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.

The Cocksure Lads - Mad Lad Plan

The Cocksure Lads - Mad Lad Plan
2014, The Cocksure Lads

Somewhere between myth and music lies the sordid tale of The Cocksure Lads.  The Cocksure Lads inhabited the same space in time as The Beatles, Herman’s Hermits and Gerry and The Pacemakers, pumping out hits on BBC Radio One, but have somehow been forgotten by history.  Or, they are the creation of Moxy Fruvous alums Murray Foster and Mike Ford.  Purveyors of the latter theory suggest that Foster and Ford began writing songs in the 1960’s Brit-Pop style back in the mid-1990 and have continued off and on ever since.  By 2010 they had over 25 Lads songs, and decided to commit them to bits and bytes.  A year later they decided to make a video, but came away the conviction that there was a larger story to be told about The Cocksure Lads, and hence a movie was born.  Shooting on the film begins in 2014, but in the meantime, The Cocksure Lads are back with a brilliant collection of 13 songs entitled Mad Lad Plan.

The Lads kick things off with the bouncy 60's pop sound of "In London Town". You'll be humming this one for days or at least until you hear the Beatles-esque follow-up track "Mr. Man". The Cocksure Lads take on the major labels here in a bit of joyous disbelief. The joyous/campy spirit continues on "They All Wanted Me Back", with a melody that Paul McCartney would envy. Expect to move your feet even if you don't want to.

"Yes I Do" is the sort of swaying, melodic love song that recalls 1960's high school dances, and transitions into the melodic brilliance and happy outlook of "Not Today".  You won't be able to keep yourself from swaying to this tune, which might have knocked The Beatles off the charts if it were released in 1964.   "Say Uncle (Garant Said)" is a frenetic rocker detailing advice from a friend/colleague that runs from sage to ridiculous, all while speeding like a freight train hopped up on delicious guitar licks. Te narrative here is fun; you'll be swept along. The Cocksure Lads change things up with the swaying ballad "When You Walk", a somehow sad sounding yet sugary love song that will get stuck in your grille. "Paddington Way" has a dark musical timbre, but still manages to maintain a distinct pop sense with a chorus that won't let you go.

One of the quiet gems of the album is "The Surprising Thing". The Lads never quite get around to telling you what it is, but one can imagine it might be falling in love. This is pure Brit Pop gold. "Easy Peasy" has a more elemental rock and roll feel, but shares the same universally approachable motif. Sit still if you can, because this song is going to rock you. "Requiem For A Lad (featuring The Woosleywumps)" is a contemplative swayer where the melody line is whistled.  The simple arrangement and melody are memorable, and have an almost haunting quality.

The Cocksure Lads pay tribute to their stories homeland in "England My England", a schmaltzy yet moving ode of fealty full of quiet nationalistic pride. The Lads close with the light hearted ballad "Our Love Is Strong", a song guaranteed to have you dancing around and singing along. The lyrics are campy and fun, if a bit off the beaten path of songs of this sort. Nevertheless, you won’t be able to get the song out of your head.

Whichever story you might believe about The Cocksure Lads, one thing is for certain:  The Lads rock play vibrant 1960’s rock and roll with a distinct musicality that stands up against the best of that era.  Mad Lad Plan is an utter musical joy that will have you coming back again and again; a true Wildy’s World Certified Desert Island Disc. 

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more at www.thecocksurelads.com.  

Also! Be sure to check out the first video from the new album: "Mr. Man".

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.  

Blue Eyed Sun - Tidal Sound

Blue Eyed Sun – Tidal Sound
2013, Blue Eyed Sun

Hailing from the deep woods of Northern Michigan, Blue Eyed Sun is not your typical rock band.  The highly musical trio, comprised of Brennan Leeds (guitar), Kenneth Fox (piano) and Casey Batterbee (drums), comes with high recommendations.  Four-time Grammy winner Michael Omartian once dubbed Leeds the next Paul Simon; Fox had written, self-recorded and produced a 14-track album by the time he was sixteen year old.  Casey Batterbee spent years playing with seasoned jazz veterans, but also brings influences such as Led Zeppelin and the Beatles to the table.  Together, Blue Eyed Sun creates a unique and memorable sound.  Blue Eyed Sun recently released their debut album, Tidal Sound, and it’s not like anything else you’ve heard in some time.

Tidal Sun opens with "Rocco's Song", a quirky bit of folk pop that's catchy in an almost socially backward fashion. Blue Eyed Sun sweep the listener up and carry them along on an irrepressible musical tide here.  "Fidelity Melody" is a hopeful love song that's a conditional promise of faith. The variegated musical topography of the song is a thing of beauty, and the almost geeky social affect of the song is charming.   "Given Name" is an intriguing rumination on the depth of relationships and human need.  There is a melancholy feel here that is palpable. 

 

"Make Friends" is social awkwardness set to a wonderfully angular folk/pop arrangement. Blue Eyed Sun show some progressive tendencies here with guitar and strings, and create a bit of musical magic in the process.   "Johnny Boy" is a lament about a friend who has gone beyond the veil. There's an unfinished quality to the song that seems intentional, resulting in a raw feel. The same aesthetic carries over into "Bucket", which sounds like a mix of Ben Folds and soul/pop. Blue Eyed Soul waxes poetic here on a mix of big dreams and ambivalent direction. 

 

"Please" channels a bit of early Jason Mraz in fuzzy, lyric garage arrangement. The mix is a bit uncomfortable, but Blue Eyed Soul keeps things moving so you don't have time to think about it.  The wheels come off a bit on "Panthers", a languorous and vaguely lost ballad that moves too slow and lasts too long. Neither vocalist in the band has perfect tone, a fact that is generally easy to overlook. In this sort of arrangement the imperfections are too apparent to ignore, however. "Mountains" suffers from a similar malaise, although there is more energy this time around. Blue Eyed Sun closes strong with "Tidal Sound", a swarthy ballad with a positive message. The boys of Blue Eyed Soul aren't afraid to change things up and do the unexpected, and here they exchange lyricism, angry rants and moments of true beauty all in the same song. 

 

Blue Eyed Sun blend folk, rock ‘n’ roll and progressive elements with a fine musician’s ear for detail on Tidal Sound.  The songwriting and arrangements are often raw and emotionally driven, with all of the imperfections this implies.  More often than not this works for the band.  The unpolished voices are refreshing, although over-exposed on a couple of songs.  Blue Eyed Sun is here to stay, however, marking their own trail out of the musical wilderness.  It’s one you’ll want to follow.

 

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more at www.blueeyedsunmusic.com. 

Brian Larney - At The Starting Line

Brian Larney – At The Starting Line
2013, Nunya

 

Brian Larney has spent much of his musical career contributing to the efforts of bands.  All the while he was building up a significant catalog of songs.  Stepping out on his own, Larney revealed a refined songwriting style similar to Neil Finn and Andy Partridge.  Larney recently released his second album, At The Starting Line.  It is a quietly brilliant collection of observational songs with a distinctive 1970’s flair.

 

Larney opens with the catchy energy of "You Me and Allison".  The song is a moment of escapist fancy amidst strumming guitars and a melody line that won't quit. "Solace" is a quiet country-fueled number about a young lady who struggles to maintain faith in a world governed by Hobbesian actors. . Larney’s melody is catchy, and the arrangement wraps perfectly around it.  "Closed Door" stumbles along in uncomfortable fashion, relying on a memorable melody to pull a troubled and messy arrangement through. 

 

Larney digs into an early rock sound somewhere between The Beatles and Elvis Costello on "Whistling Past The Graveyard". Larney turns up the wattage on charm on a song you'll have difficulty getting out of your heart. Things take an angular turn on "The Plaintiff", with Larney laying down some deliciously discomfiting guitar licks. The transition into a catchy chorus is a brilliant turn.  "Before The Shadows Grow Too Long" is a pensive love song that underscores Larney's talent for sweet melodies. His writing style is reminiscent at times of James Taylor, and his sound would have sold a lot of records in the late 1970's. 

 

"Dogma (On A Leash)" has a bluesy feel that's accessible and fun. The "don't tread on me" message is delivered in low key fashion to the ups and downs of a dynamic and memorable melody. "Why God Why" is a gentle folk/pop anthem with a deceptively catchy chorus. Larney rises up into a sweet tenor voice here, gliding along on a melody that's as smooth as silk.  "Chain Of Words" lopes along at a fast walk, with Larney pacing the song with an accusatory but well voice vocal. The song intrigues based on its mix of musical lightness and emotional disturbance. "Chance" has an urgent feel, like an appeal not made but nonetheless hoped for. Larney rails against the unfairness of it all over a dynamic, guitar driven arrangement that's a real treat. Larney brings listeners back to Earth with "Never Argue With The Devil", a singer/songwriter ballad that dwells in melancholy. There's a baroque beauty to the arrangement that is teased out by the Larney's metronomic acoustic guitar. 

 

Brian Larney is a pleasant surprise on At The Starting Line. He manages to write accessible songs with melodies you'll walk away humming. Larney misses once in a while, perhaps, and his occasional pitch issues are a distraction, but his charisma and voice are distinctive enough to pull off anything he wants to do. 

 

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

 

Learn more at www.brianlarney.com. 

Spin Doctors - If The River Was Whiskey

Spin Doctors – If The River Was Whiskey
2013, Ruf Records

The Spin Doctors cut their teeth with an infectious mix of pop, rock and blues; the quintessential American bar band made good.  Hits such as “Two Princes” and “Little Miss Can’t Be Wrong” define the band for many music fans, but there is a distinct musicality that runs much deeper.  That’s why it’s not surprising that the Spin Doctors’ latest effort, If The River Was Whiskey (due April 30, 2013), makes changing genres look (and sound) effortless and easy.

If you’ve ever listened to the Spin Doctors beyond the songs that took radio by storm in the early 1990’s, you would have suspected deep influences from old school blues and R&B.  Such influences are brashly confirmed on If The River Was Whiskey, a rollicking and raw blues record whose time has come.  Sparse, open arrangements and a live sound keep this record vital.  The Spin Doctors take this record wherever the muse leads them, kicking off with a Beatles-influenced blues rocker in “Some Other Man Instead”.  This will get your feet moving.  Chris Barron and the gang keep things moving with “If The River Was Whiskey”.    The band hollows out the sound for the low-key blues of “Sweetest Potion”.  The sparse arrangement and live gig sound create a moment here for the listener.

“Traction Blues” is an entertaining little sidebar that blurs the line between emotional and physical impacts of a relationship.  This one is all blame game, but done tongue-in-cheek.  The best guitar work on the album is reserved for “Scotch and Water Blues”, which has an elemental feel and rubs up against the feet of traditional blues.  The Spin Doctors settle into a comfortable groove for a few songs, churning out solid numbers such as “About A Train”, “The Drop”, “Ben’s Looking Out The Window Blues”, and the classic R&B sound of “So Bad”.  The band then kicks it over into the vibrant closer “What My Love”, which is imbued with the same swaggering energy that used to define George Thorogood’s works. 

If The River Was Whiskey isn’t a case of old dog, new tricks.  Rather, the Spin Doctors get back to the type of blues that was the pre-cursor to rock and roll.  Everyone contributes.  Eric Schenkman lays down some of the finest guitar work of his career, while Mark White and Aaron Comess keep the whole thing on track like a living heartbeat.  Vocalist Chris Barron does his part as well, singing with a passion and panache that scream “front man”.  Things do slow down a bit on the second half of the album, but the Spin Doctors prove that they are still a vital part of the popular music scene by following the very roots of rock and roll back to where they lead.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more at www.spindoctors.com. 

The White Ravens - Saddle Up The Whales

The White Ravens – Saddle Up The Whales
2012, The White Ravens

Brother and sister songwriting team Will and Amy Bennett began their band, The White Ravens, on Christmas Day, 2004.  Now 19 and 20, respectively, The Bennetts are carving out an interesting niche in the Indie rock scene in Michigan.  Terming their sound “indie pop geek cabaret rock”, The White Ravens are influenced by a cacophony of sounds from the worlds of rock, classical, Broadway, folk and modern Indie rock.  Will Bennett (keys, guitar) is the composer, and Amy Bennett (vocals, bass) is the lyricist.  It’s a dynamic combination that is responsible for a wonderful tuneful, effervescent pop/rock sound.  On their third album, Saddle Up The Whales, The White Ravens seem to have finally come into their own.

The opening track, “Saddle Up The Whales” is vibrant; joyous; a little bit messy and a whole lot of fun.  Rather than the cynicism so common in modern popular music, The White Ravens glory in a sort of youthful glee.  The result is a sound that is complex, but driven by a singular pop sensibility that gets under your skin and makes you want to get up and dance. “Rube Goldberg Machine” features the same sort of simple joy, wrapped up in an incredibly complex and varying arrangement.  Will Bennett shows his compositional skills run somewhere between those of the Beatles and Ben Folds, blending rock, pop and classical components into an amazingly cogent bit of writing.  Amy Bennett backs it all up with lyrics that are wonderfully twisted and full of the simply joy of making music.

“Informational Video” takes a disco beat and turns it into a complex, layered pop song.  You’ll want to dance and sing along.  “Conspiracy” is a paranoia-filled nightmare for the relationship-phobic in the crowd.  There is a distinct cabaret-pop feel to this tune, and Amy Bennett perfectly balances an edge of sultry songstress with quirk and humor.  The White Ravens offer up a change of pace with “Rain Song”.  Sounding at first like a ballad, “Rain Song” is quirky and pensive, but carries a melody that is beautiful and sweet.  Amy Bennett handles this juxtaposition with a surprising grace.  “Spaaace” is a catchy piano-driven rocker full of classical themes and a fearful penchant for space travel.  The song is infectiously off-kilter; the sort you return to again and again. 

“Mechanical Whales” starts out with a dark cloud hanging over it, brought on by the delicious minor key piano opening.  This turns into an art-rock extravaganza that is more about sound and structure than anything else.  The result is stark and full of a surprisingly twisted beauty.  “World’s Smallest Piece Of Pasta” has more of a chic-dance rock aesthetic.  The quirk factor here is quite high, and the song is an entertaining if surreal listen.  “Great Pacific Garbage Patch” commemorates the world’s eighth continent, a large collection of garbage afloat in the Pacific Ocean.  This tune has great comedic potential, but The White Ravens find a gentler path through the song.  “Arlene’s Grocery” is full of wonderfully zany lyrics.  The arrangement matches the feel but is complex and well-developed.  “We’re Glad You’re Here” is a Beatles-esque musical exploration full of layered sounds ala Phil Specter.  It’s a nice sonic segue way into the closing track, a boogie-woogie take on “Bye Bye Blackbird”.  Will Bennett gets to show off his piano prowess here in unvarnished terms, and Amy Bennett shows depth and grace in her handling of the vocal line. 

The White Ravens keep you on your toes and ultimately charm your socks off on Saddle Up The Whales.  The musical depth and breadth of what they are doing here before legal drinking age speaks to a pair of distinctive musical talents, and a special chemistry that simply doesn’t come along every day.  Saddle Up The Whales has a kitschy feel at times, but it’s all in good fun; a fun so infectious you can’t help but join in.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more at www.thewhiteravens.com. 

The Venetian - I Wanna Tell You A Story

The Venetian – I Wanna Tell You A Story
2011, The Venetian

The Venetian isn’t so much a band as a force majeure.  Digging into the band’s past leads to more questions than answers.  Somewhere out there is a singer/songwriter who delights in blending the early roots of music and opera with the raw blend of rock and roll.  He is The Venetian, and his album is called I Wanna Tell You A Story.

I Wanna Tell You A Story is one of the more unusual rock operas you’ll come across.    Songs alternative between traditional Italian croon-tunes sung in Italian to forthright rock and roll sung in English.  The Italian tracks are titled as consecutively numbers Acts (“Act I”, “Act II”, etc.), while the rock and roll tracks are more descriptively named.   The tracks in Italian are well-crafted and well-sung, but I can’t comment on the lyrical content.  The rock and roll tracks represent a baroque-rock tragedy that follows the relationship of a boy with his father throughout the years of his life.

Dad is a musician, the son doesn’t understand at first why his father is gone all the time.  The Venetian takes us through the gamut of complicated emotions throughout I Wanna Tell You A Story, from the loneliness of a child who needs his dad, to the impact it has on life decisions, and to ultimate understanding as he, himself, becomes a musician.  In the end, the special bond that father and son share is through music.  They are forever connected in melody and rhyme, even if they are (meta)-physically distant in the end.

The primary rock and roll influence on the album appears to be Queen.  Particularly on tracks such as “Goodbye” and “I Wanna Tell You The Story”.  The latter even references the classic Queen track “The Seven Seas of Rhye”, in case you didn’t get the sonic similarities.  As a vocalist, the closest match you’ll find for The Venetian’s distinctive sound is Lawrence Gowan (Gowan, Styx). 

From a songwriting experience, I Wanna Tell You A Story is very much up and down.  “Goodbye” and “Dancing Angel” are tremendously vibrant rock and roll numbers while exploring disparate timbres and sounds.  The mischievous rock waltz instrumental “Soft Snow” is brilliant, sounding as if it were inspired by the Gypsy violin style of Stephane Grappelli.  “Lullaby” is the closer; where all of the son’s struggles for understanding finally resolve in a song in which he reaches out and touches the soul of his father.  It’s a wonderfully uplifting moment both in poetry and song, and draws the entire experience e together.  “My Black Cat” is also a treat, bringing a slinky, cool jazz feel to the proceedings.

I Wanna Tell You A Story has its less than exciting moments as well, particularly the middle of the road material such as “My Good Friend” and “Sometimes”, and the cheesy cliché of “My Sweet Italian Pie”. 

I Wanna Tell You A Story works very well as an early concept album for a one day rock and roll musical.  The songs are generally well-written and there is a narrative flow here that is impressive.  A true work up of this production would likely result in a couple of the songs currently here being either dropped or seriously re-worked, but as a whole the work has great potential.  The Venetian is a strong vocalist who does very well within his comfortable range.  The songs that require falsetto don’t always go as well, but he makes a fair effort.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more at www.thevenetianband.com or www.facebook.com/thevenetianbandpage.

Art Decade - Western Sunrise

Art Decade – Western Sunrise
2012, Eldest Only Records

Boston rockers Art Decade team up with award winning producer Dan Hannon (Manchester Orchestra, Aaron Shust) to record their debut album, Western Sunrise.

Art Decade kicks things off with “A Lie”, an ambitious breakup song that can only be defined as orchestral rock.  The arrangement here is a thing of beauty, full of a deep musicality but maintaining a distinctive hard edge.  It’s a sonic landscape you’ll be happy to revisit, and a near-perfect opener.  “Western Sunrise” starts out like a balladeer’s tale, but soon breaks into a heavy progressive rock sound complete with strings.  Ben Talmi is outstanding on lead vocals, and the voices in harmony around him are perfectly fit.  Listeners will be blown away a sound that’s equal parts Yes, The Moody Blues, Polyphonic Spree and Break of Reality.

“I Try” finds Art Decade holding back just a bit on a solid album track.  The melody stands out, confined as it is in the gentility of the arrangement.  “Raspberry Universe” is a sonically expansive instrumental that sounds like the score of a spy thriller.  Manic and volatile, Art Decade is at their most unpredictable here.  Scaling things back for “Dandelion Tea”, Art Decade sounds more in synch with the mellow edge of Radiohead.  The ambling melody drifts steadily, but never loses coherence as it stumbles across an unusual and appealing sonic landscape.

“Breeze” is a dreamy orchestral number with a light, lilting feel.  The song has a melancholy air that’s inescapable.  “Weapon” finds Art Decade moving to the edge of dance music with an over-the-top, campy rocker.  Talmi reaches a bit too far past his comfortable vocal range here, but the effect in nonetheless entertaining.  Art Decade kicks it up a notch on “Steam Punk Sticker War”, using a dark guitar/bass sound as a contrast to the group’s buoyant vocal harmonies.  “Daydream” features the sort of chorus that stays with you for days, the primary hook buried deep in your aural pleasure center.  The simply complex arrangement seems like a light confection but is much deeper than it first appears.

Art Decade gets into the Beatles/Queen school of song construction with the musically multi-faceted “Kids And Kings”.  What starts out as a simple arrangement wrapped with a metaphor and gorgeous vocal harmonies becomes a complex cavern of musical ideas that wends its way around your brain.  Modern comparisons include Tally Hall and Tool, with Art Decade falling about half way in between.   Western Sunrise sets with “The Impossible”, an expansive piece of musical poetry.  Art Decade blows listeners away with a complex weave of sounds that is challenging and sonically appealing even at the unmanageable running time of 6 ½ minutes.

Every day a new band is born, and each one embraces a genre that has come before as the core of its sound.  Some bands are content with recreating sounds without adding a thing to them, while some add to the mix but choose to stay true to the roots of their style.  Occasionally a band transcends the sound they are born of and creates something new and exciting.  The jury is still out on Art Decade. But they’re knocking on the door of transcendence at times during Western Sunrise.  Much as the album title implies, Art Decade reorders the musical universe on an album that is frequently incredible, an occasionally genius.  Do not miss this one.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Art Decade at www.artdecade.com.  Western Sunrise is available through the e-tailers below.

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.

Brandon Schott - 13 Satellites

Brandon Schott - 13 Satellites
2011, Golden State Music

California-based singer/songwriter Brandon Schott is a prisoner to his own passions.  The Berklee College of Music grad has never wanted to do anything other than listen to, create and perform great music.  Even a diagnosis of Stage 3 cancer couldn’t stop Schott, who continues to make deliciously child-like pop music with an intellectual edge.  Schott’s latest effort, 13 Satellites, features some of his most evolved songwriting to date.

13 Satellites opens with "Annie", a brief orchestral rock instrumental with non-lyric vocals that calls to mind The Beatles, The Beach Boys and baroque classical styles. The marriage of styles sounds uncomfortable, but Schott makes it work. "Early Morning Night" is an intriguing blend of singer/songwriter pastiche and British melodic rock. "Full Circle Round" heads out to a gentle gallop. The mildly catchy number reinforces Schott's deep Beatles influences and is quite an enjoyable listen. "This Is Home" is a love song with an easy feel and a great vibe. The gentle happiness in both the arrangement and the vocal line are palpable.

"A Daydream (...or a 2 AM Serenade)" is lovely; composed of a gently weeping arrangement and gorgeous vocal harmonies. You could add lullaby to the potential titles as well, as the rocking feel of the song has a calming effect. "Satellite" is wonderful catchy, if reserved. The arrangement offered here could easily have come out of a Beatles recording session, the melody sublime. "Exploding Angel" steps things up a notch, going slightly more upbeat with a vibrant, yet still reserved melody.

"All The Way Down" has a wonderfully dark undercurrent that runs throughout. The sense of melancholy here is ever-present, and the piano work speaks more or Rachmaninoff than of pop music instrumentation. Schott's vision is at once depressing, stirring and beautiful here. "My Love Won't Let Me Down" is a solid ballad with an eerily familiar melody that will stick to the inside of your skull and stay there for days. 13 Satellites closes with the rhythmic "Fading (Outro)", a sonic aperitif that includes drums, ethereal instrumentation and harmony vocals that fill in the spaces between. It's an aptly offbeat, primitive and lovely close to an album that quite lets the listener settle into one groove for too long.

Brandon Schott intrigues with 13 Satellites. His sense of melody is sublime, and his lo-fi perfectionism, distinctive compositional style and general sound smacks of mid- to late-career Beatles music, tempered with elements of Paul Simon. 13 Satellites deserves to be recognized as one of the most compelling releases of 2011, to date, and is certain to grace some top-10 lists at the end of the year. Don't miss out on Schott and 13 Satellites.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more at www.brandonschott.com or www.myspace.com/brandonschott. 

            CD                  Download                   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.

Never Shout Never - Time Travel

Never Shout Never - Time Travel
2011, Loveway/Reprise

Joplin, Missouri rockers Never Shout Never leap forth in 2009 with their first self-produced album, Time Travel. After several efforts at conforming their sound to the wishes of others, Never Shout Never speak fully in their own voices on Time Travel. The seismic shift in sound and style is a far cry from their previous effort, Harmony. Fans will either love or hate the new sound, but the change also opens the door to an entire demographic of new fans who enjoy modern rock deeply influenced by the sounds of the psychedelic 60's.

"Time Travel" is ethereal, synth-based anti-pop that sounds like a blend of Alan Parsons and Coldplay. The sound is intriguing, if a bit discommoding, "Awful" is anachronistically catchy, like a blend of The Beatles and ELO dressed in diatonics and fleshed out on the shared borderlands of Brit Rock and Prog. "Simplistic Trance-Like Getaway" is something of a love song, built from a subdued yet incessant melody and wrapped in full-bodied sound. "Complex Heart" sounds like an attempt to blend Adult Contemporary Pop and Emo styles in a fractious marriage that's overwrought and overdone. Imagine Queen meets Air Supply and you're in the ballpark. "Lost At Sea" plays to the prog and psychedelic image that Never Shout Never seems intent to craft. The modal vocal harmonies add cool effect, but the run on chorus contrasts poorly against the point-by-point quarter-note rhythms of the verse.

When a band takes back the reins on its sound for the first time after years of depending on other producers, the result is bound to be a bit messy at first. So it is with Never Shout Never on Time Travel. It's not a bad record, but Time Travel suffers from self-guidance by a band suddenly free to do what it wants, but uncertain about their chosen direction. It will take at least one more album, and some time on the road, for Never Shout Never to become fully comfortable steering their own ship musically, and the next album will be much more instructive about the direction of the band than is Time Travel. Nevertheless, this is a compelling document of a band in transition, with some almost brilliant moments to be found in the search.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Never Shout Never at www.nevershoutnever.com or www.facebook.com/nevershoutnever.

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John Paul Keith - The Man That Time Forgot

John Paul Keith - The Man That Time Forgot
2011, Big Legal Mess Records

John Paul Keith has walked the true Indie path, choosing integrity to his musical vision over the sort of compromises that tend to breed success in the traditional music business.  Walking away from The Viceroys over concerns over the band's musical direction, Keith lived something of a nomadic musical life over a number of years before finding a home in Memphis.  The fiercely independent music scene there embrace Keith at a point when he was ready to give it all up, and has resulted in a resurgence in Keith's songwriting that is stunning.  John Paul Keith shows the fruits of his labors on his latest album, The Man That Time Forgot.

The Man That Time Forgot opens with "Never Could Say No", sounding like an alchemic compound derived from the Traveling Wilburys and Jimmy Buffett.  It's a fun, catchy tune with a definite 1960's aesthetic.  "You Devil You" is a honky-tonk number tied together with impressive piano fills.  This is a catchy, fun and danceable number that will stick with you.  "Anyone Can Do It" heads into the realm of 1960's garage pop.  "Afraid To Look" stays with that aesthetic, using a catchy arrangement to explore living life out of control and the constant fear that something is sneaking up on you. 

"The Man That Time Forget" is a melancholy, Roy Orbison-esque number built on a strong melody and a world-weary sense that is palpable.  A bit of Beatles influence shows through on the catchy "I Think I Fell In Love Today", splitting that catchy British-style melodicism with the garage, alt-country sound Keith seems to be comfortable with.  Rock N Roll presides on "Dry County", a catchy little number that could turn into a roof-raiser in concert.  "Somebody Ought To Write A Song About You" is a sweet and sentimental 1970's-style AM radio ballad that may play well to traditional Adult Contemporary formats.  Keith revs things up with the rockin' rhythm and blues of "I Work At Night" before closing with a classic-style drinking tune, "The Last Last Call".  This last is buoyed by a sort of happy communal desolation that can only be found in the collective brotherhood of a neighborhood watering hole, where dreams and regrets are lined up on the bar and knocked down as easily as shots at happy hour.

John Paul Keith sings with a quiet charisma on The Man That Time Forgot, using an easy delivery to explore songs that themselves flow like water.  Keith's integrity to his own musical vision is impressive; a breath of fresh air in the music business.  The Man That Time Forgot is definitely worth remembering.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about John Paul Keith at www.johnpaulkeith.net or www.myspace.com/johnpaulkeith.  The Man That That Time Forgot is available from Amazon.com as a CD, on Vinyl, or as a Download.  The album is also available via iTunes.

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.