The O's - Between The Two

The O's - Between The Two
2011, Idol Records

Texas rockers The O’s avoid the sophomore slump on Between The Two, getting back to their musical roots in a set of twelve modern yet classic sounding tunes.  Drawing on influences as diverse as Elvis Presley, Hank Williams and The Everly Brothers, The O’s put the finishing touches in place with the help of GRAMMY winning producer Stuart Sikes (Loretta Lynn, Cat Power, The White Stripes).  With over 300 shows on two continents under their belts, The O’s move forward into 2011 with the sort of momentum only hard work and talent can bring.

Between The Two opens with "We'll Go Walkin'", a wonderfully coherent Americana blend of country and folk with a distinctive pop sensibility.  It's a love song that's a bit outside the box.  You can't help but tap your toes to this one, and you'll be humming the chorus for days.  "Wrecking Ball" is a well-crafted tune about living on the edge of disaster.  It's a poignant number for the modern age, when for most families disaster is only one paycheck away.  "In Numbers We Survive" is an infectious mix of bluegrass and folk that gets stuck in your head and stays there.  There's an edgy insistence in the arrangement that's compelling.

"Tryin' To Have A Good Time" is a light listen, not so much for analysis as for pure enjoyment.  The theme is all about planning to have a good time, but the song will get your feet moving and features outstanding guitar work.  "We Are Young" is a perspective on growing up from one who is looking up at the road leading to the mountain.  There is something of a melancholy feel here, but the musical aesthetics are great.  "Time For A Change" is a catchy number with a positive vibe and is very enjoyable.  "Sunshine" is somewhat confounding for meaning.  It's a love song, to be uncertain, but for or to who is never really clear. 

"Pushin' Along" rides great composition and musicianship.  The overall output is solid, but as an instrumental work it would be sublime.  The O's fall into something of a lull, re-emerging with the wonderfully upbeat and happy "Everything's Alright".  The picking here is tremendous, and the bouncy feel to the song will have crowds on their collective feet.  "No Troubles Left At All" is a downbeat number with a great outlook.  It's a love song that opines on how great life is with her by his side, no matter what else may come.  It's a sweet sentiment that avoids cliché.

Between The Two has some highs and lows, but generally stays on an even keel as a better than average album overall.  The O's seem to have an ear for aesthetics, crafting arrangements that do more than just wrap around the melody line.  As musicians, you'd be hard pressed to find a more solidly connected ensemble.  The chemistry here is palpable.  Just as in any other band, not every song works perfectly, but even the misses are worth tuning in for.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about The O’s at www.wearetheos.com or www.myspace.com/wearetheos.  Between The Two is available from Amazon.com as a CD or Download.  The album is also available on iTunes.

The Headers - Don't Be Talkin' Smack

The Headers - Don't Be Talkin' Smack!

2008, The Headers

Buffalo rockabilly trio The Headers are about as close to legends as a local band can become.  The band includes two members of the Buffalo Music Hall Of Fame: Vocalist/guitarist Bobby Lebel and bassist/vocalist Scott Freilich.  The band is rounded out by drummer Dan Stoll, and works some of the most inspired 1950’s style rock n roll this side of The Stray Cats.  The Headers’ most recent album, Don’t Be Talkin’ Smack!, was released in 2008 and shows off the band’s distinctive talent and sound.

Don't Be Talkin' Smack! opens with "Brand New Gretsch Guitar", a Brian Setzer-style 1950's rocker that's virulent.  The song seems a bit cynical, as The Headers are sponsored by Gretsch Guitars, but that won't keep you from dancing when the song plays.  "Bun In The Oven" is highly entertaining, and the guitar work of Bobby Lebel is fabulous.  You'd almost swear that's Elvis Presley on vocals.  "Don't Be Talkin' Smack" breaks out the barre chords for a jazz-tinged big-band electric trip.  Lebel wants to be a crooner here until the chorus when he brings attitude.  "She's Through With You" is a gloating romp written from the perspective of the winning leg of a love triangle.  It's a very danceable tune in spite of the gleefully dark tenor of the song. 

"Deadman's Curve" finds The Headers breaking out the surf guitar style in a dark anthem done eight-to-the-bar.  It's a very catchy song, but full of deep roiling angst that sometimes pervades the surf style.  "Ragtop Daddy" is the perquisite car anthem and leads into wonderfully read "Sandman".  The Headers take the classic record from The Chordettes and craft it into a distinctly understated and stylish rendition.  "You Lift Me Up" shows off the band's vocal harmonies in a classic-style love song.  The Headers closes with "Offa My Mind", a mid-tempo that brings the band firmly into the 1960's.  The band's vocal harmonies are once again impressive, and "Offa My Mind" is among the most danceable on the album.

The Headers offer up new material with a classic touch on Don't Be Talkin' Smack!.  The presentation is a bit kitschy at times (right down to the Elvis-style vibrato on the lead vocals), but the songwriting is solid and The Headers play together as if one.  What Don't Be Talkin' Smack! might lack in presentation it more than makes up for in the pure joy of the music.  The Headers are a band you can't help but enjoy listening to. 

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about The Headers at www.theheaders.com or www.myspace.com/theheaders. Don't Be Talkin' Smack is available from Amazon.com as a CD or Download.  The album is also available digitially from iTunes.

Christian D And The Hangovers - Shake It...Or Leave It!

Christian D And The Hangovers - Shake It...Or Leave It!
2009, Christian D And The Hangovers

From the dark underbelly of Toronto, where urban cowboys moonlight in the psychobilly clubs comes Christian D And The Hangovers. Mixing early rock n roll with punk, country and lots of beer, Christian D And The Hangovers do for rockabilly what Big Rude Jake does for big band music. After the well-received Life Gets In The Way EP, released in 2008, Christian D And The Hangovers had to go full length to build on their legacy. Build on it they have with the dynamic Shake It...Or Leave It! This is an album you can't put down.

Shake It...Or Leave It! opens with the demented surf rock of "Vampire Rocker", capitalizing on the current vampire mania inspire by Twilight and fed by shows such as True Blood. Christian D has a post-punk Big Bopper persona that works well in the fast and loose musical arrangements presented here. "Life Gets In The Way" is pure early rock n roll, complete with backbeat and snappy melody line. On "Shimmy Shorts" Christian D is part Elvis, part Jerry Lee Lewis and part Phil Ramone, barreling his way through an entertaining and danceable bit of rock n roll. Christian D And The Hangovers get down to some pure rhythm and blues on "Good Woman", celebrating his woman's best traits even while deriding his own.

"Sleep My Life Away" is a catchy call to get up and go; a rough musical sketch that works in spite of the messy arrangement. On "Child Of The East Coast", Christian D digs into a country/rock sound that's appealing and seems to fit him well as a vocalist. "Baby Jane" is a raucous bit of early rock n roll likely to inspire fits of dancing, and features some of the cleanest guitar work on the album. "Hot Mess" seems like it should be destined to become the theme song of a movie of the same name. Once again, Christian D And The Hangovers manages to craft an incredibly catchy tune from a rough musical sketch that's highly appealing. "Hillbilly Heroin" is dark and catchy, but can't hold a candle to "Cornfed Dames", a tongue-in-cheek tribute to the talents of the fairer sex. Mack Black sits in with Christian D And The Hangovers on the closing number, "Dime A Dozen", a highly entertaining tune that will certainly not be the lead-in for the next NOW conference.

Christian D And The Hangovers aren't into pithy nuance; Shake It...Or Leave It! has the bad-boy feel of early rock n roll updated for today without pushing the envelope too seriously. Rock musical arrangements are the order of the day in support of entertaining, hip-shaking songs that are likely to cross generational boundaries in appeal. This isn't the refined sound of The Stray Cats, but a slightly rougher musical feel that's likely closer to the rough demos you might have heard out of 1960's mainstays such as The Beatles, Chuck Berry or even Dick Dale. If that sort of music is in your wheelhouse, then you're bound to appreciate Christian D And The Hangovers.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Christian D And The Hangovers at http://www.christiand.ca/ or www.myspace.com/christiandesmond.  Shake It...Or Leave It! is available as a digital-only album through Amazon.com and iTunes.

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: 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: Lee Harvey Osmond - A Quiet Evil

Lee Harvey Osmond - A Quiet Evil
2009, Latent Recordings

Toronto singer/songwriter Tom Wilson has been associated with some exciting projects over the years, starting out with his tenure as lead singer for the band Junkhouse in the mid-1990's. Since that time he's recorded as a soloist, in conjunction with Bob Lanois and as a member of Blackie And The Rodeo Kings. Now, at the tender young age of fifty, Wilson is embarking on a new life as lead singer of Lee Harvey Osmond. Joined by members of Canadian groups Cowboy Junkies and Skydiggers, Wilson brings to life 10 brooding Americana/Rock tunes on A Quiet Evil. Produced by Cowboy Junkies' Michael Timmins and released on the band's Latent Recordings, A Quiet Evil is one of the more intriguing debuts of the year.

Lee Harvey Osmond opens with The Love Of One, a quiet-yet-energetic country flavored rumination on loneliness chock full of mournful pedal steel guitar and incredibly tight musicianship. This song is the perfect example of how music can be quiet and lively at the same time. Cuckoo's Nest drops the names of Elvis Presley, Sonny Liston, Madonna and Robert Mitchum, but has the up-close-and-personal feel of a Lou Reed track. Cuckoo's Nest is a nuanced and intelligent story song about hard times and how people survive. Wilson talk/sings his way through this one in what ends up sounding like a highly allegorical autobiography in song. Queen Bee has great energy and instrumental work; the vocal line gets a little bogged down in repetition but quickly gives way to the fine instrumental work of Lee Harvey Osmond.

I'm Going To Stay That Way is a classic country love song/tragedy. Suzie Vinnick's vocal on the duet is exquisite, and mixes well with Wilson's mumbling style. I'm Going To Stay That Way is a song that could go directly to Country Radio, although it would have been a more likely hit a generation ago. Lucifer's Blues is a great listen, although I half expected it to blow up into a heavier sound before it was done (it did not). The understated arrangement and delivery works very well, however. Parkland has a catchy melody and rhythm in spite of the reserved sound, and then something magical happens on Summer Girl. The same quiet feel surrounds this song, but there's a feel of authenticity about the story Wilson tells here that's too rich to be cure creation. The arrangement is highly simplified; giving the sort of life to the story and melody line that can't be planned but just happens in the creation process sometimes. Angels In The Wilderness has a similar feel in spite of the more melancholy bearing of the song. It's a beautiful melody with stirring imagery; a hidden gem. Lee Harvey Osmond closes out with the upbeat acoustic rocker I Can't Stand It, a paean to the ability of love to make day-to-day life more bearable, and how it can all come crashing on you when they leave. It's a fun song that's likely to get worked up even more on stage.

Lee Harvey Osmond isn't going to blow too many people away, unless it's on pure talent. This isn't that sort of band. Instead, expect Lee Harvey Osmond to take a lot of people by surprise. A Quiet Evil is the sort of album where you hear a song in the background and don't pay attention at first; but the music slowly draws you out and draws you in. It's not surprising given the musical stock the band rose from, and Wilson, in spite of his quiet approach, definitely has an ability to connect with listeners. A Quiet Evil is highly enjoyable; it might take you a few listens to really get it, but once you get it you'll be hooked.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Lee Harvey Osmond at www.myspace.com/lhosmond or www.latentrecordings.com/leeharveyosmond. You can purchase A Quiet Evil on CD from Amazon.com.

Review: Tom Schafer - Cradle

Tom Schafer - Cradle
2007, Tom Schafer

Tom Schafer is New York City born but currently resides in Cooper, Florida. He's an Americana/Blues singer/songwriter with a penchant for Springsteen-esque lyrics and presentation. His album, Cradle, is full of pragmatic, working class observations about love, life, faith and the illusions we gird ourselves in. His music has been played on the airwaves in Florida, on various stations around the US and as far away as Paris, France.

Schafer opens with the title track, a rollicking bit of acoustic Rhythm & Blues with some blistering guitar work. Schafer has a down home, comfortable voice; a bit gruff on the edges but an everyman's voice that fits perfectly in the songs presented here. At seven-plus minutes, Sweet Lullabies overstays it's welcome by a good three. It's not a bad song - it's all about finding someone; it's just done in such deliberate fashion that you'll find yourself reaching for the skip button. Kross By The Road runs into similar difficulty, clocking in over eight minutes in length. The song explores the sorrow, loss and elements of faith of an unexpected tragedy. Schafer runs around his subjects almost endlessly, settling closer and closer to the heart of the matter with each go-round. His stories unravel like an onion is peeled; tiny later by tiny layer. For the listener this is a mixed blessing. Just as brevity is the soul of wit, it's also the key, at times, to a positive listening experience.

Schafer gets pensive on Sweet Dreams For Brigitte, a sleepy but inspired bit of jazz guitar noodling that turns into an ode to William Ackerman without the funky guitar tunings. It's an unstructured tune, sounding perhaps improvised at times, but Schafer returns to the jazz foreground where he started out and ties it all up quite nicely. Schafer heads off on another epic composition with Ain't That A Shame. It's a quasi-free form guitar experience with a bit of an Elvis Presley vibrato in the vocal. At six-plus minutes this one becomes a difficult listen. In the midst of all of this creative over-exertion comes two-and-a-half minutes of musical magic in Sweet Lady. Schafer finds the perfect mix of words, brevity and melody in a love song for the ages. Treat Me So Bad is built around some impressive blues guitar work. Lyrically the song is a bit difficult to follow, but musically it's top notch. We get a taste of Schafer's live sound on Knife Hangs On The Fence; a sound that doesn't vary significantly from his studio sound. This actually isn't a bad song, but you'll spend a lot of time trying to figure out just what, exactly, he's singing. Cradle ends with This Little Prayer For Gigi, a solo guitar piece that flows with the slow and deliberate nature of a nascent stream. It's pretty but that's really about all that can be said.

Tom Schafer is, above all other things, a talented guitar player. He can create musical tapestries with six strings that are entrancing, but he also is restricted by his lack of limitations and boundaries. Cradle is all Schafer all the time, and the end result is a highly insular recording that can feel exclusive even to the listener. Schafer is in his own world, musically, creating whatever he wants whenever he wants, but often becomes so bogged down in his creative need that he doesn't seem to know to get himself out. Consequently many of the songs here go on long after they've exhausted their contextual or musical message. Vocally, Schafer is interesting to listen to. It's not a pretty voice, but one you can enjoy; but lyrically he can tend to get repetitive and unfocused and dance around a subject long after the listener's interest has waned. Cradle is an album with some strong qualities and some strong liabilities. There's a lot here for the taking; it's a question of whether you are willing to wade through the rest. Those who enjoy free-form guitar play will definitely enjoy Schafer's instrumental aspect.

Rating: 2.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Tom Schafer at http://www.tomschafermusic.com/. You can purchase Cradle as either a CD or download from CDBaby.com.

Review: Elvis Presley - Elvis: The Ed Sullivan Show - The Classic Performances

Elvis Presley - Elvis: The Ed Sullivan Show - The Classic Performances
2009, Image Entertainment

There was a King long before Michael Jackson's publicist declared him the King Of Pop. Elvis Presley remains one of the best-selling artists of all time, and retains one of the most loyal followings this side of The Beatles. Elvis was wild, raw and sang in a style that in his time was revolutionary. In a world that had never heard of television events, Presley made his first appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show on September 8, 1956, drawing a then-unprecedented 60 million viewers. Presley went on to appear on the show 2 more times, generating 15 performances and not a little controversy. For Presley's third and final appearance on the show, Presley sang ballads and a gospel tune and was filmed only from the waist up because of suggestions of indecency about his prior performances. You'll hear different versions of the story, everything from complaints about his wild hip gyrations to a coke bottle in his pants for one of the previous performances that gave an obscene impression. Either way, it was ratings gold. Image Entertainment finally does these performances justice; release all fifteen performances on DVD on Elvis: The Ed Sullivan Show - The Classic Performances.

On the DVD you get all three performances, (9/9/56; 10/28/56 and 1/6/57), each re-mastered and presented looking/sounding better when they originally aired. Songs include: Don't Be Cruel, Hound Dog, Heartbreak Hotel, Too Much, Love Me Tender, When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold Again and 9 other classic songs. The highlights for Elvis fans are in the bonus materials, which include a home movie of Elvis shot live on August 7, 1955. There are documents from the Graceland and Sullivan archives and a brief piece on why Ed didn't host Elvis' first performance. If you're a fan of Elvis Presley then this is a must-have compilation. If you don't really know a lot about Elvis, this is a great way to get a taste of what the man was like as a performer in his early days, as well as getting an impression of what Elvis-mania was really like. The DVD is in Black and White and runs only 47 minutes in length, but it's worth every cent.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Elvis Presley at http://www.elvis.com/. You can purchase a copy of Elvis: The Ed Sullivan Show – The Classic Performances at Amazon.com.

Review: Zydecosis - Zydeco All Night

Zydecosis - Zydeco All Night
2009, Vinyl Records

Zydecosis is the musical brainchild of Houma, Louisiana's Steve Junot (guitar, vocals). He's joined by prodigious accordion player Chubby Carrier, and Lupe Valdeviez, Jr. (drums) with special guests Waylon Thibodeaux on fiddle and Tony Hall (Harry Connick Jr., the Neville Brothers, Dave Matthews, Emmylou Harris) on bass. Zydecosis plays classic rock standards in Zydeco style, and reminds listeners that Rock N Roll was meant to be fun. Zydeco All Night, the band's debut CD, is good old-fashioned party music. Covers they may be, but at their best Zydecosis restores the spark that these well-worn classics once had.

Zydeco All Night opens with Led Zeppelin's Whole Lotta Love. To be honest this was my least favorite track on the disc, mostly due to the verses (the chorus is very well done). Particularly in the first verse there's a feeling of separation between the vocalist and the instruments that's a bit jarring. Each segment is well done but they just don't seem to mix well on this track. Talk Dirty To Me (Poison) is a whole other matter; this one is a cross of early Elvis Presley (Don't Be Cruel) and Zydeco and works wonderfully well. Aerosmith fans may well bristle at the idea of Walk This Way being interpreted as a Zydeco tune, but once again the song sounds like it was never meant to be anything else. Satisfaction (Rolling Stones) is fairly close to the original in spite of the different instrumentation. Perhaps the biggest treat of the disc is Zydecosis' take on Queen's Fat Bottomed Girls. It helps that Queen themselves never forgot that Rock N Roll was fun and entertaining. This is a song that translates well into most any genre, but Zydecosis seems to have a special affection for this song that shines through in their performance.

Baba O'Reilly (The Who) sounds more like a country arrangement. Junot provides a great vocal but the arrangement lacks the life and energy elsewhere apparent on Zydeco All Night. I Want You To Want Me (Cheap Trick) is presented in a live track with a small but appreciate crowd listening in. The arrangement here just doesn't carry the urgency of the original, or that the song seems to demand. Musically it’s aesthetically pleasing but just lacks the oomph you might expect. Some Kind Of Wonderful (The Drifters) is presented in a sparse arrangement (bass, drums, harmony vocals), adding guitar on the second verse. It's not Zydeco, but is full of the joy that the song's lyrics imply. Your feet will be tapping and don't be surprised if you feel the urge to dance. Zydecosis closes out with Bad Company's Feel Like Making Love in a memorable rendition that might just be better than the original.

Zydeco All Night is an uneven but memorable effort. At the top of their game Zydecosis sounds like one of the best party rock bands there is. Steve Junot is a plus vocalist who's very composed and sings with a lot of heart. Chubby Carrier is inspired on the squeeze box and really drives the album. Most of the songs here are memorable. A few tracks are well done musically but lack the pizzazz or zest heard elsewhere. On the whole, Zydeco All Night is a very welcome project that I recommend.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Zydecosis at www.myspace.com/zydecosis or http://www.zydecosis.com/, where you can purchase a copy of Zydeco All Night. If it’s digital you want, you can download the album from iTunes.

Rod Stewart - Atlantic Crossing/A Night On The Town Ltd Edition Collector's Editions

Rod Stewart - Atlantic Crossing/A Night On The Town Limited Edition Collector's Editions
2009, Rhino/Warner Bros. Records

The period of 1975-1976 was one of great transition for Rod Stewart; moving to the United States and saying goodbye to The Faces for a solo career opened new musical avenues to Stewart. Stewart traded the British Folk-Rock sound for one steeped in American Rhythm & Blues, a move that was fostered by producer Tom Dowd who introduced Stewart to Steve Cropper, Donald "Duck" Dunn and Al Jackson, Jr. (otherwise known as the MG's minus Booker T and occasionally as the Swampers). This association fueled Atlantic Crossing, Stewart's first "American" album which went on to be a hit on both sides of the Atlantic, gaining Gold certification from the RIAA. The album is presented here with a bonus disc featuring an alternate version of the album plus great covers of the Bee Gees' To Love Somebody, Lee Dorsey's Holy Cow and Elvis Presley's Return To Sender. One of the alternate takes that's a pleasant surprise is Too Much Noise, a very early version of Stone Cold Sober that Stewart fans will go ga-ga over. Also notable is Skye Boat Song, done by the Atlantic Crossing Drum & Pipe Band in a stirring rendition that will have you reaching for your kilt.

In 1976, Stewart followed up with A Night On The Town, which achieved double-platinum status (2 million copies sold) on the strength of the #1 hit, Tonight's The Night (Gonna Be Alright). This is perhaps Stewart's most recognizable tune, still getting regular airplay on Adult Contemporary stations 33 years later. The backing band here is referred to as "The Garage Band" in the liner notes, and again included the MG's as well as Joe Walsh and David Lindley among others. The album also features a great cover of Cat Stevens' The First Cut Is The Deepest and the Southern Rock/Roadhouse The Wild Side Of Life. The bonus disc here is a real treat, with an early take of a cover of The Beatles' Get Back and early versions of the album and one B-Side, Rosie.

The Collector's Editions of these albums will be around for a while, but if you want the 2-disc versions with all of the alternate takes you'd better act fast. Warner Bros. is only selling these limited edition sets through the summer. This fall they'll be replaced with single-disc versions with less bonus tracks. Very often these sorts of expanded editions are take-'em-or-leave-'em affairs, but Atlantic Crossing and A Night On The Town are exceptions. The re-masters are flawless, and the alternate takes give fans real insight into the creative process of these two great albums. Plus, it's great to hear Stewart dig into some classic sounding Rock N Roll. If you're a hard-core Rod Stewart fan, or if there's one in your life, then these two sets are must haves. If you're not familiar with Rod Stewart other than a few fluffy ballads he's done in recent years, then it's time to see where the man come from.

Ratings:

Atlantic Crossing Limited Collector's Edition: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)
A Night On The Town Limited Collector's Edition: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Rod Stewart at www.wbr.com/rodstewart. You can order the Limited Edition Collector’s Edition of Atlantic Crossing and the Limited Edition Collector’s Edition of A Night On The Town at Amazon.com.

Review: Remedy - Paleofidelity

Remedy – Paleofidelity
2009, Remedy

Remedy comes blasting out of Halifax, Nova Scotia as a two-headed musical monster offering a mixture of varied rock tunes and a slew 1970’s era Funk Rock songs as well. The band is a classic power trio with Steve Harley on vocals and guitar, James Bond on bass and Gil Roy on drums and backing vox. Harley and Bond are longtime members of the ECMA music scene, previously gaining attention as members of Devora and Sweet Tooth. Remedy’s debut album, Paleofidelity, was released April 4, 2009.

Paleofidelity is all about the Funk, my friends. In listening through for the first time, I was convinced that Remedy was headed for strongly commercial territory with songs familiar enough in style to get picked up by radio programmers but new and different enough to break out of the commercial pack. The first four songs on Paleofidelity would seem to bear this idea out. Up From The Bottom is Funky Rock N Roll with a bit of Blues thrown in. Rhythmic vocal lines accentuate the song structure and the strong, soulful vocals of singer Harley. Rude Reaction is a highly commercial hybrid of Reggae, Dave Matthews and Rob Thomas, all rolled up into one song. The melody here is the sort you're tempted to sing along with the first time you hear it and the harmonies are downright gorgeous. You Said To Me takes the Active Rock route with a bit of Elvis swivel in the rhythms. The vocal harmonies are again superb and the song is extremely commercial in sound despite its dark undertones. The sound on Paleofidelity starts to morph with Emergency Light, a classic early 70's Blues/Rock tune ala Led Zeppelin (although not quite as hard). The song is lyrically dense and the harmonies once again are sublime.

All of sudden, from track 5 on, Remedy is a different band, with a distinct emphasis on 1970's Funk/Rock. I'd have to say that the first four songs here were highly enjoyable and original (even if a little derivative at times), but the remainder of the album seems to get stuck on a sound and style and stay there (although it’s very well played). I love great Funk, but Remedy set the bar so high with the opening four songs of Paleofidelity that the rest of the album comes off as something of a letdown even though it’s very well executed. You'll want to check out Any Other Way, All In A Days Charade and So Much Better, but I'd almost recommend tracking the CD backwards on a playlist. Either way, you get to hear two sides of Remedy on Paleofidelity. Regardless of your tastes, there is a lot here to like.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Remedy at http://www.remedymusic.ca/ or www.myspace.com/remedythehalifaxfunkmachine. You can purchase a copy of Paleofidelity at www.cdbaby.com/cd/remedymusic, or you can download the album from iTunes.

Review: Raul Malo - Lucky One

Raul Malo - Lucky One
2009, Fantasy

One might guess Raul Malo was raised on the classic music of Elvis Presley, Tom Jones, Roy Orbison, Jim Reeves and other greats of the golden eras of Rock and Country. On his latest CD, Lucky One, Malo pays vocal and stylistic tribute to that bygone era, moving through the sounds of that time like a musical chameleon. On the first three tracks alone Malo channels Tom Jones (Lucky One), Elvis Presley (Moonlight Kiss) and Roy Orbison (Something Tells Me). Crying For You is perhaps the biggest moment here, sounding like something Sun Studios and the country side of Nashville might have gone to war over at one time. Malo has a classic sound that would have fit in easily anywhere from the late 1940's to the 1960's heydays of Las Vegas. While looking decidedly modern, Malo has captured a sound and style here that becomes stale in the hands of many artists of this generation. Few have the charisma and showmanship to bring this type of music the way Elvis or Tom Jones did, much less in the fashion of Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr. or other contemporaries of The Rat Pack.

It's a little too early to tell, but Raul Malo might just find his name mentioned in those circles one day. He has the voice and the presence to be there. If you're a fan of great vocal music in general, or of 1950's and 1960's pop vocal music in particular then you need to check out Lucky One. You won't regret it.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Raul Malo at http://www.raulmalo.com/ or www.myspace.com/raulmalo. You can purchase a copy of Lucky One at Amazon.com.