Rachael Sage - New Destination [EP]

Rachael Sage – New Destination
2014, MPress Records

Rachael Sage is a four-time Independent Music Award winning singer, songwriter, actor and sometime Comedienne.  With 11 full-length albums under her belt and numerous collaborations, it is hard to imagine Sage finding something new to accomplish.  Nevertheless, her latest release, an EP entitled New Destination, is a first for Sage.  Recorded primarily in her home studio, the songwriting on New Destination brings the intimate feel of a Rachael Sage show into the studio.  It also features some of her best songwriting to date.

Sage opens with the title track, with a bit more of an aggressive sound than you might be used to from her.  The bed of the song is still built with piano, cello, guitar and drums, but the verses have a workmanlike feel.  The chorus rises out of that atmosphere with an uplifting and hopeful melody and message.  This might be the most commercially friendly song Sage has produced in a while, and could be a breakout hit for pop radio in spite of the largely acoustic palette.  You’ll be hitting replay on this tune over and over, and you won’t be able to get it out of your head.  “Wax” is a thoroughly unsettled pop experience full of anguished beauty.  The rolling piano and metronomic rhythm section set the tone, as Sage’s soul searching creates a visceral ‘a-ha’ moment. 

“Misery’s Grace” is a cleverly disguised waltz with a gorgeous instrumental bed.  Sage holds the center with a personal and personable performance that’s straight from the heart.  It’s also one of the most striking vocal performances heard from her to date.  “Not Leaving You” is among Sage’s most affecting and personal songs, a strong statement about an artist who makes a point of coming straight from the heart.  There’s a distinctive polish to this tune, and yet there’s an elemental feel to the songwriting that manages to not get lost in the studio.  This is a brilliant love ballad that’s fit for a movie soundtrack, or perhaps even a Billboard bullet.

Brilliant is a word that gets thoroughly overused in reviews of this sort.  But it’s a word that’s entirely apropos in this case.  Rachael Sage combines brilliant, compact and heartfelt songwriting, professional polish and an elemental feel throughout the four songs on New Destination.  This is some of her finest work to date, and reflects, perhaps, a new stage in her career.  Given the recent attention her music has received on-line, Rachael Sage is on the cusp of the sort of breakout that Indie musicians everywhere dream of.  Whatever tomorrow brings, New Destination is a place where you’ll want to me.  It’s a Wildy’s World Certified Desert Island Disc.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more at www.rachaelsage.com. 

D.B. Rielly - Cross My Heart + Hope To Die

D.B. Rielly - Cross My Heart + Hope To Die
2013, Shut Up & Play!

D.B. Rielly stormed onto the music scene in 2010 with his debut album Love Potions and Snake Oil, landing on over a dozen “Best Of” lists for the year (including #1 album of the year on the Wildy’s World year-end countdown).  The New York City-based singer/songwriter brings an eclectic mix of country, zydeco, blues and rock and roll to the table, creating vast musical tableaux that serve as the perfect setting for his stories and songs.  Rielly recently dropped his second album, Cross My Heart + Hope To Die.  There is no sophomore jinx here; Rielly’s second album is as compelling as the first and perhaps even moreso.

Rielly gets started with a brilliantly rustic take on Bob Seger's "Turn the Page". There's a desolate beauty in the contrast between the stage and the hours of night where loneliness pervades. Rielly brings this to the fire with a utilitarian vocal style and subtle instrumental layering. "Wrapped Around Your Little Finger" finds Rielly and his band working a vibrant mix of zydeco and country. Sit still if you can.  "Some Day" is a swaying lament, played and sun in the style of Roy Orbison. Rielly handles this with a gentle reserve, channeling Orbison with an eerie precision. 

"Come Hell Or High Water" is one of the most powerfully elemental love songs you will ever hear, and Rielly delivers it in unvarnished fashion. There's a rough beauty here that is stunning. "Moving Mountains" is a song of faith in action built on a gently rolling arrangement. Reilly's band is at their low-key best here; everything is fluid yet full of a vibrant energy. "It's Gonna Be Me" is a bluesy tune with rock attitude.  The guitar work here is alive and kicking, and Rielly brings optimism and humor together in enjoyable fashion. 

"Untie Me" sounds like it could be a John Fogerty tune from the Creedencen Clearwater era. It's a great little number with a wicked backbeat guaranteed to get your hips shaking. "Your Doggin' Fool" is an anachronistic kiss off song that's well hewn and sung with a classic country sound. It's back to zydeco and country for "Roadrunner", with Rielly and his band turning in a bravura performance. Rielly closes with "Fiorchroi (True Heart)", a haunting ballad sung to a departed love one. Without cliché or glitter, Rielly offers a brilliant performance as elemental and lovely as you could imagine. 

After listening to Cross My Heart + Hope To Die, it is difficult to imagine Rielly not ending up on a bunch of year-end lists again.  The album probably dropped a bit late for GRAMMY consideration this year, but Rielly deserves that sort of attention for his work.  Cross My Heart + Hope To Die takes you through emotional depths without the saccharine or overreach common in pop music, but also conveys a level of mastery as a songwriter, performer and vocalist that is rare in any genre.  D.B. Rielly has done it again, and Cross My Heart + Hope To Die is nothing less than a Wildy’s World Certified Desert Island Disc!

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more at www.dbrielly.com.  

Delta Rae - Carry The Fire

Delta Rae – Carry The Fire
2012, Sire Records

After five years of writing and nearly 2,700 reviews, it is increasingly difficult to be absolutely bowled over by a new band.  While no one who writes like this wants to admit it, there is a certain cynicism that sets in after a while.  A reviewer may check out as many as 20 releases in a week with a goal of perhaps covering 4-5, and there is a definite amount of musical homogeneity that occurs in the various branches of popular music.  It is the reason that radio programmers often claim they can tell a hit in the first 10-15 seconds of a song.  If there is no hook in that amount of time that catches the ear, the listener either tunes out or changes the channel.

Similarly, if an album is too like other acts, or just doesn’t have something special to it, it’s easy to write it off.  It’s the thing that we reviewers must guard against.  Luckily, none of these concerns come into play with Delta Rae’s Carry The Fire, which is by far the most wonderfully vibrant and compelling release of 2012 to date.  The Durham, North Carolina sextet is comprised of siblings Ian (vocals/guitar); Eric (vocals/guitar/piano/keys); and Brittany Hölljes (vocals), along with Elizabeth Hopkins (vocals); Mike McKee (percussion) and Grant Emerson (bass guitar).  Discovered by legendary record exec Seymour Stein, Delta Rae is living proof that once in a while, the music industry actually gets it right.

Carry The Fire launches with “Holding On To The Good”, a wonderfully buoyant piece of orchestrated folk/pop.  The complex vocal and instrumental infrastructure of the song is challenging, laced with gorgeous harmonies and a dynamic, supple lead vocal by Brittany Hölljes.  “Is There Anyone Out There” is full of a contemplative melancholy and a Springsteen-esque observance of a world that is worse off than when Bruce wrote Born To Run.  Delta Rae paints the picture of a world that has lost its identity, from the perspective on of the last bastions to carry on the old ways.  The provocative chorus is all about not giving up, but displays a waning hope that things can actually turn around.  “Morning Comes” explores the feelings about seeing your home town fall into darker times.  Hope abounds here in more plentiful portions here, and there’s a certain bleak beauty in this unresolved resolution.

“If I Loved You” is a magical moment in songwriting; a well-written heartbreaker.  Brittany Hölljes channels a bit of Sheryl Crow here, as our protagonist waxes poetic on what she would do if she loved a suitor in the same way he loves her.  The song is wistful; she wishes she could return what he feels.  It’s a wow moment free of the cliché and entendres that so often accompany such ideas in popular music forms.  “Bottom Of The River” is a bluesy gospel-inspired number that builds wonderfully dark bits of tension into beautiful resolutions.  Brittany Hölljes shines in what most be the most dynamic and powerful vocal performance on the album.

“Country House” is a lovely, contemplative exploration of the pure emotions of missing someone.  There’s an almost academic approach to the song at first, but this slow burn fires into full inferno in the emotionally charged chorus.  The vocal and instrumental tableau here is nothing short of gorgeous.  “Surrounded” is adult orchestral pop that is wonderfully layered and complex.  There is a dynamic and tension-filled beauty here that is impossible to ignore.  “Dance In The Graveyards” is another moment of magic, as Delta Rae implores listeners to make the most of every moment, both here and in the hereafter.  It’s a wonderfully vibrant pop tune brocaded with orchestra and amazingly resilient vocal triads.  This is an absolute WOW moment.

But Delta Rae is not done.  Just when you think they’ve hit their heights they push beyond with “Fire”.  This intense and driven number is absolutely elemental in emotion and feel.  Think Sometymes Why meets Nine Inch Nails (for intensity) and you’ll be in the ballpark.  Brittany Hölljes does things with her voice here that don’t seem humanly possible as she conveys anger and hurt in pure aesthetic forms.  The moment where she breaks is chilling and drives through you like a spike.

Delta Rae tones it down a bit with a mea culpa for human imperfection entitled “Forgive The Children We Once Were”.  The song is beautiful, heartfelt and sweet in its honesty as it tries to move on the imperfections and thoughtlessness of youth.  “Unlike Any Other” is a stripped down and heartfelt and emotionally raw.  Subtle vocal harmonies set the tableau, but Brittany Hölljes’ voice and the piano are used to maximum effect to convey musical secrets in a beautiful and powerful performance. 

And on the other side of darkness there is always light.  That seems to be the deep seated message behind closing out the album with “Hey, Hey, Hey”, a sweet and light-hearted love song.  The lead vocal and harmonies mix in gorgeous measure, and the song has a nice, light touch.  This is a feel good time that lets you walk away even after story filled with real life pain with a bounce in your step and hope in your heart.

That’s the magic of Delta Rae.  There is a deep understanding of real world pain and suffering in their music, and yet there is always hope and always just a bit of magic around the corner waiting to happen.  The musical intensity of the group is spine tingling at times; they can rock you sleep or blast you through the wall without ever losing a sense of who they are musically.  Carry The Fire they do.  It won’t be surprising to see Delta Rae and Carry The Fire regularly mentioned as contenders for next year’s GRAMMY Awards.  In any case, Carry The Fire is certainly a Wildy’s World Certified Desert Island Disc.  This one is a classic.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Delta Rae at www.deltarae.com, www.facebook.com/deltarae, or www.myspace.com/deltaraemusic. 

Sarah Jarosz - Follow Me Down

Sarah Jarosz - Follow Me Down
2011, Sugar Hill Records

Sarah Jarosz hails from Wimberly, Texas, and writes and sings with a presence, composure and sense of self that seems extraordinary for one so young.  The twenty-year old singer/songwriter is prolific, as well, recently releasing her sophomore album, Follow Me Down.  Jarosz pushes at the walls while paying homage to the music she grew up with, blending a style of Americana rock that’s fresh and exciting.

Jarosz opens with "Run Away", a quiet but powerful entreaty, played skillfully by Jarosz' tremendous voice. The subtle arrangement underneath is the perfect foil to her vocal presence. "Come Around" is presented in a stark, open arrangement full of quiet urgency. This is a true WOW moment, and Jarosz doesn't spare an ounce of energy in the vocal line. "Annabelle Lee" is classic Americana driven by a modern urgency and deep Appalachian roots. Jarosz explores the struggle between right and wrong on "Ring Them Bells", struggling to discern the proper path in a world complicated by emotions and influences that are often out of our control.

"My Muse" is an absolutely gorgeous love song; with Jarosz' voice floating over the arrangement like a cloud. Chalk up another WOW moment for the artist. "Floating In The Balance" is well written, but hard to even comprehend fully in the wake of "My Muse". It seems almost anti-climactic due to placement, but is well worth your attention on its own. Jarosz shows off her instrumental side on "Old Smitty", blending bluegrass, country, Americana and Celtic styles in a compact arrangement with soaring fiddle work overhead. If Jarosz makes a misstep on "The Tourist", it might be in the inexorable pacing, but the melancholic melody is full of an aching beauty that's impossible to ignore. "Here Nor There" sticks to the middle of the road, but Jarosz nails a note-perfect vocal performance, proving that sometimes less really is more. "Gypsy" finds Jarosz delving into quiet, observational poetry, in a down-tempo, low-key beauty of an arrangement, before closing out with the simple folk instrumental "Peace."

Sarah Jarosz' roots-based singer/songwriter material isn't the type that generally builds a buzz outside of internet radio, but Jarosz is in possession of tremendous songwriting skills and such personal panache that she's impossible to ignore. Follow Me Down is the sort of album that grabs you in the opening notes, wraps you its arms and refuses to let you go until it had its way with you. Even in her quieter moments, Jarosz delivers on Follow Me Down, whether with her voice, her songwriting, or her presence as an artist. More often than not all three are in play at once. When this happens, just stand back and listen. Sarah Jarosz is a force, and Follow Me Down is a Wildy’s World Certified Desert island Disc.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Sarah Jarosz at www.sarahjarosz.com or www.myspace.com/sarahjaroszmusic. 

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Gattis - E.P.

Gattis - E.P.
2010, Breaking New Records

Will Gattis has been acknowledged to be Maine’s Best Singer/Songwriter (2007), but his talents have been acknowledged all up and down the Eastern Seaboard.  As front man for the band Gattis, Will Gattis mixes his distinctive songwriting style, which is part Paul McCartney and part Ben Folds, with a unique charisma that charms an audience immediately.  On Gattis’ latest effort, the accurately entitled E.P., listeners get a full dose of Will Gattis’ distinctive sense of melody and his eminently listenable voice.

E.P. opens with wonderfully catchy "You And Me".  The song has a timeless melody and a chorus you can't help but sing along to.  Catchy but not overpowering, the song evokes thoughts of The Beatles meets Ben Folds.  You won't be able to get this song out of your head.  "Metropolis" is a gorgeous Ben Folds-style epic ballad about the death of Superman that simultaneously explores society's need for heroes from a quasi-sociological perspective.  This is geek-pop sublime, drenched in a melody so sweet you'll dream about it.  "Lily" is a low-key pop ballad that has the silly sweetness of a McCartney number but the energy and style of a Ben Folds tune.  The chorus, once again, will refuse to vacate your brain.  Gattis closes with "Christopher", a caricature in song about the speed of life and the feeling of getting passed by.  It's a simple, piano-driven arrangement that can't escape comparisons to Folds but is distinctly original nonetheless. 

One thing is abundantly clear; Gattis has a distinctive talent for infectious pop music that both breaks and proves the rules about what a pop song should be.  Names like the Paul McCartney and Ben Folds can't help but come up in a conversation about Gattis, or if you're more Indie rock oriented, think bands such as Woodward and Tally Hall.  Either way, Gattis' E.P. is utterly brilliant pop with quirk and style.  It certainly deserves recognition as a  Certified Desert Island Disc.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Gattis at www.willgattis.com or www.myspace.com/gattistheband.  E.P. is available from Amazon.com as a CD or Download.  The album is also available via iTunes.

Review: Shayna Zaid & The Catch - Shayna Zaid & The Catch EP

Shayna Zaid & The Catch - Shayna Zaid & The Catch EP
2009, Shayna Zaid & The Catch

Shayna Zaid has been a television personality and recording artist since the age of twelve, and has developed a stage presence that can't be taught. Her smoky voice and enigmatic style mix with an extreme talent for writing lyrics and a sense of melody and arrangement that are far above the norm. We reviewed Zaid's debut EP, Au Fait, in 2008, and were wowed by her songwriting and persona, but Zaid continues to develop her craft. Her latest effort, Shayna Zaid & The Catch [EP] features band mates Joel Dean (guitarist/producer); Christopher Heinz (drums), Danny Stone (bass) and Yan Izquierdo (violin) in a wonderfully coherent and Pop-influenced post-genre album you have to hear to believe.

Zaid opens with Morning Sun, a bright, airy Americana tune offered up in acoustic format. Zaid's complicated, sultry alto is full of texture and personality that leaps out of your speakers. You can't help but move to this music; a celebration of each and every new day. Just Because, one of three carry-overs from Zaid's Au Fait EP, is pure infatuation in song. Zaid proves herself a master lyricist, putting thoughts into words that slip into your brain as if they were your own. This is a song that mooning teenagers (and none too few adults) will name their mix tapes after. Closer is a fluid love ballad written to one who is far away. It's buoyed by a gorgeous melody and lyrics that flow like water; written in sweet and sensuous phrases without becoming cloying or cliché.

The highlight of the album, perhaps of the century (thus far), is Fireflies. If Zaid's purpose was to attain Pop perfection, she can quit now and go home. Fireflies is Brilliant (note the capital B). You can't teach a moment like this, but anyone out there who has ever written a song or dreamed of written one needs to listen to Fireflies and take it in. Fireflies is the view of a new love as seen through the eyes of your best girlfriend and practically bubbles over with exuberance. Zaid captures a moment in words with the fluid grace of Johnny Mercer, pairs it with a melody that simply won't leave you alone and wraps it all in arrangement that frames the song in perfect light. Pure poetry in music is what you'll hear "when his name slips through your smile wider than the river Nile, then it's love... bet he'd drive a million miles just to see you for a while, then it's love. Fireflies... light up the night."

It's You is another bit of Mix Tape Magic; a devotional written with nothing held back. Zaid sounds like a cross between Norah Jones and Tina Turner here; the combination is gripping and the song is as emotionally raw as you could imagine. Bonita could be a song of love or support; sweet and loving either way. It's a light and airy arrangement that's very danceable. Zaid closes with Blow, a powerful, driven acoustic arrangement about the perils of cocaine laced with gypsy violin ala Joe Venuti. It's more of a character sketch in song, a brilliant take that sounds like it might have come from a Tarantino film (or perhaps a song he might choose to write a film about).

When I reviewed Shayna Zaid's Au Fait EP I knew she was a formidable talent, but she's upped the ante seriously in the mean time. I don't think it's any kind of stretch to start including Zaid in discussions of the best songwriters working in Indie Music. If it were just Fireflies you could make the argument that any songwriter can strike brilliance once, but there are no less than three songs here that are exuberant ten out of tens, and there's not a smidgen of mediocrity in the bunch. If Zaid has any shortcomings commercially it will be that she doesn't fit into a neat marketable package, but will fit nicely into a lot of niches, similar to artists such as Lyle Lovett, Randy Newman, Jeff Tweedy and the still rising Marian Call. Shayna Zaid & The Catch have magic in a bottle; magic of their own making. Shayna Zaid & The Catch [EP] is a Wildy's World Certified Desert Island Disc.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Shayna Zaid at http://www.shaynazaid.com/ or www.myspace.com/shaynazaid. Shayna Zaid & The Catch [EP] is available digitally through both iTunes and Amazon.com. It should be noted that the digital versions of the EP have only five tracks. Just Because and It’s You do not appear on the digital download versions available on either iTunes of Amazon.com, but are available on the wonderful Au Fait EP. And hey, if you dig Shayna Zaid & The Catch, why not give them a hand? Shayna Zaid & The Catch are up for band of the month from Deli Magazine. Voting closes tomorrow, February 15, 2010. Just go to Deli Magazine and look for the “Band Of The Month” poll that starts three quarters of the way down on the right on the page as it opens and vote for Shayna Zaid & The Catch. (Of course, you can vote for anyone else too, if that’s your preference!)

Review: Lyle Lovett - Natural Forces

Lyle Lovett - Natural Forces
2009, Lost Highway Records

Singer; songwriter; actor; composer; the guy who married Julia Roberts. Most anyone with any sense of American Pop Culture over the last generation has come across Lyle Lovett at least once. Lovett is, in simple terms, one of the finest songwriters of his generation. Intense musical and creative talent sprinkled with the wit and wisdom of a native Texan are the trademarks of Lovett’s music over the years. Lyle Lovett released his fourteenth album recently, Natural Forces. It’s an album about loneliness and basic human need, although that theme is subtle and suggests itself slowly.

Natural Forces opens with the title track, a song about the primal rhythms that move migrating animals and people; those tied to the road/trail/sky to fulfill a deep-seated need for consistency. Rodeo riders seems to be the primary focus of the song, but truckers, musicians and anyone else who makes their life and living on the road will find something of themselves here. Lovett marries Country and Big Band/Bee Bop on Farmer Brown/Chicken Reel in a format so comfortable for Lovett it's practically a trademark by now. The musicianship is, as always, world class, and Lovett delivers a fun story song full of double entendre and wit with a wink and a smile. Pantry is based on the old adage that the way to someone's heart is through their stomach. The narrator is going away and essentially asks his wife/partner not to cook/eat until he gets back. Innuendo and clever word play fill the chorus against an arrangement that will set up shop in your psyche and refuse to leave without a court order. Empty Blue Shoes is a classic country song about the inevitability of heartbreak. With touches of The Blues thrown in, Lovett has created a song in Empty Blues Shoes that is destined to be covered time and time again.

Whooping Crane is a deep and elegantly written song about the impact that mankind has on the world. Some might take it as a purely conservationist message, but it seems even more pointed; a diatribe against the willingness of man to wipe out anything that gets in his way. The examples used here are unique to Texas and the American West (Whooping Cranes, First Nations) but the message is powerful and clear. Bayou Song displays one of Lovett's greatest talents as a songwriter. He has an ability to paint pictures with words and notes that transcend time and place like the ethereal movies that make up dreams. Bohemia celebrates a lifestyle where life itself is appreciated because the folks living it often have little else than their lives, talents and experiences. The song mixes Rock, Country and Jazz and a bit of Funk in a delicious musical confection you really need to hear.

Sun And Moon And Stars is a gorgeous tune about the loneliness that eventually comes to those who go through life alone. Even the most steadfast loner reaches a point where friendships gone by are missed. It's a powerful tune about the urge to return to your roots and not really being sure about what those are anymore. Loretta is a non-traditional love song about a barmaid and man who can't commit but can't stay away. It's a cute country store that fits in with the loneliness theme that seems to have worked its way into Natural Forces. Its Rock And Roll is an honest-to-goodness Rock tune about the here-today, gone-tomorrow life of Rock Stars. It's a great tune and a fantastic bit of social commentary from one who knows the ropes. Lovett closes out with an acoustic version of Pantry that might just be better than the amped up version earlier on the album.

Lyle Lovett waxes brilliant on Natural Forces, providing a listening experience that’s high quality for performance, songwriting and musicianship. Natural Forces is Lovett’s best work since The Road To Ensenada and seems likely to create some award buzz this year. Lovett continues to succeed because he’s never tried to be anything he’s not; bringing humor, warmth and a deep understanding of how to bring people, places and events alive in song. Natural Forces shows all of these traits, and looks well on the way to being one of the top albums of 2009 from a quality perspective. Natural Forces is a Wildy’s World Certified Desert Island Disc.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Lyle Lovett at http://www.lylelovett.com/. You can purchase Natural Forces from Amazon.com, or download it from iTunes!

Review: Rachel Allyn - Late Nights And Early Mornings

Rachel Allyn - Late Nights And Early Mornings
2009, Rachel Allyn Music

Rachel Allyn is a little lady with a big voice reminiscent of some of the old-time country greats. But she's not just a country girl; she's a little bit Rock N Roll too. Allyn has put in her time in New York and California and even in the Tennessee 'Tonks, perfecting her sound and performing style and getting ready for this moment. Her debut EP, Late Nights And Early Mornings, is a 100% DIY affair, and provides an exciting musical picture of an emerging talent that isn't about to be contained. She's performed with Bobby Bare, and had impromptu performances with Shania Twain and Gretchen Wilson, but the time may be coming when up-and-coming vocalists brag about singing with her.

Late Nights And Early Mornings opens with Stand Still, a very appealing bit of Country/Rock. Allyn sounds like a classic country vocalist here, not just giving her best vocally but with her personality shining through the song in spades. Allyn sounds like she's enjoying every moment, and that energy, along with the essentially catchiness of the song makes it a great listen. The fact that Stand Still make great mix-tape material just ads to the package. On Bury Myself In Your Arms Tonight, Allyn gives a classic performance with a modern feel that has significant potential to break wide open. This is the sort of love song Country Music Radio has been starving for, and the licensing potential here is huge.

Allyn pulls off the perfect populist anthem on Gettin' By. Anyone who has ever trudged through the day-to-day realizing that their dreams are getting further and further away but never given up will see a bit of themselves here. Again, the commercial potential here is huge, particularly in troubled times. Allyn changes speeds with When The Young Ones Go, an ode to all of those who have given up their lives in wartime and for those left behind. It's a gorgeous and heartfelt tune that is poignant and pointed without getting messy with politics. For all that's come before, however, Allyn saves the best for last. You Drive Me Crazy has the potential to be the sort of monster hit that Nashville just doesn't produce anymore. Country, R&B and Rock blend to create a seriously danceable tune that should be all over the airwaves. Allyn's sweet and sultry voice gives this an extra lift and proves there's hope for country music after all.

Rachel Allyn deserves to be the next big thing in country music. Strong songs, strong performances and a personality that is likeable beyond measure and shines through the songs add up to what might just be the perfect package. If you check out one new country artist in 2009, it should be Rachel Allyn. Late Nights And Early Mornings is a wonderful surprise and a Wildy's World Certified Desert Island Disc. Get it.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Rachel Allyn at http://www.rachelallyn.com/ or www.myspace.com/rachelallynmusic. You can purchase Late Nights And Early Mornings as either a CD or download from CDBaby.com.

Review: Ten Year Vamp - Don't Act Like You Know Me

Ten Year Vamp - Don't Act Like You Know Me
2009, Ten Year Vamp, LLC.

Albany, New York doesn't get the respect is deserves as a music scene (or for much else, for that matter). Most of the great acts that start there end up moving on to either Boston or New York where they become known, but Ten Year Vamp is poised to Albany back in the limelight in a big way. What can you say about a band that pumps out high-octane Rock N Roll while changing the way the music business is run? When Ten Year Vamp set out to make their latest record they decided to make it a communal process. Seeking funding from their fans, the band accepted 60 contributions from fans ranging from $25 to $2,000, then put 80 songs up on their website to let those same fans select which twelve would end up on the album. Fans even had a say in the album artwork, and all contributors will receive a share of the album sales. The resulting album, Don't Act Like You Know Me, shapes up to be one of the most dynamic rock albums of the year.

Ten Year Vamp opens with Never Know, an intensive and active Rock song that's perfect for Modern Rock Radio as well as Pop/Rock/hybrid formats. Never Know has serious commercial punch, and a hook that sinks into listener's brains and won't let go. Add in the gorgeous and powerful voice of Debbie Gabrione and suddenly you're talking about the sort of song that can't miss with the right push. Stay is an invitation not to be turned down wrapped up in a sexy, playful rock tune that's hungrier than it might sound at first listen. Say You Made Love To Me continues the trend of female-dominant sexuality in song. This isn't the sort of wanton sexuality that's generally marketed to the masses, but a healthy, choice-based female sexuality that's about satisfying needs than subjecting oneself to another's fantasies to fit in. Gabrione calls things as she sees them and isn't afraid to say what she wants. All of this celebration of feminine sexuality culminates in Pleasures (That I Call Mine); one of the most outspoken and healthy musical expressions I've heard in a long time. The fact that these songs rock like nobody's business just adds to the pulse-pounding drama and intrigue that Ten Year Vamp and Debbie Gabrione in particular, are bound to incur.

Faked It is a "When Harry Met Sally" moment set to pounding guitars in a powerful, fast-paced rock arrangement that's unforgettable. I Don't Need goes on to look at the relationship traps that women fall into, with the protagonist trying to find her own voice or power in a relationship. This song is more powerful in message, perhaps, than many of the songs here, but musically lags a bit behind the more dynamic material that came before it. One Night Ticket incorporates some New Wave/Electronic instrumentation into the rock setting while exploring the eternal question, "What if..." about the one that got away. Ten Year Vamp rocks prodigiously through Another Try and Oh So Nice And Slowly on the way to Call It, the closest thing to a pure love song on the album. This is certain mix tape material in a true power ballad that's pragmatic rather than syrupy and cliché. Rockstar reflects the realization that many who find stardom quickly come to; that the simple fact of being a star isn't all it's cracked up to be. It reflects a mature worldview that should fare the band well as they make the transition to rock stars themselves. Ten Year Vamp goes anything but quietly, signing off with Goodbye, perhaps one of the most empowering kiss off songs in the history of Rock N Roll.

It's really no wonder that Albany's Metroland Magazine's reader’s poll has named Ten Year Vamp best local rock band for five years running. With exposure on CNBC, Forbes, Yahoo!, and AOL Finance for their business model, and an incredibly dynamic new album, it's hard to see how Ten Year Vamp fails to explode on the national scene. Debbie Gabrione is the sort of front woman they make movies about, and the rest of the band (Mark Rose - guitar; Tim Keenan - bass; Andrew Foster - lead guitar; Gregory Nash - drums, and Bill Ketzer - keys, percussion) is incredibly tight. With a sound already refined and highly marketable, Ten Year Vamp just needs that one big break to fall in place. It will happen sooner or letter; music this good just doesn't stay hidden. Don't Act Like You Know Me is brilliant; a Wildy's World Certified Desert Island Disc. Don't miss it.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Ten Year Vamp at http://www.tenyearvamp.com/ or www.myspace.com/10yearvamp. You can purchase Don’t Act Like You Know Me as either a CD or download through CDBaby.com. You may also download the album from iTunes.

Review: Jar-E - Chicas Malas

Jar-E – Chicas Malas
2009, Exotic Recordings

Jar-E is the musical alter-ego of Asheville, North Carolina singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Jon Reid. Jar-E recently released Chicas Malas on Exotic Recordings, proving that pure Pop music isn’t dead. In an era of electronic enhancement and even complete electronic creation, Jar-E has released what may be the best pop record of the waning decade. Mixing a melodic sense worthy of The Beatles with Latin rhythms and complex song structures that would make Sting shake his head in wonder, Jar-E sings with the pure charisma of a young Elvis Costello about the sort of women who make him want to be more than he is. Chicas Malas (Bad Girls) is inspirational.

Fever Break might just be the perfect Pop song, mixing Caribbean rhythms, a quirky Ska-style horn section, gorgeous backing vocals from Meredith DiMenna (Saint Bernadette) and Stephanie Morgan (Stephanie’s ID) and one of the most infectious melodies of the young year. Jar-E follows up with Heyday, which you’d be humming for a week after hearing it if it weren’t for Fever Break. 3 Leaf takes a different tack, pursuing a blues-flavored rock style with horns and harmonies that help to build the sound into a glorious throng. Jar-E gives an outstanding vocal performance that you just have to hear. Casa Believe will get your feet dancing while it blows your ears away. Jar-E gives another amazing vocal performance on a wonderfully varied pop song steeped in Latin rhythms and some unique and unusual compositional choices.

An Idea seeks to challenge Fever Break for the best pure pop song of the year (so far). The jury is out on that one, but it’s a great song. Safe To Say is unusual in that it seems to alternate between a waltz and straight ¾ time with country accents. I am not as strong on my music theory as I’d wish, but it’s a very unusual and welcome musical choice. The Pedestrian mixes a Samba beat with a country arrangement that is again, very unusual but fun to listen to. Rosary heads right for the reggae section with a little bit of 1970’s soul mixed in. Jar-E dazzles again on vocals. The album closes out with Ramparts, an introspective and solemn musical moment that shows another side to Jar-E we haven’t previously seen on Chicas Malas.

Jar-E is more than just a Pop song machine, but the man has an ability to write pop songs that stay in your head for days. I daresay that in another time and place he’d be a superstar known the world over. In this day and age that sort of notoriety just doesn’t happen all that often; As we’ve widened the sphere of celebrity with reality TV and focused the lens of popular radio, stardom has less to do with song craft or performance ability and more to do with look, style and who’s behind you. Nevertheless, I present Jar-E to you as a must-know artist. The songs on Chicas Malas are so well crafted that even folks who eschew Pop music will find themselves caught up. Chicas Malas is without a doubt a Wildy’s World Certified Desert Island Disc.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Jar-E at www.myspace.com/jare. You can purchase Chicas Malas from Amazon.com as either a CD or download.

Review: Scythian - Immigrant Road Show

Scythian – Immigrant Road Show
2007, Imagramaphone

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

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

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

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

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

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

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

Classic Indie Review: Michael Kroll - Nothing Blue

From time to time I will pull a title from my own collection of Indie and/or lesser known bands to review. These are albums that are on my own personal Desert Island list; discs I just wouldn't want to be without. There's no specific schedule for these. They'll just come up as they come up. Enjoy.








Michael Kroll - Nothing Blue
1994, 13 Blackbird Music

In 1994 I attended a Tori Amos show at Buffalo State University where the scheduled opening act was The Devlins. I had been unimpressed with the proposed opening act and was not disappointed when it was announced The Devlins' bus had broken down and would not make the show. As a replacement, Seattle singer/songwriter Michael Kroll walked out on stage with no backing band except his acoustic guitar. This guy we'd never heard of kept the entire audience transfixed for the next 30 minutes as he created an orchestra of sounds from one guitar to support his subtle and intelligent story songs. Kroll was touring in support of his debut album, Nothing Blue, which was a consumate Americana/pop album before anyone knew what Americana was.

Nothing Blue opens with In God's Acre, a song that will ring true in any rust belt or working class town. Kroll's voice rings true to the working class ethic that rings throughout Nothing Blue, with just a hint of gruffness within a wonderful textured tenor. Independence Day Again explores the difficulties that Veterans face against the backdrop of a celebration of the gains their sacrifices wrought. It is one of the most sensitive and serious explorations of this difficult topic I've heard in song; endlessly melodic and rich in musical composition, Kroll hit an absolute grand slam with this one.

Pilgrim Soul is the consummate love song. This is absolute mix-tape material, and sadly one of the most overlooked songs in pop/rock music. Pilgrim Soul could be a hit in any era from the 1960's on. I'm truly surprised that this song was never licensed for film or television. Speed of Sound is almost a companion piece to Pilgrim Soul. Where Pilgrim Soul is a celebration, Speed Of Sound is a reverential prayer made from need. This song will haunt you. Walking The Fence describes the ambivalence the narrator feels about a reckless relationship. It's another song with significant commercial potential that was born 10-15 years too early.

Close Your Eyes is probably the most touching and hauntingly beautiful song on Nothing Blue. It's a song about regret that will get inside your head and won't go away. It's one of those songs that rings true for everyone who hears it in some way or another, wrapped in love and faith. 1001 is a stark explanation of a dream that holds some of the most involved guitar work on the album (that's saying something). It's a personal favorite of mine and likely to insinuate itself in your consciousness on one listen. Eastern Star is a wistful soliloquy about someone on the other side of the globe. It is particularly poignant in a time of war when so many loved ones are so far away.

We Can Only Be Lovers is a cynical song about misguided attempts at a relationship between two people who just do not match. The song is steeped in a bluesy feel that is part dirty regret and part remorse. We Can Only Be Lovers is very moving and honest without sounding trite. Nothing Blue But The Sky lends the album its title, and is probably the song that would translate most easily to a rock arrangement. The song is about determination and survival in a world where we all feel somewhat separated from one another. Trying To Say is perhaps my favorite track here. It just has a rhythm to it that drives the song, and is a rock song in acoustic format. It's just one of those songs that will run through your head at odd times even if you haven't picked up the album for months. Nothing Blue closes with Nobody Knows, a sober and sad song that could be the anthem for an old-timer in any working class town. Michael Kroll managed to capture the essence of the forgotten heartland of America in three-and-a-half minutes like maybe no one else has here.

In Nothing Blue, Michael Kroll created one of the quintessential albums in Indie Folk Rock, regardless of era. The fact that the album was largely overlooked is irrelevant. If you’re looking for the complete singer/songwriter/performer, then Michael Kroll hit the arc of perfection back in 1994. Nothing Blue is a Wildy’s World Certified Desert Island Disc, and one of my personal favorite albums.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Michael Kroll at www.myspace.com/michaelkrollmusic, where you can purchase a download of Nothing Blue as well as several other releases. I don’t know if hard copy CDs are available anymore, so you’ll likely have to look to eBay or Amazon for used copies.

Review: Ben Folds - Way To Normal

Ben Folds - Way To Normal

2008, Sony Records

Ben Folds has walked the outer edge of pop stardom ever since the release of his first band's eponymous debut in 1995. Ben Folds Five reminded the rock world that pianos can rock, and also reminded rock and roll that its roots were in irreverence and true rebellion against the norm (not surveyed, pre-prepackaged rebellion at $18.98 per CD). Ben Folds has always told you exactly what he thinks, and has not mellowed (much) with success. Politically, fashionably and (sometimes) socially incorrect, Folds just tells stories his own way. Sometimes they're tongue in cheek and sometimes they're deadly serious -- you're never entirely sure which is which, but Folds is always brutally honest. Folds' eighth full-length release, Way To Normal, continues the brutal honesty, wit, intelligence and cutting edge pop/rock/punk style that Folds has become widely known for.

Folds has always been the bastard son of Billy Joel, embracing honesty and irreverence in the same fashion as many of Joel's classic recordings. Folds definitely has his own voice as a piano player and composer, but you can clearly see the lineage on Way To Normal. The album opens with Hiroshima (B B B Benny Hit His Head) details Fold's fall off of a stage in Japan. It's a funny story told in Folds' distinctive style with a sing-along chorus and memorable melody. Dr. Yang is the sort of frenetic composition that Folds' fans have loved since his Ben Folds Five days. The song would appear to mock all that we will put ourselves through in order feel our best. Folds teams up with the eccentric Regina Spektor on You Don't Know Me. You Don't Know Me has a metronomic quality to it and has actually become one of my favorite songs on the album. Spektor's voice is heavenly and wraps around Folds' voice like a snug undergarment.

Before Cologne is like a piano suite that introduces Cologne, which is one of Fold's most beautiful compositions to date. The serene melody and lush musical landscape created by Folds here stands in stark counterpoint to the storyline held within. Errant Dog is typical Folds. The song is funny and rough-hewn with the classic piano/bass/drums arrangement that seems to mark Folds at his best. Free Coffee allows Folds to turn his piano into the headwinds of funk, and also serves as the repository of the introduction to The Bitch Went Nuts. This is the most outlandishly funny moment on the album, continuing the tradition of tongue-in-cheek misogyny that Folds engages in from time to time. It's tongue in cheek because Folds is as much a misogynist as Randy Newman is racist. Both Folds and Newman have a little fun with fans and critics alike by creating true to life caricatures and giving them life in musical soliloquies that don't comply with the PC standards of the day. The song is well written and highly entertaining.

Brainwascht is a straight forward pop song done Folds-style with a little not-so-gentle irony thrown in for good measure. Effington starts out with a glee-club style chorus, complete with mixolydian harmonies. Effington is a vast word-play steeped in double-entendre and an almost Pleasantville-like vision. This may be Folds at his most musically creative. The song is stunning in it breadth of its vision and scope. I found myself in awe the first time Effington played, particularly because Folds is confident enough to marry what may be his boldest composition with a subject that is something of a humorous anecdote. Folds closes out Way To Normal with a return to his most personal and serious songwriting with Kylie From Connecticut. Once again we have a beautiful composition and lyrics that are based in a fractured relationship.

Folds may write about heartbreak better than anyone in the popular music sphere. When he writes about it in serious terms he avoids cliché and musical perseveration by drilling right to the heart of matter and speaking in unusually bold and honest terms. When he's writing from anger or humor (they're often the same), there's not a songwriter in Rock N Roll who's more entertaining. Way To Normal continues Fold's progression from punk rock pianist to consummate Rock N Roll composer. Folds embodies the near virtuosic composer status of Elton John and the irreverent rock toughness of Billy Joel, with a health dose of Generation-X awkwardness thrown in. Way To Normal is an embodiment of all these things, and proves once again that Folds is one of the most innovative and exciting performers in popular music. Way To Normal is a Wildy's World Certified Desert Island Disc. Make sure you give this one a spin.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Ben Folds at http://www.benfolds.com/. You can purchase a copy of Way To Normal at Amazon.com or wherever music is sold. Way To Normal is also available as a limited edition CD/DVD combo, and an even more limited CD/DVD/Vinyl combo that retails for $100. (What's Sony thinking?)

Review: Viper Central - The Devil Sure Is Hard To Please

Viper Central - The Devil Sure Is Hard To Please
2008, Viper Central

Vancouver's Viper Central knows what roots music is all about. The Devil Sure Is Hard To Please is the most strikingly brilliant mix of bluegrass, folk and country I have heard in 2008. Viper Central has gone so far to the roots on American music that you can't even properly call them Americana, I'd hedge by calling them pre-Americana. Shotgun Wedding is country music rolled almost all the way back to its Celtic roots with some good old Appalachian styling thrown in. Gold Road comes forward to a more traditional bluegrass sound with some amazing slide guitar work and finger picking going on. Viper Central reminds me a bit of one of my favorite bluegrass bands, The McKrells, but Viper Central perhaps exceeds even that vaunted, erstwhile band.

Mountain Of Trouble is a great listen, but Down in Western Virginia recalls the mix of country and rockabilly that fed the early Sun Records recordings. Down In Western Virginia features the most striking vocal harmonies on the disc, and you'll be humming this tune for days. Devil In The Hourglass is a work of dexterity for guitar and banjo and should be approached with extreme caution. If you're going to try to learn this one to play along you might want to start at quarter-speed. Roving Gambler is a gorgeous traditional tune that features Lorraine Cobb on lead vocals (something we could all stand to hear more of). Sadie's Ghost is a dark flavored tune that blurs the line between bluegrass and Celtic traditions and is one of the more interesting listens on The Devil Sure Is Hard To Please. The album closes with Come Along, a rousing instrumental that is the perfect aperitif here.

Viper Central gets down to the roots of American music in a way that revitalizes the sound and makes it new for today. Each generation needs at least one band to get into the metaphysics of its country's musical lineage and make sure that the music is preserved and expanded upon. Viper Central has answered that charge with gusto. The Devil Sure Is Hard To Please is a stellar offering, a Wildy's World Certified Desert Island Disc, and a must-have for true music fans.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Viper Central at http://www.vipercentral.ca/ or www.myspace.com/vipercentral. You can purchase a copy of The Devil Sure Is Hard To Please at www.cdbaby.com/vipercentral.

Review: Jessie Kilguss - Nocturnal Drifter

Jessie Kilguss - Nocturnal Drifter
2008, Exotic Bird Recordings

Jessie Kilguss is a late bloomer as a singer/songwriter, but has spent her whole life trying to find her way there. She began as an actress, classically trained at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts and the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art in London. Kilguss has done her turns on the stage, but after sharing the stage with Marianne Faithfull Kilguss became hooked on the idea that she might control her own development/writing/performance. The outgrowth of that revelation was Kilguss’ 2007 debut album, Exotic Bird. Artists grow and develop, and in less than two years Kilguss has grown immensely. Her next release, Nocturnal Drifter is due January 6, 2009, is leaps and bounds ahead of Exotic Bird, itself a Wildy’s World Certified Desert Island Disc.

After hearing Jessie Kilguss' Exotic Bird earlier this year she quickly became one of my favorite listens. Kilguss was confounding at first, being so generally unwilling to fit a particular mold that she forced me to put everything else aside and listen to her CD, and in doing so I discovered something of a genius. When I first heard Nocturnal Drifter I became a bit concerned. Big Lush arrangements and even the occasional electronic composition seemed to suggest the gentrification of Kilguss. After several listens I am delighted to say that Kilguss is as obstinately unclassifiable as ever. Rather than stick to one theme, Kilguss writes from the heart of a person living in an ever changing world. The results are a more lush, sonically gorgeous set of songs that on her previous offering, but with that same air of disaffected genius that accompanies true art.

The Brooklyn-based actress/singer, or dare I say singer/actress opens Nocturnal Drifter with Gristmill. It's a gorgeous cabaret-style piece that mourns the constant physical and emotional friction of living in a highly compressed environment like New York City. Americana is one of the more straightforward rock tunes you'll hear out of Kilguss, and is recorded in gorgeous layers to create a big, lush sound you won't forget. A Little Place Behind My Eyes was the track that initially caused me to pause, as I am always a little nervous when a songwriter first ventures into electronic sounds, but Kilguss makes the transition flawlessly. A Little Place... frames Kilguss' voice perfectly and it turns out to be one of the true highlights of the album.

Time On My Hands is an absolutely amazing piano ballad. It's the sort of musical soliloquy that could headline a rock musical; it shows the inner demons of the narrator eating away at her confidence in a relationship. It's painfully beautiful in it's candor. I Don't Need People is the dysfunctional reaction to repeated loss in a relationship. Once again Kilguss hits the honesty meter at the highest rung while extracting painful beauty from her own experience. This Time is a loving ode that is part perception and part creation. It is a frighteningly accurate description how romance makes liars of us all, most of all to ourselves.

31 is a reflection on how time creeps up on us all. 31 is one of the best examples of what is a trademark of Jessie Kilguss' songwriting. She has an ability to write about things that have been written about thousands of times before without coming within a mile of a cliché. Her thoughts (as lyrics) are original and concise and illuminating. Add to this unusual and creative compositions that tease the lyrics as the sea teases the boats that sail upon her and you have the creative genius that is Jessie Kilguss. Marie Antoinette Song is a wonderfully bizarre exploration of unrequited love and the sort of insecurities that play havoc on the mind. Something About Lonely is a lilting tune that mourns the extended presence of no one, seeming to question the insular emotional fortresses that people build about themselves in their younger years. Nocturnal Drifter closes with Strangers On A Train, which aptly sums up the experience of being alone in a mass of humanity.

Jessie Kilguss just keeps getting better. Nocturnal Drifter may not get the attention of national or international press, but it's not because it doesn't deserve it. Nocturnal Drifter is a cohesive collection of songs that is by turns gorgeous, haunting, disturbing, theatric and disturbingly candid. Jessie Kilguss bares her soul across the ten songs offered here, and the results are absolutely unforgettable. Fans of Tori Amos and Kate Bush will love this for the disjointed candor. Fans of Sarah Slean will get the perspective. Fans of Sarah McLachlan will love the lush accoutrements of Kilguss' songs, and fans of great songwriting will be enraptured. Don't be surprised if Nocturnal Drifter is looked back upon in certain circles as a seminal album of the Indie movement in the first decade of the twenty-first century. It's certainly a Wildy's World Certified Desert Island Disc. Don't miss out on this one.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Jessie Kilguss at http://www.jessiekilguss.com/ or www.myspace.com/jessiekilguss. Nocturnal Drifter will be released on January 6, 2009. Retail availability info was not available at the time of this review, but it’s safe to assume it will be available through Amazon.com and CDBaby. Keep checking Kilguss’ site for more information.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

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