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.

New Arrivals Vol. 4 - Artists Against Youth Homelessness

New Arrivals Vol. 4 - Artists Against Youth Homelessness
2011, MPress Records

Singer/songwriter Rachael Sage launched MPress Records a decade ago as a platform for her own albums, but also as a means to help Indie artists get their music heard.  In 2006, Sage launched the New Arrivals charity compilation series.  Each volume benefits a different charity while featuring both established and Indie artists.  New Arrivals Vol. 4 - Artists Against Youth Homelessness, available June 7, 2011, features established artists Rachael Sage, Lucy Woodward and Michelle Malone, as well as coming stars Seth Glier, Caleb Hawley (American Idol), Lindsay Mac and Greta Gertler & The Extroverts.  Proceeds from the album will benefit The National Network For Youth.

The album opens with American Idol 10 semifinalist Caleb Hawley.  His "Other Side Of It All" is a song of hope for a harmonious world.  It's a solid effort, catchy-yet-mellow, even if Hawley sufficiently glosses over the history he references to lose meaning.  Seth Glier is next with "Lauralee", from his album The Next Right Thing.  It's an amazing piece of songwriting from a guy you're likely to hear a lot from over the next decade or two.  Michelle Citrin impresses with a jaunty, live acoustic version of "Coffee".  Her voice is exceedingly pleasant to the ear, and you may find yourself seeking out what else she has done.  Light In August is up next with the dreamy acoustic pop style of "Northern Lights".  If you're familiar with the solo work of Barenaked Ladies keyboardist Kevin Hearn then you'll have an idea of where Light In August are headed here. 

Lindsay Mac's "Stop Thinking" is brilliant folk/pop blending sensuality and pathos, drawn from her album of the same name (See review here).  The Paper Raincoat's Amber Rubarth shows off an impressive voice on the atypical pop sounds of "Sympathetic Vibrations", but Rachel Davis might just steal the show.  Davis doesn't appear to have a powerful voice, but with a soulful and deeply nuanced tone, Davis will make a believer out of you on "Mark Of Cain".  Micah Dalton offers up a solid performance on "We Came Alive Tonight", and Avi Wisnia will grab your attention with his songwriting and unusual phrasing on "New Year".  Josh Schicker's "The Other Side" isn't overly memorable as a song, but his voice will make you forget about the song.

Michelle Malone grabs you by the shirt and shakes for all she's worth on "Miss Miss'ippi", raising the roof and dropping it on unsuspecting listeners in her signature style.  After a bit of a lull, including a less-than-inspiring entry from GRAMMY nominee Dave Eggar, Greta Gertler & The Extroverts  drops "Veselka" out of a clear blue sky.  This wonderfully quirky bit of cabaret-pop memorializes a Ukrainian soul food restaurant on the Lowest East Side of New York City with character, humor and a distinctive sense of melody.  Listeners will be reaching for their handhelds and signing on to Gertler's website before the song is over.  The album wraps with two Indie icons.  Rachael Sage contributes "Big Star", from her album Delancey Street.  It's an entertaining mix of reality and advice for all who would walk the path she's followed in the music business.  As a special bonus, listeners are treated to Lucy Woodward's frenetic performance of "He Got Away".  Done in a call and response style with her band, this song will remind you (or educate you, as the case may be) of just how wonderful Woodward's voice really is.

As with any various artists’ collection, different tracks will appear to different listeners for different reasons.  But of the Indie collections released in the last few years, New Arrivals Vol. 4 - Artists Against Youth Homelessness has to be rated among the best for both songs and selection of artists.  So if you're looking for an opportunity to learn about some wonderful up-and-coming Indie artists and support a good cause in the process, New Arrivals Vol. 4 - Artists Against Youth Homelessness comes highly recommended.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about the New Arrivals Series at www.newarrivalscd.com.  For more information about The National Network For Youth, head over to www.nn4youth.org.  New Arrivals Vol. 4 - Artists Against Youth Homelessness drops on June 7, 2011.  Keep checking your favorite retailer for availability.

Infinite August - Infinite August (Demo)

Infinite August - Infinite August (Demo)
2010, Infinite August
Northampton, Massachusetts band Infinite August recently submitted a 3-song demo for review. Forming in 2009, Infinite August have built a lot of buzz in their local market and have even caught they ears of local radio stations WLZX and WRSI. Infinite August plans a formal EP sometime in the latter half of 2010.

Every so often we hear about the next Janis Joplin on the scene, and there's no way that vocalist Alison Lee (aka Ali Schelin) is going to escape such comparisons. With a dynamic voice that falls somewhere between the rough abandon of Joplin and the dynamic growl of Michelle Malone, Lee ignites the demo's first song, "Wrecking Ball". The rest of Infinite August provides an adequate acoustic-based blues rock backing, but it would be mundane without Lee in front. Infinite August does show off some instrumental prowess in the breakdown, but the only thing here that distinguishes Infinite August from a thousand other blues-based bar bands is Lee (with a nod to bassist Ian Hamel and the un-credited keyboardist. On "Curves To Cope", Lee shows suppleness and grace (and a smoother sound) than we heard on "Wrecking Ball"; it's the best overall performance on the three song demo - the sort that could enthrall a crowd. Closing with "April 4th", Lee and Infinite August foretell their own fate as a band ("I'm addicted to your love but it's the wrong kind"). It's a dynamic performance, and preceded the departure of Lee and Ian Hamel.

The Infinite August demo was submitted by the remaining members of the band; a curious choice considering the dynamic heart of the band is now gone. The band as constructed at the time of this demo had a very promising future. The band itself is competent but doesn't show anything here that really sets them apart. What did set Infinite August apart was the presence of Alison Lee, who should be very much on the radar of anyone interested in following up-and-coming blues/rock female vocalists. As for the rest of Infinite August, we won't really know what they have until they reconstitute the band and record some material with their new lineup. What Infinite August may have accomplished is ruining the material presented here for the next vocalist. Alison Lee set the bar high.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

Alison Lee is currently developing material and you can follow here progress at www.myspace.com/alisonleemusic. You can track Infinite August's rebuilding process at http://www.infiniteaugust.com/.

The White Roses - Take Back Your Mind

The White Roses - Take Back Your Mind
2010, Retro Rocket Records
Boston's The White Roses have been shaking up the Beantown scene for a few years now. West-coast native and Berklee School of Music grad Heather Rose is the prime mover behind The White Roses. The award-winning singer/songwriter has wowed crowds on both coasts solo and with The White Roses has achieved a slow, steady ascent to her eventual goal of a major-label deal. In February of this year The White Roses released their third album with Retro Rocket Records, Take Back Your Mind, dragging 1960's blues and psychedelia into 2010.

Take Back Your Mind opens with "Drive", a bluesy rocker with spoken word vocals about the value of a college education in the current economic environment. Rose's voice is breathy but distinct, and the vocal harmonies are pleasant. "I Love Being Young" is a great tune; again presented in the talk/sing style, The White Roses build in a great backbeat and solid guitar work into the most danceable song on the album. "Santa Cruz" is a modern drug anthem that has a 1960's soundtrack feel; the song is catchy and the lyrics dark, a nice combination.

The White Roses get philosophical on "Going Home", exploring the forces that drive youth away from home and the ones that bring them back years later only to find what they left to seek. It's a catchy bit of rock n roll songwriting and displays an intellectual depth that's only hinted at to this point on the album. Bossa Nova is the name of the game on "Don't Look Back", an odd but welcome turn that shows off a completely different sound and style for the band. The White Roses particularly impress with their vocal harmonies here. Take Back Your Mind closes with the guitar solo-driven instrumental "Lift Off". The song is a showpiece, and opportunity to show off the band's instrumental chops without making it too obvious that this is the point.

The White Roses turn in a solid effort on Take Back Your Mind. You'll walk away with the impression that Heather Rose missed her intended generation by four decades or so, as she spins musical yarns against a sound that would have been as welcome in Berkeley as it is in Berklee. Take Back Your Mind crackles with subverted wit, intelligence, and a post-modern diagnostic perspective that's both dissociative and highly personal. The White Roses are an experience

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about The White Roses at http://www.whiterosesrock.com/ or www.myspace.com/iheartthewhiteroses. Take Back Your Mind is available as either a CD or downoad on CDBaby.

Review: Ashley Pond Band - The Warning

Ashley Pond Band - The Warning
2009, Ashley Pond Band

Malone, New York (pop. 5,793) is a small town in the Adirondack Mountains that's a great destination for hikers, but not necessarily known as a hotbed of musical creation. Enter Ashley Pond, a native of Malone who moved to Albany, NY as a first step in pursuing a career in music. In 2007 she released a solo album entitled Dala, which was declared one of the top 10 Local Albums of the year by Metroland Magazine, whose readers also declared Pond the "Best New Solo Artist" in the 2007 "Best Of" edition. Joined by bassist Sarah Clark and drummer Scott Smith for live shows, the trio quickly grew into The Ashley Pond Band and began working on new material that Pond was constantly producing. The band saved up the money made from gigs to finance their latest album, The Warning, released in June of 2009. With the late addition of guitarist Eric Halder, it's clear that both Ashley Pond and the band are continuing to grow into their musical destinies.

The Warning opens with No More West To Be Won, a sultry blues tune with an understated arrangement. Pond takes full advantage with a voice full nearly to bursting with emotion and texture. Its Norah Jones meets Michelle Malone. Up next is The Warning; Texas Blues ala ZZ Top that's not over the top but full of powerful undercurrents. The sound here is very distinctive, as Pond is a bit atypical in approach both in vocals and on guitar, but the overall effect is quite good early in the disc. Wolf Man is music noir with vaguely twisted sensuality. Readers familiar with Sarah Slean have an idea of what they'll hear here.

As happens with young bands sometimes, The Warning hits a point about four songs in where the really original stuff has been done, and the band settles in to a series of decent but relatively non-descript tunes. Songs like There You Are, Breaking Day, Current Race and Meet Me are good, but just not quite up to the level of the first three. Born On A Full Moon and A Blue House fall into the trap of plodding songs that take too long to get where they're going to maintain listener interest, but each show signs of life in the melody or instrumentation. Ashley Pond Band comes back to life a bit at the end with the gut-wrenching melancholy of The Dirt. It's a bit off the beaten track but a great listen. The Warning closes out with The River; I'll leave it to readers to check out but it may be the best writing on the disc.

Ashley Pond Band gives an uneven but promising performance on The Warning. The high points are noteworthy and ultimately listenable, making the more "average" material seem a bit lackluster by comparison. Pond is a prodigious writer and may be a victim of quality over quantity here; although I suspect that some of these songs might play better live than on CD. In any event, when Ashley Pond Band gets it right you want to be there listening. There's a great deal of potential here.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about the Ashley Pond Band at www.myspace.com/ashleypond. You can purchase The Warning on CD from www.cdbaby.com/cd/ashleypond.

Review: Dead Copycats - Dead Copycats

Dead Copycats - Dead Copycats
2008, Dead Copycats

In the digital generation it's no surprise to find a band that came together through something like Craigslist, particularly not in a place like Brooklyn, NY. Jessica Braun (vox), Will Rossano (guitar), Jay Foote (bass) and Angela Webster (drums) make up this exciting young Indie Rock powerhouse. The band derives its name from a Charles Mingus quote: "If Charlie Parker were a gunslinger there'd be whole lotta dead copycats". In spite of the name, The Dead Copycats manage to not be terribly derivative, instead crafting a big rock sound that's steeped in classic rock and the Blues. The bands debut album, The Dead Copycats was released in 2008, and Dead Copycats will be touring extensively in 2009 in support.

Jessica Braun is a vocal powerhouse. She has the sort of voice that can rise above the maelstrom of guitar, bass and drums in the noisiest club and be heard. That becomes clear quite quickly on the opening track, Alone. The song itself is bit germane, but does offer a great showcase for Braun's pipes. Things pick up on Strength, which keeps the pop/rock energy but has more of a sense of energy and urgency. The arrangement is very straight forward, and Dead Copycats are as tight as can be on this one. Who Knows is an entertaining song with distinctly pop leanings. Away From Me is a big power rock song based in the blues and finds Braun at the top of her game. The band hits on all eight cylinders here in a performance that would have to be amazing in a live setting. Other highlights include Sunshine, Come Back, and a cover of Led Zeppelin's Since I've Been Loving You.

Dead Copycats offer up a strong debut with great pop sensibility and forebears in classic Blues based Rock N Roll. A tight, supple band backs up powerhouse vocalist Jessica Braun on the ten songs offered here, making for an incredibly enjoyable listen that is reminiscent of Michelle Malone in her days with Band De Soleil. Dead Copycats is a definite keeper.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Dead Copycats at http://www.deadcopycats.com/. You can purchase a copy of Dead Copycats at Amazon.com, iTunes, eMusic or one of several other online retailers.