composition and quiet in attitude, Blue Dream tells a musical story as if speaking in a dream. Hawkins is fearless in her musical exploration, giving no quarter to musical ideas but pulling them fully into the light of day and embedding them deep in the musical tapestry she weaves. Freedom opens Blue Dream like a sunrise inching over the horizon, illuminating the musical horizon in half-light and shadow. Feeling Sunshine is a vibrant picture of a world waking up. The dominant melody line of Feeling Sunshine kept calling to mind Lyrics from Wicked’s Defying Gravity. Fans of the show will get it.

From The Outside is one of my personal favorites on Blue Dream, with the piano sketching a sad yet hopeful figure standing just out of reach of his/her dreams. Blue Dream is a gorgeous composition buoyed by a lovely yet dark string arrangement. Samite’s Interlude is one of the more intriguing compositions here, focusing primarily on wooden flute, voice and percussion. This song has a disturbing, dream-like quality to it that really stands out. Song Phonique is another strong offering; a piano piece that builds in intensity and complexity until it spills over into a lovely mix of African rhythms, piano and voice. The song resolves back to piano before re-inventing itself as a modern, Eastern-European madrigal carried by violin and an angelic female vocal. Other highlights include Voice Of Angels, Prelude To A Painting and Somewhere.

Fiona Joy Hawkins gas gained the confidence and respect of the folks mentioned here for a reason. She’s that good, and she’s not afraid to take chances in her music. Blue Dream is an epic composition that will stand the test of time. Hawkins has previously been recognized with a Best Piano Album award by the NAR Lifestyle Music Awards (2006) and the best Classical/Jazz Album award from the MusicOz Awards (2008). Her prior releases have all spent time at #1 on the World New Age Radio Charts, but Blue Dream is the album that should cement her reputation internationally. Here you may witness a creative and performance genius hitting the top of her game.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Fiona Joy Hawkins at http://www.fionajayhawkins.com/. You can purchase a copy of Blue Dream at her site or at www.cdbaby.com/cd/fionajoyhawkins7. The album is also available for download on iTunes.

Review: 2-R-More - If I Could Live My Life Over

2-R-More – If I Could Live My Life Over
2007, Millennium Music Group

2-R-More follow the classic Southern Baptist gospel tradition on If I Could Live My Life Over. The Spartanburg, South Carolina based trio has been playing together for a number of years, and incorporate classic Southern Gospel tunes amidst original compositions. Hugh Culbreth, Chad Jackson and Joan Mahaffey sing and play while Hiley Mahaffey sits soundboard for live performances. 2-R-More run the gamut from classic gospel to bluegrass to near-rock arrangements while singing to further their ministry.

If I Could Live My Life Over offers some surprising and enjoyable mixes alongside classic gospel sounds. You Could Be Wrong is get-up-and-dance worship music based in the sometimes disparate worlds of gospel and bluegrass. Testimony features Joan Mahaffey on vocals in a performance reminiscent of Christy Lane. 2-R-More really let go on the classic When God Dips His Love. This is a Rock N Soul gospel rendition that you won’t soon forget. I’m Living For You Lord opens with an old hymn called The Doxology in some traditions before launching into an original band creation that’s as country as they come. Every song here is filled with spirit and conscience, embracing an inner life of spirit over the immediate impact of now.

If I Could Live My Life Over deftly walks the line between classic gospel and modern worship music without getting too off track. Culbreth, Jackson and Mahaffey sing with devotion and inspiration that are palpable. This is old school Southern Church music at its finest. It may be a little too introspective for the modern church culture of worship dance tunes that leave a lot of room for feeling good about what you’re singing and not much time to actually think about it, but it still thrives in some areas. 2-R-More have it right.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about 2-R-More at http://www.2rmore.com/, where you can purchase a copy of If I Could Live My Life Over.

Review: Jon Scott - Some R Beautiful

Jon Scott – Some R Beautiful
2007, Brown Babes Music

Jon Scott has been creating and performing music all his life, whether with a band, on his own, or in stage productions such as Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Jesus Christ Superstar or South African musical Ipi Tombi. Scott has performed throughout England, Africa and the US. Some R Beautiful was put together with the assistance of producer Gordon Hulbert, whose previous credits include projects by Chaka Khan, Russell Watson, Hugh Masekala, Suzie Quatro, Angie Brown and Heatwave.

Some R Beautiful opens with Suzi Walker, a light pop ballad about unrequited love with a light dance beat. Scott has a breathy voice that floats though the song, sandwiched between the instrumentation and percussion. Scott’s voice isn’t quite strong enough to overcome the arrangement here but holds his own. Summer is an electro/dance hybrid that may have some club potential, particularly as a remix. Everything’s Beautiful is another dance tune that will definitely get your feet moving and may be the most commercial song on the disc. Eyes Like The Sun is a straight up pop tune that is catchy enough to get your attention but middle of the road enough to not hold on to it long term. A Beautiful Country is a neat Bossa Nova tune that almost gets derailed by overly heavy keyboard parts in the introduction. The gem of the album is the tenth track, Guy. Scott saves his most personal songwriting and performance for the end of the album before leaving us with two dance remixes.

Jon Scott has a pleasant voice. It’s not iconic or overpowering but is very listenable and perfect for the light material offered here. One would guess Scott is a Stevie Wonder fan judging by his writing style, as the influence appears obvious. The overall performance on Some R Beautiful is good although a bit low energy at times. Jon Scott will find definite followers in the pop marketplace but is definitely a niche musician marketing wise. The dance material is club worthy and should gain Scott some attention. When Scott really bares his heart (Guy) the performances can be amazing.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Jon Scott at http://www.jonscottmusic.com/. You can purchase a copy of Some R Beautiful at www.cdbaby.com/jonscott.

Review: Cush + The Intelligent Designers - Happy Accidents

Cush + The Intelligent Designers
2008, OtherWorld Distractions

It’s time to introduce you to Cush. You’ve met Cush before even if you don’t remember or recognize him. And no, he’s not the first round draft pick Bob Sugar stole from Jerry Maguire. Cush carries with him a significant musical history. From his early days as founder of cult favorite The Wigs to his stint as a member of Interscope’s Fisher, Vush has shared the stage with artists such as Sarah McLachlan, Sinead O’Connor, Bon Jovi and David Grey. Cush also contributed backing vocals to Ringo Starr’s Vertical Man album alongside the likes of Sir Paul McCartney, Steven Tyler, Joe Walsh and Daniel Lanois (to name a few). Younger fans may know Cush’s voice as the one behind the “Mighty Morphin Power Rangers” theme songs, but he’s contributed material to soundtracks such as Dawson’s Creek, Melrose Place, 7th Heaven, Great Expectations and Cradle 2 The Grave. Cush’s latest project, with The Intelligent Designers, Happy Accidents, features fine Brit-Pop inspired Rock N Roll that will have fans of all generations buzzing.

Happy Accidents opens with the funk-laden Little Black Dress. Little Black Dress is the song that might have occurred if Lennon/McCartney had ever sat down with Jagger/Richards to pen a song together. Won’t Let It Rain has a definite Beatles vibe in a sonically gorgeous arrangement that makes the best use of harmonies and a soaring chorus. Sorry I Ruined Your Life brings some punk energy into the mix. This is the catchiest tune on the album and its absolutely unforgettable. You’ll be humming this one for days.

Sweet Doomed Angel starts out on a dark but hooky note and turns into a wonderful pop confection with Beach Boys style harmonies and a big chorus. Beautiful Something is a sweet waltz looking at loves lost. Happy Accidents closes out with The Way You Need and the surprising Dreaming (Black) In White. Cush recasts DeBussey’s Claire De Lune as a gothic pop ballad. I have to admit that Claire De Lune is probably my favorite classical composition, and hearing it in this fashion was a bit disturbing on first listen, but Cush + The Intelligent Designers make excellent use of the classic in a way that enhances it without detracting from the original.

Cush’s voice is familiar right from the outset of Happy Accidents. There are shades of Beatles past and present in there, but who he sounds most like is Styx’ Lawrence Gowan. This becomes most evident on Dreaming (Black) In White, but once you’ve identified the connection you’ll recognize it in every song here. Happy Accidents is an inspired album full of solidly original compositions based in familiar musical landscapes. Cush + The Intelligent Designers have enough pop gold running through their musical veins to really make something of this, and enough rough edges to make them interesting to listen to. Happy Accidents is a keeper.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Cush + The Intelligent Designers at www.myspace.com/cushla. Copies of Happy Accidents are available from www.cdbaby.com/cd/cushatid.

Be sure to check out Cush’s podcast, Cush: Things I Say at http://www.cushrocks.com/.

Review: Anne Weiss - Concrete World And The Lover's Dream

Anne Weiss – Concrete World And The Lover’s Dream
2008, Potter Street Records

Anne Weiss is the consummate professional. From recording with such luminaries as Shawn Colvin and Patty Larkin to performing with the likes of Ani DiFranco and Cephas & Wiggins, Weiss is a performer that other musicians look to with respect. She’s also an Allen Ginsburg Award winning poet, a former street gang member and political organizer. Weiss’ fourth CD, Concrete World And The Lover’s Dream is a collection of pop, country, blues and rock and roll that will surprise and delight listeners with Weiss’ ability to change character and presentation without losing the essential sense of her self. Let’s check it out!

Weiss opens with Ain’t Got No Reason To Lie in a deceptively bluegrass tinged rendition that is amazingly straight forward when compared to what comes later. It’s a refreshingly uncomplicated take on the song that is startlingly apropos. The Song About The Affair That I Am Not Having finds Weiss moving a little more in the Soul sound she is comfortable with, but still staying with a somewhat light, pop sound. It’s as if with the first two songs Weiss is leaving herself open to multiple genres (Country, Americana, Pop) whereas she later moves more solidly into a Soul/R&B sound. Special Delivery is built around a beat box core that ties everything else together. This is one of the more intriguing songs on the album as we get to see the real shading of Weiss’ voice here for the first time.

Anne Weiss drops any and all pretenses on Concrete World And The Lover’s Dream, bringing out every ounce of soul she possesses in a performance not to be missed. It just keeps coming on Robert Johnson’s Come On In My Kitchen, The Blues/Soul sound here is as thick as cream cheese. Weiss reminds me distinctly of one of my favorite female blues vocalists, Pamela Betti. There’s a Janis Joplin vibe here as well as Weiss opens up the throttle on a voice that has transformed from a vaguely sweet pop voice to a husky and worldly blues/rock sound in the course of five songs. Write Me A Few Of Your Lines is the highlight of the album. The classic tune from Mississippi Fred McDowell sounds like it was written for Weiss, and she does it full justice. Other highlights include Fall, Shadow Of Doubt and the cover of Jackson Browne’s These Days.

Anne Weiss fits equally well into the Country, Blues and Rock genres that she dances across on Concrete World And The Lover’s Dream. Her voice is a diamond in the rough. Not smooth or pretty, but hewn by life and effort and full of a natural beauty that can’t be crafted. Weiss owns the songs she sings and wears them like a favorite dress. The real Weiss is millimeters from the surface in each song, striving to break through and touch the listener like a breeze. Concrete World And The Lover’s Dream is a fine album.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Anne Weiss or purchase a copy of Concrete World And The Lover’s Dream at http://www.anneweiss.com/.

Review: David Lykins - Blurry White Guy

David Lykins – Blurry White Guy
2008, David Lykins

David “Ravin’ Dave” Lykins is a Chicago area actor/singer/songwriter/poet with a reputation for a big voice. His debut CD, 2008’s Blurry White Guy has been described as “subversive country music”, and it’s easy to see why. Lykins takes traditional country forms and imbues them with a not-quite-reckless sense of variety and composition that goes far beyond your typical music row pop hybrid. With a supporting cast including Pat Flynn (New Grass Revival), Chris Leuzinger (Garth Brooks), John Gardener (Dixie Chicks), Dow Tomlin and Jeff Taylor, Lykins has produced one of the more intriguing country albums of the past year.

Blurry White Guy opens with Houston, a Country/Rock hybrid about Hurricane Katrina and the impact it has on the residents of New Orleans. It’s an amazingly upbeat song for the dark, solemn subject matter and has real commercial punch. The family in the song is separated, with the children in Memphis and the parents in Houston. This is probably one of the best musical paeans to the Katrina Disaster that anyone has written/recorded. Greetings From The Riviera is a great story song that is heart-breaking in its picturesque detail. Let Me Carry This has a wonderfully dark atmosphere that frames Lykins’ All-American country voice, and while Lykins writes in essentially classic country forms, he often builds sound and structure into his songs that separate them from the pop/country pack.

A personal favorite here is Day After Valentine. It’s a sweet song without sounding hokey or trite and likely to be a fan favorite. Come Along is another favorite; a song that captures some of the Celtic spirit of Country and Western Music. You’ll also want to check out Flying and This Is My House.

David Lykins sounds enough like popular country artists to get some commercial attention, with enough variation and complexity in his music to earn some respect from fellow musicians. Blurry White Guy is a perplexing, intriguing and ultimately rewarding listen. It’s popular music with a subversive core. Accessible to consumers of the mindless pop machine that has overtaken parts of Music Row, but deep and wide enough to interest people who still listen to the music. Blurry White Guy, indeed.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about David Lykins at www.myspace.com/ravin12. You can purchase a copy of Blurry White Guy at www.cdbaby.com/cd/davelykins.

Review: Seven Mile Ride - Seven Mile Ride

Seven Mile Ride – Seven Mile Ride
2008, Macaca Fuscata Records

Seven Mile Ride comes to us out of the always vibrant Seattle rock scene. Four longtime music veterans comprise Seven Mile Ride. Lead vocalist/guitarist Shane Rushton is joined by Randy Shemwell (Lead guitar); Eric Montgomery (bass/keys) and Steve Humphrey (drums/percussion). Seven Mile Ride has gained a reputation as a dynamic live experience, and the critical and popular buzz continue to build. After spending much of the past year working to record and produce their first album, the self-titled debut, Seven Mile Ride, is finally here. It was worth the wait.

Rushton has an incredibly enjoyable rock voice; the kind you could listen to all day and not tire of. This becomes quickly evident on the opening track, Face In The Crowd. The song is a catchy Americana/Southern Rock hybrid that has real commercial potential across several genres. It’s followed by At Home, a great acoustic rock anthem. At Home is a highly commercial sounding song without sacrificing quality. Always is the sort of song that gets bands noticed. It’s a classic rock style power ballad done in an acoustic arrangement. Out and out the best songwriting on the album. Always hits the ballad notes just right without crossing over into cheese or cliché.

That being said, my favorite song on the disc is Silver Lining. Delicious piano fills and great rock guitar work combine to gird a highly memorable song that could be a hit in both rock and country circles. Also be sure to check out Chase The Past Away and Façade.

Seven Mile Ride has strong commercial potential, not so much because they are tying to be commercial but because they seem to have a knack for crafting well written songs that happen to have mass appeal. Their debut, Seven Mile Ride is eight songs of solid, no-nonsense music that fades the lines between Rock, Americana and Country. This seems to be where Rock N Roll is at its most vibrant these days, and Seven Mile Ride appears to be sitting at the heart of it all. Great disc.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Seven Mile Ride at http://www.sevenmileride.com/ or www.myspace.com/sevenmileride. You can purchase a copy of Seven Mile Ride at www.cdbaby.com/cd/smr.

Review: Little Man - Of Mind And Matter

Little Man – Of Mind And Matter
2008, Eclectone Records

Little Man combines the driving quality of British Rock with a classic melodic sensibility. They have an enigmatic vibe that is part Bob Dylan and part Ray Davies with the occasional Bowie moment. The St. Paul, Minnesota rockers came into 2008 off the high of being named the Best Rock Band in the Twin Cities for 2007. They follow that distinction with their fourth release, Of Mind And Matter, bridging the gap between classic and modern rock sounds with tuneful songs and serious Rock N Roll chops.

Tarots And Arrows sets the mood for Of Mind And Matter, with a catchy tune in an arrangement and style highly reminiscent of the Kinks at their best. This song will be playing in your head long after the CD’s been returned to its case, so be warned. Don’t Pray to Fantasy may well be the calling card of the band. Its pure 1960’s Brit Rock with a strong melody and great harmonies. This is where Little Man seems most at home. Not content to stay in one slot, Little Man hits us with Everyone On The Floor, one of the best dance songs I’ve heard in some time, and a reminder that you can dance to Rock N Roll. Beatles fans keep an ear out for Lifted Me Like A Curse. The songwriting here is inspired, and the chorus sounds like McCartney and Lennon might have written it themselves. Love Of All Time sounds like Dylan, Jacob that is. I thought I had somehow skipped to a Wallflowers song when this came on. You’ll also want to check out Seal of Secrecy. This is required Big Rock Anthem, and Little Man delivers it perfectly. Delicious hooks and great harmonies make this a winner.

Little Man identifies with the good luck charm character in classical story telling. Perhaps they’re on to something. Little Man doesn’t break any new musical ground here, but manages to breathe inspiration and life into classic sounding material. The songwriting is strong and the band plays together like a well-oiled machine. Of Mind And Matter is a definite keeper. Make sure you check it out.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Little Man at www.myspace.com/sweetlittleman, where you can purchase a copy of Of Mind And Matter.

Team Smile And Nod – Look Both Ways Before You Die
2008, Thinkroot Records

I don’t know if the term is PC these days or not, but a few years back we would have called Team Smile And Nod proud purveyors of geek rock. You take a female folk singer and her acoustic guitar and combine them with an electronic music DJ/composer and create a series of sometimes funny, politically and progressively motivated songs and you have geek rock. Kara Elizabeth and Rich Ratvasky call it Team Smile And Nod. The Ohio duo explore issues such as capitalism, vegetarianism, lesbian love and GLBT issues across seventeen original songs and three remixes on Look Both Ways Before You Die. There are highs, lows and all stops in between. Let’s check it out.

Team Smile And Nod covers the whole spectrum on Look Both Ways Before You Die. There are moments that are almost sublime and there are moments that take forever to pass. Kara Elizabeth and Rich Ravatsky are each other’s saving grace musically. Kara Elizabeth’s songwriting style seems to come from a very depressed, disaffected place at times, and Ravatsky has all the aural appearances of experimenting with sounds to the point of losing musical direction. Neither of those tendencies ever completely take over on Look Both Ways Before You Die; instead, Ravatsky and Kara Elizabeth mostly balance off each other, one pulling the other back from the brink time and time again.

When they click together it can be almost magical. Kill Myself To Death is a wonderfully bizarre track. In musical terms this is a great pop song, although the morose subject matter isn’t likely to break rotation on MTV anytime soon. Even Tho is a moment of clarity amongst the musical madness that envelopes Team Smile And Nod. While there’s a lot of lyrical repetition in the chorus that does little more than fill space, this still turns out to be a great composition. On the other hand, The Party turns into an angry diatribe against Kara Elizabeth’s sister that sounds more appropriate for a Springer episode than a song. While it constitutes the retelling of an event that apparently occurred involving family acceptance of sexuality, the anger and vitriol is more likely to entrench existing attitudes than doing anything to break them down.

Much of Look Both Ways Before You Die is angry music projected through an ideation of humor that generally fails the humor test. The sophomoric nature of much of the material here makes Team Smile And Nod’s attempts to discuss GLBT issues less likely to find willing ears among those who might disagree. There’s a time and a place for such things of course, but the material here isn’t witty enough or intelligently stated enough to get away with being mean or petty. In the end you have perhaps three or four songs that are truly well composed, listenable folk/pop tunes with something to say. The rest are the musical equivalent of a disaffected teen diary. At their best, Team Smile And Nod capture the disaffected spoken word style and humor of Meryn Cadell. At their worst, they are a Saturday Night Live sketch gone wrong. The high points are good, but the low points are tough to get through to get there.

Rating: 1.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Team Smile And Nod at http://www.teamsmileandnod.com/. You can purchase a copy of Look Both Ways Before You Die at www.cdbaby.com/cd/teamsmilenod.

Review: Daniel Park - These Illusions

Daniel Park – These Illusions
2007, Daniel Park Music

Long known to New Mexico music fans as part of regional favorites Live Bait and Kiss To Betray, Daniel Park has taken his violin and guitar and struck out on his own. Born in South Korea, Park was introduced to music through the violin at the age of seven. The violin has always made Park, the musician, integral to ensembles he’s played with, but there was always a yearning, a need, to break free and take the lead. With his debut album, These Illusions, Daniel Park moves firmly to the forefront in offering up his earliest musical visions in song for all to hear.

Paving the same musical path as artists such as Edwin McCain, Rob Thomas and Jeffrey Gaines, Daniel Park mixes his own sense of balladry with bare-bones rock crooner and intent and a mix of pleasant sounding pop/rock tunes. The end result is eleven songs that generally sound not entirely unlike a number of other artists you might hear on the radio these days. The album opens with What We Should Be, a wonderfully melodic first single. Pleasant, listenable and marketable; What We Should Be should be a successful song for Park without really challenging the listener or the performer. Park gives us an idea of what he’s really made of on Shipwrecked, with frenetic guitar and a wonderfully catchy melody. DTR carries some of the same energy in a catchy, commercial package. It’s another song that could be successful based on sound/style without being overly memorable. These Illusions, on the other hand, find park raising his game again. Park keeps the momentum going into Times Have Changed. The upbeat rocker is one of the high points of the album; both well-written and commercially viable. (My personal favorite is still Shipwrecked). Goodbye is a decent listen, and Beautiful closes out the album on a very bright, let’s get this on a mix-tape moment.

These illusions could not be more apropos. Daniel Park appears to have a significant talent for songwriting. He’s able to deliver a song in a personal and personable fashion that’s strong enough to come across even in the recorded medium of a CD. Park also sounds like he’s trying write for someone other than himself on much of the CD. He’s talented enough as a songwriter to get away with it, but the seams show at times throughout These Illusions. In songs such as Shipwrecked, when park sounds like he’s having fun, or Beautiful, where part is playing and singing from the heart, there is no doubt about the sincerity or “realness” of the musical moment. But much of the album comes across as if Park is still trying to find his voice. In the process he's sounding like a hybrid of himself and some of the acoustic pop icons who have dominated the radio in recent years. He’s neither the first nor last to start out this way, and most song writers over time grow into their own voice (or comfort with it). That’s what we hope for Daniel Park. In the meantime, this is a good start.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Daniel Park at http://www.danielparkmusic.com/ or www.myspace.com/danielparkmusic, where you can order a copy of These Illusions.

Chantry – The Emancipation Of Elizabeth
2008, Alessandro Monopoli

Chantry is the musical alter-ego of Italian guitarist and videogame programmer Alessandro Monopoli. Based in Southam, Midlands, England, Monopoli creates his own brand of gothic/melodic guitar compositions that verge at times on the edge of progressive rock. Chantry has previously produced music for videogames and a demo, but The Emancipation of Elizabeth is their debut album. Chantry features guest artists such as Riccardo Crespi and Enrico Vicario.

Monopoli looks to enroll in the pantheon of guitar rock gods with The Emancipation of Elizabeth. Mixing the melodic lyricism of 1970’s guitar rock with the harder edge of Prog, Chantry bedevils and beguiles with their musical creations. Shades of Malmsteen, Jeff Beck, Clapton, Tommy Shaw/James Young and Eric Johnson rear their heads throughout the ten tracks presented here. Be prepared to be blown away as Chantry opens with Shine, and aggressively rhythmic guitar work with angelic vocals. Monopoli showers and sparks notes, phrases and runs from his guitar like a transformer on fire, filling the listener’s ears with a visceral sense of the music.

Emergence finds Chantry opening up the floodgates on a melodic tear that hint at both the technical proficiency and creative passion poured into the music here. Flawed Archetype plays across the Prog/Classic Rock paradigm with big harmonic guitars, a driving rhythm and neo-Classical construction. My personal favorite track here is Red Roses In The Snow, an epic guitar ballad that won’t leave you alone once you’ve heard it. You’ll also want to check out Velvet Darkness They Fear and L’Amor Per L’Ultima Volta.

Monopoli creates musical fireworks on guitar in a way that is both reminiscent of the classic guitar icons of the rock era and refreshingly new sounding. The Emancipation of Elizabeth is perhaps the most exciting guitar album of the decade, in that it not only allows the guitar virtuoso to show off his chops, but drives musical constructions that are more complex and complete than many in the same genre. Chantry is a must for up-and-coming rock guitarists.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Chantry at www.myspace.com/chantrymusic. The Emancipation Of Elizabeth is available digitally at http://www.tunecore.com/. CDs are just becoming available. Contact Chantry through his MySpace page for availability.

GlamourKings – For Full Stimulation
2007, GlamourKings

GlamourKings’ Michael Urge grew up in the hedonistic New York City suburbs on Long Island, where the ravages of reality television and a celebrity obsessed society have created a sub-culture where insecurity and imperfection are glossed over with cosmetic surgery and accoutrements intended to distract from life’s little flaws. Becoming disaffected with this culture, Urge threw his frustrations into his music. The immediate result is the debut album from GlamourKings, For Full Stimulation. GlamourKings ridicule the society we have wrought in danceable terms while kicking at the keystones of this faux society. How Rock N Roll is that?

The GlamourKings have it all. There’s the soulful, Alt/Goth-Rock vocals; the highly programmed and hip electronic arrangements; melodies and harmonies that are memorable and a punk-pop sensibility that just won’t quit. Depending on the song the combination either works wonderfully well or flops horribly. Victim clicks as GlamourKings come off sounding like Fred Schneider singing with The Cure. The opening track, Candyland, doesn’t fare so well. The elements are all good on their own, but when forced together they create something of a sonic mess. On Blue Rose GlamourKings make a play to sound like Nine Inch Nails (and mostly succeed). It’s not until B!tch that GlamourKings really hit their stride, creating one of those post-punk rockers that would have done wonders on college radio 15 or 20 years ago. GlamourKings at their best are catchy and energetic – the sort of thing you listen to time and time again. At their least glamourous the GlamourKings can be messy and hard to stay with.

You’ll want to check out the NIN-goes-to-the-disc turn on One & Only and the rockin’ Want You More. Other tracks worth noting are Simply Kind, Addiction, Summers Eve and the sonically obtuse Desert Skylife.

The GlamourKings are probably an aquired taste. For Full Stimulation makes full use of the electronic expertise and rock influences that GlamourKings lay claim to. They’re a very talented duo who deserves to be heard. Like many bands they hit on some and miss on some, but the hits make the misses worth listening to.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about GlamourKings at http://www.glamourkings.com/ or www.myspace.com/glamourkings. You can purchase a copy of For Full Stimulation at www.cdbaby.com/cd/glamourkings.

Review: Article 66 - Article 66

Article 66 – Article 66
2008, A66 Music/Pinnibus Headdibus Records

Miami’s Article 66 are unique on many levels. Formed by a group of law students, the band creates raw, emotionally charged songs that can’t be ignored. Add in the fact that Article 66 comingles rock and rap in a way that almost no one else does well, and you have something worth checking out. Article 66 released their debut album, Article 66, on June 6, 2008 (6/6). The band has been through a number of personnel changes but continues to thrive. Tony “T-Bone” Tomas plays guitar and provides the rock vocals on the album, while DJ Jam is Emcee, providing sublime rhymes against the backdrop of heavy guitar, drum and bass. Listen up!

Article 66 mixes elements of Rap, 80’s hard rock and modern rock into a wonderfully geeky combination that’s part hip-hop and part head-banger love fest. Juxtaposing rap rhymes and rhythms with heavy guitar (sometimes bordering on thrash), Article 66 creates a rap/rock hybrid few bands have explored. Lyrically they can run from serious to funny to bizarre (sometimes in the same song). The end result is a generally entertaining mish-mash of sounds and styles. I would advise checking out the song Misread, which is incredibly commercial and listenable. Astronomy Teacher is Hot For Teacher for the Big Bang Theory generation. It sounds sort of like Weezer on anti-depressants. The American Nightmare is a catchy rap/rock mix that’s right in Article 66’s musical wheelhouse. Hershey Squirt recalls the sort of lyrical content you might expect from early Ween, although with less subtlety (if possible).

Article 66 is an interesting listen. There’s no doubt about it, you’ll either love them or hate them depending on your personal musical proclivities. If you enjoy bands like Weezer, Ween or Devo then Article 66 will definitely appeal to you. For rap fans this is entertaining light fare, but Article 66 gets major points for melding two styles in a way that hasn’t been done well often, and getting it right (most of the time). It’s a decent listen for the adventurous of ear.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Article 66 at http://www.article66.com/. You can purchase a copy of Article 66 at www.cdbaby.com/cd/article66.

Review: Green River Ordinance - Out Of My Hands

Green River Ordinance – Out Of My Hands
2008, Capitol Music Group

Green River Ordinance hails from Fort Worth, Texas with a sound that is meant to be on the radio. Lead vocalist/guitarist Josh Jenkins is joined by brothers Geoff (bass) and Jamey Ice (guitar), Josh Wilkerson (guitar) and Denton Hunker (drums). Green River Ordinance is about to release their major label debut, with Out Of My Hands hitting shelves on February 24, 2009. Influenced by bands such as The Goo Goo Dolls, Third Eye Blind, Coldplay and Lifehouse, Green River Ordinance is set to make a big impact. Believe me, you’ll want to check this one out.

Green River Ordinance opens with Outside, a wonderfully infectious rock anthem fueled by jangly guitar and a catchy melody. Lead vocalist Josh Jenkins sounds quite a bit like John Mayer as might sound fronting a band like The Goo Goo Dolls. Outside is the sort of song that could have significant potential on pop and modern rock radio as well as licensing for television/movies. Come On has similar potential. It’s amped down slightly from the opener but has a strong pop sensibility that is likely to make it a fan favorite. On Your Own shows the softer side of Green River Ordinance in a poignant ballad. In this moment you can hear the vast commercial potential of the band come together like a thousand angels dancing on the proverbial pin.

Different (Anything At All) continues in the catchy guitar-rock vein where Green River Ordinance seems to thrive. This is yet another song with real commercial potential. Last October offers up another dose of poignant balladry that blows up into what may be the strongest pop/rock hybrid on the album. You’ll also want to check out Sleep It Off, Getting Older and the heart-on-your-sleeve ballad Endlessly. Green River Ordinance closes out with a ballad this absolute mix-tape material; the sort of song you expect hundreds of little John Cusack clones to be playing on boom boxes outside the bedroom windows of little Ione Skyes everywhere. This is the song most likely to get them on the map.

Green River Ordinance creates some pop-rock magic on their debut without sounding contrived or constrained. Strong songwriter, great melodic sense and the ability to string together lyrics that are well thought and well-sung seems to be the specialty of Green River Ordinance. Out Of My Hands is a dazzling debut that will likely be the harbinger of many more to come from Green River Ordinance. Get this one.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Green River Ordinance at http://www.greenriverordinance.com/. You can pre-order Out Of My Hands, due out on February 24, 2009, on Amazon.com.

Review: The Cappuccino Swaggger - The Cappuccino Swagger

The Cappuccino Swagger – The Cappuccino Swagger
2008, The Cappuccino Swagger

Mixing rap and electronica, The Cappuccino Swagger comes out of London with a sound born of bedroom or basement noodling that’s been going on since Casio built their first keyboards. Simplistic arrangements and mellow, light-hearted raps are the things of The Cappuccino Swagger. On their debut album, The Cappuccino Swagger, the band claims to sound like Magic Mushrooms In Stereo. Emotion Pro, the heart of The Cappuccino Swagger, aims to “teach and reach” with his music, and to make a difference in his community and the world.

Emotion Pro makes some great musical choices on The Cappuccino Swagger, opting for classic Soul and R&B sounds at times to back up his raps. The arrangements for songs such as Winter Alone, Sexy Sexy, Vanity Fair, Take It Easy and Money are uncomplicated and catchy. There’s a definite pop/dance sense here that could turn into something. The difficulty I had with this record is that while Emotion Pro may show flashes of lyrical prowess, the subject matter is generally unfocused and unstructured. The energy on the raps just isn’t there. The music made me want to buy into this performance, but I had a hard time doing so. When the disc was over I just didn’t have any tracks that stuck out in my mind as something I’d want to go back and listen to again. This doesn’t speak to the talent of Emotion Pro at all, but it speaks worlds of the energy that comes across in the music.

The Cappuccino Swagger shows real potential as a producer and creator of electronic music. He may even be a decent rapper (I don’t consider myself an expert), but the energy this music needs to come alive is absent, as if Emotion Pro were going though the motion here rather than working on material he’s excited about. Please feel free to disagree, as I am sure there will be folks who love this disc, but it just didn’t work for me on the rap side. I would have enjoyed it immensely as an instrumental disc or with more energy.

Rating: 2 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about The Cappuccino Swagger at www.myspace.com/emotionpro. You can purchase a copy of The Cappuccino Swagger at www.cdbaby.com/cd/cswagger.

Review: Sean McArdle - Northern Charms

Sean McArdle - Northern Charms
2009, Sean McArdle

Sean McArdle has come a long way, both physically and musically, to release his latest effort, the self-released Northern Charms. The former front man of Driving By Braille and Lookout! Records recording artists The Cost, McArdle left his home base in San Francisco to resettle in Washington, D.C. Embracing the universal themes of love and loss, McArdle has crafted a nuanced and elegant collection of songs that walk the ever receding line between Rock and Americana.

Last Words opens on a gritty, subdued note. McArdle's voice plays perfectly here in an unaffected performance that is plainspoken and earthy. Two Brothers comes out in a finger-pick style that bespeaks of a classic 1960's folk/rock style. McArdle invokes sonic images of Nick Drake here, and this may be the best composition on the album. It's a song you could hear other artists picking up and running with. 56th Street reminded me strongly of the songwriting style of Dave Matheson (formerly of Moxy Fruvous). This is classic 1970's AM Radio folk/rock, as if Dan Fogelberg wrote music for Drake or Tom Waits. Other tracks worth noting include The Long Walk, Still Working, the Hank Williams-esque Don't Believe Me and Follow In Kind.

McArdle appears to have undergone a transformation since his Lookout! Records days. Whether the time with Driving By Braille saw many changes or whether it was the cross country move and starting over in a new place, McArdle has found the clarity of introspection on Northern Charms. The lyrical work here is intelligent and coherent. No one is going to mistake McArdle for a poet laureate, but the material is broken down into honest and forthright passages full of truth, observation and emotion. The musical arrangements in general are Americana gothic representations of mood or place full of subtlety and grace. They neither stand out nor fall behind, but act as the perfect counterparts to his lyrical forays. The result is a solid record from start to finish. Northern Charms is not generally the kind of record that will live in your CD/MP3 player constantly for the first few weeks you own it, but it's the sort of album that will become a regular listen for a long time to come.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Sean McArdles at http://www.seanmcardle.com/ or www.myspace.com/seanmcardle. Sean McArdle's music can be heard in rotation in Starbucks stores on PlayNetwork. Northern Charms will be released in the coming weeks. Keep checking McArdle’s web page for availability!