Ron Hawkins - Straightjacket Love

Ron Hawkins - Straightjacket Love
2011, Ron Hawkins

There is a point in time and space where music, art and life intersect in mysterious ways.  It is a place where truths are lost and found; a place where magic happens.  All great songwriters strive for this marriage of time, place and muse, and even the greatest miss it more often than not.  Ron Hawkins has been dancing about the edges of this vortex for the past two decades, quietly carving out a niche as one of the finest songwriters of his generation.  First as a member of legendary Canadian rockers Lowest of the Low, and later in various solo incarnations, Ron Hawkins has built an impressive catalog of songs built on raw honesty and a master craftsman's ear for words and melody.  Hawkins recently released his 8th solo album, Straightjacket Love, drawing from country, rock and blues styles to create one of his most dynamic and satisfying works to date.

Straightjacket Love opens with "One Hundred Five", a comfortable country/folk/rock number that wastes no time showing off Hawkins' talent at turning a phrase: "And we tug our time like ragged sleeves / and our days we wear 'em thin / we scatter them like pumpkin seeds / oh breath into the wind."  It's a song of love built from long survival together and filled with an acceptance of profundity and imperfection side by side, illuminate by the light of life's limitations.  With a simple arrangement and amazing depth, Hawkins outlines what will become an album born of love songs, but rooted in the real world understanding of someone who has seen the trenches and knows that every moment is a real gift.  "Corner Room" explores distances that can never be overcome, even from one room away.  References to history are both personal and musical, and Hawkins creates a moment of angst in music that's so real it's painful.  The song is a gorgeous testament to the emotional baggage that we all carry when something good falls apart.

"The Sickness (That's What They Call Love)" is a wonderful little alt-country celebration of love.  Catchy and sweet without ever stepping into cliché, the song features a swaying chorus you can't help but sing along to.  "Hong Kong Station" is a love song written far from home on a long train ride, where contemplation turns to truth.  This one feels like it could have been a Lowest of the Low number, but is gussied up here with an Americana sound.  Hawkins has always had a talent for romanticizing the desolate moments in song, and repeats the feat with "Waitin' On Something That's Already Here".  It's a gentle calling out of someone afraid to commit that's well-written and performed with a bare honesty that's heartbreaking. 

Hawkins returns to the blues-influenced folk/rock of his early solo career (Secrets Of My Excess) with "Black".  It's a bit of musical self-flagellation decorated with remorse and hope for forgiveness, and surrounded by wonderful instrumental cameos that create a distinctive impression.  This song will get stuck in your head and stay there, and it wouldn't be at all surprising to find this song licensed for a movie somewhere down the line.  "Kill The Lights" seems to vacillate grandly between trying to get better and giving up the fight, in a life where demons both inborn and acquired bear down on the narrator's soul.  The quietly edgy guitar work serves as a counter to the almost dirge-like incantation to hold off the night, and Hawkins delivers chants the chorus with an urgency that's chilling.

Hawkins changes pace with "Company Ink", a story-song where a chance meeting and time create the circumstances for a deep fall full of competing uncertainties and profound truths.  The song explores the dichotomy of love, of being lost and found all at once.  Hawkins wraps it all up in a cute, 1970's singer/songwriter pastiche, and delivers some wonderfully subtle lyrics in the process: "I met you in July as they showed you around the floor / I filed your name away but it rattled in my drawer."  The song is a true wow moment on an album full of them.

"Straightjacket Love" heads for the honky-tonk in a catchy country/rock exploration of love, freedom and attachment.  Don't bother trying to sit still, and forget getting this number out of your head for some time to come.  "Lucky Street Lazarus" is a kiss-off song to a prior romantic offender trying to waltz back into his life.  This is pure Ron Hawkins in a bouncy, rock arrangement that would be at home in either a solo or Lowest of the Low set.  Once again, try to get this song out of your head; it's next to impossible.   

Hawkins saves his most powerful works for last.  "Diamonds In The Water" finds the narrator coming to terms with a rough history while making amends and dealing with the mental and emotional detritus of a hard life.  Here we see a man exploring his current frame of reference while making sense of the past; afraid of losing both in a wash of tides he has little or no control over.  This is songwriting at its most powerful and raw, even when steeped in imagery and ideas open to wide swings interpretation.  The image of the title, the letting go of valuable thoughts by someone for whom memory is a valuable commodity is gut-wrenching and brilliant.  Hawkins wraps things up with a silly little love song, in his own fashion, with "Prairie Girl".  It's a charmingly catchy little number that grabs you by the lapel and pulls you along; knowing no matter how dark the past may have been, right now the sun is shining bright.  And that's enough.

Ron Hawkins continues to dig closer and closer to his own personal truths on Straightjacket Love, striving like a miner to find what's real in the structure of song.  On what is perhaps his most personal and compelling work to date, Hawkins delivers an entertaining blend of celebration, rumination and remorse from the building blocks of country, rock, folk and blues.  Magic both lyrical and melodic abounds on Straightjacket Love, an album that captures you like a great book and is over before you realize a moment's passed.  You'll find yourself returning again and again, looking for the subtle, ineffable gems Hawkins uncovers in his continued search for understanding.  Straightjacket Love is mesmerizing, a Wildy’s World Certified Desert Island Disc, and an album you simply cannot afford to miss.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Ron Hawkins at www.ronhawkins.com.  Straightjacket Love drops May 31, 2011, but you can order it now in both CD and instant download versions from VictimlessCapitalism.com.  Be sure to poke around VictimlessCapitalism.com while you’re there – it’s a great site for artists to sell their music while keeping most of the proceeds.

Abigail Lapell - Demonstration Recordings

Abigail Lapell - Demonstration Recordings
2010, Abigail Lapell

Abigail Lapell was born in Toronto but spent many years in Montreal before returning home in 2008. A fiery and highly personal performer, Lapell writes with a folk singer's storytelling acumen and the energy and commitment of a punk rocker. Having shared the stage with acts such as Veda Hille, Pony Up!, Rae Spoon and Lowest Of The Low, Lapell has shown an ability to win over crowds no matter how disparate their musical tastes. Along the way Lapell has also launched a monthly concert series featuring female performers (Catcall) and worked composing material for Toronto's Stranger Theatre. Lapell's latest project, Demonstration Recordings, is the first leg on the path to a full length album.

Demonstration Recordings opens with "Yellow Rose", a matter-of-fact yet mournful lamentation of a love life that never seems to work out quite right but is always guided by the best of intentions. Lapell works in a very low key approach here, relating the bumps and bruises of her heart in steady but heartfelt words in a low-key Americana arrangement. "Great Survivor" is musically and aesthetically pleasing with a darkly whimsical sense to the lyrics. It's as if Lapell is more riffing on a theme than trying to convey any particular message here, but the results are a pleasure to the ear. "Paper" is a song of longing; melancholy and plainspoken in approach. This low-key delivery doesn't work for every singer, but Lapell's voice projects a tragic beauty in velvety alto tones that reach right through you. "Twenty-Nine" looks at loss and see opportunity for the one who has walked away. The lack of emotion here is a bit disturbing, as if the narrator has suffered a dissociative break over the relationship's end. "Make Your Way Home" calls out to a love away from home, reminding him that home is always ready and waiting. Home here is both the place and the person who waits there. Lapell is fatalistic beyond the pale, delving deep into the melancholy of being apart without really showing the emotions you might expect. The dense pall of muted tragedy casts its glow once again.

Abigail Lapell is a distinctive voice, but as a singer and writer of songs her low key approach may not sit well with some. Nevertheless her gorgeous alto voice will overcome most of the naysayers. Lapell has shown an ability to fit in well with crowds ranging from rowdy punk/drunk to coffeehouse and seems able to appeal to all comers. Her Demonstration Recordings are just a start, but it’s the sort of start that launches careers.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Abigail Lapell at http://www.abigaillapell.com/ or www.myspace.com/abigaillapell.  You can purchase Demonstration Recordings directly from Abigal Lapell through her webstore.  Digital copies are available on a name your own price basis.  Lapell will also send you a CD with handmade packaging for a minimum of payment of $10.00.  This CD is extremely limited, with Lapell producing only 200 copies.  These are likely to be big collector's items one day.

The Waylons - Out Of Love

The Waylons - Out Of Love
2009, The Waylons

Brooklyn, New York quartet The Waylons hail from all over the country; a miniature musical melting pot that's hard to pin a name on. Building lush alt-Americana arrangements, The Waylons deliver seven well-crafted tunes on their sophomore effort, Out Of Love. Out Of Love is the follow up to The Waylons' 2006 self-titled debut, and was recorded both in an apartment house in Brooklyn and in a train depot in Vermont.

Out Of Love opens with "Lying In The Sun", a gentle folk rocker with hints of roots influence. The vocals are affable enough, and the energy varies enough to keep things interesting, but the song is a bit bland for an opening track. "Endless Supplies" is a song of falling reluctantly in love; of being won over by an amazing soul who relentlessly pursues without ever applying pressure and the utter inevitability of it all. The song is presented in a slowly undulating fashion, like the gentle waves of an incoming tide, which fits the subject remarkably well. "Traveler" keeps the same sort of sing-song feel with little affect, and serves as emotional buffer against the anger of "Disappear Me". "Disappear Me" has an urgent, vitriolic feel that is catchy in its dark insistence.

"Spotlight" is an interesting in study, combining a driven, energetic arrangement with a vocal performance that's almost half-hearted. The effect is a bit muddled, but the arrangement is so catchy you'll give The Waylons the benefit of the doubt. "Rachel" is a maudlin one-sided conversation in the midst of relationship full of the same. He's a fool, as becomes quickly clear, but the song is quietly compelling in capturing a moment that mixes human need and independence in surprising doses. Out Of Love bows with "Retreat", fueled by energetic, messy guitar work and a catchy melody line that will draw you in.

The Waylons present themselves as a slightly disheveled rock band with country/Americana roots on Out Of Love. Crafting songs out of messy, seemingly hap-hazard musical constructions, The Waylons hide an intense pop sensibility and melodic deftness underneath that scruffy musical exterior, like an affect-challenged but affable version of The Lowest Of The Low. It may take a few listens, but if you give The Waylons a chance they'll grab you.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about The Waylons at http://www.thewaylons.com/ or www.myspace.com/thewaylons.  Out Of Love is available as a download from Amazon.com and iTunes.

Review: Ron Hawkins – Live At The Allendale Theater; Buffalo, NY - November 14, 2009

Ron Hawkins – Live At The Allendale Theater
Buffalo, NY - November 14, 2009

The first time I saw Ron Hawkins perform was in 1993, heading up his band Lowest Of The Low. Hawkins was engaging and full of youthful (and at times chemically enhanced) vigor back in the day. He had a compelling voice, an adept hand at crafting lyrics and an honest approach to songwriting that rivaled folks like Bob Dylan, Tom Waits and poet Charles Bukowski. Flash forward to 2009, and a solo show from Hawkins at Buffalo’s Allendale Theatre, the home of Buffalo’s Theater Of Youth. The stage was sparse, with both bat wings curtained, the stage dressed in black, a few speakers, two microphones and a chair for cellist Alex McMaster.

Ron Hawkins strode to the mic and tore into the first song, Born To It in a kinetic opening that foretold how the night would go: a long, slow burn bursting with energy and panache. The crowd of about 250 folks, ranging from twenty-somethings to AARP members, was very responsive; going willingly with Hawkins to each new musical tale. Don’t Be Long was a particularly powerful and intense performance, with Hawkins ringing every bit of angst out of the moment that was possible. He then turned around and absolutely ripped the roof off on Bite Down Hard. (Waitin’ On) My New Heart got quite a reaction from at least one patron, a fact that amused the crowd and Hawkins himself.

To list highlights from the show would nearly run afoul of the atmosphere Hawkins created on stage Saturday night. The show was one long, subtle crescendo with small peaks as crept to an intense musical boil. Out Of The Black was particularly enjoyable, and The Prodigal Sun carried the weight of autobiography. Hawkins also set up songs wonderfully, tearing through Lowest Of The Low's The Last Recidivist before settling into the moving DFW. For emotional weight, this felt like the centerpiece of the night, and closed out the main set. Neither the crowd nor Hawkins had had enough, however. Hawkins returned in grand style, with a blistering acoustic rendition of For The Hand of Magdalena from Lowest Of The Low's first album, Shakespeare, My Butt. Cellist McMaster rejoined Hawkins for the final two songs, Telltale Heart and a stunning cover of Ryan Adams' My Sweet Carolina.

This was one of those rare shows where you're on the edge of your seat the entire night. Hawkins had the whole crowd in the palm of his hand. What impressed me most about the show was Hawkins himself, who was extremely human on stage. I don't mean the fake sort of "I'm one of you" vibe you get from aging rock stars, but an authenticity that can't be manufactured. Hawkins was engaged and confident in "the moment" of performing, but was humble and occasionally even seemed taken aback by the positive reaction he received from the crowd. Hawkins still sings songs that touch on the injustices and pitfalls of being human in a world where humanity is undervalued, but does so as a man who is finally, perhaps, happy with himself and what he's been able to do. That inner grace makes his stories of grit and grandeur all the more powerful.

Hawkins is a rock star in his own right, with one Hall Of Fame induction under his belt for his time with Lowest Of The Low. The young man I saw 16 years ago was too distracted to appreciate moments like this show; but the Ron Hawkins I saw on stage Saturday night was taking it all in and giving it back to the crowd. They loved him for it; and for he first time he might have believed it.

While Hawkins was the reason all were there, Alex McMaster added both her cello skills and vocals to the performance (as well as one of the meanest Rock grimaces I've seen in a while). Whether filling in the sound, providing harmony or counter-melodies or occasionally stretching the sound in ways hard to imagine from just one instrument, McMaster was an integral part of the evening without ever stealing the spotlight.

Ron Hawkins will be touring Canada with Billy Bragg throughout the month of November, 2009. You can learn more about Ron Hawkins at http://www.ronhawkins.com/. You can purchase CDs and/or downloads from http://www.victimlesscapitalism.com/. Hawkins was previously Wildy's World Artists Of The Month for August, 2009. Check out our interview with Ron Hawkins, as well as reviews of 10 Kinds Of Lonely and Chemical Sounds.

Set List

1. Born To It (Chemical Sounds)
2. Genevieve (10 Kinds Of Lonely)
3. Don’t Be Long (10 Kinds Of Lonely)
4. Bite Down Hard (Crackstatic)
5. From The Alta Loma Hotel (Chemical Sounds)
6. Lulu (The Secret Of My Excess)
7. (Waitin’On) My New Heart (Greasing The Star Machine)
8. The Devil Went Down (10 Kinds Of Lonely)
9. Dead Man (10 Kinds Of Lonely)
10. Everywhere And Nowhere (Sordid Fiction – LOTL)
11. Sofa Star (Chemical Sounds)
12. Turned Around (10 Kinds Of Lonely)
13. Out Of The Black (Chemical Sounds)
14. Giulietta The Just (Sordid Fiction – LOTL)
15. The Prodigal Sun (10 Kinds Of Lonely)
16. Peace And Quiet (Chemical Sounds)
17. The Last Recidivist (Sordid Fiction)
18. DFW (10 Kinds Of Lonely)
19. For The Hand Of Magdalena (Shakespeare, My Butt)
20. Telltale Heart (10 Kinds Of Lonely)
21. My Sweet Carolina (Ryan Adams cover)

Note: The photo above was not from the Allendale show but is from Hawkins' website. If anyone has photos from the actual show and would like attribution we'd be happy to post them.

Review: Go Time! - Speak

Go Time! - Speak
2009, Go Time!

Chicago's Go Time! was born from the demise of longtime Windy City faves Prairie Town, coming together in October, 2007 with Prairie Towners Scott Niekelski (lead vox/ guitar); Mark Marketti (bass) and Steve Grzenia (drums) casting their lots together. Go Time! wasn't complete until ex-Cromulents and ex-One Million Monkeys axeman Paul Schmidt came along. 2009 sees the release of the debut album from Go Time!; Speak draws from the same well as fellow Mid-Westerners The Psychodots (aka The Bears); mixing a working-class vocal ethic with mildly crunchy rock tunes you can really dig into.

Speak opens with You Know, a relatively monochromatic rocker with a Lowest Of The Low guitar style and a mildly catchy melody. This is bar rock at its most essential; not highly memorable but good enough for a Saturday night. Rust To Rust picks up the pace a bit with an edgy guitar opening and a driving rhythm to kick things into high gear. Niekelski sounds a bit like Ian Anderson on vocals. This is an excellent tune, built on a melody you won't be able to shake and a compact, concise arrangement that keeps things moving nicely. My Suicide is a high-energy, upbeat song about giving up and walking away; more about change than death, the song is a thoughtful for a rock tune that features some killer guitar work. Too Far Gone has a classic Southern/Garage Rock sound, like something Skynyrd might kick around in practice.

Wait And See continues with the Southern Rock style in a catchy and solid tune that likely plays well in front of a crowd. The relationship angst here is a bit atypical for the style but works well. Hey Day breaks out the Rockin' Rhythm N Blues in a dark tune that sounds more like the Tragically Hip than anyone else I can think of. No Sense To Lend harkens back to the 1960's Folk/Rock scene with a tune that's a decent listen but doesn't make a significant impression. Just Don't Know Why, on the other hand, is highly danceable Rock N Roll that will have you up and moving before the intro's done. Cost lays it open with a bit of Guitar/Pop/Punk that's as fun to listen to as I'm sure it is to play. Imagine if the Ramones and The Knickerbockers jammed together; it might sound something like this. Go Time! closes out with similar energy on the guitar rocker Cut And Run.

Go Time! is a strong band with decent material and a fun and frothy Garage aesthetic. Speak is a fitting debut for a band that's steeped in the past but hasn't forsake the future. The melodies in here range from average to above average, and there's a distinct emphasis on structure (thanks to the rhythm section of Marketti & Grzenia) that allows the band to stay tight in spite of the Lo-Fi approach. Speak is worth checking out, although I suspect Go Time! has more impact live than comes across on CD.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Go Time! at www.myspace.com/gotimeband1. You can purchase Speak as either a CD or download through CDBaby.com.

Smaller But More Important: A Wildy's World Interview with Ron Hawkins

Ron Hawkins was one of the driving forces behind Lowest Of The Low, one of the most influential bands in Canadian Rock in the 1990's. While Lowest Of The Low has been on-again, off-again in recent years, Hawkins has continued to create amazing songs as a solo performer (both on his own and with Ron Hawkins & The Rusty Nails). Ron Hawkins is Wildy's World's Artist Of The Month for August, 2009. The following interview was conducted via e-mail and is perhaps one of the more revealing ones he's given in a long time.

What inspired you to write a country album?

I heard a simple story based on hearsay.

I mentioned to someone that my family has a cottage outside a small picturesque town in Ontario and that we go in during the day to get videos, groceries and booze - that it looks quaint and nostalgic. She happened to grow up in that same town and referred to it as a shit-hole and claimed that after dark it was a hellscape of crystal-meth addicted teenagers. A friend from another small town said, “Oh yeah, that’s my town too.” So the idea sat with me - that small towns were the devil’s workshop. Bored kids, dead ends… Then I started writing The Devil Went Down – a song about a small town that sort of falls into chaos and darkness almost by accident. I also used the perspective of someone in the town to try to make the whole thing connect, to almost anthropomorphize (if that’s a verb) the town. I adopted a Steve Earle voice and I liked the fact that the title sounded like the Charley Daniels Band tune. So at first it was almost a satire of a country song, but the more I sang it, the more at home I felt and eventually I just couldn’t send up the genre with a straight face. Then every new idea I got was tinged with a country feel and the whole thing came washing over me in about 5 weeks of writing.

I've been following your career for some time now, and there's always been a world-weary sense at the heart of your music, but 10 Kinds Of Lonely almost seems to suggest a coming to terms. Put together with the country style on most of the songs, does this reflect an artist turning the page or is just another step down the road as an artist (expound if you care to).

I’m sure it’s a combination of having been a musician for almost 25 years and the fact that I’m co-raising a three and a half year old girl. There’s actually a similar lesson to be learned. You start out in the music business trying to write great songs because you want to conquer this beast. You want to be greater than the Clash, the Beatles, The Velvet Underground… well, at least I did. I think I have a perspective problem. But anyhow the more you write, and the more you record and tour, the more you realize that the true reward is that you get to make this your life. Don’t get me wrong, most days it’s easy to say “F#CK THIS!” and throw your guitar down the stairs, but when it all gels you realize that the process is the actual goal and that when you look back you have this legacy, this catalogue of songs that helped you work yourself out as a person, that hopefully meant something to someone else and that are a testament that you were here.

Raising a little girl is terrifying and challenging and rewarding in ways that are impossible to express. No abstractions or poetics can come near it. It’s the hardest thing I’ll ever do, and it’s the greatest thing I’ll ever do. And it’s profoundly humbling, because it’s not loud. It’s small and quiet. My job isn’t to get her into UTS with flash cards and mnemonics or to be super-dad in some abstract way. My job is to be HER dad in the best way I can. That means taking things slowly and being present and hopefully making her happy an hour at a time. So, basically I guess everything in my life has gotten smaller… but much more important.

Your songs over the years have reflected people living difficult lives or in difficult situations. How much of your writing is auto-biographical and how much is pure creation?

Nothing is really purely autobiographical because people who write autobiographies like to make themselves look good in the end, so there is usually a lot of creative recollection going on. At the same time there is no purely fictional writing either. If you’re writing anything that seems even half way persuasive it’s usually informed by your own life or at least stories you’ve heard in close enough proximity to lend them some veracity. As for me, I used to think I wrote journalistically about my life (Shakespeare My Butt days). Which is to say I pissed a lot of people off by using their proper names and talking about experiences that were often very sensitive. But it made for some good songs and lent them an easy feel of intimacy that I think struck a chord with a lot of people.

Later on I adopted more characters and fictional situations but I feel the scenarios and the stories are still based in my life, or things that are very close to my experience. I horrified an interviewer at the C.B.C. who had hoped the song 1994 wasn’t autobiographical and when I told him it was and it wasn’t, there was an audible sigh and I could almost hear his shoulders dropping and the sadness come over him. I think he wanted to feed me soup.

Do you have any influences from the country music world?

My influences usually come from all over and they cross-pollinate. I get lyric ideas from paintings and I get painting ideas from film and architecture and conversations. Usually there’s no clear through line between inspiration and finished product.

In general, what music is moving you these days?

I come back to some of the same stuff that was moving me ten years ago. I’m so focused on lyrics when I write that when I finally get to listen to music I tend to listen to a lot of stuff that’s ambient and cinematic and doesn’t have a lot of lyrics. Do Make Say Think and Sigur Ros and people like that who make challenging sounds and music that I can digest somewhere lower than my head.


Describe, if you would, the creative process for Ron Hawkins (music, but also painting, sculpture, etc.)

It’s similar in different media. I guess I’d say it’s a flash of an idea, that is always brilliant of course (until I start executing it); Then a long grappling period where I rough something in and carve away at it. And usually when it’s good it winds up miles away from what I started with and intended but involves some things I discovered, or that surprised me, along the way. The excitement of that mystery is what keeps people doing it I think. And what makes up for a lot of bullshit and self doubt you have to wade through.

What's harder for you? Writing music or writing lyrics?

Writing music comes from a more mysterious place for me. I’m not trained AT ALL so it’s really about playing and just finding sounds I think are cool or pleasing. The music side of it really does surprise me when it all starts to come together. On the lyrical end I feel like I have more of a grasp of my process. I tend to babble gibberish while I’m making up chord parts, but somehow sub-consciously things come out that sometimes wind up anchoring the song. Once that happens you have a sort of theme or a conceit to work with, and often times the song starts telling you what it’s becoming.

For instance with the song 10 Kinds of Lonely – the minute I stumbled onto the “1 kinda man when I started, with 2 kinds of problems in my life…” I had a template and then the work just became about how to get to ten in a half-ways graceful manner. Also, with Don’t Be Long – I liked playing with the Don’t be long / You don’t belong juxtaposition and it helped me organize the way the verses went. Once I had that, I had something to anchor the rest of the song and something to return to. Basically once you stumble on what that thing in the song will be that leads it, it becomes a search for ways to restate it.

I've commented previously on Wildy's World about your talents as a lyricist. Do lyrics come easy to you?

I don’t really know, because I feel I have a knack for them, but it still always seems to be a struggle. But perhaps other people struggle more than I do, I don’t know. That said, this disc is full of songs that were written in literally twenty minutes or a half hour. I’d always heard of these “gift” songs but had never experienced it much. I usually agonized over a lot of what I wrote. This of course ran up against my Protestant work-ethic, which assured me that if they were written in twenty minutes they couldn’t be any good… no struggle. This is apparently not true, as I’ve been getting a lot of positive feedback on the lyrics on this one. As much as I ever have.

Several years ago you started a website called Victimless Capitalism (www.victimlesscapitalism.com). Care to tell our readers about it?

It was started as an e-commerce site that would have very little if no commission against the artist’s profit. We just wanted it to keeping running and be a showcase for artists and a conduit to sell their works to an audience with no middle man. Mike G at Teg media (who also does the Ron Hawkins site) was instrumental in building it and maintaining it. He’s been awesome. Our initial intent was that Victimless Capitalism would be massively interdisciplinary with visual artists, writers, musicians etc. Whatever needed a showcase.

To date we do have music and some visual artists but the publishing industry has been very reluctant and I think quite myopic about the power of a multimedia, community based e-commerce site. The people who buy my records and Fembots records and Weakerthans records are all people who are likely to read quite a bit and probably buy more books then the average person so to me it’s a no brainer that selling your books on a site like this would encourage more sales. Successful book sales figures are much lower than what’s consider successful in the music biz so I naturally assumed bringing a novel to a wider audience of music fan/readers was a good thing.

You have a pretty rabid community of fans on your web page. Any of your fans over the years go completely overboard?

I have to say that no one on the current site has ever stepped over the line. It’s a very supportive and interactive community on the RH site. Of course in the day I’ve been proposed to, given death threats, had “three-way” propositions, been black-balled, blackmailed and blacklisted but that kinda comes with the territory.

If you could spend one day with anyone, living or dead, who would it be and why?

Well, I don’t much subscribe to the deceased dinner party thing but I would love to have had a chin-wag with Joe Strummer, David Foster Wallace, Leon Trotsky… you know, the usual.

What would you ask them?

Strummer – why did you fire Jones?!
Foster Wallace – why didn’t you ask for a hug?!!!
Trotsky – why did the revolution take hold in an agrarian based economy with no significantly developed proletariat, and with Lenin’s clear approval and tacit support why was it so easy for a small time bureaucrat to rest control of the Third International from you and rise to power as Joseph Stalin???!!!!!

You’ve been in the public eye now for a number of years. What is one thing that your fans don't know about you?

I’m a terrible water-skier and I can’t roll my rrrrr-s

What’s your favorite song that you’ve written?

DFW is one of my current favourites – it seemed effortless and feels honest and when I found that David Foster Wallace reference (writer of Infinite Jest who took his own life in Sept. ’08) to finish the song off I almost couldn’t sing it without choking up. I also love 1994, Alta Loma Hotel, Peace and Quiet, Rumours and Whispers, Small Victories… apparently I’m my biggest fan.

What’s the worst thing you’ve ever written?

There are some lyrics in the song Pistol that I’m less than proud of.
In my defense I was on A LOT of medication.

You had a pretty successful run with The Lowest Of The Low over the years, with several breaks and reunions along the way. Any plans to revisit that path in the future?

Well, there are no plans as of writing this but what I’ve learned about The Lowest of the Low is that the minute I say we’re never doing that again someone inducts us into the Hall of Fame or gives us an award and then it’d be rude not to play a show or two to say thanks, right?

What do you see for yourself long term?

Since we’ve ruled out professional water-skiing or cameo roles with intense rrrr rolling Scottish accents, I think it’s pretty much to take the art thing to it’s logical conclusion.
By that I mean a rich life of self-exploration and at least moderate economic success and not to die penniless and syphilitic in a garret apartment.

Okay, last chance. The last question is whatever you want to say to the world, to your fans, to a public figure, anything. Tabula Rasa and all that.

Good night… and good luck.

*****

Make sure to check out our reviews of 10 Kinds Of Lonely and Chemical Sounds, both of which are Wildy's World Certified Desert Island Discs. You can learn more about Ron Hawkins at http://www.ronhawkins.com/; The Lowest Of The Low at http://www.thelowestofthelow.com/. Please be sure to check out Victimless Capitalism, whether you're looking for recordings from Ron Hawkins, The Lowest Of The Low, Too Many Sisters, Alun Piggins or any one of a number of great Indie Artists. It might even be a great place to sell your music if you're an Indie artist.

Ron Hawkins: Wildy's World Artist Of The Month - August 2009

There are artists who are musicians and musicians who are artists. Actors, dancers, singers, sculptors, painters… they all reflect the world around them as they struggle through art to come to terms with their own personal demons. The good ones create something that evokes emotion in others. The great ones motivate others toward better lives. Occasionally one comes along that transcends these considerations, often times in spite of him- or her-self. Ron Hawkins is one such artist, and we are honored to feature him as Wildy’s World’s Artist of the Month for August of 2009.

Ron Hawkins has been a part of the Toronto music scene for the better part of two decades, first with Popular Front, which became Canadian icons Lowest Of The Low, and then in various solo projects. Along the way he has left a body of work that is highly poetic and articulate and often quite dark. Writing in both biographical and allegorical terms, Hawkins creates poetry that’s on a par with Bob Dylan, Tom Waits and Charles Bukowski. His worldview is often cynical and ironic, spoken in an intellectual proletarian voice and occasionally with a smart-ass grin, but Hawkins has an ability to make people, places and events come alive like no one else in popular music.

Hawkins is a member of the Independent Music Awards’ Indies Hall Of Fame as a member of Lowest Of The Low. The recognition of Hawkins’ solo material is more sporadic as he tends to write, record and perform in a voice that’s not ripe for popular radio. Nevertheless, album after album of high quality material has been his forte, and his live shows are things of legend. Add all to all of this his artwork in physical media (painting and sculpture), and a growing appreciation for what he has and Hawkins has begun to transcend expression for true creation.

Ron Hawkins releases his newest album, 10 Kinds Of Lonely, on August 6, 2009. Check out our review by clicking the link. (Also make sure to check out our review of his previous album, Chemical Sounds.) In about a week we’ll be publishing a rather personal and introspective interview with Ron Hawkins. For now, check out the reviews, and take a gander at http://www.ronhawkins.com/ and http://www.victimlesscapitalism.com/.

Review: Ron Hawkins - 10 Kinds Of Lonely

Ron Hawkins - 10 Kinds Of Lonely
2009, Ron Hawkins

Ron Hawkins has been a part of the Toronto music scene for nearly eighteen years now, both with The Lowest Of The Low and as a solo artist. The Lowest Of The Low remains one of the most influential Canadian bands of the 1990's, with their debut album Shakespeare, My Butt named as one of the ten greatest Canadian albums of all time. As a solo artist, Hawkins has maintained a somewhat lower profile, with a small but highly devoted following primarily in Southern Ontario and Western New York. This is surprising as Hawkins may just be one of the finest lyricists of his generation, drawing comparisons to Bob Dylan, Tom Waits and poet Charles Bukowski. After many years performing his alt-Rock compositions, Hawkins decided it was time to take his brand of world-weary and intelligent song-writing and dress it up in a Country/Americana shell. The result is 10 Kinds Of Lonely, due for release in August of 2009.

10 Kinds Of Lonely opens with The Devil Went Down, a tales of post-modern decay told in a minimalist Americana arrangement. Hawkins alternates the decay of a small town with the ebbing fortunes of one of its residents as they dance down parallel spiral staircases. Deadman finds Hawkins canting about unrequited love. His Blues-inspired musical spirit drives the song. The song features the sort of lyrical magic that is Hawkins' signature: "A dead man talkin' about love is like a soldier talkin' about peace / You keep talkin' about love but that name ain't familiar to me). Sticking with the general theme, Don't Be Long is a musical ultimatum that lacks the courage of its convictions; a snapshot of a dysfunctional relationship where love overpowers common sense on conditional terms.

Ron Hawkins has always had an ability to paint people in his songs in ways that seem more alive than any photograph might. Genevieve is one such song; once again playing on the theme of unrequited love, Hawkins speaks with respect to someone who might not ever love herself enough to be loved. Hawkins dwells in the underside of human emotion but always with a deft touch ("All those neighborhood boys just wanna get in your corduroys / Can't blame 'em but they miss the point with a girl like you"). Telltale Heart is a real treat, with Hawkins reaching for a bit of the High Lonesome sound of Bill Monroe. The song never quite becomes a bluegrass tune, but you can hear the theoretical arrangement practically coalesce around a song that actualizes as a maudlin waltz. The vocal harmonies provide sonic layers to an otherwise sparse arrangement. Lyrically Telltale Heart is one of the more purely poetic songs on the disc and is a personal favorite. The Prodigal Sun plays on the biblical concept but also suggests a feeling of turning a page on the past, as if the young man has sowed his oats and is finally coming home to take up the mantle of his life.

D.F.W. finds Ron Hawkins in classic troubadour form. Here he paints a picture of a relationship and a person that breathes before your ears as it falls apart in cinematic scope. The arrangement is reserved and quiet; nearly reverent. The song also features one Hawkins' finest lyrical turns yet: "Woke Up Sunday Morning with a freight train on my chest / evangelically alone; just me and that old infinite jest / Words can feel like stones, words can be a noose / God speed, D.F.W.”. The song is a heartbreaking thing of beauty; a masterpiece, and may perhaps be his finest composition overall. The Rain's The Thing features a melancholy spirit mixed with hope and a dash of wisdom in a moment that is typically Ron Hawkins even in a vaguely Country setting. 10 Kinds Of Lonely closes out the set; something of a children's counting book set to music with a more mature theme. The song seems to confirm the sense that 10 Kinds Of Lonely is something of a musical/personal corner for Hawkins.

Ron Hawkins is a rare talent who is under-appreciated in his own time and place. The fact that he never really caught on in the US is a shame, because there is a distinct hunger for his brand of honesty (musical and literal). I will make the proper disclaimer and tell you I am personally a fan of his (have been since about 1993 or so), but I was blown away by 10 Kinds Of Lonely. His last couple of projects (solo and with The Lowest Of The Low) have been outstanding but not necessarily a big stretch. 10 Kinds Of Lonely is a stretch; a risky one and Hawkins nailed it. 10 Kinds Of Lonely can be nothing short of a Wildy's World Certified Desert Island Disc; it's a treasure.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Ron Hawkins at http://www.ronhawkins.com/. 10 Kinds Of Lonely will be officially released on or about August 6, 2009. You’ll be able to pick up a copy at http://www.victimlesscapitalism.com/.

Review: Golden City - Golden City

Golden City - Golden City
2009, Magic Bullet Records

Fans of 1990's Punk rejoice. Eric Richter of Christie Front Drive (one of Alternative Press' 23 Bands That Shaped Punk) is back with his later project, Golden City, and a self-titled debut CD that fans of the Alumnus of Christie Front Drive, Antarctica and The 101 will appreciate. Produced by Ian Love (Rival Schools, Cardia), Golden City features a slightly more refined sound than Richter's past work but doesn't sacrifice an ounce of the energy of bygone days. Initially formed in Brooklyn as a fun side project, the MySpace reaction to posted tracks was so resounding it convinced Golden City to play out more and continue to write together. The culmination of that work is here.

Golden City opens with Gray, a pop-hook laden bit of alternative sonic noise that's a great listen. Enveloped in fuzzy parallel guitar parts is a catchy melody and a bright and air pop arrangement with just enough noise to make the turn into Alternative Rock. Diamond Suits keeps up this vibe, in a mildly understated Pop/Rock tune that should have some commercial legs about it. Cars In Space is a bit more compact than the first two tracks, but retains the same delicious Pop sensibility. Big Country is built around a simplistic but catchy guitar riff and a melody line that will stay with you. This is probably the most commercial track on the disc. Cavalry has a messy, garage sound about it and reminds me a bit of Canadian rockers Lowest Of The Low. Golden City gets back to the pure fuzzy pop on Stars, although the vocal line could have been brought out a bit more in production (it gets muddy beneath the guitars at times). Hit The Ground is the best bit of songwriting on the CD, with legs for both Pop and Modern Rock radio formats.

Golden City has a very accessible Pop Style while retaining enough Alt/Fuzz/Grunge sound to appeal to Rock N Roll fans. This isn't overly complicated songwriting, but it captures hooks and melody lines that will stick with listeners after the disc stops spinning or the MP3 stops playing. Don't expect Golden City to end up with significant radio presence, as they're probably a little too poppy for Rock fans and a little too Alternative for Pop radio, but this would be one exciting band to see live. Make sure you check out Golden City.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Golden City at www.myspace.com/therealgoldencity. You can purchase a copy of Golden City at Amazon.com, or you can download the album from iTunes.

Review: The Alternates - Four Song Demo

The Alternates - Four Song Demo
2009, The Alternates

North Hollywood, California experimental rock quintet The Alternates are young and hungry. Each member is 19 years old and they have been together since their high school days. The Alternates have already made the L.A. scene their own, playing to packed houses at such venues as The House Of Blues, Whiskey A Go Go, The Dragonfly and BB King’s Blues Club. The band is developing a strong reputation as a live act, and beginning to develop material for an album. Today we’re taking a look at The Alternates’ Four Song Demo.

The Alternates open with Changing Course; the highlight song of the disc. There's a Garage/Folk/Rock feel to the recording that strikes a vague resemblance to a theoretical jam session involving The Lowest Of The Low and The Police. The other three songs, Should Have, Who Can You Trust? and It Seems Useless were pleasant but didn't really stand out from the crowd. That's the general story for The Alternates' demo CD; it's pleasant but doesn't really inspire me go back and listen again. Don't get me wrong, I think The Alternates have something, but the material here just feels too comfortable. There's an inherent edginess under the surface of The Alternates that comes closest to the surface on Changing Course but then disappears almost completely. When The Alternates can find and harness that creative core they're going to be something to hear.

Rating: 2.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about The Alternates at www.myspace.com/thealternates.

Review: Spy The Thinker - Ruby Kill Club

Spy The Thinker - Ruby Kill Club
2009, Spy The Thinker

Jersey boys Spy The Thinker hit hard with their debut album, Ruby Kill Club, independently released in 2009. The hard-rocking trio draws comparisons to early Red Hot Chili Peppers and Incubus. There are no pithy nuances to be found here, just straight ahead alternative rock. Playing out in large local markets such as New York City and Philadelphia, Spy The Thinker has generated a fair amount of excitement for their live shows.

Ruby Kill Club opens with Wake Up, crusty pop/punk at it's finest. This is a highly commercial tune that seems to draw comparisons between fame and addiction, and is insightful and musical in spite of the crunch. Skipping Stones has a sound that reminds me of The Lowest Of The Low. Lead vocalist Matthew has a dynamic voice that's gruff and lyric all at once. After that things slow down a bit, with decent but not overly notable songs. Cloudless Cold is an interesting listen on the first go but doesn't make a lasting impression. Tourist practically dances out of your speakers in a catchy and moderately upbeat arrangement. The album closes with Nobody Buy Me, a lively rock song that hits the energy and interest level of the opening tracks.

Spy The Thinker finds the knack for highly listenable songs a few times on Ruby Kill Club, but also manages to create some pleasant but unremarkable moments here. The more introspective material is fine but just doesn't show the same type of intensity of energy as their better material. If Spy The Thinker could manage to maintain that energy level in the slower more thoughtful songs they'd have a killer album here. The material itself is good, but the presentation is uneven.

Rating: 2.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Spy The Thinker at www.myspace.com/spythethinker. You can purchase a copy of Ruby Kill Club at www.cdbaby.com/cd/spythethinker.

Review: Hudson Rail Company - Hudson Rail Company

Hudson Rail Company - Hudson Rail Company
2008, HRC Inc.

Hudson Rail Company is a neo-Classic Rock Quartet based in Jersey City, New Jersey. Raised on bands such as Led Zeppelin and The Rolling Stones, Hudson Rail Company marches to a similar beat to these bands and modern classicists Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. Their self-titled EP, released in 2008, is a solid collection of classic rock influenced songs sure to satisfy both Classic Rock and Modern Rock fans.

Hudson Rail Company opens with City By The Ocean, a straight up classic rock song with a groovin' bass line. You'll find yourself dancing and singing along to this highly commercial offering. Take Their Toll sounds a bit like a stripped down Live, with LV Leigh Wilson sounding a lot like Ed Kowalczyk Mystery Madonna finds Hudson Rail Company in a similar mold, although the guitar work here reminds me a bit of Lowest Of The Low (but still with Ed Kowalczyk on vocals. Wisdom sounds very radio ready, with some great guitar work by Arun Viswnathan. Superstar Tonight brings a bit of the rock star glam feel to a modern rock arrangement in a song that seems like it should be a concert favorite. Hudson Rail Company saves the best for last on Friend Or Lover.

Hudson Rail Company brings a classic rock feel into the modern era with songs built on steady, classic rhythms and lots of guitar. Hudson Rail Company is a solid Rock N Roll EP, definitely worth a listen.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Hudson Rail Company at http://www.hudsonrailcompany.com/ or www.myspace.com/hudsonrailcompany. You can purchase a copy of Hudson Rail Company at www.cdbaby.com/cd/hudsonrailcompany2. Hudson Rail Company was recently chosen to open for Kevin Costner & Modern West on Friday, May 8, 2009 at The Starland Ballroom in Sayreville, New Jersey. We have one pair of tickets to give away. Please email wildyscontests@gmail.com with a subject line of Hudson Rail Company contest. Entries will be accepted through April 30, 2009. One winner will be chosen at random.

Review: New Vinyl – Makin’ It Easy / New Vinyl

New Vinyl – Makin’ It Easy / New Vinyl
2008/2006, New Vinyl

Tired of teeny-pop? Maddened over the state of Metal? Wondering what happened to good old fashioned guitar solos and rock music that kicked some tail? I’d like to introduce you to New Vinyl, a quartet out of Wakefield, Northeast, United Kingdom. If you’re a fan of bands like Woodward or Tally Hall, then you’re going to love these guys. Driving energy, harmonies, just a touch of post-punk flavoring and a love of the music they are playing set New Vinyl apart from the pack. Far apart. Today we are reviewing two recordings, Makin’ It Easy (2008) and the band’s self-titled EP from 2006.

Makin' It Easy

Two two-track single opens with Makin' It Easy, steeped in classic middle-America Rock N Roll with a dash of British Invasion frenzy thrown in, Makin' It Easy is highly melodic and as energetic as Rock N Roll should be. The song's vaguely reminiscent of Queen and The Beatles, or of modern acts Woodward and Tally Hall. Temptation is more of a post-punk anthem, although it holds onto that British melodic magic. Temptation is thoroughly danceable and is infectious as they come. This may have been a better choice for lead track.

New Vinyl [EP]

The self-titled EP opens with Stephanie, a wonderfully upbeat but dark anti-love song. The protagonist is neurotically obsessed with the object of the song in a love/hate sort of fashion in a highly entertaining song. I'd Rather Be Alone is a mellow and introspective tune that is quite lovely. Its interesting hearing this material as it stands in stark contrast to the later single. It’s as if New Vinyl was at first something of an Adult Contemporary act that has gone nearly punk. Call For Rebellion brings us back to reality. New Vinyl regains some of their swagger in a song that would fit in well with a 1980s British New Wave act such as A Flock Of Seagulls. London Don't You Know is the highlight of the two singles. New Vinyl captures a rough yet reserved sound I love, sounding very much like Canada's The Lowest Of The Low. The harmonies are right on here, the sound is a bit more layered than I'd have suspected, but the track is very well written, performed and produced. The last track, Untitled, is a bit of sonic experimentation that is highly entertaining.

New Vinyl appears to have found a sound that works very well for them. Eschewing the rather unfortunate Emo trends, New Vinyl makes strong, sonically pleasing rock music that plays on the edges of Punk, Prog and Glam. New Vinyl has the swagger that's been missing from Rock music the past few years. These guys are worth checking out, supporting, etc.
Ratings:

Makin' It Easy: 4 Stars (Out of 5)
New Vinyl: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about New Vinyl at http://www.newvinyl.co.uk/ or www.myspace.com/newvinyl1. Makin’ It Easy is available for download on iTunes. If you’re looking for a copy of the self-titled EP, I’d suggest contacting the band directly through their MySpace page.

Review: Chrissy Coughlin - You Never Know

Chrissy Coughlin - You Never Know

2002, Lafayette Park Music

A couple of weeks ago we reviewed Chrissy Coughlin’s most recent release, Look Ahead. In the wake of that review we received her debut CD, You Never Know for consideration. Here is what we found!

You Never Know opens with Don't Do It Alone. The sound is a mix of straight ahead rock with a taste of Americana. Coughlin sounds a bit like early Natalie Merchant. The sound and songwriting here are a bit rougher than on Look Ahead Coughlin shows flashes of what is to come however. Freedom opens with a guitar progression that could have been lifted almost identically from The Lowest Of The Low's Just About "The Only" Blues. The progression on Freedom is slower and lasts much longer into the song, but the similarity was so striking I had to go back and pull Shakespeare My Butt and make sure I wasn't misremembering.

Sammy starts to show some of the songwriting promise that Coughlin has grown into with time. Coughlin sounds a bit tentative through the first two songs, but settles in here to give a strong performance. Sweet Release is something of a coming of age song for Coughlin. It is intended to be forceful but suffers somewhat from the same tentativeness that waylaid the first two tracks. Coughlin finds her form on Hallelujah, a mellow upbeat pop tune. She still hasn't found the voice that she'll later unleash on Look Ahead but you can hear her start t come into focus here a little bit. On With The Show is the highlight of the disc, as Chrissy Coughlin comes more and more into her own, and Rain cinches the fact Coughlin is clearly coming on strong at the end of You Never Know.

Chrissy Coughlin is a talented vocalist and songwriter. You Never Know is her debut recording and is, at this point, six years old. What we see and hear on You Never Know is a young singer/songwriter struggling to find her identity as an artist. Coughlin fights hard and finishes strong, shaking off the tentativeness that dominates the first half of the album to proclaim herself ready to be heard. In conjunction with Look Ahead this is a great listen because over the course of two albums you can really hear Coughlin develop as an artist. You Never Know on its own is a decent release, but stands as an important monument in the development of Chrissy Coughlin.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Chrissy Coughlin at http://www.chrissymusic.com/. You can purchase a copy of Look Ahead at www.cdbaby.com/cd/chrissycoughlin.