Tom Levin - Them Feet

Tom Levin - Them Feet
2014, Distrosong

Swedish-born Tom Levin was educated in the United States and Australia.  His Alaskan exchange family heard him singing in the shower and encouraged him to join the school choir.  The rest, as they say, is history.  That encouragement set Levin’s feet upon an inevitable path to a career in music.  The 2007 NMW Awards winner for “Male Artist of the Year” (he beat out John Mayer, James Blunt and Daniel Powter) has had significant chart success in Sweden, and continues to draw regular crowds at shows in the United States.  Levin releases his latest album, Them Feet, on January 29, 2014.  It is the first of two new albums from Levin in 2014, and it’s going to be hard to beat. 

The first thing to understand about the evolution of Levin’s work is that moves forward by moving backwards.  Levin writes brilliant pop songs, disguised as deliciously stripped down mishmashes of country, Americana, gospel and pop ménage.  The title track, “Them Feet”, is a brilliant piece of songwriting, a look at true love with a long view.  Levin is utterly convincing in describing a love that builds even as time breaks down.  The song is cut from a minimalist cloth.  Flourishes are saved for occasional accents while Levin allows the songs to speak for themselves.  “I Raise My Flag” is a song of determination that is delivered with low key style that nearly belies its subject matter, unless of course you cue in to the quiet intensity of the chorus. 

“Pull Yourself Together” could be a country tune, a pop tune or a classic rock number, but Levin crafts it as a quiet diatribe that’s all the more intense for its quiet Americana delivery.  This has hit written all over it.  “As Long As it’s Good” is cut from similar cloth, with Levin allowing the inherent pop brilliance of the song shine in its own rough-hewn style.  These are songs you will be singing and/or humming for days after you hear them, and they are utterly accessible.  Levin sings in a perfectly imperfect voice and range that your average music fan can sing along with; his messages are universally understandable; and his approach is earthy and real. 

“Once I Almost Killed A Horse” is an off-beat story song that finds Levin reminiscing about the keystone moments in his life that led him to his current love.  The individual references may not mean anything to any one particular listener, but the tapestry of life experiences has a journeyman’s appeal that’s inescapable.  Levin delivers this all in a low key fashion that’s part conversational and part reverie.  “Company Man” sees Levin digging into an American gospel style, but the halting arrangement saps the momentum of the album.  Atmospheric reverb counters Levin’s bare voice on “June’s Memory Lane”, a quiet gem hiding out in the last third of the album.  This moving still life of a song is a thing of beauty, as Levin uses vocal brush strokes to bring to life a scene full of vibrant quietude.

On “Father To Son”, Levin imparts important bytes of wisdom in a brilliant piece of Americana/pop songwriting that details the transition of a father as his own son joins the clan of fatherhood.  The personal reflections and expressions of love here are palpable, with Levin showing a deep personal connection that pulls the listener in.  You’ll want to call your Dad after hearing this song.  “King Neptune” is a song of memorial with a fairy tale-like feel.  Levin shows respect for a man of integrity and honesty, much like himself.  The beat of the song is penetrating, delivered on guitar rather than through percussion, and drives home the quiet sincerity of Levin’s lyrics.

Them Feet is not built on any measure of perfection, unless you consider the vitally accurate rendering of streams of the human heart as perfection.  If you do, then Tom Levin has created as near to a perfect album as you could hope for.  There are bumps and bruises here, just as in life, but Levin navigates them all with the quiet certainty of one who has found the meaning of his life and is working to play it out to full effect.  Levin’s lyrical style might be dubbed “conversational reverie”, as he mixes memories and moments into his current observations with a poet’s touch.  The music is stripped down and accessible, but never fails to hide his pure pop genius.  Them Feet is brilliant in its imperfection.

Rating:                        4.5 Stars (Out of 5)
Learn more at www.tomlevin.com.

James Blunt - Bonfire Heart

James Blunt - Bonfire Heart
I have kind of an interesting history with James Blunt; that is to say, none.  I've heard songs of his on the radio in the past but never paid much attention to him.  His voice is certainly distinctive; an acquired taste but memorable.  The early singles I heard from him seemed a bit derivative.  He was being marketed in the same vein as artists such as Dave Matthews and John Mayer, neither of whom is a particular personal favorite.

"Bonfire Heart" is quite different in tone and tenor, however.  While it's difficult to judge from just one song, it sounds as if Blunt has found himself musically.  The same distinctive sound and approach to songwriting are here, but there's an irresistible pop sensibility at the core of "Bonfire Heart", and it sounds like Blunt is actually having fun.  The string-laden arrangement helps to contain the vibrant energy of the song, giving it the feeling of a pent up love about to burst.

"Bonfire Heart" debuted on BBC Radio 2 this morning, and is the first single from Blunt's forthcoming album, Moon Landing (October 2013).  Don't be surprised if it turns into a major summer hit on both sides of the pond.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more at www.jamesblunt.com. 

SJ - I Like You/Lo Mejor De Mi

SJ - I Like You/Lo Mejor De Mi

2010, Acoustic Soul Records (8/31/10)

Miami Beach, Florida singer/songwriter SJ is relatively unknown, but has already earned comparisons to artists such as Jack Johnson, John Mayer and James Blunt. SJ's first single, "I Like You" displays a deft touch for melody, lyrics and an inherent pop sensibility that's like to have major record labels calling at his door. It's an innocent love song that lacks the narcissistic pretense of many pop ballads currently on the radio. Delivered in an acoustic arrangement, "I Like You" is the sort of song that can catapult an artist from unknown to world renowned overnight. SJ also offers a spanish-language version, "Lo Mejor De Mi", a move likely to broaden his popular appeal. Don't be surprised if "I Like You" is all over the radio soon.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about SJ at http://www.sjacoustic.com/ or www.myspace.com/sjacousticmusic.  "I Like You" and "Lo Mejor De Mi" drop on August 31, 2010.  I Like You (Radio Version) and Lo Mejor De Mi are available for pre-order from Amazon.

Review: Every Boy - The Last Lala's

Every Boy - The Last Lala's
2009, Every Boy

New York City-based Every Boy has a lot of musical friends. His debut album, The Last Lala's features Ben Peeler (The Wallflowers), Tom Freund (Ben Harper), Brian LeBarton (Beck) and Adam Topal (Jack Johnson). Produced by Grammy winner John Holbrook (Pink Floyd, The Rolling Stones, Natalie Merchant, The Isley Brothers, Fountains Of Wayne) and Freund, The Last Lala's mixes a Zen approach with an eclectic Pop sensibility in its best moments.

Every Boy opens with Life Is For Living, an interesting tune about the important things in life. Every Boy's vocal delivery is somewhere between Peter Gabriel and James Blunt here. The most enjoyable song on the disc, Im2b, is highly catchy with a Beatles-inspired sound. Im2b has real potential as a single; infectious enough to catch hold on the radio with the right break. Every Boy treads the path of relationship insecurity on Would You Still Love Me?; exploring all of the things he could do or become and asking whether his beloved would still love him. The vocal line gets lazy here, with Every Boy sliding around notes like they were theoretical concepts. Chinese Wine sounds like a Frat house rant, falling prey to its own repetition. Every Boy makes a positive turn on Keep On Keeping On, displaying strong Pop sensibility and a sing-a-long chorus. Lyrically there are some awkward moments, but the song is so catchy you won't care. Every Boy says goodnight with Unturn Every Stone, a ploddingly melodic tune that perhaps takes a bit too long to get where its going but isn't bad for all that.

Every Boy hits a couple of high moments on The Last Lala's, but spends much of the album mired in mediocre energy and an easy going approach that fails to reach out to the listener. It's clear that Every Boy has the talent to write and play great music, but too often on The Last Lala's easy choices beget easy music, resulting in songs that slip away from the mind easily once they're done. Take what you can from The Last Lala's and see what Every Boy comes up with next.

Rating: 2.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Every Boy at http://www.everyboy.net/ or www.myspace.com/everyboyrocks. You can purchase The Last Lala's as either a CD or Download from Amazon.com.

Review: Spygirl - Pieces Of Evidence

Spygirl – Pieces Of Evidence
2008, Spygirl Music

Vancouver’s Spygirl took eight long years to release their second disc. Their self-titled debut hit shelves in 2000. The band went through some changes over the years, but re-engaged with producer Tom Rothrock (Beck, Badly Drawn Boy, Sloan, Elliott Smith, James Blunt) to release 2008’s Pieces Of Evidence. Born of a longtime collaboration between vocalist Koralee Tonack and multi-instrumentalist Jane Gowan (no idea if she’s related to Styx’ Lawrence Gowan), Spygirl started out as Time Waits. The band is a collection of incredibly talented musicians, and Tonack’s voice is amazing.

Pieces Of Evidence opens with Come Out To Play, a down-tempo song about coming out of your shell and letting go of your fears, yet it sounds mired in a deep melancholy. Where Did Those Stars Come From has an almost ethereal, Mazzy Starr quality to it. Feeling Fine is ambivalence personified; a self-affirmation that is without real energy or life. The vocals and harmonies here are gorgeous, but the energy just isn’t there. Feeling Fine is, unfortunately, a microcosm of Pieces Of Evidence. Well constructed songs fed by pretty harmonies, a lead vocalist with a great voice, and little or no energy to drive it. Mellow and ethereal music are fine, but even mellow music has life and vitality to it. Spygirl comes across as a very talented outfit that just isn’t challenged by or interested in what they are playing. This is unfortunate because there are some wonderful elements here. And Spygirl even tries to make a late save with Be Lost and Weight Of The World, but it’s too little too late to hold on to the listener. The final track, Dust, is a reserved story song where Koralee Tonack really comes to life on vocals. It’s really a worthwhile performance, but most listeners won’t stick around that long.

Rating: 2 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Spygirl at http://www.spygirlmusic.com/ or www.myspace.com/spygirlspygirl. You can purchase a copy of Pieces Of Evidence at MapleMusic.com or as a download through iTunes.