CD Review: The Meddling Kids - The Meddling Kids

The Meddling Kids – The Meddling Kids
2007, Mister Cat Records

Nestled in the sleepy little Webster, NY, a suburb of Rochester, comes a little band with big dreams and even bigger sound. There's not much to do in the wintertime in Upstate New York's snow belt, and so The Meddling Kids came together as a band. Named perhaps for the outcry of every villain ever captured by Scooby Doo & The Gang, The Meddling Kids bring classic rock steel and an 80's feel to modern rock. The Meddling Kids released their self-titled debut in 2007. There was much rejoicing.

The Meddling Kids are a guitar-driven rock band with a sound that combines a classic rock sound with great pop hooks. Their use of harmonies and straightforward melody lines makes their music extremely accessible. The most commercial song here is It's Over, lamenting the loss of a relationship. Goodbye is another great pop/rock tune here, relying on big crunchy guitars and harmonies and a relationship on the verge of collapse. Also check out Turn Back and That Something, both of which are worth a listen.

The Meddling Kids dish up a solid debut album with lots of big crunchy guitar sound for your listening pleasure. Some of the songs work out well (the band seems to have a touch for writing great songs about bad relationships), others are not quite as successful, but overall it's a solid album.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about The Meddling Kids at www.myspace.com/themeddlingkidsrock. You can purchase a copy of The Meddling Kids at www.cdbaby.com/meddlingkids. Also be sure to check out their cover of I’ve Done Everything For You on the upcoming Rick Springfield tribute entitled Working Class Dogs.

CD Review: The Bloodsugars - BQEP

Bloodsugars – BQEP
2008, Engine Room Recordings 

The Bloodsugars are something to be sweet on.  This New York City quartet combines modern/Indie rock sound with something resembling 80's synth-pop to create a sugar-coated confection that will have you up dancing the night away.  BQEP is the band's debut offering: Six disparate songs that will have you bouncing off the walls.

BQEP is full of delicious new-wave keyboard riffs, crunchy guitars and an admirable pop sensibility.  The energy and sound here is sometimes reminiscent of early Police recordings.  Songs such as Cinderella and Bloody Mary are absolutely infectious, and will have you dancing in spite of yourself.  Saint of Containment has a nifty R&B vibe that devolves into post-punk mania, and Uh-Oh is a wonderfully eccentric and beautiful ballad.

The Bloodsugars are unique and original and thoroughly a delight to behold.  This is post-punk pop at it's absolutely finest. BQEP displays the sort of witty pop sensibility that exists in the best of rock and roll, regardless of sub-genre.  BQEP will leave you begging for more from The Bloodsugars.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about The Bloodsugars at www.thebloodsugars.com, where you can purchase a copy of BQEP.

CD Review: Annette Neumann - It's A Long Way Down

Annette Neumann – It’s A Long Way Down
2007, Annette Neumann

Annette Neumann has lived the American Dream. After seeing Kathy Mattea on Hee Haw at the tender age of ten, she knew she wanted to write and perform her own music. Over time her affection for country music turned to the more stripped bare traditions of roots/Americana music. 2006 saw the Leitchfield, KY resident release her full-length debut CD, It's A Long Way Down. Neumann's debut is full of great songwriting and a hope for musical purity, and is a hit on all accounts.

It's A Long Way Down is kitchen-table recording at its best. The recordings are not perfect, there are mistakes here and there that the discerning ear will pick up, but it is a very effective and at times powerful recording. Annette Neumann brings the gravitas as a songwriter of Emily Saliers (Indigo Girls) and a presence that suggests Kathy Mattea or even Bonnie Raitt at times. Highlights include the title track, Meet Me, A Better Place, Heavy Load and Pieces Of You And Me. The track Bitter Shade Of Grey is a true gem and is worth seeking out this CD for.

The production values aren't 100% clean, and the recording is closer to an untouched live recording that a true studio recording, but It's A Long Way Down is definitely worth your time and attention. Annette Neumann, with the right producer, could be a star.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Annette Neumann at www.annetteneumann.com. Ms. Neumann recently signed with Colt Records, so I do not know if the availability of It’s A Long Way Down has changed in light of that fact. You can purchase three songs for download currently on her site.

CD Review: Last November - Over The Top Or Under The Weather

Last November - Over The Top Or Under The Weather
2007, Southern Tracks Records

Occasionally you'll come across a rock band that has a knack for smart, incisive lyrics, or a great sense of melody, or wonderful hooks, or a smooth sound. It’s much more unusual to find a band that displays all of these qualities on a consistent basis. Be that as it may, on Over The Top Or Under The Weather, Last November show themselves to be one of the rare bands that have it all.

I spent a couple of days trying to figure out who lead vocalist Luke Pilgrim reminds me of, and I am still at a loss, but there is a definite familiarity to his distinctive voice. One of the things about Last November that surprises is the chameleon-like way they adapt to different styles/sounds throughout Over The Top Or Under The Weather. Last November is equally comfortable in a pop-ballad as they are in a driving alt-rock tune, and comports the sort of energy on CD that must only explode to greater heights in the live environment.

Highlights include Sunday Afternoon, which has Top-40 single written all over it (There's a violin singing my name somewhere / And I hear a piano that's slightly out of tune / Oh and I swear ... I can smell apple pie / Oh it must be a Sunday Afternoon). Jesus Had Breakfast In Bed is the most aggressive rocker on the album, with big crunchy guitars and riffs so hot they'll melt your speakers. Oh, and in the middle of the chorus you'll hear some of the most perfect harmonies you've ever heard in a rock song. This is far and away my favorite on the album.

New York Rain comes back to the pop realm, and sounds like something you might have heard on early-80's AM/FM pop stations. Other highlights include Hot And Cold, Merry Christmas Little Match Girl and I'm Not A Doctor But I Play One On TV.

Last November has the near-perfect mix of rock music with pop sensibilities, and just a little bit of punk cred. It's always hard to tell how tastes will run from minute to minute in the music business, and commercial radio isn't exactly invested in finding new artists when they can play the same 11 songs every hour, but hear me on this. Last November could be HUGE. Over The Top Or Under The Weather might be the best pure pop/rock album of the year thus far.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Last November at www.lastnovember.com, where you can purchase a copy of Over The Top Or Under The Weather.

CD Reviews: KeyDragon - Dragon Prophecy/Legends Of The Dragon

KeyDragon - Dragon Prophecy & Legends Of The Dragon

KeyDragon is a band consumed with dragon lore and mythology. They have issued a series of albums based on Dragons and their lore. Today we review two of those releases: Dragon Prophecy & Legends Of The Dragon.

KeyDragon's sound is definitely in the heavy metal realm, with the "dragon vocals" provided by Ron Langford in a sound that is more growl than singing. Other vocals are provided by Tamara Venus Star who has outstanding pipes. The music is fairly straightforward metal, with some leaning towards gothic or dark metal sounds.

I'll preface this by saying that the ever-presence of Dragons as song subject is a little much for this reviewer. At times it's as if so much concentration has been placed on telling stories about dragons that the music itself has suffered, but there are definite highlights. Dragon Propechy is highlighted by Maud And The Dragon and Fafnir's Tale. Fafnir's Tale is perhaps the most commercial song on Dragon Prophecy. The true gem here though is Facing The Dragon, which opens with a keyboard riff that devolves into a wonderfully variegated, guitar-driven ballad.

Legends Of The Dragon is perhaps just a bit heavier in mood and attitude. The Dragon Prince opens with piano arpeggios that grow into delicious minor key guitar progressions. Die Lang Dragon also relies on the keyboard to guitar transition that seems to be an earmark for KeyDragon. The highlight of Legends Of The Dragon is Cooper And The Dragons.

Let's be frank here, this is a niche band. KeyDragon isn't necessarily going to appeal to a wide swath of the listening public. Some people will be put off by the subject matter, and there are times when the music comes across as forced because the message is king here, not necessarily the music. BUT. If you are a progressive metal fan with some dark leanings, you will appreciate most of what KeyDragon is doing musically. And if you are a Dungeons and Dragons fan or a fan of dragons in general, this is probably right up your alley.

KeyDragon shows brief flashes of brilliance, particularly in the guitar work. It would be something to hear this band writing and playing a wider range of material, where writing choices were not so constricted by the singular subject matter they've chosen, but there are definite high points here worth checking out.

Ratings: Dragon Prophecy - 3 Stars (Out of 5)
Legends Of The Dragon - 2.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about KeyDragon at www.keydragon.com. You can purchase a copy og Legends Of The Dragon at www.cdbaby.com/keydragon9. You can purchase a copy of Dragon Prophecy at www.cdbaby.com/keydragon7.

Review: Andrew Thomas & The Believers - Sister Golden Hair

Andrew Thomas & The Believers – Sister Golden Hair
2008, Andrew Thomas & The Believer

Brooklyn, NY is as American as apple pie. You want good pizza? You can check out Vesuvio on 3rd Ave. You want the best Italian sandwiches anywhere? Try Carluccio’s in Dyker Heights. You want the best Kosher Deli? Try Adelman’s. You can find pockets of some of the best of Chinese, Middle Eastern, Russian and other cultures in Brooklyn. What you don’t expect to find is Classic Americana music informed by kitchen table country and 60’s folk music. Andrew Thomas & The Believers come from the streets of Brooklyn, and have released Sister Golden Hair as a download through their website.

This is low-fi recording at its best. Sister Golden Hair is full of the mirth that comes from any band that really enjoys what they are doing. The album has a complete 1960’s feel to it. One can almost hear Dylan singing along on backing vocals here. Highlights include Working Man, California, Indochine and The Conversation. Andrew Thomas’ free and easy vocals and the incredibly tight-yet-loose playing of The Believers make this an enjoyable listen from start to finish.

Sister Golden Hair is currently only available for download, but the band did send me a hard copy for review. So if you’re stuck on hard media like I am, and you ask them really, really nicely, maybe… In any case, Sister Golden Hair is a fine album. It’s not musically world-shaking, but it’s good time music that is well-delivered. It offers much hope for the future work of Andrew Thomas & The Believers.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can download Sister Golden Hair for $9.99 at www.myspace.com/andrewthomasandthebelievers.

CD Review: Amy Speace - Songs For Bright Street

Amy Speace – Songs For Bright Street
2006, Wildflower Records

What I find impossible to believe is that I have not heard of Amy Speace before now. To think that an album like Songs For Bright Street has been out on the market for two full years and has not been written up/played/trumpeted on every available bit of popular media is unthinkable. Amy Speace is an inimitable talent, and Songs For Bright Street is a masterpiece.

Let’s get the comparisons out of the way. Yes, there is a vocal resemblance to Rosanne Cash, but as a songwriter Amy Speace is non-pareil. Delving into the heartbreak and melancholy of country music with a folk/rock sensibility and a class and reserve reflective of the best of Alison Krauss, Amy Speace has created an album full of classic tunes that cannot be ignored or denied.

The Real Thing is the sort of country/rock anthem that should support Ms. Speace for the rest of her life. It has a universality and classic feel to it that should make it covered by other artists for generations to come (ala These Boots Are Made For Walkin’). Step Out Of The Shade is the sort of feel-good song that tends to do very well on country/pop radio these days. The song itself is outstanding, and pales in comparison to much of the remaining material on Songs For Bright Street. Two is the sort of song that gets chosen as first-dance material at country-themed weddings, and is quite simple, a beautiful ballad.

Other highlights include Make Me Lonely Again, Shed This Skin, Right Through To Me and Double Wide Trailer. Songs For Bright Street closes out with the pensive Home, which serves as an exclamation point on Speace’s lyric ability. The fact is that Amy Speace is one of the most exquisite talents I’ve had the pleasure to review thus far. As a songwriter I would put her in a class with the likes of Jason Plumb, Lyle Lovett or Randy Newman.

Songs For Bright Street is a Desert Island Disc. In a perfect world Amy Speace could buy all the desert islands she wanted from the proceeds of this disc. If you don’t own this album then you can’t think of your music collection as being complete. Songs For Bright Street gets Wildy’s World’s highest recommendation.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Amy Speace at www.amyspeace.com. You can purchase a copy of Songs For Bright Street at www.cdbaby.com/amyspeace3, at Amazon.com, or as download through iTunes.