Review: Michael Lee - Face Forward

Michael Lee - Face Forward
2009, Michael Lee

Michael Lee hails from the fertile ground of Longwick, England. Among the many crops cultivated there over the years is an impressive instrumental and songwriting talent has just begun to show itself on Lee's solo debut, Face Forward. Lee previously gigged under the band name Soul Capture, but thought to emphasize his solo efforts and persona more. The result is sonically pleasing album with more instrumental meat than your typical pop fare. Lee draws on the British tradition of high melody, ranging from Folk-based Rock N Roll to Progressive compositions with a few ballads thrown in for good measure.

Face Forward opens with Land of Change, a pleasant if slightly innocuous opener that's more significant for the introduction of Lee's gorgeous upper range and his subtly intricate guitar work. Lee gathers momentum with Trust, a catchy and upbeat tune that downplays the vocal line without giving up any energy. Lee's guitar work would seem to gather inspiration from sources such as Andy Summers, Ray Phiri and Mark Knopfler, making it all sound easy in the process. There's even a bit of King Crimson in some of the later passages in the song. Despite gives us a closer listen to Lee's lower vocal register, which isn't as enjoyable as the upper; here Lee sounds congested or constricted in the throat. The melody, however, is interesting, with a highly artistic, almost baroque feel. Progressive inclinations make themselves known in the guitar line.

Lee brings out great interplay between guitar and piano in Tired, almost as if a spirited conversation is occurring between the two. Tired is about reaching out in a relationship where one person is simply not paying attention, making the instrumental work a distinct parallel for the story line. Add in some gorgeous vocal harmonies and a melancholy timbre and you have quite the listening experience. Mystery Of Life might be the most fetching song on Face Forward; the sort of quiet but resolute ballad that could be a keynote song in a musical. Lee keeps things simple here, letting the uncomplicated beauty of the melody lead the way. Youth finds Lee lamenting the loss thereof, engaging again in the practice of trying to parallel the story in the instrumental arrangement. Youth starts out sounding somewhat you and simplistic with a lot of energy, becoming more complex and full of shadows as the song progresses, accented by Eric Johnson-like guitar licks.

In The Picture plays like an overdone 1980's ballad. The mood is again melancholy, as the subject is an unsettled relationship with two suitors, but you can almost hear Lou Gramm tackling this song in his waning days with Foreigner. Distant Future is one of those songs that seems destined to end on mix-tapes made by love struck teenagers (and none too few adults). Lee eschews cliché, putting aside sappy declarations for a simple statement in song that will resonate with anyone who's ever felt the blush and flutter of new love. On Never Enough Time, Lee steps forward with a tune that sounds like it might have come out of a Pearl Jam recording session. Lee softens the edges but cuts an intriguing path with distinctive minor key harmonies and complex, flowery guitar work. The positive message involved doesn't hurt a bit, either. Face Forward opens with a purposeful piano part, drawing in drums that add an incessant, urgent feel to the song. This isn't Baroque Pop, but it badly wants to be. Strings, bass and guitar add support, but Lee's piano is the star here, telling an epic tale in just over five minutes that will be like a cup of manna for Prog Rock fans. Face Forward winds down dusk with That Day, a piano-based tune featuring some of the most starkly intriguing vocals on the album. Lee performs a virtual duet through much of the song, at times creating differentials that are worthy of a shiver or two down the spine.

Sometimes you can see it coming. Something about the album cover or the track list tips you off that an album will be special. Other times, it's a somewhat non-descript guy on a relatively normal seeming album cover. There's nothing in the track list or press kit that really gives you a clue. Then you press play, and the artist takes over your life for forty-five minutes to an hour. It's that way with Michael Lee. This unassuming guy Longwick spins tales in instrumental packages so intriguing you can't help but drop what you're doing and give him your full attention. Face Forward might not turn out to be Lee's perfect moment, but he dances with the concept so closely on Face Forward you'll root for him to get there. And you'll keep coming back.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Michael Lee at www.myspace.com/michaeleeuk, where you can purchase a copy of Face Forward using PayPal.

Review: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack: Alvin And The Chipmunks: The Squeakquel

Original Motion Picture Soundtrack: Alvin And The Chipmunks: The Squeakquel
2009, Rhino Records

In reviewing the 2007 Chipmunk Movie soundtrack, Undeniable, we noted that Ross Bagdasarian, Sr. would be mortified to hear his Chipmunks voiced as they were. That really hasn't changed for The Squeakquel. The voices still sound over-processed, losing all of the low-tech charm of the original Chipmunk recordings. Whether it’s the basic recording technique or the use of software to modify the voices, the sound just doesn't work for anyone familiar with the original. That being said, anyone young enough to have missed the 1980's cartoons will likely be charmed by this soundtrack (and likely the movie), particularly if they liked 2007’s Undeniable. Alvin And The Chipmunks: The Squeakquel features singing voices of Ross Bagdasarian Jr. (Alvin); Steve Vining (Simon) and Janice Karman (Theodore). Additionally, we are introduced to the Chipettes: Brittany, Jeanette and Eleanor (all voiced by Janice Karman).

The Chipmunks open with a cover of The Kink's You Really Got Me, although it's really a cover of the Van Halen version). Its predictable stuff for The Chipmunks; decent but not a standout track. The Chipettes are next with Hot N Cold (Katy Perry). The vocal effects here are even more cloying than on the Chipmunk recordings. Pink's So What works a bit better for the Chipettes, although the vocalizations still sound highly electronic. Dead Or Alive's You Spin Me Round (Like A Record) gets the Chipmunks treatment, keeping the same feel as the original. This actually works as well as anything on the soundtrack and might even chart as is. The Chipettes tackle Beyonce's Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It) in perhaps the biggest misstep on the album. Between the vocalization issues (or EFX issues, if you prefer) and a striving for sound over melody, the franchise seriously begins to lose the heart that made it work for all of these years.

The Chipmunks tackle an overly modernized version of Stayin' Alive that relies more on bass than rhythm to drive the track, leading into The Chipettes brightest moment. The Song features Queensberry and is probably the best offering on the disc. The Chipmunk's It's Ok, on the other hand, is nearly impossible to decipher. The speed, effects and lack of any sense of diction on the song make it an aural mess (albeit with a catchy melody). The Chipmunks move into even shakier territory on Peaches & Herb's Shake Your Groove Thing.

The Chipettes pipe in next with Corinne Bailey Rae's Put Your Records On, an ill-advised choice by the music supervisor on the movie. Rae is one of those artists you just don't cover unless you either have a distinctive take on her song or you can really walk the walk. The novelty treatment here just pales in comparison to the original. Perhaps even more amusing is the Chipmunk's take on Foreigner's I Want To Know What Love Is. The song is redone in full electronic arrangement that's more about beat than melody, which is the essential core strength of the song. The vocal harmony effect here is nice, but is brought down by the electronic buzz in the vocals. Sister Sledge's We Are Family gets updated as an electro-rock hybrid at super-speed. Once again, sound is given importance over such elements as melody, harmony and pacing. The result is a wreck in the happening. The wheels never come off the car because the computer keeps it together, but there's little gratifying in the end result. The Chipettes' No One and The Chipmunks' I Gotta Feeling close out a disappointing set.

The Chipmunks, in essence, have crossed over the line from character to commodity. Cheap/easy computer animation and electronic effects tied to a desire to appeal to the lowest common entertainment denominator have stripped Ross Bagdasarian, Sr.'s creations of their inherent humanity. They are now officially a product rather than their long-standing status as cultural icons. If you're interested in The Chipmunks, I would suggest you take the time to listen to some of the older recordings made by Ross Bagdasarian Sr. There was more craft, humor and humanity in one of those original recordings than you'll find in either movie soundtrack. Good natured humor and an essential love for the characters has been replaced by a cynical, hollow humor driven more about return on investment than a desire to entertain.

Rating: 1 Star (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Alvin And The Chipmunks at http://www.chipmunks.com/. You can purchase Alvin And The Chipmunks: The Squeakquel as either a CD or Download from Amazon.com.

Review: Foreigner - Can't Slow Down

Foreigner - Can't Slow Down
2009, Rhino/Atlantic

During the 1980's, few bands were as prevalent on both Pop and Classic Rock radio as Foreigner. Hits such as Cold As Ice, I Want To Know What Love Is, Feels Like The First Time, Urgent and Hot Blooded were as familiar to music fans as a song can be. When then-vocalist Lou Gramm departed the band I lost track of Foreigner and was frankly surprised to see that they had a new album coming out in 2009. Can't Slow Down hits shelves on September 29, 2009 as a three-disc (2 CDs/1 DVD) collection available exclusively at Walmart stores. For any surprise I may have had the fact of the release, it was an even bigger surprise, and pleasure, to discover that Can't Slow Down is a surprisingly vibrant and relevant Pop/Rock album.

Disc One of Can't Slow Down consists of thirteen new tracks; a mix of rockers and ballads that have the same sort of hungry energy that Foreigner had when they first broke into the music business. The title track is a brilliant bit of Rock N Roll and a tribute to NASCAR inspired by Foreigner's performance at the 2009 Samsung 500 at Texas Motor Speedway. Can't Slow Down will get a lot of play from NASCAR and their fans, and might just be the best driving song since Sammy Hagar's I Can't Drive 55. In Pieces depicts a relationship at a crossroads. Things have fallen apart, but the narrator is asking where to from here? This isn't a kiss off song, but one full of love and acceptance of the present that still holds some hope for the future. When It Comes To Love is much more melancholy, looking back on a relationship past and what might have been, having realized that what he had is what he wants; the perfect song for the lovelorn.

Longtime fans of Foreigner will be more than pleased with Give Me A Sign, which sounds like it could have been lifted right off one of their early albums, and I'll Be Home Tonight also has their signature sound in a ballad that has serious chart potential. My favorite track on the disc, however, is a number called Too Late. This too has the classic Foreigner sound, and a vivacity that is striking. The chorus will get stuck in your head and stay there all day long. If I had to pick one song to release as a single from the album it would be As Long As I Live, a classic ballad that's certain mix-tape magic. Adult-Contemporary and even Pop radio could make this a huge hit. Rockers Living In A Dream, Ready and Angel Tonight also will be certain crowd pleasers, as is the ballad I Can't Give Up. Can't Slow Down closes out the new material with Fool For You Anyway, a soul-flavored Rock ballad that might have even more potential than As Long As I Live.

Disc Two consists of remixes of some of Foreigner's most famous songs, done by Marti Frederiksen (Aerosmith, Buckcherry, Guitar Hero) and Anthony Focx (Guitar Hero). Hits such as Feels Like The First Time, Cold As Ice, Hot Blooded, Head Games, I Want To Know What Love Is and Jukebox Hero get retooled to clean up the sound of the sometimes thirty-year old master recordings. The DVD included in the package features live performances of some of Foreigner's biggest hits, including performances from their most recent European tour. Also included is a documentary about the making of Can't Slow Down and footage of the Walmart shareholders meeting where the deal was made to release this album exclusively.

Aside from a clip on the DVD that panders a bit too much to the Walmart shareholders' egos, Can't Slow Down is perhaps the most exciting release from Foreigner since the late 1980's. You never know what you're going to get when one of these long acts releases new material, but Foreigner is as vital and relevant today as they were twenty-five years ago. The re-tooling of the classic material simply improves on the sound quality and definition of the recordings, a treatment they should have received some time ago. Foreigner has proved that they Can't Slow Down; let's hope that never changes.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Foreigner at http://www.foreigneronline.com/ or www.myspace.com/foreignermusic. Can’t Slow Down drops on September 29, 2009. You can pre-order your copy at Amazon.com.

Review: Gregory Douglass - Battler

Gregory Douglass – Battler
2009, Emote Records

Look up Indie Musician in the dictionary and you’ll find a picture of Gregory Douglass. Douglass has released seven albums on his own imprint, Emote Records, touring all over the US and winning accolades at almost every turn along the way. Compared favorably with artists such as Tori Amos, Rufus Wainwright, Jeff Buckley and Fiona Apple, Douglass has a unique sound and vocal style that you’ll be able to identify immediately once you’ve heard it. His latest CD, Battler, was inspired by serious soul searching and a Vermont winter shuttered in watching HBO’s Six Feet Under.

Douglass writes gloriously melodic and dark story-songs that give categorization a wide birth. Opening with Broken Through, Douglass builds on a minor-key piano riff into a dynamic and shadowy story. Day Of The Battler bring uniquely stilted rhythms into the mix, like something Kurt Weill might have written if he grew up in today’s musical environment. No Apology strips nearly all of the instrumentation away in a haunting vocal harmony peace you need to hear. Madeline is a lush harmonic rock song that sounds like it could have been co-written by Tori Amos and Lou Gramm. This Is My Life might be a signature song for Douglass as it perfectly captures the dark undercarriage that seems to be his unique musical cornerstone. Other highlights include Sadly (with Anais Mitchell), Ordinary Man (with the talented Grace Potter) and Harlequin.

Gregory Douglass walks, marches and sings to his own drummer. Listening to him sing and play is like hearing one half of his communication with another world. The results are dark, exciting and lovely, even when you know there’s a whole other part of the conversation you can’t hear. Douglass is a unique talent, and the music glimpses he’s offered to us here could be considered gifts. Battler is not a recording to pass up.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Gregory Douglass at www.myspace.com/gregorydouglass or http://www.gregorydouglass.com/. You can purchase a copy of Battler at www.cdbaby.com/cd/gdouglass9.