Gregorian B.C. - Conquistadors Of War

Gregorian B.C. - Conquistadors Of War
2010, Gregorian B.C. Records

If a high school dropout can become a doctor of pharmacy, there's no reason a kid from Iowa with a penchant for Gregorian Chant and flamenco guitar can't become a rock star. That said, Brian Chupp, aka Gregorian B.C., is an overachiever. The rock star part is perhaps still in question, but he's achieved the rest already. With a talent and sound born of the same rebellious spirit that gave birth to rock n roll in the first place, Gregorian B.C. blends Chant, flamenco guitar, rock, blues and metal into a sound that has perhaps not been heard before. Singing with a relaxed baritone voice that occasionally calls Jim Morrison to mind, Gregorian B.C. has to be one of the most distinctive artists in rock n roll today. Gregorian B.C. releases his debut album, Conquistadors Of War on July 6, 2010.

Conquistadors Of War opens with "Arise", a heavy rock opus that will appeal to Sabbath fans. The song is a call to war and a call to freedom wrapped into one. It's an ambitious opening foray that announces both the musical intent and personality of Gregorian B.C., who styles himself after the 16th Century Spanish Knights from whom his name is derived. "Gregorian Starlight" mixes elements of progressive rock, 1970's metal and Gregorian Chant. "Live Today" embodies "Carpe Diem" in song, admonishing listeners to live in the moment and not work their lives away. Gregorian B.C. takes the arrangement off the map mid-song, showing some wicked guitar skills in the process. "The Clock Of Time" sounds a bit like Jim Morrison fronting The Moody Blues, circa 1972. It's the most laid-back composition on the disc; a somewhat surprising and gratifying change of pace.

With "The Rise Of Spain", Gregorian B.C. moves into more gothic territory, decorating it with dashes of Flamenco guitar inside an expansive rock arrangement. "The Rise Of Spain" is a warning to today's national powers to heed history and how even the mightiest fall in time. Conquistadors Of War keeps the same tone but returns to the Sabbath-inspired slow, heavy rock style. "The Spanish Armada" takes a more conversational tone, as Gregorian B.C. highlights symbols of the Spanish empire in the 16th Century. Conquistadors Of War closes with "East Coast Rocker", sounding more like Jim Morrison than at any other time during the album.

Conquistadors Of War is an uneven but intriguing experience. Nearly half of the album is a historical song cycle with geo-political implications for today's rapidly changing international politics. The rest is a collection of Black Sabbath or Doors inspired tunes; the sum of which suggests that Gregorian B.C. has found a theme but not a solid writing voice he's yet comfortable with. The blend of sounds on Conquistadors Of War is highly original in spite of the influences referenced here; Gregorian B.C. has a sound that will gain him a lot of intention, although it's not as accessible to current mores as it would have been in the 1970s. If you're a fan of Black Sabbath, The Doors or other such acts, then Gregorian B.C. will appeal to you. His is an interesting sound.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Gregorian B.C. at http://www.gregorianbc.com/ or www.myspace.com/gregorianbc. Conquistadors Of War drops on July 6, 2010. You can pre-order the CD from Amazon. Expect wide availability.

Review: Susurrus Station - Add A Day Going West

Susurrus Station - Add A Day Going West
2009, Susurrus Station

J Breeden and Sara Dyberg are the emotional and physical core of Susurrus Station, reaching out of Portland, Oregon with whisper rather than a scream. Multi-instrumentalists and vocalist, both, Breeden and Dyberg mix styles and sounds in unusual and surprising ways to create some of the edgiest and darkness Avant-Folk in the business today. As Susurrus Station, Breeden and Dyberg have released two albums, and step forward with their third, Add A Day Going West, on November 10, 2009. Folk, Garage Rock, Industrial, Cinematic compositional styles and a dark countenance make up the heart of Susurrus Station's music. Unlike past albums, Susurrus Station was recorded over the course of a year (rather than in a rampant frenzy of creation and recording). The building of songs was deliberate and intentional, and it shows on the album.

Add A Day Going West opens with Driven, a song which seems written in contradiction to its title. Breeden sounds like Jim Morrison on serious downers here, giving a somnolent, drugged sounding vocal reading that's inured in Smiths-like pathos. Musically it's more a collection of sounds and musical passages than a composition, right down to the heavy rock portion that kicks in around 4:15. Midway Shuffle shows an energetic, neo-surf guitar opening that descends into the hypnotic depressive state of the first tune. Sara Dyberg takes over vocals on The Bellwether Din; a fuzzy trance-like performance where they key shifts and things like tone don't seem to matter. The song ranges over four-and-a-quarter minutes but at times seems like it will just keep going.

Barnstorm takes on a Middle Eastern flavor in a song about yearning for "The One" to come along. The style and arrangement are highly moveable, even interposing a "Beatles in a funhouse" passage at the end. b reminds me of a band like The Butthole Surfers trying to cover one of Pink Floyd's more spacey instrumentals; Susurrus Station descends into an absolute chaos of noise that essentially chokes any musicality out. The album closes out with Talking With The Wind and Long Tomorrow, leaning more heavily into the hopeful ether of overly-affected Folk/Rock. The end result is an album that decreases in listenability throughout its course even as it rakes in the pathos.

Add A Day Going West will find folks into this sort of thing, but they're not your typical music fans. Anything that sounds almost wholly unhinged from reality and ethereal at the same time is bound to garner some attention. Susurrus Station attempts to bridge the gap between listenability and discomfort and fails in significant portion. Add A Day Going West takes a high constitution. Make sure you have yours handy.

Rating: 1.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Susurrus Station at http://www.susurrusstation.com/ or www.myspace.com/susurrusstation. Add A Day Going West goes public on November 10, 2009. Keep checking the band’s website for availability information.

Review: I M Munroe - I Am Here

I M Munroe - I Am Here
2009, I M Munroe

Ian and Mark Munroe share familial and musical bloodlines, an element of the chemistry displayed on their debut album, I Am Here, released August 25, 2009. The Toronto-based brothers have followed their own paths professionally but have been playing music together since they were teenagers. Ian is a Mechanical Engineer who spent six years working in the auto industry, while Mark is a professional model and actor who has appeared in Cosmopolitan, UMM and other publications as well as appearing in national commercials and music videos. Ian plays guitar and sings lead while Mark provides harmony vocals and writes lyrics for the band. Matt Lloyd sits in on the drum kit for I Am Here, which is produced by Wayne Routledge.

I Am Here opens with I Used To Love You, a relatively bland pop tune with a mildly catchy chorus. I M Munroe stays relatively bland for Fool, although Ian Munroe has a voice vaguely reminiscent of Jim Morrison. That's My Life steps out and shines with a catchy arrangement and a real sense of energy. The songs thus far are decent, but there's a stoic sense about the Munroe brothers that makes it hard to know for certain whether they're enjoying themselves. I Am Here retains that stoic sensibility, but the energy improves and I M Munroe seems to be loosening up a tad as the album progresses. Should Have Known Better marks a real coming out for the band, emerging at least partially from their serious composure in a song about a relationship headed south wrapped in a peppy arrangement (ala The Cure). Lyrically, the song is fairly representative of the material on I Am Here, that is to say that the lyrics are a bit young in presentation and not terribly refined. This actually works with the sober vocal style of Ian Munroe and the general trend in arrangements, but perhaps doesn't serve the material as best it might. One More Day breaks from the imperturbable with a heart felt but self-serving ballad where the protagonist refuses to let go of something that's already gone. I M Munroe leaves us with Here In Bed; either a bittersweet reminiscence or quasi-delusional time slip in song.

I Am Here is too burdened down in its own emotional weight to ever really fly except for the best tune on the disc; Should Have Known Better. Here Ian and Mark Munroe create a viable pop tune with melancholy lyrics that folks will want to listen to. The rest of the album reflects a young, musically undeveloped band with some talent but a lot of work to do. Perhaps the biggest benefit would come from broadening the instrumental make up of the band and involving a new voice/perspective in the songwriting process (not necessarily as a primary songwriter but as a source of creative tension). I Am Here is a decent listen, but not one that calls you back.

Rating: 2 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about I M Munroe at ww.myspace.com/immunroe or http://www.immunroe.com/, where you can purchase a copy of I Am Here in I M Munroe’s store. You can purchase a download of the album through iTunes.

Review: MYSTR Treefrog - Swampadelic Hound Dawg

MYSTR Treefrog - Swampadelic Hound Dawg
2009, Ottomannix Music, Inc.

Very often I’ll try to give a very brief introduction to a band in the first paragraph of a review. There are occasionally albums I review from folks who really need no introduction, and then there are, from time to time, acts for which any introduction would be insufficient. Silver Spring, Maryland’s MYSTR Treefrog is one such artist. Born from the sweltering heart of Southern Blues with a punk attitude and some good, old fashioned Psychedelia thrown in, MYSTR Treefrog isn’t quite like anything that’s been heard in the popular music scene in a while. His album, Swampadelic Hound Dawg, is better heard than written about.

Swampadelic Hound Dawg opens with Walkerdawg, a delicious mix of Blues and Cajun styles that's guaranteed to get your musical libido swinging. The guitar work here is outstanding, and MYSTR Treefrog's voice sounds like part Leon Redbone and part Dan Akroyd. Jefferson Nova and Kelly Chevette is a "cautionary tale" about two young bandits from Maryland out on the road. It's an entertaining story-song but not one of the stronger tracks on the disc. How Gone Is Gone is a letter to a long-lost friend in song about letting go and freeing yourself from the ties that bind and about happiness. It's unusually personal and stands out from the rest of the album as a serious and introspective attempt at reaching out across innumerable miles to someone who may or may not be listening. God's Gift 2 Man is an old school intervention set to song around some of the filthiest blues licks this is of the Mississippi. It's an out-of-the-box story song that's entertaining and has a vaguely theatrical sensibility. Leonard is a strong blues/rock tune with great rhythm and some kicking collaboration between guitar and harmonica. Other highlights include Chasin' Tail, My Babes A Mechanic and Nawlins Worm Dance.

MYST Treefrog forges eclectic mix of Folk, Blues, Rock and some Cajun seasoning on Swampadelic Hound Dawg in creating a listening experience you won't soon forget. I can't say I loved every song on the disc, but as a complete work it's unforgettable. I have a sense that MYST Treefrog isn't a complete experience until you catch him live. Do so, if you have the opportunity.
Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn about MYSTR Treefrog at http://www.myspace.com/mystrtreefrog%20or%20mystrtreefrogsblitherfestival.blogspot.com. You can purchase a copy of Swampadelic Hound Dawg at CDBaby.com.

Review: Mad Anthony - Mad Anthony EP

Mad Anthony - Mad Anthony EP
2008, Phratry Records

Cincinnati sits squarely in the heart of the rust belt, combining Northeastern attitudes with Midwestern sensibility in a fashion that's perhaps unlike anywhere else in the United States. The result of this mish-mash of attitudes and ideals is perhaps nowhere more visible than in Cincinnati’s arts scene, and in particular, the music scene. The mix and meld of style like Punk, Classic Rock and even Grunge is perhaps nowhere more vibrant and carries with it a pragmatic sensibility that you just don't find in cities like New York, Chicago or L.A. Mad Anthony has grown up in this particular Rock N Roll stew, and wears the result flavors well. Their debut release, a self-titled EP from 2008 simultaneously makes you want to dance while exploring the eternal conflict of human nature versus the higher self.

Vocalist/guitarist sounds like a cross between Jim Morrison and Cowboy Mouth's John Thomas Griffin and carries himself vocally with a confidence that never rises to a swagger but has substance throughout the disc. Mad Anthony opens with Strangest Dream and one of the more vibrant guitar licks you're likely to hear. The song is a fun bit of madness that will make you want to dance. The vocal line gets a bit messy with two vocalists at times who sing together but not quite together. Otherwise it’s a great song. Get You High is a gloriously mad Rock N Roll romp with serious drive without ever getting loud. Puget is about the struggle to be a better person, particularly as it applies to relationships. The song is intelligently written and conveys real relationship issues in a raucous Rock tune complete with Police-style chants. Hope Of The Consumption is an angry tune that shows its punk roots all the way back to The Clash. Listen to the guitar work here and you'll know exactly what I'm talking about. Mad Anthony closes out with July 24th, a vibrant punk rocker with some vaguely progressive tendencies. The resolution here is left a bit open, suggesting that the divergence of want and need, of good and evil, in mankind continues and may be examined again.

Mad Anthony sticks to their Lo-Fi, Garage sound throughout the 5 songs on Mad Anthony, driving listeners along in vaguely understated fashion (for Punk) to a highly danceable yet sociological conclusion. The hanging ending is a bit of genius, inviting the listener to come along and find out what comes next. Mad Anthony is good. We're game.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Mad Anthony at http://www.madanthonyband.com/ or www.myspace.com/madanthony. You can purchase a copy of Mad Anthony at CDBaby.com.

Review: Brother Lou - As Good As You Want

Brother Lou - As Good As You Want
2008, Hollywood ACSEP

Brother Lou goes to work 9-5 every day to pay the bills. The newlywed Miami resident has more than enough on his plate, but still finds time to write, record and co-produce his own songs, not to mention performing live. Those of you in the Miami area might know Brother Lou as the host of Luna Star Cafe's bi-monthly Open Mike night. He's also been on various local radio shows in the Miami/Jacksonville region, but is just starting to make a push into the rest of the Southeast United States. Brother Lou's latest CD, As Good As You Want, gives the sonic picture of a singer/songwriter with roots that straddle the line between 1960's folk icons and Country/Rock/Americana artists of today.

Brother Lou's voice is deep and full and reminiscent of another era. I've spent a couple of days now trying to figure out who he sounds like and I finally figured it out. In the deeper elements of his voice Brother Lou sounds strangely like Jim Morrison, but never completely and never for long. This familiarity combined with strong songwriting and an easy presentation style makes for a highly accessible album in As Good As You Want. Brother Lou opens with Nothing In The Sky, a look back at the days after the September 11 attacks on the United States. The song questions the actions that people take on behalf of God and expresses a low simmering anger that will never go away. Let Go is the recognition that sometimes a relationship reaches a point where nothing you do is going to save it. Brother Lou's vocal delivery is full and rich and sprinkled with wit, creating a highly listenable and enjoyable experience. Hey Jesus is an energetic Folk/Rock song is about hypocrisy and religion; taking to task those who profess belief in God and Jesus yet act in ways that seem contradictory ("With the God they've conjured up what do they need the Devil for?"). Brother Lou mentions such public figures as Paula White, Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwell and "Kennedy" in a scathing and witty diatribe you won't want to miss.

As Good As You Want has an almost Celtic flavor to it and reminds listeners that life is what you make of it. Elizabeth is a beautiful and highly personal song about the letting go that needs to occur when someone you love passes on. Brother Lou conveys the emotion and depth of feeling you might expect on this subject without sounding trite. Rain takes on the political campaign process and the shallow nature of both politics and its practitioners. Wit tempers vitriol in what turns out to be a highly intelligent and descriptive song that should be a primer for political science classes everywhere. As Good As You Want closes out with Black And White Kisses, a song about revisiting a lost love from film that's left behind. This is something of a tearjerker about someone who maybe appreciates his lost love more now than when she was alive.

Brother Lou is highly personal in his songwriting. Lyrically he's highly descriptive; this can be both a blessing and a curse at times, but Lou's unadorned arrangements and honest, everyman delivery makes it work. As Good As You Want is the sort of album that should do very well in folk circles and I wouldn't be surprised a few years down the line to see Brother Lou become a staple on the folk circuit. Brother Lou has a lot to say and a lot of stories to tell. Take some time to listen; it'll be As Good As You Want.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Brother Lou at http://www.brotherlou.com/. You can purchase a copy of As Good As You Want at www.cdbaby.com/cd/brotherlou, or you can download the album from iTunes.

Review: Leopold And His Fiction - Ain't No Surprise

Leopold And His Fiction – Ain’t No Surprise
2008, Native Fiction Records

San Francisco band Leopold And His Fiction brings a plains sensibility to garage rock. Led by Daniel James (vocals/guitar), a Detroit native, Leopold And His Fiction has been compared favorable to The White Stripes. While there is something to this comparison, Leopold And His Fiction digs a little more heavily into the soul of 1960’s garage than The White Stripes ever dared. Jangly guitars and Lo-Fi effects highlight the raw sound and Dylan-esque mood Leopold And His Fiction put forth on their sophomore CD, Ain’t No Surprise.

There is nothing polished about Leopold And His Fiction; nothing refined. Ain’t No Surprise is raw Rock N Roll ripped right from the soul and social consciousness of James, Micayla Grace (bass/vox) and Jon Sortland (drums/vox/organ). Songs like Hawk Eyes and Come Back (Now That I’m Here) underline the raw energy Leopold And His Fiction are capable of, while Broke has an almost Jim Morrison-like aura over it. The best track on the disc is Ain’t No Surprise. James has pieced together lyrics worthy of Bob Dylan and a straight ahead folk/rock arrangement that is infectious and memorable. A close second is Katie Mae, a delicious little bit of rockabilly that you won’t be able to resist. Other highlights include Sun’s Only Promise, Mean Ol’ Train and Pretty Neat.

Leopold And His Fiction don’t fit easily into one demographic or genre slot. If you’re a fan of classic garage rock with a penchant for plains sensibility and a back-roads Americana feel, then Leopold And His Fiction are for you. Quirky and dirty with the dust of thousands of miles of road, Ain’t No Surprise will lull you with its earthy feel and worm its way inside your head. It may take a few listens, but this disc will charm you.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Leopold And His Fiction at www.myspace.com/leopoldandhisfiction or http://www.leopoldandhisfiction.com/, where you can purchase a copy of Ain’t No Surprise.

Review: The Courage Pills - The Courage Pills

The Courage Pills – The Courage Pills
2008, The Courage Pills

West Chester, Pennsylvania natives The Courage Pills have the right idea. Formed just two years ago, they already haunt the clubs and venues of Philadelphia with a sound that is steeped in punk rock energy and a pop-hook driven musicality that’s bound to make the most cynical critic look up and take notice. The Courage Pills are no slouches as musicians either, with lead guitarist Michael Schramm featured in the March 2007 issue of Guitar Player magazine. Despite the recent loss of their original drummer, The Courage Pills continue to weave great pop/post-punk tunes in the same vein as Graham Parker’s former backup band, The Figgs. The Courage Pills sent along a seven-song demo entitled The Courage Pills. Let’s take a look.

The Courage Pills open with Way Down, an Americana flavored tune with an underlying punk sensitivity. The song is incredibly catchy with a bit of a garage sound to it (as if it were a live recording, which it may be). Open Our Eyes is a live recording, and is another incredibly catchy creature. The Courage Pills ride a big guitar sound and an almost Jim Morrison style vocal here to a bit of pop/punk nirvana. The melody will not escape you, recurring in your brain until you want to stomp on it. It’s infectious and a lot of fun. Cut Back The Lawn heads for Americana territory again with a surprisingly smooth sound offset by electronic voice box supporting organic vocals. The arrangement here is wonderfully smooth and high brow and shows The Courage Pills broadening their range of sound.

Cemetery Song has a manic, almost new-wave sound to it. This is perhaps the song with the greatest commercial potential on the demo; although the vocal/guitar mix is very muddy and should be clarified (vocals and guitar are at the exact same level, meaning the vocals become lost at times). Cemetery Song carries the same sense of pop hook wonderment mixed with the frenetic punk energy that underlies much of what The Courage Pills play, and is thoroughly infectious. Dumptruck is a little more driven, sounding a bit like early Figgs material. Swan Song is a glorious romp with big guitars and an almost Pearl Jam style pomposity. For alt-rock fans, Rabbiteater is the song you come to the Courage Pills for. Easily their most complex composition from the material here, Rabbiteater shows a band jumping to the next level artistically. This particular recording is rough, but shows the distinct potential of the band as a future entity.

The Courage Pills are a young band at a crossroads. The first real personnel change is just behind them, and they show the restless tendencies of a band just starting to take wings and find its true voice. It’s generally within the next year that they’ll either explode into the band they’ll become or implode into a mass of good intentions and lost potential. If I were a betting man I’d pick the former. The Courage Pills mix pop and punk in a style reminiscent of Ben Folds, and there is a real hunger for great Rock N Roll out there right now. The Courage Pills could be part of the answer.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about The Courage Pills at www.myspace.com/thecouragepills or http://www.thecouragepills.com/. It does not appear that The Courage Pills have any CDs or MP3s for sale online at this time. You can stream six of the songs discussed in this review on their MySpace page, although Rabbiteater is curiously not available. Perhaps if you message them through the MySpace account they’ll sell you a copy of The Courage Pills.

Review: Huff (Chris Huff) - North Cathedral Way

Chris Huff - North Cathedral Way
1998, Help Us Find Food Music

We recently reviewed Chris Huff’s Death and Texas LP. Not long after we received his debut CD, North Cathedrawl Way, in the mail. It's interesting stuff. Check it out!

North Cathedral Way opens with Ball And Chain, a dynamic song that allows Huff to show off some pretty impressive pipes. A highly rhythmic tune featuring Huff on vox/guitar with only percussion behind him, it's a great blues-influenced opening to the CD. The Night Cafe explores the downfalls of hanging with the immortal, the enlightened and the almighty. It's a great tune that's sure to offend all of those it doesn't entertain. Huff displays a very raw, edgy songwriting style throughout North Cathedral Way that is very much in contrast with his later recording, Death And Texas. There are a few lyrical turns here that are a bit awkward, but on the whole it's very strong songwriting and full of raw, dynamic performances that must have been unforgettable in the live environment.

Laura is a beautifully poignant love song that will make the mix-tape list for folks of that name. It's a fine bit of songwriting and performed in a highly personable, vulnerable fashion that is becoming both to Huff and the song. Mystic Town is another song that could be a classic. Huff sounds a bit like Jim Morrison here but the song is more in the style of very early Billy Joel (particularly non-album stuff that you'll find in his box set). Other highlights here include Van Gogh Blues, Broken, By The Grace Of God and the Dylan-esque Talkin' Benadryl Blues.

Chris Huff is a very talented singer-songwriter. This early work is a bit rough in patches but shows the distinct signs of the artist who recently released Death And Texas. North Cathedral Way is coffee house folk and blues at its best. This is a great marker of the early songwriting proclivities of Huff and will be ideal for fans. This is also a great disc for folk fans and acoustic blues fans. Be sure to check it out.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Chris Huff at http://www.huffmusic.com/, where you can purchase a copy of North Cathedral Way.

Review: National Ghost - National Ghost

National Ghost - National Ghost
2008, National Ghost

National Ghost is the product of several former Detroit-area bands. Formed in 2006, the original idea was just to get a bunch of guys into a room and see what happened. Well something clicked. Building from the soul/funk base that Detroit is known for, National Ghost branches out into a modern rock sound that is fueled by a love of the 1970’s and a desire for the now. On December 6, 2008, National Ghost will release their eponymous debut CD. Get in line, this one is worth waiting for.

National Ghost has a very earthy sound that's part Americana and part melodic rock. Lead vocalist Graham Strachan has one of those voices that is eminently familiar yet you can never quite pin down who it is he sounds like. On occasion you almost think you hear Jim Morrison, but then it's gone. National Ghost has an eclectic writing style that is very mellow and memorable. King Of The Thrill has a very laid back feel and a killer melody. The chorus here thrums and sways like nobody's business. Break You is a quiet missive that’s part admonishment and part admiration. Leavin' stretches back through time to the decade of sequin suits and long, slow guitar solos that last a week. Leavin' has some of the best guitar work on National Ghost and is full of funk. Be sure to check out The Distance Between Us, a consummate songwriter's song. Other highlights include Eye To The I, Show, Ring and The Gist (by far the funkiest song on the album).

National Ghost is a very talented group that has a real ardor for the sort of funk, soul and rock and roll that characterized the 1970's. This love pours itself forth into National Ghosts' songwriting. National Ghost is a very enjoyable listen and runs across several musical boundaries. There's something here for most everyone!

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about National Ghost at http://www.nationalghost.com/. You can pick up a copy of National Ghost at www.cdbaby.com/cd/nationalghost.