Review: Lizary Rodriguez-Rios - Harp Therapy

Lizary Rodriguez-Rios - Harp Therapy
2009, Libre Productions

Lizary Rodriguez-Rios has wracked up quite an impressive resume, winning four international Harp competitions in Europe. She holds a Doctorate In Musical Arts, studying at the Music Conservatory in Puerto Rico, The University of Arizona and the Royal Conservancy in Madrid, Spain. She has previously performed as part of Grammy-nominated ensemble Harp Fusion, and has composed numerous pieces of television and movies in her native Puerto Rico. Rodriguez-Rio's second album, Harp Therapy, comes as a follow-up to 2006's Harp Voyage, which received favorable coverage from such august publications as The Classical Source (UK) and Fanfare Magazine.

Harp Therapy opens with The Purple Bamboo, a Chinese song played on harp in both pizzicato and lyric fashion. The song is quite lovely and flows nicely once it gets going. Rodriguez-Rios tackles Scarborough Fair essentially as arranged by Simon & Garfunkel in a lovely performance that's sure to be a crowd pleaser. The melody is traded back and forth between harp and violin, with the other always providing harmony or support. Le Cygne is a moving composition, having a sort of relentless motion to it, almost like the slow but steady movement of a river (or a swan swimming upon it, as the title may suggest). It's one of the lovelier moments on the CD. Rodriguez-Rios' reading of Grieg's Morning Song is instantly recognizable and is given a lot of depth by the strings that support and envelope the harp. Bach's Jesu Joy Of Man's Desiring is inspired, although the violin gets some of the choice parts here. Other highlights include Water Spirit, Pachelbel's Canon, Satie's Gymnopedie No. 1 and Harper Of The Western Winds.

Lizary Rodriguez-Rios is a master of her instrument, and the arrangements here are superb. Despite the title, Harp Therapy doesn't fit in with the sort of new-age relaxation or healing music that increasingly fills professorships and new age healing centers. For whatever else Rodriguez-Rios may be, she is a first class musician. Harp Therapy is a must-listen for fans of classical and yes, New Age, but don't expect a passive listening experience.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Lizary Rodriguez Rios at http://www.lizary.net/. Yu can purchase a copy of Harp Therapy at www.cdbaby.com/cd/lizary2.

Rod Stewart - Atlantic Crossing/A Night On The Town Ltd Edition Collector's Editions

Rod Stewart - Atlantic Crossing/A Night On The Town Limited Edition Collector's Editions
2009, Rhino/Warner Bros. Records

The period of 1975-1976 was one of great transition for Rod Stewart; moving to the United States and saying goodbye to The Faces for a solo career opened new musical avenues to Stewart. Stewart traded the British Folk-Rock sound for one steeped in American Rhythm & Blues, a move that was fostered by producer Tom Dowd who introduced Stewart to Steve Cropper, Donald "Duck" Dunn and Al Jackson, Jr. (otherwise known as the MG's minus Booker T and occasionally as the Swampers). This association fueled Atlantic Crossing, Stewart's first "American" album which went on to be a hit on both sides of the Atlantic, gaining Gold certification from the RIAA. The album is presented here with a bonus disc featuring an alternate version of the album plus great covers of the Bee Gees' To Love Somebody, Lee Dorsey's Holy Cow and Elvis Presley's Return To Sender. One of the alternate takes that's a pleasant surprise is Too Much Noise, a very early version of Stone Cold Sober that Stewart fans will go ga-ga over. Also notable is Skye Boat Song, done by the Atlantic Crossing Drum & Pipe Band in a stirring rendition that will have you reaching for your kilt.

In 1976, Stewart followed up with A Night On The Town, which achieved double-platinum status (2 million copies sold) on the strength of the #1 hit, Tonight's The Night (Gonna Be Alright). This is perhaps Stewart's most recognizable tune, still getting regular airplay on Adult Contemporary stations 33 years later. The backing band here is referred to as "The Garage Band" in the liner notes, and again included the MG's as well as Joe Walsh and David Lindley among others. The album also features a great cover of Cat Stevens' The First Cut Is The Deepest and the Southern Rock/Roadhouse The Wild Side Of Life. The bonus disc here is a real treat, with an early take of a cover of The Beatles' Get Back and early versions of the album and one B-Side, Rosie.

The Collector's Editions of these albums will be around for a while, but if you want the 2-disc versions with all of the alternate takes you'd better act fast. Warner Bros. is only selling these limited edition sets through the summer. This fall they'll be replaced with single-disc versions with less bonus tracks. Very often these sorts of expanded editions are take-'em-or-leave-'em affairs, but Atlantic Crossing and A Night On The Town are exceptions. The re-masters are flawless, and the alternate takes give fans real insight into the creative process of these two great albums. Plus, it's great to hear Stewart dig into some classic sounding Rock N Roll. If you're a hard-core Rod Stewart fan, or if there's one in your life, then these two sets are must haves. If you're not familiar with Rod Stewart other than a few fluffy ballads he's done in recent years, then it's time to see where the man come from.

Ratings:

Atlantic Crossing Limited Collector's Edition: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)
A Night On The Town Limited Collector's Edition: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Rod Stewart at www.wbr.com/rodstewart. You can order the Limited Edition Collector’s Edition of Atlantic Crossing and the Limited Edition Collector’s Edition of A Night On The Town at Amazon.com.

Review: Big Star - #1 Record/Radio City

Big Star - #1 Record/Radio City
2009, Ardent/Stax Records

Big Star was a band destined to blow apart even as they were being formed. Coming off his association as lead singer of the Box Tops (The Letter), Alex Chilton moved to Memphis at the behest of Chris Bell (guitar) to work with his group Ice Water. The trio became a quartet and changed their name to Big Star, embarking on a brief yet ultimately influential recording career both driven by and mired in artistic and interpersonal tension. Ardent/Stax Records recently re-released Big Star's first two albums, #1 Record (1972) and Radio City (1974) on one CD. Additionally, each album is individually available on vinyl LP. Both albums have been re-mastered for this release, making slight improvements to a previous release of both albums on one CD.

Big Star flew in the face of pop convention in 1972, eschewing both the folk/ rock sound that grew out of the late-60's and the new progressive rock sound that was even then giving birth to what would become known as the AOR radio format. Big Star instead went for Brit-Pop inspired sound that drew on influences as diverse as The Beatles, The Kinks, classic American Rhythm & Blues and singer/songwriter pastiche. This tendency toward a singular band leader in vocalist Alex Chilton was the beginning of the end for Big Star, with guitarist Bell quitting the band before the sun had set on 1972. #1 Record didn't sell particularly well, being a few years ahead of its time, but songs like Don't Lie To Me, Feel, In The Street, The Ballad of El Goodo and When My Baby's Beside Me have influenced a artists as diverse as R.E.M., The Replacements, The Bangles, Teenage Fanclub and Primal Scream.

Radio City, made as a trio after Chris Bell's departure is a wonderful dichotomy of artistic and personal tensions, featuring wonderfully crafted pop songs that threaten to come apart at the seams at almost every turn yet never quite do. If it was personal animosity that drove the brilliance of this record then it's a tribute to the professionalism of the three remaining members at the time. Radio City spawned the song September Gurls, to this day still Big Star's best known song. Other highlights include Way Out West, Back of A Car, Mod Lang and O My Soul.

Big Star has reunited for reunion tours over the years, but original guitarist and catalyst Chris Bell perished in a 1979 car accident, and the pure magic of those early days will have to remain forever a memory. Ardent and Stax Records present those memories in new packaging for your listening pleasure. In spite of the re-master, the sound quality isn't significantly improved from prior versions unless you have very high end equipment to play it on (and if you're converting to MP3 then it probably isn't worth upgrading). If you don't own a prior version of this disc and you want to understand the roots of alternative rock with a melodic bent, then Big Star's #1 Record/Radio City is a CD you need to own.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Big Star at http://www.bigstarband.com/. You can purchase a copy of #1 Record/Radio City at Amazon.com or download the album on iTunes.

Review: Dala - Everyone Is Someone

Dala - Everyone Is Someone
2009, Campus Music/Lenz Entertainment

Amanda Walther and Sheila Carabine met in high school music class and first wrote together in 2002. In the seven years since then, Dala has toured across Canada six times; performed at the Edmonton Folk Festival, Mariposa, The Ottawa Folk Festival and have played Toronto's storied Massey Hall six times. Dala is also the only Canadian act to be invited to play at the 50th anniversary of the Newport Folk Festival in 2009. With two previous albums and four Canadian Folk Music Award nominations, Dala come into 2009 at the top of Canada's Indie circuit and ready for bigger waters. On June 9, 2009, Dala released their third disc, Everyone Is Someone. With comparisons to the Everly and Louvin Brothers as well as Emmylou Harris, it's easy to see that this could be a breakout year for Dala.

Everyone Is Someone opens with Lonely Girl, a song about how loneliness can breed bad decisions, and vice versa. The narrator shows a strong sense of self ("I'd rather be alone than someone you take home") in response to a man who "holds his lovers like quarters". The song is smooth and lush and yet emotionally charged. It's a definite change of pace, as this kind of emotional backbone in song you might generally expect in a rougher musical environment, but Dala writes/play in a fairly straight-up acoustic rock style with hints of Country on the edges. Crushed throws a wicked curveball at listeners, starting out at the wedding of another person and bemoaning the fact that the protagonist has never known love. Much later in the song we re-visit a wedding scene, and learn that she met the man she loves at her own wedding. The song is a bit of a mystery novel set to music but definitely makes the listener sit up and listen.

Levi Blues has a bit of a Wilson-Phillips feel to it, and would be a perfect marketing song for the brand it plays off (don't be surprised...). This is a great pop song in the classic sense, playing off the melodic and harmonic styles of 1950's and early 1960's female pop vocalists. The ladies of Dala certainly harmonize well, and this could almost be a signature song for their sound. Horses has the feel of memory; a moment from childhood punctuated by the scenery outside a car window. The song is sadly beautiful, declaring victory over sadness but awash in a deep sorrow. Northern Lights is a moderately upbeat song about being apart from the one you love. This is a great Folk/Pop song that deserves a great deal more attention than it’s likely to get from Pop Radio. Younger is a mellow Pop tune that is a pleasant listen but didn't leave the sort of distinct impression that much of the rest of the material on Everyone Is Someone tends to leave. The album closes out with Stand In Awe, a song about love lost wrapped in a melancholy musical shell. A bonus track, a remix of Levi Blues is appended as the eleventh track in a clear case for the argument to never mess with the original.

On balance, this is a very strong album. There were a couple of missteps on Everyone Is Someone, but from a songwriting and performance aspect Dala have proven they have what it takes to gather and hold a crowd. Their crowd will fall more into the Folk and Easy Listening/Pop demographic, but if you're a fan of great female vocal groups then I urge you to check out Dala. This is great stuff.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Dala at http://www.dalagirls.com/ or www.myspace.com/dalagirls. You can purchase a copy of Everyone Is Someone through Maple Music, or download the album through iTunes.

Review: Sipo - The Year Of The White Rose

Sipo - Year Of The White Rose
2009, Sipo Music

Freddie Sipo walked away from it all to create. Sipo gave up a lucrative job as a sound engineer in LA to build his own studio and create his own music, turning down several projects that would turn out to be huge commercial successes. Sipo admits that during the process finances got tight and the temptation was strong to go back behind the boards, but he held his ground. The result is a stunning alternative rock album entitled Year Of The White Rose. The album represents a death of the old giving way to a birth of the new, and the evolution of consciousness that results from walking away from the world and getting in touch with yourself.

Year Of The White Rose opens with He Who Has Ears Let Him Hear..., a song about tuning out from the constant push and pull of the world around you and learning to listen to your inner voice. The arrangement is stark and rhythmic and the vocals carry an uncommon urgency. Sipo comes off sounding like a cross between U2 and Radiohead here and at points throughout the album. Dare You -I- has an urgency to it that rivals the opening track, while Dare You -II- is almost more of a ballad. Sipo's vocals may lose a few points on technical issues here, but the heart that comes through more than makes up for any sonic mischance. White Light is the musical representation of a dream Sipo had while in his self-imposed seclusion and has a vaguely theatrical aspect to it. As noted previously, Sipo's vocals here are more about heart and ambience than technical perfection, but they work as the wailing inner voice struggling to be heard.

Lover If You Lay is a song about dropping out of the rat race and taking in the moments you are in, and how that pertains to the ability to love someone other than yourself. The song is melancholy, as if this realization came too late in one case. Burning Slow is highly contemplative, a melancholy examination of how bad thinking can derail even the best laid plans or intentions ("fear and doubt can lead to long, long years"). See Change is a wail to the universe; a statement of intent or perhaps even a self-demand for change. The vocal dynamics are about what they have been throughout the album, and the music fluctuates appropriately, see-sawing back and forth amidst three essential chords. The album closes out with Rise, a message of transcendence that is welcome but sudden, and therefore a little out of place.

Year Of The White Rose is stunning but retains its human flaws. The songwriting here is deep, with highly pensive lyrics presented in heartfelt vocals that run from the occasional musical mumble to extensive cathartic wails. Sipo isn't a great vocalist, and he's one you might tire of after a time, but his style works very well with the songs presented here. The only negative that really struck me here is that no matter where Sipo starts vocally he always ends up on the same level; singing at the very reaches of his range in a wail that is affecting but might border on annoying with enough exposure. The arrangements themselves are simple platforms embellished as Sipo sees fit from song to song. The two-drummer arrangement makes for highly rhythmic songs, and there is certainly room for fleshing out the sound with other instrumentation than what's offered here, but the album itself is a very positive experience.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Sipo at www.myspace.com/sipomusic. You can order Year Of The White Rose as a digital download from Amazon MP3.

Review: Estrella Christina - This Is Life

Estrella Cristina - This Is Life
2009, Estrella Cristina

Estrella Cristina is one of those performers who seem born to make music. With classical training in violin, operatic training in voice, and a host of backers with serious music industry credentials, Cristina's ascent in the pop world seems assured. Of course, unless a parent or close relative is an industry mogul, you don't make those sorts of connections without some talent, and Cristina shows no shortage of it on her debut EP, This Is Life. Writing with bassist (and her first guitar teacher) Frank Coglitore (Taylor Dayne, Beth Hart, Marie Digby) and Lane Lenhart, Cristina presents material with distinctive Pop viability while bearing a bit more weight than your usual radio fodder. Cristina's band includes Coglitore; drummer Craig McIntyre (Digby, Josh Groban) and guitarist Kenneth Konnerth (Hilary Duff, Enrique Iglesias).

After graduating from Cornell University with a degree in Textile and Apparel Design, Estrella returned home to Nebraska to pursue music; winning out in an audition process for a spot in J Records quartet VIP (think Destiny's Child). For one reason or another the group never panned out, and Cristina set out to learn guitar with Coglitore. Fast forward to 2009 and Cristina's first recorded work is ready for the marketplace. This Is Life opens with Brighter Than Sunshine, a pop nugget about being alone in a new place and finding someone or something gives your existence meaning in purpose (in this case, music). Non Stop is a pop confection all about finding the perfect guy that should fill out a lot of teenage mix tapes this summer and fall. The lyric content here is a bit light, but the song is sweet in its own right. (Non Stop was featured on Fuse TV's Rad Girls in May). Cristina takes on The Cure's In Between Days in a Pop/Dance version that will likely make hard core Cure fans cringe but is perfect for pop radio recidivism. This Is Life is a bit more mature; a realization that working toward a goal isn't so much about plateaus or moments but successive steps. It's a highly optimistic pop tune that probably wouldn't make it as a single but is definitely not just filler as an album track.

For all of the operatic training, Cristina doesn't present a particular strong or durable voice on This Is Life; she has a pleasant voice, but there are definite holes that show through on the EP and the presence of voice altering software is evident. As a Pop radio artist, Estrella Cristina's This Is Life is a strong start. There is some real talent here and over time I should think she's mature into a decent songwriter on her own. Cristina seems destined to ascend in the Pop world, but whether she has the personality and creative talent to ascend into the realm of artistry will take some time to divine.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Estrella Cristina at http://www.estrellacristina.com/ or www.myspace.com/estrellacristina. You can purchase a download of This Is Life from iTunes

Review: Gala - Tough Love

Gala - Tough Love EP
2009, Matriarchy, Inc.

Gala Rizzatto is a Brooklyn-based pop superstar in exile. The exile is of her own making, and her fans back home in Europe are clamoring for her return, but Gala is cutting her own path in a story that's strangely American (and not dissimilar from Prince's struggles to pick his own musical direction). Rizzato has sold millions of albums/downloads, with her song Freed From Desire classified as a Diamond single with over six million units sold. She's had a total of five #1 singles in various countries throughout Europe, with Freed From Desire topping the charts in seven different countries at one time. Italian-born Gala's style has been pure Dance/Europop up until last year, when she broke her European recording contract and made her way back to New York, where she started her musical career. Working then as a photographer, she traded photo shoots for studio time, and a star, as they say, was born. Gala is very diverse musically, having written songs for classical artists Salvatore Liitra, Marelo Alverez and Maria Frangulles, but her life-long flirtation with Rock N Roll has finally bitten her fill-bore. The Tough Love EP is a preview of a full length release to come later in 2009 and travels a rockier road than Gala's fans might be used to, but she doesn't forget her dance roots, mixing the two styles in a fashion that practically ensures commercial success.

Tough Lough opens with DKOL (Different Kind Of Love), thrumming with alternative rock guitar and works in a classic dance beat. Gala's vocals are solid as well, with just enough edge to make her viable in the Rock world. Faraway is a solid mid-tempo dance tune with a bit of New York City attitude and enough Alternative grit to prove a point. Tough Love (the title track) I didn't enjoy so much, as Gala chooses to affect the verse with large swoops that end up sounding like shrill hiccups. It's unfortunate because it's actually a quite well-written song. Without this, the song would be a potential hit. With it, it's annoying enough to get turned off. I'm The World draws on traditional Italian influences to craft a mid-tempo dance/pop tune with real commercial legs. Gala has a strong lyrical talent and a great sense of melody. The fact that she has the voice to back this all up is gravy. Freed From Desire The Un-remix is a rock-oriented re-working of her biggest hit that doesn't change the essential dance character of the song. The re-recording allows Gala to establish control over one version of the song and allows her to retain ties to her biggest calling card. You And Me is an alternative-light pop/rock tune that sounds like it might have come out of the mid-1990's (think late Go-Go's).

Gala has a following in Europe that's akin to that of Kylie Minogue at the height of her popularity. Her voice and material is good enough to attract airplay in the US, but whether she'll ever scale the heights she's used to in Europe is questionable. Between being on her own independent label and the glut of artists walking the rock/dance pop line these days, it's a matter of luck and breaks whether she makes the US and/or Canada her own, but the European fans who've written petitions for her return will snap up the Tough Love EP by the CD and download and clamor for the full length album. The EP has some very strong tracks, although the Rock N Roll seems a bit like an affectation at times. Even the title track is good, but gets knocked down by the hiccup vocals in the verse.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Gala at http://www.galasound.com/ or www.myspace.com/galamusic. Gala’s Tough Love EP is currently available in the French iTunes store, wider distribution should be forthcoming.

Review: George Harrison - Let It Roll: Songs By George Harrison

George Harrison - Let It Roll: Songs By George Harrison
2009, Capitol/EMI

On June 16, 2009, Capitol/EMI released the first career-spanning collection of hits from two-time Rock N Roll Hall Of Famer George Harrison entitled Let It Roll: Songs By George Harrison. Harrison is a Hall Of Famer as a solo artist as well as for his work as a member of those legendary Liverpoolians The Beatles. Let It Roll encapsulates nineteen of Harrison's best-known songs, all of which were re-mastered for this release by Giles Martin at Abbey Road Studios.

Let It Roll opens with Got My Mind Set On You, perhaps the best known of Harrison's songs to the under-35 set. The song has a distinctive Beatles feel to it and was something of a return to his roots for Harrison. Let It Roll also contains three other #1 hits, My Sweet Lord, Isn't It A Pity and Give Me Love (Give Me Peace On Earth). Also featured are live versions of While My Guitar Gently Weeps, Something and Here Comes The Sun performed live from his 1971 Concert For Bangladesh. Other highlights include All Things Must Pass, Rising Sun, When We Was Fab and Isn't It A Pity.

George Harrison has 11-Grammy's on his shelf for his work with The Beatles and The Traveling Wilburys as well as for his solo work. Let It Roll: Songs By George Harrison is a snapshot of his solo catalogue and, if anything, shows that eleven might not have been enough. Let It Roll is the perfect introduction to George Harrison if you somehow are not familiar with his solo work, and a wonderful set of memories if you've been following along.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn all about George Harrison at http://www.georgeharrison.com/. You can purchase a copy of Let It Roll at Amazon.com, or you can download the album from iTunes.

Review: Amy Speace - The Killer In Me

Amy Speace - The Killer In Me
2009, Wildflower Records

Amy Speace; Former Shakespearean actress, teacher, playwright and theater company director, releases her third album, The Killer In Me, on June 30, 2009. To say that Speace has had success in most any creative endeavor she’s involved herself in is modest. She spent two years with the National Shakespeare Company and performed in various Off-Broadway shows. Speace also spent time teaching Shakespeare in the New York City Public School system before getting turned on to performing music with her first band, duo Edith O. Speace went on to release the critically claimed Songs For Bright Street in 2006 and takes a giant step forward with The Killer In Me. Produced by James Mastro (Health & Happiness Show, The Bongos), The Killer In Me is the sort of album that vaults an artist into the national consciousness.

Speace opens the set with Dog Days, a lush Country/Rock tune with a sparse presentation that allows Speace's dusky alto to shine for all its worth. It is a fitting opener for an album that should see a lot of airplay and sales over the course of the coming summer. The Killer In Me is a dysfunctional relationship song that turns out to be just a relationship song. The narrator lays out all of her faults and matches them to her partner's, to point out that for whatever differences they might have they are essentially the same. Better takes a very different tack, looking at all of the better options that might be available from the perspective of someone in a hopeless relationship; Better is her last warning to the guy who doesn't know what he has.

Blue Horizon takes on unplanned events that sometimes interrupt our lives or aspects of them, and the unsuspected opportunism they might offer. The song is very well done; highly melodic with a lush-yet-sparse arrangement. Haven't Learned A Thing is a song about missteps and mis-directions along the path of life; a sad and beautiful musical soliloquy that's about as bare as a song can be. Speace reminds me a great deal of Emily Saliers on this tune. Storm Warning tells the first-person story of a woman whose husband dies at war. The tune is stark and raw, reflecting the disconnected understanding of grief that is shock at a traumatic loss; some of Speace's best songwriting. Would I Lie is a song about human nature that Johnny Cash would be proud of. Speace walks the line between Country and Rock in true outlaw style. Dirty Little Secret is an intriguing song; it's never entirely clear what the secret is, but comes round to the narrator wondering if she's good enough for someone who doesn't even see what's going, is she good enough for herself? It's quite a stunning song and not your normal rock fodder; and rock this one definitely is. It's a superb bit of songwriting and the sort of song that could break out as a rock hit. Speace gets a bit traditional on I Met My Love, sounding like she's blasting right out of a 1960's country radio station playlist. Piece By Piece is a serious country ballad that would do very well on commercial Country radio. The vocal here is precise, warm and downright mesmerizing, and the overall arrangement leaves little to be desired.

Speace then goes on to hit listeners with a ton of bricks on Weight Of The World; a presumably autobiographical song about losing a brother in war. The song is all about how life went on while he was away, and the unfairness of such a young man bearing the weight of survival as well as keeping his family from worrying about him; carrying all of those worries alone. In the final verse we learn the brother dies away from home, and comes home a hero to a half-mast flag. It's a gut wrenching song that lays out the personal price of war in a way few other songs could do. Speace has outdone herself here.

Ditto for the album, Speace has outdone herself. Writing from an emotionally charged well of creativity with the precision of surgeon and the artistic voice of a master, Amy Speace takes listeners on a journey of love, loss and struggle to carry on throughout The Killer In Me. As much as we enjoyed her previous disc, Songs For Bright Street, The Killer In Me is a major step forward as a songwriter and performer. Speace is one of the brightest songwriters in popular music, irrespective of genre. The Killer In Me is an indispensable listen; a Wildy's World Certified Desert Island Disc.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Amy Speace at http://www.amyspeace.com/ or www.myspace.com/amyspeace. The Killer In Me will be released in the US and Canada on June 30, 2009. Expect distribution through Amazon and major retailers, with digital distribution through outlets such as iTunes and Amazon MP3.

Review: Rob Thomas: Something To Be Tour - Live At Red Rocks DVD

Rob Thomas - Something To Be Tour: Live At Red Rocks
2009, E1 Entertainment

On June 30, 2009, E1 Entertainment will release Rob Thomas: Something To Be Tour - Live At Red Rocks on High Definition DVD. This June, 2006 performance was filmed for a 2007 edition of PBS's Soundstage, and features seven songs not aired on television. Thomas is a household name both for his solo career and his work as singer/songwriter for Matchbox 20. Thomas already has three Grammy Awards under his belt, as well as a Songwriter Hall Of Fame Starlight Award. He has earned Songwriter Of The Year honors from both Billboard Magazine and BMI for two consecutive years and will also release a new album, cradlesong on June 30th.

All of Thomas' hits are here: Something To Be, If You're Gone, 3AM and Smooth are prominent. The real treats however are among the tracks that didn't make it into the hour long Soundstage program. Problem Girl has long been a concert favorite, and When The Heartache Ends and You Won't Be Mine are inspired. Thomas even gets in a spirited cover of David Bowie's Let's Dance. The crowd on this night at Red Rocks was very responsive to Thomas, and he seems to feed off their energy throughout the show. I have to admit I had always enjoyed the songs I've heard on the radio from both Thomas and Matchbox 20, but have always thought of him as something of a cookie-cutter pop/rock performer. This DVD changed my mind. Rob Thomas is a performer first and foremost. He perhaps doesn't have the flair or flamboyance of some, but he's heart and soul into every song and it shows.

Rob Thomas has accomplished a great deal in the world of music in a short time. Twenty years from now people will be attending his shows and trading stories about the first time they saw Thomas or Matchbox 20 live. As a songwriter he's a rare talent with a keen knack for pop hooks and highly listenable songs. Something To Be Tour: Live At Red Rocks is the perfect compendium of Rob Thomas' career to date. I suspect he's just getting warmed up.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Rob Thomas at http://www.robthomasmusic.com/ or www.myspace.com/robthomas. Something To Be Tour: Live At Red Rocks will be released on June 30, 2009. You can pre-order copies at Amazon.com.

Review: Fillmore: The Last Days DVD

Fillmore: The Last Days
2009, Rhino Records

June saw the DVD debut of a long lost Rock N Roll treasure. In the 1960's, The Fillmore West (San Francisco) was to California Rock N Roll what CBGB's was to the 1970's Punk scene in New York. Many of the bands known for propagating what became known as the San Francisco sound either got their start there or played there on their way up. Rock legend Bill Graham ran the place, but closed it in 1971 because he felt the music business was becoming jaded: Artists were getting too full of their own success and began demanding too much. Graham decided to get out before the music business ruined the music (he was also a visionary). Graham didn't go quietly however. He scheduled five nights of shows, culminating on July 4, 1971 with a show that included Santana, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Tower Of Power and others.

In 1972, the documentary Fillmore: The Last Days was released. Aside from the music it included, it was a gritty look at the dark side of the music business. Some of these insights my seem a bit dated but are still relevant today. The DVD features performances the Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane, Jerry Garcia, Santana, Lamb, Cold Blood, Hot Tuna, The Rowan Brothers, The Elvin Bishop Group and New Riders Of The Purple Sage. The track entitled "Rehearsal Jam" (The Rowan Brothers) is probably the musical highlight of the DVD, and that's saying a lot considering the artists and material presented here. While the documentary is 37 years old and focused on the San Francisco sound, it's a shame that at least one track from Creedence Clearwater Revival's legendary July 4 set wasn't included.

The DVD is being released by Rhino Records in conjunction with The Bill Graham Memorial Foundation, which continues its philanthropic efforts on the part of under-represented or under-funded causes. The foundation offers grants in the areas of music, arts, education, social work, environmental protect and spiritual compassion-based projects. If you're a fan of San Francisco Rock scene of the 1960's and early 1970's then this is a must-have DVD. If you're an artist trying to make it in the music business (particularly as an Indie artist), then you really ought to buy or at least rent this DVD. If Bill Graham were alive today he'd undoubtedly be shepherding the Indie movement. The movie is well presented and still highly relevant almost four decades after its original release. Rhino has done a great job with the presentation, right down to the liner notes by original Rolling Stone editor Ben Fong-Torres. Fillmore: The Last Days is essential viewing for rock fans and all those who would make music in a commercial environment.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Fillmore West at http://www.thefillmore.com/. You can purchase a copy of Fillmore: The Last Days at Amazon.com. You can learn more about The Bill Graham Memorial Foundation at http://www.billgrahammemorialfoundation.org/.

Michael Jackson: 1958 - 2009

We here at Wildy’s World are saddened today by the news of the untimely death of Michael Jackson, who passed away yesterday afternoon from a heart attack that may or may not have been caused by a potent Demerol injection (I am certain the story will change several times over the next week). While we can’t find a whole lot positive to say about his personal conduct, particularly in the last decade or so, we can say that Jackson was, for a time in the 1980’s, the greatest thing to happen to popular music.

Jackson wasn’t, perhaps, the greatest songwriter of his era, but as a performer there was no one then, and perhaps no one now who can equal his presence on the stage in the mid-1980’s. Jackson rose to prominence as the lead voice of The Jackson 5, and though the late 1970’s and early 1980’s saw a brief fall off in his popularity, 1983’s Thriller went on to become the single best selling album of all time, with over 28 million copies sold in the US and perhaps as many as 100 million copies worldwide. Thriller spawned no less than 7 hit singles, and spent 39 non-consecutive weeks at #1 in album sales (80 weeks in the Billboard Hot 100). Thriller also garnered Jackson 7 Grammy Awards, 8 American Music Awards, 3 MTV Video Awards and was in large part a responsible for Jackson receiving his star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame.

No one in the history of the music business has wracked up numbers like that. Jackson embraced the MTV video era when it was just beginning, and the medium loved Jackson. Videos like Beat It and Thriller helped define and stretch the boundaries for what you could do with a music video, and the musical production wizardry of Quincy Jones certainly didn’t hurt.

So whatever else you might think of the man, remember that he was a childhood star who never got to be a child. He was likely warped by the childhood abuse and push for stardom that is well documented, and spent much of the rest of his life trying to make up for it. Yet on stage, there’s no one, then or now, who could match Michael Jackson’s showmanship. So while we can’t excuse some of the developments later in his life, for today we just remember him for what he always was – a legendary performer.

Rest in peace, Michael. It’s the 2nd star to the right, and straight on ‘til morning.

Review: Austin Lucas - The Common Cold

Austin Lucas - The Common Cold
2009, Magic Bullet Records

Indiana native and Prague resident Austin Lucas has been making quite the name for himself the past two years. The son of bluegrass/traditional musician Bob Lucas played on Chuck Ragan's (Hot Water Music) Revival Tour alongside folks like Ben Nichols (Lucero), Tim Barry (Avail), Tom Gabel (Against Me!) and Kevin Seconds (7 Seconds). Magic Bullet Records saw fit to revive Lucas's first recorded work, The Common Cold. Up until now this album has been a collector's item, with no regular distribution outside of Germany and only scarce availability in North America. The nine songs presented here feature Lucas at his most raw, but already show the distinctive chops and style that keep fans coming back to listen again and again.

The Common Cold opens with Dead Factories, a gorgeous country tune about living in a town that offers no hope for the future, only memories of the past (dead factories). The husks of lives left behind by the great migration of manufacturing are clearly displayed here in song; the result is highly moving. Darlin' finds the songwriter trying to hold on to someone for as long as he can, knowing full well it won't last. It's a lovely tune. Pigeon Father is a dark tune, dealing with death and illness in a folkgrass tune full of urgency and some wicked banjo playing.

Common Cold is an interesting story song about coming home to someone you've lost amidst the realization that you were at fault too. It's a very well constructed, well-told folkgrass tune, and I wouldn't be surprised to here this song covered by other artists in the coming years. Cruel Brothers is an a cappella song about patricide with deep roots in the Appalachian mountains. The vocal harmonies between Lucas and Chloe Manor are stark, haunting and beautiful. Kith And Kin is all about one of the interesting phenomena most of undergo - the need to get away from family and the place we grew up when we are young, and the need to return as we grow older. The protagonist here badly wants to go home but is fearful he's burned too many bridges. It's a very well told story/song. The album closes out with Last Song For A Sweetheart, a melancholy closer with a gorgeous melody.

Austin Lucas is a songwriter and story teller of the sort you don't often hear these days. This guy should be ruling folk festivals this summer. The Common Cold is a glorious reel of tales told in Folk, Country and Bluegrass styles, full of strong melodies, pleasing harmonies and great overall arrangements. This is a true gem! Get it.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Austin Lucas at http://www.austinlucasmusic.com/. You can purchase a copy of The Common Cold from Amazon.com as an import, or you can download the album from iTunes.

Review: Movers & Shakers - Larrabee

Movers & Shakers – Larrabee
2009, Movers & Shakers

Boston’s Mover’s & Shakers bring on the Country grit crossed with punker energy and a Pop glaze on their sophomore album, Larrabee. Recorded in a cabin in the Maine woods, the album has the raw, unadorned quality that only a New England summer could inspire. Compared to the likes of The Replacements, Tom Waits and even Uncle Tupelo, Movers & Shakers certainly seem to have struck a chord with listeners and critics alike.

Larrabee opens with Adventures In Unrealistic Life, a big old Americana pub tune if ever I've heard one. You could almost see the cast of Cheers breaking into this song while Coach Ernie Pantuso serves up another round. Take Your Time is a great upbeat acoustic/electric tune that leans more toward the rock side of the scale. This is a great pop tune but retains enough of a garage sound to be palatable to Indie fans. All Of My Lines sticks loosely within the Americana realm, but struggles to break free into a virulent post-punk rock tune at times. This is swaying on the lawn of an amphitheater in summertime with your lighter raised music.

Find A Reason is a classic country rocker that will get in your head and dance around for days, reminiscent of what The Heartbreakers might sound like if Shane MacGowan were singing instead of Tom Petty. The Evidence, The Proof rips the roof off in a style that I can old describe as Punktry/Americana. This is the best written track on the disc and should appeal to fans across several genres. In The Eyes finds Movers & Shakers back in Tom Petty's neighborhood, with lead vocalist Matt Price providing a rough edged vocal that fits the sound perfectly. Boomsplat gets a little Texas Blues guitar styles going in a fun tune that will make you want to get up and dance. The album closes out with Take Me Home, a classic pop/rock tune dressed up in Americana trappings that will dance around your brain for days after listening.

Movers & Shakers offer up some delicious Americana with Punk energy and Rock N Roll flare on Larrabee. This is perhaps one of the most pleasant musical surprises thus far in 2009. Here's hoping Movers & Shakers keeps coming back with more!

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Movers & Shakers at www.myspace.com/moversandshakers, where you can purchase a copy of Larrabee, or you can download it from iTunes.

Review: Cupéro - Cupéro

Cupéro - Cupéro
2009, Cupéro

Wow.

Warwick, NY native Clarissa Cupéro just bowled me over. Cupéro's self-titled 6-song EP is the sort of introduction that knocks a listener off their feet. Whether it's the distinctly mature tone of 19-year-old Cupéro's songwriting, the no-holds-barred emotional strength of her songs or the absolutely amazing instrument that is her voice, Cupéro is a purely unexpected and welcome surprise on the musical scene. The Siena College student has influences all over the music map, from KT Tunstall to various classic rock artists to Columbian rocker Juanes (17 Latin Grammys). Juanes has inspired Cupéro to be a bilingual artist, writing and singing in both English and Spanish. The EP, Cupéro, was produced by Patrick Ermlich and E-Shy Gazit, who brought Cupéro's songs to life in ways even she didn't suspect when she contacted them as a high school senior. Now, Cupéro is a college student trying to build her fan base in the Albany, NY and New York City markets who has her eyes on bigger stages down the road.

Those bigger stages shouldn't be a problem at all. Not since Marian Call came along with Vanilla have I been so utterly stilled by a debut album. Cupéro makes you want to just drop everything and listen, and she handles active rock tunes and ballads with equal aplomb. With a voice that falls somewhere on a line between Sarah McLachlan and Bonnie Tyler, Cupéro makes fans every time she opens her mouth to sing. Cupéro opens with I've Got Your Number, a song she wrote for a high school talent show that has become her signature song. I've Got Your Number could have been a hit anytime in the last 25 years, and with the right breaks would vie for radio spins even in today's fractured market. La Sombra is a Spanish language song, and while I can't comment on the lyrics (no habla), the song has a powerful, sensuous feel that borders on overwhelming. Cupéro rips the roof on this vibrant rocker.

I Thought I Knew Love is a commanding love song that's chart ready as you read this. It's a bit off the beaten love song track but ideal mix-tape material and the sort of song that lights up request/dedication lines. Life Is A Moment is a song about striving for dreams and never giving up. It's a powerful message delivered in a powerful vocal performance. The arrangement opens with Cupéro and piano, adding in cello and other instrumentation as the song progresses. There's a Paula Cole "I Don't Want To Wait" feel to this song that's unmistakable. Don't be surprised if Life Is A Moment ends up licensed, movies or even gets covered by big name artists down the road (by then Cupéro may be one herself). Quiero Tu Amor is the other Spanish language song on the EP, a gorgeous ballad that would sell a million copies in an English version. I have to say though that the Spanish language brings out a certain sensuality in Cupéro's voice that's more reserved in English, increasing her marketability in an increasingly multi-ethnic culture a hundred fold. Cupéro closes out with You'll Never Be There, an urgent acoustic rocker with Americana leanings that just about proves that she can do, play or sing almost anything.

Clarissa Cupéro has everything but the breaks. Talent and composure well beyond her nineteen years and a killer voice make it very possible that down the road the name Cupéro will be as familiar as names like Prince, Madonna and Beyonce. Yes, it's a grand statement, and practically everything in Cupéro's life and career would have to go just right for that to happen. But based on what I've heard on Cupéro, it's not out of the realm of imagination. Yes, she's that good. Find out for yourself. Cupéro is a Wildy's World Certified Desert Island Disc. Don't wait, get it now.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Cupéro at http://www.myspace.com/cupero or http://www.cuperomusic.com/. You can download a copy of Cupéro through iTunes or through Amazon MP3. I don’t have any word on CD distribution at the time of publication, but will update with links when/if they become available.

Review: Brydan Smith - Blue Skies EP

Brydan Smith - Blue Skies EP
2009, Brydan Smith

Brydan Smith is a Burlington, Ontario, Canada-based singer-songwriter with a penchant for serious, reserved songwriting and a pleasant voice. His debut CD, Blue Skies EP, will spark comparison to Ray LaMontagne, Jack Johnson, Dave Matthews, John Mayer, The Decemberists and perhaps even Nick Drake. Brydan Smith was inspired to pursue a career in music after seeing LaMontagne live a few years back, hoping someday to touch listeners the way LaMontagne’s music touched him.

Blue Skies opens with the title track, a pleasant listen that just didn't leave much of an impression other than the fact that Smith sounds a lot like Jack Johnson. Whiskey Dreams is a low-key folk tune about the urge to drown worries while working to climb out of the bottle and trying to live again. The song is very real to life and doesn't really convey a lot of hope that things will work out. Come Down features a soulful but repressed vocal from Smith. It's a great listen, although I'd like to hear Smith come out of his shell a bit more on the vocal line. Marianne is very similar in presentation; it's almost as if Smith the singer is holding back. The song itself is a beautiful tune, but the presentation here just doesn't quite do it justice; almost like a spoken word tune with accidental fluctuations in pitch. Bring Us Down doesn't change the direction of the album at all as the closer, sticking with a similarly monochromatic scheme.

Brydan Smith has a decent voice and a lot to say, but song construction and melody lines are too similar from song to song, and too compressed in range and dynamics to be very listenable over the course of an album or even an EP. There's almost a sense of monotone (ala Steven Wright) that pervades Blue Skies, a title that one might suggest is meant to portray hope for the future or better days ahead. Smith is a talented lyricist, but the presentation of the songs can be tough to tackle.

Rating: 2.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Brydan Smith at www.myspace.com/brydansmith, where you can purchase tracks from the Blue Skies EP. No word yet on CD distribution.

Review: The Darbuki Kings - Been Laden You Too Long

The Darbuki Kings - Been Laden You Too Long
2009, Darbuki King Records

Robin Adnan Anders (aka Adnan Darbuki) and Antonio Albarran (aka Antone Darbuki) are the Darbuki Kings. Last year we had the distinct pleasure of reviewing their album Lawrence Of Suburbia, which rose as high as the Top 20 on the CMJ New World chart. For 2009, The Darbuki Kings are back with Been laden You Too Long, a collection of 10 folk songs infused with exotic melodies and eastern influences. Some of you may know Anders from his other lives as founder of both Boiled In Lead and 3 Mustaphas 3. If you're familiar with either of those bands I can assure you that the creativity and adventurous musical spirit you're used to carries over to the Darbuki Kings.

Been Laden You Too Long opens with Berber, which sounds like the sort of music you might hear at the opening of a big Arena Rock concert. The mix of orchestration and electric instruments creates a tapestry against which the dark, minor-key, Middle Eastern style melody can have its fullest effect. The instrumental plays out at nearly six-and-a-half minutes and is very vibrant and full of energy. Zimbob Wayout sounds like it could be an instrumental outtake from Paul Simon's Graceland sessions, even capturing the same guitar sound/style. Mango Tango sounds like it shares musical ancestry with Hernando's Hideaway; it's full of rhythmic and melodic surprises that will keep your interest throughout.

The Breath Of The Cobra is a highly rhythmic composition that has almost jazz-style improvisational feel to it. Anders and Albarran play inspired music here across nearly 8 minutes, wrapped around an enduring theme that never goes fully away. Eleven Monkeys is a bit more upbeat and brighter, relying on traditional western scales, but the Kings don't stay there long, going for dark and effecting on Gilgamesh. This song features some of the most dynamic electric guitar passages on the disc and is sure to be a crowd pleaser when performed live. Zanzibar makes the full transition into Bedouin Jazz with a long and distinctive improv-style composition. The musical madness continues through Tunisian Wind and Corinthian Slap and on the final track, Anderslusian, The Darbuki Kings provide the most entertaining track on the CD.

The Darbuki Kings have found a winning combination of traditional sounding Middle Eastern music and jazz on Been Laden You Too Long. While the music presented here is never going to get The Darbuki Kings on Top-40 radio, it is of the quality to gain them significant respect within the music industry, had they not had it already. I highly recommend Been Laden You Too Long.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about The Darbuki Kings at http://www.robinanders.com/ or www.myspace.com/darbuki. Been Laden You Too Long will be released on June 30, 2009. You can pre-order a download through Amazon MP3. Information on CD availability could not be found as of the publication of this review, but keep checking Adnan’s Marketplace for availability.

Review: Silent Killer - Everyone Bleeds

Silent Killer – Everyone Bleeds
2009, Ohm Resistance

Brooklyn’s Silent Killer has a reputation for musical brutality on the Drum N Bass circuit, but his latest album, Everyone Bleeds is perhaps his most accessible album to date. Intermixing his killer Drum N Bass style with hip-hop (East and West), Electrohouse, musical atmospherics and vocal and music samples, Silent Killer has learned to hone his brutality with a spoonful of sugar. Influences include the Notorious B.I.G. and Don Davis, and the album receives some remix assistance from Breaker (Guerilla) and Submerged.

Everyone Bleeds opens with Savior, a hyperkinetic electronic binge mixing elements of Drum N Bass and Industrial. This is one of those songs where you just grab on and wait for the ride to be over; no quarter is given. Destroyer hits a bland and repetitive note, essentially becoming stuck in a loop that's truncated by a spoken word sample but repeats almost continuously throughout the song. Up next is Submerged's remix of Corpse, which plays like a bizarre dance club work-up of a horror movie chase scene. I had a hard time getting into this one because it seemed so at odds with itself. Rockers appears designed clearly for the club circuit, and will likely do well in that realm but doesn't amount to much more than a beat and a voiceover. The repetitive nature of the song makes it a difficult listen even halfway through. Supremacy hits some of the same issues with regard to repetition, although the passages are a bit more interestingly constructed.

Everyone Bleeds takes a bit more from the Industrial well, relying on a heavy rhythm, a similar sense of repetition and a voiceover key that helps to drive the song. The Great Machine opens with ambient synthesizer that becomes a staccato counter rhythm to the percussion. The composition from here becomes highly varied, using voice, drum and synth samples to build an extremely varied and percussive soundscape. Super Orgy (Breaker's Orgy Remix) takes on the speed and urgency of a thundering herd of horses but fails to bring anything new or original out of the composition, which retains a highly repetitive functional construction. This song slides into Amber as the two were one and the same.

Silent Killer's Everyone Bleeds is a highly average collection of Electronic compositions with some material very fit for the monochromatic club scene but little to really light up the synapses. If you're just looking to dance then this is a fine album, but there's not much original here; and there's not much to stretch either the listener or the artist.

Rating: 2.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Silent Killer at www.myspace.com/ohmresistance. (Check out their blog entry on Silent Killer here.) You can download a copy of Silent Killer at Amazon MP3 or iTunes. A CD version was released on April 27, 2009, but availability is sparse. If you send a message to Ohm Resistance through their MySpace page they might be able to direct you to someone selling physical CDs.

Review: Nick Daugherty - Movin' Higher

Nick Daugherty – Movin’ Higher
2009, Skyrocket Records

Los Angeles singer/songwriter Nick Daugherty is a former military officer with a penchant for deep lyrics and soulful arrangements. Among the upper echelon of performers on the L.A. music scene, Daugherty sets his sights on bigger things in 2009 with the release of his debut album, Movin’ Higher. Produced by Mandi Martin (Ray Charles, Sam Cooke, Oleta Adams, Amy Kuney), Movin’ Higher finds Daugherty throwing his heart and soul into every single track. It’s no surprise considering his list of influences, which include Sting, Billy Joel, Clapton, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Dave Matthews, Paul Simon and Derek Webb (Caedmon’s Call).

Daugherty opens with Movin' Higher, the title track, a mix of Americana, Blues and good old-fashioned pop music. The song is highly melodic with soulful backing vocals and a whole lot going on between the staves. Daugherty breaks into some easy flowing R&B on Out Of My League, a Delilah-worthy tune if ever there was one. Sick Day has a Barry Manilow does R&B feel to it that's pleasant to listen to although a bit odd in retrospect. The music here is generally in the Easy Listening/Adult Contemporary category, and works so well because Daugherty's voice is so pleasant and unimposing. Daugherty hits serious mix-tape territory with A Thousand Times Tonight, a sweet "falling in love" song that is sure to melt some hearts.

Staring At The Sun is a song about getting in lost in your own social scene, it's a high energy though slightly muted rock song with a high commercial ceiling. This sounds like movie soundtrack material for a teen comedy; don't be surprised if a bunch of artists pick this up as a cover tune. Daugherty steps back from the precipice of Rock N Roll with a jazz-flavored, Manilow-style ballad in Jamie. The songwriting here is exquisite, with Daugherty showing a lyrical finesse that is uncommon. This is another tune that sounds like licensing is in its future. The same lyrical acuity is noted on I Won't Stand For Watching You Fall Down. This song also hits on some mix-tape magic, but does skate dangerously close to the edge of cliché at times. The album closes out with Something More and Please Come Back Home. The latter is a love song written in a Blues and Gospel Rock format that's highly appealing to the ear.

Nick Daugherty writes Rock N Roll with some Blues, Gospel and R&B flavoring, depending on the mood of the song. Comparisons to folks like Barry Manilow, Marc Cohn and Joshua Kadison are inevitable. Daugherty's voice is a great sounding every man's voice; easy on the ears and with enough energy and heartfelt emotion to get listeners to buy into his songs. As a songwriter Daugherty is outstanding, possessing a talent for crafting lyrics that convey meaning without sounding trite. The material on Movin' Higher has a definite reading on the Schmaltz scale, but so what? When it's done well in the context of great songs, schmaltz is just another form of showmanship. Daugherty proves that showmanship is definitely a talent he possesses, and Movin' Higher is a great introduction who should be making music for many years to come.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)
You can learn more about Nick Daugherty at www.myspace.com/nickdaugherty or http://www.nickdaugherty.com/. You can purchase a copy of Movin’ Higher at Amazon.com, or download the album from iTunes.

Review: Foggy Nocean - Why Do Cows Have To Taste So Good?

Foggy Nocean – Why Do Cows Have To Taste So Good?
2009, Ron Mancini

Rock and Roll is dead. Long live Rock N Roll. Check that, Mancini’s still here.

Ron Mancini is the heart and soul of Foggy Nocean, the last bastion of anti-pop heroes on the Rock N Roll scene. Cranston, Rhode Island is a bit out-of-the way, and don’t be surprised if you don’t hear about it again (unless you live in Rhode Island), but it has the seeds of musical revolution in Foggy Nocean. Mancini rails against the music industry on his website, bemoaning the loss of creativity and music as a force for change in the world. Foggy Nocean certainly don’t fit the current mold of Poplets. Taking his cue from classic rockers such as The Doors, Grateful Dead, Bob Dylan, The Rolling Stones and The Kinks, Mancini constructs entire albums as organic creatures, rather than highly vetted, highly focus-group studied pop confections designed for maximum impact. Working in a wicked sense of humor and a quirky eye for the world, Foggy Nocean’s Why Do Cows Have To Taste So Good? is politically, fashionably and aerodynamically incorrect (thank you Berkely Breathed), but that sucker can fly.

The title track, Why Do Cows Have To Taste So Good?, sounds like Randy Newman sitting in on vocals with They Might Be Giants. If that doesn’t intrigue I suggest you go back and read the previous line until it does. It’s a love song about all the things a cow can become (generally involuntarily). Shattered Image in an upbeat parable for looking to yourself for problems before blaming others. The song is well produced and yet maintains a Lo-Fi, garage aura to it that’s charming. You could picture this as the response to an argument with a significant after the fact. I should say about Mancini’s voice that it isn’t a perfect voice; it works really well with some songs/styles and occasionally doesn’t with others. All Those Things is one of the songs where it doesn’t quite work, which is unfortunate as the song is excellent from a musical perspective. Hurting Me sounds a bit like The Who’s Magic Bus on the verses and has a classic punk chorus. The vocals here are amiably off key and the song itself is very catchy. The piano and guitar work here is absolutely stellar.

Lay Your Hands and 13 Colonies both find Foggy Nocean sounding like Elvis Costello of the late 1980’s. Lay Your Hands is the best songwriting on the disc, coming across with a distinctive 1980’s Pop sound while retaining that Lo-Fi grandeur evident elsewhere on the album. 13 Colonies is a bit of fractured US History delivered with great energy and the panache of a real performer. Capn A Ship is upbeat and highly energetic, a young boy’s dream that’s never fully outgrown. You Don’t Know How Much I Care and Steppin Stone were both enjoyable, and The Foreskin is an absolutely unforgettable closer; a plea to remain whole that most any man who’s been circumcised can find sympathy with. The song perhaps isn’t quite as funny as intended, but should do well with the adolescent crowd.

Foggy Nocean practices one the greatest tenets of Punk Rock; “Here’s our music. If you don’t like it, go XXXX yourself”. If you don’t believe me, go read the bio of Foggy Noceans website. Ron Mancini is a guy who makes music he likes; he hopes you like it too, but he won’t be heartbroken if you don’t. Like most musicians who do what they do because their hearts can’t bear to do anything else, Mancini would still be making music if there was no hope of money or notoriety involved. Those things are nice, desired, sometimes needed; but they are not essential reasons why he or other artists like him make music. Why Do Cows Have To Taste So Good? is an experience. It’s a Rock album in the truest sense of the phrase. Not every song here will work for everyone, but there’s something here for most anyone who might listen. Foggy Nocean isn’t like ever to take the airwaves by storm, but they’ll provide you with some great entertainment, 47 minutes at a time.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Foggy Nocean at http://www.fnmmusic.com/ or www.myspace.com/foggynocean. You can purchase a copy of Why Do Cows Have To Taste So Good? at www.cdbaby.com/cd/foggynocean.

Review: The Crazy Ivans - Go Back To Russia, Sucka

The Crazy Ivans – Go Back To Russia, Sucka
2009, The Crazy Ivans

Dallas, Texas is ground zero for The Crazy Ivans, a sextet with big dreams and even bigger questions about just who they are. Biographical information about the band is next to impossible to find, but we do know that the band grew out of the streets and clubs of Dallas in June, 2008. Named for a submarine maneuver used during the 20th century to help a submarine crew to see behind the submarine using sonar, The Crazy Ivans look back in mixing sounds ranging from classic, arena rock to punk, and look forward with an edge that is truly post-modern. Their debut EP, Go Back To Russia, Sucka, was released this year. Let’s check it out.

Go Back To Russia, Sucka opens with Frequency, a bit of hyperactive Grunge/Punk. Lead vocalist Kristen Lueken sounds a bit like Rush’s Geddy Lee here. The song is really a fun listen and is a great way to kick off the EP. Still Waters surprises with some arena rock style harmonies blended into what is just a great rock tune. Can’t Go Home takes things down a bit as a mid-tempo bad girl song. The energy just didn’t make it to the CD on this one, leaving it with a ho-hum feel that doesn’t match the “I’m going to be a bad girl” message. Wail Of The Banshee is everything you might expect for the title, and Lueken gets to belt for all she’s worth here. This is a bit rougher than the first few songs, and that sound carries over into the last track, Six Feet Above The Sheets. It’s here that you realize what a treat The Crazy Ivans must be to see live.

The Crazy Ivans get in some good shots on their first recording project together. Go Back To Russia, Sucka introduces us to a band that has an idea of where their sound is going but hasn’t really refined that sound yet. The result is an intriguing and somewhat varied EP that’s highly listenable and entertaining. Get your moshing shoes, your punker tee and your best snarl ready, The Crazy Ivans will make you dance.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about The Crazy Ivans at http://www.thecrazyivans.com/ or www.myspace.com/yecrazyivans. You can purchase a copy of Go Back To Russia, Sucka at www.cdbaby.com/cd/crazyivans.

Review: A Louder Disaster - The Sweet Sound Of Revenge Songs [EP]

A Louder Disaster - The Sweet Sound Of Revenge Songs EP
2009, A Louder Disaster

Marie Catastrophe grew up in a Texas town that didn't offer many opportunities for the singer/guitar player. Moving to Los Angeles, Catastophe made the ultimate leap of faith, selling her computer to buy an electric guitar and went to work busking. Before long she was doing open mic nights with material she developed on the streets of L.A. This led to meeting bass player Todd Bishop, recording and playing gigs in hotspots such as The Whiskey, The Troubadour and Spaceland. After a few life lessons about band life, Catastophe took control of the band. With the addition of drummer Trey D., A Louder Disaster found focus and a firm grounding in their own sound. The results can be heard on their debut EP, The Sweet Sound Of Revenge Songs.

The EP opens with (Drag My Name) All Over Town, a post-punk rocker with pop sensibility. Vocalist Catastrophe’s voice is vaguely reminiscent of a cross between Nina Gordon and Belinda Carlisle. The song is good listen and a decent starting point for the EP. Escape gets a bit repetitive, but has a clear 1980’s lineage and is a catchy and compact rocker that will stick with you. Stop The Sound is almost pure Pop. Catastrophe isn’t at her best here but gets by. Somewhere along the way something really clicked for A Louder Disaster; the next two songs are the best on the EP. The Art Of Scapegoating is catchy, almost virulently so. Evil Ways is the best song on the disc, but isn’t as convincing coming from Catastrophe as it might be from another source. Her voice has this vaguely tinny quality to it that distracts from the message. Stupid Kid shows a lot of potential for the band as songwriters; adolescent/young adult angst, love and immature emotions are all wrapped up in song that truly conveys some of the confusion they engender while maintaining a distinct Pop sense. One gets the impression that the song isn’t quite complete, but then again it’s written probably from within the core of those emotions rather than from the detached view that time allows, hence some of its power.

A Louder Disaster is a band with distinct talent as songwriters and musicians. Vocalist Marie Catastrophe has a decent voice, but isn’t always up to the material she’s writing with the band. She falls into a style of vocalists from bands such as Veruca Salt, Belly and the Go-Go’s, but just doesn’t quite capture that same sound. The Sweet Sounds Of Revenge is a bit uneven but shows some promise.

Rating: 2.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about A Louder Disaster at www.myspace.com/alouderdisaster, where you can purchase a copy of The Sweet Sound Of Revenge Songs EP.

Review: Bunmi Adeoye - Paper Dolls, Glass Houses

Bunmi Adeoye - Paper Dolls, Glass Houses
2008, Bunmi Adeoye

Bunmi Adeoye (Boo-mee A-Day-Oh-Yeh) is a hopeless romantic, and one who has been scorned judging by the songs on her debut CD, Paper Dolls, Glass Houses. With the melodic sense of Carole King, the gritty truth-to-tell nature of Tracy Chapman and the vitriol of Ani DiFranco, Adeoye spins a web of tales that will hit home with anyone who's even been on the bad side of a breakup. The Toronto-based Adeoye lists influences as disparate as KT Tunstall, Damien Rice, Barbara Streisand, Judy Garland, WHAM!, Sade, and Harlequin romance novels.

The first thing you’ll notice about Adeoye is that she has a magnificently unaffected voice. I don’t know what sort of vocal training she’s had, but Adeoye sounds like a natural singer. There’s an earthy quality to her singing that sets the listener immediately at ease, and her tone is gorgeous without ever sounding garish. She is the sort of singer you could literally listen to all day long. Adeoye kicks of Paper Dolls, Glass Houses with Stop Lying, an emotionally, lyrically and melodically intense song representing one half of an argument in a relationship that’s going nowhere. The emotional edge here is palpable, and Adeoye’s voice makes it all the more believable. The song has a theatrical quality to it, almost as if you could build a show around it, but retains the Folk/Pop sense it was written in. Unbreakable Heart is a dance song that sounds like it might have come chronologically before Stop Lying, the urgent refrain of someone who will do anything to make a bad relationship work. Long Time Coming is an empowering song about throwing the bum out and works as a perfect prologue to the first two tracks.

Player Hate turns the tables on the players, in one of the hottest songs to emerge from the cauldron of 2008. Player Hate is blunt enough to make Ani DiFranco blush, and is the sort of song that could really break out on Pop/Urban radio. Tell Me is a Reggae-flavored pop song with a melody that just won’t stay out of your noggin. The harmonies here are downright gorgeous in their own right; this is another potential pop hit. Adeoye takes on the Barenaked Ladies’ What A Good Boy next, in an amazing cover of one of the band’s best non-singles. The song itself is about expectations and pre-conceived notions we grow up with around gender and the limitations they can place on us as we grow. It’s not an issue so much of overt sexism but the ideas so ingrained in our consciousness that we never think about them. Adeoye makes the most of a great song. Sad But True is a dark and beautiful song of detached mourning about a relationship the narrator could never win at. Adeoye’s vocal line here is striking and the harmonies are angelic. Adeoye closes out the album with a cover of Van Morrison’s Brown Eyed Girl. It’s a beautiful rendition, much slower and more contemplative than the original. Adeoye takes one last to shine on the vocals; a real pleasure to hear.

When I first listened to this album I was somewhat blown away; each successive listen has made that sense of “Whoa!” grow a bit. Bunmi Adeoye is a distinctive talent. She joins a cadre of strong, intelligent female singer songwriters (Tori Amos, Ani DiFranco, Tina Turner, Tracy Chapman, etc.) willing to, in turns, be tough, speak their mind, be vulnerable… just be themselves. Paper Dolls, Glass Houses is the sort of disc that grabs you on the first listen and tightens its grip a little on each successive play. Adeoye is a gem who should not stay hidden; she’s ready for the grand stage. Paper Dolls, Glass Houses is a distinctive find, a Wildy’s World Certified Desert Island Disc, and an absolute must for your music collection. Make sure you check it out today!

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Bumni Adeoye at http://www.bunmisings.com/, www.myspace.com/bunmisings or www.twitter.com/bunmisings. You can purchase a copy of Paper Dolls, Glass Houses at CDBaby.com.

Review: Connor Desai - Connor Desai

Connor Desai – Connor Desai
2007, Connor Desai

Seattle’s Connor Desai has been warming up Northwest winters for music fans for several seasons now. In 2007, she broke onto the scene with her self-titled EP, Connor Desai. Desai has one of those sultry jazz voices you expect to hear in a seedy jazz club on a Saturday night; a dusky alto that might have been a key to success in any era of jazz. Partly the wanton-woman neo-torch toughness of Fiona Apple and partly the ultra-smooth style of Norah Jones, Desai brings a little sass back into vocal Jazz/Pop.

Desai opens with Trouble Is, exploring a deep and powerful crush that causes you to wake in the wee hours of the morning thinking about no one else. The vocal line and musicianship are A-1, and Desai captures this scenario in picture-perfect fashion. Do I is all about a relationship in transition. The narrator is trying to figure out what she feels, and the hesitation speaks volumes. At All features a lush vocal line set against an almost minimalist arrangement, allowing every nook and cranny of Desai’s voice to shine like the sun. The melancholy and self-doubt of the song almost seems to magnify the emotive qualities of her voice. Wake Up is a funky bit of jazz with enough pop sensibility to make it to the airwaves; it’s a wonderful bit of songwriting and one of the surprises of the CD. Will You Love is more in the Norah Jones style but with more vocal dynamics and a bit more chutzpah. Desai closes out with Deviance, a lush song about the darker side of human nature. Desai crafted this song with a dissonant undertone that eventually becomes a consonant yet separate part of the harmony. The line, like deviance itself, starts out as a musical anomaly, only to become a working part of the full character of the song (or person), separate yet nearly inseparable from the rest. This is the highlight song of the album and some of the most subtly ingenious songwriting you’re like to hear.

Connor Desai has a voice that will floor you, and a songwriting ability that will keep you interested once the novelty of her voice has subsided a tad. The potential for greatness is here, and has already actualized on her first CD, Connor Desai, easily one of the best Jazz/Pop hybrid albums of the past few years. We here at Wildy’s World are excited to see what comes next!

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Connor Desai at www.myspace.com/secretstairs. You can purchase a copy of Connor Desai at www.cdbaby.com/cd/connordesai.

Concert Review: Jason Plumb And The Willing - June 16, 2009 - The Orrange Sunroom, Kenmore, NY

Jason Plumb & The Willing – The Orrange Sunroom, Tuesday June 16, 2009

I had the distinct pleasure to be invited to a private performance by Jason Plumb & The Willing at the home of Bob & Maureen Orrange this past week. This is the first time I had seen Plumb on his own, as my past concert experiences with him had been as lead singer for Canadian Indie faves The Waltons. This was a small house concert with perhaps 40 attendees, but the audience was more than enthusiastic enough to make up for its size. Jason Plumb was self-effacing and humble before, during and after the show, indicating that this constituted something of a live rehearsal for the band for a series of dates in June in Ontario. You wouldn’t know it was a rehearsal from the performance, Plumb & the Willing were spot on right from the opening notes of Starlight, Starbright. In spite of taking most of the first song to get all the levels worked out in that small space, Plumb gave an affecting performance of one of the more optimistic songs in his songbook. Plumb and The Willing sailed through I Do and The Middle Of Nowhere, noting that it was only the second time the band had played the latter (you’d never know).

Plumb launched next into Satellite after talking briefly about writing the song with Ed Robertson of Barenaked Ladies; he was in perfect voice here, and it was very clear that The Willing were clicking on all eight cylinders. Up next was Neil Young’s Tell Me Why, in arrangement Young himself would have stood up and saluted had he been in attendance. Perhaps the biggest Wow! moment of the show came on Rubbing Off, done up in a country arrangement that was absolutely amazing. The Willing gave heartfelt readings of Heartless and Wascana (a house favorite, particularly of diminutive co-host Jess), before breaking into one of my favorite Plumb tunes, Protest Song. Wrapped into the middle of Protest Song was Plumb’s earliest hit with The Waltons, Colder Than You; at the transition you could see smiles light up on the faces of those in attendance. The Willing returned to Protest Song before launching into Drive, the first single from Plumb’s latest disc, Wide Open Music: Songs For Saskatchewan. Guitarist Dan Silljer almost stole the show here with a wicked guitar solo. Plumb closed out the night with a cover of The Jayhawks’ Blue.

Jason Plumb is one of those performers who aren’t consumed by fame. He makes music because he loves making music; he writes songs because he needs to. Anyone who’s followed him for any length of time knows he’s one of the best songwriters working in popular music. The quality of his work his drawn to him an amazing band in The Willing, consisting on this night of Dan Silljer on guitar, Gord Smith on bass, Mike Thompson on drums, Jeff Mcleod on accordion and piano, Cody Gamracy on guitar and a new violinist named Carmella (I didn’t catch her last name). It was a night not to be missed (even though I almost did), and bodes well for anyone seeing Jason Plumb And The Willing this summer. If you are in the vicinity of one of his shows, make sure you don’t miss it!

The show was opened by Buffalo’s own McCarthyizm, who put on quite a performance of their own. Highlights were something that co-host Jess kept referring to as “The Pub Song” and Mt. St. Michel, from their 2001 album Pair O’ Docs.

Check out our reviews of Jason Plumb & The Willing’s most recent album, Wide Open Music: Songs For Saskatchewan, as well as their previous album, the exquisite Beauty In This World.

Upcoming Tour Dates:

Saturday, June 20, 2009 – Toronto, ON
C’Est What? – 67 Front St. E
NXNE Music Festival – Official Showcase
1:00 AM, $25.00

Tuesday, June 23, 2009 – Hamilton, ON
The Casbah – 306 King St. W.
10:00 PM

Wednesday, June 24, 2009 – London, ON
London Music Club – 470 Colborne Street
8:00 PM, $7.00 (w/ Pat Robitaille)

Thursday, June 25, 2009 – Toronto, ON
Hugh’s Room – 2261 Dundas Street W
Wide Open Music release party with Miranda Mulholland & The Roaring Girl Cabaret
7:30 PM, $15.00 ADV/$17.00 DOOR

Saturday, July 31, 2009 – Regina, SK
Buffalo Days
w/ Colin James

Review: The City Skyscape - The City Skyscape

The City Skyscape - The City Skyscape
2009, The City Skyscape

Europop rules the day on The City Skyscape. Hartford, Connecticut’s Christopher Mongillo is a one-man band, combing elements of Indie Rock and Electronica in his home studio to create the music of The City Skyscape. The album opens with The Notorious Kelly Monroe, which carries that upbeat dance feel and accents it with a bit of the depressed affect that pervades the music of The Smiths. This is a very memorable track that might just have some commercial legs to it. Baby's Been A Bad Girl is piano-driven Europop with a catchy beat. With the right remix this could end up being a big deal in the dance clubs. Prince Charming is part of a two-part story; this one is from the perspective of the prince himself. The perfect relationship goes awry, and he is obsessively trying to fix the situation by making the wrongs right. It initially sounds like a song of ideal devotion (hence the title) but slowly becomes something more insidious. Part 2 of the story is Our American Girlfriend, told as in third person about the princess. The disturbing nature of Prince Charming is born out in this musical narrative.

There's a bit of a lull in the middle of the album, as The City Skyscape turns to fungible dance pop for a few songs. The originality heard thus far (and more again later) seems to escape Mongillo for a few tracks, but they get it back in time for The Elements. This is a tremendous bit of pop songwriting; very catchy with a lot of potential commercial impact. Pop radio would likely consume this song and turn it into pervasive pop theme if it had the opportunity. Dear Friend is also a great bit of songwriting; Mongillo is at his best and more dynamic here.

The City Skyscape sounds like Mongillo listened to a lot of the Europop bands of the 1980's, from The Cure and The Smiths to bands like Information Society and New Order. It's not unreasonable to say that The City Skyscape has picked up the banner carried by such bands and is carrying it forth into the 21st century. Euro-Electropop with strong songwriting, great melodies and a definitive pop sensibility will always find a home somewhere, and The City Skyscape is no exception. Make sure you give these guys a listen.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about The City Skyscape at http://www.thecityskyscape.com/ or www.myspace.com/thecityskyscape. You can purchase a copy of The City Skyscape at www.cdbaby.com/cd/cityskyscape.

Review: Pictures Of Then - And The Wicked Sea

Pictures Of Then - And The Wicked Sea
2009, Pictures Of Then, LLC

August 4, 2009 will be a big day in Minneapolis and for many fans of Pictures Of Then around the US. On that day, Pictures Of Then will release their highly anticipated sophomore album And The Wicked Sea. Pictures Of Then’s previous album, 2007’s Crushed By Lights saw the band finding placement on MTV’s The Real World and The Hills, and gaining such coveted festival spots as the Red Gorilla Music Fest, Midpoint Music Festival, NACA and the Crossroads Entertainment Conference. Pictures Of Then garnered airplay on 220 stations across the US and even toured as part of the MTV Choose or Lose Tour. With all of this behind them, Pictures Of Then look to take the next step with And The Wicked Sea.

And The Wicked Sea is mostly successful musical experience with some amazing moments. The Big Sell is a great bit of Brit Pop with a strong melodic sense, outstanding harmonies and some very interesting guitar work. This song is highly commercial without trying to sound commercial. Nowhere Is Somewhere is a piano-driven Pop tune that gets to the idea of what love is all about. 7th Street is one of those songs that if released 25 years ago would have bought each member of The Wicked Sea a mansion they couldn't dream up. The melody here is highly memorable and has great movement and rhythm all throughout the arrangement presented here. History Of Bones is my favorite track here; a philosophical look at how day-to-day details are often more significant than they might seem at the time. The song is wrapped up in big hooks and a Pop sensibility that indicate significant commercial potential. Wicked Sea is a funky mix Rock N Roll with lyric passages and Ooh-La-La harmonies and is a real pleasure to listen to. The album closes out with some Ambient Rock on Lands Uncharted, and epic story in song wrapped around an impressive piano part.

Pictures Of Then have managed to create a highly memorable CD in And The Wicked Sea; distinguishing themselves from the pop pack with original songwriting and real knack for big hooks and turns of phrase. This is the sort of album where a band really consolidates their sound and their fan base. With the right breaks, Pictures Of Then could be a household name. Check them out!

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Pictures Of Then at http://www.picturesofthen.com/ or www.myspace.com/picturesofthen. And The Wicked Sea will be released August 4, 2009. You can pre-order copies of the CD through Amazon.com. Expect the album to be available through multiple digital outlets as well.

Review: Electric Black - Electric Black

Electric Black - Electric Black
2009, Electric Black

Electric Black is a New York City sextet (their bio says there are five members and then goes on to list 6…) that cooks up some musical madness on their self-titled debut, Electric Black. Drawing from rock, blues, country, folk and even classical styles, Electric Black scrawl across the musical landscape in a way that seems haphazard but is in fact meticulously planned. The band is as conscious of their musical construction as can be, developing musical imagery that equals or surpasses that of their lyrical side. Formed in 2008, Electric Black has already generated something of a following in New York, and has managed to make an appearance on Fuse TV even before their album came out.

Imagine for a moment if Tom Waits, Big Rude Jake and The Crypt Keeper were genetically combined to create a lead singer and songwriter. The results might sound an awful lot like Johnny B. of Electric Black. Down and dirty blues-based rock is the story of the day, starting out with Our Love Is Smoking. Heavy tremelo/surf guitar sounds mark out a sound that's part 60's rock, part blues and part coffee-house madness, all of which pervade Electric Black's self-titled debut. Penitentiary Soul is the class of the album, riding the rough side of Blues in a song that will appeal to fans of Big Rude Jake or Ron Hawkins. Electric Black gets it right on the traditional country styling of Reign The Night. Then something happens. The second half of the album I had a very hard time connecting with, culminating in a version of I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry that should live in infamy. It's not a distinctive difference in the songwriting style that seems to fuel the musical fall to earth, but perhaps just a different level of enthusiasm in the songwriting process.

Electric Black is an interesting study. If the first four or five tracks had been released alone on an EP and that's all you heard, you'd be convinced you'd found the next big thing in Rock n Roll. The rest of the album belies any confidence you might have in that concept, but it's nevertheless clear that Electric Black is a very talented group with some real songwriting potential. Check them out!

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Electric Black at http://www.electricblack.org/. You can purchase a download of the Electric Black through Amazon MP3. At this time no online outlet can be found for the CD version of Electric Black. Electric Black’s website has a store link but it does not appear to be operational yet. Keep checking back if you’re like me and still holding out for last century’s technology!

Review: Chameleon's Coat - Chameleon's Coat (Demo)

Chameleon's Coat - Chameleon's Coat (demo)
2009, Chameleon’s Coat

Something great may be afoot in Buffalo, NY. Funk/Rock/Jazz/Folk collective Chameleon’s Coat has found a sound that’s lighting up stages in Western New York. The band is comprised of Grace Stumberg (vox, guitar, keys), Diana Nowak (drums), Dave Riffel (guitar, keys, vox), Jim Wynne (bass, keys), Jim Michaels (Sax) and Brandon Powers (trumpet). There’s a lot to say about the individual members. Stumberg is a stunning vocalist, with a powerful voice that can take on a full-throated rock song or a ballad with equal alacrity; it’s the type of voice that guarantees you’ll listen. We got our hands on a copy of Chameleon's Coat self-titled demo CD; let's check it out...

Chameleon's Coat opens with Happier Side, a great 1970's Funk, Blues and Rock hybrid. Lead vocalist Grace Stumberg has a powerful yet supple voice that's vaguely reminiscent of Michelle Malone (but without the rough edges). Anyone Can Rush (Slow Down) doesn't fit easily into one category. The mid-tempo acoustic rocker is all about real life and is a piece of fantastic songwriting. Avideous is an Avant-Garde Jazz/Rock mix that isn't quite seamless but gets pretty close. The piano work here is exquisite and the rhythm section brings a lot of life into the song. Perceptions finds Chameleon's Coat exploring a more ethereal sound; it's the perfect vehicle for Grace Stumberg's voice, although the mix interferes a bit about 3/4 of the way through the song.

Down By The River finds Chameleon's Coat sounding a lot like The Talking Heads. This is the first song on the disc featuring Dave Riffel on vocals, and the song itself is a pleasant surprise. It's an Alt-Rock tune with a sense of swing. The Rose is a melancholy epic poem set to music that's better classified as an experience than as simply a song. I am not certain I 100% like the final mix, but it sure is an interesting listen. Riffel returns on To The Limit, an unadulterated piece of 1970's Jazz/Funk. The album closes out with My Apology, which frankly took a few listens to connect with at all. It's a pleasant listen but wasn't my favorite.

Chameleon's Coat is a brand new band in the Buffalo, NY market. This demo is their first real foray into recordings, and the mix quality is hit or miss throughout. I suspect that wrinkle is easily ironed out, but Chameleon's Coat have a couple of things going for them. Lead vocalist Grace Stumberg is amazing (Riffel’s not bad either), with a sound that is distinctive and commercially viable. The rhythm section of Diana Nowak and Jim Wynne are as tight as they come and seem to feed off one another, adding additional life to the songs presented here. Guitarist Dave Riffel is technically accomplished and seems to have real chutzpah behind the axe. The end result is a very young band with a whole lot of potential. They have a lot of work to do on the self-promotion side and the mixes on their demo need to be cleaned up a bit, but this is a mix of talents that could go someplace. Take some time to check out Chameleon's Coat today.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Chameleon’s Coat at www.myspace.com/chameleonscoat11. You can also check out some video of the band here. Chameleon’s Coat’s self-titled demo isn’t formally for sale yet, but if you ask them nicely through their MySpace page my guess is they might sell you one.

Review: Raina Rose - End Of Endless False Starts

Raina Rose - End Of Endless False Starts
2008, Myckle Mirth Music

Austin, Texas’ Raina Rose is an Indie folk singer/songwriter who has garnered a fair amount of attention through her first two albums. With a fairly traditional approach and extensive touring, Rose's following has grown to a point where the right spark could catapult her to much larger stages. In 2008, Rose took a step in that direction with the release of her third album, End of Endless False Starts. Stepping away from the traditionalist folk bent that defined her early career, Rose made the brave choice to incorporate other influences (Rock, Drum N Bass, instrumental minimalism, etc.) into her songs. The result is a breathtaking and ultimately moving album where the listener is transported to a world of Roses' choosing; where the walls are notes and staves and the windows are the lyrics that illuminate.

End Of Endless False Starts opens with Are You Still In Love With The World?, a musical gut check about what happened to the enthusiasm of youth. The song is lyrically dense and plays around the concept of the middle age crisis, becoming an admonishment of trading in hope for security. Kings Flashlight is a poignant song about the need most of us feel for our "other half". This is a great bit of Folk/Pop songwriting, and really shows off Raina Rose's warm, beautiful voice. Blind Cyrus is a song about loneliness and about persevering through more difficult times life throws our way. The arrangement on this one is perfect.

Air & Water is one of my personal favorites here, a song about falling in love like falling off a log; helplessly and full of exhilaration. The River shows hints of an Ani DiFranco influence and is probably the best songwriting on the disc. The guitar work alone would be worth listening in for. This Ain't My House caught my attention on the first listen to End Of Endless False Starts. The song is very powerful and bleak, reflecting a great deal of turmoil in the roiling arrangement. It ranks up there with The River but is much darker in aspect. Make sure you also check out Not My Love, Starts With A Low Hum and False Start.

Raina Rose is distinctive in songwriting style, matching up a distinct and visceral honesty with a somewhat quirky worldview and a homey story-telling style that sets the listener immediately at ease. Her voice will suck you in and keep you listening even if the songs themselves don't catch you. End Of Endless False Starts was a pleasant surprise, the sort of album you expect out a long established Folk/Rock artist with a reputation as a songwriter. The future's looking mighty bright for Raina Rose.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Raina Rose at http://www.rainarose.com/ or wwwmyspace.com/rainarose. You can purchase a copy of End Of Endless False Starts at www.cdbaby.com/cd/raina3.

Review: D'Haene - Vinyl

D'Haene - Vinyl
2009, D’Haene Band

D’Haene is a New York City based quintet that combines 1970’s classic rock with the Alternative Rock style that arose once Grunge died down in the 1990’s. Singer/guitarist/songwriter Bob D’Haene is supported by Riley McMahon on guitar, Rick Guetschow on bass, Slammin’ Sammy K on drums and percussion and Tim McCracken in keys and backing vox. Vinyl, D'Haene's second album, is due to be released in the early part of the summer of 2009.

Vinyl is a blue collar Rock N Roll album mixing elements of Southern Rock, Blues and Soul into a delectable sonic package. Bob D'Haene has crafts songs that inspire the listener to sing along, full of big majestic guitar sound and a muted grittiness that gets under your skin. Vinyl opens with Another Like You, accented by dark harmonies around a strong, clear melody line. This is a great opening salvo. Wouldn't You Like To Know is danceable Rock N Roll with blues in its genes; party music with some great guitar work. Took Me So Long brings out the more soulful side of D'Haene. It's not my personal favorite song on the disc but is perhaps the most commercial offering here.

D'Haene brings back the danceable Rock with Brand New Threads!, starting with a Latin rhythm that morphs into a Rock N Soul number with a vibrant chorus. This is a definite potential concert favorite. This Dog Won't Hunt goes back to the Southern Rock well with backing vocals inspired by Gospel music. Blues and Soul mix in for a sonically pleasing experience. Be sure also to check out the highly melodic I'll Be Your Man, and My Woman, which is far and away the best song on the disc. D'Haene walks a line between The Black Crowes and Led Zeppelin here, with a bit of Rolling Stones oomph thrown in.

D'Haene has a sound that would be equally fun in a small concert hall or a big stage. The blue collar bar band feel to the record is a temporary experience, because Bob D'Haene has a knack for crafting big rock songs with pop hooks that won't quite let the listener go. I don't know how successful D'Haene will be in getting radio play, as their sound isn't the flavor of the month, but if you just want a good stretch of Rock N Roll you can get up and move to or stay comfy and groove to, then D'Haene's Vinyl is what you're jonesing for.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about D’Haene at http://www.bobdhaene.com/, http://www.dhaeneband.com/ or www.myspace.com/dhaene. No official release date has been set for Vinyl yet, but early summer is the target. Keep checking D’Haene’s website(s) for more information.

Review: McCarthyizm - Pair O' Docs

McCarthyizm - Pair O' Docs
2001, McCarthyizm

I recently had the opportunity to check out a local Buffalo band at a small private concert that a lot of my readers might enjoy. McCarthyizm has been together since the early 90’s and has released four albums; the most recent, Pair O' Docs, in 2001. The band continues to play together in spite of not recording in almost a decade and plays regularly around Western New York. Lead vocalist and guitar player Joe McCarthy has strong rock voice that can transcend the boundaries of folk and even the occasional Irish drinking tune, and the band plays like one that has been together for the better part of two decades. When McCarthyizm started out major labels were still pretty much the only way to get your sound heard; if these guys were starting out today they'd be getting a lot of attention in the Indie Rock world.

Pair O' Docs opens with All Night, something of a party anthem featuring huge and tireless hooks. It's a fun listen and the perfect opening to the CD. The Great Escape and Into Forever are deeply philosophical, playing around the edges of religion, epistemology and finding personal meaning in life. The Great Escape is done in an Americana style with strong and pleasing harmonies, whereas Into Forever is catchy acoustic/electric rock in the same vein as Canadian cult favorites Dig Circus. Pair O' Docs is a raucous rocker that is great on the CD and even better in a live setting. Reveal My Sin has a lilting Pop quality wrapped into its acoustic Rock arrangement, and is all about finding ways to let go of your inner demons. Walk In The Woods is a straight forward classic rock tune with some righteous guitar work and AOR-friendly hooks. The album closes out with Mt. St. Michel; a special song. It's the story of a dream vacation to France for two lovers where ultimately the vacation and then the relationship fall apart on the basis of different expectations (he's looking to get away, she thinks he's going to propose). The story-telling in song here is amazing; it's the sort of song that other artists are going to want to cover.

McCarthyizm is a hidden gem hiding out here in Western New York. There are bands like this all over the world; playing below the radar in a local market to appreciative crowds but having the talent and charisma to play for much larger crowds. It can be a matter of breaks or timing, but at the time McCarthyizm was starting out independent bands just didn't make it much of anywhere. By the time the Indie world really opened up, perhaps McCarthyizm had just accepted the "fact" of being a regional band. Whatever the case, this is a band that deserves your attention. Pair O' Docs is a great 7-song introduction to McCarthyizm. Make sure you check out this diamond in the rough.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about McCarthyizm at http://www.mccarthyizm.com/ or www.myspace.com/mccarthyizm. You can purchase a copy of Pair O’ Docs from McCarthyizm’s Web store.

Review: Remedy - Paleofidelity

Remedy – Paleofidelity
2009, Remedy

Remedy comes blasting out of Halifax, Nova Scotia as a two-headed musical monster offering a mixture of varied rock tunes and a slew 1970’s era Funk Rock songs as well. The band is a classic power trio with Steve Harley on vocals and guitar, James Bond on bass and Gil Roy on drums and backing vox. Harley and Bond are longtime members of the ECMA music scene, previously gaining attention as members of Devora and Sweet Tooth. Remedy’s debut album, Paleofidelity, was released April 4, 2009.

Paleofidelity is all about the Funk, my friends. In listening through for the first time, I was convinced that Remedy was headed for strongly commercial territory with songs familiar enough in style to get picked up by radio programmers but new and different enough to break out of the commercial pack. The first four songs on Paleofidelity would seem to bear this idea out. Up From The Bottom is Funky Rock N Roll with a bit of Blues thrown in. Rhythmic vocal lines accentuate the song structure and the strong, soulful vocals of singer Harley. Rude Reaction is a highly commercial hybrid of Reggae, Dave Matthews and Rob Thomas, all rolled up into one song. The melody here is the sort you're tempted to sing along with the first time you hear it and the harmonies are downright gorgeous. You Said To Me takes the Active Rock route with a bit of Elvis swivel in the rhythms. The vocal harmonies are again superb and the song is extremely commercial in sound despite its dark undertones. The sound on Paleofidelity starts to morph with Emergency Light, a classic early 70's Blues/Rock tune ala Led Zeppelin (although not quite as hard). The song is lyrically dense and the harmonies once again are sublime.

All of sudden, from track 5 on, Remedy is a different band, with a distinct emphasis on 1970's Funk/Rock. I'd have to say that the first four songs here were highly enjoyable and original (even if a little derivative at times), but the remainder of the album seems to get stuck on a sound and style and stay there (although it’s very well played). I love great Funk, but Remedy set the bar so high with the opening four songs of Paleofidelity that the rest of the album comes off as something of a letdown even though it’s very well executed. You'll want to check out Any Other Way, All In A Days Charade and So Much Better, but I'd almost recommend tracking the CD backwards on a playlist. Either way, you get to hear two sides of Remedy on Paleofidelity. Regardless of your tastes, there is a lot here to like.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Remedy at http://www.remedymusic.ca/ or www.myspace.com/remedythehalifaxfunkmachine. You can purchase a copy of Paleofidelity at www.cdbaby.com/cd/remedymusic, or you can download the album from iTunes.

Review: Spinal Tap - Back From The Dead

Spinal Tap - Back From The Dead
2009, A2M

Spinal Tap is back (again?). David St. Hubbins (Michael McKean), Nigel Tufnel (Christopher Guest) and Derek Smalls (Harry Shearer) have re-recorded many of the classic songs from the soundtrack of This Is Spinal Tap and five new ones as well for Back From The Dead, released June 16, 2009. Spinal Tap resurrects itself every few years for brief periods, having started out as a TV skit in 1978 on ABC’s The TV Show. The actors have also appeared as The Folksmen in the movie A Mighty Wind. Guests on Back From The Dead include Phil Collen, Keith Emerson, John Mayer and Steve Vai. The two-disc set includes a DVD with commentary on each of the songs on the album, and is highly entertaining it its own right.

The album opens with Tonight I'm Gonna Rock You Tonight, which is either a typical bit of Glam braggadocio or the sort of song that will get your computer searched by various law enforcement agencies ("You're sweet but you're just four feet and you've still got your baby teeth / You're too young and I'm too well hung but tonight I'm gonna rock ya"). It's great Rock N Roll, and I don't think the intent of the song is bad, but if Sarah Palin hears it... Back From The Dead opens funereally with the rather obvious admonition "Give me reincarnation or give me death." The song is amusing, particularly for the faux Vincent Price voiceover in the breakdown section of the song. Junky Sex Farm brings the Funk high and hard. The horn arrangements are excellent, and the innuendo here is about as subtle as Darth Vader at an Edgar Cayce convention.

Spinal Tap breaks over into rampant novelty music with songs like Gimmie Some Money and (Listen to The) Flower People (Reggae Style), and continues right into Big Bottom. This last song sounds like Larry The Cable Guy tried to come up with a follow up to Queen's Fat Bottom Girls. Jazz Odyssey III sounds a lot like Pink Floyd (think Umma Gumma), and Stonehenge is a rather interesting paean to the Druids and the structure they left behind.

Spinal Tap has always been something of a joke, but it's a joke that has kept them laughing all the way to the bank over the years. The shtick on Back From The Dead is a bit tired, but the music is solid and Spinal Tap still knows how to entertain. These guys aren't as funny to me as they were when I was about 15, but that's okay. I hear they're still making 15-year olds in large quantities.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Spinal Tap from http://www.spinaltap.com/. If you found this post by accident, you can learn more about spinal taps from eMedcine. You can purchase a copy of Back From The Dead at Amazon.com, or download the album from iTunes.

Review: Sarah Tolar - Big Blue Moon

Sarah Tolar - Big Blue Moon

2009, Sarah Tolar/BMI

Sarah Tolar grew up being exposed to the music of great singer/songwriters like Kris Kristofferson, Johnny Cash, Judy Collins & Carole King. Her parents were a folk duo in Northern Colorado and Tolar began sitting in at the ripe old age of 5. A move to California brought piano lessons from Dad and the early seeds of songwriting. After discovering Jazz, Tolar went on to study Jazz at the University Of North Texas and found her way to New York City after graduation. Graduating from restaurant gigs to leading her own band, Tolar built life experience and a well of songwriting experience along the way, culminating in the release of her debut album, Big Blue Moon earlier this year. Produced by David Cook (Jennifer Hudson, Natasha Bedingfield), Big Blue Moon contains a bright mix of Folk and Jazz with a distinct Pop sensibility that should garner a lot of attention for Sarah Tolar.

On Big Blue Moon, Sarah Tolar sounds a great deal like Norah Jones but with a little more sass and a somewhat more dynamic vocal style. Tolar’s voice is very sweet and warm and wraps itself around melodies like a string around your finger. The CD opens with Early Morning Stillness in a smooth arrangement featuring plaintive piano and a gorgeous melody line. Take Awhile is a vulnerable but tough song about coming back from the loss of a relationship and finding oneself again. Hudson is a great Jazz/Pop arrangement juxtaposing the continuity of a river (The Hudson) against the emotional chaos someone feels upon losing someone significant. Oddly enough, my least favorite track on the disc is Big Blue Moon, the title track. It’s not a bad song, but just didn’t seem to fit in as well with the other songs here.

Along For The Ride is a funk and sultry bit of Jazz/Pop that features what may be the best outright musicianship on the disc; it’s a song you could put on repeat and not get tired of anytime soon. Come To Me is a classic come-on song featuring mostly just Tolar and her piano; this is a must-hear track. Coffee Man digs a little deeper into the Jazz genre and features some outstanding guitar work. The best vocal track on the disc comes with Don’t Call Me Baby. The song is sung by someone who’s been spurned in a relationship and is now telling her former partner to get lost. The song is done with a swing feel, and here Tolar reminds me a lot of Martina Sorbara in vocal sound. The album closes out wit Gettin’ Back To Me Again, a highly introspective and emotive track. The song sounds like it could be a soliloquy from a Broadway musical and is hands down the best songwriting on the disc.

Big Blue Moon is a breakup and recovery album that finds Sarah Tolar venting her anger and frustration in gentle tones. The Norah Jones comparison is going to happen early and often, because stylistically and vocally they are very similar. But Tolar’s voice has more energy and life to it than Jones has displayed in her recordings, and as a songwriter she shows flashes of brilliance. Big Blue Moon should make something of a commercial splash for Sarah Tolar, but fans who appreciate great music and great songwriting will eat this up.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Sarah Tolar at http://www.sarahtolar.com/ or www.myspace.com/sarahtolar. You can purchase a copy of Big Blue Moon at Amazon.com, or download the album from iTunes.

Review: The Project Pale - Our Inventions And How They Fail Us

The Project Pale - Our Inventions And How They Fail Us
2009, Ohm Resistance

Sometimes familiar puzzle pieces re-assemble themselves into something new. The Project Pale is comprised of Kingston, New York's Jason Selden (aka Glitch from The Chosen); Submerged and Sensi*Star (aka Phillia Kim Downs). Each has a following and creative spark in their own right, but their talents and efforts merge as The Project Pale to create something new and original. The Project Pale's debut album, Our Inventions And How They Fail Us, incorporates Synth Rock, drone, shoegaze and a post-industrial mix of metal and electronic styles that will thrill fans of music best described as "unclassifiable". With production by the legendary Bill Laswell, Our Inventions And How They Fail Us is bound to create quite a stir.

Our Inventions And How They Fail Us opens on the unsettled electro-rock of Driving These Icy Roads before settling into dark, brooding wonderment on Snowed In. There is a cinematic feel to a number of the tracks here, almost as if The Project Pale is something of a post-modern Tangerine Dream. Many of the tracks here just have the sound and feel of soundtrack music. Cleopatra’s Needle is wonderfully primal in rhythm and features big, fuzzy electric guitars in a wash of sound that’s never overpowering but makes a distinct impression. Another Day Without is a wonderfully emotive track, soaring in dark, melancholy skies. My favorite track is With Open Arms; if Pink Floyd had been born in a digital age, this is what they might have sounded like. No Help Coming hits the cinematic nail right on the head, mixing grinding, industrial sound with exploratory, almost lyric passages for veritable musical roller coaster ride. Be sure also to check out the title track, Pulled Out To Sea and Transatlantic.

The Project Pale looks to bring Electronic music more into the mainstream by offering up an album that is as varied as it is unique. Our Inventions And How They Fail Us is a very ambitious project and mostly delivers on its ambition. The cinematic scope of the music means it may be a matter of time before the music of The Project Pale is coming at you in your local Cineplex. Some movie producer is going to hear them and realize what their potential is. Like Tangerine Dream, Glitch, Submerged and Sensi*Star have the potential to break a lot of ground as a team (as they have individually). This is a great album.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about The Project Pale at www.myspace.com/theprojectpale. You can purchase Our Inventions And How They Fail Us at Amazon.com, or download the album through iTunes.

Review: Jason Plumb And The Willing - Wide Open Music: Songs For Saskatchewan

Jason Plumb And The Willing – Wide Open Music: Songs For Saskatchewan

2009, Soccer Mom Records

I have referenced Jason Plumb many times over in this blog, reviewing his previous album, Beauty In This World. I have also seen him in concert a handful of times over the years with his first band, The Waltons. The Regina, Saskatchewan-based singer/songwriter is a national treasure for Canada. He is perhaps one of the most talented songwriters of his generation, creating a body of work that draws equally on his love of classic Country music, British Pop and melancholy forms. Plumb has composed for television (Friends) and movies (Borderline Normal, Remembering Tom, Naked In New York) and has even taken over the production boards for artists such as Heidi Little and Nicol Lischka, but it is writing and performing that continues to drive him 20 years into what’s become a magnificent career in music. On June 9, 2009, Jason Plumb And The Willing released Wide Open Music: Songs For Saskatchewan in Canada (likely US release date in September, 2009). The album is a re-working of classic songs from Plumb’s catalog both as a solo artist and with The Waltons, as well as two newer songs. If you aren’t in the know when it comes to Jason Plumb, now is the time.

Wide Open Music opens with Empire On The Plains, a moderate rocker that features Plumb’s angelic voice and the sense of melancholy and longing that seems to pervade his music. Written about the need to touch base in a place that’s home from time-to-time, the song stands as one that anyone who’s ever spent any time on the road can relate to. Drive is a recent addition in Plumb’s catalog, coming from 2007’s Beauty In This World. This particular version was recorded live and shows the fine blend of Brit Pop and Country that has become something of a trademark for Plumb. Wascana originally appeared on The Walton’s Cocks Crow album, and gets the royal treatment here with gorgeous yet subtle harmonies from The Willing, and a more open vocal line that really shows off Plumb’s pipes.

Wide Open is from Jason Plumb’s Under & Over album and is a paean to life on the Canadian Prairie. The lyric imagery in this song is as beautiful as the melody Plumb wraps it in, and the arrangement reflects the urgency to get back to the place he calls home. The Waterwell And The Farmer’s Hand is perhaps the first song that hooked me on Plumb as a songwriter; taken from The Walton’s debut album, Lik My Trakter, Waterwell is about the ties to family and home that bind many of us. Written over 17 years ago in response to the death of his grandfather, it was at the time an incredibly poignant and atypically deep song for a songwriter as young as Plumb was at the time. I remember listening to this song at a show where The Waltons were opening for the Barenaked Ladies and being absolutely blown away. Nearly twenty years on this is still one of the finest pop songs I’ve ever heard, and the arrangement offered here is fuller and richer than the original.

Take My Breath opens with a brief vocal harmony interval that sounds like it should have been written by Brian Wilson before opening into a gorgeous melody line ensconced in a simple yet engaging pop arrangement. This song was written as a commission for Saskatchewan tourism and is absolutely inspired. Heartless originally appeared on Cock’s Crow, and is presented with a bit of a country swing here. The song is a bit too subtle and reserved to really get you dancing, but the temptation will be there nonetheless. The vocal harmonies in the break are amazing, and as they fall away Plumb gets a few lines where it’s essentially just his voice. Wow.

Middle Of Nowhere has long been one of my favorite songs from The Waltons (Empire Hotel). The song explores that mix of adolescent contempt for the place we grew up with the sentimental love that develops over time as we mature and return to our roots. Saskatoon Pie (Empire Hotel) uses a favorite desert (known as Serviceberry Pie is the United States) of Saskatchewan as a symbol for finding sweetness in life, and could easily be mistaken as a love song. Paint The World Green is a song Plumb wrote as a theme song for the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League. It’s unusually poppy and pretty for a football team song and could easily cross over as a theme for “green” causes as well. The album closes out with a bluegrass version of Wide Open that is entirely fitting and, if possible, even better than the original.

Jason Plumb is the consummate artist, a singer-songwriter whose list of peers could be written on a small Post-It note in large, scrawling script. His ability to get at the heart of anything he writes about is surreal. There is no one in popular music these days quite like him. The song Middle Of Nowhere, as much as any other here proves a universal point about Wide Open Music; These songs were written about or inspired by Saskatchewan, and are specific in detail, but the songs are about home. Anyone with a love for the place they started out (particularly if you’ve left it behind over time) will find a deep connection to this album. The arrangements are incredible, and The Willing provide the backbone and flesh for Plumb’s songs with amazingly tight musicianship. Wide Open Music: Songs For Saskatchewan is destined to be one of the top releases of 2009, and likely to get a lot of buzz when it comes time for Canada’s Juno Award nominations (not to mention the Western Canadian Music Awards). Don’t let the title fool you; you don’t need to be from Saskatchewan to connect with this CD. Wide Open Music is a Wildy’s World Certified Desert Island Disc. Miss this one and you’re really missing out.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Jason Plumb And The Willing at http://www.jasonplumb.com/ or on MySpace. You can purchase a copy of Wide Open Music: Songs For Saskatchewan from Maple Music.com.

Review: J.A.C.K. - Deletist

J.A.C.K. - Deletist

2009, Yabyum Records

Brooklyn-based alt-rock quarter J.A.C.K. keep the meaning of their acronym secret, but the word of mouth about their sound was uncontainable almost from the start. Three rip-roaring sons of Rock N Roll met while enrolled in New York University's music program, and after cementing their sound with the highly flying falsetto of vocalist/guitarist Scott Holland knew they had something special. Their sophomore release (and first full-length), Deletist, is out today. J.A.C.K. may be secretive about the original of their name, and DIY to the bone, but their sphere of influence is likely to expand significantly in the near future.

Deletist opens with the chaotic track Dracula, which spends most of its time as an alternative rocker but closes out with a keyboard driven classic rock section that would make Dennis DeYoung weep with joy. One thing you should understand about lead vocalist Scott Holland is that he can be something of a chameleon. On The Leader, Holland sounds like a cross between Klaus Meine and Bon Scott, whereas on a track like Extinguisher he can sound like a particularly raspy Bono. I Cut Off My Arms is perhaps the greatest “relationship gone wrong” songs I’ve ever heard, although it may be a bit disturbing for some. A distinctly poppy love song with some heavy guitar work represents the alternately lovesick and disturbed states of the protagonist. Bug appears to be a song about torture, or perhaps it’s just an allegory for crossing lines. Either way it’s at least mildly disturbing and gets your attention, right down to the lyric dueling guitar work in the bridge. Suicide Man opens with what might only be described as a gospel choir in Hell before turning into an alternately minimalist and noisy arrangement. The song itself is intriguing and definitely off the beaten track. You’ll also want to check out Summer’s War and Rainbow Blood.

J.A.C.K., J.A.C.K., J.A.C.K., what are we going to do with you? You don’t fit in with the other bands. You have some of the loftier musical ideals of a Radiohead, the occasional slow-heavy drive of Black Sabbath or Heaven And Hell, an ability to write songs like what Bono might come up on a dark day and a wonderfully and slightly worrying warped world perspective. We’ll find a place for you, because I believe a lot of people will be intrigued by your sound, I am just not sure how we present you to the world. Hey, I know! Let’s bring everyone to a show in Brooklyn! After you melt all their faces for a couple of hours they’ll be hooked! They’ll be buying copies of Deletist hand over fist!

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about J.A.C.K. at http://www.jackbandnyc.com/ or www.myspace.com/jacknyc. You can get a digital copy of Deletist at either Amazon MP3 or iTunes. If you want a hard copy, the only place to get one right now is at a live show (Face melting is included in the price of admission), but if you contact J.A.C.K. through their MySpace page perhaps they’ll hook you up.

Review: Street Sweeper Social Club - Street Sweeper Social Club

Street Sweeper Social Club – Street Sweeper Social Club
2009, Street Sweeper Social Club/WMG-ILG

Dateline: 1986. Rock superstars Aerosmith release a groundbreaking single and video, reprising their hit Walk This Way with the help of Run DMC. While there are perhaps other examples out there, this is perhaps one of the first commercially successful hybridizations of Hard Rock and the then nascent art form called Rap. The two forms have been blended together over the years many times, but it’s always been something of an uneasy relationship. Then in 2009, a band called Street Sweeper Social Club comes along with their self-titled debut album and wipes the slate clean with a mix of heavy rock and rap so new; so fresh you’ll wonder how the two genres ever existed separately. Guitarist/bassist Tom Morello (founding member of both Rage Against The Machine and Audioslave), producer/lyricist/vocalist Boots Riley (The Coup) and drummer Stanton Moore (Galactic) have created a sound that keeps the heavy edge and bombast of Rock N Roll while mixing in the lyrical panache that Riley is known for from his work with The Coup.

Street Sweeper Social Club opens with Fight! Smash! Win!, featuring dazzling rhymes and a wonderfully heavy guitar line. This should be gold for Modern Rock, Urban and Top-40 programmers. Morello shows off some great melodic guitar work on 100 Little Curses, in an arrangement that sounds like it might have walked out of the late-1970’s or early 1980’s. The Oath is a song of revolution, following the distinctive social justice vein that pervades Street Sweeper Social Club. Pointed barbs are blended with humor and poignant turns of phrase fit for mass consumption throughout the album. The Squeeze traces the line between poverty and violence in what starts out almost as a children’s song before breaking into a heavy rock/rap.

Clap For The Killers is the most sonically interesting track on the disc, as Morello gets his freak on with some seriously deranged riffs and progressions. Good Morning, Mrs. Smith sounds a bit like a classic rock tune done up with some serious guitar riffs. Other highlights include Somewhere In The World It’s Midnight, Megablast, Promenade and Nobody Moves (Til We Say Go).

Don’t be surprised if Street Sweeper Social Club is one of the biggest new acts of 2009. Tom Morello and Boots Riley have outdone themselves with a smart, intriguing and musically exciting album. There’s no doubt Street Sweeper Social Club will make the cut on “Best of 2009” lists, but don’t be surprised if this album has a Grammy nomination or two in its future. Street Sweeper Social Club is essential listening; a Wildy’s World Certified Desert Island Disc. Get it.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Street Sweeper Social Club at http://www.streetsweepersocialclub.com/, www.myspace.com/streetsweepersocialclub or www.twitter.com/streetsweep. Street Sweeper Social Club hits shelves on June 16, 2009, and is available through Amazon.com, as a download through iTunes, or wherever music is sold.

Review: Chris Nunez - Chris Nunez EP

Chris Nunez - Chris Nunez [EP]
2009, PremUnite Records

Chris Nunez is a rising rock star, a former Marine, an Iraq war vet and has designs on being a strong voice for his generation. Playing rock music with an edge akin to Rage Against The Machine and a message that conveys in peace, love and understanding, Nunez isn't so much a voice in protest of the way things are but an advocate for where we should be as a society. Hard Rock, Reggae, Jazz and Blues all find their way into the five original songs presented on his debut EP, Chris Nunez. The socially minded Jersey shore rocker, who is of Colombian-American heritage, never lets up in his relentless drive for social change. Nunez embodies the work and social ethics of a young Springsteen with the steely guitar sound of Lenny Kravitz.

Nunez opens with a classic grunge-style tune in Dr. John Brown; sounding like a cross between early Soundgarden and Pearl Jam. The song is about oppression, society and what it takes to rise above it all. Gasoline Dream is a moderately catchy tune that tries to balance commercial appeal with a distinctive rock edge. Nunez plays around with some jazz elements on Club Zion, particularly in the reprise. Plenty But Few and Our Generation were okay, but didn’t leave a distinct, lasting impression

Chris Nunez is a very talented axe man, and there are indications of real songwriting talent here, but a collaborator might add the appropriate level of creative conflict to really bring out the best in Nunez. The songs on the Chris Nunez EP are very listenable but don’t dig in to find that special oomph that real makes a listener keep coming back. A decent effort.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Chris Nunez at http://www.premuniterecords/. You can purchase a copy of Chris Nunez at CDBaby.com.

Review: Cailyn/Dani - True Lies And Other Fairytales

Cailyn/Dani - True Lies And Other Fairytales
2009, Land Of Oz Music

Cailyn Lloyd is back, this time as part of duo Cailyn/Dani with powerhouse vocalist Dani Daly. We reviewed Lloyd’s previous release, New World In Blue, last year, finding her to be very talented with a six string. The pairing with Daly appears to have awakened Lloyd’s creative process on a new level, and it shows on True Lies And Other Fairytales. Cailyn Lloyd shows off her guitar wizardry in fine style, and Dani Daly is a reminder of what a female rock vocalist should sound like.

True Lies And Other Fairytales opens with Heartland, featuring the characteristically amazing guitar work of Lloyd and the power rock vocals of Dani. The song itself is decent, but the two dynamic performers help the song transcend its own limitations. Still... You Turn Me On is a lyrically awkward look at love in a long term relationship. Portrait (He Knew) finds the vocal line stuck in a bit of a rut. Dani makes the best of a less than perfect line with a strong performance, and Cailyn is as great as ever on guitar. The cover of Aerosmith's Dream On lacks the oomph or urgency of the original. The Hendrix cover, Wind Cries Mary, plays almost like a country tune here. Blind Faith's Can't Find My Way is the standout track, featuring amazing lyric guitar work.

Cailyn is a wonder on the axe, and Dani is quite an impressive rock vocalist with a big sound. True Lies And Other Fairy Tales is a definitive step forward over New World In Blue. There are still some rough edges here and there, but on the whole this is a very listenable and enjoyable recording.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Cailyn Lloyd and and Cailyn/Dani at www.myspace.com/cailynrox or http://www.cailynrox.com/. You can purchase a copy of True Lies And Other Fairytales at www.cdbaby.com/cd/cailyndani, or you can download it from iTunes.

Review: Joshua Jesty - Girl

Joshua Jesty – Girl
2009, Joshua Jesty

Joshua Jesty, he of the preternaturally long song titles, is back with a new digital album entitled, Finally, Joshua Jesty is making a record with a short title, and the title of the record is "Girl". While the album isn’t due for release until August 8, 2009, you can stream some of the tracks on his website. The Berklee School of Music grad is something of a musical wunderkind, creating music at an almost unmatched rate. Girl is his best work to date.

Jesty has taken a sonic step forward with Girl, with production values that exceed his previous recordings. Somebody Worth Hurting sets the stage as the album opener, showing off a wonderfully layered Rock sound. You Make Me Feel Like Dying is a bit messy on the production side, but shows off a Ben Folds style lyric rocker (minus the big piano sound). The presentation here is a bit rough but I really enjoyed the song. Jesty strips things way down for Some Other Someone, a highly personal and affecting song about being on the wrong corner of a love triangle. This is the best songwriting on the album and probably the most minimalist arrangement. Don't Make Me Fall For You is an interesting listen. I wasn't big on the arrangement, but the melody is a knockout. Version Of Me is a portrait of everyone at some time in their life. Jesty captures a universal truth about insecurity. Be sure also to check out I'm Not Worried and I See God In You.

Joshua Jesty continues to churn out quirky and significant left-of-the-dial pop music that is worth taking some time to become acquainted with. The production values here are higher than on past efforts, but the recording still shows a rough edge now and then. Jesty is a diamond in the rough, and Girl gives some glimpses of the more polished artist he's in the process of becoming. Make some time for Joshua Jesty and Girl.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Joshua Jesty at http://www.thejoshuaweb.net/ or www.myspace.com/joshuajesty. Girl is due for release on August 8, 2009; keep checking Jesty’s website for availability. Also check out Wildy's World's review of Jesty's last album, Finally, Joshua Jesty Is Famous, All Time Hits, Volume 15.

Review: Kendel Carson - Alright Dynamite

Kendel Carson - Alright Dynamite
2009, Trainwreck Records

Vancouver’s Kendel Carson comes with a pretty solid resume for a 24-year old singer/songwriter. Her debut album, Rearview Mirror Tears, received strong critical acclaim, and her work with The Paperboys is highly regarded. On June 23, 2009, Carson will release her sophomore album, Alright Dynamite. Carson is generating a lot of buzz for this one, so we thought we’d check it out.

Carson thrives on provocative lyrics and a pleasant voice to thrive, but comes across with a lukewarm presentation on much of Alright Dynamite. Carson projects Sheryl Crow part of the time, like on Belt Buckle. The song is something of a free association on attraction. The arrangement is appropriately slinky but is ultimately ear candy without a lot of lasting impact. Lady K is a reflection on immortality, fame and creation against the backdrop of a relationship that may or may not be a one night stand. I Don't Wanna Be Your Mother revives the Sheryl Crow comparison with a decent effort at 1980's era Country/Rock. Carson revs things up for Ten Lost Men, her best effort on the album. The song is a well-written paean to how men are often saved from themselves by the women they love. Jesse James wants to be an iconic song, but it’s lyrically awkward and Carson just doesn't present it with enough charisma to sell it. The same thing occurs on New Shoes, a "whose zooming who" song about infidelity that is quirky and catchy in arrangement, but falls flat with the vocal line. The musicianship on Janis Joplin's Mercedes Benz is excellent, and Carson gives it a fair run, but it just doesn't hold up to the original. The rest of the album is filler that perhaps was left behind as B-sides for hard core fans.

I have to say I was disappointed with Alright Dynamite. Kendel Carson has generated a lot of buzz in advance of the release of Alright Dynamite, and I'm hoping that perhaps in the live setting she'll prove to be deserving of it, but this album just isn't as exciting as the buzz. Songs like Two Lost Men prove there's potential here, but this album is just too average to stand out in the crowded music marketplace.

Rating: 2.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Kendel Carson at www.myspace.com/kendelcarson. Alright Dynamite will be released June 23, 2009. You can pre-order a copy from Amazon.com. Check back at Kendel Carson’s MySpace page for digital availability.

Review: Troum - Eald-Ge-Streon

Troum - Eald-Ge-Streon
2009, Beta-Lactam Ring Records

Troum is the old German word for Dream, and the name fits the band. GlitH and Barak[H] have been together since 1997 as Troum, but worked together previously in Ambient/Industrial mavens Maeror Tri. Based in Bremen, Germany, Troum has played all over the world with acts such as Spear, Tarkatak, Ultrasound, Bad Sector and Vance Orchestra. Troum is conspicuous for their blending of Ambient and Industrial styles, and their latest album, Eald-Ge-Streon is a protypical album for the band.

Eald-Ge-Streon might as well be titled Ambient Music for the Mortally Wounded and Chronically Depressed. The offerings here feature heavy accents within ambient structures that are reminiscent of things you might hear on an old Pink Floyd album or in a movie sequence featuring strange and wonderful spaceships floating majestically in the air. Elation opens the set with heavy ambience and a constant tension that fluctuates but never resolves. Ecstatic Forlorness takes aboriginal rhythms and blends them into an almost Ambient/Industrial mix (if that's possible). The result is something that sounds like something you might hear in a blighted future industrial landscape. The rest of the album essentially follows this ambient structure, seeming to be more about sound than any sort of structure or musical communication.

Eald-Ge-Streon is an album for those who wish to meditate on the wonders of the universe; fans of Ambient Music, Pink Floyd fans and others who might want more experience and less song from their music. Troum is quite good at what they do, although I generally found the album to lack a real creative spark.

Rating: 2 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Troum at http://www.troum.com/ or www.myspace.com/troum. You can purchase a copy of Eald-Ge-Streon at Amazon.com.

Review: Jennings - Storybook [EP]

Jennings – Storybook [EP]
2009, No Sass Publishing

New York City based siren Mary Jennings is back with Storybook [EP], the follow-up to 2007’s Femtastic. Jennings shows significant musical maturation since Femtastic, with more balanced songwriting and a greater sense of where the song is going. I wish she had skipped the vocal enhancement software because voice is more than good enough to be heard without such effects. Storybook opens with Doorway, a song of time and place focusing on the distinct lack of movement between two people with more potential romance than actual. The plaintive piano part that drives the song seems to evoke the sense of waiting for the tide to change. Figure Me Out is a Paula Cole style confessional that has the same emotional edginess featured in Doorway. This one has a strong commercial feel without abandoning Jennings' singer/songwriter ethic. Hero shows some Tori Amos influence (ala Past The Mission). Jennings shows just how accomplished a story teller she is without getting too wordy or prosaic. The arrangement is perhaps a bit too predictable but overall it's a good listen.

Your Way has a nice ethereal setting, walking the line between Sarah McLachlan and Enya with a melody line that stands out from the textured vocal/instrumental arrangement. This is the most sonically interesting track on Storybook and would make the EP worth owning even if it were the only track. Jennings closes out Storybook with a song of raw devotion and commitment in Umbrella. The imagery is a bit on the simplistic side but the song is very sweet, with a rhythmic component that's as comforting as the message if not more so. Umbrella is an incredibly artful depiction of the state of mind of true love or friendship

Jennings has come along way in a short time as a songwriter. Her ability to take complex thoughts and emotions and place them in simple song structure without diluting the thoughts, feelings or moments they represent is distinctive. Her musical arrangements are strong and fitting and worthy of attention in the pop/rock realm. I have no doubt that down the line a few years she will hold significant respect not just from fans but other artists. On Storybook she is an artist who is Becoming, with significant talent and a distinctive style that is a pleasure to watch develop. Make sure you check this CD out.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Jennings at www.myspace.com/jenningsmusic or http://www.jennings-music.com/. You can purchase a copy of Storybook at www.cdbaby.com/cd/jenningsmusic4, or you can download the EP from iTunes.

Review: Elke Robitaille - Flowers In The City

Elke Robitaille - Flowers In The City
2009, Rag Veda Records

Musical nomad Elke Robitaille is home anywhere she goes as long as there's a stage to perform on. The British Columbia native and current Portland, Oregon resident has two national tours of the US and Canada under her belt and recently released her third album, Flowers In The City, featuring some of her most memorable songwriting to date. The folk songstress spent a few years deeply involved in the Los Angeles music scene, winning the Rock City New Award for Outstanding Folk Band in 2005, as well as working for Nettwerk Music. Robitaille also had a four month engagement at sea aboard Princess Cruises' The Diamond Princess.

Robitaille has a somewhat limited voice, but a very pleasant sound when she stays in range (the low notes get a little murky). Flowers In The City opens with My Own Way, a decent folk/pop love song that's heartfelt but not syrupy. Out Of My Life meanders its way out of the speakers with a gorgeous cello part complementing Robitaille's voice, but the energy level keeps the song from ever really getting off the ground. By the time she reaches I'm Doing Fine, Robitaille has settled in nicely and is ready to show off her songwriting chops. This relationship song is all about what's gone wrong. It's highly melodic and very well written. Bright Lights is a personal look at life in the city; all that it has to offers and the hidden moments you can find there. The song is poetic and full of real ardor.

Interlude is self-explanatory, an instrumental break that shows perhaps a whimsical side to Robitaille; slightly bouncy and possessed of interesting sonic components, Interlude provides a glimpse of another aspect of the artist as well as perhaps a chuckle or two. Move is my favorite song on the disc; a perfect mix of dark, furtive tones and Robitaille's voice. Gravity is also very well done; a song about having two destinies. The first is career oriented and the second is all about a person. The protagonist here tries to protect the former while holding on to the latter. Gravity represents the sometimes opposing pull of each destiny, and the strength and the character needed to balance both.

Elke Robitaille is a nuanced and subtle songwriter with a unique perspective; she's able to deliver her thoughts in enigmatic fashion without coming across as bizarre. A talented lyricist; her arrangements are fitting to both her subjects and voice. Flowers In The City is one of those albums you keep around forever and pull out once in a while. It probably won't be your top listen after your initial courtship, but will also likely never make it into the trade-in pile. A nice effort.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Elke Robitaille at http://www.elkemusic.com/ or www.myspace.com/elkemusic. You can purchase a copy of Flowers In The City at www.cdbaby.com/cd/elke3, or you can download the album through iTunes.

Review: The Velmas - Station

The Velmas - Station
2006, City Canyon Records

Albany, NY power trio The Velmas know how to Rock N Roll. Todd “Figaro” Minnick (bass), Mike “Harvey” Grosshandler (guitar) and Michael “Bruce” Bruce (drums) share songwriting duties, blend Rock, Punk, Classic/Southern Rock, Country, Reggae and Grunge into a dynamic sound that’s won rave reviews from critics and fans alike. The Velmas have been the alt-rock darlings of the Albany scene for a few years now and have played all over the Northeast US. Their most recent album, Station, achieved national distribution and the band has slowly been building a presence outside of their home market. Let’s check out Station.

The album opens with the smooth Modern Rock sounds of One More Day, gaining some pop sensibility as The Velmas transition into This Time. Regardless of the pop orientation, the first few songs on Station sound a bit too calculated to hit the Modern Rock market. The Velmas have everything gel on Tell Her I Love Her, a Weezer-esque pop/rock tune about unrequited love. Tell Her I Love Her has strong commercial potential and is the sort of song that can vault an unknown band into national prominence on short notice; it's just a question of getting it heard in the right venue. Midnight sounds like something that could have come right off the Rent soundtrack, and is probably a favorite at club shows where midnight is half time. Where'd She Go might be the best tune on the disc; it's just flat out, great Rock N Roll. Be sure also to check out Silenced, Forever With Me (Emily's Song) and Past Tense on the way to The Velmas' cover of Lionel Richie's Hello. Say what you want, but it's a good, Daughtry style cover of the song.

The Velmas play in a small pond right now (Albany, NY) but show the sort of talent and panache it takes to make it in a bigger market. Station is a strong effort that's worth checking out. It finds The Velmas playing with mixes of Pop, Rock and Post-Punk that work more often than not. My suspicion is that if they keep playing in that realm sooner or later they might just strike gold.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about The Velmas at http://www.thevelmas.com/ or www.myspace.com/thevelmas. You can purchase a copy of Station at www.cdbaby.com/cd/thevelmasccr, or you can download the album from iTunes.

Review: Reed KD - In Case The Comet Comes

Reed KD - In Case The Comet Comes
2009, Reed KD Music

Reed KD took an unusual path to recording his album In Case The Comet Comes. Spending much of 2007 and 2008 living out of his car, Reed traveled around the west and mid-west taking in the land, the culture and most importantly, the music he encountered. Returning home to northern California, Reed essentially scratched together In Case The Comet Comes with borrowed equipment, a laptop and the help of friends and family. The result is a neo-folk adventure that draws comparisons to Elliott Smith, Simon & Garfunkel and even Beck.

Reed KD has a voice that is at times reminiscent of Art Garfunkel in his Simon & Garfunkel days; strong, clear and with a distinct yet lonely beauty that is striking. The entire album is a sonic wonderland. Reed KD writes like a singer-songwriter with a folk sensibility and enough pop orientation to keep everything flowing freely. The album opens with This Is It, a highly energetic acoustic rock song with shades of Celtic and Country thrown in. This is the perfect album opener; virulently catchy and one of the few full-on acoustic tracks I’ve heard that could make noise in a pop market as is. If The Tide Swings encapsulates that sense of lonely beauty that Reed KD projects in his music. The protagonist is still holding on, not wanting to lose what he has, but almost helpless to do anything other than observe as things play themselves out. The song is well-written and the story flows almost like in a well-crafted movie.

Winding Roads could turn out to be a classic folk tune. The finger-pick arrangement is gorgeous, and the lyrics are well-written and beautifully sung. Don’t be surprised if this song gets covered by someone big in the folk world down the line. Reed KD slows things down with a lazy country tune on In The Grass. The song is as relaxed as its subject and almost meanders from Reed KD’s guitar and lips than anything else. My favorite song on the disc is Cactus Garden. Reed KD again walks the fine line between Country and Celtic music styles here, with a memorable melody supporting wonderful imagery, and the musicianship here is absolutely top notch. Space Vacuums is perhaps the oddest song on the disc; not really consistent with the rest of the material presented here, but ethereal and lovely in its own fashion. You’ll also want to check out Hippie Chicks, Keep M Bags Packed and Sleepless Nights In Bed.

Reed KD is not your typical Pop/Rocker. His songs have a distinctive Pop sensibility, but are rooted in Folk, Country and even Celtic origins. In Case The Comet Comes is a breath of fresh air. The songwriting is distinctive and well crafted; the musicianship is Grade A, and the vocal performances are the sort you’d be happy to listen to all day. In Case The Comet Comes is one of the best “out of nowhere” albums thus far in 2009. Let’s hope we hear a great deal more from Reed KD in the future.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Reed KD at www.myspace.com/reedkd or http://www.reedkd.com/. You can purchase a copy of In Case The Comet Comes at www.cdbaby.com/cd/reedkd3.

Review: Blues Divine - Shine Like The Sun

Blues Divine - Shine Like The Sun
2009, Wide Eye Music

Philip Franchini is the force majeure behind new blues act Blues Divine. With deep Blues roots running the gamut from Magic Sam to Robert Johnson and Elmore James, Franchini's Blues Divine can deliver traditional blues as well as modern takes on the art form. Blues Divine's debut album, Shine Like The Sun, infuses gospel and jazz as it loosely follows the evolution of blues as it rolled out of Mississippi and down the great river. Traditionalists will be thrilled with Franchini's style, and modern Blues fans will find a lot to like here.

Shine Like The Sun opens with Knockin’, a great bit of old school Rockin’ Rhythm N Blues. The guitar work here is excellent. Down By The River brings in the gospel sound that Franchini seems to adore, while Don’t Settle For Less heads straight for a 1970’s groove with a hybrid of Jazz, Blues and Rock N Roll with just a touch of Funk thrown in. Apocalypse Blues is a great deal of fun, the sort of thing you might hear in a blues club on a Saturday night. Things get a bit rough in the middle of the album, but by the time Blues Divine comes to My Father’s House they’ve found perfect form. This is a southern Gospel tune that is played here in a Rockabilly/Blues mix that is amazing. This seems to be the sound that most becomes Blues Divine. Shine Like The Sun is done in a country arrangement that is definitely worth hearing, and Sacred Ground, the last track, is perhaps the best on the album. The piano, organ and guitar work perfectly together here on this Gospel and Blues hybrid.

Blues Divine has a sound that while not wholly original, is distinctive. Shine Like The Sun is a strong presentation, although the middle of the album is a bit rough at times. Blues and Gospel fans will enjoy this offering. Give it a few listens; it’s one of those albums that opens up to the listener more and more with successive listens.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Blues Divine at http://www.bluesdivine.com/. You can purchase a copy of Shine Like The Sun at CDBaby.

Review: Foster McGinty - Peach Red

Foster McGinty - Peach Red
2009, Foster McGinty

Foster McGinty's roots are deep in the Missouri soil of Cape Girardeau, but he's a New York City boy these days with the Rock N Roll swagger to match. Deeply introspective as a lyricist, McGinty brings a guitar style that's been compared to the theoretical love child of Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton's Cream. McGinty has established himself in the New York music scene with headline performances at Kenny's Castaways and The Bitter End, but has traveled all over the US en route to where he stands. With Peach Red, McGinty establishes himself as something fans have known him to be all along, a rock star.

Indeed, McGinty embraces the same fusion of Rock and Blues that drove folks like Hendrix, Cream and even Led Zeppelin to stardom. Opening with Can’t Help But Shine, McGinty even shows elements of Funk in his Blues/Rock mix. The guitar work throughout the album is excellent. 10 Moons sounds like it was heavily influenced by Hendrix and is the sort of song that a classic rock cover band would latch on to with relish. McGinty gets into a more hard-nosed, Southern Rock sound on Dream Catcher, perhaps the best written track on the disc, but the aural highlight is Burning Bee Hive. The Hammond Organ and bass guitar steal the show on this one, mixing it up below the guitar line to create some wonderful musical and rhythmic wizardry. You’ll also want to check out Turqoise, Circus Mind and My Time Of Uncertainty.

Foster McGinty plays like a rock star. His guitar chops are unquestionable. The songwriting here is a bit uneven at times, but no duds can be found among the ten tracks presented here. Peach Red is a fun introduction to a man who remembers, or at least has recaptured, what it was like to play Rock N Roll in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s. Foster McGinty offers us a bit of musical history on Peach Red; updated for today, but none the worse for wear.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Foster McGinty at http://www.fostermcginty.com/ or www.myspace.com/fostermcginty. You can purchase a copy of Peach Red at www.cdbaby.com/cd/fostermcginty2.

Review: Bryan Clark - Gossip, Inspiration & Slander

Bryan Clark - Gossip, Inspiration & Slander
2008, Rainfeather Records

Bryan Clark is a true Renaissance man; a self-motivated, self-governed life-long learner and lover of music. With a Masters and Ph.D. in music, the singer/songwriter/arranger/session player and college professor seeks to understand himself and then the world through his music. Three highly successful bluegrass tribute albums with his band Honeywagon helped him learn the Bluegrass form (Sympathy for Bluegrass - A Tribute To The Rolling Stones; Grass Stains and Green Day, Bluegrass). Tiring of L.A., Clark relocated to Nashville, where he has released five successful and groundbreaking solo albums. Not one for the politics of Nashville or the traditional bent of Bluegrass, Clark works to bend genres and create new sounds from old. His latest album, the double-disc set Gossip, Inspiration & Slander, features an acoustic disc and an electric disc. With three songs shared between the two discs, listeners get a chance to hear the musical development of the creative process, but also get to hear the breadth and depth of Clark's stylistic range and talent. Clark's music has been featured on shows such as America's Next Top Model and Project Runway, as well as on networks such as VH1, FOX, ESPN and Oxygen.

The acoustic disc opens with Angelyne and a gorgeous, old-time country/bluegrass sound. Clark has a heart throb voice and the harmonies that surround him here just build an amazing aural canvas. The second track, Midnight Kisses is pure gold. The song has a great country sound with distinct pop sensibilities and a killer acoustic arrangement. The musicianship here is amazing. It’s one of those songs that stick in your head from the first time you hear it; you won’t be able to help yourself from singing/tapping along. Nights Like These is great pop country, but would benefit from an electric arrangement. Kiss The Bride is a bit of classic songwriting; a song about addiction and the choices people make. There is an implied inevitability to the song that is artfully told. For Predictions Of You, Clark explores a long distance relationship posthumously from the perspective of a man who can’t let go. The song walks the line between sweet and vaguely disturbing as the protagonist’s devotion becomes clear. The acoustic disc also features some fine instrumental work on Blackberry Blossom, Dom On The Saddlehorn, Midnight And The Harvest Moon and Bill Cheatum.

The electric disc gives a picture of the more commercial side of Clark, as well as an interesting stylistic tendency toward Texas Red Dirt Country. Two songs reminded me distinctly of Lyle Lovett in writing style. Bumper To Bumper sounds like it could be a Lovett outtake, mixing in the same wry wit Lovett is known for. Don’t Blame Me gets into some Texas-style acoustic blues, with song craft reminiscent of Lovett. This is the best song on both discs overall. That aside, I didn’t enjoy the electric disc quite as much as the acoustic. The sound here is solid and has strong commercial legs, but the musicianship on the acoustic disc is difficult to equal, much less top. The electric Angelyne just doesn’t live up to the acoustic version, and Midnight Kisses has a slick sound that will play well to Country radio, but loses a bit in the translation to electric instruments. Be sure also to check out The Way It Is, Nights Like These and All That Really Matters.

Bryan Clark is the real deal, a hard core country singer/songwriter with deep Texas roots who can play the commercial game but rights significant songs. Gossip, Inspiration & Slander is a classic, although I would recommend the acoustic disc first and foremost. Clark is an inestimable talent and this album could make him a superstar with the right breaks. Here’s hoping it happens. We need more Bryan Clark.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Bryan Clark at http://www.bryanclarkmusic.com/. You can purchase a copy of Gossip, Inspiration and Slander at CDBaby.

Review: The Motion Sick - The Truth Will Catch You, Just Wait...

The Motion Sick - The Truth Will Catch You, Just Wait...
2008, Naked Ear Records

Boston quartet The Motion Sick bring a prose-based lyrical style wed to archetypal melodies and harmonies that embed themselves in your aural tract for a good, long stay. The sophomore album, The Truth Will Catch You, Just Wait... takes inspiration from the television series Twin Peaks and its endless cycle of delaying the inevitable. With wit and a visceral go-for-the-throat tenacity in their lyrics, The Motion Sick are often compared to Kurt Vonnegut, but Mark Twain might be a better comparison; The Motion Sick have a bit of the Nick Cave relentless intensity about them as well.

The Truth Will Catch You, Just Wait… opens with Jean-Paul, a messy little alt-rocker full of a minimalist rock rhythm section overlaid with jangly guitar in the chorus. The song has a moderately driving, relentless quality to it that builds through each verse into the chorus. 30 Lives is a true Silly Little Love Song in the Beatles fashion. Even the melody evokes that era of uncomplicated Rock N Roll love songs. This song will haunt your brain for days after you hear it, and is cute as a devotional. Walk On Water is virally catchy. Your feet will tap, your head will bounce – it will just happen, you won’t be able to help yourself. This is another song that will run through your head of its own volition once you’ve heard it. We see a softer side to The Motion Sick on Losing Altitude; more of a typical shoe gazer than anything else. The song is pleasant but gets a little stuck on the premise, repeating “I’m losing” until you want to forward to the next track.

The Owls Are Not What They Seem is surreal, both musically and lyrically. The arrangement is built in minor keys in the verse resolving into a dark yet peppy chorus. Think Weezer or some of Barenaked Ladies darker material here. Tiny Dog (Nobody Cries) is a song full of angst that is balanced by a swaying quality that generally goes with “feel good” tunes. The juxtaposition is almost comical, and lead singer Mike Epstein seriously reminds me here of Roger Clyne (The Refreshments, Roger Clyne And The Peacemakers). Some Lonely Day is an intriguing mid-tempo rocker with some wonderful internal instrumentation going on (particularly the frenetic bass line). The album closes out with Love Will Tear Us Apart and a dance mix of 30 Lives.

The Motion Sick are post-modern rock, pulling in elements of Alternative and some of the post-grunge neo-garage sound of the early-to-mid 1990’s and a quirky perspective that fits in with the Weezers and BNLs. The Truth Will Catch You, Just Wait… is a good, honest effort that deserves your attention. The material here won’t grab you and shake your foundations, but like still waters there’s a lot going on underneath for those who will listen.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about The Motion Sick at http://www.themotionsick.com/ or www.myspace.com/themotionsick. You can purchase a copy of The Truth Will Catch You, Just Wait… at www.cdbaby.com/cd/motionsick2.

Review: Israel Houghton - The Power Of One

Israel Houghton – The Power Of One
2009, Integrity Music

You’ve probably heard of Israel Houghton before. Houghton is a 2-time Grammy Award winning musician and worship leader for Joel Osteen’s Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas. Houghton is sometimes credited as Israel & The New Breed, and accompanied Alicia Keys at the 2007 MTV Video Music Awards in a performance of George Michael’s Freedom ’90. Houghton has also performed with the likes of Aretha Franklin and BeBe Winans, as well as recording with Michael W. Smith. Houghton has also been a three-time worship leader at Hillsong, as well as leading for both Promise Keepers and Champions For Christ events. Houghton recently released his latest CD, The Power Of One, on Integrity Music. Let’s check it out.

There’s no questioning that Houghton’s music is all about worship, but there is a distinctive pop sensibility in his songs that tends to be missing from much of what is classified as Contemporary Christian Music (CCM). Everywhere That I Go opens the CD, sounding like a Philip Bailey track from the 1980’s. The song is highly listenable and features some great pop hooks. Just Wanna Say is a true Rock/Gospel experience with great harmonies and R&B influences. The Power Of One (Change The World) comes off sounding like Club Nouveau’s recording of Lean On Me. That’s not to say it copies the song in any way, but it has a similar sound and vibe. Saved By Grace does sound a bit like Prince’s 1999, appropriating a keyboard progression from the song that was probably unintentional. Sing (Redemption’s Song) features Martin Smith and could easily be a Pop hit on commercial radio. I enjoyed the funk flavor of Better To Believe with special guest Tommy Sims, but You Found Me may be the most striking song on the disc. Featuring guest tobyMac, the song has some of the most devastating electric violin work you’re likely to come across this year. Other highlights include U R Loved, I Receive and Every Prayer (with Mary Mary).

Israel Houghton is the sort of artist who could make it in any genre at any time, but chooses to put his passion to work in the Gospel realm. His talent for crafting a unique blend of Gospel with styles such as Rock, Pop, Reggae and Blues is uncanny. I hope Houghton has room on his shelf for more hardware, because if this album doesn’t win him his third Grammy I’ll be shocked. If you’re a fan of Christian music don’t hesitate a moment, go get The Power Of One. If you’re not a fan, consider it anyway; you’ll appreciate the stylistic blends and audacity that Israel Houghton has to offer.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Israel Houghton at www.myspace.com/israelhoughton or http://www.israelhoughton.net/, where you can purchase a copy of The Power Of One, or you can download the CD through iTunes.

Review: New York Dolls - 'Cause I Sez So

New York Dolls – ‘Cause I Sez So
2009, ATCO

If the New York City punk scene of the 1970’s could be traced back to one forefather it might just be the New York Dolls. Mixing influences as rich as the Rolling Stones, classic R&B, rock and Philly Funk with an attitude that’s all New York, New York Dolls practically created the scene that spawned such bands as The Ramones, Blondie, The Talking Heads and Television. The New York Dolls reunited in 2004 after a long hiatus with original members David Johansen (known to some as Buster Poindexter) and Sylvain Sylvain. The New York Dolls rock their way into 2009 with a new album of original tunes, ‘Cause I Sez So.

The New York Dolls don’t mess around with the sort of edgy, maudlin alt-pop you hear on the radio nowadays. This is good old fashioned Rock N Roll with elements of Rhythm N Blues and the occasional dose of funk. ‘Cause I Sez So opens with the title track, a raucous, bar room song that you’ll want to shake your fanny to. Lonely So Long sees the Dolls embracing an Americana sound that is a bit surprising and yet fits them so very well. This is the sort of song you sing along to at a concert along with everyone else in attendance. My World is a blue collar, Rock N Roll love song that’s something of a throwback.

Making Rain is one of the stronger songs on the disc; an Alt-Country/Americana tune featuring outstanding guitar work. Drowning is a tasty bit of Southern/Classic Rock that opens with a guitar intro that isn’t in itself iconic but established a tenor and sound that is unforgettable (think Queensryche’s Silent Lucidity). My favorite song on the disc is Nobody Got No Bizness, a mix of Rock, Rhythm N Blues and a bit of Philly style funk. This is a great party tune that you won’t be able to get out of your head. ‘Cause I Sez So closes with Exorcism Of Despair, mixing elements of Rock and Punk with the frenetic drive of early Rush. This sounds like a 1970’s AOR staple.

The New York Dolls were a special band in a special time. Their successes in the early 1970’s paved the way for many artists who would come afterward. ‘Cause I Sez So is a very strong effort from the New York Dolls, and a sure sign that they have a lot of kick in them yet. If you’re looking for the roots of the Punk movement, look no further than the New York Dolls.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about The New York Dolls at http://www.nydolls.org/ or www.myspace.com/newyorkdolls. You can purchase a copy of ‘Cause I Sez So at Amazon.com .

Review: Hedley - Never Too Late

Hedley – Never Too Late
2009, Fontana International

Hedley has the sort of back story most bands dream of. The band originated in a small town in British Columbia called Abbotsford, taking their name from another British Columbia town that was for sale for $346,000. The band bet their lead singer, Jacob Hoggard that he wouldn’t audition for Canadian Idol. The rest, as they say is history. Hoggard went on to place third in the 2004 edition of Canadian Idol, and with a reconstituted Hedley has gone on to release two platinum albums in Canada (Hedley and Famous Last Words). Now U.S. audiences get to hear Hedley for the first time with a collection of singles and songs from those two platinum albums entitled Never Too Late. This album was previously released in Europe (2008).

Hedley brings a sound that’s pure modern rock radio sound but does take the occasional detour. Starting out with She’s So Sorry, a high energy rocker with strong pop/radio sensibilities. Big hooks and a catchy chorus mean this song will have serious commercial legs. 321 is built around some unusual guitar progressions that get your attention but almost derail the song in a couple of spot. The tension created there certainly does intrigue, but this song might be a case of trying to squeeze too much into a small bit of music. For The Nights I Can’t Remember is a great Rock N Roll song, a former #1 AC Single in Canada and Top-Ten overall. Hoggard is at his vocal best here, and the harmony vocals come off sounding almost like an old Eagles record.

Never Too Late is another former Top-10 single and has a Reggae/Rock vibe with a highly commercial sound. The guitar work in this song is notable and would be fun to pick apart and learn for anyone who plays. On My Own is the song that started it all for Hedley (post-Idol). Originally released in Canada back in 2005 the song shot to #1. It is a solid Modern Rock/Pop song that perhaps was driven to #1 as much by Hoggard’s then-recent stint on Canadian Idol as anything else. Old School is another former Top-10 Canadian single; this one fits Modern Rock formats perfectly, although is perhaps a little too stereotypical of the genre to stand out. It’s a decent song but didn’t floor me. Far and away the best song on the album is Narcissist; a high-energy rocker with Punk anger tempered by a modern cynicism. Narcissist is worth the price of the disc on its own.

Hedley has risen quickly on the back of Hoggard’s exposure on Canadian Idol. Unlike the big rocker from the US version, Daughtry, Hoggard and Hedley have stayed with a more big rock sound (whereas Daughtry has gone more toward the repressed Emo/Rock/gloominess that seems to haunt American rock radio these days). Hedley should do well in the US market with Never Too Late, although it’s a shame that Fontana waited this long to release an album here. Never Too Late is a strong effort. We’ll be curious to see how Hedley develops from here; whether they stick with the formula they’ve written in for their first two albums or whether they branch out over time.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Hedley at www.myspace.com/hedley. You can purchase a copy of Never Too Late at Amazon.com or download the album through iTunes.

Review: The Voodoo Fix - The Voodoo Fix EP

The Voodoo Fix - The Voodoo Fix EP
2009, The Voodoo Fix

In the great church of music history, Emo and Punk developed as a Reformation to the excesses of corporate rock. In an L.A. scene bogged down in the Reformation, The Voodoo Fix held their own personal Counter-Reformation, resurrecting a classic blues sound in grand fashion (i.e. volume) and mixing it with the raw material stylistic flourishes of Rock N Roll, Funk, Folk, Punk and Soul. The band's self-titled debut EP establishes The Voodoo Fix as a musical force to be reckoned with, mixing a determined force of mind with a laid back sensibility that somehow don't seem to cancel each other out.

With My Voodoo opens the EP with a strong case of the electric Blues. Voodoo in this case is the spell musicians sometimes cast over fans. The guitar style here is pure Hendrix and the song is a great listen. Walk On By is an easy-grooving 1970’s Funk/Jazz/Rock hybrid. The music is strong but the vocals are a bit on the bland side. Don’t Come Home is high-energy rock that falls short of exciting in spite of the high energy level. It’s a decent song but musically the least interesting of the five songs presented here. Border Patrol is my personal favorite song, featuring the best/most interesting guitar work on the album. The vocals are again somewhat flat here (not flat as in pitch, but just not matching the energy level of the music). With the right re-work and a push from an influential source this song could have major commercial impact. Save Me closes out the EP and is built on a monster guitar riff with strong Funk and Blues influences. There’s a distinct Retro-Modern feel here that will appeal to fans of 1970’s rock as well as denizens of Modern Rock.

The Voodoo Fix is a very interesting venture; a young band with a debut EP that makes a strong case for their musicianship and ability to right. The sound is a little bit rough, owing some credit to the early-1970’s Rock era were Blues, Funk and Soul melded in one fashion or another to each other and to Rock N Roll. The Voodoo Fix is a band to watch. Some of the songs presented here deserve a more dynamic vocal performance, but that’s the only complaint I can find with The Voodoo Fix EP. This could be the beginning of a very long musical trip for The Voodoo Fix.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about The Voodoo Fix at www.myspace.com/thevoodoofix or http://www.thevoodoofix.com/. You can purchase The Voodoo Fix EP as a download from either iTunes or Amazon MP3.

Review: Mammoth Life - Enlightenment: A Romantic Gospel Part 3 and 4

Mammoth Life - Enlightenment: A Romantic Gospel Part 3 and 4

2009, Mammoth Life

Mammoth Life is an esoteric Kansas band with a mid-western charm and a sound that's out of this world. Pop convention goes out the window in the face of following their muse, and Mammoth Life creates like the sun flies, straight across the sky with no stop or pause for the mores of the moment. In anticipation of the 2010 release of their next album, An American Movement, Mammoth Life has released a highly limited (250 copies) 7" vinyl 45-rpm EP entitled: Enlightenment: A Romantic Gospel Part 3 and 4. The EP is pressed on transparent blue vinyl and hand numbered, and promises great things from An American Movement.

This two track single displays a continuation of the artistic and sonically aesthetic work undertaken begun on Kaleidoscopic Art Pop, although early indications suggest that Mammoth Life continue to delve deeper and deeper in this collective muse. Disrupting The Extinction Of Distinction (Part 3 – Ego), is a wide-ranging, piano-driven chamber pop experience. There’s an irrepressible pop feel to the song despite its more baroque elements. We Are Within A Holy War (Part 4 – Critical Thinking) indirectly challenges listeners to delve deeper than the sound bytes you hear on the news and consider both the realities and the impacts of events in the world. Listening to these songs you could image that if composer Ralph Vaughan Williams were writing today his material might sound a bit like Mammoth Life.

Mammoth Life continues to impress from deep in left field (beware the corn rows). This is one of those bands that’s just so unique and off the dial that it’s hard to imagine them gaining significant commercial footing, yet there is a distinct pop sensibility that runs through their brand of Art/Chamber/Folk Rock that is irrepressible. If these two songs are any indication, the forthcoming album, An American Movement, should be something exciting to hear. For now, try to get your hands on Enlightenment: A Romantic Gospel Part 3 and 4; it’s very much worth the effort.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Mammoth Life at www.myspace.com/officialmammothlife or http://www.mammothlife.net/. Enlightenment: A Romantic Gospel Part 3 and 4 is listed on Mammoth Life’s website but without purchase links. Contact the band directly through their website or MySpace pages for more info.

Review: Never Shout Never - The Summer EP

Never Shout Never – The Summer EP
2009, Never Shout Never

Joplin, Missouri’s Christopher Drew is the creative force behind Never Shout Never, the latest in a long line of MTV-friendly post-punk pop bands to hit the national stage. With media features by outlets such as Alternative Press, Billboard Magazine, AMP Magazine as well as a 2008 performance on MTV’s TRL, Never Shout Never is nicely positioned for a big year. The Summer EP, recorded in early 2009, was recorded by Forrest Kline of HelloGoodbye and mixed by Jon Kaplan (Good Charlotte, LL Cool J, The Starting Line). The EP also features a cameo from Limbeck’s Patrick Carrie (I Just Laugh).

The Summer EP opens with Happy, a bright and cheery acoustic pop song. Drew has a distinctive voice with a strong and clear falsetto sound. The song itself is very catchy. I Just Laugh is a catchy brand of folk/geek/pop that will keep intruding into your head. On The Bright Side is highly quirky and highly infectious. This is one of those songs you just have to sing/hum/whistle/tap along to. You won’t be able to help yourself. Losing It is the best composition on the album; a wonderful pining love song that will be familiar to anyone who’s lived through adolescence. You’ll also want to check out the other two tracks, Hummingbird and Simple Enough.

Never Shout Never is the sort of different that will get significant attention, similar to how the Counting Crows first caught on when they came on the national scene. Vocalist Christopher Drew has the advantage of sounding like almost no one in pop, although comparisons could be made to John Ondrasik and Adam Duritz. The Summer EP will do great things for Never Shout Never. Expect to start hearing that name a lot more in the not-too-distant future.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Never Shout Never at www.myspace.com/nevershoutnever. You can purchase a copy of The Summer EP at Amazon.com. Never Shout Never will be part of mtvU’s Sunblock Festival Tour along with Boys Like Girls and Gym Class Heroes this summer, as well as playing on the SmartPunk stage on the Vans Warped Tour from July 20 – August 9, 2009.

Review: Matthew Kennedy - Avise La Fin

Matthew Kennedy - Avise La Fin
2009, Interleague Records

Matthew Kennedy, born in Zimbabwe and raised in South Africa, found his way to America as a member of Christian band Khanyisa. After touring the US, Europe, Africa and Asia the group disbanded and Kennedy relocated to Los Angeles. From this musical high Kennedy quickly descended a dark road into drug and alcohol addiction. After his debut solo CD, Makes Me Alright, Kennedy re-examined his life and re-connected with his faith. These personal changes bred others, with Kennedy regaining control over his life. Kennedy's sophomore CD, Avise La Fin, consists of eleven songs informed by faith and hope. The title, taken from the Kennedy family crest (Consider The End), informs the philosophy that runs throughout the album.

The first thing that struck me about Kennedy is how much he sounds like Bono at times; indeed, about half of the music on Avise La Fin sounds like it could have been drawn from mid-career U2 sessions of the 1990’s. The album opens with Sing, a dark and edgy pop tune full of a hopeful, almost joy emerging from darkness. Salvation In A Box starts the serious U2 references with a soaring rocker featuring the sort of big Chorus Bono and the gang are known for. Kennedy hits potential radio gold with You Are Beautiful, another big soaring rock song with the sort of hooks that keep a song on the air for months. Say may be the best balanced song on the album, full of a melancholy feel and an infectious pop hook. Pick Up has a mellow vibe but strives to be a big pop/rock tune. Kennedy manages to make it soar in spite of the very relaxed feel to the song.

Like many albums, Avise La Fin gets a bit thin in the late going; the last few tracks are pleasant and well-written but just not up to the level Kennedy hit on the first 2/3 of the album. Avise La Fin reflects a more mature artist in Matthew Kennedy; one who has grown from his past misadventures, overcome personal obstacles, and learned to look at life through his songwriting rather than using his songwriting as a means to see things. Avise La Fin is a wonderful mix of dark and light with strong songwriting and the tremendous vocal performances Kennedy gives while pouring his heart into each song. It’s a definite keeper.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Matthew Kennedy at www.myspace.com/matthewkennedy. You can purchase a copy of Avise La Fin at www.cdbaby.com/cd/matthewkennedy2, or you can download the album from iTunes.

Anj Granieri Volunteer Fundraising Request

Anj Granieri is an accomplished singer/songwriter, and has even landed a gig this year writing for Oprah Winfrey. We reviewed her album When Grey Blushes last year and in the process identified an artist who deserves your attention. At this time Ms. Granieri could also use your help. She has decided to take a step back from the music world this summer and go volunteer her time and effort by living/working in an Ophanage in Valea Screzzi, Romania. In order to fund her "Volunteer Placement Fee", airfare and supplies, Granieri needs to raise $3,000.00. You can read more about her planned trip and make donations in any amount at http://www.firstgiving.com/anjgranieri. All donations are tax deductible, and in this case it will be funding a real live person to go and help real live people. There will be no question, as there are in all of the appeals you see on late night television, or where the money goes and what will be done with it.

So be sure to make a donation to support Ms. Granieri's volunteer work, and while you're at it, check out When Grey Blushes, it will also be very much worth your time.

Review: Janid - Twisted

Janid - Twisted
2009, Zonisphere Records

Puerto-Rico born songstress Janid is a musical chameleon with whose voice you may have heard before. She's lent her voice to a project with Frankie Cutlas; to movie soundtracks, radio and television commercials and even serves as the Spanish language voice on 1-800-JETBLUE. Janid's music has been previously featured in the Puerto-Rican mini-series El Ultimo Caso del Detective Prado, leading to her first record deal with Dead Ninja Records in 2006 and a move to New York City. Her debut album, Goddess, led to 4 star ratings on VH-1 and Amazon.com as well as selection as New York's Sexiest Latina by Farandulife Magazine. Her early music was in the R&B genre which prevailed on her second CD, One. Janid also scored a part in the motion picture Bare Knucklez, but felt highly constrained by the path she was on. A six-week sabbatical in 2008 led to a groundbreaking decision to attempt a foray into the realm of electronic music. With her third album, Twisted, Janid brings her high-powered vocal style to dark and roaming electronic tales punctuated by heavy beats and a slightly deranged demeanor. This "good girl gone bad" has wowed fans around the world, and Twisted is the album that just might take her to the next level of name recognition.

Janid jumps right to the head of the club class with Take Me Out, a pulsing, pounding dance tune with a solid melody and amazing vocal performance from Janid. Twisted brings a little raw sexuality to the dance floor as Janid seems to fully hit stride on her blend of R&B, House and Electronica. Think Mary J. Blige meets Kylie Minogue. Do Me is the song most likely to make Janid a household name; a near perfect blend of pop, dance and R&B. With a beat so relentless you can’t help but dance, Do Me also has the sort of melody line and hooks that mean you’ll be humming/singing it for days or even weeks. Janid shows a little of her softer side (vocally) on Red Velvet Curtains to great effect, proving that she’s not just a belter but a singer, and quite accomplished at that. Sacrilegious is a song that could garner Janid a lot of attention, but it’s not what you might think. Sacrilegious in this case refers to living your own life without the “keeping up with the Joneses” constraints that many fall prey to. The song itself is moody and bordering on dark, with a rhythm that would make Madonna blush. Other highlights include Puppet, Not That Far and Freedom.

Janid is a dynamic and talented performer with a voice that grabs you and holds on for dear life. Add in a smoldering stare that could meld steel and a Goth style of dress and demeanor and Janid is perfectly positioned for a run at the top of the dance/electronic charts. Janid is superstar in the making, and Twisted is destined to gain her a much wider audience. Twisted is a stunning, unsettling, and ultimately successful album.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Janid at http://www.janidworld.com/ or www.myspace.com/janidmusic; or you can tweet along with Janid at www.twitter.com/Janid. Twisted can be purchased at Amazon.com or as a download via iTunes.

Review: Brian Larsen - Breaking

Brian Larsen – Breaking
2009, Brian Larsen

On August 4, 2009, Brian Larsen will release first solo album, Breaking. Larsen has previously released 7 albums, 2 EPs and a number of singles under the band name of Twilight’s Moon. Currently 23 years old, the Baltimore, Maryland resident recorded and released his first album at the age of 11, and has even produced for the band All-American Rejects.

Breaking is an album with distinct pluses and minuses. Larsen has a talent for subdued yet peppy Folk/Pop/Rock songs that are pleasant to listen to. His voice is strong and clear with a touch more vibrato than you generally hear in Pop music but it works for him. Larsen tends toward a monochromatic writing style (i.e. Hang On), relying on repetition and persistence to reinforce his ideas. Larsen sounds a bit like Paul Simon at times and uses that same understated, almost repressed vocal style that Simon has used at times throughout his career. Songs like Stay Or Break, Frozen and Hang On have strong pop sensibilities. Stand My Ground shows Larsen breaking out his serious songwriter aspect. Imagine a mildly aggressive Toad The West Sprocket here. There's the occasional bomb as well, such as Open Heart, but generally any deficits on Breaking revolve around charisma. Regardless of a person's ability to present live, some folks just don't come across as dynamic on recorded medium (similar to some people just don't photograph well). This may be the case with Brian Larsen, or it may be an issue to lay solidly at the feet of the producer (also Larsen). Either way, there is a flatness that comes across at times throughout Breaking that may put off some listeners.

Brian Larsen has made a strong effort with Breaking. His voice is very enjoyable and his songwriting is generally quite strong. A few of the songs presented here are better than they come across on CD, but on the whole it's a good effort.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Brian Larsen at http://www.twilightsmoon.com/ or www.myspace.com/twilightsmoon. Breaking will be released on August 4, 2009.

Review: Ray Charles - Modern Sounds In Country And Western Music Volume 1 & 2

Ray Charles - Modern Sounds In Country And Western Music Volume 1 & 2
2009, Concord Records

We're only publishing one review because we want you to pay special attention to this one. Regardless of what genre of music piques your interest, there occasionally comes along a recording that crosses so many boundaries, and is so original or unique that it eventually becomes recognized as a master work. These are the sort of albums that can be re-released multiple times across generations (in this case 47 years later), and still have enough commercial oomph to make significant noise on the album charts. In this case, we have an album that not only retains strong commercial punch nearly 50 years later, but was also the beginning of a revolution in music that has helped father (or grandfather) genres such as Americana while foreshadowing the marriage of Country to genres such as Blues, Rock and Pop. Aside from all of that, Ray Charles also spoke of great changes in the midst of the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960's.

On June 2, 2009, Concord Records re-released two of Ray Charles’ classic albums on one CD. Modern Sounds In Country And Western Music Volume 1 & 2. The two albums were recorded in 1962 (February and September, respectively). Volume 1 was released in April of 1962, and is considered by many critics and fans to be Charles’ greatest recorded work. Not only was the album a commercial success (#1 album, 1 #1 single, 2 Gold singles), but it also bent social barriers with the fusion of R&B and Country during the height of the Civil Rights movement. The album also helped Charles to gain wide exposure on R&B, Rock and Country stations, turning the talented performer into a superstar. Volume 2 was rushed to release in October of 1962 based on the success of the first album, featuring 2 top-10 singles and a #1 single (You Are My Sunshine).

Volume 1, in particular, has been lauded by publications after publication as one of the top albums ever created. Blender magazine ranked it #16 on its list of The 100 Greatest American Albums Of All Time. Rolling Stone placed it on the list of its essential Rock Albums in 1997. Stereophile magazine lists Volume 1 on its 40 Essential Albums list, while Time magazine included Volume 1 on its 100 Greatest Albums of All Time. It’s easy to see why. Charles turned his inimitable talents on songs like Bye Bye Love, I Can’t Stop Loving You (#1 single), You Don’t Know Me (Top 10 single) and Hank Williams’ Hey Good Lookin’. With production by Sid Feller (Dean Martin, Peggy Lee, Paul Anka, etc.) and string arrangements by Marty Paich (Sinatra, Streisand, Ella Fitzgerald, Mel Tormé, Aretha Franklin, Michael Jackson, etc.), no stone was left unturned in creating perfect Ray Charles versions of each song.

In response to the tremendous success of Volume 1, Volume 2 was quickly recorded and released in October of 1962, using the same formula that had driven the success of Volume 1. The album included such hits as You Are My Sunshine (#1 single), Take These Chains From My Heart (Top 10 single), and Hank Williams’ Your Cheatin’ Heart (Top 40 single), as well as takes on Don Gibson’s Oh, Lonesome Me and the Chet Artkins/Boudleaux Bryant song Midnight.

Concord Records has done a great job handling these two releases, bringing them together for the first time outside of a box set and in an affordable form. The remaster on both is flawless, and give a great picture of the man, the artist, and the ground-breaking music he was creating at the time. The music is timeless and stands on its own as one of Charles’ greatest legacies, for both its artistic and social impacts. If you want to understand where today’s Americana styles started, with blends of country, rock and blues, look no further than Ray Charles. Without these two albums and the many that followed, the music you’d be hearing today might sound very different. Modern Sounds In Country And Western Music Volume 1 & 2 is a Wildy’s World Certified Desert Island Disc, and practically defines the concept.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Ray Charles at http://www.raycharles.com/. You can purchase Modern Sounds In Country And Western Music Volume 1 & 2 at Amazon.com or download it through iTunes.

Review: Natalie Gelman - Natalie Gelman

Natalie Gelman - Natalie Gelman
2006, Natalie Gelman

You'll be excused if thinking Natalie Gelman is just another folk/rock singer-songwriter until the first time you actually hear her sing. If you still profess the same heresy thereafter you're bound to be remanded for a hearing exam. The decorated opera singer (two performances at Carnegie Hall as a soloist) has a supple voice that can handle the demands of a Rock N Roll song, the subtlety and weight of a folk song or the lyricism and endurance required to sing an aria. The New York City native is dedicated to music not only as a vocation but as a means to affect the world around here. Gelman toured from Miami up the East Coast to New York City in support of the 2006 release of her debut CD, Natalie Gelman on roller blades, raising money along the way for charity. She has been featured on the front page of the New York Times, in Billboard Magazine, on CBS' The Early Show and as a New York City finalist for season 3 of America's Got Talent.

Gelman has a big, impressive alto voice that will draw your attention the second she opens her mouth to sing. Gelman sounds like a tough girl behind the mic, but there's a great deal of heart and vulnerability that she wears on her self-titled CD, coming across as a delicious mix of Joan Osborne and Sarah McLachlan. The album opens with the runaway song Rest Of The Way. The song outlines a picture of someone fleeing a bad relationship by making the same sort of bad decisions that led them into the relationship in the first place. The song is very well written with a distinctive chorus and a nuanced presentation that shows great maturity and touch as a songwriter. Sweet July is a love song that looks backward with a lot of energy and rhythm. Always Was is a touching paean to the idea that first love never truly dies. This is a well-written and nuanced song that's full of a quiet yet passionate urgency.

Just Someone may be the ultimate dysfunctional relationship song; following a similar meaning track as Sheryl Crow's Strong Enough without the passive-aggressive tendencies implied in that tune. Never finds Gelman returning to the retrospective love song category, looking back on a past love. This is one of the prettier songs on the CD, with a great melody and a strong arrangement. For all the good that's come before, Gelman saves the best for last. Forgive Me is a stunner full of an emotional depth and honesty that rarely survives the cut in pop music. The protagonist put off a potential suitor to take time to figure out what she really wanted; by the time she figured out it was him he'd moved on. Gelman asks forgiveness in song, although whether its forgiveness of the suitor or herself she's really requesting. The song is heartfelt and driven and written in a rock arrangement that is a perfect surprise. Generally this sort of song appears in a melancholic dirge; Gelman's musical placement here is perfect.

This is one of those CDs that took me a little while to get into. It had kicked around my desk for a couple of weeks, getting a listen here or there but not really hitting home. All of a sudden on the third or fourth listen something clicked. Gelman is a tremendous songwriter, but off the beaten track enough that you have to work for the experience. Folks who listen passively may not get her, or at least not fully. Natalie Gelman is an impressive debut. There are rough edges here or there but nothing that won't refine over time. Between her distinctive style and familiar yet proprietary sound, it’s easy to prognosticate that Gelman will be making music worth listening to for many years to come. Be sure to spend some real time with Natalie Gelman. It will be worth the investment.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Natalie Gelman at http://www.nataliegelman.com/ or www.myspace.com/nataliegelman. You can purchase a copy of Natalie Gelman at www.cdbaby.com/cd/nataliegelman or download the album through iTunes.

Review: Froud - Nostalgia

Froud - Nostalgia
2009, Froud

Froud has its roots in Wexford, Ireland, but those roots extend into the crossroads of Carrickmacross, Kilkenny, Swords and Athlone. The next big thing out of Ireland has already created a fair amount of buzz with their debut single, Nostalgia. With US licensing deals and a #1 single on the Irish Independent Download chart, Froud has attracted accolades from Skope Magazine (Artist To Watch) and featured on The Eclectic Show and Swept Away TV.

Nostalgia opens with the title track, a big hook-filled rock tune with a soaring chorus. The vocalist, Martin O'Neill is a pleasure to listen to and I wouldn't be surprised to find that this song had already been licensed for television placement. Open Eyes tries to bring back the big rock anthem. Built around great guitar hooks, Open Eyes harkens back to the days of 1970's heavy rock. Froud finds a killer sound here that's also danceable. Lair is the highlight of the disc, allowing O’Neill to really show off his pipes. Lair is a wonderfully dark, down-tempo song built on major progressions with minor-key accents. While this isn't commercial radio material, it's the sort of song that can help a band build a dedicated core following pretty quickly.

Froud is an old-school rock band for the third millennium. The ability and willingness to step out of ABAB or ABACAB song construction and do it well opens up numerous avenues to creativity for a band. Froud seems to do this as easily as breathing. Be sure to check out Nostalgia. You'll be hooked from the opening notes.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Froud at www.myspace.com/froudmusic. Nostalgia is available as a download from iTunes.

Review: Underwhelmed - Reveal

Underwhelmed - Reveal
2009, Problematic Records

Brooklyn, New York rockers Underwhelmed hit hard on their newest album, Reveal. Thundering guitars, crashing chords and a total commitment to Rock N Roll are evident from the opening notes of an album that has already topped the charts on Garageband.com, IndieCharts.com and IndiesTop10.com. While Underwhelmed has been compared to bands like Nickelback and 3 Doors Down, their work ethic and dedication to their sound is reminiscent of some the biggest names of the classic rock era. However you classify them, Underwhelmed is going to make some noise in 2009 and beyond.

With a sound that could be compared to bands like Creed, 7 Mary 3 or 3 Doors Down, Underwhelmed also brings in the best elements of 1980's sound. Opening with Freak (Like Me), a Rock/Pop/Electronica hybrid, Underwhelmed show off the sort of big hooks and bigger choruses that made the 1980's music scene such fun. With You is a nice change of pace mid-album as something of a power ballad. Reveal is a big, airy rock anthem with a strong commercial vibe. The song is a fun listen but is enough like most of the other stuff you'll hear on Modern Rock radio that it fails to really stand out. For much of the rest of Reveal, Underwhelmed falls deeper into the bland, formulaic modern rock style that dominates rock radio. The songs in general are well-written and highly polished, but other than those noted above don't really make a lasting impression on the listener.

Underwhelmed shows flashes of real songwriting panache on Reveal, but gets too caught up in the sound of the moment to really exploit their collective talent to its fullest extent. Reveal is a decent debut and will certainly sell some units in the commercial environment, but won't have real staying power with listeners. Still, songs like Freak (Like Me) indicate there is much to be realized musically by Underwhelmed. The process should be a fun one to watch unfold.

Rating: 2.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Underwhelmed at www.myspace.com/underwhelmednyc or http://www.underwhelmednyc.com/. You can purchase a copy of Reveal at www.cdbaby.com/cd/underwhelmed4 or you may download it through iTunes.

Review: Merlin Snider - Right Here

Merlin Snider - Right Here
2009, Barking Dog Music

Merlin Snider is a craftsman. The California-based folk singer/songwriter has been compared to such musical luminaries as Woody Guthrie, Neil Young, Phil Ochs, Steve Goodman and John Prine. Making music at his own pace and in his own time, Snider follows up his 1999 debut, Between, with 2009's Right Here; infusing distinctive guitar work and minimalist approach into newly minted classic story songs that will have listeners on the edge of their seats.

Right Here opens with Santa Cruz, putting some of the western back into Country and Western. There's a real old time feel to this song that's part polish and part simplification. The First 25 Years is a classic story song about a man who descended into drink for the first twenty-five years of his marriage, only to be rescued by the love he so long neglected. Now the protagonist looks back laments all he has missed. Snider creates a character in song so real you expect to see him sitting next to you while you listen (ala Randy Newman). Insomnia is everything its name implies, discussing all the things that can get done in the middle of night, particularly catching up on those old Gilligan's Island reruns you missed out on.

Yellow Moon is strongly reminiscent of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. This dark country story song will stick with you in haunting fashion. Stuck In Ojai is a tragic comedy in song about how small town relationships can fall apart when one person moves to the big city and the other stays behind. The story here is humorous and well told (sung) in Snider's strong, clear country voice. Other highlights include Tall Trees, Molly's Got Her Red Dress On and Mama Don't Work Here.

Merlin Snider plays far enough out on the Country/Folk/Americana branch that commercial radio isn't likely to come calling soon, but he's about as fine a songwriter and story teller as you're likely to find. Right Here is a classic album; there are a few slow spots but on the whole there's little to dislike on Right Here. Make sure Merlin Snider makes it onto your "to listen to" list.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Merlin Snider at http://www.merlinsnider.com/. You can purchase a copy of Right Here at www.cdbaby.com/cd/merlinsnider or download the album from iTunes.

Review: Russ Hewitt - Bajo El Sol

Russ Hewitt - Bajo El Sol
2008, Saulitomusic

Dallas, Texas "Nuevo Flamenco" guitarist Russ Hewitt's star is rising on the back of his debut album, Bajo El Sol. Blending Latin, Jazz, Native American and Middle Eastern elements into his songs, Hewitt has created an album that has already garnered chart success (the debut single, Bajo El Sol), and is receiving rave reviews from all across the musical spectrum. Hewitt has a prodigious band behind him, with Walfred Reyes, Jr. (Santana, Strunz and Farah, Ricky Martin) on drums; Rafael Padilla (Miami Sound Machine, Shakira) on percussion; Bob Parr (Cher, Brian Setzer Orchestra) on bass and the inimitable Alfredo Caceres on guitar, listeners will be blown away by the tapestry of sound Hewitt weaves.

Bajo El Sol opens with the title track, an energetic and lively Latin/Pop instrumental. Lydia is propelled by an insistent melody that will keep recurring wrapped in a Flamenco arrangement. Tranquillo is built around the sort of mildly infectious melody that will keep you coming back for more, although the arrangement does fall into the overly repetitive category. My favorite track was El Beso, with Ojos Bonitos a close second. Be sure also to check out Byzantine, Inger and Palma de Mallorca.

Russ Hewitt is talented, and Bajo El Sol is a good introduction. The arrangements here are light and poppy, perhaps too much so at times, but Hewitt's playing is technically superior and shows emotional investment. There is a definite elevator music quality here because of the ultra-smooth arrangements and production, but there's a little more to Bajo El Sol than just passing time.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Russ Hewitt at www.myspace.com/russhewittmusic or http://www.russhewitt.com/. You can purchase a copy of Bajo El Sol at www.cdbaby.com/cd/russhewitt.

Review: Lawrence Blatt - The Color Of Sunshine

Lawrence Blatt - The Color Of Sunshine
2009, LMB Music

Acoustic guitarist extraordinaire Lawrence Blatt returns with his latest CD, The Color Of Sunshine, the follow-up to last year's Fibonacci's Dream. Blatt teams up again with Producer and Windham Hill founder William Ackerman, whose other production credits include George Winston, Liz Story, Fiona Joy Hawkins, John Gorka and Patty Larkin. The Color Of Sunshine again finds Blatt exploring the lyric and finger-picking guitar styles that have already garnered him multiple awards and accolades in his short career.

The Color Of Sunshine is a collection of fourteen original compositions by Blatt that's very much in the same vein as Fibonacci’s Dream. With a mix of finger-pick and lyric guitar styles Blatt lays down with a distinctive brush under the guiding hand of William Ackerman. Fans of Ackerman and Michael Hedges will find a lot to like here. The highlights of the album come when Blatt's guitar hooks up with the violin. Blatt seems to respond very well to this pairing, finding a chemistry between the two instruments than can be most difficult to achieve. Jaune (Yellow) is a prime example. Blatt's guitar play is plaintive and subdued until the violin kicks in and brings the guitar to vibrant life. Likewise Mars Azul, which combines Spanish style guitar with violin for a chilling effect. InfraRed - The Abyss shows William Ackerman's influence all over it. Blatt even throws listeners a Country/Americana curve on Black Rock Beach. Other highlights include Gray Salt Marsh, White Light and The Color Of Sunshine.

Lawrence Blatt is among the best of a new generation of Classical/Easy Listening guitar plays. Barring some unforeseen circumstance he is likely to be making influential instrumental music for some time to come. The Color Of Sunshine is uplifting and well crafted; make sure you check it out!

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Lawrence Blatt at http://www.lawrenceblatt.com/. You can purchase a copy of The Color Of Sunshine at www.cdbaby.com/cd/lawrenceblatt3, or download it through iTunes.

Review: Lori Diamond - Mystery

Lori Diamond - Mystery
2008, Lorisongs

Lori Diamond and collaborator Fred Abatelli discovered each other through MySpace. Diamond was part of Neuphoria, a three-part harmony group performing both covers and original material, while Abatelli was lending his musical weight to a band called Too Many Drivers. With influences as disparate as Liz Story, Carole King, Billy Joel, Allison Krauss, Miles Davis, Stevie Wonder, Quincy Jones and Chaka Khan, there would be no in-between for these star-crossed musicians; it would be either a glorious mix or a disaster. Luckily the disaster teams were never engaged, as Diamond and Abatelli clicked from the get-go. Diamond's debut CD with Abatelli, Mystery, is bound to draw a slew of listeners to Lori Diamond. High profile gigs such as New York City's Mamapalooza should do a great deal to expand Diamond's fan base. Either way, it's time to catch on to a talent too large to be confined to the Berkshires.

Diamond's voice is silky and soulful on Mystery; part Norah Jones and part Sarah McLachlan. Opening with the title track, Mystery, Diamond treats listeners to gorgeous vocal harmonies over a piano-driven arrangement encompassing Soul, Pop and Folk. Sorry is classic singer/songwriter fare; a love song of regret. The pacing here is a bit slow but the melody and harmonies are so pretty you probably won't notice. Diamond opens up the tear jar on The Way You Look At Me. This song is a true Wow moment, following the look of love throughout life as it is seen father to daughter, mother to child and husband to wife. Alone serves as something of a musical interlude after the powerful emotions of The Way You Look At Me, offering a pleasant, melancholy jazz arrangement to get you back on your feet.

Don't Cry has a strong theatrical feel to it, like it could have walked right off a Broadway stage. The song follows the comfort as given from mother to child and how it echoes through our lives, all done in a great Jazz/Pop/Broadway arrangement. Better is another wow moment; a soliloquy from someone who wants to be loved yet doesn't feel deserving and flees in the face of all they've dreamed of. Anyone who's ever felt undeserving of another's affection or love will see something of themselves in this song. A Friend Like This continues the big emotional hits from Diamond in a song about friendship that transcends love. Diamond closes out with Patient, a song of utter devotion based on the "If you love something set it free" philosophy.

Lori Diamond has a voice you could listen to all day; She could sing the Waste Removal listings from the yellow pages and people would still line up to listen. The material on Mystery is loaded with emotion and honesty, but wrapped in melodies and harmonies so lovely even the most emotionally stunted listener won't feel overwhelmed. The lyrics are intelligent and artfully written, the arrangements are first class and the musicianship through Mystery is top notch. Mystery is an experience, and Diamond is aptly named.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Lori Diamond at http://www.loridiamond.net/ or www.myspace.com/loridiamond. You can learn more about Fred Abatelli at www.myspace.com/fredabatelli. You can purchase a copy of Mystery at www.cdbaby.com/cd/loridiamond or download the album through iTunes.

Review: Jerry Fuentes - A Kid On 4th

Jerry Fuentes - A Kid On 4th
2008, iLabel Music Group

Jerry Fuentes first picked up a guitar as a young boy with the intent of learning to play very fast. The maniacal intentions of that young child have turned into the subtle and well-thought muse of a young man. Jerry Fuentes' EP, A Kid on 4th, is like reading entries from Fuentes' diary. Each song is a highly personal attempt to work through something in his own experience and in its own time in space. The results are personal, personable and highly accessible bits of emotive rock attached to killer hooks; songs that won't leave your head no matter how much aural interference you create. With placements in Apple stores and on MTV's The Real World, you'll be hearing a lot of Jerry Fuentes for the foreseeable future.

Fuentes has this wonderfully textured voice that falls somewhere between Billy Joel and Corey Hart. He wraps this eminently recognizable voice in Americana arrangements that flow like water. His EP opens with Blinding Light, a song about leaps of faith. It’s an interesting song where the protagonist is asking someone to leap with him, not knowing if that blinding light is some form of glory or a train. Easy Fit finds Fuentes channeling early career Billy Joel, both vocally and in the piano part. The lyrics here were a bit awkward at times, but on the whole the song is very well done. Father’s Gun stands out as the darkest tune on the disc. This is one where it might be better for you just to listen as I suspect the range of reactions to his song will be broad and varied, but it will evoke a strong response. What It Is is a very well crafted song about the accidents of birth, the random acts of life and what it all means in the day-to-day movement to survive and grow. My favorite song on the EP is the closer, Keep It Burning. The song asks the classic question, how do you know when you’re in love, and proceeds to offer one man’s plan for finding out what he already knows. This is great songwriting.

I am not certain exactly what I was expecting when I popped in A Kid On 4th, but it wasn’t the highly nuanced and pleasurable listening experience I got. Fuentes still has a few rough spots, particularly the occasional bumbling lyric, but he’s got a world of talent and he’s learning to more fully express himself in song. A Kid On 4th is a strong introduction, and the beginning of great things from Jerry Fuentes.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Jerry Fuentes at www.myspace.com/jfmusic or http://www.jerryfuentes.com/. A Kid On 4th is available in digital format only. You can download it from iTunes.

Review: Various Artists - Oh Happy Day

Various Artists - Oh Happy Day
2009, EMI Gospel

So the idea is that you take a selection of classic Gospel tunes, a cross-section of popular Gospel artists, and pair them with big name artists from the popular music realm. I was skeptical of this when I first read about, because some of the pop artists involved were ones I never would have thought of being on a Gospel tribute album. The collection is called Oh Happy Day and was released earlier this year on EMI Gospel Records. Suffice it to say that there are some pleasant surprises here as well as some puzzling and downright disappointing efforts here.

Oh Happy Day opens with Johnny Lang & The Fisk Jubilee Singers on I Believe, a funk-driven gospel work with great blues guitar work and an absolutely inspired vocal from Lang. This is the perfect opening to the album, as Lang brings all the energy of a revival meeting right from the opening notes. I wasn't certain what to make of 3 Doors Down being included here, but their version of Presence of The Lord with Soul Children of Chicago was solid. Robert Randolph & The Clark Sisters break out some rocking 1970's electric blues on Higher Ground. The energy here is over the top and through the roof in the best Gospel tradition.

Perhaps the biggest surprise of the album is Jon Bon Jovi's Keep The Faith with the Washington Youth Choir. This is a different side of Bon Jovi than I've seen before, fitting his voice into the Southern Gospel/Blues style like it was a second skin. I wasn't impressed with Al Green & Heather Headley's People Get Ready. Vocally their performance is impeccable, but the song is a call to action and the energy level on this rendition reflected anything but; sounding more like a lullaby than reveille. Perhaps the most anticipated duet on the album is Waiting For My Child To Come Home, featuring Mavis Staples and Patty Griffin. Neither singer disappoints, as the mix of their voices together is downright heavenly. Michael McDonald teams with the West Angeles Cogic Mass Choir on Storm Before The Calm. I personally have never been a big fan of McDonald, but he gives a solid performance here.

Angelique Kidjo tackles Bob Marley's Redemption Song with the best vocal performance on the album, although the song itself is a questionable inclusion on a disc of Gospel tunes. Aaron Neville is Aaron Neville on A Change Is Gonna Come. The title track features Queen Latifah and Jubilation performing in a mid-tempo, lyric style. Latifah gives a moving performance but doesn't open the song the way some might. The album closes out with a true wow moment. Joss Stone and Buick Audra pair up on This Little Light Of Mine. Each singer is a vocal powerhouse in her own right, and they manage to not try to overpower one another here. The acoustic blues arrangement is topper, featuring harmonica work that is worth the price of the CD on its own.

Oh Happy Day is a pleasant surprise. While not quite expecting a disaster, I was highly skeptical that the concept would work going in. It not only works but excels in opening up a genre of music that is often shunned in the popular realm and showing us aspects of a few performers we might not have seen before. Make sure you take some time to check out Oh Happy Day. You'll be glad you did.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

Oh Happy Day is a Walmart Exclusive release. You can pick it up in any Walmart store or at http://www.walmart.com/, or you can download the album through Amazon MP3.

Review: Break Of Reality - Spectrum Of The Sky

Break Of Reality – Spectrum Of The Sky
2009, Break Of Reality

Break Of Reality is back and better than ever on their third album, Spectrum Of The Sky. Break Of Reality’s brand of “Cello Rock” is winning fans the world over. Their debut album, The Sound Between, has sold over 20,000 copies around the globe essentially on the back of live shows and word of mouth; pretty impressive for three classically trained cellists and one percussionist playing symphonic/Baroque rock originals. Philip Borter, Patrick Laird, Martin Torch-Ishii and Ivan Trevino are all Eastman School Of Music grads, and have played such august venues as Joe’s Pub, The Knitting Factory and the LaGuardia Performing Arts Center (New York City). Spectrum Of The Sky finds Break Of Reality digging more deeply into the musical vein that ties classical and popular music together.

Spectrum Of The Sky opens with Farewell, a highly lyric musical sonnet with a great deal of texture; written in mini-movements that blend one to another like the scenes in a play. There are some devastatingly beautiful harmony passages starting around the 2:30 mark that on their own make the disc worth owning. The Accidental Death Of Fire has a cinematic quality to its soaring, driving progressive rock heart. Themes merge, blend and re-emerge across a changing musical landscape that ends on the drifting tendrils of a dream. Vintage (Sans Drums) is a wonderfully rhythmic piece; orchestral hard rock in acoustic form. There is so much rhythm generated in and by the strings that percussion is superfluous. Spectrum Of The Sky (the title track) is such a palpably physical experience it’s a bit surreal. The song climbs out of dark, melancholy and perhaps even mournful depths to soar. The sounds of rain accompany the final minute or so as Spectrum Of The Sky slowly descends into the silence of night.

Comfortable Silence works as a quiet bit of musical repose. A lot of instrumental music is suitable for background listening, but not this piece. Comfortable Silence is more like an internal conversation you can push to the edge of your mind but never leaves and continues to influence your thoughts even when you’re not paying attention. Che turns into a highly energetic and intelligent composition; there’s a sense of pending violence that runs through the song that is tempered by the deep sonic stability in the cellos (like the concept of man’s nature versus thought). The anger or pending violence gets channeled into a relentless drive interspersed with lyric passages. Spectrum Of The Sky closes out with Anodynia, a chamber rock symphony in four movements, the highlights of which are the second movement, Allegro – Mysterioso and the fourth movement, Finale. Allegro – Mysterioso has a delightfully exotic, almost space-age feel. Glockenspiel provides a rhythmic effect that you sometimes hear in electronic music and might represent the cataracts of a river, while the cellos are the gentle but insistent currents that drive the piece. Finale has a rather sudden, unexplained ending that is perplexing until you take the album as a whole.

Spectrum Of The Sky seems to focus on endings, be it death or some other final curtain. It’s wonderfully dark and full-textured music; a challenging listen. If Radiohead ever had the opportunity to let loose their dark, melancholic musical souls on strings it might sound a bit like Break Of Reality, but probably not quite so profound. Spectrum Of The Sky is a master class in instrumental songwriting and performance. Whatever your musical tastes, it’s worth the time and effort to check out Spectrum Of The Sky, a Wildy’s World Certified Desert Island Disc and an album to garner Break Of Reality significant attention around the world.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Break Of Reality at www.myspace.com/breakofreality or http://www.breakofreality.com/, where you can purchase a copy of Spectrum of The Sky. You can also download the album from iTunes.

Review: Ben Cooley Hall - Owning Up To A Life

Ben Cooley Hall – Owning Up To A Life
2009, Caunounicus Records

Ben Cooley Hall walks you through his own personal journey on Owning Up To A Life, his debut solo album released in April, 2009. The Providence, Rhode Island singer-songwriter grew up in Boston, studying violin and voice from a young age. As co-founder of Boston’s The Mary Reillys, Hall released on well-received EP and recorded an as-yet-unreleased LP. With that band of hiatus, Hall began writing and playing out some of his own material. The end result is Owning Up To A Life.

Owning Up To A Life is a concept album; in this case a series of reflects on events or people past. Hall’s voice isn’t iconic, but has a shy/geeky/shoe gaze quality to it that is endearing; like this kid from school you knew for years who never spoke loud or often who all of a sudden one day you realize has a lot to say. Three Dream Excerpts on the album serve almost as the passages of a narrator, filling in the gaps between songs. Sunny Day has a highly memorable melody and is a bit quirky. It reminds me of some of Kevin Hearn’s (Barenaked Ladies) more pop yet off-the-wall material. Come To Care is awkwardly sweet with a lot of charm. My favorite song on the album is the Americana-based Untrue, which is not only the best songwriting here but also the most emotionally relevant song on the disc. Lot More Caring has potential but comes off a bit flat on CD. The rest of the material here is pleasant but doesn’t leave a strong impression.

Ben Cooley Hall shows the seeds of being a decent songwriter. His style is eclectic enough to not have a distinct commercial flavor, but his brand of repressed, quirky pop is a definite niche with a following. Owning Up To A Life has a couple of memorable moments, and is a decent listen. Check it out.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Ben Cooley Hall at http://www.bencooleyhall.com/ or www.myspace.com/bencooleyhall. You can purchase a copy of Owning Up To A Life at www.cdbaby.com/cd/bch.

Review: Ryan T. Jacobs - The Places You Might Have Gone

Ryan T. Jacobs – The Places You Might Have Gone
2008, Ryan T. Jacobs

Born in Oregon but constantly on the move, Ryan T. Jacobs lives the style of an old-school minstrel, landing where the wind takes him until the next big gust comes along. Jacobs has played all over Europe, lived in France for a time and now calls Berlin home. His debut EP, The Places You Might Have Gone, covers universal concepts such as love, loss, loneliness, family and friends. With a style that walks the Dylan line somewhere between Neil Young and Damien Rice, Jacobs will seem instantly familiar to many listeners.

Jacobs has a voice that is at times strongly reminiscent of Roy Orbison, most audible on Elements, a highly philosophic song that even sounds like classic Orbison in the guitar work. Not to be pigeonholed, Jacobs seems to be a bit of a musical chameleon, sounding like a cross between Adam Duritz and Neil Young on Pieces. When Jacobs is on, his songwriting is crisp and his vocal performance is warm and pleasant. But occasionally things fall off the table on The Places You Might Have Gone, such as The Politics Of Live And Love, Amnesia or the falsetto vocal parts in Pieces. The highlights of the EP are Burn The Letters, a thoughtful and touching song about legacies, and Dear You, Oh Dear Me. The latter is a finely written folk/pop song that should gain Jacobs a lot of attention; the sort of song that other artists rush to cover.

Ryan T. Jacobs has strong qualities as a songwriter, although occasionally gets bogged down in the creation process (like most writers). At his best, Jacobs is as thought provoking as Rice, Young or Dylan. Vocally, all is well in the lower parts of his range, but when Jacobs goes into his falsetto range it can get a bit dodgy. All in all, The Places You Might Have Gone is pretty decent. Be sure to check it out.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Ryan T. Jacobs at www.myspace.com/ryantjacobs. The Places You Might Have Gone is available as a download through iTunes. (Photo by Janet Norris).

Review: Press On Randy - Moths And Butterflies

Press On Randy - Moths And Butterflies
2009, Press On Randy

Press On Randy is Seattle based singer/songwriter Seamus Tompkins. Incorporating electronic music into his folk/pop songs has helped Tompkins create a special sound; you’d never think just one person is behind the sound of Press On Randy from just listening. Press On Randy’s debut EP, Moths And Butterflies is the culmination of nearly six years of travel and personal growth for Tompkins. With influences ranging from Johnny Cash and Bob Dylan to Postal Service and Bright Eyes, Press On Randy has the potential to appeal to a lot of people.

Press On Randy mixes acoustic, electric and electronic instrumentation with strong pop hooks, unforgettable melodies and a low key approach that makes for a delightful musical milieu. Moths And Butterflies opens with What It Takes To Be A Sailor, an energetic yet understated pop song with real commercial potential. This is one of those songs where the verse will stick in your head for days after hearing it once, and Press On Randy seems to understand how to balance the acoustic and electronic aspects of the arrangement so one does not overpower the other. Bullets And Beachballs seems to be about a relationship doomed not to work; the protagonist finds all sorts of metaphors for their ill-fated other half on the way to the realization that good things came out of the experience. The arrangement here is highly energetic in an understated fashion, and once again features a melody you'll have a hard time shaking.

Dogs Go Blind is something of a mystery for meaning; there's an esoteric and indecipherable thread in there that ties the song together, but the melodic construction is pure gold. The harmonies are gorgeous, and the instrumentation is comprised of pieces or progressions that at times seem like they shouldn't quite fit together but somehow do nonetheless. Moths And Butterflies, the title track, sounds like it might have it's origins in an old-school Casio arpeggio and works as an almost geek-pop piece ala Lisa Loeb. It's a song about breaking free from expectations and societal constraints and learning to live according to your own drummer's beat. Little Fish Are Not Your Friends is a quirky little angst-filled pop song that's so obscure I'm still not quite sure what it means. I've puzzled over this one for about a dozen listens and I'm no closer to an answer, but the same wonderful pop sensibility that's been evident from the beginning of Moths And Butterflies pervades this song. The album closes with My Castle Is Your Sand is perhaps an acknowledgement to nature that what we build is inconsequential in the grand scope of time. It may be playing on the "ashes to ashes, dust to dust" construct in a parable about each person's grand significance on a scale of time where our lives are a blink of time on the planet where we live.

Press On Randy is confounding. Tompkins will drive you a little bit nuts with his esoteric and sometimes bizarre lyrics, all wrapped up in these wonderfully contrived alt-pop confections that dig their hooks into you even as he twists your sense of what pop music is supposed to be. I can't say I was blown away by Press On Randy because he doesn't have that bombastic or magical sense about him. Instead, Press On Randy is a quiet musical philosopher weaving subtle magic wrapped in melodies you can't escape. You can puzzle over the lyrics while the music wraps you up and carries you along. Moths and Butterflies is brilliant.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Press On Randy at www.myspace.com/pressonrandy. You can purchase a copy of Moths And Butterflies at www.cdbaby.com/cd/pressonrandy.

Review: The Darlings - The Darlings

The Darlings - The Darlings
2009, The Darlings

Coming out of the same South Bay (Los Angeles) music community that produced Black Flag, the Descendents, the Circle Jerks and Pennywise, The Darlings carry a distinct punch-to-the-gut toughness that has always gone with Punk Rock. DIY to the core, The Darlings have already put in road time as part of the 2008 Vans Warped Tour and in support of acts such as Social Distortion, Bad Religion, Guttermouth and the Circle Jerks. Currently on tour with Pennywise to promote their debut EP, The Darlings, the band hopes to be taking the first step toward joining the pantheon of great South Bay Punk bands.

The Darlings opens with Captivated, a crunchy pop rocker in the style of 3 Doors Down. It's in this kind of granola rock state that the Darlings seem to live; edgy enough to make it to the modern rock play lists but earthy enough to be considered cool by folks who keep "Modern Rock" at arm's length. It's Gone has a lively, radio-friendly air about it although it gets a bit repetitive in spots. Lacerate is probably the strongest track here, with a distinctive 1980's pop/rock sound and a strong vocal line. Dead Light, What Lies Below and Cruel World are all fairly average for the genre. The closing track, Love Story, has real potential, but gets stuck in a bit of a rut. It's a song about love wrapped around a well-meant but blatant innuendo that's neither subtle enough nor well-embedded enough to be considered sweet.

The Darlings have a sound that commercial radio will jump all over. The songwriting is decent and shows flashes of being something more but is perhaps a bit too forced to flow freely. The Darlings is a good start; it won't knock your socks off but you'll pull this disc out and play it once in a while.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about The Darlings at www.myspace.com/thedarlings. You can purchase a copy of The Darlings at www.cdbaby.com/cd/darlingsmusic.

Review: Christina Grimm - No Time To Be Blue

Christina Grimm - No Time To Be Blue
2008, Christina M. Grimm

Christina Grimm is a classic singer/songwriter in the 1970's style of Carole King and Joni Mitchell. Imbued with passion, personal appeal, humor and life, Grimm is a highly entertaining figure both on stage and on CD. Her latest release, No Time To Be Blue, encompasses the performance spirit and wit of the golden age of singer/songwriters; using pop, folk, rock and blues as backdrops for her intricate and subtle story songs.

Christina Grimm steps right off a 1970's AM radio dial with a singer/songwriter flair that's part Carly Simon, part Christine Lavin and just a little bit of Bonnie Raitt. No Time To Be Blue opens with White Magic which, while well-written, is overly reminiscent of the most syrupy songs of that era. Grimm sets to some sizzle on the title track in blues slow-burner that grabs you by the shirt and shouts, "Listen!” Vegetable Man is something of a love song full of innuendo and wit. It borders a tad on the silly side but is a fun listen. Grimm sets course due Southwest on Come Back To Santa Fe, a mellow country/rocker about life moving on and what is sometimes left in the wake.

Distant Dream is a mournful country ballad about being on the other side of leaving. It's a song not so much of heartbreak but uncertainty and the dimming of hope. True Love Never Dies is a song written for a wedding, perhaps even someone's vows in song. It's sweet, and is likely to get chosen as a wedding song for a lot of couples who might here it, but is also quite ridden with cliché. Perfect Beauty carries a strong message, one that is important to convey, but in this instance the message prevails over the musicality. The result is an awkward lyrical experience where the music sometimes seems forgotten. Dog And Cat Blues finds Grimm regaining her feet in a blues-based tune full of innuendo and some serious guitar work.

Beautiful Soul is perhaps the perfect representation of the mix of Christina Grimm's talent and her most confounding tendency. Grimm has crafted a brilliant composition with a touching, even moving subject. But when it comes to matching lyric to song there is a gap that occurs; an awkward pairing of words and music that becomes distracting. I would guess that Grimm writes the lyrics first and then crafts melodies she's conceived around them, but chooses to be flexible with the music but never the words. It's not the conceptualization that becomes a roadblock but the execution; forcing music around words it just doesn't fit with. I came across this issue several times on No Time To Be Blue, but not in every song; when Grimm lets her hair down, like on the Blues tunes, she really seems to just let everything flow. Even the final song, Your Love Is So Divine seems to meld lyric and song quite nicely.

Vocally, Christina Grimm is a joy to listen to. She has a strong alto voice with great tone and enough personality and energy to hold onto listeners. The songwriting can range from above average to awkward, the latter mostly in the lyrical aspect. No Time To Be Blue reflects Grimm as a solid performer and songwriter who might benefit from working with another lyricist from time to time, but is worth spending some time with in any case.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Christina Grimm at http://www.christinagrimmmusic.com/ or www.myspace.com/christinamgrimm. You can purchase a copy of No Time To Be Blue at CDBaby.com.

Review: Brent Jordan - Blue. Shout. Blind.

Brent Jordan – Blue. Shout. Blind.
2008, Brent Jordan

A boy is born, destined to play guitar. Influenced by the sand hills and sunshine of North Carolina and the sounds of Southern Blues, he eventually makes his way to San Francisco. With a voice that’s all heart and soul, and a songwriting style he learned from childhood palaver with the likes of Johnny Cash, James Taylor and Van Morrison, Brent Jordan offers up a sophomore album full of autobiographical songs, Blue. Shout. Blind.

Blue. Shout. Blind. opens with Pretty Little Thief, a gritty bit of Americana Folk/Pop. Jordan will remind listeners strongly of Darius Rucker. John's Song has one of those melodies that just stick in your brain, working in touches of Blues and Soul. The Prophet Song proves Jordan's Blues chops in an acoustic setting you won't forget. Jordan shows a bit more of his musical diversity on American Morning, a song that sounds like it was inspired by mid-career Billy Joel and finds Jordan sounding a touch like Marc Cohn on vocals. It's a great musical offering that might attract the ear of other artists as a song to cover. The best overall song on the disc, though, is On The Radio. Jordan built a Southern Rock N Blues sound with a lot of bounce to it. Be sure to check out the alternating waltz and 4/4 sections of Laugh In The Face Of It All and the classic folk sound of Across The World.

Brent Jordan is really good at what he does. The mix of Folk, Rock, Blues and Soul with singer/songwriter simplicity treats him well, and his voice is warm and distinctive enough to create a favorable impression. Blue. Shout. Blind. is a fitting introduction to the artist; familiar enough to grab onto and new and different enough to keep hold of. Fans of Carolina Rock (i.e. Hootie & The Blowfish, Edwin McCain, et. al) will love Brent Jordan, as well anyone with an ear for great pop music.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Brent Jordan at www.myspace.com/brentjordanmusic. You can purchase a copy of Blue. Shout. Blind. at www.cdbaby.com/brentjordan2.

Review: Inky Glass - Serendipity Rose

Inky Glass - Serendipity Rose
2008, Inky Glass

Inky Glass is a distinctive sound in music, and an acquired taste. Inky Glass is the creation of longtime theater performer Heidi Kohlman. A singer who sounds moderately tone-deaf, Inky Glass manages to get the general idea of the melody but keeps only a nodding relationship with individual notes on her EP, Serendipity Rose. The New York City-based singer/songwriter is recorded here in a coffee house/open mike setting with a live and less-than-enthusiastic crowd. The songwriting is a bit lyrically awkward and simplistic, but reflects New York City and Glass's live therein in honest and creative terms. Harlem In The 80's is a song only New Yorkers will understand, and Smokin' Yesterday's Cigarettes is something of a memoriam and go