The Latebirds - Last Of The Good Ol' Days

The Latebirds - Last Of The Good Ol' Days
2011, Second Motion Records

Helsinki, Finland might not be your first thought as a hotbed of Americana music, but it's got to get some consideration once you hear of The Latebirds.  Formed in 2000, The Latebirds are hard to classify.  Rock, folk, punk, country, gospel and R&B are all in the mix, with the band refining and smoothing the edges with each successive album.  Their latest, and first released in the U.S., is Last Of The Good Ol' Days.  The album is a socio-political treatise on the state of the world in 2011, sounding many of the same themes prevalent in the American counter-culture movement of the late 1960's. 

The Latebirds open with "Last Of The Good Ol' Days", a gentle Americana/rock number that looks to the future with blighted hope and yearns for the opportunities that once existed.  The melancholy mood of the music fits the lyrics perfectly, and vocalist Markus Nordenstreng's easy-going style implies a sort of hopeless passivity.  "Among The Survivors" is a mildly catchy acoustic/electric rocker with a subtle urgency built in.  It's a solid tune; a steady album track.  "Time To Live" relies on a simple arrangement and chunky guitar work to create an infectious garage-pop gem.  The message is simple and clear: don't sit on the sidelines, get out there and live your life.  This will be a tough tune to get out of your head.

"Summer Becomes Fall" decries consumer culture, and the human tendency to chase silly things rather than be happy with what we have.  The Latebirds stick with a simplistic arrangement that allows the melody to reign, but fill it in with layered instrumentation to fill out the sound in the chorus.  "Time Revisited" is a slower, more pensive take on the ideas in "Time To Live".  The sound here is more stark, continuing to advocate the need to live, but also yearning for a simpler time.  Hope hasn't faded here, but it's certainly struggling for purchase.  The Latebirds take on the press and big government in "Fearless" decrying the attempt by politicians and corporations to control the information we receive as a populace.  The song advocates using your brain to parse out what you hear and decide for yourself what is true.  The chorus is brilliant: "Don't believe what gets reported.  The truth has been distorted."; repeated in a hooky chorus that will get trapped in your noggin and bounce around for hours.

"Like Father Like Son" is a conciliatory number that looks back on the good memories of youth and put to rest the struggles of growing up and separating that rock the foundations of father-son relationships.  Inherent in the message is the realization that the son walks in the father's footsteps, and an acknowledgement that both have grown.  The quietly lush arrangement wraps around this tune like a blanket, making the subtle message all the more powerful in the process.  The Latebirds take a whimsical turn on "Kickin' Me", a light-hearted and repetitive garage rocker that's as catchy as it is inane.  You may find yourself decrying the song as vaguely annoying while tapping your toes to the beat.    The Latebirds slowly fade over the final four songs, culminating in the bland "Light At The End Of The Tunnel".

Even taking into account the rather ignominious final third of Last Of The Good Ol' Days, The Latebirds make a distinctive impression with their U.S. debut.  Producer Jim Scott (Tom Petty, Johnny Cash, Wilco, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Dixie Chicks) helps The Latebirds make the most of their sound with a mostly live, in-studio recording that keeps the band's delicious rough edges firmly in the forefront.  Appearances by Nels Cline (Wilco), Minnie Driver and Benmont Tench (Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers) are add intrigue to the mix, and Last Of The Good Ol' Days should find The Latebirds receiving a very warm reception in the Western Hemisphere.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about The Latebirds at www.latebirds.com or www.myspace.com/thelatebirds.  Last Of The Good Ol' Days is available from Amazon.com as a CD or a Download. 

The Literary Greats - Ocean, Meet The Valley

The Literary Greats - Ocean, Meet The Valley
2009, The Literary Greats

Houston, Texas quintet The Literary Greats recently returned with their sophomore album, Ocean, Meet The Valley. With a rootsy approach to rock n roll, The Literary Greats take a deeper, darker turn with Ocean, Meet The Valley. Working with producer Chris Grainger (Wilco, Sixpence None The Richer), The Literary Greats used 1970’s era equipment and recording techniques to capture a classic sound.

Ocean, Meet The Valley opens with "That Mountain Yonder", a song of big melodic sensibilities and Americana colorings. The Literary Greats come off sounding like a cross between The Rolling Stones and Wings here. "Show Me The Coast" is a Blue Rodeo-style country rocker with a big guitar sound. It's a great tune, one that will have you hitting replay over and over. The Literary Greats get a bit scattered on "Happens Every Time" before falling into the droning and "The Black Bee". "Oh Abilene is a raucous country rocker that's well worth the listen, particularly in a honky-tonk or club where there are many willing dancers.

Dreadnought is highly repetitive, working around a play on words "fear God and dreadnought" in a song powered by big, heavy guitar sound. "Ruby Sapphire" is a love song of sorts, wrapped up in a dark, mildly funky rock tune with serious backbeat and a solid chorus. "Ocean Waves" has a low-key, early-1960's sound that's vaguely reminiscent of Roy Orbison, although the lyrics sound straight from the heart. The Literary Greats close with "Hill Country Queen", an affable love song with some real potential.

Ocean, Meet The Valley is an enjoyable side-trip, full of solid melodies, plus songwriting and energetic performances from The Literary Greats. Americana fans should fawn all over The Literary Greats. These guys can flat out play, sing, write and perform.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about The Literary Greats at http://www.theliterarygreats.com/ or www.myspace.com/theliterarygreats. Ocean, Meet The Valley is available in multiple formats from Amazon.

Review: Kevin Barker - You & Me

Kevin Barker - You & Me
2009, Gnomosong

Kevin Barker may be new to many, but he's been deep in the Indie music scene for some time now. A guitarist with the band Vetiver, Barker has also played/toured with Joanna Newsom, Devendra Barnhart, Antony And The Johnsons, The Espers and Vashti Bunyan. The Washington, D.C. native has been immersed in the Indie scene since his teens, and has covered all aspects of the music business (from playing to promotions to owning his own record label). Barker is also a filmmaker educated at Columbia University in New York City. Barker broke out on his own in January of 2010 with his debut solo album, You & Me. On his own, but not alone, Barker called on some of his close friends to make You & Me happen. Contributors include Pat Sansone (Wilco); Joanna Newsom, Jonathan Wilson (Elvis Costello, Jenny Lewis); Eric Johnson (Shins, Fruit Bats) and Otto Hauser (Vetiver, Espers).

Barker opens with Little Picture Of You, an eccentric little Pop tune with a down-home feel that's relaxing for a change. You could almost picture Barker playing this sitting around on the back porch with some friends on a Saturday night. The guitar play does seem a little out of synch at times but it seems this is stylistic rather than inconsistent. Barker adopts a classic singer/songwriter style for You & Me, and the approach fares him moderately well. The song comes across bland, and Barker's energy level does little to break out of that shell. Mountain & Bear suffers from similar issues. Barker picks things up just a tad for Amber, getting more of a classic Americana/Country feel to the song. The energy level is still just a few notches above torpor, but Barker's voice and tuneful melodies will inspire you to keep listening and see if he can break through.

Listeners are at least partially rewarded on Walking Along. Barker shows a bit more commitment to this song, and the arrangement itself is charged with a bit more energy than the tracks that came before. Barker reminds me of Barenaked Ladies' Kevin Hearn because of the quirky nature of his songwriting, although Hearn, even at his quietest moments is always a ball of energy musically. My Lady finds Barker truly rounding into his own. The energy here is real, running through ever line and note of the song. It's also among the best songwriting on the album, as Barker's heartfelt lyrics ring true. Barker closes quickly on Bless You On Your Way, a gorgeously constructed and orchestrated tune full of symbolism and nuance.

You & Me is a solid effort, with Kevin Barker comporting himself very well. The album has its ups and downs, but Bless You On Your Way would make almost anything worth listening to. Barker has a sublime sense of melody and a quirky, not-according-to-Hoyle songwriting style that catches your attention, but at times the energy level that comes through on You & Me kills the individual songs before they even get started. When Barker is on his game, the results are wonderful. As it is, You & Me is solid, off-the-beaten path singer/songwriter fare that will at least have some nuggets worth checking out for most listeners.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Kevin Barker at www.myspace.com/krkbarker. You can purchase You & Me as either a CD or Download from Amazon.com.

Review: Scattergun - Life At Fantasy Lounge

Scattergun - Life At Fantasy Lounge
2010, Mile Long Records

It really has all been done. History and art repeat because humanity has reached a nadir of expression, and everyone else that come along is destined to sound like somebody who came before. That's how a band from Chicago can come along, eschew any pretense of sounding like anyone else, write and play songs solely based on what they like and end up sounding so much like another band it's a little disturbing at times. The band in question is Scattergun, an original (and seemingly therefore thoroughly derivate) Americana/Rock band with its feet firmly on the ground and a sound that should fare them well. Fans of Blue Rodeo pay attention, because if you ever chance across Scattergun your first reaction will be to wonder what Blue Rodeo album that song was on. Upon closer listen, Scattergun and Blue Rodeo won't really sound that much alike, but stylistically they are soul mates. This is increasingly evident on Scattergun's debut album, Life At Fantasy Lounge, due January 29, 2010 on Mile Long Records.

Life At Fantasy Lounge begins, fittingly, with The Lie, a roiling Country/Rocker about falling in love with an idea that proves to be more desirable than reality. Vocalist Jeff Falk has an earthy, every-man sound that's comforting in songs about real life and real emotions, with Doug Jensen pacing the song nicely on bass. Duluth is full of the angst of breaking up with someone and moving on, draped in mournful guitar with Falk's plaintive vocals driving the action. Morning Star is an upbeat song about the necessity of ending a bad relationship that was done without edits. Morning Star tracks the impending end of a relationship that never ends, and how the conflict of affection can interfere with doing what we know needs be done.

On Pieces Of You, Scattergun offers up an aural painting of hitting bottom, where hopelessness trumps hope and light is scattered illusion. The song takes on a warped energy that's highly appealing with the dark subtext and passively angry guitar. Killing The Cure is an edgy rocker that allows Falk to stretch his vocal chords a bit. Killing The Cure is very catchy in its slightly repressed Americana arrangement and might serve as a viable single. Tom Waits Boots was inspired by the cover of the Rain Dogs album, and parallels the boots Waits wears on the cover to the singer's own emotional state in the shadow of a relationship that's been much less than perfect.

Battery Acid Debutante is buoyed by a strong arrangement but is essentially scraps of lyrics thrown together to form a not-cohesive non-narrative. Hotel Pillow revives a theme that seems to sit loosely on the shoulder of Scattergun on Life At Fantasy Lounge. It's all about doing something you think you like only to find out it isn't worth doing but having to follow through and tough it out. Matchstick Renoir is another "scraps" song and suffers from a similar lack of cohesion as found in Battery Acid Debutante. Runway 4-22 reflects another level of songwriting that Mike and Jeff seem able to reach for, stripping away any pretense at all for emotional honesty combined with a sympathetic poetry that borders on magical. Runway 4-22 describes the attraction of New York City and how it can feel like home right away, but also recognizes for many visitors a need to go home. Michael Paeth offers a perhaps unwitting justification to his son for this dichotomy, "as long as you know you're my finest hour, then it's alright". Scattergun closes with Dimestore Judas, an allegorical song about being alone that uses a Biblical reference for non-religious purposes. The song is utterly brilliant, highlighting an indifference that leads to greater loneliness in real world terms.

Scattergun really has something special brewing, although I personally find the inability to let even a scrap of interesting lyric go unused a bit frustrating at times. These "mash-ups" are generally the weakest songs on the album. That being said, the rest of the album is no less than brilliant. Scattergun, as a collective, can write and they play their hearts out. The comparison to Blue Rodeo (and to a lesser degree Wilco) is unavoidable, but Scattergun arrives at the sound honestly as their own. Life At Fantasy Lounge is an engaging debut album that's deserving of high praise. Make sure you check it out.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Scattergun at http://www.scattergunrocks.com/ or www.myspace.com/scattergunmusic. Life At Fantasy Lounge drops on January 29, 2010. You can order a copy on CD from the band through from Mile Long Records. Downloads are available through iTunes, Amazon and other retailers.

Review: Justin Levinson - Predetermined Fate

Justin Levinson - Predetermined Fate
2009, Justin Levinson

Burlington, Vermont's Justin Levinson returned home after five years in Boston, finding the laid back Burlington music scene provided him with a great space to write. Levinson has name recognition on the College Radio circuit and has even had a song featured on Virgin-America's In-Flight play list. Levinson writes in the crowded Americana realm, capturing a sound that's part Blue Rodeo, part Wilco and part Connor Oberst. Levinson's third album, Predetermined Fate was self-released in 2009.

Predetermined Fate is one of those albums you get to the end of and realize you liked it even if it initially only made a quiet impression on you. Levinson's easy, unthreatening approach washes over listeners without fully engaging them. He's a decent writer with a voice I'm non-committal on, but does seem to have a real ear for melody. The album opens with Everything About You, a decent starter but not perhaps what you'd hope for in an introduction. Things get better on the eloquent Bandaid On A Bullet Wound; a highly tuneful Americana sidebar very much worth hearing. Losing You To Tennessee is the real deal, a song that in the right hands would be a likely radio hit. Levinson even shows off some fancy country guitar work on Hopelessness.

Groundhog Day captures a melancholic, laid-back vibe that fits perfectly with the theme of being in a rut. Levinson gets a bit cliché on Waiting For Someone To Love Me, a well-written tune that somehow ends up sounding vaguely like a 1980's television commercial. Keep Your Heart Fulfilled vies with Losing You To Tennessee for the best song on the disc. It certainly has the prettiest melody and seems like the most likely song here to be licensed. Levinson closes out with Sleep Child, a dark and occasionally lyrically awkward lullaby written more for adults than children. The arrangement is gorgeous.

Justin Levinson has a talent for melody and graceful Americana arrangements. Predetermined Fate is full of songs with a lot of potential, but often the energy wanes a bit too much. His voice will strike some well and other not so much; individual listeners will have to decide for themselves. There is some real writing talent here, but the focus at times is quite varied and occasionally even distracted. There's something that runs through Predetermined Fate however that speaks of future growth. I suspect the next album will be even better; but watch out, this one will grow on you.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Justin Levinson at http://www.justinlevinson.com/. You can purchase Predetermined Fate as either a CD or Download from CDBaby.com.

Review: The Injured Parties - Fun With A Purpose

The Injured Parties - Fun With A Purpose
2009, Zenith Beast Records

The Injured Parties are a Chicago-based power trio propagating a mid-western brand of roots rock n roll that runs the gamut from Neil Young-style minimalism to the noise of The Velvet Underground. Front Man Larry O. Dean (Post Office, The Me Decade) has a vocal delivery reminiscent of Young, and band mates Jimmy DeLauriea (bass) and Mike Ebersohl (drums) help to build a musical base that's part Americana and part Garage Rock. The Injured Parties debut album, Fun With A Purpose, was produced by Mark Nevers (Lambchop, Calexico) and mastered by Mike Hagler (Wilco, Neko Case, The Mekons).

Fun With A Purpose opens with American Comfort, a vibrant Americana/Rocker that points to an American conceit regarding comfort and consumption in light of how it affects the rest of the world. Been There, Done That takes a limited arrangement and a lead vocal with a bare relationship to a key to offer a linguistically challenged set of lyrics. Dogwalker is an amusing vignette about unrequited love with someone who probably doesn't even know the narrator exists. The song could either be sweet or creepy depending on perspective, but the Americana arrangement is a good one even if there is a looseness to the band throughout. If You're Gonna Break My Heart has a Rembrandts feel to it ala "I'll Be There For You" mixed with a Luther Wright twang. It's an entertaining song with some real life to it but stays on the underside of sonic purity.

Linda Fiorentino is something of a teenage fantasy about a Hollywood babe who's a Terminator. The song is cute but not really funny and not terribly interesting past the first couple of listens. On Her Way To Becoming Something Else details the timeless story of someone young who heads off from home for no other reason than to not be where they grew up any longer. The song is full of adolescent leanings and a driving Americana arrangement that serves as the perfect frame for a caricature that is spot-on. Fun With A Purpose closes out with For Your Protection, a whimsical bit of fluff rock with Punk leanings; a variation on call and response where the backing vocalists sing the same line over-and-over, and as along as the lead vocalist can think of more responses the song can continue. It's a fun exercise with little lasting effect.

Fun With A Purpose is held together with sonic duct tape, with The Injured Parties battering the band structure as often as they play to. The album is amusing and entertaining without being highly musical. The energy of the songs sells the album, and if you accept to Lo-Fi approach and rough songwriting then you'll get it. An aura of satire is in the air, and it has The Injured Parties written all over it.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about The Injured Parties at http://www.theinjuredparties.com/ or www.myspace.com/theinjuredparties. You can purchase a copy of Fun With A Purpose at Amazon.com, or you can purchase a download through Amazon MP3.

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: Tireless Sedans - Parts + Labour EP

Tireless Sedans - Parts + Labour EP
2009, Superbob Records/SOCAN

I've always felt a sort of vague enmity flowing out of Moncton, New Brunswick. It all goes back to my childhood days as a fan of the (then) Adirondack Red Wings of the American Hockey League. Games against the Moncton Hawks always seemed to go badly, with lots of fights and Majors, Match Majors and Game Misconducts always coming in the way of victory. The Wings left Glens Falls, NY many years ago, but that vague sense of unease has remained. I am happy to say that the Tireless Sedans have given me something positive to think of when I ponder Moncton. Their debut, Parts + Labour EP, is a pleasurable alt-country/rock mix with some quirky personality traits.

The musicality of Wilco is there, with the depth and jangle of Sloan, and a bit of unusual song construction ala Ed Robertson. Singer/songwriter/guitarist Dave Rahmer is supported by a strong cast of fellow musicians. Mark McGinnis keeps it lively and thriving on skins and whatever else falls into his hands while Chad Lifford helps to nail down the rhythmic heart of the band. Jenna Gallant brings a vintage guitar sound to the band while kicking in some great background vocals. The EP opens with Old Home Town Pain, a song about returning home with the figurative tail between your legs, and finding out it perhaps wasn't as bad as you'd always thought, yet not what you'd hope. Alberta is a quirky whine set to a killer guitar riff about a relationship gone bad.

Stretch is aptly named. Thus far on Parts + Labour Tireless Sedans have shown strong musicianship and songwriting, but on Stretch Rahmer shows an ability to craft lyrics that are not only intelligent and clear but also subtle and profound. The chorus is perhaps a bit predictable, but the verses show some real creative spark as a word smith. Even The Sheep is a wonderfully quirky guitar oriented bit of Americana/Rock with an early Chicago-Style horn section thrown in. This is the most sonically interesting piece on the CD, playing around with progressive song construction and some interesting guitar fill work playing tag with the vocal line. Foreword serves as an instrumental introduction to Can't Move Forward, which has the energy and melody to be a Lo-Fi pop/country single.

Parts + Labour EP is a strong introduction to Tireless Sedans. Rahmer and crew show real promise as a band, crafting alt-country nuggets that will have you hitting re-play many times over. Between the strong musical lines and intelligent lyrics lay a spark of magic that is neither describable nor forgettable. They're not flashy, but Tireless Sedans will get inside your head.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Tireless Sedans at www.myspace.com/tirelesssedans or http://www.superbob.ca/. Parts + Labour does not appear to be currently available on line, so keep checking their Tireless Sedans’ MySpace page.

Brother Dan Palmer - The Nashville Sessions
2009, Brother Dan Palmer

Carson City, Nevada crooner Brother Dan Palmer is back with an EP of songs he re-recorded in Nashville. All the songs presented here were on Brother Dan's previous release, Nothin’ Better Than This, but are given full life on The Nashville Sessions, set for release on May 22, 2009.

The songs are originally recorded by Brother Dan were great, but what he has done on The Nashville Sessions is fill out the sounds and bring new life to fan favorites. Natural Love is funkier than the original and full of energy. Meant For You is probably the most improved version, in a funk/rock arrangement that will have you movin' and groovin'. Time Keeps Tickin' Away has a much fuller sound than the original version and frames Brother Dan's voice better. All I Ever Wanted is captured in a fantastic Americana arrangement. The EP closes out with Where You Are. This is a great love song, wrapped up here in a Country/Americana arrangement you won't forget.

Fans of Brother Dan Palmer will eat this up. The original album is an excellent recording and document of where Brother Dan was at the time musically. The Nashville Sessions represents an artist who has grown, and provides measurable proof by revisiting song that were good as they were and enhancing them in ways that improve their marketability without sacrificing the quality of the music. The Nashville Sessions is definitely a worthwhile venture.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Brother Dan Palmer at www.myspace.com/brotherdan2 or http://www.brotherdanpalmer.com/. The Nashville Sessions will be released on May 22, 2009.