Darryl Gregory - Big Texas Sky

Darryl Gregory – Big Texas Sky
2012, Emptyhead Musikwerks

Darryl Gregory has seen it all, from the seedy clubs of 1990’s New York City to the wings of off- and off-off-Broadway shows.  He’s seen the music world from the classroom, the orchestra pit and behind the boards.  Even relatively settled now with a wife and children, Darryl Gregory continues to create.  Gregory’s latest album, Big Texas Sky, is an eye-opener for both the power of music and the power of spirit.

“Aunt Jean’s Piano” is a quiet lament of a relative called home too soon.  The song opens with a duet hymn in classic mixolydian harmony, before Gregory transitions into a loving tribute to a beloved aunt who inspired a life-long love of music.  It’s a heart-tugging song full of love and grace, played in a reverent country arrangement.  “Anywhere But Here” is a classic country anthem about a young lady stuck in a small town full of small dreams.  It’s a solid story song, full of wailing pedal steel guitar and a hope for something more.  Gregory shows his vocal limitations here but holds his own.  Techno, rock and blues come together on “Workin’ Man”, with slide guitar and an Industrial percussion style underlining a classic country/blues story song told by a man punching the clock so his lady can have the finer things.  The song is catchy but seems a bit out of character here.

“How Do I Tell Her” is a soliloquy from a man who has lost his job, and is agonizing over how to tell his wife that life has suddenly changed.  Love redeems all here, but the song cuts to the deepest insecurities of an old school working class man.  The melody flows like water, and you could easily imagine this tune in a movie or a countrified musical.  “What About Love” seemingly continues the story line, with the couple giving up their ties to worldly means and simply living.  It’s a recognition of all that is truly important, with love being the currency they share.  Gregory’s songwriting here touches deep to heart and human spirit in this moment.

“Elegy For An Old Man” takes the story tellers soliloquy form to another level; an autobiographical sketch of a life well lived.  There is something magical in the story telling here, as Gregory invokes thoughts of Gordon Lightfoot.  The song follows the life arch, retrospectively, of a man ready to sail off for the great beyond but telling his tale one more time before he leaves.  This is a ‘wow’ moment for Darryl Gregory, and it wouldn’t be at all surprising to see this song picked up by other artists and covered over time.  Gregory winds down Big Texas Sky with “Prayer & Allelujah”.  Starting out in somewhat contemplative fashion, Gregory kicks it up into a classic southern gospel barn burner that will have you on your feet and shouting to the skies.

Darryl Gregory is a pleasant surprising; showing strong compositional abilities and a talent for storytelling that is rare.  While Gregory’s voice is somewhat limited in its comfortable range he doesn’t let it get in his way, singing with the sort of confidence and strength that has powered the careers of Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Gordon Lightfoot and others.  Big Texas Sky ranges as wide as the red dirt it reflects, as Darryl Gregory leads listeners through inspiration, confidence, loss, rebirth and celebration.  It’s a wondrous journey, authentically human and fervently told.  Here’s hoping Darryl Gregory has more where this came from.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more at www.darrylgregory.com.  You can purchase Big Texas Sky directly from Gregory’s website, or through the e-tailers below.

Amazon MP3                 CDBaby (CD & 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: Nathan Lee - Risk Everything

Nathan Lee - Risk Everything
2009, One Revolution Entertainment

Nathan Lee's back story is something to hear. Growing up just outside of New York City, Lee's father owned a recording studio, and Lee was bit by the performing bug at a young age. After creating quite a buzz on the Northeast club circuit, Lee took his game to Nashville, where he ended up with a licensing deal that allowed him to write songs for other artists. Success and money came, but writing for others was an empty experience. Lee went back to writing for himself until money got tight, and then started a painting business that became a major source of financial support. Once again money and success followed, but life without music was an empty one. Lee gave everything up to make music again and ended up living in his car for a time. Lee eventually ventured into music and tour production, again building a successful business and once again finding that his music suffered. They say the third time's the charm, and Lee gave it all up once again to make music. That last decision has led Lee to where he is now, with a new album, Risk Everything, coming out on September 1, 2009.

Immersed deeply in spirituality and a gritty, arena-rock persona that would do Bruce Springsteen proud, Nathan Lee sparkles and shines like a rough diamond. He opens Risk Everything with Open Road, a 1980's Rock/Pop influenced tune about finding your path (at last). The music suggests the freedom one finds when making the right choices. Hold Me Down opens with slide guitar and a funky rhythm tied to a soulful chorus in a song about striving for your dreams with no reserve. This is a great Pop/Rock song with an unforgettable hook. Bring Down The Fire is a song about Faith and Redemption, defined loosely in Spiritual terms. Wrecking Ball has a quiet sense of urgency that runs through it, although the song itself runs a bit flat (not in pitch).

Bleeding Black is a monumental piece of songwriting, crossing the divide between Country, Pop/Rock and Singer/Songwriter as if they don't exist. There's a Tom Waits feel to this song and a sense of spiritual fulfillment that is startling and legitimate. Poetically speaking this is an amazing composition, and the music is incredible. High Speed Low Drag finds Nathan Lee sounding vaguely like Gordon Lightfoot on the verses but launching into a vibrant and lyrically dense rock chorus. Still is a spiritual anthem about refusing to stagnate; it's the theme of a man whose already lost everything and knows there is nothing to lose (hence the title of the album). The song is uplifting and meaningful and likely to find seeds of understanding in many who listen. Lee closes out with Broke And Hollow Man, a gospel tune with secular leanings about how simplicity sheds light on truth. It sounds like it could be a theme song for Lee. The song references sin but doesn't push any particular Faith but faith itself. This is an amazing tune; you'll hear traces of Joe Cocker here, but Broke And Hollow Man, and Lee himself are 100% originals.

On Risk Everything, Nathan Lee does, and wins. Risk Everything is one of the most inspiring listens of the year, teaching gospel truths in human terms and magical songs. Nathan Lee has been high and low over the course of his life, from having it all to having nothing. Risk Everything finds Lee at a point where he's finally doing what he was made to do, and all the doors to the hall stand open. Come on in. You'll be glad you did.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Nathan Lee at http://www.nathanleemusic.com/ or www.myspace.com/nathanleemusic. You can pre-order Risk Everything through Nathan Lee’s webstore.

Review: JJ Soul Band - Bright Lights

JJ Soul Band - Bright Lights
2009, Arizona University Records

JJ Soul Band formed in 1993 in Iceland over a partnership between Oxford, England singer/songwriter JJ Soul and Iceland composer/keyboardist Ingvi Thor Korkaksson. Three albums and fourteen years later, JJ Soul band is still creating their distinctive mix of Rock, Soul and R&B. Their fourth album, Bright Lights, was released in Europe in 2008 and sees a 2009 US release.

Bright Lights opens with At The Mall, brandishing a classic Motown/R&B beat and gentle pop hooks that will stick with you. The song itself is entertaining, following a mysterious yet whimsical chain of events as they happened to the narrator in the song. Let Love Find Us opens with the funk on guitar, horns and some unusual keyboard sounds. The rhythm here is palpable; you simply won't be able to resist, much less want to. JJ Soul has a sound that's part Warren Zevon and part Keith Grimwood from Trout Fishing In America. I've Been Bad Again gets down into the Blues featuring tight musicianship but a vocal line that just doesn't fully connect. There's a Sinatra-esque disconnection but Soul just doesn't have the charisma Sinatra had to pull it off. Getting Colder By The Year is an interesting sidebar, sounding a bit like Billy Joel accompanying Gordon Lightfoot. The song looks back on what's been lost to drink in direct terms. The song is a gorgeous soliloquy with a distinct sense of melancholy. Bright Lights could be written about most any big city, calling out the price of living in big cities to a great Blues/Rock arrangement.

I don't need to describe the rest of the album to you because I essentially already have. JJ Soul Band sticks to the mix of Early Rock, Blues, Jazz and Lounge and ends up creating a strongly homogeneous album that's solid all the way around but never seems to take risks. Bright Lights is a solid listen; I enjoyed the album, but it just doesn't stand out from the crowd in significant fashion.

Rating: 2.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about JJ Soul Band at http://www.jjsoulband.com/ or www.myspace.com/jjsoulband. You can purchase a digital copy of Bright Lights at eMusic. Hard copy CDs are apparently available for sale at stores in Iceland, but no online availability could be found. If you really want a CD copy, contact the band through their MySpace page. I’m sure you can work something out.

Review: Jonesin' - Hi, We're Jonesin'!

Jonesin' - Hi, We're Jonesin'!
2009, Telemarketer’s Worst Nightmare

Matt and Jenny Jones are getting married! In September of 2010, the couple will tie the knot officially, although they’ve already wed their musical fortunes to great effect. Mixing a Devo-esque Geek Pop with Japanese Pop (J-Pop) with drum programming, Casio keyboards and perhaps some medicinal assistance, Jonesin’ has crafted a unique sound that will get under your skin. Jonesin' set out to record material under the guidance of The Motels' Matha Davis at her personal studio. The result, their debut album, Hi, We’re Jonesin’! will have you either falling in love with Jonesin’ or taking a machete to your CD/MP3 player. There’s little middle ground.

Hi, We're Jonesin! opens with Rollerskates, an intriguing love song that's part geek, part Pleasantville-weird Utopia and part cheesy 1970's television musical. Highly keyboard driven, the song features both vocalists, with Jenny Jones sounding a bit like a moll from a mob movie and Matt Jones sounding a bit like Gordon Lightfoot. Bummer Summer continues in a similar vein, with the sort of keyboard arrangement you might have heard programmed into a Casio keyboard in the late 1980's. Bummer Summer actually was quite apropos for a year when temperatures in much of the Western Hemisphere never quite got into a summer pattern. Jonesin' gets into an ethereal/psychedelic mindset for Too Stoned To Screw. The song is anathema to the punk classic Too Drunk To F#ck, sticking to a highly mellow vocal line and a Brookstone nature CD keyboard part. For the song Ice Cream I have to present you a mental picture. Imagine if Grease was filmed in a junior high instead of high school with the cast of Revenge Of The Nerds. Ice Cream would be the sort of song that would come out of such a movie. It's a beauty that borrows liberally from Sippin' Cider Through A Straw but is none the worse for wear.

2012 takes off on the most recent popular urban myth that the world will end in 2012. It's a child-like, optimistic take on the survivalist mentality done with a bit of panache and a shift of wit. The song is wonderfully melodic and catchy. Hey, Aliens? is a fanciful attempt at communication with life from outer space, presented with the humor and naiveté of youth, reminiscent of the folks who chose to stand on top of a Los Angeles skyscraper and greet the invaders in Independence Day. What If? asks existential questions about how you might change your life if you had the opportunity, although it goes into those questions with pre-conceptions about aliens and alternate universes that may not be the societal norm. It's a catchy tune that will get stuck in your head. Jonesin' closes out with How Much You Wanna Bet?, an Americana gem about commitment and giving yourself over to a cause (such as marriage). Once again, the naïveté of the two vocalists, or characters, is striking.

The more I listen to Hi, We're Jonesin'! the more I get the impression that it's more like a Rock Musical or concept album than just a collection of songs. The two vocalists have distinct personae that stay solid throughout the album, with relational ideas that show up across songs. The characters here are naive and idealistic and somehow very real. When I first listen to Hi, We're Jonesin'! I didn't like it (which means I didn't get it right away), but this is a brilliant album. The nerdy keyboard arrangements set the tone, with Jenny Jones’ wide-eyed ingénue and Matt Jones’ guileless bravado creating a Utopian setting for either a perfect life or a disaster. Jonesin' does us all a brilliant turn on Hi, We're Jonesin'! I highly recommend you check it out.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Jonesin’ at www.myspace.com/jajonesin. Hi, We’re Jonesin’ drops on September 8, 2009. Keep checking their MySpace page for availability.

Review: Randy Stern - Give

Randy Stern - Give
2009, Heyday Records

Randy Stern’s resume is full of Indie Cred and even some big names. As the former singer/songwriter/guitarist of Brooklyn’s The Nerve, Stern gained significant respect and admiration in the New York City scene. He ultimately was invited to play in Bumblefoot’s (Guns N Roses) touring band for a 2005 jaunt through Europe. In 2006, The Nerve disbanded, and Stern began to pursue solo writing and performance. Putting aside the punk sound, Stern has striven for a more mature, subtle songwriting style. With the help of producer Hugh Pool (Patty Smith, Rufus Wainwright, Hubert Sumlin, The National), Stern has firmly established himself as a competent solo artist with his debut album, Give.

Give opens with Deeper And Deeper, a pop-oriented Americana tune with real potential. Better Days is a solid, Southern Rock tune that's steeped in the blues and Rock N Roll. Stern has a very pleasant sounding voice that works very well with the blend of Rock, Americana & Pop he purveys. The Night is a highly catchy and commercial sounding track that could garner some attention on the radio. My favorite track on the album is the R&B/early Rock gem The Only Woman; complete with walking bass line. Into Your Heart is the pre-requisite mix-tape offering, although this isn't your typical love ballad. Stern gets highly personal here, eschewing cliche in favor of honest emotion. The song is very touching and might even make a good wedding song for the right couple. Other highlights include Home, In The Midnight and Ain't Dead Yet.

Stern has a home grown style to his playing and singing that is refreshing. You'll hear shades of Gordon Lightfoot, Bob Dylan and even Ryan Adams running through his song, but in the end Randy Stern isn't really like any of them. His is an original voice in a crowded field. Give isn't flashy, there are no big lights or whistles here, just good, honest music. Make sure you check out Randy Stern.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Randy Stern at http://www.randystern.info/ or www.myspace.com/randystern. You can purchase a copy of Give at www.cdbaby.com/randystern.

Review: Marc Gunn - What Color Is Your Dragon?

Marc Gunn – What Color Is Your Dragon?
2008, Mage Records

Marc Gunn is known the world over for being one of the biggest promoters of Celtic music in the business. His “Irish and Celtic Music Podcast” (3,000,000 downloads on iTunes) and “Renaissance Festival Podcast” are popular downloads on the World Wide Web. He is also known as the lead vocalist of the Brobdingnagian Bards, who have frequented Renaissance Festivals and Fairs for a number of years now. He is a regular performer at Dragon*Con, the largest Sci-Fi and Fantasy fiction convention in the world. He was even tapped to headline a Lord Of The Rings Oscar night party. Late of Austin, Texas, recently relocated to New Orleans to be part of the city’s musical renaissance. Gunn sent us a copy of What Color Is Your Dragon?, his 2007 release to check out. So what are we waiting for?

Gunn has certain themes that recur throughout his music that shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone. Much like the guys from Big Bang Theory, Gunn is fascinated with The Lord Of The Rings, Star Wars, Harry Potter, dragons and innuendo. All of these subjects are delivered in the classic style of an Irish or English bard, the sort who would travel from town to town in Medieval times to bring news, stories and songs to the working and farming classes in exchange for food, drink, lodging and perhaps a few coins. Gunn kicks things off with the humorous Don’t Go Drinking With Hobbits; implying that the pint sized anti-heroes of J.R.R. Tolkien’s classic series might just drink you under the table. A Rabbit For Halloween is an interesting tale in music about rabbits, witches and brooms. It’s highly entertaining and a perfect example of the Bardic style Gunn lives by.

Samwise Gangee is another trip to Tolkien’s Hobbiton. It’s very well done but likely to appeal only to hard core Tolkien fans. The Virgin Diet (How To Have Fun Losing Weight) is absolutely hilarious, although perhaps not entirely PC. Dub this style Geek-Folk if you want, but this is the sort of song that used to earn Bards their bread and butter. How Do You Tell A Woman You’re In Love is an interesting turn, with Gunn sounding vaguely like Gordon Lightfoot. It’s a solid tune that sounds like it could have its genesis in a Renaissance Fair musical production.

From the drinking game category Gunn comes up with the Pleasant Pheasant Plucking Song. This tricky bit of musical alliteration is ripe for slips of the tongue that would send the censors into fits of apoplexy. It’s a party song that gets more and more debilitating the more you miss, but the highlight of the record is Lusty Young Sith. In classic bard style, Gunn tells the story of a light saber battle that’s full of sexual tension and innuendo. Each stroke and thrust of the ensuing battle is lovingly detailed here. If I Were A Horse takes on another function, winning the award for the most creative use of the word snot in a song. It’s an entertaining ditty, particularly after a flagon or three.

My other favorite from the CD is The Last Chicken Of Dublin, which details the dangers of running a-fowl of authority. This song is entertaining and bold without going over the top. Gunn visits Tolkien’s world twice more: The Nazgul Song and Gollum Blues. Both are fun to listen to but are likely to be a bit much for non-fans of The Lord Of The Rings. Gunn takes one amusing and off-beat crack at opening up the Harry Potter narrative with a song in the voice of the son of Professor Lupin and Tonks: My Father Was A Werewolf. This one will appeal to fans of J.K. Rowling’s classic series as it is faithful to the spirit of Harry Potter without being stale. Other highlights include Monkeys Over Mongolia, Pig’s Song and I’ve Saved The Earth.

Marc Gunn pulls this music off as more than just a novelty act because he sells every note of every song. There is a fair bit of novelty value here, but Gunn is a serious musician who chooses to have fun with his material. What Color Is Your Dragon? Is a lo-fi classic, getting at the Celtic roots of folk music like few others in the genre. This CD will appeal heavily to Sci-Fi and Fantasy Fans, SCAdians and other Renaissance Fair folken. Beyond that, anyone who likes singer-songwriter styles may recognize this is it in its rawest, most basic form. Even if you’re skeptical of the subject matter, sit back, relax (as you might) and give it a fair listen. Marc Gunn will charm you, make you laugh and perhaps even make you think. Somewhere along the way magic happens. What Color Is Your Dragon? Is a classic; a Wildy’s World Certified Desert Island Disc. Don’t pass it by.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Marc Gunn at http://www.marcgunn.com/. You can purchase a copy of What Color Is Your Dragon? at www.cdbaby.com/cd/gunnmarc5.