Brother Lou - The Devil In Me

Brother Lou - The Devil In Me
2011, Brother Lou

Brother Lou (AKA Luis Dominguez), is a Vienna, Virgina-based singer/songwriter, but his colorful history has seen him in bands all along the east coast.  Settling into the Washington, D.C. scene, Brother Lou has quietly become one of the better Indie songwriters on the east coast, earning awards from the VH-1 Song Of The Year contest, the Great American Song Contest (2011 finalist) and American Songwriter magazine.  2011 finds Brother Lou at it again with the release of The Devil In Me, his follow-up to 2008’s As Good As You Want.  The Devil In Me is a fun mix of blues, folk and Americana that’s part Leon Redbone and part Big Rude Jake.

Brother Lou opens with the title track, a tasty bit of vaudevillian hobo blues.  Imagine Big Rude Jake in a stripped down setting.  "The Devil In Me" is a prayer of thanks that's counterintuitive but fun.  "Can't Make You Shine Anymore" is a fun little number covering the war of love, the love of war, and all the amazing things that happen in the space between.  The song is offered here in a wonderfully stripped down blues arrangement that is appealing to the ears.  "Through The Wind" is a mellow ballad praising the important things in life (love, happiness, peace, friendship).  The song gets points for intent and for Brother Lou's clear, steady voice. 

"I Go Down" is a solid autobiographical number from a man who struggles against his own inner demons to hold up his end of a relationship.  He consistently falls away, and this is one more time he's coming back seeking forgiveness.  "The Hungry Girl" is an amusing blues/folk exposition on an overly dependent upstairs neighbor.  Brother Lou goes for big entertainment value, but borders on mean-spirited humor at times here.  "Don't Want To Hide Anymore" is a pensive, run-on ballad that's highly emotive.  Centered in loneliness, the song is a strong Adult Contemporary entry, but does drag a bit.

"This Song" is a half-glass full song written from the perspective of a songwriter who lost a relationship but gained a song.  Mild wit and a health get-on-with-life attitude pervade here in a catchy but reserved arrangement.  Brother Lou missteps a bit with "When You Lose At Love", a melancholy ballad with a pitchy lead vocal that distracts from a fairly decent melody.  He recovers well on "Dancin' Shoes", a song of simple temptation and everlasting consequence that's catchy and more fun than it should be.  "I'm Gonna Rise Again" is awash in human imperfection and unreasonable optimism, opening with a promise and closing on the loneliness that comes when such are unfulfilled.  Brother Lou closes with "Bad Gravity", an offbeat song of excuses and misdirection.  The music is melancholy, but the vocal line is vibrant; the dichotomy is a bit jarring, and makes for an almost uncomfortable close.

Brother Lou sets an ambitious course with The Devil In Me, covering vast stylistic ground while trying to build a cohesive album that flows.  The effort is generally a success, although there isn't really a breakout moment on the album.  It's more of a slow-and-steady wins the race approach, with Brother Lou traversing love, loss and the many ways that people try to understand the world around them.  Accordingly, The Devil In Me ranges widely, but Brother Lou manages to tie it all together in a fashion that, while not storybook, works.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Brother Lou at http://www.brotherlou.com/.  The Devil In Me is available via Amazon.com as a CD or Download.  The album is also available through iTunes.

Review: Marc O'Connor - Jam Session

Marc O'Connor - Jam Session
2010, OMAC

If you take six world-class musicians and place them in an improv-based ensemble using jazz forms and influences as wide-ranging as bluegrass, jazz, blues and folk, one of two things will happen. Either that group will blend themselves into a complete organism; a living breathing extension of their six individual talents that somehow becomes more than the sum of the parts, or egos will intervene and what could have been magic turns quickly to dust. On Jam Session, due out April 13, 2010, Marc O'Connor (violin); Chris Thile (mandolin); Frank Vignola (guitar); Bryan Sutton (guitar); John Burr (bass) and Byron House (bass) spin straw into gold with one of the finest instrumental efforts of the new millennium.

Jam Session opens with "Granny White Special", featuring the blistering mandolin work of Chris Thile and complementary violin of Marc O'Connor. On fire is the first word that comes to mind; O'Connor et al. are so locked in its ridiculous. Even when the guitar solo that kicks in later picks up the incredible energy. O'Connor gets to show off a bit on "Gypsy Fantastic". You'd swear it was Stephane Grappelli himself sawing away on the violin. The musical conversation is lively on "Madeonia", with instrumental interplay taking on new heights in an absolute gem of a performance. "Swingin' On The 'Ville" blends the gypsy-jazz style of Grappelli with a more traditional swing form for one of the more intriguing songs on Jam Session. "Pickles On The Elbow" creates sparks that the reaction from the crowd in the live recording more than attests to. This barn burner leads into the country flavored "Don't Let The Deal Go Down". O'Connor's violin takes the lead, incessantly imploring you to listen while you dance along. The pace slows significantly for "In The Cluster Blues", as the ensemble languishes over a dreamy and introspective number. Thile steals the show on mandolin with the sort of fevered inspiration that can only be born of a dreamy summer day. Jam Session closes with "Minor Swing", a vibrant tune colored by the obvious Grappelli influence.

O'Connor, Thile, Vignola, Sutton, Burr and House create magic on stage; that's a fact that's readily apparent on Jam Session. Not a drop of talent goes wasted. The musicianship is tight and the camaraderie is nearly legendary.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Marc O'Connor at http://www.marcoconnor.com/. Jam Session drops April 13, 2010. You can pre-order both CD and Download versions from Amazon.com.

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.