Review: Tupelo - Live In Studio

Tupelo - Live In Studio
2009, James Cramer/IMRO

Dublin, Ireland’s Tupelo have taken to the Rhythm & Roots movement in much the way the fictional band The Commitments took to Motown in the film of the same name two decades ago. Playing some of the finest venues in Dublin and beyond, Tupelo brings their original compositions to life in a sound that would be called Americana on this side of the pond. Tupelo recently sent us a disc called Live In Studio. This appears to be a demo for an upcoming album, done primarily in one take without overdubbing. The mix is a bit rough at times, but the songwriting and play are high quality.

Tupelo opens with The Blue Gardinia, a feel-good drinking song. The style here is somewhere in the neighborhood where Folk and Country meet. Vocalist James Cramer has a pleasant, anachronistic sound. Firefly is gentle but catchy. You may find yourself wanting to dance along but not sure if you should. I did find it curious that one of the violins on this song appears to be just a bit out of tune. Man Like Me and San Francisco Bound are decent if a little bland. Tupelo comes to life on Figure It Out, imbuing the song with a bit of fiddle-tune energy. Leaving On Tuesday is a decent tune; a mellow song with real energy inside.

Tupelo comes fully alive on Little Rosalie, a moderately upbeat love song with a hint of Pop sensibility. Little Rosalie will get your toes tapping. Katrina is a highly personal look at the effects of Hurricane Katrina. The hurricane itself has become something of a cultural icon for songwriters, particularly in the Folk, Country and Blue genres. Katrina is a decent song, but there comes a point when a subject has been picked clean and every recapitulation highlights the same skeleton. Tupelo goes where they've wanted to go all along on My Daddio. The song is a joyous ode to Dads where the musicianship and energy are at the top of the meter, and My Daddio is the highlight of the album. Tupelo keeps the Celtic spirit up on My Family's Land, although this time it's a mournful tune about returning to our roots. Tupelo closes with the Bluegrass flavored I'm Going Home, a song about a wrongfully convicted man who is finally getting out of prison. The song is full of joy in spite of all that's gone wrong.

Tupelo follows an interesting path on Live In Studio. You get the live energy of the band in a somewhat reserved recording that may not do Tupelo complete justice. I am guessing that this recording was done in a series of single takes with minimal dubbing, which is fine, but the production and recording produces some uneven mixes at times and may have been managed a bit better. On the whole, however, Live In Studio is convincing. If Tupelo ever passes through town, I'm there.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Tupelo at http://www.tupelo.ie/ or www.myspace.com/tupelomusicireland.

Review: P.J. Pacifico - Always & Everywhere

P.J. Pacifico - Always & Everywhere
2009, Viper Records

Norwalk, Connecticut's P.J. Pacifico has lived there all his life and yet seemingly hasn't been home in years. He's been all over the US and Canada sharing his music with crowds both large and small, gaining a perspective on the world that informs his songwriting on his second album, Always & Everywhere (available July 14, 2009). Pacifico's voice has been compared to that of James Taylor, although I find him to be a lot closer in sound to the sound of The Paperboy's Tom Landa or Peter Stuart of Dog's Eye View.

Pacifico opens with Batten Down, a quintessential Pop/Rock tune full of great hooks and a strong melody. Batten Down is as catchy as the flu. The Girl From Montreal is a wistful and sweet love song about first loves and the effect they can still have on you years later. The narrator walks away knowing she's happy but still wishing for "one more walk in the snow". Jackbone is about extending a vacation because there's nothing really worth going home to. This was written during a Colorado snowstorm and features The Samples' Sean Kelly on harmony vocals. I'm Home is a finely crafted acoustic Pop tune that matches up well for alternative rock and pop radio.

Pacifico makes a brave choice in covering The Beatles I Wanna Hold Your Hand. Pacifico sticks with the essential melody, but gives the song his own read in a down-tempo, nearly contemplative version that is a pleasure. There's an almost melancholy feel to Pacifico's version but it works well. This one's just Pacifico and his ukulele. Enjoy looks at the benefits of being in a long-standing relationship where you can simply be yourself. The song is charming and well written and a potential classic. First Light is about diving into love with both hands and feet. It's a great song and certainly radio-ready. My favorite song on the disc is Incognito, an expression of faith in a love that's about to be tested by separation. This song is destined for mix tapes as well as for certain licensing for prime-time television (if the folks that select such songs don't catch on to Pacifico's Incognito they don't belong in their jobs). You'll also want to check out I Can't Say No, Easier and Curtain Call.

P.J. Pacifico has an easy-on-the-ears light Pop/Rock sound that's certain to gain him some attention at commercial radio. Don't be surprised to hear several tracks from Always & Everywhere licensed. It's not a matter of talent or quality but of breaks. If the breaks go Pacifico's way he'll be huge. Always & Everywhere is great stuff!

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about P.J. Pacifico at www.myspace.com/pjpacifico or http://www.pjpacifico.com/. Always & Everywhere will go on sale July 14, 2009. Check out P.J. Pacifico’s website on or after that date for purchase information. Also expect availability through outlets such as iTunes.

Review: Kendel Carson - Alright Dynamite

Kendel Carson - Alright Dynamite
2009, Trainwreck Records

Vancouver’s Kendel Carson comes with a pretty solid resume for a 24-year old singer/songwriter. Her debut album, Rearview Mirror Tears, received strong critical acclaim, and her work with The Paperboys is highly regarded. On June 23, 2009, Carson will release her sophomore album, Alright Dynamite. Carson is generating a lot of buzz for this one, so we thought we’d check it out.

Carson thrives on provocative lyrics and a pleasant voice to thrive, but comes across with a lukewarm presentation on much of Alright Dynamite. Carson projects Sheryl Crow part of the time, like on Belt Buckle. The song is something of a free association on attraction. The arrangement is appropriately slinky but is ultimately ear candy without a lot of lasting impact. Lady K is a reflection on immortality, fame and creation against the backdrop of a relationship that may or may not be a one night stand. I Don't Wanna Be Your Mother revives the Sheryl Crow comparison with a decent effort at 1980's era Country/Rock. Carson revs things up for Ten Lost Men, her best effort on the album. The song is a well-written paean to how men are often saved from themselves by the women they love. Jesse James wants to be an iconic song, but it’s lyrically awkward and Carson just doesn't present it with enough charisma to sell it. The same thing occurs on New Shoes, a "whose zooming who" song about infidelity that is quirky and catchy in arrangement, but falls flat with the vocal line. The musicianship on Janis Joplin's Mercedes Benz is excellent, and Carson gives it a fair run, but it just doesn't hold up to the original. The rest of the album is filler that perhaps was left behind as B-sides for hard core fans.

I have to say I was disappointed with Alright Dynamite. Kendel Carson has generated a lot of buzz in advance of the release of Alright Dynamite, and I'm hoping that perhaps in the live setting she'll prove to be deserving of it, but this album just isn't as exciting as the buzz. Songs like Two Lost Men prove there's potential here, but this album is just too average to stand out in the crowded music marketplace.

Rating: 2.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Kendel Carson at www.myspace.com/kendelcarson. Alright Dynamite will be released June 23, 2009. You can pre-order a copy from Amazon.com. Check back at Kendel Carson’s MySpace page for digital availability.