Beatles Reunion Tour Announced

AP, London - The rumors, it appears, are true.  In a hastily called press conference this afternoon at Abbey Road Studios, Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr announced the holy grail of concert tours.  This summer, in select cities across Europe and throughout the United State, The Beatles will reunite for one last time.  Entrepreuneur Alki David and the surviving Beatles are planning a concert tour utilizing holograms of John Lennon and George Harrison culled from thousands of hours of existing video footage and the latest in real animation technology.

David made a splash earlier this year by announcing a posthumous world tour by the image of Amy Winehouse, and apparently has not stopped working behind the scenes to bring other artists back to life.

News of the Beatles announcement has been dogged by the fact that the press conference was held on April first, traditionally known as "April Fool's Day".  Several major media outlets have refused to cover the story, but a press release from David's office counter signed by Sir Paul himself insists it's all true.

Dates and venues are currently being negotiated, but early word is that there will be approximately 10 dates across Europe and 25-30 across the United States and Canada.

JD Eicher & The Goodnights - Into Place

JD Eicher & The Goodnights - Into Place
2013, Rock Ridge Music

You’re going to hear a lot of comparisons made in conversations about JD Eicher & The Goodnights.  Critics have tied the band to Coldplay, Keane, The Killers, Death Cab For Cutie and The Script.  These are great compliments in a game where name recognition is key, but none of these comparisons does the band justice.  JD Eicher is an original voice, both literally and figuratively. With a lyrical talent culled from the great tradition of American singer/songwriters, Eicher also brings the melodic sensibility of great British songwriters such as Paul McCartney and Elvis Costello.    JD Eicher & The Goodnights recently dropped their third album Into Place, the third part of a trilogy that began with The Shape Of Things and continued with Shifting.  Into Place is Eicher’s most accomplished writing to date.

Into Place launches with "Ode To The Underdog", a thematically and musically appealing lead track with a touch of identity crisis. The verses are edgy, the bridge is angst-filled, and the chorus is uplifting and bright. In spite of these apparent contradictions the piece works. By the time Eicher breaks into the 'D' section after the chorus you've bought in and willing to go along or the ride. "Give It Up" has the sort of simple, hook filled chorus of which hits are made. The positive vibe and message are without cliché, and Eicher sings it like the top notch front man he is. This has potential hit written all over it. "You've Got A Lot Of Growing Up To Do" finds Eicher calling out practically everyone, including himself, for misbehavior a great and small.   Once again the pop aesthetic is very much alive and well here, and Eicher sells the song like a pro. 

"People" is a contemplative look at expectations and people's tendency not to love up to them. This is a quiet moment of pragmatic melancholy that's beautiful in its simplicity. Jerry DePizzo of O.A.R.  sits in on "Lately Lady", while Joy Ike combines her rather in impressive voice with Eicher's in a rambunctious blues-influenced romp. "I'd Like To Get To Know You" is the sort of light hearted love song that occasionally takes of up the charts or gets selected for inclusion in a romantic comedy soundtrack. Things turn a little deeper on "The Last Love Song", a pensive love song that's more serious and serene, and full of the angst of an as yet unrequited love. 

"Edgar Green's Time Machine" is a brilliant story song with a gently rolling media that carries you along a tale of genius, madness and joy. "Aaron" is a brilliant story of man who can't escape his own demons, but who wrestles them over a piano after hours at a bar. This story/monologue is incredibly real, driven by an unforgettable honesty and a lyric fortitude that is surprising even for Eicher. "Oh My God" is a philosophical dissection of profundity and human imperfection set to a quiet but insistent piano-based arrangement. Eicher laments an inability to be perfect in light of basic human needs in a one-side recitative with the Almighty. "Into Place" is a song about growing up and finding yourself; the understanding of what's important that comes with finding your place in the world. There is a celebration in here that's complicated but full of joy. Eicher delivers are all of this In a four and a half minute performance to remember. The album closes with a brief reprisal of the final track that features just Eicher and his guitar. This ending seems appropriate for the story-based album, but is perhaps the only questionably conceived/executed moment on the album. The ending is simply too abrupt and too short to resonate, and does more to distract the listener from what came before than anything else. 

Into Place presents JD Eicher & The Goodnights as one of the finest new purveyors of the pop singer/songwriter tradition.  Make all the comparisons you want, but Eicher is an original.  Into Place will likely find itself crowd the top of many year-end lists, and is certainly worth of being a Wildy’s World Certified Desert Island Disc.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more at www.jdeicherandthegoodnights.com. 

Paul McCartney - New

Paul McCartney – New
2013, MPL Music

Paul McCartney.  You know… the former Beatle.  He’s at it again.  His latest album is New, and it’s the most vibrant work out of McCartney since Flowers in the Dirt.  The energy and newness this time around come from McCartney working with a host of producers. The result is a different feel and mojo for each song. 

New launches with "Save Us", an urgent rocker with Wings era flair.  The chorus is pure melodic magic, and in the days of AOR radio would have been a major hit. "Alligator" is a quirky little pop song typical of McCartney. "On My Way To Work" is a brilliant observational love song with a twist. . Written with a swaying feel, McCartney’s subject is obsessed from a distance.  "Queenie Eye" is a silly bit of fun typical of McCartney. 

"Early Days" is a gorgeous reminiscence of the early days with The Beatles. Gone is any sense of fame or stardom, and in its place is the sense of inspiration that got it all started in the first place. "New" sounds like a classic Beatles tune, full of melodic gold and interesting little musical turns. McCartney goes for a decidedly more modern sound on "Appreciate", using a looped electronic arrangement as the bed for as bland and repetitive pop tune that McCartney has ever released. 

"Everybody Out There" hearkens back to McCartney' work with Wings, but with a more urgent feel. It's edgy and dark, but with that singular pop sensibility that stands apart from the crowd. "Hosanna" is an unwieldy yet appealing love ballad that's more speculative than anything else. It's an enjoyable look at McCartney writing in dark timbres. "I Can Bet" is a wonderfully edgy piece of song craft from a man perhaps cajoling a wary love along into something deeper. Te arrangement is at times diffuse and without direction, but the overall effect is stunning. 

"Looking At Her" explores insecurity in the light of beauty in a fashion that most everyone has experienced a least once in their life. The universality of the song is appealing, and the edgy pop sensibility is icing on the cake. "Road" is a story song that is less accessible than the rest of the album, but no less intriguing for that. There's a mix of hope and hopelessness hear that seems disconnected but is so closely sound they are inseparable. McCartney bows with "Scared", a lovely baroque pop ballad full of overcast light. Love and its complications are on display here in minor keys and beautiful reflections.

It's amazing that after all these years that McCartney can still reach into the depths of genius and pull out a surprise. New shows McCartney’s edge and experience, but behind it all is that same simple genius that has driven his success with The Beatles, Wings, and on his own.  The voice perhaps isn’t as strong as it once was, and not everything here works on all levels, but McCartney still retains the alchemy to spin gold out of eight simple notes.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more at www.paulmccartney.com.  

Lucio Rubino - Lucio Rubino

Lucio Rubino – Lucio Rubino
2012, The Fish Tank Records

Lucio Rubino is a musician in every sense of the word.  Rising to acclaim as lead vocalist for the Contemporary Christian pop act StorySide:B, Rubino has also played bass on Paramore’s All We Know Is Falling, and has produced albums for Manic Drive, Lighthouse Music, Lindsey Dedge and Todd Lombardo.  As an individual, Rubino has struggled with issues of sex addition.  These issues are touched upon in his solo debut, Lucio Rubino.

Rubino opens with “Better Left Unsaid”, a solid starter that’s vaguely reminiscent of John Mayer.  It’s a nice start musically, although Rubino’s voice sounds electronically engineered here.  “Fallin’ From The Start” is a mildly catchy love song that would fare well on the soundtrack of a CW teen drama.  “Moonlight Ride” continues in the vein of solid, workman-like near ballads.  It isn’t until Rubino launches into “Promise You That” that we start to get an idea of what he’s capable of.  This sweet little love song is a sure-fire mix-tap wonder.  Rubino shows a nicely developed pop sensibility, and has crafted a chorus that will run around the inside of your head for days. 

Rubino struggles to recreate that magic throughout the rest of his self-titled debut.  Efforts such as “Hard To Find” and “Truth Or Dare” ascend to the solid vibe Rubino started out the album with, but he never again approaches the McCartney-esque magic of “Promise You That”.  The one exception on the second half of the album is an impressively emotive cover of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah”.  This song is so overdone it’ almost a become a cliché, and the countless covers start to wash over listeners like water.  Rubino nevertheless brings a quiet emotional intensity to the song that is worth tuning in for.

Lucio Rubino, in spite of the overly electronic introduction to his voice, sings with a simple clarity that’s enjoyable.  His songwriting is generally solid, and he occasionally breaks through into special moments.  If he can find some more consistency in the latter he is going to have tremendous success.  Right now he is like a musical minor digging for gold.  There’s a lot of sweat expended for an occasional nugget.

Rating: 2.5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Lucio Rubino at www.luciorubino.com. 

Age/Sex/Occupation - This Side Of The Fence

Age/Sex/Occupation – This Side Of The Fence
2012, Age/Sex/Occupation

Portland trio Age/Sex/Occupation converged on the left coast, but their roots have chutes all across North America.  The darlings of Indie Soul-Rock, Age/Sex/Occupation range from soul to pop to gritty blues on their upcoming album, This Side Of The Fence (due out on May 29, 2012.)  Working with producer Jordan Richter (Caves, Th’ Legendary Shack Shakers), Age/Sex/Occupation step out of the past into a fractured present and make it their own.  Songs such as “Dirty Isn’t Dirty” and “Zombie” are a party waiting to happen, and Age/Sex/Occupation shows off a brilliant melodic sensibility on the “Another World” and the McCartney-esque “The Day I Ignored Street Signs”.  The influence of late 1960’s and early 1970’s rock n roll, R&B and blues are all everywhere, and Age/Sex/Occupation play it all out like they lived through it the first time.  This Side Of The Fence is a worthy effort.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Age/Sex/Occupation at www.myspace.com/agesexoccupation or on Facebook.  This Side Of The Fence drops on May 29, 2012.  Keep checking the band's website(s) for updates.

Paul McCartney - Ocean's Kingdom

Paul McCartney – Ocean’s Kingdom
2011, 2011 MPL Communications/HEAR Music

If you are Sir Paul McCartney, you can do pretty much anything you want musically.  He’s certainly earned the right over the years, from his early work with The Beatles through a long and storied solo career (on his own and with Wings).  In recent years McCartney has turned his impressive ear to classical music with increasing success.  On September 22, 2011, McCartney’s Ocean’s Kingdom, opened with the New York City Ballet.  Written without the strictures of formal ballet style, McCartney nevertheless managed to create a viable work writing from the heart.  McCartney created an undersea world, telling a love story against the backdrop of a world threatened by human expansion and carelessness.  Ocean’s Kingdom is set for wide release on October 4, 2011.

Comprised of four movements, Ocean’s Kingdom shows an emotional and narrative breadth that is surprising.  Movement I: “Ocean’s Kingdom”, starts is muted, peaceful tunes, setting the scene of an undersea world of beauty.  McCartney uses a long, slow build in both intensity and complexity to set the stage for the struggle for life that lies at the heart of the story.  The movement rises to majestic heights before residing a bit and moving into Movement II: “Hall Of Dance”; the latter alternates between lilting, jaunty mini-movements and lyric forms full of distinctive beauty.  McCartney creates some “Wow” moments here, and seems to understand the heart of the dance better than you might expect.  The movement closes in dark, distressful tones, implying a tirade or a tragedy.

Movement III: “Imprisonment” begins, surprisingly, in contemplative, peaceful tones.  Judgment and hardship build through the use of horns into an emotional and pervasive darkness.  All the while, woodwinds try to spread the light that holds back the storm.  This juxtaposition becomes a wonderful, if understated dance; a call-and-response style between the darkness and the light that is intriguing.  McCartney builds through the movement to grand themes reminiscent of some of John Williams’ finest films core works.  Movement IV: “Moonrise” is vibrant and active; almost violent at times.  The movement begins with a grand struggle, musically, but resolves in theatrical style, with the herald of trumpets.  The celebration grows to full orchestra, bringing out various voices in the process.

Paul McCartney really can do anything, Sir or not.  If anyone questioned the validity of McCartney’s BRIT Award for Classical Album for 2006’s Ecce Cor Meum (Behold My Heart)”, the jury is in.  It was not a fluke.  Ocean’s Kingdom is quite literally, worthy of a world premiere with the New York City Ballet.  Whether or not you buy into the environmentalist apocalyptica that seems to be prevalent in pop culture these days, it is an impressive work that is artfully crafted.  A succinct and well told story invested with deep emotion, and a melodic enterprise that perhaps only McCartney himself could craft.  This is the real deal.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Paul McCartney at www.paulmccartney.com.  Ocean’s Kingdom drops on October 4, 2011.  The album is available for pre-order from Amazon.com as a CD, on Vinyl or as a Download.  The New York City Ballet will perform Ocean's Kindgom again on September 29, 2011, and again for five dates in January of 2012.  Ticket information is available here.

Barenaked Ladies - Hits From Yesterday & The Day Before

Barenaked Ladies – Hits From Yesterday And The Day Before
2011, Rhino Records

It takes some moxie to last in the music business for twenty years.  It takes real chutzpah to not only survive chart-topping single and still be making music more than a dozen years later in spite of losing a principal songwriter and vocalist, But above all it takes talent; something the four remaining members of Barenaked Ladies have never run short of.  On September 27, 2011, Rhino Records will release Hits From Yesterday And The Day Before, Barenaked Ladies second greatest hits collection.  This career-spanning collection will seem mostly redundant if you already own Disc One: All Their Greatest Hits, but will be an ideal starting place for new fans.

Cited by no less than Sir Paul McCartney as one of the most interesting bands in rock and roll today, Barenaked Ladies have long blended a singular musical talent with a nerd-rock aura and boundless energy.  The divorce of co-founder Steven Page from the band in 2009 might have meant the end for some bands, but Ed Robertson (vocals/guitar), Kevin Hearn (vocals/keys), Jim Creeggan (bass/vocals) and Tyler Stewart (drums/vocals) set their eyes upon the future and have refused to look back.  Hits From Yesterday And The Day Before closes the book on the first two decades of Barenaked Ladies, and shows a marked development of sound, style and maturity over the years.

Classic Barenaked Ladies hits are featured mostly in their original, recorded forms.  Songs such as “If I Had $1,000,000, “Brian Wilson (live)”, “The Old Apartment” and “One Week”, as well as moderately successful radio singles such as “Pinch Me”. “Another Postcard” and “It’s All Been Done”.  Very little representation is given to the last three BNL Albums (Barenaked Ladies Are Me, Barenaked Ladies Are Men, All In Good Time), most likely due to these albums being released independently by the band, whereas Rhino owns the rights to much of the material presented here.  The only track here not previously available on CD is the full version of the “Big Bang Theory Theme”, which mixes Robertson’s sometimes frenetic talk/sing style and classic BNL kitsch. 

If you’re a dyed-in-the-wool Barenaked Ladies fan, then Hits From Yesterday And The Day Before isn’t likely to hold much appeal.  You’re going to have all of the tracks here already.  But for new fans just acquainting themselves with the band, it’s a tremendous collection-as-introduction.  What’s more intriguing, and somehow still secretive, is the deluxe edition of the greatest hits collection, also supposedly due on September 27, 2011.  Stop Us If You’ve Heard This One Before is rumored to be a two-disc set that includes the greatest hits disc plus a second disc of never before heard songs.  No track list has been published to date, and no listing has yet to appear on major retailers such as Amazon, Target, Walmart, FYE, CDPlus or CDUniverse.  This is the collection that will cause long time fans to open their wallets. 

In the end, Hits From Yesterday And The Day Before is a solid collection for beginners, but probably not worth shelling out the money for if you already own several BNL albums.  The “Big Bang Theory Theme” is certainly worth hearing, but isn’t enough of an upgrade, in itself, over Disc One to make it essential.  Stop Us If You’ve Heard This One Before, if it makes it to market, will be a must have for all the die-hard fans out there.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

(Note: In this case, the rating is more of the collection than the music thereon.  There just wasn’t enough new material here to justify a second greatest hits package, but the music itself is fabulous.)

Learn more about Barenaked Ladies at www.barenakedladies.com or www.myspace.com/barenakedladies.  Hits From Yesterday And The Day Before is available for pre-order via Amazon.com both on CD and as a Download.  Preorders are also available via iTunes.

Be sure to check out the new video for the "Big Bang Theory Theme", featuring members of the cast of the show!

Paul McCartney - McCartney / McCartney II

Paul McCartney - McCartney and McCartney II
2011, MPL/Concord Music Group

The Paul McCartney Archive Collection got two more entries last month with the long-awaited re-release of McCartney (1970) and McCartney II (1980), the two albums that bookended his career phase with Wings.  McCartney followed close on the heels of the breakup of The Beatles, and featured three fan favorites, including what might be the pinnacle of McCartney's love songs, "Maybe I'm Amazed".  McCartney II was a #1 album in the UK and #3 in the US, and signaled McCartney's continued relevance in the pop world with such tracks as "Coming Up" and "Waterfalls".  Both albums are presented fully re-mastered by the same team that recently re-mastered the Beatles catalog, with Paul McCartney supervising the project.

The real treat for each collection, however, are in the expanded editions.  Each CD is available as a 2-CD "Special Edition" set with bonus tracks.  McCartney is also available as a 2 CD/1 DVD "Deluxe Edition" with rare footage, a 128-page hard-bound book and high-resolution downloads of the original album and bonus tracks.  McCartney II gets even more expansive, with a 3 CD/1 DVD "Deluxe Edition" featuring seven additional audio tracks and unreleased footage, including a video for the unreleased song "Blue Sway".    Like the first album, this special expanded set includes high resolution downloads and a 128 page hard bound book.  180gm audiophile vinyl recordings of both albums will also be released.

For the truly hard core Beatles/McCartney collector, nothing but the Deluxe Editions of each album will do.  For most, the single-disc versions will be fine, but the two-disc versions of McCartney and McCartney II probably provide the most bang for your buck.  McCartney's early solo material was uneven, prone to bizarre flights of fancy that sometimes turned to genius, and sometimes to stone.  But both albums are offered up in pristine sound quality, and there are versions available to please all levels of McCartney fandom.  On the whole, these are solid collections that add to the collectible material available from McCartney, but are more about re-packaging a proven product that truly offering something new.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

 Learn more about Paul McCartney at http://www.paulmccartney.com/. 

McCartney is available from Amazon.com as a Special Edition CD, Deluxe Edition CD, on Vinyl or as a Download.  The album is also available via iTunes.

McCartney II is available from Amazon.com as a Special Edition CD, Deluxe Edition CD, on Vinyl or as a Download.  The album is also available via iTunes.

Gattis - E.P.

Gattis - E.P.
2010, Breaking New Records

Will Gattis has been acknowledged to be Maine’s Best Singer/Songwriter (2007), but his talents have been acknowledged all up and down the Eastern Seaboard.  As front man for the band Gattis, Will Gattis mixes his distinctive songwriting style, which is part Paul McCartney and part Ben Folds, with a unique charisma that charms an audience immediately.  On Gattis’ latest effort, the accurately entitled E.P., listeners get a full dose of Will Gattis’ distinctive sense of melody and his eminently listenable voice.

E.P. opens with wonderfully catchy "You And Me".  The song has a timeless melody and a chorus you can't help but sing along to.  Catchy but not overpowering, the song evokes thoughts of The Beatles meets Ben Folds.  You won't be able to get this song out of your head.  "Metropolis" is a gorgeous Ben Folds-style epic ballad about the death of Superman that simultaneously explores society's need for heroes from a quasi-sociological perspective.  This is geek-pop sublime, drenched in a melody so sweet you'll dream about it.  "Lily" is a low-key pop ballad that has the silly sweetness of a McCartney number but the energy and style of a Ben Folds tune.  The chorus, once again, will refuse to vacate your brain.  Gattis closes with "Christopher", a caricature in song about the speed of life and the feeling of getting passed by.  It's a simple, piano-driven arrangement that can't escape comparisons to Folds but is distinctly original nonetheless. 

One thing is abundantly clear; Gattis has a distinctive talent for infectious pop music that both breaks and proves the rules about what a pop song should be.  Names like the Paul McCartney and Ben Folds can't help but come up in a conversation about Gattis, or if you're more Indie rock oriented, think bands such as Woodward and Tally Hall.  Either way, Gattis' E.P. is utterly brilliant pop with quirk and style.  It certainly deserves recognition as a  Certified Desert Island Disc.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Gattis at www.willgattis.com or www.myspace.com/gattistheband.  E.P. is available from Amazon.com as a CD or Download.  The album is also available via iTunes.

Ron Sexsmith - Long Player Late Bloomer

Ron Sexsmith - Long Player Late Bloomer
2011, Ronboy Rhymes

Ron Sexsmith was known early in his career as a one-man jukebox due to his amazing inability to play most any song requested while playing out live.  But in 1984 Sexsmith turned his attention to writing his own material.  Sexsmith’s brand of melancholic pop with British style melodies has become a staple of Canadian content and has even seen Sexsmith gain serious attention south of the proverbial 54-40.  Sexsmith’s latest album, Long Player Late Bloomer continues his sonic maturation through songs of love and loss.

Long Player Late Bloomer opens with "Get In Line" a straightforward pop/rock tune with an almost McCartney-esque feel.  There's an upbeat brand of melancholy that's pervasive here, making for an intriguing start.  "The Reason Why" falls more into the Americana bucket with a sound that will appeal to fans of Blue Rodeo.  Aside from the pure sonic aesthetics of the tune, it's a great bit of songwriting.  "Believe It When I See It" opens with a piano-driven verse then falls into an ethereal, orchestral rock chorus.  Sexsmith has crafted a pretty melody that waxes and wanes with wave-like intensity while building into the chorus like an on-coming tide.  The song reflects hope for the future tempered with healthy doses of skepticism. 

"Miracles" continues the orchestral pop/rock flavor.  This one is subtle and sublime; a gorgeous arrangement that celebrates the small miracles of everyday existence.  "No Help At All" resurrects the McCartney melodic influence in a song that reflects either a winsome melancholy or a mildly upbeat brand of fatalism.  "Late Bloomer" can have more general applications, but at heart it's a quiet anthem for anyone who has ever picked up a musical instrument with the dream of making it big.  It's an underdog's theme with a positive ending, even if it's not the outcome one might have wished starting out.  "Heavenly" is a smooth and sweet country/folk/pop ballad.  Sexsmith is at his vocal best here, with a sound so smooth it's practically theoretical.

"Michael And His Dad" is a heartfelt story-song capturing a moment between father and son at the playground, as the complexities of the life outside dance on the edge of their enjoyment of the day.  It's an incredibly human and poetic portrayal of the perfect moments we discover amongst our imperfections.  "Middle Of Love" is a catchy, middle-of-the-road Adult Contemporary rock number celebrating the moment of falling/being in love.  "Everytime I Follow" continues the penchant for lush sound that Sexsmith has displayed throughout Long Player Late Bloomer, while "Eye Candy" brings a gently swaying cadence in the form of a healthy, energetic Americana arrangement.  "Love Shines" revives the McCartney comparisons once again in a tune that embraces the simple things in life.  It's a pretty tune with a muted pop sensibility that's infectious.  Sexsmith closes with "Nowadays", an acoustic ballad that's subtly beautiful; exploring the depths of love and how it wraps itself around our hearts when we're not looking.

 Ron Sexsmith is incredibly smooth throughout Long Player Late Bloomer, working in a vocal style that’s ultra cool.  His voice is wonderfully soft and warm, and he caresses each vocal line like he’s in love with the music.  Long Player Late Bloomer shows the continued maturation and growth of Sexsmith as a songwriter, and is among his best work to date.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Ron Sexsmith at www.ronsexsmith.com or www.myspace.com/ronsexsmith.  Long Player Late Bloomer is available from Amazon.com as a CD or Download.  The album is also available via iTunes.

Paul McCartney & Wings – Band On The Run

Paul McCartney & Wings – Band On The Run (Special Edition)
2010, MPL Communications/Concord Music Group

When you talk about legends of the rock n roll era, Paul McCartney’s name floats to the top almost immediately.  One of the driving creative forces behind The Beatles, McCartney has gone on to have a lucrative second career with Wings and as a solo artist.  In 1973, Paul McCartney & Wings released their iconic album Band On The Run, earning seven-times platinum designation from the RIAA and three separate stints at #1 on the Billboard charts.  In November of this year, MPL Communications and Concord Music Group re-released Band On The Run in multiple versions just in time for the holidays.

If you’re already familiar with Band On The Run then you know what you’re getting.  If you’re not, you have the opportunity to hear for the first time one of the seminal albums of the 1970’s.  You don’t have to like The Beatles to get McCartney & Wings.  Band On The Run finds McCartney taking his brand of melodic genius – the one that lay at the core of all those Beatles hits of the previous decade – and turning it loose unfettered by other voices.  The album is brilliant as has been remarked many times before by more august publications than ours.    The bonus disc includes the tracks “Helen Wheels”, “Country Dreamer” and “Zoo Gang”, as well as six tracks from the unreleased documentary One Hand Clapping. 

Also included in the package is a DVD full of bonus materials that will turn McCartney fans green with envy.  Includes are music videos for “Band On The Run”, “Mamunia” and “Helen Wheels”.  An album promo is included, as well as short films “Wings In Lagos”, “Osterly Park” and the aforementioned documentary One Hand Clapping.   A deluxe edition adds a third CD plus a 120-page hard-bound book.

A healthy level of cynicism is always warranted with such re-issues.  Record labels and artists are motivated to sell you something you already have by packaging it with something you do not.  It really becomes a question of whether the bonus materials are worth dropping the money for.  In the case of Band On The Run it really comes down to your level of fanaticism for Paul McCartney and his music.  Hard core McCartney fans will love the bonus disc and DVD.  The sound quality on the original album doesn’t seriously differentiate itself from prior releases, so this one is all about the bonus materials.  For the true McCartney fan, this one is gold.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Paul McCartney at http://www.paulmccartney.com/ or www.myspace.com/paulmccartney.  Band On The Run is available from Amazon.com as a Standard CD, Special Edition 2-CD/1 DVD set, Deluxe Edition 3-CD/1 DVD set, 2-CD and 2-DVD Limited Special Edition,  LP or Digital Download.

Phil Ayoub - Arrivals And Departures

Phil Ayoub - Arrivals And Departures
2010, Phil Ayoub

Boston-based singer/songwriter Phil Ayoub created a lot of buzz with his last album, Schoolbus Window Paper Heart, earning airplay on over sixty radio stations across the US and playing live shows from coast to coast. With a mild musical manner but an intensely infectious joy in his craft, Ayoub tells unvarnished stories in often mellow but moving musical arrangements that get under your skin. Ayoub's latest album, Arrivals and Departures picks up with he left off. Filled with 14 songs of finely crafted singer/songwriter tunes that run the gamut from Americana to folk to rock n roll, Arrivals And Departures features several songs that could help Ayoub make the jump to the next level of name recognition. Arrivals And Departures was primarily written while traveling, often while waiting in airports for a flight. The album is produced by Tim Bradshaw (John Mayer, David Gray) and features drum work from Kevin Figueiredo (Extreme).

Ayoub kicks things off with "The Bearded Lady", comparing the draw of an unhealthy relationship with that of a circus act; a situation where you can't look but you can't look away. This is delivered in a very catchy Americana arrangement laced with the sort of pop hooks that capture music directors' imaginations. "Get Out (Live A Little, Love A Lot)" is all about living life to the fullest. Ayoub wraps this tune in an irresistible piece of music you can't help but love. It's easy to see how "Get Out" could become a fan/concert favorite; the song is ripe for treatment as a single and has potential licensing opportunities that seem limitless (particularly in the health lifestyle category). "Flowers At Work" shows Ayoub's romantic side; express as a penchant for kitschy little love songs that have a Paul McCartney flair. The song also shows Ayoub's ability to craft gently perfect arrangements that put the listener instantly at ease and draw you into whatever story he's telling.

Ayoub has a bit of fun with "Body Language", a catchy tune about methods of communication that (usually) need no common language. "Bad Habits" is a tongue-in-cheek rocker that engages in a bit of post-adolescent bravado in a message to all of the ladies listening. It's another tune that keeps a mellow mood but simultaneously delivers a catchy melody you can't quite escape. Things get a little darker on "Goodnight Romeo", a song about dealing with the loss of a loved one by sinking into one's darker, self-destructive tendencies. There's a desperate feel to this song that is palpable as Ayoub delivers this vignette on emotional pain in the mild, unflinching tones of the deeply depressed. At the same time it's a pretty melody, and the song is imbued with a lively energy that somehow avoids being at odds with the subject matter.

"Tara's Birthday" is a musical cat scan of sorts, looking at slices of one woman's life as seen through her own eyes on various birthdays. The song is incredibly charming with a sort of detached melancholy as it tells the story of an eternally single woman as she tries to come to terms with who she is. It's incredibly well written and ultimately tuneful. "Walk You Home" is a sweet, uncomplicated love song with a pretty melody and a low-key approach that sets the stage for the album's best track. "32 Memory Lane" might have Paul McCartney's lawyers checking his song list to make sure Ayoub didn't somehow lift this track from the archives. Catchy, quirky and sweet;”32 Memory Lane" is among Ayoub's best songwriting and is guaranteed to be rattling around inside your brain for weeks.

Phil Ayoub keeps impressing people. Whether fronting his former band Riverside Train or as a solo artist, Ayoub doesn't seem like the consummate front man. His easy going style would seem at odds with the dynamics of a rock n roll star, but Ayoub delivers each song with a quiet internal intensity that brings the moments, places and people he tells about to life before your eyes. Add to that a penchant for creating melodies and arrangements that captivate the mind and you have a distinctive recipe for success. Arrivals And Departures perhaps doesn't hit on every song, but the material that hits home is so well crafted and performed you won't want to put the album down. Arrivals And Departures is an essential album from an artist who is only getting better and better with time.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Phil Ayoub at http://www.philayoub.com/ or www.myspace.com/philayoub.  Arrivals And Departures is available as a CD or Download from Amazon.com.  The album is also available digitally from iTunes.

Bend - The Helpless EP

Bend - The Helpless EP
2009, Yoav Erez

Bend was born in Tel Aviv, Israel; the brain child of songwriter/keyboardist/lead vocalist Yoav Erez. While all members past and present have contributed to the sound of Bend, it’s inarguable that Erez has been the prime mover behind Bend, from founding the band to moving it to New York City to its musical direction. Elements of English icons such as Queen, Coldplay and Radiohead can be heard, but Erez' banging piano style will draw as many comparisons to Ben Folds as anyone else. Current mainstays on the New York City Indie circuit, Bend have documented their sound on The Helpless EP.

The Helpless EP opens with "Unpredictable", a funky rock tune full of eclectic piano stylings (ala Ben Folds) and a sense of energy and purpose that are infectious. Vocalist Yoav Erez has quite the range and a pleasant enough voice to overlook the occasional messy run on the fast-paced vocal lines of the song. "Stronger Than Me" is a lyric Elton John-meets-Radiohead moment that's surprisingly appealing. "Helpless" has an abject beauty that blooms into quintessence on a chorus full of hope and grace. "Changing Of Tides" a six-minute ballad with ethereal, new-age sensibilities blended into a gentle pop arrangement that's part Ben Folds.

Bend gets in touch with their folksy side on "See It Clear", a mellow rock gem with real vibrancy woven into the seams. The song takes on a life of its own, with a deep-seated urgency that's almost palpable wrapped inside a pretty melody that sounds like something Paul McCartney might have doodled one rainy afternoon. The Helpless EP closes with "Do It With You", a sweet love song that seems like it should be destined for a whole lot of mix tapes. The vocal levels are a bit off in this recording, buried a bit too deep in the instrumentation, but that's the only complaint that seems evident. This is a tune that will get your head bobbing, a near-perfect little pop gem that will insinuate itself into your brain and stay there for days.

The Helpless EP is a pleasant surprise; the sort of recording you might tend to blather on to friends about until they check it out for themselves. Even if it's just to make you stop, don't be surprised if most of your friends find the charm of Bend's EP too much to resist. Pure pop melodies in reserved arrangements that allow the simple beauty of the songs free reign are the order of the day, and Bend serves them up with aplomb. Even the apparent over-use of vocal masking software can't overcome the simple, infectious beauty of the songs on The Helpless EP, although hopefully Bend will see their way past such tricks in the future.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Bend at http://www.bend-music.com/. The Helpless EP is is available as both CD and Download from Amazon.

James Hurley - Tempest In A Teacup

James Hurley - Tempest In A Teacup
2008, T. James Hurley

Listening to James Hurley's Tempest In A Teacup, you'd think you were hearing the greatest hits album of an established, major-label singer/songwriter. Instead, Hurley is something of a journeyman guitar player, playing much of the year in small venues in the western US and the UK. Hurley recorded Tempest In A Teacup while on tour, lighting here and there for a day and getting in studio time between Arizona and Washington while on tour. Vacillating between wicked humor and stark poignancy, Hurley spins a master class in the art of story-telling in song that the best-fed minstrel would envy.

Tempest In A Teacup opens with "Mountain", with Hurley sounding like the musical spawn of Mark Knopfler and Colin Hay. Hurley mixes wit and intelligence in a laser-sharp treatise on what we give up to move forward. "What Might've Been" is about forks in the road and the choice between finding out what's ahead or spending your life wondering. Hurley manages to tackle a subject that's been done so many times that the mere thought of it is cliché, yet manages to turn it into a brilliant parable without breaking a sweat. On "Tempest In A Teacup" Hurley laments the human tendency to impress our ideas on others even if it means going to war. The arrangement here is a perfect fit to a brilliant and incisive bit of social commentary that makes both "good guys" and "bad guys" look small.

Hurley shows finesse on "She's The One", a song about the potential of love, and that delicious mix of emotions that comes from infatuation and not knowing where imagination and reality mix to suit both interest and ego. Brilliant is one word you could use, but Hurley manages to capture an essential point of the human condition in song in such an utterly casual manner it's mystifying. Just to mix things up, Hurley throws in "Mushroom" to keep you guessing. It's an entertaining diversion about the insecurities that keep us from moving beyond our own limited world views, and the characterizations will seem fantastic until you realize that he's using allegory to paint characteristics we all share. It's a brilliant, funny and illuminating tune.

For all that can be said about the songs that come before it, "Jealous Of The Moon" may be one of the finest bits of songwriting to cross this desk. Hurley explores the effects that love and insecurity can have on the psyche in a tune that is both serious and ironic at the same time. It's a gorgeous arrangement and an absolutely amazing bit of song craft. Hurley perhaps pays tribute to Paul McCartney on "Long Way Down", with a riff that opens and closes the song that sounds like it might have come from Sir Paul himself. It's an allegorical reflection on loss that will hit home for any who have been there. Ever the entertainer, Hurley changes pace deftly with "The Vampire Song", a whimsical and entertaining song that will make a lot of sense to anyone who doesn't live on the West Coast.

"She Won't Be Down" is a story song about someone who has cocooned themselves away from the world for fear of being hurt. It's a brilliant musical portrait; much to rich to be called a caricature. Hurley turns philosophical on the closing track, "Going Home", telling the story of a prodigal son from his own perspective. Many run away from home and into adulthood to seek their place in the world only to return home years later to finally found what they were searching for. This story, too, has been told many times in song, but Hurley has a gift for taking the mundane and finding the spark within that makes it special.

James Hurley writes songs with the flair of a magician, painting pictures in song so real and vibrant you can nearly touch them. Tempest In A Teacup is quite literally brilliant, shining over and above the pop/rock throng with tuneful, literate songwriting and generous doses of wit. Hurley's voice is eminently listenable and his arrangements are flawless. You'll be listening to this album long after your current flavor of the month has been relegated to your backup hard drive (or traded in for credit). Tempest In A Teacup can only be a Wildy's World Certified Desert Island Disc. Don't miss it.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about James Hurley at http://www.jameshurleymusic.com/ or www.myspace.com/jameshurley. Tempest In A Teacup is availble on CD or as a Download from CDBaby. The album is also available in various formats from Amazon and iTunes.

The Loomers - Reeling Down A Road

The Loomers - Reeling Down A Road
2010, Sidewinder Publishing

Boston’s The Loomers have been making music for sixteen years now, performing the songs of singer/songwriter/vocalist Jon Svetkey. Over the years, The Loomers have won the Jury Prize at Berklee School Of Music’s Battle Of The Executive Bands, as well as having their music appear on MTV, Dr. Demento, PBS and NBC, and have even served as Ellis Paul’s backing band. Playing a brand of acoustic/electric rock that combines elements of 1960’s rock, 1980’s pop and new folk, wrapped around incessant little melodies that demand you listen. All of this is apparent on The Loomers’ 5th album, Reeling Down A Road.

Reeling Down A Road opens with the energetic rocker "Another Desperate Night". Get your dancing shoes, because the Loomers start out with a number that makes you want to move. "Dust It Off" is sort of a love song for re-capturing lost dreams. You know that instrument in the attic? The one you were going to do big things with? The Loomers admonish you to "Dust It Off", and remind you that it's not too late. It's a great tune in a catchy Americana arrangement. "Not Over You" is an honest song of sorrow; not their best songwriting but it gets major points for being real. The Loomers explore the other side of the coin on "Still Falling", an infectious little tune about a love that gets deeper every day.

Tom Petty fans will love the sound of "Hit The Ground Running", as it sounds like it could have come out of his own recording sessions. It's a very catchy tune with southern rock/Americana flavor. The Loomers get back to the good time, party rock-n-roll with "Breaking Out Tonight", a highly danceable number that's sure to get your feet moving. On "Paul McCartney Got It Right", The Loomers take to task all those disaffected rock-n-rollers who fill their songs with their own angst and inner demons, calling for a little more fun and a little less emotional weight in rock music. Ironic in that the song is full of angst over this. "Pity Party" is the lament of an older rock-n-roller; an amusing anecdote from someone who used to close down bars and now struggles to make it through Leno.

The Loomers' wit returns on "Ready To Rip" with one of the great cheesy opening lines in rock-n-roll, "I'm like a tight pair of trousers I'm ready to rip / That's what Crazy Eddie said to Larry The Lip". Unfortunately the rest of the song doesn't quite live up to the opening. Climbing from unrealized snark to touching emotion, The Loomers launch into "As Long As There's Forever", a love song to a daughter and a son. It's a bit awkward at times lyrically, but the emotional reality of the song more than makes up for it. In "Nobody Goes To The River" we hear a lament of the lack of faith in the world that implies that in these difficult times we need it more than ever. The song has a vague gospel feel, but is not so much a religious observation as a sociological one. The Loomers close with the album's title track. "Reeling Down The Road" is a retrospective about a life lived as a musician, a human being, a band and perhaps even as a couple. There are many layers here, wrapped up in an arrangement that's highly enjoyable and a dynamic closer to an album that seeks to celebrate life rather than dwell on its inconsistencies and heartaches.

The Loomers have a universal appeal that isn't so much commercial as comfortable. The sound on Reeling Down A Road is great for a live show or a night out, but perhaps even better for a sunny afternoon on the back deck with a couple of friends and a couple of cold beers. The songwriting is mature in construction if a bit lyrically primitive at times, but always honest. The Loomers make solid music you'll respect yourself for in the morning.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about The Loomers at http://www.theloomers.com/ or www.myspace.com/theloomers. Reeling Down A Road is available as either a CD or Download from CDBaby. Digital copies are also available through iTunes.

Review: Barenaked Ladies – All In Good Time

Barenaked Ladies – All In Good Time
2010, Raisin Records/EMI

When the Barenaked Ladies lost co-front man Steve Page last year some fans questioned whether the band could carry on. The four remaining members Ed Robertson (vocals, guitar); Kevin Hearn (keys, vocals, guitar, etc.); Jim Creeggan (bass, vocals) and Tyler Stewart (drums, vocals) decided to continue as a quartet. While their early shows as a foursome did show some growing pains as the band learned different vocal parts than they had sung for, in some cases, the last two decades, it was clear that the change energized the band. On March 23, 2010 (Canada) and March 30, 2010 (USA), Barenaked Ladies will release their first album with the new lineup, All In Good Time. Longtime fans may have their worries, but this is Barenaked Ladies’ best work to date.

All In Good Time opens with the album’s first single “You Run Away”, a song that seems clearly written about the frustration felt by Robertson at the departure of Steve Page. While the band has been very professional about Page’s departure, the emotions expressed here are very clear even if Page is never mentioned. The melody is a thing of beauty; simple but lasting. “Summertime” carries echoes of some of Paul McCartney’s work with Wings while introducing some particular muscular guitar in counterpoint to the easy-listening arrangement. It’s a surprising turn for the band but a very enjoyable one. Kevin Hearn takes the mic for “Another Heartbreak”, a mid-tempo tune that fits Hearn’s tendency toward writing upbeat sounding songs with melancholic lyrics. It’s one of the better songs Hearn has contributed as a songwriter to the band thus far. Barenaked Ladies pull another sonic surprise on “Four Seconds”, a rapid-fire lyrical experience with a distinctly European flavor. Don’t be surprised if “Four Seconds” ends up as a single with a wildly successful dance club mix down the line.

Jim Creeggan brings a quirky ballad in “On The Lookout”, a 1970’s AM Radio-style tune with modern flourishes. Creeggan’s voice has been vastly under-represented on past albums and it’s good to hear his distinctive sound here. Robertson is up next with “Ordinary”, a gorgeous folk-rocker with some country attitude in its origins. For whatever else they may have lost in the past year, the vocal mix here sounds as good as ever. “I Have Learned” finds Robertson amidst an angry, muscular rocker that’s very atypical of the band’s past work. Fans will speculate if “I Have Learned” reflects on the band’s last year, and it’s quite possible, but it’s a nice change of pace from a band that’s garnered a reputation for a lighter sound. “Every Subway Car” is a love song that seems to be colored in the dark textures of urban decay. The song is positively upbeat while taking a slightly darker perspective of the world than fans may be used to.

Kevin Hearn’s “Jerome” sounds like an ode to the Old West; a down-tempo paean to the ghosts that still walk the streets. “How Long” is a high-powered rock tune that displays some seriously melodic muscle. Robertson takes vocals on “Golden Boy”, perhaps the clearest song reference to Page on the album. The song echoes sentiments raised in “You Run Away” as well as some of the comments Page has made in the press since departing the band. The song is very solid, with the sort of upbeat chorus you’d expect from Barenaked Ladies, but includes uncharacteristic anger delivered in gentle but pointed tones. Creeggan takes the mic one last time for “I Saw It”, a gentle breakup ballad that is a nice counter to the preceding track while perhaps staying on subject. “The Love We’re In” is a brief and rueful observation on a relationship that isn’t working. Ed Robertson takes vocals for the last time on the album in a song that sounds like it’s incomplete, although that plays entirely to the subject of the song. Kevin Hearn says goodnight on behalf of Barenaked Ladies with “Watching The Northern Lights”, a peaceful rumination that reflects, after all of the struggle of the past year, Barenaked Ladies have landed in a good place.

You never know what a major personnel change will do to a band. Some come out as good as ever, while some bands flounder until either the original line-up reunites or the band hangs it up. Barenaked Ladies seem to be trying for the much rarer distinction of actually getting better. All In Good Time lacks the narcissistic anger and dysfunction that Page’s songwriting brought, but that well is filled by real emotion generated through the trials and tribulations of the past year. Musically, All In Good Time is Barenaked Ladies’ finest work yet. This is an album you’ll live with for a while. All In Good Time is a new cornerstone for the band, and a Wildy’s World Certified Desert Island Disc.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Barenaked Ladies at http://www.barenakedladies.com/ or www.myspace.com/barenakedladies. All In Good Time drops March 23, 2010 in Canada and March 30, 2010 in the US and the UK. All In Good Time can be pre-ordered from Amazon.com in either the standard edition or special edition (with t-shirt and bonus tracks). Digital versions are available through Amazon.com and iTunes.