Fear, Comfort and Dirty Smile(s)

It’s a scary world; A world full of people who are willing to castigate you for what you believe, or worse.  It doesn’t really matter what side of the political, religious or philosophical spectrum you’re on.  We in the United States live in a country started on the basis of freedom.  Puritans left Holland/England seeking freedom to believe in and worship God in the fashion they wished rather than in the manner prescribed by King James.  The founders of the United States wrote the Declaration of Independence, the United States Constitution and the U.S. Bill of Rights to specifically codify U.S. objections to rule by kings, tyrants and despots. 

Now we live in a nation where our leaders act counter to the interests of the people.  Special interests and corporations write our laws.  If you speak out against the way things are; against the government, you need to be concerned about who will start going through your email.  If you have religious beliefs, you need to be concerned about who might want to kill you.  It’s a scary world.

So reminiscence and memory become an escape, and music is one of the keenest reminders.  It’s one of the reasons that cover bands are so popular on Friday and Saturday nights.  It’s the comfort of music you know from a band that delivers it in relatively faithful versions.  The next step beyond that is a band that writes original music that is wholly from another era.  That brings us today’s band, Dirty Smile. 

Dirty Smile is a Buffalo, NY band comprised of Megan Brown, Erik Eimiller, Jesse Raderman, Mike Suda and Gus Walters.  The band is as tight as a wire and plays a delicious blend of pop, rock and soul.  Elements of Fleetwood Mac and the early, Led Zeppelin-like sound of Rush abound on the band’s debut EP, Love Songs for the Damned: Volume I.  Megan Brown is an absolute revelation on the mic, belting out vocals reminiscent of Grace Slick and occasionally even Geddy Lee.  Her voice is beautiful and electric with a rough edge and smooth side: the complete package.  The rest of the band matches her step for step with a dynamic sound with deep 1970s and 1980s roots. 

“Don’t Lie To Me” is the lead track, and could fit in on the regular play list of any AOR station in the country.  The song also has a freshness that makes it ear candy for today, and it wouldn’t be surprising to hear this on pop radio or on a movie soundtrack somewhere.  The other big standout track here is “Mona Lisa”, which is really performed in two parts.  The backside of “The Vow” is an acapella take by Brown on the Nat King Cole classic, and becomes a transition into Dirty Smile’s original song of the same name.  Brown shines on both, showing a supple, classic vocal style on the former, while diving into a soulful pop/rock sound on the latter.  Other songs of note include “Siren” and “Insanely Ever After”.

Love Songs for the Damned: Volume I was mixed and mastered by Canadian Indie legend Ron Hawkins (Lowest of the Low, Do Good Assassins), and the finished product is edgy, but ultimately as smooth as a baby’s bottom.  It’s a terrific introduction for a rust belt band with dreams and aspirations, as well as a sound that should carry them far beyond their great lakes home.

Learn more at www.dirtysmileband.com.  

Check out the official video for the band's song "Siren" below!

Transitions, New Places and Garden Songs

Hello!

I haven’t seen you around here in a while.  In truth, there hasn’t been much going on of late.  Have a seat.  The table’s a bit dusty, but we’re cleaning up.

I started this blog seven years ago almost on a lark.  I was deeply involved in music from a young age, as a singer and performer; and as a fan.  This blog at first was a means to expand my exposure to music while giving back to the musicians who made it.  It became something of a mission and a joy; and then a burden.  At one time I was publishing up to three reviews in a day, and spending literally all of my free time doing so.  I built Wildy’s World up to the point where 500 visitors were passing through each day.  I was proud of that, but there was a price.  After a while it became something I had to do rather than something I wanted to do.  Then it became something I resented but still loved to do.

The culmination of all of this came in the last year.  In October I lost my mom after a brief illness.  It was a difficult process that involved making the sort of decisions that no one ever wants to have to make.  It threw me for a loop, and the desire to write about, or even listen to new music, came to a shattering halt.  That wasn’t the only effect, of course, but it’s the one that’s most relevant to this space.

So for a time, music became a burden.  I continued to communicate with musicians and accept submissions, all with the best of intentions.  But when it came time to write, I just couldn’t do it.  It wasn’t fun; the words just wouldn’t come.

Today I turn the page, and as I do the view changes.  I will continue to write my thoughts about music, but the formulaic reviews are mostly a thing of the past.  This space will truly be Wildy’s World from now.  In it I will talk about the world; whatever’s on my mind, really.  That will include music, including great new music from Indie artists.  I will continue to take submissions and spread the word about things that interest me.  I don’t promise to be here every single day, but if you’re interested, this is a place you can come regularly and find something new. 

Today is the first day of my 45^th year.  I suspect it will be an adventure.  Please feel free to join me.

In celebrating transition and change, I’d like to tell you a bit about Ron Hawkins.  As regular readers here will know I think Hawkins is the proverbial bee’s knees.  He’s somewhere between the Canadian version of Bob Dylan and Tom Waits.  His lyrical talent is prodigiously sublime; sometimes deep and occasionally profane but always entertaining.  Hawkins began his career as the co-lead of rockers Lowest of the Low.  It was a good start, as the band was inducted into the Canadian Indie Rock hall of fame.  The band has broken up or gone on hiatus several times, and Hawkins has always managed to remake himself, whether as a solo artist or with bands such as The Leisure Demons and The Rusty Nails, Hawkins has left an indelible mark on the Canadian Indie Music scene.

The most recent iteration of Hawkins’ muse comes in the form of The Do Good Assassins, a quintet consisting of Hawkins (vocals/guitar); Jesse Capon (drums); Alex McMaster (cello/keys/trumpet); Derrick Brady (bass); and Steve Singh (guitar).  Their latest effort is entitled Garden Songs, a collection of ten of Hawkins more thoughtful songs written over the years.  The album was recorded over the course of one week, and highlights Hawkins’ brilliance as a songwriter and lyricist.  It also shows off The Do Good Assassins’ ability to bring those songs to life.  Longtime fans of Hawkins will be familiar with tracks such as “Peace And Quiet”, “Small Victories”, “D.F.W.” , “Propellers” and “Rome”.  There are also some hidden gems here.  “Kingdom Of The Sun” is memorable, and “Saskia Begins”, an ode to a newborn child, is among Hawkins’ best songwriting. The recasting of “D.F.W.” and “Small Victories” particular stand out here, and listeners newly introduced to Hawkins will be stunned by what they hear.  Garden Songs is a must have album.  I’ll give it 5 stars, without reservation.

Learn more about Ron Hawkins at www.ronhawkins.com.  You can pick up the album from Ron’s online store at www.victimlesscapitalism.com.  Please be patient, because the initial demand for the album caused the first run to sell out.  They’ll have more soon! To hold you over, and pique your interest, check out this live performance of "Peace and Quiet", the lead single from Garden Songs.

Our discussion of The Do Good Assassins fit in with the reintroduction of the blog today. They also kick off a week (or so) of discussion of bands related to my adopted hometown of Buffalo, NY.  While The Do Good Assassins call Toronto home, the band (as well Hawkins over the years) have spent a lot of time haunting the clubs and stages of Buffalo over the years.  As a result they get honorary status.  In the coming days we'll also be talking about Buffalo native Jeneen Terrana, and current Buffalo bands Dirty Smile, Grace Stumberg and Bryan Johnson And Family.  After that we'll move on to new or recent releases by Rachael Sage, Seth Glier, Laura Joy and others.

Until next time.

Getting reacquainted with a great album

Every once in a while its good reacquaint yourself with a great album you haven't listened to in a while. Life gets busy and musical mores move on, but great music has staying power.

Today's selection is Shakespeare My Butt by Lowest Of The Low. These Canadian Music Hall Of Famers are consistently remembered on best album of all time lists for this indie gem from the early 1990's.

Led by the duo of Ron Hawkins and Stephen Stanley, Lowest Of The Low had one of the most turbulent and successful careers of any early 90's Toronto Indie Rock scenester not named Barenaked Ladies.

I am working off my phone due to laptop failure and don't seem to be able to embed a video with this meager blogger app, but here is a link to the video for "Eternal Fatalist", one of my enduring favorites from the album. Enjoy!

http://youtu.be/AMbHh1TJjH0

The Do Good Assassins - Rome

The Do Good Assassins – Rome
2012, The Do Good Assassins

Even in the early days of his career, Ron Hawkins was lauded as one of the finest lyricists Canada had to offer.  His penchant for super-imposing darkness and light in his songs won him a generation of fans, a place in the Canadian Independent Music Awards Hall of Fame (as a member of Lowest of the Low) and a hard core group of fiercely loyal fans.  After flying mostly solo for a number of years, Hawkins felt the call to work collaboratively again on new material.  Thus was born The Do Good Assasins.  With the help of Derrick Brady (Hawksley Workman, Dodge Fiasco, Stifler’s Mom); Jesse Capon (Katey Morley, Big Rude Jake, Emily Weedon); Alex McMaster (Rob Szabo, Lily Frost, A Northern Chorus) and Steve Singh (Ron Sexsmith, Feist, Kiki Dee), Hawkins found a new vehicle and outlet for his iconic songwriting.  The Do Good Assassins’ debut album, Rome, drops on November 1, 2012 and is a two-disc affair.  The first disc is a collection of ten rock and roll tunes that trade darkness and light.  Set two is a countrified collection that mixes and matches emotions and musical hues with some pretty amazing results.

The Do Good Assassins get rolling with “Sadder Days”, sounding like a snap pre-punk outfit from the early 1970’s.  Rock and rhythm and blues drive the band along here in an incredibly catchy and radio-ready opener.  Ron Hawkins and Steve Singh trade vocal lines on “Fire Alarm”, a catchy mid-tempo number that’s reminiscent of Hawkins’ Rusty Nails days.  Ron Hawkins has long been one of the finest lyricists Canada has produced, and that fact is reaffirmed on “Public Transit”.  Opening with the line “Well it’s not so lonely to be all alone in a city of kisses and tells”, Hawkins explores the dichotomy of loneliness and closeness in a city where people are never far away but no one is truly close.  It’s an amazing piece of songwriting for anyone who has ever lived in a large city.

“Propellers” is a list song that explores the push/pull of love through widely ranging and sometimes diffuse analogies.  Hawkins’ voice brings a timely sense of melancholy to the proceedings in what ultimately ends up being a song of aching need.  This is a moment both tragic and beautiful; plaintive in presentation but with tremendous emotional depths.  “N.Y.C. vs. Jeffrey Brown” is a Steve Singh tune that’s amazingly catchy tune with distinctively 1970’s accents.  Singh takes the mic this time out and rocks out with undertones of funk and soul.  Don’t expect to sit still through this tune; I don’t think it’s possible.  The musical tour continues on “The Last Casanova In Town”, which has a decidedly retro feel and a catchy melody that you simply can’t get out of your head.  Once again, don’t expect to sit still.

Classic Ron Hawkins songwriting is on display in “A Spy In The 9 To 5”, a song about those artistic souls who masquerade their way through the days so they can live in the night.  Urgent, good time rock and roll takes over for “Wrap You Up (And Take You Home)”.  You’ll dance your ass off in this song of dance floor-born obsession, helped along by the guitar and horn-driven arrangement.  The energy stays high for  “Home Sweet Home”, a high strung rhythm and blues driven rocker about friends who have fallen by life’s wayside; lonely souls who met early ends.  Hawkins wraps this up with a classic couplet: “It takes a village to raise a child, it takes a city to bury it alive.”  The rock portion of Rome closes out with a life reflection for someone born in the era of JFK.  “Bobby Was The D.A.” continues the trend of incredibly catchy rock and roll with a retro feel, while exploring the insecurities of the Baby Boom generation.

Disc two of Rome, the County Disc, finds Hawkins expanding on the country sound he has been developing over his past two albums. “Capistrano” is a beautiful song of free spirited love and exploration. It’s a sweet and upbeat love song, more the surprising for Hawkins’ frequent brushes with darkness and loss over the years in his songwriting. Alex McMaster gets a brief vocal cameo here and shows off a surprisingly rich and adept country voice. “Too Far” bears the instrumental marks of a country tune, but is more of a down-tempo pop/rock number. It’s well written, but the country connection is tenuous at best, with the guitar work sounding more like something you’d find on a Lowest of the Low album.

"Swing Low" is a ballad full if melancholy reflections. The Do Good Assassins find the beauty in a series of small personal tragedies, divining it in an incredibly nuanced arrangement around Ron Hawkins' affecting vocal line. Steve Singh once again takes the mic for "In The Chest Of The Land", a pragmatic and complex folk number that reflects optimism and hope.  "Spotlight" is an expression of frustration that one conception of the good life is not as brilliant as it might seem. The abject melancholy here is powerful, and Hawkins nails the moment with a stellar performance. "Rusty Chain" is a driven little country rocker about live gone sour, revenge and penance. This is classic stuff, replete with hooks and a lyrical flow that pulls you along. You won't be able to get this one out if your head.

The Do Good Assassins slow things down for the lonely beauty of "A Little Rain", while exploring the sometimes inevitable curves life throws our way. Mournful pedal steel serves as a co-vocal for Hawkins' rough hewn lead. "Us Eat Them" is a vibrant ad viral rocker dressed in country clothes that will get your feet moving. "Little Volcano" is a love song wrought from the darkness of personal reflection. Hawkins finds beauty in the mundane details here, creating the sort of poetry for which he has become renowned; even the minimalist arrangement ads to the milieu. The album winds down with the lonely strains of "Rome", detailing the tendency of life and love to decay. Hawkins once again finds beauty in heartache, scratching out one of the finest prices of songwriting he has done.

Wow.

In this highly digital age it is often the case that the concept of an album as a body of work is irrelevant.  The Do Good Assassins apparently have not forgotten what it’s like to live with a song cycle from end to end.  The fact that Rome essentially encompasses two complete, distinct and incredibly well done song cycles is mind-blowing.  Ron Hawkins’ songwriting is as stark and beautiful as ever it was.  Steve Singh brings a brighter songwriting dynamic that serves as a very capable, if occasional balance.  The overall musicianship here is thrilling to a music fan.  Nothing is overdone; nothing left unsaid.  Rome has an organic and complete feel that is so often lacking in music today.  This is a must have for any music fan, and a Wildy’s World Certified Desert Island Disc.  This Do Good Assassins will hook you on the first pass and continue to grow on you.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

The Do Good Assassins will be performing a series of album release shows for album during the month of November throughout Ontario and here in Buffalo, NY. 

11/01/12 - The Horseshoe Tavern, Toronto, ON
11/02/12 - Mohawk Place, Buffalo, NY
11/03/12 - Mohawk Place, Buffalo, NY
11/09/12 - The Grad Club, Kingston, ON
11/10/12 - The Elmdale House Tavern, Ottawa, ON
11/16/12 - Murphy's Pub - Oshawa, ON
11/17/12 - The Merchant Ale House - St. Catherines, ON

Learn more:
www.ronhawkins.com
www.stevesingh.ca