Tom Levin - Them Feet

Tom Levin - Them Feet
2014, Cut The Mustard

Tom Levin just keeps rolling.  After an accidental fall into a musical career that involves a shower concert and an exchange student program, Levin has led something of a charmed life.  His first band, Tennis, scored a top-10 single in his native Sweden in 1996 with “Shyway”.  Levin was just getting started however.  In the intervening years he has dropped six solo albums, showing steady growth as a songwriter and performer while continuing to refine his stage presence and his craft.  Levin’s latest effort, Them Buffalo is something of a companion album to his January, 2014 release, Them Feet.  Steeped in stripped down rock and Americana styling, Levin reveals himself to be a master story teller with a deep understanding of melodic nuance and rhyme.

Them Buffalo opens with “Thunder On”, something of a musical bridge from Them Feet.  The opener is a sharp and catchy rock and roll song with country flavor.  Levin’s voice is not a purist’s voice.  It’s full of rough edges and color and has an almost talk-sing sway to it at times, but he wields his voice like a finely tuned instrument, injecting personality and presence like a grand showman where the lines thin.  The result is a captivating sound that leaves fans and critics alike captivated and willing to listen long into the night.  “Mind’s Eye” opens in the style of an aboriginal tribal chant, and becomes a Utopian paean that’s catchy and well-written.    Wrapped up in the song’s core is an element of faith; a theme that recurs often through Them Buffalo in different forms.  “Everyday” is about finding your way by paying attention to the little things.  Questions of right and wrong swirl around the edges of this song; not in a judgmental way, but in the form of diving next steps.  The song has an earthy and urgent feel that is brilliantly understated and full of a primitive beauty.

“History, Beliefs and Bearded Men” takes on the concept of right and wrong between religious cultures from a very personal perspective.  The ancient argument between absolutism and relative truths wage quietly here, with Levin opting for an informed conscious to make out the difference in all of us.  In truth, there is a fatalism here that is appealing.  Levin doesn’t seem to be eschewing any side of the argument, in the end.  Opting for the sense that nobody really knows, so let’s all do the best we can.  This is a pensive number that’s prayerful in attitude and hopeful in heart.  It sets the stage well for “Different Drum”, a paean to being you no matter what.  The swaying rock anthem is typically understated but somehow more powerful for it. 

When it comes to love songs, the genre is thoroughly overdone.  Some overdo, some try to almost make fun of the genre.  Levin bypasses it entirely in recreating it for a new age.  In “More Than A Song”, Levin uses the ancient art form to decry its insufficiencies while delivering a message of deep love and intellect all at once.  It’s a thing of beauty that bypasses syrup but sticks to you nonetheless.  Levin engages in affectionately humorous misdirection on “Girl From Nova Scotia”, a tribute to Canadian songstress Mo Kenney.  If you’re not listening carefully (I honestly wasn’t the first time it played) you’ll think Levin’s engaging in vitriol, but there’s a deep admiration in the line “I hate you in a beautiful, beautiful, beautiful way.”  The underlying theme here is the mix of admiration and jealousy an artist might feel in hearing another artist create beauty.  It’s real and honest and powerfully alive.

Levin heads for home with “Schizo”, “Summered” and “Margaret’s House”.  The first delves into the push and pull of different parts of a personality.  There’s a bit of Randy Newman-style self-parody here, alongside Tom Wait’s biting poetry.  “Summered” is probably my least favorite track on the album; That is to say it’s really well-written, but perhaps just a bit out of place with this cycle of songs.  Levin bows with “Margaret’s House”, with the help of vocalist Aimee Bobruk, whose dulcet voice is a perfect blend to Levin’s understated drama.  This pensive duet is full of a quiet reverie, and is the perfect annotation for an album steeped in thought, wisdom and the slow wearing of time on memory.

Tom Levin continues to grow into his prodigious talent as a songwriter and performer.  It’s hard to say if he’s approaching a zenith or continuing a long slow build to something even more renowned, but the fact that he has hit new heights is inescapable.  In spite of several releases from artists I absolutely love in 2014, it is not stretching the point to say that Tom Levin’s Them Buffalo is the finest album I have heard in 2014.  You will be hard pressed to disagree.

Rating:                  5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more at www.tomlevin.com.

Heather Fay - Cherish The Broken

Heather Fay – Cherish The Broken
2013, Heather Fay (The Scrape Knee’d Girl)

Heather Fay writes from the heart and the mind, blending the two into a coherent read on humanity and her life experiences.  Fay’s distinctive storytelling mien integrates factual and emotional styles akin to artists such as Tom Waits, Carole King and Fiona Apple.  Fay is a regular in Connecticut and New York City (The Living Room, Rockwood Hall), but also performs regularly online via Google Hangout.  Fay’s latest album, Cherish The Broken, is a dynamic collection of songs spanning the genres of folk, pop, country, bluegrass and Americana.  Fay’s style is unadorned and straight from the heart, but shows real intellect and understanding of the world.

Cherish The Broken features stripped down arrangements that allow Fay’s songwriting and voice to shine.  Leading with “Drive You Out Of My Mind”, Fay begins a cycle of emotional breakdowns and breakthroughs.  Here she is trying to move on after a heart break.  She keeps things simple here with a stripped down arrangement and a sweet, unaffected voice.  “Autumns Chill” is lovely still life in song, carved from the bedrock of folk tradition.  “Breaking My Heart” moves back to a country sound with an ironic monologue to the man who is breaking her heart telling him just how good he is at it.  “Scrape Knee’d Girl” is a holdover from Fay’s first album.  It’s offered here in a gorgeous, stripped down arrangement.  A song of insecurity that grows into strength, this is one of Fay’s finest songs.  The autobiographical number is a gorgeous, plain-spoken piece of poetry about being yourself no matter what, told in the parallel story of a mother who set on making life better for her daughter than she had herself.

“I Would For You” is a speculative, questing love song.  The organic arrangement is decorated by the occasional flourish, highlighting the simple and elegant beauty of the songwriting.  It’s easy to imagine this song covered in a fuller arrangement and turning into a radio hit.  “Stay” is a mellow love song with outstanding instrumentation including strings, guitar and mandolin.  The song is utterly gorgeous; lush in spite of its simplicity.  “I’ve Been Known” is a song full of resignation, delivered in a counterintuitive snappy rock arrangement.  The song is extremely catchy yet understated, building into a solid chorus with a memorable melody.

“Life Is Beautiful” finds just Fay and guitar waxing eloquent on the important things in life.  This is the artist at her most heartfelt and real, and sounds like it was cut live in the studio in a single take.  “Where We’ll Meet Again” is sad yet hopeful, a sweet remembrance with hope for reuniting one day.  The song is pretty, simple and sweet.  Fay closes with a surprising cover of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller”, a unique folk/country ballad.  It works better than you might expect, due in large part to Fay’s unpretentious approach.

Heather Fay turns in an incredibly nuanced and artful performance with Cherish The Broken.  With simple adornment and an utter lack of calculation, Fay’s songwriting and earthy voice carry the day. Fay uses modern technology to continue to create music and delivery live performances while keeping family as the center of her life.  It’s a laudable approach.  It’s also easy to see how Fay could be a huge star one day.  Fay is one of the leaders of the new model for delivering music to the masses.  She’s successful because she’s real, honest, true and talented.  Cherish The Broken is brilliant.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more at www.heatherfay.com.  

Andy Palmer - Hazard Of The Die

 

Andy Palmer – Hazard Of The Die
2013, Andy Palmer

Andy Palmer has been making music all of his adult life.  As front man of Colorado folk/rockers Grub Street Wine and as a solo artist, Palmer has earned critical and commercial accolades.  Palmer was named to Indie-Music.com’s Top-20 Independent Artists for 2011 and 2012.  His debut album, Sometime Around, won a Best of Denver Award in 2011.  This month the former Brooklyn public defender returns with his sophomore effort, Hazard Of The Die. 

Palmer opens with “The Monk”, an intriguing story song with heart-beat like rhythm and syncopated beats.  This arrhythmia lends interesting texture to a bit of observational songwriting that is off the beaten track.  Palmer’s voice is enigmatic and full of muddy timbres that give him a world-weary feel.  It’s an effective presentation that will stick with you.  “Heart Of Colfax” is a bluesy, angular rock tune with a bit of funk in its roots.  It’s a fun tune with a bit of a twisted sense of humor running through its veins.  The character perspective plays like an urban style Randy Newman, and the tune is ultimately catchy.  “Broke Down In Bellevue” is a down-tempo ballad steeped in blues chords and a lightly swung chanson style.  Palmer is a disaffected narrator here, laying out the pin points of desolation on a musical map for all to see and hear.

“Good Son” finds Palmer opening up the arrangement into a more pop-friendly rock sound.  The spoken-word vocal works well in the wide open sound of the song, with Palmer surfing his way through the song on an enigmatic vocal performance.  “Moreya” is a solid piece of balladeering pop.  It’s a bit bland and reserved compared to what’s come before, but is a solid album track.  Palmer goes bilingual (English/Spanish) on “Hay Algo Muy Mal”.  Palmer struggles here, as the song is cut from the same low-energy cloth as “Moreya”.  He recovers his energy and musical quirkiness on “The Defendant”.  The song is understandable repetitive, but the repetition does become a bit much.  At the same time, Palmer offers up some of his best guitar work on the album her.  Hazard Of The Die takes a bow with “Fancy That”, an energetic and funky rocker that will have your toes tapping and your hips grooving.  Love becomes its own economy of scale here, and the story is irresistible. 

Andy Palmer won’t sit well with everyone.  He’s voice is definitely off the beaten path, but Palmer uses his instrument to best effect on the eight songs presented on Hazard Of The Die (Think Leonard Cohen meets Tom Waits).  Palmer continues to use stories and ideas from his career as a public defender in his songs and the result are an entertaining and eclectic collection of character based songs ala Randy Newman.  Palmer’s composition style jumps around a bit, but the angular guitar work seems to be a trademark.  Hazard Of The Die will certainly catch your attention, and if you’re a listener of lyrics and a fan of story-based songs, then Andy Palmer will be right up your alley.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more at www.grubstreetwriterband.com. 



Spike Nicer And The Lewis Sisters - 4th Farewell

Spike Nicer And The Lewis Sisters – 4^th Farewell
2012, Spike Nicer Records

When last we heard from Spike Nicer, he was promoting his album, Mystery Time.  A classic troubadour, Nicer has benefited from a steady stream of jobs, meeting more and varied colorful personalities than the average Joe.  He is adept at translating his varied experiences into song, bringing characters to life who, if not real in and of themselves, are certainly inspired by those who are.  Nicer recently teamed up with Goodlettsville, Tennessee’s The Lewis Sisters to release a live collection in honor of a fallen friend.  4^th Farewell captures Nicer at his most enigmatic; the master showman who truly takes the stage.  It is also a pleasant surprise, offering up the discovery of the angelic voices of the Lewis sisters.

The Lewis Sisters kick things off with a gorgeous, 3-part acappella harmony version of “The Star Spangled Banner.”  This is a goose bump inducing performance, one that you won’t want to miss.  Nicer kicks things into gear with “E.I.L.Y”, a wonderfully catchy and funk-infused rocker that simply won’t leave you alone.  Nicer’s voice is as pleasant as ever, with an artfully understated style that conspires to draw the listener in.  “Back-Up Man” is outstanding, bringing all of the dysfunction and imperfection that Spicer displayed on Mystery Time, but with a bit more panache this time around.  “Rain” takes on a late-1960’s or early 1970’s rock sound, muscled up and ready to flush out the dust.  Nicer’s band is as tight as a wire hear, and hitting on all eight cylinders.

Nicer shows the depth of his songwriting ability on “99 Parts Dust”, an answer to Joni Mitchell’s “The Circle Game” that’s just as deep without slipping into the classic cliché of growing old before we know it has happened.    This song is among Nicer’s highest achievements as a songwriter, and is played beautifully here.  “Kate Shaw” is an old school country tune that’s highly entertaining and exceedingly well performed.  There are elements of Johnny Cash here that are impossible to ignore.  “Everything Auction” gets spiced up with the voices of The Lewis Sisters, who make a great bit of songwriting sound even better.  “Turn The Lights Off Baby” is a wonderful country duet about love aging gracefully.  There’s a sweetness here that can’t be denied.

“Madeline In The Morning” is a moving portrait of the life of one woman who is primarily driven, and saved by music.  Most everyone will have heard a story like the one, but Nicer brings the protagonist to life in song in a way few singer/songwriters ever achieve.  “Stop This Train” takes on an Americana tinge, but remains firmly in the country/rock mode.  “Some Friends Of Mine” examines the lives of others whose relationships are falling apart.  This is more of a pictorial in song than anything else; one that might just hit home with listeners.  “Catie Bange” is dramatic and entertaining, mixing elements of house and hip-hop into a living and breathing arrangement that’s rock and roll, soul, country, jazz and R&B.  Nicer’s cover of John Carter Cash’s “Loch Ness Monster” is utterly inspired, perhaps even channeled at times.

“Disarray” comes across in much more modern tones, with Nicer sounding like he’s working an outtake from Blue Rodeo.    This time around it’s love and dysfunction, all wrapped in melancholy for the world to consider.  In this moment, Nicer finds beauty, even as it flits and fleets away as soon as it is formed.   “Apple Pie & Coffee” and “(Hey Baby I’m The) Baker Man” are solid, delivering a slow build that occasionally flattens out.  Nicer rebounds nicely on “Pumpkin Pie”, a quietly dynamic closer that will get stuck in your grille and stay there. 

Spike Nicer is as good as you might remember (if you’re already familiar with him.)  That’s not to say that there won’t be the occasional miss, depending on the listener, but 4^th Farewell is full of great songwriting, amazing voices, and the sort of inspirational play that can’t be planned for.  The Lewis Sisters themselves are a revelation, and very much worth spending some time getting to know.  In the mean time, 4^th Farewell is the sort of effort you can’t afford to not give some attention to. 

Rating:  4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Spike Nicer And The Lewis Sisters at www.spikenicer.com or www.myspace.com/thelewissisters.  You can purchase singles from 4th Farewell on Amazon.com, but as yet no formal album release appears to have occurred.  Keep checking Nicer's website for additional details.

News and notes

Good morning, and happy Monday!

We at Wildy's World want to take a moment to congratulate all of the recently announced finalists in the 2012 International Songwriting Competition.  The list is long and lengthy, and you can view them all here, but the nominees include Wildy's World alumni such as Gina Sicilia, Carrie Rodriguez, Thomas Calder (The Trouble With Templeton), The Trews, and TAT.

This is one of many contests out there for songwriters, but is among the most prestigious.  Anyone who has gotten this far is worthy of attention.  You'll also note that the list includes a couple of bigger names, such as Jane Siberry and Missy Higgins. 

Judges for this year's competition include Tom Waits, Jeff Beck, Kelly Clarkson, Ozzy Osbourne, Tori Amos, Lucinda Williams, Tegan and Sara, John Mayall and Massive Attack.  The music industry is well represented on the panel as well, so this year's winners could be tomorrow's stars.

In sadder news, the music industry said goodbye this weekend to The Monkees' Davy Jones as well as to legendary guitarist Ronnie Montrose.  Jones' passing at age 66 of a heart attack came as a suprise, as a recent check-up had shown him to be fit.  He leaves behind a wife, four daughters, and a legacy of bright airy songs that will keep his memory alive for generations to come.

Ronnie Montrose, the iconic 1970's rock guitarist played with a list of names that could form their own rock and roll hall of fame (Sammy Hagar, Van Morrison, Edgar Winter Group, Boz Scaggs, Gary Wright, Herbie Hancock, The Neville Brothers, and others.  His group Montrose continues to be a favorite spin on classic rock/AOR formatted stations.  Montrose is believed to have died from Prostate Cancer.

On a brighter note, former teen idol Jon Bon Jovi recently turned 50.  Hard to believe, isn't it?

Perry Desmond-Davies - Sweet Ride

Perry Desmond-Davies - Sweet Ride

2009, Perry Desmond-Davies

The songwriting of Perry Desmond-Davies never stands on ceremony.  The Massachusetts-based singer/songwriter writes from the heart and mind, songs about the ups and downs of everyday life that carry the weight of honest experience.  Desmond-Davies has been a coffeehouse and café staple through New England since her debut back in 1998, and has appeared on New England Cable News and Wake Up And Smell The Poetry on Hopkington's HCAM-TV.  Her most recent effort, Sweet Ride, features 14 musical soliloquies on the joys and pains of day-to-day life.

Sweet Ride opens with the title track, blending country, folk and blues in a song about enjoying life in its simplicity and being grateful for what we have.  Desmond-Davies' voiced is unadulterated and pure, cut from the same working class cloth as artists such as Pete Seeger, Tom Waits and even a bit of early Janis Joplin.  "Nobody Cares" is a beautiful and touching document of the fight against a debilitating disease (such as cancer), and of finding a place that feels like home when it is most needed.  Desmond-Davies' melody is gorgeous.  Anyone who has walked a similar path will feel an instant kinship with Desmond-Davies upon hearing this tune.

"Irresponsible" is all about letting go and getting lost in the moment, even if just for one moment.  This is pure folk singer/songwriter material, featuring a memorable melody and a plus vocal performance from Desmond-Davies.  "Longer Than You Know" is an apologist tune for falling out of love with someone who keeps hanging on.  There's no indication of a change to come, but the regret expressed here is palpable and real.  Desmond-Davies gets her blues shoes on with the entertaining "One Way Out", before transitioning into the Vaudevillian folk of "The Happy Song".  The level of witty sarcasm here is surprising and enjoyable, and Desmond-Davies marries her rant to a wonderful melody and arrangement that soften the acerbic blows.  This song is likely to be a show-stopper.

Desmond-Davies transitions away from death and relationship dysfunction with "New Beginnings", a peaceful song of starting over.  The tune may seem a bit bland upon first listen, but spin it again, and the sense of peace and having survived the turmoil that precedes it comes to the fore the more you listen.  "Nobody Cares" gets reprised as a meditative and thankful live recording.  Desmond-Davies strains a bit at some of the higher notes, but this actual enhances the sense of urgency necessitating the circle of protection at the center of the song.  Sweet Ride closes with two additional live recordings.  "Song For Tom" is entirely forgettable as an addition here, although it likely seemed important in the moment it was recorded.  "One Hot Mama" is a perfect close, however, with Desmond-Davies vamping it up ala Mama Morton.

Perry Desmond-Davies plays working class hero on Sweet Ride, sticking to the basics of everyday life and the human condition; drawing the joy and pain of small victories and subtle defeats out into the open in song.  Desmond-Davies is a story-teller who writes songs, or a songwriter who tells-stories.  It's hard to say which comes first, as the two talents blend thoroughly throughout Sweet Ride.  Even on the songs where Desmond-Davies might not connect with a listener, she's still very much in the moment, finding the truth behind each note and word.  A Sweet Ride it is.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Perry Desmond-Davies at www.perrydesmond-davies.com or www.myspace.com/perrydesmonddavies.  Sweet Ride is available from Amazon.com as a CD or Download.  The album is also available via iTunes.

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.

Joshua Panda - Joshua Panda

Joshua Panda - Joshua Panda
2010, Joshua Panda

You'd never guess it, but Joshua Panda is all of twenty-five years old. Keep that in mind as you listen to his self-titled album, a recent independent release. Panda sounds like a seasoned story-teller and songwriter in the vein of Randy Newman. With influences as diverse as Van Morrison, Tom Waits, Sam Cook, Townes Van Zandt, Kris Kristofferson and Otis Redding, Panda has a brilliant performing persona that's too good to be anything other than genuine. Joshua Panda is proof positive; encompassing twelve original songs and one cover that leave no doubt about Panda's talent, durability and essence as a songwriter or performer.

Joshua Panda opens with "Masquerade", a devilishly good bit of Americana songwriting that would seem more at home amidst the great singer/songwriters of the 1970's. Panda shows a lyrical depth and sense of melody that are rare in combination. "Rosie" is a rousing number straight out of New Orleans. You'll want to dance along as Panda spins a fun tale in an irresistible arrangement. "It's All Relative" has a dually melancholy/hopeful feel in a lover's lament about the world outside and the saving grace of love. Panda tackles "Are You Hurting At All" with a classic country flare that would sound at home in Nashville in the 1950's or early 1960's. It's a highly stylish and realistic bit of songwriting that should sit well across generations of listeners.

"Pastor" is a mildly raucous bluegrass tune sung from the perspective of a father who fends off a wolf from his daughter. The wolf just happens to be the local pastor. It's a great tune; very well written and Panda is in perfect voice here. "Tattle Tales" is the most purely entertaining track on the album. Panda will remind listeners of Randy Newman with his wit and lyrical touch as well as his musical versatility and tendency to write songs "in character", and "Tattle Tales" is a perfect example of these qualities. "Lemonhead Wine" documents an unfortunate stay in South Dakota involving government work and the narrator's preferred method for passing time. All of this is offered in an entertaining country/zydeco blend that's thoroughly infectious.

"Weight In Gold" is a utilitarian love song, singing the praises of a good woman in classic country overtones. "I-77 Blues" is more early rock and rhythm n blues. Panda is very convincing through the rapid-fire lyrics and vibrant arrangement that features some of the hottest piano playing this side of Jerry Lee Lewis. "Mama's Song" is a loving tribute of sorts, to a mom who clung to her son when her husband left, only to lose that son to music. It's a sweet number that uses gentle humor to describe an entirely human situation. Panda closes with a wild version of Tom Waits' "Come On Up To The House", a party-time song done in the zydeco style. Just try to sit still.

Joshua Panda runs through much of the American songbook stylistically. Country, zydeco, rock n roll, rhythm and blues and even hints of gospel and soul can be found on Panda's self-titled album. What's abundantly clear is that Joshua Panda is an entertainer with a capital E. Panda's versatility and depth as a performer is matched by raw musical talent. Panda walks you through vignettes drawn from the lives of persons both imagined and real in much the same fashion as Randy Newman. Even if you're lukewarm on the music on Joshua Panda, the energy will draw you in. Don't miss this guy.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Joshua Panda at http://www.joshuapanda.com/ or www.myspace.com/joshuapanda.  Joshua Panda was originally due for an August release but appears to have been delayed.  You can preorder the CD from Panda's website.  Expect digital availability from iTunes and Amazon.

Review: Sass Jordan - From Dusk Til Dawn

Sass Jordan - From Dusk Til Dawn
2010, RBE Music/Kindling Music/Fontana

Sass Jordan never goes away. The owner of twelve Top-40 singles in Canada (including two in the Top-10, keeps finding ways to express herself in the arts. The star of the off-Broadway hit Love Janis also served as a judge for six years on Canadian Idol. Her music has been featured on numerous television shows and soundtracks (including an iconic duet with Joe Cocker on The Bodyguard soundtrack. Jordan's toured with Aerosmith, Cheap Trick, Alice Cooper, Van Halen, Carlos Santana and Cocker, but always returns to her own solo performing as the root of her creativity. On March 16, 2010, Jordan releases her eighth album, From Dusk Til Dawn. Rather than coasting comfortably at a point her career when the Juno-Award winning songwriter might, Jordan sparks with the vibrancy that turned heads even back in her days with Montreal’s The Pinups.

From Dusk 'Til Dawn opens with the delicious Blues/Rock of What I Need. Jordan steeps herself in the roots of old school Rhythm & Blues with the sort of strong rock vocal performance she's become known for. It's a knock out track that could be a big winner over the radios and at the award shows. Fell In Love Again goes with a classic Motown feel. You could almost here Mary Wells digging into this one, and Jordan does a great job with it. Awake is a gorgeous ballad full of regret; a song about getting ready to move on. For a rocker with something of a rough edge to her voice, Jordan is surprisingly polished and nuanced on the ballads on From Dusk 'Til Dawn. Jordan's everywoman act continues on Why Did You?, where she slips in Americana shoes amidst a big hook and catchy arrangement.

Lonely blends Country, Blues and Rock, ala Bonnie Raitt. This is another tune that could conceivably be a big hit over the airwaves. Jordan goes for an almost Appalchian feel on Matter Of Time, using very basic song structure and minimalist arrangement accented by great vocal harmonies. The song is well written and expertly performed. Jordan aces her cover of Tom Waits' Ol' 55, going for a highly fluid and smooth rendition, which works wonderfully well with and in contrast to Jordan's rock diva rasp. Stronger is great Pop songwriting; perhaps not as elemental as the other songs presented here, but certainly a decent offering. Jordan closes with the folky Home Again, a solid closer that sees Jordan adding to her versatility as a performer.

I remember the days of Racine and Rats, when Jordan was challenging Lee Aaron for the title of Miss Thing on the Canadian rock charts. Jordan hasn't lost the edge that made her a hit in Canada back then, but as an artist she's matured; adding nuance and class to a dynamic voice and an ear for melody that goes well with her ability to blow the roof off a room. From Dusk 'Til Dawn isn't so much a mellowing of Jordan's style or sound as it is a broadening of horizons. It would appear several years of judging the performances of others has made Jordan even more astute in making her own musical choices. On From Dusk 'Til Dawn she executes nearly flawlessly without giving up an iota of the energy or passion that always gave Jordan her Sass.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Sass Jordan at http://www.sassjordan.com/ or www.myspace.com/sassjordan. From Dusk Til Dawn sees its US release on March 16, 2010. Expect wide availability, if you simply can’t wait, the album was released in the Fall of 2009 in Canada, and is available through numerous resources on the web, including MapleMusic.com.

Review: Silk Tongue Gamblers - We're In Business [EP]

Silk Tongue Gamblers - We're In Business [EP]
2010, Silk Tongue Gamblers (UK)

London's Silk Tongue Gamblers are ripping up the Indie scene across the pond, and it won't be long before their fresh sound carries them to America's shores. Silk Tongue Gamblers have developed quickly, experiencing that preternatural "click" that sometimes happens when a group comes together. Formed in 2009, they've already built a significant local following and garnered high praise from the likes of Producer Ron Nevison (The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, The Who) and Rachael Williams (Up All Night Music). Talent aside, what drives Silk Tongue Gamblers is the creative tensions. Vocalist Varun Atrey is heavily influenced by folks such as Nine Inch Nails, Tool and Alice In Chains, whereas Felipe Neves (guitars) is more drawn to Hendrix, Tom Waits and The Rolling Stones. Add in the chops of drummer Ollie Hipkin and bassist Equival Junior and you have an incredibly dynamic creative force. Silk Tongue Gamblers released their debut EP before turning a year old. We're In Business will serves as a more-than-adequate introduction.

We're In Business gets started with Is This The Time?, an upbeat, guitar-driven rocker with some Blues in its lineage. There's an edgy pop sensibility here that might do well in non-traditional Rock radio formats. Everyday Forever is either a daydream set to music or an accounting of the change in perspective brought on by new love. It's a decent song, although the blunt repetition in the chorus can become a bit nerve wracking. Nothing Left To Say trolls slightly heavier waters, with guitar and bass building a big, dark rock sound steeped in the Blues. Felipe Neves chips in with excellent guitar chops, and vocalist Varun Atrey is likeable enough, if a bit reserved. We're In Business wraps up with Run Away, a funky Blues-Rock gem that may be the most commercially viable track on the EP. A great, memorable chorus and a bass line that brings the song to life make this a keeper.

A four track EP such as We're In Business is what you might call a small sample. It's difficult to judge the overall sound of a band in just four songs, but you can start to get a real picture. Silk Tongue Gamblers have an edgy Rock sound with serious Blues roots that is bound to gain them some real attention. If commercial radio were a bit more willing to take risks, Silk Tongue Gamblers would be a perfect ad. Based on the EP, Silk Tongue Gamblers are a break or two from the big stage, as their sound and approach are a music marketer or Music Director's dream. Give the Silk Tongue Gamblers a bit of your time and see what they might talk you into.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Silk Tongue Gamblers at www.myspace.com/silktonguegamblers or http://www.silktonguegamblers.com/. You can purchase a copy of We’re In Business through LastFM.com.

Review: Conil - Strange Part Of The Country

Conil - Strange Part Of The Country
2009, Great Hare Records

If you can't get a famous producer to listen to your demo, submit under a false name that sounds like somebody famous. Dishonest, yes, but it worked for London's Conil, who got Tchad Blake (Tom Waits, Pearl Jam) to listen to his demo by submitting it under the name Phil Coltrane. With the help of double bass player Danny Thompson (Tim Buckley, John Martyn), Conil has created a stirring album in Strange Part Of The Country, due out in February 2010. Already notes as one of the finest voices in England, Conil brings the presence of a lonely troubadour and a voice that is compelling in its singularity on Strange Part Of The Country.

Strange Part Of The Country opens with the title track, a rootsy bit of musical melancholy that pulls the listener in like a subtly insistent rip tide. Conil continues down the solitary track on Years Between, sounding like a cross between Bob Dylan and Hawksley Workman with a dash of Nick Cave thrown in. Conil creates an interesting dichotomy, blending his gentle melancholia with melodies that soar even when weighted with the world. Bonediggers has a serene air about it that evaporates in the middle but reasserts itself in the end. There is a distinct Zen feel to the song, with a possible moral of accepting yourself for whom and not what you are. Time Settles follows a similar formula and sounds a bit in a rut.

Conil climbs out of the crevice with Dog Meat Stew. Repetition still holds sway, particularly in the choruses, but on the whole Dog Meat Stew is an eclectic and interesting listen. Conil gets his edge on with Grapevine, the most vibrant and quietly angry rock song on the album. Things turn decidedly more serene thereafter, however. Distances From Here is somnolent and dreamy, and History Of The Best Of Us is a mildly morose paean to love or something like it. Conil rounds the bend and heads home with After The Hole; a six minute monstrosity that wears monotony and low affect like lucky charms. Conil does break out with some of his trademark soaring melody components, but much of the song is mired in a recursive reflection that's more desolate than anything else. It's interesting at first, but becomes difficult in its relentless pursuit of negative dynamics.

Strange Part Of The Country both engages and pushes away listeners at times, creating an internal tug of war that will be fun for some listeners and a turn off for others. The album itself is a bit uneven, and I am not sure that the folks who tagged Conil with the honor of having one of Britain's finest voices were listening to the same material I was; nevertheless, Conil is engaging with a sound that draws you in even if it isn't necessarily the prettiest one in sphere. His songwriting is a plus, although his plumbing of the emotional depths is a bit too weighty for my taste at times. Regardless, Conil is a talented performer who will connect with audiences on one level of another, as per their tastes. I don't imagine this is the last we'll hear from Conil.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Conil at http://www.conilmusic.com/ or www.myspace.com/conilmusic. You can purchase Strange Part Of The Country as either a CD or Download from Amazon.com. Downloads may also be obtained via iTunes.

Review: Hawksley Workman - For Him And The Girls

Hawksley Workman - For Him And The Girls
2000/2009, Isadora Records

Ryan Corrigan, AKA Hawksley Workman, has been known to Canadian artists for a decade now as a Juno-award winning singer, songwriter and producer. A multi-instrumentalist with a sound that's drawn comparisons to Tom Waits and The Rheostatics, Workman mixes and melds quirky folk with Pop, Cabaret and even Glam Rock elements to create some of the most distinctive and original pop music anywhere. For Him And The Girls, his debut album, was originally released in 2000 in Canada, but recently had its debut in the United States. It is an eclectic collection of songs meant to help American audiences develop a taste for Workman's music in advance of the release of Milk & Meat in 2010. Aside from his own projects, Workman has produced albums/songs for Great Big Sea, The Cash Brothers, Sarah Slean, Skydiggers and Tegan and Sara, among others.

Workman opens For Him And The Girls with Maniacs, an ambitious and off-center rock tune that runs an almost Latin rhythm beneath a lyrically disjointed alt-rock tune that perseverates on "maniacs", "fatsos" and "slaves". Welcome to the world of Hawksley Workman, where social conscience and madness occasionally run hand in hand. Sissies is a deliciously upbeat Pop Rocker that will get inside your head and set up residence. This is one of those songs that ambushes your thought process three days after you've heard it and just won't get out of your head. Luckily it's well written, bordering on comical at times. Sad House Daddy has a cabaret feel; it amounts to an apology for everything from someone who might be segueing in and out of reality. Sweet Hallelujah is a lilting prayer; a gorgeous tune with a melody that's practically heart-breaking.

Bullets is an amusing tune full of campy machismo and wit; danceable and catchy and driven by a sense of invincibility that appears on its face to be ridiculous. Workman gives a highly emotive performance on Don't Be Crushed before transitioning into a quasi-Country/Pop sound on Stop Joking Around. Workman strips away all excess on Safe And Sound, an amazing love song offered here in a simple acoustic arrangement. This is a tune destined for Mix Tapes, movies, television and anywhere else a licenser could think to put it. Baby This Night is a slow jam for the 21st century Alt-Rock fan, with a slightly twisted turn. It's a strong song, although Workman does get a bit bogged down in repetition part way through. Workman closes out with Beautiful & Natural, a song that sounds like something of an ode but burrows through a dark psychedelia in tribute. You'll walk away thinking perhaps it was a sweet song as played in the sort of distorted funhouse sounds you hear in horror movies.

Hawksley Workman is nothing if not enigmatic. I don't know if this is the album I would have used to introduce him to US audiences (I might have chosen (Last Night We Were) The Delicious Wolves)). but it is a fair representation of where his muse leads. That being said, For Him And The Girls is a brilliant collection that will intrigue you and keep you off balance as a listener. Workman knows how to push a listener's buttons, but not so far that he drives you away. Quite to the contrary, you're likely to stick around even if it’s just to see what he might do next.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Hawksley Workman at http://www.hawksleyworkman.com/ or www.myspace.com/hawksleyworkman. You can order a copy of For Him And The Girls from MapleMusic.com, or you can download the album from 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: Andy Miller - Photographs Of The Sun

Andy Miller - Photographs Of The Sun
2009, Andy Miller Music/Wrought Iron Records

Americana is a term often used and rarely defined and has been used to describe such a wide range of music it almost becomes meaningless. It’s a melting pot of styles that’s become something of its own sound and can include Jazz, Blues, Rock, County, Classical and just about any other musical side dish you can mention. This is Andy Miller’s playground. The New York City (formerly of the Left Coast) based singer-songwriter has played almost every style of music in his career, and acknowledges influences as diverse as Skip James, Jimmie Rodgers, Kris Kristofferson, Tom Waits, Merle Haggard and Bob Dylan. His debut solo EP, Photographs Of The Sun, keenly displays this mix in troubled-but-struggling-to-be-brilliant fashion.

Photographs Of The Sun starts slowly, with Miller showing off his guitar skills on Hard Time Killing Floor Blues. The performance is decent although Miller ambles a bit without the constraint of the structure imposed by other players. The biggest problem with the song and the album in general, is the recording quality. Significant hiss or background noise can be heard throughout the song (and at various points throughout the album), detracting from the overall experience. Technical issues aside, Miller spends about half of the album with little direction or focus. Dancing On A Strangers Grave gives them impression from the title that real energy goes into the song, but it just never materializes. The end product sounds lost and directionless. Miller gets in the game with Formative Years, a Glory Days tune that's well written but could use the tension and support of additional instrumentation/personnel.

Miller falls back to the energy sapped approach for So Long and Spring Secrets, getting stuck in awkward lyrical turns and arrangements with little verve, but turns the corner on A Place To Rest My Weary Head. Miller has created a catchy, endearing folk tune that starts as a portrait of a family member that turns into a self-portrait. The anti-heroes here are two restless spirits in search of a home. Make Me Down A Pallet On Your Floor plays with the same theme; the song is well played and has a good melody, but could also use additional tension/instrumentation. Miller stays on a roll with Granddad's Blood, a song about the legacies that aren't always readily visible. In this case it also becomes something of an excuse for less than grand behavior. Miller does get a bit bogged down in the repetitive chorus at times, but in general has created a compelling song. The pendulum swings back the other way on the last three songs. My Troubles Will End and What About Me suffer from the sort of directionless, energy-starved approach that Miller opened with. The closer, Lord, I'm Coming Home, just isn't a great last impression to leave. With voice front and center, Miller dances about something vaguely related to the key the song is written in. It's painfully evident; and even if an artistic choice will turn off casual listeners.

Andy Miller is two artists on Photographs Of The Sun. One is a competent songwriter with an intriguing if not pretty voice; the other has a hard time getting out of his own way. As with many developing artists, I suspect the material here spans some time and may reflect different points in his development as a songwriter. At his best, Miller is a decent songwriter, but the production on Photographs Of The Sun is less-than-stellar. This does not leave a good impression on listeners in general, and certainly doesn't give Miller a chance to show himself at his best. Photographs Of The Sun is like a work in project. Andy Miller may be on the road to someplace interesting, but there's a lot of miles ahead yet.

Rating: 2.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Andy Miller at http://www.andymillermusic.com/. Photographs Of The Sun can be downloaded from Amazon.com or iTunes. No online outlet was noted for CD copies, although they do exist.

Review: Kate Miller-Heidke - EP

Kate Miller-Heidke - EP
2009, Sony Music

Kate Miller-Heidke is nothing less than a superstar in Australia. The Brisbane native's album Curiouser has lit up the ARIA and iTunes charts in Australia, going Gold and spawning at least two top-40 singles. Heidke and her guitarist/songwriter/partner Keir Nuttall also won the International Songwriting Competition grand prize, impressing a judging panel that included Tom Waits, Robert Smith (The Cure), Neil Finn and Ray Davies (The Kinks). Categorizing Miller-Heidke is in itself a process. If you took the in your-face musicality and quirkiness of Nellie McKay, the range of Kristin Chenoweth, the charm of Betty Boop and the beauty-to-bombast capability of Kate Bush you'd have someone who maybe sounded a bit like Kate Miller-Heidke. After the initial comparison all bets are off, however. Miller-Heidke strives to make music that makes the listener feel something; Catchy is great but empty doesn't fly. Sony Music will release Kate Miller-Heidke's Curiouser to North American audiences in 2010, but for now they've released the digital only EP through iTunes. It's time to get your feet and get to know Kate Miller-Heidke.

Kate Miller-Heidke is part post-modern Punk/Folk poet and part Flapper showgirl on EP. Her distinctive voice reaches notes not often found in pop music (and she actually hits them head on rather than glazing by them in histrionic runs as with coloratura divas such as Mariah Carey). Her fast, tight vibrato is also a bit unusual in pop, recalling, at times, Glinda The Good Witch from The Wizard Of Oz. These things aside, Miller-Heidke can flat out sing like an angel when she wants to, but she can also get in your face and growl, rap, yelp or roar. The first song on EP is Caught In The Crowd, the song that won the International Songwriting Contest Grand Prize. It's a charming song about what we miss out on by following the crowd in high school. Miller-Heidke gives pictures of some of the folks who were marginalized in high school; and tells her own tale of betrayal in name of being in the in crowd. The song is an apology and a coming-of-age, and is extremely well written with a distinctive melody and strong vocal harmonies.

Miller-Heidke takes on the narcissistic tendencies of the Baby Boom generation on Politics In Space. Her voice is inspiring here, and the message is firmly delivered with flashes of wit as sharp as any stiletto. On The Last Day On Earth, Miller-Heidke offers up a fantastical day dream that illuminates the power and fragility of love against the backdrop of the destruction of the world. The song itself is very pretty and moving in spite of the fantastical setting. Words is a tough affirmation of self. Miller-Heidke goes large here with a touch of glam in a wonderfully entertaining turn. The song is different enough to catch on in the popular realm and inspire a host of copy-cats without giving itself away to popular mores. EP closes out with Are You F#cking Kidding Me, one of the funniest post-modern relationship songs of the digital age. Miller-Heidke is enchanting and rip-roaringly funny in a song that essentially everyone under 30 (and most over-30) can identify with.

Kate Miller-Heidke has a magical touch that can't be ignored. She writes close enough to the popular realm to be accepted by it, but is too much her own to ever be a Pop artist. Miller-Heidke's songs show intelligence, wit and a fiercely imaginative and creative nature that isn't going to go away. EP should inspire a lot of interest in the forthcoming North American release of Curiouser. In the mean time, it is an inspired introduction to an artist who might just turn out to be one of those once-in-a-generation talents. EP a Wildy's World Certified Desert Island Download. Don't miss it.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Kate Miller-Heidke at http://www.katemiller-heidke.com/ or www.myspace.com/katemillerheidke. You can download EP from iTunes.

Review: Nathan Lee - Risk Everything

Nathan Lee - Risk Everything
2009, One Revolution Entertainment

Nathan Lee's back story is something to hear. Growing up just outside of New York City, Lee's father owned a recording studio, and Lee was bit by the performing bug at a young age. After creating quite a buzz on the Northeast club circuit, Lee took his game to Nashville, where he ended up with a licensing deal that allowed him to write songs for other artists. Success and money came, but writing for others was an empty experience. Lee went back to writing for himself until money got tight, and then started a painting business that became a major source of financial support. Once again money and success followed, but life without music was an empty one. Lee gave everything up to make music again and ended up living in his car for a time. Lee eventually ventured into music and tour production, again building a successful business and once again finding that his music suffered. They say the third time's the charm, and Lee gave it all up once again to make music. That last decision has led Lee to where he is now, with a new album, Risk Everything, coming out on September 1, 2009.

Immersed deeply in spirituality and a gritty, arena-rock persona that would do Bruce Springsteen proud, Nathan Lee sparkles and shines like a rough diamond. He opens Risk Everything with Open Road, a 1980's Rock/Pop influenced tune about finding your path (at last). The music suggests the freedom one finds when making the right choices. Hold Me Down opens with slide guitar and a funky rhythm tied to a soulful chorus in a song about striving for your dreams with no reserve. This is a great Pop/Rock song with an unforgettable hook. Bring Down The Fire is a song about Faith and Redemption, defined loosely in Spiritual terms. Wrecking Ball has a quiet sense of urgency that runs through it, although the song itself runs a bit flat (not in pitch).

Bleeding Black is a monumental piece of songwriting, crossing the divide between Country, Pop/Rock and Singer/Songwriter as if they don't exist. There's a Tom Waits feel to this song and a sense of spiritual fulfillment that is startling and legitimate. Poetically speaking this is an amazing composition, and the music is incredible. High Speed Low Drag finds Nathan Lee sounding vaguely like Gordon Lightfoot on the verses but launching into a vibrant and lyrically dense rock chorus. Still is a spiritual anthem about refusing to stagnate; it's the theme of a man whose already lost everything and knows there is nothing to lose (hence the title of the album). The song is uplifting and meaningful and likely to find seeds of understanding in many who listen. Lee closes out with Broke And Hollow Man, a gospel tune with secular leanings about how simplicity sheds light on truth. It sounds like it could be a theme song for Lee. The song references sin but doesn't push any particular Faith but faith itself. This is an amazing tune; you'll hear traces of Joe Cocker here, but Broke And Hollow Man, and Lee himself are 100% originals.

On Risk Everything, Nathan Lee does, and wins. Risk Everything is one of the most inspiring listens of the year, teaching gospel truths in human terms and magical songs. Nathan Lee has been high and low over the course of his life, from having it all to having nothing. Risk Everything finds Lee at a point where he's finally doing what he was made to do, and all the doors to the hall stand open. Come on in. You'll be glad you did.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Nathan Lee at http://www.nathanleemusic.com/ or www.myspace.com/nathanleemusic. You can pre-order Risk Everything through Nathan Lee’s webstore.

Review: Gaby V - Let Me In

Gaby V - Let Me In

2009, Gabriel Velazquez

Gaby V hears a different drummer than most of us and has been following that inner beat for much of his life. A gold medalist in baseball in the 1996 Junior Olympics, Gaby V's baseball dreams were ended prematurely by injury. By 2005, Gaby V was locked into the corporate world as a loan originator, but his worldview was changed at a music festival in Northern California. Two weeks later Gaby V walked out of his structured world, got on a plane to Central America and spent six months traveling around with his guitar. Upon returning to the US, Gaby V moved to San Francisco and immersed himself in that city's music scene, making a lot of high-profile friends over time. Cut to 2009, and Gaby V has released his debut album, Let Me In, produced by Grammy winner Oz Fritz (Tom Waits, Les Claypool, Trey Anastasio). Gaby V mixes quirky titles with highly melodic arrangements and first class musicianship in an effort sure to garner him attention outside of Northern California.

Let Me In opens with Intuition, a tuneful composition that finds Gaby V sounding more than a bit like Paul Simon. Leslie is all about trying to find your way in the world, and how sometimes the right person can open all sorts of doors inside of you you might never have known were there. The melody is infectious and has a bit of a Jason Mraz-style lyrical flood going on; a highly memorable track with real potential commercial impact. Let Me In is a musical ultimatum with a bit of country flavoring. By this point in the album you'll notice that Gaby V is pretty smart and concise lyricist with real sense for melody and perfect little hooks that stick in your brain long after the song ends. Gaby V also has a quirky relationship with words at times, creating little moments of cognitive dissonance in his songs that grab the listener's attention. This happens for the first time in Time and serves as both a subtle comic foil and a focus for the listener.

Dreams has a reggae flavor and speaks to a life lived for the love of what you're doing rather than one lived in fear of losing what you have. It's a highly positive message and a highly infectious melody/arrangement. Gaby V speaks from experience here, lending the tune veracity and power that's often missing from feel good Pop. Seamstress is full of funk and celebrates someone else who lives according to the beat of their own drummer. It's an exciting and infectious tune that will get you moving if you have even the barest pulse. Sloshbucket is funky bit of 1970's rock about coping with day-to-day life. It's yet another tune on Let Me In that will get you moving unless you’re clinically dead.

Drive-Thrus and Ammunition is a classic-country sounding tune that turns into a Ramones-style Punk anthem about the American tendency to strive for progress no matter how many steps back it might take us. There's a whiff of humor running through the song even thought its clear Gaby V doesn't find the subject funny. Exit is a bit of gentle introspection where Gaby V seems to take in all he's lived through thus far and sets a point on the horizon as his next stop. It's not clear where, exactly, he's headed, but the closing track, Mustard Squirt might offer some clues. Mustard Squirt is a bit of whimsy that fits perfectly into the American Folk Music tradition.

To judge from the material presented on Let Me In, Gaby V has the intelligence, musical talent and panache to play with the great storytellers and troubadours of American Folk. Gaby V uses humor and insight to open the eyes of listeners, throwing curves in off counts to keep listeners on their toes and occasionally blowing you away with the high heat of a blunt observation. The musicianship and songwriting here are sublime. Gaby V might just be the biggest (and most pleasant) surprise of 2009 thus far. Let Me In is essential listening, a Wildy's World Certified Desert Island Disc. Make sure you check this one out.
Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Gaby V at http://www.gabyvmusic.com/ or www.myspace.com/gabyvmusic. Let Me In will be released in the Fall of 2009, although you can download a copy now through Amazon.com! If you’re looking for more traditional release forms (CD, LP), then keep checking Gaby V’s website for a release date.