The White Ravens - Saddle Up The Whales

The White Ravens – Saddle Up The Whales
2012, The White Ravens

Brother and sister songwriting team Will and Amy Bennett began their band, The White Ravens, on Christmas Day, 2004.  Now 19 and 20, respectively, The Bennetts are carving out an interesting niche in the Indie rock scene in Michigan.  Terming their sound “indie pop geek cabaret rock”, The White Ravens are influenced by a cacophony of sounds from the worlds of rock, classical, Broadway, folk and modern Indie rock.  Will Bennett (keys, guitar) is the composer, and Amy Bennett (vocals, bass) is the lyricist.  It’s a dynamic combination that is responsible for a wonderful tuneful, effervescent pop/rock sound.  On their third album, Saddle Up The Whales, The White Ravens seem to have finally come into their own.

The opening track, “Saddle Up The Whales” is vibrant; joyous; a little bit messy and a whole lot of fun.  Rather than the cynicism so common in modern popular music, The White Ravens glory in a sort of youthful glee.  The result is a sound that is complex, but driven by a singular pop sensibility that gets under your skin and makes you want to get up and dance. “Rube Goldberg Machine” features the same sort of simple joy, wrapped up in an incredibly complex and varying arrangement.  Will Bennett shows his compositional skills run somewhere between those of the Beatles and Ben Folds, blending rock, pop and classical components into an amazingly cogent bit of writing.  Amy Bennett backs it all up with lyrics that are wonderfully twisted and full of the simply joy of making music.

“Informational Video” takes a disco beat and turns it into a complex, layered pop song.  You’ll want to dance and sing along.  “Conspiracy” is a paranoia-filled nightmare for the relationship-phobic in the crowd.  There is a distinct cabaret-pop feel to this tune, and Amy Bennett perfectly balances an edge of sultry songstress with quirk and humor.  The White Ravens offer up a change of pace with “Rain Song”.  Sounding at first like a ballad, “Rain Song” is quirky and pensive, but carries a melody that is beautiful and sweet.  Amy Bennett handles this juxtaposition with a surprising grace.  “Spaaace” is a catchy piano-driven rocker full of classical themes and a fearful penchant for space travel.  The song is infectiously off-kilter; the sort you return to again and again. 

“Mechanical Whales” starts out with a dark cloud hanging over it, brought on by the delicious minor key piano opening.  This turns into an art-rock extravaganza that is more about sound and structure than anything else.  The result is stark and full of a surprisingly twisted beauty.  “World’s Smallest Piece Of Pasta” has more of a chic-dance rock aesthetic.  The quirk factor here is quite high, and the song is an entertaining if surreal listen.  “Great Pacific Garbage Patch” commemorates the world’s eighth continent, a large collection of garbage afloat in the Pacific Ocean.  This tune has great comedic potential, but The White Ravens find a gentler path through the song.  “Arlene’s Grocery” is full of wonderfully zany lyrics.  The arrangement matches the feel but is complex and well-developed.  “We’re Glad You’re Here” is a Beatles-esque musical exploration full of layered sounds ala Phil Specter.  It’s a nice sonic segue way into the closing track, a boogie-woogie take on “Bye Bye Blackbird”.  Will Bennett gets to show off his piano prowess here in unvarnished terms, and Amy Bennett shows depth and grace in her handling of the vocal line. 

The White Ravens keep you on your toes and ultimately charm your socks off on Saddle Up The Whales.  The musical depth and breadth of what they are doing here before legal drinking age speaks to a pair of distinctive musical talents, and a special chemistry that simply doesn’t come along every day.  Saddle Up The Whales has a kitschy feel at times, but it’s all in good fun; a fun so infectious you can’t help but join in.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more at www.thewhiteravens.com. 

Ben Folds Five - The Sounds Of The Life Of The Mind

Ben Folds Five – The Sounds Of The Life Of The Mind
2012, SONY Music

Ben Folds Five are back, thanks to the love, affection and financial contributions of their fans!  The band undertook a fan funding effort earlier this year to keep the project independent, and have managed to create a wonderfully subtle and complete collection of ten pop/rock songs entitled The Sounds Of The Life Of The Mind.

The album kicks off with Folds at his emotionally disaffected best on "Erase Me". A bit removed from the angrier songs if his youth, "Erase Me" finds Folds mining a mix of anger, heartache and knowing resignation as he confronts his co-pilot in a downward arcing relationship. "Michael Praytor, Five Years Later" finds BFF rocking out in classic fashion in interludes between Folds' classic storyteller verses. Folds gets contemplative on "Sky High", one of the pat aesthetically and lyrically pleasing compositions he has recorded to date.

Folds has always had a distinctive for capturing people and places in song in ways that bring them to life for the listener, but he outdoes himself on "The Sound Of The Life Of The Mind". This portrait of a young lady who escapes from the banality of her high school life through intellectual pursuits is surprisingly adept. Folds ability to tell her story both from within her thoughts and in the third person simultaneously is masterful. Likewise "On Being Frank", which a melancholy look at Sinatra's legacy as seen from the eyes of one time fanatic and now disillusioned fan. The composition is fully orchestrated and beautiful, reflecting back the sadness in the vocal line.

"Draw A Crowd" could be a take on the narcissism of artists who will do anything for attention. Regardless if your interpretation it's a hilarious take on the need for attention, wrapped in a wonderfully snappy pop arrangement. "Do It Anyway" is a piano-driven rock ballad about making hard decisions. There is an interesting dichotomy in this song, which initially sounds like an ode to immaturity but actually tackles the decision of whether to end a relationship from a surprisingly adult perspective.

Hold That Thought is wonderfully melancholy and melodic. The piano drives this along with a vibrant if quiet energy, and there is a lonely beauty in the melody that Folds has constructed.  “Away When You Were Here” is a bittersweet reflection on imperfect love and family ties.  Folds is coming to terms with a dysfunctional family relationship that is no longer reparable and finds the good, perhaps for the first time.  Folds once again explores this sort of imperfection on “Thank You For Breaking My Heart”, a gorgeous piano ballad that finds beauty and growth in suffering.  This song is a powerful statement, punctuated by the occasional use of the piano’s more percussive properties.  It’s a beautiful and poignant close that makes beauty out of sadness.

Ben Folds manages to make a classic Ben Folds album with the help of his original band mates Ben Folds Five.  Maturity and time have smoothed the sound of the trio a bit, but the songwriting is as incisive and original as ever.  The Sounds Of The Life Of The Mind proves that Ben Folds Five doesn’t suck.  I should know.  I have my own blog.  (Kudos to those who get it).

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more at www.benfolds.com. 

Stephie Coplan & The Pedestrians

Stephie Coplan & The Pedestrians – Stephie Coplan & The Pedestrians
2012, self-released

If Stephie Coplan can’t find a path to where she wants to be, she makes one.  Her ex-boyfriend tried to tell her she couldn’t make it in music.  Her response?  She dumped him, wrote a song about him (“Jerk!”), and proceeded to get 35,000 hits on YouTube.  Formed in March 2011, Stephie Coplan & The Pedestrians have won or placed in music competitions up and down the East Coast of the U.S.  In that time they have already shared stages with the likes of Cake, The Delta Spirit, Reptar, Bess Rogers and Matt Duke.  Stephie Coplan & The Pedestrians released their self-titled debut EP in January, and even though it’s been out a while now, it’s never too late to catch on to something new and exciting.

Stephie Coplan & The Pedestrians kick things off with the aforementioned “Jerk!”, decrying an ex-boyfriend who did not support her dreams, but whom she continues to be drawn to.  Interpersonal milieu aside, this is an incredibly catchy rocker with big commercial potential.  Coplan’s acerbic take on the situation borders on the tragic/comic divide, but there’s real pop punch behind the power chords.  A Ben Folds-style humor/sarcasm informs “Take Me Back To The Suburbs”, a tongue-in-cheek anthem about suburban flight that will get stuck in your noggin.  “Caroline” is a wonderful little biograph in song, capturing the essence of the subject, who manages to be an amalgam of someone we’ve all known.  Perhaps what’s so impressive is the sonic construction and chemistry of the band, which seems to move almost as one organic unit most of the time.

“Make You Mine” is a song of quiet desperation; of subjugating yourself and your own interests to get what you want.  Personally dysfunctional, but the song is incredibly well written and has an overpowering sense of truth/realism.  “We Don’t Need Much” is a beautifully atypical pop/rock love song that gets down to the heart of what love is about.  The stripped down arrangement artfully represents the philosophy of the song, and it’s clear that Coplan and her band think deeply into the creative process to find the art of each moment rather than simply whipping out songs.  The E.P> closes out with radio edits of “Jerk!” and “Take Me Back To The Suburbs”.

Stephie Coplan & The Pedestrians strike a near-perfect balance between pop and rock and roll on their self-titled, debut EP.  Coplan’s voice is reminiscent of Tanya Donnelly, but her writing style is more in line with that of a young Ben Folds.  Stephie Coplan & The Pedestrians is the sort of debut EP that goes out of print when the artist is eventually signed to a major label and one day gets sold as an expensive collectible on eBay.  The songwriting and sound here have a rough-hewn quality that is charming, but what really impresses is Coplan’s musical vision and her ability to turn a phrase that’s both intelligent and witty while creating some incredibly dynamic sounds on the piano.  It’s not surprising that The Pedestrians are anything but; talent like Coplan’s draws talent.  This is a fabulous debut.

Rating:  4 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more at www.stephiecoplan.com. 

Aurical - Something To Say

Aurical - Something To Say
2011, Gallant Music

Aurical is a folk/pop duo born of two coasts.  Singer/songwriter/producer Rachel Rossos has spent time in both New York City and San Francisco, working with musicians such as Edgar Meyer, William Bolcolm and Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg.  Michael Gallant is the senior editor of Keyboard Magazine, and serves as singer/songwriter/pianist and co-vocalist for Aurical.  Together, the two have crafted a vibrant and original sound, on full display on Aurical’s debut album, Something To Say.

Something To Say opens with the title track, an edgy, piano-driven rocker.  Vocalist Michael Gallant sounds a bit like James Young of Styx, delivering a high-octane performance that's a smash as an opener.  "Brahms Of Philosophy" has a bit of a Ben Folds feel, and Rachel Rosses does a nice job with the vocal line.  The song is catchy although perhaps a bit rushed at times; ultimately very entertaining.  "Mom's Favorite" is a bit reserved and straightforward in style.  "Julianna" is wonderfully dark, with distinctive harmonies that grab you.  It's a solid piece of songwriting that's worth revisiting. 

"Leave It All behind" is lyrically awkward at times, but impresses on the musical side.  Jethro Tull, Genesis and Supertramp stirred up in a room together might have created something that sounded like this.  The bass steals the show with a funk-driven style of play that enlivens the song with an ambitious progressive rock sensibility.  "Work Song" is a slow and meandering number that works on the music side but again shows a lyrical clumsiness that stands out.  Things get really interesting on "Redhead Girl", with a piano style that sounds like a cross between Ben Folds and Tori Amos.  The most original and intriguing work on the album, "Redhead Girl" shows Aurical's ability to push the envelope and do it well.  "I've Never Known" is the best overall contribution on the album.  Rachel Rossos is fantastic here, crafting an early female-vocal group sound.  Things get a bit more mundane as Something To Say rumbles to a close with three solid if unremarkable tracks.

Aurical dances between magic and the mundane throughout Something To Say, creating moments that build anticipation in the listener, but often falling back before finding that perfect musical strike.  There's some very good stylistic songwriting on the album, but the lyrical composition of the album has its awkward moments.  Something To Say has enough to offer to make it worth spending some time with, but there are some definite kinks and wrinkles in the band's creative process to be smoothed out next time around.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Aurical at www.auricalmusic.com or on Facebook.  Something To Say is available from Amazon.com as a CD or Download.  The album is also available via iTunes.

Gattis - E.P.

Gattis - E.P.
2010, Breaking New Records

Will Gattis has been acknowledged to be Maine’s Best Singer/Songwriter (2007), but his talents have been acknowledged all up and down the Eastern Seaboard.  As front man for the band Gattis, Will Gattis mixes his distinctive songwriting style, which is part Paul McCartney and part Ben Folds, with a unique charisma that charms an audience immediately.  On Gattis’ latest effort, the accurately entitled E.P., listeners get a full dose of Will Gattis’ distinctive sense of melody and his eminently listenable voice.

E.P. opens with wonderfully catchy "You And Me".  The song has a timeless melody and a chorus you can't help but sing along to.  Catchy but not overpowering, the song evokes thoughts of The Beatles meets Ben Folds.  You won't be able to get this song out of your head.  "Metropolis" is a gorgeous Ben Folds-style epic ballad about the death of Superman that simultaneously explores society's need for heroes from a quasi-sociological perspective.  This is geek-pop sublime, drenched in a melody so sweet you'll dream about it.  "Lily" is a low-key pop ballad that has the silly sweetness of a McCartney number but the energy and style of a Ben Folds tune.  The chorus, once again, will refuse to vacate your brain.  Gattis closes with "Christopher", a caricature in song about the speed of life and the feeling of getting passed by.  It's a simple, piano-driven arrangement that can't escape comparisons to Folds but is distinctly original nonetheless. 

One thing is abundantly clear; Gattis has a distinctive talent for infectious pop music that both breaks and proves the rules about what a pop song should be.  Names like the Paul McCartney and Ben Folds can't help but come up in a conversation about Gattis, or if you're more Indie rock oriented, think bands such as Woodward and Tally Hall.  Either way, Gattis' E.P. is utterly brilliant pop with quirk and style.  It certainly deserves recognition as a  Certified Desert Island Disc.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Gattis at www.willgattis.com or www.myspace.com/gattistheband.  E.P. is available from Amazon.com as a CD or Download.  The album is also available via iTunes.

The Yale Whiffenpoofs - The Best Whiffenpoofs Ever

The Yale Whiffenpoofs - The Best Whiffenpoofs Ever

2010, The Whiffenpoofs Of Yale University, Inc.

When you think of college acapella groups, The Yale Whiffenpoofs should be the first group that jumps to mind.  Intellectual arguments turn to fisticuffs in the Ivy League when debating who get there first, but there's no argument that the Whiffenpoofs have been the most enduring of the bunch.  Still clad in the tux and tales outfits that have been their trademark since the dawn of the 20th century, The Whiffenpoofs are as much a part of Yale culture as beanies and secret societies.  The group raised their national stature a few notches higher this past December with their appearances on NBC's The Sing Off!, but The Whiffenpoofs were known around the world long before Ben Folds ever dreamt up his TV show.  In 2010, The Whiffenpoofs released their latest album, The Best Whiffenpoofs Ever, a 17-song collection that mixes tradition and imagination in equal measure.

The Best Whiffenpoofs Ever opens with "Nature Boy", in a great arrangement that's a bit more upbeat than you might be used to hearing.  The reading offered here gives the classic tune a dramatic, spy-thriller flare that's amusing.  "Haven't Met You Yet" features a nice, easy-going vocal line that fits nicely into the harmonic basked of the arrangement.  "Rainbow Connection" is sweet and lyric, with a rolling, wave-like feel in the harmonies.  "Midnight Train To Georgia" has the 'IT' factor in the lead vocal line, contrasted with exceedingly smooth backing vocals.

"Down By The Salley Gardens" dips deep into the Whiffenpoofs repertoire a William Butler Yeats derivative of the song "The Rambling Boys Of Pleasure".  The lead vocal is solid, but the vocal arrangement is painted in ethereal pastels in a quasi-baroque setting.  "Too Darn Hot" is done as a snappy jazz number that's highly entertaining, and probably more so when seen live.  The Whiffenpoofs take on Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell on "If I Could Build My Whole World Around You".  The lead vocal here is a refreshingly clear tenor and resonates in the clean, open arrangement.  "Leavin' On A Jet Plane" is well constructed, building up vocal ladders into a pyramid of angelic harmonies.  The mellow lead vocal line here is a nice touch that simply adds to the magic.  Next up, Kurt Weill gets the Whiffenpoof treatment in "September Song", a reverential reading that's striking in its beauty.

The absolute highlight of the album, however, is a tune written by former Whiffenpoof Jonathan Coulton (Yale '93).  "Re: Your Brains" is brilliantly constructed and full of wicked humor as it deconstructs a classic movie zombie tale in eight part harmony.  You need to hear this tune even if you've never heard Coulton's original.  Don't be surprised if some savvy Broadway producer doesn't latch onto this tune and build a musical around it.  "When The Saints Go Marchin' In" shows real moxie.  Opening with a bass solo is unusual and appealing, but the vocalist, who really isn't bad, just doesn't have the presence to carry this.  The arrangement is solid and the overall performance excellent.  The scat breakdown after the first verse is entertaining.  The Whiffenpoofs even pull some Gospel sounds out of the process, evolving into a Take-6 like coda.  The whole enterprise eventually resolves into an MGM-end theme style at the close.

The Whiffenpoofs step back in time with their proverbial theme "The Whiffenpoof Song".  The arrangement is beautiful, but there is the power and force of a charismatic history behind the song that is palpable.  It's a compelling listen.  The album closes with a spirited rendition of the classic gospel tune "Operator".  The Take-6 sound comes back here in small measure, but there's also a showy aspect of the rendition that reminds one of old-time radio.  The song is tight, well-arrangement and perfectly executed.

The Whiffenpoofs as a historical organization have probably forgotten more about acapella singing than many of the newer groups today even know.  The Best Whiffenpoofs Ever is probably a subject open for debate amongst alumni of the group, but there's no doubt that the current crop of The Yale Whiffenpoofs live up to the name measure for measure.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about the Yale Whiffenpoofs at www.whiffenpoofs.com.  The Best Whiffenpoofs Ever is available on CD from the Whiffenpoofs Store.  Digital versions of the album are available from Amazon.com and iTunes.

Seth Glier - The Next Right Thing

Seth Glier – The Next Right Thing
2010, MPress Records

Boston-based singer/songwriter Seth Glier is all of twenty-one years old and is already preparing to release his second album on MPress Records.  Twenty-two in years alone, Glier shows a depth and maturity of songwriting that seems antithetical to his youth.  Glier’s next album, The Next Right Thing is due on January 11, 2011 and features a guest appearance from Edwin McCain.  Glier writes from a deep well of experiences both personal and observed, and certainly appears to have taken things to the next level with The Next Right Thing.  Seth Glier has appeared on the main stage at the Falcon Ridge Folk and Kerrville Folk Festivals, and has shared stages with the likes of McCain, Mark Knopfler, James Taylor and The Verve Pipe.

The Next Right Thing marks Glier as a rising star.  The title track is a dynamic soul/gospel tune with a beating heart of urgency.  “Walk Katie Home” is a song of devotion about the lengths we’ll go for love.  The song is beautiful in its unadorned love and purity of thought.   On “Lauralee” Glier provides us with a literate and mature view of love using wondrous imagery; sounding more than a bit like a young Billy Joel in the process.  “First” is poetic and romantic; capturing the moments or experiences that can make love feel like new again.  “Down With This Ship” makes ethical and sociological observations about the point of impact between faith and deceit.  It’s a dynamic bit of songwriting that is certain to capture younger and older fans, as Glier seems to phrase the sort of problems that hit many in midlife in terms that are universal and accessible.

“I Don’t Need You” takes a look inside the life of someone who sees all of her friends passing her by while she stands still.  The song expresses the mix of frustration and need in muted tones of resignation and is amazingly well written.  “What Others Have Done” follows a soul who seeks himself in the whims and fancies of others; through the brief highs and the lengths of emptiness that ensue.  The piano ballad style here is reminiscent of a cross of Billy Joel and Elton John.  “Beauty In the Breakdown”  seeks the silver lining in human pain.  Glier displays a quietly dramatic sense here, and the arrangement is among the most complete and beautiful on the album. 

“Book Of Matches” is simply brilliant.  Glier turns the tragedy of losing a home into opportunity, finding the sense of freedom of no longer being encumbered with possessions, burdens or expectations.  The imagery here is deep, and could have multiple interpretations (fire, divorce, death, etc.), but this proves the genius in the songwriting.  “No Place To Land” captures the loneliness and displacement of someone who has been on the road so long it’s become the only home he knows.  The extrapolation from what are Glier’s experiences playing 200 shows per year to a way of life is a logical leap that goes beyond your typical pop song.  Glier closes with “Soul, Skin & Bones”; an incredibly poetic memorial in song that’s stark in its imagery but ultimately deeply loving.  The palindrome simile Glier uses here is eye opening.  This is how you close an album with an utter “Wow” moment.

Seth Glier is the sort of singer/songwriter that allows you to throw in a CD and get lost for an hour.  Musically, he writes in subtle tones, crafting near-perfect settings for the stories he tells in song.  Lyrically, Glier is an old soul, writing well beyond his twenty-two years in both poetics and depth of human understanding.  The Next Right Thing is beautiful; brilliant; breathtaking.  Glier sets the bar high for 2011.  The Next Right Thing is a Wildy’s World Certified Desert Island Disc.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Seth Glier at www.sethglier.com or www.myspace.com/sethglier.  The Next Right Thing drops on January 11, 2011.  You can pre-order the CD and Download from Amazon.com.

Adam Sullivan - The Room Is Spinning Faster

Adam Sullivan - The Room Is Spinning Faster

2010, Dweeb Records

Adam Sullivan gets compared to Billy Joel and Ben Folds a lot, but his musical roots are in the darker melancholy of Randy Newman and REM.  With eleven albums/EPs under his belt and ambitious international touring schedule, Sullivan has paid his dues and developed a solid fan base the world over.  His latest album, The Room Is Spinning Faster, shows the polished artistry of a songwriter who knows his craft combined with the restless rambling urge of someone who needs the road even if he's started to question his place on it.  The Room Is Spinning Faster is due out in October 2010 on Dweeb Records, but is already available in digital formats.

Adam Sullivan starts out strong with "Nothing Like Being Alone", rumination on his place in the world, sanity, perspective and understanding.  It's a Ben Folds-style ballad that's highly introspective, a soaring melancholy ode to self-contemplation.  "But The Dinosaurs Were Dead" is edgy, smooth pop, once again reminiscent of Folds.  The instrumentation here is unique, making use of piano and string to create an off-balance sound that somehow stands on its own.  "Please Don't Fall In Love With Me" is great songwriting, a melancholy and thoughtful love song written from the depths of fear and confusion. 

Up to this point Adam Sullivan is setting the stage.  With "Rainy Morning In Amsterdam" he sets the tone for the rest of the album.  It's a song of morning and regret, a pool Sullivan wallows in the rest of the way utilizing a Hemmingway-styled symbolism for tragedy and defeat while singing in measured tones.  Sullivan is searching for he knows not what.  "Something To Lose" is rambling and melancholic but lacks real energy.  The melody and harmonic construction here are gorgeous, but the song teeters on the brink of an emotional vacuum that is disconcerting.  "These Are The Thoughts" is a long-winded, emotionally grinding experience built in this same dearth of emotional energy.  It's the thoughts that keep him awake at night, told from the perspective of one so numb it's more of a recitative than an experience.  "Let Go" shows a flash of life; pretty and dark with a modality reminiscent of Alan Parsons, "Let Go" reflects a sort of determined, reticent hope about what is to come.  The rest of the way is back to the flat, emotionally bereft energy that haunts the middle of the album, as Sullivan walks the listener back to the sleep from which he first emerged.

Adam Sullivan constructs some beautiful musical landscapes on The Room Is Spinning Faster, but against those landscapes he casts a character so lost in his own melancholy and emotional distance that the songs take on a sort of fractured personality.  Artistically challenging, but the combination can make The Room Is Spinning Faster a challenge to get through.  If the navel-gazing melancholy and passive anger of The Cure or The Smiths or even REM you find appealing, then Adam Sullivan will fit nicely in your music collection.  Sullivan may be a bit too distant for the mass market, but the talent here is unmistakable. 

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Adam Sullivan at www.adamsullivan.com or www.myspace.com/adamsullivan.  The Room Is Spinning Faster is due out in October 2010 on CD, but can be purchased now in digital formats through Amazon.com and iTunes.

Ben Rusch - The Architects Of Time

Ben Rusch - Architects Of Time
2010, Ben Rusch

With over twenty albums to his name, Ben Rusch has shown himself to a prolific purveyor of progressive rock, pop and classical music. His 2009 album Oh, Yes!! received rave reviews and spins on both terrestrial and internet based radio. In 2010, Rusch returns with Architects Of Time, a solid expansion on his more recent musical expositions that keeps with the progressive tendencies of his past works while delving deeper into the cracks between progressive rock, classical music and jazz forms.

Rusch opens with "Out Of Time", a measured baroque-pop composition that explodes in a barrage of high-speed classical piano riffs and runs. The song sounds like the opening number to a space epic on hyper drive. "Robin Hood Is Currently Unavailable" is a frantic/frenetic piano-driven number that turns into a surreal treatise on the downfall of heroes in the digital age. Rusch seems to head into the hinterlands with "Architects Of Time". It's hard to follow his thought process at times here and on much of the album, but the song appears to be about television and its effect on history, human interactions, etc. It is, in essence a prologue to the song it succeeds, "Robin Hood Is Currently Unavailable".

"Where The Wild Things Are" is the most intriguing song on the album, a quiet yet intricate acoustic guitar-driven song that seems to make a parallel between the classic children's story and the modern world. "Double Helix" uses fast and plentiful piano runs to spice up a bland composition, but Rusch recovers quickly with "Adam And Eve". The song is a humorous one-sided dialogue between Adam and Eve in Adam's voice. The arrangement is quite busy but well crafted, underscoring Rusch's wicked wit. That sense of humor carries over into "In A Thousand Years", an amusing song about how things work out often in spite of our best intentions. Subtle wit and wise perspective thrive amidst some amazing guitar work.

"The Thought Of You" is something of a ballad, a love song that's highly informational but perhaps a bit shy on emotion, almost as if the narrator is trying just as hard to convince himself as the subject of the song. Rusch hits a slow patch here, rambling his way through "Hand Me My Jet Pack", "Where To Put That Foot" and "Covering Cold Feet With Warm Sheets". He more than makes up for it with "Time To Go", an amazing sonic painting of the heartbreak of parting done in plaintive musical tones. It's a sparkling close to a turbulent album that skates often on the edge of brilliance but often finds that goal unrealized. Rusch doesn't miss the goal here.

Ben Rusch goes deep in concept for Architects Of Time, a dynamic and uneven listening experience that struggles at times but absolutely soars at others. Rusch struggles against himself at times in the art of creation, but when everything lines up he'll amaze you.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Ben Rusch at http://www.benrusch.com/ or www.myspace.com/musicwithinstruments. Architects Of Time  is available from Amazon.com as a CD or Download.  Architects Of Time is also available from iTunes.

Jed Davis - The Cutting Room Floor

Jed Davis - The Cutting Room Floor
2010, Eschatone Records

Longtime New York City singer/songwriter Jed Davis fled to Albany to write and record his most recent album, The Cutting Room Floor, which will finally see the light of day on September 21, 2010. Begun back in the dark days of 1999, The Cutting Room Floor was completed in 2006. Davis claims the album was doomed from the beginning, but some big names got involved and helped make it happen. T. Erdelyi (Tommy of the Ramones) helped produce some tracks, Brian Dewan (They Might Be Giants) pitched in for instrumental support and Tony Doogan (Belle And Sebastian) mixed all under the guiding hand of executive producer Dave Fridmann (Flaming Lips/MGMT).

Jed Davis shows the anger and vitality of Ben Folds on The Cutting Room Floor, but comes from a darker place. Where early Folds displayed the anger of the oppressed suburbanite, Davis borders on the sort of disaffected sociopathy of suburbia that is the sociological progeny of cynicism. The Cutting Room Floor opens with the title track, sounding like the opening number to an off-off-Broadway production about the angst and loneliness of living in the modern age. Disaffection and separation from those around you are the driving forces here, where hermitage is the ultimate end of interconnectedness. "Before I Was Born" starts out with the opening of Bill Withers' "Lean On Me" played on an out-of-tune piano before opening into a vibrant garage rock tune that bemoans genetic pre-destination. It's a great tune with real punker energy in the chorus and is incredibly catchy. "Enough" is a catchy reminiscence of youth centered on the eye opening experiences that peers provide, much to the chagrin of parents. If Davis finds a way to make a song any catchier the CDC would have to get involved.

"Let Go" is the anthem of the eternal skeptic. It's an interesting tune, but would have been better off if Davis has omitted the distortion effect in the vocal line. "Denny's 3 A.M." is nominally a celebration of Denny's status as an all-night hangout, but is really a celebration of the idle time of youth and the magic that can happen while the rest of the world sleeps. Energetic and eclectic, the song sounds like something that might happen at an after-hours jam session involving Weezer and They Might Be Giants. "Interesting Times" is an angry diatribe about suburban life and the transition from youth to adulthood. Hope is lost here, but the music is great. On "Native Son", Davis sticks his thumb in the eye of every hometown acquaintance who failed to notice him during high school but now acts like his best friend when he returns home. The appeal of this tune is universal, and the angry tone that Davis strikes is both convincing and amusing. Davis winds down with "Queens Is Where You Go When You're Dead", a well-written pop/rock tune that's not likely going to a big hit in Flushing. Davis gets in his last licks with an untitled track that features some 3:00 AM conversation and a version of "Denny's 3 A.M." with a host of guest vocalists.

Jed Davis might not be for everyone, but it'd be hard to not find something to like on The Cutting Room Floor. The reference to things that have been left behind may be appropriate considering the time it's taken this album to come to light. But Davis proves that just because something is initially rejected or put away doesn't mean it has no value. One could argue that The Cutting Room Floor will become known as Davis' best and most vibrant work to date.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Jed Davis at http://www.jeddavis.com/ or www.myspace.com/jeddavis.  The Cutting Room Floor is available from Amazon.com as a CD, LP (Vinyl) or Download.  The Cutting Room Floor is also available from iTunes.

Roaming Royalty - Audio Bacon

Roaming Royalty - Audio Bacon
2010, Roaming Royalty

Seattle's Roaming Royalty take influences such as Queen, Muse, Billy Joel, Elton John, Ben Folds and The Who and blend them into a quasi-original sound that sets audiences on their collective ear. Touring the country in their modified van/recording studio, Roaming Royalty never has to make a choice between touring and recording. The road is their recording studio. That might explain the highs and lows of Roaming Royalty's most recent album, Audio Bacon. Not highs and lows as in quality, but the transitions that accompany change in day-to-day life, brought to life in eleven diverse and intriguing compositions on Audio Bacon.

Roaming Royalty opens with "Red Morning Joy", a catchy song of apocalypse that sounds like it might have come out of a classic Who session. "King Of Mars" is a wonderfully melodic composition that highlights the harmonic co-vocals of Charles Kraut and Todd Dunnnigan amidst unusual song construction. You might think you're listening to delightfully odd concatenation of Smash Mouth and Alan Parsons on first blush. "Chasing The Sun" is a solid, low-key pop/rock number that sets the stage for "The Only Woman In The Room", an ode, of sorts to human rights activist Beate Sirota Gordon. The construction and arrangement are a bit on the bland side, but it's a brave songwriting choice that's lyrically sound and deserves to be recognized.

"Only Time" is similarly water down, but is livened up by the highly driven piano part that turns out to be the song's lifeblood. Roaming Royalty returns to what seems to be their most comfortable sound on "Tipsy Jane", melodic rock n roll. "Killer" brings on a small dose of funk in the bass line, a step up to Roaming Royalty's wheelhouse sound on "Dive". When really on their game, the band seems to have a knock for these mellow pop/rockers with melodies that practically sing themselves into your ear. Roaming Royalty rest their case with "Epiphany", bringing their melodic talents up to a new wave setting that's the catchiest track on the album.

"Epiphany" is the perfect closer, suggesting there's even more to Roaming Royalty then we hear on Audio Bacon and offering tantalizing glimpses of where the band may take their sound next. On the whole Audio Bacon is a solid effort, but the details do stop Roaming Royalty short at times. Liken the band to a painter who puts great effort into the subject of the painting but doesn't always have the same enthusiasm for the background. When Roaming Royalty is at their best all elements of the song work together. Sometimes Roaming Royalty seem to expect a great riff to carry a song, but don't seem to develop the other "voices" around that riff to the same level. The results can sound less than enthusiastic, and listeners pick up on that.

Rating: 2.5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Roaming Royalty at http://www.roamingroyalty.com/ or www.myspace.com/roamingroyalty.  Audio Bacon is available from Amazon.com on CD and as a Download.  The album is also available via iTunes.

Avi Wisnia - Something New

Avi Wisnia - Something New
2010, Avi Wisnia/Mo Sho Publishing

Avi Wisnia invites attempts to classify him even as his music defies clear description: Elements of pop, jazz, Latin and cabaret gallivant through his songs with seeming abandon. The award-winning singer/songwriter splits his time between New York City and Philadelphia while creating music that seems to jump out and grab you. Wisnia's influences include Ben Folds, Norah Jones, Billy Joel, Jamie Cullum, John Legend and Chet Baker, and that deep musical heritage makes its presence known on Wisnia's latest album, Something New.

Wisnia opens with "New Year", a catchy, piano-driven pop song about hope. "More Than Me" shows Wisnia is a sort of post-modern Barry Manilow. "More Than Me" is catchy light pop with a nice melody that would be right at home in a Manilow set. "I Wish That I Could Stop Writing Songs About You" is melancholy and lovelorn; a song Wisnia wrote about an ex-boyfriend. Catchy and contemplative, the song has a melody that nearly sings itself. Latin rhythms find their way into "Sink", punctuating the catchy, light acoustic-pop number with a mildly danceable feel.

Wisnia's cover of The Cure's "Love Song" has a vaguely soulful feel, undercut by a melancholy sense of longing that is detached yet very much alive. "Rabbit Hole" is the most relaxed track on the album. Wisnia gets a bit sloppy on the vocal line, trying to do too much with flourish in what should be a purely entertaining track but gets smothered when Wisnia hams it up a bit too much. "Something New" is a somewhat cheesy series of vignettes in one song that borrows lines from popular songs; it's fast-paced and entertaining but seems a bit trite. "It's Only Me" could become a signature song for Wisnia; a piano ballad about the loneliness of creation when trying to reach out across a gulf to those who will listen. Wisnia closes with a cover of TLC's "No Scrubs" in pure Las Vegas fashion, hamming it up Rat Pack style. It's campy but entertaining.

Avi Wisnia has a definable pop sensibility that he weaves in and out of his pop/jazz/Latin creations. Something New seems likely to make Wisnia a host of new fans. How marketable the sound turns out to be can turn on the social whims (or winds) of the moment, but Wisnia definitely has slick pop touch that he glazes over each song. From a songwriting perspective, Something New is up and down, but when Wisnia is on his game he can be very entertaining. Vocally Wisnia is competent; his isn't a voice that will make a huge impression, but he uses it well within the context of his songs.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Avi Wisnia at http://www.aviwisnia.com/ or www.myspace.com/aviwisniapresents.  Something New is available from Amazon.com as either a CD or Download.  Digital copies are also available from iTunes.

The White Ravens - Gargoyles And Weather Vanes

The White Ravens - Gargoyles And Weather Vanes
2010, White Raven Music

Amy and Will Bennett have an interesting chemistry; as The White Ravens the sonic love children of They Might Be Giants and Gwen Stefani craft incredibly catchy and quirky tunes that add a new pastiche to geek rock. Add in the stabilizing influence of Billy Joel drummer Liberty DeVitto and you have a sound that is downright virulent. The band's bio is full of snarky humor, but don't mistakes The White Ravens for a novelty act. Will Bennett plays keyboards with a tenacity that Ben Folds would be proud of and Amy Bennett (who sounds a lot like Monica Attell) attacks each vocal line like she means business. The White Ravens will release their sophomore album, Gargoyles And Weather Vanes on July 6, 2010.

Just using piano, bass and drums, The White Ravens fill up more sonic space than most bands would dream of, showing the same sort of not-quite-reckless abandon we heard from Ben Folds in his early days. There's more pop sensibility here, and Amy Bennett's voice is tuneful with an acerbic edge that will hold your attention, but it’s the instrumental interplay that makes Gargoyles And Weather Vanes such a trip. There are definite stylistic nods to groups such as Billy Joel and Ben Folds as well as acts such as Belly and The Breeders, but the mix here is so distinctive and fresh you'll forget that rock n roll is supposed to be dead.

Opening with "Sparks", The White Ravens create a dense musical tapestry. Amy Bennett's sassy vocals light up the album and Folds fans will recognize the piano style Will Bennett affects here. Meaning may prove elusive at times on the album, but when listening to songs such as "Tick Tock" you simply won't care. If all rock records sounded this good no one would buy anything else. "Rubber Band" is so cliché it's ironic; a quirky, angular tune about resilience that is simply irresistible. The White Ravens throw a pleasant curve ball on "Atomic Panda", going for an electro-rock sound that is highly catchy and has an edge that could slice timber. Its pure 1990's alternative here, but the Bennetts make it all their own.

"Broken Halves" is about the realization that things aren't as good as they seem in a relationship. There are a series of musical resets here that seem to parallel the sort of two steps-forward, one-step back process that such relationship realizations come by. It's a solid tune, a bit more reserved than some of the other material here, and shows a slightly softer side to Amy Bennett as a vocalist. The White Ravens get a bit too comfortable past the mid-point of Gargoyles And Weather Vanes, but pick things back up by the time they reach "Rainstorm", the peppy rock n roll story of a huckster exploiting the lost and lonely. The arrangement here could have come out of a 1970's Billy Joel recording session with the distinctive mix of piano, sax and percussion sounding more than a bit familiar. "Draco" opens like a Ben Folds tune, but quickly turns into a strong mid-tempo pop tune. The White Ravens will continually surprise you with tempo breaks and changes throughout the album, taking the musical wherever they want even if it flies in the face of convention. Gargoyles And Weather Vanes closes with "Eulogy", a dark, minor-key composition that pays tribute to cities hit by urban decay while posing the inevitability of change. It's an apropos closing for a band that seems to rebuilding rock n roll on the ashes and memories of those who came before.

The White Ravens will confound and astound you. It's been awhile since rock n roll sounded this fresh or this good. Amy Bennett eschews the snarl of past female rockers and instead hits you with a lopsided smirk you might find familiar if you're a fan of Tina Fey. Will Bennett plays piano like nobody's business, and as the primary songwriter shows a distinct amount of promise. Liberty DeVitto is... Liberty DeVitto. Gargoyles And Weather Vanes reflects both the best and darkest intents of humanity as seen from above, and as a title it is a near-perfect reflection of The White Ravens. You won't be able to get The White Ravens out of your head.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about The White Ravens at http://www.whiteravenmusic.com/ or www.myspace.com/whiteravensmusic. Gargoyles And Weather Vanes drops on July 6, 2010, but you can purchase the album now directly from The White Ravens. Expect availability through Amazon, iTunes and other national outlets.