Review: Earl J. Rivard - Underground Railroad

Earl J. Rivard - Underground Railroad
2010, Earl J. Rivard

Earl J. Rivard, III has built a life by making the most of his gifts and not allowing roadblocks to stop him from achieving his dreams. The Almeda, California resident has become a top-notch, highly courted performer in California in spite of being blinded and partially paralyzed as an infant by a drunk driver. Nevertheless, Rivard showed a musical proclivity from the age of three. His father, Earl J. Rivard, Jr. took his son under his wing, playing with Earl III until it became clear that Earl III had blossomed. Singing in a wonderfully soulful voice in English, Spanish and Italian, Rivard breaks down barriers for others as easily as he has for himself. Whether singing rock n roll, soul or troubadour folk, Rivard commands attention. Rivard will soon release his sophomore album, Underground Railroad, a stunning testament to perseverance.

Underground Railroad opens with the title track, a soulful and politically charged missive in song taking American immigration policy to task. Rivard calls for the creation of an underground network to help those crossing from Mexico into the US to circumvent US policy, singing passionately and with conviction. “Underground Railroad” perhaps ignores the fact that such networks already exist and continuously do battle with the limits that are in place. Musically, the song is well written, and for a passion perspective it’s convincing, but the inattention to detail makes the song less compelling. “Till I Met You” is a heartfelt but languid ballad that is pretty but lacking a bit in energy. Rivard shows two distinct sides here: In his upper range he could almost pass for a soulful Garth Brooks, but in his lower range he sounds a great deal like Taye Diggs.

“Coldest Place” is a sorrowful ballad that confirms Rivard’s weakness. The man has an amazing voice, but on the more lyric vocal parts he tends at times to lose the energy that sustains such songs, particularly on long, slow passages. “The Sun Finally Rose” finds Rivard turning the corner with a jubilant celebration of finding love after heartache. Delivered as a pop/Americana tune, “The Sun Finally Rose” is great musical poetry. On “Nobody Knows”, Rivard offers a theatrical presentation of a song about a runaway. You’ll swear this song must have come from some obscure but promising off-Broadway musical, and Rivard’s vocal reading is impressive beyond words.

“Magdalena” finds Rivard dealing in Spanish, and offering up guitar work that’s bound to draw comparisons to the great Carlos Santana. Wit shines through “Unfinished Songs”, a tongue-in-cheek paean to anyone who’s ever been or tried to be a songwriter. The song is full of snarky touches from the doo-wop background singers to the somewhat yet predictable yet still amusing ending. Rivard stakes his reputation on being something of a troubadour, and lives up to the billing on “Lady, Sweet Lady”. Sounding like an arrangement that might have originated in Shakespeare’s time, “Lady, Sweet Lady” is a lovely tune that firmly establishes not only Rivard’s versatility as a performer but also his talent as a songwriter.

“This Time Around” is an opportunistic love song done in an Americana/rock blend. It’s a classic tune about making the best of a second chance no matter the cost. “This Time Around” might be the finest example of songwriting on Underground Railroad. Rivard channels the spirit of Dan Fogelberg on Yours Eternally, a song all about the fragility of love. The gorgeous melody and arrangement are matched only by the prescience of Rivard’s lyrics and his mesmerizing voice. Rivard follows this up with “Yours Eternally”, which seems likely to be on the list of most-used first dance songs if Rivard ever gets his big break. This is a wow moment. Underground Railroad closes out with a radio edit of the title track.

It’s hard to imagine how Earl J. Rivard, III isn’t a household name already. What seems very likely, however, is that he one day will be. Whatever else you might have to say about Earl J. Rivard, it’s very clear that any deficits he may have suffered throughout his life seem small compared to the magnitude of both his voice and talent as a songwriter. Underground Railroad is a thrilling experience, an album you will cherish both in spite of and for its minor flaws. When Rivard sings, the angels stop to listen. You will too.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Earl J. Rivard at http://www.earljrivard.com/ or www.myspace.com/earljrivard. Underground Railroad is due for release in the Spring of 2010. Keep checking Rivard's website for update release information and availability.

Review: Davey Spicer & The Creatures Of Habit - Fingers & Curves

Davey Spicer & The Creatures Of Habit - Fingers & Curves
2009, Davey Spicer

Brisbane, Australia's Davey Spicer & The Creatures Of Habit return with their latest EP, Fingers & Curves. The follow-up to 2008's Tides & Caves and Feathers & Nails continues the band's traditional of invoking out-of-the-box sounds and influences.

Fingers & Curves opens with "Agapantha", a healthy dose of infectious acoustic blues/rock. "Agapantha" is likely to get stuck in your noggin, and is a great start. The energy falls way off for "Pink Lemonade", which features an exceedingly mellow arrangement with a lazy vocal line that's more passive than anything. "First & Final Lovesong" may not impress over all, but the arrangement and instrumentation will certainly catch your ear. The Creatures Of Habit use guitar, percussion and bells in quirky mix that's worth a second listen. "Honey Sweet Dreams" is a dark and self-serving goodnight wish that's inherently angry and volatile. The song is a little rough on its transitions, but highly intriguing and shows some of the complexity that dapples Davey Spicer's musical C.V.

Fingers & Curves doesn't measure up to Davey Spicer & The Creatures Of Habit's best work, but it offers some highly intriguing aspects. There's a lot going on in this band, who always sounds like they are on the verge of really putting things together. While that grand musical unification has yet to materialize, the promise of what might be born when it arrives is enough to keep Davey Spicer & The Creatures Of Habit trying.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Davey Spicer & The Creatures Of Habit at www.myspace.com/daveyspicercreatures. There are no web outlets to purchase Fingers & Curves, if interested, contact Davey Spicer through his MySpace page.

Review: Dana Wells - The Evergreen EP

Dana Wells - The Evergreen EP
2010, Dana Wells

Growing up in a Washington, D.C. area household where top-notch musicians regularly come to record in your basement has to have an effect on someone. For Dana Wells, it served as a breeding ground for a subtle mind and a voice that are both mature far beyond her nineteen years. The Berklee College Of Music student is the daughter of prominent Beltway band leader Wayne Kilentz and was composing her own songs by the age of three. As the bass player, songwriter and lead vocalist for Lemonface, Wells transcended the usual high school band experience, becoming a top draw in the Baltimore/DC corridor as well as playing clubs in New York City and Los Angeles. As wells transitioned from high school to college, she also transitioned into the role of solo artist. The first official document is now available, as Wells has released her solo debut, The Evergreen EP.

Wells opens with "Anyone But You", a love song that avoids convention and sap to explore potential. Wells makes great use of imagery here and throughout the EP, wrapped in a simple arrangement and strong melody. Dana Wells has a voice that's clear and sweet with just a hint of amber; shaded but not dark or desolate. "We Come Undone" is a forthright and insightful look into the human condition and the chaos we seem to breed. Wells shows herself to be a serious songwriter with a gentle delivery that's eminently pleasing to the ear. "Evergreen" is a song about faith; not so much religious faith per se, but a faith in things working out for the best. Wells sings with her heart; showing an ability to commit to a song fully and in the moment without over-performing

"Leave Me", which Wells co-wrote with guitarist Mark Williams deals with the aftermath of a relationship. The song takes a pragmatic approach to looking back, yet betrays a deeply emotional vein beneath the surface. On "The Benefit" Wells acquires a country/Americana flavor that suits her well. The song is highly poetic and well-written; a wow-moment that illuminates the aftermath of a relationship in highly personal terms. All of this is build-up to "Watching Winter Melt Away", a virtuosic songwriting endeavor that uses both seasons and geography to illuminate the cycles of love and loss. Wells uses the song to uncover a realization that a relationship is simply not meant to be. "Watching Winter Melt Away" is the sort of song that other artists hear over time and cover because the song is so compelling and well written it needs to be heard. The Evergreen EP winds down with "Into Air", rumination on loss that's full of melancholy and regret. "Into Air" is poignant, skipping self-pity for an attempt to better understand how something good fell apart.

It's hard to know where to start. If you saw Dana Wells busking on a corner somewhere you'd keep throwing money in her case all day so she wouldn't stop. Add to this a songwriting talent that quickly paces the bulk of her contemporaries and shows the potential to someday be discussed in awed tones and it's hard to imagine Dana Wells doing anything other than making music for a living. Wells doesn't aim for such lofty goals as being a rock star, but she does want to be a working musician. Music fans everywhere benefit from that decision (or they will over time). This is talent that's meant to shine, and Dana Wells has made an excellent start of it on The Evergreen EP.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Dana Wells at http://www.danawellsmusic.com/ or www.myspace.com/danawellsmusic. The Evergreen EP is available as either a CD or Download from CDBaby.com.

Review: Jarrett Fenlon - Sprung

Jarrett Fenlon - Sprung
2010, Jarrett Fenlon

San Francisco's Jarrett Fenlon is a performer with two distinct personalities. On one hand is the cultured bluesman, singing with a mostly lyric voice and pop mentality that puts a nice sheen on songs about hard knocks. On the other hand is the passionate balladeer that is primarily influenced by folks such as Van Morrison or Rod Stewart. This duality has been on display in San Francisco for some time now, as well as up and down the West Coast in small venues as Fenlon has worked on paying his musical dues. Fenlon brings both personas to his sophomore album, Sprung,

Fenlon has a great voice for the blues-based material, a lyric tenor with a gruff edge and a world-wary approach that's perfect for the working man's art that is the blues. On the ballads Fenlon can be hit or miss, occasionally struggling for pitch and tone. Both voices make ample appearances on Sprung, which opens with the Breezy folk/pop of "Autumn". This is a great bit of songwriting and a perfect way to kick off the album. "Love Slave" is an entertaining blues-based tune about how powerless love can make you feel. Fenlon is convincing as a blues vocalist in spite of the smooth sound he showed on "Autumn". "Boots" become an object of affection on this fun number with exquisite instrumentation. Musically this is the best offering on the album.

Fenlon digs into his first bossa nova on the title track, a study in fear of commitment from the male perspective. On "Love A Little Bit" you'll hear the first hints of pitch and tone issues as Fenlon sounds quite uncertain in an awkward folk ballad with horns. Things are a bit better on "From The First Moment", but difficulties persist. The arrangement is a pleasant one, but the song and performance pale in comparison to the more blues-based material. "Mean Ol' Woman" is the well-written story of an uptown girl who falls in love with a downtown boy. The song uses humor both descriptively and as a weapon and will be a must in concert. Fenlon closes with the cliché ballad "True Love". The arrangement is decent enough, but the song just doesn't have any spark and Fenlon's vocal issues make this a tough choice.

Jarrett Fenlon is of two minds as a performer: the Bluesy side works very well; the lyric side is much less consistent. Sprung is a solid effort that leaves ample room to grow. Some of the material on Sprung absolutely soars, and at other times it seems to be grounded. Over time, Fenlon will pick through these steps and find a path that suits him well. Right now it sounds as if he's still working it out.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Jarrett Fenlon at http://www.jarrettfenlonmusic.com/ or www.myspace.com/jarrettfenlon. You can purchase Sprung on CD from CDBaby.com. If digital is more your speed, pick it up from Amazon.com.

Review: Noah Earle - This Is The Jubilee

Noah Earle - This Is The Jubilee
2010, May Apple Records

Noah Earle has found his voice. Over the course of two acclaimed albums, Noah Earle has established himself as an up-and-coming songwriter on unusual talent. Both Six Ways To Sunday and Postcards From Home were impressive, showing flashes of brilliance, but on his third album, This Is The Jubilee (April 13, 2010), Noah Earle pulls it all together in a collection of fourteen magical songs. Earle mixes smart, sophisticated songwriting with gorgeous organic arrangements, but the true magic is in his poetry. This Is The Jubilee knows little of trickery, but much of nuance and art.

This Is The Jubilee opens with "Jubilee", an eclectic arrangement of guitar, cello, horns and percussion. Earle offers up both pleasing lead and harmony vocals while serving notice that this listening experience will be a little different. "Caravan Days" finds Earle paying tribute to youth and all of the experiences that end up shaping up into who we are. The song is a thank you to someone in particular, but can be heard as a general song of thanks for surviving and prospering from the lost days of youth to the found life we inherit. "The Sky's On Fire" is a musical daydream about the end of the world. The song is both odd and lovely in competing measure, with lyrics that border on magical ("As man shows signs of age he learns to feel small").

"Cornflower Blue" is a nice bit of songwriting with a pretty melody, but gets a bit too busy in the arrangement for its own good. Earle gets in some mix-tape consideration with the light-rock love song "Intertwined", a romantic take on the blending of lives that occurs over time. "Pinche Guera" gives a fair approximation of a Paul Simon song played with Latin horns and Fingerstyle guitar. Sung in both English and Spanish, this bouncy tune is a lot of fun. "Awaken Me" looks back at the earliest days of life and how they might affect us throughout our lives. The song is cute with a dash of humor, but carries deeper implications than you might glean the first time through. Earle shows a slightly crunchier side on guitar in catchy and enjoyable "Follow" before returning to the bossa nova form in "Love Above Ground". The most touching moment on the album is a lullaby that might be sung from the road by a dad who travels for his work. "My Silent Lullaby" is a thing of beauty, a true "Wow" moment. Earle closes with "Wait Awhile (Jubilee #2)", a gentle and fitting epilogue for This Is The Jubilee.

Over his first two albums, Noah Earle showed significant talent as a songwriter and performer. On This Is The Jubilee, Earle begins to actualize those gifts at something close to their full potential. Fans of true singer-songwriter style singing and story-telling, get ready for the next generation. Noah Earle shows the earmarks of a performer we'll still be talking about a generation from now.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Noah Earle at http://www.noahearle.com/ or www.myspace.com/noahearle. You can purchase This Is The Jubilee as either a CD or Download from Amazon.com.

Review: Nick Curran And The Lowlifes - Reform School Girl

Nick Curran And The Lowlifes - Reform School Girl
2010, Electric Groove Records

Austin, Texas-based Nick Curran has made quite a stir in the world of roots music. His debut album, 2004's Dr. Velvet won the W.C. Handy Award (AKA The Blues Music Award) for "Best New Artist Debut", leading to all sorts of positive press and a stint on HBO's True Blood. Along the way, Curran spent three years playing with Jimmie Vaughan of The Fabulous Thunderbirds, and gained a reputation as one of the most hard-charging guitarists in his genre. Curran recurs with his new band The Lowlifes on the brand new Reform School Girl, recently released on Electric Groove Records.

Reform School Girl opens with "Tough Lover", a blend of Rock, R&B and Bop. Curran gets a bit derivative, invoking Lil Richard in his vocal styling while throwing in references to Elvis Presley and Jesse James (the outlaw, not the idiot), but the song is a delightful romp of old school fun and modern poetry. "Reel Rock Party" is barrelhouse blues and rock n roll. The song is entertaining, although the heavy vocal effects are more of a distraction than a boon. "Reform School Girl" is a bit kitschy, with a pure 1950's style that will mesh uneasily with the more modern subject matter for some oldies fans. The rest of the album is much the same, whether on big catchy pop/rock tunes such as "Sheena's Back", "The Lowlife" or "Lusty Lil' Lucy", or more mundane tunes like "Dream Girl" or "Filthy".

Curran has a great voice for the art form, and his band is as tight as they come. Reform School Girl takes a beloved form for older baby-boomers and mixes it with a burlesque sensibility that may make it a tough sell to the folks who generally listen to 1950's music. Curran is obviously aiming for a lower common denominator. The songs are strong and well written; but it seems likely that the demographic for this material is a very narrow band that could easily be missed. Curran gets a lot of points for creativity and showmanship, but something here rings a bit hollow nonetheless.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Nick Curran & The Lowlifes at http://www.nickcurran.com/ or www.myspace.com/curranrocks. Reform School Girl is available from Amazon.com as either a CD or Download.

Review: Sevendust - Cold Day Memory

Sevendust - Cold Day Memory
2010, 7Bros. Records/ILG

Nothing beats coming home, something guitarist Clint Lowery realized after returning to Sevendust after a three album absence. Lowery was a vital part of Sevendust's early success, helping to fill out the distinctive sound of the band with both his guitar and backing vocals. Not that Sevendust had been bereft without Lowery in the intervening years. The band has continued to enjoy commercial and artistic success, but the homecoming was good for everyone, as evidence by Sevendust's 8th studio album, Cold Day Memory, due out on April 20, 2010.

Cold Day Memory opens with the trip-hammer percussion and searing guitar work of "Splinter", going for face-melting power right out of the box but with just a touch of pop sensibility woven in. The intensity is maintained on "Forever", a relentless barrage that is both powerful and memorable. The album's first single, "Unraveling" has been a commercial monster for the band, peaking at #6 and becoming Sevendust's highest charting single to date. Vocalist Lajon Witherspoon benefits greatly from the more open arrangement here, letting go of the tightly controlled range he sometimes manages in the band's more sonically dense material. This is vintage Sevendust, and obviously commercial radio agrees.

"Karma" is one of the more sophisticated tunes Sevendust has tackled over time, blending tribal beats and nuanced guitar in the verse before ripping the roof off with a big, explosive chorus. Expect this one to be a live favorite. Sevendust bolts into "Ride Insane" with both barrels blazing for a pure metal experience before heading a more pop/metal route on "Confessions". "Confessions" has the pre-requisite big rock chorus and serious pop pretensions. The verses here are pensive with strong vocal harmonies and a lyric guitar undertow. This is the most sonically refined song on the album and the one most likely to have serious crossover potential.

Sevendust stays in the highly accessible category with "Nowhere", a throwback to the era of classic rock and metal with a highly lyric element that's pleasing to the ear. This song could be huge for Sevendust, both for the sound and the theme of an ambiguous destination, which may appeal to a generation disillusioned by its prospects. The accessibility continues on "Here And Now" before Sevendust turns things up a notch for two on "The End Is Coming". This is a great tune with some seriously heavy elements blended into a pop-metal matrix, and succeeds in spite of the subject matter of end times which is so fashionable at the moment its already outdated. Sevendust wades deeper and deeper into the heavier sound on "Better Place" and the closing number, "Strong Arm Broken". The latter may not sound like a classic closer, but it's the perfect epilogue for Cold Day Memory.

Reunions have a high degree of unpredictability. Some fail miserably, some soar. More often than not the result is mixed. Cold Day Memory finds Sevendust in the midst of a reunion that merely seems like the next step in the evolution of the band. The magic that was present in Sevendust from the beginning has been restored in much the same fashion that classic movies get restored. All was well before, but from the perspective of this moment it’s clear that as good as Sevendust has been over their past three albums, they were somehow incomplete. The original lineup gels right from the beginning of Cold Day Memory. Long time fans will be stoked, and Sevendust stands to broaden their fan base with what may be their best all-around album to date.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Sevendust at http://www.sevendust.com/ or www.myspace.com/sevendust. Cold Day Memory drops on April 20, 2010. You can pre-order the album from Amazon.com as either a Limited Edition CD/DVD Dual disc or Download.