Bullyheart - Antigravity

Bullyheart – Antigravity
2014, Skim Milk Productions

Bullyheart is the outward expression of recording artist Holly Long’s rebel musical heart.  The Chicago born singer/songwriter took off for UCLA to study theater, but it was music that ultimately moved her.  Today, Long has built a reputation as an honest, earthy songwriter and performer.  Long finds a home for her voice, both as a singer and as a songwriter, with Bullyheart.  Long created a cycle of ten songs entitled Antigravity with the help of musical cohorts David Boucher and Kevin Harp, but the sound is ultimately from the heart of Holly Long.

Bullyheart gets started with "Antigravity", a catchy little rocker full of syncopated guitar and a strategically laid back vocal from front woman Holly Long. The juxtaposition between arrangement and vocals is memorable, and Long's voice sounds like a cross between a young Geddy Lee and  Linda Perry.  "Thin Air" has a much more laid back vibe that's melancholy and refined. "No Pleasing You" has a catchy feel, and is driven by a talk-sing narrative style. Long works this song for all it is worth, and you'll have a hard time keeping it out of your head.

"How Was I to Know" is a slickly produced song of regret. It's well written and performed, but the elemental lyrics would work better without the highly polished sonic veneer.  "Lost My Nerve" is a languorous bit of navel gazing poetry set to a crawling arrangement. The juxtaposition of Long's voice and the depressive arrangement works on one level, but this is a tough listen nonetheless. Bullyheart sets the ship aright with the manic "Panic Attack". The inclination to pogo dance to this one is understandable; at the very least you won't be able to keep your feet still. "The Pendulum" swing back into navel exercise with a molasses like arrangement that is a tough sell.

"Shaken" takes the upbeat path in an observational piece about another’s emotional state and world outlook.  This is actually well-written, both musically and lyrically.  The song gets off to a slow start, but the incessant chorus has its own inertia, and you’ll find yourself bobbing along.  “There Goes My Man” explores angst in a delightfully high tempo rocker. This is a brilliant tune that could be even bigger in sound, but it works very well as presented here.  Don’t even try to sit still.  Bullyheart pulls in the oars for “Stay”, an angst filled, repetitive dirge that features just a lingering, plaintive acoustic guitar and Holly Long’s dynamic voice.  It’s a chilling moment, both memorable and painful. 

Bullyheart takes listeners through several ups and downs on Antigravity.  The down tempo pieces can linger too long and become bogged down in emotional and musical angst, but Holly Long always manages to sound good in the process.  The upbeat tunes are where she shines, rocking out in an understated but still notable fashion.  Antigravity is the sort of album you’ll revisit again and again, whether for specific tracks or the whole experience.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more at www.bullyheart.com.  You can purchase Bullyheart from Amazon or iTunes.

Crazy Mary - Dreaming In Brilliant Color

Crazy Mary – Dreaming In Brilliant Color
2012, Humsting Records

The 1970’s and early 80’s were a crazy, brilliant, dangerous time in New York City: Prostitutes on 42^nd Street, muggings all over town, and some of the smartest, hippest music anywhere.  Much of that city is gone, but Crazy Mary is keeping some of that gritty spirit alive.  On their ninth album, Dreaming In Brilliant Color, Crazy Mary shows off the sort of whip-smart swagger that once made rock and roll so much fun.

Crazy Mary kicks things off with the high energy rocker “Come On Let’s Go”.  Vocalist Em Z is the primary driver here, as the arrangement underneath is decidedly low key.  It’s cult of personality time as Michelle Malone meets Geddy Lee in one of the more memorable vocal performances of the year thus far.  The chorus is crazy infectious, and the unpredictable violin soli is the perfect spice.  “Cup Of Tea” is a catchy little number, although Em Z seems a bit out of synch with the band this time through.  “Driven As A Train” has a theatrical bent that is hard to ignore, and gets stuck in your medulla, making it next to impossible not to move around and shake your limbs.

“Song For A New Year” finds Crazy Mary wanting to capitalize on the political ideals of the ‘occupy’ movement, but the emphasis on the political isn’t matched by the energy, and this tune fizzles before it can set sail.  “Ferris Wheel” finds Crazy Mary getting more into a country/Americana groove where they sound most at home.  “I’m Ready To Go” recaptures the energy the band is capable of, and promises much for Crazy Mary’s live shows. 

Crazy Mary takes a blind turn on “Fallen Angel”, falling nicely into a blues/rock arrangement that’s down and dirty yet refined.  The energy here is ebullient, and Crazy Mary sounds like they are having a blast.  Listeners won’t be able to help from picking up on, and feeding off of that energy.  The live wire feel stays for “Nick’s New Groove”, even if the composition is a bit rough around the edges.  The seams never quite come apart as Crazy Mary tries to expand their musical field of play, but the edge of your seat drama over when it all might come apart is a fun musical sidebar. 

Dreaming In Brilliant Color goes quietly thereafter, with Crazy Mary working through “Another One Like You”, “Take Me By The Hand” and “The Big F” in mercurial fashion.  “The Big F” is a funky monster that never takes off the way it might.  One gets the feeling this tune will play better against the energy of a live audience than it does in the quietude of the studio.

Don’t look now but Crazy Mary is in the neighborhood.  In spite of some slow moments on Dreaming In Brilliant Color, Crazy Mary shows themselves to be accomplished performers and musicians, and Em Z has the sort of voice that’s instantly recognizable once you’ve heard it.  There’s real potential here.  In another era Crazy Mary would have a major label contract and a defined development path.  Left to their own devices it seems likely Crazy Mary will still make it to the larger stage; it might just take a bit longer.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Crazy Mary at www.crazymary.com.  You can purchase Dreaming In Brilliant Colour from the etailers below.

Amazon CD             Amazon MP3              iTunes.

Please note that the Amazon.com prices listed above are as of the posting date, and may have changed. Wildy's World is not responsible for price changes instituted by Amazon.com.

Review: When Planets Align - Radio Silence EP

When Planets Align - Radio Silence EP
2009, Planet LA Records

When Planets Align released their debut EP, Radio Silence in 2009 even as they were continuing to evolve as a band. The trio and occasional quartet from Los Angeles has a band member who went to high school with Gwen Stefani. Mark Equinox, Johnny Heaven, Pinkstar and Big Bang Dave hit all the high profile SoCal venues in 2009 and planning to hit the festival circuit in 2010 as they prepare an as-yet unnamed full-length album for release.

Radio Silence opens with “Life's Too Short”, starting with a promising guitar riff that turns into a tepid rock song. Vocalist Pinkstar sounds more than a bit like Geddy Lee on this tune. “Radio Silence” is a bland rock track; innocuous in a formulaic arrangement. When Planets Align picks up the pace on the campy “Hey Gwen!” a mid-tempo dance track that sounds awkwardly put together. “General Santa Anna” mixes Spanish guitar with an almost J-pop angularity for an intriguing listen that's long on pop hooks. When Planets Align pack it in with “California Bride”, a gently subversive Pop number that's musically intriguing but lyrically awkward.

Radio Silence is a somewhat confounding EP. When Planets Align manage to create interesting, even compelling arrangements for their off-beat Pop/Rock tunes, but from a lyrical perspective the EP struggles to connect with listeners. Pinkstar is decent enough on vocals, but Mark Equinox has only a nodding relationship with the melody line he sings. Radio Silence works on some of the micro levels, but on the macro level becomes a bit of a wash.

Rating: 2.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about When Planets Align at http://www.planetsalignmusic.com/ or www.myspace.com/whenplanetsalign. You can download the Radio Silence EP from either Amazon.com or iTunes. Hard copies of the EP exist. You'll have to contact the band through their MySpace page for more information.

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

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

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

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

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

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

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