Tuneola - Retrospective

Tuneola - Retrospective
2010, Now And Forever Records

Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire, England-native Aaron Jaycie grew up in a working class household and followed in his father's footsteps as a steel worker.  Nevertheless, he never lost his love for music, and was soon playing in various bands in both the UK and Germany.  Jaycie put aside his musical dreams at the age of thirty due to a lack of desired success, but the music wouldn't stop coming.  Jaycie has begun writing again, but remains fond of his older material.  Retrospective is a collection of the best of Jaycie's prior musical life.  Released under the name Tuneola, Retrospective is surprisingly good for someone who almost walked away from it all.

Retrospective opens with "Roll Up You Sinners", a smooth mix of blues, rock and Americana that's reminiscent of Steve Miller.  Catchy in spite of the mellow presentation, the song is highly melodic and enjoyable; with a swaying feel that captures you in its vibe.  Kim Coupe capably takes the mic for "Maybe We Will", a mix of space age rock and Jimmy Buffet with a mellow vibe.  Something just doesn't quite click here, but many of the elements work.  "White Horses" is catchy, Abba-esque vocal dance pop.  Vocalist Joanne Wilkinson has a pretty voice that bounces around nicely here, even if the production occasionally gets in the way. 

"No Leaving Today" blends Americana and rock n roll in a sweet and smooth blend.  Jaycie infuses pleasant harmonies into both the instrumental and vocal arrangements, ala the Eagles, but with a mischievous R&B backbeat.  Tuneola gets spry and slinky with "Ride Your Psychedelic Scooter To The Beach Young Man", an early 1970's rock instrumental where the synthesizer takes charge with a melody line that wags its finger in your face.  "A Tadpole Short Of A Pond" is an interesting look at either a mystic man or a nut job, depending upon your perspective.  Crosby, Still and Nash style harmonies and a vibrant arrangement makes this a fun listen.

"Too Much To Do Today" advocates letting go of day-to-day responsibilities to enjoy life a little bit while engaging in a bit of Graceland era Paul Simon musical style.  This one is fun and full of a light energy that's irresistible.  "Politician" is a tongue in cheek look at the virtues of politicians, told from the perspective of one telling the truth for once.  The layered instrumentation and angular, edgy feel of the song fit perfectly to the subject matter.  "Just A Game" sounds like it might have come right out of a Psychodots (aka The Bears minus Adrian Belew) recording session.  Jaycie imbues the arrangement with tremendous energy and movement in a story about changes in perception and changes in reality.  There's some serious boogie-country in this song's genes, as evidenced in the virulent chorus.

"Hey Nonny No" is a joyous tune celebrating divorce in spite of all that he's lost.  The bouncy and fun country/rock arrangement finds him amidst the revelation that she got all the stuff but he got his freedom.  "The Return Of Eddie Shoes" is a funky instrumental that works in a faux horn section (synth); a light musical snack that's entertaining and works as great setup to the big close.  Retrospective bows with "Jingle Bells Ain't What It Used To Be", a catchy light disco number about how Christmas doesn't mean as much as it used to.  Kim Coupe is back in the driver's seat on lead vocals, and handles the duty adeptly.

Tuneola's Retrospective is a look back on the song-writer Aaron Jaycie once was.  It's good enough to make you hope that however his future songs develop; he doesn't lose the energy and inspiration that make this such a fascinating listen.  Aaron Jaycie walked away because he hadn't achieved the goals he set for himself by the age of 30.  Retrospective proves that this says more about the music industry in general than it does about Tuneola.  This one's a keeper.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

 Learn more about Tuneola at http://www.rnjcmusic.com/.  Retrospective is available from Amazon.com as a CD or Download.  The album is also available from iTunes.

Review: Janyse - Dreamers/This Day Is Mine

Janyse - Dreamers/This Day Is Mine
2009, Magical Voice Productions

Canadian pop singer and voiceover artist Janyse lives a life of inspiration. Injuries from a car accident once had doctors telling her she might end up in a wheelchair for the rest of her life. Hard work, perseverance and faith have kept her from that chair, but also driven her to become one of the top voiceover artists in the world. Janyse has voiced characters in projects such as Hulk Vs. Thor, Hulk Vs. Wolverine, Gene Roddenberry’s Andromeda, Batman: Black & White, My Little Pony, and Ed, Edd n Eddy. She is also an acclaimed Pop singer/songwriter in her native Canada. Taking cues from artists such as ABBA, Diane Warren, Peggy Lee and The Bee Gees, Janyse infuses light Pop dance beats with a positive outlook and a strong positive message. Her two most recent singles are prime examples.

Dreamers is feel good dance pop at its finest. The song encourages listeners to not give up on their dreams, irrespective of what life throws at you and of what other people might think. As dance music goes it's relatively light 1980's Dance/Pop; probably not a threat to the dance charts of today but a pleasant listen. This Day Is Mine keeps up the positive attitude with a proclamation about working hard toward your goals and celebrating each and every day for what it is. Again, light Dance/Pop with a 1980's bent. Janyse can pull this material off because she's lived it; it's hard to be this positive in the popular realm unless it's very clear you genuinely own the message, and that comes through in Janyse's delivery. Dreamers and This Day Is Mine are songs for folks who long for a sweeter age of Popular music.

Ratings:

Dreamers 3 Stars (Out of 5)
This Day Is Mine 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Janyse at http://www.janyse.com/, where you can purchase downloads of both Dreamers and This Day Is Mine. Dreamers is also available through iTunes.

Review: Chess In Concert

Chess In Concert
2009, Reprise Records

On May 12th and 13th of 2008, London's Royal Albert Hall came alive for a concert production of the musical Chess. With a score by Bjorn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson (both of ABBA), and lyrics by the legendary Tim Rice, Chess has become one of the cult musical hits of the last twenty-five years. Chess has seen multiple versions in its first quarter century, many mixing and matching elements of the original West End and Broadway productions, but Tim Rice declared this concert version to be the "official" version of the show. There are no less than six recorded versions of the show that have been sold at one time or another, and each varies a little or a lot from the others. In conceiving this performance, an all-star cast was chosen to perform with the City Of London Philharmonic Orchestra. World-renowned singing star Josh Groban reprised the role of "The Russian" Anatoly (he previously performed as Anatoly in a 2003 Actor's Fund Of America Concert), while Idina Menzel (Wicked, Rent) took the lead of Florence. Rent's Adam Pascal is Freddie (The American). Other principals include Clarke Peters as Walter, Marti Pellow (Wet Wet Wet) as the Arbiter, David Bedella as Molokov, and Kerry Ellis (Wicked - London) as Svetlana. Reprise records released Chess In Concert as a DVD, a 2-CD set and a one CD highlights disc on June 30, 2009. A special edition combination CD/DVD is available solely on websites of stars Josh Groban and Idina Menzel.

Chess is a Cold War musical that views the political struggle between the United States and The Soviet Union through the prism of the 1972 World Chess Championship. Freddie, The American, is loosely based on the character of former World Chess Champion Bobby Fischer, while Anatoly has been speculated as having basis in the lives of Russian Chess Masters Anatoly Karpov and Victor Korchnoi. Granted this recording can pick and choose from two separate concerts for the material presented on CD and DVD, but the recording is nearly flawless. Fans of Idina Menzel may be a bit surprised to hear a more lyric vocal style from the Tony winner; hitting some notes in head voice you might never imagine after hearing her belt her way through Wicked and Rent. Her performance is outstanding, as is that of Groban. As a longtime fan of the show it was a bit jarring to hear Groban voice the role of Anatoly without a Russian accent, particularly in light of David Bedella's incredible Russian accent as Molokov, but Groban's so good it just doesn't matter in the end. Perhaps the most pleasant surprise is Adam Pascal as Freddie. Pascal is a great singer, which I knew, but he took the role of Freddie right over the top, putting in the best vocal performance in that role of any of the six recordings now or previously in print. The other pleasant surprise was Kerry Ellis. I hadn't come across Ms. Ellis before, but it shouldn't surprise considering her status as leading lady in the West End production of Wicked (and previous stint as Elphaba on Broadway as well). David Bedella was perfect as Molokov, and Marti Pellow put in a strong vocal performance as the arbiter, but may have been miscast, sounding less than authoritative in a role full of its own power.

There isn't a bad moment on the disc, although Menzel's stage pronunciation gets a bit over-emphasized in the recording on a couple of occasions (this is more of a production issue than anything). The City Of London Philharmonic is flawless throughout, and the ensemble pieces sparkle and shine like jewels at the bottom of a sunlit stream. Rice's lyrics are as sharp and enduring as ever, and the score speaks for itself. Highlights abound. Groban pulls off an amazing vocal performance in Where I Want To Be, and Menzel knocks it out of the park on her first solo venture, Nobody's Side, with a tough-yet-vulnerable feel that defines the character of Florence. Pascal and Menzel find an interesting bit of chemistry on Florence Quits, where Freddie goes Brooklyn on Florence and she gives it right back. The long association of Menzel and Pascal may have helped out here, but they sound like two lovers tearing each other apart.

Quartet may be one of the finest ensemble pieces this side of Frank Loesser's Fugue For Tin Horns, and even though this particular version isn't my favorite it's still extremely well done. Embassy Lament is enhanced as a quartet rather than the original duo, providing light moment with some gorgeous harmonies. Two particular diva moments stand out in the show as well. Idina Menzel owns the stage, crowd and hall on Heaven Help My Heart, proving that she can handle a lyric line as well as she can defy gravity. Likewise, Pascal takes Pity The Child home where it belongs. This is perhaps one of the finest male solo pieces in the Rock Musical era, and Pascal doesn't disappoint. Josh Groban, never one to be left out of the discussion, brings his own moment on Anthem, making any debate regarding accents moot once and for all. Kerry Ellis even takes a turn on Someone Else's Story as a lead up to her epic duet with Menzel on I Know Him So Well. Ellis' full, deep tone balances Menzel's edgier sound so perfectly you'd think they were born to sing together. Pascal also takes One Night In Bangkok, the biggest hit from the show, and creates a reading that's better than the original.

Chess In Concert will bring a collective wow from fans old and new. The show never really got much of a chance in the US because it was so badly butchered for the Broadway run, but there's a reason it keeps getting revised and revived in small runs all over the world. Rice, Ulvaeus and Andersson managed to create a bit of theater magic in Chess. Chess In Concert has been declared the definitive recording of the show by none other than Tim Rice, and so it shall be. It's only a matter of time before the show makes a return to London's West End and perhaps even Broadway. For now, Chess In Concert is a magical take on a show you can't afford to have at least a passing acquaintance with. Chess In Concert is an essential listen; a Wildy's World Certified Desert Island Disc; a classic. Don't miss it.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Chess In Concert at http://www.chessinconcert.com/. You can order a copy of Chess In Concert from Amazon.com. There is also a DVD available and a highlights disc. The concert is also available through iTunes.