D.B. Rielly - Cross My Heart + Hope To Die

D.B. Rielly - Cross My Heart + Hope To Die
2013, Shut Up & Play!

D.B. Rielly stormed onto the music scene in 2010 with his debut album Love Potions and Snake Oil, landing on over a dozen “Best Of” lists for the year (including #1 album of the year on the Wildy’s World year-end countdown).  The New York City-based singer/songwriter brings an eclectic mix of country, zydeco, blues and rock and roll to the table, creating vast musical tableaux that serve as the perfect setting for his stories and songs.  Rielly recently dropped his second album, Cross My Heart + Hope To Die.  There is no sophomore jinx here; Rielly’s second album is as compelling as the first and perhaps even moreso.

Rielly gets started with a brilliantly rustic take on Bob Seger's "Turn the Page". There's a desolate beauty in the contrast between the stage and the hours of night where loneliness pervades. Rielly brings this to the fire with a utilitarian vocal style and subtle instrumental layering. "Wrapped Around Your Little Finger" finds Rielly and his band working a vibrant mix of zydeco and country. Sit still if you can.  "Some Day" is a swaying lament, played and sun in the style of Roy Orbison. Rielly handles this with a gentle reserve, channeling Orbison with an eerie precision. 

"Come Hell Or High Water" is one of the most powerfully elemental love songs you will ever hear, and Rielly delivers it in unvarnished fashion. There's a rough beauty here that is stunning. "Moving Mountains" is a song of faith in action built on a gently rolling arrangement. Reilly's band is at their low-key best here; everything is fluid yet full of a vibrant energy. "It's Gonna Be Me" is a bluesy tune with rock attitude.  The guitar work here is alive and kicking, and Rielly brings optimism and humor together in enjoyable fashion. 

"Untie Me" sounds like it could be a John Fogerty tune from the Creedencen Clearwater era. It's a great little number with a wicked backbeat guaranteed to get your hips shaking. "Your Doggin' Fool" is an anachronistic kiss off song that's well hewn and sung with a classic country sound. It's back to zydeco and country for "Roadrunner", with Rielly and his band turning in a bravura performance. Rielly closes with "Fiorchroi (True Heart)", a haunting ballad sung to a departed love one. Without cliché or glitter, Rielly offers a brilliant performance as elemental and lovely as you could imagine. 

After listening to Cross My Heart + Hope To Die, it is difficult to imagine Rielly not ending up on a bunch of year-end lists again.  The album probably dropped a bit late for GRAMMY consideration this year, but Rielly deserves that sort of attention for his work.  Cross My Heart + Hope To Die takes you through emotional depths without the saccharine or overreach common in pop music, but also conveys a level of mastery as a songwriter, performer and vocalist that is rare in any genre.  D.B. Rielly has done it again, and Cross My Heart + Hope To Die is nothing less than a Wildy’s World Certified Desert Island Disc!

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more at www.dbrielly.com.  

The Branders - The Branders

The Branders - The Branders
2009, The Branders

Denver, Colorado seems to be a hotspot for country and country-derivative music these days. The latest such band to come to our attention is The Branders, a duo consisting of singer Tarrah Speer and guitarist Dennis Gronbeck. Blending traditional country and rock n roll around Speer’s sultry voice seems to be a winning combination for the Branders, who celebrated 2009 with the release of their self-titled debut EP.

The Branders opens with the delightful honky-tonk country of "I've Been Thinking". Tarrah Speer has a sultry, soulful voice that will have you picking up your two-step boots and heading for the dance floor. "Real Cowboy" is pure Rock N Blues, and Speer will remind listeners of a young Michelle Malone but with a slightly more lyric voice. "Three Years" is a rueful look back over the three years since a relationship has ended that goes from the cusp of marriage to a chasm of days numbering in the thousands. "I Want You" is an upbeat love song with honky-tonk sensibility; a great dance tune built around a big hook and solid songwriting.

"Fall" has a solid early rock/country feel that's full of strong vocal harmonies and a classic country feel. "Makes Me Stay" explores the intangibles in relationships, zeroing in on that little bit of magic and how it can overcome all of the pressure of the outside world. The Branders close out with "Burn", an aggressive, guitar-oriented rocker about a woman scorned. The bluesy rock arrangement contrasts nicely with Speer's lyric alto voice. The theme of the song appears to be fighting back in the face of domestic violence.

The Branders are a pleasant surprise, both more country and more rock n roll that you might expect up front. The Branders is sonically pleasing, full of well-written songs and featuring the memorable voice of Tarrah Speer. One might imagine that The Branders still have some growing to do. It may be worth checking out whatever comes next for The Branders.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about The Branders at www.myspace.com/thebranders. The Branders is available through Amazon.com as either a CD or Download.

Review: 100 Monkeys – Grape!

100 Monkeys – Grape!
2009, 100 Monkeys

In a world where Twilight is the biggest thing since Harry Potter on sliced bread, a band featuring a character from the film is bound to draw some attention. L.A. concoction 100 Monkeys has the distinction of calling Jackson Rathbone a member, which if nothing else doesn’t hurt their press opportunities. In 2009, 100 Monkeys released their third digital album, Grape! It’s an odd collection of tunes ranging from wonderfully crafted anti-pop folk rock to maudlin dirge-like compositions

Grape! opens with the wonderfully hap-hazard and Lo-Fi “Clippity Clop”. Tight musicianship reigns despite the messy appearance of the song, and the catchy nature will suck you in from the opening notes. “The Monkey Song” is a deranged folk rocker incorporating elements of hip-hop. The song is a tongue-in-cheek fun romp, but don’t be entirely surprised if some sensitive soul raises issues about the social responsibility of the content of the song, as the images used have classically held racial undertones. “Arizona” is a derivate rocker that makes open use of parts of Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Bad Moon Rising”. It’s a funky folk-rocker that’s highly listenable.

100 Monkeys goes from accessible to re-dressable on “Sweet Face”, a forgettable bout of melancholy in song about a potential suicide. “Orson Brawl” is a quirky 1980’s rock tale ala The Talking Heads; intriguing for the sound the first few times you hear it but fading from notice soon thereafter. “Looker” is most memorable for the vocal caricature of Elvis Presley done throughout the song. It’s an entertaining song full of sophomoric humor that will appeal to some and turn others off. 100 Monkeys sleep-walk through “Junkie” and “Sleeping Giant” before stumbling into the gritty rocker “Reaper”, whose blues influences and oddly accented arrangement will make it stand out in your mind once the album is done.

“.38 Special” explores the perceptions of a disturbed mind on the path of a breakdown. This dark path is documented in the context of a jaunty tune mixed with moments of blurring dissonance that reflect the deterioration between what’s real and what is not. The song is almost Beatles-esque in its clearer moments, with a melody that lights up a room. “Poison Oak” is a classic “you reap what you sow” parable in song laced with dark musical undertones. An intriguing listen, “Poison Oak” is relentless in both meaning and timbre and is among the finest work 100 Monkeys offers on Grape! Dark humor reins on “Wings On Fire”, an energetic funk-rocker that takes on the subject of dying on a plane that you’ll consider highly entertaining unless you happen to be listening to it on a flight. For all of this great work, 100 Monkeys made the puzzling decision to close with "Grocery Store No More", among the least accessible and least enjoyable songs on the disc.

So in spite of having a young Hollywood actor involved (often the musical kiss of death for a band); 100 Monkeys actually has something going for them in the music department. With dark and insanely interesting musical arrangements, and a resolutely non-PC and vaguely adolescent but still funny lyrical style, 100 Monkeys might be on to something that could catch on in a big way. The bulk of the band’s material is a little too left of center for commercial radio, but there are one or two songs on Grape! that are catchy enough and quirky enough to make some real noise. The album a whole is a solid effort with a few weak spots that most listeners will overlook on balance.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about 100 Monkeys from http://www.100monkeysmusic.com/ or www.myspace.com/these100monkeys. Grape! is available for download on both Amazon.com and iTunes (iTunes also has a Seedless, or non-explicit version of the album for download for all of you parents monitoring what your children are listening to).

Review: 8 Ball Aitken - Rebel With A Cause

8 Ball Aitken - Rebel With A Cause
2009, Phoenix Movement Records

Sometimes the music we grew up with (individually or as a culture) is harder to hear, so wave of international artists finding success with American Roots music is no surprise. Along comes Queensland, Australia's 8 Ball Aitken, a banana picker turned guitar picker who appears to be channeling the very soul of Country, Blues and Roots music as it grew out of the Southern United States. 8 Ball Aitken's debut album, Rebel With A Cause has generated two top-10 Country singles in his native Australia and won him a 2008 EMI Music Blues & Roots Song Of The Year Award for Yellow Moon. Aitken has played dates in the UK, Singapore and North America, recently putting in a stellar performance at Canadian Music Week. It's only a matter of time before North American audiences catch on to 8 Ball Aitken.

Rebel With A Cause opens with Cyclone Country, a bluesy Southern Rocker with some serious honky-tonk in its lineage. Aitken has a wonderfully smooth and lyric rock voice that contrasts nicely with the heavily country-influenced Rock N Roll. Cyclone Country is built on a killer lick that would make ZZ Top beam with pride and a chorus you can't help but sing/hum along to. Cowboy Movie is all about taking a stand for what you know to be right regardless of the consequences. The allegory is poetic if unexpected and the melody is pure honey. The Party has a vague Dire Straits-does-Country feel to it; this is a tune that's sure to be a favorite live and will get your hips swaying even if you're not inclined to dance.

Hands On Top Of The Wheel is a straight-forward Country Rocker ala The Eagles, (complete with a sound-alike vocal). This is probably the song on the disc with the biggest commercial potential, particularly for licensing. Aitken incorporates some deliciously dirty slide guitar work on Black Swamp Creek, although lyrically the song is a bit cliché. Outback Booty Call is an amusing Southern Rock tune with clear intentions and a bit of a twist at the end. This should be another concert favorite and I could picture this ending up on a movie soundtrack somewhere. Yellow Moon features a driving bass line and great Southern Rock n Blues sound, Texas style. The track is memorable and will keep you moving. Guitar Man sounds like it should be a classic Rock staple, but it's an Aitken original. There's a feel here that's very similar to John Fogerty, and the song itself will have you scratching your head wondering where you've heard it before. Rocky Road is an upbeat, catchy southern Rocker that leads into The Other Side, which goes back a few decades for a classic sound that is refreshing.

Rebel With A Cause is one of those albums you simply can't ignore. Even with the occasional flaw it has to be in the discussion of top Roots Music efforts for the year thus far. Aitken's voice is so fluid and his delivery so down-home that he puts you immediately at ease. The musicianship on Rebel With A Cause is world class, and the songwriting is more legitimate and more original than much of the roots material you're likely to hear. 8 Ball Aitken has a real winner on his hands here.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about 8 Ball Aitken at http://www.8ballaitken.com/ or www.myspace.com/8ballaitken. You can purchase a copy of Rebel With A Cause at CDBaby.com.

Review: Fillmore: The Last Days DVD

Fillmore: The Last Days
2009, Rhino Records

June saw the DVD debut of a long lost Rock N Roll treasure. In the 1960's, The Fillmore West (San Francisco) was to California Rock N Roll what CBGB's was to the 1970's Punk scene in New York. Many of the bands known for propagating what became known as the San Francisco sound either got their start there or played there on their way up. Rock legend Bill Graham ran the place, but closed it in 1971 because he felt the music business was becoming jaded: Artists were getting too full of their own success and began demanding too much. Graham decided to get out before the music business ruined the music (he was also a visionary). Graham didn't go quietly however. He scheduled five nights of shows, culminating on July 4, 1971 with a show that included Santana, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Tower Of Power and others.

In 1972, the documentary Fillmore: The Last Days was released. Aside from the music it included, it was a gritty look at the dark side of the music business. Some of these insights my seem a bit dated but are still relevant today. The DVD features performances the Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane, Jerry Garcia, Santana, Lamb, Cold Blood, Hot Tuna, The Rowan Brothers, The Elvin Bishop Group and New Riders Of The Purple Sage. The track entitled "Rehearsal Jam" (The Rowan Brothers) is probably the musical highlight of the DVD, and that's saying a lot considering the artists and material presented here. While the documentary is 37 years old and focused on the San Francisco sound, it's a shame that at least one track from Creedence Clearwater Revival's legendary July 4 set wasn't included.

The DVD is being released by Rhino Records in conjunction with The Bill Graham Memorial Foundation, which continues its philanthropic efforts on the part of under-represented or under-funded causes. The foundation offers grants in the areas of music, arts, education, social work, environmental protect and spiritual compassion-based projects. If you're a fan of San Francisco Rock scene of the 1960's and early 1970's then this is a must-have DVD. If you're an artist trying to make it in the music business (particularly as an Indie artist), then you really ought to buy or at least rent this DVD. If Bill Graham were alive today he'd undoubtedly be shepherding the Indie movement. The movie is well presented and still highly relevant almost four decades after its original release. Rhino has done a great job with the presentation, right down to the liner notes by original Rolling Stone editor Ben Fong-Torres. Fillmore: The Last Days is essential viewing for rock fans and all those who would make music in a commercial environment.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Fillmore West at http://www.thefillmore.com/. You can purchase a copy of Fillmore: The Last Days at Amazon.com. You can learn more about The Bill Graham Memorial Foundation at http://www.billgrahammemorialfoundation.org/.

Review: The McKrells - Traveling Man

The McKrells – Traveling Man
2008, Thorntree Music

The McKrells are legends in Upstate New York, as well as being highly respected internationally in the Celtic music scene (Not to mention they are Wildy's World's Artist Of The Month for March of 2009). The band created a hybrid of Celtic and bluegrass sounds that earned them the appreciation of every crowd they played in, whether in a small pub in Ireland, their home base of The Parting Glass in Saratoga Springs, NY or even Carnegie Hall. The last few years have seen major changes in personnel and sound, but the heart of The McKrells; Kevin McKrell’s songwriting and voice, remains. Their latest CD, Traveling Man, was released in 2008 on Thorntree Music. It’s a change for longtime fans, but not necessarily an unwelcome one.

Traveling Man opens with the title track, a light and airy bit of Celtic influenced pop that will get your feet moving. This leads into the Bold Fenian Men, offered here as a low-key Celtic rocker. Kevin McKrell is in fine voice here, and harmonies from daughter Kate McKrell complete the aesthetic. McKrell offers up a primo performance on Shores Of America. Kevin McKrell’s voice has an iconic quality to it that is unforgettable, and Shores is the perfect opportunity to hear why.

Christmas Day is performed in the style of classic American Folk music by Kevin McKrell on guitar and vocals with harmonies from daughter Kate McKrell. It is a hopeful tune that strives for light at Christmas in darker times and is quite apropos amidst current events. One of two personal favorites on the disc is Two Peas In A Pod, a wonderful “silly little love song” that you’ll have on continuous replay. It’s a cute little mix-tape candidate that’s highly infectious and unforgettable. McKrell works in a glory days song on Ronnie’s Golden Mustang; if you’re a child of the late 1960’s or early 1970’s then this song will hit home (particularly with the Creedence Clearwater Revival, Grand Funk Railroad, John Lennon/Yoko and Lynyrd Skynyrd references), but every generation expresses these sentiments sooner or later.

My other personal favorite is The Motel de Marquis Lafayette. With clear roots in the Celtic and American Folk traditions, this is a virally infectious tune that will get stuck in your head for days, perhaps weeks. Traveling Man closes out with Tunnel Tigers in a bit of Celtic Funk/Rock (listen to the bass) that’s highly enjoyable.

There’s no doubt there’s been a big change in the sound of The McKrells. The strong Bluegrass element of their sound has departed, but it has turned the remaining McKrells back to their Celtic roots. The resultant CD, Traveling Man, is refreshing and immensely enjoyable album. As a writer and arranger, they don’t get much more talented than Kevin McKrell, and the rest of the band is top notch. Do yourself a favor and put this at the top of your listening list for St. Patrick’s Day. You won’t be disappointed.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Kevin McKrell and The McKrells at http://www.kmckrell.com/. You can purchase a copy of Traveling Man at www.cdbaby.com/cd/mckrells8.

Review: The Greens - Broken Science, Vol. 1

The Greens – Broken Science, Vol. 1
2007, The Greens

Morgantown, West Virginia’s The Greens have been rockin’ Appalachia for more than five years now with an intriguing blend of Rock, Soul and Boogaloo. Andrew Tuck, Ben Sweeney and Nathan Yoke have formed an incredibly tight band over time that is always producing new material. The Greens sent along Broken Science, Vol. 1, one of their EPs from 2007 for review.

Broken Science, Vol. 1 opens with 10-4 Good Buddy, a well-constructed classic guitar-rock jam. Up next is All Over, a funky, R&B laden rocker with a serious groove going on. Crazy Thomas is my personal favorite on the disc. The Greens come across sounding a bit like Cowboy Mouth on this tune. The Greens Shows that same New Orleans style spunk on Swamp Queen, a Creedence Clearwater Revival sound-a-like that should be a concert favorite. I also highly recommend Penny, built on one of the most vicious guitar riffs you’re likely to hear.

The Greens Mixes blues, rock, R&B and a little bit of Louisiana swamp gas for an eclectic sound that is distinctly recognizable and unique. Broken Science, Vol. 1 is likely to be a niche record, not for lack of talent or interesting sound, but as a victim of the current trends in what some call musical taste. This is, unfortunately, the sort of CD that tends to fall through the cracks for all the wrong reasons. Don’t let it. It’s a great listen.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about The Greens at http://www.thegreensmusic.com/. You can purchase a copy of Broken Science, Vol. 1 at CDFreedom.com.

Review: Movin' Melvin Brown - The Magic Of You

Movin' Melvin Brown - The Magic Of You
2007, Melvin Brown

Movin' Melvin Brown may just be the last of the great song and dance men. His shows are an artists' depiction of what might happen if the likes of Same Cooke, Louis Armstrong, The Platters, James Brown, Ray Charles and Bill "Bojangles" Robinson all took the stage together for one night. Brown sings, dances, taps, clogs and performs comedic soliloquies in the course of a stage show that leaves audiences begging for more. Brown isn't just a mimic, he practically inhabits the memories of artists such as Sam Cooke and Ray Charles, as if the late, great stars stood before you on stage once more, if only for one night. Brown's 2007 release, The Magic Of You, finds Brown moving from persona to persona as he navigates his way through 17 vibrant tunes that run the gamut between Soul, R&B, Rock N Roll and the Blues.

Brown has added a newer song to The Magic Of You in honor of Barack Obama. I Have A Dream (Obama Dream Theme Song) is an update of the great Martin Luther King, Jr. speech as inspired by Obama's historic run for President of the United States. Whoto Man is an overtly political song that reads like a diatribe against dishonorable politicians. This kind of modern, mostly spoken-word material doesn't fit quite so well with Brown's persona. The same can be said to a degree about Communication. It's a great message steeped in cultural politics, but the message in this case overpowers the singer. People, on the other hand, finds Brown more in his element, with classic R&B vibes and a nasty funk bass line and Brown losing himself in the classic sounds.

The Magic Of You finds Brown channeling Ray Charles so close to true you'll do an aural double take. One of the true highlights of the disc is the jaunty My Love Is Real. The arrangement almost borders on cheesy at times, but Brown is spot on in one of the best performances on the album. Master Of The Beat gets Brown into full funk/disco mode with a country flavored guitar lead. It's an odd tune but wonderfully entertaining to listen to. There's almost a Creedence Clearwater Revival "Swamp Rock" thing going on here. I Ain't Got Time is another favorite. Movin' Melvin Brown is absolutely vocally inspired here. Other highlights include Can You Feel and Special.

Movin' Melvin Brown translates pretty well to CD, but my guess is that there is nothing quite like a live show with this man. Nevertheless The Magic Of You is quite a treat. Brown is at his best digging into a classic R&B or Blues sound, but is more than competent on everything else. There are a couple of slow moments on the album, but in general it's a fine offering. The Magic Of You is recommended for all ages, as much of the music Brown is practically universal across generations A great listen.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Movin' Melvin Brown at http://www.movinmelvin.com/ where you can purchase a copy of The Magic Of You.

Review: Jackdawg - Jackdawg

Jackdawg - Jackdawg
2009, Sonic Past Music

The long awaited and much discussed CD Jackdawg is due for release on March 17, 2009. This near-legendary album was recorded in 1990 and features John McFee and Keith Knudsen of the Doobie Brothers along with Creedence Clearwater Revival's Stu Cook. The band was an outgrowth of Southern Pacific and was recorded at McFee's Lizard Rock Studio in Solvage, Ca. The Jackdawg recordings stayed hidden in a vault until after Knudsen's death in 2005. The eponymous album includes thirteen original tracks plus covers of Roky Erickson's Cold Night For Alligators and Van Morrison's Wild Night.

Jackdawg opens with Bayou Rebel, an ode of sorts to Creedence Clearwater Revival. Bayou Rebel sounds like something that might have come out of CCR in their heyday but updated for the early 1990's when it was originally recorded. When The Sun Don't Shine is a tasty bit of modern rock with southern rock ancestors. The guitar work here is excellent, and the melody is quite memorable. The Men Who Would Be King was inspired by The Beatles, hinted at the by the harmonies at the end of each refrain and the occasional musical reference.

Hunger is a big stadium rocker that sounds like top-40 gold circa 1985. Ghost Dance has no pretensions about it, sounding more like something you'd expect to hear out of Lou Gramm than a conjunction of ex-Doobie and CCR guys. It's quite good, just a bit of a sonic surprise you might not have expected. Jackdawg returns to familiar territory with the old school R&B rocker Take It Off. Kisses In The Rain is another one of those songs that would have been a huge hit in a different era. This one sounds like a cross between Don Henley, The Beach Boys and Huey Lewis' backup band, The News.

Other highlights here include I Couldn't Help Myself, the big guitar rocker Quicksand, the Hagar-era Van Halen sounding Lookin' For Trouble, Young Ones, and The Girl From Oz. The Girl From Oz was inspired by the lead singer from The Divinyls, and sounds like someone took a variance on the bass line from Styx' Too Much Time On My Hands; added some Alex Liefson (Rush) style guitar work and a big 1980's rock chorus to create the perfect pop/rock song. The covers of Cold Night For Alligators and Wild Night are quite well done. They fit with the character of the rest of the album, but don't quite blend in the way the rest of the tracks do.
Jackdawg is a brilliant album. It's too bad this has been hidden away for almost two decades. If released back in 1990 it might have been a major hit for Cook, McFee and Knudsen. Today it will be appreciated by those in the know, but probably doesn't have the commercial reach it might once have had. Expect to hear a handful of tracks from this one show up on soundtracks, commercials or wherever else the marketing folks can find a spot. The music is excellent, and worthy of the resumes Jackdawg brought into the project.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Jackdawg at http://www.jackdawg.net/. You can order a copy of Jackdawg at Amazon.com.