Dale Turner - Mannerisms Magnified

Dale Turner - Mannerisms Magnified

2010, Intimate Audio

There’s an old adage that those who cannot do teach.  Apparently no one ever told Dale Turner.  The former West Coast editor of Guitar One Magazine, current guitar instructor at Hollywood’s Musician’s Institute and author of over fifty instructional books set out in 2005 to write and record an album of original material in true DIY fashion.  Five years later Turner has realized his goal with Mannerisms Magnified, a true solo effort that features Turner in all musical and vocal roles as well as in the capacity of producer, arranger and engineer. 

Mannerisms Magnified opens with "Brian On The Brain" a sound collage of vocal snippets ala Brian Wilson's classic Beach Boys vocal harmonies.  It's an incomplete musical picture of the sort that is usually resigned to an untitled bonus track rather than an opener.  "Bad Seed" is a progressive musical construction around the self-story of a black sheep whose greatest misdeeds are indecision and ignorance.  Turner presents a nuanced and smooth arrangement using jazz forms and a prog rock sound.  "Sooner Or Later You'll Hate Her" is a consolation over a relationship that's broken apart.  It's an odd musical choice, but Turner takes an iffy situation and turns it into a workable song that will draw you in. 

Things get a bit disconnected in the middle, but Turner picks it up by the time he gets to "Morality Rule".  You might have a hard time following Turner's meaning here, but the funky and rhythmic arrangement is an enjoyable listen to let wash over you.  "Five Things" takes the Brian Wilson-style vocal harmonies introduced in "Brian On The Brain" and puts them to practical use.  The song itself won't ever be favorable compared to a Wilson creation, but Turner certainly captures elements of the sound.  "Civil Lies" draws on a musical progression that Fiona Apple fans will find suspiciously familiar, but is one of the best pieces of songwriting on Mannerisms Magnified.  Turner again drops for the Wilsonian harmonies, and the melancholy feel of the vocal line offers real color and character to an intriguing song.  "Exit Wound" is highly experimental and convoluted, almost more of a sound poem than a song.  This resolves into the instrumental closer "Solace Song", a solid guitar-based tune that cinches the deal without too much excitement.

Dale Turner puts in a solid effort of Mannerisms Magnified, creating intriguing moments along the way but never gaining the sort of momentum that turns an album into an experience.  Turner is a capable guitarist, and his vocals are solid, but the songwriting is inconsistent and unfocused.  There are definitely morsels here worth checking out, however, and the guitarists out there will enjoy picking out some of the finer points of Turner's playing technique. 

Rating: 2.5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Dale Turner at http://www.intimateaudio.com/.  Mannerisms Magnified is available from Amazon.com as a CD or Download.  Digital copies are also available from iTunes.

Spirit Kid - Spirit Kid

Spirit Kid - Spirit Kid
2010, RPL Audio

Spirit Kid is the nom de guerre of singer/songwriter/guitarist Emeen Zarookian, long of the band the Sterns. As a solo artist, Spirit Kid returns to his earliest influences, The Beatles and the British Invasion bands they inspired, as well as quintessential American acts such as The Beach Boys for inspiration. Spirit Kid is constantly in pursuit of the perfect three-minute pop song, and pursues this goal with the retro-sounds that only retro instruments can bring on Spirit Kid. The album is self-produced and entirely a product of Zarookian's talents.

Spirit Kid opens with “You Lit Up For Me”, a messy country and rock mix that’s reliable in its mildly messy arrangement wrapped around an eminently tuneful melody. “My Imagination” could be the Beatles meet The Buggles in an ultra-catchy rocker that recalls simpler times. “Wait A Minute” is full of infectious rhythms and a melody that won’t quit; using the same sort of non-linear compositional style you’ll find with bands like the Beatles and Tally Hall. It’s a great listen that will have you hitting repeat over and over. Spirit Kid sounds a bit like Moxy Fruvous in their prime on “The World Doesn’t Stop”. The quirky feel of this song grows out of the trim arrangement, archetypal melody line and spare vocal harmonies. “Flytrap” keeps up the catchy mien of the album this far with a strong old-school rhythm and blues feel that wears well.

Spirit Kid seems to lose his way a bit for the next few songs, but recovers nicely on “Assumed By You”, a brilliant pop tune right out of the 1960’s stylistically. A tight rock arrangement blends the best melody line of the album with strong backing vocals to create a bit of magic. Spirit Kid closes with “If I Could Love You”, sticking with a sound that would have Zarookian all over the pop charts if he woke up one morning in 1963.

Spirit Kid succeeds because of a melodic sense that so often evades modern rock music. In many ways this is the key to the whole retro-movement in rock n roll. Spirit Kid isn’t a perfect pop gem; Zarookian misses on a few songs, but the net effect is a strong pop album with a 1960’s flavor that is likely to appeal to young and old.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Spirit Kid at http://www.spiritkidmusic.com/. Spirit Kid is available digitally through both Amazon and iTunes.

Review: The Greening - (She's So) Electric EP

The Greening - (She's So) Electric EP
2009, Zairecords

San Francisco's The Greening strives to create a new form of pop music with each successive album. With their feet grounded in the Art Rock of the 1970's, The Greening use a distinctive Pop sensibility to build songs with big hooks and a formalist attention to detail. The Greening's latest release, (She's So) Electric [EP] follows that parabolic pursuit for post-modernist Pop perfection ever close to its logical conclusion.

(She's So) Electric captures a 1960's/1970's sound and feel; it's a fun listen and a highly marketable tune. Sunny Afternoon is in a similar vein; a highly catchy mid-tempo rock tune with strong harmonies. Belong With Me finds The Greening digging into an early 1960's Pop sound with flashes of Beach Boys style harmonies. The closing track, Today, Tomorrow is decent enough but not up to the quality of the first three songs.

The Greening compares well to bands like Woodward and Tally Hall; the focus here is a bit more solidly in the 1960's than with the other two, and I imagine The Greening will play particularly well with Baby Boomers. (She's So) Electric is catchy enough to have commercial legs, particularly in the licensing area. (She's So) Electric [EP] is an enticing appetizer. It'll be interesting to see what comes next.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about The Greening at www.myspace.com/thegreening. You can get a free copy of the (She’s So) Electric EP through The Greening’s MySpace via a “try an offer from one of our sponsor” campaigns.

Review: The Public Good - No. 1

The Public Good - No. 1
2009, Lost Lyrics

Washington, D.C.'s The Public Good may look and sound a bit familiar to fans of the 1990's Chapel Hill, North Carolina scene that produced acts such as Hootie & The Blowfish and Edwin McCain. Another band from that much-celebrated scene was The Popes, featuring songwriters John Elderkin and Steve Ruppenthal, who now form the nucleus of The Public Good. Their debut album, No. 1, will be released on August 1, 2009. Produced by Brian Paulson (Wilco, Beck, Squirrel Nut Zippers, Superchunk), No. 1 features real life through the lens of classic singer/songwriter storytelling infused with wit, emotion and not just a little bit of charm.

No. 1 opens with Baby, Baby, Baby, a bit three-chord guitar pop at its finest. It's a very catchy tune about a husband/dad feeling left out once the baby arrives. This is a great pop arrangement with some Beach Boys style harmonies in the breadkown. (Imagine The Girlfriends I'd Have) If I Still Had Hair is a humorous what if song from an vocalist who sounds like he could be a third-cousin of Paul McCartney. There is a distinctive melodic sense to the songwriting even if the songs themselves range from brilliant pop ditties to aggressively mundane attempts at wit. The Only Way is a decent track with hints of The Tragically Hip woven in. Other highlights include Cigarette and Nightmare.

The Public Good may well turn out to be aptly named. The presentation on No. 1 is very rough, musically. There is some real story telling potential in the songs presented here, but there is also an innate awkwardness in the lyrical structure that needs to be worked out. Songs like Baby, Baby, Baby highlight that potential. In the right hands this could be a bit pop hit. For now, The Public Good is off to a good start. No. 1 is more than sufficient to help build a fan base.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about The Public Good at www.myspace.com/thepublicgood or http://www.thepublicgoodonline.com/, where you can purchase a copy of No. 1.

Review: Hyperpotamus - Largo Bailon

Hyperpotamus – Largo Bailon
2009, Hyperpotamus

Hyperpotamus is Madrid’s own Jorge Ramirez-Escudero, a one-man vocal band who eschewed rock bands for the subways of Madrid. Within six months of that decision Hyperpotamus was playing to crowds in excess of 1,000 people, and now tours all over Europe and the United States. His debut album, Largo Bailon, documents the distinctive sound and vocal style of Hyperpotamus. The only instrument found on the entire album is Ramirez-Escudero’s voice.

Largo Bailon opens with A Melancholy Hyppo, which sounds like what might happen if you out the Beach Boys in a room with Bobby McFerrin and a large amount of hallucinogenic comestibles. Dinamo Domino takes on a dance beat and some funky chord work to create an unusual and joyous arrangement. Throughout Largo Bailon, Hyperpotamus creates a vocally powered landscape that draws from Jazz, Rock, Pop, R&B and Jazz, even creating some unusual and almost whimsical transitions such as in The Early Bird Catches A Cold. The Unhappy Hedonist has an almost robotic sound contrasted with wonderfully odd harmonies over the top. What starts out as a relatively simple rhythmic chant ends up as the most beautiful textured and complicated piece on the album. Ramirez-Escudero has quite a vocal range to sing all of the parts presented here, and it’s clear that short of hiring other singers to work in ensemble the sounds found here could never be re-created on stage, but Largo Bailon is an experience worth having. Other highlights include the deliriously weird Peloto, the frenetic Beach Boys meets Ladysmith Black Mambazo sound of Toy Soldier's Day Off, the lyric Wreck Divine and Vista Desde El Bachibato.

While Hyperpotamus could never recreate the sounds on Largo Bailon onstage without expanding into a full ensemble, Largo Bailon might be one of the most pleasant musical surprises of the year. A Capella projects are often relegated to the ranks of college choirs covering popular tunes or whatever Bobby McFerrin is working on these days, but Largo Bailon is original, pleasing to the ear, unique and just plain good. Hyperpotamus, with the right exposure, could be a sensation!

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Hyperpotamus at www.myspace.com/hyperpotamus. You can catch streaming video at www.youtube.com/hyperpotamusic. Copies of Largo Bailon may be purchased at www.cdbaby.com/cd/hyperpotamus.

Review: Robert Joseph Manning, Jr. - Catnip Dynamite

Roger Joseph Manning, Jr. – Catnip Dynamite
2009, Oglio Records

Roger Joseph Manning, Jr. has quite the Rock N Roll resume: Keyboard player for Beatnik Beatch, Jellyfish and Imperial Drag, and highly involved in The Moog Cookbook. Manning has also done session/tour work with Beck and French group Air. These days Manning does session work and composes soundtrack (Sophia Coppola’s Lost In Translation) as well as writing commercials for VH1, Comedy Central and the like. Somewhere in there he also found time to write and record a new solo album entitled Catnip Dynamite. True to its title, the album is intoxicatingly good.

Catnip Dynamite is retro-rock with a modern edge. The harmonies here evoke thoughts of The Beach Boys, Queen and Styx. Manning is a highly accomplished songwriter, presenting intricate and interesting song construction, lyrical content and melodic flow throughout the album. The other interesting facet of the album is the recurrence of philosophical/religious imagery and themes throughout the album. I don’t get the feel that this is a religious album, but some of these deeper concepts certainly appear to be weighing on Manning at this point in his life; at times in serious terms and perhaps at times with ironic intent. The album opens with The Quickening, where Manning sounds more than a little bit like Prince vocally. The harmonies transform from a Brian Wilson-era Beach Boys sound to Freddie Mercury led Queen. This is a great pop rock song that would fly on commercial radio in almost any era. Down In Front is a retro-mod rock tune similar to bands such as Woodward or Tally Hall. My Girl has a strong bubblegum pop feel without being frivolous.

One of my personal favorites here is Imaginary Friend. The song is an amusing listen but the sound is like what you might get if The Doors sat down and jammed with They Might Be Giants. Perhaps the piece-de-resistance here is Haunted Henry, an amazing tale of a veteran ravaged by the ghosts of his experiences. This is an extremely melodic piece with Brian Wilson harmonies that doesn’t come across as overtly anti-war but certainly makes strong points about the cost of war for those who come back home. Haunted Henry is sonically gorgeous. Tinsel Town is a fun song that berates celebrity culture and our fascination with it. You should also be certain to check out The Turnstile At Heaven’s Gate. Reflecting on the concept of reincarnation and the judgments of an afterlife, Manning has crafted a melodic/harmonic mix that sounds like The Beatles meets Queen.

Survival Machine opens with faux harpsichord in a piece vaguely reminiscent of Suite Madame Blue, but that’s just a warm up for Living In The End Times; possibly the greatest apocalypse song ever written. Here Manning mixes tremendous harmonies with a tongue-in-cheek glam rock swagger. The album closes out with four live tracks. Drive Thru Girl is a campy ode complete with kazoo orchestra that you just have to hear. You Were Right sounds like something that might have come out of a Supertramp session, and Manning’s live take on Elton John’s Love Lies Bleeding sounds a bit like Billy Joel covering Elton John.

Catnip Dynamite is so good it’s exhausting. You can listen to this album casually but you won’t get everything out of it that you might. Manning has always had a taste for classic rock and interesting compositions, but Catnip Dynamite represents a plateau in his career. Having been familiar with much of his work prior to this, I think it is safe to say that Catnip Dynamite may be the best he’s written/recorded to date. Don’t miss Catnip Dynamite, a Wildy’s World Certified Desert Island Disc!

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Roger Joseph Manning, Jr. at http://www.rogerjosephmanningjr.com/ or www.myspace.com/rogerjosephmanningjrmusic. You can purchase a copy of Catnip Dynamite on Amazon.com, or you download the album through iTunes.

Review: Blue Turtle Seduction - 13 Floors

Blue Turtle Seduction - 13 Floors
2008, azugasrecords

Party bands were originally an organic outgrowth of family get-togethers. In the days before television or radio, a family get together would usually bring in a few instruments, and the "band" would be filled out by various attendees picking up anything that might make a musical noise and chiming in. This guaranteed that the sound was always different, always changing, and accounts for many bits of inspiration that led to the diverse musical styles played around the world today. True party bands don't happen much anymore, unless you happen upon a kitchen party up in Newfoundland or some other such place, but Blue Turtle Seduction has captured the dynamic perfectly on their album 13 Floors. Based in South Lake Tahoe, California, Blue Turtle Seduction mixes Rock, Bluegrass, Hip-Hop and Reggae in a blend that is nearly beyond description. Infused with lively melodies and intelligent, socially conscious lyrics, Blue Turtle Seduction's music comes alive on CD.

Blue Turtle Seduction is like the weather here in Buffalo, NY, if you don't like what they're playing wait five minutes, it will change. 13 Floors opens with the Punk acoustic rock anthem What's My Name? You can slam dance with the violin until they transition into the aptly named Antidote, which uses Brian Wilson-era Beach Boys style harmonies to bring you back to earth. Perfect Gentleman made me think of Blues Traveler playing Ska music, whereas Haley sounds a bit like Tom Waits in a baroque musical arrangement. My personal favorite here is El Camino, with its Punk Rock verse, Country/Americana chorus and a Celtic/Gypsy blended style of fiddle playing that words just can't do justice to. Also noteworthy is the energetic and driven Foot By Foot, White Flags and the 13-minute musical odyssey known as Roses And Big Belt Buckle.

Blue Turtle Seduction are a true original. If there is anyone out there that sounds quite like Blue Turtle Seduction I've yet to hear of them. This is an eminently listenable disc. There's a real party vibe running through the album with only a couple of slow moments. It may be a bit of an acquired taste, but Blue Turtle Seduction's 13 Floors is a taste worth acquiring. This leaves us looking forward to what they might do next.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Blue Turtle Seduction at www.myspace.com/blueturtleseduction or http://www.blueturtlemusic.com/, where you can purchase a copy of 13 Floors.

Review: Chris Huff - Death And Texas

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

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

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

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

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

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

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